Mass Effect 3 “Take Earth Back” Teaser – Stellar Storytelling (Short Version)

I saw the full-length version of this last week at the Spotlight EA event and it’s pretty spectacular, stirring stuff by time the dramatic ending rolls around. Not that Mass Effect 3 needs the hard sell at all. Hell, BioWare has pulled out all the stops with the upcoming PS3/Xbox 360/PC game an you’ll see many improvements plus a super 4-player co-op mode that ties into the main single player storyline. It’s almost like the developer (and whomever did the CG work) is showing off how well their game is going to yank players all across the emotional spectrum and leave them in sobbing, yet defiant heaps of Shepard-ness right before they hop back in to finish the fight. Wait, wrong game franchise!  Oh, you know what I mean. If you STILL haven’t played the other two (or Mass Effect 2, if you’re only a PS3 owner), you should pick them up ASAP, as they’re cheap and will get you even more revved up for this finale. Also, the demo is out NOW, so give it a whirl – the single player is about 2 hours or so and you’ve got some co-op fun added as well.

Final Four Street Fighter X Tekken Characters, Release Dates Revealed

No huge surprises here, but the addition of Street Fighter’s M. Bison and Akuma plus Tekken’s Jin and Ogre brings the tally to 38 fighters… which to me, means we’ll probably see some more coming via DLC down the road from Capcom.  Er, not that 38 fighters is anything to sneeze at, mind you. It’s just that between the two fighting franchises, methinks there are some other characters that are MIA for any number of reasons. Of course, Namco’s upcoming Tekken X Street Fighter may also bring in a few of these new challengers, so we’ll need to see what up with that still in development follow-up at some point…

 

More trailers below the jump!

Continue reading

A Twisted Metal Valentine (a bit late, thanks to Toy Fair)…

Day Three of the show was pretty exhausting and again, I’m BEAT. As I didn’t check my email until now (Hey! I needed a nap after all that walking around), I missed this cool TM Launch trailer (oops) Anyway, here you go (a day late, too). Oh, well… it’s the thought that counts, right? Now, I just need to snag a copy of the game and play it…

Uncharted: Golden Abyss Launch Trailer: You’ll Want A Vita Just For This One…

… But don’t worry about ONLY have a measly ONE game, though. Sony’s rather impressive lineup of 25 launch titles includes very few lemons from what I can see and even then, the games that don’t “look” like “core” titles are fun for the niche crowd. Oh, who am I kidding… EVERY game genre is a niche, kids – some are just bigger than others. This is going to be a key week plus for the Vita a the folks that have pre-ordered those first issue bundles will be the ones Sony will be hearing from first (well, after the pro critics have their way with the device and launch lineup) and no doubt adjusting whatever based on that feedback.

So, Activision IS Publishing A Battleship Video Game After All. Eeek.

Wait, what? I was KIDDING when I said it was going to happen, geez. Well, here we go, courtesy of developers Double Helix and Magic Pockets: a licensed game based on the upcoming film based on the game that’s not like the original all that much (as in at all). Expect to see and play a hybrid that combines “tactical” naval battles with first-person shooting sections all against the evil space aliens that have invaded earth. Eeek. I must have been sleeping during all those Battleship games I played as a kid, as I clearly don’t recall ANY of that happening.

Except the “tactical” naval part. “A-1… MISS!”

Of course,, this could actually be pretty awesome (or at least halfway decent), so I’ll hold off a bit in my snark until May 15th when the game ships out. More on this one later – I need an aspirin.

Skullgirls Story Mode Trailer: Ladies, Please!

Why all the anger and cuteness and punching and cuteness and kicking and cuteness? Ouch! There are more than enough fighting game fans out there who want to get their sweaty little hands on you gals once you’re finally released over PSN, so no need to get violent. Oh, wait… it’s a fighting game. Oops. Anyway, save some of that energy for the  steadily growing fan base you’re getting, I say.  Still, as awesome as the game looks, I actually wish it were getting the Phantom Breaker treatment (as in a retail release with a nice bunch of swag). Oh well, I guess we’ll all have to hope that the game does well enough as a digital download that it can hit the Vita as a retail and digital release, right?

Official Max Payne 3 Website Alive & Kicking…

The new weapons trailer is posted on the other blog if you haven’t seen it already.  While you’re waiting for that coffee or tea this morning (and in case the link  aboveis busted thanks to Blogger’s crappy way of handling embed codes), you may as well boogie on over to the official site and see what Rockstar’s been up to with Max and his latest adventure. Well, “adventure” as in he gets to shoot up a lot of bad men while you make sure he doesn’t play catch with too many bullets.

Rayman 3 HD Coming To PSN, XBLA In March

Above: a really nice trailer for the upcoming release of Rayman 3 HD, set for a March 21, 2012 launch over PSN and Xbox Live. Below: a short (and suggestive) note to Ubisoft from me: if you’re trying to get that follow-up to Beyond Good & Evil off the ground, why not pack HD remakes of all the numbered Rayman games onto a disc with some cool bonus features and get them out there along with separate digital releases so you’re serving both physical and ethereal gamers out there? Of course, you guys know better than I do about business matters and your own back catalog, so just ignore me. At your peril. I’ll be in the corner with my slingshot and some popcorn…

SoulCalibur V In Stores Now: Carl’s Jr. Wants Your Money, Too…

That ten bucks off coupon you get for snapping up a SCV Collector’s Cup will no doubt move the game a bit more in some areas, but… Ha!  There’s NO Carl’s Jr. ANYWHERE near me the last time I checked and (uh-oh) I don’t eat fast food burgers. Therefore, I’m completely immune to your charms, otherwise well-targeted TV ad!  Oh well. I hear the game is pretty darn good despite some familiar characters being dropped in favor of newbies the newbies can relate to. Bad idea, Project Soul! he BEST thing to do would have been to add ALL the old fighters as well as a roster of new ones so everyone could be happy. Well, there’s always DLC and a reissue at some point if the game sells well enough. No Taki or Kilik (among others?) Yikes. Well, I guess I;ll be using that character creation to whip up facsimiles, then…

Syndicate TV Spot: The Corporate Wars Are Getting Closer…

Nice. I’m sincerely hoping Starbreeze Studios and EA have their collective fingers in their ears and (their bulletproof vests on) when it comes to the silly trolling their baby is getting in some online circles. As noted on the other blog, once you try out the Syndicate demo and things start clicking into place, you’re hooked in and set to roll with whatever the final version packs. Me, I’ve been aboard since last year when I played the demo, so I know the game proper will be outstanding. To those still making Deus Ex: Human Revolution comparisons… well, you’ll just have to see for yourselves that while yes, there are some visual similarities, it’s not even close in terms of a few other key points. Well, there’s not too much longer to wait, so you’ll get the chance to see what’s up shortly… provided you can uncross your arms and look down at a controller instead of sticking your noses in the air…