The reign of the Xbox is almost over. As of late, the PS3 has been looking better and better. It looks like 2008 will be the year of the PlayStation. PlayStation 3 has many big-name titles coming out this year, and if all the games from the list are all actually released this year, all we can say is WOW. Note: The following list in no way represents the entire list of exclusive titles for each console. However, it gives us a pretty good idea of the games rumored to be released this year.Reality Crazy
PS3:
Resistance 2 (PS3)
Guaranteed success. While the first was a great game and fairly big success, it was still just a launch title. Imagine what they can do after a couple of years and games under their belt. 8 player Co-Op! Expect big things from this game.
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (PS3)
Another guaranteed success. Anyone who plays Gran Turismo will grab this game. If you’re a fan, you’re a fan. The visuals continue to improve, HD replays, ’nuff said!
Haze (PS3)
Hopefully, the game will finally end its long series of delays this year. This game promises some intense action, including 4-player co-op, drop-in, drop-out, split-screen, online, or local multiplayer options. The game continues to impress visually, with not only the quality of graphics but the very cool, unique design elements.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)
Who doesn’t know about this game? The game is still months away and is already epic. If any game could live up to the hype this game has garnered, leave it to Solid Snake, old or young. Like most of the games on this list, the visuals are amazing. The game looks to pack in an enormous amount of story and gameplay. The game features a immense arsenal of weapons and combat/stealth moves. If you own a PS3, you are almost required to buy this. You know you will.
SOCOM: Confrontation (PS3)
Still, early on this title, few details have been released. The game will support up to 32 players online—customizable weapons much like SOCOM 3. Also, like the previous SOCOM games, the focus will be online multiplayer. Early word says this one will go the way of Warhawk, offering online-only possibly with a Bluetooth headset and all. After all, the original SOCOM kind of pioneered headset use on consoles.
LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
Possibly one of the most innovative, cute, and anticipated games of the year. Little Big Planet looks to expand the PS3 audience with this “build-your-own-game” game. Eat your heart out, Nintendo Miis; this game looks great. The sheer level of creativity allowed is staggering. The game also supports 4-player co-op and versus. Plus, it’s kid-friendly without being offensively cute.
God of War III (PS3)
The PS2 went out with a bang (though it’s still hanging in there) with the original God of War, and most recently, it’s a sequel, still on the aging console. People have been waiting for a true “next-gen” God of War experience, and it looks as though 2008 is gonna be your year, possibly. Not much is known as of yet. However, the game’s creator, David Jaffe, is no longer working on the series, so we’ll just have to wait and see how everything turns out.
Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) – Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3)
You’re either a fan, or you’re not, though; you’ve got to recognize the scale of the Final Fantasy franchise. The games continue to set graphical standards with every release. The next, XIII, looks to make good on their reputation. They are again improving every visual and storytelling aspect of the game, but they are also overhauling the combat. The combat in Final Fantasy XIII promises the speed up and intensifies the battles.
Another sequel to a previous PS3 exclusive, MotorStorm 2, hasn’t revealed much, but from the trailer, we can expect yet another pre-rendered bar set too high for them to reach with in-game graphics. Don’t get me wrong, the original looked great, but the video they showed a year earlier looked 10-times better. This was the prettiest of all the racers for a while, but we’ll see how the sequel compares to the likes of Gran Turismo 5 HD later this year. Some of the improvements include new cars/trucks/motorcycles, tracks, and best of all, a much needed 4-player split-screen mode. The game’s also said to include 16-player online support.
Killzone 2 (PS3)
So, video and screenshots have shown just how good the game really looks in action. But what about gameplay? The original was not exactly praised by critics, though I quite enjoyed it (minus a large number of glitches). It definitely wasn’t the “Halo Killer” it was touted as. The sequel will have to really prove itself in such a crowded shooter market. Guerrilla Games has yet to reveal any real details on gameplay, i.e., co-op, multiplayer, customization? The game sure does look good, though. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
XBOX 360:
Ninja Gaiden II (360)
Finally, on to the Xbox 360; I thought we’d never get here. The first official, true sequel, Ninja Gaiden II, promises to up everything that made the original so popular. More action, more bad guys, more blood (almost too much), and more speed. The game’s creators have also addressed some (many) difficulty issues with the other games. They’ve said that without dumbing it down, they will be changing the controls to improve and lessen the frustration to newcomers. They’re also adding new weapons to the game and a ton of new character animations to keep the visuals fresh.
