The first quarter of the year isn't usually the time for big game releases. But 2008 may be different. By far the biggest release is Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii in March (which I mentioned in my Most Anticipated Games of 2008 article last month). But there are also some other solid releases due out during the first quarter of this year. Here's my take on the other key games for early 2008 that deserve a spot in your GameQ.
Burnout gets the open-world treatment in Burnout Paradise.
If you liked LocoRoco for PSP, you'll love Patapon.
Rainbow Six is back in Sin City for another adventure this March.
The first big release of 2008 is the next-gen version of my favorite racing series, Burnout, from Criterion Games and EA. Although Burnout Revenge appeared on the Xbox 360, this is the first Burnout built from the ground up to take advantage of the PS3 and Xbox 360. And there are some big changes: Gone is the idea of selecting races or crash junctions from a menu. The game now features a Grand Theft Auto-style open world environment in Paradise City. To select a race, you roam around and pull up to an intersection. You can even crash you car wherever you want in what is known as "Showtime Mode." Online racing has also been reinvented: Instead of meeting players in a lobby, you just cruise up to their cars and initiate a race. And when you take down your friend, you can see their facial reaction with the "mugshot" feature if they have an Xbox Live Vision or PS3 EyeToy camera. Trust me, if you want a fast-paced arcade racer, Burnout delivers a level of destruction that would make Jerry Bruckheimer proud.
Here's my take on the other key games for early 2008 that deserve a spot in your GameQ...
Originally announced only for the PlayStation 3, the first next-gen Devil May Cry has now been released for both the Xbox 360 and PS3. Instead of solely starring Devil May Cry hero Dante, this game lets you start playing the game as Nero. But it may be hard for you to tell the difference; both characters have flowing white locks of hair. Like previous games in the series, you use swords, guns and power-ups to battle demons. The most important new feature is Nero's "devil bringer" upgrade, which lets him zoom around levels like the grappling hook in Ratchet & Clank. While this Devil May Cry game isn't particularly innovative, fans of fast-paced combat and action will find plenty to like. Just be forewarned that the game gets incredibly difficult to play in the later sections.
You command an army of little monochromatic spear-wielding eyeballs by tapping the PSP buttons to the beat of the drum-like rhythm. Sounds sort of lame and boring? Perhaps, but the joy of Patapon comes from its 2D simplicity. Much like LocoRoco - another PSP game from Sony - Patapon is a perfect pick-up-and-play game with a slick art style and loveable characters. You assume the role of the Patapon's deity and help the troops ward off the Zigaton army. There's an element of strategy as you tap button combos to command the troops to fight enemies like a giant dragon. You also have to select the right combination of Lemming-like units such as cavalry and archers to successfully win the game.
One of the better Xbox 360 launch games was Condemned: Criminal Origins from Monolith Productions and Sega. While it wasn't a particularly deep game, the game's creepy atmosphere and visceral first-person action made it an early standout. Just over two years later, the sequel is finally ready and it once again stars Ethan Thomas, a former Special Crimes Unit investigator. But apparently Ethan has gone through a rough patch: He's an alcoholic who is still recovering from all the killing he had to do in the first game. So expect a more violent game with enhanced combo attacks that can be chained together, plus the CSI-style investigations you must conduct in between beating up foes with lead pipes. Also look out for online multiplayer, something which was notably missing from the first Condemned.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a sequel to Ubisoft's excellent Rainbow Six Vegas is due for release in March. It doesn't start or end in Vegas (you'll have to play to find out more), but once again you do spend a fair amount of time battling terrorists in Sin City. Look for another big change: Instead of playing as Logan Keller, you now create a custom character for both single and multiplayer. Co-op is back again, although you can only play with up to two players instead of four. The game is also mimicking the persistent elite class system of Call of Duty 4, which means you earn points in multiplayer and single-player, which are used to upgrade your character's abilities. While it remains to be seen if Ubi can keep the "terrorists in Vegas" concept fresh on a second outing, this tactical action with good teammate AI is sure to make a worthwhile sequel.
Next month I'll be back with an insider's look at the 2008 Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco. At that show, we should hear updates on games like Fable 2, Project Origin (the sequel to F.E.A.R.), Too Human, Battlefield: Bad Company and hopefully some news on the future of the Gears of War franchise.
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