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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I’m a multiple operating system user type of guy.  If I could do heavy, real gaming on Linux, I’d probably use it all day, er’ day.  Completely unrelated to that, is this video of a Minority Report-esque operating system called g-speak, by oblong industries.  It utilizes multiple screens and surfaces, some really fruity looking gloves, and hand gestures to operate in.

I wonder how it handles porn?

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A bit late, yeah.  But 2008 was a big year for the vidya, regardless of how good or bad, over or under-hyped, or just plain shitty the games were.  So, without further adieu, my recap of all of 2008’s major titles.

THE GOOD - THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST

Mass Effect - Sure, Mass Effect came out in 2007, but the (superior) PC version shipped in 2008 - complete with HUD overhauls and free DLC.  Mass Effect delivered a full and satisfying RPG experience in classic Bioware fashion.  The combat system is fantastic, and the conversation system made for an extremely cinematic presentation, to the point where while playing, I actually could identify with Sheppard.  Not to mention the first game I’ve ever played to allow for lesbian alien sex.

Left 4 Dead - While I wish there was more campaigns in this game to keep me coming back, as well as alternate routes, Left 4 Dead, in my opinion, is one of the first truly “next gen” games - especially the enemy AI, which is a testament to Valve’s professionalism and polish.  Fighting endless hordes of zombies is never dull - and the cooperative experience is absolutely second to none.  Left 4 Dead not only set the bar for cooperative games, but zombie games in general.

Metal Gear Solid 4 - Sure, it was lauded for a large amount of cinematic, non gameplay sequences, but in my book, that’s what makes a Metal Gear game Metal Gear.  MGS4 wrapped up pretty much every loose end from the previous games, evolved it’s own gameplay formula further, and offered one of the greatest cinematic experiences in not only video games, but movies as well.

Audiosurf - it’s Guitar Hero meets F-Zero, and it does it well.  A pretty decent game from an indie developer, and it’s dirt cheap.

Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - Tried and true.  The greatest fighting game of all time, remixed with HD graphics and sound, and balanced out for tournament play.  I’ve had a blast playing this online, and the game plays exactly like the arcade versions I wasted so much of my life on years ago.  More games could benefit from a HD graphics overhaul, and it’s a shame more classic games don’t get remade like this.

Dead Space - While I found it to be repetitive towards the middle of the game, Dead Space offers some of the best survival horror gameplay since Resident Evil 4.  Through in zero gravity portions of the game, customizable weapons and armor, and a completely HUDless UI, and you’ve got a pretty decent game.

Fallout 3 - Fallout 3 is what I’ll call my “Game of the year” - it’s almost a perfect game, and will no doubt offer years of enjoyment thanks to Bethesda’s willingness to open their games to modding.  It has some flaws, but they’re easily overlooked by the absolute scope and density of the game world.

THE BAD - NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT

Prince of Persia - Don’t get me wrong, Prince of Persia is a fantastic game, highlighted by it’s fantastic visual style, exhilarating platforming, and decent story - but it’s nothing like Sands of Time, which to me, is a bad thing.  Everything feels “dumbed down”.  Combat is too simplistic and lacks the freedom of the previous games, and the fact that you really can’t die - either by falling or enemy damage, makes me feel like I’m playing a children’s game.  Still, one of the more unique games of 2008, and the actual platforming elements are fantastic.

Call of Duty 5 - Call of Duty, while a well polished and well refined shooter franchise, has to realize that it’s been played out.  Call of Duty 4 was a step in the correct direction, as a setting other than World War II makes the game feel brand new.  Activision needs to realize that you can only play through these games so much before becoming bored with them - the super soldier gameplay is the same in every game, and the enemy spawn system needs to be refined to be more dynamic, not just “make it to this point and bad guys will stop spawning”.

