Features// 2011 Hit List: The Sequels

Dragon Age II (PS3, 360, PC) - 11th March
Bioware has listened to you, and it’s been hard at work fixing a whole heap of things with the Dragon Age Origins gameplay mechanics. On top of this, we’re getting a brand new story in this mythical world - the rise to power of a bloke named Hawke. As in the last adventure, your actions can affect the entire narrative. The new combat system means if you want to bark commands and act like a gladiator at the same time, you can do! Big Orc smashing time!

Motorstorm Apocalypse (PS3) - 16th March
We didn’t think too much of the urban setting of the latest in Evolution’s extreme racer. Kind of puts the ‘road’ back in ‘off-road,’ doesn’t it? This is no ordinary city though - a gigantic earthquake is ripping the terrain to shreds, making your racing just as thrilling as it would have been in exotic beaches and jungles. Real-time destruction affects every lap on every track, and you have to act fast in order to escape being demolished along with the scenery. Pacific Rift was one of our favourite split-screen racers in recent years, so we’ll certainly be having some more of that here please.

Crysis 2 (PS3, 360, PC) - 25th March
The sequel to one of the most technically accomplished PC games ever created? Yes please! Luckily you won’t need a nuclear-powered PC to run this action-packed fight for human survival - the game’s looking tasty on the PS3 and Xbox 360 as well. The new ‘Nanosuit 2’ gives you streamlined power against a colossal army of aliens occupying New York City - the cinematics of this urban setting and the powerfully tense atmosphere is an experience you won’t want to miss.

Portal 2 (PS3, 360, PC, Mac) - 22nd April
The original Portal went from being a cult success to one of Valve’s most treasured IPs. There is every reason to want this game. The premise is light-hearted and inoffensive. The fusion of first-person shooter and puzzler is still a fresh concept to this day. And Valve believes that there’s still so many avenues to explore in this temporal wonderland. Add the return of GLaDOS, a re-run through Aperture Science (only dilapidated from hundreds of years of neglect) and a two-player co-operative mode and we’re onto a sure-fire winner here.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PS3, 360, PC) - May
Warren Spector might not be involved, but this continuation of the sci-fi action-RPG is looking so good it might not even matter. Fusing cyberpunk with renaissance themes to create a striking atmosphere, you assume the role of Adam Jensen - a man who has been cybernetically augmented against his will. His mind holds the key to a big global conspiracy - a bit like Johnny Mnemonic really, only good. Of course, player choice will be central to the core gameplay, allowing you to tackle a situation any way you’re able to. Keep a close eye on this one.

inFamous 2 (PS3) - June
The first inFamous bowled us over in 2009 with its open-world, comic book-influenced premise. Two years on, Cole McGrath will be able to parkour around Empire City once more as either its saviour or its destroyer. With the populace blaming him for the destruction of the city the first time around, it might be hard to argue against killing civilians while hopping across rooftops. With great powers, a more vibrant game world and a new evil entity known as ‘The Beast’ comes great-sounding gameplay. One to watch.

Duke Nukem Forever (PS3, 360, PC) - July
Do we even need to explain this one? It’s Duke Nukem Forever - we’ve all been waiting for this game for… well, ever! More than a decade in development and with several engine scraps under its belt, the task has fallen on Gearbox to finish the macho-talking, alien ass-kicking dude’s latest epic. All of the old enemies return (pig cops), along with trusty weapons (alien shrink rays) and of course - the babes. When this game finally comes out, we think there’ll be a few tears shed.

Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS) - Q2
This doesn’t just mark the long-requested return of the plucky winged hero Pit, but also the arrival of the hardware that it will be running on. Kid Icarus: Uprising is the big-hitter for Nintendo’s upcoming 3DS handheld, a product that we all want to get our grubby little mitts on. There’s a reason the game itself is so sought after though - going from platformer to third-person on-rails shooter, the frantic action looks simply stunning. We’ve seen it running in 3D and just can’t wait for it to come out.