Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom Saves My Sanity This Week…

Okay, between the kitchen ceiling and walls here STILL not being repaired (oh, it’s a comedy of errors on the whys and hows of that nonsense – worth a post in of itself, but I’ll do that tomorrow or Thursday) and me pulling what’s left of my hair out at other things, I’m glad to have one nice diversion today: Little Orbit’s Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom. WayForward Technologies has cooked up a very inspired top-down adventure with gameplay and aesthetics that are going to be VERY familiar to fans of a certain marquee mascot character. Okay, the game is a shameless homage to the sprite-based Legend of Zelda games, but I’d say that Link HAS to be jealous. Why? Well, he’s only in a big deal fighting game and a nice non-canon beat-’em-up this year on two platforms while Finn is in a game that’s actually a solid Zelda adventure with Adventure Time humor packed into it.

Okay, let me get back to it. Tomorrow, another wall gets partially knocked in and I hope to heck there’s not anything leaky behind it, grrrr… Oh yeah, a bunch of AAA titles arrived today, but I’m not playing any of them (yet).

Review: Rollers of the Realm (PC)

RotR logoPlatform: PC (also on PS4, Vita)

Developer: Phantom Compass

Publisher: Atlus

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: ?

Official Site

 

Score: A- (90%)

 

Rollers Screens (17) While it may seem like a super-easy casual game at first glance, don’t let the either the art style or offbeat hybrid concept fool you one bit. Rollers of the Realm offers up a serious challenge to pinball aficionados and is one of the bigger indie surprises of 2014. However, you really don’t need to be a pinball wizard to fully enjoy what’s here. The game offers up enough fun to get pretty much anyone who picks it up pulled into its unusual blending of genres. Developer Phantom Compass gets some decent mileage from its medieval fantasy epic setting, dedicated voice actors and yes, the all-important element of making the gameplay both fresh and rewarding… Continue reading

All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy. Therefore…

RotR Vita 

This is about to happen. Well, later this afternoon once I get a few updates in. Yup, Rollers of the Realm on the Vita will be my savior for this rather crap-tastic week with the asbestos and the yucky kitchen situation and other stuff that’s still unresolved. And that’s not all, ladies and germs. I also have the PC version of RotR here as well as this to dive into for a bit:

Adventure Time SotNK PC 

I got home last night and played Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom for about 20 minutes, which definitely helped lighten my mood considerably. So, that’s also going to get reviewed but good shortly. Okay, that’s my fast “what the heck am I doing?” update, minus a few other recent games and books I need to cover. Back in a bit. I’ve got to poke through my inbox and whittle down the pile of requests, review codes, news and other potential work making stuff. Back in a bit…

Friday Mail: More Work (and I’m Not Complaining)…

NamBan Thank You Man
 
Well, there’s nothing like coming home after a trying day to a nice surprise or two. Tales of Hearts R is being played as we speak (or as I type) and so far it’s quite a bit of fun. Er, wacky humor aside. I think this may be the kookiest localized Tales game I’ve played, but let’s see how it goes. I haven’t seen nor heard “rapscallion” used in a sentence in about three months, but I’d guess that some of you out there have never heard or seen the word at all. What does it mean? Um, you know how to use the internet, don’t you, ya whippersnappers? Look it up!

2014-11-07-181745 
Um, spoilers? Nah, not really, angry Tales fans wanting to beat me with a busted controller right about now. These two scenes happen so early in the game that you’ll not get the context unless you’ve played the import already. Even then, I’d bet the original Japanese isn’t as goofy.

2014-11-07-191327 
Anyway, back to it. It’s going to be a stupidly busy weekend and upcoming week here. CES Unveiled, some reviews to catch upon, too many previews and hopefully a certain developer will get back to be about a really bag bug in a game I need to review. There’s nothing worse in a game about killing bugs than a game-killing bug that stops things cold is all I’ll say. If it’s not my console acting up and in fact it IS a bad bug, then at least one review I’ve been pointed to by a friend needs to come down.

Granted, any fix probably won’t change the reviewer’s opinion one bit. But hell, it’s best to be fair to the developer and say you’ve actually completed the game you posted an unfavorable notice about rather than just knock out something that’s not constructive at all that doesn’t even mention the issue.

