Games of 2007

2007 could be the year that many classic games are released. We've already had S.T.A.L.K.E.R for the PC wowing gamers, along with several console titles to whet our appetites.

But looking to the following few months shows a good selection that are sure to become bestsellers, earning the classic title in the not-too-distant future:

• Forza 2 (XBOX 360) - Adamskii showed me the delights of Forza 2 via a few videos on GameTrailers.com and I was pretty amazed as already mentioned, but today I found a recently released screenshot from the game, which highlights how great it looks. The 360 appears to have a lot of great racing games already - with this adding to the pile.
• GTAIV (Various) - The 4th instalment (by name) of the Grand Theft Auto series promises to be amazing. Rockstar recently released a trailer that only showed a glimpse of the new game. However, many sites across the interweb have ripped the trailer to pieces - dissecting it in extreme detail to work out where the game will take us. A recently published interview highlights the correct predictions along with new information about GTAIV.
• Unreal Tournament 3 (Various) - We've had UT, UT2003, UT2004 and now we're getting UT3 - or should that be 4? Confusing us with another numbering scheme but hopefully reinvigorating the fast-paced FPS experience.
• Crysis (PC) - This will surely be the best looking game this year as a recent forum thread on bit-tech proved, showing Crysis screenshots alongside real-life photographs. But, as with many new PC games, it'll demand the most from your rig - requiring an upgrade no doubt.
• Colin McRae: DIRT (Various) - Another racer, this time from the good ol' retired Rally driver, McRae. OK, so he doesn't spend 23 hours a day coding his games, but the branding pretty much guarantees a great game.
• Alan Wake (Various) - According to the official site, Alan Wake is A Psychological Action Thriller. Cool. Putting that aside, the screenshots show a fantastic landscape that will give Crysis a run for its money.
• Halo (Various) - We're being treated to Halo 2 on the PC in the coming months, but soon after we'll be able to enjoy Halo 3 on the XBOX 360 too. Judging by the success of the original and Halo 2 on the XBOX, 3 should be a blast (literally).
• GRAW 2 (Various) - OK, so it's available on the XBOX 360 right now, but the PC version is to follow in June (according to Amazon). I have the original for the PC, but found it too 'arcadey' for my liking. But I'm still looking forward to the sequel, which I'll probably opt for the 360 version of. Adamskii's Demozone review showcased GRAW in all its glory.
• Lord Of The Rings Online (PC) - Another MMORPG, this time set in the Lord Of The Rings universe, as such. Will it be as successful as WoW? Or will it flop like Matrix Online and SWG? Two things I can say is that I like the idea of a lifetime subscription, but I wont be playing it.
• Sims 2 (Various) - As with the original, Sims 2 is everywhere - becoming one of the bestselling games on pretty much every platform. Sure, it has been out for 2 years or so now, but on a recent trip to PC World I realised how big it actually was. There are many expansions appearing on the market at a rate of 1 a day (almost). Whatever next? Sims 2 - toilet cleaner? I'm not knocking it, as I've enjoyed a few hours in the game - I'm just amazed by the size of it all.

Of course, the above is only a small selection of games that we'll have the pleasure of choosing in the year 2007. Alongside the games there are several other factors that could make this year one of, if not, the best for gaming:

• PS3/XBOX 360/Wii - the big 3 have all released their next-gen consoles now and are battling it out to become the ultimate choice for our living/bedrooms. I thought it was an obvious winner from the outset - with the 360 having a head start. But, the Wii appears to have dominated the casual/family gamer market, leaving the PS3 and 360 to try and entice the hardcore following. The PC will always remain, pushing technology to its limits and evolving it as much as possible. We're starting to see a rise again from the recent slump that plagued the PC.
• PSP/DS Lite - Sony and Nintendo are still providing us with hand-held solutions to our gaming addictions. I doubt the latter will ever stop producing a product continuing from the success of its Gameboy.
• HD-DVD/Blu-Ray - This one is a close call. The European market appears to have taken a liking to Blu-Ray, whereas across the pond in the US, Wal-Mart are already announcing a success for HD-DVD. Surely the driving force behind both formats is Sony's PS3 with the built-in Blu-Ray capabilities and Microsoft's XBOX 360 with the add-on HD-DVD drive. Though I think Microsoft themselves are already admitting defeat, as they've not included a built-in HD-DVD drive with their latest XBOX 360 Elite and have halved the price of the external HD-DVD drive.

With these other factors we're seeing a huge leap in terms of technology, progress and gaming itself. As always, there's no clear winner yet and perhaps there never will be. But what games or game-related technology is going to come your way this year?

Ninja Edit: It appears that Blu-Ray is in fact outselling HD-DVD by 2:1 according to bit-tech.net