MMOMFG’s most anticipated games of 2012

The year 2011 was a pretty damn good year for games. We had plenty of dragons, explosions, bro-games, and scares. In fact, 2011 might be one of the best years of gaming we’ve seen in a long time. However, 2012 looks to outdo its predecessor with an anticipated trilogy coming to an end,  the return of our beloved film noir franchise, the continuation of the swarm, plenty of more dungeon crawling, and our favorite clown making a comeback. The staff at MMOMFG put our heads together and came up with a list of the top 10 games we’re looking forward to in 2012. In no particular order, here’s what we’ve come up with.

Starcraft: Heart of the Swarm – Nicole

In 2012 we will get to see Sarah Kerrigan naked, well not really, but she will be wearing her tight Ghost uniform and we had to draw your attention somehow. The pure fact is that Starcraft II is a hell or ride and one of the best games to come out in 2010. The Terran Campaign, Wings of Liberty, was clouded with nostalgia for most of us, taking us back to our childhood and granting us the chance to conclud the heart breaking saga of the old SC games, and… (Spoiler alert) see Sarah Kerrigan naked.

Let us not forget that SC came with an addicting multiplayer option, so those of us who haven’t had enough with the gripping plot of the campaign fell into the evil claws of Battle.net (and some lost their significant others to it as well).

So why not anticipate Heart of the Swarm? We are granted the chance to temper with the now born again human Kerrigan just like an RPG and also mess around with the Zerg Campaign and shower in icky gooey zergling juices. New grotesque units will be available, as well as other race units which will  be playable on multiplayer (that way that if you’re playing SC II online buying the new campaign is a must), and did we mention that Sarah has a new hair style?  Now the only question remains is: will Raynor and Kerrigan finally knock boots? After all, he’s her lobster

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning – Matt

Hearing the name Ken Rolston, lead designer of Morrowind and Oblivion, in the same sentence as an upcoming title should spark interest in any gamer active since the turn of the millennium. When mentioned alongside author R.A. Salvatore and comic book writer/illustrator Todd McFarlane, that same gamer should begin frothing at the mouth.

Enter Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Here we have an open world RPG drawing emphasis away from the largely twitch-style, button-mashing combat we’ve come to expect from Western RPGs. Kingdoms will also see the introduction of a new class system, based on a player’s “destiny”, as well as 5 distinctly different regions to explore and plenty of abilities to unlock. Expectations will be high for Kingdoms of Amalur, as it is following in the wake of one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. RPG fans, including myself, will be hanging out anxiously for its release on the 7^th of February.

Mass Effect 3 – Helen

There were a lot of games that were touted to be awesome in 2011 like Bulletstorm, Little Big Planet 2, White Knight Chronicles II, Rayman Origins, and Portal 2, that I just didn’t think I’d enjoy. But by giving each of them a chance, I was bowled over by how much I immediately loved them. So, by going into 2012 blind, giving games a second chance is what I’m going to do best. I’ve held off on the Mass Effect franchise for too long now. And the more I hear about how awesome Mass Effect 3 is planned to be, the more excited I keep getting. Mass Effect has undoubtedly come far from its first rendition, story-wise and gameplay-wise, but it seems that it’s aiming to stay true to its roots – something Dragon Age has a hard time doing.

It’s true, BioWare has had a rocky path in 2011 in regards to maintaining fan loyalty, but the main writing team that brought us the beauty of Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 will be launching their (for now) final installment of the series, so it’ll undoubtedly be epic. And as much as I, too, am looking forward to the beauty that will be BioShock Infinite, an assuredly RPG/Shooter hybrid it is not, especially when stacked next to Mass Effect. If I want to sit down and play a shooter that has tactical team-based gameplay and action-based shooting, along with RPG character building elements, Mass Effect 3 has it in the bag, with co-op added to boot. Do not get me wrong on this though, as I am thoroughly awaiting more on BioShock: Infinite as we type, but one has more RPG than I could ask for, especially with how much you command with choices and customizations that you don’t have anywhere else. Commander Shepard’s last foray into the galaxy is fast approaching, and we can’t wait to see how it ends.

The Last Guardian – Matt

Team Ico has cemented their place in gaming history with their classic games Ico (2001) and Shadow of the Colossus (2005). Known both for their minimalist design and infamously long development times, these two titles are well known gems of the PS2 game library .They were highly regarded by critics on release and are often cited examples of video games as art.

An HD collection of both Ico and Shadow was released last September on the PS3, in place of the Last Guardian which was originally intended to have a “late 2011” release date. The delayed third game, involving a fleeing boy and his friendship with the griffin Trico, has been long awaited by both fans of Team Ico’s previous games and PS3 owners alike. Though it’s quite possible the game might be furthered delayed, we’re counting our lucky stars that TLG finally sees the light of day in 2012.

