CAG's rocksolidaudio & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of February 27th, 2007 and find you the best deals for all the games that you just can't wait to hit the clearance rack.
A big thanks to the Mrs. for pitch hitting for me while I nurse the virtual hammy I pulled while running to and from all the clearance deals this week.
Bullet Witch Dev. Cavia Pub. Atari Systems: 360 MSRP: $49.99
Funny story: upon first seeing videos of the Japanese release a good six months ago, I commented to a co-worker "this could be fun as long as it's not made by those guys who made Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex," because the character movements were awfully reminiscent. Turns out it is. Which means despite the potentially cool "sexy witch with upgradable guns and spells fighting monsters in destructible environments in the future" setting, you'll likely have an aneurysm wrestling with the camera and controls when the action gets sticky. Apparently the game gets pretty decent after the first few too-generic levels, but it's still a tough sell at full price a week after Crackdown. GameFly it for the nerd points, and hold out hope that there's a decent game in there too.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Bullet Witch, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon
$49.99
Chili Con Carnage Dev. Deadline Games Pub. Eidos Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
A spin-off to the gunslingin', "Max Payne as directed by Robert Rodriguez" PS2 game Total Overdose, Chili Con Carnage will likely follow in it's big brother's footsteps by being a complete mindless blast to play but garner little attention from the gamers who would actually enjoy it. There are several fun game mechanics behind the seemingly standard third-person action, such as slowing down time, incredibly destructive "Loco" moves, and a perpetual combo meter for racking up stylish kills (whose resulting points unlock challenge levels). It's VERY over the top in it's aesthetic, narrative and general pacing, but it should translate well to a portable experience (Wi-Fi multiplayer, too!).
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Chili Con Carnage, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at GameStop
$29.99
Formula One Championship Edition Dev. SCE Liverpool Pub. SCE Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
If you're a F1 fan, or you live in Europe, chances are good that this is what sold you on a PS3. The visuals are stunning on a sheerly technical level, but don't expect any flash or pop to the presentation. The same can be said about the gameplay, which like its successful cousin in realism Gran Turismo, just isn't any fun unless you're gear-headed enough to appreciate the subtleties. It's not something to hold against the game inherently, but it's a pretty miserable experience if you're not in it for the realism. Sony might want to think about releasing a couple of slightly more accessible games soon (between this and VF5 last week) so that mainstream gamers remember why they bought their system too.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for F1, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon
$59.69
SSX Blur Dev. EA Montreal Pub. EA Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
All signs point to this game hitting next week, but it seems a bit unlikely at this point - there have been few previews or info or general, so it wouldn't be shocking to see a last-minute slip. As for the actual game, it's anybody's guess how the final product controls, which is 100% crucial to the enjoyment. It seems like a more natural fit for the Wii than something like Downhill Jam since you're already headed downhill and executing tricks with the Wii-mote could be fun... but that's a bit 'could.' It will make or break the experience, and it's probably best as a rental simply to see how it feels for yourself first - especially when you can pick up the excellent SSX3 for around ten bucks now and play it on your Wii hassle-free.
Cheapest Price:
Amazon is selling SSX Blur for $44.99. Your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you also have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon
$44.99
Mrs. Shipwreck takes a look at the rest of this week's releases:
300: March To Glory Dev. Collision Studios Pub. Warner Bros. Interactive Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
This game is based on a graphic novel and motion picture of the same title. With lots of action and combat, 300: March To Glory has the potential to be entertaining. IGN has compared this game to the hack-n-slash combat arcade games of the past. Whether it will have staying power as anything more than a good old-fashioned button-masher, only time will tell.
Cheapest Price:
GameStop is selling 300 for $29.99 which seems to be $10 below the MSRP. Your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you also have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at GameStop
$29.99
DDR Universe Dev. & Pub. Konami Systems: 360 MSRP: $79.99 (with dance pad)
Forgive me, but this one seems self-explanatory. It’s Dance Dance Revolution. The main novel feature that this game offers is a marathon co-op mode so that multiple players on a single team can take turns playing without missing a beat. It also has an online competition mode so that Shipwreck and Wombat can finally determine who has better moves. But most importantly, it’s purported to be the first DDR game with true beginner modes that cater to anyone and everyone who dares to step onto the mat.
