yes bby B)
Draugen (Red Thread Games)
Hands down most anticipated game. Ragnar Tørnquist is a brilliant writer, and this is his first big project after the Dreamfall series. It’s a Fjord Noir set in 1920’s Norway told by an increasingly unreliable narrator where a man searches for his sister with the help of his ward, Lissie, who comes with a dynamic dialogue system.
Five more under the cut, with three honorable mentions.
Man of Medan (Supermassive Games)
Return of the devs of the Uncanny Valley! I’m so excited for this one just because of my soft spot for Until Dawn. Man of Medan is the first in what’s going to be a series of horror games inspired by the cliché horror movies that have plagued us for years. Y'know, like Until Dawn. Man, I love that game.
In the Valley of Gods (Campo Santo)
Another story set in the 1920’s, but centered around Rashida, a disgraced explorer in an ancient valley in Egypt. You’re looking for dangerous treasure with the aid of Zora, a former partner whose relationship can be rebuilt depending on your choices.
Twin Mirror (Dontnod)
I’m always a little skeptical with Dontnod. This isn’t worth talking about visually, the voice-acting is funnier than it is good, and don’t get me started on the writing. I lost my shit at, “Time to stare into my own abyss,” and then they went and made me unironically hear the term mind palace in the year of our lord 2019 - BUT the story feels a little bit like David Cage meets Alan Wake, and I live for that kind of shit. Please let this be the new Indigo Prophecy. Please.
Sea of Solitude (Jo-Mei Games)
The premier for this game was one of my highlights for E3. Not only was the trailer pretty, but the creator was passionate and inspired. I think she has a really good story to tell that’ll resonate with a lot of people.
The Outer Worlds (Obsidian)
…Duh.
Honorable Mentions
Judgment (Toshihiro Nagoshi)
This is already out in Japan, but a localized version is coming out in 2019. It was made by the Yakuza devs and it’s a courtroom thriller, but it’s gonna be dubbed, so… Yikes.
Journey to the Savage Planet (Typhoon Studios)
I’m an immediate fan of devs who break away from big companies like Ubisoft and create their own team to work on passion projects. That’s where all the best stuff is created, and the trailer has some Beyond Good and Evil vibes, so I’m keeping an ear to the ground for this one.
Days Gone (SIE Bend Studio)
Yeah, yeah, another zombie game. Tell you what, you put Mario and Pikachu to rest, and I’ll give up my blockbusters. Seriously though, this is lining up to be an open-world experience with dialogue choices and multiple endings, so… A+