2011 is going to be a hard act to follow. Never before has so many great games been released within such a short span of time. 2012 looks to be another great year though with Japanese games leading the charge early on this year. Wii U will also be released later this year and I'm looking forward to E3 to see what Nintendo has in store for us at launch and later. I hope for Nintendo's sake, the Wii U launch is a success. It hopes to bring back the hardcore gamer as well as the casual gamers. That is one hell of a goal for Nintendo who lost its true hardcore fans with the Wii. A new Zelda and Super Smash Bros. certainly has me intrigued but something big will have to come out at launch for me to get it. But I'm getting off-topic here. I'm going to list my top 10 most anticipated games for 2012. A hard choice to make right now since there is no knowing what games may come out this year like The Last Guardian, The Last of Us and Pokemon X Nobunaga's Ambition. I'll name those slated for release this year and hope that it is true. These are the games that I am looking forward to the most this year. Here we go:
10. Final Fantasy XIII-2
I'm heading into this game with no context whatsoever. I didn't play XIII and likely never will but I'm willing to give this game a shot. The series has stalled of late but I'm willing to take the dive now. Not to mention... Serah is pretty cute... Of course that's not the main reason for getting the game. FF XIII's gameplay was well received and the same style returns. Hey, I play games for great gameplay. I could care less for voice acting and graphics. It doesn't even have to have much character development. Give me a game that plays well and I'm good.
9. Borderlands 2
The original Borderlands had a quiet launch but me and my co-workers at EB Games predicted it would be the sleeper hit of the year. And it was. With its unique concept art look and mix of FPS and RPG, this was a no-brainer for me. I was excited when I heard they were making a sequel and this time the game will have more of a story and more character development. Not to mention being more badass than the last game. Time for me to go treasure hunting again!
8. Monster Hunter 4
This would be higher on my list but I don't even know if it's coming out this year. I've always been a fan of the first Monster Hunter but I wasn't willing to buy a PSP just for Monster Hunter. With MH Tri on Wii, I remembered why I loved the first game. Killing giant monsters with friends or strangers and reaping the rewards to make yourself better; it's great. Tears are actually coming to my eyes as I remember some of my great experiences playing MH Tri. I hope it comes out this year; I cannot wait for this game! Only because of its ambiguous release date does it land this low on my list... or is it?
7. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
As soon as I saw the first gameplay videos of Metal Gear Solid: Rising, I knew this was going to be an action game. My suspicions were confirmed at the Spike Video Game Awards when Hideo Kojima announced they had handed the game to PlatinumGames, the creators of great action games like MadWorld, Bayonetta and Vanquish. PlatinumGames reputation for creating great action games has me enthralled and I will make regular checkups to see how the game is coming along. The ability to cut through anything with your sword... ooh it's going to be some great fun.
6. The Last Guardian
This was once at the top of my list but I'm getting very worried the game may not come out at all. Director Fumito Ueda's departure from Sony as well as the executive producer has me thinking about the game's future. Although they said they would finish the game, too many other stories come to mind from those who have stated it before. I remain hopeful but I always anticipate the worst. If it does come out though, it will be one of the most emotional adventures this year as all Team Ico games are. I loved both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus so this game still manages to stay on my list of most anticipated games.
5. Xenoblade Chronicles
What? Only midway through the list? While I am excited to play what will most likely be the last great game on Wii, my anticipation of the game isn't as high as others probably are. I'm sure the game will still be amazing though, I keep hearing how it is THE definitive JRPG of this generation. I love a good JRPG. I love all RPG games; it is my favourite genre. For now though, this game sits in the middle of list. There are other games I am more excited for. I'm sure some may call me out on this but this is my list and my feelings ok?! jk :P
4. Kid Icarus: Uprising
I know Nintendo loves to resurrect old franchises but they really dug deep for Kid Icarus. I hear the NES game is quite difficult but it was also very good. The gameplay of Kid Icarus: Uprising represents a departure from standard Nintendo titles. A third-person shooter/action game, it shows off the new ideas Nintendo has for their characters. I want to see how multiplayer will be integrated into this but the core gameplay looks to be fast-paced and solid. That is a kind of game I'm looking for.
3. Lollipop Chainsaw
It's a Suda51 game. 'Nuff said. His games are very underappreciated. Games like No More Heroes and Shadows of the Damned were completely skipped over. But not by me. His games remain consistently funny and distinctly Japanese. That means a lot of over-the-top action, dialogue, sexual content and violence. And I love it! Not enough North American gamers appreciate what he brings to the table. Thankfully, he has me.
2. Dragon's Dogma
This is the other reason why Monster Hunter 4 is lower on my list. Another Capcom game, this has elements of Monster Hunter in it but also elements from Shadow of the Colossus which in my opinion is one of the best games ever made. Leading a team of 4 into battle against all kinds of creatures, using combat or magic, climb onto the beasts to get to a weak spot and doing all of this while upgrading your character? Sign me up! One gameplay trailer is all I needed to see to make me a believer.
1. Mass Effect 3
I know some are going to be tired from seeing these game plastered all over most anticipated of 2012 lists from multiple gaming sites but it truly deserves it. The one thing BioWare does right consistently is telling a really good story. Playing Mass Effect is kind of like watching a movie. Its interactive cutscenes really draw you into the game and make you feel like a powerful overlord controlling the lives of others. Besides the story, it's third-person shooter elements still work really well and you can still play this game even if you don't care about what happens. This series is the total package: epic, engaging single-player story, great gameplay, all spread out over hours of gaming greatness. Mass Effect 3 will also introduce co-op adding to the already substantial amount of play time. Here's a little rundown for you:
Mass Effect 1: 8 playthroughs: 100+ hours
Mass Effect 2: 5 playthroughs: 150+ hours
My hopes are very high for Mass Effect 3. Mass Effect 2 was such a huge improvement over Mass Effect 1 that I stopped playing ME1 since ME2 was so good. Mass Effect 3 is my most anticipated game of 2012 (as well as a lot of people's) and with that. My list is done.
Here are some Honourable Mentions that didn't quite make the cut:
The Darkness II
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
Asura's Wrath
Syndicate
Tales of Graces f
Twisted Metal
BioShock Infinite
Starhawk
Here are some other games that have me interested but not enough to make me consider buying it or even pre-ordering it:
NeverDead
Tales of the Abyss 3DS
Mario Party 9
Gotham City Imposters
Paper Mario 3DS
Prey 2