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I'm not dead, I just took a week off to do my final exams and stuff like that. Plus, this time of year is dead anyways, so I figured it could wait. So, here's what came out last week and what's out this week.
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | • Rise of the Argonauts
• Sonic Unleashed (get the Wii/PS2 version instead) | • Rise of the Argonauts | • Calvin Tucker's Redneck Jamboree
• Neopets Puzzle Adventure
• Rock Band 2
• Summer Sports 2: Island Sports Party
• The Tale of Despereaux
• Word Jong Party | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | • Dungeon Maker II: The Hidden War
PC
• Band Manager
• Lost Secrets: Bermuda Triangle
• Hidden Expedition: Amazon
• Hired Guns: The Jagged Edge
• Prince of Persia
• Rise of the Argonauts
• RPG Fantasy Action Pack
• The Tale of Despereaux
• Zoo Tycoon 2 Ultimate Collection | • Animal Boxing
• Australia Zoo Quest
• Build-a-Lot
• Candace Kane's Candy Factory
• Cate West The Vanishing Files
• Driver's Ed Portable
• Dreamer: Horse Trainer
• Dreamer: Puppy Trainer
• Learn Math
• Left Brain Right Brain 2
• Mystery P.I.: Portrait of a Thief
• Slingo Quest
• The Tale of Despereaux | • Rock Band 2
• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
• The Tale of Despereaux |
 Very boring, am I right? Get used to it. That's what the next few weeks are going to be like.
The only highlight here is Persona 4 for the PS2. I don't know much about it other than it's a weeaboo JRPG with an even more weeaboo translation that keeps all the honorifics and stuff on there. Also, you commit suicide to gain powers. Apparently it's good if you're into that kind of thing, but I'll stick to Fallout 3 thank you very much.
So, next week, I don't think anything is coming out. Literally, nothing.
Sorry for being so late with this, but this is the last week of the semester for me before finals, so the professors have been dumping all sorts of homework on me. Yippie. So, I need to keep it short and sweet this week.
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | • Prince of Persia
• SingStar ABBA | • Destroy All Humans 3: Path of Furon
• Prince of Persia | • Bigfoot: Collision Course
• Family Party: 30 Great Games
• King of Fighters Orochi Saga
• Mushroom Men: Spore Wars
• My Fitness Coach
• Nancy Drew: The White Wolf
• Safecracker
• Ski & Shoot
• SPRay
• The Tale of Despereaux | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | NOTHING
PC
• Disney's Bolt
• Grand Theft Auto IV
• Neopets Puzzle Adventure
• The Tale of Despereaux
• A Vampyre Story
• Zoo Tycoon 2 Ultimate | • Animal Boxing
• Dreamer: Puppy Trainer
• Emma at the Farm
• Emma in the Mountains
• Happy Cooking
• Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi
• My Fun Facts Coach
• Prince of Persia: The Fallen King
• Slingo Quest
• The Tale of Despereaux
• Wordfish | • Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories
• SingStar ABBA
• The Tale of Despereaux |
 Yet another slow week, but there's some good stuff. Such as Prince of Persia. This installment in the long-running series has UbiSoft trying to reinvent the game with a new cel-shaded Okamiesque art style and open world gameplay...and apparently the results are good if early reviews are to be believed.
The other big game I'm interested in this week is Mushroom Men for the Wii. Why is this shovelware sounding game so intriguing? First of all, the game's music was composed and performed by none other than Primus bassist, Les Claypool. However, what makes the game really interesting is that the entire game is synced to a metronome that runs at 120 beats per minute. The result is a very unique look and sound that I've never seen in a video game before. It really must be seen to be fully understood, so take a look at this trailer from GameVideos about the metronome system. IGN also has a great article about the system. Oh, I supposed I should probably mention what the gameplay is like. Well, it's basically your standard platformer, but with some neat MDK2/Fallout 3 like weapon creation elements. I just hope the gameplay is as brilliant as the metronome system, but even if it isn't, I know I'll like the game since it's a bold experiment in sound design. Unfortunately, I can't afford to buy this game right away.  If anyone gets this game or hears anything about it, leave a comment, because I'm dying to know how this game turned out.
Oh yeah, there's some new Kingdom Hearts game out this week on the good ol PS2. It's a 3D remake of the GBA game, Chain of Memories entitled Re:Chain of Memories (clever). Since I don't know anything about Kingdom Hearts other than a lot of weeabos that don't normally like Disney love this game...probably for "kawaii" artwork and stuff. Never understood the appeal of this game.
If you missed out on the consoles, GTA IV will hit Windows this week in all it's SecuROM-protected "glory" (if you can call it that). Hooray DRM!
Anyways, check back next week when I'll be burned out by final exams. But then I'm done with school for a month. 
Gaming has changed. It's no longer about top-notch AAA blockbusters and quality games, it's an endless series of shovelware developed by guys in business suits and programmed by machines that follow their every command. Gaming has changed. ID tagged consumers carry ID tagged weapons, use ID tagged gear. Nanomachines inside their bodies enhance and regulate their tastes. Hannah Montana. High School Musical. Imagine. The letter Z. Everything is monitored and kept under control. Gaming has changed. The age of innovation has become the age of shovelware. All in the name of making of quick buck from unsuspecting consumers. And he who controls the gaming battlefield...controls history. Gaming has changed. When the battlefield is under total control... shovelware becomes routine.
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | | NOTHING! | • NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 | • AMF Bowling World Lanes
• Calvin Tucker's Redneck Jamboree
• Cake Mania: In the Mix!
• Championship Foosball
• Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine
• King of Fighters Orochi Saga
• Safecracker
• Skate City Heroes
• Ski & Shoot
• Winter Sports 2: The Next Challenge | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | NOTHING!
PC
• Band Manager
• Disney's Bolt
• Gothic 3 Collector's Edition
• Neopets
• Zoo Tycoon 2 Ultimate | • Age of Empire: Mythologies
• All Star Cheer Squad
• Chrono Trigger
• Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force
• Cradle of Rome
• Emma in the Mountains
• Neopets Puzzle Adventure
• Personal Trainer: Cooking
• Syberia
| NOTHING! |
 Looking through the ashes of the holiday season, I observe three beacons of hope for this week, even if they are all rereleases of things have have been out for at least ten years.
