ANNOUNCEMENTS: PART ONE l PART TWO l PART THREE
Microsoft has used its presentation at the 2010 Tokyo Game Show to spruik the hardcore credentials of its forthcoming Kinect peripheral. While previously announced titles such as Kinect Adventures and Dance Central have been aimed squarely at the mainstream, the same cannot be said of the five Kinect exclusives announced at the show.
No More Heroes developer Grasshopper Manufacture will deliver codename D, an action combat title set in a deadly and macabre amusement park. The protagonist appears to possess pyro-kinetic powers, while at least one of the park’s mysterious denizens has the head of a rabbit. Is it just me, or is this becoming something of a trend?
Though spooky in its own way, NanaOn-Sha’s Haunt is thankfully free from anthropomorphic bunnies. The adventure takes place in eerie mansion rigged with traps and all but overrun by supernatural nasties. Seemingly aimed at the younger set, Haunt is the latest game from the creators of and Vib-Ribbon.
With dragon themed epics Panzer Dragoon and Blue Dragon already under his belt, Yukio Futatsugi could be forgiven for seeking out new horizons. On the other hand, a man has to know his limitations and dragon riding fantasy shooter Project Draco sounds perfectly suited to his skill-set.
One of the more surprising Kinect announcements came in the form of mech combat sequel Steel Battalion Heavy Armour. The 2002 original was famous (some would say infamous) for requiring the use of a dedicated controller featuring three pedals and approximately forty buttons. It’s probably fair to say that the new control scheme will be slightly more accessible.
The fifth of the Kinect exclusives comes courtesy of SEGA. First person horror title Rise of Nightmares looks to be an ‘adults only’ excursion into the darkest recesses of the mind. As mandated by international law, the game appears to feature at least a handful of zombies.
Microsoft also took the opportunity to unveil a pair of Xbox Live Arcade exclusives, one the latest in a long running series, the other a remake of a much loved classic. The former is the Avatar compatible Fire Pro Wrestling, the later an enhanced edition of Radiant Silvergun. Treasure’s legendary bullet hell shooter will now feature revised controls and high definition graphics.
While Xbox Live Arcade fans will certainly welcome these games, the Kinect announcements have rightly taken centre stage. Microsoft has seemingly made good on its promise to employ its gesture based peripheral to deliver more mature gaming experiences. Now all that remains is to discover if they are any good.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: PART ONE l PART TWO l PART THREE
