Find out what you should be most looking forward to playing at some stage, fingers crossed, between now and Christmas 2011. Oh, it will soon be here.
Dead Space 2
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Due date: 28 January
The gist: Electronic Arts’ sci-fi horror sequel starts the year with doom and gloom. There are superb special effects in store, however, so not all depressing. It is three years after the Necromorph virus transformed the crew of the Ishimura space ship into cannibalistic mutants. Our unwilling but capable hero Isaac Clarke awakes in a space-colony hospital to find, yet again, that all is not well.
The gameplay: New weapons and a wider variety of protective suits help Isaac to tidy up this mess. He can use his environment to battle the Necromorphs, the vacuum of space can swiftly evacuate a room full of enemies. On top of that, Isaac uses telekinesis to control objects with his mind.
Killzone 3
Publisher: Sony
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Due date: 22 February
The gist: Can PlayStation Move enable Sony’s flagship first-person shooter to belittle its biggest rival, ‘Halo: Reach’ for Xbox 360? Accurate motion-controlled targeting is just one of the ideas touted for this second outing of ‘Killzone’ on PlayStation 3. It will also display in 3D if your telly is capable. We rejoin earth’s Interplanetary Strategic Alliance troops versus the alien Helghast Empire. Hua!
The gameplay: Expect jetpacks to take advantage of the huge environments explored vertically and horizontally. Higher vantage points will prove a great place to launch the multi-firing rockets of the new WASP ordinance. ISA troopers have learned mean and dirty close-quarter combat techniques.
Marvel vs Capcom 3
Publisher: Capcom
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Due date: February
The gist: Heroes from the Marvel universe, e.g. Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, take on well-known characters from Capcom classics that include ‘Street Fighter’ and ‘Resident Evil’. The last time this happened was 10 years ago, and the explosive potential of today’s gaming consoles is several times that of PlayStation 2. This ought to be a comic book fan’s idea of console gaming nirvana.
The gameplay: One of the series’ trademarks is linking moves that take place in the air. Capcom will introduce an Air Combo button to launch aerial moves consistently, keeping Light, Medium, and Heavy attack buttons from previous games. ‘Marvel vs Capcom 3’ is all about the crazy combos.
Gears of War 3
Publisher: Microsoft
Format: Xbox 360
Due date: Autumn
The gist: Return of the overtly violent creature feature, in which mankind battles a subterranean race dubbed the Locust Horde. The original ‘Gears of War’ introduced the infamous Lancer, a high-calibre machine gun plus onboard chainsaw designed to rip the Locust Horde into shreds. We’ve already seen weapons for ‘Gears of War 3’ that make the Lancer look like a feather duster.
The gameplay: New female characters join the fray, toting the same weapons as the blokes-built-like-bulldozers that include: The Digger (a gun that fires a creature that burrows underground), One Shot (sniper-rifle meets cannon), and Incendiary Grenades for those who like to see things burn.
L.A. Noire
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Due date: Spring
The gist: Boasting new technology that precisely captures the nuances of an actor’s performance, ‘L.A. Noire’ combines the open-world elements of ‘Grand Theft Auto IV’ with movie directorial smarts of ‘L.A. Confidential’. Present-day Hollywood talent has been recruited to depict the 1940s heyday of the American film industry. The designers have faithfully recreated L.A. from that era.
The gameplay: This is a crime thriller, and as Detective Cole Phelps of the L.A.P.D. you’ll be firing questions at suspects as readily as your side-arm and shotgun at the villains. Cases are solved by paying attention to crime-scene detail then skilfully reading facial expressions and body language.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Publisher: Square Enix
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Due date: Autumn
The gist: A ‘Bladerunner’ vibe runs through the digital veins of this futuristic action adventure, spectacularly pushing the technical limits of the latest consoles and gaming PCs. Lead protagonist Adam Jensen is a biotechnologically enhanced security specialist at the centre of an industrial conspiracy. Ultimately this leads to mind-blowing set-piece shoot out against monstrous villains.
The gameplay: You might be pleased to know that it’s not all shooting, in fact there are special rewards for completing the story without harming anyone other than the linchpin adversaries. As Adam, your approach can be stealthy or go-getting, and different routes open up accordingly.
Doom 4
Publisher: id Software
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Due date: 2011 – or thereabouts
The gist: Original ‘Doom’ can be considered the godfather of first-person shooting games, and was certainly genre-defining up to and including ‘Doom 3’. So with ‘Doom 4’ the gaming world, including the console guys, is rightly expecting to be shocked to the core by cleverness… and gore. As you can tell, we know next to nothing about it, however. That’s because it’s shrouded in secrecy.
