Weekend Watch: E3 Edition

E3, or Electronic Entertainment Expo, is a trade show that predominately showcases what video game companies have to offer within the year or next year. Typically, big surprises get leaked before it begins, or it gets revealed during the big press conferences. The big show officially starts on Monday, June 14 and goes through Wednesday, 16.

Stay tuned for more updates next week!

Weekend Watch Part 2: Disgaea Infinite PSP

Originally Dan, the other reviewer was really excited about showcasing Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for our Weekend Watch as it is a really big title that a lot of people will be interested in, but there is a lesser known title also coming out for the PSP as well that some people might be interested in. If you are a fan of tactical RPGs then you might be familiar with the Disgaea series. Well this Tuesday, June 8th a side project if you will of the series is Disgaea Infinite. It has characters from the first and third Disgaea in a visual novel type game. You are a Prinny out to solve a mystery as you can travel through time to find clues. No this game might not be for everyone, but fans of the series might just get a kick out of this one.

Weekend Watch: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is the next installment in the very successful Metal Gear series. Its touted to be a real successor in the Metal Gear franchise and not a spinoff title like the previous MGS PSP titles. It features the character Naked Snake, aka "Big Boss", as he leads his mercenary troupe against the Peace Sentinels. Included with the game is a co-op multiplayer experience unlike any in the series before, and is the first one to include a co-op mode. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker arrives in stores on Tuesday June 8th as a standalone game, a special edition, or as a game and PSP bundle.

Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Ten PS2 Games that Should be Re-Released for the PS3

A few months ago I got myself the God of War collection for the PS3, which for those of you who don't know that comes with God of War and God of War 2, which are both classic PS2 games. Releasing this collection before the release of the God of War 3 was a smart move on Sony's part, but this then begs the question: What other PS2 games should be re-released for the PS3? I wanted to do this Top Ten back when I first got the GOW Collection, but I have been busy. But with a recent article on Kotaku bringing this topic into the light of day, got me thinking what's a better time to post this Top Ten. Here is it is in no particular order:

Top Ten PS2 Games that Should be Re-Released for the PS3

Fatal Frame Trilogy
Who doesn't love a good scare? Well besides people who are afraid of ghost, don't believe in such supernatural beings or small children. But this is one game that isn't afraid to take a different approach to the horror game genre. Instead of guns, knives and hand grenades your only weapon is a camera. At first you might be like "Wtf am I supposed to do with this thing? Ask them to say cheese? They are grabbing me and throwing shit at me!", but you soon figure out that it comes in handy with the soul stealing.  Other than the weapon change, Fatal Frame still has all the elements of a classic survival horror: puzzles, minimal health items, creepy surroundings and even creepier foes.

Kingdom Hearts Collection
While we wait around for Square to stop releasing portable kingdom hearts games and just move on to the the third installment in this series, a PS3 collection would be nice. They can even release it a couple months before the third to hype it up in the same way the GOW collection did.  Whether they want to include Re: Chain of Memories would be up to available disc space left over.

Katamari Collection
Katamari is one of those kooky games made by our friends overseas in the country of the rising sun. It's a puzzle game of sorts that's cute and funny. Rolling around a large ball has never been so much fun. 6 games so far have been made on 5 systems: PS2, PS3, PSP, XBOX 360, and the iPhone. The two we are interested in here are Katamari Damacy (the first in the series) and We Love Katamari, which were released on the PS2. With updated graphics this could be a really beautiful and colorful addition to a PS3 collection deal. Maybe they could even throw in Beautiful Katamari, which was released only for the 360. Touching up some of the environments, which have been criticized could help and having a Katamari online game for the PlayStation audience would be nice as well.

Persona 3 and 4
A mix of role playing elements and simulation, Persona is about a group of teenagers who call on their personas to battle creatures called shadows. These games are full of mystery and monsters. One of the fun things about this game is that the role playing aspect of the games is that it's a slice of life story with supernatural elements tacked on. Sure it may be a niche game, but with so many sequels and portable versions why not have a PS3 port?

