My apologies if this is a copycat of an existing thread, but I didn’t see a similar topic in the first three pages of this board. Besides, I wanted this thread to be a place to discuss ALL possible upcoming video game releases, including ones that have been officially announced, ones that are rumored, or ones that are but twinkles in the eyes of fans at the moment.
Personally, I am really hoping that Suikoden VI is actually in the works and that it will see the light of day eventually. I am a HUGE fan of this relatively overlooked RPG series, and especially since every Suikoden installment is set in the same world with slightly overlapping characters and plots, I would hate to see the storyline of the Suikoden world just tail off at this point without resolution (not knowing what all 27 True Runes are, for example, or never actually knowing the truth about the mysterious Hikusaak). Rumors have been swirling for a few years that game #6 is in planning stages, but Konami remains officially silent. We shall see.
Other than that, I am most eagerly awaiting the next release from Team ICO, whose last release, Shadow of the Colossus, is my all-time favorite game. So far, “unnamed PS3 title” is pretty much all that’s official, however, this screenshot was recently released by Sony. What does this image show? To me it looks like a deteriorated version of the great spiral entryway in the Temple of Worship in SotC, with a chain dangling down into what in that game was a circular pool. Although I can’t read Japanese, this picture, coupled with the “wanda” at the end of the url (which is the Japanese pronunciation of the official name of the protagonist in SotC) has me VERY interested.
But that’s just me…what (possibly) upcoming games are you looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to GTA IV and Metal Gear Solid 4…mostly because I don’t have a PS3 yet and will probably end up breaking down and getting one just for those two games. In addition, both Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII. I’m Square Enix’s bitch when it comes to the Final Fantasy series, unfortunately. Brutal Legend, Prototype, Fallout 3, the new Midnight Club, and the new Silent Hill and Resident Evil will also all make me want a PS3 terribly.
As for games for systems I actually own:
Wii - Console
I’m looking forward to Boom Blox and de Blob, two new slightly innovative games that look pretty rad. Monster Lab looks pretty cool. Also the next Fire Emblem game, whenever that is going to come out. And finally, it was recently announced that there’s going to be a new Earthworm Jim game. I’m guessing it will come out for the Wii since the first two games are coming out for the Virtual Console later this year, but even if it comes on another system I’ll be picking it up.
Wii - WiiWare
The WiiWare launch is going to be pocket-emptying. I’m looking forward to specifically Lost Winds, Star Soldier R, World of Goo, and Gyrostarr. All of them look awesome and will probably sell for between $7-$10 a piece. Cheap entertainment that’s still good for the win!
DS
I’m waiting to see if the reviews for Drone Tactics give it a thumbs up. I was going to pick up Rondo of Swords earlier this month but the reviews were unfavorable so I skipped it in wait for a better strategy RPG. Really want to get N+, even though I have N for the computer and it’s free download. I’m a terrible, terrible consumer whore. Plus, the new Dragon Quest game which will eventually come out for DS.
What the–!? Rondo of Swords turns the SRPG “move > attack > block” mechanic on its head! But, since you’re still looking forward to Atlus games, I guess I can give you a pass.
I’m anticipating MGS4, even though I too still lack the console to play it on. I’m a Kojima junkie, what can I say.
I’m waiting for Fallout 3 in what is half jubilation and half cautious optimisim. But those preorder goodies look so good…
GTA IV looks good, but I’ll have to wait the customery year before it comes out on PC by which time it will look like crap compared to other PC games, hopefully the game play will still be worth it.
The US edition of Agricola is the game I’m looking forward to the most. Should only be a week or two more but I’ll wait until Origins so I can play it first before buying.
Oh, I loved Earthworm Jim back when I had a Genesis. Earthworm Jim 2 was the best, especially the level where he goes through a giant kitchen and battles a giant fire-breathing steak at the end.
I do hope they retain the irreverence of the old games in the next-gen version. They were fun for kids, but had soooo many mature jokes and references as well (such as an entire level named “ISO 9000”). I can’t wait.
