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TGS07: Advent Children gets dirty on Blu-ray
Square's big budget fan service film, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, is heading to Blu-ray and it's going to provide much more than an HD transfer. A new trailer showcased at TGS shows a few new scenes that expand upon the film's storyline. One scene took place in the alleys of Midgar as children afflicted with Geostigma appear to be melting goo. Another sequence shows Sephiroth stabbing Cloud through the chest, skewering him and swinging him like a piece of dead meat. Not only will the updated Blu-ray disc feature new scenes, but new special features that were cut from the original DVD will find their way into the collection, thanks to the spacious capacity of the HD movie format.But that's not what has us most excited. The fight scenes from the film have been completely re-rendered with a feature we've long waited for: dirt. The always-fashionable Cloud and company will have perfect clothes no more! They'll have to invest in even stronger hair gel to survive the battles that they face. The press release explains it best: "Clothing that gradually dirties through intense combat, faces that darken with soot from explosions, and motorbikes pockmarked with gunshots - the Complete edition brings a grittier, dirtier look to the film's nonstop action."The now-Incomplete edition will now be too clean for the Square Enix hardcore. The added sheen of the HD transfer will only accentuate the dirty details that Square has deemed necessary to include in this re-release. Of course, we can't wait for the next 2160p "Really Complete Edition" which will add even more wrinkles to the character's clothes and subtle acne on their backs.
TGS hands-on: Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon (Wii)
Square Enix's upcoming cute-em-up dungeon crawler, Chocobo's Dungeon: Toki-Wasure no Meikyuu will be released in Japan on the 13th of December. We managed to drag ourselves away from the giant Chocobo guarding the entrance to Square Enix's booth long enough to check the game out.Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon is, essentially, a sequel to Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon 1 and 2 for the PlayStation. While those games didn't do as well as perhaps they should have (only Mysterious Dungeon 2 was released outside Japan) Square Enix seem to be giving the franchise one more chance on the Wii. This latest iteration maintains much of the cuteness of the previous titles, keeping a consistant art style with all past Chocobo based games, whilst using a softer palette of colours throughout. The world of Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon is now full of pastel shades, as opposed to the bright primary colours used in games such as Chocobo Tales.%Gallery-7698%
TGS hands-on: Minna no Golf Portable 2
There weren't too many PSP games on display at Sony's Tokyo Game Show booth, but the few that were available drew in consistent crowds. Patapon easily drew the largest audience, but right next to it is Minna no Golf Portable 2, a new online-enabled sequel to the original Hot Shots Golf for PSP. Anyone that's played a Minna no Golf game will quickly find themselves at home with the sequel. The presentation nearly matches the recently released PS3 Hot Shots Golf 5, but obviously features graphics typical of a PSP game. The golfing mechanic hasn't changed at all: you line up your shot, manage your swing power, and attempt to hit the mark in the swing meter. There's nothing really surprising about Minna no Golf Portable 2. The franchise has been known for its charming Japanese style, and this sequel doesn't stray from series tradition. With solid golf mechanics and new online play, Minna no Golf Portable 2 is a predictably good game that will satiate PSP golf fans.
TGS cosplayers gallery
You simply can't barge your way through the throbbing mass of people at the Tokyo Game Show without bumping into video game characters which have somehow manifested in reality. Actually, physically bumping into them isn't recommended, as the ornate headdresses, gargantuan shoulder pads and razor-sharp hair is very likely to cause unexpected injury. With all the Clouds marching about the hallways of the Makuhari Messe center, you're likely to become trapped in a cosplay iron maiden* if you're not careful.*Due to creative cosplay, "maiden" may in truth be "man."%Gallery-7697%
TGS hands-on: PSP 1seg TV tuner
The 1seg tuner for PSP makes us jealous of Japanese PSP owners. The tiny peripheral attaches to the top of the system, and allows users to tune into a variety of broadcast channels. The video quality at the Tokyo Game Show floor was stellar, with very minimal artifacting seen in the video. It's easy to change channels through a simple intuitive interface which overlays over the video quite nicely. A variety of video resize options can be readily accessed by bringing up the options menu with the Triangle button.If there's a complaint we would have about the 1seg tuner, we'd say it has to be the delay that comes when switching channels. It takes a full second or so for the system to display video of the next channel. Certainly not a major hindrance, especially when considering the quality of video that's produced on such a small peripheral. Japanese Joystiq readers will want to check it out.
TGS07: Sega makes a horrible prediction
We admit that the first game ever to feature both Sonic and Mario is going to appeal to folks naturally. We don't believe, however, that the game will sell 4 million copies together on the DS and Wii. Sega's corporate director Masanao Maeda believes though.Being "glass is half-full" kinda people, we're all for being optimistic. But, 4 million? That's kind of absurd, wouldn't you say? Or, regardless of the type of game it is, could any title featuring both Mario and Sonic easily sell that much?
Friday Video: That's some Spirited gameplay
You may have noticed that we're a little into Bangai-O Spirits. Luckily, it seems that we're not alone in lusting after every scrap of media we can find on the upcoming DS game. And sure, we may have already shown you a trailer earlier today, but this is nothing but gameplay footage straight out of Tokyo. We love it, and we can think of no better use for this week's video spotlight.
