Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

2010 was a decent year. It left me with a few games I'll never forget, yet it felt more like a speedbump on the road to greater things than a landmark of videogame achievement. However, there are some excellent games ahead of us, and (provided they don't all delay), 2011 is looking to be one of the greatest years in gaming history. So, if you're willing to join me in drooling over what's to come, I'd like to know what game you're most excited about, and exactly why you feel that way. I want you to stir up some anticipation in me, or perhaps enlighten me of a game I haven't payed too much attention to until recently.

My personal pick: Brink

http://www.brinkthegame.com

I'll never know how this game managed to pass me by until quite recently, but suffice to say that Brink has utterly captivated me, perhaps more than any game has managed to do before it's release. Finally, a few gaming concepts that I've always wanted to see are coming to fruition, courtesy of the efforts of Splash Damage Interactive. Though I'm not a big fan of competitive first-person shooters, the seamless transition between single and multiplayer is something that I feel has been missing from games of this type since day one. This will serve to give me an organic challenge when I feel the need for it, without ever alienating me from the great elements of a single-player game, such as a persistent storyline.

The 'mission wheel' is a great concept, as it should give a constant sense of purpose to your actions, as well as serve to make you a better competitive player by always offering you a sense of direction and incentive for being a part of your team. The SMART system is brilliant, as it takes the concept of first-person platforming, streamlines it, and places it in a setting where it will be constantly useful.

The customization is also top-notch, and it looks to have more customization options for every weapon than any shooter I've ever seen. I have a very strong love of character customization, and though Brink may not have a system as in-depth as some other games, the ability to do things like choose your voice and your physical size (which actually affects aspects of gameplay a great deal) is pretty ace. The customization is just another incentive to keep playing, which this game seems to be chock full of.

Other than that, I really love the setting of the game. It presents a moral standpoint where everyone is a distinct shade of grey, There is great purpose behind every action, and there is no good nor evil. This is sorely lacking in videogames in general, and I feel that Brink's storyline and setting will be a breath of fresh air. The art direction is incredible. It seems as if Splash Damage finally realizes that it doesn't benefit anyone to try to make yet another game as realistic as possible, and that the hyper-realism presented in Brink will help set it apart and let it stand alone on it's own artistic merit.

I've never wanted a game this badly. I feel that Brink will be a landmark in videogame history, and it may just change the face of the first-person shooter forever. I strongly suggest that everyone checks out the videos that the development team has made, as they do a great job of fleshing out the different aspects of the game for you in a way that's easy to relate to.

So, what definite 2011 release has dominated your thoughts recently?

I have 5 Massive ones on my mind:

Killzone 3

LittleBigPlanet 2

Dawn of War II: Retribution

SOCOM 4

inFamous 2

Gears of War 3.

Mass Effect 3, hands down. Easily one of the best and most engaging sci-fi series I've ever played, can't wait to see how it wraps up.

Batman Arkham City and Space Marine.

In no particular order:

Mass Effect 3
Diablo 3 (a man can hope...)
Dawn of War II: Retribution
Space Marine
Star Wars: The Old Republic (hopefully)
You Don't Know Jack
Dragon Age 2
Portal 2

But, really, the most anticipated game I've got is probably something I haven't even heard of, along the lines of Borderlands when it came out. Just comes out of nowhere and rocks your face

Killzone 3
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Brink (some of the mechanics just look like it'll be a blast to play)
DoW2:retribution
Space Marine (hopefully)

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Space Marine
Ratchet and Clank: all 4 one
Portal 2
Infamous 2

Im sure its not going to be released till 1212 but a winter 2011 release might not be completely off...


Diablo III

Skyrim It looks like some more Eldar Scrolls fun on the way next year.

ME3
GOW3
TES5

Brink looks good from when I saw it in a mag but it's not my most anticipated. (I'll likley remember some more games later to add to this short list.)

Dynasty Warriors 7 - hey what can I say, using four combo's over and over is my kinda fun. Although it does help I'm a huge fanboy of the era.

Space Marine - looks too damned good, can't wait to play it.

Halo? - The growing talk is something is due from the company that took over from Bungie, something they've already been working on. If it's a new title little chance of seeing it in 2011, but some rumours hint on a Halo: Reach upscale of Combat Evolved.
If that happens, and it's out this year.. I'll be off to the shops quickier than I can blink.

