Happy New Year! I closed off the year with my top 5 Xbox 360 games of 2008, but now it’s time to look ahead. I’ve just finished updating the Xbox 360 Release Calendar and there’s a lot to come. Here are some of the highlights:
Halo Wars
Halo Wars is a real-time strategy (RTS) game set in the Halo Universe. The Halo universe is expanding, offering a new style of gameplay for the familiar series. I was a bit worried when I heard that Halo Wars would not be developed by Bungie, until I learned that Ensemble Studios were behind it. Ensemble is best known for the Age of Empries series, which is (in my opinion) one of the best RTS titles out there. This is Ensemble’s farewell project, as the studio is set to close after Halo Wars is released. Halo Wars will hit North American shelves on March 3, while it seems that Europe may get in early, on February 26.
Halo 3: ODST
Originally titled Halo 3: Recon, ODST isn’t a full-size title, but rather a stand-alone “expansion” to Halo 3. The game follows an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, a stealthy unit, during the events of Halo 2. Again, it’s an opportunity to view the Halo world from a new perspective. The gameplay will be more Halo-esque, though. Look for it in the fall.
Resident Evil 5
It’s been nearly four years since the initial release of Resident Evil 4, so it’s about time for the next jump in this series. Capcom’s next installment in the famous horror series will bring the classic Resident Evil gameplay to the Xbox 360. New AI and lighting effects will be the among the improvements in Resident Evil 5. Co-op, both on and offline, is a nice addition for this type of game — Capcom promises the ability for co-op players to drop in and out, and act independantly of each other.
Alan Wake
I’m hesitant to even put this game on a list for 2009. In 2007, Remedy was expecting a 2008 release, and ever since the company has had to remind us that its psychological thriller was on the way. But the impressive visuals of this game (including a spectacular draw distance and up-front detail) are enough to keep us interested. The game promises to keep us on the edge of our seats. In theory, we’ll see it in the first half of 2009.
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 will pick up where the first Mass Effect left off. BioWare will bring us an escalating threat as humanity, along with other allied Council aliens, prepares to deal with the return of the malevolent Reapers. If you still have your save file from the original, Mass Effect 2 will let you continue the story as your character, with decisions you made continuing to impact the story and side quests. Look for it around the 2009 holidays.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Infinity Ward, the company behind Call of Duty 4 is again taking the reigns to deliver Modern Warfare 2. While World at War, released in 2008 by Treyarch used Infinity’s CoD4 engine, it returned to the tired World War II setting. The next title will return to the breakthrough, with more imrovements to come. A 2009 release date hasn’t been promised, but it would be in keeping with the annual fall releases we’ve seen since CoD2.
Star Ocean: The Last Hope
For RPG buffs, a new Star Ocean title will be out in March from tri-Ace and Square Enix. The Last Hope will push the series further into its sci-fi setting, giving you your own, reportedly large, ship to command.
Also watch for…
There are some titles of interest that could really go either way. Keep an eye out for these:
- Huxley: This MMO first-person shooter game is being released for both the PC and Xbox 360. No confirmation yet on whether or not the platforms will be able to play together, but the game will have a single-player campaign unique to the Xbox 360 version. Huxley looks promising, but a lack of info about the title makes us wonder about its actual status.
- Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard: A Duke-Nukem style parody of action titles. This one stars Will Arnett (Arrested Development, Blades of Glory) as Matt Hazard and Niel Patrick Harris (Harold & Kumar, How I Met Your Mother) as the game’s villan.
- Lord of the Rings: Conquest: This is a new Lord of the Rings game in the style of the popular Star Wars: Battlefront games. Looks like it could be fun, but I’ll hold my judgement.
- Ghostbusters: The Video Game: This action game from Atari is due out on June 1. Ghostbusters has the potential to be a lot of fun, but movie titles don’t have a great reputation. The original Ghostbusters writers (Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis) are writing the storyline and lending their voices, with Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson also reprising their roles. Rick Moranis, however, declined to participate, as he has retired from acting. The game will take place in 1991, two years after the Ghostbusters II film. In the hands of the original creators and actors, and not being tied to a specific movie script, this one has promise.
Check out the Xbox 360 release dates for a list of all the games due out in 2009 — there are a few more interesting ones in there. I’ll see you on Live in 2009!
