September 10th - 14th

Section: 

Battlefield 3 is a game I feel torn on. At launch, I loved this game. I felt like it was a brilliant upgrade to the franchise that managed to capture the fun of playing Battlefield 1942 back in the day, while nestling comfortably into the niche for modern wargaming that's become popularized by Call of Duty. I played for weeks, slowly ranking up my character, unlocking new weapons and holding my own well enough against a competitive GWJ crew.

Now, it's a game I feel like I can never go back to.

There's just too much DLC, too many maps I never got around to playing and above all else I sense it will feel like the majority of players will have both unlocked their full arsenal and their deep reservoirs of super-human, game-playing skills. It's like looking up a mountain that I'm only half interested in even thinking about climbing. This is the same thing that keeps me out of reloading Team Fortress 2, which I have fond memories of from a day before hats were a thing.

With Battlefield 3 Premium launching this week, though, perhaps there are players braver and more stalwart than I, who will take advantage of a package the includes the DLC, a pass for upcoming content and a selection of instant unlocks.

For me, though, the game of the week is FTL, an indie, rogue-like set in space and built around the idea of recreating the feeling of being in an episode of genre television. Emphasizing more of the heat of managing a spaceship and crew in combat and exploration, it will be nice to see a game funded through Kickstarter actually hit the market.

PC
- Battlefield 3 Premium
- Critter Crunch (download - $7)
- Dungeon Gate
- FTL: Faster Than Light (download - $10)
- I Am Alive (download - $15)
- Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken (download - $10)
- Secret Files 3 (download)
- Tryst (download)
- Uprising44: The Silent Shadows (download)
- War of the Human Tanks (download)

Xbox 360
- Battlefield 3 Premium
- Double Dragon: Neon (XBLA - $10)
- Gateways (XBLIG)
- Joe Danger 2: The Movie (XBLA - $15)
- NHL 13
- Red Johnson's Chronicles: One Against All (XBLA)
- Tekken Tag Tournament 2

PS3
- Anomaly: Warzone Earth (PSN)
- Battlefield 3 Premium
- Double Dragon: Neon (PSN - $10)
- La Pucelle: Tactics (PS2 Classic)
- NHL 13
- Red Johnson's Chronicles: One Against All (PSN)
- Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Wii
- Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition

PSP
- Ronny O'Sullivan's Snooker

3DS
- Fractured Soul (eShop - $12)
- Heavy Fire: Special Operations 3D (eShop - $5)

DS
- Bookstore Dreams (DSiWare - $2)

Comments

Coincidentally Wednesday is the 10th anniversary of BF1942 being released.

There's just too much DLC [in Battlefield 3)

That's all I need to describe BF3. I've still not come around to DLC, and Battlefield 3 is just making it harder to find it acceptable. Yeah, there's tons of content in the Premium package and all, but I still don't like it. I stopped playing when close quarters came out. Doubt I'll ever play any Battlefield again. Granted I didn't get into the games until a bit after Bad Company 2 had been out, but I really enjoyed that game and mostly enjoyed 3. But, I figure I'm mostly alone where I stand, so EA will keep churning out audience dividing DLC.

mrtomaytohead wrote:
There's just too much DLC [in Battlefield 3)

That's all I need to describe BF3. I've still not come around to DLC, and Battlefield 3 is just making it harder to find it acceptable. Yeah, there's tons of content in the Premium package and all, but I still don't like it. I stopped playing when close quarters came out. Doubt I'll ever play any Battlefield again. Granted I didn't get into the games until a bit after Bad Company 2 had been out, but I really enjoyed that game and mostly enjoyed 3. But, I figure I'm mostly alone where I stand, so EA will keep churning out audience dividing DLC.

I think it's a problem that needs effort to fix, but I'm not sure EA will be the one to fix it. I don't mind DLC of itself, you want to expand your game, great, but as you say it's the audience dividing aspect I can't love, especially when it's from smaller bolt-on expansions to a large/expensive base game. That base should always feel like 'the game'.

I'd be interested to see if there's a way to making a game of smaller but equal parts that join together, but I can see that being almost impossible for a game such as BF3 which has a large amount of expensive things to be produced up-front before they've collected a penny, so something like BF1942 remade into lots of BF1943 small games would not be viable.

The other way I see it going is that the expansions be quite different and attractive for those differences in their own right, but I think now those would probably be developed into separate games, or not greenlit at all as 'risky' by a publisher such as EA compared to what they know works.

EA however is in the market of selling big boxes, and they have found success in doing that, even with the 'big box' of BF3 premium which has sold well. For a significant proportion of the BF3 audience, they've succeeded in selling the game to them twice, likely at full price or close to it. As someone will rightfully point out, that's a willing purchase, they haven't stolen that out of their wallets, but I can't get the feeling out of the back of my mind there is that "or else" of dividing the playerbase or being in the 'lesser' have-not part of the playerbase if you don't fork out.

Personally it's sad to see something I like playing and have spend a significant amount of time playing over the past decade morph into a form I can't get behind. It just seems like the way I have to go is to cut my losses and try to find something else to scratch that itch.

Is FTL coming out on Steam?

FTL for GotW? Didn't see that coming.

Elysium wrote:

This is the same thing that keeps me out of reloading Team Fortress 2, which I have fond memories of from a day before hats were a thing.

The worst kept secret of TF2 is that all the hattes and new gear really doesn't change the behavior of the classes that much. In fact, most of the stock gear is more than adequate for playing your class effectively. Plus the new game modes are fairly easy to pick up if you're significantly lapsed.

Or you can just play Manne vs. Machine and not worry about 90% of that crap

---

Didn't know Kirby Collection was out this week. Might have to update the birthday wishlist slightly.

