Preview

Natural Selection 2 Preview: You’ll Be Coming Out of the Walls, Man

by Salat on April 9, 2012 · 0 comments

Natural Selection might seem new to some, but nothing could be further from the truth. The game started out as a mod for the original Half-Life — Game Front still hosts some old-school files. Since then, Natural Selection has been carefully shepherded towards a full Steam release by an eight-man team; the original mod developer is now the CEO of San Francisco developers Unknown Worlds.

The bulk of the gameplay is a fast-paced FPS, with an exciting twist: while one team of players takes control of heavily armed Space Marines, the other takes control of ravenous aliens. Climbing on walls, gliding through halls on leathery wings, and swinging scythe-bladed appendages, these creatures are a formidable foe, and they’re a blast to play.

Except that there’s another twist: one player on each team takes the role of the “Commander,” physically stepping into the command chair (or disgusting alien brain-creature) and overseeing the action using complex, fully fledged RTS mechanics! Having a good commander is crucial to success, as the entire team will benefit from defensive emplacements, researched upgrades, and collected currency that players can use to transform/mutate themselves into more powerful soldiers and alien life forms. In a pinch, the commander can even hop out of the command chair and defend it FPS style, though neglecting RTS duties for too long is a good way to lose a match.

Levels are large and sprawling, with a mixture of tight corridors and wide-open rooms that hearkens back to an older generation of shooters. The game is built using a brand-new proprietary engine, and character models and textures look razor sharp. Particular attention has been paid to the lighting; in addition to setting a creepy, Aliens-inspired mood, it has an important strategic function — the alien team can cut power to the lights in certain areas, putting its human opponents at a serious disadvantage.

Because of its mix of genres and abundance of features, Natural Selection 2 sports a steep learning curve — Game Front editor Ron Whitaker, who played the mod in its original incarnation, killed me at least 50 bazillion times during our playtest. Nevertheless, if you can weather some frustrating initial deaths and wrap your mind around the concept, the game will provide hours of violent competition. What’s more, there’s no need to wait — for $ 34.95, interested players can get immediate access to the open beta through Steam. We love mods here at Game Front, and when it comes to Natural Selection, it’s great to see one of the fittest survive.

Game Front is on-site at PAX East all weekend (April 6-8), bringing you daily news, hands-on previews, interviews and pictures. Stay tuned for more PC gaming-focused coverage!

Source: Gaming Today

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Natural Selection 2 Preview: You’ll Be Coming Out of the Walls, Man

by Salat on April 9, 2012 · 0 comments

Game Front is on-site at PAX East all weekend (April 6-8), bringing you daily news, hands-on previews, interviews and pictures. Stay tuned for more PC gaming-focused coverage!

Source: Gaming Today

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Super T.I.M.E. Force Preview: Contra on Crack

by Salat on April 9, 2012 · 0 comments

The explosion of indie developers and retro fever has led to a lot of titles with a beautiful, pixelated look. Developers Capybara Games were behind the well-received Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP, but their other title is a different beast entirely.

Full of 16-bit firebursts, rocket-powered steel platforms, blinking letters screaming “GO!,” and enough exaggerated violence to fill a Saturday morning cartoon marathon, Super T.I.M.E. Force is a side-scrolling action game with a throwback feel and its tongue planted firmly in cheek. Players take control of one of four characters, rampaging through levels inspired by 80′s sci-fi shlock and classic console and arcade platformers.

Upon death, the game rewinds — in hilarious, VHS-tape style — to the beginning of the level, and you have to start over again. These lives are not lost, however. Moving through the level for a second (or third, or eighteenth) time, you’ll see the blurred outlines of your past selves moving inexorably towards their dates with certain doom. Except that this doom, in Super T.I.M.E. Force, is far from certain. The game allows you to retroactively monkey with your previous attempts at the level. Rush to take out the enemy that killed you last time around, and you can even save your past incarnation, resulting in important benefits.

Capybara representatives were quick to point out that the game will not be available this year — the game is a “one day a week” project that runs in parallel with the company’s other endeavors. That said, when it does come out (for XBLA, and possibly on Steam), all those days are likely to bear explosive fruit.

Game Front is on-site at PAX East all weekend (April 6-8), bringing you daily news, hands-on previews, interviews and pictures. Stay tuned for more PC gaming-focused coverage!

