It is 2016, yes I know it has been 2016 for some time now, but things have been pretty cray so I have been off the radar for a while. Regardless, I am back and ready to shove all the best gaming content down your throat, because why? Gaming is awesome, and you all need to be part of it. 2015 was a magical year for gaming, “magical” might be the wrong term to use, let us just say “spectacular”? I reviewed all of the greatest games across the industry with the most noteworthy title, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, reviewed right here on Tech Girl. Do I think that 2016 will beat 2015 in terms of lineup and overall gaming experiences? No, but we do have so much to look forward to that we should just focus ahead.
2016 will be huge year for VR as Oculus and PlayStation VR become an actual purchasable piece of hardware. There are so many games in development for both these headsets that it kind of makes me cry at the lack of time we all have to take them in. VR will be a massive step in a new direction for gaming, as there has really been nothing like it yet. Sony’s PlayStation Move and Microsoft’s Kinect, cannot be compared to this, as I believe that VR is the stepping stone to greater things like holographic gaming, and 4D gaming experiences. Imagine getting in a Bugatti and starting its engines, as you place the VR headset over your head and get ready to race. Or jumping into a mech suit to run around shooting rockets at your opposing team. One noteworthy title headed to VR, is the the sequel to the game which we loved so much, Until Dawn. This time you will experience a roller coaster of thrills as you ride along a thrill ride with full control of your viewing angle. Sounds, screams and gore will get your heart pumping, only possible on VR.
VR might be one thing, but it will never outshine the massive roster of games that we are all aboard the hype train for. 2016 has some some exciting experiences in store, starting in February. We know the rand sucks right now, and it is kind of hard to get excited for a game which will cost you an extra R300 compared to December, but we will get through this, I promise. Besides, you cannot not play games, I would rather take games over food and shelter any day.
Here are a few of the games that you should put down on your list this year.
Plants Vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 – PS4, Xbox One, PC
There is really nothing like the PvZ franchise, and after spending the entire weekend playing the beta for Garden Warfare 2, I just wanted more. You play as plants and zombies, going all out with each other as they fight for domination. The sequel has a quite a list of new features, some of these being new playable characters like Rose, a magic rose who is a real arrogant b!tch, but we love her. She can turn zombies into goats, and slow down time, all in a day’s work.
Releasing: 26 February 2016
Far Cry Primal – PS4, Xbox One, PC
Believe it or not, but it has been nearly 2 years since we explored the mountains of Kyrat in Far Cry 4. Far Cry Primal is not a sequel, rather a new spin in the series as Ubisoft takes us to a new land of possibility, and well, savage Saber Tooth Tigers. Far Cry Primal is set in the Stone Age and follows a tribe that have to fight for survival, like anyone back then. Building weapons out of wood and stone, taking down a mammoth for food- no big deal.
Releasing: 23 February 2016
Rise of the Tomb Raider – PC, PS4, Xbox One
Released in 2015 for Xbox One, I cannot stress enough how amazing Rise of the Tomb Raider is. Lara is kick-ass, and why she is on this list again? Well the game launches on PC in January and PS4 later in the year. I will totally replay it again on PS4, and you should too.
Releasing: 29 January 2016 (PC) TBC (PS4)
Digimon Story: Cyber Slueth – PS4, PS Vita
I know I am weird, but there is a super-cute Digimon game releasing in February that you really need to pay attention to. We have not had a decent Digimon game since the PlayStation One days, so this is big news in my life. The game seems to follow a decent RPG feel with classic turn based combat, and Digivolutions all based off the series. I really want my Patamon to Digivolve into Angemon. Yes I know, geek level exceeded.
Releasing: 2 February 2016
Dying Light: The Following – PS4, Xbox One, PC
Last year we covered the launch of Dying Light and reviewed the game too. It has been a full year since its release and the developers have been hard at work on a new expansion pack, and Enhanced Edition of the game. The new pack will take players to a new farm land where zombies have of course, just taken over like they always do. You will now be able to hop into a vehicle that you have made yourself, with flame throwers on the doors, and spikes on the hood, and mow down the horde. There has never been a better time than now to get into Dying Light.
Releasing: 6 February 2016
Tom Clancy’s: The Division – PS4, Xbox One, PC
The Division might not seem like it, but its has an epic RPG experience waiting for players. The same has not been done since Destiny days, and we all know how bad that has become. The Division is set in a post-apocalyptic New York City where smallpox has brought the city to its knees. Factions and rebels have formed to loot the city of all its supplies, you now need to stop this by forming a team, or going alone, and taking everyone out. Gather new equipment, level up guns, learn new skills, and be part of the Division.
Releasing: 8 March 2016
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – PS4
What can I say, we all know it is coming, the end of Nathan Drake, but we will have to wait a while to experience it. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is the highly anticipated sequel to the PS3 hit, Uncharted 3: Drake Deception. Nathan sets out to find Captain Henry Avery’s long-lost treasure, but what surprises are in store for him?
Releasing: 26 April 2016
Battleborn – PS4, Xbox One, PC
Battleborn is all about its co-op, and we loved our time with it a while back. I thought that the characters were all unique, and the game had potential. With over 25 playable fighters, the game sure has some variety in terms of classes, plus it is a Gearbox title, and we all know how over-the-top they are.
Releasing: 3 May 2016
Doom – PS4, Xbox One, PC
Who does not love Doom? It has been around for decades and at the initial time of release, it redefined the FPS genre. Doom will release this year and it is about time. The game looks great and is packed with new gore and an intense multiplayer experience. There is nothing really like it, and I cannot wait to mow down the creatures of Hell with a chainsaw, and maybe pop a few bullets in them with a double-barrel shotgun.
Releasing: 2016
Overwatch – PS4, Xbox One, PC
Blizzard have been hard at work on a first person shooter called Overwatch, and it is pretty cool. The game is set in a futuristic alternate reality where players will go against other players in an epic brawl till death. The game has a wide range of playable characters which promises to keep every match from feeling the same as the last.
Releasing: 21 June 2016
Ratchet and Clank – PS4
The dynamic duo will return in 2016 as the Ratchet and Clank movie is set for release in April. The game, based on the movie, based on the game, follows our favourite PlayStation mascots on an adventure as they fight to save Solana Galaxy from the evil Chairman Drek. Expect close to Pixar quality visuals, over-the-top weapons, and the humor that we have all fallen in love with from the series.
Releasing: 12 April 2016
Dark Souls III – PS4, Xbox One, PC
Going beyond death is never easy in Dark Souls, and Dark Souls III will set the bar once again for the most gruesome and relentless game in the series. Explore new castles, gather new weapons, and fight horrendous bosses, oh, and die over and over again. That is the normal life in Dark Souls, and I cannot wait to do it all over again.
Releasing: 12 April 2016
How awesome does 2016 look? There will obviously be much more coming our way that we cannot predict. But with VR and all these epic games releasing, I am so happy to be a gamer.
Which game can you not wait to play in 2016?
