[MULTI] 2011 Video Games Preview - Part IV

Crysis 2
Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Developer: Crytek
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: March 22, 2011

The first Crysis gained infamy back in 2007 for its incredible, lush visuals backed up by some rock-solid, open-ended gameplay. Developer Crytek is looking to improve upon both departments with the sequel, due out this March. Crysis 2 ditches the jungle paradise setting of the first title for the much darker, urban locales of a near-future New York City under attack by a vicious alien species. Players will play as a protagonist called Alcatraz, who has come into possession of the Nanosuit 2, the successor to the advanced military suit of the first game. The new suit comes with a variety of new features and upgrades, including the Strength and Speed modes being combined into one Power mode, a new Tactical mode, and an Infiltration mode that allows for silent melee stealth kills. Of course, gamers are probably most interested in the game’s visual upgrades, and they won’t be left disappointed. Crysis 2 runs on the brand-new CryEngine 3, and the developer is calling New York’s ravaged cityscape “catastrophically beautiful”. The system requirements for Crysis 2 are actually less demanding than the original, however Crytek assures us that the graphics quality in the sequel will exceed those in the first game, supporting 3D capabilities to boot. The urban environments of NYC will serve to add a distinct sense of verticality, as both players and enemies, who have received an AI upgrade, can use tactics that exploit multiple floors of partially-destroyed highrises, adding a new dimension to the traditional horizontal-based gameplay. Crysis 2 will be available on PC and, for the first time in the series, on consoles as well. While the console versions are unlikely to achieve the visual proficiency possible on PCs, the game will undoubtedly look impressive on all platforms. Gamers looking for a game that pushes their hardware to its technical limits while providing excellent FPS mechanics in unique open-ended environments should look no further than Crysis 2. This is not your average shooter.

Diablo III

Platform(s): PC
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Release Date: Q4 2011

Talk about a long time coming: it has been 11 years since gamers have gotten a fresh take on the dungeon-roaming Diablo franchise. Diablo III picks up two decades after the events of the second game and the Worldstone, which once protected the inhabitants of Sanctuary from the forces of Heaven and Hell, has been destroyed, allowing evil to once again infect Tristram. Diablo III will feature a similar style to its predecessor, utilizing a 3D overhead view of the action. There will be five character classes to choose from: the Barbarian (the only returning class from Diablo II), the Witch Doctor, the Wizard, the Monk, and the Demon Hunter. Blizzard is promising that an enhanced quest system with a random level generator and random encounter generator will be utilized to enhance replayability, along with static quests and main storyline quests, as well as class-specific quests. Sidekicks are now distinct NPCs who join the player as opposed to the disposable randomly-generated friendlies in past games. Another new addition are the Skill Runes, which are dropped by random monsters and can be attached to skills and spells to enhance their effectiveness and alter the way in which they perform. The potion bar is gone, replaced by a skill bar that allows players to assign quick bar buttons to skills and spells, while health orbs are dropped from defeated enemies to replace the need for the potion bar. Artisans can now enhance rare and magic items in addition to basic armor and weaponry, and the artisans themselves can be trained through crafting to improve their skill level, which in turn reflects on their abilities to craft and enhance equipment. These are just a few of the wealth of new features Blizzard is implementing with the hope of streamlining and improving the combat experience while easing the inventory management system. Blizzard recaptured the magic of the Starcraft series last year after more than a decade of Starcraftlessness, there’s no reason to believe they won’t accomplish it again with the legendary Diablo franchise later this year.

Forza Motorsport 4

Platform(s): X360
Developer: Turn 10 Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: Q3 2011

