Games to get in May

Years from now, when we look back on the history of videogame releases, I truly believe 2010 will be hailed as one of the best (if not THE best) years ever.

Think about it. We have games in the well-established universes of Mario, Final Fantasy, Halo, Call of Duty, Splinter Cell, Gran Turismo, Battlefield, Metroid, Metal Gear, Fallout, Pokemon and Castlevania all coming out this year. And then there are games like The Last Guardian, Dead Space 2, Bioshock 2 and others from top tier developers making (or sure to make) a huge splash. Then we have the PS Move and Project Natal on the way.

Who has enough time or cash for all of this awesomeness?

May is the biggest month of 2010 so far with a ridiculous amount of titles releasing sure to keep everyone entertained. A microcosm of 2010, May features heavy hitters from well known franchises and brand new offerings likely to turn more than a few heads. No matter the system, handheld or home console, there's something here worth taking a look at.

May
4th- What did I do to Deserve This, My Lord? 2 (PSP)
11th- Puzzle Quest 2 (DS)
11th- 3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3)
11th- Lost Planet 2 (PS3, 360)
11th- Skate 3 (PS3, 360)
18th- Alan Wake (360)
18th- Red Dead Redemption (Ps3, 360)
18th- Split/Second (Ps3/360)
23rd- Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
25th- UFC Undisputed 2010 (Ps3, 360)
25th- Blur (PS3, 360)
25th- ModNation Racers (PS3)

I know, right? The first Puzzle Quest had me addicted for weeks on end and this new iteration adds actual dungeon crawling and exploration to the mix...Crap.

For the retro fans, 3D Dot Game Heroes looks to be a charming, beautiful, and charmingly beautiful homage to the "Legends" of old.

Split/Second comes from Black Rock Studio, makers of the highly underrated, top-notch racer Pure and features the most dynamic tracks I've ever seen. This, coupled with Blur, means adrenaline junkies have a year's worth of "fix" being unleashed just seven days apart.

Horror fans have been anticipating Alan Wake for something like five years and, if early previews speak for the full title, it's all been worth the wait.

I spent quite a lot of time with the ModNation Racers beta and, gotta tell you, it's pretty amazing what United Front Games has been able to pull off here. The game will feature nearly 30 tracks on disc with countless more to be added by the community. The racers, karts and tracks are all buildable/customizable and everything is really streamlined, making it possible to put together a complex, fully functioning track in less than thirty minutes. Local split-screen has been added, there are dozens of online options and the campaign gives you plenty of reasons to come back for more through collectibles and upgrades. For kart racing fans, this is something to be truly excited about.

Then there's a little thing called Super Mario Galaxy 2. The first Galaxy once again raised the bar for platformers with its brilliant level design and mechanics, and this second outing looks to offer loads of the same. Just so we're clear, I'm not complaining here.

Finally, outlaws everywhere can get their mitts on Red Dead Redemption mid-month. Think of it as Grand Theft Auto on horses and you've basically got the idea. I know it became cool to hate on GTA IV after a while, but I do not count myself as one who suddenly decided a couple hiccups completely ruined a vivid, living world, great mechanics, a staggering number of missions and side distractions, fantastic characters and a sweeping story that managed to be a loving concoction of just about every gangster movie ever made. I'm expecting every ounce of this quality out of Red Dead Redemption, only in a western setting...And there's horsies!