Mark my words, 2006 will be huge for gaming. Actually, scrap that. It's gonna be
fucking insane. Not only are we getting two new cutting edge consoles from Nintendo and Sony, but also a brand new version of Windows to give the PC that kick up the arse it so badly needs. And that's not counting the endless stream of 360 games due this year, as well as the many long-awaited beauties hitting the current consoles too.
Dear god, it's gonna be great. Now read on and find out why...
Resident Evil 5
(PS3/Xbox 360)
As it stands, Resident Evil 5 - aka Biohazard 5 - is my most wanted game right now.
Resi 4 was truly cutting edge in its technical accomplishments...and that was using the aging hardware of the previous generation. To consider the mere possibilities of what Capcom could accomplish given the near-bottomless well of power housed by the new consoles, gives one the urge to head over to their web site and start humping the monitor.
 | | Holy crap, I can't wait |
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In fact, one doesn't need to imagine, as we've already seen a brief glimpse. There's a very sleek, if all-too-brief teaser trailer up
here, one showcasing early snippets of the engine in action, as well as the sort of direction the series is taking for its latest sequel.
It seems this time "Lame Leon" is long gone, replaced by old skool Resi hero Chris Redfield, who originally appeared all the way back in the original PSone game. Hopefully, it'll continue using the simply brilliant over-the-shoulder viewpoint we all loved in 4 though.
We also know the setting's been moved to somewhere hot and desert-like this time around, and most terrifyingly of all, that the zombies have been sped up and turbo charged. It's worth noting that there
will be an online component too, but nowt's been elaborated on thus far.
Excitement level: 10/10 - Even if they just slap a fresh lick of graphical paint on Resi 4 with not much else, this'll be fucking incredible.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
(PC)
As always, the PC trudges on with fewer and fewer exclusives, and once again, the big ones are all MMOs and first person shooters. Still, even if PC games are starting to dry up in number, each year forever promises one or two super bad arse FPS titles that make it all worthwhile. Half-Life 2, F.E.A.R., Call of Duty...it's these such games that make those two grand systems worth owning.
 | | I remember the days when gazing upon S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was to cum |
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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. for instance, looks set to supersede its genre by a mile. It's not simply the latest in a long line of mindless blasters which one might accuse its peers of being, this one promises oh so much more. Without forcing the player down a linear series of missions with triggered set pieces and scripted bad guys, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. throws you into a fully interactive
world instead. It has day/night cycles, weather comes and goes, you need food, sleep and medicine, and the game's wild life runs purely off expert AI, seeking out food when hungry, and reacting perfectly to their surroundings at all times.
As a stalker exploring the radiation filled wasteland of Chernobyl, your single objective is to seek out valuable artefacts by exploring the miles of terrain, while battling mutated beasties along the way. Vehicles also appear to aid in your exploration, and there's a minor RPG element involved with improving your stats and weaponry too, but perhaps most excitingly of all, there are fellow computer-controlled stalkers roaming the wasteland doing exactly the same as you.
For the most part, you won't battle hundreds of these guys at once like the Combine of Half-Life 2, or Quake's Strogg armies though. Battles against fellow stalkers will be more of the Enemy at the Gates variety, 1 on 1 scraps to the death. You may spot a fellow stalker miles off in the distance for example, before firing off a sniper round through his skull, but far more interestingly, some of these guys may even raise white flags and try to befriend you.
It all sounds marvellously original and compelling stuff, but the flip side is that all these continuing delays don't bode particularly well. You may remember I even whacked S.T.A.L.K.E.R. up on a similar list for
2005. Yikes.
Also, I'm not normally one to discard a game completely for poor graphics, but with each further delay, it looks rapidly less and less impressive from a technical standpoint too. In the day and age of Gotham 3's near photo-realism, not to mention that Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. looks, to be completely honest, about five years out of date.
A shame...
Excitement level: 7/10 - What was easily a 10/10 last year, is rapidly declining in light of a god ugly graphics engine that is getting worse by the day. In gameplay, we hope.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
(PC/Xbox 360)
 | | Photo-realistic environments with infinite content, anyone? |
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Recent purchasers of the 360 will be looking at Oblivion as one of the machine's first killer apps, but thankfully PC fans will also be sharing in its beauty come the end of March.
As a single player RPG, the sheer size and scope of this game truly defines the term "epic"; an open, free-form universe with endless content and limitless possibilities.
In fact there's almost too much to this game to even begin detailing all the beauty held within, so instead I'll simply point you towards the mind-blowing six chapter video
demo from last year. It's a must see that'll get anyone excited...RPG fan or not.
