Brian Ashcraft

A Visual Guide To New Square Enix Trailers

These Characters Are Cute And Creepy

Man, Crecente, GET A NEW PIECE OF PAPER! (More info about the characters in my Night Note here.) What you missed last night The Trailer Final Fantasy’s Creators Don’t Want You To See World Of Starcraft Isn’t Quite What You Thought It Would Be The Game That Exists In Trailers Only Final Fantasy XIII Gets…

The Trailers Final Fantasy’s Creators Don’t Want You To See

Well, not yet at least. Screened today in Tokyo, the trailers popped up online and are making the rounds via Japanese gaming sites. Watch them, right now. The event in Tokyo was invite only and attended by the press as well as fans. Square Enix is apparently releasing trailers it showed online in HD later…

Nintendo Bringing 3D Bikinis To The Masses

The Nintendo 3DS is poised to take glasses-free 3D to the great unwashed. That’s not all, it seems. As detailed last fall, the 3DS will stream programming from Japanese TV network Nippon Television on a daily basis. Initially, it was revealed that the programs will be gourmet and travel shows. A report today is more…

Kingdom Hearts 3D Dreams Up New Title

The upcoming Kingdom Hearts game for the Nintendo 3DS is now officially called Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. GEDDIT?

The Game That Exists In Trailers Only

For a video game to truly exist, it needs players. Otherwise, it simply stands still. Role-playing game Final Fantasy Versus XIII doesn’t have players, it has viewers. Of course, people at game studio Square Enix might be playing Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Those people are probably making the game! The vast majority of the gaming…

Is Microsoft Pissing Off Japanese Game Makers?

In the West, Microsoft is king. Well, queen. In Japan, it’s not — not by a country mile. The software giant needs every ally it can find. But even its most ardent supporters seem restless. Tokyo-based arcade developer Cave brought a handful of its shoot’em up games to the Xbox 360 instead of the PS3,…

Final Fantasy XIII Gets A Second Chance With A Second Game

After years of build-up and waiting, Final Fantasy XIII was released to so-so reviews. The game was a disappointment. But, if at first you don’t succeed, try again. Regardless of fan bickering or indifference, the game was a monster hit for Square Enix, moving over six million copies. The game’s developer, Square Enix, is working…

Ninety-Nine Nights Wakes Up As A Massively Multiplayer Online Game

Ninety-Nine-Nights is being turned into a PC MMO (with art by former SNK man Falcoon) for Japan and Taiwan.

Milla Jovovich Hated All Day Long By Angry Fans

Actress Milla Jovovich starred in all four Resident Evil films. While the movies are based on the games, her character is not. And man, that pisses off some internet nerds. Jovovich tells website CVG that the reason her character Alice was created was to avoid restrictive game story lines, which could change due to internal…

This Kid Made One Of The Biggest Games On Earth (His Mom Helped)

When you were 14-years-old, what were you doing? Robert Nay is 14, and he’s programming a hit game. The eighth grader programmed the free physics-based puzzle game Bubble Ball for the iPhone, which knocked Angry Birds from the top spot on Apple’s free app chart after being released on December 29. It’s clocked over 2…

Japan’s Biggest Pornstar To Become China’s Biggest Popstar?

Sola Aoi, star of adult films like Oral Infection and Perverted Neighbor, has already captured the imagination of China with her ample talents, but is looking to do the same with her singing voice. The Tokyo native’s popularity exploded in China during the past few years as her adult videos made the internet rounds. The…

This Cereal Box Sure Looks Nice

It’s Monday, and I’m already exhausted! Can’t wait for the rest of the week. What you missed last night Vintage Gaming Collection Washed Away In Aussie Floods 2 Years Later, Broken Xbox 360 Game Gets Fixed No Game Is This Scary Hacker Holds Video Game Hostage Japanese Youth Shunning Sex For…What, Exactly?! Sonic Looks Much…

He’s Exorcised Satan, And Now Narrating A Hit Franchise

Meet legendary actor Max von Sydow. He’s worked with directors like Ingmar Bergman, John Huston, Woody Allen and Steven Spielberg. He’s played Jesus and exorcised the devil. Next up, he’s narrating the forthcoming The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Von Sydow’s voice is clearly distinguishable on the game’s debut trailer. As website Rock, Paper, Shotgun points…

Grand Theft Auto-Style Antics Wreak Havoc On Japanese Streets

A 39-year-old man was arrested in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture after deciding to go on a rampage that can only be described as Grand Theft Auto-esque. Like in the popular games, 39-year-old Kaoru Koga went around Fukuoka City hopping from stolen car to stolen car, going on hit-and-runs and leaving six individuals with minor injuries. His…

Pause Button Pressed For PS3 Hacker Case

The PS3 hacker case has been pushed back to an unspecified later date. It was pushed back due to “jurisdictional confusion”, reports website GamesIndustry

2 Years Later, Broken Xbox 360 Game Gets Fixed

One of the greatest arcade shooters ever got mangled to hell when it was brought to the Xbox 360. Two years later, the game is finally getting patched up. ‘Bout time. Bullet hell shooter DoDonPachi Dai Ou Jou stormed into Japanese arcades back in 2002. When the game’s developer, Tokyo-based Cave, was looking for one…

A $2,000 Wetsuit Fit For Giant Mechas

Neon Genesis Evangelion wetsuits aren’t only for nerdy Japanese celebrities. You too can take a dip in the ocean with one. That is, if you’ve got two grand to squander. Neon Genesis Evangelion is a hugely popular anime franchise that also consists of manga and video games. The series follows the adventures of young mecha…

More Types Of Final Fantasy Incoming?

Besides Final Fantasy Type-0, there are apparently European trademark filings for Type-1, Type-2 and Type-3. Square Enix is holding an event tomorrow in Tokyo.

See Metal Gear Solid Sneak To Life Before Your Eyes

For fans of stealth series Metal Gear Solid, the name of “Yoji Shinkawa” is nearly as important as MGS creator Hideo Kojima. It’s Shinkawa who’s responsible for the game’s visual look. Something he recreates right here. The artist is holding an exhibit at the Konami Style store in Tokyo and is doing a live painting…