Top 15 Upcoming Video Games of 2009-2010

As the winter season draws closer, the top video game companies have unveiled the latest footage and gameplay details of major releases. This year's E3 event was one of the best on record and GamesCom in Germany showcased a promising line of games for consoles and PC. Here are the top 15 upcoming video games of 2009 to 2010. Release dates and game details are subject to change.

Mass Effect 2 - Release Date: H1 2010 (Xbox 360 and PC)

Mass Effect 2 has been this year's most hyped RPG game and the expectations are set high. Bioware has never failed to disappoint when it comes to profound story elements and equally great gameplay. The first Mass Effect showed the game industry that Western RPG games can be just as dominant as games like Final Fantasy, which have led the genre for years.

The combat system in Mass Effect 2 has been given a huge upgrade. The graphics look sharper and more intense than ever, showing off the vast scenery and scope of the game's sci-fi based universe. The AI has been improved (wounded enemies can use their last remaining moments to take you down with them), heavy weapons are now useable to wreak havoc, and Commander Shepherd has new alien races to deal with.

In the first Mass Effect, the Mako was rather cumbersome to control and despite the strong main storyline, certain content in the planets you can travel to during side missions became repetitive. Mass Effect 2 will now have a more open-ended feel and content that fits the epic trilogy. The Mako has also been replaced by a new vehicle, so players won't have to worry about the sometimes clunky control.

Players who played the first Mass Effect should keep their saved files because those decisions made still have influence on what happens when they play the second. Characters from the first part can also make a return, assuming they weren't killed in the storyline.

Forza Motorsport 3 - Release Date: October 27th, 2009 (Xbox 360)

Forza Motorsport 3 is one of the most anticipated racing simulators this year, boasting over 400 different cars, 50 manufacturers, and more than 100 racing tracks. There are plenty of brand new features to gameplay, such as an in-car driving perspective and the ability to drive SUVs and trucks for the first time in the Forza Motorsport series. Cars can be painted now as well, one of the many things players can challenge each other for a spot on the Xbox Live scoreboards. The online multiplayer mode as a new in-game rules editor and the scoreboards display the leaders in racing, painting, and fine-tuning of race cars. Even cooler is the ability to upload videos in-game to the Forza Motorsport website. Players now have the chance to use the "rewind" feature to turn back time and fix previous mistakes on the track. There is no limit to the number of rewinds and it is completely optional. The graphics are seamless and confirmed to run at an impeccable 60 frames per second. There are ten times more polygons per car model and the texture resolution has been quadrupled. These are just some of the new features in the game. There is no question it will spur some heated wars for the scoreboard in the online community. Forza Motorsport 3 will be released on October 27th, 2009 in North America and four days earlier in Europe.

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Release Date: TBA (PC)

Without a doubt, Bioware's first online MMORPG, Star Wars : The Old Republic (TOR), has been this year's most hyped massively multiplayer online game. It will be the first fully voiced MMO (including including your character's voice) and features a true dialogue system (with cut-scenes ingame) similar to Mass Effect. Each player's decisions heavily influence his alignment and the way characters and his Companions (NPC party members) react.

The story takes place 300 years after the events of the first two Knights of the Old Republic games and a tentative war breaks loose between the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. Players will be able to choose their faction but their real-time MMO decisions can affect their true alignments. Players can even have love interests or end up causing their Companions to betray them in times of conflicting decisions.

Every class in TOR has its own massive storyline (with choices opening up or closing side story-lines) but are all integrated into the main game storyline. This means if you replay the game with a different class, expect an entirely different experience. So far, five classes have been announced - Bounty Hunter (specialist in ranged warfare with a jetpack to match) and the Sith Warrior (the lightsaber wielding melee class) for the Sith Empire, and the Jedi, Trooper (ranged and heavy warfare powerhouse), and Smuggler (Han Solo incarnate) for the Republic. Each class is highly distinct from each other and has certain trademark moves. One such example is the Smuggler's ability to get into melee range of an opponent, give a swift kick to his groin to 'immobilize' him long enough for a well-directed head shot finisher. At this time, all the classes have not been announced.

