With the major game releases of 2011 all but behind us, it’s hard not to look down at that pile of games and wonder what else you’ll be playing very soon.

Without further ado, here’s the most anticipated games of 2012:

1. Bioshock Infinite – Ken Levine and the team at Irrational Games are looking to improve upon every aspect of the original Bioshock with this familiar yet completely different title in the franchise. Part first-person shooter and part dystopian adventure, the world of Columbia looks as interesting and as dynamic as the relationship between the characters Booker and Elizabeth.

2. Mass Effect 3 – The epic trilogy ends with Commander Shepard’s last stand against the Reapers in a battle for Earth. We will finally be able to see how all the decisions made throughout the course of the first two games will affect the outcome. The likely result be us playing the series over and over again with different decisions each time. This is a must play.

3. Tomb Raider – Early showings of the Lara Croft series reboot have shown great and all indications point to the final product matching the potential. A gritty retelling of Lara’s origin story is a great launching point for a game that looks to correct the mistakes of the past few entries in this once great series.

4. The Last of Us – Hearts collectively skipped a beat when it was discovered Naughty Dog of Uncharted fame would be handling a new IP at the 2011 VGA’s. Not too much is known about this title other than you play as one of two survivors in a world that has fallen apart and is populated by some sort of infected creatures.

5. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance – For the first time ever, Hideo Kojima will not be at the helm of a Metal Gear title. Instead, the talented developers at Platinum Games will craft a more action-oriented entry in the series that follows Raiden in a story set after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4. If the game turns out anything like the first trailer for the redesigned game, then we are in for a wild ride.

6. Final Fantasy XIII-2 – A direct sequel to the hotly contested Final Fantasy XIII, XIII-2 looks to improve upon its successor, keeping the excellent battle system and characters as well as a new time-travel mechanic. Final Fantasy fans have reason to be cautiously optimistic about the latest Square-Enix product.

7. Twisted Metal – Another classic series rebooted to fit the tastes of modern gaming audiences. Series creator David Jaffe is at the helm for the upcoming car-combat classic’s revival, bringing with him online multiplayer that is frantic and fun as well as a single player story focusing on a few of the beloved character’s stories.

8. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning – A power team of Ken Rolston (Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), noted fantasy author R.A. Salvatore and Todd McFarlane head up this new IP from 38 Studios. An action rpg set in a whole new universe is something to be excited about, especially as it hits just as the memories of Skyrim will start to be wearing off.

9. PlayStation Vita launch titles – The PlayStation Vita has plenty of promising games coming to the system right away. From the blockbuster Uncharted: Golden Abyss to the smaller, download only Escape Plan, there seems to be a game for everyone who buys the new handheld. Other notable titles at launch include Touch My Katamari, Gravity Rush, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and wipeOut 2048.

10. The Last Guardian – The next game from the developers of Shadow of the Colossus, The Last Guardian looks to continue the studio’s tradition of subtle, heartfelt adventures. Not much is known about this long in development project other than the orignal trailer from E3 2009. Faced with numerous setbacks and rumors of cancellation, we can only hope, and we really do, the game will finally be finished.

Honorable Mentions:

Journey

Borderlands 2

South Park RPG

Xenoblade Chronicles

Hitman Absolution

With all of these great looking titles as well as ones that have yet to be announced or that could end up sneaking in at the end of the year such as Grand Theft Auto V or Halo 4, along with the expected release of the Wii U console, 2012 already looks like an exciting year for fans of games.

Did your most anticipated title make our list? What games are you looking forward to next year?