TGS hands-on: Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword makes for quite the unusual spun-off spokesperson for Team Ninja's flip-out-and-kill-people sim. It exuberantly gushes about frenetic action and superhuman agility, but when you aren't looking, it lounges about in the kitchen sipping herbal tea and playing Sudoku. It's simultaneously an excellent and poor example of what Ninja Gaiden stands for, a strange mixture brought about by placing a decidedly hard-edged experience on a system widely known for its casual lures. For the most part, it seems to work surprisingly well. Constructing a fast-paced action game entirely upon stylus strokes might lead you to think that victory hinges on furiously scratching your screen, but Dragon Sword's inputs are distinct and responsive enough to render battle a calm and intuitive affair. Well, as calm as you can be when being assailed by clawed freaks, disgruntled dragons and, in one instance, a steady stream of menacing boulders.
TGS07: Hori joysticks rejoice as SNK announces King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown collections
It would appear that the Wii won't be getting the 16-title Neo Geo collection as reported, but rather two other Neo Geo compilations that should be plenty satisfying for people who love fighting games (which, we believe, is all Neo Geo fans).SNK Playmore USA announced The King of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Saga and Samurai Shodown Anthology for the Wii. The Orochi saga in King of Fighters spans King of Fighters games (Kings of Fighters?) '95, '96, and '97, and the Samurai Shodown Anthology hopefully contains all of 'em, including the Samurai Shodown RPG for Neo Geo CD and Samurai Shodown 64 for the Hyper Neo Geo 64 arcade system. It probably won't, but then, things rarely live up to our desired level of awesome. Speaking of our desired level of awesome, these had better support the Classic Controller, and, therefore, the Hori stick.The press release also reveals that, rather than Art of Fighting, the third Neo Geo game announced for the American Virtual Console is Magician Lord, which is in keeping with the Japanese lineup.
TGS07: Checking out Cooking Mama 2
Over at the TGS booth for Cooking Mama 2, GameSpot got a sneak peek at the cook-em-up title. While engaged in the virtual kitchen, cooking up some dishes with the mama, they prepared a couple of select dishes, including ice cream and pizza. From their impressions, we gather that fans of the first title should be pleased at where the direction of the new game is headed. Also, with the addition of some new recipes, the title should be fresh and inviting to new chefs aspiring to make a name for themselves in the virtual kitchen. Just don't cross mama. She's liable to grab a knife and cut you.
Joystiq Podcast TGS 07 Special (Part 2)
The fun just doesn't stop in Tokyo. From 13 hours in the future, the Joystiq TGS crew brings you some delightful insights on Ninja Gaiden 2, No More Heroes, Dark Sector and so much else our hand cramps just thinking about typing it. Listen and enjoy.Get the podcast:[iTunes] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3) [RSS] Add the Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [Digg] Like the show? Digg it. [MP3] Download the MP3 directlyHosts: Chris Grant, Ludwig Kietzmann, Jem Alexander and Andrew YoonMusic: "Get Ready for Love" by Nick Cave, "Red Eye" by Ben Kweller
TGS07 hands-on: Metal Gear Online
Surprisingly the line for Metal Gear Online was relatively short, even for a press day, so we took advantage and got our hands on the upcoming online stealth shooter. Twelve PS3s were set up so that a constant rotation of players could fight together, six to a team. As each match began the next set of players were sent to a mysterious back room. Finally it was our turn and we could discover what was going on back there. The door opened onto a tiny room filled with chairs, a projector and a Japanese woman with a pointer who sternly (though she was talking in Japanese so we can't be sure) gave us our briefing. Undoubtedly hilarious if you understand Japanese, we were sadly left staring at the lady's beret. We did, however, learn the basic controls via the enthusiastic pointing at the handy images that were being projected onto the wall. These will be familiar to anyone who's ever played a Metal Gear Solid game before. After a short talk on the skill system and an overview of the map we were sent out to fight.
TGS WTF trailer: Rainy Woods
It's something of a tradition really. When TGS rolls around, westerners are exposed to games they never knew existed, many of them inevitably very strange to non-Japanese gamers. As such, we bring you the first of (hopefully) many TGS WTF trailers. This trailer is for a game titled Rainy Woods. It's actually not strange in the typical Japanese way. No, this is strange in a David Lynch / The Shining kind of way. Featuring grisly murder, skull-shaped gas masks, and strange little men apparently sitting in vibrating chairs, Rainy Woods has us intrigued to say the very least. Don't take our word for it though, watch the video and judge for yourself.
TGS07: Wii Sports wins CESA award
The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (who're the ones who put on TGS every year) recently dished out some awards for notable titles. Winning their most prestigious award, the Grand award, is none other than Wii Sports. Sadly, Nintendo's game must share the spotlight, as the PSP title Monster Hunter 2: Portable 2nd also won the award.Somehow, we feel like we'll be writing about Wii Sports until the end of time.
