Hollywood usually takes most of the slack when it comes to criticism for lack of originality, but in fact, the video game industry is even worse at creating original content, it’s a world dominated by franchises of every kind, from sports to action games, publishers and developers are usually taking the easy and safe way: sequels. And spin offs. And remakes. Etc.

We’ve compiled a list of top 10 original games that are scheduled for release for 2010 — and it was quite a challenge: out of the 130 games confirmed for 2010 by major publishers and developers, we found 19 that were original. Just 19.

10: Brink (Spring 2010)

Brink, an FPS developed by Splash Damage and published by Bethesda, centers around a two sides: Resistance and Security, and is a team based multiplayer shooter much like Quake Wars, which was also developed by Splash Damage. It looks promising as a multiplayer game, as it’s story based, much like Quake Wars, where one battle takes place over several maps, with a story connecting everything together.

9: Alpha Protocol (Spring 2010)

Alpha Protocol, developed by Obsidian Entertainment — developers of Star Wars: KOTOR 2 and Neverwinter Nights 2 — is a third person action RPG where the player assumes the role of Michael Thorton, a CIA agent who’s been betrayed and must not only fight his way through enemies, but also uncover the conspiracy that set him up.

8: Singularity (Q2 2010)

While time travel is a known concept in games, albeit underused, it’s still something that is difficult to fit in wiht the overall storyline, and the time feature never seems to be used properly. In Singularity, the player will have control over a TMD (Time Manipulation Device), a “weapon” which will be used to solve puzzles, for instance, if a door is locked, instead of looking for the key, you use the TMD and speed up time for the lock only, which will rust, and voila, door opened! Or use it on an enemy and watch him turn into a skeleton. The concept certainly seems intriguing, and offers some truly original puzzles.

7: Dante’s Inferno (February 9, 2010)

Dante’s Inferno has already caused a lot of controversy, from the fake E3 2009 protest, to gameplay elements where players can slay children. The gritty, hell based game is loosely based on the actual Inferno by Dante in The Divine Comedy, and the player assumes the role of Dante, who has to fight his way though monsters and demons in the 9 circles of hell, and decide whether he’ll be good and spare some (like children) or go reckless. It definitely looks as one of the darkest games of 2010.

6: MAG (January 26, 2010)

MAG (Massive Action Game) is a PS3 online FPS multiplayer who’s main feature is a massive 256 player online matches, with 128 players per team, divided into 8-player squads, 4 squads into a platoon, and 4 platoons into a company. With 256 players on the map, MAG is set to deliver some of the most intense and frantic combat yet, and will offer detailed stats and rankings, where higher ranked players will be able to command the battle and give orders to individual squads and platoons.

5: LA Noire (Q3 2010)

LA Noire, an open ended adventure game set in a recreated 1940s Los Angeles, which players can freely roam around, and chose to solve a number of murders around the city. The game has a great feeling of classic noir films based in LA, like LA Confidential, The Maltese Falcon and Chinatown, and draws inspiration from such works as well.

4: Rage (Q4 2010)

It’s been a while since Id Software has made an original game — actually, the last original game Id Software made was Quake, back in 1996. Id finally shows something new with Rage, a fusion between a first person shooter and a racing game set in a post-apocalyptic Mad Max styled world. It’s built with the all new Id Tech 5 engine, and shows very promising visuals, to say the least.

3: Heavy Rain (Q2 2010)

Heavy Rain has been on the radar since it was originally showcased at E3 2006, and will be released almost four years later, in Q2 2010. The gorgeous looking game centers around a serial killer known as “The Origami Killer”, and players assume roles of different characters who try and solve the murders. It’s one of the most stylish and atmospheric games to come out in 2010.

2: Alan Wake (Q2 2010)

What Heavy Rain is for the PS3, Alan Wake is for the Xbox 360. Developed by Remedy, Alan Wake is a psychological thriller inspired by the likes of Twin Peaks and Stephen King novels, where players assume the role of Alan Wake, a writer who seeks refuge at a quiet place where he can write his next novel (much like Stephen Kings “Misery“). However, when his wife vanishes, it’s up to him to get her back.

1: APB (March 2010)

APB is not only the most original MMO game to his the stores in 2010, it’s also the most original game overall. It’s the classic cops vs. robbers gameplay, but on a massive scale, with endless customizations and options, tons of missions and weapons. Created by David Jones, the original creator for GTA, APB is hailed as everything he wanted to do wince he made GTA, and while originally trying to pitch and sell APB to Rockstar as GTA Online, it’s good that APB is on its own now, we need a great, original game. And an MMO that’s not fantasy based.

