The Games of 2012

Diablo 3

Publisher: Activision Blizzard
Release Date: TBA 2012

Diablo 3 is fast becoming the games industry's retort to Duke Nukem Forever, with a 'When It's Done' release date that keeps drifting further away no matter how polished the latest preview builds feel. Still, we're quietly hopeful that Blizzard will get the much-awaited sequel out at some point this year - just don't ask us when.

Fans of the Diablo series will already know what to expect from Diablo 3; a grim, demon-filled setting, gratuitous gore and gloom and a combat system responsible for wearing out more mice than all advertising pop-ups, ever. In that sense, Diablo 3 will be just like the previous games.

There are new features planned for the latest iteration though, many of which have proven controversial among dedicated fans. Two online auction houses will let players buy and sell in-game items, either for virtual or real-world money, for example. There's little doubt that these systems will prove financially successful for the creator of World of Warcraft, but we're waiting to see how it turns out before we pass our final judgement.

Max Payne 3

Publisher: Rockstar Studios
Release Date: March 2012

The announcement that Rockstar was working on a new Max Payne game caught many gamers off guard, both because it was seizing the series away from original developer Remedy and also because of the immediately evident changes. The new Max Payne is no longer a state-side cop on the edge; he's a skinhead bodyguard on a quest for vengeance in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

As if that weren't enough to raise eyebrows, Rockstar is also adding interactive cutscenes into the game - Press X to not die! - and a brave new multiplayer mode. The plot picks up eight years after the last game too, likely shedding most of its ties to the previous titles.

The development of Max Payne 3 hasn't been as smooth as fans might have hoped, with the original 2009 release date repeatedly pushed back and the first glimpse of the title only coming late last year. The upside of this though is that Rockstar - a developer not prone to making errors - has had plenty of time to get formula right. We can't wait to see how it turns out.

Tomb Raider

Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: Late 2012

One of the titles we're most looking forward to this year, Eidos' latest reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise eschews many of the fantastical elements which have become trademarks for the series. It's instead pitched as more of a survival horror title, as well an origin story for the re-imagined Lara Croft, who finds herself shipwrecked and forced to fight for her life.

Don't expect this new Tomb Raider to resemble anything like Lost In Blue, however - this is a decidedly gritty and adult take on the topic, with Lara scavenging for supplies as she explores her desert island in search of an escape. Eidos is already promising tougher puzzles, more tense combat and a decisive move away from the over-sexed and under-nourished Lara that we've seen previously.

There's still a lot that's unknown about Tomb Raider and we can't claim to have had any hands on time with the game personally. However, initial trailers and in-industry buzz paint a promising picture and we're desperate to see how the final product turns out.

What games are you looking forward to this year? Let us know in the forums!