E3 2013: Castle of Illusion Trailer: From Genesis to a Remake Full of Revelations…

Posted on June 24, 2013 by geelw

If you’re ancient enough to remember the Sega Genesis version of this classic Disney game, you’re probably pretty pleased to see it back and looking pretty amazing. In a way, it’s too bad this is going to be a digital download only release, as I could see this doing spectacular on a disc with a ton of bonus features, the original game and perhaps (as it’s a Disney property) Capcom’s upcoming DuckTales Remastered just to get people slipping in puddles of drool as they ran to their nearest game shop to pick up their copies. I know I’d run over a pack of old ladies with puppies if they were in my way. OK, I’d more likely leap over them or run around them than stomp on a few bunions. Those old ladies can be pretty spry and those swinging canes and yapping dogs kind of hurt when swung at one’s head a few too many times…

NEOGEO X Mega Pack 1 & Classics 1-5: Fifteen More Hits, Served Two Ways…

Posted on June 24, 2013 by geelw

The wait for more NEOGEO X games is finally over as SNK/Playmore is giving you two ways to get this new set of arcade classics along with an update that allows save games and a bonus charging cable. NEOGEO X Mega Pack 1 features 15 titles, a firmware update and that Rocket transfer cable all for a mere $79.99. Now don’t get nuts about that price point, folks. Given the NEOGEO X Gold comes with 20 games installed, this should give you all a good idea of the value that was when it launched. That and a numbebr of actual NEOGEO games for the home console back in the day cost more (a lot more) when they were initially released and some command top dollar to this day…

Includes in the pack are Art of Fighting 3, Blazing Star, Blue’s Journey, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, The King Of Fighters ’96, Kizuna Encounter, The Last Blade, Metal Slug 2, Samurai Shodown III, Savage Reign, Sengoku, Shock Troopers, Super Sidekicks 3, Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy, and World Heroes 2 Jet. The games in this collection will also be available in three-game NEOGEO X Classics Volumes (1 – 5), retailing for $24.99 with each package containing that firmware update on the game card and that Rocket transfer cable.

Obviously, the Mega Pack is the best deal here for NGX fans, but it’s great that SNK/Playmore is giving fans the opportunity to purchase this new set of 15 as three-packs. Granted, the hardcore collector might be ticked off at having to flip a coin, but I’ll bet some of them will end up with that Mega Pack and all the Classics (plus a bunch of extra Rocket transfer cales)…

Review: Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara

Posted on June 23, 2013 by geelw

Platform: PC (also on PSN/XBLA/Nintendo eShop)

Developer: Iron Galaxy Studios/Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

# of Players: 1 – 4

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Get it HERE!

Score: A- (90%)

It’s really too bad developer Iron Galaxy didn’t make its version of Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara compatible with Windows XP simply because I’d bet a dollar that people still using that older OS would get a hell of a lot more of a kick from this pair of classic Capcom arcade hit than a chunk of more current OS users filling up the Steam forums with all sorts of complaints about everything from the visuals not being worthy of the system requirements to the game not working properly on certain systems or supporting any other peripheral except an official Xbox 360 controller. Us non-picky oldsters who prefer XP because 90+ percent of the games we run ARE old news to you big-riggers out there (long live gog.com!) would be all over this game like white on rice (or brown on rice is you’re into that variety) and even though we only make up less than 8% of Steam users (according to Steam), that’s almost a potential 8% more people buying and possibly NOT bitching about the graphics and having to use one controller type that works perfectly as soon as it’s plugged in. But I digress…

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Review: Remember Me

Posted on June 23, 2013 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360/PC (also on PS3)

Developer: Dontnod Entertainment

Publisher: Capcom

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: B+ (85%)

A stylish and thrilling combination of cinematic elements and action featuring a memorable new character, Remember Me is a grand example of the “shut up and play it!” game. You can be on the sort of clueless “Well, my friend says he heard it’s not like so and so…” side of the fence, or you can step right up, slap your money down and enjoy a well made, always entertaining and somewhat innovative thriller that, while borrowing elements from a few sources, ends up feeling original and refreshing on a few fronts. This is a game that, if you’re in the mood for a good story (save for a slight stumble near the finale) delivers on that promise pretty well. While it may not seem sequel-friendly, the overall experience makes you want to see a second game that features a lot more of the richly detailed 2084 Neo-Paris developer Dontnod Entertainment has created.

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Wolfenstein: The New Order Update: Meet Torvenius!

