Toy Fair 2013: Skylanders SWAP Force Trailer: Change Is (REALLY) Good!

Posted on February 5, 2013 by geelw

Activision and veteran developer Vicarious Visions (along with Beenox and n-Space for the Wii and 3DS respectively) could have gone and done the next Skylanders game just like the two Toys for Bob developed entries, but they decided to get fun and funky with the features and kids (or people like me who love the time-sink addictive quality to the games) are going to be very nicely surprised. Skylanders SWAP Force will feature 16 new characters with interchangeable torsos and legs that allow up to 256 character combinations. Think of it as a bit of a money and space-saver, parents…but know that there will also be 40 new and redesigned Skylanders popping up at retail this fall and Holiday season. I’ll post screenshots and my shaky camera gameplay footage I shot at the press event tomorrow, but it’s safe to say that the SUPER gorgeous HD visuals, new gameplay mechanics (EVERY Skylander can now jump and a few can fly!) and in-engine cinemas will make this the hottest ticket once again all around the globe.

Back with more info soon – start saving up, parents… you’re about to make another big investment this fall.

Brain Age Concentration Training TV Spot: Blondes Have More Fun After All…

Posted on February 4, 2013 by geelw

OK, I’m not a celebrity watcher at all, so I’ve always found game ads with them to a bit weird. Granted, many stars of all stripes are big to casual gamers, so I’m not passing any judgment either way. That said, you can actually see “Kiss Me, Kate” Hudson popping a 3DS into a purse or pocket before heading out to a film set. Hey, making movies is actually 70% downtime in a makeup chair or waiting around for stuff to get set up, so one does need something to do. And hey, according to 9 out of 10 actual blondes, smarter blondes are a better thing in general in this day and age, as it helps fight that stereotype they always seem to get hit with. That said, it would have been really bizarre and morbid to see this TV spot done with a Marilyn Monroe lookalike or worse, a CG recreation…

Sony May or May Not Reveal a New Console This Month. No One Is (Too) Surprised…

Posted on February 2, 2013 by geelw

Yay! But also *Yawn…* Look, Sony. Every gamer with an internet connection of any speed or two tin cans and a long enough string KNOWS you’re working on a fancy new console. So all this going to extremes to run possible teasers that may or may not be official reveals for more reveals as 2013 spools out is a bit silly. Well, at least I think it is. On the other hand, E3 is such a waste of time and money and has degenerated into less of a trade show and more of a fan convention with people lining up for free crap. It’s all long lines and loud, noisy bunch of annoying kids running around posing as game journalists and breaking any embargo or NDA they can sign, a few too many demos made by developers who hate making them in such a short time for the show, too many big, expensive parties, some of which are basically early funerals for developers who don’t make the Metacritic average once their expensive to produce and promote games are released to a too jaded audience that doesn’t really know what it wants because all they demand are more sequels… Continue reading →

Dynasty Warriors 8 Trailer: Those New Rims Look Mighty Fine (And Smell Like Pie)…

Posted on February 2, 2013 by geelw

Hoo-kay, at this point, you’re either all in with Omega Force’s long (long) running franchise or you’re one of those people who constantly pokes fun at it for its intentionally cornball issues. A few years back I once heard the series described as “the same old wheels with new rims”, and that’s only superficially true to some extent. Granted, fans will be fans and defend to the death (sort of) anything they love, but at least the level of quality has gone up since the PlayStation 2 days. That said, it’s hard to sell the modern internet skeptics with too much time on their hands on the series, but I have ask why are they wasting time bashing a game they don’t play when they could be having ACTUAL productive fun playing a game they like?

Anyway, there’s something strangely addictive about the series’ dozens of playable characters, light tactical elements that have crept in over the years and potential for too many hours of gameplay to properly count. As for me, I’m kind of a drop-in, drop out fan of the series who appreciates DW and all the different Musou spin-offs (DW: Tactics, Samurai Warrriors, DW: Gundam, Warriors: Legends of Troy, Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage, Bladestorm, and so forth and so on). Which means even though DW 8 isn’t yet set for a US release, there’s that nice warm scent of freshly baked apple pie lingering in the air and it’s a familiar aroma that’s full of promise.

Hmmm… now I want a cold slice with a scoop of ice cream and a cup of hot coffee…

Humor: Top Hand Rodeo Trailer: “If That Kinect Works Right For 8 Seconds…”

Posted on February 2, 2013 by geelw

“… then maybe this MIGHT be cool.” was the first joke I heard from a friend who saw this trailer and pointed it my way. Ouch and ha – ha. Well, it might be cool indeed… unless you’re a die-hard ro-dey-o fanatic who takes this Xbox 360 game way too seriously and start flopping around your living room like Elizabeth Berkeley in that infamous pool scene from Showgirls. Well, I’m a glass half-full guy, sooooo… at least when you fly off that invisible bull and bust you ass and/or any other important bits, once you wake up from that coma, you can end up riding a Rascal scooter with a fake bull tail stapled to the back of the seat. It HAS to be a fake tail, as who wants to be chased down the street (slowly) by some pissed off PETA members?

