With all the amazing games on the market, I occasionally find myself craving a classic like Dragon Quest. There’s just something I find nostalgic about having to open a sub-menu just to climb stairs or unlock chests. Then, there’s being able to relax while I take turns wailing on monsters who are unlucky enough to cross my path. The whole experience really brings you back. Well, Japanese gamers are in for a treat when Square Enix releases the Dragon Quest Collection for the Nintendo Wii this September. To celebrate the series’ 25th anniversary, they went ahead and included the original Famicom versions of Dragon Quest I, II and III, as well as the Super Famicom remakes.
I’ve been wanting my own sonic screwdriver for awhile but I’ve been having trouble deciding on which model to go with. While I love slick silver design of Eccleston and Tennant’s model, it lacks the nifty little claw grip. On the other hand, Smith’s has a bit too much bronze for me. I suppose I could have just bought the interchangeable model that Michael mentioned the other month, but then it dawned it on me — what good is a sonic screwdriver if it doesn’t actually work? It won’t stop a Christmas tree from spinning out of control, or open a locked door at the touch of a button, but this sonic screwdriver screwdriver might do the trick! In addition to being a perfect replica of the Eleventh Doctor’s screwdriver, it comes with an interchangeable phillips and flat-head attachments, allowing you to actually use it to fix things. Brilliant, right? The best part, is that it only retails for $30, that’s only $5 more than the standard replica. Better yet, it still lights up and buzzes. Head over to ThinkGeek to order yours today.
Next month will mark the official release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray. Like many of you, I’ve spent the last several years anticipating this release and was a little disappointed to hear that the discs wouldn’t include the original theatrical releases, but rather the updated “special editions” of the original trilogy. A shame, considering that many of those cosmetic changes did little to improve the original films and most of the new content seemed out of place and even distracting times. To add insult to injury, Lucas has once again taken to editing his films for their upcoming Blu-ray release. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 30, 2011 in Videogames
At last week’s Penny Arcade Expo, Square Enix debuted the latest trailer for Final Fantasy XIII-2 in English. Shortly afterwards, they uploaded the same trailer to YouTube with the original Japanese voice acting. Naturally, this has led to a small debate amongst fans as to which version’s superior with the majority — not-so-surprisingly mind you — siding with Japanese. To be perfectly honest, I don’t really have a preference either way, so long as I don’t have to listen to Vanille or Hope make irritating noises throughout each battle. If you haven’t had a chance to see either trailer yet, I’ve posted them both for your viewing pleasure. Again, the visuals are pretty fantastic, just don’t expect to be blown away by the script. If you’re hoping to get your hands on a copy of the game that comes with both Japanese voice acting and English subtitles, you may want to save up for a Chinese copy, as that was the only version of Final Fantasy XIII that had both. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with one or the other, and unless you speak and read Japanese, you might be forced to deal with the English.
If you’re in the Los Angeles area you may be in luck. Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Cinema has announced that they’ll start hosting a monthly midnight screenings of Edgar Wright’s modern cult-classic, Scott Pilgrim vs the World. It feels so weird calling it a classic, but the film’s cult status can’t be denied. At least some of you might actually get to see it in theaters for the first time. and judging by its ticket sales, that’s probably everyone you know. The first screening will take place on Friday, September 23rd and attendees are encouraged to come dressed in costume. For more info regarding future screenings, check out the New Beverly Cinema’s official site for a full calendar of upcoming events. It’s a shame that its only happening in Los Angeles, but I still hope to attend at least one of those screenings at some point.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 25, 2011 in Anime, Dr. Who
It doesn’t feature Matt Smith, and might lack in the production department, but this fan-made 80’s style Doctor Who anime has its moments. The artist responsible for the video also noted that if you’re the least bit confused about the Cybermen and their use of the word “excellent” or The Doctor’s martial arts, then you’ve been missing out on the classics. Of course, they also insist that sitting though those classics will instantly make you more handsome, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing handsome about sticky celery or poorly knit scarves. Nevertheless, the video’s a nifty idea. Now, if only Japan would make a proper Doctor Who anime. That’d be awesome.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 25, 2011 in Videogames
[Update 8/25 via Wired: Gamestop to remove all regular edition copies of the game from their stores effective immediately. Returns to be accepted with receipt.]
