El Shaddai Fan Art

One of the coolest games of last year was El Shaddai. While the game was a little tedious, the visuals were among the most stunning I've ever seen in any medium. To honor this under-rated gem, I have collected some great fan art from the artists at Pixiv.

StreetPass Nonsense: Dead or Alive Dimensions Edition

Dead or Alive Dimensions and the 3DS StreetPass makes collecting every costume for every character a nightmare. Each character has three DLC costumes that are free, but must be downloaded on a specific day at a random time only known by Nintendo and Tecmo. Each day one costume is released for 3DS owners that leave their system on all day. Here are the rotation dates for new costumes:
12/08/11 to 01/10/12
01/12/12 to 02/14/12
02/16/12 to 03/20/12
03/22/12 to 04/24/12
The dates go through each character on the roster in order, but if you miss a day, you have to calculate which day it was in the rotation and wait for the next cycle. Yes, it is completely stupid. I'm not sure why Tecmo couldn't simply release the costumes in a week period, or all at once for that matter. Making matters even worse is the randomness of the time, if you don't have your 3DS on at the right time, then no DLC for you. Overall, this is an annoying process for completing your costume collection and should have been an unlockable package for beating the Chronicles mode. Somehow Nintendo makes DLC a complete pain even when the price is FREE.

Steve Jobs the Action Figure

China is such a wacky, law-circumventing place. Companies there will literally make and sell anything, copyrights be damned. Recently, a company known as Inicons has publicized and started selling a Steve Jobs action figure for $99.99. The figurine looks amazingly life-like, almost to a creepy degree. Jobs is wearing his trademark black sweater, blue jeans, and tennis shoes; the only thing not included are mini-Apple products for him to present to your other action figures. According to Inicons, removing the mini-Apple products from the packaging keeps the figure in legal territory and allows the product to be sold. However, Apple disagrees stating that Job's family owns all rights to his likeness and it cannot be used without their permission.
Personally, I find the figure to be a neat tribute. I love Apple products and think of Steve Jobs as one of the greatest computer innovators and visionaries in American history. I do respect that his family may not want some unauthorized company in China profiteering off of Job's death, and believe they have every right to seek legal action, but my inner fanboy does want one, because Inicons did a great job on the likeness. At first glance I thought it was a new Hot Toys collectible. Supposedly production has been stopped for the time being due to the legal actions of Apple. If you want one, and missed the pre-order window, try eBay.

Don't stare back, you will feel really uncomfortable!

Super Weird: Muscle March Trailer

Did you know Muscle March started as an arcade game before being ported to WiiWare? Did you care? Well, me either, but this old trailer for the WiiWare launch is completely nuts and worth posting. The whole thing plays out like a hokey informercial. It was designed from the perspective of an American who only knows Japan is a strange place full of dancing bears and hot Japanese women. Highlights include muscle men in speedos, more muscle men, and more speedos. The trailer is very self-aware and hilarious. The protein and muscle men connection reminds me far too much of Cho Aniki. Here is Cho Aniki looking super manly for reference purposes:

Happy New Year from George Kamitani

George Kamitani is the artist and head designer for Vanillaware, creators of fine titles like Oboro Muramasa and Grim Grimoire. He loves to show off his fancy drawing skills each year in a digital post card he sends out as a New Years Greetings. For 2012, he decided to take a sexy Hindu approach. I really hope this year isn't the end of the world yet, I still need to find a wife and play Dragon's Crown.

My Top Five Games of 2011

2011 was an amazing year in gaming. Not only did we see the release of a new Nintendo handheld, fans also got sequels to Kirby, The Witcher, and a new Elder Scrolls. I played so many new and wonderful games, it is hard to narrow my list down to five must play titles, but I will give it a shot. Without further ado...


5. The King of Fighters XIII really blew me away. Not only did SNK make up for the disaster that was KOF XII, they went above and beyond to make the follow-up the best game in the series since the 90s. A fresh fighting system with beautiful battle animations make this one of the best looking and playing 2-D fighters of 2011 or any year for that matter. If you like old SNK or fighting games in general, play this KOF. The netcode may not be perfect, but everything else is pretty damn close.