For a franchise that prides and defines itself on the “hardcore” simulation racing experience, it seems a bit odd that Turn 10 Studios would try to adapt the decisively casual gameplay-focused Kinect peripheral to the Forza series, but that’s exactly what the developer is attempting with Forza Motorsport 4. A couple of the possibilities have already been demonstrated, such as a gameplay mode where the objective is to pass as many NPC-controlled cars as possible within a specified amount of time. The twist is that the player does not control the braking or acceleration of the vehicle, which is automatically controlled for them by the computer. Instead, the player holds their hands in front of them as if gripping a steering wheel, and is tasked with navigating the car through turns and corners while dancing through traffic. Another Kinect-enabled mode is the simple ogling of the car’s features. Players can get in and out of the hyper-realistic model of a car and study it at various angles, simply pointing at different parts and features of the vehicle to get a closer look and fully-voiced, in-depth information about the car’s features. It might all seem a bit gimmicky, but early hands-on reports indicate that the motion controls are actually quite fun, and there are likely to be numerous other Kinect-enabled modes and features to be revealed in the coming months (motion-controlled maintenance and tuning anyone?). Traditionalists need not fret however, as Turn 10 has confirmed that the game will still support the regular Xbox 360 controller and other racing peripherals. If the standard addition of new cars and tracks isn’t enough to entice gamers to buy yet another car-racing simulator, perhaps Kinect will provide the proper degree of originality to motivate both car enthusiasts and casual gamers alike to pick up Forza 4. Of course, the mere mention a new Forza is probably enough to get the average gearhead’s engine revving.

I Am Alive

Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Developer: Ubisoft Shanghai
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: TBA 2011

Back in 2008, Ubisoft intrigued audiences at E3 with a teaser trailer for a mysterious title called I Am Alive. Although few details have been released since then and development has shifted studios from Darkworks to Ubisoft Shanghai, Ubisoft maintains that the title will, in fact, release at a high quality sometime in 2011. The story follows a protagonist named Adam after a massive 10.3 magnitude earthquake rocks the city of Chicago, destroying many of its buildings and infrastructure and effectively separating the city from the mainland, forcing desperate survivors to struggle to stay alive while waiting for a rescue that doesn’t seem to be coming. While we still know very little regarding the gameplay, it is obvious that the focus is on survival in what has become a dramatically devolved society in the wake of disaster. Adam will set up a rendezvous point for survivors to attract potential rescuers, meanwhile protecting himself against desperate citizens that wish to kill or steal from Adam to aid in their own survival. Players must also seek out basic necessities for survival (such as food and water), and search for Adam’s missing girlfriend. The game will be played from a first-person perspective, and weapons and vehicles can be utilized if found in working condition. That being said, survival tactics are the primary focus of the gameplay as opposed to traditional combat, so players will have to use their creativity to secure resources. One example is using an empty gun to scare enemies into giving up their loot, or a trailer that shows Adam throwing a bottle of water onto a pane of glass that gives way as a mob of frantic people rush to secure the precious resource. I Am Alive is worth making note of for its unique survival concept. Exactly how, and how well, this concept is executed is yet to be determined.

Killzone 3

Platform(s): PS3
Developer: Guerilla Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date: February 22, 2011

The Killzone series has an interesting history of hype leading up to its releases. The first title, released in 2004 on the PlayStation 2, was branded a “Halo-killer” prior to its release, but fell considerably short of expectations. At E3 2005, Sony showed a CG “gameplay target” trailer for Killzone 2 that sparked controversy for its seemingly impossible visual quality, although this time the title lived up to expectations when it launched in 2009 with amazing graphics backed up by solid gameplay. After garnering widespread critical acclaim and selling over 2.5 million copies, expectations are for Guerilla Games to again raise the bar in the crowded shooter market. The story in Killzone 3 picks up immediately after the events of the second game: with Emperor Visari dead, the planet Helghan has fallen into a state of civil unrest as rival political factions struggle to gain power, while remaining ISA forces are caught in the middle of the infighting and must find a way to survive and escape with limited remaining resources and no reinforcements. The gameplay remains relatively intact from the last game, although some notable tweaks and changes have been made. Player movement and aiming have been made somewhat less slippery and imprecise than in Killzone 2, the melee combat has been revamped for more cinematic and brutal kills, new weapons will be added (such as a rocket launcher that fires multiple rockets simultaneously), and the use of jetpacks will be available for the first time since the PSP title Killzone: Liberation. The developer appears to have responded to complaints that the static urban grey setting was overused in the last game, as Killzone 3 will take players to snowy frozen landscapes, nuclear wastelands, an alien jungle, and even into space. Guerilla is also claiming that Killzone 3 will realize the full potential of the PlayStation 3’s technical capabilities, so expect it to be amongst the best-looking titles of this generation. Additionally, the game will feature 3D support and several new multiplayer features. Fans of the gritty sci-fi war shooter series should find plenty of exciting new content in the third instalment, however there won’t be enough changes here to draw in those who weren’t impressed by past iterations. Either way, Killzone 3 will remain among the most anticipated games of 2011.

