It was just announced through the latest issue of the Famitsu magazine that a new character pair has just been added to the upcoming ATLUS action crossover title “Persona 4 Arena Ultimax“. The game – which brings the characters from “Persona 3” and “Persona 4” together for a fighting game to end all fighting games – will now feature another playable character though, this time, it is actually two separate characters that will make up the one fighter.
Ken Amada – one of the main characters from “Persona 3” and the youngest member of “S.E.E.S” – will team up with Koromaru the white Shiba Inu (another “Persona 3” favorite) to form one hell of a formidable team! No actual information regarding the mixed fighting style of this boy/dog team has been released but it’s safe to assume that, in good time, more info will be released. Stick to the site for any and all news as it is released. “Persona 4 Arena Ultimax” is set for a release on the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 in North America this Fall/Autumn.
After the events of last episode (which shall echo throughout time and space as one of the most over the top anime sequences ever), our heroes now have a Flugel to call their own. Now bearing access to the library they sought and that of Jibril the Flugel, Sora and Shiro begin planning for their latest goal as King: Conquering the Eastern Federation.
All around this episode follows a much slower pace than the climactic one that preceded it. For the earlier half, we bear witness to just how well Jibril is accommodating to her new life as Sora and Shiro’s slave. It’s surprisingly well. So interested in their otherwordly bodies, Jibril is more than happy to aid the siblings in their endeavours. Of course there are times when her overzealous, scientific side comes out, but, as we saw, all Sora or Shiro has to do is tell her to sit and everything’s fine. Them’s the breaks of losing after all. Despite her unrelenting fervour for cataloguing our protagonist’s information, Jibril does possess the capability for compassion, though she thinly masks it under the guise of helping her Masters. For example, when Steph was feeling upset, Jibril acted on her own in an effort to console her…to make Sora feel better of course. Isn’t she sweet? She also apparently possesses the ability to create some form of alternate dimension or somesuch wonder, hence the wacky kitchen she allowed Steph to use. So that’s pretty cool too.
Flugels know not the concept of “personal space”
With the follow up introduction out of the way, the episode spends its time pondering the idiocy of the former King. As you’d expect Stephanie doesn’t take to kindly to everybody insulting her grandfather and promptly storms off. Okay, I understand how close she was to her grandfather and how devastated she is that he’s gone, but Steph really needs to get some thicker skin. Everytime somebody references the stupid former King, she loses it, hell it’s what led her to challenge Sora way back when. My main source of contention with her emotional viewpoint however, was how it caused her to lose faith in Sora…again. How many time’s has it been now? It seems like every other episode Steph is questioning Sora’s motivations and his worthiness as King. But you know what she hasn’t seemed to figure out yet? He always proves worthy. In every moment of doubt that Steph succumbs to, it’s always Sora (or Shiro) that pulls her out of it, having expressed some poetic point about existence. Again, I understand where Steph is coming from when her grandfather’s principles are questioned, but she let’s it override her own beliefs so quickly. Hopefully now though, after entrusting Sora with her grandfather’s key, Steph can finally and fully accept that Sora is Imanity’s greatest ally…even if he does act like an idiot.
Speaking of Stephanie’s grandfather, this episode throws us a curveball that turns our perception of him on its head: He wasn’t an idiot. I know that sounds childishly simple, but it really did shine a whole new light on the character. As Sora himself noted, though most of Imanity/Humanity is full of nothing but crap, there are a few who stand out, a few real people who can achieve greatness. A realisation he came to eight years ago, the first time he met Shiro. In one sentence, the young girl managed to see through the facade that Sora carried when he was younger, seeing his true, empty self. Even back then Shiro was blunt. Anyway, now knowing that there is hope and potential within the mediocrity of human existence, Sora is more than willing to believe that the former King was also one of who held promise. Willing to go down in history as the Foolish King, Stephanie’s grandfather secretly devised a plan to aid his successor. You see, the Eastern Federation utilises a very specific strategy in their battles, wherein they force all who lose to forget every single detail of the game played. Though this prevents any opponent from getting the upper hand, it also somewhat impedes the Eastern Federation. With the world completely unaware of anything regarding the game, challengers avoid the Federation, meaning that they cannot expand their borders or win anything. Of course Sora immediately picks up on this and, though not fully explained thus far, I’m sure it will be a plot point later on.
