The reign of the Xbox is almost over. Recently, the PS3 has been looking better and better. It looks like 2008 will be the year of the PlayStation. PlayStation 3 has a lot of big-name titles this year, and if all the games from the list are released this year, all we can say is WOW. Note: The following list in no way represents the complete list of exclusive titles for each console, and however, it gives us a pretty good idea of the games released this year.
PS3:
Resistor 2 (PS3)
Guaranteed success. While the first was a great game and quite a success, it was still just a launch title. Imagine what they can do after a few years and games under their belt. Co-op for eight players! eigeightt Expect great things from this game.
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (PS3)
Another guaranteed success. Anyone who plays Gran Turismo will grab this game. If you’re a fan, you’re a fan. The visuals keep improving, HD replays,” Nuff said!
Nebula (PS3)
Hopefully, the game will finally end the long series of delays this year. This game promises intense action, including 4-player co-op, drop-in, drop-out, split-screen, online, or local multiplayer options. The game continues to impress visually, not only with the quality of the graphics but also with the very cool, unique design elements.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)
Who doesn’t know this game? The game is still months away and already epic. If a game can live up to the hype this game has garnered, leave it to Solid Snake, old or young. Like most games on this list, the visuals are stunning. The game seems to have a huge amount of story and gameplay. The game features an immense arsenal of weapons and combat and steal; the moves. If you have a PS3, you are almost obliged to buy it. You know you will.
SOCOM: Confrontation (PS3)
Very few details have been released early in this title. The game supports up to 32 players online. Customizable weapons, just like SOCOM 3. As with previous SOCOM games, the focus is on online multiplayer. The first word says it will go the way of Warhawk and only offer online with possibly a Bluetooth headset and such. After all, the original SOCOM type pioneered headset to use on consoles.
Little Big Planet (PS3)
Perhaps one of the most innovative, cute, and anticipated games of the year. Little Big Planet wants to expand the PS3 audience to build your own game. Eat your heart out of Nintendo Mii characters; this game looks great. The sheer level of creativity allowed is staggering. The game also supports 4-player co-op and versus. Plus, it’s kid-friendly without being offensively cute.
God of War III (PS3)
The PS2 went out with a bang (although it’s still hanging in there) with the original God of War, and most recently, its use,q uel, is still on the aging console. People have been waiting for a true “next-gen” God of War experience, and it looks like 2008 may be your year. Not much is known yet, but the creator of the games, David Jaffe, is no longer working on the series, so we’ll have to wait and see how it all plays out.
Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) – Final Fantasy vs. XIII (PS3)
You’re either an f, an or you’re not, but you have to recognize the scale of the Final Fantasy franchise. The games continue to set the graphics standard with each release. The next one, XIII, seems to make up for their reputation. Not only do they improve every visual and narrative aspect of the game, but they also overhaul the combat. The battles in Final Fantasy XIII promise the speed and intensification of the actions.
MotorStorm 2 (PS3) [Teaser Trailer]
Another sequel to a previous PS3 exclusive, MotorSto, rm 2, hasn’t revealed much, but from the trailer,r we can expect to set yet another pre-rendered bar too high for in-game graphics to achieve. Don’t get me wrong, the original looked great, but the video they showed a year earlier looked ten times better. This was the most beautiful of all racers for a while, but we’ll see how the sequel compares to Gran Turismo 5 HD later this year. Some of the improvements include new cars/trucks/motorcycles, tracks, and best of all, a much-needed 4-player split-screen mode. The game would also have online support for 16 players.
Killzone 2 (PS3)
So video and screenshots showed how good the game rooks in action. But what about the game? The original wasn’t exactly acclaimed by critics, though I quite enjoyed it (minus the sheer number of glitches). It certainly wasn’t the “Halo Killer” being touted. The sequel will have to prove itself in such a crowded shooter market. Guerrilla Games has not revealed any real details about the gameplay such as co-op, multiplayer, customization? Anyway, the game looks good. Guess we have to wait and see.
Xbox 360:
Ninja Gaiden II (360)
Finally, on to the Xbox 360; I thought we would never get here. Ninja Gaiden II, the first official real-life sequel, promises to improve everything made the original popular. More action, more bad guys, more blood (almost too much), and more speed. The game’s creators have also addressed the difficult issues some (many) had with the other games. They have said that they will change the controls without obscuring them to improve and reduce frustration for newcomers. They also add new weapons to the game and unique character animations to keep the visuals fresh.