Source: Gaming Today

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SWTOR: Novare Coast Preview

by Salat on April 8, 2012 · 0 comments

When asked in an interview to describe The Old Republic’s new Novare Coast Warzone, game director James Ohlen had this to say:

We were trying to go for more of a wartime flavor, sort of a Normandy beach, D-Day type flavor. That was the initial concept for it, and I think it gives it a different feel than the other Warzones.

Having played two and half rounds on Novare Coast, I can confirm that the Warzone conforms to his description. The intro cinematic featured some cool amphibious artillery pieces, which certainly fit the D-Day vibe. In terms of terrain, the Novare Coast is defined by rocky dips and gullies — a varied landscape that presents interesting tactical possibilities.

Gameplay centers around three capture points: one central, quite close to the Imperial and Republic spawning areas, and two other more distant locations, to the northeast and northwest. As could be expected in a chaotic press-demo game, most of the action raged in close promixity to the central point, as journalists struggled to master unfamiliar classes and builds. As we became more familiar with the terrain, however, small groups banded together and struck out for the more distant nodes, cultivating the familiar ebb and flow of Conquest-style gameplay.

The three capture points — artillery control stations — are captured by activating consoles. The more teammates that click on them, the faster they capture, though all can be interrupted with the use of a well-placed AOE ability. Taking control of the artillery bleeds down the opposing team’s score; when it reaches zero, it’s game over.

Novare Coast, like Huttball, will be open to mixed-faction teams, though our well-balanced demo group didn’t take advantage of that feature. Instead, much of its distinctive gameplay derived from the terrain — clever players will hide behind rocky outcroppings and dodge behind the fortified huts that house the control nodes to bewilder opponents. Differing elevations will also break line of sight to facilitate sneak attacks and desperate end-run Hail Marys.

While the format might not be a revelation, SWTOR players on imbalanced and low-population servers will certainly welcome the prospect of another cross-faction option. The Novare Coast’s distinctive level design will also likely please. It may not be a crucial blow in the war against the Wehrmacht, but it’s fun PVP.

Game Front is on-site at PAX East all weekend (April 6-8), bringing you daily news, hands-on previews, interviews and pictures. Stay tuned for more PC gaming-focused coverage!

Source: Gaming Today

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Assassin’s Creed 3 Preview: The Whites of Their Eyes

by Salat on April 8, 2012 · 0 comments

As can be seen above, Ubisoft had a very convincing-looking cannon in their Assassin’s Creed 3 demo theater. This propitious prop (not to mention Cliffy B and Mrs. B in the front row) set the scene for an exciting demo presentation, which expanded on what we already know about the game and its deadly half-Native American hero, Connor Ratohnhaké:ton.

The video opened with a bang, dropping the audience right into the middle of the Battle of Bunker Hill, which took place in what is now Charlestown, MA, roughly three miles from the site of PAX East. Thousands of soldiers milled about in formation — AC3 can render up to 2,500 characters on screen, up from 200 in AC2 — an entire order of magnitude, and no small feat.

As Connor walked forward, he entered history. A Revolutionary officer was in the process of delivering the famed “whites of their eyes,” speech, albeit with an unfortunate modern twist, courtesy of Ubisoft’s writing team. It’s not clear who exactly said those famous words during the battle of Bunker Hill, but he definitely did not use the word “ammo” while doing it, one of many awkward neologisms that cropped up in the video.

Thankfully, it got better from there. Via voice over, AC3 creative lead Alex Hutchinson went into more detail about Connor’s armament, which has recently been expanded to include a period-appropriate brace of flintlock pistols. He also took pains to point out that the hero will make extensive use of the series’ distinctive hidden blade.

The assassination target during the Bunker Hill mission is one Major Pitcairn — a British officer, though there will apparently be evil Templars on both sides of the Revolutionary War. Since Pitcairn was on the other side of the battlefield, Connor began to make his way over there, showing off an all-new set of movement animations that were intended to give players more choice and flexibility, as well as more complete control.

