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The games of summer 09

Beat the heat with GR's sunny suggestions

Words: Shane Patterson, GamesRadar US

SEPTEMBER

THE BIG PICK

Scribblenauts – DS
Release date: September 15

Let us illuminate you on why the very thought of Scribblenauts is badass. What you have is a puzzle/adventure game, in which every word you type will manifest that object (noun) in order to complete the puzzle. Think about that. Say you need to retrieve a star from the top of a tree. How do you get it down? Type “chainsaw” and you can saw it down. How about “beaver” and chew it down? Or “trampoline” and jump to it. And that’s the simplest example.

Not only that, but we’ve seen video of the sandbox play on the title screen. We’ve seen a kraken fight God. Yes, God. We saw God get killed by the Grim Reaper. We saw KEYBOARD CAT. Add to that a custom level editor enabling you to upload levels for others to nab and you have a create-a-game that’s easier and more accessible than LittleBigPlanet. How cool is that?

WHAT ELSE?

The Beatles: Rock Band – 360
Release date: September 9

 
Have you heard of a tiny British band called The Beatles? Some teeny-bopper band that grew to help change the zeitgeist of the music landscape with each additional album? Arguably one of the greatest bands ever? Yeah, they get their own Rock Band game which might just bridge a 40-year generation gap.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade – Wii
Release date: September 8

 
Developed by Vanillaware, the cats who made the gorgeous 2D RPG Odin Sphere, Muramasa will destroy your eyeballs because it looks that damn good. As a 2D action-RPG, you’ll fight a bunch of baddies and grin like a gosh-dern fool the entire time. It’s already out in Japan and we hear nothing but great things.

Halo 3: ODST – 360
Release date: September 22

 
Play as a number of Orbital Shock Drop Troopers in the follow-up/prequel to Halo 3, the biggest game like EVER. Actually, gameplay’s a bit different this time. You play in a kind of open world environment with a large map to navigate and Covenant to dodge. During your adventure, you trigger playable flashbacks with other members of your crew. Other features include the Horde mode-like co-op Firefight mode and every Halo 3 map ever for XBL. Add to that a Beta key to the multiplayer for the cryptic Halo: Reach and you have one HALO a package. Wakka wakka!

DON'T FORGET

Bayonetta – 360, PS3, PC
Release date: September 1

 
As GR Senior PS3 Fanboy Mikel Reparaz says, “Bayonetta’s hacky-slashy-shooty-crazy action looked strikingly like what we’d already seen in Devil May Cry 4, but what keeps Bayonetta from just being Dante with a nicer ass are the moments when she goes from merely “over the top” to “balls-out ridiculous” (or maybe it’s “tits-and-ass-out ridiculous”). Sold!

ONE MORE

Shadow Complex – Xbox Live Arcade
Release date: July?

 
Epic Games’ Metroidvania/Contra next-gen 2D shooter looks unbelievable. You start out looking for your girlfriend in the woods and then suddenly find yourself in an underground fortress with ridiculously over-the-top ultraweapons and supersuits aiding your adventure. Its seamless map looks about as big as Symphony of the Night and the game even rewards you with XP for exploration.

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58 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
MechGyver  - 5 months 10 days ago 
There“s no better time to be spent loked inside home playing video games than Summer...01010110101...1o1....
RebornKusabi  - 5 months 10 days ago 
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 bitches!
RebornKusabi  - 5 months 10 days ago 
Ah, Binary- I hate you so goddamn much that it drove me to switch my degree courses to get around you.

So long Computer Security and Computer Programming, hello Information Technology!
jballboy88  - 5 months 10 days ago 
AHHH!!!! FOR BEATLES ROCK BAND YOU GUYS FORGOT TO LABEL IT FOR PS3 ALSO!!!!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!!!
iluvmyDS  - 5 months 10 days ago 
FOUR PAGES?! How can I possibly read all that.

Joking.
iluvmyDS  - 5 months 10 days ago 
My god I'm excited for Turtles In Time, I NEED a good beat-em-up.
iluvmyDS  - 5 months 10 days ago 
I will argue that Scribblenauts will be one of the best DS games of '09.
crumbdunky  - 5 months 10 days ago 
I might share some enthusiasm for Shadow Complex if Cliffy hadn't looked and sounded so MONUMENTALLY bored when he showed us it at E3.

And will I break Scibblenauts if I want to tke on every puzzle using words like tits, ass and nob? 'Cos I assure you THATS what EVERYONE will want to do.

And I don't counr September as summer and you should know that. In fact, being English, I'm, unsure about the existence of this season at all.
thor0997  - 5 months 10 days ago 
I love some Overlord. It was simple action and story but I love the Minions. Funny little ass holes that they are.
Cyberninja  - 5 months 10 days ago 
im going to buy the bundle for fan service the game since i dont have a psp yet that plus the new souliclaibur my is going to have some copition that plus birth by sleep is for psp
nik41507  - 5 months 10 days ago 
11TH!!
NeoKef  - 5 months 10 days ago 
1600 for Marvel vs Capcom 2? I was hoping it would be cheaper since SSFIITHR was 1200 points and 800 for the original SSFII. While the original Soul Calibur (sorry if I misspelled) is 1200 and the Special Edition of Fatal Fury for 400 points.
FierceDeity  - 5 months 10 days ago 
ahahah take you for a ride
MvC2 was so bloody awesome
Ded  - 5 months 10 days ago 
I thought BlazBlue was on the 360 as well..? I'm still hoping for a Europe release :( sigh.
Unoriginal  - 5 months 10 days ago 
Wow July is kinda weak.
I still can't stop drooling over Muramasa

Nice informative article but the "theme song" is horrible. The lyrics make no sense at all.
LittleTaco  - 5 months 10 days ago 
My favorite game from last summer (that i actually bought) was bad company, if i buy a game that is realeased this summer i hope i enjoy it as much as battlefield!
TheKingsAssassin  - 5 months 10 days ago 
you forgot About I Am Alive(august)
reCaptcha: Lafayette goldfarb
BLACKICE  - 5 months 10 days ago 
ODST will be the best game ever
alfonso.hdez  - 5 months 10 days ago 
Damn, I already feel my poor wallet bleeding. Also, the HALO a game joke was so bad it was actually really funny :P
animeman  - 5 months 10 days ago 
I hadnt even herd of Dissidia: Final Fantasy until now. I cant wait for it to come out.
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