This is traditionally a slow time of year for games and this year will be no exception. There are definitely some good titles on the horizon, but they aren’t as prolific as you’d expect from fourth quarter. I’m hoping that in the future publishers will come to the same realization film distributors are finally reaching, that media doesn’t have seasons. We want to play (or watch) all year long. Just like blockbusters don’t have to open in July to make money, games don’t have to launch in October or November to become best sellers.
4/3/12
I can’t write for Big Shiny Robot! and not say the first thing that’s going to be awesome this quarter is Kinect Star Wars. I have to say it with some trepidation though as I haven’t seen much of it in action and most of the hands-on previews I’ve read have mentioned the janky control. But, it’s Star Wars! There are no bonuses anywhere I could find, so get it wherever is the most convenient or offers the best deal for you.
4/17/12
If you’re not a PC gamer but love RPGs, you may have found yourself wishing you could play The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings for months. At long last it’s coming to console, but only for XBox 360. Like most ports, preorder bonuses are kind of nonexistent. However, Amazon is offering a digital copy of The Witcher comic.
4/24/12
Prototype 2 will come with a free upgrade to the RADNET Edition regardless of where you preorder. But, if you get it from GameStop you’ll score an extra finishing move, the Bio-Bomb Butt Kicker. Amazon will give you the Prototype 2 digital comic. Best Buy has a vehicle armor bonus.
5/1/12
Sure, it will have been out on consoles for over a year, but the touch screen controls they’re adding to Mortal Kombat for Vita look like it may actually be enjoyable for fighting game cripples like myself. Again, no preorder bonuses that I’ve seen.
5/15/12
Say goodbye to the PC gamers in your life. They’ve been waiting YEARS for Diablo III. Once again, no preorder bonuses, but the people buying this one don’t need any. Remember though that this won’t have the PvP available on day one. That will be coming via patch at a later date. Blizzard was just ready to get the game out and didn’t want that one mode slowing it down any further. Get your looting fingers limbered.
If you’re not a PC gamer though, Rockstar’s launching Max Payne 3 today as well. They are offering preorder bonuses. GameStop will give you the Cemetery Multiplayer Map. Amazon has the Deadly Force Burst, which will give your bullets more damage in multiplayer. If you order by April 15th at either of those places, you also get the in-game Pill Bottle Loadout. Best Buy is offering the first multiplayer expansion for free. I’m a little unclear on whether that’s the same Cemetery map GameStop is offering.
5/22/12
XBox 360 got the first mention this quarter with a questionable recommendation. Now it’s PS3’s turn with Sorcery. This looks very interesting and built a lot of excitement when it was first announced. It’s since gone through a serious visual change. I’m still not completely sold on the motion control concept, but this could easily be the first Move title that convinces me it was worth my investment.
6/5/12
Inversion is the kind of title that could easily get a lost in a different time of year. Just another reason to avoid the “gaming season” release schedule. Too many games at once means a few good games will go unnoticed. A third person shooter with gravity controlling mechanics has just enough possibility to be interesting. I would be extremely excited for this if it weren’t coming from Namco Bandai. I’m just not sure I trust them enough with the controls for something that could be very complicated. For me, it’s definitely a rent before I buy, but still something I will be playing. Of course that means I’ll miss out on the Verge or Riot multiplayer maps with a preorder from GameStop and Best Buy, respectively.
6/12/12
If Gravity Rush meets expectations, this could be the title that sells me on the PS Vita. Like Inversion this one has you tweaking gravity and physics. I’ve heard this compared to Portal but I’m not sure I understood the explanation of that analogy. The cel-shaded graphics look incredible and it actually uses the motion controls of tilting the Vita in a way that makes sense, not just using the technology simply because it’s there. But that’s not the only notable title this week.
Full consoles players may be more interested in Lollipop Chainsaw. It’s Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture, so don’t expect it to make sense. If you don’t know what this one is: cute cheerleader being guided by her boyfriend’s dismembered head as she attempts to reclaim her school, San Romero High, from zombies… with a chainsaw. If that hasn’t sold you then you clearly don’t understand the beauty of ridiculousness. Your retailer determines your preorder costume: Jimmy Urine and Evil Dead‘s Ash from GameStop, Rockabilly from Amazon, and Foxy Funk and Goth Girl from Best Buy.
6/19/12
Come on, if you didn’t think I was going to highlight LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes you’re on the wrong site. Somewhere out there is still someone who thinks the LEGO games are silly time wasters for children. They are. But they’re also incredibly fun and I’ve enjoyed every one of them (except Pirates of the Caribbean but that’s only because I haven’t gotten to it yet). If the LEGOs aren’t enough reason to play it, this one also has Batman! And not just Batman, but Superman, Green Lantern and tons of other DC characters as well. Multitudes of characters are definitely one of the highlights of this series. Unfortunately, they don’t tend to do much with preorder incentives. GameStop is offering a Lex Luthor minifig though.
6/26/12
This was kind of a tough week to pare down to a single highlight. The Amazing Spiderman movie tie-in is releasing this week (and hopefully won’t suck like most movie games). LittleBigPlanet for PS Vita is also tentative. Darksiders II gets the nod for the showcase solely because it has preorder incentives and that’s the point of this column. Argul’s Tomb looks to be a standard pack in at all retailers. Additionally GameStop is giving you the Death Rides expansion pack with multiple side quests. Amazon has the Deadly Despair pack which will speed up Death’s mount, Despair, to get you across the massive map faster.
That’ll finish out the quarter. As always, release dates and incentives are subject to change.