Pandora’s Tower (YES!) Headed to Wii This Spring (Thanks Again, Xseed!)

Posted on January 19, 2013 by geelw

Holy Cats. I hadn’t expected the last Wii RPG on the list of the final three major ones fans have been clamoring for to ever get the OK for a US localization, but Xseed Games comes through yet again thanks to the successes of Mistwalkers stunning epic, The Last Story as well as Nintendo having a hit with the very well received Monolith game Xenoblade Chronicles in 2012. Anyway, color me thrilled to see one more (and one final) Wii RPG coming out. Gambarion’s gorgeous Pandora’s Tower seems to be the fastest-paced and most action oriented of the three games with time being a factor in terms of what sort of ending players will reach. Granted, this also looks to be a game that bets on players going through it many times to see everything it has to offer (which is absolutely fine with me)…

As good as this news is, I’m hoping we get to see one final Wii game headed stateside. While it’s not a JRPG, the Sandlot-developed all-out action game Zangeki no Reginleiv is BEGGING for a US localization. Yeah, yeah, Nintendo published it in Japan and ignored an English translation so Xseed will need to convince them that the game is indeed worthy of a plane trip west. I say if they poll their fan base and get the proper response, it’s entirely possible that we get one final Wii hit. Unless Sandlot is quietly working on a Wii U update in HD (which would be even better because they can fix a few technical issues the original game has and perhaps add GamePad support so two players can have at it with or without split screen). Anyway, go pre-order PT from GameStop or Amazon (both sites list a March 26, 2013 release date, which is coming sooner than you think) if you’re dancing around the room because of the news.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Wii U, 3DS Bound In March

Posted on January 18, 2013 by geelw

Excellent news and even better, there’s a demo dropping on the eShop on February 21. Of course, you’re SOL if your Wii U isn’t being used online, so let’s hope Capcom cooks up some actual demo DISCS for those gamers who want to try this out. They did this with Monster Hunter 3 on the Wii (which was one of a very few Wii games that actually got a demo disc). Given that this series has gotten a few titles yet to be released in the US, the most dedicated US fans of Capcom’s long-running Monster Hunter franchise who can’t afford to buy all those consoles (or are willing to learn Japanese) are probably some of the most frustrated gamers out there. Granted, the game may be huge in Japan (they’ve gotten custom MH-themed consoles), but it’s still more of a niche title here thanks to the somewhat complex control scheme that’s guaranteed to fluster newbies right out of diving in for extended play sessions.

Me, I love the game world and humor and art direction, but I’m old (*creak*, *groan*)and like my action games a bit less timed and a bit more free roaming. Still, MH3U has that gravity pull thing going for it where once you’re hooked, you’ll keep forging ahead until you get it done. I’d LOVE to see Capcom actually bring Dragon’s Dogma to the Wii U at some point (even though it looks as if that won’t happen) simply because that game had the feel of a Monster Hunter game with a lot more going for it in terms of openness and overall setting. That and outdoor areas aren’t broken up into separate “rooms” with load screens between them…

Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory Trailer: Your Daily Dose of Too Many Anime Sweets…

Posted on January 17, 2013 by geelw

I still haven’t decided to buy this one yet thanks to me not having enough time to dive back into another lovely new JRPG that’s going to eat up too much free time and well, me just being on the outs with the super-kawaii stuff for the time being (don’t worry, my time away from the genre won’t last more than a few months). Of course, watching the trailer made me almost change my mind, so perhaps that was a bad idea (for me and a good thing for NISA’s online shop if I decide to order a copy). And nope, Ni no Kuni doesn’t count as part of this category – that one was a must buy and play from the moment I found out it was getting a US localization…

Dead Space Dev Edition: Swag in the Box Makes Me Jittery (But in a Good Way)…

Posted on January 16, 2013 by geelw

You’d think the dev team at Visceral Games would totally wiped out after working on Dead Space 3 for so long to even think getting together to cram a bunch of cool stuff into an awesome collector’s edition,but here you go. From what I played last year, the co-op is pretty impressive and innovative (trust me, it’s a total mind f#@k when one player is seeing stuff the other isn’t and is freaking out while you’re not) and overall, it looks as if Visceral has gone and done it once again. I;m in this for the solo play, but if you were worried about the co-op being shoved in to appease EA or whatever, feel free to kick yourself gently, as it works (and yup, the game is still scary when it needs to be). As for what’s in that big ol’ box? Go on ahead and watch the video. I’m just wanting the game itself (PS3 version, as my 360’s are dead) but my oh my, that bonus stuff just may tempt me back over to the dark side. I just need to find the shelf space (which is kind of non-existent at this point)…

The Cave Full Character Trailer: The Gang’s All Here (and Ready to Play!)

