Consoles, PCs, handhelds, Facebook, smartphones — the world of gaming is becoming increasingly confusing and fragmented, but don’t worry, we’re here to simplify things for you. Each week I’ll rattle off five games I think you might want to check out this week. Keep in mind, these articles aren’t meant to be comprehensive lists of everything coming out that week so much as a nice rounded tasting menu. So, let’s get to it…
This Week’s Indie Game
Project Temporality (PC, May 20th)
Project Temporality is a puzzle-action game in vein of Portal that has you playing with both time and cloning. You can do something like, say, push a button, then reverse time and clone yourself — the original version of you will still go and push that button, but then the new version of you can run through the door that opens when that button is pushed. Basically Project Temporality lets you play co-op with yourself (if you know what I mean).
This Week’s JRPG
Drakengard 3 (PS3, May 20th)
Square-Enix’s hack n’ slash RPG series returns after a nearly decade-long break. Drakengard 3 really seems to be ratcheting up the Japanese grindhouse weirdness, with a sexy female protagonist with a flower for an eye and tons of gore. The Drakengard games don’t tend to get great reviews, but the series definitely has its dedicated cult of fans, so you might want to give this one a look if you don’t mind some hacking and/or slashing.
This Week’s Strategy Game
Tropico 5 (PC, May 23rd)
You’d think “Become a tin pot dictator of a small Caribbean island!” would be kind of a one-and-done idea, but here we are with the fifth entry in the Tropico series. In Tropico 5 there’s a greater emphasis on history, with you having to guide your island through a series of Civilization-like eras. You’ll also have to manage your squabbling family — decide who inherits the dynasty and who gets sent to the stockade! Should be good corrupt fun as always.
This Week’s Nazi Blaster
Wolfenstein: The New Order (PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 & PS4, May 20th)
I’m still not entirely sure how Wolfenstein: The New Order is going to turn out. The game’s “What would the 60s look like in a world where the Nazis won?” premise is top-notch and it’s going to have some intriguing non-shootery sequences. Problem is, the game’s FPS sequences, which will make up the majority of the game, look a little pedestrian. Personally, I think the game looks promising and may be a sleeper hit, but I’m still hedging my bets just a little bit.
Pick of the Week
Transistor (PC & PS4, May 20th)
Transistor is the latest super-gorgeous indie RPG from Supergiant Games (the makers of the critically acclaimed Bastion). Transistor is similar to Bastion in that it’s another stylish isometric RPG, but this time around a turn-based element has been added. Basically you dodge enemy attacks in real time until a bar fills up, at which point the game pauses and you choose your actions. Once you’re done choosing actions the game unpauses, your character performs the actions at super-speed and then it’s back to dodging again. Action, strategy, beautiful art — Transistor looks to deliver it all.
A good week, with more good weeks to come as we near E3. Any games you’re itching to get your hands on that I failed to mention? Hit the comments and let the world know.