Well folks, we’re about 2/3rd’s of the way through the Summer, and either because of the COVID-19 situation, or maybe the release of new consoles in the Fall, things are about to get real dry, real fast. That’s not to say there won’t be games coming out, there’s still stuff to be played, but the vast majority aren’t exactly things you’d run out of the house to grab, ya know? Unless we get some kind of crazy surprise announcement, the biggest games of the Summer have already passed, so if you just spent the next month playing Ghost of Tsushima I wouldn’t blame you. However, if you need something new, or just like staying on top of things, there’s still plenty to choose from out there. Read on…
Top Releases:
Destroy All Humans (PC/PS4/Stadia/Xbox One) – Releases Jul. 28th
Crypto, the lovable alien menace, is back after a twelve year absence in this reboot of the first game in the Destroy All Humans franchise. Originally released in 2005, this new version of the game is nearly identical to the PS2 classic, even going so far as to use the exact same dialogue (cleaned up for modern devices). 2000’s nostalgia is going to be with us for the next ten years so I guess we should all just get used to it. Did you hear G4 is coming back?
Skater XL (PC/PS4/Switch/Xbox One) – Releases Jul. 28th
Speaking of nostalgia, while Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater first came out in 1999, its subsequent sequels, as well as EA’s Skate franchise, were major fixtures throughout the ’00’s. Since we’re cyclical creatures, it just makes sense to bring these games back in the 2020’s because we all want to be 15 again. This title, however, has less in common with THPS‘ arcade style of game play, and hews closer to something more realistic. How that factors into your enjoyment depends on what kind of game you’re looking for, I suppose. Developer Easy Day Studios Pty Ltd seem really proud of the intricate finger gymnastics you’ll need to do on your controller to pull off tricks, which might be appealing to some players out there. Personally, I just want to push X to jump.
Hellpoint (PC/PS4/Xbox One) – Releases Jul. 30th (Switch version coming later this year)
In many mediums, when humans explore the vastness of space, they will often discover wondrous planets, as well as a portal to Hell, for some reason. I’m not sure who came up with the concept that the gates of Hell reside in outer space, but they do, and it’s always up to one man to stop the demon horde from taking over our world. Do you have what it takes…to do this again?
Fairy Tail (PC/PS4/Switch) – Releases Jul. 31st
Fans of the anime series Fairy Tail will finally have a chance to play as their favorite characters in this new JRPG from Gust Co. and Koei Tecmo. While this isn’t the first Fairy Tail game to be released, Japan got a few PSP titles, this is the first time we’re getting one in North America, so that’s pretty cool, I guess.
Ports and Re-releases:
Cuphead (PS4)– Releases Jul. 28th
What I had once assumed was an Xbox One exclusive has now been released on, not just the Switch, but now Microsoft’s chief rival the Sony PlayStation. Initially leaked by Sony UK, the game was confirmed by developer StudioMDHR during one of Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest videos. If you’ve been sleeping on this since it was first released in 2017, well, what the heck are you waiting for? Go play it!!
Megadimension Neptunia VII (Switch) – Releases Jul. 28th
Hey look, another big JRPG to play this Summer! Originally released in 2016 for PC and PS4, this fourth entry in the ten year old series is now coming to Switch. “Wait a minute,” you might be asking, “if this is the fourth entry, why is it named part seven“? Well, you stupid, stupid Luddite, that’s not a Roman numeral seven in the title, it’s the letter V and the Roman numeral two, i.e., V2. Now, funny enough, this is actually the seventh title to be released in the series if you count spin-offs, making this either a happy coincidence or one of the stupidest naming decisions I’ve seen in some time, and I own a game called Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late.
Samurai Shodown: Neogeo Collection (PS4/Switch) – Releases Jul. 28th
After a brief PC exclusivity, the Samurai Showdown: Neogeo Collection is making its way to consoles this week. If you didn’t get it for free from the Epic Games store when it first came out, or you like to take you fighting games on the go, then I’d highly recommend you check this title out.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Xbox One) – Releases Jul. 30th
The (in my opinion) best game in the Yakuza franchise is going to be available this week for all you Xbox One owners who don’t also own a PS4 or PC. In even better news, Game Pass subscribers get this game for freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, giving them unlimited access to one hell of a great game.
