Dance Central 2 Demo + Full Tracklist Reveal!

Harmonix, the masters of all things rhythm action on this side of the pond (my words) has finally put out a demo for their highly anticipated title, Dance Central 2! This comes hot on the heels of their last announcement, which revealed the final tracks in the game's 44 song setlist (detailed below). Combine that number with the songs from the original game, and between the on disc and DLC content, prospective rump shakers will have over 100 tracks to dance to on October 25th.






The demo brings with it a few new features: The game's all-new simultaneous Dance Battle mode, which is exactly what it sounds, pitting two players in a simultaneous competition for points, and the revamped Break It Down tutorial, which gives players even greater control over learning the routines with new rewind/slow options. There are also subtle improvements brought to the core dancing mode, which an also be explored in a solo session.

“Club Can't Handle Me” by Flo Rida ft. David Guerra, and “Bulletproof” by La Roux are the two songs on the plate for this preview, and while at the time of writing I was only able to try out the former, I have to say, the body tracking and seamless way each move segues into each other to form a routine has been tightened up considerably, along with the more detailed and fantastic animations backing it all. I really didn't think Dance Central could look any better than the previous one, but they've really done it again, using their unique art style to the max via animation and subtleties in the most personable way I've seen since The Beatles Rock Band.



I've posted the full track list below for those interested in order of their difficulty tier, but I really have only one question: Who is going to join me for some Haddaway come Tuesday?

No seriously. Bring a suit.

Dance Central 2 Tracklist

Sandstorm – Darude
Mai Ai Hee (Dragostea Din Tea) – O-Zone
Reach – Atlantic Connection And Armanni Reign
Real Love – Mary J. Blige

Venus – Bananarama
Bulletproof – La Roux
Turn Me On – Kevin Lyttle
Last Night – P. Diddy feat. Keyshia Cole
The Humpty Dance – Digital Underground
Impacto (Remix) – Daddy Yankee feat. Fergie
This Is How We Do It – Montell Jordan
The Breaks – Kurtis Blow

Hot Stuff – Donna Summer
Body to Body – Electric Valentine
Fire Burning – Sean Kingston
You’re A Jerk – New Boyz
Oops (Oh My) – Tweet feat. Missy Elliot
Right Thurr – Chingy
Rude Boy – Rihanna
Nothin’ On You – B.O.B feat. Bruno Mars
Club Can’t Handle Me – Flo Rida feat. David Guetta
I Like It – Enrique Iglesias feat. Pitbull

Massive Attack – Nikki Minaj feat. Sean Garrett
My Prerogative – Bobby Brown
Grenade – Bruno Mars
I Wish For You – Exile
Meddle – Little Boots
Goodies – Ciara

Born This Way – Lady Gaga
Whip My Hair – Willow Smith
Conceited (There’s Something About Remy) – Remy Ma
What Is Love? – Haddaway
Like A G6 – Far East Movement
Yeah! – Usher feat. Lil’ Jon & Ludacris
Bad Romance – Lady Gaga
DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love – Usher feat. Pitbull

Run (Natural Disaster) – Gnarls Barkley
Baby Got Back (Mix Mix) – Sir Mix-A-Lot
Technologic – Daft Punk
Somebody To Love – Justin Bieber

Satellite – Lena
Get Ur Freak On – Missy Elliot
Toxic – As made famous by Britney Spears
Sexy Chick – David Guetta feat. Akon

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Reverse Psychology

I think I hated this last year. Couldn't accept it for the world. Now, I'm seeing things.

I see a very twisted, mcabre visual style. I see some inspired enemy design. I see dynamically morphing environments and an impressive sense of scale. I see a battle system that looks, surprisingly like DMC1, but with an added level of flourish. It looks cool, it looks sharp...it does look like Devil May Cry.

Honestly, it looks a lot like Devil May Cry 2 visually, but without the suck.

