Getting hyped up for some games for me is like getting hyped up about a new McDonald’s opening. The building might look slightly different and it might be in a different location but nothing has really changed. You like the odd dip in but really if anything better was on offer you’d go for that. That’s why certain games don’t appear in this list. I’m sure they’ll sell loads but these are also the games killing the industry as more clever and inventive games suffer. Rant over. In no particular order here are my top games expected in 2013.
1. The last of us (PS3)
It’s Naughty Dog, famed for the PS1 Crash Bandicoot games, PS2 Jak and Daxter games and the Uncharted games on the PS3. They don’t really do bad games and this is their first stab at a fully adult title. They do good story telling, voice acting and motion capture and are the reason why Nolan North (Drake) is now a household name to those with any real focus on gaming. The last of us is set in a world torn apart by a deadly outbreak. Visually it looks like the recent TV series Revolution. The action is gritty. You use what you can to survive. This maybe the last swan song for the PS3 and there’s no one better to leave it to.
2. Beyond: Two souls (PS3)
…apart from maybe Quantic Dream. They don’t make games like anyone else; they’ve almost carved out a genre for themselves. The interactive movie. They love emotion and, like Naught Dog, storytelling. Their last game, Heavy Rain, was almost an experiment and though it wasn’t perfect it engaged with people because it was different. This time they’ve got some heavy weight actors involved, in the lead role is Ellen Page (Juno, Inception). The game looks like a supernatural thriller, much of which is a closely guarded secret but if their recent tech demo (Kara) is anything to go by they could be about to pull off something special. At the very least you’ll need to give this a go.
3. Tomb Raider (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
The queen, or now former queen of games is back. Reboots don’t always go well but since Uncharted enter the scene Lara has seen very outdated and the flaws in the games have been drastically exposed. This is Lara before she became the Lara we’ve known for so long. Yes, this has been tried before with Tomb Raider but Crystal Dynamics have gone down a different rough. What appears to be a late teens/early 20’s Lara becomes ship wrecked and survival is very much a key aspect. This really is a new Lara and a new Tomb Raider. The original trailer blew everyone away, partly due to low expectations but even over a year on this looks like a possible game of the year though I’ve already mentioned two strong contenders.
4. Rain (PSN/PS3)
The PlayStation Network has been home to some real gems in recent years. Games that most developers and platforms wouldn’t risk. 2012’s Journey and Unfinished Swan being two perfect examples. This year a trailer was shown for a new game, Rain. An invisible boy who can only be seen through the footprints, splashes and rain. Visually the game will have a look and feel like very few before it. Where this all leads to in the game is unknown at present as little information is about but the general concept makes this look like a game well worth keeping an eye on.
5. Killzone Mercenary (Vita)
Hopefully this will be third time lucky with first person shooters on the Vita. With the control layout the Vita should be the portable console of choice but you hear people talk about a 5 month development period for something like COD: Declassified you can see why the games aren’t up to scratch. This is different though, the developer (one of the best in the business) behind the main trilogy is working on this. The focus seems to be on being pick up and play, you’ll get to play on both sides as well. Imagine Unit 13 in first person mode with Helghast and you’ll have a good idea. The PSP game wasn’t bad so hopefully the Vita one will be as good as the move from the PSP to Vita versions of Assassins Creed. Unfortunately it work so well for Resistance with the PSP game probably the best in the series.
6. Tearaway (Vita)
This isn’t just the only big new IP we know about for the Vita next year but it’s also the new IP from Media Molecule. Their first non-Sackboy game. There are lots of reasons to be hopefully, it appears to have the charm of LBP (though not of Sackboy but how can you match that). LBP focused on fabric and an array of materials, tearaway is all about paper. We still don’t know too much but there are three easy reasons to be interested and excited. New IP, Vita exclusive, Media Molecule.
