FORT90

It?s been another busy, and somewhat bittersweet week. A number of press events and other social gatherings, mostly geared toward games people, which meant lots of ?sorry, not gonna be able to hang in San Fran.? At least it?s nice to know that I?ll be missed, plus I?m hoping Adam will pull through with his plan to make it so I?m practically there. I might also have a special ?correspondent? on-tap to for a very specific facet of next week. Though it?ll require certain things to fall into line, which might not happen in the end, but at least I?ll have fun telling folks what coulda been once the time is right (can?t spill the beans now I?m afraid).

At least not going does offer a few advantages. Like how I?m saving a TON of money. Which means I?ll be able to pay for zine related expenses and also afford food! Plus I can attend Joe Simko?s annual Oscar bash, which as mentioned numerous times before, is more or less our Super Bowl. God, I cannot wait to eat a sh*tload of deviled eggs and get angry drunk at Avatar. I only wish I could pass along the flyer he created, but Sweet Rot?s just bashful like that. And while checking out the conference from afar will certainly pale in comparison to actually being there, at least I won’t have to deal with the army of fellow reporters that will swarm the Bay Area. Not gonna lie, these days my tolerance for game journalists is at an all-time low (with the exception of the ones I?m friends with, naturally), who might end up being the sole sour point of the entire event.

On a semi-related note, one of the aforementioned press events earlier this week was for EA, and as enjoyable as it was to check out their springtime releases (virtually all of which I cannot speak about, save for one; Mirror?s Edge for the iPhone) and hang with Steve Totilo (there?s me name dropping again), a few random bloggers desperate to make a splash were total pains in the asses; these loud and obnoxious guys toting around wrestling belts. Hey, we all need a gimmick, but seriously, if being roving wrestling game reporters is gonna be your thing, at least spring for a custom creation instead of a stupid replica WWE championship strap, which actually costs as much as getting a unique one made.

But in the end, I’m pretty damn bummed out about not being able to attend the Game Developers Conference. Now, I’ve stated several reasons for wanting to go for weeks now, but there’s one I’ve hesitated to mention, for perhaps obvious reasons; to see if the show does indeed ?jump the shark? like some are predicting. Only recently have I discovered that, as many folks as there are who are super psyched for Gamma 4 and all the surrounding excitement, just as many are completely sick and tired of the hype and hoopla. And even though I?m pals with some of the key movers and shakers of the so called scene, I can still somewhat understand where the haters are coming from too (I always try my best to look at everything objectively). It?s an uncomfortable road that might ultimately never be traveled; I simply know way too many people involved and don?t want to be an exploitative jerk.

To be honest, I blame a lot of these problems on the reporters and bloggers out there. It would take far too long to properly explain (and I’m somewhat short on time at the moment), but basically, it’s like everyone is desperately trying to write a modern day equivalent to that Rolling Stones article, circa the late 70s or late 80s, in which the author had “discovered” Bruce Springsteen. Indie gaming is the new hot thing and everyone is out to starf*ck it to death. Meanwhile others, in reaction, have been needlessly negative. It’s sort of a big mess, really. God, I actually feel sorry for folks like Phil Fish and all the nonsense they’ll have to endure in the coming week. But there’s other issues plaguing the “industry” for sure.

And here once again I am tempted to openly question my role in the wonderful world of video game journalism for the umpteenth time, due to all the politics, cult of personalities, childish antics, and abysmally low standards that’s pervasive among the major mainstream outlets, along with how much of it is tolerated and even openly celebrated by the audience. Even though I keep telling myself that such nonsense can be found in every creative field, plus how petty bitching serves me no good other, other than making myself look like just another whiny, jealous, bitter journo (most cuz, these days, that?s precisely who I am). But something just finally hit me. Actually not a thing, but a person; the current host of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno.

Why? Because he more than anyone at this moment best illustrates the general public’s tastes and standards (plus as a result, how business is conducted); the guy is a total a**hole and simply not very funny, yet was able to get his old job back, one which he did not rightfully deserve. The rest of Hollywood is back to sucking his penis, even if they don’t like the guy, but most importantly, no matter how many folks call him out for being mind-numbingly mediocre or simply a douche, there’s a hundred times more who will watch him without question (it could be argued that Leno’s current big numbers are the result of curiosity seekers, but I think he established within 30 seconds of his return that it’s same old, same old, which most people like, hence why I believe he’s going to stay on top). Not to be so cynical, but we all know this to be true; the masses are not interested in anything that’s genuinely different or stimulating, they just want drivel, whether it be from late night television, big screen entertainment, what’s on the radio, and most especially when it comes to their sources of information, including video game news outlets.

