Q2/11: Brink - F.E.A.R. 3
Release Date: Q2 2011 | Genre: First-person shooter | Also on: PS3, Xbox 360
Brink takes place on the Ark, a man-made floating city at sea that was designed as a prototype of the perfect city, with renewable resources and no pollution. However, as the threat of a global environmental crisis become real, many refugees enter the city growing its population to the point that there aren't enough resources to go around. The island now exists in complete isolation from the mainland and on the verge of a civil war.
The game is set to be an immersive shooter that blends single-player, co-op, and multiplayer gameplay into one seamless experience, allowing you to develop your character across all modes of play. The game features four class types, each with different traits and abilities, designed to promote teamwork. You decide the role you want to assume in the world of Brink as you fight to save yourself and mankind's last refuge for humanity.
Release Date: August 23, 2011 | Genre: First-person shooter | Also on: PS3, Xbox 360
Deus Ex: Human Revolution will be the third game in the first-person role-playing series and a prequel to the original title. Set in 2027, the story follows a security specialist named Adam Jensen who works for a major corporation that specializes in cybernetic modifications. Nanotechnology augmentations as seen in the first game still haven't been fully developed, but instead people affix mechanical augmentations to themselves to enhance perception and combat abilities – all while there's an element of civil discontent as citizens protest the practice of modification.
The game begins as a group of armed mercenaries break in and kill the scientists Jensen was hired to protect. Being severely injured himself the only way to survive is to be artificially augmented - although he never gets to make that decision. You're able to upgrade Jensen's abilities as the game progresses in four areas – Combat, Stealth, Technology and Social – and the abilities you decide to focus on can dramatically affect your approach to every situation.
Release Date: Q2 2011 | Genre: Racing action | Also on: PS3, Xbox 360, Mac
Driver: San Francisco is an upcoming sandbox-style action driving video game developed by Ubisoft Reflections. The game takes place a few months after the events of Driv3r, with players taking the role of Detective John Tanner on a relentless manhunt for crime lord Charles Jericho through the hills of the City by the Bay.
There's a new gameplay feature that allows players to shift from a car into another car and continue the mission or engage in side missions. The game will include over 120 fully damageable licensed vehicles including Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Ruf, Dodge Challenger, Pagani Zonda F and the DeLorean DMC-12. Online multiplayer will also be available for the first time in the series with nine different game modes. So far, only the Trail Blazer mode has been announced, where players have to follow the trail of an AI-controlled car to accumulate points.
Release Date: May 2011 | Genre: First-person shooter | Also on: PS3, Xbox 360
Following along the storyline started with the previous games, F.E.A.R. 3 is pitched as a "heart-pounding paranormal horror first-person shooter", packed with all the usual compelling narrative and intense combat we've come to expect. Point Man, the genetically-enhanced super soldier introduced in the first game, is now playable in single-player or co-op mode, while his brother, the psychic cannibal Paxton Fettel is also playable if you want to take things into co-op. Both have distinctly different abilities that affect their own play as well as the experience of their co-op partner.
Long-time fans will know that these two are the sons of Alma, so you can expect a few more scares from the spooky and psychically powerful girl. The game had originally been lined-up for a winter 2010 debut, but back in August 2010 it was moved into 2011 before getting a firm March 25 release date in the U.S. Unfortunately, that date has been moved once more until sometime in May. At least horror fans have the highly anticipated Dead Space 2 coming out this month.