Gaming Best Bets – Spring 2018

Spring is just around the corner – but since the weather often doesn’t agree with this for a few more months, why not spend some more time indoors with video games! Here’s a look at your best bets for new games and ports being released in the coming months.

Sea of Thieves

Date: March 20^th, 2018

Platform(s): Microsoft Xbox One and PC

Genre: Online action-adventure pirate sim

Since being announced nearly three years ago, Sea of Thieves has been a hotly-anticipated title from Rare, makers of multiplayer classics Goldeneye for the N64 and Diddy Kong Racing, among other great titles. While Sea of Thieves will be nothing like those games, Rare leans into their skills at taking ideas and making them shine. If you’ve ever wanted to be a pirate (from firing cannons to likely swabbing the deck), this is the game for you.

Detective Pikachu

Date: March 23^rd, 2018

Platform(s): Nintendo 3DS
Genre: Crime-solving adventure game with a talking Pokémon

Have you ever played a Pokémon game and thought: what if I didn’t have to do any of this “training” stuff and instead could walk around with a gruff-talkin’ Pikachu? Well Detective Pikachu is right up your very-specific alley. Since being released in Japan two years ago, Western audiences have been waiting for their chance to solve Pokemon-related crimes with generic protagonist Tim and his self-described “great detective” Pikachu friend. The game arrives just in time for next year’s Hollywood adaptation, starring Ryan Reynolds as the voice of Pikachu!

Nintendo Labo: Variety and Robot

Date: April 20^th, 2018

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch

Genre: Cardboard-powered minigames (or be a giant robot)

I’ve talked at length about the curious Nintendo Labo experiment and I’m sure it’ll be a success. The idea is simple: buy the game and pre-cut cardboard from Nintendo, build your own accessories (like a piano, fishing rod or full-size robot suit), and use the powers of the Switch’s controllers to bring the cardboard to life. There’s a lot of potential for interesting and exciting uses for the Labo materials, and time will tell what future cardboard-and-game sets Nintendo will release.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Date: April 3^rd, 2018

Platform(s): PC and Mac (coming to console later in 2018)

Genre: Single-player role playing game sequel extravaganza

Sequels are always an easy sell: if you played and liked the first one (Pillars of Eternity), you’ll like this one. Even easier, the isometric-style single-player RPG has been around for quite some time, so if you’ve played Baldur’s Gate, Planescape: Torment, Divinity: Original Sin or Icewind Dale, you’ll love Deadfire. Although this adventure is getting a PC/Mac release first, all the modern consoles will have their chance to play later in 2018.

Marvel’s Spider-Man

Date: Spring 2018

Platform(s): PlayStation 4

Genre: Silk-wasting action-adventure game

Spider-Man has a long history in video games, partially thanks to his role as one of Marvel’s most profitable heroes (in the real world, as opposed to the consistently-less profitable Peter Parker). Like last year’s rebooted film, this Spider-Man adventure begins with the hero already having a good grasp on his powers (no radio-active spider this time around), and you’ll have a chance to swing your way through New York City and use of all of Spidey’s web-slinging powers.

Honourable Mentions

Assassin’s Creed: Rogue Remastered (March 20^th, 2018, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC)

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (March 23^rd, 2018, PlayStation 4, PC)

Dark Souls Remastered (May 25^th, 2018, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch, PC)

God of War (April 20^th, 2018, PlayStation 4)