New Japanese Dragon’s Crown Trailer Is Anything But Vanilla…

 

A ha ha. I’ll take “MORE puns you don’t get if you’re not a gamer” for a thousand, Alex. Anyway, Atlus has dropped this nice new slice of lovely 2D gaming bliss into the Japanese PS Vita web event and yes indeed, I want to see this get as much love as possible. George Kamitani and his talented team at Vanillaware are making sure the side-scrolling flame is kept alive and well, and thanks to the gorgeous art style and chaotic gameplay crafted for solo and multiplayer action, this one’s a guaranteed winner on both the PS3 and Vita. Release dates for North America are TBA, but I’m hoping we see this soon, as both systems need all the cool exclusives they can handle and then some.

Video Game Appreciation 101: Evolution of PlayStation: It’s Portable Time!

 

Hmmm. There’s a day to go before the big PlayStation event but we’re already out of systems to cover. I guess that tomorrow’s video will be all about the PlayStation Network or something I’m not thinking of right now because I’m full of coffee and need to pee, but I can’t do that just yet because I’m typing this while sitting in a Starbucks and I have a few too many windows open and need to save stuff (or finish typing like mad), close all those windows, pack up the PC and do a fast trot to the loo. OR… I could type the previous sentence and hope it transfers the sudden urge to pee to you folks reading this, thus lightening my bladder’s brain considerably. Hey, it’s working! OK, now that YOUR eyeballs are floating, hopefully you’re closer to a working toilet than I am. Hmmm, now that I don’t have to go, I just HAVE to go so I don’t get caught off guard on the walk back home.

Back in a bit…

 

Gallery: WRC 3 FIA World Rally (PS3/Vita)

Challenge9Finally headed to North America courtesy of Namco Bandai, Milestone’s rally racer looks to catapult itself (and its cars) onto retail shelves and as a PSN download this spring. As a big fan of the previous Evolution Studios-developed games in the series on the PS2, I’m interested in seeing how a new developer also known primarily for racing games handles this franchise. I’ve played a few of Milestone’s racers in the past, so I’m liking what I’m seeing here and in gameplay videos so far. Of course, I go into every game I play with no expectations of perfection (which makes for more accurate reviewing, folks), so I’ll be playing and judging based on whatever merits it has before I pounce on any major flaws (with constructive criticism, as always). As an actual release date has yet to be announced, my engine is idling until then, but once I hear of an update, you’ll be the first to know…

More screens below the jump.

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Toy Fair 2013: Mimoco Revives Dead Presidents As USB Drives, Ben Franklin’s Ghost Pissed Off…

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GW_MIMOBOT AL_MIMOBOTI can hear the spinning coffin from here, as ol’ Ben is mighty upset. George Washington and Abe Lincoln get love from mimoco in these two cool limited edition MIMOBOT USB drives (available NOW), but he’s the main tech guy out of all the founding fathers what with his electrical kite flying hijinx, his sense of humor (Poor Richard’s Almanack!) and other er, “modern” things about the man. That and hey – he’s on the hundred dollar bill and look where the other two ended up on US currency. Obviously, Ben’s the MAN, so maybe you Fans of Franklin should bug mimoco to get with the program and get a BF drive on the site at some point. Still, I say pick either or both of these up just so they know you’re serious about waving the flag for Ben in the future.

Game of Thrones Season 3: Chaos Is Ready For Its Closeup…

 

Yeah, yeah… a bit late to posting this, but hey, I’m a busy one-man army here. Anyway, I’m tempted to go snap up the first two seasons on video, but HBO on Demand has been running them for a while, so I’ve more than gotten my fix of the series. I’ll probably wait until the entire run has ended and the inevitable box set drops to buy in, a I’m expecting a load of behind the scenes features we haven’t yet seen. Anyway, I’m not even going to speculate about what’s going to happen and who’s going to get it this season, as that sort of thinking always makes any show less enjoyable in my book. I like to just sit down, shut up and take it all in. No laptop, phone or other device going. Hell, I can’t see HOW people sit there in front of a TV and concentrate on any show while being “social” and yakking away on Facebook or Twitter or wherever while there’s more than enough onscreen to hold one’s attention…

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OK, Enough With The Harlem Shake, Already (Pretty Please)…

 

I’m SO glad I’m not eternally glued to YouTube (or wherever pit of people with too much time on their hands hang out) and I really don’t care where this latest “Hey, everybody lookit me make a fool of myself!” craze came from. Harlem Shake? I got a Harlem Shake right here for you… OK, call me cranky (and I’m pleased to meet you), but I actually used to LIVE in Harlem and the only folks I saw shakin’ were the crack addicts and winos when I was on the way to the subway and back from work every day. Yeah, I said it! And it’s actually true. Well, that was the 1990’s for ya, kids… the stories I could tell!  Get the heck off the table (you dancing fool) and into your jammies and I’ll put you to sleep with a short one…
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DESTINY: Bungie’s Big Ideas & Big World Need Big Gameplay To Get My Money…

So, the big, big not so secret big game revealed today at Bungie HQ is an all-new IP for Activision and a purported innovative open world sort of multiplayer FPS (don’t call it a MMO!) called Destiny with a heavy social tilt and a ton of intriguing elements that look and sound grand on paper and in print (and in video – see above)… but I’m not all in just yet. One MASSIVE problem I have with these press events where ideas and concepts and big talk about the future come up and cycle about the room is until there’s ACTUAL gameplay to be seen. Sure, I know Bungie can most likely deliver the goods their fan base expects and then some. However, I’ve never seen a game that delivered as much as promised after a huge press event such as this one.

That said, I’m more than happy to be proven wrong, but the game has lost my interest already thanks to the online only play and heavy cream emphasis on “social” play. Ugh. I don’t own an iPhone, my internet connection blows and I like my games story-driven and immersive outside of flashy visuals and cast of thousands scope. I’ll only cover this again after I get to PLAY it, as it’s a case of so much promise that might not deliver everything at the same time plus a bunch of other things that annoy me to no end. Hey, at least I’m a positive skeptic willing to change my mind after finally tasting what’s on the menu that’s been waved under my nose all day…