Joystiq plays Every Extend Extra Extreme
Joystiq managed to get some hands-on time with Every Extend Extra Extreme from Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Q? Entertainment. Described as something of an inverse take on the shooter genre (your goal is to blow up your own ship), Joystiq notes that E4 is a marked improvement over the original PSP iteration. First and foremost, the musical nature of the game (typical of Q? Entertainment titles) is now actually integrated with the gameplay. In other words, the actions you take in the game will affect the music. The game also incorporates a new shield system that encourages faster-paced gameplay. There is a new Endless mode which, appropriately enough, goes on forever so long as players continue to acquire Extend power-ups. Boss encounters have been removed from the game, which Joystiq finds puzzling, but overall the impression is definitely a good one. Head over to Joystiq for their full impressions.
TGS07: GT5 Prologue is most expensive demo ever
Click to enlarge Hidden away in Sony's TGS catalog was a shocking revelation: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue's Japanese release date and price. Scheduled for December 13th, the game sample (demo, as we used to call) will retail for a whopping ¥4,980 ($43.10) on Blu-ray and ¥4,500 ($38.95) when downloaded through the PlayStation Store. Although the game will feature stunning graphics and many features of the final game, this seems as much too high for a game that has a limited track and vehicle selection. We hope that this kind of sticker shock doesn't come across the Pacific into other territories.
GT5 Prologue priced: 4,980 on Blu-ray and 4,500 download
Click to enlarge Tucked away, quietly, within the pages of Sony's TGS press catalog, is the final pricing for the Japanese release of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Now scheduled for December 13 (as indicated by Famitsu earlier this week) the game is listed as ¥4,980 ($43.10) on Blu-ray and ¥4,500 ($38.95) for the downloadable variant. Though the game features many of the functions of the full product – scheduled for a 2008 release – it's still considered to be a sampling, in part intended to "keep people aware [Polyphony Digital is] still around" (as told to us by the game's designer, Kazunori Yamauchi). We're not sure if this price will extend to the European and North American releases of GT5 Prologue, but we've asked Sony for clarification.
TGS07: Mysterious Trailer: Shiren the Wanderer 3
A monster randomly dropped this trailer after we killed it, and we had to carry it around for a while until we found a Scroll of Trailer Identify. We were afraid it was going to be something useless like a trailer for Super Glove Ball, but we lucked out! A +3 Video of Shiren the Wanderer!It was then a matter of posting it before we died and had to go find another one.
TGS hands-on: Every Extend Extra Extreme
Don't let the ridiculous title fool you: Every Extend Extra Extreme has a lot going for it. Q? Entertainment's upcoming XBLA game expands upon the ideas of Every Extend Extra and provides a refreshing twist on a familiar concept. Unlike other shooters where players must protect their ship at all costs, E4 has players actually blowing up their own ships. The explosions caused by the self-detonated destruction ripple across, creating a domino effect that destroys all enemy ships within range of the connecting string of explosions. E4 improves upon the previous titles by making true on the promise of the PSP E3. Mizuguchi's trademark music synesthesia style was merely cosmetic in that title, with almost no interactivity between the music and gameplay. E4 is different, however. As if taking a cue from Everyday Shooter, the explosions now add to the musical tapestry of the game, as they'll add an interesting and catchy beat to the music playing in the background. Detonating at the top of a beat will make the resulting blast even more powerful, so internalizing the music will only add to the gameplay experience. E4 also adds a new shield system that encourages players to pick up power-ups as quickly as possible before they become vulnerable once again. The balance created by the new shield system creates a much faster-paced game than before, one where players will opt to trigger explosions more frequently -- it also makes the game a lot more accessible than the PSP title, which was somewhat notorious for its difficulty.
TGS07: Kohler validates our enthusiasm for Arkanoid and Space Invaders
Whereas we must be content to sit here and tell you how awesome we think Arkanoid DS and Space Invaders Extreme will be, people like Chris Kohler get to go walk up to the things and play them-- with the Arkanoid paddle controller. He played the demos of both games at TGS and came out with positive impressions of both. He described Space Invaders Extreme as "a light-and-sound-orgy, frenetic, what-is-going-on, super fun shooter that spans both screens of the DS." It's a mix of, say, Rez, Galaga, and Space Invaders, in which waves of invaders swoop in, all in different shapes and sizes, and you shoot them, which creates sound effects that play along to the beat of the music. There are weapon powerups and semi-random bonus stages. It all sounds a lot more involved than the original Space Invaders, or any of its extremely similar sequels, while maintaining the hypnotic rhythm. Could this be a good Space Invaders for 2008? If this is marketed correctly, a well-updated Space Invaders on the DS could generate bajillions in Japan.Kohler's Arkanoid impressions weren't as detailed, focusing instead on the peripheral, about which he was more than effusive. He says that the paddle is "literally just like standing in front of a miniature arcade machine." The dial spins on "ball bearings or something," so you can spin it like the steering wheel on a Super Off-Road machine.Read - Space Invaders ExtremeRead - Arkanoid DS
