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Coffee Talk #123: Pick Your Japanese Limited Edition Console

Yesterday’s Coffee Talk was pretty fun, so let’s stick with the Japanese theme. It’s applicable since I’m typing this from Japan. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been jealous of the awesome limited edition consoles Japanese gamers have access to. There’s some truly amazing stuff released in Japan and I wish the American console companies would try to match these fine goods (though I understand why they don’t).

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, Suntory time, last night’s American Idol (I was flying, so spoilar it for me please), or your iPhone 4 predictions, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Yesterday’s Coffee Talk was pretty fun, so let’s stick with the Japanese theme. It’s applicable since I’m typing this from Japan. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been jealous of the awesome limited edition consoles Japanese gamers have access to. There’s some truly amazing stuff released in Japan and I wish the American console companies would try to match these fine goods (though I understand why they don’t).

I’m currently drooling over the white FFXIII PS3 with a pink Lightning paint job. It’s completely awesome and I want it now! If I can afford it and it’s still available during TGS, I’ll try to pick one up in September — that’s one of my dreams for 2010. You see, I’ve never had a Japanese limited edition home console. However, I have picked up a few limited edition portable systems at Tokyo’s Pokemon Center. I fondly remember my Celebi Game Boy Advance and my Torchic Game Boy Advance SP.

Today I wanted to see if you have a limited edition dream console. It doesn’t matter if it’s a portable or home system. I just want to know what Japanese limited edition goods make you drool. Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Crackdown 2: This Summer’s Blockbuster Hit?

Last week I caught a demo of Crackdown 2 (Microsoft Xbox 360) and was really impressed with what the boys and girls at Ruffian Games have come up with. The original was one of the most unique and refreshing action games released this generation — I don’t recall an action game that offered such a thrilling sense of vert. The sequel aims to bring all the excitement of its predecessor along with several new tricks. From what I’ve seen, Crackdown 2 is the perfect videogame equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie. Here are some assorted thoughts from the demo.

– Crackdown 2 takes place 10 years after the original game. Some areas of Pacific City are prosperous, while others have become slums populated by the mutated “freaks”. The city’s network is the same, so it will feel familiar to gamers that played the first game. However, a lot of the buildings are different or have changed, so it will feel different as well.

– As expected, the game has a big vertical feel — the exaggerated high jumping returns, but this time around it’s accompanied by underground levels. Since it would be a little odd to greatly expand the width of Pacific City, the developers expanded downwards. There are several underground areas populated by the freaks. Some of the areas are connected to the ones above them, expanding the vertical feeling.

– There’s an interesting day/night mechanic that changes the feel of the game. During the day, humans walk the streets freely and you have to be careful not to kill too many of them (assuming you’re playing as a good guy). At night, the freaks come out and terrorize the streets. You can attack them with reckless abandon since the humans are inside.

– Jumping out of a helicopter is totally fun. You’re able to glide around the city quickly. In some cases it’s the most convenient way to move from area to area. More importantly, the sensation is cool. It reminded of Goliath from the Gargoyles cartoon.

– Naturally, there’s a huge sandbox element to the game. I spent about five minutes knocking down lamp posts with various weapons and vehicles. I’m pretty sure I was having flashbacks to Animal Crossing; my friend James and I used to visit our friends’ towns and chop down all their trees. Good times.

– There’s a lot more hand holding in the early stages of the game. Apparently some features and mechanics were not obvious to some players of the original. The issue has been addressed with a series of straightforward tutorials. There are also missions that help lead players to new areas. For example, you’ll be tasked to find absorption units that can take out freaks. After finding beacons that lead to the unit, you’ll find it tucked away in a central area.

– The magnetic grenade will be a fan favorite. In addition to blowing things up with them, you can create tethers between two objects. There are all sorts of fun ways to experiment with this weapon. You can create a slingshot to launch cars at your enemies. In a cooperative setting, players can attach them to a helicopter and a car. This allows the player in the chopper to tow his/her friend in the car to other areas.

