While I was poking around looking for a movie poster for that The Monkey’s Paw remake, I came across this wonderful image from the blog Beach Bungalow Eight. Apparently, there’s a bookstore in Toronto, Canada called The Monkey’s Paw that has a supremely cool custom made book vending machine called the Biblio-Mat. Drop in two bucks Canadian, get a random book. Brilliant idea and yeah, we NEED these in EVERY library across America if only to keep people reading REAL books (and RANDOM ones at that!). Oh, Canada! Why do you get all the coolest things sometimes? And, no… Poutine isn’t on that list of “cool” things because it makes my heart stop in its tracks and want to look at it for too long (and I don’t get to breathe for a wee bit too long after that)…
Yeesh, how OLD is this story? Let’s see now, W.W. Jacobs wrote it in 1902, according to Wikipedia (and they’re NEVER wrong, right? Heh.) and it’s been mangled into other stories, films, TV shows and comics ever since. Warner Bros. and Chiller Films are bringing it back in this new flick that doesn’t look all that “scary” to me, but hey – you may be shaking in your shoes right about now. Not sure if this is in theaters in October or straight to video, as I’ve only found one poster link and it doesn’t have any rating info on it at all. Well, it’s not as if I’ll go see this… but YOU might want to. More details to follow at some point. I love a good mystery… but only to a point.
Given that the current model Xbox 360 can indeed be placed upright (although it can lead to disc scratching if the surface it’s placed on isn’t perfectly level and subject to being bumped into while playing a game or watching a DVD), it’s a given that some owners of the upcoming Xbox One will be looking to do the same with Microsoft’s new system.
However, according to this GameSpot UK article, a company representative says vertical orientation isn’t how the new console was designed. Of course, there will be a ton of hard-headed or space in that entertainment center challenged gamers who won’t follow the company’s “suggestions” at all or try out that standing position just once to “see if it works”, and you can never stop those folks from doing what they do.
On the other hand, I personally feel that there’s another, far sinister reason they don’t want you to stand that thing up… especially if you happen to do so and place that new, improved Kinect on the now top part of the system and power the thing on. To wit (actual test footage stolen from a Microsoft test facility):
That’s right, it’s ALL about ME today, grrr! OK, troops, listen up! I’m totally pooped from my Adventure Time today with D3Publisher of America’s holiday games lineup, but I’ll have more complete impressions tomorrow along with a few other TGS stories (only stuff I care about, as the show seem kind of weak this year in terms of content despite some super nice surprises).
“Whyyyyy?” You ask? Well, dears, my sleep meter is depleted and I’m in need of some nice rest for a change instead of staying up too late with a controller in my hands (or a keyboard under them). ZzzZZZz*…wha, Wait! Not yet, Sleepyhead! Anyway, the company has a relatively small lineup this holiday season and beyond, but it’s a bunch of real winners and here there be sleepers. And YES, you Earth Defense Force 2025 fans out there – the bugs bugging the Japanese PS3 version are being squashed (feel free to cheer at your leisure). Back with more tomorrow. Good Night!
Teacher:Okay, class? Repeat after me: “Thank you Mr. Kojima!” Class (in unison):“Thank you, Mr. Kojima!!!”
Yeah, that’s Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain gameplay at TGS “directed” by Hideo Kojima. That new Fox Engine is pretty damn impressive, that’s for sure. The weather effects, lighting and even the tent cloth flapping in the breeze (among many other things) adds some of the best illusion of reality I’ve seen in a game. I believe this is the PS3 version running and it’s still unfinished, so I’ll not get nit-picky about no shadows on the ground. Still, this is VERY impressive (and amusing with the commentary that needs to be subbed in English so you all get a chuckle), so that waiting is even more pesky. Oh well – take as long as you like, Kojima Studios!
OK, I need to go find my eyeballs. I think they rolled under a table…
If my mangling is correct, Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is supposed to hit selected theaters in Japan on November 23. Of course, a US release isn’t even being considered, but it’s sure to get a Blu-Ray/DVD at some point down the road with a sub and or dub. Of course, in a perfect world this flick would at least get snapped up for distribution here, but mostly traditional animation like this doesn’t do well in the US. Hell, even if every fan of the game went all at once, that box office won’t touch the usual Hollywood rom-com or big budget blockbuster that’s going to be spanking poor Bayonetta with that advertising overspend.
That said, yup… It does look really nice, doesn’t it? Go, Gonzo! Now, all I need is a US release date for Bayonetta 2 on the Wii U and I’m all set.
