Rockstar's much hyped detective adventure should be available by the time you read this, and from initial reviews the game looks to be one of the year's best. As LAPD detective Cole Phelps, players are thrown into 1947 Los Angeles, a city glimmering in the post-war boom, yet facing increasing amounts of corruption, drug abuse and gang influence. Throughout the game players are tasked with solving a variety of crimes as they climb the LAPD's ladder to success, from suspicious traffic accidents to corruption within the department and even a string of mysterious real life murders that remains unsolved to this day.

The game introduces players to a never before seen level of realism and character expression, with state-of-the-art motion scan technology used to perfectly recreate thousands of pre-acted scenes. The game also features Rockstar's massive game worlds, with the entire city of LA painstakingly crafted in digital format. In L.A. Noire players are set to experience a heady mix of action and shrewd detective work as they attempt to uncover the secrets of a city drowning in its own success.

PS3, Xbox 360. ETA: 20 May 2011.

 

2. Duke Nukem Forever

In one of the greatest revival stories ever told, the one and only Duke Nukem is returning to gamers' screens this year in the much delayed Duke Nukem Forever. The first Duke game to hit the scene since 1996's Duke Nukem 3D, Gearbox Software's new title looks set to continue in the humorous, cocky and macho footsteps of its predecessors. There isn't anything terribly important to mention as far as story is concerned, as it seems like another case of Duke having to stop an Alien invasion, periodically pausing to ogle at strippers and drink beer. The game makes no secret of this fact, parodying a lot of the classic action movie stereotypes while delivering a no nonsense action-packed shooter experience. Filled with saucy, and sometimes borderline questionable content, this isn't a game for the sensitive, but rather one that aims to appeal to the early 90's action hero deep inside us all.

PC, PS3, Xbox 360. ETA: 10 June 2011.

 

3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Also making a welcome return this year will be the revered Deus Ex series in the form of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. The latest title from Eidos Montreal will be set as a prequel to the original game, taking place in 2027, and allowing players to explore the murky world of mechanical augmentations, body modifications which gives the user enhanced abilities. This time players will take on the role of Adam Jensen, a security specialist hired to oversee the defense of one of the most prominent biotechnology companies in the world. As players explore the dark secrets at the core of this new franchise it's clear to see that human evolution is following a new path, with soldiers, athletes and ordinary humans gaining superhuman abilities. While faster paced than previous iterations, Human Revolution still seeks to maintain a link between shooters and RPG style exploration, with advanced character choices available, and the ability to concentrate on social skills and trickery instead of simply mowing everyone down.

PC, PS3, Xbox 360. ETA: 26 August 2011.

 

4. Dead Island

After having wowed the world with its heart stirring cinematic trailer, Dead Island has become one of the hottest properties on this year's gaming calender, even though it reuses the old zombie premise. Unlike other ammunition spewing undead shooters, Dead Island aims to take gamers on a much scarier, and “true to life” zombie experience, if that makes sense. The game takes place on the fictional resort island of Banoi, but instead of enjoying a relaxing holiday players forced to utilise anything they can to try and survive. During the game players will have to depend on weapon's they find around the island, meaning hammers, metal pipes and other odds and ends will have to be utilised more often. Your weapons will also break down over time, and can be combined to form more powerful items. The first person shooter will feature four player co-op, an open world and even some RPG elements.

PC, PS3, Xbox 360. ETA: Q3 2011.

 

5. Infamous 2

This year also sees gamers returning to the world of Infamous, toting Cole McGrath's handy electric abilities as they attempt to uncover the truth behind the Ray Sphere and defeat “The Beast”. A follow-up to 2009's surprise hit, the PlayStation 3 exclusive sports updated graphics, a new and larger open-world map and even new powers for Cole to experiment with. A good and evil path will open to players again, leading to different storyline endings and newfound powers, with Cole capable of controlling fire or ice, depending on which path he chooses. Telekinesis powers will also be introduced as players battle to uncover the vile and mind bending narrative and to save the world from assured destruction. In addition to everything gamers loved from the first game, Infamous 2 will also introduce new features such as allowing players to create their own missions and let others play them online.

PS3. ETA: 10 June 2011. 

 

Bubbling under the surface

F.E.A.R 3 - If you enjoy a droplet of unrestrained horror in your gaming experience then have no fear, because F.E.A.R 3 will be administering it in large doses later this year. Continuing the story of the demented Alma and her offspring, the third iteration will introduce a number of new gameplay elements as well as taking the story to an even darker, creepier level.

Dungeon Siege III – The world of fantasy role playing games have undergone a revival in recent years, and thanks to this we can look forward to Obsidian Entertainment's latest dungeon crawler heading to our screens. The game will return players to the Kingdom of Ehb in an epic story that's sure to keep veteran adventurers busy for ages.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Owners of Nintendo's new 3DS handheld will soon be able to relive all the nostalgia that the epic game delivered starting back in 1998. Link's amazing adventure has since seen numerous reiterations, but the 3DS one, to feature touch-screen item control and gyroscope aided aiming alongside 3D graphics is set to be one of its greatest yet.

Resistance 3 – Having been one of the PS3's original launch titles, it's great to see that Insomniac Games' Resistance series is still going strong. The third iteration will go deeper into the story behind the Chimeran Alien invasion and subsequent occupation, which has left nothing in its wake but ragged bands of humans clinging to survival.

The Witcher 2 – Another title which will be available by the time you read this, The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings is the sequel to 2007's surprisingly epic The Witcher. Based on the novel series of the same name, the Witcher 2 will again see players take on the role of Geralt, one of the last remaining witchers as he battles unnatural monsters as well as his own morality.