WRC 3 Trailer Makes Me Jumpy In All The Right Spots…

Posted on July 24, 2012 by geelw

If you know me, then you know I love a good rally game. WRC 3, headed to the PS3, Xbox 360, PC and Vita this year (well at least outside the US), absolutely looks like something I’ll want to play. Granted, since no one bothered to release the other two current-gen WRC titles in the U.S. of A., I’m a bit annoyed about that little issue (I’ll need to import the PS3 versions when I can find them cheap enough). From my poking around online as soon as I saw this trailer, it looks as if UK gamers will see this one in October, but I’m hoping a smart US publisher can snap this up at some point. Milestone has put out some fun racers over the years, but thanks to a new graphics engine and what’s looking like more attention to detail, WRC 3 could be the best game yet in the series. At least for the current console cycle, as Evolution Studios set itself the task of making the PS2 home to aome of the best rally games on a console with its five WRC games (only ONE of which was released stateside, boo! Thank goodness I also have a Japanese PS2 here). My fingers are officially crossed for a US release (retail, PLEASE), so let’s see what happens…

Sleeping Dogs Voice Talent Video: It’s A Casting Cornucopia!

Posted on July 20, 2012 by geelw

United Front Games isn’t skimping on the voice casting in their upcoming (and eagerly awaited) action game. Take a look at a veritable who’s who of familiar faces (and voices). Even the people you haven’t heard of are doing a fine job from my perspective. It doesn’t hurt at all that the game is looking quite good as well. That August 7 release date is rolling up fast, isn’t it?

Splinter Cell: Blacklist ‘Pop-Up’ Video: Ubisoft Might Want To Shoot A Few Of The More Irate Fans, Too…

Posted on July 18, 2012 by geelw

Boy, try and make a new game in a hugely popular series without dragging along EVERY element from previous entries and watch the more stick in the rear fans fearful of change scream and struggle as if they’ve been tossed into a burlap sack, then the back of a moving black van. Maybe Michael Ironside was unavailable, wanted too much money or hell, wanted to move on from the character he originally voiced for a bunch of games. Maybe Ubisoft wanted someone “younger” sounding for this installment. Eh, whatever. all this reminds me of is how things often work out in Hollywood in terms of sequels. Keeping in a Tom Clancy vein, how about that Jack Ryan? Anyone?

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Tekken Tag Tournament 2 “Girl Power” Trailer: Er, If You Say So…

Posted on July 16, 2012 by geelw

Hmmm. Since when did Tekken turn into Dead or Alive? While it’s really cool to see live-action versions of some of the gals from the game and for those that want it, there’s a crazy pre-order deal where you get 150 swimsuits for the ladies, I’m not at all interested in the game for collecting bikinis and ogling digital cuties. Eh, maybe I’m complaining too much and maybe we’ll see an even mix of trunks for the guys in that lot, as I can see some female fans of the series getting a bit ticked at this. Then again, it’s great for a bit of competition as any new Dead or Alive game will probably want to beef up the ante significantly by adding even more swimsuits and perhaps (ack!) bringing back Zack Island and those awful mini-games in some sort of open world format. Oh, it’s going to be pure hell for those of us who just want a decent fighting game…

Borderlands 2 ‘Wimoweh” Trailer: Now, That’s What I Call Confidence!

Posted on July 12, 2012 by geelw

You just know Gearbox Software and 2K Games KNOW they have a hit when they can take a hit song recorded from before most of the game’s target audience was even a twinkle in their parents’ eyes (and hell, was old as the hills before their parents had even met) slap it into an awesome trailer and make a must-see many times instant classic. Of course, to the kids that think that tune is corny, well, so much for knowing much about music, I guess. Now I can’t get the tune out of my head (nor the image of Claptrap rolling along repeating “Wimoweh” in his own way. Ah well, ring me up, 2k – that’s another sale your way!

