Here’s MUD In Yer Eye: Namco Bandai Gets Milestone’s Moto Racer In Stores Next Week

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

Namco Bandai Games is turning into quite the busy bee of a publisher these days, picking up distribution rights to a bunch of cool-looking titles from a few developers. Milestone’s upcoming MUD FIM Motocross World Championship is coming to the PS3, PS Vita and Xbox 360 on February 26, 2013, so here’s a look if you haven’t seen it yet. The game combines simulation and arcade racing with some real-life riders and racing that’s based on the FIM series plus some stunt-heavy maps to tool around on when you’re not racing. While it probably won’t wow the graphics hounds out there, the game looks decent enough and might be a bit of a fun diversion for those seeking a bit of bouncy bike action in an off-road flavor. You can catch bugs in your teeth at home when the game jumps into stores next week (and on PSN for the Vita).

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In Case I’m Too Busy To Post, Two Naruto Shippuden Trailers To Keep You Busy…

Posted on February 20, 2013 by geelw

I’ll be jetting out of here a few hours before the big Sony event later this evening just to make sure I get in (I’ve been to the venue before for some other game events ages ago, so I’m glad it’s at a place I’m familiar with), so I may not be posting at all until later tonight at some point. Anyway, as noted, here are two trailers from busy-busy publisher Namco Bandai (who just secured the NA distribution rights to Trion Worlds’ DEFIANCE – a huge “get!”) for Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 (PS3/Xbox 360, coming March 5, 2013) and NARUTO Powerful Shippuden (Nintendo 3DS, also arriving on March 5). I like that both games have different vibes to them – the console version is serious and cinematic while the portable one is cute and goofy while looking like a capable little fighter to go. OK, now I’m finally off to sleep – got a BIG day later and I don’t want to pass out in the middle of that press conference!

GRID 2 Uncovered: More Wheels Hitting The Road For Your Viewing Pleasure…

Posted on February 19, 2013 by geelw

Not much to say here other than that this latest Ego engine update is really getting a workout in Codemasters’ upcoming racer. Yes indeed, that’s a KTM Xbow zipping around on that Red Bull track. I got to drive it in the demo and it’s a lovely little rocket to ride around in. May 28 is how long away again? Hmmm…. off to dream of fast cars and perfect turns now. I have a press event to attend tomorrow…

Metal Gear Rising Revengeance: Platinum Scores Big, Slices Skeptics Up Good…

Posted on February 19, 2013 by geelw

There’s nothing like a good game to shut up the naysayers out there, so it’s fantastic to see Konami, Platinum Games and yes, Hideo Kojima get a lovely bit of sweet Revengeance on the usual internet troll posses and their stale bile. Kojima has even made an amazing trailer for the game that shows off Platinum’s hard work quite well, spoils a few things and is pretty much not for those squeamish types, as there’s a lot of fake blood and lots of objects getting a good slicing on display. Of course, the game is SO far out there that much of this is pretty funny (in a weird way like most of Kojima’s work when he goes for the quirky). Hmmm – looks like that’s another game I need to get around to buying at some point. Also, the Japanese TV spots are slightly similar in tone (people having not so hot days at work and such), but funnier (and stranger) than the one US ad I’ve seen – see above and below the jump…

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BioShock Infinite “Lamb of Columbia” Trailer: That’s Certainly NOT Mint Jelly!

Posted on February 19, 2013 by geelw

Customer: “See, I was right! Next time I’m sticking with the Cobb Salad!”

Waiter: Actually, I hear the game is going (or has gone) gold, which means no changing your order, sir.

Customer: (ah, the cranky waitstaff and the “no substitutions” rule!) “What? But I’m the customer and the customer is ALWAYS right! SO, get me that salad, make it a SMALL one… and a burger, really well done so it tastes like a hot shoe heel, and a Diet Kook!”

Waiter (rolls eyes and sighs, points at big red letters stating NO SUBSTITUTIONS on menu cover): This isn’t your local fast food place, sir… Chef Levine and his staff at Irrational Games have cooked up a dish they KNOW you’ll love and as everything on the menu is a Chef’s Choice, you’re getting what he gives you and it’s ALL good.

Customer: “Blaaaaaaah!, I’m not paying for something that’s not what I want!!!”

(and so forth and so on…kinda sorta based on a true incident I overheard a few years back)

Anyway, let those two have at it all day in your head if you wish. Me, I’m staring at that space in the library I’ve made for BioShock Infinite when it’s finally released on March 26, 2013.