Excitement level: 9/10 - Oblivion could well prove to be the single greatest RPG of all time.
Project Offset
(PC)
Developers Offset Software claim Project Offset to be the "First Epic Fantasy FPS!", but I'd argue Heretic, Hexen and their many '90s friends stole that crown a long time ago.
 | | Project Offset looks set to bring back swords, axes and bows 'n' arrows to the FPS genre |
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Still, Project Offset is the first of such games we've had in
years now, and if nothing else, the fantasy setting should give it a more original and interesting slant than the usual M16 massacres we usually enjoy in our FPS titles.
Even better, early test footage showcasing the characters, animation and overall engine in action looks phenomenal, with stunning detail and gorgeous motion blur effects almost worthy of a Sony press conference.
From what we've seen, Offset appears to be capturing that kinetic up-close-and-personal feel of melee combat from the Lord of the Rings flicks. Swords, orcs, bows 'n' arrows, you know the drill. This extends to the multiplayer arena too, which truly goes all out, incorporating not just co-op, but also siege combat, mounts, and everything else we expect in the post-Battlefield 2 market.
Actually Project Offset could really be considered BF2's medieval alter ego in some ways...and about as close as we'll ever get to Crieff's crazy "Battlefield Caveman" game he's forever wishing for. Check out that
footage I tells ya.
Excitement level: 7/10 - First person melee combat's always been tricky to pull off, but Offset looks set to provide the goods. Console fans, there's a good chance this'll also show up on the PS3 and 360 too.
Gears of War
(Xbox 360)
 | | Behind you, ya dumb fuck |
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While Oblivion is handling things on the RPG front, Gears is shaping up to be the 360's first real Halo-quality shooter. It's a rock solid third person blaster that not only looks truly stunning - bathed in exceptional lighting and glorious detail - but also comes pleasingly bundled with its own full-on co-op mode as well. Hopefully this'll give it that same massively long Halo longevity, with buddies fine-tuning and perfecting their run throughs over and over for years to come.
Despite rumours to the contrary, straight from the horses' mouths themselves, there's little to no chance this bad boy will appear on any other systems. Bound to be bad arse either way.
Excitement level: 7/10 - Sure is a looker and a half, but at this stage we still don't know a whole lot about the gameplay.
Sony Playstation 3
It's coming people. In fact, the PS3's launch is most certainly the single biggest gaming event set for the entire year, with every gaming fan's eyes firmly locked Sony's way, anxious to see just what the heck they've been cooking up behind closed doors for all these years.
I guess what we do know is that while the 360 has the online side of things locked up, and Nintendo's Revolution looks set to show us something brand new and utterly original, the Playstation 3 will most likely provide the most traditional, yet technically superior gaming experience of all three.
While Sony say no central online service will come included, the machine sure is a powerhouse of a beast to compensate, not only boasting amazing specs at its core, but also housing a brand new Blu-ray drive that'll open up a whole new generation of movies to us too, let alone games.
Can anyone knock Sony off the top spot? I doubt it. Of the three big guns locked in the upcoming console war, the Playstation 3 is certainly looking the more conservative in terms of its feature set, but to be honest it also looks set to be the outright winner thanks to its sheer wealth of power...
...particularly if a certain snake eating Metal Gear game shows up on launch day.
Excitement level: 8/10 - It's the new Playstation, it'll probably be the most powerful machine ever, and it'll most definitely nail single player games beautifully. But with no central online service like Nintendo and Microsoft are offering, will it provide any sort of new
gaming features that its previous incarnation didn't already offer? Time will tell.
Nintendo Revolution
While the PS3 looks set to wow us with the most amazing graphics ever seen, Nintendo's new baby opts to go the complete opposite direction. Expect significantly less impressive visual splendour and considerably more scaled back specs than either of its peers, but on the plus side...expect the most unique and amazingly original games we've ever seen before.
It all comes down to that controller. Part virtual reality glove, part lightgun, part wireless pad, it's got "potential" written all over it. The ability to point and shoot like a real gun, bang on virtual drum sets, rotate it to steer a car, and punch the shit out of the air to battle evil in your living room sounds utterly thrilling if you ask
me.
 | | Final design, this ain't, but we do know the Rev will be a good half the size of its friends |
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The machine - codenamed Revolution for the time being - could easily flop. Here's a concept so barmy, so off the wall and so damn different that many may cast it off as a gimmick. The way I see it though, Nintendo's already somewhat proven themselves in this field with the DS.
Although on a much smaller scale, Nintendo's handheld essentially did the same thing; it crafted a control system and the potential for gameplay experiences never seen before, significantly different than those found on any competing platform. Sure enough, in its early days many laughed and scoffed at the utter lameness of it all (myself included), yet with a stream of solid titles and subsequent wonderful use of its features, the DS has since proved itself more than worthy. Now it exceeds the PSP as my fave handheld.
