Dan's Most Anticipated Games of 2007
[SIZE=+1]10) Sins of a Solar Empire
Platform: PC
Genre: Strategy
Developer: Ironclad Games
Publisher: Stardock
Why?: Space opera strategy games are the best. The whole time you're playing it's easy to overlook the failing marriage and termination warnings at work! Thanks to Sins of a Solar Empire, we'll be able to ignore the downward spiral in full real-time! This is the first of a series of hardcore strategy games where players manage an economic empire and wage war completely without turns. An galactic empire is a lot to manage in real-time, but we're hoping the interface is up to the task. Some spiffy visuals are just the icing on our anticipation. [/SIZE]</B>
[SIZE=+1]9) Project Offset[/SIZE]
Platform: PC
Genre: Action
Developer: Offset
Publisher: TBA
Why?: Ok, so this is probably a weak choice simply because I have zero clue whether this is going to be out this year or not. But we've been hearing about it for long enough that we're hoping it's approaching release. If you haven't seen some of the tech demos of the engine running this fantasy action badass, you need to immediately. It's immediately comparable to all of the engine greats out there and the game itself promises some fast-paced high fantasy brawling. I really, really hope we see this one in 2007. </B>
[SIZE=+1]8) The Witcher[/SIZE]
Platform: PC
Genre: Role-playing
Developer: CD Projekt
Publisher: Atari
Why?: RPGs are few and far between compared to how it used to be on PC so we're always pretty excited when we see a new one, especially one that promises a good bit of bloody hack 'em up and eat their liver gameplay. Who wouldn't want to play a character trained to fight werewolves, vampires, and other horrible things since childhood and mutated to help with the task. This looks to be a dark and broody RPG about a powerful man that instantly reminds me of me. Time for some monster bashing. </B>
[SIZE=+1]7) Dragon Age[/SIZE]
Platform: PC
Genre: Role-playing Game
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: TBA
Why?: We've been waiting to see this one for so long that we're nauseous with hunger. BioWare is finally building a game for the PC again and the consoles can't have it! Considering the games these guys have put out recently, it's hard not to be at least a little hyped up about wandering a new fictional universe that has been in the works for years. There's a lot still to find out about this game, but we've been told BioWare is hoping it will be out in 2007 so it's on our list. </B>
[SIZE=+1]6) Age of Conan[/SIZE]
Platform: PC
Genre: Persistent Online Role-playing Game
Developer: Funcom
Publisher: Funcom/Eidos
Why?: He did not care any more... life and death... the same. Only that the crowd would be there to greet him with howls of lust and fury. He began to realize his sense of worth... he mattered. In time, his victories could not easily be counted... he was taken to the east, a great prize, where the war masters would teach him the deepest secrets. Language and writing were also made available, the poetry of Kitai, the philosophy of Sung; and he also came to know the pleasures of women, when he was bred to the finest stock. But, always, there remained the discipline of steel. </B>
[SIZE=+1]5) Stranglehold[/SIZE]
Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Genre: Shooter
Developer: Midway Games
Publisher: Midway Games
Why?: I love blowing crap up in video games. I love John Woo's cheesiness. This game is perfect because it allows me to love both equally. Stranglehold brings that awesome third person action shooting of games like Max Payne and puts it in a frighteningly destructive environment where basically anything can be used for a prop or blown away in the cross fire. Seeing a room before and after a gunfight is pretty spectacular. It may not end up being the most cerebral of games, but it's perfect for when my tiny brain is tired from all of the "thinking". </B>
[SIZE=+1]4) Crysis[/SIZE]
Platform: PC
Genre: First-person Shooter
Developer: Crytek
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Why?: One of the obvious reasons to look forward to Crytek's next outing on the PC is the ridiculous visuals. Considering the heavy forestation complete with physics, this game is an excellent reason to update your computer. We'll have to wait and see how big a difference DX10 really makes while you're playing the game, but this should be one of the first big outings for the new DirectX. If the fast and fun gameplay of Far Cry returns with these amazing visuals, first-person shooter fans will definitely have something to go wild about after a relatively lazy year in the genre. </B>
[SIZE=+1]3) Half-Life 2: Black Box[/SIZE]
Platform: PC
Genre: First-person Shooter
Developer: Valve
Publisher: Valve/Electronic Arts
Why?: The Half-Life 2 Orange and Black box sets are amazing deals. Seeing as I've already played Half-Life 2 and Episode One, I don't need Orange so instead I'm focusing on the new stuff in Black: Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. That's a hell of a lot of gaming for a $40 price tag. Episode Two is a no brainer since I'm hooked on Half-Life but adding what looks to be an awesome multiplayer title with amazingly stylized art and an amazingly smart puzzle/shooter adds a ton of value. Nice! </B>
[SIZE=+1]2) Spore[/SIZE]
Platform: PC
Genre: Simulation
Developer: Maxis
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Why?: Spore has this crazy mix of puzzle-like strategy and evolutionary simulation that takes advantage of some brilliant technological innovations. When they call this a massively single-player game, they aren't kidding. The fact that there are basically too many planets in the game to explore, a gajillion possible evolutionary combinations for creatures, and completely customizable content for structures, plants, and planets that will be automatically shared amongst players, this game is simply insane in scope and I really want to see it work smoothly. </B>
[SIZE=+1]1) BioShock[/SIZE]
Platform: PC, Xbox 360
Genre: Adventure/RPG/First-person Shooter/Creepy Girl Simulator/Puzzle/Awesome Water Renderer
Developer: Irrational Games
Publisher: 2K Games
Why?: This game appeared on my top ten most anticipated titles last year in the hopes that it would miraculously release and promote my never-ending joy. That didn't so much happen as it turns out, but I did get to see the game and it rose to my exceedingly ridiculous expectations. Irrational hasn't made a bad game yet and this won't be the first. It promises so many solutions and gameplay scenarios from so many genres that I may have to start my own underwater utopia where all we do is play BioShock. It was hard to put this in front of Spore, but at this point, I want to see if Shock lives up to all that it's promised more than any other game. </B>
Other Notables:
There are absolutely a lot of games to look forward to this year and this list only holds ten of many. Truth be told, I'd love to have spotlighted quite a few more like Assassin's Creed, DIRT: Colin McRae Off-Road, World in Conflict, STALKER, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Supreme Commander, UT 2007, Savage 2, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Left 4 Dead, Frontlines: Fuel of War, and the disgusting but intriguing Jericho. Even more, there are likely going to be many more games that might have trumped some of the games on the list but there's no real knowledge if they'll come out or it's very unlikely. Fallout 3, StarCraft 2 (laugh it up, suckers), Alan Wake, and both a Company of Heroes expansion and Dawn of War sequel. This should be a great year for games across all platforms but PC gamers should have plenty to keep them going.
