New Releases for The Week of Brick Wizards and Snow Warriors

LEGO Hary Potter: Years 5-7 is the sequel to LEGO Harry Potter: years 1-4, and as the name implies, covers the story of the second part of the septology. If you’ve played any of the LEGO film-to-video-game adaptations, then you know pretty much what to expect here. The story is a bit darker than the first game, but otherwise, it’s mostly the same experience. New to the game is a dueling system, which Harry uses to defeat the Death Eaters, and new spells to learn which were not introduced in the first game. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 is available for PC, Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, Nintendo 3DS, and PSP.

So some people are looking forward to this Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 thing, which continues the story of Modern Warfare 2. Of course, it’s got better graphics, and some new features, including co-operative play, but, as usual, the story is hackneyed, and the violence and explosions are gratuitous. Yawn. Also, it’s being released soon after the release of Battlefield 3, which I’ve heard is more compelling—and even if it wasn’t, it’s a similar genre and setting, so everyone is already getting their fix, as it were.  Better luck next time, Modern Warfare franchise. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is available tomorrow on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

Super Mario Land 3D is a new Mario adventure built for the 3DS. It’s similar to past 3D Mario games, combining elements from Galaxy and Super Mario 64 along with some new features like boomerang suits and helicopter helmets. The story is not new, of course: The princess has been captured by Bowser, and Mario has to survive a series of themed worlds to get her back. With this title, 3DS releases are finally starting to come with force. It had a rough beginning with such a small launch library and only a few releases per month, but as we approach the holidays, we’re seeing a massive spike in 3DS titles. Maybe developers have finally figured out what to do with the poor thing. You can get Super Mario Land 3D for the Nintendo 3DS now.

The Icrontic Spotlight this week emerges from the clouds with a breath of flame racing before it, decending on wings of scaly terror to face down Skyrim. The fifth game in the Elder Scrolls series—though for most players, the series begins with the third game, Morrowind—Skyrim introduces yet another kingdom of Tamriel, and carries over many plot elements from the previous games: The king is dead, and there is a question of succession. One great hero will rise up to save the kingdom from turmoil.

So, what’s the big deal? For the uninitiated: Bethesda has made some of the most popular open-world RPGs in history. Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout 3, and New Vegas—though this last one was developed by another company using Bethesda’s engine—are all outstanding games with great immersion and fluid, engaging stories. Everyone who loves these games, which is a lot of people, is really looking forward to the new one, hoping it will also be great. Personally, I have little doubt it will be. Bethesda has never let me down, so I put a lot of trust in their work.

The game-play is as a first/third person shooter with RPG character development which is branching and widely variable. In past games, players have been able to successfully choose any skill path with just as much success as others, allowing the story and many of the quests to be completed by a wide range of character types and combat styles. This new game, with another all-new engine, has new interaction possibilities and enhanced combat and spell-casting, but the big gimmick this time is dragons, which have, as prophesied, been resurrected with the death of the king and are terrorizing the countryside. The player will find his or her dragon voice, and become the Dragonborn: the one who reins in the threat of dragons and reunites the kingdom. Skyrim will be  available for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

There is lots of Skyrim discussion going on on Icrontic right now. Join in!

Following is a full list of this week’s announced North American releases:

Windows

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Heavy Fire: Afghanistan – The Chosen Few
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Martial Empires: The Path of the Purgatory
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Wii

• Arcade Shooting Gallery
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Champion Jockey: G1 Jockey & Gallop Racer
• Deepak Chopra’s Leela
• Fix It
• Gem Smashers
• Get Up and Dance
• Happy Feet Two: The Videogame
• Heavy Fire: Afghanistan – The Chosen Few
• JAWS: Ultimate Predator
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Nickelodeon Dance
• Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
• The Black Eyed Peas Experience
• The Kore Gang
• Winter Stars

DS

• Bakugan: Rise of the Resistance
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Defiance
• DaGeDar
• Happy Feet Two: The Videogame
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Photo World DSi
• Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
• SpongeBob’s Surf & Skate Roadtrip
• Ultimate Card Games
• Wappy Dog

3DS

• Cave Story 3D
• Face Racers: Photo Finish
• Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive!
• Gem Smashers
• Happy Feet Two: The Videogame
• Heavy Fire: Afghanistan – The Chosen Few
• JAWS: Ultimate Predator
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Outdoors Unleashed: Africa 3D
• Outdoors Unleashed: Alaska 3D
• Pac-Man Party 3D
• Super Mario 3D Land

Xbox 360

• Big League Sports
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Deepak Chopra: Leela
• Fight Night Champion
• Happy Feet Two: The Videogame
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
• Nickelodeon Dance
• Raving Rabbids: Alive & Kicking
• Self-Defense Training Camp
• SpongeBob’s Surf & Skate Roadtrip
• The Black Eyed Peas Experience
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• Winter Stars
• Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012

PS3

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Champion Jockey: G1 Jockey & Gallop Racer
• Get Up and Dance
• Happy Feet Two: The Videogame
• Heavy Fire: Afghanistan – The Chosen Few
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

PSP

• Cars 2: The Video Game
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7