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Chrono Trigger Hits iOS, Android This Month
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 8, 2011 in Videogames
I always have mixed feelings when Square Enix decides to port one of their classics. Not because the games can’t withstand the test of time, but because I almost always end up buying it. Read more… GamePro Throws in the Towel
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 1, 2011 in Videogames
Earlier this evening, GamePro announced that their website would officially close its doors on December 5th. The move marks a sad, but inevitable end for the long-standing magazine as we know it. According to reports, some of the staff will be let go, while some editors may end up writing for PCWorld. The magazine published its final issue last October. Western Devs Making Waves in Japan
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 29, 2011 in Videogames
When it comes to Western games, Japan has always seemed a bit stand-offish. I never really understood why, but every time the question was posed, Japanese developers would often cite everything from cultural differences and attention to detail, to their love for story-driven narratives. For as long as I can remember, Japanese gamers would echo those sentiments, often avoiding foreign games like the plague. That was, until recently. Give Your Smartphone a Proper Gamepad
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 2, 2011 in Tech, Videogames
If you’re like me, and I imagine many of you are, you’ve loaded your smartphone with games. It’s a bit ironic, really. We spend hundreds of dollars on dedicated gaming handhelds and for whatever reason, some of us find our phones more appealing. There was a time when I might have scoffed at the notion that my phone would replace my DSi or PSP, but that’s simply no longer the case. While I can still count on a deep, involved, experience with one of those $30 to $40 titles, more often than not, I’ll pick up my phone for a quick game of whatever cheap thrill the app store has to offer. With hundreds of apps available for almost too reasonable price, determining which system gets my attention for the evening can be an easy decision. So, why not try to improve that experience? That’s where the iControlpad comes in. Bloodrayne Filmed On a First Draft? Yikes
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Oct 26, 2011 in Cinema, Videogames
Somehow, I’m not surprised. The other day, I made reference to Uwe Boll and his knack for ruining films while discussing George Lucas’ recent Star Wars edits. In all fairness, Lucas really shouldn’t be compared to Boll, a one-time recipient of the Razzies’ “Worst Career Achievement” award. As much as I take issue with Lucas, I don’t believe anyone has ever started a serious petition to have to him retire. In this amazing clip, we hear from Guinevere Turner, the writer who had the unfortunate experience of having worked with Boll on the first live-action adaptation of Majesco’s BloodRyane franchise. According to Turner, the film went into production with a first draft, of which only twenty percent ended up on screen. Not surprising considering the film, with an estimated budget of twenty-five million, only managed a meager three and a half million at the box office. Browse Your Way to the Final Frontier
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Sep 22, 2011 in Star Trek, Videogames
A few days ago, Gameforge uploaded the trailer for their upcoming browser-based Star Trek title, Star Trek: Infinite Space. Set during the third season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the game lets you take control of either Federation of Klingon forces during the brief conflict that followed the dissolution of the Khitomer Accords. From the looks of it, it’ll be primarily a starship combat simulator. Those of you who were turned off by Star Trek Online‘s subscription-based platform might be interested to know that Infinite Space will be free-to-play and should feature multiplayer co-op. In addition, the game’s scenarios have been scripted by series writer Lee Sheldon, and both Denise and Michael Okuda will be serving as consultants on the project. The game is set for release later this year, so keep checking the official site for more information. Square Enix PSN Releases Not Happening After All
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Sep 20, 2011 in Videogames
Yesterday, we reported that Square Enix had planned on releasing both Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger via PlayStation Network this week. I was kind of excited about the news, but seeing as I own several copies of each game, I probably wouldn’t have been purchasing another. As it turns out, it won’t matter just yet. In a tweet earlier today, Sony apologized for misleading everyone as neither game will be released this week. Of course, Sony didn’t exactly deny that the games could still be on their way, so there’s a chance we could be seeing them posted in the future — possibly sooner, rather than later. It’s a shame really, as I’m sure there are some of you who could probably use another copy to play on the go. On the bright side, many of the Square Enix PSP titles featured on PlayStation Network, such as Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions and The Third Birthday, have received significant price cuts in the last few months. Back in Black With Magic 2012
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Sep 14, 2011 in Hobbies and Collections, Videogames