As Connor snuck through the outskirts of the battle, the video showed off an impressive array of graphical effects; explosions kicked up splatters of mud and gunsmoke puffed across the battlefield. Taking cover in a forest, the assassin climbed into some trees, which will have an important role to play in AC3. Ubisoft designers were frustrated by an ironic omission in previous titles — they could climb trees in real life, but Ezio and Altair couldn’t. Having set AC3 in the forested wilds of colonial America, the developers were determined to remedy that oversight. The series’ free-running system has been extensively modified to allow Connor to move effortlessly through the treetops, albeit in a believable fashion — Ubisoft’s team didn’t want it to feel like playing Tarzan.

Eventually, Conor came across a squad of redcoated soldiers, and deployed a new tool — the rope dart — to hang one of them from a tree branch. Taking another soldier hostage as a human shield, he weathered a volley of musket fire before dispatching the rest in a flurry of dual-wielding combos. Though the animations were impressive, the enemies suffered from a perennial series problem: they seemed to stand around waiting to be acrobatically killed, instead of attacking aggressively.

With the soldiers dispatched, Connor scrambled up a cliff, one of the last obstacles between him and his target. Hutchinson described the care lavished on making the environments look “natural.” This was apparent in the design of the trees, but particularly impressive when it came to the cliff face. Instead of obvious, designer-deployed handholds, Connor was able to use natural-looking cracks and crevasses in the rock, and the climbing sequence was one of the video’s best.

With the cliff behind him, the assassin was on the outskirts of the British camp. To avoid the redcoat troops, now in close proximity, Connor used a new stalking feature to move undetected through the surrounding shrubbery. Then, in a burst of gloriously animated homicide, he stormed through the camp and leapt towards Pitcairn. Just as his tomahawk was about the connect, the lights came up.

Dialogue missteps and cowardly enemies aside, Assassin’s Creed 3 is looking great. Ubisoft’s changes combine the sensible and the spectacular, which is certainly ideal. Check out the screenshots below (which overlap with the events of the demo), and stayed tuned for more Game Front coverage in the very near future.

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Game Front is on-site at PAX East all weekend (April 6-8), bringing you daily news, hands-on previews, interviews and pictures. Stay tuned for more PC gaming-focused coverage!

Source: Gaming Today

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The Secret World Preview: Building a Better MMO

by Salat on April 7, 2012 · 0 comments

When asked to describe what he thought made The Secret World worth playing, FunCom PR rep Thor Andersen had the adjectives ready to go: “Unique.” “Mature.” “Edgy.” “Challenging.” “Story-driven.” The game might well be all of those things, but Andersen’s answer to this question — “which are the two most important features” — was more illuminating. Besides the game’s involved, conspiracy-driven story, he praised the game’s unprecedented ability system.

Abilities in The Secret World are divided into nine categories, arranged on a wheel. As characters progress, they will gain more and more abilities, but none will go obsolete. Instead, the challenge lies in combining a character’s ever-expanding suite of abilities in synergistic ways — Secret World characters can only have 7 active at any one time, leading to a lot of difficult decisions. There are no classes or levels, only builds. Character builds can be changed on the fly, and saved, intact, for later use; the game even makes it easy to demonstrate a build to other people.

Flexibility in the face of different dangers is therefore a desirable goal. FunCom’s encounter designers will expect players to change builds to suit different enemies, and present a variety of different challenges that go beyond normal MMO archetypes — some dungeons might call for multiple tank, healer, or DPS builds within a given party. By combining abilities with the appropriate weapons (each character can carry two at a time) and the appropriate gear, (each character has seven slots, which confer bonuses even if they don’t affect visual appearance), players will be able to surmount any obstacle. That’s not to say it will be easy, though — Andersen smiled mischievously when asked about the build challenges that would face high level players.

The build system is complemented by the game’s robust crafting mechanics. There are no junk items — everything in The Secret World can be broken down into parts. There are no schematics or recipes either — players simply combine items in a Minecraft-style building grid, using their knowledge of the correct shape of the item, plus a lot of trial and error, to achieve the desired result.

Andersen also described the game’s story: a “big puzzle, with pieces in different places.” These places include London, New England, Egypt, and Transylvania, New York, and Seoul, judging from the locations’ availability as he used a dev console to whisk people around the map. Story will be affected by faction choice, as will guild structure; you can only form a “Cabal” with members of your own faction, though you’re free to party up with them.

