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Today's ?????????????????????-iest video: The Idolmaster
Today's video featuring in-game footage from The Idolmaster is completely wacky and strange ... even somewhat bizarre. That is, unless you speak Japanese or have a universal translator handy. We've talked about this game for the Xbox 360 before, and this footage seems to confirm just how strange this thing really is.In fact, if you're anything like us, you might feel a bit brainwashed after seeing this video. It's enough to put you into a trance, while your brain says WTF over and over. Hopefully someone can translate this for us before we decide to worship these strange Japanese girls and form a cult.
Hellgate: London bound for 360?
During an interview with Next Gen, Namco Bandai's Zach Karlsson speaks to the possibility of Hellgate: London arriving on the Xbox 360. Hellgate, for those who don't know, is sort of a hybrid shooter/MMO for PC. First of all, Karlsson notes that Namco Bandai is looking for a good multiplayer game to bring to consoles like the Xbox 360 and PS3. He notes that the online space is essentially a platform in and of itself, thanks to the ease of portability between PC and 360. Next Gen then asks Karlsson if a 360 version of Hellgate is forthcoming. He doesn't confirm it, but states that it is very likely. Given the company's focus on the "online platform" and that EA -- the game's co-publisher -- typically extends its franchises as far as possible, it's definitely looking good.[Thanks, Jonah Falcon]
Tales of Destiny 2 to have extra content
Game Watch has reported that the PSP version of Tales of Destiny 2 (due out February in Japan) will have several differences from its previous release. The biggest addition is the three new characters, but the game will also have an illustration gallery and a new anime opening movie. These additions are all great, but only make it more difficult to take if the game never comes out in English. While you wait to find out if it does come out here though, you can check out our previous Tales coverage.
VC Friday: lackluster week for downloadable games
What's this ... just Xevious? We appreciate a good, old school scrolling shooter just as much as the next fanboy, but this is a pretty boring offering when it's the only offering for the week. You can do better than this, NoE! Show us what you've got.The NES game will set you back 500 points, if you are so inclined. And here's hoping for a more exciting next Friday.
Hands-on with Trioncube
Those lucky buggers at GameSpot got their hands on Trioncube, the weird and wacky puzzler headed out next year from Namco-Bandai, and they've got one thing to say -- sure, you may be stacking blocks in Trioncube, but the game takes it beyond regular old blocks. It's quirky. But didn't we know that from the screenshots? Flying cow heads don't exactly scream tame.Unfortunately, they haven't got much to add to what we already knew. Their additions? Whimsical audio, sparse visuals (sparse cow heads?), and it's addictive. Well, Trioncube is a puzzler. If it's in any way playable, it's probably addictive.And yet, even this slimmest of slim previews makes us yearn for the game. We need a good puzzler. Is it February yet?
Legend of Heroes III announced for US audiences
Just like Bleach on the PSP, some franchises seem to get new versions on a much too frequent basis. Such is the case for Namco Bandai's upcoming US release of Falcom's latest RPG, Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean. The series hasn't been too strong at earning critical acclaim, but it doesn't seem like most PSP RPGs can. Considering how PSP owners will have to wait quite a while before either Crisis Core or Final Fantasy Tactics come out, will the latest Legend of Heroes be able to satisfy the RPG urge? We'll find out when it comes out in January.See more screenshots after the cut.See also:Legend of Heroes trailer
Bandai's game-playing portable music player
While neither its game-playing or music-playing abilities would likely be enough to cut it on its own, Bandai is hoping the combination of the two will be enough to attract some attention to its latest device here, set to launch in Japan this month. In addition to storing 120 minutes of audio on low quality or 60 on high (it's not clear what format it uses to get those numbers) the player will also let you get in a bit of Game & Watch-level gameplay, apparently interacting to some extent with the music you're listening to. What's more, the device also includes a so-called "pleasure mode," which will let you simply sit back and watch as the tiny pixelated character dances or plays "in tune" with the music. If that's enough to sway ya, you'll soon be able to snag one of these for 7,140 Yen, or about $60.[Via Impress]
Keep going fast with no load times for Ridge Racer 7!
Fast, fast, fast... fast cars, fast food... fast load times? Whaaat? How about no load times? Yeah, right! Right? Wrong. The PS3 makes a fantastic idea come to life with the announcement that Riiiiiiidge Racer 7 can be loaded completely and neatly onto your hard drive. That means absolutely no waiting to get your race on. How hot is that? To quote the producer of the game, "This is not necessary in order to play the game...you can have everything read off of the Blu-ray disc. It's just an optional user-friendly feature, because when you want to race, you don't want to wait!" So no worries mate, if you'd rather keep that hard-drive space for something other than an entire game, you can.What we want to know is this: will this become a normal feature? Will we be able to load an entire game onto our hard-drive, eliminate load times, and erase it (but not the save!) when we finish it up? Perhaps that's part of why Sony has been addicted to finding security features to prevent copying, etc. Personally, this sounds like a great idea. Sure, you can only have a few games at once on the drive, but it's easy to pick the ones you'll play the most (be it online or otherwise) and leave 'em sit on the PS3. This should be an option for every PS3 game. How is it a bad idea? Oh yeah... storing the game, then selling the disc back as used. But is that bad? You already paid for the game and if you run out of space and delete it -- your loss. Although it does make those next-gen game prices a little bit better. Give us your thoughts on this issue, we're really curious to see your take!
