By GameSpot Staff - Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006
The annual Tokyo Game Show event will take place in the Makuhari Messe Nippon Convention Center as usual, from September 22 to 24. Attendees can expect to see some of the most exciting and highly anticipated console and portable games make an appearance at the event, along with stage demonstrations and...let's say, "creatively dressed" spokespeople. And with the recent news that the Electronic Entertainment Expo, formerly the biggest event in the entire game industry, may be undergoing radical changes, maybe TGS will become the game industry's de facto flagship event in the coming years. But for now, our editorial staff has put together a list of the games that we're most looking forward to.
Please note: This is not an exhaustive, all-inclusive list, or a 100-percent-confirmed list of all the games at the show, since last-minute changes on the part of game publishers could result in some games not making an appearance. Also, this is not a list of the only games that GameSpot knows or cares about--it's just a list of games that our editors are looking forward to.
Our picks are listed alphabetically. Take a look at our picks, and be sure to post a comment at the bottom of the page to add yours. Also, be sure to keep track of our coverage leading up to the event at GameSpot's TGS 06 coverage center.
Release Date: TBA
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The first Devil May Cry game was characterized as having "stylish, hard action"--a description that turned out to be more or less literal, since the series has gone on to offer over-the-top, action-movie-like battles that have been very, very challenging, indeed. Devil May Cry 4 will be the next chapter in the saga of Dante, the series' half-demon, half-human, all-guy-with-swords-and-guns, who will undoubtedly be battling against otherworldly foes in his next adventure. We'll hopefully see what's on tap at TGS.
Release Date: Nov 14, 2006
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Set in the 22nd century, Fatal Inertia is a fast-paced racing game in which gravity-defying craft race not on carefully constructed circuits but through natural-looking landscapes that are dotted with checkpoints and weapon pickup points. You'll be able to customize your craft's appearance and performance by swapping out parts such as the wings, the cockpit, the spoiler, the nose, and the tail. Custom paint jobs will also be available for those of you who like to look good.
Release Date: TBA
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The Final Fantasy XIII development team has created the "White engine" to integrate graphics rendering, physics, cinematics, sound, and special effects. Square Enix promises take full advantage of the PS3 hardware. Based on what we saw, the game looks to stick to the stylish blend of fantasy and sci-fi themes, although the overall feel is a bit darker than Final Fantasy XII. Several environments are dark and have the hard, cold feel of technology; others are almost tropical, like Macalania from Final Fantasy X.
Release Date: 2007
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What little has been revealed about this highly anticipated sequel has apparently been designed to be shocking. The formidable secret operative known as Solid Snake is now an old man--and his young ward, Raiden, is now apparently some kind of insane cyborg ninja. Also, Snake apparently announces in the game that "this is [his] final mission," a statement he makes while putting the barrel of a loaded gun in his mouth. Is this the last shocking development we'll see from MGS4? We hope to find out more in Tokyo.
Release Date: Nov 15, 2006
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Formerly known as I-8, Resistance: Fall of Man is a first-person shooter from Insomniac, the company responsible for the Ratchet & Clank series. The game takes place in an alternate version of 1951 England. World War II never happened, but instead you're battling against crazy monsters with coils and tubes coming out of their backs. With good looks, some cool-looking physics, and interesting weaponry, Resistance looks like it's off to a good start.
Release Date: TBA
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Though we know that Ridge Racer girl Reiko Nagase will be making another appearance, very few details have been released about Namco Bandai Games' next PlayStation 3 racing game. The series has always been about racing performance cars at insane speeds, and what we've seen previously suggests that drifting, the act of turning your steering wheel and tapping the brakes while going into a turn at full speed to tear through the bend, will be a very prominent part of the gameplay. We'll hopefully find out more at the Tokyo Game Show.
Also on: Xbox 360
Release Date: Nov 14, 2006
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It's hard to believe that Sonic the Hedgehog will be turning 15 this year. For the little guy's 15th anniversary, developer Sonic Team is aiming to have Sonic's next-gen debut revisit his roots for this new era in gaming, marrying the classic Sonic elements of graphics and speed with the power of the new boxes. So far, it's easily the best looking Sonic the Hedgehog game we've ever seen. All in all, Sonic appears to be making his way to the next set of platforms in style.
Release Date: TBA
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It's hard to imagine how Namco Bandai Games will top the excellent Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, though it was perhaps just as difficult to guess how Dark Resurrection could possibly improve on the original Tekken 5. Though we know very little so far about the game, previously-released updates suggest that Tekken 6 will still feature Jin Kazama (and his alter-ego, Devil Jin), as well as the martial artist Hwoarang, and the Tekken series's new killer blonde, Lili. We'll hopefully find out more in Tokyo.
Release Date: 2007
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Few arcade games can be called bona fide classics, and fewer still are even around today. One of the few series that holds both of these distinctions is Sega's Virtua Fighter, a one-on-one fighting game that emphasizes highly technical gameplay and excellent timing. The latest game in the series, Virtua Fighter 5, has enjoyed a strong arcade following in Japan and other parts of the world, and it'll be coming home, exclusively, to the PlayStation 3.
Which games are you most looking forward to from the Tokyo Game Show? Any predictions about what will be shown? Sound off! And keep track of our coverage at GameSpot's TGS 06 coverage center.
Release Date: TBA
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In production at Blinx developer Artoon and featuring character designs by hallowed manga artist Akira Toriyama, Blue Dragon looks as though it'll nicely help fill the need for Japanese-style role playing on Microsoft's forthcoming console. The game will also feature a soundtrack by RPG composing legend Nobuo Uematsu (and if we'd gotten to hear any of his new music, we'd have told you about it already). In fact, Blue Dragon represents a reunion of sorts, since Sakaguchi, Uematsu, and Toriyama all worked together previously on the classic Super NES RPG Chrono Trigger.
