It's probably no surprise that more than half of the big games this year are sequels. Being a sequel to a hit game pretty much guarantees good hype, after all. Interestingly, though, slightly less than half of this year's hot titles are nostalgia games (OK. maybe MJ isn't nostalgia for everyone, but he did make it big back in the 80s). And is it me, or are there fewer big games this year compared to last year? My Hot Holiday Games of 2009 had nine games one it . . .
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
The God of War franchise has been a huge hit on both the PSP and the PS3, and it's no wonder. All the games have featured great graphics, fantastic gameplay and even hit music. The first GoW game for the PSP, God of War: Chains of Olympus, was a huge hit and Ghost of Sparta shows signs of being even bigger. Not only does it look like a great game, but if you don't have a PSP-3000 yet, you might be tempted by the God of War bundle, with a very cool two-tone black and red PSP, plus Ghost of Sparta on UMD *and* a voucher to download Chains of Olympus. (<a href="http://psp.about.com/od/whatsinthebox/f/What-Comes-In-The-Psp-God-Of-War-Ghost-Of-Sparta-Entertainment-Pack.htm">Find out more about the GoW: Ghost of Sparta bundle</a>.)
Patapon 3
Not only is this game a sequel, it's a *second* sequel. So that tells you how popular the first and second games were, but sequels don't always live up to their predecessors. This third installment adds some nice features to keep the franchise fresh--8-player versus and 4-player co-op mean you can share your rhythm-based adventures with friends.
Michael Jackson: The Experience
I can't say I understand all the adoration for Michael Jackson, but I'd have to be living in a cave under the sea not to notice it. This new game from Ubisoft just might get some people who aren't normally interested in videogames to play (or at least buy), which I guess is a good thing. It's not MJ's first appearance in videogames, either, but it certainly will be the most high-res.
Tron: Evolution
Tron is a movie that totally lends itself to videogame adaptation, being set inside a game as it is. It was true for the original movie and it's true for Tron: Legacy, the movie to which Tron: Evolution is a prequel. Just how good the game will turn out to be is another thing, though. It's a Disney game, which will mean it'll look great and have high production values, if nothing else. It's coming out on just about every platform there is, too, so if you don't fancy playing on a tiny screen, you can get it for your console or PC (or just plug your PSP into a TV, to have it both ways).
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
Take any cool movie, add LEGO and make it into a videogame and you'll have a hit. It's true. LEGO Indiana Jones was a blast. LEGO Batman was great, and the LEGO Star Wars series has been a science fiction geek's dream. LEGO Star Wars III looks to be just as much fun as the previous games, though it's possible some gamers may be getting tired of the formula by now. Still, the LEGO games are titles that appeal to young and old, so there's great potential for family gaming here.
