Apparently the original image was unceremoniously stolen from someone's Flickr account. Sorry about that!

Intrigue! Wonder! SCIENCE! There is no time for pre-break paraphrasing of the vast and riddle-laden mysteries nestled within this week’s backlog. They are too great. Too fragile, perhaps. Inadequate minds would be at a loss if I just threw out the summarized refuse of what might possibly be our worst best backlog ever. I, a humble scribe of purely narratorial (new word) intentions, can barely contain myself during this soon-to-be historical moment; all of this feverish typing is done so with the tight, icy hand of anticipation musing its bony little fingernails into my literary jugular. It commands more words, and bigger and longer and shorter verbs; it shrieks, “More! And faster, and BETTER punctuation, FEWER dashes, that is a GERUND, now use that exclamation point here, stop with the italics because no one likes those! ADVERB!” This entire paragraph is simply devoid of any merit, but I’m still writing!

The tension is building, dear reader. Do you dare click the “Read the rest of this entry” link? Do you? Horrors never seen, never smelled or touched, wait beneath the artificially tranquil whiteness of the CRT monitor in front of you — a beacon of glory with its Bauhaus collage of cat hair, flakes of skin and Taco Bell Fire Sauce fingerprints. You’re expecting something now, something major — possibly even satisfactory or mildly amusing. Do not. Don’t. Placing trust in our ability to “journal” is foolish, and the oily gremlins of disappointment will suck you through that humming, buzzing radiation box to a world of malcontent and pointlessness. But, I ask again, are you nevertheless prepared?

No? You’re not going to click it? After I birthed all of that fluffed up prose — 13 minutes of my life to be clear — above? Wow. Thanks. Really cool of you, man. I’ll be over here kicking rocks with my hands in my pockets, and hanging my head in disappointment.

Anyway…I lied. Here’s the summary: Doug’s M.I.S. (missing in school), Nick’s manifesto has been uncovered by baffled authorities, and I spew some less ridiculous bull and talk about what I played. Hooray! We’re a bit strange this time around.

The deceptive, siren-y beauty of Dragon Age: Origins has cracked Nick

Nick:

Editor’s Note: We thank our readers for their unwavering support over the last week. Thankfully, after having been missing for six days, Nick was discovered by Humboldt County police huddled between two dumpsters behind the Burger King clutching a foam broadsword between his limbs. A search of his apartment yielded the following journal entries:

Hour 1 — I just bought Dragon Age, and I’m already wondering just what I was thinking. Baldur’s Gate was awfully boring, and this is practically the same thing. I mean, c’mon — magic? Dragons? Long-winded conversations with one-dimensional characters? Puh-lease.
Hour 7 — It is now 5:20 in the morning and I haven’t left my desk chair for any reason other than to relieve myself. The last two hours were spent in my party’s camp trying to sweet-talk Alistair into having sex with my elf rogue. Should I have ethical qualms about seducing such an earnest person? I mean, he’s so sincere and charming and…and…He’s an excellent tank. I’ll need to keep an eye on his strength stat, though. Yeah.
Hour 19 — I’ve completed 23% of what the game has to offer. It occurs to me that content will probably be release faster than I can finish it. Fortunately, my aspirations died months ago and I wasn’t really planning on doing much else.
Hour 38 — Still not sure how to parse my feelings about Alistair. Spent a long time staring at the mirror this morning.
Hour 43 — Tried to explain to my significant other why bringing Dragon Age into our household could be good for both of us. Frustrated to discover my master persuasion skill doesn’t apply to reality. I don’t think she’ll be back.
Hour 92 – I need to know everything. All of Ferelden’s secrets; every conceivable outcome; every nuance of every party member. What makes them tick? What happens if I change my behavior ever so slightly? Dell shipped another six computers today. Expensive? Maybe. But a mere pittance for the opportunity to multi-box this game.
Hour 112 — Alistair body pillow arrived from Etsy.com.
Hour 170 — Police here.
Hour 294 — It’s done. I have become the alpha-geek. My jeans lie in tatters; my muscles have atrophied; I’ve even grown a hint of a disreputable mustache. And I’m really, really hungry.

Artist's interpretation

Doug:

Unfortunately, Doug has been absorbed into the Portland State University hivemind this week. We expect he’ll resurface soon with a decidedly more Borg-ish makeover.

Water effects!

Aaron:

Even after the credits had stopped, Assassin’s Creed II kept me glued to my most comfy seat — though most of that extra time was spent scratching my head in confusion. The series is taking quite the epic/weird turn according to the various plot details unveiled in the sequel. I can’t imagine what other “WTF” moments the AC team will conjure up for the third game. All I know is, at this very second, I can’t wait for it. Everything about AC2 was wonderful. It was lengthy without being overwhelming, and that struck me the most. Most games either go on for far too long (Metal Gear Solid 2…and perhaps 4), or they miss the important climax moments in the story and character development departments by ending abruptly (screw you, Halo 2). It’s rare that a game can be perfectly paced and satisfying at the same time.