I'm inclined...to turn an eye to this. Not a blind eye, but one wide open, and accepting of change. I still don't like the way he looks, but it isn't nearly as distracting as it was last year.

I do like this video. It's making me smile.

Once again proving that really, gamers have no conviction, and that if it looks cool enough, eventually, despite our dissent, we will crack in the name of the game.



Cool artwork, too.



Damnit.
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Hiatus.

I've taken a month off. Have I run out of things to say? Nay. It's rather slow this time of year..

Or that could be an excuse. Has my brain run out of steam? Perhaps not. I've just been gaming like you wouldn't believe. Dedicated a portion of my brain to Mortal Kombat, made my way through a 3D Zelda, watched my girlfriend get her 1947 on via L.A. Noire, saved the world (twice) in Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon, hell, I even tied up loose ends Child of Eden and Shadows of the Damned, both of which performed terribly at retail..

;(

It's been quite a June. But a very depressing month for the industry, this has been. So I went into exile for a bit and covered my tracks. Have to be ready for this fall. These fingertips are moving.

After all, Bobby Kotick did just say something not too long ago about the high price of innovation... *snicker*

Oh yeah. I'm not done yet.
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Gonna take a lot more coffee than this..

Master Chief can't get a break, can he? Always facing insurmountable odds, his trilogy came to a close in late 2007, and gamers were for the most part, satisfied. Why not? Despite some questionable narrative choices (and I maintain thatHalo had a great story, just bad execution), the Halo will always be remembered more for it's multiplayer strength and how it brought console gamers together with a sense of community to rival PC offerings. I remembered it for a different reason.


The original Halo will always have a place in my heart for that other reason it rivaled the PC. Like Unreal had for PC gamers circa 1998, Halo had shown me that we were able to move past the endless metal corridors, castle walls, and dungeons that had defined most FPS games up until that point. It provided a lush world with a tangible visual history, and a sense of discovery and wonder that gave me the impression that though I wasn't the first to traverse the land, my journey would be significant. From the mystery of the seemingly connected man-made structures littering the planet,to the threat of an alien menace trapped deep inside, and discovering the true purpose of Halo itself, it took me on a journey so compelling, the opening moments of the crash landing that started it all are still burned into my skull.



Then there were candy colored aliens spewing gobbeldygook who needed to be shot with a vast array of weaponry, and it satisfied on that front too.

I digress though, as I tend to do. My point was that even though the Halo series would eventually lose itself to repetitious, yet addictive multiplayer,the advent of the child internet scum movement, and an ultimately unsatisfying ending to close a surprise trilogy which ultimately choked the story's potential, (inhales), the original still stands as quite beloved. From series fans telling stories of the old, to newcomers wondering what the series was like before the internet took over, at the very least, a not-so-small demand for an Xbox Live Arcade version of the game has been one of the industry's pipe dreams. Even the excellent Halo: Reach, story driven and true to the original spirit as it was, only made the want greater for an actual Halo 1 remake. Could it really be so difficult to do?

...I guess not.



Consider me robbed for words. Which is nice, because this trailer says just about everything I could've, and then some. The only thing I can coherently state out of this stupor is that it'll be around November 15, 2011, which is right in time for the series 10th anniversary. While a new Halo announcement is always nice, it's almost refreshing that they're going back to when the series has seen better times than going with a full fledged -- oh wait.



They aren't kidding. Much like Solid Snake, reports of his death have been greatly exaggerated.

....but what am I surmise from this trailer? Well...aside from 343 Studios' Bungie-like approach to storytelling, which seems to tell everything while saying nothing, I have my suite of questions. What's attacking his ship? Why? What was that weapon he used to breach the hull? WHAT is that planet he's flying towards?

Looks like cryo-sleep isn't enough of an implicated death to bring this one down.

As part of a newly announced trilogy, I'm sure we'll find out MUCH more before 2012.

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Tangible Excitement.

Estacado's back, baby.
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Mortal Technique?

