EDF World Brothers 2: It’s Just Up The Block A Bit

Posted on February 29, 2024 by geelw

Square Earth is Back! EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: WORLD BROTHERS 2 Set for September 26 Release Date

Back on the block!

Destroy a Horde of Voxel Space Monsters All Over Again When the Next Entry in the Pixelated Spin-off of the Hit Series from D3PUBLISHER Returns this Fall with Pre-orders Available Now on PlayStation

OAKLAND, CA – Feb. 29, 2024 – D3Publisher Inc., a leading Japanese games publisher, is excited to announce that EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: WORLD BROTHERS 2, the second installment in the voxel-spinoff of the popular third-person shooter series, EARTH DEFENSE FORCE, will release on Sept. 26, 2024, on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, for a MSRP of $49.99, €49.99, and ￡39.99 for the Standard Edition and $74.99, €74.99, and ￡64.99 for the Deluxe Edition. The title will also launch on the Nintendo Switch™ system at a MSRP of $39.99, €39.99, and ￡29.99 for the Standard Edition and $64.99, €64.99, ￡54.99 for the Deluxe Edition. EDF: WB2 is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB, PEGI 16, and USK 16. Pre-orders for the title are live now for PlayStation users in North America and Europe, with Nintendo Switch pre-orders in North America and Europe coming soon. PlayStation Plus subscribers who pre-order will also receive a 10% discount and several additional characters as an additional reward. EDF: WB2 builds upon its predecessor by introducing elements from Earth Defense Force 6 including the Wing Diver Shooter class, more than 100 unique characters, and over 100 missions!

EDF: WB2 tells the story of what happened to the voxel (cube) Earth after the events of the first installment. Brothers from across the world reunite to face an unprecedented threat brought about by an all-new enemy that threatens to tear the Earth apart all over again. To restore peace to the voxel Earth, the EDF has been dispatched for an emergency mission the likes of which no one has ever seen before! Featuring a unique voxel art style, epic 4-player team battles, and filled with more love for the EDF series than ever before, players must stand together to save the world once more. EDF move out!

Key Features:
The Voxel World of Square Earth: Unlike the original EDF series, which is portrayed in a photorealistic style, EDF: WB2 uses bold voxel graphics for a distinct look. Get ready to blast hordes of monsters into pixel oblivion!
Build Your Very Own EDF Squad: EDF members are struggling in isolated locations around the world. Rescue and assemble a unique Earth Defense Force team to save the cube Earth. Each mission is tackled by a 4-member team that players mix and match to maximize their abilities and lay waste to their enemies.
Legends Assemble: Classic soldiers, characters, and weapons from the first game, THE EARTH DEFENSE FORCE, up to Earth Defense Force 6, and various EDF series spin-offs return in voxelated form! Longtime fans of the series are in for a serious dose of nostalgia, while those who have never played an EDF game before can enjoy EDF: WB2 as an introduction to the series.
Enemies of Generations Past Reborn: The invaders who attacked Earth and caused mass destruction countless times before are returning in full (voxelated) force. Many enemies, giant weapons, and huge monsters from past EDF games are back and bigger than ever! What hell-spawn will show up next?
Fully Voiced in Multiple Languages: Like its predecessor, EDF: WB2 features English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean voiceovers, so an even greater audience can get in on the action!
For additional information on EDF: WB2, please visit the official website, follow the game on Twitter, and D3PUBLISHER Inc. to keep up with upcoming content and news.

Yes, it’s on the way in 2024, which means we get two Earth Defense Force titles this year, folks(https://fanboydestroy.com/2024/02/12/delay-of-game-edf6-becomes-a-summer-2024-baby/) Yep, It’s already been pre-ordered in this house (since last year!). Here’s a peek at the announcement trailer:

Looks fun, right? If the first game is any indication, this looks to be quite a bit of much needed goofiness in this year of seemingly non-stop bad news. Sandlot is on a roll with this series and I hope more will take the plunge into their voxel-packed world this September. Yes, it’s hip to be square again- just don’t fall off the edge of the planet (too much!)

