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E3 2017 has come and gone, and the event has augmented us with the lay of the land when it comes to the latter half of the year. While there will surely still be some surprises to come, we now have a general picture of the release schedule for the remaining six months of 2017, and we thought it may be fun to pull together the ever-eclectic tastes of the Push Square team, and share our most anticipated titles. Of course we also want to hear your picks in the comments section below.

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Sammy Barker, Editor

Assassin’s Creed Origins: Perhaps my favourite thing about Ubisoft’s stealth series is that it offers an excuse to explore locations the medium’s rarely been to before, and Ancient Egypt has long been a dream of mine. Between the beautiful backdrop and the evolution of the franchise as a whole, I can’t wait for Assassin’s Creed Origins to whisk me away to the mummified climes of Northern Africa.

Everybody’s Golf: I adore Clap-Hanz’s arcade sports games, and I’ve been a little bit in love with the open course premise of Everybody’s Golf ever since it was announced what feels like eons ago. A recent beta test confirmed what I’d hoped: while the PS4 title is looking rough around the edges, the core (ahem) fore play is spot on, and the online tilt brings a liveliness to the franchise that feels very fresh.

Life Is Strange: Before the Storm: I have so many concerns about Life Is Strange: Before the Storm: Ashly Burch is not voicing protagonist Chloe, a different developer is at the helm, and is a prequel even necessary in the first place? Despite all of that, the reveal trailer for this three episode mini-series brought back fond memories of the first season – a game which undoubtedly had its problems, but I adored all the same.

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Robert Ramsey, Associate Editor

Destiny 2: I wouldn't say I'm super hyped to play Destiny 2, but I just know that it's going to become a staple of my gaming life once it hits. The original Destiny was an evergreen game for me – something that I could come back to in between various new releases and never really tire of. If the sequel successfully builds on its predecessor, then I'll probably be playing it until the PS5 launches.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom: Japan's had an incredible 2017: it's been years since I've seen the beast from the East pump out so many great games in such a short space of time, and Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom could be the icing on the cake. It looks stunning, it's adopting an action-based battle system, and I just can't see it being anything other than a wonderful adventure.

Yakuza Kiwami: I've played more than enough Yakuza games to know exactly what to expect from the series, but even though it did little to freshen things up, I thoroughly enjoyed Yakuza 0. In fact, I'd say that it currently stands as one of my favourite games of 2017. I'm a little worried Yakuza Kiwami will burn me out, but I just can't say no to more Kaz. 

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Alex Stinton, Reviewer

Middle-earth: Shadow of War: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor’s procedurally generated Nemesis system led to some great moments as you battled your very own gallery of orcs. Shadow of War looks to take this to an entirely different level with a bigger open world, orc fortresses, and more complex Nemesis mechanics. While I can take or leave the Middle-earth setting, it’s those unique Nemesis moments – such as hunting down that one orc that just refuses to die – that has me ready for this sequel.

Need for Speed Payback: I really like the Fast & Furious movies, so the cinematic chases promised by Need for Speed Payback immediately piqued my interest. Now, in my opinion the last great Need for Speed game was Hot Pursuit so I’m tempering my interest accordingly – especially since the absolutely naff Need for Speed: The Run was the last game in the series to try and take the story to this level.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: Drug trips, wheelchair combat, and robot Nazis. The trailer for Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus showed that Machine Games certainly knows that it was ‘the crazy’ that made its first Wolfenstein game so enjoyable. With linear, narrative-focused first-person-shooters few and far between, I’m excited to blast my way through the next bloody chapter in the story. In fact, I may have to play through Wolfenstein: The New Order again in preparation.

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Graham Banas, Reviewer

Pyre: Supergiant is my absolute favourite developer. Between its art, music, and constant evolution in gameplay, the studio’s captured my heart multiple times. Having already played Pyre, I know this will be no different. Even though the wait isn't long now, it's still going to be tough.

Undertale: Having already played this and adored it, I'm slightly less excited than if I were going in blind on this game. But the fact remains that this Toby Fox title is a damned masterpiece. One of the best games I've ever played, I can't help but be excited to get the chance to spend another chunk of time with this.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: MachineGames’ first stab at the Wolfenstein license resulted in a game that respected what came before with the series' patented gameplay, while also delivering a surprisingly stirring and thoughtful narrative. Sure, you go to a Nazi Moon Base in that game, but it was also very human. The end result was a great game and I cannot wait for the follow-up.

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Jade Sayers, Reviewer

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy: Crash was always my favourite game series growing up so I’m super excited to get stuck into it all again. Thankfully I don’t have long to wait on this one – I just hope I’m still as good as I remember when it comes down to it!

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony: Danganronpa is life, and I’ve been wallowing in a pit of despair since finishing Danganronpa 2 all that time ago. The anime has managed to keep some of my sadness at bay, but for now I’m fully ready to jump back into that whole world and see how the story continues. 

South Park: The Fractured But Whole: I’m a fairly recent convert to South Park, which is pretty frustrating given how hilarious it is. I’ve not played Stick of Truth yet, so I’ll be getting a double whammy when The Fractured But Whole comes out later this year.

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Jenny Jones, Reviewer

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony: Danganronpa games are filled with dark humour and quirky characters, so I’m really looking forward to meeting the new set of ‘Ultimate’ students, investigating murders, and of course getting stuck into the class trials. Some of the mini-games are looking pretty crazym but I’m sure they won’t match up to the craziness that is Monokuma. 

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom: Every time I see a new trailer I can feel myself getting more and more excited. The game is looking gorgeous, and I’m looking forward to trying the new faster paced battle system. Level-5 games tend to include lots of side quests so I of course plan to spend lots of time completing each and every one of them. I can’t wait to explore the kingdom of Ding Dong Dell all over again!

