CODE EXCEPTIONS

2013 marks the launch of two new home consoles from Sony and Microsoft and a ton of brand new franchises are set to debut. The Nintendo 3DS has gotten its grove back and is set to launch some of its biggest titles to date, while some of the last gems of this current generation are slated for release. Huge titles such as Grand Theft Auto V, Super Mario 3D World, are dates for this year, as well brand new Ips in the form of Watch Dogs and Destiny. This is in addition to annual juggernauts such as Call of Duty: Ghosts and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.

With so much to choose from, it’s hard to narrow down a list to just five, but I chose my list based on my past gaming experiences, some nostalgia, and games I think could be more defining as we head into the next generation of gaming. Make the jump to check out my list.

5 # Knack
Knack is a launch title for the PS4 and a bit of a throwback to some of the great PlayStation franchises in the last two decades. Directed by Mark Cerny, who quite honestly hasn’t worked on a single ‘bad’ video game for nearly 20 years, Knack is an action game where the players controls the titled character ‘Knack’, as he makes his way through linear levels, fighting off hordes of Goblins.

Knack starts off as a tiny character, making even the smallest of Goblins a serious threat to him. However, as he progresses through a level, he grows tremendously in size and gains tons of new abilities. Knack at his largest size turns into a colossal machine, being able to lift up cars and buses, launching them towards the largest of enemies. While Knack is probably not going to be on any ‘Game of the Year’ list, it looks line a fun game and certainly a PS4 launch title I’ll be picking up.

4 # Pokemon X and Y
The 6th generation of Pokemon is set to launch later this year. While I don’t expect a lot of the core gameplay mechanics to change, visually speaking, this seems like the largest leap forward that the Pokemon franchise has ever taken. The worlds seem much more lively with the new camera angles and I’m anxious to walk around the new world of Pokemon.

When Pokemon Black and White released a few years back, I honestly wasn’t too hyped about it. It didn’t seem like much had changed from the previous generation and it was still a Nintendo DS title. When Black and White 2 came out, I felt even more underwhelmed as there didn’t seem to be enough to make me want to invest dozens of hours into the games. With Pokemon X and Y, I do feel the hype, much like I did when Pokemon Pearl and Diamond released oh so many years ago. Maybe it’s just nostalgia, or just Pokemon on a new console, but X and Y are two of my most anticipated titles of 2013.

3 # Project Spark
At Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference, Project Spark was by far the biggest stand-out title showcased. It’s a game maker within a video game itself, allowing players to create their own world. In a mere matter of minutes, players can create the landscape, a small town, and bring characters to life. Each player can program life into even the smallest of objects, such as a rock, and growing its behavior and abilities over time.

Project Spark utilizes both Kinect and SmartGlass, which might actual turn a certain sector of the Xbox fan base away, but I’m greatly excited about the games possibilities. I think the game could be the next leap forward from the Minecraft fan base, allowing fans to create a more detailed and lively world in a matter of seconds. It hasn’t been given a 2013 release date, but I’m crossing my fingers for it.

2 # Beyond: Two Souls
Perhaps the PS3 ‘Swan Song’ from 2nd party developer Quantic Dream, Beyond: Two Souls is set to release in October of 2013. In 2010 when Quantic Dream released ‘Heavy Rain’, I thought it was one of the freshest titles of this generation. With strong, emotional story telling, it stands out as one of my favorite PS3 titles to date. Last year, Quantic Dream put out a short film entitled ‘Kara’, showcasing their brand new game engine and its new motion capture technology. I was blown away by the emotional impact of just a short film. Clearly these guys know what they are doing.

Beyond: Two Souls stars Jodie Holmes, played by acclaimed actress Ellen Page. The game will take you through 15 years of her life, starting at age 8, focusing on psychological and spiritual aspects centered around what happens after death. While the E3 2013 gameplay demo wasn’t too exciting, it still sits on my list as the most anticipated game for the PS3.

1 # A Link Between Worlds
A Link to the Past is my favorite game of all time and the hallmark of my childhood video game life. Nintendohas teased the idea of remaking the game for the last several years and what we got was the reveal of A Link Between Worlds. Occurring a generation or two after the events of A Link to the Past, A Link Between Worlds takes place in the exact same overworld, re-imagined in a bright and colorful landscape.

Crossing familiar terrain, Link will learn a whole new set of tricks, including the ability to turn into a drawing and walk alongside flat walls. In addition to navigating along walls, many of the dungeons will focus on height, using the games 3D effects to showcase Link jumping up to higher floors to solve puzzles. Though the game will take place in the same world of Hyrule, I do not expect the puzzles to be the same. Knowing the Zelda series, I will probably end up using an A Link Between Worlds Walkthrough to beat this game.

I’m not quite sure if it is purely the nostalgia of A Link to the Past, or that it’s simply the first new Zelda title for the Nintendo 3DS, but A Link Between Worlds is my most anticipated game of the year.