This Week In Games, September 14 - 20, 2014: Wasteland 2! Mursaki Baby! Plus Reprisal Universe, ArcheAge, Fairy Fencer F, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call, Life Is Feudal: Your Own, Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall (Directors Cut), Endless Legend And More!

Written By: Tyler

Herrow everybody, and welcome to another edition of This Week In Games, a weekly feature where I tell you who Jack the Ripper was.

Every week I go on Gamespot.com and look at what games are coming out. From there, I pick some of the more interesting (for better or worse) games that are seeing a release this week. Then I do a little research, wave my magic wand, and tell you a little bit about each game.

The release dates are North American because that's where I'm from. Generally you'll see similar release dates in other major gaming countries, but I'm not from there so I focus on where my hood is. You feel me? I promise I won't talk like this anymore. Let's get on with the fun.


September 14

Notta.


September 15

Reprisal Universe

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Strategy
Gameplay: http://store.steampowered.com/app/319560/

Think Populous when you think of this game. You raise your land, develop your tribe, take on other tribes, master Totem Powers to do battle... all that good stuff. If you're into this kind of thing, then this is something you should check out. It's already technically out, but it's hitting Steam this week.


The Masterplan

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Strategy/Action
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFF3iQbBOF8&list=PLHVUIGUZ1rjerc6W8XTIOREYf4IszGZ0n

The Masterplan is a game where you pick the perfect team to commit heists. It has a top-down view like Hotline Miami, but it is a different game because it's all about planning and perfecting your mission. Think Hotline Miami meets Payday, and you have a pretty good idea of what this is offering. It looks awesome, and it hits Early Access this week.



September 16

ArcheAge

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: MMORPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ9AnXZGKYs

ArcheAge is a free-to-play sandbox MMORPG. Don't leave just because you saw f2p and MMORPG, because not all of them are bad. For example, I think Neverwinter got an undeserved bad reputation. So does ArcheAge look like something that you should invest your time in?

I would say yes. I am probably going to give it a try, but read this blurb from their website and make your own mind up: "Adventure in an open-ended MMORPG freed from predefined paths and progression. Build massive castles and lay claim to lands whose riches fuel a deep, player-driven economy. Band together to protect your fortune in epic siege battles and naval combat – or live the life of an outlaw, prying glory and coin from foes left in your wake."


Mursaki Baby

Coming Out For: PS Vita
Genre: Platformer/Puzzle
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc3rV2U9HFY

I'm really excited for this, but unfortunately I don't own a PS Vita and can't afford one. I've been into this since I first saw it at, I think, E3 because I absolutely love the visuals, the art design and the trailer. You basically use the touch screen to make the main character move and solve puzzles in a terrifying, surreal world. I don't know if the game is going to be anything special from a strict gameplay perspective or not, though I'm inclined to believe it will be. However, the art alone makes it worthy of a pickup. 


Fairy Fencer F

Coming Out For: PS3
Genre: JRPG
Gameplay: http://www.gamespot.com/videos/fairy-fencer-f-official-trailer/2300-6417275/

Truthfully I don't know a lot about Fairy Fencer F, but it was already released in Japan and is now coming over here this week. It looks to me to be like a normal JRPG, so if you're a JRPG nut then you can check it out. It probably won't get much of a following otherwise, simply because JRPGs have a more niche audience than they did when I was growing up.


Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call

Coming Out For: 3DS
Genre: Rhythm
Gameplay: http://www.gametrailers.com/reviews/avj8hm/theatrhythm-final-fantasy--curtain-call-review

The video above does a really good job of describing everything, but in case you don't want to click it, here's Theatrhythm in a nutshell: it's a rhythm game starring Final Fantasy characters where you get to listen to classic Final Fantasy songs and in typical fashion for the genre, hit buttons at the right time. I'm not huge into rhythm games, but this one is interesting to me because I love Final Fantasy music and that alone makes the game somewhat enjoyable. It has light RPG elements but they appear to be insignificant.


Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appetit! 

Coming Out For: 3DS
Genre: Simulation
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-qjZ_OvMLU

Cooking Mama 5 was released in Japan earlier this year, and now it is coming over to North America. If you're interested in this, you probably are already familiar with the game, but in case you aren't... here's a description from somebody who has no interest or experience with the game: it's a cooking simulator where you use the touchscreen to prepare food. There must be an audience for this.


