Every year we tend to get excited about the upcoming release schedule. We're suckers like that. Chances are pretty good that a lot of our "can't wait" for games won't even ship in 2009. Delays happen. Games get pushed back. Companies file Chapter 11. It happens. But that doesn't mean we can't dream, right? The GameShark staff recently got together to ramble on about their personal Top five -- the five games that each writer is looking forward to the most. If this little round table discussion proves anything, it's that we have a pretty well rounded group of writers, many of whom I thought I knew quite well, only to have my preconceived notions dashed. Seriously, Troy, Nintendogs II...number one?

William Abner, Editor in Chief: This is really hard. There are a lot of potentially great games slated for 2009 and narrowing it down to a few favorites is a real chore. Whose idea was this anyway? OK I'll go with:

1. Dragon Age: Origins -- The reason is that while I cannot wait to see Empire: Total War, MLB 09: The Show, Dawn of War II, and countless others, I still have a huge soft spot for all things BioWare even though I think I am in the minority in terms of Mass Effect's brilliance or lack thereof. Still, I saw the presentation and everything I know about this game just screams "play me!" Elves second class citizens? About time! Snobby bastards. There is something about BioWare and high fantasy that just gives me the Gamer Tingle—that feeling you get when you anticipate a game to the point of absurdity. I rarely get that feeling anymore being the jaded old man that I am but when I saw Dragon Age, I tingled. That has to mean something, right?

2. Empire: Total War -- The definition of no-brainer. Total War design + multiplayer + Age of Napoleon + Age of Sail = chained to my PC for weeks.

3. Dawn of War II -- I am a Warhammer nut and while I like the fantasy setting more than 40K, this sequel, or sorts, looks like it's right up my alley in terms of scale. Smaller fights combined with Tyranids! I cannot wait for this one to drop and I'll have my Steam version sometime today! Woo!

I just realized that my top three are all coming out by the time March is over. Yikes.

4. Diablo III -- I was going to put BioShock II here but since we know next to nothing about that game and I highly doubt it hits in '09, I'll go with Diablo III. I think we all have an idea what this game will be like in terms of gameplay, and remember – NO ONE takes a monotonous idea and styles it up into greatness like Blizzard. Sleepless nights doing the same damn thing over and over await.

5. The Beatles -- The Beatles are the best band of all time. The band that just popped in your head that isn't the Fab 4? They're not as good. This is likely going to make Brandon get sick to his stomach because I know he's anti-Beatle (and therefore a servant of the devil) but it's true. Best band ever. I know this isn't an official Rock Band game but Harmonix is behind it, and I can almost guarantee that I get lost inside it when it hits -- hopefully this year. I am the Walrus.

Brandon Cackowski-Schnell: Best band of all time. That's funny. Led Zeppelin FTW! I am amazed you didn’t put Blood Bowl on that list.

William: GAH!!!! That was a mistake! We just started and my list is already completely screwed up. Great. Blood Bowl is easily top 5. Can I have a do over?

Dragon Age

Jeff McAllister, News Editor:

1. Resident Evil 5 -- If there was any game that introduced gamers to the world of real survival horror it was Resident Evil. Argue if you like, but you will be wrong. Each game in the series has brought new frights and scares – ok maybe not RE 3 or the other off shoot games like Umbrella Chronicles *shudder*– but the main series of games have always been where it was at. When RE 4 reinvented the series, the horror returned and it looks like it will be amplified exponentially with part 5 when it is released to the craving masses. Add in the fact that RE 5 will also include two player local and multiplayer coop and some amazing eye candy with its gorgeous graphics and second player T and A, it looks like a sure winner and my most anticipated game of 2009.

