CAG's shipwreck & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of May 8th, 2007. This week we wear our Command & Conquer 3 water wings to keep us afloat in the steady river of feces that winds through the spring release schedule.
.hack//G.U. Vol. 2: Reminisce Dev. CyberConnect2 Pub. Namco Bandai Systems: PS2 MSRP: $39.99
The most prolifically published RPG series on the PS2 pushes it's sixth game out. If you have interest in Massively Multiplayer Online RPG's, but hate online and playing with other humans, then you are probably quite familiar with this series by now. This time around they've added a card battling system to try and coax out some more basement dwellers, but other than that, this is pretty standard ".hack" fare. So this release only matters to previous fans and the people simply trying to collect all the RPGs that are on the PS2. Oh, and of course the casual shoppers who will instantly be attracted to the accessible name. Just in case you are keeping score at home, that's 18 letters, 7 punctuation marks, and 1 number. - ship
Best Deal:
Amazon will save you a couple bucks on Reminisce and offers free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $37.99 (Free shipping)
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars Dev. EA Los Angeles Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
The demo for Command & Conquer 3 actually was engaging for about 15 minutes. After that my brain hemorrhaged trying to get my fingers to play Twister with the 360 controller. From that brief stint though, it was obvious that with a little patience and a penchant for thinking, this could be one of the best real-time strategy games to get a proper console treatment. This is the type of game that could keep you busy for a long time (and not just learning the control scheme). There are nearly forty single player missions and online multiplayer should be great as well. The graphics look very nice and once you have committed the controls to memory, it's about as intuitive as you are going to get for a complex RTS on the 360. And don't forget that the requisite campy FMVs are back in full force with a large cast of "C" level celebrities. Fans of the genre should definitely pick this one up if they haven't already exhausted the PC version. - ship
Best Deal:
There are a few options for Command & Conquer 3. Online, Amazon is offering the game for $58 with free shipping and Family Video is saving you a couple more dollars at $56 shipped. In-store, Fry's is selling the game for $49.99 this week and they also are offering that price online. Circuit City is offering a $10 gift card with purchase of the game and they are also offering a $20 gift card if they don't have it in stock by 2PM on Wednesday.
Purchase At Amazon $57.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $54.99 (99 cent shipping)
See speedy1961's Circuit City Ad $59.99 (Free $10 Gift Card)
Purchase At Fry's $49.99
Driver 76 Dev. Sumo Digital - Reflections Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
This is the portable prequel to Driver: Parallel Lines so expect a similar okey-dokey experience. Is anybody still interested in this series though? I think REM summed it up best at this point: "Take a break Driver 8, Driver 8 take a break." Obviously, "Driver 76" just didn't fit the rhyme scheme, but their hearts were in the right place. The $40 pricetag that Ubi Soft is throwing on this one seems a little pricy too. Especially, when we all know that the prices of Ubi Soft games drop faster than panties at a nymphomaniac convention. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Driver 76.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Heatseeker Dev. IR Gurus Pub. Codemasters Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
I'll just go ahead and port what I wrote for the PS2 and Wii versions of this game last week... Heatseeker is a blend of arcade and flight sim combat that features a cast of modern jets and a payload worth of who-the-Hell-cares. These PS2/PSP/Wii offerings aren't exactly pushing the limits of any of the systems as poor graphics and lack of depth seem to be the common thread. If you absolutely must feed the need for speed, the Wii version seems to be slightly less sub-par as the Wii-controls work well. And let's face it: if you are looking to buy games for your Wii, lack of depth hasn't stopped you so far. Oh, and don't worry about having a second Wiimote handy as the face-melting action is confined to solo play. After all, who would want to play a flight combat game with a friend or two? - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Heatseeker.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Shrek The Third Dev. Shaba Games Pub. Activision Systems: 360 MSRP: $49.99
In order to provide an accurate preview of ShreK the Third, I spent some time playing the demo available on the 360. First off, let the intro video play after you hit start. The graphics look awesome, as they should coming from Dreamworks (Ship and I are pretty sure the intro is actually footage from the movie). However, the camera angles will make this game largely unplayable, given that I had a headache four seconds into playing. For the majority of the demo, the gamer is playing a 3D platform game while viewing the character from the front or the side. It's like playing a driving game while looking at the driver through the front windshield! I often had no idea where I was jumping to, nor where the enemies were unless they were right next to my player. Occasionally the camera will swing behind Shrek, but for the most part, I found myself spontaneously reaching for the trigger buttons to move the camera to no avail. On the positive side, there are several quest goals for each level, ranging from beating the level without dying to finding all of the coins/novelty items. The graphics are good but the level layout is very simple and one-tracked, and the frame rate is inconsistent. The never-ending commentary from the likes of Donkey, Shrek, and Puss in Boots, was funny and entertaining even at the demo level. All in all, I would place this addition to the Shrek franchise more toward the first Shrek game (crappy) and less like the second (decent). Play the demo before you spend your money. - mrs. ship
More like Shrek the Turd. Sigh... it had to be done. - ship
Best Deal:
Family Video is offering Shrek the Third for $46 shipped.
