10th May 2010 - A few weeks back we brought to you a compiled list of the top 10 games of the first half of this great year. Its sequels galore and a whole lot more this year, so without further adieu, we are proud to present the second half of our best 2010 games list. There’s something for everyone here, so why not feast your eyes on these titles…
Halo: Reach
Developer: Bungie
Release Date: September
Of course this one was going to get a mention. With the beta just launched very successfully and the community loving what they‘re getting, the wait for Halo: Reach is quickly becoming more and more unbearable. Halo fans are in need of a new instalment and Reach looks to prove to be everything they want and more with new-features galore and a completely revamped multiplayer which by the sounds of things is going to reclaim the series as the king of online shooters when it lands this September.
Metroid: Other M
Developer: Team Ninja
Release Date: August 31st
The team behind the malicious and brutal Ninja Gaiden series take the challenge of creating a new breed of Metroid with their dynamic gameplay and wholly unique way of delivering the stunningly gorgeous goods. With a mix between stylish side-scrolling goodness (think the old-school Metroid games) and a ton of other genres, from FPS to isometric fighting and shooting, Metroid: Other M will bring the series back to its roots while taking it into entirely new places at the same time. Dust off your Wii and keep a keen eye on this baby!
L.A. Noire
Developer: Team Bondi
Release Date: Q3
This is shaping up to be one heck of a leap in cutting edge game design, especially in the graphics side of things. Australian made to boot, L.A. Noire is a gritty and detailed look at the life of a Los Angels detective in 1940’s America, where the streets were in rapid decay and riddled with crime. Featuring full motion and facial recognition capture for every game actor, L.A. Noire will set new bars and raise the stakes for every other open world game in coming years. Another given is the games detailed detective work and gameplay. Although we still know little about the game, the few details we have access to make it all the more enticing. Detailed detective and interrogation gameplay in an open-world and highly interactive Los Angles environment? Count us in!
Brink
Developer: Splash Damage
Release Date: Q4
This one has been brewing for quite some time, and every new slab of mouth watering information just makes the wait even harder. With a load of special features from the SMART Freerunning System which constantly analyses your position and predicts what you are trying to do, resulting to detailed yet simple First Person freerunning, to its unique delivery system which blurs the line between Single player and Multiplayer, making the entire ‘single player’ campaign an online game capable of hosting up to 8 gamers as you go about your story mode. Brink is a unique game with mammoth potential and definitely one all you gamers that are looking for something different than CoD should keep an eye on.
Fable 3
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Release Date: Q4
Both previous Fable games pushed the boundaries and everything you thought you knew about RPG games, so to keep in the fashion of things, Fable III looks to do just that and more. Fable III gives you access to things you never would have thought of in a game, and adds far more than your ‘traditional’ RPG does to the mix. In a 2 part story line, you take the role of your Fable II characters son or daughter as you first must travel the land gaining political support to overthrow the tyrannical dictator of Albion, but that’s just half the story, as you must then take the throne yourself and deal with the far more sinister threats to the land than just an egomaniac with a little too much power. Expect a lot of detailed little features with a lot of nooks and crannies to make every playthrough a game on its own and some major overhauls to the classic Fable formula and combat.
Gran Turismo 5
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Release Date: Q4
Perhaps the most anticipated game of the year, if not the current generation, Gran Turismo 5 is shaping up to the biggest, most detailed racing game of all time. That’s right, all time! In development for uncountable years and really showing it, Gran Turismo 5 features more cars and tracks than ever before, with more detail and stunning visuals too. Its been a long time since we’ve played a new GT game, but this will definitely be worth the wait. Playstation gamers rejoice because the wait is nearly over and you will all be able to get your grubby little hands on this masterpiece before the year is out! (Hopefully!)
Mafia 2
Developer: 2K Czech
Release Date: 27th August
The original Mafia game, released way back in 2002, received great reviews and established itself a devoted cult following. So this, its follow up, has a lot to live up to. Offering a dark and deeply realistic look into the emotional, physical and mental strains of being accepted into the Mafia, Mafia 2 sets itself apart from other open world action games by really succumbing to a deep story and realistic action. With an expansive city for the taking with the stylish look of a mix of New York and San Francisco, Mafia 2 looks to be the ultimate gangster simulator and definitely an immersive experience to look forward to.
FIFA 11
Developer: EA Sports
Release Date: September
FIFA 10 was a massive leap forward when it was released last year, completely revamping the football sports game genre. And if the first trailers are anything to go by, FIFA 11 is going to take the series success and innovation even further, and keep its reputation as the best Sports video game around. Great soundtrack, tons of features, stunning graphics and above all, amazing gameplay. All these things should be present in FIFA 11, so any sporting game fan out there, be prepared to lose yourself in the immersive world of football when this baby hits shelves in a few short months.
Crackdown 2
Developer: Ruffian Games
Release Date: 8th July
With a heap of open world games hitting the market these days, they all really need something different to make themselves stand out from the crowd. So its with great pride that Crackdown 2 can say it really does stand out from the rest, and in no bad way. Giving the ability of completely free form 4 player co-op play with your friends and the great super power abilities and concept art styles that made the first so utterly enjoyable, Crackdown 2 is an action game of epic proportions. If you love the feeling of total freedom, utter insanity and over empowerment, look no further folks, because Crackdown 2 is where its at this year.
Dead Rising 2
Developer: Blue Castle Games/Capcom
Release Date: 3rd September
Zombies zombies zombies!!! Who doesn’t love zombies? Killing them, anyway. Dead Rising gave players a taste of zombie culling freedom a few years back with its Dawn of the Dead-reminiscent shopping mall mayhem and Dead Rising 2 is promising to offer a whole feast of blood, gore and Zombie slaughtering goodness! With some great little features like weapon making and competitive and co-op multiplayer, Dead Rising 2 is going to be the ultimate zombie game with countless ways of ridding the world of brain chewing undead and the ability to go through it all with a buddy only makes things even better! Whatever your fancy on the subject of zombies, this one is sure to tickle it in just the right way. And with no more annoying camera stuff to deal with!
Note: These release dates are subject to change without warning. Release Dates displayed here are for reference only, and are not to be taken as official dates. Q3 and Q4 defines Quarter 3 and 4 of the 2010 year respectively.
And with that, people, we have our extensive list of 2010’s best games! There really is something for everyone here and every market console is really showing its true colours with a hefty amount of great exclusives each and even more great multiplatform games that everyone can enjoy. Whether you’re a sports fan, a shooting fan, a gear head or even a casual gamer just looking for something to pass the time; 2010 has you covered!
Let us know what other games you are looking forward as there are still many other great titles to choose from like Fallout: New Vegas, Max Payne 3, a rumoured APB, Portal 2, Kane and Lynch 2, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Crysis 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops, just to name a few!
Article By John Elliott