August 1, 2008 - E3 is dead -- all hail the holiday season. In just a few weeks, a deluge of videogames will pour over the land and wash away all the titles you swore you'd remember from the spring season. Resistance 2, LittleBigPlanet, and the like will come to your Sony systems to leave you broke and begging for more.

With the big show behind us and a slew of new games to consider, the IGN PlayStation Team has assembled once again to revisit our Most Anticipated Games of 2008 -- a subject that we first touched upon in January. What titles have fallen off the list? What games have been announced and shot to the top of Chris Roper's, Greg Miller's, Jeff Haynes', and Ryan Clements' charts?

There's only one way to find out …

Chris' Post-E3 Most Anticipated Games of 2008

10) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Genre: Action Developer: LucasArts Publisher: LucasArts Why?: There's a ton of promise with this game, the first action-oriented Star Wars title that actually looks like it could be worthy of carrying the iconoclastic space opera's name in a long, long time. The technology behind the game is killer, offering gamers the ability to bend, smash, destroy and decimate nearly anything in their path. The story setup is quite interesting and knowing the folks behind the title, I'm confident that it'll do justice to the overall storyline. If the team has managed to utilize the awesome tech throughout the entirety of the game and can give us boss battles that match the first fight with Master Kota, then I'm sold.

9) BioShock Genre: First-Person Shooter Developer: 2K Games Publisher: 2K Games Why?: Despite the fact that I've played through the Xbox 360 game, I'm stoked to run through Rapture once again. BioShock easily ranks as one of my favorite shooters of all time, probably second overall to only Half-Life 2. The downloadable challenge rooms sound like they could be great fun, especially given the number of options you have to mix and match your abilities in the game. But even without the extra, the game would probably wind up on my list anyway simply because of how awesome the core game is. Welcome to the circus of value!

8) Mirror's Edge Genre: Action Developer: DICE Sweden Publisher: Electronic Arts Why?: A first-person game with platforming elements that look to rival those of Prince of Persia? I'm already sold. Mix in killer visuals and an ultra-slick art style and we're looking at a game that aims to mix up the first-person genre in a whole new way. I'm a big fan of exploration and trying crazy stuff, which looks to be what Mirror's Edge is all about. If the controls hold up and the platforming elements are varied and as open as I hope they will be, this could be the biggest surprise hit of the year.

7) MotorStorm: Pacific Rift Genre: Racing Developer: Evolution Studios Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: I'm a big fan of the first game, despite its handful of problems. Evolution Studios looks to have fixed many, if not all, of those issues the second time around, which would be enough to keep me interested. But the new jungle-filled island environment changes the driving mechanics in a fantastic way, separating the different classes of vehicles even more than before. The tracks that I've seen at a few events look to be laid out even better than the great courses from the first game, which is awesome. And being able to race split-screen is a big plus for me, as well.

6) Prince of Persia Genre: Platformer Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Publisher: Ubisoft Why?: When I saw the first batch of screenshots from Ubisoft's latest Prince of Persia title, I was incredibly interested. After seeing the E3 demo last month, I was sold. The platforming mechanics look stellar, taking the already-smooth moves and transitions from the last trilogy to a whole new level. The openness of the world has me intrigued, as I love exploring worlds like this, and the ability to play the game in any order you want means that my experience will be even more personal, which is a big plus for me. Oh, and having every battle be on the scale of a boss fight? Here's my money, Ubisoft.

5) LittleBigPlanet Genre: Platformer Developer: Media Molecule Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: I'm a very creative person at heart, so LittleBigPlanet speaks directly to me. While I'm interested in the platforming "play" aspect, I'm interested in that part not so much as to actually play it, but to check out what others have created and the crazy concepts that people will be able to come up with. I'm only worried that I'll never actually finish a level - with the amount of options at your disposal, I'll be experimenting with things so much that it'll take a lot for me to sit down and actually complete something. I'll be too busy checking out the next tweak that someone has discovered, trying it myself and seeing what new madness I can create.

