BioShock Infinite’s Booker/Elizabeth Duet Brings Back AM Radio Memories…

Well, well… if it isn’t 1972 all over again! I actually got a good laugh in when seeing this video for a few reasons, but I really HOPE this song doesn’t show up until the end credits or isn’t in the game at all, as it’s the last thing I can see some “core” players expecting. What’s next? “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” played on the gatling gun by that George Washinton-looking mech boss? THAT would be pretty funny. Or maybe “Dueling Banjos” done by some of the NPC townsfolk of Columbia? Hey, I’m a child of the 70’s… I could do this all day… I actually wish we had all those old classics mixed up with soul, rock,R&B and more like AM radio USED to do so well before it became polluted by talkers and schemers with low brain cell counts and big mouths…

Carnage Heart EXA Goes Gold, Gets Nicely Detailed Facebook Tutorial…

 

Well, Natsume kind of (and very smartly) realizes that this isn’t your garden variety “casual” game at all, so with the announcement that Artdink’s PSP exclusive,Carnage Heart EXA has gone gold and will be available for download on PSN on March 19, comes a cool link on the company’s  Facebook page that walks you through some basic “programming” skills needed to get your OKE’s up and running as they should. “What’s an OKE?” you ask? Well, dear…just go check that fb page out and see for yourself (the link should be on the right side). I’m about to run home before this stupid storm that’s about to roll through here kicks off…

Metal Gear Rising Mural Project: Games As Art (And Lesson of the Day)…

 

It’s always really cool to see and type of video game art go up in public as advertising and a way to get a few artists noticed by folks who’ve never heard of them. Here’s Yoji Shinkawa’s incredible line art brought to life by artist Jim Vision (EndoftheLine) in this slick time-lapse video. I’m sure there’s a Metal Gear fan out there buying up cheap airline tickets and trying to pack a hammer and chisel in that carry-on bag. Of course, the SMART thing to do is bring an empty bag, BUY the appropriate tools in each city, crate up and ship your prize back (via seamail) before you leave (which will be a few weeks to years, as you’re going directly to jail for taking down the side of a building just to get that piece of amazing art for your collection)…

Zeno Clash II Trailer: Atlus Has Another ACE Effort (That More Need To Be Able To Play)…

 

As much goofy but intense fun as Zeno Clash II and its prequel, Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition look, the tiny little fact that many devoted Atlus fans who can’t get access to PSN or Steam accounts are going to miss yet another great game is going to be a sticking point that has yet to find a proper resolution. Yeah, yeah, I know digital is the way to go (and the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay of the future!) for a super-niche game such as this one (and man is it weird!), but I’d love to see Atlus get BOTH Zeno Clash games onto a disc (along with ACE Team’s awesome Rock of Ages) for console users who don’t or can’t use PSN or XBLA. I actually have the first game for PC on a new import disc I picked up from the UK, but it requires a wee bit more powerful of a PC than I currently use and my laptop DEFINITELY can’t run it at all. Bleh.  I’m not one for online petitions, but I’ll go sign one if need be just to get to play more funky games such as these…

Iron Man 3 (Trailer 2): Just In Case You Were Wondering If It Was Going to be Good…

Hmm… It seems Marvel Productions is going to be pushing this one much harder than they need to, but that’s fine by me. The multiple TV spots should be fun to watch as they follow the “serious/action/catchy joke finale” thing most of these comic book flicks (and heck, most other movies) get when truncated down to 15 to 30 second spots. I don’t think I’ll run them all or I’d need to change the name of the site to “IRON MAN 3 Trailers!” or something corny like that.

Overkill was never my style (nor was coming up with good alternate site names, as you’ve probably guessed)…

Lost Planet 3 Pirate Reveal Trailer: I Thought Cold Made Criminals Stay Home!