-GW

Family Business 1

Posted on February 15, 2024 by geelw

When my father passed away (I think it was in 2007), there were only 13 people in attendance at his funeral. His four children and nine invited friends, a paltry amount of people considering all those he met and befriended in one way or another over seven decades. Memories of him being just Dad, or “Pop”, as we often called him, linger in my mind and can’t recall him being a poor parent or experiencing many hard times because of him. We had what I would call a “busy” relationship, in that as almost everyone was busy being a kid and got busy growing up while our parents both worked. There were good times and not so good times, but I can’t recall everything I’d like to at the moment, which is quite unfortunate, as I recall certain things, but pure memory tends to be quite an unreliable narrator if solely relied upon.

I recall hearing of his death from a relative who was “caring” for him and how disgustingly clinical the explanation was. I’ll admit my brain has since (more or less) blanked out almost every memory I had other that the time he took me to work (he was once a motorman for the MTA) and showed me how a subway train worked. Then, he let me take the train he was driving into the final stop on its route for about 25 feet or so (detailed here). Anyway, flash forward to now, that annoying relative has made a return at the very worst of times for everyone and I’m just not a happy camper as of this writing (to say the least). NO, I’m not planning anything drastic or dramatic at all. My life needs a lot less stress these days, period.

I do kind of need to borrow one of these, however:

Or, this guy…(just kidding!)

-GW

Delay Of Game: EDF6 Becomes a Summer 2024 Baby!

Posted on February 12, 2024 by geelw

Only a little bit longer until the end of the world…(almost).

The only other game I’ve preordered this year gets a slight shift in its release date window, as developer SANDLOT and D3Publisher’s upcoming title has moved from a Spring to Summer 2024 release.

“D3Publisher Inc., a leading Japanese games publisher, has announced that Earth Defense Force 6, the latest entry in the popular action-shooter series, will now be released for PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, and PC via Steam in summer 2024 for Western audiences. Previously announced for a spring launch window, developer SANDLOT and publisher D3PUBLISHER have decided to extend the launch window to add finishing touches and finalize preparations for its Western launch.“

As a long time fan of the series since 2003, I don’t mind the date shift at all if it gives the game a bit more of what it’s well-known for: chaotic solo or co-op action, mass destruction on a huge scale, the offbeat humor of the AI squadmates and the storyline that gets increasingly more dramatic and doom-filled as things get worse for humanity. It took me close to a year to complete the last installment, (EDF5), a game I still revisit every so often when I need that fix. The rather huge amount of weapons for each character makes for plenty of on the fly strategy as each level requires learning the ins and outs of your chosen loadouts.

This will be the first time I’m not picking up the import version first because the game’s DLC won’t be compatible on PS4 or PS5, but I love going into things cold.

YouTuber cenorexia even put together a really great English translation of the first mission/tutorial that’s well worth checking out:

I think the entire game is on that page, but, I’m a spoiler-free dude, so beware!

Bonus!

-GW

Review: Sydney Hunter and The Curse of the Mayan (PS4/PS5)

Posted on February 7, 2024 by geelw

“It belongs in a museum…”

From CollectorVision Games comes the latest in its series of the retro- inspired Sydney Hunter series, Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan, popping up on current generation consoles (it’s been on PC for a while as well. Let’s take a quick peek at the PS4/PS5 version.

Those were the days, I guess…

“Players take on the role of supreme adventurer Sydney Hunter, a deft explorer who by sheer luck finds himself trapped inside a massive Mayan pyramid. He soon discovers that the “Feathered Serpent” Kukulkan has broken up the sacred Haab calendar into seven individual pieces and scattered them throughout the pyramid. With the support of the local Mayan population, Sydney Hunter must put the calendar back together and defeat Kukulkan to return peace and balance to the world. Two unique endings await players, depending on the decisions they make in the game.“

That’s the plot in a nutshell, but the game goes straight for the retro gut with its 8-bit visuals, pinpoint precision platforming, excellent soundtrack and many hidden secrets right from the start. This challenging adventure/platformer may remind some players of games such as El Mulana 1 and 2, Montezuma’s Revenge, the Spelunky games and similar adventure titles. You know those easy to play, tough to master classics from the past that had a slight learning curve? Nope, this game gets straight to the backtracking, respawning enemies, tough boss fights and other trickiness after the first minute or so of gameplay, so buckle up. Early on, expect secrets galore to find as well as plenty of gold and treasure to farm dropping constantly as you make your way around with your trusty whip and other weapons acquired during your adventure. A hub world opens up once you play a bit longer, allowing for fast travel, and more collecting fun.

