Apparently Microsoft isn't the only one with summer release plans (meanwhile Nintendo appears content to continue sitting on the sidelines. How long until Steam's summer sale hits I wonder?) Anyway, Tuesday, July 3rd, the following games will be available at 30% off (50% off if you are a PlayStation Plus Member).
J.U.L.I.A Untold HD - iPad Review
I recently touched on the game J.U.L.I.A for the PC, and found myself liking it quite a bit. Recently Lace Mamba released J.U.L.I.A. Untold HD for iOS, which is a direct spinoff of the original game. Like the original J.U.L.I.A, Untold HD tells a self-contained story through a text-heavy adventure augmented with a wide variety of puzzle games.
J.U.L.I.A - PC Review
I really did not know what to expect when going into J.U.L.I.A for the first time. I had liked some of the screenshots I had seen, and enjoy a good adventure game from time to time. This sci-fi game starts you off in the role of a scientist who wakes up after a long period of cryogenic sleep to find out she is the only person left on her ship, which is run by an AI that informs you that your ships is damaged in orbit around a mysterious planet and that the AI's memory is missing in places.
Worth the wait? Mass Effect 3 - Extended Cut DLC
I have given a lot of coverage to Mass Effect 3 at this site so far, including a review where I gave the game high marks despite the controversial ending. While I did not mind the ending, it was quickly made clear that a lot of other fans felt that it was a complete disservice. I never fell in-line with that thinking, but I did feel like the ending was lacking in impact from your decisions and it felt a bit undercooked. Shortly after the public backlash over the ending to Mass Effect 3, Bioware promised an Extended Cut DLC that would not fundamentally change the ending, but add context to what was already out there. So how did it fare? Warning - spoilers ahead!
My recent articles on Otaku Gaming
Well, with me having been ridiculously sick, my posting volume on Otaku Gaming was certainly affected as well. Still, I managed to get out a fair number of posts and maybe a few will interest you? Let's start off with my article about Ragnarok Tactics and its release information.
Marvel Pinball 3D for 3DS - Trailer, Screens & Release Info
So I just saw a press release from ZEN Studios in reference to Marvel Pinball 3D for the Nintendo 3DS, which is set to release June 28th, 2012 in North America and Europe for the Nintendo eShop.
Oh it's been a long, long week and weekend...
And unfortunately that's not 'long weekend' as in: It was loads of fun.
No, I managed to stay sick for over a week and I'm still not at 100% and don't expect that I will be until Wed or Thursday at the moment, but the worst of the bronchial infection appears to be over. This is absolutely the sickest I have been in at least 10-15 years. I mean, the first few days, I didn't even play video games. That's like deathbed illness there I tell you.
But, over the weekend I did log some pretty heavy game time between Mass Effect 3's multiplayer, Game of Thrones on Steam, Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 on Steam and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 for the PS3.
No, I managed to stay sick for over a week and I'm still not at 100% and don't expect that I will be until Wed or Thursday at the moment, but the worst of the bronchial infection appears to be over. This is absolutely the sickest I have been in at least 10-15 years. I mean, the first few days, I didn't even play video games. That's like deathbed illness there I tell you.
But, over the weekend I did log some pretty heavy game time between Mass Effect 3's multiplayer, Game of Thrones on Steam, Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 on Steam and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 for the PS3.
Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 release
While I am down and mostly out sick (bronchial infection) - I got excited to read about the release of the latest Magic game. I have reviewed the last couple and have been enjoying my return to playing the actual card game of late to, so this is a welcome release for me that I hope to get a review out for sooner than later. Here is the press release:
Quick update - plus Tomba!
So, pretty much still sick as a dog. A very old dog. At least that's how I'm feeling today. And still at work because we had a big software release today. So, not much of a post here today, expect to say Tomba! has made its debut on the PlayStation Network. Here's the related info:
Thrillville: Off the Rails - Wii Review
Hopefully you all had a nice weekend? Mine was equal parts fun and not-so-fun. The not-so-fun is I've been fighting a flu-like something-or-other since Saturday afternoon and it's still kicking my butt as of this morning. The fun came in the form of going to a nearby amusement park with my kiddos one day this weekend, which seemed like the perfect lead-in for this review.
