In this post:
1. All the batsh*t crazy/awesome game-related news and nonsense from the end of 09 and into the new year that everyone absolutely NEEDS to be acquainted with.
Alright, time for another gigantic link-dump! Been a while, hasn’t? The last time was way back in early December, and various attempts to do a final back to end the year were sidelined due to being busy with “stuff” (like covering Blip Fest 09, plus various other projects), as well as taking some time off for the holidays. I know it sounds ridiculous to act like surfing the web is some kind of job, but it sorta is to a certain extent!
So as a result, I have even more old news than usual (and as always, I’m more than confident that a good deal of it stuff that might have passed you buy, again due to the hectic holiday season). What else can I say, other than my obsessive compulsiveness sometimes get the better of me, though I’m glad to know that it is of legitimate use to some. Not everyone reads every video game blog out there like myself. And like always, if you get tired of reading, simply use your scroll wheel to make sure that you at least catch all the pretty pictures!
- Kicking things off is the big news (to some people at least) that there’s going to be a Shooting Game Historica Vol. 4! This is kind of a shock since many had assumed that the recently unveiled, super deluxe Thunder Force 5 kit was a sign that they were moving to larger, more detailed oriented pieces. So a pleasant surprise to see that they’re sticking with one coin figures to say the least. Though aside from Twin Bee and Xexex ships, the current batch doesn’t very exciting at all. Guess I’ll have to hope for a volume 5 to supply the Silpheed, Radiant Silvergun, and Ketsui crafts.
Oh, and here’s what Twinbee and Winbee looks like. Okay, I’ll buy after-all.
- Though the real big news is how this year’s Game Developers Conference, specifically Indie Games Festival, looks to be the biggest one yet. Once again, can’t wait for the show, and thankfully, thanks to Brandon, I will go prepared thanks to his very handy guide. Note: I tried doing something similar over at Heavy recently, and it totally blows in comparison, so much so that I’m not even gonna bother linking to it. Though in my defense, since Brandon is a judge, he has far more of an inside track on what to pay attention to then myself.
Thankfully, Simon says that I’ll be a judge next time! It’s too bad I wasn?t included this year, since with so many entries, 306 in total, they could have used the help!
- Also just around the corner, even sooner actually, is the Winter Olympics. So what better time than a DS game in which you play as a cute anime girl that wants to steal the gold with her magnificent figure skating skill? It’s called Kuru Kuru Princess Tokimeki Figure Mezase Vancouver, I think?
… Just watch the video which explains everything. Looks AWESOME: you have to work on your skating routines, design your outfits, date dudes, the game has it all!
- I’m guessing everyone has seen this image by now…
… That’s the first image from the new Scott Pilgrim move. My two cents? I’m still reserving judgment. Though not gonna lie: so f?n tired of Michael Cerra.
- This has also been linked all over the place, and for good reason: it’s a fantastic read. So for anyone who might have missed it, how success killed Duke Nukem.
- One of my favorite stories from the end of last year was hearing how GTA: Chinatown Wars bombed due to lack of marketing. Well, all I’m gonna say is… remember how I tried checking it out last year, at the New York Comic Con, but got the total run around from the Rockstar PR team they had? Most of whom (not everyone, mind you) could not be bothered unless you wrote for Kotaku or Joystiq? I rest my case!
Anyhow, I only bring that up because Capcom recently disclosed their own disappointment over the poor sales numbers for Zack & Wiki. Which is a fantastic game BTW, such a shame that hardly anyone played it. But guess what? I hardly recall ANY advertising of the game. It’s not like Capcom didn’t have the resources. I’m also a little tired of hearing third parties (with the resources to cope mind you, which not everyone does, I realize) bitch and moan about how hard it is to basically compete with Nintendo when it comes to producing a title for their platform. Like this hasn?t been the case, dating all the way back to the N64 days?
- Back to Rockstar: I guess they’re the new EA? Indeed, it certainly looks that way.
- Also via Gamasutra is another oldie but goodie, though it probably won’t mean much to 90% of the folks reading this blog. But if you’re personally involved in iPhone dev (as I somewhat am) it?s an absolute must-read: the creator of Canabalt explains how much riskier it is to price your iPhone app at $0.99 as opposed to $1.99.
- Here’s something that still blows my mind, yet hardly anyone has picked up on it, no matter how much I’ve talked it up on Twitter and Facebook: the soundtrack to an old Famicom game based upon Kazuo Umezu’s absolutely amazing The Drifting Classon which doesn’t actually exist! Note to self: get my copy of volume 1 back from Hilary. It’s one of those things that I have to read at least once a month. Did I ever mention that I LOVE horror manga?
- Anyone figure out yet what Metal Gear Solid: “Piece” Walker is supposed to be?
