Video Game Quick Hits 3/22/13

Transistor invites players to wield an extraordinary weapon of unknown origin as they explore a stunning futuristic city.” What the hell is Transistor? That’s the newly revealed game coming from Supergiant, the developers behind 2011’s hit game, Bastion. According to the Supergiant blog, “We’re designing our next game to seamlessly integrate thoughtful strategic planning into a fast-paced action experience, complete with our studio’s signature melding of responsive gameplay and rich atmospheric storytelling.” The game is scheduled for 2014, but no platforms have yet been announced. Is that because they haven’t decided, or because it’s coming to an unannounced console ?

NetherRealm and Warner Bros. Interactive has revealed yet another character for the roster of Injustice: Gods Among Us. Really, if we’re talking gods, it’s only fair that we get Captain Marvel (Shazam) and his archenemy, Black Adam. He may not be the most well known of villains, but he’s been a personal favorite of mine. I would expect him and Shazam to be fairly analogous for play styles and move sets, but it’s nice to have them both. The April 16th release date is rapidly approaching.

Speaking of which, a Season Pass program has been announced for the game as well. At least four DLC fighters are planned, but you can get them for the price of three with the pass ($12). They’ll also throw a set of Flashpoint skins from 2011’s event.

Stainless Games’ Kickstarter campaign to fund Carmageddon: Reincarnation has ended successfully. The campaign’s goal was to earn $400,000, which they exceeded by over 50%, generating pledges for $625,000. Les Edgar, founder of Bullfrog Productions, has also committed $3.5 million to the game’s creation. Clearly no release date is currently in the cards for the revival of the famed franchise, but plans are to release (likely as a downloadable) for next-gen consoles (which for the moment only means PS4 as Microsoft still has not announced their next console).

I don’t get the idea of teasing a tease, but that’s the world we live in. SEGA has revealed a teaser image indicating they’ll be making an announcement on Thursday next week for a new game coming to PS3 and Vita. I have no idea what it is, but it looks like it will involve grass and possibly fairy dust.

Quantic Dream has a tendency to release awesome, if unusual, games like Indigo Prophecy, Heavy Rain, and the upcoming Beyond: Two Souls (which looks awesome, but we won’t actually know until October). This may be related to the idea that they don’t release many and they constantly try to push the level of realism and immersion. Which is why it’s good to hear that they’re already working on a PS4 title. Although I do have some trepidation about it. According to CEO Guillaume de Fondaumière, “For us, a new console is another reason to try and innovate,” said Fondaumière. “What is certain is that whatever we’re working on on PS4 is not going to resemble what we’re doing on PS3… We’re going to try and reinvent ourselves.” Reinventing yourself is good, especially with a large step forward in technology. But when you’re hitting such success, could a reinvention actually be to your detriment? I trust David Cage to push the technology and the emotional impact of his stories, so I’m hoping this reinvention won’t stray too far from what’s already made them a success.

In the wake of Lara Croft’s successful reboot, Square Enix has trademarked Lara Croft: Reflections. No word yet on what this is, but it looks like they intend to capitalize on Crystal Dynamics’ rejuvenation of the franchise. Could this be our first clue about the new movie? Are they planning a tablet game? Perhaps a new comic book series? I’m kind of hoping for a downloadable that would highlight the coolest parts of the classic games in the new engine and system. But that’s probably the least likely.

That’s it for this week. Sound off in the comments. What you hoping to see from Lara Croft: Revelations? Who do you hope to see as Injustice‘s four DLC characters? Are you excited about Carmageddon‘s renaissance?