What are you buying this week? (3/16)

[Destructor]

Where did I put that list...ahha!

PS2:

PS3:

PSP:
Resistance: Retribution
Scrabble

360:
Family Game Night (XBLA)

Wii:
Marble Saga Koroinpa
Pro Evolution Soccer 09
Ready 2 RUmble: Revolution
Rune Factory: Frontier
Totally Spies: Totally Party
Summer Games II (VC-C64)
BIT.TRIP BEAT (WiiWare)

DS:
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
History Great Empires: Rome
Scrabble
Suikoden Tierkreis
TrackMania DS
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
World Championship Games: Track and Field

PC:
Men of War
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X.

As for me, I have a whole lot of nothing planned to buy. Maybe I'll grab RE5 instead - I skipped it last week. Maybe somebody has it on sale used somewhere...

What are you buying this week?

[Autistic Angel]

The early buzz on Rune Factory: Frontier has been pretty good, so if Toys 'R Us gets it in stock this week, I may pick it up as part of their big sale.  (The second game would likely be Deadly Creatures.)

-Autistic Angel

[Laner]

XBLA: Family Game Night
Virtual Console: Summer Games II (C64)
WiiWare: BIT.TRIP BEAT

[Farscry]

Virtual Console: Summer Games II (C64)
WiiWare: BIT.TRIP BEAT

All the incredible stuff in the backlog of NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, and Master System titles, and they put this shit out?

Heck, other than Ogre Battle, Secret of Mana, and Castlevania III, I can't remember if there's been any other major VC titles released this year. Just week after week of crappy letdowns.

[Eel Snave]

I'm shocked to see that they still haven't released Super Mario World 2 on the Virtual Console.  I think they went a little too nuts at first with two releases on the VC per week at first.

[CeeKay]

nothing this week, maybe GH: Metallica next week.

[Dante Rising]

Suikoden Tierkreis
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume

Grabbing both via trade-ins.

[Gratch]

Suikoden Tierkreis
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume

Interested in both of these, but will wait for some reviews first.  Kicking myself for buying Sacred 2 with both of these hitting this week. 

[Bullwinkle]

PSP:
Resistance: Retribution - I may get this some day, but my PSP is packed away for awhile.

Wii:
Marble Saga Koroinpa - IN
Ready 2 RUmble: Revolution - waiting for revs/imps, but I'll probably hold out for Punch Out
Rune Factory: Frontier - I'm interested, but this genre usually doesn't grab me

DS:
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars - IN
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure - IN
TrackMania DS - IN
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume - I might be IN, if I hadn't just bought Fire Emblem (not to mention three other damn DS games)

I'll probably also be getting Family Game Night, but it depends on how much of a rip-off it is and how well implemented it is.

[denoginizer]

Maybe GTA: Chinatown Wars depending on reviews.

[CeeKay]

I think the CoD:WaW map pack is due this week, so my nothing at all may change to that.

[EngineNo9]

Nothing.  I've thought about Resistance for the PSP but I don't know if I would play it enough to justify full price.

[kronovan]

Virtual Console: Summer Games II (C64)
WiiWare: BIT.TRIP BEAT

All the incredible stuff in the backlog of NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, and Master System titles, and they put this shit out?

Heck, other than Ogre Battle, Secret of Mana, and Castlevania III, I can't remember if there's been any other major VC titles released this year. Just week after week of crappy letdowns.

Many people actually liked Summer Games when it came out and I remember it was quite well received. I personally never saw the appeal of it or any of the other games in that series.

Dang...I was just wondering about whether Pro Evolution 09 would be coming out on the Wii this year. If there's many improvements over last years version I'll probably pick it up within the next few weeks.

[Larraque]

I think I'm in for Family Game Night on XBLA. If I'm reading this right, it's only $10 and has seven games. 

Edit: Wait. It's $10 PER game. Nevermind.

[depward]

Resistance: Retribution is a sometime soon buy for me.

Man, Valkyrie Profile... I am such a VP fanboy.  But goddamn if I just can't ever get into SRPGs... that's a "hold off until Square-Enix tax wears off" purchase.

Henry Hatsworth looks like lots of fun but eh, I've got enough right now, I'll hold off.

[wonderpug]

I think I'm in for Family Game Night on XBLA. If I'm reading this right, it's only $10 and has seven games. 

