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19 January 2009

Preview of 2009's PC shooters

2008 will take some beating, but if enough developers can sneak their games out before Christmas, it's possible. Not that I want them to of course, I'd prefer the release dates of big titles spread evenly rather than them all being pumped out in the space of three hours, please. Here are the games I'm looking forward to playing this year, although several of them will probably be delayed until 2010.

Alan Wake
This heavily delayed 'psychological action thriller' from Remedy (the team behind Max Payne) promises a massive free-roam world and a true cinematic experience. It could raise the bar if the Finnish developer pulls off both.

Aliens: Colonial Marines
Details are scarce on this squad-based shooter but innovative gameplay ideas have stirred up interest.

Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams
2K recently said that Bioshock could get several sequels, so there is a worry this could be rushed out. Surely a franchise with this much potential will retain it's brilliance and not become a shallow cash cow.

Borderlands
Intriguing alien-blaster with RPG elements being developed by Gearbox. The main thrust of the game's promotion is the random weapon generator, with 600,000 possible variations!

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
The criminally under-rated original probably suffered from a lack of hype and it's apparently poor film cousin. It came out of nowhere and turned out to be excellent. This time we're ready.

Deus Ex 3
The game I'm looking forward to most of all. After the second in the series took a battering from critics, hopes are high that this can come closer to doing the original justice.

Fear 2: Project Origin
Reviews are already rolling in for this one, and while it doesn't seem to setting the world on fire I have no doubts it will be a solid, exciting shooter.

Mafia II
Probably the second most exciting sequel due out this year. I loved almost everything about the gangster film-inspired original so this could be easily be my game of the year.

Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising
A shiny update to the brutally difficult and realistic original is a dream come true for gun nuts.

Prototype
This sandbox action game will give the player superhuman abilities with which to run riot in New York and regain his wiped memory by consuming the bodies of those he kills.

Splinter Cell: Conviction
Another installment of this consistently great Tom Clancy series is always more than welcome. The first four managed to deliver the goods, this will too.

Wolfenstein
Reaction to details on this WWII shooter has been lukewarm at best. The inclusion of aliens came as a nasty surprise to many, but I am quietly confident iD will get it right.

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