That Doesn't Seem Right...

Tekken Hybrid

US release date: November 22, 2011
JP release date: December 1, 2011

US MSRP: $39.99
JP MSRP: ￥7140



I'm as big of a Yamashita Shunya fan as the next guy - not to mention a Xiaoyu user - but I'm not sure if the slipcover warrants that type of a price disparity.

Games I'm Waiting On (Part 2)

5) One Piece Kaizoku Musou



When KOEI released a Gundam game with the good old Dynasty Warriors engine, I managed to avoid it in spite of myself. When they released a Fist of the North Star game, again molded in Dynasty Warriors fashion, I marveled a bit at the trailers before forgetting about the title completely. But a One Piece beat-'em-up done by the DW team? Yeah, I'm there.

4) Twisted Metal



I wasn't sure what to think when recent trailers revealed transforming cars, but Twisted Metal has been looking so good that it'll take more than that goofy Sweet Bot to douse my enthusiasm for this title.

3) Tekken Tag Tournament 2



With Ultimate MVC3, SFxT, and SC5 all on the calendar, the fighter that I'm still most looking forward to is Tekken Tag 2. It's been about 12 years since the original Tekken Tag (!), and I can't wait to see how the reintroduction of the tag feature shakes things up.

2) Mass Effect 3



My current obsession with ME2 may have something to do with how high up this one is on the list. Or maybe it's the fact that PS3 owners won't have to wait an additional year longer than their Xbox counterparts this time around.

1) Final Fantasy XIII-2



In spite of the many faults that we never fail to bring up with FFXIII, here's FFXIII-2 at the top of my list. I mean hey, the game looks absolutely gorgeous, and I guess we're suckers for pretty things. Some decent closure after the less than stellar ending to XIII would be nice, and I'm all for a roster overhaul if we're only keeping Lightning and Serah around (uh, what happened to Snow and getting married and all that?). December 15th, just in time for Christmas.

Games I'm Waiting On (Part 1)

It's occurring to me that I've been neglecting my blog for the better part of 2 months now. What can I say, I had a pretty busy summer. For no particular reason, here are the Top 10 games that I'm looking forward to sticking into my Playstation 3 over the next year or so.

10) NBA 2K12



94-95 Orlando Magic? All day.

9) Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena



I'm not even sure if that's what the game is really called. Varying interpretations of the title aside, the announcement of this Persona-based fighter totally caught me off guard. Under normal circumstances I'd be wary of a 2D fighter pitting characters from an RPG game against one another, but with Arc System Works' BlazBlue team reportedly at the helm, there's no reason why this shouldn't be awesome.

8) BioShock Infinite



Although I ended up skipping BioShock 2, footage from BioShock Infinite has caught my attention with its rather breathtaking visuals and the game's entire steampunk environment. Everything about Infinite looks fantastic, and it's an interesting change of pace to have the game set in the almost radiant city of Columbia after hours of squinting your way through Rapture in the original BioShock.

7) Street Fighter X Tekken



Not really sure what to think of all this "Pandora's Box" silliness, but I was far too excited about the prospect of a Zangief + Marduk team to bump the game from my top 5. Then pictures surfaced of Kuma taking a gratuitous dump all over Rolento, prompting it to fall to number 7. I just don't care to have that degree of doodoo in my games.

6) Arkham City



I'm not a big enough Batman fan to have this thing at the top of my list like a lot of other people, but Arkham Asylum was indeed awesome and there's no reason to expect otherwise from the sequel. It would have been cool to be able to drive the Batmobile this time around (not so), but a handful of playable missions as Catwoman is a decent enough consolation prize.

The Ongoing PlayStation Network Saga

With the PlayStation Network supposedly up and running again, I figured that I'd go ahead and log in so I could do the required password reset. Imagine my surprise when I attempted to do so and was immediately prompted with the same old "PlayStation Network is currently undergoing maintenance" message that we've been seeing every day for the past month or so. Turns out that while North America (and just about every other country) has access to the network, Japan will have to wait a while longer until Japanese authorities have deemed the upgraded network safe enough. Figures. Still, I suppose the prolonged wait doesn't bother me so much. I rarely play games online and it's not like we're paying for the service, so whatever.