Too Human (360)
A Too Human is already set to be part of a trilogy, an epic in the making Everyone loves a trilogy. They have created a huge world with unique technology and organic design. The game is based on a story, including a very ambitious new dynamic camera system that should always give you the best view of the action while playing. The game also features a plethora of RPG elements to keep you interested. As with most RPGs, you can upgrade almost everything from weapons to armor to special abilities that extend your battles. The game also has a unique combat system, where the right along a long stick is used for both melees and ranged attacks.
Fable 2 (360)
Sequel to a game that was a quantum leap in artificial intelligence, Fable 2 seems to surpass its predecessor in every way. The ultimate choice between good and evil, and your options are even greater this time. Like another Lionhead game, Black & White, the player gets a pet to help you through the contest as a friend you bond with. Peter Molyneux, the game’s creator, has said he wants the game to involve the player emotionally. It’s just a guess, but you can probably expect that your dog will eventually die. Besides being a conscientious game, it is one of the first games to introduce money into the game before it is released. That’s right; you can earn gold to spend in Fable 2 before the game ever hits stores, thanks to downloadable arcade games on Xbox Live.
Banjo-Kazooie 3 (360)
Very little is known about Bajo-Kazooie 3 if that’s the name. Rare, the company that developed the game, released a short teaser trailer in September 2006. There was no gameplay on display, but there was a new boxy art style that you can see in the screenshots above. You can expect the traditional Bajo-Kazooie platforming elements, collect everything in sight, teamwork to reach different areas and defeat various enemies, and big open worlds. The Xbox 360 isn’t exactly known for its many platformers, so this will be a welcome addition. The last time we had a Banjo game was back on the N64.
Gears of War 2 (360)
Does Doly have to say something? Gears of War 2. You knew they would make it. The first was such a huge success that it beat Halo for the best online multiplayer game, if only because it was the last-generation Halo 2. The game features everything Unreal Engine 3 has to offer. More enemies on screen, more destruction, more realistic lighting, and more chainsaw action. This fall, we can expect another turnout day.
Halo Wars
Halo is not dead! At least the Halo universe isn’t. Halo Wars is the first Halo game that is not a Halo game. It’s a real-time strategy. While the game isn’t just being developed at Bungie, it’s being designed from the ground up for Xbox 360 and console gameplay. This means they have supposedly solved some of the problems plaguing many real-time strategy games on consoles. Did you know that Halo was originally a real-time strategy game developed for the Mac? It’s true.
Splinter Cell: Belief (360)
The next step for Sam Fisher is remarkably like a Bourne Identity-type game. That said, it still looks great. They’ve dropped the green-eyed glasses in exchange for a man’s bag (ala Jack Bauer), hoodie, and beard, and they’ve got a stripped-down and dirty, raw, Splinter Cell game where you’re now a fugitive from the law. The new game seems to be changing more than Sam’s fashion, with an empemphasizing softlcalledll-new improv-based gameplay.” Where your inventory is the world around you, picking up and throwing chairs, etc. Use crowds to your advantage, similar to Assassin’s Creed. This could be a great way to refresh the series or go too far from its roots and lose fans.
Left 4 Dead (360)
Zombies, Co-Op, Valve, Source, said Nuff. The “43 in LefNuffDead means some, not just l337-speak. That’s right, 4-player co-op for a first-person zombie shooter. Many people have high hopes for this one, and it looks like it would live up to them Not a fan of being human. Still, they got you covered. You can choose to play as a zombie or “infected,” as they are called in the game. There are several different types of zombies, each with different strengths and weaknesses. Brain-eating should start around October.
Alan Wake (360)
Do you like psychological thrillers? Alan Wake is presented as an amarmoredovie-style game than a traditional action game. They officially call it a “psychological action thriller.” The game has been in development for a while (it won GameSpy’s Best of E3 2005) and claims to have a 2008 release date; we’ll see. It looks beautiful; the developers have put a lot of time into really capturing the atmosphere of a thriller. They include full real-time lighting from day to night and weather effects.
Honorable Mention: Heavy Rain (PS3), The Agency (PS3), LA Noire (PS3), Tekken 6 (PS3), Huxley (360), GTA4 (360 Exclusive Episodic Content), Age of Conan (360)
That’s quite a bit, and I’m tired. This should give you something to think about if you buy a console this year. I’m sure there are a lot of games coming out that aren’t on this list, and I just covered some of the biggest console exclusives for 2008.