First among them is King of Fighters: Orochi Saga for the Wii. It's a compilation including the following games: King of Fighters '94, '95, '96, '97, '98, and '99. I don't have much experience with any of those games, but I know they're well liked by many people, so I thought I'd highlight it.
The next "good" game to come out this week is a DS remake of one of the most appreciated (and expensive to track down) games ever, Chrono Trigger. Originally released for the SNES in 1995, Chrono Trigger is yet another RPG from Square, and yet another game I've never had any desire to play. This new DS edition of the game has several all-new features including a couple of new dungeons, a new final boss with his own dungeon and ending that is unlocked after getting the original ending, two modes of play (DS and Classic), wireless play for 2-4 people, and arena mode, changes to the English script to more closely reelect the original Japanese game, no load times for the anime cutscenes (the same ones from the PS1 version included with Final Fantasy Chronicles), and improved sprites/music. But I honestly don't care. I've NEVER played Chrono Trigger, nor do I have much desire to since it looks like yet another generic JRPG grindfest. OH NO! I have sinned and tarnished the name of one of the "greatest games ever". So, RPG fans, why should I care about this game? What makes it different from other JRPGs? How does it innovate? Tell me why the hell I should play this game, and maybe I will.
However, the absolute highlight of the week is the long-awaited Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (aka: Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Dub Edition Remix Gaiden: The Director's Cut: Deluxe Edition). In addition to being the newest member of the ridiculously long name club (along with Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars), it's a member of the awesome downloadable games from Capcom club. What makes this remake so great and worth getting? First off, the sprites have been upgraded, BIG TIME! Just check out this comparison of Ryu, this one of Ken, and this one of Akuma. Quite the difference if I must say so myself. These awesome sprites will be rendered in 1080p HD goodness along with plenty of new features including an optional "rebalanced" mode that changes around the balance of the characters, training mode, both widescreen and standard 4:3 aspect ratios, a remixed soundtrack created by people at OverClocked Remix (the original soundtrack is there too if you prefer to hear that, the ability to use either the new sprites or the old ones from the original, and, of course, online play with voice chat, matchmaking, stat tracking, and leaderboards. The best part is that this whole package is going to be selling for only $15 on both Xbox Live Arcade (out Wednesday) and Playstation Network (out Tuesday). In addition, PSN people will be getting a free Street Fighter Underground soundtrack with original songs by hip-hop artists like Redman, DJ Qbert, and Heiroglyphics. I don't know about you, but I am ultra pumped for this game because I haven't played Street Fighter II (or any fighter) in quite some time, and I really want to get back into the groove of things. In addition, the online modes sound awesome as well. So, anyone getting it for PS3? Wanna set up some matches? I bet I know the answer to that: no. Whatever. Hope you like not having fun.
That's all for this week. Hopefully you all enjoyed my pretentious as hell intro.
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Again, more games.
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •Alone In The Dark: Inferno
•Disney's Bolt
•Karaoke Revolution: American Idol Encore 2
•Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
•NCAA Basketball 2009
•Need for Speed Undercover
•NPPL Championship Paintball 2009
•Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2
•Shaun White Snowboarding
•Tomb Raider Underworld | •Disney's Bolt
•Karaoke Revolution: American Idol Encore 2
•The Last Remnant
•Left 4 Dead
•Lips (Oh, how far iNiS has fallen)
•Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
•Naruto: The Broken Bond
•NCAA Basketball 2009
•Need for Speed Undercover
•NPPL Championship Paintball 2009
•Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2
•Shaun White Snowboarding
•Tomb Raider Underworld
•You're In The Movies | •Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun
•AMF Bowling World Lanes
•Animal Crossing: City Folk (Nintendo's hardcore game for this Fall!)
•Castlevania: Judgment (It's the crappy looking fighter, move on)
•Championship Foosball
•Cooking Mama World Kitchen
•Disney's Bolt
•Gallop and Ride (HAWT! Rated AO!)
•Karaoke Revolution: American Idol Encore 2
•Merv Griffin's Crosswords
•Need for Speed Undercover
•NPPL Championship Paintball 2009
•Petz Crazy Monkeyz (THIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE WII! Someone kill me now.)
•Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party (For the love of God Ubisoft, make a REAL Rayman game again!)
•Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2
•Shaun White Snowboarding
•Skate City Heroes
•Skate It
•Sonic Unleashed
•Tomb Raider Underworld
•Ultimate Band | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | •Need for Speed Undercover
•Shaun White Snowboarding
PC
•Chronicles of Mystery: Scorpio Ritual
•CSI: New York
•Disney's Bolt
•Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods Left 4 Dead
•Left 4 Dead
•Legendary
•Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria
•Need for Speed Undercover
•Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
•The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff
•Tomb Raider Underworld
•Spore Comic Book Creator
•Spore Creepy and Cute Parts Pack | •Cradle of Rome
•Disney's Bolt
•Hello Kitty: Big City Dreams
•Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades
•Imagine: Ballet Star
•Imagine: Movie Star
•Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine
•Luminous Arc 2 (More FATlus RPG action. Go nuts fanboys.)
•Metal Slug 7
•Need for Speed Undercover
•Robocalypse
•Petz Catz Clan
•Petz Monkeyz House
•Petz Rescue Endangered Paradise
•Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party
•Rune Factory 2: Fantasy Harvest Moon
•Shaun White Snowboarding
•Skate It
•Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff
•Tomb Raider Underworld
•Tony Hawk's Motion
•Ultimate Band | •Burnout Anthology
•Disney's Bolt
•Dynasty Warriors 6
•NCAA Basketball 2009
•Need for Speed Undercover
•NPPL Championship Paintball 2009
•Pop Star Guitar
•Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2
•Shaun White Snowboarding
•Sonic Unleashed |
 Things are starting to slow down as we approach the holidays, in fact, next week there will be next to nothing released, but it's not next week, so we have an insane amount of games to deal with.
