20 Video Games That Will Make 2013 An Awesome Year For Gamers

12. Bioshock Infinite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLHW78X1XeE While Bioshock 2 was the official sequel to the seminal 2007 game Bioshock, Bioshock Infinite should be considered the proper successor to the game, and the reason for this is the developer, Irrational Games. Irrational Games was not directly involved in the development of Bioshock 2, and Bioshock Infinite marks their return to the helm of the franchise. Like Metal Gear Rising, Bioshock Infinite has had a long, sometimes turbulent development history. Making its first appearance with a show-stealing demo at E3 2011, the game seemed to drop off the radar for over a year as Irrational Games dealt with the comings and goings of some key personnel, but now with the game slated to release in March, the hype around the industry and fans has started to build once again, as Bioshock Infinite looks like it could be a game changer. Why it will be awesome: Gamers have been swooning over every piece of information they could get regarding Bioshock Infinite over the years - the spectacular city in the clouds known as Columbia, the enemy soldiers that resemble America's founding fathers, the mysterious girl Elizabeth, swarms of birds being summoned by the protagonist upon his enemies - all these things do truly look amazing. But what is perhaps most intriguing are the themes about American life, and humanity in general, that the game looks eager to explore. The original Bioshock's premise of an underwater utopia turned dystopian nightmare was hard-hitting and thought-provoking. With 6 years separating the two games, 6 years that also happened to be quite turbulent in the real world, it's exciting to ponder what sorts of things Bioshock Infinite will have to say. Video games have reached a point over the last few years where they are showing the potential to become powerful, important works of art and social commentary in our global society, and Bioshock Infinite looks like it could very well be a key moment for the medium in this regard. Of all the incredible games coming out next year, perhaps none have more potential to rock the world of gaming to its core than Bioshock Infinite.