Muramasa Rebirth: The Vita’s Big, Fat Bundle of Joy This Week…

Posted on June 25, 2013 by geelw

Hey, it’s out already? Crap. I had NO idea! Oh well. Not like Aksys’ PR ever sends me any review codes anyway (*whine*). Actually, I don’t even mind supporting them and Vanillaware, as this game on the Wii was really fun and the Vita version has some cool exclusive features. OK, another one for the “to do” list. Gah, I really, REALLY need a time machine. Or a game-playing monkey with a much thicker wallet who can also build shelving in its spare time. Hey, I have to put all those games somewhere, right?

Bat Tuesday Leaves Me Stuffed Full of Nostalgia…

Posted on June 25, 2013 by geelw

So, yeah – that’s the 1966 version of the Batmobile in that picture (well, a tire from the 1966 version of the Batmobile). I’ll post a bigger gallery later or tomorrow after my CE Week exploits, part deux. Mezco Toyz rolled out this awesome treat infront of then partially inside the Ripley’s Believe or Not! er, Museum? as they also rolled out an awesome new Mez-itz set featuring a vinyl version of the classic ride along with The Dynamic Duo (that would be Batman and Robin) that’s due for launch in July (go pre-order one NOW or the even cooler Summer Exclusive Mez-itz Bundle!)

I wanted to snap about a hundred more pics of this George Barris-engineered wonder, but there were SO many people on 42nd Street that started gathering that I had to get in the 30 or so shots I took pretty quickly and (DUH!), I actually didn’t take any movies of the car outside thanks to my surprise at it being rolled out of a trailer about 25 or so feet from the museum. Uh-Oh! Would I get at least close enough to that Batmobile so it was actual 1:1 scale… or would I end up underneath a few too many shoes and sandals with socks before I reached my destination (damn tourists!)…

Tune in below the jump, dear reader…

(hey, I was going to say “Tune in next week… same Bat time, same Bat channel…”, but some of you would take that TOO literally and NOT come back until next week. I can’t have that, so… look down and click, puh-leease)

Continue reading →

E3 2013: Lost Planet 3 – It’s the Bill and Jim Show! (Or Is it the Bill IS Jim Show?)

Posted on June 24, 2013 by geelw

Well, OK… it’s not really that schizophrenic folks. It’s more like say hello to actor Bill Watterson who plays Jim Payton in Capcom’s upcoming sci-fi/action game set for an August release. It’s pretty cool to see that the man not only looks quite like the character he plays in the game, but he also did the motion capture performance for Jim as well. Oh, and by the way, he’s NOT at all related to the Calvin & Hobbes creator (just thought I’d mention that, as I know at least one person out there who’ll read this and get all “a-ha!” so that’s where he’s been!” about this post…

Gran Turismo 6 Amazon Pre-Order: That Fake Million Bucks Will Get You Really Popular…

Posted on June 24, 2013 by geelw

As far as gimmicks go, this one’s pretty nifty. Pre-ordering a copy Gran Turismo 6 on the PlayStation 3 nets you a cool one million dollars…(YES!) in the game (Oh.) to spend on anything you want (well, provided it’s in the game). While that may seem like a lot of money, I’ll lay a real millionth of that that there will be a few really wicked rides that cost close to that amount, meaning some folks will end up with a bunch of less expensive rides while others will go all out and buy the most expensive two or three and spend the change on buying pricey upgrades in order to blaze past any online competition.

While I prefer MY million real and in small denominations please (ever try and break a hundred buying a slice of pizza when you’re the first customer of the day? Yeah, that’s a pain in the ass), this is a pretty nice bonus that takes up NO shelf space and doesn’t require you to worry about coming home one day to find the dog or cat gnawing on it. On the other hand, if your pet watches you as you game, I bet you’ll wonder why that controller has claw marks all over it and your TV and PS3 somehow keep turning themselves on while you’re not home.

Hmmmm…

E3 2013: Castle of Illusion Trailer: From Genesis to a Remake Full of Revelations…

Posted on June 24, 2013 by geelw

If you’re ancient enough to remember the Sega Genesis version of this classic Disney game, you’re probably pretty pleased to see it back and looking pretty amazing. In a way, it’s too bad this is going to be a digital download only release, as I could see this doing spectacular on a disc with a ton of bonus features, the original game and perhaps (as it’s a Disney property) Capcom’s upcoming DuckTales Remastered just to get people slipping in puddles of drool as they ran to their nearest game shop to pick up their copies. I know I’d run over a pack of old ladies with puppies if they were in my way. OK, I’d more likely leap over them or run around them than stomp on a few bunions. Those old ladies can be pretty spry and those swinging canes and yapping dogs kind of hurt when swung at one’s head a few too many times…

Review: Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara

Posted on June 23, 2013 by geelw

Platform: PC (also on PSN/XBLA/Nintendo eShop)

Developer: Iron Galaxy Studios/Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

# of Players: 1 – 4

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Get it HERE!

