Tag Archives: Exclusives

I’m Doing A Bit of Doomsday Prepping of My Own… EDF Style!

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EDF_PlusSo, Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable is coming out in a few days (1/8/2013) and I’ve been doing a bit of preparing over the last few weeks by playing a few import and US games either developed by Sandlot or similar to games they’ve worked on. Yeah, yeah, I already reviewed the import version of the game, but I think the US build fixes a few minor things and I really don’t mind playing a game that fun again (in English this time).  Especially if it’s an EDF game. Do you think I have a problem here or something? I don’t think I do. Hell, thanks to too much time playing these games, I’m long cured of any fear of insects, that’s for damn sure.

Anyway, onto the library items below the jump!

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VGA 101: The Music of Soul Sacrifice: No Moms Complained About The Noise From Downstairs…

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Ha! And I bet you thought most video game music was done up by some bespectacled guy in his mother’s basement with a bunch of old Casio keyboards and a beat up old multi-track recorder picked up at a yard sale. OK, even if you didn’t, it’s just nice to see how some game music not composed in someones’ (mom’s) basement gets done up for certain higher profile projects. Respect! Anyway, Soul Sacrifice isn’t out until March 13, 2013, but I have my eyeball on it (I’d have TWO eyeballs on it, but I need one in my head to see what I’m putting into my mouth) and it likes what it sees so far. That music sounds nicely appropriate as well, so I’m betting I won’t be disappointed in the gameplay. As always (repeat after me, class), we shall see…

Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory LE: Time (Capsules) For Lunch!

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neptV_horiz

For JRPG fans who crave omake items galore, Nippon Ichi Software America has been leading the charge thanks to direct pre-order sales from their online shop that over time has allowed them to put together some incredible value priced collector’s editions that are worth snapping up. For Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory, NISA Online is offering up a ton of bonus items for the measly price of $64.99. Granted, you need to love really offbeat JRPGs, cute metal lunchboxes (they call them “time capsules”, but I say no matter what size it is, if it looks like a lunchbox, it’s a lunchbox!). The game is shipping out on March 12, 2013, but NISA says this limited edition is selling out rather quickly. So yes, you know what to do, right?

Anyway, what’s in the box, you ask? Well, let’s see now:

• Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory game for PlayStation 3
• Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory original soundtrack
• Online Store exclusive: Hardcover 36-page art book
• Online Store exclusive: Small Time Capsule Tin
• Online Store exclusive: Large Time Capsule Tin containing all the items listed above

So, it’s like a Russian nesting doll, but it’s not a doll. And you need a PS3 to get the most out of this nifty package. Well, you could call the cute anime gals in the game dolls, but they’d probably get kind of upset and beat you up or something like that. Pillow fight! Or not – game characters don’t get offended my much unless they’re always IN character. Well, that’s what I’ve heard..

Video Game Appreciation 101: Papo & Yo Dev Diaries Let The Music Do The Talking

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Minority Media’s sleeper PSN game has a great soundtrack that reacts to what you’re doing (or not doing) in the game in some interesting ways. Here are looks (and sounds) at how the team did the music and how well it’s integrated into the final product. Yes, this is a Video Game Appreciation 101 class – the test is you buying and playing the game to see and hear the results.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time Story Trailer: There Goes Your Wallet!

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So, it looks as if Sanzaru definitely has the programming chops to whip up a great Sly Cooper adventure. Sly’s original creators (and powerhouse development team, Sucker Punch) have gone on to bigger (and it seems better) things for Sony, so some fans have been a bit anxious as far as what sort of quality to expect in this new entry in the series (especially after so long between installments). Me, I don’t care who makes a game in any series as long as it’s a good one. I suppose this will get Cross Play for the Vita as well (hopefully), as it looks perfect for some long road trip action.

Video Game Appreciation 101: New Additions – DS & PSP Stuff!

