Eye On '07: Xbox 360

Alan Wake

• Developer: Remedy Entertainment
• Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Also Available On: PC
• Gamepage

Ever since we saw the first screenshots and teaser videos for Alan Wake, there was a sense that this game was going to be a bit special. Max Payne creator Remedy has superb pedigree when it comes to fantastic visuals, and the setting of Alan Wake - the fictional town of Bright Falls in the American north-west - looks like being a showcase for the capabilities of next-gen graphics hardware. This is far from a pretty-but-dumb game, though. A Stephen King style concept in which a horror writer is trapped in a town which begins to resemble his books is expanded upon to provide a free-roaming world in which light and shadow, day and night, are the key weapons in your arsenal against the dark forces closing in on you.

Described by the developer as a "psychological action thriller", this has the potential to combine the best elements of Grand Theft Auto and Silent Hill with the most advanced graphics ever seen in a videogame. Being Remedy, though, it also has the potential to be delayed again, and again, and again - but Max Payne proved that it's worth keeping the faith sometimes, and the might of Microsoft behind the title might even keep a 2007 release date on the cards. If so, it's damn near the top of our most wanted list for the year.

Bioshock

• Developer: Irrational Games
• Publisher: 2K Games
• Also Available On: PC
• Gamepage

The name is different, but make no mistake; this is a new System Shock. Or rather, a "spiritual successor", which is the term preferred by the developer. Whatever. It's a new System Shock, and that's what matters.

For the uneducated, the System Shock series is the benchmark for intelligent first-person gaming. Kick-starting the revolution which would go on to give the world Deus Ex and which has influenced the design of countless other games, what System Shock does is to seamlessly integrate brilliant narrative, a complex, interactive world and thoughtful first-person action into a brilliant, atmospheric whole. Bioshock promises to deliver all that and then some.

This time out, the team is adding what they call an "AI ecology" to the mix - giving other characters and entities in the world their own objectives and personalities, which interact with both the player and with each other to create surprising, complex scenarios, unlikely alliances and even moral dilemmas. Transposing the action from the abandoned space station setting of System Shock to an art deco undersea city, designed as a mid-1900s utopia before the discovery of a powerful bio-engineering substance made it all go horribly wrong, has given the game a unique visual style to complement its extraordinary gameplay - and is just another reason on the growing list of reasons that Bioshock screams "instant classic" at us.

Forza Motorsport 2

• Developer: Turn 10
• Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Xbox 360 Exclusive
• Gamepage

When you've got a generation and a half, and a hundred million unit head-start, to catch up with, one way to start closing the gap is to make sure you have an answer to every major title in your rival's arsenal. Forza Motorsport is exactly that, and it's largely unapologetic about it - this is Microsoft's answer to Gran Turismo. Thankfully, it's also really, really good.

Coming out at the tail end of the original Xbox' lifespan, the first Forza turned heads with fantastic visuals and top notch handling and physics - and the second instalment in the series looks set to be the choice of any hardcore petrol fume aficionado, adding to the formula with stunning next-gen graphics, even more realistic handling, more cars and tracks, and of course, the prospect of decimating other wannabe Richard Hammonds (that's the fast cars bit, not the brain damage - in most cases, anyway) on Xbox Live.

People who think "fuel injection" is a neat slogan for an energy drink, snigger when you talk about a "big end" and wish Jeremy Clarkson would shut up and get a real job need not apply. Of course, in an ideal world, it would have come out in time for Christmas, but good things come to those who wait, eh?

Halo 3

• Developer: Bungie
• Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Xbox 360 Exclusive
• Gamepage

Without Halo, there would probably be no Xbox 360. There were many long, cold months for the original Xbox after the launch of Bungie's seminal first-person shooter in which the console was that saddest of beasts, a one-game platform; a few hastily scattered money hats aside, it took the long term success of Halo, and consequently of the Xbox, to convince the rest of the world that this might be a system worth developing for. Launching the Xbox 360 without a Halo game was a demonstration of how far Microsoft has come since then - but for many Xbox fans, it doesn't change the fact that Halo 3 is The Big One.

