Top 25 video games to look forward to in 2016

By now, we are sure all of you fine folks are well settled into the new year and are prepared for the joys and perils it has brought or is set to bring upon you. And if you’re one of those people who share the feeling that 2016 is starting to look a lot like its predecessor and has nothing exciting to offer, then remember that there’ÂÂs always a calm before the storm.The storm in question isn’t going to bring about disaster but just the opposite, with exciting events like the release of Batman vs Superman, Suicide Squad, Captain America: Civil War, the Olympics and the latest Euro, all set to delight the hearts of billions this year. The world of video games refuses to be left behind and also has some goodies in store for us.With that in mind, let’s take a look at the video games to look forward to in 2016:

#1 Mafia III

The wait for the sequel to the fabulous Mafia II was indeed a painful one, but that almost endless wait is all set to end this year as 2K Games and Hangar 13 are finally ready to delight our hearts with the third instalment in the Mafia series. Mafia III, which is expected to release this fall, is set in 1968 and is told through the eyes of Lincoln Clay, a Vietnam War veteran who gets involved in gang activities in his native New Orleans, only to get target by the Italian Mob who want him dead.

Mafia II protagonist Vito Scaletta returns as a crucial character in the game, and will help Clay in his quest to take control of the streets. Improvements in this game include strengthening of the games openworld style, improved combat sequences, the ability to interrogate non playable characters, as well as numerous other adjustments. All in all, M3 is definitely one of the most anticipated games of 2K16.

Buy Mafia II here – 40% off!

#2 Hitman

Before 2000, the world had seen many iconic games, but then along came the Hitman series which changed gaming forever. With its enigmatic protagonist, superb levels, and top notch storytelling, the Hitman series usher in the era of stealth games, and still continues to lead its genre even 16 years after its original release.

2016 will see the release of the next title in the series, simply titled Hitman, and is set to be a sequel to 2012’s Absolution. The story sees Agent 47 travel across the world, doing what he does best, in a bid to eliminate an organization called IAGO, which is basically a shadow world government, determined to cause global disruption.

Each level of the new game is bigger than Absolution as a whole, and will enable 47 to customize the way he performs assassinations, which is similar to Blood Money. Other surprises are also packed within the game, which is bound to be a treat for the fans.

Buy Hitman here – 20% off!

#3 Mirror\'s Edge: Catalyst

Mirror’s Edge released to critical and commercial acclaim back in 2008, encouraging EA to come out with a second instalment titled – Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst, which is a prequel to the original and is set to hit stores this May. Catalyst explores the origins of protagonist Faith Connors, and will see how she becomes one of Glass city’s best runners, as well as her crusade to take down a legion of corporations, the same ones featured in the original game, who have taken over control of her city and are bent on creating a new order.

The new game features a Frostbite 3 engine, and will be an open world, meaning that the player can do a lot more exploring, as compared to the linear style incorporated into the previous game. One thing’s for sure – Catalyst will certainly be one of the most intriguing games of the year.

Buy Mirror’s Edge here – Great deals!

#4 Unchartered 4: A Thiefs End

Nathan Drake is back again and this time he teams up with his brother, Sam, who he thought dead, on a journey to uncover a hidden pirate colony, which boasts of an incredible treasure. Developer Naughty Dog has done nothing to curb the excitement, and has described Uncharted 4 as Drake’s greatest adventure yet and will put him though his ultimate test as he sets out to make sacrifices and overcome obstacles in order to protect the people closest to him.

The new game sees old characters like Victor Sullivan and Drakes wife Elena return, along with a larger environment, new combat moves, as well as new enemies. The quest begins this April.

Buy Unchartered here – Great deals!

#5 Tom Clancy\'s: The Division

If a game has the name Tom Clancy attached to it then you know it’s going to be insanely exciting and that’s exactly what Tom Clancy’s The Division is set to be. The Division deals with the outbreak of a smallpox epidemic on Black Friday, which is transmitted through contaminated bank notes, and quickly spreads pandemonium across the United States.

The epidemic sees the President initiate Directive 51, which activates the Strategic Homeland Division who are tasked with restoring order and eliminating threats once and for all. Of course, doing that promises to be a herculean tasks, which makes the game all the more fun to crack. Tom Clancy’s The Division releases this to the world this March. Are you up for it?

Buy Tom Clancy’s: The Division here

#6 Gears Of War 4

Many thought that Gear Of War had no potential to progress after GOW3, but Microsoft’s buy out of the franchises original developer Epic Games changed all that, and now Microsoft Studios is all set to release Gears of War 4 in the latter half of this year. Available exclusively for X-Box One, GOW 4 will see new battles and new weapons, plus a whole lot of excitement along the way.

Buy Gears of War here – Great deals!

#7 Final Fantasy XV

After years of rumours, supposed cancellations and speculation, Square Enix is finally ready with the fifteenth instalment in the Final Fantasy series – three long years after its initial announcement! FF XV follows the story of Noctis Caelum and his allies, as they battle against the evil Niflheim – who has invaded the nation of Lucis and are determined on overrunning it in order to practice their rule.