Dual videos from Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Symphony
It could be a new jingle, amirite? Dual pleasure, dual fun, dual screens from Dual Symphony!Well, maybe we'll just stick to blogging and hang up those hopes for the marketing career. These two videos are from GameSpot's preview of the English version of Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Symphony. And we've learned something from watching them -- jumping on spikes? Not a good idea, not even if you're a hardcore alchemist.Unfortunately, the videos don't cover any of the minigames that are discussed in the preview. That's the part that sounds interesting, after all. We've seen lots asskickery in our day ... bring on the arm wrestling!
Tales of the World is hottest games video, baffles Joystiq
The writers of Joystiq are SO B1A53D!!! They showed off an amazing looking Tales of the World trailer, and the best commentary they could come up with was calling the game "Fable Lite". Lame. Us PSP fanboys know that this Tales game allows you to create your own character and go on a fantastic quest with stars of previous Tales games. Unlike the upcoming DS Tales of the Tempest, the PSP-exclusive Tales of the World will also feature downloadable levels. The commercial reveals that people that pre-order the game in Japan will receive a bonus DVD: "Lemon Gumi." Unfortunately, a US release hasn't been announced, so Tales fans like myself may be forced to simply import the game. With impressive graphics, and a cast that includes characters from Symphonia, Legendia, Phantasia, and more, it might be worth it.
Profile: foreign systems that America missed
1UP profiles four systems that never made it to the US: MSX (1983) - Metal Gear and Dragon Quest debuted on this platform, which had a enough support to compete with Nintendo's Famicom in Japan. X68000 (Sharp, 1987) - its power came with a price: $4,000; it did feature some impressive ports of Castlevania, Ghosts 'n Goblins, and Strider. PC-FX (NEC, 1994) - TurboGrafx-16's successor; easily trumped by PlayStation, degrading into "a breeding ground for crappy anime and porn games." WonderSwan (Bandai, 1999) - Bandai had an exclusive license to port the original Final Fantasy titles ... until the games eventually landed on GBA. Good news is Americans didn't miss much.
It's Gundam great! Mobile Suit Gundam info/boxart blasts off!
Well, it's time for another Gundam game. What's this one about? Well, for all you lovers of everything Gundam, we'll summarize the summary from Just Pause. It's U.C. 0068, Degwin Sodo Zabi has become the leader of the Republic of Zeon. He starts a new government, proclaiming himself sovereign of the new Principality of Zeon. You take control of a rebel in this new principality and you know what? You battle the Earth Federation. Interesting twist, indeed. Or you could be boring and play as the "good guys" (totally subjective if you're a Gundam fan). Get prepped for some mech-space-earth-everywhere destruction upon PS3 launch. Oh! Almost forgot. This here's the boxart. It's pretty keen.[Thanks, Scott!]
Bandai's NetTansor: the WiFi webcam on wheels
We loves us a good robot 'round here especially when dubbed the "net tongue sir," the hotly anticipated followup to the "net tongue vogue." Ok, ok, it's just the machine translation acting up again, but from the looks of it, Bandai is set to literally rollout the NetTansor WiFi webcam on wheels starting December 16th for ¥50,000 (about $421). This 802.11b/g bot features bidirectional voice communication and a triptych of forward facing sensors with image recognition to avoid smashing into things for up to 2.5-hours of voyeuristic mayhem. However, at 290-mm/11.4-inches high and 980-grams/2.2-pounds in chub, he's not the sneakiest bot in the world. Now please, as always, keep this and all robots away from your man-parts. [Via Impress]
New screens show off Gunpey
Q Entertainment's newest offering Gunpey releases outside of Japan this winter, and there are new screenshots available that showcase the colorful characters and tile-based puzzles that form the visual nucleus of the game. Too bad we can't capture screens of the music -- these shots, while gorgeous, are only half the picture.Check for the screens after the jump.
