Games We're Looking Forward to in 2010

The holidays are over. The food has all been eaten, the alcohol drunk, and surely, by now, all those new video games beaten. But fear not! The year 2010 is here, and a slew of post-holiday releases will keep your thumbs sore well into the new year. Here are our picks for what to look out for in 2010.

What It's About: A murder mystery set in the northeast, 'Heavy Rain' is a dark, film noir-style thriller. The graphics are nearly photo-realistic -- so good, in fact, that when Sony saw the developer's early tech demo at E3 2006, they were so impressed that they decided to pick up and publish the game themselves.

Why It's Important: 'Heavy Rain' is French studio Quantic Dream's latest attempt to reinvent narrative in video games (their last game, Indigo Prophecy, got about halfway there). Even games ostensibly about "story" ('Grand Theft Auto,' 'BioShock,' et al.) are essentially action games; 'Heavy Rain,' however, is very much its own beast, about normal people and only punctuated by moments of action. It's a mature take on video games, and is full of moral choices, inventive control schemes, and emotional depth. Now, of course, we just need to wait and see if it's actually any fun...

Release Date: February 16, 2010
Video: Trailer

'God of War III'

What It's About: Greek gods doing very, very violent things to one another. Essentially hack-and-slash action gaming at its finest, 'God of War III' will be more, bigger, stronger.

Why It's Important: The 'God of War' series is a perennial favorite of many a PlayStation 2 owner, and 'GoWIII' represents the first game in the series designed for Sony's PlayStation 3 hardware. The series has always been known for being over-the-top: enormous, screen-filling bosses, spectacular environments, and Mount freaking Olympus. Combo chains will be longer (as many as 50 consecutive hits), weapons will be more diverse (the Cestus, a pair of gauntlets shaped like lion heads, are actually able to smash through rocks), and some truly spectacular set-pieces (flying on the Wings of Icarus, anyone?). Full 1080p graphics and Sixaxis tilt functionality round out what is going to be a very gory package (not for the kiddies, this one).

Release Date: ???
Video: Trailer

'Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction'

What It's About: Spy dudes doing spy stuff in the nation's capital. Stealth tactics and steady aim are the name of the game.

Why It's Important: This is the fifth installment in Ubisoft's venerable series, and one that has been a long time coming: the company's Montreal studio had been working on the game for nearly two years when it decided it didn't like the way things were going and started anew. The reboot includes a new "Mark and Execute" feature, which allows the player to mark specific targets to shoot when they burst through a door or window. Another new mechanic, "Last Known Position," gives players a visual indication of where their enemy thinks they are, allowing for all manner of evasive and flanking maneuvers. Finally, a brand new cooperative campaign mode lets two spies team up against the computer AI, which rumor has it, is the best yet in the series.

Release Date: February 23, 2010
Video: Trailer

'Battlefield Bad Company 2'

What It's About: A war game set along the borders of Russia, 'Bad Company 2' is about soldiers with bad attitudes (and big guns).

Why It's Important: After it became the highest-grossing opening weekend entertainment product of all time, it's tough to follow up 'Modern Warfare 2.' But 'Battlefield: Bad Company 2' is a different beast: rather than the scripted set-pieces of 'MW2,' 'Bad Company' allows players to play through its missions using their own approaches and techniques. Destructible environments allow for complex tactical operations: players can now completely destroy entire buildings, for example, and a complex physics engine means the environment (and enemies) around them will react realistically. There will be new vehicles in 'Bad Company 2,' such as a quad bike, a two-man patrol boat, and a UAV helicopter (controlled via laptop). The game takes itself less seriously than most military games, and the multiplayer mode promises big things.

Release Date: March 2, 2010
Video: Trailer

'Mass Effect 2'

What It's About: Sorta like an interactive 'Battlestar Galactica,' 'Mass Effect 2' is a sequel to the 2007 Bioware hit.

