Monthly Overview: September 08

September, Spore, Star Wars, and Samba. It is the month of the 'S' apparently. On the other hand I could say Hockey, Horstachio, and Homicide. But if I said that you might think a hockey player committed homicide while riding a horse, so let’s stick with the S’s. Either way, this month is providing the gaming public with quite a few worthy-of-your-money titles. Hit the jump for the main three you should be playing all of September (plus some honorable mentions).

1. NHL 09 ($59.99 – Xbox360/PS3 – Sept. 11^th)

If you somehow read my article in The Keystone last year you got a chance to read about how I told everyone to trust EA for once. Just like last year, trust EA again. If you happened to play the NHL 09 demo you might think we are getting more of the same. You have to look a little harder to see the differences, but they are there.

For one, the hitting is completely revamped, defensemen have a few new weapons for their arsenal (updated pokecheck and all new stick lift), and forwards can play dump and chase with the puck, as well as do a one-handed deke. The star of the show is the Be A Pro mode, which can be played online like an MMO (a first in the sports world). Yet again, EA’s NHL series looks to be the sports game of the year.

2. Spore (Galactic Edition - $79.99, Regular Edition - $49.99 – PC – Sept. 5^th)
Spore looks to recreate the wheel. Well, more like recreate civilization. You build a creature and start out in the cell phase, working your way up to walking on land, building a civilization, and eventually traveling through and taking over the whole galaxy.

The main draw is the creation mode, where you customize the creatures from the ground up. You can also import creatures that others have made and they will inhabit other planets throughout the game. I rarely, if ever, suggest the purchase of a PC game. Buy Spore.





3. TNA Impact! ($59.99 – Xbox360/PS3 – Sept. 9^th)

Just like in real life, WWE is finally seeing the rise of a competitor in the videogame market. TNA Impact! looks to bring the fast paced action from TNA wrestling to your Xbox 360 or PS3 with their first videogame release.

While it might not have all of the flashy features of a Smackdown Vs. Raw, Impact! looks to welcome back old wrestling fans with their old school control scheme Think of this game as No Mercy with updated graphics, the Ultimate X match, and the ability to bring your created character into storymode. It might not be the best wrestling game ever made, but it gives wrestling fans options besides the same old WWE game.





Honorable Mentions:
-Star Wars: The Force Unleashed ($59.99 – Xbox 360/PS3 – Sept. 16^th)
A Star Wars action adventure game where you play as the apprentice of Darth Vader and lets you throw Stormtroopers and Tie Fighters about with ease? Yes, please.

-Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise ($39.99 – Xbox 360 – Out Now)
The follow-up to the piñatafest that was Viva Pinata. More Pinatas, online co-op, and taking snapshots of your candy filled friends is what you can expect in this worthy sequel.

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Spore Creature Creator released, ridiculous amounts of fun

Last night I downloaded the trial version of Spore Creature Creator and have had a blast messing around in it. Yes, I only have two creatures created, but I have been tweaking them like crazy. Also, the more I see other people's creatures, the more I am thinking this isn't such a kid's game. Tomorrow, I will be sure to pick up the full version of the creature creator. In the meantime, take a look at my two creatures after the jump.


Woozhim
A double-mouthed monster that waddles like a duck. It likes to play tug o' war with itself, leaving it with no friends but itself.







Lava Elk
Experimented on by scientists and badly burned while escaping an erupting volcano, the Lava Elk in impervious to any form of fire. It looks out for the other animals in the forest and acts as a superhero to us humans.

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