Final Fantasy X-XII
Ok so all these games might not fit into a collection, but having them re-released singularly wouldn't be a bad idea. The Final Fantasy franchise is probably the biggest RPG franchise whether you agree or not if the games are still well made. Even with the controversy around Final Fantasy XIII and whether it's even an RPG or not and people thinking that SquareEnix has lost their touch for making Final Fantasy games, FFXIII still sold over 5.5 million copies and has been said to be the fastest selling Final Fantasy game. So there is no doubt that these games would sell or that they don't deserve a PS3 upgrade. The only issue here I see is that FFXI is a MMO and additional fees would have to be charged and might not work in a compilation, but separating the games wouldn't be a bad idea.

Silent Hill 2-4
Again I'm not sure if all the games can fit on one Blu-Ray disc, but without even a compilation, anyone of those games deserves a re-release. In my opinion Silent Hill is one of the scariest franchises out there and many people agree. We have already seen a Remake of the First Silent Hill for the Wii and the PSP, so why not remaster these classic games?

Resident Evil 4, Outbreak, Code Veronica

Resident Evil 4 is the best selling Resident Evil game to date. Even though it is one of my least favorite in the series even I can't deny it's popularity, plus Nintendo already made a re-release for the Wii way back when it first came out. I'm sure there are many gamers who would love to see it on their HD screens. And if there is room on the disc throwing Code Veronica and Outbreak couldn't hurt.

Shadow of Colossus and ICO
Both games were developed by Team Ico and are lesser known games for the PS2 outside of the gaming community, but inside both are loved for their originality, gameplay, and artwork. ICO is an adventure game set in a 3D world filled with puzzles. Shadow of Colossus is quite the opposite as it plays out like a boss battle, one right after the other. Both games deserve to see the light of day once again.

Devil May Cry 1-3
Filled with hacking enemies and solving puzzles, what more could a gamer want? Ok so maybe just a gamer who likes hack and slash kind of games, but that's a good chunk of them. It's pretty much GOW only set in modern times with guns and without the greek mythology part and less gore. But who can go wrong with a game that was supposed to be a Resident Evil title? Even with it's past, the Devil May Cry series has come into it's own and has made one hell of a series. Not only is it fun, but it's challenging, with Devil May Cry 3 being called one of the toughest games ever.

Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3
As one of the best stealth game series out there high in popularity these two games are another example of what gamers want. Metal Gear Solid 2 was rated the 3 best game on the PS2 by ratings scores after all. The AI system is also ranked among the best in stealth games. And with the hype around Peace Walker, the upcoming PSP game coming out next week, we know that Metal Gear Solid games are still high in demand.

Lost Planet 2 PS3 Review

Lost Planet 2 is a third person shooter and sequel to Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. It has some good and low points, which I will give in the following review.

Story: The story starts off 10 years after the first game. The planet E.D.N. III has thawed out and reveals that the planet contains different environments such as lush jungles and arid deserts. It revolves around different factions fighting over Thermal Energy. Also, they are battling for control of the land from the monstrous Akrid, a species of insectoid aliens. The overall plot was quite a bit confusing since you never play as one faction only, as it switches every new episode.

5/10

Gameplay: Lost Planet 2 does shine in the gameplay department. The whole entire game can be played alone offline, with 2 player split screen co-op, or up to 4 player online co-op. As with games that have co-op, playing alone is a lot more difficult then with a couple buddies. The co-op AI is almost brain dead, often running into the line of fire and getting themselves killed. The only good side to this is the fact that they have no negative effect on your mission, which in turn ends up making them great cannon fodder. Also, if there is a specific objective to complete such as activating data posts, they'll do it. So the AI will be undoubtedly useful in some respects, but not others. Another problem I had is how easy it is to die sometimes. Sometimes, you'll be wondering how you got flung back 15 feet and land in a lake or get knocked off a cliff. Its extremely frustrating how often it happens. Otherwise, the core gameplay is quite solid with it's shooting mechanics and great use of the grappling anchor.

