Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2

This isn’t a review. It’s a rant. You have been warned.

 

I was excited for this game. I really was. So much so that I preordered it and bought it on the day of release (a rare thing for me),  and put it in my PS3. Yes, I loved it at first. PS3 graphics on a CyberConnect2 game? Yes please!

Except it sucks. They took everything that made their Narutimate games on the PS2 awesome and REMOVED THEM COMPLETELY.

The Ougis are horrid. In the PS2 games they were cinematic. In Storm 2 they’re…just super powered regular moves at best. The Awakenings are useless, you need to have an orange life bar to activate them, and you can’t use items or call for support at all. All you get is a different jutsu to use, and no ougi.

Oh, and when the Awakening wears off, you’re WEAKER than before, in a powered down state. This means, of course, that you’re low on health (orange life bar), you’re weaker, and your opponent will have no problems taking you out in this state.

Good going, CC2, you did a great job here. Really, you did (this was sarcasm if you missed it).

The ‘Ultimate Adventure’ mode is horrid. The only GOOD thing about it are the cinematic boss fights, though they are replete with some pointless Quick Time Events (QTE) that don’t really add much to the fight at all.

But, hey, you get Minato! YAY!

…or not. Why do they keep putting him in their games? They must be fanboys or something. At least this time he had a voice actor…

So, in closing of this rant, I say…avoid. This. Game. It’s horrible. The LBP2 game engine will make a better fighter than this trash!

Resident Evil: Degeneration Review

“7 years from the Raccoon City Disaster…the horror of the t-Virus…was not over yet. The dead arise…and the world falls.”

STORY (spoiler free):

Those are the words that are shown in the trailers for this movie. Set seven years after Resident Evil 2, and an unknown time after Resident Evil 4, the movie centers around three main characters: Angela Curtis, a member of the Special Response Team (S.R.T.), and two survivors of the Raccoon City Disaster, Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy.

Set in the town of Harvardville, somewhere in the U.S., the world has been struck by several acts of bio-terrorism, and the people are protesting against the pharmaceutical company, WilPharma.

It all goes right to hell when a plane crashes into the airport at Harvardville, and the nightmare of the t-Virus is once again unleashed. Claire, newly arrived to help protest against WilPharma (this is assumed, as it never states her reason for being in Harvardville), is caught in the middle of it.

To combat the sudden arrival of walking dead in the city, the U.S. Government sends in special agent Leon S. Kennedy to assist Harvardville’s S.R.T. in rescuing the people trapped in the airport while killing the zombies within.

GRAPHICS/SPECIAL EFFECTS:

The CGI in this movie is quite good, the motion capturing is well done, and the emotions on the faces of the characters is impressive. Capcom clearly didn’t hold much back when creating this movie.

The characters are very realistic, move like a real person would, and react very much like one would expect somebody surrounded by zombies would.

The CGI graphics are very close to Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children in terms of quality, though I’m still on the fence about which movie has the better graphics.

I’ll probably stay on the fence too.

Okay, so I’m lying. The CGI graphics aren’t nearly as good as Advent Children. The movement isn’t as good, and it’s actually the most annoying part of the movie.

The overall movie is still good though.

PLOT:

Come on, people, it’s Resident Evil. Zombie infestation breaks out, survivors fight back, and the actual villain behind the whole thing is not who you thought it was.

That’s the spoiler free version. I could write the plot here, but that wouldn’t be a review, would it?

I enjoyed the movie, it was truly Resident Evil in the most classic sense, not like Resident Evil 4, with the stupid parasites instead of the classic zombies that come at you in hordes and are hard to take down unless you KNOW to aim for the head…

But I’m going off track here. Resident Evil: Degeneration’s plot is, as I said, CLASSIC Resident Evil.

CHARACTERS:

The characters in this movie are well done, and the three main ones are memorable…more or less. Leon and Claire we all know from Resident Evil 2 and 4, but Angela is new.