2. Street Fighter IV -- How many quarters did you blow on Street Fighter 2 as a kid? It hurts to think of how much money I spent on the game back in my youth at the arcade and then on each iteration that came out for the home consoles. As the series went on, it lost its way with the introduction of quasi-ridiculous characters and moves and even turning 3D. Street Fighter IV gives us old timers the classic characters with an updated look, keeping the original gameplay, but with a modern twist to it. Sure some of the newer characters are going to be included like Sakura and Rose, but that's an acceptable price to pay to have the original gang back together again.

3. Half Life 2 Episode 3 -- Damn you Valve. I will be the first to say that I am not a huge fan of episodic gaming. The whole purpose behind it – as I understood – was to have smaller games released more frequently. Well they nailed one out of the two criteria's. With 16 months between episodes one and two, Episode 3 should be landing in our greedy chubby hands sometime in 2009. At the end of Episode 2, gamers were left with a plethora of information to wrap their heads around and loads of questions that needed to be answered such as what was the Borealis, what Aperture Science had to do with it and what was going to happen with the rocket with the extra weight that got launched into space. Now that Left 4 Dead has been released, hopefully Valves full attention is on the next episode of the Half Life series.

4. Metal Gear Solid 4 for the 360 -- If there ever was a game that would make me want to purchase a Playstation 3, it was MGS 4. It did make me want to buy one, but unfortunately, not enough. I am keeping the faith alive that MGS 4 will come out for the 360 and save me from having to plop down $400 just to play it. It better come out soon though, I'm not sure how long I can hold off for.

5. Killzone 2 -- After playing the first KillZone for the Playstation 2, I will admit I wasn't a huge fan of the game. It was glitchy and buggy but had promise of something that it could have been. Once KillZone 2 was shown at E3 2005 and then again at E3 2007, my curiosity was piqued and my interest rose substantially. Not only does the FPS title show promise for its single player campaign, but the multiplayer aspect shows that it may hold what it takes to be the top played game on the big black box. As good as the game looks, we'll see if it has what it takes to make me buy a PS3.

Resident Evil 5

Todd Brakke, Staff Writer:

1. Dragon Age: Jeff, you ignorant slut. Resident Evil 5? Did you not read Bill's list? Once every year or two he gets one right, and he's getting it out of the way early this year. It's Dragon Age, Dragon Age, Dragon Age. There is no other answer to this question. It's Bioware. It's a new IP set in a fantasy world. It's a spiritual successor to the great, great Baldur's Gate games. It'll frigg'n make you toast in the morning and massage your feet at the end of the day! I've been waiting on this game since word of its existence first slipped out about five years ago. There is no other game coming out in 2009 that will get more attention from me than this one.

2. Diablo 3 : Why? Because I like rainbows, obviously. It's fun and flowers in the world of Diablo, but not really. Don't listen to the Death Nerd army who think this game will betray the Diablo legacy because they don't like the lighting in the preview videos. Diablo 3 is going to be great and I can't wait to get my duel-wielding Barbarian mojo slicing and dicing once again. Just don't expect it to come out this year.

3. Bioshock 2: Another one that I can't imagine makes it out this year, but it seems to be on release lists everywhere, so I'm including it here. No, there's no Ken Levine attached to this one, at least officially. That's a strike against it, no doubt, but nevertheless, it's Bioshock, so I'm there.

4. MLB '09: This is the only sports franchise left in gaming with which I'm not utterly bored. MLB: The Show remains a good as it gets and is the only gaming franchise I play on my Blu-ray player - er, Playstaion 3. It takes me back to the days of High Heat 2001 (PC), the high water mark of baseball gaming. This year they're adding the usual eye-candy fixes, more animations, etc. However, unlike other developers who obsess only over new features at the expense of fixing what wasn't working the year before, they're improving what's already in place too, with plenty of additions to the Road to the Show and Franchise modes as well as plenty of on the field improvements like better fielding mechanics and more pitch types.

5. Empire: Total War: I never got around to Rome or Medieval II, but I lost countless hours to the first Medieval game and after reading David McCullough's John Adams biography last year I'm ready for some Colonization meets Age of Sail in the Total War model.

Diablo III