Of course, the stakes are far higher with the Revolution, and the potential for failure far more pressing, but if anyone can do it, it's Nintendo. Personally I think if nothing else, the Nint will release some ridiculously fun and enjoyable party games, making it a harmless bit of family hilarity. Yet with solid third party support and some genuine platform specific titles that really push the controller's abilities to the extreme...this machine could blow its competitors away on top.
It's the outsider - no doubts there - but also the one I kinda hope wins...
Excitement level: 9/10 - It could be the best thing ever, but it could also fail horribly. I can't watch.
Auto Assault
(PC)
 | | A look at AA's character creation, although expect to spend most of your time hidden behind a car |
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MMORPG fans, keep an eye on this one; Auto Assault looks set to be the next big MMO to take the genre by storm. Published by NCsoft of Guild Wars fame, Auto Assault is the real deal this time, not cutting corners (nor monthly fees), providing the full-on massively multiplayer experience in all its glory.
The originality comes in the concept though. Although brief portions of the game can be played on foot, the majority of Auto Assault has you racing around in cars, blowing the shit out of one another in a real-time combat environment with fully featured physics. It's Twisted Metal the MMO.
More interesting to me is just the sight of an MMORPG that avoids the usual medieval fantasy crap, with Auto Assault opting instead for a post-apocalyptic Mad Max setting that we rarely see these days.
The suits say sci-fi RPGs don't sell...I say we prove 'em wrong with Auto Assault.
Excitement level: 6/10 - I'd prefer more of an on-foot sci-fi MMO myself, but beggars can't be choosers, and if nothing else, tweaking and modding Auto Assault's vast array of bad arse vehicles should prove an absolute blast.
Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures
(PC)
 | | If nothing else, Conan should offer a cheaper alternative to Warcraft |
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Those after a more traditionally set MMORPG however, will mop up Age of Conan I'm sure. Set in (yet another) old time fantasy universe - one we've seen tens of thousands of times before - this one has the added benefit of the Conan license backing it up. Yes, the same one spearheaded by Arnie in film form.
What Conan lacks in an original setting though, it certainly makes up for in concept. It starts out as a 100% single player game you see, with you partaking in an epic solo storyline while offline, yet it's one that when completed, immediately shifts into a full-on MMO, with a super strong emphasis on PvP. Dunno about you, but that sounds bloody interesting to me...not to mention inexpensive.
After winning loads of E3 awards last year, Conan sounds - and indeed looks - pretty damn smart.
Excitement level: 7/10 - MMOs are turning more and more into single player games anyway, it's refreshing to see one finally own up and say, "no worries, play half of me offline".
Halo 3
(Xbox 360)
Well, we can hope can't we? Halo 3 was only semi-officially announced recently - by Bill Gates himself of all people - but beyond his vague and hypocritical words, everyone at camp Microsoft, not to mention Bungie themselves, remain about as tight-lipped as they come.
While fun but flawed, Perfect Dark Zero wasn't the first person classic many were expecting of the 360, leaving quite a gap in the launch line-up for an exclusive system selling FPS zinger. So much so in fact, that many are returning to Halo 2 for their online thrills at this point, via the 360's backwards compatibility mode.
Yet the mere thought of a brand new Halo with the 360's power behind it practically defines excitement. Bungie will no doubt be given free reign to complete the game on any time scale they wish to ensure its quality, time limits be damned, so the ultimate question remains...just how long has it been in development?
I doubt we'll be seeing a Halo 3 before 2007 personally, but we live on in hope...
Excitement level: 10/10 - 'Nuff said.
Okami
(PS2)
Capcom's Okami looks set to be the PS2's swan song. After the likes of God of War and
Shadow of the Colossus, you'd think the PS2 would be all used up and ready to be put out to pasture at this point. Just where else can they go with this thing? Okami gives us one final reason to keep our PS2s out of the attic though; it looks
amazing.
 | | Okami looks hand-drawn from beginning to end |
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Most surprisingly of all, it's the visuals that do it for me too. Okami is cell-shaded and cartoony, but in no way we've ever seen before. Think not
Killer7 or X-Men Legends, Okami's visual style looks like it's literally been hand drawn on your TV by ink and pen. It's beautifully lose and organic in that way, with a gorgeous and original Japanese art style never seen in a game before.
Having played the import demo, I can report it also plays pretty damn well - if confusing - too. You play some kind of god, taking the form of a wolf as your avatar, attempting to help restore your damaged world in the wake of an evil monster called Orochi.
