Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment Update: There’s A Tale With A Twist Or Three Coming…

Posted on April 30, 2014 by geelw

As promised, here’s updated info about the PlayStation Vita exclusive, Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, coming to PSN this summer. Apparently, it’s a twofer as the press release says the PSN-only download will contain an HD version of the previous game in the franchise titled Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment, which was originally released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable.

In a few respects, the game will probably seem quite familiar to those who played and loved the .hack series of games on the PlayStation 2, as SAO takes place in a “virtual MMO” world where players are trapped and are required to keep fighting enemies in order to survive. Some press release action for you? Sure, why not? Read on, MacDuff:

Take on the role of Kirito, the main character of Sword Art Online, who has been locked into the VR world of Aincrad by the creator of the game along with thousands of other players, including popular characters from the original anime series. To escape the fantastical and dangerous world, players must explore and defeat the enemies contained within. Players will actively engage monsters and characters and experience aggressive battles with breathtaking attack actions, exhilarating combos and powerful burst attacks. Continuing to ﬁght is essential when locked in the VR world – if players die in the fantasy world, their character will die in real life.

Sounds like fun… except for the dying in the real world part. Eeek. Anyway, more on this one as news rolls in.

Gallery: Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment

Posted on April 28, 2014 by geelw

I’m only vaguely aware of the whole Sword Art Online phenomena in Japan, so I was certainly pleased to see that there’s a Vita game coming to North America this summer courtesy Namco Bandai Games. I guess it’ll be catch up time for me, as it’s turning out to be a very good year for Sony’s handheld in terms of new properties and publishers taking chances on niche IP. Namco Bandai is going to be dropping more news about this soon (the press release says in about a week), but in the meantime, check out the character art and screens below the jump…

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Hmmm, How Do Those Godzilla Trailers Look In Japanese? Let’s Take A Peek!

Posted on April 24, 2014 by geelw

Aha, so that’s how they’re doing things over there. Cool. I love all of these reworked trailers and the nice slice of theme music below, so good on you, Toho for fully embracing this reboot with open arms and getting Godzilla fans in the place he was born just as thrilled as folks here.

Godzilla opens in North America on May 16, 2014. When does it open in Japan? Um… it’s in one of those trailers above, right?

Natsume Keeps The PSP Flame Alive With End of Serenity!

Posted on April 24, 2014 by geelw

The PSP has become the handheld that just won’t die even though I’d gather that the bulk of owners have moved onto the Vita. On the other hand, I have three PSP’s here and one Vita and some months, one of those older handhelds gets more usage than the newer, pricier one. Anyway, like last year’s sleeper hit, Mystic Chronicles, Natsume’s upcoming RPG End of Serenity started life as a mobile phone game in Japan and is making it overseas this summer as a digital release via PSN. Although the game will make an appearance at this year’s E3, I won’t be there, so I’ll be like the rest of you intrigued about this old-school JRPG and snapping it up when it drops as a download. If the latter game was any indication, gamers can expect a very long and highly challenging JRPG that looks and plays like it belongs on a 16-bit console (which is always a great thing in my book).

More news to come once Natsume rattles my inbox some more – stay tuned…

Tales of Hearts R: Your Vita Will Want You To Get This (Or Else)…

Posted on April 23, 2014 by geelw

Now, I haven’t yet heard of any cases where someone’s Vita attempted to do them bodily harm, but I’d gather if anyone who does own one of Sony’s handhelds who considers him or herself a JRPG fan somehow doesn’t pick Tales of Hearts R up, there’s going to be trouble on the home front. If you don’t pre-order this or snap it up on launch day (or within the first week or so), you’ll be in the bath or shower and hear a noise close by… it’ll be your Vita trying to leap into the tub to literally give you the shock of your life. Hey, it COULD happen, you know.

Granted, Hideo Baba and Tales Studio wouldn’t make a game that’s deliberately going to harm someone, but you know your Vita has a mind of its own sometimes. That would explain the games you buy on a few occasions, I’d gather… anyway, this winter, you’d best remember to get some Tales action up in the house or else…

WIN FREE STUFF! Grab The Conquest Bundle Gratis, Thanks To Bundle Stars!