Earlier today someone leaked an internal Gamestop e-mail which instructed its employees to open sealed copies of the recently released PC title Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and remove a coupon which entitled their customers to a free copy of the game via On Live — a streaming service that would allow players to run the game remotely via a PC or On Live console. The game would then be sold as new at the full list price despite having its case tampered with and its voucher missing. Sounds terrible, right? But is it really that cut and dry? Can Gamestop be the only party at fault? I know it sounds insane from the perspective of the consumer, but there is a reason to their madness.
It’s a good question, and years ago, I might not have bothered asking, but would Roddenberry really have approved of the direction producers decided to take with Star Trek over the years? Obviously the franchise has been wildly successful, garnering itself a loyal fan-base, while its producers seemed keen on keeping his vision alive in some manner. Unfortunately, whether or not that vision has remained intact still remains in question. I’ve learned a great deal about him through numerous interviews, the second-hand stories from cast and crew, and including writers and directors who worked on the various films and television series over the years, and while I feel that we may owe him a great debt of gratitude for having created a series we love, I’ve come to the conclusion he wouldn’t have approved of much of it.
Over the course of the next few days, Facebook plans to roll out a list of improvements and changes the service designed to increase our privacy. It’s likely the move was made specifically to combat the support garnered by Google+ and its platform of selective sharing. Following their example, Facebook will now make it even easier for users to determine who they want to see their posts, photos, and more without having to wade through their user settings to do so. Instead the options will appear next our their posts, which should cut down on the hassle. On top of that, it looks as though users will now be notified before they’re tagged in a photo by another user, giving them the opportunity to opt out or approve tags before they’re added to your profile. Amazing, right? Unfortunately, many users have already migrated to Google+ and I’ve yet to see anyone bother to look back, which begs the question — are these changes too little, too late? I know many of you keep up with our site through Facebook, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 23, 2011 in Videogames
Once again, Square Enix has given us some lovely eye-candy with these latest screenshots for their upcoming sequel, Final Fantasy XIII-2. If you’re feeling like you’ve just experienced déjà vu, I can’t blame you. This isn’t the first time the company has decided to market a direct sequel to one of their Final Fantasy titles by tacking on a hyphen and number. It also helps that they’re using the same exact graphics engine as last time, giving us those jaw-dropping visuals that we’ve come to associate with it. Unfortunately for many of us, we’ll probably experience yet another bout of déjà vu after picking a controller as it looks as though the gameplay — if we can call it that, the game practically played itself — will be similar as well. I wasn’t very fond of the script or plot last time around, but maybe they’ll get it right. The game is currently set for release stateside next January.
As many of you are already aware, Netflix recently secured the license to stream every Star Trek television series ever created via their online service. With the exception of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, every episode ofthe original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise have been added to its online library, so I’ve spent the last few months slowly feeding my craving for classic Trek. While Netflix subscribers may have to wait until October for Deep Space Nine, Amazon.com announced that every series, including Deep Space Nine, is now available to stream via their Amazon Prime service.
It’s kind of ironic that an anime about racing would find itself perpetually delayed throughout its production, only to be delayed once again during the localization process. It’s an unfortunate situation, but that’s what we’re experiencing with Madhouse’s Redline. The film had been set for release this November but iinstead, we’ll have to wait till sometime next year with no exact release date in sight. Manga Entertainment is still set to distribute the film stateside and had already screened the film earlier this year — unfortunately, I missed out. I’m really sad to see it get delayed, but I suppose I’d rather they take their time and do it right than half-ass the subtitles or screw up a dub. With the amount of blood and sweat that went into producing the film’s 100,000 hand-drawn cells, it’s the least they could. Let’s just cross our fingers and hope that its ready to ship sooner rather than later.
While we’ve seen many new trailers debut at this week’s Gamescom trade conference, the one I’m most excited for happens to be the latest trailer for From Software’s Dark Souls. The game serves as the spiritual successor to the critically acclaimed and notoriously difficult PS3 exclusive, Demon’s Souls. This time around however, Dark Souls will launch cross-platform for both Xbox 360 and PS3 thanks to its new publisher Namco Bandai. While the spirit of the game remains the same, the game’s difficulty has been scaled back slightly. Though I imagine you’ll still find yourself dying all the time, the penalty for doing so won’t be as severe. For example, dying in Demon’s Souls after having been properly revived would actually increase the difficulty of a given stage. Doing so in rapid succession could also cost you your in-game currency. Issues like these might not be as prevalent in Dark Souls, but the developer promises the game will remain “pretty hard,” and that’s good enough for me. The trailer looks fantastic. Dark Soulsshould hit stores on October 4th.
