Let the games begin

It’s a dream week for gaming (and bad news for productivity), with the latest for the Xbox, PS3 and your smart phone.

This week, there's so much going on in the gaming world that you may not want to leave your house at all. There's an addictive puzzle game from a Mumbai-based indie developer, a sequel to an apocalyptic action-adventure sleeper hit, and the long awaited update to a multiplayer classic.

Huebrix
Play on: iOS, Android
Huebrix is a grid-based puzzle game from Mumbai-based Yellow Monkey Studios. Think of it as multiple coloured mazes whose paths you must trace on your touch-screen device. The game uses minimalistic visuals, but start playing it and before you know it, hours will have gone by. Huebrix draws you in by throwing in new elements that challenge you at every level, and forcing you to think of new ways to approach the game. Some of the more complex puzzles require trial and error, but most of them are cleverly designed. And there's plenty of them too, giving you great value for your R55.

Darksiders II
Play on: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
The story of the 'Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' continues as we step into the shoes of Death in Darksiders II. The first game made a name for itself by blending combat, puzzles, exploration and platforming (interactively using the game environment). The sequel goes a step further by throwing in more role-playing elements. You can now level up Death's skills across two distinct skill trees and gather 'roots' across the massive game world. Combat is slicker and more fluid this time, but at the expense of the puzzles, which are fairly generic. Darksiders II is a great sequel and a must for fans. However, it does tend to drag on a bit at the end.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Play on: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Counter-Strike: GO is a reboot of sorts to the insanely popular, multiplayer-only Half-Life mod, Counter-Strike. It pits two teams — Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists — across two distinct scenarios —Bomb Defusal and Hostage Rescue. Besides killing one another, successfully performing the objectives (depending on which side you're on) can also win you the round. The better you perform in a given round, the more money you earn for the next, enabling purchase of better, more powerful weapons. The game has a learning curve and can be a bit punishing to newcomers. Still, if you stick to your guns (quite literally), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive can prove to be a very intense online experience.

Sony announces Killzone trilogy

Sony has announced a Killzone trilogy for the PlayStation 3 that contains an HD version of Killzone 1 as well as Killzone 2 and 3. The HD version of Killzone like all prior (Sony) HD remakes will include updated visuals, trophy support, better controls and improved audio. Killzone HD will also be up for purchase separately from the Playstation Network (PSN). This trilogy will be available on October 23 for $39.99 (R2,218 approx), a very good deal for three solid first-person shooters.
Tuesday release for Resident Evil 6 demo

A new Resident Evil 6 demo will be released on September 18 for Xbox 360 and PS3 users. This demo will be different from the one that was earlier available to owners of the Xbox 360 version of Dragon's Dogma. Players will have access to each of the three campaigns, which can be played either solo or via online co-op. Resident Evil 6 will release on October 2 for Xbox 360 and PS3.

Indian national team included in FIFA 13
The Indian national team has been included as one of the new international teams in FIFA 13. While the Indian team's inclusion hasn't been confirmed by EA, it has been noticed in various preview builds that have been available to journalists. The Indian national team has regularly featured in the FIFA World Cup games, but this is the first time since FIFA 98: Road to the World Cup that it will appear in a mainline FIFA release. FIFA 13 is set for release on September 28 across multiple platforms.

— News compiled by IndianVideoGamer.com

(The writers are editors at IndianVideoGamer.com)