Release Date: TBA
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The original Culdcept made its way to the US as a charming hybrid strategy game that combined elements of the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering with the classic board game Monopoly. You played as a sorcerer who carried a mystical deck of cards (which could include fantastical creatures, items, and magic spells)--and moved along the board by rolling dice each turn. The next Culdcept game will hopefully offer even more of the original game's unique and relaxing brand of tabletop-game-style play.
Release Date: 2007
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It would be an understatement to call Lost Odyssey one of the most anticipated games for the Xbox 360. The game apparently features a character named Kaim Argonar, who, for unexplained reasons, cannot die and has been living for 1,000 years. Considering the original Xbox's relative lack of strong role-playing games, it's pretty exciting to know that some of the creators of the original Final Fantasy games are on board with Microsoft and are developing an RPG for the system.
Release Date: Q4 2006
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The Gundam series has long been a juggernaut on the Japanese gaming scene thanks to a series of arcade and home games that made smart use of the immense popularity of the manga and anime properties based on it. Mobile Ops is set in the distant future, when Earth is under siege from rebel space colonies who decide to fight for their independence. Based on what we've seen, there's a lot of potential in Mobile Ops. The varied gameplay and scale could offer a Battlefield 1942-esque experience that would work well in the Gundam universe and please fans.
Release Date: Q2 2007
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In Too Human you take the role of a cybernetically enhanced warrior, fighting for the side of humans in a war against robots and sentient machines. The fun in the game comes from using your weapons to build massive combo strikes, not unlike games such as Devil May Cry. Silicon Knights has promised a very dynamic and flexible campaign with role-playing elements. The game's easy-to-pick up and dynamic combat engine should make it a very attractive game for action fans.
Also on: PS3
Release Date: TBA
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Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 definitely plays a more attack-minded game of soccer than its predecessors, but that certainly hasn't come at the expense of the game's defensive play. Defensive players are every bit as responsive as their attacking colleagues. The game will also include a new "international challenge" mode that tasks you with leading your chosen international team through the qualifying rounds and finals of a major international tournament.
Release Date: TBA
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Last year's Trauma Center: Under the Knife remains one of the most unusual games for the Nintendo DS. In it, you play as a physician who operates on patients with various afflictions using the DS's touch screen. Add to that an over-the-top anime-inspired storyline, and you have yourself one really good game. So we were pleased to learn that the game was successful enough to spawn a sequel in the forthcoming Trauma Center: Second Opinion. But this one won't be on the Nintendo DS--it's coming to the Wii.
Release Date: TBA
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There's most certainly an opportunity for a unique first-person action experience to be had with Red Steel. Almost everything is quite destructible, which adds some flair to the various gun battles. From our time spent with Red Steel, it definitely comes off as more than just a gimmicky first-person shooter. The developers seem to have a pretty good handle on what they want to do with the Wii controller within the context of the game, and with some slight sensitivity and balance tweaking, the game could be a lot of fun.
Which games are you most looking forward to from the Tokyo Game Show? Any predictions about what will be shown? Sound off! And keep track of our coverage at GameSpot's TGS 06 coverage center.
Release Date: October 2006
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God Hand is a great-looking action game filled with tough-looking manga-style characters and spectacular martial arts moves. God Hand shows that the PS2 is still fully capable of delivering some impressive-looking visuals. The artistic style of the game is highly reminiscent of the Fist of the North Star manga and anime series, though it also has this sort of hip Western theme to it. God Hand has a great look to it and seems to deliver satisfyingly visceral martial arts combat.
Release Date: TBA
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Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is a spin-off for the PlayStation Portable that focuses on the role Soldier and Sephiroth played in Project Genesis. The prequel tells the story of Zack, a young recruit working for Soldier, the elite private military of the Shinra Corporation. Zack is eager to prove himself and achieve first rank in the organization. Crisis Core is still currently in development, but both the rendered cinematics and the in-game footage look sharp.
Release Date: November 2006
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Lumines II will, as before, serve up addictive puzzle action set to funky club tunes and dressed up in crazy visuals. The game now features five game modes--challenge, vs. CPU, time attack, puzzle, and mission--and the always-appealing multiplayer ad hoc support for up to two players. Lumines II's presentation offers up a unique blend of eclectic sights and sounds that dwarfs its predecessor in both scope and depth.
Release Date: 2006
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Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops will be the first true-blue MGS game to hit the PlayStation Portable, unlike the card-battling games Acid and Acid 2. Portable Ops looks awfully good for a PSP game; almost as good looking as its PlayStation 2 counterpart. And with cutscenes provided by the same comic artist who illustrated the Metal Gear Solid comic book, the game ought to be an aesthetic tour de force.
Release Date: Q4 2006
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As you might expect from a Castlevania game, the plot of Portrait of Ruin follows the misadventures of a vampiric cult that's attempting to resurrect Dracula himself. But Soma Cruz, the star of the Sorrow games, is gone. He has been replaced by Jonathan Morris, a vampire hunter, and his magician friend Charlotte Orlean. The inclusion of two characters does indeed have an impact on gameplay, as you're capable of switching between both characters with the touch of a button.
Which games are you most looking forward to from the Tokyo Game Show? Any predictions about what will be shown? Sound off! And keep track of our coverage at GameSpot's TGS 06 coverage center.
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