Eye on The Future 12.26.08: A Look Into 2009 – PS3 Games To Watch

Posted by Todd Vote on 12.26.2008

In the latest edition of ‘Eye On The Future’, we take a look at what 2009 holds for the PS3: Gran Turismo 5, God of War 3, Uncharted 2. With these being just a few of the titles we will discuss, things are looking good for the folks at Sony. Will '09 be the year Sony finally turns things around? Come in and see what’s on tap.


Before we get started, I just wanted to address a few things I mistakenly left out of last week’s edition. First off, I would like to thank Jordan Williams for trusting his me with his baby a few months back. Jordan offered me a chance to write an edition of Working Title for him, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t believe that had anything to do with me becoming a part of the 411 family. Also to the rest of the staff for feeling like what I had to say was worth their time to respond to, and to those that put in a good word for me, thank you. I didn’t forget you all last week, but my nerves with getting the first one done and out the door caused me to have a temporary relapse of memory.

With all the mushy stuff out of the way, lets kick start the EOTF crystal ball and see what we have to look forward to….




Last week we took a look at a couple of Xbox 360 exclusives on the horizon. This week we will give the same treatment to the Playstation 3. Mr. Xbox, you might want to defend yourself, the monolith appears to be coming out swinging in 2009. (Note: I was going to cover just 3 games as I did with the Xbox 360, but someone in the comments last week mentioned that they would like to see more games. So we will look at a few extra. This is not me showing bias towards the PS3, but rather listening to the readers)


Gran Turismo 5
Release date:

Wow!!! That’s all I can say about the looks of this game...Wow

Gran Turismo 5, or GT5 as the cool folks know it, is the latest in the long running racing simulator franchise, that many feel has set the bar for the genre. With great looking crisp graphics, and a veritable ton of customization options, it is easy to see why.

GT5 promises to expand on the successful formula by adding more cars, (I hear rumblings of close to 900 total) more tracks, and boasting up to 16 players online. In addition to all that goodness, GT5 marks the first time in the main series that cars from Ferrari are set to be included. Add the beefed up graphics, and the tease that players got last year from GT: Prologue, and it is easily to see why this title is one highly anticipated by PS3 fans.

The Verdict:
Racing Sims seem to be give or take for most people. Some prefer sims, while others prefer the fast paced balls to the wall action of your arcade racers ala NFS: Undercover. This title will appeal to gear heads and race fans alike who are looking for a more realistic approach to there video game driving. While I am not a fan of racing sims, I have always been willing to give them a try. With this game looking as breathtaking as it does, I'd definitely be willing to try this one as well. That is until I crashed my car on turn one of lap one in the first race, repeatedly. Then I would more than likely take the game out of the machine and see how fast it can race out the window.


MAG
Release date: TBA 2009

Seriously, 256 players running at the same time?

As most of us know by now MAG is the short name for Massive Action Game being developed by Zipper Interactive. The game promises to utilize new server architectures, and claims to be rocking an impressive 256 players in online games. The 256 players will be broken down into eight player squads, that will all battle against each other. Led by a squad leader who has advanced through the games ranking system.

The game appears to be sporting an over the shoulder POV, similar to Resident Evil 4, or Gears of War. Boasting numerous classes to master such as medics, commandos and demo specialists, the game charges players with taking charge of one of several potential factions to fight the good fight.

The Verdict
256 players online at once? Sounds to me like this could serve as both a blessing and a curse. While it would certainly be intense battling it out with that many people all at once, I can't help but think of the functionality of Call of Duty's 18-person multiplayer. When I would try to play Ground War on COD 4: MW, it would not take long for a team to surround the map and pretty much nail it down so you cannot take two steps after respawning without catching a bullet in your ass. That being said, breaking the teams up into groups of 8 could serve to alleviate some of the spawn camping. Will you really have time to camp the spawn when you have 248 other players breathing down your neck? This one is getting my endorsement based solely on the madness a 256-player game could potentially offer.


Killzone 2


Time to kill bitches dead.

