Monthly Archives: November 2012

Got A Legend of Zelda Fan on Your Holiday Gift List? STL Ocarinas Will Get Them Grinning…

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Whether you’re a gamer or not you probably know someone who’s a Legend of Zelda fan. Trust me, even if you don’t THINK you do, all you need to do is ask around and in under five minutes, it’s like Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon (And yeah, I have a weird connection to Mr. B as well – live in NYC long enough and that sort of thing happens). Anyway, if that person or person just so happens to be someone you like enough to want to gently drop a holiday or other occasion day present into their hot little hands, one (or more) STL Ocarinas should make them smile for years to come and then some…

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EA & BioWare Keep The Mass Effect Flames Burning…

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Nice. Not only is there going to be a collected set the trilogy coming for consoles and PC soon, the Wii U is getting what’s looking like a superb enhanced version of Mass Effect 3 with a new character, included DLC and a bunch of other cool features. Having played the series already, I’m still planning on looking into the Nintendo version thanks to the Gamepad functionality and being curious about how BioWare pulls off telling the story of the other two games in the series.

As always… we shall see…

TANK! TANK! TANK!: Is It The Wii U’s COMBAT? Mmmmm, Could Be…

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As soon as I saw the first video for this Wii U port of the popular Japanese Namco Bandai arcade game, I thought about Atari’s classic pack-in that became an instant hit remembered by anyone who picked up a joystick back in the day. Of course, with the Wii U bringing a new controller into things, this simple-looking blast-fest could be the one game that has similar impact should the console take off into the stratosphere (as Nintendo hopes). As always, we shall see, but I think no matter how the system does, this is one of those games that will get a LOT of play long into the system’s life cycle. That said, fun games really don’t need silly-ass trailers like this. Just show the gameplay and I’m all in.

DMC “Home Truths” Vignette: Dante Gets Something Big To Swing

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More nice cinematic joy from Ninja Theory’s upcoming reboot. It seems that the game has gotten a lot more respect over the months since Capcom has had playable versions at conventions and some decent coverage on other outlets, but of course, you can’t please everyone. Me, I’ve been on board the project from the beginning, as I trust Ninja Theory to make a compelling experience no matter what they do. Well, unless they do a kart racer. No one can make one of those interesting without getting compared right away to Mario Kart and its other successful derivatives…

World War Z Trailer: Zombie Apocalypse, Now?

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OK, so I never read the acclaimed 2006 Max Brooks novel nor his 2003 Zombie Survival Guide, as hell, I’m too busy these days and know there are no such things as roving packs of undead (science is good for proving this). Also, I really think zombies are getting way too much exposure as the “go-to” thing for instant mass media interest (that said, The Walking Dead will always have my undivided attention).

Of course, given that the upcoming film deviates greatly form the book (according to an irate friend who recommended I read it and NOT see the film), I’m betting the film still does well at the box office because the masses who will line up like slow-moving zombies will be made up of those who haven’t read the source material. Anyway, Here’s the trailer for WWZ, which has Brad Pitt stepping into the suspense/horror genre once again after a bit too long away from it. Then again, he’s an actor you can’t typecast at all at this point in his career – you just show up and know you’ll get a solid performance from the guy.

Now, will I get off my lazy ass and go track down the book? Probably not (well, not yet). I still have too many games to play and plenty of other zombie-loaded entertainment here. But I may just go see the film and if I like it, well… maybe that book will get a read one day after all…

Random Film of the Week: Sunrise: A Tale of Two Souls

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Even though it’s well over eighty years old, F.W. Murnau’s Sunrise: A Tale of Two Souls is still one of the most amazing films ever made. For a silent film with a surprising amount of visual effects and innovative camera work for what’s basically a dramatic romance mixed with a morality play. The story manages to resonate on a few levels thanks to stellar acting by the leads, phenomenal sets and cinematography and of course, Murnau’s highly expressionistic direction. A simple tale of a nameless farmer who plans to ditch his wife permanently for the charms of a gal from the city, the film shifts into gear right from the opening sequence, pulling you in to the grand final moments. Continue reading →

Puzzle & Dragons Is Out For iOS (But Needs To Be On MORE Platforms, I Say)

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GungHo Online Entertainment’s latest game, Puzzle & Dragons is a nice-looking mix of casual puzzle and Pokemon-styled elements that could be your next fix, provided you own an iOS device. It’s too bad this isn’t on the 3DS or Vita, I say. As a HUGE Puzzle Quest fanatic, I could see this being a bit of a sleeper hit on dedicated handhelds as a download with an extended story mode and more content included for a decent price point. I guess I’ll need to keep my fingers crossed or something, as I can also see why GungHo went with iOS in the first place. That’s quite a load of casual gaming dollars to be raked in there, that’s for sure…

The Elder Scrolls Online Introduction (Gameplay Included)

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OK, I may not be much interested in an online Elder Scrolls game, but YOU might be. So, here you go – a fine nine-plus minute look at the upcoming MMO that shows off its excellent visuals and yes, actual gameplay for the first time. That said, IF I were going to be jumping back into the MMO space, it’s now a toss up between this game, RIFT and Guild Wars 2. But of course, a nice new gaming PC and an even better online connection are needed… as is a working time machine, as I already have WAY too many games to play that aren’t online time-sinks…

DIsney Epic Mickey 2: Solo Or Co-op, This Is Going To Be A Total Blast To Play

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Having seen and played a bit of this a few months back solo and co-op, I can safely say that it’s one of the better player-friendly games I can recall. You have a few different ways (all up to you) to get through the levels and while a second player does make things more fun, even in solo play you have enough freedom to have fun getting from point A to point B. November 18th, folks – I need to decide which version I want, as I was leaning towards the PS3 one for its Move support initially, but the Wii U version is tempting me with that shiny new (and innovative) GamePad.

Pier Solar Goes Kickstarter Route For HD Remake – Give Them Your Money (Now!)

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Confession: I’ve yet to play Watermelon Team’s incredible Pier Solar and the Great Architects (I’ve been dying to do so, but missed the original and all the assorted reissue versions), but the folks I know who have played it can’t stop singing its praises. I was thinking about finally getting around to snapping up a copy of this unlicensed Sega Genesis /Mega Drive game online, but Watermelon Team has a HD version in the works that’s even more tempting. Can you say Kickstarter project, ladies and gents? Yup, not only are the folks at Watermelon working on an HD version, they’re going to be getting it out on PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox Live Arcade and (Eeeeeee!) Sega Dreamcast (Eeeeeeee!).  Of course, I’m a bit ticked off that PSN, Vita and Wii U versions aren’t in the pipeline (hell, those consoles NEED great indie games like this so the suits can see they’ll sell like hotcakes), but hey – this is certainly a step up to the big time for a game that’s gotten solid reviews and a VERY loyal fan base.

The campaign  has already gotten a nice chunk of pledges and that’s thanks to the game itself plus some fantastic premium versions that are well worth the money. I need to flip a coin and see where it lands so I can choose which version I want, but I may end up with the PC version (boxed, of course). I wish I could afford one of the more pricey home versions, but it is what it is. Anyway, definitely do yourself a big favor and pledge to this project. Hmmm… maybe I’ll sell a kidney and go for that deluxe Dreamcast version, as I haven’t used my DC in a few months and it’s been looking at me funny from the corner of the room… We shall see. That fancy Magical Game Factory is rocking pretty hard these days…