It's a new year, yes it is! As a result, gamers worldwide are looking forward to what will be coming their way in 2016. With all the games that come out on a yearly basis, it can be hard to decide what to buy. To shine some light on those games that may slip through the cracks, here are five titles coming out in 2016 that I'm excited for and that you should keep an eye on.
(Note that I will not be talking about HD remasters or ports of older titles since it's easy to get a metric on how those games are going to turn out.)
1. 'XCOM 2' (PC) - Feb. 5
The sequel to one of, if not the best, games of 2012, "XCOM 2," is a squad-based tactical turn-based strategy game with rogue-like elements about a small military force trying to take back Earth after an alien force has invaded and taken over. Along the way, you research new weapons and armors for your soldiers and train said soldiers with new abilities to help push back the invaders. Considering the quality of its predecessor, "XCOM: Enemy Unknown," and the expansion "Enemy Within," it appears publisher 2K Games and developer Firaxis Games will be more than capable of delivering a solid sequel.
2. 'Pokken Tournament' (WiiU) - Mar. 18
If you're alive in 2016, you have, at least in passing, heard of "Pokemon." One of the biggest multimedia franchises in the world, "Pokemon" has been immensely successful as a video game, trading card game, anime series, and has had several successful manga series. Even the video games that the franchise is based on has been varied in its releases, from traditional RPG's to puzzle games to adventure games, and even games where you just sit and watch Pokemon watch TV (that's right, I remember Pokemon Channel and now you do too). But never before has the concept of Pokemon been applied to a fighting game. That changes with the release of "Pokken Tournament," a collaboration between Nintendo and Bandai-Namco, creators of the popular "Tekken" series of fighters. Ever wanted to see a one-on-one, fully 3D, real-time fight between a Pikachu and a Blaziken? Well here is your chance!
3. Crackdown (Xbox One) - Release Date TBA
Long-time Xbox players have been keeping a close eye on this one. A game that came from out of nowhere in 2007 to be a true hidden gem of the last console generation, the original Crackdown took the sandbox game format made famous by Grand Theft Auto and Saints Row and changed the perspective, allowing the player to take control of a genetically enhanced future-cop with the ability to jump fifty feet in the air, throw cars, and generally just make everything go BOOM! Six years have passed since the release of Crackdown 2, and now Microsoft is ready to bring the game to the current generation, allowing for completely destructible environments and massive multiplayer skirmishes. Looking to be one of the most beautiful and most fun games on the Xbox One, gamers cannot wait to make even more stuff go BOOM!
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (PC, PS4, Xbox One) - Aug. 23
The latest installment to the cyberpunk FPS/RPG hybrid Deus Ex franchise, Square Enix brings us a direct sequel to 2012's Human Revolution, continuing the story of the cybernetically enhanced Adam Jensen. The series combines the action of a modern first-person shooter, with the thinking man's strategy of a stealth game, as well as the moral choices and character development of a role-playing game to create one of the finest gameplay experiences of any generation. Despite some controversies surrounding the game's pre-order campaigns, the game still looks to be just as good as its predecessors.
5. Doom (PC/PS4/Xbox One) Release Date TBA
There is little doubt that few games have had the influence or the impact that the Doom franchise has had dating back to the first game twenty-three years ago. Id Software's baby has gone relatively quiet since Doom 3 was released back in 2004 (with that game and its predecessors getting numerous re-releases across multiple platforms in that time). Now, with the help of publisher Bethesda (who brought us The Elder Scrolls and the most recent Fallout games), Id is rebooting the franchise for a whole new generation of gamers. The innovative sci-fi horror FPS franchise is about to get its first breath of fresh air in twelve years, and it's safe to say that the franchise has most certainly been missed.
So that's my list, but what about yours? What games are you excited for in 2016? Let me know in the comments below!
