10. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Genre: Shooter
Developer: Ubisoft Paris
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Call of Duty. Battlefield. Medal of Honor. There is a long list of new and old franchises that have joined the realm of modern military shooters since Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter and its sequel came out in 2006 and 2007 respectively. What differentiates those games from the Tom Clancy series is the fast-paced nature popularized by Modern Warfare versus Ghost Recon’s slower, more tactical approach. When Future Soldier was first shown off in 2010, it looked like the franchise had abandoned its roots for the run-and-gun style that Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 have employed to combine for almost 30 million units sold in the last few months. After a lukewarm reception from the media and the public though, Ubisoft went back to the drawing board (forcing several delays) and it appears that the game has settled into more of a middle ground. A primary focus for the game, as the title would suggest, are the seemingly futuristic gadgets and weaponry that players will be able to employ on the battlefield, all of which Ubisoft says are actual equipment being researched and developed in modern militaries. Taking the time to gather intel is vital before barging into a firefight, and the Ghosts are well-equipped to facilitate. Friendlies and enemies are highlighted with a coloured outline on the player’s HUD, which will be transmitted to each soldier whenever one of the Ghosts spots an enemy or by the deployable UAV which can go airborne outside or sprout some wheels to creep through vents and narrow corridors. Players will also be able to utilize Thermal, Night, and Magnetic vision modes to analyze each situation depending on visual conditions along with some other high-tech gadgetry like an active camouflage, and will even be able switch out multiple interchangeable parts to customize their firearms. Players will no longer need to pinpoint the exact locations they went their squadmates to go to: once enemies are identified and tagged and the player designates whether to proceed stealthily or aggressively, fellow Ghosts will move to positions the AI deems most appropriate and execute the kills when everyone is ready. Though the more tactical approach slows things down from the standard run-and-gun fare, there will be plenty of Hollywood-calibre firefights and intense set pieces too, accented by the game’s beautifully stylish visuals. Additionally, unlike in GRAW where the team was confined to just one city, the Ghosts will be travelling all over the world in Future Soldier, with special attention to Africa and Eastern Europe. Future Soldier is still a far cry from the origins of the series, but the more tactical approach is still a refreshing curveball in the crowded military shooter market, and the triple-A action sequences just further fuel this beast. Throw in what should be an awesome multiplayer experience, and Future Soldier just might make a case to be the definitive shooter of 2012.
9. Far Cry 3
Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Genre: Shooter
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: TBA 2012
Far Cry 2 was definitely a different kind of shooter, dropping players into a vast expanse of land in the heart of Africa to roam at will and dispense of the endless chapters of fierce militia inhabiting every corner of it. While the scenery was breathtaking and the firefights and gun-collecting were both enjoyable, the repetitive tasks wore on the player’s attention span as they progressed further into the extensive campaign. Far Cry 3 goes back to the tropical island setting featured in the first game, where players will assume the role of a tourist named Jason Brody whose boat crashes and he is separated from his girlfriend on an island chain mired in an ongoing local conflict. Ubisoft has remained very mum on the game since its debut trailer went public at E3 last year, but there are a few interesting tidbits that have us pretty excited. The trailer demonstrated a chilling sequence where a villainous character named Vaas charismatically interrogated our helpless hero before shoving him over a cliff toward a would-be watery grave, chained to a concrete weight. These islands promise to hold many fascinatingly terrifying and certifiably insane characters that should serve to uphold the player’s interest in the storyline a lot longer. The basis for the gameplay remains the same though. You will be totally alone as you meander your way through the lush jungle environments, and with very limited resources. This forces players to improvise when attempting to assault an enemy camp or stronghold, making use of the environment and any available weapons and resources to survive encounters with groups of enemies, often culminating in explosively intense firefights that should satiate your thirst for action. Ubisoft has hinted that it has listened to all the feedback regarding Far Cry 2’s shortcomings, and will address them for the sequel: a fast travel option, enemy checkpoints that don’t respawn enemies when you leave, a better checkpointing system, and more reasonable enemy detection all sound like they are goals the developer is striving toward. The large land mass should be more accessible this time too, introducing the player to the world in smaller chunks to gradually get their feet wet rather than throwing them in headfirst. All these adjustments serve to edge out the shortcomings in what was still an outstanding shooter. This beautiful but deadly tropical setting will be paradise for shooter fans this year.
