2009 Done, Two More Years To Go…

Status

Well, alright. I just noticed that I’d fixed the final 2009 post a few posts ago and am already into early 2010. Nice. The early part of 2010 will be pretty easy going, as I was a bit ill for a good chunk of the first half of the year and didn’t post much. A bit of game therapy and other actual medical assistance later, i was back in action, as you’ll see by the increased post count. The late 2010 to 2011 posts will be the hardest to restore, as most of them will need to be retrieved and reformatted from the older blog as opposed to some of the simpler editing I had to do with some of the older posts. Oh well. Onward and upward!

Gallery: Phantom Breaker

Posted on January 7, 2012 by geelw

With 2D fighting games on somewhat of a roll these days, it’s nice to see yet another developer enter the fray with a sweet-looking console title. Set to be published in North America this February by 7sixty Games, Phantom Breaker is an Xbox 360 exclusive from developer 5bp that, according to the press release, “takes its cue from classic 2D brawlers, offering a host of spectacular special moves, high-impact combos and a counter system that’s easy to pick up but takes a lifetime to master…” I’m pretty awful at fighting games compared to the top masters out there, but I do love excellent sprite-based artwork like the stuff found in the game trailer and screens below.

Also, for the collectors out there, the game will be available in a Special Edition that includes a mini strategy guide, desk calendar featuring characters from the game and two double-sided posters. Amazon has this listed at $39.99 (which is a steal for a nice set like that), so make sure to pre-order this pack if this looks like something you’ll be down with. Check out the game’s Facebook page and sign up if you like what you see – 14 pretty cool screenshots await below the jump…

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Update: Winding Down 2009…

Posted on January 7, 2012 by geelw

If things go well, folks – I’ll be done with reformatting all the 2009 posts this weekend. I’ll update you as soon as that’s done, pop the cork on a bottle of something (probably Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider) and then get to work on the 2010 posts. Eek.

Well, all this necessary insanity is for a good reason, that’s for sure… I just wish it weren’t so tedious…

Update: And Miles To Go (Sort Of)…

Posted on January 6, 2012 by geelw

Well, I still have a few more (well, a lot more) pics to take of the collection, but here’s a quick peek at some of what’s coming once I find the time to get everything down and photographed. Yes, I COULD have done the US Sega Saturn and Sega CD stuff when I did the Jaguar/Lynx games a while back, but I got busy right afterward tackling another project and haven’t been able to get to that other stuff since. It’ll get done, don’t worry…

Soulcalibur V Goes Gold (Well, Yesterday), In Stores 1/31

Posted on January 6, 2012 by geelw

OK, I’m a bit behind in news (what else is new?) – anyway, controversy over a rather silly ad I won’t run here aside (when will game companies learn that using boobs to sell an otherwise fine fighting game is a no-no in this era of gamer equality), the game is looking sharp and should be another fine installment once players get used to the new stuff Project Soul has added. I’m not sure how I feel about Ezio from the Assassin’s Creed games being in the mix, but hey – it’s better than Yoda, Darth Vader and a few of the other guest stars that have popped up in the series (although they all were fun to use, mind you).

And yes, there will be a number of special pre-order bonus items available, based on which retailer you’re headed to. Press release with info on that below the jump…

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Collection Update: Nice, My Vectrex Still Works…

Posted on January 6, 2012 by geelw

This nostalgia trip I’ve been on lately has had me going through my old systems and handhelds to find that some are working (which is fantastic) and some aren’t (which isn’t). A few years of non-usage (or just plain normal aging) can really make a difference, as I’ve discovered thanks to now non-functioning Game Gear and Turbo Express units (both need capacitors replaced so the screens can show images and I have NO idea how to go about doing this), and a Lynx that’s funkier than it was last year when it comes to keeping a decent image on screen. HOWEVER (and hoo-ray!), my Vectrex works and works excellently. I just need some more games for it, having sold off what I had around five or so years back. I do wish time travel were a reality, as I’d live to zip back to when Macy’s and Gimbels were closing out their video games in the post-crash period and had stacks of Vectrex units and games going for a song (along with tons of Atari stuff). Ah, well… I’m out of space here anyway in terms of adding more boxes unless I get an Extreme Gaming Makeover at some point – my kingdom for a Vectrex multi-cart!

Gallery: PlayStation 2 Library (US)

Posted on January 5, 2012 by geelw

Minus about 15 games that are out on loan, here you go. I have to call this gallery “updated”, as it was a lot larger a few years back. I had close to 450 or more games here at one time, but it was a bit hard to get anything for any other system stored, so I started whittling down quite a bit. There’s an import in one of these pics (oops), but that’s because it was borrowed before and returned after I took pics of my PS2 imports Yes, there were a few Final Fantasy games here, but those went to someone who’s probably a lot more appreciative of the direction the series has taken than I am. I think I sold off a few games I meant to keep otherwise for reference purposes (oops), but most of what I’m looking for is dirt cheap these days and pretty easily located. As for some of the pricier games I no longer own or never got around to getting, well, I’m not dead yet…

Yeah, yeah, those press DVD’s aren’t “games”, but they were on the shelf, so in they went. I have a ridiculous amount of press kits stored here in a few bins (I saved nearly everything I’ve gotten since the late 90’s), so perhaps I’ll post a gallery of those if you ask nicely. It’ll take me a while to go through them all, that’s for sure…

2K Games Announces XCOM: Enemy Unknown In Development At Firaxis

Posted on January 5, 2012 by geelw

Well, well, well… I’m actually not as surprised about this news because I kind of predicted it last year, but there’s no doubt this will quell somewhat the overblown nerd rage significantly against the other XCOM title in development SO many want to hate without having even played it. Still, I have to ask if this is also being done to appease investors who went nuts based on any doom and gloom forecasting about the potential low sales of the more controversial game.OK, maybe that’s my tinfoil hat sparking too much with conspiracy lightning, but it does strike me as odd that this is Game Informer’s HUGE exclusive in a year that’s going to be packed to the gills with memorable releases…

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Gallery: Xbox 360 Library

Posted on January 5, 2012 by geelw

Well, it’s weird, I’ll admit it, but I have to say that both my 360 and PS3 collections are VERY fluid. As in games come in, get played and traded/sold faster than with anything else I’ve collected. I’ve probably owned close to 200 – 250 games for the console, but here’s what I have at the moment, minus about 15 titles out on loan. I have a few region-free imports as you can see, but I’m not much interested in a Japanese 360 at the moment (other than a ton of cool shmups we never got here that I’m not too interested in playing and a few interesting titles I might like, I’m not urgently pursuing an import console). Yeah, that Shadow Ops DVD should have gone in the Xbox library, but it was on the bottom of a stack of games that I just got around to relocating (oops).

Devil Survivor 2 Trailer: Atlus Asks That Eternally Unnerving Question…

Posted on January 5, 2012 by geelw

No, not “Why are they STILL making games for the Nintendo DS?” (ha ha), but “How Would You Like To Die?” Gee, thanks guys… It’s not as if I have anything better to do than NOT sleep at night because I’m afraid of NOT waking up or anything like that. Well, if you have to know, I’m not going to tell you, as I don’t want you to get any ideas. Anyway, click on over to the official Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 website to find out more about this sinister sequel to one of the best DS games to date. If it’s anywhere as spectacular as the first game, it’ll be a real winner as well as a keeper. February will be here sooner than you think and I want you all to be prepared when the game hits stores…