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June 22, 2009: wallet threat level orange-red
It's going to be a dangerous week, mainly because there's something for everyone. No wallet is completely safe.
The fourth downloadable episode for Fallout 3 is due this week. Point Lookout (pictured ominously) may very well be a quagmire: the adventure takes you into a post-apocalyptic swamp. The Transformers 2 games are coming out on all platforms. I will bet each and every one of you a shiny nickel that these games are horribly mediocre. At best. Overlord II has a lot of potential based on a look at an early build a few month's back. Take a little Dungeon Keeper, a little Fable, a little Pikmin, and a whole lot of Gremlins-inspired mayhem, and put it into a cool action adventure. I'm singling out this one as the greatest recent threat to your wallet.
The Conduit, a serious shooter for serious shooter fans, comes out for the Wii. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, a serious Monster Hunter for serious Monster Hunter fans, come out for the PSP. Dawn of Discovery, a serious city builder for serious city builder fans, comes out for the PC. And for the less serious city builder fans, there are completely different versions of Dawn of Discovery for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS.
Have you had enough? Too bad. There's more. Electronic Arts releases an expansion for Spore called Galactic Adventures. It adds galactic adventures created by the writers of Robot Chicken. Also from EA is their boxing game, Fight Night Round 4. There's a Nintendo DS version of the Shin Megami Tensei RPGs called Devil Survivor. Fantasy sports game Blood Bowl is like Madden but with orcs.
Finally, are you expecting ArmA II? Don't hold your breath. Instead, expect an announcement that the North American release has been delayed. This can only help. I say that as someone who's been playing the version recently released in Europe.
Okay, there you go for the week of June 22nd. I defy you to tell me there isn't something up there that represents a threat to your wallet.
By obonicus at 8:20 AM ON 06/22/09
Think you'll be doing a game diary for Overlord, Tom?
By bill abner at 8:33 AM ON 06/22/09
"Fantasy sports game Blood Bowl is like Madden but with orcs."
Funny, Tom. Funny.
By Microcystin at 10:18 AM ON 06/22/09
In defiance I must say, there is in fact nothing that looks interesting on that list. A bunch of mediocre games at best and Arma is not on the list really.
By Marty B. at 12:09 PM ON 06/22/09
bill abner, funny but true. I remember the Games Workshop mini game from way back in the late 80s. Kinda funny to think, IIRC, that the makers of Warhammer gave their denizens footballs, helmets and pads, before they got around to the pulse rifles and powerarmor of Warhammer 30k.
By Felipe 058 at 12:56 PM ON 06/22/09
Nothing there threatens my wallet because there is in fact nothing to threaten :(
By Aeon221 at 2:41 PM ON 06/22/09
Anno city builders are the only kind I dislike.
Maybe it's the utter disconnect between population and the development of industry -- ignoring the gating effect exercised by population size. Or maybe it's the cramped nature of the building locations. Or perhaps the necessity of specializing islands to the point of a having a single plantation type covering the whole of any given item, eschewing a more organic and natural style.
I dunno why, but out of all the city builders I've played, it's the only one I really seriously dislike.
By Nibbles at 1:47 PM ON 06/23/09
No mention of LOTRO Book 8 :(
I guess your probably saving it for another game diary feature (your tired of playing Sims 3 by now right)
By Tom Chick at 7:10 PM ON 06/23/09
Nibbles, the Book 8 addition to LOTRO isn't a wallet threat because it's free! Although, to be fair, I like LOTRO enough that it's the equivalent of a daily wallet threat.
By Neuromancer at 1:18 PM ON 06/24/09
What system is Blood Bowl coming out for?
Neuromancer:
What system is Blood Bowl coming out for? ...More »