Brain Age Concentration Training TV Spot: Blondes Have More Fun After All…

Posted on February 4, 2013 by geelw

OK, I’m not a celebrity watcher at all, so I’ve always found game ads with them to a bit weird. Granted, many stars of all stripes are big to casual gamers, so I’m not passing any judgment either way. That said, you can actually see “Kiss Me, Kate” Hudson popping a 3DS into a purse or pocket before heading out to a film set. Hey, making movies is actually 70% downtime in a makeup chair or waiting around for stuff to get set up, so one does need something to do. And hey, according to 9 out of 10 actual blondes, smarter blondes are a better thing in general in this day and age, as it helps fight that stereotype they always seem to get hit with. That said, it would have been really bizarre and morbid to see this TV spot done with a Marilyn Monroe lookalike or worse, a CG recreation…

Iron Man 3 Commercial: Hopefully, Rust WILL Be Sleeping…*

Posted on February 3, 2013 by geelw

I’d actually almost forgotten about Iron Man 3 because of so many other blockbusters (or are they BLOGbusters?) coming this summer, but here you go. I’m still curious about how some of these comic book flicks work and others stumble all over themselves. The first Iron Man was great fun, the second was OK and Both The Mighty Thor and The Avengers were fun to sit through. On the other hand, Ghost Rider? Bleh and double bleh deluxe with extra cheese and don’t get me started on anything related to Daredevil, The Punisher, Fantastic Four and that last Spider-Man flick. DC, you’re not immune at all, as Green Lantern made me green (and not with envy, either), I felt the previous Superman reboot was weird and unnecessary and I still have scars from that Swamp Thing film (even though it had a corny one-liner that made me laugh really loudly in the theater I saw it at). Well, at least there’s a willingness to experiment until it’s gotten right, but that doesn’t mean there’s an audience always willing to drop full price on a ticket to see those films that don’t quite get it right…

*add 5 XP if you got the Neil Young reference…

Now (Re)Playing: Wizardry 8 (Which Needs More Respect!)

Posted on February 3, 2013 by geelw

Ha. So, you thought I was taking the day off? Ha! Actually, I had some fun stuff to take care of with a friend, but now I’m back. Anyway, I was talking with some folks recently about the classic Wizardry series and it turns out a few too many people who don’t play a lot of PC games seem to think that series is from Japan. Eek. Granted, there’s hasn’t been a North American-made game since Sir-Tech Canada flamed out after the final “official” game in the series, Wizardry 8. Now, I’m not some flag-waving jingoist starting trouble, kids – I own a bunch of import Wizardry titles including a few Japan-only games and nearly all the ports and remakes of the original seven Sir-Tech releases. W8 was only released in limited qualities around the world and despite positive reviews, it didn’t exactly gain as huge a following as it should have and to date, has never been re-released or remade. Yep, I think that needs to be changed… Continue reading →

Random Film of the Week(end): Emperor of the North Pole

Posted on February 2, 2013 by geelw

(thanks, Carl’s Trains & Stuff!)

If you haven’t checked out that video above, don’t let the title fool you one bit – this isn’t a family friendly movie about a bouncy, happy CGI penguin and there’s definitely no red-suited Jolly Saint Nick here to spread happy holiday tidings (but there is a fat guy who throws hammers). Nope, this 1973 film from the late, great Robert Aldrich is simultaneously big, mean, brutal and hilarious, often within a few seconds in some scenes.

Based loosely on a Jack London book and a book partially about Jack London, the film features Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine as bitter rivals battling for turf rights in the most absurd of places – a moving freight train. OK, there’s much more to this classic than that, but it pretty much boils town to a prolonged (and excellently shot) fight between two men way past middle age beating the crap out of each other with 2 x 4’s, a chain, thrown hammers and an axe. I guess a cynic would call it Thunderdome on rolling stock, but not as cheesy and much better acted, at that…

Continue reading →

Sony May or May Not Reveal a New Console This Month. No One Is (Too) Surprised…

Posted on February 2, 2013 by geelw

Yay! But also *Yawn…* Look, Sony. Every gamer with an internet connection of any speed or two tin cans and a long enough string KNOWS you’re working on a fancy new console. So all this going to extremes to run possible teasers that may or may not be official reveals for more reveals as 2013 spools out is a bit silly. Well, at least I think it is. On the other hand, E3 is such a waste of time and money and has degenerated into less of a trade show and more of a fan convention with people lining up for free crap. It’s all long lines and loud, noisy bunch of annoying kids running around posing as game journalists and breaking any embargo or NDA they can sign, a few too many demos made by developers who hate making them in such a short time for the show, too many big, expensive parties, some of which are basically early funerals for developers who don’t make the Metacritic average once their expensive to produce and promote games are released to a too jaded audience that doesn’t really know what it wants because all they demand are more sequels… Continue reading →

Dynasty Warriors 8 Trailer: Those New Rims Look Mighty Fine (And Smell Like Pie)…

Posted on February 2, 2013 by geelw

Hoo-kay, at this point, you’re either all in with Omega Force’s long (long) running franchise or you’re one of those people who constantly pokes fun at it for its intentionally cornball issues. A few years back I once heard the series described as “the same old wheels with new rims”, and that’s only superficially true to some extent. Granted, fans will be fans and defend to the death (sort of) anything they love, but at least the level of quality has gone up since the PlayStation 2 days. That said, it’s hard to sell the modern internet skeptics with too much time on their hands on the series, but I have ask why are they wasting time bashing a game they don’t play when they could be having ACTUAL productive fun playing a game they like?

