The Hype Brigade: A

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Alan Wake (Xbox 360) - ETA: Spring 2010
If being told that a game is to be released made by the creators of Max Payne, taking inspiration from Twin Peaks and Stephen King doesn’t get your juices flowing then you obviously haven’t had much interaction with any of the material.
The first 2 Max Payne games were some of the best of the last generation. Great to play and, at points, deeply moving. They were games that were worth playing from start to finish.
This is what Alan Wake looks like it will provide.
Entertainment and an engrossing story that will not make you want to put it down.

Taking influence from GTA and then throwing in elements of Silent Hill and Resident Evil the game looks like it will be a chilling experience and may be yet another splendid instalment in the slowly returning survival horror genre. A genre that made people hide behind their sofas whilst playing that, in recent years, has taken a backseat for the more gunho action brought in by Resident Evil 4.

You control Alan Wake. A best selling author with writers block, who is taken to the beautiful town of Bright Falls by his wife. She mysteriously vanishes and all sort of chaos ensues which results in Alan’s own creation coming true. A book he doesn’t remember writing.

The game shows strong promise and Remedy are a company that do not rush games but I have a slight worry from some videos of the game I’ve seen, that it will end up like Alone in the Dark.
A game that had a lot of passion, and you had to applaud what it attempted, that unfortunately fell short. Quite embarrassingly.

Alan Wake has already been pushed back and I hope if it isn’t ready come Spring it gets pushed back again. Psychological horror games are a thing of beauty but the good ones are few and far between.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE9n1DYNNH0


Aliens vs. Predator and Colonial Marines (Multi) - ETA: 2010
I have grouped these for a reason. I’m aware they’re different games and hold their own reasons to be hyped but at the end of the day THEY’RE ALIEN GAMES!
Alien(s) is a brilliant film series but unfortunately it was only really the Aliens vs. Predator games that gave it any kind of credibility in the games world.

Fortunately it seems that could change with Colonial Marines looking fantastic thus far.
Combining the likes of team based shooter games such as Rainbow Six with the world of Aliens means the experience could be a tense and invigorating one. With the story being written by writers behind Battlestar Galactica the narrative should be decent and the prospect of being able to play through the game online with 3 others and on your console with a friend in 2 player co-op.
Throw in the possibility of competitive online play then it seems to be a great little package that shall provide a fan service to the genre (many locations from the previous films are revisited, with the story itself taking place post Aliens 3.)
What is even more interesting is the fact that each of the 4 marines have different traits and weapons, meaning there will be many possibilities of how to play through it and I can see many developing different tactics. It seems like it could be a more sophisticated Left 4 Dead.

Aliens vs. Predator is being made by the team behind the 1999 PC game and will contain one campaign for each faction (Marine/Alien/Predator). The story is said to all combine together into one, although there will be different elements of plot and what not for each campaign, giving you a broader view of the game world.
The game shall be a first person shooter but each type shall play differently. Whereas the Predator and Alien campaigns will have an emphasis on stealth they will both play differently, with the Predator able to attack from afar and the Alien needing to get in close.
The Marine shall behave like a normal FPS game. What is interesting is the fact that cut scenes shall not occur in any other form rather than through the perspective of your player, much like what is seen in the Half Life games.

Both games are looking like they could be great and with news that Ridley Scott could be directing a 5th Alien movie, 2010 could very well be the year of the Alien.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC8RM1udgiY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Gov-e-9Pc


Assassin’s Creed II (Multi) - ETA: November 2009
If there was one game that screamed potential but didn’t hit it this generation then Assassin’s Creed is high up on the list. A stunning looking game that was fun to play but didn’t hit the hype.

Well it seems the second game in the main series shall address the issues from the first game and may actually live up to the hype this time. It looks stunning, it seems to play better than the first and it just seems all the problems there were have been sorted, or at least made slightly less irritating.
The main thing to be checked off the list is the fact you can actually go into water this time, a problem that was in the first of the 3D Grand Theft Auto games. The lack of being able to swim in free roaming worlds is always irritating.

Set in 13th century Italy the game will be a nice contrast to the vast areas of nothingness that were in the original. You are not Altair this time but Ezio, a descendant of Altair and a ancestor of Desmond from the first game.
Still, actions speak louder than words and if you enjoyed the first game or had the view that it was “alright but could be improved” then you will love this. To help you make up your mind I recommend viewing the gameplay video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS-t9rJU5-M


Worth a Quick Mention:

The Agency (PS3, PC) - ETA: 2010
It looks interesting but I don‘t know if it looks interesting enough. I am hoping I’m wrong and I’ll be pleasantly be surprised by it but I think it will be best to wait for more information.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jI-0tuzfsQ


Agent (PS3) - ETA: TBA
There’s very little known about this game other than it takes place during the Cold War and is an action game about espionage. Still, being made by Rockstar North, the company behind a little known game series called Grand Theft Auto, means that it is one to be watched.



Tune in again later for the letter B. Remember kids, B is for many things, including Batman.

A shot from the upcoming game.

A shot from the upcoming game

Character model from the upcoming game.