Ten for 2008 - Microsoft - xbox 360 fan community

Rhaps☼dy · 12-23-2007, 05:29 PM

Sure, 2007 was a phenomenal year in video games. But to be honest, that’s so almost last year. We’ve got a long break ahead of us which means we’ll be blowing through everything for 2007. So we’re looking to 2008 to be an even bigger year in video games than this year. Don’t believe us? Take a look at what’s coming down the pipe next year. Sure there are a lot of games that haven’t been announced yet, but add a little speculation, a sprinkle of hope and you get our grand list of the Top 10 Games for 2008.
We decided to mix it up this year for our annual feature and talk directly to the developers and find out why they’re excited about their game, and why they feel gamers should be excited. Special thanks to all the developers who took the time out of their busy holiday development schedule to talk with us!
Entries are presented in alphabetical order. Without further ado, we give you our picks for the Top 10 for 2008 – Microsoft.

Civilization Revolution lets would-be conquerors explore the world through the eyes of one of 16 historical figures, letting players rule through diplomacy or brute force. Best of all, they’ll get to do it online against their opponents, with leaderboards and regular map downloads. This has been a labor of love for Meier, which is really just about all that strategy fans need to know.

Sid Meier, Firaxis Games:
“We’ve been working on Civilization Revolution for a while now, and it’s truly designed and built from the ground up for today’s consoles and handhelds. I’m leading the design and programming which means I’m hands-on coding the game every day with our fantastic team here at Firaxis. I have to say that it’s really the coolest game I’ve ever made. Civilization has a great reputation for addictive gameplay – as a matter of fact we’ve received lots of awards for it. To be able to offer a visual presentation that matches the high standards set by the gameplay is a dream come true for me and delivers a totally new Civ experience that will draw you in and having you begging for just one more turn.”

While the original Fable was a competent action RPG game when it was released, it was unfortunately mired in a surrounding sea of hype. Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux was more than happy to talk up his game when it was a work in progress, making a series of high-profile promises which never came to fruition. With Fable 2, Molyneux isn’t claiming that players will be able to plant acorns, carve their initials on the saplings and see the scars years later in the full-grown trees. This time around, his ambitions are a bit more grounded, but still impressively lofty. In Fable 2, players have an AI-controlled dog companion, which responds to feedback and the environment in a strikingly realistic manner. Players will also be able to have children in the game—with female characters having the opportunity to explore the world while pregnant. Despite its flaws and shortcomings, Fable provided hours of enjoyable gameplay. If Molyneux and Lionhead can pull off a fraction of what they’d like, we’re all in for something special.

Peter Molyneux, founder, Lionhead Studios:
“Fable 2 is going to be unique. Fable aimed to reinvent the RPG genre and we’re going to try and do this again with Fable 2. Yes, the world is going to be bigger, the enemies will be even badder, the story will be even more dramatic, but I know that every sequel says that. So we decided to focus on three big differences. The first is drama, as in the story drama and the dramatic consequences for you as player. The second is combat, which is accessible but incredibly deep. The third will be revealed at GDC. Putting all this together, I can promise you an experience which will be unlike anything you ever seen in a computer game.”

If you want to stir up a nest of angry Internet hornets, poke the Fallout hive. If Bethesda Softworks wasn’t sure of that fact before, they’re certainly well aware of it now. Despite only having two “proper” Fallout games, the series has attracted a faithful following that’s keenly aware of goings on within its beloved post-apocalyptic universe. When word got out that Bethesda was working on Fallout 3, critics assumed the worst and the “Oblivion with guns” cry was born. Having sat through a demo of the game, we can’t say who’s right here, if making such a determination is even possible. All we know is that seeing your character step out of the nuke-proof vault for the first time in his life is a breathtaking gaming moment. We’re eager to explore this terrible world all over again, through a new set of eyes. In the meantime, we’re happy to occupy ourselves by playing the originals.

Todd Howard, executive producer, Bethesda Softworks:
“I think the biggest thing that attracts people to Fallout is ultimately the uniqueness of the world you get to play in. There’s nothing like it. You want to create your own character and explore this place. And when you have that element of “revival,” in that it’s a 10-year-old franchise that people have really missed, or heard about, it has a coolness/nostalgia factor that really sucks me in. It becomes much more then the sum of its parts.”

While previous Grand Theft Auto games pioneered sandbox gaming, they definitely had their faults. The gunplay was a source of frequent criticism, with its stiff controls and targeting system. With the fourth installment, Rockstar Games seems to have addressed those issues, even adding in a cover system for good measure. Getting away from police is much more interesting this time around, too, with players having to escape officers by moving out of a zone on the minimap. And with a story seemingly as brutal as ever, this new mechanic is going to be put through its paces. Players experience a redesigned Liberty City through the eyes of Niko Bellic, a recent immigrant. While he gets caught up in the series’ usual criminal underworld, he can also occupy his time by calling up friends and playing games with them. This element of socialization could add some much-needed heart to one of gaming’s most good-naturedly nihilistic franchises.

