My 2010 Hypes: Gaming, Part One

A decade went by, seeing a lot of great game systems and awesome games for them. The PS2 is the crowned king in terms of console sales and games, and even thought I'm a Nintendo Fanboy, I just loved all those great JRPGs that came out an the PS2. However, Nintendo have slowly gaining on the champion with the Wii. Will it beat the best selling console of all time or will the motion controllers of Microsoft and Sony be its downfall? It is an all new decade and a lot of hypes is going around.

Two months already went by, and we have yet to see the astonishing games announced back in 2008-2009. Nintendo is ever more secretive about their projects, Sony has everything to prove, and Microsoft is betting a lot on their Project Natal. Lets not forget all the 3rd Parties out there working hard to take a piece of the action. If 2009 was quiet, 2010 will be packed with big releases and news. Here's some of the games that I'm really looking forward too.

Alan Wake
Xbox 360

In production for quite some time now, in fact since its debut at the 2005 E3, Alan Wake is a "psychological action thriller" inspired by the works of Stephen King. Being developed by Remedy Entertainment, the plot of the game is centered around Alan Wake, a bestselling writer who has not written anything in over two years.

His wife, Alice, brings him to the idyllic small town of Bright Falls to recover his creative flow. When she vanishes without a trace, Wake finds himself trapped in a nightmare. Word by word, his latest work—a thriller he cannot even remember writing—is coming true before his eyes. He then tries to find pages of the book, getting most mainly from a man named Rusty. Looks like I will have to finally buy a Xbox 360.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
PS3, Xbox 360

The Castlevania series has been around since the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System), and we've saw many iterations in the last years, some good, some bad. One have my all time favorite is Super Castlevania IV for the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System), which I've played all night long when I've received my SNES for my 11th birthday. If the game is anything like the trailer shown in that 2009 Gamescon, then it will be as much have.

Final Fantasy XIII
PS3, Xbox 360

Oh... The never ending Final Fantasy! It graced so many system and it spawned numerous variations that I've stopped counting them. Nevertheless, I've always loved this series. In fact, I've started playing JRPG with Final Fantasy II, which is the fourth one back in Japan. Some will say that it is more of a big interactive movie now, with all the CGs that Square Enix is putting in, but it is still a marvelous tale to gaze upon, and judging from the japanese reviews found in the Famitsu magazine, it is worth to be played.

Metroid: Other M
Wii

Announced at last year E3 and demoed at Nintendo 2010 Media Conference, Metroid: Other M takes an all new approach at the series, but keeping it classic at the same time.

When it was revealed that Team Ninja, the creative force behind games such as Ninja Gaiden series, would collaborate with Nintendo to unfold a new adventures for Samus, it definitely took the gaming community be surprise. I must admit I felt a certain discomfort at the idea of Team Ninja at the head of this project, but more fear were put to rest when Nintendo release new information about it at their March Summit. It is a new artistic direction for the series, but I am confident that it would blow our mind.

The Legend of Zelda Wii
Wii

Little is known about the new interation of this series that I cherish, except for an artwork shown at last year E3 and bits facts told in interviews, but many rumors goes saying that a full fledged Motion Plus Zelda would come out around Christmas. I don't know if it is true, but if indeed a new chapter of Link's adventure is published by year's end, it means that Nintendo would unleash their three biggest IPs (Mario, Zelda, Metroid) in the same year, which would be a first.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Wii

I cried over the first game. Everything was so beautiful—from the level design to the orchestral music. This was one of Nintendo masterpiece game, a must have, and I definitely revisit it when the second outing comes out later in May.

Xenoblade
Wii

Originally announced at Nintendo E3 2009 Press Conference as Monado: Beginning of the World, which is brought to us by the studio that created the Xenosaga and Baten Kaitos series. That latest Famitsu shows an ambitious JRPG for the Wii, and it looks absolutely gorgeous. Plus, it was revealed that the music composer is Yoko Shimomura.