SBT Localization and Games 2018

So, it’s that time of the year, when everyone gets to straighten up their annual reports, do some insights into the year passing by, look at what has been done and achieved. Most people try to find things to be proud of, some are just doing all that for one sole purpose of boasting in front of others.

Come to think of it, we should make some sort of an annual report as well… but I’m just not motivated enough for such things. This is a job for Sofia. Or Oleksii. Dunno. As for Verminko… he has other tasks here. Moreover, if we are talking about the tasks at hand, I think I should say that while the rest of the team suffers while writing their reports and performing other assignments, Verminko interviewed his colleagues and had small chat about the upcoming year and its expectations. Therefore, most of these conversations were about games that will be released in 2018.

If we are talking about something unique, we can’t really leave Scorn out of it. The biopunk genre is a rare thing on its own but it’s all but absent in videogames.  But when you take a look at this piece of art, made by Ebb games, (who managed to raise money for the game on Kickstarter with ease) you get goosebumps. Or even cold sweat. Something tells me that if the king of horror, Rudolf Giger was alive, he would have definitely liked this creation. We’re going to have to do that for him. Can’t wait to try switching this off in order to prevent an imminent heart attack.

Since we mentioned Giger, horrors and action games, it wouldn’t be right not to mention GTFO, the brainchild of the Payday dev team. It’s a sci-fi-horror wrapped in action, that promises to be intense and entertaining, making the player sweat, swear and try hard to complete objectives. And it seems to have taken a lot from “Alien” as well. Now if only we could find another 3 decent players…

Back to classics. And we’re talking real classics here. A remaster of the genius masterpiece Systemshock is coming in 2018. Haven’t played it before? This would be a great chance to bite into the grimdark cyberpunk future, where the player has to confront a merciless artificial intelligence that seized a space station and its inhabitants. You’re a veteran and know S.H.O.D.A.N.s every step and move? Then it’s a great opportunity to check your memory and immerse in the atmosphere, recreated from scratch on Unreal Engine 4. Besides, the devs promised a restart of the series, pleasing the most picky fans out there . And given the fact they had given nothing less than $1,350,700 on Kickstarter for this, it does ring true.

Overall, the upcoming year will be rich for horrors of different type and kind. To each his own, as they say. Vampyr, however, stands out among others. A fine chance to take the skin of an early XXth century doctor from London, who, as it happens, is also a vampire. To hunt or to be hunted  – that’s the real question here. Whose life to take? Which soul to collect, so you can endure one more night? And all of this is emphazied by the grotesque industrial scenery of the 1918s London. Looks promising.

But I hear my colleagues complaining, saying: Verminko,enough with the horrors already!  And so, after a couple of veiled threats of staking, we are moving on to something more casual and conventional.

For example, let’s take a look at a great project from Warhorse Studios called Kingdom Come Deliverance. This story-driven middle ages simulator with an rpg system, character development  and an open world looks just amazing. What could possibly be better? Maybe the thing that devs are making it as authentic as it could sensibly be. You won’t be laying waste to your enemies’ army with a single swing, that’s for sure. And there are no magic health potions. Or any magic whatsoever. Shahor has waited an eternity for such a game, you know.

Can’t walk past such a thing as Beyond Good and Evil 2, the long-awaited prequel to the famous action rpg, developed by Ubisoft. With great graphics and an open world, it aims to be not worse than its predecessor. Additionally the Montreal guys promised us a full generation of a star system. We believe, we hope and we wait.

Besides that, Ubisoft continue their Far Cry series. This time, we’re offered a crazy and action-driven adventure, fighting the fanatical doomsday cult known as Eden’s Gate somewhere in Hope County, Montana. Open world, madness, shooting, blood, gore and many-many easter eggs of all types and sizes. In other words,  exactly what fans love this game for. But on a bigger scale and in the US. Yay! Not my personal choice, but who am I to judge?

Talking about series, open worlds, great variety and a lot of opportunities… Did someone say Monster Hunter: World? Yep, it’s also coming up in 2018. Here the Japanese yet again give us the opportunity to become the best hunter. Or to become prey for the local wildlife. A  huge new continent, new beasts and new challenges. What could any grinder possibly want more? Maybe a 4-man coop. And that is included as well.

Also, among  other Japanese projects, I’d like to mention such a game as Code Vein. This post-apocalyptic sitopia, decorated in awesome anime style mashed up with some fine 3d and action, does a good job of getting attention. And the slogan: ”We fight, we drink blood, we revive and we fight more, turning our lives in an unending loop of pain…” MAAAN, the shivers! Not to mention the great DmC-style giant sword spinning combos that slice enemies into a fine red paste. A must have game, for sure.

Next in the line of our expectations is Ash of Gods. This game has gathered the required funds on Kickstarter and went into development, aiming to be released in April of 2018. Devs promise us a mix between a rogue-like role-playing visual novel and an online turn-based strategy game that has been visually inspired by The Banner Saga series. However Aurum Dust also promise a decent story and an interesting gameplay. No wonder they won an award on the most recent Games Gathering convention, which adds additional credit to the expectations. And it’s going to have a Ukrainian localization as well!

But the title we’ve been waiting for the most is, of course, Metro Exodus. It’s no wonder actually. How can you not love this post-apocalyptic masterpiece from our guys, the 4A Games? This should be an epic, story-driven first person shooter that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. Plus, not only we can expect to see the next chapter in Artyom’s story, there will be non-linear levels and we’ll be able to see how it spans for an entire year through spring, summer and autumn to the depths of nuclear winter.

And there you have it, this sums up the insider info from Verminko. And while you consider which games to wait for in 2018, SBT Localization team continues its work on the ukrainization of worlds. Cheers!

By Verminko