Innnnteresting. When Dark Souls came out last year, publisher Namco Bandai made the very cool decision to charge the same $60 price tag for the standard and collector’s edition of the game and yes, that steel-boxed version with the art book sold quite well while the standard edition seems to have done quite fine (not everyone likes that extra swag). This time out, Dark Souls II seems to be getting three different editions: a standard retail version (which will probably pop up as a digital release as well), a Black Armor Edition and a Collector’s Edition details of both are below, of course). Some may say Namco Bandai is being a bit overconfident here, but I think if they can get the fan base that LOVES this game to pay a little more while packing in some more swag (and cool swag, at that!), then more power to them.
Besides, you can always scream into that metal case or at that Warrior Knight perched atop your tee vee when the game keeps killing your avatar off when the going gets tough. Of course, since you hard-headed core PC gamers love your downloads, I believe you don’t get Jack other than the game (even if you find it on a disc at your favorite brick & mortar game emporium), so I guess that’s a win for us poor slobs who prefer our consoles for what they bring us (again!). Of course, PC-heads get fans who can fix stuff developer From Software doesn’t right away, so there’s that tradeoff… EDIT: Oops. As you can see by those newly updated images, I was quite wrong! One crow pie out of the freezer and into the oven for me! PC gamers get the swag too. Nice. Now stop that online petition stuff!
*Black Armor Edition Pre-Order Bonus*
The Dark Souls II Pre-Order Bonus comes with a FREE Collectible Metal Case, Game & Original Game Soundtrack – while supplies last. The collectible case has the unique Warrior Knight box art that will only be found on the Black Armor Edition. The Original Game Soundtrack is composed by Motoi Sakuraba, who composed the full score for the 2011 hit Dark Souls as well.
*Collector’s Edition*
The Dark Souls II Collector’s Edition comes with a gorgeous premium quality 12 inch tall Warrior Knight figurine, made from solid PVC weighing nearly 16 full ounces packed inside a custom printed display box with transparent window. Fans will also be treated to an exclusive hardbound artbook filled with never-seen-before images from the game developer, as well as a sizable full-color microfiber game map perfect for mounting onto your wall. The Black Armor Edition metal case will house both the game disc as well as the Original Game Soundtrack.
As usual, the media is going (pardon the term) ballistic in some spots over Grand Theft Auto V on a few very incorrect fronts that makes them look like a bunch of knee-jerk jerks who love to generate controversy for rating’s sake as opposed to being anywhere near truthful. Fortunately, the folks over at dorkly.comhave a mighty sharp yet paradoxically blunt hammer that works well at smashing this sort of questionable “journalism” right it its face. Read it and maybe keep that link handy when you get into a debate with some anti-gaming troll who thinks they know it all because some guy or gal wearing a hair helmet and too much makeup told them so.
Also, if you’re even in a real-life event where a news crew rolls up to invade your privacy, shoves a camera and microphone in your face and asks one of the two stupidest question in the world you can ask someone who’s been through or witnessed hell (“How did you feel when…” or “What was going through your mind when…”), feel free to grab that microphone bop the “reporter” lightly in the head with it, hand it back and say “No comment, idiot. Go away and find someone else to exploit.”, walk away and go take a nice long nap or have a relaxing cup of hot tea. They’ll get it eventually.
I bet these doomed astronauts WISHED they were on Venus or somewhere else safer and less genre-fied, as even this upcoming flick’s title seems to note that there won’t be many (or ANY) survivors when all is said and done. Of course, rocking an Alien vibe is either a good sign or some trailer-esque editing that makes this LOOK like a bit of a too close to the bone reworking. But as usual, we shall see. Although I always laugh nowadays when I hear those “stingers” used in movie trailers on the soundtrack. It’s like whatever has invaded the ship is wearing a portable keyboard and is playing that sound effect as it stalks around the ship. SURVIVAL TIP: Stay in the nearest closet with a blunt object, and when the monster walks up or by and hits that note, slam that door open and give it the what for with your hammer or whatever. Roll credits.
So, yeah… did you know that starfish are edible? I certainly wouldn’t eat one (at least there’s a 99% chance of that not occurring any time soon), but if you’re feeling adventurous or reading this while stuck on a desert island (wait, that’s a sort of oxy-moron, right?) that happens to have a wi-fi signal and you’re too silly to call for help because you don’t have a social network account and refuse to get one (you stubborn rabbit), well, now you have something to do with your time other than troll porn sites all day and fall out of that coconut tree while going for that last high-hanging fruit. Hmmm. I wonder if coconut goes good with starfish? Of course, if you hate the taste after all this work, the results in your stomach may resemble this Kamen Rider X clip:
(thanks, Hall of Fail!) Me? I’ll stick to the salmon, please. Thank you…
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 