The Inpatient

From the same developer of Until Dawn, The Inpatient looking great seemed to be expected. However, as a PlayStation VR title, it goes even further with its tout facial details, atmospherics and lighting. The textures are also impeccable though this should be considered within the context of the PS VR’s power. It may not be the best looking PS4 game but The Inpatient certainly stands out in the VR space.

NPD’s charts for the month of April are now out, and surprising absolutely no one, the PS4 topped chats again, generating the highest April unit sales for a Console since Nintendo Wii in April 2009, and the highest April dollar sales for a Console since Nintendo Wii in April 2008- and obviously, this was all on the back of God of War, which achieved the highest ever launch month dollar sales for a title launched exclusively on a PlayStation platform. That’s right, no PlayStation exclusive in history has generated more money in its launch month than God of War did.

Elsewhere, the Labo debuted in fourth place on the charts, while Nintendo’s Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze managed to reach fifth place with just two days of tracking, a remarkable feat. Far Cry 5 continued to hold well, and MLB The Show 18 debuted in third place- Sony just had a great month all around.

You can check out the full charts for yourself below.

RANKINGS

1. God of War 2018
2. Far Cry 5
3. MLB 18: The Show
4. Labo Variety Kit
5. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze*
6. Mario Kart 8*
7. Grand Theft Auto V
8. Call of Duty: WWII
9. Super Mario Odyssey*
10. NBA 2K18
11. Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds^
12. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
13. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*
14. Monster Hunter: World
15. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege
16. A Way Out^
17. Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life*
18. Sea Of Thieves
19. Kirby Star Allies*
20. FIFA 18^

* Digital sales not included
^ PC digital sales not included

Xbox One

1. Far Cry 5
2. Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds
3. Sea Of Thieves
4. Call of Duty: WWII
5. Grand Theft Auto V
6. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
7. NBA 2K18
8. A Way Out
9. Monster Hunter: World
10. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege

PS4 

1. God of War 2018
2. Far Cry 5
3. MLB 18: The Show
4. Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life*
5. Grand Theft Auto V
6. Call of Duty: WWII
7. Monster Hunter: World
8. NBA 2K18
9. A Way Out
10. FIFA 18

Nintendo Switch*

1. Labo Toy-Con 01 Variety Kit
2. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
3. Mario Kart 8
4. Super Mario Odyssey
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
6. Kirby Star Allies
7. Labo Toy-Con 02 Robot Kit
8. Splatoon 2
9. Mario & Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
10. Pokken Tournament DX

Year to Date

1. Far Cry 5
2. Monster Hunter: World
3. God of War 2018
4. Call of Duty: WWII
5. Dragon Ball: Fighterz
6. Grand Theft Auto V
7. NBA 2K18
8. MLB 18: The Show
9. Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds^
10. Mario Kart 8*

Returning from last year’s excellent version in the franchise are nearly every MLB teams, stadiums and rosters. You can even continue your The Show 17 progress into The Show 18, but this will only transfer some minor features such as the updated player statistics.

"Franchise Mode is the definitive experience within The Show 18."

The Show 18, like past games in the series, focuses first on controls. If you haven’t played one of The Shows in the past you’re in for a long ride. The series thrives off of its intuitive, manual, and interactive control schemes that can be chosen at the start of the game. There is a lot of stuff to get through; and navigating through each of the many different control schemes is a hassle, especially if you are a newcomer to the series. New players will probably get a little lost in picking controls and it may take longer for them than it probably should. There are distinct differences in each control layout, and finding which one is best for you may be time consuming. Once you go through and choose which control fits you best, there are actually a lot of tutorial screens you’ll be aching to get through just to play a full game of baseball. When you learn the controls, however, you will notice that they work quite well. With multi-directional hitting, several different throws, and numerous angles that you can set your player to play, getting that perfect hit or home run is going to take some practice.

Franchise Mode is the definitive experience within The Show 18. You’ll get the opportunity to became the GM and build up your team to be unstoppable in the league. By training, trading and collecting players along the season, you can have a team that can be memorable and built to perfection. This mode allows you to play several seasons and in the process become the legendary General Manager you’ve always dreamed of.

"Retro Mode is one of my favorites and is a perfect way to get started for those who may be new to The Show franchise, or even for the most experienced ones who just want to sit back and relax."