Crysis Warhead - Crysis was one of my favorite PC game experiences to date - visuals that blew console games, and every game before it out of the water.  But something felt like it was missing from Warhead - even though there were more explosions, I felt like the game put you into the more linear ice areas too quick and didn’t focus enough on the open endedness of the tropical areas that made the game so fun to play.  Still a good game, though.

Grand Theft Auto 4 - I played both the PC and the PS3 versions, and while the game should be commemorated on it’s visuals, story, and game world, I really feel GTA4 was one of the most overhyped games of the year.  The multiplayer was long overdue for a GTA game, but in the end, the single player experience is still the same GTA it was when it came into 3D however many years ago.  Not a bad thing, but GTA5 is going to need to deliver a unique experience to really evolve the series.  That, or go back to Vice City.

Far Cry 2 - where Crysis Warhead fails in not offering enough open ended gameplay, Far Cry 2 fails in offering almost too much of it - a by-product of making the game too open - as such, most of the missions are exactly the same as every other mission of it’s type in the game, just at different locations.  The game should be commended for it’s visuals, gameplay, and levels of immersion it offers.  But it could have been so much more.

THE SHITTY

Spore - While fun, Spore tried to be too many games at once, and the only ones it really did well was the Space stage.  Hopefully, in the future, expansion packs will offer better depth of gameplay in the areas where it failed, but the game really lacked any real hook to make me feel like playing it more.

Age of Conan - Released too early, and without enough content past the early levels.  While AoC has a lot of unique features (the combat system should have been copied by more games), and the cinematic character dialog is something I hope is carried over to new games (The Old Republic?), but in the end, AoC is just a WoW clone with some added flair.

Rise of the Argonauts - While it offers some decent cinematic conversations, Rise of the Argonauts doesn’t deliver near as well as it should have.  The combat and character progression lacks any real depth and usually combat ends up being a button smashing fest.  On top of that, the game has more memory leaks than the Titanic, to the point where I couldn’t even play it for longer than twenty minutes at a time.

The Force Unleashed - Good for it’s story line - not much else.  In 2000, I would have been pissed at any game that took twenty to thirty seconds of load time to load up a menu screen.  In 2008, I was really pissed.

Warhammer Online:  Age of Reckoning - Spending most of my time in 2008 in the WAR beta, I can’t help but feel completely let down by Mythic post-launch.  Aside from making a bunch of changes to the PvP system item rewards before the game went live, WAR ended up taking the same fucking route Blizzard did with WoW - the entire time during beta, Mythic devs preached how the game wasn’t supposed to be a WoW clone, and for the most part, it wasn’t.  But come launch, the game had little focus on open PvP, and became a rediculous grind fest post rank 30.  Lots of potential, but ended up succumbing to the WoW playerbase that would rather have their PvP served up in instanced, pre-set areas, instead of spontaneous, open world areas.

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There are some games that, no matter how badly translated, withstand the proverbial test of time.  Way back in the era of the original Playstation, a console and generation dominated and defined mostly by 3D games, Konami managed to release a fantasticly crafted two-dimensional RPG called Suikoden, in which you took control of an unlikely hero, who went about recruiting 108 possible party members (although you could only have something like six at a time), each with his or own story to tell.  You also took control of a castle, and some of these people you recruited offered different perks to the castle - hire a merchant, and he’ll post up in your castle and sell you stuff.  Hire a banker, and he’ll do the same.

The game also featured a pretty decent combat system - although nothing spectacular, party members could team up for Chrono Trigger style combo moves.  All this, and a well crafted story, and, well… it’s seven bucks if you own a Playstation 3.  If you don’t and haven’t played it, it’s worth it.

I’d love to see more games like this come to PSN - Legend of Dragoon, Metal Gear Solid…. the list goes on and on.

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I wasn’t too interested in this game, but now, seeing that it will be one of the first games to support Physx, it just got a bit more intriguing.

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This game will most likely suck, really bad, but it’s interesting to see a game fully utilizing Physx.  At least it looks pretty good.

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