My family loves theme parks. Roller coasters in particular are a hit with us. My oldest, maybe not quite as much, but my wife, two youngest and myself think a weekend at Cedar Point is one of the best experiences ever. In terms of older theme park games, I played some title on my PlayStation 1 called Theme Park a zillion years ago, and don't recall a lot about it except my wife was fascinated with it and it served as her entrance into the world of Roller Coaster Tycoon titles.
Thrillville: Off the Rails is one of those titles I have been getting to reviewing lately that is older - a few years old. As such you can probably find it quite inexpensively now either used, or in bargain bins. I still think there is value in going over titles like this though, because people may decide to give it a try if they see it on sale somewhere - or maybe the premise interests them and they did not know it was out there in the first place.
This is a simulation/building title. You manage your park, setting up rides, prices and layouts while trying to meet goals along the way. Perhaps the biggest twist for me over those older titles I mentioned was the way in which the mini-games are incorporated into the parks and can actually be played by you.
My family loves theme parks. Roller coasters in particular are a hit with us. My oldest, maybe not quite as much, but my wife, two youngest and myself think a weekend at Cedar Point is one of the best experiences ever. In terms of older theme park games, I played some title on my PlayStation 1 called Theme Park a zillion years ago, and don't recall a lot about it except my wife was fascinated with it and it served as her entrance into the world of Roller Coaster Tycoon titles.
Thrillville: Off the Rails is one of those titles I have been getting to reviewing lately that is older - a few years old. As such you can probably find it quite inexpensively now either used, or in bargain bins. I still think there is value in going over titles like this though, because people may decide to give it a try if they see it on sale somewhere - or maybe the premise interests them and they did not know it was out there in the first place.
This is a simulation/building title. You manage your park, setting up rides, prices and layouts while trying to meet goals along the way. Perhaps the biggest twist for me over those older titles I mentioned was the way in which the mini-games are incorporated into the parks and can actually be played by you.
Tekken Hybrid - PlayStation 3 Review
At first glance, Tekken Hybrid looks like a pretty full package. It comes with an HD version of the venerable Tekken Tag Tournament, which was both an arcade and PlayStation 2 title. It also comes with a completely CGI movie called Tekken Blood Vengeance and Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Prologue. All in all, it is a pretty good package that provides some value for fans of the series, but how does it hold up?
Tekken 6 - Xbox 360 Review
I first got hooked on the Tekken series way back on the PlayStation. There is no number after that, just the first PlayStation. That console was home to some really good RPG and fighting games, but Tekken stood out as arguably my favorite fighter at the time.
Left 4 Dead - Xbox 360 Review
This one's been out for a few years, so I'm giving it the slightly more lightweight treatment, which is fare because as good as the game is, there is not a ton of meat on its bones. For starters, this is not a game that is meant to be played in single player. I can't imagine trying to enjoy this game fully if you do not have an Xbox Live Gold account. My son loves shooters like this, and I tend to enjoy them as well - we both enjoyed this title, though he definitely got more mileage out of it than I did (using my account because he does not have Gold).
The key to this game is the multiplayer, and to that end it is pitch perfect in a lot of ways. The title's about three or four years old now so the graphics tend to look a bit dated for this generation of console, but the lightning effects are appropriately creepy and it handles the massive amount of movement (ie: ranging zombie hordes) very well.
The music and voice work add a movie-like quality to this title. I am a bit of a sucker for zombie survival movies and shows, and I felt like Left 4 Dead definitely nailed the particular vibe. The game plays pretty smoothly. It is a survival shooter, and the controls are fairly smooth and even now there are people playing it. My son fired it up about a month ago and still immediately found a match to participate in. Considering the game can be had for about $10 new, that is not a bad value. There is a lot of replay to be had here, which is good since there really are not very many scenarios/maps.
