Brace yourselves, your summer gaming list is about to explode in the best way possible. After the release of the Nintendo Switch and "Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," people are all gamed-out, but there's so much more on the horizon. You name the style or the genre, there's a game coming out. Everything from family-friendly group play to multiplayer online role-playing games, the rest of 2017 is packed with some of the biggest titles in gaming history.
1. "The King of Fighters XIV" – June 15
The King of Fighters series should honestly be crowned the king of all fighting games, pun intended. Putting aside the history of "Street Fighter," KoF has some of the most intuitive and unique gameplay in the entire Fighting Game industry. Rocking the classic 3 vs. 3 battle system, the game has been a staple in every fighting game player’s arsenal. This release is the first stateside release and is even making its debut on the PS4 with a series-first 3D graphics. I can’t wait to see how King of Fighters XIV shakes up the fighting game world.
2. "Arms" – June 16
This game took me by surprise at the Announcement of the Nintendo Switch. It looks so unassuming and basic, just a way for Nintendo to show off their new gadgets. But, the more I’ve looked at the gameplay the more I’ve found myself excited for this ridiculous game. It reminds of the days of playing Wii Boxing and Wii Bowling with my family when the Wii first came out. This game looks like it’ll take people by surprise in the best ways.
3. "Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood" - June 20th
That's right. The second expansion is already upon us. After one of the most successful rereleases in gaming history, the Square Enix MMO is releasing its next expansion. The list of features it's adding is probably endless, with plans to add even more in future patches. The two biggest additions are two brand new classes, Red
4. "Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy" – June 30
At some point, almost every gamer made the decision between a PlayStation and a Super Nintendo. Those of us who chose the Super Nintendo had Mario while those who chose the PlayStation had Crash Bandicoot. The ridiculous orange sports mascot reject became one of the most well-known characters in all of gaming. Even going as far as becoming the iconic mascot for PlayStation itself for a short time. N.Sane Trilogy is bringing Crash and friends to the 21st century in the best way possible. New graphics and the same amazing gameplay has me excited to reacquaint myself with an old friend.
5. "Uncharted: The Lost Legacy" - August 22nd
Uncharted 4 marked the end of Nathan Drake's story. The entire series was one of the most groundbreaking and beautiful series available on the PS4. The Lost Legacy covers the story of Nadine Ross and Chloe Frazer, giving players a much-needed source of cinematic action while we wait to hear about what's next for the Uncharted world.
6. "Madden NFL 18" – August 25th
Madden has been a standard in gaming history. Every year a new representative is chosen for the cover and the game is updated with the new rosters. I’m mentioning this for a very specific reason and that is Tom “The GOAT” Brady. A player both loved and hated by fans of American Football everywhere, he’s on the cover and is challenging history in a big way yet again. “The Madden Curse” has claimed a dozen different players who have graced the cover of the game, but The GOAT has challenged it head-on.
7. "Sonic Mania" – August 31st
Sonic has had a rough time in the last decade. Between becoming a werewolf, getting several oddly colored and strange cousins, and even abandoning his fast running for a car or a hoverboard, he’s been the laughing stock of the classic gaming world. Sonic Mania is here to fix that. Bringing back some of the original developers from Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sega is going back to the classic Sonic style and bringing us 2D side-scrolling goodness. Revamped versions of the original worlds and even a classic art style reminiscent of the original games means we’re getting what will hopefully be one of the best Sonic games in almost two full decades.
8. "Destiny 2" - September 8th
Despite its average reception at release, Destiny stayed ahead of the game as the top console-based MMO on the market. With its unique First-person raiding style and some of the smoothest gun handling mechanics in the genre, it's no surprise Destiny is the best on the market. Boasting one of the most kick-ass casts of voice actors in gaming history, including Firefly stars Nathan Fillion and Gina Torres, the sequel has gamers and sci-fi nerds beyond excited for more story getting integrated into the gameplay they love so much, plus you can't go wrong with these amazing cutscenes.
9. "Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite" – September 19th
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is one of the best fighting games to ever hit the market. Holding one of the longest-running spots in the fighting game world championships, EVO, it’s been due for an update for a while now. Infinite brings some new faces from comic books like Captain Marvel and Ultron, and Sigma and Mega Man X from the Mega Man X series. The previous versions were known for crazy team-style combat and infinite loops and I know this sequel will be no different.
10. "South Park: The Fractured but Whole" – October 17
Yeah, I know that October isn’t the summer but Stick of Truth was so good I had to mention its sequel. It felt like I was playing an episode of Southpark that lasted for hours. The Fractured but Whole offers a sequel to the game in the best way possible, with superheroes. If you like the humor in the TV series, you’ll love both games. This has to be one of the games I’m personally anticipating the most.
