Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon: Not A Joke After All, But Full Of Laughs Nonetheless…

Posted on April 12, 2013 by geelw

OK, other than clicking on the page on April 1 and entering the Konami Code on my keyboard to blow up all the stuff on the site with clicks, I ignored this “game” because it was pretty obvious that it was an April Fool’s gag gone viral. Hell, NO ONE would make a game like that after Duke Nukem Forever, Bulletstorm and a few other humor-centric shooters didn’t exactly set the world on fire. That and hell, Crytek was too busy working on stuff like Warface, Far Cry 3 and Crysis 3 DLC plus whatever else they’re cooking up, so this HAD to be a big, fat joke. Welllll, to quote Ah-nuld in that gun shop scene from The Terminator… WRONG.

Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon is not only real, it’s a standalone game that doesn’t require owning the original version of Far Cry 3 to play, looks completely nuts and sorry to say, isn’t going COMPLETELY old school because it’s a DIGITAL-ONLY release. Hell, if Ubisoft were smarter about this retro thing, they’d get this out in a LIMITED edition for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 and sell it on that fake online shop they’ve set up on the Blood Dragon site. Do one run and that’s it for physical copies. They’d certainly get the attention of core gamers, collectors and those who just want more options in how they play their games, that’s for sure.

Hopefully Ubisoft and their PR will pay attention to my non-negotiable demands and make this happen as a retail product – I can see a bunch of people snapping this up if it’s packing the heat they expect.

PREVIEW: Dark Souls II: It’s Not Easy Being Green (Or Hardcore, For That Matter)…

Posted on April 12, 2013 by geelw

If there were ANY doubts that Dark Souls II would “go casual” among the pack of journalist-types who attended Namco Bandai’s Global Gamers Day last week here in NYC, those were squashed VERY flat by the mighty throwing of one VERY large axe by an enemy during a demonstration of the game. While the team at FromSoftware’s main design goal is to make the game more “accessible” to players, to the producers that word (which means “casual” to some gamers) meant accessibility ONLY in terms of making sure the game’s pacing put players into even MORE dangerous situations much faster than in Demon’s Souls and the first Dark Souls. Fetch-questing for NPCs has been minimized and backtracking through enemy infested areas is out (although you CAN choose to explore anywhere you like), replaced by a refined warp system and areas where surviving enemies and the insanely deadly environments will become your primary challenges. Continue reading →

Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara – The Fighter: This Tank Won’t Tank!

Posted on April 10, 2013 by geelw

Capcom gets with the rolling out of gameplay footage from their more than eagerly awaited HD remake of one of the cooler arcade games we never saw in the US. Check out the Capcom Unity post about this beefy brawler here and get ready for some superior hack & slash action coming to the PC, PSN, Xbox Live Arcade and Wii U eShop. Like a few of you out there wringing your hands for a Vita version, yeah – I’m with you there. Hopefully, Capcom WILL make this happen, as this one’s perfect for some on the go action, especially if the dev team at Iron Galaxy can make it run smoothly for some serious four player co-op. OK, I’m getting ahead of myself here, but hey, it’s a damn great idea I think NEEDS to get done.

Batman: Arkham Origins: Current Gen Still Has It Going On, It Seems…

Posted on April 9, 2013 by geelw

Hmmm… I guess it HAD to happen, but with original developer Rocksteady Games not at the helm, will WB Games Montreal just be retreading the play mechanics from Arkham City in a different version of Gotham City packed full of familiar locations and possibly during different times of the day this installment? We shall see, of course and yeah, I’m too much of an optimist to think this talented dev team (which handled the superb Wii U enhanced “port” of Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition, by the way) is going to muck things up. THAT said, let’s hope they make this a game for the ages and fix a few of the issues even the mighty Rocksteady didn’t quite nail. One positive sign is the game is being made for every current-gen HD platform available, which means we’ll not only see a PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 version, but a new Wii U game as well.

The Vita and 3DS will finally get an Arkham game with Batman Arkham Origins: Blackgate, a “2.5D” action game from Armature Studios. Hopefully, both will be as close visually to the console games as possible and not too watered down or cartoony, as that’s almost always a disappointment in terms of continuity (well, at least in my book). Oh, for those wondering WHY Origins hasn’t been announced for the PS4 and next Xbox just yet, I’m guessing here, but I allow myself to do that once in a while for fun. Perhaps the guys and gals at Rocksteady ARE doing something on those consoles you don’t need to know about just yet, hmmmmm?

I say wait and see… but don’t be too surprised if it’s a new Arkham game or this one but done entirely in house and packed with visual punch to knock a room full of drooling fanboys to the nearest space station. *POW!* Watch this space…

Lost Planet 3 Pre-Order Bonuses: Triple Threat, But You Can Only Choose ONE…

Posted on April 9, 2013 by geelw

I’m not a fan at all of this pesky practice of slicing pre-order bonuses up to different goodies unless the content advertised shows up at some point for EVERY player who has ANY copy of the game in question and wants those goodies unlocked through playing normally. This isn’t Capcom’s “fault” entirely, as the big three shops here all want YOUR pre-order, so how better to do so than to tempt you into a three-way that’s impossible (hey, just like real life!). Ugh.

Well, hopefully Lost Planet 3 will sell well enough to warrant a Game of the Year edition so everyone who wants this DLC can get it. Of course, you can definitely complete the game without ANY of this content – it’s just a pain to see two versions (or three if you don’t use Steam, PSN or Xbox Live) of bonus gear that’s inaccessible unless one has a decent connection and the proper accounts set up.