Crysis 3 “Sharp Dressed Man” TV Spot: A Little Fun Before The Bodies Start Dropping…

Posted on February 19, 2013 by geelw

Amusingly enough, I actually had to explain to a non-gaming friend that this wasn’t some sort of cheesy 90’s action flick/comedy game after he kept seeing this goofy ad over the past week or so. I didn’t catch it until about three or four days back and it made me laugh because of the choice of ZZ Top’s classic 80’s tune more than the silly macho posturing going on (I was expecting something more serious like Ubisoft’s Far Cry 3 TV ads), but it’s all in good fun. I got to play a bit of the PC version last week at EA’s spring press event and it’s absolutely gorgeous and definitely Crytek’s best work to date (at least as far as the visuals go). As for the rest of the game, I’ll need to play through it at some point and see what’s what. I liked the second one (and never played the original outside of a demo and about two hours of the final version), so I’m probably going to have fun with this sequel as well.

Hmmm… I wonder if the ad agency that cooked this up is going to hit up more of ZZ Top’s back catalog for the inevitable DLC? I can think of a few other tunes they did that might fit, but I don’t want Crytek to get the idea that they’re better comedians than they are a games developer…

DESTINY: Bungie’s Big Ideas & Big World Need Big Gameplay To Get My Money…

Posted on February 18, 2013 by geelw

So, the big, big not so secret big game revealed today at Bungie HQ is an all-new IP for Activision and a purported innovative open world sort of multiplayer FPS (don’t call it a MMO!) called Destiny with a heavy social tilt and a ton of intriguing elements that look and sound grand on paper and in print (and in video – see above)… but I’m not all in just yet. One MASSIVE problem I have with these press events where ideas and concepts and big talk about the future come up and cycle about the room is until there’s ACTUAL gameplay to be seen. Sure, I know Bungie can most likely deliver the goods their fan base expects and then some. However, I’ve never seen a game that delivered as much as promised after a huge press event such as this one.

That said, I’m more than happy to be proven wrong, but the game has lost my interest already thanks to the online only play and heavy cream emphasis on “social” play. Ugh. I don’t own an iPhone, my internet connection blows and I like my games story-driven and immersive outside of flashy visuals and cast of thousands scope. I’ll only cover this again after I get to PLAY it, as it’s a case of so much promise that might not deliver everything at the same time plus a bunch of other things that annoy me to no end. Hey, at least I’m a positive skeptic willing to change my mind after finally tasting what’s on the menu that’s been waved under my nose all day…

Earth Defense Force 4 Cover (Japan): FOUR Motherships? Alright, It’s Officially ON…

Posted on February 16, 2013 by geelw

If this is indeed the final cover art for the upcoming import version of EDF 4/EDF 2025 (set to land in Japan in June), it’s kind of amazing for a few reasons, the main one being the FOUR huge motherships heading for the earth. The last game had one and that did a load of damage (OK, so it was way too easy to take down on every level except Inferno if you had the right weapons and didn’t cheat), but if Sandlot has packed in three more along with the new enemies seen in those recently posted Gematsu screens, this will indeed be the mother of all battles (well, in terms of EDF games, that is). Hmmm. I think I may need a few new controllers after all…

GRID 2 PC Hands-On: Codemasters Is Hitting The Road With a Superior Sequel

Posted on February 16, 2013 by geelw

The team at Codemasters has been hard at work making GRID 2 into their best racing game to date and it shows. I’ve been a longtime fan of their racers from the goofy fun of their many Micro Machines games on the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive to the TOCA and Colin McRae Rally and DiRT games, and also love their F1 stuff, so getting to play a bit of this new game was more than a pleasure. It was the PC version up and running on some high-end Intel laptops, but console fans needn’t worry about their versions suffering, as the newly beefed up Ego engine is extremely flexible across multiple platforms. Unlike certain other popular (and great) racers, this isn’t about amassing a gigantic car collection, open-world exploration at one’s own pace or racing for big bucks. The focus and theme of “Be Fast, Be First and Be Famous” along with the interesting use of the ESPN license and assorted in-game “social” features combined with the intense speed and handling should make this a game that’s going to get quite a bit of play when it finally rolls into stores.

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BioShock Infinite “Lamb of Columbia” Teaser: I Bet There’s No Mint Jelly on the Side…

Posted on February 16, 2013 by geelw

Nope, none at all. In fact, I’m betting if you have an appetite, the game proper will make you lose it under the sofa somewhere and you won’t get it back for a few hours afterward. Not because you’ll get sick to your stomach or anything, mind you. You’ll probably be so immersed that you’ll simply forget to eat something until someone conks you on the head and drags you away from that TV. “Violence is a very horrible thing!” you know. Anyway, short teaser, short post. The rest of the trailer drops on the 19th – leave that mint jelly on the shelf when you come back to watch it…