Thursday, September 30, 2010

Gundam Musou 3 Release Date



For Japan that is. They'll be suiting up December 16. This game has yet to be announced for any country outside of Japan. Get to it Namco Bandai!

Gundam Musou 3 Launches In December [Siliconera]

Beyond Good and Evil HD



Next year one of the most underrated games ever is being re-released in HD for both the PS3 and Xbox 360. Beyond Good and Evil was first released in 2003 for the PS2, GameCube, Xbox, and PC. This re-release will be in 1080p and also have revamped characters, textures and a re-mastered soundtrack. I'm pretty sure this will draw back the old fans and most definitely make new ones. At least we'll have something to keep us waiting until Beyond Good and Evil 2 comes out!

Nomura Speaks on Kingdom Hearts 3DS



Also in other news, Famitsu scored Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded a 36/40!!!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Kingdom Hearts 3 News!



Well I guess our hearts can be put at ease now. At least we know it's a definite but not anytime soon. In two years, it will be the 10th anniversary of Kingdom Hearts and Nomura stated that Kingdom Hearts 3 as a celebration would be impossible as much as he'd want to. Nomura was interviewed by EGMNow and here's the full interview below:

EGMWhat is the main theme of Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep?
TN: The major theme of the story of Birth By Sleep is the link that exists between this group of people, the link that ties the heart and soul for the characters in the game. That’s the theme of the overall storyline. The game system is partially inspired by that theme.
EGMA lot of fans of the series want to know why you’ve decided to keep doing prequels and side stories, while many others want to see where the main story progresses.
TN: For any sequel of the mainstream storyline of the Kingdom Hearts series, that would be Kingdom Hearts III. But the problem is that the opportunity of developing the sequel is not currently [possible]. The team is busy, I am busy. One of the major [unique aspects] of the Kingdom Hearts series, opposed to the Final Fantasy series, is that the entire history of Kingdom Hearts is based on a single unique storyline. There’s a past, present and a future within the same series. I thought that it would be interesting for the franchise to feature some periods of the storyline that haven’t been described yet in the previous titles. That’s why I wanted to create side stories and handheld versions of Kingdom Hearts.
EGMHow much further do you want to go back down that path of the back stories and side stories?
TN: To tell you the truth, I’m a little bit worried because there’s a few undescribed periods of time left in the history of Kingdom Hearts. I’m thinking about what’s going to be next after Kingdom Hearts II, the future that is Kingdom Hearts III. Time has nearly come to [work on] that concept. As you know, Kingdom Hearts Coded takes place in the future, compared to the [first] Kingdom Hearts period of time. In the same way, my desire is to put that concept in Kingdom Hearts III, to think about the future.
EGMWith as many projects that you are working on consistently, is it hard to keep them all straight? How do you organize your time to multitask?
TN: [laughs] Well, for now, the only I [will] manage to do all these simultaneous projects is to sacrifice my private time, my marriage, and my family time.
EGMWhen people think Disney, they think cute, its family-oriented, its kind of for kids, but also adults, too. Looking at the past games, the Kingdom Hearts world is a dark place in a lot of areas. Are there any concerns that it could be too complex for children?
TN: It’s true that Kingdom Hearts features a very complex plotline in terms of story, and some might wonder if it is easily understandable for kids. But the research that we have done internally has proven that Kingdom Hearts appeals to the younger, or female adults, too. The initial idea when creating the Kingdom Hearts series was not intended to follow the typical storyline we see in a Disney movie. Rather, a storyline or world that is more inspired by the Final Fantasy series. That was our original intention. I believe that when you’re a kid, you prefer playing with a toy that is made for a more mature audience. So that is the base idea for that.
EGMDo you think we’ll see Kingdom Hearts III on this generation of hardware?
TN: Yes, it might be possible. It is my desire to develop the next Kingdom Hearts on the existing platform, but the problem with a new console is that it has new technical requirements, new technical limitations, so we need time to make new research for that new title. The development team for Kingdom Hearts is currently leading technical research for concerning the high-definition graphics right now. So, yes, I’m wiling to create something on the existing console because when we aim for another non-existing future console, the release of the title will be far in the future. That’s my concern.

Nintendo 3DS Japanese Software Lineup Trailer


The game I'm probably excited for the most is Kid Icarus.

