Many of us will be finding our new ‘bathroom game’ this week. Bad Piggies, which is being released simultaneously on iOS and Android devices, is the new game by Rovio, and their first attempt at something that does not involve flinging animals at structures. In this action puzzle game, players are given a pig and a bunch of bits with different properties which must be assembled into a vehicle for the pig. The objective is to design a vehicle that will survive the obstacle course of each level, getting the pig, intact, to the goal, retrying over and over until you get it right. Some vehicles will have to be let to work on their own, while others will have interactive parts like speed boosters and propellers. It’s a simple, yet versatile, gameplay idea, and it’s in the same graphical style and humor as Angry Birds. I predict another hit for the studio.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes was crafted from the ground up with two goals. First, to explore the Holmes character in depth by placing him in a harrowing situation. Second, to create a detective adventure game with the level of graphical fidelity expected in other, higher-budget genres. The game is played partly from Holmes’ point of view and partly from Watson’s. The story is a true mystery, with clue searching and interviewing suspects and so forth, but the bulk of the game’s plot deals with Holmes himself being accused of the crime. Distrustful of his friend after a bout of strange behaviour, Watson is helping Scotland Yard search for Holmes, finding evidence along the way the makes Holmes look more and more guilty. Meanwhile, Holmes is evading capture while finding a way to clear his name. The player gets to play from both sides of the case, and delve into the dark side of the famous detective.
If you’re a fan of brain-busting platformers, as I am, you’ll want to check out Colour Bind. In this puzzler, players navigate a small, durable vehicle through a world in which gravity is based on hue. In each level, differently colored items fall in different directions, and the player has to navigate these strange puzzle levels, changing the colors of things, including the vehicle itself, in an effort to reach each goal. The game also ships with a robust level editor, and with a connection to the Steam hub for the game, there will likely never be an end the the available levels.
This week’s Icrontic Spotlight pools in the blood-dappled streets of Tokyo Jungle. It’s been several years since almost all humans on Earth disappeared in a single mysterious event, leaving the streets of what was the world’s largest metropolitan area entirely to the rule of the animals. Most of these animals are former pets, especially dogs, but some are coming in from the surrounding wilderness, and some are former residents of the Tokyo Zoo. However they got there, there are over 80 differnt species of animal with over 50 sub-breeds, mostly different dogs, across the various types. The game, which is being called an ‘urban animal survival’ game, the first of this sub-genre, has two modes. In ‘Story’ mode, the player chooses from among eight different animals, each with their own story. In some, the player engages in brutal combat, like the lion who must defend his pride from other males. In others, the player seeks to build a pack through diplomacy and guile, like the story of the beagle who needs to show the Tosa Inu that he’s not the boss of the dogs. In still others, the player engages in stealth recon and survival, like the story of the Sika deer, who searches the city for its mother while avoiding predators. Through the story, the player gets various clues as to what happened to all the humans. In ‘Survival’ mode, players chooses any animal type and breed, and fights it out in the streets against other animals. Smaller animals get large packs to help them out, while large animals have to fight alone. Playing enough opens up new playable animals, and more can be downloaded via the Playstation Network.
Following is a full list of this week’s announced North American releases:
Windows
- Bad Piggies
- Carrier Command: Gaea Mission
- Colour Bind
- Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure
- FIFA Soccer 13
- Garshasp: Temple of the Dragon
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2013
- The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
Wii
- Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure
- FIFA Soccer 13
DS
- Kart Krashers
3DS
- Boulder Dash-XL 3D
- Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure
- FIFA Soccer 13
- Hitori by Nikoli
- Hotel Transylvania
- The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave
Xbox 360
- Dead or Alive 5
- Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse
- FIFA Soccer 13
- Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
- Marvel vs. Capcom Origins
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2013
- The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
- Wipeout 3
PS3
- Dead or Alive 5
- FIFA Soccer 13
- Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
- Marvel vs. Capcom Origins
- One Piece: Pirate Warriors
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2013
- The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
- Tokyo Jungle
PSP
- FIFA Soccer 13
Vita
- FIFA Soccer 13
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