Reax Magazine’s Most Anticipated Video Games of 2008

The editors at Reax Music Magazine have compiled a quick list of what they feel are this year’s most anticipated games. Included in the list are both Fallout 3 and Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures.

Fallout, simply put, is one of the best CRPGs ever made. I remember my joy as a young teen as I ventured out into the wastes with little more than a few stimpacks and a shitty pistol to save Vault 13 from certain demise. This post-apocalyptic, darkly satirical masterpiece was my introduction to the genre, and holds a special place in my memory box labeled: Things You Did When You Should Have Been Studying. When I heard that Bethesda Software purchased the license to the long-defunct Fallout franchise, I nearly had a heart attack. After all, they built their empire on wizards and orcs in the popular fantasy series, The Elder Scrolls. I was marginally happy that the Fallout series wouldn’t end on such a sour note as the terrible Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, released in 2004 to messy critical failure. However, I remain skeptical as to whether Bethesda can revive Fallout in all its previous glory, with the change in perspective from top-down isometric to first and third-person, and a switch in setting from West to East Coast. The optimistic side of me welcomes these changes because change is an inevitable part of life, but I’m wary. Will Bethesda (get it?) My Magic 8-Ball says, (Ask again later.)