Posted on January 16, 2013 by geelw

Ahhhh… Smell that, kids? It’s the scent of ADVENTURE! Well, adventure gaming to be exact. Wait, you don’t have a “Sniff” key on that keyboard? Hey, it’s 2013 – where have you been? OK, I’ll try and describe what adventure games smell like. It’s sort of a rainy weekend, hot cocoa, graham crackers and recently laundered blankets. A touch of pet hair (*achoo!*) and if you’re really lucky, the lingering scent of tomato soup (not from a can) and a grilled cheese sandwich can be detected. You may only get a hint of that overall aroma, but it’s all in there if you close your eyes and lean back…

Defiance Co-op Trailer: Looks Great as Ever (But Offline Play Needs An Invite)…

Posted on January 16, 2013 by geelw

I’ll say right now that I loved playing that fantastic Defiance demo last year, but as the game nears its eventual launch this year, I’m sort of hoping Trion Worlds has a “Plan B” for all that hard work should the show not be accepted by the more jaded fans out there. Sure, the MMO space needs a game changer and in terms of third-person console shooters, this game adds some great things to the genre that makes it even more player-friendly than DC Universe online while having the challenge core action gamers expect. That said, the game needs a way to play offline or co-op with friends just in case gamers aren’t biting as much as they should on the line. I guess I’ll keep my fingers and toes crossed that the game succeeds as the best new cross-platform action/ MMO on the market, as I really want to see gamers embrace this soon to be classic.

Aliens: Colonial Marines TV Spot: Gearbox Going 2 For 2? Seems Likely…

Posted on January 14, 2013 by geelw

Borderlands 2 was a very huge hit in 2012 for Gearbox, but yeah, I’ve been keeping an eyeball on you too, new game. It’s pretty clear that Randy Pitchford and company love the James Cameron film to the utmost degree and this looks to bring fans of the franchise that sequel they didn’t quite get with Alien 3 (I actually like David Fincher’s debut, warts and all, especially the longer Assembly Cut). I’ll be playing this primarily for the campaign mode, as I’m not a huge multiplayer guy and yes, I’m looking forward to seeing how well Gearbox translated the assorted sets and gear into game form. I’ve only seen Aliens a few dozen times, so I can be as picky and precise as a developer head over heels for the source material. So far, I’m not complaining at all.

February 12 is sneaking up fairly quickly… now, I just need to decide what I want to play this on. I’m leaning towards the Wii U just to see how that GamePad gets used, but I want the PS3 version as well…

Warm Bodies: Undead, Rise Up And Take Back Your Lives! Er, Wait…

Posted on January 13, 2013 by geelw

Yeah, yeah, it’s based on a reeeeaaaaalllly popular book or whatever and yep, it’s geared to that teen crowd who needs their latest faux horror entertainment fix or whatever. But, bleh. Trailer above, first four minutes below. OK, I’m not THAT much of a cranky jerk – I’m just disappointed at what passes for a decent mainstream horror flick these days. I’ll admit it IS funny, but when I see zombies, I usually see ZERO laughs. Or at least laughs that are dark and completely cringe-worthy because you know it’s funny but you shouldn’t be laughing when you look at the big picture. Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland, anyone?

That said, the original 1968 version of Night of the Living Dead? That’s the gold standard for my old ass (and it should be for yours if you’ve never seen it). If it’s on cable and I’m awake and not watching anything important, I’ll catch that flick again and again because it works on a ton of levels these teen films miss entirely. That goes for today’s “vampire” flicks too, which need a SERIOUS revamping (no pun intended) OK, save for a few minutes and that ending, I liked that Fright Night remake a lot because it was actually funny, had a few good scares and an excellent performance from Colin Farrell (who makes a pretty creepy vampire). Let’s not even talk about the curse of Twilight, as billions of dollars in box office or not, those sparkly things aren’t even close to being a Nosferatu, Blacula or even a Count Yorga (yeah, I went there just to get you Googling)…

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time Gameplay: Your Wallet Was Stolen While You Were Reading This…

Posted on January 12, 2013 by geelw

2013 is shaping up to be a pretty darn good year for the troubled Vita, what with the excellent Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath closing 2012, Earth Defense Force 2017 hitting this past week and a few other key niche to “A” quality games on the way. Sanzaru’s upcoming PS3 and Vita-bound Sly Cooper game looks to bring home and portable Sony fans one more reason to shell out a premium for games they can’t get elsewhere. Dedicated consoles will never die out as long as there are gamers loyal to the cause. Granted, a price drop on that hardware and those expensive memory cards would help the Vita do even better, as it seems that it’s the only thing holding some off from committing to the system.

Side Effects May Include Me Wishing This Was A Different Sort of Movie…

Posted on January 11, 2013 by geelw

OK, it may be a great new flick when all is said and done (that trailer is quite tantalizing, that’s for sure), but as soon as I head the title a few months back, I actually thought Hollywood finally caught up to me and my bright ideas. I’d always imagined something called Side Effects being a David Cronenberg or David Fincher film about some pharmaceuticals gone haywire years after they were tested on people not realizing they were part of some massive and illegal field study. Oh well, my idea is safe as long as I don’t do something REALLY stupid like post it on the internet!

Oh, wait… $#!t. Eh, whatever. Not like anyone is going to do ANYTHING like that anytime soon, right? Oh, wait… $#!t.