And as much as things change, they stay the same.

The Tournament Edition Arcade Stick for the upcoming Mortal Kombat game is up for preorder now, and is literally a direct opposite from the Madcatz/Sanwa themed endeavor for Street Fighter 4. Where the aim with the SF4 stick was to recreate the feel of an authentic Japanese style arcade cabinet, this stick looks to replicate the feel of an American-style one instead, you gaijins. An article up at IGN Gear has shots and impressions of the thing, and honestly, aside from the storage ability and cool blood-spattered finish, I can't see how this thing would be comfortable to play on, by any stretch of the imagination.

Let's forget for a second that for all the effort to strip everything from MK that didn't work and augmenting everything that did (and I am LOVING the effort, believe me), the game is still a 2D fighting series with a BLOCK button. Why they continue to deem this a necessary evil is beyond me, but I'm pretty sure it's why this stick's design mocks the button layout of an MK cabinet circa 1993. Concave buttons made from HAPP parts, bat top arcade stick, funky vewlix button layout. Only thing missing is the oppressive rumbling of the DCS sound system to make you want to stick quarters in the thing to shock nearby gamers with the "HEY I'M ABOUT TO PLAY MK" gong noises.



I appreciate the nostalgia, I do, but the block button was one of those things that just DIDN'T make sense in a 2D fighter, and I'm pretty certain it's why the stick has the layout it does now! Looking like a five sided die is not only strange and ergonomically awkward, but it pretty much ensures that you'll be playing nothing but Mortal Kombat on this thing. I'm mean, look at where the LT and RB are located! Even though PDP (the manufacturer) has ensured that it'll be fully customizable, I still find myself somewhere between praising the return to roots and wondering if $150 is really a reasonable price for a controller I'm only going to use with ONE type of fighting game.

Is that really a good investment?..

Source: IGN
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Wait, don't you know what today is?

The hint begins (and ends) with this trailer. Like the comic, this game just gets better and better the more I see of it..




...and were it not for the absolutely BOOTY release schedule on the PSN, (where the date of release doesn't correlate with midnight, instead "sometime" in the afternoon of said day) yours truly would be playing it right now, basking in all of it's old-school, Final River City Double Dragon Ransom Fight in Time : 1989** glory.

STEP YOUR GAME UP, SONY.



No really. I don't know what vegan voodoo Todd Ingram is on to have a TETSUO FUCKING ARM ATTACK, but I want to find out. NOW.

(**Bonus points go to those who pick out the references on a first try!)


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This looks amazing. Here are three ways to have it NOT suck, Sega.

Watch this.



Looks great, doesn't it? Here's how Sega can keep from screwing it up. Again.

1 - MAKE SURE WE'RE ONLY USING SONIC. REAL SONIC.

I may be one of the only fans left keeping track, but ever since this generation started, Sonic Team's taken to promising the fans that each new title is a return to form, that we'll only be using Sonic, no sidekicks along for the ride, and that we'll do what he does best.

Then they turn it on us.

This bait-and-switch tactic worked with the godawful Sonic The Hedgehog when they pulled Shadow's vehicles and Silver's physics sandbox gameplay out of a hat months before release, and of course, in Sonic Unleashed when they revealed that Sonic would be transforming into a damned werehog, again veering off of normal Sonic gameplay and forcing players into a cheap, slow paced brawler. Oh yeah. They managed to sneak Tails and another new annoying sidekick in the form of Chip in there as well. Sega, understand that we don't need to play as Sonic, his brothers, sisters, extended family, second cousins, THEIR cousins, AND the black sheep inbetween. Running and jumping is a pastime in gaming that'll never grow old. Sonic doing this has not gotten old. Variety of this sort is atrocious and the #1 thing ruining Sonic games post 1995.


NO.

2 - More Platforming, less (yes, I said LESS) Speed.

