Happy New Year, everyone. The GameSpot crew is back in the office today after a healthy, fun, and gloriously non-productive vacation and, to kick off the new year, we wanted to chime in with a handful of games we can't wait to get our hands on for the first time. Some of these might not arrive in 2009 but we can't wait to play them in preview form nonetheless.

　　* * *

　　Sophia Tong:

　　I'm hoping that if I'm a good girl this year that Santa *cough Square Enix* will finally show us something, anything, regarding Final Fantasy XIII. Well, maybe not anything because I don't want another trailer. It would be nice if I could get some quality preview time with the next Final Fantasy game and maybe, just maybe a release date! Is that asking too much? I just want one area, maybe one fight, a menu screen, something! It's been too long since the last one I've played (FFXI doesn't count) and Final Fantasy XII was a bit of a blur. I even played FFX and FFX-2 twice because of the wait between games. I know that SE has been dumping out a lot of remakes that I could spend a ridiculous amount of time with, but I'm tired of oogling at trailers of what is obviously a beautiful and exciting game (with abnormally attractive people).

　　So if that doesn't work out, I'm equally excited to get some hands-on time to play Heavy Rain and not just stare at it. I like the way Heavy Rain is shaping up to be an interactive movie, rather than a traditional action/thriller video game that is dependent on your quick reaction. Even though your reflexes are needed, the concept of not dying is an interesting one.

　　As much as I know that Sims 3 will keep me occupied long enough just to build one house and a half-assed landscaped backyard, I am still very curious to see what it has to offer. There's something satisfying about bossing people around and forcing them to get a job.

　　* * *

　　Brian Ekberg:

　　Before I was bitten by the WoW bug, I was the world's biggest City of Heroes fan. Okay, maybe not the world's biggest fan, but definitely up there. Top thousand, for sure. Of course, I had just as much fun actually creating heroes from scratch with that game's amazing creation tools. And while I'm curious about diving into the action in Sony's upcoming DC Universe Online--and interacting with some of the heavy-hitters of the DCU (I long to beat up Nightwing in a vicious way), the entirety of the game hinges on the create-a-hero system for me. I want depth and I want creativity. I want to be able to slap angel wings on the head of a four hundred pound plant-woman who can shoot deadly poison steam out of her eyelashes. Give me that, and as long as the game has some moderately varied enemies, a good storyline, and a decent party system, I'll be happy.

　　Runners Up: Champions Online, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Fusion, Gran Turismo 5, Forza 3, Diablo III

　　* * *

　　Shaun McInnis:

　　The game I'm most looking forward to in 2009 is the sequel to my favorite game of 2007. It was only recently announced, and at this early stage we haven't even seen any gameplay footage--only brief teaser trailers and a handful of leaked screenshots. That game, of course, is Uncharted 2. I adored the first game not only for its combination of fluid platforming and stop-and-pop gunplay, but also for its Indiana Jones-like plot that dropped extremely likeable characters into gorgeous jungle locales. Nathan Drake wasn't the deepest or most original protagonist the world has seen, but he was certainly among the most human and entertaining. Now that he's going to take his act to the snowy slopes of Tibet, it's all the more exciting. Early buzz for the game has thrown around the phrases "free platforming" and "stealth combat," as a few example of the way Naughty Dog is looking to expand upon the gameplay. People tend to fear change, so this obviously has some folks a little skeptical. But you know what? I trust Naughty Dog to deliver on this sequel, and that's why Uncharted 2 is my most anticipated game of 2009.

　　Runners Up: Forza 3, MadWorld, The BioWare tandem of Dragon Age: Origins & Mass Effect 2 , Bionic Commando, Beyond Good and Evil 2

　　* * *

　　Ricardo Torres:

　　I spent a chunk of my break getting caught up on a few weeks worth of comics I wasn't able to get to so that's left me in the mindset to play Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Fusion. I was a huge fan of the first MUA, finished it more than a few times with my heroes of choice, and am excited to see where they go with this new entry. What's been teased of the roster has me hopeful and I'm anxious to see how the fusion business works out. Technically all the crazy power combining really is more of a mutant thing (so anytime anyone wants to do that in an X-Men Legends 3 I'll be waiting&hellip but I'm excited to see what kind combinations will be possible and where the go with the story. Although it hasn't been officially announced, outside of a teaser at the end of Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty, I'm also pretty excited to see what the next Ratchet and Clank is going to be. According to the teaser it's due fall of this year so I'm hoping the date sticks and we get news of it soon. I'll always have a soft spot for some good platforming, plus I need to know what happened to Clank. Runners Up: Infamous, Halo 3: ODST, Uncharted 2, Wii Sports Resort, Resistance Retribution