She has a surprising connection to…well, I can’t let you know about that, it’d be a spoiler and it’s a spoiler free review (I hope), but she’s your typical ‘got caught in the middle of this madness’ heroine.

She’s pretty hot, too, but that’s besides the point.

Then we have Senator Ron Davis. He is the character you love to hate. Egotistical, money hungry, and just plain hateable (I don’t care if that’s a word or not, it works), he’s one of the main antognists in the movie. He backs WilPharma in their work, and the public hates him for it. Not that he cares.

Frederic Downing is the head researcher of WilPharma and is an ‘English Gentleman’. He’s working with the Senator, and doesn’t seem too concerned with the protesters that are hounding his company.

Those are the characters I can mention without spoiling anything. See the movie yourself to meet the rest

FINAL WORD:

Resident Evil: Degeneration isn’t a bad movie. It’s actually quite good, and is faithful to what makes Resident Evil Resident Evil. I would recommend watching it if you’re a fan of the games, and even if you aren’t, you should anyway.

It’s a good way to waste 90 minutes of free time.

FINAL SCORE:

8/10

Xbox 360 stats at end of 2008

Microsoft announces another sales milestone for cheapest current-generation console and its online service; XBLM revenue hits $1 billion.

Last October, Microsoft reported that its Xbox 360 console sold 2.2 million units during the July-September quarter, an increase of 20 percent. In November, NPD reported that the console sold more than 800,000 units, thanks in part to the hard-drive-less Arcade 360 becoming the cheapest console at $199.

Though it is still withholding December sales numbers–US figures from NPD are expected next Thursday–Microsoft revealed today its worldwide, life-to-date numbers for the 360. From the time it launched in November 2005 to December 31, 2008, the console has sold more than 28 million units internationally, which is 4 million more than the original Xbox did in its five-year life cycle.

As Microsoft pointed out repeatedly in its announcement, the 28 million figure puts the 360 ahead of the PlayStation 3, which the company estimates has sold 20 million units life-to-date. Microsoft did not provide a source for the 20 million figure, and it didn’t mention that the PS3 launched a full year after the 360 in November 2006. That month also saw the launch of the Nintendo Wii, which overtook the 360 last year with nearly 35 million units sold as of the end of October–and sold more than 2 million units in November in the US.

One of the 360′s most universally praised features is its Xbox Live service, which now boasts 17 million active members. Since the console’s launch, those members have spent more than $1 billion on products on Xbox Live Marketplace, according to Microsoft. Spending on the service increased 84 percent in 2008, a trend that the company said accelerated after the New Xbox Experience dashboard reboot launched in November. From Christmas to New Year’s Day, 1.5 million “concurrent members” logged on to XBL.

- Source:  Gamespot

Ghostbusters coming soon

Atari confirms third ghost-busting adventure will be hitting on all platforms across Europe and America as the first half of 2009 draws to a close.

Ghostbusters The Video Game has certainly had an interesting journey so far. Dan Aykroyd, who is lending his hand to writing credits alongside fellow Ghostbuster Harold Ramis, confirmed the game’s existence back in early 2007. At the time, the game was being developed by Sierra Entertainment. After Activision’s merger with Sierra parent-company Vivendi Games, Ghostbusters was one of several games that Activision decided to drop from its release schedule, at which point the game’s status became unclear.

That is, until rumours appeared and were eventually confirmed that Atari would take over publishing duties of the Terminal Reality-developed action game, which is a direct sequel to the original Ghostbusters movies. However, the leaks didn’t stop there; yesterday, Sony Pictures stated in a press release that the game would be coming out “worldwide” alongside 25th-anniversary editions of the movies in the week of June 16.

Atari UK has now confirmed with GameSpot UK a release date of June 19 for Europe and June 16 for North America on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, and PlayStation 2. A spokesperson didn’t confirm whether any special editions would be released.

- Source:  Gamespot

And the preview, also from Gamespot:

We came, we saw, we played a new level of Terminal Reality’s new ghostbusting adventure.

