Random Shots: Things To Look Forward To In 2012

• Every year I like to look forward to the games that we are expecting (or desperately hoping) to be released and make the predication required of a blogger. But as always, I'm not going to predict how well these games are going to do. Instead I'll guess my eventual reaction to the game. If you looked at my Top Five list for last year, you'll notice that only two of the six games mentioned were even on my radar. Knowing that, nothing is going to stop me from making a fool of myself again this year. On with the predictions.


• SSX - I would like to call myself an SSX fan, but what I really am is a fan of SSX 3. I've looked at the screenshots, watched the videos, and listened to the developers. It looks good and it sounds right, but there is no way to know if it matches up until I get my hands on the game. My greedy, expectant hands.
  
  Prediction: SSX will announce another delay, but it will be a day one purchase no matter when it is released. I will enjoy the game quite a bit and make one trip through the campaign until I reach some event that my aging hands just can't get me past. It will a serious contender for my Top Five list anyway.


• Diablo III & Torchlight II - Ah, the twins. There is no way to talk about one without acknowledging the other, no matter how divergent their courses may be. I'm looking forward to both games, but I fear that TL2 is destined to be eclipsed by its bigger, brighter brother.
  
  Prediction: Ready for the crazy? D3 will be released before TL2! Even so, I will finish Torchlight 2 first and it will end up on my Top Five next year.


• Mass Effect 3 - I should have known that ME3 would not ship in 2011 no matter how many stars I wished upon. I'm waiting for it now, just waiting more cautiously due to the extra crap they are packing into it.
  
  Prediction: First day purchase of the standard edition. I will play and enjoy ME3 but I won't play any of the side games, like the multiplayer, even if some one were to ask me to. And at the back of my mind, I'll wonder if I got screwed out of enjoying the end of the trilogy because I didn't buy into their expanded vision of the game.


• Guild Wars 2 - OH, JUST COME OUT ALREADY!
  
  Prediction: GW2 will be a special edition preorder and first day purchase for me. I will play as much as I can, but will have difficulty finding the time to do so, straight through the end of the year. But even then, it will be a Top Five game for me.


• Bioshock Infinite - Although I'm not a fan of first person games and I never played Bioshock (it's sitting on my Steam account waiting for me to have any free time at all), I'm slow becoming more interested in this game. I think it has to do with all of the talk about how Elizabeth will be used, something I'd be willing to pay to witness.
  
  Prediction: Bioshock Infinite will be a later purchase, either on sale or used. I will play for a few levels, but eventually get frustrated with some bit of shooting that I can't get past.


• Grand Theft Auto V - I enjoyed GTA IV a lot more than I expected to, so I have high hopes for Rockstar's next game. Especially since I was able to play all of the way through Red Dead Redemption without getting stuck on a lame mission.
  
  But I also discovered Saints Row: The Third in the meantime. I'm hoping that doesn't sour me on the experience.
  
  Prediction: I'll end up buying GTA V at a discount due to a gift card or rewards certificate. And I will play as far as the main campaign will let me, so long as I don't run into that one mission that I can't beat. But I won't play nearly as much of the side content as I did in SR3.


• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Everyone says that Bethesda is the only company that is making that kind of game. They are right for the time being. Everything that I've read make me think that Reckoning will be a better, if narrower, version of The Elder Scrolls. And that has me fascinated.
  
  Prediction: When Reckoning comes out, I suspect that I'll have other games on my mind. But I will eventually pick it up once word of mouth spreads about how good the game is, despite its poor sales. And I will enjoy the parts of it I play before moving on to the next big thing.


• XCOM - It's not quite "George Lucas raped my childhood", but I really don't get what these people are thinking. Of course, I still think that Fallout 3 was a bad game because they went the Bethesda style, so why would you trust me.
  
  Prediction: I won't buy this game, and it will be a poor performer, sales wise. Expect to read a lot of "I told you so" posts this year.


• Bonus Blogger Predications!!!


• MMO Gamer Chick - I have a feeling that MMOGC will be much too distracted to keep up her current blogging pace. But when she can write something, we'll hang on every word.


• Blue Kae - Like MMOGC, Blue Kae will have his hands busy this year. But somewhere along the line he's also going to whip up the best batch of beer he's ever made. More blogging will naturally follow.


• Jaye Dub - Jaye Dub will make a strong comeback this year, only this time as a hockey blogger.


• Hunter - Hunter's Insight will come into its own this year when Guild Wars 2 releases. Assuming he doesn't explode from all of the work, it will be the blogging destination of the year.


• Bronte - I might have counted Bronte out until his post from a few days ago. Now that he's following my lead and blogging whatever the hell he wants, I suspect that he's going to have a great year.


• Tesh - Zomblobs! will be a surprisingly quirky and fun little experience for anyone lucky enough to play it this year.

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© 2012 Marty Runyon. All rights reserved.