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Top 10 Xbox 360 Games of 2012
10. Prototype 2 - April 24, 2012: The first Prototype was a hit or miss for many gamers. While I felt the gameplay was certainly fun, the graphics and story left much to be desired. The sequel is set to right all the wrongs by allowing gamers to play as a new protagonist with enhanced graphics, gameplay, and a storyline that puts Alex Mercer taking the role of the villain. I happen to like games that don't challenge you quite as much as they let you destroy everything with the abilities of an extremely powerful character and that's just what the team at Radical Entertainment are creating. It certainly won't be the first time Manhattan becomes a stomping ground, but I'm expecting this will be the game we all wanted the first Prototype to be. With tons of new animations, gameplay features, and a plethora of moves to devastate New York and rip apart your enemies; Prototype 2 could have an improvement as substantial as Assassin's Creed 2 had to its predecessor.
9. Street Fighter X Tekken - March 6th, 2012: With the exception of Mortal Kombat vs DC, mixing different universes in fighting games has been a successful formula. You would be hard-pressed to find a fighting game enthusiast not impressed with the latest Capcom endeavors so it should come as no surprise that many are anticipating seeing two of the most popular fighting franchises in gaming go head to head. Capcom will be using the tried and true 2D style so fans of Street Fighter 4 and Marvel vs Capcom 3 should have a good idea of what to expect. While the game will incorporate the 6-button combo system that Street Fighter is known for, a 4-button combo system will accommodate the Tekken characters for players more familiar with Tekken's gameplay. Tag teams are also making a comeback so it will be interesting to see how mixing the universes on one team changes up the gameplay. If you're like me you might be interested in one question: who is the better wrestler? Zangief or King? I really want to know. Namco is also working on a Tekken X Street Fighter using their own system but that game has yet to get an official release date.
8. Dragon's Dogma - March 27th, 2012:
With such major success in Western RPGs using medieval fantasy settings, it was only a matter of time before a Japanese developer worked on something to captivate Western audiences while hopefully doing the same at home. While comparisons could be made to Monster Hunter, Capcom has stated that Dragon's Dogma is meant to be more of a single player action/adventure game with the standard swords and sorcery elements Western fantasy fans love. You will be able to create a character by choosing a gender and a class (fighter, mage, and strider/rogue) and explore an open world full of unique characters to meet or partner with and plenty of monsters to kill like dragons, hydra, and griffins. I can admit that Japanese RPGs have never appealed to me simply because I have a biased love for all things Western fantasy, so I'm extremely curious to see how Capcom pulls this one off. Judging by all the gameplay footage, Dragon's Dogma seems to have the right recipe.
7. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
- March 6th, 2012: It's been awhile since the last Ghost Recon game but the fourth installment is shaping up to be the best. Future Soldier could perhaps be the military shooter of 2012, allowing gamers to step into the boots of a futuristic military team of four while taking advantage of their high tech arsenal. The Ghost Recon series is known for being more of a tactical shooter rather than the usual run and gun adventure. Expect to enter zones full of enemies and work with your team to isolate and secure the area while also engaging in firefights. Not a whole lot is known about the game so far except that it will be primarily third person, only changing to first person when in cover or aiming down the sights of your gun. You will also be able to use a light bending camouflage very similar to the cloaking in a Predator film for a limited amount of time for some major reconnaissance tactics. Probably the most interesting feature is that the game will take great advantage of the Microsoft Kinect to not only allow players to play the game hands free but also introduce a unique customization interface to modify guns to their liking. This feature was shown off at E3 earlier in the year and was certainly impressive. If it works out as well as we think it will, then Future Soldier may just increase Kinect sales.
6. Kingdoms of Amalur: The Reckoning - February 7th, 2012:
A lot of people are still going to be exploring the expanse of Skyrim, but RPG fans definitely need to keep an eye out for Kingdoms of Amalur. The story, world, and lore is written by the great R.A. Salvatore, with art by Todd McFarlane, and development from the lead designer of The Elder Scrolls III and IV; Ken Rolston. It's possible that Reckoning gets overlooked by many gamers, but I'm going to go ahead and say that there is potential for this to be one of the best games released in the first half of the year. While the 4 races and 3 classes might seem underwhelming compared to Skyrim, Amalur still allows the player to craft their character to their play style and potentially customize their own class. Rogue-warrior, warrior-mage, necromancer-assassin, etc. It's all in how you play and where you allocate your skill points. There is also a fully rendered world divided amongst 5 regions, a hefty amount of gameplay hours, and a surprisingly intense and enjoyable action combat system said to hybrid between God of War and Skyrim. I can never really get enough of RPGs so if you find yourself slowed down from Tamriel, you really may want to take a journey into Amalur.
5. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - TBA 2012:
There are quite a few action games slicing into 2012 and between Ninja Gaiden 3, Devil May Cry, and Metal Gear Rising; one look at Revengeance's trailer released during the VGA's should have dropped your jaw like it did mine. This is the first Metal Gear released on the Xbox 360 and the first Metal Gear game to focus heavily on action. You play as a kitana wielding ninja cyborg (what is more badass than a ninja cyborg?) named Raiden who is ready to take the hack and slash genre to a more literal level of sophistication. The new cutting system in Revengeance will allow players to cut objects and enemies in every possible direction. Cut something in half. Cut it into quarters. Cut it into chunks or little pieces. This is the type of gameplay technology many gamers could once only dream about. Fans of action hits like Bayonetta and Vanquish should particularly be excited to know that Platinum Games is at the head of development. While there is not an official release date at the moment, I really don't expect it to push into 2013 and I would predict it to come out in the Fall of next year.
4. Bioshock Infinite - TBA 2012:
Several years before the events in Rapture during the first two Bioshock games, there existed another society that eventually found itself in a dystopia. “Columbia” doesn't rest at the bottom of a sea but instead rises high in the Earth's atmosphere as somewhat of a cloud city designed to travel the world and promote the American exceptionalism concept; basically that America and its foundation is exceptional and other countries should take note. The city was eventually isolated after a series of events and civil war was soon enacted. Players pick up here as a former Pinkerton agent named Booker Dewitt, whose task is to find and rescue a woman under the interest of Dewitt's unknown employers. Anyone that played the first Bioshock and Bioshock 2 shouldn't need much convincing as to why Infinite will be an important release. The series has quite the habit of introducing unique settings and stories structured around American concepts and periods of the past while also throwing in some harrowing science fiction and horror. Infinite will still be a first person shooter but introduces a new traveling mechanic around the city using grappling hooks, new weapons, and special power abilities similar to the plasmids and tonics in Rapture but called vigors and nostrums in Columbia. Some may be disappointed with the introduction of a new setting but I think it's a brilliant idea to keep the series fresh rather than revisiting and simply improving Rapture; which I could argue may have been the overall disappointment gamers had with Bioshock's sequel. An official date has not been released but sometime in 2012 is still a safe bet.
3. Halo 4 - Fall/Holiday 2012:
Just when you thought John-117 had saved humanity for the last time, he makes his triumphant return to battle a new sinister force that threatens the galaxy. Some may be wondering why the fourth game for the Xbox 360's most popular franchise isn't listed at number 1, and that is only because I've become skeptical that Halo 4 will triumph without Bungie at its helm. Regardless, 343 Industries still deserves a chance to fill some big boots and deliver another badass trilogy. I thought Reach was the best in the whole series and I think that was because it was a bit more fresh. With the Covenant seemingly defeated, this could be the opportunity to give gamers a more unique experience with Master Chief rather than what we have already been used to; which fortunately is exactly what the developers are planning. The game is being designed from the beginning to span the narrative into a trilogy and should explore more details about the state of humanity in the future and gameplay that may include RPG elements rather than the traditional first person story. Keep a look out for more information in the near future that should hopefully give us all a better idea of what to expect.
2. Borderlands 2 - TBA 2012:
I felt like Borderlands was an incredibly addictive game with perhaps one of the best co-op experiences of the current generation. Most of the formula developed a game that was purely satisfying. Make a cel-shaded first person shooter, throw it into a desolate science fiction planet, and include RPG elements like free roaming, side missions, and more loot and weapons than one can imagine. I loved Borderlands but the one thing I felt it was lacking was a solid story. I don't remember hardly anything except just running around and killing everything or doing what an NPC requested. This is a particular area that Borderlands 2 aims to improve by giving players a particular goal to seek revenge on the villain and save the original characters from the first game. This of course means that you will be playing with a new assortment of characters with different classes and abilities. The world of Pandora is said to now be larger and more connected together rather than just going from region to region which will also allow the game to feel more immersive.
1. Mass Effect 3 - March 6th, 2012:
The most anticipated game with a solid release date is by far Mass Effect 3. Anyone unfamiliar with the series needs to catch up quick and get involved. Mass Effect is arguably one of the best science fiction themed action RPG series ever created and the way the story has flowed from game to game is equally amazing. This is the final chapter in Commander Shepards fight against the Reapers so one can only guess as to how the story will conclude. Mass Effect 3 will sport an improved combat and cover system, new characters to meet and recruit, new modes geared for casual gamers, and an online co-op mode separate from the single player campaign but said to still have an affect on its outcome. I am extremely eager to see how the trilogy wraps up and have high hopes that this could conclude as one of the best trilogies in gaming history. Mass Effect 2 seemed to have less exploring than the first game and more action. The increase in action made sense considering the details of the story but I was slightly disappointed that the areas were smaller than the first game. I'm predicting that Mass Effect 3 will be even heavier on action and considering the scope of the game's events may actually decrease the amount of exploring. The game is only a few more months away and I actually plan on playing the first two games over again in preparation.
Great info on the XBOX 360 games available
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