Genre: Action/Stealth
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Release Date: October 2009
A little while ago, Splinter Cell: Conviction vanished off the radar. It was originally supposed to come out in 2007, and there were even screenshots and videos of the game, which starred a long-haired, hobo-esque Sam Fisher who seemed to be very similar to Jason Bourne. However, sometime before the release, the game was quietly put on hold, and all info about it seemed to vanish. Earlier this year, Ubisoft revealed that the game was alive and well but had been completely reimagined. At E3 this
Dead Space Extraction is a prequel that reveals the events leading up to Isaac Clarkes mission on the USG Ishimura in the original Dead Space game. Dead Space Extraction will marry the innovative motion controls of the Wii Remote with a frenetic first person perspective to create a new action-packed horror experience.
Genre: MMORPG
Publisher: Codemasters
Developer: NetDevil
Release: TBA
It's not often that you see an MMORPG being played on three monitors. It's rarer still that you see it being played on three monitors for very good reason, as NetDevil's upcoming MMO, JumpGate Evolution, proved during E3. The developers were in more than a mild sense of panic as I stepped into their booth for my appointment. Their demo machines had been connected to the game's live server during the current friends and family beta test, but I can attest that E3's wireless is only remotely stable in
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Raven Software
Release Date: August 13, 2009
If there is one game that we have to thank for first-person shooters, it is Wolfenstein 3D. Despite being by any modern standards an extremely archaic game, it is the first FPS of any note, and it introduced a lot of the staples of the genre in some form or another, from secret rooms to the never-ending fun of fighting supernatural Nazi creations. While the franchise never quite reached the same popularity as Doom, the original Wolfenstein 3D is still a fondly remembered game.
Genre: Role-Playing
Publisher: Ignition Entertainment
Developer: Matrix Software
Release Date: September 2009
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Nostalgia is an interesting-looking RPG for the Nintendo DS. Combining steampunk with traditional JRPG styles, the game shifts the nature of RPG combat just a little and has you exploring an interesting take on the world in the late 19th century. Naturally, it's designed to be nostalgic for many RPG fans indeed.
The basic story casts you as a finely dressed young lad whose father was apparently has disappeared; during my time with the game, the exact details aren't yet made clear to the player.
Genre: Sports
Publisher: 2K Sports
Developer: Blue Castle Games
Release Date: July 7, 2009
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One of the more popular sports titles in the early '90s was a little game called NBA Jam. Developed by Midway, it was best known for being a less serious take on the sports genre. You had all of the famous teams and a good number of the famous players, but the gameplay was more fast-paced and less serious than other official titles of the generation. It featured arcade-style gimmicks, such as an almost complete lack of rules and the ability to
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Bungie
Release Date: September 22, 2009
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Halo has always been the story of the Master Chief; it began with him waking up from cryostasis, and it ends the same way. The Halo universe however doesn't quite revolve around the Master Chief, as a number of the side materials, such as the novels and comics, also involve other characters. The first game to feature a story that didn't center on Master Chief was Halo Wars, and even that focused heavily on his fellow Spartans. Halo 3: ODST is unique
Genre: Action/Adventure
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Platinum Games
Release: Q4 2009
Hideki Kamiya's creative direction has inspired gamers and turned the tables on expectations with offerings such as Viewtiful Joe, Resident Evil, and Devil May Cry during his stay at Capcom's wonder factory. At Clover, his talents would paint a fantasy masterpiece through the cel-shaded artistry of Okami's gameplay. At Platinum Games and with Sega, he intends to do the same thing with Bayonetta. A playable demo was on the floor at E3, and Kamiya, along with producer Yusuke Hashimoto, were kindly on hand to discuss the game.
The
Genre: Action/RPG
Publisher: Ignition Entertainment
Developer: Vanilla Ware
Release: September 2009
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Xseed Games, what were you thinking when you let Muramasa: The Demon Blade slip out of your hands and over to Ignition? You had a game that could have potentially given you indie cred faster than NIS America and Atlus' 2009 lineups combined, and you ended up passing on it. You even said that it was going to be awesome in a released statement after dropping it. Man, that's a strange move on your part.
OK, enough about the publisher switch. Muramasa: The Demon Blade
