Tonight’s 2009 Spike Video Game Awards came through on promises with a number of world premiere trailers and first looks at upcoming marquee video games expected to debut in 2010 or 2011.
Almost all of the trailers are in cinematic form with the notable exception being Microsoft’s Xbox 360 exclusive Crackdown 2. While you won’t get an inside look at actual gameplay footage, there’s still a lot of reveals and much to get excited for including a female Spartan in Halo Reach.
Batman: Arkham Asylum 2
A sequel to the surprise fall 2009 hit is now officially confirmed with the insane inmates of Arkham venturing onto the streets of Gotham under the watchful eye of the Joker. A new website has launched in conjunction which can be visited here: Arkhamhasmoved.com.
Crackdown 2
This open world destructive sequel will suck up many hours of gameplay with what looks like some radical tech upgrades for its hero. Xbox 360 sorely missed exclusives like this in 2009 so it will be a welcome addition to holiday 2010.
Green Day Rock Band
Not U2. Not The Rolling Stones. Rock Band will shift gears from aiming at old geezers as it did with The Beatles to targeting the kiddies with Green Day. Someone needs to reinvent this genre, and fast.
Halo Reach
The next entry in the Halo franchise looks to introduce squad-based gameplay as evidenced by the introduction of a Spartan squad that includes a female and a soldier with a large skull on his helmet. Their mission, or at least part of it, seems to center around rescuing a lost comrade. Though this game appears to be set before the events of Halo, the trailer closes with a quick glimpse of an old Covenant friend.
Medal of Honor
EA’s recently announced revamping of this first-person shooter franchise appears to have taken more than a page from Infinity Ward’s coveted Modern Warfare franchise. Look for this one next fall.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time film has spawned this apparent tie-in game announced for a May release. For evidence of it being a “movie-based” game look no further than the prince who now bears a strikingly resemblance to Jake Gyllenhaal.
The Force Unleashed 2
LucasArts has been touting this announcement all week and it is a welcome one indeed, set to pick up after the events of the first game that see Starkiller struggling with allegiance as Darth Vader and Yoda provide words of wisdom.
Tron Evolution
The game tie-in to Disney’s Tron Legacy has been renamed and as expected features a lot of vehicular combat. Don’t expect this one in stores until much closer to the film’s December 2010 release.
True Crime
United Front’s True Crime for next-gen consoles look great in cinematic form but is hard to get too excited about without a hint at gameplay. Activision is set to publish.