Road to the Show is the other major game mode that’s also back. You’ll have the chance to make your way through the game’s story mode and experience what it’s like to not just be in the game, but to be a player who experiences everything behind the scenes. There are some interesting elements to be found with Road to the Show, but, of course, most sports games with stories don’t really have in-depth narrative. However, this feature is appreciated nonetheless, specially for those who want a little more than just a ball game. Customizing your own character and carry them through complex situations, may make the story feel authentic for some players,.

One of the most aggravating aspects on The Show 18 is the menu system. This alone leaves one of the better features of the game, Retro Mode, buried in a set of screen boxes, that looks more like apps on an old Windows PC than a menu system that should be easy to navigate. Regardless, Retro Mode is one of my favorites and is a perfect way to get started for those who may be new to The Show franchise, or even for the most experienced ones who just want to sit back and relax. As it’s called, Retro mode steers the game back to very basic controls. The only real controls used are the X button and the analog sticks. Hit the ball or throw with X, and catch the ball by lining your character with the ball’s direction. That’s it. It’s very simple but a whole lot of fun. In Retro Mode, the graphics are toned down quite a bit, the perspective angle of the game is much more clear, and the music is also old fashioned. It’s quite a fun, but a rather short experience.

"MLB The Show 18 takes the good parts from last year’s game, but doesn’t build on the series’ winning formula."

The Show 18’s online mode is somewhat of a mixed bag. Online mode allowing you to create a dream team from some of the greatest players in history, along with the ability to customize and create your own original character. After going through what seemed like an endless stream of options, menus and disconnects, I finally got into a game after a good 20 minutes. Repeated time-out error codes and signal-lost connections hindered my play-time in online, although, once I was in the game I faced no disconnection issues.

Unforunately, my multiplayer experience was marred by lag. In fact, the lag was so bad that it felt like my opponents were walking all over me. There was even a time when the hitting mark disappeared, not to mention the fact that even moderate lag resulted into making the screen jittered and frame rates plummet.

One of my biggest problems in The Show franchise is its incredibly limited camera angle of the game. For the most part, you don’t get to see much of what’s around you. When you hit the ball, your character runs and the automatic systems take over, and you get these “Television” angled views.

On the plus side, the camera ensures that other elements get their screen time too, for example the stadiums. The stadiums in The Show 18 look very authentic and lovingly recreated. Being from Los Angeles, myself, I played as the Dodgers for most of my time in the game. Dodgers Stadium felt as though I was back in the stadium. The cheers of the crowd and the customizable weather really allowed me to get involved with the on-screen action.

Since The Show 18 is a fully licensed MLB game, nearly every player is present within the game. Unfortunately most of the players just don’t look like their actual selves, giving them a weird look at times. One of my favorite players, Yasiel Puig (of the L.A. Dodgers, of course), was noting like he appears in real life — and he’s actually a very popular baseball player, too. Some funny bugs during the game make him cross-eyed from time to time. It’s also immediately noticeable that characters on and off the field are horribly stiff. They look and act like puppets that only move in very restricting ways. It’s sad to see that so much time went into the stadiums but less attention has been given to player themselves.

Overall, MLB The Show 18 takes the good parts from last year’s game, but doesn’t build on the series’ winning formula. The unnecessarily expansive menu system is annoying, controls could be hard to learn for new comers, and camera could be much better. Despite its issues, MLB The Show 18 is a fun entry but it doesn’t top its phenomenal predecessor.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Fear Effect Sedna

It was the February of 2000 when Fear Effect first released in the West, ushering players in its animated supernatural action. The franchise has been pretty much dormant since Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix in 2001 but Fear Effect Sedna gives us some hope. It’s an isometric, tactical strategy title with pausable action and sees the return of Hana and Rain four years after the first game.

There’s an ancient statuette that needs to be “lifted”, Glas has a mysterious client and a strange organization is watching from the shadows. Surely things won’t get out of hand this time, right? Fear Effect Sedna arrives on March 6^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Warhammer: Vermintide 2

The forces of Chaos and Skaven, together at last and wreaking havoc on the world. Who do you call but a merry band of heroes out for loot – er, justice? Warhammer: Vermintide 2 will have new levels set in Helmgart, a Heroic Deeds system for adding modifiers and unique settings to levels, and five heroes with 15 distinct career paths and skill trees.

