Let Dark Souls II’s Hollow Lullaby Rattle Around In Your Skull For A Bit…

 
Because it will be the last thing some of you new players will hear before you throw that controller down and start jumping up and down on it. Yes, Dark Souls II is going to be the HARDEST game some of you have played and it’s supposed to be because it wants you to learn how to play it properly. Go in like Kratos on a caffeine high and you’re dead like that steak in the freezer. On the other hand, take time to get into the game and realize you can (and should} be patient as you figure out how to deal with multiple enemies, deathtraps galore, bosses that take up too much real estate and more hazards and you LEARN what to do through pure trial and error. Mostly error if you slip into old habits. March 11 can’t come fast enough, but I dread it because I know this game will EAT any free time I thought of having and my dreams will get darker and grimmer thanks to some of the meaner enemies my poor avatar will face off against.

Thanks, FromSoftware for making my nightmares much more lively. I think I’ll need that Monster Eater Kit I saw at Toy Fair after all…

Sacred 3: Asceron’s Bringing Its RPG Series Back In A Big Way…

 
I’d say “it’s about time!” or something like that, but I knew developer Asceron was working on Sacred 3 and didn’t mind waiting at all. With publisher Deep Silver coming to the rescue and getting this out worldwide, this bodes well for fans of the franchise wanting more after the solid Sacred 2 and its expansion. For the uninitiated, the Sacred series is an open-world isometric action RPG that some compare to Blizzard’s Diablo series, but is actually a bit better in some respects. The freedom to go where you wish (at your own peril, as enemies can be quite brutal if you get in over your head) and variety of male and female human and non human character classes make this one an evergreen series with massive replay value.

The great thing is this one’s coming to PS3, Xbox 360 and PC this summer, so there’s no need to run out and buy a new console to play it on if you haven’t made the switch yet. I’m all for that, as it takes a while for these new systems to really get going and show what they can do. As for that multiplayer mode? I don’t need it at all as I play for the story and characters, but I’m glad it’s there for those who want to beat up on each other or how need help with the tougher bosses in the game…

Strider Returns! My Hiryu Is Your Hiryu Now, Too…

 
Eeek. To add to this silly and busy week, Capcom has released an reboot of Strider, the classic arcade game many of my gaming dollars went into back in the day. This new version is from developer Double Helix and looks pretty nifty and quite challenging. I’ll probably not get to this until the weekend, but I think I’m ready to have my ass handed to me a few times before I get through this one. We’ll see. It’s too bad this can’t be played on the Vita OR Wii U , but oh well (I still say why aren’t these on MORE platforms? Both the Vita and Wii U could use a fun and tricky retro platformer like this) Hmmm… I also see Dustforce also came out and I missed that launch last week (oops!). I need to check my inbox for a review code, I guess. Hey, I’ve been a bit busy here, people!

Earth Defense Force 2025 In Stores Today: Yes, You Need This Game (Just In Case)…

 
Ha. On the way back from Toy Fair, I spied not one, but TWO different UPS trucks a few blocks from my place. That means ONE of them has my copy of Earth Defense Force 2025, but neither truck will arrive here for about an hour (booo!), meaning I’ll be sitting here waiting to pounce on the driver as soon as he rings the doorbell downstairs. I think I SHOULD just go down and wait for him, but that’s bad to do because it looks as if I’m stalking him or am some sort of addict lurking around waiting for the man (cue The Velvet Underground in the background). And if that game isn’t in today’s delivery? Well, I guess I’ll live… but the rest of that ice cream in the freezer is going to have a pretty bad evening… (Dun-Dun-DUNNNNN!)

Back in a bit…

EDF 2025

Wow. Just as I was typing that “Back in a bit”, the doorbell DID ring and yes indeed, I got my bugs in a box! Okay, so much for productivity tonight, but I am going to set an alarm to let me know when I need to stop playing and get some sleep. I do have a few meetings tomorrow that I can’t be late for and nope, they won’t believe me when I say I was killing giant bugs all night!

BOUND BY FLAME: Spiders’ New RPG Seems Quite Witcher-iffic. This Is A Good Thing.

 
A-ha. I was wondering just what developer Spiders was up to, as they last teamed up with Cyanide Studios for Of Orcs and Men and Cyanide is now busy with the follow-up, STYX: Master of Shadows. Spiders is working on BOUND BY FLAME, an upcoming fantasy action/RPG set to hit PC, PS4 and “last” gen consoles later this year (although there seems to be no Xbox One version? Hmmmm…). Casting such a wide SKU net usually means a drop in quality somewhere unless you have a developer who knows their stuff, and I think Spiders can pull this off if they’ve learned from proper criticism of previous games. I like the visual style here (although the faces on the characters look a bit… “off”) and the gameplay and mature time seems similar enough to CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher games that the game may find an audience among those who like European-style RPGs as much as they like the games made here and elsewhere. That crafting system looks pretty fun as well and I hope it’s as flexible as noted in the trailer above.