Every time I stare at one of these Hot Toys figures, I get chills. Everything from the photo realistic faces to the detailed accessories they include with each figure shouts quality. Of course, they also happen to be among the most expensive toys on the market. Hot Toys offered up this special edition Bruce Wayne in Batsuit 12 inch collectible as a toy fair exclusive earlier this year, but will also be making it available via Sideshow Collectibles this October. The figure features the visage of Christian Bale and comes modeled after his appearance in Nolan’s Batman Begins, however the head comes with an interchangeable cowl along with several different mouths to swap out. There’s also a ton of accessories included such as bombs, boots, gauntlets, interchangeable hands, and batarangs among others. Sideshow is asking $225 for pre-orders, and the supply is limited so its only one per customer. Too expensive? Bruce Wayne could afford it.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 17, 2011 in Videogames
With Europe’s Gamescom trade event going on, there’s been a lot of gaming news floating around this week. Today EA showed off a brand new trailer for their upcoming shooter Battlefield 3, and like the others to date, the visuals are truly stunning. So far, we’ve only seen shots of the single player campaign, however this latest clip gives us a glimpse of the full 64-man multiplayer warfare. Like in previous titles, you’ll be able to control multiple types of vehicles. The dog fight footage definitely has me excited to see more and I really can’t wait to give it a try, but I imagine flying those jets has to be more difficult than they’re making it look. Still, everything is looking very impressive. Let’s just hope the console version won’t suffer too much in comparison. Battlefield 3 will hit stores on October 25th.
Last month Atlus had surprise hit on their hands when Catherine set a company record by selling over 200,000 copies within the first week. Personally, I found the game to be both entertaining and insightful despite relying on its sexy visuals to market itself. The script is often hilarious and the voice acting has that Atlus-polish we’ve become so accustomed to. Between the increasingly complex puzzles and “choose your own adventure”-esque interludes, I felt it offered a bit more than just lip-service. Puzzles and sex aside though, the game just wouldn’t be the same without some alcohol in the mix. Recently, a Cathrine-themed bar opened in Japan offering cocktails inspired by the characters you encounter throughout the game. While they didn’t offer the exact measurements, you can try to concoct some of these delicious drinks on your own with the ingredients listed below. Frankly, I can’t wait to try some myself, but something tells me they’ll be difficult to perfect. Anyone brave enough to try?
Rocksteady has revealed their latest trailer for Batman: Arkham City featuring none-other than everyone’s favorite snow-cone enthusiast, Mr.Freeze. Unfortunately, Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t lend his voice this time around, though it’s probably for the best. After all, Schumacher’s Batman & Robin certainly killed its fair share of careers. Still, I’ll miss those terribly awesome puns. It’s just not the same without the Austrian accent, right? At least the gameplay is looking solid as ever. Batman: Arkham City hits stores this October.
