CAG Foreplay #57: Soapboxing Legends

[preview][img-l=1]2[/img-l]CAG's shipwreck & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of December 4th, 2008. This seems to be the last week that is jam packed with releases in 2008, so your wallet might be able to catch its breath soon.

Don't forget to enter our contest for Half-Life 2 Episode 1 on Steam courtesy of CAG Gillespee.

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[podcast]39[/podcast]
Download - 79 minutes, 36MB
[/preview]

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Multi-Platform

[IMG-L=4858]3508[/IMG-L]Neopets Puzzle Adventure Dev. Griptonite Games Pub. Capcom Systems: DS, PC MSRP: $29.99
This title is a puzzle-RPG hybrid based on the Othello board game but all Neopetified. I’ve never played Othello or a Neopets game, but the reviews are all failry positive and there are (of course) mini-games included as well. If you’re a Neopets fan or an Othello lover, this game should be worth checking out. – mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)




[IMG-L=4858]3619[/IMG-L]Prince of Persia Dev. UbiSoft Montreal Pub. UbiSoft Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $59.99
Leaving behind the “Sands of Time” trilogy, Prince of Persia opens up a new chapter in Middle-Eastern action-platforming by introducing an open world and a new magical female friend named Elika. Since the Prince no longer has the ability to manipulate time, he must now rely on his new companion to aide him in scaling the watercolor locales and slicing up the baddies. There are definitely a lot of changes going on with this installation, and being a fan of the previous games, I’m cautiously optimistic that all these differences will make for any even better experience. Early reviews suggest that they do. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At GameStop $59.99 (Free unlockable Classic Prince character)
Purchase At GameStop $59.99 (Free unlockable Classic Prince character)




[IMG-L=4858]3622[/IMG-L]SingStar ABBA Dev. SCEE London Pub. Sony Systems: PS2, PS3 MSRP: $29.99, $39.99
Mamma Mia, here we go again, my my, it’s another Singstar. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)




[IMG-L=4858]3627[/IMG-L]The Tale of Despereaux Dev. Brash Entertainment Pub. Brash Entertainment Systems: PC, DS, PS2, Wii, 360 MSRP: $19.99-$49.99
Based upon the new CG movie, take control of a small mouse as he battles against the unfair stereotyping that mice must face daily. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At GameStop $39.99





[IMG-L=4848]3403[/IMG-L]Winter Sports 2: The Next Challenge Dev. 49Games Pub. Conspiracy Systems: PS2, Wii, 360 MSRP: $14.99, $29.99
They’ve added snowboarding, biathalon, and Balance Board support. Don’t think they’ve slipped up though, curling is still included too. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $14.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)





Wii

[IMG-L=4858]3600[/IMG-L]Bigfoot: Collision Course Dev. Destination Software Pub. Zoo Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
Featuring Bigfoot and three different classes of monster trucks. No word if the game includes rival Bear Foot. Poor, poor Bear Foot. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)






[IMG-L=4848]3500[/IMG-L]Cake Mania: In the Mix! (Last Week) Dev. Gorilla Pub. Majesco Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
This is a simulation bakery game with a bit of a storyline thrown in. Of couse, the real treat of this new title is that the game uses the Wii-mote for all the baking and serving and such. I liked the most recent DS Cake Mania demo, but I’m not sure I’m willing to spend money on a title like this. But, it does have an affordable price for those who have already got sucked into the franchise ($30). - mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)




[IMG-L=4858]3609[/IMG-L]Family Party: 30 Great Games Dev. Tamsoft Pub. D3 Publisher Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
I chose this party game compilation only because I wanted to see what great games were included. The games, of course, all feature various wii-motions that simulate plate spinning, sawing logs, etcetera, etcetera. You get the idea. I was hoping for something new and interesting, which this game isn’t, but it’s still a solid mini-game compilation that should be fun for families who Wii together a lot. – mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)





[IMG-L=4858]3505[/IMG-L]The King of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Saga Dev. SNK Playmore Pub. SNK Playmore Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
Already available for the PlayStation 2 and the PSP, The King of Fighters '94 through '98 collect themselves on the Wii this week. That's five different games (that are basically the same game) for $10 more than the PlayStation 2 version. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)




