CAG's shipwreck & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of May 15th, 2007. This week we cover a lot of ports, rehashes, and hey, look at that, there's actually a couple of new games that could be interesting.
Code Lyoko Dev. Game Factory Pub. Game Factory Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Based upon the cartoon of the same name. Didn't know it was a cartoon? Yea... moving along. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Code Lyoko.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.04 (99 cent shipping)
Etrian Odyssey Dev. Atlus Pub. Atlus Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Atlus brings another RPG to the DS and, as usual, early reviews show differing opinions between the hardcore RPG demographic and the mainstream press. If you are an old-school RPG fan, you are most likely going to eat up the lush graphics, vast character class building, and turn-based strategic combat. Like any good dungeon crawler, there's a lot of labyrinth exploring to be done here and the touch-screen allows for a unique map drawing mechanic that allows you to plot out your course. The game has pretty strong nerd cred behind it as well with the head developer from Trauma Center and the composer from Portrait of Ruin and Shenmue. This just may be the game that pries Puzzle Quest from my DS. - ship
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Etrian Odyssey for $24.99.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.64 (99 cent shipping)
See fidodido's Fry's Ad $24.99
Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon Dev. ArtePiazza Pub. Natsume Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
Judging by the title, this seems to be Harvest Moon set in the future. It also appears to be mrs. shipwreck's video game of choice for the next three weeks while I have my Halo 3 fling. Once I pick up her pre-ordered copy, she'll update Foreplay with her impressions of Harvest Moon in the Year 2000. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Innocent Life.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Gold Edition Dev. Raven Software Pub. Activision Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
It's standard fare for Activision games by now. Release the game, wait a few months, release the downloadable content, wait a few weeks, release the "Gold Edition" to retail stores. It's actually a pretty good model that doesn't piss me off no matter whether I'm an early adopter or jumping on board late. Well, this time around you get eight more playable characters (Venom, Magneto, Hulk, etc.) and an extra 250 achievement points to mash away at. And unlike the Spider-Man 3 movie, more superheroes and villains is never a bad thing. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Gold Edition.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
MLB 07: The Show Dev. SCEA Pub. SCEA Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
Building on what was one of the best sports games of ’06, MLB 07 The Show debuts on the PS3 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. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for MLB 07.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Resident Evil 4 Dev. Capcom Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: PC MSRP: $29.99
PC gamers wondering what all the undead fuss is about are treated to a piss poor port of what many consider one of the greatest games ever. Sure they've kept all the extras from the PS2 version and added a few more, but if you're a PC gamer, chances are that you want to use the mouse to aim and that ain't happening here. That's right, the game doesn't support mouse control. If you are that desperate to kill zombies on your PC, hunt down a copy of Typing of the Dead instead. - ship
Best Deal:
Family Video is offering Resident Evil 4 for $19 shipped.
Purchase At Family Video $17.99 (99 cent shipping)
Shrek The Third Dev. Shaba Games Pub. Activision Systems: PS2, Wii, 360 MSRP: $39.99-$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:
Oh, lot's of potential buying options here. Family Video will save you about $5 on each version. Target is offering an exclusive Shrek Babies level and Best Buy is offering Shrek 1 or 2 on DVD for an additional $4.99 with the purchase of the game. Circuit City is offering a free version of Over the Hedge for the PS2 or GC with the purchase of the PS2 or Wii versions.
Purchase At Family Video $44.99 (99 cent shipping)
See speedy1961's Target Ad $49.99 (Exclusive Shrek Babies Code)
Purchase At Family Video $35.99 (99 cent shipping)
See speedy1961's Target Ad $39.99 (Exclusive Shrek Babies Code)
See speedy1961's Circuit City Ad $39.99 (Free Over the Hedge Game)
Purchase At Family Video $44.99 (99 cent shipping)
See speedy1961's Target Ad $49.99 (Exclusive Shrek Babies Code)
See speedy1961's Circuit City Ad $49.99 (Free Over the Hedge Game)
Taito Legends 2 Dev. Destineer Pub. Destineer Systems: PS2 MSRP: $19.99
It's been a long time comin', but the GameStop exclusive Taito compilation is finally brought to North America. There's over 30 games on this sucka, the majority of which I honestly have never heard of. For $20 though, you can get your nostalgia on with familiar titles like Legend of Kage, Elevator Action Returns, Puzzle Bobble 2, Darius Gaiden, Insector X and a couple different versions of Space Invaders. For less than a buck a game, it really brings home the retro feel... you know, when these games didn't cost $5-$10 apiece to download. - ship
Best Deal:
No deals here, it's a GameStop exclusive.
Purchase At EB Games $19.99 (Gamestop Exclusive)
Taito Legends Power Up Dev. Destineer Pub. Destineer Systems: PSP MSRP: $19.99
The PSP version mixes up the game line-up a little bit and includes some enhanced versions such as Cameltry Enhanced. For when your dromedary needs two humps. - ship
Best Deal:
No deals here, it's a GameStop exclusive.
