Hey! Don’t Forget About Us!

As we head into the second half of 2009 and look ahead towards the fall and winter season, it’s hard not to take notice of all of the standout big name games that are waiting for us. Assassin’s Creed 2, Halo ODST, MAG, Uncharted 2, Guitar Hero 5, God of War 3, Splinter Cell Conviction, Mario Galaxy 2, and so on. All of these games are sure to grab our attention when they’re released later this year and early next year, but what about the little guy? What about the game that doesn’t have the marketing money to get its name heard? What about the one that’s overshadowed by the bigger game of the same genre?

We think that these games deserve a voice too, so here are five games coming out in 2009/early 2010 that we don’t want people to forget about once all of the big name titles start coming out.

5. Split/Second

Why It Might Be Forgotten:

For one, it’s a new IP in the fairly forgettable genre of arcade-style racers where the only game franchise that most gamers really care about is Burnout. Secondly, right now most car racing enthusiasts have their attention set solely on the latest in the Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo series, both of which admittedly look downright amazing. Even ignoring the big hitters like Forza and Gran Turismo though, there are also Dirt 2 and Need for Speed: Shift, two sequels to already established and popular racing franchises.

Why You Should Remember It:

While it may be an unfamiliar game name, it is not being made by an unfamiliar developer. Split/Second is being developed by Black Rock Studio, the same developers who were behind one of the best racing games of last year, Pure. Not to mention that the main gameplay mechanic of Split/Second is a very cool one. As you race you build up a meter that lets you press a button to blow up some part of the track at will. By timing your usage of these “Powerplays” as they’re called in the game, you can actually cause a tower to fall on one of the rival cars, or break a bridge to cut off the route that you just went across, or simply to create a shortcut for yourself. I managed to play a bit of the game myself at E3 this year and I can attest first hand that the game is extremely intense with the environment constantly changing and you having to always be on the lookout for falling debris and sudden gaps appearing in the ground. In my eyes, Split/Second is the first legitimate challenger to Burnout’s crown of the arcade racing genre.

4. Bayonetta

Why It Might Be Forgotten:

The action adventure genre is absolutely stacked with some really heavy hitters this year (God of War 3, Uncharted 2, Assassin’s Creed 2, Dante’s Inferno, Brutal Legend, etc.), which makes it tough for a game even as impressive looking as Bayonetta to stand out. Also, going by the track history of Platinum Games, which is made up of the key members of Clover Studios, they seem to have a knack for developing fantastic games that get great reviews and acclaim, but for whatever reason never seem to sell very well (See Okami, God Hand, and Madworld.)

Why You Should Remember It:

Bayonetta is being headed up by Hideki Kamiya, the same mastermind behind Okami, Viewtiful Joe, and of course, Devil May Cry. Like Devil May Cry, Bayonetta is all about taking down enemies in the most stylish of ways, and boy does it deliver in that aspect. Bayonetta herself is one of the most powerful heroines ever to grace a video game and can come at enemies with pistols in her hands, pistols strapped to her ankles, swords, whips, magic attacks, and a shapeshifting mass of hair that leads to some of the coolest attacks and finishing moves that I’ve ever seen. Pulling off crazy looking combos is easy and intuitive, the combat is fast paced and immensely satisfying, the animations and overall visual look of the game is spectacular, and if the track record is any indication, the game is sure to provide gamers with one hell of a fun challenge at the harder difficulties.

3. Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Why It Might Be Forgotten:

With Scribblenauts sweeping nearly every single “Best of E3” category for the DS on nearly every gaming news outlet and being the talk of the show, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box barely got any media exposure at E3 this year. Despite being one of the biggest selling DS games of last year, most people that I’ve talked to who are actually fans of the original weren’t even aware that a sequel to Professor Layton exists, let alone that it’s set to be released in just a month’s time.

Why You Should Remember It:

The original Professor Layton was a charming, challenging, and rewarding game that is quite simply the perfect handheld game for when you’re on the go. Speaking personally, the original was my favorite DS game of 2008 and one of my favorite portable games of all time. The sequel doesn’t promise much more than more puzzles and a continuation of the surprisingly engaging story found in the original, but with a game like Professor Layton, that’s all one can really hope and ask for.

2. Batman: Arkham Asylum

Why It Might Be Forgotten:

Let’s face it; about 85% of superhero games tend to suck and this is especially true for Batman games. Arkham Asylum’s case also isn’t helped by the fact that it’s being published by the frequently disappointing Eidos Interactive, and developed by the relatively unproven Rocksteady Studios. To add on top of all of that, it too is in the action/adventure genre, which as mentioned before, is very overcrowded with many high profile games.

Why You Should Remember It:

Because this one is different. Forget everything you know about prior Batman games and superhero games in general because Arkham Asylum is the real deal. The game succeeds in the most important aspect of a Batman game: Making you feel like the Dark Knight himself. As Batman, you can play on your enemies’ fears by swooping in with your Bat Grapple, taking out an enemy with a gliding kick, then quickly zipping out of sight and watching as the rest of the guards start to get scared and jittery. It’s fun, it’s satisfying, and most importantly, it feels like Batman. Hand to hand combat feels great as well, with its focus on timing counter attacks and attacking enemies in order of the threat they pose as opposed to just button mashing your way through fights.

1. Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Why It Might Be Forgotten:

Take a Japanese title, an anime art style, and 2D beat-em-up gameplay, and you basically have the recipe for a niche title that likely won’t garner anything higher than cult status. While Muramasa did win a couple of “Best of E3” awards for the Wii, buzz about the game is still relatively low compared to the Wii bombshells like Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M, and New Super Mario Brothers Wii. New non-Nintendo IPs that are aimed towards the core gaming audience on the Wii tend to not sell very well, so one can only hope that Muramasa manages to change the trend.

Why You Should Remember It:

Muramasa: The Demon Blade is being made by the people over at Vanilla Ware, the very same developers who made the brilliant and beautiful Odin Sphere for the PS2, which also happens to be one of my favorite PS2 games of all time. In terms of the look and gameplay of Muramasa, you can basically call it the spiritual successor to Odin Sphere. Characters and backgrounds are beautifully hand drawn with a very distinct style and the animations are some of the most fluid you’ll ever see in a 2D video game. Combat is extremely fast paced with both your character and the enemies frequently teleporting and dashing all around the environments and knocking each other up and down in dizzying aerial combos. With two campaigns featuring two completely unique characters and storylines along with unlockable difficulty levels, Muramasa is one game that Wii owners should keep in their sights when it’s released this September.

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