Final Fantasy XIV ---> Medal of Honor
Release date: TBA - Genre: MMORPG
Platforms: PC, PS3
The second MMORPG and fourteenth entry in the Final Fantasy series will take place in the fantasy world of Hydaelyn. It will feature new battle and job systems that aren't based on experience points, and the game is more solo-friendly.
Weapons will affect character development, and wielding different weapons or crafting tools allows the player to alter their role, which spans four disciplines. Character races and monsters will resemble those from Final Fantasy XI, and there are five confirmed playable races.
Release date: March 23 - Genre: Sandbox Action
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Rico Rodriguez returns in Just Cause 2, which is being built with an improved version of the Avalanche Engine. The sandbox-style action game is set on a fictional tropical island in South-East Asia and features an entirely revamped AI and aiming system, as well as a new adaptive difficulty system, vehicles, weapons, and more. Among the additions are a jumbo jet, a laser guided rocket launcher, and a detachable mounted mini-gun.
Release date: TBA - Genre: Sandbox, Action-Adventure
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Mafia II follows the story of Vito Scaletta as he climbs up the ranks of the criminal underworld to become a made man in the Mafia. Set in post-WWII Empire Bay (a fictional city based on San Francisco, New York and others), the game features 10 square miles of open-world environments – all of which is accessible from the get go, and with few or no loading screens.
With eight years separating the original title and Mafia II, tons has been added to the game. The main character will be able to use public transportation and buy food at restaurants, a dynamic newspaper system has been implemented, the AI has been improved, the urban landscape changes from day to night, there are over 200 hand-to-hand animations, police chase other criminals, money can be used at about 100 stores, radio stations change over the years, and so much more.
Release date: January 26 - Genre: Action RPG
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360
Mass Effect 2 is a sequel to the wildly popular 2007 action RPG game Mass Effect. Picking up in 2183, Mass Effect 2 sees the return of Commander Shepard as he and his freshly assembled team of elite operatives face a new, dangerous threat.
Mass Effect 2 is expected to expand upon the original title with revamped inventory, health regeneration and combat systems, improved classes, and the ability to interrupt conversations. The story and content is bound to be impressive, with a reported 90 voice actors playing 546 characters, speaking over 31,000 lines of dialogue.
A bonus feature in this sequel is that save files from the original Mass Effect can be imported, and decisions made in the first game will somehow influence your character – however, things like gear and credits won't carry over.
Release date: TBA - Genre: Third-Person Shooter
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
An aged and ever-cynical Max Payne continues his struggle with life as the story leaves the streets of New York and picks up 12 years later in Brazil, where Payne is double-crossed and on a mission to find the truth.
Rockstar hasn't revealed many details about the upcoming Max Payne title, and its release date is a bit ambiguous. It was originally due late last year, but was pushed back to March 2010 along with several other games for additional development time. Several sites still have March listed, but the Max Payne 3 Wikipedia page shows Q4 2010, and the official website says it is "coming soon" – so your guess is as good as ours.
Release date: Fall 2010 - Genre: FPS
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
No, it isn't 1999, but that's not stopping EA and DICE from reusing the name of the PlayStation game that kicked things off for the series. The forthcoming entry will depart from previous Medal of Honor releases, which have largely featured WWII-era gameplay, and is claimed to offer the "most authentic modern war experience."
Set in modern-day Afghanistan, players will get a taste of both special ops and "big military". As a "Tier 1 Operator", gamers will embark on grueling missions issued by the National Command, and will also look through the eyes of standard issue military in larger-scale battles than the "Tier One" campaign. Divulged vehicles include jeeps, quads, and helicopters.