Brutal Legend can best be described as an adventure game with a lot of rock elements with the humor from Jack Black, who’s not only known as an actor, but also a rock enthusiast. The game is a third person adventure game where you control Eddie Riggs, a roadie who’s on a mission to save the heaven of heavy metal from an evil lord who’s holding the whole thing hostage. It even includes a great cameo from one of the best known heavy metal characters, Ozzy Osbourne. The feeling of heavy metal is present in every fiber of this game. And even if you’re not into heavy metal, the great story, the funny dialogue and the gameplay will draw you in.

The gameplay is a fusion between 3rd person adventure hack ‘n slash, and RTS, where you command troops (or fans as they’re called) during the main battle. In addition to that, there are sections where you’ll be shooting and racing (and mowing down enemies) as well. The levels are huge and well designed, and the art style is consistent throughout — meaning it looks great. You can use different combos to take down your enemies, from playing a particular tune of music — guitar solos — that destroys nearby enemies, to simply slashing your way through with your trusty battle axe. However, quite stunningly, you cannot jump in the game. Seriously. It’s a third person adventure game, where you cannot jump. Last time something like this happened was… GoldenEye… 12 years ago? And that was an FPS. The single player campaign is short and sweet, but the side-missions are rather dull and repetitive, but however, they’re quite easy and will reward you points in the game that you can use to buy upgrades.

The multiplayer aspect of the game includes the RTS aspect of the main campaign, where up to 8 players can play against each other, controlling the monsters and beasts from the main quest. The multiplayer is fun, but it’s not something that’s gonna keep you playing for a long time, as it’s not that varied. You’ll find more replay value in the tons of collectibles and in-game achievements that Brutal Legend offers, where you can unlock new music, concept art, upgrades to your car and so on.

Technically, the game looks great and features a cartoony art style that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The soundtrack on the other hand, is top notch, and comprises of classic songs from artists like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Motorhead. The voice acting, and especially the dialogue writing is top notch as well, and Jack Black not only fits perfectly in the role, he also does an outstanding job as a voice actor. Brutal Legend is mostly an homage to Heavy Metal as it once was, and fans of the music genre should definitely get the game. For non-heavy metal fans, there’s still a lot of fun to be had, especially if you’re a Jack Black fan.

The Good:
Lots of originality
Great soundtrack
Wonderful if you’re into heavy metal
Great voice acting

The Bad:
Short single-player campaign
Side missions are bland
Can’t jump
A few frame rate issues

Overall score: 8/10

Order Of War lets players control either the US Army during the invasion of Normandy (and onwards. towards Berlin), or the German Army during the Russian campaign into Nazi Germany — yep, you can play as the Nazis and defend the “Fatherland” from zhe Russians. The game will instantly immerse you into the action, from the brief and snappy mission descriptions, to the polished action itself. You will control anywhere from a few troops going into a covert battle, to hundreds of soldiers and several divisions, when landing on the beaches of Normandy, for instance.

The micromanaging in the game has been simplified somewhat — you don’t control a single unit, but rather, a company, which holds anywhere from 30 to 50 soldiers, and likewise, you can’t control individual tanks and artillery units, they are grouped together in units of 5. This makes for a more simplified control scheme, but the hardcore RTS  crown might find it lacking in certain aspects. The overall controls are very suited for the casual gamers, you won’t find the realism of Company of Heroes, nor the micromanagement of Age of Empires. Although you will be able to win cash during the battles, and “buy” certain power-up and abilities, like calling in an artillery strikes and air plane attacks. The single player campaign will last you a good 15 hours, and when you’re done (or before), there’s a great skirmish mode as well. The multiplayer, while fun, only has 6 maps, which tend to get boring really quickly and the game doesn’t come with any map tools for the map builders out there.

However, the game isn’t without flaws, most of which are caused by a buggy gameplay mechanic. For instance, your tanks will run over a lot of your soldiers, and the soldiers themselves aren’t the cleverest on the field — they rarely look for cover when under attack, and are basically mowed down most of the time.

Technically, the game looks gorgeous, the animations are great (unless you get really close), the sounds and effects are top notch as well, and the whole game feature a good cinematic feel. In all, Order Of War is a fun game, while it doesn’t break new grounds or offer any real new additions to the genre, RTS fans will enjoy it, especially if you’re into simplified game style like Dawn Of War 2 (but with a WW2 feel, after all).

