Who didn’t see this coming? With a new Xbox means a new Call of Duty and Infinity Ward is back with Call of Duty Ghosts. A next-gen entry into the series they’ve hired writer Steven Gaghan (Traffic, Syriana) to build an emotional and narrative driven entry into the franchise.

My thoughts? It’s a prettier thing we’ve seen before but aside from state-of-the-art doggy mo-cap I still can’t get myself overly excited until I see a bit more than the graphics.

The post Call of Duty Ghosts? More Like Call of Duty BROSTS! appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

A new television show based on the Halo franchise will be brought to you from Xbox to fans. The Steven Spielberg produced series will debut for premium Xbox users.

Personally the talk of “premium” brings to mind of Netflix’s original content and is in-line with the multi-media approach Microsoft is taking with its new system. We’ll have to see how both the show, and Microsoft’s media policy folds out.

The post Halo TV Show Produced by Steven Spielberg appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Microsoft shows off its games lineup with its marquis racing title Forza 5. As if there were any doubt, the newest installment to one of the biggest racing franchises in gaming wouldn’t be making a debut for the Xbox One. Pretty cars, scenery porn, more cars, what else could you want?

Expect more details from our coverage at E3.

The post Forza 5 Announced for Xbox One appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.

It’s Arc System Works’ 25th year in heavy metal action and to celebrate, the developers are delivering a brand new Guilty Gear game. Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- will be the newest entry into the veritable franchise, my favorite fighting game franchise. Interestingly enough the new ridiculously named title is being developed on the Unreal Engine of all things. And you know what?

The game looks amazing.

The trailer above shows off some of the game as well as characters Sol Badguy and Ky Kiske, both with updated appearances, kicking some serious ass. I am telling you to wait until the trailer completely ends for one of my favorite characters to make a cameo however (which totally had me making noises more akin to a porpoise).

Gorgeous animation, rocking music, and insane gameplay is everything fans look for in a new game from Arc System Works and if that trailer is anything to go by, the 25th anniversary will be a sweet year for fans.

Heaven or Hell? Let’s Rock!

The post Brand New Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- Debuts appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

I’m an anime fan but even I’m not fully versed in the Vocaloid lore that spawned off into the action spin-off, Black-Rock Shooter. Chances are if you’re looking up this game, then you are a member of that same niche market and which case you’ll know already if you plan on purchasing the game. Still, for the rest of you I’ll be more than happy to explain the unique action styling of Black Rock Shooter: The Game.

If you’ve played any of Imageepoch’s other RPGs then you’ll know that they tend to mix up the battle systems (I’m personally a big fan of Fate/Extra‘s rock-paper-scissors battle mechanic). Black Rock Shooter: The Game employs a semi real-time system that involves you taking control of the eponymous heroine. Using the right stick to aim the large cannon attached to her arm, the game systems are somewhat restricted throughout combat with the basic options being point-and-shoot while dodging left to right in fixed positions. By having control of the reticule for shooting and directional controls to dodge enemy fire, it inhabits the territory between free-roaming and on-rails. The combat for the most part is serviceable, never moving into territory I would call exhilarating, but special moves are thrown in to certainly make it look explosive.

The game is divided up into open-world portions and combat, much like any JRPG. In the open world, you have full control of Black Rock Shooter as she explores an apocalyptic cityscape. She is a property of some armed forces unit that sends her off on missions too dangerous for the hardened military men, which I find ridiculous. C’mon, that one colonel something has a badass scar! He’s still not tough enough to go off on his own? Joking aside the narrative becomes more interesting as the game moves beyond search-and-explore missions but they certainly did seem intent on hitting all the big clichés involving the mysterious human weapon (you) and American(?) troops.

The environments are still pretty grand and for what it’s worth (which is quite a bit); they look great for a PSP title. The real subject of attractiveness of the game comes in when discussing the gorgeous animated cut scenes. These cutscenes from the anime studio Ufotable (Fate/Zero) look extremely beautiful and are always a treat.

I don’t know what I’m supposed to expect in terms of music from a series which itself is a spinoff from a music program, but the soundtrack is the sort of J-Rock industrial tunes I’ve come to understand is part of the aesthetic charm of the Black-Rock series. This would be Nine Inch Nails Territory if Trent Reznor was an anime fan I suppose. Then again, I just automatically link all industrial music with Reznor-senpai. It’s all right and fits with the game but it’s not really my thing.

As I’ve mentioned before this is a game which the target audience already knows, and probably purchased beforehand. For the rest of you however, this is a serviceable game for anime junkies and JRPG nuts. It doesn’t really do much beyond fan service for series fans so as a game it basically decided to live middle of the road in all accounts of gameplay and story. For fans of Black Rock Shooter add another point to the score but for the rest of you, it’s not a must-have RPG title, though it does look good on a Vita.

[Final Breakdown]

[+Gorgeous cutscenes][+Works as a game][-Not very exciting for non-fans][-Relies on old anime tropes too heavily]

The post Black Rock Shooter: The Game LTTP Review – Trent Reznor Senpai! appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

“To every man upon this earth death cometh soon or late. And how can man die better than facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods” – Thomas Babington Macaulay, Horatius

A knight dies for a predestined duty. Dies again and again and again. Each time the knight rises from the muck to run into battle once more because at the end of the journey there is a promise, and he will see to it that this promise is fulfilled in this life or the next. This is Infinite Themes and this week we will be exploring the central relationship in Demon’s Souls between the player and the idol they come to serve over the course of the game.