7/10

Graphics: As you can see on the cover of the box, Lost Planet 2 has some very big creatures. Its quite magnificent getting your ass handed to you by such large creatures. And the lush jungles are nothing to scoff at. It really feels like an alien world. And lets not forget the outrageous character designs. It feels like the more outlandish the faction, the more joy you get from playing as said faction.

8/10

Sound: As far as sound goes, its pretty average. The monster roaring is great, and the boss fight music is sorta epic, but its just ambient noise everywhere else. There's no jungle noises. I really miss that part of playing in a jungle environment. There's not even any female voices for the Femme Fatales faction. Its comical to hear a man's voice with a woman's body.

6/10

Overall, Lost Planet 2 is an average game at best. It does nothing out of the ordinary, and it just feels like Capcom could've done a lot better on the polish of the game. If you're looking for a co-op experience, the game would be a blast, but alone, its more of chore then a game.

Overall Score: 6/10

3D Dot Game Heroes PS3 Review

Trying to think of what makes this game original and fresh is very hard as it is basically a homage to 2D adventure games of the past. It's true if you are a Zelda fan you will see similarity after similarity while you are playing 3D Dot Game Heroes, but what makes it stand out as a great game today?

3D Dot Games Heroes is a 2D adventure game brought into a 3D world without losing it's core. There isn't much to the story here as it's the basic the world is in parallel from a dark lord trying to take over the kingdom and you being the decedent of a great hero from time before, must go on an epic journey to save the land and restore peace. After the basic background story there isn't much after that, but that doesn't necessarily make it a bad or boring game even if the story is an overused one. The whole game is a satire of previous games, most closely related to the Legend of Zelda series. Much wit and jokes are placed into this game.

The game plays itself out again like 2D adventure games of the past.  You come across enemies pretty much everywhere except for towns where you will rest, restock on supplies and talk to the locals who will set you off on side quests or give you an important bit of information to help you on your way as well as a bit of humor. You will come across dungeons filled with enemies and puzzles as you work your way to treasures and eventually the boss guarding a powerful orb that will help you gain new magical powers and the strength to beat the main antagonist. The puzzles and exploration is where this game really shines. With a little know how and luck you can find just the right items to make a boss battle quick and painless. Exploration can also lead to an alternate ending and a different trophy if you find all the pieces.

The sound in this game really set you back to the 8 bit world of gaming. They did a wonderful job of creating new old pieces of music. The last dungeon piece is epic, while the world music reminds me of Zelda's theme while coming into it's own. The sound effects of monster getting destroyed and your character taking damage also seems very familiar, but instead of hurting the game for lack of originality it really helps set the mood that you are back in 1987.

The title pretty much sums up the graphics in this game. Most everything is built with dots (or blocks) to create a 3D world. The game does polish some of this off by adding reflective floors that almost look out of place with the rest of the world.

3D Dot Game Heroes also has great replay value short of you using a walkthrough, there is no way that you can find all this games hidden secrets in one go. After defeating the game you also get the option of playing in New Game + mode, which keeps some of the progress you made from your last save, such as small blocks used to trade towards new swords as well as all the monsters you have managed to categorize. With New Game + you also get the option of playing on a harder setting. As I've mentioned before getting the right equipment before a boss can make them quite easy to defeat so this will give you an added challenge.

This game also has a great character editor, which can have you playing around for hours or just a few minutes to make custom characters that you can use to play in your game. You can also upload them to your computer and share them with the online community to download themselves and use in their games. The editor is quite simple, but leaves room to really let your creativity fly. You build your character out of the small blocks that make up the this world. They do limit you to six colors, but you have a slightly larger color pallet to choose those colors from.