What sounds like a simple adventure game gets surprisingly inventive though as you soon see. Taking that hand-drawn style up a notch, you can pause the game at any point and "paint" on the screen to interact with it. Examples include drawing a bridge to cross over a ravine, or slashing at an enemy to kill 'em.
Okami looks set to be a big one among the more light-hearted and artsy gamer, but I for one can't bloody wait. And they say originality in gaming is dead?
Excitement level: 7/10 - The PS2 lives on to fight another day, yet one can't help but wonder if perhaps Okami would have been more suited to the Nintendo DS.
The Legend of Zelda - Twilight Princess
(Gamecube)
 | | While still a somewhat simplistic adventure game, TP looks to be darkest Zelda yet |
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Similarly to Okami, Zelda looks set to provide the Gamecube with one last final hurrah before it too shuts up shop for good. Arguably, we should have had this game last year - the Gamecube's certainly needed some more exclusives to its name in recent times - but the latest word of the street is that the continuing delays have been more to do with making it compatible with Nintendo's Revolution controller.
Don't fret though, Zelda is still set to be a Gamecube title first and foremost, with the Revolution functionality a mere bonus and something else to enjoy on the system's launch. One can only presume these Revolution features will allow players to hack and slash with that crazy controller for a bit more interactivity.
Either way, Twilight Princess looks to be the old skool, vintage Zelda game fans have been clambering for for years. Wind Waker was a nice wee adventure, but it'll be damn cool to see a slightly more realistic and mature Zelda outing for once. The 30 minutes of
footage out there in internet land certainly hints at greatness.
Excitement level: 9/10 - The return of Link! But the death of the Gamecube...
Half-Life 2 - Aftermath
(PC)
 | | That Terminator-esque eye of coolness can mean only one thing...Dog is back! |
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We all knew Half-Life 2 expansions would see the light of day eventually. Unfortunately 2005 saw nothing more than the standalone Lost Coast mission released - a simple tech demo, truth be told - but 2006 will thankfully usher in the real deal.
Its name is Aftermath, and it sounds utterly brill. In fact, a fab teaser
trailer has been up on Game Trailers for months now, and trust me, it really gets the blood pumpin'.
Once again, you are Gordon Freeman, although the specifics of your return - not to mention the time period and goal - remain clouded in mystery. What we do know however, is that Alyx and indeed Dog will feature prominently this time out. Woof woof.
Excitement level: 9/10 - More Half-Life 2 levels you say? Holy fuckeroo!
Mass Effect
(Xbox 360)
Mass won't hit until much later in the year, and that's presuming we don't get the usual plethora of delays associated with so many 360 games, but from what we've seen so far, it looks to be well worth the wait.
 | | What the shit is that! |
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This is BioWare's Unreal 3-powered futuristic single player RPG, and their first console effort since Jade Empire. The setting though, looks to have more in common with Knights of the Old Republic than anything, with beautiful rolling hills meeting Blade Runner-style metropolises and flashing neon signs aplenty. Just like KOTOR, you'll also be in control of your own ship and crew in an epic globetrotting sci-fi adventure.
Plot details are scarce right now, but we do know combat will be of the real-time variety, and that you'll also have full customisation over your character, ranging from his or her clothes, right down to their facial features. Even at this early stage there are also rumours of space combat, albeit in later chapters of the game, and co-op has been hinted at as well.
Speaking more long-term, we also know this'll be the first of a trilogy, and that users of Xbox Live will even be able to download "mini episodes" interspersed between each game to flesh out the story further.
In the meantime you can grab a wonderful teaser trailer over on the official web
site. Very cool.
Excitement level: 9/10 - Fellow BioWare fanboys rejoice, Mass Effect looks to be everything we'd expect from Canada's finest, and then some.
Sam & Max
(PC)
Perhaps not the huge, high profile LucasArts-backed sequel we wanted, but Sam & Max will indeed make a reappearance this year. After a 13 year long hiatus - not to mention the subsequent death of the point 'n' click adventure genre - Sam & Max will return courtesy of smaller development studio
Telltale Games this time out.
It's worth noting that this title has absolutely nothing to do with the shit-canned "Freelance Police" sequel that was in development a while back. As a brand new endeavour, it'll instead take the more scaled-back form of episodic releases, new chapters for purchase directly over the net.
That may sound a little strange and wreaking of budget-ware, but the good news is that many of the original game's developers are back on board for the ride after jumping ship from LucasArts.
Either way, I can't flippin' wait. Now how about resurrecting Full Throttle 2 next job?
Excitement level: 8/10 - It amazes me how few people actually know this game is in the works. It's a new Sam & Max people! Break out the alcohol!
Alan Wake
(PC/Unspecified Next-Gen Consoles)
 | | The beautiful yet terrifying Alan Wake |
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Little has been revealed about Alan Wake since I originally mentioned it back around E3, including even just which systems it'll be on. Most odd really, considering of all the titles listed here, it's one of the first due out the door.
All signs point towards it being a true next-gen Silent Hill though, with you playing a troubled author attempting to start over by moving to a deserted mountain town...only for your nightmares to come back to haunt you. Literally.
Its scarcely released footage and snapshots hint at a wonderfully spooky Twin Peaks look and atmosphere, and with Max Payne's Remedy handling development duties, we can only presume the combat will be ace too. Still, I'm personally crossing me fingers for more of a brain teasing psychological thriller, than another combat-heavy action game.
Excitement level: 6/10 - It's hard to get too psyched about a game with so little info released, but Wake still sounds rather intriguing.
Black
(PS2/Xbox)
 | | The most detailed destroyable scenary married with insane phsyics. That'll be Black |
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Black ain't big and it definitely ain't clever, but jesus, it sure as shit is fun. From developers Criterion of Burnout fame, they refer to Black as "the Burnout of the FPS genre". Thus expect ridiculously over the top explosions, buildings blowing up all around you, enemies flying this way and that, and so much crazy destruction as to regularly result in laughter.
Whether there's more to Black or not remains to be seen, but even if it's little more than superficial running 'n' gunning at its absolute most ludicrous, it sure as hell looks like a blast...in every sense of the word.
It's due a mere month from now, but in the meantime all
footage released so far should be considered essential viewing.
Excitement level: 7/10 - Black should be a wonderful return to FPS' more straight forward, high-octane running and gunning...I just wish it was hitting next-gen systems instead of these aging dust gatherers.
Splinter Cell 4 - Double Agent
(PC/PS2/PS3/Gamecube/Xbox/Xbox 360)
The previous Splinter Cell - good old
Chaos Theory - is only getting better with age, and is still a title I continue to enjoy daily. This upcoming fourth incarnation due in March however, looks set to turn the series on its head in a surprisingly cool manner. It's the Resident Evil 4 of the Splinter Cell series.
Here's what we know. Sam Fisher's daughter has been killed in a car accident, sending Sam off the rails. In an attempt to stay sane, he undertakes his most dangerous mission yet...something to keep his mind off the pain. Just like that, Sam's history is completely wiped out and he's sent deep undercover to infiltrate a criminal organisation from within.
To do that though, it ain't gonna be easy. For starters, Sam's gotta go to prison, befriend an incarcerated member of said organisation, then bust the two of them out to get in their good books. This level alone should result in a Splinter Cell experience unlike any before it, as with Sam lacking headset, vision modes and lock picks, he'll have to rely purely on cunning and wit to outmanoeuvre prison guards and security cameras.
 | WANTED:
For imitating Jack Bauer |
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Sensing how much we all enjoyed Chaos Theory's co-op mode though, the single player portion of Double Agent has been reinvented to use AI team mates this time around. This prison break-out's a perfect example of that, with your criminal buddy boosting you over walls and creating diversions amidst your great escape.
Further details are pretty vague, but we're told of a wonderfully deep plot with tons of branching storylines and interactive cut-scenes. Through such pleasing additions, you'll find yourself torn between difficult decisions, like shooting innocents to protect your cover, or setting them free and risking your overall mission. Your decisions will not only affect millions of lives, but also whether main characters live or die too. Most interestingly of all, the higher powers will even cut off all ties with you if you drift too far towards the dark side.
It looks like now more than ever, Ubisoft are putting on their 24 caps and paying homage to that most wonderful of TV shows, in a game that borders dangerously close to Resi 5 as my most eagerly awaited here. Coupled with a reported 15 massive co-op levels and a completely revamped versus mode, Double Agent sounds simply phenomenal.
If that wasn't enough, expect handheld Sam Fisher to pop up on the PSP this year too, in a prequel-based title that takes us back to the Fisher's earlier Navy Seals days, then flashes forward showcasing a "best of" selection of missions from all the previous Splinter Cell games on top.
Let's just hope it's better than the DS version...
Excitement level: 10/10 - I can't get enough of Sam, and Double Agent looks like the darkest, most intense and by far coolest Splinter Cell title yet.
Neverwinter Nights 2
(PC)
While we await new BioWare RPG offerings in the form of 2007's Dragon Age, and of course the previously mentioned Mass Effect, a sequel to their 2002 classic Neverwinter Nights will pleasingly arrive later this year on PC...albeit at the hand of Obsidian Entertainment.