Ever since Sonic's transition from 2D to 3D, the design seems to have been running in reverse. Sonic games of the Genesis era were tricky, filled with secrets, and had great platforming in huge, multi-tiered levels. Almost as if it were a present for making it through, they were always bookended with short stretches that allowed Sonic to show off his trademark speed. They were brief moments, but they were always rewarding and a blast to experience.


(What a REAL Sonic level used to look like. Click to enlarge)

Sonic games in the post-Dreamcast era have had an emphasis on speed, with platforming either falling by the wayside, or being an afterthought. This has forced the game's structure into a psuedo on rails trial-and-error affair, with success coming not from how well tuned your reflexes are, but how well you've memorized a stage after failing countless times. Even my recent favorite of the series, Sonic Unleashed suffers from this. The stages are amazing rollercoaster rides, yes, but the bottleneck it forces players into, essentially having to play a level the way the developers want you to instead of encouraging exploration and multiple paths is one of the things that has been killing the series since 2000.

A return to the secret filled, challenging platform days would be amazing. Sonic's fast. This has been established. But it's a character trait, not a singular gameplay rule. Imagine if everything Mario did in his games was centered around plumbing.

Yep.

3 - Please no "epic" plotlines.

Am I the only person who remembers when Sonic was just a tree hugging, chili dog eating, 'tude filled advocate for animal rights? Robotnik captures the animals and enslaves them, then Sonic sets out to rescue them. That's the motivation. All Mario had was a princess, a bunch of mushroom men, or his brother, but Sonic? He was rescuing the entire damn wilderness. But while Mario has been content rescuing Peach for over 20 years with nary a deviation in plot, Sonic's adventures just keep getting more epic, and simultaneously more ridiculous. Emerald legends, strange relics, plots to destroy the earth, mystical beings, clones, prophetic destinies, it ended up coming to a head (at least for me) in 2006 when he had a love interest in Princess Elise.


Fuck.

I don't need to explain what's wrong with this picture and I'm not going to. All I'm going to say is, if I get ahold of this and I find some radical overarching plot that involves Sonic being thrown back in time due to the activation of a mystical device powered by the tears of an ancient mole race who've been controlling time through the whims of a mystical plant being who speaks through his ass, I'm going down to San Francisco myself and shooting someone in the face.

Sega, you look over this carefully and we'll be golden. Otherwise, you're bound to lose a longtime fan. I know I'm not the only one tired of perpetuating The Sonic Cycle over and over again.


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How did...but isn't that...huh? Awesome.

Among a bunch of amazing announcements from Capcom two days ago, Monster Hunter Frontier on the 360, Super Street Fighter 4 being released April 27th, They still had one in store, curiously about Lost Planet 2, and it was more than its May 18th release date.

There aren't words. Though YouTube's own embedding scheme already ruins my buildup, you're still going to watch. Because it truly has to be seen to be believed.



(I love how sure of themselves they are. Pff. Not that they're strangers to battling monsters that are several stories tall)

THIS is why I tell anyone who will listen that the 360 is the successor to the Dreamcast, and Capcom's open love/support for the system is similarly indicative of this.

Just look at the signs like this one.

I never would've guessed.

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Gameplay demo of...Bioshock 2?

While I realize this may make me seem like a huge hypocrite in retrospect, in the passing months, I've found much to be excited about.

Mind you, my opinion hasn't changed, but a revised direction in the story on the developers' side, plus a very recent playthrough of the original on mine has much to do with why February 9th seems so far away.

I don't expect the same impact as the original. That may be unreasonable. But if you can bring me back to Rapture in 1970 and have me feel it, well..

Then I can't wait.


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Why....what's this?

To me, that looks like a screenshot of some crafty individual about to get himself some Sonic Adventure on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

This excites me. The first game was obviously the high point of Sonic Team's many attempts to translate Sonic in 3D, and with a pretty decent cast of characters aside from himself featuring gameplay types ranging from pursuit to fishing(?!) to round out Sonic's breakneck speed (and it DIDN'T interfere with Sonic's quest, they had stories of their own), it was actually...good. Imagine that.

