Gallery • 3 Photos

Photo by Tom Sorensen

Professors and parents alike are often happy to know that game systems in the past several years have extensive save modes and game progress markers. However, what they may not know is online mode very rarely, if ever, has a save mode. Combine that with being on the verge of a boss battle or on the precipice of an “epic win” and kiss term papers, calling home, and taking out trash goodbye. The gaming industry wasn’t finished breaking down the year-to-come and neither are we here at the Independent. So with no further ado, let’s see where that tax refund will be going, shall we?

Zombies, zombies, and zombies. As if the world couldn’t get enough zombies, not one, but two developers have decided to turn out zombie games. The first is The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct (WD:SI) due out March 26. This joint venture between AMC Studios and powerhouse developer Activision Studios will be a far venture from Telltale Games Walking Dead that was released in late 2012. In WD:SI, players will play as the Dixon Brothers, Merle and Daryl, as they deal with the beginning days of the zombie apocalypse. This game is a first person-shooter, so be ready to watch zombie’s heads explode in all their first-person glory.

The tide has come back in with Dead Island: Riptide (DI:R )from developer Deep Silver. This tropical zombie scare-fest picks right back up where the first game left off and, sadly enough, safety doesn’t last forever. The game kept a lot of the original controls so players shouldn’t worry about having to map out new buttons. One major addition in DI:R is the use of boats to transport between areas of the maps due to some serious flooding.

Speaking of flooding, gamers everywhere will be flooding retailers March 5 to see what developer Square Enix has done with one of the most iconic female characters in video game history. No, not Ms. Pac Man. It’s Lara Croft in the much anticipated, highly controversial, Tomb Raider reboot. In this reboot/prequel, gamers will be introduced to a much younger, twenty-something Lara, who is more wild and brash than the original character as she is thrown into a whirlwind adventure where she must summon the hero within. Additionally, it should be noted that the game has already received some bad press due to some very sensitive adult situations. Rest assured, the game will not be postponed from shelves, but don’t count on copies staying on shelves for long either as this series has an immense following within the gaming community.

A developer that has an enormous following is Rockstar studios, creators of Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire, and a little series called Grand Theft Auto. So, if carjacking and breaking the law in general is something someone finds enjoyable (hopefully only in video games) then they will be happy to know that Grand Theft Auto V is due out Sept. 17. As of right now, a lot of details about this game remain hidden in true Rockstar fashion, but if the trailers and screenshots provided by Rockstar are accurate, all signs point to a serious game-of-the-year contender.

Juno star Ellen Page has decided to partner with developer Quantic Dreams to produce the next game in their library that is almost certain to leave an indelible mark on gaming culture. The same studio that produced the timeless and revolutionary game Heavy Rain has made its next carefully crafted and well-thought out move with Beyond Two Souls. The game story unfolds surrounding a young girl named Jodie Holmes who has remarkable abilities due to a psychic link between herself and an invisible being. Obviously, with this being a Quantic Dreams game, players will be in complete control of determining the outcome of the game, a feature that, while liberating, can also be very menacing.

With all of the games prepping for launch this year, 2013 will surely be a year for the record books. Hopefully, huge title launches will help revive an industry that saw decline in 2012. Just remember that although reviews, previews, and pre-orders are nice, it is important to choose games that offer the most bang for their buck. Happy Gaming.