First Half of 2010: Games to Watch Out For
Many games that were originally set for release in the holiday season of 2009 have been pushed to 2010, and quite a few of them have already had a ton of hype attached. Titles like Bioshock 2, Mass Effect 2, God of War III, and Crackdown 2 are already highly anticipated titles for 2010, but what about some of the lesser-known games that we've only seen a few glimpses of? There are plenty of interesting-looking games coming out, and any of them could be surprise runaway hits. Let's take a look at some of the bigger titles as well as some of the lesser-known ones, shall we?
Dark Void
Developer: Airtight Games
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: January 19
Action games with jetpacks have had a rocky past; Tribes was a beloved competitive game, but the franchise died out years ago. Other titles like Shattered Horizon and Section 8 on PC also bring in jetpacks to the online space, but how can a single player game with a jetpack as the main mode of transportation work? The videos for Capcom's Dark Void look interesting, and the soundtrack by Bear McCreary (composer for the recent TV show Battlestar Galactica) will almost surely add a ton of excitement to the action.
Mass Effect 2
Developer: Bioware
Publisher: EA
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360
Release Date: January 26
Bioware is on a rampage recently, delivering the successful and critically acclaimed Dragon Age less than two months before their big sequel, Mass Effect 2. This sci-fi RPG/shooter is equally anticipated by both PC and console gamers, and for good reason - the first game was a bit rough around the edges, but it introduced us into a wonderful and frightening vision of the future of humankind. As we take Commander Shepard and a whole new crew into the Terminus Systems (and beyond?), it's hard to imagine that anyone doubted Bioware for breaking free of the Star Wars mold and doing science fiction their way.
MAG
Developer: Zipper Interactive
Publisher: Sony
Platforms: PS3
Release Date: January 26
As games get more and more detailed, we've found that the developers of online action games have had to limit the scale of their projects greatly in order to make everything "fit". Few console games support 24 players at a time or more, and those that do often pull a lot of tricks to try and spread the battle out so you never see more than a dozen people at once. MAG throws that away, promising battles with up to 256 players at once - sure, Sony's own Planetside did that back on the PC years ago, but no one seems to even remember that game anymore. Plus, the console crowd will see this as a first, and for them, it most certainly will be. Impressions from the MAG beta so far have been great, and Sony is gearing up for a huge beta event soon that hopefully will increase the anticipation for their next big PS3 exclusive.
BioShock 2
Developer: 2K Marin, 2K Australia, Digital Extremes
Publisher: 2K Games
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: February 9
BioShock surprised many console gamers with its amazing story and fantastic visuals back in 2007, but those of us who knew Irrational Games from the old days expected no less. Now, we've got a sequel in the works, but the original team isn't on board and three development teams now have their hands in the pot. Can all of these people together make an interesting and compelling experience, or will they wear out the welcome given to them after the first BioShock? It's a tough call at this point, especially when most of the story of the sequel's still entirely under wraps, but I am hopeful that the single player experience will be at least as good as the first game's.
Heavy Rain
Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony
Platforms: PS3
Release Date: February
Heavy Rain has been panned by some journalists as a big quick-time event collection masquerading as a serious video game, but it seems to me like the guys at Quantic Dream are trying to do something entirely different. This is a psychological thriller where you'll play four characters at their best and at their worst, through mundane parts of their days and when they're all affected by one central character, a serial killer that must be caught. I wasn't a big fan of the developers' previous game, Indigo Prophecy, but I'm definitely willing to give Heavy Rain a shot. Attention deficit gamers need not apply, but this one looks like it'll deliver the story and emotionality that so few video games so far have been able to achieve.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Developer: DICE
Publisher: EA
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: March 2
A year or two back, DICE finally ditched that horrible engine that had been powering their games since what seemed like the dawn of time. Now, they've got a solid technology and they're bringing huge fights onto both PC and consoles; Bad Company 2 looks to carefully build on what made the first one so much fun. Hopefully, this time they'll get the sales and recognition they deserve, because the first one was a lot of fun but simply doesn't have a great playerbase anymore. The PC version is gaining the interest of hardcore shooter fans, because DICE has promised to keep in things like dedicated servers (the exact omission that has made online play in the PC version of Modern Warfare 2 such a disappointment).
