Tech-Gaming Technology, Gaming, and Culture
This week’s list of new game releases unites a diverse array of protagonists- from Lords of Shadow 2’s The Man Formerly Known as Gabriel Belmont to Plant vs. Zombies’ slightly unstable survivalist, Crazy Dave. Meanwhile, titles such as Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Pac-Man Museum, and Tales of Symphonia Chronicles flaunt reappearances by a number of cherished characters, with publishers hoping that the aches of nostalgia send gamers reaching into their wallets.
PlayStation 3
Basement Crawl (PSN, $9.99)
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Also on PSN, $59.99)
Herc’s Adventures (PSN, PSOne Classic, $5.99)
Pac-Man Museum (PSN, $19.99)
Magus (PSN, $24.99)
Thief (Also on PSN, $59.99)
PlayStation 4
Tales of Symphonia Chronicles (Also on PSN, $39.99)
Tales of Symphonia Chronicles Collector’s Edition
Thief (Also on PSN, $59.99)
Wii U
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Kung Fu Rabbit (eShop, $4.99)
Ice Hockey (eShop, $4.99)
Xbox 360
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
Pac-Man Museum (XBL, $19.99)
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (XBL, $29.99)
Thief
Xbox One
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (XBL, $29.99)
Thief (XBL, $59.99)
3DS
Quell Reflect (eShop, $3.99)
Sky Kid (eShop, $4.99)
Weapon Shop de Omasse (eShop, $7.99)
PS Vita
Mahjong 2 World Contest (PSN, $4.99)
PC
BeatBlasters III (Steam, $9.99)
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Steam, $59.99)
Go! Go! Nippon! ~My First Trip to Japan~ (Steam, $4.99)
Ironclad Tactics: The Rise of Dmitry (Steam)
Pac-Man Museum (Steam, $19.99)
Resident Evil 4 Ultimate HD Edition (Steam, $TBA)
Talisman: Digitial Edition (Steam, $14.99)
Thief (Steam, $49.99)
Ultionus: A Tale of Petty Revenge (Steam, $6.99)
Robert’s Pick: I know- Go! Go! Nippon! My First Trip to Japan’s concept of traveling to Japan, where two lovely lolis are waiting to chaperone you around Akihabara sounds like second-rate ecchi. Oddly, it showed up on my Steam Wish List. Less of a mystery is my excitement for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, which represents developer MercurySteam’s purported exodus from the franchise.
The first LoS was easily the best Castlevania title since the beloved Symphony of the Night. Lords of Shadow 2 adds player camera control, open-world exploration, and a reduction of quick-time elements. Hopefully, these elements help bolster an already outstanding action game.
Gonçalo’s Pick: It’s no secret the Castlevania series has struggled to step into the 3D gaming world. The side-scrollers are highly praised and sought after, but the N64 and PS2 outings never really clicked with most people. Personally I think the 64-bit iterations were fine additions into the series and I absolutely loved Lords of Shadows on the PS3, so much so that I’ve even unlocked its platinum trophy on the PS3.
The gameplay was fast and furious if a bit shallow and while the story and dialogues were by no means perfect they still enthralled me into this new re-imagining of the series’ lore. I am confident Castlevania: Lords of Shadows 2 will surpass the first game in both story and gameplay; I can’t wait to play it!
“Oddly, it showed up on my Steam Wish List. ”
Those Magic Girl Lolis. Watch out for them!
Robert just snubbed lolis who want to take him to Akihabara. WTF man, this game was made for YOU!
(Go! Go! Nippon! ~My First Trip to Japan~ is less than $10 I may bite)
I finally got around to playing the first Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Liked it so much I bought the 3DS game. Bring on Lords of Shadow 2!
I’m interested in both Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare and Thief.
The first because PopCap usually delivers. The only time when they disappoint is with microtransactions and they promised none with GW.
Thief is a wait and see. I love the series and stealth games but I heard mixed things about it.
Robert, you really need to review Go! Go! Nippon! ~My First Trip to Japan~
We’re counting on you to stick up for the lolis.
I second this. There’s really not that many people out there that write well and are open to visual novels.
Most of the people that cover these type of games write up stream of consciousness type stuff.
Put it in
.
.
.
.
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the review queue
haha.
Have any of you watched “My Mental Choices are Completely Interfering with my School Romantic Comedy”?
Is that a thing? My irony sensors readings are all over the map.
It’s very real and really funny: http://www.crunchyroll.com/my-mental-choices-are-completely-interfering-with-my-school-romantic-comedy.
OH MY GOD THAT IS A THING THAT REAL HUMANS EXCHANGE CURRENCY FOR!
Sean needs to make videos of walking around AX and interacting with the cosplayers. It would be gold.
I’d rather read a review from someone who is a little more critical. I like Deagle’s stuff, but he’s a big sucker for moe.
Ok, if this doesn’t get picked by Eric or Eagle, I’m going to be soooo disappointed.
Is she wearing a tailored, pink trashbag? What fabric looks like that?
Don’t you guys like in LA where like trash bag are illegal? That’s the forbidden, right there. Look but don’t touch!
Trashbags aren’t illegal (yet), only plastic grocery bags, and only plastic grocery bags from franchise grocery stores. But yea, if she’s wearing a plastic bag from a Kroger family store, we have to pay her 10c to change into a paper bag before she can cross the border.
Weeaboo-ester?
It’s $4.97 today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/251870/
Lolis for everyone!
Still have to read a review first. Need to make sure its more than an hour long.
I might have to get Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare for the 360. No Steam/Origin version, tho?
So ready for Lords of Shadow 2!
Can.
Not.
Wait.
(but probably will, because who has $60 to spend on a video game?)
$40 in a few weeks. That’s when I’ll grab it. Don’t want to pay that $20 day one tax.
I have Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 preordered. Just waiting for steam to flip the switch.
Im 2 hours in LoS2, and I am not disappointed. Having read some reviews, none of the purported weaknesses are an issue to me, some are definitely different but I am not complaining. So far Mercury Steam has done right by me.
I really liked the demo- seemed like a good mix of different types of action.
What are the weaknesses reviews are talking about?
Glad to hear you’re liking it. I fully intent to buy LoS2 on payday, which is this Friday.
Games first, rent second!
From what I can tell, the people that didn’t like the first one still don’t like this one. I think when there was a groundswell of people that revisited it and decided they liked it, there was an expectation that this one was going to be different and set the world on fire, but when it was another good one-of-those, people were miffed. If you didn’t like the first one, don’t expect a markedly different experience from this one.
How does the open world parts feel? I know it’s not Skyrim, but that seems like a strange decision choice to me.
Are you barred from areas by overpowered enemies? Is there a map?
I might have to pick up Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare. It looks pretty fun.