While Dark Souls depicted a journey in a much larger world with perhaps a more complicated mythos, its beauty lay in the sense of tragic decay that seemed to have already occurred and continued occurring concurrent to the journey through Anor Londo. In contrast, the world in Demon’s Souls has fallen into chaos but it feels as if it is in the wake of a ruin. While both games place emphasis on death and perseverance (as indicated with the famous tagline “Prepare to die”), only Demon’s Souls gives you the idea that one is working towards something. Furthermore, this reality is offered to them at the call of a fair maiden. And there’s a twisted happiness in dying for a lady.

Demon’s Souls wastes little time in introducing a purpose. A warrior, like countless of warriors before, enters the fog covering Boletaria in order to defeat The Ancient One and its demons. Rather than in Dark Souls where a history of cataclysmic events left it ready for salvage, the premise of the story in Demon’s Souls makes the recent tragedy in Boletaria a challenge for heroes to test their mettle. In those terms alone the story becomes like that of a champion, compelled by a destiny in all black, to earn a place in history. It’s a different tone than Dark Souls, one that recalls Arthurian legend or Hercules and his several trials.

It’s more triumphant in a way; thinking about the game like that. A different mindset that transforms it into more of a brutal myth. It’s about a knight given a violent burden that needs to be done. A [metaphorical but also very real] dragon terrorizing the land, the gallant warriors sent to defeat it. It’s something right out of the round table.

The structure of the world itself recalls the idea of arenas rather than a single unified world. A fighter enters the ring, fights through its trials and defeats the demon at the heart of the stage. They return to the Nexus victorious and are greeted by an audience who prepares the fighter for their next challenge. Demon’s Souls in that respect is a series of fights within a coliseum, and it’s all in service for the Maiden in Black.

She’s a figure that remains central to Demon’s Souls. She summons you to fight on her behalf and it’s hard for the fighter in this story not to grow attached to her. At the fighter’s service and the fighter’s service alone she greets each time they return to her. In this fairy tale the Maiden in Black is cast as the princess, only she’s a demon and perhaps the most powerful being in that world. Maybe princess is the wrong description here. She doesn’t need to be rescued, she is the absolute being that hands down the fighter’s divine work. She becomes more of an idol for the player. But that sort of dedication goes both ways and so while she delivers aid and baptizes the fighter with her blessing, her champions in turn take up their arms and run through a literal hell for her.

Fighting for the Maiden in Black seems a lot more rational than plunging higher up through narrow corridors only to go back down to dark depths to save a doomed country. Just like that, there is a knight kneeling at the foot of the maiden asking for her absolution and benediction. At some point, the game places you into a co-dependent relationship with the Maiden in Black as fighting for her sake seems to become more important than fighting The Ancient One. It mirrors crusades, old stories of chivalry, and in fact, two characters within the game itself: Maiden Astraea and her ever faithful knight Garl Vinland.

While Dark Souls expanded the world and isolated you as a lone “chosen undead”, Demon’s Souls revolves around the world belonging to two people, a demon in the nexus, and her knight.

I’ve romanticized my time with Demon’s Souls. I had to romanticize it because of the odd current that runs through the game. There’s a pervading hopelessness in Boletaria, it’s disorienting in the Tower of Latria, it’s suffocating down in the Valley of Defilement. There’s a nightmare in each world but every time the knight returns, there is a reminder waiting in the Nexus that the end is near, the Maiden in Black  who promises your salvation. So that’s what the knight latches onto. Here was a knight fighting for  a country in ruins, braving swamps and fire and cold all at the behest of the Maiden in Black. Perhaps stories of knights are actually about dependent relationships they confused with a misplaced sense of chivalry. But even as the knight marched through toxic rain and swamp there was a thought that maybe this will make the Maiden in Black happy.

洗い清める, art by ymd

The post Demon’s Souls: The Demon of the Nexus and Her Knight appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Namco Bandai has recently issued trademarks in the west for both Digital Monsters and Digimon World, specifically for context within game media. Given that it’s probably time for a comeback I wouldn’t be surprised if this means that we might be getting a new set of Digimon games. I’ll probably pick it up for the artwork alone but I can’t deny I’m not a little excited for a new Digimon game.

Siliconera: [Hmm… Another Digimon Trademark Filed By Bandai]

The post New Digimon Trademark Suggests Digimon World Re:Digitize May Come West appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

When Deadly Premonition first came out in 2010 it created a bit of a stir. A lot of reviewers couldn’t get past the dated visuals and technical difficulties of the game. It’s fair to say that it wasn’t until a few key voices in the reviews industry rallied against these critics and began granting the game 10/10, 5/5, GOTY status that people began paying attention to a game that was basically a love letter to late 20th century weirdness. Deadly Premonition is back 3 years later with a new and improved Director’s Cut, and now there is no reason to not check out this screwball title.

The problem I had with both positive and negative reviews back when the original was released is that they focused on the wrong things. The negative reviews couldn’t move past the visuals that seemed like early 360 (Really, it was as good as the original Dead Rising which isn’t that bad) and tank controls that hindered more than it aided the game. The positive ones, on the other hand, gave the game rave reviews but I couldn’t shake off the constant feeling of the “so bad it’s good” attitude towards the game. When I played the game, I didn’t understand the reviews that came out at the time.

