Incoming – December Plus

Welcome back to our feature where we aim to outline the new releases that that our readers might be interested in.

Sneaky December! Just when you think the bulk of the holiday rush is over, the first week of this month becomes a dumping ground for all the last-minute releases that missed the American Thanksgiving.

But who can complain when RPG fans are treated to not only the beginnings of a new franchise with Square Enix’s Bravely Default on Nintendo 3DS, but also the return of one of their classics with Final Fantasy VIII on Steam? Just make sure to download a replacement .MP3/.OGG pack if you pick up the latter; it uses antiquated .MIDI tracks by default. Ick.

For those who’ve been into this hobby long enough to remember the gaming computers of the 90s (read: old people, like me), an early December release of Speedball 2 HD is a welcome surprise. An HD re-make of the legendary Atari ST/Amiga title from the Bitmap Brothers, it looks to be a more faithful update of the game than the 2007 release of Speedball 2: Tournament. I Scream!

Driving fans resisting the siren call of Forza 5 on the Xbox One might be pleased to hear that Gran Turismo 6 is now available for the trusty old PlayStation 3, boasting a staggering 1,200 cars and 100 track layouts. Spoilers: it also has the moon in it. I’m not kidding.

I don’t think I can end this blog without mentioning the impending release of The Walking Dead: Season Two on 17th December. I can’t imagine how Telltale will top the heart-wrenching narrative of the first season, but I’m excited to see them try. Needless to say, you’ll want to finish the first season before diving into this one. Trust me on this!

And just in time for new Christmas subscribers, we have some great available and upcoming titles on PlayStation Plus. Both European and American subscribers will get to test-drive racing tracks across the world with Codemasters’ excellent GRID 2, the long-awaited follow-up to the 2008 original. Otherwise, EU users are requested to save El Presidente’s Daughter in Guacamelee!, while NA fans will be up to their necks in guns and loot with Borderlands 2.

New Releases (UK)

* Only a PC release has been fully confirmed for the 17th, but PS3, PS4, Vita, Xbox 360 & Xbox One versions are also expected then or shortly thereafter.

Upcoming “Instant Games” PS+ Changes (EU)

Current EU Instant Games Collection

Upcoming “Instant Games” PS+ Changes (NA)

Current NA Instant Games Collection