Killzone 2 is the hotly anticipated follow up to the PS2 hit. A fast paced first person shooter set in a Sci-fi world. The game looks to pick up right where Killzone, and Killzone: Liberation left off, with much of the story focusing on the ISA (Interplanetary Strategic Alliance) taking the fight right to the Helghast home world, with the intents on capturing their leader Emperor Visari.

I'm sure we all remember the Killzone 2 videos that were unveiled at E3 2005. While I think it is safe to assume the game will not look quite that good, all the screenshots I've seen still have it looking very impressive. The controls look to be more of what we've come to expect from FPS games, offering a new "lean and peek" cover system will add a new dimension to how the game is played. Another interesting aspect of the game is the apparent hostile environment of the Helghast home world, where in addition to the on screen enemies, players will have to adjust to acidic air, giant dust clouds, and massive surging lightning storms.


While my time with the first game was brief, I saw nothing making it the Halo killer it was touted to be, and actually lost interest in the game rather quickly. Though I will openly admit I was not a fan of FPS titles before the current generation of consoles, I can't see this one offering anything new that would make it stand out from the already crowded FPS market. I'll chalk this one up as a future rental title.


Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Release date: TBA 2009

Oh Drake, what are you up to now?

The follow up to arguably one of the PS3's best games to date Uncharted 2 looks to take Drake in the footsteps of famous explorer Marco Polo. This time out Drake hopes to find Polo's lost ship and as the title suggests maybe do a little pillaging while he is at it. This time out also look for Drake's new sidekick/love interest in the form of Chloe Frazer. Apparently she has an affinity for rocket launchers, so that should be fun. Unfortunately at the due date of this report, not much else is known about the game's story.

Naughty Dog is promising to revamp everything that made Drake's first foray fun. They plan to add new free climbing and stealth play mechanics, and also hope to improve the combat system so we see more "dynamic fights". With intentions to ditch SIXAXIS support, and revamp gunplay, there is a chance that this game may play completely different from its predecessor.

The Verdict
This is the type of game that is right up my alley. Action adventure, fighting, shooting, exploring... All these things make this my second most anticipated title for the PS3. If my next game is the one that will cause me to purchase the PS3, this is the one that would keep me playing it once I finished with God of War 3.


God of War III
Release date: Q4 2009

Sorry Snake, but this is the baddest man in the Playstation family!

The final chapter in the trilogy is set to tie up the loose ends of this EPIC story. With the second game’s final cut scene depicting Kratos storming Mt. Olympus alongside the Titans. One would only assume that this game would have Kratos battling the remaining gods of Mt. Olympus. As Corey Balrog explains this will tell the story of why there are no more Greek gods.

Using a new game engine being built from scratch, and state of the art visual technologies, God of War looks to be a huge improvement visually, and that is saying something considering the first two games were about as good as it got visual wise for the PS2. Offering fluid life-like character models, and dynamic lighting should only serve to enhance the games artistic styling, and potentially draw gamers even further into the game. As we know, the controls for God of War are just about as perfect as you could expect from a hack and slash style of game, but still look for at least a few new game play mechanics to be brought in, ala Icarus’ wings from the second installment.

The Verdict
Yes, yes, a billion times yes!! This is the game for me that is going to cause the purchase of a PS3. This game is the reason I have already started my “get my ass a PS3” savings fund. I absolutely loved the first two games, with the first installment absolutely making my top ten. I am a huge fan of Greek mythology, and this very interesting take on the fall of the gods is one that I can’t seem to get enough of. Hack and slash games are my bread and butter, so this game may be the first perfect game for me released on the current generation of consoles. BUY THIS FRICKIN’ GAME!!


Reader Sound-Off
You hear that sound? That is the sound of crickets chirping… I threw this spot out to the readers last week. Not one person, save for some smart ass in the comments section took me up on the offer to utilize this spot. Not a one. We will try it again this week though, because I am a persistent bastard. Until then, checking in this week so I don’t look like a complete tool and at least have something in this spot, B3yond the Report’s Derek Robbins stepped up to the plate. Derek, what do you got for us?