Score: A- (90%)

It’s really too bad developer Iron Galaxy didn’t make its version of Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara compatible with Windows XP simply because I’d bet a dollar that people still using that older OS would get a hell of a lot more of a kick from this pair of classic Capcom arcade hit than a chunk of more current OS users filling up the Steam forums with all sorts of complaints about everything from the visuals not being worthy of the system requirements to the game not working properly on certain systems or supporting any other peripheral except an official Xbox 360 controller. Us non-picky oldsters who prefer XP because 90+ percent of the games we run ARE old news to you big-riggers out there (long live gog.com!) would be all over this game like white on rice (or brown on rice is you’re into that variety) and even though we only make up less than 8% of Steam users (according to Steam), that’s almost a potential 8% more people buying and possibly NOT bitching about the graphics and having to use one controller type that works perfectly as soon as it’s plugged in. But I digress…

Continue reading →

Review: Remember Me

Posted on June 23, 2013 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360/PC (also on PS3)

Developer: Dontnod Entertainment

Publisher: Capcom

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: B+ (85%)

A stylish and thrilling combination of cinematic elements and action featuring a memorable new character, Remember Me is a grand example of the “shut up and play it!” game. You can be on the sort of clueless “Well, my friend says he heard it’s not like so and so…” side of the fence, or you can step right up, slap your money down and enjoy a well made, always entertaining and somewhat innovative thriller that, while borrowing elements from a few sources, ends up feeling original and refreshing on a few fronts. This is a game that, if you’re in the mood for a good story (save for a slight stumble near the finale) delivers on that promise pretty well. While it may not seem sequel-friendly, the overall experience makes you want to see a second game that features a lot more of the richly detailed 2084 Neo-Paris developer Dontnod Entertainment has created.

Continue reading →

E3 2013: Saint’s Row IV Trailer: Bigger Means More What The ****?! For Your Gaming Buck

Posted on June 22, 2013 by geelw

THQ may have gone down in flames last year, but Deep Silver’s acquisition of Volition and their popular Saint’s Row franchise means fans of the increasingly outrageous series have a new game on the way this year that’s even more completely bonkers that the last installment. Don’t take this Hollywood-style trailer too seriously (well, it’s a bit hard to anyway, given the F-Bomb gets dropped twice in it and is seen once onscreen as a character’s nickname), as the open world gameplay, newly super-powered characters and sci-fi elements are only adding to the mayhem the franchise is known for. THAT said, I hope this adding of fantasy elements to the mix means that Volition will FI-NALLY try their hand at making another game in the Summoner series. The first was flawed but interesting and the second was better overall (and had a female lead and some intriguing party members and plot twists), so it would be cool to see something coming on a new console that takes elements from the previous titles and adds a new chapter to things. Hey, that’s what I’d be thinking of as a follow-up, but we’ll probably get a Saint’s Row V instead…

Late Night Game Week (Final Stage!): Wii, U Get 2 C That Jimmy Still Sux!

Posted on June 22, 2013 by geelw

Ha ha. OK, I had to do that horrid spelling job in the header as a little in-joke even I don’t get and yep, it’s another pre-show title to save time because I just KNOW Jimmy’s going to lose it and fail at another game live on TV. Anyway, saving the Wii U for his final post=E3 Game Week show meant this was either going to be a blowout for Nintendo because more people stayed home to watch OR… a bust because they were all out clubbing or whatever the crazy kids do on a Friday night (har har). Anyway, the 20-Ryu Hadouken/cartridge blowing/toothbrush circle bits was dumb and funny (and all those “World Records” they set WILL be broken over the weekend, I bet). That multiple video games “record” bit was stupidly awesome, though. Jimmy “played” six games all at once for twenty seconds and looked as if he was trying to escape from robbing a vintage game shop and ran into an arcade only to be trapped on a Dance Dance Revolution Supernova machine. Or something like that – just watch the video:

See? Now go break THAT record, Mr. or Ms. Guinness…

Continue reading →

In Japan, There’s A Gatchaman Live Action Movie Being Made. Dance.

Posted on June 21, 2013 by geelw

If you’re of a certain age and did not know this yet (meaning ME), you’re probably a bit too grinny after that minute thirty plus and perhaps either one of these two teaser trailers. Well, we’ll see what it does in Japan and more of what will happen in the near future with a home video release down the road, as it sure won’t be dubbed and show up here anytime soon I bet. How do I know? Well, if I run up to some kid or adult on the street all thrilled at this news and yell GATCHAMAAAAAN! at him or her, there’s a 99.4% chance I spend the weekend in the local lockup until this is all straightened out. Yeah, I went there… even though I have no idea where I went or why I went in the first place. That stuff happens when you lose your thinking cap… Am I out of coffee again? I forget…