With final days of the Steam Summer Sale being over, your wallet is probably close to empty and as the end of 2012 and early 2013 are approaching, you’ll have to make sure you pick the right games to invest in.
Not all games that are coming up may pique the interest of all gamers.
I’m giving you a rundown of upcoming games that are worthy mentions for both 2012, and early 2013 to give you a better idea of what to watch out for, to save you time from jumping from game site to game site looking at what games were previewed at E3.
Summer Line Up:
With the end of July almost near, August has a few games that might be sleeper hits.
August 14: The action adventure Dark Siders II along with Sleeping Dogs, the open world crime drama come out for Windows, the 360 and PS3. I’m curious to see if Dark Siders II will live up to much of the hype.
Death in Dark Siders 2 won’t be the same for any two players, as the sequel will feature a new loot system.
Mid-August (tentative): The Walking Dead Episode 3: Long Road Ahead is rumored for a mid August release, due out on the PS3, 360, Mac, and Windows. I’m excited to see what can happen to Lee and the rest of the group.
August (tentative): Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition is slated for an August release on iOS, Windows and Mac, but might get pushed back. I hope not, because I’d love to go back and replay an updated version of a BioWare game that was actually good.
August 21: For those of us that were Counter-Strike Source fanatics, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive releases on Windows, PS3, 360 and Mac.
August 24: The Dark Souls Prepare to Die Edition comes out on PC, let’s hope that Games for Windows LIVE doesn’t ruin the experience.
August 28: Madden NFL 13 releases on PS3, 360 and the Vita. I’m not much into football video games, but I’ll play it one way or another with friends, and I’m not too sure that much will change with the repetitive franchise.
September gives way to games that will definitely eat up our time.
September 11: For hockey fans, NHL 13 comes out with Tekken Tag Tournament 2 releasing the same day, both available on the PS3 and 360.
September 18: Borderlands 2 will give all of us the gun customization and collecting we could dream of on the PS3, 360 and Windows.
With a cast of new characters, Borderlands will have a whole new set of playable character classes, like the “gunzerker”.
September 25: Dead or Alive 5 releases on the PS3, and 360.
September 28: For soccer and football fans, FIFA 13 comes out on the 360, PS3 and Wii for those of us who want to play with our favorite team and having them win UEFA, unless of course, your team was Spain.
The 4th Quarter is where things will get out of hand, and by now our wallets will be drying up.
October 2: A great day for basketball fans, and Resident Evil fans alike, with NBA 2K13 coming out on the 360, PS3, PSP and Wii. We’ll have to see what new crazy zombies will appear on Resident Evil 6 that comes out for the PS3, 360 and Windows.
October 7: For the Poké collectors, Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 comes out on the NDS.
October 9: With a slew of games, Dishonored comes out of Windows, PS3 and the 360, where we get a chance to play as the bodyguard-assassin with supernatural powers. If you haven’t played the original XCOM, you’ve still got time to play it before XCOM: Enemy Unknown comes out for Windows, PS3 and the 360… if you do play XCOM, just be prepared to die quite a bit.
October 16: A sneaky Doom 3: BFG Edition attempts to fly under our radar, the re-release of Doom 3 comes out for Windows, PS3 and the 360.
October 23: Forza Horizon comes out for the 360, with Medal of Honor: Warfighter trying to steal CoD’s thunder, which comes out for Windows, PS3, 360 and the WiiU. Street Fighter X Tekken also debuts on the same day on the Vita, which desperately needs more games.
October 30: The day before Halloween, we finally get to see the release of Assassin’s Creed III where we can stealth our way through early America, due to release on the PS3, 360, and the WiiU with the PC release coming out later in the year.
The new assassin will be more agile than the protagonists of other games in the series, with the ability to scale trees, and use the environment to his advantage.
November is a great month for fps and action fans alike, which might put a big dent in our wallets.
November 6: The start of the month will have the 360 exclusive Halo 4 coming out, which is great for Halo fans who are probably itching to play as Master Chief again.
November 13: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 comes out on Windows, PS3, and the 360, fans of the series will have to wait for the map packs which will undoubtedly be released in sets, months after Black Ops 2 is released.
November 20: Hitman Absolution has us back in the shoes of Agent 47 on Windows, PS3, and 360. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for this one.
Agent 47 might be a preacher, but he’ll kill you with piano wire if he needs to.
November 23: Assassin’s Creed III finally comes out for Windows, and PC users will have a lot of catching up to do, with a month behind the console release date.
December is looking pretty grim. Let’s hope developers push something out for the holidays.
December 2: New Super Mario Bros. U comes out on the WiiU, which is great news for those of us who will be WiiU owners, for the rest of us, it means keeping our hopes up.
December 4: The open world FPS FarCry 3 releases on Windows, PS3 and 360, putting us in the shoes of a tourist whose trip literally goes to hell. I’m just hoping they don’t include those weird mutants from the original FarCry.
