21 Games To Keep On Your Radar in 2019

2019 is set to be a big year for the gaming industry, with some truly colossal games set to hit consoles and PC; and we’ve rounded up the noteworthy releases that are on the top of our must-buy lists:

Resident Evil 2

Release date: 25 January 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

Resident Evil 2 gets a new lease of life on the Xbox One and PS4 this January. However, this isn’t a straight-up remaster, but an entire remake of the original Playstation classic, bringing gorgeous new graphics, mechanics, and the over-the-shoulder third-person camera now famous to the series. It looks incredibly polished, and we can’t wait to get our hands on this one.

Kingdom Hearts III

Release date: 29 January 2019 (Xbox One | PS4)

It’s been a long time coming, but Kingdom Hearts III finally arriving in 2019 after numerous delays and release date shuffles. The Final Fantasy x Disney crossover sequel will bring some much-needed closure to a beloved action-RPG series, and while we’re a little concerned that the story has become a little too convoluted, we’re excited to team up with the Buzz Lightyear and Woody when it drops in late January!

Crackdown 3

Release date: 15 February 2019 (Xbox One | PC)

After quite a few delays, Crackdown 3 is finally ready for deployment in 2019! The franchise follows The Agency, 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 first shown off at Gamescom 2015, but has changed quite substantially since then, now featuring Terry Crews as one of the characters in the game. Fully destructible environments, multiplayer, and a massive city are only some of the incredible features that await us in Crackdown 3.

Far Cry: New Dawn

Release date: 15 February 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

Far Cry 5 ended with quite the bang, literally! And Far Cry: New Dawn picks up 17 years after the aftermath of the previous game. This time around, you’ll be trying to survive a post-apocalyptic open-world, but instead of drab, dusty locales, the world has been mutated and transformed. Players will also get to experiment and have some fun with some makeshift weapons and new abilities to deal with the human and animal threats that now scatter the environment.

Anthem

Release date: 22 February 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

Electronic Arts’ next big thing is set to be Anthem, a sci-fi third-person action game set in a Halo-esque type universe where people don mechanical suits kitted-out with jetpacks and powerful abilities. The game features both single-player and co-operative multiplayer elements in a “shared-world” that can have up to four squad members per team. Teams can fight savage beasts and ruthless marauders while exploring lost ruins and experiencing massive, world-altering terrain occurrences, such as “Shaper Storms” — we don’t know what those are, but they sound pretty cool.

Metro: Exodus

Release date: 15 February 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

The Metro series went quiet since the sequel came out back in 2013, but the third game in the franchise is on its way this year. Rather than scurrying around in linear underground tunnels through post-apocalyptic Moscow, Metro Exodus takes the series to an open-world setting, being described as the “most ambitious project yet”, which will see players venture across a monster-filled Russia. The game is packed full of dilapidated settings, makeshift weaponry and giant mutated rat and bear creatures — all elements that will be familiar to fans of the previous two games in the series.

Cyberpunk 2077

Release date: TBA 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

From the the team behind the breathtaking adventure that was The Witcher 3, comes a new spin on a cyberpunk future, aptly (and quite descriptively) titled Cyberpunk 2077. The game takes a somewhat similar set-up to The Witcher series, throwing you in a dense, open-world full of missions and things to do; but this time around, you’ll have to battle your way through maniacal robots, augmented humans, and all kinds of weird, futuristic monstrosities. It looks to be incredibly deep with some interesting RPG mechanics, but the gorgeous gunfights and a compelling story are the real attraction here.

Control

Release date: 27 August 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

Control comes from Remedy, the team behind such hits as Max Payne and the shamefully-underrated Quantum Break, and it looks to be one of the most interesting games of the year. This supernatural third-person action-adventure game will challenge you to master a combination of supernatural abilities, modifiable loadouts and reactive environments, while fighting through a deep and unpredictable world.

Code Vein

Release date: TBA 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

Code Vein was first revealed in April 2017 and clearly draws inspiration from the Dark Souls franchise, which is also published by Bandai Namco. The stylish adventure features vampire-like player characters known as the Vein. Using super powers known as Gifts, players fight an infestation of demonic creatures known as the Lost in a post-apocalyptic, anime-styled world with the help of AI-controlled partners.

