Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Genre: Comedy, RPG
Available For: Playstation 3, Xbox 360 & PC
Release Date: A tentative Q4, 2013
The financial implosion of THQ left many a project floating helplessly in development limbo, and one of those disenfranchised casualties was Obsidian Entertainment’s no-holds-barred, RPG: South Park: The Stick of Truth. Fully licensed and only a little matured, the studio’s take on the infamously crude television show will mark the fourth time that Cartman & Co. have jumped into gaming’s pixelated world – sparring two Xbox Live arcade titles in 2009 and 2012 – and the production team have assured fans that their patience will be rewarded.
First off, with the series’ godfathers Trey Parker and Matt Stone penning the script and also lending their vocal chords to some characters, this is a South Park game through and through – even the cut-out aesthetic that mirrors the TV show. Though many foresaw the game being ushered into closure – especially considering that Obsidian laid off staff back in March – The Stick of Truth managed to fall gracefully into the experienced hands of Ubisoft, which in turn provided the team at Obsidian with more time to tweak the game’s mechanics and comedic screenplay in equal measures.
For the game, players will tethered to the new kid in town which, after choosing attributes and various other customisation options, will lend a degree of individuality to each experience by bestowing gamers with a series of choices. Choices which will remain under wraps until South Park’s long overdue release.
While the game is penned for release on Playstation 3, Xbox 360 & PC, a spokesperson for the developer proposed the possibility of bringing The Stick of Truth to Wii U and 3DS should the crude RPG be considered a rib-tickling success.
Hype-O-Meter: 7/10
[h2]10) Ratchet & Clank: Into The Nexus[/h2]
Developer: Insomniac Games
Genre: Third-Person Platformer
Available For: Playstation 3
Release Date: Holiday, 2013
Worlds colliding and heroes returning. It seems as though Insomniac Games didn’t disappoint. The illustrious studio followed up their serendipitous marketing campaign recently by lifting the lid on Ratchet & Clank: Into The Nexus – simply entitled Ratchet & Clank: Nexus for Europe. The next instalment in the beloved franchise is coming exclusively to PS3, and one that will serve as an epilogue ‘for the future of the series.’
With a suitably bizarre arsenal at your disposal, Into The Nexus will wisp players away into the dark reaches of space for the titular duo’s next adventure. Although the developers have assured that the heartfelt comedy will return, they’ve also hinted at the upcoming game being the spookiest entry into the beloved franchise yet and Into The Nexus will also host some intuitive zero-g platforming to boot.
Fittingly, there are no plans to implement a multiplayer component into Nexus at this time because, quite frankly, there hasn’t been much of a fanbase demand for it. Full Frontal Assault and All 4 One were tailored – some would argue diluted – in order to add a competitive and family dynamic, respectively, to the franchise. However, Into The Nexus represents the studio’s return to the true-to-form single-player Ratchet & Clank mythology that we know and love.
Ratchet & Clank: Into The Nexus will be priced at $29.99 and be available at both retail and the Playstation store later this year.
Hype-O-Meter: 8/10
Tell us, which game are you most looking forward to from the list? Indeed, are there any other games that are launching exclusively on current-gen systems in the near future that have grabbed your attention? As always, drop your thoughts in the comments!