Barring any surprise arrivals, there are only a handful of games that I’m looking forward to in 2013. The past year has been more of a game of catch-up with some older titles that passed me by. It’s been something of a relief, to be honest, and the lull will probably extend well into the New Year. Here are the five games I’m looking forward to most in 2013.

SimCity (March 8^th)

There really are no finer representations of the simulation genre than the SimCity games. The latest instalment in the series looks to continue this tradition. What I’ve seen so far makes me very excited, with unparalleled levels of customisation and design. While I worry that it might pull a Sims 3 and not quite measure up to its predecessors (despite all the apparent improvements), I’m reserving judgement until I get to play it in person. It’s just a matter of whether or not the game will be as good as it looks.

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (March 12^th)

When Wings of Liberty came out, it was everything I had been waiting for in a RTS. It had the established lore that I was desperate to get back into, the gameplay that was familiar but fresh and the potential to become my new favourite strategy title. Not since Emperor: Battle for Dune have I had so much fun. I came to the original StarCraft a little too late for it to be as enjoyable as it was in its prime, but its sequel arrive in a generation of technology that allowed it to achieve so much more. Heart of the Swarm is set to follow in its predecessor’s footsteps and keep improving on Blizzard’s formula, which can only mean good things.

BioShock Infinite (March 26^th)

I still remember the first time I played the BioShock demo on my 360. It was the first game where I couldn’t tell where the cut-scene stopped and the game began. I watched the screen as I floated there in the water, waiting for a good few seconds until I tried moving. From that point onward, right up until the final moments, BioShock was one of the most immersive and moving titles I had ever played. While its sequel disappointed in some regards, it was only because it was a great game trying to live up to a legendary one. With a completely different setting, some interesting characters and astounding graphics, I think that Infinite may well just surpass the original in terms of sheer brilliance.

Beyond: Two Souls (May 25^th)

Quantic Dream have already created a masterpiece in the form of Heavy Rain, which was one of the games I bought a PS3 specifically to play. When I heard that they were developing a new title, it was amazing. When I saw the trailer, I believe my exact words were “Is that Ellen Page? That is Ellen Page. Where do I post my wallet?” The studio are keeping things suitably cryptic, but what I’ve seen and heard so far is enough to keep me staring at my calendar trying to will the days to go past faster. Critics may lambast certain aspects of Quantic’s previous games (Press X to Jason!), but Ellen Page, people. Ellen Page!

Watch Dogs (TBA 2013)

Clearly not satisfied with the rampant success of the Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry series’, Ubisoft have apparently decided to pull out all the stops and make what is certainly my most anticipated game of 2013. Everything I saw in the E3 2012 trailer was like gaming nectar; a level of interactivity and intricacy rarely witnessed in open-world titles combined with what must be some of the best graphics we’ve seen on any console. The small amount of gameplay I saw was enough to ensure this game a place on my list of pre-orders; I can only hope that we see more of this potential genre-defining title sooner rather than later.