Games of the Month: January 2010

Posted by Jereme Puik

Another year has gone by and as we say goodbye to 2009, we say hello to 2010. 2009 was quite an entertaining year for video games, with console price drops, new IP releases and industry ramblings. With 2010 here and January kicking off with new releases, GamePlasma is going to take a look at what we can expect from the year ahead of us. We’ll talk about some release highlights for this month and beyond. Let’s kick off the list.

The Games of January 2010

Bayonetta: January 5^th (Playstation 3, Xbox 360)

BAYONETTA is a cinematic stylized third person action game from the famed creative mind of renowned game developer, Hideki Kamiya of PlatinumGames. Bayonetta, the game's protagonist, is a graceful, gun-wielding witch who awakens after being entombed in a coffin at bottom of a lake for 500 years with no memory. As players embark on this quest with Bayonetta, they will begin to unfold the mystery behind her past and her purpose in the game, such as why she fights against angels and other countless fantastic enemies. In combat, Bayonetta uses weapons, magic, acrobatics and her larger-than-life hair to redefine the look and feel of the action genre.

Darksiders: January 5^th (Playstation 3, Xbox 360)

Featuring the unique art style of legendary comic book artist Joe Madureira, Darksiders puts players in the role of War, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Gamers will explore a world set 100 years after the biblical Apocalypse, traveling through expansive dungeons, battling demons and angels and striking deals with unsavory characters in an epic quest to restore the balance between Heaven and Hell.

Army of Two: 40^th Day ~ January 12^th (Xbox 360, Playstation 3)

When a disaster of epic proportions strikes Shanghai, China, Rios and Salem find themselves right in the middle of it all—the wrong place, the wrong time, but the right team. A carefully orchestrated series of mysterious catastrophes is dragging Shanghai to the brink of ruin, and now the Army of Two must fight their way through ravaged city districts as they try to beat the odds and uncover the secret of the 40th Day.

Sands of Destruction: January 12^th (Nintendo DS)

The game takes place in a fictional world ruled by anthropomorphic beings known as Ferals. Humans live as slaves, and a group dubbed the "World Annihilation Front" intends to destroy the world in rebellion. They are opposed by the Feral's "World Salvation Committee".

Dark Void: January 19^th (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC)

Dark Void is a sci-fi action-adventure game that combines an adrenaline-fuelled blend of aerial and ground-pounding combat. Set in a parallel universe called “The Void,” players take on the role of Will, a pilot dropped into incredible circumstances within the mysterious Void. This unlikely hero soon finds himself swept into a desperate struggle for survival, joining forces with a rebel human group called The Survivors. Trapped in the Void, these resistance fighters are battling to hold off a mysterious alien race that plans to threaten Earth.

Mass Effect 2: January 26^th (Xbox 360, PC)

The Mass Effect trilogy is an emotionally charged science fiction adventure set in a vast universe filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. In Mass Effect 2, players will once again step into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, commanding their crew of some of the most dangerous operatives from across the galaxy on a mission so challenging that it’s potentially suicidal. Featuring intense shooter action, a rich futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the game delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.

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

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle continues the tale of punk anti-hero Travis Touchdown, the Japanese anime Otaku, and pro wrestling-obsessed assassin. Travis finds himself at the bottom of the UAA (United Assassins Association) rankings and must wage war to become the No. 1 assassin once again. The follow-up to the popular No More Heroes will offer fans infectious, fun gameplay that allows you to wield not just one, but two swords and face multiple bosses simultaneously in bigger-than-ever boss battles. The game is created by video game design legend Goichi Suda (Suda 51), developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Marvelous Entertainment.

MAG: January 26^th (Playstation 3)

The game begins in 2025. As time passes in our modern world, maintaining a full scale military becomes a burden. In a fully globalized world, the only security threat is from small scale rogue organizations against which large forces are useless, and the fuel needed to supply increasingly mechanized armies becomes more costly. As a result, most nations’ armies decrease to the size necessary to defend against a "national emergency".

As we can see, there are plenty of highlight releases coming in this month in January. A few new IP’s are entering the market in hopes of grabbing a sales stronghold. With only a couple of sequels in Mass Effect 2 and Army of Two, the year seems to be starting off right. What are GamePlasma’s picks for the month?

1) Darksiders (Xbox 360, Playstation 3)

2) Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC)

3) MAG (Playstation 3)

4) No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (Nintendo Wii)

5) Army of Two: 40^th Day (Xbox 360, Playstation 3)

Check back next month for another round up of releases and what we’ll choose as the highlight games to get for the month.