Video Games 2012: 'Embarrassment of Riches' for Gamers

Jan. 15, 2012 — -- For video game lovers, 2012 could be déjà vu all over again.

Just as in 2011, there's a top-flight list of anticipated releases, with highlights such as Halo 4 for Xbox 360, Twisted Metal on PlayStation 3 and an expected Grand Theft Auto V from Rockstar Games.

And for the most part, gamers won't have to worry about deciding to spring for a new system to play games on. The first new home system in six years is expected next holiday season from Nintendo. Its Wii U (no release date or price) is on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, as is Sony's new PlayStation Vita handheld, already out in Japan and due to launch in the USA Feb. 22 ($299 for 3G/Wi-Fi model; WiFi, $249).

Handhelds such as Vita face a "significant challenge," says analyst Colin Sebastian, with Robert W. Baird & Co. "There's a market for high-end handheld experiences, but we see the majority of handheld gaming moving to smartphones and tablets."

But in games, there's an "embarrassment of riches," says video game writer Chris Morris. "The best games of any console always come out towards the end" of the life cycle, when "developers and publishers have figured out how to tweak the most out of them."

Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter expects GTA V to be "the next record-setting game," and expects a hit for Kingdoms of Amalur, from former baseball pitcher Curt Schilling's 38 Studios (due Feb. 7 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PCs; ages 17-up).

Among top prospects for 2012:

Tomb Raider(Late 2012; Square Enix; PC, PS3, Xbox 360; not yet rated). A 21-year-old Lara Croft, seeking experience as an archaeologist, is shipwrecked on a mysterious island. Why it's worth watching: In a major reboot for the venerable franchise, the tone is more serious — and Lara much more timid. Will this be the title that returns the series to prominence?

Grand Theft Auto V(No release or rating; Take-Two/Rockstar; PS3, Xbox 360). Players head back to a fictional L.A. "I wanted to retire from what I was doing, from that … that line of work," says a narrator in the trailer. Why it's worth watching: A GTA launch was always a marquee industry event. Sales of the next open-world adventure could be huge again. And how will Rockstar continue to push the envelope in gameplay mechanics?

BioShock Infinite(June; 2K Games, for PC, PS3, Xbox 360; not yet rated). Agent Booker Dewitt rescues Elizabeth from the mammoth Songbird in this first-person shooter set in the sky city of Columbia in 1912. Why it's worth watching: Returning to the BioShock helm is game designer Ken Levine, who dazzled players five years ago with the first chapter of this amazing franchise. There's also the dizzying combat while riding the city's skylines.

Diablo III(No date; Activision-Blizzard Ent.; PC, Mac; rated M for ages 17-up). Players choose among a barbarian, witch doctor, monk, wizard and demon hunter, and protect Sanctuary from the forces of the Burning Hells. Why it's worth watching: It's certainly "long-awaited," with more than 11 years since fans last saw a fresh Diablo title. Yet, as Blizzard proved with the return of StarCraft last year, it always seems worth the wait.