The Wolf Among Us (Telltale) – Release Date: Q3 2013
The only down-side to Telltale’s tremendous success with the Walking Dead series is that it pushed this project, based on the Fables series of graphic novels, even later into 2013. Detective Bigby Wolf will have his hands full keeping fellow fairytale characters (and New York exiles) like The Three Little Pigs in line.
Arma 3 (Bohemia Interactive) – Release Date: Q3 2013
Bohemia’s latest foray into approachable military sim territory, complete with gigantic island maps, vast freedom in play style and close embrace of the modding community. Half of whom will try to make the next DayZ by stuffing zombies into every possible nook and cranny, while the other half complain about it.
Broken Age (Double Fine) – Release Date: Q3 2013
Double Fine didn’t invent public funding for videogames, but the company was the first to popularise the use of Kickstarter and open the gaming press to an endless source of news stories about hopeful designers and their grand visions. Broken Age is the result of the $3.3 million USD ‘Double Fine Adventure’ campaign; a point and click title about two people trying to escape the stifling tradition of their lives.
Divinity: Original Sin (Larian) – Release Date: Q3 2013
When they aren’t shoving jetpacks on innocent dragons, the team at Larian are busy making the next ‘pure’ RPG in the Divinity series. Original Sin will have single and co-op play, as well as a full suite of editing tools for dungeonmasters-in-waiting. A mind-boggling level of item interactivity is being promised by this one.
Goodbye Deponia (Daedalic) – Release Date: Autumn 2013
Daedalic’s conclusion to its Deponia adventure trilogy. Find out whether Rufus and Goal can finally get a break from all that pointing and clicking.
Command & Conquer (Victory) – Release Date: Autumn 2013
The artist formerly known as Generals 2 has been restyled as a free-to-play title. Base building and resource collection are back, but the lingering stench of possible odious microtransactions hangs heavy over this game. With EA at the helm, with the servers even last out the year following release? Only time will tell.
Batman: Arkham Origins (Warner Bros. Montreal) – Release Date: 25 October
It’s Christmas time, and Bruce Wayne is planning to spend a quiet night indoors by a warm fire with his famil … oh, wait. Sorry, that was insensitive of me, I just didn’t think. Oh well, luckily there’s a Black Mask-inspired assassination plot to keep Batman nice and busy during this otherwise festive period. The first Arkham title not to be developed by Rocksteady. Can WB Montreal handle the task?
Battlefield 4 (DICE) – Release Date: 29 October
The one without the dog in it. DICE’s Frostbite 3 engine will be getting a run-out for the latest mil-themed multiplayer extravaganza. Expect plenty of terrain destruction, controllable vehicles and bloody snipers. Same old, same old, but in a prettier shell.
Rocksmith 2014 Edition (Ubisoft San Francisco) – Release Date: October
Real guitars, real songs, real calluses. Ubisoft is revisiting the Rocksmith name with this 2014 edition, featuring new mini games, new songs and an interface that looks less like the result of a consultancy meeting between Beelzebub, Hitler and Doctor Doom.
Wasteland 2 (inXile) – Release Date: October
Another high-profile Kickstarter success with a rapidly approaching release date. The first Wasteland RPG did Fallout-style post-apocalyptia before Fallout even existed, so there’s a lot of history to live up to. But original designer Brian Fargo is in charge and, with contributions from chaps like Chris Avellone, the title seems to be in good hands. If all goes well, we’ll be feasting on blood sausage and doing battle with Scorpitrons before the year is out.