If there's one positive to come out of this, it's the "Welcome Back" package that will be made available to all returning PSN users. We already knew about the free month of PlayStation Plus, but Sony has also revealed that users will be able to download 2 free PS3 and PSP games. Here's the PS3 list:

• DeadNation
• inFAMOUS
• LittleBigPlanet
• Super Stardust HD
• Wipeout HD + Fury

Ok, I was expecting stuff like Crash Bandicoot and Angry Birds, so all things considered, that's a pretty awesome list. And a calculated one as well, considering that inFAMOUS 2 needs the promotion and that Little Big Planet 2 could see a sales boost if people enjoy the first one (which they will). Well played.

Catherine Impressions

Playing:
Catherine
(PS3)

The idea of tackling an intricate action/puzzle game normally wouldn't resonate with me, but as a huge fan of Persona 3 and 4, the prospect of playing Atlus' first offering on the PS3 was just too good to pass up. Atlus has dubbed Catherine an "adult horror" title, which isn't quite as risque as the naming might imply, but a fitting moniker nonetheless. The game does indeed have a mature vibe to it, but you won't come across anything here that you wouldn't find in a fairly tame PG-13 film (well, aside from the exploding bodies). Much like how Persona 3 and 4 combined elements of traditional RPGs with those of simulation games, Atlus blends us a rather interesting puzzle/action/sim combo with Catherine.

Without spoiling too much, the story revolves around our hero Vincent Brooks, a somewhat unkempt gentleman who has been having some rather peculiar nightmares as of late. Vincent manages to get himself caught up in a bizarre love triangle involving longtime girlfriend Katherine, and a younger, bubblier woman, also named (yowza!) Catherine. The aforementioned nightmares are a concern because other men around town have been mysteriously dying in their sleep. We take control of Vincent and try to get to the bottom of the mysterious dreams, while attempting to figure out whether they have anything to do with the town's recent deaths.



While the simulation aspect of the game isn't nearly as extensive as those of the Persona titles, it does have a subtle depth that you'll come to appreciate as the game goes on. Vincent spends virtually all of his waking hours at the bar getting drunk out of his mind and fielding text messages from his two lady friends, but it's through the various encounters with the other bar customers that you'll gradually solve the mystery behind the nightmares. You'll also learn a whole lot about alcohol in the process. Don't ask.



Now, rumors that you may have heard regarding Catherine's difficulty are probably true. The game is HARD. I'm talking one of the most frustratingly difficult "easy" modes of all time here. The premise of the game's puzzle portion is simple enough. Once Vincent enters "Nightmare" mode, he must attempt to scale a sprawling tower of blocks in an effort to reach a podium at the very top. Players do this by pushing or pulling the blocks to create pathways or ascending steps while dodging the occasional trap. Other dreamers appear in the form of sheep, but they're more of a nuisance than an actual threat. At first the puzzles are fairly simple, and even the massive bosses - though they help introduce an element of panic - aren't terribly difficult to evade.



However, once the player begins to reach the game's later stages, the puzzles leave precious little margin for error, which can result in an incredibly frustrating experience. Expect to pull out some hair and toss a few controllers. In fact, the game was so difficult that Atlus released a patch which would in effect turn the game's "easy" mode into a "very easy" mode. Unfortunately, the puzzles remain unchanged even when you toggle the patched easy mode, though the stages are now littered with special energy drinks that allow Vincent to bound up blocks 3 squares at a time (as opposed to just one). What's funny is that this makes the game too easy, as previously frustrated players will likely be scratching their heads as the once stagnant Vincent flies through each level without breaking a sweat.

This isn't to say that the puzzle portion of the game can't be fun. It can be immensely rewarding and I personally quite enjoyed it, but the game certainly isn't for everyone. Catherine will inevitably attract the Persona crowd, but while RPG fans are used to being able to grind out experience points to get out of a tough spot, Catherine will just bludgeon players with the same unforgiving puzzle over and over again.



