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!)

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.

Lost In Shadow Birth & Mysteries Featurettes

Posted on October 14, 2010 by geelw

It’s a total twofer today – the first two out of four parts from Hudson’s making of feature on the upcoming Wii game, Lost in Shadow. Enjoy!

Lost In Shadow Hands-On

Posted on October 10, 2010 by geelw

After looking at many Lost In Shadow screens and a few haunting gameplay movies since the game was announced, I finally had the great opportunity to get some hands-on time with the game at Hudson's New york Comic Con booth this past weekend. The game is not only visually striking, it's also highly innovative and absolutely recommended for gamers of all stripes thanks to the blend of platforming, adventure and later, combat against an assortment of shadow creatures. There's a good deal of depth here from the great use of the 2D plane in 3D environments to how well the visuals convey a certain emotional impact through light, color and yes, shadow usage.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Teaser Trailer Preview

Posted on October 10, 2010 by geelw

Here’s a teaser for the brand-new Call of Duty: Black Ops Single Player trailer set to debut Monday night on ESPN during the Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Jets game. Activision continues to roll on with the solid lineup, that’s for sure…

Sonic Colors Hands-On

Posted on October 8, 2010 by geelw

While Sonic Team has had its ups and downs with Sega's world-famous hedgehog, Sonic Colors shows that they're back in rare form with an amazing game experience no Sonic fan should miss. The fantastic use of color and detail (truly amazing for the Wii), blistering speed and wide range of amusement park (in space!) level designs make the game not only immediately accessible, but one of those titles you'll want to play over and over once you get your hands on it. My brief hands-on time was definitely exciting, as the game was easy to pick up and play, but far from the simple kid's game you're probably expecting.

Tony Hawk: SHRED Website Launches, Does 900, Wins Gold Medal

Posted on October 1, 2010 by geelw

The game is indeed a ton of fun (you DID read my preview, right?) and now it has an official web site to match as well as a release date (October 26, 2010). Click away for details.

Come Join Capcom’s Sengoku Basara Event At NYC’s Asia Society!

Posted on October 1, 2010 by geelw

The fine folks at newyork-tokyo.com have been cooking up some excellent game, music and J-culture related events and promotions for years in the NYC area and beyond and each one is really something special. Attendees show up and get a nice mix of current gaming trends (and a rare Hideo Kojima sighting once in a while), Japanese pop culture/fashion, the occasional freebie as well as a nice break from the usual boring evenings of sitting at home and complaining that there's nothing on TV.

Here's what's happening at their next event:

Win A PS3 w/Move in LOTR: Aragorn’s Quest Sweepstakes!

Posted on September 28, 2010 by geelw

Warner Bros. interactive Entertainment wants YOU to win a PS3/Move bundle, Nintendo Wii or a few other great prizes. Or at least try to win, if you’re willing to be a little creative in a very short amount of time.

By visiting the LOTR: AQ contest site, fans of the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy can create their own augmented reality video and summon a number of spells, including fireballs, ice crystals and sparks. Everyone who posts a video is automatically entered into The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest augmented reality sweepstakes for a chance to win loads of great prizes, including copies of the game, a Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 with Move hardware.

The sweepstakes ends on September 30, 2010 (yikes!), so get a Move on! Wii really want you to win! (ha ha).

MySims SkyHeroes Dead Space Parody Trailer Is A Hoot

Posted on September 25, 2010 by geelw

http://www.youtube.com/get_player

I'd never thought I'd ever say this, but EA has actually found a way to make the Dead Space universe look… cute. As in too darn cute beyond belief. Check it out and afterward, go try out the ridiculously fun demo for MySims SkyHeroes on Xbox Live Arcade while you're still smiling. MySims SkyHeroes launches (pun intended) on September 28 for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC and Nintendo DS. Demo info and more MSSH coolness below the jump.

The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest Gallery Update

Posted on September 12, 2010 by geelw

PAX screens from all the versions of AQ after the jump – PS3/Wii/PSP and DS. Interestingly enough, Amazon still shows a PS2 version on their site with the same October 12 release date as the others, but we'll have to see if that one actually ships. I'm liking the cartoony visuals in the console versions – they're reminiscent of Torchlight a tiny bit, aren't they? based on available info, I'm gathering all the games will be pick up and play “casual” fun, but I find that sort of thing relaxing, believe it or not. We'll have to see how the Move controls stack up to the Wii version and if the portable games are as fun as a good chase 'n chop should be.