Following our look back at the games of 2008, it is now time to look forward to the upcoming releases in 2009. This list is comprised of games I personally am looking forward to or other staff members felt strongly enough about to mention them to me. This is in no way a complete list, and will most definitely miss some titles, and also contains some games that might not even release in 2009 in the US (Final Fantasy XIII). That being said, here are some of the games you can look forward to playing on your Playstation 3 in 2009.
Afro Samurai-
For the uninitiated Afro Samurai is a stylish anime with a main character voiced by Samuel L. Jackson. The molding of Hip Hop and Samurai styling is akin to the character design of Samurai Shamploo. The video game adaptation of the series is being developed and published by Namco Bandai and appears to keep all the style and blood letting of its namesake. Playing as Afro Samurai, you work your way towards avenging the death of your father. Among the most interesting gameplay features of the game is the ability to store up rage which you can use to slice opponents in two. Your blade literally slices through your target however you please, with gory detail to reward your efforts and a lost hand, leg, or head for your opponent. This game came onto my radar based solely on the name, but the videos and screenshots have kept me intrigued, and looking forward to its release in January of 2009.
Bayonetta-
From Platinum Games comes this new action title that promises to "blow the doors off the action genre". Not much at all is known about the game itself other than the main character being a witch called Bayonetta who has guns on her hands and feet used to massacre monsters. This may not seem like much to get one excited, but when you look at the fact that the creator of this new game is none other than Hideki Kamiya, the creator of the Devil May Cry series then you realize that the game already has a very nice pedigree. No release date is known, but it has been slotted for a 2009 release.
DC Universe Online-
Have you ever wanted to fight alongside Batman or Superman, or perhaps working for The Joker, or Brainiac is more your style? Either way this is the game for you. DC Universe Online is a comic fan's dream, the chance to create your own super hero or villain, and then play around in the DC Universe. The game includes all of DC's major characters and some of the minor characters that perhaps might be unknown to someone who isn't an avid comic reader. One interesting edition from a gameplay perspective is the ability to grab and weaponize any object your character can carry from buses to frozen allies. Not much else is known about this game, but they are confident on a 2009 release, so we should be hearing more about this title soon.
Fat Princess-
The quality of downloadable games available on the PSN has increased as of late, and Fat Princess seems to keep the trend alive. Fat Princess is a capture the flag type game, where instead of capturing an actual flag the goal of the game is to capture the opposing team’s princess. The title comes from your ability to feed your princess snacks you find so that she will become fat and therefore more difficult to carry. With an interesting class based system, the most adorable graphics ever used for a bloodbath, and several awards from various sites for its showing at E3, Fat Princess looks to be a fantastic edition to the PSN lineup that everyone should look forward to.
Final Fantasy 13-
It takes a certain kind of game to be as hyped as Final Fantasy 13 without showing much of any gameplay videos whatsoever. As the 13th episode in one of the most popular RPG franchises in existence, Final Fantasy 13 has a lot to live up to, but what we’ve seen leaves me thinking that it will do just fine. The title promises to have a more classic battle system than Final Fantasy 12, with a return to the turn based format which many people come to expect from Final Fantasy games. Details on the story have been hard to come by, but so far we at least know that the main character is a female named Lightning, and the main story has to do with the interaction of two worlds: Pulse and Cocoon. We are sure to get more information as time goes on as well as a nailed down release date. Sony fanboys may still be hurt by the game’s multiplatform status, but at least they’ll still get to enjoy what looks to be a fantastic game.
Ghostbusters-
A game for every child of the 80's that ever put on a plastic Proton Pack for Halloween, Ghostbusters the game is shaping up to be one of the best movie based games of all time. All four original actors for the Ghostbusters reprise their roles in the title, and you take control of the newest recruit. Facing off against Ghostbusters franchise favorites such as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, the Librarian Ghost, and Vigo should be a blast for most fans of the movies and they should look forward to the game's June 2009 release.
God of War 3-
For those who played and enjoyed the last entry in the series, God of War 3 may easily be their most anticipated game of 2009. The second game ended on a huge action upswing that promised an epic battle between gods and titans. With the prospect of possible multiplayer coop and the tagline “in the end, there will be only chaos” this game is definitely one to look forward to. Hopefully more information will be released relatively soon, and the game actually gets a release in 2009, which is debatable, but a man can dream can’t he?