Also incredible is that TOR will feature the first cover system in an MMO. IGN has twenty minutes of footage of TOR (found here), showcasing how the Smuggler uses cover to outgun enemies (who can also take cover and respond with their own strategies). The TOR walkthrough videos also unveil "Flash Points", which are special instanced game events in which a party of players can participate. One such flash point involved a Bounty Hunter and Sith Warrior killing a high ranking Sith officer (who disobeyed a direct order from a higher up, one of the many major choices the player can make or decide not to make) and fighting a multitude of invading Republic enemies on a Sith starship. Melee combat (lightsaber vs vibroblade and lightsaber vs lightsaber) is great to watch, with fluid animations that make sense in each situation, whether against a single opponent or multiple enemies. This includes deflecting blaster bolts from annoying ranged enemies while busy fighting an opponent with a blade of some sort. The game itself is very similar to the single-player KotOR series.

The game's graphics, though not taking the same route for photorealism that most MMOs do, are quite impressive, with great emphasis on style. The game environments are large and there will be many planets to explore, such as Korriban (the Sith homeworld), Nal Hutta, Old Mantrell, Tython, Coruscant, and more.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm - Release Date: TBA 2010 (PC)

It's not even a year since the release of World of Warcraft's second expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, and now Blizzard has announced its third and latest expansion, Cataclysm. Perhaps it is Blizzard's answer to Star Wars: The Old Republic and other contenders for the online market. With over 11 million WoW subscribers, it is guaranteed Cataclysm will make an impact like WotLK did and perhaps exceed it.

There is much that is still unknown about the expansion but here is what is confirmed. The old classic zones of Azeroth (both Horde and Alliance continents) have been drastically changed. The Barrens has been literally split and deep craters and fractures of lava in the earth are seen in all zones, caused by the return of Deathwing, the main antagonist of this storyline. The Horde now has a new race - the Goblin, and the Alliance also has a new addition to its races - the Worgen (a cursed human that transforms into the Werewolf form). There are new race/class combinations that will let players try different classes with popular races, such as the prospect of Tauren Paladins (shudder). Players can now use flying mounts in Azeroth, which were previously limited to the zones in The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King. The graphics rendering system for water has received an upgrade and the zones have been redesigned to look better than ever. Also, the Maelstrom is churning.

Cataclysm will also feature an extensive Guild Achievement and Leveling system (more details found here). The level cap has been raised to 85 and there will be new raids and dungeons, including heroic versions of some of the classic Azeroth dungeons. Expect this expansion to become the fastest selling PC game of all time, a record currently held by Wrath of the Lich King after it broke the Burning Crusade's mark of 2.4 million copies in the first day. Watch the trailer of Cataclysm here.

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty - Release Date: TBA 2010 (PC)

Starcraft is Blizzard's masterpiece PC strategy game and today it is a major sport in South Korea. Featuring three highly distinct races with completely different units and styles of combat (and well balanced), the real-time strategy genre became mainstream in North America after its release in the late 1990s.

Starcraft II(Terrans - Wings of Liberty) will be the first part of a trilogy (Wings of Liberty, Heart of the Swarm, and Legacy of the Void). The Terran race will be the main focus of this first upcoming part, with the Zerg and Protoss campaigns highlighted in the next two, respectively. The single player mode in Starcraft II will revolve around a single 26-30 mission campaign centered around the Terran race.

There are no new races but there are many new units introduced, paving the way for brand new (and exciting) strategies. Some classic units like the Protoss Zealot now has the ability to charge to close in on attacking ranged enemy units, taking less damage as it gets into slash-range of a group of Terran Marines. Battle.net has been improved and multiplayer matches will feel as optimized as ever. There will also be many cinematic cut scenes throughout the game (which Blizzard is famous for), featuring the story of the game, of which Jim Raynor is the main protagonist. Blizzard has hinted that the Xel'Naga will play a major role in the plot. Watch some of the SC2 gameplay footage here at IGN.com.

