Top 5 Upcoming Games in 2013

2012 was a good year for games. We got new iterations of Far Cry, Halo, Call of Duty, and Borderlands. However, 2013 looks to be a banner year that could have record sales and an almost depressingly unhealthy number of hours spent gaming. Here are the five games that I'm looking forward to most.

5. Crysis 3

I didn't have a supercomputer a few years ago so I never played the first Crysis game. It was famous for stretching CPUs beyond the breaking point and only the strongest of processors could handle it. Crysis 2 made it to both major consoles and was a helluva lot of fun to play, even if it wasn't written by Hemingway. You were able to choose, through the use of a cryo-suit, whether you played stealth or tank style since it provided both camoflage and armor. However, you were forced to only use one at a time so strategy became a major part of the gameplay. Friends in New York City have told me the maps are based on actual locations. The third Crysis looks to return the Big Apple, although there has been quite a lot of terraforming going on so it may not be quite as recognizable. Still, I'm looking forward to the first-person shooter that appeals to sci fi buffs that can't stand the Modern Warfare franchise.

 

4. Dead Space 3

This one could go either way. They're finally adding a co-op element to Dead Space. It's been the best sci fi horror series of this console generation. However, that's due in large part to the amazing sound design. This game is one that MUST be played in Dolby 5.1. It's terrifying when played in a dark room with surround sound cranked up. Having a headset on and chatting with a friend may take away from that experience. Even so, I'm looking forward to returning to the character of Isaac Clarke. This game has been a nice mix of shooter with weapon and suit leveling options that resemble an RPG. I'll probably play through it once alone and then try out the co-op campaign. It could add a dimension the game has been lacking, but I suspect it could also draw from its overall appeal. We'll just have to wait and see.

3. Gears of War: Judgment

Gears of War has lost its driving force in Cliffy B, but they're continuing on without him back to Emergence Day, when the locust hordes began wiping out mankind. The two main characters are Baird and everybody's favorite running back, Augustus "The Cole Train" Cole! New multiplayer modes are promised. I just hope they do a decent job with the story. This franchise should do fine as long as they don't try to get too cutesy. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. We were all worried when Bungie quit making Halo games and that turned out okay. Let's just hope the same happens with Gears of War.

2. Grand Theft Auto 5

If this game is anywhere near as good as the previous version, we're all in for a treat. In this game, we're leaving the Big Apple and heading back to the City of Angels, otherwise known as San Andreas. There are rumors that this game will offer multiple playable protagonists. That's great and all, but what I love the most about these games is the sandbox, open-world quality. As long as they hold to the realism and depth of world that made GTA 4 the highest rated game ever, this should be a fun time for those of you who are as desensitized to violence as I am.  

1. The Elder Scrolls Online

I'm not a huge PC gamer. The way I look at it, I spend way too much time on my console as it is. I don't need another life-sucker in my schedule or I can kiss any semblance of a normal life goodbye. Even so, I tried World of Warcraft to see what all the fuss was about. I also made it a decent ways into Star Wars: The Old Republic. Still, it's not my choice of gaming platform. That said, I am honestly scared of this game. Between Oblivion and Skyrim I've logged well over 300 hours of playing time. It's probably closer to 400, but I'm only counting my main playthroughs. I can't imagine what a massive, never-ending version of these games is going to do to my life. I don't know if its anticipation or fear, but I'm going with the Elder Scrolls MMO as my most anticipated game of next year.