Nerds across the world have battled sleepless nights, painful carpal tunnel and endless hordes of enemies already this a year. But the Oscar season of video games is only beginning.
While 2008 has already produced some of the highest ratings in history, next-generation gaming will experience a surge of triple-A titles, new franchises and hyped-up sequels starting this week.
Kicking off the end-of-the-year push is the release of the PlayStation 3-exclusive SOCOM: Confrontation, multi-platform Saints Row 2 and the survival horror game Dead Space. The latter has already garnered a wealth of positive reviews and is a franchise pioneer that has critics buzzing about a sequel.
SOCOM, the latest in the popular Sony online shooter franchise, shows a lot of promise with wonderful visuals and strategic game play. But it will need to exceed expectations in order to draw shooter fans from other hits.
Saints Row 2 is already being compared to Grand Theft Auto IV, but from the perceptions of early reviews, the game is a more fun but less polished version of its free-roaming competition.
The week of Oct. 21 will see the launch of two long awaited sequels and the sparking of a new Sony platformer.
Sequels hitting shelves are the role-playing game Fable 2, exclusively for the Xbox 360, and the multi-platform first person shooter, Far Cry 2. Both games are improving upon critically acclaimed previous installments and hinting at nothing short of superb products.
The other big hitter being released that week is the PS3-exclusive Little Big Planet. Developer Media Molecule has impressed gamers and critics alike with this quirky platformer that includes endless possibilities through user created content.
Early reviews of Little Big Planet are very high and prove that this new game is going to have staying power.
If gamers' hands have yet to cramp up and their pockets still have change, the week of Oct. 26 might be the final blow.
Being released during Halloween week are Guitar Hero World Tour and Fallout 3. With Guitar Hero being a household name these days, Neversoft Entertainment has upped the ante by bringing the franchise in the Rock Band direction with new drum and microphone peripherals.
The music simulation game will have its competition with Rock Band 2, already on shelves, but many critics are expecting World Tour to be the top dog by the end of the year.
Fallout 3 is the multi-platform third installment in the famed PC franchise with new developer Bethesda Softworks at the wheel. Nothing more needs to be said about this post apocalyptic role-playing game as all previews point to an incredible game.
As for Bethesda, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the 2006 game of the year, was their last released title and Fallout 3 looks like much of the same thing. Critics are not counting out the possibility of the developers bringing home another big award in 2008.
The first week of November will bring an early clash of three big name titles. Up for release are the multi-platform Quantum of Solace, Xbox 360-exclusive third-person shooter Gears of War 2 and the PS3-exclusive first person shooter Resistance 2.
Quantum of Solace, based off of the new James Bond movie, was made by ex-Call of Duty 4 developers, Treyarch, and has some gamers already wheezing at the fact this could be the next Goldeneye.
Gears of War 2 is the sequel to the massively popular and critically acclaimed 2006 hit, Gears of War. The newest installment promises a wealth of new enemies, weapons, locations and a tweaked multiplayer that has potential of being No. 1 on Xbox Live by year's end.
Resistance 2 is going to be Sony's answer to Microsoft's Halo 3 and Gears of War 2. The exclusive title is the sequel to the 2006 PS3 launch title Resistance: Fall of Man and boasts improved graphics and explosive single and multiplayer.
If gamers still have any money left over, they can pick up a few more eye-catching multi-platform titles before the end of the year including Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Tom Clancy's EndWar, Call of Duty: World at War and Prince of Persia.
As for Nintendo Wii owners, this holiday season lacks blockbuster titles and many might turn their sights towards other systems as prices continually drop.
A few Nintendo titles that could possibly make the scene are World of Goo, Animal Crossing: City Folk and Wii Music. However, gamers who want an endless amount of great games in the next few months will want to sidle on over to Xbox and PS3.
With so many hit titles being released in the next few months, 2008 is going to go out in destructive and explosive style. It's a good time to be a gamer, if one can afford it.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
