TWiG 2008-04-14: Another Old Game Captures Our Attention

In summary:

Three systems (the PS2, PSP, and Xbox 360) have absolutely nothing coming out this week, other than whatever not-yet-announced games will be occupying the weekly downloadable slots.  The PS3’s only release is a game that’s not finished yet, released so that gamers can be offered the “privilege” of playing 1/3 of a game for 2/3 of the price (a detail that will not at all deter the fans of the admittedly killer Gran Turismo series).  The DS features three games that actually feature exclamation points as part of their titles.  The PC mostly gets games that console players have picked up, played through, and forgotten about at this point, along with some expansion sets.  And the Wii...well…

My game of the week last week was a re-release, too, so I hesitate to do this, but no matter how many times I look over this list, nothing sticks out like Okami does.

Yes, it’s been out for a year and a half.  Yes, it was all over the best of ‘06 lists when it came to awards and all that.  Still, it’s impossible to ignore a game that many said outshined The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess when it came out, and was certainly pulled off with more originality.  Anyone who loves the Zelda series is nuts if they haven’t tried Okami yet, and now it’s appearing for a system that it seems all but made for, what with the painting dynamic that drives so much of its gameplay.  Add in enhanced visuals (Okami in 16:9 does sound appealing) and a reduced price ($39.99), and you have one of the most appealing Wii purchases yet seen on the system.

In other games, the newly-enabled capability of the Wii’s Virtual Console to handle Sega Master System titles means that Fantasy Zone can actually be released, so now I may actually play it in a form that goes beyond the easter egg in Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf.  Also, for you puzzle-solving types, Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis on the PC looks like it has some serious potential as well, and you probably won’t need a graphics card update to play it.

The rest of the week’s releases...after the break:

PS3:

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (15 April)

Nintendo DS:

AMF Bowling Pinbusters! (14 April)
Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All Stars (14 April)
Cory in the House (15 April)
High School Musical 2: Work This Out! (15 April)
Rondo of Swords (15 April)
Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys! (15 April)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (20 April)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time (20 April)

Wii:

Fantasy Zone (Virtual Console) (14 April)
Mega Turrican (Virtual Console) (14 April)
Emergency Mayhem (15 April)
Okami (15 April)
Summer Sports: Paradise Island (15 April)

PC:

Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis (14 April)
Europa Universalis: Rome (15 April)
Final Fantasy XI: Vana’diel Collection 2008 (15 April)
Jack Keane (15 April)
The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff (15 April)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (15 April)
Turok (15 April)

PS2:

Nope.

PSP:

Nada.

Xbox 360:

Also nothing.

—Mike Schiller