8. Diablo III
Platform(s): PC
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Release Date: Q1 2012
The anticipation is becoming palpable. It’s been almost 12 years since Blizzard launched the gold standard for action RPGs in Diablo II, and with mere months until the long-awaited sequel arrives, there’s no reason to believe that any of the magic has been lost from this legendary franchise after its lengthy hibernation and numerous delays. The style of gameplay has changed very little considering the prolonged gap between games: players will still experience the action from a similar 3D overhead view to Diablo II. There will be five available character classes, and players can choose whichever gender they wish to play within each class: witch doctors can summon monsters, cast curses, and harvest souls, similar to the necromancer of old; barbarians (the only returning class from Diablo II) primarily use brute force to wade through droves of enemies; wizards naturally rely on their magical prowess; monks use a speedy martial arts-inspired style of combat; and demon hunters are more of a ranged class, using bows and hurling bombs. Some levels will be static, but Diablo III will feature plenty of randomly-generated levels along with a random encounter generator and class-specific quests in addition to the main storyline, not to mention four distinct difficulty modes, so content will clearly be plentiful. Blizzard is implementing some major changes to the skill system, as players can customize their active skills instead of being locked into just two. Skills will become unlocked as you level up, and you will eventually be able to equip up to six active skills and three passive ones, and the developers are even toying with the idea of allowing players to move their skills around while engaged in combat. Some less obvious changes are being made too. Some new equipment pieces are being added to the extensive loot system (shoulder plates, arm guards, and leggings), and rare and magic items can now be enhanced by artisans in addition to generic weapons and armour. Defeated enemies now drop skill runes that can be used to modify and enhance existing skills, as well as health orbs that render the old potion bar obsolete, replaced instead by the skill bar that assigns skills and spells to quick bar buttons. Followers now have their own class, skills, and background too, replacing the randomly-generated allies of games past. Finally, and certain not least, there will be a cooperative mode and a player vs. player online mode via the Battle.net service being used for other Blizzard games like StarCraft II. What does this laundry list of changes and upgrades add up to? Diablo III is an updated and more refined evolution of Diablo II, which should be a simple enough explanation as to why we expect it to be a prime contender for PC Game of the Year for 2012.
7. Grand Theft Auto V
Platform(s): TBA
Genre: Action Adventure
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Release Date: TBA 2012
Here’s some interesting facts: the four games in the main Grand Theft Auto series have accumulated nearly 70 million copies in sales on consoles alone since GTAIII was unleashed to the world a decade ago, all of which have at least a 94% average rating (according to GameRankings). It’s easy to see then why the industry gets whipped up into such a frenzy each time a new entry is announced, and GTAV is certainly no exception. We’ve only got a single trailer less than 90 seconds long to go on at this point, but that hasn’t stopped hype surrounding the sequel four-years-in-the-making from reaching a fever pitch, nor has it deterred fans from attempting to dig up any hint or tidbit that might reveal the goodies Rockstar has in store for this massive project. One irrefutable fact that should be common knowledge by now is the game’s setting which takes place in Los Santos, the Los Angeles-inspired city first featured in GTA: San Andreas, though from what we understand San Fierro and Las Venturas (based on San Francisco and Las Vegas respectively), the other two primary cities in San Andreas, will not be a part of GTAV’s vast game world. Whereas Liberty City primarily features the skyscraper-lined streets of an urban jungle, Los Santos has quite a potent mix of pleasant suburban neighbourhoods, the busy downtown core, the glitz and glamour of Vinewood (aka Hollywood), gritty slums, and even a vast countryside, which the trailer seems to reveal to be fleshed out much more than in San Andreas with farms, mountains, and beaches. Rockstar is calling the setting in GTAV “the largest and most ambitious game Rockstar has yet created”, which is saying a lot. Beyond that there are a lot of rumours and guesswork based on the brief trailer. Not surprisingly there a wide variety of vehicles we expect to commandeer, and it appears that the recent (current?) economic crisis has a primary role to play in the storyline with the anxiety due to class disparity clearly on display. The trailer shows a good guy-dad turned criminal as the probable main character, however rumours have persisted that there may be multiple playable characters though there’s no basis for such a claim yet. Visuals have received a noticeable makeover (last we heard Rockstar was considering using L.A. Noire’s MotionScan technology), it looks like real estate management might make a return, and there will surely be another kick-ass soundtrack. Had we known a little more there is no doubt that GTAV would make a hard push for #1 on this list, but even as it stands there is no doubt that the game’s release will be industry-shaking event.