- Nintendo is set to organize a New Super Mario Bros Wii tournament in Japan! Will we finally get the sequel to The Wizard that many of us have been secretly hoping for many years now? At the very least the billboards they’ve set up are fairly neat…
- So Yatterman No. 2 is the latest (and perhaps finally) addition to the Tatsunoko vs Capcom USA roster, huh? That’s cool I guess…
… Makes sense since No. 1 is already in the game and now finally has his partner. Plus I would assume that both sides are now even (otherwise, that would kinda suck). Still, not quite the big announcement that’s been teased for a while now (everyone was expecting final confirmation that there’s going to be online play, though last I heard from Capcom directly, that was still the plan).
- It’s also been revealed that UDON is creating all new endings for the game! Gotta check with dmauro to see if the Japanese version even had endings. Something tells me no.
BTW, here’s Morrigan’s ending.
- Sticking with UDON, they’re also bringing Mega Man Megamix to America, which is apparently the finest manga adaptation of Mega Man ever created, according to my good pal Zack Giallongo. And since he knows his Mega Man, and comics, I’m totally excited, and you should be too!
- Another neat edition to the upcoming updated version of Tatsunoko vs Capcom is this shump mini-game. The commercial is in Japanese, where the game is being re-released, but I would have to assume that it’ll be included in the American version. At least I hope so!
- I have no idea what this is exactly, but as far as I can tell, the folks behind Mystery Science Theater 3000 made a video game?
- And let me get this straight: Steve Wiebe, of King of Kong fame, recently produced a Christian music album?
- Hironobu Sakaguchi would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year!
- I know many might not be less than thrilled to hear this, but the first major stop is gonna be Sankaku Complex. Feel free to skip the next couple of links if you’re so inclined, and for those that are willing to take the risk, just remember that the place has lots of NSWF imagery sprinkled about!
Though the main reason why everyone seems to hate the place (whereas I love it death, sorry) is how they pull no punches when delivering video game news, to the point that they appear to be looking for a fight. And maybe they are. Anyhow, in Japan, the big news is Final Fantasy 13, and they’ve been all over it like flies on honey! In addition to pointing out embarrassing bugs (which I’ve already covered over at Heavy), as well as how extremely linear the whole thing is, plus how it’s losing 15 gigs when it heads on over to the Xbox 360, there’s also the issue of it not performing up to snuff at the sales counter, as well as how many are flat-out disgusted by the whole thing!
Which might explain the changing of gears, including a possible move to the west when it comes to development and the existing formula being scrapped altogether. Which might be best thing to ever happen to the franchise! I also really enjoyed their dissection of one of it’s lead star’s wardrobe…
- SC also loves pointing and laughing at Sony whenever possible, as do I. Most recent is this contrast of attitude towards the PlayStation 3′s capabilities between Naughty Dog and Kojima Productions. Hey, it’s a brand new decade and we’re still hearing complaints regarding the platform, and seeing deficiencies in action, with the most sterling example being the recent domestic release of Bayonetta (though Kojima’s sentiments were from a while ago, hence why bringing up such dirty laundry again is so upsetting to many).
- And speaking of Bayonetta… But be careful; lots of naughty drawings, though not everything. Some are actually quite nice!
- It would seem that Love Plus is still super popular. Again, NSFW. Yet believe it or not, it’s extremely tame in comparison to the hentai gallery that just popped up, which interested parties will have to search of themselves (not like that’s going to be difficult or anything).
- Though not nearly as perverted, yet perhaps even more depressing, was how many spent their Christmas in Japan with their virtual girlfriend (fun-fact: in Japan, Xmas is mostly a holiday for couples), aka Plus-mas…
- This guy loves to draw animu chicks in bathing suits, lounging at the beach, and a good deal of it will make many feel uncomfortable, since many are… how shall we say… young looking? But at least he has a nice rendering of Athena and Reimu..
- Yet nothing beats Colossi from Shadow of the Colossues as animu chicks…
- Not gonna lie: I totally want to mod my PSP like some of the ones featured here. Note: the first one is pretty crazy, but the rest are relatively tame… but still very much creepy.
- You can learn a lot about a person from just glancing at their computer desktop, though exemplarily taste in eroge/h-games didn’t come to mind upon seeing these.
- Speaking of eroge, you folks do know that soul cancer is quite strong in Russia, right? BTW, cute Russian cosplayers >>>>>>>>> cute Japanese Russian cosplayers, sorry. I know that’s racist and all.
- And speaking of copsplay, another taste of Comiket 77: Japanese cosplayers are, if anything, dedicated. Every report states that it was cold as hell at the time. Though this guy is easily tops every sexy lady pictured…
- Here?s an ultra cute female Link that accompanied a post about that Zelda fan film that Nintendo put the smackdown on (which I already wrote about at Heavy, FYI). Which of course I just had to share here…
… I hope that’s a girl. Not 100% sure to be completely honest!
