Official Site: http://store.steampowered.com/
Many Steam users (including me) are eagerly waiting for the arrival of this year's Summer Steam Sales and not seeing it this week only makes it that much more nerve wrecking thinking that it's this upcoming week (it better be!). I'm looking forward to getting a bunch of those indie games and obscure titles. Here are a few titles I'm looking forward to getting during the sale (if there's even one this year, I'm starting to get skeptic).
Fortune Summoners: I'm craving for a Castlevania-like game right now. I recently bought Castlevania: Harmony of Despair and it just doesn't seem like enough. I'm hoping there's a good sale price for this one.
Source: Youtube Channel mentaldagger
Nexuiz: I miss playing fast-paced FPS Action games and ShootMania is going to be out for a while. I'm hoping that this game can scratch that itch for twitch-based shooters in the meantime.
Source: Youtube Channel machinima
Hack, Slash, Loot: This is one of the more obscure titles that launched on Steam that got no buzz from the media at all which makes me that much more curious about it. The gameplay video makes it look boring and the same thing happened for Dungeons of Dredmor (which I ended up loving). Getting to choose between 32 characters also sounds very exciting to me.
Source: Youtube Channel OddballDave
Ys Origins & Ys: The Oath in Felghana: It was surprising to get these two PC titles since Japan's had it out for years. Thankfully, XSEED Games decided to bring these two great titles for the Western market to enjoy.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 & 2: After trying out the demo for the first episode on PSN, I was reluctant to ever wanting to play it. But seeing how it might get sale on Steam for PC, I'm more willing to get it and play through it. I heard the second episode was a lot better.
The other great thing about Summer Steam Sales is that there's usually events to participate in and prizes to win. It's quite the incentive to get certain games and play them. I'm really hoping it starts this upcoming week. I'm soooooo ready!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
NewNews - Guild Wars 2 in 2 months
Official Site: http://www.guildwars2.com/en/
Source: Youtube Channel gameinformer
After months of testing and years of talk, ArenaNet has finally given us a release date of the very much anticipated MMORPG Guild Wars 2. In two months, players will finally get to quest together and fight one another in glorious battles starting August 28th, 2012. Those who pre-order the game will get to play 3 days earlier. Those who haven't looked up on the game or even heard of it should check out some commentary videos and wiki pages as Guild Wars 2 is set to change the way MMORPGs are played once again with new mechanics for questing, combat, cooperative play, PvP, and class specific skills. It's a completely different game from the original Guild Wars and is sure to break a few norms for MMORPGs if not a few dozen of them. This will be the 2nd MMORPG I'm actually buying with Global Agenda being the first, and I'm very excited to finally get the chance to play this game in 2 months.
Source: Youtube Channel gameinformer
After months of testing and years of talk, ArenaNet has finally given us a release date of the very much anticipated MMORPG Guild Wars 2. In two months, players will finally get to quest together and fight one another in glorious battles starting August 28th, 2012. Those who pre-order the game will get to play 3 days earlier. Those who haven't looked up on the game or even heard of it should check out some commentary videos and wiki pages as Guild Wars 2 is set to change the way MMORPGs are played once again with new mechanics for questing, combat, cooperative play, PvP, and class specific skills. It's a completely different game from the original Guild Wars and is sure to break a few norms for MMORPGs if not a few dozen of them. This will be the 2nd MMORPG I'm actually buying with Global Agenda being the first, and I'm very excited to finally get the chance to play this game in 2 months.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
NewNews - Mass Effect 3's "new" ending
Official Site: http://www.masseffect.com/
The so-called "new" ending has launched for Mass Effect 3. Originally, it was going to be a DLC sold to the players who wanted an extension to the game's story; however, the onslaught of angry gamers changed Electronic Art's position on the case and asked the developers over at BioWare to create a "new" ending that will be given to the players for free. It's not an alternative ending that will change the outcome of the ending, but rather add to the original ending to explain some of the unanswered questions. I don't know much about the ending of Mass Effect 3 or the DLC and I intend to keep it that way until I can catch up. For those already caught up, go ahead and try out the DLC and judge for yourself if this made Mass Effect 3's ending any better.
 |
| Source: http://www.nerfnow.com/comic/783 |
The so-called "new" ending has launched for Mass Effect 3. Originally, it was going to be a DLC sold to the players who wanted an extension to the game's story; however, the onslaught of angry gamers changed Electronic Art's position on the case and asked the developers over at BioWare to create a "new" ending that will be given to the players for free. It's not an alternative ending that will change the outcome of the ending, but rather add to the original ending to explain some of the unanswered questions. I don't know much about the ending of Mass Effect 3 or the DLC and I intend to keep it that way until I can catch up. For those already caught up, go ahead and try out the DLC and judge for yourself if this made Mass Effect 3's ending any better.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
NewNews - Valve be teasing us
Official Site: http://www.teamfortress.com/pyromania/
Source: Youtube Channel MottonBunchie
Okay, so the Steam Summer Sales didn't start today and that bummed me out. But for a lot of fans of the Team Fortress 2 series, they're/we're getting majorly teased by the ever-so-close "Meet the Pyro" video that has been asked for years now. Instead of actually revealing anything today, a promotional site with small update hints are shown for the next three days with a possible new map revealed today along with a new mode and new achievements. There are two more days of updates before the final reveal on June 27th, 2012. I guess I'm sort of curious about "Meet the Pyro", but I'm more concerned about having our Steam Summer Sales right now.
Source: Youtube Channel MottonBunchie
Okay, so the Steam Summer Sales didn't start today and that bummed me out. But for a lot of fans of the Team Fortress 2 series, they're/we're getting majorly teased by the ever-so-close "Meet the Pyro" video that has been asked for years now. Instead of actually revealing anything today, a promotional site with small update hints are shown for the next three days with a possible new map revealed today along with a new mode and new achievements. There are two more days of updates before the final reveal on June 27th, 2012. I guess I'm sort of curious about "Meet the Pyro", but I'm more concerned about having our Steam Summer Sales right now.
Friday, June 22, 2012
NewNews - Bigger 3DS exist
Official Site: http://www.nintendo.com/3ds
Source: Youtube Channel Nintendo
Here's a list of things announced from Nintendo yesterday:
Nintendo 3DS XL - 00:27
Upcoming 3rd-party Games - 02:33
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask - 06:12
Super Smash Bros. - 07:11
Art Academy - 08:13
Kirby's Dream Collection - 08:55
Pikmin 2 - 09:46
New Super Mario Bros. 2 - 10:34 and 14:35
Fire Emblem - 14:08
Nintendo eShop - 15:58
Pokémon Black Version 2 Pokémon White Version 2 - 17:34 and 20:07
Pokémon Dream Radar - 18:35
Pokédex 3D Pro - 19:21
So the rumor of a larger 3DS was very true, even though Nintendo denied it. Those who waited (like I did) will be disappointed to hear that the 2nd analog pad isn't implemented and will most likely have its own version of the attachment available for this larger version of the 3DS. the Nintendo 3DS XL will feature a 90% larger screen for both top and bottom (an inch more), a longer battery life, and actual buttons for the start, select, and home keys instead of the squishy membrane keys. The system is set to launch with a 4GB memory card at $199.99 on August 19th which is the same day New Super Mario Bros. 2 launches. Japan and Europe gets it a little earlier on July 28th. The lack of a 2nd analog pad is a bit disappointing and the low battery life is still a problem; however, if Nyko can create a Power Grip Pro for this version of the 3DS I think I might consider picking one up. I'm glad to see more games that I'm actually interested in coming out for the 3DS now. Still, it could do better.
