BEST GAMES OF 2018

NEW UP COMING GAMES FOR PC

When we look back at the last 10 years (from April 2008 to April 2018), we see continuing proof that the PC is the most diverse gaming platform ever created. This platform has not only the most games but also the most different types of games you’ll find anywhere. Picking our top 10 best and most memorable experiences from that time was a huge challenge, but IGN’s panel of experts

State of Decay 2

The definition of a cult indie hit, State of Decay was a lot of great ideas that were well implemented and not locked in early access for a thousand years. It did well too, managing to garner quite the gaggle of fans that appreciated a group zombie survival where things actually worked. The sequel wants to do all that better and it could be one of the surprise hits of the year.

Vampyr

The first game for feels-central developer Dontnod to release after Life is Strange is, obviously, about consuming the flesh of the living for sustenance. Vampyr casts you as a recently-vampirised doctor in 1918, just as Spanish Flu is really starting to mess Europe up. London is the setting, dark is the tone, and surviving is the plan, while trying not to destroy all sense of civilisation in Britain’s capital. Good luck.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset

The next expansion to The Elder Scrolls Online will take us to the home of the high elves: Summerset Isle. Much more picturesque than the south west England county, this latest update to Zenimax’s MMO will be the biggest new zone yet - even larger than last year’s Vvardenfell jaunt. With the chance to join the mages of the Psijic Order and learn new combat skills and abilities, we are itching to get return to the setting of 1994’s The Elder Scrolls: Arena.

Jurassic World Evolution

We have been watching human beings make mistakes with dinosaurs and theme parks since 1993, but now we get to make them ourselves with Jurassic World Evolution. Presumably, considering the summer release date, there is going to be some sort of tie-in with the Jurassic World film sequel, but Evolution looks to partly be a theme park sim in a similar vein to Planet Coaster. It looks like you can create your own attractions and organise your own park before it inevitably gets destroyed.

Crackdown 3

How do you make explosions even more explosive? Get the cloud to compute them. That is the plan for Crackdown 3, the years-late sequel to one of the Xbox’s most popular games.

Steel Rats

Steel Rats is a bike adventure game that blends Trials with Inside, which would be excellent if we were any good at it. This really is not a game for casuals: messing around on your Harley Davidson-esque motorbike in this dark, dieselpunk world feels like actually learning to ride. 

The Crew 2

Cars! But not just cars. That is the concept of The Crew 2: it adds biplanes and boats to the formula, along with the usual massive collection of cars and other road-based vehicles. You can even switch between them on the fly, weirdly.

The Crew 2 release date: Mid 2018

Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy

Good news: PlayStation’s icon marsupial Crash Bandicoot will be rolling and jumping his way onto PC. The bad news? This remastered trilogy including Crash Bandicoot, Cortex Strikes Back, and Warped is damn hard. On the plus side, we will be getting all the players PS4 players enjoyed, with luscious 4K-o-vision to sweeten the platforming deal.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy release date: July 10, 2018.

The Banner Saga 3

For fans of turn-based RPGs that appreciate an attractive, hand-drawn art-style with their role-playing, we come bearing good news: The Banner Saga is back with a third game. Unfortunately, there is also bad news: this will be the last in the series.

A character we know about is Varl loyalist Fasolt. We find him in something of a quandary, weighing up whether to help or hinder humanity as the end of the world looms.

The Banner Saga 3 release date: July 24, 2018

Dragon Quest 11

For the first time we will be getting a numbered entry of the Dragon Quest series on PC. Like many in the series before it, Dragon Quest XI tells a standalone story about a reincarnated hero on the run from a massive army. With a diverse cast of characters, large world, and plenty of quests with which to test out your JRPG, turn-based combat skills, Dragon Quest XI will have around 100 hours of role-playing goodness.

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age release date: September 4, 2018

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

In this third entry to Lara's grave-robbing reboot, Shadow of the Tomb Raider will have an even darker tone. The nervous, inexperienced explorer we found in the first game is long gone: Shadow proves to be the famous tomb raider's most predatory hour yet.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider release date: September 14, 2018

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - Mars

In case you missed Konami’s adored hack-and-slash and third-person shooter mash-up when it initially launched on PS2 in 2003, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner is coming to PC in 2018.

It is 2174 and your job is to take down the evil BAHRAM military organisation, who are suppressing society across Earth and Mars, with the help of a powerful mech called Jehuty. The enhanced edition adds 4K and VR support to the sci-fi action game, so it should not look too shabby for a 15-year-old console game.

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - Mars: September 2018

Monster Hunter: World

The PC is getting a Monster Hunter game with all the bells and whistles you could hope for, just without the release date. The PC version will appear at an unspecified date in Autumn, around half a year after the console launch. That extra time better pay off.