That would make too much sense, so naturally they're instead charging $10 for each individual game.

[Larraque]

I think I'm in for Family Game Night on XBLA. If I'm reading this right, it's only $10 and has seven games. 

That would make too much sense, so naturally they're instead charging $10 for each individual game.

Yeah. I was just reading that and thinking - man. That's a good deal. And I investigated a little deeper. Ten bucks PER game is way too much for the few times I'm going to play these games. Aside from Scrabble, I doubt I'd play any of these on my own (seriously - ten bucks for a connect four game?)  and I could go to Target and pay ten bucks and get each of these in board form.

Sounds more like EA is milking buyers of this.

[TheMissingLink]

Resistance: Retribution MAYBE...more than likely waiting until a lull.

[coopasonic]

Maybe GTA: Chinatown Wars depending on reviews.

What he said, though it will be a while as my game time is nil.

[Laner]

Virtual Console: Summer Games II (C64)
WiiWare: BIT.TRIP BEAT

All the incredible stuff in the backlog of NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, and Master System titles, and they put this shit out?

Hey now, Summer Games II is a classic. 

Strangely enough, I was thinking about that game a couple of days ago - it was my first quasi "vaporware" experience; I loved the first game, and ordered the second one as soon as I saw it advertised in Compute!'s Gazette.  Little did I know at that time that the retailers would list games for sale that weren't actually available yet.  So I waited for *months* before it arrived.  But it was worth it - it raised the bar in terms of what the Commodore 64 was capable of it terms of graphics and sound.  The closing ceremonies in particular was a sight to behold.

[Big Jake]

Man, Valkyrie Profile... I am such a VP fanboy.  But goddamn if I just can't ever get into SRPGs... that's a "hold off until Square-Enix tax wears off" purchase.

Q  F  T

I pre-ordered Suikoden when it came up in my gold box.  The $8 I saved vs VP shouldn't really matter that much, but it does.  It's the principle of buying a $40 DS game that I won't get around to playing for 2-12 months that gets to me.

[jersoc]

Bit Trip Beat may actually have me use my wii. I'll have to see what others say first.

[skystride]

 FIFA 09 Ultimate Team DLC - Xbox 360

[Bullwinkle]

Maybe GTA: Chinatown Wars depending on reviews.

What he said, though it will be a while as my game time is nil.

Is 10/10 good enough?  From no less than Eurogamer, too!

On balance though, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is a triumph, not just in terms of bringing a difficult game to a new platform intact, but because it actually improves it in the process, and demonstrates a mastery of DS form and function. Those hoping for another gritty, complex narrative spine bound in the flesh of an openworld action-adventure may be disappointed by the rather more frivolous and silly antics of the Chinatown Wars cast, but even cynics should be converted by the huge, densely packed action playground we've been given instead. Overall this is GTA as it first was, with the inherited wisdom of GTA as it's been since, finished off with all sorts of things that would happily belong in a GTA of the future.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars-review

Also, IGN 9.5/10!

I know I'm omitting a ton from this review - there's so much to the design that it's impossible to list everything there to experience. What I won't forget to mention: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars continues GTA's legacy as the premiere "sandbox" game design. Though it might look like a lot has changed in the move to the handheld platform, more has been added than taken away - there's so much to do in this Liberty City, and it's hard not to be impressed and amazed at some of the things the developer's managed to pull off on the hardware. GTA: Chinatown Wars is easily one of the best Nintendo DS games on the platform.

http://ds.ign.com/articles/962/962778p1.html

[wonderpug]

Wow, Chinatown Wars just shot up near the top of my want list.  Wish it didn't have to come out just after Dragon Quest and Puzzle Quest, though.  I'm going to have to move further away from work so my DS-playing commute will be longer, no way around it.

[Farscry]

As awesome as Summer Games II for the Commodore 64 might be, I can think of better C64 games they could release, or better sports games from the heyday of the NES/SNES/Genesis (Tecmo Bowl III on the SNES, anyone?).

And those Family Games on the 360; $10 for the collection was a "maybe" in my book. $10 apiece?! Are you fracking kidding me?!

[JuniorDan]

Nothing....Hell I still got my shrinkwraped RE5 sitting here can justify another game right now.

[Hrnac]

I am very interested in Rune Factory: Frontier. I hope my local video store has it so I can rent it.