PlayStation Store’s Sale of the Dead Brings You Some Scary Good Bargains…

PSN Sale of the Dead Banner(shakes fist at monitor)… Stupid Sony. Having another PSN sale on some stuff I might want just when I’m poking around for something light and kind of fluffy to play between bigger games. Yeah, I got Dead Nation (finally) for under 4 bucks, but stopped there because I do have some things to take care of here outside the gaming sphere. Anyway, check out the long list of games, movies and TV shows (okay, mostly movies and TV shows, as the game presence is a bit limited this week) for some decent deals if you’re looking to stock up on content for one of your consoles or that Vita you’re not telling anyone you own for some oddball reason.

Or, hell… at least get Dead Nation if you own a Vita. It’s a ton of fun so far and I just may want someone around to hop online with in the not too distant future…

Minecraft PlayStation Vita Edition: Well, I Just May Need This After All…


 
Yes, other than dinking around for about two hours on a friend’s PC a while back, I’ve avoided playing Minecraft. But with the Vita version on the way NOW available on PSN (the retail version is coming a bit later), I can finally see what the fuss is about on my platform of choice. It certainly looks pretty darn goon running on the handheld and I trust Aram (Hey, wasn’t he at Atlus for a while? Yes he was!) when he says it’s the best version of the game. Hmmm. I’ll probably need to shell out for a new memory card as well, as my current one is just about full and it’s time to pay the piper, grrrrr. I wish those things weren’t so expensive, as it’s one thing that’s keeping a very small segment of gamers away from the Vita as a viable handheld. The system has plenty of games on it, but it gets hit by some folks for having not enough variety, being underutilized by some developers and so forth and so on. Eh, I like mine just fine, thanks. I just wish Sony knew how to promote the thing a bit better…

Rainbow Skies Trailer: That PS3 and Vita? Not Dead Yet, Folks…


 
Okay,I’ll admit to being a bit late to the Rainbow Moon party, but ever since I picked it up for my Vita earlier this year, it’s been one of those games I’ve been playing quite a lot of when I get the chance. SideQuest Studios made quite a fun and challenging strategy RPG that, despite some flaws was and is worth picking up (whether or not it goes on sale). Anyway, the developer is going to be releasing a indirect sequel called Rainbow Skies set in a different world with three different protagonists to play as (so far). I like that there are some nice visual improvements over the last game (which was already great-looking, by the way), although it would have been nice to see the grid-based combat in action here. Well, I guess that’s what future new trailers are for, right? Anyway, Rainbow Skies is coming to the PlayStation 3 and Vita (so far) at some point (soon?). Keep and eye peeled on this one, especially if you’re a big RPG fan who wants a game with plenty of teeth that wants to test you at every turn…

PlayStation Store Flash Sale Time: 60 Games and Movies Up For Grabs!

PlayStation Store 

Amusingly enough, I actually forgot that there was a Heavenly Sword movie made well after the game made its PS3 debut. That said, seeing it in this latest PlayStation Store Flash Sale made me want to maybe check it out. Maybe. I kind of prefer owning physical media, so I may end up seeing if I can snag this on DVD for a song somewhere. As for the other stuff on that lone list? Well, here you go – take a look and maybe grab your self a deal this weekend – prices go back to normal on Monday (October 20) at noon:

GAMES
Title, Sale Price/Original Price
Battle Princess of Arcadias (PS3) $7.49/$29.99
Bayonetta (PS3) $7.99/$19.99
Beyond Good and Evil (PS3) $3.49/$9.99
BloodRayne: Betrayal (PS3) $2.49/$9.99
Fat Princess (PS3) $3.49/$14.99
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams Full Game Unlock (PS3) $3.49/$14.99
Hatsune Miku: Project Diva (PS Vita) $11.99/$29.99
Hatsune Miku: Project Diva (PS3) $19.99/$49.99
Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory (PS3) $7.49/$29.99
Knytt Underground (PS Vita) $2.49/$9.99
Knytt Underground (PS3) $2.49/$9.99
Mirror’s Edge (PS3) $2.25/$14.99
Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection (PS3) $2.49/$9.99
Portal 2 (PS3) $4.99 /$19.99
Remember Me (PS3) $11.99/$39.99
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS3/PS Vita/PSP)
$1.49/5.99
Resident Evil Code: Veronica X (PS3) $5.99/$19.99
Sacra Terra: Kiss of Death (PS3)
$2.99/$11.99
Sanctum 2 (PS3) $3.49/$14.99
Scott Pilgrim Ultimate Edition (PS3) $3.49/$14.99
Skull Girls Encore (PS3) $4.99/$14.99
Time & Eternity (PS3) $6.99/$19.99