With full involvement from the original cast members Dan Akroyd (The Blues Brothers, Earth vs. the Spider), Bill Murray Lost in Translation, Garfield: The Movie, Ernie Hudson (Oz, Best of the Best: Without Warning), and Harold Ramis (Stripes, Orange County), there’s little doubt that this game has the Ghostbusters cred. What remains to be seen is if the game makes busting ghosts as much fun as it seemed in the original movies. We’ll know when the game makes its release in 2009, just in time to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original movie.

Spengler. Stantz. Zeddemore. Venkman. And you. Welcome to your new job as the fifth Ghostbuster in Atari’s upcoming video game adaption of the hit ’80s movie series, Ghostbusters: The Video Game. The publisher, who acquired publishing rights to the game after it was sold off by Activision, showed off the latest build of the game at a recent press event. It was the first time we’d seen the game since E3, and, based on our time with the game, it seems like developers at Terminal Reality (and Red Fly Studio, which is handling the Wii version) have been keeping their heads down and focused on the ghosts, despite the game’s publishing turmoil.

Trapping wayward spirits isn’t a solo job. Welcome to your new role as the fifth Ghostbuster.

Unofficially billed by producers as the “third Ghostbusters movie,” Ghostbusters: The Video Game is set two years after Ghostbusters II and finds the four original Ghostbusters in pretty good standing with New York City and its citizens. However, because catching ghosts isn’t cheap, the city government decides to bring in some oversight to the ‘busters operation in the form of Walter Peck, the quartet’s bureaucratic nemesis in the original movie. Peck will be in charge of Ghostbusters oversight, constantly keeping the heroes aware of the ever-increasing costs of doing their particular form of business.

Atari was showing off both the 360 and Wii versions of Ghostbusters, and each version of the game featured a slightly different take on the same level. In the level, the Ghostbusters are in the familiar setting of the New York Public Library, investigating the elderly paranormal librarian (who happens to be the first ghost encountered in the original movie). Just as in the movie, it’s only a matter of time before the ghost’s calm demeanor turns ugly in a big way.

Before the librarian blew her top, however, we got chance to check out the basics of gameplay and combat. Ghostbusters is a third-person action game, with a camera that sits just over the shoulder of your character, giving you a view not just of the action happening in front of you, but also your proton pack, the nuclear-powered high-tech gizmo that serves as your weapons arsenal. As in the movies, the proton pack is used to fire a stream of energy with which you can wrangle rogue ghosts into a trap. The proton pack in the games is more flexible than the one used in the film, and you’ll be able to upgrade your pack as you make your way through the game. These different weapon types include a stasis stream that you can use to freeze a ghost, or a shock blast you can use to defeat them. Your proton pack will also clue you in to your character’s remaining health and other vital information.

You’ll need to make full use of the proton pack in Ghostbusters because in addition to trapping ghosts, you’ll also be fighting enemies as you make your way through the levels. As we made our way through the library level, we fought several spirits that took on physical presence by forming makeshift bodies with the many books scattered on shelves; a quick blast of the proton pack was all it took to bring them down.

Destroying ghosts is fun but your main goal in the game will be trapping certain spirits that are causing trouble. In the both the 360/PS3 and the Wii version, you’ll first need to capture your ghost in the stream emanating from your proton pack. You can also stun the ghosts once they’re caught by slamming them to the ground. The mechanics for trapping ghosts differes depending on the version you’re playing. In the 360/PS3 game, you’ll use a combination of the analog sticks and the triggers; over on the Wii, things get a bit more complicated. Aiming the stream is as simple as pointing your Wii Remote–but once a ghost is caught, an arrow will appear on either side of the aiming reticule, indicating which way you need to move the remote to wrangle your ghostly target. It took us several tries to get it right, and while it might get easier with practice, we wouldn’t mind if the developer went back and re-examined this aspect of the controls.

Familiar faces will return in the Ghostbusters game, which looks to tie up some loose ends from the two films.

