They’re weird, they’re gruesome, they’re beautiful, and sometime this year, one (or more!) of them are going to blow up the Internet. Today, we’re going to attempt to predict which ones. Feel free to join the game in the comments below!
1. Forgotton Anne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rONCfYGozP4
Forgotton Anne is a puzzle platformer that takes place in a gorgeous, Ghibli-esque universe where everything that is lost and forgotten gathers. Just for its visual and audio direction alone, there’s an overwhelming potential for this game to be in several people’s top 10 lists by the end of the year.
2. Heartbound
Heartbound has already been called “the next Undertale”, but what lies in the heart of this game may be something even greater. Storyline aside, the game is looking to be mechanically unique from every other RPG in the genre. One of the differences is how the game breaks away from the rigidity of dialogue prompts, instead actively adapting and evolving depending on how the player chooses to interact with it. Needless to say, a lot of people are extremely excited to see how this turns out.
3. Laser League
One look at the trailer and you can immediately tell this game is going to be a helluva good time. Its basic mechanics are simple: Activate laser walls, safely pass through ones in your colour, be obliterated by the ones that aren’t. But once you add weapons, moving walls, and real-time opponents to the mix – that’s when this game really shows its potential.
4. Mineko’s Night Market
“Mineko’s Night Market is a game about crafting crafts, eating eats, and catting cats.” It is also possibly the cutest thing I have ever laid my eyes on. I don’t expect the game will have a long lasting player base, but it is so adorable that players will flock around long enough at least to collect all the cats and draw fan art of them.
5. Necrobarista
Mark my words, Necrobarista has the potential to become a cult sensation. At its foundation, the game is an anime-inspired visual novel. What makes it different its usage of 3D graphics and cinematography techniques, combined to bring players through a fully immersive experience guided by text-based narrative.
6. Northgard
Amidst the diminishing genre of real-time strategy games, comes a title that its early players are already jumping to throw compliments at. As the player, you control a clan of Vikings vying for control of a new and mysterious continent. However, we’ll have to wait and see whether the final version of it ultimately takes off.
7. Ooblets
Ooblets is like the cutesy love child of Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and Pokémon combined. The game is primarily a farming simulator, but it also has a RPG battle element to it, and a decorating and customising element – yay! It’s not going to be the game for everyone, but I suspect those who do get hooked onto it will be playing this one for a very, very long time.
8. Ori And The Will Of The Wisps
The sequel to the multi award winning platformer, Ori and the Blind Forest, this game was first previewed at E3 last year where it was met with an incredibly emotional response from fans across the globe. With its sequel coming out a good three years after its original game release, we can also expect a new legion fans to be jumping on board the Ori train this coming year.
9. Praey for the Gods
No, that’s not a typo. Praey for the Gods is an action adventure game that is heavily inspired by Shadow of the Colossus. If you’re familiar with the latter title, you can probably guess that this game will also revolve around annihilating awesome, giant beasts. And true enough, you play as a lone hero setting out on a journey to end a never-ending winter by destroying the very gods you believe in.
10. Super Meat Boy Forever
Super Meat Boy is a game that’s cemented itself in indie gaming history, and now, its sequel is finally here. The game will emulate many of its predecessor’s charm, including its challenging gameplay, while adding in a new control scheme and randomly generated levels to the mix. Seeing that this is a game fans have been waiting for since 2010, it’s definitely going to make some headlines when it finally launches.
11. Untitled Goose Game
I know what you’re thinking – and I double checked this – Untitled Goose Game is the actual name of the game… I think. It’s being developed by House House, who are the same people who made the incredibly bizarre co-op game Push Me Pull You. In Untitled Goose Game, you play as a horrible goose disrupting a peaceful weekday morning in a village. It’s a game for assholes, and so, of course, it’ll go viral.
12. Vampyr
I would have never imagined that this grim landscape was dreamt up by the same developers behind Angsty Blue Haired Girl: The Game, but guess what, here we are. Vampyr is a game about choice, even though it doesn’t seem like it. You play as Jonathan Reid: A selfless doctor on one hand, and a newly-turned Vampyr on the other. Will you embrace the monster, or fight for your remaining humanity?
My pick is definitely Heartbound. What about you? Did I miss any of your picks? Leave it in the comments below!