Supreme Commander 2
Developer: Gas Powered Games
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: PC
Release Date: March 2
Square Enix decided to break out of its Japan-only shell in 2009, and their first act was to publisher the World War II strategy game Order of War. Next up is Supreme Commander II, another strategy game, this one a sequel to the large-scale RTS title from 2007. Yeah, THQ wasn't so impressed with the first Supreme Commander's performance, but hopefully we'll see a return to form for RTS mastermind Chris Taylor. This sequel promises to maintain the scale we've seen before, but this time channeled into more of an arena-style battlefield. Units will be fired from out of the playfield with large cannons, and with more customization of each player's most important unit, the ACU, promises to deliver a significantly different experience compared to the first time around.
Just Cause 2
Developer: Avalanche Studios
Publisher: Eidos
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: March 23
Just Cause was one of the more under-appreciated third-person shooters of its day, and its lazily-made action sequences early on were enough to turn off many people before they ever got to see the game at its best. Now, we're seeing the game starting to realize the potential of what a grappling hook, jetpack, and heavy suspension of disbelief can do. If Niko Bellic can mow down hundreds of cops and still get away with murder every couple of minutes, why exactly can't Rico Rodriguez skyjack a helicopter from the roof of a moving car? It's up in the air as to whether the developers will rely on these ideas that, admittedly, seem gimmicky at first, but the result should be interesting and fun to find out.
APB
Developer: Realtime Worlds
Publisher: EA
Platforms: PC
Release Date: March
Crackdown developers Realtime Worlds put together a great demonstration of APB at E3 last year, but it leaves many questions open. Can the insanely detailed character and object editors make up for the lack of elves, swords, orcs, and dragons? Can an MMORPG pit players against each other fairly in an open world without becoming extremely difficult for new players (or those who haven't played shooters before)? After the ho-hum release and sometimes dismal failure of many promising-looking MMORPGs since the release of World of Warcraft over five years ago, it's hard to generate any kind of real excitement for what could be just another failure. But those developers who are trying to break new ground have got to hit gold sometime, and these guys could be the ones to do it. The current release date is March, but with little beta testing under their belts, we expect RTW to push it later into the year.
God of War III
Developer: Sony Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony
Platforms: PS3
Release Date: March
Gamers have been waiting for the end of the God of War trilogy for years, and this final installment on PS3 looks to be the biggest one yet. But without the series' creator, David Jaffe, at the helm, can it all fall apart in the last act? It's a tough call, but those who have played the demo say that the game does seem to be in good hands so far, with a truly epic story, a wide range of enemies from Greek mythology, and a badass main character that we all want to take control of. This is the third big PS3 exclusive that Sony will release in 2010, and it seems pretty clear that because of games like this, there will be many new PS3s in gamers' TV stands by the time July rolls around.
UFC Undisputed 2010
Developer: Yuke's
Publisher: THQ
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PSP
Release Date: May 25
As the UFC gains larger and larger audiences and American sports fanatics start flocking to the spectacle that is mixed martial arts, the more people would love to see a game that can accurately simulate the many fighting styles and unique outcomes that happen in the UFC's Octagon. UFC 2009 surprised many gamers with its quality, as the first game in a sports franchise is rarely worth playing for very long. Now, THQ and developer Yuke's must figure out how to improve on the whole experience with more fighters, styles, and moves - all while maintaining the game's delicate balance.