And by the way, the game’s release date has dipped into August, as I just noticed way at the bottom of the press release Capcom sent along (eek). According to that last line, Lost Planet 3 arrives on August 27 in North America and August 30 in Europe for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. That’s actually a good thing on this end, as it will give me more time to complete a few epics I’m playing or haven’t fired up just yet…

The Last of Us “Wasteland Beautiful” Behind the Scenes: Art Class Is In Session…

Posted on April 9, 2013 by geelw

A quick lesson in art direction and how Naughty Dog created the destroyed but stunningly gorgeous game world from their upcoming PS3 exclusive, set to hit retail and PSN on June 14, 2013. As I’ve said previously, Sony’s not leaving this generation with a bunch of shovelware to remember the system by, so fans should be more than pleased the the console is still getting a number of key releases at least for the rest of this year and possibly into 2014.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: The Title Sucks. The Game Certainly Doesn’t.

Posted on April 8, 2013 by geelw

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So far, so good for this upcoming vampire-killing chase & chop, I say. Well, the title is still kind of dopey (it sounds like a very wrong Saturday Morning cartoon), but I’m really liking what’s happening with this NeoCoreGames-developed action/RPG. If they can pull off everything they’re planning, this one will be a hit (dorky-sounding name and all). Hey, I’m just saying that a better name will keep some skeptics from their snickering, especially with everything looking so great on the presentation side. I don’t mind the HUGE damage numbers at all, as they add a nice touch of humor to things. That said, being able to toggle them off would be a good idea.

Of course, with everyone comparing every isometric action game to the Diablo series (although Torchlight is more enjoyable to some extent if you add Diablo III to the mix), that’s another hurdle to overcome. Not for me, however – I love these types of games and will definitely play this one to death. Or Van Helsing’s death, as I’d be hiding in the broom closet if there were any real-life vampires and werewolves coming after me. Anyway, a PC version is coming this Spring with an Xbox 360 version via Xbox Live on the way later this year. Hmmm… someone get these guys PS3 and Vita dev kits, I say. And what the hell, a Wii U one as well, as all those systems could use a few more great looking hardcore vampire slaying games (that aren’t called Castlevania)…

Young Justice: Legacy Gallery: Little Orbit & Freedom Factory Are Doing It Right For The Fans…

Posted on April 6, 2013 by geelw

Fans of this freshly canceled (or hopefully just “on hiatus”) Cartoon Network show will have one really cool thing to comfort them in these desperate times: Young Justice Legacy is coming along REALLY nicely. While my overall impressions are embargoed for a few more days, I can safely say that fans of games like Marvel Ultimate Alliance, X-Men Legends and yes, even Justice League Heroes should be pleased with what’s coming from Little Orbit and Freedom Factory. That trailer shows off an older build, as the HUD is now different (it’s in a corner now) and anything else you want to know will have to wait (sorry!). As for looks, the stylized 3D visuals mimic the show’s 2D art style well enough and I like that the dev team didn’t go for the overused cel-shading some probably wanted or expected.

Of course, the BIG question is will the game do so well at retail that the powers that be over at Cartoon Network and DC want to kick things back into production? That, dear reader… is all up to YOU. Petitions are groovy and all, but buying the game and telling as many friends with a PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, DS and 3DS (Hey! Where’s the Vita version?) as possible and making sure they also vote with their wallets is the best thing to do if you want to see something positive come from all this hard work. Hey, even if the show never gets a second chance on TV, I’d say the game deserves a solid sequel that addresses that cliffhanger finale, right?

Puppeteer Story Trailer: Press the Button, Pull The Strings – This PS3 Game’s Got Some Wings…

Posted on April 2, 2013 by geelw

Another fine (and original) PS3 exclusive, SCE Japan’s super stylish adventure platformer Puppeteer, should hook in those core gamers (and yes, Sony fans) who crave nicely rendered (and slightly dark) fantasy worlds and characters to play with. This one tickles me because it’s doing the storybook come to life thing in a fun way without screaming “FAMILY GAME!” in huge neon letters. You really have to appreciate that Sony’s not letting the PS3 die off slowly (or quickly) with a bunch of crap budget titles and third-parry shovelware to remember it by, but I hope there are more exclusives like this to come. Frankly speaking, the PS4 absolutely needs to hit the ground rolling into 2014 with as few duds as possible from both first and third party developers who want their work to have long shelf lives and gameplay that’s more than the usual suspects doing the usual things.

As always, folks… we shall see…

KILLER IS DEAD English Dub Trailer #2: Mondo Zappa’s Badass Adventure Continues…

Posted on April 2, 2013 by geelw

XSEED CONTRACT Lovely. There’s really not all that much to say here except Kadokawa Games, grasshopper manufacture and of course, Suda 51 are all on point and of course, Xseed Games NEEDS to be profusely knuckle-smooched for localizing this beautiful mess of a must-buy. Like the rest of Suda’s games I’ve played, I’m looking forward to that off-kilter style and humor that works so well when your head is in the right places. Some fans over-analyze his work so much that I wonder how they can enjoy it. Then I see that they don’t enjoy it as much as they SHOULD because they’re wasting time with all that analyzing. Key to a grasshopper/Suda game? Jump in feet first, controller in hands and enjoy the ride from beginning to end. You wouldn’t get off a moving roller coaster or bungie cord mid-fall to point out every spot where you think those could have been more fun, right? Well, I sure hope not, Superman…