While this game has been in development for a long time, fans are certain it has it what it takes to be the ultimate RTS experience. This is one of the most anticipated sequels of all time. Do not miss this one.

God of War III - Release Date: March, 2010 (PS3)

Imagine playing a God of War game on the Playstation 3. That idea alone should tell you how much is expected of God of War III. Kratos has become identified as one of the greatest anti-heroes in gaming history and his epic quest for vengeance and redemption continues in this part of the trilogy. It is now him and the Titans versus the gods of Mount Olympus.

The graphics are jaw-dropping (something that the PS2 installments also did when they were released) and the combat is a lot more visceral than before. Kratos has new moves with his trademark Blades of Athena, as well as another newly unveiled weapon so far, a pair of fist Guantlets shaped like Lions' heads (reminiscent of Meng Huo from the Dynasty Warriors series). Like in the previous installments, Kratos will have to defeat major bosses and utilize special items, such as Helios' Head beam (featured in E3 2009) to reveal dark or secret areas of the game environment.

The number of enemies simultaneously on-screen has been significantly increased as well as interaction in the environment. For example, Kratos can launch himself onto a giant Cyclops, take control of it to smash nearby enemies (in E3 2009 footage; to take out a tough group of enemies using shields in a phalanx formation to protect Helios), and finish off the beast by pulling out its eyeball. Certain 'fatalities' like the finishers against the Chimera have shown players that God of War III has exceeded expectations with what it can do with the addictive 'minigame kill moves'. Watch some of the E3 2009 footage here.

The game itself will consist of a huge script (120 pages long) comparable to a Hollywood movie and it is quite certain that Kratos will have to fight integral gods of Greek mythology, such as Hades. The word epic has been used too many times this decade but to use it for this game is an understatement. This will be the final chapter in the God of War series so there will be a climactic end for Kratos. Knowing what the poor guy has gone through in the last two console installments, it will be a reckoning.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Release Date: TBA 2010 (Nintendo Wii)

Super Mario Galaxy 2is the upcoming sequel to Super Mario Galaxy, which is widely considered the definitive game for the Nintendo Wii, and perhaps, the definitive Mario game of this generation. The gameplay is a lot like the original, focused on platforming on diverse 3D planets.

The game will be more challenging as well. Mario can ride Yoshi (using his tongue to swing across large gaps), and he can use special powerups like the Bee Suit. The Launch Star will also make a return, for planetary navigation, as well as Bowser Jr.'s airship.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 will have 90% of new galaxies, is very far along development, and has been stated to be more challenging than the original. Little else is known about the game but knowing Nintendo's track record, this sequel will most likely be a winner.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Release Date: November 10^th, 2009 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

Modern Warfare 2 will be the sixth installment in the Call of Duty series and the direct continuation of the storyline of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The campaign will include Russia, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Brazil, and other locations. The game engine has also been highly improved. It will most likely recapture the high octane 'movie' style action, putting a decent story with the realistic and responsive first-person shooting. Hans Zimmer (music of The Dark Knight, The Last Samurai, Gladiator) will be working on the score.

MW2 will have a cooperative multiplayer mode called Special Ops in which two players can play together and the online mode will still have the experience points system and unlockable rewards found in the original. In terms of the storyline, players take upon the role of Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson. Sergeant John "Soap" MacTavish (the playable character from Call of Duty 4) will make a return as a non-playable character, now promoted to the rank of Captain. The plot of this game will focus on the global military effort against the radical Russian Ultranationalist organization.

The graphics have been clearly improved and now you can do more than ever, such as climbing jagged rocks with a grapple and hook to surprise an enemy force in the fog and driving vehicles like the snowmobile in vast winter terrain. You have the ability to use night-vision goggles (though not in the PC version). You can now dual wield pistols. The enemy AI has also been heightened, with combatants using different locations and strategies, making each mission replay unpredictable and realistic. Watch the latest Modern Warfare 2 footage here.

