Top 25 video games coming in 2016

With December closing in, we are getting close to saying goodbye to 2015, a great year for video games. We have been spoiled with such great titles, The Witcher 3, Bloodborne, Metal Gear Solid V, and Fallout 4 just to name a few. 2016 is just on the horizon, and it is time to start getting hyped for the promising video games coming our way. So, without further ado, here are the top 25 video games coming in 2016.

Image Source: Forbes

Darkest Dungeon

Release Date: January 19th, 2016

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux

Darkest Dungeon has been one of the most promising and talked about video games to be part of the Steam Early Access Program. It is a dungeon crawler roguelike where the player inherits an old gothic mansion. The dungeons below have become infested with monsters and evil coming from within portals there. The player must close the portals and cleanse the dungeons of monsters before they take control of the mansion.

To do this, the player must roster adventurers and heroes. On their adventures into the depths of these dungeons, the monsters, traps and horrors within begin to affect their minds. It affects the party members having psychological afflictions such as paranoia, fear or abusive behavior. Such afflictions each lead to various problems making it harder to survive.

It is an interesting twist on the standard dungeon crawler roguelike style. It has a beautiful art style, disturbing enemies, great ideas and has showed promise throughout its entire time in Early Access. If you like hardcore RPGs or looking for a dungeon crawler with a difference, Darkest Dungeon might just be for you.

Darkest Dungeon's release for PS4 and PS Vita is Q2 2016.

Image Source: Darkest Dungeon Website

Doom

Release Date: Q1/Q2 2016

Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4

Fast paced action, violence, massive demons, big guns and plenty of gore. If that sounds appealing to you, then Doom may be what you are looking for in 2016. The reboot of the classic and iconic video game from 1993 is looking to be going back to the roots judging by the gameplay videos shown so far.

If you have played any of the Doom series, you will already know the story. You play as a marine on the UAC Mars Base where scientists discover artificial symbols that bring demons from hell. Your job is to stop the invasion before the demons can reach Earth.

Using the ID Tech 6 Engine, the graphics for Doom are looking extremely impressive, and the monster designs look fantastic. If you have a craving for an old-school style first person shooter, Doom is going to be a cure.

Image Source: DSOGaming

XCOM 2

Release Date: February 5th, 2016

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux

After the tremendous success of the XCOM reboot in 2012 it was no surprise to hear a sequel was in development. Firaxis Games took XCOM and modernised it while keeping the essence of what it was to be an XCOM game. XCOM 2 is taking that and bringing the series into a new and interesting direction.

XCOM 2 takes place twenty years after the events of the first game following the continuity of XCOM losing the war against the aliens. Players will once again take on the role of the commander in a new XCOM mobile base, the Avenger. The new base will be a UFO supply barge that's modified to XCOM base specification to fight against the aliens.

Never before has an XCOM game taken this form of direction in its plot. It is going to be interesting to see how it plays out both in story and gameplay. Just like in the previous game, you will have to command squads on missions, research new technology and engineer new equipment and gadgets. Customization of your soldiers is also going to be possible with further customization from that of the original such as genders, nationalities and weapons.

Image Source: PC Gamer

Yooka-Laylee

Release Date: October 2016

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One and Wii U

Are you a fan of the Banjo-Kazooie games? If so, you are in for a treat in 2016. Yooka-Laylee is the spiritual successor to the Banjo-Kazooie games. It is being developed by Playtonic Games, a group of several former personnel from Rare, the developers of Banjo-Kazooie.

Players will take on the role of Yooka, a male chameleon and Laylee, a female bat. Yooka and Laylee will explore worlds contained within large magical books and collect golden pages known as "Pagies" which are a form of currency. The pages can be used to unlock new worlds or expand those already unlocked.

The characters will be able to transform into various forms granting them various new abilities such as "sonar blast" and "tongue whipping". The game is to feature a collection of different colourful and imaginative characters including Trowzer a snake who wears pants and plenty of bosses.

Yooka-Laylee certainly looks like it is going to be a beautiful, entertaining and fun game that will bring back childhood memories.

