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Don’t Let The Movies Kill Dead Space
Dead Space 2 is a crazy good game, and the survival horror series is building up a sizable fan base. Know what that means? There are rumblings of movie possibilities. The games already got the animated and graphic novel treatment as well as toys. So a big screen version seems to be the logical next…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 1, 2011 -
The Loneliest PS2 Game Is Also A Novel
Popular Japanese author Miyuki Miyabe offers her take on one of the PlayStation 2’s video games, Ico. The game’s minimalistic plot might have left holes for you to fill. If you’re not creative enough to do that, let Miyabe! The game was designed by Fumito Ueda, and Miyabe offers her own take on the title.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 1, 2011 -
Hollywood, Where Video Game Movies Go To Die
Of course, it could be argued that Hollywood is simply where video games go to die. Kane and Lynch: Dead Men, the action game about two career criminals, is getting the big screen treatment. One day. Maybe. The movie adaptation was first revealed in 2007 when the script was finished. A year later, Bruce Willis…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 1, 2011 -
Get Ready For the Hardest Game You’ll Play This Year
Demon’s Souls was a hard, hard game. Its spiritual successor doesn’t sound any easier — even with its brand new title. Previously the game sported the working title “Project Dark”, but according to the latest issue of Japanese game magazine Famitsu, the game is now called “Dark Souls”. Spiritual successor, perhaps, but the world and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 1, 2011 -
Before There Was Dragon Quest, There Were Dirty Games
Enix, which joined with Square to form Square Enix in 2003, is beloved in Japan for its Dragon Quest games. Children and adults alike adore DQ. Enix’s earliest games, however, are anything but wholesome. In 1982, Enix held a game programming contest and entered the game publishing business. One of the winners was Yuji Horii,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 1, 2011 -
Airplanes Suck, Let’s Ride The Bullet Train
I hate flying. Hate it, hate it, hate it. I love taking trains. Love it, love it, love it. Which do you prefer? What you missed last night Is Everyone Going To Go Back-Touching Bananas? Two Words Helping Overthrow A Government This Minecraft Video Will Make You A God-Damned Sexual Tyrannosaurus When It Comes To…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
Final Fantasy Studio Invites Creepy Leering
Square Enix, the Tokyo-based game company behind Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, is launching a pink web promotion for its massively multiplayer online game Fantasy Earth: Zero, complete with suggestive YouTube clips of ladies eating corn flakes and exercising in a low-cut dress. This is part of a stunt campaign for new players, sure, but…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
Is Everyone Going To Go Back-Touching Bananas?
In 2007, Apple unveiled the first iPhone. It featured a revolutionary “pinch” gesture, which found its way into other phones and devices. Likewise, Sony’s NGP is ready to shake up the way we interact, just by letting us rub its back. The NGP features a front OLED touch screen as well as a rear touchpad.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
Did PSP Gaming Result In Japan’s Big Soccer Wins?
This weekend, Japan’s “Samurai Blue” soccer team beat Australia to win the Asia Cup. Pundits are pointing to the team’s young players and new coach, Alberto Zaccheroni. But there might another reason for their chemistry — perhaps, like Monster Hunter. Like many athletes (and Japanese people, for that matter), Samurai Blue players enjoy playing video…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
Does This Look Like Gundam To You?
Whether it’s video games, anime or plastic toys, Gundam is a Japanese cultural institution. No wonder the country wasn’t happy when a Chinese theme park ripped it off. Lawyers attacked, and the statue was removed. Now, it’s back. Last December, a 15-meter mecha was constructed at China’s Floraland Park and caught heat for looking too…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
Meet The Man Responsible For Your North Korean Fears
This is John Milius. Writer, director and NRA member, Milius is bringing his vision to video gaming next month with Homefront. The game’s trailer very much plays on paranoia — fears both real and imaged. The man who wrote the game brought his gung-ho swagger to Hollywood films for years. During the late 60s and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
See The NGP, And Its Games, In Action!
Late last week, Sony revealed its new portable, currently codenamed NGP, to the world. Perhaps you read my liveblog? Now you can watch the real thing, complete with English voice-overs. The event showed off the new NGP as well as games like Uncharted and Little Deviants. Game developers like Capcom’s Jun Takeuchi (Resident Evil 5)…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
When It Comes To Kooky Japan, Don’t Believe The Hype
Japanese schoolgirls hitting the streets of Tokyo with blinking LED teeth. Sounds like a crazy fashion trend. Too bad it’s just crazy and a fantasy propagated by the Western media. Earlier this month, a New York Times blog post mentioned a new fashion trend: LED for teeth. “Method Man might have helped make gold fronts…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
Breakfast with CheapyD
Had breakfast with CheapyD from CheapAssGamer this morning, which was a lot of fun. I believe this was the first meal I had in Tokyo this week that didn’t involve me hunched over a computer, stuffing food in my mouth. Very much looking forward to this weekend. Need to decompress. Missed an event at my…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 28, 2011 -
Watch This Shower Scene, And Somebody Else Might Find Out
Survival horror game The 3rd Birthday is heavy on fan service (tentacle anyone?). For example, there’s an unlockable shower scene. And if you watch that, Square Enix just might know it. The Tokyo-based game is using the game’s data logs and Square Enix Members connectivity to track how many times players have viewed the shower…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 28, 2011 -
Why Nintendo Won’t Give Its Sony NGP Impressions
The game industry is buzzing about Sony’s upcoming portable game device. Everybody is talking about it. Everybody except Nintendo. There is a very important reason for this, and it involves Apple. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is not providing his impressions, publicly at least, about the NGP. The reason is that because when the Apple iPad…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 28, 2011 -
Nintendo’s New Wii Game Has Classy Music And A Large Back Tattoo
Nintendo is making a new Wii game, and it’s called Pandora’s Tower. This is it. As hinted at earlier today, Pandora’s Tower is one of the new games revealed at today’s Nintendo investors meeting in Tokyo. The game features the subtitle of “Until I return to your side.” The teaser site features classy piano music…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 28, 2011 -
Won’t Nintendo And Sony Think Of The Children?
Sony’s new gaming handheld, the NGP, is teched out and glossy. Nintendo’s new gaming hardware is expensive and the 3D function is not recommended for kids under six years old. So what the hell are children supposed to do, play outside? Well, yes. That’s exactly what they are supposed to do. By pitching at an…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 28, 2011 -
PSP’s Father Is Tight-Lipped About NGP
Sony revealed a new portable yesterday, codenamed the Next Generation Portable. In the audience were pundits, press, developers and the former Sony brass who built their gaming empire. Ken Kutaragi spearheaded the creation of the PlayStation, the PlayStation 2 and the PlayStation 3. He’s also the father of the PSP, the PlayStation Portable. During the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 28, 2011
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