December's Here Already?

Where did the year fly to? Granted, it's been busy these past 11 months and busier on the home front with a ton of construction that started last month and still needs to be completed. I'm slowly going nuts from the delays and having to move stuff around here, but it seems to finally be getting back underway later this week. Anyway, I'm writing actual and more interesting posts over at the new DAF, so make sure to boogie on over there if you want more and more frequent updates.

Oh, and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is my Game of the Month (so far).

Game of the Month: Dragon's Crown

As in just shut up and buy it already if you own a PS3 or Vita. There are big differences in both versions (so yeah, you want both), that art book is PHENOMENAL (and even more so if you happen to have imported either expensive deluxe Japanese version of the game) and the game itself is an instant classic that's both a throwback to arcade beat 'em ups as well as its own bird.

Take a peek at the video below if you're not convinced yet. If that stunning artwork and outrageously stylized characters don't get your eyes popping and your wallet flying out of your pocket or purse, well... I can't help you in your art appreciation much. Anyway, grab this for home and/or the road and tell a friend if they own a PS3 or Vita to buy this as well. You'll be able to play together... but the game WILL make both of you work like hell for that privilege, as co-op is locked out until you play through the main game once. This won't take too long, mind you and hell, you'll NEED the bonuses earned in order to survive the harder difficulties and alternate paths.

Video Game Appreciation 101: Twinkle Nights Isn't Inexpensive (It Just Reeks of Cheapness)

While it's rare and probably still fairly expensive once found, Intarus' Twinkle Knights has far too many problems keeping it from being anything other than a cool prize for hardcore 3DO fanatics, collectors of Japanese strip games (of which there are plenty, according to one friend who seems to have dozens for all sorts of systems)  or those folks heavily into Kusoge ("shit" games). As an actual game experience, it's far too short and quite easy to beat, yet can be infuriating at times when the CPU decides to put a stop to your progress. As "adult" entertainment, it's pretty poor (OK, it's beyond terrible) and of course, if you're still one of those people that thinks imports like these are packed with all sorts of hidden salacious content, you'll be very sorely disappointed in a WYSIWYG manner.  Besides, there are far better ways to get that sort of er, "sexy interactive excitement" on a shiny disc you can pop in a player of some sort.

FREE STUFF TIME: Win a copy of Fusion: Genesis!

 Have you got an Xbox 360 in the house, an Xbox LIVE account and live in the U.S. of A.? Want a FREE copy of Fusion: Genesis, the awesome new multiplayer space combat/RPG from Starfire Studios (made up of four ex-Rare staffers)? Well, OK, but you need to do a little bit of work to get it... Click on over HERE to the new blog and see what's what. HURRY, as I only have TWO codes to give away!

The House of the Dead Overkill EC Gets Eye-Popping (and Retro) 3D Modes

Nice. Now Sega can add "Retro-ier" to that "Longer, Harder, Gorier!" tagline for its upcoming M-rated arcade shooter. The company is really going all out with this super-enhanced HD remix of the Wii sleeper hit. In addition to PS Move support, both Anaglyph as well as Stereoscopic 3D support have been added so you can play the game on any TV and have zombies even more in your face. Of course, if you don't have a 3DTV or hate those cardboard red/blue or red/green glasses, you can still get your shooting on without the added effects. Me, I plan to blaze through the game many times in at least two of the three modes, as I don't yet own a 3DTV. No matter, I'm still expecting a total blast for as long as I can stand wearing those goofy 3D glasses I've kept since the 80's. Check out the new screens below (you DO have a pair of 3D specs around the house, right?). The House of the Dead OVERKILL Extended Cut is set to hit retail on October 25 (just in time for a little scary Halloween fun).

Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection Launch Trailer

Yes, it's here. And Yes, it's a absolute must buy at a measly $39.99. Hell, if you happen to know someone with a 3DTV and no PS3, do them a favor and lug yours over to their house with a copy of this game and they'll probably BUY their own PS3 afterward. Seriously, it's THAT good.

Review: Resistance 3

Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Insomniac Games

Publisher: SCEA

# of Players: 1 - 2 (Online: 1 - 16)

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A-

It's absolutely been the best year to be a PS3 owner and Resistance 3 continues Sony's streak of solid first-party titles with an exhilarating, action-packed shooter that's an absolute must-buy. Packing in a lengthy single-player campaign (with solid offline or online co-op), satisfying multiplayer and a ridiculous amount of over the top battles, this is one of those games FPS fans will get a ton of mileage out of. Key to the gameplay experience are the incredibly fluid controls whether you're using a Dual Shock 3, PS Move/Navigation controller combo or Sharpshooter peripheral and yes, the game looks fantastic. There area few quirks here and there with the AI on the easier settings and if you want to get the most out of the co-op and multiplayer, the game requires some mandatory patching that fixes a few release bugs. Nevertheless, once that's taken care of, you're in for quite a wild ride.