The Good:
Fun gameplay
Great visuals
Simplified controls

The Bad:
A few glitches here and there
Only 6 multiplayer maps
Vague soundtrack

Overall score: 7/10

While 2009 is drawing to an end, and with all the great AAA titles only weeks away, keep in mind that 2010 is going to see more top-notch titles released than the last few years. Here are 20 games that should/will make an impact next year, and while a lot more games are coming out, we obviously couldn’t include them all — our list grew from ten games to twenty games simply because even we were surprised how many title are lined up for 2010. Here’s our 20 games for 2010, in no particular order.

Postal 3 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Running With Scissors, Q2, 2010)

The original Postal was both hailed and damned for its controversial content, and the sequel, Postal 2 only made it better (or worse, if you’re a politician looking for some media attention). Postal 3 will expand on the sandbox style gameplay, and will even feature director Uwe Boll (who made the 2008 Postal movie) in a cameo role.

APB (PC, Xbox 360, March 2010)

After developing Crackdown for the Xbox 360, which has since become a cult classic on the console, Realtime Worlds shifted all their manpower to APB (All Points Bulletin), a revolutionary MMO set in a huge city where players battle each other as either law enforcement agents, or criminals. A kind of GTA online, as creator David Jones (the man behind GTA) is noted saying APB is “the bastard child of everything we’ve been striving towards over the 15-20 years”.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, March 2, 2010)

Battlefield: Bad Company almost managed to perfect something no other FPS had done before: creating a fully destructible battlefield, where walls would no longer provide infinite cover — one tank shell and you better be looking to hide somewhere else. Coupled with a single player campaign and a solid multiplayer, Bad Company has been one of the most played FPS on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Bad Company 2 will bring “destruction 2.0″, taking destruction to a whole new level, this time, entire buildings and towns can be leveled to the ground.

Heavy Rain (PS3, February 2010)

Heavy Rain has been highly anticipated ever since it was first showcased at E3 2006 for the PlayStation 3, the film-noir, thriller-styled game will feature an intertwined storyline, with four playable characters, all looking for a serial killed going under the name “The Origami Killer”.

Halo Reach (Xbox 360, Q4 2010)

The next chapter in the Halo series and Master Chief’s battle against the Covenant was unveiled at E3 2009, without any further details other than the game would be the last Halo game to be developed by Bungie. Owners of Halo 3: ODST will have a chance to check out the game’s multiplayer beta in the middle of 2010, by then we should have more details on Reach.

Red Steel 2 (Wii, February 16, 2010)

The original Red Steel was the very first Wii game that was revealed, and rode a wave of anticipation until its release — as a Wii launch title — where it showed a flawed control scheme, dated visuals and uninspiring gameplay. Red Steel 2 is said to correct all those issues, and will require (and be bundled with) the Wii Motion Plus accessory, giving it a true 1:1 control input, paving the way for some great sword fights. We sure hope so.

Crysis 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Q4 2010)

The original Crysis is still bringing even the most powerful PCs to their knees, and is still hailed as the best looking game available, at least if a tropical island is what you crave. Crysis 2 continues the story where the original left off, and will use the new CryEngine 3, creating an even more immersive world. There aren’t many details of the game yet, but one thing is for sure: start saving for a new PC rig.

BioShock 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, February 9, 2010)

BioShock took the gaming community with storm in 2007, offering an amazing look at the steampunk/retro-futuristic world of Rapture, coupled with a story similar to Half Life, and in BioShock 2 — which takes place ten years after BioShock 1 — players can take control of the infamous Big Daddy, and will be able to step outside of the underwater city of Rapture. On top of that, BioShock 2 will include multiplayer as well, bringing a whole new dimension into the series.

Alan Wake (PC, Xbox 360, March 2010)

Alan Wake was originally a title known for its pretty visuals, actually, gorgeous visuals, but it soon became apparent that the game had much more to offer, as it showcased the first gameplay bits at E3 2009. It’s a psychological thriller, and draws inspiration from Twin Peaks and countless Stephen King novels, and is one of the most anticipated original games of 2010.

