Welcome to the second installment of JOE’s videogame round-up. We’re looking to be 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
Creative Lead debunks chances of a WW2-set Assassins Creed 3
Want
First the Holy Land, next Renaissance Italy – just where can we expect the time-travelling Assassin’s Creed franchise to pop up next for the likely 2011 trilogy-closing installment? Some of the online guesses reckon Ancient Egypt, some think Feudal Japan, whilst another scenario has been firmly debunked by former Creative Lead Patrice Désilets – World War 2. Stating such a setting would be “pointless”, Patrice re-iterated his stance by stating: “I ask myself, how many games can we make in World War II? That’s maybe the only [setting] I’d say that is not interesting to me.”
As for the prospect of Fuedal Japan Ninja-style assassinations, Patrice was less candid. “I know everyone’s asking for a Japanese ‘Assassin’s Creed,‘ but I’ve been talking to some Japanese people and they’re like, ‘Don’t do it. We do our own historical thing,'” he explained. Forget them, Patrice – do it. Do it.
Microsoft have no plans to release Project Milo “tech demo”
Gary Glitter will be pissed off
One of the most surprising aspects of Microsoft’s dour E3 press conference was the noticeable lack of Peter Molyneux’s (Fable, Black and White) Project Milo, the startling tech demo which introduced the world to Microsoft Kinect, then called Project Natal. Though many baulked at the time that the demonstration was heavily-scripted, it looks like we may not get the chance to verbally demean Milo for a laugh, as Microsoft PR Manager Adam Grenberg told US TV’s Good Game Show that the title “is a technology demo that continues to exist, but right now it’s not a game that we’re planning to bring to market”. If true, it could be another sign that the ambitious scope of Microsoft’s controller-free motion sensor is continuing to devolve from last year’s initial reveal.
Download of the Week
Playstation Plus (Playstation 3 – available now)
Not an online game or additional downloadable content (DLC), this week’s essential download is Sony’s newly-launched premium subscription service, Playstation Plus. Whilst Sony have typically ignored adopting Microsoft’s premium online service in the past, the Japanese giants have finally begun charging for online gaming – though their current PS3 online model remains unaffected. Playstation Plus costs €49.99 annually, or €14.99 for 90 days. Plus is keen to offer tons of free content to better Microsoft’s service though, with a free copy of LittleBigPlanet temporarily available for all that sign-on to the service, in addition to WipEout HD and Killzone 2 DLC.
Friday Releases 02/07/2010
Amazing golfer, rubbish adulterer
Sadly, Friday’s releases bring a dearth of new titles, with the latest EA Tiger Woods iteration the stand-out pick. EA made the tough decision to keep their flagship golf title licensed by the now-shamed golfer, and next week’s sales figures should be a clear indicator if gamers have turned their backs on the franchise. Our own guess is that Tiger’s off-course shenanigans should have little to no effect on the game’s success, although South-Park style marraige-breakdown mini-games would certainly help. Elsewhere the long-awaited Bus Simulator 2 is finally here – and we’ve found some riveting gameplay footage to keep you lucky readers on tenderhooks for this coming Friday.
Ancients of Ooga (XBLA)
Puzzle Quest 2 (XBLA)
Sniper: Ghost Warrior
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
None
None
APB: All Points Bulletin
Bus Simulator 2
Irish Videogames Chart – Week Ending June 26
Another fantastic week for Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption, with the free-roaming western adventure reclaiming its position at the top of the all-formats charts from last week’s victor Super Mario Galaxy 2. Aside from the shift at the top, we have four new releases in the top ten, with PS3 title Demon’s Souls perhaps the most impressive entry, notching a sixth-place berth despite its multi-format rivals. We reviewed it last week too, and liked it a lot.
Elsewhere, Transformers: War for Cybertron crashed to 10th position, a disappointing result when you consider the game was released in four formats, with two version for the Nintendo DS alone. Finally DS puzzler Rooms: The Main Building crashed from 4th position to 20th, with poor word-of-mouth most likely contributing to the handheld’s sharp decline.
Irish Charts available from Chart-Track