Why didn’t people think it was “so good it’s good” like I did? 

Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut stars (literally as it plays more like a TV serial with its episodic structure) FBI Agent Francis York Morgan as he’s dragged into the middle of a Northwestern small town by the name of Greenvale (which might as well just be Twin Peaks). What starts out as the mysterious death of a teenage girl soon evolves into a Lynchian descent into a town with a mysterious past, a serial killer with a penchant for the rain, and townspeople that are on the crazy side of the weird spectrum. And everything is so perfect.

How do I begin? The wide cast of characters some lifted straight from Twin Peaks but most just interesting people with their own weird quirks and unique characteristics that makes you feel like you’re really in a small town where you get to basically learn about and befriend everyone? Maybe the town that’s constantly alive with certain stores and shops opening at specific times allowing you to plan an entire day for various tasks and chores? These two elements on their own would make for a pretty realistic game, but when you see NPCs driving down the street on their way to work, or stop by specific diners to have dinner with the local police, or go take in your car for maintenance at the local gas station because you actually need gas to run your car. Then Greenvale might as well be the town I most want to live in if I had to choose a setting for a video game. Everything is just so alive that it’s hard not to simulate real-life when the game, for all its weirdness, is grounded in a real-world logic. You eat at certain times, you fill up your gas, you drive  for what seems like forever from one destination to the next; the game keeps you constantly moving that by the end of the full 24 hour day you’re just ready to head back to your hotel room and catch some much needed sleep.

At Deadly Premonition‘s: The Director’s Cut  heart is the central mystery, and boy is it a mystery. Not so much that the case at hand is particularly original (Like I said, the Twin Peaks influence is pretty blatant), but more than any other game this is a mystery game. You gather clues, run through evidence procedures, chase down leads, and location scout. The game is not a David Lynch “game”,  it’s a David Lynch simulator, and that’s way better than any game could try to achieve.

Combat was my biggest headache with the original and I can say that the revamped controls alleviate most of the issues plaguing the original release. Aiming is smoother and there is now a lock-on button to help you further with tackling the weird, relatively same enemies you fight throughout. It’s still not the most perfect over-the-shoulder shooting, but consider the tallest hurdle for an enjoyable experience relatively cleared.

Aside from the controls, numerous things were improved with the Director’s Cut. Loading times have been significantly improved and the graphics have been given a good overhaul. It’s still nowhere near the levels of Triple A games but if you were expecting that, than you should probably read up a bit more on Deadly Premonition before engaging. Additionally, the new graphics seem to have done something to the engine because I believe there are more frame-rate issues this time around but I’ve forgiven the original for so much more that this is practically nothing (but definitely noticeable). The story has been expanded so much so that newcomers won’t be left out while veterans will find something new for a second running. Deadly Premonition Director’s Cut is the definitive version of the game so if this is your first time with it, congratulations!

Aside from the Twin Peaks influence, there’s a handful of others. Manhunter is something that comes to mind but it’s definitely not the only one; not with the characters themselves referencing so many pop-culture staples. Are you a cult canon junky? You’re in luck because this is the cult game of cult games.

The point I want to make is that this game is special. It has a unique charm that’s hard to find these days. Instantly memorable (regardless of whether or not those reasons are good or bad), and depending on your disposition, immediately lovable. This game isn’t for everyone but chances are if you are the type who wants unique experiences then this game is for you, especially now that a much better version of a pretty great game is available. You don’t have to tilt your head to understand that Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut has a vibrancy that can only be possible if someone wanted to create a world they wanted people to live and breathe in; and let me tell you Zach, Greenvale is such a town.

[Final Breakdown]

[+Still the same wonderful little town][+Personality all its own][+Director's Cut improves many of the issues of the original][-Frame rate issues definitely apparent][-Unfortunately not for everyone, but that's okay]

The post Deadly Premonition: The Director’s Cut Review – Pleasantville appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

It’s hard to disassociate Keiji Inafune as a game creator known for anything other than his many works at Capcom such as Mega Man and Dead Rising. Especially not after their public separation and Capcom’s handling of the very same game titles which Inafune’s name is basically synonymous with. So when it was announced that Inafune was developing a Monster Hunter-esque game for the PS Vita, people became interested. However, given my personal dissuasion towards the monster hunting genre as well as my inability to beat any Mega Man game that didn’t involve battle networks, I quickly forgot of the game’s existence.

Flash forward to Soul Sacrifice’s release and I want to tell you why Soul Sacrifice is a game that literally blindsided me like no other game in recent memory.

It starts out with your nameless, faceless protagonist in a cell, ready to be sacrificed to an all-powerful, and completely insane magician who goes by the name Magusar. The game then proceeds with you traveling through the pages of a journal you acquire after certain events, going deeper and deeper into the memories of the book’s previous owner(s). It ends with you discovering the secret history within the pages of the book, of Magusar, and yourself.

You know the game certainly wasn’t appealing to myself when I first heard about it. Monster Hunter games are usually such that they are best enjoyed with other people, but what if you can’t find someone else? The gameplay is usually one of constant grinding, weapon creation, treasure hunting. The staples of those games are the meat of the adventure with narrative falling by the wayside and those types of games are already alienating with its almost mandatory need for friends and partners.

