Best Gaming News I’ve Heard Today (So Far): Journey Collector’s Edition Coming To Disc This Year.

OK, you KNOW you’re tired when you keep replacing the posts you just wrote with new ones, then get annoyed that what you spent time working on has gone for good (almost… thank goodness for auto-saves!). One more re-post (this one), and I’m off to bed, grrrr…

Well, well, well. Something I’d begged thatgamecompany to consider doing way back when I first saw Journey at a press event here in NYC and it looks as if a lot of other people have been thinking and wanting the exact same thing. Thanks to a recent tweet that spilled the beans after the CE info for the region-free Asian version showed up on Play-Asia (interestingly enough, the page says the popular online import retailer has pre-sold out of its allocated supply already). I saw something about a week or two ago mentioning the possibility of Journey hitting retail a disc, but it looks as if tgc’s other hits, flOw and Flower will also be included along with other surprises not yet revealed. My money is on a soundtrack (either downloadable or on the Blu-Ray), art gallery and perhaps a making of video, all of which would make the package a must-buy, especially for PS3 owners who don’t or can’t access PSN.

That said… all of that content would indeed be lovely, but if there were demos of other PSN games (that were or are HOPEFULLY also Blu-Ray bound as fair-priced collections) of recent vintage (or those soon to be released… *cough!* Papo & Yo *cough!*), that would be even better. Come on, SCEA – do this up right and make some money while making a LOT of people really happy in the process. More news on this awesomeness as it rolls out. The inevitable trailer should be interesting, that’s for sure…

The White Wolf Returns: Okami Goes the HD Download Route Over PSN This Fall

Excellent. At a paltry $19.99 with added Move support (and Trophies if you want ’em) this is a no-brainer buy, period. Of course, PSN-only means it’ll be overlooked by a few who can’t get DLC. Heck, you know I’d kill to have this on a disc, as it’s one of the more gorgeous, innovative and fun games on any console. Yeah, I still have the original PS2 version here, but I’d buy it all over again just to play it with the Move (and in HD)… Anyway, once Capcom drops an actual date, I’ll post that here…

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Update: Peter Cullen IS Optimus Prime Again…

And all is good in that way fans of the show would want it to be in the case of one of the key character voices. Frankly speaking, the game is looking so polished and excellent that they could have gotten Gilbert Gottfried to to ALL the voice work and it would still be worth paying full price for. Hmmm… that gives me an(other) crazy idea (dot, dot, dot).

Memo to Activision: maybe think about giving Gilbert a call and hell, get him to narrate the TV commercials while you’re at it. I know people who bought a Shoedini just because he was the voice talent in that infomercial. Or maybe not. Hey, I’m entitled to feeble attempts at both humor and dipping a toe into some PR person’s day to give them a chuckle from time to time…

Review: Sniper Elite V2

Platform: PlayStation 3 (also on Xbox 360)

Developer: Rebellion

Publisher: 505 Games

# of Players: 1 – 2

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A-

The crowded and set in its ways military shooter genre needs games like Sniper Elite V2 and developers like Rebellion just to remind gamers that sometimes, slower pacing and more methodical play can be as exciting or even more so that a constant thrill ride shooter with not much room to catch one’s breath. Here, the game (and aim) is all about taking time to survey, spot and shoot with just enough level and mission variety to keep things moving when they need to. You don’t have to have played the first Sniper Elite back on the PS2, Xbox, PC (or the more recent Wii port from about two years ago) to fully enjoy this game, but if you remember that sleeper and loved it, much of what’s here will feel familiar. An online-only co-op mode seems restrictive (and is, if you don’t use PSN), but it’s seamless and about as good as it gets, while the multiplayer also has a few cool touches that lift the game above the usual run & gunning extravaganzas other shooters deliver.

Continue reading

E3 2012: Watch_Dogs Gameplay: Ubisoft Also Hits A Few Nerves Outside Of The Gaming Life…

Like nearly everyone else who saw it, I was floored when Ubisoft dropped Watch_Dogs into our collective consciousness at the end of its E3 press conference. Not only did they completely surprise people, they did so in the way things USED to be done in this industry. Win NO in house PR-generated “leaks” or overly annoying viral nonsense that keeps people who need to be more productive trolling around the Internet looking at teaser sites or playing with devices in useless mini-games that hint at what’s to come. Although amusingly enough, that’s probably one big way to market the game now that the beans have been spilled. Still, as great as the game looks and as amazing as the idea behind it is, something bugged the hell out of me when the demo was over…

Continue reading

E3 2012: As A Game, Defiance Proves Me Wrong, But The Show Still Needs To Be Worth Watching…

 

OK, I’ll admit it. I wasn’t at ALL keen on Defiance from the moment I heard about it. Sure, Trion Worlds is known for some solid MMO experiences, but the fact that the game would be based on a show from the network that brings us crappy camp like Sharktopus and Jersey Shore Shark Attack! didn’t exactly make me comfortably assured about reliable quality control in regards to the upcoming TV series.  Sure, the Battlestar Galactica reboot was groundbreaking and great from the start , but as the song goes, “What Have You Done For Me Lately?”

Then I saw some gameplay and well, I had to eat my hat…

 

Continue reading

E3 2012: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed: One If By Land, Two If By Sea, Three If By Air…

While it’s not the first arcade-style racing game with transforming cars, it’s hard not to see the lineup of rides here and not want to fall over something running to grab a controller and get some fast track action in. I’m still confused as to exactly what to call this, as Sega keeps leaving out the SEGA in the title, but folks who’ve posted the video have put it back in (where it needs to be). I guess we’ll all need to see what the official word is, but as a Sega supporter since before a lot of you were born, I’m all for promoting that world famous name whenever possible. Go, SEGA!

E3 2012: Lost Planet 3 Trailer: I’ll Have Another Cold One, Thanks…

Capcom and developer Spark Unlimited are going back to the past to bring you the future with Lost Planet 3. Taking place before events in the first game, the mix of “older” tech, some new Akrid to fight and a few tweaks to the gameplay formula (while ditching what didn’t work in part two) could just make this one a sleeper hit. Just don’t get it mixed up with Dead Space 3 (as that installment gets a cold and wintry planet to explore as well as huge bosses to battle) and you’ll do fine…

E3 2012: XCOM: Enemy Unknown Trailer: It’s Your Turn Soon Enough…

Even with all those big name , bigger deal AAA shooters out there, turn-based strategy gaming has never really gone away, but it’s just nice to see it getting more notice with higher profile releases such as Firaxis’ upcoming relaunch of one of the best PC games in the genre. I can most definitely recommend giving this one a go even if your only dip into the genre has been something along the line of Advance Wars or other lower stress SRPGs. If this new game is as deep and fun as the original, 2K has a surefire hit that will be played and replayed for ages.

E3 2012: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Cinematic #2: It Just Keeps Getting Bigger & Better…

Truth be told, this game REALLY doesn’t need any CG trailers at all, as the gameplay itself looks pretty amazing. That and the Megaplex reveal we all saw was more than enough to make plenty of people want to trow more money at Activision and keep High Moon Studios in business. City-sized robot? Oh yeah, that’s going to be a ton (or a few million tons) or awesome.