starscream
12-31-2008, 07:54 AM
PS3 Games of 2009 - Part I
Submitted by Brodiesan on Wednesday, 31 December 2008One Comment
playstation-3-game-console22008 was undoubtedly a triumphant year for the PS3.
With the release of some of its long awaited AAA titles like Metal Gear Solid 4 and LittleBigPlanet, the console made up a lot of ground on its rivals and converted a large amount of naysayers who had previously designated Sony’s powerhouse a glorified Blu-ray player.
The introduction of Trophies, the redesign of the PlayStation Store, victory in the HD format war - the list of successes is definitely impressive though it would be unfair to claim the year was unblemished and without hiccups. There is still the sticking point of price and the loss of some heavy hitting exclusive properties such as Final Fantasy XIII and Tekken 6 but, as a whole, 2008 will go down as a good year for Sony.
But what of 2009? Crystal balls across the gaming journalistic world have been aglow with speculation, rumour and, in the pro-PS3 circles, hope that the final corner can be turned by Sony and even more great titles will emerge over the next 12 months. And at this stage in the console’s life-cycle it is all about the games.
We’ve spent some time researching press releases, looking at lists (and checking them more than twice) and have formulated what we think is a fairly comprehensive catalogue of PS3 games scheduled for release in 2009.
With 123 (scratch that, it’s closer to 200 now) games researched, this piece will be presented over three separate articles with the obvious caveat: we’re sure we’ve missed some. There are still games currently in production that no one but the teams working on them are aware of. Some of these games will also invariably get cancelled or slip into 2010. Also, the gaming development world is a huge arena and undoubtedly we’ve missed something. If we have, feel free to let us know in the comments and we promise to add it to the (ever growing) list.
Check after the jump for Games A through E.
50_cent_blood_on_the_sand50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Swordfish Studios
Out: Feb 24th 2009
The start of 2009 sees the sequel to last-gen’s “50 Cent: Bulletproof” hitting like an A-bomb. Stop laughing. The first game was universally panned (but sold well) and its next-gen sequel will see more vehicular combat, a helicopter duel and even more 50 Cent exclusive tracks. Developer Swordfish Studios claim: “We are taking this sequel to the next level with exciting combat and gunplay, new original music, great graphics and a new story.” The game will feature multi-player drop-in/drop-out co-op, “interactive counter-kills, driving” and “aerial combat.” That would be the helicopter duel then.
230px-afrosamuraititleAfro Samurai
Publisher: Namco Bandai Surge
Developer: Namco Bandai
Out: Jan 27th 2009
The cult classic Samuel L. Jackson infused anime hit gets the videogame treatment with the titular weapons-master appearing on January 27th. Namco are handling its development and the game will be the first game published under Namco Bandai’s western label Surge. Expect cel-shading, cool quips and limb loosening. If you’ve not already checked out the anime then we heartily recommend you do so. Now.
aliens_cmAliens: Colonial Marines
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Gearbox Software
Out: Q1 2009
Having already delivered such big hitters as Halo (PC) and the Brothers in Arms series, Gearbox unleash yet another FPS on the masses, this time based on the popular Aliens franchise. SEGA’s press release states that “players are part of a United States Colonial Marine squad and must prepare to face an alien assault more intense and horrific than ever before.” With a story written be acclaimed authors Bradley Thompson and David Weddle, the experience will feature “claustrophobic environments” and a “brooding soundtrack”. Apart from the single player mode on offer there will also be a four player co-op multiplayer mode. No definitive date has yet been announced but we can expect contact in 2009. Game over man! Game over!
aliens-rpgAlien: RPG
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Out: 2009
Aliens are like buses. You wait for one all day and then … never mind. Details are scarce on the ground but SEGA (who feature heavily in the first of our Games of 2009 as you will see) announced on the 13th of December that Obsidian (more on these guys directly below) are working on an RPG set in the popular Alien universe. We don’t even know if this will make next year to be honest as the press release hints that “the first Alien-licensed game wouldn’t arrive before 2009.” But we’re dutifully intrigued.
alpha-protocolAlpha Protocol
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Out: Q1 2009
SEGA are not just throwing xenomorphs at us in 2009 - expect some covert action RPG goodness as well. Alpha Protocol is (once again) from Obsidian Entertainment, the luminaries that brought us Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic II: The Sith Lords and Neverwinter Nights 2. You play Michael Thorton, a precocious young agent “cast out by his government” and possessing information that can divert an upcoming international catastrophe. “Every choice the player makes as Michael Thorton will carry consequences for his future and the fate of the world.” No precise release date as of yet but 2009 seems likely.