Image Source: Giantbomb

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Release Date: August 23rd, 2016

Platforms: PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is easily one of the most anticipated games scheduled for release in 2016. Originally scheduled for release in February 2016 but as of November 18th has been delayed until August 23rd, 2016.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided will see the return of Adam Jenson, a mechanically augmented agent working for an international coalition against terrorist attacks, in 2029, Prague, two years after the events of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. After the Panchaea incident of Human Revolution, millions of augmented people mindlessly attacked so-called "naturals".

Since, augmented people are being prosecuted globally. Jenson will have to deal with terrorist groups looking for augmented individuals to be treated equally along with shadowy interests behind the events of the past two years and who controls his organisation.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is looking to be a most promising addition to the Deus Ex series. The graphics look spectacular, the augmentations awesome and the storyline most interesting. Despite having to wait a further six months for its release, I see nothing but good come from it. If you haven't played Human Revolution, there is no better time to do so, in preparation for the release of Mankind Divided.

Image Source: WCCFTech

We Happy Few

Release Date: June 2016

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux and Xbox One

A blend of inspiration from the Bioshock series and 1960's England, We Happy Few is a procedurally generated first-person survival game set in a dystopian 1960s alternate England, in the fictional town of Wellington Wells.

The face-painted citizens of Wellington Wells are kept under control using a drug called Joy. The player takes the role of a "Downer", a person who refrains from taking Joy. The Downers are an underground resistance movement that are attempting to escape from Wellington Wells. 

The town's citizens do not take kindly to "Downers" and players will have to act like they are high on Joy to blend in. They will have to scavenge for food and supplies as they try to survive and ultimately escape Wellington Wells.

We Happy Few is looking to be an exciting and promising title. With an intriguing and colourful setting, crazy characters and beautiful graphics powered by the Unreal 4 engine there is not much to dislike. Without a doubt, it is one of the more unusual and unique titles so far scheduled for release in 2016.

Image Source: Going Sony

Dark Souls 3

Release Date: April 2016

Platforms: PC, Xbox One and PS4

Souls fans are in for another treat in 2016 following the release of Bloodborne this year. The fourth installment in the Souls series, Dark Souls 3, is scheduled for released in April 2016. Just like the previous installments, Dark Souls 3 is going to be an action RPG played in a third person perspective. 

According to the game's director Hidetaka Miyazaki, the gameplay design is going to follow closely to that of Dark Souls 2. New combat features for Dark Souls 3 includes "Ready Stance" that are special abilities that allow the player to deal much more damage to enemies than normal attacks.

Small gravestones will light up when interacted with, serving as torches but also will provide additional lore to the game. Combat is being made faster and more fluid than in Dark Souls 2. Several player movements such as backstepping and swinging heavy weapons are more rapid.

The game will feature fewer maps than that of the previous game, but they will be interconnected and larger to encourage exploration. Dark Souls 3 is looking to be another great Souls game with improved gameplay; character developed, additional features and it looks just gorgeous.

Image Source: Game Idealist

LEGO Worlds

Release Date: 2016

Platforms: PC

Currently in Early Access, LEGO Worlds is planned for a full released sometime in 2016. Upon release, Minecraft was called the virtual LEGO. LEGO Worlds is essentially the LEGO version of Minecraft. After the success of Minecraft, it was only a certain amount of time before LEGO would create their own sandbox video game.

Players receive rewards for collecting objects spread across the map with "Studs" the in-game currency.The players can then build using what they have encountered. They can then create their world using predefined structures or building their own from scratch using the brick-by-brick editor tool.

Players can customise their characters appearance and outfits. A variety of vehicles such as helicopters and creatures are in the game and multiplayer. LEGO Worlds looks promising with colourful and beautiful graphics, plenty of content and the ability to build only limited by the imagination of the player. It is a game that will entertain for countless hours. If you are tired of playing Minecraft, Terraria or Starbound and want something different, LEGO Worlds, may be for you.

