Action, adventure and more

Ever since the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2015, commonly known as E3, was held at Los Angeles, gamers are waiting with bated breath for the plethora of video games releasing next year. With popular franchises coming with new installments, many new games have also garnered attention. Though the list is quite long, Kakoli Chakraborty takes a look at some of the most-awaited games of 2016, across all platforms:

Battleborn
After the Borderlands series' huge success, Gearbox is set to release the much-awaited Battleborn. Banking on the same formula as Borderlands', the co-op shooter, Battleborn aims to overshadow many successful gaming franchises. Expected to release in February 2016, the video game will be released for PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox One and PC. With their other projects not receiving the response they expected, Gearbox hopes to shed its 'one-hit wonder' tag with Battleborn.
 

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
The Deus Ex series has garnered fans since the first one came out in 2000. The year 2016 will see the new installment arrive after a long pause (Deus Ex: Human Revolution was released in 2011) - disregarding Deus Ex: Fall which was released for mobile platforms. The cyberpunk-themed action first-person role playing game marks the return of the protagonist Adam Jensen, with newer technology and body augmentations, and starts where Human Revolution left off. The game is scheduled to release in February across all platforms. Fans are hoping the Eidos Montreal and Square Enix collaboration will deliver a game as good as Human Revolution, if not better.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst
The original Mirror's Edge was an immediate hit and still enjoys a cult following. Catalyst is a reboot of the 2008 game which is scheduled to release in May. Developed by Electronic Arts and DICE, the first-person action-adventure game follows Faith Connors through the futuristic city of Glass. Similar to the original game, the player has to traverse through the city using parkour and complete missions, and evade enemies or knock them off of their feet.

Tom Clancy's The Division
Ubisoft's open-world third-person shooting game, Tom Clancy's The Division is the first of The Division series. The story revolves around a deadly virus that has spread across the United States on Black Friday, causing a government collapse. An organisation called The Division responds to the situation to prevent further chaos. The game has both single-player and multi-player campaigns along with peer vs peer (PvP) Dark Zones. The game is scheduled to release in March.

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Uncharted has always been a PlayStation exclusive and following tradition, the fourth installment - A Thief's End - will be released in March for PS4. The game folllows Nathan Drake, the franchise's protagonist, who has settled down with his wife and given up his fortune hunter ways. But his life would be turned upside down when his brother Sam, who was believed to be dead, returns.

Far Cry Primal
Another awaited video game is the next installment of the Far Cry series - Far Cry Primal. The action-adventure game is expected to release in the latter half of February for PS4 and Xbox One, while the Windows version will be released later. The game is set in the Stone Age and revolves around Takkar who has to make his way up the rungs of hierarchy and become the leader of a tribe.

Firewatch
If you liked The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, you are sure to like Firewatch - an upcoming first person adventure game scheduled to release in February across all platforms. It follows a volunteer fire lookout in the aftermath of the Yellowstone fires of 1988. The game is set in Wyoming in 1989. One plays as Henry, a fire lookout assigned to a tower in Shoshone National Forest.

Mass Effect: Andromeda
After the success of Mass Effect 3, BioWare and Electronic Arts' upcoming Mass Effect: Andromeda is probably the game everyone is waiting for. The third-person shooter video game is scheduled to release in December 2016. The game takes place after the events of the first three Mass Effect games in the Andromeda galaxy. Gamers can play either a female or a male character and will be able to pilot the new Mako - a six-wheeled buggy-type vehicle. Not a lot has been disclosed about the game while fans wait anxiously for the game. The Mass Effect franchise has been successful right from the first game.