So, Er… What’s That BIG Game Coming Out Tomorrow Called Again?

gtav-the-official-trailer_1280x720-custom.jpgOK, Okay, Ooooo-Kaaaay. I’ll eventually get to the mighty Grand Theft Auto V at some point this month (or next). It’s pretty much a given that Rockstar has already and is going to continue to mop up the high scores with this one and although I’ve reviewed a previous GTA game in the past fairly quickly (I actually had about 30 hours to blow through GTA III and do up a long review for a magazine I wrote for back then), this one will take some time to peel back all of those layers.

Of course, leave it to the folks over at NWA World to take it a bit too extreme in terms of describing some of the game’s content. This one’s definitely NOT for the kids and that Mature rating means Rockstar is pushing that envelope right out the window. It’ll be fun watching the heads over at a certain cable network explode as they run “news” items about the game being “marketed to kids” when that’s never been the case at all. Oh well… just shut up and play it, I say. Or don’t if you don’t like the content. It’s not a mandated game experience, you know…

Memo to D3Publisher of America: GET Oneechanbara Z: Kagura With NoNoNo! Localized ASAP (Please!)

OZ_Nonono

OZ_nonono_galsOh, this is just TOO insane to pass up, people. Sure, the west never got the original Xbox 360 version of Oneechanbara Z: Kaugura (boo!), but this enhanced PS3 version is ab-so-lu-te-ly screaming for a decent localization and US release. At least in my book as a longtime fan of this crazy niche series of games. I’ll import if I must before Japan melts into the sea, but man, this needs to come out here. And yeah, on a damn DISC at that. I bet if D3PoA were to take a poll on its facebook page and a few other places, they’d find enough people willing to buy this as either a one minimum print run disc or (yuk) a PSN-only download. In other words, I’m betting they’d say a hearty “YesYesYes!” to NoNoNo!

I’m going to bug D3 about this here and if YOU want to see this, you should too. Not D3Publisher in Japan, by the way – you want to annoy the US branch and you UK gamers need to bug the crap out of Namco Bandai Games there, as they’re the ones who handle publishing D3 stuff out your way. I’d rather give my ducats to D3PoA than Play-Asia, but if my hand is forced, it’s going down hard… er, take that as you will.

E3 2013: Oh, Valhalla Knights 3… What Are We Going to Do With You?


 

Hoo boy. Sometimes, I’ll see an article that criticizes certain types of genres of Japanese games for being too sexist or exploitative or out of touch with or whatever and I usually chuckle because often the game or games in question have zero chance of arriving here because of that content. Of course, of the games that do make it over with saucy scenes or imagery that may offend, some of the content is altered or snipped out completely so as to appeal to more puritanical American tastes. Granted, this sort of censorship offends fans of imports arriving unsullied and over time, some game companies has slowly allowed much of the silliness to slip in in various states. Well, Yakuza 4 and its in-context Geisha club antics and the Ar tonelico series’ eyebrow-raising “Dive Station” mind dating elements (trust me, it’s weirder than it sounds) have nothing (and I mean no-thing) on what’s going on in Xseed Games’ upcoming Vita exclusive, Valhalla Knights 3.

That trailer above doesn’t show anything outrageous – it’s below the jump, you pervs (and a link at that!)…
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Ride to Hell: Retribution “Built, Not Bought” Trailer: Hmm, How About A Slice of Iron Pie?

Well, OK… you can technically add food to stuff you can “build” and not buy off the shelf,  but who’s writing this lame material, hmmm? Anyway, Deep Silver’s and Eutechnyx’ grindhouse biker action game is still on the way and sure, it’s not going to win any Game of the Year awards for visuals, but it just may be a hell of a lot more fun than some expect. Especially because you absolutely CAN’T judge a game by looks alone in this day and age. Hell, that would kill nearly the whole retro/indie games market in one go. As I’ve noted elsewhere, if it’s fun to play and makes you laugh in all the right spots (as in WITH the game, not AT it), it’s a keeper. Sort of like with people, you know…

