Big games of Q3 2012

As we hit the half-way mark of this year, some gamers are calling this next quarter a “quiet” period, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

We’ve already been treated to some stellar games throughout the first slice of 2012, and there’s a whole bunch of upcoming titles that are worth looking forward to and getting excited about. So what are some of the biggest of the lot that you should be keeping an eye on over the next three months?

Inversion

Release date: 13 July 2012

Inversion stars Davis Russell, a run-of-the-mill cop, whose world is literally turned upside down when a mysterious enemy wielding gravity-altering devices take on New York. However, Davis and his partner Leo are not disadvantaged, as they get their hands on a GravLink device, allowing them to take advantage of gravity manipulation as well.

The result is some pretty crazy gunfights that put the shooting genre on its head by adding zero gravity to the gameplay. Developer, Saber Interactive, is promising to bring a new twist on the traditional shooter genre by adding zero gravity, vector changes and topsy-turvy chaos.

Darksiders II

Release date: August 2012

The sequel to 2010’s massive action game, which chronicles the apocalyptic end of days on Earth as war breaks out between heaven and hell, is set to hit our consoles in August. Starring as another Horseman of the Apocalypse, Death, players will engage in fierce combat, puzzle solving and traversal over a world double the size of the original. The original has set quite the expectation for gamers, and rightfully so, because Death has never looked more inviting.

Sleeping Dogs

Release date: 17 August 2012

Once an Activision’s True Crime game, Sleeping Dogs has garnered much attention since its re-branding earlier this year. Set as a large-open world GTA-styled action game, Sleeping Dogs features a kung-fu-movie inspired storyline, which sees an undercover cop attempt to stop a nefarious Triad operation from taking over. Cue lots of guns, lots of kung-fu, many car-chases and mega explosions. The game itself is looking pretty impressive, with a seamless hand-to-hand combat system, acrobatic third-person shooting, as well as intense on-foot and in-vehicle chase scenes.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

Release date: 31 August 2012

Announced late last year, Fall of Cybertron will continue the story between the Autobots and Decepticons, as they battle for the fate of their planet. Titular spoilers aside, the game should deliver an impressive campaign which will detail the events leading up to the exodus of the Transformers to Earth, and given High Moon’s quality on War for Cybertron, the gameplay should deliver as well. With the inclusion of the Dinobots in Fall of Cybertron, there’s not much that could go wrong… right?

Borderlands 2

Release date: 21 September 2012

Borderlands 2 looks to improve upon the original highly-acclaimed FPS/RPG hybrid from 2009. Gearbox have increased the customisation and randomising elements of the game’s weapon generator to bring even more variety to the battleground, while the planet of Pandora is looking a lot prettier this time around with detailed wastelands, forests and snow-capped fields. A return to Pandora couldn’t come quicker.

Other notable titles: Torchlight 2, Guild Wars 2, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two; Tekken Tag Tournament 2; Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition (PC).

Which games are you looking forward to over the next three months? Any of the above or something that’s being overlooked? Let us know in the comments below and on the MyGaming forum.

Related articles

5 downloadable games you should know about

5 reboots that got it right

5 game franchises that never say die

5 game characters that shouldn’t be alive

The worst games starring celebrities

Tags: 2012 gaming, august games, big games of q3, Borderlands 2, Darksiders II, headline, Inversion, july games, Q3 games, september games, Sleeping Dogs, transformers fall of cybertron, upcoming video games