4) Resistance 2 Genre: First-Person Shooter Developer: Insomniac Games Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: The first game, Resistance: Fall of Man, was undeniably the best game at the PlayStation 3's launch, and to this day remains a must-play title for the system. The stuff I've seen from the second game looks to carry the experience even further, giving us insight into what the Chimera are after, and letting us take the battle directly into the US. While it's a little creepy seeing their carrier ships destroy San Francisco as I've lived in numerous apartments in the city, I can't wait to load up some of the game's killer new weapons and carve a whole in their hearts, or whatever the hell keeps their "blood" flowing.

3) Rock Band 2 Genre: Music Developer: Harmonix Publisher: MTV Games Why?: Harmonix is on a roll. After creating Guitar Hero, one of the biggest genre-breaking games ever released, it followed it up with Guitar Hero II by adding bass and a (arguably) better soundtrack. But with Rock Band, all bets were off. The ability to play the drums or sing as someone else plucked away on the plastic guitars made it one of the best party games ever, and Rock Band 2 should continue the tradition brilliantly. The full track list has been released, and it's certainly amazing, but really it's the ability to play all of the downloadable content for the first game and rip most of the tracks from the first disc that has me pumped. I just can't wait to see how the World Tour and Solo careers have changed.

2) Guitar Hero World Tour Genre: Music Developer: Neversoft Entertainment Publisher: Activision Why?: While I'm psyched for Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero World Tour just may be the music game that I'm jamming to most this year. Why? Because you can actually jam. I'm blown away by the music creation tools that the game looks to offer, and as long as they're easy to use and don't get in the way of creativity, we're going to see some awesome content hit the wire. But what I'm looking forward to most is being able to download a death metal version of Chocolate Rain. If someone else doesn't make it, I will.

1) Fallout 3 Genre: RPG Developer: Bethesda Softworks Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Why?: My favorite game of both E3 2007 and 2008 was Fallout 3, and for good reason. Bethesda's go anywhere RPG looks to have fixed a lot of the complaints that I had with Oblivion (the level-matching enemies) and plops players straight into the classic Fallout universe. I haven't seen any other game give me the shivers like the Fallout 3 demo did when a nuke was set off in Megaton, destroying the entire town and its inhabitants. If you're capable of world-altering things like this throughout the entire game, it's going to become an instant classic.

Other Games Worth Noting: There are a ton of great games on my list, but that's not all that I'm looking forward to this year. Mercenaries 2 could prove to be a great follow-up to the original, Midnight Club: Los Angeles looks fantastic, Rise of the Argonauts could be one of the few RPGs that I could get into, and games like Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, Project Origin and Far Cry 2 should fill my to-do list for first-person shooters.

The PlayStation 3 has a very strong year ahead of it, but you may have noticed that there aren't any PS2 or PSP games on my list. While both systems are struggling for content, I'm certainly looking forward to the likes of LocoRoco 2 and Patapon 2. If only Resistance: Retribution were coming out this year, I'd be licking my PSP.

Turn the page for Greg's picks...

 

Greg's Post-E3 Most Anticipated Games of 2008

10) Buzz! Quiz TV Genre: Trivia Developer: Relentless Software Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: I'm always looking for a good game to play with my wife. Last year, Scene It! came to the Xbox 360, but after a few plays, its glaring problems (repetition, boring modes, etc.) led to its early trade in. I've always been a Buzz backer, but the tethered controllers and last-gen graphics kept it out of my living room. Quiz TV marks the franchise's move to the PS3 and includes the ability to create, share, download, and rate user quizzes. The Miller family will finally be able to figure out who knows the most about The Office thanks to an unbiased, third-party quiz!

9) LEGO Batman: The Video Game Genre: Action Developer: Traveller's Tales Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Why?: I was only a mild Star Wars fan, and I lost my mind for LEGO Star Wars. I'd spend entire days off parked in front of the TV trying to find red bricks and trying to become a true Jedi. Now, the LEGO peanut butter's been dipped in the Batman chocolate. Two things I love (I'm a bit of a DC fanboy) are coming together, and I can't wait. I'll get to bash cutesy Jokers, wrestle plastic Catwomen, and swing from the heights of Gotham. Best of all, this title isn't based on any of the movies, so we're getting the first original LEGO game. Coolio.

