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Halo Reach

Thanks to the economic downturn, studio closures and layoffs, and a plethora of delayed and bumped releases, 2009 wasn't a year that many game companies will look back on warmly.

But with the new year comes new hope for the industry. 2010 appears to be stacked with significant games. And, unlike most years in which the majority of triple-A titles are released in the space of a few months during the fall, it's doubtful that even a month will go by without at least a couple of noteworthy games being released.

Here is a list of 40 games worth getting excited about this year.

Bayonetta (X360/PS3, January 5th)

This wildly over-the-top third-person action game in the style of Devil May Cry will be manna from heaven for people who are into watching ten-foot-tall stiletto-heeled boots plunge from the sky to impale demons.

Darksiders (PS3/X360, January 5th)

A post-apocalyptic action adventure game, Darksiders puts players in the role of one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse as he roams a decimated planet in search of the evil force that brought a premature end to the world.

Dark Void (PS3/X360/PC, January 12th)

Airtight Games' new flying shooter combines the arcade-like flight mechanics of Crimson Skies with the action sensibilities of a sci-fi FPS and throws in a little Nikola Tesla mythology to boot. Think of it as Rocketeer: The Video Game.

Army of Two: The 40th Day (PS3/X360/PC, January 12th)

The original Army of Two was a great concept-two guys against pretty much everyone-with middling execution. EA Montreal claims they have taken the criticisms leveled at it to heart. We'll see if that's true come next week.

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (Wii, January 26th)

One of the most mature Wii games to date gets a sequel in No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, a gruesome slasher which, based on the level I previewed in December, features perhaps even more blood and profanity than the original.

Mass Effect 2 (X360/PC, January 26)

The second game in Bioware's planned trilogy of sci-fi role-playing games will build off the characters-and decisions-we made in the first game. Don't erase those old save files!

MAG (PS3, January 26th)

256 men and women on the same map blowing the crap out of each other. It's either going to be ridiculously fun or just plain ridiculous.

White Knight Chronicles: International Edition (PS3, February 2nd)

This luscious looking, category-defying role-playing game will let players adventure by themselves or with others in more than 50 optionally multiplayer quests.

Gran Turismo 5 (PS3, February 2nd)

Five years in the making, the latest entry in Sony's top-selling first-party franchise promises unparalleled car selection, driving physics, and graphical realism.

Star Trek Online (PC, February 2nd)

I'm not quite sure how this MMORPG fits into the franchise's official canon now that J.J. Abrams has erased much of the future that trekkies know and love, but it seems unlikely most players will care once they set foot on the bridge of their very own starship.

R.U.S.E. (PC/X360/PS3, February 2nd)

One of the most original looking real-time strategy games in years, R.U.S.E. uses authentic satellite maps, lets players zoom away from the world (revealing it to be a giant board game sitting on a table), and, for PC players, facilitates a touch screen interface.

Dante's Inferno (PS3/X360/PC, February 9th)

When I read Dante's Inferno in university, I never thought of it as a video game. Silly me. It's got levels, loads of death, and it takes place in Hell, a favourite setting for gamesmiths. Of course, I don't recall Dante Alighieri as being a muscle-bound, blade wielding, demon slaying warrior…

BioShock 2 (PS3/X360/PC, February 9th)

The sequel to one of my personal all-time favourite games, BioShock 2 features more fast-paced, philosophically tinged action set many leagues under the sea. And has some mean old Big Sisters, too.

Singularity (PC/PS3/X360, February 15th)

The shtick in this slick looking sci-fi first-person shooter from Ravensoft is that players bounce from 2010 to the 1950s and back again. The idea might not be all that original, but the graphics supporting it appear to be terrific.

Blur (PC/X360, February 15th)

Wondering what Bizarre Creations, makers of the Project Gotham Racing series, have been up to lately? Wonder no more: They've been working on this shiny new combat racer set in real cities and loaded with cars sporting force fields and electrical weapons.

Heavy Rain (PS3, February 16th)

If I were to be foolhardy enough to predict the best game 2010 before a single title was released, it would have to be this shockingly lifelike and utterly original thriller from Quantic Dream. Based on the levels I've played at preview events, I can safely say it's like nothing I've experienced before.

Splinter Cell Conviction (PC/X360, February 23rd)

Superspy Sam Fisher, voiced again by Canada's inimitable Michael Ironside, gets his Jack Bauer on when he finally learns the truth about his daughter in the fifth entry of Ubisoft's popular stealth action series.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 (PC/X360/PS3, March 2nd)

It may be a sequel to a game made for consoles, but Bad Company 2's makers told me that their primary aim has been to please PC players with online play that recalls the series' glory days on Windows platforms.

Final Fantasy XIII (PS3/X360, March 9th)

It's been a long hard road filled with plenty of surprised (not least of which was an announcement that it would appear on Microsoft's console), but Square's latest visually stunning RPG masterwork is nearly here.

