Being the constant ray of sunshine I am, I have big hopes for 2012 being better than last year’s hastily made, disappointing crap that passed for “blockbuster” titles. From me to you, here is a painstaking list of the only games you need to worry about.

As new information is released on the games listed, we will update it periodically. Watch our Twitter and Facebook pages for alerts, updates, and other goodies.

Note: For all you Nintendo fanboys out there, I’ve omitted the Wii, DS, and Wii U versions of the games that have them. They’re so different they might as well be a separate game. Add that to the fact that I don’t count the Wii as an actual gaming platform worthy of respect or recognition of any kind, and you’ll see my reasoning behind the decision.

Syndicate

Developer: Starbreeze Studios
Publisher: EA
Genre: FPS
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release Date: February 21st

Syndicate is a reboot of the original franchise that started in 1993 as an isometric, squad-based tactical game. It’s being resurrected as a first-person shooter, which brings back hopeful memories of the shift from Fallout 2 to the highly successful Fallout 3.

Set in a dystopian, cyberpunk future where corporations fight for control of the populus through neural implants, the term “hostile takeover” has become quite literal. To protect their assets and steal others, corporations all have Agents, bio-engineered, chip-augmented killing machines. You play as Miles Kilo, the newest Agent of EuroCorp.

While Syndicate won’t have competitive multiplayer, it does have a fun four player co-op mode you can play with friends, (Or mix it up a little and play with people you hate). The Co-op demo is available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace and Playstation Network, but PC people will have to wait until the game comes out.

Mass Effect 3

Developer: Bioware
Publisher: EA
Genre: Action RPG
Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release Date: March 6th

Words CANNOT EXPRESS how EXCITED I am for this game. I’ve been a hardcore fan of Bioware since Knights of The Old Republic came out on the orginal Xbox, and I can’t wait to see how they outdo themselves this time.

If you haven’t heard of Mass Effect until now, first off, quit living under a rock, and second, go buy Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. I’m not going to go into detail about the previous game’s plotline, but in ME3, Earth is attacked by the Reapers, a race of giant, super-intelligent machines that want nothing more than the complete destruction of all organic life in the galaxy. It’s up to you, as Commander Shepard, to gather your team, and finish the fight once and for all.

Suprisingly, ME3 will have a four player co-op mode, which has been likened to Horde Mode from Gears of War. Completing the co-op missions will give the player a better chance to attain a “perfect” ending.

This game is a MUST-BUY. No questions asked. If you consider yourself a gamer, and don’t buy this game, you will bring shame to your house and kin. You have been warned.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

Developer: Ubisoft Paris/ Ubisoft Red Storm
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre:  Third-Person Tactical Shooter
Platform(s):  Xbox 360, PS3, PC(TBA)
Release Date: May 22

Ghost Recon is another one of my favorite franchises, and all you have to do is watch the trailer to figure out why.  Turning invisible!? Wait… IS THAT A ROBOT!??  Yes, yes it is.

Ghost Recon was modern warfare before Modern Warfare, and has always been superior to games like Battlefield and Call of Duty with it’s intensity.  I remember playing Ghost Recon split-screen with friends, and always being the first guy to take a bullet.  The series has always managed to merge realistic combat with futuristic weaponry, and Future Soldier is no different.  It’s bringing a host of new features and tech to play with. Among them, invisibility and gun toting robots.

Invisible robots with minguns aside, the feature I’m most excited for is Gunsmith, which give you the ability to customize your gun right down to the gas systems. (See a trailer of Gunsmith Here).  With over two million different combinations,  Gunsmith alone will keep people entertained for hours on end to find that perfect gun.

Look for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier to hit shelves May 22.