I know I can't wait to play this. Even watching it makes me feel like I'm 13 all over again. I loved Sonic's gameplay. His was nothing but breakneck speed across a variety of stages filled with shortcuts, hidden paths, and ridiculous setpieces like running down the side of a skyscraper, or escaping the jaws of a killer whale on a bridge being reduced to splinters by the second.

As far as 1999 was concerned, they were the coolest things I'd ever seen in a game.




Sega, please announce this soon. You've already been caught with your pants down.

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Ultraaaa.....Ultraaaa.....Ultraaaa.....

Capcom paying tribute to itself is always so much fun to watch. No really. The construction stage in Super Street Fighter IV is awesome, and one of many reasons I'll be picking up the game in the upcoming months, my love for fighters notwithstanding. The game just oozes personality and style so much that it actually outdid The King of Fighters in terms of characterization.

One of the best ways this is shown is through the characters' explosive Ultra specials. While the scene seems to be a bit divided as to the actual usefulness of most of said specials, one thing I think everyone can agree on is that they looked friggin' GREAT. Powerful, brutal, and sometimes even hilarious, to say that they're the icing on top of SFIV's presentation is an understatement. Unfortunately, in the original there was only one to be had for each character.

SSFIV has even more of them.

Every time someone asks me why this game isn't a piece of DLC, I look at them like they're nuts. As if an overwhelming amount of content in the form of new characters, more (and better!) online modes, more stages, updated graphics, rebalancing, new SP modes, new specials, and new ultras isn't enough of a reason in itself.

..Yes, I said new ultras. Of COURSE you're going to see them.

Some random internet denizen compiled a video of 'em. Just about every (announced) character is showcased here, and among the new ones, there's one for Dhalsim that I have personally coined the "Yoga Teabag". You'll understand when you see it.



Foul on the Zangief AIR GRAB though...WHO thought he needed that? Someone at Capcom needs to stop having drinks with the guy who keeps "rebalancing" Potemkin in Guilty Gear XX..

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I've got your Dark Void..

..Right here. Or there. Somewhere. It's a bit difficult to tell.

So I played the Dark Void demo, and that header picture is actually a pretty damn close representation of my experience with it.


I wish I were kidding, but when I wasn't being taken aback by the 2nd gen Xbox 1 graphics, spotty framerate, milquetoast gunplay that oh-so-desperately wanted to be like Gears of War, and art direction strangely derivative of Mass Effect, I was wrestling with the loose feeling, slippery jetpack controls. Careening into mountains and narrowly avoiding being an occeanic skipping stone has never been so much fun.

Or not. Is it any wonder that following this title, Capcom no longer wants to outsource titles to western developers? Between this and the ill recieved Bionic Commando reboot, I get where they're coming from. They've been pulling out all the stops, releasing some of the most gorgeous games this gen and these random duds are just an annoying stain if not anything else.

Ironically enough, just like Bionic Commando before it, a "classic" 2D version of the game looks like it's going to be MUCH better than its next-gen source material.

No, really. The DSiWare-bound Dark Void: Zero looks terribly hilarious, in a good way. Intentionally done up to look like it debuted on the NES, and featuring all the shooting and jetpacking of it's brother, albeit in 2D form, I think I'll play this one long before I ever touch the console version.



Ah, sprites..


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The Real God of War Stands Up..

Why yes, that is a realtime screenshot of our man Kratos.

It's no secret by now that God of War III is going to be amazing. I'm really trying to maintain this guise I have of being a raging skeptic, but it's things like what I found today that really disarm me. Being fully aware of the fact that neither David Jaffe (creator), or Cory Barlog (art lead\director of the second) are working on this one, what could've been enough to knock me from my stubborn post?

Well, aside from that screenshot above speaking a thousand words in visual fidelity..


