The Games of 2013: 30-25

With the potential for two new consoles to arrive just in time for Christmas, 2013 could well be a landmark year in the video game world. But it’s also a year full to the brim with AAA releases for current consoles that we hope won’t disappoint. Here’s our look at 30 through to 25.

30. Splinter Cell: Blacklist

We’ve got to have some faith that Ubisoft knows what it’s doing with Splinter Cell. While the signs so far are quite worrying, this is one of Ubi’s biggest franchises and it’s unlikely the publisher would want its brand to be tarnished. At worst we’ll probably get a fun, action-packed shooter with some stealth elements, but hopefully we’ll get something smarter than that. Conviction had its fans despite being a big departure from the series’ roots, but a change back to what made Sam Fisher popular in the first place would be great.

29. Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon

It’s a crying shame we’re still waiting for a sequel to the GameCube launch title. While there was an element of disappointment that it was Luigi and not Mario who took the starring role at the launch, those who played Luigi’s gorgeous ghost hunting adventure generally have very fond memories. We’re hoping the 3DS sequel ends up being the sequel that game deserves, and is a reason to get excited about the handheld again. In 2012 Nintendo went off the boil slightly with handheld output, but we’re confident some spooky ghost action will be just what Dr Mario ordered.

28. Metro Last Light

If you’re reading this it means the world hasn’t exploded! Hooray! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! But while you’re busy celebrating life, why not stop to consider what it could be like to live in a world where gas masks are as fashionable as a vajazzle in Essex? Set 20 years in the future, Metro: Last Light continues the tale of a group of Russian survivors driven to an underground rail system following a nuclear war, and where the battle to fend off mutants and neo-Nazis grows ever stronger. Cheery? Not quite. But Metro: Last Light has a good chance of being one of this year’s best – and certainly most atmospheric – first-person shooters.

27. Devil May Cry

Remember when this was announced and long-time series fans blubbered themselves into a frenzy that would make even the worst Justin Bieber fans blush? Seems a long time ago now. Ninja Theory’s latest sees the developer doing what it does best: marrying solid, accessible combat with spectacular visual design. It might not please the die-hard Capcom fans out there, but hey: neither did Devil May Cry 4. Ninja Theory’s games have improved dramatically with every one shipped, and this could be one of the best games Q1 has to offer.

26. Company of Heroes 2

Brrrrrrrrrrrr. It’s bloody cold outside. But the UK’s wintry streets aren’t anywhere near as dicey as the frosty arenas in THQ’s Saving Private Ryan on Ice, which takes Company of Heroes’ cover-based RTS on tour to the Eastern Front, with brand new ColdTech technology that see tanks going for a swim in Russian lakes, and men freezing to death when left out in the cold for too long. The harsh realities of war have never seemed quite so bleak, then, and in Company of Heroes 2, it’s just as much your environment as it is your enemy that you’ll have to keep an eye out for.

25. Metal Gear Rising Revengeance

Remember the last time you cut yourself a slice of cheese? Fun, wasn’t it? Now replace the cheese with a flippin’ great robot, switch the knife for a four-foot katana and throw in a good dollop of Japanese quirk, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a great slice of gaming.

Revengeance’s fall from KojiPro’s cuckoo’s nest into Platinum’s kooky wagon caused an awkward rift of confidence and scepticism when the game’s new developer was revealed earlier in the year. But recent looks at Raiden’s debut solo outing suggest it could be one of the first big hits of 2013 – and a worthy rival for Capcom’s Dante.