With 2011 behind us, a new year in gaming emerges. One thing to look forward to is the plethora of games that is set to arrive in 2012.

Let’s drop some dates:

• The Darkness 2 – February 7^th
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning – February 7^th
• UFC Undisputed 3 – February 14^th
• Twisted Metal – February 14^th
• Silent Hill: Downpour – March 13^rd
• Borderlands 2 – June 30^th
• Spec Ops: The Line – Estimated for Spring
• Prey 2 – Estimated for Summer 2012
• Darksiders 2 – Estimated for June 

Now, that out of the way, here’s the 5 games you should keep an eye on this year:

• “Max Payne 3” – March 15^th – Max returns and is once again surrounded by thugs who continually want to jump in front of his bullets. “Max Payne 3” will feature the series signature style with the return of bullet time, which allows Max to slow down time to ensure that his bullets arrive safely into the bodies of his enemies. With a dark story and ultra violence, “Max Payne” fans will have something to cheer for when it arrives in March.  
• “The Last of Us” – Estimated for November – While little is known about this game, one thing is for sure. It will blow your face off. With Naughty Dog behind the reins, gamers can expect to see amazing graphics, believable characters and an immersive story. While not exactly a zombie game, it is sure to be one of the best “something infecting normal people” games out in 2012.
• “Halo 4” – Estimated for November – When we last saw Master Chief, he was in an interesting position to say the least. With Halo 4, we will be seeing his return as he fights more aliens. With Bungie gone and 343 Industries at the helm, it will be interesting to see where they take the series and what innovations they can bring. Either way, it will be awesome to reacquaint ourselves with an old friend by killing unknown aliens this November.
• “The Last Guardian” – Estimated for 2012 – Still not a lot is known about “The Last Guardian” but that hasn’t stopped gamers from being any less excited for the final entry in the Team Ico trilogy. The game features a boy that befriends a giant creature as both try to escape armed guards. Given Team Ico’s track record, “The Last Guardian” is sure to be an amazing game that will have a story that will match, and maybe even surpass, the magic and mystery of “ICO” and “Shadow of the Colossus”.
• “DmC: Devil May Cry” – Estimated for 2012 – Ninja Theory tries to shake things up with a veteran series featuring a new character design. In “DmC”, Dante may have a new look but the gameplay seems to have remained the same. Furious action and crazy combos return in a very “Crow”-inspired version of the “DmC”. With Ninja Theory tackling the series, the game is sure to have a great story that’ll have you slicing your way to the end.

This is just a glimpse of the year to come and I still haven’t even mentioned “DOTA 2”, “Diablo 3”, “Mass Effect 3” and many others. With a 2012 line up like this, it looks like gamers are going to have another year to look forward to.