New Releases for the Week of February 26th, 2012

Although February can’t compare to the December’s deluge of titles, this week’s list of new releases in certainly no slouch. From SEGA’s third-person, squad-based shooter Binary Domain, the first SSX game in half a decade, and a trio of pure fan-service titles (Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, and PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond), this week’s titles have a number of solid contenders. This week, we even considered a mention of Nexuiz, but haven’t mastered how to say pronouncing the title without contorting our mouth.

360
Binary Domain
Country Dance: All Stars Kinect
Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition
Nexuiz (XBLA)
SSX

PS3
Binary Domain
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2
Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition
SSX

Wii
PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond

3DS
Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure

DS
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2

PSP
No retail releases, digital titles posted 2/28

Vita
No retail releases

PC
7554
Deep Black: Reloaded
The Lord of the Rings Online: Mithril Edition

DesertEagle’s Pick: Sure, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 has an allegorical storyline centering around battling portable systems and it’s also pretty jiggleriffic. However, it’s a niche title that probably  won’t tickle the fancy of most gamers. For those that don’t appreciate tentacle jokes, there’s always the ability to pull a flying squirrel in SSX.

SeanNOLA’s Pick: Although I can’t say I’ve been a fan of Suda 51’s work, I have to admit I’m intrigued by Black Knight Sword. Grasshopper tends to have difficulty reigning in some of their loftier ideas into a cohesive game, but the narrow focus of an artsy side-scroller seems like something that should be right up their alley. I do wish it was coming to the Vita, though. (Editor’s note:  Sorry, Black Knight Sword was not published this week)

BlueSwim’s Pick: When the first details of this new, supposedly darker, SSX came to light, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. SSX should be groovy, not gritty. Fortunately, after what I’ve seen of the demo, anyone concerned about the series losing its charm can feel at-ease; this truly is an SSX game. All it took was break-dancing on the snowboard while doing a quadruple back-flip to take my interest meter from zero-to-sixty. Welcome back, King of the Slopes. If you are unsure as to what system to buy it for, Japan’s Mt. Fuji is exclusive to the PlayStation 3 version.

About Robert Allen

Since being a toddler, Robert Allen has been immersed in video games, anime, and tokusatsu. Currently, his days are spent teaching at two southern California colleges. But his evenings and weekends are filled with STGs, RPGs, and action titles and well at writing for Tech-Gaming since 2007.

58 comments

  1. “How you you like my new Michael Jackson nose everybody?”

  2. title most likely to be a porno- Deep Black: Reloaded

  3. Shit, I still need to play that SSX demo. I haven’t had time yet. So what’s everyone think?

    • Good. Feels like old SSX but with new control methods (stick or buttons. I like buttons). Maybe not good enough for a $60 buy unless you’re a hardcore boarders.

  4. Please tell me that Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure is a made-up game.

  5. Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2!

    • I’ll admit: if you asked me to list the games DEagle would pick, in order of most wanted, I would not have guessed SSX would top the list. I figured at LEAST Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 would beat it out, and certainly Binary Domain, after he gushed all over it at e3.

      You always surprise me, Deag.

      • Well, they are blue haired girls in Hyperdimension Neptunia. So I’m not surprised.

      • Hehe!

        I’ve played through EVERY SSX game. Even Blur, where you had to draw invisible pretzel-shaped designs with the Wiimote. Argh, that was frustrating. I’m a pretty big fan of the series.

        I think, I’ll like but not love Binary Domain. Very few squad based shooters have really pleased me, but hope springs eternal.

  6. SSX. The wingsuit seems really fun. As long as they don’t charge you for additional mountains I’ll probably grab this one.

  7. I wonder why Nintendo always releases those Pokemon spin-offs instead of giving the Wii a proper Poke-game.

  8. Any of you new Vita owners play Unit 13? I’m curious how that one turned out?

  9. I have to try that SSX demo and see if any fun. I loved the original game and Tricky way back when.

  10. Binary Domain demo was ok, but not $60 ok. I can wait a few months for a drop since so much is coming out right now and I still have my Xmas backlog.

  11. Where’s Samurage and Blue’s pickeroos?

    I might have to get SSX. Demo was pretty damn cool.

  12. You know that Blue writes pretty well. How come he doesn’t review more games?

    BTW, this really isn’t Blue, in case you’re wondering. 😉

  13. This week’s pick reminds me of:

  14. I though the controls on the SSX demo were too loose. You could “kind-of” direct your snowboarder where to go, but getting on a rail was iffy.

    I do like that letting go of the stick corrects yourself.