Those scooters only do what, 1/4 a mile an hour or something like that and if they went faster, you’d just go off a curb or bump in the sidewalk or street like Evel Knievel and land just like he did on some of his more unsuccessful motorcycle jump attempts. Hmmm… I wonder if Rascal makes a street-worthy riding bed? That way, when you come out of that second coma, you can get fake bull horns for the front to go with the replacement tail you ordered from that Cabela’s catalog.

Hmmm… perhaps there’s something to this “video games causing violence” thing after all… Yee haw.

Remember Me: Behind the Music Trailer (No, This Isn’t MTV, Silly)…

Posted on February 1, 2013 by geelw

Capcom, we love you like a long lost dog that’s been newly found in fine shape, but… you have to be a tiny bit more original with your promo video titles. That’s pretty much the sole negative thing I have to say about this look at the process of scoring the upcoming action adventure game developed by Dontnod Entertainment set for release in May 2013. I’m hoping we get the option of hearing both versions of the score, as it sounds pretty cool so far. Hmmmm… Neo Paris, huh? I wonder if any Parisians not parkouring about the City of Light in 2084 are still going to get that two months paid vacation or whatever is is they enjoy. Nice city, confusing navigating those districts if you’re easily distracted. I haven’t been there in ages, but I’ll get to take a virtual trip soon enough through this excellent looking game. Now, I want a good glass of wine, some nice Camembert and a hunk of good bread. Good Night…

Skylanders: Giants News: Ninjini Is Coming To NYC Early (And Kids, You Might Get One Free)

Posted on February 1, 2013 by geelw

Hey kids! Go wrangle up your parental units and check this post out together, then maybe pack up a lunch for a day in the city. With Toy Fair 2013 rolling into New York City in about ten days, Activision is getting set to give Skylanders fans a huge treat next week. If you happen to be in the Times Square area on February 5th, wellll, you might just get lucky and walk away with a new Skylanders: Giants figure bound to make your friends some really jealous kitties! Check the info below the jump, show up EARLY and go home a happy camper!

Continue reading →

Earth Defense Force 2025 Gameplay Trailer: Big Bugs Go Boom, Big Time…

Posted on January 31, 2013 by geelw

EDF 2025 is shaping up to be quite a surprise, with developer Sandlot doing their best work in this upcoming PS3 and Xbox 360 game. D3Publisher says this is the largest game to date in the series, so as a longtime fan who’s sunk way too many hours into EDF games, I’m all too happy to hear this. For some idiotic reason, a few folks out there think the game looks “bad”, but I have to disagree (while swinging a billy club around the internet). Given that Sandlot is packing in more destruction in this game than in any AAA title that limits interactivity to stiff objects that rarely move and canned destruction sequences, you HAVE to give this team a hell of a lot more credit than kicking them around because the game isn’t as visually polished as certain other titles. Anyway, I like what I see quite a lot. Now, about that release date (and HOPEFULLY, a physical as well as digital release so more people can buy this one on day one)…

God of War: Ascension Super Bowl Teaser: Oh, NOW I Get It…

Posted on January 31, 2013 by geelw

Heh. OK, so I’m NOT a big football fan, but I should have realized that Game Day quickie trailer was going to end up being part of SCEA’s big advertising plans for the upcoming God of War: Ascension. Still, I hope they didn’t pay a mint for that ad time, as the game REALLY doesn’t require throwing money around to let its core audience know how good it is. Of course, it might foll a few people into thinking it’s something it’s not, but I doubt it. Ascension’s new multiplayer modes might not be my cup of tea, but as far as another angry adventure with Kratos, I’ll give it a whirl just to see what’s new in terms of the plot and places he ends up in. That said, methinks it’s time that Sony puts the character in more of an open world experience next time, as the limited (but lovely to look at) environments in past GoW games is getting a bit… limited. Eh, we’ll see what happens after this game ships out and (hopefully) does even better than the last one…

Carnage Heart EXA: Yes, They Still Make PSP Games!

Posted on January 30, 2013 by geelw

I had to do a genuine double take when I saw these videos Natsume sent my way. First of all, a new Carnage Heart game from Artdink? Wow. The original was a relatively obscure cult hit on the old PlayStation amongst those who dared to brave its unusual gameplay mechanics and high learning curve. A strategy game where you chose AI routines, placed them into a small team of mechs and let the game play out battles you didn’t control wasn’t exactly a system seller. That said, once you spent time poring over the manual and experimenting with customization, the game opened up considerably. There were three more PSOne games made with the Carnage Heart name (Carnage Heart: EZ Zapping and two with similar sounding titles: Zeus: Carnage Heart Second and Zeus II: Carnage Heart) and a PSP game from 2006 (Carnage Heart Portable), but none of those were ever localized. EXA is a 2010 PSP release that originally got both a retail and digital release in Japan, but Natsume is localizing this strictly for North American PSN users (a smart move given how much of a niche title this is). Custom color me intrigued. Natsume has yet to drop a release date on this one, but it’s coming this year and most likely sooner than later. I still have three working PSP’s here, so they’re practically giddy at this news…