It might've been the demo. The demo really was something else. It sounded amazing, played like a dream, and the graphics, heh. I know the team has been saying for well over half a year that the game looks significantly better than this demo, but I can't imagine how. Textures were incredible, lighting was fantastic, and the animation was superb, somehow making Kratos' movements and combat feel even more brutal and covincing.



My ravings aside, it was a hoot. But they've kept surprisingly mum about things since E3. I've heard literally nothing other than the groan-inducing statement that comes with each PS3 exclusive ("This isn't possible on any other console!"), but apparently...Japan knows something we don't.

A bit of sniffing around the internet at large revealed a MASSIVE spread in the latest Famitsu that tells a bunch about our impending epic. Have a look see, even if you may not be able to read it. Click to enlarge, even. The pictures themselves say more than enough.

...Yes, that is Kratos fighting Poseidon on the sixth page. I believe that was my tipping point.











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Dante's Inferno.....of War?

I know imitation's the sincerest form of flattery, but c'mon, guys.





Dante's Inferno, Visceral Games' take on the infamous novel, -is- God of War. Yes. I just said it.

I'm not sorry either. Honestly, if Noriko from Heavenly Sword was dabbling around in the "How to Make An Epic Action Game" bullet point list made by the GoW series, then Inferno has gone to Staples, made a copy of it, and dared to stuff it into a decent looking folder instead of laminate it.

I understand the symbiosis of the industry and how we must take an idea or two from each other and expand on it in order to survive, but this is a bit much, even for me. The controls have been copy pasted, the boss battles and enemy encounters are similar right down to the finishing QTE events, and the graphics, while running at a rock solid 60 frames per second, have obviously taken a hit due to this fact.



I almost played the game in a state of utter disbelief, unable to fully enjoy it because I knew where it was all coming from, and unable to hate it because what was on display was very polished. The demo was actually very long and involving, taking me from the beginning of Dante's quest to rescue his love Beatrice, to his entry into one of the many circles of hell he's supposed to endure. It's a concept that is interesting, having been built upon the framework of The Divine Comedy, but it ends up being more unintentionally funny than dramatic. This however, just builds upon what I said earlier.

Everything this game ultimately would like to be, it just falls slightly short in my eyes due to a lack of a tangible soul. The combat is visceral, but lacks that extra oomph it would need to be satisfying. The sense of scale is played up well with convincing camerawork and explosive setpieces, but doesn't feel grand. The game's general design feels so much like God of War and every other action game inspired by it, that it makes me wonder why I'm not playing them instead.

This isn't to say that DI is not a good game however. It's just so blatantly running off of Sony Santa Monica's (the team who created God of War) ideas that it's difficult to justify playing it when the real God of War 3 is merely months away, and even an actual month away from this title's release. There is literally NOTHING I saw in this demo outside of its concept that I found terribly interesting or original, and I don't know if a novel story is enough to warrant a full on purchase. It actually bothers me because I want to see Visceral Games' vision of hell (if the demo's any indication, they've got some things up their sleeve), but I don't know. While Dead Space was a sleeper hit, actually outdoing the series it built its framework upon (Resident Evil 4), this just feels like an impressive knockoff more than anything else. We'll see when February rolls around.



I'll be damned if some of those kills weren't cool though.

No pun intended.

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Da funk back to the punk, come on..

My return is heralded with the sound of house music.

It's no secret that I'm excited about DJ Hero, but it seems Activision is speaking to me--and by extension, everyone else slightly burned by the direction they've taken Guitar Hero--by letting everyone know just how much effort they're putting into making this game phenomenal for house/dance/techno music lovers.

The picture above speaks for itself with Daft Punk signing on, lending not only their likeness and inimitable style, but a number of exclusive remixes just for the game to pad out an already mindblowing catalog of mixes reaching past the hundred mark.

