E3 2014: Xseed Gets Nicely Nostalgic and Notoriously Naughty This Year…

 
So, it looks as if Harvest Moon is now Story of Seasons, at least because Natsume owns the name proper and this game, while in the same series, has to get a retitling. No worries there, as it’s the same gameplay and pretty much the same plot as the older games you may have played and loved. Just buy it when it comes out and you’ll forget all about the name change, I say.

 
Gamers who recall one of the Super Nintendo’s most devious and pesky rogue-like RPG’s will be pleased to know that Nihon Falcom’s masterpiece Brandish is BACK in remake form as a new(ish) PSP game called Brandish: The Dark Revenant. from that video above, I got a few chuckles because it reminded me of playing the old game on the SNES and hating it until I got the hang of things, then hating it some more because making progress was tough as nails even after you got used to the gameplay. The assorted deathtraps here will drive impatient players nuts plus tax, so may I recommend you tape that PSP or Vita wrist strap around your wrist if you buy this game? This way, if you decide get pissed off and actually throw that handheld, you don’t get to see it hit anything unless it whips around your wrist (ouch!).

 
Corpse Party is also coming back, this time as a PC game for those of you who missed the original indie version. don’t let those initially cute characters fool you one bit. This one’s a creepy horror tale with some blood and gore and a plot that WILL get up under your skin and writhe around like it means it. It’s not really a party at the end of the day, but corpses are indeed involved, so that title is half correct, ha and ha… Continue reading

E3 2014: Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Reborn Trailer: It’s Back and Better – Go Get Your Zeon!


It’s too bad this reboot of the Dynasty Warriors: Gundam franchise is digital-only, as I’d love to own this on a disc and not need to bust out the Japanese dictionary and flash cards in order to read the menus and understand the dialog. Oh, I suppose I should just go learn the language already, but I also want to support Namco Bandai here in America with a buy at some point. Of course, these digital releases are cheaper for them to get out because there’s no discs to press or ship out to assorted retailers, no overstock sitting around unsold and no resale market to worry about raking in money the company won’t even see a penny of. On the other hand, I’m a disc guy first and foremost, as are plenty of people who prefer their games in a case for a few good reasons. Anyway, this one looks good enough to buy in any form, so perhaps I’ll end up doing just that when this rolls out in July. Oh, and that VERY Star Wars-like cantina music at the end for the DLC pre-order? Priceless (but oddly enough, has nothing to do with the SW films old or new, go figure!)

Reborn 6 Reborn 5 Reborn 4 Reborn 3 Reborn 2 Reborn 1 DWGR_01 DWGR_02 DWGR_03 DWGR_04 DWGR_05 DWGR_06 DWGR_07 DWGR_08 DWGR_09 DWGR_10 DWGR_11 DWGR_12 DWGR_13 DWGR_14

Not Quite “Retro” Review Rerun: Raze’s Hell

As I noted a little while back, from time to time I’ll be re-running some of my old (and long as hell, sorry!) reviews from a few dead sites I wrote for with no updates, but corrections and edits where necessary. Here’s one for a favorite Xbox game that still holds up almost ten years later as a great (albeit somewhat gory) gem you may have missed. Enjoy!

Raze's Hell CoverAh, the mentality of the American gamer. Whenever a bargain game shows up on store shelves, only the bravest of the brave (or those cheap bastards like me who’re unwilling to pay full price for a name title) pony up the pocket change for most of these cheapies and figure “Well, it’s a budget game, but I need my fix!” as they go home, close their eyes and think of England (you’ll only get that joke if you’re older than 30 or are a bit of a history buff).

It turns out that some of these games are good, some are really good, and a rare few are of the “Wait… THIS cost twenty bucks?!” caliber. Majesco‘s new release, Raze’s Hell fits snugly into the latter category, and if you’re looking for a game that’s going to grab you by the short hairs and pull hard while smacking both your funny bones, disco down to your nearest game shop and bring a few friends with you- you‘re in for a treat… Continue reading