Get Bugged For A Lower Price: EDF 2017 Portable Now $29.99 Until 4/2

EDF 2017 Portable_6Of course, that’s a limited time deal, ladies and gents. January’s #1 selling Vita game can now be yours (and a few friends of yours,of course) for ten bucks cheaper until April 2, 2013. Given that Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable packs the possibility of well over 50 hours of play (and then some) into that PSN download, it’s still a bargain at its non-sale price. Of course, I’m COMPLETELY biased in saying you NEED to buy this game, what with me being a fan of hard working Japanese developer Sandlot and their games. Then again, I’m gathering you’d want someone who knows what they’re talking about to recommend something like this to you, right?

God of War: Ascension Collector’s Edition: “What’s In The Box?” (Or: Another Lesson In Excess)…

 

Hmmm… Allow me to get into trouble (again) as I break this down for you and possibly help Sony and other game companies save some money in the future (hopefully).  While these Collector’s Editions are indeed really cool, they also present a telling case against themselves (as well as make people like me wish for the older, wiser days). For example, sure, it’s fine and dandy to get a demo of the eagerly anticipated The Last of Us as well as additional God of War content, but why not stick those onto a separate DISC and put it in the box as opposed to creating paper vouchers that end up getting tossed or lost? This way, gamers without PSN access could play the demo and access that bonus content which wouldn’t be initially available to those with the standard edition. That soundtrack CD is a good idea, but it’s too bad games aren’t using Redbook audio these days, as it would have been super to just hear the soundtrack alone by accessing it off the game disc (just like the “old days”)… Continue reading

BEYOND: Two Souls – Willem Dafoe Reveal/Interview: Quantic Dream Goes For A Class Act(or)

David Cage is certainly getting Quantic Dream’s upcoming PS3 exclusive BEYOND: Two Souls some big talent. In addition to Ellen Page starring in the game, Willem Dafoe has joined the cast and as you’ll see here, the dev team has captured his look and performance perfectly. Even more amazing is how they aged Page DOWN to look like a little girl here (and look!, She’s the exact same height as she is now, har har). Anyway, this one has been on my radar since it was announced last year and every bit of footage is pushing it up on my must play list. Now, I’m wondering who else is going to make an appearance in the game. If Cage gets Charlotte Gainsboug in here, I may run out of air from screaming, as she and Dafoe were quite freaky and frightening together in Lars von Trier’s Antichrist (one of the more disturbing but amazingly shot “horror” films you’ll see)…

Retro City Rampage on PC and WiiWare Is Full of Surprises (Well, One More Awesome Surprise)…

Not content with a simple port of an already hilarious game, creator Brian Provinciano decided to take it to the next level (or more precisely, back to the roots) by cooking up an “8-bit” version of the game for the WiiWare and PC releases (out now!). Even if you’re terminally rusty at games, if you’ve a brain with a dusty old file cabinet filled with memories of 80’s and 90’s pop culture references, Retro City Rampage is fun and funny enough to get you cracking up within a few seconds of playing it. Anyway, some neck exercises for you to practice, as you look a bit tired and you don’t want to have to pay for that Lifestyle Lift (at least for a few MORE years,right?): Look up and click! Look down and click! Repeat as required until you figure out you need a Wii or PC to get the game (or a PS3, Vita or Xbox 360)…

Tomb Raider “Reborn” Trailer: Everyone’s Got Girl Power, It Seems…

 

It looks as if Square Enix and veteran developer Crystal Dynamics have hit a big home run here in this reboot of the franchise and this new video is probably the best bit of PR to come out of this. Watching it is a bit tough, but you’ll want to rescue a tree full of kittens or kick a burning bus down the street into a fire hydrant right afterwards I bet. Just don’t tell the cops that I told you you SHOULD do this. I have enough trouble with people jumping in lakes and flying kites on my say-so. Just go buy the game instead if you have a PS3 or Xbox 360…