Torchlight was my second fancy this week. I’m intending to finish the game I so lavishly praised in past articles, because if I don’t my credibility will find itself even more bankrupt than it currently is. Would anyone out there in cyberspace like us to review the game? It’s a question I continue to raise to myself (who is frankly uninterested in what I have to say, oddly enough), and the pros and cons of the situation aren’t exactly clear, or existent. Someone just tell me to do it so I’m more motivated.

Guess who finished Ghostbusters: The Video Game: me! A shocker, I know. It was a fun distraction overall. A few awkwardly off-time cutscenes, over-repeated contextual dialogue lines from Bill Murray and a couple poorly designed levels to ‘bust in don’t make a strong case for purchasing this title, but it’s still hilarious at times and a nostalgic trip for all of us wannabe Ghostbusters out there. I do own it though, so the possibility of playing through to get more achievements is quite likely; I’m just not sure if right now is a good time to start a second playthrough. What with Mass Effect 2: Collectors’ Edition (oh yes, I roll deep) destroying my existence come Tuesday.

Without further ado, onto the Backlog…

Was I the only one whose parents used to grab them by the belt loop back in the day? That's a good way to control somebody. Nice to see Ubisoft (and ACII protagonist Ezio) taking note, too.

Aaron

After my glowing account of Ghostbusters: The Video Game in last week’s backlog, I quickly kicked Slimer and company to the curb after opening the neon green eco-case containing Assassin’s Creed II. For an entire week, Ubisoft’s much-improved sequel has remained in my Xbox 360′s disc drive, lodged in the retracting plastic mouth like a popcorn kernel. However, unlike an actual pesky and potentially gingiva-damaging kernel, Assassin’s Creed II is a-freakin’-mazing, and part of a balanced gaming diet.

This is the game that the first Assassin’s Creed wanted to be, and the team at Ubisoft Montreal worked hard to make it feel that way. They’ve made missions bigger, more fun and decimated any trace of the original’s tedium. Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the protagonist, is a realistic character with a distinct personality and unique motives; he’s a digitized Renaissance ladies’ man that I can’t help but find likable. The weapon selection is genius in its variety and detailed attack animations, and the less blatant aspects, like hiring mercenaries, prostitutes or thieves to distract a city’s hired goons who guard a precious stash of treasure chests, make a memorable impact. Assassin’s Creed II is a game with so many moments I won’t ever forget, and, perhaps unfortunate for other action adventure titles, I’ll be using those to judge future titles’ value. Oh, and I still haven’t finished the game as of this writing.

One complaint, though: Leonardo da Vinci’s flying machine segment. It was pretty lame. Of course that’s my opinion, but really: After all the hype the flying machine garnered back in the spring during the game’s slow unveiling, I was expecting more than an annoying checkpoint-to-checkpoint ordeal via multiple bonfires lit across Venice to help propel your glider back into the air as you float ever closer to your assassination target. The very brief mission played like it was designed by the mentally handicapped cousin of a designer from Pilotwings 64.

Favorite Italian phrase of the week: Requiescat in pace.

Bayonetta, caught in a rare moment of quiet solitude in one of the most crazy action games of the current console generation.

Nick

I’ve been a bit deprived of my regular gaming habits lately, but I have managed to sneak in a bit more time with Dragon Age: Origins and Bayonetta. I still haven’t finished either, but there’s little doubt in my mind that they represent the absolute best in their respective genres.

I’m also only about five songs away from having five-starred every song on expert in DJ Hero, which just goes to show how dangerously addicted I become when a great rhythm game comes along.

Finally, I caught up on some Rock Band songs, including the White Stripes and Paul McCartney packs. Harmonix has maintained a constant stream of great new songs over the last two-plus years. Now, if only Rock Band Network would hurry up and launch…

Holy sideways driving, Batman. 700-plus horsepower Audi Sport Quattros are not exactly easy to control, especially on Forza 3's narrow Amalfi Coast circuit.

Doug

I’m not going to lie: much like Nick, I’ve had very little time to game this week. Having something going every night for school this week has crushed my free time, but I’m really hoping to have some more time to myself next week.