But the important words here are “mainstream” and “masses”. Thankfully there are some genuinely good stuff out there, and it sucks that most don’t care, yet that’s just the way it is. I guess the key is not to think about it too much, hence why I am not giving up on writing about games, just for a mainstream audience, mostly due to the fact that it doesn’t appear to be a good fit on a variety of levels. Make no mistake, if one of the big boys offers me a job, I’d be more than happy to oblige (you can add “poor” to that list of descriptive terms for me above), though I have a feeling that any such relationship might not last too long when all is said and done.

And I swear to God that this will be the last time I address such matters. Even I’m getting sick and tired of all my complaining. Plus, hey, it’s an f’n blog, and what is the internet for if not for self-absorbed pontification?

Sorry to be such a downer, just been one of those weeks; not only has GDC been on my mind, but SXSW as well. Remember when I mentioned a chance to speak at the event, on the subject of internet dating (which I have extensive experience with), provided the topic got enough votes? Guess what; it did indeed receive enough, so thank you all so very much! But I discovered afterward from the person putting the presentation together how, despite having enough public support, it was all up to the internal committee to make the final yay or nay. And when word came down that it had been nixed, was disappointed for sure, but figured that?s just how it was. Well, I recently discovered that the panel is happening after-all, and also guess what; I’m not a part of it, despite being one of the folks that helped to make it happen. I’m still not clear what the hell is going on, though needless to say, I’m fairly bummed out about the situation.

Anyway, back to SF, was initially going to provide daily highlights from the thick of things, but now that I?m stuck in NYC, may as well just wait till all is said and done (since I?m obviously going to have to rely upon other people?s reports). Besides, something else just landed in my lap; earlier this afternoon I spoke with a collaborator of mine, from a game project last summer that was shelved, and its just been resurrected! One of the reasons why I passed on attending (aside from not having hardly anything in the bank) is not having enough recent work underneath my belt, so the timing could not be any better. I?ll also be glad when the thing is over, so I can finally make some big announcements, so stay tuned!

Oh, so another press event that went down yesterday was a visit from Disney Interactive and Black Rock Studio, to get some hands on time with Split/Second. Everyone can check out my impressions over at Heavy as well; long story short, sure to be my fave racer of 2010, without question. And two days prior, on Tuesday, was a non-game thing; a special press screening of Mother, the latest from Bong Joon-ho, director of Barking Dogs Never Bite, Memories Of Murder, and The Host…

I’ve actually been struggling to figure the best way to discuss the movie ever since, and have finally come to the conclusion that less said, the better. Mostly because it’s a murder mystery… an absolutely brilliantly composed and executed one, from top to bottom to be exact… one that is most importantly still readily available (it’s currently playing in NYC and LA, plus new screens are opening across select markets this weekend). Whereas most will never get the chance to see the majority of the Asian flicks I write about, hence why I don’t feel too bad for spilling beans, Mother can still be enjoyed first-hand, and I implore everyone reading this to go out and see it ASAP. Though the bare essentials won’t hurt; it’s a story about a mother and her son, the latter of whom is not exactly bright. He’s easily impressionable and blessed with not so great memory, among other wonderful character traits, but you know how mom’s love works. Which goes into action almost immediately when a schoolgirl is murdered in their small town, and the son is implicated as the killer due to completely circumstantial evidence. The mother then goes on a mission to clear her child’s name all by herself, since both the cops and even the hotshot lawyer she tries to hire, who ultimately can’t be bothered to do actual work, believe it to be an open and shut case. I realize that none of this might sound particularly interesting, but trust me on this one; with strong shades of Hitchcock, things start small, with seemingly obvious revealed to be greater mysteries, all of which build and build and build into an absolute head-spinning and genuinely jaw-dropping climax. God, there’s so many awesome things about the movie; the acting, the camerawork, basically everything. It might actually be Joon-ho’s best effort to date, and more or less cements his status as one of the two best directors in Korea (along with Chan-wook Park) period. It’s so dam good that it’ll make you even angrier over the bullsh*t that comes out of Hollywood, and how people actually like that crap. Once again, cannot wait to vent my frustrations on Oscar Sunday!

