Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 VGA Trailer: More of the Same Is Actually a Great Thing…

Posted on December 10, 2012 by geelw

From visual quality and gameplay to audio, Mercury Steam’s first Castlevania experience was the best 3D game in the series by a few thousand miles and this sequel looks to be even better. If you haven’t played the original Lords of Shadow yet, go grab it and see for yourself that the combination of 3D and Konami’s storied vampire franchise can and does work well under the right hands. Of course, a little help from Hideo Kojima doesn’t hurt at all, but the game is definitely a nice surprise. The sequel adds some new elements and characters, but I’m betting the dev team isn’t mucking much with what worked in their last game. As always, we shall see.. but I predict this one will be as good as or even better than the first one.

Dark Souls II VGA Announcement Trailer: Prepare to Die (Even More)…

Posted on December 10, 2012 by geelw

Here’s that lovely VGA trailer for Dark Souls II – I love that like with the Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls openings, you really don’t find out anything about the story at all, but you DO get an eyeful of some of the horrific creatures that will kill you a few too many times during your adventures. It’s funny that some gamers still haven’t realized that FromSoftware didn’t just pop out of nowhere with Demon’s Souls and then Dark Souls. In fact, the Japanese developer has been making some of the most interesting games on consoles since 1994 starting with the deep, gloomy (and often frightening) King’s Field series. Their mech-focused Armored Core franchise allowed players to create and share some amazing custom mechs for years after PC mech games died off and other titles in the Shadow Tower, Echo Night and Tenchu series. A ton of other games ranging from the family-friendly puzzler The Adventures of Cookie and Cream to the intensely frightening (yet languidly paced) Kuon plus assorted licensed games done for the Japanese market and you’ve got a developer with a pretty solid pedigree.

Hmmm… I say These guys and gals need a retrospective or a documentary made or something in print just so people can see bits of everything they’ve done and respect their work even more. DSII is another day one buy for me and it should be for you as well.

The Last of Us Story Trailer: Happy Birthday To Me (And You, Hopefully)…

Posted on December 10, 2012 by geelw

So, Naughty Dog’s upcoming survival/adventure game comes out on my birthday (May 7, 2013). Well, well, well now. Hmmm… now I know what I want to be doing then. Finding out how the hell I’m going to make time to play it, what with all the other games I want coming out next year. Well, at least I guess I’ll have less people to worry about when I go to buy my copy of the game if all those folks who believe the world will end THIS year do themselves in for some crazy reason. Silly rabbits, I say… why kill yourself and miss out on the fun when there are too many great games to play that include survivable doomsday scenarios? What do I believe in? Well, I believe I’ll have another drink and get back to you after the world doesn’t go to hell in a handbasket. And you can’t make a bad cup of tea unless you try really hard to do so. I believe in that, too.

Review: Retro City Rampage

Posted on December 9, 2012 by geelw

Platform: PS3/PS Vita

Developer: VBlank Entertainment, Inc.

Publisher: VBlank Entertainment, Inc.

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: A+ (100%)

Ironically, one of the best games of the year is a completely retro throwback that would have been one of the best 8-bit games ever made had it been slapped into a cartridge. But it’s not even available on any physical media at all – it’s a download-only game that’s currently a PC and PSN exclusive (that’s also coming to other console platforms soon enough). If you’re well versed in classic gaming and plenty of 80’s and 90’s pop culture history, Retro City Rampage will be one of the best gifts you can give yourself or someone else who’s going to appreciate the megaton count of in-jokes, references and completely off the wall humor the game delivers. The first five minutes will have you hooked, but the amazing thing about RCR is how much it crams into each cut scene and the resulting gameplay chaos that often ensues from the act of merely trying to progress in the often hilarious story mode.

Continue reading →

EDF 2017 Portable Pre-Orders Are Go!

Posted on December 8, 2012 by geelw

Popular online retailer Newegg seems to have been the first shop to post pre-order info for D3Publisher’s upcoming Vita blast-fest, so here you go: click HERE to pre-order the game if you’re in the USA. As you’ll see in my review of the import version, the game is indeed awesome stuff and definitely one of the better games on Sony’s handheld. As there’s been a patch done for the Japanese version that tweaks and adds a few things, I’ll be giving the English version an all-new review once it ships out, so drop back in sometime in February for updated impressions.

Dark Souls II Announced For PS3, 360, PC (It’s Not Next-Gen Time Just Yet, Kids)…

Posted on December 8, 2012 by geelw

Now, THIS is good news: From Software is hard at work cooking up a follow-up to its popular hardcore action/RPG/horror hybrid Dark Souls. The just announced sequel has no release date and no screen shots so far, but this is absolutely great news for those who enjoyed the last game as well as the outstanding Demon’s Souls on the PS3.