So imagine my surprise when Soul Sacrifice forgoes all of the pillars of the genre and delivers a Vita game that takes the best of the mon-hun genre (namely the bursts of gameplay and mission structure perfect for portable gaming) with the added inclusion of a solid single-player experience that offers a story that isn’t only fun and engaging, but fairly emotional as well.

I think when I tell people they should buy a game it’s because it has a story that is worth being told and Soul Sacrifice definitely has that story. The idea behind sacrifice and what it really means in the face of a crumbling self-control. About the corruption of a mind and body and perhaps its redemption. It’s a story that surprised me with how gentle it could be at times while reminding me the sort of cruel world the characters inhabit. Loads and loads of  unlockable story material needs to be unearthed to get a full picture, but they help build the narrative and illustrate various aspects of the world, creatures, and characters.

Additionally, the game is perfectly playable all by yourself. Online wasn’t available while I was playing through my copy but I managed, not only to take on the stunningly designed large monsters myself, but enjoyed doing so.

This is in part for two reasons. During the solo story mode, there are various AI characters you play alongside with throughout your adventure. These characters aren’t there for the sake of curving difficulty but instead act as your partners and as characters in an inter-connected narrative web. What basically happens is you grow an attachment to these characters that the sense of camaraderie is created without the need for additional players.

Second is that the magic based gameplay is pretty damn fun. The game is basically tied to a regenerative system of MP and environment based abilities. One arms themselves with the various spells (ranging from swords created out of elements, to long-ranged homing strikes) while simultaneously explores the arena to regenerate their MP or pick up various items and other, area specific magic attacks. Essentially this has you running around the arena in a constant switch between attacking and item-gathering all while fighting a boss. Item creation is more like magic fusing creating new spells out of older ones but this is done in a pre-battle loading phase. Basically it’s a streamlined version of the monster hunter genre that’s suitable for both solo and multiplayer experiences, giving you all the best while trimming away the unnecessary.

At the center of Soul Sacrifice‘s battle system, is the decision to either save or sacrifice those you defeat. As a mage, your duty is to accept hit jobs, almost as demon mercenaries, and murder creatures in cold blood. However, these creatures will cry, and beg, and it’s up to you to decide whether or not you’re willing to sacrifice lost souls, some of which will weigh quite heavily on your conscience.

Did I mention how beautiful the game is? Graphically it’s one of the best on the console with large creatures rendered in great detail. The smaller creature design does become repetitive at points but it’s the boss creatures and environments where the designers really shine. Large, macabre characters fought in stages that are as grand and detailed as they are. From open aired ruins to crumbling cathedrals, the game is a visual treat.

The soundtrack is just as amazing. Perfectly fitting the dark, atmospheric, and in some cases operatic situations in the game. I sometimes just leave the game on some of the menu screens just to keep listening to the soundtrack. I wouldn’t expect less from Yasunori Mitsuda, the person behind the soundtrack for Chrono Trigger.

Character customization for its part is also fun to mess around with. Variety of clothing, spells, and other miscellaneous details makes character creation simply an enjoyable aspect of the game, one that you can change at any time. Your appearance isn’t permanent meaning you can switch between genders and character types as it portrays a version of you that you wish to be portrayed as (explained in the story). Obviously they publisher is withholding more outfits in what I assume are going to be DLC but for the most part it’s a fun experience rather than a stressful one.

The game isn’t without its faults of course. The difficulty curve spikes without sufficient grinding and sometimes it does feel like the odds are unfairly stacked against you as regenerative health and MP lack around the latter halves of battle. The battle can drag depending on these factors, which sometimes, devolve into desperate runs to stay barely alive while getting in quick hits hoping to take down large creatures. Additionally, and this is more a fault with the monster-hunting genre itself, is that missions can basically be the same thing after awhile with having to defeat the next group of monsters, or single boss, or certain item hunting. Alas, this aspect is natural to the genre as bullets are to first person shooters.

If you’re a Vita owner, there haven’t been a lot of good news in your horizon as of late but know that if you had any doubt regarding Soul Sacrifice, don’t. It’s an amazing game that delivers many of the promises the Vita offered. A console experience designed for a portable system; and an emotional narrative delivered as one would reading a journal: Page by page, slowly unraveling a mysterious, tragic past.

[Final Breakdown]

[+Beautifully grotesque design][+Soundtrack creates a dark, rich atmosphere][+Great solo-player campaign, rare for the genre][+A wonderful story filled with memorable characters in a narrative rich world][+Full of surprises][+A great additon to the Vita library regardless of gamer][-Difficulty spikes come out of nowhere and can halt progress][-Sometimes feels like health and weapons are on low supply][-Repetitive grunt monsters and missions]

The post Soul Sacrifice Review – A Beautiful, Dark, Twisted, Fairy Tale appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Get ready for some more Persona 4 action this July with Udon Entertainment having announced Persona 4 Arena: Official Design Works for US release!

A beautiful art book featuring the insane artwork of Ark System Works’ Persona styled fighting game. Visually stunning, I can only imagine what sort of images are hidden within the pages of this art book.

This title is currently up for pre-order on Amazon and you can get a sneek-peak over at Udon’s blog.

