Available on PSV (PSN) and 3DS (ES) l Published and developed by Nnooo l Classified G l Supports 1 player

REVIEW IN BRIEF > With the big name franchises faltering, it looks like it might be up to the indies to show what the Vita can do. From Sydney based developer Nnooo, escapeVektor is one of the best things I’ve played on Sony’s latest handheld. Highly polished, it combines warm and comforting retro aesthetics with highly sophisticated gameplay and fiendish level design. Unfortunately, the trailer doesn’t do justice to the complexity of the game and how enjoyable it is to play. Read the rest of this entry »

ONE l TWO l THREE l FOUR l FIVE l NEXT>>

Welcome to the fourth annual edition of New Horizons. You can forget about sequels and spin-offs, because our massive preview special is overflowing with new and original games.

Having explored the future in 2011’s Capsized, indie developer Alientrap is about to delve into the past with the PC exclusive APOTHEON. This stylish 2D action platformer takes place against a backdrop of political turmoil in Ancient Greece. Hera has deposed Zeus as ruler of Mt. Olympus and she plans to use her first 100 days in office to reform the tax code (oh, and eradicate humanity). It’s up to you to stop her.

Toy Soldiers developer Signal Studios is preparing to unleash free-to-play action game ASCEND: NEW GODS. You’ll play as a missionary of sorts, though in this case ‘spreading the good word’ will generally mean butchering anyone foolhardy enough to defy your master. This XBLA and PC release will boast an innovative suite of multiplayer options, including the ability to send monsters kicking and screaming into other players’ campaigns. Read the rest of this entry »

Presented in glorious alphabetical order, New Media: Retail Roundup is your indispensible checklist of the home console and handheld titles arriving in stores this week. What will you be playing?

MICROSOFT Xbox 360 Nothing

NINTENDO WU Nothing 3DS Nothing

SONY PS3 Nothing PSV Nothing

VARIOUS PC Ace Combat: Assault Horizon – Enhanced Edition * DMC: Devil May Cry * The Sims 3: 70s, 80s and 90s Stuff

New Media: Downloadable Digest is your handy reminder of the downloadable titles released last week.

MICROSOFT Xbox 360 Nothing

NINTENDO WU NBA 2K13 * Sing Party 3DS Tokyo Crash Mobs

SONY PS3 DMC: Devil May Cry * The King of Fighters XIII: Gold Edition PSV Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable

VALVE Steam 10,000,000 * Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition * Euro Truck Simulator 2

“So I guess you weren’t kidding about that whole peanut allergy thing…”

Apparently imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery. At least, not according to David Cage (creator of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls). He told OPM UK that “sequels kill creativity” and noted that he wants to “give what gamers want without knowing they want it.” According to Cage, game consumers effectively encourage publishers to churn out annual revisions of the same game. By purchasing titles they like, they basically send a message to publishers to produce more of that game.

Is it not possible to be creative in a sequel? This writer thinks it is. There are probably a number of examples, but one that springs to mind is the Longest Journey series. Both entries (The Longest Journey and Dreamfall) were well received. While each featured a different protagonist, both took place in the same universe with the same mythology. The designers found a new story to tell within the same series while keeping the game fresh (for its time, anyway).

There are, of course, many examples of cookie cutter sequels, which would generally not be covered on Black Panel. What do you think? Should gamers start a moratorium on sequels? Are we to blame for our own bland supper or should designers use their ingenuity to find more interesting ways to let us revisit characters that we fell in love with the first time round?