Before Blank
However, it would seem that the Federation’s strategy, and hubris, will be their downfall, courtesy of the former King. Having lost to the Federation eight times, the former King of Elkia appears to have been an idiot of the highest calibre. But, if everybody loses their memory of the game played, why would he keep going back? Back to a game that even the amazingly talented Jibril lost? Unless, he didn’t forget. But that would mean that the King possessed knowledge vital to anyone who would challenge the Eastern Federation…are you seeing how the King was smarter than he seemed? Sora hypothesises that, rather than forcing him to forget the rules of the mysterious game, the Federation merely made it so that the King could not discuss the details with anyone. Were that the case, the game must be one that Imanity has a chance of winning, hence the King returning another seven times after his defeat. Though the guessing won’t need to continue any further, as the former King found the greatest thing that anyone in Disboard could find: A loophole. Say the King was unable to explain the game to anyone as long as he lived, logic dictates that he would be able to relay the information after he died. Of course this is impossible to do verbally, but nowhere in the rules did it say he couldn’t write his thoughts down, only that he couldn’t show them to anybody. Thus in our eyes, the Foolish King became clever. It’s a truly heartwarming tale.
Honestly it was pretty cool seeing that there are characters other than Sora and Shiro who plan their moves ludicrously far ahead. Though I’ll admit that a lot of the former King’s plan was based on faith, essentially hinging on the arrival of a truly genius King with a talent for games (though this does explain the whole tournament to be King), Stephanie finding them worthy of bearing the Key, the King using the Key after discovering the mechanisms for opening the secret passageway to the door the Key opens and then understanding the former King’s notes and then deciding to utilise them to best the Eastern Federation…okay, so maybe most of it was luck, but it worked nonetheless.
Tears of vindication
With Steph’s faith restored and Sora in possession of knowledge no other opponent of the Eastern Federation has freely possessed, things are looking up for our heroes. Of course, some of their fellow Imanity still view them as fools and refuse to believe that Imanity could achieve victory without outside help *cough* Kurami *cough*. Talk about self loathing. Regardless, with what they now know, it’s time for Blank to head to the Eastern Federation and do what they do best: Win.
It was announced today – through the latest edition of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump – that two more Leaf Village ninjas will be joining the roster for the upcoming Bandai Namco fighting game; “Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution“. Konohamaru and Iruka were both revealed to be the next two fighters to join the scuffle and I personally think they’re two great additions to an already brilliant looking game.
The screenshots that were displayed in the magazine show Konohamaru being able to use Naruto’s own “Sexy Jutsu” technique as well as the extremely powerful “Rasengan”. Iruka, on the other hand, was only shown to be a victim of Konohamaru’s attacks. The magazine also revealed that there will be a character customization option for players who have kept the save game data from the previous “Naruto” title; “Ultimate Ninja Storm 3”.
Players can customize specific characters to look different while in battle. “Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution” is set for a release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC sometime this September for both North America and Europe.
Recently we reported on a magazine scan out of Japan detailing a new Dragon Ball Z game (tentatively titled New Dragon Ball project) that was in the works for PS3, Xbox 360 and perhaps most excitingly, the new PlayStation 4. Now we have some clearer screenshots of the game which do look pretty awesome but unfortunately still leave us in the dark about any details. One thing that seems certain is that the game will feature some sort of original story, as the screenshot below pictures an unknown character who has features of main series characters such as Trunk’s signature jacket and the Saiyan scouter.
There is also an unknown location featured in one screenshot which to me seems like something that could be related to Battle of Gods with the mysterious fruit on the tree and whimsical architecture. Will this simply be a battle map to fight on or will you be allowed to explore the Dragon Ball world in this game? It’s hard to tell at this early point but at least we can see the game looks pretty stunning, particularly that screenshot of Goku delivering a punch to Frieza. Seems like the jump to next gen will be very good to fans of anime fighting games.
The game recently opened an official website (albeit in Japanese) but this also doesn’t shed any new details on the game apart from the a promotional video is ‘coming soon’. We’re guessing a lot more information will be revealed at E3 so keep checking back with us as we present you the latest Dragon Ball information as it becomes available.
It’s ramping up to be one of the most hyped releases for next gen this year and now we get our first glimpse at some of the gameplay of Batman: Arkham Knight with the games newest trailer “Evening the Odds”. The trailer’s main focus is on the newly implemented Batmobile which looks amazingly devastating in action. We have been told that the Batmobile will have several awesome features, such as the ability to jump, perform speed boost, fire missiles, crash through obstacles and be called upon at any time (even when in the air as the Batmobile will drive to meet your landing point). We also get a glimpse of new villian the Arkham Knight, who seems to have the upper hand against out masked hero at the end of the trailer.
