Here’s the trailer for the upcoming season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars! Five seasons in, and I’m astonished that Star Wars: The Clone Wars remains on the air. Not because it’s a terrible series, but simply because I had so little faith in it to begin with. I must admit that I’ve never really given it a chance — especially since its clearly geared towards a younger audience. Its fans are a dedicated bunch, not all of which are kids, and the very fact that its lasted this long seems to imply that I must have overlooked something. I’d venture that I owe it to myself, and to everyone else out there, to at least give it a try, starting with this trailer right here. Likewise, if you’ve seen the series and think its worth everyone’s time, please let us know.
Well, if we’re talking about a brand new DeLorean car, then you’re out of luck. If you’re a bit more environmentally conscious however, we have an alternative, and no, it isn’t cheap. Check out these official DeLorean bicycles! At with the first model retailing for $5,500, this classy one-of-a-kind bike features an 11-speed internally geared hub, a slick Italian-made Columbus XCR frame, and high-end front and rear hydraulic disc breaks. It also comes with a comfy Italian gel saddle so you won’t need to bother with a custom seat. Finally, the wheels feature a special coating that creates a luminescent effect when headlights hit them during low-light conditions in order to keep you visible on the road.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 11, 2012 in Videogames
In case it might still be alive, Square Enix has taken to beating the dead horse that is Final Fantasy III by porting it one more time. This time, the lucky platform happens to be Sony’s PlayStation Portable — not the Vita mind you, although I’m sure it’ll be compatible. While I’m sure nobody really needed another port of this game, the PSP edition will at least boast cleaner visuals than its Nintendo DS counterpart, and might even run smoother than the recent iOS ports for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Read more…
If you’ve ever watched an episode of Star Trek and found yourself wondering why anyone would ever agree to be on an away team, let alone wear a red uniform, then this book is for you. Author John Scalzi does a fantastic job of parodying the genre we’ve all grown to love with his latest novel Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas. While it can’t outright label itself a Trek novel, the inspiration for the novel remains apparent throughout, and Scalzi manages to keep the novel entertaining by referencing everything you’d expect from such a novel — everything from away team selection, comic conventions, ridiculous aliens, and even the convoluted rules surrounding time travel. Furthermore, the audiobook edition is read by none other than Wesley Crusher himself, Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Wil Wheaton. His narration is spot on, so don’t expect to nod off while listening. Both the novel and audiobook should be available at your local book store, or amazon.com, however you can also pick up the audiobook via Audible.com.
This week, Square Enix unveiled some screenshots from their upcoming 2.0 update for their would-be flagship MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV. After its launch in September 2010, Final Fantasy XIV was met with universally negative reviews, scrutinized for a lack of polish, terrible interface, incomplete quest-lines, and unbalanced gameplay. As a result of this, Square Enix made the decision to reshuffle the games development team with the aim of improving every aspect. With that task in mind, Final Fantasy XIV 2.0 is set for release early next year — a beta will become available this October. As you can see from the screenshots below, the visuals are quite stunning. Let’s just hope all the improvements they have planned will make it worth your time.
If you’re big on memorabilia, props or other great collectibles, you’ll be pleased to know that Warner Brothers has partnered with the award winning Weta Workshop for their upcoming Hobbit franchise. With the first pieces set to debut at San Diego Comic Con next month, Weta will begin selling a line of props, replicas and more, from and inspired by the upcoming film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey set for theatrical release this holiday season. Read more…
Everyone love the Gorn — after all, who doesn’t have fond memories of Kirk battling a Gorn with styrofoam rocks? I know I do, and that’s why I was excited to hear they’ll be making an appearance in Namco Bandai’s upcoming Star Trek third-person platformer. The game takes place in the Abramsverse, between the first and second film, which is currently in post production. Not surprisingly, Kirk and Spock’s appearance in the game are modeled after actors Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto respectively. We were treated to a fresh trailer during Namco Bandai’s Game Day 2012 conference the other month, but even though E3 is currently full swing, we haven’t seen any new footage just yet. They have, however, release a few more screenshots on the official website, one of which features Kirk confronting a Gorn at phaser point. Star Trek should hit consoles sometime in early 2013.
It’s been a lukewarm E3 so far. Today, Nintendo will be showing off its good at their press conference, but as of this writing, I haven’t had a chance to see much beyond their initial pre-E3 offerings. Microsoft had a solid showing of first party sequels, interactive features, and third party treats here and there, and while all of that seemed interesting, most of it will be finding its way to another platform. In fact, the whole Smart Glass thing seems a bit like a desperate attempt to replicate the experience offered by Nintendo’s upcoming WiiU tablet interface. That said, there were a few gems that shined slightly brighter than the others yesterday. Chief among them was this bit of gameplay from Naughty Dog’s upcoming PS3 exclusive, The Last of Us.