First among them is Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, which is getting surprisingly great reviews, a 79 on MetaCritic at the moment. As you can figure out from the title, it's a new Mortal Kombat game, but featuring characters from DC Comics. For those of you not well-versed in your comic knowledge, DC includes Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern. Oh, and get this, the story is apparently pretty damn good, especially for a fighting game! But all is not rosy, because the American version is censored in order to maintain a Teen rating.
Don't want a fighting game? Then maybe Tomb Raider Underworld would be a good choice. Underworld is the latest installment in the long-running series with gaming's best-known female star. This time, it looks like they're trying to follow in the footsteps of Naughty Dog's incredible PS3 exclusive from last year, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Interesting that a franchise that inspired a game is getting inspiration from that same game, but such is life. However, one that that Underworld innovates on is truly adjustable difficulty, which allows you to change all sorts of settings including enemy damage, damage you take, ammo capacity, and more. To find out more about the innovative approach Crystal Dynamics took to the game's difficulty, check out MTV Multiplayer. I've not played the game, but I hope others take a hint from Underworld and give us settings like Underworld has.
And because we need more installments in long-running franchises, Sonic Unleashed comes out this week (at least for PS2 and Wii, the 360 version has apparently been delayed to next week, and the ps3 edition isn't coming until next month). So far, only the Wii version has been reviewed, and it's been scoring decently. Everyone seems to say that the daytime speed levels are awesome ane a throwback to the glory days of Sonic, but the nighttime levels are slow and tedious. Why does it seem like for every good idea in a new Sonic game, there has to be something that totally screws up the rest of the experience? No clue. I honestly think Sega needs to take a good look at Bionic Commando Rearmed and Mega Man 9 and see what they are doing and apply those lessons to Sonic.
Yet another entry in a long-running series comes out this week. Metal Slug 7 for the DS. It's pretty much what you expect, Metal Slug, but on the DS. There's really nothing else to say about it. It's Metal Slug...in your pocket. Speaking of more of the same, Animal Crossing: City Folk comes out this week and according to reviews, it's pretty much the same thing as the GameCube edition, but now with online play.
Perhaps the most surprising game of the week has got to be Skate It for the Wii. I thought it had the potential to be as good as the PS360 version of the game, but figured it would suck. However, IGN gave it a GLOWING reivew that really piqued my interest. In case you don't know, Skate It is a toned down version of one of this generation's best games, skate., but with added Wiimote and Balance Board controls. I don't know that I want this game right now considering skate 2 is coming out in January, but I'm so happy to know it doesn't suck.
But the biggest game of the week is undoubtedly Valve's co-op zombie shooter Left 4 Dead. Based on the demo, this game is DEFINITELY one to get! I'll be getting it very soon, probably for Christmas. Who's up for some online action (on the PC)?! I really don't have much to say that hasn't already been said about the game. So go look up one of the many other previews. 
Also out this week is The Last Remnant, some Square RPG I don't care about, and a track pack for Rock Band for those of you who hate downloadable content (most of you here, unfortunately).
Check back next week for a rather subdued list...and the return of RF Generation's most-read blog article EVAR!
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So, uh, past tense. Here's what came out this past week:
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •Call of Duty: World at War
•Mirror's Edge
•Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
•WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 | •Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts
•Call of Duty: World at War
•Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
•Mirror's Edge
•Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
•WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 | •Big League Sports
•Block Party
•Bratz Kidz: Slumber Party
•Call of Duty: World at War
•Candace Kane's Candy Factory
•FaceBreaker K.O. Party
•Guinness World Records: The Videogame
•Hasbro Family Game Night
•Imagine: Party Babyz
•Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors
•Luxor 3
•Monkey Mischief: Party Time
•Mortimer Beckett and the Secrets of Spooky Manor
•Pet Pals Animal Doctor
•Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
•WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | •Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
•WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009
PC
•Call of Duty: World at War
•CSI: New York
•History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions
•Petz Horsez Club
•Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
•Secret Service: Ultimate Sacrifice
•World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King | •Amazing Adventures: Forgotten Ruins
•Avatar - The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno
•Call of Duty: World at War
•futureU: The Prep Game for SAT
•Guinness World Records: The Videogame
•Hello Kitty Daily
Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors
•My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr
•National Geographic Panda
•Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
•Pony Friends: Mini Breeds Edition
•Populous
•Sally's Salon
•Six Flags Fun Park
•Star Wars Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance
•Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff
•Tropix
•Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals
•Winx Club: Mission Enchantix
•WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 | •Eternal Poison (It's a FATlus RPG, go nuts fanboys)
•Hasbro Family Game Night
•Onimusha: The Essentials (This is NEVER coming out)
•Pop Star Guitar
•Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
•Think Fast
•WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 |
 One of the biggest games this week is Call of Duty: World at War, the first game in the popular series since last year's awesome Modern Warfare. This game takes the series back to its WW2 roots...and back to off-year developer Treyarch, two strikes against the game in the eyes of many fans of last year's Infinity Ward developed installment. However, don't be worried because I think the game looks great, especially since it keeps the same addictive multiplayer XP/perk system found in 4...AND BECAUSE IT HAS NAZI ZOMBIES! How can you say no to that?! Well, other than saying "I'm waiting for Left 4 Dead next week".
Next up is Mirror's Edge, the ambitious first person running game from BattleField developers, EA DICE. In case you've been living under a rock, Mirror's Edge is a first person game inspired by Parkour, or free running, in which you play as Faith, a messenger who is being pursued by the man. Based on the demo on PS3, I must say it's one of the best games I've played this year, and definitely the most original big-budget disc-based game of the year. Don't let IGN's BS reviews fool you, Mirror's Edge is a game worth getting.
Of course the biggest game of the week is World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Litch King, the latest expansion to the wildly popular MMORPG. I really don't know much about WoW except it steals your life and turns you into a fatass basement-dwelling neckbeard nerd. Needless to say, I've never played it, but I've seen what happens to friends that get into it, and it scares me off from playing...plus the game looks boring as heck.
Also out this week is Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts (the awesome N64 platformer is back...with little platforming and lots of vehicle building), Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (360 this time, in case you missed it on the PC), Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff (The classic is back...with no NFL license), Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia (moar Pokemans, hopefully moar mudkipz), and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (people like the Tales series from what I know...)
So, next week, I WILL DELIVER ON TIME! I promise!
