2011 will forever go down as one of the best years in gaming history. Fantastic titles such as "Arkham City," "Skyrim" and "Portal 2" all brought amazing experiences into gamers' lives, but that's no reason to scoff at the promising lineup coming in 2012. Here are my ten most anticipated titles of the year:
10. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Release: TBA)
This spinoff from the Metal Gear Solid series unveiled major changes in its new trailer released in December. Now developed by Platinum Games, ("Bayonetta," "Vanquish") Revengeance looks to feature Platinum's signature over-the-top action while detailing the events of Raiden several years after "Guns of the Patriots."
9. The Witness (Release: Late 2012)
The first title from Jonathan Blow since his mind-bending puzzle-platformer "Braid," "The Witness" takes place on a deserted island. Progressing through a series of line-based puzzles, players will begin to unravel the mysteries of the perplexing location.
8. Halo 4 (Release: Holiday Season 2012)
Bungie's departure from the franchise has allowed 343 Studios to step up and take the reins. Little is known about the title except that it continues the story of Master Chief and Cortana. 343 Studios has a large legacy to live up to, but I'm hopeful they can breathe new life into a franchise that has become somewhat stale in recent years.
7. Tomb Raider (Release: Q3 2012)
This reboot of the franchise takes the same mechanics Tomb Raider fans are used to and infuses them into a much grittier take on Lara Croft. Based on the little gameplay footage I've seen, this could be the title that successfully thrusts Lara Croft back into relevancy on the current generation of consoles.
6. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (Release: February 7)
Directed by Ken Rolston, (director of both Elder Scrolls III and IV) it is no surprise "Reckoning" looks to create a huge open world. However, the implementation of fast, fluid combat in the vein of "God of War" differentiates it from other open-world games. I already see "Reckoning" absorbing many, many hours of my life in the weeks to come.
5. The Last Guardian (Release: TBA)
Although the title has gone through some internal turmoil, Team Ico's long-awaited PS3 debut appears just as touching and beautiful as their previous works "Shadow of the Colossus" and "Ico."
4. Max Payne 3 (Release: May 15)
Rockstar's sequel does not look to reinvent Max Payne's formula, but instead enhance and modify it for the modern generation. Stunning graphics, bullet time and a gripping story all make "Max Payne 3" look like another sure hit for Rockstar.
3. Bioshock Infinite (Release: TBA)
The spiritual successor to Irrational's original "Bioshock," the world of Columbia already seems as engrossing as Rapture. Fast-paced gunplay melded with a story that already has me hooked make "Bioshock Infinite" a title that appears worthy of the Bioshock name.
2. Darksiders II (Release: June 2012)
The original "Darksiders" was able to successfully combine graceful, fluid combat with the puzzle-laden dungeons in "The Legend of Zelda" series. The sequel looks even more ambitious by expanding on every aspect; adding loot, more dungeons and enhanced RPG functions make exploring Death's perspective of the apocalypse infinitely more enticing.
1. Mass Effect 3 (Release: March 6)
Bioshock's end to their Mass Effect trilogy appears as if it may be their finest release yet. The culmination of millions of gamers' decisions throughout the first two games will come to a conclusion as Shepard attempts to align the galaxy against the Reapers assaulting Earth.
Honorable Mentions:
"Twisted Metal," unnamed Assassin's Creed title, "Diablo III," "The Last of Us," "Resident Evil 6," "Borderlands 2."
Besides these titles, there are plenty more amazing games I cannot wait to get my hands on in 2012. The Wii-U launches this year as well, but the launch lineup remains unclear. It should become more apparent as the industry approaches E3 in June. Until then, 2012 has plenty of titles worth playing that will make 2011 seem like a distant memory.
