Metal Gear Rising Revengeance Trailers: Platinum Games Leaves Me Speechless (Almost)…

Posted on December 13, 2012 by geelw

Konami in Japan has been posting a bunch of spectacular trailers and game footage from this upcoming Kojima/Platinum collaboration and I’ve just been looking at them and shaking my head at the rather insane amount of talent these guys have. Despite their rather vocal fan base, i don’t think Platinum Games gets true recognition for their work from some pro gaming journalists and that’s too bad. Granted, if you’re a supremely jaded internet know-it-all and just look at their action games as similar to other titles based on first impressions, you’re cheating yourself immensely. Bayonetta and Vanquish have some interesting depth and details you’ll discover only upon multiple replays and it looks like Revengeance will be their most impressive game to date. Of course, getting some hands-on time will be the true barometer of whether or not the final product is a winner, but I’m gathering that given the combined experience of all involved, that won’t really be something to worry much about.

FREE STUFF: GOG.com Plays Santa With Free Duke Nukem 3D For All…

Posted on December 13, 2012 by geelw

Ho, Ho, Ho! Once again, the fine folks at gog.com bust out something awesome and FREE for gamers everywhere this crazy holiday season. This isn’t the normal Duke, mind you, but Duke Nukem: Atomic Edition, which packs in the original game and a megaton of bonus content. In case you’re new to Duke Nukem, it’s the seminal politically incorrect first-person shooter that’s also a master class in game design, outrageous humor and tons of hidden goodies. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll kiss the hours goodbye and even better, you’re not paying a cent. Hell, if that fat man flying around in his sleigh wasn’t busy doing that, he’d be sitting at home in front of his own computer blasting baddies and peeling off digital dollar bills to check out some jingle bells. Just don’t tell Mrs. Claus!

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Pacific Rim Trailer: What It Is and What It’s Not (A Handy Guide)…

Posted on December 12, 2012 by geelw

Let’s see now, based on this rather action-packed UK trailer, Guillermo Del Toro’s PACIFIC RIM is not:

a) A reality show about a custom tire shop in sunny California.
b) Anything resembling a porn film made in sunny California. Or anywhere else, for that matter.
c) For people who don’t like movies with and about giant robots beating the snot out of giant monsters and such.

I think that’s all you need to know for now (there may be a test later)… oh yeah, Earth Defense Force fans are probably happier about this one that your average film fanatic. It’s going to be a really crazy summer next year with all these cool flick hitting theaters, that’s for sure…

Street Fighter X Mega Man Gameplay: Love Means A Keyboard Is Harder To Break Than A Controller, Kids!

Posted on December 12, 2012 by geelw

Man, is this game going to have some gamers used to more casual “play it for me!” stuff jumping up and down on their keyboards HARD and screaming about it all over the internet. Granted, you can indeed use a controller to play this, but remember, throwing it at a monitor a foot away will cause one of two things to occur: you’ll either need a new monitor or new teeth or both should that busted controller bounce back and smack you in the mouth. Sure, you CAN try ducking, but I know you haven’t been exercising much and all that soda and chips in your belly has made you slow. Well, maybe wear a face mask like Vega or something…

The Man of Steel Trailer 2: The Pros & Cons of Being Super, Man…

Posted on December 11, 2012 by geelw

I’ll admit that the first trailer left me a bit cold, but I rather like this new one for a few reasons. Sure, it’s still going for a more emotional Superman (Oh, the humanity! Wait – how does he shave that lumberjack beard he’s got?) and yup, I still don’t like that drained out color palette (the most overused visual style in films these days), but some of the scenes were nicely done and I’ll admit to getting a little shiver when those pebbles started moving around before Supes goes airborne. I’m actually pleased that Michael Shannon is in the flick (as what looks to be a villain of sorts) as he’s got one of those interesting faces that lends itself to all sorts of roles (he’d make a GREAT Mike Hammer if someone got around to doing a film or TV series).

Anyway, with Chris Nolan behind the scenes and hopefully, director Zack Snyder getting over the disaster that was Sucker Punch (I still can’t make heads or tails of it other than as some sort of a hottie showcase reel), this could be a pretty awesome film. DC needs a nice new flick now that the Batman films have run their course, so it’s up to The Man of Steel to be the next big thing (especially with Justice League film rumors popping up). Will it beat the 1977 film as the best take on the character? I’m no psychic, but I think both will be see as classics for their different eras when all is said and done…

Random Art: Another Tree (Done Quickly)…

Posted on December 11, 2012 by geelw

While waiting for a package to show up here, I knocked this new tree out fairly quickly (must be that new A4Tech mouse again) – so much so that I accidentally added a bit of color in all that furious clicking and dragging. Oops.