Max Payne 3 – Justin

I can still hear the theme of Max Payne 2 in my head. It captured the essence of the series and helped make it one of the most memorable and enjoyable titles I’ve ever played. It’s been almost ten years since The Fall of Max Payne and now Rockstar has taken the lead instead of Remedy. Does anyone think they can’t pull it off? For a studio that’s been responsible for GTA, L.A. Noire, and Red Dead Redemption, the question isn’t whether or not Max Payne 3 will be good, the question is, how good.

Bioshock Infinite – Dusty

This may make a lot of you unhappy, but I didn’t care a lot about the first Bioshock. Sure, the actual environment was incredible, but the personalities you ran into kind of fell flat to me. They were the typical suave, cool kind of cats you may see in a Las Vegas nightclub in the 50’s and 60’s, and I’d seen these personalities a hundred times. Plus, the big twist was supposed to be that you have a choice in saving or destroying Rapture? I’m playing a linear shooter/RPG hybrid for crying out loud, don’t talk to me about choice!

You may be wondering why I care about Bioshock Infinite in the first place, and I’ll tell you: because it takes place in an era we have seen little to nothing about in gaming. When was the last time you played a game that takes place in turn of the century America? I can’t remember too many, save for a World War I war game. The game looks as if it was a product of the Chicago World Fair, and there is a charm and innocence about this time period that is yet to be explored, and I can’t wait to play it. Also, it takes place in the sky, and anything that allows you to stay on a floating island is okay in my book!

Diablo III – Helen

With the way things are looking now, who knows if this game will really launch in the coming year. But Blizzard promised, so it must come to pass. And what a passing it will be. Just two teaser trailers in, one closed beta, a few screens and descriptions here and there, and already the ripples of anticipation among PC gamers have already gotten out of control. In an age when click-crazy games have superseded our demands, the next in the Diablo franchise is set to get us hooked all over again. Looting, killing impossible bosses, teleporting into town and whatever you spent a lot of time doing on Diablo II, you can’t deny it was fun and a time sink you wouldn’t say no to doing over and over again. And when it comes to lore, it’s volumes upon volumes of delicious mythological storytelling. And you can expect Blizzard’s storytelling to be refreshingly character-driven, rather than the mechanical plot-driven types of stories often spouted by other RPGs. It’s a good thing though, considering how much of an updated graphics and engine overhaul Diablo III is going to have. And whether the always on DRM ordeal will be sorted through or not in time for its release is something we’ll have to see to believe. Regardless, we’ve waited long enough. Send us back to Hell already.

Twisted Metal – Dusty

Call it blasphemy or unclean, but growing up I did not own a PlayStation (PS1 to be precise). And while I didn’t get to experience most of the great games the PlayStation had to offer until I purchased a PS2, one of the games I enjoyed the most during the reign of the PS1 were the Twisted Metal games. Twisted Metal was what GoldenEye was to us Nintendo 64 owners, and to this day, I can say without a doubt that it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had in a multiplayer game. Now Twisted Metal is rebooting for a new generation, and you can be assured that it looks like it belongs in 2012. Motorcycles, the ability to snipe drivers, ‘death from above,’ and more is going to make this one of the best multiplayer experiences the PS3 has ever seen.

Resident Evil Revelations – Justin

It would be a sad state of affairs if we totally ignored the portable fans out there. Being that I’m a big Resident Evil fan to begin with, Resident Evil Revelations is offering up exactly what I’m looking for, dark corners and the possibility for soiled underwear. Since the enjoyment of Resident Evil 5 was dampened by the ludicrous use of zombies on motorcycles and machine guns, I’m really hoping Capcom takes us back to their roots. Getting a little taste of Revelations during E3 last year, the title already seemed polished and a real stand out for what the 3DS could do. The gamer in me changed when I played the original back in 1996, I’m ready for Capcom to do it all over again.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance – Ken

Remember that little pansy blonde boy from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty? Yeah, Raiden was the focal point of that game and boy did he make some fans of the series mad. Not only did he complain about everything, have his cycle at the same time as his girlfriend, and walk around naked in a good bit of the game, but he wasn’t SOLID SNAKE! Fast forward to Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and now we have a fully redone badas/ninja/letmehavesexwith Raiden. Not only did I forget what happened in Sons of Liberty, but I wanted to play as this fool.

Double that up with Platinum Games (Bayonetta and Vanquish) and this next Metal Gear installment will sure to be over the top (read: more crazy craziness). Personally, I am looking forward to a more action oriented feel other than the cinematic type games we have been dished. I loved the story of each game, but I would rather not have a “James Bond” type intro/underlying score. We know that it’s a long shot that Revengenace sees a 2012 release, but we’ve got some newly restore faith thanks to Platinum Games. Please, no more delays and let the sprinkling of Kojima’s excellence be subtle and amazing!

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The year 2012 is going to be a great year for games. With the titles mentioned above, the release of the Wii-U, and even the hint the new Xbox and Playstation starting pop up, 2012 looks like it’s going to be quite memorable. What game do you have in your sights? Did we miss one? Let us know in the comments below!

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