Controls are the big differentiator between the 360/PS3 versions of Ghostbusters and the Wii game, but it isn’t the only difference. Unlike the 360/PS3 game, which is going for an exaggerated realism, the Wii version has a more cartoonish presentation, with stylized characters and slightly less menacing-looking monsters. Even though both games cover largely the same territory in terms of levels and dialogue, the Wii game is obviously being aimed at a younger crowd. Both versions will also feature the impressive damage effects, where seemingly every wall, column, or piece of furniture you blast with your proton pack will suffer accordingly.

Narutimate Accel 2 Review

A Japan-only release, Narutimate Accel 2 is a fast paced fighting game based on the hit anime Naruto…or more specifically, Shippuden. With around 60 playable characters (both post time skip and pre time skip), this game offers it all: speed, balance, a vast selection of characters…and most of all FUN. Especially with your friends to play with.

Because it’s available only in Japan, you will need to get your PS2 chipped (for us gamers in the PAL regions) and import the game via online stores that offer that service. Having played it myself, I can say that it is a MUST PLAY for any Narutimate fans. The versus mode is intense, the gameplay so fast it puts all other fighters to shame (including Narutimate Ninja 1 through to 3, and those are fast too!). A match can last the full 100 seconds…or a few seconds depending on how good a player you are.

The Secret Jutsus/Ougis are highly impressive, and you can even call upon certain support characters to perform cooperative ougis, and the button input is even faster than before. I haven’t played the story section, however, and am unable to comment on it. Then again, a game like Narutimate Accel 2′s main draw is the versus mode and vast selection fo characters, not the storyline.

Each of the fighters has their own strengths and weaknesses, and most of them are balanced…although there are those that can be considered cheap (Sasori in his scorpion form is one of them, as well as Ten Ten with her insane ranged/weapon attacks), but a skilled player can work around these and win easily.

Some screenshots:

Final Word:

IMPORT THIS GAME NOW!

Final Score:

10/10

Create your own Xbox games

Create your own Xbox games

Jul 23 2008 12:00:23:347PM

Daisuke Wakabayashi

Microsoft Corp will turn to users of its Xbox 360 to create new video games and broaden the types of games available on its console.

Seattle – Microsoft Corp will turn to users of its Xbox 360 to create new video games and broaden the types of games available on its console, taking a page out of the strategy books of Facebook and YouTube.

The world’s largest software maker said on Tuesday that it will start selling “user-generated” games later this year on its online Xbox Live service and share up to 70% of revenue with the game developer.

Microsoft began offering game production tools in 2006 to amateurs and hobbyists under an initiative called “XNA,” which allowed developers to create a game that could run on the Xbox, a Windows-based computer or its Zune media player.

User-created content is the backbone of many advertising-supported web sites such as Facebook and YouTube, but the video game industry has relied mostly on deep-pocketed developers to create sequels or games based on licensed properties.

Slice of the revenue

Facebook and YouTube provide a forum for new software applications and videos for free, but they do not share advertising fees with users.

Microsoft, however, requires the prospective video game developer to buy a $99-a-year premium membership to the XNA Creators Club, but offers a slice of the revenue.

The games will be sold on the Xbox Live Marketplace at three different prices – the equivalent of $2.50, $5 or $10 – using Microsoft points.

In order to get the game into the Xbox Live store, the games must pass a peer-review system.

“Not only are we democratising game development with Xbox Live Community Games later this year, but we’re creating an opportunity for aspiring developers,” Chris Satchell, chief technology officer at Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business group, said in a news release.

Microsoft expects the games created by users will double the number of games available for the Xbox 360 when the Community Games section of its Xbox Live online store comes out of “beta”, or test mode in the fall.

Source – News24

This is very interesting news, don’t you think?

Dragon Quest Trilogy on the DS

Dragon Quest trilogy descends on DS

Square Enix confirms North American redux releases for DQIV, V, and VI on Nintendo’s handheld; first installment lands September 16.