Source:
-Gamasutra: Nintendo 3DS gets bigger with 3DS XL announcement
Source: Youtube Channel Nintendo
Here's a list of things announced from Nintendo yesterday:
Nintendo 3DS XL - 00:27
Upcoming 3rd-party Games - 02:33
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask - 06:12
Super Smash Bros. - 07:11
Art Academy - 08:13
Kirby's Dream Collection - 08:55
Pikmin 2 - 09:46
New Super Mario Bros. 2 - 10:34 and 14:35
Fire Emblem - 14:08
Nintendo eShop - 15:58
Pokémon Black Version 2 Pokémon White Version 2 - 17:34 and 20:07
Pokémon Dream Radar - 18:35
Pokédex 3D Pro - 19:21
So the rumor of a larger 3DS was very true, even though Nintendo denied it. Those who waited (like I did) will be disappointed to hear that the 2nd analog pad isn't implemented and will most likely have its own version of the attachment available for this larger version of the 3DS. the Nintendo 3DS XL will feature a 90% larger screen for both top and bottom (an inch more), a longer battery life, and actual buttons for the start, select, and home keys instead of the squishy membrane keys. The system is set to launch with a 4GB memory card at $199.99 on August 19th which is the same day New Super Mario Bros. 2 launches. Japan and Europe gets it a little earlier on July 28th. The lack of a 2nd analog pad is a bit disappointing and the low battery life is still a problem; however, if Nyko can create a Power Grip Pro for this version of the 3DS I think I might consider picking one up. I'm glad to see more games that I'm actually interested in coming out for the 3DS now. Still, it could do better.
Source:
-Gamasutra: Nintendo 3DS gets bigger with 3DS XL announcement
Thursday, June 21, 2012
GameLight - No Man's Land
Official Site: No Man's Land on Home
Source: Youtube Channel PlayStation
No Man's Land (NML) is a cover-based, free-to-play, third-person shooter within Sony's social network platform Playstation Home. It's surprising to hear that this utilizes the engine Home uses and takes a player's avatar into the game. The game is free, movement is cover to cover based rather than free-roaming so it takes a bit of getting used to, and the player's character is practically naked (no weapons aside from a pistol and basic clothing). Every weapon and piece of armor costs around $1.49-$2.49 or players can buy them in a pack for $11.99-$49.99. So essentially, it's a "pay-to-win" sort of deal rather than a "free-to-play and pay for extra content" kind of model. Besides the blasphemy of having to pay for every little piece of the game's content if you want to get anywhere, the game takes an eternity to load (initial loading took over an hour of downloading, walking to the next area to download some more, etc.). The graphics are rather impressive and it's really cool that your own avatar is the character; however, the controls for movement and a bit odd and the camera angle can be a bit annoying during intense situations. Playstation Home has always seemed like a way to get PSN users to spend more money and continues to do so with this game. I do agree that No Man's Land does have its entertainment value; however, I have played numerous free-to-play games that offer a significant amount of content and more balanced gameplay than what's offered in NML. Dust 514 is on the horizon for a launch and would probably offer a much better gaming experience as a free-to-play shooter (even if its game mechanics are different). You don't have to spend any money for NML to try it out, but be prepared to sacrifice a bit of time just to start it up.
Source:
-Joystiq: Freemium shooter No Man's Land enters PS Home today
Source: Youtube Channel PlayStation
No Man's Land (NML) is a cover-based, free-to-play, third-person shooter within Sony's social network platform Playstation Home. It's surprising to hear that this utilizes the engine Home uses and takes a player's avatar into the game. The game is free, movement is cover to cover based rather than free-roaming so it takes a bit of getting used to, and the player's character is practically naked (no weapons aside from a pistol and basic clothing). Every weapon and piece of armor costs around $1.49-$2.49 or players can buy them in a pack for $11.99-$49.99. So essentially, it's a "pay-to-win" sort of deal rather than a "free-to-play and pay for extra content" kind of model. Besides the blasphemy of having to pay for every little piece of the game's content if you want to get anywhere, the game takes an eternity to load (initial loading took over an hour of downloading, walking to the next area to download some more, etc.). The graphics are rather impressive and it's really cool that your own avatar is the character; however, the controls for movement and a bit odd and the camera angle can be a bit annoying during intense situations. Playstation Home has always seemed like a way to get PSN users to spend more money and continues to do so with this game. I do agree that No Man's Land does have its entertainment value; however, I have played numerous free-to-play games that offer a significant amount of content and more balanced gameplay than what's offered in NML. Dust 514 is on the horizon for a launch and would probably offer a much better gaming experience as a free-to-play shooter (even if its game mechanics are different). You don't have to spend any money for NML to try it out, but be prepared to sacrifice a bit of time just to start it up.
Source:
-Joystiq: Freemium shooter No Man's Land enters PS Home today
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
VGCulture - Touhou Defense of the Shrine
Official Site: http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/DOTS
Source: Youtube Channel venomstrike666
Touhou is a danmaku/bullethell series created by one man in Japan that goes by the alias "ZUN". Touhou has become an international phenomenon in Japanese gaming and animé culture and has since issued millions of fan based materials. From remixes of ZUN amazing original sound tracks to cosplaying the various characters within the series, Touhou touches upon everything imaginable. Just now, a friend told me about another Touhou related creation called "Defense of the Shrines" (DotS) which more or less plays like Defense of the Ancients (DotA). Custom models and extensive mods make this custom map campaign of the Warcraft 3 have as much feel of a Touhou related game as possible. Much like DotA, all the characters have special abilities and the potential to level up. It still seems pretty early in development, so characters may not be entirely balanced and a lot of words may not be translated to English yet. The custom models and map can be downloaded from the wiki page above. Warcraft 3 Frozen Throne is required to play the game.
Source: Youtube Channel venomstrike666
Touhou is a danmaku/bullethell series created by one man in Japan that goes by the alias "ZUN". Touhou has become an international phenomenon in Japanese gaming and animé culture and has since issued millions of fan based materials. From remixes of ZUN amazing original sound tracks to cosplaying the various characters within the series, Touhou touches upon everything imaginable. Just now, a friend told me about another Touhou related creation called "Defense of the Shrines" (DotS) which more or less plays like Defense of the Ancients (DotA). Custom models and extensive mods make this custom map campaign of the Warcraft 3 have as much feel of a Touhou related game as possible. Much like DotA, all the characters have special abilities and the potential to level up. It still seems pretty early in development, so characters may not be entirely balanced and a lot of words may not be translated to English yet. The custom models and map can be downloaded from the wiki page above. Warcraft 3 Frozen Throne is required to play the game.
Monday, June 18, 2012
NewNews - Steam Summer Sale Speculations
Official Site: http://store.steampowered.com/
Steam seasonal sales are quite well known to PC gamers. The Summer and Winter sales are the most extravagant ones throughout the year as huge discounts attract gamers all over to buying the games they want and even games they might not have thought of buying but do anyways because of how great the deals are. What makes the summer/winter sales even more fun are the events they hold each day. Players would be able to complete tasks in their games to earn points or prizes to get exclusive items to their favorite games or even get entirely free games if they're lucky. Right now, the rumor is that summer sales will start next week on June 24th for this year in 2012. There has been a huge amount of releases since Winter Sales 2011 and players have been saving up. Moreso, gamers all over the world is either on Summer vacation or graduated from school entirely (or one might be on vacation from work or unemployed). This attracts even more gamers to buy even more games as they find the ones they'll want to play over the summer. Right now, it's all speculation, but I'm also hoping it starts next week.