- Headline: Wii Fit doesn’t really work.
- Even better is how the brain of game addicts are similar to those of drug addicts.
- As much as I shouldn’t be so open about it, (since it’s so damn creepy), but my burning desire for a domestic version of Dream Club simply gets worse and worse…
… It?s crazy how it absolutely has something for everyone! I’ve never been into BDSM, but if you are, knock yourself out!
- Back to Comkiet, and Russia to a certain extent, folks over at figure.fm have been posting pictures of their loot for the past couple of days, and not surprisingly, most of it is porn. Though this person did manage to get something that I’m dying to see the inside of, since I’m a Touhou Project fan and all…
- The one-thing amazes me about these gigantic hauls is how much money must have been spent. Then again, some killer deals can be found in Japan. What can you get for $10 at a Gamestop here in the States? Not much. Meanwhile…
- I guess the last thing anyone needs right now is yet another best of the decade list, but Radio Free Videoland’s top 7.5 games deserve special attention. RFV’s Twitter also deserves actual attention. With such killer “tweets” (God I that word) like….
“BREAKING: the original pilotwings cannot legally be released because the level themes are all tito puente songs played backwards”
“the new gf is into bubble bobble roleplay but i don’t really want to spit on her.”
“the world ends with you sequel about disaffected wisconsin goths is now a co-production with vice magazine”
…Pure comedy genius!!!
- I’m getting a laptop! Which I’m more than a little excited for; gonna be a MacBook. Yes, the non-aluminum, non-Pro model. Why? Cuz the specs are pretty much identical to the 13 in Pro, plus $300 cheaper. Okay, so there’s no SD card slot, which sucks since I LOVE SD cards, but I can live. Anyhow, time to get ready, like invest in a laptop sleeve. Maybe this one…
- And I’ve always needed a case for my glasses…
- I absolutely love this piece of fan art (sorry, but I have no idea who the original artist is)…
- Same with this love Chrono Trigger one…
- Along with this awesome Tales of Vs. inspired Persona image…
- Even better is this…
- Though best of all is Persona 4 in the style of Mother/Earthbound!
- As always, the fine people at Pixiv never fail to impress…
- So I just started playing Valkyria Chronicles. Was (and maybe still is) $20, new, at Gamestop, which I couldn’t pass. My previous brushes with the games left me feeling a bit “meh”, but decided to give it a real earnest shot, and figured that if I maybe started from the beginning, I’d finally warm up to it. And thus far…
… I think I’ve finally been able to put my finger on why I can’t dig in. I realize it’s a tactical RPG and understand how they work, since I’ve played and even enjoyed Advance Wars. But I just find the real-time action sequences to be extremely awkward due to them being forced to adhere to overall structure of the genre’s conventions. Basically, stuff that makes sense from high above, looking down like God, make zero sense when you on the ground, in the thick of the action.
Still, I’m now officially interested in the franchise, hence why I am now paying attention to the sequel, which was already up my alley since it takes place in school.
- And since we’re already here, may as well check out some of the more notable recent findings from Siliconera! Like how Glory of Heracles is finally coming to America! Been interested in that one for some time now (sorry, but I’m somewhat of a sucker for any game that deals with Greek Mythology… though oddly enough, not the world’s biggest God of War fan, for various reasons). Though mostly because of the character artist, whom I’ve been a fan of for a while now (yet I have no idea what his or her name is)…
- One of the things I love so much about the place is their eye on the eroge market, which is handled in far easier to handle manner than Sankaku Complex (sorry artefact), like this intriguing interview with a marketing distributor who asked to remain anonymous. Basically, no matter what you’re selling, even if it’s loli-rape simulators, it’s a tough business, especially these days!
- And here’s one in which the question of why certain titles never make it over here is addressed.
- On a semi-related note, more and more on this side of the ocean is trying to create visual novels, like Spirited Heart. It’s too bad that the graphics are always not nearly as good (with the only exception that immediately coming to mind being Katawa Shoujo).
- I’m ecstatic that Korg DS-10 Plus is coming out in America, and will be widely available, but not so sure about that box-art.
- Has anyone out there checked out that Game Arts game yet, their first in like ten years? Too bad it’s not Lunar 3, but it’s a start.
- Speaking of, Lunar 1 is making another return, and this time it’s gonna be funny again. Though I’m fairly certain that the fine folks at Xseed are going to avoid stupid Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky jokes this time around.
- No word yet whether Espgaluda II will be region free or not. If not, gonna be might depressed and angry! But it sure looks like it will be, given that it’s in English and will supposedly be more accessible than any other previous Cave offering.
- Speaking of shmups, a remake of Gunbird 2 is coming out for the PSP, and I guess it’s US bound? Via the PlayStation Network. Strange how it’s a vertical shooter yet the screen orientation is horizontal.
