My Five Most Wanted PlayStation 3 Games of 2013

We have reached the middle of the week and the middle of this series of five articles. Today we will be looking at the five most wanted PS3 games by yours truly. It really seems like the PlayStation 3's year, and we only known the titles releasing for the first half of the year!

God of War: Ascension

A March release, God of War: Ascension is a prequel to the entire God of War series. It stars Kratos as he does his very best to part ways from the man who tricked him into murdering his family in cold blood. Ascension will give players an entirely new combat and weapon system as well as a first for the franchise, multiplayer. I've been waiting for some big changes to occur with God of War, and Ascension is exactly the type of stuff I have been clamoring for.

The Last of Us

An ultra-violent (though that's not the reason the game appeals to me) survival horror action-adventure game from the studio behind Jak and Daxter as well as Uncharted, The Last of Us takes two survivors through a post-apocalyptic world, fending off the Infected. The reason this game interests me is how enemies will react differently depending on how the player goes about playing through the game, whether stealth, violence, or a combination of the two. Naughty Dog is known for their cinematic and engaging games, and The Last of Us seems to go along with just that.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

The lone non-exclusive on this list, this game was originally titled Metal Gear Solid: Rising. Kojima Productions came to a dead end in development with the game. The title was secretly cancelled before reappearing in 2011 under the capable hands of Platinum Games as the developer. Now the game has a new questionable title, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, and a release date for next month. Rather than deal in stealth gameplay, Revengeance is almost entirely an action-oriented affair, having main character Raiden slice and dice enemies and objects with his katana. It's a bold new direction, and one that seriously interests me.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

The fourth Sly Cooper game, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time offers the familiar stealthy platforming action of previous games with new additions included such as costumes for Sly, giving him new abilities. One such costume transforms him into a Robin Hood-esque figure, able to shoot arrows with ropes attached to them, allowing Sly to walk across the ropes over chasms. Thieves in Time will be a part of the Cross Buy program that Sony has in place. Buy the PS3 version and you get it and a download code for the Vita version. That's not too shabby, nor is the $40 price tag. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time hits store shelves next month.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

I don't get involved in too many RPGs simply because of their length. Why play through a 200 hour epic when you can play ten twenty hour titles instead and get much more variety? Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch entices me with its gorgeous art style. It looks like a living, breathing cartoon, and that is all thanks to the artistic prowess of Studio Ghibli, known for their work on such anime films like Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Spirited Away. This PS3 exclusive seems to have capable gameplay to back the presentation up as well. All in all, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a game on my radar this year.

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From God of War: Ascension to Ni no Kuni, the PlayStation 3's lineup for 2013 so far is quite lovely. I look forward to seeing what else the year brings for PlayStation the Third. Tomorrow we go from an aging console to a struggling new handheld, the PlayStation Vita. I look forward to seeing you there!