4. The Witcher 2 is a real RPG for adults. The game has plenty of salty language, sex/nudity, and violence that should keep it solely in the hands of PC gamers until some half-baked console edition is released with censorship covering the developer's asses. The fighting system was refined making for a smoother game play experience and console players can rejoice, because joypad support was added if you hate using a keyboard to move your character. I hooked my PC up to the HD TV in the living room and basked in the amazingly polished graphics and Celtic soundtrack. The game is a little on the short side, but there are multiple routes through the story for added replay value. I hope The Witcher 2 sets the precedent for adult storytelling, because the writing is mature without being insulting like so many other "mature" games try to do but fail in the process.

  
3. Elder Scrolls: Skyrim has taken so much of my free time. There is simply too much to do in the game. Sure you can fight and steal, but you can also read books, decorate your home, and cook. Skyrim offers so many possibilities for the player that it seems fairly overwhelming at first. The main quest is far more interesting than Oblivion, and fighting dragons is awesome. The game deserves every bit of praise it has received from fans and the gaming press. I have played for over forty hours and have yet even touch the Magic School quests or craft my own armor and weapons. If you can only afford one game from 2011, it should be Skyrim.

2. Solatorobo made me remember why I love Japanese games. The characters and world of the game just ooze charm. The story is fairly simplistic and some have knocked the game for being too easy. I can see those faults, but the level of detail that went into this game must be appreciated. The developers spent around ten years crafting the world of Solatorobo and it shows. Every NPC is unique, the towns look like something from a Miyazaki anime, the animated opening looks breathtakingly good, and the music is great. The game even includes the soundtrack for those interested in the OST. Solatorobo was a refreshing action RPG that brought back nostalgia for Tail Concerto and made me ponder why Capcom canceled Mega Man Legends 3.

1. Catherine was the most unique game I've played in years. The story is adult, weird, and funny. The main character, Vincent, finds himself in a position any man could be in: choosing between two women. However, the crazy part takes place in a nightmare world filled with sheep men and falling blocks. There he must face his own fears of intimacy or die for his sins. The puzzle portions are really fun, and this is coming from a guy who hates puzzle games. The art direction and world design are some of the best I have ever seen. Who wouldn't wanna sleep with sexy Catherine? The game has multiple endings and a bonus puzzle challenge that is insanely difficult. Catherine is a special game, one that reminded me of those weird Dreamcast games like Illbleed and D2 which had unique and cool atmospheres, but played terribly. Catherine carries that cool atmosphere and plays like a dream...or nightmare depending on your point of view. This is my game of 2011, and cheers to Atlus for making such a wonderful title!

Awesome Box Art of the Week: Chrono Trigger

Bad Box Art of the Week: Amagon

Gift Ideas for Christmas 2011

It's that time of year again. People flock in droves to buy gifts for Christmas and spend all their hard earned cash to please loved ones and friends. It can be tough to think of gifts for fellow nerds, but fear not, I will help a bit. Here some ideas for your beloved geek or geeks...

Console Games

  It is hard to imagine Skyrim being a bad pick for any gamer. It is one of the most beautiful and in-depth games ever made. Even the Japanese praised it with Famitsu giving a perfect score, a rare feat for a Western RPG. This game provides hundreds of hours on content and endless customization. If you get this for a spouse don't expect to see them for a few weeks after unwrapping Skyrim...the addiction is instant.

Catherine is one of the most unique games of 2011. The story is adult themed and very unusual. Aside from the sexy art and great story, the puzzles are challenging in a fun way. There are several endings and bonus puzzles for the hardcore. This is a must for Japanese gaming fans.

The King of Fighters XIII is the best fighting game of 2011. Top notch graphics, killer music, and a great fighting engine make this a treat to play. As a bonus, the game includes a music CD with 100 tracks spanning the entire series.

Portable Gaming

 Solatorobo is a beautiful looking RPG with tons of details. The world feels amazingly live and as charming as a Ghibli film. I would suggest grabbing this one before it becomes rare and expensive. It also includes a music CD. This could be the last hurrah for the old DS.

One of the greatest games ever made in portable form. Nuff said.

