Upcoming video game: Tomb Raider, SimCity

Call upon Lara Croft's survivalist instincts in "Tomb Raider," challenge yourself with mastery of the metropolitan sprawl in "SimCity," and get ready for a new season of baseballing prowess with "MLB: The Show 13."

Call upon Lara Croft's survivalist instincts in 'Tomb Raider,' challenge yourself with mastery of the metropolitan sprawl in 'SimCity,' and get ready for a new season of baseballing prowess with 'MLB: The Show 13.'

Tomb Raider (360 PS3 Win)
North America and European regions: March 5
Age ratings: NA, M17+. EU, 18+. AUS, MA15+
Japan: April 25, rated Z (18+)

Touted as a series reboot, this might not be as heavy on the puzzles as previous 'Tomb Raiders,' but it's Lara Croft's origin story, which finds her shipwrecked upon a remote island near Japan, crew in disarray, an ancient curse to be investigated, and in need of personal transformation from vulnerable castaway to tough-as-nails survivor.
Price: $59 / €59 / £39 / $AUD 89 / ¥7,980
Less on PC

SimCity (PC; Mac version to follow)
North America: March 5, rated Everyone 10+
Australia and Japan: March 7, rated G in AUS
European regions: March 8, rated 7+

On the one hand, this iteration of SimCity lacks land deformation, requires an online connection even in solo play, and has smaller limits on city size; on the other, it offers elegance in road and town planning, elegance and spectacle, almost unfeasably deep levels of data presented simply and accessibly, online multiplayer and multiple cities.
Price: $59 / €59 / £35 / $AUD 79 / ¥6,980

MLB 13: The Show (PS3, Vita)
North America: March 5, rated E for Everyone

With fan vote winner Andrew McCutchen adorning the cover, this year's version of 'MLB: The Show' incorporates a new The Show Live mode, which can update in sync with the real 2013 MLB season, along with tweaked batting dynamics, revised rosters, and the return of Franchise Mode and Diamond Dynasty.
Price: $59 on PS3 (inc. Vita code), $39 Vita only.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 (360 PC PS3)
North America: March 12, rated M17+

The tight focus of 2010 release 'Sniper: Ghost Warrior' helped make it a retail success, despite middling reviews; expectations are accordingly higher for 'Ghost Warrior 2,' delayed from August 2012, but rebuilt on the shiny CryEngine 3, with both single and online multiplayer modes.
Price: $39 / €39 / £29 / $AUD 79
On PC: $29 / €29 / £25 / $AUD 69

God of War: Ascension (PS3)
North America: March 12, rated M17+
Europe: March 13 (Australia March 14, UK March 15), rated EU / UK: 18+, AUS: R18+
Japan: March 14, rated Z (18+)

Set ten years prior to the 2005 PS2 game 'God of War' and looking as brutal as ever, with vengeful main character Kratos still at the center of this frenetic Greek mythos, 'Ascension' contains a singleplayer story, as usual, and for the first time an online multiplayer in dynamic arenas for up to eight combatants.
Price: $59 / €69 / £39 / $AUD 89 / ¥5,980

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (Mac PC)
Worldwide: March 12
Age rating: NA Teen, EU 16+,

In the second of three parts that make up Blizzard's real-time strategy masterwork 'StarCraft II,' and an expansion for 'StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty,' players take sides with ex-Zerg leader Sarah Kerrigan, while multiplayer will benefit from new units and alterations to those already established.
Price: $39 / €39 / £29 / $AUD 49