Out this Week! 18th June 2010

Only one major release this week, and it comes from the mind of the legend Hideo Kojima himself- Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, for the PSP. Billed as a continuation of the hugely popular Metal Gear Solid franchise, the latest offering sees Kojima direct, write and design the game from the ground up for the Playstation Portable which has been out of luck with gamers for some time. It is the first game in the series that Kojima has in fact directed, the series' creator otherwise co-directing or designing. Announced last year, the developer's are keen to express their intent at delivering a truly great co-operative experience, in addition to the thrilling stealth-actioner single-player campaign that can be expected. [PSP]

The only other release worthy of a mention (just!) is the big green ogre's final foray, in Shrek Forever After. The latest tie-in allows players to play as all four main character's from the spellbinding CG toon-fest (Shrek, Fiona, Puss in Boots, Donkey), where each characters' unique abilities will have to be used in order to overcome puzzles within the game. Switching between the four, whether in single player, or having a set character for four-player co-op, the game also features upgrades and levelling mechanics for a family friendly experience. Don't expect much, although it should be a good run through nonetheless for fans of the film. [PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP, PC]

A Look Ahead...June 2010

Were it not for the fact that my Wii was recently sold thanks to my auction site of choice after layer upon layer of dust was compounded on its sleek white surface, Super Mario Galaxy 2 would have been my most sought after game of the month. It's difficult to move at the moment for the amount of acclaim that has already been garnered for the latest foray from gaming's most loved icon. The original Galaxy, I did manage to play, and it was a triumph from start to finish in its sleek visuals and intriguing game play. The planet-trotting world is back again in all its 3D glory, and has set to refine Galaxy's ambitious opening on the Wii.

Another title which has me somewhat excited is the combination of the Harry Potter franchise with the Lego brand. Like Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Batman before it, Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 infuses the world of Hogwarts, Death Eaters, magic and raging teenage hormones with colourful plastic bricks. The Lego games have been a joy to play, both simple yet charming and really enjoyable. This particular title includes the storyline from the first four Potter films and is out on the 25^th June.

Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for the PSP is finally due out this month also. The stealth-action game links the events between Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops and the original Metal Gear game. Peace Walker is a full fledged continuation of the series; written, directed, and designed by Kojima in a blend of stealth game play, RPG and RTS elements, that provide the basis of the game. Recently acknowledged as one of the hardest games ever conceived, Demon's Souls by From Software, finally hits our own fair shores this June after publisher's were reluctant to pick up the game in the first instance. I also can't help but notice the new Rock Band game, Rock Band: Green Day is out 11^th June and will focus on the band from California in the existing band template. All tracks are also available to export into any of the previous Rock Band games, apart from The Beatles: Rock Band.

The final release that is deserving of its place amongst the most anticipated titles of the year is the highly regarded and the long sought after StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, which started to be developed way back in 2003. Blizzard's real-time strategy series is a phenomenon all over the world, especially in South Korea, where professional players are enveloped as media celebrities, with some players earning over $200,000 a year! Featuring characters from the original game, which was released in 1998, Wings of Liberty focuses on the “Terrans”- human exiles from Earth. The next two expansions to StarCraft II that will be released much later, will focus on the remaining two species (“Zerg” and “Protoss”.)