In part one of our feature we listed 12 games we think will define gaming in 2012. The list included Assassin's Creed 3, God of War 4, and Grand Theft Auto 5.
In part two we're counting down another 12 of 2012's most promising titles. These are all projects, announced or still secret, that we think will define the year. No filler. Just 2012's most exciting or innovative games.
This feature is taken from the latest issues of PSM3 and Xbox World. Order them here and have them delivered straight to your door
NI NO KUNI
Format PS3
Developer Level 5
Publisher Namco Bandai
Release Early 2012
Why is it hot? It's made by award-winning anime artists
DEAD SPACE 3
Format Multi
Developer Visceral Games
Publisher EA
Release TBC 2012
Why is it hot? It's actually cold, as Isaac fights the elements, and himself, to stay alive
Comments
60 comments so far...
voodoo341 on 2 Jan '12 said:
There must be at least one game from Nintendo!
Jentario on 2 Jan '12 said:
Part 2- 360 edition!
Balladeer on 2 Jan '12 said:
From the previous thread:
And in this one, they only name XBox World. I do think CVG needs to make that clear, though.
voodoo341 on 2 Jan '12 said:
Not all coming to the 360.
dicky1993 on 2 Jan '12 said:
hardly? and i swear most these games in part1&2 haven't even been confirmed for 2012 let alone confirmed games?
TheLastDodo on 2 Jan '12 said:
Too many of those choices are pure speculation.
Dead Space 3? Diablo 3 on PS3? QD's new game?
Ah HL2 Ep3, now we know we're not supposed to take it seriously.
I'll get excited for games that are definitely released this year instead.
bamozzy on 2 Jan '12 said:
Oooooo I didn't know a new Dead Space is due
COOL!!!
Isn't Diablo coming to the Xbox too?
gnokgnik on 2 Jan '12 said:
Still no news on Far Cry 3?
bamozzy on 2 Jan '12 said:
There is also no mention of Treyarch's follow up to CoD: Black Ops, Fifa 13 & inevitable European Cup spin off, Max Payne 3, Hitman: Absolution, Prey 2, Aliens: Colonial Marines The Darkness 2 etc. or anything for Nintendo and Vita. Although they do say its only 24 games that will 'define' gaming, they don't say how they will define gaming. To me, that means the 24 games that will be the biggest and most innovative games of the year that the majority of gamers will purchase and therefore define what us gamers play during the course of the year. But the omission of some titles that will inevitably be big sellers and very popular amongst gamers - more so than some on these lists - say to me that CVG have not 'defined' the article very well. These are only games that are known about too - there could be some unannounced games during 2012 that will define gaming more than any of these.
TheLastDodo on 2 Jan '12 said:
Prey 2 and CoD Blops 2 were in Part 1.
dicky1993 on 2 Jan '12 said:
you'll find prey 2 and black ops 2 in part 1, if you read it before jumping to conclusions ?
Paranoimia on 2 Jan '12 said:
Some good games in there, some speculation, some I wouldn't even touch with someone else's barge-pole.
I can understand the lack of Nintendo games, as most will continue the trend of 'same s**t, different name' ("Super Pokemon Donkey Kart 64 3D #76" or whatever), but even so, it's not a list I'd say will "define gaming".
bamozzy on 2 Jan '12 said:
@TheLastDodo & Dicky I read and post on so many different gaming sites that I can't always remember which games got mentioned and on what site LOL I have also read and posted on Part 1 but so many game sites are posting about 2012 and the releases that I can't remember what has and has not been mentioned and where - Some have some glaring omissions!!
Balladeer on 2 Jan '12 said:
So looking at the first two pages we've got two threes, a six and an original game which is also released on DS. Why are you singling Nintendo out again?
KMakawa on 2 Jan '12 said:
I'm sure they'll add Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time into the next part. Least they should
bamozzy on 2 Jan '12 said:
I don't think there is a Part 3 to follow as they have already covered 24 games!!
