February's Game of the Month: Earth Defense Force 2025

  

Yeah, it's not even out until the 18th of the month, but I've owned the Japanese version of the game since it came out last July and it's pretty amazing and VERY replayable, a great thing in this age of games you can blow through in less time that it takes to make a crock pot dish. EDF 2025's four distinct classes, 780 weapons, over 90 levels (with more coming through three DLC expansions) and both couch co-op and multiplayer modes means this one will be in some play stacks for a good long while.

Sure, it's not the "best" looking game and yes, developer Sandlot isn't whipping out visuals that are going to compete with the greatest-looking games of last generation. That said, the scale of the maps plus the level of destruction here is remarkable, and combined with the seemingly simple gameplay that grows deeper as the game gets more challenging, makes this one a keeper even after you've beaten it. Which will take weeks if you're going for every bit of content.

So yeah, BUY THIS GAME. PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 only (Sandlot doesn't make PC Games, sorry!).

Your Pretty Obvious Game of the Month: Grand Theft Auto V

September 17, folks. Yeah, yeah, it's not even out yet, but between all the content descriptions, teasers, trailers and screens it's more than clear that this is Rockstar's biggest game to date and it will be a major distraction for those fans who buy in and tune out the even crazier goings on in the real world. Provided the planet doesn't blow itself up, melt or get invaded by aliens (and variations of two of those three things could happen), it should be a great holiday season for anyone employed at the company when those bonus checks go flying around...

Random Game of the (Upcoming) Week: Remember Me

Despite the heavy focus on multiplayer and "socializing" game experiences to the point of insanity (every game really doesn't need a co-op or online mode!), single player story-based games aren't quite a dying breed, but neither are whiny gamers who demand every game be some sort of open world experiece. Capcom's Remember Me, (out June 4, 2013) is looking like one of those cool new IP that will please fans of games where atmosphere and intriguing characterizations are more important than back of the pack bullet points. I'll have a full review on the NEW DAF site in a few days, so pop on over and check it out...

WIN FREE STUFF! Urban Trial Freestyle PSN Codes (PS3/Vita) Up For Grabs!

CONTEST CLOSED!!! CODES AWARDED!!! CHECK BACK AGAIN FOR MORE FREE STUFF!!!

 

OK, OK - you've been asking me to give more stuff away, soooo here you go. Thanks to the fine folks at Tate Multimedia, I have three Urban Trial Freestyle PS3 and three Vita codes here (for the North American PSN store) burning a hole in my inbox. I think six DIFFERENT people out there could use a fun blast of slick visuals, challenging stunt and speed-based gameplay and a ton of replay value to keep them busy for a bit. I think that YOU just might be one of those people, right? So, HOW do you get one of these codes, you ask? Well, just head on over to the NEW DAF site and find out!

Don't take too long to respond, though...   You're almost there - a click away, in fact!

The Final Naughty Bear: PiP Costume Will Make You SCREAM...

 

One killer bear game gets one more costume change based on yet another popular slasher flick. I can only imagine how much more gory a Naughty Bear game would be if they went for a Mature rating, but then again, that would limit the fan base a bit in places where some users would be shut out of a purchase. Then again, given that Panic in Paradise is a digital download, that point might bee totally moot. Anyway, go grab that Ghostface Bear costume (which includes The Mask of the Major Yawn, Pitch Black Hood, Pitch Black Garb and Pitch Black Skirt) from PSN or Xbox Live NOW. Naughty will stalk you if you don't (and that's NOT a good thing)...

Review: Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (PS3)

Platform: PS3 

Developer: Blitz Games 

Publisher: Disney Interactive 

# of Players: 1 - 2 (Co-op) 

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) 

Official Site 

Score: Single Player: D+ (65%)/Co-op B+ (85%) 

Rather than cut and paste my Wii review of Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two  from earlier today with a few HD-themed edits, I decided to get a little more creative... to a point. Yup, this is what happens when you stay up to long playing one version of a game after another, folks...

More Epic song? OK, I've got one- 
In HD, Mickey's hot as strong sun
The shadows here? They can't be beat  
with detailed backgrounds that are quite neat.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two looks great on the PS3, with some gorgeous cartoon colors, more detailed backdrops, better draw distance and some great use of shadows that give areas a lot more life than on the Wii version. It may seem like a small thing, but the care that went into elements such as the bucket-carrying brooms casting shadows on the walls (and yes, recalling the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence in Fantasia) add to the overall game experience. Granted, lovely shadows and backdrops don't make a great game, but for the most part, the game doesn't disappoint on the visual front...

