Review: Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD

Posted on December 27, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Just Add Water

Publisher: Oddworld Inhabitants

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Score: A

It’s been far too long since an Oddworld game has appeared on a console, but it looks as if the drought is finally over in a huge way. One of the best original Xbox games finally returns and yes, makes an even more spectacular PS3 debut. After playing through Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD, I’m thinking a few of this year’s “Best of 2011” lists will need to be rewritten to add this gem. This outstanding remake features reworked HD visuals, lovely 60 frames per second animation, newly recorded voice acting and even better sound design than the original game. It also holds up incredibly well as a stellar single-player game thanks to a great story with an excellent plot twist or two, some fine and witty dialog and a great Oddworld vibe that’s still fresh today as it was back in 2005. Continue reading →

PlayStation Vita Launch Lineup (25 Games & Counting)…

Posted on December 26, 2011 by geelw

It looks as if SCEA is absolutely making sure Vita owners have ZEO complaints about a weak launch/launch window lineup. Below is the official listing of Vita games scheduled to hit retail and digital (through PSN) when the new handheld is released on February 22, 2012. Based on the nice selection of genres here, there are more than enough titles to take care of nearly anyone’s gaming needs. In addition, SCEA has clarified the memory card pricing structure (it’s slightly lower that initially reported by some outlets) as well as announced a bunch of cool accessories, but you’ll need to head below the jump to read all about those…

PS Vita Launch Titles (Pricing ranges from from $9.99 – $49.99 US)

Escape Plan (SCEA, PSN Only)
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational (SCEA)
Hustle Kings (SCEA, PSN Only)
Little Deviants (SCEA)
ModNation Racers: Road Trip (SCEA)
Super StarDust Delta (SCEA, PSN Only)
UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss (SCEA)
wipEout 2048 (SCEA)
Army Corps of Hell (Square Enix)
Asphalt Injection (Ubisoft)
BEN10 GALACTIC RACING (D3Publisher of America)
Blazblue: Continuum Shift EXTEND (Akysys)
Dungeon Hunter Alliance (Ubisoft)
Dynasty Warriors Next (Tecmo Koei)
F1 2011 (Codemasters)
EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer (EA Sports)
Lumines Electronic Symphony (Ubisoft)
Michael Jackson The Experience (Ubisoft)
Plants vs. Zombies (SOE, PSN Only)
Rayman Origins (Ubisoft)
Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen (Namco Bandai)
Tales of Space: Mutant Blobs (Drinkbox Studios, PSN Only)
Touch My Katamari (Namco Bandai)
Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 (Capcom)
Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition (Sega)
Launch window titles plus Memory Card and accessory pricing are a click away… Continue reading →

SCEA To Release Three More PSP UMD Dual Packs In January

Posted on December 24, 2011 by geelw

Nice. Sony is smart enough to NOT unceremoniously kill off the PSP when the Vita launches in North America, but they are doing something about the rather massive stock of leftover PSP’s and first party UMD’s I hope every publisher with a decent PSP back catalog gets into. Three more UMD Dual Packs are headed to retail in January 2012 and all come highly recommended whether you’re a newly Xmas-gifted PSP owner or a die-hard with the 1000 to 3000 series that hasn’t yet played these gems. To those who somehow don’t know why Sony is still dealing with UMD’s with the Vita about to land in February, there are a few simple reasons. Continue reading →

Escape Plan: A Look At The Vita’s Stylish Noir Puzzle/Adventure

Posted on December 23, 2011 by geelw

From the always informative PlayStation Blog, check out this nice slice of info on one of the Vita’s most intriguing US launch window games. I love these types of cool visual experiments and I’m hoping the game catches on with as many people as possible so the developers can expand this into something bigger and better.