Real-time strategy games have a pretty spotty record when they show up on consoles. Coming up with a control scheme that lets players quickly manage and deploy units and resources has been a constant challenge. Ensemble Studios (Age of Empires) is well aware of that potential problem, and its Halo Wars game is being built from the ground up for the 360. With any luck, that focus will create a game worthy of the Halo name. Halo Wars is set before the events of Halo 1, and will allow players to take on the Covenant in some of the earliest known battles. If you thought Master Chief could tear things up, wait until you see what an entire squad of Spartans can do.

Graeme Devine, lead designer — Halo Wars:
“I think Halo Wars is going to be the must-buy title for 2008 because it gives you a unique new perspective on the Halo universe. Being able to control large armies, encounter big enemies and getting to experience an all-new epic storyline in the Halo universe is going to be huge!”

Lost Odyssey is about as close to playing a true Final Fantasy game (not including XI) Xbox 360 owners are going to get in the foreseeable future. It was designed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the beloved series (and Blue Dragon), and Lost Odyssey’ score was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, who also worked on many of the Final Fantasy games, too. As with Blue Dragon, the game offers up a host of nostalgia-inducing gameplay mechanics, archetypical characters and story elements. If you’ve been waiting for a top-notch, turn-based RPG with a more serious setting, look for Lost Odyssey in 2008.

Hironobu Sakaguchi, founder, Mistwalker Studios:
“To sway emotions is the biggest feature. This does not manifest on the exterior (or to the eyes) – this is something you have to play to ‘get it.’ But it is great to know that most users who’ve played ‘Lost Odyssey’ in Japan shed tears, sympathize with the characters, and feel emotional swing.”

After releasing a few not-quite sequels, Team Ninja is giving Ninja Gaiden a proper follow-up. This time around, Ryu Hayabusa seems to have extra-sharp blades, literally cutting through just about anyone who gets in his way. After clearing through his foes, expect to see dozens of limbs, severed heads and more resting in pools of blood. Yikes. Dismemberment isn’t just there for looks, either—mortally wounded enemies will make their last stands by crawling over and exploding. We’re definitely looking forward to honing our skills all over again—don’t expect to beat this one in a single evening.

Tomonobu Itagaki, executive producer, Team Ninja:
“They should be excited at the opportunity to witness a true Ninja’s fighting spirit, then experience despair, and finally feel pride in their accomplishments.”

This is a great time to be a racing fan—games in the genre have some of the most jaw-dropping visuals in the industry. Race Driver One: GRID is running on EGO, Codemasters’ latest iteration of the Neon engine, which powered the company’s impressive DiRT title. Unlike with DiRT, however, GRID isn’t about slopping about in the mud in rally races. Here, players will travel the globe and race through a variety of tracks set in the middle of the world’s most iconic locations. Players can expect to see real-time vehicle damage, better AI and plenty of on-track drama when it hits in 2008.

Ralph Fulton, chief games designer – Race Driver One: GRID:
“GRID is a racing game which will put the emphasis back on racing; its focus is on everything that happens between the start lights and the chequered flag. Imagine the engine which powered DiRT applying even greater levels of visual detail and physical damage to the world of track racing, from the big cities of the U.S. to the circuits of Europe and the streets of Japan.”

As Darth Vader’s secret apprentice, players will get to explore the power of the dark side in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Rather than simply waving around a lightsaber or clumsily firing a blaster, players will be able to use the force in devastating ways in the game. As they scour the galaxy for the remaining Jedi, players can effortlessly pick up stormtroopers or other enemies and toss them at their comrades. Or, enemies can be charged with force lightning and thrown with an explosive force. While sandbox-gameplay elements and Star Wars might not immediately seem like complementary concepts, the Force Unleashed looks poised to merge the two in a deliciously sinister way.

Haden Blackman, project lead, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed:

“It’s the continuation of the Star Wars saga, all built around a game that focuses on simulation-based gameplay and kicking ass with the Force. It’s also the first big next-generation effort from LucasArts and we’re taking that really seriously. It’s been a long, hard road to get our new team, game engine, and development pipeline up and running, but we think it’s paying off every time we play through the game now.”

Why should we be excited?