In general, Modern Warfare 2 is bigger, better looking, and more intense than the first installment, and the environments and features revealed so far seem to be the tip of the iceberg. This game has a good chance of being the best first person shooter to get this winter season.

Final Fantasy XIII - Release Date: Q2 2010 (PS3 and Xbox 360)

Final Fantasy XIII is the upcoming major release from Square Enix. It has been very long since the last major title, Final Fantasy 12. Fans of the series are expecting a lot this time around since this will be the first Final Fantasy game for the current generation consoles (Xbox 360 and PS3).

The plot, suffice to say, is going to be big. From the little released details and gameplay demo footage, gamers can confirm that there is going to be a lot in this game. Set in a futuristic high-tech world, FF13 will feature female protagonist Lightning and a host of many characters.

The gameplay style is very reminiscent of Final Fantasy X, with the player being able to control Lightning and encounter roaming enemies integrated into the landscape (which is similar to Final Fantasy 12). The command-based combat system is maintained in this game, going back to the traditional roots of the series. Players can chain together a large number of attacks and receive attack bonuses. Combat will consist of a party of three, with only one character controllable at one time. One of the new features is the "Paradigm Shift", an option that allows players to set supporting party member roles to defensive or offensive based tactics, depending on the situation.

From a visual standpoint, Final Fantasy XIII looks incredibly smooth (watch the trailer and demo footage here). As you run around in the environment, you really get a good view of the huge scope of the terrain and surrounding buildings (if in a city). Combat is fluid and the graphics are comparable to the game's cinematic cut scenes. One of the more surprising aspects of the game is that it will be available on the Xbox 360, a major console cross-over for a Final Fantasy game.

Final Fantasy XIV Online - Release Date: TBA 2010 (PC and PS3)

The announcement of Final Fantasy XIV Online by Square Enix was a major surprise because it is their second MMORPG (next to Final Fantasy XI). Very little is known about this game, with current details at the main FF14 website. The graphics look astounding for an MMORPG and it's unknown how Square Enix will integrate the current userbase of Final Fantasy XI with this new and obviously 'next-gen' MMO.

The director is Nobuaki Komoto, the same director of Final Fantasy IX and XI. The music will be composed by Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy X and many others), one of the greatest video game composers today. There is much yet to be revealed about this game so MMO enthusiasts must be patient.

Dragon Age: Origins - Release Date: November, 2009 (Xbox 360, PC, and PS3)

Some veteran gamers can remember Bioware's first RPGs like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire. Each game was not only entertaining in terms of gameplay but you had to appreciate the setting and conflict of morality within each storyline. KotoR was one of the first games to idealize the good and evil options that a player can choose because it put the player in situations where the distinction between good and evil is a blur. Sometimes there is real justification in picking the selfish choice of words or doing the 'wrong' thing to achieve a greater goal in the end. Perhaps that choice is to benefit yourself (maybe to attain a Force power, or for that extra amount of Adam, if you were playing Bioshock). However, in the end, whatever benefits you benefits the world, because the ends justify the means. Dragon Age: Origins has a real chance to recapture that feeling where your past decisions in-game really dawn on you later on.

It is clear Bioware intends to make Dragon Age: Origins big enough to become a long lasting franchise. It features a new game engine called Eclipse and is essentially the 'spiritual' successor to the Baldur's Gate series. There will be three base classes to pick - Rogue, Warrior, and Mage. There are six races to choose (which will also decide your starting point) - Human Noble, City Elf, Dalish Elf, Human/Elf Mage, Dwarf Commoner, and Dwarf Noble.

