Onward and upward...
With the majority of 2010’s releases all mopped up until September and those ensuing holiday titles shrouded in relative mystery, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the best has already been and gone; thankfully, though, that’s not the case. Here’s what’s on the way and why you should care.
Shooters: Medal Of Honour
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release Date: 15/10/2010
Yes, yes, I know that it’s an unashamed Call of Duty clone right down to the modern-day setting and the multiplayer features, but wait just a minute; have you seen the trailers, footage and previews concerning EA’s biggest and best recently? The single player, for example (something that was sadly undernourished in the largely online-focused Modern Warfare 2) looks to be one of the most gripping, varied, thrilling and down to earth experiences we’ll have played through for quite some time, seemingly only matched by the likes of the upcoming Killzone 3. With even a separate team working hard on the multiplayer component of the title (Dice of Battlefield fame have unsurprisingly taken the reigns), it’s clear that the crew behind this latest Medal of Honour are taking the effort to unsettle COD incredibly seriously.
Action/Adventures: Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS, PSP, PC
Release Date: 25/06/2010
Despite frequent and thoroughly unfair criticism from the hardcore market against what is apparently a mere ‘kid’s game’, the Lego series has proven to be both brilliantly fun and genuinely amusing again and again with a refreshing tongue-in-cheek sense of humour and a superb bout of co-op gameplay for all ages. If you haven’t tried one out yet, then why not give the latest - and reportedly best - a spin? Not only is the world of the boy wizard perfectly ripe for some great gameplay tricks and shenanigans (you’re a magician with a magic wand, potions and a broomstick, remember?), but the story and characters are simply perfect victims for Lego’s wicked and whimsical sense of humour.
RPGs: Fable 3
Platform: Xbox 360/PC
Release Date: Winter 2010
Looking set to fix a lot of the problems that arose with Fable 2 (namely a completely naff co-op system and a somewhat lacking combat sim), this is definitely the RPG to watch out for this year. Why? Well, take a kingdom of your own to rule or abuse and dungeons aplenty to explore, a good and evil system to exploit that changes your appearance and the very landscape around you depending on your actions, a brilliant new roster of great voice talent, in-depth online features and a relatively light-hearted, fairy-tale plot that focuses more on humour and having a good time then the other myriad and faceless fantasy adventures we’re used to and you potentially have one of Lionhead’s best (and certainly most ambitious) titles to date.
Sports: Kinect (formerly Project Natal)
Platform: Xbox 360
Release Date: Autumn/Winter 2010
Ok, ok, so I’ll admit it - this is a bit of a cop out. While I’m well aware that Kinect is actually a piece of hardware rather than a more traditional ‘game’, however, the very nature of the technology on show (including full and impressive 3D motion-sensing) means that we should expect some very interesting - not to mention interactive - sports titles on our Xbox 360s by New Year, completely changing the way we game for a long time to come.
Platformers: Super Mario Galaxy 2
Platform: Wii
Release Date: 11/06/2010
The last Super Mario Galaxy had more charm to it’s name than a whole boat of family-friendly Christmas movies, a wonderfully enchanting graphical style and a huge range of levels, tasks, powers and phenomenal platforming to boast of, but edition two still looks set to raise the bar yet again to new and ever-more giddying heights; promising a slightly harder and lengthier experience than the 2007 BAFTA-winning original, there are oodles more abilities and items on show this time around (giving our hapless plumber the ability to take to the clouds, through entire planets and more), a return for fan-favourite Yoshi as a mount - promising to shake up gameplay significantly with many tricksy dino-related challenges - even more imaginative trials and bucket-loads of jaw-droopingly pretty environments to get very, very excited about. It would be one with a real heart of stone to refuse this joyously carefree adventure from everyone’s favourite mascot.
Racers: Gran Turismo 5
Platform: PS3
Released Date: Winter 2010
Well, that’s if it ever reaches stores, anyway; perfectionists right until the end, the team behind the Gran Turismo series can boast a pedigree, attention to detail and level of quality that few other studios can even dream of ever touching upon. Changing the face of console racing every time they make a belated arrive, the name and history of this series is enough reason to be excited - incredibly excited - about their newest baby that will hopefully be falling into our high streets just in time for the a truly merry 25th of December.
Horrors: Dead Space 2
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release Date: 2011
The original Dead Space shocked everyone to the core with a hugely original take on the horror genre that gave ‘tension’ a new face, and although they say that lightning will only very rarely strike twice, this sequel honestly looks set to repeat the first's success. With deadly new enemies, fantastic additions to the weapon roster, better physics and novel takedowns (blow out the windows of your deeply alarming and lonesome space-station playground to utilise your deadliest tool - the vacuum itself) this creepy title looks to be a real winner, especially when it can show off a masterfully terrifying atmosphere for good measure and enemies who literally won't stop coming until you're dead or they're a fine paste.
Strategies: Ruse
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release Date: 17/09/2010
As the name would suggest this RTS is all about the art of bluff, be it concerning traps, camouflage or wicked outmanoeuvres with which to dazzle and defeat your foe. Offering huge battle-maps claiming a ridiculous depth and multiple levels to fight upon (will you command your soldiers on the field or should you dictate to your forces on a national level?), suitably deep multiplayer modes and numerous factions to use, this looks to be an interesting strategy title that attempts something a bit different and - more importantly - hasn't been dumbed down for an apparently ‘stupid’ console audience.
The Wild Card: Naughty Bear
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: 25/06/2010
I'm still distinctly unsure about this one; although it looks to be utterly hilarious and brilliantly ridiculous fun on the one hand, I'm not sure how long it would stay so on the other. Would this juicy, gorgeous concept (a disgruntled teddy bear going on a rampage in toy town - genius!) just become boring after a while? I'm not sure. Regardless, it looks to have a fantastically mean sense of humour, gameplay reminiscent of GTA (with the ‘Fuzz’ and army coming after you if you're too naughty), original, beautiful levels and A.I that forms factions and groups to work against you in any case, so could be worth a look whatever the result. Hopefully we’ll be able to put this mystery to bed very soon.
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