However, I did spend some good time with one of the usual suspects, Forza Motorsport 3, including spending a couple hours on Tuesday night. Friend of the site Peter is far from a diehard racer, but he rented Forza 3 on something of a whim; first he calls to see if it’s something he’d like, then he caught me on Xbox Live and told me he’d just poured three hours into the game…and was loving the experience. We spent some time racing online against the computer for a while, discussing progression from sim-racing newbie to veteran, and Peter left convinced this was a great game. I’m just glad to help!

I’ve also been sneaking in games of the original NBA Jam in the mornings before leaving for class. Inspired by the recent confirmation of the series’ return, I’ve been revisiting the original (as well as the Tournament Edition follow-up that’s basically NBA Jam 1.5), and really trying to break apart what made the game fun. This might pop up later as the center of an editorial, but NBA Jam succeeds so well because it’s such a simple, focused experience — there’s no fat and no unneeded difficulty or complexity. As well, the controls and game engine both feel very taut; the game responds quickly to your inputs and you’re rarely caught fighting the game for control.

Because I need the rest, I’m going to spend the weekend stapled to the couch, so I may very well finally beat Batman: Arkham Asylum, and get to spend some time with other games.

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

With December and its myriad holidays out of the way, everybody’s got something to keep them busy. Doug’s back to work on his master’s program, Aaron has transformed into a job-applying machine, and I’ve thankfully found a job once again. Unfortunately, that means we all have a whole lot less time to be playing games, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to turn a blind eye to our sacred obligation to Silicon Sasquatch. Don’t worry! We’ve got a couple great articles that are almost ready for publication, and we’re anticipating a full run of content next week.

In the meantime, here’s what we’ve been keeping ourselves busy with.

Aaron wouldn't say 'I ain't afraid of no ghosts': he has much less bravado toward specters than you might think.

Aaron:

Now, the game I actually have something say about is Ghostbusters: The Video Game. Maybe it’s because I only paid a meager $12.99 at GameFly’s used game store (with free shipping), but I can’t help but like what I’ve seen. I’m perhaps halfway though the story now, and while the camera and controls are a bit rough around the edges, Ghostbusters is pure fun for fans of the movies. It’s by no means perfect, and that’s fine. The humor is there, the attention to detail in the firehouse headquarters is there, the proton packs are spot-on and the thrill of catching a ghost in a trap still makes me giggle just like my 6-year-old self used to with my toy Nerf proton pack and authentic jumpsuit. Ghostbusters is simple fun layered over a strong IP, and I truly hope Atari gives Terminal Reality another shot in future sequel. Maybe when the third movie finally (maybe) sees release next year, a tie-in game could coincide with the film’s debut.

In case you'd like some added context, here's what's happening. Man on the left: "Colonel! What have you been hiding from me!?" Man in giant robot: "Snaaaaaaaaaaake!"

Doug:

Much like Aaron, I’m just going to list out most of what I played over our holiday break because, being a degenerate graduate student, I had almost nothing productive to do between Thanksgiving and this week, when classes re-started up in earnest. Because that means a lot of time to play games, I’m just going to cut the fat and go list-happy.

I finished Brütal Legend (which seemed like it lost its storytelling steam a bit at the very end) and am close to finishing Batman: Arkham Asylum (trap-laden gargoyles are my kryptonite right now). I almost have what the gentlemen at Giant Bomb would term an “S-rank” (or 1000/1000 achievement score) on Forza Motorsport 3, which I also did a lot of online racing on during the break. I was definitely happy to hit Level 50 in that game and get the last gifted car.

The only game really worth the meagre Xbox Live sale over the holiday break was Marvel vs. Capcom 2, which was marked down to almost 60 percent off the regular list price and is worth every penny. Better than arcade-perfect, with every character unlocked from the start and online multiplayer capable? Yes, please. I also received a kind gift in the form of Shadow Complex, which scratches my Metroid-vania itch in so many ways. Definitely one of the best Xbox 360-only games of last year.

Lastly, my sports game fix has come in two forms — first, as part of multiple trips to downtown Portland old-school arcade Ground Kontrol, I’ve fulfilled my basketball jones by playing a bunch of NBA Jam. Nick and I (and friend of the site Andrew) went to GK on New Year’s Eve, and besides crushing the X-Men 6-player arcade game, the most fun had was running the two-man game with the Blazers on NBA Jam. The other sports game I picked up was, finally, Pro Evo Soccer 2010…which definitely lives up to the expectations I had for it based off my playtime with the demo. It may not be as pretty as FIFA 10, but it provides a much more challenging and fulfilling soccer experience. Crank the difficulty all the way up and enjoy smart AI in a sports game for once.

The story of a witch, her hair, and gratuitous almost-nudity. This is gonna be awkward.