Earlier today, Wizards of the Coast launched the first official expansion for Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012. The expansion adds three new planeswalkers to choose from, including the much anticipated return of Liliana Vess and her “Grave Whispers” deck. Others include Ajani Goldmine’s “Auramancer” deck, and Ral Zarek’s “Cloudburst” deck, neither of which I’m familiar with. Still, I can’t wait to see what surprises they have in store for us. In addition to the new decks, the expansion will add four additional cards to the existing decks, additional challenges and campaign levels, the ability to play as the archenemy in the 3 vs 1 battles, and six preview cards from the upcoming Innistrad expansion. Quite a deal, don’t you think? The expansion retails for ~$5 on both the PS3 and Xbox 360, but PC users can get a %40-50 discount if they purchase the expansion or game via Steam right now. Experience the Human Revolution on the Cheap
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Sep 12, 2011 in Videogames
For those of you who haven’t had a chance to pick up Deus Ex: Human Revolution yet, you’re in luck. Both Amazon and Gamestop have cut their price today. While it seems Gamestop may have permanently lowered its price to $44, Amazon is having a daily “sweet spot” special which you might be able to take advantage of if you’re quick about it — they’ve slashed $25 off and are only asking the low price of $34.99. For those of you who might not be so familiar with the title, Deus Ex is a first-person action-RPG set in a dystopian future where mankind has decided to experiment with cybernetic augmentation as a means of furthering our evolution. The game’s cyberpunk visuals reference films such as Blade Runner and Robocop, and really serve to immerse you in the whole experience, while the gameplay gives you plenty of options to suit your tastes, be it stealth or action. No matter which you choose, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Final Fantasy XIII-2 PAX Trailers, English vs Japanese
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. Intense Brawling Dungeon Crawler for Rusty Hearts
Posted by Linda Yau on Aug 26, 2011 in Horror, Videogames
From the company that brought the world Infinity Online, Rusty Hearts is a Korean translated MMORPG for gamers to consume. This online video game is currently available as a Closed Beta Phase 2 testing format, so interested players can sign up to test this game out.
Players get to complete dungeon crawling missions on racking up skills with killing monsters and fulfilling quests. This game is accomplished by brawling and long hours of grinding to achieve the statistics needed to beat the dungeons. Players can choose between a party of four characters as it is shown from the screencap above. However during the beta period, only three can be chosen to test. Gameplay and dungeon crawling time can only level one character at a time. However you can earn items and accessories that is suitable for other characters not being played. It is still in development, but later in the game, there are options and missions to customize your characters in unique fashion or gears they have. The potential for lol moments in obtaining cardboard boxes is something to be seen and wait for.
This game is similar to other online MMO’s in terms of a having a typical village and then sites (dungeons) to complete missions. As the screencap indicates, dungeons are separated by stages and monsters. There has been some comparison made to Castlevania. The scenery, mood, monsters and background music make both game setting similar. What also makes Rusty Heart an appealing game to play is the familiar anime styled character design and intense graphics or fighting sequences that can be seen if executed correctly. Players can choose between using a gamers controller pad or a computer keyboard, options can allow for easy customization. There is an established community in the forum and Facebook.
If your eyes can handle it, there is a 3D option to experience. This is the norm in gaming, your eyes popping out due to the intense graphics. Though if your eyes can’t handle this excitement,there is the option to turn to 3D off just as a Nintendo 3DS has a switch. The screencap above shows a battle scene with 3D turned off. Imagine Rusty Hearts as a game to be experienced if you are a gamer who enjoys developing characters, and get involve a world where there is a larger community. Gamestop’s Deus Ex Coupon Controversy at a Glance
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. Déjà vu? New Final Fantasy XIII-2 Screens
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. Get Ready to Die; Dark Souls is Coming
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 18, 2011 in Horror, Videogames
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 Souls should hit stores on October 4th. Battlefield 3, Tanks, Jets and More
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. E3: Reactions From Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Press Conference
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 7, 2011 in Videogames
Earlier today, Microsoft held their Xbox 360 press conference. Many of you were probably expecting a slew of new and exciting titles, and while Microsoft had a number of multi-platform, and console exclusives that may have impressed some, many of you may have left underwhelmed. I have to admit that I joined many of you in yawning through-out and while I applaud Microsoft for once again abandoning the sales statistics in favor of announcing new products, most of them failed to appeal to my tastes. Aside from the handful of you who live for Gears of War and Halo, I have a feeling you may have felt the same. Welcome to the Dalelands
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 25, 2011 in Videogames
