As the panic to get a next-gen console starts to die down and there is starting to be an abundance of next-gen consoles out in the wild we are left to wonder: what’s next?

I bought my Sony PlayStation 4 back in December and if I’m being honest it has been pretty unactive as of late. When the PlayStation 4 was released, the launch titles were less than impressive (in my opinion). The only title that tickled my fancy was Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag but there’s only so much you can play one game, no matter how fantastic it looked on the PlayStation 4.  Without backwards capability that I was hoping for in the PlayStation 4, my PlayStation 3 still sees quite a bit of action nowadays.

Not all hope is lost, my friends. Game developers are starting to make games that will take full advantage of next-gen capabilities. Granted, a good majority of these games are still far away from their release dates, but from what I’ve seen from them they could potentially be spectacular. These next-gen games make me shiver in my boots with excitement.

Here’s a non-comprehensive list of upcoming PS4 releases:

• Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (3/18)
• LEGO: The Hobbit (4/8)
• MLB 14: The Show (4/15)
• Elder Scrolls Online (6/2014)
• Murdered: Soul Suspect (6/30)
• The Evil Within (8/26)
• Destiny (9/9)
• Evolve (4/9/2014)
• Mad Max (2014)
• The Order: 1886 (2014)
• Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2014)
• Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014)
• Diablo III: The Ultimate Evil Edition (2014)
• Final Fantasy XV (TBD)
• Star Wars Battlefront 3 (2015)

This is in no way a complete list but rather a list of the games that are getting the most attention at the moment. Most of these games don’t have official release dates but are promised to be released at some point before the end of the year. Other games such as Final Fantasy XV and Star Wars Battlefront 3 are still in development and may not even come out until the end of next year.

An in depth look at some upcoming games:

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (Link to Gameplay Introduction)

Developer: Monolith Productions

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Release Date: Sometime in 2014

In Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor you play as a ranger who has lost his family and everything he holds dear by the hands of Sauron. Talion, the main character, is killed but then revived and given wraith-like abilities.  He then makes his way to Mordor to exact his revenge. To put things in perspective, this game takes place somewhere between the end of the Hobbit and the beginning of the Lord of the Rings saga.

This game is very unique because it will be one of the first games to utilize the power of next-gen consoles. The developers at Monolith Productions created a “nemesis system” that will be used in gameplay. What this means is that whatever enemies you come across will remember you and evolve, so that when they face you again they will be better suited to defeat you. Enemies will learn from their experiences with you. This nemesis system is definitely what has me most excited about this game.

 Monolith announced in February that Shadow of Mordor would be focusing more on the next-gen consoles than their ancestors. Although the game is going to be available on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the nemesis system and other features will be dumbed down or nonexistent at all.

I feel that Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor is going to be a cornerstone game that will set the bar with how developers approach next-gen consoles. The nemesis system has the potential to revolutionize the gaming world and if done right, the nemesis system can easily make Shadow of Mordor the game of the year.

Star Wars Battlefront (Link to E3 Teaser Trailer)

Developer: DICE

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Release Date: Quarter 2/3 of 2015 (Possible)

For those of you who are counting, It’s been close to ten years since the last legitimate Star Wars Battlefront game. DICE (Which you may know from developing the Battlefield games) took on role of developer after Pandemic (the original developer) closed it’s doors in 2009.

Battlefront‘s two predecessors were great games of their time that well incorporated the Star Wars series into a game without making it feel as if it was an awful rehashing of the movies. In the original Battlefront‘s, you could choose any side of the war and any class of fighter within the side that you chose. The original games allowed the player to explore and fight in battles on planets that exist in the Star Wars universe.

When DICE announce this game they claimed that Battlefront would be their “interpretation of what Battlefront should be” (Patrick Söderlund – studio head). This particular statement is quite terrifying because the Battlefront series already has an established fanbase. DICE should tread carefully and not make too many drastic changes in order to make this project a success. I personally hope they keep the third person view option open to the player, although it would make sense for DICE to make Battlefront strictly first person.

As of this moment, Battlefront is confirmed for only next-gen consoles and PC.

The Order: 1886 (Link to Cinematic Trailer)

Developers: Ready at Dawn/SCE Santa Monica Studio

Publisher: Sony Entertainment Company

Release Date: Quarter 3 2014

The Order: 1886 is set in an alternate universe London. Human-like beasts prowl London and the only ones that can stop them is an old order of knights, created by King Arthur. The Knights have been fighting these beasts for centuries with no foreseeable end to the war. Then the industrial revolution hits. Now the Knights have what they need to possibly end this long fought battle and bring peace to the kingdom.

This game, my lovelies, is a PlayStation 4 exclusive game and allows for developers to fully utilize the system’s capabilities.

Elder Scrolls: Online (Link to the Creator’s Introduction to Elder Scrolls Online)

Developer: ZeniMax Online Studios

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

Release Date: June 2014

Elder Scrolls Online is set on the fantasy continent of Tamriel, where anything is possible. It’s based on previous Elder Scrolls games and will be set a millennium before Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Sadly, that means no dragon slaying. The Daedric Prince Molag Bal is the main antagonist as he tries to pull all of Tamriel into his realm.

Most of Tamriel that appears in the main games will be open to players to explore, although much of it will be locked off for expansion packs. Players will have the ability to choose to join one the three factions that are fighting over the right to the throne of Tamriel. Most of the popular races are available for characters, with the glaring absence of the Imperial race. In order to play as an Imperial, you need the Imperial Edition of the game.

Last June, Sony announced that Elder Scrolls Online would be available for the PlayStation 4 through the PlayStation Network.

Though the title will be released for the Xbox One and PC as well, I’d be more likely to play Elder Scroll Online on the PlayStation 4 because of how awkward I feel playing on a PC. I can play on PC, I’m just more comfortable on a console. So maybe there is a market for people who would rather not play on PC.

To get the game, there’s no need to have a PSN subscription. You only need to pay the monthly Elder Scrolls online subscription ($14.99/month) in order to play online.

Elder Scrolls Online will become available for download for the PlayStation 4 in June of this year.

Updates:

Sony released system update 1.61 on February 18. Compared to the giant system update that was issued when the system first came out, this update is pretty minor.

1.61 gave the PlayStation 4 system more stability during use of some features. This update also made the PlayStation 4 system compatible with various Sony headsets. With this update, users are now able to mute the microphone on the Sony PlayStation Camera.