Split Second
Developer: Black Rock Studio
Publisher: Disney
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: May
We'll see a lot of racing games this year: from the realistic Gran Turismo and Forza series to the arcade racers, there's something for everyone. But in the arcade racing arena, ideas are few and far between, so it was a pleasure to see the guys who created the awesome ATV racer Pure back in the saddle and putting together great graphics and solid gameplay to rival other fun-oriented racers. It remains to be seen whether Split Second's explosion-oriented action pans out - it sure as hell didn't for Sega's Full Auto, even when the players were the ones causing the explosions - but I can't think of a developer I'd rather have making this one.
Mafia 2
Developer: 2K Czech
Publisher: 2K Games
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: Between May and July
Many gamers will shrug off Mafia 2 for its seemingly generic name and no memory of the original; after all, the PC original far outshone the Xbox port. But the developers at Illusion Softworks have a knack for putting together great stories and integrating them with action just right, so I'm excited to see what they have in store. Mafia 2 had a standout presentation at E3 last year and the competition is lame (I'm still trying to forget The Godfather 2), so if the team can capitalize on even half of the potential we saw, that should still make this a damn fine game.
Crackdown 2
Developer: Ruffian Game Studios
Publisher: Microsoft
Platforms: Xbox 360
Release Date: First Half 2010
Realtime Worlds came out of nowhere with the 2006 surprise hit Crackdown, and its early online cooperative play was a breath of fresh air - at least, until you realized that they cut out the split-screen cooperative modes as a sacrifice. Still, the superhero-style action and graphic novel look made for a great combination, and the feeling of achievement after becoming superhuman and taking out dozens of gang members with ease was really hard to match. While there's another developer at the helm this time, there's about a million things they can do with this basic framework and they'll still sell tons of copies. It's hard to mess up an open-city action game that gives you superhero-like powers, so let's see what the new team can do.
Alan Wake
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: Microsoft
Platforms: Xbox 360
Release Date: Second Quarter
Remedy Entertainment went underground years ago after Max Payne 2, an amazing and fun game in its own right, bombed. Ok, so the console ports were bad and the PC version was pirated into oblivion, but the game simply didn't deserve the fate it got. We're happy that Max Payne 3's coming back, even under a different team, but for now Remedy's got Alan Wake finally surfacing. A psychological horror/action game done in the style of a David Lynch film, Alan Wake has looked excellent in recent videos. Remedy's always been great at making the technology work just they way they need it to for their game design, and the lighting and shadows here look like they'll complement the atmosphere perfectly. Microsoft has become believers, too, promising the Remedy team top billing - in exchange for Alan Wake becoming an Xbox 360 exclusive with no PC version in sight.
Alpha Protocol
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Sega
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: Spring
When we saw Alpha Protocol at E3 last year, we didn't really know what to expect. What we got to see was a third person shooter/action RPG in the style of Mass Effect, but with spies and espionage at its core. The folks at Obsidian are great at making interesting stories, but this one looks to also have the RPG depth that is becoming a really fun addition to many action games. It's still up in the air as to whether the teams that Obsidian (their other project is Fallout: New Vegas) can deliver on the promise that their past games have failed to, but I remain hopeful that Alpha Protocol will finally get Obsidian's name out there as a true AAA development studio.
EA Sports MMA
Developer: EA Tiburon
Publisher: EA Sports
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: 2010
If anyone had skepticism for what THQ could deliver with UFC 2009, one might be even more doubtful of what EA can manage without the UFC license. But there is still plenty of mixed martial arts talent to go around, even outside the UFC - organizations like Dream, Pride, Strikeforce, and more all have great fighters in them. With different rulesets and slightly different divisions, it'll be interesting to see how EA handles all this and whether it'll let fighters cross over between events easily. Some people hate the idea of EA muscling their way into making a video game for yet another sport, but this time they're the underdog, they've got something to prove, and the team behind EA Sports MMA has a solid background. They're hungry, and we should all hope that they can put together a game to rival THQ's UFC games. The release date is only set for 2010 now, so it could easily slip to a Fall release.