Amazon

Udon’s Blog

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So I’m playing through Atelier Totori Plus for the Vita right now and I gotta say I’m digging the game quite a bit. The gorgeous art design however has to be the standout feature for any of the Atelier games (and the game looks gorgeous on the Vita’s screen). Well today in stores you can pick up Udon Entertainment’s Atelier: Artworks of Arland art book!

This 256 page, colored book filled with the design works of artist Mel Kishida looks to be one of the nicest art books released from the publisher. I myself am immensely interested in picking up a copy so I thought I might as well give everyone the head’s up.

You can pick it up in stores today or order it online over at Amazon.

Udon Entertainment’s page.

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Considered one of the best Shmups for the PC, SITER SKAIN’s vertical shooter Kamui is widely regarded amongst fans. I’m not even that big into the shoot em’ up scene and I know how much praise the game gets. Exciting then for the game to be included in the upcoming Tale of ALLTYNEX collection.

For all you fans of the genre, Kamui along with SITER SKAIN’s other two games ALLTYNEX SECOND and RefleX are in need of backing for a proper release in English for the first time ever. The original developers are working with the great people over at Nyu-Media to bring one of the best regarded indie shooters to the west. Hopefully all fans will see to it that it makes it over with added bonuses.

One of the stretch goals in particular, is a physical release copy which I find just gorgeous to look at. You can check out their Kickstarter page and Steam Greenlight page at the bottom along with some screens. Go check out the Kickstarter for Tale of ALLTYNEX!

Kickstarter

Steam Greenlight

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The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection came out last year to great acclaim. Featuring the HD versions of Metal Gear Solid 2, 3, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. I didn’t play it but I’ve always been meaning to dive into the Metal Gear series.

Now it seems I can just wait another couple of months for a more complete collection as Konami has announced Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection.

The new collection features all the games from the HD Collection but also the original Metal Gear Solid, the VR Missions, and Metal Gear Solid 4: Trophy Edition. Also included are two Ashley Wood graphic novels and MX versions of the original two Metal Gear games.

No price but the game is set for this June as PS3 exclusive for North America.

I dunno, maybe I should wait for an even more complete collection with the other two PSP games? Joking aside, this seems to be the most complete collection, especially for someone who has yet to fully dive into the Metal Gear library.

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So awhile back Siliconera discovered a new trademark for a US version of the rhythm game Idolm@ster  Shiny Festa.

It turns out now that those trademarks were correct but instead of the original PSP versions of the game, we will be getting them localized for iOS devices (4/S, 5, iPad). That’s not even the kicker! All three games are priced at $54.99 separately, and that’s not even including the DLC that seems to be planned.

So if you want all three games it will set you back a fun $165 (about).

The popular idol-based game involving a company of cute characters has been requested by anime fans and I suppose their wishes have been answered…just not super fun. Sort of like a monkey’s paw thing I guess.

Individual games include:

-Idolm@ster Melodic Disc

-Idolm@ster Harmonic Score

-Idolm@ster Rhythmic Score

The post Idolm@ster Shiny Festa Out in English for iOS, Will Cost Arm and Leg appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Opening with Bach’s Air, we are introduced to the back of a live action actor frantically tangling barbed wire. Soon, a cavalcade of grotesque monsters gather, presumably at his location. Macabre figures, disfigured and grotesque and on a level of disturbing I haven’t seen since the original three Silent Hill games.

Today IGN revealed Shinji Mikami’s (Resident Evil) The Evil Within with their exclusive trailer, which is the game of Bethesda’s teaser site from a few days ago. Since then more details regarding the game have since come out.

Siliconera gives a summary of the basic plot which follows Sebastian, a detective, and his partner are on the case of a gruesome crime scene. Soon, there’s an Agatha Christie moment in which one by one the other police officers are killed off and at some point Sebastian left unconscious. When he comes to he must contend in a world filled with these multi-limbed, split-faced creatures left with two goals. The first, survive the creatures; Second, solve the mystery that brought him there in the first place.

The game is described as being a pure survival-horror experience with limited resources and an environment designed to heighten anxiety and desperation. Scattered are resources that the player must manipulate using his cunning if they want a chance to survive.

I think the most exciting detail is that the environment changes in real-time according to player actions. This could mean shifting landscapes, different rooms, and doorways unique to each player and the choices they make.

The game is currently slated for 2013 for PS3, 360, PC, and as of yet unnamed next generation consoles.

I. Can’t. Wait.

The post Bethesda Announces Shinji Mikami’s The Evil Within appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Level-5 (Professor Layton) collaborated with some big names in games last year to bring Guild 01, a collection of games released in the west as individual downloadable titles.

This time, the studio is at it again with Guild 02, a whole new collection of collaborations featuring the works of Kazuya Asano, Takemaru Abiko, Keiji Inafune, and Kaz Ayabe.

From the team of Asano and Abiko is the horror, text adventure The Starship Damrey with emphasis on self-reliance as no hints or help will be provided as you navigate a desolate spaceship. The plot thickens.

From Keiji Inafune is Bugs vs. Tanks! A really creepy game in which your tank brigade fights giant bugs. As a person afraid of insects, I will probably steer clear of this one. *Shudder*

From Kaz Ayabe is what is probably my most anticipated title, Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale. In a small rural town, you play as a young boy who lives his day to day. Only problem is every Friday, the characters from Japan’s 1970s monster shows come to life every Friday. Think Godzilla or Ultraman. It’s basically a slice of life story  in a game…with giant monsters and superheroes. So excited.

