Like any other year, 2011 is a big one for shooters. Intensely anticipated but not as famous as this year’s “three 3s” is Red Orchestra 2, a sequel that has been at least half a decade in the making. World War II shooters seem to have fallen out of style and AAA-budgeted, squad-based, console-port-friendly titles with marines both modern and future are still the rage right now. But for those who never wanted to go away from older weaponry, Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad fills a niche that has been unsatisified for quite some time. READ MORE
Driver is finally exactly what it needs to be – a game that is not trying to be Grand Theft Auto. Between Saint’s Row, Mafia, True Crime, Just Cause, and, well, Grand Theft Auto, the anti-hero sandbox landscape is fairly crowded. Ubisoft Reflections seems to have realized this and made a game that feels similar enough to feel familiar but is different enough that it is its own unique brand of fun. READ MORE
When Persona 2 originally made it stateside in 2000, most fans were unaware that they had only received half of a complete story. The game’s first half, Innocent Sin, would only be released in Japan, leaving a gap that wouldn’t be filled until 11 years later. Atlus has heard the call, and with the US release of Innocent Sin’s PSP remake, fans can finally visit the missing half of Persona 2’s narrative, along with a redone soundtrack by Shoji Meguro and a new, stylized interface. READ MORE
Atelier Totori is a somewhat different kind of Japanese RPG. While most RPG protagonists are roaming the world trying to prevent its destruction, Totori is roaming the countryside simply looking for her mother. While others are plotting the downfall of the government, Totori is licensed by the government to explore the world. READ MORE
Just last year, we remember bemoaning the disappearance of the co-op dungeon-crawler. Crazy, huh? Since then, we’ve seen quite a few attempts at the genre crop up. Generally, though, these have followed the Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance mold, focusing on character progression, looting and atmosphere. Crimson Alliance went the other direction, looking to revitalize a style we haven’t seen since Gauntlet: Dark Legacy. READ MORE
