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Impulse Weekly: Matt Hazard In 2D, Castlevania Reborn
To inaugurate the New Year, we’re introducing a new feature to track the upcoming week in downloadable games. When there’s something worth checking out, we’ll do our best to make sure you know about it early in the week, so you can make sure and log on and get the goods as they become available.
Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network will both play host to Matt Hazard: Blood Bath & Beyond. Regardless of your system of choice, we’re hearing $15 as the price point. As usual, the Live Arcade version should be hitting on Wednesday, with the PS3 version arriving some 24 hours later on Thursday.
The game mixes amusing parodies of classic video game clichés with the frenetic action of sidescrolling shooters like Contra or Metal Slug. Needless to say, two-player cooperative action is built in, and will be the playstyle of choice for discerning gamers. Look for our full review of the game later this week.
WiiWare has three simple games releasing this week, including Heron: Steam Machine, Pub Darts, and Fast Draw Showdown. However, the real standout you may have missed on the WiiWare service during the holiday craziness is Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth, which released early last week. Konami has remade their 1989 Game Boy game (The Castlevania Adventure) for release on WiiWare, and it should be just the ticket for someone looking for some old school whip-lashing action. Don’t expect any of the complex exploration of later franchise installments like Symphony of the Night. Instead, The Adventure ReBirth delivers side-scrolling fights against undead, punctuated by occasional boss fights. The vintage remake is available for 1000 Nintendo points, or $10.
DSiWare sees one notable release this week in the form of Trajectile. The 500 point ($5) game comes from Q-Games, a company that some will recognize as the originators of the PixelJunk franchise on PS3. Trajectile (originally title Reflect Missile) is a challenging puzzle game that has you manipulating the stylus to send out bursts of missiles to blow up blocks and take out enemies. It’s a slower, strategic game that appears to be all about measuring trajectories and managing your arsenal. Worth a look.
What do you think? Interested in hearing about these releases on most weeks moving into the future?
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