apbAPB
Publisher: Realtime Worlds
Developer: Realtime Worlds
Out: 2009
Realtime Worlds brings us All Points Bulletin (APB), a MMO along the lines of GTA and Crackdown. Originally planned to be released on PC, 360 and PS3 concurrently, only the PC version is now being quoted as making a 2009 release date but that’s not to say its PS3 cousin won’t appear along side it towards the end of the year. Let’s just say we won’t be surprised if this game makes our “Games of 2010 list” this time next year. Considering the “GTA MMO” is often quoted as Rockstar’s “Holy Grail”, might Realtime Worlds swoop in and create a contender to the crown? Only time (and city-wide mass mayhem) will tell.
arma2Armed Assault 2 (Arma2)
Publisher: 505 Games
Developer: Bohemia Interactive Studios
Out: 2009
Bohemia Interactive Studio returns with Arma2, a military simulation game for multi-platforms and the latest addition in the popular Operation Flashpoint series. The game will introduce a “role-playing feel” and utilises the new “Real Virtuality” engine. If you’ve seen the trailers out there you know that this means the game will look gorgeous.
astroboy-poster1_smallAstro Boy - The Videogame
Publisher: TBC
Developer: TBC
Out: 2009
Astro Boy gets the big screen treatment next year and the obligatory game tie-in should see itself exploding on shelves around the same time. Little is known about the game other than it’s coming some time in Q4 2009.
avatarAvatar
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft (we think)
Out: 2009
James Cameron stops messing about at the bottom of the ocean and crawls back into a director’s chair to give us Avatar next year. The premise is audacious with a heavy mix of typical Cameron traits: sci-fi, new film-making technology and an attention to detail that makes most actors cry. The game version of the film is being handled by Ubisoft and is, somewhat fittingly considering Cameron’s usual scope, an MMO. That’s all we know. Seriously, The King of the World is quite protective of his new toys.
batmanBatman: Arkham Asylum
Publisher: Eidos
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Out: 2009
The recently released new images we reported on last week are tantalisingly good but the jury is still out on the Caped Crusader’s latest escapade through the halls of Arkham Asylum. Having Kevin Conroy and the brilliant Mark Hamill on board to handle the voice duties is a great bonus but will it be enough to elevate this game above the usual punch-and-search mechanics of previous Batman games? Only time will tell - in 2009 no doubt.
256px-battle_fantasiaBattle Fantasia
Publisher: 505 Games
Developer: 505 Games
Out: May 29th 2009
Previously released only in Japan, Battle Fantasia finally gets a European release nearly a full twelve months after it first appeared on the shelves of Akihabara. A NA PS3 release is still outstanding but, don’t forget, you can always import. Starting out as a two player arcade fighting game, Battle Fantasia very much borrows from the Guilty Gear series with battles played out in 2.5D. The game was greeted with favourable enough reviews (72%) so, if you’re looking for some smackdown before Tekken 6 hits, maybe this one is for you? Expect it on May 29th 2009.
200px-bayonettatitlecardBayonetta
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: PlatinumGames
Out: Q3 2009
Hideki Kamiya, esteemed creator of the Devil May Cry series, returns to the shooting genre with Bayonette, a stylised action romp with the eponymous witch sporting guns on both her feet and hands. Yeah, we can’t wait to see how this is going to work either. Bayonetta also uses her hair to “en-wrap” herself and perform some dazzling magical powers. Plot is thin on the ground but we do know that it is set in modern day and there are monsters masquerading as angels who are in need of some lead salads. Expect Bayonetta some time in Q3 2009.
beatles_video_gameBeatles
Publisher: EA
Developer: Harmonix
Out: Q4 2009
Arguably the greatest (if not the most popular) band of all time gets the Rock Band treatment though, oddly, not the Rock Band moniker. A fully fledged game in its own right, expect to be rocking out on Rock Band peripherals to such classics as A Hard Days Night come Q4 2009.
bionic_commandoBionic Commando
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: GRIN
Out: Q1 2009
21 years after its original release on the NES, the re-imagining of Bionic Commando is released for the next-generation of swinging action junkies. You play Nathan Spencer (voiced by former lead singer of Faith No More, Mike Patton), a cybernetically enhanced ex-spook now scheduled to be executed for a crime you didn’t commit. On the day of reckoning, an experimental weapon is detonated wiping out Ascension City, and with terrorists moving in to take up vacuum, the government is left with little choice - the reactivation of the Bionic Commando. The game has an eclectic team of talent behind it from Swedish developer GRIN to a Japanese Creative Director. We’re looking forward to see what they’ve come up with. Bionic Commando swings into action in Q1 2009.
