I sometimes lose track of all of the games I hope to pick up before the year is out and figure here's as good a place as any to start a list.  Feel free to offer non-zombie-related suggestions, or tell me where I'm going wrong.  Looking at this first draft I'm already surprised by the lack of DS, Wii, and (to a lesser extent) PSP games.

Must-Buys:
Fallout 3 - I've never played a Fallout game but I'm way into their style and humor. Sign me up.
Gears of War 2 - The only other true no-brainer for me. The original wasn't flawless, but it was long on fun.
Rock Band 2 bundle - When Rock Band came out I was living in a new city and didn't have enough local friends to merit spending so much cash on it. Now it's a  year later and Alex is here, so at least I'll have a drummer. Sold!
Mirror's Edge - I have been looking for a new work bag for weeks. You know, something waterproof and messenger-y, with enough size for sneakers or a laptop. I thought my search was over when EA announced their Mirror's Edge bundle with Timbuk2. I was even halfway through the purchase process when I realized their sweet red number was totally ruined by that giant girl face printed on the interior.  The search for a bag continues, but the game looks awesome. While I wouldn't be surprised if I fired up a demo and found its first-person camera style extremely nauseating, until that happens I'm trusting DICE to deliver.

Hard to Say No:
PS3??? - The big question for me, is now finally the time to get a PS3? LittleBigPlanet and Resistance 2 look fun, and the system has a solid enough back catalog. But it's still expensive, and to be honest I don't feel like I've really missed out on anything by not owning one, except for possibly Metal Gear Solid 4. So let's say I break down and get one, which model do I go for? Is it worth tracking down one of the older backwards-compatible systems?  Hmmmm....
Call of Duty: World at War - I play too much Call of Duty 4, and as a result feel some sort of strange loyalty to Infinity Ward. Does this mean I shouldn't play World at War, as Activision continues to allow another developer to share custody of IW's baby? Not really. But after so much Modern Warfare, I didn't see how I could ever go back to a World War II shooter until previews for this game rolled out.
Saints Row 2 - I was a huge fan of Saints Row and even middling reviews will be enough for me to jump back in for more. This game's story and characters are beginning to look just plain silly, and I approve.
Blitz: The League II - Maybe this time around I'll have the courage to put the needle to my brother. In the original Blitz: The League, I was starting at middle linebacker and surrounded myself with a created team of friends and family. Every game, without fail, my wide receiver of a brother got injured, yet I refused to allow him to take short cuts to recovery. The risk of a career-ending injury was just too great. I don't think I actually finished the season, but our front office remains strong on principles.
Far Cry 2 - Brad sure makes it sound fun.
Need for Speed Undercover - YES.

Waiting for the Reviews
Prince of Persia - I like the art style, but I'm not convinced just yet. I'll wait for word from the pros.
A snowboarding game? - I still play Amped 3 from time to time.  Something about shooshing down the virtual slopes can be very relaxing to me.  There are a couple snowboarding games coming out, maybe one of them will be good?
Fable 2 - Not too much interest in this one, but if everybody ends up thinking it's amazing, I'd have to give it a shot.

So what did I miss? Hopefully not too much, my bank account is looking nervous... Also, because I realize I haven't written about it anywhere, it was an absolute blast meeting so many of you at PAX last month. See you again next year?