Reboots have happened throughout gaming history, but never with the frequency as they are now. Reboots are typically characterized by taking a well-known series and drastically changing it, often giving it the same title as the original, in an attempt to fit the series into a new market.

Sometimes this works well. A good example would be the recent "Mortal Kombat" reboot, which maintained the game's identity while updating the style and gameplay.

Other times, reboots aren’t so successful, such as last year’s "Splatterhouse," which was not well-received.

So what reboots can we expect in the near future? Three big ones lined up for 2012 come to mind: "Tomb Raider," "Twisted Metal" and "Devil May Cry."

"Tomb Raider" began in 1996 and since has spawned two films and 10 video games, including the most recent downloadable title, "Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light." Developer Crystal Dynamics is hoping to reimagine the series in its 2012 reboot to make Lara Croft a more realistic and relatable character.

Lara is no longer the super human, pistol-wielding heroine we are familiar with. The new Lara bleeds, cries and reacts to situations in a more realistic way.

This is her origin story, so she isn’t the hardcore Lara yet, but she still needs to grow and become the character we are more familiar with. The new "Tomb Raider" will feature a more dark and gritty style as well, to go along with the more vulnerable Lara.

The game will have a new focus on survival that was previously not present in the series.

"Tomb Raider" is currently set to release in the third quarter of 2012.

"Twisted Metal," the classic vehicle combat game, is also getting the reboot.

Slated for the first quarter of 2012, "Twisted Metal" is the series’ first game on the current generation of consoles. The new game will feature a plethora of online multiplayer modes, such as team deathmatch and capture the flag.

There is a wide selection of new vehicles as well, including a semi-tractor trailer, helicopter and even a robot. A new addition for the series is the ability for players to co-pilot vehicles.

An example of this is Juggernaut, the semi-truck character, who can store the vehicles of other players in the trailer while they control devastating turrets on top.

Gunner and driver communication adds another layer to the experience, as the turrets cannot be aimed just anywhere, and the gunner will have to tell the driver where to turn to keep targets in range. This has potential to add a deep sense of teamwork to a series that has previously been a free for all.

"Devil May Cry" is being rebooted with the abbreviated title "DMC."

"DMC" is being developed by Ninja Theory, the team behind "Heavenly Sword" and "Enslaved." Ninja Theory has proven they can build strong action games before, but the new approach to "DMC" has sparked a bit of controversy. The main character, Dante, is getting a complete redesign.

The new game is Dante’s origin story, but the angsty, young, brunette Dante of "DMC" stands in stark contrast to the cool, confident, white-haired Dante gamers have come to know and love.

Only time will tell if Capcom and Ninja Theory can hold onto the "Devil May Cry" feel with Dante painted in such an unusual light.