Dark Souls II PC Screens: Prepare To BUY Is More Like It, Folks…

Posted on March 7, 2014 by geelw

Yeah, yeah, the modders will have their fun with the game once the PC version drops and they hack in some more “realistic” visuals for those who want them, but I love FromSoftware’s original vision for this soon to be released sequel. PC owners also get some nice content bonuses for pre-ordering (this version of the game ships out on April 25, a month and two weeks after the console versions (eek!), so there’s still time to grab this from a few online and retail locations). Click away below the jump for some press release action with the gory details. I’m backlogged in posting today and actually got in some books I need to read and review, so I’m kind of swamped…

Continue reading →

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For Trailer: Miller & Rodriguez, Partners In Crime…

Posted on March 6, 2014 by geelw

(thanks, JoBlo Movie Trailers)

Oh, yeah. I loved Sin City, so this trailer for the follow up made me grin a wee bit too much. This is good even though it took so long for this to get made that some of the principals who were in the previous film look a little long in the tooth even with a bunch of prosthetic makeup and fine fancy lighting doing their thing so well. Still, it’s all good because Miller and Rodriguez are doing it up as it should be done and all is right in the world (well, in that weird way things roll in Sin City). Anyway, August 22 is when this one’s let loose like a pack of starving dogs, so make sure you’re in its path and welcoming that first bite…

Harlan Ellison’s City on the Edge of Forever Finally Comics-Bound!

Posted on March 6, 2014 by geelw

YES. I’m SO pleased at this news that I’m too busy doing mental back flips and stuff to type out a boring descriptive post about the plot and whatnot, so you get to read a boring descriptive press release instead. Woo. Yeah, I’ll be grabbing this five-issue series for sure. Or should I hold out for the inevitable collected edition? Ah, whatever – we’ll see. Isn’t that cover awesome, by the way? Meanwhile, just for fun here’s an old Harlan Ellison’s Watching video for you on the implosion of the trading card collector’s market:

As to that Trek comic? Here, go read all about it below the jump… Continue reading →

Transformers: Age of Extinction Trailer: Bay of Picks of the Litter? We’ll See…

Posted on March 5, 2014 by geelw

While I’ve seen the three previous films and way too many of the cartoons to count, I’m not a huge fan of the Transformers movies and their CG overkill, nor do I revere those old animated series as some sort of overall canonical tome that cannot be tampered with. That said, it looks as if this one’s going to be more “serious” than previous installments,, but then again you can’t tell by a two and a half minute plus trailer how the quality of the final flick will be. Mr. Bay seems to have spent that studio money up but good here and based on the usual polarized response this teaser has gotten, I’d say this will make a Megatron full of money (ah ha ha… Hey, pure corn is my specialty, folks!). Then again, if this is the last of the series (and to quote the late Godfather of Soul, James Brown: “Please, Please, Please!”*), it’s certainly going out with a bang. We’ll see on June 27th what’s what, I suppose. Check that: YOU’LL see before I will, as I’ve sat out the last two films until they popped up on cable.

*Yeah, I do KNOW that classic song is about JB wanting someone to NOT leave him, but for this franchise, that cape has come out too many times and it’s done every encore it can think of…

LUFTRAUSERS: Old School Looks Meets Bullet Hell. Everybody Wins…

Posted on March 5, 2014 by geelw

Well, well, well. I’d not heard of this snappy little arcade indie game until earlier today, but as soon as I saw that teaser above, I had a nice flashback to the days of dropping too many quarters into a bunch of cabinets in a few too many places week after week. From watching this craziness once, I got a nice blend of Toaplan’s ancient classic Fire Mustang, a few Cave shooters galore, bits of Asteroids, Galaga and so forth and so on now rolling around in my head. I think I need to review this now. PlayStation 3, PS Vita, PC, Mac, and Linux users will all be grinning like maniacal monkeys with twitchy hands soon, as the game has a March 18 release date. Vlambeer’s got another sneaky little hit on their hands here and I’d expect it will hit all the right notes with shump fans looking for a highly customizable and crazy, challenging ride… Continue reading →

Akiba’s Trip 2: Undead & Undressed PS3, Vita Bound This Summer (THANKS, Xseed!)

