- Uncategorized
BlazBlue, iDOLM@STER Voice Actress Moonlights As Pin-Up Model
In Japan, voice actresses aren’t just voice actresses. They’re voice actress idols. Take Chiaki Takahashi — she’s in a candy-coated pop band and poses for pin-up pics. For many Japanese fans, it is important that voice actresses are as cute as the characters they portray. Takahashi has done loads of anime voice work as well…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 26, 2009 - Uncategorized
Venezuelan Politicians Trying To Ban Violent Video Games
There’s a bill currently snaking its way through Venezuela’s parliament that, if passed into law, will result in a total ban in the sale of violent video games in the country. The Bill for the Prohibition of Video Games and Toy Weapons was presented to the National Assembly yesterday, and was swiftly approved after its…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 26, 2009 - Uncategorized
Bungie Won’t Say If Halo: Reach Is The Studio’s Last Halo
Last month, Bungie senior designer Lars Bakken said that Halo: Reach would be the studio’s last Halo title. “In terms of Bungie-produced Halo games,” the designer stated, “ODST and then Reach is probably all you’re going to get.” Microsoft subsidiary 343 Industries is poised to take over the series after the release of first-person-shooter Halo:…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 26, 2009 - Uncategorized
PC Sales Charts: Apologies Are In Order
Aion: I’m sorry. I’ve been ignoring you just like I ignore practically every MMO, but despite your silly name and bland art you are proving surprisingly popular. So, from here on in, I’ll try and ignore you…less. That little spiel was prompted by Aion’s continuing strong performance near the top of both PC digital charts,…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 26, 2009 - Uncategorized
Did Final Fantasy Artist Draw 2ch Bear Character?
There were four 2ch Japanese-style ASCII art characters that folks voted on. The most popular selection was drawn by Final Fantasy and Vampire Hunter D artist Yoshitaka Amano. The winning character? ASCII art character Yaruo. Below is Amano’s take on Yaruo. An exhibition of Amano’s art is being held in Tokyo’s Omotesando Hills until August…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 26, 2009 - Uncategorized
Evony Devs Sound A Bit Iffy
Evony needs little introduction. If you’re on the internet, at all, you’ve seen its intrusive banner ads pretty much everywhere. But just who are the people behind this “game”? Well, surprisingly, it turns out they’re incredibly shady. Bruce Everiss, who works in video game marketing, has written up an excellent piece on the shady side…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 26, 2009 - Uncategorized
This Is What A Gundam Wedding Looks Like
Heres comes the bride. And the giant mecha. Earlier this week, Japanese wedding planner T&G planned wedding ceremony for one lucky couple, selected from 548 entries last month. The two were married previously and stated that the Gundam series had been a tremendous influence in their lives. They even named they’re new baby girl after…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 26, 2009 - Uncategorized
Mass Effect Dress-Ups For Your 360 Avatar
I’m so torn on these premium avatar clothes! Part of me loves the idea of dressing the little guys up in official, in-game gear. A much bigger part of me abhors the fact Microsoft charge you for it. Charging money to make your avatar a walking advertisement? Sigh. Anyway, just in case that doesn’t bother…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Comparing Gran Turismo 5 Locations With Real Locations
Realism is a keystone of the Gran Turismo franchise. Those in-game cars are so close to the actual machines that GT is more driving simulator, less driving game. But how do the real life locations stack up? The lighting and perspective don’t always stack up in the comparison screens, but the in-game shoots look accurate.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Sony: Only One PS3 Wand Controller Necessary
At E3, Sony demoed its new wand controller. Actually, Sony demoed two of them. That doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily have to buy two of them, though. “The ultimate goal or wish for us is if you have two controllers,” says Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida, “like we demoed at E3, we can do something really amazing.”…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Distressed-Look 360 Up For Sale on eBay
A British gamer has listed on eBay his red-ringed Xbox 360. And it’s in even worse shape than that suggests. Plainly and repeatedly listed as a “faulty Xbox 360” – and that picture isn’t deceptive advertising – UK eBayer jonnyandco05’s bricked 360 comes to you “modified for better ventilation, with a turbo inlet on the…
By Owen Good Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Tearing The PS3 Slim To Pieces, Just To See What Its Insides Look Like
Most questions surrounding the PS3 Slim have been answered. How much it costs, when it’s out, etc etc. One, however, remains. What do its insides look like? iFixit are on the case. They’ve got hold of a Slim and then, with a screwdriver in one hand a camera in the other, torn the thing apart,…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Gabe Newell was Victoria’s Secret’s No. 2 Body
For a little while yesterday, Valve’s managing director was No. 2 in Victoria’s Secret’s “Body” contest. While his staggering 28,160 votes have not been wiped out, he has been removed from the list of contenders. There is substantial evidence that 4chan had plenty to do with this, as 4chan founder moot was No. 1 for…
By Owen Good Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Here’s Your Batman: Arkham Asylum Launch Trailer
Well, if our review wasn’t enough to convince you, maybe this fancy trailer with other outlets’ review quote and scores will do the trick. Also featured are more of the slow-mos from the combat system, Detective Mode at work and the glorious voice of Mark Hamill as The Joker. Go, watch, enjoy. And then pick…
By AJ Glasser Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Castle Crashers DLC Arrives at Midnight
Last night The Behemoth announced that the Necromantic DLC for Castle Crashers – said to be coming “soon” – is coming out, like, now. At midnight U.S. Pacific time it’s available for 160 Microsoft points. Update: The countdown seems to be pegged to your IP address’s local time. Gamers on U.S. Eastern time say they…
By Owen Good Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
You Can Buy A PS3 Slim, Right Now
Even as Sony made the PS3 Slim announcement last week, trucks full of consoles were already making their way across America. Now, they’re sitting in retailers across the US. Some people are even – wait for it – buying them. Gizmodo intern Rosa popped into her local Best Buy (in Port Richey) with some clams,…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Sega: Yes, Bayonetta Will Be Region Locked
When Sega of America opted for a January 2010 release date for Bayonetta—which hits Japan end-of-October—we thought “Oh, we’ll just import then.” According to Sega reps at Gamescom, that doesn’t sound like much of an option anymore. At our Bayonetta hands-off demo, we asked the Sega of Europe folks if the PlatinumGames developed action title…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Death By Fire Alarm
To: Bash From: Crecente Last night, still a bit sleep deprived from my international travel and in a deep, deep, deep sleep, I was jolted awake by the sound of not one, but two fire alarms going off in the house. And these were those testing sounds, this was a full blown fire alarm. Needless…
By Brian Crecente Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Leave Guantanamo Cleared Of Wrongdoing, Learn The Wii
The Wii shows up in all sorts of places, like in a story today about Mohammed Jawad, a young man who spent six years in the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba before an American court ordered his release. A report carried in the McClatchy Newspapers today explained that Jawad, who may have been…
By Stephen Totilo Published August 25, 2009 - Uncategorized
Mini-Impressions Of PSP minis’ Kahoots
Sony had a handful of its new minis available for the PSPgo available at Gamescom this week, including the platform puzzler Kahoots. For easy comparison’s sake, think of Kahoots along the same lines of Lemmings or echochrome. Your goal, like the goal of those aforementioned games, is to get the titular Kahoots to the exit,…
By Michael McWhertor Published August 25, 2009