Games of 2010 is a sneak peak at some of the titles The Black Panel is likely to cover over the next 12 months.

People who complain about Melbourne’s public transport system clearly haven’t attempted to catch a train in Russia recently. As revealed in METRO 2033, all services have been suspended indefinitely as the last remnants of humanity battle for survival in the tunnels beneath a post nuclear Moscow. As protagonist Artyom, you’ll square off against horrific mutants and brave the irradiated atmosphere of the surface world. This jet black first person shooter from THQ and Ukrainian developer 4A Games is due for release on PC and 360 in 2010.

For better or worse, kart racing games are back in the spotlight. One of the more promising entries in this much maligned sub-genre is MODNATION RACERS from United Front Games. You’ll be invited to create custom avatars, vehicles and tracks and share them with the game’s online community. Rumour has it that there will also be a race of some kind, so let’s hope the driving model receives as much attention as the customisation options. Publisher Sony is yet to nail down a release date for this family friendly PS3 exclusive.

With Final Fantasy XIII on the horizon, it would be all too easy to overlook another forthcoming Square Enix fantasy epic. More an action adventure than an RPG, NIER is set in an alternate world beset by a deadly virus known as the Black Scrawl. When the titular protagonist discovers his daughter has been infected, he decides to aid her recovery the only way he knows how, by butchering people with a gargantuan sword. Hey, it’s the Square Enix way. Look for Nier on 360 and PS3 in autumn 2010.

Gamers who grew up in the 90s will be intrigued by the promise of an entirely new first person shooter id Software. The Texan studio responsible for Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake is hard a work on RAGE. Set in the now obligatory post apocalyptic wasteland, the game appears to offer a blend of traditional first person action with high speed combat racing. Though the game was announced in 2007, publisher Bethesda Softworks is yet to commit to a 2010 launch for this highly anticipated PC, 360 and PS3 release.

After years of paying the bills with Nicktoons spinoffs, Halfbrick is beginning to spread its wings. Puzzle platformer RASKULLS is among 2010’s most promising XBLA originals. According to the Queensland developer, the game’s cute but cadaverous cast will be featured in both solo and online multiplayer modes. You should probably know in advance that one of the Raskulls is dressed as a Koala.

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Games of 2010 is a sneak peak at some of the titles The Black Panel is likely to cover over the next 12 months.

Fahrenheit developer Quantic Dream is set to deliver the new year’s most ambitious PS3 exclusive. A complex murder mystery involving multiple point-of-view characters, HEAVY RAIN is being promoted as a significant step in the evolution of interactive storytelling. Of course, after the game’s virtual heroin ‘appeared’ topless in Playboy, such claims may carry a little less weight for some. Publisher Sony has revealed that Heavy Rain will hit the shelves on Friday 25 February 2010.

Could North Korea really invade and conquer the the United States? We’ll soon find out thanks to HOMEFRONT, the new first person shooter from the creators of Frontlines: Fuel of War. If the scenario seems familiar, you should know that it was devised by film legend John Milius, the man responsible for similarly themed action abomination Red Dawn. Publisher THQ and developer Kaos Games are preparing Homefront for release on PC, 360 and PS3.

Though three years have passed since its announcement, a firm release date for Ubisoft’s I AM ALIVE remains as elusive as details about the game itself. What we do know is that that players will be charged with rescuing survivors in the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake. With luck, 2010 will be the year in which this unconventional adventure emerges from development hell and arrives on PC, 360 and PS3.

Let us now consider another long delayed title, this time an open world investigative drama with hard boiled aspirations. L.A. NOIRE is set in the late 1940s, which is coincidently just before Australia’s own Team Bondi commenced work on the game. A wonderfully atmospheric trailer was released in 2006, marking L.A. Noire as one to watch. While the game was originally announced exclusively for PS3, speculation is mounting that 360 owners won’t miss out on a game that, admittedly, still hasn’t been confirmed for a 2010 release.

Having mesmerised critics with last gen classics Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, Sony’s Team ICO are set to bring their unique brand of storytelling to the PlayStation 3. A beautifully presented fantasy adventure THE LAST GUARDIAN explores an encounter between a small boy and a stunning feathered beast. As the bond between them strengthens, they are able to tackle a range of increasingly perilous challenges. This one can’t arrive soon enough.

Visit the site tomorrow for PART 4 of the Games of 2010.

