2010: The Best Year To Be A Gamer

Ah, another year has come and passed by. But 2010 offers the best enticement to be a gamer. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or just a casual gamer starting out, there is no time like the present to take up the passion of video gaming. So, here’s why (in no order of importance):

1. God of War III (PS3)

At long last, the epic story of Kratos comes to a conclusion and he gets reincarnated in glorious hi-definition. God of War I & II might have been constrained by the PS2’s specs (although God of War II pushed the PS2 beyond what was thought possible), but not anymore. By the end of God of War II, you were leading the offensive to end the rule of the gods before ….. the credits rolled.

The expectations were set very high because Santa Monica is about to smash them in ways you cannot imagine. God of War III director Stig Amussen says, “We want this to be the game that shows people what the PS3 can do. We set the expectations with the end of God of War II.” March 2010 is the time the war will come to an epic conclusion and on the PS3.

2. Halo: Reach (Xbox 360)

Halo Reach is a prequel to the Halo franchise. No introductions necessary, unless you’ve been living under a rock. In that case, here’s some to refresh your mind: Halo 3 grossed US$300 million in its first week. More than one million people played Halo 3 on Xbox Live in the first twenty hours. As of January 3, 2008, Halo 3 has sold 8.1 million copies, and was the best-selling video game of 2007 in the U.S.

Who better than Geoff Keighley of GameTrailers TV to sum it up? “At the VGAs, we actually go down on to the Planet Reach and see this game for the first time. It’s all going to be in-game stuff. This is not CG. This is not live-action like all the kids on Twitter are speculating. You will get a first glimpse at the world of Reach, which is phenomenal. I think it’s going to be the biggest game of next year by far. Folks love ODST and thought it was great, but when people see the huge leap forward Bungie is taking with Reach, I don’t know if you’ve seen it yet, but everyone that I talked to that’s been on the team and seen it is incredibly excited about that time.”

3. DirectX 11 Heats Off (PC)

With the phenomenal release of Windows 7 (In only eight hours, pre-orders of Windows 7 at Amazon.co.uk surpassed the demand Windows Vista had in its first 17 weeks. It became the highest-grossing pre-order in Amazon’s history) Microsoft has brought DirectX 11 gaming (and sweet visuals) to the masses. Worry not Vista users (are there any out there?) you can also download DirectX11.

If you aren’t enjoying Dirt 2, BattleForge and Stalker: Call of Pripyat (which gets released in US on Feb 2010) on your Radeon 5 series card then something is wrong. Or maybe you’ve been waiting for Nvidia to release its next-gen DirectX 11 offering, codenamed Fermi, in which case I don’t blame you. 😀 Now is the best time ever to be a PC Gamer with over six DirectX 11 games to be released in 2010: Aliens vs Predator, Battlefield Bad Company 2, Crysis 2, F1 2010, Race Driver: Gird 2.

4. Project Natal (Xbox 360)

Casual gamers get the front row seat to high definition with Microsoft’s Project Natal set to release sometime in 2010. Unlike the Wii, Natal doesn’t require any sort of controller. Microsoft has touted that the launch of Natal is going to be on par with the launch of new consoles and will cost around $200. The video of a guy playing Half Life 2 on Natal (It is eerie how Natal tracks accurately all the player’s movement without any controller whatsoever) sparked some interesting controversy (So Wake Up Hardcore Gamers, Wake Up And Smell The Ashes), so hardcore gamers won’t get left out in the cold.

Here are some big name publishers who plan on releasing games on Natal:

* Activision Blizzard
* Bethesda Softworks
* CAPCOM
* Disney Interactive
* Electronic Arts
* Konami
* MTV Games
* Namco Bandai
* Sega
* Square Enix
* THQ
* Ubisoft

5. Mass Effect 2 (PC, Xbox 360)

Mass Effect 2 is a sequel to the critically acclaimed action RPG of 2007, Mass Effect. So much so that there were countless rumors of Mass Effect 2 being released on the PS3 (sorry, its not happening).

The last three hours of Mass Effect were so action packed that GameInformer lists it as one of the Top 10 Gaming Moments of 2007. That said, Mass Effect 2 will take players to new territories. This time around Commander Shpeard is going on a suicide mission and your actions will determine whether he makes it out alive or not. Expect to set foot on the Normandy on January 26th 2010, complete with a star-studded cast of voice actors.

6. Bayonetta (PS3, Xbox 360)

Bayonetta puts every other action game to shame. Now, that’s a bold statement. “Am I the only one who thinks that Bayonetta is over-hyped? Well, Famitsu (the Japanese Gaming Mag) gave it a perfect 40 out of 40. The PS3 version sold 135,000 copies and was the top-selling game during its week of release in Japan, while the Xbox version sold 64,000 copies and charted at number seven. Can’t argue with close to 200,000 gamers, and in the first week alone.” [So, What’s All The Hype About Bayonetta?]

