The Valentine month doesn’t necessarily have to be of the mushy sort. It can also be a reason for gamers to simply express their love for titles, consoles and various accessories that keep them entertained and glued to their PC, televisions and handhelds all day and most often, all night long too. We certainly saw the affection extending to the far reaches of the globe and different genres over the past month. Developers and publishers showed their love for gamers by unleashing much-awaited titles namely Killzone 3, Bulletstorm and Marvel Vs. Capcom. Various announcements were also seen emerging from the fog only to materialize into different reactions from gamers worldwide.
Last month, we were treated to information regarding Sony’s much-rumored NGP portable gaming device. With portable systems seeming to quickly grab attention, the past month resounded with the announcement of a new handy device formulated by the company, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. This particular device is also a perfect companion for mobile phone enthusiasts with that soft spot for gaming. At the MWC 2011, the company showcased the handset and explained that it was the world’s first PlayStation certified smartphone. Touted to be part of the Xperia range of Android based devices, this offering includes a 4 inch multi-touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera and a gaming control pad. Other attributes include Qualcomm’s optimized Snapdragon processor with a 1GHz CPU and Adreno GPU.
The gaming terrain was also set aglow with the unleashing of three engaging games. The next installment in the acclaimed brawler, Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds was finally unveiled in all its glory and characters. Packed with an impressive roster of fighters, this offering sees the likes of Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain America, Magneto, Doctor Doom and other familiar faces. The first person shooter Bulletstorm also made its way to the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC this month bringing along with it an expansive mix of bloodshed, gore, and entertainment. The game includes the Anarchy multiplayer mode where four players can join forces in order to dish out some pain onto relentless mutants as they ascend the Skillpoints ladder.
Killzone 3 scorched the red carpet as it made its appearance felt in the gaming arena this month. Also an FPS title, this game released after offering multiplayer beta and single player demos which kept players and fans sitting at the edge of their seats, wanting to get the complete deal. In India, the game indeed released with theatrical proportions. The title boasts of incorporating the latest PlayStation Move capability as well as 3D which take the game to a higher, much intuitive level. As we got a hands-on on all these new features, we certainly did experience immersive gameplay in all its glory.
As the aforementioned highly anticipated titles stormed into the terrain, a bird dropped in to inform us about the impending Gears of War 3 onset. Following the release of Bulletstorm, Epic Games revealed that the next installment in the popular Gears of War series will hit stores this September. The upcoming title is set to further unfold humankind’s battle against Locusts through five-on-five multiplayer and four member campaign co-op battles. It will also introduce a new mode dubbed Beast alongside innovative maps such as Checkout, Mercy, Trenches, Overpass and Thrashball. Gamers can now gear up to indulge in an intense combat while being armed with advanced weaponry including The Sawed-off Shotgun, The Digger Launcher, The Bayonet Charge and more.
While gamers rejoiced with these revelations, Activision axed several people’s rockstar dreams by way of their annual announcements. In their recently disclosed financial report for the calendar year 2010, the company divulged that the Guitar Hero franchise will no longer see another harmonious extension. According to the company, the decline in the popularity of music-based games has been reflected through the lukewarm response stirred by recent releases unlike the highly charged reactions which were recorded for previous iterations. Besides, the gaming giant declared that an upcoming title referred to as True Crime: Hong Kong has been scrapped as well.
Moving over this not-so-happy bit, EA and Danger Close will soon emerge with a blistering spell of military warfare. The latter has reported via the official Medal of Honor website that it is now working on the next chapter in the series. Before turning back to the celebrated series, EA also unleashed a glimpse of its role-playing creation with BioWare namely Dragon Age II. The company brought the title’s demo to light for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC gamers. Additionally, announcements have revealed that one million demo downloads will unlock two in-game items entitled The Far Cliffs of Kirkwall and Lothering’s Lament for players.
Late February, Razer unveiled the wireless Chimaera 5.1 Surround Sound and Chimaera Stereo Gaming Headsets for the Xbox 360. Offering a battery life of approximately 8 and 12 hours, the 5.1 and Stereo editions came with extra large circumaural ear cups. Further, the former features 50mm speakers in each noise-isolating ear cup for extending refined acoustics. Gamers can charge the pair by simply hanging them onto the base station which is said to operate as the audio processing unit for customizing in-game sounds. Lastly, the Chimaera Wireless 5.1 Surround Sound and Chimaera Stereo Gaming Headsets have been wrapped with a flexible microphone boom and Xbox Live communication cable for 199.99 USD (approx. Rs. 9,035) and 129 USD (approx. Rs. 5,910), respectively. Compatible with PCs as well, the stereo headset will hit stores this month while the 5.1 has been scheduled to release in April.
With a little bad and loads of good news, the gaming domain seems ready for some exhilarating action. Numerous titles are already flooding these lanes and more are expected to come ashore. As we pack up this edition of the Hottest Gaming News of the Month, we’re already on our way to garner bits which will carve the next.