As counterpoint to Michael’s post about not having games to play I thought I’d be more optimistic and point to some games that I am looking forward to playing when they’re released next year.
So far:
Flower (Playstation Network, thatgamecompany): We’ve played with an early version of this game some months back and it can give one a feeling of absolute euphoria. Floating along on a breeze, the controls felt just right even back then. It looks like some game-like elements have been added but I bet it won’t dull the primary effect putting you in a dream-like state and giving you a moment’s release from care.
Noby Noby Boy (Playstation Network, keita takahashi, Namco): something that looks this exquisitely insane has GOT to be good. I am also pleased that the designer doesn’t consider it to be a game. The aesthetic is fresh, the play looks open, I can’t wait.
Gyakuten Kenji/Miles Edgeworth Perfect Prosecutor (DS, Konami): Confession, I have played ALL the Phoenix Wright/Ace Attorney games. I find the writing to be on par with any television series. The stories are funny and tragic and sometimes a bit strange. Great character design throughout. A spinoff featuring Miles Edgeworth is a fabulous idea.
Calling (Wii, Hudson/Konami?): I’ve only seen (apparently leaked) videos on the net but this spooky game looks awesome! I hope to no end that it gets released outside of Japan. The interaction reminds me of a design we’d come up with for an unfinished game called “The Apartment.”
F.E.A.R. 2 (PC, Monolith): not because i will actually play the game (I cannot play FPS games) but because i think Alma (all grown up now) is the sexiest, most compelling, female character in action game history. What I do with games I can’t, or don’t want to, play is I look at clips on YouTube so I can skip the shooting and get to the good parts (which are the parts in-between the shooting usually.) The first F.E.A.R had some priceless moments. I’m hoping this one will be just as striking.
what can i say, i’ve got strange taste in women.
Tension/The Void (PC, Ice-Pick Lodge): Speaking of mysterious women, this game by our friends at Ice-Pick Lodge is intruiging. It’s getting a release outside of Russia courtesy of Atari. Good on them. While I’m not sure I’ll love the gameplay (but it could happen) I think it may have some interesting narrative resonance. I definitely am looking forward to fully exploring this world. I admire the character and environment design to no end.
Pikmin (WiiWare, Nintendo): i played this on gamecube and it remains one of my favorites. I think the addition of Wii controls will totally add. I’m looking forward to throwing the little guys around. Not so much to having them eaten, set on fire, blown away and rolled over by the garden’s creatures. But hey…
#1 game I’m looking forward to is: The Path (PC, Tale of Tales), of course. Because we’ve been making it for 2 years and having it done is the only thing I can really think of right now. Gaming comes *after*. So many hopes…
So, What games are YOU looking forward to playing?
Flower looks gorgeous. I wish they had games like that for the PC :(.
Looking forward to That Path!
I’m also looking forward to the path, but what i wanted to say is, have you seen scribblenauts(well not that there is much to see yet)?
Wow, the vid for Calling scared me to death! I watched it three times before it stopped giving me adrenaline rushes. XD.
As well as The Path (obviously), I’m looking forward to this other game called Darkfall. It’s a cross between a FPS and a more typical fantasy MMORPG…hehehe, I could burn pages raving about the features it promises, but it doesn’t really sound like your thing.
I couldn’t agree more with your opinion about Noby Noby Boy.
“Something that looks this exquisitely insane has GOT to be good.” XD
Well, a game i’m looking forward to play is, offcourse, The Path ^^
but one that’s on my list is Prototype. Look it up, it looks fantastic!!
a second is Killzone 2, and for me the long awaited Guild Wars 2
So, you’re a more conventional gamer than Michael, then.
Have you tried MySims for PC? I think it has online potential marred by its “friend-only” politics.
@Redkora – Flower is beautiful. Don’t know if you’ve played their other game, flOw? we just got a Playstation 3 and I love the way that game feels. I think flower will have a similar vibe. Very meditative. I wish there were more games like it… that just let you explore and play and enjoy the sights and sounds and “watch what happens” ;)…. um, yeah, also reminds me a bit of The Endless Forest in that regard.
@SandWhale – I read only a little about Scribblenauts… I don’t have a clear picture of what it will be yet, of course the fact that you can call up “whatever item you want” by typing it in sounds interesting but we’ll have to wait and see.
@Emriss – yeah,… I love scary games
I was glad that this is more of an adventure style thing so far. If it just turns out to be another dumb shooter you can bet I will retract it from my list.
@Louisload – ;D
Hey @Ferruccio – I’ve not heard about Prototype at all, will look out for it. Back when I could stand RPGs Guild Wars had me in its spell for a bit. I thought the art direction was pretty wonderful. But I don’t think they can lure me in again.
@ Illya – Well…. I think I just have lower expectations than Michael does, so I am harder to disappoint but happier when I find games I do like. I like open game experiences. I like games that are well made, made with love and care. I stay away from action games (except to marvel at some fine examples of art direction, Gears of War 2 and the new Prince of Persia spring to mind as games I wouldn’t play with a pair of borrowed hands but which I like looking at the scenery over someone else’s shoulder).
Now that we’ve got a PS3 we’re slowly seeing what it has to offer. We got it with Little Big Planet which has been great fun to play with the kids! I think what they’ve made is amazing.
The Path of course 😉
@Auriea: I think they CAN lure you back into GW2 😉
i mean… they’re making it better than ever, and still free to play! plus the fact that we can finally play a Charr character.. ^^
I’m with Auriea, except for the whole Phoenix Right thing (but I dislike the DS’s smallness and I’m not a manga fan, so…).
Next to those, I am really curious about LOVE. It’s probably going to be too much of a game for me but we’ll see. And I want to see what Richard Evans did with The Sims 3, but I can’t imagine playing it (The Sims 2 was already way too hardcore for my taste). I’m also wondering if Heavy Rain will be able to get right what went wrong in Fahrenheit.
But other than that, I most look forward to independent developers who nobody has heard of yet and who will make beautiful artistic games that suddenly reveal to everyone that all they have been doing for the past decades was dabble. I guess that’s more like a new year’s wish.
I could add Heavy Rain and Project Zero/Fatal Frame 5 to this list. I am looking forward to both of those.