The alternative summer blockbusters
Blockbuster movies arrive in the summer, when the kids are off school and people aren’t forced into hibernation by inclement weather. The big games, though, hit shelves in the autumn, in time for Christmas. This year will see titles including Grand Theft Auto V, Halo 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Assassin’s Creed III, Bioshock Infinite and Dishonoured slug it out for the top spot. But don’t despair – here is our genre-by-genre guide to the best of the summer months.
1) THE LEFT-FIELD HIT Lollipop Chainsaw
Release date: 12 June Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
Lollipop Chainsaw could be the cult hit of the summer. It comes firmly from B-movie stock, featuring a scantily-clad cheerleader fighting off waves of zombies. Thankfully, she gets her hands on a chainsaw, as well as utilising all that cheerleader practice to acrobatically dismember the shuffling undead hordes. She’s helped along the way by the severed – but still verbose – head of her boyfriend. It willfully frolics on a mountain of industry cliches and should cash in on the growing appreciation of indie-style gaming. The hack ‘n’ slash combat also looks like great fun – what’s not to like?
2) THE ARCADE RPG Diablo III
Release date: 15 March Platform: PC/Mac
Diablo is one of the truly classic PC games; a title that gave many gamers their first taste of an RPG, without the fiddly, turn-based combat that often typified the genre. The latest installment, 16 years on, doesn’t change a winning formula. It combines customisation and skill upgrades with a top-down, arcade-style view. Diablo was never the most graceful franchise, relying on an “attack, retreat, frantically bash keyboard” dynamic. The latest version looks just as fun.
3) THE MMORPG The Secret World
Release date: 19 June Platform: PC
The Secret World promises to provide a massively multi-player online role playing game (MMORPG) experience without the sea of spreadsheets and skill trees that often comes with it. It is set in the modern day real world but features elements of mythology, history and legend. Players will be encouraged to form “cabals” to fight against dark forces and other groups of players. If you’re looking for a title to keep you busy until all that pesky sunlight has vanished for another year, this may well be it.
4) THE SANDBOX Dragon’s Dogma
Release date: 25 May Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
Hardcore gamers will have already clocked up 300-plus hours on Skyrim and polished off Mass Effect 3. If you’re looking for another expansive, immersive sandbox title to see you through until Grand Theft Auto V, Dragon’s Dogma is worth checking out. There is nothing startlingly original about the gameplay – it is more a cut-and-shut of other successful titles, packaged together to form a slick, entertaining game. If you crave swords, magic and exploration, this may be the summer’s best.
5) THE ACTION ADVENTURE Max Payne 3
Release date: 15 May Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
Max Payne is one of those franchises that is guaranteed to sell. Fans love its bull-headed action while critics see it as two dimensional and unimaginative. The third installment, however, promises to add layers to the put-upon protagonist. The opening credits will show Max’s descent into a pill-popping alcoholic. Beyond that, though, there is still the slick combat and bullet-time effects that make the game so playable. Long-term fans will lap this up, the rest should give it a chance.
6) THE STRATEGIC SHOOTER Ghost Recon Future Soldier
Release date: 22 May Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
This third-person shooter is the latest in the series of Tom Clancy titles. You lead a squad of special forces agents attempting to recover dirty bomb technology in a near-future world. The emphasis is on combat rather than micro-managing your team of “Ghosts”, with destructible scenery and optic camouflage offering players a fresh challenge. Call of Duty and Battlefield are the kings of the military-sim but Ghost Recon looks sharp enough to tide you over until something better comes along.