Most Anticipated Xbox 360 Games of 2009
Will the Wait Be Worth It for These Four Hot Titles?
Apr 27, 2009
While the year has seen a few big hits thus far (Resident Evil 5 comes to mind), gamers have yet to see any bona fide blockbusters on par with 2008's GTA 4 or Fallout 3.
But with the summer and holiday seasons fast approaching, the drought looks like it could soon come to an end with these four eagerly anticipated Xbox 360 titles.
BioShock 2
The sequel to 2007's critically-praised shooter promises to return gamers to the watery dystopia of Rapture - the once-grand city in the sea that stole the show in the original game.
But with a new twist.
This time around, players will fill the steel shoes of the first-ever Big Daddy - the lumbering, armored guardians who protect Rapture's creepy Little Sisters.
Set 10 years after the events of the first game, players will no longer have to deal with Andrew Ryan or Frank Fontaine, the overzealous ideologues who helped build and destroy the underground city.
Now there's a new ruler in town, someone called the Big Sister - a former Little Sister reportedly behind several kidnappings of young girls above the surface - and it'll be up to the player to put a stop to this formidable foe.
The game promises several new features, including the ability to explore underwater areas outside the confines of the city. As well, the game will offer new plasmids and weapons unique to the Big Daddy.
BioShock 2, developed by 2K Marin and published by 2K Games, is set for a fourth quarter release.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
As if standing in as the "third movie" of a beloved film franchise wasn't hard enough, Ghostbusters: The Video Game also takes on the added pressure of striving to be one of the few movie-based games actually worth playing.
But unlike many other quick tie-in, film-based games, Ghostbusters seems to have a lot going for it.
Developer Terminal Reality managed to coax most of the original film talent (yes, even Bill Murray) back to the old firehouse to lend their likenesses and voices. They even got original writers Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis to pen the game's script. Not too shabby.
From early impressions, the game looks like it will offer a cinematic experience, with the actors delivering the snappy one-liners that made the original Ghostbusters movie such a classic. Further, the game's nuclear-powered destruction, ghost wrangling system and monsters all seem to faithfully capture the essence of the films.
In short, the much-loved property genuinely appears to be getting the tender love and care needed to finally make a truly authentic and fun Ghostbusters game.
Can this latest addition to the long dormant Ghostbusters franchise live up to fans' rampant expectations? And will it break the trend of bad movie-based games? Time will tell.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game, published by Atari, is set for release June 16.
Assassin's Creed II
Fans of the 2007 blockbuster Assassin's Creed hope the sequel ties some loose ends and mixes things up a bit.
Assassin's Creed II promises to reveal more about the mysterious Abstergo Industries, the modern-day Knights Templar group that has tapped into the "genetic memory" of Desmond Miles, a kidnapped descendant of a lineage of assassins.
This time, the player will take control of an assassin named Ezio, an ancestor of Miles, in Renaissance Italy. As was the case in the first game, several historic figures will make an appearance, including Leonardo da Vinci.
One of the knocks against the first Assassin's Creed was that the game became too repetitive in its missions, which included pickpocketing, interrogation, eavesdropping and not much else. Developer Ubisoft apparently heard the criticisms as they've upped the mission types to 16 in all.
Players will now also be able to hide under water and presumably drown enemies. As well Ezio will have a much more eclectic arsenal at his disposal. Some of his weapons will include a mace, axe, hammer and spear, in addition to the traditional swords and blades.
The game will also retain the trademark parkour elements and large expansive cities that made the first game such a hit.
Assassin's Creed II is set to be released this December.
Modern Warfare 2
While the title officially won't include the Call of Duty moniker, Modern Warfare 2 is for all intents and purposes the sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Confusing naming aside, Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 will surely look to retain much of the same gritty and visceral stylistic elements of Call of Duty 4.
Unlike its World War II-themed spin-offs, CoD 4 was praised for its stunningly realistic portrayal of present-day military conflicts. Its unflinching portrayal of modern combat tactics and the grisly aftermath served as both social commentary and enthralling gaming.
While details are slim for Modern Warfare 2, the game is set to take place in the present or near-future. It is rumored the game will once again take place in the Middle East.
Modern Warfare 2 will be published by Activision and is scheduled for release November 10.
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