Warner Brothers has decided to push back their release of F.E.A.R. 3 yet again until May of this year. Originally F.E.A.R. 3 was supposed to be released back in November of 2010 but was delayed until March 25th for unknown reasons. Yet again however they have decided to push back the third game of the F.E.A.R. series but supposedly this time it is to provide extra polish for the game.
It’s interesting to see that the game has been delayed for so long though if it is for actual polish then that is good news to hear. Fans of the series would much rather prefer the chance to play a fully functioning and non-buggy release instead of something that was released before it was fully developed. Or it could be for another reason entirely but unfortunately we have to wait longer for another dose of F.E.A.R.
Do you have one of those PS3’s with a huge hard drive and don’t have much room left to store your massive collection of games? Then you are in luck because BioWare will be releasing the entirety of Mass Effect 2 on the PlayStation Store next Tuesday when it releases in stores as well. This downloadable version will contain all of the specials that the retail version includes; such as the “Overlord,” “Lair of the Shadow Broker” and “Kasumi” DLC that PS3 users are getting free with purchase.
There is no set price for the downloadable version but it will most likely cost the same, or close to, the retail price that is being suggested at $60. If it does happen to be cheaper then it will be interesting to see the difference between the sales figures for each format. Though size of the download could play a part as well. You can also catch Mass Effect 2’s PS3 launch trailer, subtitles included thanks to the German branch of EA, below.
In true NIS America fashion, Hyperdimension Neptunia is going to be released with a Premium Edition. Hyperdimenison Neptunia will be released in a little more than a month and its time for NIS to vamp up the hyping even more than they have in the past. They have released information regarding their Premium Edition to tide fans over for a short time as they count down the days until they will be able to enter the world of Gameindustri.
The Premium Edition will come with a collectible box of course, as well as an illustrated artbook that will have character art and concept art as well as the original Japanese cover art that was unfortunately toned down for American release. No news on whether or not this edition will cost any more than your standard PS3 game but most likely it will not. Also fans will be glad to know that most of the DLC that has been released in Japan will also be released on the US PSN for download as well.
Big news Prinny fans, Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! has been released all across the US for purchase in stores in UMD format and you can also download it straight from the PSN if you feel like getting it that way instead. You can see our review of the game here. It may be very difficult but with 1000 prinny lives dood you can do it!
Also as you can see in my review of the game you will notice that collecting tickets to get the hidden Asagi Wars game is pretty difficult. Thankfully you will no longer have to worry about doing elaborate jumps and making it through Prinny 2 to successfully unlock Asagi Wars. NIS America has released a patch for Prinny 2 that you can get off of the PSN that will allow you to make your way into Asagi Wars without trouble. The method for doing so was posted on the Playstation blog and you can find it below.
Prinny 2: Asagi Wars Premium Special Ticket (free): Can’t wait for Asagi to become the main character? Well, she can’t either! Grab this special ticket and help Asagi come to the front of the line. Gain access to Asagi Wars right from the beginning! Forget the Prinnies, this time Asagi can be the hero! In order to activate after installing, place the cursor on “New Game” at the title screen and press the buttons in the order of: ∆, □, о, ∆, □, о, ×
It will only cost you 481 KB of storage and works perfectly fine. This way you’ll have a much easier way of getting to Asagi Wars if you don’t feel like doing it the standard way.
505 Games, publishers of Supremacy MMA which is being developed for Xbox 360 and PS3, have announced that they will be working with Jens Pulver for their fighting game.
Former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver will lend his likeness and story to Supremacy MMA. While the official license for UFC remains firmly in the grasp of THQ, this is a step in the right direction, getting some big names of the industry on board. As part of the deal, Pulver will also represent the game during a variety of real fights, the first of which will be XFO 38 “Supremacy MMA” on January 22, 2011 in Woodstock, Chicago.
Furthermore, they have released another trailer for the game, showcasing the unsanctioned, unlicensed style of delivery and the brutal, raw combat the game hones in on, as opposed to the very flash, television-like presentation of other MMA/UFC games.
Do the underground aesthetics of Supremacy MMA appeal to you? It is looking to give a grittier, more true-to-life representation of the sport by going down the route it has. Be aware, the trailer isn’t really suitable for minors.
We carry good news for owners of Pokémon HeartGold, SoulSilver, Platinum, Diamond and Pearl. From next month you’ll be able to capture Shiny versions of Legendary Pokémon Raikou, Entei and Suicine.
As they are shiny Pokémon they will be a different colour than normal and carry an unusual twinkle as well which will be evident if you encounter them, or after you’ve caught them, put them to use in battle. They will only be available through this special promotion via Wi-Fi connection from 7 February.
It appears the announcement comes with a further silver lining too as those buying Pokémon Black & White should also know that there’s an extra perk carried by the Pokémon from this opportunity. As we understand it, they will help in your capture Zorua and Zoroark in the new Pokémon adventures.
After publishing Arc Rise Fantasia last year, UTV Ignition are at it again with yet another game which looks to stun players with visuals as well as create a whole new way to play an action-adventure game with El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. If you have never heard of El Shaddai before, now is the time to take notice as this could be one of the most ground-breaking releases of this year.
El Shaddai is an alternate telling of the biblical mythology as narrated in the ‘heretical’ Book of Enoch, part of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The gameplay is actually more if a unique action-adventure which has a very stunning design making for a whole new original experience. It should also be noted the huge team that are working on this title with Japanese developers whose former credits include the huge franchises such as Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, and Okami.
Here is a bit more info from UTV Ignition on El Shaddai:
El Shaddai: ASCENSION OF THE METATRON features a disruptive next-generation combat system and stunning original direction from director Sawaki Takeyasu, previously the art director on Okami – considered by some media as ‘the most beautiful action game ever created.’