Atari and Bedlam Games’ Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale will finally be available for Xbox Live! and PC starting tomorrow. I’ve been waiting for the title patiently since it was announced back in 2010. It’s been a long time since I’ve played a decent D&D-related dungeon crawl, and while it certainly won’t be the same as Black Isle’s Dark Alliance series, everything I’ve heard about the game sounds promising. Expect real-time gameplay, questing, character development and multiplayer modes, all modeled around the updated 4th edition ruleset. Unfortunately, playstation gamers may have to wait a little longer. Daggerdale had been scheduled to hit PSN on the 30th, a week after its PC and Xbox counterparts, but I’m sure nobody was expecting the online store to be down when that date was initially announced. No word on if it’ll still make its scheduled release date. Must-Watch Films For L.A. Noire Fans
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 24, 2011 in Cinema, Videogames
Like many of you, I’ve spent the last week glued to my copy of Rockstar’s latest thriller, L.A. Noire. As you may already know, the title’s inspired by film noir — a genre defined by its hardboiled action, dark narratives and unique visuals often associated with the ’40s and ’50s. The game itself borrows heavily from the novels of James Ellroy and films like Chinatown, and The Big Sleep. If you’ve been enjoying the game so far and want some supplemental material to watch, look no further. Dark Souls Looks Absolutely Brutal
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 12, 2011 in Horror, Videogames
Namco Bandai revealed the latest trailer for the upcoming fantasy action title, Dark Souls. Like it’s spiritual predecessor, Demon’s Souls, the title promises brutal, highly difficult and unforgiving gameplay while providing one of the most immersive experiences the genre has seen to date. I have to admit, I found the previous title to be a bit too difficult at times, often needing to take extended breaks to prevent myself from stressing out. In addition, the game’s environment, though arguably beautiful at times, can be extremely creepy. It had been a long time since a game sent those kinds of tingles down my spine. Nevertheless, this upcoming release looks spectacular and I really can’t wait to give it a try. The trailer also reveals an October release date — unfortunately, the game will be available exclusively for PS3. Given Namco’s involvement, we can always hope that it’ll get ported, but only time will tell. This Dragon Ball Game May Have You Wishing For More
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 10, 2011 in Animation, Videogames
I’ve lost track of how many Dragon Ball games have flooded market in recent years. The license has been spread pretty thin with most of the titles retelling Akria Toriyama’s original plot from start to finish while taking a few liberties along the way. In addition, most of these games have featured similar cel-shaded visuals and gameplay, leading many people to believe that once you’ve played one, you’ve played them all. Of course, I’ve had plenty of people tell me that’s simply not the case. They’ve made improvements with pratically every itteration of the series and while we many have chosen to ignore them in the past, this latest entry might cause you to take notice. Chaos Rings Prequel Due Out Next Month
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Apr 28, 2011 in Videogames
When Square Enix originally announced plans to produce the first Chaos Rings title, I was excited by the prospect. The intent was create a fully-featured role playing experience that could harness the graphical capabilities of an iDevice. After it launched on the app store a year ago, the game was met with rave reviews and seems to have done well enough for Square Enix to consider not one, but two follow-up projects, the first of which is the upcoming prequel Chaos Rings Omega, which will be hitting the Japanese app store next month. Let Off Some Steam With Borderlands
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Apr 14, 2011 in Videogames
Those of you who’ve haven’t had a chance to experience Gearbox Software’s Borderlands might be in luck. For a limited time, all Borderlands content is on sale for 75% off via Steam. That means you can pick up the Game of the Year Edition which includes the original game along with all the downloadable content for only $7.50. If you already own a copy of the game, and just want to buy the DLC separately, each pack will only cost you $2.49 — an amazing bargain. There have been some amazing deals on Steam lately but this one definitely takes the cake and trust me, it’s worth every penny. Resident Evil 4 HD? It Might Just Happen
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Mar 23, 2011 in Horror, Videogames
Like many of you, I found Resident Evil 5 to be a bit underwhelming — especially after having played through 4 — so you can imagine my frustration when they decided to release additional DLC for that latest title in lieu of simply moving on to a bigger and better sequel. That said, I had no objections when Capcom recently announced their latest project, Resident Evil Revival Selection — an HD remake of Resident Evil 4, and it’s predacessor of sorts, Resident Evil: Code Veronica for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Pre-order Portal 2 and Get Rewarded
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Mar 22, 2011 in Videogames
If you don’t mind waiting for the game to ship when it’s released next month, Amazon has a special promotion for anyone who’s interested in pre-ordering a copy of Valve’s Portal 2. In addition to only costing you $55 on your console of choice — Valve recommends the PS3, though I personally prefer the PC for any FPS — you’ll get an extra $20 in Amazon credit to spend on whatever you like. Every other retailer currently has the title listed for $59 , so why not save some cash and a pick up a virtual giftcard while you’re at it? |
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