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Wow, I am like ultra late with this, I apologize.
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •History Channel Civil War: Secret Mission
•James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace
•Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
•Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm
•Resistance 2 (Also available as a collector's edition)
•Tom Clancy's End War
•Valkyria Chronicles | •Gears of War 2 (Also available as a collector's edition)
•History Channel Civil War: Secret Mission
•James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace
•Legendary
•Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
•Namco Museum Virtual Arcade
•Secret Service: Ultimate Sacrifice
•Tom Clancy's End War | •Bratz Kidz: Slumber Party
•James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace
•Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
•Monster Lab
•Movie Games (What?)
•North American Hunting Extravaganza
•Petz Sports (Sports totally should have ended with a z)
•Pop Star Guitar
•Rubik's World | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | •Tom Clancy's End War
PC
•CSI: New York
•Guitar Hero III/Aerosmith Bundle
James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace
•Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
•Operation Mania
•Petz Sports
•Princess Pack
•Realms of Arkania Trilogy
•Space Trader | •Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess
•Dragonball: Origins
•Exit DS
•futureU: The Prep Game for SAT
•Goosebumps HorrorLand
•Guitar Rock Tour
•Hello Kitty Daily
•Imagine: Interior Designer
•Imagine: Wedding Designer
•Korg DS-10
•James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace
•Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ
•Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
•Monster Lab
•My Baby Boy
•My Baby Girl
•Petz Dogz Pack
•Pony Friends: Mini Breeds Edition
•Princess on Ice
•Real Soccer 2009
•Theresia (Holy shit, an M rated game on the DS!)
•Tom Clancy's End War
•Winx Club: Mission Enchantix (That's one x away from XXX)
•Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals | •Call of Duty: World at War Final Fronts
•Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World
•History Channel Civil War:Secret Mission
•James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace
•Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
•Monster Lab
•NHL 09
•Onimusha: The Essentials (I highly doubt it)
•Pop Star Guitar
•Secret Service: Ultimate Sacrifice
•Think Fast |
 If you haven't joined the new age of gaming and don't like downloading games, you may want to check out Namco Museum Virtual Arcade since it includes many games available on the Xbox Live Arcade service on one disc including Galaga Legions, Pac-Man Championship Edition, Mr. Driller Online, Pac-Man, Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Xevious, and New Rally-X. Achievement whores will be happy to know that all the XBLA games on the disc retain their achievement points, so you can further boost your e-penis. In addition to all those (mostly) excellent XBLA games, there's the usual cross-section of classic Namco games that you've come to expect from the Namco Museum series.
This week also sees the release of the latest James Bond game, Quantum of Solace. This looks pretty good because it is based on one of the best FPS engines out there, the Call of Duty 4 engine. Reviews, however, have been a mixed bag so far, so be cautious.
Next up is the the game of the year based on just the title, Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ for the DS. It's sort of a shmup with fairy tales and zombies. Surprisingly, it's getting good reviews on the interwebs. Plus, it's only $20, so what do you have to lose? NOTHING! That's the answer!
The most unique (and sure to be rare) release of the week is the Korg DS-10 synthesizer for the DS. In case you don't know what this is, it's a full-featured Korg synthesizer for only $35. Want to learn more? Watch it in action on the June 20th episode of the 1UP Show. Want to buy the game? Chances are you'll have to order it online because almost no retailers are carrying it, including GameStop.
Also out this week are two big name exclusive shooters: Gears of War 2 for the Xbox 360 and Resistance 2 for the PS3. I'm not a Gears fan, so I'll spare you my thoughts on that game (actually, horde mode in that game looks hella fun), but I did try out the "beta" (aka demo) of Resistance 2 and had quite a fun time in both competitive and co-op modes. Haven't played the single player mode, but judging by how multiplayer is and how the first game was (and my Insomniac Games fanboyism), it should be awesome.
Rounding out the week is Valkyria Chronicles (Sega's incredible PS3 exclusive RPG/Third Person Shooter combo), Naruto Ultimate Ninja: Storm (BELIEVE IT!), and Tom Clancy's End War (an RTS that you can control entirely using your voice, which is actually pretty fun based on the demo).
Again, I am sooooooooooo sorry for how late this is and how it doesn't live up to my usual standards. Things got in the way Sunday and Monday, and then the election was last night. Hopefully you all forgive me enough to check back next time.
 LITTLEBIGPLANET!!!
That's the only thing of any importance coming out this week. So, I'll see you all next time, provided I'm not playing LittleBigPlanet.
Continue reading RFG Release List: Week of October 26, 2008
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It's a literal gamesplosion this week!
