New Releases for the Week of May 1st, 2011



Few would argue that Buffy, Freddy Kruger, Machete, and The Walking Dead‘s Merle Dixon make one hell of formidable zombie-killing team. Yet the cast of Call of Duty: Black Ops: Call of the Dead might face an even more insurmountable foe- competing for attention in a week marked by the anticipated resurrection of the PlayStation Network and an appearance by the god of thunder.

360
Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury (XBLA)
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Call of the Dead (XBLA)
Moon Diver (XBLA)
Thor: God of Thunder

PS3

MotorStorm Apocalypse
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath (PSN)
Sniper: Ghost Warrior
Stacking: The Lost Hobo King (PSN)
Thor: God of Thunder
Yar’s Revenge (PSN)

Wii
Remington Super Slam Hunting: Alaska
Thor: God of Thunder

3DS

Thor: God of Thunder

DS

Brainstorm Series: Word Up
Challenge Me: Word Puzzles
Match 3 Madness
Thor: God of Thunder

PSP
Thor: God of Thunder

PC
Fate: The Cursed King

SeanNOLA’s Pick: Since SEGA gave Iron Man developers, Secret Level, the boot, I’ve been interested to see how new studios are handling the Marvel movie games. Although XBOX/PS3 developer, Liquid Entertainment, might not have the greatest pedigree (Desperate Housewives: The Game) they would be hard-pressed to make something as dramatically terrible as Iron Man 2. Meanwhile, WayForward Technologies, of Shantae and Contra 4 fame, have headed up the DS Thor, which looks stunning.

DesertEagle’s Pick: Considering that the Dreamcast version of Bangai-O is one of my favorite games ever, I have 800 Microsoft points ear-marked for the fourth iteration of Treasure’s magnum opus.

Samurage’s Pick:
Honestly, I’m not too excited about any of the games this week, but I’m always up for a Diablo-inspiring hack and slash. So for this week, Fate: Cursed King might get the nod.

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.

53 comments

  1. First. I’m thinking Thor might be the God of the C grade.

  2. Intelligent Zombie

    Wow, I didn’t hear about Call of the Dead. Is this a SP campaign or MP?

  3. You guys seem to think the PSN will be back this week. Thats quite optimistic!

  4. More zombies in CoD? How original…

  5. Bangai-O will get a trial, since Deagle is pimping it so damn hard. If it’s lame, expect angry podcast mail.

  6. I’m skeptical of NOLA praising Thor. Even if there’s a new developer Ive been burned by Hulk and two Iron Man games.

  7. Hard to care about anything on that list.

  8. I had no interest in Call of the Dead- then I saw this-

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Cx82OFXM0

    George Romero as a final boss. Pretty F’ing cool.

  9. Let’s see why have a MP game with four characters taking on a horde of zombies. Man, Activivion is asking to give EA’s lawyers something to do.

    Sure, it’s Left4Dead, but that scene with Danny Trejo swinging knives almost got my money.

  10. It’s a pretty cool shooter. Better than Radiant Silvergun AND Ikaruga, though? No ways.

  11. Lance 'Sly' Cooper

    Curious about MotorStorm Apocalypse. Thats is this week.

  12. Buffy looks pretty bad. I would have known it was her unless it was posted.

    Grindhouse and zombies are a bit played out.

  13. I think I might have played Match 3 Madness.

    Like 50 times before. Why do people still bring Bejeweled clones out?

  14. I’ve heard some good things about Moon Diver. It’s made by the guy who made Strider.

  15. Devourer of Time

    Sniper: Ghost Warrior is the Xbox game that came out like a year ago? Any improvements?

  16. Call of the Dead. Day one.

  17. Bangai-O!

  18. I’m pretty sure it will be back up. It will be interesting to see if Sony post all the last two week’s game at once or doles them out.