Pokemon Black/White

Platform(s): DS
Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: March 6, 2011

Pokemon has been the flagship franchise for handheld gaming for 15 years now, and that momentum will continue with Pokemon Black and White in 2011. More than 5 million people have already purchased the latest Pokemon in just four months since its release in Japan, with many more eagerly awaiting its North American and European release. Most of the staple elements of Pokemon games will remain intact for Black and White, but there will be several new gameplay features along with 156 brand new Pokemon. The most notable new features are the additions of Triple Battles and Rotation Battles. In Triple Battles, each team sends out three Pokemon who line up side-by-side and directly across from opposing Pokemon. The centre Pokemon can attack any of the three opposing crritters, but the ones on either side can only attack the Pokemon directly across from them, or the centre Pokemon. Rotation Battles will also see each team sending three Pokemon into battle, however the skirmish will be a one-on-one match with the ability to switch out the front Pokemon at any time with either of the other two without using up a turn. It is said that the Black version will feature more Rotation Battles, while the White version has more Triple Battles. Some other minor additions will be present as well, such as a Dream World that is linked to the Pokemon Global Link website to obtain unique Pokemon not available in regular gameplay. Some changes are being made to improve multiplayer matchmaking, and new mini-games have been added to for transferring Pokemon between older games and the new games. Graphics quality will be improved from past games, and Pokemon will be fully animated during battles as well. If you’re a fan of the long-standing and critically acclaimed series, you are likely to be oozing with anticipation with the prospect of dozens of new Pokemon and some exciting new features; if not, then there is unlikely to be anything here to change your mind about the franchise. Regardless of your relationship with the Pokemon brand, it is a safe bet that Black and White will sustain critical acclaim while racking up some ridiculous sales numbers this spring.

Shift 2 Unleashed

Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Developer: Slightly Mad Studios
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: March 29, 2011

Electronic Arts has already mastered the arcade racing experience with the Need for Speed series, as evidenced by the excellent Hot Pursuit released late in 2010. It’s been a bit tougher breaking into the simulation racing market dominated by the Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo franchises, but Shift was certainly a valiant effort in 2009. Developer Slightly Mad Studios will try to raise the bar this year with Shift 2 Unleashed, which will feature more cars than any NFS game to date (more than 130) and over 100 tracks. Although the game calls itself a racing sim, there are some obvious nods to its arcade racing roots. The terrifying sense of blinding speed is being amped up for the sequel with the addition of the helmet camera. This view gives a drivers-eye view of the action framed by the visor on the helmet. The “eyes” of the camera will shift according to the situation, such as leading into a hard turn or peaking at an opponent as you bump into one another while jostling for position. When speeds start bordering on the insane, the roar of the engine becomes magnified, colours drain from the screen, and the environments blur in order to get the player’s heart pumping and palms sweating as they teeter on the brink of destruction with a single erroneous move. Additionally, Shift 2 will have a new and improved physics engine along with more highly customizable control settings. The aim is to deliver the intensity of racing at incredible speeds while maintaining an impeccable sense of realism in the environments, the accuracy in the appearance and control of each vehicle, and the physics of an actual race. While the developer concedes that it has significantly fewer cars than the recently released Gran Turismo 5, it claims what it lacks in quantity it will make up for in quality, promising the most precise and realistic controls for each vehicle while weeding out the more “irrelevant” cars. If you’re tired of the genre’s obsession with having the most cars and the most realistic-looking cars while delivering a serviceable but somewhat stale racing experience, Shift 2 Unleashed should provide the perfect balance of realism while maintaining the intensity of driving at 200 MPH.