Alright, almost time to go. Might be back later this weekend, for another gaming news wrap-up, to clear the plate before GDC, since so much has been going down. Though regarding the Activision/Infinity Ward situation, my only comment is this: I’d care a whole lot more about the situation if I actually liked their games. Sounds kind jerky, I totally realize, sorry. The only other big thing worth mentioned at the moment is how the PlayStation 2 turned ten years old yesterday! And it’s taken about that much time for me to warm up to the system. It’s the reason why the Dreamcast died a premature death, yet it did give us Persona 4 in the end, so all is forgiven. Shadow of the Colossus is pretty damn cool as well. BTW, if you still don’t have one, and would like a unit to not just enjoy the wide selection available at your local GameStop, but also all the wild and wacky titles from Japan that’s available via friendly eBay sellers (or via the dark and dirty corners of the web), well, I’m trying to get rid of my modded unit. It’s either a 3000 or 5000 series machine; basically, the original, monolith model. The thing is in great shape and plays domestic, import, and everything in-between with zero issues. Except for PSone software for whatever reason, but I have a modded pre-shrunk model for sale as well; each comes with a controller and all the necessary wiring. Make me an offer (I’d like to get rid of both of possible at once).

Back to the Dreamcast, if you’re in the market for one of those as well, this just in from the Tiny Cartridge Twitterfeed; new ones are on sale over at Amazon!

Okay I’m actually officially late for a Babycastles thing going on right now, some chiptune related event! Though one last thing, and the actual reason why I’m sad about not being at the GDC…

… Paul Hornschemeier X Game Over? I hate to use internet lingo, but if that’s not a win, I don’t know what is.

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In this post:
1. Time once again for your monthly gaming news and nonsense round-up and link-dump!

Well, there?s a good chance that you’re probably out of the loop from all that Olympics watching, plus if you have a PS3, you aren’t able to play any games (or more so, cannot due to fears of the system imploding if you so much as turn it one… lol, it’s a Sony). So why not use this opportunity to see what’s been going on, stuff that the big boys might not have given the proper attention? BTW, the usual mountain of pics ahead, so you iPhone users might want to find a WiFi spot (not splitting this particular batch of goodness into two parts like usual; believe it or not, it?s been a light month):

- The Xbox 360 Shooting Festa 2010 just wrapped up in Japan, where country’s preeminent shump providers gathered to make announcements, mostly release dates. A rundown of the event, plus pics, can be found here, though the highlights are…

Deathsmiles 2 (subtitled “Hell’s Merry Christmas”) has been formally announced, with the home version containing extra levels and characters. Here’s a trailer; I wonder what the deal is with the big stuffed teddy bear’s groin? Oh, I get it… weak spot.

Guwange was also announced for XBLA, which is certainly great news, since that would make a domestic release far easier than a retail one. It’s been confirmed btw that Espgaluda 2 will be the last region free release from Cave directly (which I still haven’t received, but should be sometime this week… I hope).

Oh, and here’s boxart for the 5pb’s port of Kesui..

… lol. Sure the arcade’s artwork was nothing to shout about, but give me a break. No word, btw, on that non arcade port Cave once mentioned.

Semi-off subject, but this might be as good a time mention the following, an embarrassing item from Kotaku about 5pb’s total botch job of DoDonPachi Dai Ou Jou Black Label EXTRA. Though the real issue here is how the author of the post, Brian Ashcraft, whose coverage I normally totally dig, did something totally bizarre (or simply sloppy) by quoting the president of Arika as saying how he wants to die in light of the source code theft controversy, despite the fact that his company was the victim and not the perpetrators. I’m pretty sure names got royally mixed up here. Furthermore, the worst part is how it’s actually a reference to the title of the game (Dai Ou Jou actually means “peaceful death” in Japanese), a vital part of the story, yet was never explained. Perhaps Brian is just not a big shumps guy, but still… Sorry, this isn’t me trying to pull out a “Kotaku, lol” card (no matter how enticing it might be), plus on the bright-side is a look at the Cave’s Makoto Asada, yet another game producer got all slim and stylish, a la J Allard and Toshihiro Nagoshi.

Moving on, Afterburner Climax also got a mention; again, it won’t be same without the amazing arcade cabinet, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers!

- On a related noted, the AOU Amusement Expo 2010 recently took place as well, and here’s some of my fave flyers from the event, at least the ones I’ve seen thus far…

… Hey, it’s that music based light-gun game I believe I’ve mentioned at least one or twice before!

… The long awaited return of Tokyo Wars?

… Another super cute looking offering from Taito; guess no one else has made a pogo stick game thus far, have they?

… And another Melty Blood update? Neat!

… No idea who it’s from, though I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Sega, since they’re the master of film based lightgun games. Anyone remember their Jurassic Park offerings?

- Speaking of Sega, a brand new update for Virtua Fighter 5 was announced, called Final Showdown. Home release, please?