Cheapest Price:
GameStop is offering a free bonus music CD with the purchase of DDR Universe. If you don't care about the bonus, your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at GameStop
$79.99 free bonus music CD
Lumines Plus Dev. Q Entertainment Pub. Buena Vista Games Systems: PS2 MSRP: $19.99
Okay, first off let me just say that Shipwreck and I pronounced this game title “Loo-mines” for at least a year after its predecessor, the original Lumines, was released. Just saying, he’s not all-knowing when it comes to videogames. This game, as of press-time, is getting great reviews online. It’s cheap, which should be right up everyone’s alley. And it’s addicting. However, unless you missed this game the first or second time around with Lumines or Lumines 2, there’s nothing worth buying. It’s pretty much the original Lumines ported to the PS2 with a few Lumines 2 levels added in for good measure. So, anyone who didn’t buy it on the 360 Marketplace or PSP who owns a PS2 should pick this one up.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Lumines Plus, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon
$19.99
MLB 07 The Show Dev. SCE Studios San Diego Pub. SCE Systems: PS2, PSP MSRP: $39.99
Building on what was one of the best sports games of ’06, MLB 07 The Show debuts this week with a load of new features. Your pitcher’s skill level changes with their confidence, and you can get feedback about how well your pitcher is doing by asking your catcher. Sounds kind of girly to me. There’s also a new swing analysis feature that lets you know how your offense is fairing and gives you tips on controlling your bat speed and position to make better contact. The highly touted career mode that made MLB 06 is a mainstay of the 07 model as well. For those of you into online play, this game offers great features that let gamers create a league of teams functioning similarly to an online fantasy league. The downfall here is, of course, that the game is a Sony title so your Microsoft and Nintendo-owning friends might feel left out.
Cheapest Price:
Best Buy is offering a free MLB cap with the purchase of MLB 07 The Show, plus you can use a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon
$39.99
Best Buy free MLB cap with purchase:
Get the details on the free MLB cap in speedy1961's thread here.
MLB 2K7 Dev. Kush Games/ Visual Concepts Pub. 2K Games Systems: 360, PS2, PS3, Xbox, GBA, PSP, DS MSRP: $29.99 $59.99
Hopefully the defection of one of EA’s top game designers for the MVP series, Ben Brinkman, will add new life to a tired series. While the game reportedly doesn’t have many unique added features, the gameplay is supposed to be vastly improved with enhanced throwing, AI, statistics, and unique animations. They’ve also been working on making the players more true-to-life with celebrations, next-gen graphics, and the ability to play into your players’ strengths for added power. 2K Sports is touting the game as “the most authentic baseball action to date.” And it’s really the only thing keeping EA from ruling the world.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for MLB 2K7, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Actually, it looks as though Outpost has the 360 version for $48.99 and the PS3 version for $54.99. Thanks for the catch FriskyTanuki.
Purchase at Amazon
$59.69
Purchase at Outpost $48.99
Purchase at Amazon
$59.69
Purchase at Outpost $54.99
Purchase at Amazon
$29.99
Purchase at Amazon
$29.82
Marvel Trading Card Game Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
This may or may not be coming out this week, but it's worth mentioning and the name says it all.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for the Marvel Trading Card Game, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon
$29.99
Meteos Disney Magic Dev. Q Entertainment Pub. Disney Entertainment Studios Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
I hate to admit that I didn’t know the Meteos DS game from 2005 prior to this review. It’s a puzzle game that looks like a lot of fun, and this version features Disney characters worked into the storyline. Fantastically incorporating the touch-screen on the DS, the original Meteos game got great reviews. The developer is quick to point out that this game isn’t just Meteos with Cinderella’s face pasted on the Meteos pieces. The game revolves around the storyline that you, by playing Meteos, will re-organize the Disney storybook vault that someone has so cruelly messed up. There have been some changes as compared to the original, mainly that the DS is held vertically and you can now move your Meteos pieces both vertically and horizontally. The changes have created a game that allows the player to be more precise in his or her movements, which is always a good thing for a video game.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Meteos: Disney Magic, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon
$29.82
Samurai Warriors 2: Empires Dev. Omega Force Pub. Koei Systems: PS2, 360 MSRP: $29.99, $39.99
A,A,A,A,A,X,X or is it B,B,B,B,A,A,A, I can never remember which buttons you are supposed to continously mash in Koei's Samurai take on Dynasty Warriors. These series of games not only spawn sequel after sequel, but now apparently have decided that reduxed sub-sequels are also necessary to bridge the gap before the next version hits store shelves. Like every "Warriors" game in existance, there are hordes of enemy fodder on screen just waiting for your masterful muscle memory to guide your fingers to the correct button... over and over again. The formula is the same as always but they've added more missions, characters, and unlockable content, so if these games are your bag, this is the version to get.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Samurai Warriors 2: Empires, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon
$29.99
Purchase at Amazon
$39.99
General Deals that could be applied to save you some money:
Paypal is currently offering a $15 rebate on qualifying $30 purchases. Check out all the details here.
Google Checkout is still running their $10 off any $10 or more purchase for new users. Check out the details here.