Nintendo 3DS Release Date and Final Specs



On February 26, 2011, the Nintendo 3DS will launch in Japan for ¥25,000 ($300). The two colors available at launch will be "Aqua Blue" and "Cosmos Black." The expected release date for Europe and the United States is in March following the Japanese release. Here's a list of the specs below:

  
  • charger stand (pictured above)
  • AC adapter
  • 10cm touch pen (can be contracted)
  • 2GB SD card
  • 6 AR (augmented reality) cards
  • starter guide and instruction manuals
  • three cameras: one on the outside, two inside (each 0.3 megapixels. 640x480)
  • circle pad for full 360 degree input
  • Size: 134x74x21mm
  • Weight: 230g
  • Upper Screen: 3.53 inches, 800×240 pixel resolution
  • Lower Screen: 3.02 inches, 320×240 pixels
  • Wireless Communication:  2.40GHz
  • Game Card Slot, SD Memory Card Slot, AC Adapter Connection, Charge Connection, Headphone Connection
  • Stereo Speakers on the left and right of the top screen
  • 3D Volume (can smoothly adjust degree of 3D output), Home Button (for opening the Home menu), Wireless Switch (can turn off wireless even while in mid-game), Power Button
  • Lithium Ion Battery
  • Nintendo 3DS exclusive game cards. Same size as DS cards. Max memory capacity will be 2 GB at system launch
Other features listed by Nintendo:

Enjoy 3D images with the naked eye on the top screen.
You can adjust the 3D volume to change the 3D feel, and can also make it 2D. 

A stereo camera that can take 3D pictures
Includes 2 external cameras. When you take 3D pictures, they can be viewed on the spot. 

New input interfaces
Slide Pad, Motion Sensor, Gyro Sensor 

SpotPass
When the 3DS is in sleep mode, the system will automatically seek out Nintendo Zone and wireless LAN access points and will grab information, game data, free games, videos and other things from the internet. 

StreetPass
When the 3DS is in sleep mode, it will automatically exchange data with other 3DS systems. The system can transfer data from multiple games simultaneously. 

Functionality For Use Without Leaving Games
Home Menu, Internet Browser, Notice List 

A Variety of Software Built In
Nintendo 3DS Camera, Nintendo 3DS Sound, Mii Studio*, StreetPass Mii Plaza*, AR Games*, Activity Log, etc. (* temp; direct translation from the Japanese) 

Download Sales of Games
In addition to buying games, you can view introductory videos and rankings

Transfer Over Software and Data
You'll be able to transfer your already purchased download software to 3DS. This includes DSi Ware games from DSi and DSi LL. Nintendo notes there is a limited number of transfers allowed and that some software cannot be transferred.

Backwards Compatible
In addition to playing games made for 3DS, the system can also play DSi and DS games.

Parental Controls
You can set play restrictions based off game ratings. You can also limit browser use and other areas. Parental Controls have been improved over the DSi.

A Great RPG Available on DSiWare

Zenonia, originally released on the iPhone, is now available for the Nintendo DS. A sequel was released on iPhone so hopefully that will be released on the DS as well. Anyways, I highly recommend purchasing this game if you're an RPG fan. On top of it's fun combat system, Zenonia gives you the ability to choose your class and also gives you choices to make as you decide on whether you want to be good or evil. The leveling system is deep but not too complicated. You can also learn many special moves to mix up the combat and devastate foes.



I purchased this game when it came out for the iPhone but I never had a chance to finish it. How can you recommend a game you didn't even finish?!?! Well, I got pretty far in the game but all that effort was wasted when I dropped my iPhone. Twice. On cement. It still functional, but eventually gray spots clouded my screen and got in the way of my Zenonia happiness. But now I have the opportunity to start over with better controls and finish it. By better controls I mean, I have big thumbs and I had trouble sometimes navigating Regret, the main character, on the iPhone. Zenonia is available now for 800 "NintenPoints."

Square Enix Trying to Score a Goal



With the announcement of Samurai Eleven. Samurai Eleven (thought to be a Musashi sequel) is a free mobile soccer game that gives you command of a team of four consisting of a forward, midfielder, defender, and a goalkeeper. The game has over 150 techniques that your players could learn. The game supports social practive matches and cooperative play against bosses. Items can be purchased in-game but you have to pay for them with actually money. All that gil you've farmed means nothing! Seems as if Square Enix might be trying to ride the the success of Inazuma Eleven on the Nintendo DS. Good luck with that! Better yet, you tell me which one looks more interesting.

Saumrai Eleven

Inazuma Eleven

Resistance 3 Screenshots and Concept Art Leaked Online

Thanks to a flickr user by the name of "l337guyzorz2" we get another glimpse of Resistance 3. Looks as if the Chimera have evolved. I didn't post all the screens and I also can't direct you to that user's flickr account. It's no longer active.



