10.The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings
The Witcher has been a sleeper franchise for the PC, and stands as one of the top fantasy RPG franchises in a sadly waning genre. The Witcher 2 marks the first time the series appears on consoles, bringing its foulmouthed, hack 'n' slashing, witching protagonist Geralt to the Xbox 360. The original Witcher was a great game that launched the IP with fantastic and engrossing combat mechanics, a great world and a cool story. The Witcher 2 on PC improved on its predecessor in some great ways, and we couldn't be more excited to see what the franchise has in store for its Xbox 360 debut.
9.Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
A title that has seen a long development and some sea changes along the way, Kingdoms of Amalur will finally be released this year. Kingdoms of Amalur has some lofty expectations surrounding it, no doubt due to some of the ginormous names attached to the project (R.A. Salvatore, Todd MacFarlane, Ken Rolston). However, Amalur might be one of the precious few times that a game will stand up to the hype, as what we've seen out of the game definitely has our eye.
8.Far Cry 3
The pedigree of the Far Cry series is huge, and each game in the series has managed to carve out its own unique feel and gameplay mechanics. Be it the original's tropical island setting or the complete 180 pulled by the sequel's African plains setting, the Far Cry series has never been content to stay in the same place, and the third iteration will shake things up even more. The game sees a return to the tropical style setting of the original game while adding in an eclectic and engaging cast of supporting characters not unlike Far Cry 2. If the other Far Cry games are any indication, the third entry looks to blend the best of both its predecessors for a great new experience not to be missed.
7.Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
I could simply say "Grimlock" and leave it at that, but there's even more to be excited about in Fall of Cybertron. The team behind was is the best Transformers game to date, War for Cybertron, is looking to build on that experience with a more focused story and even more intense action, awesome gameplay, and new playable transformers. Fall of Cybertron is shaping up to be a huge improvement over its already awesome predecessor. Did I mention Grimlock?
6.Tomb Raider
While Lara Croft remains an iconic figure in the world of gaming, she hasn't been on a truly new adventure since 2008 (outside 2010's downloadable foray). That's why the new look, new gameplay, and new world of this fall's Tomb Raider shine with such promise. Everything we've seen so far reveals a new, gritty, action-packed experience set before the original game that made her famous. The new take on the series features a home base, upgrades, horror, and heart. If all the pieces fit together tightly, then Tomb Raider might just be one of the best experiences of 2012.
5.Borderlands 2
Borderlands, 2009's cell-shaded, desert-centric, loot-fest, was both hilarious, entertaining, and expansive; but it wasn't for everyone. With this year's sequel, Gearbox Software aims to ratchet up the story, environments, and polish that weren't the high points of the original game. With snowy mountains, grassy fields, and a range of new character classes, Borderlands 2 looks to make everything the original game did better. And for that, it has the potential to be one of the best games this year.
4.Alan Wake's American Nightmare
As a follow up to the beloved 2010 horror game, many gamers initially took issue with the fact that Alan Wake's next game, American Nightmare, would be available as a downloadable title through Xbox LIVE Arcade. However, after learning more about the game, it's pretty safe to say that those fears are unfounded. American Nightmare is as fully-fledged as they come, with a full campaign and even an exciting new arcade mode for those just looking to get their hands dirty against some Taken. American Nightmare is set to change the way gamers think about Xbox LIVE Arcade titles, but more importantly, we can't be more excited to meet up with Alan again.
3.Mass Effect 3
Everything we've worked toward for the past five years is finally coming to a head. The Mass Effect story's been building since 2007, and the reality of our decisions in the first two games is starting to dawn on us. Where do we stand with Illusive Man? What are the repercussions of keeping the Reaper technology? What role does Legion play, will we see the return of the Rachni, and how will the Shadow Broker benefit our goal to save the Earth from invasion? If you haven't played previous games, that probably reads like gibberish, and we can't recommend enough that you rectify this problem. Mass Effect 3 concludes something we've poured hours and emotion into, and much as we're excited to rip the Reaper army a new one, we fear for the fates of our favorite allies. More importantly, we're afraid of where the end will leave us -- we adore this world, and want to interact with its populous and problems for the rest of our lives. We're dying to see where we leave off, and where Mass Effect will take us next -- with or without Shepard.
2.Bioshock Infinite
We'd give Ken Levine's team the benefit of the doubt by default -- that BioShock Infinite looks as impressive as it does leaves us vibrating in impatience.The first BioShock was one of this generation's first truly great games. Gears of War and Oblivion certainly rocked our world, but neither had the strong, thoughtful voice saying powerful things BioShock brought to the table. It was equal parts game and social commentary, and each complemented the story and message in meaningful ways. Irrational Games has set the bar remarkably high for itself, but we aren't worried. BioShock Infinite, in the limited demos we've seen, has characters with personality and complex relationships that rival any of its progenitor's characterization. Hero Booker DeWitt swinging on airborne train tracks and accomplice Elizabeth's reality ripping abilities are wonderful complements to Infinite's civil war story setup, political undertones, and distinct aesthetic. Oh, apparently you can shoot stuff too. We often forget about that part.
1.HALO 4
Bungie left Master Chief in capable hands when it retired from Halo. 343 Industries is a collection of some of the industry's elite talent, some of which are Halo veterans, and its Halo: Combat Evolved remake proved the developer's devotion to the franchise. We still only know the basics about Microsoft's second Master Chief trilogy, but its existence is enough to get us excited. Halo 4 has the opportunity to do a lot of interesting things within a familiar framework. The Halo 4 announcement trailer showed us new weaponry and an intriguing setting, and we're hoping to learn more about Master Chief and Cortana as deep characters, to see their relationship develop, and explore vast new worlds. Oh, and to shove sticky grenades down enemy throats. We're likely going to have to wait until E3 2012 for concrete details, which only adds to our anticipation.
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