Retro Exploration: Dreamcast (Part 2)

Aha… some US Dreamcast games got omake files after all. Here’s a two-page comic and two gorgeous posters from Elemental Gimmick Gear (E.G.G.), Hudson Soft’s interesting Action/RPG which originally started life as a Sega Saturn game before being moved over to the DC. The US cover art was pretty terrible and it’s surprising to me that neither of the two posters were used instead. Ah well – the game is actually really well done, featuring hand drawn art, polygon boss battles (added to beef the game up a bit to Dreamcast quality visuals) and a nice mix of puzzles and combat reminiscent of a Legend of Zelda game. The intentionally odd localization is a bit off-putting if you’re a grammar purist, but I like the way language is used throughout the game as it adds to the feeling of being on another world.

Want more? OK, below the four E.G.G. illustrations are four CG images from The Lost Golem, Caramelpot’s super-cute and quirky puzzle game (also never released outside of Japan). This one’s a bit rare, but can be found for not too much money these days (well, the last time I checked it was pretty inexpensive compared to the more in-demand DC imports out there)…

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Hudson Entertainment Shuts Down, Activision Slays Guitar Hero, True Crime


In a double shot PLUS of depressing industry news, it looks as if the current recession plus gaming trends split down the middle toward bigger-budgeted or smaller indie “casual” games has taken down the US offices one a fan favorite middle range publisher and a couple of major franchises by a major publisher. Of course, the real story is how companies see games (and the creativity behind them) as commodities and simply chop product lines and jobs based on under-performance (among other things) rather than shift jobs around to other projects. Fan favorite Hudson Entertainment is shutting down its US offices by the end of this month, according to multiple reports including a blog post by Morgan Haro, Hudson's US Brand Manager.
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Review: Lost in Shadow


Platform: Nintendo Wii

Developer: Hudson


Publisher: Hudson


# of Players: 1


ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 +)


Official Site


Score: B+

Ethereal, innovative, methodically paced yet wholly rewarding, Hudson's Wii exclusive Lost In Shadow is one of those artistic gems that should appeal to gamers across a few different genres. The dreamlike visuals and puzzles that revolve around light and shadow play will draw in fans of games such as ICO or echochrome or the original Price of Persia, the platforming elements are fun and challenging for young to older players and the overall innovation and intriguing story will please fans of games with more than flashy graphics going for them. While it isn't quite perfect, it's amazingly well designed and has a way of keeping you hooked in as you traverse back and forth through some pretty trippy stages that play with your perceptions.

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Hudson’s Lost In Shadow Drifts Into Stores

Hudson’s innovative adventure/platform/puzzle/action game (it does everything!) is in stores NOW. Go buy a copy if you have a Wii (you can thank me later). While I’m waiting for my reviewable to show up, you can keep yourselves busy reading some of my previous coverage on this gem.

Lost in the Shadow Video Dev Diary 4: Pre-Launch Secrets

Some of you might be a tiny bit depressed that this year is rushing to a close too darn quickly, but for me, that just means that it’s closer to seeing the final version of Hudson’s Lost In Shadow hit retail on January 4, 2011. Here’s the final developer diary, featuring a peek at some of the cool secrets to be found in this Wii exclusive – enjoy!

Random Release News (Or If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be DLC Day…)

Yikes – plenty of new games and games news hit the inbox today, so instead of individual postings, a rapid-fire approach is in order. In general, August is flying out with a big ol' bang and September is rolling in with an even bigger set of booms. Here we go with part one:

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Calling Web Site Now Live… Be Afraid.

At first, I didn’t know whether or not I should be too scared to look at the darn thing. Then I remembered that I’m NOT at all the superstitious type. So, I cheerily clicked on the Kuroeight link and… Hey! it’s a pretty slick deal of a teaser site. Cool – makes me want to see more of the game, which is a great thing, being a games journalist-type and all…

Of course, if yours truly drops dead in a week thanks to a visit from a creepy little girl with a freaky-looking doll, well… it’s been very nice to know you guys. Anyway, Calling is Hudson’s upcoming Wii-exclusive horror game, yet another for the console which has recently been turning into a paradise of sorts for genre fans. The game isn’t out ’til 2010, but you can get yourselves slightly weirded out (if you really want to) by clicking on that link yourselves.

Go on, I dare you…

Trailer: Calling

It may be a bit low-res, but this brief, creepy teaser of Hudson’s upcomingWii horror game, Calling (set to hit retail sometime in Spring 2010) is nicely unsettling, in a Ringu kinda way.

After watching this a few too many times, I’m not picking up the phone for at least a month AND I’ll be walking backwards so no one sneaks up behind me. Or maybe I should just hold off on leaving the house at all until AFTER the game comes out… y’know, just in case…

Damn kids and their creepy dolls these days…

Hudson Announces Lost In Shadow

More Hudson news? OK! The company has also announced Lost in Shadow, a unique new platformer/adventure/puzzle game hybrid scheduled to reach the Nintendo Wii sometime in Summer 2010. Based on the images and press release below, my take on this one is that I’m definitely intrigued. Stylistically, the game’s visuals and color palette seem highly influenced by the phenomenal PlayStation 2 sleeper hit from 2001, ICO. Similar aesthetics aside, it will be extremely interesting to see this one in action, as the shadow platforming idea is certainly innovative enough for a really solid game experience.

Below the jump are the complete press release and five screenshots for your reading and viewing enjoyment.

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