- Though the real star was the long awaited unveiling of Metal Gear Arcade. And if that gameplay footage looks a bit blurry, well it’s because it’s in 3D! The glasses are cool and all, but even cooler would be for each player to have their own Solid Eye! You know, that tricked out eye patch Sold Snake wears in part 4?

- Sticking with MGS for a bit, it was also disclosed that Peace Walker was indeed originally Metal Gear Solid 5!

… Come to think of it, remember that teaser site, with the thundery skyline? Wasn’t there’s a constant (yet very subtle) “5″ flashing the whole time?

- Something else that was also recently discovered was the existence of a MGS game for the Game.com. Considering how piss poor its port of Sonic Jam was, I shudder to think (yet am still morbidly curious) how it was in action.

- I still plan on doing a No More Heroes 2 review, which Katie finally beat earlier today! Anyhow, till then, and for those who have yet to see it, a rather interesting glitch featuring everyone’s favorite Shinobu.

Plus the latest trailer from the PS3 and Xbox 360 ports of part 1. As beautiful as the game looked on the Wii, holy sh*t does it look even more amazing in HD. Cannot wait to see how the new and improved Blueberry Cheesecake Brownie sequence will be!

- Persona 4 papercraft anyone?

… And no, I have no idea why everyone’s tongues are sticking out.

- Guess what turned the big 2-0? The Neo Geo, that’s what! And the site is chock full of good stuff, including some very sexy looking shirts (am TOTALLY gonna get that first one).

- On a related note (actually, not really), spotted the following while hanging out at the Neo Geo forums: some dude’s totally boss custom Ikaruga Blast City cabinet…

- Didn’t catch the Interactive Achievement Awards, and thus cannot confirm that Jay Mohr’s industry related jokes were actually good as I’ve heard. I still refuse to believe it.

- Some great news: Steve Wiebe has reclaimed his Donkey Kong Jr. record. And at the GDC next week he’s going to try and regain his DK! title, though my many people’s eyes (myself included), he never lost it in the first place since Billy Mitchell’s recent claims and titles have all been severely tainted.

- As Steve Totilo noted, this speech from DICE 2010 was the talk of the town when it first hit. And as suggested, simply fast forward to the 20 minute mark.

The basic gist is that thanks to “disposable technology” and other forms of tech that will soon be present in every single facet of our lives (we’re already there to be honest), each teeny-tiny action will be monitored and rewarded, thanks to advertisers and even the government. Certain activities with be positively reinforced with points, similar to achievement points on XBL, for initially innocuous actions that will, naturally, lead the way to conscious decisions. Big brother is coming, but if it’s all a game, then it’s “okay.”

For starters, there’s this almost idiotic notion that if you make EVERYTHING a game, that everyone will play it, and that’s just not so. Games are first and foremost entertainment, a means of escape, and most importantly cannot feel like work. Which btw ranks up there as a popular reason why someone stops playing any game, along with bad controls and the like. So this idea that you can make any menial task enjoyable if you view it as a game, which is inherently a good thing, when actually applied by greater powers is indeed very Big Brother-ish.

Though I do find it funny how Sony is already working on a means to reward television viewers with points for just watching television, and this guy’s notion of how a person’s worth can be judged by points is rather disconcerting, something that he actually somewhat confront at the end, and blows off! But its true how every little thing is already behind documented, and how brings a host of issues, though I fail to see how increasing the size of the net will make people all of a sudden wise-up, since Facebook and Twitter already does a good job of summing up a person’s actions and personality, and yet despite all the stupid examples, everyone still acts like idiots via those services. In the end, the belief that it’ll all work “if the game systems are designed right” is way too optimistic and unrealistic, because almost NOTHING is designed right. Especially Big Brother.

- Well time to really get to business, may as well see what else Siliconera has been reporting as of late! Like… because I live in Manhattan and enjoy the splendors of four, count them, FOUR wacky cable access channels, I have no real need for actual cable. Sure, HBO would be great and all, since I could see Curb Your Enthusiasm as they originally air instead of waiting for the DVD, as well as Time & Eric Awesome Show Great Job, but it’s going to take more for me to pay for televised content… like Tetris perhaps?

- Final Fantasy 1 & 2 just came out for the iPhone and iPod touch, which is cool and all, but most out there might want Zelda instead, and since it’ll be a cold day in hell before Nintendo supports a handheld that’s not their own, one will have to content with clones instead, like the very competent looking Across Age. Though personally, I’d much rather have a port of the Genesis’s very own Crusader of Centy, pound for pound the best legit 16-bit Zelda clone ever.