The gameplay: “Gosh, that's actually an excellent question,” said id Software’s CEO in 2009. “It's not a sequel to ‘Doom 3’, but it's not a reboot either. ‘Doom 3’ was sort of a reboot. It's a little bit different than those.” Although details were promised for August this year, nothing surfaced. Ah well.
Crysis 2
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Due date: Early 2011
The gist: The second chapter of the sci-fi series that features a man wearing a military prototype Nanosuit. This doesn’t shrink our guy down to the size of a gnat; rather it bestows upon him superhuman capabilities in a most spectacular fashion. With the original ‘Crysis’, the producers maxed out performance of PCs at the time. The same is being said of ‘Crysis 2’ for consoles too.
The gameplay: Events take place in New York City, with our super soldier tackling aliens boasting superior artificial intelligence. They’ll hunt you in organised packs, requiring great ingenuity in your use of the Nanosuit plus all available weapons and gadgets to bring them down.
Rage
Publisher: id Software
Format: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Mac, iPhone / iPad, Android
Due date: Autumn 2011
The gist: The other big first-person shooter from the makers of ‘Doom’, of which hard information is scarce but it will feature driving and racing gameplay in addition to blasting. There is also indication that there will be a role-playing type experience system, applying to the development of the hero alongside his weapons and vehicles. It is set in a near-future, post-apocalyptic world.
The gameplay: Shooting stuff is id Software’s forte, but the driving sections will take their influence from the likes of ‘Burnout’ and ‘MotorStorm’. Since this is a post-apocalyptic wasteland the races are off-road affairs, most likely strewn with debris allowing for crazy stunts and improvised shortcuts.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Publisher: Activision
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Due date: Autumn 2011
The gist: We admit to this being pure speculation at this stage, but come on. Just as sure as there will be a new FIFA in the autumn, a gangbusters shoot-’em-up from Activision is almost certain to arrive with military precision. When and where it’ll take place is anyone’s guess. Pick your conflict zone, and opportunity for covert soldiers with unique skill sets and tools. It’ll be one of those.
The gameplay: Community support and incremental rewards are becoming par for the course in today’s best-selling games. ‘Call of Duty’ remains hugely popular on Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network, and we expect it will extend the bragging-rights concept of badges, medals and trophies.
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| Dead Space 2 Gameplay |
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Due date: 28 January
The gist: Electronic Arts’ sci-fi horror sequel starts the year with doom and gloom. There are superb special effects in store, however, so not all depressing. It is three years after the Necromorph virus transformed the crew of the Ishimura space ship into cannibalistic mutants. Our unwilling but capable hero Isaac Clarke awakes in a space-colony hospital to find, yet again, that all is not well.
The gameplay: New weapons and a wider variety of protective suits help Isaac to tidy up this mess. He can use his environment to battle the Necromorphs, the vacuum of space can swiftly evacuate a room full of enemies. On top of that, Isaac uses telekinesis to control objects with his mind.
Dead Space 2 Official Trailer
Killzone 3
Publisher: Sony
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Due date: 22 February
The gist: Can PlayStation Move enable Sony’s flagship first-person shooter to belittle its biggest rival, ‘Halo: Reach’ for Xbox 360? Accurate motion-controlled targeting is just one of the ideas touted for this second outing of ‘Killzone’ on PlayStation 3. It will also display in 3D if your telly is capable. We rejoin earth’s Interplanetary Strategic Alliance troops versus the alien Helghast Empire. Hua!The gameplay: Expect jetpacks to take advantage of the huge environments explored vertically and horizontally. Higher vantage points will prove a great place to launch the multi-firing rockets of the new WASP ordinance. ISA troopers have learned mean and dirty close-quarter combat techniques.
Killzone 3 Official Trailer
Publisher: Capcom
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Due date: February
The gist: Heroes from the Marvel universe, e.g. Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk, take on well-known characters from Capcom classics that include ‘Street Fighter’ and ‘Resident Evil’. The last time this happened was 10 years ago, and the explosive potential of today’s gaming consoles is several times that of PlayStation 2. This ought to be a comic book fan’s idea of console gaming nirvana.The gameplay: One of the series’ trademarks is linking moves that take place in the air. Capcom will introduce an Air Combo button to launch aerial moves consistently, keeping Light, Medium, and Heavy attack buttons from previous games. ‘Marvel vs Capcom 3’ is all about the crazy combos.