I wouldn't toss a little kid in front of it - it is rated M for Mature for blood, gore, intense violence and language. My son handles his content pretty well, being a teenager now (and therefore making me feel very old, but that's an entirely different post), but I wouldn't let my youngest daughter who is 10 probably play it. Not a bad way to get together with some online friends and kill time. I haven't however, had a chance to try the sequel, which I hear is even better than this and might make for a better investment depending on cost.
The key to this game is the multiplayer, and to that end it is pitch perfect in a lot of ways. The title's about three or four years old now so the graphics tend to look a bit dated for this generation of console, but the lightning effects are appropriately creepy and it handles the massive amount of movement (ie: ranging zombie hordes) very well.
The music and voice work add a movie-like quality to this title. I am a bit of a sucker for zombie survival movies and shows, and I felt like Left 4 Dead definitely nailed the particular vibe. The game plays pretty smoothly. It is a survival shooter, and the controls are fairly smooth and even now there are people playing it. My son fired it up about a month ago and still immediately found a match to participate in. Considering the game can be had for about $10 new, that is not a bad value. There is a lot of replay to be had here, which is good since there really are not very many scenarios/maps.
I wouldn't toss a little kid in front of it - it is rated M for Mature for blood, gore, intense violence and language. My son handles his content pretty well, being a teenager now (and therefore making me feel very old, but that's an entirely different post), but I wouldn't let my youngest daughter who is 10 probably play it. Not a bad way to get together with some online friends and kill time. I haven't however, had a chance to try the sequel, which I hear is even better than this and might make for a better investment depending on cost.
What have I been posting at Otaku Gaming?
Lots and lots of things. First off - thanks for all the looks and comments during E3. I decided to go with a more ddigest-form or it this year as opposed to last year where I was tossing out some high Twitter traffic and doing just a couple of roundup pages. I know I got a couple of comments that I managed to highlight a few games that others missed - was my E3 posting of use/interest then by and large or not?
Well, aside from E3 and a lot of the big name announcements, I was surprised at how many other games and companies that were a bit lesser-known were also putting out tons of announcements, and I tried to track a lot of that over on Otaku Gaming. It wound up being a pretty active week and change on that site for me as well, so here's the breakdown for those who are interested.
We can kick things off with the announcement that Dark Souls will be releasing DLC for consoles to include that extra content coming out for the Prepare to Die PC version.
Well, aside from E3 and a lot of the big name announcements, I was surprised at how many other games and companies that were a bit lesser-known were also putting out tons of announcements, and I tried to track a lot of that over on Otaku Gaming. It wound up being a pretty active week and change on that site for me as well, so here's the breakdown for those who are interested.
We can kick things off with the announcement that Dark Souls will be releasing DLC for consoles to include that extra content coming out for the Prepare to Die PC version.
Happy Monday!
Yeah, that title's about as excited as I can get for a Monday morning. That said, I had a pretty solid weekend. Got lots of gaming in over it and got to catch Prometheus to boot (I dug it). What games have you guys been playing of late? My list grew a bit over the weekend. Here's what I've been taking a stab at:
Highlights from E3 - Part 7
So maybe I spoke just a bit too soon about Nintendo not having any other franchises to talk about. Even better? They threw a bone to Wii owners as well with...
Highlights from E3 - Part 6
Brraaaaaiiiiiiiinssss.....
It's amazing how popular zombies have become in our culture of late. Between that and vampires, we seem to enjoy our undead, but personally I am just about zombie-d out. Even so, the game...
It's amazing how popular zombies have become in our culture of late. Between that and vampires, we seem to enjoy our undead, but personally I am just about zombie-d out. Even so, the game...
Highlights from E3 - Part 5
One of the best things about E3 in my opinion, is getting to see cutting edge visuals on display. I already touched on the Final Fantasy demo, but one of the most notable announcements came from Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream with...