- Back to Cave real quick, here’s an interview Siliconera recently conducted with them concerning the domestic release of Deathsmiles 1.

- And here’s an excellent piece that asks what direction the new Pokemon might be headed towards, and why it’s somewhat lost its way. I for one am in total agreement with Ishaan’s points and suggestions, along with those made in the comments section, many of which are additionally swell; been dying to get back into the game (was a diehard player of Pokemon Yellow), yet despite all the advances, I just have not been able to get into any of the sequels.

- By now, I’m certainly that everyone must be familiar with Square passing along screenshots from both the PS3 and Xbox 360 editions of Final Fantasy XIII, and how in reality, they were all from the same version, with just the other console’s buttons Photoshopped in when needed (along with a rather laughable excuse, somewhat along the lines of what Rockstar tried to claim that Hot Coffee was all the fault of hackers). Though it would seem that no one has made note of Capcom trying the same exact thing. Except for Siliconera of course.

- Pick you poison: a custom faceplate or PSP back cover featuring another generic animu chick?

- As if one needed yet another reason to tell so called starved for 2D Sonic fans to give the Sonic Advanced and Rush series a try, it’s just been revealed that the dev team behind all those games are also behind Sonic 4.

- Yes, it’s 2010 and I still wish Namco would release Idolm@ster here. It’s at least less creepy than Dream Club, right? RIGHT?

- Wait, in the upcoming domestic version of 3D Dot Game Heroes you get to play as the President from Metal Wolf Chaso?!?!

- Nice to know that I wasn’t the only one to notic that Xbox 360 indie game from Japan with Ico parody cover.

- Check out these totally random Persona 4 jigsaw puzzles.

- Via the same folks who are taking forever with that Ketsui port, which will stink anyway, comes a RPG about high school students trapped in a zombie infested elementary school. Actually, I heard 5pb’s offerings are generally pretty good, it’s just that they don’t a damn thing when it comes to porting over Cave shmups.

- And here’s another excellent editorial that explores Miyamoto’s aversion to the “carrot on a stick” design philosophy and how it’s applies to Okami, Burnout Paradise, Persona 4, and even his own Twilight Princess.

- These Half Minute Hero shirts looks pretty hawt…

- Yet another indie 360 game head’s up, this one involving a girl shooting down legions and legions of chickens…

… Played the game btw. The presentation is indeed very tight (which is the fundamental flaw with virtually every single indie 360 release, that and how most are not very fun to play) but the gameplay is rather flat.

- Must admit, the BlazBlue update is shaping up quite fine…

- Man do I ever low low polygon counts.

- A quick and (not at all) dirty interview that deals with Cho Aniki 0. If only the final game could possibly be as interesting as the logo. Though given the series’ track record, I highly doubt it.

- Meanwhile, Otomedius might actually be coming to America? Sweet.

- Has anyone else noticed this subtle difference between the Japanese and American version of Sin & Punishment 2?

- Remember the Mega Man Powered Up 2 that never happened? Well, Keiji Inafune hasn’t forgotten.

- I was afraid that Last Window was never coming here, since it wasn’t named in that big Nintendo presser, but lo and behold!

- Also, remember me mentioning that shump that you play on the DSi upside down? Well it’s coming to America (yay) with the worst name imaginable (boo). Again, beggars can’t be choosers I guess.

- Since we’re talking about the Nintedo DS, no reason to beat around the bush; let’s head on back over to Tiny Cartridge! First, a few posts that popped up during my tenture that I neglected to highlight, like… this wacky iPhone game (from Japan of course) in which you wipe away women’s clothing. Too bad it’s now long gone thanks to Apple’s new draconian rules as it related to content on the App Store that features women in any manner whatsoever. Yet the place is still littered with stupid Super Mario soundboard apps that Nintendo ain’t making a dime off of. Great job Apple!

- I too really dig this rather different Mega Man fan art, for whatever reason…

- Though anyone who grew up playing Mega Man 2 with buds will surely related to this image…

… Though it doesn’t include the girl having an epileptic seizure, but whatever. And for those who don’t know what I’m talking about, might I recommend getting acclimated by picking up issue #4?

- Here’s something that was posted by Adam that’s too good not to share once again…

- There’s just something about Duke Togo, isn’t there?

- Also from everyone’s favorite zine peddler and other forms of gaming culture are these totally hawt retro Mario Bros toys…

- And here’s something from Bruno, which is all about a DS game based on a Japanese game show that offers counseling to couples in the process of getting divorced and wacky exercises that are designed to “alleviate stress”!