Steam seasonal sales are quite well known to PC gamers. The Summer and Winter sales are the most extravagant ones throughout the year as huge discounts attract gamers all over to buying the games they want and even games they might not have thought of buying but do anyways because of how great the deals are. What makes the summer/winter sales even more fun are the events they hold each day. Players would be able to complete tasks in their games to earn points or prizes to get exclusive items to their favorite games or even get entirely free games if they're lucky. Right now, the rumor is that summer sales will start next week on June 24th for this year in 2012. There has been a huge amount of releases since Winter Sales 2011 and players have been saving up. Moreso, gamers all over the world is either on Summer vacation or graduated from school entirely (or one might be on vacation from work or unemployed). This attracts even more gamers to buy even more games as they find the ones they'll want to play over the summer. Right now, it's all speculation, but I'm also hoping it starts next week.
Friday, June 15, 2012
GameLight - MicroVolts
Official Site: http://www.microvolts.com/default.aspx
Source: Youtube Channel microvolts
A while ago, I played a third-person shooter called "MicroVolts" (originally called H.A.V.E. Online) and it only has European servers available at the time. The game had similar weapons to Team Fortress 2, but all players can use them equally and so are one-man armies depending on their skill level. The game was extremely laggy and difficult to play and I gave up after a while. Just now, I was told that a North American server has been established and for this weekend players earn "+20% EXP/MP on NA BETA SERVER". The game has an animé-ish feel to it and is fairly easy to pick up. It's also free-to-play so anyone can download, register and start playing right now.
Source: Youtube Channel microvolts
A while ago, I played a third-person shooter called "MicroVolts" (originally called H.A.V.E. Online) and it only has European servers available at the time. The game had similar weapons to Team Fortress 2, but all players can use them equally and so are one-man armies depending on their skill level. The game was extremely laggy and difficult to play and I gave up after a while. Just now, I was told that a North American server has been established and for this weekend players earn "+20% EXP/MP on NA BETA SERVER". The game has an animé-ish feel to it and is fairly easy to pick up. It's also free-to-play so anyone can download, register and start playing right now.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
GameLight - LoL Pulsefire Ezreal
Official Site: http://promo.leagueoflegends.com/pulsefire-ezreal/en.html
Source: Youtube Channel RiotGamesInc
Players of League of Legends have waited for the longest time for the so-called "Megaman" Ezreal, and yesterday it was revealed. This is possibly the most detailed skin Riot has ever done for a champion. This new skin has a different set of voice acting, sound, death animation, ability animations, taunt, joke, dance, and movement animation. One of the coolest aspects to this skin is that the armor Ezreal wears evolves and changes look each time he levels his "ult" (Ultimate Ability). At a certain point, Ezreal will hover for a short while instead of walking. It's just a different animation and doesn't give him any ability to fly over walls or anything, but it's a nice little addition to the aesthetic. Rather than firing from a bow, Ezreal's attacks comes out of his arm cannon which is said to be an homage to Megaman. Even his death animation has a reminiscence of the blue bomber. That little addition to having a different animation to minion deaths and champion deaths seem almost unfair as no other champion really has that amount of detail and care for their skins as this one does (and they have been just as expensive). The taunt for this skin is a reference to a very particular scene from the Dragon Ball Z series. This is possibly (if not most definitely) the coolest skin Riot has ever created for a champion and I hope they continue to have this amount of detail done for skins of other champions.
Source: Youtube Channel RiotGamesInc
Players of League of Legends have waited for the longest time for the so-called "Megaman" Ezreal, and yesterday it was revealed. This is possibly the most detailed skin Riot has ever done for a champion. This new skin has a different set of voice acting, sound, death animation, ability animations, taunt, joke, dance, and movement animation. One of the coolest aspects to this skin is that the armor Ezreal wears evolves and changes look each time he levels his "ult" (Ultimate Ability). At a certain point, Ezreal will hover for a short while instead of walking. It's just a different animation and doesn't give him any ability to fly over walls or anything, but it's a nice little addition to the aesthetic. Rather than firing from a bow, Ezreal's attacks comes out of his arm cannon which is said to be an homage to Megaman. Even his death animation has a reminiscence of the blue bomber. That little addition to having a different animation to minion deaths and champion deaths seem almost unfair as no other champion really has that amount of detail and care for their skins as this one does (and they have been just as expensive). The taunt for this skin is a reference to a very particular scene from the Dragon Ball Z series. This is possibly (if not most definitely) the coolest skin Riot has ever created for a champion and I hope they continue to have this amount of detail done for skins of other champions.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
VGCulture - Did you play games in the 90's?
Official Site: http://www.kongregate.com/games/saybox/were-you-a-nineties-gamer
Source: Youtube Channel videogamemusicgalore
Anyone can instantly recognize the theme to Super Mario Bros., but there were quite a bit of games back in the 90's that only those that played games in the 90's would know the songs to. A game uploaded onto Kongregate follows one of many "guess that videogame title" music guessing games and works mechanically well. It doesn't force the player to speed through it and has helpful (not all the time) hints if the player gets stuck. I'll admit that there are a number of obscure titles I've never even heard of before, and those that played mostly on Sega Genesis may get more answers than those that played a Super Nintendo. I managed to get 76/93 points before I started doing research based on the hints. After I completed the whole thing, I realized there's a guide online with all the answers (try to figure out how much you know before you look it up). Good luck and have fun.
Source:
-Kotaku: How Well do You Know Your 90s Video Games?
Source: Youtube Channel videogamemusicgalore
Anyone can instantly recognize the theme to Super Mario Bros., but there were quite a bit of games back in the 90's that only those that played games in the 90's would know the songs to. A game uploaded onto Kongregate follows one of many "guess that videogame title" music guessing games and works mechanically well. It doesn't force the player to speed through it and has helpful (not all the time) hints if the player gets stuck. I'll admit that there are a number of obscure titles I've never even heard of before, and those that played mostly on Sega Genesis may get more answers than those that played a Super Nintendo. I managed to get 76/93 points before I started doing research based on the hints. After I completed the whole thing, I realized there's a guide online with all the answers (try to figure out how much you know before you look it up). Good luck and have fun.
Source:
-Kotaku: How Well do You Know Your 90s Video Games?