Long Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Trailer is Long



It's very pleasing to the eyes too!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

PS3 Price Drops



Modnation Racers - $39.99

All the games below are $29.99
MAG
Ratchet and Clank - A Crack in Time
Call of Duty 4
Call of Duty: World at War
Tekken 6
Demon's Souls
MotorStorm: Pacific Rift

If I can vouch for any of these games, it'd definitely be Modnation Racers. I think it's a must-have for PS3 owners, racing fans, Mario Kart fans, or just about anyone!

New Super Robot Taisen L Trailer

New Mega Man 8-bit Deathmatch Trailer



Also check out the weapons trailer below!



Plenty of weapons for 8-Bit destruction! If Capcom was smart (they can be sometimes), they would hire this guy and release this game on consoles! That would be a great idea and a break from all those fighters they plan on releasing.

Naruto Shippuden: Gekitou Ninja Taisen Special PV



Sasuke looks pissed!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Final Mix Trailer



Another Final Mix. Pretty much, it's the American version plus more new features....Is this content so new that it's couldn't have been added to the American version. Or was the content already planned? It maybe alot of new content for Japanese fans but not enough for me. I'm not going to lie though. That Moby Dick battle looks amazing. New Features in Final Mix include:
  • the "mysterious cloaked boss" (from the American version)
  • stickers (also from the American version)
  • Pete as a D-link
  • new additions to mini-games
  • another mysterious character in armor (most of you can guess who it is)
  • a new secret movie
  • English voiceovers
  • a voucher for Cloud Strife's (Final Fantasy 7) Kingdom Hearts outfit for Dissidia 012
I've also noticed alot of people starting to complain about the constant use of Simple and Clean in the Kingdom Hearts series. It doesn't bother me at all. Why? Because I could look at anime or any other TV show and it keeps the same opening song for either a couple (13 usually for anime) of episodes or the whole series (like That 70's Show for example). I might import this game though.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

New Dragonball Raging Blast 2 Trailer



The gameplay looks incredibly fluid in this trailer. I hope it stays that way. Especially online! I can definitely see the improvements now though. The devs said that the GT storyline was irrelevant so let's hope they stick to those truths. I don't want to be playing this game for like six months and then have Raging Blast 3 announced with "GT STORYLINE!!!!!!!" So do you think this is the last Raging Blast? Instead of our pockets being emptied on redundant sequels, how about make something innovative? Sort've like what Tenkaichi was to the Budokai series (which I miss dearly).

Little Big Planet 2 Delayed...


...until January 2011. Here's the message from the official site:

LittleBigPlanet 2 is a crazy dream, a dream to allow players to make whatever kind of game they want, but also to play though a great adventure of drama and excitement, power-ups, and cinematics. But like all of the most ambitious ideas, it can be a considerable challenge to turn these dreams in to fun games. We’ve all been working like powered-up space ninjas and we’re almost there, but because we love what we’ve made, and we love our little sack-friends, and most of all we love all our fans out there, we couldn’t let you all get together until we knew we were giving you the best experience imaginable. Which is why we’ve taken the hard decision to delay the worldwide release of LittleBigPlanet 2, originally slated for later this year to January 2011.
We know this will come as disappointing news for all you LittleBigPlanet fans, and believe us, we are disappointed too. We are a tight-knit team and we take enormous pride in our work, so to raise the bar we’ve set with the original LittleBigPlanet, a game that has been so embraced by all, we’ve agreed to allow ourselves a bit more time to deliver the experience that our great fans and community deserve. We are truly sorry, but hope you understand that we have to build the best possible game, as it is the foundation of our community.
On the upside, we are going to find a way to give more of you a taste of LBP2 prior to launch, so stay tuned.
Thanks for your continued love and support, it won’t be long – we promise. 


Oh well. I can definitely wait. This game is going to be amazing once it comes out! Looking at all the trailers or levels people created in the beta is more than enough to know what kind of effort Media Molecule is putting into this sequel.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

New Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 Trailer



This trailer from a CyberConnect2 event may be old for many but it's finally been released in a higher quality. Enjoy!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Monday, September 20, 2010

Valkyria Chronicles 3 Trailer



Even though it's not going to be a PS3 title this game still looks interesting. At least the pretty animation does. There's no actually gameplay footage, but I guess it's safe to say this game will be similar in some kind of way to it's PSP predecessor.

Leaked Final Fantasy Versus XIII Gameplay



This will probably get removed from Youtube soon so enjoy it while you can. The game looks pretty solid but coming from the same team that developed Kingdom Hearts titles I was expecting over the top gameplay or something similar to the action in Final Fantasy: Advent Children. This game does have a darker theme so I shouldn't expect that KH flair. This game still has a long way to go so hopefully we'll get a real peek at it later.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Tokyo Game Show: "DmC" Trailer

Yeah...I'm not going to call it Devil May Cry.