I don’t often write about Kickstarter projects. It’s not that I don’t support independent artists, or productions, but within the last year, we’ve seen a proliferation of mediocre projects that often over-promise and under-deliver. There’s, of course, those projects out there which could easily be produced on shoe-string budget, but for whatever reason, the artist or individuals responsible would rather take a chance with other peoples money.Fortunately, Space Command is not one of them. No, instead, it’s an effort by insanely talented individuals who have an extensive background in creating science fiction for television and film to bring us a brand new science fiction saga, while Hollywood sits on its proverbial thumbs. So what sets this project apart from the rest? Find out after the jump.
In case you haven’t had a chance to catch the latest trailer for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance — yes, that’s a real word, I know — then feast your eyes. Konami recently uploaded this latest trailer in preparation for E3, later this week. Mind you, it’s incredibly violent and there’s plenty of blood, so if that’s not your sort of thing, you might want to skip it. On the other hand, it’s pretty wicked stuff. How well it’ll actually play remains to be seen, especially considering the project has been outsourced to Platinum games, but if its anything like Bayonetta, then I imagine we’re in for a treat. Otherwise, it’ll be a bit of a toss up. To be honest, there just seems to be too much going on, but who am I to doubt Hideo Kojima? I’m sure if it was so terrible, he’d be the first to state so. He’s been candid about that sort of thing in past, after all.
For the longest time, I’ve been wanting to see Star Trek: The Next Generation receive its much-needed facelift, and after picking up a copy of Star Trek: The Next Generation -The Next Level Blu-ray sampler earlier this year, I’ve become conflicted. Not because I don’t want them to finish remastering the series, but because I honestly loathed the first two seasons — at least, in comparison to the series as a whole, which I found brilliant. The writing was often sub-par, the acting absolutely atrocious at times, and the visuals (props, sets, costumes) — yikes, do we really need to see those in high definition? Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 31, 2012 in Television
Okay, so maybe there really isn’t any reason you need to own these classic episodes in stunning “high definition” — after all, how high definition could you expect from a series filmed in the early 50s. Still, owning all 153 episodes of the original series in one pristine collection might be worth your time. Set to hit stores on June 5th, The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series Blu-ray box will feature all of those episodes supposedly remastered for high definition. That being the case, I would imagine they some how got hold of the original film reels, but I’ve yet to see just have enhanced the footage might look. The set will retail for $400, but if you preorder through Amazon, you can cut that down to $230 — not bad, right? From what I understand, they’ll also be included the original unedited version of each episode so you can compare and contrast for yourself. Anyone brave enough to pick this set up and give it a try?
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 24, 2012 in Videogames
The other day, Nike released an over-the-top interactive video to promote their line of soccer — or football, if you prefer — cleats. The video, titled “My Time is Now” allows you to click on Easter eggs hidden throughout the clip for an in-depth look at the various aspects of the advertisement, some of which are more entertaining than others. One such hidden gem is this quick little Sonic the Hedgehog mini-game featured about two-thirds of the way through the ad, which can be accessed by clicking on a Sonic the Hedgehog-colored cleat pictured in the background. Read more…
I have a bit of a soft spot for Will Ferrell’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I think most fans would agree that of his recent films, Anchorman remains heads above the rest, so when he announced that plans for a sequel had finally come to fruition, we knew we’d be in for a treat. Here’s a look at one of the two teasers that have been floating around the past week. No doubt more will be revealed when Anchorman: The Legend Continues finally goes into full production next year. Until then, we’ll just have to hope they keep cutting these little teasers to keep us entertained.
Firefly & Serenity fans, feast your eyes on this 1:1 scale, screen-accurate reproduction of Malcom Reynolds’ sidearm! Just how accurate is it? The prop is crafted from the same mold of the stunt gun carried by Nathan Fillion himself while on set. That being the case, no it doesn’t fire real bullets, and that’s probably a good thing. On the other hand, this polystone prop makes for a great display piece, and would look great in the hands of any Browncoast cosplayer, or even a Steampunk enthusiast. It has that lovely antique-brass paint that lends itself so well to that aesthetic. At just $80, it’s an affordable addition to any fans arsenal, and although it’s currently sold out, ThinkGeek should have more in stock any day now. If you want, you can sign up to have them notify you as soon as they’re in stock by clicking here.
If you’re a Spider-Man fan, there might be a reason to catch the IMAX 3D midnight showing of Men in Black 3 on Thursday, or at least, sit through the trailers before getting up to leave. Attendees will be treated to a special six minute preview of The Amazing Spider-Man. Marvel has released its fair share of footage over the past few months in efforts to promote the film, but this special six minute preview will feature the most footage to date. Hopefully, it won’t be enough to spoil the film for those of you who choose to attend.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 21, 2012 in Videogames
Meat Bun has unveiled Check Point, their latest line of gaming-inspired fashion tees. The first part of the series feature designs inspired by classic racing titles like Mario Kart, Out Run and Daytona USA. For whatever reason, there also appears to be a design called Ninja Magic featuring what I imagine would be the ninja from Shinobi on a skateboard, the only commonality being that both were incredibly popular in the 80s. That said, it’s kind of strange but awesome design.
