New release slate led by Turn 10's Forza Motorsport 4; Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, and Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster also out.
The crucial holiday sales quarter kicked off last week with the launch of Rage and Dark Souls, but the biggest titles of the frenzied buying period are still to come. This week offers some prime picks of its own with Forza 4, Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, and Ace Combat: Assault Horizon.
Forza Motorsport 4 is at the front of the pack this week. Turn 10's Forza series is a touchstone of simulation racing on the Xbox 360, and it has been a full two years since Forza 3. Kinect support is a first for the franchise as well, with Forza 4 offering in-race head tracking, voice-controlled menus, and a virtual showroom feature allowing a close-up look at two dozen of the 500-plus cars in the game.
Microsoft and Turn 10 are also introducing a $30 season pass that will net players access to six downloadable content packs slated to hit between the game's release and April 2012. A demo is now available via Xbox Live.
Gamers who are in the mood for more zombie-slaying action this fall are in luck because Capcom is set to deliver just that. Dead Rising 2: Off the Record for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 marks the return of fan-favorite Frank West. Arguably the most famous wartime photographer in games, Frank is heading to Chuck Greene's turf to provide a different perspective on the events of the ill-fated Fortune City.
Story-infused dogfighting is back this week with Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, but it's not all about jets this time. Helicopters are a new addition that look to offer a fresh spin on Namco Bandai's aerial action series on the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Billed as a living storybook, the Kinect-powered Once Upon a Monster sees players engaging in a series of minigames to help a lovable group of monsters solve their problems. Much like the show, the Sesame Street characters are sure to impart a few life lessons along the way as well.
For further details on the week's games, visit GameSpot's New Releases page. The full list of downloadable games on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Marketplace, and Wii Shop Channel will be revealed later this week. Release dates are based on retailer listings and are subject to change.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 10
Red Dead Redemption: Game of the Year Edition--X360, PS3--Rockstar Games
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon--X360, PS3--Namco Bandai Games
Aliens Infestation--DS--Sega
DanceDanceRevolution II--Wii--Konami
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record--X360, PS3, PC--Capcom
Dragon Age II: Mark of the Assassin--X360, PS3, PC--Electronic Arts
Forza Motorsport 4--X360--Microsoft Game Studios
Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove--3DS--Natsume
Go Vacation--Wii--Namco Bandai Games
Hulk Hogan's Main Event--X360--Majesco Games
Imagine Fashion Designer--3DS--Ubisoft
Kinectimals: Now with Bears--X360--Microsoft Game Studios
Mahjong Cub3d--3DS--Atlus
Marvel Super Hero Squad: Infinity Gauntlet--3DS--THQ
Michael Phelps: Push the Limit--X360--505 Games
Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny--PS3, Wii--Natsume
Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster--X360--Warner Bros. Interactive
Sideway: New York--PS3--Sony Online Entertainment
Wipeout 2--X360, PS3, Wii, 3DS, DS--Activision Blizzard
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12
1001 Touch Games--DS--Maximum Family Games
Blackwell Deception--PC--Wadjet Eye Games
Crimson Alliance: Vengeance Pack--X360--Certain Affinity
Guardian Heroes--X360--Sega
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet: Shadow Hunters--X360--Fuelcell Games
Orcs Must Die--PC--Robot Entertainment
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13
Batman: Arkham Asylum--Mac--Feral Interactive
Might & Magic: Heroes VI--PC--Ubisoft
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
Renegade Ops--PC--Sega
Rugby Challenge--PC--Sidhe Interactive
For those who have never played any Dead Rising, now is a great time to jump in. Off the Record is not a skin of the old game, they have new areas, new bosses, new weapons, new modes, and LESS loading time. I know, because I was part of making it. For 40 bucks the game is a fricken steal.
Forza Motorsport 4 is on my to do list this week following Batman Arkham City and Battlefield 3 in the coming weeks ahead.
Still on the fence with F4. Will have to wait to see what the GT5 patch brings. And what the heck, I'm still playing and enjoying F3. Can it really be that much better...
@pokecharm If you have kids there is nothing wrong with that. Past that, Sesame Street is a learning tool for young children.
Arkham Asylum is finally coming out for the Mac?! The sequel is literally coming out next week!
I would love to have sesame street's once upon a monster to play with a hypothetical son, daughter, or very young sibling. And just because of who developed it, it could be a genuinely good game. Red Dead I rented earlier this year, and up there with Heavy Rain as two of the best of the nine games I rented. I knew there'd be a GOTY edition because GTAIV had one. Funnily enough I bought GTAIV when it was Black Friday, on Amazon for $13. I lucked out and in February R* slashed the DLC cost in half on the PSN to $15. So I wound up saving two dollars from the retail complete edition ;)
U have DLC to an 1 year old game in the title and in the article but u barely throw Heroes VI in a list along with many crappy games? Except for Kevin V i'm beginning to think you're all a bunch of console hugging sellouts. @marvelx3 Really? U're gonna barely play it now? On a MAC? Really? You need Jesus =))
Reading some things about Forza has me interested in racing sims again. I am going to have to give that one a spin. Reading somewhere else, they had me at "magnificent car crashes"...
Great lineup this week and since usa got spiderman this week in uk but im not picking that up. Im picking up Dead Riseing Off the Record this week on my ps3. And i like say good like for faza4 it will be no1 in uk as well :] but rest might flop but who knows
Gamers who are in the mood for more zombie-slaying action????????? Dead Rising 2: Off the Record eh been there done that i love frank the tank but im not doing the whol Fortune City crap for a 3rd time capcom is just geting lazy
So one of Inafune's works still remains at Capcom, but not his biggest one? I don't mean to bash in the comments section of every story that has the word Capcom in it, but really, we hold up signs in front of Capcom yet they keep doing what they're doing. And that is not caring much about us (except every non-MM game, but even that has some issues. Like EMC.)
Forza for me. EDIT: Ha! People will give anything a thumbs down, I suppose. Well, sorry if my buying Forza offends you. I'm still doing it.
I just happy that DR2 OTR was not priced as a brand new game so Unlimited mode and Frank west here I come :)!!!!
I will be at GameStop as soon as they open Tuesday morning to get Forza 4 Limited Edition. :D
Check out the demo for Resonance.
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