Xseed Bringing Grand Knights History To North America (Go Vanillaware!)

Even if you're not into gaming, it's hard not to look at a Vanillaware game and see the love and care that goes into them. While the company has only a handful of titles under their belts, each has been a truly memorable experience well worth playing. From the absolutely beautiful 2D character art and richly colored backgrounds to the gameplay that's simple, yet intensely challenging and rewarding, George Kamitani and his dedicated team of artists and programmers always bring their best work to whatever platform they touch. Based on these screenshots, it looks as if Grand Knights History is no exception. Xseed has grabbed the publishing rights to Marvelous Entertainment's PSP game and is targeting a Winter release for this fantastic-looking RPG. Expect a deep character customization system, lengthy quest set in a colorful medieval fantasy setting, online play and more. By the way, "Winter" could mean anywhere from Holiday 2011 to early 2012, but that's what updates are for, right? We'll keep you posted once an actual date surfaces...

Drakensang: Complete Saga In Stores Now (Well, GameStop Stores, That Is)...

Yeah, yeah, Gears of War 3 is out and fantastic all that, but I'm actually a tad more excited about (The Dark Eye) Drakensang: Complete Saga arriving this week as part of THQ's ValuSoft games lineup (albeit as a GameStop exclusive). "What's a Drakensang?" you ask? Why, a pretty cool third-person PC fantasy role playing game that's got a nicely loyal fan-base, solid visuals, fun classes to choose from and a great, challenging combat system among other things. I'm absolutely recommending this collection to fans of open-world fantasy games, deep RPG experiences and anyone who likes games with at least a hundred hours of gameplay. Even better... it's on a retail DISC, not a download, so even if you have a crappy Internet connection, you can STILL buy and play a quality RPG while getting a great deal in the process.

Press release below the jump.

ICO/Shadow of the Colossus Classics Trailer Update

Sony keeps rolling out the gems with this set of two of the best PS2 games ever made. Even if you still own both of them, the updated HD graphics, superb use of 3D and bonus features should make this a must-buy disc. I'm probably the only person NOT whining about The Last Guardian as I KNOW it's going to be completed and released at some point in 2012. I'm more than willing to wait as well as cut Sony (and Team ICO) some slack for not bombarding us with non-stop info and updates on a weekly basis. The game WILL be worth the long wait whether or not we see any sort of bonus content about it on the collection disc.

New Aliens: Infestation Trailer (Yes, There's Still Life Left In That Nintendo DS!)

WayForward and Gearbox' upcoming DS exclusive is probably going to be the best thing to happen to the DS in terms of licensed movie titles and definitely the best portable Aliens game I can think of. Of course, it IS coming from one of the best developers of 2D games working today, so it's pretty much a given that it's going to be a solid game. October 11 is rushing up really fast, so put this one on your to-do lists. Thank you, Sega!

TGS 2011: Resident Evil Revelations Trailer

Well, the whole helpless female vibe going on here is not exactly going to make the gal gamers too happy (nor anyone who hates this particular stereotype in gaming), but here it is. Nintendo 3DS owners are in store for another great-looking Resident Evil game with hopefully much better gameplay and multiple save slots this time. I guess we'll have to see when the game ships now, won't we?

TGS 2011: Ni No Kuni Coming To PS3 In North America Next Year

Fantastic. Level-5 and Studio Ghibli's gorgeous single-player RPG Ni no Kuni: Shiroki Seihai no Joō has been one of the most desired for localization imports of the last few years. The game revolves around a young boy who enters an alternate world using a magical book in order to try and resurrect his late mother. The Nintendo DS version, Ni no Kuni: Shikkoku no Madōshi was released last year to rave reviews in Japan and excellent sales, so it's pretty much guaranteed that the November 2011 Japanese release for the PS3 will be equally successful. As soon as we find out who's localizing and publishing the US version, that news will become available.

While no word of an English localization of the DS version has been announced, I'd imagine Nintendo (and Nintendo of America) wouldn't let Sony steal all the glory by getting the only version of this eagerly awaited game to gamers outside of Japan. That and the Japanese version of the DS game came in a really cool over-sized box thanks to the game manual designed to look like the magic book the main character carries and yes, it would indeed be great to see a similar package hit US as well as UK and European retailers.

