Seven Games of 2013

The Last of Us

A chilling tale of survival, set against the backdrop of a fungal-induced apocalypse. The fight for self-preservation against the infected masses, with no hope. The tainted themselves, only a minor threat – the true adversary is human nature. Desperation is a compelling catalyst to commit the atrocious, and judging by what we’ve seen so far, the game won’t hold back. With Naughty Dog’s proven flair for storytelling, I fully expect them to nail the tone of this oppressive landscape, and make you question just how you would react, if faced with a similar nightmare.

We have been shown how Joel can use stealth to his advantage, conserving precious ammunition. Ammo will be scarce in this desolate land, so you had better make each shot count when an inevitable firefight ensues. When you do run out of ammunition, you can expect to make improvised weapons, like Molotov Cocktails; and you can also expect to partake in some brutal, uncompromising fisticuffs. The combat looks barbaric and cinematic, but only time will tell how interactive it actually is. You can sense the presence of Uncharted’s DNA , with a focus on the filmic, rather than 100 hit combos.

Multiplayer has been confirmed, and if Uncharted 2 and 3 are anything to go by, it will be a welcome addition that doesn’t detract from the main experience. It’s hard to believe that this is coming from the studio that brought us Crash Bandicoot, with its lovable art style, as this game is looking so gritty that you could scatter it on the road and give traction to vehicles during the winter. A stark contrast indeed. Yes, it looks gritty, but so does sand, and sand is beautiful, right? Remember how gorgeous Uncharted was? Well, expect Naughty Dog to squeeze every last ounce of power out of the PS3 this time around. One last hurrah if you will, before this generation of consoles bows out, gracefully.

God Of War: Ascension

Everyone’s favourite bald dude is back (no, not you 47, you’ve had your chance) and he’s presumptively furious. His face is locked in a perpetual grimace, a handy attribute for someone who punches Gods in the face. GOW: Ascension charts the rise of Kratos, or the fall; it all depends on perspective. The game is a prequel to the main trilogy and tells the happy tale of Kratos accidentally slaughtering his whole family. Cheery, huh? Well, it’s a good job he does kill his family, because that makes him angry, and you will like him when he’s angry. Plus God Of War: Family Life, just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Kratos, to be fair, is the most calamitous protagonist ever seen in a game; he would cast you into the void, just for causing minor inconvenience . With this title being a prequel however, we may even see a flicker of humanity break through, before his soul is completely consumed by guilt and sorrow. Or, you know, they could just ignore character progression and make him tear out loads of guts and solve the odd puzzle. Even if they do just stick to the angry-egg template, it’s ok, that is what we love him for, after all.

Multiplayer is in, too. You choose an allegiance to one of four Gods, each granting different skills to your murderous avatar. You then take part in online, arena battles, trying to gain control of specific objectives in a stage; like, for example, stabbing an ogre in the eye. The mode looks interesting, and at least offers something different in the stagnated online space. It is shaping up to be one to watch, and if it can stand up to the quality of the previous installments, it can’t fail, can it? The ghost of Sparta is back.

Read the other five at:http://www.gamegrin.com/blog/staff/2013/staff-blog-my-7-most-anticipated-games