Last but not least, the breakdown of 2013′s games.
Devil May Cry, we will get to see the new Dante slaying demons in the reinvented DMC coming out for Windows, PS3 and 360. Let’s hope the game is more than just cut scenes of Dante swearing at demons.
Lost Planet 3 the third installment of the series has players learning more about E.D.N III, while trekking through sub arctic conditions on both foot and mechs, due for January on Windows, PS3 and 360.
BioShock Infinite finally releases at the start of Quarter 1, after being delayed, which hopefully polishes the game. I’m looking forward to using the skyhook and seeing the mayhem that will take place in the air-city Columbia.
Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee HD gets a re-release on PSN and the Vita.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance will most likely come out in Quarter 1 for PS3 and 360. I’m happy that the team at Platinum was given the chance to make this happen.
I’m planning on spending a good portion of time cutting robot and human enemies to shreds as a cyborg ninja.
Star Trek: The Game is rumored for a Quarter 1 release on Windows, PS3 and 360 where players for the first time will be able to play as Kirk and Spock in co-op. Keep your fingers crossed Star Trek fans, this might just be good.
Tomb Raider gets a new addition on Windows, PS3 and 360, and we might get to see Laura in a game that might just give her the chance to redefine her old series.
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Black List has us playing as the gravel voiced Sam Fisher in his sixth appearance in the series, with a possible March release date for Windows, PS3 and 360.
ArmA 3 the intense warfare simulator is back, with the improvements, and levels featuring aquatic warfare. The game looks just as good as its predecessors, and it might just feature another Day Z mod, hopefully with more bandit killing. ArmA 3 is a PC exclusive.
Crysis 3 is rumored for a Quarter 2 release for Windows, PS3 and 360. Crysis 3 has players taking the role of Prophet, in his signature nanosuit. The cover of the game features Prophet holding a bow, which is a new weapon to the series. Now if the developers only added that wrist laser blaster from Predator…
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6: Patriots had a “gameplay target” trailer that premiered last year featuring what the game might look like. The single player game will focus on an American terrorist threat of a group known as the “True Patriots”. The game does not have a confirmed release date, but will be available on Windows, PS3, 360 and the WiiU.
Watch Dogs, the open-world action game being developed by Ubisoft Montreal is due for 2013, on Windows, PS3 and 360. The trailer showed the main character Aiden Pearce hacking into various electronic systems, and his ability to view records of other characters on screen, including their name, and any personal history.
I’m just hoping that Watch Dogs doesn’t get bogged down side quests that will just be achievement boosting fluff.
The Last of Us is a PS3 exclusive – if you didn’t see the E3 trailer, the video showed on Comic Con, or missed out on the news, here’s your chance to view a trailer of the game. It’s refreshing to see Naughty Dog working on a game that doesn’t feature the action hero Nathan Drake, but instead showcases a different type of game we haven’t yet seen from the developer.
Star Wars 1313 has players put in the role of a bounty hunter on Level 1313 on Coruscant, giving room to have a darker setting in place, and with faster paced action. The game is coming out on Windows, PS3, and 360, and it looks like it might give a spark to Star Wars after the mediocrity of SWTOR.
Dead Space 3 is coming out on Windows, PS3 and the 360, and I can’t say I’m too excited. Isaac Clarke has gone through his share of trauma, but the next installment in the series seems more about driving action as the main focus, rather than Isaac’s mental deterioration. The addition of co-op seems more like a gimmick than an actual way to make the game any scarier… the biggest part of making survival horror is having the player feel alone. Having a friend there makes the experience less threatening, but that might just be me.
Metro: Last Light comes out for Windows, PS3, 360 and WiiU, letting us experience post-apocalyptic Moscow as Artyom once again. I’m really excited for this game. Metro 2033 was like playing STALKER, but with an actual story line.
If the team at 4A Games can reproduce the same survival horror setting, I’m giving this game an early two thumbs up.
Zone of Enders HD Collection is a PS3 exclusive, and I’ll be reliving my old memories of blowing up robots. The HD reboots of the original and sequel will be a steal for anyone who was a fan of the franchise.
Total War: Rome 2 comes out as a PC exclusive, letting us relive epic campaigns and battles. The addition of sea warfare should make a neat way to take over cities that think they are safe because they are across the Mediterranean Sea.
Beyond: Two Souls is a PS3 exclusive being developed by Quantic Dream, who has also developed Heavy Rain. Ellen Page is portraying the main character via motion capture, and will feature the option to use the PlayStation Move, which seems like it might be more of a novelty option than just using the regular PlayStation controller.
Beyond: Two Souls looks like it will have the same dark art style as did Heavy Rain.