I’m PC only so some of these games while out have yet to make it to the PC (I thought Microcrap touted the X-Box as being “better” because games developed for it were portable to the PC with zero effort yet they keep making X-Box only titles).
Spore (like everyone else)
I just got Persona 3: FES today, which was my ‘eagerly anticipated’ game of the moment. I have the next two days off work, so I can park myself in front of the TV with it.
I am chafing at the bit for the handful of games coming out under the Final Fantasy XIII title, but I do not have a PS3 and won’t be getting one before it comes out, so I’ll have to be satisfied with the internet and screenshots. There was a recent article about Final Fantasy Versus XIII in one of my Japanese magazines recently, and it makes me wish I had a PS3 so. darn. bad.
Intravenus De Milo, I am a big fan of the first two Suikoden games, but I haven’t had the opportunity to play any others, yet. I was wary of the switchover to 3-D, but are the subsequent titles all good, too?
Final Fantasy XIII and Soul Calibur IV. I’m really hoping that the PS3 will be a little more affordable by next year so I can play these two before they’re old news.
Also, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 and Final Fantasy IV for the DS.
Personally, I think all three are at least worth a try, especially if you liked the first two. S3 takes place 15 years after S2, so there are some recurring characters and other references, but it’s not a direct sequel by any means. S4 and S5 are the “prequels” of the series, with S5 taking place about 5 years before S1 and S4 taking place ~150 years before S5. However, each game has an entirely different plot and setting, although again there are recurring characters and themes.
The general fan consensus that I’ve seen is that S4 is the weakest game of the series, although it’s still pretty decent (the main mode of transport is sailing which a lot of people find to be too slow and tedious…most people who don’t like this game cite that as a big reason why). S3 is my personal favorite, and is unique in that you actually play from the perspective of multiple characters, rather than just one “silent hero.” Also, this game has an excellent manga adaptation that fleshes out the story a great deal. S5 has the most refined game mechanics, including real-time strategy battles, and is the most similar graphically to the old Playstation 1 titles (it’s still 3-D, with nice character detail, but has a top-down view throughout). It might be the hardest game of the PS2 installments to find, since I heard that Konami printed fewer copies of this game than the previous two since sales of S4 were less than stellar, comparitively. I see used copies of S3 and S4 in my local Gamestop all the time, but it took me a while to find S5.
So, pretty much, my advice is to try out all three. If you have Gamefly or a local rental place that has a good selection, you can always rent them and then buy if you like them. The used copies I’ve seen are around $20 or less, which IMO is a pretty good price for these games (yes, even S4). While Suikoden games are not powerhouse titles like your Final Fantasies or your Tales Ofs, they’re still very fun to play and allow a great deal of party customization and play variety (what with 108 characters to choose from!)
It’s from a small company, but Supremacy At Sea may appeal to the naval grognards here. Long story short it’s a strategic/operational naval wargame which can cover an entire theatre (Med/Atlantic/Pacific). I’m drooling over the ship designer and have been pondering a number of designs in my mind since I found out about the game.
Battlefront has Combat Mission Campaigns back on the front burner. It takes the basic Combat Mission (Barbarossa to Berlin) engine and puts more operational functionality in. You move units around on the operational map, and when they meet you fight the battle on the tactical map.
Not a game, but there’s two design teams working on the Targa Florio (44 miles long) and the Isle of Man TT course (37 miles) for Grand Prix Legends. Once those come out you won’t be able to reach me or contact me for a solid week.
Did you hear that the DS remakes of Dragon Quest 4, 5 & 6 are coming to America? I can’t wait.
SimCity Societies was released last year some time. It did review well if I recall.
My eagerly anticipated title (Mario Kart Wii) arrives in my mailbox tomorrow. I don’t think I’ll stop playing it until I have to go to work on Thursday.
Otherwise, I’m really looking forward to Lego Batman, Star Wars The Force Unleashed, Prototype, Dead Space, 1942 Joint Strike, Ghostbusters and Damnation.
Plus, the new Dragon Quest game which will eventually come out for DS.
