Borderlands 2 “Doomsday” Trailer: You’ll Want To Make Friends Just To Play This One…

Posted on February 22, 2012 by geelw

Gearbox and 2K Games are knocking it out of the park with this upcoming sequel and here’s the proof. If you’re not dancing around like a fool with your wallet in hand screaming “TAKE MY MONEY!” at your monitor (please don’t watch this trailer on a mobile device, as you’ll be arrested for solicitation when you scream those words on the subway or bus), well, you’re either not much of a gamer or just don’t see the beauty of 87 bazillion guns. That and hey, a robot doing the Robot? Claptrap is back and probably up to no good (again). September 18 is going to be a pretty sleepless day here and in other parts of the US, is all I’ll say…

Young Justice: Legacy Announced for PS3/360/Wii/DS in 2013

Posted on February 21, 2012 by geelw

Well, well… someone realizes that a LOT of gamers still play Nintendo DS games (he said, not at all facetiously). Little Orbit is teaming up with WBIE to bring a video game version of the popular cartoon series to current generation consoles in 2013. The game is an action/RPG with an online/offline multiplayer focus (which wisely means a kids in a family can play together on the couch if need be). More details and screens to come as they fly into the inbox here. In the meantime, check out the official site and Facebook page, which are both up and running, although the official site is slim pickings for a good reason – not all those character boxes? Reveals, folks.. reveals. With a dozen playable characters, a ton of guest star cameos and a dozen villains, this is going to be fun in terms of seeing who’s going to be in the game.

Hey, Sony? Where The Heck is PANEKIT On The PS3 and Vita?

Posted on February 20, 2012 by geelw

(thanks, akiha777!)

I’ve been on the hunt for a reasonably priced copy of PANEKIT for ages and I’m still surprised that Sony has passed up on localizing this seriously awesome game for the U.S. of A. while also never updating it for a home or portable console since its release*. And you’re now asking me: “What’s a PANEKIT?” Basically, it’s a toy construction kit where you get to build whatever you want out of metal “parts” and set it in motion (if you like) in a 3D world. Sure, it’s visually “dated” by today’s standards and DEFINITELY a niche title, at that. Nevertheless, in this age of all sorts of junk games on phones and tablets, anything that allows you to create and share digital toys with others without losing pieces or worrying about dropping what you’ve built (and seeing it smash into a million pieces) deserves a new shot…

*Yes, the game was popular enough in Japan to get a PSN reissue not too long ago, but it STILL wasn’t even looked at for a more worldwide release (which is too bad)…

SSX Gallery Mini-Update: The Only Snow Some Of You Will See All Year. Yikes.

Posted on February 19, 2012 by geelw

So far, “winter” here and in a few other places has been a complete bust, but thankfully, EA is on the case with way TOO much snow and a bunch of fearless boarders you’ll soon get to play around with. Inside, where it’s warm, at that. I’ve played a few chunks of the game at press events since last year and at the Spotlight EA event earlier this month, this slick reboot was looking amazing and is definitely headed to fans as a fantastic addition to the hugely popular franchise. Run out and grab it, I say, but If there’s still no snow on the ground by the time the game reaches a retailer near you (it’ll be in stores on February 28 for the PS3 and Xbox 360), just keep a few windows open in the house so you can at least catch an ice cold breeze while you’re playing.

Note: Diving face first into a big plastic bucket of ice cubes to simulate falling in the digital snow isn’t at all recommended. But, hey… it’s your living room (and your face).

Escape Plan: The Vita’s Fun, Funky Puzzler That Needs To Be Played…

Posted on February 19, 2012 by geelw

What, another Vita hit? Yup. Escape Plan’s black & white “comic noir” visuals, easy to learn, tricky to master puzzle/adventure gameplay and just pure sense of fun make this a memorable launch title. Sure. it’s probably not going to make some of you “hardcore” gamers get all gushy (you’re getting your shooters, don’t worry!). Nevertheless, it’s great to see all sorts of games coming to the Vita that just aren’t the usual ports or other truncated “casual” experiences derived from a social network page. More, please!

The Journey Is Almost Over: March 13 Arrival, Expect Lots Of Sand In Your Shoes…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by geelw

thatgamecompany’s fantastic new title, Journey has been a game I’ve wanted to dive into ever since I saw those first screenshots and movies about two years back. Heck, I even started my preview by breaking out in song (well, sort of). Anyway, the PSN/SEN exclusive game finally has a concrete release date, which is March 13, 2012. Without saying too much (other than BUY IT – when has thatgamecompany ever made a bad game?), let’s just say a lot of you reading this with PS3’s (and a PSN account, as this isn’t coming out on a disc) will be amazed and absolutely in love with what the team has crafted. The word “innovation” is highly overused in the game industry, but here’s a case where you’ll get to see, hear and more importantly, PLAY a game that goes above and beyond the call. Hopefully, a Vita version is in the cards, as this is far too great a game to be confined to the home space…

WipEout 2048 Launch Trailer: Yet Another Great Reason To Grab A Vita…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by geelw

The one constant for every Sony system: A great WipEout game. 2048 looks to continue the trend, this time as a prequel to the long-running franchise that also shows off how powerful the Vita is and as a first-gen title, it’s a total knockout (long load times aside). Provided Sony gets all the support from its dedicated console base PLUS a fair shake form the pure tech dopes who think a dedicated gaming device with standalone games (many available as digital or physical purchases), I think the Vita will be a bigger hit than some skeptics are thinking.

Max Payne 3 Trailer # 2: I’ll Have a Shot Of That…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by geelw

Delay of game aside, the new May 15 launch date also gives me time to recuperate from my birthday a week earlier. Given that I’ll most likely be spending it buried in some new game, I get a few extra days to finish whatever I’m playing before Max makes his appearance. Perhaps Rockstar was thinking of me after all? Well, maybe not, but a guy can hope, right? That new trailer is up on the other blog if you’re curious, George…

Syndicate Hands-On Update: A Fresh Perspective That’s Just Right (Again)

Posted on February 16, 2012 by geelw

With the release of Syndicate less than a week away, here’s a quick (and mostly spoiler-free) update on what to expect from Starbreeze Studios’ reboot of the PC classic. I had the chance to play through the game’s first two missions plus a tough co-op map with a few fellow journalist types at the Spotlight EA event last week and as I’ve been saying, the game absolutely nails the feel of the original game in many areas, improving on things by dropping the camera to first person and putting you into the shoes of cyber-enhanced corporate agent, Miles Kilo. Those of you out there still skeptically on your internet forum soapboxes need to step down and pick up a controller at some point, as any bit of quality time spent with the game will prove that it’s a winner that improves on many elements the original pioneered.

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Armored Core V “DOOMSDAY” Trailer (Plus A GameStop Exclusive… A Pretty Cool One, At That)

Posted on February 15, 2012 by geelw

Usually, I kind of roll my eyeballs around in my skull until they fall out of my head and get all linty from rolling under a dresser when I see these pre-order bonuses. This time, I managed to catch one eyeball and pop it back in just so I could do a proper double-take. Pre-ordering ACV from any GS in North America will get you the Heavy Armor Pack DLC, which features 168 parts you can use to give your Core a big honkin’ advantage over those who just grab the game at retail on day one and have to work harder to get the cool gear.

On the other hand, a GOOD AC player will probably figure out a way to rig up a mean mech without taking the pre-order plunge. Of course, 168 FREE parts are very hard to pass up, that’s for sure…