[IMG-L=4858]3615[/IMG-L]Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars Dev. Red Fly Studio Pub. Gamecock Media Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
Perhaps as aesthetically pleasing a game as I’ve seen on the Wii, Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars instantly harkens to mind the wonderful Psychonauts in both graphical style and platforming goodness. As a tiny Bolete Mushroom soldier you must collect common trinkets to use as weapons against the other mushroom factions. Set to a bizarre Les Claypool soundtrack and containing a quirky sense of humor, this game seems like it’s going to be a lot of classic platforming fun. Guess it’s time to put new batteries in the Wiimote. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $46.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At GameStop $49.99 (Free Pax resin figure)




[IMG-L=4858]3616[/IMG-L]My Fitness Coach Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
Maya is back in this revamped version of last gen's "Yourself! Fitness". It's a really good fitness game, but there's going to be a lot of disappointed people when they pop it in their Wii and find out that there is no Balance Board support. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)





[IMG-L=4858]3618[/IMG-L]Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek Dev. Her Interactive Pub. SEGA Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
Another day, another Nancy Drew game. This one is at least developed by HER Interactive, the studio behind the point-and-click adventure PC titles. Since the game is pretty much a direct port of the PC title of the same name, I’m reassured that the quality will be at least better than the DS debacles of late. I might just give this one a try. – mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)





[IMG-L=4858]3510[/IMG-L]Ski and Shoot Dev. 49Games Pub. Conspiracy Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
They don’t call it a biathlon because you ski or shoot. - ship

Purchase At GameStop $29.99 (Free Shipping)









[IMG-L=4858]3624[/IMG-L]Spray Dev. Tecmo Pub. Tecmo Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
This new action-adventure title features a young prince with liquid-based weapons solving puzzles and battling monster baddies. The term liquid based refers to water, yes, but also to slime, vomit, and ice. As your prince moves through the game, he’ll collect more weapons. Each weapon has different capabilities, and you’ll find yourself using the weapons to solve puzzles, move switches, and slow enemies in the game. The game play is drawing many comparisons to Zelda, and the positive reviews make it worth spending the $40 to play it. – mrs. ship

Purchase At GameStop $39.99 (Free t-shirt)







[IMG-L=4858]3626[/IMG-L]Summer Sports 2: Island Sports Party Dev. Destineer Pub. Destineer Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
Twelve new sports based mini-games, five which are variations of basketball, and seven which are likely variations of disappointment. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)





DS

[IMG-L=4848]3497[/IMG-L]Age of Empires: Mythologies (Last Week) Dev. Griptonite Games Pub. THQ Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Similar to the last DS Age of Empires, Mythologies takes a turn-based approach to the classic strategy series. Level up the Greeks, Egyptians, or Norse as you research and manage your civilizations and erect monuments to their various gods. Featuring online multiplayer and in-game achievements, this seems like a must-buy for strategy fans. Plus, I can put all that Norse mythology that Too Human taught me to use. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)






[IMG-L=4848]3498[/IMG-L]All Star Cheer Squad (Last Week) Dev. Gorilla Pub. THQ Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
A rhythm-based cheerleading sim. I'm not sure if you get to where the football players' jerseys on Fridays. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)





[IMG-L=4848]3353[/IMG-L]Animal Boxing Dev. Gammick Entertainment Pub. Destineer Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Now did your grandchild ask for "Animal Crossing" or was it "Animal Boxing" for Christmas? If it involves a human punching animals in the face, you've found the right one. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)





[IMG-L=4848]3499[/IMG-L]Bratz Kidz (Last Week) Dev. Neko Entertainment Pub. Game Factory Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
A slumber party multiplayer mini-game collection featuring the less hussy-looking Bratz. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)






[IMG-L=4858]3604[/IMG-L]Burger Island Dev. eGames Pub. Destineer Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
The flash-based fast-paced world of a fry cook comes to the DS. Great for fans of any of the other fifty-seven varieties of these food games. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)






[IMG-L=4858]3605[/IMG-L]Cate West: The Vanishing Files Dev. Destineer Pub. Destineer Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
I want this game to be good. The cover art looks nice, and I like point-and-click detective games. There are 15 cases within the game, so that makes me concerned about depth of story – clearly we aren’t dealing with Kyle Hyde and his myriad of issues. The game is also more “Where’s Waldo” oriented, with the clues being difficult to find in busy environments. Even though it’s a hidden object game, this aspect of the game play isn’t overdone according to most reviews. Overall, the reviews of the game have been positive, and it looks like an interesting buy for $20.

Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)






[IMG-L=4848]3501[/IMG-L]Chrono Trigger (Last Week) Dev. Square Enix Pub. Square Enix Systems: DS MSRP: $39.99
Chrono Trigger for the DS is a port of the original SNES title with some elements of the PS One version (packaged as Final Fantasy Chronicles) included as well. It’s a classic RPG that looks good on the DS and while it won’t offer fans of the original title anything new, it does serve to introduce a new generation to a classic favorite. It might scratch that nostalgic itch every gamer gets from time to time. – mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $36.99 (Free Shipping)






[IMG-L=4848]3502[/IMG-L]Disney Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force (Last Week) Dev. 1st Playable Productions Pub. Disney Interactive Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
I must admit that I'm not familiar with Club Penguin, but apparently it's an insanely popular website for kids. Elite Penguin Force takes the cartoon penguins, sticks them in a secret agent plotline, and then, apparently, succeeds at being an enjoyable point-and-click adventure. So if you're looking for a present for a young sleuth this holiday season, this could be a good option. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)






[IMG-L=4858]3607[/IMG-L]Dreamer: Puppy Trainer Dev. Dreamcatcher Pub. Dreamcatcher Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Hooray, a whole new series of this kind of game!

Purchase At GameStop $19.99






[IMG-L=4848]3365[/IMG-L][IMG-L=4858]3503[/IMG-L]Emma at the Farm Dev. Nobilis Pub. Aspyr Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Emma in the Mountains Dev. Nobilis Pub. Aspyr Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
This title is an adventure game geared at younger girls and is based on a French literary heroine. $30 seems like a lot for these titles, but the screen shots look nice and they might be a good holiday gift for someone on your list. – mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)






[IMG-L=4858]3611[/IMG-L]Happy Cooking Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
I don’t know about you, but I want my cooking games to be from a “Japanese food researcher” instead of a chef. Featuring over fifty experiments, er, recipes, this “game” is a weird mixture of an actual DS game with a story mode and recipe software. If you are truly in the market for a recipe DS title, I’d stick to Personal Trainer: Cooking. – mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)






[IMG-L=4858]3612[/IMG-L]Heavy Armor Brigade Dev. Milestone Inc. Pub. UFO Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Tanks, tanks, and more tanks. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)






[IMG-L=4858]3614[/IMG-L]Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi Dev. Red Fly Studio Pub. Gamecock Media Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Containing the same art-style and themes as the Wii version of Mushroom Men, Rise of the Fungi is a more traditional 2D platformer with a separate storyline. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At GameStop $29.99 (Free Les Claypool poster)







[IMG-L=4858]3617[/IMG-L]My Fun Facts Coach Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
An odd collection of day-to-day knowledge and trivia. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)




[IMG-L=4858]3509[/IMG-L]Personal Trainer: Cooking (Last Week) Dev. Indies Zero Pub. Nintendo Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
This DS title is pretty self-explanatory, but there are a few extras within the game that make it an exceptional little recipe book. First, all the controls are voice activated and the recipes are narrated for easy cooking (no one wants to get spaghetti sauce on their white DS!). Second, there are recipe database can be customized to exclude ingredients you don’t like or can’t eat. There’s also a recipe list, but that’s fairly old hat when it comes to recipe programs. There are videos detailing specific cooking techniques, and the recipes are diverse and (most importantly) tasty. Overall, this is a solid title for the gamer/chef and seems to provide a lot of substance for your $20. – mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)(Free $10 credit towards future game purchase)




[IMG-L=4858]3620[/IMG-L]Prince of Persia: The Fallen King Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Returning to his 2D platforming roots, the Prince has a brand new adventure... and it's all stylus based. Just point and trace lines to have the Prince run, jump, climb, and fight. Seems like quite a balancing act to make that concept into something that is neither too easy, nor too frustrating. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)




[IMG-L=4858]3623[/IMG-L]Slingo Quest Dev. Mac Play Pub. Mumbo Jumbo Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Another casual PC game hits the DS. This one is a combination of slots and bingo. And questing. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)