Highlights from E3 - Part 4
With a household of gamers of varying ages and interests, I find myself considering a lot of titles that might not immediately appeal to me. That's not to say that Forza or Kingdom Hearts titles are bad games, but they are not ones I would give much thought to when there are announcements and trailers released. However, knowing that my youngest daughter loves LittleBigPlanet or my son enjoys all things Call of Duty, I find myself examining games more closely than I might otherwise do - and occasionally find myself pleasantly surprised when I do.
My oldest? She mostly plays games like The Sims, but she absolutely loves games with unique artwork too. She might not play, but she will plop down next to me and watch me play, which can be fun too because it gets us sitting together and talking as we pass the time. One such title I think will appeal to her is...
My oldest? She mostly plays games like The Sims, but she absolutely loves games with unique artwork too. She might not play, but she will plop down next to me and watch me play, which can be fun too because it gets us sitting together and talking as we pass the time. One such title I think will appeal to her is...
Highlights from E3 - Part 3
Round three of... well, I don't know how many yet. As someone who owns every current-gen system except the Vita though, I have quite the interest in a wide variety of releases. And quite frankly, there is a solid chance I wind up with a Vita sometime in the next year, so even those titles interest me. Since I'm talking Sony specifically, and led off with Xbox exclusives last article, let's kick things off with...
Highlights from E3 - Part 2
One of the great things about being console agnostic is I get excited about a wide range of games and do not believe in fanboyism. Do I come to appreciate the offerings of one system more than another, or one game series more than another? Sure, but it is personal preference and not some blind devotion or loyalty to a company because I plunked money down on their system and feel an irrational need to defend that decision by ripping on another console.
As a result? I watch events like E3 and simply try to take it all in and figure out what games and hardware over the next year or two is going to appeal to my family and myself and not get riled up over console exclusives. So, here is the second part of my highlights from E3, starting with...
As a result? I watch events like E3 and simply try to take it all in and figure out what games and hardware over the next year or two is going to appeal to my family and myself and not get riled up over console exclusives. So, here is the second part of my highlights from E3, starting with...
Highlights from E3 - Part 1
So this week I have commented on my own E3 thoughts, and how I came away disappointed from the conferences that Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo held. There were few real surprising announcements and most of the best stuff shown was third party software that shows up on multiple platforms. It is nice to see that there is some enthusiastic third party support for the Wii U, but when it makes up a third of Nintendo's conference, that somehow seems a bit odd - especially when you do not see hardly anything from Nintendo's stable of great first party titles like Kirby or Metroid.
All was not lost however. There were some very good showings from individual game developers. While I would have liked to see more surprises - it felt like everyone's pre-E3 announcements took a lot of the punch out of the event itself - there is still some good stuff to talk about, so I thought I would briefly list some of the highlights for me coming out of this year's conference. I will break this up into a few parts to include video for anyone who hasn't gotten to see something that may be of interest to them, but too many embed videos in a single page can be rough for loading purposes. Plus there are some upcoming items I have not yet gotten to see, but will surely want to talk about (like Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Persona 4 Arena and Disney Epic Mickey 2) I have to start with...
All was not lost however. There were some very good showings from individual game developers. While I would have liked to see more surprises - it felt like everyone's pre-E3 announcements took a lot of the punch out of the event itself - there is still some good stuff to talk about, so I thought I would briefly list some of the highlights for me coming out of this year's conference. I will break this up into a few parts to include video for anyone who hasn't gotten to see something that may be of interest to them, but too many embed videos in a single page can be rough for loading purposes. Plus there are some upcoming items I have not yet gotten to see, but will surely want to talk about (like Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Persona 4 Arena and Disney Epic Mickey 2) I have to start with...
Nintendo's E3 conference
I was really hoping Nintendo would come out swinging this year. Last year I thought the Big N had the weakest showing at E3 of the three consoles. They only showed one title from their current gen console, and while Skyward Sword was amazing, it still left a lot of Wii owners feel like they were left out in the cold because so much attention was given to the Wii-U, which was still a long ways off.