Purchase At EB Games $19.99 (Gamestop Exclusive)
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 at $40 when so many CAGs are reporting picking up the Wii version for $10 at Costco. - ship
Best Deal:
Amazon will save you a couple bucks on Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam.
Purchase At Amazon $37.99 (Free shipping)
Touch The Dead Dev. Dream On Studio Pub. Eidos Interactive Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Necrophiliacs rejoice, your dreams have been answered. Oh, maybe not. Turns out this is a House of the Dead-esque zombie shooter that uses the touch screen to blow holes in the undead's head. What you do with those holes, hey, that's your business. - ship
Best Deal:
Amazon will save you a couple bucks on Touch the Dead.
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free shipping)
On The DL with the Shipwrecks
Aegis Wing Systems: 360 MSRP: FREE
This FREE 2D space shooter from some Microsoft interns is sure to get plenty of playtime while people wait for the Halo 3 Beta to download. You can even bide the time with some buddies with four player co-op that allows you to link up and formVoltron super weapons. - ship
Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta Dev. Bungie Pub. Microsoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $Crackdown
The biggest release of the week is technically not a new release, but it's mandated that you must be overexposed to the fact that the Halo 3 Beta is starting. Between the new Crackdown content and the Beta, I have a feeling the disc drive in my 360 won't be opening too many times over the next three weeks. - ship
Ninja Gaiden Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
Stare in amazement, henchman, as I cling to this neon sign. Your bullets can not hit me for you can only shoot in a horizontal plane. But keep shooting, henchman, for it is the only thing that delays your death. That and that damn hawk that keeps knocking me down. - ship
Ninja Spirit Systems: Wii MSRP: $6
Wii got spirit, yes wii do, wii got spirit, how 'bout you? Nope. What I got is another Turbografx game that I've had to Google. Turns out that when IREM originally released this game it was overshadowed by Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi. Go figure. - ship
Pac-Man Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
Yep, it's the NES version of Pac-Man. Insert compilation spiel here. - ship
Soltrio Solitaire Systems: 360 MSRP: $10
There was a game, a lonely game, that got released despite indifference. Eighteen games of cards, that went unshared, until they died on Xbox Live. And Solitaire's the only game in town. Unless you count the Halo 3 Beta and Crackdown. And for ten bones, it's easy to pretend you'll never buy this game. Oh, no one's buying Solitaire... Solitaire... Solitaire. - 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.
Code Lyoko Dev. Game Factory Pub. Game Factory Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Based upon the cartoon of the same name. Didn't know it was a cartoon? Yea... moving along. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Code Lyoko.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $27.04 (99 cent shipping)Etrian Odyssey Dev. Atlus Pub. Atlus Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Atlus brings another RPG to the DS and, as usual, early reviews show differing opinions between the hardcore RPG demographic and the mainstream press. If you are an old-school RPG fan, you are most likely going to eat up the lush graphics, vast character class building, and turn-based strategic combat. Like any good dungeon crawler, there's a lot of labyrinth exploring to be done here and the touch-screen allows for a unique map drawing mechanic that allows you to plot out your course. The game has pretty strong nerd cred behind it as well with the head developer from Trauma Center and the composer from Portrait of Ruin and Shenmue. This just may be the game that pries Puzzle Quest from my DS. - ship
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Etrian Odyssey for $24.99.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $27.64 (99 cent shipping) See fidodido's Fry's Ad $24.99 Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon Dev. ArtePiazza Pub. Natsume Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
Judging by the title, this seems to be Harvest Moon set in the future. It also appears to be mrs. shipwreck's video game of choice for the next three weeks while I have my Halo 3 fling. Once I pick up her pre-ordered copy, she'll update Foreplay with her impressions of Harvest Moon in the Year 2000. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Innocent Life.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Gold Edition Dev. Raven Software Pub. Activision Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
It's standard fare for Activision games by now. Release the game, wait a few months, release the downloadable content, wait a few weeks, release the "Gold Edition" to retail stores. It's actually a pretty good model that doesn't piss me off no matter whether I'm an early adopter or jumping on board late. Well, this time around you get eight more playable characters (Venom, Magneto, Hulk, etc.) and an extra 250 achievement points to mash away at. And unlike the Spider-Man 3 movie, more superheroes and villains is never a bad thing. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Marvel Ultimate Alliance: Gold Edition.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)MLB 07: The Show Dev. SCEA Pub. SCEA Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
Building on what was one of the best sports games of ’06, MLB 07 The Show debuts on the PS3 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. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for MLB 07.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)Resident Evil 4 Dev. Capcom Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: PC MSRP: $29.99
PC gamers wondering what all the undead fuss is about are treated to a piss poor port of what many consider one of the greatest games ever. Sure they've kept all the extras from the PS2 version and added a few more, but if you're a PC gamer, chances are that you want to use the mouse to aim and that ain't happening here. That's right, the game doesn't support mouse control. If you are that desperate to kill zombies on your PC, hunt down a copy of Typing of the Dead instead. - ship
Best Deal:
Family Video is offering Resident Evil 4 for $19 shipped.