Marvel vs Capcom 3 Official Trailer
Publisher: Microsoft
Format: Xbox 360
Due date: Autumn
The gist: Return of the overtly violent creature feature, in which mankind battles a subterranean race dubbed the Locust Horde. The original ‘Gears of War’ introduced the infamous Lancer, a high-calibre machine gun plus onboard chainsaw designed to rip the Locust Horde into shreds. We’ve already seen weapons for ‘Gears of War 3’ that make the Lancer look like a feather duster. The gameplay: New female characters join the fray, toting the same weapons as the blokes-built-like-bulldozers that include: The Digger (a gun that fires a creature that burrows underground), One Shot (sniper-rifle meets cannon), and Incendiary Grenades for those who like to see things burn.
Gears of War 3 Official Trailer
L.A. Noire
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Due date: Spring
The gist: Boasting new technology that precisely captures the nuances of an actor’s performance, ‘L.A. Noire’ combines the open-world elements of ‘Grand Theft Auto IV’ with movie directorial smarts of ‘L.A. Confidential’. Present-day Hollywood talent has been recruited to depict the 1940s heyday of the American film industry. The designers have faithfully recreated L.A. from that era.The gameplay: This is a crime thriller, and as Detective Cole Phelps of the L.A.P.D. you’ll be firing questions at suspects as readily as your side-arm and shotgun at the villains. Cases are solved by paying attention to crime-scene detail then skilfully reading facial expressions and body language.
L.A Noire Official Trailer
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Publisher: Square Enix
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Due date: AutumnThe gist: A ‘Bladerunner’ vibe runs through the digital veins of this futuristic action adventure, spectacularly pushing the technical limits of the latest consoles and gaming PCs. Lead protagonist Adam Jensen is a biotechnologically enhanced security specialist at the centre of an industrial conspiracy. Ultimately this leads to mind-blowing set-piece shoot out against monstrous villains.
The gameplay: You might be pleased to know that it’s not all shooting, in fact there are special rewards for completing the story without harming anyone other than the linchpin adversaries. As Adam, your approach can be stealthy or go-getting, and different routes open up accordingly.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Official Trailer
Doom 4
Publisher: id Software
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PCDue date: 2011 – or thereabouts
The gist: Original ‘Doom’ can be considered the godfather of first-person shooting games, and was certainly genre-defining up to and including ‘Doom 3’. So with ‘Doom 4’ the gaming world, including the console guys, is rightly expecting to be shocked to the core by cleverness… and gore. As you can tell, we know next to nothing about it, however. That’s because it’s shrouded in secrecy.
The gameplay: “Gosh, that's actually an excellent question,” said id Software’s CEO in 2009. “It's not a sequel to ‘Doom 3’, but it's not a reboot either. ‘Doom 3’ was sort of a reboot. It's a little bit different than those.” Although details were promised for August this year, nothing surfaced. Ah well.
DOOM 4 Trailer
Crysis 2
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Due date: Early 2011
The gameplay: Events take place in New York City, with our super soldier tackling aliens boasting superior artificial intelligence. They’ll hunt you in organised packs, requiring great ingenuity in your use of the Nanosuit plus all available weapons and gadgets to bring them down.
Crysis 2 Official Trailer
Rage
Publisher: id Software
Format: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Mac, iPhone / iPad, AndroidDue date: Autumn 2011
The gist: The other big first-person shooter from the makers of ‘Doom’, of which hard information is scarce but it will feature driving and racing gameplay in addition to blasting. There is also indication that there will be a role-playing type experience system, applying to the development of the hero alongside his weapons and vehicles. It is set in a near-future, post-apocalyptic world.
The gameplay: Shooting stuff is id Software’s forte, but the driving sections will take their influence from the likes of ‘Burnout’ and ‘MotorStorm’. Since this is a post-apocalyptic wasteland the races are off-road affairs, most likely strewn with debris allowing for crazy stunts and improvised shortcuts.
Rage Official Trailer
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Publisher: Activision
Format: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Due date: Autumn 2011The gist: We admit to this being pure speculation at this stage, but come on. Just as sure as there will be a new FIFA in the autumn, a gangbusters shoot-’em-up from Activision is almost certain to arrive with military precision. When and where it’ll take place is anyone’s guess. Pick your conflict zone, and opportunity for covert soldiers with unique skill sets and tools. It’ll be one of those.
The gameplay: Community support and incremental rewards are becoming par for the course in today’s best-selling games. ‘Call of Duty’ remains hugely popular on Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network, and we expect it will extend the bragging-rights concept of badges, medals and trophies.
