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2009 The Games You Shouldn't Miss: Part 1

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Hey every one, sorry I haven't been around for awhile I'll try and be on more often. Any ways happy new year (since I havn't had a chance to say that to any of you yet)! And well I just wanted to share with all of you some of the games I'm most looking forward to this year, that might be a little too easy to miss with big name titles like Halo Wars and Guitar Hero Metalica coming out this year. So I hope you all enjoy and I'll try and have the next part of this list up next week :D

Muramasa: The Demon Blade

System: Wii

Developer: Vanillaware

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veWCYceVwVU

Summery: Muramasa is the next game from the developer of 2007s unexpectedly great RPG Odin Sphere. Muramasa retains the rich and vibrant hand drawn graphics, but has ditched the time consuming inventory management and alchemy systems. This move should make the game more accessible to a wider audience and help it to become more popular than it's predecessor. The game is set in Japanese mythology, and features fast paced battles similar to those of games like Marvel Vs Capcom or Viewtiful Joe. So if you own a Wii and have been complaining about the lack of "hard core" games you owe it to your self to keep an eye on this gem in the making.

Alpha Protocol

System: PS3, 360

Developer: Obsidian

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jOgcBrmKHU&feature=related

Summery: Developer Obsidian has spent the better part of their existence following in BioWares foot steps, which is no doubt a hard thing to do. In the past they have worked on sequels to both Kights of the Old Republic and Neverwinter Nights and have done a good job at it. But now Obsidian has finally been given the chance to work on their first original IP. Alpha Protocol has perhaps found the coolest and most original setting for a RPG, modern spy espionage. Like any good western RPG these days, Alpha Protocol will feature action based game play (much like Mass Effect) and will allow you to shape your character as you see fit. So if you want to be a stealthy gadget type agent or an explosively reckless bad ass the choice is yours this summer.

Heavy Rain

System: PS3

Developer: Quantic Dream

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akNbviQfddI

Summery: It's really nice to see a developer take an old genre like the point and click adventure games and mold them to today's standards in gaming. Quantic Dreams has found a way to stay true the genres roots in good story telling and at the same time make sure the game play isn't slow and dull like so many other adventure games of old. The main way they do it in Heavy Rain is by allowing the player to dictate the characters actions in real time though contextual button interactions. Another interesting thing about the game is how radically your choices can alter the story. Based on your choices and the way you play the game main characters can die and instead of seeing a game over screen the story continues and adjusts for the absence of that character from that point on. This combined with the intense game play and surreal acting of the characters should make Heavy Rain one of the stand out titles of 2009.

Fragile

System: Wii

Developer: Tri-Cresendo

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX_q4SwoKfw&feature=related

Summery: Eternal Sonata was a surprisingly great JRPG in 2007 that managed to over come many of that genres weakness though some very creative game play twists. Well now Tri-Cresendos next project, Fragile, looks even more ambitious and fun. Set in a post-apocalyptic world covered in darkness you play as a young boy looking for other survivors. Game play seems to consist of useing the Wii mote to aim your flash light around the environment to reveal puzzles, items, and monsters. Battles take place in real time, but seem to have some RPG elements to them. One of the things that stands out most about this title are the beautiful graphics, perhaps some of the best 3D graphics the system has seen yet. Fragile lookes to be one of the best 3rd party games for the Wii yet, and from what little I've seen of the game so far it has made me want to go out and buy a Wii just so I can play this game.