Purchase At Family Video $17.99 (99 cent shipping)Shrek The Third Dev. Shaba Games Pub. Activision Systems: PS2, Wii, 360 MSRP: $39.99-$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:
Oh, lot's of potential buying options here. Family Video will save you about $5 on each version. Target is offering an exclusive Shrek Babies level and Best Buy is offering Shrek 1 or 2 on DVD for an additional $4.99 with the purchase of the game. Circuit City is offering a free version of Over the Hedge for the PS2 or GC with the purchase of the PS2 or Wii versions.
Purchase At Family Video $44.99 (99 cent shipping) See speedy1961's Target Ad $49.99 (Exclusive Shrek Babies Code) Purchase At Family Video $35.99 (99 cent shipping) See speedy1961's Target Ad $39.99 (Exclusive Shrek Babies Code) See speedy1961's Circuit City Ad $39.99 (Free Over the Hedge Game) Purchase At Family Video $44.99 (99 cent shipping) See speedy1961's Target Ad $49.99 (Exclusive Shrek Babies Code) See speedy1961's Circuit City Ad $49.99 (Free Over the Hedge Game)Taito Legends 2 Dev. Destineer Pub. Destineer Systems: PS2 MSRP: $19.99
It's been a long time comin', but the GameStop exclusive Taito compilation is finally brought to North America. There's over 30 games on this sucka, the majority of which I honestly have never heard of. For $20 though, you can get your nostalgia on with familiar titles like Legend of Kage, Elevator Action Returns, Puzzle Bobble 2, Darius Gaiden, Insector X and a couple different versions of Space Invaders. For less than a buck a game, it really brings home the retro feel... you know, when these games didn't cost $5-$10 apiece to download. - ship
Best Deal:
No deals here, it's a GameStop exclusive.
Purchase At EB Games $19.99 (Gamestop Exclusive)Taito Legends Power Up Dev. Destineer Pub. Destineer Systems: PSP MSRP: $19.99
The PSP version mixes up the game line-up a little bit and includes some enhanced versions such as Cameltry Enhanced. For when your dromedary needs two humps. - ship
Best Deal:
No deals here, it's a GameStop exclusive.
Purchase At EB Games $19.99 (Gamestop Exclusive)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 at $40 when so many CAGs are reporting picking up the Wii version for $10 at Costco. - ship
Best Deal:
Amazon will save you a couple bucks on Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam.
Purchase At Amazon $37.99 (Free shipping)Touch The Dead Dev. Dream On Studio Pub. Eidos Interactive Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Necrophiliacs rejoice, your dreams have been answered. Oh, maybe not. Turns out this is a House of the Dead-esque zombie shooter that uses the touch screen to blow holes in the undead's head. What you do with those holes, hey, that's your business. - ship
Best Deal:
Amazon will save you a couple bucks on Touch the Dead.
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free shipping)On The DL with the Shipwrecks
Aegis Wing Systems: 360 MSRP: FREE
This FREE 2D space shooter from some Microsoft interns is sure to get plenty of playtime while people wait for the Halo 3 Beta to download. You can even bide the time with some buddies with four player co-op that allows you to link up and form
Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta Dev. Bungie Pub. Microsoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $Crackdown
The biggest release of the week is technically not a new release, but it's mandated that you must be overexposed to the fact that the Halo 3 Beta is starting. Between the new Crackdown content and the Beta, I have a feeling the disc drive in my 360 won't be opening too many times over the next three weeks. - ship
Ninja Gaiden Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
Stare in amazement, henchman, as I cling to this neon sign. Your bullets can not hit me for you can only shoot in a horizontal plane. But keep shooting, henchman, for it is the only thing that delays your death. That and that damn hawk that keeps knocking me down. - ship
Ninja Spirit Systems: Wii MSRP: $6
Wii got spirit, yes wii do, wii got spirit, how 'bout you? Nope. What I got is another Turbografx game that I've had to Google. Turns out that when IREM originally released this game it was overshadowed by Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi. Go figure. - ship
Pac-Man Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
Yep, it's the NES version of Pac-Man. Insert compilation spiel here. - ship
Soltrio Solitaire Systems: 360 MSRP: $10
There was a game, a lonely game, that got released despite indifference. Eighteen games of cards, that went unshared, until they died on Xbox Live. And Solitaire's the only game in town. Unless you count the Halo 3 Beta and Crackdown. And for ten bones, it's easy to pretend you'll never buy this game. Oh, no one's buying Solitaire... Solitaire... Solitaire. - 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.
