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Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 30, 2012 in Videogames 
If you’re reading this on the east coast right now, not only do you still have some sort of power in the midst of Hurricane Sandy, but you get the treat of watching the launch trailer for Assassin’s Creed III on the day the game releases! This is the game fans have been waiting for since Assasssin’s Creed II in 2009, and after two more games with Ezio than we expected, the day is finally here. The setting shifts from the Italian Renaissance and Constantinople to the American Revolution, and the new lead is the half-Native American Ratonhnhaké:ton, better known as Connor Kenway. Read more…
Tags: Assassin's Creed, PS3, Xbox 360
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 29, 2012 in Videogames 
Check out the new limited edition Japan-exclusive 3DS that Nintendo is dangling in front of our faces – a Charizard-themed Pokemon 3DS. The cover is pretty cool, right? Nice design and it looks slick – and then you open it up and see the flames rippling across the back. Kudos to whichever artist at Nintendo came up with that one… pretty clever! Much like the Pikachu 3DS XL from earlier this year, you need to enter a drawing and win to be eligible to even pre-order this system. Hopefully this will eventually show up here – the Pikachu one is making an appearance in Europe, so there is some small sliver of hope! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Pokémon
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 28, 2012 in Videogames 
Want a blast from the past? Here are some awesome photographs taken by Ira Nowinksi from 1981 and 1982, giving you a glimpse back to the classic arcades of yesteryear. There are around 700 photos total, all recently added to the Stanford University Libraries. It’s pretty neat to see this kind of stuff get documented, although I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later. And man, talk about an intense stance up there. You thought we were bad today, leaning towards the TV, controller clutched tightly? Try that pose for 3 hours. Check out a few more photos after the break! Read more…
Tags: Arcade Games, Photography, Retro Games
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 26, 2012 in Hobbies and Collections, Videogames 
Thanks to Major League Mods (Mark Bongo), they’ve accomplished something I’ve wanted since I was young: to have my own R2-D2 that plays video games. Ok, maybe it wasn’t that specific, but you can’t deny that an original Nintendo Entertainment System crammed into a plastic R2-D2 shell is pretty freaking cool. It features all your plugs, and the cartridge fits in on the back, out of sight. Mark even customized the controller a bit, to make it fit in with the rest of the package. Best part? The power and reset buttons are connected to a speaker that plays R2-D2 noises. You can play NES games on pretty much anything these days, but in the end, I still think these kind of mods are the best. Read more…
Tags: NES, R2-D2
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 25, 2012 in Videogames 
God bless Valve for having the sort of corporate structure that lets them do pretty much whatever they want. Take Team Fortress 2, for example. Making up a crazy hat-based economy seems strange (and kind of destroys the benefit of having distinctive, recognizable character designs, even in silhouette), but it allowed the game to go free-to-play with pretty much no negative consequences. The latest idea isn’t exactly new — a Halloween scenario, still to be announced, has been done in previous years — but another event means another delightful comic book that feels less like an advertisement and more like a free gift of hilarity. Read more…
Tags: Valve
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 24, 2012 in Anime, Videogames 
I’ve been playing One Piece: Pirate Warriors, the anime-inspired spin-off of Koei and Omega Force’s long-running Dynasty Warriors series of beat ’em up games. It has its flaws, but for a One Piece fan since Viz started running it in Shonen Jump in 2003, it’s probably the best representation of the franchise in video game form. There are bits that feel like they’re begging for downloadable content — notably an option on the main menu that brings up an empty list of additional content — and since Namco Bandai is publishing it, they of course have some add-ons to sell you. Read more…
Tags: DLC, Namco Bandai, One Piece, PS3
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 23, 2012 in Videogames 
In the old days of video game translation, English localization staff often changed characters’ names to appeal more to a Western audience. While we grew up knowing Sonic the Hedgehog’s nemesis as Dr. Ivo Robotnik, Japan knew him by his original name, Dr. Eggman. (It kind of justified all the egg references in the Sonic games, such as the Death Egg in Sonic 2.) In recent years, Sega has tried to reconcile these two names, stating that “Robotnik” is his real name and “Eggman” is his nickname, so that things can stay somewhat consistent. Videogame humor site Dorkly has another theory. Read more…
Tags: Sonic the Hedgehog
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 22, 2012 in Hobbies and Collections, Videogames 
Ready to put your pets through some serious testing? Maybe you have a young child or robot that looks like a child and need to find the perfectly-sized Portal gun them. Thankfully, your strange requests have been fulfilled by ThinkGeek, and you can now get a mini Portal gun. It lights up and makes sounds just like the full-size replica that was sold earlier this year, but it’s smaller! ThinkGeek lists that it comes with a stand and a full-color gift box as well. I’m not sure why that’s a big deal, but maybe you really like gift boxes. In that case, head over there and get yourself one – it’s $59.99! Read more…
Tags: Portal, Portal 2, ThinkGeek
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 22, 2012 in Videogames 