Despite the emphasis on conspiracy and puzzle solving, the affable Norwegian was sanguine when it came to spoilers. The FunCom team seems resigned to the possibility of people taking the easy way out, though they hope that people delve into the mystery, even using the in-game browser to look up song lyrics and bible verses on Wikipedia. The game even includes some real-life history like the Pharoah Akhenaten, who tried to bring monotheism to Ancient Egypt. In the Secret World, followers of Akhenaten’s cult will try to do the same, in a more modern setting.

Bidding thanks to Andersen, I helped myself to some hands-on time with The Secret World. The sequence I played took place outside of Kingsmouth, a sleepy New England town beset by zombies. My character — clad in a tank top and daisy dukes — looked unprepared for either New England weather or fighting supernatural forces, but being able to dress your toon in cool modern clothes is a perk of the contemporary setting, one supposes. My first quest-giver was only slightly less ridiculous: a cowboy-hatted sniper who laid it on a little too thick with the down-home Old West talk. Still, the profusion of fully-voiced NPC’s is definitely a strong point.

Secret World players will be able to take on three quests at a time, each corresponding to a category: sabotage, investigation, and destruction. Quests are divided into tiers — my zombie killing mission first asked me to simply kill zombies, then to set off car alarms to attract more, then to light gas canisters on fire and lure zombies into the flames. It’s a nice, digestible system, and it worked well in practice; it’s not far beyond the simple “kill x of y” structure, but it feels like more thought has been put into the design, which counts for a lot.

To kill zombies, I was furnished with an assault rifle and a magical staff, which enabled me to unleash torrents of burst-based “Chaos” magic. It was an effective ranged/melee combination, and some of the spell effects looked quite nice, particularly one AOE attack that enabled my character to charge through a group of enemies swinging magical lengths of chain.

My activities in the zombie-infested forest eventually took me to a quest hub — a group of Kingsmouth citizens in a police HQ besieged by the undead. More fully voiced quest-givers awaited, along with more involved mission types, and everything was suffused with an appropriately creepy, cryptic vibe.

Throughout my experience with the game, I was impressed by the slick, modern UI design, which dovetails nicely with the up-to-the-minute events depicted in the game. Other features were more standard, including ghostly “corpse runs.” This conflict between old and new will be crucial to The Secret World’s success in the MMO space. If the game’s cool, new features (ability-based progression, unique source material) can overcome its traditional trappings (fetch quests, weightless, lock-on combat), the game will likely be a success. If it can’t, it likely won’t.

Game Front is on-site at PAX East all weekend (April 6-8), bringing you daily news, hands-on previews, interviews and pictures. Stay tuned for more PC gaming-focused coverage!

Source: Gaming Today

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Aliens: Colonial Marines Campaign Preview Channels the Films

by Salat on April 6, 2012 · 0 comments

Gearbox has been working on Aliens: Colonial Marines for what seems like forever. Lately, little bits of information have been slipping out, and today at PAX East, I finally got a chance to see a little bit of the single player campaign. I also got my hands on the multiplayer, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

The A:CM single player evokes a lot of memories if you’re a fan of the films. The Sulaco has returned in spite of being reported as destroyed, and it’s up to you, in the guise of Cpl. Winter, to investigate what’s going on aboard. You’ll find plenty of references to the movies, from the lower half of Bishop’s body to the lockers sporting names like Hudson and Vasquez.

Watching the demo we were presented with at PAX, I couldn’t help but think back to all the movies I’d seen before. The cryostasis pods that were ejected at the beginning of Alien 3 popped up early in the demo, and the Xenomorphs were just as elusive and almost teasing as I would expect. As you progress through the Sulaco, the same feeling of jumpiness that characterized the first Aliens vs. Predator game is very evident. The beeping of the motion detector, the sound of the pulse rifle, and the anxiety you feel are all almost tangible sensations. I don’t want to give too much away, but I can tell you that you will be glad to get the hell off the Sulaco.

Once we finished watching a single player demo, we headed next door to take on the Gearbox devs in a multiplayer Team Deathmatch game. We took on the role of the Colonial Marines, and the Gearbox devs became the Xenomorphs. We quickly learned that lone Marines are easy fodder for the alien forces, so it was imperative that we stay together. Different Marine classes soawn with different gear combos, making the choices you ke prior to spawn quite imporatnt in the grand scheme of things.

The same goes for the Xenomorph side. There are a number of different classes to spawn as, and each one offers distinct abilities, advantages, and disadvantages. Some can leap onto (and stick to) the ceiling, while others are much larger and tougher to bring down. No matter which side you’re playing as, you’ll need to work together with your teammates to come out on top.

The two sides share some common abilities. For example, the Xenomorphs can instinctively see their opponents and friendlies through walls, while the Marines can activate their motion sensors. Of course, while you’re using the detector, you’re vulnerable to being jumped from all directions. Still, I think that a well-coordinated team of Marines could play thid to their advantage, assuming they can stick together and cover the one poor bastard stuck using the motion detector. The Xenomorphs are quite fast and agile, and it’s almost assured that you’ll get the crap scared out of you when one drops right on your head. Thanks to their ability to walk on walls and ceilings, you’ll need to adjust your expectations as to where the enemy can aproach you from.

The multiplayer is a great example of how two radically different sides can be balanced against one another. It’s still not certain how the balance will shake out, but as of the demo we played today, the multiplayer felt pretty good. Unfortunately, the demo we did get our hands on was console only, so we still don’t really have a handle on what the PC version will look like. We’re hoping to get more info on that soon.

We didn’t get a chnce to play the singleplayer campaign ourselves, but what we did see of it looks very promising. Gearbox has a pretty darn good track record of making quality titles, and it looks like Aliens: Colonial Marines will keep that legacy intact. We weren’t able to talk the Gearbox folsk out of any release date information, but they did reassure us that it will be launching this year. So while you will have to wait for the launch, perhaps it will reassure you to know that you will find yourself eying a cargo loader early on in the game. You know you want in that.

Source: Gaming Today

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Game Front’s Updated 2012 Preview Calendar

by Salat on March 25, 2012 · 0 comments

A gamer’s work is never done. Despite the number of terrific titles already released in 2012, things are only getting started. Whether you’re excited for Diablo III or Bioshock: Infinite, read on for a comprehensive look at the all the great games the year has in store.

April

Kinect Star Wars (360) – April 3rd

Armed with new Pod-racing and Rancor modes, this kid-centric title combines motion controls with the world’s most popular license.

Tribes: Ascend (PC) – April 12th

New developers Hi-Rez hope to restore the classic multiplayer shooter to its former glory.

The Witcher 2 (360) – April 17th

Polish developers CD Projekt return with a console version of their popular RPG.

Prototype 2 (360, PS3) – April 24th

New protagonist James Heller uses viral superpowers to kick all kind of ass in this violent, open-world adventure.

The Walking Dead (PSN, XBLA, PC, Mac) – April TBA

TellTale games adaption of the popular comic-turned-TV show has neat cel-shaded graphics and emotionally wrenching subject matter.

May

Tera (PC) – May 1st

This MMO, which has been live in Korea since 2011, features combat built around hack-and-slash action combat in lieu of traditional RPG mechanics.

Minecraft (360) – May 9th

The indie sensation shows no signs of slowing down as it prepares for the big move to XBLA. Check out GameFront’s very own Minecraft show!

Diablo III (PC) – May 15th

Hear that? It’s the sound of millions of relationships, friendships, and jobs slowly circling the drain.

Max Payne 3 (PC, PS3, 360)- May 15th

Rockstar’s long-awaited follow-up takes Max to Brazil, where he’ll fight criminals and crooked cops while taking advantage of new movement and aiming technology.

Game of Thrones (PC, PS3, 360) – May 15th

Fans of the TV show and book series hope that this RPG, from French developers Cyanide, can live up to their high standards.

Risen 2 (PC, PS3, 360) – May 22nd

Plenty of pirates and plunder in store for purchasers of this RPG. Check out our in-depth preview.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (PS3, 360) – May 22nd

New mechanics define Ubisoft’s entry into the lucrative world of military shooters.

June

Inversion (PC, 360, PS3) – June 5th

We got our hands on Inversion at last year’s E3, discovering a third-person shooter with a heavy emphasis on gravity and physics.

The Secret World (PC) – June 19th

Conspiracies when this unique MMO from developers FunCom goes live in June. Beta registration is currently open.

Darksiders II (PC, 360, PS3) – June 26th

Play as Death, the coolest horseman of the apocalypse, in this hack-and-slash adventure by Vigil Games. Check out our recent hands-on for more info.

