Buy It! The Art of Journey (or, My Psychic Powers Are Working Just Fine, Thank You…)

 

Ha and ha ha. I recall telling some folks from thatgamecompany a while back at a press event that an art book on the making of their groundbreaking PS3 exclusive Journey HAD to be released along with the game on a physical disc at some point and guess what? both are happening. Awesome, especially for those of us who KNOW that this medium NEEDS both a digital and physical means to archive milestones like this particular game.  It’s too bad that the pressure of making the game has broken up the team, but it looks as if everyone had landed elsewhere and at the end of the day, the game is still an incredible experience not to be missed.

Anyway, buy this book if you’re a fan of the game and hell, if you’re not a fan of the game and own a PS3, get the Journey Collector’s Edition when it hits stores and this book so you can see what all the fuss is about. Hmmm… Now I know what I want for Xmas (or a late birthday gift for myself, or an early retirement present, or whatever)…

Incoming Retro Bliss: Sega Genesis Classics Collection Gold Edition (PC)

As I always have way too much going on (being a one-man operation can be a bit of a pain every so often), sometimes I can be a tad forgetful. That. or I end up not getting to everything on my rather long list of games I’d like to dive into for a spell. To wit: I’d forgotten this amazing set of over 40 Sega Genesis games had shipped out to retail a while back (OK, something like March 2011!) until one of my eBay alerts reminded me that I was looking for this. A few clicks later and for a mere $9.90 shipped (brand new/sealed), I’m a happy camper set to re-relive some games I’ve played to death on a few platforms already. Hey, the classics NEVER get old, that’s for sure.

I’ll drop in a review once this arrives and I get in some quality time with the games in this great package. Hmmmm… now, where did I put that PC game pad I haven’t used in ages?

Best Gaming News I’ve Heard Today (So Far): Journey Collector’s Edition Coming To Disc This Year.

OK, you KNOW you’re tired when you keep replacing the posts you just wrote with new ones, then get annoyed that what you spent time working on has gone for good (almost… thank goodness for auto-saves!). One more re-post (this one), and I’m off to bed, grrrr…

Well, well, well. Something I’d begged thatgamecompany to consider doing way back when I first saw Journey at a press event here in NYC and it looks as if a lot of other people have been thinking and wanting the exact same thing. Thanks to a recent tweet that spilled the beans after the CE info for the region-free Asian version showed up on Play-Asia (interestingly enough, the page says the popular online import retailer has pre-sold out of its allocated supply already). I saw something about a week or two ago mentioning the possibility of Journey hitting retail a disc, but it looks as if tgc’s other hits, flOw and Flower will also be included along with other surprises not yet revealed. My money is on a soundtrack (either downloadable or on the Blu-Ray), art gallery and perhaps a making of video, all of which would make the package a must-buy, especially for PS3 owners who don’t or can’t access PSN.

That said… all of that content would indeed be lovely, but if there were demos of other PSN games (that were or are HOPEFULLY also Blu-Ray bound as fair-priced collections) of recent vintage (or those soon to be released… *cough!* Papo & Yo *cough!*), that would be even better. Come on, SCEA – do this up right and make some money while making a LOT of people really happy in the process. More news on this awesomeness as it rolls out. The inevitable trailer should be interesting, that’s for sure…

Journey Launch Trailer: An Instant Classic Not To Be Missed (The Game, Not The Trailer, Silly)…

It’s officially out on the 13th through PSN and yes, I’m urging you to give it a shot even if you’re automatically conditioned against indie games, downloadable games or quirky stuff you think you wouldn’t like based on some bias blocking your thought process and sense of wonder. Trust me when i say you’ll be awed and thrilled once you see what thatgamecompany has crafted. Journey is a game that feels ‘handmade” with its gorgously stylized visuals, simple, compelling gameplay and innovative online mode that actually makes it the safest online game to date (which should be good news to those with kids in the house who are wary about letting them play any online games). Anyway, tgc and Sony need to get this on out on the Vita and on a Blu-Ray so more PS3 owners can play it, but again, that’s all up to them. Personally, I’d spend the time and money on production of a retail version, get the word out on how great it is and see what happens..