Are you hyped at all for BioShock Infinite? Granted, we have a whole lot of other games (and a new system) to get through until February 26th next year, but the latest in the BioShock series is looking more and more impressive. I was a little worried when we heard reports that the development of the game was in trouble, but if any of that’s true, they’re certainly not letting it show through. Lots of aerial combat and vertical movement is featured in the trailer – something I, personally, adore. Watch the trailer after the break! Read more…
Tags: BioShock: Infinite
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 21, 2012 in Videogames 
Super Meat Boy was one of the biggest indie hits in a long time, and coming from just two guys, it’s pretty impressive. The duo (Edmund McMillen & Tommy Refenes) was also featured in Indie Game: The Movie and gave an inside look into their work on the project. Now, they’re working on a new Super Meat Boy for iOS and PC, and have just announced their next game: Mew-Genics! (Exclamation point included.) There’s not too many details about the game yet, but they describe it as a game that’s “randomly generated, strange and involving cats.” Seems unique! And I’m up for whatever Team Meat creates next! Read more…
Tags: Indie Games, super meat boy, team meat
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 20, 2012 in Videogames 
I’ve been paying closer attention to Assassin’s Creed III than the previous games in the series, if only because I’m interested in the new twists on the formula the game is receiving. The spin-off game for the Playstation Vita, Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, looks to be even more unique. The main character is an African-French assassin named Aveline de Grandpré and she’ll be fighting her way through 18th Century New Orleans. To be honest, the main thing I thought when the announcement first came out was: why isn’t this Assassin’s Creed III, not a spin-off? Granted, the Vita looks to be supporting the game perfectly fine and i’m sure it’ll be great, but making it a mainline AC game would’ve been incredibly cool. Watch the trailer below for more details on the story and gameplay. Read more…
Tags: Assassin's Creed, Playstation Vita
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 20, 2012 in Videogames 
Halo 4 has been getting some pretty big press, hasn’t it? Forward Unto Dawn has been leading up to the release of the game on Election Day, but now it’s been upstaged by another short film, this time directed by Tim Miller (famous for Scott Pilgrim and the intro sequence of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) and David Fincher. Last time I wrote about Halo, I said why not make a feature-length film? They’re getting all these big names to make 3-minute videos promoting their game, which is great, but it seems like a waste at times. I’m sure there are an abundance of legal and monetary issues preventing the Halo film from getting off the ground, so I suppose fans will make do with this for now. The trailer itself is great – watch it after the break. Read more…
Tags: Halo, Hollywood, Short Films
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 19, 2012 in Videogames 
Ever wanted to be a commander of your own ship? The guys at Warballoon do, and that’s why they’re making Star Command, a new game for iOS, Android, PC, and Mac. They’ve posted a video recently, showing off them playing through a few missions in the game, managing their ship and battling against invaders. It has a cute artstyle, and reminds me a little bit of Game Dev Story. The game will apparently be coming out “when it kicks ass,” which seems to be a good indicator for any game’s development. Man, is it just me or are there way more space and spaceship sim games popping up suddenly? Read more…
Tags: Indie Games, iOS
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 17, 2012 in Videogames 
Though it has its detractors, I still think Burnout Paradise was one of the most fun racing games in recent memory. The team at Criterion has since been put to work on the upcoming Need for Speed: Most Wanted, incorporating an open-world in a similar fashion to Burnout Paradise. The game is out on October 30, so that means it’s time for trailers, including this awesome offering from YouTube superstar Freddie Wong. This is the most impressive car chase ever shot with remote control cars. Read more…
Tags: Electronic Arts, PS3, Xbox 360
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 15, 2012 in Videogames 
Kickstarters are pretty much overdone now, right? What about a Kickstarter that doesn’t use Kickstarter? Chris Roberts, creator of Wing Commander, wants to create a new space sim called Star Citizen. So far he’s built an impressive tech demo to show where he wants the game to go: a seamless, realistic experience. Essentially, you can walk around a huge ship, hop in your smaller fighter, take off into space, and fly everywhere – with no loading screens. A high goal to hit, but the footage of the game so far looks fantastic. The best thing he mentions is being able to have multiple people pilot a ship, with you steering the craft, a buddy in the back manning the guns, and more. If this lives up to the promises made, this could be every sci-fi fanboy’s dream. Watch the video after the jump! Read more…
Tags: Space
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 14, 2012 in Videogames 
I’m cautiously interested in the Wii U’s launch lineup: compared to most other console launches, it’s pretty darn good. A new Mario game, a solid lineup of third party games, and a Wii Sports-alike to attract the casual gamers. Ubisoft’s ZombiU, while having a terrible title, looks pretty interesting. They seem to have some neat gameplay with the Wii U’s gamepad, such as zooming in on the second screen to snipe, or managing your inventory – and zombies can attack you while you’re doing so! Granted, I’m a little zombie’d out right now, so I’m not sure how well it will go over, but as long as it’s not another Red Steel situation, I’m okay with it. Read more…
