Lost Planet 3 Cover Art: More Focus on the Man Than Machine (Is A Good Thing)…

Posted on March 9, 2013 by geelw

Given the major focus on the story and characters in the game (which is a PREQUEL and not a sequel, numbering aside) and the great-looking in-engine movies that feature some great motion capture work, Capcom deciding to make the cover of Lost Planet 3 look like an advertisement for Space Road Truckers or some other future Discovery Channel series is wiggling the already bent antennae of some fans of the franchise the wrong way. I rather like the cover, but I initially thought they’d go with a similar cover design to the previous two games. Then again, once the game is actually played by the skeptics (some of the same folks who bashed DmC for too long before realizing they were completely WRONG about it), I’m sure the bile will settle down a bit more. So far, Capcom is batting ahead of the fan curve this year (at least in my book)…

Defiance: Arkhunter Chronicles 3 & Weapons Modifications: More Fictional Fat For The Fire

Posted on March 8, 2013 by geelw

With that April launch rolling up sooner than you think, Trion Worlds and syfy continue to let loose more and more fun Defiance lore and game info. Here’s the third Arkhunter Chronicles video and below that, a look at some of the many weapons you can modify to your tastes in the game. Sure,it’s no Borderlands 2 with it’s bazillions of guns, but there’s more than enough here to keep the fans busy for quite some time. Speaking of… as I’ve been saying for some time now, the game looks really fantastic and plays as smooth as silk. At this point, it’s really all up to the show to hook the skeptics in (as in,it BETTER be great from episode one) and get them to plunk down that AAA game price for what’s looking to be one of the big deal potential Game of the Year candidates if everything comes together as all are hoping…

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons: Starbreeze’s Fantasy Fairy Tale Coming to PSN, XBL, Steam This Spring

Posted on March 8, 2013 by geelw

And just exactly what has Starbreeze Studios been up to these days you ask? Well, the busy and super-talanted developer has been collaborating with Swedish film director Josef Fares on an upcoming digital-only fantasy game headed for the PS3, Xbox 360 and Steam this spring and published by 505 Games. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons lets you control a pair of siblings with a single controller as they try to find a cure for their ailing father in a nicely detailed stylized fantasy world. Check out the teaser above and the short walkthrough clip below to see how the game will play. This one looks quite cool and hopefully will gain a strong following and not get buried in the rather large online game libraries on PSN, Xbox Live and Steam. As always, we shall see…

FUSE Character Profiles: Four You’ll Want Fighting For Your Side

Posted on March 7, 2013 by geelw

Insomniac is finally rolling out some cool video profiles of the four playable characters from its upcoming PS3/Xbox 360 game FUSE, set to hit stores this spring. So, without further delay (other than making your way through my scribblings) here’s a look-see at Naya (above), Izzy, Dalton and Jacob (all below the jump). Hey, ladies first, I say. Especially if they can kick a bunch of butt around the room like these two can. Continue reading →

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger Teaser: Techland’s Back in the Saddle Again

Posted on March 7, 2013 by geelw

After the bumpy detour into modern times (the well-intentioned but flawed Call of Juarez: The Cartel), Techland is taking its wild western series back where it’s always belonged and if the comments on the YouTube channel are any indication, fans of this series are (so far) more than pleased. March 14 will see the full version of this trailer drop and perhaps some gameplay will show up as well. Given the developer’s expertise in producing some incredibly stunning looking visuals, there’s absolutely zero doubt that this will be a mighty fine looker. Of course, it’s ALWAYS the gameplay that counts and I’m gathering the team has been busy polishing that to a new badge shine. As always, we shall see…

Torment: Tides of Numenera Kickstarter: inXile Gets That Planescape “Sequel” Underway…

Posted on March 6, 2013 by geelw

Well, now… That’s going exactly as predicted, ladies and gentlemen. As in it’s ALMOST funded on the first day (and probably FULLY funded by the time or very shortly after I complete this brief post). Torment: Tides of Numenera is an upcoming PC RPG game that will take place in the world of Monte Cook’s new tabletop RPG setting (called Numenera of course), and as you can see if you poke around both the Kickstarter and Numenera pages, it all looks quite spectacular indeed.

As with other projects this huge, Digital and physical versions will be made available for backers (whee!) and I hope this actually makes it into retail at some point, as the original game is one of those classics for the ages and this one (being cooked up by some that were involved in that epic) is looking mighty amazing as well. Getting more people to play a game like this outside of those lots of throwing money at it for strictly personal reasons (hell, If I had a few thousand bucks lying around, I’d want to be an in-game NPC too!) is a pretty good way for gaming to gain a bit more respect among some who overly criticize the hobby based on what they see in the media… Continue reading →

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

Posted on March 6, 2013 by geelw

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)!

Posted on March 5, 2013 by geelw

“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…

Posted on March 5, 2013 by geelw

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.

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

Posted on March 5, 2013 by geelw

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…