We’re only three months into the year and already there have been some fantastic games. March looks set to continue that trend with some big new releases, including one game that has me more excited than any of the upcoming year…
Pokkén Tournament
The moment is finally here, the day myself and millions of others have waited for… the day you can not only battle with Pokémon but battle as them too! Released last year in Japanese arcades and developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment (developers of the Tekken series), Pokkén Tournament takes the fundamentals of Tekken fighting and uses them to bring each Pokémon’s unique move set to life. Pokkén Tournament was also designed to be accessible to everyone and as such was designed from the beginning to be used with a gamepad instead of an arcade stick, so no matter what your fighting skill is, you’ll still be able to enjoy the game. (Due March 18th for Wii-U)
Tom Clancy’s The Division
If there’s one thing that’s a constant in life, it’s that every year without fail, there will be at least one Tom Clancy game. 2016 is no exception, with the release of the long-awaited The Division, a game which looks to combine third-person shooting with open world RPG elements. Set in a world where an outbreak of smallpox has all but destroyed the U.S government system, you take the role of The Division, and your goal is to stop the all out collapse of the society. Over 6.4 million people were recorded playing the online beta, so there’s definitely interest in this one. (Due March 8th for PS4, Xbox One and PC)
Hitman
2012’s Hitman: Absolution was a great game in its own right, but it lacked the kind of open thinking that past Hitman games had offered, instead giving a more story-centric and linear game. The newest entry in the series looks like a return to form with a much bigger emphasis on killing your target in whichever way you feel possible, with a massive multitude of options and what appears to be a much more complex living world. The game will be released episodically, with the prologue missions and the Paris location coming first, and a new piece of content being released monthly thereafter. Whether this keeps people’s interest or lets the game become a forgotten purchase remains to be seen. (Due March 11th for PS4, Xbox One and PC)
Trackmania Turbo
Trackmania has a long-standing tradition of being the most ridiculously fun over-the-top excite-fest, and this year’s entry looks no different. Inspired by 90’s arcade racers and looking to recapture the Trackmania feeling of the early 2000’s, this could easily be one of the most fun games of the year. Add to that the massive amounts of track creation and the longevity of the game is almost never ending, allowing you to scratch your need for racing insanity over and over. (Due March 25th for PS4 and Xbox One)
UFC 2
Games based around UFC are always fun as long as they have the right feeling of weight behind punches, and UFC 2 seems to have that covered, with punch physics that look like they could knock a man’s head off! Add to that the improved graphics and the more accessible gameplay over the original UFC game, and UFC 2 is definitely a contender… Just don’t mention the recent loss of the cover stars. (Due March 17th for PS4 and Xbox One)
Honourable Mention – Insomnia57 at the Birmingham NEC
The UKs biggest gaming event is again in Birmingham between 25th-28th March, so if you’re a fan of gaming, want to fight in some tournaments and are in the Birmingham area, then this could be for you!
Author – Hal, Plymouth store