– Turrets are a pretty fun weapon. While manning one is completely straightforward, they can also be ripped out at higher strength levels, allowing you to run around town with a powerful turret. In cooperative mode, multiple turrets can be attached to trucks, allowing a gang to operate a wheeled death machine.

– Collecting orbs was always fun in the first Crackdown. This time around it won’t be so easy. There are power-ups called “renegade orbs” that flee from the player. While they don’t exactly use an advanced AI, they are smart enough to alter their flight pattern depending on your actions. Early renegade orbs are easy enough to catch, but they get tougher to snag as the game progresses.

– There’s a freak-specific weapon called the UV gun. It’s awesome for blasting away freaks…or getting a tan.

In my mind, Crackdown clearly inspired other action games like Infamous and Prototype. With that in mind, the sequel has to work harder than its forerunner to impress people. From what I saw last week, Crackdown 2 certainly has the potential to dazzle gamers. The single-player aspects looked like great, ridiculous fun. If the cooperative elements are similarly engaging then this should be the summer blockbuster game. Heavy action, ridiculous weaponry, and monstrous explosions — sounds like fun, hey?

Anyway, let me know what you think of the game. Did you dig the original? Are you looking forward to the sequel? Do you think it will be on your summer wish list? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Coffee Talk #121: Sazh and Me

I’m totally fascinated by Sazh from Final Fantasy XIII. He’s one of the most interesting videogame characters I’ve encountered in years. He’s different and real and way cooler than I was expecting him to be. Before I get to why I dig Sazh, let’s take a look at how my thoughts on the character have changed.

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, the Yankees’ bullpen sucking, the sad fighter Roy Jones, Jr. has become, or Reona Rewis, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I’m totally fascinated by Sazh from Final Fantasy XIII. He’s one of the most interesting videogame characters I’ve encountered in years. He’s different and real and way cooler than I was expecting him to be. Before I get to why I dig Sazh, let’s take a look at how my thoughts on the character have changed.

Saw the Japanese scans of Sazh. I thought it was stupid for a chocobo to live in his hair.
Heard the initial English voice acting for Sazh at E3 2009. He sounded like Robert Downey, Jr. in Tropic Thunder.
Saw the game in Tokyo in September 2009. The Tropic Thunder factor was still a mystery.
Finally played the final game in March 2010. I was glad that Sazh didn’t sound like Robert Downey, Jr. in Tropic Thunder. That would have been ridiculous. I was also disappointed that Sazh didn’t sound like Robert Downey, Jr. from Tropic Thunder. The unintentional comedy would have destroyed millions of PlayStation 3 consoles in English-speaking countries.

Seriously though, Sazh is very different from your typical videogame protagonist — especially for a Japanese RPG. He’s old for a hero. He’s also a single father. That aspect of the Sazh was the most interesting and atypical. Without spoilarizing things, it’s just powerful and moving to see how things play out between Sazh and his son Dajh. In a genre full of angst-filled teen and tween characters, Sazh was refreshing.

Plus, Tetsuya Nomura allegedly based Sazh’s design on Lionel Richie. I totally want to see him sing the words, “Hello! Is it me you’re looking for?”

Anyway, let me know what you think of Sazh. For that matter, let me know about any recent videogame characters that stood out to you.

Coffee Talk #120: What Bands Should Get Their Own Music Game?

My friend and I were talking about Green Day: Rock Band the other day. While we both like Green Day to a certain extent, we’re both puzzled as to why they have their own Rock Band game. Certainly there are better and more deserving bands, no? Perhaps it has everything to do with the band appealing to people in their ’30s and below, but shouldn’t bands like Queen and The Rolling Stones have their own Rock Band games before Green Day?

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, the start of a new MLB season (go Yankees!), cute Didi Benami getting booted over the incredibly lame Tim Urban, and tomorrow’s Apple iPad launch, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend and I were talking about Green Day: Rock Band the other day. While we both like Green Day to a certain extent, we’re both puzzled as to why they have their own Rock Band game. Certainly there are better and more deserving bands, no? Perhaps it has everything to do with the band appealing to people in their ’30s and below, but shouldn’t bands like Queen and The Rolling Stones have their own Rock Band games before Green Day?

To be fair, Queen does have their own Singstar game, but this conversation was focused on the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises. In that context you have Aerosmith, Metallica, Van Halen, and, of course, The Beatles. And coming soon…Green Day! Really?!?

With Green Day breaking down barriers to music games, I wanted to see what bands and artists you think should get their own Guitar Hero or Rock Band game. And no, The Monkees: Rock Band is not an acceptable answer.

Random Thoughts (Not a Review!) on Blackest Night #8

I just finished reading Blackest Night #8 and it wasn’t what I was expecting. I super enjoyed it, but I didn’t get the sense of closure I was looking for. What really got me excited was the storyline possibilities for the entire DC Universe — not just the Green Lantern books. While the finale did an okay job at ending Blackest Night, it excelled at teasing future storylines across multiple books. Random thoughts and spoilers ahead!

– I was disappointed in Sinestro’s “ending”. I really thought he was going to die in issue #8. In my head I pictured a fallen hero finding redemption and closure on the death of his best friend (Abin Sur, Hal Jordan’s predecessor) by dying to save the universe. Perhaps that was too obvious. Instead, he kind of just goes with the flow. The good news is that he has plenty to do in the Green Lantern books and he’s such a great character.

– The Indigo Tribe was never really explained. I still don’t get them. I’m probably not supposed to. However, it would have been nice to understand their motivations. I’m sure they’ll be popping up again and they will be developed, but there should have been more details given in Blackest Night. For now, they’re just these tribal people with power rings and no shoes.

– Larfleeze cracks me up.

– The white lantern battery is exciting. I’m sure Geoff Johns will do something interesting with it.

– The resurrections were mostly awesome. Let’s go through some of them.

J’onn J’onzz – He’s the Justice League’s glue. The DC Universe feels better and safer when he’s around. Plus, the dude’s addicted to Oreos. He’s not the flashiest character around, but everything feels more stable when he’s a big player. I’m thrilled that mean green machine is back.
Jade – Jennie-Lynn Hayden’s return will make things really interesting for Kyle Rayner. Upon returning to life, she greeted Kyle with a big kiss. This did not go over well with Kyle’s current lady, green lantern Soranik Natu. The love triangle will be fun. Sinestro kicking Kyle’s ass for snubbing his daughter would be awesome. I’m a Guy and Hal guy, not a Kyle guy (though he’s growing on me), so any time Kyle gets his ass kicked is okay by me.
Maxwell Lord – He really screwed up the DCU in Infinite Crisis. He almost wiped out all of Earth’s metahumans and succeeded in tarnishing Wonder Woman’s reputation forever. He’s cunning, devious, and dangerous. I’m sure he’ll pop up in big way soon. That said, a small part of me wishes DC would retcon his story and make him used-car salesman that ran the Justice League and Super Buddies (*snicker*) again.
Hawkman and Hawkgirl – I’m glad they’re back and I’m super glad that Hawkgirl isn’t Kendra Saunders anymore. Carter Hall was getting too ornery and Kendra was getting too flighty in the JSA books. I’m glad the Hawks are back to normal.
Deadman – Fans of DCU’s magical characters will get a kick out of Deadman being…uh…not dead. This was a fun curveball and I think the writers can do something cool with Boston Brand being alive. I suppose he should change his name though. It no longer applies.
Eobard Thawne – Well, Barry Allen is back so you might as well bring back his greatest villain, right? Professor Zoom is cool and all, but he just seems like a guy with funky powers and a lot of brain damage. The Reverse Flash is just a vicious son of a bitch. He adds an ever-present sense of danger to Barry Allen’s life as The Flash.
Digger Harkness – Not only did Captain Boomerang come back from the dead, he lost weight and gained hair color too! While he won’t have the impact of Thawne, but it’s good to bring him back to the Flash’s rogues gallery. Between Barry Allen, Wally West, and Bart Allen, there are a lot of super speedsters in DC. They need more rogues. Plus, I’m looking forward to seeing how he interacts with his son. I’m also looking forward to seeing any fallout for his role in Identity Crisis.
Aquaman – He’s okay. I just wish they brought him back looking like Vincent Chase. That would have been cool.

So yeah! Blackest Night has been wrapped up and Brightest Day has been set up; those elements of issue #8 were fine, but not great. The resurrections and implications really got me excited. Of course I’m going to read the whole series 12 times over and probably have a different opinion on Sunday. These are just my initial thoughts. If you happen to read Blackest Night #8, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

Random Thoughts (Not a Review!) on Clash of the Titans 3D

Last night I caught a screening of Clash of the Titans in 3D. I loved the original movie. Sure, it was a total cheeseball take on Greek mythology, but it was completely cool to a third-grader (I think that’s when I saw it). The movie immortalized Harry Hamlin (in my mind, anyway) and cemented Burgess Meredith as a legend (name another actor that could portray a gritty boxing trainer, a Batman villain, and a Greek philosopher!). With all of that in mind, I was a little scared of this remake. I was also a little scared of seeing a 3D movie (I’m pretty sure the last one I saw was Captain Eo). While some of the movie was fun and other parts cool, I left the theater with a profound sense of, “Well…that was okay.”

Here are some random thoughts (not a review!) on the movie:

– The action and pacing were mostly good. Some of the fight scenes were cool, if not outstanding. The movie moved briskly and didn’t drag at all.

– Liam Neeson as Zeus was…interesting. He was wearing Medieval armor in several of his scenes. It was puzzling and distracting. Why was a Greek god wearing Arthurian armor?!?

– Ralph Fiennes as Hades wasn’t the best. He was far more threatening as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies. He often traveled as a streak of smoke, which he also did better as Voldemort.

– As expected, there were several hackneyed contrivances. The Djinn conveniently show up to bail Perseus and his crew out of a battle and give them a ride to the Stygian witches. They conveniently piss off after hearing a foreboding prophecy, which conveniently (again) left a small gang to tackle Medusa. Pegasus also shows up as the clock is ticking down.

– The whole quest had a poor man’s Lord of the Rings feel to it. Instead of three movies about walking to a volcano, it was one movie with a bunch of people walking to different places. In videogame terms, 70 percent of the movie was a fetch quest.

– I understand that Perseus is supposed to be a demigod, but he goes from hearty fisherman to inexperienced swordsman to acrobatic genius in a span of 20 minutes.

– Who knew that Pegasus was black? I didn’t.

– Sam Worthington was a nice, gruff hero, but he had no charisma. Harry Hamlin was far more charming as Perseus. The good news is that I won’t remember Worthington in this role whereas Harry Hamlin will always be Perseus to me. For example, L.A. Law = Perseus Becomes a Lawyer.

– Gemma Artertron looked beautiful as Io, but she also left me thinking about The Lord of the Rings. I was all, “They couldn’t afford Liv Tyler so they got this British chick.” To be fair, she was probably the most interesting character in the whole movie.

– Purists will have a problem with the Perseus/Io romance. This did not happen in the Greek myths. I want to see a Greek mythology fanboy go ballistic on this change. I can picture two 70-year olds having a “Greedo shot first!” argument about this.

– The 3D effects were mostly stupid. There were a few times when they were used to create a cool sense of depth, but most of the effects were corny and didn’t add anything to the movie. Some of the scenes shoved 3D down my throat to the point where I just had to laugh.

– There were at least five different accents among Perseus’ crew. It wasn’t Kevin-Costner-as-Robin-Hood distracting, but it was close.

– The Cracken in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies was more threatening than the one in this film. It was cool when it was flailing around its tentacles, but its face reminded me of Aliens (my friend thought it was more like Godzilla).

Ultimately, I enjoyed the movie, but struggled to remember why after it was done. I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it if I had to pay $10 for it. The 3D didn’t work for me and I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch it on a 3D television. That said, it’s the kind of movie that I’d probably watch if I happened to stumble upon it while channel surfing.

Anyway, let me know what your thoughts on the movie are. Were any of you interested in seeing it? Does anyone else love the original as much as I do? Unleash the Cracken!!!