Pirates Lego, I love the Pirates trilogy, and I love the lego games, I can't really see how this game is going to fail for me.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

11/11/11 my social life dies lol

After Oblivion I still need to see more about Skyrim before I'll jump down the barrell.

The little vid thingy was nice, but it really didn't give much away.

An even more impressive create mode, classes etc and removal of my personal bugbear the 'level as you level' world and I'll be very interested.

Although I could probably deal with the level thing, if everything else was awesome.

I'm certainly looking forward to Skyrim, but like Morathi said, they need to prove that they've moved way away from how Oblivion was. I played Oblivion a lot, it's certainly not a bad game, but there were a lot of things that could have gone a long way towards turning it into a really excellent game - none of that leveling with you stuff, more interesting weapons, etc.

Not to mention the elephant in the room, the fact that the character animations were some of the most wooden and lifeless in a game from the past 5 years. Seriously, they need to work on actually making it an immersive experience. I don't want my suspension of disbelief to be broken every time I talk to a robot that's managed to disguise itself as an NPC in a fantasy game.

Thankfully they've already said that they're supposedly using an entirely new in-house engine for it, but I still want to see more before I make the decision to buy it day 1.

^ They could just give me another Morrowind with a new story and I would still buy it lol

Mass Effect 3, simple hands down.

Never has a video game since FF7 has captivated me so much with engaging characters, a storyline that simply is breathtaking in its scope and whilst some of the gameplay mechanics need a tune up its still a blast to play ME1 and 2 over and over again.

I'm so excited to the point I now have multiple characters who have all made different choices throughout the game just to see the influence it has on how the game ends.

All I know is I want to kick some Reaper ass!

Thanks for the headsup though definately will give Brink a look its one of those games that has been gathering steam, but being as its a new IP has not had the hype machine kicked into full gear just yet which is nice. I just hope they release it when it will not fall under the radar of other franchises (CoD, DO:A, ME, Elder Scrolls for example) as Enslaved is meant to be a really really good game same as Vanquish but fell on its arse due to be being released at the wrong time, needs a late Q2 release possibly?? to ensure maximum success as bugger all gets released around that time.

Also what about Deus Ex Human Revolution how is noone excited about that at all?

Marvel vs Capcom 3, ME3, Shogun 2, and quite a few others

The announcement (Not even release) of Episode

fething

3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GABE! WE KNOW YOU HAVE IT!


(Brink, DoW2: Retribution, Skyrim, Space Marine and Portal 2)

^ I'm assuming you mean HL Episode 3?

And thank you, Brink looks like it hit #1 on my 2011 buy lists, I probably woul've never found that.

My greatest thanks to you Chrysaor! Team based combat for once...

Footsloggin wrote:Team based combat for once...

What do you mean by that?

No one's up for Duke Nuke'em Forever?

Diablo III
Space Marine
Dark Millennium

Ahtman wrote:
Dark Millennium

Aint that coming out 2012 or something though?

Dead Space 2
Marvel vs. Capcom 3
Arkham City
LA Noire
Natural Selection 2

Dead space 2
Guildwars 2
TES 5

kenshin620 wrote:

Ahtman wrote:
Dark Millennium

Aint that coming out 2012 or something though?

Probably, but I can dream.

Dragon Age 2.
DoW2 Retribution.

If they are half as good as the originals we're in business.

If you want team based combat, get TF2?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Footsloggin wrote:^ I'm assuming you mean HL Episode 3?

And thank you, Brink looks like it hit #1 on my 2011 buy lists, I probably woul've never found that.

My greatest thanks to you Chrysaor! Team based combat for once...

Yah, I loved the first three games. But I wont to know how the tale of Gordon Freeman ends...

Happygrunt wrote:If you want team based combat, get TF2?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Footsloggin wrote:^ I'm assuming you mean HL Episode 3?

And thank you, Brink looks like it hit #1 on my 2011 buy lists, I probably woul've never found that.

My greatest thanks to you Chrysaor! Team based combat for once...

Yah, I loved the first three games. But I wont to know how the tale of Gordon Freeman ends...

Um.. three?

Half-Life (including expansions Opposing Force, Blue Shift and Decay)
Half-Life 2 (including expansions Episode One, Episode Two and Lost Coast)

There are two games. Unless you count Portal.