Top 5 Most Anticipated 2008 Releases

We are just now getting midway into 2008, and look at all the Wii games we have already enjoyed. It’s hard to imagine how 2008 could get any better for the Nintendo Wii. But I’m a true to heart optimist, so let’s take a look at some of the great titles still to come in 2008.

5. - Unnamed 2008 E3 Announcement

I know what you’re thinking…that’s a pretty obscure and long game title. Even though it technically hasn’t been announced yet, the announcement of the announcement has me very intrigued to see what will happen at E3.

“There’s gonna be a big game for the holiday that the gamers will want. All I can tell you is what we announce during E3 is gonna be fantastic. The gamer is gonna be excited and the expanded audience is gonna be excited.” - Reggie Fils-Aime

That was the quote that has started all the speculation that has been rampant on the internet. So far there have been no leaks, so no one truly knows what game announcements Reggie will have in store. The context of the quote came from an interview with Gametrailers TV, where he went on to say that Nintendo will be “maximizing its’ key franchises after E3 ‘08″. These two quotes have lead most to think that E3 will be the catapult for a new game based on an already popular game franchise.

4. - World Of Goo

Ok, I promise that #’s 4-1 will all have actual titles accompanying them. Unless you keep track of independent game release, then you may not of heard of World of Goo. It was a finalist in the 2008 Independent Games Festival. The premise of the game is simple, that you use “goo” to create structures for advancing through the game’s setting. Of course you will have to think of how you want to use your goo, as it’s being heralded as a puzzler.

I’m a huge believer that a great physics engine can make or break a game. Going by the trailers that have been released on World of Goo, it doesn’t look like it will disappoint with its’ physics. Enjoy this trailer, and hopefully you’ll be as hyped for World of Goo as I am. For more information, visit the official World of Goo website (pretty humorous).

3. Alone In The Dark

If you owned a powerful enough PC in the early 90’s then you were one of the few who enjoyed Alone In The Dark. AitD was one of the first games to set an eery mood for the gamer and keep them on the edge of their seat. There would be sequels and a movie release but none could really capture everything that the original was about. The ‘episodic like story’ of the new game might leave some with questions, but I believe it could work out in the end.

The most interesting aspect of the game is how the Wii remote will fit in. Atari has been bragging in numerous previews how the Wii remote motions will be a factor in every part of the game. From driving, to shooting, to figuring out certain puzzles, they will all have motion controls attached to them. The premise of the gameplay sounds really cool, but the execution will be what counts when the game releases.

Here are some screenshots to give you an idea of what the game is about:

2. Fatal Frame IV

‘Another horror genre pick?’ might be the question your asking. Yes, I must admit I’m a huge fan of turning up my stereo, turning out the lights and being scared to death.

While Alone In The Dark will feature creatures, that you’ll undoubtedly have to unload clips of ammo into, Fatal Frame takes a more subtle approach. If you aren’t familiar with the franchise, the Fatal Frame series are games where players are dropped into haunted and disturbing locations. Once inside, you are tasked with documenting the paranormal activity through use of a soul capturing camera.

Some of the gameplay features already being previewed seem very engaging and fun. When walking around, you’ll have a flashlight that is controlled with the wii remote. The flashlight will be used to discover certain areas of the game, and will probably lead me to dropping said wii remote in fear and panic. Once you find the ghosts, you switch to the camera mode where you’ll aim and try to get a picture of a ghost at its’ more terrifying. In previews I’ve read, it hasn’t been clarified that wii remote will control the camera view, but I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t.

Probably the greatest information about Fatal Frame IV is everyone that’s working on it. First, you have Tecmo, the original developers of the series. Suda 51 (No More Heroes, Killer 7), is coming in as a secondary developer. While I wasn’t a huge fan of NMH or Killer 7, you couldn’t help but appreciate the style of those games. On top of the developers, Nintendo itself will be publishing the title and is actually in ownership of the Fatal Frame series.

Again, here are some screenshots of some scary moments to be found in Fatal Frame IV:

This One Gave Me Nightmares

1. - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Lightsaber battles, will be a term that I will have circling around in head until The Force Unleashed comes out. When the Wii’s motion controls were first announced, either my first or second thought was a game based around utilizing the remote as a lightsaber.

It looks like LucasArts linked to my thoughts, because The Force Unleashed will have saber battle ‘in spades’.

What’s hilarious is that most of the coverage online isn’t on the single player but the multi-player aspects of the game. I posted a gameplay video from G4 earlier, which I’ll provide again. In it we get to see some multi-player footage of the title. The most impressive part of the video, was just how many characters will be selectable; from all kinds of different Star Wars universes.

Here’s the gameplay video that really got me salivating in anticipation for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

So what games are you most looking forward to this year? Do you think we have seen the best the Wii has to offer or is this just the beginning?