Image Source: Lego Worlds Gamepedia

Resident Evil Origins Collection

Release Date: January 22nd, 2016

Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One

Did you miss or are yet to buy Resident Evil HD Remastered? If so Resident Evil Origins Collection may interest you. The pack contains both Resident Evil HD Remastered along with the upcoming Resident Evil Zero HD Remastered. 

Both games keep their original stories and gameplay while adding HD graphics, 5.1 channel surround sound, optional modernized controls and widescreen TV compatibility. If you are looking to experience Resident Evil from the very beginning or looking to revisit, Resident Evil Origins Collection is going to be the perfect opportunity to do it.

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Ratchet & Clank

Release Date: Q1/Q2 2016

Platforms: PS4

Ratchet & Clank is a reimagining of the 2002 PS2 title of the same name. It's based on the upcoming film by Rainmaker Entertainment and Blockade Entertainment. Along with some other titles on this list, it was originally scheduled for release this year but has since been delayed until spring 2016 along with the film.

Despite it being a reimagining of the first game, it will contain features from other entries in the series, such as strafing and the inclusion of weapons from after the first game. There will also be new weapons introduced into the game such as the Pixelizer, which turns enemies into 8-bit pixels.

It is looking to be a promising game with absolutely beautiful graphics, containing a large variety of weapons and gadgets and it is sure to host a collection of colourful and entertaining characters. Insomniac Games are renown for making fun 3D platforming games, and this reimagining of Racket & Clank is bound to be no different. 

Image Source: Gearnuke

Torment: Tides of Numenera

Release Date: 2016

Platform: PC, Mac and Linux

Torment: Tides of Numenera is the spiritual successor to the 1999 cult classic RPG title Planescape: Torment, which contains one of the best storylines ever in a video game. Like Planescape: Torment, Tides of Numenera, will be primarily story driven giving greater emphasis to the interaction of the world and characters, with combat and item accumulation being secondary.

The game's played from a classic 2.5D isometric perspective. It will use the tabletop rules of Monte Cook's Numenera adapted as the game's rule mechanic. The player will take on the role of the Last Castoff, a human host that was once inhabited by a powerful being, but suddenly abandoned without memory of prior events.

Players will be able to choose from three base character classes, Glaive (Warrior), Nano (Wizard) and Jack (Rogue). Players can further customise classes through some descriptors and foci, which allow characters to excel in certain forms of combat roles.

Tides of Numenura is promising to be one of the deepest RPGs scheduled for release in 2016. If you are a fan of Planescape: Torment or any other classic Forgotten Realms game, Tides of Numenera is sure to satisfy your RPG needs.

Image Source: GameWatcher

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Release Date: March 18th, 2016

Platforms: PS4

The fourth and final installment in the Uncharted series and the last game to feature Nathan Drake. Uncharted 4 will take place three years after the events of Uncharted 3. Nathan Drake has retired as a fortune hunter and settled into an ordinary life with his wife, Elena Fisher. That is until his older brother Sam, long believed dead suddenly appears.

Sam looks for Nathan's help in pursuing a conspiracy behind a long-lost pirate colony and it's fabled treasure. Nathan sets out embarking on his final action packed adventure starting by seeking out his brother.

Uncharted 4 is from the trailers shown, looking gorgeous, fun, entertaining and has the potential of being the best in the series. It is certainly looking to be a promising game to end the series.

Image Source: DualSHOCKERS

Friday the 13th The Game

Release Date: October 2016

Platforms: PC, Xbox One, and PS4

Have you ever wanted to take on the role of slasher legend Jason Voorhees? Have you ever wanted to step into the shoes of one of Jason's victims attempting to escape the ultimate predator? Well, as of October 2016 you can, in the official Friday the 13th video game.

Players will be pitted into 7V1 matches either playing as Jason or as one of the counselors. As Jason, the player will have to hunt down and kill each of the counselors one by one. Upon confronting a counselor, the player will be able to kill them in a variety of famous trademark Jason killings from the films, the head crush as one example.

