Summer is just around the corner. Soon we’ll be able to take advantage of the warm weather and get back to swimming, using the barbecue, relaxing on the beach, going for bike rides – or doing whatever your favorite summer activities may be.
It’s always a refreshing change to be able to return to some outdoor activities when the warm weather arrives. Although, another favorite summer pastime of mine is to stay inside with the A/C cranked to log in some significant gaming time.
With that in mind, here is a look at some of recently released and upcoming shooters that can keep you occupied when you’ll need those inevitable breaks from the smoldering summer heat. Of course, release dates are always subject to change:
Developer: GRIN
Platforms: PC, PS3, X360
Available: Now (released May 19)
Developed by GRIN, this third person shooter that shares its name with the new Terminator film places you in the shoes of John Connor as he participates in humanity’s struggle against Skynet.
I was fairly content with what GRIN put together in Wanted: Weapons of Fate, so I have positive feelings about this game. Albeit short, Wanted was a relatively fun experience. We all know that it’s not a game of the year contender, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t have a solid time with it, all the same. I’m certainly in favor of playing another game by GRIN – although, I do hope that this one’s challenge factor is increased significantly over what was offered by Wanted.
Developer: Blue Omega Entertainment
Platforms: PC, PS3, X360
Available: May 26
A third person shooter that mixes the Old West with Steampunk while offering heavy doses of acrobatics, platforming and verticality. If anything, Damnation offers a unique twist on the traditional shooter.
Developer: Volition
Platforms: PC, PS3, X360
Available: Early June (PS3, X360), August (PC)
Another third person shooter, Volition’s Red Faction: Guerrilla aims to please through vibrant visuals and vast, destructible environments. I had a reasonably decent time with the single player demo – and you can also get your feet wet with the various versus features via the multiplayer demo before the retail version arrives.
Developer: High Voltage Software
Platform: Wii
Available: June 23 (NA), June 26 (UK, AUS)
High Voltage Software’s highly anticipated first person shooter for the Nintendo Wii has already gained notoriety amongst the gaming community for pushing the system’s graphical capabilities, its extensive customization options and numerous multiplayer modes. Hopefully The Conduit will fill the void for those who have been hankering for a solid FPS fix on the Wii.
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
Developer: Techland
Platforms: PC, PS3, X360
Available: June 30 (NA), July 3 (EU)
I have to confess that I wasn’t overly fond of the first Call of Juarez. Although, based on what I’ve seen from the various trailers that have been released thus far, Bound in Blood appears to have made some definitive improvements and I’ll admit that it does look interesting. Despite how annoying I found the first game to be, I’m willing to wipe the slate clean and give this prequel a fair shake.
Developer: DICE
Platforms: PC, PSN, XBLA
Available: June (PSN, XBLA), September (PC)
From EA and DICE comes this multiplayer-only shooter that will support up to 24 players. It runs on the Frostbite Engine from Battlefield: Bad Company, so expect crisp visuals and plenty of destruction.
PC players are looking at a September release, so they’ll regrettably be unable to add this one to their summer games itinerary.
Gears of War 2: All Fronts Collection / Dark Corners
Developer: Epic
Platform: X360
Available: July 28
The All Fronts Collection, as you’ll know, offers all of the previously released maps for Gears of War 2, plus Dark Corners – which includes seven new maps and a deleted campaign chapter called Road to Ruin. You can pick up All Fronts at retail outlets, or snare Dark Corners separately via Xbox Live.
I’m an avid Gears of War fan, so I’m very excited about trying the deleted section of the campaign, and the touted stealth elements sound intriguing. Some have suggested that Epic purposely deleted this chapter for an opportunity to cash in again later on. I’m not here to discuss those theories – I’m here to talk about what we can look forward to playing this summer. And I’m definitely looking forward to playing a fresh Gears of War 2 campaign chapter this July.
Developer: Zipper Interactive
Platform: PS3
Available: Q3 2009
This “Massive Action Game” will sport online battles that will accommodate up to (holy hell) 256 players.
Then again, if you’re a Playstation 3 owner with a soft spot for online multiplayer shooters, you already knew about this not-so-little detail and have been salivating at the mere thought of this gargantuan online battlefield for some time.
Currently, MAG is looking at a targeted Q3 release – let’s hope it arrives before the end of the summer.
[Update: MAG has been delayed and won't arrive until early 2010]
Developer: DICE
Platform: PC
Available: June – August
The “free to play” cartoon shooter for the PC from EA and DICE that emphasizes simplicity and raw fun over advanced tactics or strategy. I like realistic graphics and gameplay as much as the next guy – though there’s always a place for uncomplicated, laid-back games such as this.
Although Battlefield Heroes won’t arrive on the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3, you don’t necessarily need a fully decked-out PC to take advantage of this game. Check out the minimum system requirements here.
Closing Remarks:
All in all, fans of shooters have a variety of first-rate options to choose from and there will be no shortage of games to tide us over this summer as we eagerly await some of the major titles to arrive before year’s end- such as Uncharted 2, Halo 3: ODST, and of course, Modern Warfare 2.
Let us know which games you’re looking forward to playing during the upcoming summer months, or if you think of additional titles of significance to add.