8) Prince of Persia Genre: Platformer Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Publisher: Ubisoft Why?: True story -- Prince of Persia: Sands of Time was one of the bigger reasons I gave up piano lessons in college. When I got my hands on that PS2 title, I pretty much said goodbye to anything else that ate up my free time. Like just about everyone around here, I saw Prince of Persia at E3, and my socks were knocked completely off. The graphics were stunning, I really dug the color scheme, the combat looked like fun, and the new girl seems like she's going to make for some awesome sequences. In short, if I was taking piano lessons now, I'd totally blow them off to play this game.

7) Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Genre: Fighting Developer: Midway Amusement Games Publisher: Midway Games Why?: As I stated a little while ago, I'm an uber-DC nerd. I was at the Vegas event where this title was announced and I believe I was the only person in the audience to give it a standing ovation. I've been covering the title since then, and it has only gotten better looking. Fatalities are in, the way your costume tears is neat, and I can't wait to see the Joker's finisher. I haven't been this excited for a fighting game since Mortal Kombat II, which spawned a number of all-night gaming sessions in my basement with whichever friend was available. Chances are, we're looking at the same kind of freak out with MK vs. DC.

6) LittleBigPlanet Genre: Platformer Developer: Media Molecule Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: When Phil Harrison first announced this title at GDC '07, I remember thinking it was cool but not for me. How wrong I was. After playing the game several times, I can't wait to sit down and begin creating my own levels and challenges. I fully expect my stages to suck, but I'm really looking forward to downloading user-generated spaces and seeing what talented people have come up with. The mini-games I've played (a jump rope challenge and a multiplayer hopping challenge) have really shown me the freedom people are going to have with this title.

5) Rock Band 2 Genre: Music Developer: Harmonix Publisher: MTV Games Why?: The hours Katie and I have sunk into the original Rock Band will probably serve as some of the best memories of our early married days -- nights spent jamming out in our shoebox-sized apartment while our dog stared longingly at us for any kind of attention. A lot of people rag on RB2 for being just a slightly upgraded version of the original, but I don't care. I'm excited for new songs, excited for online Band World Tour, and excited for daily challenges. If this one just fixes the small problems I had with the original, I'll be set and satisfied.

4) WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 Genre: Wrestling Developer: Yuke's Media Creations Publisher: THQ Why?: Yup, I love wrestling videogames; this is a fact that makes me a savior and a leper all at once in the IGN office because it means there's someone on staff who knows what makes these games tick but it also means I'm all alone in my quest for the latest championship belt. SVR 09 looks like it's keeping everything I dug about last year's title (Fighting Abilities, ECW Extreme Rules, etc.), dumping the stuff I didn't like (the ho-hum story mode), and adding the Inferno Match. THQ tells me there is a bunch of other cool stuff they haven't told me about yet, so I'm pretty psyched to get my hands on this game.

3) Dead Space Genre: Action Adventure Developer: EA Redwood Shores Publisher: Electronic Arts Why?: I got to check Dead Space out last week at Comic-Con, and everything people said post-E3 was right -- this game looks and feels great. As I jogged around a space station greenhouse and picked off the limbs of enemies, I could see myself sinking hour after hour into this beautiful title. The mood is dark and spooky, the enemies are deformed and gruesome, and the weapons seem super-destructive. When I shot down a dude, his stomach split open and a bunch of little creatures poured out. They swarmed on me, and my guy dropped to a knee before keeling over dead. It was right about there that the game won me over.

2) The Last Guy Genre: Action Developer: SCE Studios Japan Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: A few weeks ago, Roper showed me a Japanese trailer for this quirky PlayStation Network title that has you running around the streets of Tokyo, London, and L.A. as a guy in a blue suit and red cape. Played from the top-down perspective on what look like Google Maps, you have to run through the monster-infested streets coaxing people out of their hidey holes and to the safety of preset Escape Zones. If the monsters see you, they'll rush the line and kill your caravan. The game tracks high scores, your longest line, and how you stack up against the world. A game that dresses me like Superman and charges me with fighting off a zombie invasion? Sign me up.

1) Ghostbusters: The Video Game Genre: Action Developer: Terminal Reality Publisher: Sierra Why?: I don't care that this game doesn't have a publisher. Right now, IGN's still got it set for an October release, and that's good enough for me. I was put on this Earth to play this game, and I'm not going to let Activision's decision to leave it in limbo affect me. Yesterday, I got a Ghostbusters demo disk in the mail and a number of IGN staffers stopped by my desk to give it a try. Just about everyone said it was fun and better than they expected. How does this title not have a publisher? Are you listening, EA? Anyone?!