Why It's Important: 'Mass Effect' was a jack-of-all-trades: taking elements of RPGs, shooters, and interactive storytelling, everything congealed to make a rather epic space opera. But none of these elements was superb: the shooting was so-so, and the RPG and story were a bit convoluted. 'ME2' looks to smooth things out in every way: action is more fluid, and regenerating health means players don't need to be constantly looking for pesky "medi-gel" packs. Character animations have been ramped up from 20 to more than 200, and the number of available weapons has more than quadrupled. The stylized graphics and soundtrack out of an '80's John Carpenter film are back, all of which should make 'ME2' a must play -- particularly for those who can't get enough outer space in their lives.

Release Date: January 29, 2010
Video: Trailer

'Final Fantasy XIII'

What It's About: The Japanese RPG at its most spectacular. Technology versus nature, good versus evil, and strategic, command-based battles, all wrapped in some of the most mind-blowing graphics you've ever seen.

Why It's Important: The game just sold 1.8 million copies in a struggling Japanese games market on its opening day, and will undoubtedly do similarly huge numbers that when it launches here in the US. This is the first true 'Final Fantasy' sequel in over three years, and the first for the Xbox 360/PS3 generation of consoles. This is about as big as games get, with gorgeous graphics and more feathered haircuts than a Morrissey concert.

Release Date: March 9, 2010
Video: Trailer

'Sin and Punishment 2'

What It's About: Frenetic third-person shooter gameplay, rendered in extremely Japanese fashion with swirling cameras, neon lights, and young, stylish heroes.

Why It's Important: This is the sequel to the cult-classic Nintendo 64 original, and news of a Wii version has the fanboys all hot and bothered. Like the original, this iteration is being created by legendary developer Treasure, and from what we've seen looks to match the graphical splendor of Nintendo-developed Wii games. While details are still a bit scarce, videos have shown action taking place in ruined, futuristic cities, and atop destroyed highways full of crazy biomechanical creatures. Color us masochistic.

Release Date: Q1 2010
Video: Trailer

'Lost Planet 2'

What It's About: A science fiction shooter set atop snow-capped mountains and inside lush jungles. Oh, and you can climb into (and wreak havoc with) more than a dozen awesome mechs.

Why It's Important: The original was something of a surprise hit for Capcom, and the sequel takes place on the same (lost) planet 10 years later. The RPG elements and ability to fully customize your hero adds a great deal of variety to proceedings, and the enormous boss battles look absolutely terrifying. New to the sequel is four player online co-op support for the campaign mode, and the 16-player versus mode looks infinitely more polished.

Release Date: February 10, 2010
Video: Trailer

'Starcraft II'

What It's About: Fast-paced strategy gaming at its finest (and most addictive).

Why It's Important: The long awaited sequel to what is arguably the quintessential realtime strategy (RTS) title of all time,
Starcraft II' brings back the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg factions for more interstellar warfare. The multiplayer aspects of the original were a huge hit around the globe, particularly in Korea (where the game is still popular today, some 12 years later); unsurprisingly, multiplayer will be a huge part of the sequel. A new "ladder" system for ranked games and a new matchmaking engine should finding and fighting opponents an even smoother process, and cinematic cut scenes are once again implemented to keep the plot moving.

Release Date: Q2 2010
Video: Trailer

'Diablo III'

What It's About: Dungeon-crawling, demon-busting, clicky-clicky action. Kill dudes, find cool stuff, repeat.

Why It's Important: 'Diablo III' represents yet another huge Blizzard sequel hitting shelves this year. The game looks hugely better than the original, with such niceties as beautiful lighting effects, complex physics, and destructible environments. Enemies are smarter this time around, and multiplayer adventures will take place on a much-improved version of Blizzard's online gaming service, Battle-net. Random level and encounter generators mean that no two games will be exactly the same (except for those designed to be static), and there will be quests in the main game that are specific to the character class you choose.

Release Date: 2010 (hopefully)
Video: Trailer

'Bayonetta'

What It's About: Absurdly over-the-top Japanese action from the creator of 'Viewtiful Joe' and 'Devil May Cry.'