6. The Last Guardian
Platform(s): PS3
Genre: Action Adventure
Developer: Team Ico
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date: TBA 2012
The uncertain aura surrounding The Last Guardian over the last year or so is trying its best to convince us to write it off. But we simply can’t, this is a Team Ico game after all! It’s not at all uncommon for big games to endure numerous delays, such as is the case with The Last Guardian, but some alarming incidents in the game’s development have occurred over the course of the last year have left some gamers doubting the quality of the eventual final product, if it releases at all. From going AWOL at both E3 and the Tokyo Games Show, to executive producer Yoshifusa Hayama quitting in the middle of development and esteemed director Fumito Ueda suddenly parting ways with Sony (though he claims that he remains committed to finishing the game), people were left to ponder the fate of the much-anticipated third title in the Ico collection. Until anything provides evidence to the contrary though, the game is still on track to be released, and with a fascinating and unique gameplay concept and a legendary development team behind it, we have no reason to believe it won’t be absolutely awesome when it does. The stars of the game are an unlikely duo: an as-of-yet unnamed boy attempting to escape from the confines of an ancient castle, and the accompanying giant, feathered griffin-like creature known as Trico. Despite early tension between the two unfamiliar companions, their willingness to work together out of necessity blossoms into an endearing relationship. Players will control the boy, who can perform basic actions like running, jumping, climbing, and tossing small objects, but will need to communicate with Trico to direct it into performing actions that will assist him in traversing obstacles, solving puzzles, and defeating enemies that he would not be able to do on his own. Not only is Team Ico taking great care in making the creature look and move incredibly convincingly, but also to inhibit the behaviour one would expect from a real animal. It may take quite a bit of convincing to get Trico to perform the desired actions, and it may even occasionally wander off after something it’s curious about or go to sleep at inopportune times. In order to gain better obedience from the beast, the boy will have to feed it and remove spears and arrows from its body. Seeing the game in motion is something special to behold, particularly the lifelike behaviour of the animal itself. Team Ico are masters of artistic video game design and creating captivating relationships with minimal dialogue, and those traits seem to be showcased better than ever in The Last Guardian. Despite some setbacks in the game’s development, we can’t imagine the final product being anything less than breathtaking.
5. Max Payne 3
Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Genre: Action
Developer: Rockstar Vancouver
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Release Date: May 15, 2012
Rockstar seems to have done its best to drive away the hype surrounding Max Payne 3 by delaying the game more times than we care to count, but still our excitement remains relatively unwavering. The third game in the venerable series takes our psychologically tortured hero to a time and place that differentiates it from any previous title. The story takes place a number of years after the events of Max Payne 2, so Max will be looking noticeably aged and scruffier, and whisks him to the violent streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil where he has taken a job in private security protecting a wealthy family from the rampant gang wars that plague the city’s slums. The setting is quite a dramatic departure from the dark noire streets of New York in previous games, where the Brazilian metropolis is a lot brighter and more colourful even in the heart of the gritty slum districts. While fans might be apprehensive toward the new style and setting, the notoriously dangerous streets of Sao Paulo are a perfect fit for the franchise, and Rockstar is taking great pride in portraying the city and its unique class discrepancy vibe as realistically as possible (it looks great by the way). Despite Max’s new digs and older, burlier appearance, Max Payne 3 should feel quite familiar to the games of old. Players will still be dodging bullets while running from cover to cover and making dramatic Hollywood-style dives as they engage in over-the-top shootouts and, yes, taking advantage of an improved “bullet time” mechanic that slows down time during firefights, making for a dramatic visual splendour. Rockstar is also adding cinematic set pieces in which players will still maintain full control of Max, giving the player more control than the overused quick time events while still looking impressively stylish. Another new mechanic is the ability to reverse death, where players will gain a brief window after Max’s health is depleted to kill the enemy that delivered the fatal blow, earning him a reprieve from death. MP3 is also adding a unique multiplayer component called Gang Wars, where an element of story will add context to each multiplayer contest where each successive round draws on the events of the previous round. For example, a second round might place a bounty on the first round’s most lethal player, or players may be forced to defend territory gained in a preceding round. Players will also be able to unlock multi-tiered perks like Bullet Time as they gain experience. We’ve rarely (if ever) experienced a Rockstar game that we didn’t adore, and the repeated delays if nothing else seem to indicate that the team is taking great care in ensuring that Max Payne 3 delivers the extensive content, gripping story, remarkable setting, and enjoyable gameplay that have characterized some of our most memorable video game experiences courtesy of Rockstar.
