Namco Bandai’s Big Game Announcements Continue (Ridge Racer Fans Burning Out On Forums Worldwide…)

Posted on February 6, 2011 by geelw

This weeks winner and new champion of cool game announcements (at least for a day or so more), Namco Bandai, continues to shake things up with even more new (and slightly surprising) game announcements. In addition to the one-two punch of Dark Souls and Armored Core V, expect to see Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions on the 3DS, two all-new separate titles on one 3DS cart. The company is also set to produce a totally new current-gen Ridge Racer that’s already been a huge source of controversy amongst some hardcore fans of the franchise. (More on that in a separate posting).

In other 3DS news, the oddly (yet precisely) titled DualPenSports looks to train players in dual stylus wielding in a series of mini-games and sports-based challenges that offer, according to the press release, “a stimulating mental workout and improved hand eye coordination”. Sound like a mix of the DS games Brain Training, Left Brain/Right Brain and one of the company’s Active Life titles on the Wii, so it should be fun for all.

Namco Bandai has also acquired the rights to publish Power Rangers titles in North America for consoles and handhelds, which means we’ll be seeing those characters start popping up on a regular basis in a bunch of slickly produced Power Rangers Samurai games. Given Bandai’s long pedigree of generally high quality Mobile Suit Gundam, Naruto, InuYasha and many more franchise titles geared toward younger gamers, I’d say the Power Rangers are in pretty good hands.

Speaking of Gundam… two words: Omega Force. Two more words: Tecmo Koei. Yup, that means we’ll also be seeing Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3 (Gundam Musou 3) hit the PS3 and Xbox 360. While some folks hate the Musou franchise for its seemingly simple hack & slash combat, I’m a longtime fan and happy about this news. I’ll be running updated info, trailers and screens on these new games as they come in.

Armored Core V Trailer Shows FromSoftware’s Power At Full Force

Posted on February 5, 2011 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/RGf08b1Bx5o?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

I’d have to say FromSoft’s mechs and art direction in this franchise are some of the best I’ve seen in games and thanks to the endless customization options over the years in the AC series, everyone else who’s tricked out a custom mech can probably agree. Anyway, screens are going up this weekend, as I’m poring over them the same way I did the Dark Souls shots. This one’s going to be a killer of a game, that’s for sure…

Okami Plush/Pillow Set Is A One-Two Combo of CUTE!!!

Posted on February 5, 2011 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/2CGPpuTnMaU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

Today’s “D’awwwwwwwwwwwww, CUUUUTE!” moment is brought to you by Capcom, publishers of Okami, Okamiden and now, NEW:

Okamiden Chibiterasu Plush and Pillow!

…And now, a word from our sponsor:

Feeling sad and droopy, ladies and gents? Well, just let OKAMIDEN get you peppy in seconds! Just apply to your Nintendo DS or DSi and just like THAT, that gloom is all g-o-n-e! It’s like MAGIC!

That’s OKAMIDEN – available March 15 2011 in the US and March 18 2011 in Europe at a store near you!

YES, I want that darn cute pillow and plushie! I’ll sit up, play dead roll over and beg for that set, Woof!! Er, details to follow soon on how to get one from Capcom, but I’ll guess pre-ordering the game or some other semi-heroic actions MAY be involved. You readers might want to poke about on the Official Okamiden Facebook page and see what’s up…

Off to bug Capcom PR and see if we can give some of those away… THAT would be awesome, methinks… “D’awwwwwwwwwwww!”

Anarchy Reigns Character Profile: Jack

Posted on February 5, 2011 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/XJLofZtZiYU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

Another day, another shot of PlatnumGames spectacular-looking multiplayer online fighter. Every new image and trailer I see gets me all the more thrilled. I STILL want my single-player mode, though… (he typed, fingers crossed). New screens going up this weekend once I have a bit more time (he said, trying to finish a few reviews with fingers crossed)…

Anarchy Reigns Character Profile: Big Bull

Posted on February 3, 2011 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/BhbcHSgbDcU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

He’s big, bad and can beat down tall buildings in a single bound. Probably not, but I wouldn’t want to try and stop him, that’s for sure… Here’s the third character profile video for PlatinumGames’ upcoming online brawler. While I’m loving all these movies and I think the game looks amazing… I really STILL want a single-player offline mode (whine, complain, nag, nag nag…). Anyone one else think a fighting game like this could use one?

Dynasty Warriors 7 English Trailer

Posted on February 3, 2011 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/NgPzyGDz0sE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

Here you go – complete with an all-new graphics engine, stereoscopic 3D support and that always controversial English dub. Not to mention the dozens of hours of hack & slash gameplay, too many playable characters to keep track of and plenty of real estate to romp around in. An acquired taste for sure – but hell, sometimes that sort of consistency can be a good thing.

Gallery: Dark Souls (Featuring the Scariest Sewer Rat In Gaming)

Posted on February 3, 2011 by geelw

Although I've known this since the days of King's Field and the first Armored Core on the original PlayStation, FromSoftware is quite the powerhouse studio, developing a wide variety of games across many different genres for nearly every major game console since 1994. The upcoming hardcore Action/RPG Dark Souls is looking to be their best work to date, as you'll see in this stunning collection of production art and screen shots. After poring over these screens and art for a few hours, I'd bet real money that Namco Bandai pretty much has an instant Game of the Year contender that's probably going to crush the souls of some players expecting every game to come with a gentle learning curve as standard issue. If Demon's Souls was any indication, I'm betting the new game will be even more unforgiving.

Anarchy Reigns Character Profiles: Zero & Sasha

Posted on February 2, 2011 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/X3c2at0WPDg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

POW! PlatinumGames is pretty much making an instant smash with their upcoming online multiplayer fighter for Sega and these two character profiles show off the highly stylized brawlers and a lot of gorgeous animation in a few brief seconds of in-progress gameplay. I still very much want an offline single player story mode, but we'll see what happens as the game progresses. If there's a company that follows its own drummer, it's Platinum, so I'm not holding out hope for a solo mode…

Dark Souls Trailer is 3:05 Of "I Want This… NOW" Brilliance

Posted on February 2, 2011 by geelw

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/lc8fsve6u8M?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0

Man, this year is totally NUTS (nuts, I say!) in terms of killer games releases. Between Dark Souls, Skyrim, Hunted, the Divnity II remix, all the PSP RPGs from Xseed and other companies and a ton of other stuff in all sorts of genres that I want to play until my eyeballs fall out, I’m not only going to need a damn time machine, but an army of clones and a bunch of HDTV’s and game consoles here. Anyone want to lend me a few million dollars? I’ll pay you back, eventually…

Namco Bandai To Publish Dark Souls, Armored Core V (The Plot Thickens…)

Posted on February 2, 2011 by geelw

“FromSoftware has an excellent pedigree of producing remarkable fan-favorite games that have made a huge impact and invigorated their respective categories,” said Kenji Hisatsune president and CEO, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “The two upcoming games will exemplify this heritage while yet again introducing exciting new ways for gamers to experience these genres.”

“Combining the development power of FromSoftware with NAMCO BANDAI Games’ global publishing expertise will greatly benefit our upcoming projects,” said Eiichi Nakajima, studio head, FromSoftware, Inc. “We look forward to a successful partnership and delivering new revolutionary titles for gamers around the world.”

In the words of the great philosophers: Oh hell, yes.