Jon Hall mashes buttons and wiggles a control stick into the new year.
2014 was a pretty good year for gaming overall, despite most major publishers shipping games with day-one patches in the tens of gigabytes (I’m looking at you, Wolfenstein) and a number of titles being delayed. However, the year is done (and was well capped-off with the likes of Lara Croft & The Temple of Osiris) and all eyes are pointed forward into the far-off future… Below are some titles members of Link Magazine are keeping an eye on.
Nintendo’s new Link. (C/O Nintendo)
Legend of Zelda
Nintendo’s first party titles always bring their fans out of the woodwork, and their reveal for their newest entry into the nearly 30 year old franchise was no different. Touting a massive open world and the ability to backflip off your horse firing your bow in slow motion like a John Woo film, never before has Link looked better. In Nintendo fashion, we’ll likely step foot into Hyrule next Christmas – but not before we see their 3DS remake of the Nintendo 64’s Majora’s Mask on February 13th.
(WiiU – Late 2015)
Torment: Tides of Numenera
inXile Entertainment’s spiritual sequel to 1999’s ‘Planescape: Torment’ got off to a roaring start after raising nearly five million dollars (first four through Kickstarter, then more through their website directly) to fund development of their latest isometric RPG throwback. [IMG4 – C/O inXile Entertainment]
Expected to drop in 2015, ‘Tides of Numenera’ puts you into the cast-off body of a near omnipotent wizard, asking the impossible question: What does one life matter? If ‘Numenera’ is anything like ‘Planescape’ was we’re all in for an incredible ride.
Check out some pre-alpha footage below.
(PC, Mac, Linux – 2015)
Mortal Kombat X
Sub Zero (C/O NetherRealm Studios)
NetherRealm Studios will always need to apologize for ‘Mortal Kombat Armageddon’, and ‘Mortal Kombat X’ might just be the apology fans have been looking for. Taking some design influences from their previous fighter ‘Injustice: Gods Among Us’, MKX is shaping up to be a fantastic arcade fighter.
Boasting old favourites like Scorpion and Sub-Zero as well as newcomers like fighting duo Ferra & Torr, I look forward to getting stomped into the dirt.
(PS4, XBOne – Apr. 14th, 2015.)
Street Fighter V
While ‘Ultra Street Fighter 4’ might still be a fresh release, Capcom has wasted no time announcing ‘Street Fighter 5’. Including new technical elements like Counters, Guard Crush, EX Stances and Just Guard, SF5 will hopefully be a staple at tournament level play.
@maximilian_ Call me crazy but the #SF5 logo looks almost like SF3 logo. Possible returning SF3 mechanics? pic.twitter.com/zoXGLKvRU6
— Cleveland Hall III (@KaiCH3_) December 7, 2014
Console exclusive to the PS4, fans that don’t have Sony’s new console don’t have to worry about not being able to play online with their more fortunate friends: Just like Portal 2 on the PS3, online play for Street Fighter 5 is compatible with the PC version as well – Meaning that I can finally throw down my Ryu against Link editor Ria’s Decapre (provided she’s in SF5 this go-around) from the comfort of my own couch.
Check out the trailer below.
(PS4, PC – Est. 2015)