2010 – The Year Of The Sequels?

Sequels usually come in one of two flavours. The first, a wonderful homage to the predecessor, whilst improving and rectifying the flaws from the original, all the while appeasing the needs of a new audience and the original fans alike. The alternative, a game which fails to take onboard the feedback offered from the fans of the first with new unnecessary features that over-complicate the gameplay that made the series a success. Whatever lies in wait though, sequels share the same common theme of being highly anticipated and amassing ridiculous amounts of hype (Modern Warfare 2 anyone?). With so many sequels making an entrance in 2010, will we queuing up through the night to get our gaming fix or returning the game hastily for a refund? Here we take a look at the top 10 sequels you should be preordering this year.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Boasting semi-destructible environments, an extensive multiplayer experience as well as a campaign to top it off, DICE’s Battlefield: Bad Company offered the chance for players to experience the thrills of modern combat in a fictional Russian and American conflict. Whilst achieving good success, it wasn’t enough to topple the might of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but with more destruction, vehicles and multiplayer features, could the crown fall from Infinity Ward? However, with DICE also working on the multiplayer for the new Medal Of Honor game, could complacency be seen as they try to do too much too soon?

Dead Rising 2

After its release in 2006, Dead Rising astounded the gaming world with its next generation capabilities, including offering hundreds of non-playable characters on screen at once. Whilst this may seem like an expected feature of todays games, back then it was mesmerising seeing so many zombies coming towards you, until you realised you were going to die. We hope to expect more of the same zombie killing with the few hitches from the first game – dodgy save locations and a game determined to make you restart – sorted and a whole host of new features. With multiplayer modes confirmed, it seems Capcom have set their eyes on more sales than their 1.5 million+ for Dead Rising.

Call of Duty 7 (Vietnam?)

Though it seems only a couple of months ago that Modern Warfare 2 was launched (oh wait, it was!), we are already looking forward to Treyarch taking the helm once more as they hope to generate another successful CoD title like their last, World at War. Like all CoD games, we’ll be sure to see a gritty campaign – this time in a rumoured Vietnam setting -, a fantastic multiplayer and hopefully a return of the Zombies minigame. Set to be a holiday success, can the CoD series really keep on dominating the FPS genre or will Battlefield and Medal of Honor impede on the celebrations?

Mass Effect 2

Having launched imminently, Mass Effect 2 has already stolen the hearts of fans and critics alike and has no signs of slowing down. Taking one of the most critically acclaimed RPG’s and improving upon it has created a truly decisive console exclusive that will be sure to leave Sony speechless. And, if weapon play, human / alien ‘relationships’ and compelling storytelling is not to your liking, we could offer you a yo-yo instead. Check out Starfox118′s hands on look at Mass Effect 2 here.

Bioshock 2

The original Bioshock was a stunning display of what gaming can be if we take the time to appreciate gaming less as a time waster, and more of an art. Beautiful setting, wonderful story and gameplay so solid that the single player experience was all that was needed. However, Bioshock 2 comes all guns blazing boasting multiplayer addition and a fair few Big Sisters and is almost indefinitely going to be another blockbuster title we can only fail to ignore.

Fable 3

With all the fuss over Mass Effect 2 and its current coverage due to its release, the end of the year seems a long way away. However, we could see our second console exclusive RPG that leaves Xbox owners spoilt for choice. Taking place after the events of Fable 2 and seeing you run your own kingdom, Fable 3 looks set to, like many of the other big sequels, offer more of the same only bigger and better. Oh, and did I mention Project Natal integration? Impossible to imagine the third installment of the Fable franchise being anything more than a success for Microsoft in the Christmas charts.

Crysis 2

Crysis, less of a game, more of a bragging right to those who own the most expensive and technically capable rigs for their PC gaming, Crysis is the daddy of visually pleasing media. Boasting some of the most beautiful aesthetics seen in videogames, it’s a big BIG deal that the sequel is coming to consoles, especially seeing as many of today’s computers struggle under the strain of running this dated game and its engine. Likely to offer an explosion of visual excitement, but just as likely to flop on all but PC. Only time will tell.

Gran Turismo 5

Forza 3 was excellent. No question about it. But, Gran Turismo has consistently been a top selling Sony exclusive, such is its reputation that Sony are expecting GT5 to be a tremendous hit, possibly even enough to tempt nervous gamers into purchasing the still pricey PS3 over their competitors. 5 years in the making, GT5 is steamrolling hype as much as Modern Warfare 2, and with more and more pushed back release dates, we will see the release some time over the coming months. Set to feature a mammoth (approximate of) 1000 cars which is more than enough even for the most die hard Top Gear nut. And, with the ability to upload to YouTube, Gran Turismo 5 is looking to take advantage of some of the more flexible features Playstation 3 users can use, unlike the more limited Xbox 360.

And the rest…

Unfortunately, it would take a fully fledged scribe days to compile a synopsis of each of the sequels due out this year, but if the above titles haven’t wet your appetite then check out our list below which shows the best of rest for 2010.

• Crackdown 2
• Final Fantasy XIII
• Postal 3
• God of War 3
• Army of Two: The 40th Day
• Red Steel 2
• Max Payne 3
• Far Cry 3
• Super Mario Galaxy 2
• Just Cause 2
• Command and Conquer 4
• Lost Planet 2
• Gears of War 3… Okay, so not announced but there are a few rumours regarding what Epics current project is, and I have a feeling there is a little unfinished business for Marcus Fenix and Co.

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Posted by Matthew Gildea on Jan 28 2010. Filed under Editorials, Other, PC, Playstation 3, Wii, Xbox 360. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry