I know that I normally don’t post articles about release dates for a single game and I know that some of you feel that classic shooters all look the same, but this is Radiant Silvergun! Originally released in arcades and for the Sega Saturn, a lot of people think that this is the best shooter Treasure has ever made (and the company has made a bunch of great ones). I’m a mark for this game, Treasure, and the Sega Saturn, so I’m triply excited for this release. According to AndriaSang, it will hit Xbox Live Arcade on September 14, 2011. That’s the Japanese launch date. Hopefully the U.S. launch is within the same timeframe.
Are there any other Treasure marks out there looking forward to Radiant Silvergun on Xbox Live Arcade?
XDA.cn has posted a video walkthrough of what’s allegedly HTC Sense 3.5. Most people believe that Sense is the best Android skin on the market and this video shows that HTC is committed to staying on top. I’m a huge fan of Sense and I love many of the enhancements it provides. The active lock screen and excellent widgets are some of my favorite features of Sense 3.0. Those features are still intact, but there are a number of nifty additions to be found in this five-minute video. It’s a little slow and could use some music, but there are some moments that will make you say, “That’s pretty slick!”
Here’s another excellent Sony PlayStation commercial featuring Kevin Butler. This time around he’s kicking off Sony’s “Long Live Play” ad campaign. The spot has Butler working at a company called Economy Flooring when he’s called back to the Sony Defense Force by Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton. As expected, it’s a cute and witty commercial. I love that it celebrates gaming as something fun and cool. My favorite moment was when Butler looked at his framed 8 x 10 of Tretton and said, “You are the boss of me.” Ha!
Check out the spot and let me know what you think (please)!
I’m totally charmed by these screens of Square Enix’s Quantum Conundrum. This puzzle-platform game is being made by Airtight Games. Some of you know that Airtight’s creative director is Kim Swift, co-creator of the outstanding Portal…
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I’m totally charmed by these screens of Square Enix’s Quantum Conundrum. This puzzle-platform game is being made by Airtight Games. Some of you know that Airtight’s creative director is Kim Swift, co-creator of the outstanding Portal. Quantum Conundrum looks like a wonderful blend of creative gameplay and a cute art style. Here’s some info from the press release:
In Quantum Conundrum, players take on the role of a young kid dropped off on his uncle’s doorstep for the weekend; his uncle just so happens to be the brilliant, eccentric inventor, Professor Fitz Quadwrangle. Upon entering the Professor’s vast manor home retrofitted with crazy technology to test his latest hypotheses, players quickly realize their uncle has gone missing. Fortunately, players soon gain access to Professor Quadwrangle’s latest invention, the Inter-Dimensional Shift Device, which, at the press of a button, will shift the world around them to an entirely new dimension. In order to find him, players must use the newly found IDS Device to dynamically change the world to and from a variety of different dimensions to progress through the complicated Quadwrangle Manor. While on the journey, becoming adept at utilizing the various dimensions will help them trek from one bizarre and challenging room to the next. It might sound easy enough, but it is a tall order for a kid in a giant puzzle of a manor!
Sounds awesome, hey? Quantum Conundrum will be available for download in early 2012. It’s heading to PC (via Steam), PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live.
Sony posted a friendly reminder that its bonus program for the PlayStation 3D Display expires on September 30, 2011. This 24-inch HDTV comes with a pair of 3D glasses and Motorstorm Apocalypse. If you pre-order by the end of September, you’ll get a copy of Resistance 3 as well. The PlayStation 3D Display retails for $499.99. Here are the bullet points if you need a refresher:
Full HD 1080p resolution and 240hz refresh rate for ultra-smooth play
3 HD inputs (2 HDMI and 1 component) so you can hook up your PS3, cable TV box, and PC
Built-in speakers and subwoofer for a more immersive audio experience.
Remember, the hook on this television is that it can support two players in full HD 3D. Sony calls this SimulView technology…which is almost as silly a term as Retina Display. Some argue that the the bundle is a great deal. I’m not sold just yet. I wasn’t too impressed with the display quality shown at E3 2011. That said, those were early models and were probably calibrated by hacks. The final product will likely offer a better picture. How much better? I’m curious to find out.
The PlayStation 3D Display looks like a versatile television that can support your consoles and PC, while offering superior sound and 3D gaming. It seems perfect for a game reviewer’s desk, but I wonder if any “real” people are interested. Any of you thinking of taking the plunge?
Lady Gaga shocked the crowd at the MTV Video Music Awards by appearing and performing as her male alter ego, Jo Calderone. While I loved Gaga’s performance of “You and I”, mostly because it featured Queen guitarist Brian May, everyone seems to be fixated on the Calderone character instead of the music. Check it out below and let me know what you think (please)!
As for me, I love the song and the guitar playing. The Jo Calderone thing seems like another way of Gaga pushing buttons. I like what she was trying to do, but it seemed a little silly to me. Calderone looks like a member of The Jets from West Side Story. I was waiting for a medley of “When You’re a Jet” and “Somewhere“.
A lot of mobile tech enthusiasts were surprised and disappointed to learn that Verizon has passed on getting a Samsung Galaxy S II variant. My initial thoughts were that it was waiting for the LTE version of the Galaxy S II (probably) or it was waiting to get the Nexus Prime (less likely). According to Boy Genius Report, the Samsung “Droid Prime” will be headed to Verizon as a timed exclusive on October 2011.
