T-minus 31 days until this awful gaming drought officially comes to an end. It’s been a long haul, but at least you’ve been given the opportunity to make a dent in your gaming backlogs over the last couple of months. August is really your last chance to play the games you’ve missed because once September rolls around, it’s game over for your wallet. That thing is going to be yacking up your hard-earned money like it ate some bad seafood. But that’s not to say August doesn’t have a few gems lying in the rough. Read on to see what they are.
No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise
Developer: Gasshopper Manufacture (original), feelplus (Heroes’ Paradise)
System: PS3
Release Date: 8/16/2011
No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise was originally released in 2007, exclusively on the Nintendo Wii to a lot of positive reviews. But now, the game is being re-released on the PlayStation 3 with performance and graphic enhancements and PlayStation Move support.
We never got a chance to play the original No More Heroes on the Nintendo Wii. However, we heard a lot of great things from the inner circles of the gaming industry. Therefore, it’s probably safe to assume the PlayStation 3 version will be pretty damn good. With high definition graphics, Move support and a lot of tweaks and adjustments made to the original game’s design, it seems clear that No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise will made up to the high expectations placed upon this enriched port.
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Developer: Ignition Entertainment
System: Xbox 360, PS3
Release Date: 8/16/2011
El Shaddai was original supposed to release last month but was pushed back at the last minute. But that doesn’t matter now as this well-received Japanese game is primed to finally hit North America mid-August. The development on El Shaddai was led by Takeyasu Sawaki. You’re probably wondering why you should care, aren’t you? Well, Mr. Sawaki is best known as the character designer for two highly acclaimed franchises out of Capcom, Devil May Cry and Okami. It only takes one glance at El Shaddai to know it has a very unique and visually appealing style to suck you into the game world.
As our own Joey Davidson once said to me, Ignition Entertainment is usually very good with what they choose to bring over to the western world. We’re hoping El Shaddai falls right in line with that theory. The game looks graphically spectacular and has a great plot setup that takes inspiration from the Book of Enoch. The gameplay is also a mix of platforming and third-person action-adventure. We’re interested to check out El Shaddai and see if the buzz it’s getting is justified. We think you should take note of this one too.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Developer: Eidos Montreal
System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release Date: 8/23/2011
The Deus Ex series makes its triumphant return this month. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is actually a prequel to the original Deus Ex title, telling the story of how mechanical augmentation becomes such a popular form of enhancement in this universe's fictional society. If you’ve been following along with the title in any capacity, then you’re probably aware that a large inspiration for Human Revolution is the superb flick Blade Runner. With such a dynamite combination, it’s hard not to get excited for this latest iteration of the fabled gaming franchise. And keeping in line with previous versions of Deus Ex, Deus Ex: Human Revolution will let players decide exactly how they want to approach a situation, whether it be slow, methodical and stealthy, or guns blazing, Rambo style.
Of all the titles coming out this month, of which there aren’t many, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is our prized stallion. We’re incredibly jazzed for this title, but we’ve been that way ever since we saw the game’s first teaser trailer. If you’re into action RPGs, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is something you’ll want to keep an eye on. When push comes to shove, if you only have the funds to pick up one game this month, we don’t think you’ll be wasting your money with this one.
Bodycount
Developer: Guildford Studios
System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release Date: 8/30/2011
Bodycount is a game in development by the same folks who did Black, the 2006 first-person shooter that was high on destructible environments. Bodycount follows in the same vein and is considered a spiritual successor to Black.
We’ll be honest with this one, we haven’t heard much about Bodycount. The game was announced to much fanfare and hype, but pretty much completely fell off the map since. Supposedly, Bodycount will be taking the idea of destructible environments to the next level and producing some of the most realistic destruction ever seen in a video game. But again, we’ll believe it when we see it. Until then, consider us intrigued by what Bodycount is selling, but we can’t make a full recommendation on this one until we get our hands on it. If you’re a FPS junkie, keep an eye on Bodycount, it may end up surprising us all.
Madden NFL 12
Developer: EA Sports
System: Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, 3DS
Release Date: 8/30/2011
Consider it serendipitous that the NFL lockout ended right as Madden NFL 12 is about to hit shelves. For many, the release of a new Madden is a yearly tradition worthy of celebration on par with the 4th of July. EA Sports is making sure your money will be well spent with Madden NFL 12. This year’s model brings refined computer AI, a better collision detection system, 25 new plays added to the playbook and the ability to trade for draft picks ('bout time!).
We at Crave love our football, but we’re always skeptical about what a new Madden title will offer. It’s the one question on our minds every year — will this be the one that truly makes the franchise stand out once again and not feel like recycled garbage? We’re cautiously optimistic with Madden NFL 12. Hopefully this year’s version of Madden will make up for the previous years’ lackluster efforts. But if you’re a die-hard Madden fan, then you won’t listen to what we have to say, you’ll be buying Madden NFL 12 no matter what.
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