Expansions:
The Sims 4: Nifty Knitting (PC/Xbox One) – Releases Jul. 28th
Hey, men can knit, okay. My great uncle was an avid tailor who loved to sew and make clothes, who had a tackle box full of needles, thread, and other various supplies. One day in the early 80’s, he brought them over to our house so he could talk about sewing with my Grandma, who was herself, one heck of a seamstress. My grandpa, who was an avid fisherman, came home and saw the tackle box and got really excited, hoping to talk about fishing with him. When he found out it was full of “sissy stuff” he got really bummed out and made fun of him for the rest of the day. Memories are neat.
Nioh 2: The Tengu’s Disciple (PS4) – Releases Jul. 30th
2020’s other Samurai game came out way, waaaaay back in March (remember March), and got lost in the shadow of Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing. However, if you were lucky enough to cut through the noise and pick this game up, you know how fantastically fun it is to play. If you’ve done every mission, killed every giant monster, and maxed out your stats, fear not, for there is now more to do! Featuring a bunch of new content, including new weapons to master, The Tengu’s Disciple might be the perfect way to pass the time before the (kind of) big Fall games release. Hey, I don’t want to undersell Nioh 2, this game is phenomenal and well worth your time, especially if you are a fan of SoulsBorne type games.
Everything else:
Othercide (PC/PS4/Xbox One) – Releases Jul. 28th
Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme VS. MaxiBoost ON (PS4) – Releases Jul. 30th
Notable Releases from 10, 20 and 30 (and sometimes 40) years ago:
This week’s notable titles include two long overdue sequels, an enhanced remake of a classic PC game, and one of the all time great arcade titles. “Ahh! You scared me!“, it’s notable titles from 10, 20, 30 and (sometimes) 40 years ago!
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty (PC) – Released Jul. 27th, 2010: Wiki Link
Fans of 1998’s Starcraft and its expansion Brood War had to wait twelve years for a sequel while Blizzard found itself having to update and support the overwhelmingly popular World of Warcraft through most of the 2000’s. It’s not that work on the sequel to Starcraft wasn’t being planned, according to Blizzard employees production bean shortly after the release of Warcraft III, but if WoW hadn’t become the juggernaut it did I’m almost positive Starcraft II would have been released sooner, but what do I know? In any case, after being announced at the 2007 Blizzard Worldwide Invitational in Seoul, Korea (where the original Starcraft was still going strong in the eSports scene), the world finally got their chance to play the first third of Starcraft II, subtitled Wings of Liberty. Yeah, that’s right, twelve years of waiting and players would still need to sit around for five…fucking…years…to finally get the full story with 2013’s Heart of the Swarm and 2015’s Legacy of the Void. Still, it wasn’t like there wasn’t anything there, this was still a full game, clocking in around 20+ hours depending on how much of a completionist you are. Critics and players alike were highly receptive to the game, giving it major praise for being both instantly familiar, but also feeling brand new. While the core gameplay mechanics hadn’t changed much since Brood War, the amount of polish and shine put onto the game brought Starcraft into the modern era with outstanding visuals and sound, as well as the inclusion of a home base you would retreat to in-between missions. This was a welcome addition for players who wanted to dive deeper into the game’s lore, bringing a bit of a Firefly feel to the game, with you initially starting out in a Wild West style bar and then transitioning to a space ship run by a rag tag crew of misfits. Gaining the ability to upgrade structures and units outside of battle was a nice touch as well, adding a bit of XCOM style strategy to the game as you would try to figure out the best items to research in order to gain an advantage over the enemy. However, it can’t be a triple A game without some controversy, as players were both upset that the game was only “Episode 1” and, more importantly, Blizzard removed LAN play, requiring all pvp matches to be routed through Blizzard’s network. This divided the community, with many in the eSports scene saying this would kill the game’s chances in the competitive arena, but this proved to be a non-issue, as the game went on to become wildly successful as an eSport. It wasn’t just popular in South Korea though, where professional competitive video gaming was king, it was a smash around the world, making it one of the very first games to achieve worldwide eSports success. For players today, the game is now available in a Free-to-Play format, giving you access to the entire Wings of Liberty episode and the ability to play multiplayer pvp matches online. This f2p version of the game caused a bit of a resurgence in the competitive scene, giving long time fans a reason to come back, and players like myself who missed it the first time around a chance to experience this phenomenal title at no cost. Unsurprisingly, with a heavier emphasis on the 2019 free-to-play version and all its microtransaction glory, there does not appear to be any plans for a Starcraft 3, meaning that unless there is some kind of major demand, it might be another twelve years from now before we get another entry in the series.