To further sweeten the deal, the game’s first DLC Death on the Reik will be available for free on pre-order. Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is out on March 8^th for PC so those seeking a dark medieval fantasy title with four player co-op might want to check it out.

Kirby Star Allies

The pink puffball is going back to his bread and butter with Kirby Star Allies. Like the best games in Kirby’s history, Kirby Star Allies is a side-scrolling platformer full of colourful vistas. This time around, Kirby uses hearts on his enemies to convert them to his side, thus combining abilities together for deadly results.

If you’re playing with friends, then up to three can hop in and take control of your allies, running a pain train – sorry, we mean “Friend Train” – on your enemies. Kirby Star Allies arrives for the Nintendo Switch on March 16^th.

Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom

Following delay after delay, Level-5’s Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is en route to release (it’s even gone gold). This isn’t your typical sequel to Wrath of the White Witch – Revenant Kingdom takes place centuries later and focuses on the conflict between the mouse and cat tribes. When the former starts a coup and cat tribe king Evan is unceremoniously outed, he starts a crusade to rebuild his kingdom.

Along the way, players will pick up new allies, indulge in building their own kingdom and partake in skirmishes when they’re not fighting random foes in real-time battles. Though Studio Ghibli isn’t working on the stunning visuals, character designer Yoshiyuki Momose and composer Joe Hisaishi do return for that signature Ni no Kuni vibe. Launching for PS4 and PC, Ni no Kuni 2 is out on March 23^rd.

Far Cry 5

Hope County is a dangerous place, especially when the cult have invaded all walks of life. You play a sheriff who’s new in town – and fully customizable – with the intent of stopping the group, once and for all. Along the way, you’ll encounter Guns for Hire each with a cause to fight for, whether it’s snipers like Jess, pilots like Nick and whatever Hurk seems to be in this series.

Gameplay elements like hunting wildlife, liberating camps and inflicting general havoc on the world will be returning. There will also be new features like fishing, taming animals, and building relationships to uncover new areas and missions. Far Cry 5 releases on March 27^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

MLB The Show 18

SIE San Diego Studio may only really have one “main” franchise but its results are indisputable. MLB The Show 18 will continue providing a professional baseball experience with its immersion and graphical fidelity. This time around, there will also be a revamped Road to the Show mode, a new rating system for Legends, an improved Exchange system, upgrades for one’s create-a-player being tied into playing certain positions and much more.

There’s also the return of Retro Mode which brings a more arcade-like experience to the forefront. MLB The Show 18 is out on March 27^th for PS4.

Sea of Thieves

Some might consider Sea of Thieves to be a last-ditch effort for Microsoft. Others might see the Rare-developed shared world experience as little more than a cartoony pirate adventure with heaps of accordion playing. Either way, Sea of Thieves is definitely unique, combining treasure hunting with ship combat and swash-buckling. The mix of PvE and PvP is something that’s a bit concerning, especially with the potential for griefing. But hey, it’s a pirate’s life and it’ll be on Xbox One and Windows 10 come March 20^th.

Surviving Mars

You probably know Haemimont Games better for its Tropico franchise and the underrated Victor Vran. Surviving Mars is another mix of strategy and city building but the difference is you’ll be establishing a colony on Mars. Facets like electricity, oxygen, food supply and proper construction are only a few things that make for a successful colony.

The sleek retro sci-fi aesthetic meshes well with the mysteries that players can uncover, including a weird sphere that shows up suddenly (Traveler, is that you?). If Surviving Mars sounds like your idea of a good survival experience, it’ll be out on March 15^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

A Way Out

Between lambasting the Oscars and making a name for himself, its easy to focus on the controversy that A Way Out creator Josef Fares generates. Regardless, the game itself looks as appealing as the day it was showcased at E3 2017. Taking on the roles of Leo and Vincent, players must escape from a prison. Sounds easy enough but both convicts are controlled by different players, thus making for an experience where Leo has to distract a guard, probably watching a cutscene in the process, while Vincent sneaks by.

That cooperation and depth of choice with each playthrough is what will ultimately carry the experience but we’ll see for ourselves when A Way Out launches on March 23^rd for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Attack on Titan 2

Anyone who’s played the original game – or watched the anime – knows what to expect. Fight Titans in large areas, zip around in your vertical maneuvering equipment and put a quick end to the general villainy. Attack on Titan 2 will do more than just continue the story though – its campaign can be played in co-op and players can create their own characters.

