The Bane of Gamers: October Game Releases

October is going to be a vexing time for me. With so many good looking games coming out and I am faced with a serious problem. Which one am I going to get? The 3 front runners all come out on the same day, October 13. Now normally this wouldn't be a problem but, because money is in short supply at our household, due to being unemployed, all I have as currency is trade-in credit for only one 60.00 game. My birthday is in October, but the odds of anyone I know willing to shell out any money for such a "stupid" hobby seems long. I mean every time I talk to my Mother she asks me when will I grow up? And I always tell her never. Disappointment follows me everywhere. No I'll have to treat myself to such gifts.

First up is Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The first game was the reason I bought a PlayStation 3. Awesome visuals, gunplay, and platforming, Uncharted: Drakes Fortune was a gamer's game. But on top of all that there was an awesome story with some of the best drama dialog and character performances seen in a video game. The chance to pick up the story where the first one left off is appealing. That and the fact the game has multiplayer now make it a contender to be picked up. In the end and after I thought long and hard, I chose to pick this one up after I gain employment.



The second game on my list of October releases is none other than Tim Schafer's love letter to gamers and heavy metal fans everywhere, Brutal Legend. This game, published by EA after ActivisionBlizzard rejected it for release is without a doubt one of the most talked about games of the year. Why? Well there are 3 reasons. First would be said dispute between ActivisonBlizzard, EA, and Doublefine the developers of Brutal Legend. Lawsuits were filed, things were said, but the games developer and new publisher won out in the end. This created buzz for the game and even got some mainstream attention. Secondly, casting of the games characters really brought a sense of authenticity to the project. Getting Ozzy Osbourne, Lita Ford, Lemmy Kilmister, and Rob Halford together with the likes of actor Tim Curry and actor/musician Jack Black seems like a powerhouse of awesome. And that coupled with a soundtrack to rival any metal music fans library guarantees the success of the game on metal fan service alone. The third and most important reason why Brutal Legend is the game to get this October can be summed up in 3 words.....Tim Schafer's game.

Tim Schafer is one of the best storytellers in the industry today. His career, writing dialog and stories at Lucasfilm games on such titles as Secret of Monkey Island and Full Throttle made him a legend in the gaming community. His last game, Psychonauts, while critically successful failed to sell. Gamers who did pick it up experienced an enduring tale that was both fun to play and had a story that stayed with you well after you beat the game. This third reason above all else is why it will be the game I pick up on October 13 with my trade-in credit.



That was the plan till yesterday when I went onto Gamestop's website to look at releases. Right next to Brutal Legend was a game, third in a series, based on samurai. Looking at the box to Way of the Samurai 3, I felt a sense of coming home. The first 2 games are still in my collection to this day. And adventure game where the choices you make determine the outcome to the various factions. I remember the first game took only 3 hours to beat. But there were so much replayability that I probably went through the game maybe a hundred times collecting new swords, moves, and costumes. I can never get tired of that setting either. The graphics and sound take a back seat to gameplay and story here. The way of the Samurai series never looked great to begin with but I dont think I ever sank that much time in a game as I did with them. The fact it also comes out on October 13 destroys any hope of buying Brutal Legend. As much as I love Tim Schafer, I cant in my right mind not get a game whose series is what kept me interested in console games in the first place. Brutal Legend will be there when I want it, I can't say the same for Way of the Samurai 3.




Honorable mentions for the month of October include: A Boy and His Blob, Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition, Demon's Souls, Afrika, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, FIFA 10, Borderlands, Tekken 6, and Forza 3 . Being broke sucks.