Cyberpunk, a game with very little known about it is in development by CD Projekt RED who created The Witcher Series. The studio is taking a different approach and making a new franchise based on the pen and paper Cyberpunk game. The studio is being tight lipped about development, but Forbes’ Erik Kain had an interview with Marcin Iwinski, the co-founder of CD Projekt Red, where he explained the series will be like The Witcher franchise: “a mature game for mature audiences.” In Cyberpunk players will have choices to make, and be able to choose different character classes and sexes, and a non-linear story. If that means more morally conflicting choices, I’m in. I’ll miss playing as Geralt, the sharp tongued witcher, but just knowing that the talented team is working on a new game makes me very excited. I’m taking a leap of faith, and taking a guess that the game will make a surprise appearance in 2013.
And last but not least, a game I didn’t even know was coming until E3. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will be coming out on PS3 and the 360, and I was a huge fan of its predecessor. The trailer at E3 showing off the new powers of the vampire Gabriel Belmont. I was a fan of the original because of the difficulty, amount of gore – which is sad, but true, and the plot. With the huge turn around at the end, I’m really looking forward to the sequel, not to mention the chance to actually play as Dracula himself.
With all the blood drinking and vampiric powers, there’s no better chance to play as Dracula than with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
2012 will have a strong end, but from the looks of it 2013 will have an even better beginning. I might as well quit any life plans I had for 2013, because I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to get anything accomplished.
What are you looking forward to in the upcoming releases? Anything not on the list you think might be a sleeper, or a big hit?
FIFA 13 Sept 25th
Darksiders II and Revengence, baby.
I’ll be reviewing DS II as well.
Guys your rss aren’t working. That’s probably why you only have 63 followers. I should’ve probably sent you an email but I’m lazy, sorry. Keep up the good work anyway!
Our web developer is aware of the issue. It should be fixed soon (TM).
Thanks for the heads up!
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My most anticipated Games of 2012:
- Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition:
A remastered and enhanced version of one of BioWare’s greatest? You bet your sweet ass I’m excited for this title.
- Borderlands 2:
Definitely one of the most promising upcoming games this year. Does what a sequel should do, maintain the formula while expanding upon it and address the flaws that plagued its predecessor.
- Dishonored:
I’m a little iffy about this game, it’s surely one of the most unique game of its kind. But it does look a little too easy, there’s a chance that the mechanics could be broken. I’m still interested to see how this game turns out, simply because I’m a fan of first-person action titles that focuses on emergent gameplay.
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown:
Finally, a proper reboot of a once terrific series. Looks much better than the first-person shooter remake.
- Halo 4:
I’m cautiously optimistic about it, 343 Industries seem to be on the right track. The gameplay footage they’ve shown at E3 was pretty impressive, and I love the new Metroid Prime vibe that they’re going for with the atmosphere. I hope 343 live up to their promises, than Bungie did with Reach.
- Hitman: Absolution:
We’re finally done with IO’s Kane & Lynch nonsense, and back with the series that truly placed upon the gaming pedestal of talented game developers. Glad to see the core fundamentals that what made the series great and distinct are still intact. IO aren’t making the same mistakes that Ubisoft have made with the Splinter Cell series.
- Assassin’s Creed III:
Not a big fan of the series, because I was very disappointed by how the original turned out to be. Assassin’s Creed II and Brotherhood were big improvements, but they didn’t reach the level of true classic status Ubisoft were aiming for with this series. Revelations was an unnecessary padding installment. This sequel however has a lot of potential, may just be the first great Assasin’s Creed game in my opinion.
Most Anticipated for 2013:
- The Last of Us:
It’s a phenomenal looking game, that I find it to be a refreshing change of pace from numerous action games. One that relies on slow-paced, and methodical combat that’s more a battle of wits than bronze.
- Watch Dogs:
This game made E3 for me with its amazing visuals and unique hacking gameplay. I can see a lot of creative possibilities that could be done with its innovative set-up, I hope Ubisoft pulls them off.
- Star Wars 1313:
A gritty and mature Star Wars game is something I’ve been waiting for ever since KOTOR. I’m crossing my fingers Lucasarts can regain their former glory days, during a time when they produced good Star Wars games, Making up for crap like Star Wars: TORtanic and the middling Star Wars: The Force Unleashed series.
- Metro: Last Light:
I was a fan of Metro 2033, so if 4AGames maintain the haunting and brooding atmosphere without making any changes in order to cater for a “wider audience”, then I’d be one happy nihilist.
- Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance:
Retarded subtitle not withstanding, I’m eager to get my hands on Platinum Game’s next crazy-awesome game. For once in a hack n’ slash, I’d be able to slice opponents with pin point precision.
Are you sure ZOE HD is a PS3 exclusive…? Last I heard it was a multiplat title, and every other place I checked still list it as such.
Fenrir, you are correct, ZOE HD will not be a PS3 exclusive, it will also be available on 360.
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, anyone?