 

June 25, 2013 is the big day for those Lost Planet 3 fans keeping a good eye on Spark Unlimted’s best game to date. Of course, there’s still a way too vocal online presence from those who don’t get this is a PREQUEL and not a sequel (I blame the numbering system a little for this, but more blame goes to those who’ve NOT been reading all those hands-on previews at all), but I think (and hope) this will iron itself out when the game finally ships. HOPEFULLY, that’s enough time to silence some of these negative yappers as they ease into the game proper, but I also think Capcom needs to push back as gently as possible and help some of these misguided miscreants a bit before they get to vomiting their “I didn’t play the game BUT…” opinions all over Metacritic (which is no longer a reliable source for fair ratings at all) and get a LOT of people downsized out of jobs in the process. I love what I got to try out last year and think the game will “click” with many as soon as they let the story and characters do their thing.

Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness Trailer: Now, That’s More Like It (Again)!

 

“Breathe deep, the gathering gloom… watch lights fade from every room…”

Yes, Laharl and Etna and company are indeed baaaaaack in this all-new Disgaea game headed to the PS3 this fall. Expect this one to drop in standard and some sort of limited editions bound to sell out quickly, as this dark yet hilarious series has always been a fan favorite and both Laharl and Etna have some REALLY hardcore fans. Well, Etna probably has the most fans, as no one wants a tattoo of baby Laharl on that demonskin rug on their back, but I’ve seen a few cool Etna tattoos over the years inked on some fans of assorted ages. As for me, I prefer to remain non-inked (needles… NEEDLES!), but pay me a million bucks and you might get me to reconsider. Maybe. Anyway, happy days indeed for strategy RPG fans who like their games wacky, hard as heck and filled with anime goodness galore…

Nippon Ichi’s The Guided Fate Paradox Poses Some Innnnteresting Eternal Questions…

 

Oh, this one just needs to be read to be believed, so I’ll just run the description below for this upcoming PS3 exclusive RPG and let your brains have at it:

The story for this title in particular is quite unique–imagine you are at the mall and you are forced to enter a raffle they are running inside…and you win! Congratulations, you winner, you! Your prize? You get to become God! Now that you are God, it’s your beeswax to go through the mysterious Fate Revolution Circuit and guide the fates of those who have prayed to God for help!

 

I happen to love the Disgaea games on the PS2, PSP, PS3, Vita and Nintendo DS and as TGFP is from some of the same team and looks cute as hell (er, ha ha?),  I’ll probably grab this one on the PS3 when it ships out whenever. That said, I’m praying for a physical release (no, not THAT kind of release, silly!) but can see Nippon Ichi Software America needing to deal with a few particularly picky folks who like their old-time religion in a non-anime (and more vengeful if you poke fun at it) manner. Any-way… I’ll be in the back with the devil horns playing loud (Maceo!), filing my nails and tail or something. Red velvet cake for dessert later – with fresh ice cream, by the way. Bring a friend. And a few marshmallows – it’s hot as hell down here.

Applied Design @MoMA: Playing Games in Public Reveals Some Issues…

 

Well, that darned “ringer” Pac-Man machine with the funky joystick was ONE problem and bad enough for an old gaming salt like me to come up against, grrrr. But I’ll have to kick myself harder for being SO supremely lame at vib-ribbon when I have it here and used to play it quite a lot. Granted, it HAS been a few years since I picked up that PSOne import, but still… I think someone messed with the controller, as the card next to the exhibit was off a bit. Well, the good thing was everyone who played it had problems as well. I at least managed to make it to the end of the second area on one attempt… and of course, I wasn’t filming or being films when it happened… bleh.

 

Thief 4: As Long As It Doesn’t Stab Me In The Back When It Takes My Money, I’m Good…

Ah… this is fine news indeed. It seems that there’s a new Thief game (which just SO happens to be called Thief 4 because it’s the fourth game in the series) in the works for PC and next-generation consoles. Nice. I’ll do a happier dance when I see some gameplay, but to the initiated, the Thief series is one of those seminal works that’s pretty deep and always challenging to dive into. Eidos Montreal is handling the development chores, Square Enix will be publishing and if the game is anything like Deus Ex: Human Revolution in terms of scope (but with much more interaction), it’s guaranteed some solid ratings as well as a loyal fan base.

Granted, I’m betting ANY inclusion of “casual” play modes will be met with all sorts of internet-driven derision and division, but that’s how it goes in an era where more people seem to want to try more types of games (before giving up before they’ve learned the damned controls in the tutorial). As always, we shall see. I’ll be sneaking carefully behind this one and keeping tabs, that’s for sure…