The plot in this final title of the Arkham is set one year after that of Arkham City and revolves around Scarecrow as he gathers Batman’s enemies to put an end to The Bat once and for all. The game will feature an enhanced combat system, new upgrades and gadgets and the return of Riddler trophies. Batman: Arkham Knight is releasing for PC, PS4 and Xbox One worldwide on October 14.
Here we are again, my friends! It’s episode seven of the “Stardust Crusaders” anime; an episode that continues us on our journey with the crew as they head into further into sea, boarding another boat, losing some more of their friends but gaining another quirky and ultimately nightmarish new enemy! It’s going to be a good week! If you missed out on the episode from last week, you can read about it by clicking here. Episode six had the team go up against a mighty, aquatic killer…and also a shark. Zing! I absolutely suggest you read my impressions for episode six before moving on, they’re both set out in the ocean and they’re both as silly as each other. Definitely something you don’t want to miss out on. Now onto episode seven; “Strength”.
– Mirror Mirror On The Wall… –
Mirror Mirror On The Wall…
It’s been well over a hundred years since DIO killed Jonathan and took his body yet every single time he is shown, the lord of darkness is partially naked and admiring it. Is he THAT in love with himself? Wait, that’s Jonathan’s body…is he THAT in love with Jonathan’s “jacked” torso? The start of episode seven has DIO staring into a full-body mirror while talking to his creepy shaman friend who, might I add, has absolutely no problems with him perpetually being on his way to fully undressing. With no sign of any naked girls around (like last time), I believe DIO has just come out of a “me time” session and is ready to talk seriously with the withering husk of a woman he’s probably commanded to stay in the corner of his…pyramid?
I’m still not sure exactly where DIO is but I’m sure he’s living in something outlandish. The vampire king has begun to worry about the Joestar crew getting closer to him stating that he fears the fact that he cannot underestimate them. So, to be clear; he doesn’t fear them, he doesn’t fear their power, he’s not worries about them defeating him, he’s simply concerned that he is unable to underestimate them…take that any way you want because I’ve got nothing. I assume this portion of the episode was to showcase DIO’s “emotions” but I’m not really sure it did that well because he was still too egotistical to be real about how he felt WHICH, I suppose, is another thing the showrunners wanted to bring to the audience’s attention…next time maybe put a shirt on, DIO. Then we’ll listen to your feelings.
– It’s A G-G-G-Ghost Boat! –
It’s A G-G-G-Ghost Boat!
We now return to the Joestar crew as they come into contact with some sort of “Scooby Doo-esque” ghost ship that doesn’t seem to have a soul onboard yet continues to run just as perfect as any other fully manned ship. The crew from the last boat – who all survived the explosion of their original ship alongside the team – spread out across this new ship, each one of them doing their best to look tougher than the others. The Joestar crew, on the other hand, quickly jump to as many conclusions as possible, most of which end up being true. Just like every single other episode. No but in all seriousness; the reason I wanted to bring focus to this particular part of the episode is because it actually showed the main “Stardust Crusaders” characters to be more than just…well…assholes. At one point during this set of scenes, the young stowaway from the last episode (who has yet to be named but let’s call her “Pico” for now) begins to start worrying about her safety and contemplates who it is she should really be trusting.
As soon as Pico shows signs of doubt towards Jotaro and his crew, Joseph turns around and tenderly explains that they’re the good guys and she can always trust them. It was a little corny, I’ll admit that, but it was also incredibly sincere and really telling of just who these characters are. After all, they ARE going to save the world…I think…hopefully. In true “ghost ship” fashion, a member of the old crew is killed by a mysterious swinging crane hook that hadn’t been controlled or directed by anyone! The crew jump to action and exclaim that people need to be wary of the entire ship…there’s a good chance it might be a “Stand”! Unfortunately, even after seeing their comrade killed by seemingly nothing, the old crew don’t listen and go wandering off to do their own thing. Luckily their just canon fodder for the enemy to demolish so as to prove his/her ability level. Pico eventually wanders into what looks to be an empty room but that’s not what it is! It’s the opposite of empty; there’s someone or someTHING in there! What could it be?
– Monkey Business. –
Monkey Business.
