2012 In Video Gaming: 10 Games to Wait For

Year 2011 has been very good for a gamer, possibly the best in a long time. We had Littlebigplanet 2, Killzone 3, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Uncharted 3 and the list goes on. The year 2012 will see many original video games, as well as the release of numerous sequels to already successful franchises. Here are ten titles to wait for in 2012.
1. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
This upcoming single-player RPG developed by 38 studios has all the potential to be a success. The game universe is created by fantasy author R.A. Salvatore and responsible for the artwork has been no other than Todd McFarlane (Creator of Spawn). Taking God of War and marrying it with Oblivion is a BIG promise (one made by Curt Schilling), but we will see does the game live up with the hype. Oh and btw Claudia Black (you know.. Morrigan) is doing some voice acting.
2. Torchlight II
Supposedly being bigger and better than the original game, Torchlight II features overland areas with multiple hub towns, and a longer campaign. New features are heard to be included as well such as time of day cycles, weather and renewed user interface. Players can now also customize their appearance with choice of gender, face, and hair style. We are eager ready for this new hack-and-slash rpg. PC, MAC
3. Final Fantasy XIII-2
Claiming to fix the problem fans hated in Final Fantasy XIII, read: linearity, the game continues five years after the events of FFXIII. The game claims to add freedom, new towns, and improvements to the (already excellent) battle-system. Glorious world design, excellent combat and strong storytelling: These are the things look for in Final Fantasy XIII-2. PS3, XBOX360
4. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
We love eye candy and interesting stories. A game which combines both, is surely welcomed. If you already haven't heard: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a game developed by LEVEL-5 with Animation by Studio Ghibli. The title surely has the potential to be a keeper. PS3, 3DS
5. The Last Guardian
What can Team Ico can offer us this time? If you loved Ico or the Shadow of Colossus there is no need for explanation because it is something good. Unfortunately, The Last Guardian has been a title people have just been waiting... and waiting.. and waiting with most recent news being Yoshifusa Hayama, The Last Guardian's executive producer, leaving the studio to develop some Facebook games!!! The Last Guardian is a third-person perspective game that combines action-adventure and puzzle elements. PS3

6. Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Uncharted: Golden Abyss is the first Uncharted prequel and first Uncharted title on handheld devices, meaning Sony's upcoming PlayStation Vita. We will see how the Uncovering of the dark secret behind the 400-year-old massacre of a Spanish expedition goes on PS Vitas OLED screen. PlayStation Vita.
7. The Last of Us
We don't know much about this title yet, since it was just recently released. Resembling I am Legend, the game has astonishing graphics and developer team which no doubt can deliver a real adventure. If Uncharted meets Enslaved in this game, consider me sold. Even with so little detail, this game might already be the most hyped PS3 game for the following year. PS3
8. GTA V
GTA V, the latest installment in the Grand Theft Auto series and another GTA that is set in Los Santos, San Andreas! The game looks awesome so far and will most likely deliver what is to be expected.
9. Borderlands 2
Gearbox's shoot and loot game looks better than ever. The first Borderlands was purely an awesome game. Building upon the gameplay elements of its predecessor, Borderlands 2 features all-new characters, skills, environments, enemies, weapons and equipment, which come together in a crafted story. PC, PS3, XBOX360
10. Mass Effect 3
Earth has been taken, the galaxy is on the verge of total annihilation, and you are the only one who can stop them. This probably is the game everybody is waiting for. Mass Effect 2 was the best sci-fi RPG I've ever played. So get ready to follow YOUR story of Commander Shepard in Mass Effect 3, if you have the save-game files for Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. If you don't.. I suggest you leave home now and don't come back without those earlier Mass Effects.
Trailers for games to wait for 10 Games to wait for can be found here.

I am editor-in-chief and a webmaster at Bag of Games. I have always been captivated with games, be it console, board, card or any types of games. It is only fair that I share my honest thoughts and reviews about them.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marko_T_Kari

Assassins Creed Revelation to Be Released in November 2011

The breathtaking and one of the best adventure game series of all time, The Assassins Creed by Ubisoft, is expected to release its next version, Assassins Creed Revelations on November 2011. After the grand success of the three former games,
Ubisoft will release its fourth installment in the Assassins Creed series, Assassins Creed Revelations, on November 15 2011. It is an action packed third person adventure game with a brilliant plot and a background story.