Yet in spite of the constant bouts of frustration, the dark, intriguing murder mystery plot drives you to keep playing. Overall, it's a unique, fantastic little package, but simply one that's hampered by some overwhelming difficulty issues. Despite that one flaw, you won't find anything out there quite like Catherine. Recommended.

NA Fans To Get Deluxe Edition Catherine

I'm jealous. $79.99 is a bit steep, but that's a pretty slick package. I guess I must have really enjoyed the game because part of me wants a pair of Vincent's boxers. Sweet shirt as well.



Finally got around to beating the game the other week, so I'll have a review up later.

Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light

Playing:
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
(PS3)

Not really much of a review since the game has been out for 8 months or so now, but I figured I’d post a few thoughts on this one after getting it off of the PSN store on sale for $7.50 a couple of weeks back. I’ll go ahead and call it my second favorite Tomb Raider game in the franchise (behind Tomb Raider II, which remains a sentimental favorite of mine), though you’re free to make of that what you will, as I only really played Tomb Raider through Tomb Raider III on the original Playstation before skipping every PS2 incarnation and jumping all the way to this one.

Although Crystal Dynamics has completely redefined the gameplay mechanics, Guardian of Light is a good deal of fun, providing tons of challenging puzzles in true TR fashion, as well as a multitude of treasures and weapons to collect as you make your way through the game. It plays nothing like the original trilogy, but manages to retain that “Indiana Jones with boobs & automatic weapons” vibe that we all fell in love with back in junior high. Combat feels more like Contra than TR, but the arcade-style shootouts mesh oddly well with the rather contrite puzzles that are scattered throughout the levels. A local co-op mode is also an option, as Lara teams with a spear-wielding God of War-ish warrior of sorts. I managed to beat the game over the course of a few days, although I imagine that a more dedicated gamer could conceivably plow through the whole thing in one sitting. The adventure is a tad on the short side and somewhat easy, but definitely a deal at $7.50, and probably worth the full $15.00 price tag as well if you’ve enjoyed a Lara Croft game in the past. Solid recommendation.

New SF X Tekken Trailers

Capcom recently released some new footage for the upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken at Captivate 2011. I don't smoke, but I almost needed a cigarette after watching that first trailer.

キャサリン！

I was leaning towards waiting on the July NA release, but my girlfriend went ahead and got me a copy. Still playing MvC3, but I'll check back with a few thoughts on this one after I've spent a little time with it.

Catherine NA Release

We finally get a release window for those of you stateside:



I might just wait for the American version so I can understand what the hell is going on.

Marvel vs Capcom 3 Impressions

Playing:
Marvel vs Capcom 3
(PS3)

I was a fan of Marvel vs Capcom 2 and owned the game on both the Dreamcast and the PS2, so I had some pretty high expectations for this one. Fun fact: I actually bought a Sega Dreamcast for the sole purpose of playing MvC2, and it would be the only game that I ever purchased for the console before eventually selling it. Kind of odd in hindsight, especially considering how great the DC library was. But I digress...

MvC3's overall roster is nice, though it's tough to not be disappointed by some of the omissions (Venom? Zangief?) as well as puzzled by some of the inclusions (X-23? MODOK?). The comic book nerd in me kept hoping for Havok, or Blink, or Bishop, or Valeria Von Doom, but it's tough to complain after seeing - and hearing - Deadpool in action.

The graphics are nothing short of spectacular, and the controls are a breeze once you condition yourself to stop thinking in terms of punches and kicks and get a hang of the simplified Light, Medium, Hard, Launch setup. Diagonal air dashing and double jumping seem to be less effective in air combos - good news for the more casual players such as myself - and seem to have been toned down in favor of the flashier and easier to use team aerial raves. Yet at its core, MvC3 is still the fast-paced senses overload that the previous installment was, and vets of the series should have no problems jumping right back in.