Anyway, there’s something strangely addictive about the series’ dozens of playable characters, light tactical elements that have crept in over the years and potential for too many hours of gameplay to properly count. As for me, I’m kind of a drop-in, drop out fan of the series who appreciates DW and all the different Musou spin-offs (DW: Tactics, Samurai Warrriors, DW: Gundam, Warriors: Legends of Troy, Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage, Bladestorm, and so forth and so on). Which means even though DW 8 isn’t yet set for a US release, there’s that nice warm scent of freshly baked apple pie lingering in the air and it’s a familiar aroma that’s full of promise.

Hmmm… now I want a cold slice with a scoop of ice cream and a cup of hot coffee…

Humor: Top Hand Rodeo Trailer: “If That Kinect Works Right For 8 Seconds…”

Posted on February 2, 2013 by geelw

“… then maybe this MIGHT be cool.” was the first joke I heard from a friend who saw this trailer and pointed it my way. Ouch and ha – ha. Well, it might be cool indeed… unless you’re a die-hard ro-dey-o fanatic who takes this Xbox 360 game way too seriously and start flopping around your living room like Elizabeth Berkeley in that infamous pool scene from Showgirls. Well, I’m a glass half-full guy, sooooo… at least when you fly off that invisible bull and bust you ass and/or any other important bits, once you wake up from that coma, you can end up riding a Rascal scooter with a fake bull tail stapled to the back of the seat. It HAS to be a fake tail, as who wants to be chased down the street (slowly) by some pissed off PETA members?

Those scooters only do what, 1/4 a mile an hour or something like that and if they went faster, you’d just go off a curb or bump in the sidewalk or street like Evel Knievel and land just like he did on some of his more unsuccessful motorcycle jump attempts. Hmmm… I wonder if Rascal makes a street-worthy riding bed? That way, when you come out of that second coma, you can get fake bull horns for the front to go with the replacement tail you ordered from that Cabela’s catalog.

Hmmm… perhaps there’s something to this “video games causing violence” thing after all… Yee haw.

Wallet Drain Alert! Xseed Games Brings It With Some Awesome Surprises…

Posted on February 2, 2013 by geelw

Wow and double wow. First we get the spectacular news that Pandora’s Tower is headed to North America and now Xseed is setting out to make 2013 even better for their fans (and possibly their best year to date) by announcing a VERY cool selection of new titles plus yet another classic Nihon Falcom JRPG set heading to PC gamers via Steam. Even better, everything but the Steam download is getting a retail release! Yes, I’m typing this post with a big fat grin on my face, as I want everything here that’s coming.

More below the jump! Continue reading →

Remember Me: Behind the Music Trailer (No, This Isn’t MTV, Silly)…

Posted on February 1, 2013 by geelw

Capcom, we love you like a long lost dog that’s been newly found in fine shape, but… you have to be a tiny bit more original with your promo video titles. That’s pretty much the sole negative thing I have to say about this look at the process of scoring the upcoming action adventure game developed by Dontnod Entertainment set for release in May 2013. I’m hoping we get the option of hearing both versions of the score, as it sounds pretty cool so far. Hmmmm… Neo Paris, huh? I wonder if any Parisians not parkouring about the City of Light in 2084 are still going to get that two months paid vacation or whatever is is they enjoy. Nice city, confusing navigating those districts if you’re easily distracted. I haven’t been there in ages, but I’ll get to take a virtual trip soon enough through this excellent looking game. Now, I want a good glass of wine, some nice Camembert and a hunk of good bread. Good Night…

Earth Defense Force 2025 Gameplay Trailer: Big Bugs Go Boom, Big Time…

Posted on January 31, 2013 by geelw

EDF 2025 is shaping up to be quite a surprise, with developer Sandlot doing their best work in this upcoming PS3 and Xbox 360 game. D3Publisher says this is the largest game to date in the series, so as a longtime fan who’s sunk way too many hours into EDF games, I’m all too happy to hear this. For some idiotic reason, a few folks out there think the game looks “bad”, but I have to disagree (while swinging a billy club around the internet). Given that Sandlot is packing in more destruction in this game than in any AAA title that limits interactivity to stiff objects that rarely move and canned destruction sequences, you HAVE to give this team a hell of a lot more credit than kicking them around because the game isn’t as visually polished as certain other titles. Anyway, I like what I see quite a lot. Now, about that release date (and HOPEFULLY, a physical as well as digital release so more people can buy this one on day one)…