Nick:

As a test to see who’s interested in the blog, I offered up a vote on our Facebook page to ask people which game they’d rather see me purchase and review first: Demon’s Souls or Bayonetta. Although there was support for both, Bayonetta got the nod and I picked up a copy last night. While I’ve only had time to play about ten minutes of the game, those ten minutes were extraordinarily promising. I just hope the game’s rampant, bizarre sexuality doesn’t weird out my friends and loved ones.

The majority of my free time has been spent on — yeah, you guessed it — Dragon Age: Origins. I keep thinking I’m getting close to the end, and then another 15-hour sequence of quests pops up. I’m absolutely enamored with the game, so I think I won’t have any complaints if it turns out the game just never ends.

The year known as 2009 is winding down. A celebratory mood creeps into our homes as Christmas and New Year’s draw near, while we inch, ever closer, to certain Mayan-predicted doom as told by the prophet Cusack. Those critics won’t be laughing when the planets start aligning; their precious Miatas and Ayn Rand anthologies will be swallowed up by a vengeful Mother Earth angry at their scathing words.

Although, words look puny when the ocean can slam an aircraft carrier into the White House!

But until we all become embedded in the upper mantle of our planet, there are games to play. And as long as there are games to play, we at Silicon Sasquatch are obligated to talk about them. But only some. And rather infrequently.

However, we have some seasonal treats for you readers. Before January 1, 2010 arrives, we’ll be posting our “Top 10 Games of 2009″ in a four-part series of articles starting Monday, December 28, and ending on New Year’s Eve. Along with our collectively discussed and debated choices, each editor and contributor will be posting his own “Honorable Mentions” piece about titles not in our collective list, but which merit a nod all the same.

All right, now it’s time for the backlog.

This is what happens when a tail-happy muscle car slaps a wall and spins in front of a full online room in a race…thankfully, the host had damage set to "cosmetic" only. Whew.

Doug:

Another week off from school, another week to spend far too much time gaming: God I love winter break. I’ve been able to pour even more time into my mainstays right now, and lord knows I’m going to have enough time to go out and rent or buy something else soon, too.

Of course I’ve been playing a ton of Forza Motorsport 3 this week, racing my way up closer and closer to Level 50 in the game. I’ve never 1000/1000′d a game on Xbox 360, but this may well be the first — the achievements are really well designed (which may just be code-word for “I can get them all by playing the game my way”), but I’m also hopelessly hooked. I spent some time racing online with my friends on Wednesday, which resulted in a lot of racing game high-jinks and shenanigans…like three of the guys thinking the next-to-last lap was, in fact, the final lap, which resulted in a battle to be first across the finish line and then turn brains off, thinking the post-race cinema would take over. Needless to say, the voice chat after they all straight-lined into the gravel off the first corner was hilarious. I also managed to mangle my car and cause a huge pile-up, which was kind of awesome and embarrassing — see the attached image.

I’ve also been putting more time into NCAA 10 and, inspired by the recent ESPN documentary “The U,” I’ve started up a new dynasty with the University of Miami. In one of the older NCAA Football games you could run a program that was…how do you say…not totally on the up-and-up. It meant you could lose scholarships if your team was too unruly, but it is a feature that’s never been repeated since then. If I could run a team in NCAA 10 with any more bravado or swagger I would definitely run The U like that, but as it stands I’ll just run up the score on teams and recruit the state of Florida heavily.

Last but certainly not least, I’ve made serious headway on Batman: Arkham Asylum. I believe I’m close to the end of the game by now, and it hasn’t disappointed at all. Comparisons to Metroid or post-Symphony of the Night Castlevania games are all the more apt given the upgrade and unlocking structure of the game — Batman receives a new tool in his kit and, much like SotN or Super Metroid, sections of Arkham Island and its buildings become instantly accessible. Plus, the pacing and direction of the single player story has been fantastic.

Stylized graphics, sedated music and a clean, mellow color palette make PixelJunk Shooter all the more enjoyable.

Nick:

It’s been a busy week for me, but I still found time to try out PixelJunk Shooter, the latest in Sony’s impressive PlayStation Network-exclusive downloadable game series. Its simple premise of “save the good guys and shoot the bad ones” coupled with its innovative action-puzzle gameplay hybrid based around the concept of fluid dynamics and manipulation make it worth the time and money of any PlayStation 3 owner.

And for those of you keeping track: Yes, I’m still playing Dragon Age: Origins, and yes, I’m still enamored with it. Steam says I’ve logged 47.3 hours into the game already, making it second only to Plants vs. Zombies, but I’m not gonna mention how many hours I’ve spent with that game. Forty hours seems ludicrous when you consider I’m only at level 10. But even when you factor out about five hours for when I left the game paused and another few hours when I let some friends make new characters, that’s still about forty hours of raw gameplay — and I’m not even halfway through my first playthrough. Dragon Age is, without a doubt, the most engrossing role playing game I’ve ever encountered. I just hope I can finish it before Mass Effect 2 arrives in a month.

