Midway Arcade Origins Trailer: The New Version of Nostalgia For Today’s Consoles

Posted on September 20, 2012 by geelw

Over 30 classic Midway arcade games, most of which bring a huge grin to my face? Check! Llocal co-op multiplayer, achievements, and Leaderboard support? Check! The hard part here is getting some of today’s gamers who think all those indie games they play that rip off a bunch of these ACTUAL classics are “better” to realize that if it weren’t for a bunch of these awesome arcade hits, they’d not have a good chunk of what they’re paying pennies for today. Respect! Anyway, PS3 and Xbox 360 owners are going to be in for a real treat, I say. Long live the arcade hits! OK, WB- Where are the Vita and 3DS versions?

TGS 2012: SCE Japan’s Puppeteer: Another First Party Winner On The Way…

Posted on September 20, 2012 by geelw

Yet another PS3 exclusive I can’t wait to get some hands-on time with, Puppeteer also makes me hopeful that we’ll see such creativity on display (and more) from day one whenever Sony’s new console ships. I’m personally so weary of new systems suffering through dreary (but well-intentioned) launch titles that don’t at all show what a console can do. Developers for next-gen systems NEED to blow us all away right out of the gate and IMPROVE on high quality games in the near future or else we’ll have to keep hearing nonsense talk from PC-only gamers who, when you think about it, really only have graphics (and yes, keyboard/mouse controls in shooters) to babble about as “better”. But we all know that better looking games NEVER means better games at all, no matter how it’s spun. Overclocking a game so it runs at 200fps is all fine and dandy, but crap running at 200fps is still crap, correct?

Just a thought.

Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise Dev Diary: Bearing Up For A Bigger Blast

Posted on September 20, 2012 by geelw

If there was any doubt as to how much better PiP will be than the original Naughty Bear, well kids… this video should keep you well informed and have your wallets standing at attention. I like that Behavior Interactive has been a bunch of busy bees this past year, as they also did Brave for multiple platforms (a pretty decent job overall) and Naughty Bear is a whole lot different in tone (by far!) and definitely going to surprise many people with its depth and replay value. It may not be a Game of the Year contender, but it’s definitely a game you’ll enjoy a hell of a lot this year.

Oops – I missed the other SIX videos in this series somehow! Ah well, here’s number 7 – perhaps I’ll track down and post the rest after TGS is over. My inbox is FULL of news to pore over (and getting fuller) and I don’t want to fall too far behind.

TGS 2012: Beyond: Two Souls & The Last of Us Trailers: On Muses, Mushrooms And Going Out On Top…

Posted on September 20, 2012 by geelw

Sony really has 2013 wrapped up in a nice bow with too many first-party releases to count, but as far as Quantic Dream’s and Naughty Dog’s instant classics, the worldwide appeal for these is clear, no matter what console is your favorite. These are two title that non-PS3 owners will wish they could play while the pure Sony fanatics will have more ammo to whip out when they need to make the case for the PS3’s staying power after so long. Without a doubt, Sony’s NOT going out of this console cycle with a whimper, nor by rendering their console obsolete before its time.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Trailer: That Lightning Bottle Shakes Once More

Posted on September 20, 2012 by geelw

OK, I’ll admit to not being so sure Peter Jackson could turn the clock back and make this upcoming film be as “special” as the trilogy, as often, a few too many years between epics this large means there’s a lot lost. Of course, it seems I’m wrong again (and that’s always good when that happens). That said, I’m probably going to wait until the inevitable home video release hits, as this will be yet another film to hunker down with and watch in its entirety once both parts are all done and there are director’s cuts floating around. Hey, I finally got around to watching all the Harry Potter movies one after the other a few months back (I wasn’t a fan of the books, so the films were a really hard sell for me until about six flicks in).

TGS 2012: Okami HD Trailer: Once Again, The Line Has Been Drawn!

