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Issue 5
The Most Anticipated Games of 2009
Diablo III
Developer:Blizzard Studios
System: PC
The third installment of this action-RPG series takes players back to Sanctuary, a land recovering from its latest episode of desolation and terrors that emerge when the destruction of the Worldstone unleashes a fresh hell upon its people. There is a lot to live up to, but gameplay looks promising with the coming of a custom 3D-graphics engine for advanced graphics and an overhead isometric view. The game has also stepped up in health gathering efficiency and combat command shortcuts. The details of Diablo III’s story mode and questing are still being kept tightly under lock and key by developers, and only the barbarian, witch doctor and wizard have been revealed as three of the five classes, with the latter two arguably being revamped versions of the necromancer and sorceress of Diablo II.
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty
Developer: Blizzard Studios
System:PC
Like the original Starcraft, S2 will be running on a custom 3D-graphics engine of its very own, giving responsiveness and speed a boost. S2 will also see increased strategic and interactive elements within the environment. Unlike its predecessor, Wings of Liberty will focus on the Terran with the expansion pack Heart of the Sward and Legacy of the Void putting the Zerg and Protoss at the center of their storylines. New units will arrive such as the Protoss warpgate, which can transport units across the map, the Terran Viking, which can switch between tank and plane mode, and the Zerg’s suicidal banelings which explode when reaching and enemy.
BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams
Developer: 2K Boston/2K Australia
System:PS3/Xbox 360
The long awaited BioShock 2 holds many pleasant surprises in the underwater city of Rapture. The most noticeable difference is that players now control a Big Daddy equipped with guns, drills, and fists of steel. As a Big Daddy players can now adopt or harvest little sisters, who now trust you as their valiant protector. Game developers 2K Boston/2K Australia would not say much on the storyline, but they did mention that the story stems from the Big Sister, who is somehow involved in the kidnapping of land-borne children. The player’s relationship to the game has completely changed, but is no less mysterious and exciting as the last title.
Final Fantasy XIII
Developer: Square Enix
System:PS3/Xbox 360
The 13th installment of this legendary title maintains its graphic brilliance and strategic gameplay. The graphics on the game will be run by the personally built Crystal Tools game engine, a new engine used to achieve near CGI quality graphics in real-time. The ATB battle system stemming from XII will be kept, but with the added bonus of being able to have preset combos that can be increased in capacity and strength as players level up. Of course chocobos, summoning, and player classes will be kept in this title, and overall it seems XIII is destined to be the top game of 09’. Unfortunately, the title will be coming out exclusively in Japan, leaving Americans in the dark for the English release date.
- Nadia Tamez
