Gaming: A look at the top games for ’10

As 2009 comes to a close, many gamers will be looking back (and playing) the numerous hit releases of this year. But just as many will be looking forward to the highly anticipated games of next year.  There is quite a bit to be excited about, but much of the industry is still secretive about exactly when its games will be hitting shelves. So let’s just look at the first half of the year.

Here’s a quick list of the top five games I am (and you should be) excited about that will be released in the first six months of the new year.

No. 5 Alan Wake

Unless you follow the game news closely, you probably have not heard of “Alan Wake” yet. The game is a psychological action thriller that has slipped through the cracks simply because it is not the conventional shooter or action game.

In “Alan Wake” players are in the shoes of the best-selling author … Alan Wake … who has been having a bit of writers block for the past two years.  Alan and his wife try to get away from it all by spending some time in a small, isolated town called Bright Falls.

The game starts when Alan’s wife disappears without a trace, and he needs to fend off shadowy creatures with his flashlight – they are impaired by light.  Playing through – a story that is apparently Alan’s, though he does not remember writing it – the story unfolds itself in real life and players struggle to figure out what is going on while trying to find Alan’s lost wife.

“Alan Wake” boasts a compelling, story-driven plot that is backed up by a freely explored, open world and dynamic environmental mechanics including a day and night cycle that drives the plot forward.  Expect “Alan Wake” sometime in May, exclusively for the Xbox 360.

No. 4 Red Steel 2

I have high hopes for “Red Steel 2,” despite the lack of love from the gaming community – thanks mostly to the first game’s frustrating game controls.  “Red Steel 2” will utilize Wii Motion Plus, which adds a whole new level of depth to the game.

“Red Steel 2” is a highly stylized first-person shooter that utilizes a sword for a majority of the game.  Using the Wii Remote, players can swing the sword any way they choose and cut down other sword-fighting enemies.  The catch is that “Red Steel 2” also includes guns in the mix, which allows for combination attacks using guns, as well as special strategies for large groups or boss fights.

While the story so far revealed does not astound, the brunt of “Red Steel 2” rests on original game play and artwork.  Wii Motion Plus will let players cut, parry and stab beautifully designed enemies.  “Red Steel 2” will be released exclusively for the Wii sometime late February or early March.

No. 3 God of War 3

Using the first two “God of War” games as the only reference, I think it’s safe to say that “God of War 3” will be a massive success.  The only reason it’s not higher on the list is that it’s hard to believe it will be much different from the first two games.

Not much different from the vast landscapes, epic journeys, enormous battles, gruesome kill animations, excellent art design and the ultimate bad ass Kratos.

For those of you who do not know, Kratos was once employed by the God of War, Ares, in exchange for superhuman powers, but Ares made Kratos do some … very bad things, for which Kratos eventually had regrets.  In the first “God of War” players drive this super-strong, super-pissed man through thousands of demons in order to get to and kill Ares.

Well, Kratos becomes the new God of War for killing Ares and starts his own reign of terror.  In “God of War 2,” the Gods of Olympia get worried so they try to take Kratos down.  Long story short, they fail, run away, and now Kratos is more pissed than ever, so “God of War 3” basically is a montage of Kratos hunting down the gods one by one.

Just because it’s not different does not mean “God of War 3” will be bad. In fact, the first two games were so good that the very thought of them improving them is enough to make my mouth water.  Look for “God of War 3,” exclusive for Playstation 3, in March.

No. 2 Final Fantasy XIII

Wait, is that No. 13? Yes, “Final Fantasy” has reached No. 13 (not including the dozen or so spin-offs) and while it is the king of sequels, Square Enix – developers of the “Final Fantasy” franchise – has managed to nearly reinvent, while still holding on to its root role-playing mechanics.

But aside from stealing hundreds of hours of my time, “Final Fantasy” really shines with expert story telling and a unique style that mixes swords and magic with guns and high-tech machinery.

“Final Fantasy XIII” seeks to best all the stories of the past in a brand new world with a brand new history.  As well as I can explain now: there is a race of special beings that created a city, Cocoon, high above the actual planet Pulse.  Cocoon, afraid of a prophesy that it will fall back to Pulse, starts exiling people, which leads to a rebellion where five of the main characters come from.  These five are given an extremely difficult task by these special beings that must be completed or they will turn into demons.

Not only am I looking forward to the story (like an interactive movie) but “Final Fantasy XIII” is absolutely gorgeous.  It is by far the prettiest game I’ve ever seen, which leaves me more excited than it probably should.

But “Final Fantasy XIII” isn’t all performance art. The combat and character customization has been totally redone in order to make the experience more intuitive and less repetitive.  “Final Fantasy XIII” hits North America March 9 for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

No. 1 Bioshock 2

Now I am a big fan of the original “Bioshock,” an eerie first-person shooter about an underwater utopia from the ‘50s that goes horribly wrong, and I cannot wait for the next installment.

“Bioshock 2” takes place 10 years after the end of the first – still in the ruined, underwater city Rapture – only instead of being a human like in the first game, players take control of a “Big Daddy,” which is essentially a man-turned-monster in a diver’s suit equipped with a giant drill and a rivet gun.

The city of Rapture is dictated by genetic modification via drugs called plasmids that alter the very biological structure of the user, allowing normal men and women to shoot fire, ice and electricity from their hands.  Not only does this sound like a bad idea for normal humans, but a major side effect of the plasmids is insanity leading to the streets of Rapture to be smeared with blood as bloodthirsty freaks wander around.

While the plot of “Bioshock 2” is still mostly under wraps, you can be sure that the story telling will be fantastic, deep and disturbing.  The makers of “Bioshock” seem to like moral ambiguity and allowing players to make major choices that alter the game play and story.  This leads to an experience that makes players feel more a part of the world they are walking through and more involved in the story when choosing whether to kill a little girl for more power.

“Bioshock 2” will be available on Feb. 9 for Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Bioshock 2 will be available on February 9 for Playstation 3, Xbox360, and Personal Computer.

Comments and Questions can be sent to H.Chelak@aggiemail.usu.edu