 
Like Focus Home Interactive other RPGs, I’ll be keeping an eyeball on this one. I still get use out of my PS3, so I may go that route for the final just because I don’t need to connect it online in order to play stuff. We shall see, as usual…

Strange Love: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle

JoJo's All-Star Battle Key ArtNamco Bandai seems to be conducting a little experiment and I’m gathering they need your assistance. For a little while the company has been releasing digital versions of popular Japanese anime-based fighters available overseas as retail and digital purchases, and now they’re trying out a limited edition physical release to go with the (to some) more convenient downloads.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle is coming sometime this Spring via PSN (digital) and as a limited edition physical disc (ClubNamco.com and Amazon.com). No price has been announced just yet, but I think it’s a good idea as even niche games have fans who want them who can’t buy digital only product. Ever busy developer CyberConnect2 shows once more they’re the master of making anime fighters look as close to their source material as possible, as you can see above and in the screenshots below.

As for what’s on that disc or download, below the jump is some cut ‘n paste press release work plus those eleven screens… enjoy!

Continue reading

Thirteen Minutes of South Park: The Stick of Truth: Obsidian Nails It Quite Well Indeed…

 
While I’m not what I’d call a regular viewer of South Park, I’ve seen enough episodes of the show that I have to give veteran developer Obsidian huge credit for getting it right. I love how the game pokes at some traditional RPG/JRPG tropes (gotta love that main character with amnesia and no speaking voice!) while also nailing the rhythm of the show in the editing and other bits. It’s a good thing Ubisoft picked this up after original publisher THQ went under, as it’s got hit written all over it (provided you’re a fan of the show, of course). How this will do outside the show’s base is tough to say, as I know some folks despise the art style and limited animation the show uses. I’m not one of those, by the way. Anyway, March 4 is the big day for this one, so keep an eyeball peeled if you haven’t placed a pre-order yet. I have the feeling this may sell out in a few spots and be one of those overpriced eBay titles if it scores highly with the critics and people make it a surprise sleeper hit. Yeah, it’s NOT supposed to be for the kids, but you know how THAT always goes with South Park games, right?

Evolve: 2K Games and Turtle Rock Give The Multiplayer Shooter Genre A Monster Kick…

Who's Hunting WhoI’ll admit to not being thrilled when I heard of Evolve because, futuristic weapons and cast of four hunters aside it’s yet another multiplayer focused shooter I can’t play because it probably doesn’t have an offline mode. But after seeing a bit of gameplay and getting that it’s a four against one game with that one playing a hunted beast that can evolve into a massive near-kaiju style beast, my interest went up a bit. Now, the ability to play as a monster isn’t a “new” thing in games at all, but developer Turtle Rock Studios is making this the core of the gameplay which requires the four players going after that monster to work together in order to take the player-controlled beastie down as quickly as possible.

 
Given Turtle Rock’s pioneering work on the Left 4 Dead games, it’s a no brainer that the team would take what they learned from that experience and up the ante considerably. Granted, the AI on that monster isn’t Director controlled and random, but I’m betting that creatures that the monster needs to feed on may be smart buggers who will hopefully spell trouble for the human hunters as they run and plan. I’m gathering that cutting off the food supply will keep that monster from noshing away and getting bigger, but I’ll probably need to ask that question at some point (among others) if and when I get some actual hands on time with this at a press event. Yeah, I may not play this at home, but I’ll certainly play it at a meeting and let you all know if it’s everything it’s cracked up to be. It sure looks like it shall be…

Toukiden: Age of Demons Launch Trailer: A Little Late To The Party, Hmmm?

 
Okay, Tecmo Koei… I’ll cut you a tiny break today. I thought you guys would post that Toukiden: The Age of Demons launch trailer FIRST, but it was a gameplay basics trailer you ran instead. That made me jump the gun earlier and figure you were all playing your own game so much today that you’d not have time to run more trailers (or anything else for that matter). Oops. Oh well, but it’s GOOD for you because I get to do TWO posts about this really fun game you’ve published. Which is at the end of the day, good for you as well as Omega Force, correct?

Yup, I thought so.

Toukiden: The Age of Demons Basics: It’s a Bit More Work Than Just Pressing “Start”…

 
Okay, the town and pre-mission setup portions of Omega Force’s rather demon heavy new action game aren’t all that complex, but it’s important to know what to to and who to see both before and after those easy to super challenging missions you’ll ruin around in either solo or with friends. Choosing your look is important, of course. Will you play as a male or female? What kind of hairstyle will you wear and how will you sound? Choose wisely! As for the base gameplay in town, should you sell off some of those monstrous materials you’ve collected, turn them into better gear that will help out you and your team or just foolishly discard stuff (which you had to do in the demo, as the inventory was VERY limited)? I say the second option is the best bet, as the difference between a starter weapon and one that’s enhanced is pretty significant.

Anyway, Toukiden: The Age of Demons is out NOW for PS3 and Vita, so yes indeed… you know what to do.