The game will follow the series' standard open-world gameplay. New gameplay additions include an item called the hookblade, which can be used to zipline across the city or grab enemies to yank them in for a combo attack. The hookblade reportedly speeds up navigation by around 30 percent. Along with the hookblade, Ezio will also have 300 different bomb variations at his disposal, which will be craftable.
Multiplayer gameplay is also making a return in Revelations. The mode expands the basics of online modes from Brotherhood with new characters and locations. Players will be able to customize their characters' appearance and weapons, as well as start a guild and create its unique coat of arms. Matchmaking and game interface will be improved. Ubisoft says that while the component is returning, they're putting greater focus towards the narrative, as it's the heart of the franchise. As players level up in the game, they will move up in their Abstergo Templar rank and gain access to more information about the company. New multiplayer modes will be added to the already existing modes, including "story-oriented quests". Some multiplayer maps will be based in the island of Rhodes
Both Assassins Creed 1 and 2 were top hits. But the only problem of these games were less freedom in gameplay. The two games were concentrated on the storyboard of the entire series. So Ubisoft solves the problem with the release of Assassins Creed Brotherhood, which concentrates less on the main storyboard and more on freedom while in gameplay.

In Brotherhood you can buy shops, do many side missions, accompany co-assassins, call horses from wherever you are and u have a great variety of missions. In this game you can where a variety types of clothes, capes, weapons, armor, etc
Anyway you have a terrific twist climax in the main storyboard of the whole series in this one.
In addition to Ezio's award-winning story, the acclaimed online multiplayer experience from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood returns, refined and expanded, with more modes, more maps and more characters that allow players to test their assassin skills against others from around the world. The latest chapter in the Assassin's Creed saga also includes revolutionary gameplay, allowing players to manipulate the construct of Desmond's memories and the Animus to decipher the mysteries of his past and gain insight into the future.
Ubisoft is keeping the fans sit to the brink with its twisting and thrilling background story. More than the extraordinary fighting moves and techniques, fans are eagerly waiting for the continuation of the thrilling story of Desmond Miles.

To know more about Desmond and the thrilling story of the series, watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mYlPTYkvGw&feature=player_detailpage

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Afrad_M_Basheer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6393958

Alienware vs Rockdirect vs Dell : Finding the Best Gaming Laptop

So you want to buy a gaming laptop.

But not just any old gaming laptop, you want to buy the best
gaming machine on the planet, the best gaming machine money can
buy -- the fastest, the most powerful, the ultimate kick-ass,
take no prisoners, meanest motherboard of all gaming laptops.

Well, there's some good news for you, things have really changed
in the laptop world. No doubt you are probably aware there have been
some major developments in laptop construction and technology
in the last year or so. Technology that puts the gaming laptop
on par or near par with its main rival, the desktop PC.

Recent changes in technology have really brought gaming laptops
into the spotlight with a whole list of new Technologies:
PCI Express, Sonoma Chipset, SLI, Hyper-Threading, Dual Graphics,
Better RAM, and now Dual Core gaming laptops. Gaming notebooks are
just now entering the specs and performance arena which was exclusively
reserved for the bulky yet much more powerful desktop PC.

Just in case you have had your head buried in term papers and study
sheets lately -- hey, it happens! Here's a brief rundown of these
new technologies that will give you the fastest gaming laptop:

Graphics Cards: these are the real heart of any gaming machine. They
are getting faster and more powerful. We also see the use of dual
graphics cards and better transfer of data with new pipelines
and buses.

PCI Express: is a new standard for expansion cards that comes in
different versions. Presently, we have the x16 and x1 lanes, they
offer increased bandwidth. For example, x1 lane offers 500MB/sec
instead of just 133MB/sec for PCI.

NVIDIA SLI: SLI stands for Scalable Link Interface, technology
that lets you use a couple of GeForce 6800 graphics cards together
with PCI Express X16. Basically, SLI will speed up graphics on a single
monitor by deploying two graphics cards. It also lets you combine
4 GPUs in one system for the fastest graphics yet.

An alternative system would be ATI's CrossFire which
is a SLI-like configuration using 'Master' and 'Slave'
cards to combine two Radeon GPUs for improved and faster
graphics.

Hyper-Threading: Gives processors better performance
especially when combined with dual-core processors,
capable of handling four software threads which will put
a smile on any gamer's face.

