2008 proved to be a relatively solid year for vidya games. And 2009 has a good amount of games slated for release, not to mention the potential for certain studios to announce games throughout the year. It will be quite interesting to see what games are released, which ones suck, which ones are good, and which ones blow the competition out of the water. Check out the trailers (if they exist) by clicking the game name. Hit the jump to check them all out.
GAMES SLATED FOR 2009 RELEASE
Rage – ID Software - PC, PS3, Xbox360 – This game is like a cross between Burnout Paradise, Doom, and Twisted Metal – designed by ID Software (headed by geek god John Carmack – the brainchild behind Doom, Quake, etc.)
Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams – 2k Games – PC, Xbox360, PS3 – Follow up to the 2007 game, Bioshock 2 is being developed by a different studio than 2k Boston – presumably to change the style of the game (since Rupture ended up being mostly destroyed in the first game.) It will be interesting to see how the sequel plays out, and what gameplay elements it will retain or do away with.
Demigod – Gas Powered Games – PC – Demigod, largely inspired by Defense of the Ancients, is a hybrid RTS/Action/RPG style game, being published by Stardock.
Dawn of War II – Relic Entertainment – PC – A large departure from THQ/Relic’s previous Dawn of War game, as single player will feature no base building, and upgradeable “hero” units which learn new abilities, and can equip gear acquired during campaigns. On top of that, DoW II looks to be a fantastic evolution of Relic’s RTS engine (the same one which powers Company of Heroes)
F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin – Monolith Productions – PC, PS3, Xbox360 - Previously known as just Project Origin, FEAR 2 begins thirty minutes before the end of the first game – featuring a revamped game engine, and a brand new main character to play as.
Final Fantasy XIII – Square/Enix – PS3, Xbox360 – Despite what other people may think, I found Final Fantasy XII to be one of the best Final Fantasy games made to date. You can call me a fanboy, because I am – Final Fantasy III was one of the first RPG games I ever played, and like others, Final Fantasy VII helped me appreciate 3D RPG games as a whole. Final Fantasy XIII aims to revamp the battle system again – in a more action oriented game style than previous games, although it seems to retain characters with spiky hair.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon – Intelligent Systems – Nintendo DS – The DS lends itself well to turn based strategy – Advanced Wars and Fire Emblem are two game series that come to mind. Shadow Dragon is a remake of the original Fire Emblem, featuring the main character Marth (that guy from Smash Brothers.)
Grand Theft Auto: China Town Wars – Rockstar Games - Nintendo DS – The number of mature rated games on the DS can be counted with one hand – which is why it’s surprising Rockstar’s next Grand Theft Auto game is being released on the handheld console. The game features a top-down perspective and cel shaded art style.
Pokemon Platinum – Game Freak – Nintendo DS – An updated and enhanced version of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, Platinum offers some new Pokeymans, in addition to more side quests, enhanced graphics and an enhanced interface, and the return of Pokemon Emerald’s Battle Frontier system.
Braid – Johnathan Blow – Xbox360, PC – Although it’s already been released for the Xbox 360, I’m neither a frat boy nor a twelve year old – and as such, I don’t own a Xbox 360, so I’m very much looking forward to seeing this $15 masterpiece released for PC, hopefully on Steam.
Darkfall – Adventurine - PC – In development since early 2000, Darkfall could be the Oblivion of MMORPG games. Or it could simply not exist.
Mirror’s Edge – DICE – Xbox360, PS3, PC – While already released on consoles, the Mirror’s Edge PC version should have an edge in graphics quality, if nothing else. The game also will utilize NVIDIA’s Physx engine, one of the first mainstream PC games to do so.
Heavy Rain – Quantic Dream – PS3 – File Heavy Rain under the category “glad I bought a PS3 for something other than just Blu-Ray” (sup Metal Gear Solid 4). The game is a showcase of the PS3’s power, and focuses heavily on storyline.
Wolfenstein – ID Software, Raven Software – PS3, Xbox360, PC – While World War II games are quite played out, World War II games which feature zombies, aliens, or inter-dimensional travel are not; I look forward to seeing this game and jumping back into the shoes of B.J. Blazkowicz.
Empire: Total War – The Creative Assembly – PC – The Total War series has always provided a solid RTS experience – and this follow up to Medieval: Total War focuses on the 1700’s – 1800’s time period, and will be the first Total War game to allow naval warfare.
Batman: Arkham Asylum – Rocksteady Studios – PS3, Xbox360, PC – Thankfully unrelated to The Dark Knight, this game will not only feature Mark Hamil as the voice of the Joker, but a whole cast of classic Batman villains to fight. Gameplay has been described as a cross between Bioshock and The Chronicles of Riddick: The Escape from Butcher Bay.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – Naughty Dog – PS3 – While I rather stare at Lara Croft’s ass for any extended period of gameplay, Naughty Dog’s Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune played better than any Tomb Raider game has. Uncharted 2 will add new gameplay mechanics, like stealth, and claims to have no loading screens.
