Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Coming In WInter 2012 (Video Blowout Proof Below)

Posted on February 16, 2012 by geelw

Namco Bandai really, REALLY wants to show off Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch so much that they released not one, not two, not three, but FOUR excellent gameplay trailers and a ton of screenshots for the upcoming Level-5/Studio Ghibli PS3 exclusive. Even better, we’re getting both English and Japanese voice-overs so there won’t be any Majin & The Forsaken Kingdom style ear-scorching voice work. OK, I actually liked most of the voices in that game, but not having the option to hear the Japanese dub was a bit of a pain to a lot of reviewers and gamers. While I’m doing the happy dance about this great looking game (that’s sure to be an instant classic, by the way), I do wish that the Nintendo DS was still seen (or more precisely, would still be seen by Nintendo) as a viable platform, as there’s also a Ni no Kuni DS game that NEEDS to be published by someone and promoted as one of the last (and best) games on the platform.Any news on that, NamBan?

Two more gameplay clips below the jump…

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Jak & Daxter Collection Behind The Scenes Shows There’s Defintely A Storm In Every Port…

Posted on February 16, 2012 by geelw

Some folks out there think it’s “easy” to get an HD version of an older console game out, but it’s far, far from just porting the graphics and adding a shiny layer of high def texture maps and too much depth of field. Especially when the games you’re looking at giving the glossy graphics treatment broke all the rules on the console they were created for. If you were wondering why it’s taken so long for Sony to get the Jak games onto the PS3, this video will give you a good idea of just how well Naughty Dog did their job with the original games. Mass Media has their work cut out for them, but it seems that they’re going to be knocking this collection out of the park and making a LOT of fans happy (like yours truly)…

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

Posted on February 15, 2012 by geelw

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…

PlayStation Vita: What’s In The Box (Early Bird Version)

Posted on February 10, 2012 by geelw

Courtesy of the PlayStation Blog, here’s what those lucky folks who pre-ordered a Vita First Edition Bundle will be getting on February 15, a week before the official North American launch. For those smiling folks bouncing up and down in their seats that need a good game recommendation or two, right off the bat Gravity Rush and Uncharted: Golden Abyss should keep you busy along with the pack-in game you’re getting.

David Jaffe Wants YOU To Shoot Up Sweet Tooth. For Real.

Posted on February 9, 2012 by geelw

Now here’s a ridiculously awesome promo for Sony’s upcoming Twisted Metal, coming to the PS3 on Valentine’s Day (as well as a farewell of sorts to the franchise by series creator David Jaffe). I was planning to write something funny about this, but the press release is oh so much more succinct and yes, amusing – here’s a snippet:

In honor of Twisted Metal’s launch on PS3, we’ve aimed an M249-SAW at a real-life version of Sweet Tooth’s ice cream truck. On 2/14 and 2/15, we’re letting you pull the trigger by hitting a button on your computer.

That’s right. Fire a military-grade machine gun just by pressing your space bar.

It’s a two-day, shoot-till-the-truck-goes-up-in-a-gigantic-ball-of-flames-style internet spectacular. And it’s all happening live at http://www.shootmytruck.com.

Now, you KNOW everyone with a passing interest in firearms (yeah, this is America) is going to be all over this one. Heck, I bet it only takes a few minutes to blast that truck into scrap, er, Twisted Metal (ba-dum-bum!). Boogie on over to the Shoot My Truck website, watch the unedited version of the video above and sign up for your chance. U.S. of A. residents only, sorry!

ModNation Racers: Road Trip How-To Tutorial Twofer

Posted on February 7, 2012 by geelw

Just about to come screaming around the corner on launch day, ModNation Racers: Road Trip is sure to be a go-to game for PS Vita gamers all over the globe. Sony’s not taking any chances with you newbies getting hung up on the possibility of creating endless amounts of tracks and sharing them over SEN (formerly PSN), so here’s a look at two videos that offer a bit of assistance for this crazy kart racer. Enjoy!

Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention Vita: Here Comes The Time-Eater…

Posted on February 4, 2012 by geelw

Nippon Ichi REALLY wants your money, Disgaea fans (and it looks as if they’re actually going to get it again, as usual). Yes, Indeed – April will be the cruelest month for stuff like grades, personal relationships and getting enough sleep. That and for those of you who still haven’t finished Disgaea 3 or 4 on the PS3, all this means is you’ve yet another great game to add to your pile of things to do. Then again, if you have that much time on your hands to be playing games this deep and ridiculously funny, you’re probably a VERY lazy Prinny that’s doing the most spectacular job of hiding from your taskmaster. Updates to follow, so stay tuned…

Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 (Vita) Gameplay: Your Wallet Now Has A Hole Punched In It…

Posted on February 3, 2012 by geelw

So, how does Capcom’s ridiculously awesome (and near seizure-inducing) fighting game extravaganza look on the PlayStation Vita? Outstanding, I say (go take a look for yourself if you haven’t already). You can almost feel that wallet in your pocket or purse get lighter with each hit and in fact, if you’re watching this gameplay footage outside, don’t be surprised if you feel dizzy, pass out and wake up in an alley somewhere with yes, your wallet (and phone) gone missing. Or maybe you DID take a wrong turn while walking from the subway and and watching this trailer only to get conked on the head and robbed blind by a pack of unruly street urchins. Which means you really NEED a Vita and a copy of UMvC3 so you can learn some decent fighting moves for the next time you get distracted like that…

Sorcery: Magically Reemerging As A Much Better Game (And Yes, Still On My Radar)…

Posted on January 31, 2012 by geelw

Of all the PlayStation Move software I’ve seen since the peripheral’s introduction, Sorcery has been the main title I’ve been wanting to get my paws on. While the original demo shown was exciting, it still had a ‘tech demo’ look to it and needed a few layers of polish. It’s obvious that Sony thought so as well because the game vanished into thin air after that first showing and I hadn’t seen it at a press event until it was displayed last December. As you can see from this PlayStation Blog interview, the upcoming Action/RPG has indeed come a long way and absolutely looks like a must-buy whenever it finally hits stores (which should be sometime in “Spring 2012” the last time I checked).

Dungeon Hunter: Alliance – (Slightly) Defending Ubisoft’s Vita Hard Sell

Posted on January 30, 2012 by geelw

Based on a majority of the posts over at the PlayStation Blog regarding Ubisoft’s upcoming Vita Action/RPG, Gameloft’s Dungeon Hunter Alliance is going to be a hard sell to those who’ve already played the game as an iOS, Android or PS3 release… and that’s too bad. The upcoming port of DH:A has enhanced HD visuals and makes use of the Vita’s front/back touchscreen sand accelerometer in an interesting manner. As I’ve never played any version of the game and love a good dungeon crawler (I don’t own an iOS or Android device and don’t use PSN these days) , I’m interested in reviewing this one on its own merits.

Sadly, it seems that nearly everyone criticizing the game is doing so solely based on the $39.99 price point and not the fact that those new Vita owners who may have never heard of the game before probably won’t mind supporting Ubisoft, Gameloft and Sony with a full-price retail purchase… provided the game is good. Herein lies the problem with launch software (well, one of many problems). If you don’t spend time creating an experience that favors both old as well as new players, the veterans will always be there to let you know you’ve” screwed up” (even if you really didn’t)… Continue reading →