Games On Net :: New Releases: Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions - 11/02/2009

By Matt Keller - Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:38pm

Things are getting a little bit spooky this week, not only due to the release of the hotly anticipated and rather scary F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, but also due to a large influx of Nintendo DS shovelware. Who would have thought back in 2004 that the machine would be home to so many terrible games?

Don’t forget to check out the full release schedule for the latest changes and information on upcoming games.

12/02/2009

*The Chase: Felix Meets Felicity* Platform: Nintendo DS Developer: *Razorback Developments* Publisher: *Atari* RRP: $AU49.95 As either Felix or Felicity, delivery boy/girl extraordinaire, you must negotiate your way through a series of levels to meet your counterpart for a date. Think Sonic the Hedgehog, but totally dependent on stylus control, and not quite as well polished – apparently it gets a little too difficult in the later stages. *The Chase* looks a bit too plain and simple to hold your attention for more than about 10 minutes.
*Deadly Creatures* Platform: Wii Developer: *Rainbow Studios* Publisher: *THQ* RRP: $AU79.95 Two humans are looking for some stash of gold lost after the American Civil War in this third person action game. Of course, you actually play as either a scorpion or tarantula, which constantly cross paths with the two gold diggers (voiced by Dennis Hopper and Billy Bob Thornton), and get to battle a myriad of pint sized insects, and more threatening beasts like a Gila monster, a rattlesnake, and even a few humans. It’s a fresh idea, and the gameplay is meant to be pretty good to match.
*Destroy All Humans: Path of the Furon* Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Developer: *Sandblast Games* Publisher: *THQ* RRP: $AU99.95 The fourth game in the Destroy All Humans series picks up where the third game left off, with Crypto going on a journey of destruction and enlightenment in the 1970s as he goes under the tutelage of a furon martial arts expert. The series has taken a dive in quality since Pandemic moved on, and the savage reaction from the American press and closure of developer Sandblast Games before the project was finished give the impression that this could be a rather terrible game.
*Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods* Platform: PC Developer: *Trine Games* Publisher: *JoWood Productions* RRP: $39.95 The latest Gothic 3 expansion appears to be intended to bridge the gap between the third game and the upcoming Gothic 4. It retains the same formula as the third game, but offers more quests, new weapons and so on. With Pirhana Bytes leaving the series, JoWood has handed developmental duties over to Indian studio Trine Games, and the result is not pretty, with more game breaking bugs than ever before.
Jake Power: Fireman Jake Power: Handy Man Jake Power: Policeman Platform: Nintendo DS Developer: *Magic Pockets* Publisher: *Ubisoft* RRP: $AU49.95 each The Jake Power series is Ubisoft’s latest low budget, parents’ wallet draining series, this time aimed at young boys. Taking the role of the titular Jake Power, players get to play a different role in each game, be it fire fighter, police officer, or handy man. If the quality of Ubisoft’s other mass market DS titles is anything to go by, you’ll probably want to skip over this bunch.
*Nerf N-Strike* Platform: Nintendo DS Developer: *EA Salt Lake* Publisher: *Electronic Arts* RRP: $AU89.95 Nerf Wars have ruled the halls of many a video game developer for years, and now Electronic Arts is trying to take the concept further (either that, or honour an agreement with Hasbro). Nerf N-Strike is a more kid friendly light gun game along the lines of Operation Wolf or Area 51 that lets you use a variety of Nerf guns to unleash fury on your enemies. It’s packed in with a Nerf gun which serves both as a regular toy, and as a light gun for the Wii.
*Rock University Presents The Naked Brothers Band* Platform: Nintendo DS (also available on Wii, PlayStation 2) Developer: *Barking Lizards* Publisher: *THQ* RRP: $AU59.95 The video game form of Nickelodeon’s attempt to cash in on Disney’s teenage music/television star market makes its way to the DS this week. Players control the band while they travel across the country to perform in front of legions of screaming tweenage girls. One has to perform every type of instrument while listening to the band’s brand of non-offensive pop music, which is supposed to be pretty tricky on the DS. So unless you’re one of the aforementioned verbose young females, this probably isn’t going to appeal to you.
*Sam and Max: Season One* Platform: Wii (also available on PC) Developer: *Telltale Games* Publisher: *JoWood Productions* RRP: $AU69.95 The first season of episodic adventures of the Freelance Police finally hits Australian shores, about 5 or 6 months behind the rest of the world. Join no-nonsense canine detective Sam and his homicidal maniac of a sidekick Max as they take on former child stars, a disgruntled talkshow host, the Toy Mafia, the President of the United States and the Internet. Six episodic doses of wacky fun which should satisfy any yearning for console based adventure gaming.
*Star Ocean: Second Evolution* Platform: PSP Developer: *Square Enix* Publisher: *Square Enix* RRP: $AU69.95 The second of Square’s Star Ocean remakes for the PSP hits this week, offering another wondrous space-faring J-RPG adventure. This remake includes new playable characters, anime cutscenes from Production I.G. and a new voice cast and script translation. So if you’ve polished off *Chrono Trigger* and need some more J-RPG love, look no further.
*Tomb Raider Underworld* Platform: PlayStation 2 (also available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC and Nintendo DS) Developer: *Crystal Dynamics/Buzz Monkey Software* Publisher: *Eidos Interactive* RRP: $AU49.95 Lara Croft’s latest adventure makes its way to the PlayStation 2 after several delays. It’s a decent game with quite a few problems, as *our review* of the 360 version revealed last year, so you should really just expect the same thing with lower quality visuals, and maybe a few extra glitches along the way.

13/02/2009

*Australia Zoo: Zoo Quest* Platform: Nintendo DS (also available on PC) Developer: *Auran* Publisher: *N3VRF41L Publishing* RRP: $AU49.95 A renamed conversion of the PC game Australia Zoo: Animal Links for the Nintendo DS. It’s a fairly basic matching puzzle game (though it gets progressively harder) that rewards players with a load of facts about their favourite animals, along with a bit of information about the zoo. Better directed towards the youngsters.
*F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin* Platform: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Developer: *Monolith Productions* Publisher: *Warner Bros. Interactive* RRP: $AU89.95 (PC), $AU99.95 (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) Arguably one of the year’s most anticipated releases (and one of the few this week that doesn’t stink up the place) continues the story of a powerful psychic named Alma, whose rage triggers a paranormal crisis which threatens to replace our reality with her own. Players control Michael Becket, a Delta force soldier whose squad was sent in at the end of the original game to arrest Genevieve Aristide at the end of the first game. Project Origin looks good, plays great and has some fantastic AI – let’s just hope that the level design is a lot better than the first. In case you hadn't noticed, we're also *giving away* a few posters and signed copies of the game, so watch this space.
*Flower* Platform: PlayStation Network Developer: *thatgamecompany* Publisher: *Sony Computer Entertainment* RRP: $AU12.95 The developer of *flow* returns with another innovative game. Players control the wind, and must guide and grow a swarm of petals by interacting with other flowers and the surrounding environment. While the game is meant to be simple, it looks amazing, and is apparently very addictive. Very likely to be the first good PSN release of 2009.

With the exception of F.E.A.R. 2, Flower and possibly Deadly Creatures, it’s a pretty crummy week all round. Next week is going to be a lot better with the long awaited release of Street Fighter IV which should breathe new life into the fighting game genre. Dawn of War II, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia and The House of the Dead: Overkill also hit next week, so prepare to get thrifty.