There are plenty of unanswered questions about Halo 3 - we know, of course, that the single-player is intended as the conclusion of the current trilogy, and that once again Bungie is planning for this to be a showcase of the console's online multiplayer abilities. We know that it looks amazing, we're sure that it'll sound amazing... But what we don't know is where the focus of the game is. Is it on providing a compelling, atmospheric single-player experience, like Halo 1 did? Is that being sacrificed, to some extent, in favour of being an Xbox Live showcase, as happened with Halo 2? We can only hope that the extended development time means that Bungie has learned to balance both things. Finish the Fight, the trailer requests - we will, with exceptional pleasure, as long as you Finish the Game this time.

Mass Effect

• Developer: Bioware
• Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Xbox 360 Exclusive
• Gamepage

When George Lucas was busy defiling the corpse of his best-loved franchise, Canadian wunderkind Bioware was crafting its own lovingly executed, fantastically written and superbly involving Star Wars prequel. In an ideal world, we could forget episodes I to III and pretend that Knights of the Old Republic was the true heir to the Star Wars legacy. As it is, it's the best reason (along with other great reasons like Baldur's Gate and Jade Empire) to be very, very excited about Mass Effect.

Designed from the outset as the first game of a trilogy, Mass Effect is Bioware's latest attempt at building their own universe rather than playing around in someone else's. A graphically stunning science fiction yarn, it places you in the space-boots of the first human ever to join a species-spanning special forces unit which takes on trouble around the galaxy - and places you at the heart of action and intrigue against, of course, the backdrop of an ancient evil (oooh) that threatens all known life (aaah).

Videos of the game in action show a battle system which is much more action-focused and real time than in Knights of the Old Republic, but it's Bioware's reputation for building fantastic character interaction systems that really make Mass Effect interesting - with the firm promising even more enhancements to its already superb conversation systems, including the ability to interrupt characters with your response before they've finished speaking.

All of which adds up to one of the most fascinating and promising titles of the coming year - Bioware's pedigree is near-impeccable, the game and its premise look and sound brilliant, and quite frankly, we may wet ourselves in anticipation if we don't get to play this soon.

Alone in the Dark

• Developer: Eden Games; Publisher: Atari
• Also Available On: PC, PS3
• Gamepage

The venerable franchise that launched the survival horror genre returns on next-generation consoles - and while the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill have overshadowed Alone in the Dark in recent years, early looks at this update to the series suggest that its fantastic atmosphere and focus on short, tightly plotted episodes may well propel it back to the cutting edge of videogame horror.

Assassin's Creed

• Developer: Ubisoft Montreal; Publisher: Ubisoft
• Also Available On: PC, PS3
• Gamepage

The latest creation from the studio that reinvigorated Prince of Persia is one of the most hotly anticipated titles for the new generation of consoles, and for good reason; early demonstrations have shown stunningly realistic combat and movement, adaptive AI which sees entire crowds reacting realistically to your actions, and the kind of freedom of choice which gamers have dreamed about for years.

Blue Dragon

• Developer: Mistwalker / Artoon; Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Xbox 360 Exclusive
• Gamepage

Xbox' attempts at conquering Japan don't really seem to be working much better in this generation than they did last time around - but for gamers in the west, what Microsoft's obsession with the Far East means is that the cream of Japanese development talent is working on the 360. Blue Dragon features game design by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and character design by the artist behind Dragon Quest and Dragonball, Akira Toriyama. Bright primary colours abound, but with pedigree like that behind the game, it's got anime and RPG fans in a frenzy.

Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway

• Developer: Gearbox; Publisher: Ubisoft
• Also Available On: PC, PS3
• Gamepage

In the crowded World War II shooter market, Brothers In Arms stands out not just for its tactical nature - where commanding your squad is as important as shooting straight - but also because it's one of the few WWII games which focuses heavily on characters and relationships rather than on guns and explosions. Hell's Highway continues the story through Operation Market Garden, and promises to be the thinking man's WWII game - with civilians to consider, clever AI to outsmart, and missions that require careful thought rather than just rushing towards an objective marker on the map.

Bullet Witch

• Developer: Cavia; Publisher: Atari
• Xbox 360 Exclusive
• Gamepage

Of all the games on this list, this is perhaps the one you're least likely to have heard of - but perhaps you'll be more interested when I tell you that it's all about playing as a sexy, gothy-looking witch who goes around blowing the hell out of demon armies by shooting them with an overpowered broomstick and casting ridiculously pyrotechnic spells around the place? Thought so. Import peeks suggest that it's quite a manic third-person shooter - and sometimes, I guess, you just really want to blow things up.

Burnout 5

• Developer: Criterion; Publisher: EA Games
• Also Available On: PS3
• Gamepage

This isn't Burnout's first outing on the Xbox 360, but it's arguably the first really "next-gen" showing for the high octane, crash-tacular arcade racer. While I do have sympathy with those who argue that Burnout 2 was the pinnacle of the series (it was 3 for me, personally), this latest update is still promising enough to get us excited all over again. Smashing our way through free-roaming city environments? Yes, please.

Crackdown

• Developer: Real Time Worlds; Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Xbox 360 Exclusive
• Gamepage

The first title to emerge from the new studio set up by Dave "Grand Theft Auto" Jones, Crackdown is another free-roaming, crime-focused romp through a massive city environment - only this time, you play one of the good guys (if violent, authoritarian types are your idea of good guys - we expect that John Reid will be a fan). It didn't look up to much at E3 last May, but we suspect that code was simply too early to be shown off. The final game promises a great, cartoony visual style, top-notch physics, and crime capers aplenty.

Eternal Sonata

• Developer: Tri-Crescendo; Publisher: Namco Bandai
• Xbox 360 Exclusive
• Gamepage

Another brightly coloured RPG from the land of the Rising Sun, Eternal Sonata (known as Trusty Bell in its home country) is exactly the kind of quirky, appealing game which detractors of the original Xbox demanded - and which the Xbox 360 is delivering upon. Based around an interesting musical premise - and focused on the works of composer Frederic Chopin - the game's intriguing real-time battle system and lovely visuals look set to raise it head and shoulders above the majority of the Japanese RPG crowd.

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2

• Developer: Ubisoft; Publisher: Ubisoft
• Also Available On: PC, PS3
• Gamepage

The first GRAW was a stand-out hit for the Xbox 360, and we know plenty of people who are still playing it months later - so the team knew that for the second game (or the fifth in the Ghost Recon series, but who's keeping count?), they couldn't afford to rest on their laurels. GRAW2 is promising dramatic real-time weather effects, even more stunning lighting, realistic smoke and gas effects and a host of other visual changes - but more importantly, it's also going to beef up the tactical side of the game, especially in terms of how you select your squad and the impact that has on the success of your mission.

Grand Theft Auto IV

• Developer: Rockstar North; Publisher: Rockstar Games
• Also Available On: PS3
• Gamepage

Getting Grand Theft Auto to launch simultaneously on the Xbox 360 and PS3 is one of Microsoft's biggest coups of the last few years - and both consoles will even have a certain level of exclusivity, with unique downloadable content planned for each platform. As for the game itself, we don't really know anything, frankly. Everyone knows how Grand Theft Auto plays, but pondering over what Rockstar North is going to do with the graphical and processing prowess of the next-gen consoles is nothing but pure speculation. We're damned keen to find out, though - if this strikes the same kind of chord that previous iterations of the series have, GTAIV could be the biggest game of the year.

