Phantasy Star Online 2 Headed Westward (Hopefully, With Some Sort Of Offline Mode)

Posted on July 9, 2012 by geelw

As happy and grateful as I am that Sega is wisely getting PSO 2 to North America next year, it WOULD be really nice to have some sort of offline mode for those of us who don’t give a hoot about MMOs, live in areas with no or spotty broadband connections or hell, just like to play our games solo with no intrusive DRM and data mining going on behind the scenes. Of course, no one listens to an old coot like me anymore, so I guess I won’t offer any more suggestions about this sort of thing. THAT said, the Phantasy Star legacy demands that there be a game that’s playable for us lone wolf types. Hopefully, someone at Sega somewhere in the world has realized the same thing and does something to honor the series long history instead of just shoving yet another lovely-looking MMO out the door and hoping we all jump on board with nostalgic blinders on.

Of Orcs & Men Summer Trailer: Looking Great With Two Months To Go…

Posted on July 6, 2012 by geelw

Here’s the latest trailer for this intriguing Cyanide Studios/Spiders developed RPG coming in September for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 from Focus Home Interactive. It’s certainly got the looks of a sleeper hit and the nicely quirky twist of playing as an Orc/Elf team setting out against humans in a rich fantasy world setting is appealing. That means it’s all up to the gameplay, which I’m hoping is solidly action oriented and as bug-free as possible. Go pop over to the game’s official site to check out more gorgeous screens and art and keep this one on your radar, as it’s looking pretty good.

Marvel vs. Capcom Origins: Capcom Does A Bit Of Heavy Eyelash Batting At Its Fans…

Posted on July 5, 2012 by geelw

Oh, Capcom, you’re such a big tease, flashing those ankles like that from under that floor-length skirt and conveniently dropping linen hankies as you pass by under that new parasol. Of course, the mean boys down the block want the whole Can-Can thing, so I see they’re getting a bit frustrated. The internet is going nuts about this (and more nuts in some places than others, thanks to the usual gang of Capcom detractors that aren’t happy with ANYTHING the company does), but I see this upcoming release as a gateway to more returns of Capcom’s classic arcade battlers remixed for the modern era. Sure, who wouldn’t want a new Darkstalkers, X-Men: Children of the Atom, or Punisher game?

As for me, I’m happy as hell about Origins, but I’m hoping to finally see a fighting game that rolls along sometime in the next few years that features every single character from Capcom’s history pop up in as a playable character. That, or a crazy action/RPG hybrid that packs in as many of those favorites as possible. Eh, it’s a big dream, I know… but games like this make me think even bigger.

EDF 3 Portable Trailers: Start Bugging D3Publisher of America For A US Version, I Say…

Posted on July 5, 2012 by geelw

OK, not only is this port packing in much more content than the original Xbox 360 exclusive (including a four-player co-op mode), I just found out from watching video #2 below that Pale Wing is making a return (faint, thud!). For any longtime EDF fan who knows what I’m talking about, you’re also picking yourself up off the carpet, I’d bet. This changes up the gameplay considerably, as her jet pack and energy-based weapons add a completely different approach to some of the tougher levels in the game. That and EDF 3 (or EDF 2017, to 360 owners in the US) recycles parts of a few maps from EDF 2, meaning playing them again with Pale Wing will see some of those old strategies coming into play more effectively than with Storm 1. Lucky Vita owners in Japan will be seeing this sometime in September of this year. As for everyone else… that’s hard to say.

Now, I know D3Publisher of America is busy putting out a small line of licensed games based on popular kid shows (Ben 10, iCarly and Victorious), but I think they’d be making a huge mistake if they ignore this exclusive. Warts and all, they ought to embrace this intentionally campy and massively awesome run ‘n gun game to the fullest (the company started life in Japan as a publisher of a budget-themed games line), market the hell out of it though viral videos and a bunch of hands-on previews (my fingers are itching just typing that) and get it into stores sometime next year. This should give them time to get the word out that it’s coming and will be a Vita essential for the potential of at least 40 hours of bug-blasting action. Then again, I spend something like 150 playing EDF 2017, so I know I’ll get as much or more time out of a Vita version…

Thanks, Sega!: NiGHTS into dreams… Makes A Welcome Return (Which IS Excellent, But…)

Posted on July 5, 2012 by geelw

Hey, Sega! Longtime supporter from the arcades to Dreamcast and beyond here. While I’m loving that you’re finally getting NiGHTS onto XBLA, PSN and PC soon enough, I’m also one of those crazy people that has the original game in it’s box with the analog controller, the Christmas NiGHTS disc (I have one each here for the US, Japanese and UK Saturn), the excellent Wii follow up and yes, that means I’ve played the game to death and will do so once more when this HD u[date hits. That said (dot, dot, dot)

Not to be a pest (again), but I’m just wondering when we’ll start seeing some of those other first-party Saturn titles get the same HD or remake love. The Panzer Dragoon series, Shining Force III (including all the content that stayed in Japan), Burning Rangers, stuff like that? It’s not as if I’m screaming about BUG! or Clockwork Knight not getting HD remakes here (you get what, one email a month about those, right?). I’m just a little bit concerned about Sega of America ignoring some of its best games on a console that’s been HUGELY underrepresented since it died. That and while they may not have sold in spectacular numbers on the Saturn, the games I listed might do even better today if the time was taken to bring them to gamers in the best possible manner.

