By Jeremy Proome

2018 is lining up to be a massive year for gaming. With everything from big-name sequels and indie titles to new IP blockbusters, there’s something for everyone. But in the spirit of highlighting the biggest and most exciting games coming in 2018, here’s our most anticipated:

CRACKDOWN 3

Release date: 2018 (Xbox One, PC)

The Crackdown series has produced a cult-like fan-base among Xbox gamers. The franchise follows The Agency, who deploy a cybernetic police-force in crime-ridden cities to take down the bad guys using some pretty nifty gadgets, guns and incredible superhuman abilities. The third instalment was shown off at Gamescom 2015, and it really came in with a bang. Fully destructible environments, multiplayer, and a massive city are only some of the incredible features that await us in Crackdown 3.An exciting element of Crackdown 3 is that the game will take advantage of the Xbox One’s cloud computing feature, to up the processing power of the console and capabilities of what can happen in the game. Yeah, it has been delayed once or twice, but a 2018 release is certain at this point.

GOD OF WAR

Release date: Q1 2018 (PS4)

It’s official – Kratos is back… and he has a son. God of War is getting a reboot, although this time the game is wrapped up in some intriguing Norse lore, rather than Greek mythology, featuring Kratos with a beard and brutal war axe. The game will revolve around Kratos’ relationship with his son, Charlie, who players will also be able to take control of. The gameplay we’ve seen so far won’t be unfamiliar to fans of past God of War games, but refreshingly different too. Of course, the giant creature battles return and look better than ever.

DAYS GONE

Release date: 2018 (PS4)

Days Gone is a new post-apocalyptic zombie title from Bend Studios, who worked on the underrated Uncharted: Golden Abyss on PS Vita. Set in the beautiful, volcanic scarred high-desert of the Pacific Northwest, Days Gone is an open-world action-adventure game where you play as Deacon St. John, a drifter and bounty hunter who has to use his former biker days to gain an edge in a world where survival is the only option. It looks gorgeous and the sheer volume of zombies on-screen gets us excited to what the game has in store.

SPIDER-MAN

Release date: TBA (PS4)

We’ve had a few Spidey games in recent years, but they’ve always been tied-in to film releases; and we’re craving an adventure that really explores Spider-Man’s villain roster and one that takes the story to new places. Thankfully, the latest venture from Insomniac Games, the team behind Ratchet and Clank and Sunset Overdrive, who’ve proved time and again they can make fast-paced action games with interesting movement mechanics, are in charge of Spidey’s web-slinging antics. The gameplay so far looks great, and we’re just hoping the final product sticks its landing.

RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2

Release date: 2018 (Xbox One, PS4)

Arguably the most anticipated game of the entire year, Red Dead Redemption 2 is set to take gamers back to the Wild West for another cowboy-packed, smoking-gun adventure. To be honest, not too much is known about Red Dead Redemption 2, as Rockstar have been pretty tight-lipped, but based on the initial trailer, we can expect a far larger world, more characters, gorgeous visuals, and a compelling story — things we’ve come to expect from Rockstar Games. In addition, Rockstar also recently registered the domain for “Red Dead Online”, suggesting that the developer will follow the framework of GTA V, which had a fully-fledged online component called Grant Theft Auto Online.

What game are you most excited for in 2018?

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