STALKER: Call Of Pripyat (PC, February 2010)

STALKER, and its expansion pack, was a promising action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world of Chernobyl, but both games were hammered by technical issues and a merciless difficulty. Call of Pripyat is set to correct those issues, and is set to become a more accessible game for both action and RPG fans. On top of that, the game will utilize new DirectX 11 technologies, offering an even more grittier-looking Chernobyl than before.

Crackdown 2 (Xbox 360, March 2010)

Crackdown was one of the sleeper hits on the Xbox 360, where some gamers eagerly purchased the game only for the bundled-in Halo 3 beta. They soon found out that Crackdown was a viable GTA contender, with its own unique style and gameplay. Crackdown 2 was revealed at E3 2009, and is set to expand on gameplay and destruction of Pacific City, complete with a new visual overhaul.

Deus Ex 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Q4 2010)

Deus Ex and Deus Ex 2 have pretty much solidified their cult status among gamers, and especially, fans of dystopian cyberpunk. Deus Ex 3 will take place in 2027, 25 years before Deus Ex, so its views on a cyberpunk culture might dwindle a bit, but we’ll see — developer Eidos Montreal has yet to release any screenshots or videos of the game.

Max Payne 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360, March 2010)

The original Max Payne and May Payne 2 were hallmarks of noir storytelling in vidoegames, and when the new look and feel of Max Payne 3 was announced — with a new, bald Max — taking place in Brazil, loyal fans to the series got worried. After all, what’s Max Payne without a gritty New York City, rain, and lots of voice over acting? It’s even got a new developer, and the original writers are not on board. Lots of things can go wrong, but new developer Rockstar Vancouver seems to be on top of things, both story and gameplay wise.

God Of War 3 (PS3, March 2010)

God Of War has been one of the most successful franchises on the PlayStation 2, and it was never a secret that Sony was bringing the third game in the series on the PS3. If screenshots and gameplay videos are anything to judge the final product by, PS3 owners have something very special waiting for them next year, as God of War 3 is looking to be the biggest PS3 release of the year, second only to Gran Turismo 5, perhaps.

Gran Turismo 5 (PS3, Q2 2010)

Arguably the best racing sim franchise in history, Gran Turismo 5 will flex its muscles in beautiful high def for the first time, and it’s getting increasingly difficult to differentiate GT5 screenshots from real life photos of the cars. Compared to arch rival Forza 3, GT5 will have over twice the amount of cars (950 vs 450 in Forza 3) and more racing tracks as well. In addition, GT5 will include both NASCAR and World Rally Championship racing options.

Supreme Commander 2 (PC, Xbox 360, Q3 2010)

Supreme Commander, the spiritual successor for one of the greatest RTS games ever, Total Annihilation, revolutionized the way the battlefield was viewed, with a huge map that could be zoomed in and out to any point, effortlessly. That feature alone took gameplay and multitasking to a whole new level, and the game even had a proper support of multi-monitor setups. Supreme Commander 2 was unveiled during E3 2009, and takes place 25 years after the ending of SupCom: Forged Alliance.

Mass Effect 2 (PC, Xbox 360, January 26, 2010)

One of the many games delayed from late-2009 to early-2010 due to the clogging of several AAA titles this year, Mass Effect 2 continues the story from Mass Effect, this time, it’s a lot darker, according to the developers at BioWare. The game features an updated combat system, improved AI and more detailed characters and animations.

Army Of Two: The 40th Day (PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, January 10, 2010)

While the premise for a great co-op game was laid out in Army Of Two, poor execution and AI crippled the gameplay. The sequel, like all sequels should, will try and make up for those shortcomings. The 40th Day will feature refined controls, the ability to use human shields and to fake a surrender in order to outflank the enemy (meaning you better trust your teammate).

MAG (PS3, January 25, 2010)

MAG (short for Massive Action Game) is trying something no other FPS multiplayer game has been able to pull off before: massive 256 tribes and matches. It’ll feature 128 players per teams, divided into 8-player squads, 4 squads into a platoon, and 4 platoons into a company (8*4*4=128, see?). With 256 players on the map, MAG is set to deliver some of the most intense and frantic combat yet, and will offer detailed stats and rankings, where higher ranked players will be able to command the battle and give orders to individual squads and platoons.

Rage (PC, PS3, Xbox 360 & OS X, Q4, 2010)

Id Software’s first original game in decades, Rage is a fusion between a first person shooter and a racing game set in a post-apocalyptic Mad Max styled world. It’s built on the brand new ID Tech 5 engine, and will ship on 3 DVDs for the Xbox 360 and PC versions, while the PS3 edition will ship on one Blu-ray disc. Id Software legend and Rage developer John Carmack revealed that the game takes up a whopping 1 TB in space when not compressed. 3 DVDs don’t seem that much of a big deal now.

