JOE’s Gaming Round-up

JOE's Round-up continues as Halo Reach and Playstation Move gear up for launch, while Brain Training's Dr. Kawashima defects to Microsoft Kinect.

JOE

By Emmet Purcell

Welcome to another week of JOE’s videogame round-up. As always, we’re looking to provide you with up-to-the-minute news, download reviews, weekly charts and forthcoming release dates on a weekly basis. So if thereâ€™s anything you think weâ€™re leaving out, or would like us to shine a spotlight on, feel free to leave a comment below.

News

Dead Rising: Case Zero downloaded nearly 330,000 times in first week

One of the few DR2 pics where Chuck isn’t wielding a chainsaw in a dress

Pre-release it was derided for being a ‘paid demo’, yet eager punters have clearly taken to the Dead Rising 2 precursor, Case Zero – it has broken all Xbox Live Arcade records for first week sales. Despite containing the same protaganist and gameplay of its forthcoming big brother, Case Zero has a self-contained narrative and perhaps points the way forward for future demo DLC.

According to developers Capcom, the Xbox 360-exclusive prologue has been downloaded nearly 330,000 times since its September 4 release. The full Dead Rising 2 incarnation is released for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC on Stepember 24. As for Case Zero, JOE’s Leo Stiles reviewed the DLC recently and was very, very impressed.

Dr. Kawashima defects from Nintendo, announces Microsoft Kinect launch title

Now that’s the self-satisfied armfold of a man with four games named after him

Kinect Sports, the kart madness of Joyride, just where is Microsoft getting inspiration for its Kinect first-party launch titles? Oh right, every 10 million+ selling Nintendo Wii title of the last four years. Not content with ‘re-imagining’ Wii successes, Microsoft have now announced that Nintendo DS flagship title Dr Kawahima Brain Training is to become a Japanese launch title for the forthcoming controller-free motion peripheral. Quite how Brain Training’s Sudoku puzzles and stylus-based maths-solving may correlate to getting off the couch is anyone’s guess however – will we be forced to make YMCA-style body gestures?

Download of the Week

Flight Control (PSN – â‚¬4.99)

Seriously, it’s a lot more fun than it looks

One of the earliest iPhone App Store successes was undoubtedly Flight Control, a curiously addictive air traffic controller puzzle title that features pick-up-and-play gameplay that’s fit perfectly onto Apple’s handheld. With the app currently priced at just 80c, why would anyone want to shell out a fiver on a HD version for the PS3? Playstation Move compatability and PSN online integration, of course. With onling ranking and ‘here comes the aeroplane’ gesture control, it sounds like five euro well spent.

Friday Releases 17/09/10

Shoot that thing. In the face

According to Microsoft, today’s Halo: Reach release is the ‘biggest entertainment event of 2010″. Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios has also confidently stated that “no game is bigger than Halo.” Could Sony have picked a worst week to launch their motion sensing Playstation Move peripheral, or was that the point, to divert the spotlight from Bungie’s franchise send-off? Either way, mixed reviews for the initial Move lineup have got us instead salivating at the prospect of commanding Noble Six and while not exactly ‘finishing the fight’, at least doing our best in the doomed battle to save Reach. With a relatively paltry Winter lineup, Microsoft’s vice president might be correct – there’s no game with greater buzz in the gaming stratosphere, and Reach has the glowing reviews to match.

Xbox 360

Halo Reach (released Sept 14)

Two Worlds II

NHL 11

Playstation 3

Eyepet: Move

Flight Control (PSN)

Kung Fu Rider: Move

NHL 11

Playstation Move Controller

Playstation Move Navigation Controller

Racket Sports: Move