As a counselor, players must work together with the rest of the team to survive and is possible in two different ways. Players will either be able to escape by reaching a vehicle or by killing the great Jason. Killing Jason however, will be far from an easy task. Counselors will also have a fear system that will affect the gameplay depending on fear levels.

It is going to be interesting to see how this title turns out, but it is certainly looking to be entertaining in a gruesome slasher kind of way. The game is bound to interest fans of the films along with any gore fans, as this game is sure to have plenty of spectacular kills.

Image and Information Source: Friday the 13th Kickstarter

Shadow Warrior 2

Release Date: 2016

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PS4

Lo Wang makes a return in 2016 with Shadow Warrior 2, the sequel to the 2013 reboot of 3D Realms, 1997 Shadow Warrior. The game is set five years after the events of the first game and this time Lo Wang is bringing some friends with him. Players will be able to play in either Single Player mode or up to four player co-op.

The levels are going to be more open than the previous title. Players will also be able to revisit past played missions to upgrade their weapons and skills. The game will have new traversal mechanics such as wall climbing and double jumping which will increase the ability to explore the levels.

All missions except that of story-related have procedurally generated level design and content, including buildings, enemy positioning, terrain and weather conditions. It is going to feature over seventy weapons in total including firearms and blades.

Shadow Warrior 2 is looking to be another excellent and exciting addition to the series. With fast paced action, hilarious one-liners, tons of weapons, co-op and procedurally generated levels, this is promising to be an epic old-school style FPS game.

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Mass Effect Andromeda

Release Date: Q4 2016

Platforms: PC, Xbox One and PS4

Currently little is known about Mass Effect Andromeda. At present all that is known is that is takes place many years after Mass Effect 3 and is set in the Andromeda galaxy. It will see the return of the six-wheeler vehicle, Mako and that there will also be a multiplayer component.

Judging from the trailer, it would seem that players will have jet packs available to them in this installment of the game. Bioware says that the game will contain "exciting new worlds to discover, great characters, and intense action."

Despite players beliefs on how the trilogy ended the Mass Effect series were never the less fantastic and notable titles in the last generation. Even with Bioware keeping everything quiet about Mass Effect Andromeda, I am confident that they will deliver as they have with so many other titles. It is easily one of the most anticipated titles coming next year alongside Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.

Image Source: VG247

Day of the Tentacle Remastered

Release Date: Q1 2016

Platforms: PC, Mac, PS4 and PS Vita

A remaster of not only one of the best graphical adventures of all time but one of the best games of all time. Day of the Tentacle makes a return with all new hand-drawn artwork, remastered sound, optional modern UI and the original Maniac Mansion.

The remaster includes bonus commentary from Tim Schafer, Dave Grossman, Larry Ahern, Peter Chan, Peter McConnell and Clint Bajakian. Day of the Tentacle is renown for its beautiful cartoonish art style, comedy and voice acting.

After the success of this year's Grim Fandango remaster, it comes as no surprise to see Day of the Tentacle get one too and Schafer is also planning for a remaster of Full Throttle too sometime in the future. Day of the Tentacle remastered will certainly be a great title to get your 2016 nostalgia going.

Image and Information Source: VG247

Outlast 2

Release Date: Fall 2016

Platforms: PC, PS4 and Xbox One

On October 12th, 2014 Red Barrels co-founder, Philippe Morin confirmed that Outlast 2 was in development. A teaser trailer was released by Red Barrels on October 29th, 2015. Philippe Morin has said that the sequel is a survival horror game set in the same universe as the original and will contain different characters and locations.

Red Barrels created one of the scariest games in recent years with the original Outlast and its DLC Whistleblower. Expectations are high and creating a sequel of equal or greater quality will be no small feat. It is going to be interesting to see if Red Barrels can pull it off.

Image Source: PCGamesN

Hitman

Release Date: March 11th, 2016

Platforms: PC, PS4 and Xbox One

The sixth installment in the Hitman series. Like some other titles on this list, it was to be released in 2015 but has since been delayed to March 11th, 2016. Players take on the roles of Agent 47, a highly trained assassin who travels the world to assassinate his target.