This uhh "Devil May Cry" game is being developed by Capcom Ninja Theory. It features Dante. You Know. The guy with white hair. But it's black in this game. He's also younger than "Dante" from Devil May Cry 3. If this game follows the main series, maybe this is his hair's story. He looks like The Crow if you ask me. The moves he does in this trailer look "sweet." They also look "sweet" in Heavenly Sword which was an okay game. All I know is that this cat is way too cool for me.

Tokyo Game Show: Catherine Trailer



This game is going to be amazing! While we've seen very little gameplay, this game continues to look intriguing.

First Trailer for Shadows of the Damned

This is the new game from No More Heroes' creator Goichi Suda and former Capcom producer Shinji Mikami. Gameplay looks decent but overall it doesn't appear interesting to me. The music is good though!


Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection Confirmed for PS3

Both games have been updated with HD visuals but I'm starting to wonder though. Are all collection games going to have ugly covers? Remember the cover for the God of War Collection? How about just put Kevin Butler on the cover.


Problem solved.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix Coming to Japan


And it's coming this Winter. It's pretty much the American version along with the option of English voices. So that means Japan will be getting the crown stickers and an extra boss. New to this version will be the addition of Pete as an ally.



image from [KHInsider]



Monday, September 13, 2010

Super Mario Collection Special Pack Coming to Japan


The collection is Super Mario All-Stars on a Wii disc. The pack contains:

  • Super Mario All-Stars
  • a soundtrack (covers the original Super Mario Bros. all the way up to Super Mario Galaxy 2)
  • a booklet containing items such as unreleased artwork
The pack will be released on October 21st in Japan for 2,500 yen.

Blazblue: Continuum Shift II Trailer Shows Two New Characters

The brief recorded trailer shows a brief glimpse of Valkenhayn Hellsing and Trinity the Platinum. The characters are getting more and more wackier. Especially with the addition of Trinity the Platinum.

New Naruto Fighter Coming to the Wii

A scan from Shonen Jump shows Naruto Shippuden: Gekito Ninja Taisen SP. It's the sequel in the Gekito Ninja Taisen (Clash of Ninja) series. It's coming out December 2nd in Japan. Hopefully this game will get released in the U.S. for the Wii since PS3 and Xbox 360 owners will be getting Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 this October. If all else fails, there's always importing for the region free Wii!



Valkyria Chronicles 3 TGS Announcment Leaked by SEGA


Sega posted a jpg on their site that listed their Tokyo Game Show schedule. Too bad someone listed one of their biggest announcements on that image. Look below:


That image (without the arrows and smiley) has since been removed and happily replaced with this image below.


I guess a little of the excitement is gone since apparently the game is now confirmed. Only question remaining now is which system it's going to be on. All my votes go to the PS3. Especially since Sega went out of their way to fix that image.

The Twins Confirmed for Super Street Fighter IV Arcade


Yun and Yang! Event Hubs has a long report detailing all the changes (which may not be final) made in the arcade version. When I saw "long" report, I mean long. Longer that Dhalism's......ARM. The confirmation comes from Capcom's location tests for the cabinets. The video quality isn't that great but there's a glimpse of Yun below.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Final Fantasy XIII Coming to 360 In Japan


No thank you Sephiroth, but you can take it and throw it at those PS3 fanboys in Japan. I hate the word "fanboy" but I had no choice but use it in this case. Alot of people forget the phrase "money makes the world go around." It's true in most cases and it's no different with Square-Enix. Yes, they said it wasn't going to be released on 360 in Japan but there are some or at least a few 360-only owners in Japan. (I don't know how many.) I'm not saying that's the reason it's being released but Square-Enix is trying to or will profit from this release in some kind of way. What if someone found the cure to some disease and decided not to share it? What if a super hero had powers to save someone and only used it to grill meat? Video games aren't as serious as those cases but the point is people shouldn't be so selfish over such simple things and also Square-Enix most people do whatever it takes to make that dollar. Square Enix's CEO Yoichi Wada received the backlash on his Twitter account for their decision. Here's some of the comments left on his account below:

