CB Games: Xbox 360, Wii And PS3 Groundbreakers For 2008

No. 2Eight Days:
PS3
Sony’s first-party blockbuster-hit-in-the-making starts with Eight Days. While gamers may pittle-pattle over the fun-factors of Lair or squabble over the clone-factors of Heavenly Sword *cough*female Kratos*cough*, there’s no denying that a game that implements cinematic events over the course of eight days is a cool concept. Criminal intentions loom over the back-story leading into the general premise of the game, and there’s no denying that the action sequences are top-notch. What’s more is that a lot (and I do mean a lot) of the gameplay is physics based. This should make for some interesting encounters, especially with the vehicles and explosions. Expect a graphical over-haul by the time this game hits retail shelves next year. (P.S. The two lead characters look an awful lot like Jason Patrick and Michael Clark Duncan.)

No. 3Crossfire:
Xbox 360, PS3
From the guys and gals who brought you Conflict Global Terror, comes a coop-heavy shooter that follows in the likes of nothing else you’ll play this year. Assuming the role of government agents, Crossfire will have players engaged in heavy combat while trying to complete objectives in enemy territory. The game has some well-to-do graphics and some noteworthy shooting sequences. Army of Two may have some catching up to do via comparison. Environments that can nearly be completely destroyed, customizable weapons and state-of-the-art dying poses will be a few of the biggest draws for this game. Whether or not it will fade into obscurity before it gets released, is a story for another article.

No. 4 Disaster: Day of Crisis:
Wii
I know, I know. This game is supposed to be penned for 2007...but something tells me that we could be in for less-than-shocking news that this game will be further delayed ‘till 2008. Hey, I’m allowed to take liberties like this when a game is so secretive. It’s either because the game is so great it’ll blow our minds, or it’s because the game is not quite on schedule and headed for a delay. Regardless, Disaster: Day of Crisis will have gamers racing from lava, dodging enemy fire and avoiding cataclysmic scenarios. Something tells me that there’s going to be a lot of mini-games in disguise (i.e., Resident Evil 4), as gamers race away from the mind-blowing hazards in Disaster: DoC. Heck, if there’s one game that’s looking to push the Wii to its very limits, this might be that game.

No. 5 Postal III:
Xbox 360
When I interviewed Vince Desi and Steve Wik, one thing was clear: This is not going to be on the PlayStation 3. When asked if Postal III would be appearing on Sony’s next-gen console, Vince aptly replied, “The bottom line is that MS actually supports PC gaming -- that's not what Sony does.” OUCH! Anyway, I’m hoping Vince and the gang brings back the option to urinate in the face of anyone on the street. But knowing that this is Postal, blasting the living crap out of everything just might turn into crapping on everything...literally. On the gaming side of things, Postal III will be using a new engine, house a whole new level of interactivity and feature “experimental” new weapons.

No. 6 TNA: iMPACT!:
Xbox 360, PS3, Wii
Every big business says they love competition, but we all know they lie when they say this. I’m sure THQ is about as antsy as any common wrestling fan now that Midway is stepping into the squared-circle. While Midway has been awfully tight-lipped about the project, a couple of wrestlers let loose that they were in the game before it was announced. But with NWA’s constant roster shifts and talent coming and going (or simply not staying) how will the official roster be handled in this game? Well, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the poster-boys for TNA will be in the game, including Samoa Joe, Jeff Jarrett, Amazing Red and AJ Styles. Visually the game looks stunning, and hopefully Midway can match the visual department with equally entertaining gameplay.

No. 7 Tom Clancy’s EndWar:
Xbox 360, PS3
This minimalist, voice-controlled RTS game changes the very foundation of real-time combat. Instead of having the birds-eye view of things – while building up resource centers and trying to desperately thwart defeat with an endless supply of troop spawning centers – Endwar takes things in a completely different direction. The view is condensed down to a group of troops; there’s also only seven units to control/deploy (i.e., soldiers, engineers, artillery, helicopters, tanks, transports and command vehicles). There’s gobs of customization options for troops and battalions, along with the devastating first-hand look at the combat that dispenses on-screen. Add in a global multiplayer component and you have what could be the best RTS game of all time.

No. 8 The Last Remnant:
Xbox 360, PS3
Square-Enix’s attempt at not being snobby SOBs just might pay-off with The Last Remnant. I also might be interested in actually playing their games again (I stopped once they started with their money-milkers on the PSOne.) But personal gripes aside, The Last Remnant will feature a somber, darker protagonist (thank goodness...I was tired of the fairy-boy leads) and will envelope gamers in a story that unfolds with Epic’s Unreal Engine 3 technology. Battles, though still turn-based, will be actively intense and feature some up-close-and-personal camera work. Added to this, the game doesn’t look half-bad either.

No. 9 Saboteur:
Xbox 360, PS3
Finally, a game that takes personal conflict to new heights. Saboteur puts players in the role of a French Irishman who happens to be a Bugatti racer, a part-time brawler and a full-time womanizer. The game takes place during World War II and the invasion of Paris. Unlike other large-scale games that put players in the position of leveling entire city blocks, Saboteur is all about Sean (the main character) getting revenge by joining up with the French Resistance to combat the Nazi invasion. But this game isn’t called Saboteur for no reason...Pandemic Studios is hard at work to ensure that the stealth and action is seamless, daunting and personal. How well this beautiful looking espionage game comes together is a whole other story. But I’m definitely stoked about this one.

No. 10 Battlefront 3:
Xbox 360, PS3, Wii(?)
This game was confirmed to be in development on several occasions in various interviews with LucasArts personnel. So it’s no big surprise that this game is on this list. Added to that, this is the dream game of 2008 (if it doesn’t make a surprise, late 2007 appearance). There hasn’t been another game I’ve looked forward to as much as this one. It’s not even because it’s Star Wars, but because of what the Battlefront series has established. Unlike EA’s money-milker Battlefield series, LucasArts’ Battlefront has a lot of heart and a lot of scope. Battlefront 2 was leaps and bounds better than its predecessor. But Battlefront 3 has an entirely new playground to work with, and the battles can now extend from the mere 32 player battlefield, to amazing 64+ player warzones. Also, flying vehicles and ground assaults happening in the same battle can now make a return thanks to the powerhouse capabilities of the Xbox 360 and PS3. But then again, this is assuming Free Radical plays their cards right. Still, the Xbox version of Battlefront 2 showcased amazing battle encounters for a console, but Battlefront 3 will have an even bigger take on the famed Star Wars battles. This just may be the game to beat for 2008.

(Note: There were a few other games that came close to making the '08 list, but didn't quite cut the custard, these titles included: Cipher Complex, Army of Two, the Reality Engine's Metronome for the Xbox 360 and Vision Studios Strike Force Red Cell.)