The Waste Land

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Metroidvania/Platformer/Action
Gameplay: http://www.indiedb.com/games/the-waste-land (there's a video on the main page)

Indie developers seem to really love Metroidvanias (which is a combination of Metroid and Castlevania if you've never heard the term). Players also seem to like the organic exploration in these games because they often don't really tell you what to do, but with smart game design can be fun. It can be a real blast figuring out where to go once you get the right item or talk to the right person. This game looks like a worthy addition to the genre, so make sure to pick it up if you can.


September 17

Spacecom

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Strategy
Gameplay: http://www.polygon.com/2014/8/27/6074767/spacecom-4x-strategy-fast-and-made-for-multiplayer

Spacecom is a 4X strategy space fleet command game with a focus on multiplayer. Use your tactics that are up in your brain to do battle with rival fleets when this game drops this week.


Cosmonautica

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Simulation
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHpyxIW7deo
 
In Cosmonautica you manage your space ship, trade and do battle. The game looks to have a sense of humour and this looks like a neat little simulation game so it's worth a play.



September 18

Endless Legend

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Strategy
Gameplay:  http://ca.ign.com/videos/2014/04/18/endless-legend-video-preview (Alpha footage)

Endless Legends exits Early Access and gets a full release this week. It looks like a gorgeous 4X strategy game with a lot of depth. There are a bunch of side-quests to do along with the main game, and some RPG elements to go along with it, with customizable skill trees, crafting gear and level-ups. There's more to it, but I will end this by saying that this game could be something special.


Shadowrun: Dragonfall (Director's Cut)

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyUktyFHrb4

I haven't played the Dragonfall expansion, but I can speak from experience that Shadowrun Returns is a welcome... rebirth of Shadowrun. It's not as good as the old SNES one, but it's pretty damn good on its own merits, so I can only imagine Dragonfall is great too. The Director's Cut expands on it with new missions, music, endings, etc. If you already have Dragonfall you get the updates for free.


Elminage Gothic

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYbOLrnHLtM (it's in Japanese)

Released on PSP originally, it is now making its way to PC. Part of a neglected genre, the old-school dungeon crawling RPG, Elminage Gothic hopes to make enjoying big dungeons enjoyable again. These types of games were so popular at one point, and it's nice to see them still being made here and there.


September 19

Wasteland 2

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: RPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYtc5Y96coM

Did you play the original Wasteland? Do you like classic computer RPGs? Do you like RPGs where your choices in conversations directly impact the world around you? Do you like RPGs with tactical combat? Do you like post-apocalyptic RPGs? If you answered yes to any of these, then this is an important release for you.

I haven't actually played the original Wasteland, but I'm incredibly excited for this to finally see a full release. I can't wait to sink my teeth into this RPG that is going to take up dozens of hours of my time. I can't wait to experience the rich story where what you do actually has an effect on things. This is the biggest release of the week for me, along with Murasaki Baby.



Life Is Feudal: Your Own 

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Sandbox MMORPG
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMzMLo0hQ_c

I've never heard of Life Is Feudal before, but it seems ambitious, and definitely a lot different than other MMORPGs. When you think of MMORPGs, you no doubt have a certain idea in your head because for the most part, they're pretty similar to one another. There are differences between games like World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 2, for example, but they still follow pretty similar models.

From my understanding, Life is Feudal doesn't have level caps or levels at all, no grinding, quests that are more about becoming familiar with game mechanics rather than being something you do daily. The gameplay consists more of terraforming, meaning you can dig tunnels, manipulate the terrain, build cities underground or above ground, or build walls. The combat is different than other MMORPGs, and the gameplay seems to consist of doing medieval things like sieges and wars. There is crafting, and other game features that I'm not getting into.

The first thing that comes to my head when I think of this game is a game like Rust. They're quite different than one another and it appears that Rust has more emphasis on survival, but the idea of basically just being in a world populated by other people and living, while occasionally killing each other, seems very similar to this influx of games of this type. I'm not trying to say Life is Feudal is copying because they're a lot different, but there are similarities that I enjoy. Still, they'll offer very different experiences.