A quick and badly composed screencap of a game that deserves better than that.

Aaron:

So, I really like Cave Story (Doukutsu Monogatari). I know I’m five years late to the party, and I have no excuse. At least I’m enjoying it now — though I can’t believe this was (and still is) a freeware game before its announcement as a future WiiWare release. It’s funny, adorable, endearing and instantly classic.

My remaining list of played games is pretty boring this week. I contributed two kills to Team Fortress 2‘s WAR! effort (as a soldier because I think Demomen, while hilariously Scottish, are bastards), and continued on my seventh and final playthrough of Mass Effect. The purpose this time around is to create my “perfect” character for Mass Effect 2. I’m essentially doing everything over again, sidequests included, to make sure the outcomes are unique to my Shepard in the sequel.

Oh, and I tried some more Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer last night as a sort of bookend to my review. However, the infinite grenade glitch made me drop out in the middle of the second match. You really have to admire a developer that can make its game more unplayable after each patch.

We were called back to life by the gods of Olympus to fight through a terrible side-scrolling action game "classic". Let death be quick and merciful.

Welcome back to the show, everyone! We’ve been absent for a couple months, but the whole gang is eager to start producing shows on a more regular basis.

Because we’ve been negligent in recording over such a critical period of time for major game releases, this episode features us playing catch-up on the infamous fourth quarter onslaught of top-tier blockbuster games — and it doesn’t even cover all the bases.

Initially, we’d planned on a show with three thirty-minute segments:

1. Reflections on the games of the past few months
2. A debrief on the controversies surrounding Modern Warfare 2 (“No Russian,” lack of dedicated server support on PC)
3. A look ahead at the major releases waiting in the first quarter of 2010

After more than two hours of discussion, we only made it through part two. That was when we decided it was best to call it a night and give people a chance to actually listen to this episode.

We’re hoping to get together and record the final portion of this discussion soon, but this hefty hunk of Sasquatch-y goodness ought to provide you plenty of entertainment and keep you warm at night. Let us know what you think, and thanks for listening!

The Holidays approach. For some that means quality time with family members not seen for a year — maybe more. Others, well…can I get a “what what” if at some point during your life you hid away in the midst of celebrations to finish Earthbound (or, insert other game reference here). However, my adult years have made me more personable when it comes to the holidays; I’m now infinitely more interested in the going-ons of my kin.

Still, I won’t lie that this year I’d prefer to mow down more of Left 4 Dead 2′s cajunized zombies with a giant plate of delicious turkey and fixins on my lap. I’m thankful for me.

We’re back on track for backlogs, and this week is mega-sized to make up for our absence. To summarize: Nick informs us he essentially played everything ever released this month, Doug gushes about his beloved Forza 3 between study sessions, and I write about why two wonderful November-born titles should be played on the PC.

Do the Mario!

Nick:

Life served up a particularly hellish week for me, so it was fortunate that I had a slew of excellent games to escape with.

I spent a few fantastic hours in New Super Mario Bros. Wii in its fantastic cooperative/competitive mode earlier this week. What Jerry Holkins said about this game’s debilitating effects on a relationship is true, to a point; while we were able to help each other out for the most part, there were times where my attempts to “take the lead” or “get us through this tough spot” often led to one or both of us being killed, prompting my girlfriend to say some things about me that are rarely included in the same sentences used to talk about a Mario game. But it was all in good fun — something this game has in ample supply. It’s Mario in his best form ever, and anyone who grew up playing these games should purchase it without hesitation.

This week also brought another sequel to a game I adored: Assassin’s Creed 2. Transporting the game to Renaissance Italy is perhaps the most significant shift in story and setting that I’ve seen in a franchise in quite some time, and Ubisoft Montreal deserves some commendation for crafting an incredible sequel to an already ambitious debut title. There’s so much I could say about how things were improved — combat, economy, actions and consequences, exploration, story — but I’ll lay it out like this instead. If you loved Assassin’s Creed, you’ll love Assassin’s Creed 2. And if you hated the original? You’ll probably love Assassin’s Creed 2 anyway.