[IMG-L=4858]3512[/IMG-L]Syberia Dev. Microids Pub. Dreamcatcher Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
This well-received point and clicker was released a few years back on the PC and was subsequently ported to various platforms and now it adventures onto the DS. Take control of Alice Walker as she tries to seal the deal on the buyout of an eerie, old toy factory. There’s lots of atmosphere, puzzle solving, and wandering around clicking on stuff to see if you can put that gear you found there… or there… or there. - ship

Purchase At GameStop $29.99




[IMG-L=4858]3628[/IMG-L]Wordfish Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Since I’ve been playing Word Warp like mad on my new iPhone, I thought I’d check out Wordfish for the DS this week. Other than Ubisoft’s super helpful description of “the outrageously fun word game for the DS from Ubisoft, “ I have no idea what type of word game this is exactly. The cover art shows words with blanks in them. I’ll need more information before I buy. – mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)



PlayStation 2

[IMG-L=4858]3613[/IMG-L]Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories Dev. Jupiter Corporation Pub. Square Enix Systems: PS2 MSRP: $29.99
Originally, a Game Boy Advance title taking place between the first and second Kingdom Hearts games, this PlayStation 2 adaption is a full 3D remake with a few tweaks and additions. For those of you not familiar with the original, the game again combines both Disney and Square properties and stars Sora along with Donald and Goofy. Unlike the main PlayStation 2 games, however, the battle-system is card-based. In addition to throwing in some new mini-games, there are new boss encounters, improved controls, and new battle commands. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At GameStop $29.99 (Free character art cards)



[IMG-L=4858]3629[/IMG-L]Yamaha Supercross Dev. Coyote Console Pub. Zoo Games Systems: PS2 MSRP: $12.99
That sure is motorcycle racing. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $12.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)





Xbox 360

[IMG-L=4858]3606[/IMG-L]Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon Dev. Sandblast Pub. THQ Systems: 360 MSRP: $39.99
Picking up where the Wii’s “Big Willy Unleashed” left off, Crypto is still in the 1970’s tormenting humans with absurd gadgetry. Unfortunately, based on early reviews, it seems like the low scores are picking up where the last game left off too. That's too bad, as this series started off strong. I'm still going to give it a go at some point because the character and concept still appeal to me, but shutting down the development studio and releasing this at a budget price tells me THQ doesn't think too highly of Path of the Furon. - ship

Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At GameStop $39.99 (Free Crypto Bobblehead)



[IMG-L=4848]3397[/IMG-L]Sonic Unleashed (Last Week) Dev. Sonic Team Pub. SEGA Systems: 360 MSRP: $49.99
(Deja Preview) Is this the Sonic game we’ve been waiting for? Maybe. The game is in effect two-in-one, with each level being playable during the daytime and at nighttime. The difference? Playing during the day offers a “normal” Sonic on-the-rails 3D level focused on speed and grabbing rings. Playing at night however, changes Sonic into a Werehog that isn’t so much about the speed as he is about smashing up stuff. The game at night turns into a platformer/button-masher and isn’t getting great comments for it’s game play. The two different “levels” within each area offer twice the game play, so that’s a good thing. But to be honest, I’m not a fan of Sonic on rails, and with the nighttime Sonic not really impressing the reviewers, I’m not sure this game is for me. Maybe it’s what you’ve been waiting for. But I doubt it. – mrs. ship

Purchase At Amazon $46.99 (Free Shipping)



PC

[IMG-L=4858]3610[/IMG-L]Grand Theft Auto IV Dev. Rockstar Toronto Pub. Rockstar Games Systems: PC MSRP: $49.99
(Deja Preview) This one seems to be flying under a lot of people's radar, but this in-depth preview is here to give you the scoop. It looks satisfactory and maybe the increased emphasis on story, improved graphics, reworked combat and driving mechanics, addition of online multiplayer, and myriad of other updates will finally be enough to hijack this series out of obscurity. Or maybe you are more interested in the ability to reenact that scene from Pretty Woman where Richard Gere carjacks that Lotus Esprit, picks up that prostitute, refills his life bar, then takes cover behind his ride while blind-firing rockets at Jason Alexander's rival gang. Then he refills his life bar again. Ooooh... Pretty Woman. Such a tear-jerker. Oh, and the game looks pretty fantastic too. - ship