Lady Gagagged on 2 Jan '12 said:
It is one thing for forum members to bemoan the lack of inclusion of any games on Nintendo's machines on the two lists/articles but no one seems to be offering any suggestions. I'm scratching my head trying to think of any. I'm sure there'll be something on the 3DS but as I don't own one I'm flummoxed.
Balladeer on 2 Jan '12 said:
One could argue that this isn't our job but CVG's. However, depending on how one defines "define", there's The Last Story on Wii and any one of a very strong 3DS line-up, including Luigi's Mansion 2 and Kid Icarus Uprising off the top o' my head.
In the event of the charts being purely home console and compiled by someone who doesn't like JRPGs then I could see why Nintendo would be left out, but Ni No Kuni's in there.
illage2 on 2 Jan '12 said:
A few games are missing.
- MGS HD collection (For the UK at least)
- The Last of Us
- Prototype 2
- Borderlands 2
jdizzy on 2 Jan '12 said:
Metro Last Light? You definitely forgot that one.
bamozzy on 2 Jan '12 said:
IGN has 30 most anticipated games due in 2012 (with Videos too) http://uk.games.ign.com/articles/121/1215473p1.html
There are some obvious similarities between CVG and IGN but there are some included there that are not included here as well.
Either way it looks like it could be another great year for us gamers
Fr33Kye on 3 Jan '12 said:
Force of habit.
I dont like the way they are using the term "define". I guess it's accurate, these titles will represent gaming next year. When we look back on 2012 we will think of these games. It's a little weird that handheld titles are absent since they are a part of gaming as a whole. Mobile and social gaming is harder to predict. And if you are going to include games with no names you might as well have an entry for the entire wiiu launch library. Though i guess it's xbox and ps3 magazines. I'd rather have a list of games that will redefine gaming in 2012. Wouldnt need to be as long and would shed some light on some interesting titles.
billysastard on 3 Jan '12 said:
i'm sure i'll get shot down for this but surely 2012 is the year that hardware will define gaming not just for 2012 but for the next few years.
the wii u will either fly or fail but if it is a success then be sure that will itself become the defining moment for gaming.
the 3ds and vita will redefine handheld gaming, again their success or failure will decide if the future of handheld gaming is to be real games or disposable 99p trash that is all but uncontrollable.
the xbox fusion will also most likely have a say in 2012's defining moments, will gamers really want a kinect based multimedia box that also plays (fps
) games
budge on 3 Jan '12 said:
I really hope that Level 5 don't f**k up Ni No Kuni, i'm hyped for that game!
slick loose on 3 Jan '12 said:
NI NO KUNI - Never heard of it.
DEAD SPACE 3 - I was bit disappointed with Dead Space 2, hopefully this game will be about the scares and not the different OTT set pieces.
RESIDENT EVIL 6 - I actually enjoyed Resident Evil 5, especially the co-op but it wasn't scary at all. Also where are the zombies?
HALF-LIFE 2 EPISODE 3 - Couldn't care less, very overrated series in my opinion.
DAVID CAGE'S NEW GAME - I loved Heavy Rain but I think David Cage is a bit of a one trick pony...oh and a ponce.
HALO 4 - I don't have a 360 but I bet this will please fans no end, the Master Chief is back!
MASS EFFECT 3 - I haven't played any of the previous games.
PES 2013 - I haven't played a footie game since I was a teenager...and even then it was FIFA.
DIABLO 3 - Not really into these dungeon crawling games, especially one that may be dumbed down for the PS3. Still the cut scenes looked amazing.
RYSE - I don't have a 360 and even if I did, I wouldn't have a kinect.
ALAN WAKE'S AMERICAN NIGHTMARE - I don't have a 360, which is a shame as I like the looks of Alan Wake.
MINECRAFT - Don't have a 360 and it has never appealed to me anyway. If I want to build with blocks, I'll buy LEGO.