You can call this game Mass Effect in a medieval fantasy setting, but there are some differences. It is real time party based gameplay with the ability to pause so you can give tactical commands to your teammates. The camera is third-person (over the shoulder) and when you zoom out, it takes an isometric perspective. The game is a lot bloodier than Mass Effect and players can expect some of the good versus evil decisions to be more complex than what they've seen in the industry so far. If it's anything like the uncompromising The Witcher, that's a win situation.

There are plenty of trailers of this game on the internet. 2009 has been a year of many delays and Dragon Age: Origins is definitive of that, but it's simply a testament to the fact that you can't rush a game that you intend to transcend entertainment and become art. There are two novels set in the Dragon Age universe - Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne (released on March 3^rd, 2009), and Dragon Age: The Calling (release date TBA). Veteran gamers can expect this game to extend into a full-fledged series in the future.

Bioshock 2 - Release Date: TBA 2010 (PC, Xbox 360, and PS3)

Bioshock 2is another major release that experienced delays this year but it is slated for 2010, and it is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Bioshock. The series has been praised for its immersive visuals, political moral themes, and a unique setting of a city gone to hell under the ocean. Rapture is an entity to behold in its complexity and unnerving moments. If you ever want a solid and consistently fun survival horror shooter that also has an engrossing storyline (with moments that make your jaw drop), this series is one to follow.

Bioshock 2 will take place eight years after the events of the original when a new enemy, the Big Sister, a mechanized form like the Big Daddy but much more agile and powerful, turns Rapture into a hunting ground and kidnaps Little Sisters. In this game, players will take control of a 'rogue' Big Daddy. In addition to free will and superior intelligence compared to other Big Daddies, you will be able to use the famous drill to destroy enemies (it overheats if used too much) and the rivet gun (which has several types of ammo) to riddle through anything that gets in your way. Players will also use plasmids and have upgrade trees to specialize them.

Even cooler is the ability to dual wield plasmids and weapons at the same time, something that wasn't in the original. One of the greater differences is the ability to leave the city and walk onto the ocean floor. Rapture of the first installment from the ocean is a sight to see and it is evident that major aspects of the gameplay will be made possible with this feature. Although there won't be co-operative single player, there will be a multiplayer mode.

Little Sisters can now hop on your shoulder for a ride after you capture them from other Big Daddies and allow you to adopt them (of course, you can instead choose the more evil fate). This lets them harvest ADAM from the corpses you encounter. They also warn you of an impending Big Sister attack, giving you time to lay down traps and prepare for a major battle. Splicers and other fearsome enemies are still around to deal with. Bioshock 2 is slated for release in the first half of 2010.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - Release Date: October 13^th, 2009 (PS3)

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PS3 exceeded all expectations and became a major critical success, cited for its high production values, similar to a blockbuster film. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is upcoming for the fall season and is receiving a lot of buzz.

Nathan Drake's adventure continues two years after the events of the first game, revolving around unraveling a historical mystery behind Marco Polo and his doomed voyage home from China in 1292. Drake is now set to explore the exotic environments that Marco Polo had traversed and seeks to recover the legendary Cintamani stone (worth billions of dollars) and to find out whether or not the lost city of Shambhala (otherwise known as Shangri-La) really exists.

There will be new mechanics to the gameplay, such as stealth, enhanced climbing for free movement (similar to Assassin's Creed), and will also have an online multiplayer mode (also co-operative). The upgraded graphics will make the environments more realistic and diverse.

There is a long list of new features to combat, such as Nathan's ability to flip over pieces of furniture to use as cover while engaged in a fire-fight. The game has already received many awards from E3 and others for its great presentation. The story is expected to be darker and reveal why Nathan Drake lives his life as a thief (watch footage here).

Assassin's Creed II - Release Date: November 17^th, 2009 (PC, Xbox 360, and PS3)

Assassin's Creed II is another upcoming highly anticipated sequel late this year and there are many, many things to do this time around. The game world is large, open, and non-linear, like the original, but now you have the ability to swim (and drown enemies as a means to assassinate), drive small boats, and use the canals of Venice city to hide.