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DS_PSP_stuffA few more games for the library, this time a few Match-3 puzzle games: Bejeweled 3, 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, 7 Wonders II and the recently reviewed Jewel Master: Cradle of Egypt 2. On the PSP front, Taito Legends: Power-Up and The Chikyuu Boueigun 2 Portable (in English, that’s The Earth Defense Forces 2 Portable). Of the puzzle games, of course Bejeweled 3 is the master class in fun, accessibility and replay value, as the game hooks you right on in from the beginning and keeps you playing thanks to its wide variety of mini-games and rewards galore as you play. The music is pretty killer as well. The two 7 Wonders games show an interesting progression, as the sequel fixes some of the issues from the first game while also adding new content.

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THE SIMPLE Series For Wii U: The Family Party – D3 Knows Its Japanese Audience

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Nope, it’s not a sign of a new console’s premature apocalypse when the budget-priced releases start popping up. In Japan, D3 Publisher is well-known as a producer and publisher of a lower-priced games lineup for a few consoles called THE SIMPLE series, so it was only a matter of time before they started getting games done and shipped for Nintendo’s new system. This one’s a compilation of 35 family friendly mini-games and I’m gathering will do well because D3 has figured out that sticking a ton of content onto a disc and getting it out during the holidays (December 20) at an affordable price point (about $30) will net them a decent profit no matter what reviewers will say. The chances of this coming out here are pretty slim, but it would be a nice surprise if it did in some form or another.

This Ni no Kuni Behind The Scenes Video Will Make You Want To Make Games…

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…Or hell, at least want to buy a PS3 just so you can play THIS one. Personally, I love this video because you can see the passion as well as dedication the team at Level-5 put into the project (and boy, do they have some nice offices in Fukuoka), with a “little” assistance from Studio Ghibli, of course. Kids, remember to show this to your parents so you can prove that all that time you spend in front of the TV will lead to something other than the need for glasses or contacts, a lust for caffeinated beverages and the occasional bandage to cover up those blistered thumbs.

Sony’s Holiday Strategy Seems To Be Go All Nintendo On Its Fan Base…

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I wasn’t going to say anything snarky initially, but I overheard a hilarious conversation yesterday that definitely kick-started this post. Basically three kids were arguing about Sony “copying” Nintendo’s hugely popular Mario Kart games with Little Big Planet Karting (above) and the Super Smash Bros. series with PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (below). Granted, if you actually play the games you’ll see that both do certain key things differently, but on the surface, yup – shameless, aren’t they? I had to laugh because while they all were wrong in that way kids who no not a thing about how games are made are, a few nails were indeed hit on the head. Granted, Sony’s other first party stuff has been pretty solid and there’s more greatness to come in 2013. But for this brief, not so shining moment, the Nintendo fanboys and girls out there actually have a genuine gripe that can’t be easily brushed away. Well, at least the two games are good*, so that saves them from a bit of the batting about they’re getting in some corners of the internet…

*”Good” being entirely objective term, as we all know Mario Kart is the gold standard here.  LBPK is a wee bit problematic on a few fronts, but the driving and blowing stuff up works OK.

Review: TANK! TANK! TANK!

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tanktanktankPlatform: Wii U

Developer: Namco

Publisher: Namco Bandai Games

# of Players: 1 – 4

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)

Official Site

Score: B (80%)

As a launch title for the Wii U, Namco Bandai’s TANK! TANK! TANK! may not look like a system seller, but look past its colorful arcade visuals and initially simple gameplay and you’ll find a fast-paced (and 100% tank focused) party game shooter that owes more than a little credit to Sandlot’s always fun Earth Defense Force series of games. In fact, the game manages to play almost exactly like an arcade version of EDF would, streamlining the experience down to timed stages, random weapon pickups that you can use instantly and a mix of assorted enemies from giant robotic spiders and wasps to some pretty wild bosses that need to be taken down as quickly as possible. Granted, blowing monsters into scrap metal over and over is all you do here in the main game whether playing in solo or co-op, so those seeking something deeper should look elsewhere. On the other hand, given that this is a rather enhanced port of an arcade game that offers much more than the original version, you SHOULD expect and respect the repetitive nature of the game to the fullest by diving in and shooting up the scenery as much as possible.
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