Tags: Ubisoft, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 12, 2012 in Videogames 
Capcom has been giving Street Fighter a lot of love in the past few years, between rereleases like Street Fighter III, HD updates of Street Fighter II, and of course the much newer Street Fighter IV. But one of their other major fighting game franchises, Darkstalkers, hasn’t gotten much love, beyond characters appearing in games like Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Though rumors abound of a new Darkstalkers game, for now it seems like Capcom is testing the waters with an HD rerelease of early Darkstalkers games. Read more…
Tags: Capcom, Darkstalkers, PS3, Xbox 360
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 11, 2012 in Cinema, Videogames 
You have to hand it to Disney, their marketing for Wreck-It Ralph, the upcoming CGI film set in the world of video games, is really fantastic. They’ve been running with the idea that Fix-It Felix has been a real game, from making an actual arcade game you can play, to an authentic-feeling “vintage” ad for the local Litwak Arcade. They did such a good job it makes me wonder if they actually transferred the video to a VHS tape at any point. Anyway, I hope this bodes well for Wreck-It Ralph, as it sure does seem like the creators have an honest love for old-school games. Read more…
Tags: Disney, Wreck-It Ralph
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 10, 2012 in Videogames 
Though it still doesn’t have the broad name recognition of Final Fantasy here in the US, Atlus’s Persona series has risen to prominence among gamers who have been searching for new, meaty games this generation, which has seen a dearth of quality JRPGs. While Persona 3 laid reinvented the series and proved popular, it was Persona 4 that exploded in popularity, leading to an anime and tons of spin-off material. Soon, Persona 4 will get a port for PlayStation Vita with lots of new content. Read more…
Tags: Atlus, Persona 4, Playstation Vita
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 10, 2012 in Cinema, Videogames 
Microsoft wants a Gears of War movie, and since the movie industry isn’t moving on it, they’re ready to try pushing it into production a different way. New Line Cinema has the movie rights to the franchise, but they’ve decided to focus on The Hobbit films, which are guaranteed to bring in tons of money. The studio has placed Gears of War in turnaround for another studio to pick up. The thing is, Creative Artists Agency, the reps for the film, don’t want to wait.
Since New Line doesn’t seem to care about the movie, CAA is more than happy to take the license and shop it around to other studios. The most recent version of the script was written by Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), a script which is likely to get referenced during negotiations.
I’m not sure why Microsoft isn’t pushing a Halo film harder though, considering that it would likely have a slightly broader appeal due to increased mainstream recognition and the potential to be targeted towards more than 18- to 35-year-old males with a penchant for extreme military violence. I like Gears of War, but I’m not entirely sure it needs to be realized on the big screen.
Source: Variety
Tags: Gears of War, Microsoft, Xbox 360
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 9, 2012 in Videogames 
There are lots of indie games out there making either conscious or subconscious references to games of yore. Part of that is because of the solid, pure design some of these iconic games featured, and part of that is because of affectionate nostalgia. But it’s not often that a retro-inspired game has been in development for so long that it could practically qualify for an “retro” game itself, and not just because it looks like an NES game on steroids. Read more…
Tags: Playstation Vita, PS3, Steam, Wii, Xbox 360
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 8, 2012 in Fandom, Videogames 
Here’s something mighty impressive: how would you like to play in the World of Warcraft map, but rather than playing WoW itself, you can punch trees and ride pigs? Different strokes for different folks, right? Well Reddit user RamsesA used custom software he made to take the WoW map and convert it into a Minecraft map, and it’s kind of crazy. Once compiled, the map is roughly 24 gigs in size, which is larger than actually installing WoW itself. Then again, this is a WoW map you can customize and change according to your whims. Talk about insane (and cool)! Read more…
Tags: Minecraft, World of Warcraft
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 8, 2012 in Videogames 
With Halo 4 coming out this November, it’s time to get the marketing machine running, right? Well, with the success of previous Halo-themed short films, it’s no surprise that another one has been released. However, this new film, Forward Unto Dawn, is actually a series. This first part is nearly 20 minutes long, and it looks like we’ll be getting 5 parts total, leading up to when Halo 4 releases. While you can watch each segment as it comes out each week, it’ll also come complete in the Halo 4 Limited Edition. It’s a surprisingly solid film so far, making me wonder: why the heck don’t they finally just make a Halo TV series or movie? Read more…
Tags: Halo, Microsoft, Short Films
Posted by Ben Huber on Oct 7, 2012 in Videogames 
Angry Birds is everywhere today. Games, toys, even a feature film is in the works. But at least we can say it hasn’t had a Star Wars crossover… until now. Rovio, the makers of the ever-popular bird-flinging iOS game, have begun teasing a new announcement on their official Tumblr and Twitter, telling fans to come to the Times Square Toys R Us on Mobday, October 8th, at 8am EST. Does this mean Star Wars-themed Angry Birds toys? Or perhaps there’s more involved – maybe an add-on to Angry Birds Space that features Wookies? As strange as this collaboration is, we won’t know for sure until Monday. Read more…
Tags: Angry Birds
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