A big thanks to the Mrs. for pitch hitting for me while I nurse the virtual hammy I pulled while running to and from all the clearance deals this week.
Bullet Witch Dev. Cavia Pub. Atari Systems: 360 MSRP: $49.99
Funny story: upon first seeing videos of the Japanese release a good six months ago, I commented to a co-worker "this could be fun as long as it's not made by those guys who made Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex," because the character movements were awfully reminiscent. Turns out it is. Which means despite the potentially cool "sexy witch with upgradable guns and spells fighting monsters in destructible environments in the future" setting, you'll likely have an aneurysm wrestling with the camera and controls when the action gets sticky. Apparently the game gets pretty decent after the first few too-generic levels, but it's still a tough sell at full price a week after Crackdown. GameFly it for the nerd points, and hold out hope that there's a decent game in there too.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Bullet Witch, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon$49.99
Chili Con Carnage Dev. Deadline Games Pub. Eidos Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
A spin-off to the gunslingin', "Max Payne as directed by Robert Rodriguez" PS2 game Total Overdose, Chili Con Carnage will likely follow in it's big brother's footsteps by being a complete mindless blast to play but garner little attention from the gamers who would actually enjoy it. There are several fun game mechanics behind the seemingly standard third-person action, such as slowing down time, incredibly destructive "Loco" moves, and a perpetual combo meter for racking up stylish kills (whose resulting points unlock challenge levels). It's VERY over the top in it's aesthetic, narrative and general pacing, but it should translate well to a portable experience (Wi-Fi multiplayer, too!).
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Chili Con Carnage, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at GameStop$29.99
Formula One Championship Edition Dev. SCE Liverpool Pub. SCE Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
If you're a F1 fan, or you live in Europe, chances are good that this is what sold you on a PS3. The visuals are stunning on a sheerly technical level, but don't expect any flash or pop to the presentation. The same can be said about the gameplay, which like its successful cousin in realism Gran Turismo, just isn't any fun unless you're gear-headed enough to appreciate the subtleties. It's not something to hold against the game inherently, but it's a pretty miserable experience if you're not in it for the realism. Sony might want to think about releasing a couple of slightly more accessible games soon (between this and VF5 last week) so that mainstream gamers remember why they bought their system too.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for F1, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon$59.69
SSX Blur Dev. EA Montreal Pub. EA Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
All signs point to this game hitting next week, but it seems a bit unlikely at this point - there have been few previews or info or general, so it wouldn't be shocking to see a last-minute slip. As for the actual game, it's anybody's guess how the final product controls, which is 100% crucial to the enjoyment. It seems like a more natural fit for the Wii than something like Downhill Jam since you're already headed downhill and executing tricks with the Wii-mote could be fun... but that's a bit 'could.' It will make or break the experience, and it's probably best as a rental simply to see how it feels for yourself first - especially when you can pick up the excellent SSX3 for around ten bucks now and play it on your Wii hassle-free.
Cheapest Price:
Amazon is selling SSX Blur for $44.99. Your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you also have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon$44.99
Mrs. Shipwreck takes a look at the rest of this week's releases:
300: March To Glory Dev. Collision Studios Pub. Warner Bros. Interactive Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
This game is based on a graphic novel and motion picture of the same title. With lots of action and combat, 300: March To Glory has the potential to be entertaining. IGN has compared this game to the hack-n-slash combat arcade games of the past. Whether it will have staying power as anything more than a good old-fashioned button-masher, only time will tell.
Cheapest Price:
GameStop is selling 300 for $29.99 which seems to be $10 below the MSRP. Your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you also have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at GameStop$29.99
DDR Universe Dev. & Pub. Konami Systems: 360 MSRP: $79.99 (with dance pad)
Forgive me, but this one seems self-explanatory. It’s Dance Dance Revolution. The main novel feature that this game offers is a marathon co-op mode so that multiple players on a single team can take turns playing without missing a beat. It also has an online competition mode so that Shipwreck and Wombat can finally determine who has better moves. But most importantly, it’s purported to be the first DDR game with true beginner modes that cater to anyone and everyone who dares to step onto the mat.
