Coming Attractions - 12/08/2009
By Matt Keller - Wed Aug 12, 2009 6:01pm
It’s a little livelier on the new release front this week, with multiple new releases across a variety of platforms. Leading the charge this week is EA’s golden goose Madden NFL 10 for all console and handheld formats, and following it up is G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra (also for all consoles/handhelds), Ashes Cricket 2009 for the PC and Xbox 360, and Coraline for the Wii, DS and PlayStation 2. On the digital front, Trials HD will hit the Xbox Live Arcade tonight as the third release of the Winter of XBLA line up.
Don’t forget to check out the full release schedule for the latest changes and information on upcoming games.
Next week is another quiet one, but there are two noteworthy titles coming out. First is Wolfenstein for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, which seems to be hitting with a lot less fanfare than its recent predecessor. On the digital front, the final and possibly best release of the Winter of XBLA line up Shadow Complex will be available for Xbox 360 owners.
Don’t forget to check out the full release schedule for the latest changes and information on upcoming games.
12/08/2009
| Trials HD Platform: Xbox Live Arcade Developer: RedLynx Publisher: Microsoft RRP: 1200 Microsoft Points ($AU19.20) Trials HD is essentially a gussied up version of popular downloadable PC game Trials 2, featuring better graphics and a comprehensive level editor. For those who don’t know, the Trials games are hybrid racing/puzzle games, where players take a dirt bike through massive obstacle courses. Players need to find the perfect match between speed and balance to get through the course intact. 1200MSP might seem like a lot given the relatively low price of the PC version, but the sheer amount of content and quality gameplay should easily quell one’s concerns about cost. | ) |
13/08/2009
| Ashes Cricket 2009 Platform: PC, Xbox 360 Developer: Transmission Games Publisher: Codemasters RRP: $AU99.95 The Xbox 360 and PC versions of Ashes Cricket 2009 are out tomorrow. With the Ashes Series all knotted up, it’s a good time to get into the game and see if you can match or better the efforts of Ponting and his boys so far, and bring home the urn for Australia once again. | ) | |
| Coraline Platform: Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Wii Developer: Papaya Studio Publisher: D3 Publishing RRP: $AU49.95 (PS2), $AU69.95 (DS, WII) Coraline is one of the most critically acclaimed animated features of recent years. Based on the Neil Gaiman novel, it tells the story of a young girl who stumbles into another world that’s an idealised version of her own, but with some sinister secrets. Unfortunately, the game tie-in is just a straightforward platformer with horribly mundane gameplay design and none of the style of substance of the associated film – a lost opportunity. | ) | |
| G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra Platform: Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360 Developer: Electronic Arts Publisher: Electronic Arts RRP: $AU49.95 (PS2, DS, PSP), $AU79.95 (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360) When I was a kid, the G.I. Joe: Real American Hero toy line was second only to gaming when it came to how I spent my free time. Now the license has been fished out and turned into a feature film, like so many other toy lines before it. EA’s got the license, so they’ve whacked together a fairly harmless third person shooter with an emphasis on co-op play. Outside of the arcade game, G.I. Joe hasn’t fared well as a gaming license despite having good potential – this one looks pretty rough, but could be an entertaining rental. | ) | |
| Madden NFL 10 Platform: Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360 Developer: Tiburon Publisher: EA Sports RRP: $AU49.95 (DS, PS2, PSP) $AU79.95 (Wii), $AU99.95 (PS3, Xbox 360) American Football has a bit of a niche audience in Australia now, who’ll likely be desperate to sink their teeth into the latest Madden NFL offering. Madden NFL has been improving in leaps and bounds in recent years, but admittedly that’s only because they screwed it up royally in the transition to the new consoles – one could argue that they’re just now getting back to where they were with Madden NFL 2005. Nevertheless, this year’s improvements like online franchises, a better running game, defensive AI tweaks and more realistic gameplay speed should go a long way. It’s worth a look, even if you’re not familiar with the sport. | ) |
Next week is another quiet one, but there are two noteworthy titles coming out. First is Wolfenstein for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, which seems to be hitting with a lot less fanfare than its recent predecessor. On the digital front, the final and possibly best release of the Winter of XBLA line up Shadow Complex will be available for Xbox 360 owners.
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