2009 was a banner year for video games -- but 2010's lining up to be even better. We're expecting a packed calendar of awesome releases right from the first few weeks of the year. Here are the ones that have us hot under the collar.

Fresh from releasing our role-playing game of the year, Dragon Age, Bioware's hoping to make it two for two with a sequel to its 2007 interstellar smash. Featuring voice acting from the likes of Martin Sheen, Carrie-Ann Moss, and Seth Green, it's a high-budget space opera you won't want to miss. And you won't have to wait long, either: you'll see it in stores starting Jan 26.

What could God of War star Kratos do with a Playstation 3? We dread to think -- but he'll get his chance this year when he's unleashed on Sony's powerful platform for the first time. Expect epic battles, mythological beasts, tons of crazy moves -- oh, and blood. Lots and lots of blood. Look for it in March.

Can't get enough space? Then step into the shoes of a Starfleet captain (or a Klingon warlord) and make it so in this beautiful massively-multiplayer online game. Featuring planet-side and starship combat -- and the dulcet tones of Zachary Quinto -- it's due on February 2.

After repeated delays, Sam Fisher's latest game will finally break out this year. And it's looking awesome. The plot sees the super spy going renegade in an attempt to thwart a terrorist plot and uncover the truth behind his daughter's death. Expect it to make a stealthy appearance on February 23.

There's no bigger name in racing than Gran Turismo -- and there's no racer more anticipated than this fifth in the series. Another oft-delayed big name, U.S. gamers will finally be able to kick the tires and light the fires this March.

Starring a squad of alien-zapping Spartan soldiers called 'Noble Team', Halo: Reach is bound to be one of the biggest games of the year. Will it match up to the series' A-list name? Not much of a reach, we think, and we'll find out for sure in the fall.

One of Nintendo's most critically acclaimed franchises will continue in 2010 with the release of Metroid: Other M. It'll delve deeper into star Samus's past, blend both two- and three-dimensional scenes, and should be out sometime later in the year.

Latest in this long-running and dearly-beloved series of role-playing games, Final Fantasy XIII is boasting an overhauled battle system, superb visuals, and a story that's sure to engross. It'll be out on both Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 9.

Can BioShock 2 deliver the same storytelling finesse that earned its predecessor so much praise? What happened to the underwater city of Rapture after the first game ended? Where did Big Daddies come from? Would you kindly stop asking so many questions? All will be revealed on February 9.

If Star Trek's not quite your speed, there's another big-league massively-multiplayer sci-fi title due out this year. Set some 3,500 years before the movies, Star Wars: The Old Republic promises to bring full-bore Jedi-versus-Sith action to your PC -- and hopefully before the end of the year.

Think of Red Dead Redemption as Grand Theft Auto IV transported to the Wild West, circa 1908. If that doesn't have your blood racing, you ain't no friend of ours, pardner. The rootin' (and tootin', and shootin') starts April 27.

Sequel to the most popular and successful strategy game ever made, Starcraft II is sure to make waves in the U.S. -- but it'll make bigger ones in South Korea, where the decade-old game is still a national obsession. There's no official release date for Starcraft II yet, but we'd expect to see it drop around the fall.