Dysplastic wrote:

Is FTL coming out on Steam?

Yes. They were using Steam for beta testing access.

Joe Danger 2 looks to be more awesome fun, but I know for sure that FTL IS awesome fun.

FTL FTW!

I'm not a fan of most rogue-like games, but I'm really enjoying FTL since I started playing it a few days ago.

As the first notable kickstarter-funded game to be released, I'm curious to find out how well it sells. It's releasing for $10, a more than reasonable price, so that should definitely help its sales numbers.

Fractured Soul could be really interesting. It's pretty much the only thing that caught my eye this week since the Kirby collection, neat as it is, would have me playing Gameboy games on my HDTV which sounds a little unpleasant.

Dysplastic wrote:

Is FTL coming out on Steam?

Yes; on September 14th according to FTL's Site.

"When is it coming out?

FTL will be released on September 14th, 2012! It will be available for purchase on Steam, at GOG.com and here, on our website."

http://www.ftlgame.com/?page_id=19

FTL looks great - looking forward to that.

Also interested in Secret Files 3. The first game was TERRIBLE, the second one improved but still not great BUT! the next game the company made (Lost Horizon) was really rather good so I'm willing to risk another stab at that particular universe.

FTL is awesome, can't wait to see more folks playing it.

Double Dragon Neon joystiq review.

And a video preview from a few months ago:

I think I want this.

Stele wrote:

Double Dragon Neon joystiq review.

And a video preview from a few months ago:

I think I want this. :cool:

WayForward are an awesome dev for the stuff they do.

Free for PSN+ members. Sweet!

I am so excited for FTL on Friday. I first found about the game on one of the GWJ conference calls where everyone was raving about it. After recently playing a lot of Spelunky on xbla, I have been craving another roguelike and FTL looks like the perfect game for that.

What?! Dungeon Gate was robbed!

IMAGE(http://www.wildgamestudio.com/dungeon_gate/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SC6.jpg)

(FTL is my pick, too. Can't wait)

There are too many Canucks here for NHL 13 not to be game of the week.

Double Dragon: Neon is also free for PS Plus members.

Yesterday I spent a half hour watching the "WTF is FTL" video, so yeah, I guess I'm interested in that as well.

shoptroll wrote:
Elysium wrote:

This is the same thing that keeps me out of reloading Team Fortress 2, which I have fond memories of from a day before hats were a thing.

The worst kept secret of TF2 is that all the hattes and new gear really doesn't change the behavior of the classes that much. In fact, most of the stock gear is more than adequate for playing your class effectively.

Just wanted to second that. If hattes and gunnes are what's keeping you away, just come on back; you'll find that the water's fine (though everybody looks a little less cookie cutter than before).

Firstly, count me among the many that will get Double Dragon Neon via PS Plus today.

Second, I still play a weekly BF3 game with some buddies on PS3 and we've all got Premium, and we still enjoy it quite a bit. I guess it depends on the kinds of games you like, but the DLC has increased the variety of game modes to a degree I never felt when we played Modern Warfare 2. Battlefield is about the vehicles, sure, but the addition of Close Quarters was nice for a change of pace, and Armored Kill has been very fun the past week. Tank Superiority isn't my favorite new mode, but kudos to them for coming out with new stuff.

I can't speak to PC players or anything, but at least on PS3, we've been happy with our initial purchase of the game and the DLC map sets (though it would have been nice to have some of them sooner than we did...there was quite a lag between B2K and CQ...).

As someone who paid $40 for the game (on sale), $15 for B2K, and then another $50 for Premium...and also maintains a server...we all think we've gotten our money's worth. So I say with confidence that $60 for the game and all the DLC content is a pretty good deal!

One last note, for those that are wary of jumping in now. I still routinely see people of lower rank playing the game, and they generally hold their own against the higher level people. I'm not sure whether that holds true on all platforms, but at least on PS3, you can still see a level 2 player getting a higher KDR than a level 50.

A couple notes, first Battlefield Premium was released a few months back. It is a one time $60 fee for all the BF3 DLC (including upcoming DLC) and some other perks. The latest DLC, Armored Kill, is out this week. It is a map pack with several new vehicle focused maps. It ought to be pretty fantastic.

Also, Black Mesa Source should probably be on the list for this week.

Finally FTL is awesome and everyone needs to buy it.

EriktheRed wrote:

A couple notes, first Battlefield Premium was released a few months back. It is a one time $60 fee for all the BF3 DLC (including upcoming DLC) and some other perks. The latest DLC, Armored Kill, is out this week. It is a map pack with several new vehicle focused maps. It ought to be pretty fantastic.

BF3 Premium, itself, is $50. What's being released today is Battlefield 3 Premium Edition, which is replacing the boxed versions and is available for download, and includes all DLC and the base game for $60.

And Armored Kill is, indeed, pretty fantastic. Good maps, overall. And driving a four-wheeler around is more fun than it has any right to be.

FTL seems fascinating. A space rogue-like is an appealing idea, and I was a little disappointed with Dungeons of Dredmore for reasons I'm struggling to explain.

But who am I kidding? Guild Wars 2 owns my life for the near future.

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken looks good, though I'll have to think of the penguins as evil Linux penguins and not the good penguins from Madgascar.
I can't tell if War of the Human Tanks would scratch my Advance Wars itch, but I still have some AW on the pile anyway.
Fractured Soul looks good too.

As someone who played a ton of Double Dragon, I can't help but think that they really didn't have to make the animation look like the original. They updated the look and kept the gameplay apparently, so I understand the split, but it looks horrible.