Why It's Important: It's rare that a game receives perfect scores from both Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu and UK gaming magazine Edge, but 'Bayonetta' is one of those games -- and almost inexplicably so. Essentially, you control a witch named 'Bayonetta' and blast through legions of enemies using guns, magic, and various combinations thereof. The action is fast and frenetic: you can fly and juggle your enemies with fire from your dual guns. Meanwhile, special moves like finishes, executions, and unique "torture combos" make for some insane epic, grizzly moments. "Witch Time" allows for some well-timed dodges mid-combat, and opens your enemy up for counter attacks. The visuals are a bizarre admixture of goth and psychedelia; enemies often have faces inside of bodies, and the sheer amount of insanity coming your way at any given moment just needs to be seen to be believed.

Release Date: ???
Video: Trailer

'Alan Wake'

What It's About: A "psychological action thriller" from the folks who brought you 'Max Payne,' the game concerns Alan Wake, a bestselling writer, who finds himself trying to find his kidnapped wife in the small town he initially sought out for creative refuge.

Why It's Important: 'Alan Wake' has been in development for more than five years, which is a long time even in big-budget video game terms. The game does a series of very interesting things: for one, the story takes place in an episodic format, with a television-style presentation (of which the game represents the first season). One of your character's main "weapons" is a flashlight, which is used to combat the game's dark forces; likewise, the player will be forced to use Alan's surroundings to his advantage (fire, explosives, other light sources). Once developer Remedy can get past its writer's block and get the game out the door, it should be well worth the wait.

Release Date: Q2 2010
Video: Trailer

'Super Mario Galaxy 2'

What It's About: It's "Mario Goes to Space," the sequel.

Why It's Important: The release of a new Mario game is always significant, and on a console struggling for good games (Wii) this significance is magnified. Once again, players can expect three-dimensional planet-hopping, Bowser-operated airships, and the added ability to ride around on Yoshi. The Bee Suit and Launch Star return, and this time around players will be able to use a drill to dig through dirt into new areas, as well as slow time momentarily with the game switching to black and white. Visuals are already looking to be some of the best on the Wii, and series creator Shigeru Miyamoto has claimed that the game will have "95-99-percent" new features. Oh, and co-op gameplay should amp up the fun considerably.

Release Date: 2010
Video: Trailer

'Dead Rising 2'

What It's About: Zombie-killing in the USA, as imagined by the ace developers at Capcom Japan.

Why It's Important: The 2006 original survival horror adventure hit right at the start of the zombie craze, and now the sequel hits at (or near?) the end. Set a few years later, the zombie parasite has spread, and the game takes place in a virtual Las Vegas, where you're taking on more zombies than you can count: the number of zombies onscreen simultaneously has gone from the original's already impressive 800 to a staggering 6,000. Players can expect more weapons, more vehicles (read: human-sized hamster balls), and an unspecified multiplayer mode. At one point, you participate in a violent game show called "Terror is Reality" -- isn't that enough?

Release Date: April 2010
Video: Trailer

'World of Warcraft: Cataclysm'

What It's About: This is the third expansion set for the world-dominating MMORPG 'World of Warcraft.' It includes new races, new race/class combinations, redesigned areas, flying mounts in Azeroth, guild leveling, and more.

Why It's Important: When someone sneezes at Blizzard, the 'WoW' community freaks out -- so just consider the significance of a new expansion pack. The level cap has now been pushed up to 85 (as if you needed more reason to keep playing), and the two new races (the Alliance Worgen and Horde Goblins) complement the gameworld. The plot concerns a black dragon called Deathwing (from 'Warcraft II'), and a cataclysm that affects the surface of the world. New secondary skills (archaeology), new dungeons and raids (Abyssal Maw), and more will undoubtedly make this a must-have for 'WoW' addicts.

Release Date: 2010
Video: Trailer
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