Retro City Rampage WiiWare Trailer: Old School Shows New School How it’s Done (Again)…

 

Vblank Entertainment’s laugh ’til you drop almost all-out action hybrid game, Retro City Rampage is finally Nintendo bound and it’s about time. Fans of the company’s classic NES console will be getting all misty-eyed and confusing this with all of the games it merrily references while their kids will be wondering why Mommy or Daddy is hogging the controller and locking them in their room. It’s not like they don’t make enough money to buy their own Wii or Wii U, right? Ah well – kids, just be extra nice to Mom and Dad – they’ve just never forgiven Grandma for tossing their games in the trash when they went off to college, that’s all. Anyway, get this on WiiWare tomorrow and get ready to play until you drop.

The Last of Us Story Trailers: The World Ends With (or Without) You…

 

TLOS_standard coverTo some folks out there, Naughty Dog’s upcoming PS3 exclusive begs the question “Do we really need a new console?” To which Sony, industry analysts and plenty of other folks will say “well, mmmmaayyyybe…” While they’re spinning and scratching like an old LP being tickled by an epileptic DJ, I say sure, why not. Now to go rob a bank so I can pre-order one before the mad early adopter crush of crazed “gotta have it yesterday!” superfans and “Ooh, Im’a make a fortune on eBay” losers grab every available system for three months. As to the game proper (which arrives on June 14, 2013), it does look mighty spectacular for this late in the PS3’s lifespan, but you’re looking at work from one of Sony’s not-so secret weapon first-party studios…

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Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes Set To “Rescue” Wii U This Spring…

LB2 WiiU 2D 0a Not that Nintendo’s recently released system “needs” rescuing (nope, not at all, folks – it just needs a few less paid industry skeptics and doomsayers, many of which are or seem to be people who’ve yet to touch a controller). Anyway, TT Games’ best work to date was last years super-smash of epic proportions and it’s finally headed to the Wii U with the same stellar visuals and tight, fun (and funny) family-friendly gameplay intact.

I want this for the GamePad playability and the chance to show it off to folks who haven’t seen it yet on the console as a potential system seller. Given the success of the other versions, this one seems to be a total no-brainer purchase for any Wii U owner looking for a fun (and lengthy) chunk of high quality (and laugh-packed) action with style to spare. I’ll run a gallery if for you guys and gals to ogle if and when WB shoots me over some screens…

Capcom Arcade Cabinet Livestream: It’s Like Friday Night Again (With Much Cooler Friends)…

 

Hey, now – don’t get (too) offended there. Some people had cool friends back in the day, some didn’t. I had both cool and uncool buddies, so I can speak for each side of that particularly pesky coin. That said, Capcom Arcade Cabinet is out now and if those first three titles are any indication, this series will indeed be quite a winner. 1943, Avengers and Black Tiger are the first trio in a nice collection of games headed to PSN and Xbox Live Arcade (and sooner than you think). I’m hoping this lot gets onto the Vita and Wii U, as those remastered visuals are screaming for some portable and GamePad love. Or even better for those who don’t use download services, if this eventually makes it out on a disc at some point. More served means millions served, I always say…

NEW Driftmoon Trailer: It’s All Done (The Game and Trailer, That Is), So Go Buy It, Already!

 

As in noted last week (I think – this month is a TOTAL blur!), Ville and Anne Mönkkönen indie adventure/RPG Driftmoon has been getting some final tweaking and as you can see in the new trailer above, it’s tight as a drum and all set to brighten up your hard drive. The game is fresh, funny and near perfect, now has a nifty modern camera angle adjustor 2.0 added (er, in English, the Pg Up/Pg Dn keys tilt the viewpoint), a gentle kick in the lighting’s pants by accident has boosted it a bit more and yes, the game is easy on the eyes, to boot. Did I mention the level editor? No? Oh, I did last week? Well, I’m glad someone is actually reading this site! Either that, or I’m having a conversation with myself (shhh!).

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