Other Games Worth Noting: Yeah, I don't have the same tastes that everyone else does. Sure, Resistance 2 looks cool and I'm excited to play it, but I haven't seen anything that makes me go nuts for it -- my heart's still set on Killzone 2. I'll be buying Fallout 3 on day one, but I'm not ready to sell my wiener dog for it. SingStar Vol. 2 will also be coming home with me ASAP, but I'm already uploading my SingStar vids so it's not like a set of new songs is that big of a deal. Still, there are a ton of good games this year, so you really can't make a bad choice. Unless you're Clements. God only knows what's going to be on his list...

Turn the page for Jeff's picks...

 

Jeff's Post-E3 Most Anticipated Games of 2008

10) Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Genre: RPG Developer: Atlus Publisher: Atlus Why?: It could be one of the last great games to grace the PS2, so you best believe that I'd acknowledge Atlus' anticipated RPG. Initially, we didn't think that we'd see another PS2 Persona title, but we were surprised to see that one was scheduled to be coming later this year. While we don't know too much about the game outside of the fact that it's set in the country and revolves around mysterious murders, we're pretty sure that the battles that take place will have the classic Shin Megami Tensei flavor. Since a large amount of the title revolves around Social Links as well as new weapon creation, there should be plenty of extra depth to this game when it hits this December.

9) MotorStorm: Pacific Rift Genre: Racing Developer: Evolution Studios Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: I spent tons of time racing with the original MotorStorm when it was released, and I'll still drop it in every now and then if I have a need for speed. So I was really excited to get my hands on the game at E3, and I'm pleased to say that it didn't disappoint. The migration from the desert to the island territory feels extremely natural, as does the integration of water as a way to cool off engine boosts. Even better is the inclusion of the larger vehicles, such as the monster trucks, which adds a new dimension of vehicular mayhem and a ton of shortcuts for racers to exploit. Toss in the ability to smash into another machine and you have a tactical edge to a visually engaging racer.

8) Tomb Raider: Underworld Genre: Action Developer: Crystal Dynamics Publisher: Eidos Interactive Why?: Lara Croft did stumble for a few years, but after TR: Legend and Anniversary, it appears as though she's climbing back on top. The upcoming title, Tomb Raider Underworld, looks like it will continue this direction, adding a lot of flexibility and exploration to the traditional formula. Lara has a ton of new tricks, including a new Sonar mapping system, a help-on-demand system to aid players stuck on puzzles, and an evolved adrenaline system that replaces QTEs. While Lara will spend much of her time traveling the globe searching through the underworlds of various cultures, the design theory of "What Could Lara Do" appears to be an excellent way to drive this franchise to future glory.

7) SOCOM Confrontation Genre: Shooter Developer: Slant Six Games Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: I know a number of guys that have been waiting eagerly for SOCOM to make its debut on the PS3, and fortunately, Confrontation doesn't look like it will disappoint at all when it's released this October. The decision to focus the title solely on multiplayer (akin to Warhawk) and one initial setting for each mission (within the Middle East) provides players with a specialized agenda: track down your opponent across the large environments and blow them straight to hell. With a ton of firearms, as well as a large number of community options such as weekly tournaments and large scale clan support, Confrontation is one of those titles that will spawn a new kind of warfare across PS3s this fall. Why do I sense a PS Team Editor Beatdown coming in the near future?

6) Rock Band 2 Genre: Music Developer: Harmonix Publisher: MTV Games Why?: We've rocked our demo room till the late hours of the night and our houses till the early hours of the morning and still we want more. Fortunately, Harmonix looks like it's going to fulfill our desire of becoming a musical superstar with a much more sensible layout for tracks and song selection, refined instruments, improved visual treatments and more in-depth gameplay. Having trouble getting your parents or significant others into the game because they couldn't play to save their lives? Three little words: No Fail Mode – No longer do you have to worry about potential suck dragging down a session. With new challenges, a much larger song library and refined Solo World Tour, amongst other additions, this is what we've been waiting for. We just need more cowbell and our aspirations will be complete.

