New Games On The Horizon

Alan Barthelmess

   No matter which console you own it is a great time to be a gamer. Whether you own an Xbox 360, PS3, or a Nintendo WII the upcoming release of games will be surely satisfying.
If you are the proud owner of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 you’ve probably already been counting down the days until September 14th. That’s the release of two time game of the year winning company Bungie’s Halo Reach. Halo Reach is a first person shooter (fps) where the player will play as one of six members of noble team in a story line that depicts the events that happened to reach. Halo reach takes place in the halo timeline back before the first halo game combat evolved where you blew up one of the halo rings and enraged the covenant fleet ( a group of aliens that want you dead). As a beta tester of the multiplayer experience for halo reach I can say that multiplayer online will be amazing. The user will immerse themselves in a world of discovery, customization, and strategy and of course action packed experiences.
  If you are one of the many players who regret buying halo ODST last year, rest assured that Halo Reach will not be a disappointment. The graphics are better, the game play still is amazing, and there are many other perks along the way to help you climb your way to the top. Rather it be the new plasma launcher weapon to decimate your opponents or the Spartan favored power armor that makes you invulnerable for a short time, there are many new features to keep you happy. Halo Reach releases September 14th2010 exclusively on Xbox 360.
  For those of you out there who own a Nintendo WII and like the party games you are in luck. Nintendo releases a new party game called Wii Party on October 3rd. After sales rocketed for Mario Party 8 on the WII Nintendo started to develop another game like Mario party without the Mario (sorry Mario). After viewing the few trailers released for WII Party it can be assumed that this is not a game to play alone but with many friends in mini games that will involve passing the wii motes back and forth in an intense game of hot potato or hiding the wii motes in the room while one player closes their eyes and has to find them before time runs out. Looks like a little bit of the honor system will be needed to play this game but is sure to be a hit at get togethers. WII Party releases October 3rd 2010 exclusively on Nintendo WII.
  Last but definitely not least we have the most advanced console with its blu-ray technology we have Sony’s PS3. Most titles you can on the PS3 you will also find on the Xbox 360 because both are popular systems. While there are no specific major PS3 exclusive games coming out soon one game users will be looking forward too is Fallout New Vegas. This is a first person shooter/ role playing game (fps/rpg). Players will experience a world torn and shattered by nuclear war and level up through a unique story with over hundreds of hours of game play. The user can spend time scavenging looking for items that may come in handy later in the game, complete missions and various tasks for other characters in the game in reward for items, information, and of course experience. Fallout New Vegas releases on PC/Xbox 360/PS3 October 19th 2010.
  In terms of add-ons for those popular consoles the Xbox 360 and PS3 both have something to offer in upcoming months. Xbox 360 has a new gaming add-on coming out called “Kinect”, for those of you who have been following this it was previously called “project natal”. Kinect is a slim multi-camera device that will allow players to play games without controllers through motion sensor. Kind of like playing the WII and WII Fit without the WII motes or the WII pad. Kinect will have voice recognition systems and you’ll be able to browse Netflix with the flick of a hand. This device will have a few release titles such as kinect animals where you can choose an animal say a tiger and train it and play with it as if you were there. Xbox 360’s Kinect will be released this November 4th right in time for a great holiday gift.
  Sony’s PS3 will also be coming out with a new add-on known as the PS3 Move; the device is a set of handles that resemble the Nintendo WII’s Wii motes. They each have a ball that lights up on the end of them that leads me to believe there will be a dance game made specifically for these. They will make boxing games a lot funner and are intended to help gamers get up and burn some calories while playing some of their favorite games. Sony’s PS3 Move controllers will be released September 17th 2010.