The Drop: Week of December 19th 2011 New Releases

L.A. Noire, NCAA Football 12, Just Cause 2, Brother’s and Arms and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands join the extensive catalog of Blu-ray games which have gone digital on PSN. Also, one of my favorite Sonic the Hedgehog games spin-dash off the Sega CD and onto the PS3 this week. Freshly baked and ready for the holidays, Apples to Apples and Trine 2 are new to PSN.  And here’s your friendly reminder to listen to episode 4 of the PlayStation.Blogcast!

Enjoy this week’s The Drop.

PlayStation Network

L.A. Noire — Set amid the violence and corruption of post-World War II Los Angeles, L.A. Noire is a crime thriller that seamlessly blends crime-solving, clue-finding, car chases and shoot-outs with revolutionary new interrogation-based gameplay that will allow players to read characters’ emotions in order to reveal the truth. Players will take on the role of Cole Phelps, a decorated war veteran, who rises through the ranks of the LAPD by solving a series of gruesome murders and other crimes that bring him face-to-face with the dark heart of Los Angeles during Hollywood’s Golden Age.

NCAA Football 12 — NCAA Football 12 takes the journey of the college athlete to the next level of depth and authenticity. Experience the pride and pageantry of gameday Saturday with all new enhanced in-game presentation, traditions and school specific crowd celebrations. Make an impact on the field as your team takes down your heated rival on the road to the National Championship.

Trine 2 (Demo Available) — Trine 2 takes the first game’s beloved triad and puts them into an all-new adventure filled with more action, more puzzles, and the introduction of online support for the series’s popular cooperative 3-person gameplay.

Sonic CD (Demo Available) — Sonic comes to life and goes up against such foes as Metal Sonic, the evil hedgehog created by Dr. Robotnik. Sonic must collect all the Time Stones from The Little Planet before Dr. Robotnik can bend time and take over the world. Through more than 50 levels, Sonic can travel through time and explore the past, the present, and the future. And as a special bonus for this enhanced 2011 version of Sonic CD, fans can unlock Tails as a playable character!

Just Cause 2 — Rico returns to action in the sequel to Avalanche Studios’ gargantuan action game. Just Cause 2 stars Rico Rodriquez, back to wreak havoc once again, this time with a new destination — the huge playground of the South East Asian islands of Panau. The sequel features more stunts, vehicles and weapons than ever before and an incredible overhauled grappling hook system.

Apples To Apples (Demo Available) — Loved for its zany spontaneity and humorous results, Apples to Apples is the ultimate icebreaker. The family game favorite challenges players to outwit and anticipate the actions of others while taking into consideration personality, preferences and individual senses of humor. Apples to Apples is a word comparison game that requires strategic thinking and allows players to learn while having fun.

Brothers in Arm’s: Hell’s Highway — Gearbox’s third entry in the venerable Brothers In Arms series heads up to the front as with the first of the series for next-generation systems. Delivering on the franchise’s compelling story, unrivaled authenticity and intense squad-based action, Brothers In Arms Hell’s Highway drops you into Operation Market-Garden, the largest airborne operation of World War II.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands — Visiting his brother’s kingdom following his adventure in Azad, the Prince finds the royal palace under siege from a mighty army bent on its destruction. When the decision is made to use the ancient power of the Sand in a desperate gamble to save the kingdom from total annihilation, the Prince will embark on an epic adventure in which he will learn to bear the mantle of true leadership, and discover that great power often comes with a great cost.

Demos

• Scene It? Movie Night
• Cars 2: The Video Game (PSP Version)

minis

• Orbit
• P.O.W. – Prisoner of War
• Prehistoric Isle

PSone Classic

Centipede — Play an exterminator tasked with destroying invading pests in a mushroom garden. Using your gun, you must destroy the advancing centipede as it makes its way from the top of the screen to the player area. Mushrooms are scattered about the screen, and the centipede descends a line every time it encounters a mushroom. You must also avoid or destroy spiders, fleas and scorpions, and watch out for poisoned mushrooms that might send the centipede spiraling immediately down to your level. Destroy the centipede to advance to the next wave.

[Editor’s Note: The following dates are subject to change. Game details are gathered from Press Releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]