- Yeah, if it was the end of the world, I’d probably keep my DS handy as well…

- Here’s Eric’s “I’m back!” (all those other posts from him were the ones kept on reserve), which includes Knytt Stories for the DS (been playing it, and it’s awesome, albeit buggy), a lesbian in Suikoden 2, and the best arcade stick mod to date…

- Can you believe that this was made on a DS?

- Most of the attention from Nintendo’s recent presser has been on Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M, and for good reason, but there’s still plenty of notable things happening on the DSiWare side of things! Rotozoa is that Pink Tentacles game that made everyone go “that’s a Nintendo game?” when they first head the title.

And I’m glad that fighting game in which the fighters are snapshots of you and your friends is finally making its way here (as previously covered here), though I’m most excited for Metal Torrent, one of the many other shumps that I figured would be Japan only! Name is far better than Topsy Turvy as well.

- A bonus post from Bruno! This one about yet another wonderful looking French video game publication (which seems not unlike that other one I keep talking about, Amusement, and which I’m also dying to get my hands on.

- Time to pick your poison once again: the Mega Man E-Tank beverage or Mega Man fruit candy?

- Much in the same vein of Lamar’s recent Life Meter contributions, here’s a bunch of re-done game covers! Though when it comes to the River City Ransom, this long time favorite has yet to be beat…

- You’ve probably seen this already, since it’s been re-posted by everyone and their moms, and for good reason; not only is Rittai Kakushi e Attakoreda the best use yet of the DSi’s camera, but a serious wake up call for all the other DSiWare developers out there, who seem content on simply releasing the same old, same old. Hey, I like bite-sized puzzles and shmups as much as the next person, but even the best are a little less than inspired I’m afraid.

- Check out this totally ghetto mini TV with Famiclone built in (the tube is actually B&W), yet still totally awesome nonetheless!

- Yo, even more neat-o illustrations from Leonid Zarubin…

- A random video game reference in an anime. Neat, but Gradius’ surprise appearance in the classic hentai La Blue Girl is still better…

- One last, tiny little thing from the AOU 2010, though it’s more for Hilary that anyone else, since she has a thing for spastic little dogs (and is a fan of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure as well)…

- And Some more Game Over pieces! Even though I am so done with Katamari fan art, this is still just great…

… Though the Gauntlet wizard on hard times is the best of them all…

- So back to Bruno, I like many others have been lamenting the loss of Insert Credit, till it just recently dawned me: Eastern Mind is pretty much the perfect replacement that one could possibly ask for! With every passing day and every new post, it is seriously becoming my new favorite thing ever. Notable recent entries include a look at the stickers that came included in the Rez soundtrack…

… Or at least were SUPPOSED to. My copy, for whatever reason, were devoid of them. Sad-o’s. BTW, be sure to check out Bruno’s interview with Jake Kazdal (which is far better than the one I did, I’m afraid).

- What I would give for a copy of this wonderful looking Okami picture book…

- I too was a big fan of the opening cinematics for Rule of Ruse.

- And I too am bummed out that no one else seems to care about Hyakumanton No Bara Bara. Not to brag and all, but I have been covering the game on a semi-regular basis around these parts! Anyhow, I’m also pleased as punch with Bruno’s decision to dedicate this week to the game! Though unfortunately, I unable to download the custom PS3 theme due to the aforementioned PSN network woes.

The last item posted as of this writing, though hopefully not the final one period; what I would do have one of these hanging on my wall.

- Via Mike Nowak; as bored as I’ve also become of the “retro computer vector spacey laser triangles” look, this video is still extremely impressive.

- And via drozdal; they still make Atari Lynx games? Yes they do.

- Remember what Thretris says: Game Boys have names too!

And check out a pair of his latest custom jobs!

… The one on the left is already sold out if I’m not mistaken.

- Has everyone had a chance to play Cream Wolf? It’s by the PixelJam guys and Messhof! And speaking of the latter… It would seem that James Kochalka’s imaginary game, Glorkian Warrior, is actually happening!

… Provided that they get enough money. Though last I checked, they just hit the halfway mark on their Kickstarter page, so all seems to be going well on that front.

- Since it’s been a while, let’s say we check out what the web’s best dedicated news outlet, when it comes to video game music, has been reporting as of late? And I know we’re now three months into 2010, but how about two last best of 09 lists? The first covers the best arrange albums of last year, and the second lists the best chuptunes releases (spoiler, but not really: #1 is J. Arthur Keenes Band of course).

- Plus we have word that the original Castlevania composer is apparently not good enough for Wikipedia. Plus they also hate Shinji Hosoe? What f’n dicks, seriously.