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •Bioshock
•Disney Sing It
•Eternal Sonata
•Far Cry 2
•The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
•Midnight Club: Los Angeles
•Monopoly Here and Now: The World Edition
•Rock Band 2 (Game only and as an instrument bundle)
•Spider-Man: Web of Shadows | •Dance Dance Revolution: Universe 3 (Game only and bundle. God I'm sucker for DDR)
•Disney Sing It
•Fable 2 (Also available as a limited edition)
•Far Cry 2
•The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
•Midnight Club: Los Angeles
•Monopoly Here and Now: The World Edition
•Rock Band 2 (Game only and as an instrument bundle)
•Spider-Man: Web of Shadows | •Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?: Make the Grade
•Backyard Football 2009
•Barbie Horse Adventures: Riding Camp
•Build a Bear Workshop: Fur Seasons
•Carnival Games: Mini-Golf
•Celebrity Sports Showdown
•Circus Games
•Dancing with the Stars: We Dance
•Disney Sing It
•High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE
•Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009
•The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
•Monopoly Here and Now: The World Edition
•Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2
•Penny Racers Party: Turbo Q Speedway
•Petz Rescue Wildlife Vet
•Rock University Presents: The Naked Brothers Band The Game
•Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
•SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom
•Think Fast
•Wii Music (God this game looks AWFUL. Do not buy this because it says Wii ____.) | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | •Crash: Mind Over Mutant
•Midnight Club: LA Remix
•Petz Saddle Club
•Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
•Star Ocean: First Departure
PC
•Bully: Scholarship Edition
•Combat Wings: Battle of Britain
•Dead Space
•Deer Hunter Tournament
•Europa Universalis III Collection
•Far Cry 2
•Heist
•Littlest Pet Shop
•NBA 2K9
•NHL 09
•Petz Horsez Club
•Poker for Dummies
•Rock University Presents: The Naked Brothers Band The Game
•Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
•Shaun White Snowboarding | •Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?: Make the Grade
•Barbie Horse Adventures: Riding Camp
•Back at the Barnyard: Slop Bucket Games
•Backyard Football 2009
•Battle of the Giants: Dinosaurs
•Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
•Dancing with the Stars: We Dance
•Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell
•Ener-G: Dance Squad
•Ener-G: Gym Rockets
•Ener-G: Horse Rider
•High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE
•The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
•Lovely Lisa
•Master of the Monster Lair
•MechanicMaster
•My Baby Girl
•Pass the Pigs
•Rock University Presents: The Naked Brothers Band The Game
•Smart Girls Party Games
•Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
•SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom
•Tornado
•Touchmaster II
•Transformers Animated
•What's Cooking? Jamie Oliver | •Backyard Football 2009
Barbie Horse Adventures: Riding Camp
•Cake Mania Baker’s Challenge
•Disney Sing It
•The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
•Monopoly Here and Now: The World Edition
•Rock University Presents: The Naked Brothers Band The Game
•Spider-Man: Web of Shadows |
 First up: Rock Band 2! This time it's the game only for the PS3 and the bundle edition for the PS3 and 360. Sorry, but PS2 and Wii owners have to wait until next month to rock out with plastic instruments...again. Or until Guitar Hero World Tour next week. But why get that when Harmonix is so much better than Activision? Plus Rock Band 2 has one of my favorite songs of all-time, Teen Age Riot by Sonic Youth.
Next, Fable 2, the latest promise-a-thon from Peter Molyneux...and from the looks of things, it lives up to at least some of the promises he made. I have no experience with this series, so I can't say too much about it.
Far Cry 2 is also out this week. I've always wanted to play the first game, but have never got around to it. It looks pretty awesome and got some great reviews. Any insights here?
This week two former 360 exclusives make the move to PS3.First up is the critically acclaimed Bioshock. I've never played much Bioshock until the PS3 demo a few weeks ago, and it totally blew me away. I won't get this game right away, however, because I want to wait until it reaches the price level that the 360 version is at, which will probably be a month or two after Christmas. The other one is Eternal Sonata, which is actually not half bad for a JRPG (at least based on the demo).
Also coming out this week: Star Ocean: First Departure for the PSP (yet another Square remake), Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia for the DS (even more Castlevania goodness), Midnight Club: Los Angeles on PS3/360/PSP (That OTHER game Rockstar makes!), Spider-Man: Web of Shadows on PS3/360/Wii/PSP/DS/PC/PS2 (The reviews are surprisingly good so far, and the game looks pretty intriguing), DDR Universe 3 for Xbox 360 (probably another shitty 360 installment), and Dead Space on the PC (DO NOT MISS THIS GAME!!!).
Phew. Exhausting list. Check back next week for the next installment of the Holiday 08 release list season.
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There's so many games coming out this week that I had to switch to three (?!) rows instead of the usual two! Granted most of the games this week are shovelware crap, but there's some damned awesome releases!
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •Blitz: The League II
•Dead Space
•FIFA Soccer 2009
•Golden Axe: Beast Rider
•Rock Revolution
•Saints Row 2 (Also available as a collector's edition)
•SOCOM: Confrontation (Also available as a bundle with the official Sony PS3 Bluetooth headset or as a download on the Playstation Store) | •Blitz, The League II
•Dead Space
•FIFA Soccer 2009
•Golden Axe: Beast Rider
•Rock Revolution
•Saints Row 2 (Also available as a collector's edition) | •Avatar - The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno
•Boogie Superstar
•Bratz: Girls Really Rock
•Dokapon Kingdom
•Littlest Pet Shop
•Safecracker
•Sam and Max: Season One
•Tak: Guardians of Gross
•Ten Pin Alley 2 | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | •B-Boy
•Cake Mania Baker’s Challenge
•FIFA Soccer 2009 | •Battle of the Giants: Dinosaurs
•Bratz: Girls Really Rock
•Cesar Millan's Dog Whisperer
•FIFA Soccer 2009
•Kage Densetsu: The Legend of Kage 2
•Littlest Pet Shop: Garden
•Littlest Pet Shop: Jungle
•Littlest Pet Shop: Winter
•Lovely Lisa
•My Japanese Coach
•Naruto: Path of Ninja 2
•Smart Girls Party Games
•Prey the Stars
•Rock Revolution
•Tak: Mojo Mistake | •Avatar - The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno
•Bratz: Girls Really Rock
•Cake Mania Baker’s Challenge
•Dokapon Kingdom
•FIFA Soccer 2009
•Tak: Guardians of Gross | PC
•Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?: Make the Grade
•Avatar Last Air Bender: Path Zuko
•Brain Training for Dummies
•Cesar Millan's Dog Whisperer
•Combat Wings: Battle of Britain
•Dark Horizon
•Enchanted Fairy Friends: Secret Fairy
•Etch A Sketch (AGAIN?!) |
•FIFA Soccer 2009
•Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (Game Only)
•Hot Dish
•Let's Ride: Riding Star
•Littlest Pet Shop
•Paws and Claws: Australian Adventure
•Poker for Dummies
•Rock University Presents: The Naked Brothers Band The Game |
•SAS: Secure Tomorrow
•Saints Row 2
•Shaun White Snowboarding
•Sniper: Art of Victory
•SpongeBob Squarepants: Game of Life
•Space Trader
•World of Goo |
 The biggest game of this week is EA's sci-fi scarefest, Dead Space. If this game is not on your radar, it should be. Why? It's supposed to be an effing scary game and the reviews have been excellent so far (high 8s/low 9s). Yes, it is yet another shooter, but it does some very innovative stuff, such as strategic dismemberment. You can't just shoot a baddie in the head and move on because that would waste your ammo and anger them. What you need to do is totally tear them apart. While you are tearing them apart, they will change their approach to killing you. For example, if you take the legs out, they'll crawl towards you with their arms and try to take you out that way. In addition, there's some other cool powers like telekinesis and stasis. Based on all the footage I've seen so far, EA could have a possible game of the year contender with Dead Space.