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
VGCulture - Nyko's new toys
Official Site: http://nyko.com/
[Nyko Free Fighter Fight Stick]
Source: Youtube Channel compLexityINSIDER
Nyko has always created ergonomically strange controllers in the past and none stood out too much. Apparently, a new Fight Stick was revealed at this year's E3. Nyko's "Free Fighter" for the Playstation 3 boasts itself for being an ambidextrous controller where the joystick can switch from the left side to the right side (as demonstrated in the video). Jordan Mallory over at Joystiq didn't quite like the "look" of the controller but thought it had an interesting design that made it almost feel industrial. Mike Fahey from Kotaku mentioned that despite being smaller than the typical fight stick, it "felt nice". Just looking at it, many readers have pointed out possible problems to the controller. Street Fighter IV Tourney player "Gootecks" gives us a preview of the controller in action in the video above. At the end of the video, after completing his match (which he seemingly won if he was indeed player 2), he mentions to the guy showcasing the controller that there's some issues with the device. Problem is, he makes no mention of what they are (most likely to avoid putting down Nyko's product when it's still a prototype). So some of the advantages mentioned are: portability, ability to switch to left-handed layout, separate them and connect with a wire (could be used to set up an arcade cabinet), and programmable macros for those who might want to play more casually with friends or against the computer. Some foreseeable flaws that the controller may have by readers and speculations from the video above are: the hand cramping from having no palm resting space, fragility in case design, unresponsive input or input delay, and of course unfair advantage over online play. What makes it an even harder product to sell is that it's going to be sold at $180 for launch. Most left-handed gamers I know use a regular style fight stick perfectly fine (and most are actually weirded out by having the joystick on the right side) and those that actually want to invest in one (because they're pretty expensive) are usually serious about the game and wouldn't bother using macros since they're not allowed in tournament play anyways. This is going to be difficult for Nyko.
[Nyko Power Grip Pro]
This is Nyko's answer to the ugly Circle Pad Pro Nintendo had created for the 3DS so that it would have more buttons and an extra analog stick. The big question that circulated the internet when the Circle Pad Pro was announced was "why wasn't it implemented in the device to begin with?" For whatever the reason, Nyko is attempting to create the same attachment that is aesthetically more pleasing with an extra, rechargeable battery pack with it to compensate for the low battery life of the 3DS. It looks really nice, but a bit scary on price ($30). If there were more games out that uses those extra buttons, analog stick, and the new model won't be out till much later, then I may consider investing in one of these with a current model 3DS.
[Nyko PlayPad]
Mobile gaming and touchscreen games have evolved a lot in the years; however, developers are working backwards to try to adapt to the button-less devices when creating games that were traditionally played with a game pad. The technology behind tablets and even phones are stronger than some computers I've owned in the past, and so games with incredible graphics and complexity is possible now for those devices. The problem has always been creating controls that work with the kind of games that require a pad and they end up being a mess of a game trying to adjust to the non-tactile feel (honestly, game developers for mobile devices need to focus on what works best for touch screens). Nyko is hoping to provide an alternate solution with an obvious answer: give the player an actual controller to play with. I imagine this would be great for gamers who need to travel a lot and neither want to play on a small screen or bring their consoles around; however, a majority of the market for mobile gaming seems to be more casual from grandparents, parents to young children. Those willing to buy core games will already own a gaming handheld, play on consoles, or on PC/laptop and so the market for core games will be smaller. With that, even those who buy core games on tablets and mobile devices may not want to invest in a controller that doesn't even have a price tag yet. If I ever get an "Android" tablet and there's a good number of games compatible with the controller, I may consider investing in one; however, it seems rather unlikely at this point.
Sources:
-Joystiq: Hands on: Nyko Free Fighter arcade stick (plus bonus Nyko booth gadgets)
-Kotaku: This Transforming Stick Wants to Change the Way You Play Fighting Games
[Nyko Free Fighter Fight Stick]
Source: Youtube Channel compLexityINSIDER
Nyko has always created ergonomically strange controllers in the past and none stood out too much. Apparently, a new Fight Stick was revealed at this year's E3. Nyko's "Free Fighter" for the Playstation 3 boasts itself for being an ambidextrous controller where the joystick can switch from the left side to the right side (as demonstrated in the video). Jordan Mallory over at Joystiq didn't quite like the "look" of the controller but thought it had an interesting design that made it almost feel industrial. Mike Fahey from Kotaku mentioned that despite being smaller than the typical fight stick, it "felt nice". Just looking at it, many readers have pointed out possible problems to the controller. Street Fighter IV Tourney player "Gootecks" gives us a preview of the controller in action in the video above. At the end of the video, after completing his match (which he seemingly won if he was indeed player 2), he mentions to the guy showcasing the controller that there's some issues with the device. Problem is, he makes no mention of what they are (most likely to avoid putting down Nyko's product when it's still a prototype). So some of the advantages mentioned are: portability, ability to switch to left-handed layout, separate them and connect with a wire (could be used to set up an arcade cabinet), and programmable macros for those who might want to play more casually with friends or against the computer. Some foreseeable flaws that the controller may have by readers and speculations from the video above are: the hand cramping from having no palm resting space, fragility in case design, unresponsive input or input delay, and of course unfair advantage over online play. What makes it an even harder product to sell is that it's going to be sold at $180 for launch. Most left-handed gamers I know use a regular style fight stick perfectly fine (and most are actually weirded out by having the joystick on the right side) and those that actually want to invest in one (because they're pretty expensive) are usually serious about the game and wouldn't bother using macros since they're not allowed in tournament play anyways. This is going to be difficult for Nyko.
[Nyko Power Grip Pro]
This is Nyko's answer to the ugly Circle Pad Pro Nintendo had created for the 3DS so that it would have more buttons and an extra analog stick. The big question that circulated the internet when the Circle Pad Pro was announced was "why wasn't it implemented in the device to begin with?" For whatever the reason, Nyko is attempting to create the same attachment that is aesthetically more pleasing with an extra, rechargeable battery pack with it to compensate for the low battery life of the 3DS. It looks really nice, but a bit scary on price ($30). If there were more games out that uses those extra buttons, analog stick, and the new model won't be out till much later, then I may consider investing in one of these with a current model 3DS.
[Nyko PlayPad]
Mobile gaming and touchscreen games have evolved a lot in the years; however, developers are working backwards to try to adapt to the button-less devices when creating games that were traditionally played with a game pad. The technology behind tablets and even phones are stronger than some computers I've owned in the past, and so games with incredible graphics and complexity is possible now for those devices. The problem has always been creating controls that work with the kind of games that require a pad and they end up being a mess of a game trying to adjust to the non-tactile feel (honestly, game developers for mobile devices need to focus on what works best for touch screens). Nyko is hoping to provide an alternate solution with an obvious answer: give the player an actual controller to play with. I imagine this would be great for gamers who need to travel a lot and neither want to play on a small screen or bring their consoles around; however, a majority of the market for mobile gaming seems to be more casual from grandparents, parents to young children. Those willing to buy core games will already own a gaming handheld, play on consoles, or on PC/laptop and so the market for core games will be smaller. With that, even those who buy core games on tablets and mobile devices may not want to invest in a controller that doesn't even have a price tag yet. If I ever get an "Android" tablet and there's a good number of games compatible with the controller, I may consider investing in one; however, it seems rather unlikely at this point.
Sources:
-Joystiq: Hands on: Nyko Free Fighter arcade stick (plus bonus Nyko booth gadgets)
-Kotaku: This Transforming Stick Wants to Change the Way You Play Fighting Games
Monday, June 11, 2012
NewNews - Games for the Summer 2012
With the chance to look at the future of gaming throughout last week's coverage of E3, I have to wonder what we have in store this summer.
[Lollipop Chainsaw - June 12]
Source: Youtube Channel DarkCartharsis
[DiRT Showdown - June 12]
[Pokémon Conquest - June 18]
[Spec Ops: The Line - June 26]
[Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy - July 3]
[The Secret World - July 3]
[Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure - July 10]
[Heroes of Ruin - July 17]
[Kingdom Hearts 3D Dream Drop Distance - July 31]
[The Last Story - July 31]
[Madden NFL 13 - August 28]
Wow, this summer seems kind of empty. There are certainly a good number of hand-held games though. I wish that new 3DS model would make its appearance and release already so I can buy one!
