And so once again we come to another year, to hope and dream that good games will be released even though reality will invariably set in and ruin our desires. Time to hypothesise where this year will take us in video gaming. Of course, seeing how uninspired things have been on this front, I can't say I'm expecting anything spectacular:
1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 will receive rave reviews by people who haven't so much as played the game, although the game turns out to be average in reality. On a related note, Reggie Fils-Aime's quip that Galaxy 2 has less plot than the original proves to be darkly true: Rosalina barely has anything to say other than suggesting rescuing the Princess.
2. A proper trailer of what to expect from Project Needlemouse will be leaked to the public about 24 hours before Sega makes its official release; everyone hurriedly runs to stake out their traditional positions, with retro fans versus new-age fans and sanity versus IGN. Despite Sega throwing everything into this project (including quasi-Sonic X-Treme elements, Nack the Weasel, Metal Sonic, and a soundtrack to rival the MegaDrive halcyon days), the game is released to mixed reviews and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing sells more units anyway. Sega interprets this as a mandate to steer clear from going retro anymore.
3. After years of being alienated, the PS3 will finally make serious inroads into the console wars. The Wii will continue levelling off because the consumers are finding the limitations of that system and are no longer impressed with the motion sensory gimmick. Its saving grace will be the release of more content to the VC.
4. Major awards in video gaming will go to yet more relentlessly tiresome shooters with an obnoxious pretence to gritty realism. Fans, however, will be flocking to some hidden gem of a JRPG that crept onto the scene quietly and gained notoriety by word of mouth. Incidentally, no one will feel anything at all either when Sony and Microsoft declare sequels to their big ticket franchises at E3 or when Nintendo alludes to something big in the works.
5. Napoleon: Total War easily wins RTS of the year. The revenues from that game are used to accelerate Microsoft's plans to invade Finland.
6. DS-Wii Wi-Fi compatibility will finally be pioneered in 2010, but it will be exceptionally dodgy.
7. Maxis will release SimNation, a SimCity game that makes the player the president of a country. The most difficult scenario in Mission Mode is "The Big O Challenge": the player has to socialise healthcare whilst fighting two wars, manage automobile corporations, improve a recessed economy, overcome an impossibly frustrating Senate, and still have enough approval in four years to win re-election.
There are my predictions for 2010. Anyone holding out for a brighter vision of the year than I am?
Bayonetta will be awesome. This isn't a prediction.
Sega announces Shadow the Hedgehog 2. It gives people migraines with its awesome FPS action. But it is still the best Sonic game ever made.
Arkham Asylum 2 will be released and people will moan that it plays to similarly to the original.
Project Needlemouse will be Sonic Rush with old school style graphics. It will be only liked by people who liked Sonic Rush.
Mass Effect 2 will have a disappointing ending and an awesome credit theme.
Fable 3 will be exactly like a Steampunk Fable 2. But its ok, it will have Charlie Brooker in it.
Mortal Kombat 9 will be good.
New! Tomb Raider will be a bloody awesome departure for the series but people will still bemoan that Lara Croft still has big breasts.
Prince of Persia: The Movie: The Game will make me want a sequel to the cel shaded one from 2006.
Beyond Good and Evil 2 will be released but Jade will have a gun. I will cry.
Halo: Reach will have a good single player mode. With likeable characters.
Sega Sammy will announce that they are looking for someone to buy them. A mysterious corporation headed by Yu Suzuki calling themselves Judgement 6 will buy them. Sonic games are good again.
Activision announces Modern Warfare 3 where you will play as (GIANT TEXT BLOCKING SPOILERS) and you take on the world.
Nintendo shoots themselves in the foot with the eagerly anticipated sequel to Wii Music.
Namco announces Soul Calibur Vs Tekken. Also: Katamari Beyond. Its exactly the same as Beautiful Katamari and the new one on the PS3 but its Katamari so its ok.
Valve will announce L4D3. HL2Ep3 is still in production and Portal 2 wont happen. Rage consumes the earth creating the zombie apocalypse Valve was training us for.
3D Gaming finally takes form.
Sony begins taking the Console Wars over like last generation.
Proj. Needlemouse is actually a great game. Reminiscent of old.