The game encourages creativity as the player's target can be assassinated in a manner of different ways such as using a sniper rifle from far away, explosives or using melee weapons. Player's will be able to cause distractions to get around security and even disguise the assassinations as accidents.

Levels will be of similar design to that of Blood Money where they are small sandboxes that the player can move around and tackle as they see fit. The levels for Hitman are six to seven times bigger than the largest maps of Absolution. Contracts mode and Instincts Mode also are returning which were also in Absolution. 

Hitman is looking to be a fantastic addition to the series with quality graphics, improved enemy AI, bigger maps and allowing better creativity for the player. 

Image Source: GameCrate

Total War: Warhammer

Release Date: April 28th, 2016

Platforms: PC, Mac and Linux

The Creative Assembly take a new approach to the Total War series with the introduction of Warhammer. Total War: Warhammer is to be the first installment of a planned trilogy of Warhammer games. The game will feature all of the general characteristics of Total War such as city building, diplomacy, unit building and real time battles.

The game will feature a total of four factions, the Empire (Humans), Greenskins (Orcs, Trolls, etc.), Dwarfs and Vampire Counts. Each faction will have their unique units and agents. Flying units also are being introduced into the game such as dragons.

There will be a quest mode that will feature famous battles from Warhammer lore such as The Battle of Blackfire Pass where players will be given tasks and battles to complete to unlock new items and abilities.

Total War: Warhammer is sure to be a hit with all Total War and Warhammer fans. The graphics look fantastic, the battles enormous and thrillings. It brings in everything that makes Total War significant and joins it with Warhammer universe. 

Image Source: DualShockers

Dishonored 2

Release Date: Q2 2016

Platforms: PC, PS4, and Xbox One

The sequel to the excellent 2012 action-adventure stealth game Dishonored. The game takes place fifteen years after the events of The Dunwall Plague, where the empire has turned into chaos after Empress Emily Kladwin becomes dethroned and an outlaw of society.

After playing the prologue as Emily Kladwin, players will be given the choice of playing the game as either Emily or Corvo the protagonist from the previous game. The characters will play the same missions, but each will have different perspectives, react and execute them differently.

There will be more abilities and an enhanced upgrade system in the sequel compared to that of the original such as Shadow Walk and Far Reach. The developers have confirmed that the difficulty of the game will be higher than Dishonored. Players will be able to play the game either taking a more hostile approach to dealing with situations or stealthy approach where they don't kill. The developers announced there to be a third path but not in detail.

Dishonored 2 is being developed using the Void engine that is based on the id Tech 6 game engine (DOOM). You can be sure that the games graphics are going to be fantastic and with new abilities and upgrades it is sure to be just as much fun if not more so than that of the original.

Image Source: Keen Gamer

Mirror's Edge: Catalyst

Release Date: NA: March 24th, 2016, EU: March 26th, 2016

Platforms: PC, PS4 and Xbox One

A reboot to the 2008 action adventure platformer Mirror's Edge. The game will revolve around Faith's origin and attempt to overthrow a totalitarian conglomerate of corporations who rule the city of Glass. Like in Mirror's Edge, players will traverse the city using parkour movements to complete missions, evade enemies or knock them off their feet.

Unlike in the original, the game will be open world allowing players to take multiple paths to reach an objective as oppose to the levels linear paths of Mirror's Edge. The game will feature side activities such as time trials, races, and environmental puzzles, with the developer DICE promising there will be no loading times in the final product.

The combat system has been overhauled, and the player will no longer be able to use firearms like that the original, focusing more on the parkour movements and melee combat of the game. 

Mirror's Edge: Catalyst is looking to take everything from the original and completely overhaul it and improve it creating a more flexible and open gameplay for the players. It is being developed using DICE's Frostbite 3 engine (Star Wars Battlefront) and looks beautiful. If you were a fan of the original, you are sure to love this reboot.

Image Source: Polygon

Routine

Release Date: 2016

Platforms: PC

Routine is a survival horror game played in first person perspective. The game takes place on an abandoned moon base in an 80s vision future called the Lunar Research Station. The entire crew has gone missing, and the player's objective is to find information on what happened to them.

