There has been an absolute flood of new games that have either came out recently or are coming out very soon that interest me. Unfortunately I’m both wrapped up in my Warhammer Online addiction and way too broke to actually buy any of them at the moment, currently wondering how I’m even going to be able to afford Christmas presents this year. I’ve got plenty of games to tide me over, particularly a few old Xbox 360 games, some ongoing PC infatuations of mine, and a ton of retro PC games I’m pining to play again and (hopefully) review here, but the collector in me really wants to rush out and get them as soon as possible. Must… resist.
Mercenaries 2 was released and, while apparently very buggy, it has gotten a lot of great praise on various forums and podcasts I follow. I was a big fan of the first game, being one of my favorite games of the last console generation. It is sad that this one isn’t apparently as polished as the first one but on the other hand it does sound just as fun.
Dead Space could have easily flown under my radar. EA trying to make a new franchise based on survival horror… in space? with shooting? Great, a generic Doom 3 cranked out by some crappy studio? Apparently not. Dead Space loots excellent and has been getting great reviews all around. Must acquire!
Stalker: Clear Sky. I still haven’t played the original but it is only a matter of time. At this point though, I know it is a game that I am absolutely going to love, period, so I might as well keep my eye on this light weight sequel. Initial reports mention tons of bugs and other issues, as with the first game, yet for the most part fans of the original like Clear Sky.
Gears of War 2 is coming soon. I don’t expect that it’ll fail to live up to the hype. The first one had plenty of hype and, though I bought it quickly, it took quite a while to rise up to the surface of my backlog. By the time I finally did get around to playing it I was pleasantly surprised by the unique style and high production values.
I still really want to play The Witcher and the new Enhanced Edition is very inviting. I really need to snag an import copy of this while I still can.
What can I say about Spore? I’ve been anticipating it forever now and, now that it is out to mixed reviews, I still can’t wait to get it and fool around with the various creators and modes. I know in many respects it didn’t live up to the hype but in many others it seems to have delivered. The only question I have at this point though is whether or not I should just hold off for five or so years and buy the ultra deluxe edition that includes the 25 post release expansion and parts packs for one low cost. 🙂
Saints Row 2: Saints Row was a game that I had my eye on for a long time before I ever got an Xbox 360 but eventually decided to hold off for the release of Grand Theft Auto 4. Now that GTA 4 has come and gone Saints Row 2 has been released and the reviews have been largely positive. Now, because of much of what I’ve heard and seen, both games have ended up on my wish list.
Oh my goodness how I cannot wait to play Fable 2. The first Fable was, again, one of my favorite Xbox games. It didn’t quite deliver on all its hype but, taken on its own merits, was a really fun, really polished action adventure RPG with lots of neat little touches that ended way, way too quickly. I never did go back and play the Lost Chapters version but from what I hear Fable 2 is more of the same, and better to boot. The buzz around this one is intoxicating.
I never played Far Cry 2‘s predecessor, somehow, despite coming out during a heavy period of PC gaming in my life and sounding totally up my alley. I had considered getting it on many occasions but somehow let it slip by. Far Cry 2 sounds quite different and totally excellent. Some have described it as Far Cry meets Stalker and others have compared it to more GTA inspired sandbox games such as Mercenaries. In any case it looks excellent and I’ve got my eye on a copy of the PC version of this one.
I still can’t wait to get my ass beaten viciously by Ninja Gaiden 2. Again, the first one was one of my favorite last gen console games. There’s a lot of those on this list it seems. 🙂
Probably most importantly is Fallout 3. I loved the original two Fallout games, particularly the first one, and I’ve also really dug Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls games. This marriage of the two seems like a no brainer and I’m having a hard time resisting going out and picking this one up right now. Reviews and discussion on the forums look very promising but I have a feeling that I won’t really know what to expect from this game until I’m playing it myself.
I must also give shoutouts to Mirrors Edge and Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. Despite not having a PS3 I’m also going to mention Resistance 2 and Little Big Planet while I’m at it.
Argh, so little money, so little time, so many great games!