According to the press release:

“Dark Souls II retains the core essence of Dark Souls while evolving to present new twists and challenges that are sure to please longtime fans and attract new comers to the series,” says Carlson Choi, Vice President of Marketing at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “FromSoftware is going to take a very dark path with Dark Souls II; players will need to look deep within themselves to see if they have the intestinal fortitude to embark on this journey.”

“This new chapter in the Dark Souls saga presents opportunities for us to drive innovation in gameplay design, develop an entirely new story, and expand the scope of the world in which the player interacts with the game. We have taken these necessary steps with Dark Souls II in order to evolve the overall experience of the Dark Souls series,” says Tomohiro Shibuya, FromSoftware Director on Dark Souls II.

“The entire development team is striving to make Dark Souls II an experience that is fresh while not forsaking its roots in presenting players with challenging gameplay. Our goal is to surprise and delight our fans with new experiences and plot twists while enticing new players to join our dark journey.”

Well, that sounds like a dare, a bet and a plan all rolled up into one tasty, deadly treat. If I HAD to guess about a release date, I’d probably say sometime about a year from now… but don’t hold me to that at all.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD Is Vita Bound – That’s A Buy Right There, Folks…

Posted on December 6, 2012 by geelw

Excellent. In case you missed it back on the original Xbox and last year, on the PS3 as a PSN download, well, here you go. Oddworld Inhabitants is getting Stranger’s Wrath out on Sony’s portable and I say it’s a buy because it’s still one of the best games you’ll ever play thanks to its innovative gameplay elements combining FPS and third-person action/platforming) along with a strong story that’s funny and touching. Oh yeah, and that Stranger is quite a likable fellow for being a bounty hunter and all. And the game is pretty darn long for what it is. And it sure looks mighty pretty in HD. And a whole lot more “ands” too. Keep an eye peeled for it soon enough…

This Ni no Kuni Behind The Scenes Video Will Make You Want To Make Games…

Posted on December 5, 2012 by geelw

…Or hell, at least want to buy a PS3 just so you can play THIS one. Personally, I love this video because you can see the passion as well as dedication the team at Level-5 put into the project (and boy, do they have some nice offices in Fukuoka), with a “little” assistance from Studio Ghibli, of course. Kids, remember to show this to your parents so you can prove that all that time you spend in front of the TV will lead to something other than the need for glasses or contacts, a lust for caffeinated beverages and the occasional bandage to cover up those blistered thumbs.

Sony’s Holiday Strategy Seems To Be Go All Nintendo On Its Fan Base…

Posted on December 5, 2012 by geelw

I wasn’t going to say anything snarky initially, but I overheard a hilarious conversation yesterday that definitely kick-started this post. Basically three kids were arguing about Sony “copying” Nintendo’s hugely popular Mario Kart games with Little Big Planet Karting (above) and the Super Smash Bros. series with PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (below). Granted, if you actually play the games you’ll see that both do certain key things differently, but on the surface, yup – shameless, aren’t they? I had to laugh because while they all were wrong in that way kids who no not a thing about how games are made are, a few nails were indeed hit on the head. Granted, Sony’s other first party stuff has been pretty solid and there’s more greatness to come in 2013. But for this brief, not so shining moment, the Nintendo fanboys and girls out there actually have a genuine gripe that can’t be easily brushed away. Well, at least the two games are good*, so that saves them from a bit of the batting about they’re getting in some corners of the internet…

*”Good” being entirely objective term, as we all know Mario Kart is the gold standard here. LBPK is a wee bit problematic on a few fronts, but the driving and blowing stuff up works OK.

VGA 101 Update – Gallery: Pier Solar Reprint Edition (Plus!)

Posted on November 30, 2012 by geelw

Well, that was fast – A game I’ve wanted to play for ages is finally in the library here: Pier Solar and the Great Architects for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive along with the Enhanced CD for the Sega-CD/Mega CD. This isn’t the original print or the Posterity Edition, but the WM Reprint version in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Nice. I need to dig out one of my Sega-CD’s from under the TV set in the home office (oh, that will be a pain, but worth all that weightlifting), but I do have one of my Genesis systems out nearby (Actually, a Japanese Mega Drive), so I can at least start up the game (perhaps this weekend provided I have time).Yeah, yeah – I wanted to support Watermelon’s HD Kickstarter project, but I could only afford to either pick up this set now and play it or sign up for Kickstarter, donate and wait. I’m hoping the HD version of Pier Solar does well enough that it gets a reissue or even better, pops up on PSN (hell, a Vita version I’d kill for – or at least elbow someone gently in the head for)…

As for the other stuff? Well, it was cheap, so I picked them up. Sorcery (which should have been completed so that it shipped WITH the PlayStation Move as a launch title for the peripheral) was $10 and Heavy Rain was a few dollars more. Prometheus I bought to see the edited/deleted scenes and special features. I liked most of the film, but there are a few dumb lead characters and one part of the ending that should have been handled better. Otherwise, the film looks spectacular and ends up answering some questions and leaving others pinging around in the brain.