It seems like it was just March and the gaming guide is just getting underway, but no December is here and we’re back with some great games for you to check out in December. The PS3 show’s up big this month with a good amount of port titles. I’ll also show you a few games for the Wii and the X-Box 360.
Unreal Tournament 3
Developer: Epic Games
Genre: FPS
Release Date: December 11, 2007
System: PS3
The third installment of Unreal Tournament comes with one major difference (amongst others); the game will be available to console gamers. Unreal Tournament has been a wildly popular game for the PC for years, and is also featured in numerous live tournaments all over the world. The game will be available for the PC and PS3 before Christmas, but X-Box owners will have to wait until sometime in 2008. The game will boast a bevy of new vehicles and weapons that are sure to please longtime players. The best thing about this release is that Epic games is very well known with console gamers thanks to the success of Gears of War, which should spark a lot of trash talk between console and PC gamers as to which version of the game is better. With the PS3 version admittedly looking very impressive, there’s room for debate.
Blacksite: Area 51
Developer: Midway
Genre: FPS
Release Date: December 10, 2007
System: PS3
The appeal of Blacksite: Area 51 has a lot to do with its story. While the realism of modern warfare and battles of the past might appeal to a great deal of gamer’s, there are a ton of Halo fans that don’t necessarily need to spend their time gunning down Nazi’s and terrorists in bunches. Blacksite offers gamer’s a bit of a compromise; not exactly as way out as invaders from space in the far flung future, but not quit your average war epic either. Imagine using conventional weapons against highly unconventional opponents and you get the picture. The trailer look’s great, PS 3 owners should be excited about the game despite the fact that the X-Box and PC versions didn’t get a lot of love from a few of the critics. This might be Sony’s chance to gain some serious ground.
Nights: Journey of Dreams
Developer: Sega
Genre: 3-D Platformer
Release Date: December 18, 2007
System: Wii
Oh how I miss my Sega Saturn, I guess I can’t miss it too much it’s still in the trunk of my car, but man did we have times. A lot of great titles came out of that under rated system, but two really come to mind; Nights: Into Dreams, and Burning Rangers, both made by the Sonic Team (the later actually being based on the Nights engine, the stars of Nights actually make an appearance in BR.) and both arguably some of the best games ever made pound for pound. While I can only hope that a sequel to Burning Rangers is in the works, there is definite proof that Nights: Journey of Dreams is quite real. Instead of Eliot and Claris, Nights (our hero) is teamed with two new kids named Helen and William. The Nights game play was pretty neat for its time and not many games really tried to copy the formula, so minor tweaks, and changes to the overall play structure (more gameplay options, level variety, etc.) has this game ready for a brand new audience and still immediately fun for older gamers as well. If you already got your kid a Wii, and he’s not quite old enough for the shoot em’ up’s but he’s ready for a challenge, try this game.
MX vs. ATV Untamed
Developer: Rainbow Studios
Genre: Offroad Racing
Release Date: December 17, 2007
System: X-Box 360, PS3
This year’s MX vs. ATV title will be the first to make its way to just about every console on the market and a few handhelds as well. For a gamer that hasn’t been into motorcycles since EA’s Road Rash series, this title looks really promising. The one factor that gamers find appealing no matter the genre are options (oh yes, don’t make me play your way, give me some options) and MX vs. ATV has plenty. Potential riders will have eight different circuit types to choose from including Supercross, Nationals, Freestyle, and others. Along with plenty of indoor tracks, 10 new outdoor tracks have been added to the game that are reported to be expansive. X-Box 360 and PS3 owners are really lucky considering that they will get five bonus games exclusive to those systems. When you add a tried and true multiplayer format, this game will appeal to racing fans and general gamers alike.
Universe at War: Earth Assault
Developer: Petroglyph
Genre: RTS
Release Date: December 4, 2007
System: PC
One of the most disappointing things about the first X-Box was the lack of Real Time Strategy and traditional turn based RPG’s on the system. Thanks to Sega, the 360 will get another RTS to go along with Command and Conquer 3. But, before that happens PC gamers will get first dibs at Sega’s latest entry into the RTS market; Universe at War: Earth Assault. To be honest, RTS’ are a bit of a blessing and a curse. On paper, playing an RTS sounds fun, but a lot of the time winning a game boils down to winning a war of attrition 15 or sixteen times in a row, with a bunch of arcade style levels where you control one or two people ‘Diablo’ style which is the exact opposite of fun (Really, really if I wanted to play Diablo, I’d play Diablo, don’t make my RTS experience nothing more than ‘Diablo lite’ every six stages I’m serious). Universe at War is taking a different approach with this game, giving players several ways in which to play the game. Gamers can get down with a linear story driven game, or they can set up the starting conditions and just get right into the fighting. Add to that multiplayer options, and we could have a great game on our hands.