Honorable mentions: LA Noire, Fable 3, Far Cry 3, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Ghost Recon 4, Guild Wars 2, Command & Conquer 4, Thief 4, Dead Rising 2 and Just Cause 2.

One of my all time favorite RTS franchises is none other than Command & Conquer. Couple this with the fact that the iPhone (and iPod touch) is quickly becoming one of the premiere hand held gaming devices and you have yourself a match made in heaven.

Later this month EA will be putting Command & Conquer Red Alert up for sale on ther App Store which includes 12 different levels and two different sides; the Soviets and the Allies.are they dow

If the above screenshot is anything to go by, this game is sure to be a hit.

Defense Grid: The Awakening is the second Tower Defense game on the Xbox 360, and it’s one of the best tower defense games to date, not just on the Xbox 360, but on all platforms.  Defense Grid was originally released on the PC last year, and even though the XBLA edition includes bonus maps, it retails for half the price: $10. In case you’re new to Tower Defense games, the player must build defense towers of all kinds of towers — usually certain towers are best against certain enemies — and wait for the enemy to arrive. The enemies travel alongside paths, and must not reach their destination, as it’s up to you to take them out before they do. While there usually is no story to such games, at least Defense Grid tries; it’s a story of humans vs. aliens, and you need to stop them from reaching their goals.

The story unfolds a bit as the campaign progresses, so we won’t reveal everything here (not that there is much to reveal). The gameplay plays out well in terms of Tower Defense standards, aliens will pour out from different location on the map and will head towards the “power cores”, which they need to steal and exit with (you’ll win if you can keep only one power core, but you’ll get extra points if you manage to keep more of them). It’s your objective to stop them from doing so, and you’ll have a variety of different towers to your disposal. There are ten different towers in total, all have various abilities, pros and cons, and like all other Tower Defense games, it’s about getting the correct towers for the correct jobs. And there are always plenty of choices to be made. And made quick, as they enemies will be coming at you relentlessly.

The campaign consists of 20 levels, which can be replayed in “challenge” and “survival” modes. In addition to that, there are 4 bonus levels which were not included in the original PC version. Technically, the game looks great and is definitely one of the best looking Tower Defense games out there, albeit the level design can get a bit repetitive. The tower and enemy models and animations are great as well, and the sounds and music fit perfectly. It’s definitely an addictive game — as addictive as any great Tower Defense game can get. If you’re into these games, then Defense Grid: The Awakening is definitely something for you, as it offers hours upon hours of gameplay for a mere $10 bucks.

The Good:
Great visuals
Cheap
Lots of gameplay value

The Bad:
Level design is a bit uninspiring

Overall score: 9/10

It seems that the guy who founded DICE, Fredrik Liljengren has moved onto bigger and better things with his latest game studio, Antic Entertainment. You may be familiar with DICE as the studio behind Battlefield: Bad Company and Battlefield: 1943.

Anyways, Antic Entertainment is to be a studio that specializes in free-to-play games with their first title being Junk: Battles. This browser based RTS will let players create their own ship and then duke it out against other players as they collect parts to upgrade said ship.

If you want to read more about Junk: Battles and Antic Entertainment, head over to the game’s official website here.

via gamasutra

10: Avatar (November 15)

James Cameron’s upcoming sci-fi epic Avatar has been in production for years and sci-fi fans around the world are looking forward to its December premiere. The game adaptation, developed by Ubisoft, uses the same technology as the film, and will be in 3D as well.Very little is known about the game, mostly because it follows the movie closely, which itself has been a tightly kept secret.

9: NBA 2K10/NBA Live 10 (October 6)

The rivalry between NBA basketball series NBA 2K and NBA Live has been ongoing for several years, and for the 2010 versions of the respective games — which will be released on the same day — the stakes are even higher. 2K Games and EA have added a ton of new features to their games, which will make this years line up even more compelling to basketball fans around the world.

8: Aion: The Tower of Eternity (September 22)

Korean developer/publisher NCsoft is known for creating lots of MMOs, from Lineage, to Guild Wars, to the failed Auto Assault. Aion is their latest creation, and unlike many other MMOs, the main attraction here is that combat will, for the most part be airborne. Unfortunately however, unlike Guild Wars, Aion will be subscription based, and will cost $15 a month to be a part of.

