5 Video Games To Be Wary Of This Fall

With Christmas fast approaching, it’s that time of the year where the gaming calendar goes a little bit mental and shops are flooded with some juicy new releases for us all to get stuck into. With a piss poor E3 now behind us, this fall looks stacked with some spectacular releases.

However, as someone who fell hook, line and sinker for the hype surrounding For Honour, let’s take a look at five upcoming games that we should be wary of jumping straight into.

 

Assassin’s Creed Origins

Let’s start this little list off with one of the games that plenty are hesitant about. The Assassin’s Creed franchise was one of Ubisoft’s flagship series’ until they were given the next generation of consoles to work with. As we have said on Cultured Vultures many times before, Unity was maybe one of the most abysmal releases we have ever seen, and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate was not much better.

Ubisoft have promised a total revamp of the series and this outing takes us back to ancient Egypt. I’ll admit the graphics look stunning and some of the gameplay footage has revealed brutal gladiator combat and jaw-dropping visuals but including some of the regular features we have come to expect from the series.

However, I am approaching Origins with caution due simply to its predecessors. They needed to pull something out of the bag to save the series, but we can also expect the game to have a day one update and to be stacked with microtransactions – after all, we are talking about Ubisoft here.

 

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Arguably the most controversial entry on this list, Shadow of War truly earns its spot.

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor remains one of the best games on the next generation consoles, combing a quick thinking combat system, blood thirsty executions and the irritating Nemesis Engine, all combined with a pretty decent storyline, Shadow of War has very big boots to fill indeed. Okay, I’ll admit the game does take certain liberties with the lore surrounding the outstanding Lord of the Rings trilogy, but Shadow of Mordor is still highly enjoyable.

Middle Earth: Shadow of War promises to be its predecessor, but on a larger scale. Featuring various tribes, large scale battles and a more immersive storyline than the first, on paper this game looks set to be one of the biggest releases of 2017.

One of the reasons why I am hesitant with this title is the fact that I really did not feel Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor needed a sequel. The original truly is an outstanding game and I am worried that the same game will not work on a larger scale. It also feels like the producers are taking further liberties with the lore of Middle-earth, which may upset the hardcore fans of Tolkien’s world.

It is also worth mentioning that this game looks to be stacked with microtransactions, something the first game did not include and did not need, in my opinion. The microtransactions will grant you a certain amount of in-game currency to unlock various bits of gear and special characters for your army, cutting out the need for the player to do the side missions. To me, it’s starting to feel a bit too much like For Honor…

 

Destiny 2

Destiny was billed as one of the ction RPG titles to hit the next generation of consoles, and although it took its time to find its path in life, the numerous expansion packs have made this game a title that is well worth picking up.

I quickly lost interest in Destiny due to the insane amount of grinding that you needed to do in order to unlock anything half decent, and the storyline was incredibly weak, the developers relying on their numerous add-ons to really give the Destiny world some meat.

Destiny 2 looks to capitalise on the factions that were present in the original game and expand it to such an extent that it looks as if the whole premise of the game is based on this one idea. Promising a new and engaging storyline, new weapons and a ton of customisation options, the developers look as if they have gone all out to try and make a game that the first Destiny failed to be.

The concerns I have with this game are many. I am concerned they have stuck to the same formula of playing the same missions and levels for a million years before you achieve anything, and also that they will release as many expansion sets at the first game, relying on gamers to pick up a Season Pass in order to fully enjoy the game.
All that being said; the game trailers look outstanding but due to the nature of the game and the fact that it is online only, and as a result heavily reliant on the game’s servers, we can expect multiple hiccups in its first few weeks.

 

Call of Duty: WWII

It may come as no surprise that COD had decided to go back to its roots following the appalling success of their recent releases and the success that Battlefield 1 enjoyed when it was released last year.

Taking what seems to be a step back in time and returning to where the series began, WWII thrusts you into some of the most crucial battles during World War 2. The trailers we have seen so far feature insane firefights, intense gun battles and a range of new features that may make this game one of the best in the franchise since World at War.

However, as with any Call of Duty game, I am reluctant to buy this one due to the lack of single player campaign that these games feature. Most gamers can now complete the single player campaign in less than six hours, but where Modern Warfare and World at War differed from the newer versions is that the single player campaign felt like a real, in your face experience of war, where the others just simply lack any depth or storyline.

As most people will tell you, I despise playing COD online as it full of twelve year olds who just want to yell abuse at you and if this game is heavily reliant on a multiplayer feature, then I may just leave this one on the shelf.

 

Star Wars Battlefront 2

Star Wars Battlefront was, in my opinion, a massive letdown. With a glaring lack of single-player options and relying on the player to play the same maps over and over again, Star Wars Battlefront became less of the Star Wars game we were promised, and more of a depressing slog through Endor. EA also held back all the juicy content and released them as expansion packs, forcing you to pay almost as much as the game itself for the Season Pass to truly enjoy the game.

Star Wars Battlefront 2, however, includes a single player campaign and new levels ripped directly from the newest instalments in the franchise. With both new and old heroes coming back to fight it out on the battlefields, Star Wars Battlefront 2 is shaping up to be the game the first should have been.

However, due to the previous tactics used on the first game, I will probably be leaving Battlefront II until a later date. I have a funny feeling that you will be forced to pay extortionate amounts to really enjoy the game, and, of course, the focus is on multiplayer, so we can expect microtransactions and an insane amount of in-game purchases.