Some of the most anticipated releases (BioShock 2, Mass Effect 2) have come and what games they were! But take heart PC gamers, it isn’t over yet. 2010 has only just begun and there is a lot to look forward to in the coming months. From killer bio-mechanics to first person shooters galore, add in a Prince for good measure, and which marathon is complete without a spy in the mix.
Here’s a list of the most highly anticipated games for the PC expected out within the year:
1. Max Payne 3:
What it’s about: A continuation of the much beloved Max Payne series. Max Payne is about a New York City cop who was betrayed and had his family taken away from him. In this installment of the film-noir-like series, our hero has gone from bad to worse. After drifting from city to city, he has finally landed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and is working as a bodyguard for a wealthy family. Max Payne 3 is set 12 years after the second game.
Why we want it: After the stellar success of the first two installments Rockstar has decided that a third outing is the way to go. With better graphics and an even better storyline this game promises to continue the legacy of bullet time and so many other features we loved in the first two. Add in some extras just to be sure.
2. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands:
What it’s about: On a visit to his brother’s kingdom following the events in Prince of Persia Two Thrones, the Prince finds his brother’s palace in trouble as a mighty army has laid his palace under siege. The army seems bent on the kingdom’s destruction. The decision to use the sands is made in a desperate attempt to save the kingdom from assured oblivion. The Prince will once again set out on an amazing adventure; on the way learning about leadership and discovering that great power comes with great responsibility.
Why we want it: Prince of Persia Forgotten Sands is a throwback to the original Sands of Time game. The old and familiar combat elements are back. The storyline continues from where Two Thrones left off and the game looks great in the promos. After the disaster that was POP 2008, Ubisoft has realized there was a reason that the POP series was so successful; it was a mix of the thrill you got while taking on a number of enemies at once, in a life or death battle, and the high you got knowing you bested them and lived to tell the tale.
3. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days:
What it’s about: This much awaited 2010 game is a sequel to the original convict saga Kane & Lynch. The story begins with Lynch having found peace in Shanghai and attempting to do one last job where he would “make a fat deal where the pay is beyond his wildest drams and nothing is going to get in his way”.
Why we want it: The game switches the lead in the story and now everything is in the perspective of Lynch. This adds a new element to the game as now you are in the shoes of psychopathic Lynch. The game has a new visual style thanks to the documentary films and loads of user generated content. According to the press release “every aspect of the game has been designed to deliver a fresh perspective to the words ‘intensity’ and ‘realism’”. The teaser trailers released for the game during the announcement were in distorted video surveillance style which adds to the sense of realism already portrayed by the series. It is going to be interesting to see where the story of Lynch takes us in Dog Days.
4. Crysis 2:
What it’s about: Four years after the events of the original Crysis, Nomad, the original protagonist of the series, is being chased around the City of New York, an “Urban Jungle”. He has the new Nanosuit 2 on, which leads to a case of mistaken identity with a character in the previous Crysis.
Why we want it: After seeing the first edition this one looks even better. The developers Crytek have pulled out all the stops to make sure this game is a success even saying that the game will have lower system requirements than the first one, in a bid to attract more people to buy the game. Crytek have stated their intention is to surpass the original game graphically and that fighting in the game will be “catastrophically beautiful”. It all makes this a pretty anticipated release as the second part of a trilogy. The game will also use the latest CryEngine 3.
5. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty:
What it’s about: This interstellar battle of the races is set in the 26th century in a distant part of the Milky Way. The game is built around 3 species, the Terrans (runaway exiles from Earth), the Zerg (insectoids), and the Protoss, a species of amazing psionic power. The game follows Jim Raynor who leads a rebellious group against the despotic Terran Dominion and is set four years after the events of StarCraft: Brood War. However not making much progress in their objective, Raynor’s force transforms into mere mercenaries, recovering artifacts of an ancient species thought to be long extinct, the Xel’Naga. The game introduces new characters and locations, while old characters make appearances too.
Why we want it: Starcraft II is the much anticipated sequel to the 1998 hit game Starcraft, which was one of the best balanced, super addictive real-time strategy games ever made. Now Blizzard is finishing what it started with gorgeous graphics, new unit types and abilities, featuring improved online matchmaking. After the stellar success of the first one (although it was 12 years ago) we just can’t wait to get our hands on the latest installment. It’s split into 3 parts: one main game and 2 expansion packs. This has apparently been done to maximize the content received in all three and give the game developers a greater breadth to create the games story.