Hell, I’d bet a Panzer Dragoon Complete Box Kickstarter would see money raining from the heavens…

Assassin’s Creed III July 4th Trailer: A Bit of Flag-Waving From A Few Directions…

Posted on July 4, 2012 by geelw

How amusing that US ad agencies make stupid “patriotic” commercials with stuff like the founding fathers driving Detroit muscle cars into battle (Um…. oooookaaay?), while a non-US based company like Ubisoft does stirring stuff like this that manages to draw interest to both their product and a traditional American holiday in a more inspiring manner. Anyway, enjoy the rest of the holiday and please try not to blow anything off you’ll need for work (or play) later on.

Breaking Bad 501 “Live Free Or Die” Clip: Walt Plays It Clueless, But We Know The Real Story…

Posted on July 3, 2012 by geelw

July 15, folks, July 15…. it’s not that far away, but BB fans have been going nuts trying to guess what’s going to go down in this final season. Well, Walter White may have finally gotten rid of his nemesis, drug kingpin Gus Fring, but didn’t quite realize he’d opened up a huge can of worms by doing so. Remember, kids… Walt blew up part of a nursing home in the process and ol’ dead Gus was seen as a respected member of the community for among other things, his charitable donations to a few organizations including the local police force. Oops. Oh yeah, and Walt’s brother, Hank (who happens to be a detective) just may be onto Walt’s trail after a few seasons of misdirection. Let’s just say, after some of last season’s shocks and bumps, this one should be a nail-biter each week. Even worse, the season will be divided up into eight episodes this year and the final eight in 2013, making the pretty obvious mid-season cliffhanger one that’s bound to keep some of the show’s more hardcore fans stuck to their couches until the show returns for the last bunch of shows. 12 more days… 12 more days…

Driftmoon Update: New Alpha, So You Beta Go Play It!

Posted on July 3, 2012 by geelw

Ville and Anne Mönkkönen’s absolutely excellent adventure/RPG/comedy hybrid has finally gotten a really awesome new alpha build you can try out NOW. Go on, now… it won’t bite! In addition to being a well-made and fun to play game experience, it’s also one of those indie games that’s actually not flailing about and trying to be too hip or intentionally “retro” for its own good. Anyway, big new areas adding a few hours to the playtime, a nicely creepy new mist effect, some lovely character portraits by Johanna Sundström and yep, you can still make your own mods using the wonderful game editor. Even better, you can request a discount code for %20 off the price of the final version and use it when the game is complete and ready to “ship” via download from the Instant Kingdom website (I had to keep the nautical theme from the game going, sorry). What, you’re still reading this? Go download the demo already!

Today’s “Humor” Video: Behind The Scenes With Snoop Dogg & TEKKEN Tag Tournament 2

Posted on July 2, 2012 by geelw

OK, I don’t want to get beat up or anything, but I did laugh myself off the couch when I heard, then saw ol’ Snoop was going to be part of Namco Bandai’s upcoming fighter. It turns out that we actually have a lot in common as old-school TEKKEN fans, so I can’t knock him at all for being in the position he is where a game company can come a-callin’ and he then responded in a few ways to help promote the final product. The good news is he’s not sitting back and resting on a pile of money and high-grade weed with yet another game credit under his belt. The man actually went and made a video to promote the game and as usual, like him or not, you’ll be seeing the world through smoke-colored glasses for about four minutes as you get your groove on. And of course, here’s a behind the scenes peek featuring among others, Mr. Dogg, fighting game master Justin Wong, and everyone’s favorite actual gamer gal/model, Adrienne Curry. That’s kind of an in-joke around here, as for some reason, a few folks using the internet still think she’s not a gamer based on her looks (which is kind of stupid, as how you look as ZERO to do with whether or not you’re a gamer!)…

TEKKEN Tag Tournament 2 will hit retail in North America on September 11, 2012, Japan – September 13 and Europe on September 14. Expect the internet to keel over a few times from all the online play taking place shortly thereafter.

Mimoco’s MIMOBOT Collection Expands: The Dark Knight Rises & Return of the Jedi USB Flash Drives

Posted on July 1, 2012 by geelw

You have to love Mimoco’s staying power, as despite the drop in memory prices over the years, the company is still going strong thanks to it’s fun line of 8GB to 64GB USB thumb drives that range from cool street art and anime flavors to their popular line of licensed DC Comics, Hello Kitty and yup, Star Wars-themed drives. Their latest collections are now ready for prime time and it’s a winner for fans of Episode Six and a certain Chris Nolan film that’s bound to blow the doors off the box office worldwide when it hits theaters later this month.

Of course, the company also has big plans to release a few VERY limited edition USB drives, so if you’re headed to this year’s San Diego Comic-Con or Star Wars Celebration VI, you’ll be able to get you hands on one of these awesome Biker Scout MIMOBOT drives (to the left, limited to 1000 units). For San Diego Comic-Con ONLY, there will be a mere 500 of these Bane USB drives (to the right, as if you needed to figure out who was who). Now, I;m not going to either event, but I’ll very most likely be headed to the next New York Comic-Con, whenever that is and of course, next year’s Toy Fair. Sooooo, Mimoco, what’s coming up for 2013, hmmmm? Inquiring minds want to know!