#10. Resident Evil Revelations
Info: Resident Evil Revelations Preview
Buy It: Pre-order Resident Evil: Revelations
Sales Previous Game: 5.6 Million
Release Date: January 27, 2012
System: 3DS
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Survival Horror
Why Play It?: Taking place before Resident Evil 4 & 5, you get a brand new storyline in the RE series. Resident Evil Revelations sees the return to survival horror, offering a tense and intriguing gameplay experience (including dual analog support). Built from the ground up to take advantage of the Nintendo 3DS features, it delivers outstanding visuals that bring the zombie fear to life in 3D!
#9. Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Info: Uncharted: Golden Abyss Preview
Buy It: Pre-order Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Sales Previous Game: 5+ Million
Release Date: February 22, 2012
System: PS Vita
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Bend Studio
Genre: Action-Adventure, Third-person Shooter, Platformer
Why Play It?: Uncharted series creators Naughty Dog have been overseeing development of the first portable Uncharted game at Sony Bend Studio, who previously made some of the best PSP games (Resistance & Syphon Filter series). If that wasn’t enough reason to get excited, the PS Vita launch title — a prequel to the original Uncharted — looks and plays like a full-fledged PS3 Uncharted game that just happens to be on a handheld. Throw in jaw-dropping cutscenes with all your favorite actors, cinematic gameplay as Drake goes to search for treasure in a legendary lost city, throw in optional touch & motion controls, and you’ve got a recipe for awesome!
#8. Assassin’s Creed 3
Info: Assassin’s Creed 3 Roundup
Buy: Assassin’s Creed Revelations
Sales Previous Game: 11 Million
Release Date: Mid-November 2012
System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Developer: Ubisoft
Genre: Action-Adventure, Sandbox
Why Play It?: The brains behind the Assassin’s Creed series once promised “It’s always been planned to be a trilogy, and Desmond is going to become the ultimate assassin.” With the Mayan ending of the world on December 21, 2012, overlapping with that in the AC universe, the Ubisoft creative people have indicated (that as a yearly franchise) they have no choice but to tell the grand finale of Desmond’s story in 2012. The ending of Assassin’s Creed Revelations reveals what’s coming up next in Assassin’s Creed 3…
#7. The Last Guardian
Info: The Last Guardian Preview
Buy It: Pre-order The Last Guardian
Sales Previous Game: 1.5 Million
Release Date: 2012
System: PS3
Developer: Team Ico
Genre: Action-Adventure, Puzzler
Why Play It?: After creating ICO & Shadow of the Colossus on PS2, director Fumito Ueda hasn’t said much about The Last Guardian’s story except to say it’s open-ended, leaving the ending for the player to figure out. Much like the team’s previous games, this PS3 game tells the tale of an unnamed boy trying to escape from a castle in ruins, except this time it’s together with an enormous cat-eagle companion called Trico. Along the way they’ll form an emotional bond, and depending on how you interact with the mythical griffin-like creature, you’ll gain more/better control over its actions.
#6. BioShock Infinite
Info: BioShock Infinite Preview
Buy It: Pre-order BioShock Infinite
Sales Previous Game: 4 Million
Release Date: Last half of 2012
System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Developer: Irrational Games
Genre: First-person Shooter
Why Play It?: The studio behind the original BioShock is back! Set in 1912, before the other two games but not as a prequel, BioShock Infinite introduces an entirely new narrative experience that lifts players out of the familiar confines of Rapture and rockets them to Columbia, an immense city in the sky.
#5. Halo 4
Info: Halo 4 Reveal
Buy It: Pre-order Halo 4
Sales Previous Game: 8.1 Million
Release Date: September 2012
System: Xbox 360
Developer: 343 Industries
Genre: First-person Shooter
Why Play It?: It’s the return of Master Chief! Set in the aftermath of Halo 3, Master Chief returns to confront his own destiny and face an ancient evil that threatens the fate of the entire universe. Halo 4 marks the start of a new reclaimer trilogy, where the Forerunner Shield Worlds are explored.
#4. Diablo III
Info: Diablo III Preview
Buy It: Pre-order Diablo III
Sales Previous Game: 14 Million
Release Date: Q1 2012
System: PC, Mac
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Genre: Action-RPG, Dungeon Crawler, Hack ‘n Slash
Why Play It?: Fans have been impatiently waiting for 11 years for this sequel. With gorgeous CGI cinematics that wouldn’t look out of place in a mature-rated Pixar movie, five fine-tuned character classes (wizard, witch doctor, demon hunter, barbarian & monk) and online co-op via Battle.net, Blizzard looks set to deliver an amazing game.
#3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Info: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Hints
Buy: Call of Duty: Black Ops
Sales Previous Game: 25+ Million
Release Date: Early November 2012
System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, Wii U
Developer: Treyarch
Genre: First-person Shooter
Why Play It?: As part of a yearly release cycle, a sequel to Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops is next on the table. COD is always a big deal because of it’s explosive campaign and endlessly entertaining multiplayer. Some ideas for locations across the world Black Ops 2 could take place in include Vietman…
#2. Grand Theft Auto V
Info: Grand Theft Auto V Analysis
Buy It: Pre-order Grand Theft Auto V
Sales Previous Game: 22+ Million
Release Date: 2012
System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Developer: Rockstar North
Genre: Action-Adventure, Sandbox, Third-person Shooter
Why Play It?: GTA 5’s sandbox scale has been said to be “vast”, this is likely an understatement. We’re promised an “breathtaking entertainment experience” and “the largest and the most ambitious game Rockstar has yet created”. With a story set in a modern-day setting, and hookers just waiting to run over, fans have a lot to be excited for with the series returning to San Andreas and its surrounding areas.
#1. Mass Effect 3
Info: Mass Effect 3 Preview
Buy It: Pre-order Mass Effect 3
Sales Previous Game: 4 Million
Release Date: March 6, 2012
System: Xbox 360, PC, PS3
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Action-RPG, Third-person Shooter
Why Play It?: It’s the big finale to the Mass Effect Trilogy! All your choices from the previous two games culminate into this epic showdown against the Reapers. As Shepard, can you save the Universe?
What are your favorite games?