6. Singularity:
What it’s about: Crash landing on the mysterious island of Kartoga-12, Nate Renko, an air force pilot sent to investigate bizarre radiation emissions coming from the island, has to find his co-pilot and get out. Along the way he finds a Time Manipulation Device (TMD) and discovers that the island is shifting between 1950 and 2010. While looking for his co-pilot, battling Russian soldiers and horribly mutated flora and fauna, Nate uncovers the islands secrets. Russian scientists were experimenting with the element Einsteinium. And as with most experiments, things went wrong creating a “Singularity” trapping them in a time shift. Now it’s up to him to get out with his co-pilot and make sure that the terror of 1950’s Soviet-era Russia is not wrought on the world.
Why we want it: The concept sounds good even though we saw this happen in the popular TV series Lost, though a little differently. The ability to manipulate time sounds very interesting, especially the powers to:
a) Revert: This allows the player to rewind an object or human backwards in time. It can be used to repair broken walkways, by sending them back to a point in time before they were broken. You can revert an empty oil barrel into a full one.
b) Age: This allows the player to fast-forward an object or human through time. It can turn a crate, that a group of enemies is using for cover, into rotted wood, or turn an iron fence blocking your path into a pile of rust.
c) Stasis: Stasis allows players to pull an object towards them and freeze it in time. So if a grenade is launched against you, you can hold on to it indefinitely as it remains stuck in time, just seconds away from detonation.
d) Impulse: The Impulse function sends out pulses of energy, which cause targets to fly away violently. Once upgraded, this can be used to kill small enemies.
7. Medal of Honor:
What it’s about: The focus changes from World War 2 to the war in Afghanistan in the reboot of the Medal of Honor series. The game highlights “Tier 1 Operator”, an American entity working under the National Command Authority which takes on life-threatening missions against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
Why we want it: After the Call of Duty series started engaging in Modern Warfare, EA has decided to go that way too with the re-launch of this classic title. The Afghanistan setting sounds interesting and we can’t wait to see what EA has come up with in this edition of Medal of Honor.
8. Splinter Cell Conviction:
What it’s about: It is the fifth installment in the Splinter Cell series. Sam Fisher has gone rogue after finding out that his daughter’s death was not an accident. Sam must use all the help he can get. What starts off as a hunt for his daughter’s murderer evolves into stopping a more serious threat on Washington DC.
Why we want it: This latest installment promises to introduce a number of new gameplay features to the already amazing series. One such feature is “Mark and Execute”, which allows players to mark specific targets, and shoot them when they come charging forward. These targets can also be given a priority. Another handy feature is the ability to interrogate characters and use surrounding objects against them. Mission objectives and key plot points are projected onto walls in order to keep the player fully immersed in the game.
9. Alpha Protocol:
What it’s about: A mission gone wrong; a rogue agent and a conspiracy for the masses; all the elements needed for a successful spy game. Stuck in the middle of all of this is Agent Michael Thorton who has just been cut off from all his contacts and betrayed by his superiors. Currently hunted by his own, the United States Government, Michael invokes the “Alpha Protocol”, which is normally reserved for more senior agents, and begins to operate in deep cover, to unearth a conspiracy.
Why we want it: The plot sounds good and a Jason Bourne meets James Bond feel is exuded. No spy story is complete without the gadgets (and lots of them), and the hand to hand combat or different types of concealed and lethal firearms. This game seems to offer it all, even a dialogue system based albeit loosely on the “three JBs”, i.e. Jason Bourne, James Bond, and Jack Bauer (from TV Series 24), where any of four options can be used, “professional” (Bourne), “suave” (Bond), “aggressive” (Bauer) and an action button which can terminate conversations prematurely. Each Non Playing Character will react differently depending on which dialogue option is chosen. The game promises to take conventional spy stories to a whole other level. Move over James Bond, there’s a new spy in town.
10. Deus Ex: Human Revolution:
What it’s about: The game is actually a prequel taking place 25 years before the original Deus Ex. In this pre-Deus Ex World, nano-technological implants haven’t been created yet and biomechanical augmentations are the current high tech. The main character, Adam Jensen, a private security officer working for a company that specializes in these state-of-the-art augmentations, witnesses a chilling attack on the company. That’s where the conspiracy begins.
Why we want it: In the Deus Ex world, augments are nano-technological body modifications that allow users superhuman abilities. While the two previous games focused on the latest nanite technology, the latest game is set in an earlier time leading to the augments to be less state-of-the-art, i.e. bio-mechanical. The augmentations are divided into four categories: Combat, Stealth, Technological and Social. In a departure from the original games, Human Revolution will feature a regenerative health model, which comes as a welcome change compared to the other games where one had to scrounge for a med pack in the whole level before proceeding. The game gives a refreshing change of pace to the already popular game model of Deus Ex.
As you can see, it is going to be an interesting year or so ahead for PC gamers. Some old classics revisited and some new ones on their way, not to mention a sequel which has been more than 10 years in the making. The year ahead for PC gamers is going to be great and we hope it gets better in the coming months with more titles announced and these titles’ release dates getting closer and closer.
- – Tejasvi Tandon