It hits open Early Alpha this week.



September 20

Nothing.


There are a lot of releases this week, especially from smaller studios, or at least from studios developing games that may not get the mainstream recognition that they deserve. Surely there is something this week that you are interested in.

Did I miss anything of importance to you? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me on the twitter thing @ArtBathednCrime

This Week In Games, September 7 - 13: A Little Game Called Destiny Gets Released, Plus NHL 15, Velocibiox, Teslagrad, Fable Anniversary, The Keep, Worlds of Magic and A Weird 90s Bible Game Called Uriel's Chasm

Written By: Tyler

Hello everybody and welcome to another addition of This Week In Games: a weekly feature I do where I tell you why "indie" is not a genre.

Every week I go onto Gamespot and find out what games are coming out this week. Then I do a little write-up about the ones of interest, and ta-da, I get lots of money (or none at all). All release dates are North American because that's where I'm from. Sorry rest of the world.


September 8

Velocibox

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Action
Gameplay: http://store.steampowered.com/app/317710/

Strap yourself in for this game. It is supposed to be incredibly difficult and the gameplay, from what I understand, is essentially running through corridors, dodging things and collecting items. It is fast and it does look hard.


September 9

Destiny

Coming Out For: Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4
Genre: Greatest Game Ever, MMORPG/FPS
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUHCO-qyA1A

There's this little game that finally sees a release this week: It's called Destiny, and it's developed by Bungie. You may know Bungie from their other small franchise, Halo. If you follow games I probably don't need to sell you on Destiny but that's kind of the point of this part, so here goes:

It's a first-person shooter/MMO/RPG hybrid, that is supposed to be epic in scope. You play as one of three different classes, and there is competitive multiplayer that goes along with the normal campaign. It feels nice to shoot, it looks gorgeous, and it's Bungie... they have a good track record. Just get Destiny.



NHL 15

Coming Out For: Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: Sport
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbskn16gpQE

I haven't played an NHL game since '12, but hey... hockey games have come a long way since I started playing them. This looks more realistic, feels more realistic and I'm sure any hockey fan will be able to appreciate the depth of the experience. There was a time when hockey games didn't really feel like hockey games, but now you have to use the same kind of strategy that real players would use.


September 10

Nothing on this day.


September 11

Worlds of Magic

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Strategy
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=magRrO535gY

Worlds of Magic is hitting Steam Early Access on September 11. It is a 4X strategy game with randomly generated maps and big heroes. You have to kill enemies and expand your empire. There are over 300 spells as well!


Teslagrad

Coming Out For: Wii U
Genre: Platformer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYKEtHHyvgA

Teslagrad is a platformer coming to the Wii U. It was originally released on PC. The basic premise is that you have to explore a tower and you use things like a Teslastaff or Magnet Glove to solve the puzzles and defeat the enemies. It has a charming art style, and it looks like a lot of fun so if you're hankering for a game on Wii U -- which most Wii U owners are -- then maybe check this one out.


The Keep

Coming Out For: 3DS
Genre: First-Person Dungeon Explorer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puDJWHvcpVQ

The Keep is a first-person dungeon crawler, and although the footage above is only Alpha, it gives you an idea of what the game has in store. It's influenced by the classic games in this genre. Explore and defeat enemies on your 3DS.


September 12

Fable Anniversary

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: RPG
Gameplay: http://store.steampowered.com/app/288470/

Are you like me and missed out on Fable? Well, if you're a PC owner, here's your chance to catch up on the first installment in the series. Everything is upgraded here, so if you want a good RPG to play, I've heard good things about the first Fable.



Uriel's Chasm

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Platformer/Action/Adventure
Gameplay: http://store.steampowered.com/app/292630/

So.

I guess there was an unlicensed Bible game released in the 90s that I've never heard of, and Uriel's Chasm is it. It's... something. In this game you go on a quest that features the metaphysics of the KJV Bible, and you explore what God and Death means. The game seems to blend a couple genres, and the gameplay that I linked above makes it look kind of terrible and awesome at the same time. It's surely one of those games that may not actually be good but it's so insane it might be entertaining. Without getting too religious here, the Bible is pretty twisted and weird, so it needs a twisted and weird game to properly represent it.