“Two big reasons:

“#1 – Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is the next chapter in the Star Wars Saga. Coming in between Episodes III & IV, the game will give gamers new insights into both trilogies, and give you newfound insights into the events that follow in the classic trilogy.
#2 – Kicking ass with the Force! Everything in the game is about unleashing the Force in wild news ways that have never been seen before. Think Force gripping an enemy in the air and then impaling them with your lightsaber. Think over-the-top combos that fling dozens of Stormtroopers to their doom. Think Digital Molecular Matter and euphoria tech that mean the world reacts differently to you every time. It’s really coming together, and we can’t wait to get more people’s hands on the game.”

Silicon Knights endured a firestorm from a poor early showing of Too Human, but things have improved in leaps and bounds since then. The game, the first in a planned trilogy, follows the adventures of the god Baldur in a tech-filled reimagining of Norse mythology. While it’s essentially a Diablo-style dungeon crawler, it includes plenty of fast-paced gameplay to keep console players happy—and busy. Rather than assigning attacks to buttons, players use the right analog stick to perform melee attacks by aiming at enemies and ranged attacks with the triggers. Characters can follow five progression paths, with an upgradeable skill-tree system. We’re always game for a little subterranean exploration, and Too Human could be what we’re looking for in 2008.

Denis Dyack, founder, Silicon Knights:
“Too Human seamlessly integrates the Action and RPG game genres, creating something new in its wake. Both single players and co-op players will be surprised at both the depth and fidelity of what we have created, making Too Human one of the most memorable experiences in a long time. We are looking forward to gamers’ reactions to how we crafted Too Human’s epic story based on Norse mythology, expansive visuals, ambient audio, advanced gameplay and technology into one cohesive whole.”

Honorable Mention:

Battlefield: Bad Company marks a departure from the series, in that it’s focusing on giving players a solid single-player experience. As one of four AWOL soldiers in the Middle East searching for a cache of stolen treasure, the game looks to offer almost as much cynical humor as it does glorious destruction. That’s really saying something, since the demos we’ve seen of the game have highlighted seriously impressive destructible environments and explosive action. You can even call in airstrikes, which you get to manually deliver to your targets. We can hardly wait!

Karl-Magnus Troedsson, senior producer – Battlefield: Bad Company:
“Battlefield: Bad Company is the first game in the series to be built from the ground up for next-gen consoles. It’s built with our brand new Frostbite game engine which gives us a lot of new opportunities as developers. Also, it’s the first Battlefield game to ever include a true, story-driven single-player campaign.”

Gears of War sold more than three million copies in less than 10 weeks. It won numerous game of the year awards, and still claims a loyal online fan base. Could we see a sequel? Epic has gone back and forth on the subject numerous times, and as betting folk, we believe we’ll be seeing a sequel in 2008. So Cliffy, whaddya say?

Hold your horses–this is a screen from the first game.

Cliff Bleszinski, lead designer, Gears of War:
“Sorry man, only quote I can give you now is ‘Please check out the ass kicking that is Unreal Tournament 3!’ ”

If you’re a fan of RPGs with an exploration bent, Square-Enix’s Infinite Undiscovery might be what you’ve been waiting for. Even though it’s name may take a few liberties with the English language, it highlights the importance that traveling and finding new things has in the game. A collaboration between several veteran Star Ocean team members, the game concerns the player character, Capal, and a case of mistaken identity with the story’s main hero. Combat will incorporate seamless battle transitions and real-time combat. Even though Square Enix seems focused on releasing Final Fantasy games on the PlayStation 3, we’ll take a new Tri-Ace game where ever it is released.

Fine, we’ll admit it. We’re total Lost fanboys. And we’re cautiously optimistic that Lost could be one of the rare games that gets it right—using a license in the best way possible in a game that’s actually worth playing. It is being developed by Ubisoft Montreal (Prince of Persia, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Assassin’s Creed), which bodes well. With the show in a state of limbo thanks to the writer’s strike, this could keep us busy once our eight-episode minidose is up.

Kevin Shortt, lead scriptwriter — Lost:
“Lost drops you on a strange tropical island with deadly black smoke, impenetrable hatches, and a 19th century slave ship in the middle of a jungle. And you just won’t find that in any other game. Lost will take advantage of next-gen technology and will create an immersive, interactive experience using the same suspense, mystery and adventure fans of the television show have to come to expect from the Lost brand. ”

Sam Fisher is getting too old for this stuff. In Conviction, our hero is now in his early 50s, with disheveled hair and a scruffy beard. From what we’ve seen, he doesn’t seem to be equipped with his typical gadgetry, either. Here, he’s a fugitive, and instead of lurking in the dark, he’s blending in with crowds a la Assassin’s Creed. In short, he’s not the superspy we’ve been playing as for years, which is a pretty exciting thought. Don’t expect this game to slip by unnoticed in 2008.