NCAA March Madness 08’
Developer: EA Canada
Genre: Basketball Simulation
Release Date: December 11, 2007
System: X-Box 360, PS3
Fans of this series know that they’re going to get the opportunity to take their favorite college basketball team through not only the NCAA championship, but the NIT and Maui invitational as well. They are also aware that they have to manually set up their in-game season to match the real season going right now, but that’s actually pretty cool. They know that they’ll get a realistic gameplay experience with a familiar control scheme and the obligatory heightened AI over last year’s game. But, what they don’t know about are the tweaks to the low post aspect of the game. What’s most important about this new feature is how balanced it is for use playing both offense and defense. The new system gives players greater control of their players’ actions while in the low post. This makes sense considering how important low post play is in live basketball. Another added feature is the expanded recruitment option. Taking a step from its college football counterpart, NCAA March Madness 08 will feature an all new recruitment system that is based on a more realistic situation. Now gamers will be responsible for sending out letters of intent, and actually visiting potential prospects. Fans of this series should be in for a pleasant surprise.
The Orange Box
Developer: Valve
Genre: Multiple shooter types
Release Date: December 11, 2007
System: PS3
The best part of playing video game golf is watching your opponent take a difficult shot first so you can see how you should shoot. Sony finds itself in a similar situation with the Orange Box, which has already launched for PC and X-Box 360. Both competitor copies got great reviews, and introduced console gamers everywhere to some of the best games on PC. Sony has the luxury position of improving on a formula that has already been proven viable. The Box includes Half Life 2, plus Half Life 2 episodes one and two, Portal, and the grand daddy of online team based multiplayers Team Fortress 2. The only negative info regarding the PS3 version has been about the games frame rate (Brian Ekberg, GameSpot.com posted Nov. 28, 2007), but it looks like those bugs will be worked out by the time the game actually ships. In the end, PS3 fans should be hard pressed not to buy this game, especially with the series impeccable track record.
Showtime Championship Boxing
Developer: DSI Games
Genre: Arcade Boxing
Release Date: December 11, 2007
System: Wii
There’s not a whole lot on the net about Showtime Championship Boxing, which might be due to the fact that the DS version was called “[possibly] the worst boxing video game ever made.” (Brian Ekberg, GameSpot.com) Despite the fact that the differences between the Wii and DS versions should enormous, in the past bad handheld games often made bad console games. The difference in this case lies in that Wii remote, which would immediately change the gameplay experience when it comes to boxing. All the Wii version needs is tighter graphics (highly likely), workable controls, and decent multiplayer functions. Wii owners shouldn’t let the poor reviews of the DS version keep them from at least renting this game in order to give it a fair chance.
Winter Sports: The Ultimate Challenge
Developer: RTL
Genre: Winter Olympic Sports
Release Date: Quarter 4, 2007
System: Wii
While 10 Yard Fight was not only an embarrassing attempt at a football simulation, it was the only thing going for a while. The first real worthwhile sports sim to hit consoles had to be the original Track and Field. The game wasn’t the end all be all of sports sims, but it got the important parts right. Fast forward to 2007 and Nintendo’s impressive Wii system complete with a control system that literally changes the way you play games. Winter Sports: The Ultimate Challenge hasn’t gotten a great deal of publicity so far, and there still is no definitive release date, but games like these should go over really well with Wii owners. Sports games take on a whole new meaning when the physical aspect of the Wii system is brought into play along with those controls. What we do know for sure is that there will be 9 different winter events for players to choose from, plus multiplayer.
The Shadow of Aten
Developer: SGA
Genre: Historic Action/Adventure
Release Date: Quarter 4, 2007
System: PC
Shadow of Aten is a game that has been in the making for at least two years and is based on the Half Life 2 engine. The X-Box 360 version is slated for sometime in the first half of next year, with the PC version supposedly in by year’s end. There’s not much else to report except that the story sounds pretty well developed. Players will follow around a British adventurer named Allan Scott, who ends up in Egypt in the 1930’s. The game involves Scott’s journey to investigate the death of an Egyptian spy, which of course will eventually pit you against Anubis, the big bad of the game. In my humble opinion, this kind of game wouldn’t have made it to consoles even five years ago, and gamers might have missed out on a game experience not as prevalent to the consoles, so be sure to check this game out on PC and X-box 360 next year.
Well, that's it for this year. Feel free to hit the message board and tell us what you thought was the best video game to come out this year, the review staff and myself would very much like to hear from you. -Dante
