A personal collection of games that are, as of December 2010, slated for release some time in 2011.
In general, each game has to be more than a mere installment to a long-running franchise. Rather, each of these ten games has inspired intrigue, excitement, and all-around giddiness in ways I had not expected. Of course, being part of an excellent franchise of games won't hurt.
While I mourn the continued absence of a continuation to Half-Life 2, Portal 2 is undoubtedly a worthy substitute. The bits and pieces of video demonstrations are more than impressive, and the game looks to be much harder - or at the very least more willing to warp your mind - and home to some blisteringly sharp writing. Co-operative play is a fantastic addition, as are the momentum-altering gels, "asbestos" lifts, and light bridges.
14 years later, it's impossible not to be even a little excited by what 3D Realms and Gearbox managed to concoct. Duke Nukem Forever won't necessarily be pretty, or polished, or even mildly innovative, but any game that kicks off with controlling Nukem's pisser is worthy of some attention.
The incredible, if derivative, Uncharted series could never hope to end on anything but a titanic high-note. There's very little improvement to be done since the excellent Uncharted 2, so I am expecting stratospheric production values, grade-A graphics and sound, a sweeping (but hopefully grounded) plotline, and some tighter online co-operative modes.
Too soon? Maybe. But I would be utterly shocked if the conclusion to BioWare's space opera trilogy wasn't a perfect marriage of the RPG elements in the original, and the action elements in Mass Effect 2. Though some of my favorite characters were killed due to my carelessness in the last game, I am more than stoked to see how BioWare's fantastic universe (no pun intended) will fare after the impeding Reaper invasion.
A much-needed reboot to the aging Pokémon franchise, Black and White are repairing everything I've ever found unappealing about the series since its inception. The battles are faster-paced and more in-depth, the environments more detailed and dynamic, and the Pokémon all-new and exclusive for the duration of the game. Japanese reviews already proclaim it to be the finest entry in the whole franchise, earning the elusive Platinum Award from Fumitsu magazine, the fourteen game to do so in the publication's 30-year history.
On paper, Crysis 2 is a samey Halo-clone set in war-torn New York. But after having played the stage demo at Eurogamer Expo 2010 in London, I came away impressed by how quickly Crytek mended many of the short-comings of Crysis and Far Cry. A story penned by Richard Morgan doesn't hurt, either.
With the Gran Turismo franchise in its most fragile state, it is prime time for a proper fourth entry into the brilliant Forza Motorsport series. I fully expect Forza 4 to expand its scope, with a larger starting grid, more robust difficulty settings, dynamic weather, and just about everything Gran Turismo 5 brought to the table. US Top Gear sucks, though.
Everything about Bulletstorm just seems neat. A point-system that scores how you "execute" each kill? Sign me up. A unique and captivating art style? More power to ya. Produced by gaming prodigy Cliff Blezinski? Now you're spoiling me.
Team ICO's quasi-follow-up to the magnanimous ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, The Last Guardian may, at long last, distiguish the PlayStation 3 as the premier console of the generation in terms of delivering a unique gaming experience impossible to achieve on Xbox 360, Wii, or PC. Not much can be said, as not much is known.
Fighting games are joining platformers and simulation racers as a genre resurrected at the brink of death. After the sublime Street Fighter IV and surprisingly good MK vs DC Universe, this reboot of the decade-old fighter is finally igniting the same fervor as the original arcade cabinets did during the early nineties.