For those of you not familiar with the Nexus Prime, it will be the third Google Android champion phone, following the Nexus One and Nexus S. It will be the first phone that runs the next version of the Android operating system, dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich. Other rumors indicate that it will have a Super AMOLED HD 720p (1280 x 720) screen and a five megapixel camera that raises the bar on image quality. The sweet hook on being a Verizon exclusive is that it will also use zippy LTE connectivity. Right now, there’s nothing that can touch Verizon LTE in terms of Internet speed.
It’s interesting that BGR is using the brand Droid Prime and not Nexus Prime. The Droid is a brand specific to Verizon and it seems odd that Google would dump the Nexus brand in favor of a carrier-specific one. That’s the only part of the rumor that seems suspect. Perhaps the Droid Prime isn’t a Nexus phone at all.
Are you excited about the possibility of a Google champion phone running on Verizon’s LTE network? Would you rather have this or an iPhone 5?
Are you ready for some (American) football?!? A bunch of you had fantasy drafts yesterday and are amped for the season to start. Why not increase the anticipation with some Madden NFL 12? If you’re more about guns than balls then you should keep an eye on Bodycount, the spiritual successor to the underrated Black. Looking for something more esoteric and Japanese? How about Cladun X2 from the excellent people at Nippon Ichi Software America? You can add some (scary) spice to your life and get in shape on the Wii with Get Fit with Mel B.
My tech writer friends and I were talking about brands that were powerful 10 years ago, but are dead or dying in 2011. Names like Dell, Nokia, and RIM came up. It wasn’t that long ago when Michael Dell advised Apple to…
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, gratuitous use of chyrons, the scariest insect, or why my coffee beans are late, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
My tech writer friends and I were talking about brands that were powerful 10 years ago, but are dead or dying in 2011. Names like Dell, Nokia, and RIM came up. It wasn’t that long ago when Michael Dell advised Apple to shut down the company, Nokia was the leading high-end smartphone manufacturer in the world, and RIM’s BlackBerry platform was considered cutting edge. It’s crazy how much can change in a decade. These days Apple makes Dell look like a joke, Nokia is no longer a player in the high-end market, and RIM’s BlackBerry OS is considered an archaic piece of crap.
Other companies like Excite, Palm, and Yahoo! were discussed. I wanted to talk about gaming brands, but most of these guys don’t know anything about that world. That’s where you come in! Remember when the “big three” of gaming was Nintendo, Sony, and Sega?!? It’s crazy how Sega went from one of the biggest players in console gaming to a middling publisher.
What brands do you remember being juggernauts in 2001 that are dead or dying in 2011? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!
Razer has taken the wraps off of its Blade gaming laptop and it looks hot. Packed with high-end specs, aluminum construction, and Razer’s unique Switchblade user interface, the Blade appears to offer a unique blend of performance, functionality, and style. While I don’t want to get too excited until I can get my hands on one, I’m loving the Blade on paper. Here’s some additional info from the press release:
Razer, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, introduces the Razer Blade – a full aluminum chassis gaming laptop featuring true portability, incredible performance, and an all-new revolutionary user interface. With the introduction of the Razer Blade – a feat of modern-day systems engineering and technology, Razer is reinvigorating technological and design innovation for the entire PC industry, and encouraging gamers and developers to return to the PC as the primary gaming platform of choice.
Mobile systems developed for gaming today compromise on portability and form factor for game performance. While such machines run games well, they are over 2 inches thick and can weigh more than 10lbs. The Razer Blade measures 0.88 inches thin, less than half that of current mobile gaming systems, and weighs only 6.97lbs, achieving a balance between portability and performance – making it the world’s first true gaming laptop.
Developed in partnership with Intel, the Razer Blade features a fast Intel® Core™ i7 processor and a high performance NVIDIA GeForce® graphics processor. The hardware was designed to run the most demanding games of today without sacrificing the laptop’s portable form factor. The Razer Blade also does not compromise on screen size as it comes with an incredible LED-backlit high-definition 17” display.
The Razer Blade features the Switchblade User Interface – Razer’s multi-award winning, highly intuitive interface technology. The interface is comprised of 10 dynamic adaptive tactile keys for easier access of in-game commands, and an LCD capable of two modes: one mode that displays in-game information when a mouse is in use; and another mode that functions as an ultra-sensitive, multi-touch panel designed for gaming on the go.
Naturally, the Blade uses the customary black and green colors found in other Razer products. I’m anxious to get my hands on the machine in order to get a sense of its build quality For now I’m digging the Blade’s looks. Check out the image gallery below and let me know if you like the Blade’s aesthetics.
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I know that a lot of you are spec whores, so here are the Blade’s digits:
Price: US$2799.99
Availability: North America Q4 2011
Product Specifications:
2.8GHz Intel® Core™ i7 2640M Processor
8GB 1333MHz DDR3 Memory
17.3″ LED Backlit Display (1920×1080)
NVIDIA GeForce® GT 555M with NVIDIA® Optimus™ Technology
2GB Dedicated GDDR5 Video Memory
Built-in HD Webcam
Integrated 60Wh Battery
320GB 7200rpm SATA HDD
Wireless Network 802.11 b/g/n Compatible
16.81″ (Width) x 10.9″ (Depth) x 0.88″ (Height); 6.97lbs (Weight)
Again, I’m trying not to get too excited…but I can’t help it! The Razer Blade is the most exciting non-Apple laptop I’ve seen in years. Keep in mind that I was reviewing laptops for PC Magazine and Computer Shopper in the ’90s before I started writing about games. It’s extremely rare for me to be this jazzed about a Windows laptop and here I am drooling over the Blade. Ha!
How about you? Any of you ladies and gents interested in the Blade?
[Updated at 2:21PM PDT with the promo video below.]