- Yay, another one is making it out onto DSiWare that we’ll never get the chance to play.
- Then there’s Photo Fighter X, which I can at least see this one possibly coming over…
- Meanwhile, there’s pretty much a snowball’s chance in hell that we’ll ever see a localized version of this Korean drama on a cart. Which I’m actually the most bummed out about since I LOVE Korean soap operas.
- Remember that other RPG Atlus is publishing featuring high schoolers, dungeon crawler, and tarot cards? It’s called Tokyo Mono Hara Shi and here’s what the opening looks like.
- As for Persona 5, where is it? Well, some folks might be working on it this very second!
- Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman 2 is coming to UMD after-all! Plus the first one is going to be included on disc!
- Coropata sounds pretty interesting, if only because I’m a fan of Incredible Machines gameplay, though I also hear it’s not particularly good.
- Yes, I know about the Dead Or Alive PSP package that comes with the Kasumi figure and intend on picking one up!
- There’s a BlazBlue DSiWare mini game?
- Hearing that the sequel to Radirgy/Radio Allergy is coming to the US is great and all, but it’s definitely one of those I’ll see it when I believe it kind of things.
- Another great thing about Siliconera is how it’s like the only outlet that will seriously address the must maligned (and for good reason I guess) Queen’s Blade PSP title.
Though by far the greatest part, and it’s something that pretty much EVERYTHING should incorporate (not just video games) is its panic button, by turning everything explicit looking into a mess of 8-bit!
- Yet another reason why I’m psyched for Ghost Trick: Phoenix Wright is in it!
- One thing that’s been the subject of much talk as of late is the DS, which will supposed incorporate motion control, like an iPhone (oh God). Funny thing is, it’s already possible via the DSi’s camera.
- Rockin’ Android is providing content for the PS3? Sweet.
- Everyone is all hot and bothered that Muscle March was recently rated by the ESRB, and I would be too if I didn’t already know that it sucks. I on the other hand am far more interested in something called Full Blast Hitchhike.
- Check out what a Xbox 360 kiosk goes through in Japan over the coarse of one year. The system just can’t get a break in Japan, can it?
- Naoto Ohshima, the guy that many believe really created Sonic is working on a new mascot platformer? Interesting! He also claims that Sonic’s shoes were inspired by Michael Jackson!
- Still sticking with Sonic, Zack also passed this one along; another YouTube vid of some orchestra playing classic video tunes, in this case a Sonic 2 medley, but it’s actually quite superb. While certainly rough around the edges, it still blows away all that Video Games Live nonsense. Sorry Tommy. Also, God damn did the Genesis Sonics have some amazing music!
- Totally different, yet very much the same: the Zelda theme as performed via tesla coils.
- Remember that Jay-Z/Battletoads mash-up I heard at Blip Fest? Found it!
- Also remember that awesome Nullsleep shirt I picked up at the show? Here’s a better look…
- Too bad I wasn’t able to get my hands on enso x NO CARRIER tee, since I wasn’t a Kickstarter donator…
- Yes, I too have seen the 30th Anniversary Pac-Man buns…
- Cave is making an iPhone game? And it stars Reco? And it’s kinda like Geometry Wars?
- And here’s a few photos from the latest Cave festival, which I would have given my left nut to attend. Mostly to pick up this sweet looking Ketsui model…
… Along with the DoDonPachi underwear…
… Plus Reco full-body blanket. Sorry.
- Check out this totally killer Silent Hill cosplay…
- We’ve all enjoyed watch Arino play the classics, Final Fantasy 13? Just as enjoyable!
- People who enjoy the work of pixel artist eBoy, as well as those interested in donating to a good cause, might want to fork over some green to pick up this poster, which is part of Amnesty International’s Poverty Is Modern campaign…
- eBoy fans might also be in the iPhone game Beat It. Note: I have no idea of eBoy is involved, but it sure does look like his stuff, doesn’t it?
- Any Swedish readers out there? If so, did you check out the Silent Hill stage adaptation?
- Damn-it, and I just picked up that Famicom business card holder I mentioned not too long ago. Should have waiting just a but, since I’m now far more interested in Mega Drive version…
- Via GamOvr, mostly since it was the first place to pick up on it: a somewhat NSWF teaser pic, I guess, for the next Vanillaware game. Whatever the hell it might be, I just hope there’s an f’n jump button. PLEASE.
- This is how you trick out your MacBook Pro…
- I’d definitely play Team Fortress if it was a top-down 2D game for the GBA…
- Still a big fan of pixelstyle, as usual…
- Another neat Tumblr, one that I just stumbled across, is entirely dedicated towards the Ace Attorney series. It’s chock full of nothing but stuff like this…
- Not sure where I found this one; a bunch of dudes playing Rock Band, but all dressed as, well, you know…
- I have no idea how something like this could have gotten leaked…
… To be continued in PART TWO
