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Dark Souls 2's box art is many shades of grey
The box art for Dark Souls 2 recently popped up on the web, and features a dude with a sword walking away from the box-holder. For all we know, the man may be walking backwards while holding the sword, as animated .gif pack shots have yet to be realized.We've placed hi-res versions of the box art, courtesy of All Games Beta, in a gallery for your viewing pleasure below. Dark Souls 2 is coming to Xbox 360, PC and PS3. %Gallery-185535%
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 flips out on March 5
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3, the next entry in CyberConnect2's lauded fighting game series, has been pegged for a March 5 launch in North America; March 8 for ninjas across the pond in Europe. Both regions will include a special in-game Goku outfit for protagonist Naruto and an exclusive trading card, available only in first-run copies of Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3.A new English-subtitled trailer has also been released alongside this most important Goku costume DLC news, which you can feel free to watch above. For the most authentic experience possible, we suggest you turn out the lights and play the video on mute, like we imagine how most ninjas digest their video game trailers on the internet these days.
Dark Souls 2 screens are a little shy
Okay, so maybe we wanted to believe that there are adult Shy Guys in Dark Souls 2. At least, that's what we thought when viewing the announcement trailer during the 2012 VGAs a few nights ago. That's our mistake, but when you look at these screens from said trailer, can you really blame us?Not much is known about Dark Souls 2, besides From Software's unswerving commitment to making the game incredibly difficult. We can say with certainty that Shy Guys first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2. Dark Souls 2 has the number two in it as well. "Shy Guy" is also two words. None of that is a coincidence, right? %Gallery-172917%
Namco Bandai fuses NA and EU operations
Last week, Namco Bandai issued both North America and Europe-focused announcements, usually simultaneously, from an event in Las Vegas. That event is indicative of future operations, as the company is merging its North American and European operations, with former Bandai America CEO Mark Tsuji taking over as western CEO of all Namco Bandai."Over the last year we have been beginning our transformation of the overseas business, making sure that we are not only bringing East to West content but also sub-developing and bringing content from the West that can propagate to the East," Namco Bandai VP of marketing Carlson Choi told MCV. "In Japan for the fiscal year, Namco Bandai achieved 24 per cent market share. That shows impressive leadership. And we are asking: how do we transfer that leadership position across Europe and the States?"Among the games shown off last week was just such a Western-originated game: Digital Extremes' Star Trek.
Ridge Racer Unbounded colliding with Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in 2012
Namco Bandai Games VP of marketing, Carlson Choi, describes Ridge Racer Unbounded as "very different from the Ridge Racer you've come to know." if you've ever bought a game console at launch, you've probably come to know Ridge Racer very well, and you'll easily recognize the face of Reiko, the franchise's seemingly immortal mascot. Her behavior in the Unbounded trailer shows a turn for the worse -- she crashes her expensive car through a busy intersection, implying that Ridge Racer is about to adopt a more dangerous and careless approach to racing. Another, more obvious clue: It's being developed by Bugbear Entertainment, creator of chaotic arcade racer FlatOut. Ridge Racer Unbounded is set to arrive on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC sometime in 2012.
Preview: Splatterhouse
Most of the games games shown at E3 are not final retail versions; they're preview builds specifically developed to show at the industry's largest expo. Since this is the case, many developers will remind those playing its game or watching demos that what they're seeing is subject to change. "We still have to polish this," or "the animation over here isn't finished" are a few of the things you'll hear. It's expected. However, sometimes demos are nothing but a string of apologies and promises. Splatterhouse was one of those titles. During my demo, the game's executive producer assured me that the game was still in production at every pass and that nearly everything I saw and played would be "fixed," "changed" or "polished." You can't blame Namco Bandai for being hesitant to show the game, considering the development hell it has been through -- but it was a little extreme, especially when considering that I thought the game looked good (even great in some spots!) apart from the expected poor framerate for an early build. No, looks weren't an issue, but I did have a few others with the game during my short demo. %Gallery-23980%
Hori's Tekken 6 Xbox 360 / PS3 joystick ain't a bad way to burn $150
Got a knack for fighting titles? Have a particular fondness for Tekken? If so, you definitely shouldn't be playing with a stock controller, and that's exactly why Hori has crafted the beauty you're inevitably peering at above. The stick, which will ship as part of a Tekken 6 Wireless Fight Stick Bundle bundle, will be made available soon for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (shown after the break), and according to our pals over at Joystiq, it'll be on sale at a variety of respected retailers for $150. Said MSRP also includes a collectible art book and a pinch of pride, which totally justifies the somewhat steep asking price. Right? Right.
DS Fanboy hands-on: Dragon Ball Origins
The Namco Bandai Games-developed Dragon Ball: Origins for the Nintendo DS attempts to shed light on the origin of Goku, Dragon Ball's prolific spikey-haired protagonist. Controlling Goku is simple: tap the screen with the stylus, and Goku will set out in that direction at a walk or a run depending on the distance between him and your chosen spot. Tapping and holding the stylus will cause Goku to keep moving as you drag your pointer across the screen.%Gallery-28185%