Noctis also has the task of protecting the last crystal in the world before it falls into the wrong hands. XV is set in a world similar to today and features an open environment as well as powers like communicating with gods, foreseeing character deaths along with other surprises, which have various effects on the game.

Buy Final Fantasy here – Great deals!

#8 Far Cry Primal

The Stone Age makes an excellent and exciting setting for any video game, and that’s exactly what the boys at Ubisoft thought while developing Far Cry Primal, which unfolds in 12000 BC. Primal follows the story of Takkar, who becomes stranded in a land called Oros after his hunting party was ambushed, leaving him to fend for himself with no food, no weapons or resources in an unfamiliar environment.

With the odds stacked against him, Takkar must overcome the new challenges this environment poses and create his own tribe from nothing. Skills include taming animals like Mammoths and sabre toothed tigers, which will go a long way in Takkar’s quest of building a new home. Guns and grenades, which were a regular feature in the other Far Cry games, have been replaced by spears and bows and arrows as well as the traditional fire, with the player tasked with crafting his own weapons of choice. Intrigued yet?

Buy Far Cry here – Rs 999 onwards!

#9 Adrift

Space is an area where very few video games have succeeded in cracking, but Adrift – developed by Three One Zero - aims to change that. The story revolves around astronaut Alex Oshima, who is stranded in outer space in the year 2037 and must return home.

Adrift features an open environment, which enables the player to freely explore the place, but must keep an eye on his oxygen limit in order avoid suffocation. The player will have to move through five areas, recover audio files and solve puzzles in order to determine a way to go home. With its interesting concept and compelling settling, Adrift is a game to watch for this year.

#10 Crackdown 3

Brought to you by Microsoft Studios, Crackdown 3 is set to be a thrilling third person shooter developed exclusively for the X Box One, and sees you play an Agent of Justice in a world of mayhem. Take control of the streets of the city of the future in a vehicle that has the ability to transform, use your weapons and brains to curb crime, and use your vision to turn the city to your advantage.

Crackdown 3, which is a sandbox style game like its predecessors, will feature a destructible environment meaning that every single thing that’s present in the game can be destroyed. Set to be release in the second or third quarter of 2016, X Box owners are sure to love this one.

Buy Crackdown here – Great deals!

#11 Dark Souls III

Another fantasy game that is bound to take 2016 by storm is Dark Souls III, developed by FromSoftware. Game director Hidetaka Miyazaki says that the gameplay is vastly influenced by Dark Souls II, and sees players weld different weapons like shortbows, explosives, greatswords and dual swords, which will all be used to face the opposition.

The enemies the player faces will evolve over time and may behave differently, and change their style of combat during battle, which can only be overcome if the player remains on guard. Convinced to take up the challenge yet?

Buy Dark Souls here – Great deals!

#12 Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Picking up after the events of its predecessor, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Mankind Divided explores the aftermath of the Panchaea Incident – which has caused millions of augmented people to attack the natural population. With the opinion against augmented people massively negative, persecutions against them on a global scale are rife.

Set in 2029, Mankind Divided in set in Prague, Czech Republic, and features the return of Adam Jensen – who works with an international coalition dedicated to stopping terrorist attacks. Jensen is caught between two conflicts as he must deal with the terrorists who demand fair treatment of the augmented people as well as his own organizations interests. Another reason to get wowed by Mankind Divided is the combination of Eidos Montreal and Square Enix, who rarely get it wrong.

Buy Deus Ex here – Upto 40% off

#13 Dishonored 2

Brought to you by Arkane Studios, Dishonoured 2 is set 15 years after the Dunwall Plague that affected humanity during the events of the first game, and sees the Empire thrown into disarray after Empress Emily Kaldwin is suddenly dethroned and becomes a pariah in her own society. Not satisfied with losing her crown, Emily takes the way of an assassin and sets out on a quest to reclaim her place and restore order in her land.

The player initially starts off as Empress Kaldwin, but has the option of switching to the previous games protagonist Corvo Attano later in the game. Attano retains his supernatural powers and has a choice of upgrading in the future. Arkane Studios have claimed that Dishonoured 2 will be more challenging than its predecessor, which makes it all the more thrilling.

Buy Dishonoured here – Rs 699 onwards!

#14 Horizon: Zero Dawn

Created by the award winning developer Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Horizon Zero Dawn is set in a world devoid of human civilization, who have abandoned the Earth due to the presence of robotic creatures who now dominate the planet. Resisting their rule is Aloy, an archer and hunter of high skill and must fight her way through robotic dinosaurs, and other such mechanized creatures in a world 1000 years from the present day.

Aloy can make use of the parts of fallen creatures to build weapons in order to survive. Ways that enemies can be taken down include tripwires, arrows, explosives and other such ingenious methods like silent takedowns. Another treat of the game is its open world setting, which can be explored in between missions. Now doesn’t this sound interesting?

#15 Street Fighter V

One video game series that’ll continue to stand the test of time is Capcom’s iconic Street Fighter series. Millions of kids, me included, have spent hours upon hours in front of consoles of various generations playing different versions of Street Fighter. Capcom aren’t ready to stop the phenomenon yet and are set to release the latest game in the series – Street Fighter V – this February.

