Previous entries in our Most Anticipated Games of 2016 series: RPG, Strategy.

　　The action adventure genre is pretty tough to tack down. It involves action, obviously, and probably a touch of adventure, but given that those two words describe almost every video game in existence (with the obvious exception of Gone Home), it does little to clarify things. It's one of those ideas that you just know without being able to explain it, like realizing when milk has gone bad or that subtle warm feeling you get when Daniel Radcliffe's living in your shed.

　　With 2015 already gone, we thought we'd take a look forward at just some of the biggest 2016 action adventure games. If there's one thing that becomes clear from seeing the titles listed like this, 2016 is going to be the year of the never-expected. Some of these games were announced as far back as 2004, so they've been an awfully long time coming.

　　As one of the most popular genres going, there's no doubt action adventure will continue to dominate the charts of the coming 52 weeks. Of course, it helps that there's going to be at least a masterpiece or two along the way.

　　With dozens of fantastic 2016 action adventure games lined up, it's impossible to cover everything in a single article, so we added some more in the special mentions. Feel free to vote for your favorite in the poll below and express your opinion in the comments.

　　

Crackdown 3

Crackdown 3 finally reaching release? THAT'S AN ACHIEVEMENT!

　　While players are likely to stay for the futuristic destruction, part of the hook is that said destruction is being powered by the cloud (though only for the multiplayer mode). Offering 20 times as much power as can be had from a single  Xbox One device, it's going to be disappointing when it's not a million miles ahead of everything else on the console.

　　Taking place in an alternative reality where Crackdown 2 didn't exist, Crackdown 3 is supposedly set some years after the first title. You'll kill stuff, jump really high and blow up buildings - it's not an easy job, but someone has to do it.

　　It'll be out on Xbox One sometime in 2016.

　　

Dishonored 2

The hook for Dishonored was that you could play it as stealthily or as violently as you wanted, with both options having a slightly different influence on the world around you. Plus, you could jump really, really far.

　　15 years after the events of the first game, an otherworldly usurper pops along to dethrone the empress. Once it's firmly established that that's definitely not a coy euphemism, the mission is on to save the country. You'll play as returning protagonist Corvo Attano or Empress Emily Kaldwin across a similar story, but with minor differences.

　　Dishonored 2 will be available on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in the first six months of 2016.

　　

Gravity Rush 2

Gravity Rush was probably one of about five Vita exclusives worth playing, and while the machine has ended up getting plenty of use as an indie platform, there's a reason this topsy-turvy title has been so endearing.

　　Cute characters and a neat premise have really pushed it to the top, and Sony have answered the call. Not only will the original be re-released on PS4, but Gravity Rush 2 will be available next year as well.

　　It'll be bigger, twice as beautiful and hopefully just as fun.

　　

Hitman

Agent 47 is coming back for all of us. IO Interactive seems to have taken to heart the strong community feedback forwarded after Hitman: Absolution; as a result, missions will be more open ended and levels will be significantly larger (six to seven times the biggest levels in Absolution).

　　A beta will be available in early February, with the full release date planned for March 11, 2016 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Additional missions will be added for free after the game's release.

　　

Mafia III

The third chapter of the Mafia franchise is set for a release at some point in 2016. There are quite a few changes, though, starting with the 1968 New Orleans setting.

　　Lincoln Clay, a biracial veteran of the Vietnam war, will be the main character this time around. After joining the "Black Mob" and surviving a murder attempt by the "Italian Mob", he sets on a path of revenge and conquest, intending to rule New Orleans.

　　Little is known of its gameplay, but it should keep most of the core gameplay elements of previous Mafia games. Moreover, it will be possible to use stealth during a mission and to interrogate prisoners to extract information. Mafia III is being developed by the brand new Hangar 13 studio based in Novato, California.

　　

Mirror's Edge Catalyst

Is it a reboot? Is it a prequel? Mirror's Edge Catalyst senior producer Sara Jansson says no, reality says yes.

