Gamers have plenty to look forward to over the next year, writes Ciara O'Brien

IT LOOKS like 2011 will be the year of the sequel, with many of the games set to make a splash for the second or third outing. You can’t knock a good sequel, particularly when they improve upon titles by bringing them them up to date. Here are some to watch for.

Crysis 2

Unveiled at E3 this year, the prospect of Crysis 2 in 3D had games fans salivating. Set in the urban jungle of New York City, the demo provided a sneak peek at fast-paced combat that had us on the edge of our seats – and that was only as a spectator. It's humanity vs aliens, and this time the baddies are high-tech war machines.

Batman Arkham City

Batman has come a long way since his early outings on games consoles. Arkham Cityis the follow-up to Arkham Asylumand looks set to be just as dark and broody as its predecessor. The story is set inside a maximum security facility that is home to Gotham City's thugs, gangsters and criminal masterminds.

Killzone 3

Killzone 3is one of the jewels in Sony's crown. The first-person 3D shooter will also support the new Move controller, bringing in new elements to gameplay. Once again Sev takes centre stage, caught in the crossfire as warring factions try to take control of the Helghast Empire. Visually impressive.

Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2was released early last year to a rapturous reception, and everyone hopes that the Mass Effectwonks will outdo themselves with the latest installment. The new game will see the battle come to Earth.

La Noir

Not a sequel! Rockstar’s latest gem is an atmospheric detective thriller set in 1940s Los Angeles. Much has been made already of the graphics, in particular the facial models. Developers used MotionScan technology to capture actor’s facial performances and translate that into the game. The developers promise realism, detail, performance and emotion never seen before in a videogame.

Star Wars: Old Republic

I love a good Star Warsgame, and while Force Unleashed IIfilled a gap, players might find more to get their teeth into with Old Republic.The massive online multiplayer PC game is set before the rise of Darth Vader, and makes some fairly hefty promises in terms of combat and storyline.

Forza 4

Promised for autumn, Forza 4should be interesting. The popular Xbox 360 racer will build in support for the new Kinect controller. It also promises to be the most realistic racing simulator yet. Here's hoping it doesn't suffer from the same delays that plagued Gran Turismo 5.