August 13 – August 17

Section: 

Since I'm not actually giving it Game of the Week, but it still seems like a pretty big deal, I'm starting this week off with The Last Story. While it seems to have all the standards that define a JRPG, from battle system to character design, word on the street is that this is something to stop and pay attention to. My problem pretty consistently with JRPGs is not actually their gameplay, or at least not always. No, what usually turns me off of them is their narratives, which I'm sure are entirely appropriate for their intended audiences, but always strike me as juvenile and dense with characters that act according to a flimsy archetype rather than a fleshed personality.

Word on the mean streets of JRPG fandom is that this game fits a more evolved mold, which is always nice to hear.

Also this week, Darksiders 2 hits PCs and consoles. Initial buzz appears to be largely positive, and the consensus seems to be that this sequel does what all good sequels do. It appears to take what was good about the first game, and then polishes, expands and improves without losing what made the game good to begin with. So, if the idea of a game that is basically Darksiders only more and bigger is appealing, then this may be for you.

But, my pick for Game of the Week is New Super Mario Bros. 2. The previous DS entry into the now ancient and hallowed series is, for my money, one of the best implementations, and another go-round on that particular carousel is an easy choice for the pick of the week. It's almost enough to get me to think about buying a 3DS. Almost.

Regardless of your pick of poisons, it seems a hard week to go wrong.

PC
- Legends of Pegasus
- Sleeping Dogs
- Darksiders II
- Tower Wars
- Drip Drip (download)
- Iron Brigade (download)
- Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack (download)

Xbox 360
- Darksiders II
- Sleeping Dogs
- Dust: An Elysian Tail (XBLA)

PS3
- Darksiders II
- Sleeping Dogs
- Papo & Yo (PSN)
- Shinobi (PS2 classic)

Wii
- The Last Story

3DS
- New Super Mario Bros. 2
- Crazy Chicken Pirates 3D (eShop)

DS
- Crazy Chicken Pirates (DSiWare)

Comments

Sleeping Dogs. Iron Brigade (finally on pc!).

Good times.

Promising releases this week, but too busy with other stuff to really have a desire to open the wallet.

The Last Story is what I'm looking forward to this week; too bad Amazon isn't doing release-day delivery for that one.

I'm psyched for NSMB2, but I don't have a 3DS.

Now that I have a commute, I think I can justify getting one (pile be damned), so I was planning on picking up the 3DS XL when it launches next week. I may wait a bit to see if they launch a bundle or alternate colors in the next month or so though.

It begins...

IMAGE(http://cdn.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/50650/header_292x136.jpg?t=1344876361)

IMAGE(http://i.minus.com/i0zAWhvW11ZWV.png)

and

IMAGE(http://i.minus.com/ibo3Q7ZkkBmaq1.png)
for me this week

Darksiders 2 and The Last Story for me, with a "maybe in the future" for NSBM2.

Minarchist wrote:

The Last Story is what I'm looking forward to this week; too bad Amazon isn't doing release-day delivery for that one. :(

...Looks like I might need to update my Amazon shipping location sooner than I expected >_<

Hero Academy just launched on the PC this week, so that's the one for me.

Hope Sleeping Dogs does well if only because I'd hate to read about another Vancouver studio being shuttered.

My wallet just gave me the Hawaiian Good Luck Sign and headed off to R'lyeh for the week. Sigh. Darksiders, Last Story for me.

No, what usually turns me off of them is their narratives, which I'm sure are entirely appropriate for their intended audiences, but always strike me as juvenile and dense with characters that act according to a flimsy archetype rather than a fleshed personality.

You just perfectly described my experience with The Witcher.

The Last Story already preordered. The rest? I don't have a 3DS yet, and I haven't finished Darksiders. I might get Papo & Yo though.

Oh yeah, and a 3DSXL. Though, I still am not getting NSMB2.

PC
- Legends of Pegasus

This was also on last week's TWA (which was incorrectly labeled as Maximum Verbosity). A quick check of Steam shows a release date of August 10.

Too much games...

Garden Ninja wrote:

I'm psyched for NSMB2, but I don't have a 3DS.

Now that I have a commute, I think I can justify getting one (pile be damned), so I was planning on picking up the 3DS XL when it launches next week. I may wait a bit to see if they launch a bundle or alternate colors in the next month or so though.

I feel like they will do another holiday bundle in November, as usual. Probably will be picking up my 3DS XL then.

This almost feels like a November week in August. 3 high-profile titles, 2 console (and Darksiders on PC also) and 1 portable.

MeatMan wrote:
PC
- Legends of Pegasus

This was also on last week's TWA (which was incorrectly labeled as Maximum Verbosity). A quick check of Steam shows a release date of August 10.

Yeah it was out Friday. And it's a solid DO NOT BUY. Released in a buggy, almost unplayable state by all reports. And no professional reviews out there either. Very bad. Check back in a few months.

Stele wrote:
Garden Ninja wrote:

I'm psyched for NSMB2, but I don't have a 3DS.

Now that I have a commute, I think I can justify getting one (pile be damned), so I was planning on picking up the 3DS XL when it launches next week. I may wait a bit to see if they launch a bundle or alternate colors in the next month or so though.

I feel like they will do another holiday bundle in November, as usual. Probably will be picking up my 3DS XL then.

This almost feels like a November week in August. 3 high-profile titles, 2 console (and Darksiders on PC also) and 1 portable. :shock:

Dang. I've been getting pretty psyched about getting a 3DS for a while, but figured it made sense to wait until the XL launched. Not sure I want to wait another 3 months for the bundle. Is the base model likely to get cheaper after the XL comes out?

Looking at Amazon, it looks like the bundle is basically just the system with a game for a bit cheaper than they would be separately. I do wish they launched with more colors though.

I'd bet my entire savings account there will be new colors in November too.

Interested in Papo & Yo

Darksiders 2 isn't the Game of the Week?!

HIGHWAY ROBBERY, I SAY!

Was Darksiders any good?

Jayhawker wrote:

Was Darksiders any good?

For $4.99 it was. At $5 it wasn't.

Tanglebones wrote:

Interested in Papo & Yo

Absolutely.

Darksiders II is downloading now on Steam. Really liked the first one a lot more than I expected to.

I want a 3DS XL too. Any good trade in values for the old 3DS going on?

wordsmythe wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:

Interested in Papo & Yo

Absolutely.

I wasn't quite sure based on pre-release buzz, but I think the Giant Bomb quick look may have just sold me a copy. Looks pretty cool.

Can we change this week's GotW to TF2?

http://www.teamfortress.com/mvm/

ClockworkHouse wrote:
No, what usually turns me off of them is their narratives, which I'm sure are entirely appropriate for their intended audiences, but always strike me as juvenile and dense with characters that act according to a flimsy archetype rather than a fleshed personality.

You just perfectly described my experience with The Witcher video games.

There we go. All better now.

Well-played, Ozy.

Sleeping Dogs and Dust call out to me... mostly everything else seems rather blah. Mario's always fun, but nothing I can't wait for... plus not owning a 3DS (and not being interested in doing so), it's pretty much a no go for me.

Mario is pre-ordered. Papo and Yo is very likely. Soundshapes should hit today in the EU and is a definite. Darksiders 2 may have to wait for a couple of weeks. In fact, I have 2 weeks leave coming up, and that might be a good game to play then.