Posted on April 23, 2014 by geelw

Hey, have you got an active Steam account and a decent gaming PC? Good for you! Want a code for a completely FREE bundle of a dozen games valued at $115? Um-hmmmm… I knew you would. Anyway, I have TWO codes here for the latest deal from Bundle Stars:

and all you need to do is reply to this post and the first two score BIG! Of course, you WILL check to see if your machine can run all these games first, right? Click on the banner above to go zipping to the site if you need to. And, no… you can’t have BOTH Steam keys, you – that would be unfair to the other winner.

Anyway, I’d imagine Steam keys work anywhere in the world you can get Valve’s game download service, so I’d say this giveaway is open to one and all. So, clear out some hard drive space or be prepared to fill UP a hard drive with a ton of gaming goodness without spending a cent. Yes, it’s because I just love giving stuff away, folks (really, I do!), so take advantage of my (and Bundle Stars’) generosity while you still can.

Surprise! Tales of Heart R Vita-Bound This Winter!

Posted on April 21, 2014 by geelw

Well, now. This is great news for Vita owners, fans of Namco Bandai’s long-running Tales series and anyone who just wants a great JRPG to take on the go. Having met Hideo Baba, Producer on the Tales series a few times over the years, I can safely report that he’s just as happy, proud and easygoing about his work as he is in that video above. It’s cool to see a guy who knows his fans and wants to get them the games he makes whenever possible (and it’s certainly not easy to do at all in terms of “just translate and ship it!” like some fans think). So anyway, yeah – a new Tales game and the first one exclusively for the Vita in North America coming this winter and that’s one more reason for my cold-hating butt to stay the heck indoors!

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II Update: New Screens, Beta Gets a Big Boost!

Posted on April 18, 2014 by geelw

Nice. Neocore Games has released four new screens from The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II and added some new areas to the closed beta (which is automatically updating via Steam as I type). Excellent.

I was wondering what that other game was Steam was adding content to as I knew The Wolf Among Us was going to drop in Chapter Three as soon as I logged on. Of course, by the time I got to the email from Neocore announcing the beta update, it was about 70% done and I realized that’s what was up. Yeah, I think sideways from time to time, what of it? Anyway, May 22, 2014 is the new release date for VHII. Remember, you can pre-order the game directly from the developer or through Steam. I’ll have an updated hands-on shortly (most likely after the weekend)…

Slow, Sleepy Sunday Soars…

Posted on April 13, 2014 by geelw

So, I saw The Wind Rises today and it’s quite a magnificent sendoff for Hayao Miyazaki (if this is indeed his final film), although it’s not quite a film for kids unless you want to be studying aviation history and a few other things afterward. It’s absolutely gorgeous to look at and while the grand dream sequences and a stunning interpretation of the massive 1923 Kanto earthquake here are amazing blends of that wonderful Studio Ghibli hand-drawn and CG animation, the film’s intentionally slow pace means some viewers might find themselves drifting off when the film is making it’s points. For a biographical film (animated or not) both the subject and subject matter call for post viewing brain expanding because unless you’re an aviation nut who knows names, places and anime faces really well, some parts of the film may seem hard to follow until you can place dates to some of the important events shown.

This isn’t a review at all, though. It’s a recommendation if you’re wanting to hit the theater near you, this is playing and your curious as to whether it’s worth the price of a ticket. The short and easy answer is a resounding yes. Okay, back to being bored as hell by Mad Men. Man, this show needs to end or hopefully get better. I missed it, but after such a damn long delay, I find I don’t care about it all that much now…

Random Film of the Week(end): Nights of Cabiria

Posted on April 12, 2014 by geelw

(thanks, TrailerItaliano!)

The first time I saw Nights of Cabiria, I was wide awake and it was the middle of the afternoon, but I was so wrapped up in watching Giulietta Masina’s spectacular performance that I’d stopped reading the subtitles and missed a chink of the story. Of course, this being a Fellini film, the visuals and expressive acting spelled out most of what happened and Masina’s work as a happy go lucky hooker with a head of stone and dreams of finding love kept me entranced until the ending.

I’ve seen the film quite a few times since and have introduced it to friends with no explanation because how do you properly describe a film about prostitutes that manages to be funny and sad and human all at the same time without getting wrapped up in someone’s “Uh, so… it’s a movie about what?” eyebrow. Granted, you can always take the easy way out and make it a double feature night with Fellini’s La Strada first, as like this film, it won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film and has Giulietta Masina giving another performance for the ages. That SHOULD wipe away any smudgy thoughts about pedigree and content.

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