Having completed all five campaigns in Left 4 Dead 2, I’m happy to pronounce myself an official fan of the series. Although I bought the first game and had my fair share of fun with it, I always felt a little uneasy playing it. And it wasn’t because of the game’s tension, or horror-film veneer, or anything like that; it was just that the game sent a constant message that your survival was entirely at the game director’s mercy. In the sequel, the tone has changed significantly for the better. If Left 4 Dead was Valve’s attempt to make an interactive zombie movie like Dawn of the Dead, Left 4 Dead 2 is Valve making a balls-out Zombieland-style game. Melee weapons encourage close combat, lending a sense of strength and confidence to the survivors that was sorely missing from the first. All four of the characters in the sequel have stronger personalities than the first game’s survivors, and their determination on getting to New Orleans to be rescued encourages the player to keep slogging it out through hell and high water. It’s one of the most improved sequels of the year, without a doubt.

And when you consider that Left 4 Dead 2 was developed in just one year, it’s disappointing that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 didn’t shape up to be more substantial. To be fair, Infinity Ward’s last game, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, not only reinvented the series — it raised the bar significantly for what an online multiplayer experience can be. I sank a “mere” 40 hours into COD4′s multiplayer mode, which pales in comparison to most of the people on my friends list. Multiplayer in Modern Warfare 2 is technically just as good as COD4′s, but after a solid six hours online in a variety of modes I’m struggling to stay interested. The mantra in developing this sequel seems to have been “more options in every aspect of play,” which is a good thing, but the core sensation of Call of Duty 4 has dulled for me. I was hoping lightning would strike twice, and I suppose it did, but I was hoping for a more risky and adventurous update to multiplayer — not a mere iteration. If I wanted that, I’d have bought last year’s Call of Duty: World at War. If there is one area that received a substantial improvement, though, it’s the single player. Rather than attempt to keep things within the bounds of reality, Infinity Ward opted to create an over-the-top global conflict that was flawlessly paced from start to finish. It’s ludicrous, but it’s so, so much fun. At about six hours to complete, it’s shorter than COD4′s — but considering how tedious replaying that game’s campaign was for me, I’m much happier with the new game’s approach.

I’m still slogging through Dragon Age: Origins with my city elf rogue. Steam says I’ve played for quite a long time, but I’m only at about 15% completion. Maybe it’s because I love reading every entry in the admirably written codex, or because I can’t help but talk to every NPC, but I’m getting an astronomically entertaining experience for my money with this game. I’m really struggling to fathom just how Mass Effect 2 could top the quality of this experience once it hits in January.

I also sank a few rounds in with the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 beta. I’d been hoping for a return to the glory days of Battlefield 2, and instead what I got was Bad Company with a moderate graphical upgrade; it’s good, but there are better options available. Looks like I’ll still be holding out for Battlefield 3 after all.

Doug sums up his feelings on this picture with an articulate "WEEEEEEE!"

Doug:

While I’ve been way too busy finishing up the majority of my grad school quarter, I’ve still found time to play a little bit of…erm…Forza Motorsport 3. And nothing else.

But it’s so good! I still love pretty much everything about it, even if I haven’t been able to play online with my friends at all. The rewind button is a godsend — it erases single-player frustration with the ease of control-z functionality. The selection of cars and tuning options are superb; I’ve made an old-school Volkswagen Rabbit into a fire-breathing, turbocharged four-wheel-drive monster that could eat a Ferrari for lunch and spit out its bones.

It’s been said that Microsoft and Turn 10 gets things right in the third iteration, and this particular game is a great example of that. It’s almost strange to think that all three Forza Motosport games have been released since Sony and Polyphony released Gran Turismo 4 on the PlayStation 2. It’s scary to think how much Forza has moved ahead certain aspects of console racing games.

Along with Forza, I’ve tried out a few of the Xbox Live improvements from this week’s update — namely the implementation of Facebook and Twitter. And that’s really the extent of my interaction; they’re there, they work just as advertised, but I feel like I’m kind of missing the point. It’s nice to have both services everywhere at all times, but until a real killer use for either blooms on the 360 they’re going to feel like tacked-on additions.

I don't think James Brown had this in mind when he wanted to take us to "the bridge."

Aaron:

Let’s get down to it. Left 4 Dead 2 and Dragon Age: Origins are two amazing games that deserve to be played on the PC only.

Now, I love consoles. This isn’t a fanboy thing. And I fully understand that not everyone has a modern computer capable of playing the latest releases — Boot Camp Macs included. So, let’s assume you’re a lucky gamer who has the following: a home console of the PS3 or Xbox 360 variety, and a gaming PC. Let’s also assume you enjoy co-op zombie shooting and in-depth fantasy RPGs. You’re excited about the aforementioned titles, but you’re hesitant to commit to a particular platform. Here’s the answer: Play those games on the PC, or you’re not getting your money’s worth.

