The 50 Hottest Things in Gaming in 2009

Here's the ultimate list of things to look forward to in your 2009 gaming calendar. This massive preview of the year includes E3 2009, The Reinvention of Atari, the Return of Itagaki, Uncharted 2, Halo 3: ODST, Half-Life Episode Three, Modern Warfare 2, Bioshock 2, Rare and loads more.

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Dragon Quest IX: Protectors of the Sky
March 28, 2009 (Japan) (DS)

The eighth Dragon Quest is my favourite PS2 role-playing game, despite its recycling - nay, rejoicing in - some of the genre's most hated attributes: random invisible enemies, rigidly turn-based combat, dreary town-quest-boss story flow. The wholesome, primary colour charm that oozes from the very grass under your character's feet probably has a lot to do with it, as do the gleeful English vocals and philharmonic score. With its real-time combat and pint-sized "chibi" models, the DS sequel bears a closer resemblance to Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates than its older sister, but there's the same swashbuckling spirit of adventure. This is what role-playing should be all about, not morbid adolescent melodrama. -EET

What's Next from Rare
Such a Feeling

This entry is pretty much an excuse for us to mention once again that we really want to see Killer Instinct 3. Rare co-founders Chris and Tim Stamper once explained to us that "the two properties that go back to Nintendo are Donkey Kong and Star Fox - the rest of the IP actually comes back to Rare", so it's technically do-able for starters. We asked Microsoft Game Studios boss Shane Kim about KI in 2008, and his reply was that we're "not the first person that has said that", so Microsoft knows there's demand. Every time the suggestion of Killer Instinct has come up (in screenshots of Rare's other titles for example), there has been notable reporter and forum response. It's not fair to keep teasing like this, guys! (There was another 'hint' in a Christmas card image, above).

Killer Instinct was a fantastic title in terms of bold and sexy character design, and the production values in respect of graphics and soundtrack were light years ahead of other fighters, at a time when only the crude, untextured polygons of the original Virtua Fighter could claim the budding, "proper 3D" fighting genre. We think Rare could put out a really successful, modern Killer Instinct title, and we also know that both Mark Betteridge (Rare veteran) and Ken Lobb (MGS) are supporters of the IP. It would also be a useful platform-exclusive beat-'em-up. But at the same time, we can't ignore the fact that even the best fighters do not sell in quantities like they used to (a subject we've discussed with both SEGA AM2 and Namco Bandai, if you want further reading). Rare denied working on KI3 in June 2007, but it could have kicked off development any time since then. Fresh from developing the highly regarded Avatars concept on Xbox Live, as well as Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, Rare is still a strong studio, but if it doesn't start to tuck into more of its rich IP - and it's now SIX YEARS since it became part of Microsoft for $375m - one has to question the point of it all. Whether it's a new Killer Instinct or something completely different, we'll be keeping a close eye on Rare. -AD

Just Cause 2
2009 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Just Cause was an unexpected treat. Much like THQ's Saints Row 2, Avalanche Studios' open-world shooter is flimsy in concept, hit-and-miss in execution and bloated with bugs, but its tropical island playground is so feature-rich, and the ballistics so unapologetically silly, that we struggled to dislike it. The sequel takes place in the Malay Archipelago, and sports brighter enemy AI, vehicle handling dependent on surface, scaling difficulty and a new, partly automatic lock-on system. While Just Cause 2 runs on the same (albeit much-updated) Avalanche engine which powered the original, there's no longer the spectre of a PS2 release to drag down the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. -EET

Resident Evil 5
5th March, 2009 (Japan), 13th March (North America and Europe) (PS3, Xbox 360)

It's hard to think of a title that has had a greater bearing on action gaming in the past few years, nor of a more spectacular franchise reinvention, than Capcom's Resident Evil 4. On the strength of that demo, the PS3 and Xbox 360 sequel won't shake the genre's foundations the way its Gamecube predecessor did - what third-person shooter doesn't sport an over-the-shoulder cam these days? - but the prospect of online co-op is enticing. The not-really-zombie villagers are even more inhumanly persistent and adaptable this time round, too. Rumour has it that two iconic Resident Evil cast-members are making a return, oh yes, and you can get eaten by crocodiles too. Sold. -EET

Dissidia Final Fantasy
Out in Japan/other regions TBC (PSP)

A role-playing series as long, variable and tortuously overwritten as Final Fantasy has its fair share of triumphs (Squall) and tragedies (Tidus). In a masterstroke of fan service, Square Enix has given us the opportunity to beat seven shades of sherbet out of the latter using the former: Dissidia Final Fantasy's twenty two playable characters have been culled from Fantasies I to XII. But that's not the only reason you'll want to invest. The game sports a purported 100 hours of easy-to-learn, hard-to-master fighting mechanics, with wireless multiplayer for dessert. There's no confirmed European or North American release date yet, but we're hoping this franchise implosion will be lighting up our PSPs in the New Year. -EET

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