Q2 2012

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 (PC, PS3, 360)

CITY Interactive emphasizes tactics and realistic sniping physics in this shooter.

DOTA 2 (PC)

Valve aren’t exactly known for prompt releases, but there’s still a chance of their eagerly awaited DOTA follow-up arriving in early summer. News of LAN and mod support is certainly auspicious.

September

Far Cry 3 (PC, PS3, 360) – September 4th

Gamers will return to a creepy, violent tropical island for this new chapter in Ubisoft’s Far Cry series, with multiplayer gameplay provided by Massive Entertainment.

Borderlands 2 (PC, PS3, 360) – September 18th

Gameplay still reigns in Gearbox’s RPG shooter; expect plenty of frantic firefights and even more zany weapons.

Fable: The Journey (360) – September TBD

Nobody does it quite like Peter Molyneux. His newest Fable game embraces the Kinect with open arms. Read our account of Molyneux’s hands-on demonstration.

Q3 2012

Tomb Raider 2012 (PC, PS3, 360, Mac)

Lara Croft is back, this time in grittier, more realistic guise.

War of the Roses (PC)

First-person 15th century combat. Expect a lot of blood. We got our hands on it at GDC.

Arma III (PC)

The attention to detail and realism in this open-world shooter is nothing short of astounding. It has a way of delaying release dates, however.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown (PC, PS3, 360)

Not to be confused with 2K’s other XCOM title, Enemy Unknown will feature old-school tactical combat and unique features for PC buyers. Well done, Firaxis!

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (PC, PS3, 360, Mac)

Another Valve product with a nebulous release date, though Game Front’s video team are already in the beta.

October

Bioshock: Infinite (PC, PS3, 360) – October 16th

Bioshock franchise is back in the safe hands of Ken Levine, who promises lots of writing in addition to great gameplay.

Medal of Honor: Warfighter (PC, PS3, 360, WiiU) – October 23rd

Travel the world fighting terrorists in this EA military shooter. We saw it in action at GDC.

Assassin’s Creed 3 (PC, PS3, 360, WiiU) – October 30th

Ubisoft’s tentpole franchise travels to colonial America, where Connor, its half-Native-American hero, will contend with historical events and changing seasons.

November

Resident Evil 6 (PC, PS3, 360) – November 20th

Capcom’s zombified megafranchise gears up for a Fall sequel, featuring 6 (get it?) player co-op.

Q4 2012

Sleeping Dogs (PC, PS3, 360)

Once called True Crime: Hong Kong, Sleeping Dogs has endured a torturous road to completion, one that still doesn’t involve a release date. Check out our extensive hands-on preview.

Halo 4 (360)

The details are more closely guarded than the nuclear launch codes, but Halo should arrive by the end of the year. Our Halo 4 demo report sums up what we do know.

Aliens: Colonial Marines (PC, PS3, 360, WiiU)

They’re coming outta the walls, man! Gearbox’s terrifying shooter looks to be more than just another bug hunt.

Potentially Still Coming in 2012

Planetside 2 (PC)

The original title was beloved, and SOE could have another hit on their hands with this auspicious-looking MMOFPS.

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (PC)

Trying to predict Blizzard release dates is a losing game, but there’s still a chance of a holiday release for StarCraft II’s much-anticipated second installment. We got hands-on at BlizzCon.

South Park: The Game (PC, PS3, 360)

When “The Jew” was announced as a playable class, it was clear that Obsidian’s licensed title had serious potential. Details still remain hard to come by, however.

Moved to 2013

Grand Theft Auto V

Analysts are predicting a Spring 2013 release. We hope they’re wrong, but no one ever got rich betting on video games to come out earlier than expected.

Metro: Last Light (PC, PS3, 360, WiiU)

Metro 2033 was a sleeper hit in 2010, but the secret’s out on its forthcoming follow-up. Check out 13 minutes of in-game footage.

Star Trek (PC, PS3, 360)

At the moment, it’s little more than this teaser trailer, but the game will eventually provide a bridge between J.J. Abrams’ recent movie and its sequel.

XCOM (PC, PS3, 360)

When we saw XCOM at E3 2011, the game looked like it was coming along despite fan complaints about the format. Now it’s been pushed back. What gives?

Any other games you’re excited about in 2012? Let us know in the comments!