Better RAM: DDR3 SDRAM (Double Data Rate Three Synchronous
Dynamic Random Access Memory) this new DDR memory standard
will use 40% less power and run at speeds up to 800 MHz.
Don't confuse this with GDDR3 (in Graphics Cards) which is
a totally different technology.

Dual Core: just as the name says, you put two CPUs into
a laptop for more power and faster computing. Rockdirect's
Xtreme 64 was one of the world's first dual core notebooks to
hit the market.

Also be on the lookout for Intel's Dual Core Notebook
Chip dubbed Yonah, it will be somewhat different in that
this notebook chip will not only have two cores but these
cores will share a 2MB cache which will greatly boost performance.

In most cases, keeping ahead of all these developments and
improvements can be a pleasurable chore for most gamers but
it can sure eat into your gaming time. And as the notebook
technology evolves, the gaming laptop will get even more smaller
and more powerful, offering a real alternative to the gaming
desktop PC even for the most die-hard Power Junkies.

Serious gamers will also know laptop or notebook gaming technology
is constantly evolving and mutating. Therefore, most gamers will
only purchase a fully upgradeable open architecture notebook, they
look for a laptop design which can be easily upgraded with the newest
and latest technology, if at all possible.

Despite this option, as laptop gaming technology steadily improves,
gamers are still left with the choice of which gaming system to buy.
Just in case you have be hibernating for last five years -- hey, it
happens. Here's a quick rundown of the different systems on the market
...Voodoo, Alienware, Mayhem, Vigor, Sager, ASUS, Rockdirect,
M-Tech, Dell...

Despite the fancy lapels, serious gamers know that most laptops are
made by the same two or three companies in Taiwan! The same components
and mainframes are assembled under different brand names and marketed
to the public.

Not to get too cynical, but sometimes it's the laptop with
the better paint job or the better advertising that will
win your purchasing dollar. Not that savvy gamers are easily
fooled, perish the thought, but packaging may rule the day,
performance may be the same or negligible in gaming
machines with basically all the same components and specs.

Regardless of this sober reality, gamers are still left with the
choice of which gaming manufacturer has tweaked these components
into the best gaming laptop on the market. There are numerous gaming
specialists that make high quality machines well worth your
consideration but because of limited space here we will only examine
three major gaming manufacturers, sometimes for entirely different reasons.

These three are Alienware, Rockdirect and Dell. All produce serious
contenders for the ultimate gaming laptop. Here's a brief rundown on
all three makers and their gaming laptops which may be of some help
to anyone looking to purchase a high-end gaming monster.

Alienware Laptops

First, we will start with the most distinctive looking gaming
laptops on the market. Those coming from Alienware, a company
founded by two avid gamers, Nelson Gonzalez and Alex Aguila, in
1996. It has become one of the leading producers of revolutionary
gaming PCs and Notebooks. It has also won raves and rewards from such
top industry publications as CNET, PC Gamer, Computer Games and
many more.

Their flagship model is the Area-51m 7700. This scary monster
can be outfitted with an Intel Pentium 4 Processor with
Hyper-Threading Technology - (2.8GHz - 3.8GHz, 800MHz FSB,
1MB Cache, Socket 775) Intel 915P + ICH6 chipset with NVIDIA
GeForce GO 6800 ULTRA with 256MB DDR3. It has a 17 inch WideUXGA
1920x1200 LCD Display and 4 dedicated SO-DIMM slots for
Dual-Channel DDR2 Memory. Warranties can be purchased for up
to 4 years.

The Alienware Area-51m 7700's base price starts at around
$2000 but if you want to max out this system, be prepared
to double that amount. High price for high performance.
Runs quiet and cool. This one is dressed to kill.

Rockdirect Laptops

Next, we go across the pond, for a company that produces some
high priced yet powerful gaming machines. Rockdirect gaming notebooks
are another group of machines that many gamers should consider.
Rockdirect, formerly known as Rock, is a British company that's
on the cutting edge of notebook technology. They have had a long
history of making high quality laptops for business and gaming.
Rockdirect laptops are expensive, there's no way to get around
that fact.

Rockdirect's Xtreme 64 is one of the world's first dual core
notebooks using AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ processors and twin
100GB 7,200RPM hard drives. With NVIDIAGeForce Go 7800 GTX
graphics and a 17 inch WSXGA+ (1680x1050) display with X-Glass
for better viewing. Around 2,300 pounds or $4,000 USD.
Three Year Collect and Return Warranty.

