The 5 Most Anticipated Games of 2009

Well, it’s the start of another year, but more importantly, the end of a great year in gaming. Some very good titles were released throughout 2008, and while people will still continue to play these games into 2009, some of us are looking a bit further forward. What does 2009 have in store for gamers? In no particular order, here’s a list of what could be considered five of the most hyped and sought after games being released in 2009, as well as a few personal picks that I can’t wait to see.

1. Resident Evil 5

Multiplatform: Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
Release Date: March 13th 2009

The much anticipated sequel to the highly acclaimed Resident Evil 4 is edging ever closer to release. Expectations are incredibly high and the fans will be hard to please, but with the addition of online and offline co-op play to shake up the experience even more, it’s hard to think this game will be anything short of fantastic. On top of that, thanks to the incredible power in the two consoles, the visuals for the game so far look absolutely stunning. A demo was released recently on the Xbox Live Marketplace and received a great reception, so even if you’ve never played the previous games in the series, this may be worth picking up on release day if you’re itching for a new survial horror game to add to your collection.

2. God Of War III

Exclusive to PlayStation 3
Release Date: TBA 2009

By the end of this article I’m going to be using the phrase “much anticipated sequel” all too much, but it just so happens that some of the best games, that we currently know are being released, are sequels. God Of War landed on the PlayStation 2 back in 2005 and was critically acclaimed to be the King of the hack’n'slash genre. With more than enough bloody and brutal combat to suit your needs, over-the-top boss battles and an overly aggressive and angry main character, the setting was indeed set. 4 years, a fantastic sequel and a well received prequel later, and here we are, in awe of the new God Of War III trailer. If the improvements that God Of War II made to the original game are seen again in the third iteration of the series, then it’ll be safe to say that this could be the greatest hack’n'slash game of all time.

3. Street Fighter IV

Multiplatform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC
Release Date: February 20th 2009

Street Fighter to many people can still be seen as the leader in the genre of fighting games. The original game was first released way, way back in August 1987. Over the course of the next 21 years many sequels and versions of the series would be made, most of which were received well. Street Fighter IV is soon to be upon us on the home consoles having previously been released in Japanese and American arcades in July and August respectively. This new entry in the series is also the first to be featured on next-generation consoles, and will also feature 3D graphics, which is unheard of in Street Fighter. Luckily though the gameplay will still be completely 2D, and the 3D graphics are purely to give the characters and environments a look like never before. With the ongoing success of the Street Fighter franchise for so long, it’s hard to ignore this title, and the fact that it’s the next main instalment in the series is the reason why it’s so sought after.

4. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Exclusive to PlayStation 3
Release Date: Winter 2009

One of my personal favourite games of 2007 was Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, an action-adventure game with a cover system like Gears Of War and the adventure elements of Tomb Raider. It was a great mixture of gameplay, and it wasn’t just me that enjoyed it. The majority of reviews for the game were very good, and with a high quality game on the console that really needed it, it was only natural that a sequel was expected. No surprise there then when Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was announced in December 2008. While many people were thrilled to hear about a sequel, just as many were so surprised to see another game in the series on the horizon so soon. From what we’ve seen already stunning visuals in the original are being topped, and with brand new animations, environments, smarter AI and new gameplay mechanics no top of all that, the sequel to the already fantastic game is looking to be quite a game.

5. Halo 3: ODST

Exclusive to Xbox 360
Release Date: Autumn 2009

Any Halo game is going to create a lot of interest and hype, so while the upcoming Real Time Strategy game ‘Halo Wars’ may not be what a lot of Halo fans are looking for, Halo 3: ODST should keep the core Halo fanbase happy. Being looked at as an expansion as opposed to a full blown sequel, ODST follows the journey of one particular trooper during the events of Halo 2. You’re not Master Chief this time though, and that’s where the name “ODST” comes in. It stands for “Orbital Drop Shock Trooper”, and you’ll as an unnamed one known as the “Rookie”, who has been separated from his four teammates. The game takes place at the same time as some of the events of Halo 2, and as it’s only an expansion, it’s expected to last up to 6 hours in the campaign. The game will also come packed with some Halo 3 maps, but you don’t need Halo 3 to play those maps, so you must be able to play multiplayer on ODST? It’s a bit of a grey area at the moment, but it’s a new Halo game, so there will be an abundance of hype closer to release.