New to the PC version: an in-game video replay editor. This new addition looks FANTASTIC and is exactly what this game needed. I also can't wait until the mod community takes hold of this title. Expectations: MMO mod by next summer. Or at least a zombie horde mode. - Treehouse Gamer

Purchase At Amazon $46.99 (Free Shipping)

[IMG-L=4858]3642[/IMG-L]Hired Guns: Jagged Edge Dev. F3 Games Pub. Tri Synergy/Matrix Games Systems: PC MSRP: $29.99
This is a turn-based strategy game with the conceit that you are in charge of a mercenary squad. This actually looks pretty interesting and reminds my of the old Commandos series for the PC from around ten years ago. Hopefully, the mechanics work out because this is actually a PC release that sounds decent (for once). - Treehouse Gamer

Purchase At GameStop $29.99





On The DL

[IMG-L=4858]3601[/IMG-L]Boingz (Last Week) Dev. NinjaBee Pub. RealArcade Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $10
NinjaBee's pick and flick adventure. Grab stretchy aliens by their antennas and launch them in this action-puzzler. - ship








[IMG-L=4858]3640[/IMG-L]Pit Crew Panic! Dev. Pub. Hudson Entertainment Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $8
A quirky, motion-fest where a team of female mechanics must repair wacky objects. This is strangely appealing to me. - ship








[IMG-L=4858]3641[/IMG-L]Space Invaders Get Even Dev. Taito Pub. Square Enix Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $5
Originally slated as a full retail release, Space Invaders Get Even switches up the roles and puts you in the seat of one of the UFO's. Unfortunately, the game is split up into seven separate purchases at $5 a pop. Perhaps even more costly is the amount of blocks it's going to take up on your Wii. That's really misfortunate as the game itself looked to be a good time before the Marketers Got Even. - ship








[IMG-L=4858]3625[/IMG-L]Sudoku Challenge! (Last Week) Dev. Pub. Digital Leisure Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $5
You've got numbers. They've got boxes. - ship








[IMG-L=4858]3602[/IMG-L]Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure (Last Week) Dev. Pub. Interplay Systems: Wii Virtual Console (Genesis) MSRP: $8
Perhaps the subtlest platformer on the Genesis. - ship








[IMG-L=4858]3630[/IMG-L]Metal Slug 2 Dev. Pub. SNK Playmore Systems: Wii Virtual Console (NeoGeo) MSRP: $9
I picked up the entire Metal Slug Anthology collection for the Wii for under $10 awhile ago. Just sayin'. - ship








[IMG-L=4858]3599[/IMG-L]Banjo-Kazooie Dev. Rare Pub. Microsoft Systems: XBLA MSRP: $15
Those that didn't pre-order Nuts & Bolts can now get "Jiggy" with the original Banjo. Nah Nah Nah Nah Na-Nah Nah. - ship







[IMG-L=4858]3511[/IMG-L]Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (Last Week) Dev. Backbone Entertainment Pub. Capcom Systems: XBLA, PSN MSRP: $15
With all-new hand-drawn graphics and rebalanced gameplay this remake allows you to finally dragon punch in 1080p glory. In addition to the updated graphics, you can also play using the classic rule sets and of course there is online play as well. This should be a good place to practice making those tricky quarter-circles until Street Fighter IV releases in February. Looks like it’s time to dust off my arcade stick. - ship







[IMG-L=4858]3658[/IMG-L]Brain Challenge (Last Week) Dev. Pub. Gameloft Systems: PSN (PS3) MSRP: $9.99
Gameloft's Brain Challenge sure does make the rounds. - ship









[IMG-L=4858]3659[/IMG-L]PBR: Out of the Chute (Last Week) Dev. Pub. D2C Games Systems: PSN (PSP) MSRP: $14.99
Apparently not a game about the effects of drinking one too many Pabst Blue Ribbons, but rather a game about bull riding. - ship









[IMG-L=4858]3671[/IMG-L]Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer Dev. Pub. eastasiasoft Systems: PSN (PS3) MSRP: $9.99
Released a year ago on the PC, this 2D side-scrolling shooter features two-player co-op and lots of bright flashing things. And that name just rolls right off the tongue. - 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.

Been waiting for the reviews! Thanks.