- Again, I like the idea behind Cho Aniki more than the game itself, thanks primarily to stuff like this.

- For you aspiring game makers out there, or anyone else out there that does work outside of an office and via laptops, here’s some very helpful and simply entertaining advice from the Big Apple’s indie gaming superstar, aka Dave Gilbert, about working in cafes.

- Super Mario mixed with Zelda 2. To be honest, the idea of jumping on even mid-level goons countless time seems annoying, but still interesting.

- Who loves pixels? I do! Along with pixelstyle. Check out this compelling assortment of blocks via MATHWRATH and something equally hypnotic from “supernature”. And as for static images…

… That last one is from Famicom rendition of Akira. I wonder if it’s any good.

- And here’s an artist who goes by junkboy‘s rendition of Bayonetta if it was a shmup…

… And Soul Calibur in 2D…

… In my mind, it plays like Weaponlord. Remember that one?

- Only a few items from my favorite creepy little corner of the internet this time, aka Saknaku Complex. Some folks wonder why I bother with that place, and the fact of the matter remains; it was where I first discovered Strike Witches, and for that I am forever grateful. Plus, where else is one going to see the rather excellent Touhou music video?

- Hey, so sue me, I’m a guy: some excellent non-Japanese cosplayers, including that super hot female Link that I passed along once before. Hey, there are some dudes featured, in the end, so any upset ladies out there can chill. I just find it interesting how many Americans think that only Japanese people should cosplay, whereas over there, they really get off on us Americans donning game and anime related attire.

- Though I mostly love how they’re so quick to point and laugh at anyone’s technical difficulties, like Capcom, for having to making all Lost Planet 2 for the Xbox 360 so DLC heavy, simply because a DVD simply cannot compare to the storage capacity of a Blu-ray disc.

- As silly as it sounds, I’m still trying to figure out if Figure Skater 2 is for real or not…

- Newsflash: diehard Idolm@ster fans are often super creepy!

- Going back to Touhou, cosplay, and how creepy otakus tend to be, here’s a young girl dressed up as Hakurei Reimu. Or perhaps she’s a paid child model? I’m afraid the latter, as much as how some dudes are probably wacking off to her. Not me of course! Though Katie might be inclined to argue otherwise.

- And last but not least: the top five game creatures that look like genitalia. Sorry, but if you click that link and get pissed that it’s NSFW, you’re a retard!

- Via Canned Dogs comes word that something called Irisu Syndrome! Metsu has recently been released. That link is mostly a reminder for myself, for the next time I’m looking for something to play when booted into XP (thanks to a recent Bootcamp update, my copy of Windows is at long last free of several minor yet annoying graphical glitches that been bothering me since day one of installation, though I’m still having a hard time coming to grips with Joy2Key).

At any rate, it appears to be a shmup starring a girl dressed as a witch that’s party bunny rabbit, which means I’ll probably love it to death.

- Thank goodness, and at long last, a piece of software that allows one to keep track of their masturbation habits! Everything from counting how much time was spent to number or ejaculations; great job Japan!

- And as if it wasn’t common knowledge already, but, the doujin game scene is a crazy, complicated one. The first comment pretty much says it all: “Yeah suing people for defaming a noncommercial group who illegally sold other person?s intellectual property commercially will surely work.”

- Just one more Touhou item: check out this gorgeous looking calendar courtesy of Figure.fm!

- Back to doujin soft, Ollie recently passed along the head’s up for a mecha game (of course) titled Bootfighter Windom XP SP-2, though I’m actually far more interested in Armed Seven, from the same publisher, since it has a strong Assault Suits Valken vibe.

- Been a while since I passed along a link to some random Japanese image board, this time containing pics of various robot girls. There’s a few semi-NSFW pieces present, but nothing totally XXX, and a few game-centric offerings, like this one…

- At long last, the story can be told: the Steven Seagal game that never was. I actually remembered seeing screenshots of the Genesis version once in EGM so many years ago! Not that I was actually interested in the game itself, mind you.

- Semi-related: there’s not going to be a Rolando 3? Such a shame, was a big fan of the first two.

- A few folks might have noticed that those WiiWare demos are no longer available. Why did Nintendo take them down? No one seems to know, apparently. On a related note, I tried firing up my Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial demo earlier today, and it wouldn’t let me. WTF.

- Something else that’s also made the rounds quite a bit, but what the hell; where Sonic fanatics who marry go to have their honeymoons.

- How about some more Kotaku? I know, I know, but believe it or not, some decent info does filter through there every once in a while (mostly by my buds McWhertor & Totilo, of course). Though I’m equally annoyed with all the Star Trek Online coverage like everyone else, and this coming from a guy that is going through a massive rekindling of Trek at the moment. Meanwhile, the good stuff includes a big reason why Nintendo might have something legitimate to worry about when it comes to the iPhone. And that iPad as well? Eh… that remains to be seen.

- Mass Effect 2 suffers from the small text on SD display syndrome as well? Well, so much for that game!

- I absolutely love character designs, straight from the artist’s sketchpads (especially when they’re drawings of cute girls, naturally)…

- Not gonna lie; I think is pretty damn hilarious.

- Oy vey re: Japan’s love for full body pillows with animu chicks on them. As everyone already knows, I clearly dig such subject matter, but don’t need them that big.

- Yeah, I wonder what kind of game Canabalt would be if things were like this.

- Man, more and more amazing talents are joining the Grasshopper team! On a side note, I sent them an email a few days ago, and I hope they get back to me soon!

- I too am furious that Yakuza 3 has been gimped. And will not repeat the beggars can’t be choosers mantra a third time; there’s no reason for this whatsoever. Though perhaps being shocked is unnecessary since it is Sega we’re talking about, and they tend to do stupid things like this on a very regular basis.

- Not sure how I came across this one; a fully functioning pinball machine that’s entirely made out of Legos…

- Via GameOvr, and again, I’m just a big perv, hence why I enjoy the anime girls’ breast comparison meme, if you can call it that, but since that’s totally NSFW, everyone will have to click this to see what I mean. Or not.

- There’s nothing better than a good old fashion switcheroo, eh?

- God bless crappy games, especially when it’s apparently for the PSone.

I initially came across that clip from watching the epic You Testament video that I’ve passed along about a zillion times already (for those who haven’t seen it yet, please give this click to the folks who help me pay the rent), and lo and behold, not only did it make All Games Beta’s list of the worst games you’ve never played, there’s a now another, also for the PSone I believe, that manages to trump the first! Yet nothing is ever gonna beat The You Testament for all around insane, sorry.

- Well on that note, as well see what the gaming world’s most curious and mysterious blog at the moment has been digging up. Again, he/she/they/it bring SO many neat things o the forefront, I just find it did a better job of properly crediting sources, though it’s definitely improved on that front I’ve noticed. Anyhow, here’s some nice, big, and juicy high-res versions of those Shadow of the Colossus girls from a little while ago…

- At first I thought someone had hacked those SF4 joystick key chains to actually control a cell phone title, till I realized that it’s just pics of the thing attached to a mobile, like your supposed to. Oh well…

- Not sure what in the hell Chaos Head Love Chu Chu! is supposed to be, but any game with cute animu chicks with huge swords is sorta up my alley. Though I must say, that theme some is even too much for me.

- I wonder if this design is part of Threadless or something?

- And not sure where these pics are from (perhaps from 2ch), but I’m happy to see them anyway; just some random pics of recently released titles at some Japanese game shops.

- A bunch of sexy console-tans; saw the first one somewhere else, though I forget where… at Sankaku Complex I think? Anyhow, glad to see the rest, and even if the draftsman ship is not the strongest, the designs are pretty neat. Was gonna post my fave, but the assortment is on the verge of NSFW and I’ve already shared way too many pics as is!

- Alright, it’s the home stretch! Last stop, GameSetWatch, starting with Mega 64′s latest attempt at a GDC commercial.

- Okay, one last best of 2009 list FOR REAL, though it technically started a while ago and is therefore not that late to the party: the best of the 09 demoscene part 3.

- Disney Villainesses: the video game!

- A head’s up: one of the best, most gruesome FMV interactive movies from the mid 90′s, Phantasmagoria, is now available for just $10!

- Yet another 32X game that would have justified at least a few people’s bad purchases decisions has finally been released, albeit way after the fact, behold the Soulstar X prototype!

Fun-fact: I totally owned the Virtua Fighter 32X special training pack. Picked it up for the deep discount price of $5 at a GameStop, circa 1999 I think? Not bad for a VHS tape showing off 32X footage and a XL VF t-shirt.

- A multiplayer puzzle video game for the arcade? I’ll bite.

- And a Diner Dash clone that also explores gay issues? Also very cool.

- Game magazines on the iPhone! A good idea to say the least.

- Syd Mead worked on a Jet Moto game?!?! On one that never actually came out, of course. Dammit.

- It’s funny how some of the most iconic things ever often takes just a few minutes to actually make.

- And finally, one last taste of Game Over…

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