Alan Wake – Remedy Entertainment – Xbox360, PC – The same studio behind the Max Payne games is behind Alan Wake – touted as a psychological thriller, you take the role of Alan Wake, a novelist who wakes up with nothing but a gun and a flashlight. The game takes place in a free roaming world similar to Grand Theft Auto, and Remedy plans to make the game as cinematic as an experience as possible.
Starcraft II – Activision Blizzard - PC – The original Starcraft is one of the games solely responsible for my low grades in middle school, so I’m wary of how the sequel will affect my current life. Although, I’m wary of the game for a couple of reasons – since the first Starcraft game, Blizzard has become more of a money making powerhouse (see World of Warcraft), and Blizzard’s recent announcement that SCII will be broken down into three games (one for each race), does nothing to reinforce my feelings that they are looking to milk their fan base for mo’ money. Although I will be perfectly happy with a solid, balanced RTS multiplayer game.
Diablo III – Activision Blizzard – PC – When I said that Starcraft II was the reason for my poor grades in middle school, I actually lied. Diablo II was one of the reasons as well. Diablo III, from all early accounts, will be the natural evolution and perfection of the hack and slash genre, and Diablo in general. Better inventory management, more spells, better skill systems – this game should really kick ass.
God of War III – Sony Computer Entertainment - PS3 – The final game in the testosterone infused series, GoWIII will not only culminate the storyline of the game, but also give a reason why there are no more greek myths. Considering the first two games were arguably the best looking PS2 games, it goes without saying that GoWIII should not only utilize the power of the PS3 to the fullest, but also be one of the best looking games of this generation.
Ghostbusters – Terminal Reality - PS3, Xbox360, PC, DS – Essentially a “Ghostbusters III”, Ghostbusters is written by Dan Akyroyd, and voiced by most of the original cast from the movies. The game features destructible environments, and focuses on you playing as the newest Ghostbuster recruit.
Street Fighter IV – Capcom – PS3, Xbox360, PC, Arcade – I don’t know of any arcades around where I live anymore, but seeing as how Street Fighter IV will be released for all the consoles and PC, I’m really looking forward to it.
White Knight Chronicles – Level 5 – PS3 – Another PS3 exclusive, White Knight has already been released in Japan. Little is known about the game, although it features an Active combat battle system, and an emphasis on it’s massive game world.
Splinter Cell: Conviction – Ubisoft - Xbox360, PC – Sam Fisher is back for the fifth installment in one of my personal favorite series of all time – Splinter Cell. This time, he’s a criminal on the run – perhaps an extension of Splinter Cell: Double Agent’s more involved and focus storyline. Unforutnately, details are scarce on the game itself, as there has been no real new information since 2007. One confirmed feature is a more “Assassin’s Creed” style stealth and crowd system, and a focus on more action oriented combat. I’m not sure if this is a good thing, as one of the draws of Splinter Cell, to me, is the sneaking and covert ops gameplay that it does so very well.
MY MOST ANTICIPATED GAME…
Dragon Age: Origins – Bioware – PC, PS3, Xbox360 – I’ll consider this my most anticipated game of 2009 (so far), as Bioware can do no wrong by me, and Dragon Age should be the natural and most advanced evolution of Bioware gameplay – freeform character and story development. Bioware has touted Dragon Age as a spiritaul successor to Baldur’s Gate, although it is not based on the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset.
UPCOMING GAMES WE SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT IN 2009
New Zelda – A new Zelda game would be quite interesting, especially if it is designed specifically for the Wii (as opposed to Twilight Princess being more of a Gamecube port on the Wii.)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II - World War II is played out, and Call of Duty 4 helped refresh the military shooter series quite well. A second Modern Warfare game would be great – with a completely new and original story, better graphics, and hopefully more “open ended” choices in terms of paths to take in a level.
Deus Ex 3 – The game has been announced, but little is known about it. To be honest, the original Deus Ex was such a fantastic and perfect game that I find it difficult for any sequel to come close to the feelings of awe I had when first playing it, but I will be keeping a close eye on this game nonetheless.
Half-Life 2: Episode III – Traditionally, episodic game content was released frequently – Valve seems to have missed this memo, and instead feel the need to release episodes of Half-Life 2 in two year spans. Oh well.
Fable 2 – One game I’d love to see ported to PC. The original was, and it’s all but inevitable that it will become availible on the PC at one point.
Mass Effect 2 – Another 360 “exclusive”, Mass Effect offered some of the best Sci-Fi RPG gameplay and the best Sci-Fi storyline I’ve experienced in a long time.
Max Payne 3 – It’s been announced, but details are scarce. Max Payne 1 and 2 still stand the test of time today, so with any luck, the third one will enhance that type of legacy the games create.
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[...] didn’t really have as many solid triple A titles. The games that I’ve really been looking forward to (sup Splinter Cell Conviction) have been pushed back into 2010 or to a much later date (sup Alpha [...]