Rainbow Skies: I really enjoyed Rainbow Moon. Lots of people criticised it as it took so long to level up in the early stages of the game, but that just meant that you actually had to consider your strategy in battle and not just brute force your way through the game. The sequel looks like a much improved version of Rainbow Moon with new character upgrades, treasure hunting, and monster breeding systems.

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Joey Thurmond, Reviewer

Middle-earth: Shadow of War: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was my 2014 game of the year, and its upcoming sequel looks to appropriately expand on the traits that elevated it above a simple Assassin's Creed and Batman: Arkham clone. The original, brilliant Nemesis system returns with Followers and more variants of Orcs to recruit. Raiding fortresses looks like a thrill, too, especially when you can fly around on a Wyvern around. With a greater range of environments to explore as well, I can’t wait to return to Mordor.

Pyre: Transistor may have been a small departure from Bastion, but Pyre is something else entirely. I've come to expect beautiful visuals and music from Supergiant Games, but the most novel aspect of its latest title is the gameplay, which consists of these sports matches called Rites with combat and strategic movement, played with characters of varying stats and strengths. Half of the game also looks like a story-driven, point-and-click visual novel with branching paths. You honestly can't pin its genre, and that's what I love about Pyre.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: Wolfenstein: The New Order is one of the greatest shooters in recent years. It's off-the-wall yet brilliantly written story is an absolute treat, and its mix of modern and old-school FPS sensibilities was perfectly balanced. All I see is more of that with Wolfenstein II – I mean, the game starts out with you shooting through Nazis in a wheelchair. You can't top that! With additional refinements to the gunplay, a United States setting, and new tools and weapons, MachineGames might just have a Game of the Year on its hands.

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Ken Talbot, Reviewer

Assassin's Creed Origins: I think Ubisoft's decision to drop the annual release model and take some extra time to retool its flagship franchise was a wise one. I've always had a soft spot for this series and I hope to see it return to form.

Destiny 2: I have played hundreds of hours of Destiny, despite the fact that it's still swimming in a sea of flaws and imbalances. If Bungie can do anything to address the long term concerns of veterans and add enough to appeal to newcomers and casuals, this could be something very special.

Star Wars Battlefront II: I really didn't enjoy Dice's first attempt at bringing Battlefront into the online FPS milieu, but the single player content and more generous post-release business model makes this look very interesting. Phased online matches sounds like a great idea, too.

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Liam Croft, Reviewer

Destiny 2: 773 hours of playtime says it all. I fell in love with the original Destiny, and this sequel is giving me more everything I adore and more. More story, an improved Crucible, and a new raid? Bungie are speaking my language here. I haven't actually played Destiny in a number of months now so with this extended break coming to an end soon, I'm more than ready to jump back in for some brand new loot.

Star Wars Battlefront II: Star Wars Battlefront II is shaping up to be everything the original should have been. An actual single player campaign, a deeper multiplayer experience with far more progression, and content from every trilogy. I'm really interested in seeing a Star Wars story told from the Imperial side, and it looks like EA has scored a hole in one with Janina Gavankar playing the role of protagonist Iden Versio. And finally, I've got two words for you: Darth Maul.

Yakuza Kiwami: Yakuza 0 was my first taste of this wacky Japanese series back in January, and that was an experience I won't forget for a very long time. Now with Yakuza Kiwami, I get a remake of the franchise's origin as well as finding out what happens to Kazuma Kiryu next. Give me more barmy side-quests, more bad dudes to beat up, and a story that is just as interesting as 0's, and I'll have two Yakuza titles battling for spots in my favourite games of 2017.

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Sam Brooke, Reviewer

Sonic Mania: It's not often that a game gets better when it regresses back to 2D platforming, but if there's any franchise that needs to ditch 3D, then it's Sonic. The fact that Sonic Mania's made by a team of Sonic fans rather than SEGA itself means that it should include everything that made Sonic great – plus there'll be the bonus that there isn't a Were-hog in this game.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole: Predecessor South Park: The Stick of Truth had the comedy and the characters, but its turn-based battling got a little stale. Now that the South Park: Fractured But Whole has introduced a grid-based system and complicated the fighting a little, this game should be a lot more well-rounded.

Star Wars Battlefront II: I'm only putting this in because I'm hoping that it’s actually just a port of the real Star Wars Battlefront II. Haha, while that’s unlikely, the return to the worlds of the Prequel Trilogy is welcome, and I eagerly await the arrival of a Boss Nass DLC.

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Stephen Tailby, Reviewer

Assassin's Creed Origins: Ubisoft may have run Assassin's Creed into the ground, but it seems that the extra development time on Origins has paid off. It's looking genuinely great, from the gorgeous ancient Egyptian setting to the overhauled combat. When Assassin's Creed is good, it's fantastic, and this is making all the right noises at the moment. I'd love this to come out and exceed everyone's expectations. Fingers crossed.

Sonic Mania: As a big fan of the classic 2D titles, I was ecstatic when Sonic Mania was announced. What's not to love about a celebration of the blue blur's best games, especially one that looks, sounds, and feels as spot on as this? The classic stages are being sprinkled with new features, while we'll also get to spin dash through some all new zones to boot. The best part is that it’s just weeks away.

Undertale: This came as a big surprise when it was announced for PS4 (and Vita!) just before Sony's E3 2017 press conference. Initially releasing on PC around two years back, this retro-style RPG is universally adored for its novel gameplay, great story, and cast of interesting characters. I'm really excited to play it for myself and see what all the fuss is about.


What are your three most anticipated PlayStation games for the second half of 2017? Follow our lead in the comments section below.