Lufia II trailer shows plenty of action
November 30, 2009 by Mike · Leave a Comment
You know the hero in Lufia II is going to be badass.
If you’re an RPG fan, then you may have observed that the DS is in dire need of more action RPGs. Notice that for every Lunar Knights, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, Phantasy Star 0, The World Ends With You, and Mario & Luigi, there are months (or even years) of waiting between them. And beyond these games, there aren’t that many options in the subgenre worthy of your hard-earned money.
The next action RPG you should be looking forward to is coming, but again, you’re going to have to wait. Lufia II, as revealed in the new trailer, is coming to Japan on February 25, 2010. Alas, no North American release date has been announced, so all you can do for now is watch and drool at what Lufia II is going to offer.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Fils-Aime: Chicks dig the Wii
November 28, 2009 by Mike · Leave a Comment
There's something about the Wii that the women love.
The Regginator is again making headlines. This time, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime asserts that 9 million female gamers play the Wii. Guess what? According to Reggie, this 9 million stands for 80% of the 11 million “primary players” from all corners of the globe. The “primary players” are those main users of the game consoles.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Review - Phantasy Star 0 (DS)
Yes, like other console RPGs, this one has a "magical" girl.
If there’s one common characteristic of the console RPG subgenre, it’s this: combat is usually detached from the real action. Fighting is carried out by choosing options from a menu, and the only tangible feedback shown is the damaged character blinking. Apparently, someone from Sonic Team has been taking notes, and has crafted Phantasy Star 0 for the DS. Interestingly, Phantasy Star 0 plays a lot like Phantasy Star Online, a Dreamcast game released almost a decade ago. The difference—you get to play Phantasy Star 0 on the road.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Reviews Surfing - Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (Wii)
November 25, 2009 by Mike · Leave a Comment
This Resident Evil looks sooo good.
While the DS has a dearth of survival horror games, the Wii, on the other hand, is releasing scary titles left and right. Perhaps the most widespread of these survival horror games are those of the rail shooting variety. Just last month, we’ve seen the critics weigh in on Dead Space: Extraction. Today, the experts speak their minds about Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, which is based on the events of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil: Code Veronica. What do the critics think? Find out after the jump.
Atomic Gamer: (92%) “In essence, what the game may lack in exposition or narrative complexity it makes up for in nostalgic capital, a refined weapons system and a classic Resident Evil feel. This is, for the most part, more than I can say about RE5; perhaps the dev team for the inevitable RE6 would do well to delve into their own past before deciding where to go from here.”
Destructoid: (85%) “Where many on-rails shooters are content to offer a short, standard arcade adventure, The Darkside Chronicles offers a campaign experience on-par with just about any action/horror game out there. If you don’t like the on-rails genre because you think the games are always too short or too shallow, you may want to rethink those notions. Games like Darkside Chronicles and Dead Space Extraction are evolving the genre in a fantastic way, and that’s something you might not want to miss out on.”
1UP: (83%) “And though I’m sure Darkside Chronicles can elicit a yelp or two from more casual players (co-op monster killing is always better with a friend or loved one!), storied Resident Evil fans likely won’t bat an eye at the umpteenth zombie ambush. About the only moments of real tension I had were when I spotted an herb or other valuable item, and frantically tried to grab it before the camera swung in the other direction. Not to say the game is boring, though, because even though it’s a little more passive, this will probably be the closest thing to a complete RE2 remake in our lifetime. Darkside Chronicles looks great, has a good amount of content, and is mindlessly fun without the mindless gaffes of its predecessor.”
Game Informer: (80%) “Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles acts as a fantastic primer for those who started with the more action-centric Resident Evil iterations, while simultaneously providing fan service and fun for dedicated followers. Novices and veterans alike would be doing themselves a disservice by passing up this game.”
The Darkside Chronicles is a Resident Evil I wouldn’t want to miss. I don’t normally say such things about a game I’ve never played, but this rail shooter might just be the exception. Consider: The Darkside Chronicles looks so good that certain Capcom 5 producers think it’s possible to bring Resident Evil 5 to the Wii. If you want to experience Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, then go for it—the game is already out.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
The nightmare continues in Dementium II
November 24, 2009 by Mike · Leave a Comment
Dementium characters are oozing with charisma.
Survival horror games for the Nintendo DS are rare because—let’s face it, scaring people is tough when your hardware isn’t powerful enough and the display is small. You need great graphics and sound to invoke terror, and the DS, while capable of such feats, is considered to be at a disadvantage. The last survival horror game that graced the handheld was back in 2007, when Dementium: The Ward came out. Incidentally, the next survival horror game is a sequel to Dementium. Welcome to the Bright Dawn Treatment Center, the setting for Dementium II.
If you’ve finished the original Dementium, then you should know that the nightmare isn’t over. Prepare for phase two of the operation.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Player-created mod for Super Mario World is EVIL
November 23, 2009 by Mike · Leave a Comment
Everything about this level is EVIL.
So you finally have New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and according to some reports, the new platformer is as tough as Contra. Do you really believe that? While MTV Multiplayer and Joystiq’s assertions are possible, there can truly be no comparison to the sheer evil you’re about to witness in Super Mario World. But wait! Before you start asking which world the video is from, let me be clear: it’s a player-created mod.
As you’ll see, the level is mind-numbingly difficult. So difficult that the video can be hard to watch in some stretches. Enjoy.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Wii, DS could regain lead in Japan in Q4
November 21, 2009 by Mike · Leave a Comment
Nintendo's holiday performance rests on Mario and Zelda.
Despite the Wii and DS’s hefty overall lead in the system wars, this week’s Japanese hardware charts show that the PlayStation 3 and PSP has taken a chunk out of Nintendo’s advantage. According to Kotaku, PSP sales have shot to the top spot, leaving the DSi and Wii in third and fourth place, respectively. The PS3, on the other hand, “declined” to number two.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Review - Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans (DS)
November 20, 2009 by Mike · Leave a Comment
Attack of the Saiyans is short and sweet.
As a game franchise, Dragon Ball is known for its hyperkinetic fighting titles. If you’re an avid fan who pays attention to everything that pastes Son Goku’s mug on the box, then you probably know that there are also a few Dragon Ball RPGs in existence and Attack of the Saiyans is one of them. The Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans story follows the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament and goes all the way to the Vegeta-Goku showdown. Like a Dragon Ball fight, Attack of the Saiyans is fast and action packed, but is it any good?
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Reviews Surfing - New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
November 18, 2009 by Mike · Leave a Comment
Itsa me! Mario!
After two years of waiting, Nintendo fans finally get another Super Mario game on the Wii. While New Super Mario Bros. Wii isn’t quite a 3D installment like Super Mario Galaxy, there’s no mistaking it: the new Mario platformer is a marquee game on the Nintendo console, through and through. New Super Mario Bros. Wii has the obsessive coin collecting, devious jumps, and multiplayer cooperative play, the source of all homicidal frenzy. Just what do the critical curmudgeons think of New Super Mario Bros. Wii? Check out the reviews after the jump.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
The Legend of Zelda pre-launch twist revealed in trailer
Spirit Tracks holds a secret!
Since its inception in the mid-1980s, The Legend of Zelda has always been about rescuing Princess Zelda, but things have changed. In the next Zelda for the DS, the titular princess would be accompanying our Hylian hero Link in his quest to restore the Spirit Tracks. There is however a surprise: Zelda isn’t quite her royal self.
Let the video after the jump tell you all about it:
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
