The news has warmed up a little in this last week of September. The dam has already started to leak on the Fall/holiday flood of games, and the news is starting to reach out to tease Spring games. Let’s get right to it.
We now know that there will be a full season retail release of Telltale’s The Walking Dead in December. It was an odd announcement because the last two episodes aren’t even available yet. Good news, Telltale has announced that Episode 4: Around Every Corner “will be launching very soon this October.” Episode 5 is still scheduled for later this year, probably early November. Of course, not all of the episodes have released on time to date. Here’s hoping that the retail release means they’re back on a firm schedule.
Harmonix must have liked the results of their recent sale on Rock Band tracks. They’ve now announced a similar promotion for Dance Central. Good timing. Dance Central 3 is set for release on October 16th. The list is extensive, so read it on their site. Suffice to say, it looks like damn near everything is 25-50% off.
One of the most anticipated titles for geeks is the upcoming Injustice: Gods Among Us. Knowing us the way they do, NetherRealm and Warner Bros. aren’t content to just build a super hero fighting game that they know we all want. Nope, they had to make a Collector’s Edition. Actually, two of them. Both versions will have downloadable skins for Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman based on their New 52 costumes. Both will also include special editions of two new DC comics. And both will include a statue. The US version will include a digital download of the animated Justice League: Doom. The UK version skips the film, but gets a steelbook case for the game instead. Possibly the biggest difference is actually in the statue. I say possibly because the UK version has only been shown in a drawing, while the US version actually looks to be a prototype model. It’s possible they’ll all be the US version in the final builds, but the UK’s promo materials make that one look better. The US version has a ridiculously large-breasted Wonder Woman preparing to slam Kal-El’s intergalactic stroller (rocket) down on Batman’s head, which is also tangled in her lasso of truth. The UK version of the statue still has a Wonder Woman in need of a breast reduction, but they aren’t quite as absurd. The fight looks a little less ridiculous as well, as Batman is throttling Diana while her lasso is tangled around his arm, preventing the batarang he’s holding from bashing her skull. Also worth noting, the cover of that special edition comic has a Martian Manhunter logo. He hasn’t been confirmed for the game, but this gives me hope. I love Martian Manhunter. I also can’t confirm pricing, but it looks like it should be about $100. The Collector’s Edition will obviously be available with the basic retail release in April 2013.
In a market where series collections are all the new rage, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that a Mass Effect Trilogy package is headed to retail. What is surprising is that the bundle will be available on XBox 360 and PS3. Yes, Mass Effect 1 is finally coming to PS3! If you’re a Sony gamer and already have the second and third games, you don’t even have to buy the full $60 bundle to get the one that started it all. The first game in the trilogy will also be available as a standalone download on PSN. Release is scheduled for November 6th to coincide with “N7 Day” on November 7th. Bioware has apparently set aside that date for “a worldwide celebration of the Mass Effect franchise.” Look for events happening in-game, live, and online to celebrate the date. I’m currently in my third run of Mass Effect 3 and I can’t wait for my chance to actually play the first game instead of playing choose your own adventure with an interactive comic. But, does this mean they’ll also patch the PS3 version of ME2 to allow a character import?
Another great collection headed for retail, and another bonus for Sony players, is the Assassin’s Creed Ezio Trilogy. If you’re late to the franchise, this is the perfect place to start. The first game was good, but very repetitive. You could find a cheap, used copy if you’d like. but you might as well just skip Altair’s story and jump right in with Ezio. All three titles featuring the Renaissance Italian will be included (ACII, Brotherhood, and Revelations) for only $40. The announcement doesn’t mention any DLC, but I would presume all of it will be included. It’s coming on November 13th, and it’s exclusive to PS3. If you hold out for this one and complete all three games first, you’ll probably be just in time to see a price drop on ACIII, which is coming on October 30th.
Starbreeze Studios may not be the most well known developer, but their list of recent titles (Syndicate, two Chronicles of Riddick titles, and The Darkness) have earned them a loyal following. Yesterday saw the reveal of their newest project, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Being published by 505 Games in Spring 2013, the game sees two brothers on a quest for “The Water of Life” to cure their dying father. The PR blurb seems to emphasize the artistic side: “One must be strong where the other is weak, brave where the other is fearful, they must be… Brothers.” Filmmaker Josef Fares is apparently the master of the creative end, and his thoughts seem a little a more assuring: “When I first visualized Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons I knew I wanted to combine the deep, engrossing storyline of a film with the physical experience of a video game, allowing players to emotionally connect with the characters as they trek across sweeping, interactive environments such as peaceful vistas, foreboding forests and dangerous mountainsides.” I’m more than a little curious. I also like that it will be downloadable for PS3 and XBox 360 (and possibly WiiU if I’m reading it correctly), instead of a full retail release.
I’m not sure if this is Microsoft’s answer to PS+, or just a rewarding promotion for their loyal customers, but the new XBox Live Rewards system is pretty awesome. If you game on PS3 and 360, this might be the extra incentive you need to get multi-platform titles strictly on your 360. Depending on your Gamerscore, you can actually earn MSP credit. There are three tiers to earning your rewards, starting at just 3,000 Gamerscore. At the Contender stage you’ll get a free gift, worth 15 MSP, during your birthday month. Not much, but free is free. The next level, Champion, falls in the 10-25,000 range. At this level you’ll get your birthday gift and a 1% rebate each month on your Marketplace purchases. If your score is above 25,000 you’ll become a Legend. Legendary status bumps your monthly rebate up to 2%. Frankly, this isn’t much unless you’re spending a lot of cash each month (not even enough to cover your annual subscription); if you are spending that much, it’s still not a lot in comparison. But, as I’ve already mentioned, free is free. To take advantage you will need a Gold membership and you’ll need to activate the Rewards program.
That’s it for the week, and the month. As we look forward to October and beyond, what are you playing right now in anticipation? Did you start the season early with Borderlands 2? Are you still playing something older (yeah, I’m still on Mass Effect 3) as you save up for that one game that excites you most? Which upcoming game(s) are you just itching to draw your wallet and play? Are you ignoring all games as you wait for the WiiU? Let us know in the comments!