With the year half over and the new release shelves becalmed, you're probably getting restless. But if you've been a gamer for long, you know these aren't just horse latitudes or doldrums. It's the calm before the storm. There are tons of white-hot hyper-hyped games on the way. So to help you peer through the hype, the Fidgit staff took the week to carefully single out the most hype-worthy games. After much arguing, debating, and gnashing of teeth, we settled on ten games, arranged alphabetically so as not to hurt anyone's feelings.

After the jump are the hottest games of the rest of 2009.

What is it?
A shooter crossed with an RPG with a political thriller/espionage yarn wrapped around it. The story is wide-open in terms of how you interact with the different characters and missions.

Who's making it?
Obsidian Entertainment is known for taking sequels and doing ambitious things with them. Knights of the Old Republic II and Neverwinter Nights 2, for instance. They're nothing if not ambitious.

What's so hot about it?
Lots of people look through rose-colored glasses at a game called Deus Ex. If I have a handle of what Alpha Protocol is trying to do, I'd say this is finally the spiritual sequel to Deus Ex.

When can I play it?
October 6th

What is it?
You are a badass assassin who can jump around cities, navigate lushly animated crowds, and kill people in really cool ways. But you're doing it in Renaissance Italy.

Who's making it?
Ubisoft's nearly magical Montreal studio

What's so hot about it?
You know how close the original Assassin's Creed was to being utterly brilliant? I have every hope that this game can push it that last little bit. These guys know how to do an open world game with a unique historical twist. And if anyone can do justice to the impossibly ornate Venice of Renaissance Italy, it's Ubisoft Montreal.

When can I play it?
November 17th

What is it?
Thanks to the Joker, the inmates are running the asylum. Enter Batman.

Who's making it?
With only a single game to their credit before Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady Studios isn't a very well known developer. Expect that to change.

What's so hot about it?
I've played a reviewable build that was handed out to press earlier this year, before the game was delayed. So I can say with first-hand knowledge that Batman: Arkham Asylum is one of those rare superhero games that captures the unique essence of the character. Just as the open world games for Spider-Man and the Hulk did a wonderful job presenting their freedom and power, respectively, this game does a wonderful job presenting Batman's stealth, gadgets, strength, and shadowy menace. It's the game Splinter Cell always wished it could be.

When can I play it?
August 25th

What is it?
The sequel to the nonpareil of zombie games, Dead Rising.

Who's making it?
A Canadian sports videogame developer called Blue Castle. I know. I'm worried, too.

What's so hot about it?
You did not just ask me that.

Actually, I did.
Seriously?

Seriously.
Man, you are out of touch. Okay, look: this is the great white hope of zombie games. No game "gets" zombies better than the original Dead Rising. Not Left 4 Dead, not Nazi Zombies, not Resident Evil. If Dead Rising 2 is half as good as Dead Rising, zombie fans like me will be elated.

When can I play it?
Capcom is being really cagey, but they've specified that it'll be part of the fiscal year that ends March 31st, 2010. And surely they're not going to miss the holiday season with this game, right? This is primo holiday videogaming, isn't it? Right? Right? Guys?

What is it?
An open-ended action RPG for the Playstation 3

Who's making it?
From Software is a successful Japanese developer, but they haven't really hit it big in North America. You might know them from the Armored Core and Otogi games. Or not.

What's so hot about it?
I honestly couldn't tell you. I got a demo at E3 from some poor PR guy who had no idea what he was doing. But the people who've imported the Japanese version, which has been out for a while now, will not shut up about how awesome this game is.

When can I play it?
October 6th

Wait, isn't that the same day as Alpha Protocol?
Yep. Life isn't fair.

What is it?
The latest-gen rally racing game

Who's making it?
The same development team that made Grid

What's so hot about it?
See above. If you've played the original Dirt, or any of the Colin McRae rally racing games, you know what you're getting here: great physics, great racing, great graphics. But this time the visuals are even greater. This is one of those racing games where you go, "Man, graphics these days are good!". And you get Grid's rewind feature to let you retry those misjudged turns.

When can I play it?
September 8th

What is it?
The sequel to one of the most disappointing open-world action games you could ever play. The original Just Cause had a great game engine and a messy everything else.

Who's making it?
Swedish developer Avalanche Studios made the first Just Cause and a strangely meditative hunting MMO called The Hunter.

What's so hot about it?
Based on the demo at E3, it seems that Avalanche is well aware of what went wrong with the original Just Cause and has a handle on how to fix it. They've also got a solid handle on how to combine a grappling hook and re-deployable parachute for some pretty fancy gameplay.

When can I play it?
This fall? Keep your fingers crossed.

What is it?
Call of Duty 6

Who's making it?
Infinity Ward

What's so hot about it?
This whole genre of Hollywood war movie shooters started with Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. That developer has since splintered into different groups. One of those groups is Infinity Ward, which has demonstrated time and again that they're the carrier of whatever DNA makes these games so good. They know how to combine cinematic action, gunplay, and clever multiplayer support. Call of Duty easily topped Medal of Honor. Call of Duty 2 did it again. And then Call of Duty 4, transitioning away from World War II, broke rules and took names. Wherever Infinity Ward wants to go next, I'm eager to follow.

When can I play it?
November 10th

What is it?
A set of 2D puzzles in which you have to collect stars by typing in the names of objects, that will then materialize and interact with each other. It's basically a giant dictionary with each word tied to a specific animation.

Who's making it?
5th Cell are the folks behind Drawn to Life, a platformer that used a similar gimmick of drawing items for the hero to use.

What's so hot about it?
I expect the actual game isn't going to be nearly as nifty as the concept of what such a game could be like. But nevertheless, it seems clever, funny, and different from all the other things on the Nintendo DS that are different.

When can I play it?
September 15th

What is it?
The next chapter in the adventures of Nathan Drake

Who's making it?
The creators of the first Uncharted, Naughty Dog.

What's so hot about it?
The original Uncharted wasn't just the polished Tomb Raider clone some folks expected. Instead, it was the essence of Raiders of the Lost Ark captured in a videogame: a rollicking adventure built around likeable characters, believable relationships, and striking set pieces. Naughty Dog demonstrated better than any other developer that well-realized characters have a place in a videogame. And this time, they're making a game with more of an emphasis on cooperative and competitive multiplayer.

When can I play it?
October 13th