Don’t look now, but the launch of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are less than one month away. With some games going gold (Killzone: Shadowfall) and some games getting delayed (Watch Dogs and Drive Club) these consoles, that were previously limited to special events and promotions, are starting to feel very real. So what are you picking up for your console of choice? No idea? Don’t worry, we have a list of the best games available at launch to help you make your decision. Selections for this list were based on the titles themselves, how they show off the next-gen hardware, and their value.
10. Killzone: Shadowfall
Ever since the original Halo dropped with the original Xbox, first-person shooters have felt like a way to define their console generation. They’re shared layout, control scheme, and objectives make it easy to focus in on how the graphics and physics have progressed from previous generations. Halo 3, Resistance, and Call of Duty showed off giant steps for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, demonstrating to players why they had to upgrade their hardware. While Killzone has never been an overly impressive series, it does have the benefit of firing the opening shot for next-generation exclusive first-person shooters. That doesn’t mean you should skip Call of Duty or Battlefield to play it, but after my time with the game at PAX Prime, I felt intrigued to spend more time with the game.
9. Tiny Brains
While both consoles have lackluster triple-A lineups, the work being done by independent developers is quite impressive. While Tiny Brains won’t be the game to leave your friends slack-jawed and drooling, it will be a game that you can sit down on the couch and play together. A puzzle game in which four little rodents have been given special powers by a mad scientist, Tiny Brains is at its best when you sit down with three friends and try to coordinate your way through the game’s fun and inventive challenges. This is a game that will have all your friends screaming and laughing, the perfect next-gen experience to share with someone.
8. Crimson Dragon
The spiritual successor to the beloved cult-hit Panzer Dragoon, Crimson Dragon is an on-rails shooter, where players ride on the back of a dragon and battle their way through enemies. Crimson Dragon is not going to sell any systems, but for the price of $20, it feels like the perfect game to pick up alongside your day-one triple-A titles. Who knows, it may surprise you with its creative visuals and addictive gameplay loop. It could also give you a chance to see how good that Kinect 2.0 is, if you’re feeling particularly brave.
7. Contrast
When Sony’s Drive Club was pushed out of the day-one launch lineup, it left PlayStation Plus members short one free game for their new console. Sony quickly filled that gap with the platformer from Compulsion Games, titled Contrast. Having spent time with Contrast at both PAX East and PAX Prime, the game stands out with inventive gameplay and creativity. Contrast has yet to wow me with photorealism, but it’s far more interested using a noir-art style to create an atmosphere perfect for its shadowy mechanics. PS Plus members should really consider themselves lucky that this game will be made free to them on launch day to go with their new console.
6. Forza Motorsport 5
Alongside the traditional console-launch first-person shooter is often the racing game. Like the first-person shooter, racing games are great launch games because they are relatively easy to make and people can make instant comparisons to previous-generation titles. On top of the next-gen buzz, Forza has a history of making very pretty racing games. Originally billed as the Xbox equivalent to Gran Turismo, Forza has carved out its own fan following and pumped out their games much faster than the slow and methodical developer Polyphony. Forza’s journey to launch has been filled with buzzwords, like Drive-atar and given players plenty of reason to roll their eyes with a shameless PR blitz, but don’t underestimate this Xbox One exclusive, as it really looks like it attempts to capture the Xbox One power in unique ways.
5. Assassin’s Creed IV
Assassin’s Creed has definitely suffered from a yearly release schedule, but with the delay of Watch Dogs, open-world games are getting hard to come by for next-gen hardware. While triple-A exclusives like Knack and Ryse look lackluster, Assassin’s Creed IV is, if nothing else, dependable for a solid open-world, story driven experience. Ubisoft recently released a YouTube video highlighting the additions that will be made to Assassin’s Creed IV. While these changes are mostly cosmetic, it does show off how the game will be graphically superior to its current-gen counterpart.
4. Dead Rising 3
Dead Rising 3 has never stolen my heart as an open-world zombie game, but its hard to watch the gameplay released by Microsoft for their upcoming exclusive and not be impressed. With the Xbox One’s hardware, Dead Rising 3 is able to throw hordes of zombies at the player, creating a sense of awe that previous games have not yet been able to inspire. With a console launch, new titles are great, but familiar titles that already know their strengths are able to better adapt to new hardware. Dead Rising will at the least be able to fall back on a style of gameplay that has been enjoyed time and time again. It’s always fun to kill zombies, and the more the merrier.
3. Need For Speed: Rivals
Joining Forza in racing realm is the next entry in the Need for Speed series. While Forza looks to capture the simulation audience, Need For Speed is all about bending the laws of reality in the name of fun by adding some nifty peripherals and an always-online interface. While always-online is bound raise hairs on plenty of necks, especially after GTA’s recent debacle and EA’s history with online releases, it is nice to see a game taking the future of online-gaming head on. Rivals gives players the option to pursue a career on either side of the law and an open world to find plenty of distractions. As far as racing games go, Need For Speed looks like a surefire win for the next-generation, especially for PlayStation owners who recently saw Drive Club bumped from the launch lineup, that is a good thing.
2. Resogun
Resogun is not looking to change the face an interactive narrative, it is not trying to show off photorealism at its finest. Resogun is a spaceship, cylindrical 2D shooter that has roots deep in the old days of arcade. To write off this little game would be criminal as Resogun takes advantage of next-gen hardware in a silent, but genius way. With particles shooting all over the screen, a gorgeous background providing the setting, Resogun is all chaos one could hope for from a video game with breathless action and addictive gameplay. Leaderboards and highscores are the real objective and passing the controller from one player to the next is sure to turn your living room into equally fun chaos. To top it off, this amazing game is free to PS Plus members at launch.
1. Battlefield 4
While Killzone may be the only next-generation exclusive first-person shooter, Battlefield looks like the prettiest next-generation first-person shooter. EA’s Frostbite 3 engine has shown how impressive games can look on next-gen hardware and Battlefield has always set the tone for best-looking shooters. While previous Battlefield console-entries suffered graphical compromise and inferior multiplayer matches on consoles, Battlefield 4 will finally be a console version of the game thats stands alongside, not behind, its PC counterpart. With second screen functionality, the largest destructible environments, and full 64-player support on the multiplayer front, Battlefield 4 deserves to be played on your PS4 or Xbox One.
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