Haze

• Developer: Free Radical Design; Publisher: Ubisoft
• Also Available On: PC, PS3
• Gamepage

Most famous for being "the guys who did Goldeneye" when they were at Rare, Free Radical have proved their worth with the comical but beautifully balanced TimeSplitters games, and the more recent departure into seriousness, Second Sight. Haze is another "serious" first-person shooter; set in the near future in South America, it sees you fighting as part of a band of mercenaries against an insane rebel leader who wears the skins of his captives as clothing. Nice. The graphically stunning Haze remains largely under wraps for now - but great things are expected.

Lost Planet

• Developer: Capcom; Publisher: Capcom
• Xbox 360 Exclusive
• Gamepage

Out of all the Japanese publishers, Capcom seems to be the one most willing to Jump In with the Xbox 360 - and having gifted it with the gloriously gory Dead Rising last summer, the firm's latest action extravaganza, Lost Planet, is also coming to the 360 exclusively in early 2007. Focused heavily on blasting Starship Troopers style bug aliens to kingdom come, either on foot or on board a mech, the game also promises extensive co-op and multiplayer support over Xbox Live.

Medal of Honor Airborne

• Developer: EA Los Angeles; Publisher: EA Games
• Also Available On: PS3, PC, Wii, PS2
• Gamepage

The next version of EA's massive Medal of Honor franchise, as the name suggests, focuses on the airborne units - placing you in the boots of a paratrooper who is dropped into various war zones across the European theatre of World War II. Updated graphics are a given; the chief innovation that's been revealed so far is that you can control your descent in the parachute, and where you eventually land will affect how your mission plays out significantly.

Resident Evil 5

• Developer: Capcom; Publisher: Capcom
• Also Available On: PS3
• Gamepage

It's all gone quiet in the Resi 5 camp in recent months, leading to widespread speculation that either Sony or Microsoft has constructed a money hat sufficiently impressive for Capcom to commit to an exclusive release - either way, we wish they'd just hurry up and finish the game, whichever platform it's destined for. The follow-up to the genre-busting Resident Evil 4 has massive expectations to meet, both in terms of visuals and gameplay - but if the team manages to keep the quality level up, watching them cut loose on next-gen hardware should be a fantastic ride.

Shadowrun

• Developer: FASA Studios; Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Also Available On: PC (Vista)
• Gamepage

Starting out life as an astonishingly deep pen and paper role-playing world, Shadowrun is now the (very loose) basis for FASA's eagerly awaited multiplayer-only first-person shooter. Focused entirely on bringing both top-notch combat and the cyberpunk abilities from the Shadowrun universe into squad-based FPS action, the game won't have much to offer to non Xbox Live types - just offline play against bots, no campaign mode - but online, a combination of superbly creative abilities (seeing through walls, gliding, turning into fog and plenty more) with high-powered ranged and melee weapons promises one of the most interesting multiplayer experiences of the year.

The Darkness

• Developer: Starbreeze Studios; Publisher: 2k Games
• Also Available On: PS3
• Gamepage

The last game from Starbreeze, Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, was one of our top games of all time on the Xbox - so it's no surprise that we're watching their next-gen debut, The Darkness, like a hawk. Based on a comic series of the same name and featuring a young man with frightening demonic powers, The Darkness looks like being another massive success for the talented Swedes - and ever since he saw it earlier this year, Kristan hasn't stopped banging on about how great it looks.

Too Human

• Developer: Silicon Knights; Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Xbox 360 Exclusive
• Gamepage

It's had a fractured and difficult development process - originally designed as a PlayStation RPG, then destined to be a GameCube game - but now finally appearing, as the first part of a proposed trilogy, on the Xbox 360. Being Silicon Knights, this graphically stunning third-person action title is more than it seems at first glance, too. Drawing on influences as diverse as Nietzsche and Norse mythology, the game places you in the role of Baldur, a cybernetically enhanced human (and coincidentally, the Norse god of light) who protects the human race from the genocidal urges of their own over-advanced technology. Four-player co-op play rounds out a package we definitely can't wait to try out.