Purchase At Family Video $44.99 (99 cent shipping)
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Dev. SuperVillian Studios Pub. Activision Systems: PS2 MSRP: $39.99
Activision wants to make some scrilla so you can now play the Tony Hawk version of SSX without the waggle. This is a hard sale when so many CAGs are reporting picking up the Wii version for $10 at Costco. - ship
Best Deal:
Amazon is selling Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam for $2 off the MSRP. Whoopee.
Purchase At Amazon $37.99 (Free shipping)
On The DL with the Shipwrecks
Double Dragon Systems: 360 MSRP: $5
Five dollars will get you a classic beat 'em up with online and local co-op play, updated and classic graphics, leaderboards, achievements, and other extras. This certainly nunchakus our next offering square in the gonads. - ship
Final Fight Systems: Wii MSRP: $8
The side-scrolling brawler featuringZangief Haggar and a guy named Guy shows up on the Virtual Console in SNES form. This was a decent arcade port back in the day, but it suffered from a lot of slowdown when they shrank it into a cartridge. And once again, $8 for an inferior version when a better Arcade conversion is available on multiple Capcom Collections? No thanks. - ship
Mighty Bomb Jack Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
This virtual console game for the Wii is not one I was familiar with, so Ship popped it in the NES for me to play. The levels are similar-looking to the underground levels in Super Mario Brothers. The goal is to collect as many bombs and coins from within the treasure chests as possible. Touching any enemy will kill you, and you have no defense or weaponry. The only way to avoid the parrots and other unidentifiable flying objects is to jump over or around them. You can, however, slow down or speed up your jumps in order to do so. If you played this game when it was out for the NES, it will surely bring back happy, nostalgic memories. If you are unfamiliar with the title but want an old-school game to keep you entertained for a while, this title might just be worth the $5. - mrs. ship
Ordyne Systems: Wii MSRP: $6
"Save your girlfriend Ordyne trying" and "Extra-Ordynary!". Both are perfectly bad puns that I'd expect to see quoted on boxart for Ordyne which is another horizontal-scrolling space shooter nobody played due to it being on the TurboGrafx-16. Well, now you and a buddy can fly and shoot brightly colored enemies together. So bright that you can practically taste the rainbow beaming from your TV. - ship
Feedback:
Did we miss a good sale on a game? Did we miss previewing a game completely? Well, the only way that everyone can know a better deal is out there is to let us know about it. Post deals you've found or games that we missed in the thread so that CAGs can make sure they are getting the absolute best prices on new releases.
.hack//G.U. Vol. 2: Reminisce Dev. CyberConnect2 Pub. Namco Bandai Systems: PS2 MSRP: $39.99
The most prolifically published RPG series on the PS2 pushes it's sixth game out. If you have interest in Massively Multiplayer Online RPG's, but hate online and playing with other humans, then you are probably quite familiar with this series by now. This time around they've added a card battling system to try and coax out some more basement dwellers, but other than that, this is pretty standard ".hack" fare. So this release only matters to previous fans and the people simply trying to collect all the RPGs that are on the PS2. Oh, and of course the casual shoppers who will instantly be attracted to the accessible name. Just in case you are keeping score at home, that's 18 letters, 7 punctuation marks, and 1 number. - ship
Best Deal:
Amazon will save you a couple bucks on Reminisce and offers free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $37.99 (Free shipping)Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars Dev. EA Los Angeles Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
The demo for Command & Conquer 3 actually was engaging for about 15 minutes. After that my brain hemorrhaged trying to get my fingers to play Twister with the 360 controller. From that brief stint though, it was obvious that with a little patience and a penchant for thinking, this could be one of the best real-time strategy games to get a proper console treatment. This is the type of game that could keep you busy for a long time (and not just learning the control scheme). There are nearly forty single player missions and online multiplayer should be great as well. The graphics look very nice and once you have committed the controls to memory, it's about as intuitive as you are going to get for a complex RTS on the 360. And don't forget that the requisite campy FMVs are back in full force with a large cast of "C" level celebrities. Fans of the genre should definitely pick this one up if they haven't already exhausted the PC version. - ship
Best Deal:
There are a few options for Command & Conquer 3. Online, Amazon is offering the game for $58 with free shipping and Family Video is saving you a couple more dollars at $56 shipped. In-store, Fry's is selling the game for $49.99 this week and they also are offering that price online. Circuit City is offering a $10 gift card with purchase of the game and they are also offering a $20 gift card if they don't have it in stock by 2PM on Wednesday.
