It’s a brilliant week to be an RPG fan! Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance brings Sora and the gang to the Nintendo 3DS. Fans of fantasy RPGs will want to keep an eye on Risen 2: Dark Waters. If old-school JRPGs are your thing then you’ll want to pick up Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time for PlayStation Portable. Lots of RPG excitement on a variety of platforms!
Any of you picking up new games this week?
Here are a bunch of screenshots from South Park: The Stick of Truth, an upcoming RPG being developed by Obsidian Entertainment and set to be published by THQ on March 5, 2012. It plays like an old-school RPG, features the distinct South Park art style, and is being written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. On paper, this game should be awesome. I can’t wait for it! How about you?
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It’s a pretty dry week at retail. Thankfully, there are a pair of digital downloads that are worthy of your attention. First up is Dyad for PlayStation 3. This puzzle-racer is full of slick visuals and soothing sounds. I played some over the weekend and love it so far. Next up is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD. It’s the awesome Tony Hawk gameplay and classic levels, but with Unreal Engine 3 graphics.
Any of you picking up new games this week?
At Comic-Con 2012, Activision revealed that it’s set to publish a Deadpool game developed by High Moon Studios. Now the trailer is here! I love the look and tone of the trailer. It absolutely captures the feel of Marvel’s lovable merc with a mouth. The wise cracks, the dueling inner monologue, the love of boobies, etc. are brilliant.
My one wish is that the game has several duct tape jokes…because Deadpool loves duct tape. He loves the way it tapes. He loves the sound it makes. He loves saying it. Duct tape. Duct tape. Duct tape. Duct tape. Duct tape. Duct tape.
Sega has announced that NiGHTS Into Dreams will be getting the HD treatment 16 years after its original release for the Sega Saturn. The game will be available this Fall as a digital download for PlayStation Network, Windows PC, and Xbox Live Arcade. According to Sega’s blog…
Sega has announced that NiGHTS Into Dreams will be getting the HD treatment 16 years after its original release for the Sega Saturn. The game will be available this Fall as a digital download for PlayStation Network, Windows PC, and Xbox Live Arcade. According to Sega’s blog:
This new version will bring Nightopia to vivid life with improved HD graphics and a 16:9 aspect ratio, as well as added support for leaderboards, trophies, and achievements. It will also feature an optional Saturn Mode that will let players experience the game with the original graphics intact.
NiGHTS is a beloved platformer among hardcore gamers and one of the Saturn’s shining moments. I’m thrilled that it’s making a return, but I wonder if the game will resonate with younger gamers.
Any of you psyched for NiGHTS Into Dreams HD?
It’s a pretty dim week for videogame releases. Thankfully, Square Enix’s Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is here to brighten things up! I’ve been high on this game since it was first announced in Japan and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Aside from that, Test Drive: Ferrari Legends brings back one of the oldest series in racing games. Spelunky for XBLA is also getting a lot of buzz from game critics.
Any of you picking up new games this week?
Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that it has entered into a “definitive agreement” to purchase videogame-streaming service Gaikai for approximately $380-million. This acquisition should erase any doubts that streaming will be a big part of the future of gaming. The deal gives Sony all sorts of flexibility and potential to change the way it delivers games to customers. Mobile devices like the Apple iPhone and iPad have changed gaming forever; streaming technology like Gaikai gives Sony the potential to compete with devices like the iPad and future home consoles from its current competitors.
In today’s press release, SCE president and group CEO Andrew House said, “SCE will deliver a world-class cloud-streaming service that allows users to instantly enjoy a broad array of content ranging from immersive core games with rich graphics to casual content anytime, anywhere on a variety of internet-connected devices.” The last bit is the most fascinating detail. When I wrote about Gaikai in April, I mentioned that the service was running on Facebook. At last week’s Google I/O 2012 conference, the company showed the service running on Google Chrome. Imagine being able to play “PlayStation” games through a Sony phone, tablet, or television? In theory, the flexibility of streaming gives Sony some crazy reach. Its customers would no longer be limited to people that buy a box that goes under the television. That’s a tremendous game-changer.
Naturally, there’s some debate on how quickly SCE will implement Gaikai. Large companies generally implement new tech at a glacial pace. A respected colleague of mine believes that Gaikai will be used for nothing more than demos over the next few years. He could be right, but it’s not just due to utilizing new tech. The broadband market in many countries (hello America!) is too restrictive for enthusiast gamers to rely on streaming for the majority of their gaming. Broadband services will hopefully evolve to make streaming (and digital downloads) more feasible. Personally, I view this acquisition as prep for the next generation of PlayStation software and beyond.
Then there’s competitor OnLive. The company has been getting attention longer than Gaikai, but it lacked a dynamic and popular leader like Gaikai CEO David Perry. The obvious speculation is that a competitor (i.e. Microsoft) will buy OnLive in order to compete with Sony’s acquisition and/or engage in a patent war. It will be interesting to see how quickly the Gaikai acquisition changes OnLive’s fortunes. Obviously OnLive can’t compete with a consumer electronics giant like Sony, but the move could also cause a big fish to overpay for the company.
For the last year and a half, a good friend of mine at Sony has been screaming and shouting about how the days of standalone boxes for gaming are coming to a close. While I’m positive Sony’s acquisition of Gaikai had nothing to do with his rantings, it reflects his opinion. Now I’d like to hear yours! What do you think of Sony’s acquisition of Gaikai? How do you think it will change gaming as we know it today?
Square Enix has confirmed that Camilla Luddington will be playing Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider game. The British actress is known for (naked) roles in Californication and True Blood. Naturally, this is the perfect time to enjoy some pictures of Ms. Luddington. For the record, it was somewhat difficult to find photos of her with her clothes on. This “research” was done all for you!
Journey — one of the best and most unique games of 2012 — is about to get even cooler. Right about now you’re asking, “How is that even possible?” I’ll tell you how! Journey Collector’s Edition. This $29.99 bundle will be available starting August 28, 2012. Think of it as thatgamecompany’s greatest hits. In addition to Journey, it incudes flOw and Flower. Awesome extras include:
I want Journey Collector’s Edition now! Any of you interested in this awesome set from thatgamecompany and Sony Computer Entertainment?
Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that system software update 4.20 will be available for download today. Initially I thought the 420 update centered around extending the PS3’s use as a marijuana device, but that’s not the case. A number of enhancements with the Wireless Stereo Headset have been added. Here are the details on the other goodies:
This update will also allow you to set the amount of time that the system will wait before turning itself off automatically for [Video/TV/Music/Photo] and for [Game/Other Features].
Additionally, saved data management has been improved. You will now be able to select multiple saved data items and delete or copy them as a group.
If any of you update your PS3 to system software 4.20, please leave a comment below and share your experience. Additionally, if you’re weeping about not being able to use your PS3 as a bong then consider the comments section your personal support group.