Cheapest Price:
GameStop is offering a free bonus music CD with the purchase of DDR Universe. If you don't care about the bonus, your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at GameStop$79.99 free bonus music CD
Lumines Plus Dev. Q Entertainment Pub. Buena Vista Games Systems: PS2 MSRP: $19.99
Okay, first off let me just say that Shipwreck and I pronounced this game title “Loo-mines” for at least a year after its predecessor, the original Lumines, was released. Just saying, he’s not all-knowing when it comes to videogames. This game, as of press-time, is getting great reviews online. It’s cheap, which should be right up everyone’s alley. And it’s addicting. However, unless you missed this game the first or second time around with Lumines or Lumines 2, there’s nothing worth buying. It’s pretty much the original Lumines ported to the PS2 with a few Lumines 2 levels added in for good measure. So, anyone who didn’t buy it on the 360 Marketplace or PSP who owns a PS2 should pick this one up.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Lumines Plus, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon$19.99
MLB 07 The Show Dev. SCE Studios San Diego Pub. SCE Systems: PS2, PSP MSRP: $39.99
Building on what was one of the best sports games of ’06, MLB 07 The Show debuts this week with a load of new features. Your pitcher’s skill level changes with their confidence, and you can get feedback about how well your pitcher is doing by asking your catcher. Sounds kind of girly to me. There’s also a new swing analysis feature that lets you know how your offense is fairing and gives you tips on controlling your bat speed and position to make better contact. The highly touted career mode that made MLB 06 is a mainstay of the 07 model as well. For those of you into online play, this game offers great features that let gamers create a league of teams functioning similarly to an online fantasy league. The downfall here is, of course, that the game is a Sony title so your Microsoft and Nintendo-owning friends might feel left out.
Cheapest Price:
Best Buy is offering a free MLB cap with the purchase of MLB 07 The Show, plus you can use a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon$39.99
Best Buy free MLB cap with purchase:
Get the details on the free MLB cap in speedy1961's thread here.
MLB 2K7 Dev. Kush Games/ Visual Concepts Pub. 2K Games Systems: 360, PS2, PS3, Xbox, GBA, PSP, DS MSRP: $29.99 $59.99
Hopefully the defection of one of EA’s top game designers for the MVP series, Ben Brinkman, will add new life to a tired series. While the game reportedly doesn’t have many unique added features, the gameplay is supposed to be vastly improved with enhanced throwing, AI, statistics, and unique animations. They’ve also been working on making the players more true-to-life with celebrations, next-gen graphics, and the ability to play into your players’ strengths for added power. 2K Sports is touting the game as “the most authentic baseball action to date.” And it’s really the only thing keeping EA from ruling the world.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for MLB 2K7, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Actually, it looks as though Outpost has the 360 version for $48.99 and the PS3 version for $54.99. Thanks for the catch FriskyTanuki.
Purchase at Amazon$59.69
Purchase at Outpost $48.99 Purchase at Amazon$59.69
Purchase at Outpost $54.99 Purchase at Amazon$29.99
Purchase at Amazon$29.82
Marvel Trading Card Game Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
This may or may not be coming out this week, but it's worth mentioning and the name says it all.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for the Marvel Trading Card Game, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon$29.99
Meteos Disney Magic Dev. Q Entertainment Pub. Disney Entertainment Studios Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
I hate to admit that I didn’t know the Meteos DS game from 2005 prior to this review. It’s a puzzle game that looks like a lot of fun, and this version features Disney characters worked into the storyline. Fantastically incorporating the touch-screen on the DS, the original Meteos game got great reviews. The developer is quick to point out that this game isn’t just Meteos with Cinderella’s face pasted on the Meteos pieces. The game revolves around the storyline that you, by playing Meteos, will re-organize the Disney storybook vault that someone has so cruelly messed up. There have been some changes as compared to the original, mainly that the DS is held vertically and you can now move your Meteos pieces both vertically and horizontally. The changes have created a game that allows the player to be more precise in his or her movements, which is always a good thing for a video game.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Meteos: Disney Magic, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon$29.82
Samurai Warriors 2: Empires Dev. Omega Force Pub. Koei Systems: PS2, 360 MSRP: $29.99, $39.99
A,A,A,A,A,X,X or is it B,B,B,B,A,A,A, I can never remember which buttons you are supposed to continously mash in Koei's Samurai take on Dynasty Warriors. These series of games not only spawn sequel after sequel, but now apparently have decided that reduxed sub-sequels are also necessary to bridge the gap before the next version hits store shelves. Like every "Warriors" game in existance, there are hordes of enemy fodder on screen just waiting for your masterful muscle memory to guide your fingers to the correct button... over and over again. The formula is the same as always but they've added more missions, characters, and unlockable content, so if these games are your bag, this is the version to get.
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Samurai Warriors 2: Empires, so your best bet in-store is a Best Buy Gamer Gift Card $5 off coupon or any other in-store coupons you may have. Online, you have the potential to use the Paypal rebate offer or Google Checkout offer. See the bottom of the post for details.
Purchase at Amazon$29.99
Purchase at Amazon$39.99
General Deals that could be applied to save you some money:
Paypal is currently offering a $15 rebate on qualifying $30 purchases. Check out all the details here.
Google Checkout is still running their $10 off any $10 or more purchase for new users. Check out the details here.
