Master Chief in Halo (Microsoft)
2012 seems to be stacking up to be a great year for video game releases. There are numerous highly-anticipated games and each one brings something new to the table. Some games are just sequels, adding to existing legacies, and others are being released from limbo following a resolution in licensing agreements. Games seem to be looking towards a bright future so, with that in mind; here is a look at five highly-anticipated games coming your way hopefully before year’s end:
Assassin’s Creed III
Since 2007, Assassin’s Creed has been a series that has been successful both commercially and critically. With its latest iteration, Assassin’s Creed III, players are taken back into the world of the Templars. This time, however, we are propelled into a Colonial America. Players take the role of Connor Kenway the ancestor of main character Desmond Miles. Connor deals with his home being attacked by colonists and is forced into the life of an assassin battling through thirty years of bloodshed from 1753 to 1783. The game also introduces several historical figures including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Israel Putnam, to name but a few. The game is the final installment in the timeline, so be sure to pick it up to make sure you get to finish a story five years in the making.
Resident Evil 6
Zombies are chic again right now, mainly thanks to The Walking Dead, but even that series does not hold a candle to the original survival-horror classic Resident Evil, now reaching its sixth iteration, bringing together several characters in an effort to resolve some disparate elements of what is by now a sprawling conspiracy saga. Series staples Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield finally meet after many years to battle against bioterrorism across the entire world. The game will take place starting in the United States and encompass China and possibly Europe (based on the initial trailers). Combining the Survival-horror aspect with the more recent action oriented gameplay to create a fully encompassing adventure, with the usual twists and turns, the game looks to be one of the best of the series.
Xenoblade Chronicles
Not all games are a continuation of a previous series. Some games actually are games that only need a chance to be released to show its worth. Though Xenoblade Chronicles was released two years ago in Japan, the US version has been in waiting for a release ever since. It took a campaign by consumers to see a localization for the game. Thanks to that we will be introduced to an RPG that many are claiming is the best of the current generation. The plot centers on a young man named Shulk, who wields the titular energy blade, the Monado, against the Mechon in order to ultimately save the world. The game is on the Nintendo Wii and every bit of it points to being one you will enjoy playing even with a Nunchuck.
Grand Theft Auto V
What else is there left to say about this series? A franchise that already changed so much is coming back with yet another addition to its award-winning catalog. GTAV is looking to be the biggest installment yet with a giant open world where players are able to do anything and everything their dark, criminal wannba hearts desire. This time around players are put into the world of Los Santos (a fictional version of Los Angeles) where they can visit places similar to Hollywood, forests, and various cities surrounding the area. Not much has been revealed yet but the game has been rumored by various markets, even Wal-Mart, to be released this year. That news alone is enough to get excited about.
Halo 4
“Sci-fi first-person shooter” are words you cannot say without immediately thinking Halo. The game single-handedly built the Xbox brand and launched its accompanying online service, Xbox Live. After many years the series has entered a new chapter in its life. Bungie stepped down from its developer’s chair to give the new 343 Industries a chance to inject new blood into the series. For everyone involved this is a new trilogy that will begin as Master Chief and Cortana return to battle new enemies and solve mysteries of an ancient evil. Now, we all know that the game will feature a great multiplayer, so this will undoubtedly be the biggest game of the year upon its released. The new developers have already released a remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved to great reviews, so this game will surely not disappoint.
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