Tim Riley, Activision's VP of Music Affairs had much to say to Rolling Stone during their interview but these quotes stood out for me:

“They are known to be selective about the projects they get involved with and being able to partner with them in this way is a rare opportunity we are honored to have,” Riley added. “From the mixes featuring their music, to their character models and the amazing Daft Punk inspired venue, the guys have been meticulously involved every step of the way.”

and:

“It’s the next best thing to being at a Daft Punk concert.”

Amazing. Now that I've thought of it, what IS a DJ themed game without Daft Punk? This is love. Those of us who are dying to see the duo on stage again, you know, before 2017, I think we've been blessed. Their tracks after the jump.

Now, I really can't wait.

Tracks:

• Daft Punk “Around the World” vs. Young MC “Bust A Move”
• Daft Punk “Da Funk” vs. NASA “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB and Fatlip”
• Daft Punk “Da Funk” vs. Queen “Another One Bites the Dust”
• Daft Punk “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim “Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)”
• Daft Punk “Robot Rock” vs. Queen “We Will Rock You”
• Daft Punk “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions “Jack Of Spades”
• Daft Punk “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan “Cars”
• Daft Punk “Television Rules The Nation” vs. No Doubt “Hella Good”

Ah...October 27th..

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Digital Kid and The Dark Knight

Both this PS3 browser and my phone are swallowing up my posts. This is out of my control.

No more empty promises until I've got something concrete.

Though I will say this in passing, and damnit if I haven't typed this into the window and watched it get sucked into the abyss three times--

Batman: Arkham Asylum is amazing, not in that "Hey this is pretty good" comic book game sense, but as the most fully realized, authentic, nailed-to-a-tee Batman experience I've seen in a very long time, and yes, that is including the last two films, both of which were fantastic.


The setup is simple - The Joker finally gets captured (and it's a term I use lightly) by Batman and dragged to Arkham Island, no sooner than he is a few steps into the prison, the guards are down, the Joker's loose inside and taking over, and it's up to Batman to contend with every single loon he's locked up in that place.

The visuals are top notch and exude creativity, the voice acting is superb (What is it with the Joker ALWAYS stealing the show? Thank you Mark Hamill), the controls are fluid and intuitive, and most of all, it's FUN. What we have coming up is a Stealth/Action hybrid that not only manages to capture the essence of the world of The Dark Knight, but it looks like it's shaping up to be a damn fine game as well.

The best thing about the game is that it truly lets you FEEL like Batman.

Utility belt and all. It's almost like a Batman refresher course in case you've forgotten his abilities.

A superb multidirectional fighting system reminds you just how adept he is at hand-to-hand-combat, complete with impressively segued counter animations, should the need arise.

The grappling hook, batarang, prehensile cape are there to remind you what a great inventor he is. When was the last time you used a weapon or accessory in a game that felt less like a appliance, and more like a natural extension of the character?

Being able to scan an entire area with his "Detective vision" (with detailed, per-enemy information down to their moods) reminds you of his above average perception and situational awareness. You know, pretty much the answer to just how he takes advantage of all those shadows and vantage points you wouldn't have thought of.

A particularly fond memory of these realizations adding up to a cohesive whole:

I was faced with a room full of enemies. 5 to be precise. All milling about, minding themselves. A flick of my detective vision from the vent revealed 5 enemies, all aware, all armed. I set forward, crept behind the first one too dumb to check his 6, and knocked him unconscious. I'm wide in the open though, another flick of my DV reveals several stone gargoyles near ceiling high. I notice one right near two enemies making their rounds. Perfect. I grapple towards them and bide my time.

They're running a tight ship, heading in the same direction. I have to separate them. I wait until they've gotten closer to my vantage point and make my move. Quickly whipping out a batarang, I knock the first one unconscious. This startles the second one, leading him to panic and try to revive his partner. He got it the worst, making the mistake of running underneath the very same gargoyle I'd made my new home. A flick of the Y button, and he was yanked upward into the shadows, strung up like a defenseless pinata. I drop down silently and pacify the still unconscious thug from before.

