The end of first quarter of 2018 is packed full of game releases, including two games specifically for PlayStation VR. We have Final Fantasy XV finally coming to the PC, an HD re-release of the Devil May Cry series as well as continuations of series like Far Cry, Valkyria Chronicles, and Attack on Titan. Honestly, though, this month there’s not one game I’m personally interested in, but I know there’s one that many people are looking forward to.
Far Cry 5 is the latest installment in a popular adventure shooter series coming near the end of the month. Set in the fictional county of Hope, Montana, the game will follow a religious cult and the sheriff deputy (the player) sent to stop them. The development of the game has taken longer than expected, releasing this year rather than back in 2017. The player will be able to recruit allies from the local townspeople in the game as well as taming animals to assist with the mission.
Why People are Excited
Far Cry is a very popular series and this game has had a lot of talk around it already due to heightened political discourse. Setting the game closer to home for a lot of people, instead of some exotic far-away land, has caused speculation about whether the game has some hidden meaning or not. There was even a petition to change the game’s protagonists from American Christian fundamentalists to a group of Muslims. Most gamers that I know took the petition as satire, which it very likely was, but it certainly stoked the flames of discussion.
For the important part, the game itself, it looks like Ubisoft plans to deliver a thought-provoking story with a couple of new game mechanics. The writers want to explore the theme of separatism and what drives citizens to become so disenfranchised that they turn away from their own government. What causes people who live in such a free and open society to turn against it so dramatically? Dan Hay said the story looks at the consequences of belief and ideology taken to their extreme. In the current climate of extremes from all sides, it’s a bold story to present, and hopefully one that they deliver well.
Right from the start, a new feature in this release is to introduce a character generator. Rather than play a pre-defined character made by the developers, the player will be able to make their own. They’re also bringing back an element from previous games which allows you to lean around corners again. We’ll also see a wider selection of close-quarters weapons as the game focuses a little more on melee combat. In this installment, the player will navigate the open world by way of outposts, working their way through the story by liberating them from cultists. The writing and outpost element is meant to create a world where no two players should experience the game the same way, as each outpost can be found and overcome from different angles and at different times.
Other Notable Releases for March
Final Fantasy XV – The latest installment of Final Fantasy that released in November for other systems will be coming to PC on March 6th.
Devil May Cry HD Collection – An HD remake of this series will hit PC, PS4 and XBO on the 13th of March.
Kirby Star Allies – This side-down platformer is coming on March 16th to continue the Kirby series on the Nintendo Switch.
Attack on Titan 2 – The sequel to the game based on the popular manga and anime is coming to all major systems on the 20th.
Sea of Thieves – A new title from Rare to XBO and PC on the 20th as well. Cross platform play is promised in this cooperative naval combat game with a pirate theme.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 – The fourth installment of this strategy game is hitting the PS4 on March 21st and will introduce a new class and cast of characters.
Agony – A new title hitting PC, PS4, and XBO on the 30th will put players in hell as a tormented soul trying to survive and escape.
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