Demon Gaze: NISA Brings More “No School Like the Old School” RPG Goodness to NA…

demon-gazeNice. As a longtime fan of classic PC RPGs such as Wizardry, Dungeon Master, Might & Magic and many (MANY) others, it’s always great to see this style of game making a comeback on consoles as well. Demon Gaze is headed exclusively to the PlayStation Vita stateside on April 22, 2014 and here’s the US teaser trailer (above) and the opening minutes of gameplay (below, thanks to YouTuber Dorarnae). I know some of you more stubborn CRPG players who like a specific (as in non-anime/manga) art style are hating the character designs here and nothing will ever change your minds on that front. Too bad, I say, as publisher Kadokawa games and developer Experience Inc. have done a neat thing with the opening sequence that made me grin because it’s not the usual thing you see when you fire up a game.

 
The game’s official website has gone live and has basic information on the game world, character creation, gameplay and a few other topics. This one’s on my list of April games to play, as I can see way too many hours spent grinding away with a perfect parry. Or a party that WILL be perfect once I stopped getting stomped by some boss somewhere. I’ve got my eye on you, Demon Gaze (staaaaaarrrrrrre)…

Feeling Peckish With a Pen (or Fork)? Open Up a Kanamit!

to serve man 

So, I had a silly dream about that classic Twilight Zone episode “To Serve Man” and woke up feeling extra hungry for some reason (that episode usually has me feeling the opposite). I was also curious as to whether someone actually went to the trouble to create and translate that infamous Kanamit book into something readable just for fun. Or whatever “fun” one could get from such a tome (no spoilers here!). A quick search reveals that the fine folks at Entertainment Earth just so happen to carry a blank Kanamit Journal so YOU can write up your own take on that tome and try to slide it onto the shelf at your local public library. Or you can get all collect-y and go whole hog with a signed copy packed up in a collectible tin case with a Kanamit of your very own to cuddle.

Somehow, “cuddle” and “Kanamit” don’t quite fit together, but hey, it’s a small comfort considering humanity’s fate in that episode… Hmmm. I need to go find some food. Back in a bit…

Motivation For A Monday, Courtesy Of Woody Woodpecker…

(thanks, toon me!) 

Hahahaha-ha! My nightmare is now yours! This popped up in a dream I had early this morning, so I’m sharing. I know some folks hate that laugh (the list is fairly large as far as people I know), but it’s a KNOWN fact that everybody likes a good polka even if they don’t think so. Am I right? Yeah, I thought so. Anyway, get up and get moving, people. Monday is here and ready to get beaten up by you Daylight Savings Time sufferers (of which I am one, bleh). Get up, get out and get it done or else that damn woodpecker will be dancing on your head as he looks for a spot to start drilling for worms.

Super Fighter Team Brings Two More Genesis Games To Light!

CASCADE_screen MAGIC GIRL_screen

Hot on the heels of releasing Nightmare Busters the first new Super Nintendo game in many years, Out of the blue, Super Fighter Team has announced not one, but TWO upcoming Sega Mega Drive/Genesis games have become available for pre-order with a 2015 release in the cards. I woke up (late!) to this news, so I’m still pinching myself to see if I’m awake. OUCH. Yes, it’s true!

More below the jump (OUCH)… Continue reading

Assault Suit Leynos To Get PS4 Remake (Or: Target WORTH!)

LEYNOS_PS4 
Well, alright! I’ve never heard of Japanese developer Dracue Software, but they certainly made a name for themselves at this year’s BitSummit in Japan by announcing they’re working on a remake of the classic Sega Mega Drive game Assault Suit Leynos. The game, known in the US as Target Earth, will be a PlayStation 4 exclusive (at least for now, but I hope a Vita version is in the pipeline). The only thing up media-wise other than the game site is this teaser trailer that’s all footage from the original with the reveal that the new game is PS4-bound:

Yep, it’s a buy whenever it’s done and hopefully won’t be either a download-only game that gets buried on PSN with little fanfare outside its home country or worse, play like the Assault Suits Valken “remake” for the Japanese PS2. THAT game was based on the Super Nintendo-only sequel to Leynos (called Cybernator here in the States) and the PS2 version was just a chore to play effectively thanks to cumbersome controls and pretty accurate enemy shooting. My hopes are for the best, as Leynos was and is a great game to play through multiple times. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the soundtrack stays the same as the original game or isn’t remixed and/or fiddled with too much. Eh, we’ll see… I have faith in Dracue to not screw this one up…

Harlan Ellison’s City on the Edge of Forever Finally Comics-Bound!

