October 30 (continued)
WWE 13
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii
EU: November 2
Last year's WWE 12 rebranded the longtime WWE Smackdown vs. RAW franchise without really significantly tweaking the experience, but the incremental upgrade still ended up being pretty good as our WWE 12 review attests. Much as WWE 13 aims to similarly tweak and enhance the existing gameplay, its other additions look to be the defining factors in THQ's latest entry. Focused on the beloved Attitude era that took place from 1995-2001, WWE 13 brings back a load of classic wrestlers with a campaign that lets you relive iconic moments from those years, using the power of nostalgia to psyche up pro wrestling fans once more for this annual endeavor.
Zone of the Enders HD Collection
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
EU: TBD
Zone of the Enders has, for a time, been widely known as "the game that came with the Metal Gear Solid 2 demo." It's something of a cruel fate for what ended up being such a remarkably cool giant robot game, especially since sequel The 2nd Runner amped up the style factor even further. Luckily, both PlayStation 2 titles get a second chance to hook players with this month's HD Collection, which bundles in both with high-definition graphics and a brand new anime intro for $40. Oh, and it comes with a playable demo of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Not this again…
Okami HD
Platform: PlayStation Network
EU: October 31
One of the absolute best – and certainly best-looking – PlayStation 2 adventures is getting a second lease on life this month, as Okami hits the PlayStation Network in a remastered release. Much as the original stunned us with its broad brush strokes, looking like a living painting, the standard definition images simply cannot compete with this gussied-up HD iteration, which appears mind-blowingly slick. Okami HD adds PlayStation Move support (a nod to the later Wii iteration) and Trophies to hunt down, with the downloadable release weighing in at just $20. It's a big, beautiful game, and certainly one to savor yet again on PlayStation 3.
Thundercats
Platform: Nintendo DS
EU: Out
It's not uncommon to see a steady stream of kid-focused licensed games in the late days of a platform's life cycle, and Thundercats is just that: a side-scrolling action/platform adaptation of the animated series reboot, which of course is based on the classic '80s cartoon hit. Coming only to the Nintendo DS this fall, Thundercats puts players in the role of Lion-O as he cuts through oncoming monsters and battles robotic bosses, and while he seems to be the only playable character, allies like Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara, WilyKat, and WilyKit can be called in for assists.
Toy Story Mania!
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
EU: November 30
Back in 2009, Disney released Toy Story Mania! on Wii (pictured above)--an underwhelming minigame collection based on the titular theme park attraction, which of course takes its cues from the brilliant Pixar trilogy. From all that we can gather, these new Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 iterations – which respectively support (but don't require) Kinect and PlayStation Move – are much like HD remakes, delivering the same shooting galleries and mini-games with a little more visual punch; and hopefully some more interesting action, considering the $40 price point on each.
Moshi Monsters: Moshlings Theme Park
Platform: Nintendo 3DS, DS
EU: October 26
Like last year's DS-only Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo!, Activision's Moshi Monsters: Moshlings Theme Park is based on a hugely popular online world for kids, and this latest entry puts players in charge of rebuilding a legendary amusement park. Across a variety of colorful missions, you'll assemble the location while collecting 60 scattered Moshlings, all while experiencing the rides via karts, slides, and more. The 3DS version also packs in StreetPass support and an AR game, adding some extra perks to this child-centric affair.
October 31
Blood Knights
Platform: XBLA, PSN, PC
EU: October 31
Appropriately timed to launch on Halloween, this gory co-op action affair highlights a pair of vampires who must work together in an adventure that looks a bit like Baldur's Gate and even Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. As we discovered in our hands-on preview, the two characters – dual-wielding swordsman Jeremy and crossbow-toting Liz – must utilized their disparate skills to solve puzzles and even get a jump on packs of foes, which fill the frame with crimson as they're decimated. The fact that such co-op moments are simply cut out of the single-player experience gives us pause, though; seems pretty essential to play this one with a pal, as such.
