This Week In Games, August 17 - 23: Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition, Hotline Miami, Tales of Xillia 2, Counterspy, Sentris, Plus A Pigeon Dating Sim! And More.

Written By: Tyler

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

Coming Out For: Vita

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

Ye Indie Game Corner Volume 3 - The Impossible Cave, Asylum, 2 Souls And Infiltration

Written By: Tyler

Welcome to the Indie Game Corner Volume 3! If you are unfamiliar with what I do here, I'll give you a quick rundown. Every so often I go to a site like Gamejolt and I download/play a few random indie games. I go in blind, and I experience what it has to offer, then I give a quick review of these games. This time I got lucky so there are no terrible reviews, but Volume 2 had one of the worst games I've ever played.



The Impossible Cave
Get It Here: http://gamejolt.com/games/action/the-impossible-cave/23753/

The Impossible Cave is a simple premise -- you guide something through a cave. The game speeds up as you go deeper into it, and the cave shifts and changes. With the combination of speed and the unknown, The Impossible Cave is a game you want to keep playing just so you can beat your high score. It also helps that the song that plays (Push It Remake by Jeremy Allred) is, well, bomb. Seriously, it really adds to the experience.

Rating: 8/10



Asylum
Get It Here: http://gamejolt.com/games/adventure/asylum/25127/

In Asylum you start in... an Asylum. You have no weapons, it's dark, and everybody wants to kill you. All you can do is run through the halls, trying frantically to open each and every door as psychotic, messed up inmates chase you.

I enjoyed Asylum for what it is, but the fear left by a certain point. At first I ran for my life, but then after some glitches/bad AI where the inmates walked downstairs and got stuck, it became more tedious than anything as I searched for the place to go. It's a pretty scary game at first, but Amnesia it is not.

Rating: 6.5/10


2 Souls
Get It Here: http://gamejolt.com/games/platformer/2-souls/25206/

In 2 Souls you guide little robots across platforms. If you play it by yourself, you control one with WASD and the other with your mouse. I imagine playing with someone else would be more fun, and easier when it comes to the challenges, but it's a decent game regardless.

Rating: 6.5/10


Infiltration
Get It Here: http://gamejolt.com/games/action/infiltration/25205/

In Infiltration you hack terminals to open doors so you can get to the end of the level. In your way are turrets placed in various positions. You can shoot them, or you can use your brain to avoid that altogether. Meanwhile, there are different messages with each level that become more menacing as the game goes on.

I think Infiltration is the highlight of this adventure for me. I love The Impossible Cave for its style, addictive gameplay and music, but I like Infiltration just a bit more. It's fairly long for a freeware game, unless you're really good at it, and it can be a little bit challenging. It reminds me a little of Hotline Miami in the way it plays, but it's not Hotline Miami. My only problem is the shooting is difficult because of the way it handles. Outside of that, it's a wonderful little game.

Rating: 8/10



So that's it for Volume 3... I hope you enjoyed it. If you want to tell me how much I suck, or even have a game that you want me to play, tweet me on that Twitterbird thing @ArtBathednCrime, or leave a comment below.

My Most Anticipated Games of 2014: 15 - 1

Written By: Tyler Selig

15: Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (PS4, PC, Vita)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beUrlDwf56w

                I’m not unfamiliar with cactus, so when I played Hotline Miami 2 I wasn’t surprised that it was dark and weird. What I was surprised with the gameplay. You couldn’t just shoot, you had to plan your next move. It was video game chess, and it got frustrating sometimes (also because of bugs) but damn, the story was sufficiently nuts, it was really fun, and the game was just memorable as a whole.

                Give me more of that, you have a winner.

14: Destiny (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufeImJJEqqU

                No monthly subscription fee, Bungie, not an MMO but actually is an MMO? Yup, that’s Destiny in a nutshell. It’s hard not to be hyped for Destiny because of all of these things. Try watching that video and not get excited for it.

13: EA Sports UFC (PS4, Xbox One)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkDED86sskU

                Whenever a new Fight Night or MMA game comes out, I always play it for hours upon hours, always telling myself “just one more fight” but then being unable to resist to urge to build my fighter more and beat more people up. They’re really the only sports games I play.

                Though MMA hasn’t had a great track record in video game format (good games, not quite there yet), I still look forward to seeing what Next-Gen can do for the sport, especially considering it’s EA doing it this time so I want to see what they bring to UFC.

12: Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls (PC, PS4)

http://ca.ign.com/videos/2013/11/26/diablo-3-reaper-of-souls-video-preview

                I’ve gone to bat for Diablo 3 because I put over 100 hours into it and I did genuinely enjoy it. However, I can acknowledge the flaws that it has, namely the levelling up system which is one I understand but don’t prefer.

                Reaper of Souls is trying to right a lot of the wrongs, and adds another class in… so I’m really excited for it.

11: Bayonetta 2 (Wii U)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dFfVBdRWmw

                Partially because it’s a Wii U exclusive so I have to support it, partially because Bayonetta was a silly, action-packed, fun, crazy romp, I really want to play this. I think Nintendo  has a winner on their hands here.

10: Lily Bergamo (PS4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb6BVCfAxdU

                I don’t know much about this game other than Suda51 is making it. That’s enough for me because I’m almost always a fan of his stylish, batshit-insane games. I am one of the few people who loved Lollipop Chainsaw.

                Here’s hoping this game is his best.