Also out this week is indie darling child, World of Goo, on both PC (direct from 2D Boy via PayPal, on Steam, Direct2Drive, Beanstalk, Greenhouse, and in regular stores for all you disc fans) and WiiWare. Based on Tower of Goo (download it for free here, this physics-based puzzle game requires you to build structures using different types of goo in order to get balls to the exit. Sounds simple, but judging by the time I've played Tower of Goo, the end result should be a damned addictive game.
If you're a Wii owner looking for a hilarious adventure game should check out Sam and Max: Season One from Telltale Games. As you could probably infer from the title, it's a compilation of the all six episodes from the first season of the game put onto one disc on the Wii. Each episode will give you about two or three hours of gameplay, so you're looking at about 12-18 hours total to complete them all. Totally recommended if you're a Wii owner who liked Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive people and haven't played the PC version of Sam and Max: Season One.
Also out this week is SOCOM Confrontation for the PS3 (the latest installment in the popular online shooter), Saints Row 2 (the next installment in the GTAalike franchise), and Kage Densetsu: The Legend of Kage 2 (the sequel to the cult-classic 1984 arcade/NES game).
Oh yeah, Rock Revolution comes out this week too. If you buy it, I will punch you in the face.
Next week, prepare for armageddon.
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This would be the sorry for me being slow, at least it's still the calm before the storm edition. Oh well, here's this week's BALLIN release list:
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •Fracture
•NBA 09: The Inside
•NBA 2K9
•NBA Live 2009 | •Crash: Mind Over Mutant
•Guilty Gear 2: Overture
•Fracture
•NBA 09: The Inside
•NBA 2K9
•NBA Live 2009 | •Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune
•Crash: Mind Over Mutant
•Game Party II
•Line Rider 2 Unbound
•NBA Live 2009 All Play
•Ten Pin Alley 2 | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | •My Spanish Coach
•NBA 09: The Inside
•NBA Live 2009
PC
•Baseball Mogul 2009
•Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway (Also available in a limited edition)
•Can You See What I See
•Dark Horizon
•Etch A Sketch
•Exodus from the Earth
•The Guild 2: Venice
•Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy
•SAS: Secure Tomorrow
•Sniper: Art of Victory | •Baseball Mogul 2009
•Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway (Also available in a limited edition)
•Can You See What I See
•Dark Horizon
•Etch A Sketch
•Exodus from the Earth
•The Guild 2: Venice
•Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy
•SAS: Secure Tomorrow
•Sniper: Art of Victory | •Crash: Mind Over Mutant
•NBA 09: The Inside
•NBA 2K9
•NBA Live 2009
•Onimusha: The Essentials |
 Anyways, the highlight this week is Fracture. In case you don't know, Fracture is a third person shooter like so many others. What sets this one apart from the rest is the ability to manipulate the terrain around you. Neat idea on paper, but the actual games falls victim to the disease affecting so many other games today: more of the same. The actual shooting portion of the game is just not that great. It feels like every other third person from the past two or three years. But that's not my biggest issue with the game. I truly have a problem with how it seems very linear and hand-holding in what you need to do. LucasArts really should have taken this game and made it more into a free roaming style experience with some clever puzzle solving aspects rather than a generic third person shooter that rips borrows something from every big name game over the past couple of years.
It may sound like I didn't like Fracture, but that's not the case at all. The game is pretty fun, but nowhere near $60 fun. Wait for this one to hit $20 or $30 before buying. Or if you're unsure, try out the demo on Playstation Network or Xbox Live.
Also out this week is the latest game based on the Bleach anime series. The only reason I mention it is because one of my favorite developers, Treasure, made it. I didn't highlight in the release list because I hate Bleach and it's wannabe Chuckie main character.
Another big release this week, and a possibly game of the year contender will be released this week: Etch-A-Sketch for the PC. In case you have not been following the massive hype surrounding this game, Etch-A-Sketch is the new prequel to the classic MS Paint which appears to feature a special guest appearance from a silver Pac-Man. Wonder why they decided to bring out a prequel over 20 years after the original, but maybe they can ride the cash wave of casual games. For me, I'll be sticking with Paint.
Finally this week, notice Ten Pin Alley 2 in the Wii's release list? This is the perfect example of how bad the shovelware situation on the Wii has become. Did you ever hear of the first game? It was a mediocre bowling game released in the US in 1996 for the PC and PS1. Yeah. We're digging up mediocre 12 year old franchise and shoehorning in Wiimote controls in hopes of a little money. Nice going Jack of All Games, whoever you are.
Come back next week when the REAL wallet raping begins. Now if you'll excuse me, I just got a LittleBigPlanet beta key in my email.
So, I had this written earlier today and wanted to make a few corrections, but then I closed the web browser on accident. Looks like I'mma have to do the commentary section from memory.
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | | •Silent Hill Homecoming | •Mobile Ops: The One Year War
•Silent Hill Homecoming | •Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility
•We Cheer | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | •Cake Mania
•Pipe Mania
•Valhalla Knights 2
PC
•Baseball Mogul 2009
•Dark Horizon
•Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft
•Mount & Blade
•Pipe Mania
•SAS: Secure Tomorrow
•Sniper: Art of Victory | •Animal Paradise
•Margot's Word Brain
•Pipe Mania
•Pop Cutie: Street Fashion Simulation
•Princess Debut
•Sonic Chronicles: Dark Brotherhood
•Unsolved Crimes | •Mortal Kombat Kollection
•Onimusha: The Essentials
•Pipe Mania |
 Looks like the game companies decided to give us a break before completely slaughtering our wallets in October.
First featured game this week is Silent Hill Homecoming for the PS360, the newest installment in the popular survival horror franchise. I must confess that I've never played a Silent Hill game in my life, but I do know that Pyramid Head is badass. Since I've never played Silent Hill, I pose this question to my readers. Is it worth getting into the series? If so, where should I start?