[Lollipop Chainsaw - June 12]
Source: Youtube Channel DarkCartharsis
[DiRT Showdown - June 12]
[Pokémon Conquest - June 18]
[Spec Ops: The Line - June 26]
[Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy - July 3]
[The Secret World - July 3]
[Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure - July 10]
[Heroes of Ruin - July 17]
[Kingdom Hearts 3D Dream Drop Distance - July 31]
[The Last Story - July 31]
[Madden NFL 13 - August 28]
Wow, this summer seems kind of empty. There are certainly a good number of hand-held games though. I wish that new 3DS model would make its appearance and release already so I can buy one!
Friday, June 8, 2012
NewNews - Wrap-up of E3 2012
As this year's E3 comes to a close, I had to wonder if we got anything out of it this time around.
[What's New]
-Beyond: Two Souls:
From the creators of Heavy Rain (which I haven't played yet). Just from the preview itself caused quite the reaction from the community. I'm not incredibly interested in the game, but what they showed during Sony's Press Confernce was impressive.
-ZombiU: One of the hopes that Nintendo and the community has for the new Wii U is the return of core gaming and its fans. ZombiU showcased a hardcore Zombie Survival FPS that works around using the new touchscreen controller, motion control, and classic button layouts.
-Project P-100: A game being developed by Platinum games, the studio that brought awesome games such as Bayonetta and Vanquish as well as upcoming Metal Gear Rising: Revengance.
-Gears of War: Judgment: I never played through any of the GoW games so I can't really be excited for this; however, some might like the fact that "People Can Fly" Studios is working with Epic Games on this one.
-Watch Dogs: It's one of those open-world games like GTA, L.A. Noire, Deus Ex: HR, or Saint's Row: The Third with a cyberpunk theme like Syndicate. It looks interesting, but I'm not hearing much from the community about this game for some reason.
-Xbox SmartGlass: The concept entertains some good ideas for games, but the whole announcement seemed like it wanted to take over all of media rather than talk about games. I was happy to hear Sony having something similar in the works called "Playstation Mobile" though they announced it last year as Playstation Suite so it's just a matter of it actually happening and being put to use.
[What interested me]
-ZombiU: I was hoping to see a lot more games on the Wii U mentioned at E3 this year, but it didn't seem like there were that many. Ubisoft seems to make great use of the new touchscreen controller and is one of the first games to draw back the core gaming community into Nintendo.
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate: I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I was happy to hear another handheld, 2D Castlevania was in development. On the other hand, it's following the "Lords of Shadow" subtitle and is being developed by the same studios. "Lords of Shadow" is a fun game, but I felt that it lost some attributes and characteristics that I loved about Castlevania (and a lot of people seem to like it because it feels a lot like God of War). I really miss listening to Michiru Yamane's work in the franchise.
-Heroes of Ruin: There were already news about the game way before E3, but I didn't look into it until this week. I like the concepts discussed in the interview, but I'm not sure how well the gameplay will be when going through it. I'm looking out for this one. It's one of the games convincing me to get a 3DS along with Castlevania: LoS-MoF and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.
-The Last Story: This already came out in the first quarter of last year in Japan and many Western fans were disheartened to hear that it wasn't going to see a NA and EU launch. It was a joyous day to hear that XSEED Games have taken the role to bring it over to NA. It was great to hear about it at E3 this year, up until it was mentioned to be postponed to a later date. I'm in no rush, not like I got Xenoblade Chronicles yet or anything.
I'm not sure what to make of this year's E3. I saw a ton of games I'm looking forward to playing (yes, many being sequels), yet I felt disappointed. There's wasn't "that one game" which made me jaw drop and say "whoa, I want that game!" Last year, "that one game" was "Dragon's Dogma". I tried the demo a few nights ago and really liked what I saw so far out of it (despite reading mixed reviews about the game). There wasn't a game in particular that really stuck with me this year and it kind of makes me feel a bit empty. I was hoping to hear Sega releasing a NA version of Phantasy Star Online 2, but that's wishful thinking. I was hoping to hear about a new model for the 3DS with both analogs and a rumored larger screen, but Nintendo has denied rumors. Most people within the industry, not the gaming community, are saying that 3rd-party companies saved this year's show. I think I can agree with them on that considering a lot of the "good news" came from announcements and trailers of games developed by 3rd-party companies. I think mainly Nintendo and Ubisoft won me over this year. Nintendo's highlight on what games were coming out on the Wii U and what it was capable of got me a bit more interested in the new console (ZombiU really did look fun to play) and a few new games coming out on the 3DS (mainly Castlevania) has somewhat convinced me to pick one up (I'm still waiting for a new model). Ubisoft's name was mentioned countless times with titles like Assassin's Creed 3, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and FarCry 3 under their license. The reveal of 4-player co-op and a map-maker for FarCry 3 was one of the very few surprises that got my attention. Another game under Ubisoft's name that has me interested is ShootMania Storm being developed by the creators of TrackMania. This concludes this year's E3. This year's E3 may not have been as exciting, but it has left us a lot of anticipation for the many games shown.
[What's New]
-Beyond: Two Souls:
-ZombiU: One of the hopes that Nintendo and the community has for the new Wii U is the return of core gaming and its fans. ZombiU showcased a hardcore Zombie Survival FPS that works around using the new touchscreen controller, motion control, and classic button layouts.
-Project P-100: A game being developed by Platinum games, the studio that brought awesome games such as Bayonetta and Vanquish as well as upcoming Metal Gear Rising: Revengance.
-Gears of War: Judgment: I never played through any of the GoW games so I can't really be excited for this; however, some might like the fact that "People Can Fly" Studios is working with Epic Games on this one.
-Watch Dogs: It's one of those open-world games like GTA, L.A. Noire, Deus Ex: HR, or Saint's Row: The Third with a cyberpunk theme like Syndicate. It looks interesting, but I'm not hearing much from the community about this game for some reason.
-Xbox SmartGlass: The concept entertains some good ideas for games, but the whole announcement seemed like it wanted to take over all of media rather than talk about games. I was happy to hear Sony having something similar in the works called "Playstation Mobile" though they announced it last year as Playstation Suite so it's just a matter of it actually happening and being put to use.
[What interested me]
-ZombiU: I was hoping to see a lot more games on the Wii U mentioned at E3 this year, but it didn't seem like there were that many. Ubisoft seems to make great use of the new touchscreen controller and is one of the first games to draw back the core gaming community into Nintendo.
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate: I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I was happy to hear another handheld, 2D Castlevania was in development. On the other hand, it's following the "Lords of Shadow" subtitle and is being developed by the same studios. "Lords of Shadow" is a fun game, but I felt that it lost some attributes and characteristics that I loved about Castlevania (and a lot of people seem to like it because it feels a lot like God of War). I really miss listening to Michiru Yamane's work in the franchise.
-Heroes of Ruin: There were already news about the game way before E3, but I didn't look into it until this week. I like the concepts discussed in the interview, but I'm not sure how well the gameplay will be when going through it. I'm looking out for this one. It's one of the games convincing me to get a 3DS along with Castlevania: LoS-MoF and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.
