Hah! There are probably a few too many guys out there who WANT to get beat up like this by Ms. Scarlett. I’m not one of them, though (hey, I bruise easily and don’t do my own stunts!). I’m sure we’ll see some dopey YouTube video of someone trying this for real (ouch!), but I won’t be watching that particular pain-fest at all. Remember, kids – movies are movies… reality bites back hard! But of course, you’re not listening – it’s time to make that video, right? Before you break out that camera and chair and get your gal to doll up in a skin-tight outfit, you may as well check out the latest TV commercial for the upcoming film as well…
One of the near-constant gripes I hear about Kinect from some “core” gamers who hate it is that they feel it’s not for the games THEY want or like (or want TO like, for that matter). Well, thanks to From Software and Capcom, a few of those already made up minds may change a bit. The upcoming Xbox 360 exclusive Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor will be on display at PAX 2012 this weekend and will be playable, so I’m expecting a few folks to be hopping on board for this one once they get their hands on it. No, it doesn’t use the Kinect as the sole means of control – From has integrated both a stock 360 controller and Kinect controls together to make one of the most immersive game experiences using the peripheral to date. Hell, I’d MUCH rather be buying a Steel Battalion Kinect Bundle than that Star Wars deal that’s just a cash cow for Microsoft with a not so hot game strapped into the cockpit. Ah well, in a perfect world, this one would get more hype… Go From! Go Capcom!
Confession: I’m one of those few who didn’t think the Verhoeven original was exactly a “classic” (the tri-boobed Martian hooker, excessive violence and hilarious Swazenegger one liners aside, it’s always been a weird flick to enjoy for me), so I had zero hopes for this reboot. Turns out I’m wrong again, as it looks pretty decent so far. Well, in a Fifth Element meets Minority Report kind of way. Like most of these blockbusters, I probably won’t spend a dime to see it in a theater unless it’s for a subway trip I get premiere tickets to. I can wait for the cable debut for anything these days (well, except Prometheus – that BEGS to be seen on a huge screen). Anyway, I like Colin Farell a lot as an actor, Bryan Cranston? Yup, awesome (Breaking Bad is a killer show any day of the week). The ladies? Well with Jessica Biel AND Kate Beckinsdale in this (AND fighting each other), it’ll be a fanboy’s dream flick. Me, I’m in it for the story, which I HOPE is closer to the Philip K. Dick source material. As usual (repeat after me, kids): We. Shall. See…
Packed full of all sorts of big changes and tweaks to the already winning formula plus a new playable character, Robot Entertainment’s upcoming sequel looks to be a huge time eater fans of the first game will want to grab as soon as it’s released. THis will also be playable at this year’s PAX, so if you’re going, line up and get ready for a blast. Hmmm, still, why this team doesn’t justdo a full-on action RPG using this great mix of humor and gameplay is beyond me, but perhaps its in the cards one fine day. Hell, this would even make an EXCELLENT Vita game, that’s for sure. Hey Robot! Get on that ASAP (and add the first game as a bonus)…
I really love the gameplay speed in the video above, but it looks like that as well as the the bloom lighting effect have been sped all the way up for testing purposes. Don’t freak out over this, I say (as hopefully these will be adjustable in the final game). Anyway, check out what’s new to the game: more building types! Better water effects! Pigs! Sheep! OK, maybe I’m getting a wee bit too excited about such “mundane” stuff, but hey – I like it when a plan comes together, and this project is showing off some fine work by a very dedicated bunch of folks. Check out the new screenshots HERE and give ’til it hurts (a little) HERE.
NISA is rolling out some really fun-looking RPGs of a few varieties in 2012 and 2013 (that I wish were allarriving on discs, but what can you do these days but hope?). The company announced three new titles for the PS3 and/or PSN that include:
Legasista (Summer 2012), which SOUNDS like a 70’s Legosploitation flick (har har), but is actually a lovely rogue-like tactical RPG coming from developer System Prism exclusively to the PS3 via PSN:
…which sounds like some import tuner muffler company sticker you’d see plastered on some goofy looking tricked out street whip (oh, I’m on a roll, aren’t I?), but it’s actually a very cool looking PS3 Strategy/RPG from Compile Heart (the folks behind the Hyperdimension Neptunia games) and GCREST.