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD Remake Trailer: This Game NEEDS TO Be On A Disc!

With the blessing of Oddworld Inhabitants, The fine folks at Just Add Water have been hard at work on an HD remake of one of the best (and still under appreciated) original Xbox games ever made. While it looks absolutely spectacular, the game is currently only set for a PSN release, which stinks for those gamers who've never played the original, don't have PSN accounts or happen to be "unlucky" Xbox 360 owners (the original game wasn't backward compatible). I really, REALLY think this game absolutely NEEDS a disc version, even if it's part of a multi-game set in the future. Even better, I bet that a lot of folks would pay for an Oddworld HD Collection on disc similar to the solid HD collections Sony and other publishers are putting out on the PS3. Hopefully the PSN version will sell well enough to make this happen, as I'm not the only one who wants to see this game get a little more of a permanent form at some point...

Starhawk Trailer Shows Off Some Surprisingly Stellar Flying Combat

Excellent. Every time I see more of this game, I just KNOW it's going to be one of 2012's best in terms of both single and multiplayer action. Lightbox Interactive is going above and beyond the call here, that's for sure. The game looks gorgeous, is super fast and I love how the trailer manages to be funny as well as thrilling no matter how many times you watch it. Sony has been on a big roll with the first-party games and 2012 is going to continue the streak with a ton of solid titles.

TGS 2011: Dynasty Warriors Xtreme Legends/Dynasty Warriors Next Trailers/Gameplay Videos

Koei Tecmo is set to hit the PS3 and Vita with a VERY cool 1-2 punch with these two entries in the long-running franchise. Critics may hate these games, but the core fan base (and folks like me who just like the non-stop chaos and combat the series provides) just eats up each new installment. The PS3 exclusive Xtreme Legends will feature new characters, secret weapons, a new Legend Mode, a Challenge Mode and Japanese voice-overs (nice). No news on a NA release date, but that's what updates are for, right?

Review: God of War Origins Collection

Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Ready At Dawn/Sony Santa Monica Studios

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A

Even if you already own both games on the PSP, God of War Origins Collection is a stellar must-purchase PS3 title that's also one of the most polished ports of a portable game to a home console ever. Ready At Dawn along with Sony Santa Monica Studios have gone above and beyond here beefing up the two games with high resolution visuals (in great optional stereoscopic 3D), refined controls, Trophy support and even a bit of additional content. Both games are brutal, brilliant chapters that flesh out lead character Kratos' story and make for a great pair of games that should please any fan of the franchise as well as anyone new to his violent world. As a longtime GOW fan, I'll absolutely say that the man certainly knows how to make an entrance, no matter what platform he's on.

Onechanbara Z Kagura Coming to Xbox 360 (In Japan): Hey D3PA, Don't Leave Us Hanging!

Thanks to YouTube user shinshaobaka for posting this video!

Yeah, yeah, this game isn't for every taste, but I happen to love the cheesy, bloody zombie killing by the boatload goodness of the Onechanbara series. I actually own all of them except for the PSP import and while they're not the best action games out there, there's just something to be said about scantily clad zombie killing gals with attitude, ridiculously challenging bosses and tricky to complete side quests. Well, we'll have to see what D3Publisher's US arm thinks about all this. I'd love to see this one hit the 360 here as a budget release on a disc and not JUST a quickie XBLA download. Granted, it probably won't get a manual (like the 360 version of Earth Defense Force Insect Armageddon), but hey, at least more people will get to enjoy the crazy ride. Actually, it WOULD be nice to see the series head back to a Sony home console, as that's where the first four games appeared...

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2: Innocent Sin Trailer

Sometimes, abbreviating a game name just doesn't work well. Case in point: SMTP2IS looks and sounds like a license plate number to me. Anyway, Atlus is set to knock it out of the park again with yet ANOTHER great RPG to devour all your free time. September 20, 2011 is the date and yes, it's yet another PSP exclusive. Color me giddy that publishers such as Atlus, Xseed Sony and others are making this the best year for the portable.

Resistance 3 Doomsday Bundle & "Radio" TV Spots

Two great commercials for Insomniac's upcoming FPS - As usual, Sony can really put together some memorable ads for the same game and approach each one from a different angle. That and yes, the Sharpshooter works like a dream for yet another PS3 shooter. No doubt R3 will be the biggest game yet in the franchise and if it's the last, it also looks as if it's the best.