You can’t blame me for the dearth of summer

What’s going on in videogameland? Where’s our huge summer treat, the game we’re going to be comparing notes on in the Ramadan majlis? Unless Spec Ops: The Line, the shooter set in a post-apocalyptic Dubai, wins approval from the censors at the National Media Council, there simply doesn’t seem to be an alpha game on the horizon. Spec Ops’ worldwide release date is on Tuesday (June 26), but the NMC will need a bit of time to play it and make up their minds. If Spec Ops: The Line is approved, there is no doubt in my mind that it will top every sales chart in the UAE. We all want to play it. Don’t assume it will be blocked; the NMC is more open-minded than they’re given credit for, and I hope they’ll see the fun of blasting your way down a derelict Shaikh Zayed Road as much as we do. But other than that, with a couple of exceptions, upcoming releases seem to be a collection of sequels, franchise reboots or reworkings of old games for either modern consoles or the PS Vita. Rockstar, who dominated the last two summers with the awesome Red Dead Redemption and LA Noir, have nothing coming out except upgrades of GTAIII and Vice City for the PS3. We played those already, guys. Agent, their PS3-exlusive spy game, was notably absent from the E3 line-up, and there’s speculation it’s locked in development hell. It isn’t all bad, though. We’ve already had a slew of great games released in the last couple of months. But I don’t think I can pick a clear winner this year; there’s no obvious ‘one game to rule them all’. Let’s look first of all at what’s on the horizon to keep us going until Assassin’s Creed III is released in October. We’ll leave aside things like the Amazing Spider-Man movie tie-in and go for the heart of the cool stuff.? Far Cry 3 (September).? There are shades of Far Cry meets Lost about Ubisoft’s sandbox-based first-person shooter, due for release in early September – a few days before the schools go back, so qualifying as a summer release by the merest thread. You’ll be lost on a tropical island and have to escape while dealing with the crazy inhabitants.? Sleeping Dogs (August 17)? Square Enix and Namco Bandai say this sandbox action RPG has the combat system of Arkham City and the car chases of Need For Speed. Sounds great! But I have less hope for it getting through the NMC than Spec Ops, as it’s a modern crime thriller set in Hong Kong’s triads, and features gun running, drugs deals and prostitution. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. Risen 2: Dark Waters (August 4) Everything’s better with pirates. Or ninjas. Deep Silver’s fantasy action RPG chooses pirates. Avast, ye lubbers! Arrgghhh!? Girl Fight (no release date)? Majesco appear to be aiming right at the heart of the lowest common denominator with this nothing-but-hot-babes fighter. I have no idea whether it’s any good or not, or whether mud or jelly is involved, but Girl Fight gets a mention just for the concept. Roll on the Thrilla in Vanilla. OK, that’s some of the interesting stuff on the horizon. Now let’s look at the best of what’s already out. Max Payne 3 I haven’t managed to get my grubby little hands on a copy of this yet, but it’s a Max Payne game. It’s got to be good, right?? Diablo III? This PC-only RPG is as old-school as it gets. If your computer won’t run it, buy a new computer, because you owe it to yourself to get down and dirty with the demons under the cathedral one more time. This is one of only two games I’ve ever given a 5-star rating, and I stand by that decision. And when you’ve played enough of the solo campaign, come and join the online fun on Battle.net.? Dragon’s Dogma? I’ve been hammering Capcom’s new action RPG for the last couple of weeks. If reviewing games for a living has a down side (I’m not convinced it does), it’s that I rarely get the time to play a game for more than an evening or two before I need to review the next new release (yeah, I can feel your sympathy). I’ve made the time to keep playing Dragon’s Dogma. It’s great fun, and visually beautiful to boot.? Silent Hill: Downpour? The creepiest game currently on the market. Silent Hill is distinctly unsettling. Every time I pick it up, I’m torn between sticking it in the console and burying it in the garden with a stake through its disc. So far, the console has won. It’s an emotional rollercoaster ride of fear and nerves. How many games can you say that about? Don’t play it if you’re of a nervous disposition, dislike icky things, or are under 18. Prototype 2 The Prototype line puts a very gruesome spin on the superhero genre. That may not be your cup of tea, but I love it. It’s been out on consoles for a few weeks now, but the PC version is due out any day now.? MMOs? Talking of PCs, there are a couple of new MMOs worth mentioning. Guild Wars 2 is on pre-order, and could land at any time. And my buddy Cameo Mo is getting rather excited about the action horror The Secret World, set in a haunted modern-day theme park. Mo swore off MMOs after an unpleasant incident involving a packet of Starburst fruit juice, a jar of sugar, an entire jar of instant coffee, no water, and several 24-hour Everquest sessions. He knows what game addiction is. But he’s already muttering that he may just give The Secret World a try… Glitch, the cartoon browser-based MMO where players create the world, is still in its second phase of open beta. It’s clearly aiming to challenge the Farmville/Zynga style of game, but it looks pretty cool. Check it out at www.glitch.com.