MOVIES
Title, SD Sale Price/SD Original Price – HD Sale Price/HD Original Price

All Cheerleaders Die SD $7.99/$12.99 HD $7.99/$16.99
An Empress and the Warriors SD $4.99/$9.99 HD $4.99/NA
Bedevilled SD $2.99/$9.99 HD $4.99/$12.99
Black Rock SD $5.99/$12.99 HD $6.99/$17.99
Boarding Gate SD $3.99/$5.00 HD $6.99/NA
Catwoman SD $7.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Colombiana SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Fast Girls SD $9.99/$12.99 HD $9.99/$16.99
Girlfight SD $7.99/$8.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Grindhouse: Death Proof SD $4.99/$9.99 HD $4.99 /$12.99
Grindhouse: Planet Terror SD $4.99/$9.99 HD $4.99/$12.99
Haywire SD $6.99/$14.99 HD $8.99/$19.99
Heavenly Sword SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $10.99/$12.99
Kill Bill Vol. 1 SD $6.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Kill Bill Vol. 2 SD $6.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Killshot SD $4.99/$9.99 HD $4.99/$13.99
La Femme Nikita SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/NA
Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life SD $6.99/$9.99 HD $10.99/$17.99
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider SD $6.99/$9.99 HD $10.99/$17.99
The Long Kiss Goodnight SD $7.99/$14.99 HD $9.99/$19.99
Million Dollar Baby SD $7.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/ $12.99
Painted Skin: The Resurrection SD $2.99/$9.99 HD $4.99/$12.99
Raging Phoenix SD $4.99/$9.99 HD $6.99/$12.99
Resident Evil SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $9.99 /$12.99
Resident Evil: Afterlife SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Resident Evil: Apocalypse SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Resident Evil: Extinction SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Resident Evil: Retribution SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Salt SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
The Four SD $2.99/$9.99 HD $4.99/$12.99
This Girl Is Badass SD $4.99/$9.99 HD $6.99/$12.99
Ultraviolet SD $6.99 /$7.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Underworld (2003) SD $8.99/$9.99 $9.99/$12.99
Underworld Awakening SD $8.99/$9.99 $9.99/$12.99
Underworld Evolution SD $8.99/$9.99 $9.99/$12.99
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans SD $8.99/$9.99 HD $9.99/$12.99
Vanquisher SD $4.99/$9.99 HD $6.99/$12.99
Violet & Daisy SD $5.99/$9.99 HD $7.99/$12.99

And nope, you can’t watch and play everything here by Monday unless you’ve a time machine that works properly.

South Park Pinball Launch Trailer: Zen Rolls Out a Double Shot of Silver Ball Fun

south park pinball 

Well, well, well… the eternally entertaining Zen Pinball 2 gets yet another great table (no surprise there), but this one is TWO tables in one. South Park Pinball drops onto PSN, Xbox Live and PC via Steam tomorrow, so you’ll get South Park: Super-Sweet Pinball and South Park: Butters’ Very Own Pinball Game to play around with and wave in the faces of your jealous non-Zen Pinball 2 non-gaming friends. Oh yeah, and the set is also those annoying tablets and other mobile devices that get stolen right out of your hands on public transportation in major cities, too!


 
The folks at Zen say that the South Park two-table pinball pack launches this week for $4.99/€4,99/£3.99 on PC and consoles, $2.99/€2,69/£1.99 for individual tables on Mac. On mobile platforms (the ones that keep getting stolen, man!), South Park pinball costs $3.99/€3,59/£2.49 for the standalone app and $1.99/€1,79/£1.49 for individual tables through the Zen Pinball app. Me, I’m sticking with the Vita version because I play mostly at home and no one is stealing my Vita from there unless they take me with it, grrrrr!

Coming Up for Air in Time for Some Vib-Ribbon News…

Vibri PinupActually, I heard about this yesterday, but it was after a long day of poring over email and plotting out today’s Alien Isolation run, I was too tired and amused to post anything. Anyway, today on PSN, Sony is finally releasing the original PlayStation game Vib-Ribbon in North America, but not for that old console. This port is headed to the PS3 and Vita, with a future trip to the PS4 in the cards. I’ll let you boogie on over to the PlayStation Blog to read up on this wonderfully cool little game, which retains its ability to use music CD’s to generate random levels on the PS3. It seems that the Vita version loses this feature (unless it can work with MP3 files), but even without it, the game is still quite whimsical and still a ton of fun to play.

I still have my Japanese copy of the game and a PS1, but I’ll most likely grab this for my Vita because it’s one of those quirky little charmers that’s an excellent traveling companion. Okay, back to being scared half (plus) to death…