The Last Guardian

Platform(s): PS3
Developer: Team Ico
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date: Q4 2011

It is unfortunate that despite Team Ico’s reputation for delivering gaming masterpieces, relatively few have had the privilege of experiencing their work. Gamers will have the chance to redeem themselves three-fold this year, as Ico and Shadow of the Colossus will be receiving HD remakes on the PS3, followed by a the release of a third game in the franchise with The Last Guardian. The latter follows the adventure of a young yet-unnamed boy who encounters and befriends an enormous beast known as Trico, a sort of giant amalgamation of a bird and a cat. At the beginning, the relationship is relatively uneasy and unsubstantial, but as the game progresses, so too will the bond between the boy and Trico develop into one of mutual care and reliance. Players will control the boy, who can perform basic platforming actions such running, jumping, and climbing, as well as stealth techniques to sneak by enemies, and some low-powered attacks to stun foes, should the need arise. Trico will accompany the boy for most of the adventure though, helping him to solve puzzles, traverse otherwise impossible obstacles, and to defeat enemies. In return, the boy will need to care for the creature, feeding it and pulling spears and arrows from its body. The development team has put an immense amount of effort into ensuring that Trico looks, moves, and acts naturally according to its alleged animal instincts. The result is remarkably convincing, giving the creature immediate appeal to the player. Team Ico is known for having dramatic and emotional elements to its games, and it is expected that those elements will once again be strong in The Last Guardian, with the inevitable emotional bond that will grow between the boy and his companion. If The Last Guardian delivers an experience that can rival or perhaps exceed Team Ico’s amazing past efforts, it should be right at the top of gamers’ must-play lists for 2011.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Developer: Ubisoft Paris
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: TBA 2011

Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter really helped usher in the new generation of consoles back in 2006. Four years after the sequel (more of an update) was released, the Ghost Recon franchise is ready for an evolution. Future Soldier takes place more than a decade in the future (duh!), where an ultra-nationalist force has seized control of Russia and begins to invade neighbouring countries. The action will once again unfold primarily from a third-person perspective similar to the GRAW games, however the perspective will shift to first-person when aiming down the sights or aiming from behind cover. Speaking of which, cover is now partially destructible, forcing players to keep on the move rather than camping behind a cover spot. The developer at Ubisoft Paris is keying on the advanced weaponry and futuristic military technology at the disposal of the Ghosts as the focus for the new title. The feature that has been shown and discussed the most is the optical camouflage, which renders the wearer practically invisible, allowing for stealth tactics. Other equipment has been hinted at in preliminary teaser trailers, such as armed drones, soldier exoskeletons, shoulder-mounted rocket launchers, cross-com lenses that relay enemy information to the soldier in real-time, and “smart” ammunition technology. All of this may seem a bit sci-fi for a franchise that has historically prided itself on realism, but the developer has stated that all of the weapons and technology that appear in the game are actually currently being developed in the military. They do caution, however, that even in the game some of this technology is new and unproven, so it can only be used in very limited quantities, in particular the optical camouflage (so if you thought you could play the whole game with camouflage on, think again). The changes stemming from the futuristic technology may have some fans fearful that the tactical element of the Ghost Recon franchise has been ditched for more of an arcadey shooter (hello Rainbow Six), but with limited gameplay details or footage, it is difficult to judge at this point. If the game maintains its strategic roots, Future Soldier should provide a fresh take on the increasingly crowded modern/futuristic warfare genre.

True Crime: Hong Kong

Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Developer: United Front Games
Publisher: Activision
Release Date: Q2 2011

True Crime, one of the original Grand Theft Auto wannabes, is headed in a slightly different direction with Hong Kong this year. The basic premise remains the same: players will play as Wei Shen, an undercover cop in Hong Kong trying to infiltrate a notorious underground criminal organization called Sun On Yee. Shen must prove himself to the gang by completing various shady objectives for them while attempting to maintain his moral duty as a cop and still remaining undetected. Developer United Front Games is calling Hong Kong a reboot of the True Crime franchise, focusing on a more stylistic presentation and improved combat along with the traditional staples of the open-world action genre. Shen has a mastery of martial arts at his disposal for combat situations and can use environmental objects for devastating finishing moves. His athletic nature will make for some intense chase sequences where he can jump over obstacles, bob and swerve his way through crowded areas, and climb walls in pursuit of his objective. During driving segments, time will slow to a near standstill as Shen lines up the perfect shot to take down enemies. What this all amounts to is a more naturally stylish and cinematic take on the somewhat tired genre, set in the dense, colourful streets of Hong Kong. Ok, so it won’t exactly rewrite the blueprints for these open-world, crime-based experiences, but if nothing else it could provide a fun and somewhat more interesting departure from the standard GTA formula.

Read the rest of the 2011 Video Games Preview:
Part I
Part II
Part III

Written by: Mike Glubish

View the original article here