Games of 2010 PART 1 l PART 2 l PART 3 l PART 4 l PART 5

Games of 2010 is a sneak peak at some of the titles The Black Panel is likely to cover over the next 12 months.

London based studio Splash Damage is poised to deliver one the year’s most sophisticated first person shooters. BRINK depicts the struggle to control a failed utopia (is there any other kind?) known as the Ark against a backdrop of rising seas and social discordance. Experience earned across all single and multiplayer modes can be used to customise your character’s appearance and skill set. According to publisher Bethesda Softworks, Brink will arrive on PC, 360 and PS3 in spring 2010.

Take a revered work of meditative Italian literature and transform it into a God of War style orgy of violence and exploitation. What a grand notion, eh? According to EA and Visceral Games, DANTE’S INFERNO sees you carving your way through the nine levels of hell in a desperate attempt to liberate the soul of your special lady. The game, which is sure to supplant Alighieri’s original in high schools and universities, is due for release on 360 and PS3 on Thursday 4 February 2010.

A roaming third person action game, DARKSIDERS is the inaugural release from Vigil Games, the THQ studio co-founded by comic book creator Joe Madureira. As one of the fabled four horsemen of the apocalypse, you’ll be crossing (comically large) swords with forces of heaven and hell. Featuring expressive art design and chaotic combat, Darksiders is due for release on 360 and PS3 on Thursday 7 January 2010.

Almost 70 years after his death, inventor Nikola Tesla continues to loom large in the creative zeitgeist. A virtual Tesla is responsible for the futuristic technology, including a jet pack, featured in DARK VOID, the forthcoming aerial combat title from Capcom and Airtight Games. Inspired by the sci-fi adventures of the pulp era, Dark Void challenges you to defend planet Earth from inter-dimensional marauders. Originally scheduled for 2009, Dark Void is now due on PC, 360 and PS3 on Thursday 21 January 2010.

ENSLAVED is a post apocalyptic action game from Ninja Theory, the UK studio responsible for Heavenly Sword. As the regrettably named Monkey, you’re forced into the service of a desperate aristocrat. Obey her commands or she will end your life, such as it is, by detonating charges imbedded in your collar. This is what you get for agreeing to an individual workplace agreement. Publisher Namco Bandai is yet to pinpoint a release date for this promising 360 and PS3 adventure.

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Games of 2010 is a sneak peak at some of the titles The Black Panel is likely to cover over the next 12 months.

Fresh from the blood soaked success of Demon’s Souls, FromSoftware is set to deliver a more family-friendly take on the action adventure genre. Some have described 3D DOT GAME HEROES as a shameless clone of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Given the game’s western publisher recently issued a press statement entitled ‘Atlus Links to Legends Past’, this is probably an understatement. An Australian release is yet to be confirmed for this cheeky PS3 exclusive.

While Remedy Entertainment hasn’t released a game in more than six years, the Finnish developer remains front and centre thanks to its work on the perennially delayed survival horror ALAN WAKE. As the eponymous bestselling author, you decide to relocate to small town America, a fatal error if ever there was one, and you chance upon portentous and disturbing pages from a novel that you have no recollection of writing. While a PC version has previously been mooted by publisher Microsoft, Alan Wake remains, at least for the moment, an Xbox 360 exclusive. Look for it in autumn 2010.

After years of toiling away on well received sequels to BioWare’s Star Wars and Dungeons and Dragons RPGs, Obsidian Entertainment is about to release its first entirely original creation. ALPHA PROTOCOL is an ambitious near future RPG set in the world of international espionage. As secret agent Michael Thorton, it will be your job to prove the USA was not responsible for a major terrorist attack in Eastern Europe. Publisher SEGA has alluded to an autumn 2010 release window for this long delayed PC, 360 and PS3 title.

Upon announcement, BAYONETTA drew immediate comparisons with that other roaming third person combat title, Devil May Cry. While both games are directed by Hideki Kamiya, only Bayonetta features a heroin that can flatten her opponents using a giant stiletto crafted from her own supernatural hair. The latest game to emerge from the alliance between SEGA and Platinum Games is due for release on 360 and PS3 on Thursday 7 January 2010.

Bizarre Creations, best known for the stylish Project Gotham Racing series, is about to wrap its first game since being acquired by Activision. BLUR is a neon-drenched arcade street racer in which victory will depend not only on hitting the optimum racing line but also on the judicious use Mario Kart style power-ups. Originally scheduled for a November 2009 release, the game will now arrive on PC, 360 and PS3 in Q1 2010.

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