Dark Souls "All Saints' Day" Trailer + Serious Statues To Do Battle For

With its October 4 US release date right around the corner, here's a last at the latest Dark Souls trailer plus some awesome one of a kind statues created by one of the game's biggest fans, sculptor Peter Nordstrom. These five absolutely beautiful artworks are actually being given away over on the Dark Souls community page, so there will be a few lucky gamers who are going to walk away with some incredible showpieces you won't find anywhere else. If you want to give it a shot, it;'s actually not too late. Just head on over to the PREPARE TO DIE Forums and have at their interesting puzzle contest. Good Luck!

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).

Sony Teases Gamers With A Little Mystery Project...

Hmmmm... My head is too full of other stuff to even venture a guess, so it looks as if I'll be holding out until October 5 to get the answer. Of course, it'll probably leak before then, but that's how it goes. It's probably something Home-related, but I'm just throwing out the first thing off the top of my head. Which means I'm probably wrong. Still, it WOULD be nice if we all found out The Agency was being revived from the dead, right?

Rayman Origins "Around The World" Trailer

Awesome and funny new trailer from the upcoming retro-flavored (but decidedly modern) platformer set to hit PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii soon enough. Poke around on the official site for more on this fresh take on classic gameplay. If this game doesn't make you smile, you're a hopeless dope who needs an anvil dropped gently on your head. Or some rat named Ignatz aiming a brick at you from throwing distance (POW!!!). Tough love always wins over the hard-headed, I say...

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.

GoldenEye Reloaded Stealth Walkthrough

Mr, Bond, I presume? As far as replay value goes, it certainly looks as if GR will give players a few ways to go through the game (just like the Wii version). Here's a bit of fun with vents galore in this walkthrough for the upcoming FPS set to shoot into stores on November 4. I'm leaning towards the PS3 version just for the Move controls (it's just grand that shooters play so well with the peripheral).

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.

TGS 2011: Inversion Teaser Trailer

Saber Interactive's innovative gravity flipping cover-based shooter is one of those games you HAVE to play to fully grasp. This action-packed teaser is a fun clip, but I can see some people mistaking it for yet another Gears of War clone (when it's FAR from it). As I've said previously, this one will surprise a lot of people once they get their hands on it. Hopefully Saber can make the full experience as rewarding and surprising as what I've seen and played so far. A Vita version down the road would be really sweet as well.. but let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

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...

TGS 2011: Sonic Generations "Genesis Era" Trailer

Ah, nostalgia... SG is looking really cool and hopefully will capture the absolute best of the 2D and 3D Sonic games in one package. The last couple of Sonic titles have been quite good, warts and all, but I think Sega is on track to deliver one of the best games featuring its popular mascot to date. If not, it's off the the glue factory. That or I can see some failed mascot from days gone by taking Sonic's place. Anyone remember Socket, Pulseman or Awesome Possum? NO? Hmmm.. then again, I think Sonic's job is quite secure after all...

TGS 2011: Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom Trailers/Reversible Cover Art

Capcom is really going all out to give MvC3 fans the best version of the game outside the arcades. There's even a reversible cover set for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions with voting taking place on the Capcom Unity blog so fans can let their voices be heard on which they think is the better cover. I'm betting most go for the Japanese cover art more because they think Japanese-designed game covers are best (which isn't always the case). Check out the three trailers above and below the jump to see what all the fuss is about.

TGS 2011: Namco Bandai Trailer Blowout: TOO Many Good Games + Some Surprises

Yikes. I don't have time to write up separate posts for all of these, so I'll let the assortment of trailers above and below (and below the the jump) show you some of what's cooking at TGS from Namco Bandai. Between the nice support for PS Vita and 3DS plus the other key console titles coming, it's clear that the publisher is really intent on bringing it where it counts. There's definitely something for just about every taste in this lineup. I'll try and get some screens up this weekend or next week, as I'm swamped with a few reviews and such to get done. I will say that Katamari looks like it will be an absolute dream on Vita, especially with the double touchscreen deal...