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Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
Release date: 2nd April, 2015
Genre: RPG
Developer: Monolith Software
Publisher: Nintendo
Rating: MA15+
Mode: Single
What is it?: Take up arms against an invading army in this remake of acclaimed RPG, Xenoblade Chronicles 3DS. Explore vast landscapes and beat down foes in battles that blend real time action with RPG strategy as you learn the truth behind the mythical sword, the Monado, that grants its chosen wielder the ability to see the future. Xenoblade Chronicles 3DS is available only on the New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL systems.
Features:
- Defeat enemies as the protagonist, Shulk, or five other characters on your adventure
- A blend of real-time combat and RPG strategy with the ability to customise the moves of your characters and chain combos.
- New and extensive control features thanks to the additional processing power and buttons on the New Nintendo 3DS systems.
- A new Model viewer to look over animated models of both enemies and allies.
- A new Jukebox feature to listen to the awesome riffs of the game's soundtrack.
Similar to: Xenoblade Chronicles, Final Fantasy XII
Platforms: New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL systems
Mortal Kombat X
Release date: 15th April, 2015
Genre: Fighting
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros
Rating: R18+
Mode: Single, Multi(Comp)
What is it?: Featuring a deep story mode that continues up to 25 years after the events of 2011's Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat X combines cinematic presentation with all new gameplay to deliver the most brutal combat experience in the series yet. For the first time ever, Mortal Kombat X gives players the ability to choose from multiple variations of the same character impacting both strategy and fighting style. And with a new fully-connected gameplay experience, players are launched into a persistent online contest where every fight matters in a global battle for supremacy.
Features:
- The return of classic characters such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden and Kano, as well as new characters such as Cassie Cage, Kotal Kahn and Ferra-Tor.
- Three different versions of each playable character, all of which have their own fighting style, special moves, abilities and strategies.
- The return of brutal X-ray and finishing moves.
Similar to: Injustice: Gods Among Us, Mortal Kombat series
Also worth noting:
- Pre-ordering Mortal Kombat X will also allow players to play as Goro.
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Release date: 19th May, 2015
Genre: RPG
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Rating: R18+
Mode: Single
What is it?: The climactic third game in the fantasy RPG series, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a unique combination of a non-linear story and an open world -- a character-driven, non-linear story experience focused on player choice, tactical combat and a rich, living environment. This world is populated with intelligent inhabitants and animated by new mechanics that make it a dynamic, living, breathing place. As players travel the world, witnessing many a sunrise or sunset, enduring torrential rains or sweltering heat, they see predators hunting their prey, villages defending themselves against monsters, lovers meeting by moonlight.
Features:
- Play as a Highly Trained Monster Slayer for Hire: Trained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength and reflexes, witchers are a distrusted counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live.
- Explore a Morally Indifferent Fantasy Open World: Built for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth and complexity.
- Chase Down the Child of Prophecy: Take on the most important contract to track down the child of prophecy, a key to save or destroy this world.
- Fully Realized Next Generation: Built exclusively for next generation hardware, the REDengine 3 renders the world of The Witcher visually nuanced and organic, a real true to life fantasy.
Similar to: Fable, Gothic
Also worth noting:
- 6 free DLC for everyone
- 36 different final gameworld states and three different playable epilogues
- A vast open world - 35 times larger than that in The Witcher 2 Multiple ecosystems and cultures that players can move between at will
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Splatoon
Release date: TBA May
Genre: TPS, Shooter
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo
Rating: CTC
Mode: Single, Multi(Comp)
What is it?: Splatter enemies and claim your turf as ink-spraying, squid-like Inklings in Nintendo's ultimate mess-fest! Challenge players online in chaotic 4-on-4 turf wars and unleash squid powers to ink your way to victory. May the best mess win.
Leave no territory clean! In these all-out, online turf wars, you'll need ink blasters, ink rollers, ink bombs and squid-power on your side! Every splat of ink you spray gives you a chance to transform into a squid and hide, climb walls, or travel at super speed. Rank up in online battles to unlock new weapons and fresh gear for your Inkling, complete with unique gameplay perks! Or earn your stripes in single player mode - where an evil octopus army has kidnapped the electric catfish used to power the city of Inkopolis! This underground adventure has octopi to splatter, ink puzzles to solve, and bosses to beat. No time to blink, prepare to ink!