Just because the station crew is missing, however, does not mean that the player is alone. There are dangers in the base which the player must avoid to the best of their capabilities. The environments procedurally generate each time you play the game, and it contains a roguelike permadeath feature where if the player dies they have to start over.

The developers have certainly focused on the horror elements of the game making the UI and equipment elements to a minimum. The player has a CAT - Cosmonaut Assistant Tool at their disposal, a repair device. The CAT can be upgraded using floppy disks found around the base and has the potential to be a weapon in certain cases.

Routine is looking to be an impressive title with spectacular looking graphics and environments. There is little further information about the game at present, but it is going to be interesting to see what the game is going to offer upon release. It is certainly one to keep an eye on for updates throughout the year.

Image Source: Giant Bomb

Information Source: Giant Bomb and Game Pressure

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Release Date: December 2016

Platforms: PC

The sequel to the 2014 RPG title Divinity: Original Sin, winner of over 150 Game of the Year awards and nominations. The game will take place generations are the events of the original, where a Bishop Alexander the Innocent has declared all sourcerers to be criminals. The player takes on the role of one such sourcerer and must travel the lands in search of a way to defeat Alexander while avoiding those hunting them for the bounty on their head.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is looking to improve on everything from that of the original. Improvements include new types of elemental interactions, new dialog system, new crafting system, skill crafting, new tactical opportunities and challenges, more skill schools, talents, abilities, spells, the list just goes on.

This title is looking to be a pure example of the meaning of what making a sequel truly is and has the potential to being 2016 RPG of the year, only rivaled by Tides of Numenera so far. Larian Studios are certainly ambitious with this title, perhaps more so than any other. Expectations are high, but they always have been with Larian, and every time they have delivered and I reckon they can once again.

Image and Information Source: Divinity: Original Sin 2 Kickstarter

Gears of War 4

Release Date: Q4 2016

Platforms: Xbox One

The fourth installment into the Gears of War series. Information is currently scarce on the title with the gameplay trailer not giving much into the game. In an interview with IGN in August, Rod Fergusson from The Coalition stated that he wants the game to invoke something a bit darker, more intriguing and a bit scary.

The story will feature younger, less battle-hardened protagonists JD and Kait. The game appears to be aiming for a more co-operative experience, where Fergusson says, "“Rather than follow those games (Gears 1-3), I’d rather lead by being true to what makes Gears, Gears. That’s why we’re going back to co-op, the two of you sharing that experience".

This new direction of the Gears of War series is certainly interesting and exciting. It is bringing something new and slightly different to what I felt was becoming rather stale. It's certainly a title to keep a very close eye on up to its release at the end of 2016.

Image Source: Gamespot

Information Source: OnlySP

Homefront: The Revolution

Release Date: Q1/Q2 2016

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4 and Xbox One

Homefront: The Revolution is the sequel to FPS Homefront, released in 2012. The game will take place two years after the events of Homefront, and set in Philidelphia. Players will take on the role of Ethan "Birdy" Brady, as he stages a resistance movement against the army of a Korean invasion.

The game will be open world, allowing players to explore Philidelphia where they can wage guerrilla warfare to ambush, infiltrate and use hit and run tactics against their foe. Players will be able to build a resistance group by recruiting revolutionaries, making bases and safehouses, capturing and customising improvised weapons.

Despite the very much unstable development of the game and changing hands, it seems to now be well on its way to becoming a promising title. If the developers deliver on everything promised with this title, it could be something special. If you are looking for an FPS with bold and ambitious ideas and with a bit of difference, Homefront: The Revolution may be worth trying out in early 2016.

Image Source: Game Rant

Information Source: IGN

These are just 25 of the many great games that scheduled for release in 2016. What titles are you excited about on this list? What other titles are you looking forward to playing in 2016? Let your thoughts out in the comments below!

Image Source: Analog Addiction

All information sourced from each game's Wikipedia page. Any that were not have the information source provided on the slide.