The game is unfortunately somewhat hurt by its lack of any real additional modes. After spending some time learning the new controls, I was almost immediately able to jump into arcade mode and beat the game on the hardest difficulty. Beyond that, there isn't particularly much more that MvC3 offers in an offline setting. Mission mode is useful for what it is - an extension of training mode that walks players through moves and combos for each character - but it's essentially a carbon copy of the challenge mode found in SFIV.

The real treats of the game are the countless winks and nods to both the Marvel and Capcom universes that the creators have sprinkled throughout the game. You'll get a kick out of Deadpool mocking Magento with his infamous "Welcome to die!" line and declaring his love for Street Fighter when he meets Chun-Li, or Thor proclaiming his showdown with Amaterasu a battle of the gods, or even Ryu getting ready to fight Marvel's Iron Fist in his ending, a subtle little nod to his upcoming foray into the King of Iron Fist world in Street Fighter X Tekken. There's absolutely no semblance of a cohesive story to be found here, but the creators certainly did their homework and got the little nuances of each character right.

In the end, MvC3 is certainly about fan service, and that's the one thing that really pushes the game over the top. As a huge Okami fan, it's a dream to get to use Amaterasu in a fighting game setting and take out Galactus. My only real complaint would be the relatively modest roster size, but as advertised, the game is both incredibly fun to play and amazing to look at. Easy recommendation for those who have yet to check it out.

キャサリン

Went to the local game store to grab Marvel vs Capcom 3 today and almost ended up walking out with a copy of Atlus' キャサリン instead. Damn, this game looks good.

This Game Needs More Zangief

The latest characters to be revealed for MvC3 were Phoenix (of X-Men fame) and Mike Haggar (of Final Fight fame). Really digging the inclusion of Haggar.



Unfortunately, this seems to indicate that Zangief users (such as myself) will have to make do with Haggar instead of the Red Cyclone. Haggar is beyond cool, but how awesome would it have been to be able to team him with Zangief? As the game's release rapidly approaches, rumor is that the remaining characters will be Hsien-Ko, Akuma/Gouki, Sentinel, and Taskmster (!). The roster doesn't come close to the massive MvC2 one, but it's pretty solid overall. There are a lot of notable omissions, but I think that we'll see additional DLC characters once fans start to clamor for them.

Early Tekken Tag 2 Gameplay

Looking good. My one complaint with Tekken 6 was that it felt too much like Tekken 5, so it'll be good to have the tag feature back to really stir things up.



I'm intrigued as to how the command input will work for some of those tag combos, since characters appear to tag out then stick around for team beatdowns. Controlling both characters at the same time doesn't seem to be particularly realistic, so we'll see how that works. The tag throws also appear to be back, and in spectacular fashion. Law flying in with his dragon kick out of a Paul waist-lock is pretty cool, but King hitting that Diamond Dust off of Armor King's shoulders gets me all giddy. It's early, but things are looking good so far.

SF X Tekken Gameplay

We heard all the rumors about a Capcom vs Namco fighter that was supposedly in production, but I never thought it'd turn out to be this. Do you hear all those idiots losing their shit while watching the video? That's exactly how I feel.



Perhaps more intriguing is the news that Namco will be working on Tekken X Street Fighter, apparently with the Tekken fighting engine.

Shoryuken!

Hey, it looks like Deadpool will actually have his Shoryuken in MvC3. It'll probably be an uppercut of the Dan-ish sort, but it's nonetheless a pretty cool little inside joke for all the old comic book geeks out there.

MvC3

That's got a nice ring to it.



Oh, it's on. A lot of the usual suspects are said to be included on the preliminary roster, along with rumored new faces such as Chris Redfield (well, confirmed since he's in the trailer), Green Goblin, Super Skrull, Deadpool and DMC's Dante. Deadpool? Super Skrull? I'm sold. If we can't have the Fantastic Four, Super Skrull works just fine for me.

