Dark Horse Games to Look for in 2012
by Karl Koebke, posted on 04 January 2012 / 5,618 Views
Well it's that time of the year again when we've finished judging the games of the past year and it's time to start looking forward to what's to come. But remember, not every game is a Grand Theft Auto V or Halo 4. There are some smaller games out there that deserve your attention as well. Here are 20 games you may have forgotten about, but you should definitely look into.
All good things must come to an end, and it looks like that saying has finally come true for the Atelier Arland series. Luckily, it seems Gust have saved the best for last with a more refined battle system, all-new town creation mechanics, and the promise of a conclusion for every major character they've ever introduced. I can't wait to get back to that sweet, sweet item crafting.
The makers of Odin's Sphere and Muramasa have come out with another one of their distinctly wonderful side-scrolling 2D adventures. Dragon's Crown promises to have not only a strong multiplayer experience but crossplay between PS3 and Vita. If the gameplay can come close to matching the uniquely beautiful visuals we'll be in for quite a treat.
While most of the 360 exclusives slated to release next year are huge names that need no introduction, it's important to remember that Microsoft also has one of the best track records for bringing fantastic new indie games to XBLA and 2012 is no different. Fez is a puzzle platformer that, based on introduction videos, looks like a visually spruced up Cave Story with puzzles based off of the main character's ability to change perspectives in a two dimensional world. Looks like Microsoft has another winner on their hands.
Indie games released in Japan rarely get a chance over here in the West but Carpe Fulgur is trying to rectify that one classic title at a time. Their last endeavor didn't rise to the heights that Recettear did but I just can't give up on them that easily. With any luck they'll have chosen another winner to localize and indie Japanese localizations will have another success story to bolster interest. One can only hope.
If I had to pick one game that I'm excited about from the upcoming Vita launch lineup it would have to be Gravity Rush. The creator of the Siren series has decided to branch out a bit and make an Action/Adventure game with some RPG elements and the ability to manipulate gravity. You can change the direction of gravity to navigate the strange city you find yourself in or to direct a flying kick towards the nearest enemy. It's an interesting concept and a new IP from an established first party development studio. Just what I love for new hardware.
Harvest Moon: The Land of Origin (3DS)
Ever wanted to farm but hate actually going outside? Yeah, me too. Thank god for the Harvest Moon series. This time around you can not only marry someone but you can go on a honeymoon to several wonderful travel locations. They aren't much for story but if you want something that lets you plant some carrots while you ride the bus there's nothing better.
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 (PS3)
Now that Ar Tonelico is finished I need a new JRPG series to throw sexual innuendo at me like it's closing time at a single's bar, and based on what the ESRB has said about Hyperdimension Neptunia 2 this might just be the title. The first game was a cute romp in the interesting meta humor based game world of Game Industri, and if the second can increase the production values a bit and fix up the battle system it could be quite a great game. If nothing else at least it'll be different, right?
I struggled to decide whether or not Journey is small enough to fit on a list like this, but then I remembered the beta and decided that what matters is that not enough people are excited for this yet. Just as with Flower, thatgamecompany brings their unique brand of silent, subtle, yet poignant story telling to a solitary figure in the desert. I can't wait to go back to that beautiful world, explore, and discover more secrets of its backstory.
There are lots of reasons to be jealous of PS3 owners in Japan, and Malicious is one I was worried would never come to the West. It's kind of like a beat'em up version of Megaman where each boss gives you new powers to fight the next ones, and you can do them in whatever order you like. I've heard good things from those who have taken the time to get it from the Japanese PSN and I can't wait to see what they were raving about.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS3)
It's been quite a long and tenuous journey to the West for Ni no Kuni. Doesn't seem like the DS version will ever make it here and the PS3 version will be coming with a different publisher than expected, but at least it's coming. Beautiful visuals inspired (and partly created) by Studio Ghibli is really all I need to be excited for this game, and the promise of a huge overworld to explore with this aesthetic is just icing on the cake. Now we just have to hope the real time battle system delivers where White Knight Chronicles didn't.
