It’s the last edition of VGQH for May. It’s certainly been a wild month, what with the continuing PSN soap opera and the release of LA Noire, sure to be one of the top games of the year (despite any overheating issues it may cause). Now we’re leading into June, meaning E3 and the start of the summer game releases, so the newsfeed isn’t likely to go quiet anytime soon.
What is that? It’s a screenshot from the trailer for the Tomb Raider reboot. Square Enix isn’t releasing the trailer until June 3rd, but they have released a couple screens. Tomb Raider fan detectives have been trying to decipher the numbers and discern every little detail they can from this shot. The most common theory I’ve seen is the numbers are coordinates, pointing to the Dragon’s Triangle south of Japan. Secondly, the tea mug has connections with Artemis, the Greek goddess. There’s history with Artemis in the franchise so that could be a major clue. If deciphering those clues isn’t your thing though, check this screen shot to get a feel for the mood of the game:
The Nintendo Wii had the possibility of a great game in 2009 with House of the Dead: Overkill. It got good reviews, but didn’t gain much sales traction with the family-friendly console’s owners. SEGA is trying again, by making some additions and bringing it to PS3. This extended cut will add two more levels, HD, 3D, and Move support. It may be too little too late, but this could give the title a second life. There are hardcore gamers who own Wiis, but most of them would have preferred this one on an HD console from the get-go. The grandparents who bought a Wii surely passed on it.
Bethesda’s big online action title Brink came out a few weeks ago and has been plagued by lag and a tenuous online service. Good news for the early adopters, a patch is on the way, as well as a thank you gift from the developers. “Agent of Change” will be available for free in June. This add-on will increase the level cap to 24 and include a host of stuff: two new maps (Founders’ Tower, Labs), five player abilities (Field Regen Unit, Napalm Grenade, Pyro Mine, Tactical Scanner, and UAV), two weapon attachments (Bayonet, Weapon Shield), and two character outfits (Sad Punk, Limey). That sounds like a pretty robust package for no charge.
The recent announcement of Hitman: Absolution has many fans shaking in anticipation, while many others are shaking their heads at the memory of the crushing difficulty and trials of patience it took to get the perfect kill. The series has always provided interesting ways to kill via stealth or slaughter. The gunplay in shootouts could be problematic, but sometimes it was so annoying to find the right mix of disguise and “accidental” explosions that the only way to complete it was to go in with Ballers blazing and slaughter everything in the way. IO Interactive’s Game Director, Tore Blystad, has a few comments about this dichotomy and what to expect of it in the next game.
The Hitman games of the past have been very hardcore. Even though the fantasy of the Hitman universe has a very universal appeal, the games have been so difficult to play, that it’s been more of an acquired taste.
The biggest challenge that we had with this game was to make it much broader in every sense, so that it was easier to play and more accessible, but still retain a very strong, hardcore side as well. We don’t want to alienate any of our fans who have been extremely loyal for so many years.
That doesn’t actually tell us much about what will change, but it does tell us that they are trying to appease long time fans and lower the bar for entry to the series. My theory is that it will be much like Blood Money‘s gameplay. You had the option on every job for 47 to get away scot-free making the kill look like an accident. It was also possible to perform the assassination in a more grandiose fashion, but at significant penalty. If they take away the penalty, it makes it a fun puzzle challenge to get the “perfect” kill, but still makes the game enjoyable if you prefer using your twin .45s.
In the growing trend of collector editions, you can add one more to the list. If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll definitely want the expanded version of Driver: San Francisco. While the announcement of a collector’s edition has been known for some time, Ubisoft has just recently revealed what the package includes. Not only will you get a replica model of the 1970 Dodge Challenger, it also comes with a collectibles map, comic book, three in-game cars (’63 Aston Martin DB5, ’66 Shelby Cobra 427, and ’72 Lamborghini Miura) and four in-game challenges (Mass Chase, Relay Race, Russian Hills Racers and Taxi). I like the mix of real world and in-game items, plus the collectibles map will be much handier than buying a guide or playing with your laptop open the whole time.
One of the first games I’ve seen confirmed as playable at E3 is Square Enix’s Heroes of Ruin for the 3DS. In what sounds like a classic RPG synopsis, “four unlikely heroes [are] brought together to form a fearsome alliance.” Extra features for the game go far beyond classic RPG tropes. The game will use “StreetPass to create an inventive in-game ‘Traders’ Network’ where players can buy and sell rare and powerful items picked up in battle. With an ever-changing inventory updated from each player passed in public, character strengths and abilities can be greatly enhanced by accessing items from other players’ games.” You’ll also be able to use your device’s SpotPass to gain items or challenges via Wi-Fi. In regular gameplay, you can adventure alone or with friends using drop-in/out co-op. It’s scheduled for an early 2012 release.
Ready for some big DLC news on one of the biggest recent releases? All of L.A. Noire‘s preorder bonuses you got at various retailers will become available to the late arrivals at a fee. Which also means you can pick up the special items you didn’t get from the other store. The Nicholson Electroplating Arson Case and Reefer Madness Vice Case will be available June 21 and July 12, respectively. The two preorder cases will be $3.99 each. The other two extra cases, A Slip of the Tongue and The Naked City, are also currently available for $3.99. Other DLC includes the Badge Pursuit Challenge ($1.99), the Broderick suit ($0.99), Sharpshooter Detective suit ($0.99), and Chicago Piano (free). According to my math that means about $20 for the whole package. And here’s the great news. Starting today, for a limited time you’ll get the whole kit at half price ($9.99) with the Rockstar Pass. If you don’t jump on it prior to June 14th, you’ll still get a great deal buying the Pass for $11.99.
Oh yeah, that “starting today” thing currently only applies to XBox 360 because the PlayStation Store is still down. Which brings me to Sony’s oddly-worded press release about the the restoration of the remaining PSN services: “Sony Corporation and Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) announced today that Sony Network Entertainment International (SNEI, the company) will fully restore all PlayStation Network services in the Americas, Europe/PAL territories and Asia, excluding Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea by the end of this week.” That’s not so oddly worded, except that it was released on May 31st, a Tuesday, and also the date they had previously confirmed for the actual restoration. So, are they saying the Store and Qriocity services will be back today as planned, or did they just announce a delay to June 4th without actually saying so? Considering how long the service has been gone, and the gravity of the attack, I suppose four more days goes in the “could be worse” category.
That wraps May I guess. It’s a little bit of a shame that I couldn’t end it with some of my most-anticipated games, Mass Effect 3 and Arkham City. But fret not, E3 is coming!