That may be a blatantly ignorant statement to some, but these words come from a person who, before this month, more or less abandoned PC gaming over the past year (aside from Dawn of War II and Left 4 Dead 1). PCs get the short end of the doomsday stick these days. People say the PC as a gaming device is dead, no one makes money off of the games anymore, and pirating is ruining developers left and right. Controversies aren’t helping the perception of PC gamers amongst the general gaming populace either. So that’s why I’m glad to see Electronic Arts promoting the platform with a definitive version Dragon Age, and Valve doing their thing by releasing such a quality computer title as L4D2.

Dragon Age works best on PC because of the following: the overall better performance (higher frame rate, less glitching, faster loading), a more sensible control/camera mechanic, and a BioWare community toolset that paves the way for future user mods. If Neverwinter Nights is an example to go by, expect years of free, quality content flowing from the collective mind of an invested fan base.

Now, Left 4 Dead 2 deserves to be experienced on the PC because it’s a Valve title first, console port second — plain and simple. The Steam service is consistent in its ability to match like minded players and bring friends together promptly. PC gamers are spoiled when it comes to online play. Thanks, dedicated servers.

I’d also wager the community on Steam is better than Xbox Live’s. Actually, it is better. Left 4 Dead 2 even has a section specifically for add-ons, and it’s exciting to think of the campaigns an active community will create using the sequel’s assets. The original’s user-made maps were generally great, so expect a longer lifespan if you pick up L4D2 on the PC.

Oh, and PC versions are cheaper than their console counterparts. That’s a plus.

With E3 2009 just around the corner, it seems like an appropriate time to outline the known games we’re excited to see released over the rest of the year. Though our staff hasn’t had access to these games in a professional, hands-on manner, our comments are based on scouring sources for factual elements with pieces of speculation and analysis tossed in. Enjoy.

The Sasquatch Trinity: The three most wickedly awesomest games to watch this year

Brutal Legend: [Double Fine Productions, Electronic Arts, Q3 2009]

Another Tim Schafer game, another memorable experience.

Double Fine’s latest has EA’s publishing power to hopefully encourage sales success instead of repeating Psychonauts’ commercial stagnation under Majesco. The ridiculous concept of the world’s greatest roadie, Eddie Riggs (brought to life by Jack Black), being transported to a heavy metal fantasy land by his belt buckle works because Schafer and his team have created a world that thrives on that very ridiculousness. But this metal homage wouldn’t work without legitimacy: Lemmy Kilmister from Motörhead and Rob Halford from Judas Priest are playing major roles in both the game’s creative development and in voicing major characters. However, the undisclosed soundtrack is keeping legions of metalheads with perfect set lists swirling around their cerebrums waiting with bated breath. Will Double Fine’s licensing pull through?

While the gameplay at this stage sounds typical (think third-person portions similar to 3D Zelda titles, Crackdown and GTA), the polish visible in screenshots and trailers is already cranking this game up to “11″ in the wit department. Brütal Legend also expands on Psychonauts’ third-person action-adventure formula with a reported 64 square-kilometer open world littered with metal album cover imagery and over-the-top characters.

Most of all, it looks fun.

Assassin’s Creed 2: [Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft, Q4 2009]

We here at the Silicon Sasquatch enjoyed the first Assassin’s Creed. It was a slow-burn title that offered more than the nagging comments of the Internet claimed it did thanks to its wonderful setting and interesting, if not average, plot. In fact, in the coming weeks we’ll post a Retrospective of the title with our team’s compiled commentary.

Generally, the investigation portions suffered the most flak from various reviews and message boards. Which brings us to Assassin’s Creed 2, the recently revealed , Renaissance-era sequel. Desmond’s next assassin ancestor probed by the Animus is one Ezio Auditore de Firenze, an (obviously) Italian nobleman. Details from the next Game Informer posted on a since-removed Ubisoft forum page mention that AC2 will do away with the more disliked investigation options (pickpocketing and eavesdropping) while adding variety to the mission mix. Taking place in Europe will be a great change of pace as well, though it’s worrisome to hear of “flying machine” elements and an apparent emphasis on more action–two hidden blades are, apparently, better than one.

Let’s just hope Desmond does something proactive this time around. Maybe this?

The Beatles: Rock Band: [Harmonix, Electronic Arts/MTV Games, see above]

It’s The Beatles. It’s Rock Band. Despite the currently scant details, we can definitively say this will be the game for music fans. Still, many questions need to be answered before the game’s September release. Will the graphical style be more realistic? Do players only take on the personas of the world’s most acclaimed band? If true, does that mean no one will pass up the bass anymore? E3 is only a couple of months away.

The title, which has been worked on by the music game masters at Harmonix for over a year, benefits from the creative input of the two living Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Even Yoko Ono and George Harrison’s family are lending their support to make the game as authentic as possible. Considering this experience focuses on celebrating the entire career of The Beatles and isn’t a one-shot Guitar Hero: Insert Band title, The Beatles: Rock Band can’t affort to slack off in the “feel” department at all.