The games of Guild 01 will be on sale soon so it’s a good time to check them out on the 3DS eShop. I recommend Suda 51′s Liberation Maiden where you play the teenage, high school girl president of Japan as she flies around in a giant robot destroying aliens. It’s pretty great.

The post All of Guild 02 Games Coming to North America and Europe appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Man I do not know if you remember hot legs…er…Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, but Square-Enix’ 4 party classic JRPG with adorable character models a la 4 Heroes of Light (A game I wanted to play specifically because of the art style) was announced today via Nintendo Direct for both North America and Europe! The game will release sometimes this year for the Nintendo 3DS. Let’s all enjoy this new subtitled trailer while we wait with bated…baited? Like, you’re holding out and baiting a breath? No matter, here’s a trailer.

Also seriously. Look at them legs. Daayyyyyuuuuuuum.

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I love limited editions. I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’m a collector for these sorts of things, but games with substantial limited editions always tend to blur my sense of fiscal responsibility.

With that in mind, Aksys Games announced today that they will be shipping out a regular and a limited edition of Muramasa Rebirth on June 25th.

Included in this package deal is a HORI Vita face cover, a skin for your Vita, and perhaps most exciting, a lithograph by Muramasa designerer George Kamitani.

Additionally, all pre-orders of either the limited or standard edition will come with a short soundtrack granted you place your order at Amazon or Gamestop.

Originally a Wii title, Muramasa Rebirth is an updated port of Vanillaware’s 2D adventure title including a newly localized script.

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The Tales series received a resurgence of critical and commercial acclaim back in Japan with the release of Tales of Xillia. Using a slightly updated new art style and a different narrative focus, Tales of Xillia proved to be one of the most popular Tales game in recent memory.

Today, Namco Bandai announced that Tales of Xillia will be arriving on North American shores August 6th for the Playstation 3.

I for one am looking forward to this as Tales of Symphonia was my first (only) and favorite title in the series and I look forward to returning to the franchise.

[Source] Gameatsu: Tales of Xillia U.S. release date set

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Developed by Imageepoch, the game was announced for localization a couple years ago by NIS America. Today the company announced that they will be releasing the title.

I’d actually love to tell you more, but I don’t really know much about this game aside from the fact that it’s an action RPG starring the eponymous battle android fighting her way through an apocalyptic, open world inhabited by the evil ruins of civilization.

Either way, this game was very much anticipated and will finally be available in a couple of weeks.

[Update: Now there's a trailer! Hit the jump~]

Click here to view the embedded video.

The post Black Rock Shooter The Game Coming to US PSN April 23rd appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

New concept art shown off by Suda 51 featuring a female swordsman was revealed via Japanese game magazine Famitsu. Drawn by No More Heroes and Liberation Maiden artist and Suda 51 collaborator Yusuku Kozaki, this beautiful image hints at Suda 51′s next project.

A little pre-mature I would imagine with Killer is Dead not even out on shelves anywhere, perhaps this is something too big to keep hidden?

Suda explained to Famitsu that this is the title representing the ‘rebirth’ of Grasshopper Manufacture under new owners GungHo Online Entertainment. It will have a female protagonist, presumably the one shown off, as well as take advantage of GungHo’s extensive online networks.

Speculation is running rampant but I’m still too busy dealing with Suda 51′s next release to be thinking about his future ones. One title at a time Mr. Suda, I can’t handle all this excitement.

Hit the jump for a few more images!

[Source]: Gematsu: First look at Grasshopper Manufacture’s next, next game

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I set out writing this review not trying to compare Bioshock Infinite with the original Bioshock. I figured that the first game already established itself as a masterpiece in narrative and design so there was really no reason for me to revisit Rapture in order to judge Columbia. But when Infinite purposefully calls back to its predecessor then how am I supposed to proceed? Continue with my original plan of judging the game on its own merits, or how it holds up in relation to “the highest rated FPS of all time” as their trailers love reminding me? Like the original game, BioShock Infinite is more than just another chapter within the same universe; and just like the first game, Bioshock Infinite is so much bigger than itself. At the same time however this is a far more intimate game than its underwater counterpart and it makes a world of difference. I think that’s a good place to start actually.

Taking place in an alternate timeline where a group of radicals create the floating city of Columbia based on the principles of American splendor and national Christianity; Booker DeWitt flies up to rescue the mysterious captive of the city Elizabeth. This being a Bioshock game however, one can expect nothing to be as it seems. Boiling underneath the perfect monument to the American ideals (that may never have existed in the first place) is a simmering uprising by the Vox Populi, a group of anarchists bent on bringing racial and economic equality to the masses by tearing down the old system. Basically American history if McKinley was never assassinated and Theodore Roosevelt continued serving as president. It’s an America that almost was, regardless of floating city.

Much like the Ayn Rand philosophical universe of Rapture, Columbia inhabits a very real ideology of American imperialism that existed at the tail end of the 1800s and culminated in the ‘American Century’ of the 20th Century. It was a time when the virtues of the American way of life seemed like the new beacon in a rusted Euro-centric world and isolationism and expansionism were ironically pursued in tandem. Like Rapture, there is a similar sense of awe as the people at Irrational games bring to life hypothetical ideologies; and just like how the underwater utopia was a character in itself, the same treatment is given to Columbia. The city is fully fleshed and absolutely breathtaking to behold with sun illuminating every monument and building with a sort of holy radiance. But its blinding light belies a sinister network of politics, racism, and American history.