-Hrnac

[Misguided]

DS:
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars - IN
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure - IN
TrackMania DS - IN

That.

[depward]

The 6.0 Game Informer gave the VP game counts me out.  Said that you need to, essentially, have a flawless run through some missions in order to succeed.  That combined with little / no sidequests makes me entirely out (also on NeoGaf, apparently they had Japanese voiced dialogue during cutscenes and instead of creating English voices, just axed them entirely).

[EddieA]

The 6.0 Game Informer gave the VP game counts me out. 

I wouldn't put much stock in Game Informer's RPG reviews.  They're often spectacularly out of sync with other reviews (and reality).  1Up and IGN gave it a B and 8.5 respectively.

[Destructor]

The 6.0 Game Informer gave the VP game counts me out. 

I wouldn't put much stock in Game Informer's RPG reviews.  They're often spectacularly out of sync with other reviews (and reality).  1Up and IGN gave it a B and 8.5 respectively.

RPGamer also panned it, but they're been harsh on games as of late. Reading the text review though shows that the game has some fundamental flaws in the gameplay itself. Or at least things I'd consider flaws.

[Autistic Angel]

Wow, Chinatown Wars just shot up near the top of my want list.

Yeah, the stellar reviews so far are grabbing my interest.

I also decided to get Rune Factory 2 for the DS this week.  I was interested in it from the start, but now that it's been removed from GameStop and Best Buy's websites, I knew I had to snag a copy before it disappeared altogether.

-Autistic Angel

[Hrnac]

Wow, Chinatown Wars just shot up near the top of my want list.

Yeah, the stellar reviews so far are grabbing my interest.

I also decided to get Rune Factory 2 for the DS this week.  I was interested in it from the start, but now that it's been removed from GameStop and Best Buy's websites, I knew I had to snag a copy before it disappeared altogether.

-Autistic Angel

Why has the game been removed from those sites? Has it been out for a while now? Since I don't currently own a DS, I am ill informed on DS games. A couple of good DS games might be enought for me to take the DS plunge.

-Hrnac

[Autistic Angel]

Why has the game been removed from those sites? Has it been out for a while now? Since I don't currently own a DS, I am ill informed on DS games. A couple of good DS games might be enought for me to take the DS plunge.

It's an indication that the game is permanently out of stock from their online store, and local shops will not be receiving any new shipments either.  I'm sure it has to do with sales numbers: either the retailers didn't feel it was worth keeping in their inventory, or they were informed by the publisher that it's being discontinued.

Doing a search on GameStop's website yields no result at all for Rune Factory 2, but if you do a Google search for the game's title and "GameStop," you can often pull up a direct link where you can check if local shops might still have it in stock.  It's a handy trick for tracking down games that suddenly vanish off the shelves.

Rune Factory 2 only just came out in mid-November of last year, and considering the good reviews and popular pedigree, I'm surprised to see it leaving store shelves so quickly....

-Autistic Angel

[KC]

I bought DQ5 from Poomba 

[mytocles]

I'll probably also be getting Family Game Night, but it depends on how much of a rip-off it is and how well implemented it is.

The rip-off concept has already been discussed.  Unfortunately, for at least one of the games (Scrabble) - they don't give you enough time to decide on how well implemented it is.

What I saw of it looked good... but halfway through choosing the letters for my second word, it shut down saying that was the time limit for the demo. I would pay $10 for Scrabble, but I have no clue now whether it's great or if it sucks.  Stupid (9 points)!   

[Isgrimnur]

CoD:W@W map pack is likely.  My incomplete back log is too large for me to justify anything that isn't a drooling, ravening COTY candidate that I MUSTMUSTMUST have.  Heck< I haven't even loaded two of the three games that I got from Pete's cue sale.

[jztemple2]

CoD:W@W map pack is likely.  My incomplete back log is too large for me to justify anything that isn't a drooling, ravening COTY candidate that I MUSTMUSTMUST have.  Heck< I haven't even loaded two of the three games that I got from Pete's cue sale.

Map Pack is very good. Knee Deep is very cool, the subway map is very large and has interesting paths. The Night Fire map is smaller, but like Chinatown there are elevated locations and it's a decent map for snipers, but they don't dominate.

[Isgrimnur]

Any word on how arty is treated for the subway?