Review: Nano Assault

Posted on December 19, 2011 by geelw

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Developer: Shin’en

Publisher: Majesco Entertainment

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Official Site

Score: A- (85%)

If there’s ever a proper Fantastic Voyage remake (and not some awful direct to video “update”) that actually rates a licensed game tie-in, Shin’en needs to be the go-to developer for the project. Nano Assault, their cool new game for the 3DS, drops you into a microscopic ship for 32 levels of arcade shooting against assorted mutated organisms and massive bosses in an attempt to shut down an alien virus before it wipes out the human race. While the game is pretty slim on the storytelling and a bit brief, it packs a killer visual punch and the shooting is excellent throughout. Continue reading →

Twisted Metal “Grimm” Intro Trailer Does The Impossible…

Posted on December 17, 2011 by geelw

I thought I was done with listening to Rob Zombie’s “Dragula” after hearing it so much in a few too many games back in the PS1 era, but after seeing this spectacular new HD trailer for the upcoming reboot of Twisted Metal, I’m all ready to bounce up and down on the couch like a hyperactive kangaroo with a controller in my hands. “Dig through the ditches, And burn through the witches, I slam in the back of my Dragulaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” (CRASH! BOOM!!!). Whoops. Er, February 14, 2012. Be there. I probably won’t be the only one singling out loud (or way off key), I bet…

Sumioni: Demon Arts Coming To Vita From Xseed Spring 2012

Posted on December 17, 2011 by geelw

As someone who’s into Japanese art of all types, I love it when developers are inspired by old woodblock prints, Sumi-e and textile art from the past when creating new games. While some less savvy gamers will see this Sumioni trailer and immediately think of the late Clover Studios’ wondrous Okami, in Acquire’s upcoming Vita exclusive, I see yet another in a long list of Japanese games that takes from the past and presents itself to modern gamers with an eye toward a bit of education under all that fun. Well, that’s how a bit of MY mind works, folks… Er, anyway: GO, Xseed!

Eleven Good Reasons To Buy A PlayStation Vita (And More to Come)*…

Posted on December 14, 2011 by geelw

Nothing but game trailers here, folks. I figured why not run them all in one shot instead of padding out the blog with separate posts. Besides, I’m up too late again and need my beauty sleep before getting back into the saddle for another ride around the ol’ inbox. Anyway, enjoy the videos and go pre-order a Vita if you haven’t yet. Japanese gamers are already grabbing theirs, but apparently, it’ll be about a week before Famitsu posts the first pro reviews. I like all that I see here so far and can’t wait to see how they’ve turned out since I saw and played a few of them last.

(*Make that 12 good reasons if you add in RUIN with its wonderful cross-platform play seen in yesterday’s video)

Continue reading →

A Double Shot of PS Vita Trailer Love…

Posted on December 13, 2011 by geelw

Two slick trailers from Sony showing off the upcoming Vita and its many cool features. Between the games coming and the cross platform play with the PS3, it’s clear that Sony has a winner of a handheld system here. All those app-crazy types strangely betting on the Vita to fold are in for a shock, I say. Those inexpensive iOS games are way out of the quality league when compared to what’s coming and hell, some of us core gamers don’t want a damn phone in our gaming systems, period. That and I’d bet good money that Sony won’t be replacing the Vita in under a year and telling you the system you JUST bought is now obsolete.

The Last Guadian Is Indeed, The Last Team Ico Game…

Posted on December 13, 2011 by geelw

Sad news for PS3 owners, according to Eurogamer. The recent speculation about Fumento Ueda’s departure from Team Ico is indeed true. Coupled with Executive Producer Yoshifusa Hayama’s heading off to join a social gaming developer, this means PS3 owners will be seeing their final work as the last ever production from the award-winning development team (as well as any chances for a fourth game vanish into thin air like a smoke creature from Ico). Let the wild internet theories commence, but I’m going out on a limb to say it’s most likely a mixture of burnout, creative differences and the general stress of trying to make a follow up to two of the most acclaimed games of the past console generation. My review of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection is here – go buy it if you haven’t yet. It’s now a bit of a collectible and it’ll make you a bit teary-eyed fora few reasons (and a few more, if you’ve been around since the PS2 versions originally launched).

Thanks to VisoGames for the trailer link.