According to knowyourmoney.co.uk the following video games are the most wanted for this year.

1. Killzone 2

Format: PlayStation 3

Release date: 1st Feb (US) / 26th Feb (UK)

Though the over-hyped PS2 original was something of a let down, the long-awaited sequel is, nevertheless, the PS3's most hotly anticipated game by a mile. And from the look of the tantalising screen shots and clips doing the rounds it's not hard to see why: some of the best console graphics to date, gritty art direction and suitably intense action.

2. MadWorld

Format: Wii

Release date: 10th Mar (US) / 31st Mar (UK)

Wii owners can now breathe a sigh of relief, as they finally get a game to quench the sadistic, twisted bloodlust that has been slowly building up inside them due to the endless stream of lacklustre titles featuring cute graphics and family-friendly minigames.

3. MAG: Massive Action Game

Format: PlayStation 3

Release date: TBA

It may be an early contender for the most unimaginatively titled game of the year, but there will be few reservations over the title's descriptive accuracy. Details are somewhat sketchy so far - all we know for certain is that the game will be played out in staggering 256-player online battles with players assigned to squads of eight (hence the slightly strange number of 256). If the game play is as impressive as the scale this is likely to have online shooting fans raiding their savings accounts.

4. Resident Evil 5

Format: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Release date: 13th March (US & UK)

After the critical acclaim of Resident Evil 4 hopes are high for the forthcoming instalment of Capcom's zombie franchise. Despite thecontroversy surrounding the new African setting, RE5 retains the series' characteristic mix of stop-and-aim zombie-slaying and prudent ammo-management that have kept fans hooked since the 1996 original.

5. Afro Samurai

Format: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Release date: 27th Jan (US) / 13th March (UK)

The first thing you'll notice about this slash 'em up is its distinctive graphical style which utilises cel-shaded visuals to realise the ghetto-like feudal Japan setting of the ultra-coolManga series. Featuring the original voice cast, including Samuel L. Jackson (as the eponymous Afro), Ron Perlman and Kelly Hu, and a soundtrack by Wu Tang's RZA it should be, at the very least, a slick, entertainingly hip adventure.

6. Bionic Commando

Format: PC/PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Release date: 9th May (US) / 13th Feb (UK)

20 years on and the classic 2D NES platform game finally gets a sequel. Despite upgrading to three dimensions the core game play remains the same with players acrobatically swinging around levels with use of their bionic arm-grappling device (think: 'mechanical Spiderman'), shooting bad guys and generally saving the day.

7. Street Fighter IV

Format: PC/PlayStation 3/

Xbox 360

Release date: 17th Feb (US) / 20th Feb (UK) / TBA (PC)

It's been a long, long time since a new Street Fighter game was released with a different number in the title rather than just an additional 'hyper', 'turbo' or 'super'.

8. Halo Wars

Format: Xbox 360

Release date: 3rd March (US) / 27th Feb (UK)

According to the makers (as reported in arecent Eurogamer article), "Halo Wars is going to do for real-time strategy, what Halo did for first-person shooters". If that bold statement holds true this spin-off from Xbox's flagship franchise could herald a new era of console-based strategy games, eschewing the PC as their spiritual home. Either way, with an established hard-core Halo fanbase, this game will probably sell by the bucket load.

9. Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

Format: PC/PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Release date: 3rd May (US) / 30th June (UK)

Those who enjoyed the outstanding Xbox original, The Chronicle of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, will get to enjoy it all over again in 2009 with retouched graphics and tweaked game play as well as a new full-length adventure tagged on to the end.

10. Aliens Colonial Marines

Format: PC/PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Release date: TBA (US) / 31st Jan (UK)

The marriage of the Alien movies licence to the squad-based shooter subgenre is surely a match made in heaven. All early signs indicate that this title will borrow heavily from James Cameron's awesomeAliens (1986) - a film which for the most part is the cinematic equivalent of just such a game.

Did you know?

1. About 8 new games are released each day!

2. There have been more than 200 new games for the Wii in 2008!

3. GameYaad.com has over 1000 games in its collection!

O'Neil Walker

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