The months after Christmas are the doldrums of the PC game industry, but we're just about to emerge in the light. Three things I'm looking forward to:
Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots
Expansion pack for the most satisfying RTS I've ever played, Rise of Nations. I'm not sure this is going to add a lot to the original game but I'm hoping it facilitates a second wind for RoN.
Hitman: Contracts
Sequel to the fantastic Hitman 2, the stealth FPS. Hitman 2 was just the right mix of silly and intense with a gameplay that could be easy if you wanted or hard if you were careful. Hitman: Contracts looks to be a bit more serious and dark, but I think it will work out OK.
Thief: Deadly Shadows
Sequel to the groundbreaking Thief: the Dark Project, the game that invented the stealth FPS. Thief is the nexus of a lot of game development talent: the original was made by the late-lamented Looking Glass Studios who also developed System Shock 2 and whose alumni have gone off to do great things. Thief 3 is Ion Storm and Warren Spector's chance to recover from the disappointing Deus Ex: Invisible War.
The Sims 2
Sequel to the genre-busting Sims. I haven't heard much buzz about this game. But just adding modern graphics to the Sims formula will make for a pretty entertaining product.
All of these games are sequels! So are the other two highly anticipated games coming out - Half Life 2 and Doom 3. I wonder what the next really original game will be? Maybe Peter Molyneux' The Movies?
culturegames
  2004-03-14 01:53 Z