Mr Negative strikes again!
budge on 3 Jan '12 said:
Is Witcher 2 still coming out on the Xbox?
skabone on 3 Jan '12 said:
dude - half life over rated???? fifa in the old days? dead space 2 boring? I know they're just your opinions, but, well....without causing offence, your opinion sucks. especially if you're going to say all that and then say you enjoyed resi 5. that game is awful.....as for minecraft - yeh its about building stuff, but its so much more than that, its co-op, survival sandbox goody goodness.
and if you haven't played any of the mass effects, well then you're missing out big time, ME2 is awesome....except the mining mini game of course....I still think the start of ME2 is the best start to a game ever...looked amazing too.
slick loose on 3 Jan '12 said:
Yeah, people go on like Half Life is one of the best game series ever...I've played the first one, episode 1 and episode 2 and I just didn't see the big deal. It's a solid FPS but, for me, it doesn't do anything special. I found the narrative throughout the game a bit of a bore too, although funnily enough I liked the characters.
Yeah I used to play FIFA back when PES was supposed to be better. I never played the single player though, strictly 2 player...so I wanted to be the teams I supported and not same fake rip off.
I never said Dead Space 2 was boring. I enjoyed the game in fact, it just wasn't as scary as the first. It seemed more attention was given to the set (admittedly amazing) set pieces rather than the scares. I mean how many times did the game try and scare you buy having something jump out of a vent...and it never worked
It just wasn't a scary game...compared to the first anyway.
Resident Evil 5 in co-op was excellent. I hadn't that much fun in a game for a while. Yeah it sucked a bit in single player, especially as that chick was an idiot. I would much rather have a scary game rather than this action game...but it wasn't terrible.
I can't really talk for Minecraft as I haven't actually played it. It just doesn't appeal to me...But I suppose it's moot as it won't be coming to the PS3 anyway.
I hope I answered any questions you may have! And don't forget, no opinion is wrong...just different
TheLastDodo on 3 Jan '12 said:
I'd like to know if theres any games that slick is looking forward to this year.
slick loose on 3 Jan '12 said:
I will like most of these games if they turned out great, I've just been burned too much last year. I'm really looking forward to BioShock: Infinite and I have really high hopes for the new Tomb Raider.
bamozzy on 3 Jan '12 said:
As far as I know it is still scheduled for release this year...
Joe90_Remy700 on 3 Jan '12 said:
f*ck me, both lists are sh!t. halflife and deadspace might be marginally considered. metro: last night? Spec ops: the line? Ghost recon? very biased lists towards ps3, and they wont define gaming for me a 360 owner
slick loose on 3 Jan '12 said:
...Maybe there will be a part 3? Besides it's not CVG's fault if the PS3 is getting more exclusives but then again there was more 360 exclusives in list '2' then PS3 ones.
TheLastDodo on 3 Jan '12 said:
I'm guessing Spec Ops and Ghost Recon aren't on because, sorry, very few people care about them. Spec Ops looks as generic as it gets and Ghost Recon, well it's now just the latest game to attempt to turn the Kinect into something "core gamers" will use.
Having said that HL2 Ep3 shouldn't be on here, that is pure rumour at best and trolling at worst.
nb_nmare2 on 3 Jan '12 said:
And yet earlier on, people were saying it was biased towards the 360...
Balladeer on 3 Jan '12 said:
Funny, how each fanboy seems to think it's biased towards the other console.
bamozzy on 3 Jan '12 said:
Funny - I thought that it was their way to find something to whinge about. Personally there are games on both parts that I am not interested in but rather than moan about those, I prefer to focus on those that I am. Anyone would think that 2012 is not going to be a good year for gamers but it certainly looks to me that it will be - and these are just a few of the games coming out. There are bound to be some that haven't even been announced yet to that could have a big impact.
WHERESMYMONKEY on 4 Jan '12 said:
There is. Where the hell is Last Story. I know its been out in Japan for almost two years now but its coming out over here in a couple of months and is bar none one of the best JRPGs of this gen.
