Dead Space 2
We’re still in the slow part of the release year, and the two games I featured last week were pushed to this week—where they are still the most interesting things on the list—but I guess a couple other new games are worth mentioning, like Dead Space 2. The sequel takes place a few years after the events of the original, and is still intended to be freaky and dark and pseudo psychological. Personally, I can’t stand these horror survival type games (they give me a headache when I try to play), but this one has been getting lots of applause from the review community, so I guess that’s something. If you’re into it, you probably already know to pick it up. Everybody else should give it a miss.
Lord of Arcana
I’m not really sure about Lord of Arcana, but honestly, I feel a sense of obligation to talk about Square Enix games. I mean, judging from their platform choice (PSP), they don’t actually want people to even be able to play the game, but whatevs, let’s look at it anyway. This is a Hack and Slash, third-person sword-swinger adventure, which is not surprising. I was surprised, however, to find the promotional website slathered in American Hard Rock sounds and images, which don’t really match up with the look and feel of the game. Also, many of the bosses are drawn by famous comic book illustrators, which could be appreciated a lot more on a big screen. There are lots of weapon choices, of course, but most compelling is the 4-player co-op, which, if I didn’t think it was going to just be a bunch of boring button mashing interspersed with leveling-on-rails, might be almost enough to make me wish that me and three of my friends had PSPs, but probably not.
Magicka
The Icrontic spotlight this week glints along the gold-fringed robes of Magicka. This 4-player parody adventure game feels like a sophisticated older cousin to the popular Castle Crashers of yore. Each play takes on the role of a studious wizard of the Order of Magick, and when the capitol city of Hávindr is threatened, it is they who are called out to end the siege. The magic system is supposedly dynamic, which in this case means that players will be casting magic from 8 different elements in many possible combinations. From the videos, it looks like magic will be the primary means of attack, rather than a resource which must be conserved for difficult enemies. The lighthearted themes, and co-operative mechanics should make this game a blast to try out with your buddies. Make sure you turn on Skype first, however, as the game mysteriously does not seem to support voice chat.
Following is a full list of this week’s announced North American releases:
Windows
- Breach
- Dead Space 2
- Dungeon Fighter Online Act VII: Witching Hour
- Kate Brooks: The Secret Legacy
- Magic: The Gathering – Tactics
- Magicka
- Monday Night Combat
- Venetica
- World of Tanks
Wii
- 1942 (VC)
DS
- Airport Mania: Non-Stop Flights
- Ante Up: Texas Hold’em
- Digger Dan & Kaboom
- Paws & Claws Marine Rescue
- Rocks N’ Rockets
Xbox 360
- Beer Pong
- Dead Space 2
- The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
- Two Worlds II
PS3
- Dead Space 2
- Two Worlds II
PSP
- Lord of Arcana
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