Turns out it’s a monkey. Sorry for the unnecessary hype, I just thought the reveal needed more “pizazz”. The beautiful mug you see above this paragraph is the orangutan that Pico discovers while searching through the ship, isn’t it unimaginably horrific? I’d be lying if I was to say this damn dirty ape didn’t scare the living shit out of me when it first appeared on screen so I’m just not going to say anymore about it. It is revealed that the only living inhabitant of this ship is a single orangutan but it quickly proves itself to be little more than just your standard ship monkey. After staring deep into Pico’s eyes while pointing towards the lock on it’s cage, the orangutan decides that it is time for a smoke and a bit of a perv. Not that he wasn’t already giving the young woman a bit of the lustful gaze. Reaching under what looks to be a pile of unidentified clothing, the orangutan reveals a porno mag and a pack of cigarettes, both of which he puts to good use to make himself seem real cool in front of the girl. That’s what women like in a man right? It’s how I try to “pick up”. Pico’s interaction with the ape left her feeling…dirty so she continued her tour of the ship hoping she’d soon find a shower to wash off all the monkey sex vibes.
She eventually finds a place to “freshen up” and then proceeds to age about five or six years in the time it took her to get completely naked so as to not have viewers inadvertently staring at a young, naked girl. Unfortunately Pico doesn’t exactly get a chance to enjoy her shower because it is quickly interrupted by…well, you know who. Mr. Orangutan forces himself onto Pico but luckily Jotaro is always just around the corner and he comes to save the day alongside his best friend “Star Platinum”. The ape has a bit of a freak out and fights back, revealing that HE is a “Stand” user.
Who would have though? Me. I thought it. It was kind of obvious. After a bit of a scuffle wherein which Jotaro gets shoulder stabbed with a sealing fan, he comes to the conclusion that it is the ship that is the ape’s “Stand”. Oh, also the rest of the crew are still on the main deck though they’re in a bit of trouble themselves but…do we really care about them? No. They’re fine. One thing I’ve come to understand about this series is that no one apart from who’s currently in a fight is in any trouble at all. Jotaro and the orangutan continue to “thrown down”, this takes up a bulk of the episode but, once again, there’s a lot of “talking” and only a small portion of fighting which is really the norm for series’ of this kind. Now that the monkey is defeated, what will happen to the boat? It will implode you say? Well then…EVERYBODY BACK INTO THE LIFE RAFTS!
– Welcome To Singapore! –
Welcome To Singapore!
Just before the end of the episode we’re, once again, met with DIO and his elderly lady friends still discussing what exactly is going to happen next. DIO is starting to get a little nervous; they survived two “Stand” users even while the odds were against them, they’re slowly getting closer to figuring out where he is and it seems as though Jotaro just continues to get stronger and stronger…DIO my friend, you’re dead. The shaman reveals that her son has already been dispatched to fight the crew, the man with two right hands…but for now the crew is safe once again!
Though I use the word “safe” lightly. The great thing about the ship imploding and the team’s fates being left up to the sea is that they still, despite all odds, made it to Singapore which is exactly where they wanted to go…they just had to destroy two ships to get there. The Griswolds have nothing on this oddball family, at this rate it’s hard to believe they will ever make it to Egypt. Right now, none of that other stuff matters at all because they’re on dry land, they’re in a beautiful country and they’ve already booked themselves a couple of hotel rooms but…who’s bunking with who? Also…what’s the creepy doll doing on the bedside table?
Check out the “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders” anime on Crunchyroll and check out more episode impressions HERE.
ALWAYS SOMETIMES MONSTERS TUGS AT YOUR HEARTSTRINGS TODAY, AVAILABLE NOW ON STEAM
– Inspired by True Events, a Game About Life, Love, and The Pursuit of Both –
Toronto, Canada – Independent developer Vagabond Dog and the emoting publishers at Devolver Digital announced today that the always sometimes semi-biographical and touching story-driven RPG, Always Sometimes Monsters, is available today on PC via Steam, GOG, and Humble. Demanding the answer to the question, ‘How far would you go to get what you really want?’, Always Sometimes Monsters takes players on a narrative-driven journey where they face tough life choices and the harsh reality of modern life.
Inspired by the real-life events of Vagabond Dog cofounder Justin Amirkhani while he hitchhiked his way across the U.S., Always Sometimes Monsters invites players to assume the role of a down-and-out character on the verge of collapse after learning the love of their life is set to marry someone else. And as in the real world, right isn’t always good, and wrong isn’t always bad; choice plays a huge role in the game.
Players will select characters of different gender, race and sexual orientation players and set off on a text-based story where they will quickly discover a world that reacts uniquely to who they are. Each play through is filled with a staggering number of diverging paths, creating a narrative tailored to the individual playing, their choices, and their personal ethical compass. Along the way, players are free to make their own choices as to who they want to become, where every single decision – whether as seemingly inconsequential like moving boxes for some quick temp work, or stepping in and assisting a band of union protesters in a riot – every action contributes to the overall course of narrative.