This may not be a Zelda title, but some have even gone so far as to saying that From Software knows how to make a better game then Nintendo does referring to Zelda games in recent years.

3D Dot Game Heroes gets a 9/10 from me for those of you who like to look at numbers. It really is a fun game full of explorations, dungeons and nostalgia. If you are a fan of 2D style Zelda games or a fan of adventure games, 3D Dot Game Heroes is a must have. Not only is the game only $40 and in some cases you can find it even cheaper, but it's a $40 game with more than 20 hours of gameplay. Well worth your money. For those who aren't fans of 2D style adventure games you will lose some of what makes this game so great, but there is still some humor to be found that anyone should get. And if you are looking for a good adventure game that gives you hours of gameplay for a great price this is your game.

Influence or Coincidence

Recently I did a review for Ergo Proxy. Upon searching the web for box art I came across this:

Being the Evanescence fan that I am, I found the similarities between Amy Lee on the cover of Fallen and Re-l very interesting. I have no idea if the character designers had Amy Lee in mind or if they even know who she is, but with many American influences as I have stated in my review such as American band Radiohead for the ending theme song, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch. What is your take on it?

For those who don't know Ergo Proxy premiered in Japan on February 25, 2006 and Fallen was released on March 4, 2003.

Ergo Proxy Anime Review

In a world where people and androids are born and made for a purpose to be an active and useful member of society, what happens when that purpose is taken away?

Ergo Proxy is a darker set, science fiction anime with a color pallet to match. It has Gothic and cyberpunk influences as well as an apocalyptic theme. At times I feel like I'm not watching an Anime at all. The characters have English names, most if not all the writing is in English and while their eyes are larger compared to their nose and mouths, they are not the traditional wide, round eyes that have become synonymous with anime. Even the title song is in English, with an ending theme by American rock band Radiohead.

English influences aside, Ergo Proxy has a great story without any current nationalities involved. In a post apocalyptic world where robots serve their human masters and God like creatures called Proxies are hidden from the every day citizens in Romdo, Re-l (pronounced Rielle) is an investigator looking into recent murders with her AutoReiv (android) Iggy when she encounters a monster. This sets things into motion for Re-l, which she can no longer take back the knowledge that she has gained. Another main character in the series is Vincent Law who is an immigrant to Romdo and has lost his memories. When he meets up with Re-l they both embark on a journey to discover the answers that they are both looking for.

Because of the dark tones and feel, many if not all of the characters in this anime are struggling with some sort of inner turmoil. Many themes are set on finding the true meaning of oneself, even in a society that has people born for a purpose. Many questions are brought up, but few answers are given as they are questions which one must look within themselves to answer. Many people can relate to the characters in this way as we are all searching for our own raison d'être (reason for being).

Throughout the anime we see a lot of mute colors with little exceptions when a city is said to be lively and thriving. In one instant  Vincent is taken to a man's tower, who has saved him from a burning city. It overlooks the city that the man governs. The city is bright and thriving with lots of light colors, but as we discover that is not the case. With a flick of a switch the city is shown for what it really is: dark and crumbling with no one left. The colors play a key role in the feel of this anime, which I find important to point out.

Overall I find this anime to have important themes about one's raison d'être. But it is also entertaining with a sense of mystery and a variety of action scenes. Each character takes you on their own journey not focusing to heavily on one to give you a full sense of this world as all the pieces of their lives come together representing human kind. Mystery lovers will enjoy Ergo Proxy as it has much to discover.

Weekend Watch: Mod Nation Racers

ModNation Racers is a racing game for the PS3 and the PSP all about customization. This game lets you customize your avatar, your car and creating your own tracks. Even their website allows a certain level of customization. Go ahead and check it out for yourself: http://www.modnation.com/en_us/index/. This game shares the Play, Share, Create mentality as LittleBigPlanet. ModNation Racers comes out on May 25, 2010. This game is already out in Europe.

