Hopefully you decided to read this edition of VGQH before hitting the game store. I know once you get home with Portal 2 and Mortal Kombat it might be a while before you hit your favorite sites again.
First things first, Nintendo has a new console announcement. And it’s HD. This is obviously a bigger story than VGQH should be handling. But rather than tell you about it myself, I’d encourage you to listen to the most recent BSR! Podcast.
There is some cool new information about the multiplayer Infestation mode in THQ/Volition’s upcoming Red Faction Armageddon. This is your basic co-op survival mode. Waves of Martian enemies will come at you from all sides, you’re job is to kill them. Working together is optional to play, but required to play well. The Martian beasts have better vision in the dark catacombs, but you have dual pistols, a magent gun, and more.
If you’re a multiplayer junkie, you might also want to know what’s been revealed about the upcoming Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (November 2011). Naughty Dog has announced a few bits and pieces to whet your appetite. Two maps, The Chateau and The Airstrip, show off two different styles. While The Chateau will have you ziplining through multiple levels, The Airstrip starts with a vehicle chase followed by a firefight at a hangar, complete with strafing planes. For modes, you’ll get the obvious Team Deathmatch, plus Three Team Deathmatch (2 vs 2 vs 2). There will also be the surely chaotic Free for All mode. For certain types you’ll also be able to play split screen with two different PSN IDs. For the less competitive folks, there will also be a co-op system, featuring the buddy system, where you spawn on your partner and share treasures. Customization has been increased as well. If you’re anxious to check this out I’d encourage you to get involved with the beta starting June 28th. To do that, you’ll need to buy inFamous 2, which you ought to play no matter what, or sign up for PlayStation Plus.
I was not aware that Army of Two was all that popular, but it looks like a third entry in the series will be coming. I guess all games have their niche. I love co-op campaigns, but the reviews were so bad on the first one in 2008 that I didn’t even try it. That means I also skipped The 40th Day, 2010’s sequel. However, for those of you who liked it, Visceral Games’ (Dead Space) Montreal studio have job listings for both senior producer and lead environment artist on the franchise. I wouldn’t expect it soon, but it sounds like a third game could be on the way.
Alice: Madness Returns is coming out in June. But that’s not news, we’ve known that for a while. It’s coming out on consoles too. That’s also not news. As more and more games are leaving the PC only realm and moving to console (or moving from console exclusive to multiplatform) developers and publishers are finding themselves with a new audience that needs to be caught up on the story so far. Now for the news part: In addition to announcing DLC dresses with special abilities for Alice, American McGee has announced how they plan to get console gamers up to speed. They’re giving you the first game for free. Included in the box will be a download code for a console port of the 2000 game. It’s safe to assume the code is one-time use, so only new buyers will get the free game. While it has not been confirmed, I expect renters and used buyers will still be able to purchase the port from their console’s store for $10-15.
For readers of Big Shiny Robot! I know there is one upcoming game that shines like a beacon above all others. That game even surpasses Halloween for reasons to look forward to October. Which is why, even though it’s a small thing, I refuse to skip the news that Tasia Valenza has announced she will be reprising her role as Poison Ivy in Batman: Arkham City. Like I said, it’s not much. But it does confirm the green-thumbed (and green-skinned) villainess will be returning in the sequel.
In honor of his 20th anniversary, SEGA has confirmed Sonic Generations is in development. Through the use of inexplicable “time holes,” players will be controlling multiple versions of Sonic from the last two decades. The arrogant 1991 Sonic will utilize his appropriate moveset in 2D worlds drawn from past games. The whiny, modern day counterpart will use his own homing attack and other current moves in 3D worlds. This could be entertaining if you’re a hardcore fan of the blue hedgehog, but I’m not sure it has a very large audience. I question how many nostalgic fans will care for the new mechanics, and whether the newer fans will be comfortable stepping back into Sonic’s spinning red tennis shoes of yesteryear.
Bethesda held their BFG Showcase in Utah recently but there didn’t seem to be anything really huge. I’m disappointed. Here’s a quick breakdown of the highlights on their top games, but don’t expect much:
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Basically just more of the same. There was solid demo shown, about an hour long, highlighting spells, combat, NPC interaction, the usual. A few new screens have shown up as well, but nothing really groundbreaking. This game looks awesome if it’s your kind of game. If you aren’t already planning to play it then nothing they showed will change your mind.
Rage – The Anarchy Edition was announced as a preorder incentive. It includes hybrid armor, an exclusive vehicle, spiked gloves for melee combat, and a double barreled, one-handed shotgun. Some gameplay footage was shown. Some members of the press got a little hands on time. But, like Skyrim, there’s nothing about it to change your mind. Two multiplayer modes were announced though.
1. Combat Rally is objective based, mixed up with vehicular combat. It’s extremely customizable, has at least five maps, up to six players, and multiple game modes. It’s essentially checkpoint racing with a psychotic, combat twist.
2. Legends of the Wasteland is a two player co-op mode (online or split screen) that seems to play out like a spaghetti western. There are eight scenarios sending the players into areas from the single player campaign with specific objectives. Ultimately it leads to cleaning out the bad guys.
Prey 2 – They clarified that they’re using a “heavily modified” id Tech 4, not id Tech 5 (like Rage). There was a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo, but it ultimately comes down to the fact that they were already tweaking four before five was ready. The modifications make it much cooler and more ideally suited for the sequel’s open world style. They dropped a few generic screen shots as well, but these all look like they could just as easily come from Mass Effect 3. Sorry, this game just doesn’t look to have much personality.
Brink – A few new screens have been released but no new information. Customization is clearly a big deal. The screens are pretty.
Hunted: The Demon’s Forge – The dungeon creation tool, called Crucible, was shown off. This looks pretty in-depth and has tons of potential. If you love dungeon crawlers (or have ever been a Dungeon Master) this is going to be very exciting for you. You’ll be creating your own dungeons, then fighting through them in co-op mode, either split screen or online. Difficulty, length, available monsters, and more will all be adjustable.
Fallout: New Vegas – Despite expectations for additional DLC announcements, this game was completely ignored.