Nice. While the game’s Japanese cover art was a relatively simple shot of multiple motherships converging on an about to be invaded Earth, the North American art features all four playable classes and some of the many enemies you’ll face off with in this BIG bug and ‘bot blast fest. I loved that they used in-game character models and not a standard painting, although the import version DID ship with one of two reversible cover images done in a cool manga style. I’ll put in a quick Q to D3PoA’s PR and see if we’ll be blessed with that alternate art choice, but even if we don’t get them, this one’s a fine looking bit of art that will make those non-EDF playing pals of yours automatically ask what’s up with that cast of armored guys and gal and that upside down spider that’s making them nervous. Five new screenshots are below:
EDF 2025 ships out in February 2014. Back with more as info rolls in – stay tuned.
FACT: D3Publisher of America’s new publicist, Edith Yang is a total hoot, sitting there cheerily playing and promoting Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! clearly knowing it’s got “Sleeper Hit” stamped on it in big red invisible neon ink letters. I have special glasses, so I can see that on the big banner off to one side with the game logo on it. I say nothing about these glasses as I’m not wearing any and don’t want to sound completely insane by stating the opposite. But I digress…
D3Publisher of America rolled into NYC last week with its small but awesome holiday games lineup and of course, as Earth Defense Force 2025 was going to be there, I had to make sure I got some quality time with the in-progress US localization. I’ve been playing the Japanese PS3 version since mid-July and had some time with the Xbox 360 import thanks to a friend who owns a Japanese 360, so I was more than ready to hop into the US version with relish.
D3PoA had a 360 set up for split-screen co-op play complete with English menus and plenty of enthusiastic voice acting fans of the series will crack plenty of smiles over. The game also has wide appeal outside that dedicated niche thanks to its addictive pick up and play simplicity, five difficulty levels, some amazingly tough missions that range in length and plenty of visual upgrades from earlier games in the series.
When Access Games’ Xbox One exclusive D4 was announced a few months back with a very cryptic teaser trailer, a small chunk of the internet went wild in over-speculating and in some cases believing that the game would be some sort of sequel or spiritual successor to Kenji Eno’s two offbeat “D” games based on the title alone.
Now, that sort of very wishful thinking only works when there’s a smidgen of common sense in the recipe, so that these folks would even think that despite there being NO game named D3, comments from Hidetaka Suehiro (Swery65) on social networks hinting it wasn’t ever related and the simple fact that it just didn’t make sense for a man known for his own individually quirky style would try and concoct a followup to a game series that only a handful of people actually remember (and I’m saying this as a HUGE fan of WARP’s games) was a supreme stretch…
Given that the current model Xbox 360 can indeed be placed upright (although it can lead to disc scratching if the surface it’s placed on isn’t perfectly level and subject to being bumped into while playing a game or watching a DVD), it’s a given that some owners of the upcoming Xbox One will be looking to do the same with Microsoft’s new system.
However, according to this GameSpot UK article, a company representative says vertical orientation isn’t how the new console was designed. Of course, there will be a ton of hard-headed or space in that entertainment center challenged gamers who won’t follow the company’s “suggestions” at all or try out that standing position just once to “see if it works”, and you can never stop those folks from doing what they do.
On the other hand, I personally feel that there’s another, far sinister reason they don’t want you to stand that thing up… especially if you happen to do so and place that new, improved Kinect on the now top part of the system and power the thing on. To wit (actual test footage stolen from a Microsoft test facility):
That’s right, it’s ALL about ME today, grrr! OK, troops, listen up! I’m totally pooped from my Adventure Time today with D3Publisher of America’s holiday games lineup, but I’ll have more complete impressions tomorrow along with a few other TGS stories (only stuff I care about, as the show seem kind of weak this year in terms of content despite some super nice surprises).
“Whyyyyy?” You ask? Well, dears, my sleep meter is depleted and I’m in need of some nice rest for a change instead of staying up too late with a controller in my hands (or a keyboard under them). ZzzZZZz*…wha, Wait! Not yet, Sleepyhead! Anyway, the company has a relatively small lineup this holiday season and beyond, but it’s a bunch of real winners and here there be sleepers. And YES, you Earth Defense Force 2025 fans out there – the bugs bugging the Japanese PS3 version are being squashed (feel free to cheer at your leisure). Back with more tomorrow. Good Night!