Much how Obsidian
continued the Knights of the Old Republic legacy in BioWare's wake though, they look set to similarly do Neverwinter proud. The original is one of those games that blew me away back in the day, but has aged surprisingly poorly, looking and indeed controlling like arse these days. I still hold a dear soft spot for that title though, and eagerly await its reinvention, wood at the ready.
On the downside, Nights 2 is reported to use the same engine as its ancient predecessor, only revamped to make use of more cutting edge graphical features. This makes one a little limp, especially in light of recent screenshots which don't look particularly mind-blowing next to Oblivion and company.
Still, Obsidian, not to mention BioWare games have always been about the engaging story and beautifully drawn characters, as opposed to any kind of graphical splendour. Needless to say, Neverwinter Nights 2 should be great.
Excitement level: 7/10 - While it'll be fab to return to that universe after all this time, news that the plot will have little if anything to do with the original NWN makes me a wee bit sad.
Project Assassins
(Platforms Unknown)
This is the first next-gen title from the team behind Sands of Time, and although it's a brand new IP with nothing to do with Prince of Persia, early word is that it'll be one to watch over the coming year. Very little is known about it other than that, and in fact it might not even make 2006 unless we're lucky.
Either way, expect big things from this bad boy, whatever the hell it is. More as and when it's revealed.
Excitement level: 6/10 - Early rumours and whispers coming from the internet's darker corners talk of mind-blowing greatness, but I need details, damn it.
Star Wars - Empire at War
(PC)
 | | Forget the ground combat, this one's all about space, baby |
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It's been a long time coming, but next month the Star Wars RTS Empire at War will finally be upon us. Mixing ground combat with space warfare, it certainly looks to succeed where previous turkeys Force Commander and Galactic Battlegrounds failed...but will it be enough to draw in the RTS hater such as myself?
Either way, this is one of the very few - if only - Star Wars titles we know to be currently in development. LucasArts of course must have more going on behind closed doors, but it may well be as far away as E3 until any official announcements are made.
Current rumours persist of a cartoony cell-shaded Clone Wars game in production for PS3, but more than anything I'm hoping for a Republic Commando 2.
Excitement level: 4/10 - The recently released demo of this one put a slight dampener on things, as I realised it's really just a regular old RTS like any other. Still, that space combat
is bloody cool...
Metroid Prime - Hunters
(Nintendo DS)
 | | A long time coming, handheld Metroid should be the balls. Literally |
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It's the demo that came bundled with every DS back at launch, and yet over a year later it
still ain't out in the shops. On the plus side, the bulk of these delays have been down to Nintendo bundling wi-fi multiplayer options in with the game, so expect some kick arse online play through this sucker on release, perfect for them nights where Mario Kart just ain't violent enough.
Metroid Prime was of course one of the coolest titles ever released on the Gamecube, and although possibly drifting slightly more into shooter territory than the explore 'em up style of its big brother's incarnation, handheld Prime looks set to provide some fabulous thrills and carnage on Nintendo's handheld baby.
In particular, those who think all FPS games require a mouse and keyboard will be particularly surprised in how adeptly the DS' touch screen handles the genre...it's different, but it works bloody well.
Excitement level: 6/10 - Delays this long often make ya care less for a title you once would have sold your soul for, but I still remain hopeful Metroid on the DS will deliver the goods...eventually.
Enemy Territory - Quake Wars
(PC)
 | | It's Quake 4 meets Battlefield 2. What's not to love? |
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Wolfenstein - Enemy Territory was a wonderful gift. A beautifully designed objective based online shooter that for some insane reason was free, yet its follow-up here looks to be on just a completely different level. While it'll retain Wolf's basic concept of team-based objectives and overall structure, the battlefields have been opened up considerably this time around, with wide open outdoor environments, fully drivable vehicles, and even good old air combat.
Strangely enough, this is all coming courtesy of a heavily reworked Doom III engine - the one they all said couldn't pull off anything more than pitch-black corridors. Look and weep boys, Quake Wars is about as epic as they come.
Battlefield 2 fans who want an even greater sense of teamwork, mixed in with top class violence and a more fantastical, science fiction setting, keep your eye on Quake Wars. This thing'll be
massive.
Excitement level: 9/10 - As great as Battlefield 2 is, it can't last forever. It's great to have a bit more choice on the horizon for our online killing.
Crackdown
(Xbox 360)
 | | Zero gameplay footage and a major lack of details mean Crackdown remains somewhat enigmatic right now. Still, consider me curious |
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Crackdown - along with the far more derivate Saint's Row - marks the first GTA-style free-roaming clone due for the Xbox 360. No mere knockoff though, Crackdown genuinely looks ready to kick the genre up a notch.