Heavy Rain-
There aren’t many games in existence that promise as much strangeness as Heavy Rain. It promises to be a story driven experience with constant choices that directly affect how the story is told. This promises a huge amount of replay value as the story can unfold in a large number of ways. One of the most interesting aspects of the game is that the main character can die and the story will continue. This feature has not been detailed so I cannot comment on how the story continues with the main character dead, but it is something that I genuinely cannot wait to see. For the first time I might have to force a death on myself in a game to get the results I want. There aren’t nearly enough story driven experiences out there, so this title is definitely one to look out for in late 2009.
inFamous-
Ever wanted to shoot lightning from your hands and be a super hero? Me neither, but I’m still interested in playing a game about it. InFamous is Sucker Punch’s first foray into the realm of sandbox GTA-esque gaming. You start the game as Cole, an urban explorer who has come upon powers over lightning through a mysterious explosion. You decide whether to use these new found powers strategically to accomplish your goals, or to go on wild rampages through the streets as you kill anyone in the way of your mission. These choices directly affect the game at large, with how you are treated by the general citizenry as well as what missions are available to you. Another point of interest is the existence of other super powered individuals that you’ll have to deal with. A super speedster type adversary has already been unveiled, which should make for some incredible fights.
Killzone 2-
Like sci-fi shooters, pretty shiny things and class based multiplayer? Well then I have a game for you good sir. Killzone 2 is looking to be a beautiful game that’s also a lot of fun. With a reportedly engaging storyline as well as TF2-esque class based multiplayer system, this game isn’t just a pretty face. I hope to see you all online when this game releases in February of 2009.
Resident Evil 5-
Following the massive critical acclaim of Resident Evil 4 seems like a daunting task, but the team at Capcom seems up to the challenge. The game follows the story of Chris Redfield as he tries to survive the latest zombie infestation. This time the action takes the Resident Evil franchise all the way to Africa, an interesting choice which has sparked a bit of controversy. Some new additions to the game include online coop multiplayer and a battle system that uses light and darkness to try and more accurately portray lightning affects and how your character adapts to changes.
Skate 2-
The original skate was a fantastic game with easily the best skateboarding gameplay of all time. The only things really keeping the series from absolute legendary status were its average visuals and lackluster technical performance. These appear to be fully addressed for the new game in the series. Along with some nicer visuals and a more stable game come new abilities such as the ability to stand up off your board and walk around. No longer will a set of stairs be an impenetrable barrier to your skating desires. Along with the ability to get off your board comes the ability to move certain objects and customize your favorite spots. Anything you move will stay that way throughout your entire game as long as you save it. Some new tricks are also added into the mix such as grabbing your board while grinding and jumping off of your board to get over obstacles. All of these improvements look to turn the series from a solid B into the triple A game that it could be.
Street Fighter 4-
The Street Fighter series has a long history and a number of die hard fans. It has been a while since there was a true succession in the series, but finally a new title has come out that seems to deserve the name of Street Fighter 4. The combat has stayed sublimely two dimensional to the relief of its fans, but what it lacks in dimensions gameplay wise it makes up for in its graphics and artistic styling. It truly looks like a current adaptation of the classic Street Fighter motif, with a couple of new crazy characters added into the mix. It has been a long wait for Street Fighter fans, but it appears that they will not be disappointed.
The Agency-
With so many MMO’s coming out after the exceptional success of World of Warcraft, it can be difficult to set oneself apart from the pack. The Agency has absolutely no issue in this regard. You play as a spy for either U.N.I.T.E. or ParaGON, using FPS style fighting alongside RPG like character development opportunities. The idea of the game is to start off as a lowly spy, working your way up the organization with other players until you're one of its top spies. There is even talk of players having the ability to start their own organization if they get strong enough and can gather the people together. Other cool additions include the ability of your subordinates to do your bidding and accomplish goals while you are offline. The Agency will then keep you updated on your subordinates’ progress by email or by text message. It is not often that you get the chance to play a spy MMO, and I am truly looking forward to the experience.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves:
The sequel to one of the most beloved titles on the Playstation 3 from 2007, Uncharted 2 promises to be a fun and extremely pretty addition to the 2009 lineup. Instead of going after Francis Drake's treasure, this time Nathan will be attempting to uncover the lost ships of Marco Polo. Developers promise to allow more freedom in the game this time around, with stealth methods becoming available if you don't want to actually fight and kill all the pirates (I'm just going to assume pirates until told otherwise). Not much else is known about Uncharted 2, but we should be hearing more and more details as its release creeps up on us.
White Knight Chronicles-
As the first Level 5 RPG released on Playstation 3, White Knight Chronicles has a lot of pressure and fanboy hopes riding on its coat-tails, but from what I’ve seen there is no need to worry. Some of the more interesting aspects of White Knight Chronicles are the ability for your characters to turn into epically large “knights” which drastically change how you play the game. This is not something completely unseen, but it is the first time I’ve seen a game that allowed both transformed and regular party members to fight side by side in an action oriented battle scheme. The second interesting aspect of the title is its online features which promise to add considerable value and playtime to the game. If only I lived in Japan.
