Nintendo racer and Namco-Koei crossover highlight a sparse slate of releases including Cryostasis.
The March 2009 NPD numbers came out last week and showed that for the first time in six months, US retail game industry sales shrank year over year. It might be two down months in a row, as April 2008 saw Take-Two Interactive launch its hugely anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
While this month has seen the release of new hardware on the DSi, it has also seen weeks like this one, where the biggest game of the month falls along the lines of Nintendo's lightly hyped Excitebots: Trick Racing. A follow-up to the Wii launch game Excite Truck and a distant relative to the original Excitebike, Excitebots features animal-themed vehicles racing around ever-shifting courses.
Excitebike isn't the only series to be infiltrated by robots recently. Namco Bandai's sci-fi anime Gundam franchise inserted itself into the historical action of Koei's Dynasty Warriors in 2007, and the crossover proved so nice that the two companies decided to try it twice. Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 arrives in stores this week with even more mobile suits and a new mission mode that lets players pick a Gundam pilot and take them through a career's worth of storylines.
There's another eyebrow-raising crossover landing in stores this week in the form of Mezmer Games' PC real-time strategy game Stalin vs. Martians. True to its title, Stalin vs. Martians puts players in the moustache of the notorious Communist leader as he fends off an extraterrestrial invasion in 1942. PC gaming history buffs can also keep an eye out for Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason, 1C's first-person shooter set in a Russian nuclear station at the North Pole in 1968.
[UPDATE 4/20]: Mezmer Games today announced that Stalin vs. Martians has been delayed until "later this month."
For further details on the week's games, visit GameSpot's New Release page. Downloadable games on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Marketplace, and the Wii Shop Channel will be revealed later this week. Release dates are based on retailer listings and subject to change.
NEW RELEASES: APRIL 19-25
APRIL 20:
Stalin vs. Martians--PC--Strategy--Mezmer Games
Excitebots: Trick Racing--Wii--Driving--Nintendo
Adventure: Collector's Edition (Volume 1)--PC--Adventure--Got Game Entertainment
Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason--PC--Action--1C
APRIL 21:
101-in-1 Explosive Megamix--DS--Puzzle--Atlus Co.
Jelly Belly: Ballistic Beans--Wii, PS2, DS--Puzzle--Zoo Games
I Love Horses--DS--Puzzle--Destineer
Pennzoil Build-N-Race: Speed Demons--Wii--Driving--Zoo Games
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2--360, PS3, PS2--Action--Namco Bandai Games America
Zeno Clash --PC--Action--ACE
APRIL 22:
Dream Day Wedding: Viva Las Vegas--PC--Strategy--ValuSoft
Brendan Sinclair has been a games journalist since 1999. His tastes are eclectic, though he has a definite affinity for games with arcade roots. He's Canadian, but has also been at home in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.
More than a month since its US release and no sign of an Australian date, so I'm ordering it from overseas. Think I'll be doing this more often unless this ridiculous lag ends. If the games are available overseas and are not blocked by censorship, I see absolutely no reason why they cant be in the stores in the same week.
Cryostasis: The Sleep of Reason - why so many time it's developed? In Russia Cryostasis was released in 2008.
Hey R3DN1N3, DW Gundam is possibly the best gundam game ever made, at least that made it to america.
I don't know what I hate more, Madden NFL games, ANY rhythim game coming out or Dynasty Warriors just for the fact that it's a crap game that incorporated one of my favorite anime series of all time?! GARBAGE, BLASMPHEMY and SHINANIGANS I say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whoops, still nothing good. Sorry, I almost thought Nintendo was going to make a good game, my bad.
Stalin vs. Martians ftw! @SephireX: As much as I wish that were true, I believe you are mistaken... :(
Once again Gamespot thank you for the list of games in LIST FORM. There are almost no "good" or "potentially good" games coming out unitl Infamous. This is very very good for me because I have a back log of about 20 games that need to be finished with another 15 that I haven't opened.
thanks SephireX that's the kind of news i love (if it's true that is). But it's obvious why it isn't in this topic because these are only the games coming out this week ;)
Why is the news on the new Fallout not highlighted on this site? Well let me. New Fallout game being developed by none other than Obsidian (KOTOR 2). It is not a direct sequel to Fallout 3 but will be based in places from the first two games. Its due out next year. More will probably be unveiled at E3. As for what is shipping out now, not very interesting.
Does any one no when moving memo (flip book) is coming out? It's the animation tool coming out on dsiware
cryostasis looks pretty cool actually havn't heard until now, and i gotta stalin vs martians even if it is terrible lol
I'm not much of a Dynasty Warriors Gundam fan myself so there isn't anything here I'll be buying.
Nothing i would buy this week. best game in this list would probably be Stalin vs Martians.
"April 2008 saw Take-Two Interactive launch its hugely anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3" .... What?
Zeno Clash and Excitebots for me. I recommend Cryostasis. A very atmospheric and unique title.
@modem22... Did you say that just to see how many people would mark you down? I hope nobody within the confines of the recession marks you up...
Great now I can finish the other box of new games I haven't played yet. Good to be rich. ; )
Dynasty Warriors Gundam is not worth 60 dollars, but I believe 30 to 40 would be a good enough price to justify the purchase.
DW Gundam isn't worth 60 dollars, it is a 20 dollar game at best, and that is just what I am going to wait and spend on it.
You can always count on Zoo Games to crank out a few more low budget titles, eh? Seriously, they must have a 4 week time line from concept to sale. Excitebots will at least be a rental, perhaps a purchase.
I am keeping an eye on Staline vs the Martian. Look so bad that it might actually be good, like plan 9 from outer space ^^. Cryostasis is also on my check list, but I will need to read some reviews before getting it.
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