2009 is coming to an end, and what a year it has been for the gaming industry. Not only it has to weather the financial crisis with dismal quarter on quarter hardware and consoles sales, but also we did see a number of shining examples that have made the fray in the video games scene.
Games like Killzone 2, Resident Evil 5, Infamous, Uncharted 2, Dragon Age Origins, are some of the many more that have been released this year. Well it’s not truly over yet, but we know what are the games that are coming for in the final days ahead and so far, with the recent release of Modern Warfare 2, this one hell of a behemoth will surely dominate this year-end’s lineup of great games of 2009.
But what about 2010? Is it going to be another blockbuster year for video games? Are we going to see more sequels planned, or exciting new franchises that would truly reinvigorate the industry? Is 2010 primed for the industry to jumpstart from the slump that it has been experiencing in 2009? Will we see further decline in Wii sales, only to be offset by increased sales of Xbox360 and Playstation 3? Will software sales be able to accomplish such a huge feat? Well let’s take a look at some of games releasing in 2010, with the potential to do wonders.
Dante’s Inferno 9/Feb/Visceral Games
Who is making the game?
Dante’s Inferno, is a third person action adventure multiplatform game being published by EA, and in development by Visceral Game. The game’s plot is written by Will Rokos, who happened to wrote the film, Monster’s Ball.
What is the game about?
You play a veteran of the Crusades, who is after Beatrice, his lover and attempt to save her from the evil clutches of Lucifer. He must journey through the 9 different levels of hell in order to save her.
What makes this game interesting?
The journey through the different levels of hell is what sets this game apart. Aside from the similar gameplay styles of God Of War III, developers have stressed that your journey through the different levels of hell will be different in every level. Each level has a central theme, like Limbo, Lust, Greed, Glutton and so on. So each will have its unique gameplay aspects, filled with a variety of unique villains, monsters, demons and bosses at the end of each level.
This game will also be a controversial game to some extent mainly because of the overall theme to it. You will be fighting demonized babies, and killing them, female enemies that are naked and spout stuff from their tits. This would definitely add to the raw and unpleasant imageries that you might come across aside from the already gory and violent nature of the game. This game might be a little uncomfortable to play for some people. In short, gameplay is literally hell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdqY2a9iRXw
Star Ocean The Last Hope International 9/Feb/tri-Ace
Star Ocean The Last Hope was originally released for the Xbox360, as a timed exclusive. Now more than a year later, it is coming over to the Playstation 3 platform with additional content and voiceover work of both the Japanese and English versions. It’s being developed by tri-Ace and published by Square Enix.
What is the game about and why is it so interesting?
It’s another typical JRPG and with JRPG few and far between for the PS3 platform, this would be a good game would be a good entry in 2010 for JRPG fans out there. It’s the fifth installment of the Star Ocean series, and with a party based, real time fighting system with a sci fi setting to boot. This game has received commendable reviews from the Xbox 360 version and it would be interesting to note how it would do in the PS3 platform.
http://www.youtube.com/v/y45AeUTN_JA
God Of War III/Mar/SCEA
God of War franchise has always been an important and most valued franchise for Sony. Its previous 2 installment has met with critical acclaim on both the PSP and PS2 platform. Now for the first time, its been developed for the PS3 exclusively.
What is the game about?
Much like the previous installments, it follows right after the events of God Of War II, playing Kratos, upon Gaia’s back, to exact vengeance on the gods and make them pay. Throughout the game you will be defeating gods as bosses like Helios and Cyclops, often killing them brutally, like pulling their heads off, from their necks alive or stabbing them in the eye and controlling them at the same time to your advantage.
Why is it so interesting?
Apart from the gameplay, with it unique weapons that you are able to wield, and the satisfaction you get by brutally killing your foes, GOW III promises to be a technical marvel in terms of graphics. It would be one of the most beautiful looking games on the PS3 platform, pushing the technical limits of the console.
And with the previous installments that have been reviewed with critical acclaim, what is there NOT to like this third and final part of the series? To see the game in HD glory is an understatement. You have to experience it by playing it as well. This would be a landmark title for the Playstation 3 platform.
http://www.youtube.com/v/iKUtnT03F9M
Heavy Rain/Mar/Quantic Dreams
Who is making the game?
My personal favourite and the game of 2010 that I wish would come out today. Heavy Rain may revolutionize storytelling in videogames. Developed by Quantic Dreams , the brainchild of the sleeper hit, Indigo Prophecy and exclusively for the Playstation 3 platform.
What is the game all about?
Heavy rain is essentially a story driven adventure game with a very dark noir thriller theme. Details of the plot is still relatively scarce, but what we do know is that we get to control 4 very different characters, all trying to achieve a similar goal: To find out who is the Origami Killer. Apparently this criminal will unfold a series of events that would lead to all 4 of them crossing each other’s paths at on point in their life. As you play the game, you unfold the story. Essentially, the theme is this: How far are you willing to go to save someone you love?
What makes it so interesting?
This game is heavily focused on storytelling. And the unique part of this game is that you, the player, are driving the story. Your actions have consequences and it will affect how the story unfolds. This creates a very unique player driven experience that would be vastly different from one another. The freedom to do almost anything in the game is what makes this game unique. Furthermore, it is also touted to have cutting age graphics technology powering this game. So far the its been looking beautiful on screen.
With a 1200 page script due to the multitude of possibilities in the game, it is no wonder that this project is an immense one. Started in 2006, it would be in its fourth year of development when it releases in 2010.
Great mo cap acting for realism, lengthy script, professional voice acting and compelling story, its like a Hollywood movie in a video game and you are the director. If you are still skeptical, take a look a few video clips to see what I mean.
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