Features:
- Multi-Player - Team up in fierce 4 vs. 4 online* battles to cover arenas with as much ink as possible.
- Transformations - Transform into a squid for new powers and abilities! Travel at super speed by swimming in your ink, lurk in your ink to surprise foes or climb up walls to access hard-to-reach areas.
- Upgrades - Upgrade your Inkling's style and firepower at the shopping mall, where you can get weapons, headgear, clothes and shoes.
- Unlocking - Unlock special perks with each piece of gear.
- Super Weapons - Unleash powered-up super weapons that can be used to attack rivals or cover more turf.
- Battle - Infiltrate the headquarters of an evil octopus army and recover the stolen electric catfish in a single-player adventure filled with tricky contraptions.
- The Ink Roller - Leave no territory clean these online turf wars! You'll need ink blasters, ink rollers, ink bombs and squid-power on your side!
- Solo Splatter - take on the evil octopus army in single-player mode. Splatter octopi solve ink puzzles, and beat bosses
- Fresh style - Customize your Inkling with different weapons and gear, complete with unique gameplay perks.
Also worth noting:
- 1080/60fps
Platforms: Wii U
Project Cars
Release date: TBA May
Genre: Racing
Developer: Slightly Mad Studios
Publisher: Slightly Mad Studios
Rating: G
Mode: Single, Multi(Comp)
What is it?: The most authentic, beautiful, intense, and technically-advanced racing game on the planet.
Create a driver, pick from a variety of motorsports, and shift into high gear to chase a number of Historic Goals and enter the Hall Of Fame. Then test your skills online either in competitive fully-loaded race weekends, leaderboard-based time challenges, or continually-updated community events.
Featuring world-class graphics and handling, a ground-breaking dynamic time of day & weather system, and deep tuning & pit stop functionality, Project CARS leaves the competition behind in the dust.
Features:
- CARS - With a huge range of cars and motorsports on offer - everything from road cars, US muscle, and supercars, to GT, Le Mans Prototypes, open wheel, and even karts; whatever your passion, there's something perfect for you - with more being added regularly!
- Bond With ULTIMATE VARIETY - Race on over 60 unique tracks including closed circuits and point-to-point locations at any time of day and in ever-changing weather conditions.
- ONLINE - Create your own public and private race weekends including full practice, qualifying, and warmup sessions or browse and search all games currently being played across the globe to find the perfect game with others of your skill level and preference
- COMMUNITY - Challenge your friends and the worldwide community in asynchronous Time Trial challenges with full downloadable ghost leaderboards, or compete in a regularly-updated season of special community events for real-world prizes.
Similar to: Gran Turismo, iRacing, Forza
Also worth noting:
- Runs at 60fps on both consoles.
- Funding for the game was raised by the community and the developers themselves.
- PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 were cancelled, Wii U version announced as coming.
- Oculus Rift virtual reality headset and Sony's PlayStation 4 virtual reality headset Project Morpheus will be supported
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited
Release date: 9th June, 2015
Genre: MMORPG
Developer: ZenimaxOnlineStudios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Rating: M
Mode: Single, Multi(Comp, Co-Op)
What is it?:
Features:
- UNLIMITED ADVENTURES, NO GAME SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED
- THE ELDER SCROLLS. ONLINE. - After 21 years of best-selling, award-winning fantasy role-playing games, the Elder Scrolls series goes online on consoles.
- PLAY THE WAY YOU LIKE - Battle, craft, fish, steal, siege, or explore. The choice is yours to make in a persistent Elder Scrolls world.
- A MULTIPLAYER RPG - Adventure alone, quest with friends, or join an army of hundreds in epic PVP battles.
- TELL YOUR OWN STORY - Discover the secrets of Tamriel as you quest to regain your lost soul and save the world from Oblivion.