4. Tomb Raider
Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Genre: Action Adventure
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: Q3 2012
The last 15 years have been quite a bumpy ride for the Tomb Raider franchise. Lara Croft became one of the most culturally recognized characters in the late 1990s thanks to her starring role in the excellent early Tomb Raider games, but the series regrettably lost most of its lustre due to declining quality in each successive game (The Angel of Darkness was downright awful) and the almost offensive Hollywood adaptations of the franchise. Some more promising entries in recent years like Tomb Raider: Legend and The Guardian of Light have shown promise that the concept is not dead, but none have been able to restore the sterling reputation that the series once enjoyed. That might change in 2012. Crystal Dynamics has gone completely back to the drawing board for a series reboot this year, which will serve as a prequel for the rest of the series. Players will get to experience the game with a much younger Lara, a 21-year-old fresh out of the academy and on her way via ship toward an island near Japan in search of lost relics. The ship is heavily damaged in a violent storm however, and the inexperienced Lara washes onto the shores of this curious island, separated from any other survivors and cut off from the outside world. Whereas in other Tomb Raider games Lara is portrayed as an extremely agile, skilled, and almost superhuman icon of style and grace, her younger form is far more vulnerable. The new Tomb Raider is much more about survival than adventure, as Lara will endure all manner of hardship as she attempts to find a way to communicate with the outside world. The developer is doing an admirable job at depicting this too, as Lara’s appearance will become battered, cut, and bruised from falls and battles, and she regularly communicates aloud to the player her fear and uneasiness about her situation as well as the pain and distress she undergoes through every ordeal. Players will begin the game without any tools or basic necessities, and Lara is essentially devoid of the skills necessary to complete her task. As the game progresses though, she will pick up weapons and other important items and gain the combat and survival skills that begin to characterize the Lara Croft we have come to recognize from her would-be future exploits. There is a strong element of survival horror here, as players will encounter fearsome beasts and navigate some claustrophobic and terrifying environments, but Crystal Dynamics is still implementing plenty of classic Tomb Raider gameplay, like grandiose platforming sections and complex puzzles. The remarkably cinematic style of gameplay is reminiscent of the Uncharted series, however it looks to add a greater degree of freedom in gameplay for the player (there are even multiple paths to objectives), which is a very good thing. If Crystal Dynamics delivers on what they’ve shown and told us so far, Tomb Raider is going to be better than ever.
3. Halo 4
Platform(s): X360
Genre: Shooter
Developer: 343 Industries
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: Q4 2012
It’s a testament to the power and influence of a series that with only a single measly teaser trailer we can still feel confident about making it one of our top three most anticipated games of the year. The Halo franchise is truly entering uncharted territory though, as Halo 4 will mark the first game in the main series to be developed outside of the talented team at Bungie, who have gone on to pursue other endeavours. Microsoft has created an internal studio called 343 Industries to take over the future of this incredibly popular franchise, so there is a bit of an air of uncertainty hovering over the game. Unfortunately with only the brief CG trailer to go on, gameplay details are almost nonexistent at this point. Halo 4 marks a return of Master Chief (or John-117 if you prefer) as the main character after 2010’s Halo: Reach told a story removed from the popular protagonist, and will serve as the beginning of a whole new trilogy, called the Reclaimer Trilogy. Chief will be flaunting a slightly altered look from previous games and 343 also says his personality has evolved too, but that there are storyline events that are responsible for this transformation. The developer also says it is aiming for a more in depth impression of the relationship between Cortana and Master Chief, so the story may take a more narrative approach than in previous games. After Chief is awakened from his cryo-tube by Cortana in the trailer, their ship is seen heading toward what has been called the “legendary planet”, as seen at the end of Halo 3, presumed to be the home of an ancient alien race called the Forerunners and believed to contain the last remaining Precursor (referred to as the Prisoner) leading us to assume that there will be a new enemy to contend with and a very different world to explore in Halo 4. The more in-depth gameplay details will have to wait for E3 in June, but 343 Industries at least indicates that the game will “still play like Halo”, which is hardly surprising, but we’re excited to see what changes and additions, minor as they may be, the studio has in store. Make no mistake: Halo 4 will be the biggest Xbox 360 game of 2012, and for good reason.