LEGO CUUSOO, where were you my whole life? I may not get the chance to build that many LEGO sets these days, but I can always count on others to provide innovative new designs worth checking out. Recently, a LEGO CUUSOO user Sheepo submitted this slick design for a fully functional remote-controlled LEGO Land Rover Defender 110. It’s got everything you’d expect — doors that open and close, full suspension, working motor, and even a removable chassis. I cant imagine how much they’d charge for the set if it were to actually be approved for full production, but if the model strikes you fancy, head over to LEGO CUUSOO and let them know. The sooner it hits 10,000 supporters, the sooner LEGO will actually consider licensing it.
Here’s our first look at the latest cover art for IDW’s Star Trek x Doctor Who crossover series Assimilation². This fourth issue in the eight-part seriesfeatures a cover by series artist J.K. Woodward, and depicts an Enterprise away-team along with the Doctor and Amy, as they stumble across the skeletal remains of several Borg drones, set against the visage of a Borg cube within the clutches of a Cyberman. To find out what that’s all about, we’ll have to wait until the issue hits shelves this August. Hit the jump to catch a glimpse of the issue’s variant covers by artist Francesco Francavilla!
Nintendo has decided to promote the upcoming Japanese release of Pokémon Black & White 2 with a lengthy animated short. Like the Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC trailer we posted earlier this week, the audio is in Japanese only, but the animation itself is pretty gorgeous and worth watching. Japan’s getting their hands on both sequels next month, but we’re stuck waiting till fall for own localized copies. Before you ask, no the game won’t feature any animated cut-scenes like this, but that’s alright since we’re getting to view this online free of charge. I just hope Nintendo of America takes the time to dub the short in the months leading up to our North American release later this year.
With the recent release of Blizzard’s latest cash cow, Diablo 3, BioWare hopes to rekindle gamers’ interest in their Star Wars MMORPG, The Old Republic by announcing another free pass weekend. The move is designed to bolster their subscriptions, following a sharp decline in users from 1.7 million to 1.3 in the last two months alone. Needless to say, that news alone doesn’t bode too well for the fledgling title. That said, EA has suggested in the past that the game could remain profitable with as low as 500,000 subscribers, and seem convinced that the recent declines consist primarily of casual gamers, and not their hardcore MMO base. I’m not as easily convinced — but then again, I don’t play MMORPGs either, so I’m not sure I can offer an informed opinion on the matter. That said, the numbers alone don’t lie. If you want to try The Old Republic for free this weekend, I’ve included details after the jump.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 16, 2012 in Television
It’s true, NBC’s Community has been picked up for a fourth season. I suppose I should just be happy the show is even coming back, especially considering NBC’s penchant for cancelling their programming at the drop of a hat, but there’s something bittersweet about the whole thing. First there’s the reduced order of thirteen episodes. While it shares that fate with 30 Rock‘s final season, both The Office and Parks & Recreation will be receiving 22 episodes this fall. This either implies the show will also be coming to an end, or that a mid-season pickup will be contingent on it doing well — which brings us to the next problem. NBC has decided to move Community to Friday nights — traditionally known as “the place television shows go to die.”
If Vader’s trip to Bespin has taught us anything, it’s that not every station in the galaxy comes designed with Stormtroopers in mind. In response to recent increase in low-hanging-corridor-related concussions, the Imperial Safety Administration has launched a new campaign in an effort to improve occupational safety amongst its troops! Featuring a design by R-evolution GFX, this awesome shirt is currently available on TeeFury for the rest of the evening for just $10 plus shipping. If by chance you miss out but still want it at a later date, or, if you just want to browse some of R-Evolution GFX’s other designs, you can find more of their shirts available via Red Bubble.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 15, 2012 in Videogames
Square Enix has released a preview trailer for their upcoming Final Fantasy XIII-2 Lightning Prologue DLC Requiem of the Goddess. If you’re on the fence about whether or not it’s worth your time, you’ll probably want to watch the clip and decide for yourself. On the other hand, it might be a bit spoileriffic for others — fortunately, the dialog you’ll hear during this trailer is in Japanese, without English subtitles. Other than that, the most it might spoil is an actual in-game battle sequence between Lightning and Caius, complete with cut-scenes. Personally, I think it looks pretty awesome. Let’s just hope the new chapter actually provide more answers than questions. At this point, I think fans deserve a proper ending. I’ve included some screens from the trailer after the break.
