Earth Defense 3 Portable Update: THIS Winter, Not Next For Bug Blasting “B” Movie Fans

Posted on October 25, 2012 by geelw

As I figured, D3Publisher wasn’t going to wait TOO long to get this fantastic enhanced version of the former Xbox 360 exclusive localized and out for Vita owners starving for content, so here you go – EDF 2017 Portable is coming out sometime this winter, not NEXT winter as has been reported on some web sites. That initial confusion came about in the first press release that noted a “Winter 2013” release, which in turn had some editors thinking this meant late next year (as in around the holidays). As you can see on the left, it looks as if this will indeed get a retail as well as digital release (a really good thing for those who want both options).

Anyway, a small set of screens to ogle is below – that’s Pale Wing on the cover and to the right, making her return to the series in fine form after her debut in Chikyuu Boueigun 2. I’m playing the import now and having a complete blast with it (a review is incoming), but I’ll absolutely be replaying this in English when it hits retail and PSN … er, sometime between when winter starts and spring begins. OK, D3 will absolutely be a bit more concrete on the EXACT date shortly, folks – but isn’t it great to know you don’t have to wait over a YEAR to play one of the best (and absolutely most feature-packed) Vita games to date? The new four-player online co-op and versus modes should add some additional oomph for those who want to play with friends and I’d expect this will do quite well once Vita owners see how much chaos Sony’s handheld can handle. Sandlot has rebalanced the weapons a bit so multiplayer sessions aren’t overbalanced in favor of four people blowing everything up too easily, but for solo players who want one of the most hardcore game experiences they’ll play in terms of challenge, Inferno Mode will test your skills to the utmost. Trust me, it’s HARD as hell when death is coming from all sides!

That’s it for now on the EDF front lines – I need to get back to farming up some armor and trying to get more weapons, as Inferno mode is kicking me around the room. Those seven new levels and some of the enemies (gold ants and two-toned spiders in particular) are pretty mean bugs that take a bit of effort to squash in you’re not prepared enough.

Nintendo “Sizzle” Reel Time: High Steaks on the Video Game Grill…

Posted on October 25, 2012 by geelw

Nintendo really wants you to know it’s that time of year again (no, not that time… THAT time – holiday shopping season), so here’s a little reminder that they want you to think about the 3DS if you haven’t already. That and hey look – their eShop is up and running nicely, they have a new console on the way they want you to buy (you may have heard of it) and yeah, if you’re a gamer (and Nintendo fan), all is pretty much right as rain these days. Or something like that – there’s a ton of stuff coming out, that’s for sure.

Lost Planet 3 NYCC Panel: Watch and Learn (Once Again!)

Posted on October 24, 2012 by geelw

Spark Unlimited is really pulling out the stops to make Lost Planet 3 the best game they’ve done to date. This prequel has been getting some way out of place hatred from some who aren’t yet hip to the fact that the game doesn’t replace the LP they know with something new and different at all – it just sets up the world and events the other games will jump off from. Anyway, take a gander at this presentation from New York Comic Con which covers a few fun development facts including the great motion capture work that’s going into the final product. From the brief demo I played a few months back, it’s looking like the single player story will have memorable characters and plenty of exposition that could make this the most interesting game in the series for those who love a tale told well. The action’s not bad, either.

Defiance Hands-On: Welcome to the Resistance – It’s Going To Be Really Awesome

Posted on October 19, 2012 by geelw

I may have been initially skeptical about Defiance based on mistakenly hearing it was going to be a licensed game (in fact, it’s a tie in set at the same time as the upcoming show), but I knew that if Trion Worlds was involved in it, it would be a game worth playing. After ogling movies and screens on and off these past few months, I finally got some hands-on time with the upcoming third-person Action MMO and yes indeed, it’s absolutely amazing. If the demo I and everyone else I saw walking away from with big grins on their faces is any indication, Defiance will indeed be a genre pushing game changer upon its April 2013 launch on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Continue reading →

CARRIE: Hmmm… Well, It Better Be REALLY Good Is All I’ll Say…

Posted on October 16, 2012 by geelw

The original Brian De Palma film is a true 70’s horror classic, but I guess everything gets a remake at some point. Hopefully this will be a LOT better than the truly terrible remake of De Palma’s SISTERS that keeps popping up on cable these days. That waste of time and talent made me want my almost two hours back plus tax. The good news for this one is the casting of the two leads. Julianne Moore is great in anything and young Chloe Grace Moretz is one of those stars who’s made a name for herself in a few cool flicks, so we shall see. That said, there’s something near perfect about the original that’s a grabber right from the start. OK, so the ending sequence is a bit lame (and like a bunch of De Palma’s horror films, the ending is a bit of a fake scare that works until you see too many of his films and know you’re getting suckered into one final fright), but overall, it still holds up for my money. Hopefully fear fans who’ve never seen it will do the right thing and track it down before this remake hits theaters in Spring 2013…

Lost Planet 3 Extended Gameplay (Now With Developer Commentary!)