Ellison Trek IDW 
YES. I’m SO pleased at this news that I’m too busy doing mental back flips and stuff to type out a boring descriptive post about the plot and whatnot, so you get to read a boring descriptive press release instead. Woo. Yeah, I’ll be grabbing this five-issue series for sure. Or should I hold out for the inevitable collected edition? Ah, whatever – we’ll see. Isn’t that cover awesome, by the way? Meanwhile, just for fun here’s an old Harlan Ellison’s Watching video for you on the implosion of the trading card collector’s market:

As to that Trek comic? Here, go read all about it below the jump… Continue reading

RoboCop Versus The Terminator IS BACK (Thanks, Dark Horse Comics!)

RVT-Hardcover-WALT 
RVT GALLERYThis July, Dark Horse comics is bringing back one of the classic books of the 80’s with not one, but two editions of Frank Miller and Walt Simonson’s RoboCop versus The Terminator. The book will be available at select comic shops and online in both a $24.99* hardcover version (featuring a new Simonson cover) on July 2, 2014 and a oversize LIMITED Gallery Edition for $125.00* on July 9, 2014. Miller’s story ties OCP to the creation of Skynet and Simonson’s energetic, stylized art lends the story some massive power as the two characters cross paths a few time before a killer finale.

If you’re wondering what’s the price jump all about, the Gallery Edition will be printed the same size as the original art, and include reproductions of pencil sketches and promotional artwork for the series. I say if you’re a comics fan with an interest in seeing and learning from one of the best artists in the business, this investment will be a great one. I’ve been a fan of the man’s work since the 1970’s, but my root beer budget means I’ll settle for the hardcover (ah well). I’ll have to ask in that Gallery Edition is getting a digital release or at least a download for preview/review purposes because I can look at Walt’s art all day and night.

(*or LESS if you use those handy links provided!)

Star Trek: New Visions #1: Byrne is Back On Trek!

Star Trek PN_IDWLast year’s Star Trek Annual 2013 was a complete sell out for IDW at retail (you can still get a digital copy here) and of course, that means legendary writer/artist/creator of new and awesome Trek content John Byrne is coming back with another photonovel this year. Even better, it seems that this Enterprise (pun intended) is now a bi-monthly series titled Star Trek: New Visions.

This time out, Byrne is expanding the popular episode “Mirror, Mirror” with a sequel, “The Mirror, Cracked” which takes place after the episode when the Enterprise crew discovers not everyone left the ship after that life-altering trip into the mirror dimension. As IDW hasn’t yet provided any pages (boo!), you’ll have to ogle that cover above and/or go download the Annual to see Byrne’s rather amazing photo manipulation and asset creation for yourself. The man’s a classic Trek fan through and through and it shows in the care he put into every panel.  Hey at $7.99 per issue, it better be some awesome Trekking, right? The 48-page, full-color book, debuts in May 2014 and given the speed at which the annual disappeared from comic shops, I’d say pre-ordering is in order.

STRIPPED: Mr. Bill Is Back On The Boards For This Comic Documentary

Stripped_MP 

Ever since Calvin & Hobbes disappeared from newspapers in 1995, the great Bill Watterson has been missed by many fans of his work. However, as you can see here, the man is back with a funny poster for the serious documentary about the dying print newspaper comics business, STRIPPED, now available for pre-order (ironically) on iTunes. Me, I’ll hold out for a Blu-Ray/DVD release because I like owning my movies and holding them in my grubby little hands. I hope people watching this now on their small screens can appreciate what’s being said and maybe think about how they consume their media in the future. But of course, you can’t beat convenience and enforced evolution colliding as they squeeze out some who formerly made a decent living doing what they love. Ah, my old fogey card is showing here, I guess…

Because You Need Something To Do: “The Phantom Creeps” Could Use Some Watching…

(Thanks, Audiovisualchannel!) 
Okay, okay… I’ve been too busy this week, but I needed to go see all those toys and games this week because that’s part of my Cure for Everything (TM) treatment when I start to feel aged and creaky. Hey, better fun stuff than draining the blood of “wer-gins” any day of the week, right? RIGHT? Anyway, enjoy the movie, people. I’m going to go have a small dinner and pass out for a spell after that…