“Always Sometimes Monsters is an expression of our common struggle to exact choice in a reality where circumstance does not always provide us with the opportunity to do so. It is an experience heavily influenced by our personal journeys in life and the multitude of people whose roads have crossed ours,” said Justin Amirkhani from developer Vagabond Dog. “Our hope is that in playing the game you come to question what defines the decisions you make, not just in games but in life as well.”
Always Sometimes Monsters is now available on Steam, GOG and Humble via AlwaysSometimesMonsters.com with a 10% discount for a limited time during launch.
More information and discussion is ongoing at vagabonddog.com or on Twitter @VagabondDog.
The most expansive Gundam experience will arrive in Tecmo Koei Europe’s upcoming game DYNASTY WARRIORS®: GUNDAM Reborn on 27th June 2014 in retailers across Europe. Featuring Mobile Suits and their pilots from over 30 years of Gundam anime and manga, DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM Reborn boasts the largest in-game roster of Mobile Suits and number of missions yet.
Today Tecmo Koei Europe also revealed additional content, exclusively available to those who pre-order DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM Reborn.
Pre-orders through Game will receive a variation of mobile suit MSM-04 Acguy, the GPB-04B Beargguy (originally from Model Suit Gunpla Builders Beginning G). This particular suit, as the name suggests, has the form of a bear and it is not to be taken lightly as it carries a back-pack full of powerful guns. Other weapons include, among others, a particle gun and extendable claws.
Independent retailers –through Centresoft- will offer an additional scenario. In this battle mission, players are called to combat and defeat two of the most famous characters in the Gundam series, The Red Comet and the Crimson Lightning
New Batman: Arkham Knight Debut Gameplay Trailer Revealed
Today Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment debuted the first gameplay video from Batman: Arkham Knight. The Official Batman: Arkham KnightGameplay Trailer – “Evening the Odds” showcases Scarecrow’s return to Gotham City as he schemes to unite the Rogues Gallery and destroy Batman once and for all. As the citizens flee and criminal gangs take control, the Dark Knight evens the odds by taking to the streets in the legendary Batmobile to ignite the fight that will decide the future of the city that he is sworn to protect.
Batman: Arkham Knight is based on DC Comics’ core Batman license and will be available exclusively for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.
In the explosive finale to the Arkham series, Batman faces the ultimate threat against the city he is sworn to protect. The Scarecrow returns to unite an impressive roster of super villains, including Penguin, Two-Face and Harley Quinn, to destroy The Dark Knight forever. Batman: Arkham Knight introduces Rocksteady’s uniquely designed version of the Batmobile, which is drivable for the first time in the franchise. The addition of this legendary vehicle, combined with the acclaimed gameplay of the Batman Arkham series, offers gamers the ultimate and complete Batman experience as they tear through the streets and soar across the skyline of the entirety of Gotham City.
KING’S BUBBLE WITCH SAGA 2 IS BREWING AND COMING SOON TO FACEBOOK AND MOBILE DEVICES
LONDON & NEW YORK, 21 May 2014: It’s the witching hour once again! King Digital Entertainment plc (NYSE: KING), the leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world and creator of global sensations Candy Crush Saga and Farm Heroes Saga,today announced it will be bringing players back under the spell of one of its original breakout hits with the upcoming launch of Bubble Witch Saga 2. Coming soon to Facebook and mobile, this all-new instalment of the ever-popular bubblicious bubble shooter will enchant players with a wide variety of all-new bubble bursting game action.
Bubble Witch Saga 2 will present a spellbinding next chapter to Bubble Witch Saga, which has been played by millions of devoted players on both Facebook and mobile devices since it launched on Facebook in September 2011. Where the original Bubble Witch Saga was set in the East and drew from the wicked world of evil, Bubble Witch Saga 2 will bring gamers into the enchanted land of the West with the goal of doing good. Each exciting level of Bubble Witch Saga 2 will offer an exciting range of all-new game mechanics that will keep players engaged and on the edge of their broomsticks throughout their journey. In the pursuit of good, players can go further into the world of Witch Country by utilising additional boosters and game-play modes that allow them to more easily collect and clear groups of bubbles and magical elements.
Additionally, as with all King games, Bubble Witch Saga 2 on mobile will sync to Facebook so players can unlock new levels and access leader boards without losing their progress in the game. More details will be revealed closer to the game’s official release.