Final Fantasy XIII:

Nobody seems to know when this game is going to come out. In the year 2007, I even proclaimed it as being one of the best games in 2008…clearly, that didn’t come to pass. So here we are, getting ready for 2009 and STILL a firm release date isn’t set for FF XIII except either 2009 or 2010. Being an eternal optimist, I’m going to just assume this game is going to be released in 2009.

The thing that has me most excited about Final Fantasy XIII is the fact that it appears that random encounters are gone for good. As much as some of the hardcore fans liked to bash FF XII for the drastic changes it made to the series, this was one of the more universally lauded features. Due to fan reception though, the MMO-style of FF XII will be gone in favor of a more traditional ATB system. The developers for the game, in an interview with Gamespot, mentioned that the game would combine the best of Final Fantasy X and XII.

Given that X and XII were two of my favorite games in the series, I couldn’t be any more excited for this game. If the story looks as fascinating as Square is letting on, we could have the best Final Fantasy on our hands since FF IX. I am pretty positive this game will be released by the time 2009 is over in Japan at least. It will be coming here at some point. PS3 fans don’t need to worry. Square stated that only once the PS3 version is complete will they start work on the 360 version. So the game won’t be delayed any further than it already is. I say embrace it, because the more people who have access to this game the better. Welcome aboard the FF-train X-brethren!

FF XIII looks to be a great game. If it comes out in the year 2009, you can be sure it’ll be a GOTY contender.

Thanks Derek, I appreciate you stepping up to deliver the first ever Reader Sound-Off. For the rest of you, remember this spot is for you. Talk about what ever you want. Just to make it more interesting, I’ll even open it up a bit. Provided what you have to say can pertain to one of the zones here on 411, I am willing to let you sound off on any subject you want, games, politics, Sports, Movies, Music, MMA, the choice is yours.

Remember first one to email the correct answer gets the reader sound off spot to talk about what ever your little gamer heart desires.





One more thing before we put this puppy to bed. I would not feel like a real part of the 411 family unless I threw out a list. So without any further ado, here are Toddo’s Top Five Gaming Christmas Wishes. Bear in mind that this list is in no way an indication of what is coming in 2009, or anything to expect with baited breath, just a wish list of things that I would like to see happen in the next year or so.

Toddo’s Top Five:

5.) How about a sequel to the game Jet Li’s Rise to Honor? I know the game probably didn’t sell well enough to warrant a sequel, but that could be because it was a bit ahead of its time. This game had a hand in designating the right stick for fighting in any direction you chose. I loved the game, and would love to see a sequel, or at least another of it’s type.

4.) If Midway must fall, I wish that an able handed developer picks up the Mortal Kombat IP. Capcom, I am looking at you. Although I must admit I would also be interested in seeing what the minds at Rockstar could do with this IP if they were allowed to run with it.

3.) More Indigo Prophecy, please. This game was so much fun for me. I don't necessarily want a sequel to the game, although that would be nice. I'm speaking more games done in this similar cinematic style. Unique controls highlighted a game that really delivered on the cinematic feel that alot of games shoot for. Come on Quantic Dream, lets see some more goods on Heavy Rain.

2.) To complete the console trilogy. I need to get a Wii, and a PS3 to complete this generations console trilogy. I had all three last generation; I want them all this time. There are far to many great games released on all three systems. I want to be a part of it all. Call me selfish if you must, but who wouldn't want all three systems?

1.) Killer Instinct. Whether it is a re-release of the first two games on XBL, or a brand new third game, I want me some current gen Killer Instinct. Enough teasers, enough dropping game boxes depicting KI3 cover art into other games. Enough yanking your pud, and my emotions, make the game, or stop teasing us with it. It’s a simple request really.

There you have it. Part two of Eye On The Future is in the books. Hope you all enjoyed this look at some of the goodness that Sony will be offering up in the New Year. Hope that all of you and yours have an incredible holiday, no matter what it is you choose to celebrate, or not celebrate. Remember, whether you believe or not, this is the time for giving. Take a second to help out someone in need. We will see you next week for a look at some upcoming Wii exclusives. Yes, Punch-Out will be included.

Screenshots
All 14 Eye on The Future Screenshots