Purchase At Amazon $57.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $54.99 (99 cent shipping) See speedy1961's Circuit City Ad $59.99 (Free $10 Gift Card) Purchase At Fry's $49.99 Driver 76 Dev. Sumo Digital - Reflections Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
This is the portable prequel to Driver: Parallel Lines so expect a similar okey-dokey experience. Is anybody still interested in this series though? I think REM summed it up best at this point: "Take a break Driver 8, Driver 8 take a break." Obviously, "Driver 76" just didn't fit the rhyme scheme, but their hearts were in the right place. The $40 pricetag that Ubi Soft is throwing on this one seems a little pricy too. Especially, when we all know that the prices of Ubi Soft games drop faster than panties at a nymphomaniac convention. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Driver 76.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)Heatseeker Dev. IR Gurus Pub. Codemasters Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
I'll just go ahead and port what I wrote for the PS2 and Wii versions of this game last week... Heatseeker is a blend of arcade and flight sim combat that features a cast of modern jets and a payload worth of who-the-Hell-cares. These PS2/PSP/Wii offerings aren't exactly pushing the limits of any of the systems as poor graphics and lack of depth seem to be the common thread. If you absolutely must feed the need for speed, the Wii version seems to be slightly less sub-par as the Wii-controls work well. And let's face it: if you are looking to buy games for your Wii, lack of depth hasn't stopped you so far. Oh, and don't worry about having a second Wiimote handy as the face-melting action is confined to solo play. After all, who would want to play a flight combat game with a friend or two? - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Heatseeker.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)Shrek The Third Dev. Shaba Games Pub. Activision Systems: 360 MSRP: $49.99
In order to provide an accurate preview of ShreK the Third, I spent some time playing the demo available on the 360. First off, let the intro video play after you hit start. The graphics look awesome, as they should coming from Dreamworks (Ship and I are pretty sure the intro is actually footage from the movie). However, the camera angles will make this game largely unplayable, given that I had a headache four seconds into playing. For the majority of the demo, the gamer is playing a 3D platform game while viewing the character from the front or the side. It's like playing a driving game while looking at the driver through the front windshield! I often had no idea where I was jumping to, nor where the enemies were unless they were right next to my player. Occasionally the camera will swing behind Shrek, but for the most part, I found myself spontaneously reaching for the trigger buttons to move the camera to no avail. On the positive side, there are several quest goals for each level, ranging from beating the level without dying to finding all of the coins/novelty items. The graphics are good but the level layout is very simple and one-tracked, and the frame rate is inconsistent. The never-ending commentary from the likes of Donkey, Shrek, and Puss in Boots, was funny and entertaining even at the demo level. All in all, I would place this addition to the Shrek franchise more toward the first Shrek game (crappy) and less like the second (decent). Play the demo before you spend your money. - mrs. ship
More like Shrek the Turd. Sigh... it had to be done. - ship
Best Deal:
Family Video is offering Shrek the Third for $46 shipped.
Purchase At Family Video $44.99 (99 cent shipping)Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Dev. SuperVillian Studios Pub. Activision Systems: PS2 MSRP: $39.99
Activision wants to make some scrilla so you can now play the Tony Hawk version of SSX without the waggle. This is a hard sale when so many CAGs are reporting picking up the Wii version for $10 at Costco. - ship
Best Deal:
Amazon is selling Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam for $2 off the MSRP. Whoopee.
Purchase At Amazon $37.99 (Free shipping)On The DL with the Shipwrecks
Double Dragon Systems: 360 MSRP: $5
Five dollars will get you a classic beat 'em up with online and local co-op play, updated and classic graphics, leaderboards, achievements, and other extras. This certainly nunchakus our next offering square in the gonads. - ship
Final Fight Systems: Wii MSRP: $8
The side-scrolling brawler featuring
Mighty Bomb Jack Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
This virtual console game for the Wii is not one I was familiar with, so Ship popped it in the NES for me to play. The levels are similar-looking to the underground levels in Super Mario Brothers. The goal is to collect as many bombs and coins from within the treasure chests as possible. Touching any enemy will kill you, and you have no defense or weaponry. The only way to avoid the parrots and other unidentifiable flying objects is to jump over or around them. You can, however, slow down or speed up your jumps in order to do so. If you played this game when it was out for the NES, it will surely bring back happy, nostalgic memories. If you are unfamiliar with the title but want an old-school game to keep you entertained for a while, this title might just be worth the $5. - mrs. ship
Ordyne Systems: Wii MSRP: $6
"Save your girlfriend Ordyne trying" and "Extra-Ordynary!". Both are perfectly bad puns that I'd expect to see quoted on boxart for Ordyne which is another horizontal-scrolling space shooter nobody played due to it being on the TurboGrafx-16. Well, now you and a buddy can fly and shoot brightly colored enemies together. So bright that you can practically taste the rainbow beaming from your TV. - ship
Feedback:
Did we miss a good sale on a game? Did we miss previewing a game completely? Well, the only way that everyone can know a better deal is out there is to let us know about it. Post deals you've found or games that we missed in the thread so that CAGs can make sure they are getting the absolute best prices on new releases.
ing awful, but I played the shit out of them back in the day with my buds. Good times.