Knights Contract Update: New Screens, Art, Release Date

Posted on December 18, 2010 by geelw

Namco Bandai's rather surreal fantasy/horror/action game hybrid has been on my radar pretty since its initial announcement and now, the Game Republic-developed title finally has a release date. February 22, 2011 is when you'll want to be lurking around your favorite game retailer (or creeping in to pick up your pre-ordered copy). The single-player PS3 and Xbox 360 game features Heinrich, an immortal executioner and Gretchen, a resurrected witch who acts as Heinrich's AI partner. Namco Bandai hopes that the mix of fantasy elements, high action sequences and M-rated gore coupled with the game's bizarre menagerie of monsters might lift a few of those lingering holiday blahs right out of your system.

Speaking of bizarre-looking monsters, more nice concept art images and renders of two bosses, Straeggle and Trude are below the jump along with some new screens featuring the pair of beastly beauties in action.

Review: Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom

Posted on November 23, 2010 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360 (also on PS3)

Developer: Game Republic

Publisher: Namco Bandai

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: B+

Proof that decent single player game experiences aren't quite dead just yet, Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is a nice surprise in this insanely busy holiday games avalanche. In this console cycle of endless AAA shooters, non-stop action games packed with multiplayer modes or games where some sort of mandatory online presence have become mainstays, Game Republic's lengthy and quietly beautiful little fantasy wants you to put down the caffeine, turn off the testosterone, pull up a comfortable chair and set a spell with the well-worn tale it wants to tell. Like Namco Bandai's other excellent single-player focused sleeper, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (and Game Republic's PS3 launch window title, Folklore), there's a lot of love that went into putting this one together and you can see it as you play. While the overall experience isn't flawless, the game is a guaranteed near-total joy for those who fully surrender to its charms.

Spaltterhouse: It’s All About Jennifer (Oh Yeah, And A Few Monsters, Too)

Posted on November 10, 2010 by geelw

Well, heeeeeeere's Jenny! Now slap on that Terror Mask, grab the nearest baseball bat and go save her before she's turned into a monster's meat pie midnight snack. Two action shots of Rick plus Dr. Westa few of the ugly beasties from Namco Bandai's upcoming horror action game (also in nice 3D render form – not as cute as Jenny, though) are below the jump. The game ships out next week (and I can't wait to play it).

Sega and Namco SALE On iOS Lineup

Posted on October 30, 2010 by geelw

The Halloween madness continues with Both Sega and Namco running great sales on a number of great iOS titles. click below for the full listing.

Review: Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2

Posted on October 25, 2010 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360 (also on PS3)

Developer: CyberConnect2

Publisher Namco Bandai

# of Players: 1-2 (online)

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: A-

Japanese developer CyberConnect2 pretty much has this Naruto thing nailed up tightly to the point of near perfection. Every time I get my hands on one of their games either PSP or console, I'm amazed at how well the developer can translate the crazy power of Naruto into playable form. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 manages to be even more of a total blast to play than the original game, adds speedy online play for the first time for those who want it (it's great) and overall, is definitely recommended for fans of the long-running franchise. Sure, it's probably not going to win over hardcore players of deeper fighters out there (who don't know what they're missing, frankly speaking). However, the sheer amount of quality oozing from the final product absolutely deserves a ton of respect no matter what your genre tastes are.

Review: Active Life Explorer

Posted on October 21, 2010 by geelw

Platform: Nintendo Wii

Developer: Namco Bandai

Publisher: Namco Bandai

# of Players 1 – 4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone!)

Official Site

Score: A–

Some anti-gaming types (and a few other folks out there who should be spending their time doing more important things) often complain that spending time in front of your TV doing things you'd normally do outside make for a less than acceptable means of physical activity. In the words of imaginary character Tony Stark (as portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man), “I respectfully disagree.” Bandai's new Wii game Active Life Explorer presents one great answer to that interesting paradox these exercise-based games present. Sure, you can overpay for a real gym membership or drag the whole family out for an expensive vacation somewhere with sunny vistas, starry nights and overpriced meals, but in this age of yawn-worthy “staycations” and penny-pinching “fun” ideas that make for more sour faces than smiley ones, here's a game that kills both of those birds (and a few more) with one stone.

Splatterhouse Cover Art = Simple But Effective

Posted on October 14, 2010 by geelw

That cover art practically screams “Hide the kids, the wife and any nearby pets.” Hell, you KNOW what you’re in for based on the image, that’s for sure. November 23, 2010 is the release date (so the game misses Halloween – big deal!). New and insanely gory screens going up on my other blog later today, by the way.

Review: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Posted on October 1, 2010 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360 (also available on PS3)

Developer: Ninja Theory

Publisher: Namco Bandai

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score A-

Namco Bandai and developer Ninja Theory seem to be making a clear point with Enslaved: Odyssey to the West that great action games this generation don’t all need to be too short or packed with Mature-rated content, non-stop multiplayer modes and “gritty” environments done up in the muted gray or brown palettes too many other titles are saddled with these days. What’s here is an absolute and pure fun blast of a game with gorgeous visuals that pop right off the screen, a solid focus on telling a great, emotional single player story and thrilling gameplay that will keep you going from one encounter to the next. While there are a few technical issues, they in absolutely no way stop this from being one of the best games of 2010. Continue reading →

It’s Not October Yet, But…

Posted on September 30, 2010 by geelw

…Hell, those recent Splatterhouse screens inspired me even more than usual, so I actually whipped up a quickie banner a few days early. Hope you like it. I may do another next week. Then again, I’ll be busy with a ton of stuff including getting ready for NYCC, so I may not run a new banner at all.

We shall see…

Gallery Update IV: Splatterhouse

Posted on September 24, 2010 by geelw

The three screens I can run on this more family-friendly blog are below. As for the rest… well, you know where to find them, don't you? Only a few more weeks to go, ladies and germs! More gallery updates to come shortly, as Namco Bandai seems to be adding even more gorgeously gruesome screens as the game approaches its ship date.