Staff writer Andrew Passafiume shares his thoughts on five recent games you should play but probably missed. Do you agree with his selections? What are your under-the-radar favorites?
The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Wii)
This is a game that completely took me by surprise, and one that is relatively cheap now. Innocent Aces is the first and only game based on the Sky Crawlers anime, and it takes full advantage of the Wii’s motion controls, adding a new layer of depth to what could be just another flight combat game.
Although you can use the Classic Controller, once you get accustomed to the motion controls, you will realize just how intuitive they can be. And with plenty of variety in the missions, lots to unlock, and a nice supporting cast of characters, this is one Wii game that is not worth missing.
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon (Wii)
Fragile Dreams is an RPG at its core, but it is wrapped around in a post apocalyptic horror world full of ghouls and ghosts. Although Fragile Dreams is not a game for everyone, with a very bleak and sometimes incredibly depressing atmosphere and plenty of backtracking to be had, it has a lot going for it as well. READ MORE
Managing Editor Graham Russell got an in-depth look at Firaxis’ upcoming strategy game at E3. Here are his impressions.
As we walked out of the Civilization V demo at 2K’s E3 booth, we were each handed a small button with “CivAnon” written on it. For the uninitiated, CivAnon is the name of the fictional support group in advertisements for the game, where addicted gamers bemoan the loss of their lives to the strategic juggernaut that is Civ.
You know, after seeing the innovations and enhancements the new Civ will bring, I think I may need some help myself. READ MORE
What impressed us at E3? We each picked our favorites. Here are Shawn Vermette’s picks.
Nintendo 3DS
The 3DS blew everyone at the show away, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it finally comes out here. The tech sounds great and the games announced for it make me even more excited. Nintendo gave every exactly what they were hoping for and more with this system.
Civilization V
Civilization is my all-time favorite video game series, and after hearing and reading about the changes made to the standard formula in this next installation, I was a little worried. Now that E3 has come and gone though, I simply cannot wait to get my hands on it. READ MORE
What impressed us at E3? We each picked our favorites. Here are Eric Schabel’s picks.
Nintendo 3DS
I was pretty excited about the 3DS even before E3 started, but I never dreamed it would end up working so well, and have such a killer software lineup from both Nintendo and third parties this early on. I expected to see maybe one or two new games from Nintendo that would interest me, but now that E3 is over I am simply floored by the prospects of playing a new Kid Icarus game along with the likes of Star Fox, Pilotwings, Mario Kart, and even a remake of the classic Ocarina of Time, all in 3D. A lot of questions have been asked about the power of the 3DS, but for me it only takes a few looks at Nintendo’s titles and especially some of the third party offerings like Capcom’s new Resident Evil game and Konami’s Snake Eater port to realize that the 3DS is going to offer some gorgeous graphics in portable format. Unlike the DS before it, Nintendo’s new portable is going to hit the ground running with great software right out of the gate when it launches later this year (or early next year).
Kirby’s Epic Yarn
I’ve always had a soft spot for Kirby, and despite the appearances of a mysterious new Kirby game on Nintendo’s software release lists for years now, I honestly did not expect the pink puff ball to show up at E3 this year; certainly not on the Wii, and certainly not in the form of a thread of yarn. I absolutely adore the style of this game, and I am impressed by how good it looks for a Wii title, even giving LittleBigPlanet a run for its money. READ MORE
What impressed us at E3? We each picked our favorites. Here are Graham Russell’s picks.
NBA Jam
What can I say? I still have a SNES store display set up in my living room with 1994’s Tournament Edition. I was incredibly skeptical about whether the new one would have the same feel, and it does. Oh, and I got to dunk on Trey Smith’s head, so that’s a moment I’ll remember for a while. (Note: Trey Smith is the game’s creative director. I realize that’s not information everyone knows.)
Nintendo 3DS
The screen must be seen to be believed, and even then, I have my doubts. That can’t really work, right? Well unless I’m totally crazy (and I can’t rule that out), it totally does. With the games they’ve announced, this is a must-have for everyone on Day One. You know, when we find out when Day One is. READ MORE
