2008 isn’t over, and neither is our newly created backlog brought on by the tidal wave of games released in the last few months. A shrink wrapped copies of games I don’t care about are waiting to get their turn in the disc drive, but unfortunately for them and our sanity, we at Gamerlimit.com are always looking forward, no matter how great the risk of death by exhaustion. We’re taking a look at 5 games coming out in quarter 1 of 2009. 5 games bold enough to be released after the holiday season. 5 games that are coming out long after gaming fatigue has already kicked in.

Resident Evil 5 (Capcom)

Arguably the biggest game on the list, is the 5th iteration of Capcom’s obscenely popular Resident Evil series. RE5 is a follow-up to Resident Evil 4, which is held by fans as the best game in the series, and for many publications, the game of the year for 2005. RE5 changes main characters to original Resident Evil protagonist, Chris Redfield. Chris finds himself in Africa, uncovering the mysteries of the zombie virus’ origins. Assisting Chris is Sheva, and alongside his new partner comes a cooperative experience new to the Resident Evil series. Sheva can be controlled by both the computer and by a human player, allowing the duo to bypass obstacles they couldn’t tackle alone. Resident Evil 5 comes out March 13th for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Kill Zone 2 (SCEA)

Now that Resistance 2 and Little Big Planet have come and gone, Killzone 2 is Sony’s next AAA exclusive title. The main story follows, Sev, a veteran member of the human forces, as he fights his way into enemy territory to capture its leader.  Aside from the single player campaign, Killzone 2 ships with a dynamic multiplayer mode akin to that of Call of Duty 4. Included is multiplayer for up to 32 players, clan support, and vast character customization options. Players can outfit their in-game models with badges that allow special abilities, such as vehicle repair and improved sniper aim. Several publications have stated that the game looks almost as good as the original trailer touted at E3 2005. We’ll see just how good the game looks when it releases on February 17 for the Playstation 3.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)

The follow-up to the original F.E.A.R. has had a rough development period. The license was sold without certain assets, only to be reacquired later, serving only to confuse fans until everything is set in stone. The story in this game follows a new protagonist fighting the series main villain, a young woman named Alma, as she attempts to use her psychic powers to destroy reality as we know it. The original F.E.A.R. was a first person shooting survival horror game unlike anything else, and with a revamped engine and a whole new team behind it, who knows what’s on the horizon for this series. F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is slated for release on February 10th for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Halo Wars (Microsoft Game Studios)

Halo Wars is the series’ first step outside of the First Person Shooter and is being developed by the soon-to-be defunct Ensemble studios. This real-time-strategy game follows the human forces in their war against the amalgam of alien species known as the Covenant. The story takes place 20 years prior to the original Halo. Ensemble developed Halo Wars to work solely with the Xbox 360 controller, to make battles as seamless as possible. Players will have access to both the human and covenant forces. Each unit will have access to special abilities, such as the Spartan unit’s ability to hijack any vehicle on the map. Halo Wars is set to release in February for the Xbox 360.

Street Fighter 4 (Capcom)

Capcom’s Long awaited follow-up to Street Fighter 3 hits world-wide sometime in February. The game’s chronology takes place sometime between Street Fighter 2 and Street Fighter 3, which is really just an excuse to showcase the series’ most popular characters in gorgeous 3D. The fighting is done in 3D on a 2D plane, to keep the classic feel of its predecessors. Almost the entire cast from Street Fighter 2 and its iterations return with a few well-fitting additions. A few notable newbies on the roster include El Blaze, a Rey Mysterio-esque lucha libre wrestler, and Able a wandering warrior that looks reminiscent of Alex from Street Fighter 3. The game will be released on February 17 for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Hopefully as you undoubtedly spend all your hard earned zenny on the wonderful games of this season, you keep in mind that next season is no slouch, and there are games waiting patiently for you in ambush.