Embodiment of certain philosophical ideas isn’t the only thing Infinite has in common with the original though. With a recurring big guardian-like monster in the form of the Songbird, Vigor replacing plasmids, and a tyrant pulling the strings behind the scenes, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that the two games are nearly identical sans the setting. All these similarities however, are only surface deep.

Before I go any further with that, let me lay down some groundwork. Gameplay-wise Bioshock Infinite is much better than Bioshock. The first was almost unfair when it came to resources and downright frustrating in times of need. Infinite, on the other hand, is Mother Theresa in comparison. You’re never in want of anything, but that doesn’t mean the game is easier. The enemies are far more varied and resourceful that you shouldn’t feel safe just because your pockets have some bullets in them. You’ll find yourself more often than not in need of more ammo with the sheer number of enemies. Rapture was in ruins and it would make no sense if everyone was carrying ammo and cash. Columbia is a thriving city with a standing armed force, so money and ammo are very much plentiful here; so much so that one can indulge themselves when it comes to shopping in stalls that dispense health, ammo, and upgrades. There are far more weapons, positive distribution of Vigor powers, and a permanent melee tool in the form of the hook…thing (I think it has a name?). Combat is much more frantic with the inclusion of the sky rails which are fun to move around in without impeding combat in the least. The crux of the matter is, somebody figured out that limited ammo and upgrade does not a harder game make. Multitudes of creative enemies and more options on ways to approach a fight is how combat should be done, and Bioshock Infinite does just that. Gone are the hacking and puzzles of Rapture; now is the time to put up a real fight.

But that isn’t to say the combat is perfect. With so many button inputs and options on the battlefield, things can get a little hectic. Also, some things like your Vigor powers take some understanding to utilize properly or even effectively. They try to give you time to practice with them by feeding you the powers slowly. The vigors are spaced out throughout the game but I didn’t know you could switch Vigors mid-combat with a simple button prompt which complicated some fights for me. Either I missed something early on or there’s so much information overload it’s easy to miss something like that. Also I never really liked Irrational’s combat controls to begin with and while it’s more fun and varied, the basics are the same so take that as you will.

Let’s talk about Elizabeth. I’ve been thinking about it long and hard how I should describe her to you. She’s a great female character? No, she’s a great character in general. Intelligent, endearing, funny. The game makes clear you don’t need to worry for her in the midst of  combat which I think is the best move anybody could ever do with a female companion. Without the need to escort her around, she becomes a true partner handing you supplies and ammo in the midst of combat as well as summoning turrets, allies, and environmental aids for you. In reality, you end up relying on her for help more than she ever needs yours and when she gets taken away from you it’s you that suffers and needs to get her back rather than vice versa. I would even say it’s you that needs to be escorted around and that’s the beauty of it. She doesn’t need protection, you do. You’re just breaking her out of prison, everything else is all her. Whenever you’re down it’s her you rely on and when it comes to progressing the narrative it’s her that strings you along. It’s a great role-reversal that’s so brilliant in practice that you find yourself frantically looking for her in the midst of combat not because you’re worried for her safety but because you need her to get you out of a tight spot.

How about you, the player? Booker DeWitt is great. Not only does he have a cool name, but he talks…constantly. And that’s a good thing! He becomes a person not an avatar and it’s his interaction with Elizabeth (not yours) that forms the center of the relationship. He makes his emotions clear and you begin to understand him as a person (but then again, this is Bioshock. Will you ever understand anything?). It’s the fact that he is a person that interacts with things around him in such an immediate way that makes Infinite far more personal and rewarding than Bioshock. While the first game was a commentary on the voiceless player avatar, Infinite is much more about a story between a man and a woman and how a relationship much like saving a princess from her tower evolves afterwards. It’s an emotionally rewarding experience that culminates in an ending just as thrilling as anything Irrational games has written previously.

I don’t know how else to say this but Bioshock Infinite is a big deal. It may not revolutionize anything like the first Bioshock but it’s a testament that amazing narrative doesn’t happen by accident. It takes dedication and resources in order to do it correctly, and Bioshock Infinite shows that it’s definitely worth doing correctly. Bioshock Infinite doesn’t take anything for granted. It doesn’t expect less from you as a video game player, and it doesn’t make compromises with itself to hold your hand or tone down its material. Rather than hampered by its success, Irrational seemed to be emboldened by it. In an industry that’s thinking backwards, Bioshock Infinite stands progressively firm in understanding what amazing storytelling and fun gameplay can do. It’s a narrative yes, but it’s also a world constructed with meticulous detail about a city, a philosophy, and about two people that are somehow at the center of it all. It’s such that Bioshock Infinite draws you into its blinding majesty just as Columbia draws in those seeking a better life. This is a better video game and it’s a shame that this is the exception rather than the standard.

