Dishonored: Awesomesauce +5, RPG/Adventure game from the people who made the thief games (all of which I loved) Deus Ex (another I loved) and Arx Fatalis (which had some great ideas boggled by low budget). Totally free form playing, with dozens of possible ways to complete missions. Magic that does interesting stuff not just hey fireball variant number 472!, Real stealth, and possibly the best ai potential ever. No lame ass triggered encounters (hey I stepped on a trigger point and 5 guys came outta the room I just tossed a dozen grenades in!), I've been wishing for Thief 4 forever, they finally heard me
Bioshock Infinite: loved both bioshock games, I have full faith in Irrational delivering another winner. Instead of underwater you're in a cloud city of sorts using ziplines for travel, RPG decisions that actually mean something not just gain good, or bad level crap that does nothing but change what you look like ( like EVERY bioware game lately).
Elder Scrolls V: Not totally set on this, especially after Oblivion, but from what I've read its moving in a good direction. More fluid combat, better skill gains, better looking and more diverse npcs. No word on if they'll stick with the lame world levels with you crap like in Oblivion (which made the best characters reverse min/maxed toons who never levelled).
Sants Row 3: Loved 1, loved 2 except for the crappy final boss battle with the helicoptor. I honestly can't see how anyone could pick GTA over Saints Row, driving is better in Saints, Shooting is better, vehicles are WAY better, side quests are better, weapons are better, the women are better looking, and the world itself is prettier
Far Cry 3: loved 1, 2 was meh, 3 looks like a return to 1's coolness. Add in stealth, and rpg elements (weapon skills, maybe more) and I'll be picking this one up, Far Cry 1 was one of the first shooters I played that let you attack targets in different ways without forcing you into chokepoints and obvious sniper bait situations.
Rage: Ids new game, looks good, and from all I've read they're definately trying to make up for Doom 3's cheesy lameness (ie: triggered encounter from behind the whole fuggin game). Looks like destructible environments and environment traps and such you can use to dispatch enemies, plus openess in at least some levels instead of linear tunneling that I despise in shooters.
Tim~