While it's the weakest of the three titles targeted by the infamous Operation Rainfall, Pandora's Tower is still nothing to sneeze at for fans of Action RPGs. Playing as Ende you must rip off the flesh of four ancient lords in order to save the life of your friend. Your Orichalcum Chain weapon will even give you a handy reminder of how soon your friend is going to die like the most morbid alarm clock ever. Here's hoping the European release is followed by an eventual North American announcement.
The only remake on my list but it's a doozy. Persona 4 is one of the best RPGs on the PS2 and the Vita is giving everyone a chance to experience it if they missed it the first time around. New characters to interact with and new seasonal events to watch (which will most likely be hilarious) gives those of us who loved the game on the PS2 another chance to experience this fascinating game setting.
Record of Agarest War 2 (PS3/360)
Record of Agarest War Zero might not have been my cup of tea but I've got some higher hopes for the second game. Improved visuals, a sped up battle system, and an overworld to freely explore makes this look significantly better than Zero and I can't help but be excited. Hopefully my faith will be rewarded.
Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny had a disappointing lack of the series' staple farming and crop management gameplay but Rune Factory 4 is looking to get back on track. That's not to say they aren't making a few changes, like constructing buildings or holding off on marriage to play the field a bit. When it's working well, Rune Factory is a battle to manage your crops in a way that allows you to explore dungeons as well as fund your adventuring solely from strawberries and I think Rune Factory 4 will get us back to that balance.
With the Vita Western release upcoming and big names like WipEout and Uncharted in the mix it can be easy to forget about the little guys... like Sound Shapes, but that would be a mistake. The creator of Everyday Shooter has come out with another musically-inspired game and this time it's a platformer where every element of the level is also part of a song. Taking the idea even further you can create your own levels/songs and share them across PSN. I can't wait to see what all you little Miyamoto Mozart's come up with.
When we went to E3 2011 there were a lot of huge games that I just couldn't wait to get my hands on, but the best parts of events like E3 are when you're pleasantly surprised by the little guys, and Skullgirls is one of those surprises. A fighting game designed with the help of a tournament player, designed to be as balanced and varied as possible with a unique all-female cast. The other writers and I had a great time playing it and I can't wait to see what the full game is like.
"But Karl, it's been too long waiting for Tales of Graces F. I'm bored of it already". Well, suck it up, buddy, I was just like you until I watched some gameplay videos of the battle mechanics and now I can't wait to try my hand at it. If you're a fan of Action JRPGs you have to give this one a look because you never know when Namco is going to decide to bring another one over to the West; they're tricky like that.
Sakaguchi's latest finally comes to Western shores. Sure, at the moment it's only slated for a European release, but based on the recent announcement for Xenoblade I think it's fairly likely that we'll see the same treatment for The Last Story and it'll release in North America in 2012 at some point. Fans of Lost Odyssey know that Sakaguchi can spin a yarn, and the blend of melee and Mass Effect-style cover system looks like it'll be quite a treat.
Alright, so this one isn't exactly confirmed for the West yet, but this is a game from the guys who made the Prinny Team at NIS and based on how quickly their previous games crossed the ocean I think there's a reasonable chance we could see this game in 2012. So why should you care? Well, The Witch and the Hundred Calvarymen promises to be a departure from the norm for NIS as it's a dark fantasy action RPG with sandbox qualities. You can choose between attacking or helping villagers you come across, which will in turn affect your relationships with a wide variety of NPCs. I just love seeing WRPG sensibilities infused with a quirky Japanese title.
Yakuza is at its best when it goes totally ridiculous and doesn't take itself too seriously, and Yakuza: Dead Souls looks like an entire game based on those sorts of moments. The zombie uprising has come and it's up to four Yakuza to put things right, or dance, or go to the batting cages, or even a hostess bar. I guess even during the apocalypse the business world just keeps on moving, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