Metareview - Mage Knight Apocalypse
With the release of Mage Knight Apocalypse, Namco Bandai may have been hoping to steal a few precious hours from RPG gamers before Neverwinter Nights 2 and Gothic 3 hit the shelves. Unfortunately, a few hours is all it takes to realize Mage Knight is one for the bargain bins. You might be better off getting your hack-and-slash kicks from Titan Quest, or even Dungeon Siege II: Broken World. IGN (54/100) was displeased with the game's production quality: "The storyline isn't executed very well. The frequent cut scenes never deliver any kind of engaging dialogue and are further hampered by voice acting that sways from average to terrible." GameSpot (44/100) didn't appreciate the innovative combat system: "Since the save points are all over the place, you'll usually only have to take a few steps to pick up the fight right where you left off. You'll quickly fall into a very repetitive and annoying cycle of death where you resurrect, fight, and die over and over again...slowly picking away at the mob of monsters until finally they're all dead. It removes any sort of challenge or sense of attrition from the game." GamePro (40/100) thinks Mage Knight sets new lows in pathfinding: "Allies constantly become stuck behind walls and pillars, enemies lose track of you when you walk out of their line of sight, and glitches allow you to hurl spells at blissfully unaware boss mobs. On occasion, we were forced to complete an entire level solo when our two computerized comrades became stuck in a maze somewhere."
Namco Bandai officially announces Warhammer
Last month, we reported that Warhammer would be coming to the PSP, but just recently Namco Bandai has officially announced it plans to ship Warhammer: Battle for Atluma, a card-based battle game, this fall."One of the more compelling card-based games to date, Warhammer: Battle for Atluma goes beyond simple player interaction and encourages an inclusive sense of community among players through head-to-head battles, card collecting, trading and strategy sessions," said John Whitmore, Director of Internal/External Development at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. "This unique dynamic coupled with the strategic, fast-paced nature of the game certainly sets Warhammer: Battle for Atluma apart from other games in its genre."While the press release didn't offer up any new gameplay information, it did mention the game will be rated "T" for teen, and the title's developer is JV Games, which has most recently developed James Bond 007: Nightfire for the Gameboy Advance.
Bounty Hounds downloadable demo
Done with your Ape Escape demo? No worries! Have fun with Bounty Hounds, the arcade shooter from Namco Bandai. This demo requires firmware 2.80 and above. Once you're done playing, give us your opinion. Is it different from what the critics think? The game is now available in stores.1. Download the demo ZIP file.2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy ULJS00021 folder into the GAME directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
Electrifying Full Metal Alchemist screens
Note the full-bodied burst of energy, an electric explosion up front that evens into a smooth, velvety battle with a few hints of fruit (mostly in the hair). That up-front energy has a whiplash effect, an off-the-chart acidity that would burn if not for the dampening apricot that soothes the throat. Yes, friends, these Full Metal Alchemst screens are like watching water become wine, except nothing like that at all, really. There isn't any apricot, either. We're sorry for misleading you. What Full Metal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy does have, however, is an epic quest to find the Philosopher's Stone, and along the way our heroes, Alponse and Edward, may rain a little righteous judgment down on those evil Homunculi. And that's got a finish to please any palate. Check after the jump for a few more screens from the upcoming game.
Gundam Battle Royale gets set to win Japan
You may remember that SD Gundam was the best selling PSP game ever in Japan, selling more than 150,000 units in its first week alone. It looks like Bandai and Sony are ready to kick some ass again. Battle Royale allows four players to jump into their favorite Gundam and fight against or with their friends in a pretty cool-sounding cooperative mode. It looks like the entire franchise is represented in this outing, so Gundam geeks are going to go wild when this game hits Japan in October.See also:SD Gundam G Generation wins in Japan
As promised, Riiiiiiidge Raaaaaacer 7 updates! [Update 1]
The Japanese magazine Famitsu posted some news about the upcoming Namco-Bandai title, Ridge Racer 7. A lot of the news was just rehashing the E3 information, but the new information comes in a description of the modes of play. There are a lot. Let's take a look: Ridge State Grand Prix: the main mode of play. 160 races await you on 44 courses (22 if you don't count reversed courses... which you should, they're surprisingly different). Win races, earn new cars and parts. Online Battle: Online gaming fanatics main mode of play. Online races support 14 players. In addition to competitive racing, other options will include relay, team battle and pair time attack. Global Time Attack: face off against the world's racers, all trying to get the best time on any given course. You can also use split screen here and race with a buddy, teaming up for pair time attack. Arcade: standard play that supports two-player split screen. UFLA Special Event: events downloaded through the internet. Sounds promising! Machine Connector: customize your ride in this mode. From performance to visuals, it's all an option. Future stickers, parts, etc will be available for download. Ranking Browser: not really a mode of play, but you can see the rankings of the top players worldwide. Fun stuff, huh? Still no actual screenshots or release date, but this is a pretty good indicator of what's to come. Cross your fingers for the Tokyo Game Show, racing fans![update: here are some game screenshots hot off the press guys! Looks gorgeous!]
