JOE’s Gaming Round Up

JOE's Gaming Round-up features the launch of Marvel Vs Capcom 3, the announcement of a new Assassins Creed title and a multiplayer-free Batman: Arkham City.

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 there’s anything you think we’re leaving out, or would like us to shine a spotlight on, feel free to leave a comment below.

News

Assassins Creed Brotherhood sells 6.5m copies, sequel coming this year

Gamers couldn’t resist a second stab at controlling Ezio di Auditore

Despite our own controversial opinion that Assassins Creed 2 was slightly better, Assassins Creed: Brotherhood has now solidified its reputation as the biggest new franchise of the current console generation with its stunning sales since November 2010. During a conference call earlier this week, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed that the continued adventures of Ezio sold a staggering 6.5m copies, achieving a record performance for the company’s third-quarter 2010-2011 turnover.

With sales like that, it’s unsurprising to hear that Ubisoft envisions the franchise as an annual release, as Guillemot confirmed, “We will have an Assassin’s Creed this year… We are going to give you more details in May”.

Let’s hope it’s a new timezone and new hero this time around – our favourite online rumour is that an Assassins Creed 3 will take place in Victorian London and pay homage to Guy Fawke’s failed Gunpowder Plot. However, with Uncharted 3, Modern Warfare 3, Batman: Arkham City, Mass Effect 3, Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and possibly Mario Kart 3DS all set for this Christmas, how could our poor wallets cope?

No multiplayer for Batman Arkham City

Batman is flying solo for this one

Our hats go off to Batman: Arkham City devleopers Rocksteady, who have confirmed that unlike nearly every single player game being announced these days, their superhero sequel will not feature a multiplayer mode, confirmed studio director Sefton Hill.

“There have been a number of rumours circulating about a multiplayer mode in Batman: Arkham City so let me start by saying, once and for all, that Batman: Arkham City is a ‘single-player only’ experience,” he told IGN.

“Our thought process behind this was fairly simple: when we investigated adding multiplayer we asked, ‘If we use all of the energy that is required to create multiplayer and instead focus this on the single player, would that deliver a better overall game?’ Sounds words, far too many exemplary titles have found themselves hobbled with a needless multiplayer mode… *cough* Dead Space 2 *cough*.

Purchase/Download of the Week

Explodemon! (PSN, €10.00)

Finally, new environments for us to shoot our friends in the face

With ‘Splosion Man already a known and much-loved quantity, is there room for another DLC hero who spontaneously combusts? We’ll wait and see, though reviewers have been kind towards developers Curve, perhaps paying respect to the title’s convoluted six-year cycle of development. For their perseverence alone, Explodemon! is worth your time.

Friday Releases 18/02/11

Deadpool is either THWOCKKing someone or getting THWOKKed here, we can’t tell

Capcom sure do love their ‘Vs’ series, don’t they? With Street Fighter x Tekken heading to arcades later this year, fighter fans don’t have to wait too long to get their crossover fix, with Marvel Vs Capcom 3 hitting shelves this coming Friday. While we’re a little disappointed to see a lack of Phoenix Wright on Capcom’s side, the chance to see Spidey Vs Viewtiful Joe or Wolverine Vs Chris Redfield will likely be too much for any gamers to pass up.

Xbox 360

Crash Time 4

DeathSmiles

Hard Corps: Uprising (XBLA)

Hunted: The Demon’s Forge

Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds

PopCap Hits

Playstation 3

Hard Corps: Uprising (PSN)

Hunted: The Demon’s Forge

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds

Wii

Fit & Fun