Being a numbered GTA title is a big deal. We know GTA V is set in Los Santos, Rockstar’s take on Los Angeles, and that it may have multiple protagonists. What we don’t know is whether it’s a continuation of GTA IV or a return to the pop culture of Vice City and San Andreas. The golden hues and gloss of the trailer suggests the latter, but, hey: that could just be California.
Where GTA V does seem to offer something new is in the promise of expansive outdoor environments. With the series traditionally tied to urban areas, the possibility of a little more freedom is intriguing, as is the suggestion that the main character’s hobbies include hiking. That said, Rockstar would do well to focus on fundamentals: bringing GTA’s combat up to scratch, allowing us to interact with the environment more meaningful ways, and moving from the one-employer-at-a-time structure.
Borderlands 2
It's going to be a busy year for Gearbox - so much so that there's a question-mark over whether the second instalment of its much-loved, open world, fps-meets-RPG franchise will make the shops before the end of the year. Frankly, we want it now and especially the PC incarntion. The original was fantastically addictive, and Borderlands 2 adds new character classes such as the Gunzerker, for whom dual-wielding rocket-launchers is a breeze. With drop-in-drop-out co-op, a complete lack of linearity, a procedural weapon-generation system, comic book-style graphics and a completely over-the-top game world to romp around, what's not to like?
Alan Wake
Not before time, Remedy's third-person action-adventure, studded with plot-twists, surreal episodes and a heavy dose of horror is endowed with an agreeably intelligent storyline that would grace a best-selling psychological thriller. Thanks to Nordic Games, which picked up the PC game's publishing rights, its stunning Pacific Northwest landscapes will be lusher than ever, with the graphics cranked up to the max now that it has been unleashed on PC freed from the constraints of the consoles. It may not be all-new, but PC Alan Wake oozes quality.
Diablo III
"Mythical" is the word that springs to mind when we think of Blizzard's elevated-view, fantasy-horror RPG. The all-conquering World of Warcraft developer first announced it was working on the third instalment of the game in 2008, and it's now 12 years since Diablo II came out. But Blizzard, of course, is a law unto itself, and deserves props for refusing to put Diablo III out until it's absolutely spot-on. When it does arrive, however, you simply won't be allowed to call yourself a proper RPG fan until you've bought a copy - you know we're right. They may tease us with talk of 360 version occasionally but Diablo 3 is PC game heartland territory.
Far Cry 3
Here's another franchise receiving a reboot and once again it'll play best as a PC game: Far Cry 3 will still be an open-world shooter, but this time with much more emphasis on storyline, and featuring non-player characters with infinitely more character than in previous games. Which means you can expect more cut-scenes, and more of an action-focused feel. The franchise's legendary lush tropical environments are present and correct (in even more glory than before). Ubisoft no doubt hopes that Far Cry 3's tweaks will bring a new, less hardcore, audience to the game, without alienating the core fans. And from what we've seen, it looks set to achieve that.
Mass Effect 3
The third instalment of BioWare's space-based action-RPG (and the final part of the trilogy, although we're promised plenty more from the world of Mass Effect) needs little introduction - if you've never played a Mass Effect game, there's no hope for you. As those who played Mass Effect 2 may have guessed, Mass Effect 3 starts with the Reaper invasion that Shepard has been banging on about for ages - and those pesky, unstoppable machine life-forms start off by laying waste to Earth. Gameplay-wise, it's familiar stuff - thankfully, given how superb it already is. But it looks even more stunning than before, and for the first time, supports four-player co-op (albeit with from-scratch characters rather then old favourites like Shepard, Garrus, Liara and so on). There will be other multiplayer elements, under the banner Galaxy At War, but BioWare hasn't yet shared those with us.
Prototype 2
If you like your games dark and freaky, Radical Entertainment's Prototype 2 is well worth checking out. Set in a quarantined Manhattan in the grip of a deadly, mutant-inducing outbreak of the Blacklight Virus, you play James Heller, a man endowed with incredible powers - shape-shifting, turning people into BioBombs, consuming their memories, chucking heavy objects around using tendrils that sprout from his arms and the like. Again a non-linear, open-world game, Heller's overriding mission is to cause havoc to the shadowy military organisation Blackwatch and ultimately destroy the Blacklight Virus. Heller's implacable hatred of Alex Mercer, the player-character from the first game, adds an extra bit of spice to proceedings. Prototype 2 has cult hit written all over it and PC will be the best platform to play it.
Max Payne 3
The third starring vehicle for the world's most deadbeat ex-cop has an interesting provenance: the mighty Rockstar Games has taken over the reins from previous developer Remedy. As ever, Max Payne 3 is a third-person shooter, featuring the legendary Bullet Time. But because of Rockstar's involvement, we can expect all manner of innovations, some of the most hard-boiled storylines and dialogue ever and new levels of atmospherics - the game is set in Sao Paulo, where Max works in security for the wealthy Rodrigo Branco. Combine an expanded set of Max's abilities with Brazilian street gangs and Rockstar's unparalleled story-telling skills, and we'd say that you're onto a winner.
The Witcher 2
Yes we know it's coming to Xbox 360 this year but you'll also find that the Witcher 2 gets a massive content update on PC FREE OF CHARGE for existing fans - you can't say those CD Projeckt guys aren't good to you. With a fantastic looking new CGI intro movie from BAFTA nominee Tomasz Baginski and hours of new in-game cut scenes and cinematics to enhance the story, there's also up to four hours of new missions, with new characters, new locations and a whole bunch of new Witcher action. What amounts to a massive free DLC update for one of the standout PC RPGs, fans should be tucking into this one with full force and firing up the Witcher 2 for another bash this April.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
The game has a ton of content, with seemingly endless characters, conversations, and quests--although much of it has that wax museum feel, common in many video games, of animatronic automatons standing around waiting for you to come up and talk to them. While it wasn't always successful, Skyrim (and the earlier Elder Scrolls games) at least made an attempt at creating the illusion that its populace lived their own virtual lives while you weren't looking.
So, this is a well-made game, with lots to do, and a name-brand creative team (including artist Todd McFarlane, author R.A. Salvatore, and game designer Ken Rolston); what's not to like? There are a few things, most of which depend on your tolerance for a certain style of fantasy storytelling.
To call the game's themes and ideas derivative would be an understatement. There's little here that hasn't been done to death before, from the basic character classes to the chatty shopkeepers dispensing expository information to the perks for leveling up. And unlike the fantasy worlds of the Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age, or even Fable, the storytelling here is often so painfully earnest as to border on self-parody.
