December 2018 Video Game Releases: What To Play Next Month

It's been a great year for the gaming industry, but there are still a few video games left to release in December 2018. Some of the biggest titles of the year have already released, including Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, Red Dead Redemption 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and Marvel's Spider-Man. But the year isn't over yet.

Although December doesn't generally bring in a lot of new video games, there are still games to look forward to in the final month of the year. These might be titles that would get overlooked otherwise, but gamers need to remember that there's always new stuff to play, even at the end of 2018.

Apparently, the biggest titles to release in December 2018 are Just Cause 4 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but there are a few other games to also look forward to as well, including two new Persona titles. Here are the new games that people can play in December 2018.

Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight

RELEASE DATE: December 4
PLATFORMS: PS4, PS Vita
DEVELOPER: P-Studio
PUBLISHER: Atlus USA

The concept of Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight is rhythm game meets the Persona 3 RPG. The idea is that the characters from Persona 3 are dancing, using players challenged with hitting the right notes (by using their controller) in time to a musical track. At times, more than one character dances, representing their relationship in the original Persona 3 title. Dancing takes place in the Velvet Room, a location from the RPG.

Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight has the same concept, but its premise comes from the Persona 5 RPG. Although there is no story mode, the rhythm game uses characters from Persona 5. And like Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight, dancing takes place in the Velvet Room. Persona fans will appreciate revisiting some of their favorite characters, and rhythm games are always an excellent way to pass the long cold days of wintry December.

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden

RELEASE DATE: December 4
PLATFORMS: PC, Xbox One, PS4
DEVELOPER: The Bearded Ladies
PUBLISHER: Funcom

Imagine a dystopian future where humanity is all but gone, only leaving behind mutants to wander a world of abandoned cities and wasteland countrysides. Based on a tabletop game called Mutant Chronicles, Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden allows players to step into the shoes of animal and human hybrid creatures to explore a world of adventure by using tactics to survive in what is often a harsh environment. The game transitions between turn-based mode and real-time, allowing players to control a team of five mutants at any given time.

It's the universe created by Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden that will draw players in. The post-apocalyptic world is a mash-up of technology and fantasy with the central location, the Ark, serving as the hub where players go to restock on supplies and take a breather from combat.

Just Cause 4

RELEASE DATE: December 4
PLATFORMS: PC, Xbox One, PS4
DEVELOPER: Avalanche Studios
PUBLISHER: Square Enix

Read Screen Rant's Just Cause 4 Hands-On Preview

The most significant release of December is probably Just Cause 4, a highly anticipated sequel in a franchise that allows players to seek action and adventure in an open world environment. In Just Cause 4, Rico Rodriguez travels to a fictional part of South America known as Solis. It is here where the Black Hand resides, one of the world's most powerful private armies. Rico wants to learn more about his father, who was a part of the group.

What will set Just Cause 4 apart from its predecessors, though, is that it's using a new game engine, called Apex. This new engine can create all new kinds of dynamic weather effects, as well as improves upon the AI of existing titles in the franchise. As a result, NPC's are a lot smarter and behave in ways that could provide more of a threat to Rico. The new engine also provides better animation.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (Retail Version)

RELEASE DATE: December 4
PLATFORMS: Xbox One, PS4
DEVELOPER: Ninja Theory
PUBLISHER: Ninja Theory

Although Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice initially released digitally in 2017, this year sees the title finally getting a retail release. The game follows Senua, a Pict warrior dealing with the Viking invasion of her homeland who also suffers from mental illness. Many critics have referred to the game as a work of art, particularly in its depiction of mental illness, which is not just well thought out, but honest.

In this dark fantasy, Senua must embark on a journey through Helheim, carrying the skull of her dead lover Dillion in hopes of saving his soul from death. Senua must fight monsters, those that reside within her and without, while solving puzzles using symbols that only she can see in her environment. Although the voices in her head continuously berate her, she suffers through an increasingly dark world that includes Pict and Viking lore.

Override: Mech City Brawl - Super Charged Mega Edition

RELEASE DATE: December 4
PLATFORMS: Xbox One
DEVELOPER: The Balance Inc.
PUBLISHER: Modus

Here is a title for those who want to do nothing more than step into a giant mecha and fight. In Override: Mech City Brawl - Super Charged Mega Edition, it's all a big brawl and players can go to battle with various mechs, with each having their own special qualities and skills. The mega edition also includes all season pass content with additional mechs, new skins, and legendary skins.

Players can compete in multiple modes in areas modeled after real-world cities and countries, including Egypt, Tokyo, Mexico and San Franciso. They can also challenge other players locally or online or indulge in co-op modes. For those players interested more in playing through a story, players can dive into a single-player campaign. Players can also team up with others in a unique co-op mode where each person controls one part of a mech.