As usual, Street Fighter V will see players adopt different tactics and attack to overcome their opponents. Of course one thing that has undergone a major change is the games graphics, which are undoubtedly stunning this time around. So, are you ready to relive your childhood again?

Buy Street Fighter here

#16 The Legend Of Zelda

Nintendo’s groundbreaking game needs no introduction, with the nineteenth instalment in the iconic Legend of Zelda series set for release this year. In development since 2013, the latest Legend of Zelda takes place in a fully connected overworld, which is a mirror image of the one in the original – and allows the player more freedom to operate as compared to previous titles.

Link can travel the world either on foot or on his horse, Epona, who has the ability to automatically avoid obstacles, which allows the player to concentrate on more pressing matters like shooting, etc. Link can also enter bullet time while on Epona, which allows him to aim his bow at enemies with precision. Another reason to be excited is due to the latest Zelda containing the largest world featured in any game in the series, which promises triple the fun.

Buy Legend of Zelda here – 13% off!

#17 Mass Effect: Andromeda

The latest edition in the Mass Effect series enables the player to take control of either a man or a woman and save the world from destruction. The events of Andromeda are set long after the unfolding of the previous three games, in the Andromeda Galaxy. The six wheeled Mako buggy returns again from the first game, and now comes with some new editions to help aid you on your quest.

Buy Mass Effect here

#18 Quantum Break

Time travel seems to be the new trend on TV (See: Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow), so don’t expect the video game world to be far behind. Quantum Break sees you play as Jack Joyce, a human with time manipulating powers that were granted to him when a time travel experiment at Riverport University went horribly wrong. Joyce is hell bend on restoring order, but will have to face Paul Serene - who also possesses time manipulating powers but intends to use them in the wrong way.

To top it all, both the men are pursued by Monarch Solutions, a company founded by Serene, who have their own nefarious intentions. Wouldn’t it be cool if it was possible to time travel to the game’s 5th April release date?

#19 No Man\'s Sky

No Man's Sky is a first-person, open universe survival game. Players take the role of a planetary explorer in an unexplored galaxy. They are equipped with a survival spacesuit with a jetpack, a "multitool" which can perform innumerable tasks including defending the player against enemies, and a spacecraft that allows them to land and take-off from planets and travel between them and fight off enemy ships.

The player-character is looking to collect information on the planets and the lifeforms and other features of these planets to upload to The Atlas, which they are paid for with units, the in-game currency.

#20 Scalebound

Scalebound is an action role-playing video game played in a third-person view, in which players assume control of Drew, as he progresses through the world of Draconis. Players are bonded to and accompanied by a dragon called Thuban, who can spit fire and assist players throughout the game. Thuban is controlled by an AI, but players can give commands to the dragon when performing attacks.

The dragon can be dismissed, and customised to ones preferences. Players can also upgrade its abilities by using the gems dropped by defeated enemies. In addition, players are equipped with melee weapons such as swords and ranged weapons like explosive arrows and guns.

#21 The Last Guardian

The Last Guardian's plot follows the adventure of a boy who is trapped in a large castle. The boy has been kidnapped "under mysterious circumstances" and stumbles upon a giant, feathered animal named Trico. The game will revolve around the developing friendship between the boy and Trico. Trico and the boy form an unbreakable bond and set out to escape the castle by helping and counting on each other. Now that’s unique.

#22 Unravel

Electronic Arts and Coldwood Interactive have teamed up to create a rather unique game. Unravel centres around its protagonist, Yarny, a small creature made of red yarn, who explores the world around him by using his body as a mode of transport.

As Yarny moves, the twine which he is made of unravels, creating lines which the player must use to solve puzzles and progress in the game. The yarn that Yarny is comprised of symbolises love, according to game director Martin Sahin, which means that the player must follow what they love. Now this is one to watch out for.

#23 The Witness

The Witness is a puzzle adventure game, experienced in the first-person view. The player, who has no name, is trapped on an island where each turn brings peril. The island is divided into ten sections arranged around a mountain that represents the ultimate goal for the player.

Within each section, the player will encounter numerous puzzles, and once the player has completed all puzzles in a section, a gold turret will emerge from around that section and shine a light towards the mountain. The player needs to complete only a portion of the puzzles in the game to complete this objective and reach the final goal.

#24 Thumper

This rather unusual game, developed by Drool, sees you play as a beetle (the insect not the Volkswagen car), who travels down a worm hole into futuristic worlds while a rhythm plays in the background. The rhythm is crucial to the game and the player must press the right buttons to sync with the music so that the beetle travels hassle free.

#25 Cuphead

Cuphead is a rather unique game which promises to be loads of fun. As the protagonist Cuphead, the player loses a bet with the devil and spends the game attempting to repay the bet. The game features a branching level sequence and sees the player repeatedly face bosses. Cuphead has infinite lives and keeps weapons even after his death. Cuphead has a parry ability and parrying various colour coded objects will fill up a special meter that will enable Cuphead to perform a special move. Will you be one of those who give it a try?