A hot action babe with guns strapped to her feet and torture moves, Bayonetta (from Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe creator Hideki Kamiya) is an action game like no other. You can get your hands on her when it hit stores Januray 5th, 2010.

7. Heavy Rain (PS3)

From fabled creators Quantic Dreams of Indigo Prophecy comes Heavy Rain. Heavy Rain is not so much of a game but more of a “different” experience. “In Heavy Rain, the player is in control second to second, [the character] tells the story through his actions. All this is done in a very fluid, seamless way, with no cut scenes, no big flashing sign to make decisions, and this is what makes the game really unique. Heavy Rain is not a videogame anymore …. because it breaks with most of the traditional paradigms, but it’s fully interactive.” [David Cage, CEO of Quantic Dream, in an interview with Destructoid].

Ever since it was showcased at E3 2006 (that was a long time ago), gamers were wondering when it would be released. Well the wait is over. Heavy Rain hit stores on February 2010.

8. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm (PC)

11.5 million players can rejoice because World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is set for a 2010 release date. The events of Cataclysm unfold when Deathwing, last seen in Warcraft II, is unleashed which triggers a massive cataclysm. Most of the world is reshaped so players will experience a new Azeroth. Two new playable races are added to the mix, Worgen and Goblins. The previous Wrath of the Lich King expansion was mind-bogglingly addictive, expect this one to be no different.

9. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)

Anything with Final Fantasy XIII in the title is surely to catch gamers attention, that’s because it is one the most anticipated Japanese RPG of the “new generation”. The last Final Fantasy XII was released on the PS2 in 2006, so it has been 4 years since a new Final Fantasy game. FFXIII also marks the series’ entry in high-definition visuals. If the string of videos is any indication, the art style can simply be described as gorgeous.

FFXIII was really well received when it was released last December in Japan. Well, that is an understatement. The game sold in excess of one million units on its first day of sale in Japan, and after four days of release neared two million sales. Japanese Gaming Magazine Famitsu has reviewed FF XIII for a score of 39/40. Final Fantasy XIII will hit retail shelves in North America on March 2010.

10. Alan Wake (Xbox 360)

Alan Wake is a psychological action thriller and was announced a l-o-n-g time ago at E3 2005. Since then it had fallen off the radar and many speculated that the project had been canned. But the good news is that it’s set for a Q2 2010 release date. Alan Wake is being developed by Remedy Entertainment (the guys behind Max Payne).

The story revolves around a bestselling author by the name of Alan Wake who is unable to write for the previous two years. His wife brings him to the small town of Bright Falls to overcome his writer’s block. But when his wife disappears without a trace, he is forced to live a nightmare, a nightmare which follows a novel he believes is his own work. Expect a dark engrossing story on the likes of Max Payne.

11. Kojima’s Return To The PS3

And there I thought Kojima was neglecting the PS3. After the tremendously successful Metal Gear Solid 4, Kojima set his sights on the PSP to work on games such as MGS: Portable Ops and MGS: Peace Walker. But it seems that the mastermind has been inspired by the high sales and “modern specs” gunplay of Modern Warfare 2. Next stop: Metal Gear Solid: Rising.

Although Metal Gear Solid: Rising has no exact release date, but this much is clear. The main character of the game is Raiden, the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, who also appears in the cyborg ninja state he was in during the events of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Kojima has referred to it as the “next generation MGS5” and is set to release on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

12. Gran Turismo 5 (PS3)

Forza 3 were flying off shelves like hot cakes this holiday and PS3 gamers were left with Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. But the wait is over and Gran Turismo 5 is set to release in the summer of 2010.

Gran Turismo 5 is set to feature around 1000 cars (with mechanical and external damage) and over 20 total track locations, with variations bringing the number of unique circuits to 70. Hyper car favourites Buggati and Lamborghini will make their first appearance in the game. There will also be an online mode, with 16 player capability. In an interview with Official PlayStation Magazine UK, series producer Kazunori Yamauchi confirmed that night racing will appear in GT5, but dynamic weather is still an undecided feature. There is also a rumor of having a track editor, which will be an interesting addition indeed. Racers, prepare for the “ultimate driving simulator”.

13. The World Economy Makes A Recovery (PC, Xbox 360, PS3 & You)

And last but certainly not the least is that the economic side of things is beginning to look up. Which means more money to spend on games and more games to play! This also means publishers will be more confident in taking more “risky investments” which will breed innovative new IPs.

That’s the end of the article and I hope it you made it this far. 😀 Writing this has made me so stoked about the upcoming months. There are so many triple A titles to be released (don’t forget BioShock 2, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Dark Void) and so many that are yet to be announced. 2010 will certainly be the best year to be a gamer indeed.