Happy New Year Everybody! And welcome to 2011. I hope you’ve all had a wonderful, safe holiday season. I know you’ve all been playing your new video games, reading your new graphic novels, and watching old seasons of your favorite shows on their new DVD and Blu-Rays that you got for Christmas. But now that the holidays are over, we’re finally going to be getting games again.
It’ll be another week or two before things really start picking up, but there are exciting times ahead. So if you’ve already finished your Christmas games (and are sick of of getting pwned by xX13yogirlXx in Black Ops) then it’s time you put that gift card to work preordering something new. There’s lots of stuff ahead, these are just my highlights by week for the next three months:
DC Universe Online is available on January 11 for PC and PS3. If you like MMOs and/or DC Comics get this game! We’ve had at least two contributors from Big Shiny Robot involved with the beta and both gave it high praise (PS3 and PC). The collector’s edition comes with a Batman figure, a Geoff Johns penned comic book, art book, online comic Legends Issue #0 and some in-game weapons. Preorders from Amazon or GameStop will both net you a playable Batman in arena battles – plus the Amazonian Gauntlet (Amazon) or Joker’s Confetti Bomb (GameStop).
If that game is somehow not enough to keep you entranced for the rest of the year, January 18 is a huge day for PS3 owners. First, we finally get our shot at saving the universe as Commander Shepherd in Mass Effect 2. Plus, there’s LittleBigPlanet 2. The first game in this series had its flaws, but it was crazy good fun and ridiculously innovative. This iteration promises to expand on Sony’s “Play. Create. Share.” mentality in huge ways. The collector’s edition will include a 7″ plush Sackboy, book ends, 11 DLC costumes and 5 Sackboy avatars for PSN. Preorder bonus from GameStop is a Clu (Tron) costume and some additional animal costumes.
Next stop, January 25th. The big releases this week seem to be a couple of sequels to games I have yet to play: Two Worlds 2 and Dead Space 2. Both are available on PS3, XBox360 and PC. I’ve heard good things about the first Dead Space and I’ve read some comics from the universe that make it seem appealing. The collector’s edition includes a replica plasma cutter, soundtrack, lithograph and an in-game suit with weapon. Pre-order gets you a free copy of the downloadable game Dead Space: Ignition plus an in-game Rivet Gun at GameStop or Hacker Suit at Amazon.
February 1st looks pretty dull, unless you’re still playing Rock Band. Country Track Pack 2 is only $30. The Outdoor Living expansion for Sims 3 is also available.
Picking up speed again in the second week of February is Test Drive Unlimited 2. Actually, I know very little of this racing game, I just couldn’t resist the bad pun. My real excitement this week is You Don’t Know Jack. This irreverent trivia game has always been enjoyable for me since my nephew gave it to me for Christmas over a decade ago. I don’t know how well it will translate to console but I’m looking forward to screwing my neighbor once again.
If you’re even reading this, you probably don’t need me to tell you why you’re excited for February 15. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is highly anticipated for comics and fighting fans alike. Do yourself a favor and get the special edition for a steel case, combination comic and art book, two DLC characters (Shuma Gorath and Jill Valentine) and free month’s subscription to Marvel digital comics. GameStop will give you some character decals (with move lists) from Fathead for preordering.
As much as I love great, long-running series I’m a big fan of new IPs entering the video game market. That’s why I’d like to plug Bulletstorm for February 22nd instead of Killzone 3. Ha, see what I did there? Actually, I’m more inclined to play Bulletstorm simply because I’m not a fan of FPS and this one seems both more attractive and more accessible. First, there’s an easy mode that’s designed just for people who don’t like the FPS genre but still want to experience the story. Second, the “leash” mechanic and trick shot kills just sound fun. What’s more, for a limited time, you get a free upgrade to the “limited” edition that gives you an extra weapon, boots, armor, experience points and upgraded leash. Neither of the big two seem to have a preorder bonus on this one.
Depending on your age and how long you’ve been a gamer, March 1st may be one of the happiest days of your gaming career. By that I mean the return of Twisted Metal! Actually, I may be jumping the gun on this because I don’t think it has a solid release date. GameStop has it listed as March 1, while Amazon has it for December 31 (which is their default for an unknown date in a particular year). Plenty of hype has been tossed at it coming this quarter as well as mentions of Spring 2011. So, even if the date is wrong, you’ll do well to watch for this one. I’m anxious to see what they can do with this on on PS3 hardware.
A more reliable date is March 8, 2011. That’s an important one if you’re an RPG fan as it sees the release of Dragon Age 2. This much-anticipated sequel will come in a “signature” edition, but it seems there’s nothing limited in the actual package. Huh? What you get with that version is download codes for a bonus mission and character, soundtrack, in-game weapons, and “additional downloadable items.” Does this seem like a weird limited edition to anyone else? Also odd, GameStop and Amazon don’t have a preorder offers up yet – but Amazon does say you’ll need to preorder the limited edition by 1/11/11.
March 15 th doesn’t look very special unless you’re excited about Yakuza 4. Instead, you should be looking ahead to Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. Again, there is some confusion about the release date. I think Amazon has it as February 15 but my sources say it has been pushed back. Whenever it comes, it’s going to be fun. If you’ve been skipping the LEGO games because they’re “for kids” you’ve been missing some good times – plus, it’s Star Wars!!!
That pretty well wraps up first quarter. The last week does have a handful of games that could be exciting (Final Fantasy something or other for PSP and a WWE game) but I don’t tend to trust release dates that far ahead and they don’t sound that spectacular. Remember to check back each week for new releases. Also, Spring/Summer 2011 is going to be huge so be sure you don’t miss the 2nd quarter preorder breakdown.