APB (PC, March 2010)

This online PC exclusive set in an urban sprawl will let players become cops or bad guys as they fight for territory. Be warned, though; skill, not raw hours, will determine the rate at which each player progresses.

Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight (PC, March 16)

Gone are the days of gathering resources and decimating enemy bases. The goal in Command & Conquer 4, we are told, is to capture and hold control nodes, Battlefield-style. Is one of the most old-school RTS franchises ready for such a radical shift in design? We'll know in a couple of months.

Red Steel 2 (Wii, March 2010)

The first third-party action game designed explicitly for use with Nintendo's MotionPlus peripheral, which allows for true one-to-one control, Red Steel 2 sees players wielding complete control over the movement of their sword as they wage battle in a fantastical desert setting with an old west theme.

God of War III (PS3, March 2010)

Kratos' first PlayStation 3 outing will have him fighting more mythical beasties large and small, and all of the game's gorgeous, bar-raising graphics will be rendered in real time.

ModNation Racers (PS3, Spring 2010)

Made by Vancouver-based United Front Games, ModNation Racers is the racing equivalent of LittleBigPlanet, allowing players to completely customize their tracks and vehicles.

Red Dead Redemption (PS3/X360, April 27th)

Clearly, there aren't enough western games. Luckily, Rockstar San Diego will fill the void this year with this successor to 2004's satisfying (if imperfect) open-world oater.

Dead Rising 2 (X360/PS3/PC, May 2010)

Dead Rising, a zombie-themed game set in a mall in which virtually everything was a potential weapon, was one of my favourite early-generation Xbox 360 titles. That places this sequel-set in a Las Vegas-like town in a zombie-ridden near-future-high on my list of 2010 priorities.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP, May 25th)

Designed by none other than Hideo Kojima himself, the this PSP-exclusive is set after Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Expect more Vietnam War-era Snake-y stealth action.

Halo Reach (X360, TBA 2010)

Bungie's final work on their hallowed Halo franchise (which will continue on under the stewardship of Microsoft's 343 Industries team) is a prequel to the first game in the series, set during events written about in several Halo novels.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm (PC, TBA 2010)

It's not a new World of Warcraft, but with new environments, quests, classes, gear, and more it might be the biggest expansion yet to Blizzard's massively popular massively multiplayer online RPG.

Metroid: Other M (Wii, TBA 2010)

Samus' reins have been passed from Retro Studios to Team Ninja, the folks behind the decidedly adult-oriented (and gloriously challenging) Ninja Gaiden games. Just thinking about what lies in store here gives me goosebumps.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii, TBA 2010)

Nintendo's mustachioed plumber engages in more planet hopping shenanigans in this sequel to one of the best-selling and most critically adored Wii games to date.

StarCraft II (PC, TBA 2010)

Blizzard's RTS has been in development for some eight years, but there looks to be a good chance that it will release in 2010. The developer has promised fans an online beta, at the very least. Now if they'd just commit to something similar with Diablo III

The Last Guardian (PS3, TBA 2010)

Those who played Team Ico's previous games-the poetic Ico and the sadly beautiful Shadow of the Colossus-have been salivating over this third-person action/puzzle game for a while. Expect play and visuals to be vaguely similar to the developer's earlier work.

Final Fantasy XIV Online (PC/PS3, TBA 2010)

Beta invitations recently went out for this one, Square Enix's second online role-playing game set in the Final Fantasy universe. It will have a similar flavour to Final Fantasy XI, but feature a different world and new characters.

Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC, TBA 2010)

Think Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, only with much better graphics and the ability to team up with all of your friends online. Bioware claims that this, their first MMORPG, will be much more story-oriented than other company's entries in the genre.

Crackdown 2 (X360, TBA 2010)

A follow-up to the modestly successful open-world action game Crackdown, this sequel promises more superhuman hijinks as players take control of another police officer who can lift and throw massive objects.

Alan Wake (X360, TBA 2010)

This much discussed psychological thriller about a writer living through the events of his own novel was originally slated to be released around the time the Xbox 360 launched. It should finally hit shelves this spring.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky (DS, TBA 2010)

How big is the DS? Big enough that this, a proper numerical entry in one of the most popular RPG franchises in the world, was created not for the Wii, PlayStation 3, or Xbox 360, but instead Nintendo's handheld platform, which is now in the hands of 123 million gamers worldwide.

Napoleon: Total War (PC, TBA 2010)

Strategy lovers will jump at the chance to take on the role of Napoleon as he wages war against Italy and Egypt-all the more so given that it bears the Total War name, which all but guarantees deep and engrossing RTS action.

Call of Duty 7 (working title) (PS3/X360/PC, TBA 2010)

Virtually nothing is known about this year's Call of Duty installment, which is being developed by Treyarch Studios, though some sites are reporting that it may be set during the cold war.

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