Coffee Talk #118: Your Non-Gaming Console Activities

Today I wanted to talk about all the non-gaming things you do on your consoles. I’m guessing most of you have watched a Blu-ray movie on your PlayStation 3 systems. I’m sure many of you have downloaded or streamed movies on Xbox Live. Do any of you use Facebook or Twitter on your home machines? Do you happen to surf the web with your Wii? I want to know anything and everything you do with your consoles (aside from playing excellent games).

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, AT&T’s 100-day plan to stop sucking, updating me on Lost (please), or Edwin Valero entering drug rehab, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As for me, I use my PlayStation 3 to watch Blu-ray discs and all sorts of media files. It’s frickin’ fantastic as a media player. My Xbox 360 has my Facebook account on it. When friends are over, I sometimes use it to look at Facebook photos of our friends. Web browsing on a console?!? No thanks. Linux?!? Not for me.

Now it’s your turn! Let everyone here know about the non-gaming activities you enjoy on your consoles. What percentage of your console use is gaming and what percentage is non-gaming?

Coffee Talk #117: What Was Your Favorite Game of Q1 2010?

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, Shawn Michaels’ awesome farewell speech, Jon Heder bailing on Will Ferrell over creative differences, or N8R’s silence on the Big Ben situation, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

There were so many outstanding games released in the first three months of 2010. It was extraordinary. Best of all, it had something for everyone. Whether you love shooters, action games, RPGs, or sports, there was an excellent game with your name on it in Q1. Today’s Coffee Talk is all about your favorite game of Q1 2010. So kindly take the poll and back up your opinion in the comments section (please)!

[poll id=”33″]

Coffee Talk #116: Don’t Believe the Hype!

No, today’s Coffee Talk is not about Public Enemy. It’s about videogame hype and disappointment. You see, over the weekend I played a lot of Final Fantasy XIII. Obviously, it was one of the most anticipated games in years. Surprisingly, the reactions to the game — from critics and gamers — have been all over the place. Some love it, while others find it incredibly disappointing. I don’t remember the last time a game this big received so many negative reactions.

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, whether Shawn Michaels is really retiring, the idiocy of Arthur Abraham, or Big Ben not reporting to the Steelers’ voluntary conditioning camp, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

No, today’s Coffee Talk is not about Public Enemy. It’s about videogame hype and disappointment. You see, over the weekend I played a lot of Final Fantasy XIII. Obviously, it was one of the most anticipated games in years. Surprisingly, the reactions to the game — from critics and gamers — have been all over the place. Some love it, while others find it incredibly disappointing. I don’t remember the last time a game this big received so many negative reactions.

Personally, I don’t understand what all the uproar is about. I’m 13 hours in and I’ve really enjoyed the game. It’s not the best or my favorite Final Fantasy game, but to me FFXIII lives up to the hype. And Reona Rewis completely rules.

Today I wanted to see which “big” games have disappointed you. Do you recall any games with monstrous hype that left you wondering what the hell the big deal was? (In case you were wondering, my choice would be Fable, but this is way more about what you guys and gals think.) Use today’s column as your Monday therapy and rant about over-hyped games that left you flat…or worse.

WrestleMania 26 Results

I’m too emotionally spent for a full recap. I’m having a hard time imagining how I’m going to enjoy WWE without Shawn Michaels. Wow. Anyway, here are the results (mostly from my friends Joey and Jose who were at the event).

– Yoshi Tatsu won a dark-match battle-royal.

– The Big Show and The Miz defeated John Morrison and R-Truth to retain the WWE Unified Tag Team Titles.

– Randy Orton defeated Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes.

– Jack Swagger won the “money in the bank” ladder match.

– Triple H defeated Sheamus.

– Rey Mysterio beat CM Punk.

– Bret “The Hitman” Hart defeated Vince McMahon.

– Chris Jericho defeated Edge to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

– Maryse, Michelle McCool, Layla, Vickie Guerrero, and Alicia Fox got the win over Mickie James, Beth Phoenix, Gail Kim, Eve Torres, and Kelly Kelly.

– John Cena beat Dave Batista to win the WWE Championship.

– The Undertaker beat Shawn Michaels, extending his streak to 18-0 and ending HBK’s career (for how long?!?).