Update:

Here is my want list, hopefully will trim down a bit after the show.

Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories
Syberia
Prince of Persia: The Fallen King
Personal Trainer: Cooking
Chrono Trigger
The King of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Sa
Prince of Persia

I was thinking this week (if there was a show) would be an easy short show. But looking at the list of games, sounds like Mrs. Ship will unhappy in the podcast again having to talk about these games. Havent listened yet though, prove me wrong Mrs. Shipwreck.

Some interesting games this week. I'll have to check out both versions of Prince of Persia, both versions of Mushroom Men, Chrono Trigger, and Heavy Armor Brigade.

By the way, just watched the 1987 G.I. Joe movie tonight. I haven't seen an episode of the show since the film came out, and the only Joe that I remembered was Shipwreck. As for the Cobras, I remembered most of them. Figures since I usually root for the bad guy.

The Neopets game should have more of an interest from Puzzle Quest fans, as well, since it's made by the same developer.

How do you know Wheelman and This Is Vegas won't sell? Hot tip?

you people have terrible taste in games..

[quote name='Sokkratez']How do you know Wheelman and This Is Vegas won't sell? Hot tip?[/QUOTE]

i can't quite tell if this is sarcasm, but I'm intrigued to find out.


[quote name='blacksanta87']you people have terrible taste in games..[/QUOTE]

There are games that are fun to play other than just the high-profile first-person shooters.

iPhone IMAP
http://allforces.com/2007/07/05/iphone-imap/

I don't know what a Werewoof is, or how to hoe'd an axe, but I am glad to know there are games out there that have those.

No video game ornaments? For shame. I have 2yr old twins who know Mario as well as Dora the Explorer, which is awesome. So when we decorated the tree, the Mario ornament was their favorite. Gamer dad wins again! Side note... grandma bought the girls Mario t-shirts not long ago. Now it is their favorite shirt. I guess it is true that kids mimic their parents. Hehe.

Good show guys.

Tanooki Suit is also from Mario 3. Mario World only had the flower "suit" and the cape "suit" if I remember correctly.

i actually own Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer collectors edition for the pc and it really is an awesome game and i highly recommend getting it from play-asia if your into 2d side scrolling shooters. also new genesis game =win.

Here are the PSP games released in today's PSN update for next week's show:

Everyday Shooter - $9.99
Super Stardust Portable - $9.99
Archer Maclean's Mercury - $9.99
Brain Challenge - $9.99

[quote name='FriskyTanuki']Here are the PSP games released in today's PSN update for next week's show:

Everyday Shooter - $9.99
Super Stardust Portable - $9.99
Archer Maclean's Mercury - $9.99
Brain Challenge - $9.99[/QUOTE]

Thanks. I'm interested to see how well those twin-stickers translate to the PSP.

Everyday Shooter should be fine since it was an eight-way shooter with an analog stick, so using the face buttons doesn't really change much.

What was the opening music? Sounds familiar but I can't place it. Sounds a little DKC2-lava-level-esque, but I know that's not it...

Never played Othello?!?!
I haven't listened to the episode yet, hopefully I'll listen tomorrow or Saturday, but really, never played Othello?! "A minute to learn, a lifetime to master."

/tk

You might want to stop going to Metacritic for a number comparison on 1UP's letter grades. The A-F grade still follow their 'word score' where 'D' is a 'bad', which is in the 4.5 to 3 range in their old scale.

Side note: I wouldn't touch Legendary for even $5.

[quote name='Hostile']You might want to stop going to Metacritic for a number comparison on 1UP's letter grades. The A-F grade still follow their 'word score' where 'D' is a 'bad', which is in the 4.5 to 3 range in their old scale.

Side note: I wouldn't touch Legendary for even $5.[/QUOTE]

I think I mentioned something along those same lines regarding 1UP scores in the podcast, but maybe I didn't. Regardless, I still feel they underscored the game.

And as for you not touching Legendary for even $5... judging by the games you've played on the Xbox 360 and PS3, I wouldn't expect you to. You play the AAA titles and the occasional Japanese-centric game, so it wouldn't make sense for you to give Legendary a second thought. Nothing wrong with that at all, that's just the type of gamer that you are.

Those that had some interest in Legendary to begin with, and then see such low scores, are the ones whose buying habits are effected.

