Dead or Alive 5 GDC 2012 Trailer: So, Crossovers Are The Next Big Thing (Again)? Bring It.

While Capcom has perfected the art of the crossover franchise fighting game, as you can see here, Team Ninja (with a little help from Sega) also wants in on the spectacular fan service with their own key franchise. I’m psyched for this one because the VF series has always been a more technically demanding game than DoA (as some of those crazy Japanese gameplay videos have proved that for a while). While this doesn’t seem to be a FULL crossover game in terms of the total number of VF characters, I’m hoping we see one at some point. In terms of 3D fighters, both VF and DoA do things that Capcom’s awesome arcade hits haven’t on the 2D plane. I guess we’ll see what sort of craziness is going on in future videos, right?

(Thanks to XboxViewTV for the video!)

Papo & Yo Update: Another Unconventional Sleeper On the PS3 That’s A Must-Buy…

Minority Media Inc. is a new developer to watch closely and in my opinion, Papo & Yo is shaping up to be one of the best hidden gems of the year. This PS3 exclusive PSN download combines fantasy, puzzle-solving and non-violent action platforming elements with colorful, favela inspired environments and a great main character to play as. You can practically feel your sense of wonder activate and buzz around the room as this latest trailer shows off improvements from last year’s demo version. I’d absolutely love to see this game on the Vita as well as bundled with other PSH hits on a disc, as it’s something that’s too well-made and heartfelt to be limited to a mere digital download. No release date has been set for this one other than sometime this year, but I’ll be keeping an eyeball peeled and letting you guys know what’s what. For now, just watch that trailer and let your mind drift into the game world. That’s an order, by the way…

Medal of Honor Warfighter Trailer: Yup, A Lot Of People Liked That Reboot…

Warts and all (and some of them were pretty big warts), EA’s Medal of Honor reboot had some really solid moments in its single player campaign plus a decent enough multiplayer that was worth messing about with for a while. I figured that a sequel was inbound not too long after I completed the campaign (the game sold decently despite a few less than impressive reviews) and what do you know, we’re getting one come October 23. New settings, some of the same characters and even more action are planned (which hopefully means a longer campaign) along with the move to the Frostbite 2 engine, which should have both single and multiplayer fans jumping for joy. Um, lock and load, I guess. I’m not a total military FPS nut at all, mind you. I just dig a decent story (no matter the genre), want to see where the team ends up this time and how insane things get in terms of pacing and big set pieces that stick in your head long after you’ve played them. Hell, as long as it’s better as a game than Act of Valor was as a film to sit through, I’m going to be suitably impressed.

Street Fighter X Tekken Hits Stores – Overly Obvious Header Puns Begin…

It’s finally here and (from what a few friends say who’ve gotten it) well worth the wait. My review copy also showed up yesterday afternoon, but I’m not getting to it until later today/tomorrow, as I’m still playing the incredibly fun Tales of Graces F and tinkering away on another project or three. I did pore over the excellent guide that came with the game for a little while (it’s packed with great artwork), but I know those pretty pictures won’t keep me safe from a total beat down at the hands of some of you out there. Check back in a few days for a full review…

Exclusive DLC Mode For Xbox 360 Version Of REORC Gets Some PS3 Owners Cranked…

Well, here’s how to get a wee bit too many folks ticked off for yet another kooky reason: console exclusive content in a multi-platform game. PS3 owners have had this in Batman Arkham Asylum, Mafia II and Battlefield 3 among other games and there have also been a number of cool 360-only downloads that now include the Nemesis Mode DLC from Slant Six Games’ upcoming Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City.

Of course, I can understand any PS3-only franchise fans being royally ticked off about this (given that the RE series began on and became a staple of Sony’s consoles for a few key years), but that’s business, I guess.  I know I’m beating a dead (and soon to be zombie) horse here, but I’ll say it again: hopefully, REORC will sell well enough to net an updated edition down the road with ALL of the additional content. But again, that’s Capcom’s call and not mine.  In any event, March 20 is creeping up mighty fast, that’s for sure…

Assassin’s Creed III Cover Makes Some See Red(coats)…

As for me, after the last couple of installments doing their best to milk things dry, I like the new location the series is headed to. The choice of a Revolutionary War setting shows that Ubisoft is interested in taking the series in a different direction that just may shake up the gameplay in a few core areas. I always get a chuckle out of poking around message boards and seeing the bile flow from the folks that don’t get the fact that the AC series isn’t “their” game. Like it or not, at the end of the day, Ubisoft dictates what goes on in the series and as long as the games continue to sell, you can expect them to keep being made. As for those who were expecting the series to stay overseas as far as settings go… lighten up, already. Sure, it may seem jarring to have things leap from the vast and lovely architecturally dense cities to pre-1800 America and its fight for independence, but let’s just see where this one goes as more info (and some ACTUAL gameplay) are released, hmmmm?

Hell, I’ll only complain if I see the exact same game mechanics and animations (and maybe some Dodge cars being driven during a big battle sequence like in that stupidly overblown commercial from last year)…

Dragon’s Dogma Class Skills Video Updates: Six More Short Strong Ones…

And here you go: six additional super short to short videos of more skill usage from Capcom’s upcoming action/RPG. Just when you think you’ll be sticking with a melee or archer class, along comes some cool mage spells to cast and there goes your game plan straight out the window. As much fun as these are to watch, I’d actually prefer all these DD clips be combined into one longer video or ones longer than a few seconds each, but hey… it’s Capcom’s world and we’re just living in it. Or we all will be when the game hits retail in May…

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Starhawk “Build To Kill” Trailer: The Sky Is Falling!

I’m always happy to see more Starhawk in action and hope the game does spectacularly well enough that we see more by LightBox Interactive that keeps the series going (and maybe even a Vita game at some point). Of course, I’ll be all about covering every bit of the single player campaign simply because heck, the team has worked on it for so long and I love to see games that don’t forget those of us who crave a bit of story more than merely hopping online and shooting up the competition. Conversely, the beta seems to be  huge success with PS3 owners who want to do just that as well as those new to this style of RTS/shooter gameplay. Now, let’s hope anyone else who eventually picks up the game will get what’s here and be able to keep up with the blazing fast pace it offers when compared to other action/shooters.

The Ghoster, The Immortal & The Road Wolf Star In Ridge Racer Unbounded Update

Hmmm. That trio of names above sound like a bunch of Mad Max drivers (they must be personal friends of The Toecutter and Humongous). OK, I’m guilty of missing posting this trailer from about two weeks ago, but that’s because I was buried in Toy Fair stuff, so there (nyah!). Anyway, Bugbear’s hard work is paying off in my book, as the game is looking better each time I see it. Sure, it may not be the most original arcade-style racer out there. But if the parts that work as well as they’re supposed to all click into place, Namco Bandai is going to have quite a sleeper here…

Tales of Graces F Graces My Mailbox – Review Incoming…

Well, once the embargo is lifted on 3/13, actually.  There’s nothing like getting a good game to review on a rainy Friday evening, that’s for sure.  I haven’t quite fired this one up just yet, as I’ve been busy with some other stuff today, but it’s absolutely on the agenda for this weekend.  As with other Tales games, I expect to get pretty occupied in getting through the game once for the review, then heading back in to tackle stuff I missed out on and whatever other surprises I can find on a more exploratory play through. Alrighty, then – back in a bit with some impressions…