I went back and put blacks back in so the tree didn’t look so weird, but i left a tiny bit in just because it would have been too much work to get into those tiny areas. I could have just redrawn those parts instead, but I was kind of in a hurry and prefer a bit of spontaneity in these tree sketches. Oh well, enjoy anyway!

The Walking Dead Now Available At Retail (Yes, on a Disc!): Thank You, Telltale Games!

Posted on December 11, 2012 by geelw

Excellent. I’m glad I (as well as the others who couldn’t download this as a per-episode experience) I can FINALLY get to play The Walking Dead, given all the stellar things I’ve heard about the writing and amazing amount of choice available that drive the story in a number of interesting directions. I’m actually surprised that in addition to a standard version (and a great budget price point of $29.99), there’s a super deluxe Gamestop-only version (that’s sold out from what I’ve seen) for about $40 more that packs in The Walking Dead Compendium: One (a thick volume containing 48 issues of the award-winning comic). I still haven’t touched the comic other than the first issue and skimming through a few others, so that Gamestop bundle would indeed be peachy to own. However, it’s already commanding some crazy prices online (one of the stupid perils of exclusives), so I’ll stick with the standard edition and pick up one of those collections in the future. Hell, I have a ton of stuff to read already, so those Walkers can wait a bit longer…

Now, it WOULD have also be very cool to see a Vita version, but hey – I guess we’ll need to see what Telltale plans for the future, as there’s going to be a second “season” of the game coming at some point…

GTA San Andreas: “Introduction” – One of the Best 20 Minute Game Movies You’ll Ever See.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by geelw

Grab a 40 (or some eggnog), pull up a chair and sit down to one of the most impressive bits of storytelling from a ten-year old video game. To some of the less respectful gamers out there Grand Theft Auto San: Andreas may be ancient “by today’s standards” (and it’s now available on PSN and Xbox Live), but Rockstar Studios created a game for the ages (whether you like the M-rated content or not). I know I put maybe 70 or so hours into the game when it was initially released on the PS2… but I still didn’t see the ending. Not for lack of trying, mind you – the memory card with my saves on it went missing and I certainly wasn’t pleased with having to restart the game from the beginning. Not that I would have minded much at all – it’s just that I had a ton of other games to review and I’ve never gotten back into San Andreas after all this time.

Well, it sure looks as if I have the chance now, hmmmm? As for y-o-u, well now, are you going to get THIS game for your favorite player, or will it be another Chia Pet or Clapper this year? C’mon, do the right thing and get this one as a gift for that (over 18, of course) gamer on your list.

D3Publisher of America’s Holiday 2012 Lineup Is Mysteriously Free Of Bugs…

Posted on December 11, 2012 by geelw

Hey D3! Nice family-friendly lineup you’ve got there. One teeny-tiny thing irks me, however. You know, TEASING viewers about Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable (which comes out on February 12, 2013) in your otherwise fine Holiday Gift Guide YouTube video would have been a REALLY cool thing to do. Since you didn’t, I have an idea: cook up another of these videos for that game and post it, oh, I dunno BEFORE the end of this year (or at latest, at the beginning of 2013) just so people KNOW that the game is available as a pre-order from a few places. Look, the Vita is getting the crap kicked out of it by the 3DS and some games journalists who aren’t happy with some of Sony’s decisions. It needs any game that could be a potential hit (and system seller) to get as much notice as possible as early as possible. Sooooo, get ‘er done, I say! Take Two… ACTION!

Got $25K Lying Around? You Can Own EVERY Super Nintendo Game Ever Released in North America.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by geelw

Holy cats. This is one of those things that makes me wish I had a ton of money to toss around like a rapper making it rain in a strip club. Ebay user kaisetsuna has put up an amazing auction that features all 721 Super Nintendo games ever released in the US, Mexico and Canada. 500 pounds of games in assorted conditions, all with boxes (save for the handful of pack-in games that didn’t have them), most with manuals. Even crazier is how the lot was assembled and why he’s getting rid of such an impressive stash. He cobbled together the bulk of the games through multiple purchases, replacing battered boxes and when possible, manuals with better condition ones, cleaning up carts and more all for archiving the games for reference purposes and future emulation…