Ride to Hell: Route 666 Trailer: It’s A Biker Strategy Game? OK, I’m Sold…

Deep Silver’s upcoming “grindhouse” style action game Ride to Hell: Retribution isn’t the only surprise they’ve got up their sleeve, it seems. The company has just dropped a very cool trailer for (of all things) a tactical/action game for PSN and Xbox Live Arcade called Ride to Hell: Route 666… and yep, I did a triple take when I say that trailer above. Of course, now I have to play this game as it appeals to a few things I happen to like a lot. That said, I wish it was a grittier looking game, as it’s almost too cute for its content… well, almost. Anyway, this one’s coming in the summer and I’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for more info…

Ride to Hell: Retribution: “No Rules” Means You’re Always The Man…

Deep Silver’s awesome, violent “grindhouse” biker action game looks like one of those interesting Mature-rated sleepers that really doesn’t give a dead rat’s ass about some jerky politicians and parents groups whining about video games being the modern scourge of the earth, but that’s a good thing. Anyone with half a brain and no Sunday soapbox to stand on who’s actually HELD a controller knows that games don’t CAUSE violence at all and hell, if this were some TV movie or rolling up into a theater near you, you wouldn’t hear much about it save for whatever some overpaid film “critic” says. For those concerned adults running around with their hair aflame, I say just keep little Johnny and his soft, easily molded brain away from it and the world is a safer place. Anyway, June 25, 2013 seems to be the day this one hits the road with all engines burning. I’m liking what I see, so yup – I’ll be playing this for sure…

Ride to Hell CGI Trailer (NSFW): Va, Va, Voom Meets Bing, Bang, Boom…


 

Hmmm… sooo, the “grindhouse” revival isn’t quite dead yet, huh? Well, I don’t mind a GOOD exploitation flick (or game, in this case), so this new game coming in June for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC should be worth keeping an eyeball on. Or someone’s eyeball you happen to have well-preserved in that leather jacket pocket from an old bar brawl a few years back, ewww. Provided it doesn’t take itself TOO damn seriously, that tagline of “Two Fists, Two Wheels, and No Rules” might make this one worth a few laughs of the “definitely NOT for the kiddies!” variety. Deep Silver has been developing and/or picking up some fun stuff to publish lately, so hopefully this one plays well and doesn’t wear out its welcome in terms of longevity. The best “B” flicks don’t explain everything they shake your way and it looks like this game won’t either. As always… we shall see.

Once Again, It’s Not The Games You Need To Worry About, Really.

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cell phoneSo, a couple of months back, I’m waiting for the subway and there’s a rather cranky young woman yelling into, or more precisely AT her cell phone. Given today’s general lack of public decorum, I’m figuring it’s one of those angry conversations with a not so friendly relative or soon to be ex-formerly significant whatever that’s not supposed to be heard (and yet gets to be heard by all within earshot). Snip, snip and chop, chop- there goes someone’s entire wardrobe in the street and on fire later tonight, blah, blah, blah… whatever. And IN the freakin’ CAR, too? Yeesh. In any event (and as usual), I sidestep away so I can get some peace and quiet and not have to listen to someone sounding as if they’re auditioning for a new Quentin Tarantino film, when I hear the sound of a phone hitting the platform along with a string of expletives. Well, that’s one relationship busted… and a phone to go with it, I think… Wrong again.

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Evil Dead Trailers New & Old Bring The Scares (I Guess I’m Sold!)…

 

I’ll have to admit that the original Evil Dead didn’t freak me out that much because the people who’d seen it and told me it was SO scary had built it up based more on their own fears and tried to project that onto me before I went in for my viewing. I liked the film quite a lot (I actually owned it on VHS, DVD and UMD at one point), but I wasn’t put “under the seat” as promised. That said, it’s just an excellent, scary low budget classic worth watching by anyone who loves the genre or wants to eventually make his or her own horror flicks. The sequel, Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn was nothing but an extended Three Stooges episode with gore effects and I laughed more than cringed throughout that one because I got the joke right away. Other than Bruce Campbell’s performance (he’s still one of the more under-appreciated actors out there, I say) I still don’t like Army of Darkness much, but it’s gotten better with age and I’d gather the more mainstream approach also helped Sam Raimi get more work outside the horror genre. This reboot/remake/whatever actually looks more frightening than the first one because it’s being taken more seriously. I may just go and see it to see if it indeed does put me under the seat, but I still I still think someone needs to remake the 1967 – 1970 horror flick Equinox (a big inspiration for Raimi) as the official prequel to he whole series and get it over with just to complete that particular part of the cycle.