In the last few months, a few major developers and publishers have released trailers showcasing future projects. Some of these games have set release dates and may be on shelves as quickly as this month, while others aren’t as fortunate. For this article I have chosen three of these games to talk about in a little more detail.
“Imperator: Rome”
Release Date: 4/25/19
Platform(s): Microsoft Windows, Linux and Mac
“Imperator: Rome” was announced back in 2018 and was met with great excitement by the loyal fanbase that Paradox Interactive reigns over. The latest chapter of Paradox Interactive’s line of grand strategy games takes the player back to the days of the end of Alexander the Great’s Empire and the rise of the Roman Republic. The Swedish developers are known for successful franchises such as “Crusader Kings”, “Europa Universalis”, “Victoria” and “Hearts of Iron”. Just as it was in other games by Paradox, “Imperator: Rome” challenges the player to take the reigns of leading a nation and see that it prospers under the decisions made by them. The game will allow you to take control of an ancient civilization in the late 4th Century BC and do as you see fit. This project by Paradox Interactive seems to be rather ambitious, as the last title released by the company that takes place in a similar time period was the 2008 release titled, “Europa Universalis: Rome”. Something that makes me a bit skeptical of the new release is that the last few titles released by Paradox (“Hearts of Iron IV” and “Victoria II”) were rather half-baked on release. However, the studio has attempted and succeeded at fixing some of these titles and in fairness, Paradox has released some amazing titles, such as “Crusader Kings 2” and “Europa Universalis IV”, which were almost instant classics. As a huge fan of Paradox Interactive, I hope for nothing but the best for this game and am very eager to take over Europe in the name of Rome.
“The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening for Switch”
Release: Later 2019
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
In February of 2019, Nintendo announced at Nintendo Direct that they were creating a remastered version of the beloved handheld title of “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening”, which was originally released way back in 1993 for the Nintendo Gameboy. The story follows Link as he washes on shore on Koholint Island and tries to find his way off the island and back to his home in Hyrule. The original “Link’s Awakening” was the first “Legend of Zelda” title to be on a handheld console. The remastered version of the game will feature the same art style as the original with updated graphics. Some critics of the game have been rather vocal about the appearance of Link in the trailer. Although I agree that Link looks a bit cartoony, I firmly believe that this only enhances the light-hearted nature of the game and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. This remaster is part of a statement released by Nintendo to release a new “Legend of Zelda” title every year for the next few years. So far, Nintendo is delivering on this claim and I have no doubt that they will attempt to continue to do so. However, Nintendo of America just recently lost its CEO Reggie Fils-Aimé and that could spell trouble for their marketing in North America, as Reggie was a big part of the success with advertising Nintendo titles in the United States and Canada.
“Halo Infinite”
Release Date: November 2019
Platform(s): Xbox One and Microsoft Windows
After their release of “Halo 5: Guardians” 343 Industries have been under a lot of fire by the fanbase of the “Halo” franchise. For many gamers, “Halo” was what introduced them to the first-person shooter genre. However, 343 announced the newest installment of the iconic shooter back in the Summer of 2018 and ever since then, fans have been more excited than ever. The issues that most fans had with “Halo 5” was the lack of focus on the series protagonist, Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, the somewhat boring campaign and the incredibly futuristic art style that was introduced in “Halo 4” . As a hardcore “Halo” fan myself, I didn’t have that many complaints and found myself enjoying the game for what it was. But, I did feel as though the game wasn’t really “Halo” in the same manner as previous titles. “Halo Infinite” seeks to bring the franchise back to its roots, which was made apparent when we saw the Master Chief’s classic Mk. IV helmet in the trailer. Many fans hope that we will see a return of the glory days of “Halo 3” and “Halo Reach”. Many fans, including myself, see that era as a golden age for the franchise and gaming itself. Hopefully, this new addition to the franchise will make this dream a reality and bring back what many fans yearn for. Not much else beyond that is known about the game, but like many other fans of the franchise, I am hyped beyond belief.
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