Google goes Pac Man

Today Google is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Pac-Man by changing up their logo in their normal fashion. What's not so normal is that this logo is a playable mini game of Pac-Man. As a gamer and someone who has a Bachelors in Communications with a concentration in digital media this excites me. If only more logos were this fun! Also it's noteworthy to say that if you play for a second time in a row and press the "Insert Coin" button Ms. Pac-Man will also appear in the logo allowing two players buy using the WADS keys or for a talented gamer to play both as once.

Weekend Watch: Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption is the latest game that is coming out from famed studio Rockstar, who has created the best selling but controversial Grand Theft Auto series. It is a spiritual sequel of sorts of Red Dead Revolver. It is a sandbox styled game with a Spaghetti Western theme. Players will take the role of John Marston who is free to explore the world of Red Dead Redemption. His actions will affect an in game morality system such as robbing and looting people or non-lethally taking down outlaws. This will in turn affect how the NPCs around will react to Jonh. It also features a third-person shooting perspective and period-accurate weapons. Red Dead Redemption is out this Tuesday May 18th for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles Anime Review

Magical powers, the ability to travel to new dimensions, a small fuzzy rabbit-like creature and an unspoken love that transcends them all. All that and more comes packaged in this 52 episode anime series.

Tsubasa is a heart warming tale about two friends, Sakura and Syaoran, who have been together since childhood on the verge of sharing their true feelings for each other when something mysterious happens. Sakura's memories are spread out through dimensions and without them she will die. Syaoran steps up and makes a deal with Yūko, also known as the Dimensional Witch among other things, to allow him and fellow travels to make the jump from one dimension to the next with the help of Mokona, a cute, rabbit-like creature with 108 special talents including dimensional travel. However for their wish of dimensional travel to be granted they must give up what is most important to them. In Syaoran's case he must give up all the memories Sakura has of him. So no matter how many memories she regains she will never remember Syaoran.

The story is filled with sorrow and laughter, which balance each other quite nicely. Sakura's loss memories play the largest role in the teams troubles, but the determination and strength they carry with them helps them over come each hardship they encounter in each new world. Add in a couple comic relief characters and you have yourself a story that touches your heart as well as your funny bone.  However the story doesm't end here and leaves you with their quest incomplete, which has you yearning for more. Where this can normally be a bad thing, they do not disappoint with a movie and a few OVAs to keep you busy for a long time.

The art style for Tsubasa is done in the usual style with great detail and beautiful scenery. With dimensional travel possible there are many different places for the characters to travel to, so the worlds and backgrounds are always changing, keeping it fresh and a pleasure for the eyes. The one thing I did notice though was that after watching this you will certainly want to watch the movie and OVAs to continue on with the story. However after watching Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles the Movie: The Princess in the Birdcage Kingdom I noticed a bit of different styles as well as costume changes which took me out of the world a bit. The artwork in the movie is still nothing to stick your nose up at it, but it would have been nice to keep the same style.

While the visuals draw your eyes into all new worlds of magic and mystery, the music orchestrate the true feelings and natures of the place. Some of it is very peaceful, while other pieces show the true malice of a character. All of it fits very nicely together giving you the feeling of the epic adventure that was bestowed upon the characters.

I highly recommend Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles. It has a great story and characters you can really become attached to. As the main characters bonds forms between themselves you feel as though a bond between them and yourself are also forming. You grow with the characters and their relationships. They generally become characters you care about. Plus there is so much story here with hours of entertainment. The story doesn't get old and has you craving more, which they kindly deliver.

Portal

Portal is free on Steam for both PC and Mac users until May 24th, so if you want a piece of one of gamings most acclaimed titles, you'd be wise to hop onto Steam and download it now.

Steam for Mac comes to a computer near you TOMORROW!

