Out This Week
Cataclysm! Bejeweled! Cave Story!
Can you hear that? That's the sound of the world's most popular fantasy MMO cracking in half. That's the sound of impending doom. That's the sound of the Cataclysm.
This week sees the release of the third expansion to gargantuan MMORPG World of Warcraft. Cataclysm goes on sale tonight with launch events planned across the globe. If you're a WOW fan, there is no bigger deal than this.
But if you're a PC gamer, there may well be a bigger deal. Tomorrow you'll be able to download a game in a series that's sold more than 50 million units on 17 platforms around the world. The game is Bejeweled 3, from PopCap, and you have been warned.
Elsewhere, it's slim pickings. Nintendo's download channel WiiWare welcomes the arrival of Cave Story, from Nicalis. But is it worth 1000 points? DS owners have JRPG Golden Sun: Dark Dawn to contend with. And fans of old school multiplayer action can get their explosion on with Bomberman Live: Battlefest on Xbox Live Arcade.
This Week In Shops!
World of Warcraft Cataclysm
- Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
- Publisher: Blizzard
- Formats: PC
What is it? Hotly anticipated expansion to the world's most popular MMORPG. What does Eurogamer think? Oli went hands-on in June and discovered a game that rewrites the WOW rulebook: "Areas careworn to a comforting familiarity over five years of play have been ruptured by the apocalyptic arrival of the black dragon Deathwing on the mortal plane. Adventuring and society across the original 60 levels have been reshaped by political upheaval in the wake of the successful but costly war against Arthas in last expansion Wrath of the Lich King. Nothing will ever be the same again."
Bejeweled 3
- Developer: PopCap
- Publisher: PopCap
- Formats: PC
What is it? Third game in the world's most popular puzzle game series. What does Eurogamer think? Eurogamer's review will be published tomorrow at 2pm GMT.
Cave Story
- Developer: Nicalis
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Formats: WiiWare
What is it? WiiWare remake of stunning platformer inspired by Metroid and Castlevania. What does Eurogamer think? Eurogamer's import Cave Story review returned a verdict of 9/10. "If this game had been released on the NES 20 years ago, it would be recalled by a generation of players as a high point of the 8-bit era," wrote John Teti.
What Else?
- Bomberman Live: Battlefest (XBLA)
- Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (DS)
Chart Predictions!
Each week one of the team will step up to predict the UK all-formats chart. The following predicts the outcome for the week beginning Friday 10th December (to be reported on Monday 13th December).
Rob Purchese, Senior Staff Writer
"I've learned not to bet against the big boys. So I haven't. Black Ops will continue its monstrous stampede and FIFA 11 will follow. I've put Cataclysm third not because I think sales will be lower than in previous years, but because for the first time ever, Blizzard is selling the game direct from Battle.net. The outrageous benefit of picking it up there is that you can do so right now, allowing you time to install and patch the client ahead of the Cataclysm content going live at midnight tonight. If I still played World of Warcraft I'd buy the content that way, so I have to assume a few of you would too. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood will be bumped to fourth and Just Dance 2 will be fifth. This time I am 100 per cent right - I'm so close I can smell it."
- Call of Duty: Black Ops
- FIFA 11
- World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
- Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
- Just Dance 2
Eurogamer TV Editor Johnny Minkley peered into his crystal ball last week. He said Gran Turismo 5 would be top, Call of Duty: Black Ops second, FIFA 11 third, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood fourth and Wii Party fifth. How did he do?
UK All-Formats Top 5 (reported this morning)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops
- FIFA 11
- Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
- Gran Turismo 5
- Just Dance 2