Nerd Mentality

Monthly Preview - Games of August 2010

Posted July 31st 2010 by Will Davey.

I can't believe it's August already, but with all of this bright sunshine (for me anyway) comes a new group of games. Granted the amount of games is quite small, maybe even the smallest since starting this feature, but the summer drought can't be helped. Take a look at the list and see if your wallet's going to come out of your pocket this month.

Madden NFL 11 (PS3, 360, Wii, PSP)

It seems odd to say it, but the 22nd (22?!) entry of the franchise is supposedly going to be the best yet. The most prominent addition is probably the new GameFlow system, where the game will make a situational game plan for you depending on what's going down. Some "under the hood" upgrades have been made too, with changes to lighting and run-blocking. If all of that wasn't good enough, if your team wins the Super Bowl, you get to shake hands with Barack Obama. Awesome.

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days (360, PS3)

Thanks to many improvements over the original game, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days looks to be a much more enjoyable experience. The cover system has been slightly redesigned, and rather than keeping the same look and feel, Dog Days has been completely refreshed with distinctive visual filters and an intense shaky cam view. The story focuses on Lynch instead of Kane this time around, and following a deal-gone-wrong in Shanghai, the duo team up again to try and stay alive. Multiplayer is back once again with two variants of the Fragile Alliance game mode, and both the single player and multiplayer are playable in the demo available for your resident downloadable platforms.

Mafia II (PS3, 360)

Almost eight years have passed since the original Mafia game first hit the PC, and the sequel is trying to make up for lost time by being the best it can be. With an open-world map spanning 10 square miles and a new story taking place over 11 years, and a new cover system, Mafia II ticks some of the key boxes for modern open-world games. The setting is also supposed to be much darker, grittier and realistic this time around, and much more advanced technology since the original, the world of Mafia will look better than ever.

Metroid: Other M (Wii)

Taking the series in a new direction, Metroid: Other M differs significantly from the Prime series. Rather than all of the gameplay taking place in first-person with the emphasis on creating a lonely and dangerous atmosphere, Other M is much more of an action game, with plenty of crazy 2D and 3D gameplay. It certainly looks like an interesting take on the franchise, one that could end up being very divisive, but it looks very promising.

Valkyria Chronicles II (PSP)

It's not often you see a direct sequel to a game on a different console, but the sequel to 2008's PS3 surprise hit Valkyria Chronicles is hitting the PSP this month. Basic gameplay mechanics return with the BLiTZ system for battles, and new classes have been added to the game, as well as the ability to change and upgrade classes based on a skill tree. The game will feature ad-hoc multiplayer as well as the main single player campaign, but whether future entries into the series will stay on PSP or return to the PS3 is unknown.

And that's it. The only title I'm looking at buying this month is Metroid: Other M, so hopefully that'll turn out alright. I'll definitely download the demo of Mafia II, but being completely inexperienced with the original doesn't give me a lot to go on as of yet. Still, these lists will start to pick up again soon, so keep checking back every month to see what's worth your money!

Posted in: Features, Gaming

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