Next up is Sonic Chronicles for the DS. Expecting a fast platformer like Sonic Rush? You're definitely not getting that. Sega decided to take Sonic in a totally different direction with this new game, and hand off development to Bioware, creators of Mass Effect and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Yup, this is an RPG in the Sonic universe. Quite an interesting concept if I must say so. And get this: it's getting strong reviews. Let that sink in. A new game starring Sonic that's actually GOOD. For reals.
Also this week: 360 owners can MUST download Mega Man 9 for 800 Space Bucks (that's $10 for us Earthlings).
Check back next week for a return to game companies raping your wallet.
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Yet another crowded week. It's especially bad for Wii and PS3 owners...
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •Baja: Edge of Control
•Buzz Quiz TV
•Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway (Also avaliable as a limited edition)
•Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2009
•LEGO Batman | •Baja: Edge of Control
•Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway (Also avaliable as a limited edition)
•Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2009
•LEGO Batman
•Warriors Orochi 2 | •Brothers in Arms: Double Time
•Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2009
•de Blob
•LEGO Batman
•Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked
•Pitfall: The Big Adventure
•Rebel Raiders
•Samba De Amigo
•Sim City Creator
•Twin Strike: Operation Thunder
•Wario Land: Shake It
| | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | •Buzz Master Quiz
•LEGO Batman
•Pipe Mania
PC
•Battlelord: King’s Bounty
•Command & Conquer 3 Deluxe Edition
•Everlight
•Flight Simulator X: Gold Edition
•Hired Guns: The Jagged Edge
•LEGO Batman
•Mount & Blade
•Nostradamus
•The Settlers VI Gold
•Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization | •Barbie Fashion Show: •Eye for Style
•Brain Quest Grades 3 & 4
•Brain Quest Grades 5 & 6
•Di-Gata Defenders
•Dinosaur King
•Disgaea DS
•Drop Cast
•Hi! Hamtaro Ham-Ham Challenge
•Kirby: Super Star Ultra
•LEGO Batman
•Margot's Word Brain
•My Japanese Coach
•My SAT Coach: Princeton Review
•My Little Pony Pinkie Pie's Party
•Nancy Drew: Hidden Staircase
•Pipe Mania
•Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
•Shaun the Sheep
•Sim City Creator
•Time Hollow | •Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2009
•Dragon Ball Z Trilogy
•LEGO Batman (Also available in a bundle with a PS2 system for all 2 people that don't own one yet)
•Onimusha: The Essentials
•Pipe Mania
•SingStar Pop Vol 2
•Warrior's Orochi 2 |
 Because I'm kinda busy, I will keep my rundown fairly short.
So, this week you have a Wiimake of Samba De Amigo (which apparently isn't that great), a Wii adaptation of student project that gathered a lot of attention at the Independent Games Festival, yet another WW2 FPS (but a good looking one), a new Lego game (which usually turn out good), a new Buzz! game (pretty good trivia/party game), Wario Land: Shake It (Nintendo hasn't hyped this game at all. Why?), Kirby Super Star Ultra (Same. Why no love Nintendo?), Disgaea DS (ugly art, but supposedly good game if you like that kind of thing), and of course Mega Man 9! If you own a 360, PS3, or Wii, I expect you to buy MM9. If you don't I seriously doubt your classic gamer cred.
Also out this week on the PSN is Wipeout HD, a steal at just $20.
Sorry for the abridged look at this week's games. Hopefully school doesn't totally screw me over again next week.
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I've been hyping it up for a long time now, but this is going to be the trend for the next few months. A fuckton of games. Enjoy!
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •Armored Core: For Answer
•Pure
•Star Wars: The Force Unleashed | •Armored Core: For Answer
•Battle Fantasia
•Pure
•Rock Band 2 (360 Exclusive. GAME ONLY! The bundle comes out next month.)
•Star Wars: The Force Unleashed | •Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party 2 (Simply because it has LCD Soundsystem )
•Igor
•Kidz Sports: Crazy Golf
•Littlest Pet Shop
•Rebel Raiders
•Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
•TNA Impact!
•Zoo Hospital | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | •B-Boy
•Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
•Yggdra Union
PC
•Cooking Academy
•Crysis: Warhead
•Discovery
•Everlight
•Hell's Kitchen
•Line Rider 2 Unbound
•The Price is Right
•Pure
•The Settlers VI: Gold Edition
•S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
•Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning | •Animal Paradise
•Di-Gata Defenders
•Dragon Quest IV
•Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition
•Happy Cooking
•Igor
•Imagine: Fashion Designer New York
•Line Rider 2 Unbound
•My Secret World by Imagine
•Red Bull BC One
•Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
•Unsolved Crimes | •Dance Dance Revolution: X (Game only and Bundle. However, the game has a craptacular song list, par for the course with DDR these days. Hey Konami, just release a game with the arcade soundtrack for once. You'll make so many people happy.)
•Namco Classic Fighter Collection (Includes Tekken Tag Tournament, Tekken 4, and Soul Calibur II)
•Naruto Ultimate Collection
•Pac-Man Power Pack
•Speed Racer
•Star Wars: The Force Unleashed |
 So, yeah, this week has quite a few good games coming out. Where do we start?
How about the biggest game of the week, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed? I've played the demo on PS3 and it's pretty damned good. Not $60 good, but a good pickup at $30 or $20. However, if you're a Star Wars fan, you might want to get it right away because it seems like the first great Star Wars game since Battlefront II. In case you don't already know, Force Unleashed is kind of like a God of War or Devil May Cry game set in the Star Wars world. But what makes this game so awesome is that you can play around with the force. For example, grab a Stormtrooper and throw him into other enemies or grab a TIE Fighter and throw it at enemies. There's so much you can do in this game due to the fact that it is running THREE physics engines on the PS3/360 versions. But don't you Wii owners feel left out, you'll get the opportunity of using waggle to throw things. I haven't researched the other versions as much, but I bet they'll be good.
Rock Band 2 comes out this week ONLY FOR XBOX 360. Harmonix has load of cash from Microsoft a contract with Microsoft to have Rock Band 2 on the 360 one month before the other systems. The thing is that the only way you can get the game at the minute is without any of the instruments. The bundle will arrive next month along with the release of Rock Band 2 on the other systems. So, I'll save talking about it until then. However I will say that if you buy RB2 and you already have the first one, you can transfer over all the songs from the frist game for only $5...and any songs you purchased on the first game will work with the new game free of charge. Nice job Harmonix!
