It is no surprise that us gamers have had a rough holiday season. The final quarter of 2011 was not only exciting, but very expensive. With major releases such as The Elder Scrolls : Skyrim, Batman Arkham City, Uncharted 3, Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3 and many others; the major studios had our knees buckling and our wallets empty. Like anyone else who is suffering from “The Passion” despite having to shell out all the hard earned cash for these blockbusters, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
But alas there is a new problem, 2012. That’s right, the developers who couldn’t make the holiday season push will be coming back with a vengeance. So brace yourself…..this year already has its fair share of blockbusters on the way.
This release marks the eighth game in the vehical combat series. This incarnation is said to be sticking with the original plot and featuring only a small amount of playable characters. Release date is set for February 14, 2012
Developed by Naughty Dog, this third-person survival horror game is not scheduled until fourth quarter of 2012. But with the success of the Uncharted series and the response to the recently unveiled teaser trailer this title is sure to be a winner.
This action-adventure series is about to take on a slightly different direction. With a new take on Lara Croft’s origins and more emphasis on the survival aspects of her adventures, fans of the series should keep this one on their radar. Tomb Raider is scheduled for third quarter of 2012.
Halo is without a doubt one of the biggest franchises of modern gaming, and this release will be no different. The mantle has been passed from Bungie to 343 Studios which is no stranger to the Halo Universe. 343 Studios have previously worked on content for Halo : Reach and Halo : Combat Evolved Anniversary. Halo 4 is currently on schedule for a holiday 2012 release.
Bioshock : Infinite is the third game in the successful series. This title is neither a sequel or a prequel to the other two games, but is set within the same universe earlier in the timeline. The promary setting of this unique game is called Columbia which is a city suspended in the air by balloons. Bioshock : Infinite is set for a 2012 release.
The universe of Silent Hill has been making us piss ourselves for years. This doesn’t look like it will be changing anytime soon with the release of the eighth game in the series. Silent Hill: Downpour is being developed by Vatra Games and is scheduled for a March 13th 2012 release.
It’s been close to nine years since we have stepped into the bullet-time infested world of Max Payne, but with Rockstar’s release date of March 2012 it looks like we will have another opportunity. Set 8 years after the second game, it seems like we will be seeinga slightly older and more synical Max Payne.
The trilogy will come to a close on March 6th 2012. Bioware’s sci-fi opus that has taken Xbox and PC fans on a rollercoaster ride of action-rpg excellence. Not only is this release supposed to wrap up the story of our beloved Commander Shepard, but also mark the introduction of multiplayer. Be sure to gather your game saves Mass Effect Fans and see your unique trilogy come to a close.
This is only a glimpse of some of the most popular upcoming titles of 2012. But with our wallets are already screaming at us from the previous holiday season, these alone are worth budgeting for.
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