Posted on September 20, 2012 by geelw

Even though I sunk many hours into Okami, I’m ready to do it all over again in this HD version. The game looks nice and crisp in that higher resolution and I’m sure that the PS Move controls are going to make the experience even more enjoyable (especially if you’re really used to using the peripheral). As great as this looks, I’d actually LOVE to see a complete reworking of the Nintendo DS game, Okamiden for the Vita at some point. Imagine how amazing it would look on that wide screen with visuals made just for the handheld? I’d pre-order that in a heartbeat if it were a reality, that’s for sure…

Oh yeah, the release date: October 30th, exclusively through PSN.

Even MORE Wacky EDF 3 Portable TV Spot Madness!

Posted on September 18, 2012 by geelw

OK, this is getting nuts, but in the coolest possible way. As I said earlier, I’m importing this Vita exclusive, but I’m keeping my fingers and toes (and eyeballs) crossed that D3Publisher of America sees fit to get it out here at some point (sooner than later). Interestingly enough, guess who’s coming to town on Wednesday with a bunch of new games? Yup, D3Publisher. Of course, THIS isn’t one of them, but I’ll be asking (or begging, depending on the level of potential alcohol consumption I do) them to make it so.

EDF! EDF! EDF!

Resident Evil 6 “No Hope” TV Spot: Running And Screaming Might Help…

Posted on September 17, 2012 by geelw

Well, that’s what I’d do in this situation (or ANY situation involving the undead trying to chomp on my scalp), but I’d make a pretty lousy video game character. Capcom’s got this one all wrapped up tightly and I can see plenty of RE fans getting a good deal of replay value out of what’s going to be a pretty lengthy campaign. I’m still trying to decide whether to play during the day when I feel a lot more invincible, or wait until dark when I’ll be halfway behind a chair in the living room. I guess I’ll just flip a coin and enjoy the ride no matter how I decide to have at it. And before you even ask – yes, there’s actually still time to pre-order the game if you’re interested in doing so.

Malevolence Update: A Little Art Showcase (With A Side of Music)…

Posted on September 17, 2012 by geelw

Slowly but surely, Malevolence: The Sword of Ahkranox is shaping up to be an indie RPG well worth tracking down when it’s completed, no matter how it ends up being released. If I’m not mistaken, if you happen to have a Steam account (or want one) you can still vote for the game to get onto Valve’s download service as part of the Steam Greenlight project, and I’d say go for it if you like supporting indie games, 30+ hard working folks from all over the world and classic first-person PC RPGs of a super high quality for such a smallish team. I say they should be up there with the best of them, as the game is looking better and better each time I see a new video or set of screen shots.

Control Issues: Where The Wii U Could Really Slip Up At Launch…

Posted on September 15, 2012 by geelw

No, I’m not talking about how well the new GamePad works or anything similar. I’m talking about the fact that Nintendo (of America, at least) isn’t releasing that innovative new controller as a standalone purchase on the same day as their new console. Wait, what? Yes, indeed… and I think this is some sort of wacky first for a new console launch.

Of course, a bit of official spin cycle counterpoint makes it all better, right? Well, in my opinion… not really. On the very different (but related) subject of why there weren’t dual controller games at the NYC press event and aren’t going to be additional GamePads on store shelves at launch, Nintendo of America President and CEO Reggie Fils-Amie noted in a great GamesIndustry.biz interview published yesterday:

” The reason you don’t see games with two GamePads [at this event] is the technical ability to make two GamePads work was delivered to publishers after they started this current round of development. So you’ll see those two GamePad experiences at a later date; when those games are coming, that’s when we’ll make a separate GamePad available.

Look at it this way: when we’re preparing for launch, I need to make consoles and I need to make GamePads, and I need to put them together in a box to sell at retail. And if I’m using my inventory assembling GamePads that don’t support any games in the marketplace, all I’m doing is reducing my available inventory to sell on launch day.”

Really? Argh. You had me at hello, Reggie (yep, I’ve already pre-ordered a Wii U). But then you hit me on the head and tried to toss me in the trunk after taking my wallet. Ouch. That’s not how it’s supposed to work with a new console – particularly one that’s so important and innovative…

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