Dell Laptops

Hey dude, this can't be a DEll?

Dell with the introduction of its XPS second generation gaming
laptops has to be considered by the serious gamer. Don't laugh!
With the introduction of the XPS Gen2 laptops, Dell entered the
gaming market for real. A lot of people stood up and took notice.

Even more people stood up when Dell introduced the XPS Renegade 600
desktop gaming system with 4 NVIDIA 7800GTX GPUs at the
CES this year. Now that's putting SLI to some good use!

Dell's top Notebook Model is the XPS M170 powered by
Intel Pentium M Processor 780 (2.26 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB)
and 2GB1 Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz 2 Dimm Memory on
a 100GB 7200rpm Hard Drive. It uses 256MB NVIDIA GeForce
Go 7800 GTX and has a 17 inch UltraSharp Wide Screen UXGA
Display. Priced at around $3,896 with a two year warranty
and longer warranties may be purchased.

Show me the Facts!

Anyone can pick a top gaming notebook and say its the fastest
in the world. However, you have to prove it or back it up.
That's where benchmark testing enters the picture, these are
standard tests that rate the performance level of your
gaming laptop. Hey, tests are good for something!

One good site that has performed a whole slue of tests on
the gaming laptops mentioned above is http://www.hexus.net.
You can see the different Benchmark tests here:
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=4188

Testing for memory bandwidth and latency, picfast,
cryptography, raytracing, realistic render, encoding and
so on. The dual core Rock XTreme 64 showed impressive
numbers, even beating out an Athlon 4000+ Desktop in
many areas.

WildCard Entry: M-TECH!

There's another laptop maker many novice gamers don't consider
when buying their ultimate gaming machine. It may not be as
well known as the ones above but the real wildcard entry is
M-TECH. This is basically the American equivalent of Rockdirect,
although the companies are in no way connected. They just have a
similar philosophy of working with and using cutting-edge technology
and firms to produce some superior gaming machines.

M-TECH, a Michigan company, started in 1995 and has close
strategic partnerships with Tech firms in Silicon Valley. It
is favorably reviewed by many industry magazines such as
Laptops, Mobile Computing, CNET, PC TODAY and others.

M-TECH produces some powerful low priced (relatively speaking)
gaming laptops such as the D900K and the D900T:

You can configure your D900T with two 100GB (7200RPM) SATA HDD
Hard Drives with Pentium 4 3.8GHz 2MB L2Cache with a RAID setup.
With Nvidia GeForce Go 7800 GTX w/256MB DDR3 and a 17 inch TFT WSXGA+
Glassview LCD display for around $3500 USD. One year warranty,
longer warranties may be purchased.

When buying your laptop, keep in mind, just because a gaming
laptop has a lot of style doesn't mean it has sacrificed performance.
It is not a matter of style over substance, it just means
you have to pay highly for all that style/advertising/packaging.
If you can afford it, go for a higher priced gaming laptop.
People buy Ferraries don't they? There's no accounting for how
people spend their money, if you want one of these dual core
laptops from Rockdirect and you can take a little bit of heat
and noise with your games, go for a Rockdirect Xtreme 64 or
the older Xtreme Ti.

If you want a dressed to kill Alienware laptop, go for the
Area-51m 7700. If you're on a budget, look closely at the Dell
XPS M170 or the other XPS systems and watch for special Dell
coupons and discounts. Dell is known for giving some great
discounts so keep your eyes peeled. And if you really want to
go against the mainstream, why not check out M-TECH. Especially
the M-TECH D900K or the D900T, ultimate performance at a good price.

No matter which gaming system you go with, try to pick one
that has a fully upgradeable open architecture structure so
you can easily upgrade when the time comes. Keep in mind,
laptop technology is changing so fast by the time your
dream machine is configured, it is probably already out of date.
Sobering thought but more true than any of us would like to
believe.

Finding the fastest gaming laptop may be an on-going process
of outfitting your dream machine with the latest technologies
and hardware as they come on stream. Hey, nobody said life would
be simple.

Just wondering how you can fit Quad SLI with 4 GPUs
into a laptop. Hey, it can happen and probably will!

For more on the best gaming laptops click here: Gaming Laptops. For information on upgrading your gaming laptop click here:Laptop Memory Upgrade. Titus Hoskins Copyright © 2006. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Titus_Hoskins