Trimmed turkey
After the last two weeks of sheer insanity, this week's lineup looks like slim pickings. However, there are a few returning faces mixed in the crowd, including a rare PS1 title hitting the PlayStation Network. Collectors may want to unload any physical copies really soon, as the digital release may affect prices almost immediately.
While most of you are probably busy looking at the pretty colors from the next-generation systems, those who still own the PS3 and 360 aren't being left out in the cold. There's plenty to play for everyone, so take a look and see what interests you the most.
Borderlands 2: The Horrible Hunger of the Ravenous Wattle Gobbler
Coming To: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC (November 26)
There's not a single piece of Borderlands 2 DLC that we haven't loved. Starting with Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty and going all the way to T.K. Baha's Bloody Harvest, we've had a blast shooting our way through whatever Gearbox thinks up. With The Horrible Hunger of the Ravenous Wattle Gobbler, Gearbox is pitting us against its strangest enemy yet: a giant psychotic turkey. Better still, we get to meet Mr. Torgue's grandmother, who may have more muscles than he does. It seems that Thanksgiving won't be the only day where we cook a giant turkey; it's just a shame we can't eat the one on Pandora.
Ys: Memories of Celceta
Coming To: PS Vita (November 26)
One of the worst things that can happen in gaming is getting involved in a franchise, loving everything about that franchise, then finding out that a certain game in that franchise is only available overseas. It's just the worst. Ys IV was one of those titles, released 25 years ago in Japan only. Finally American Ys fans will get their chance with Memories of Celceta, the silver anniversary celebration version of the game and third re-telling of the story. Twenty five long years of waiting have finally come to an end, and we'll finally get a chance to play this excellent story. Now we just have to find our Vitas and get them ready.
Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions
Coming To: PS3 (November 27)
After the success of Metal Gear Solid, Konami released the VR Missions, a disc with over 300 virtual reality missions starring the cast of the game. No conspiracies here, no big terrorist plot to foil or anything like that; this was simply a game of testing our skills against virtual reality. There were even a few missions where we could take control of Gray Fox the Cyber Ninja, which was insanely cool. MGS: VR Missions became a rare collector's item, but thanks to the advent of digital technology, we don't have to empty our wallets to try our hand at VR anymore. It's a beautiful thing.
Painkiller Hell and Damnation
Coming To: PS3 (November 27)
Painkiller has been out for almost ten years now, and we've played countless games in the series since the original, but we love coming back to where it all started and kicking some supernatural butt from time to time. This HD remake on PSN will make doing that a thousand times easier, as now we won't have to worry about re-installing the old CD-ROM or deleting something from Steam to make room. We do have one tiny issue: Painkiller Hell and Damnation is clearly an attempt at "Painkiller HD," and ewwwwwwww gross. Just say Painkiller HD, we swear we'll understand!
Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers
Coming To: PS3 (November 27)
If you're not an anime or manga buff, you're probably not going to know the first thing about Saint Seiya. All we've been able to gather from its story is that there are Gods, Knights, and a whole lot of crazy fighting action...which sounds perfect, actually. We've used video games as a gateway to other media before, and we can't wait to try it again with Brave Soldiers. It helps that the game has been developed by Dimps, who also had a hand in the Dragon Ball Z Budokai series and Street Fighter IV. They know their fighters, which means the gameplay should be just fine.
Flow
Coming To: PS4 (November 29)
Thatgamecompany is slowly taking over the next generation. The HD version of Flower launched with the PS4, allowing those who adopted early the immediate chance to re-live a classic. Now their first game, Flow, gets the PS4 HD treatment, and we'll all get to once again swim in the ocean depths with our little organisms. Flow is a simple game originally found on a web browser, but it's the perfect "sit down and relax" type of game: pleasing music, easy gameplay, and plenty of fun. Now all we need is for TGC to let us take a certain Journey on PS4...hint hint.
Escape Plan
Coming To: PS4 (November 29)
It's not just Thatgamecompany getting in on the PS4 action; Fun Bits Interactive is bringing its puzzler Escape Plan to the new generation. Escape Plan puts us in control of two...uh, "beings" called Lil and Laarg, and we have to guide them through a series of obstacles, lest they suffer a horrible and gruesome death. The game made a huge splash on the Vita with its front and back touchscreen controls, so we anticipate the PS4 controller's touchpad to get some use. If you haven't played this game yet and you bought a PS4, why not give Escape Plan a try?
Find something to play after turkey?
There's a smaller offering this week, but we're sure that there is a quality gaming experience somewhere on the list. If nothing floats your boat, then stick with the Xbox One, PS4, or whatever else you're playing at the moment, but otherwise check one or two of these games out.
For a further look into the future, check out 25 upcoming PS4 games for 2014 and beyond, or to relive the past take a look at 15 reasons why we love Ocarina of Time 15 years later.
Hideo Kojima originally had "no plans" for a character like Metal Gear Solid's Cyborg Ninja until Yoji Shinkawa's art had him saying "hell yeah, a ninja cyborg!"
One of the most iconic D&D RPGs ever made stood out among Baldur's Gate and Fallout as it was the "first" to make companions "feel like fully functional parts of the story"
Hideo Kojima originally had "no plans" for a character like Metal Gear Solid's Cyborg Ninja until Yoji Shinkawa's art had him saying "hell yeah, a ninja cyborg!"
One of the most iconic D&D RPGs ever made stood out among Baldur's Gate and Fallout as it was the "first" to make companions "feel like fully functional parts of the story"