The AI will apparently be smarter and the difficulty ramped up but hopefully, there will be less monotony in the post-story activities as well. Releasing on March 20^th, Attack on Titan 2 is coming to PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PlayStation Vita and Xbox One.

Note: This list contains console and timed exclusives as well.

Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom

After numerous delays, Level-5’s epic RPG will finally be releasing in March for the PlayStation 4 and PC. Set several years after the first game, players will control Evan, the young king of the Cat tribe after his kingdom is overthrown by the Rat tribe. With numerous allies to gather, a new mode for kingdom building and revamped combat, Ni no Kuni 2’s gorgeous visuals are just one of the reasons for hopping back into the world.

One of the most consistently good franchises as far as sports games go is Sony San Diego’s MLB The Show. The games are almost always good, and they don’t have much of the microtransaction plagued modes that so many other popular sports games generally have.

This year’s entry, MLB The Show 18, launches in March; ahead of that release, Sony have dropped the very first trailer for the game, which you can see for yourself below. The trailer actually doesn’t show us much of the game at all- minimal gameplay footage, and not much in the way of what to expect from the new game, instead focusing on cuts of players’ best hits and stops, and of cover athlete Aaron Judge. Hopefully, there will be a new trailer that shows off more gameplay footage soon (though I have to imagine the game isn’t too different from last year’s).

MLB The Show 18 is due out on March 27 exclusively for PS4.

Metro Exodus

4A Games’ Metro franchise has always offered a less than typical shooting experience with its survival elements and bullet economy. Metro Exodus appears to take the franchise even further, as our hero Artyom seemingly embarks across the country with his friends. The gorgeous landscapes, creature designs and weather effects look as great as ever and we can’t wait to see where Metro Exodus goes.

For those who are unaware, MLB The Show is a professional baseball game series that has featured many legends of the game on its covers ( such as Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr on the cover of MLB The Show 17). MLB The Show 18 then has gone a different route by having the rookie, Aaron Judge on the cover. Judge, with 52 home runs for the New York Yankees has set a record for rookies.

The cover of the Canadian Edition of the game features Toronto Blue Jays player Marcus Stroman who has led the American League in terms of runs scored, home runs, walks and strikeouts.

You can pre-order the game and you will receive a number of different bonuses depending on what retailer you buy the game from. The details regarding the pre-orders are listed below:

PlayStation™Store: 

• Early Access starting March 23, 2018
• 10 Standard Packs
• 1 Legend Card
• 5,000 Stubs
• Instant Reward | Aaron Judge for MLB The Show 17

GameStop:

• Early Access starting March 23, 2018
• 10 Standard Packs
• Additional 5 Standard Packs
• 1 Legend Card

Other Retailers:

• 10 Standard Packs
• 1 Legend Card

Apart from these bonuses, pre-ordering the game will allow you to play the game four days ahead of the game’s official release. There will also be four different editions of the game, each with its own unique incentives. The details of these different editions are listed below:

MVP Edition includes:

Approximately $135 value

• Full Game
• Limited Edition MVP Edition Steel Book*

In-Game DLC items include:

• Mission Starter for a Gold Player
• 5,000 Stubs
• 1 Sponsor Pack
• 1 Classic Stadium
• 10 Standard Packs
• 30 MLB PS4 Themes

Digital Deluxe Edition includes:

Approximately $200 value

• Full Game
• Mission Starter for a Diamond Player
• Mission Starter for a Gold Player
• Digital Deluxe Lead Off Pack
• 11,000 Stubs
• 1 Sponsor Pack
• 1 Classic Stadium
• 20 Standard Packs
• 30 MLB PS4 Themes

All Rise Edition includes:

Approximately $205 value

• Full Game
• Exclusive New Era All Rise Edition 9FIFTY® Hat
• Limited Edition MVP Edition Steel Book

In-Game DLC items include:

• Digital Diamond Dynasty New Era All Rise Edition 9FIFTY® Hat for use in game
• Diamond Mission Starter for a Diamond player
• Gold Mission Starter for a Gold player
• 11,000 Stubs
• 1 Sponsor Pack
• 10 Standard Packs
• 1 Classic Stadium
• 30 MLB PS4 Themes (one for each MLB team)

MLB The Show 18 will launch exclusively for the PS4 on March 27^th, 2018. You can also check out the new trailer below which announces Aaron Judge as being on the cover of the game: