I really hate zombies. I know I said this before, but I really, REALLY, fucking hate zombies. I hate that they’re being rammed down my throat and shoehorned into every comic, tv show, video game, or movie that I see. However, I can appreciate a game that does something different or unique with Zombies. Which is why Undead Lab’s Cryengine-powered State of Decay is this week’s $20GOTW.
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After 14 years, the super ninja of the future has finally returned in his own game. What’s more, unlike 2000’s too-easy Strider 2 and U.S gold’s non-canon Sega Genesis sequel, this is a sequel that finally does justice to Strider. Developed by Double Helix, who also produced the successful Killer Instinct reboot, Strider brings back Capcom’s ninja hero on a clean slate to introduce him to a new generation of gamers.
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Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham Asylum wasn’t just the first good Batman game since the 16-bit days (well, the first good Batman game that didn’t involve Lego at least), it did for the caped crusader what games like Spider-Man 2, Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, and The Punisher did for their respective heroes: It put players into the role of a comic book superhero like never before. You weren’t just moving him around the screen and punching out opponents, you could make Batman do all the cool stuff that you saw in the comics and movies. You could sneak up behind enemies and take them out one by one, hang from above and dive in on a hapless foe, and effortlessly take out groups of armed thugs with little or no effort. You could even tap into his detective skills to find hidden objects and secrets. The game’s sequel, Arkham City (hinted at in a secret hidden room in Arkham Asylum) gives players an entire open world to experience.
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While certain “Hardcore” gamers will forever debate whether or not tablet gaming is ‘legitimate’, games like The Room are deep enough for core gamers to appreciate while at the same time providing unique gaming experiences that have mechanics only possible in mobile gaming. The object of the room is to use clues and intuition to unlock a series of devices. You’ll tilt, scroll, and drag objects across the screen of your tablet as you unlock the mysteries of the strange devices you encounter. The game is short in length, although a sequel features even deeper gameplay, and sheds even more light on the secrets of the device.

Created by Indie developers Endless Fluff games, Valdis Story is the type of game that would have been a best seller if it had been released on the Playstation, or even the Super Nintendo. Valdis Story’s graphics and sound are a work of art, the story is intriguing, and the Castlevania: Symphony of The Night style gameplay isn’t bad either. Valdis Story began in 2007 as a free game on the developer’s website. The game was given a kickstarter for a full scale release, and the kickstarter was successful, with the game even being greenlighted for Steam this past October. In fact, you might have picked it up for cheap during one of those Steam sales.
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Developed by Hanako Games, Long Live the Queen is a visual novel that can become very addictive. Don’t let its cutesy nature fool you. The game is extremely dark, and deals with heavy political intrigue. You play as the Elodie, princess of the kingdom of Nova. Your mother, the queen has recently been assassinated, and you have to survive for 40 weeks until your coronation. However, it won’t be easy. Enemies, both inside and outside the kingdom, conspire against you, and you can meet your end in a number of ways. By taking classes you increase your stats in various areas, and increasing them in the right area can mean the difference between life and death. Although the game is short, you’ll get swept up in the game as you constantly backtrack and experiment on the best way to keep Elodie alive.

The best way to describe The Stanley Parable is a piece of art which uses video game mechanics (yeah I know, it’s the old ‘Games as Art’, but work with me here people). Originally a Source Mod, The Stanley Parable has received a full release on Steam as well as a visual upgrade and achievements. This game, if you can call it that, is unique. There are no puzzles, no guns, or enemies to shoot. What you do is explore, and either follow the narrator’s directions, or don’t. You’ll either love it or hate it, so grab the demo and try it out if you think it’s something you would like. If you do like it, it’s on sale during Steam’s Winter promotion.

Developed by Pack-In-Video and released by LJN/Acclaim, Rambo is an NES game loosely based on Rambo: First Blood Part II. If any action movie franchise seems ripe for a video game treatment, it’s Rambo. I mean, basically all you’d have to do is give him a bunch of weapons (including his explosive arrows) and have him kill the ever-living fuck out of anything moving. This formula does work (see Contra, Heavy Barrel, Doom, Wolfenstein 3-D). So why the hell would PIV/LJN/Acclaim turn Rambo into a RPG-ish Zelda II (although it was released a few months prior) clone?
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