Review: Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD

Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Just Add Water

Publisher: Oddworld Inhabitants

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: A

It’s been far too long since an Oddworld game has appeared on a console, but it looks as if the drought is finally over in a huge way. One of the best original Xbox games finally returns and yes, makes an even more spectacular PS3 debut. After playing through Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD, I’m thinking a few of this year’s “Best of 2011” lists will need to be rewritten to add this gem. This outstanding remake features reworked HD visuals, lovely 60 frames per second animation, newly recorded voice acting and even better sound design than the original game. It also holds up incredibly well as a stellar single-player game thanks to a great story with an excellent plot twist or two, some fine and witty dialog and a great Oddworld vibe that’s still fresh today as it was back in 2005. Continue reading

Review: The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

Platform: PS3 (also on Xbox 360, PC)

Developer: Snowblind Studios

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE)

# of Players 1 – 3 (online 1 – 3)

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A-

Attempting to expand upon a revered and well-established canon such as J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth saga is indeed tricky business, particularly in the case of The Lord of the Rings trology. Get it wrong and it’s a trip into the bowels of Mount Doom as some poor development team and publisher face the wrath and ruin of legions of longtime fans. Fortunately, The Lord of The Rings: War in the North delivers an epic (and Mature-rated) tale that ties in nicely with the trilogy as well as an addictive hack & slash that’s challenging and highly replayable. It also marks Snowblind Studios’ first current generation title (finally!) and yes, they’ve done a very solid job here. The visual presentation is grand and fitting, the music is perfect and the familiar gameplay is brutal, simple and about as fun as can be for a game of this type. The game is not without its flaws, however. Some chinks in the armor show up in the form of a a weird sound bug in one area, occasional AI stumbles plus a wee bit too much repetition of quest-related dialog. Nevertheless, this is one journey well worth taking whether or not you’re a fan of the books and films. Continue reading

Review: Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll

Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Omega Force


Publisher: Tecmo Koei


# of Players: 1


ESRB Rating: T (Teen)


Official Site


Score: B+

If you’re a big fan of hack & slash action RPGs and happen to own a PlayStation 3, Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll is going to be right up your alley. Omega Force’s latest is a solid dungeon hack with a few splashes of familiar genre influences (both Eastern and Western) from Diablo to Demon’s Souls. If that puts a grin on your face, you’re all set for many hours of quality monster slaying, loot grabbing and quests galore. The game’s non-linear structure allows for enough freedom that the main plot of a half-elf’s revenge against the evil overlord that killed his family almost takes second place to the sheer amount of rescue/escort missions, fetch quests, arena challenges and other RPG staples. I say almost because while the story does pick up as the game goes on, the simple, yet challenging gameplay is the star when it needs to be. While it isn’t perfect, Omega Force deserves a ton of credit for making such a fun to play experience that’s guaranteed to steal many hours from those players that fall under its spell.

Continue reading

New Killzone 3 Teaser: Sony Brings Out The Big Guns…

Yeah, it’s Age-Gated for some reason (you’ll see MORE violence on a TV commercial for any CSI or cop show), but here you go. 2.22.2011 is the release date and as I’ve been saying, this is truly the year the PS3 comes into play as a powerhouse console with first and third-party titles that will boost even the most jaded gamers off their couches. I can’t wait…

Killzone 3 Story Trailer Shows Guerrilla Means Business…

 
It’s about a month away now and yes, for those that missed the first game and somehow didn’t grasp the overall plot of the second (which didn’t rehash the first game’s story and didn’t really need to, as the opening movie in Killzone 2 more than set the tone for the game), there’s a lot more depth in the storytelling. As this video shows, Guerrilla has swung for the fences and knocked the wall over. Malcolm MacDowell and Ray Winstone’s stellar voice talents add that extra air of necessary evil to their characters, huh? I can’t wait to finally play the final build…