Tales Of The Abyss Trailers Are Another Fine Reason To Snap Up A 3DS

Yes, even if you’ve played the game previously, Namco Bandai’s upcoming remake looks good enough to make me want to go through it all over again. Given that the original can be pricey once you track it down, it’s nice to see the 3DS getting more quality titles fans want to see appear on the handheld whether they use the 3D effect to its fullest or not.

Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Classics Trailer (It’s Art, Alright)

A pair of classics that always get mentioned whenever the subject of games as art pops up, this HD remastering of the two Team Ico titles will please longtime fans of the originals as well as those new to both works. The added bonus of (optional) 3D is another excellent addition that enhances the experience and overall, this is looking to be one of the best deals PS3 owners are getting this year. Now, if only there was a demo of The Last Guardian somewhere on the Blu-Ray. That would indeed be pretty spectacular given the huge interest in the still in development game…

Uncharted 3 Collector’s Edtion Unboxing Video

The game isn’t even out yet, but as unboxing videos are all the rage for these more expensive limited editions, here’s what the Collector’s Edition of Drake’s Deception looks as it’s stripped down to its assorted parts. Very nice indeed (and thanks for Sony for posting it on the PlayStation Blog). I’m more of a standard edition guy myself, but I’d not turn down one of these if it happened to drop on my doorstep.

Sony @GamesCom 2011 (Parts 1 & 2)

Yes, I know PAX is right around the corner (I’m not there this year) and I’m STILL writing stuff about Gamescom? Hey, I’m buried in Deus Ex: HR at the moment, so you get to watch a couple of really nice videos from Sony’s press conference last week until I post my review and free up some time. By the way, so far, it’s a spectacular game…

Bangai-O HD Missile Fury Gameplay Trailers: A Double Shot Of Treasure Madness

Part bullet-hell shooter, part puzzle game and ALL Treasure 2D bliss (presented in stunning HD), D3Publisher’s download-only Xbox Live Arcade game is a total gem that will thrill shooter fans while giving the Bejeweled crowd something to blow their minds. The game manages to mix in a high level of challenge while offering some truly incredible blasting and quite possibly the largest character sprite I’ve ever seen. As you can see from these incredible videos, this one isn’t easy at all. But it’s definitely a bargain and highly recommended (even if it’s not on a disc).


SMT Devil Survivor Overclocked ‘8th Day’ Teaser

Here’s a peek at Atlus’s remastered RPG, headed to the 3Ds now with full voice acting, enhanced higher-definition art and an all new 8th Day section not found in the DS game. North American gamers will be dancing with joy, but UK and European 3DS owners are out of luck, as there are no plans to release this in those territories and as you know, the 3DS is region locked. Perhaps some third-party publisher can do the deed, but I’d gather it’s not going to happen because of the localization issues required for each non-English speaking territory (not inexpensive to do, mind you).

PSP E-1000 Specs: Cheaper, But Still A Hot Ticket For Some…

While the uber-techies are grumping over this new model's lack of certain features, personally, I think the E-1000 is a pretty great entry level handheld for new users looking to get into the PSP and its rather huge games library. I still have my original 1000, 1001 and Slim 3000 models here at the home office, so I'm not sure I'll import this one yet.

Import as in there's been no North American release announced, which in my opinion, is a bit strange. Is SCEA afraid that the system will be blasted on message boards for being “cheap” and lacking features found on past and current models or are they implying (or is it inferring) that European gamers aren't all that sophisticated and this budget model will find a niche amongst those who don't have high-speed connections and want to get some handheld gaming in. I can see a modestly to moderately successful market for the E-1000 here provided it's packed in with a few PSP Greatest Hits (or a compilation UMD with assorted PSN titles and minis), but we'll see what SCEA decides down the road.

Specs below the jump, by the way…Read more »

Gallery: TES V: Skyrim Character Portraits

Want to see which races you can play as in Bethesda’s upcoming time-eating epic RPG? Here are a few possible combinations (out of millions or variations) thanks to the excellent character editor. As longtime Elder Scrolls fans know, a good chunk of the fun at the beginning of a new adventure is choosing just who you want to play as. I’m thinking about ditching my usual first play-through choice of an Argonian battlemage who dips into archery from time to time, especially given the more flexible skills system Skyrim offers. Decisions, decisions…



White Knight Chronicles II Goes Gold, Gets Pre-Order Goodies

OK, I’m a few days late with this news (oops), but hey, that backlog pile was a pain to dig out from under. D3Publisher of America has sent WKC II off to the presses and has announced a cool-looking armor set will be made available as a pre-order bonus (via DLC, of course) through participating GameStop retail locations or through the GS website. Don’t ask me about what the armor does other than look nice and showy, but I’m gathering that once you hop online with it, you can expect a few compliments from live party members if they didn’t score the bonus gear. WKC II is set to land in stores on September 13, 2011 (and remember, you get the remastered version of the first game FREE on the disc!).

Renegade Ops Upgrades Trailer (Someone Get This On A Disc!)

Remember when games like this used to come out left and right back in the day on cartridges and later, CD’s? Sega and Avalanche Studios are going to drop a super-cool bomb of non-stop vehicle-based blasting on your heads this fall. I still think that all these publishers NEED to start compiling PSN and XBLA games onto discs and getting them into mass retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target and Best Buy, as there are plenty of sales to be made to those who don’t have online console accounts or still use dial-up connections. Remember publishers – those folks STILL have some disposable income and might want to spend a few bucks on some of your games. Shutting them out is always a bad idea. Why not buck the trend, shock the hell out of those annoying analysts and make a bunch of people happy in the process?