Innnnteresting. When Dark Souls came out last year, publisher Namco Bandai made the very cool decision to charge the same $60 price tag for the standard and collector’s edition of the game and yes, that steel-boxed version with the art book sold quite well while the standard edition seems to have done quite fine (not everyone likes that extra swag). This time out, Dark Souls II seems to be getting three different editions: a standard retail version (which will probably pop up as a digital release as well), a Black Armor Edition and a Collector’s Edition details of both are below, of course). Some may say Namco Bandai is being a bit overconfident here, but I think if they can get the fan base that LOVES this game to pay a little more while packing in some more swag (and cool swag, at that!), then more power to them.
Besides, you can always scream into that metal case or at that Warrior Knight perched atop your tee vee when the game keeps killing your avatar off when the going gets tough. Of course, since you hard-headed core PC gamers love your downloads, I believe you don’t get Jack other than the game (even if you find it on a disc at your favorite brick & mortar game emporium), so I guess that’s a win for us poor slobs who prefer our consoles for what they bring us (again!). Of course, PC-heads get fans who can fix stuff developer From Software doesn’t right away, so there’s that tradeoff… EDIT: Oops. As you can see by those newly updated images, I was quite wrong! One crow pie out of the freezer and into the oven for me! PC gamers get the swag too. Nice. Now stop that online petition stuff!
*Black Armor Edition Pre-Order Bonus*
The Dark Souls II Pre-Order Bonus comes with a FREE Collectible Metal Case, Game & Original Game Soundtrack – while supplies last. The collectible case has the unique Warrior Knight box art that will only be found on the Black Armor Edition. The Original Game Soundtrack is composed by Motoi Sakuraba, who composed the full score for the 2011 hit Dark Souls as well.
*Collector’s Edition*
The Dark Souls II Collector’s Edition comes with a gorgeous premium quality 12 inch tall Warrior Knight figurine, made from solid PVC weighing nearly 16 full ounces packed inside a custom printed display box with transparent window. Fans will also be treated to an exclusive hardbound artbook filled with never-seen-before images from the game developer, as well as a sizable full-color microfiber game map perfect for mounting onto your wall. The Black Armor Edition metal case will house both the game disc as well as the Original Game Soundtrack.
As usual, the media is going (pardon the term) ballistic in some spots over Grand Theft Auto V on a few very incorrect fronts that makes them look like a bunch of knee-jerk jerks who love to generate controversy for rating’s sake as opposed to being anywhere near truthful. Fortunately, the folks over at dorkly.comhave a mighty sharp yet paradoxically blunt hammer that works well at smashing this sort of questionable “journalism” right it its face. Read it and maybe keep that link handy when you get into a debate with some anti-gaming troll who thinks they know it all because some guy or gal wearing a hair helmet and too much makeup told them so.
Also, if you’re even in a real-life event where a news crew rolls up to invade your privacy, shoves a camera and microphone in your face and asks one of the two stupidest question in the world you can ask someone who’s been through or witnessed hell (“How did you feel when…” or “What was going through your mind when…”), feel free to grab that microphone bop the “reporter” lightly in the head with it, hand it back and say “No comment, idiot. Go away and find someone else to exploit.”, walk away and go take a nice long nap or have a relaxing cup of hot tea. They’ll get it eventually.
Short and sweet, this new Valhalla Knights 3 trailer shows off a bit of story introduction that should keep fans (and Vita owners looking for a fun action/RPG) hopping with anticipation for the game’s October release. Not so short (but a necessary read) are the character class descriptions for this one. I still need to pick up VK: Battle Stance on the PSP at some point, but I happen to like this quirky series as it’s gone through a few hoops and changes since the first installment. Anyway, head on below the jump for more info of all those playable races and carve out some free time this October…
File this under “Now, I’ve REALLY seen Everything!”: OK, so it’s NOT Hell Paris again, but hell… someone made a piano that plays DOOM. Yeah, I want one now (and am kicking myself that I gave up on lessons as a kid), but I’ll need to steal a cargo plane, hire some some assistants and fly all the way to London’s Virgin Media Game Space in order to get this one of a kind hybrid machine/instrument. Of course, I’ll get arrested, tried and convicted and need to serve some hard time (boo, but I want to keep the film rights!), but at least I’ll have a story to tell at parties after I get out that will top the usual “I saw so-and-so coming out of a Starbucks drunk!” stuff you hear all the time, right? Hmmm… I wonder if Carmack, Romero or even Bethesda will ask for one of these to be made for them at some point. Hey, I say if anything, you can buy off that devil with a gift he’ll really flip over! You DO know he plays EVERY instrument, right? I got him a harmonica last year and he’s quite the expert at it!
"DESTROY ALL FANBOYS!" 