The gaming world has started to lean a little towards what Hollywood has been doing recently, and that’s churning out sequels and rehashing characters or franchises from a bygone era. But that’s not entirely a bad thing, especially when the games that came before them heightened expectations for more.

This list isn’t so much a ‘Top 10’ but rather a peek into some of the titles that are sure to garner some hype from now till the holidays.

 

 

Batman: Arkham City
If you’ve played Batman: Arkham Asylum, then you likely appreciated a game that had an alluring mix of fighting, stealth, detective work and great storytelling. The mood of the game was also pretty spot-on, capturing the confidence of Batman and the inner demons of Bruce Wayne, all while giving the Joker a stage he performed brilliantly on. Here’s hoping Arkham City takes all that to another level.

 

 

 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
The Call of Duty games are perennial winners in the eyes of many gamers. The sales figures tell that story, so no need to qualify that part of it, but at its core, the Modern Warfare series is filled with intrigue and an underlying message that war isn’t glamourous — especially when the reason for fighting is murky. But that message may be lost when the chaos of the battlefield comes crashing through the TV screen in 3D.

 

 

Battlefield 3
This game is expected to be an answer to the Modern Warfare series, but we’ll soon find out if it will be the answer to it. The preview videos have hinted at some fairly monstrous set pieces involving collapsing buildings, and destructible environments that you can annihilate as part of the battles you have to fight. The multiplayer beta is set to go live on September 29, so at least you can get a taste of what to expect there.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Nathan Drake is an interesting character, equal parts an Indiana Jones-type swashbuckler and unrelenting opportunist looking for a big score. The story in this one takes him to the Arabian Desert in what seems to be a search for the “Sands of Atlantis”. Expect plenty of theatrics, antics and near-misses in this game, which has become one of the more refreshing series for the PlayStation 3.

Gears of War 3
Though I never actually wrote it, I had suggested two years ago that Apple should have dropped the iPod Classic earlier, and dumped either the nano or the shuffle (I was leaning towards the nano at the time). The touch is too good a device to stop making because it’s an entry point to Apple’s product line — a taste of what iOS is capable of and how the elegance of design and functionality that Apple espouses comes together.

 

Rage
This game may come across as a run-of-the-mill shooter set in a post-apocalyptic Earth devastated by an asteroid impact, but it may have an interesting story to play in. If Rage turns out to be anything like Fallout 3, or at least in the same vein, then gamers will have a winner here. The graphics and animations are expected to be among the best in the class of high-profile games, so time will tell just how true that is. Still, at least there’s an attempt at an original story here, rather than being a sequel to something else.

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
The Metal Gear Solid titles are some of the finest video games ever produced (in my opinion, anyway), and this collection will give gamers the chance to play Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater in HD with improved graphics. Konami is even throwing in an enhanced Peace Walker in this collection as well. Metal Gear classics in 1080p — nuff said.

Super Mario 3DS Land
The Super Mario franchise is older than a lot of young gamers playing today, and it continues to endure without changing the formula too much. The Nintendo 3DS has been a very popular device, and it was only a matter of time before it’s most recognizable face had his time on the new handheld platform. If it’s as good as the previous Mario DS games have been, then expect this to be a classic.

 

Forza Motorsport 4
This is a racing game that is actually meant for those who want a real racing experience, not an arcade one that doesn’t punish drivers enough for poor skills. This means driving cars that perform based on real-life specs, and driving them in a lifelike fashion. Some of the most realistic automotive physics are said to be part of this game, and there will be support for Xbox 360’s Kinect.

 

Saints Row: The Third
Here is a video game that seems to have no conventional limits on what to do or where to go, and the lack of linearity can mean that playing this with two different characters could lead to very different scenarios and outcomes. Most games aren’t anything like this at all, but this game seems to take that seriously. Only time will tell how much Saints Row pushes the concept of a “sandbox” game.