For one, the graphic style is gorgeous, with a crazed mixture of graphic novel-styled characters, combined with ever so subtle cell shading effects. As part of a futuristic elite police force, it also imbues the player with crazy powers, such as super human jumps, and the ability to lob passing cars at enemies. Sounds like Spider-Man 2? Good, I hope so.
Far more importantly though, one needs to know that Crackdown is being spearheaded by the original Grand Theft Auto creator himself. Cripes.
For early glimpses at that awesome graphical style at work, check out the super stylish trailer right
here. Gimme gimme!
Excitement level: 7/10 - With its comic book visuals proudly on display, Crackdown certainly looks the biz. But how will it play?
Medal of Honor: Airborne
(PC/PS2/PS3/Xbox/Xbox 360)
Even as a World War II freak, it can be hard to dredge up excitement for yet
another WWII shooter at this point, but the Medal of Honour franchise runs deep through my veins, so much so that the mere hint at a new title sends shivers down my ginger-tinged body. That is, on the PC side of things at least. The console MOH games have all left a lot to be desired, a completely separate series that hardly deserves to share the same name.
As the first MOH game slated for simultaneous console
and PC release - coming at us on a whopping great
five platforms, no less - Airborne could go either way. Particularly as it's all a little unclear how each version will differ from the rest at this point. Either way, let us pray for more in the way of Allied Assault, than Rising Sun...
On the plus side, graphics look like some of the best yet seen - at least on the next-gen systems - which I'm sure those who caught the recent mag scans on the forums will agree with. I'm also incredibly excited to hear of four player co-op being integrated into the game from the ground up. Just picture the mere site of fellow players parachuting in to join you mid-battle while you wipe out the Nazi hordes.
Story-wise, you're a member of the 82nd Airborne this time around, working your way from Sicily through to Germany. We're told of fully controllable parachuting sequences kicking off each mission, with free-roaming FPS ground combat complete with multiple paths and differing ways of completing objectives. When you put it that way, consider me buzzed!
Excitement level: 8/10 - With its spotty console history, let's hope Medal of Honor's cross-platform development doesn't drag down what would otherwise have been a classic PC shooter.
Ghost Recon 3 - Advanced Warfighter
(PC/PS2/Xbox/Xbox 360)
Despite being a little put off on hearing this was also not just a cross-platform, but also cross-
generation title, I think anyone who's anyone who be picking up the 360 version if they know what's good for them. By all accounts, it'll be by far the most technically advanced of the lot, not to mention the first out the door.
 | | Just check out the detail on that damn city. Fuck me... |
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Ghost Recon was an ace tactical military shooter back in its day, and the more recent follow up was even better. By upping the cinematic style while sacrificing none of the rawness - not to mention providing some of the best online action in its field - Ubisoft have been taking this series to exciting new places recently, hence I await this third and latest instalment with quite the boner.
That said, this game's been the subject of some controversy due to pulling a PS3-style wool over our eyes CGI fake-out in its early footage, proved blatantly obvious when subsequent videos showed real-time gameplay looking significantly less cool. Thankfully though, Ubisoft have since given the game a swift graphical upgrade, and at this point it looks considerably closer to those early renders, if not even better. Expect beautiful lighting, stunningly large, open areas, and some wonderful use of filters and post-production effects on top, all resulting in a gloriously gritty look that bears stronger resemblance to CNN footage than any mere video game.
Excitement level: 9/10 - Big Recon fan as I am, this can't come soon enough. Expect it just over a month from now.
Mercenaries 2
(PS3/Xbox 360)
Indeed, IGN has semi-
confirmed that a sequel to last year's sleeper hit Mercenaries is deep in production for PS3 and Xbox 360, and further rumours hint at it showing up as soon as late this year on top. It'll include a much fleshed-out storyline apparently, bigger environments (if you can believe that), and possibly even an online component.
(Side note, on the above link they also claim a third Knights of the Old Republic is in the works, but it comes across more like wishful thinking if you ask me).
For those who never played the
original, Mercenaries is part Grand Theft Auto, part Battlefield game. You take missions from a varied selection of factions across a free-roaming war-zone, hijacking vehicles and capturing bounties in the process. The game's most impressive trait though is the ability to literally level any building you can see, from the smallest shop to entire skyscrapers.
If you still ain't checked it out, now's the perfect time to start catching up. More on the sequel as soon as I hear it.
Excitement level: 9/10 - Next-gen Mercenaries you say? Fuck yeah.