While I rather liked all the exploring and backtracking, even the easiest mode offers up a rather hefty level of challenge. The lack of a decent mini-map plus some iffy checkpoints keep things more flawed than they need to be (save every chance you get!). Overall, this is a rather nifty mix of challenge to check out, with a few warts in the way here and there. You rocking chair or recliner warriors can get the younger kids to play this (if you have them) so you can at least sit back and pontificate on the “good old days” while you watch them deal with the harder parts for you as you sip lemonade (or something like that). This one’s quite the throwback, but it’s a pretty darn good one. Recommended.

-GW

Pompous and Circumstances…(Part one)

Posted on February 2, 2024 by geelw

I guess it’s time…

It’s been a long ride…

I had a thought a while back (what else is new?) about the title of this blog, particularly as I’ve been moving away from a lot of my collecting chores and have been selling off a portion of my library over the last few years because it’s time, the old reflexes aren’t what they used to be and my tastes have just plain changed over the decades. Anyway, I haven’t yet decided what my next move will be, so we’ll keep that name for now, but some things are going to flip like a freshly caught fish around here. Stay tuned.

-GW

we shall see, won’t we?

Review: Demon Lord: Reincarnation(PS4/PS5)

Posted on January 19, 2024 by geelw

“Suffer not a Warlock to live…”

If you love “old school” throwback video games with something of an almost unbeatable edginess, Demon Lord: Reincarnation is going to quickly whip you into submission and perhaps give you an appreciation for relearning a bit of cartography. This game wants you deader than a crate of rusted door nails and is more than willing to oblige especially if you think it’s just another garden variety Wizardry clone (it’s not). Although I’m a big fan of the genre, this was a totally random purchase for me. But that $7.99 (plus tax) made this a pretty solid deal on the PlayStation Store. (the game is also available for Xbox, Switch and PC on their respective sites).

First things first, if you’re going in cold, stop for a few minutes and please READ THE (digital) MANUAL! Yes, it’s 29 pages long. But it’s also important to understand that you’re going to need to break out the graph paper and make your own maps as the dungeon randomizes every time you start a game. You can try NOT making maps, but the extra brain work gives you something to do with your hands before (and while) the game kindly puts your party out of its misery for the umpteenth time. If you’re a ragey type, the random nature of the gameplay might seem a wee bit unfair as the RNG seems to almost always roll in favor of the enemy and you just can’t get a break. Then, something clicks and you manage to survive (most) of a floor intact and your remaining party gains new skills and manages to survive for at least a few minutes longer. You’ll be replacing dead party members with new ones and I think the supply is endless, with new members gaining levels appropriate to the surviving party.

“This is where it all ends…”

Death comes for your team pretty much as soon as you venture downstairs to the first floor and you’re unprepared to the assault about to take place. You’ll stop to check the map you’re (hopefully) carefully making and get jumped. You’ll try and take a quick nap in the game to get your party’s health topped up and get jumped. Basically, almost every time you think you’re safe and it’s quiet, yep, there’s an enemy lurking around waiting to bonk you upside the head. Unfair and often in the most humiliating manner as some of the game will have you laughing as it describes flatulent foes getting in surprise attacks and more. Each floor is quite the challenge, but that Demon Lord has been working out and definitely doesn’t pull any punches (at least he doesn’t pass gas, or didn’t when I fought him!)