In addition, George Harrison’s son, Dhani Harrison, has confirmed that unreleased Beatles audio content will make it into the game, almost making this Rock Band offshoot another Beatles Anthology project. This ties into the announcement that 14 of The Beatles’ albums, completely remastered in stereo and with other goodies, are dropping the same date as The Beatles: Rock Band. Will these new master tracks make it into the game? Without a doubt.

Fun fact: Two of our writers are confessed rhythm game fanatics and Rock Band addicts, while the other just wants to play “Revolution” on his plastic guitar.

Individual Picks

Aaron Thayer:

Champions Online: [Cryptic Studios, Atari, Q3 2009]
Based on details alone, Champions Online could be the redemption of the superhero MMO concept. Cryptic’s team seems to have learned from their mistakes in City of Heroes by providing character itemization (costume pieces = loot!), more robust hero and villain customization and realtime, cooldown-free fighting.

Mafia II: [2K Czech, Take-Two Interactive, Q4 2009]
The first Mafia in 2002 was the original open-world attempt at a realistic setting long before Niko Bellic came around. Mafia II changes the time period to the classic mobster era of the 1940s and 50s, but looks to keep the in-depth plot and cast while giving players a plethora of gameplay additions like faster cars with working trunks to store bodies and boomsticks. Nice.

Nick Cummings:

Modern Warfare 2: [Infinity Ward, Activision, Fall 2009]

It might be a bit audacious to put this at the top of my list. There hasn’t been any concrete information released about the game, unless poring over cryptic trailers is your thing, but as the company’s last game was the genre-revitalizing Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, I’m expecting nothing but brilliance. Infinity Ward is going to great lengths to make this the definitive sequel fans have been waiting for (although Call of Duty: World at War was nothing to scoff at) by asking fans to submit suggestions for MW2 via a special Twitter site and hash tag.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves: [Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment, Fall 2009]

I bought a PlayStation 3 for Metal Gear Solid 4, but I didn’t fall in love with the platform until I played Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. I’d had reservations after playing a pre-release demo at the Penny Arcade Expo in 2007 — the controls felt too loose, the environments too constricting — but just a few minutes with the retail release quelled all my fears. Uncharted was a beautiful, rich game of high adventure and sarcasm with just a dash of cheesiness. It was everything the new Indiana Jones film should have been, and the sequel, Among Thieves, aims to improve upon its predecessor in just about every way. It’s a tall order, but Naughty Dog is dead-set on delivering.

Doug Bonham:

Every EA Sports Title Released This Year: [EA Sports, Electronic Arts, various releases]
Being a sports game fan, there’s always a new season’s worth of games to look forward to each year. This is of course true for the lineup from sports-gaming juggernaut EA Sports. Titles worth looking forward to include Tiger Woods 10 in June, NCAA Football 10 in July, and NHL 10 and FIFA 10 in the fall. Of course, seeing how Madden 10 turns out when that launches in August is a necessity as well.

The Bigs 2: [Blue Castle Games, 2K Sports, July 2009]
Of particular note for sports games this year is 2K Sports’ The Bigs 2. The first one two years ago was a great piece of arcade sports gaming, right in the same genre as NBA Street as part of the second wave of arcade-style sports games. The sequel promises to pitch up more wicked yakkers when it launches in June, and is probably an Xbox 360 gamer’s best bet for baseball this year.

The Most Worrisome Games of 2009: Not all games are made equal.

Dragon Age: Origins: [BioWare, Electronic Arts, Late 2009]

BioWare’s announcement of Dragon Age: Origins heralded a return to its roots of high-fantasy roleplaying games like Baldur’s Gate. It’s cause for celebration for any hardcore RPG fan…on paper, at least. Sticking to strict old-school mechanics, like playing a mute protagonist, gives the impression that BioWare is developing a game around the rigid Advanced Dungeons & Dragons ruleset without even possessing the license anymore. After 2007′s stellar Mass Effect became a critical and commercial hit, it’s a little worrisome that BioWare seems to be throwing that game’s innovations out the window.

BioShock 2: [2K Marin, 2k Games, Late 2009]

One man does not a classic make, but there’s no dismissing the invaluable role Ken Levine played in the development of cult horror classic System Shock 2 and its spiritual successor, BioShock. His lack of involvement in BioShock 2 is a little disconcerting, but even more troubling is how uninspired the sequel looks in comparison to the stunning impression the first game had on all who played it. A return to Rapture isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but when the interface, enemies, Plasmids and weapons look nearly identical to the first game, why even bother making a sequel?