That's it for this week people. If there was a game I missed, and you are able to pull yourself away from Destiny, then make sure to let me know in the comments below or tweet me @ArtBathednCrime. Or you could just write in the comments and say hi because it gets lonely over here. Peace out.

This Week In Games, August 31 - September 6 2014: The Sims 4, Hatoful Boyfriend, Joe Danger, Dead Rising 3, Runers, Velocity 2X, Dance Central Spotlight, Warframe And More!

Written By: Tyler

Hello everybody and welcome to another addition of This Week In Games, a weekly segment where I post random cat pictures and videos in an effort to gain viewership.

If you follow this blog then you know the skinny, but to those who are new to this thing, I go on Gamespot each week and see what games are coming out. I pick the more interesting ones, whether they're good or bad, and I write a little bit about them and give you the release dates. I used to be more picky with including ports and whatnot but now I just put whatever.

All the dates are North American releases, as well, because that's where I'm from. Sorry people from better continents.


August 31

There's nothing, games are dead.


September 1

The Fantabulous Adventures of Hedgehog Holmes

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Point-and-Click Adventure
Gameplay: I can't seem to find a video.

It's hard to really know what this game has to offer since it is hard to find anything on it, but it's a whodunnit story mixed with point-and-click adventure, all rolled up into a package full of cute visuals. Unless the visuals are just a way to throw you off the scent (get what I did there?), then it's probably a fairly simple, light-hearted take on the genre. But I say this ignorantly.


Hexcells Infinite

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Puzzle
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qi3ffxccFc

In this puzzler, which has 36 new challenges and the ability to randomly generate puzzles, you basically deal with patterns and destroying hexes that don't belong in the pattern. It's a little bit like Minesweeper, from what I understand. Anyway, there's a lot of content here for fans of this type of thing. Me? I'm too stupid to do puzzles.


September 2

Sims 4

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Simulation
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qi3ffxccFc 

The newest installment of the wildly successful Sims games comes out this week, promising pretty much a more in-depth experience with real personalities for the Sims. I haven't played a game in the series since the first, but I might check this one out to see where it has gone.


Velocity 2X

Coming Out For: PS4/Vita
Genre: Platformer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGsrGmIWxV0

As part of a cross-buy program for PS Plus subscribers, this game is actually free for the systems so there's no reason not to play it. It's a fast-paced platformer and it looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Throw bombs around, shoot all over the place, fight boss battles both outside or even inside (when you fly in them and take them down from the inside). I heard that the first Velocity was really good, which I can't confirm, but this definitely looks like a solid sequel then.


Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair 

Coming Out For: PS Vita
Genre: Murder Mystery Visual Novel
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfOQV2UKiv0

There are three main game modes in this game: Daily Life, Deadly Life and Class Trial. Daily Life has you interacting with people, gaining things to trade in for skills and whatnot. Deadly Life is when you discover a crime scene and have to try to find evidence to help with the Class Trial, which is a trial where you have to find the culprit.

You also have things like a virtual pet that can be accessed by pressing the pause button, and it grows with each step you take. There are other mini-games as well present.


Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate

Coming Out For: PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One
Genre: Action/ Hack n' Slash
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCADiuSwGwg

Honestly, think Dynasty Warriors here, with perhaps a few little changes here and there to make them different. You beat down massive hordes of enemies like they're nothing simply by button mashing. I enjoy these types of games here and there, so I'm not being critical. I think simplicity is nice once in a while in games.


Dance Central Spotlight

Coming Out For: Xbox One
Genre: Dance
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEWATlmbWtY

Finally, the killer app for Xbox One is here. Forget Halo, this is it. Okay, seriously, I've never been one for Dance games but I know these have an audience. So get your Kinect ready and do what you always do in these games: dance along with some of the "hottest" songs. Woo!


Warframe

Coming Out For: Xbox One
Genre: Third-Person Action/Shooter
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi0emSy-oeI

I have a bit of a history with Warframe. On PC I couldn't connect with my brother to play it so we abandoned it. When it came out for PS4 we played it a bit... enough to know what kind of game it is. Gamespot gave it a 6, but it's better than that. It's a fun 3rd person game where you can run up walls and stuff, with a variety of different types of characters to play as. It's free, which does put some things behind a pay wall, and some of the mechanics could use some polishing, but it's still a fun game... so this is a good thing for Xbox One.