I believe you said you thought a 5-8 should be fine for Legendary. Let's say a 'D' translates to a score of '4'. Is a one point difference that bad from what you thought a game should have gotten?

Thumbs up on actually checking what I play, by the way.

I had been looking forward to Legendary for a while, and I'm one to always try a game before writing it off. I had seen IGN's stupid-low review score which let me know the game was out as the release date kept flopping around. I'm used to IGN's immature underratting system that if one aspect of the game annoys them, they'll bitterly write off the whole thing (In fact, if a page has a byline be Erik B-something I know not to bother reading it).

So I went and rented the game... and was pretty bored. I played through the first level and didn't feel like going any further. But the game wasn't broken by any means. And if I didn't have so many other games that interested me more at the time, I probably would have played a lot more, and perhaps gotten into it. I do think they should have just done away with the useless jump button.

It is interesting that you never progressed much into Half-Life 2. One review for Legendary directly compared the constant scripted events to Half-Life (as in the gameplay feels like a decade-old formula). Would you have played through Legendary if you weren't reviewing it?

[quote name='meager']I had been looking forward to Legendary for a while, and I'm one to always try a game before writing it off. I had seen IGN's stupid-low review score which let me know the game was out as the release date kept flopping around. I'm used to IGN's immature underratting system that if one aspect of the game annoys them, they'll bitterly write off the whole thing (In fact, if a page has a byline be Erik B-something I know not to bother reading it).

So I went and rented the game... and was pretty bored. I played through the first level and didn't feel like going any further. But the game wasn't broken by any means. And if I didn't have so many other games that interested me more at the time, I probably would have played a lot more, and perhaps gotten into it. I do think they should have just done away with the useless jump button.

It is interesting that you never progressed much into Half-Life 2. One review for Legendary directly compared the constant scripted events to Half-Life (as in the gameplay feels like a decade-old formula). Would you have played through Legendary if you weren't reviewing it?[/QUOTE]

The first level of the game is boring and the jump button is rarely used throughout the game so I think you might be on the same page as me on this one. I'm disappointed that you didn't proceed a little further, as the game does improve after that first stage. Not disappointed in you, just disappointed that we couldn't compare our thoughts. Even from playing just the first stage (which is the worst in the game), it seems like you agree that the abnormally low scores are unjustified though.

As for if I would have played through Legendary if I wasn't reviewing it. The answer to that I think is "yes". That's assuming that it had hit my price point. I can't quite explain why at the moment, because it is illogical for me to stop playing through Half-Life 2, but it has something to do with the expectations I have coming into a game. I think if I come into a game knowing that it is supposed to be amazing, and then I'm not feeling it, I think that maybe I'm just not in the mood to play it and I should set it aside until I can really appreciate it. I'll think on this and see if I can explain it better.

I talked about it on my blog, click here if you're interested.

Thanks for the good show, I even had my wife listening for a while.

Just wondering, what else you did in Home beside the Cabbage Patch? For the first week or so I was in on it everyday dancing around or bowling with other people. My friend and I would run around and just mess around, forming large dancing groups or acting weird and crazy to everybody.

May have found out by now, but the person you're thinking of is probably Carl Icahn.

Peronthious I have to agree with you on Ichan that had to be the person she was thinking of.

A few nit-picky corrections:

Ships, every time you said "gun' in your SPRay preview, you triggered a Pavlovian response in me. Sadly, the game doesn't contain any guns, but rather a demon and angel that float on the protagonists shoulders. I think I liked Mrs. Ship's version of the game better than the one I reviewed.

Shipwreck:

Midway does make DS games! Maybe you haven't read my reviews on Touchmaster 2 or Mechanic Master. I recommend the first Touchmaster, which is a great collection minigames found on those machines that sit on bar counters. Oh, yeah, they also made the Bee game and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: Imagination Invaders.

Gillespee: Thanks for turned me on to the Pac-Man ornament. That shall be mine!

I always mix up Carl Icahn and George Soros.

BTW -- I know this post is late, but regarding the Sponge Bob Burger Island discussion on the podcast... there is already a Sponge Bob Diner Dash that PlayFirst put together a little over a year ago:

http://www.playfirst.com/game/spongebobdash

I'm sure it's a HUGE seller.