Posted on June 20, 2013 by geelw

No, it’s not the name of a villain from the upcoming game, silly rabbits. It’s Axel Torvenius, one of the artists at Machine Games. His Speedpaint skills are pretty awesome, I have to say. Of course, I need to actually get around to doing more art myself, so it’s cool to get inspired by assorted people in a few places… OK, back to work before I start getting distracted by too much other stuff…

E3 2013: Deadpool Trailer: Um… Well… I Suppose… Oh, Nevermind…

Posted on June 20, 2013 by geelw

OK, OK, fan favorite or not and guaranteed big, BIG deal to those who know despite the “M’ rating, the kids who want this WILL be playing it, I still don’t get this fascination with Deadpool. I guess he’s so unconventionally non-PC a comic book antihero (basically he’s the insane adult cartoon version of Beavis and Butthead and Bart Simpson with access to all sorts of weaponry) that his antics are immediately appealing to that crowd, but maybe I’m getting old or something. Anyway, if the game is good, I’ll give it a try. I’m not expecting much at all, but that’s actually the best way to go into ANY game, I say. It’s best to end up always surprised by something as it helps keep the jade eye somewhat more closed.

Stride Gumulon: Chews Your Weapon? Nope, Not In This Chomp & Jump Game…

Posted on June 20, 2013 by geelw

File this under “Now I’ve seen everything…”, folks. Stride Gum has teamed up with W+K London and Johnny Two Shoes to create Gumulon, which as you can see above is… yes, a game controlled by players chewing to jump. And I’m betting you’ll want a gum with a long-lasting flavor to play, meaning (cue Stride Gum theme music… if they don’t have a theme, they better get one and fast)… you’ll be buying some Stride with this new iOS game (as in: iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPad 2, iPad 3rd & 4th generation, iPad Mini, iPod Touch 4th & 5th generation). I normally don’t cover iOS stuff (hey, do I look as if own anything Apple other than actual apples which aren’t “owned” for long because they’re eaten in a few delightful ways), but this was amusing enough to catch my eye when it hit my inbox, so here you go. Er, I guess if you get REALLY good at this one you can consider yourself… (wait for it…) chew chew trained. A ha ha and ha…

Thank you, thank you… I’ll be here all week…

Noose Flash: Microsoft Caves (Temporarily, I Bet) On Some Xbox One Restrictions…

Posted on June 19, 2013 by geelw

Read it and weep, or clap or run to the window and make like Peter Finch or whatever… but don’t get TOO happy, I say. Sure, Microsoft is finally listening to some of the rage (justified and unjustified) that’s been washing up over them since the reveal of the Xbox One, but the console is still packing a slew of restrictions that make it unpalatable under certain conditions. For one, a mandatory online connection is STILL required to activate the console (set up an Xbox Live account and probably check in with Kinect), meaning those gamers without broadband access at home or nearby (you know, the ones Microsoft told to buy an Xbox 360 if they wanted to play games offline?) can’t use the thing at all (duh).

That’s the main sticking point for me, but I also dislike the current licensing terms that say the product can (and will) change any time at Microsoft’s discretion. So expect things to roll back in as the system draws in ~~suckers~~ users who don’t mind or don’t know this until it hits them in the face when they turn on their consoles one fine day and get smacked upside the noggin with a mega-update that smarts because it’s the company thinking it’s time to move “forward”… We shall see, but I got a sack of pennies (well, 21 pennies) riding on not all going as smoothly as the company would like. Hell, at LEAST the damn box is region-free now (something the Xbox and Xbox 360 can’t claim outside of a handful of games that run on consoles in almost any territory)…

E3 2013: Ubisoft Media Briefing: News From “La Maison de Wow” Is Always Good…

Posted on June 19, 2013 by geelw

Like their DRM policies or not, you simply can’t ignore Ubisoft’s power in the game industry. A stable of hits, some always surprising new IP popping up seemingly out of thin air (the company KNOWS how to keep a secret and reveals only when necessary) and even some film projects in the works based on some of their best games, it’s clear that they’ll be around for a while. Much of what’s here is so impressive that I’d bet we’ll see some sort of Ubisoft channel coming to future consoles dedicated solely to the companies offerings all playable on whatever you have getting content into your home. Granted, should the internet die thanks to some hack or country to global-scale event, welp… there goes the neighborhood, I suppose and guess what, we’re all starring in at least two of Ubisoft’s upcoming games. I’ll let you peruse this event video to find out which two…

E3 2013: Oh, Valhalla Knights 3… What Are We Going to Do With You?

Posted on June 18, 2013 by geelw

Hoo boy. Sometimes, I’ll see an article that criticizes certain types of genres of Japanese games for being too sexist or exploitative or out of touch with or whatever and I usually chuckle because often the game or games in question have zero chance of arriving here because of that content. Of course, of the games that do make it over with saucy scenes or imagery that may offend, some of the content is altered or snipped out completely so as to appeal to more puritanical American tastes. Granted, this sort of censorship offends fans of imports arriving unsullied and over time, some game companies has slowly allowed much of the silliness to slip in in various states. Well, Yakuza 4 and its in-context Geisha club antics and the Ar tonelico series’ eyebrow-raising “Dive Station” mind dating elements (trust me, it’s weirder than it sounds) have nothing (and I mean no-thing) on what’s going on in Xseed Games’ upcoming Vita exclusive, Valhalla Knights 3.

That trailer above doesn’t show anything outrageous – it’s below the jump, you pervs (and a link at that!)…
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