Left Alive

Release date: 5 March 2019 (PS4 | PC)

The creators behind Left Alive have worked on games like Armored Core and the Metal Gear Solid series, so you know there’s some pedigree in the development team. The game follows three survivors as they fight back during a devastating invasion. Expect some stealth-action gameplay as well as mech-based combat.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Release date: 22 March 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

From the studio that has brought us Bloodborne and the Dark Souls franchise comes Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, a faster but equally-as-brutal action RPG set in ancient Japan. Players take on the role of a disfigured and disgraced warrior who has to use his cunning skill, speed, and vicious combat skills to dish out revenge on those who wronged him. Fans of Bloodborne will want to put this right at the top of their must-play lists.

Devil May Cry 5

Release date: 8 March 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

Devil May Cry is back, and picking up where the fourth game left off, letting players take control of the iconic demon-hunters Dante and Nero once more. It’s unclear whether this new instalment takes into account 2013’s DmC as cannon, but Capcom appears to be focusing on the core franchise narrative once more. What we do know is that acrobatic gunplay, slicing and dicing monsters, and attitude aplenty will be present.

The Division 2

Release date: 15 March 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

The Division was a great foray into the multiplayer-centric third-person shooter area for Ubisoft, but there’s no denying it had some shortcomings. The Division 2 aims to rectify that, bringing with it a larger, more dense world, a ton of new gear and weapons, and three new high-risk Dark Zones where all bets are off and players can take on each other online.

The Sinking City

Release date: 27 June 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

The Sinking City is a third person, Lovecraftian-inspired adventure game which takes place in the fictional city of Oakmont, Massachusetts. After a mysterious flood hits the town and unleashes some horrifying monsters, it’s up to you to investigate the bizarre happenings. The game will utilise a lot of the mechanics and systems from the Sherlock Holmes games (also being developed by Frogwares), so if you’re looking for something a little more cerebral, this could be right up your alley.

Mortal Kombat 11

Release date: 23 April 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | Switch | PC)

The bloody veteran is back for another round, returning some brutality and gore to the fighting scene in gaming. Alongside the returning Fatalities and Brutalities, new gameplay mechanics such as a Finishing Blow, Krushing Blow, and Flawless Block are introduce to mix things up and keep fighters on their toes. Series icons Baraka, Raiden, Scorpion, Sonya Blade and Sub-Zero all return, along with some new faces.

Days Gone

Release date: 26 April 2019 (PS4)

Days Gone is a new 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.

Rage 2

Release date: 14 May 2019 (Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

Those fans who played id Software’s 2011 shooter Rage will remember a great FPS experience, but one that had a few shortcomings due to the lack of multiplayer and a few technical bugs. Well, Bethesda and id are having another shot at the post-apocalyptic action franchise. Players take control of Walker, the last Ranger of the wasteland, who was robbed of his home and left for dead, so, as you could imagine, he’s pissed. Players will fight their way through the wasteland battling mutated tribes to find the tools and tech needed to take the fight to The Authority and crush their oppressive rule once and for all.

Gears of War 5

Release date: TBA 2019 (Xbox One | PC)

Microsoft’s juggernaut Gears of War franchise continues to roll ahead, with a fifth primary instalment bring announced for Xbox One and PC. Shifting away from the characters of Marcus and JD Fenix (who headed up previous Gears titles), Gears 5 features a female lead for the first time. Players will take on the role of Kait, who ignores the chain of command to take her squad on a mission of more personal importance.

Biomutant

Release date: TBC 2019 (PS4 | Xbox One | PC)

Set in a post-apocalyptic universe filled with humanoid animal creatures, Biomutant is an open-world RPG that combines exploration and combat across a vast but dangerous setting. Described as a “kung-fu fable”, the game allows you to customise your character with different robotic attachments, mutations and weapons, ranging from samurai swords to full-blown assault rifles. It’s incredibly unique and ambitious, and could very-well end up being the surprise hit in 2019.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Release date: TBA 2019 (PS4 | Xbox One | PC)

A new Star Wars project is in the works from Titanfall developers Respawn Entertainment, which is set to be an action adventure game that follows a surviving Padawan after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Not too much else is known, but if Respawn can nail the intensity and acrobatic nature of Jedi lightsaber battles, we’ll be in for something special.

The Surge 2

Release date: TBA 2019 (PS4 | Xbox One | PC)

The Surge was a surprise hit in 2017, delivering fans a Dark Souls-like experience, albeit with cybernetically-enhanced lunatics, a dynamic limb-targeting system, and gory combat. The sequel will deliver all that and a host of improvements to the formula, such as new armour and exo-skeleton upgrades, trickier boss fights, and a much less-linear world to explore.

Which game are you most looking forward to this year? Let us know by tweeting @MenStuffZA and commenting below.

And if you want to find the best deals on other big games currently available and for pre-order, check out PriceCheck.co.za!