IN PICS: 16 Hottest new games of 2013

If 2012 turned out to be a gamer's dream, the New Year should be even better. Along with the annual releases of popular franchises, such as FIFA and F1, it will also see fresh instalments of BioShock, Crysis, Dead Space, Devil May Cry, God of War, Grand Theft Auto and Tomb Raider, besides some new titles

Anarchy Reigns

The latest game in the Jack Cayman series was released in Japan in July. Finally, the rest of the world will experience the close combat game in the open universe as either a human or a cyborg. Among the new characters is one called Durga, a cyborg bounty hunter who uses martial arts and the Revolver Cannon on his robotic leg. The game is scheduled to release for PS3/Xbox on January 11.

DMC Devil May Cry

Follow Dante as he deals with the monstrosities in Limbo City, an alternate universe in the series. Follow his perilous journey as he battles demons in this controversial reboot. The hack n' slash beat 'em up is scheduled to release on January 13 for PS3/Xbox and for the PC in another 10 days

Hitman: HD Trilogy

If you're a console gamer who can't get enough of Agent 47 in Hitman: Absolution, here's your chance to experience the assassin's history. The game comprises high-definition (HD) versions of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts and Hitman: Blood Money. The game is scheduled to release for PS3/Xbox on February 1.

Dead Space 3

The third instalment of the game takes place on frozen planet Tau Volantis with Isaac Clarke and Sergeant John Carver trying to stop the Necromorph scourge, this time for good. For the first time, the player will be able to roll and take cover in the third-person shooter. The game is scheduled to release for PS3/Xbox/PC on February 8.

Aliens: Colonial Marines

Any fan of the Aliens franchise can miss the game at his/her own risk. The sci-fi first-person shooter (FPS) is placed right after the events of Aliens 3, directed by James Cameron. You can play as Corporal Christopher Winter and you get access to all the iconic weapons from the film -- smartguns, pulse rifle or even the flamethrower. It is scheduled to release for consoles and PC on February 12.

Crysis 3

The third instalment of the franchise takes place 24 years after the time of Crysis 2. You play the FPS as Prophet and return to New York to find that it has been encased in a giant Nanodome created by the corrupt Cell Corporation. Within the dome is an urban rainforest, with seven treacherous environments -- known as the Seven Wonders. The game will be available for PS3/Xbox/PC on February 22

Tomb Raider

Every male gamer's fantasy woman character returns in this reboot. The game explores the origin of Lara Croft from a frightened young woman to the hardened 'tomb raider'. The reboot begins with Lara being shipwrecked on a tropical island where she has to kill or be killed. The action takes place in an open world action-adventure role-playing game (RPG) and will be available on PS3/Xbox/PC on March 5.

Simcity

The sixth major release of the popular simulation is a reboot and will feature the new GlassBox engine, which means more realistic graphics. Besides this, the game has a multiplayer mode but players will have access to finite resources. The game will require players to be permanently connected to EA servers, a challenge for those who have erratic internet service.The game releases for PC and Mac on March 8

God of War: Ascension

The seventh instalment of this PlayStaion exclusive franchise, which is loosely based on Greek mythology, is a prequel to the entire series and the first to feature multiplayer gaming. Playing as Kratos, the third person hack n' slash action-adventure will have vengeance as its central theme -- the protagonist's attempt to defeat the three Furies and sever ties with God of War Ares. Available on PS3 on March 13.

Bioshock Infinite

The third instalment of the popular FPS takes place in the floating city of Columbia, while the previous two games were set in the underwater city of Rapture. Set in 1912 during the American Exceptionalism era, one plays as Booker DeWitt, a disgraced former agent of the Pinkerton detective agency, sent to the city to rescue Elizabeth, who has special powers. He rescues her and they team up to make their way through the city. The game will be available for PS3/Xbox and PC on March 26

Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel

The third game in the popular console franchise takes place on the streets of Mexico where operatives Alpha and Bravo, of the Tactical Worldwide Operations, battle a drug cartel called La Guadana, Spanish for "the Scythe". The third person shooter runs on the Frostbite 2 engine and is expected to release for PS3/Xbox on March 29

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3

The fighting game will offer as many as 72 playable characters, the maximum options in the series. Also on offer will be the hack n' slash mode as well as an "Awakening Mode" -- enhanced abilities available when a player's health is low -- which can be used only once anytime in the game. The game will be available on PS3/Xbox on March 31.

Gears of War: Judgement

The fourth title in the Xbox-exclusive series will feature two new multiplayer modes as well a new game mode called "Extraction". Some characters of the popular franchise, such as Kilo Squad leader Lt Damon Baird and Pvt Augustus Cole, feature in the third person shooter, scheduled to be released in the US in March, though there's no word on the India release yet.

Metro: Last Light

The sequel to Metro 2033 will as usual feature a combination of FPS and horror elements. Set in post-apocalyptic Moscow, in the year 2034, the action takes place in the tunnels of the Metro. And among the human survivors, a civil war is brewing. The action-oriented game is scheduled to release on PS3/Xbox/PC in March.

Grand Theft Auto V

Possibly the most awaited game of 2013, the 15th title in the series is poised to be developer Rockstar's biggest open world game to date. For the first time in the series, the game will feature three playable protagonists -- Michael, Trevor and Franklin -- and their interconnected stories. As usual, the action takes place in Los Santos in the state of San Andreas. GTA V is set to release for PS3/Xbox in the second quarter of 2013.

Company of Heroes 2

The sequel to the 2006 PC game will be set during WW-II, but its focus will be the Eastern Front. Featuring the Soviet Red Army, players can relive events such as Operation Barbarossa and the Battle of Berlin. The real time strategy (RTS) is set to release for PCs in March.