Photo courtesy of Nintendo
A huge month for gamers is underway, as highly anticipated games across a range of next generation platforms have been released. Many of these titles hope to turn the tide for systems like the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One that have been relatively stagnant in terms of blockbuster releases, unlike the Wii U, which has seen large fandoms created with its recent games.
The latest of the 11 game franchise “Battlefield” is expanding its view from a history of military shooters to the streets of Miami, where players get the chance to crack down on crime in “Battlefield Hardline.” The game, which is available to play on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows, will still take on the first-person shooter element in a more engrossing single-player narrative and through a bevy of multiplayer game modes that require the collaboration of a team of police and a team of criminals. By moving out of warfare, gamers take on a street-level fight that is in-depth and unlike any of the “Battlefield” predecessors.
The second episode in the “Borderlands” spinoff series “Tales from the Borderlands,” follows the footsteps of the previous episode, picking up the story with its signature stunning graphic novel appearance and lighthearted shooter elements that fans have come to love. This episode, “Atlas Mugged,” comes over a year after the first and, like the former, is available on Microsoft Windows, OSX, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and is even supported by Android and iOS phones. Players will continue to control protagonists Rhys and Fiona as they are immersed in a government scandal, with every decision made by the user impacting the storyline and future plot points.
Capcom is at it again, propelling the wildly successful multimedia platform “Resident Evil” with the introduction of the newest member, “Resident Evil: Revelations 2.” The survival horror game, which has been around since 1996 now introduces the bridge between “Resident Evil 5” and “Resident Evil 6,” a follow-up to “Resident Evil: Revelations” which fills the gap between “Resident Evil 4” and "Resident Evil 5.” Dismaying Nintendo users, the game will not be available on Nintendo 3DS or the Wii U, unlike the previous title, but will continue to be operational on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The 10th installment follows Claire Redfield as she tries to escape a dangerous kidnapping that pits her against the “afflicted,” or humans severely damaged by biohazards, all while being watched by the mysterious “Overseer.”
“Final Fantasy Type-0” carries the torch of all the titles in the series before it in one of the most popular action role-playing franchises in history. The game was initially available exclusively for PlayStation Portable in 2011, but now can be played on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One with high-end graphical advancements and additional levels. The story offers 12 playable characters hailing from an academy in the fictional Vermillion Peristylium. The students, known as “Class Zero,” are challenged with the responsibility of defeating the Militesi Empire that is attempting a takeover.
The Wii U exclusive “Mario Party 10” has just landed in the United States behind an illustrious history, with the 1998 Nintendo 64 release “Mario Party” which has since become a mainstay in video game culture. This the first of the “Mario Party” games to be released on the Wii U and continues to contain the timeless party mode and minigame format with the addition of two new modes, “Bowser Party” and "Amiibo Party.” In the former, a fifth player takes control of Bowser – something that was not possible previously – and tries to defeat a team of players striving to make it to the end of the board. Figurines known as “Amiibo characters” are physical items that will appear as three-dimensional in this mode, while other players will appear two-dimensionally.
The video game community has more than a handful of titles to peruse when deciding on their next purchase, but with options spanning a variety of platforms, it may be a difficult decision.
brocha@ramapo.edu