7: Halo 3: ODST (September 22)

Halo 3 ODST (”Orbital Drop Shock Troopers”), doesn’t follow the main protagonist Master Chief, instead, it centers around an unknown soldier, “The Rookie”, who crash lands on a hostile planet and must find his teammates. While it’s not a true sequel, rather something in between Halo 3 and the upcoming Halo Reach, it’ll most certainly satisfy hard core Halo fans this holiday season.

6: Assassin’s Creed 2 (November 17)

Assassin’s Creed 2 features an all new setting: Venice during the Renaissance in the 15th century, where the player will not only have the opportunity to roam free around the city by jumping from rooftop to rooftop, it’ll also have the option of swimming in the countless canals. Even cooler, your weapons and gadgets will be made by none other than Leonardo da Vinci, who has been recreated in the game.

5: New Super Mario Bros. Wii (November 15)

New Super Mario Bros. for the DS was a mega hit for Nintendo, and true to company nature, it’s releasing a NSMB game on the Wii, which will be a sequel to the DS game. It’ll feature four-player multiplayer gameplay throughout the single-player campaign, and will include Wiimote motion capabilities (although players can still play the “classic” way by holding the Wiimote horizontally).

4: Forza Motorsport 3 (October 27)

Forza Motorsport 2 was the ultimate racing sim on the Xbox 360, and Forza 3 will take that to a whole new level, with over 400 cars which are ten times as detailed as in Forza 2, and 100 tracks as well, all built with a brand new graphics engine. The single player mode will include over 200 events, ranging from racing, to time trails and even drifting competitions.

3: Left 4 Dead 2 (November 17)

Despite the outrage among hardcore Left 4 Dead fans that Valve was doing a sequel only a year after the original game, lots of Left 4 Dead fans are eagerly awaiting the sequel, which brings four new survivors, a new setting and a lot of new weapons, including chainsaws and other melee weapons.

2: Borderlands (October 20)

Gearbox’ Borderlands was originally announced back in 2007, and was pretty much left alone until earlier this year, when an all new art style of the game was revealed. It’s a first person shooter with RPG elements and a “drop-in/drop-out” co-op mode in single player, set in a “Mad Max” type environment. Players will have a choice between four different characters, each with different abilities and skill trees.

1: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (November 10)

The sequel to the best selling FPS game in history has a lot to live up to, from compelling single player campaign to fully fledged multiplayer, and it looks like Modern Warfare 2 will accomplish all of that, and then some. It’ll build on the classic MW multiplayer formula by offering even more unlocks and bonuses, including perks that are now upgradeable.Even the visuals have greatly improved, with an updated version of the engine that will provide even more detailed worlds than before.

For those of you who missed out on 2005 release, Microsoft is giving you another chance to experience it with the forthcoming release of Age of Empires III: Complete Collection. The game will hit store shelves on September 15th for $49.95 and include Age of Empires III along with it’s two expansion; The Asian Dynasties and War Chiefs.

A single-player demo for the game has been released recently, titled “Road to Paris”. It’s available on the official website.

I’m looking forward to Order of War; it will be interesting to see how the Japanese RPG giant will handle a World War II game.

I told myself I wouldn’t play this game because I would get addicted, but it looks too good to pass up. Anyways, it’s Defense of the Ancients except a whole lot better from what I’ve heard. Right now, the game is in a beta phase, but a few lucky people have been able to get their hands on a key through a Facebook promotion.

The game is currently being developed by S2 Games, the people behind Savage. No word on a release date, but pre-sale for the game has already started for beta members.

The developer claims they already have a fix in testing for the lag issues. As for the connection failures, the patch is currently going through official Sony testings, so we can expect a fix for everything very soon.

Read (Titan Studios Dev Blog)

The demo weighs in at ~790MB, which isn’t bad considering the game has some pretty intense graphics. You can download it over at FileFront.

A nice little video launch trailer was also released yesterday, so be sure to check that out to decide if the demo’s worth your time.

Demigod

Players will reportedly be able to play through all 4 of the game’s multiplayer modes using four demigods; Regulus, Rook, Sedna and Lord Erebus. However, the only map made available for play in the demo is Cataract.

If you’re a fan of the RTS genre, Demigod is definitely a game you should check out. Head here to snag the demo.