Tech-Gaming Technology, Gaming, and Culture
From the return of Age of Empires II’s cultural confrontations, revisiting Simon Belmont’s original outing in Castlevania, and a journey back to jungles of NAM-1975, this week’s listing of new releases is filled with classic titles. Fortunately, for players pursuing fresh experiences, a few notable options are available, such as ShootMania Storm’s heated competitions and Guacamelee!’s co-operative adventure.
360
Halo 4: Castle Map Pack (DLC, XBL, $10)
PS3
Guacamelee! (PSN, Cross-Buy, $14.99)
Wii
NAM-1975 (Virtual Console, $9.00)
Wii U
Toki Tori 2 (eShop, $13.49)
3DS
Castlevania (Virtual Console, $4.99)
Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove 3D (eShop, $19.99)
Real Heroes: Firefighter 3D (eShop, $9.99)
DS
No releases
Vita
Guacamelee! (PSN, Cross-Buy, $14.99)
PC
Age of Empires II HD Edition
Age of Wushu
Ocean City Racing
ShootMania Storm
Robert’s Pick: One of the distinct advantages of PC game is the platform’s open ecosystem, which attracts indie developers with a lowered barrier to entry. Cleverly, Sony has been working to reduce those impediments with the Pub Fund, a program which bestows up to $500,000 (against future royalty payments) to smaller developers willing to make their titles a PSN-exclusive. Admittedly, the outcome has proved to be a bit mixed so far, giving us imaginative but flawed titles such as Okabu, Payday, Eufloria, and Papo & Yo. This week, Drinkbox Studios’ (Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack) Guacamelee! hopes to change the initiative’s direction, by delivering a visual endearing, Metroidvania title teaming with engaging play mechanics. Bolstered by a cross-buy deal, owners of both a PS3 and Vita will probably want to body slap the purchase button when the title is released this Tuesday.
Guacamelee! looks like the only thing I’m interested in.
Since everything I buy on PSN goes free on PS+ in a few months, I’ll wait and see. No purchase at launch.
Are you sure that NAM-1975 isn’t already out for Wii. I could have sword playing it before.
There was a SNK collection (SNK Arcade Classic. Vol 1) but it didn’t have Nam-1975 on it. Could that be what you were thinking of?
BTW- If you put Vol 1 on a game, back that up with a Vol. 2!
Interesting to hear about the Pub Fund. I wonder if Payday ever came close to making it money back? If they don’t are the developers in debt?
They put them in indentured servitude for years. How else do you think those PS4s are being made?
Okabu, Payday, Eufloria, and Papo & Yo? Wow, they’re 1 for 4 with Eufloria being the only really good game.
Guacamelee! A friend who went to PAX said this was his favorite game of the show.
So ShootMania Storm’s concept is to be an e-sport FPS right. Is anyone on board with that?
Was Age of Wushu the game where someone kicked someone else’s butt here?
I always liked the original Castlevania but paying $5 to rent, not own a NES game seems a bit much.
Age of Empires II HD Edition sounds cool, but I hope they didn’t mess the game up in any way. Ensemble’s game is a classic.
Will you guys be reviewing Toki Tori 2? I’m interesting in getting it.
I don’t always play action games but for some reason Guacamelee! looks cool to me.
Pretty sure Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove 3D isn’t a new release. I saw it at Target on clearance about a year ago.
It’s a new download release. Yes, it’s confusing.
I heard theres a sale on Guacamelee later this month, you guys may want to hold off.