　　This is an open world parkour action adventure that sees heroine Faith tackle a whole city of death defying leaps and exhausting exercise. You'll be able to go wherever you want, whenever you want, and unlike the first game, guns aren't available to help keep the cops off your back.

　　You'll follow each carefully placed step of the way as Faith becomes the lady she's destined to be, from someone who just likes climbing ridiculously tall buildings to someone, presumably, with confidence and stuff.

　　It was a shame that the first Mirror's Edge was so under the radar, so it's nice to see its follow-up get a little hype behind it. I for one will be ready when the game is released in May 2016, asthma inhaler in one hand and jumbo sized pack of Doritos in the other. It'll be available on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

　　

Ni-Oh

When the first western samurai came to Japan, obviously he had lovely blonde hair and battled demons.

　　Ni-Oh is a 100% historically accurate recreation of the life and times of William Adams. Originally announced back in 2004, this pretty much takes the cake in 2016's long-wait marathon.

　　Exclusive to PlayStation 4, it is based on an unfinished script by Japanese film maker Akira Kurosawa. It'll be available at some point over the next 12 months. Developed by Team Ninja, you can expect their usual unique brand of action.

　　

Quantum Break

Quantum Break has always looked good, even if it's been a lifetime since it was originally announced. One of those cross-media projects wanting to be every entertainment you consume, it's only a matter of time before you're buying Quantum Break breakfast cereal and pet rocks based on the protagonist, Jack Joyce.

　　For the time being, it's just a long awaited shooter-slash-episodic-show. You'll use time powers to beat up enemies across a range of locations. Once you've completed a section, you'll watch things from the perspective of your antagonists in interactive live action content.

　　It's an interesting concept, but one that will have to be verified upon release to check its worthiness. It's due on April 5 exclusively for Xbox One.

　　

The Last Guardian

The Last Guardian is still supposedly aiming for 2016, although anybody who knows about its long history will be trying their very best not to get overly excited.

　　The Team Ico title has been due for what feels like two or three decades, and aside from it having a cute animal in the middle of it, there's still not a huge amount we know about it. That's left conversation on the title rather thin. Will the creature die? Of course it will, and it'll be devastating. End of discussion.

　　Jokes aside, it's by the same people as Shadow of the Colossus and, well, that thing really is cute, isn't it? What more do we need to know?

　　At this point, a release date for this PlayStation 4 exclusive would be nice.

　　

The Legend of Zelda

WiiU owners have been patiently waiting to get The Legend of Zelda's new installment and 2016 should be the year when their wish is granted, barring further delays.

　　Taking some cues out of Western games such as The Elder Scrolls series, The Legend of Zelda for WiiU will feature the largest open world in any Zelda game yet, pushing the technical limits of the console.

　　Players will also have a lot more freedom in exploring this world. Travel can occur on foot or on Epona, Link's horse, which has been programmed to automatically avoid obstacles so that Link can focus on enemies. He can also leap off Epona and aim arrows with increased precision thanks to a bullet time-inspired slow motion.

　　The visuals will incorporate the cel shading technique, though with a much different result than Wind Waker.

　　

Uncharted 4

It's impossible to think of the action adventure genre without thinking of Uncharted. Like Indiana Jones before him, Nathan Drake's escapades are pure genre works, focusing heavily on plot, set pieces, character and excitement.

　　A Thief's End will be available to pick up in late April, but the long-awaited sequel to Drake's Deception is already topping people's lists of most exciting games of 2016.

　　Supposedly the final episode in the franchise, the story follows Drake as he rediscovers his long lost brother and together they try to track down a long lost pirate colony.

　　

Special Mentions

HellbladeLego Marvel's AvengersReCoreRise of the Tomb Raider (PC, PS4)Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's DaughterStyx: Shards of DarknessThe Tomorrow Children[socialpoll id="2320941"]