bioshock2BioShock 2 : Sea of Dreams
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: 2K Marin/Boston
Out: 2009
Ah, Rapture. How you enthral me. Big Daddys and Little Sisters return in the sequel to the BAFTA winning (and Spike TV’s) 2007 Game of the Year. Despite rumours of being a timed PS3 exclusive, we expect the next episode in the watery dystopia to take story telling and game immersion to a new level on all platforms around Q4 2009.
bombermanBomberman Ultra
Publisher: Hudson
Developer: HudsonSoft
Out: Q1 2009
We all know and love Bomberman. 2009 sees the blue bomber getting the ultra treatment so expect to see new online modes, character customisation and the full HD treatment.
border-smallBorderlands
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Gearbox Software
Out: February 2009
A sci-fi FPS with a twist, Borderlands replays the Gold Rush era on a galactic playing field. Seeking out the far flung planet Pandora, prospectors quickly realise their new home is devoid of the resources they were promised and all they’ve got for their troubles is anarchy and alien ruins. Hi-jinks ensure. Borderlands’ shtick comes from the ability to merge almost anything with anything else and form a weapon. With claims of 100,000s of weapons to be made (especially when you throw in that alien technology) this could be very interesting indeed. Borderlands will be with us in February 2009.
brutal3Brütal Legend
Publisher: EA (we hope)
Developer: Double Fine Studios
Out: Q3 2009
We love Double Fine Studios for Psychonauts and now they return with the bizarrely themed “Brütal Legend”. You play Eddie Riggs (voiced by Jack Black, who else?), a heavy-metal roadie who gets into a series of adventures after his belt buckle, splashed with some of Eddie’s blood after a freak guitar tuning accident (happens to me all the time), shows itself to be a cursed talisman and transforms Eddie into a Heavy Metal inspired fantasy alternate reality. We could not make this stuff up. Brütal Legend was in the news recently after being categorically snubbed during the Activision/Blizzard merger. Luckily, EA swooped in and picked up the musically enriched tongue-in-cheek wail-a-thon. Brütal Legend will be released in the Fall of 2009.
Submitted by Brodiesan on Wednesday, 31 December 2008One Comment
playstation-3-game-console22008 was undoubtedly a triumphant year for the PS3.
With the release of some of its long awaited AAA titles like Metal Gear Solid 4 and LittleBigPlanet, the console made up a lot of ground on its rivals and converted a large amount of naysayers who had previously designated Sony’s powerhouse a glorified Blu-ray player.
The introduction of Trophies, the redesign of the PlayStation Store, victory in the HD format war - the list of successes is definitely impressive though it would be unfair to claim the year was unblemished and without hiccups. There is still the sticking point of price and the loss of some heavy hitting exclusive properties such as Final Fantasy XIII and Tekken 6 but, as a whole, 2008 will go down as a good year for Sony.
But what of 2009? Crystal balls across the gaming journalistic world have been aglow with speculation, rumour and, in the pro-PS3 circles, hope that the final corner can be turned by Sony and even more great titles will emerge over the next 12 months. And at this stage in the console’s life-cycle it is all about the games.
We’ve spent some time researching press releases, looking at lists (and checking them more than twice) and have formulated what we think is a fairly comprehensive catalogue of PS3 games scheduled for release in 2009.
With 123 (scratch that, it’s closer to 200 now) games researched, this piece will be presented over three separate articles with the obvious caveat: we’re sure we’ve missed some. There are still games currently in production that no one but the teams working on them are aware of. Some of these games will also invariably get cancelled or slip into 2010. Also, the gaming development world is a huge arena and undoubtedly we’ve missed something. If we have, feel free to let us know in the comments and we promise to add it to the (ever growing) list.
Check after the jump for Games A through E.
50_cent_blood_on_the_sand50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Swordfish Studios
Out: Feb 24th 2009
The start of 2009 sees the sequel to last-gen’s “50 Cent: Bulletproof” hitting like an A-bomb. Stop laughing. The first game was universally panned (but sold well) and its next-gen sequel will see more vehicular combat, a helicopter duel and even more 50 Cent exclusive tracks. Developer Swordfish Studios claim: “We are taking this sequel to the next level with exciting combat and gunplay, new original music, great graphics and a new story.” The game will feature multi-player drop-in/drop-out co-op, “interactive counter-kills, driving” and “aerial combat.” That would be the helicopter duel then.
