So summer’s coming up, gamers! You know what that means, right? The “summer slump,” as I like to call it.
It’s like the blazing sun dries up the possibility of any good games being released. Year after year, it’s the same. But this year shows some promise. Let’s take a look at what’s hitting store shelves before we start hitting the books again.
Sony’s “Playstation 3” has a decent lineup for the summer months, with a handful of solid titles to keep the Blu-Ray console’s fans entertained. “Ninja Gaiden Sigma” comes to the “PS3” as a remake of “Xbox’s” “Ninja Gaiden.”
Tecmo has squeezed even more action in this time around, with more weapons and techniques for our hero Ryu Hayabusa to use.
Soon you’ll be able to relive the experience of getting your butt handed to you by this incredibly difficult game once again, reborn on “PS3’s” shiny graphics.
“Warkhawk” is also an impressive title that’s personally making me giddy like a little school girl with a sweet tooth in a candy shop.
With sharp graphics and intense fighting sequences, this third-person war game seems to raise the bar that recent games of the genre have set.
The combination of a plethora of vehicles (especially airborne) to choose from and online play makes this title a definite winner for this summer.
Moving on to the “Wii,” Nintendo has stacked their summer full of the mustachioed hero, and that’s never a bad move.
Mario’s sobered up from his last shindig, deciding to throw an eighth bash in “Mario Party 8.” If this game draws from any of the techniques used in “Wario Ware: Smooth Moves,” gamers are sure to be pleased with a party game like none other before. Keep an eye out for this title in the early summer.
The “Wii” also busts out into online play with “Mario Strikers Charged,” a soccer game with a Mario twist.
Its predecessor for the “GameCube”, “Super Mario Strikers,” was a hit among fans, and hopes are set high for the “Wii’s” pioneering title into online play.Moving onto the big white box, “Xbox360,” the countdown has begun till “Halo 3” hits shelves.
Until then, Microsoft has a few titles to tease your gaming itch.Prepare to scare yourself senseless with “Bioshock,” set to hit store shelves nearing the end of this summer break.
This first-person action RPG has you exploring an ominous world, with open ended gameplay, where all your decisions impact the outcome of the storyline.
Certainly an interesting title, “Bioshock” will be a game enjoyed by many “360” owners.
Coming out for not only “Xbox360” but “PC” as well, “Shadowrun” is a first-person shooter that combines guns and swords, magic and machinery, into a gaming cornucopia. For the first time ever (not really including “Final Fantasy XI”), gamers on both “PCs” and “360s” will be able to play against each other in sixteen player competitions. This will finally answer the decade old question: which is better, the controller or the mouse?
Finally, (though it technically comes out the end of April) “Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar” will have “PC” gamers forgetting to stop playing to eat all summer long. This MMORPG allows players to explore the open ended world of Middle-Earth. And for the first time ever, the developers are allowing users to choose to pay for a lifetime membership to play the game. For a measly $199, you’ll never have to pay subscription costs again, and your account is guaranteed for life.
This is just a brief look into the Summer of ’07.
Surprisingly, a good number of games are actually hitting shelves. You know that fifty bucks is burning a hole in your pocket. Go out there and reserve one of these beauties. You deserve it after a semester of hard work!