I thought it would be a superb time to outline my top four PlayStation releases of 2013, paying homage to the upcoming PS4 launch in November.

Over the past few years, I have chain-gamed a few franchises such as FIFA, Formula 1 and Call of Duty. Only one of those titles seems to keep it fresh, thanks to the transfer market circus that is European football. My Call of Duty titles on the other hand, have become quite the dust collectors in the past 6 months. It finally appears the lack of freshness has finally caught up to the Modern Warfare and Black Ops titles.

In the same landscape, the PlayStation 4 release is due in Q4 2013. This has pushed popular titles back months from their original release date, and there is anticipation that this year could see some of the finest games to grace our consoles in years. Sony’s core focus has been finding synergy with the publishing houses in order to launch their new halo console with a bang. Just in time for Christmas as per usual.

As developers learn to manipulate the advanced PS4 hardware in new and efficient ways, the 2013 releases will be just the surface of what’s to come. Console gaming will for the time being, be a more visually pleasing experience than PC gaming.

1. Grand Theft Auto IV

The game that requires no introduction and has defined a generation.

Grand Theft Auto V, currently carries the burden of being a game of the decade candidate. For good reason.

In development since 2009 and delayed numerous times, most recently the highly publicised six month delay announced in February, GTA5 will almost certainly smash sales records when finally released in September.  Rockstar confirmed the launch platforms will be the Xbox 360 and the PS3, so the PS4 may have to wait until 2014 as the game is re-tooled for the new console. Reviewing some of the in-game footage has me in awe, and the script and in-game dialouge and character profiles resemble a fantastic Hollywood action film.

Whereas GTA 4 was a supreme success, GTA 5 will be on another level. Although Rockstar have remained coy, they did release one of the most finely crafted trailers I have seen, on both film and game. If you haven’t paid much attention to IGN.com lately or want to see what the hype is about, join 15 million other people and watch the trailer below.

Grand Theft Auto V: Official Trailer #2

2. Battlefield 4

Operations Manager Ross is an avid Battlefield 3 gamer, I cannot recall a conversation about gaming where he hasn’t reminisced about a BF3 experience. Going back almost a decade, I furiously played the original Battlefield 1942 for hours on end, it was simply such a brilliant game for 2003. Fast track your minds to now and the 17 minute trailer released by EA has tongues wagging, and boy does it look fantastic. I’ve also read that the screen capture was from a PS3 console, however I have my reservations on that one. Technically, the BF4 will use the new Frostbite 3 game engine so it will be crisp as a winter morning.

Battlefield 4 will no doubt be in a straight up dogfight against the new Call of Duty Ghosts title due out in the same quarter, but I’m unsure about the narrative EA have once again chosen for BF4. Based in this decade, the single player campaign pitches American forces against guerrilla/militia operatives from the middle-east, Russia and China. Yes, this is getting long in the tooth, very long.

But if you love fighting for Uncle Sam and aren’t deterred by American ‘freedom initiatives’, grab some popcorn and check out the long trailer below. It’s due for release in Spring 2013, across all major consoles (PS3, PS4 and XBOX 360).

Battlefield 4: Official 17 Minutes “Fishing in Baku”

3. Watch Dogs

A game with no mission, no objective.

If you watched Sony’s pre-launch event for the PS4, you would have noticed a trailer for this intriguing title. Watch Dogs is an open-world action and adventure game that places you in a futuristic urban environment. Playing as an anonymous character, you use technology around you to hack, manipulate and alter people around you. All whilst exploring a semi-dystopian world.

The current under-the-radar nature of the title, thrown together with the  free-roam game play and futuristic landscape, makes me believe this has all of the ingredients for a gamer’s game. And I actually love games like this.

Usually my love of games such as Watch Dogs, with fuliginous and psychological settings, is too much for some. However if you enjoy games that push you to your interpretive boundaries, this is one to pre-order. I can’t wait.

Watch Dogs – PS4 Clip

4. Agent

The phantom title amongst Rockstar’s lineup for 2013.

Originally announced as far back as 2007, Agent finally took shape in 2009 when  Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar, described Agent as a game the company had been “wanting to make for some time”. Rockstar also mentioned they had set out to create a unique experience for the player and professed the game had the potential to be as successful as the GTA franchise. Four years on, any detailed information regarding this title is still under wraps.

From what I’ve been able to find online, Agent portrays as cold war storyline at the height of its peal, so one can assume that the game is set in the late 1950s or 1960s. Agent places you in the shoes of an operative who spies on the other side. Whether you can assume the role of a CIA and KGB agent remains to be seen, but this feature will be very welcomed. When asked about Agent at the PS4 launch, Shuhei Yoshida of Sony said “You are asking the wrong person. I have some knowledge, but I’m not in a position to talk about it”.

Here’s hoping this one makes it out the doors.