9: Final Fantasy XV (PS4, Xbox One)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3xKbPooKAo

                I have to admit something: I haven’t loved a Final Fantasy since 10, but my love for 10 is not that of 7, so really it’s been like 15 years since I’ve felt incredibly passionate towards a Final Fantasy (though like I said, I loved 10, and I thought 9 was great too). I skipped 11, hated 12, skipped 13 because it didn’t look appealing and haven’t played 14.

                With all of that said, Final Fantasy is in my veins, and I’m hoping that this is the next Final Fantasy that I love. It looks a lot different than others, and it better end up being awesome because in my eyes, Final Fantasy needs to return to glory – though to be fair, A Realm Reborn looks great… I just hate subscription fees.

8: Titanfall (PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caiIamHIzBY

                Incredibly hyped first-person shooter, but as far as I can see, it’s warranted. It really does look incredible, and different than the others. I’m sure it doesn’t dethrone Killzone as my primary online shooter, but if any shooter can, it’s this one. It will most likely sit comfortably in second, because being able to jump around as much as you can in this opens up the gameplay and gives us something different.

7: Starbound (PC)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyMJE9ZHIqQ

                I love Terraria, and Starbound looks to be a worthy successor. It really seems like it’s being improved in all ways – it’s a little more epic, a little more RPG, a little more buildy-buildy, and that soundtrack is incredible. Peep the trailer and try not to get pumped for it.

6: Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU7tXqYplA8

                It’s Mario Kart. I will always love the series, because it’s chaotic racing with characters we love. I was sold on it before I saw footage, but it looks to change up the gameplay a little bit by adding different types of vehicles, more-so than in previous entries. Pre-ordered.

5: Tom Clancy’s The Division (PC, PS4, Xbox One)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njfj6KwEAfg

                This was the game that blew me away the most at E3 this year. It just looked like a solid co-op third-person shooter, which would be reason enough for me to buy, but then at the end of the trailer when other players come in. I sat there thinking, “Holy shit, this will be cool.”

                I think to this day, there isn’t a lot of information but we’ve seen how interactive the environment is and some other details. As far as I know, it’s not totally clear how the online aspects work, but I’m ridiculously excited for this.

4: Super Smash Bros. (Wii U, 3DS)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvudMu-5kIU

                Super Smash Bros. has been my favourite fighting series since the first one, though Street Fighter will always have a soft spot in my heart. I love the chaotic nature of the series and disagree with anybody who says it doesn’t take skill. The idea behind it is to be able to control the chaos and make it work in your favour. By chaos I mean that the levels always shift and change, and you can play with four people on screen. I also like how it sort-of has a health bar but it doesn’t work like other games.

                Like a lot of Nintendo things, there’s crossover appeal too. Want to beat up Link with Kirby? Sure, you can do that. With this installment, you can finally play as Mega Man, which should be awesome. I also look forward to trying out the Villager.

3: Earth Defense Force 2025 (PS3, Xbox 360)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu7HqyHTJ38

                I mention this every time I discuss Earth Defense Force, but if you just want a game that is a game in the purest sense of the word, this series is where you go. It’s hilariously low-budget, with buildings collapsing easily, and all you do is shoot hordes and hordes of giant ants, spiders, and robots. There isn’t anything complicated here.

                I love it.

                The reason it’s not number two on my list is mostly because it’s last-gen. Since it’s already out in Japan, this is only coming to PS3 and Xbox 360. It’s a shame because even though I know it won’t ever be a AAA title, I want to see what they’d do with it if given more power.

                Still… it’s Earth Defense Force. It’ll be fun to shoot aliens again while listening to funny one-liners.

2: X (Wii U)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APWTJMyM4qg

                Do you own a Wii and haven’t played Xenoblade: Chronicles? Stop reading this and go play it right now. It’s one of the best RPGs ever and is one of the top three or four of the last ten years.

                Why does this matter? The same developers are unleashing X onto us, and even though there hasn’t been a lot announced concerning the game, we know there are giant robots and that the developers at Monolith Soft are awesome people who make legendary games.

                I didn’t even have to see the game, I just needed to know who’s making it. It helps that they’ve promised a bigger, more expansive world and it’s probably going to be RPG of the year.

1: Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw5t45tEPWQ

                There could only be one, even from the beginning of the list. There were no other games that could touch this. Any year that there’s a core Metal Gear is a year that it gets number one in something. I have never been let down, and it doesn’t look like this will change with the newest in the series.

                Kojima is giving us a more open Metal Gear this time around, and even though I’m the first to admit that open-world games are becoming a tad oversaturated, I’m still curious to see what they do with a less-linear Metal Gear.

                The trailers already look fantastic, and I’m sure that the story will be as emotional and deep as they have been in previous entries. I’m sure the classic stealth gameplay will be as thrilling as it has been. I can guarantee that the bosses will be as weird and sometimes whacky as they have been in the past.

                What I’ve always loved about the series, at least since Solid, was that the game is serious but they do throw in humour. The game is a great example of games being art, but it never forgets that it’s a game at its core. I know some will say it has too many video scenes, but it’s never bothered me because I’m so invested in what’s going on.

I actually need to play Peace Walker because I never had a PSP before (I know they released an HD remake as well), but I intend to play that in anticipation, right before The Phantom Pain comes out.

                What this all means, of course, is that I need a better job so I can buy all these games. 

                What did you think? Did I miss a game that you are excited for? Let me know in the comments below or follow me on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime and tell me you hate me there. Make sure to check the blog daily from now on because the Awardicons – Best of the Year Awards – have officially started.