Runers

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Roguelike
Gameplay: http://store.steampowered.com/app/306550/

Runers is a roguelike, so what this entails is that it will have procedurally generated dungeons and death is final. However, you can collect runes to unlock unique skills, and there is apparently a bunch of customization, such as 20 races and 20 classes, the ability to be a long, mid or short-range fighter, among other things. If you're into Roguelikes, this looks like a fun addition.


Joe Danger

Coming Out For: PS Vita
Genre: Racing/Platformer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krbY-qHR7rY

Joe Danger has been out for a while, but it's free on PS Vita this month. Stunt drive your way through the levels, flipping and crashing your way to victory. It got great reviews pretty much all around when it was released.


September 3

Apparently there's nothing here, according to Gamespot.


September 4

Cubemen 2

Coming Out For: Wii U
Genre: Action/Strategy
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7X5BkFqozs

I never heard of Cubemen until right now... and I think I'm picking this up if money permits. It's an action game where you command your cubemen in what looks to be a pretty intense game. There seems to be a lot going on. There are five different multiplayer modes, two campaigns, the ability to make your own levels and even cross-platform multiplayer. I hope this does well on Wii U.


Tappingo 2

Coming Out For: 3DS
Genre: Puzzle
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqwJ3VfT9rE

Here we have a puzzler for the 3DS. I put it here because it's a 3DS release. I know the original had some fans, and so maybe they'll be interested in a sequel.


Hatoful Boyfriend

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Dating Simulator
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SnF_Y2vnso

Ah, yes. Here we have the infamous pigeon dating simulator where you help pigeons get down. Will you succeed in this kinda awkward/kinda cool game?


September 5

Dead Rising 3

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Action
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObURLnfQxi4

The Xbox One launch game hits PC this week, so if you're interested in bashing zombies with whatever you can find -- I'm assuming that's still how it works -- then this is a game you may want to pick up. It will be an upgraded version, with better graphics and the like for all you PC master race members out there.


September 6

It's Saturday! So no, there's not a lot going on.



And there you have it... that's all the interesting games for this week. It's not a bad week, really. We got some big new releases, some interesting ports, and Hatoful Boyfriend. So the good, the bad and the weird are covered. If I missed anything feel free to yell at me on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime or just write in the comments below. Or write me a song and send it to me!

This Week In Games, August 24 - 30 2014: Madden NFL '15, Metro Redux, Infamous: Last Light, Lethal League, Hyperidemension Neptunia Re;Birth1, Steamworld Dig Wii U, Azure Striker Gunvolt, Super Time Force Ultra and Professor Layton Vs Phoenix Wright!

Written By: Tyler

Hello and welcome everybody to another edition of This Week In Games; the weekly feature where I teach you how to make the best peanut butter and jam sandwiches.

Each week I go to Gamespot and I see what games are coming out this week. I then write about the games that I think are interesting/important for the week. All the release dates are North American because that's where I was born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most of my days, so sorry to anybody who isn't from North America. I love you, I just can't cover your continent too.


August 24

Nothing.



August 25

Super Time Force Ultra

Coming Out For: PC
Genre: Platformer/Action
Gameplay:http://ca.ign.com/videos/2014/05/02/super-time-force-release-date-trailer

If you follow my blog, I mentioned -- during Gamescom -- that this was one of the reasons I was jealous of anybody who had an Xbox One or an Xbox 360. I have neither so I missed out on this game when it was originally released. Luckily, PC is getting an enhanced version with a few new characters and challenge modes, so I'll get to play this lovely retro-inspired time-manipulating side-scrolling shooting death-defying son of a bitch.

Seriously, this game looks awesome and I like that it has the "rewind time" mechanic, a lot of characters to choose from and a lot of carnage to commit.



August 26


Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1

Coming Out For: PS Vita
Genre: RPG
Gameplay: http://www.gamespot.com/videos/hyperdimension-neptunia-re-birth1-official-trailer/2300-6419885/

I've never played Hyperdimension Neptunia, but I almost bought it one time. I can't remember why I thought it'd be interesting, but I did. Anyway, Re;Birth1 is a remake of the original on Vita so you'll get more bang for your buck. The warning here, of course, is that it looks very Japanese so people who aren't into JRPGs will probably want to avoid this.



