Lego Batman 2 on Wii
Keeping licensed Lego games fresh can be quite the challenge. For the upcoming Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, developer Traveller's Tales needs to find a way to set it apart from other games in the genre. The game itself brandishes one of the new aspects to be featured in the game: the inclusion of additional DC comic superheroes, like The Flash. But there are a few other things included to help ensure that this Lego experience isn't like every other one...
Gamespot article: http://www.gamespot.com/lego-batman-2-dc-super-heroes/previews/holy-building-blocks-lego-batman-6366203/
Gamespot article: http://www.gamespot.com/lego-batman-2-dc-super-heroes/previews/holy-building-blocks-lego-batman-6366203/
Xenoblade Chronicles
It begins with an epic battle, a clash of titans in a world without time or form. The scale, the scope, and the vast expanse of the gameworld are established in this moment. The two giants collide, swords clashing in the misty gulf of the universe, and developer Monolith Soft makes it very clear that you're about to embark on something special. Much like the thundering behemoths that mark the game's opening, Xenoblade Chronicles is groundbreaking. It's a true evolution of the Japanese role-playing game, shedding the restraints that have caused the genre to stagnate, while retaining the tropes that made it popular in the first place. It's fast-paced yet in-depth, challenging without being punishing, and features a combat system that draws on the best parts of the RPG world, both Eastern and Western. It's remarkable to think that this understated release--which sadly hasn't even been confirmed for North American territories--might justifiably be hailed by many as one of the most important RPGs in years.
The Last Story
As you begin your journey in The Last Story, you get the feeling you've seen this all before; the maniacal dictator seeking ungodly powers, the crisis that threatens the survival of the world, and the band of shockingly youthful renegades, with even shockingly bigger swords, whose job it is to put it all right again. It's a familiar tale, but The Last Story is far from a familiar game. It's a deep, fast-paced JRPG, that evolves the genre in ways that enhance its existing tropes, without stripping away at its soul.