While the PSP is on life support in the US, XSeed saw fit to release one more awesome RPG for Westerners. Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky comes from Falcom makers of Ys. Of course, this game has the trademark awesome music that Falcom is known for as well as a cool story with great writing. The limited edition includes a CD and map.


Other Gifts to Consider

Awesome Box Art of the Week: Barbarian The Ultimate Warrior

Bad Box Art of the Week: Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball

Capcom Trollin Us Again

Capcom loves to troll the fans. Mega Man isn't slain or apprehended. They know how much people wanted Legends 3, so why not tease them with this background poster in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3? The poster is a reference to a comic cover for X-Men's "Days of Future of Past" story arc. Maybe this a hint at future DLC. I want Mega Man, but I will not hold my breath for the Blue Bomber. It's just Capcom being dicks...business as usual. Here is the famous X-men cover for reference:

Random Screenshot 37: Persona

Revelations Persona (Playstation) Atlus 1996

The Persona series has become a well known RPG franchise in the US. However, the series was obscure and super hardcore in it's first installment, Revelations Persona. The game follows a group of high school classmates as they enter the demon world to save one of their friends from an evil corporation and her own insanity. The game was brought to the US with some substantial changes from the Japanese version. First, one of the main characters Mark (pictured above) was changed into an African American. This didn't sit well with many folks as Mark seemed more like a mix of negative racial stereotypes than an actual character. Aside from this goof, Atlus also cut an entire second storyline in the game. It was called the Snow Queen quest and followed the students as they adventured around a frozen school to save their homeroom teacher from an evil mask. The game has a reputation for high encounter rates, long dungeons, and strange conversations in battle. Underneath these flaws, it is a descent RPG with a very cool storyline and fantastic music. Atlus released a PSP port last year, which returns Mark to being a White guy and includes the Snow Queen quest. Sadly, the old soundtrack was axed and replaced with a J-pop flavored one. The new music is unfitting and really takes away from the game's weird atmosphere. Although the Playstation version is far from perfect, it is still superior to the PSP port. If you can read Japanese, do yourself a favor and find the original version with all of the cut content perfectly intact.

Ace Attorney Series Fan Art

I love the Ace Attorney series. At the moment, I am playing the Miles Edgeworth Investigations game at a slow pace since new DS games are few and far between. The game is fun and it is really cool to use the attorney skills outside the courtroom. I don't think the sequel will make it to the US, so hopefully it gets a fan translation in the future. To show my appreciation for this series, I collected some great fan art from Pixiv for my Ace Attorney tribute. I can't wait for to see how Phoenix Wright plays in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom!

Awesome Box Art of the Week: Maou Golvellius

Bad Box Art of the Week: Ghost Lion

Random Screenshot 36: Bioshock

 

Bioshock (Xbox 360) 2K Boston 2007

Bioshock comes from the old PC series, System Shock. For the evolution of the series, the game was changed into a first person shooter. The story involves an undersea city called Rapture. Rapture is free of the artistic and scientific confines of the surface world. This element plays greatly into the overall morality of the Bioshock world. Since science can make anyone into a mutant demi-god, why settle for being a normal human? Thus the occupants of Rapture became obsessed with genetic alteration and kill for the means to obtain their splicer fix. You take control of a mysterious man who washes up inside Rapture. As the story unravels, you learn that fate led him to the city and he can become it's savior or a monster hellbent on mutant modifications...it is the player's call. Aside from choosing your moral path, the graphics are beautiful and the overall world design is amazingly detailed. The city truly looks like a 1950 resort vista, if it were submerged and overran by psychotic freaks. The main enemies in the game, Big Daddies, are formidable and their weird anguished sounds echo through the dark chambers they inhabit. Bioshock has an amazing atmosphere and the story is uniquely dark. The game is pretty cheap to own these days, so give it a shot even if you hate FPS titles. The elemental power up system is so cool that is worth the price of admission alone. You will never feel the same about the phrase "Would you kindly."

The Blog Isn't Dead

Hey readers, sorry for the lack of updates around here. I have been super busy with school, work, and other shit aka Xenoblade Chronicles. The lack of comments also occasionally makes me think that nobody is reading anything I post. However, I promise to start making some regular updates soon,so check back within the next week. In the mean time enjoy this very random picture of Stubbs the Zombie killing some dude.