The wait is almost over for all you mac users who want to get in on what steam has to offer. Not all games however will be available, but mega hits like Halflife 2 and Portal sure will be. And guess who will be getting their copy of Portal? The game that spawned internet memes such as "The Cake is a Lie" will finally be in my grasp. Buying a game will allow you to use both the Mac and PC version which is a great plus for people who like to use both systems such as myself. Mac lovers: What will you be picking up?

Facebook Invades Video Animer

Yes everything is about facebook these days. Even we are jumping in on it. So if you have a facebook and like what we do here please join the facebook group. It will keep you updated on what goes on over here, plus a discussion board where you can discuss topics I wouldn't normally bring up here or start your own.

Weekend Watch: 3D Dot Game Heroes

Here is a PS3 adventure game that is not all about the graphics. In fact it brings homage to the old bit style of gaming, hopefully showing us all that a game does not have to be about the most high tech, realistic graphics, but instead immerse players in a world with a good story, game play and interesting characters. This game has already been compared to such games as the Legend of Zelda as players take their character through dungeons battling enemies and collecting treasures on an epic quest. 3D Dot Game Heroes comes out this Tuesday, May 11th.

While you wait to pick up your copy you can venture over to: http://designer.3ddotgameheroes.eu/ to create your own character 3D Dot Game Heroes style.

Check out my spinning Miku Hatsune head.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift Review

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is a DS SRPG spinoff title of the successful Final Fantasy series. It is an Ivalice Alliance game, which has it set in Ivalice naturally. So without further ado, on to the review!

Story: You're a boy named Luso who is a school truant. Luso's teacher punishes him by making him help the librarian clean up the library on the last day of school. While waiting, Luso finds a magical book that sucks him into the world of Ivalice. And from there, its just a quest of finding his way back home. The game is kinda lacking in characters, only a few matter and most are just normal, generic stock characters. But the whole plot just feels like a Saturday morning cartoon, following more in the steps of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and not like the riveting story of the original Final Fantasy Tactics.

6/10

Gameplay: The gameplay has certainly improved since Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Its still the same isometric grid based battles, but with some minor changes. MP starts out at zero, but each turn rises up by 10. More job classes are available now, which only further increases the depth of the battle system. And a revamped Law system. Which brings me to another point. Some of the laws are just plain unfair, and probably only serve to irritate you. You'll find yourself kicking yourself when an enemy thief uses his steal command and successfully does it when the current law prohibits you from getting robbed.

8/10

Graphics: The graphics are almost just copy paste from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. The sprites are the same except for the new job classes and monsters, and the environment is pretty much the same. Almost all the character portraits are redrawn, with the exception of the barman. It just seems kinda lazy to me.

5/10

Sound: Final Fantasy has never skimped on music. Its fantastically done, and has some Final Fantasy 12 songs in it to boot. And the sound effects are also quite nice. Each bladed weapon gives off a different attack sound depending on what type of weapon it is.

9/10

Some of the things were done right, and some things needed improvement, but Square-Enix has released a fairly enjoyable game for any kind of Final Fantasy or general RPG fan.

Final Score: 7/10

Weekend Watch: Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake

Another weekend with a new game to look out for. This time its Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake due out for the PSP this Tuesday. It is a PSP version of the hit PSN game Fat Princess that came out on the PS3 last Summer. This version has some differences with its PS3 cousin. First is the extended single player story. With a few extra missions , it'll definitely last longer. And let's not forget new game modes. Only downside is the reduced online capabilities due to the PSP hardware. It will be available as a PSN download or UMD.

Weekend Watch: Super Streetfighter 4

Super Street Fighter 4 is the latest edition of the successful Street Fighter franchise due out this Tuesday for the PS3 and Xbox 360. It is an update to Street Fighter 4, which was previously released on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. It features a cast of returning characters, fan favorites, and brand new characters. I missed out on Street Fighter 4, but this looks like a very promising purchase for me. Or I might wait for the probably inevitable Super Street Fighter 4 Turbo...