Monday, March 11, 2013

Dota 2

Our readers are divided into two groups for this entry: Those who get it and are excited, and those who don’t and thus do not care. Dota stands for Defense of the Ancients, a highly popular and insanely competitive online action game.

The first Dota was sort of low budget, but still had great gameplay. Game developer Valve is giving the game a makeover without changing anything important. That way fans can get the same hyper-competitive gameplay they love with better community support.

The Last Guardian

The Last Guardian is another game that’s best compared to indie film. The game is about a giant creature that protects a young child. Don’t expect much exposition, but do expect quite a lot of symbolic imagery.

A lot of gamers will lose patience with The Last Guardian. Those who are willing to play it in order to find a deeper message, though, will be in for something uniquely rewarding.

As we said, there are a lot of great games coming out in 2012. What are you going to play? Let us know in the comments.

Lollipop Chainsaw

Yes, this is a real game. Lollipop Chainsaw is a game perfectly summarized by its title. A cheerleader, Juliet, has to fend off hordes of undead zombies invading her high school. Her tool of destruction is, you guessed it, a chainsaw.

The game looks funny in a bizarre sort of way. Juliet is a preppy, cheerful, shallow person. Of course that makes it funnier when she cuts a zombie in half and sprays gore everywhere. If that’s your brand of humor, check it out sometime in 2012.

Fable: The Journey

Microsoft’s Kinect doesn’t get too many “hardcore” games, but Fable: The Journey is aiming to break that. Fable is a popular fantasy series for Xbox, but The Journey is the first entry to use entirely Kinect controls.

To be honest, there’s a very good chance that this game will be awful. Kinect controls are sketchy at best. However, if Fable can make Kinect work for hardcore games, then the result would be absolutely amazing. Either way, read a review before getting this game.

Aliens: Colonial Marines

Man, it has been a while since we’ve heard anything about Aliens: Colonial Marines. Originally announced in 2008, this Gearbox title has players desperately trying to survive on a ship infested with aliens from the James Cameron film.

There’s no release date on this one, and we would caution you to take any news about that with a huge grain of salt. Colonial Marines has been delayed since 2008, so there’s a decent chance it won’t even show up in 2012. On the off chance it does, it looks fairly entertaining.

Assassin’s Creed III

Assassin’s Creed finally stops the side adventures for a genuine numbered adventure with the release of AC III. We won’t pretend to understand the complex saga of the Templars and the Assassins, but something important to that story will probably happen in the new game.

Regardless of the confusing story, Assassin’s Creed is all about putting you in the shoes of a stealthy killer. If you play right, nobody will ever notice that epidemic of stab wounds going through important targets until it’s too late.

Halo 4

Halo may be only for people with an Xbox, but it is still a good series. After concluding the fight with the Covenant menace in Halo 3, the saga is starting all over with a new trilogy. That’s where Halo 4 comes in.

So far details are fairly scarce, but what we do know is that series protagonist Master Chief is returning. Many Halo fans disliked his exclusion for Halo: Reach, so it’s good to see him back. Whatever the new Halo game does have, it will undoubtedly be wrapped up in fun shooting and a sweeping story

Bioshock Infinite

Bioshock Infinite is a game that tries to be emotional and complex. The spiritual follow-up to the massively acclaimed 2007 predecessor, Bioshock Infinite is like nothing you’ve ever seen. The basic gameplay of guns and special powers is augmented by some of the best storytelling in gaming.

Bioshock Infinite is a game focused on America. As an American, I can safely say that there are a great many things wrong with our country’s politics. Infinite takes aim right at those flaws with a complex story exploring the fate of a fantastic floating city. What is meant to be the pinnacle of American power quickly degenerates into sectarian warfare and bloodshed. Into that situation the player is thrust.

If that sounds intriguing (and it should), look for Bioshock Infinite in 2012. While it is focused on America’s flaws, the politics behind those flaws are universal. It should appeal to everyone, no matter where you call home.

Borderlands 2

Borderlands is awesome. There’s no real way around that statement. The 2009 game blended together shooting and RPG so well that it quickly garnered a large following. The sequel looks even better: more guns, more classes, and more ways to play with your friends.

Borderlands is a fantastic game for co-operative play. If your friends own the game, you can play together (online and offline) and simultaneously tackle tough quests or extra villainous bad guys. The game looks like a blast and definitely should not be missed come June 30.

Kid Icarus: Uprising

Finally. Gamers everywhere have been waiting for a sequel to the Nintendo classic Kid Icarus for years. Nintendo finally stepped up with the release of Kid Icarus: Uprising for the new 3DS. The game’s colorful 3D graphics look quite impressive.

So if you got a 3DS for Christmas and are looking for another great game to play, Kid Icarus is a great choice. It looks like a great action game done in the classic Nintendo style. Everybody loves Nintendo, so you probably won’t go wrong picking this up on March 23.

Ninja Gaiden 3

Remember how we mentioned that some games tend to get emotional? Ninja Gaiden is the opposite of that as well. This is a series built on the idea of being a ninja and killing everything in sight. Extremely violent, gore-filled action is the hallmark of Ninja Gaiden and the third installment looks no different.

So if you’re looking for something to do on March 20 (perhaps after finishing Mass Effect 3), Ninja Gaiden 3 is a great way to exercise your inner ninja and kill a whole lot of people.

Tomb Raider

Here begins the first adventure for a young and inexperienced Lara Croft in a story which charts the journey of an ordinary woman who finds out just how far she must go in ordeto stay alive.

Tomb Raider Reviewed By Conan O'Brien's Clueless Gamer

Conan O'Brien's latest Clueless Gamer review for Tomb Raider might have just single-handedly set back the "sexism in games" conversation.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Fighting game fans may already be bashing their little hearts out with the recent release of this game for PS3 and 360, but those lucky new owners of the PlayStation Vita don’t get to play it until February 15.

Usually when a fighting game comes to a handheld console it ends badly, but Ultimate MvC 3 looks pretty good on the Vita. Besides, it’s not like new Vita owners will have anything else to play. Whatever your motivation, be sure to check it out.

Twisted Metal

A lot of games these days focus on deep narrative and resonating emotionally with their players. Twisted Metal isn’t one of those games. Sony Santa Monica is back with another round of high-octane car combat. Twisted Metal is all about loading up cars with absurd amounts of weaponry and blowing each other to pieces.

Even better, the series looks to include online multiplayer for the first time in its life. The old Twisted Metal games were made before Xbox Live really popularized online multiplayer. Thankfully the new one includes it so you can blow up your friends over PSN as well as in person.

Resident Evil Revelations

True survival horror fans know and respect the name of Resident Evil. However, that respect slipped a notch with the recent release of Resident Evil 5, a game that focused more on action than horror. Revelations looks to fix that by returning to what made Resident Evil successful in the first place: being scary.

So, if you’re one of the lucky new 3DS owners and need a serious game that doesn’t involve virtual puppies, Resident Evil Revelations is there for you on February 7. With zombies.

The Darkness II

Most games put you in control of the protagonist, the good guy. The Darkness isn’t like that. Come February 7, gamers will once more be able to step into the shoes of Jackie Estado, the antihero possessed by evil.

Based on the highly popular comic of the same name, The Darkness II stands out by giving players access to the occasional gun and more importantly demonic powers. Don’t buy this one for your kids.