We hope you've been putting all the change you've been accumulating into a piggy-bank for the last month because August is looking rather stacked. July was pretty weak, and the perfect example of what a gaming drought looks like, but August is the start of the fall/winter gaming schedule and that doesn't spell good things for a gamer's wallets. However, there is some relief as a lot of the best titles this month are value priced. But a bunch of cheaper titles can add up quick so don't think your wallet is going to escape unscratched, it's definitely going to be bleeding as if it got prison shanked.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release Date: 8/25/2009
Finally. One of the most anticipated titles of the year, Batman: Arkham Asylum looks to finally deliver not only a good, but a great Batman video game. It has it all. Kevin Conroy voicing Batman, Mark Hamill voicing the Joker, Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series) penning the script, and graphics and gameplay that delivers a true Batman experience.
We love how the guys at Rocksteady Studio have incorporated both the badass hand-to-hand aspect of Batman with his talents as a detective to create a game that fully features all the best qualities of the character. For this long-time Batman fan, this game looks like a dream come true. And as an added bonus, if you're wiling to drop $100 you can get the collector's edition at Gamestop that offers an actual, life-size batarang, perfect for taking out an eyeball, though that isn't advised.
Batman: Arkham Asylum is the best August has to offer, so we suggest you set aside at least $60 for the game, $100 if you're an uber bat-fan like us.
Shadow Complex
System: Xbox 360
Release Date: 8/17/2009
Shadow Complex is looking pretty damn amazing. An Xbox Live title at $15, Shadow Complex is a combination of Super Metroid and Castlevania, delivered by Chair Entertainment and making use of the Unreal Engine 3. So no matter what, at least the game looks pretty as hell.
Gameplay wise, Shadow Complex is a 3-D side-scroller where the player is allowed to progress through the entire environment at their own pace, as long as they have the equipment to access new areas. Can't reach a ledge? Well once you find the foam gun (one of the many unique weapons in the game) you can create mid-air platform at will, allowing you to reach the previously impossible ledges.
The game is also based on Orson Scott Card's novel Empire, with more sequels planned down the line. Even though this game is a cheap (by normal video game standards) Xbox Live Arcade title, it looks like there has been a lot of love pumped into it by Chair and gamers will be able to reap the benefits for a fraction of the cost.
