List: The 10 Most Anticipated Games of 2013

The 10 Games Releasing in 2013 That I Just Can't Wait to Play

         Looking forward, the year 2013 seems to be shaping up into an exciting year for video games. This year marks the end of a generation and developers want it to go out with a bang as well as give the new generation an excellent start. Since this is a big transition year, the opportunity to create wonderfully lasting impressions on audiences is perfect. These are the games with the previews that have offered enough information to get me excited, but also held back enough to keep me interested.

10. Slender: The Arrival

        If you didn't pay attention to the internet last summer, you probably didn't hear about the survival/horror phenomenon that was Slender. Slender was an experimental indie game that threw the player in a dark forest in the middle of the night and tasked them with collecting eight pieces of paper all while avoiding the terrifying Slenderman. The game was a huge hit due to its simple premise and accessibility. 

        While Slender was a short, freeware experiment, its sequel, Slender: The Arrival, will be a full game with a cost of around $20. It will feature multiple levels, at least one more villain, and a story developed by the the creators of Marble Hornets, the internet series that helped bring Slenderman to fame. There's no official release date, but the game's website states an early 2013 release. Let's hope they stick with that so we can get back to getting our pants scared off.

             


9. The Wonderful 101
   

                  
        Platinum Games isn't afraid of diverging from familiarity. Their games never stick to convention and are always, at the very least, a little bizarre. Their latest project for the Wii U doesn't seem to stray from that path.          

        Trailers for The Wonderful 101  show off gameplay similar to Pikmin where one superhero commands an army of other superheroes and the attacks are greater as the army grows. The twist is that the crowd of superheroes can form together to create giant weapons like swords and fists to fight huge robots and solve puzzles. The super crazy tone of the game is reminiscent of Viewtiful Joe, a series that some of those at Platinum Games had a hand in making. There is no official release date, but it is expected to come out within the first half of the year.

8. Deadpool
 

 
        For reasons unknown, it's taken this long for someone to develop a Deadpool game. Finally High Moon Studios, the developers of the recent Transformers games, has taken it upon themselves to give the world what it has needed for so long.           

        Deadpool will be a third-person action game that will have Deadpool tearing through people with his swords and guns (and maybe a sledgehammer) while constantly rattling on about whatever comes to his mind. Deadpool's healing factor will be an important part of the game, allowing players to choose whether or not to reattach severed limbs or wait for them to grow back on their own. The writer for the Deadpool comic series is writing the script, so we can be sure that Deadpool will be just as wacked out and hilarious as he always is.

7. The Last of Us

        People's obsession with the apocalypse these days has inspired countless films and games set in a time when the world has gone to crap. After a while, they seem to blur together. Naughty Dog's The Last of Us has enough going for it to stand out from other doomsday games. Inspired by the likes of The Walking Dead, The Last of Us aims to create a horror game that focuses on the relationship of the characters rather than scares. There is a zombie-like infestation within the game, but other survivors and the military are also major problems for the game's protagonists. Fans of Naughty Dog and the end of the world won't have to wait too long as the game releases on May 7.

 

6. Tomb Raider

        The Tomb Raider series would benefit the most out of the latest "gritty reboot" trend. Laura Croft has fallen under the radar in recent years and the new Tomb Raider's dark twist on the iconic character may appeal to today's players. Other than tone, Tomb Raider incorporates a number of mechanics that are generally used in games today such as an open world with survival and RPG elements as well as multiplayer. Crystal Dynamics also aims to bring Laura Croft's character out into the forefront as well by taking everything back to how she became a hardened archeologist. We'll see if this grim origin story pays off when the game releases on March 5.

  


5. Injustice: Gods Among Us

       Injustice: Gods Among Us may end up being one of the best superhero fighting games ever made thanks to NetherRealm Studios's expertise in games involving people punching each other in the face. Mortal Kombat creator, Ed Boon is leading the team behind this new game, and it looks promising considering the same team was able to bring back the MK series back into relevancy in 2011.

