The fall holidays usually get most of the marketing attention, but spring is a time for the video games excitement to heat up again. Here are some of the top games to start off 2016 and help players shake off some of the winter chill with the heat of challenge and competition.
XCOM 2
Originally expected as a fall holiday release, XCOM 2 is the highly anticipated follow-up to the hit strategy game from 2012. In it, players are in charge of an elite organization tasked with defending Earth from an alien invasion.
The game’s announcement was preceded with an air of mystery, using a teaser site that extolled the accomplishments of a medical gene therapy company called The Advent Administration, which promised to “..create a world free from hunger, pain, sickness, and war. We believe in a global community of happy and comfortable citizens.” However, the website showed glitches, which later turned into a full “hack” by XCOM to reveal the truth about the alien agenda and the fight to save humanity.
XCOM 2‘s reveal was followed by a series of interviews discussing the game’s new features. It was also one of the main attractions of the first Firaxicon, a fan convention held in Baltimore, Maryland last September celebrating Firaxis games like Civilization. 2K Games has been steadily revealing the new units and gameplay features as we draw closer to the February 5th release date. A tie-in novel, XCOM 2: Resurrection, was published in November, and the digital deluxe edition, which includes bonus content and an art book, was revealed in December.
Far Cry Primal
Far Cry Primal‘s mysterious promotion seemingly came out of nowhere, starting with a 24-hour livestream of a cave painting that gradually zoomed out to reveal more creatures and figures. That video reportedly drew in 11,000 viewers despite a leak that gave away the game’s title.
The game will take players back to the Stone Age, where they must battle for survival. However, they will be able to tame animal companions, like a Saber-Toothed Tiger, to fight alongside them. Fans also got a good look at how everyday items stand up to the incredible crushing power of a wooly mammoth.
Ubisoft also revealed a steelbook deluxe edition of Far Cry Primal that includes a map of the prehistoric land and the official soundtrack.
Hitman
Like true professional, Hitman’s announcement took audiences by surprise during Sony E3 2015 presentation with a teaser trailer featuring the main character (Agent 47) running through the snow, while scenes of potential missions flashed. It was soon followed by a second video that demonstrated the game’s huge open world and the incredible variety of choices players will have at their disposal to end the lives of others.
Square Enix revealed last week that the new Hitman game would be an episodic series, featuring a selection of exotic locations for players to explore. The first chapters will release in March, preceded by a beta period in February.
Uncharted 4: Thief’s End
Not counting the remastered collection, Uncharted 4 will be the first game in the series to be developed specifically for the PlayStation 4 console, and is said to be the final installment. The game was first announced in 2013 with a short teaser trailer during a PlayStation event livestream.
Since then, there has been strategically timed trailers at major events like E3 revealing the graphics, scope and other details like the 2016 release, creating more excitement and hype each time — especially the lengthy E3 2015 gameplay video.
Last fall, Sony released a special Uncharted PlayStation 4 bundle that includes the console, theUncharted Collection (which remasters all three of the previous games), and access to the Uncharted 4 multiplayer beta, all to get fans ready for the April launch of the finale.
Battleborn
Gearbox first announced Battleborn in the July 2014, fresh from the success of Borderlands 2 and the release of the Handsome Collection, which brings together both Borderlands 2 andBorderlands: The Pre-Sequel for next generation consoles.
Set to release in May, Battleborn will be a competitive shooter featuring unique characters that use both ranged and melee attacks. Although the game will feature a story-based campaign, there is much excitement around its competitive aspects, and how it will measure up against other shooters. That was soon put to rest with a large infographic that illustrates the immense scope Battleborn will have to offer.
Quirky characters have been revealed at a steady pace, including the mech driving penguin, Toby, which was first shown at last December’s PlayStation Experience. The developers also ran an international #IAMBATTLEBORN contest, where fans were encouraged to dress up as characters and submit short videos of themselves doing an original taunt. The winner got their taunt put into the game. Of course, the potential downside is that the winner will likely be taunted by their own taunt.