5) BioShock Genre: Shooter Developer: 2K Games Publisher: 2K Games Why?: When I played BioShock last year on the 360, I was enthralled by the dystopic setting and characters of the game: the shattered ruins of Andrew Ryan's dream slowly falling to pieces underwater as splicers sought to assuage their damaged psyches with more and more genetic tampering. The mysterious Big Daddies that vigorously fought to protect every Little Sister near them and the dilemma of harvesting or saving these poor creatures. But I was intrigued... There was nothing keeping this game from coming over to the PS3 at all. Fortunately, that will be addressed later this Fall when BioShock lands on the PS3 with new exclusive gameplay modes and downloadable content. Thanks to these tweaks, along with included Trophy support, I'm going to find new reasons to mess with plasmids.

4) Resistance 2 Genre: Shooter Developer: Insomniac Games Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Why?: Maybe it was the 300 foot tall Leviathan that we witnessed at the press conference, or the hordes of Chimera that were running rampant through the streets of Chicago. Perhaps it was the stable and engaging multiplayer battles that raged across the show floor with beta testers and players in Sony's booth. Then again, it could just be the continuation of Nathan Hale's saga that made me look forward to the upcoming sequel. The fact that the battle has spilled from the streets and countryside of the UK to the towns and shores of America has me pumped for Insomniac's latest adventure, and I can't wait to check out what incredible battles we'll be blasting our way through extremely soon. Being flung from one rooftop to another has never looked so good.

3) Dead Space Genre: Action Developer: EA Redwood Shores Publisher: Electronic Arts Why?: I've been keeping my eye on this game ever since it was announced and every single time that I've seen it, I've picked up on tons of subtle details and additions that the development team have been putting into the title. Dead Space could easily be a dark horse game, one that not many people have paid attention to until its released and it starts racking up praise from critics and fans alike. One man, one gigantic spaceship, the will to survive despite seemingly impossible odds -- that's a cool enough premise for a game, but the way that Dead Space uses shadows, the environment, and potentially being attacked from all sides when you're checking your inventory or shopping means that you're going to constantly be checking over your shoulder when you're wandering the Ishimura's halls.

2) Valkyria Chronicles Genre: Action RPG Developer: SEGA Publisher: SEGA Why?: Let's get this out of the way right now: X-Com is one of the greatest games that's ever been made (disagree if you want, but you're wrong). Needless to say, as a strategy fan, it's great to see a new title taking elements from that classic franchise that would potentially frustrate even the best planned battles and improve on them significantly, such as mixing real-time elements with turn-based maneuvers. For instance, strategically placed troops will continually fire on opponents stupid enough to move into their range of fire, allowing you to lay down suppression without expending action points. Players can even choose to move a specific unit two or more times depending on how many command points they have, which allows you a ton of freedom to tactically retreat if you suddenly get ambushed. Plus, the animated style of the world is visually pleasing, making this one of those games that will be fun to blast enemies with when it's released later this year.

1) Fallout 3 Genre: RPG Developer: Bethesda Softworks Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Why?: Easily the best game shown at this year's E3, Fallout 3 is going to be a masterpiece when it's released, and that's no real surprise considering Bethesda's pedigree with RPGs. The true shock is how facile Oblivion's modified engine is to present this desolate, post-apocalyptic setting of Washington D.C. that's been devastated by nuclear war. Whether you're saving towns or detonating bombs, raiding the wastelands or blowing away mutants that have infiltrated the sewers and schools, Fallout 3 is one of those games that will have hours of play. I can't wait to grab my Pip-Boy, a chain gun and blast my way through my enemies. Brotherhood of Steel beware -- you're not going to be the only crusader that will hit the game's irradiated streets. I'm just sure that I have much better aim than they do.

Other Games Worth Noting: There's a lot of games that I left off of this list, primarily PS3 related…I'm definitely looking forward to Disgaea 3 and Brothers In Arms, whenever it winds up coming out. The same could be said for Mercenaries 2, Rise of the Argonauts, Far Cry 2, Aliens: Colonial Marines and Prince of Persia, which looks phenomenal. LittleBigPlanet keeps snagging my attention and that's never a bad thing. As far as the PSP is concerned, I can only think of Yggdra Union and Star Ocean: First Departure as standouts.

Turn the page for Ryan's picks...