Craddock's Post-E3 Most Anticipated Games of 2007
[SIZE=+1]10) Halo 3[/SIZE]
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Developer: Bungie Studios
Publisher: Microsoft
Why?: Though not even close to my favorite FPS series, I enjoyed the time I spent with the first two games and look forward to Halo's conclusion. Smoothly integrated dual-wielding mechanics as well as vehicle control that is second-to-none, at least in this genre, have me excited for the conclusion, as well as answers to the rather confusing questions posed by the storyline. What's in store for Master Chief? What other redundant names will Bungie dream up? And will we have to spend more time in the oh-so-boring shoes of the Arbiter? Stay tuned! </B>
[SIZE=+1]9) Stranglehold[/SIZE]
Genre: Action
Developer: Midway
Publisher: Midway
Why?: I've been waiting for a game to live up to the promise of fully destructible environments ever since the original Red Faction, and I'm happy to report that Stranglehold looks to do just that--and more. Kicking open a set of doors and diving into a room while firing bullets into everything--and everything--sounds appealing, but panning the camera across the aftermath... yeah, that's what I'm all about. </B>
[SIZE=+1]8) Army of Two[/SIZE]
Genre: Action
Developer: EA Montreal
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Why?: Anyone who feels co-op gaming has taken an undeserved backseat to Deathmatch should be excited about Army of Two. Finally, a game with true co-op elements that don't reek of a developer simply tacking them on in order to assuage the rather vocal community in favor of more games that, poorly executed or not, don't emphasize cooperation to the degree that Army of Two promises. </B>
[SIZE=+1]7) Marathon: Durandal[/SIZE]
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Developer: Freeverse/Bungie
Publisher: Microsoft
Why?: While not my favorite Bungie offering, Halo is arguably the title that made Bungie the juggernaut game developer they're know as today. It's always fun to delve into a favorite game developer's past, and as Marathon is a supposed gem I've been cursed for missing out on, this one is a must-buy for me. Before Halo, before Myth, and before... uh, whatever else Bungie's done, there was Marathon. </B>
[SIZE=+1]6) Rock Band[/SIZE]
Genre: Music
Developer: Harmonix
Publisher: MTV Games
Why?: I'm not into music games. Actually, I'm not even all that into music. But the appeal of Rock Band is too hard to ignore. Getting together with a mob of buddies and wailing on a guitar, pounding some drums, screaming my head off on the mike... yeah, that sounds like good time--but only if I get to be the drummer. </B>
[SIZE=+1]5) Grand Theft Auto IV[/SIZE]
Genre: Action
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar
Why?: Due to the greatness that was Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, I haven't been able to play a GTA game. I skipped both "Stories" iterations, and it's been near impossible to go back and play III or Vice City. Dynamic ways to edit the player's character, the non-linearity of the game world, and the scope are all elements I've felt have been missing from this series--until this October. I can't wait. </B>
[SIZE=+1]4) WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008[/SIZE]
Genre: Wrestling
Developer: Yuke's
Publisher: THQ
Why?: WWE's product is downright terrible at the moment, but the SmackDown games have always been fun for wrestling and "green" fans alike. I spent a bit of time with the game at E3 and came away rather undecided about the quasi-new control scheme, but hey, it's SmackDown; I buy the game every year, so 2007 will be no different. </B>
[SIZE=+1]3) TimeShift[/SIZE]
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
Why?: This one hasn't gone through quite as many revisions as Duke Nukem Forever, but it's gotta be close at this point. The grittier look is one I find appealing, and who isn't excited about walking through rain that has been frozen by time? I am, but then, I'm a dork. I'm also excited and interested to see how the time mechanics will translate to the online environment. </B>
[SIZE=+1]2) BioShock[/SIZE]
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Developer: Irrational Games
Publisher: 2K Games
Why?: I love the ocean, so ever since I was a kid, the myth of Atlantis has been almost infinitely alluring. But a dilapidated, art deco-based, Atlantis that might as well be a watery grave? That sounds even better! While this one can be played as a shooter, I'm going to go for a stealthier, more technological approach to freeing myself of BioShock's oceanic depths. </B>
[SIZE=+1]1) Assassin's Creed[/SIZE]
Genre: Action
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Why?: I've been excited about this title ever since I learned that members of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time development team have been intimately involved. I'm not sure how I feel about an emphasis on broad daylight kills, but as a huge stealth game fan, a change of pace from the likes of Hitman and Splinter Cell might make for a pleasant change of pace. Or not. I don't care, I just want to play the game!