Month: July 2017

Welp, this is a pretty good one to add and the first Tomb Raider (but probably not the last) to be added to backwards compatibility.  It also has a few DLC packs (paid & free) and I could conceivably see it as a future GWG candidate.  But if you don’t want to wait for that, disc copies are pretty easy to obtain.  Enjoy!

• Tomb Raider Underworld $19.99 (Disc is available and cheaper)
  • DLC w/Achievements: Lara’s Shadow $9.99
  • DLC w/Achievements: Beneath the Ashes $9.99
    • FREE DLC: Designer Costume Pack
    • FREE DLC: Wetsuit Costume Pack
    • FREE DLC: Classic Costumes

Well if you like a couple of classic shooters and some environment destruction goodness, then this is your day.  Raiden IV is a welcome surprise, maybe if we are lucky we can get Raiden Fighters Aces as well.    Remember, Red Faction: Armageddon goes free in the middle of August (Games with Gold).  So don’t waste your time trying to secure a copy unless you already have one.  Good times, good times.  Enjoy.

• Gyruss $4.99
• Raiden IV $19.99 (Also available on disc but harder to find)
• Red Faction: Armageddon (wait until the middle of August) (can also be found on disc at reasonable prices)
  • DLC w/Achievements: Path to War $6.99

Well those of you who were expecting some Pickle action (some inside CAG humor for you) might be a bit disappointed…but 360 fans should be quite happy with this lineup.  On the X1 side, it’s certainly not what I call awful (I’ll probably download them anyway) but it’s middling, maybe a bit above middling.  The 360 side, we are always happy to see a game that is not on our BC list yet (Red Faction Armageddon) because that means it will be made BC in a few short days (possibly today).  And Bayonetta is a fantastic choice for any month.  The only question at this point is do I keep my physical copy of Bayonetta, at least to me.  Ehhhh, probably.  Enjoy.

Xbox One

• Slime Rancher (August 1st-31st)
• Trials Fusion (August 16th – September 15th)

Xbox 360

• Bayonetta (August 1st-15th)
• Red Faction: Armageddon (August 16th-31st)

Still playing Valkyria Revolution, on Chapter 4…characters are about level 20-22.  It’s getting a little harder but nothing I can’t handle.  I was able to get a couple of the more uncommon achievements in driving the Valkyria back during a random mission and doing what’s known as an offensive battle.  (which is a lot rarer than a defensive battle)

But we actually do have a fair amount of sales this week.  On the X1 side, I’m probably looking at Claire & the Mordheim DLC.  On the 360 side, I’m primarily looking at Final Exam and the ill-fated Game of Thrones RPG (not the Telltale adventure game).  Final Exam should be BC at some point (of course I’ve been saying that about RAW (also on sale) for a while now)..but I’m pretty sure that the GOT RPG will not be BC anytime soon.  I mean I could be wrong, it’s just these licenses are always tricky business.  But at the same time, it’s only been on sale one other time and that was a year ago.  There are some good stuff to be had this week, just it’s going to be a little hunting and pecking.  Also, if you don’t have at least 2 of the 4 below (that are actually BC), you are doing yourself a disservice, especially at those prices.  Enjoy.

Well I wouldn’t call this a great foursome, but it’s adequate if nothing else.  There are a couple of puzzling things here though.  Why bring Costume Quest 2 to BC (which has a X1 port) when the original Costume Quest is not?  And 2)Why bring Frontlines at all?  It’s a broken ass game (3 unobtainable achievements for one) and there are far better military shooters out there if you are into that sort of thing.  The most interesting one out of this group is Quantum Conundrum which is a really good game and even has a couple of DLC packs.  So wait for a sale on that sucker, it had one a few months ago and probably will again.  Enjoy.

