Only two months into 2017 and it is already shaping up to be a pretty incredible year for gaming. With Horizon Zero Dawn and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard getting the year started off right, we begin to look ahead at what next month has in store. March is going to be jam-packed packed with releases, including the release of Nintendo’s newest console. Without further ado, here is our list of the most anticipated titles of March 2017.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EPD
Platforms: Wii U, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: March 3, 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rPxiXXxftE
You knew this one was coming. Possibly the most anticipated game of the entire year and a launch title for the Nintendo Switch, Breath of the Wild hopes to reinvent the Zelda franchise. The newest foray into Hyrule features an open world for players to explore, one that is twelve times larger than Twilight Princess. On top of that, Link has a ton of new abilities at his disposal such as climbing, gliding, and the ability to cook and eat food to restore health. If Nintendo can achieve the same level of fun and directed story as previous installments as well as giving players all the freedom they have been promising since revealing the game, Breath of the Wild may be one of the greatest Zelda games to date.
NieR: Automata
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: PlatinumGames
Platforms: PC, PS4
Release Date: March 7, 2017
NieR: Automata is an indirect sequel to two other titles in the NieR franchise and is a spin-off of the Drakengard series. In this installment, players will be fighting in a war between alien machines and the last remnants of humanity. Set a thousand years after the original NieR, you play as a warrior android who hopes to tip the scale in this war for a post-apocalyptic Earth. What we have seen so far promises some serious action in the vein of God of War. The setting is cool, the story looks great; we’ll just see if Automata delivers when it’s released next month.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: BioWare
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: March 21, 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyZw_oqk7Q8
The long awaited continuation of everyone’s favorite sci-fi RPG is almost here and Bioware looks as though they have pulled out all the stops for the newest iteration of their beloved franchise. Mass Effect Andromeda will take players to the Andromeda system where they will experience high adventure in a brand new galaxy. Expect to be traveling from planet to planet exploring and uncovering the mysteries of this new corner of the universe. The newest gameplay trailer reveals many of the upgrades and changes they have made to the combat mechanics as well as giving a deeper look at the changes they have made to the skill system. If Andromeda is even just on-par with the rest of the series, we can expect a truly memorable sci-fi romp across the galaxy.
Ghost Recon: Wildlands
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Paris
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: March 7, 2017
Ghost Recon: Wildlands seems to be stealing a lot of ideas from GTA V online and that is just fantastic. Built from the ground up as a multiplayer experience, Wildlands tosses players into a drug cartel-controlled part of Bolivia and tasks them with taking down one of the most dangerous men in the world. Players will be able to plan and execute missions in whatever way they see fit and they can do it all online with friends. In this completely open-world experience players will have tons to do and see with plenty of side missions to take on when not following the main story. Wildlands is the second reboot for the aging series, but it looks like this one could reshape the franchise as we know it.
Lego Worlds
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Traveller’s Tales
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
Release Date: 3/7/2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdkCvds4ldA
Ok. This one flew under my radar for far too long, but now that I know about it, Lego Worlds has become one of my most highly anticipated titles for the year. Lego Worlds is a sandbox adventure where players can build anything they want in a 3D, procedurally generated world. Count… me… in. Players can construct buildings and vehicles and even ride around on all manner of Lego animals. It’s been on Steam early access for a while, but Lego Worlds drops officially this March. With the resounding success of Minecraft and the brand noteriety of Lego, it’s not hard to see why this game exists. Now the real question is how could it lose?
