Following quite the blockbuster year that was 2015 and all its triple-A goodness, 2016 is - somehow - looking to top it already. We've got the final instalment of Uncharted coming, Nintendo's next console apparently having a 'secret feature' that's never been done before, and a huge amount of titles padding out every month from here to Christmas. That said, the world of gaming is known for its surprises, and there's nothing gamers love more than another instalment in a particularly beloved franchise. Thing is, the more expensive the cost of producing video games becomes, the less likely high-profile publishers are going to greenlight something that's not a guaranteed hit. Hence the endless sequels for Call of Duty, FIFA/Madden and - until Ubisoft shot themselves in the foot with Unity - Assassin's Creed. The hotbed for creativity that was the late 90s and 2000s, where we saw developer's aspirations match perfectly with budgetary concerns, is long gone. Now, unless you're employing the services of Kickstarter to get your game off the ground, it's immensely hard to make a case that they're going to justify the initial cost - which is a crying shame as if marketed right, any of the following would still sell millions.
12. Bully 2
At some point, Rockstar need to address what an absolutely overwhelming success Bully was. Coming out of nowhere and being immediately labelled as one of the 'most offensive games of all time' by those who hadn't played it, 'Canis Canem Edit' (as it was called in the UK) courted overnight controversy through name alone. When it was released, what we actually got was a 'fish out of water' survival story starring one Jimmy Hopkins, following him interacting with all the other pupils of Bullworth Academy in the most hilarious way possible. The score was a brilliantly lighthearted affair that connoted Harry Potter setting off and trying to make a name for himself, and that was before the excellent script introduced you to everyone from the maniacal antagonist Gary, to cliques spanning nerds, jocks and many more. There were themed levels when the game's seasons hit Halloween and Christmas, Bullworth as a town actually opened up after a few hours, you were free to defend or terrorise the kids around you, and by exuding so much charm through every second, Rockstar truly outdid themselves. It's between this and Red Dead Redemption 2 when it comes to what Rockstar should do next. Cast your votes in the comments below!