For me personally at the time, the 3DS portion of the conference last year did not resonate all that well as I did not have a 3DS. This year I have one, and the with the Wii U coming out soon, I had much higher expectations from this conference - it felt like it would be much more relevant to fans.
For me personally at the time, the 3DS portion of the conference last year did not resonate all that well as I did not have a 3DS. This year I have one, and the with the Wii U coming out soon, I had much higher expectations from this conference - it felt like it would be much more relevant to fans.
June's PlayStation Plus
I haven't had a chance to finish watching Nintendo's E3 yet, but once I do I'll get a post out there (probably tomorrow) with my thoughts on it as well as on what has been (at least to me so far) a disappointing E3 overall.
But in the meantime, if you are a PlayStation 3 owner, and you don't have PlayStation Plus, now might be a very solid time to sign up for a month or three. Just hope you have plenty of hard drive space. For those who haven't used PlayStation Plus yet, the premise is this: While you are a subscriber, you get access to demos (complete with the ability to earn trophies) and 'free' games. The catch on the free games is that they only will play while you are an active subscriber. For those who like to purchase content on the PlayStation Network however, being a PlayStation Plus subscriber sometimes gives you some nice discounts too, and unlike the freebies, games you actually purchase while a subscriber are yours to play indefinitely, even when your subscription runs out.
But in the meantime, if you are a PlayStation 3 owner, and you don't have PlayStation Plus, now might be a very solid time to sign up for a month or three. Just hope you have plenty of hard drive space. For those who haven't used PlayStation Plus yet, the premise is this: While you are a subscriber, you get access to demos (complete with the ability to earn trophies) and 'free' games. The catch on the free games is that they only will play while you are an active subscriber. For those who like to purchase content on the PlayStation Network however, being a PlayStation Plus subscriber sometimes gives you some nice discounts too, and unlike the freebies, games you actually purchase while a subscriber are yours to play indefinitely, even when your subscription runs out.
Just a few quick E3 thoughts this morning
Unfortunately real-life is conspiring against my ability to fully digest and share my thoughts on E3 right now, between my dad visiting from out of state, some issues at work and so on. Still, having gotten to watch some of the press conferences, here's some of the things that caught my eye for better or worse. I will start with what everyone seemed to be talking about, even at work yesterday afternoon: Tomb Raider.
Heroes of Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes - PSN Review
Heroes of Might and Magic is a series I am familiar with, but not experience with. I know that it is generally a strategy series involving magic and monsters of fantasy lore. This game has little resemblance to those titles based on what I know of them, with a story line that as best as I can tell is completely independent of that series as well.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 - PlayStation 3 Review
It seems like I have been playing this game forever. My wife picked it up for me when we went to a Pistons game earlier in the year, and I have been picking at Final Fantasy XIII-2 between other games ever since. I was a fan of Final Fantasy XIII, giving it a score of 8.25 in my review.
Still, Final Fantasy XIII was one of the more divisive video game titles in recent history. It was linear, the combat was very different (some would say dumbed-down) and the story a bit difficult to grasp on to. So is Final Fantasy XIII-2 different enough to make people happy? Yes and no - but it depends on your expectations going in I think. The battle system in XIII was better than a lot of people gave it credit for in my opinion, and that has been retained for this sequel. The world has been opened up quite a bit as well, though Square Enix may have taken non-linear a bit too far with their time-traveling storyline.
Still, Final Fantasy XIII was one of the more divisive video game titles in recent history. It was linear, the combat was very different (some would say dumbed-down) and the story a bit difficult to grasp on to. So is Final Fantasy XIII-2 different enough to make people happy? Yes and no - but it depends on your expectations going in I think. The battle system in XIII was better than a lot of people gave it credit for in my opinion, and that has been retained for this sequel. The world has been opened up quite a bit as well, though Square Enix may have taken non-linear a bit too far with their time-traveling storyline.