No More Heroes Desperate Struggle gains critical praise and NMH: Heroes Paradise for 360 and PS3 sell exceptionally well and Suda 51 becomes the new Shigeru Miyamoto.
King of Fighters XIII is a fantastic game making people forget about the beta that was KoFXII.
A new Guilty Gear comes out and Arc System plans a crossover with GG and Blazblue.
Zone of the Enders 3 is given a release date of 2015.
I experience the best year in gaming ever. 
Pandora will finally see release and kick all kinds of ass, but will remain largely unknown.
Capcom (finally) announces Rockman DASH! 3. For the DSi. With stylus controls. On a positive note, Matrix Software will be lending their expertise to the game's development.
Compile pulls a Sunsoft and rises from its ashes, establishing itself as a software developer once again. First order of business? Guardian Legend remake for PSN, XBL and WiiWare. A sequel is said to be in the works but a system has yet to be announced. Rumors abound of an epic 3D entry for the franchise that combines on-rails, behind-the-ship shooting segments representing "stages" or "dungeons" and an overworld exploratory "hub" that manages to give Zelda a run for its money in complexity and optional quests to do.
Wait, only for the DSi? I was hoping for a console release as well (Everybody is going to hate me for saying PS3, but is one of my favorite gems of that system).
Speaking of which.
In Sega's current trend of having their characters compete in "All-Star" titles. Sammy finally announces a Sega All-Star fighting game featuring a full roster of famed SEGA (And Sammy) characters from Arc Works.
CAPCOM Japan will release a Rockman DASH dating sim for the PS3 & X-BOX 360. The X-BOX 360 version will be hailed for having better graphics and exciting Achievements, but the PS3 will sell more copies (as usual).
CAPCOM will also announce a new Final Fight game that wont suck. The gaming industries finger are crossed...
As well in 2010: The Sonic HQ Message Boards will have a function that will give posters the option to erase their own posts to counter the accidental double post as seen here. Only to have their dreams crushed with the announcement of the critically panned sequel to "Rico & Toby's Seven Rings Unsealed" Video Game for the Nintendo Wii.
CAPCOM (relishing in the success of Rockman Dash 3 and the Rockman Dash- Another Sun (Dating Sim game) announces that they have partnered up with Sammy to bring "CAPCOM vs Sammy" at the end of 2010 with (not-so) secret character, Sonic the Hedgehog...
DUKE NUKEM FOREVER, EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE SEGA LINDBURG
Mother 3 and Earthbound get released/rereleased in the US
Rock Band: The 30s, with all new saxaphone attachment and keyboard compatability
DUKE NUKEM FOREVER, EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE SEGA LINDBURG
XDXD! No, you didn't.
A new Jumping Flash game gets released. Is hailed by those who play it as the greatest 3D platformer ever. Unfortuantely, this is about 2 people (including me).
Square-Enix (finally) announce a Final Fantasy VII remake.
Ubisoft bring us about 31 new Imagine titles.
Serious Sam 3 is released, and like the games before it, are amazing, funny and play so incredibly well. It is overshadowed and outsold by "Bloomy McBrown Shooter 2: The Reckoning".
I get my PSO section ID (Purplenum) tattooed on my body somewhere.
Very few (if any) games will make effective use of Natal. Everything else will feel like a Wii gimmick.
The Last Guardian will be the greatest game to ever be released. Nothing past, present or future will ever approach it. Unless Team Ico do a new game of course.
WoW Cataclysm will bring in heaps of new players with new features and more accessable gameplay, while the older hardcore players whinge and moan about how casual the game has become and how crap it is, while still forking over their $20 a month.
Finally, Sega actually get off their butts and do something with all of the amazing IPs they have that have been doing nothing new with for years. This includes but is not limited to:
- Shenmue
- Panzer Dragoon
- Jet Set Radio
- Shining Force
- Wonderboy
- Alex Kidd
- And most importantly...
Doot do doot do doot do doot do doot dooooooooooooooooooooooooo...
DAAAAAAAYTOOOOOOONAAAA!!
- And most importantly...
Doot do doot do doot do doot do doot dooooooooooooooooooooooooo...
DAAAAAAAYTOOOOOOONAAAA!!
You're damn right it's not limited to those Gyser, because you so didn't put in Virtual On. How could you...I thought we were on the same page man. ='( And wow...sweet link Psx. Thanks!