CVG i've got an idea for a list for you. Games in 2012 that'll be great that no bugger i'll play unless you guys change this.
So far i think the most overlooked games of the year will be...
The Last Story,
Lollipop chainsaw
The Darkness 2
Gameboyrw on 7 Jan '12 said:
Wow- Once again PS3 is reeling in more exclusives. Xbox has only 2 this year... Really? 2?
But mark my words Half Life 2 episode 3 is coming- WATCH - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9bCWLKE ... AAAAAAAEAA
and - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnrBJhFK ... AAAAAAACAA
Personally Sly: Thieves in Time and The Last of Us are two PS3 exclusives I MUST buy.
xxx128 on 9 Jan '12 said:
So is "most promising" the new wording for "products" that will be accompanied bay a massive marketing terror wave?
I am sure most of these titles will do nothing at all for gaming apart from making the publishers richer.
slick loose on 9 Jan '12 said:
Are all your posts this negative? Why are you on a games website if you don't like games? You're like that old guy who says "They don't make them like they used to."
As for "massive marketing terror wave", yeah it's call advertising and you're more likely to see more ads for your local supermarket then you are video games.
divinebeetle on 11 Jan '12 said:
exciting yes, but innovative? guess we will see but I'm not so sure about that
jaguarwong on 16 Jan '12 said:
So from the whole list 3 are worthwhile ('Ni No Kuni', 'Last Guardian', 'Dioshonored'), 2 don't actually exist yet, 1 has been out ages, 1 is a Kinect game and all the others are sequels.
'Define 2012' sounds about right.
Bandreus on 24 Feb '12 said:
Diablo 3 finally hitting the world. Hell, it was about time Blizzard :\
Also, looking forward to Ni No Kuni.
gotbuck on 24 Feb '12 said:
They're already promoting D3 for PS3 and the PC version doesn't even have a release date. Ha. Good luck with that.
tunnard on 24 Feb '12 said:
Diablo 3 will definitely be great, brining Action RPGs back into the fray, but why does this article concentrate on the fact that it will be on consoles as reason for its inclusion? Plus, knowing blizzard, console Diablo 3 will be a long time in the future.
illmattic on 25 Feb '12 said:
yes half life
DarkStart on 26 Feb '12 said:
yes,it's right
Azogstyle on 26 Feb '12 said:
Console players get their face kicked in pvp vs PC players. You die i promise
CollisionAlert on 27 Feb '12 said:
glad to see d3 on here. find it funny y'all found a clip from over a year ago, at the least!
Daxionan on 27 Feb '12 said:
Lot of sequels here :p
Superturkey80 on 27 Feb '12 said:
I cannot play console games. Maybe I'm a PC generation guy but give me a blizzard release or civilization or AOE, not first person shooters. I played Duke-Nukem and Counter Strike religiously. Once you played those 2 every other first person shooter is old news. p.s. I don't care about graphics. Gimme gameplay.
Spirit6666 on 27 Feb '12 said:
Diablo 3 and Resident Evil 6 are my top choice this year.
Cocopander on 27 Feb '12 said:
By far the most exciting is Diablo 3 but I must say that Dead Space 3 is awfully intriguing.
motoshoro on 27 Feb '12 said:
"Diablo 3: Why is it hot? It brings hardcore co-op to PS3"
It's about it? People who will play D3 couldn't care less for PS3.
seti19 on 27 Feb '12 said:
I'm waiting for Diablo 3.
Truth on 27 Feb '12 said:
Diablo III hands down.
synode on 27 Feb '12 said:
Dead space 3 is amazing !
goku_ssj_uk on 27 Feb '12 said:
Looking forward to ME3, HL Episode 3? Maybe that's a bit of early to be waiting for that
Also Diablo 3 and Resident Evil 6.
NEET2 on 29 Feb '12 said:
Great list, definitely looking forward for these games