And finally…
The Witch and the Hundred Knights, an Action/RPG set for a 2013 release on the PS3, has some lovely stylized visuals and while early, has “BUY ME” written all over those screenshots on the teaser site…
Add in a few more intriguing games such as Clan of Champions (Spring 2012), Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention for the PS Vita (Spring 2012), Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland (sooner than you think!) and a few other surprises and that’s actually even MORE of a galore! OK, my work here is done – now go pre-order something or get that wishlist updated already!
To be frank, I stopped counting (and watching) Wrath of the Titans ads when they jumped from 14 to 27 different ones or so in less than a day on YouTube, but this reboot/remake of the hilariously campy yet compelling dramatic modern Gothic soap opera (say THAT three times fast) actually looks as it’s going to be worth the ticket price. Tale that stake to the heart, you glowy teenage “vampires”, grrrr!!! Of course, my OWN dream project for Mr. Depp is for he and Tim Burton to get cracking on remakes of both Dr. Phibes films with perhaps a third film to make it a trilogy. Granted, I’m sure both guys would prefer a one-shot, one film deal that crams both stories into one extended movie over a sequel (or sequels) that demand geometrically increasing box-office tallies for each one made. Anyway, let me switch off my wishful thinking meter before I start going into Mega Millions mode…
And a nice trailer for good measure (in case you haven’t seen it yet). I’m liking this sequel a lot based on the stuff I’ve seen and heard because it has actual voice acting and what’s looking like a pretty cool story. Of course, that it doesn’t look bad at all helps out quite a bit. Traveler’s Tales Is doing what looks to be its most polished work for current gen platforms, but the game is also hitting nearly every other platform (except the PSP). So, if you’ve got something to play games on that’s not a phone or tablet, you’re DEFINITELY covered.
(mild ouch): Well, I’m up for about an hour already and my back is a bit better (whee!). Going out to see a new game (in this case Sniper Elite V2) always helps ease the pain when it strikes. I’d also forgotten that Xenoblade Chronicles ships out next week for the Wii, so I ended up putting in a pre-order just now, Thank goodness I came into a little money out of the blue (Whee!), so at least one of the last important Wii titles will be winging my way shortly… OK, enough gloating and preening (moderate ouch!), off to be productive. Back in a bit, ladies and gents…
As a longtime JRPG fan, I can safely say that this crowdfunding thing IS getting a whole LOT more interesting. A few weeks and months back some writers and game folks online made note that it would be IMPOSSIBLE to fund a console or portable game project, citing all sorts of reasons. Well, thanks to Victor Ireland (formerly of Working Designs infamy), Gaijinworks and MonkeyPaw Games – Class Heroes 2 Deluxe is not only a reality, it’s coming to the PSP as a digital release. Even better, gamers can expect a physical UMD as well… provided the project goal of $500,000 is met by April 27, 2012. Now, half a million may SEEM like a lot of loot, but hell, getting a physical copy of any game out these days does cost a chunk of change. Getting a DELUXE version of the game out with all the swag listed in the Kickstarter page will make that total seem small when you consider that the game will be a truly LIMITED release with the high probability of completely selling out as a physical game (and being worth a mint shortly thereafter).
The original Class of Heroes was an interesting Wizardry clone developed for the PSP by Zerodiv and initially published by Acquire in Japan in 2008, then Atlus in North America in 2009. While not quite a “classic”, the game’s old-school charm and lengthy quest made up for a few flaws here and there. From reading the funding page, it looks as if COH 2 Deluxe will fix a few things and add others the original developer left out of the first game. So far, the project has raised around $27,000, but still has a long way to go. Can the team get the overly skeptical crowd that SUPPOSEDLY loved JRPGs yet somehow doesn’t understand what a truly limited edition means to clam up and shell out a few bucks so they can get this out AND tackle future projects? Or will the game be doomed to a digital-only release that gets swallowed up in the PSN vaults? We shall see, I suppose. OK, back to bed for me – my back is still out of whack, but I saw this news and had to get my two cents in…
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 