Editor's note: Bummed about all the big delays to 2010? Community member Mark Whitney reminds us that we still have a lot to be excited about this year. -Shoe

As more and more games get pushed back to next year and it slowly begins to look like all we’ll be left with is sequel after sequel, it's worth examining six titles that, as of now, you’ll still be able to enjoy while the leaves are turning golden brown outside. While there are many more, these are definitely some you should be waiting with bated breath for.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (releases 8/25)

The art looks gorgeous, no matter how creepy Gordon's mustache is.

Arkham Asylum has the potential to be better than previous attempts at turning the classic comic into a successful video game. It has an all-new story revolving around Batman and many of his foes, and it features many of the original voices from the animated series. Expect tons of fighting, cool gadgets, and what looks to be a dark yet beautiful backdrop as you attempt to escape the confines of the asylum and the villains hidden within.

Vehicular combat is just one of many draws for this RPG/shooter hybrid.

Borderlands is really turning out to be one of the releases I’m most looking forward to this fall. Up to four-player online co-op or two-player split-screen plus countless ways to customize and strengthen your character make this game a sought-after treasure for those who enjoy RPGs and first-person shooters.

The combination of hand-drawn models with textured pieces as well as hundreds of thousands of different weapons, abilities, and equipable items will give players something beautiful to look at and loot hounds tons of stuff to collect. Throw in vehicular combat and multiple class types, and the search for the Alien Vault on the planet Pandora becomes awfully irresistible....

Though not the best-looking game of the bunch, Alpha Protocol will probably be the most versatile.

Everything you do in this hybrid RPG affects the outcome and feel of the game as you sneak, assassinate, and spy within each mission. With multiple upgrade and customization paths, a sleek John Woo-style of art and combat, and an in-game time limit that doesn’t allow for hours of thought as you decide whether to save the target or send him to his doom, this futuristic Japanese espionage thriller will allow your mind to flow freely and you to become the spy you’ve always wanted to be. This could be the sleeper hit of the year.

Crazy characters (both friendly and non) are a staple of
Tim Schafer's games -- Brutal Legend is no exception.

Roadie Eddie Riggs (voiced by Jack Black) is sucked into the world of rock in order to rid it of the evil that is slowly growing inside. Featuring the voices and music of numerous heavy-metal legends and a world straight out of every heavy metal album cover from the '70s, this part music game, part adventure game, part troop control game is going to rock your socks off with its quirky storyline and unforgettable characters.

Boasting “more leather and chrome than any other game in existence,” this long-awaited title is looking like all of the time spent in delays wiil pay off for creator Tim Schafer (Psychonauts, Grim Fandango) and publisher Electronic Arts.

Dragon Age is quickly shaping up to be the Baldur's Gate of 2009 -- dark, beautiful, and loads of fun.

The makers of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Baldur’s Gate attempt to mix previous playstyles from both games while providing an epic story and a dark fantasy setting that players can explore.

The motivations and methods that players use throughout their travels in Dragon Age will affect the characters that join their cause and how the world looks and acts. Like Borderlands, this game boasts a massive inventory system that has thousands of weapons, items, and equipment for you to customize.

Be ready for a gritty, bloody journey through Orzammar this fall as you begin an epic quest for salvation, for glory, or for the destruction of the very world you inhabit.

The most colorful of the six -- but don't let that fool you into thinking this game is going to be easy.

A game that is already taking over most Japanese players' Wiis, Muramasa is a 2D epic by Vanillaware that seems to house a simple-to-grasp yet fun-to-master combat system, an epic storyline, and beautiful artwork. The ability to equip three different blades at a time, which you can use interchangeably throughout the campaign, allows for massive combinations on those who dare to stand in your way.

Holding you back from going all John Rambo, however, is a vitality gauge -- not on your character but on the blades themselves. They constantly take damage as you are hit, use special attacks, or even just kill an enemy with regular blows, forcing you to strategize and plan out how and when you’re going to use them. Items scattered throughout the world allow you to repair and power up your trusty weapons to give them new abilities and longer durability, allowing you to stay in the fight longer and dispatch of your foes with more style.

This is the one game on the Wii (that isn’t a remake or a sequel) that I’m looking forward to. The artwork is gorgeous and the revival of the 2D genre is welcome in my eyes.