WipEout 2048 Launch Trailer: Yet Another Great Reason To Grab A Vita…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by geelw

The one constant for every Sony system: A great WipEout game. 2048 looks to continue the trend, this time as a prequel to the long-running franchise that also shows off how powerful the Vita is and as a first-gen title, it’s a total knockout (long load times aside). Provided Sony gets all the support from its dedicated console base PLUS a fair shake form the pure tech dopes who think a dedicated gaming device with standalone games (many available as digital or physical purchases), I think the Vita will be a bigger hit than some skeptics are thinking.

Max Payne 3 Trailer # 2: I’ll Have a Shot Of That…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by geelw

Delay of game aside, the new May 15 launch date also gives me time to recuperate from my birthday a week earlier. Given that I’ll most likely be spending it buried in some new game, I get a few extra days to finish whatever I’m playing before Max makes his appearance. Perhaps Rockstar was thinking of me after all? Well, maybe not, but a guy can hope, right? That new trailer is up on the other blog if you’re curious, George…

Double Fine Adventure Update #1: Tim Goes Platforming, Money Still Rolling In…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by geelw

Well, the game is hugely popular, big name publishers are kicking themselves in the face and butt simultaneously and all sorts of game projects are looking to Kickstarter or other crowd funding sources as all of a sudden people realize that SAYING a genre is dead because you’re too damn lazy to make games and drum up interest for them is a LOT different than allowing developers who KNOW what they’re doing to make the games they want to make in the first place…

Remember kids, just because something is popular (i.e., makes a ton of money automatically year by year), doesn’t mean it’s actually GOOD. Class dis-missed!

Toy Fair 2012: Floppets – Sometimes, Smaller Is Better (And Cooler. And Cheaper)…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by geelw

While the big name usual suspects were strutting their upcoming stuff behind closed doors or in appointment-only booths or events, some of the most fun items I saw were actually scattered all around the show floor. A few of the best things at the show were found in smaller booths that were easy to miss unless you were paying attention or were strolling by as a sample was being handed out. Which is how I stumbled upon Floppets, a new impulse product that’s definitely going to get a lot of notice one word gets out on how cool they are. And once you see them, it’s all about how much you NEED to buy one, and another, and another (and so forth and so on)…

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Syndicate Hands-On Update: A Fresh Perspective That’s Just Right (Again)

Posted on February 16, 2012 by geelw

With the release of Syndicate less than a week away, here’s a quick (and mostly spoiler-free) update on what to expect from Starbreeze Studios’ reboot of the PC classic. I had the chance to play through the game’s first two missions plus a tough co-op map with a few fellow journalist types at the Spotlight EA event last week and as I’ve been saying, the game absolutely nails the feel of the original game in many areas, improving on things by dropping the camera to first person and putting you into the shoes of cyber-enhanced corporate agent, Miles Kilo. Those of you out there still skeptically on your internet forum soapboxes need to step down and pick up a controller at some point, as any bit of quality time spent with the game will prove that it’s a winner that improves on many elements the original pioneered.

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The Secret World of Arriyetty: The Borrowers, Miyazaki Style

Posted on February 16, 2012 by geelw

More gorgeous Studio Ghibli goodness? Sure, why not? Thanks to me not paying much attention to Disney’s output for a while (other than keeping a eyebrow raised over John Carter which I really HOPE is good), I completely missed this trailer for the Miyazaki-produced animated film opening tomorrow. It looks mighty impressive from the trailer and I’ll probably catch it once it appears on cable (hey, I’m cheap and don’t go to movies unless I get premiere tickets or it’s something like PROMETHEUS, which demands you see it or else). That said, I’ll always have a bigger attachment to the source material, the great 1952 book by Mary Norton. Go borrow a copy – I think you won’t be disappointed one bit. Just remember to return it at some point or someone will be tearing up floorboards looking for you…

Toy Fair 2012: Mimoco’s Mimomicros Make Memory Managment Much More Managable Monetarily

Posted on February 16, 2012 by geelw

Mimoco’s super-cool line of original, crossover and licensed character MIMOBOT flash drives has always been a favorite of mine, but even with the price of memory dropping and USB 3.0 devices here and on the way, not everyone can afford to collect these supremely stylish USB storage solutions. The company’s MIMOMICRO line (set for a March 2012 launch) takes care of that issue entirely by allowing users to drop their own microSD cards into a custom drive that, at $12.95 makes for an inexpensive, nifty conversation piece. My favorite model from Toy Fair was The Millennium Falcon MIMOMICRO from the company’s Star Wars line. There will also be five other characters to choose from (C-3PO, Chewbacca, Darth Vader and Yoda), plus a trio of DC Comics MIMOMICRO drives that Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman fans will absolutely want to snap up.

If money is no object, well, you’re in luck, as Mimoco also has some sweet new MIMOBOT drives on the way, including an Albert Einstein drive that’s pretty cool and funny (kind of like the professor was, from what I’ve read about him), a bunch of original characters and more licensed drives than you can shake a memory stick at.

Alrighty then, I’ve done my part here- now, go click on one of those links above before I come up with more awful puns or another terrible title that uses the same letter to start off each word.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Coming In WInter 2012 (Video Blowout Proof Below)

Posted on February 16, 2012 by geelw

Namco Bandai really, REALLY wants to show off Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch so much that they released not one, not two, not three, but FOUR excellent gameplay trailers and a ton of screenshots for the upcoming Level-5/Studio Ghibli PS3 exclusive. Even better, we’re getting both English and Japanese voice-overs so there won’t be any Majin & The Forsaken Kingdom style ear-scorching voice work. OK, I actually liked most of the voices in that game, but not having the option to hear the Japanese dub was a bit of a pain to a lot of reviewers and gamers. While I’m doing the happy dance about this great looking game (that’s sure to be an instant classic, by the way), I do wish that the Nintendo DS was still seen (or more precisely, would still be seen by Nintendo) as a viable platform, as there’s also a Ni no Kuni DS game that NEEDS to be published by someone and promoted as one of the last (and best) games on the platform.Any news on that, NamBan?

Two more gameplay clips below the jump…

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Jak & Daxter Collection Behind The Scenes Shows There’s Defintely A Storm In Every Port…

Posted on February 16, 2012 by geelw

Some folks out there think it’s “easy” to get an HD version of an older console game out, but it’s far, far from just porting the graphics and adding a shiny layer of high def texture maps and too much depth of field. Especially when the games you’re looking at giving the glossy graphics treatment broke all the rules on the console they were created for. If you were wondering why it’s taken so long for Sony to get the Jak games onto the PS3, this video will give you a good idea of just how well Naughty Dog did their job with the original games. Mass Media has their work cut out for them, but it seems that they’re going to be knocking this collection out of the park and making a LOT of fans happy (like yours truly)…

DAF Branch Office Report…

Posted on February 15, 2012 by geelw

Yes, I’ll get to posting some more Toy Fair 2012 impressions later today and the rest of the week. I met some really cool folks there and saw some really super stuff, however.. I’m about to keel over from not enough sleep. Anyway, here’s a quickie MS Paint tree sketch while you’re waiting. Stare at it and maybe it will grow a bit while you’re waiting. If it DOES grow, you just let me know, OK? I’ll be the one sleeping like a log over in the corner. If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one there to hear it, it’ll probably snore loudly… Zzzzzzzzz…