230px-afrosamuraititleAfro Samurai
Publisher: Namco Bandai Surge
Developer: Namco Bandai
Out: Jan 27th 2009
The cult classic Samuel L. Jackson infused anime hit gets the videogame treatment with the titular weapons-master appearing on January 27th. Namco are handling its development and the game will be the first game published under Namco Bandai’s western label Surge. Expect cel-shading, cool quips and limb loosening. If you’ve not already checked out the anime then we heartily recommend you do so. Now.
aliens_cmAliens: Colonial Marines
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Gearbox Software
Out: Q1 2009
Having already delivered such big hitters as Halo (PC) and the Brothers in Arms series, Gearbox unleash yet another FPS on the masses, this time based on the popular Aliens franchise. SEGA’s press release states that “players are part of a United States Colonial Marine squad and must prepare to face an alien assault more intense and horrific than ever before.” With a story written be acclaimed authors Bradley Thompson and David Weddle, the experience will feature “claustrophobic environments” and a “brooding soundtrack”. Apart from the single player mode on offer there will also be a four player co-op multiplayer mode. No definitive date has yet been announced but we can expect contact in 2009. Game over man! Game over!
aliens-rpgAlien: RPG
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Out: 2009
Aliens are like buses. You wait for one all day and then … never mind. Details are scarce on the ground but SEGA (who feature heavily in the first of our Games of 2009 as you will see) announced on the 13th of December that Obsidian (more on these guys directly below) are working on an RPG set in the popular Alien universe. We don’t even know if this will make next year to be honest as the press release hints that “the first Alien-licensed game wouldn’t arrive before 2009.” But we’re dutifully intrigued.
alpha-protocolAlpha Protocol
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Out: Q1 2009
SEGA are not just throwing xenomorphs at us in 2009 - expect some covert action RPG goodness as well. Alpha Protocol is (once again) from Obsidian Entertainment, the luminaries that brought us Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic II: The Sith Lords and Neverwinter Nights 2. You play Michael Thorton, a precocious young agent “cast out by his government” and possessing information that can divert an upcoming international catastrophe. “Every choice the player makes as Michael Thorton will carry consequences for his future and the fate of the world.” No precise release date as of yet but 2009 seems likely.
apbAPB
Publisher: Realtime Worlds
Developer: Realtime Worlds
Out: 2009
Realtime Worlds brings us All Points Bulletin (APB), a MMO along the lines of GTA and Crackdown. Originally planned to be released on PC, 360 and PS3 concurrently, only the PC version is now being quoted as making a 2009 release date but that’s not to say its PS3 cousin won’t appear along side it towards the end of the year. Let’s just say we won’t be surprised if this game makes our “Games of 2010 list” this time next year. Considering the “GTA MMO” is often quoted as Rockstar’s “Holy Grail”, might Realtime Worlds swoop in and create a contender to the crown? Only time (and city-wide mass mayhem) will tell.
arma2Armed Assault 2 (Arma2)
Publisher: 505 Games
Developer: Bohemia Interactive Studios
Out: 2009
Bohemia Interactive Studio returns with Arma2, a military simulation game for multi-platforms and the latest addition in the popular Operation Flashpoint series. The game will introduce a “role-playing feel” and utilises the new “Real Virtuality” engine. If you’ve seen the trailers out there you know that this means the game will look gorgeous.
astroboy-poster1_smallAstro Boy - The Videogame
Publisher: TBC
Developer: TBC
Out: 2009
Astro Boy gets the big screen treatment next year and the obligatory game tie-in should see itself exploding on shelves around the same time. Little is known about the game other than it’s coming some time in Q4 2009.
avatarAvatar
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft (we think)
Out: 2009
James Cameron stops messing about at the bottom of the ocean and crawls back into a director’s chair to give us Avatar next year. The premise is audacious with a heavy mix of typical Cameron traits: sci-fi, new film-making technology and an attention to detail that makes most actors cry. The game version of the film is being handled by Ubisoft and is, somewhat fittingly considering Cameron’s usual scope, an MMO. That’s all we know. Seriously, The King of the World is quite protective of his new toys.
batmanBatman: Arkham Asylum
Publisher: Eidos
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Out: 2009
The recently released new images we reported on last week are tantalisingly good but the jury is still out on the Caped Crusader’s latest escapade through the halls of Arkham Asylum. Having Kevin Conroy and the brilliant Mark Hamill on board to handle the voice duties is a great bonus but will it be enough to elevate this game above the usual punch-and-search mechanics of previous Batman games? Only time will tell - in 2009 no doubt.
