2011 was a spectacular year for PC gaming, to say the least. There were events like the long-awaited “Battlefield 3” released to critical acclaim and we saw a few more MMOs hit the market, such as “Rift” and “DC Universe Online”.

However, 2012 is looking like it’ll be even better.

With so many games coming out on the PC this year, it’s a fantastic time to be a member of what’s often called “the glorious PC master race.”

Here are a few release dates for you to keep in mind:

• “Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning” – February 7^th.
• “The Darkness II” – February 7^th.
• “Syndicate” – February 21^st.
• “Max Payne 3” – March 29^th.
• “Total War: Shogun 2 – Fall of the Samurai” – March 23^rd.
• “Prototype 2” – April 24^th.
• “Tera Online” – May 1^st.
• “Bioshock Infinite” – August 1^st.
• “Borderlands 2” – June 30^th.
• “Hitman: Absolution” – Estimated for 2012.
• “World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria” – Estimated for 2012.

That’s the overall list, but I’ve got a few games that I’m keeping especially close eye on.

If nothing else, you need to give these 5 games a look over:

• “Mass Effect 3” – March 6^th – Bioware is ensuring that the end of the “Mass Effect” trilogy goes out with one hell of a bang. The Reapers have finally arrived and turned Earth into a warzone the likes of which the galaxy has never seen. Can Shepard really save the galaxy with odds so stacked no only against him, but the entire human race? Let’s hope players have been forming the right alliances (or for Renegades, empowering the right people); the galaxy is going to need all the help it can get. Though, I’m sure the new melee combat system and the return of grenades will help Shepard blast a path to success.
• “Planetside 2” – Estimated release for 2012 – The sequel to the cult classic “Planetside”, SOE is pulling out all the stops to make this MMOFPS a colossal success. The 400-man battles of the previous game are likely going to be dwarfed in scale by the newer iteration, and a slew of newly redesigned weaponry and vehicles ensure players of the first game won’t feel like this is just a paint job for the original. Tack on a gorgeous graphics engine and plans to allow players to eventually claim and develop every square inch of land and we might have the grittiest, most chaotic masterpiece of first-person warfare ever seen in video gaming on our hands. With beta testing slated to begin shortly, the release might be closer than you’d think.
• “Guild Wars 2” – Estimated for 2012 – On the fantasy-MMORPG side of things, Arenanet’s sequel to “Guild Wars” is shaping up to be one of the best, if not the king of, MMOs ever released. Honestly, I’ve been tracking this game since it was first announced and I’ve yet to hear or see a single detail that doesn’t seem brilliant to me. Dynamically-scaling, seemless, open-world PVE encounters? They’ve got it. The ability to create your own servers/custom games for PVP? In there too. Removal of the so-called “holy trinity” in order to allow players to no longer be forced to group with certain people or classes, but rather whomever they like? That’s in there too. Or, hell, don’t even bother joining a group: “tagging” of mobs doesn’t exist, so there’s no need. With the beta having begun and incredibly well-polished play sessions at gaming conventions throughout 2011, the long-awaited “Guild Wars 2” may finally be arriving. Be sure to check the link above for a plethora of information about the game.
• “Diablo 3” – Estimated for 2012 – Blizzard Entertainment’s long-awaited sequel to the “Diablo” franchise looks fantastic, to say the least. Having gotten a chance to play Demon Hunter at Blizzcon 2010, the game was every bit as fun as the previous iterations. Yet another demon needs to bite the bullet (or rather, arrow), and players will make sure the job gets done. Of course, not after a glorious amount of dungeon-crawling and loot-gathering. Beta testing has been going on for a few months now, so here’s hoping we get a release sooner rather than later.
• “Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm” – Estimated for 2012 – Another Blizzard Entertainment game, the first sequel/expansion to the critically-acclaimed “Starcraft 2” may make an appearance this year. Blizzard unveiled a good deal of gameplay at Blizconn 2011, revealing a slew of new units for each race to mix up the multiplayer, along with the return of Kerrigan and her story of taking control of the Zerg after the events of “Starcraft 2”. “Heart of the Swarm” is sure to help the ever-growing eSports and “Barcraft” scene continue to grow. I just hope the singleplayer isn’t as disappointed as the in “Starcraft 2.”

There you have it folks! Be sure to keep an eye on my posts for more exciting information, along with the rest of the guys here at “Aztec Gaming.”