GAME TECH: Exciting horizons for 2017

With Ronan Jennings

I’M PROUD of my resolution for 2017. It’s a real improvement on last year. It shows progress. Sharpness. Last year my resolution was 1080p, but this year it’s 4K.

Making changes in the video game industry isn’t easy, but at least that means predictions are more accurate. Because of marketing power certain games are guaranteed to be commercially successful, regardless of quality. What follows is a list of six games that are destined to become best sellers, along with ways in which they might achieve their potential – and ways they might disappoint.

Red Dead Redemption 2

What success looks like: The sequel to Rockstar’s magnificent western is arguably the most anticipated game of 2017. To succeed, it needs to enhance what made the original so brilliant – sharp writing, empathetic characters and a landscape purpose-built for solitary exploration on horseback. More customisation would be welcome, too.

What failure looks like: When the teaser for Read Dead 2 was revealed, one thing stood out a mile – the poster showed seven characters in silhouette. Grand Theft Auto V introduced a multi-character mechanic that would fit poorly with the tone of Read Dead. The focus needs to be on a single, brilliant character like John Marston, rather than diluted into a larger group.

Mass Effect Andromeda

What success looks like: The chance to explore the Mass Effect universe on modern consoles is one of 2017’s most tantalising prospects. Success for Andromeda would mean recreating that universe in glorious detail, with new mysteries and races for us to discover and top notch writers bringing the characters to life. The sense of discovery is crucial — if Andromeda lets players off the leash, we’re in for a treat.

What failure looks like: Mass Effect began as a role-playing game. As the trilogy went on, it became more of a squad-based shooter and the sense of player ownership and exploration diminished. Failure to address this slide will see Andromeda disappoint critics and fans.

For Honor

What success looks like: For Honor is a welcome breath of fresh air — a squad-based multiplayer game with swords instead of guns. You can choose to be a Viking, knight or samurai. (Ubisoft clearly employs six-year-olds to pitch ideas).

Success means a perfectly balanced, enormously fun multiplayer game that offers something fresh and new to the genre.

What failure looks like: Sword combat is notoriously difficult to get right in games. (We call that ‘cutting-edge’ technology).

A multiplayer experience needs depth and balance. If the swordplay gets frustrating or has design flaws, then For Honor is likely to get the chop.

Resident Evil 7

What success looks like: It scares the pants off people.

What failure looks like: It doesn’t scare the pants off people.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

What success looks like: Magic is what makes Zelda special. Not the kind you find in mana bottles, but the kind only Nintendo can deliver with real consistency. It’s been too long since a Zelda game reminded us why we started playing games in the first place. Breath of the Wild just needs to be a modern take on that magic feeling. No pressure, Nintendo.

What failure looks like: Breath of the Wind won’t be anything less than superbly-made. But the switch to an open-world setting and the emphasis on plot could muddy Zelda’s identity. The series needs to keep evolving, but standards for open-world gaming are almost impossibly high. Failure would be a game that emulates others without offering something fresh of its own.

Detroit: Become Human

What success looks like: Detroit is the latest from David Cage, who also created the divisive Heavy Rain. His games are entirely story-driven, often brilliantly written, but heavily flawed. Detroit is the story of robots who have essentially become conscious, but are discriminated against by their human creators. If Cage can finally strike the right balance between nuance, riveting storytelling and player agency, then Detroit will be fantastic.

What failure looks like: Detroit will live and die by its story. Simply put, failure is anything that gets in the way of that story. That means no quicktime events, no bewildering behaviour and no lengthy trips to the uncanny valley.