Most Anticipated: Late '08

One of the easiest posts to make (and best ways to get to know where I'm coming from) is a list of games I want to play. So here are the games I'm looking most forward to playing before the end of the year.











Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

After playing the demo for only two minutes, I had to call a friend to gush about the experience of moving a TIE Fighter and throwing it across a hangar. I enjoyed the Jedi Knights games and like the SW universe when it's done right. All signs point to this being a solid play.













Silent Hill: Homecoming

This may not be the best survival horror games this fall (see directly below), but when it hits at the end of the week, fans of the series will be screaming to see the unsettling atmosphere and Yamaoka's score in hi-def. It will be interesting to see how the new American developer handles this edition, which appears to be a sequel of Silent Hill 2, the best game EVAR!











Dead Space

Zero gravity. Strategic dismemberment. Minimalist HUD. EA is pushing survival horror in some interesting directions. The story is compelling and relevant and the buzz is all good. It's almost enough to make me forget that RE5 is delayed to spring '09.













Mirror's Edge

As part of the big turn-around EA has made, Mirror's Edge looks to be one of the most original first-person games since Half-Life. The trailers have been impressive, leading some people to believe that the game may be too challenging or too easy. The initial reactions seem to be that it's somewhere in between. Personally, I can't wait to play what seems like the closest we'll ever get to a Snow Crash game. Remember: red means go.

Buzz! Quiz TV

This may just be a hi-def, wireless, and online update of a niche franchise, but as a fan of trivia games and social living room experiences, this is right up my alley. I've already got one challenger, a Brit who is already enjoying the European version. Americans have to wait till September 23.












Fat Princess

This PSN title blends cutesy, Wind Waker-esque graphics and characters with extreme violence and an outrageous gameplay dynamic. This Team Fortress-style game asks players to feed cake to the "flag," a princess in this case. Bonus mini-game: try to find a screenshot of this title using Google image search.












Fallout 3

Now in the hands of Bethesda (Oblivion), the newest entry in the cult-classic sci-fi series promises originality and depth. I'm already a little tired of the slow-mo videos of exploding enemies, but I'm hoping the game will have much more to deliver.