Remember, Borderlands 2 hits retail on September 18 in the US and September 21 everywhere else.

Marvel vs. Capcom Origins: Capcom Does A Bit Of Heavy Eyelash Batting At Its Fans…

Posted on July 5, 2012 by geelw

Oh, Capcom, you’re such a big tease, flashing those ankles like that from under that floor-length skirt and conveniently dropping linen hankies as you pass by under that new parasol. Of course, the mean boys down the block want the whole Can-Can thing, so I see they’re getting a bit frustrated. The internet is going nuts about this (and more nuts in some places than others, thanks to the usual gang of Capcom detractors that aren’t happy with ANYTHING the company does), but I see this upcoming release as a gateway to more returns of Capcom’s classic arcade battlers remixed for the modern era. Sure, who wouldn’t want a new Darkstalkers, X-Men: Children of the Atom, or Punisher game?

As for me, I’m happy as hell about Origins, but I’m hoping to finally see a fighting game that rolls along sometime in the next few years that features every single character from Capcom’s history pop up in as a playable character. That, or a crazy action/RPG hybrid that packs in as many of those favorites as possible. Eh, it’s a big dream, I know… but games like this make me think even bigger.

Assassin’s Creed III July 4th Trailer: A Bit of Flag-Waving From A Few Directions…

Posted on July 4, 2012 by geelw

How amusing that US ad agencies make stupid “patriotic” commercials with stuff like the founding fathers driving Detroit muscle cars into battle (Um…. oooookaaay?), while a non-US based company like Ubisoft does stirring stuff like this that manages to draw interest to both their product and a traditional American holiday in a more inspiring manner. Anyway, enjoy the rest of the holiday and please try not to blow anything off you’ll need for work (or play) later on.

Lost Planet 3 Hands-On: Spark Unlimited Gets Things Back To (Better) Basics

Posted on July 4, 2012 by geelw

Prequels are a risky undertaking for any developer, especially one that’s coming into a series that suffered from a bumpy second installment. While it looked absolutely incredible, Lost Planet 2 was a nightmare for solo players and even with up to four live players tackling the near completely plot-free campaign, the core gameplay had too many flaws to be fully enjoyable. Spark Unlimited (taking over from Capcom’s internal studio) has been working hard for the past 2 1/2 years on Lost Planet 3 and as a recent demo build proved, the developer is showing off their best, most polished work to date. While it’s usually impossible to gauge how the final retail code for any game will be based on a demo, after playing through it and watching others play, it’s clear that the team at Spark is cooking up a blend of excellently done cinematic storytelling and solid gameplay that so far, manages to be equal parts thrilling and extremely well paced.

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Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut Trailer: Finally Finshing The Fight (And The Fight With Some Fans As Well)…

Posted on June 24, 2012 by geelw

Boom. BioWare gets right to it, and of course, some folks STILL aren’t happy about this soon to be released DLC. Oh well. My only suggestion is for any and EVERY publisher out there to let a game this huge get more time to cook so it’s DONE and done right when it ships. Sure, even if the game had shipped with more closure, there would have been fans unhappy that everything they wanted to see wasn’t there. That said, I didn’t mind the ending so much as the oddball deal with the Normandy being in a weird place at a certain point. But all fiction needs its shortcutting, as does actual history in every retelling, it seems. Anyway, will this content show up on a disc at some point so folks who don’t have an Origin account or don’t care about online play actually be able to finish the story THEY started? That’s the more important question for me…

Spec Ops: The Line Developer Diary #1: Yager’s Focus On Excellence All Around

Posted on June 23, 2012 by geelw

With the game about to roll into retail this coming Tuesday, 2K has released this developer diary about the making of this innovative squad-based shooter. It’s pretty clear that developer Yager wasn’t set on just copying other games or doing something that wasn’t going to be yet another multiplayer focused shooter with a to short single player campaign, so definitely check this one out if you’re looking for something unique and compelling on a few fronts…