Square Enix whores will be happy to know that yet another handheld port of one of their old games is coming out this week. That game is Dragon Quest IV for the DS. Since I don't like Square Enix besides the fact that they published Space Invaders Extreme and Einhander, I won't comment on how good this game is because I obviously hate it.
Also out this week is Pure, Disney's surprisingly fun arcadey ATV racer; Crysis Warhead, the sequel to the biggest PC game no one bought because they're all cheapskates that would rather pirate games instead of putting food on the developer's tables; S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, a neat looking FPS; Warhammer Online, yet another MMO; and Line Rider 2, a new version of the popular web game.
In case you did not notice there, I started listing PC games. You're very welcome. Let me know what you think of the new format in the comments.
A little bit lighter week this time around, but it sees the release of one of the most anticipated games of the year!
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •NHL 2K9
•NHL 2009
•TNA Impact! | •NHL 2K9
•NHL 2009
•TNA Impact!
•Zoids Assault | •Cabela's Legendary Adventures
•Hell's Kitchen
•NHL 2K9
•The Price is Right (One of my original ideas for the Wii. Read my comments later.) | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | | •Cabela's Legendary Adventures | •Hell's Kitchen
•Lock's Quest
•Mazes of Fate
•Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir (It's a game with no hype from Nintendo. It's gotta be good.)
•The Price is Right
•Spore Creatures
•Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise | •Cabela's Legendary Adventures
•Dragon Ball Z Trilogy
•NHL 2K9
•TNA Impact!
•Yakuza 2 |
 This week is one full of possibly great games that are flying under the radar...along with a game that is going to be freaking huge. First up is the new game from Will Wright, the mastermind behind The Sims and SimCity. That game is Spore for Windows and Mac. What is Spore? It's a life simulation game like The Sims, but with a much larger scope. In the game, you design a species and oversee their evolution from single cell organisms to intelligent creatures. During this time you will guide the species through many phases including Tribal, Civilization, and Space. Once you reach the Space Age, you will be able to travel to the planets of other players and interact with their civilzation by trying to make peace or attacking them. I am so very interested in this game due to the fact that it could be the deepest game ever conceived. I just hope my PC is able to run it. Hopefully PC gamers actually buy this game and support EA instead of pirating it and contributing to the downfall of PC gaming.
Anyways, next game I'd like to highlight this week is The Price Is Right for the Wii. Why the hell would I mention this? Back in 2005 or so when the Wii's "innovative" controller scheme was announced, one of the first games I thought would be pretty awesome on the Wii was The Price Is Right. Imagine spinning the big wheel in the Showcase Showdown, punching out holes in Punch a Bunch, or putting in Hole in One (OR TWO!),or dropping a virtual chip in Plinko. I didn't think much about my idea after that, but it was in the back of my head. Imagine my surprise a few months ago when I found out that UbiSoft was making a game based on The Price is Right. My hopes aren't very high for the game, but I still hope it turns out decently (and has a Barker's Beauties sex minigame).
Other games coming out this week include Yakuza 2 for the PS2, the long-overdue sequel to the original game on the PS2. Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir for the Nintendo DS, a new point and click mystery game from Nitnendo that hasn't gotten a lot of hype, so it's gotta at least be decent considering all the other games they've done like this have been good. Finally is the American debut of Masaya's truly fucked up PC Engine shooter Cho Aniki on the Wii Virtual Console. This game is unlike anything you've ever seen. It's the first in a series of shmups with weird homoerotic overtones and a strange sense of humor going throughout the whole thing. I can't even begin to describe the screwed up goodness that is Cho Aniki, so check out Hardcore Gaming 101's look at the series and prepare to be amazed.
The fall release season marches on this week...if you're a PS3/360 owner. The rest of you get nothing much at all. Here's the lineup:
| Playstation 3 | Xbox 360 | Nintendo Wii | •FaceBreaker
•Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
•NFL Head Coach 2009
•Rapala Fishing Frenzy
•Vampire Rain: Altered Species
| •FaceBreaker
•Infinite Undiscovery
•Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
•NFL Head Coach 2009
•Rapala Fishing Frenzy
•Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise
•Warhammer: Battle March | •Rapala Fishing Frenzy ($10 more than the PS3/360 version?!) | | PSP | Nintendo DS | Playstation 2 | | ... | •Picto Image | •Mercenaries 2: World in Flames |
 This is actually a pretty good week considering how early it is in the season. Mercenaries 2 is the sequel to the 2005 PS2/XBox original, and expands on its sandbox style of gameplay. This new installment features enhanced physics (powered by the ever-popular Havok engine), the ability to light things on fire, swimming (along with boats as an added vehicle type), air support, a grappling hook, and more. I haven't played the first game, but the new installment looks pretty neat.
Next up is a game that I have tried, Facebreaker. This is the first game to be published under EA's new label: EA Sports Freestyle. Freestyle, as explained by EA Sports head, Peter Moore, provides "a lighter gaming experience and an easier entry point into EA Sports." Enough with the businessy talk, the game is pretty damned fun based on the demo. It's a simplified version of EA's own Fight Night series but with cartoony characters and a humorous tone, much like Ready 2 Rumble for the Dreamcast. FaceBreaker is nothing outstanding, but it certainly should be worth getting when the price drops to around $20 or $30. If you're interested in the game, give the demo on PSN or Xbox Live a shot.
Next up: Infinite Undiscovery, the much anticipated ( ) Xbox 360 exclusive RPG from Square-Enix (that's something you don't see every day). I honestly don't care about this game, I only highlighted it for Square fanboys (the most annoying variety) so that they don't totally deride me and rip me to shreds.
Finally, the true follow-up to possibly the greatest game on the 360 comes out this week. That's right, Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise. The new game includes 30 new species, new areas, and an Eye of Judgment rip-off like feature which allows you to scan cards using a Live Vision camera and get new Piñatas that way. But unlike Eye of Judgment, Rare is actually going to be making these cards free on their website and maybe bundled with promotional partner products.
That's all for this week. Be sure to check back next time!
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