My Personal Picks

1. New Ratchet & Clank

Exclusive to PlayStation 3
Release Date: Autumn 2009

These “personal picks” are just a handful of games that I personally can’t wait to get my hands on, and what better way to start that with quite possibly my favourite series of games ever? Ratchet & Clank debuted on the PlayStation 2 back in 2002, and I’ve loved the series ever since. The humour, charm, art design and the gameplay itself make me come back for more in every instalment, and I’ve yet to be disappointed. The first entry into the Ratchet & Clank series on PlayStation 3 was named Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, and it was exactly what I wanted in the game. The classic humour, stunning graphics and classic R&C gameplay that makes the game what it is. This was followed up 10 months later with Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, which was essentially an expansion that follows a small amount of the adventure following the end of Tools of Destruction. On completion and following the credits, a teaser graphics is shown stating “The Quest Continues Fall 2009″. Whether this is going to be a full blown sequel or another expansion is yet to be seen, but either way I’ll be playing it on release day. Hopefully it’ll be a full sequel, but as I say, I can only hope.

2. InFamous

Exclusive to PlayStation 3
Release Date: Spring 2009

InFamous seems to be a mixture of different games, but not in a bad way. Take the huge explorable city of the Xbox 360 game Crackdown, add in the parkour-style climbing and navigation of Assassin’s Creed, and throw in some Force Lightning from Star Wars, and InFamous is basically what you’re left with. That’s no bad thing though, because sandbox games are some of my favourites. One of the cool things about Crackdown was that you could run around this huge city as a genetically enhanced agent, and leap from rooftop to rooftop and shoot down criminals as you go. I personally think it’s going to quite interesting to have that freedom given to you with such a big environment, but a different style of navigation and gameplay could shake things up a bit. There isn’t actually a massive of information about the game around and, considering the game is scheduled to be released in the next few months, I’m not really sure whether that’s a good or bad thing. We’ll have to wait and see, but hopefully it isn’t delayed, and even moreso I hope it’s as good as it seems.

3. The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf

Multiplatform: Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3
Release Date: Autumn 2009

The Witcher was originally released in late October 2007. The game was met with fairly decent reviews but it was praised for trying some new things. The over-shoulder gameplay, inventive combat system and interesting gameplay mechanics as well as somewhat impressive visuals made for an impressive single player RPG for PC. During the next 11 months an Enchanced Edition of the game had been in the works, and in late September 2008, the Enhanced Edition of the game was released. It was essentially a Collector’s Edition of the game, featuring a ‘making of’ DVD, a 29 song soundtrack CD, extra quests and a game map. All of this is available in a box-set, or for players who had already bought the original, all of this content was made available as free downloads on the official website. In December 2008 a console version was officially announced, but Rise of the White Wolf is more than just a port. The graphics engine is being completely updated to fit the next generation consoles, and the combat system is being completely remade, again to fit with the consoles. I already found the game throughly enjoyable on PC, so a huge update and port to my preferred system is a no-brainer purchase for me. Hopefully the “improvements” to the graphics engine and gameplay mechanics will actually be improvements, but we’ll have to wait and see.

So that’s 2009 folks – part of it anyway. I know there are some titles here that some of you may feel should have been included instead, but this wasn’t intended to be a list of every hyped game coming out in 2009. Hopefully all of the games we’re looking forward to will be as good as we want them to be, and let’s all hope 2009 is as good as the past two years have been for gaming.