Strider 2 (PlayStation) – Released Jul. 29th, 2000: Wiki Link
Like Starcraft 2, the amount of time between the 1989’s Strider and Strider 2 is a big gap. In this case it was ten years, as the arcade version was released in December of 1999 to the delight of run and slash fans the world over. Today we’re talking about the PlayStation port, released on July 29th, 2000, a near flawless adaptation of the arcade game that was due to Capcom’s use of the Sony ZN-2 board which shared many similarities with the PlayStation hardware. Some of you out there might be thinking, “Hey, didn’t they release a Strider sequel on the Genesis?” and you’d be both right and wrong. While there was a game called Journey From Darkness: Strider Returns, Capcom had little to no involvement with the game (it was developed by a company called Tiertex), and they do not consider it part of the canon of Strider or acknowledge its existence. Set roughly 2000 years (yes, two thousand) after the events of the first game, the Grandmaster has returned to take over the world and rule it with an iron fist. However, an operative going by the same Strider Hiryu codename has also appeared to stop Grandmaster and free the planet from his tyranny. After starting the game, players find themselves at a level select screen with three missions in front of them. Once these are completed you are given two more stages to complete before the game is finished. With an average playtime of roughly 8-10 minutes per stage, Strider 2 can be completed in less than an hour, and due to unlimited continues there’s really not much here to keep you playing it for hours and hours, aside from playing as an alternate character and unlocking one bonus stage. Perhaps to make up for the lack of content in Strider 2, Capcom generously bundled it with the original game, meaning you got Strider 1 & 2 in the same package. This was a great bargain for players, however there was one small issue…they messed up the labels. From what I can tell, all physical copies of the game have the wrong label on the disc, so if you pop in the disc for Strider, it’s got Strider 2 on it, and vice versa. The game is currently available as a digital download for the PS3, PSP, and PS Vita, and yes, it does come with both Strider 1 & 2. The character of Strider Hiryu would probably reach his highest levels of notoriety as one of the many characters in the popular Marvel vs. Capcom franchise, but a modern reboot of Strider would come out in 2014 to generally favorable reviews. Despite the short playtime, the PS3 version of Strider 2 is only something like $5 bucks and is well worth the price of admission if you are a fan of arcade action games.
Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? Enhanced Edition (PC) – Released Jul. 1990: Wiki Link
When Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego released in 1985 it was a revolution for educational games, without even trying to be educational. When teachers began using it as a aid in the classroom, developer Broderbund knew they had a chance to make a lasting impression on children, making them not just lifelong video game fans, but a little bit smarter in the process. Combining elements of text adventures, puzzle games, trivia, and press your luck/time management games, Where in the World… spawned a franchise that still makes games to this day, however it is arguable that the series had its highest levels of popularity from the the mid 1980’s to the end of the 1990’s. For those unfamiliar, you are an agent of the ACME Detective Agency who must track down criminals from V.I.L.E., an evil organization that delights in stealing some of the most valuable treasures and landmarks from around the world. Using clues gathered from witnesses in various cities across the globe, players must use their wits (or the bundled almanac) to figure out which country uses Francs as currency, or has a red flag with a a star on it (among other assorted pieces of trivia). Some witnesses also give you a description of the crook, including gender, eye color, and hobbies, which you enter into a database that will eventually spit out an arrest warrant for whoever it is. Catch the correct crook before time runs out and you solve the case, screw something up and they get away. Solve enough crimes and you’ll eventually catch the elusive Carmen Sandiego herself, becoming the ultimate super detective. Being a smash success, the game spawned several sequels in subsequent years: Where In The USA…, Where In Europe…, Where In Time…, and even a special regional version Where In North Dakota…, with each release becoming slightly more advanced than the last. By 1990, computer graphics and processing power and increased significantly from 1985 so, in a bid to update the game and drum up sales, Broderbund released an enhanced version that featured VGA graphics, updated sound, and used a disk based copy protection system instead of the archaic “enter the word at the top of page 35 in your almanac” password protection system. This version of the game, and its subsequent CD-ROM version in 1992, are likely the copies that many of us played over and over again in our school libraries during lunch. Like I mentioned, the franchise is still going in some capacity, with various mobile titles out in the wild, as well as region specific titles contracted by local school boards, but the popularity of the series is long past its heyday. Still, this is a fun game series, particularly if you’re a history/geography buff, and last I checked you could easily find copies of this game on Abandonware websites. For a generation of kids, Carmen Sandiego was (and still is, in my case, as I’ve never caught her) an elusive figure that haunted our dreams. If only I knew which country Picasso was from!! Is the V.I.L.E. crook in Lisbon, Madrid, or Reykjavík?!!??
Missile Command (Arcade) – Released Jul. 1980: Wiki Link
For an entire generation of Americans and Russians, the specter of the Cold War loomed over much of their lives. Starting around 1947 and ending in 1991, the United States and the Soviet Union were in a kind of silent war with one another, centering on espionage and one of the greatest arms and technology races the world had ever seen. While there was never a formal declaration of war (hence the “Cold” name), it was heavily implied that, at any moment, the U.S. or Russia could bomb one another into oblivion. Throughout the 1950’s there were futile “duck and cover” drills in schools, in the 1960’s you had the space race, the 1970’s brought an actual war with Communist Vietnam, and in 1980 we found ourselves at the start of a materialistic, culture war. Arcade mainstays Atari were interested in making a game about missiles, so they went to one of their programmers, a guy named Dave Theurer, who took up the project but had one demand; he’d only do it if you were defending cities, not bombing them. What he would create is one of the most influential and lasting games of all time, the classic Missile Command. In this simple yet superbly refined game, players would control three missile silos that were in charge of protecting six cities from total annihilation. Using a trackball, players would set a cross hair on the screen and then fire a missile from one of the three batteries, usually wanting to pick the one closest to the cross hair to minimize the distance the missile would have to travel. The resulting explosion would, hopefully, wipe out the enemy missiles and protect the citizens below. As the game progressed it would continue to get faster and faster, making stopping the enemies projectiles more difficult, eventually leading to a game over, or as it said to you in bright white letters over a red screen “THE END”, implying that in war, especially one as destructive as nuclear war, you aren’t left with any winners; it was “the end” for everyone. It was a bold political statement for a video game, something the industry wasn’t really used to seeing. When the game was initially conceived, Atari had wanted to name the six cities after popular locations in California: Eureka, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego. They then changed it to six different cities based on the location of the level you were playing, before finally deciding it was best to just keep them nameless. It was reported that during development of the game, Dave Theurer would have nightmares of these cities being destroyed in a nuclear blast, even having them long after release, until they eventually faded away; pretty nuts. Although not directly inspired by Missile Command, in subsequent years you would see movies come out that mixed video games, nuclear holocaust, and espionage in films like WarGames and Cloak & Dagger, giving us an early look at how games were starting to insert themselves into the popular culture of America. Today you can find Missile Command on just about any game console, PC, or mobile device, in various forms, from the original arcade version to a souped up modern remake that came out just a few weeks ago. As we get older and new players come into the gaming hobby, we’ll likely lose sight of the importance of these older titles, but I really hope that current and future generations continue to play and remember Missile Command, because you can’t know peace until you know what’s at stake.
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