Posted on October 13, 2012 by geelw

It’s probably a wee bit too late to change the name of this game, but perhaps Capcom should consider it because too many people out there seem to think the game erases everything that occurred in LP and LP2 when in fact, this is a PREQUEL that sets up events to come. Anyway, I’ll keep championing this game until it’s launched and beyond because from what I played, it’s Spark Unlimited at their best and it deserves a LOT more respect. Of course, some out there won’t be convinced, but I think the demo being at NYCC this year will convince some skeptics that the game is indeed quite amazing where it needs to be.

Max Team’s Monster World RPG: Taking A Sega Classic To The Next Level

Posted on October 12, 2012 by geelw

While I do play a LOT of fan-made games paying homage to classics of the 8 and 16-bit eras, Max Team’s Monster World RPG project is one of the better works in progress I’ve seen to date. Initially released as a simple RPG Maker 2003 passion project back in 2005, the game has since been reworked into a much more polished game worthy of being put onto a Sega Genesis cartridge. Even though it’s far from the flashiest game made with the ancient game creation software, the dedication to replicating the specific look of the MW games while turning it into a turn-based RPG with an active time battle system out of the Final Fantasy games is on point and the nostalgic vibe works perfectly. The two hard working guys behind this free RPG, Massimo and Fernando, met up about a year after Massimo completed the first version of the game and needed help in expanding the game further. Continue reading →

EA’s Going To Surprise A Few Folks (Me Included)…

Posted on October 11, 2012 by geelw

Most of the games I saw and played yesterday are under embargo for a few days or up to next month, so I can’t spill all the beans yet, but let’s just say some of you naysayers are going to be eating a load of crow when it comes to certain titles in their lineup. I’ll start rolling out previews for each title as their embargoes lift, but while you’re waiting, I’ll keep you posted on stuff I can write about over the next few days on the mobile and console front. OK, I’m off to bed for two hours, as I have a LOT to do and need to hop up and get an earlier start than usual…

DmC Preorder Madness: Choose Your Poison (They All Look Tasty)…

Posted on October 8, 2012 by geelw

I’m not a fan at all of the current crazy situation where every major retailer gets SEPARATE pre-order bonuses, no matter how good a game is. I happen to love games where everything is in the package or those where I know I can scoop up every last bit of content in a Game of the Year or other reissue. I know a lot of other gamers who hate this tactic as well, but it seems to be here to stay.

And don’t go hating ONLY on Capcom for this, kids – you can toss a dead cat and hit games from nearly every major publisher that do this sort of thing. That said, from what I’ve played, at least DmC is going to be one of those games that no matter how you buy it, will keep you busy through multiple replays. Continue reading →

Gallery: Valhalla Knights 3 (PS Vita) – Could This RPG Sequel Be The Best Of The Series?

Posted on October 7, 2012 by geelw

I really thought this RPG series was gone for good after the flawed open world Eldar Saga on the Wii, but it looks as if Marvelous AQL is giving it a new go on the Vita with Valhalla Knights 3… in Japan at least. If you can read Japanese, definitely check out the official site for info on the game, which is still a work in progress, but expected to be released sometime in 2013. These screens look fine to me, showing off decent draw distance and some generic, but otherwise nice looking fantasy characters and environments.

My bet is if it’s good and what looking like a multiplayer component for up to six (or is that seven ?) players runs smoothly, we could see it hit North America at some point. Granted, that all revolves on the game being marketable here, as some gamers only have long memories when it comes to bad reviews. I’ve liked many aspects of the Valhalla Knights games so far, but hope AQL can pull it together with 3 and make something that feels complete in every area. If they do, I’s gather Xseed will be the ones to tackle the localization and publishing chores, as they’ve handled the other titles that have arrived in the US. More updates to come…