• Costume Quest 2 $14.99 (Has X1 Port as well)
• Virtua Fighter 2 $4.99
• Frontlines: Fuel of War $14.99 (Disc available for a lot cheaper)
• Quantum Conundrum $9.99
  • DLC w/Achievements: The Desmond Debacle $2.99
  • DLC w/Achievements: IKE-aramba $2.99

The past four days have been an extremely long four days for a number of reasons that I won’t go into because I’d probably start bashing in my own brain for living through them.  Some of it was good, but a lot of it was freaking awful.  But I’m in one piece and I’m back home writing this column.  On the gaming front, I am still playing Valkyria Revolution and spamming the heck out of the free missions.  All of my characters are in the level 16-18 range.  Anyway, here is the sale.  Not too much on the BC X360 front except for Blue Dragon which most of us should have by now.  On the X1 side, I will mention that Stranger of Sword City is as cheap as its ever been.  It’s a fantastic JRPG and worth your time if you like that genre.  DMC4 Special Edition is also reasonable at $10 for X1.  Honestly, I’ll probably stick it out with Valkyria.  Hopefully we’ll get a BC announcement today as well.  Enjoy.

Well this might be a backwards compatible release that needs a lot of clarifying.  So, Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition was an upgrade of Super Street Fighter IV.  It was also released naturally as a standalone disc and digital package because Capcom loves money.  Street Fighter plain vanilla IV is already BC.  So…does this BC announcement also include Super Street Fighter IV?  And what about Ultra?  Or do we stop short of that?  I have the Super Street Fighter IV disc at home I believe so hence my curiosity.  Lordie I’m confused.  Well, if you have just the arcade edition you will be peachy keen jelly bean.  But Super SF IV or Ultra?  I’m not sure.  (I’ll update this hopefully later when I get home, at least part of the puzzle anyway)

• Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition $29.99 (much cheaper on disc)

7/18 EDIT: Over the weekend, I did try out my Super Street Fighter IV disc and it gave me an error message of “Insert Disc One” which I can only figure that it’s looking for the arcade disc.  BTW, Super Street Fighter IV Arcade is currently $10 @ Amazon (Out of stock but you can still order). 

Well, these two titles have nothing in common with each other outside of the fact that there are both a physical and digital copy of each.  Good luck finding F1 2014 in a physical copy though, those will run you about $40-$50.  Thankfully EDF: IA is significantly cheaper on that front.  Actually, I believe you can find copies of that game at a lot of retailers in their bargain bin (Target for example if my memory serves me correctly).  Enjoy kids.

• Earth Defense Force $19.99 (cheaper on disc)
• F1 2014 $24.99 (much more expensive on disc)

Welp, I’ve been playing a lot of Valkyria Revolution.  I’m in Chapter 3, most of my characters are levels 15-16 (okay so I’ve been grinding a bit) and I’m progressing well.  I would imagine I would probably be playing this game for the next couple of months because  A)I’m enjoying myself (Take that Has-Been Heroes) and B)Most people say completion is about 60-80 hours.  Which means for me..several months.  I would imagine I break that up with something short and sweet (probably a Telltale game) but that’s probably about it.

Anyway, we got sales.  A lot of Sonic and a little of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood.  I really wish they would put some of the oddball Sega stuff on sale and not just Sonic all the time.  On the X1 side, I might pick up Momodora (it looks like my spice of life).  I want Dex, but that 30% off isn’t going to cut it.  So I’ll keep waiting.  But some good stuff this week, it’s not an Ultimate Game sale, but it’s not bad either.  Enjoy.

Well, no actual BC announcements today but it does look like some games very near and dear to a lot of Xbox player’s hearts will eventually be backwards compatible.  Halo 3, Halo 3 ODST, Halo 4, and Halo Anniversary will all be playable soon thanks to the BC program.  What’s even more important perhaps is the statement which says “every Xbox 360 Halo add-on map pack in the Xbox Store will be made available for free”.  This is fantastic if you were one of those folks who could never afford the map packs but were always curious how they played.  I mean honestly (and somebody can correct me if I’m wrong) but all of the Halo games (maybe not ODST) still support a pretty healthy multiplayer scene on Live.  And a BC announcement will only make it more healthy.  Good stuff, hope you are having a nice quiet week.