2010 in gaming: What to look forward to!

2009 was an undeniably eventful year for the video game industry. Countless surprise announcements, delays, controversies and, most importantly, many releases of fantastic games ranging from big-budget releases such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to unexpected sleeper hits such as Demon’s Souls. The overwhelming fact, however, is that 2010 looks to be just as big, if not bigger. So, I present to you now, dear readers, my own list of what to look forward to in the new gaming year…

Starcraft II

It’s been a long time coming but gamers are finally within grasp of the sequel to what many consider to be the finest real time strategy game ever made and Korea will finally have an update to their national sport. Gamers may be frustrated by the numerous delays but rest assured that, from Blizzard, delays only mean that the game is not yet perfect and they will not let it hit shelves until it is.

Taking away the fiddly hero mechanic of Warcraft III, which has become ever so trendy in many rts games since, Starcraft II will shift the focus back on amassing huge armies and out-strategising your opponents with those familiar factions we all know and love; The rough-and-tumble human terran, the vicious and beastly zerg, and the mysterious and powerful protoss.  The story of the single player campaign promises to have that Blizzard signature level of quality and intrigue and with Blizzard’s rock solid Battle.net system the multiplayer is guaranteed to smooth, accessible and FUN!!

Golden Sun DS

While the release date is strictly TBA 2010 there should not be a DS owning RPG fan on the planet who is not excited for the third instalment of the Golden Sun series. The first two games were standouts for the Gameboy Advance and the genre of Japanese RPGs in general. The innovative Djinn system made combat and character progression far more involved than the usual grind-fest found in other games of the same ilk and with the added muscle power and dual-screen/touch functionality of the DS, I see no reason why Camelot Software shouldn’t make this game a handheld adventure to savour and remember.

Zelda News

We have seen a teaser poster and little else, but we know that there is definitely another Legend of Zelda game making its way to the Wii. It is very unlikely that the game will see a release next year, but we can bet with fair certainty that we will see a substantial Zelda related announcement at E3 2010.  This should excite gamers everywhere as there are scant as many long-running and consistently brilliant series as The Legend of Zelda. It is most likely that the game will feature Wii Motion Plus functionality, possibly bringing a whole new realm of interactivity to the combat controls. Interestingly, in the teaser poster Link is seen without his trusty master sword. Fans already have noted the similarities between the legendary blade and the mysterious female figure standing behind Link, so just what is going on? I look forward to finding out…

Mass Effect 2

Obviously.

Bioshock 2

What more can be said about the sheer scope and imagination behind the setting and story of 2007’s Bioshock? Next year gamers will have a chance to step back into the dank world of Rapture and stalk splicers through its deco halls, this time as one of those armoured, hulking behemoths known as a Big Daddy! Although 2K has shifted this series from their Boston studio to 2K Marin, meaning Ken Levine is not at the helm as he was for first game, impressions so far suggest that the sequel stays true to its predecessor and will expand the world of Rapture into even deeper political and philosophical complexity. This is another game that has been delayed from a 2009 release, meaning that gamers should be guaranteed a polished and balanced experience.

Metroid: Other M

This could be something really special. The combined efforts of Nintendo and Team Ninja (of Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive fame) are hard at work to create a Metroid game that takes the series back to its roots whilst making a brand new and unique experience. Footage so far has shown first-person gameplay as seen in the Metroid Prime series as well as 2D scrolling action as if straight out of the 2D Metroid games of old. This is not to mention the acrobatic combat action that would be right at home in Ninja Gaiden. It looks as if Samus is learning some new moves to complement the ice-beam and screw-attack, exciting news for any fan of the series.  A game that promises to be challenging, engaging and unique, the wii needs more titles like this.

So, there you have it. I failed to mention so many more such as Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Alpha Protocol, Dark Void, God of War III, Dante’s Inferno, Darksiders, Command and Conquer 4: Tiberium Twilight, the list goes on and on. It is going to be huge year for gaming. Gamers, strap on your utility belts, save your pennies and ready yourselves!

Jim Dixon

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Tags: 2010, Gaming, Technology

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 13th, 2009 at 2:05 pm and is filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.