Encleverment Experiment
The latest game in the brain-trainer genre, Encleverment Experiment, is coming to the Xbox 360 this week. As in other games of its type there will be a myriad of puzzles to choose from to help you develop your puzzle-solving skills, as well as a “game show” mode that allows you to play with up to 3 of your friends. One interesting feature of this game that stands out from the rest of the genre is the addition of AI opponents, allowing one to face off against 15 different AIs, each with different strengths and weaknesses in the puzzle games. One reason that games of this sort usually avoid AI players is because it is seemingly very difficult to balance such an experience. Often the AI must be made to either always win or always lose, and the player’s actions have little to do with the results. Anyone who has tried to play with AI characters in Mario Party will know exactly what I mean. Hopefully this game has found a way to do it right.
Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans
For the DS this week, we’re going to see Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans. This DragonBall game is particulaly interesting because of its genre. If you’ve been following the franchise, you know that DBZ games are always fighters or brawlers—but here we have a DBZ RPG in the classic Japanese style. Explore the map, talk to NPC’s, buy equipment for your fighters, and earn experience in random battles while you attempt to defend the planet from the invaders. The combat is the standard “line up and fight”-style that we’re used to from jRPGs, with each character able to specialize in different skills, and combo moves becoming available as the characters develop.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
This week’s major cross-platform release is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. This much-anticipated FPS has some of the slickest graphics in the genre. Unfortunately, that’s about all it has going for it, as the plot sounds entirely uninteresting, and the combat will likely be rote and fundamentally boring. No magic swords, no laser pistols, no monsters, no aliens, no humor, nothing. Just modern human dudes shooting at other modern human dudes with modern weapons. The only way this game could get more boring is if they set it in World War II, but for some reason people seem to be really looking forward to this game. Excuse me while I yawn.
Worldshift
For tips on how to craft an interesting setting, turn to this week’s Spotlight release, Worldshift. In this RTS, a millennium has passed since civilization was destroyed by an artifact from space, and humanity is relegated to five small domed cities, oases in the wasteland that Earth has become. Outside the domes, the descendants of mutated humans vie for territory with a mysterious alien cult. Now these three factions are coming into conflict for control of limited resources. It’s not just the setting of this game which is interesting, some of its core mechanics are also worth taking a look at. The game has no technology tree—instead players must find artifacts in the landscape, and “equip” them into the technology grid for their faction. This, combined with a map randomizer, means that every battle will be a new experience, and players will be unlikely to get into the type of strategic rut that is normally fostered by this genre. In addition, each unit has a power level that can be expended on special moves and abilities depending upon their tactical situation. The game also features an advanced Co-op mode, allowing players to work through the campaign with a friend, and even play some challenging PvE levels, a rarity for this genre.
You can buy any of our featured games in this week’s Icrontic Game Shoppe
Following is a list of announced releases for North America:
PC
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Final Fantasy XI: Ultimate Collection
- Gardenscapes
- Star Trek: D-A-C
- Women’s Murder Club: A Darker Shade of Grey
- Women’s Murder Club: Twice in a Blue Moon
- Worldshift
- X3 Gold
PS3
- Braid
- BUZZ! Quiz World
- BUZZ! Quiz World (Bundle)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Dragon Ball: Raging Blast
NBA Unrivaled
PSP
- Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
Wii
- Arcade Shooting Gallery
- Arcade Shooting Gallery (with Gun)
- Buck Fever
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex
- Chaotic: Shadow Warriors
- Dragon Master Spell Caster
- Excitebike: World Rally
- Frogger Returns
- Harvest Moon: Animal Parade
- Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5
- Jambo! Safari: Animal Rescue
- NBA 2K10
- pop’n music
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
- Smart Kids Journey to Adventure
- Team Elimination Games
- Ultimate Party Challenge
- Cybernoid (VC – C64)
- Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap (VC – Sega)
DS
- Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders
- Bomberman Blitz
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized
- Chaotic: Shadow Warriors
- Disney JONAS
- Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans
- Dragonology
- Electroplankton: Beatnes
- Electroplankton: Hanenbow
- Electroplankton: Nanocarp
- Electroplankton: Rec-Rec
- Electroplankton: Trapy
- Fairyland Melody Magic
- Hair Salon
- Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands
- Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5
- Jonas
- Petz Nursery
- Phantasy Star Zero
- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
- Satisfashion
- Spectral Force Genesis
- Style Lab Jewelry Design
- Style Lab Makeover
- Sushi Academy
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Arcade Attack
- Wedding Dash
Xbox360
- Beat Drop
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Chaotic: Shadow Warriors
- Dragon Ball: Raging Blast
- Encleverment Experiment
- Final Fantasy XI: Ultimate Collection
- Hasbro Family Game Night
- NBA Unrivaled
- Stoked: Big Air Edition
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