7. Star Wars 1313 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
Star Wars without the force and possible without Jedi. When you say it like that it sounds awful but then there aren’t a great deal of good Star Wars games. In 1313 you play a bounty hunter and play in the dark world in between the Jedi and the Sith. This game won’t be so held back by Star Wars continuity issues and can forge its own saga which can only be a good thing. This game won’t stop us wanting Battlefront 3 to be finished and released though.
8. Remember Me (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
Remember Me is a new IP, which seems to a rarity for anyone outside of a Sony exclusive this late in the console cycle. Capcom are behind the action adventure where you play an elite memory hunter who can break into people’s minds and steal or alter memories. You character has her memory wiped and you must rediscover her identity. Sounds good to me.
9. Until Dawn (PS3)
It seems like every year we say that could be the game for Move. We’ll this is one of two in my list. This is basically a teen horror film turned into a game, but a game that very much knows what it is and isn’t taking itself too seriously. This could be your Final Destination sort of horror, jumps and laughs. This game is genuinely intriguing and it’s with a developer that knows their way around a move controller. I would expect this to be a 15+ so this certainly won’t be a kids game, but I doubt it’ll be Dead Space either. The game follows a group of teenagers who plan to stay in a cabin in the woods and then things start to go bump in the night and people end up dead. Simples.
10. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3, Vita)
This really should have been out in 2012. I don’t know if the release window was too packed or there was some last-minute tweaking to be done as they could have (like Ratchet & Clank) released one version pre-Christmas and one post. This is the first new Sly since the PS2 and comes with the Vita version bundled with it. You can even use the Vita as a tool for investigating in the PS3 version. It’s a classic Sly Cooper platform game and a nice break from only having Ratchet & Clank every year (even though they are decent games). The game in games is probably what makes this most interesting, the developer has changed since Suckerpunch have moved onto Infamous but by all accounts the new guys in charge have done a good job.
11. Diggs Nightcrawler (PS3/Wonderbook)
Wonderbook isn’t just a kids toy for Harry Potter fans, there is lots of content around the corner including Disney and Walking with dinosaurs but this is the one that stands out at the moment. It’s a comic noir detective game using Move and Wonderbook. It’s written by Oscar winners Moonbot and is potential the perfect game to play with kids. There seems to be a point click adventure element to the game, in my head I’m picturing Lucas Arts doing Wonderbook Monkey Island (that would be great), it’s not quite that but this could be something quite unique and fun in 2013.
12. Mirrors Edge 2 (PS3, Xbox 360)
We’ve been waiting for the return of Faith for some time. This year there seemed to be some signs of Mirrors Edge 2 actually being in development. With several years passing since the last (back when Dead Space 1 released) hopefully a few lessons have been learned. The first was fresh and the gap may have preserved some of that but we’re hoping for it to reach the next level and develop the story arc. A first person game where you’re encouraged not to use guns is completely against the industry standard and much like the rest of the games in the list manages to stand out from the crowd.
13. Thief 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
I’m really hoping this is out in 2013. I loved the thief games, a great balance of stealth and attack through different ages where you could take out lights with a water arrow and the need to hide dead bodies so not to be detected. I’m don’t think Metal Gear Solid even got close to this level of stealth and with such a long gap since 3 I’m eager to get my hands on a new game.
14. Watch Dogs (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
Watch Dogs was the talk of E3 in 2012. It’s a third person open world game where cities are controlled by computers. Think iRobot crossed with GTA and Assassins Creed and you’ve probably got a good idea. There is still a feeling that this is a next gen game and could launch with new consoles in 2013. Of course this may not even make 2013.
15. Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey New N’ Tasty (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
It’s new Oddworld, or possible a reimagined Abe’s Odyssey. Either way it’ll be great to see Abe strutting his stuff again. Oddworld fell away from much of the public by going exclusive to the original Xbox which struggled to capture a big audience compared to the 150 million selling PS2. Abe made his name on the PS1 and by the look of the recent HD upgrades we could be looking at another classic Abe adventure.
My Speil 