Similar to: World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online.
Also worth noting:
- Monthly subscription to play the game has been removed, PC/MAC versions sub requirement was removed Mid-March.
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Batman: Arkham Knight
Release date: 24th June, 2015
Genre: Action, Adventure
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros
Rating: M
Mode: Single
What is it?: In the explosive finale to the Arkham series, Batman faces the ultimate threat against the city he is sworn to protect. The Scarecrow returns to unite an impressive roster of super villains, including Penguin, Two-Face and Harley Quinn, to destroy The Dark Knight forever. Batman: Arkham Knight introduces Rocksteady's uniquely designed version of the Batmobile, which is drivable for the first time in the franchise. The addition of this legendary vehicle, combined with the acclaimed gameplay of the Batman Arkham series, offers gamers the ultimate and complete Batman experience as they tear through the streets and soar across the skyline of the entirety of Gotham City. Be The Batman.
Features:
- "Be The Batman" - Players will become The World's Greatest Detective like never before with the introduction of the Batmobile and enhancements to signature features such as FreeFlow Combat, stealth, forensics and navigation.
- Introducing the Batmobile - The Batmobile is brought to life with a completely new and original design featuring a distinct visual appearance and a full range of on-board high-tech gadgetry. Designed to be fully drivable throughout the game world and capable of transformation from high speed pursuit mode to military grade battle mode, this legendary vehicle sits at the heart of the game's design and allows players to tear through the streets at incredible speeds in pursuit of Gotham City's most dangerous villains.
- The Epic Conclusion to Rocksteady's Arkham Trilogy - Batman: Arkham Knight brings all-out war to Gotham City. The hit-and-run skirmishes of Batman: Arkham Asylum, which escalated into the devastating conspiracy against the inmates in Batman: Arkham City, culminates in the ultimate showdown for the future of Gotham. At the mercy of Scarecrow, the fate of the city hangs in the balance as he is joined by the Arkham Knight, a completely new and original character in the Batman universe, as well as a huge roster of other infamous villains including Harley Quinn, The Penguin, Two-Face and the Riddler.
- Explore the entirety of Gotham City - For the first time, players have the opportunity to explore all of Gotham City in a completely open and free-roaming game world. More than five times that of Batman: Arkham City, Gotham City has been brought to life with the same level of intimate, hand-crafted attention to detail for which the Arkham games are known.
- New Combat and Gadget Features - Gamers have at their disposal more combat moves and high-tech gadgetry than ever before. The new 'gadgets while gliding' ability allows Batman to deploy gadgets such as batarangs, the grapnel gun or the line launcher mid-glide while Batman's utility belt is once again upgraded to include all new gadgets that expand his range of forensic investigation, stealth incursion and combat skills.
Similar to: Batman Arkham Series, Prototype
Also worth noting:
- Batman: Arkham Knight will be available on SteamOS, Linux and Mac later in 2015.
- Pre-Order to play as Harley Quinn
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Other Releases - April
Release date: 2015
- 2nd - Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin - PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
- 14th - Grand Theft Auto V - PC
- 22nd - Shovel Knight - PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita
- 29th - Tropico - PlayStation 4
- TBA - Mighty No. 9 - PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox 360, Xbox On
- TBA - Galactic Civilizations III - PC
Other Releases - May
Release date: 2015
- 6th - Wolfenstein: The Old Blood - PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- 13th - Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster - PlayStation 4
- 19th - Ride - PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
- 26th - Magicka 2 PC, PlayStation 4
Other Releases - June
Release date: 2015
- TBA - F1 2015 - PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- TBA - Lego: Jurassic World - PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox 360, Xbox One
- TBA - MotoGP 15 - PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One
- TBA - Payday 2: Crimewave Edition - PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Editors: I_live_4_fun, spectre51/WalrusKing
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. Witcher 3 and Tropico are the big ones on my radar, although I probably won't get either at launch (just because I'm slow, not because I don't think the games'll be awesome 
). That is, unless Hearts of Iron 4 comes out in June, in which case that'll be me taken care of for gaming until 2016 
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