The Outfit
(Xbox 360)
 | | Gung-ho WWII action at its finest |
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If however, you fancy the feel of Mercenaries, but transported to a World War II setting, look no further than The Outfit. Even better, it's due out within the next couple of months to boot.
While in terms of action, the two games appear almost identical however, The Outfit is far more focused and linear. You won't find Mercenaries' open-ended mission structure and free-roaming game world, but you
will encounter its same emphasis on big arse explosions, amazing physics and fully destructible environments.
They also differ in the use of squad dynamics. No lone grunt for hire, here you'll order around your own group of WW2 squaddies...which best of all provides the perfect setup for the bundled co-op mode through Xbox Live.
A different take on the much overdone WW2 shooter, The Outfit sounds awesome.
Excitement level: 7/10 - Shameless rip-off of the previously mentioned Mercenaries, or a superior beast that supersedes it at its own game? We shall see I guess, but the inclusion of co-op bodes well.
Prey
(PC/Xbox 360)
Along with S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Prey's the other big PC FPS set to blow us away in 2006, although somewhat thunder-stealingly, this one will also find a home on the 360 too.
 | | The game Doom III and Quake 4 wish they were? |
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In Prey, you're kidnapped by aliens, and thus find yourself battling for survival onboard some kind of epically large interstellar space ship. On the face of it, it looks more akin to another Quake game; cue tons of super fast, crazy arse fire-fights to the death via meaty weapons and satisfying gibs.
While it uses Doom III's engine at its core yet again, all footage released so far demonstrates a game going to far more extreme lengths than either Doom or Quake ever managed though. Physics and gravity for instance, are not only present and correct, but entire set-pieces and puzzles seem set around them. Check out the 10 minutes of
greatness from back at E3 for some prime examples of that.
It's the enemies that impress most of all though; monstrously huge and grotesque abominations of nature that put anything found in the aforementioned games to shame...save maybe the good old Cyberdemon from back in the day.
For those into their old skool first person shooters, ready to kick it up to the next level, get Prey pre-ordered now. It'll be the F.E.A.R. of 2006, I'm telling ya.
Excitement level: 7/10 - Sci-fi FPS action taken to new extremes, Prey's certainly got my cash.
World of Warcraft - The Burning Crusade
(PC)
WoW's first expansion is deep in development right now, yet I'm personally still only half-way through the main bloody game. It'll throw two new races into the mix, including the "evil" Blood Elves, as well as new flyable mounts and a whole new world titled The Outland.
 | | Expect to see those X-Fire lists filled to the brim with WoW players once more, Blizzard's classic is about to double in size |
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The level cap will also be raised to 70, something which may bother level 60 veterans who've slogged their arse off for high-end loot only to now have to do it all over again. Then again, such folk really do need a dollop of new content to give 'em something else to do at this point.
While the world at large eagerly awaits this expansion more than perhaps any other, I personally fear for its repercussions on the rest of the gaming industry. Let's face it, with WoW sucking up 5 million subscribers over the past year, more and more players found themselves trying less and less games in favour of living full-time in Azeroth. In case you didn't know, the rest of the PC industry reported record financial losses in the process...
A year on, things are
finally starting to get back to normal, as people cap their WoW tunes and move on to new pastures, but with Burning Crusade on its way now, is history destined to repeat itself? God I hope not. It feels like WoW turns the internet into a fucking graveyard sometimes
Crusade sounds fab either way, and if you're one of those 5 million, you'll be pleased to hear it's recently been moved up to a summer release. Just remember there's more to life than dinging, eh?
Excitement level: 10/10 - ...For better or worse.
 | | Will Metal Gear Solid 4 make 2006, let alone the PS3 launch? And what other system exclusives are due Sony's way that we don't know about yet? |
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But it doesn't stop there. While these are the ones I can't wait for myself, you can also expect the long-awaited Starcraft: Ghost to finally touch down this year, along with the ever so cute Kingdom Hearts 2. Then there's the launch titles of the Revolution and PS3 - possibly including Metal Gear Solid 4 - and whatever else may join it.
There's also a ton of sequels to some of our all-time faves, currently unannounced, even though we
know they're in development behind closed doors somewhere. Ninja Gaiden, Jade Empire, even a new Indiana Jones game. Will we see these such bad boys as early as 2006 as well? Fingers crossed.
Either way, this year is easily destined to go down as gaming's greatest yet. Start saving!
(Pictures courtesy of
Splash Damage,
Age of Conan,
Auto Assault,
Xbox,
Elder Scrolls,
Ghost Recon,
Nintendo,
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.,
LucasArts,
Prey,
EA Games and
The Outfit)