SFIII Characters Confirmed For SSFIV

The latest issue of Famitsu has revealed that Makoto, Ibuki and Dudley will indeed be playable in the upcoming Super Street Fighter IV. I mentioned back in October that the inclusion of Alex, Makoto and Ibuki would make me very happy, so although the omission of Alex is a bit disappointing, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.





Kind of interesting how the first set of new characters were from Super Street Fighter II (Dee Jay, T. Hawk), the second batch from Street Fighter Alpha/Zero (Adon, Guy, Cody), and now this third group being from Street Fighter III. Another original character or two should round out the roster quite nicely.

Tekken 6 Impressions

Playing
Tekken 6
(PS3)

The new Scenario Campaign mode is very much like the Force modes of the past; a slightly awkward, Final Fight-style brawler that pits you against hordes of not-so-intelligent thugs, robots, soldiers, ninjas, etc. It can be fun for what it is, but it’s more frustrating than anything, as you continually get your combos interrupted by soldiers shooting at you with riffles from afar, or almost defeat final boss Jin, only to have him knock you into the air and repeatedly lambaste you with uppercuts until you die. On the plus side, it does provide an alternate way for you to customize your characters and earn cash, as bags of money and boxes containing equipment are scattered throughout the various stages that you brawl your way through. The cut scenes that are sprinkled in between battles are also nice, as they give some depth to new characters Alisa and the otherwise lame Lars Alexandersson.



To be fair, as far as extras go, Scenario Campaign mode is indeed a doozy. The meat of the game is within the fighter itself, and if you take into account the fact that Scenario Campaign is just a gratuitous extra mode, there's really not much to be complaining about. In spite of its flaws, there's still some fun to be had here in that somewhat repetitive Dynasty Warriors sort of way. Upon being robbed of your dignity and hope by Devil Jin in the "Nightmare Train" stage, it’s simple to concede defeat and get on to the actual game.



What sets Tekken 6 apart from Tekken 5? For starters, a handful of new characters, the newly implemented “rage” and “bound” systems, some spiffy new stages and a bunch of new customization options. This is all good and well, but once you get past all the tweaks and goodies, the game feels alarmingly like Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection. It’s still a dream for hardened followers of the series, as a handful of new additions to a favorite character's move list will likely be enough to turn veterans into giddy messes. You can literally spend hours in practice mode incorporating the new moves into your juggles and figuring out their properties, or better still, trying to effectively utilize the new bound system. Unfortunately, it’s just the hardcore players that will likely be enthralled with these nuances, as casual fans may be less than apt to notice them at all. The new rage system, while certainly the most overt addition to 6, won’t push players to adjust their style of play any. "Rage" activates automatically once your health bar is depleted to a certain level, at which point your character’s hands will glow red and their attacks will do additional damage for the remainder of the round.



While this does make comebacks a lot easier to pull off, the rage system, along with the collapsing floors, seem to offer more in terms of visual punch than anything else. Beyond these tweaks, what Tekken 6 basically offers is a streamlined version of the DR engine…which isn't to say that it isn't really damn good. The game is fast and hard-hitting, not to mention incredibly deep; arguably the best installment in the series to date, but you can’t help but feel that the title is lacking something as a true numerical sequel. Given the complete overhaul that Capcom gave Street Fighter fans with SFIV, Tekken 6 just feels, well, familiar. I’ll concede and call it my favorite fighter to come out this year, but it just won’t blow anyone away in what gamers have been calling the “year of the fighter.”

Two big knocks on the title: 1) the long loading times, and 2) the ridiculous lag during online play (or so people say, haven't tried it myself). If you can manage to get past that, Tekken 6 is nothing short of a must-have for fighting fans.

It Was A Good Day

Busy day at work, but in that satisfying way, where all your lessons run smoothly and all the other teachers ask for your help and seem to find you immensely useful, if only for one day. Capped things off by grabbing a copy of Tekken 6 on the way home.



I also briefly, briefly considered getting BAYONETTA, but logic prevailed in the end. I'll probably devote every one of my waking, non-working hours to Tekken for the next week or so.
Thoughts on the game later.