Metro Redux

Coming Out For: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Genre: Shooter/Horror
Gameplay: http://www.gamespot.com/articles/remastered-versions-of-metro-2033-metro-last-light-hitting-xbox-one-ps4-and-pc-on-august-26/1100-6420698/

I've only played Metro: Last Light but it was lovely. It was dark, violent, scary and well put together so just based on that I'd recommend this package of both games. It's an enhanced edition, so better AI, graphics, that kind of thing. It's a perfect time to play these games if you haven't already.



Madden NFL ' 15

Coming Out For: PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360
Genre: Sport
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrKYDuZVbas

The newest installment of Madden is here and it looks like Madden! I'm not a football fan, and I can't remember the last time I played a Madden, but let's be honest: you already know if you're getting this or not because you already know how often you buy new EA Sports games.


Infamous: First Light

Coming Out For: PS4
Genre: Sandbox/Action
Gameplay:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xhNuUHs2_g

Here is the new DLC for Infamous: Second Son, a game that I enjoyed. I'm getting a little burnt out on Infamous at this point because after three games of essentially the same thing (yes I know you get more than one type of power in Second Son but they all function basically the same), I feel like there needs to be a change. They're still great games, worthy of at least an 8/10 though.

In the DLC, you play as Fetch... the girl who gave you the Neon power. They're promising that she will function differently because she's much faster than the main character of Second Son, and since she's had the power for a long time she knows how to use it better. I don't own Second Son so I won't be picking it up, but it could be fun DLC if you want to complete her story.



August 27

Lethal League

Coming Out For: PC

Genre: Action/Fighting

Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j78X5LluM5U

Lethal League is an interesting mash-up, and now that I've actually sat down and watched a video of it I'm intrigued. Basically it's a fighting game where you can play with up to four people (plus online) and smash each other... only there's a projectile constantly moving so you have to be aware of that. You can hit the projectile back and forth to cause damage. It's actually quite cool when you see it in action because of the pretty awesome music and the art-style. This game has style, yo.



August 28

Steamworld Dig

Coming Out For: Wii U
Genre: Platformer/Action/Adventure
Gameplay: http://ca.ign.com/videos/2014/08/14/steamworld-dig-wii-u-gameplay-demo-ign-live-gamescom-2014

Steamworld Dig was released on 3DS and got great reviews with the mixture of Metroidvania and digging ala Minecraft or Terraria. I never got to play it on 3DS, and due to financial issues I may not get to play this right away, but it looks like a hell of a lot of fun, so you should definitely pick this version up if you're a Wii U owner.


August 29

Professor Layton VS Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney 

Coming Out For: 3DS   
Genre: Puzzle
Gameplay: http://www.gamespot.com/videos/professor-layton-vs-ace-attorney-official-trailer/2300-6412655/

I imagine this is a pretty big release for fans of the series, because crossovers are cool. This game will mix elements from both games, obviously, such as being able to examine scenes for clues or grilling people in a court room. I've never been into either of the games so I don't really even know if they're good.


Azure Striker Gunvolt

Coming Out For: 3DS
Genre: Action/Platformer
Gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAClxYeHqMU

I didn't know anything about this game but it shot up to one of the more anticipated releases of the week for me. It's this, Super Time Force Ultra and Steamworld Dig Wii U that I'm looking forward to most. Gunvolt is an intense 2D action game where you play as a 14 year old boy with psychic powers who is trying to take down an evil organization. I'm not sure why Japanese games always have little kids as characters, but still, count me in.

It has RPG mechanics in the sense you can level up, get new skills and develop new equipment, and the action looks crazy. Unfortunately this won't be a game that will drag people to Nintendo because it doesn't have massive name recognition (despite the legendaryKeiji Inafune executive producing it), but I'll be surprised if it's not one of the best 3DS games of the year.



August 30

Notta.


I think there are quite a few cool releases this week. We have some remastered/remade games, a yearly sports title that people love, some interesting indie games. There should be something this week to tickle your fancy.

Did I miss a game you're looking forward to? Yell at me on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime

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