Video Game Appreciation 101 - Gallery: Wii U Stuff

 

Well, my crappy site destruction issues aside, things aren't a total freak-out here. My Wii U arrived as well as some games, so I've been buried in setting up and diving into everything so I can get reviews posted here while also figuring out my next move in terms of getting a new site up and running. In the meantime, here's some...

Fun Wii U info:

1. Low-Fi Gamers, Beware. It doesn't come with standard AV cables and the default screen setting is for 16:9 HD sets (you get a nice HDMI cable), so don't sell that Wii off if you've got an old analog TV or else you'll need to shell out for a new first-party cable when you buy the system. That sales clerk at Gamestop or wherever won't even bother to ask what sort of TV you have, I'd bet.

2. You don't need to download that update UNLESS you want to use the online features. Granted, Nintendo WANTS you to be social an all, but if you can't get online for whatever reason, you can still play single player or couch-co-op games out of the box. The system will play those games without setting up an account. It took me about 10 minutes to set up my system from opening the box to glancing over the quick start sheet and piecing everything together. Par for the course, Nintendo has made it pretty easy to get up and running. You get a bunch of stuff like a pair of "feet" for the Wii U that give it a nice profile) a charger cradle and GamePad stand (one's a dedicated charger, one's just a stand), but don't you dare toss anything you think you aren't going to use. You'll be buying a second GamePad at some point so yeah, you'll need somewhere to set it, right?

3. Nintendo Land is pretty cool (but EVERY game should have had a solo play component). I wasn't expecting much (and a few of the games could have been a bit better), but leave it to Nintendo to make mini-games that are basically extended tutorials VERY fun and even more rewarding. Pikmin Adventure is my favorite, and it needs to be expanded upon with bigger maps and turned into a full-fledged game. Heck, it's good enough as it is to get put on the 3DS, but what's here is addictive and has a nice old school meets new school thing going for it. More on the other games in my review...

4. You can play Batman: Arkham City completely on the Gamepad (and it's quite impessive). Yeah, yeah - everyone is talking about the new Mario game, but for me WB Montreal's super-duper port of Rocksteady's already amazing game will make Vita owners REALLY pissed. Granted, there IS some annoying slowdown in spots, but the incredible amount of content here (ALL the DLC packs, new costumes and added GamePad functionality) makes this the best version of the game to date.


There's a lot more to cover, but I'll get to some of that when I start putting reviews together...

OK, back in a bit - Tekken Tag Tournament is calling me and there's still a big chunk of Arkham City to explore.

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).

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...

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.

Gallery: Max Payne 3 (Remedy Gets Even More Real)

After a long wait (and still ongoing development cycle), Rockstar is finally bringing Remedy's modern noir detective back, and this time he's looking both better and worse for the wear. Better as in the game is taking the stellar visuals and phenomenal attention to detail the developer is known for to new heights of realism. Worse in terms of the presentation of a down and out Max Payne as an alcoholic, pill-popping gun for hire living in Sao Paolo. Of course, the game is not just about his decline well off the grid and whatever rotgut and cheap drugs he can score to feed his bad habits. There's plenty of gunplay, bullet-time sequences and what's looking like the most spectacular use of the Euphoria Engine to date. Rockstar is set to reveal the game's first trailer next Wednesday, so expect that to get posted (most likely on the other blog, as I'm expecting it to be nice and violent).

Some in-progress screens are below and more are on the way (most likely next week with the trailer I'll bet)..

Happy Birthday, Daggerfall!

It's hard to believe how quickly time flies, but 15 years ago today, Bethesda Softworks released the second installment of its RPG series. While the end result of all that hard work was a more stellar experience than TES: Arena, it was still a bit buggy in spots. That said, Daggerfall was still impressive for its amazing visuals, scope and gameplay. Ah, memories. I still have my copy of the original game minus the interior box and the cool letter opener thanks to a really stupid roommate years back when I was living in NYC. At the time, I was recycling some cardboard boxes for mailing and I kept a small stack of folded boxes near my games collection, as I was using the boxes to ship out games I sold or traded. One day as I was going out to work, my roommate asked if he could use a box to ship a gift out for his mother's birthday and I recall saying something like "Sure, take anything near the stack of games" before heading out the door. Little did I know that my invitation was a call for some major stupidity and minor theft...

Gallery: TES V: Skyrim Character Portraits

Want to see which races you can play as in Bethesda's upcoming time-eating epic RPG? Here are a few possible combinations (out of millions or variations) thanks to the excellent character editor. As longtime Elder Scrolls fans know, a good chunk of the fun at the beginning of a new adventure is choosing just who you want to play as. I'm thinking about ditching my usual first play-through choice of an Argonian battlemage who dips into archery from time to time, especially given the more flexible skills system Skyrim offers. Decisions, decisions...