A Slow December?

I find myself hearing through the dregs of the Internet about how all the great games have already come out and that there aren't any more good games coming out this year. We still have a month guys, and I'm sure there will be at least a couple decent games coming. Let me break it down for you:

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks



This game is looking to be just about what Phantom Hourglass should have been. Hourglass was an attempt to create a new way to play a Zelda game and it succeeded at doing just that. The game worked very well and had plenty of great ideas going for it. The problem with it was that it simply didn't have the dungeon design nor the boss battles that make the games memorable. I played through most of Hourglass and I can't remember much of it at all.

Spirit Tracks looks interesting. I'm hoping controlling Phantom-Zelda will be a delicate experience, because from what I've been lead to believe so far, it's looking good. The dungeons seem to be a cut above the dreck that we were subjected to with the last game.


Silent Hill: Shattered Memories



I think I've talked about what makes me interested in this game so far before. In short, no combat for the first time in a series where the combat has always felt stale. The emphasis will actually be on fear and discovery as opposed to beating the hell out of two torsos sewn together. The producer has also been claiming that its going to have a system that learns what scares you or some such jargon, but I find myself skeptical. Despite my disbelief, I can't help but find myself entranced by the idea of playing a survival horror game that doesn't have asinine controls or combat.


The Saboteur



I'll be real honest here guys, I've never played a Pandemic Studios game nor did I know of this game's existence until it was revealed that the majority of the studio had been canned. What I do know of the company is that Mercs was hot and Mercs 2 was undercooked despite its ridiculously awesome commercial. What I do know of The Saboteur is that it looks freaking rad. The game takes place during World War II but from all that I've seen from screenshots, it is NOT an FPS. Plus the concept of being in a black and white world slowly getting infused with color has always been sweet in my book.

I must admit I feel kind of silly talking about a game I know little to nothing about, but it at least reminded me about the best video game commercial ever.


Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers



Having a release date of December 26th gives me the impression that this game has been sent out to die. I've never really been a fan of the Crystal Chronicles games really, but its ESRB summary and some gameplay previews kind of make me want to give it another look. Instead of trying to convince people to give this game a look, let me just quote its ESRB warning:

"This is a fantasy-based action game in which players assume the role of Layle, a mercenary "crystal bearer" who uses his telekinetic powers (i.e., the ability to control gravity) to stop an evil villain from destroying the world. Players can explore fantasy worlds, battle numerous creatures, and engage in story-related mini-games (e.g., dodging lasers, flying airships, saving people). The central character can use his telekinetic powers to throw people off cliffs, into warp portals, onto train tracks, or into trash chutes. Guns and swords can also be used to defeat characters. One sequence involves intense machine gun fire against a dragon; cutscenes sometimes depict slapping, punching, and kicking. Consumers may wish to know that the expletives "damn" and "hell" are occasionally used by the central characters.

Some female characters wear revealing fantasy outfits and bikinis that expose deep cleavage. During one sequence at the beach, a woman accuses a man of peeping on her in an outhouse changing room (e.g., "How icky of you to watch girls changing!" and "You were peeping?!"). In one mini-game, two women in bikinis try to knock each other off a floating platform using only their hips. Players will also encounter multiple alcohol references during their adventure: wine casks, barrels, and bottles (e.g., "Rainbow Wine") can be found in some locations; a goblin samurai holding a sake-shaped bottle appears to be drunk; and players can visit a winery and uncork kegs and barrels, allowing the wine to pour onto the floor. If players wish to, they may pick up steaming manure and toss it at enemies or the bucolic surroundings."

How anyone could NOT want to play this game after reading that is a little bit beyond me.


And that's about it, I can't think of any other games worthy of note. This may or may not be my Monday post; if it is, sorry guys.