Pirate Warriors 2 Actually Made Me Interested in One Piece

Nearly a year ago, I talked about what it was like to play One Piece: Pirate Warriors without any foreknowledge of the massive One Piece franchise. In summary:everything seemed like pure, unmitigated insanity And thanks to the way it jumped through the series’ story at a breakneck speed, it wasn’t easy to follow either. Overall,…

Even Snape from Harry Potter Can Be “Cute”

Alan Rickman, the actor who plays Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movies, is one handsome man. He isn’t, however, what I would call “cute”. But what if he wants to be cute? Well, there’s an app for that. In Japan (and other places, too, I imagine), there are smartphone apps that make your eyes…

China’s Microfilms Are Worth Checking Out

“Microfilms” are all the rage in China’s film-scape right now. These short films are called “Wei Dian Ying” (微电影), which mostly refers to low budget amateur digital videos hosted on streaming websites such as Youtube and Youku. Regardless of the term “micro”, these films are anything but small. Short maybe, but not small! “Microfilms” didn’t…

Ubisoft has published a trailer of what seems to be an Assassin’s Creed-themed, community-focused website featuring puzzle games with leaderboards. The catch? It’s exclusive to those who pre-ordered Black Flag, much like how access to Industrial Revolution was tied to a pre-order of BioShock Infinite

South Korea Got an Official Iron Man 3 Cake

Iron Man 3 is out in South Korea. And the country has an official Iron Man 3 cake to prove it. The official cake is from chain Paris Baguette, and the box also doubles as an Iron Man face mask. How marvellous! This once again proves that everything should get its own cake. Eat [wingspig…

Final Fantasy Tactics S, a new Final Fantasy Tactics social game, was just announced for Japan. “S”? Social? Geddit?

Chasm, when it grows up, will be a Diablo– and Zelda-inspired side-scrolling action-RPG/Metroidvania for the PC. Currently, it’s a wee demo attached to a $150,000 Kickstarter project. 15 days and a bit over $50,000 to go for this one.

Why Dynasty Warriors Games Are Perfect for Non-Gamers

The first time I saw a Dynasty Warriors game, it was when I walked into the TV room of my high school dorm. I had left my PS2 out for the others in the dorm to play (loaded with Final Fantasy X) and was surprised to see a friend playing Dynasty Warriors 2 instead. It…

You’ll Never Forget Japan’s Tomato Hairdo

Japan loves hair salons and fancy hair. For centuries, the country has been obsessed with various coiffures. Today is no different. This hairstyle, however, is. The style is called “Ripe Tomato” (“kanjuku tomato” or 完熟トマト). It was done by a stylist named “Hiro” at an Osaka salon called “Trick Store”, which is located the city’s…

That New “Niche” JRPG Brand Doesn’t Have Niche Talent

Galapagos RPG, a new “niche” Japanese game brand, teased its first project. Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame, Nobuo Uematsu (and his band the Earthbound Papas) of Final Fantasy music fame, and the Hyperdimension Neptunia team are all listed as participating. More details, including the game’s name, will be revealed in a future issue of…

This 4-Foot Tall LEGO Evangelion Could Probably Kick Your Ass

This LEGO recreation of Evangelion Unit 0-1 is 120 cm tall. It weighs just under 10kg, or 20 pounds. It is, with all that towering purple, blowing my socks off. It’s not just the scale that’s impressive. You can pose it, it’s got weapons, and it’s even at the right size so that minifig pilots…

Stealth Bastard Had To Change Its Name To Appear On Sony’s PSN

There once was a PC game called Stealth Bastard. Well, there still is a PC game called Stealth Bastard. That game is now heading to the PSN, where Sony, sadly, have seen fit (following a competition) to have its name changed to the altogether duller/cornier Stealth Inc. – A Clone in the Dark!. Stealth B**tard…

This is A.N.N.E., a “Metroidvania and Space shooter hybrid still in early development”. Looks nice. Here’s its Kickstarter.

Don’t Worry Guys, Mother 4 Is In English

Mother 2, or Earthbound,is finally coming to the West once more courtesy of the Wii U’s Virtual Console. Mother 3, at least for now, is not, meaning the only way you can play that in English is courtesy of some very dedicated fans Which, incidentally, is also how you’re going to be able to play…

The World of Warcraft movie just got a VFX supervisor. Oscar-winner – and hardcore WoW player – Bill Westenhofer.

Kazuma Kaneko’s Art Is Summoning Devils Into Your Eyeballs

Earlier this week, I showcased the works of one of my favourite video game artists, Atlus’ Shigenori Soejima. It’s only fair, then, that I close out the week doing the same for the other half of the studio’s artistic engine room. Where Soejima is mostly responsible for the more recent entries in the Persona series,…

One Of These Handhelds Can Access Nintendo’s Miiverse

And it’s…oh dear. Up top, a pair of Nintendo 3DS units, below, a PlayStation Vita. Sony’s browser lets you access Nintendo’s online version of the Miiverse. Nintendo’s own does not. Predictable, perhaps, but still worth a chuckle. You can access Miiverse on PS Vita but not on 3DS [NeoGAF]

Assassin’s Creed III’s Alternate Universe Is Not Worth Saving

Nearly six months on and I’m still torn on Assassin’s Creed III. I loved the setting, loved the combat, loved anything and everything to do with the Aquila. But I couldn’t stand the mission design, and the game was so humourless and drab it would bum me out just booting it up. The game’s surprisingly…

You know that Wii U system update Nintendo promised last month? The one that would speed up certain system load times? It’s out. Go get it.

F*ck Cheetos

It wasn’t always like this. I used to like Cheetos—adore them, really—as a kid. But kid Patricia also liked Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and Donkey Kong 64, so clearly I was a stupid kid. I’d say I know better now, but that’s not quite accurate. It’s difficult to escape Cheetos: they’re considered the epitome of…