-The Last Story: This already came out in the first quarter of last year in Japan and many Western fans were disheartened to hear that it wasn't going to see a NA and EU launch. It was a joyous day to hear that XSEED Games have taken the role to bring it over to NA. It was great to hear about it at E3 this year, up until it was mentioned to be postponed to a later date. I'm in no rush, not like I got Xenoblade Chronicles yet or anything.
I'm not sure what to make of this year's E3. I saw a ton of games I'm looking forward to playing (yes, many being sequels), yet I felt disappointed. There's wasn't "that one game" which made me jaw drop and say "whoa, I want that game!" Last year, "that one game" was "Dragon's Dogma". I tried the demo a few nights ago and really liked what I saw so far out of it (despite reading mixed reviews about the game). There wasn't a game in particular that really stuck with me this year and it kind of makes me feel a bit empty. I was hoping to hear Sega releasing a NA version of Phantasy Star Online 2, but that's wishful thinking. I was hoping to hear about a new model for the 3DS with both analogs and a rumored larger screen, but Nintendo has denied rumors. Most people within the industry, not the gaming community, are saying that 3rd-party companies saved this year's show. I think I can agree with them on that considering a lot of the "good news" came from announcements and trailers of games developed by 3rd-party companies. I think mainly Nintendo and Ubisoft won me over this year. Nintendo's highlight on what games were coming out on the Wii U and what it was capable of got me a bit more interested in the new console (ZombiU really did look fun to play) and a few new games coming out on the 3DS (mainly Castlevania) has somewhat convinced me to pick one up (I'm still waiting for a new model). Ubisoft's name was mentioned countless times with titles like Assassin's Creed 3, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and FarCry 3 under their license. The reveal of 4-player co-op and a map-maker for FarCry 3 was one of the very few surprises that got my attention. Another game under Ubisoft's name that has me interested is ShootMania Storm being developed by the creators of TrackMania. This concludes this year's E3. This year's E3 may not have been as exciting, but it has left us a lot of anticipation for the many games shown.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
NewNews - Day 3 E3 2012
This'll be the wrap up of E3, so I'm going to list them (Alphabetically) and review the week tomorrow:
-Age of Wushu
-Arctic Combat
-Beyond: Two Souls
-Borderlands 2
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (Perhaps one of the games that'll make me buy a 3DS)
-Continent of the Ninth (I was invited to the beta, I totally forgot! GRAH!)
-Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition (4 new bosses, I hear)
-Defiance
-DmC: Devil May Cry
-End of Nations
-Final Fantasy Dimensions (Classic Final Fantasy on Tablets)
-Forza Horizon
-Gears of War: Judgment
-Grimlands
-Guardians of Middle Earth
-Heroes of Ruin (Another game that might convince me to pick up a 3DS)
-Injustice: Gods Among Us
-Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (get it? Three D's!)
-Lost Planet 3
-Neverwinter
-Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
-Otherland
-Planetside 2
-Project P-100
-RaiderZ
-Resident Evil 6
-Tekken Tag Tournament 2
-Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
-Tomb Raider
-XCOM: Enemy Unknown
-Warface (It's turning out really nicely)
-Watch Dogs
I know I've missed some (or a lot), but it seems difficult to find specifics when all the big name publishers are getting all the coverage. It's quite a big difference being at E3 compared to watching coverages of it at home judging by the experience I had going to E3 back in 2010. I never realized how many games at the convention are ignored.
-Age of Wushu
-Arctic Combat
-Beyond: Two Souls
-Borderlands 2
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (Perhaps one of the games that'll make me buy a 3DS)
-Continent of the Ninth (I was invited to the beta, I totally forgot! GRAH!)
-Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition (4 new bosses, I hear)
-Defiance
-DmC: Devil May Cry
-End of Nations
-Final Fantasy Dimensions (Classic Final Fantasy on Tablets)
-Forza Horizon
-Gears of War: Judgment
-Grimlands
-Guardians of Middle Earth
-Heroes of Ruin (Another game that might convince me to pick up a 3DS)
-Injustice: Gods Among Us
-Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (get it? Three D's!)
-Lost Planet 3
-Neverwinter
-Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
-Otherland
-Planetside 2
-Project P-100
-RaiderZ
-Resident Evil 6
-Tekken Tag Tournament 2
-Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
-Tomb Raider
-XCOM: Enemy Unknown
-Warface (It's turning out really nicely)
-Watch Dogs
I know I've missed some (or a lot), but it seems difficult to find specifics when all the big name publishers are getting all the coverage. It's quite a big difference being at E3 compared to watching coverages of it at home judging by the experience I had going to E3 back in 2010. I never realized how many games at the convention are ignored.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
NewNews - Day 2 E3 2012
There's a lot to cover, so here we go:
[New Super Mario Bros. U]
More 4-player co-op shenanigans ensue as the new Super Mario Bros. game releases on the Wii U.
[Wizardry Online]
The Hardcore Action MMORPG seemed to have been demoed at E3 with an announcement of commercial launch later this year in NA and EU. I made mention of this game last year in October and I'm still pretty interested in trying it out.
[The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest]
Part of Nintendo's Wii U "Nintendo Land" game collections, players can play cooperatively with their "Miis" dressed as Link.
[Scribblenauts Unlimited]
The Scribblenauts series continues on the Nintendo Wii U and possibly on the 3DS.
[Pikmin 3]
With the series skipping the Wii entirely, fans of Pikmin will be happy to see the return of the little Pikmins on the new Wii U.
[Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance]
MGS fans have been waiting for a while now, and I think they want it now more than ever with the reveal of some actual gameplay.
[Persona 4 Arena]
There's so many fighters releasing this year that it's difficult to follow. Still, the fact that this is being developed by Arc System Works makes me interested.
[Star Wars 1313]
This is getting a lot of attention, but to me it looks like Uncharted in space. Not that it's a bad thing, Uncharted is a great game and perhaps it'll be a great formula for a Star Wars themed game.
[Sleeping Dogs]
Dark and gritty, the game reminds me of games like Kane & Lynch. I'm not sure what to make of the game yet, but it seems to have captured the attention of many gamers.
[Splinter Cell: Blacklist]
The Splinter Cell formula had started to get boring after a while and surprised the game community with Splinter Cell Conviction with a more action-orientated stealth (it was really fun). Young Sam returns with that same formula and it looks pretty good so far.
[FarCry 3]
So far, not many announcements have surprised me at the convention. The reveal of a dedicated 4-player co-op mode along with the open-world, single-player campaign and a map maker really caught my attention. I really need a nice computer for this one.
[Call of Duty: Black Ops 2]
This is routine and everyone should know it's coming. Love it or hate it, it's up to you.
[Dead Space 3]
I haven't played the second one, but the first one was pretty fun up until my save file crashed.
[Rayman Legends]
What a great way to utilize the Wii U hardware. 4-player local co-op games are becoming a rare option for games nowadays and it's good to see that developers still care about them.
[Medal of Honor: Warfighter]
I really enjoyed the single-player campaign from the one released in 2010, and I still believe that it had the best audio out of any FPS I have ever played. I'm hoping that this one will be that much better with a more balanced and versatile multiplayer.
[Dust 514]
A free-to-play online game on a Playstation 3? That's cool. If only my PS3 had more Hard Drive space.