        Injustice isn't going to be the ridiculous gore-fest that Mortal Kombat is known for, but it will be just as over-the-top. An emphasis is placed on fights that can span multiple areas in one level and building up a super meter to unleash an ultra-powerful attack. Players can also wager parts of their super meter to win "Clashes". Whoever bids the most will recover health while the opponent takes extra damage.

        Everyone's favorite characters like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Joker, and Green Lantern will appear along with lesser known characters like Nightwing, Cyborg, Solomon Grundy, and Deathstroke. The story is also written to explain why these heroes and villains are fighting each other and how it's possible for the likes of the superpowerless Batman is able to take on the near omnipotent Superman. It's hard to wait for a showdown as big as this, but fans won't have to wait long as the game releases on April 16.

4. South Park: The Stick of Truth

 
        It seems like every facet of entertainment that Trey Parker and Matt Stone get their hands on turns to gold, and one of the only things they haven't touched yet is video games. Considering Trey and Matt's love of video games, it would only make sense that they would eventually end up helping make one. The creators of South Park have joined forces with beloved RPG developers Obsidian to create South Park: The Stick of Truth. 

        The game will be true to the show's art style and will feature gameplay similar to the Paper Mario series where timed button presses during attacks can change the course of battle. Since it's an Obsidian game, players can expect plenty of customization options and a deep RPG experience. Also, since its a South Park game, players can expect a truly absurd and hilarious story. 

        The game is expected to release this year, but due to the death of publisher THQ and South Park Studio's objection to the auctioning off of the game to Ubisoft, things have become complicated. Hopefully everything will be worked out, and we can see its expected April 30 release.

3. Pokémon X and Y Versions

        The release of Pokémon Black and White Versions showed that Game Freak was capable of keeping the series fresh. With a reboot done as well as those games and their sequels, how would the developers be able to top themselves? Well, it may be with Pokémon X and Y Versions. 

        Even though there isn't much information regarding these games, the trailer hints that everything is being done to make the next games in the series even better. Along with the naming departure, the games are fully rendered in 3D for the first time in the series. The trailer also showed a far more exciting and animated battle system. Fans have been asking for a fully three-dimensional Pokémon world for quite some time, and they'll get it in October.

  

2. Grand Theft Auto V 

       
        There is no denying that a Grand Theft Auto game will be one of the biggest releases of the year. That will still hold true this year when Rockstar releases Grand Theft Auto V which will be the biggest and most ambitious game in the series. The series returns to Los Santos which was seen in San Andreas and will feature an in-game world larger than Grand Theft Auto IV, San Andreas and Red Dead Redemption combined. 

        Players will be able to control a large assortment of vehicles ranging from standard cars and trucks to jets and helicopters. Exploration will also be enhanced as players will be able to experience the hills surrounding the city to the ocean floor and everything else in between. With a setting so vast, it would need a story to accompany it which Rockstar plans to include. The story is suppose to be so grand that it won't just revolve around one main character instead focusing on three protagonists.

        Other cool in-game features include base jumping, yoga, triathalons, jet skiing, and flipping people off. The multiplayer is also being developed to include Rockstar's Social Club feature which will link to Max Payne 3's multiplayer. It seems like the developers of GTA V are going to give fans everything they want and a ton more. We'll be heading back to Los Santos sometime in the second quarter of this year.

       
1. Bioshock Infinite

        It's almost here. The true follow-up to one of the greatest games of this generation is the number one game releasing this year. It was hard to choose between this and GTA V, but Irrational Game's Bioshock Infinite narrowly takes the top spot because of how different it is from everything releasing this year. Everything from the time-traveling, to the dimensional tears, to the political conflict, and the giant floating city is just begging to be experienced.

        What makes Bioshock Infinite so fascinating is that over the years, the public has gained a wealth of knowledge on the game's world, characters, and creation, but there is still far more mystery surrounding it. Everything that can be said has been said about this game. All we have to do is wait for its release. Get ready for your first visit to Columbia when Bioshock Infinite releases on March 26.

        Well, that's all of them. It looks like 2013 is shaping up to be pretty fantastic. If you want, let me know what game you're most excited about.