Courtesy of Pixabay
2016 may have been a year personified by a raging dumpster fire, but there’s still some light at the end of the tunnel. Many of 2017’s hottest games are coming out during the first quarter, so here’s a preview of two of the most promising.

Mass Effect Andromeda

Ah Mass Effect, there was a time that I would have reveled in your presence. Mass Effect is a role-playing sci-fi game where you control a character and make decisions that (usually) actively influence the ending or outcome of the game. A wrong choice could end lives, and a right could save them. It was a risk-filled adventure that left people’s hearts pounding. You used to be a god, expertly blending combat and character, strategy and story. I traveled across the galaxy with Liara at my side, fighting off reapers and the geth alike. I felt like my decisions mattered, that the actions I took were reshaping the universe for better or for worse. Then, you betrayed me. The third and final game in the Shepard Trilogy ended with my unavoidable death, my decisions only influencing the color of the giant space laser that led to my doom. I was crushed, heart-broken, and most importantly, angry. I took a vow never to play another again, but look at me now! Running right back to you like a dog would to its master. I am ashamed.

This new installment follows a completely different character, far into the future, whose task is to find new planets for colonization. Not much else has been shown, but I imagine that it will follow the typical structure of other Mass Effect games. It is set for release in March. Even with this game looking great, the saddest part of this is that I am still going back to Mass Effect, Bioware holding me like a prisoner in a cell, and I am not even upset about that.

Halo Wars 2

Halo Wars 2 is the upcoming real-time strategy game (RTS) installment in the Halo Wars series. Like most RTS games, you’ll either love it or get bored almost instantly. Unfortunately I fall into the latter group. RTS games have never been my specialty. If you enjoy games like Starcraft you will most likely enjoy Halo Wars 2. The original received good reviews, averaging 82% on Metacritic and an 8.4/10 on IGN, which are leading sites to find video game reviews. If you browse the internet, however, the fans have given it far more mixed reviews. Some say that the decision to put it on consoles is a bad one, as most RTS games are on the PC. The popularity of this game has always confused me, I cannot even tell if the games are popular. It appears that the game has a small devoted and cult-like fanbase, rushing to its aid every time it is threatened. If you have played the original and enjoyed it, this game is for you. If you did not, you would be better off waiting for the next below-average installment in the Halo series.