  15. Binary Domain felt a lot like Gears. Deagle are you a fan?

  16. I guess I’m the only one interested in Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2!

  17. That Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 vid looks good guys! Good to see your putting your Hauppauge connections to good use 😉

  18. I wan to get Binary and SSX but looking at my bank account I probably won’t get either. Being a broke-ass college student really sucks sometimes.

  19. Hey Tech-Gamers,

    I didn’t know where else to put this where it could be read, but I wanted to thank each and every one of you for coming here, reading what we write and being civil.

    I just read an article over at Joystiq about an indie game called “Curio” (http://aol.it/xqeFdq). It’s an interesting article, but what struck me was how quickly the comments section turned into a gloves-off brawl between the readers and staff. Seriously, the first comment was an attack, and it immediately turned into an argument. I was stunned at the efficiency of it all, but most of all I was touched at how rarely I have to deal with that kind of fervor here.

    Sure, we get the gambit of users calling us fanboys, accusing DEagle of taking handouts or telling me that my C+es are too harsh, but we usually get the opportunity to discuss our differences in opinion in a safe, welcoming environment, and I’m starting to realize how rare that really is. In the end we typically have nice, vitriol-free discussions with you guys and that make coming here, writing and interacting a very rewarding experience.

    I don’t pull a paycheck for writing reviews or producing the podcast, but I don’t think anyone really does. It seems to me that more often than not, the big players in the journalism side of the industry are being paid to put up with abuse. I would never want that. I guess what I’m trying to say is that you all make this worth doing. We may not be in the big time like Joystiq or Kotaku, but no amount of money or prestige would be worth giving up what our readers bring to the table. You guys really are the best. I hope we never let you down.

    Also, .

  20. Also?

    Actually, I have noticed a few more negative comments these days, but nothing like what Joystiq (and Kotaku) has to face.

    I wonder if its best to leave the comment alone (like IGN) or engage the trolls like these guys are doing.

    • Actually, that looked like the developers chiming in. Not Joystiq. Still, the question remains.

      • Yea, I think you’re right, but either way it’s tough out there.

        Oh, and the “also” was supposed to say “poopjoke” but I put it in brackets, so Gravatar figured I was actually using the html command to start a poopjoke. Since I haven’t closed it off, everything from here on out is part of one big poopjoke until I say otherwise.

      • I remember a few months ago if anyone said anything too disparaging about Justin’s reviews, he’d really lay into them. More than a few times, I think he went a bit too far. Obviously, reading negative comments had an effect on him.

  21. At the end of the day, ever troll is a page view and probably multiple ones because they keep coming back to see reactions to their comments.

  22. I used to read Joystiq. Now EVERY article is two paragraph press release overview and a lame punchline.

    Game of Thrones:
    “The book will be available with orders from GameStop, EB Games, the HBO Shop or Amazon (US or Canada). Of course, if winter gets really bad, books have a dual purpose for emergencies: kindling.”

    Pokemon B&W V2:
    “Alongside this announcement, Nintendo issued slightly bigger character art of the new Black Kyurem and White Kyurem Pokemon — but didn’t label them! How will we ever figure out which is which?”

  23. Like DEagle isn’t on the take! 😉

    If have to admit most people are pretty civilized here. But where reviews like an overview of the instruction manual, there’s where trolls like to visit.

  24. It seems independent sites (like this one) always have better sites than the big corporate ones. IGN is the biggest and they have some of the worst trolling around. It’s really pathetic. I read the review, but don’t even discuss. Now with their layout, they tried to hide them.

    On the other hand, the big sites get exclusives, they get their reviews out quicker and a good for news.

  25. Thanks, NOLA! You’re a nice guy, great writer, and occasional funnyman!

  26. Cabbage Patch Wino

    Maybe you don’t get hatred because you don’t post stories about having sex on a Sonic the Hedgehog bed.

    http://kotaku.com/5888677/how-i-achieved-greatness-on-a-sonic-the-hedgehog+themed-bed/

    I kid you not.

  27. I’m not kissing any ass here, because sometimes you guys are off base (like calling out TM for it’s CUSTOMIZABLE controls) but I just read Joystiq’s BlazBlue Vita review and yours. Wow, big difference.

    Now, for a top tier site, I’d expect someone to review the game that knows the basics, and not just report that is looks pretty. Any hack on GameFAQs can do that. But their review was so pathetic, it’s almost funny.

    • I’m not kissing ass here, because sometime you’re hard to chew and I worry you’re going to pull out my fillings, but I just had a Mary Jane and an AbbaZabba. Wow, big difference.

      Now, for a top tier candy, I’d expect the ability to bite into it, without having to get it all slobbery first. I could get that from a hard candy. But Mary Janes? Who is even buying those? How do they get into my house?

      (all kidding aside, I really do appreciate the criticism and the praise. Thank you!)

  28. When you say Mary Jane I think of something else.