In celebration of the its 15th anniversary and upcoming Blu-ray release, Aniplex has decided to simulcast the entire four episode OVA, Rurouni Kenshin – Trust & Betrayal for both North American and Japanese audiences. The events being hosted at NicoNico on August, 19th at 10:00 PM PST, and you will need an account to view the stream, so if you haven’t already signed up for one, you’ll need to. If you’ve already signed up for an account on their Japanese website, you should be able to use the same login to access the English site. If you’re a fan of the series but haven’t seen the OVAs, you’ll definitely want to. This particular OVA serves as a prequel to the manga and animated series, however it takes itself much more seriously and is geared towards a mature audience. Trust & Betrayal also features a gorgeous soundtrack by Taku Iwasaki, and is easily one of my favorite animated scores of all time. For a summary and additional info, click here.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 11, 2011 in Videogames
It looks like BioWare wants to reward players for pre-ordering their upcoming MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic with early access and a in-game item. From what it looks like, you’ll be allowed to keep your character along with any items and experience you acquire when the game officially launches in November. Unfortunately, there’s no details in regards when that early access period will actually start. I imagine BioWare will e-mail you directly once you’ve entered your pre-order code. The free item included in both limited and standard editions of the game will allow you to change the color of your lightsaber or blaster bolts. I suppose that’s kind of awesome if you want your character to stand out in a crowd. I’m not really fond of paying a monthly subscription for a game, but I suppose I could deal with it as long as its better than Star Wars Galaxies — I’m sure if anyone could manage that, it’d be BioWare. Let’s just hope they’ll leave our shoulder pads alone.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 10, 2011 in Television
If you’re a fan of Syfy’s Eureka, you’re probably already sulking about this, but it wouldn’t be fair to ignore this piece of sad news. Syfy announced this week that they’ve reversed — yes, read that again, reversed — their decision to renew the series for another season. Last week the network announced plans to renew the series with six more episodes, and had even denied rumors that pegged those episodes as being the end of the series. To add insult to injury, the fifth season of the show hasn’t even aired yet and will finish filming later this week. Naturally the writers will be forced to rewrite what has now become the series finally before it they shoot this Thursday. Read more…
I never had a chance to see it person, but Odaiba’s full-scale Gundam statue had served as a magnet for giant robot enthusiasts and tourism from around the globe. I had hoped to catch a glimpse of the statue after it had moved to Shizuoka, but the statue was dismantled at end of March. Given the recent drop in tourism, I’ve wondered if we’d ever have another chance to see the statue again. It doesn’t look likely, but Sunrise Studios recently announced plans to display at least a portion of the statue in Odaiba later this month. Starting Sunday, August 21st, visitors to Odaiba island’s Shiokaze Park can pay 500 yen to gain admission to the event between the hours of 6 AM to 10 PM. No word on which parts of the statue will be on display but guessing by the image on the official site, I assume it’ll be the head. Sure, it’s not the full statue, but it’s still a piece of history and definitely worth checking out.
He’s done it again. Check out one of the latest sets of Star Wars customs from Sillof’s Workshop. This time the theme’s centered around 1940s pulp sci-fi. He does a fantastic job of capturing that retro aesthetic made popular by serials like Buck Rodgers and Flash Gordon. Come to think of it, I’m sure if Star Wars had been filmed in the late ’30s or early ’40s, Buster Crabbe would have been cast as a dashing and slightly cut Luke Skywalker. I’m not sure I’d want to sit through a trilogy of him dressed in tanned tights, but I suppose it wouldn’t look as gaudy if it were in black and white. Any way, check out the rest of these fantastic figures at Sillof’s official website. I just wish he’d strike a deal with Lucas Arts to manufacture them. Who wouldn’t totally buy these?
Oh Flash Gordon, all the bad acting in the world couldn’t stop my love for you. No, it’s not quite as timeless as the 1936 classic, and it might be plagued by its camp, but that’s really why we loved it, isn’t it? The costumes and sets were so over-the-top that one can’t help but be entertained by what was obviously a clear attempt by director Mike Hodges to pay homage to everything remotely related to the franchise, no matter how absurd it may seem. Add to that the fact that the film’s entire score is performed by Queen, and its easy to overlook most fans gripes. The film finally made its way to Blu-ray last year, and while I’m not sure what kind of high-definition experience you could possibly expect for something shot in 1980, it’s still a must have for any collector or fan. Amazon is currently selling it for 46% off, so head over and pick your copy up today.
I love Star Wars as much as anyone, but I’ve never really given much thought to the actual work that went into building its universe. I know the films like the back of my hand, but I really couldn’t tell you how to construct your own droid or build a sand palace. I simply wouldn’t know where to start. That’s where a copy of Star Wars: The Blueprints comes in hand. Literally 336 pages of content with over 500 photos, and illustrations detailing over 250 designs unique to the Star Wars universe. With a limited run of only 5000 copies at $500 a pop — the first 125 actually come signed and hand-numbered for $1000 each — I probably won’t be able to score a copy for myself but serious collectors will want to take note. The book itself comes hand-crafted with a special dyed-cloth case, along with the certificate of authenticity included as well. I can’t imagine many of you wanting invest in a copy, but if you’re crazy enough to buy one, here’s a link to the order form.
