Now I'm 600+ miles away from my PS3, Wii, and Sony LCD TV and there are TONS of great looking games on the way that I won't be able to enjoy until I go visit the fam at Christmas. So I made a list of of the titles I've been eyeballing that are coming very soon. All images, as always, ganked from 1up.com.
Metroid: Other M
System: Wii
Developer: Nintendo and Team Ninja
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB Rating: T for Teen
Release Date: August 31, 2010
Stepping out of the box, Nintendo co-developed the latest installment in the Metroid franchise with Tecmo's Team Ninja. As a result, Samus Aran now has an arsenal of melee attacks at her command allowing the player to get up close and personal with the game's baddies.
That's not all Nintendo has done with Other M. In a pretty bold design move, the developers have created Other M as a true 3D update to the series' 2D roots. The first-person perspective that dominated the Metroid Prime trilogy replaced by a fixed camera and a pseudo-sidescroll vibe. Of course, the team didn't scrap the first-person view entirely as the player will be able to switch to a stationary, behind-the-visor view on the fly simply by pointing the Wiimote at the screen. It sounds odd, but videos and hands-on impressions from gaming websites and magazines attest to the smoothness of the transition.
Not much is known story wise yet. All that we really know is that it takes place in between Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion, and that Samus finds herself taking orders from Galactic Federation CO, Adam Malkovich. Since anyone who has played Metroid Fusion already knows the fate of Mr. Malkovich, it is probably safe to assume that event could take place in Other M.
Aside from some pretty poor voice acting in the trailers, Metroid: Other M looks to be a fantastic addition to the series.
Epic Mickey
System: Wii
Developer: Junction Point Studios
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
ESRB Rating: Pending
Release Date: TBA, but should be coming very soon.
Before I get too carried away, I'd better explain that the image on the left is from an earlier build of the game and probably isn't very exemplary of the final look.
Epic Mickey is apparently the first step in Disney's scheme to revitalize the character that made the company what it is today. To do this, they handed development of Epic Mickey over to Warren Spector, the guy behind Deus Ex. As a result, Epic Mickey will apparently incorporate some of the sandbox style gameplay elements that Spector helped pioneer and were popularized by Grand Theft Auto III. While I can't say for a fact that the world of Epic Mickey will allow the player to roam the world at their leisure like most sandbox games, Mickey will have numerous ways to interact with the characters and environments he encounters.
Though removed from the final product, at one point there was a "Scrapper" version of Mickey that was a result of the player making mischievous and cunning choices when interacting with the characters and setting (I avoid the use of "evil" purposefully as the developers weren't intending for the character to completely give in to the dark side). Regardless of the choice to drop the alternate "Scrapper" Mickey, the player is still given the choices and the freedom to be a bit more devious than the happy-go-lucky mouse we've grown accustomed to over the last half century. The intentions for this being an attempt to return the character to his 1930s roots and to appeal to a 21st century audience. It's quite a move considering Mickey is such a nostalgic character to BILLIONS of people all over the world.
Despite the controversy that might arise, Epic Mickey is looking quite good. The story places Mickey in a world where forgotten characters from Disney's past make up the entirety of its inhabitants. Stumbling upon this world during his early career, Mickey accidentally created a monster that, over time, left the world on the brink of destruction. Now, decades later, Mickey must take responsibility for his mistake. Mickey will manipulate objects in the world with his paintbrush that allows him to use paint and paint thinner to create, erase, and battle enemies. So in a way it sounds like it will be a spiritual successor to Okami.
An interesting world, cool mechanics, complex character interaction, and what sounds like a decent story make Epic Mickey a top pick for me.
Valkyria Chronicles II
System: PSP
Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega
ESRB Rating: T for Teen
Release Date: August 31, 2010
This could easily be the game that pushes me into finally purchasing a PSP. It is, obviously, the sequel to Valkyria Chronicles for the PS3. I've raved about the first game already earlier this year, and a sequel with the turn-based system is definitely welcome in my gaming library.
The story takes place about 2 years after the events of the first game and is set against a civil war that has erupted in the country of Gallia after the events of the first game. Tactical warfare ensues with some modifications to the original system. First off, many of the chapters are split into mini-maps due to the limited processing power of the PSP. But probably the newest, and biggest, addition to VC2 are new classes as well as branching class development. Basically this means that once a unit has reached a certain level, they can then "promote" to one of two classes. It's a system very similar to the class promotion found in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. The idea being to give the player more customization options for the characters they'll spend the game with. Characters that are much more important this time around.
Where the first game was very plot-centric, the sequel will focus much more heavily on developing the main and supporting characters of the army. While it doesn't sound like most of the characters from VC will return outside of cameos and unlockables, the new cast does look quite colorful and hopefully they will be as one of the chief complaints regarding the first VC was the lack of well-rounded characters.
All in all Valkyria Chronicles 2 looks like it will be another fantastic strategy RPG in spite of the technical downgrade.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
System: Wii
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB Rating: Pending
Release Date: Early 2011
This is more of an honorable mention than anything, but I always get excited when a new Zelda game is coming. The tentative release window is sometime in early 2011, but, if almost EVERY other Zelda game in the series is any indication, the release date will probably be pushed back.While it is the first true Zelda game for the Wii, not much is known about Skyward Sword. Most of what is known is more technical than anything. First is the obvious return to cel-shading a la The Wind Waker, but this time with the "adult," "mature" Link gamers clamored for after The Wind Waker. Second is the controls will rely heavily on motion control. For instance, not only will the player control Link's sword with the Wiimote, but also his shield with the nunchuk. Bombs, bows, slingshots, and numerous new weapons and items will also make use of motion control.
The few details known of the plot state that Skyward Sword will take place chronologically before Ocarina of Time, and that Link will hail from a floating island and descend to Hyrule from there.
Aside from the new look and mechanics, it sounds like it will be a pretty typical Zelda game which is a disappointment in a way. Twilight Princess, while good, adhered so strictly to the series' conventions that it felt kind of stale. Hopefully Nintendo will imbue this new title with something more than the old Zelda formula.
Some more games on the horizon that I'm watching: inFAMOUS 2 (PS3), Spider-man: Shattered Dimensions (multi), Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3, Xbox 360), NBA Jam (Wii), Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (DS), and Okamiden (DS).
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