2011: The Greatest Year for Gaming! (so far)

The return of the sequel!
This year may very well be the most awesomest year for gaming ever in the history of awesome years for gaming! And why you ask? The Sequel, that's why.

There have been a series of really good games coming out over the past few years; Gears of War 1 & 2 (2006 & 2008 respectively), Dead Space (a quiet release in 2008), Mass Effect 1 & 2 (2007 & 2010 respectively) and Dragon Age (2009), to name a few. But the first or second instalments of each, as the case may be, managed to have its own time in the spotlight, or in the case of Dead Space, no spotlight, as it gained popularity at a slow boil. As you can see by the years of release, there was very little convergence of titles.

But this year sequels for all of the above, and then some, will be or have been released. Unlike the doomed sequel in the film world (you know yourselves...Martix Revolutions and company), game developers seem to improve on their subsequent titles. Gears 2, ME 2 and DS 2 have all proven that. Maybe game developers should get into the movie-making business (I'm looking at you Wachowski Brothers! If that is your real name). 

One year, many parts

This year alone will see the release of Gears 3, Mass Effect 3, Crysis 2, Batman: Arkham City, Dragon Age 2 (maybe even Modern Warfare 3), and we've already enjoyed the return of the mild-mannered, kick buttin' nerd cum Necromorph dismembererer, Isaac Clarke. Damned marker. Oh, all these trailers are in one convenient place right here.

Gamers all around the world are giddy with excitement and have been treated, nay, spoiled, by all the material, free and otherwise, that is and will come along with the build up to game releases. DS 2 has set the pace being the first out of the gate. The build up was incredible as fans were deluged with animated comics, screen savers and wall paper, the hysterical 'Your Mom Hates Dead Space 2' video, the iPhone/iPad episode of the game as well as the Severed add-on and of course, Questions with Steve. Shoot, I even had the privilege of chatting with Sonita Henry (voice of DS2's Ellie Langford) on her Facebook page! Awesome. 

Now, we are on the verge of experiencing the Gears of War 3 multiplayer Beta between April 25 and May 15 - buy the Bulletstorm Epic Edition and get it a week early. Epic owes GOW fans for the 5 month delay, so the Beta release is a little bribe - but if they are smart, they will make like a love-struck suitor and entreat us with many and copious gifts as a way of apology and to win our forgiveness. If the other franchises are smart they won't let DS 2 or GOW3 outdo them (hint, hint).

The only loser is boredom & maybe your boss

Make no mistake, because of the convergence of all these hotly anticipated titles (of which GOW 3 is officially 'the most') both developers and gamers win (although your boss might wonder why you keep falling asleep at your desk and peer suspiciously at the AC vents - only DS fans will get that). They get lots of sales, we get lots of excellent content and game play. Oh, and Microsoft and Sony will be laughing all the way to the bank. You should probably buy shares right about now.

This is the first - but not the last of this here gaming blog. Watch this space for more as the gaming world in the Middle East takes off!