256px-battle_fantasiaBattle Fantasia
Publisher: 505 Games
Developer: 505 Games
Out: May 29th 2009
Previously released only in Japan, Battle Fantasia finally gets a European release nearly a full twelve months after it first appeared on the shelves of Akihabara. A NA PS3 release is still outstanding but, don’t forget, you can always import. Starting out as a two player arcade fighting game, Battle Fantasia very much borrows from the Guilty Gear series with battles played out in 2.5D. The game was greeted with favourable enough reviews (72%) so, if you’re looking for some smackdown before Tekken 6 hits, maybe this one is for you? Expect it on May 29th 2009.
200px-bayonettatitlecardBayonetta
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: PlatinumGames
Out: Q3 2009
Hideki Kamiya, esteemed creator of the Devil May Cry series, returns to the shooting genre with Bayonette, a stylised action romp with the eponymous witch sporting guns on both her feet and hands. Yeah, we can’t wait to see how this is going to work either. Bayonetta also uses her hair to “en-wrap” herself and perform some dazzling magical powers. Plot is thin on the ground but we do know that it is set in modern day and there are monsters masquerading as angels who are in need of some lead salads. Expect Bayonetta some time in Q3 2009.
beatles_video_gameBeatles
Publisher: EA
Developer: Harmonix
Out: Q4 2009
Arguably the greatest (if not the most popular) band of all time gets the Rock Band treatment though, oddly, not the Rock Band moniker. A fully fledged game in its own right, expect to be rocking out on Rock Band peripherals to such classics as A Hard Days Night come Q4 2009.
bionic_commandoBionic Commando
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: GRIN
Out: Q1 2009
21 years after its original release on the NES, the re-imagining of Bionic Commando is released for the next-generation of swinging action junkies. You play Nathan Spencer (voiced by former lead singer of Faith No More, Mike Patton), a cybernetically enhanced ex-spook now scheduled to be executed for a crime you didn’t commit. On the day of reckoning, an experimental weapon is detonated wiping out Ascension City, and with terrorists moving in to take up vacuum, the government is left with little choice - the reactivation of the Bionic Commando. The game has an eclectic team of talent behind it from Swedish developer GRIN to a Japanese Creative Director. We’re looking forward to see what they’ve come up with. Bionic Commando swings into action in Q1 2009.
bioshock2BioShock 2 : Sea of Dreams
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: 2K Marin/Boston
Out: 2009
Ah, Rapture. How you enthral me. Big Daddys and Little Sisters return in the sequel to the BAFTA winning (and Spike TV’s) 2007 Game of the Year. Despite rumours of being a timed PS3 exclusive, we expect the next episode in the watery dystopia to take story telling and game immersion to a new level on all platforms around Q4 2009.
bombermanBomberman Ultra
Publisher: Hudson
Developer: HudsonSoft
Out: Q1 2009
We all know and love Bomberman. 2009 sees the blue bomber getting the ultra treatment so expect to see new online modes, character customisation and the full HD treatment.
border-smallBorderlands
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Gearbox Software
Out: February 2009
A sci-fi FPS with a twist, Borderlands replays the Gold Rush era on a galactic playing field. Seeking out the far flung planet Pandora, prospectors quickly realise their new home is devoid of the resources they were promised and all they’ve got for their troubles is anarchy and alien ruins. Hi-jinks ensure. Borderlands’ shtick comes from the ability to merge almost anything with anything else and form a weapon. With claims of 100,000s of weapons to be made (especially when you throw in that alien technology) this could be very interesting indeed. Borderlands will be with us in February 2009.
brutal3Brütal Legend
Publisher: EA (we hope)
Developer: Double Fine Studios
Out: Q3 2009
We love Double Fine Studios for Psychonauts and now they return with the bizarrely themed “Brütal Legend”. You play Eddie Riggs (voiced by Jack Black, who else?), a heavy-metal roadie who gets into a series of adventures after his belt buckle, splashed with some of Eddie’s blood after a freak guitar tuning accident (happens to me all the time), shows itself to be a cursed talisman and transforms Eddie into a Heavy Metal inspired fantasy alternate reality. We could not make this stuff up. Brütal Legend was in the news recently after being categorically snubbed during the Activision/Blizzard merger. Luckily, EA swooped in and picked up the musically enriched tongue-in-cheek wail-a-thon. Brütal Legend will be released in the Fall of 2009.