Upcoming Games of 2008: Part I

Hello there. It’s that time of the year once again when we sit you down and educate you on all the upcoming games you can expect across all major platforms this year. And by major platforms we mean the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 (since the Wii has not launched in India officially and procuring Wii games in India can be a bit of a bitch – one of my colleagues was spotted stalking gray market dealers for a copy of Super Mario Galaxy!)

Handheld gaming seems to have picked up once again with the new PSP Slim-n-Lite hitting Indian markets in 2007, so we’ll give you the lowdown on some cool PSP games as well.

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On Halloween we had published our Upcoming Horror games of 2008, which included ten of the games we were about to mention in this list as well. Since we really don’t like repeating ourselves why don’t you head right there, crap your pants, and head back.

Far Cry 2

Platform: PCRelease Date: March/April 2008

When Crytek and Ubisoft parted ways, the Far Cry franchise (which, by the way, was developed by Crytek) stuck with the French publisher while the German developer decided to make our PCs spasm with Crysis. Far Cry 2 will still retain the sandbox feel of the original game but this time round the action has shifted to Africa and will apparently take the whole “Go anywhere, Do anything” ideology to the next level by offering players over 50 square miles to mess around with (remember, the vast expanses of Oblivion just extended to around 16 square miles).

Oh and this time, you’ll be able to heal yourself by actually ripping the bullet out from your wound with your bare hands… whoa! Unfortunately this game is a PC exclusive right now but we’re hoping Ubisoft change their minds really fast.

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Prototype

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Platform: Xbox360, PS3, PC
Release Date: TBA 2008**
From the guys who got you The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction comes yet another free roaming smash-fest; only this time you won’t be doing it as the lean, green ticked-off machine, you’ll be doing it as Alex Mercer, a genetically modified individual who has the ability to shapeshift himself, courtesy of a science experiment. While not climbing and jumping all over New York City, Alex will have to deal with a deadly viral epidemic that has the ability to destroy humanity as we know it.

Devil May Cry 4

Platform: Xbox360, PS3, PC
Release Date: February 2008
Once a PS3 exclusive (snicker), Devil May Cry 4 now finds itself gracing the PC and the Xbox 360 (oh noes!) as well. Fans of the series may be a bit disappointed to find out that Dante is no longer the protagonist in this game; stepping in to fill his cocky little boots is newcomer Nero who’s all set to impress us with his demon slaying maneuvers. No need to get too disappointed though, since the game looks as badass as ever with tons of colossal boss fights, lighting fast combat and ultra stylish moves that this series is well known for.

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Ninja Gaiden 2

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Platform: Xbox360
Release Date: TBA 2008**
The entire human race is in danger and coming to its rescue is one of the coolest f***ing ninjas on the planet, Ryu Hayabusa. Yes, we know the game’s going to be as tough as hell but the new and improved combat system combined with some of the most over-the-top and gory dismemberments ever seen in an action game will probably make it all worth it.

Mafia 2

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Platform: Xbox360, PS3, PC
Release Date: TBA 2008**
While we don’t know much about this game at this moment, we’re pretty sure it’ll have you infiltrating a prominent Mafia family as a n00b only to work your way up and become top dog eventually. Even though the first Mafia did have its share of screw-ups it was appreciated for its deep storyline and awesome narration that was brought to life by a stellar cast. With the power of next-gen consoles at their fingertips, we’re hoping the developers will be able to do an even better job this time round.

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Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway

Platform: Xbox360, PS3, PC
Release Date: February 2008
Step into the boots of Sergeant Matt Baker once again as he and his entourage kill tons of Germans during Operation Market Garden in gorgeously rendered countryside locales. The game is made using the Unreal 3 engine and, just like Rainbow Six Vegas, it’ll have a nifty cover system that shifts the action to a third person perspective while you’re taking cover. So yea, Unreal 3 engine + cover system + slow motion Nazi death animations = teh awesome!

The Wheelman

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Platform: Xbox360, PS3
Release Date: TBA 2008**
After taking a rather long sabbatical from the world of video games, Vin Diesel will be back sometime this year in the video game adaptation of The Wheelman. In the game (as well as the movie) Diesel plays the role of a retired wheelman who gets forced out of retirement to help a woman from his past. While the game will have a significant amount of on-foot action sequences, most of the game will involve Hollywood-ish high-octane chases through the streets of Barcelona.

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Conflict: Denied ops

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Platform: Xbox360, PS3, PC
Release Date: February 2008**
A first person shooter set in the Conflict universe, Denied Ops is the story of two men tasked with handling delicate political matters that the US government will not touch. Similar to EA’s Army of Two, Denied Ops will place great emphasis on co-operative play, both offline and online. While the game looks like a fairly generic shooter right now, let’s hope the co-op element spices things up a bit.

Yakuza 3

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Platform: PS3
Release Date: March 2008 (Japan)**
Yakuza 3 will take players back to feudal Japan to a time when the sword was mightier than anything out there. The game will still allow players to freely explore the vast expanses of Endo Japan; only this time they’ll be doing it with a more improved combat system that’ll include up to four new fighting styles. From the video I saw recently, the game play still looks a bit repetitive but then again, if you enjoyed the first two chances are you’ll get a kick out of this one as well.

Lost

Platform: Xbox360, PS3, PC
Release Date: March 2008
Anyone who’s a fan of the show is probably going to check this game out but remember, in this video game adaptation you will not play as any of the serial’s central characters; instead you’ll step into the boots of a relatively unknown dude called Elliot who just happened to be on Oceanic flight 815. After crashing on the island you’ll interact with the rest of the cast while trying to unravel the mysteries of the island as well as figuring out a way home.