Top 14 Games For The Rest Of The Year – 14

Part 13 here

14. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men had a good story but was let down by twitchy, buggy gameplay. The multiplayer was something new; allowing you to rip off your co-thieves mid heist if you chose, but next round everyone knew you was a toad. As with GTA 4 multiplayer or anything else which wasn’t straight up, single focus – like shooting faces – it was sidelined.

Dog Days is going all handheld which looks like it will bring a bit more intensity, a bit more grit. Trailer here is how it looks like things will go down

It will include a new version of Fragile Alliance, the game’s multiplayer and hopefully they’ll put it at the front of their marketing campaign. COD style online shmups are good for a while and they have their place, but “variety is the spice of life” as insufferable douche hoses say.

Top 14 Games For The Rest Of The Year – 13

Part 12 is here

13. Civilization V

This screen is from Civilization Revolution on which  I spent hours and frigging hours. It was simple to get into, incredibly deep and as addictive as heroin on crack.

Master of game design Sid Meier is also making a browser based version for Facebook called Civilization Network for which I cannot wait. It will be exciting to see how it’s implemented as well as it being a barometer for how developers and publishers will approach the rush to the social gaming scene.

The Top 14 Games For The Rest Of The Year – 12

Part 11 is here.

12. Max Payne 3

Rockstar are good at keeping a tight lid on game details so not much is known about this third installment.

Max has left New York (avoiding any GTA4 cross contamination) and is working for a wealthy family in São Paolo, Brazil. Obviously some moist, brown, smelly stuff will hit a rotary air agitator. Max Payne on PS2 was new and refreshing and felt properly hard boiled. Screens like the one above from 3 make it seem like the game’s taking a vacation from all that and going in a new direction. On one hand – Boooooooo, on the other, Rockstar have rarely if ever steered us wrong.

Max Payne 3 was ready late last year but was put back so Take Two Interactive could spread their goodies around and try to drum up consistent sales rather than cluttering their own release schedule. We hope the game will see the benefits of the extra polish and wont be over done