3 down.

I'd apparently made too much noise, as one of them noticed and started making his way towards the site of my handiwork. A quick tap of RB ziplines me back into the shadows, prime for my next move. These next two are much too far apart for me to be effective. As soon as one's back is turned, I leap off the gargoyle with my trademark glide kick, and nail one right in the back, this makes enough noise to startle the other, so much so that I don't even have time to finish my target, I have to retreat. But they're both worried. My detective vision tells me this much. Hanging from yet another gargoyle, I yank his terrified friend skyward just to spook the hell out of the last thug, and it works. He is literally so flustered, he's taken to firing up at the ceiling. I know I have him.

Right in the middle of his best Rambo impression, I drop behind him without a sound, punch him in the neck and put him in a sleeper hold.

The Joker laments my victory with taunts and chagrin for the hired help.

I am Batman.

Great game. I can't wait.
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Pizza Time!

TMNT IV: Turtles in Time is one of my personal favorites. Based on the 4 player arcade classic, the SNES version has the reputation of being one of the best beat'em ups of all time.

Of course, with all this popularity, a remake was inevitable, and so goes the transformation from this:



To this:



Now I look at this, and while I'm somewhat excited, I also find myself a bit torn. I'm very much under the impression that no matter how impressive 3D gets, it'll never be able to capture the personality of 2d, and while this seems to capture the brawling, Foot Soldier flinging, "Cowabunga!" filled awesome of the original (arcade!) version, something seems a bit flat. May just be me though. Perhaps it's the absence of that rumbling, screen shaking effect that made every slam so tangible and meaty in the home version?

I'll likely be all over this come June 22nd, so I'll reserve any further thoughts until then. Comparison vid below..


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Bayonetta blowout.

It's no secret to anyone close to me that I'm excited for Bayonetta, lovechild of Sega and Platinum Games (formerly Clover Studio and of Okami fame). From her unique design to the fast paced stylish action gameplay, I can't see where this title could go wrong. Further cementing my rabid anticipation would be the fact that Hideki Kamiya (Devil May Cry) is at the helm. I mean, we're talking about the guy who redefined action gaming back in 2001, you know, WAY before David Jaffe waltzed in and stole his thunder by sticking QTEs in the middle of our grab combos with God of War.

Personally, I'm getting a little tired of every action game being compared to GoW post-2005, and it's nice to see ANOTHER game get the limelight, free of those comparisons. Of course, to know what I'm talking about, you'd have to see it in action, right? The jump awaits.


I think the worst part of any action game is staring at the loading screens. Bayonetta is no stranger to them, however instead of a black screen, in this game you get a chance to tool around and learn all her moves, and if this video is any indication...there's a TON of them. Loading screen montage go!



If you stopped to ask, "Why do her clothes keep disappearing?" it's because well...those aren't clothes she's wearing. That's her hair.

Yep.

Oh, and are those bazookas on her ankles? My word. I think I'm in love.

Just in case that wasn't enough (I know it wasn't for me), here's the 10 minute demo from E3, being played by someone who obviously knows their stuff. I swear, her moves look even better in practice, and if the entire game can keep up the pace and look of this short demo, I think fans of action games everywhere are in for a treat.





If you're still as interested as I am after watching these, be sure to check out the Developer's Blog, as they're taking time aside from making this awesome game to detail the process that goes into creating everything from character design, to the weapons and even how the music was scored. Interesting reads, especially if you're curious about just how much work goes into making a game from concept to reality.
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You've got to be kidding me.

I knew Namco was tapping some kind of juju out of the PSP in order to make Tekken 5 as excellent as it was on the PSP, but seriously. Porting talent and attention to detail aside, I didn't care one lick about the upcoming PSP version of Soulcalibur IV, aptly subtitled Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny, until now.

Why?

Take a look at that picture. Yeah.




Not gonna lie. Kind of want now. Kind of.
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