I think the big news from the past week was the realisation of just how weak the Wii U has been performing at retail. Nintendo slashed the sales forecast of the machine drastically from 9 million to 2.8 million for this financial year. It is a sad turn of events, but not one that should be all that surprising. Not many people outside of the core gaming base fully understood what the Wii U offered, and the release of superlative titles like Super Mario 3D World seem to have done little to convince people to invest in the machine. In truth, I only purchased mine because I was able to get it for pennies after trading in my massive back catalogue of console games. At full price I was never going to realistically buy it.
Enough doom and gloom from Nintendo, what have we been up to this past week? …
Japanese RPG Ni no Kuni has hit the shelves today, and a new story trailer has been released for the game. I have seen lots of very excited people on Twitter today, anyone getting this? I haven’t played any Japanese RPG’s since a little dabble in Final Fantasy XIII, but I’m tempted to take a look at this one. Trailer after the break. …
Welcome to The Reticule’s definitive roundup of gaming releases throughout February 2013. All release dates stated are for the EU, across all currently available platforms. Keep this page bookmarked for easy access, as we will link all previews and reviews when we post them on the site.
1st Hitman HD Trilogy
PS3, Xbox 360
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts and Hitman: Blood Money include over forty incredible missions for Agent 47, presented in high definition on today’s consoles for the very first time. Whether you’re a Hitman veteran re-living past glories, or a new fan who craves more of 47’s unique style of… elimination, the Hitman: HD Trilogy gives you a great new opportunity to fulfil these classic contracts.
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
PS3
Omerta: City of Gangsters
PC, Xbox 360
Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2
PS3, Xbox 360
Isaac Clarke returns, joined by merciless soldier John Carver, to chase a risky plan that promises to finally stop the Necromorphs. Together Clarke and Carver must explore the frozen planet of Tau Volantis and track down the secret they hope will end the Necromorph plague forever, all while overcoming avalanches, treacherous ice-climbs, and the violent wilderness. Facing deadlier evolved enemies and brutal elements, the unlikely pair must work together to save mankind from the impending apocalypse.
SpellForce 2 – Faith In Destiny Scenario 3: The Last Stand
PC
22nd Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
PS3, Xbox 360
The game takes place in 2018, four years after the events of Guns of the Patriots and is a spinoff that is “not part of the main Metal Gear Solid series”. The protagonist is Raiden, a cyborg working for the PMC Maverick Enterprises in order to raise money for his family. Developers stated that while Raiden “has grown up” in comparison to previous Metal Gear games, he is still conflicted with his life as a child soldier in Liberia, leading him to be a “dark hero”.
Crysis 3
PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Set in 2047 (24 years after Crysis 2), Prophet is said to be on a “revenge mission” after uncovering the truth behind Cell’s motives for building the quarantined Nanodomes. The citizens were told that the giant citywide structures were erected to protect the population and to cleanse these metropolises of the remnants of Ceph forces. In reality, the Nanodomes are CELL’s covert attempt at a land and technology grab in their quest for global domination.