Adventure, intrigue and conflict to kick up a notch in new titles
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2:
The first game was gothic romance that bled atmosphere at every turn. The 3-D action helped it stand apart from a decade’s worth of good but repetitive side-scrolling “Castlevanias.” Expect higher stakes and more melodrama now that protagonist Gabriel Belmont has been transformed from a miserable pile of secrets into Dracula himself. (Feb. 25, PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Destiny:
— Erick Wong
Bungie’s latest space opera has elements of “Halo” with a dash of “Battlestar Galactica,” featuring a group of Earthbased super soldiers fighting aliens that have nearly destroyed society. There’s a sprawling backstory (involving the colonization of, and then attack on, cities in our solar system) and the promise of plenty of action. (Sept. 9, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)
The Elder Scrolls Online:
Finally, the expansive world of Tamriel is open for exploration in Bethesda’s upcoming massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The subscription-based game will take place a millennium before the events of current games. Players will take a role within one of the three factions fighting for the throne. (April 4, PC/Mac; June 30, PS4, Xbox One)
Hohokum:
— Peter Hartlaub
— Christopher T. Fong
Take control of a bizarre, flying, kite-like, noodly snake-thing to explore and interact with a vibrant world filled with strange characters. Sure, it sounds a lot like “Noby Noby Boy,” but it just may be the next evolution of sandbox games. The art alone (from illustrator/designer Richard Hogg) is worth a look.
(Date TBD, PS4, PS3, PSVita)
— Shannon May
Hyper Light Drifter:
More than 2,000 percent funded on Kickstarter, “Hyper Light Drifter” is on most people’s list of indie games to watch in 2014. Judging from the trailer, it’s a 2-D actionadventure RPG that looks like a happy meeting of 16-bit “Legend of Zelda” with the aesthetic of “Tron,” a sort of dark, futuristic dungeon world punctuated by neon colors. This game simply can’t come out soon enough. (Mid-2014, PC/Mac/Linux)
— Shannon May
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes:
We should all give up trying to understand what’s going on here because I don’t think Hideo Kojima will ever stop fitting new “Metal Gear Solid” games into the series’ tortured chronology. (This one takes place after 2011’s “Peace Walker” and is a prequel to the upcoming “The Phantom Pain.”) But expect it to be gloriously overstuffed with dialogue and quirky gameplay. (March 18, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)
Titanfall:
— Erick Wong
After a messy breakup and court battle with Activision, the creators of “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” found a new home at EA. This multiplayer online mech warfare game is their first effort. With pilots and mech-like “Titans” engaging in fast-paced skirmishes on battleravaged playing fields, “Titanfall” should provide one of the adrenaline rushes of the year. (March 11, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC)
— Peter Hartlaub