  19. Bangai-O is confirmed for 800 points, Deagle?

  20. Wait, they’re fixing PSN to release Yar’s Revenge? Guys, go make some donuts or something…

  21. Waffles For Supper

    The odds of a movie tie-in game being good are slim to none.

  22. I’m waiting for Remington Super Elephant Hunting: Go Daddy Edition

    (JOKING, people)

  23. Buffy is a vampire slayer, not zombie killer. She needs to get going after those Twilight vamps.

  24. To be honest, my expectations for Thor are pretty tempered, but Captain America is being made by the same folds that did Punch-Out and Mario Strikers, and so far looks pretty great!

    I guess what I’m trying to say is that if I’m willing to let myself get excited for one tie-in, I might as well approach this one wroth a clean slate.

  25. “Moon Div-er” (like the way Chevy Chase says Moon River in Fletch)

  26. Played a bit of Thor. Here’s my impressions:

    – Voice acting is all over the place. “This ends now” sounds like actor was bored.

    – Nice move set, but feels like a God of War with a Hammer.

    – Finished first level and enemies only hit me twice.

  27. Curious about Thor the movie. The game- not so much.

  28. I might have to tempt FATE.

  29. Call of Duty: Black Ops: Call of the Dead is the full title?

    Whatever it’s called, it looks cool!

  30. happydestruction

    One question: is Brainstorm Series: Word Up a crossword game? Because I’ve beat Crosswords DS and need a new game.

  31. Freddy better deliver some kickass lines.

  32. I try the game Deagle is nuts over. It better not have blue-haired girls in it.

  33. I expect love mail.

    Even the ‘worst’ iteration in the series (Bangai-O Spirits for the DS) was amazing, moving around dozens of sprites on-screen with no slowdown.

  34. Strider you say? Hmm.

    I missed the PSN version, might be time to correct that.

  35. Yes, sir!

    At Moon Diver is 1200.

  36. I’ll still on for Oddworld.

  37. Crap week if you ask me.

  38. Hopefully, SEGA will give us a Thor demo.

  39. Wow, Deagle love him some Bangaio, may have to check it out.

  40. You can chance the size of the comments box now?

    New addition Deagle?

  41. The Playstation Blog says that the store won’t be open next week.

  42. Bangai-O HD is what makes me wish I had an Xbox.

  43. OK, now I have to check this game out.

  44. So Treasure, a Japanese developer made Bangaio for a the Xbox 360, a system which has failed in Japan. Why?

  45. I hoping Thor is worth the money.

  46. Dude, if you write for a site, you better have all the hardware.

  47. Did any of guys get Thor? How is it? Worth the money?

  48. Mark of 8-4 Play, Deagle and seem confused by Nintendos streaming strategy. I agree- if the touchscreen system is really HD, why have the 3DS.

  49. Wrong thread, but that’s cool.

    Streaming media seems strange when its coupled with a expensive controller.

    I’ll wait and see, though.

  50. Yeah, I really don’t see the point of looking at a controller screen in my house when I have a $1800 TV.

    With a $250 portable, I do think Nintendo can contradict their affordability motto now.

  51. Running with the “family friendly” model, the streaming makes perfect sense: you play games on your $1800 TV, until it’s time for your wife’s shows to come on, then you change the channel for her and keep playing on your controller. Kids can play wherever they want, within range of the main system, but parents can always tell whether or not their kids are playing games when they are supposed to be in bed by simply checking to see if the light is on the system in the living room.

    I think people are confusing the strengths of short-range streaming devices with those of truly portable devices. I think we’ll find that Nintendo has a strategy that incorporates and necessitates both systems.

  52. I see your point but at what point does the cost and power of a portable controller get close to their portable systems, which don’t need to be within reach on the home system?

    I mean I’m an Apple TV owner, and I use the hardware enough to make it worthwhile, but I don’t think it’s a good gaming model.

  53. It’s Nintendo. That make make crap sandwiches which people will line up for the privilege of buying.