2. BioShock Infinite
Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Genre: Shooter
Developer: Irrational Games
Publisher: 2K Games
Release Date: TBA 2012
BioShock is one of those rare games that will eventually be regarded as a classic, if it isn’t already. It has helped to shape and define an entire generation of video games, and its imaginative setting and incredibly atmospheric story and gameplay are perhaps still unsurpassed. The 2K Marin-developed sequel did a fairly admirable job at maintaining that atmosphere, but failed to evolve or improve upon the concept. With Irrational Games back at the helm though, BioShock Infinite is poised to somehow preserve that awe-inspiring atmosphere while simultaneously completely re-imagining the setting and story. Whereas the first two games were set in an imaginative city called Rapture resting in the deepest depths of the oceans, Infinite takes us to a brand new setting in Columbia, a city floating amongst the clouds in 1912. In addition to the drastic variation in altitude, Columbia’s bright skies and colourful architecture are a stark contrast to the dark, dank corridors of Rapture. Irrational has done a lot of homework to make the streets and buildings faithful to the early-1900s America time period which, when added to the charm and intrigue of a floating city, sets up one of the most fascinating game worlds ever created, accentuated by the game’s beautiful visual style. You will play as Booker DeWitt, who is attempting to rescue a woman named Elizabeth who is under the guarded watch of winged beast known as Songbird, but also with whom it shares a King Kong-esque relationship. Booker is imbued with supernatural abilities in the form of Vigors and Nostrums, reminiscent of the Plasmids and Gene Tonics in its predecessors. During certain sections of the game the player will be accompanied by Elizabeth, who also has her own set of powers that can be combined with Booker’s, but will also weaken her and make her more vulnerable. The wide open setting allows for some more ranged combat (sniper rifles anyone?) as well as a greater range of mobility, highlighted by the ability to attach to Sky-Lines, which take players on a sort of high speed roller coaster ride to different parts of the city. An entirely new set of enemies will be encountered as well, from Songbird as the prime enemy to regular humans and bizarre baddies like the Handyman, which is a human bonded to a large mechanical suit. Of course the heart of the charm in BioShock was its presentation, forgoing the use of cut-scenes and putting the player in full control through a first-person perspective throughout the game’s events to convey the twisted tale, and that very much remains the focus for Infinite. Rapture was a fascinating world but one which has been exhausted through the first two games, so Irrational somehow conjured up a solution by managing to invent an environment and accompanying plot that is just as, if not more, interesting than the one they initially created. We have no doubt that the gameplay will be enhanced and improved, easily making BioShock Infinite a prime contender for Game of the Year, and perhaps once again a landmark title for this generation.
1. Mass Effect 3
Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: March 6, 2012
BioWare practically scrambled our minds with all the combinations and permutations in the story it offered by playing through the first two Mass Effects, but even that will expand exponentially when Mass Effect 3 lands this March, culminating in what the developer says are over one thousand variables affecting the final outcome. It’s almost impossible to get into the in-depth details regarding the plot since everyone’s experience will ultimately be different depending on how events played out according to your actions in the first two games (provided you import your saved games), but the main driving storyline will follow Commander Shepard as he attempts to build a team that will unite civilizations throughout the galaxy to repel a Reaper invasion of Earth. Of course you can expect to engage in dozens of other quests that may or may not be pertinent to the primary goal, accentuated by BioWare’s trademark dialogue system that makes every conversation and plotline even more engaging, and the ability to choose either the Paragon (good) or Renegade (evil) approach to each situation. Provided that they survived in your playthrough, most or all of the main characters featured in past games will appear in ME3 in some capacity, along with a host of new ones. There will, of course, be plenty of new planets to visit and explore in addition to Earth, including the quarian, salarian, turian, and asari homeworlds, along with several locations featured in past games. The developer is attempting to fine-tune the already-awesome combat system utilized in ME2, making Shepard more agile, improving enemy AI and melee combat, and increasing the speed of battles. Many fans lamented the fact that most of the RPG elements of the first game were removed in the sequel, and BioWare is attempting to address that by re-introducing weapon mods, more powers, and larger skill trees for levelling up your characters. Thankfully, the mining mechanic is being overhauled (though it’s not clear how yet), and players will even be able to choose how they want to play the game: purists will want to go with the Roleplaying option, Action mode will abbreviate dialogue and cut-scenes, and newbies might be interested in the Story mode that makes combat much easier so they can still enjoy the story. As if this all isn’t enough, BioWare is throwing in a four-player online co-op mode and Kinect support, the graphics are being fine-tuned, and famous composer Clint Mansell (“Requiem for a Dream”) is sure to deliver an epic soundtrack. The first Mass Effect was amazing. Mass Effect 2 was even better. So, if BioWare delivers on all its promises (and we’re fairly certain they will), Mass Effect 3 will be some degree of awesomeness for which a word has not yet been invented. This trilogy has created such a vast and encapsulating universe despite all the possible discrepancies, blended with an engrossing story and seamless gameplay and we can’t wait to get to the epic conclusion. And then do it again (and again, and again…).
Make sure to check out the rest of our 2012 countdown:
Part I (#41-50)
Part II (#31-40)
Part III (#21-30)
Part IV (#1-10)
Written by: Mike Glubish
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