KILLER IS DEAD: Xseed Teases Voices You’ll Hear in Your Head Down the Road…

Posted on March 18, 2013 by geelw

Ha- Xseed Games is really just showing off here, now that they’ve got a nice voice cast lined up for Suda 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture’s upcoming PS3/Xbox 360 action game, KILLER IS DEAD. Despite all the stylized blood spraying all over, I’m betting the farm this is one more love story from Suda, just like the last few games he’s made. As I’ve said previously, the man is a romantic at heart with a really bizarre sense of humor and a love for putting whatever is in his head into the games he cooks up. That’s fine by me, as playing a Grasshopper game is like going to the world’s most innnnnnnteresting amusement park that just so happens to have the strangest arcade you’ll ever step inside. Which is a very good thing indeed, by the way…

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 →

Sine Mora: Make Your PS3 and Vita Happy With This High End Shmup

Posted on December 23, 2012 by geelw

Like classic arcade shmups? Got ten bucks and a PS3 or PlayStation Vita handy? Well, go grab a copy of Sine Mora off PSN and prepare for takeoff. This Grasshopper Manufacture/Digital Reality team-up is really great stuff, inspired by Squaresoft’s classic PSOne game Einhander as well as bullet hell shooters from companies such as Cave and Psikyo. There’s a unique time-based mechanic where taking enemy ships and creatures down adds to your timer while getting hit decreases it, so you’ll always be on your toes. Sine Mora looks really gorgeous as well, with cinematic sequences flowing right into gameplay, keeping you immersed in the action.All that and if you speak Hungarian, you’ll actually be able to understand the dialog without subtitles (yes, Japanese game developers do some odd things like that).

There are some long load times and seeing some of the tiny shots on screen in certain areas is tough, adding more challenge to some map, but overall, it’s a total blast and well worth every penny. Oh yeah, it’s also got more content than the versions thanks to Whilhelmine from another spectacular arcade and console shooter Under Defeat (which just got a limited retail release on the PS3 after its PSN debut not too long ago). Anyway, go make your PS3 or Vita (and you) smile with a nice, inexpensive present you’ll play again and again.

Lollipop Chainsaw “Special Edition” Ad: Juliet’s Not Going To Let You Play Unless You Play Nice…

Posted on May 23, 2012 by geelw

Director (and co-creator of the game) James Gunn has an amusing answer to the fanboys out there drooling all over Juliet and thinking this game is ALL about exploitation and bouncy cheerleaders and junk like that. This clip made me laugh quite a lot, but I’d bet some of the harder-headed types on either side of the fence might not see the funny here. Go Juliet!

Lollipop Chainsaw TV Ad: Just About All You Can See During Primetime…

Posted on May 16, 2012 by geelw

I really like that WBIE didn’t fall over themselves trying to whip up a tame and unremarkable commercial for Grasshopper’s upcoming game. Yes, if you’ve been ogling the trailers before, you’ve seen most or all of this footage already. But this spot isn’t for YOU, silly rabbits. It’s for those folks who haven’t pre-ordered on heard of the game for some reason and are seeing all that weirdness for the first time. Hell, I’d buy this if I saw this ad and didn’t know a thing about the game just for the comedy bits alone. I predict a nice summer for Juliet if the game does well (and everyone involved will be happy as well)…

Got Undead Stains? Use ZOM-BE-GONE!

Posted on April 18, 2012 by geelw

Here’s a nicely done viral for Grasshopper Manufacture’s upcoming game, Lollipop Chainsaw, set to hit stores in June for the PS3 and Xbox 360. As I noted earlier, you’ll want to stick this one (the game, not the video!) on your wish lists, as it’s definitely shaping up to be quite a cool slice of action and non-stop fun with a killer 80’s soundtrack…

Lollipop Chainsaw: The Happiest Zombie Killing Game You’ll Ever Play

Posted on April 13, 2012 by geelw

Over the past few years, Grasshopper Manufacture’s creative genius Goichi Suda (or Suda 51) and some of his games have been called “insane”, “crazy” and “weird” (among other things) by journalists who cover his work (and who very much need new thesauruses). But to me, they’ve all been wildly incorrect in their assessments. In fact (and from first impression), Suda is one of the nicest game creators you’ll ever meet as well as a really fun guy to chat with. But don’t let him know I said that – he’s got a reputation to uphold amongst some fans out there who still consider him an unpredictably mad genius flying around Japan in a wrestling mask or something.

That said, Lollipop Chainsaw, a collaborative effort between Suda, James Gunn (Super, one of the best indie films of 2010) and the team at Grasshopper (working the Unreal engine again to excellent effect) is a game that’s going to be called insane, crazy, weird and more by gamers and critics alike. And they’d be absolutely right – particularly those who quickly clue in on how great the game is by accepting all the offbeat content it doles out at a nonstop pace…

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You Won’t Need A Sweet Tooth To Ride The Lollipop Chainsaw Schoolbus…

Posted on March 27, 2012 by geelw

Wait, that sounds kind of perverted in a way, but whatever. I’m just thrilled that I finally get to see and play the game next week, as it’s coming to NYC with a few other WBIE-published titles I’ve been really looking forward to. I’ll post impressions of everything once any embargoes are lifted, so pop back in from time to time (or just watch your email if you’re a subscriber) and see what’s what with Juliet. I don’t think that magic school bus in the video will be along for the tour, but if it is, I’ll snap a few pics and post them here. Maybe I’ll even throw myself under that bus (while it’s not moving, thank you much) for added oomph…

Sine Mora: Digital Reality & grasshopper manufacture’s Xbox Live Exclusive Shmup

Posted on January 20, 2012 by geelw

Yeah, yeah, I’ve not REALLY been ignoring this one at all (hey, I’m a huge grasshopper fan, so how could I?). I was just hoping we’d see a retail release for the Vita or some other handheld over yet another download only title that’s just going to be buried in a dashboard update down the road. And it’s a 360/XBLA exclusive for now, so there’s that. Disappointments aside, the game does look quite lovely and fun to play, so there’s that. More updates to come (but don’t expect the game to migrate to another platform unless it’s headed to PC at some point, as this is a Microsoft produced project).

Gamescom 2011: Black Knight Sword (Yamaoka & Grasshopper Manufacture) Coming To PSN/XBLA In 2012

Posted on August 17, 2011 by geelw

Yes, I’m swiping someone’s YouTube video, but here’s a case where I’m sure my living vicariously through their video eyeball is worth it as long as I share and give credit where credit is due. I absolutely love the art style and it looks as if the gameplay will be classic side-scrolling bliss. As usual, the NeoGAF crowd is all over this one (which is usually a good thing). While it would be nice to see this on a disc with a few other similarly themed PSN games, don’t hold your breath…