As the games industry gears up for the biggest event of the year in a couple of days – that’s E3, in case you’ve been living under a rock since 1995 – we take the time to reflect upon one of 2012’s meatiest release periods so far. While April proved to be something of a lull following the onslaught of triple-A titles during the first few months of 2012, May kicked things up a notch, delivering some much-needed fresh IP and some stellar sequels to boot. Just as well too, since as we move inexorably closer to the summer draught, gamers are going to need to sink their teeth into some decent titles to see them through those sun-baked evenings. With the obligatory intro banter out of the way, let’s scrutinize some of the biggest PS3 games slugging it out for your cash last month.
First up, Capcom stormed the charts with new IP Dragon’s Dogma, a western-inspired fantasy RPG that evokes memories of The Elder Scrolls with its Tolkien-esque landscapes and gargantuan trolls. Still, it has more than enough to stand on its own two feet, offering up the unique ‘Pawns’ system where players can connect with other gamers online to get a helping hand. Meanwhile, PS3-exclusive shooter Starhawk shook things up a bit with its RTS mechanics, offering perhaps one of the best multiplayer experiences on Sony’s black beast to date. Perhaps the most significant release of the month however came in the shape of Rockstar juggernaut Max Payne 3.
Having arrived some three years after its initial announcement, Payne’s third outing delivers top-notch storytelling and high-octane shootouts while introducing multiplayer for the first time in the franchise. Better yet, you can even carry over your crews from the online portion into the forthcoming Grand Theft Auto V. Elsewhere, PlayStation Move received the long-awaited Sorcery, which Sony has continuously championed as THE PS Move title to make gamers get their waggle on. Also manoeuvring into shops was Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, bringing with it the usual squad-based action with the added pinch of high-tech flare and extensive online modes.
So, a decent batch of PS3 games up for grabs, though in today’s economic climate people can’t afford to take chances. As such, we’ve managed to narrow down May’s PS3 offerings to just one title, which will appropriately be awarded our prestigious (or so we’d like to think) Game of the Month accolade. While it was a close call, Max Payne 3 ultimately takes the crown, though we should probably note that not everyone at PSU Towers felt quite as excited by the bullet-time blaster as others. Nonetheless, the majority of us voted for the Rockstar shooter, which received a glowing review from our U.K. wordsmith Steven Williamson for its quality production values, adrenaline-charged combat and gripping narrative.
Here’s a snippet of the review below, but don’t forget to read the full article here.
“There’s not much more I can say about Max Payne 3 without spoiling the experience for you. Emotionally exhausted and still buzzing with excitement after playing Max Payne 3’s story mode throughout the weekend, I woke up this morning bursting to tell everyone that, quite simply put: Max Payne 3 is the best character-driven shooter that I’ve ever played.”
What do you think deserved the award for Game of the Month (PS3, May 2012)? Let us know in the comments section below. You can also check out our choice for Playstation Vita Game of the Month right here.