Batman doesn’t stray far from the world of videogames, does he? This week the caped crusader is back once again – Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate – Deluxe Edition is one the few releases out this week.
Just like last year’s Castlevania: Mirror of Fate HD, it was originally a handheld release. Capcom’s whip cracker is a very fitting comparison, as this is also a 2.5 adventure featuring a mixture of combat and exploration.
The 3DS and PS Vita versions didn’t quite go down a storm – the Metacritic scores stand at 68% and 61% respectively, and with no reviews of this PSN, XBLA and PC re-release currently available we get the feeling that this too will be rather middling. With a £15.99 price tag, we should be incredibly grateful that there’s a demo to try.
The Wii U version has been delayed, but Warner Bros. promises that it’ll be out later this month.
PlayStation 4 owners with a PlayStation Plus sub will be doubt be downloading Mercenary Kings, as that’s one of this months’ freebies. It’s a 16-bit style shooter with an innovative weapon crafting system – over 300 firearms can be constructed out of the materials enemies leave behind.
The image below – taken from the PS Blog – should give a good idea of what types of weapons you can construct. Did you spot the toilet?
As for retail releases, it’s a very quiet week with just Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends and PC RPG The Elder Scrolls Online competing for your money.
Reviews of Dynasty Warriors 8 have been mostly favourable, including 7.5 from Destructoid, 7.0 from NowGamer and 3/5 from GamesRadar. Most reviewers seem to agree that although mindless, it’s the best kind of variety – “mindless, button-mashing funâ€, to quote GamesRadar.
The PS4 version is sub-titled ‘Complete Edition’ and offers additional characters and a new campaign over the PS3 and PS Vita iterations. All three are out this Friday.
The Elder Scrolls Online meanwhile is currently review shy. It’s a huge game, so no doubt critics are currently putting the hours in to give it the most comprehensive they possibly can.
Turkish site Merlin’in Kazani is the only place to have reviewed it so far, giving it 83%.
We’re amazed at Google Chrome’s ability to translate ‘another Bethesda Bugfest’ into English.
Next week: Titanfall (360), LEGO The Hobbit (PS3, PS4, PS Vita, 360, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS, PC), Football Manager 14 (PS Vita), Kinect Sports Rivals (Xbox One), Don Bradman Cricket 14 (PS3, 360), The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief (PS3) and a retail releases of Terraria (360).