Hello people, and welcome to another edition of This Week In Games, a weekly feature I write where I try to crack the Da Vinci Code.
Every week I jump onto more popular video game websites like Gamespot and I see what games are coming out. I then give a quick little rundown on the games that I think are important and/or interesting and tell you a little bit about why I think they look good or bad. I don't include every game -- just games of interest.
I stick to North American release dates because that's where I live, and I don't focus a lot on ports, but if a port is interesting I will include it.
August 17
It's a Sunday, there's hardly everything released on a Sunday.
August 18
There's really nothing of real interest on this day.
August 19
Tales Of Xillia 2
Coming Out For: PS3
Genre: JRPG
Gameplay:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnb2mVs-c-8
To be honest, I never played the first Tales of Xillia because even though JRPGs are in my blood, I'm kind of beyond playing any of them that I see. I spent my childhood playing them, and the first Tales didn't really stick out to me as one that I needed. Even though the video above isn't in English, you get the general idea of what is going on (unless you can actually speak the language, then you're awesome!). It looks like an okay JRPG, but nothing that is going to go down as a great one. Still, it's an important release because I know there are people who loved the first, and Tales games get good reception most of the time.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare
Coming Out For: PS3, PS4
Genre: Third-Person Shooter/Tower Defense
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gin3uYn95QU
Copied from an older This Week In Games:
I've never actually played Plants vs Zombies, but people really dig it. This is actually already out on console but it's coming out for PS3/PS4. It actually looks like a fun blend of third-person shooting and tower defense, which is a mash-up I've been a big fan of since Dungeon Defenders. It looks to have a sense of humour, a colourful art-style, and it should be worth your time if you haven't played the console version.
Counterspy
Coming Out For: PS3, PS4
Genre: Side-Scrolling Stealth/Action
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGr5uMwvMEI
This is an interesting one. I never heard of it, but I think I'm in love. Even though it is a 2D stealth game for the most part, they seem to have added a 3D element to it by allowing you to press up against certain walls and look down them in a more 3D view. It's a nice blend of the two genres.
You play as a spy and apparently it's a bit of a twist in the narrative sense because you don't actually think the organization you work for is good. You're actually kind of just like, "Hey, maybe the things we're doing here are bad."
Aside from that, it has a neat visual style and the stealth gameplay looks solid. I'm not sure how the AI will be -- because it didn't look great in the video above -- but they're also a small team and AI is extremely difficult. Chalk this up as one of my most anticipated releases of this week.
Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition
Coming Out For: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Genre: Action-RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Tkg9GHjqk
I've gone on record and said that while the Vanilla version of Diablo 3 was good, there were definitely some problems with it. I've also gone on record and said that with Loot 2.0, the many updates and Reaper of Souls, Diablo 3 is now awesome. In fact, it's one of the best games in the genre and is only held back by the leveling system... which is something they've modified and made better, but is still not up to par. Unfortunately it's something that they'd have to give the game a complete overhaul to fix.
Besides that, everything else about Diablo 3 is a lot of fun. I don't care what Diablo elitists say... this is awesome hack n' slash action. The graphics are pretty, everything feels good (like bashing enemies), there is sufficient loot, Reaper of Souls is an amazing expansion with an amazing soundtrack, and it's a lot of fun to play with friends.
The Ultimate Evil Edition has Reaper of Souls, a few bonuses and it's been tweaked for consoles. Now is a good time to pick it up.
Hotline Miami
Coming Out For: PS4
Genre: Action
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5AJtaYx1Eg
Hotline Miami is a game I loved for PC, though it had some minor flaws. I hope the PS4 version fixes them, but I strongly encourage picking it up because it's really weird and violent, but there is actually a strong puzzle element to the game. It's the funnest game cactus has been a part of in a strict gameplay sense, and it has all the charm that his lesser-known games have.
Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment
Genre: RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsxQg73hnA4
This game looks interesting but unfortunately I don't have a Vita to play it. It's not an MMO, but apparently feels like one because it takes place in a large virtual reality world. The combat looks fun and chaotic with some depth to it, it comes with the first game embedded in, and there are little elements of a dating Sim as well (of course, it's from Japan). Check it out, let me know how it is.
August 20
Just some releases of Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment and Hotline Miami elsewhere in the world.
August 21
Shadowgate
Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Adventure
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McO80u6oFqQ
A 2014 version of Shadowgate was Kickstartered and now we're seeing a release. It harkens back to the old school, with a first-person view as you traverse large labyrinths and see what you can find. Some will find this gameplay very outdated and thus turned off, but the people who played these games back when they were more popular will definitely have something to sink their teeth into.
Hatoful Boyfriend
Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Dating Sim
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SnF_Y2vnso
This is a game about setting pigeons up with other pigeons. That sentence is all you really need to know because that's all that matters. Don't judge, pigeons need love just like we do.
August 22
Demon King Box
Coming Out For: 3DS
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Gameplay: Can't seem to find a video.
What's up with these obscure 3DS games? I had a hard time finding anything on the Ninja Turtles game a little while back and now this. It's another strategy-RPG to add to the 3DS canon, where you capture, feed, upgrade and combine your demons to do battle. Nothing real original, especially when a game like Shin Megami Tensei 4 exists on the system, but who knows, it could be good. Doesn't look great, though.
Sentris
Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Music
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyNAlMrv_ro
Ever get interested in making music but you lack talent like I do? Sure, I dabble in Fruity Loops here and there, but I can't play an instrument to save my life. Do you like video games? Of course you do, otherwise you wouldn't be reading an obscure blog on the subject. You like the idea of a video game that acts as a puzzle game and music generator at the same time? Here we have Sentris.
The idea is that you can switch instruments, and you drop boxes down below, thus being a game where you solve a puzzle-of-sorts, but it also creates a song that is uniquely your own. Very cool idea.
August 23
Nothing today. Enjoy your weekend!
Well that's it for this week. Any games you wish I would have included? Tell me in the comments below or verbally abuse me on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime
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