By Tom Magrino, GameSpot

Posted May 21, 2008 11:02 am PT

Last July, with the E3 Media & Business Summit still fresh in gamers’ minds, Square Enix saved one of its most intriguing announcements for the tail end of the month. As revealed by scanned images of Japanese magazine Shonen Jump, the game maker was gearing up for Dragon Quest IV, V, and VI remakes on the Nintendo DS. However, at the time, Square Enix was willing to acknowledge only a Japanese release for the role-playing games.

In the wake of official sites being set up for a pair of the games, Square Enix has officially taken the lid off of the Zenithia Trilogy, saying that Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen, Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride, and Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie will be released on the DS in North America. Naturally, Dragon Quest IV will lead the pack and will be available domestically on September 16.

Similar to Square Enix’s Final Fantasy III and IV remakes for the DS, the Zenithia Trilogy will benefit from a graphical overhaul that updates the game with 3D visuals, new animations, and a dual-screen presentation. Developed by ArtePiazza, the DS edition of Dragon Quest IV is a traditional RPG broken up into chapters. Players first control a diverse group of companions before assuming the role of the game’s hero and embarking on an archetypal quest to save the world.

Dragon Quest IV was originally released as Dragon Warrior IV in the US for the NES in 1992, with a rerelease following in 2001 for the original PlayStation. Dragon Quest V and VI have never before been released in North America. Square Enix has not yet revealed a ship date for the second and third games in the Zenithia Trilogy.

Neat. More RPG goodness on the DS

Chrono Trigger CONFIRMED for DS!

Square Enix arms Chrono Trigger DS

Publisher confirms next remake for Nintendo’s handheld will be widely acclaimed Super Nintendo action RPG, available this holiday.

By Tom Magrino, GameSpot

Posted Jul 2, 2008 8:46 am PT

Setting off a digital wildfire of speculation just before the games’ unveil in May, Square Enix launched telling official Web sites for the Dragon Quest Zenithia Trilogy. The trilogy follows on from the publisher’s Final Fantasy DS remakes and will see the fourth, fifth, and sixth installments in the classic franchise remastered for the Nintendo DS, with the first to arrive September 16.

Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking…

Now, a similar fate has met Square Enix’s next Nintendo DS redux of one of its classic properties. Following the game’s official Web site being spotted overnight, Square Enix has confirmed that Chrono Trigger will release for the DS this holiday. Unlike the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest remakes, Chrono Trigger will not receive a graphical overhaul, though it will be reformatted to utilize the DS’ dual-screen presentation and touch-screen functionality. The remake will also include a Wireless Play mode and an all-new dungeon.

True to the game’s original premise, Chrono Trigger DS presents the story of Crono, who attempts to first save his friend Marle from a malfunctioning teleportation device. However, a more sinister threat evolves through his adventures, and Crono soon finds himself altering space-time to divert the near-certain apocalyptic future.

Rather than traditional random-encounter battles, Chrono Trigger features visible enemies and an active battle system, where players have a personal countdown timer that measures the frequency of attacks. Seen as revolutionary at the time, the game also includes multiple ending sequences.

Widely regarded as the last great hurrah for the Super Nintendo, Squaresoft’s Chrono Trigger was released in the US for Nintendo’s outmoded platform in September 1995, a full two weeks after the launch of Sony’s PlayStation. Despite entering the fray late in the 16-bit lifecycle, Chrono Trigger managed to shift more than 2.5 million units globally.

The game was noted for its “Dream Team” development outfit, which consisted of famed Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, character designer Akira Toriyama, and composer Yasunori Mitsuda, among others. Chrono Trigger was followed in 2000 by Chrono Cross for the PlayStation, a game that received GameSpot’s highest honors.

Yes, it’s true! Chrono Trigger remake on the DS!! Confirmed! YES!!

Neopets Puzzle Adventure

Neopets Puzzle Adventure First Look

What happens when Capcom and Infinite Interactive mix Neopets and Puzzle Quest? We find out in this first look at Neopets Puzzle Adventure.