The trial and error nature here, plus the plain-looking but very nicely rendered visuals manage to hold interest and the old-school music is pretty nifty for what it is, so I have no complaints on that front. The only thing I’ll say in the game will solely cater to the more masochistic, persistent player that craves the challenge and doesn’t mind a lot of extra work right from the get-go. So, it’s not going to floor the graphics fiends at all and it’s not for every taste. But it does what it does quite well and keeps its focus all the way through, which gets a thumbs up from me.

Recommended, but you’re in for quite a hard time…

-GW

Some Things You Might Have Missed (Games Division, Part 1)

Posted on December 14, 2023 by geelw

Question:

1: How many video games are released in an average year these days?

THOUSANDS.

You read that right, pals. There are games released on every platform pretty much every day of the week (which is what wish lists are for) and yes, it’s just overwhelming beyond belief when you realize some days all you want is for time to slow down just so you can play and complete more games (well, that’s just me). In any event, here’s a very short list of a few titles that kept or are still keeping me occupied in 2023:

Marvel’s Midnight Suns (PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox Series S/X)- This took a while to get to, but I’m glad I finally decided to take the plunge. Admittedly, the whole licensed costume hero genre has played itself out, but once in a while, some developer gets it right and in a surprisingly well-done manner. Firaxis Games (Civilization XI, among other great titles) made a fun turn-based tactical game that got somewhat ignored at retail, but is worth a look just for the things it does somewhat excellently. It’s not for everyone, but I’m betting that people that don’t normally play these types of games will be surprised when they try it and see how well it all works together.

Wanted: Dead (PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox Series S/X)- Basically, this is the Binary Domain of PS4/PS5 releases, and if you’re grinning at that reference, good. This somewhat gory M-rated squad-based action game from developer Soleil has its quirks (lots of them), but it’s also a chunk of awesome, surreal fun once you roll with it and just play what’s here. The game feels like one of those funky PS2 titles like X-Squad, or a team-based State of Emergency mixed with goofy but awesome PS1 games such as Crisis Beat or Crisis City where more modern-ish Unreal 4 rendering techniques outstrip the core gameplay, which has loads of complexity under the hood once you discover it. Controls can be a bit wonky and death comes almost too easily in spots, but I’m having a blast with this one so far. Granted, this more of a “cult classic”, but if you want a game that’s surprisingly deep and equally insane, here you go.

Don’t forget to tip your server…

That and the game may actually get you to gain a few extra pounds this holiday season:

Hungry like the wolf…

Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery (PC, Consoles!)

OK, so you’re a frog with a magnifying glass, a sticker covered notebook AND a 2nd best detective of questionable quality (but, somehow always able to solve every case you get for reasons). Anyway, this compilation of all three adventures makes for a great gift for kids as well as adults looking for a no-stress, non violent way to spend an hour or two (or longer if you get into part three’s scooter riding sections and lose track of time (oops).

For all its simplicity, this is one of the the purest and most enjoyable titles of the year in my book. (Just don’t tell Lobster Cop).

Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi (PC, PS4/PS5, Switch)

There’s no school like the old, OLD school…

Yes, it came out, what? Two years ago, but it’s never left my play stack in all that time. Developers Experience, Inc and Poppy Works have cooked up a hefty throwback to the classic Wizardry games with a 1979 Japan setting with a few twists to the formula that keep things fresh. While it can get incredibly tough at times, there’s always the feeling of “Just one more floor” as you navigate the labyrinth and all its various hazards. While I wish the character creation was a lot deeper, there are enough options to form the perfect party and the plot has more than enough twists and turns to keep you entertained. I’ve been taking my time with this because it’s so well made, yet so familiar…

Sword of the Vagrant (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox Series S/X, Switch)

Let’s give the lady a hand…

Sure, the PC version came out in 2017, but I’d never heard of this game until earlier this year when a friend suggested I give it a shot. Yup, it hits almost every mark right from the start and even at a discount, comes highly recommended. Taking cues from Vanillaware’s classics as well as other side-scrolling RPG’s. there’s a pick up and play sensibility at work here along with pretty hand-crafted visuals you can pore over in the included digital artbook before you even start the game. It’s not 100 percent flawless, but it’s pretty much all enjoyable.

