20 Upcoming Video Games That Might Surprise You

18. Star Wars Zero Company

It's easy to take one look at Star Wars Zero Company and call it a quick-and-easy Star Wars reskin of XCOM, given that it's a single-player turn-based tactics game taking some very clear stylistic and mechanical cues from that franchise.

But here's the rub - Zero Company is actually being developed by new outfit Bit Reactor, a studio staffed by veterans of XCOM developer Firaxis Games.

And so, this is less a game riffing on the XCOM formula than a bonafide spiritual successor created by some of the very same folk. 

And even if you might expect the Star Wars license to invite a more sanitised, broad-skewing approach, Bit Reactor has assured XCOM fans that they won't be compromising the series' tough-as-nails rep. And yes, Zero Company will feature permadeath mechanics.

All in all this points to Star Wars Zero Company being a refreshingly hardcore Star Wars game that isn't watering itself down for the masses. And so, don't be too surprised if it turns out to be one of the best Star Wars video games ever.

Star Wars Zero Company releases on August 27.