Xtra-vision presents a selection of the best, brightest, bloodiest and most brilliant games designed to thrill gamers in 2010.
There are so many incredible games lined up for release in 2010, I've no idea how any of us are going to get any work done. Likewise eating, sleeping, family time, dating and bathing may also be overlooked as a result of our need to pay proper attention to the following next gen treats heading our way...
Step back into the unforgettable world of Rapture in BioShock 2 (Xbox 360, PS3 and PC), the next instalment in the best-selling franchise that has won more than 50 Game of the Year Awards. Providing players with the perfect blend of explosive first-person shooter combat, compelling storytelling and intense multiplayer action, it's a Next Generation wonder packed with innovative advances that bring new depth and dimension to each encounter. New elements, such as the ability to dual-wield weapons and Plasmids, allow players to create exciting combinations of punishment. Essentially, if you're looking for action, you've come to the right place.
From the award-winning developers behind the critically-acclaimed Dead Space franchise, EA's Dante's Inferno (Xbox 360 and PS3) is an epic descent through Dante Alighieri's nine circles of hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. At a blazing-fast 60 frames-per-second, each circle features unique environments, all new creatures, terrifying demons, story elements and are scored distinctly to set a tone that fits each circle of sinners. Based on Dante's epic poem, The Divine Comedy, the game casts the author as its hero, and boasts a novel plot, clever dialogue, sensational sounds, staggering visuals and rollercoaster gameplay.
Third-person shooter Lost Planet 2 (Xbox 360, PS3 and PC) picks up 10 years since the events of the original adventure and the landscape has evolved dramatically. With the success of terraforming activities, the planet's ice has begun to melt, giving way to lush tropical jungles and other new environments. The story has advanced beyond Wayne Holden as players will now follow the exploits of their own customised snow pirates on their quest to seize control of E.D.N III. Players will move their heroes through different stories creating a truly unique and interactive experience. With this concept, gamers will have the opportunity to engage in the story in a more dynamic way as plot threads evolve from various perspectives.
The strongest features from the first game will return in Lost Planet 2 making fans feel right at home. In addition to the anchor actions that made the gameplay in Lost Planet a true 3-D experience, Lost Planet 2 allows gamers to gain tactical advantage with a wide variety of new actions. The game will also contain a new addition to the enormous Akrids which were a fan-favourite in the first Lost Planet. It's going to be amazing.
The first in a series of Aliens games from SEGA, action horror FPS Aliens vs Predator (Xbox 360, PS3 and PC) offers players the chance to play as the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien. Each of the three species has its very own distinct story-driven single-player campaign mode that interweaves with the campaigns of the other two species. Aliens vs Predator will also feature unique 3-way online multiplayer, allowing gamers to pit the three species against each other in the ultimate battle for survival and for the right to be crowned the deadliest species.
Combining innovative gameplay features with a high-octane, no-holds barred storyline, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction (Xbox 360 and PC) arms players to the teeth with all the high-tech weaponry and lethal skills of an elite operative, and invites them into a dangerous world where justice means making their own rules. An investigation into his daughter's death unwittingly leads former agent Sam Fisher to discover he's been betrayed by his former employer, the Third Echelon. Now a renegade, Fisher finds himself in a race against time to thwart a deadly terrorist plot that threatens millions... Brace yourselves for an extreme action experience.
A worthy successor to a best-selling favourite, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PS3, OC and Xbox 360) sees the Bad Company crew once again finding themselves in the heart of the action, where they must use every weapon and vehicle at their disposal to survive. The action unfolds with unprecedented intensity, introducing a level of fervour to vehicular warfare never before experienced in a modern warfare action game. Providing a true, all-out war experience, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 promises gamers unprecedented levels of action and destruction.
The final instalment of the multi-million unit-selling trilogy, God of War III brings epic battles to life with stunning graphics and an elaborate plot that puts Kratos at the center of carnage and destruction as he seeks revenge against the Gods who betrayed him. A single-player game that invites players to scale the intimidating heights of Mount Olympus and explore the dark depths of Hell, God of War III arms Kratos with double-chained blades and an array of new weapons and magic as he solves intricate puzzles and takes on mythology's darkest creatures. Utilising a brand new game engine and state-of-the-art visual technologies, this latest adventure is by far the biggest and most realistic of the three, guaranteeing gamers an unforgettable battlefield experience.
From the developers of the award-winning Mafia comes Mafia II (PS3 and Xbox 360), a beautifully crafted look into the dark and unforgiving world of the Mafia. Expanding upon the original hit that captivated more than 2 million gamers around the world, 2K Czech takes players deeper into the Mafia with a mature and exciting experience that will immerse players like never before. Powered by 2K Czech's next-generation engine built specifically for Mafia II, players will experience the true evolution of the Mafia game that defined a genre. Gunfights, hand-to-hand combat and vehicular exploration feature new depth and dimension that allow players to experience the world of Mafia II in a way that will keep them coming back for more.
The first full Gran Turismo title for PS3, Gran Turismo 5 will give you even more of the astounding realism, design and in-car physics that the series has won acclaim for. You'll get to tackle the world's most famous racetracks, rendered in High Definition graphics – and you'll get behind the wheels of some of the most legendary cars in motor racing from past to cutting-edge present. It's going to be the drive of a lifetime!
The award-winning Max Payne franchise puts players in the role of Max Payne, a hard-boiled New York City detective with a penchant for violence, out to avenge the death of his family. Coming soon, Max Payne 3 (Xbox 360, PS3 and PC) delivers more of the classic elements and hyper-intense action that fans have come to love, while moving the story of Max in a new direction. Since leaving the NYPD and New York itself behind, Max has drifted from bad to worse. Double-crossed and a long way from home, Max is now trapped in a city full of violence and bloodshed, using his weapons and instincts in a desperate search for the truth and a way out...
Finally, the successor to 2004's hit Red Dead Revolver, Red Dead Redemption (PS3 and Xbox 360) recreates the American West at the turn of the 20th Century: a violent and turbulent time of rapid growth and change. Players become the partially reformed outlaw John Marston; blackmailed by the government, his family threatened as he is forced to traverse the vast and unforgiving expanses of the Western frontier in search of members of his former gang. In a dangerous world full of opportunistic criminals, corrupt officials and settlers battling the elements in a struggle to survive, Marston's journey takes him from the dusty and lawless frontier to the civilized towns of the North, and down into a Mexico on the brink of a full-scale civil war.
"This is our vision of the American West: beautiful, bloody and action-packed. The game is a true epic, and has been developed with the same production values and attention to detail we put into all our projects," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "Red Dead Redemption represents another milestone for us in the development of open world games."