[Ninja Gaiden Clans]
This trailer says nothing about the game. And the fact it's for smartphone makes me less excited.
[Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires]
No one covered Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires! I was really sad to find out that Warriors Orochi 3 was download only and not retail. If I ever get bored with Xtreme Legends, I'll have Empires to look forward to by February of next year.
[Dead or Alive 5]
Finally a DoA game that isn't on Xbox! I might get this. As I've said, so many fighting games this year.
[Counter-Strike: Global Offensive]
Counter-Strike has always been a "fool around" game for me and I'm happy to see another iteration of it release with an even more stronger community than ever before. Also to hear that it's only $15 is nice too.
[Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2]
The fact that they decided to make a 2nd one makes me think that there's still more they could add and improve to the original. The first one felt kind of clunky and stiff, though I haven't played it extensively.
[Elder Scrolls Online]
A lot of TES fans seem to be really upset at such an announcement rather than excited as it seems to be a game utilizing the MMORPG mechanics of combat (such as World of Warcraft, Aion, and Star Wars: The Old Republic) rather than the usual First-Person Action. We'll see how this plays out.
Whew, I'll try to wrap up the rest tomorrow.
[New Super Mario Bros. U]
More 4-player co-op shenanigans ensue as the new Super Mario Bros. game releases on the Wii U.
[Wizardry Online]
The Hardcore Action MMORPG seemed to have been demoed at E3 with an announcement of commercial launch later this year in NA and EU. I made mention of this game last year in October and I'm still pretty interested in trying it out.
[The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest]
Part of Nintendo's Wii U "Nintendo Land" game collections, players can play cooperatively with their "Miis" dressed as Link.
[Scribblenauts Unlimited]
The Scribblenauts series continues on the Nintendo Wii U and possibly on the 3DS.
[Pikmin 3]
With the series skipping the Wii entirely, fans of Pikmin will be happy to see the return of the little Pikmins on the new Wii U.
[Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance]
MGS fans have been waiting for a while now, and I think they want it now more than ever with the reveal of some actual gameplay.
[Persona 4 Arena]
There's so many fighters releasing this year that it's difficult to follow. Still, the fact that this is being developed by Arc System Works makes me interested.
[Star Wars 1313]
This is getting a lot of attention, but to me it looks like Uncharted in space. Not that it's a bad thing, Uncharted is a great game and perhaps it'll be a great formula for a Star Wars themed game.
[Sleeping Dogs]
Dark and gritty, the game reminds me of games like Kane & Lynch. I'm not sure what to make of the game yet, but it seems to have captured the attention of many gamers.
[Splinter Cell: Blacklist]
The Splinter Cell formula had started to get boring after a while and surprised the game community with Splinter Cell Conviction with a more action-orientated stealth (it was really fun). Young Sam returns with that same formula and it looks pretty good so far.
[FarCry 3]
So far, not many announcements have surprised me at the convention. The reveal of a dedicated 4-player co-op mode along with the open-world, single-player campaign and a map maker really caught my attention. I really need a nice computer for this one.
[Call of Duty: Black Ops 2]
This is routine and everyone should know it's coming. Love it or hate it, it's up to you.
[Dead Space 3]
I haven't played the second one, but the first one was pretty fun up until my save file crashed.
[Rayman Legends]
What a great way to utilize the Wii U hardware. 4-player local co-op games are becoming a rare option for games nowadays and it's good to see that developers still care about them.
[Medal of Honor: Warfighter]
I really enjoyed the single-player campaign from the one released in 2010, and I still believe that it had the best audio out of any FPS I have ever played. I'm hoping that this one will be that much better with a more balanced and versatile multiplayer.
[Dust 514]
A free-to-play online game on a Playstation 3? That's cool. If only my PS3 had more Hard Drive space.
[Ninja Gaiden Clans]
This trailer says nothing about the game. And the fact it's for smartphone makes me less excited.
[Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires]
No one covered Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires! I was really sad to find out that Warriors Orochi 3 was download only and not retail. If I ever get bored with Xtreme Legends, I'll have Empires to look forward to by February of next year.
[Dead or Alive 5]
Finally a DoA game that isn't on Xbox! I might get this. As I've said, so many fighting games this year.
[Counter-Strike: Global Offensive]
Counter-Strike has always been a "fool around" game for me and I'm happy to see another iteration of it release with an even more stronger community than ever before. Also to hear that it's only $15 is nice too.
[Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2]
The fact that they decided to make a 2nd one makes me think that there's still more they could add and improve to the original. The first one felt kind of clunky and stiff, though I haven't played it extensively.
[Elder Scrolls Online]
A lot of TES fans seem to be really upset at such an announcement rather than excited as it seems to be a game utilizing the MMORPG mechanics of combat (such as World of Warcraft, Aion, and Star Wars: The Old Republic) rather than the usual First-Person Action. We'll see how this plays out.
Whew, I'll try to wrap up the rest tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
NewNews - Day 1 E3 2012
Attendees of E3 have entered the convention and the press is covering all they can right now with the newest games at the show. I've started gathering what I could find and would like to share some highlights of the show thus far:
[Microsoft Xbox Smart Glass]
To allow the ability to use your phone or tablet and gather more information from your Xbox 360 is a cool addition, but what was really cool (that isn't shown in the video link above) is being able to interact with the games that you play such as using a tablet as a map, HUD, or device for customizing weapons. This is probably a response to Nintendo's Wii U controller they showcased last year as well as the growing usage of tablets and smartphones.
[Sony Playstation Mobile]
Originally called "Playstation Suite", Sony had something similar to the Smart Glass in the works and has revealed it at their press conference. It's an interesting concept and I hope it gets put into good use.
[The Last of Us]
I saw this gameplay during Sony's Press Conference and was blown away.
[Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale]
Sony's "Super Smash Bros.-esque" fighting game with a cast of characters from Playstation games. The concept sounds cool, but the game looks very unbalanced right now (much like TMNT Smash-Up was like).
[Pokémon Conquest]
I'm glad they're bringing this over. Anyone interested in Japan's Sengoku era history (games like Sengoku Basara, Samurai Warriors, Nobunaga's Ambition), Pokémon (which seems to still have a large community) and/or Tactics games (games like Fire Emblem, Tactics Ogre, Disgaea) might get a kick out of this.
[ZombiU]
Ubisoft starts off the new Nintendo console with a game for core gamers. I watched a few gameplay footages and it seems rather challenging.
[Final Fantasy XIV]
Take a look at the screenshots Luke Plunkett took over at Kotaku for the new update Square-Enix has for FF14. The UI is a lot more sleek and is akin to Phantasy Star Online 2's (or perhaps more closely to FF13's) general look which is a lot cleaner and modern.
[God of War Ascension]
After playing God of War 1 & 2, I was kind of worn out and didn't really take interest in the series anymore. But during this reveal at Sony's Press Conference, it seems like the developers might be going in the right direction with this one. I hated how sluggish the combat and overall gameplay felt in the first two games (haven't played 3 yet), but this iteration seems to convince me otherwise.
[Assassin's Creed 3]
I didn't really look into AC3 until yesterday watching Sony's Press Conference and I was surprised by how the game looked and played using the wilderness as the environment instead of buildings. This looks promising.
[Crysis 3]
I'm not sure what to expect out of this new installment. Crysis 1 had better atmosphere and story, but Crysis 2 had a significantly better gameplay mechanic and flow. Maybe Crysis 3 can find a balance and have an overall great experience.