Posted on March 5, 2014 by geelw

Well, now… this is cool news. I’d been meaning to check out one of the imports when I got the chance, but now I don’t need to thanks to Xseed Games (again!). They’re releasing the second game, AKIBA’S TRIP 2 in North America as AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed, on the PlayStation 3 em and PlayStation Vita in summer 2014. The game is an adventure game/action RPG that pits you up against modern day vampiric creatures called “Synthisters” in a extremely well-rendered digital version of Tokyo’s world-famous electronics district, Akihabara where beating their clothes off and exposing them to sunlight is the only means of destroying them.

Yeah, it’s VERY strange in that manner some of the more offbeat Japanese games can be, so hats off to Xseed for grabbing this for localization. Funny, it actually took me until a few minutes ago to see that the title is a fun play on words, as “Akiba” is the abbreviation for Akihabara and “Strip” is just what you’ll be doing to those vampires in the game. Ha! Well, this one also goes on the radar for a look-see later on when more info comes out – stay tuned…

SOMA Update: Theta of the Absurd, Getting Creepier By The Second…

Posted on March 5, 2014 by geelw

Okay, my pun-like reflexes are a bit sad and lonely today, but that’s what happens when you just finish hanging a bunch of laundry and haven’t had that second cup of joe yet. Anyway, Frictional Games’ upcoming PS4 and PC exclusive, SOMA is looking quite nice in this latest clip and while the game won’t be done for a while, it’s looking like one to watch as it progresses. I still want Frictional to give the world a FIEND update, as that scary little top-down horror gem deserves a nice modern update at some point. Although, not that I think about it… I’m not sure if I’d prefer a first-person viewpoint, as you could see all those damned deadly holes you could avoid falling to your death into with the bird’s eye view. Eh, we’ll see what happens in the future when we arrive. SOMA’s the game to concentrate on for the moment…

Batman Arkham Knight Reveal Trailer: Rocksteady Is Back With A Killer Finale…

Posted on March 4, 2014 by geelw

Yeah, yeah… it’s JUST a CG trailer and not gameplay, but this year’s E3 will probably feature a bigger reveal of that which everyone wants to see. Only two things bugged me about this otherwise drool-worthy teaser. One: A voice mail message from Thomas Wayne? Hmmm… TOO convenient and somewhat corny in a way, but I’ll forgive the team if they twist that up into a villain being behind that ruse or something like that. Two: Catwoman. Where is she? I think she NEEDS her own game to play around in just to wash the residue of that gawdawful Halle Berry flick and even worse video game from about a decade ago or so. I still cringe when I think of how lousy both were (sorry, Halle!).

Anyway, I do hope we see Cats in her own game at some point, as she could be a more empowering character (and not a cara-cat-ure, ha!) than even Lara Croft is if done right. Other than that, a Batmobile we can drive in this one is fantastic and makes me thing Knight will have a more GTA-like open map to get around in, something the series has been needing since Arkham City. Given that Lego Batman 2 did the open world thing quite well (albeit in a campier manner), Rocksteady is on the right track with what’s looking like a game with even more replay value. Back with more on this biggie soon…

Namco Bandai’s Offices Just Got A Nice New Mascot…

Posted on March 3, 2014 by geelw

Ooooooh. Okay, I want one of these. Well, to more precise, I’d WEAR an actual suit of armor like that it if were in my size. I wonder how much that would cost and how I’d live with one less kidney and lung if I had to pay for the thing. I’d store it right by the door near the coat closet here and ONLY wear it on special days. Like when I’m writing or going shopping. No one messes with a fully armored knight…. well, other than some mean-ass bunny rabbit, King Arthur and his Round Table buddies. “It’s only a flesh wound!” indeed. In the case of this game, there ARE no flesh wounds – your character lives or dies by the sword or any other weapons you’d better get quite good at if you intend to survive. The game’s tagline, PREPARE TO DIE isn’t a joke at all, that’s for sure.

Dark Souls II is out on March 11, 2014.

Game of Thrones Season 3 Recap. A Little Real History to Go With The Fake One…

Posted on March 3, 2014 by geelw

Ah, if only actual politics were as simple as letting loose your dragons on some fool who thought he’d get the better of you or getting all stabby-stabby with enemies you lure into a formerly blissful wedding celebration. Nope, I don’t think we’re headed for World War III anytime soon, but the dicey situation between a few countries these past few months have a nasty parallel to the years 1936-39 if you poke through the history books. Of course, it’s hard to gauge the future based on current actions, but if the past is any indication, a lot of us will be turning to shows like GoT for some time off from real world issues. Let’s also hope that someone shows Mr. Putin some of those history books so he sees that working your way to the top over the bodies of others means the bottom rushes up faster at some point to meet you.