Konami 2010 Gamer's Night is an annual event in which one of the biggest and brightest companies in the industry showcases upcoming titles. It includes announcements, socializing, and most important, game demos; it's a lot to fit into one night. Here's a look at what's in store for gamers later this year.

Konami 2010 Gamer's Night began with a sneak peak of Def Jam Rapstar. The guest speaker for this title was none other than Def Jam CEO Kevin Liles. Liles  began with a look back at the importance hip-hop has had in world culture over the past 30 years and also lauded Konami's contributions to the music-game genre. Rapstar, Liles said, is the first current-gen music game to contain nothing but hip-hop content (though I'm sure he wouldn't dream of minimizing the contributions of a certain rapper named PaRappa!). Suggesting many current music games on the market did not appeal to him, he said, "I can't play guitar ... I never wanted to be in a rock band." So, with Rapstar, Liles aims to appease this neglected demographic.

Rapstar promises to feature music from hip-hop's biggest acts, including Lil Wayne, Notorious BIG, 50 Cent, Snoop Dog, and many more on the original release and in upcoming downloadable content. "You are the star" — the game provides users with a highly customizable avatar to ensure a personalized gaming experience. This experience includes webcam support, and users will be able to share their performances online. Def Jam Rapstar will be available later this year for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii.

The next presentation was Deca Sports 3. This is the fourth game in the franchise (including the Nintendo DS offering), but it is the first to support the Wii Motion Plus peripheral. The lineup in this latest package is indoor volleyball, racquetball, airboard racing, lacrosse, fencing, freestyle kayaking, springboard diving, and logging. All sports offer an alternate control scheme for users who don't have the Wii Motion Plus.

So far, the Deca Sports franchise has not been as well-received as Wii Sports — by critics or fans. However, it looks like this installment has one big advantage over both Wii Sports games: online play. Since many fans were disappointed by this omission in Wii Sports Resort, it looks like Deca Sports is poised to give Nintendo a run for its money. Deca Sports 3 will be available later this year, exclusively for the Wii.

Next up was Lost in Shadow, an action game in which the interplay of light and shadow play a critical role in the gameplay mechanics. The player must employ all kinds of creative methods for getting through playing fields filled with shadows, traps, and gimmicks. What was especially interesting about Lost in Shadow was the way the player can manipulate the playing field as a whole. At first glance, the game appears to be a standard 2-D sidescroller, but the player has the ability to rotate the environment — effectively opening the third dimension to the character. The speaker showed how this can unlock hidden potential in a given environment. He demonstrated with a seemingly impassable environment, but when this environment was rotated, a stairway appeared. Lost in Shadow will be available for the Wii later this year.

Konami's next presentation was Lucha Libre AAA Heroes of the Ring, a Mexican wrestling game. Compared to American wrestling, the presenter said, Mexican wrestling is more risky and agile, with high-flying thrills unmatched here in the United States. "They have no idea what a lawsuit is," the speaker said. To drive the point home, a genuine Mexican wrestler was on the scene, executing some impressive moves.

Just as Mexican wrestling is more extreme, so too are Mexican wrestling video games (at least, if Lucha Libre is any indication). Unlike other wrestling games, Lucha Libre puts a big emphasis on crowd interaction. A higher level of popularity with the crowd means a character can unlock more signature moves. Also, taunting the crowd works within the game's combo functionality.

Also setting this game apart from others in the genre is its level of customization ability. Players can customize not only the characters' abilities and appearances, but also the games' rules and overall appearance. Perhaps most important, the game features real celebrities of the Mexican wrestling world. These celebrities' digital likenesses will not only match the real people in appearance, but also in their abilities and even personalities. Lucha Libre will be available for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, and PSP. The release date is set for Aug. 9, 2010.

Next up was a preview of Konami's upcoming DLC games: Rocket Knight, an update of the Super Nintendo title, will be available on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and Steam. Ben 10, from the Cartoon Network show of the same name, will be available on XBLA and WiiWare. Finally, Rush 'N Attack Ex-Patriot is coming to PSN and XBLA.

The game Saw II was next on the menu. Even though the content we saw that evening was just a small fraction of what's to come, it was probably more than enough to give nightmares to a few sensitive members of the audience. For fans of the franchise and of the survival-horror genre, Saw II promises to be an engrossing dream come true. Speaking of en-gross-ing, the minigame in which the character must cut out his own eye was a big hit of the evening. This scenario may sound familiar to fans of the movies, but the speaker promised the game is filled with plenty of new ideas, and even an encyclopedic knowledge of the films will not be enough to solve the many puzzles and challenges.

Fans will see lots of new stuff in Saw II. The game uses a newly updated Unreal 3 engine, with its groundbreaking Light Mass Technology. This means light and shadows will look more realistic than ever — a graphical advancement that helps set the right tone for the game's dark, murky environments. There will also be new characters and new insights about old characters. If that weren't enough, the game also features new combat controls, which the speaker promised would be "more responsive and more visceral." Saw II is slated for release in October 2010 for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Next up was Nintey-Nine Nights 2, the sequel to the 2006 hack and slash game. The game's deep, immersive story begins with the knight Gailyn single-handedly taking on the entire Dark Army. What follows is a richly layered, fully developed story. All of the game's five characters (which become unlocked as the player progresses) have their own storylines, as well as their own special skills and weapons.

The speaker promised several improvements over the first game. This sequel features an online co-op mode, a more full-featured set of character customization tools, and of course, improved graphics. The combat mechanics are also much more in-depth. To call this game a mere hack and slash would be unfair, since there are a rich variety of combat skills integral to the story.

The game's online modes feature online-specific maps in which two players follow one of three styles of play: Survival, in which players must fight through three waves of enemies to arrive at their goal; Race, in which players compete to try to defeat the most enemies; and Escort, in which players must protect 11 soldiers on their journey to safety. Ninety-Nine Nights 2 will be released June 8, 2010, exclusively for the Xbox 360.

Next, the presenters unveiled the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker entertainment pack. This is a collector's edition PSP bundle that includes a PSP with a unique "skull-camo" design, the MGS: Peace Walker game with extra unlockable content, a carrying case, and a 4GB memory stick. The complete package will be available June 8, 2010, for $199 — a bargain for anyone who doesn't already own a PSP. For everyone else, a stand-alone copy of the game will also be available on the same date.

The final game of the evening was Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Although this newest addition does adhere to the basic premise of Castlevania (a lone warrior battling creatures with a whip), it nonetheless is a significant departure for the franchise. This game's storyline is completely unconnected to any of the previous games in the series. It has a new, darker feel. The speaker explained the intention is to strike a balance between a game that attracts new gamers and one that caters to current fans of the genre.

The game's hero is Gabriel Belmont, who is on a holy quest to defeat dark forces in a world where souls of the dead restlessly wander the earth. Among them is the soul of Belmont's wife, the victim of a mysterious murder. It is the player's job to solve the mysteries behind these dark forces. The story promises to cover some pretty lofty subject matter, touching on themes of love and loss.

The gameplay includes some brand new advanced combat mechanics, with more than 40 unlockable combos. In addition to fighting enemies, players will also have to solve all manner of puzzles and brain teasers to complete their journey. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 later this year.