So, we’re in a bit of a quandry. Bioshock was quite exciting. The Orange Box was simply incredibly wonderfully enormo-exciting. The writers and readers of RPS alike rode these zeitgeist waves in something like ecstasy, hollering happy, happy words all the way. But what now? While there’ll doubtless be yet more Portal posts here before the year is out, really it’s time we look to tomorrow…
What’s going to be good? And I’m not thinking purely “ooh, that’ll be fun”, but also what’s going to incite interesting discussion as well as (or even instead of) happyfuntime play? I’ve combed through the UK PC release schedules up to the end of the year, and cherry picked the highest-profile titles – doubtless there’ll be some ommissions, either because I’m a cretin, the date is still TBC or it’s a case like Assassin’s Creed where the PC version is due next year, rather than alongside its console brethren in November. Feel free to identify such lost lambs in comments, but 2007 PC titles only, please.
I’ve also stuck a number, from 1 to 5 (1 being ew yucky, 5 being a wryly-raised appreciative eyebrow, which is about as excited as I get), next to each, indicating not its greatability, but simply my own level of personal interest in it. These are not review scores, these are will-Alec-play-these-games scores. In a few cases, I’m as predictable as an EA FIFA sequel. In others, my feelings are affected by having played early or finished code, though I won’t say which as I have some review commitments – don’t pry, because I’ll simply ignore you, like all those girls in high school did me. In others I’m going on little more than gut reaction, and unfortunately my gut can be a total dick sometimes.
So, it’s entirely subjective based on what I’ve seen, heard and played – you may disgree entirely. If so, say so – it’d be great to get a sense of what games you guys are dead excited about at the moment. If trends reveal themselves, then we’ll have a good idea of what kind of stuff we should maybe be writing about on RPS. Or maybe we’ll just write more about Portal anyway. God, we’re fickle.
October
26th
Clive Barker’s Jericho – 2
The Witcher – 2
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 -1
30th
Timeshift – 4
November
2nd
Age of Empires III Asian Dynasties – 3
Hellgate: London – 2
Championship Manager 08 – 1
Richard Garriot’s Tabula Rasa – 3
9th
Beowulf – 2
Gears of War – 3
Call of Duty 4 – 3
Empire Earth III – 3
Sam & Max: Ice Station Santa – 2
16th
Crysis – 5
FEAR Perseus Mandate – 2
Sim City Societies – 4
Blacksite: Area 51 – 4
23rd
Kane & Lynch Dead Men – 4
Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance – 4
30th
Unreal Tournament III – 5
So which are on your non-denominational annual Wintertime festivities list?
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The Witcher would have been a 4 or 5 for me. And 5 hours in since yesterday, my anticipation hasn’t been disappointed so far.
This game needs more love – it’s the PC gamer’s Mass Effect, just looking more interesting. :)
As I see it Crysis is the first big-name DX10 game. Bioshock was nice, but I think we can all tell that the DX10 content didn’t really add anything and it seemed more like it was added in late in the development process. Crysis, however, looks like it was made with it in mind. Plus, for whatever reasons, graphics tend to be at the forefront when it comes to the blockbuster FPS titles. A throwback to big, glossy 80s action movies maybe?
Anyhow I really wonder how many people are going to move to Vista or at least consider it once it comes out. I myself have a DX10 system, but I’m still running XP (partly a money issue, partly an anti-Microsoft issue, partly a buggy/drivers issue). Could this be the game that makes people move over or will continued stagnation in the marketplace push Microsoft to uncouple DX10 from Vista somehow (despite their claims that it’s fundamentally linked to the new graphics code I’m sure that if there’s enough money in it they’ll find a way).
I, for one, would *love* to see Rock, Paper, Xbox.
Crysis DX10 issue: I still can’t make the Vista hop until I know I can play at least 90% of my old games library reliably on that OS, and judging from my Vista using friends, we’re nowhere near that point yet. DX10 as a whole hasn’t looked particularly awe inspiring overall to be honest. Perhaps if I ever get decadent and rig up a second 8800 in SLI in my gaming rig then maybe I’ll be forced to shift OSs, just to legitimize the ridiculous outlay of money, but even still , word has it the 8800s don’t support the latest DX10 release anyway, so way to go Nvidia and Microsoft…
Instead of SLI’ing two 8800s, just wait for the 9800s to come out. Supposedly, they’re just around the corner.
I want The Witcher, Gears of War, Call of Duty 4, Crysis, UT III, and Supreme Commander. Unfortunately, I can probably only afford two games the rest of the year. I’ll prolly go for gears and Crysis.