Top 10 upcoming PS3 exclusives

With LittleBigPlanet 2 already released and the arrival of Killzone 3 imminent, I thought that now would be the ideal time to take a look at my most anticipated upcoming exclusives on the PlayStation 3 (as is becoming something of an annual tradition). So here’s a rundown of the ten exclusive titles I’m most looking forward to – and I hope you all like sequels, because there sure is a lot of them…

MLB 11: The Show

The previous Major League Baseball title on the PS3 was excellent, so this is one that I’m looking forward to greatly. I’m not hugely knowledgeable about baseball, but the game mechanics and ease of play made it one of those titles that is easy to pick up but tricky to master. One of the few sporting franchises that is a PS3 exclusive, it also just happens to be one of the best.

The latest instalment will see  numerous gameplay improvements, as well as 3D and Playstation Move support. The game will be available on 8th March in the US, and if the previous title is anything to go by, won’t be released in Europe. However don’t let that put you off, as it’s region free and easy to import.

Motorstorm: Apocalypse

The fourth instalment of the popular racing franchise is set to hit the PS3 in the next couple of weeks (16th March in Europe), and is set to take a more story-driven approach than previous instalments in the franchise.

As the title would suggest, there’s an apocalyptic backdrop, with natural disasters giving players additional challenges as they bomb around the terrain in whatever vehicle takes their fancy. The game will feature a number of customisable options, from the design of their vehicles to the types of events they take part in online.

PlayStation Move Heroes

Not a sequel as such, but it does gather together a number of characters from some of Playstation’s most beloved games. Ratchet and Clank, who make their first appearance on the list, are joined by Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper and Bentley as playable characters. Naughty Dog, Insomniac and Sucker Punch initially created these lovable characters, though none were involved with the production of Heroes, which has instead been developed by Nihilistic Software.

The game will allow single- as well as two-player co-op gameplay, and will use locations familiar to the characters’ previous games. Early reports of the gameplay have been mixed to say the least, though the prospect of playing as these characters again is an enticing prospect for me, and I’m sure it will be to many other PS3 owners, too.

PlayStation Move Heroes is set for a 22nd March 2011 release.

SOCOM 4: Special Forces

Zipper Interactive’s latest instalment in the popular tactical shooter franchise was set to be released to coincide with the release of PlayStation Move, but was unfortunately delayed. It’s one of the many upcoming titles that will support Move, and early word of the game and the integration of the motion control system is very good indeed.

Players will take charge of an ops commander and lead a team of five soldiers as they take on a South Asian militia. Main campaign mode aside, expect an intense and immersive online experience that will allow up to 32 players to battle against each other.

SOCOM 4 will also feature a score by Bear McCreary, which is quite exciting.

At the time of writing, SOCOM 4 is expected to be available in April 2011.

Twisted Metal

The eighth instalment of PlayStation’s longest running franchise is set to be released later this year. For some time Sony and lead designer David Jaffe had denied the existence of the game, until it was officially announced at E3 last year.

Whilst graphically it doesn’t look as though it’ll be raising the bar, the latest instalment of the vehicular combat series does look like a lot of fun – from the trailer below, it looks insane.

The focus will be on multiplayer, with a number of local and online options to choose from. With recent titles like Blur having very good online modes that incorporated a mix of combat and racing, I can see Twisted Metal being a hugely enjoyable online game and a must-buy for PS3 owners.

There’s no set release date for Twisted Metal at the time of writing, but it’s expected in 2011.

Resistance 3

Resistance 3 is a game that was in teaser mode at the time of writing last year’s piece, but more details have emerged since then, meaning that I can include it in this list rather than relegate it to an honourable mention. This third instalment in the series is set four years after the conclusion of Resistance 2, in an alternative 1950s where America has been overtaken by the Chmeran race, forcing the remaining human survivors into hiding.

Players will take control of the protagonist Joseph Capelli as he sets on a journey to defeat the Chimera. Resistance 3 will allow split screen and online co-op through the campaign, as well as a number of online options.

Resistance 3’s release date has yet to be confirmed, but is expected before the year is out.

InFamous 2

For its follow-up to the excellent original, Sucker Punch seems to have raised the bar considerably. I was a big fan of the original, and given how the first game ended, a sequel was inevitable.

Early footage has got me very excited indeed, as it seems to be keeping the core of what made the original so enjoyable, while updating the graphics considerably and adding a new storyline that sounds hugely intriguing.

Along with his best friend Zeke, Cole MacGrath returns as the game’s protagonist to face off against a powerful new enemy called the Beast. The setting for the game will be the New Orleans-inspired New Marais, which is populated by a militia that seem less than receptive to Cole and his superpowers.

If you own a PS3 and haven’t, for some reason, picked up InFamous yet, I would recommend you do. It really is very good.

As with many of the other titles on the list, a firm release date isn’t available at this point.

Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One

I love the Ratchet & Clank franchise, particularly the last outing on the PS3, which is a game I played through several times. As something new for the series in this generation, All 4 One will feature a four player co-op mode, allowing players to take control of the heroes named in the title as well as the loveable buffoon Captain Quark and antagonist Dr Nefarious.

Each character will have a unique set of skills to use in order to progress through the action packed levels. Based on previous, titles there’s nothing to lead me believe that this will be anything other than excellent.

A set release date is unavailable at this stage, but again, this is a title that’s expected to be available before the end of the year.

The Last Guardian

Another title that featured on last year’s list and has yet to be released comes The Last Guardian from Team Ico, who brought you the highly acclaimed Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus.

The Last Guardian is a third-person action adventure and will focus on a young boy and his friendship with a creature called Trico. The player will take control of the unarmed boy and is responsible for guiding a creature that’s driven by animal instincts. Originally expected to be released some time in 2010, the release is expected before the end of the year.

Also coming from Team Ico is the Ico & Shadow Of The Colossus HD collection, which will give two of the PS2’s most beautiful titles the high-def treatment. If it’s handled half as well as the God Of War Collection, it’ll be fantastic.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

It had to be, didn’t it? The third instalment of the PS3’s finest franchise looks like an enticing prospect indeed from the early promotional material. After exceeding all expectations with Among Thieves, developer Naughty Dog appears to be stretching themselves further here by creating a realistic desert environment for parts of the game to take part in.

Drake’s Deception will find protagonist Nathan Drake and his partner Victor Sullivan search for the lost city Iram of the Pillars. Its gameplay will see such advancements as enhanced climbing and combat mechanisms, as well as improved enemy AI.

One of the significant improvements from Drake’s Fortune to Among Thieves was the addition of multiplayer game modes, and this area will reportedly see improvement this time around, with a greater number of game types to choose from. The multiplayer modes on the previous title were hugely enjoyable, so this is great news. And for owners of big flash 3D TVs, the game will also support 3D – so get your specs on and have fun!

It’s set for release in the US on 1st November, but rather disappointingly, it won’t be available in the UK until the 4th.

Please feel free to let me know what titles I’ve overlooked and your opinions on the ones I’ve selected in the comments section below.

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