“With an immensely talented development team combined with the game’s highly inspired action game play and strikingly unique art style, I am proud to deliver this game to gamers all over the world. I hope you will enjoy the wonderful game experience of El Shaddai,” said Game Director Sawaki Takeyasu.
“El Shaddai: ASCENSION OF THE METATRON has been muted by the media as one of the most anticipated titles of 2011 and UTV Ignition is looking forward to its success,” UTV Ignition Entertainment Chairman Hassan Sadiq.
Judging by the screenshots and the pure excitement and passion of Takeyasu, it looks like El Shaddai has a lot of potential to be a break out title, or franchise even of 2011. We still don’t have an official date on El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron as of yet except for Spring, but it will be hitting both the Xbox 360 and PS3 in just a few months so rest assured as new information comes forward, we will be sure to bring them to you.
For now though, you can check out the official website here, which features some music and visuals that should hold you over until then. You can also check out five new screenshots below.
If you were on the fence about pre-ordering a copy of the new Dragon Quest title, Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation, you might as well head to Gamestop and get that over with as all customers who pre-order are getting a snazzy little slime plush (pictured above) when they order online or pick up in store. The Dragon Quest series as a whole is starting to see more and more attention in the west since the highly successful launch of Dragon Quest IX last year and I am happy to see a nice bonus being added to this remake.
So unless you have no heart and would look this innocent slime in the eyes and just say no, I recommend you to pre-order what might be one of the best RPGs hitting the DS this year while giving one of these lovable slimes a home. Dragon Quest VI officially releases on February 14th for the Nintendo DS and for more information on this bonus you can check out GameStop’s official listing for the title here.
Hard Corps: Uprising by KONAMI has been selected to front Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade House Party event. Hard Corps: Uprising, the next game in the Contra series, is set to be released for download on February 16 for 1,200 Microsoft Points(about $20) on the XBLA, where a game a week will be released over the next five weeks. Included in the lineup are Bejeweled Blitz Live, Full House Pokerand highly anticipated HD remake of the classic game Beyond Good and Evil from Ubisoft.
Make sure you grab them all, I know I am.
For more information on Hard Corps: Uprising, visit their Facebook page
Platform(s): iPad (reviewed)/iPhone/iPod Touch Publisher(s): Activision Developer(s): Bizarre Creations Genre(s): Action Release Date: April 10, 2010 Price: $1.19 – Available here
Players first got a taste of the addictive arcade shooter ‘Geometry Wars’ as an Easter egg mini-game hidden within Bizarre Creations 2003’s racer ‘Project Gotham Racing 2’. It has since reached XBLA fame, released a sequel and many spinoffs like this one, ‘Geometry Wars: Touch’. A port of ‘Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2’ for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Squeezing all the features and shooting greatness into the palm of your hands. The original game has been retained in this ambitious port even adding in an extra game mode.
Gameplay
Players control a small white ship in this arcade shoot ‘em up. The goal of the game is to score points by destroying various enemy ships. The game caters for both casual and hardcore players with seven game modes – Deadline, King, Evolved, Pacifism, Waves, Sequence and the touch exclusive Titans, as well as competitive multiplayer variations on these game modes, where you and a friend team up with one another to gain the higher score. These game modes are quite varied and provide a good mix of gameplay with their own unique rules and twists on the original formula. Perfect for casual players who just want to kill five minutes and those who want to chase their next highscore on the leaderboard.
Despite solid and well mixed gameplay, controls in this game takes a lot of time to get use to and initially feel very awkward, especially to anyone who has played the game on Xbox. You control and fire your ship with two virtual analogue thumbsticks which are automatically placed whenever you touch the left or right hand side of the screen, ideally the best position to place your thumbs are on the bottom left and right hand corners. Otherwise you block up the screen with your hands, which I was doing when I first started playing. Controls are customizable but only to a limited degree, either movement or firing on one thumbstick or on two. Turning up the touch sensitivity does help players find their ideal playing position, but still does not fix the problem.
Like most arcade games, gaining a higher score and position on leaderboards is a major motivation for players to pursue in Geometry Wars: Touch. The leaderboards are automatically updated with player’s scores instantly after they have finished. Players also have the option to post their score on to Facebook via the game’s social media link. Strangely, offline scoring isn’t stored at all. A player’s score is only kept if they have an internet connection and have signed in with their Facebook account or through a Geometry Wars legacy account. This essentially means that anyone without an internet connection, their scores are going to be wiped from the game after they’ve finish playing. And for a game that relies so heavily on its leaderboards it’s just bizarre that the developers would leave out this feature.
Graphics and Audio
The graphics and audio in this game are impressive, bright vivid neon light coloured enemies and explosion fit in well with the addictive gameplay. It is very thrilling to see all these lights explode around your ship as you frantically shoot off enemies. It’s also a nice touch, to see the background grid morphs and change back into shape whenever you respawn, set off a bomb or destroy certain enemies. The bright vivid neon lights are also extended in the game’s overall futuristic yet retro 8-bit feel and theme. The game’s soundtrack also reflects this, featuring very catchy techno tunes and beats. This especially seen in game modes such as Pacifism and Evolved where the game’s music complement’s the rising difficulty which comes together in a very hectic yet visually stunning screen. Whist the graphics may not be on par with its Xbox counterpart, it’s good to see that Bizarre Creations were able to jam in this level of quality.
Overall
If you can pass Geometry Wars: Touch’s short comings, awaked controls and no offline scoring, it is still a very fun addictive game, that features solid gameplay and unique visuals. The game is best played with an internet connection as your time and effort is rewarded with leaderboards, but still the game is great for casual players on the go who are just looking for a quick gaming hit or two. Not to mention its new low price Geometry Wars: Touch is definitely worth a go.