Page 2 of 2: Even More Video Games Releasing In December 2018

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

RELEASE DATE: December 7
PLATFORMS: Nintendo Switch
DEVELOPER: Bandai Namco
PUBLISHER: Nintendo

Read Screen Rant's Super Smash Bros Ultimate Hands-On Preview

For those players looking to brawl with characters they're more familiar with, there's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In this title, players can step into the shoes of some of their favorite Nintendo characters, such as Mario, Ridley, Dark Samus, Link, Mega Man, and more. Then the fun begins: they can fight other players in an arena. The goal is to knock the other player out.

What makes this title so much fun, though, is that players can use a variety of fun tools at their disposal. This includes power-ups, Pokéballs and Assist Trophies, along with a Final Smash attack. This title also introduces a few new gameplay modes to players. In Smashdown, players can only use each character once. In Squad Strike, players team up and battle together. In Tournament, players can form teams of up to 32 characters and compete in tournament brackets.

Katamari Damacy Reroll (Retail Version)

RELEASE DATE: December 7
PLATFORMS: PC, Nintendo Switch
DEVELOPER: Bandai Namco
PUBLISHER: Namco

In 2004, Bandai Namco released Katamari Damacy, a little game about a Prince who serves the King of all Cosmos who requested that he roll up the world, and later the universe, into a big ball. Although that premise sounds ridiculous, the instantly addictive game took players by storm and remains a favorite, even 14 years after its release. That game is getting an updated re-release, titled Katamari Damacy Reroll, that will offer new HD visuals, along with a two-player mode and special gyro controls. Players can also roll up entire cities and planets with enabled motion control for Joy-Con.

Perhaps there is no better way to spend the holiday season playing a game that does nothing but give players pure joy. Enjoy countless hours of gameplay while rebuilding the universe under the direction of the King. Sure, it's not a new Katamari game, but why mess with a classic?

Earth Defense Force 5

RELEASE DATE: December 11
PLATFORMS: PS4
DEVELOPER: Sandlot
PUBLISHER: D3Publisher

In Earth Defense Force 5, players will become soldiers with the Earth Defense Force, a special army trained to protect Earth from alien threats. In the game, players come face to face with an alien species, beings that come from a planet called Primer. These alien insect-like invaders want to take over Earth, so it's up to the Earth Defense Force to stop them.

This might sound like a progressive game, but the wonderful thing about this franchise is that it's a lot like the B-movies of the 1950s. The Earth Defense Force games don't take themselves too seriously and don't worry about things like stellar graphics and fantastic voice acting. This franchise embraces the cheesiness of fighting bug-like invaders. The new title features more than 100 missions with five different difficulties. If that isn't enough, then there's also a two-player co-op mode.

Insurgency: Sandstorm

RELEASE DATE: December 12
PLATFORMS: PC, Xbox One, PS4
DEVELOPER: New World Interactive
PUBLISHER: Focus Home Interactive

New World Interactive recently partnered with Focus Home Interactive to bring the next Insurgency title to gamers, allowing the developer more creativity and ability to expand upon the first game in the series. In Insurgency: Sandstorm, players will enter into matches, but for the first time, it also has a story mode that will revolve around a squad of characters that have to face such challenging missions, starting with the 2003 invasion of Iraq to modern day.

For those wanting something a little more like esports, though, Insurgency: Sandstorm will also have a competitive tactical multiplayer component, as well as console split-screen capabilities. Players can also customize their characters for the first time. Combat is in close quarters and quite often lethal, with New World Interactive promising that it has greatly expanded upon what it built with the first Insurgency game.

Borderlands 2 VR

RELEASE DATE: December 14
PLATFORMS: PS VR
DEVELOPER: Gearbox
PUBLISHER: 2K Games

While fans patiently wait for Borderlands 3, they can now relive Borderlands 2 in an entirely different way. That's right, Borderlands VR will finally land in December, bringing with it the bright and vibrant worlds gamers love. Relive the adventures of Axton the Commando, Maya the Siren, Salvador the Gunzerker, and Zer0 the Assassin as they make their way across the world, taking on missions and killing Psychos, all while armed to the teeth.

The VR version brings a new kind of aiming to gameplay, one that uses head movement. It also introduces a feature called BadAss Mega Fun (BAMF) Time. This is basically like bullet time, which slows down movement long enough to get as many hits in during combat as possible. The downside is that the VR adventure is a solo one, but seeing Borderlands come to life in virtual reality is still a must for hardcore fans of the franchise.

More: Top 20 Video Games of 2018, According to Critics

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