Alright, Let’s put a bow on this one and go post it. I’m going to go watch a movie and (of course) play a game after, but I’ll be back with another list shortly. It’s been a busy year and I may as well do this again (or more frequently).

-GW

Slight Change of Plans (Slight Return)

Posted on December 13, 2023 by geelw

Snacks not included…

Hey, you know that stack of Severin Films DVD’s* I have here to give to some cinematically deprived soul out there? Yup, they’re still here, all boxed up and ready to go get shipped out anywhere in the US. Instead of picking a subscriber from a list, we’re changing that to whoever (and yes, you still have to live in the US!) replies to this post and is willing to let me be that not so Secret Santa who might have had a few too many Egg Nogs. Anyway, I have to go out for a few hours and will return later this afternoon, so you know what to do (I hope!)

*Note: there’s at least one Blu-Ray in the stack, Maybe Santa will slip up and add another? Who knows?

-GW

Yep, Here’s Another GTA VI Opinion For The Dumpster Fire…

Posted on December 6, 2023 by geelw

So, the that thing that millions wanted to see dropped the other day and of course, it was thanks to being (surprise!) leaked a day early. Hold on to your hats, please:

Butt, that’s not all, folks…

Looks good, doesn’t it? Anyway, let the shutdown fully commence here until the game ships, simply for sanity’s sake. I managed to miss out on that OLD leaked in-progress progress game footage, the only reason I’m posting this trailer is for the news value and yes, the fact that Rockstar Games continues to produce some incredible looking titles despite an increasingly jaded fan base that will pore over every millisecond of official footage just to nitpick on what they didn’t see and/or just guesstimate on every aspect and end up being 1000% WRONG when the game does finally ship (again, as usual). Already, some sites are turning GLORIOUSLY into self- parody as they pixel and polygon count, wonder if every map has been properly mipped and examine this brief trailer more than the Zapruder film a few million times over, so expect to see this nonsense continue with each new trailer released (le sigh). Warning, this won’t be pretty, but that’s the Internet today for you (if you still haven’t realized).

Yes, I’ll gladly accept a review copy IF I get one, but life won’t stop if that doesn’t happen and I need to (gasp) actually pay to secure a copy. For now, I’m sitting back and waiting this thing out for at least a year, unless Rockstar has an actual hands-on at their NYC offices and I get an invite (like the good old days.) Eh, we’ll see…

-GW

Win Free Stuff (Or Else!)

Posted on December 4, 2023 by geelw

Alrighty, I haven’t done a giveaway in a LONG while, but I was going through a huge pile of movies here and found a stack of sealed duplicates that I picked up from a Severin Films sale last year when they were clearing out their DVD section, so I ended up with a dozen or so extras. Anyway, I like surprising people at random, so yep, I’m going to gift ONE lucky reader with these discs and that person has to do nothing but wait for the box to arrive. Of course, there’s a catch or two:

One, you have to be a subscriber to the blog. Two, you need to be a US resident. Sorry about that last part, but it’s far easier and a lot less expensive to just ship a box of movies almost anywhere in the US than to deal with customs forms and the package being delayed, opened and inspected by overzealous types out there.

No, YOU’RE throwing your back out dancing around the room to this!

SO, what IS inside the box, you ask? Well, let’s just say it’s a mix of genres and leave it at that. I think there’s one kid friendly film on the mix, a few horror films, a trailer collection and other strange stuff. Everything seems to be out of production from the distributor or rights have changed hands, so jump into the pool, if you’re able to. I’ll randomly pick someone off my subscriber list and shoot an email out to that person asking if they want the movies (say yes, please) and I’ll ship out your box around the end of the week. OR, you can reply in the comments without giving out personal info and if you’re chosen, we can work out the details via email. NO, I won’t sell your info to some shady company or send you those Sea Monkeys you ordered back when you were a kid. I guess it’s just me trying to be more human than “social” or something. An experiment, if you will. Humor me and be rewarded in the process. Good luck!