The setting takes place in 15^th century Italy (during the Renaissance period), about 300 years after the events of the first game. One of the most prominent historical figures in the game is Leonardo da Vinci, who helps you throughout the course of the game with weapons, special contraptions, and much more. One such 'piece of aid' is his famous flying machine, which you can actually use to soar over the city and experience some great visuals (click here to watch some video footage).

In terms of combat, Ezio Auditore di Firenze, the assassin you control, can now kill two enemies at once with his twin blades. There are new tactics to utilize against opponents, cool weapons (such as the poison blade upgrade given by Leonardo da Vinci), and features that actively involve the city, such as removing wanted posters to reduce your infamy, blending with crowds to hide, and using haystacks to conceal yourself. You can even assassinate someone in the midst of several people and get away with it by placing his dead body in a sitting position on a bench. Or you can just drag his corpse into a haystack.

Ezio will make use of "Toys", or gadgets and environmental 'modifiers', to do what an assassin does. The flying machine will get him to places impossible to reach by foot, coins can be thrown into a crowd and the ensuing chaos can be taken advantage of to escape, and smoke bombs can make capture difficult for the enemy. Poison can kill your targets and drive them insane preceding their deaths, which can also cause useful distractions, especially if you poison an armed guard. Of course, there are a lot more Toys to be obtained throughout the game than those. Ezio also has improved Eagle vision, which can make finding targets much easier.

Assassin's Creed 2 seeks to expand upon the acclaimed premise of the original, improve the gameplay missions (which many cite as repetitive), and offer fans a grander stealth action adventure experience. It is slated for release on November, 17^th, 2009.

Halo 3: ODST - Release Date: September 22^nd, 2009 (Xbox 360)

Halo 3: ODST is the upcoming stand-alone expansion of Halo 3, featuring a full-length campaign, a new hero, and a new perspective. Players assume the role of "The Rookie," a lone UNSC soldier known as an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper). This time you don't have the benefits of armor, cybernetic reflexes, and superhuman strength like Master Chief had. You are more vulnerable to fire so the gameplay will force players to be more cautious and decisive with their actions, although your new HUD (called the Visual Intelligence System, Reconnaissance; VISR) differentiates friend from foe and guides you to important items (colored yellow) and offers a compass. There is no radar.

The game is in 1^st person and has the same winning formula of the Halo series. The campaign focuses on searching through the ruins of New Mombasa and discovering your missing teammates. Unlike the other Halo games, you get to choose the order of levels you want to play in campaign mode (the length is similar to the other games as well). The multiplayer mode is identical to Halo 3's, and comes with 24 maps (including the original eleven maps from Halo 3). Firefly fans should be happy knowing Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, and Alan Tudyk will voice the non-player controlled ODST troopers of the four man squad.

The game will release as a two-disc set. The first disc consists of the campaign mode and the newly unveiled Firefight co-op mode, in which players can engage waves of increasingly tougher enemies with a set number of lives. No limit to rounds, time, or kills. The mode ends when your lives are depleted. Skulls can be used to make it even more varied and challenging, and players can earn new medals for their achievements. Up to 4 players can engage in co-op Firefight mode, over Xbox Live or system link.

The second disc of the set will have the multiplayer mode and the complete set of Halo 3 maps. By the way, if you pre-order this game, you can unlock Sgt. Avery Johnson as a playable character in the Firefight mode. Owners will also receive an invitation to the multiplayer beta of the upcoming Halo: Reach (prequel to Halo: Combat Evolved) in 2010.

Other Notable Games to Look Out For in 2009-2010

There are some other high-profile games to get in late 2009 and 2010, such as Borderlands (sci-fi first-person shooter RPG multiplayer with millions of combinations of weapons and more), Dante's Inferno (a God of War-like epic based on Dante fighting through the nine circles of Hell to save the soul of his love, Beatrice), and MAG (from the creators of SOCOM, allowing up to 256 players to fight in an online battle at the same time).