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

4. Dragon's Crown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym6VMkTV2-A Dragon's Crown was first announced back in 2011, but now with publishing duties having been handed over to Atlus, the game is on track for a 2013 release. A side-scrolling co-op action RPG, Dragon's Crown is being made by Vanillaware, the makers of the underplayed gems Odin Sphere (PS2) and Muramasa: The Demon Blade (Wii). Why it will be awesome: Vanillaware has been quietly making some of the prettiest, most enjoyable action RPG experiences to be found on consoles over the last 5 years. The art style in games like Odin Sphere and Muramasa is colorful and vibrant, retaining a hand-drawn look heavily influenced by Japanese art. The game environments are drawn in a way that gives the impression that they are 3D environments, even though the games are 2D sidescrollers. Dragon's Crown, Vanillaware's first game in high definition, looks to retain the beautiful styling of their previous games, but this time having a stronger focus on action, which may be due to the incorporation of 4 player co-op into the proceedings. Personally, this is a game I've been eagerly following and anticipating since it was first announced, as it immediately brought to mind older, co-op fantasy action games from my youth like Golden Axe. The game's $29.99 price point, and cross play between PS3 and Vita, should sweeten the deal greatly.