Is it true? After saying so many times it would never be released on the Xbox in Japan, if you really do release it nobody will trust your word again.
Say something!
You’re going to betray us after saying it would never come out? I’m cancelling my pre-orders.
You liar!
Lying to customers is how you do business, eh? I’ll never buy a Square Enix title again.
With all the illegal lies and misdirection about FF13 you made, I reported you to the ministry of consumer affairs. And you promised DLC and quietly abandoned it – you’re detestable.
Charlatan!
Stop your pompous waffling and resign! Haven’t you made enough money yet? Next time put a guy who actually loves games in charge.
What’s up with game developers? Practically everything they say is a lie…
Well done, Scrooge.
Hey Wada! What the hell is this about FF13 on the 360 in Japan? You kept advertising the game in all the mags as a domestic PS3 exclusive! If you go through with this nobody’ll trust you again… Honestly I hate you so much I’d like to kill you. Quit soon. This is your last chance.
You’d better be prepared to run, or you’ll be killed! At the very least you ought to be prepared for a few rocks thrown your way!
Pretty ridiculous. Other than that, the game will have a few new features.
  • English voices
  • Original English theme song
  • First purchase booklet
  • Easy Mode
  • English and European subtitles
It'll be released on December 16th in Japan for 4890 yen.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Gundam Musou 3 Getting Ready For Launch

(Or better yet Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 if it gets released here.) The first new detail about this game is the change in graphics. Instead of shiny suits and bland environments, the game will bare a new cel-shaded look. Here's a screenshot comparison:


Looks like it has the same visual appeal as the older anime series do. The enemy AI has also improved with them having the ability to reinforce their units. The online mode returns as well. Hopefully that will be improved as well. The modes in the 2nd game were not very appealing. The game will feature suits from After War Gundam X, Gundam 0083: Stardust Memories, Gundam 00, Unicorn Gundam, and suits from the previous games. They can throw all the suits they want in this game but I better get my RX-78GP02A (Gundam Physalis)

And also, they know alot of fans want this guy:


The game is expected to be released this Winter in Japan.


Gundam images from: Mecha Anime HQ

Dead or Alive Dimensions

Here's a look at this announced 3DS title. I'm going to get a 3DS but this is definitely a pass for me. It looks nice but I prefer a proper title on a console. Dead of Alive 4 is five years old...DOA4 had Master Chief in it so in this title I'm expecting Mario to be playable!



Headshot Tip

I know it's hard to deliver that one hitter quitter in an online FPS, but here's the best tip possible to help you out. Take it from this pro below!

Eclectic Method

A nice little mix with old school sounds!


Eclectic Method - 8 Bit Mixtape from Eclectic Method on Vimeo.

Super Robot Taisen L Trailer



ROBOTS, ROBOTS, AND MORE ROBOTS!!!!!! If you're familiar with this series already you know it features robots or mecha from various series such as Gundam, Evangelion, etc. The story description from Play-Asia:

Mankind have conquered space travels and have set up colonies in distant planets. With more resources, mankind should prosper, however, the awakening of the ancient evil kingdom put a halt on all things. The war with this enemy causes earth to fall into a food crisis, and so taxes and demand on the colonies rise. 

The war that will wipe across the galaxy and all your favorite mecha anime series is breaking out. Take your mecha and become a war hero. Older mecha such as the Gundams in Seed and Destiny, newer ones, such as the Macross F Valkyries and Kurogane no Linbarrel will be available for piloting. 


Sounds and looks like fun. Hopefully it'll be released here in the states.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Pokemon Black and White Receive Perfect Scores

In Famitsu that is. I can actually believe the scores this time. Black and White don't seem like rehashes. (We still want actual Pokemon sounds though!)

A Little 3rd Birthday Update

The 3rd Birthday is a sequel to Parasite Eve 2. It's being released on the PSP supposedly this year or next. The protagonist Aya Brea returns but what is she doing with Lightning's (Final Fantasy XIII) outfit on? Maybe it's a pre-order bonus or unlockable.

Dissidia: Final Fantasy Sequel Announced!

It's titled Dissidia Duodecim: Final Fantasy. So far Kain (FFIV) and Lightning (FFXIII) are the newcomers. I know I won't get Barret or Sazh to represent chocolate people so give me my best friend Sora. Please Square-Enix. Please Tetsuya Nomura. Hide him. So we can unlock him. Do something! Other than that, I could see maybe Zack or Vincent since they had stand-alone titles. Balthier? Or Kadaj? His sword is awesome. I'm also getting a little bit out of line naming these unhopefuls. Hopefully more characters will be revealed at the Tokyo Game Show this month since it'll be playable there. Dissidia Duodecim: Final Fantasy is expected next year.

Street Fighter High: The Musical

If you haven't seen the first Street Fighter High, watch it here. I promise you'll get a laugh or two! (at least I hope) But if you have seen it, the sequel was released yesterday. Enjoy!





StreetFighterHigh [Youtube]