Great expectations
Five games of 2008 that should live up to the hype
By Dave Arey
Posted: 1/30/08, 10:39 PM EST Section: Joystick
Five Most Anticipated Games of 2008
The year 2007 gave us "BioShock," "Halo 3," "Super Mario Galaxy" and many more classics. But, 2008 could be better. As developers become more accustomed to the new systems, they will be free to develop games that are technologically and creatively superior. The games listed here certainly show the sort of depth and innovation to expect:
"Super Smash Bros. Brawl"
System: Wii
Release: March 9, 2008
The biggest selling point for "Brawl" will be the inclusion of non-Nintendo characters. Snake, from the "Metal Gear" series and Sonic have already been announced, but there could be more. My money is on Simon Belmont of the "Castlevania" series and Cloud Strife of "Final Fantasy VII." "Super Smash Bros. Melee" was the highest-selling game on the GameCube, and Nintendo hopes the newest installment of the fighting franchise can repeat that feat on the Wii.
"Grand Theft Auto IV"
System: PS3/Xbox 360
Release: April 29, 2008
Yes, it will be controversial. The more important question is - will it be innovative? Developer Rockstar chose to return the game's setting to Liberty City, the site of "Grand Theft Auto III," though this time the city will be far bigger and more detailed. A re-tooled physics engine will mean less canned animations and more realism. Cars will come equipped with GPS systems, which will have voice commands. Drinking beer has even been included, which leaves open the possibility of drunk driving or drunk flying via helicopter. That's certain to please everyone, especially the controversy-chasers.
"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots"
System: PS3
Release: Spring 2008
This game has been in development for years, yet very little is known about it. Here's what we do know: it takes place in the future, when series protagonist Solid Snake sports long grey hair and is referred to as "Old Snake." The previous game, "Snake Eater," employed open environments that valued precision more than stealth, but in this case Snake will crawl, dodge and slit throats in more urban environments. Developer Hideo Kojima said this will be the last "Metal Gear" game, but like everything else with this series, you can't always believe what you hear.
The year 2007 gave us "BioShock," "Halo 3," "Super Mario Galaxy" and many more classics. But, 2008 could be better. As developers become more accustomed to the new systems, they will be free to develop games that are technologically and creatively superior. The games listed here certainly show the sort of depth and innovation to expect:
"Super Smash Bros. Brawl"
System: Wii
Release: March 9, 2008
The biggest selling point for "Brawl" will be the inclusion of non-Nintendo characters. Snake, from the "Metal Gear" series and Sonic have already been announced, but there could be more. My money is on Simon Belmont of the "Castlevania" series and Cloud Strife of "Final Fantasy VII." "Super Smash Bros. Melee" was the highest-selling game on the GameCube, and Nintendo hopes the newest installment of the fighting franchise can repeat that feat on the Wii.
"Grand Theft Auto IV"
System: PS3/Xbox 360
Release: April 29, 2008
Yes, it will be controversial. The more important question is - will it be innovative? Developer Rockstar chose to return the game's setting to Liberty City, the site of "Grand Theft Auto III," though this time the city will be far bigger and more detailed. A re-tooled physics engine will mean less canned animations and more realism. Cars will come equipped with GPS systems, which will have voice commands. Drinking beer has even been included, which leaves open the possibility of drunk driving or drunk flying via helicopter. That's certain to please everyone, especially the controversy-chasers.
"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots"
System: PS3
Release: Spring 2008
This game has been in development for years, yet very little is known about it. Here's what we do know: it takes place in the future, when series protagonist Solid Snake sports long grey hair and is referred to as "Old Snake." The previous game, "Snake Eater," employed open environments that valued precision more than stealth, but in this case Snake will crawl, dodge and slit throats in more urban environments. Developer Hideo Kojima said this will be the last "Metal Gear" game, but like everything else with this series, you can't always believe what you hear.
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