By Ricardo Torres, GameSpot AU

Posted Jun 3, 2008 10:07 pm PT

The Neopets phenomenon has been a sleeping giant on the Internet for nearly a decade now. The virtual pets and the world of Neopia have proven to be a powerful draw for fans of all ages. While there have been some attempts to create console and portable games around the wildly popular casual franchise, there hasn’t been one to properly tie together the various elements of the franchise. Capcom and developer Infinite Interactive (maker of Puzzle Quest) are giving it a go with a new game titled Neopets Puzzle Adventure for the DS, PC, and Wii. We had the chance to get a look at an early version of the game running on the PC, and we were downright shocked at how well the blend of Puzzle Quest and Neopets is working out.

The game’s story is set around Neopia and has you helping out the locals. You’ll be able to choose an identity from one of the 12 most popular species in the game, each with different ratings in strength, movement, and defense. You’ll be able to customize your color, name, and gender, and then you’ll head out. The demo let us move around a world map set in one of several different locales that will be available in the game. The demo world featured an Asian theme, but there will also be a tropical island and pirate, desert, and futuristic locations. Gameplay is in the same vein as Puzzle Quest: You’ll go to specific locations to pick up quests–in the case of the demo it was to go take out some bandits–then head over to a highlighted spot on the map and get down to business.

Battle is quite a bit different. It’s based on Reversi (or Othello) and challenges you to flip markers on a playfield to your color. The simple premise is enhanced by the addition of items and gear you can use by collecting gems on the playfield. If you collect enough gems, you can use one of two items–a shield or a sword–which offer different beneficial effects. In addition, you can use collected gems to unleash your Petpets–pets for your Neopet–which function as spells. You can equip several different pets, each with its own unique attacks, which you can level up via a minigame. All told, you’ll find 150 Petpets in the game. You’ll also collect items on your adventures that can be combined with other items in minigames, which will yield better items to use during battle. From the sound of it, there’s going to be a lot to uncover in the game, including codes for unique items on the Neopets Web site, which should make for meaty play time.

The visuals are clean and stick closely to the familiar art style Neopets fans will recognize. The bulk of what we’ve seen is 2D, although the character creation sequence has a 3D model to rotate and admire. Overall, the graphics stick to the Puzzle Quest aesthetic of keeping it simple with some bits of flair in animation and special effects to keep the gameplay interesting to watch.

At this point, we can say we’re intrigued to play Neopets because it has a lot of promise. We’re curious to hear more about the level cap and how the different multiplayer modes will work. At the moment, Capcom is saying that the PC will have online play, the DS will be local Wi-Fi, and the Wii will be head-to-head. Based on what we saw, Neopets is on track to be the best game based on the license to date. Infinite Interactive’s ridiculously addictive Puzzle Quest formula looks to be a smart fit with the license. The simple, accessible gameplay should be something fans of the franchise take to easily. At the same time, the familiar characters and minigames that are being incorporated into the game should give it a comfortable feel. Once you toss in the wealth of collectibles, item creation, and the various combinations to discover within, you have the makings for a time suck of black-hole proportions for both Neopets and Puzzle Quest fans. Neopets is slated to ship this winter for the DS, PC, and Wii.

-GameSpot

Some images from the game:

And the E3 Trailer:

Argh me dreams!

So I had yet another nightmare last night. It was very, very freaky and even I was a little scared. A girl, angry at not being able to swim in a lake with her family (a yearly tradition), accidentally brings seeds to life. These seeds burrow into everybody around them and start to grow. When they’ve done growing, the person dies. Right before I woke up, I was seeing through the eyes of a woman listening to her friend rant about men while she was trying to pull this plant from her leg, but the plant kept sprouting no matter what!

Just before I woke up, her leg was nothing more than a piece of flesh and a bloody bone, and the other woman was STILL ranting about men. Geez, what’s up with my dreams lately?