More to come as the week goes on!
[Microsoft Xbox Smart Glass]
To allow the ability to use your phone or tablet and gather more information from your Xbox 360 is a cool addition, but what was really cool (that isn't shown in the video link above) is being able to interact with the games that you play such as using a tablet as a map, HUD, or device for customizing weapons. This is probably a response to Nintendo's Wii U controller they showcased last year as well as the growing usage of tablets and smartphones.
[Sony Playstation Mobile]
Originally called "Playstation Suite", Sony had something similar to the Smart Glass in the works and has revealed it at their press conference. It's an interesting concept and I hope it gets put into good use.
[The Last of Us]
[Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale]
Sony's "Super Smash Bros.-esque" fighting game with a cast of characters from Playstation games. The concept sounds cool, but the game looks very unbalanced right now (much like TMNT Smash-Up was like).
[Pokémon Conquest]
I'm glad they're bringing this over. Anyone interested in Japan's Sengoku era history (games like Sengoku Basara, Samurai Warriors, Nobunaga's Ambition), Pokémon (which seems to still have a large community) and/or Tactics games (games like Fire Emblem, Tactics Ogre, Disgaea) might get a kick out of this.
[ZombiU]
Ubisoft starts off the new Nintendo console with a game for core gamers. I watched a few gameplay footages and it seems rather challenging.
[Final Fantasy XIV]
Take a look at the screenshots Luke Plunkett took over at Kotaku for the new update Square-Enix has for FF14. The UI is a lot more sleek and is akin to Phantasy Star Online 2's (or perhaps more closely to FF13's) general look which is a lot cleaner and modern.
[God of War Ascension]
After playing God of War 1 & 2, I was kind of worn out and didn't really take interest in the series anymore. But during this reveal at Sony's Press Conference, it seems like the developers might be going in the right direction with this one. I hated how sluggish the combat and overall gameplay felt in the first two games (haven't played 3 yet), but this iteration seems to convince me otherwise.
[Assassin's Creed 3]
I didn't really look into AC3 until yesterday watching Sony's Press Conference and I was surprised by how the game looked and played using the wilderness as the environment instead of buildings. This looks promising.
[Crysis 3]
I'm not sure what to expect out of this new installment. Crysis 1 had better atmosphere and story, but Crysis 2 had a significantly better gameplay mechanic and flow. Maybe Crysis 3 can find a balance and have an overall great experience.
More to come as the week goes on!
Monday, June 4, 2012
NewNews - E3 Coverage 2012
Official Site: http://www.gametrailers.com/e3/
One of the many pre-show coverages over at gametrailers.com
The Electronic Entertainment Expo is here once again to grace the world with the future of the industry. Here are some things to look forward to possibly hearing about this following week:
-Assassin's Creed 3 (Ubisoft)
-Borderlands 2 (2K Games)
-Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Activision)
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Konami)
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (Konami)
-Crysis 3 (Electronic Arts)
-Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition (Namco Bandai)
-Dead Space 3 (Electronic Arts)
-Dishonored (Bethesda)
-DmC: Devil May Cry (Capcom)
-FarCry 3 (Ubisoft)
-Kingdom Hearts 3D (Square-Enix)
-Lost Planet 3 (Capcom)
-Medal of Honor Warfighter (Electronic Arts)
-Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Konami)
-Rayman Legends (Ubisoft)
-Resident Evil 6 (Capcom)
-Shootmania Storm (Ubisoft)
-Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Ubisoft)
-Tomb Raider (Square-Enix)
-Warface (Tencent Games)
-Wii U (Nintendo)
-Xbox SmartGlass (Microsoft)
-ZombiU (Ubisoft)
And much more. I'm waiting for something I haven't heard of yet to surprise me and get me excited (last year, it was Dragon's Dogma). So far, the Xbox SmartGlass and the New model for the Nintendo 3DS are the two that haven't heard of prior to E3. I guess we'll just wait and see as the week unfolds.
One of the many pre-show coverages over at gametrailers.com
The Electronic Entertainment Expo is here once again to grace the world with the future of the industry. Here are some things to look forward to possibly hearing about this following week:
-Assassin's Creed 3 (Ubisoft)
-Borderlands 2 (2K Games)
-Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Activision)
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Konami)
-Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (Konami)
-Crysis 3 (Electronic Arts)
-Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition (Namco Bandai)
-Dead Space 3 (Electronic Arts)
-Dishonored (Bethesda)
-DmC: Devil May Cry (Capcom)
-FarCry 3 (Ubisoft)
-Kingdom Hearts 3D (Square-Enix)
-Lost Planet 3 (Capcom)
-Medal of Honor Warfighter (Electronic Arts)
-Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Konami)
-Rayman Legends (Ubisoft)
-Resident Evil 6 (Capcom)
-Shootmania Storm (Ubisoft)
-Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Ubisoft)
-Tomb Raider (Square-Enix)
-Warface (Tencent Games)
-Wii U (Nintendo)
-Xbox SmartGlass (Microsoft)
-ZombiU (Ubisoft)
And much more. I'm waiting for something I haven't heard of yet to surprise me and get me excited (last year, it was Dragon's Dogma). So far, the Xbox SmartGlass and the New model for the Nintendo 3DS are the two that haven't heard of prior to E3. I guess we'll just wait and see as the week unfolds.
Friday, June 1, 2012
GameLight - Marvel Heroes
Official Site: http://www.marvelheroes.com/
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
So I hear that David Brevik, the man behind Diablo and Hellgate: London, is leading this project. It seems like the game will play much like Diablo as a top-down, point-n-click, Action-RPG. Players will be able to take the role of various Marvel characters "such as Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, Human Torch, Storm, Cyclops, Hulk, Spider-Man, Thor, Wolverine, Captain America, Thing, Squirrel Girl, Nova, Cable, Deadpool, Colossus, Emma Frost, Black Widow, and Hawkeye." according to what was updated on Wikipedia. The game was originally being developed by Cryptic Studios but was later canceled and was picked up much later by Gazillion Entertainment. I believe the game is set to be free-to-play as an MMO as it is mentioned on their official website. Stories will be "written by Brian Michael Bendis, author of Ultimate Spider-Man, New Avengers, Secret Invasion and countless other successes, Marvel Heroes is inspired by some of the most popular tales and events in Marvel Comics history." (from the official site). No release date has been announced yet and will most likely be exclusively for PC.
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment
So I hear that David Brevik, the man behind Diablo and Hellgate: London, is leading this project. It seems like the game will play much like Diablo as a top-down, point-n-click, Action-RPG. Players will be able to take the role of various Marvel characters "such as Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, Human Torch, Storm, Cyclops, Hulk, Spider-Man, Thor, Wolverine, Captain America, Thing, Squirrel Girl, Nova, Cable, Deadpool, Colossus, Emma Frost, Black Widow, and Hawkeye." according to what was updated on Wikipedia. The game was originally being developed by Cryptic Studios but was later canceled and was picked up much later by Gazillion Entertainment. I believe the game is set to be free-to-play as an MMO as it is mentioned on their official website. Stories will be "written by Brian Michael Bendis, author of Ultimate Spider-Man, New Avengers, Secret Invasion and countless other successes, Marvel Heroes is inspired by some of the most popular tales and events in Marvel Comics history." (from the official site). No release date has been announced yet and will most likely be exclusively for PC.
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