Most of the mainstream videogames websites have ‘Top 10′ lists about the games due for release in 2010. The games fall into three main categories: glossy combat titles, ‘out in time for Christmas’ titles and ‘cutting edge’ titles.
The ‘Top 10′ games, either already released or previewed in some depth, look set to continue current trends towards more varied gameplay, complex narratives, richer settings and parkour/ stunt based movement. We’ve already looked at Dante’s Inferno, Darksiders, Assassin’s Creed 2, Mirror’s Edge and Batman: Arkham Asylum, which showcase current trends in videogame design.
During 2010 we’re looking to identify the titles which seem most likely to continue the development of more varied and enjoyable games. Especially when tabletop RPGs, boardgames and videogame ‘formats’, (e.g. RPGs, Real Time Strategy (RTS) games, puzzles, and sports), help us learn to cope with and enjoy change. For example, playing a boardgame usually involves learning a new set of rules, playing a tabletop RPG often means extending and adapting a set of rules and, in many cases, a videogame means learning to adapting to new situations.
Among the videogame combat titles Mass Effect 2, Bioshock 2, Crysis 2 and God of War 3 certainly look like ’stand out’ games in terms of action packed, ’super real’ graphics linked to a certain amount of roleplaying through character and plot development. They’ll all be violent but at least they’ll offer novel environments when compared to the likes of Modern Warfare 2.
The pick of the combat titles listed above appears to be Mass Effect 2 for the XBox 360 and PC, as it offers the kind of high production values and narrative depth that made Uncharted 2 entertaining. From what we’ve seen, players buying Mass Effect 2 can certainly expect to have to make a few tricky decisions.
Final Fantasy XIII is more RPG than combat title but it too will be selling under the ‘more of the same’ label. The game can expect to sell by the millions due to familiarity and excellent graphics. However, as with Bioshock 2, God of War 3 and last year’s Modern Warfare 2, it seems that Final Fantasy XIII isn’t quite as ‘refreshing’ as it could be.
The crop of end of year titles will include a few which arrive ahead of time and some that slip to 2011. Zelda 2 and the next Metroid Prime title for the Wii are essential to the Wii product line and we have to hope the promises of a more open-ended Zelda 2, and a more visceral Metroid Prime, are delivered on time.
Other titles with uncertain release dates include ‘dungeon-clearing’ Diablo 3 and RTS Starcraft 2, which are on the way from Blizzard. It’s reasonable to expect a fair amount of novelty and innovation within these titles. Not because they offer novel formats but because the company has taken a lot of time, effort and money to mesh the best features of earlier versions alongside new features and options.
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty
Between them the titles that have been mentioned so far offer hundreds of hours of high quality gameplay from companies which want to innovate but can’t risk too much change. There’s plenty to enjoy but nothing genuinely radical. Our final category of ‘cutting edge’ titles don’t actually revolutionise gameplay or immediately change how games will be played in the future. They do, however, open the door to new types of gameplay and new options by building on earlier formats which were relatively successful.
Sales of casual puzzle games and mysteries, the success of family games on the Wii and the relative success of mildly innovative major titles have encouraged developers to announce titles based around film noir, survival ’shock and horror’ and psychological thrillers.
The origins of these games date back to early text-based adventure games, at a time when fancy combat sequences weren’t an option. More recently, games in the ‘gangster’, ‘investigative’, and ‘zombie’ genres have proved popular without challenging the financial supremacy of combat titles. This may be set to change in 2010 with titles like Alan Wake, Heavy Rain, I Am Alive, L.A. Noire and Agent due for release over the next year:
Alan Wake on the Xbox 360 features a writer caught up in a supernatural mystery based around the plot of a book which he authored but can’t remember writing. The graphics look impressive but the game’s success will depend on just how well the gameplay works in what appears to be very much an interactive movie.
Heavy Rain on the PS3 visits serial killer territory and we’re promised a labyrinthine plot involving exploration, interrogation, reflex tests and tricky puzzles. Expect stylish graphics, tough choices and some novel controls in the hunt for a serial killer.
I Am Alive for the XBox 360 and PS3 is a First-Person Shooter (FPS), which is rarely the place to find genuine novelty. Relatively little is known about the title but the story kicks off with the destruction of Chicago by earthquake. Apparently players will be able to go beyond simply shooting their way through the game, as they try to stay alive, rescue victims and gather resources. I Am Alive may be able to deliver an intriguing mix of fps meets survival horror gameplay, so we’re going to keep a close eye on it. Don’t be surprised if I Am Alive slips to 2011, as the developer have already admitted that the game may not be out in 2010.
I Am Alive
L.A. Noire for the Xbox 360 and PS3 sets out to drop us into the gritty, uncompromising world of the similarly titled movie genre. The detective work is conducted in an open world comparable to Grand Theft Auto, which is hardly surprising when L.A. Noire has been designed by Rockstar. We’re looking forward to the open gameplay and hoping for a bit more subtlety than the Grand Theft Auto series has to offer.
Agent is another Rockstar title which hasn’t been described in detail. From what we do know Agent may be the pick of our selection of ‘cutting edge’ or ‘risky’ titles. There’s a Cold War setting and players will be indulging in plenty of spying, counter-intelligence and, where necessary, assassinations. It’s an interesting prospect, which could go so right, or so wrong.
There’s no doubt that there will be other novel approaches in the next year. The titles we’ve highlighted appeal because they look likely to impress in terms of setting out to offer something slightly different.
Personally, I wouldn’t rush out to buy the most innovative titles until they’ve been released and reviewed, because there’ll be some hits and misses. On the other hand, the best of these titles should deliver some of the year’s top entertainment, as high production values and novelty combine to get players more involved in roleplaying and plot development than combat alone.
On a final note for now, Final Fantasy 13, Mass Effect 2 and I Am Alive are among the titles to be commended for pitching themselves closer to the teenage market than titles like Dante’s Inferno and Bioshock 2. Their certificates are still 16+ but this distinguishes them from some of the titles we’ve looked at, which revel in ‘over the top’ violence.