[FINAL BREAKDOWN]

[+This is storytelling for video games] [+Some of the prettiest visuals this generation] [+Music includes The Beach Boys, there is no contest] [+Amazing voice work] [+Refined Bioshock gameplay makes it more exciting to play than the first] [+It improves upon everything while giving you a more personal narrative] [-Combat is frantically cluttered] [-No map system]

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How easy would it be for me to just say Vlambeer’s Ridiculous Fishing is the best fishing game I’ve ever played? Aside from some mini-games in titles such as Legend of Zelda or Deadly Premonition, I haven’t played any fishing games so it wouldn’t be hard at all. So what more then, could I say about Ridiculous Fishing besides the fact that it is indeed, the best fishing game I have ever played?

Maybe I’ll just start from the beginning.

The game is divided into three segments per round of fishing I suppose you could call it. First is the baiting, where you send out your line into the depths of the water and see how far down your line can go, all while dodging fish as your lure descends. Why dodge fish in a fishing game? The score is based on how many fish you can capture and the deeper down you go the more (and rarer) fish are available to you on your way up. You can maneuver your lure by tilting your iOS device side to side, dodging fish and other obstacles along the way down. Once you touch a fish, the baiting phase ends and your lure begins an upward climb back to the surface snagging and all fish you can catch on your way (which is why the deeper you go the more fish you can catch on your way up). The ascent is the second phase but remember when I said there was a third and final phase? Well once your line with all the fish you managed to catch on your way up reaches the surface, the fish fly into the air and it is your job to shoot them. Consider it extreme fishing if you will but you’ll only receive points for the fish you shoot and kill. That my friend, is some ridiculous fishing.

I’ve been using the word ‘point’ but in reality you get cash money for every fish you blast. Some fish are only worth $1 while other more rare fish (which are usually deeper down the ocean) can be worth up to hundreds. What can you do with all that money? Buy things of course!

With the new income you can buy longer lines to reach deeper depths, bigger guns to kill more fish, and accessories that will make fishing much more convenient. This includes saw attachments to buzz your way past pesky walls of fish that might prevent you from going further down without forcibly ascending your line, lamps that guide your way in the dark ocean floor, and toasters just because it’s fun to electrocute fish in water. Oh also you can buy hats.

If enjoyably repetitive gameplay, amazing music, and the quest for deeper depths and rarer fish aren’t enough to get your attention, then there is a quaint little world that’s fun to learn about here as well. Byrdr (Twitter in RF world) keeps you updated with short snippets of narrative. It’s not interactive but it delivers you NPC twitter feeds that slowly build the world and story of Ridiculous Fishing that ends up surprisingly compelling, especially during the ending. That’s right, the game has a narrative ‘ending’ but you’re free to continue fishing long after. I didn’t see it coming but there is I suppose an emotional ending to it all that seems so natural for a fishing game about a man patiently sitting on a boat going ever deeper into the ocean. I don’t really know how to explain, but just know that there is a sort of narrative payoff if just exciting fishing isn’t enough for you.

A gameplay mechanic that is endlessly replayable, 4 different bodies of water to fish in, and a catalog of weird and exciting fish (never thought I’d ever write those words) are all here. The game is perfect for quick rounds of fishing on the go, or long obsessive playing that usually happens when the game sinks its hooks into you.

The idea that mobile games can’t be full fledged games is disappearing with each game like Ridiculous Fishing. However we are still accustomed to expecting greatness as only being achievable through long campaigns and complex mechanics. Simple games like these show that pure gameplay and clever design added with light story is just as compelling as any major titles. It’s not a perfect game but it’s a damn fine one so if you have a mobile device I strongly recommend picking this up. Definitely enough to make that bus rid to work more enjoyable for sure.

[Final Breakdown]

[+Endlessly enjoyable][+Lot of content for iOS][+Beautiful design in terms of music and aesthetics][+Delightful is a word I'd use to describe the game][-Camera is sometimes unreasonable during shooting sections]

The post [Review] Ridiculous Fishing – Gaze Into the Abyss and You’ll Find the Abyss Gazing Into You appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

So I was really surprised when I found out that Atelier Totori Plus, the updated Vita port of the PS3 original, is now out on the US PSN store.

Right?

Well the localized English port brought to you by Tecmo Koei is up for grabs on PSN or on Gamestop (download only) if you want  the exclusive swimsuit DLC bundle. Get it now because the offer only stands until April 16th.

Currently in stores with a $40 price tag, no word as of yet for a physical release. It seems that, at least at this moment, the game is download only but I’ll sure to keep you updated if I hear otherwise.

Frankly I don’t actually remember this game being announced for the states but perhaps that’s because news on the Atelier games have been rather quiet on my radar.

Still, if you like…um…alchemy and games for the Vita (also anime girls) then I don’t see why you wouldn’t want the advanced port of Atelier Totori.

Siliconera: Atelier Totori Plus For Vita Is Available In The U.S. [Update]

The post [News] And Suddenly Atelier Totori Plus is Out in the US for the Vita appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

The story puts you in the shoes of Simon Belmont, Alucard, and Trevor Belmont in their quest to take down the infamous Dracula. I don’t really know if this is the standard Castlevania story or not but it’s told in an interesting perspective. Two of the characters are playing through their mutual stories simultaneously while the other takes place in another time, but all of them occur in the same castle. The curse of the Belmont family is to kill Dracula as ordained by their destiny. I liked the presentation, an overly dramatic family tale of monsters and vampires, and it was told through really pretty cel-shaded cutscenes which makes me wish the whole game decided to follow through with that graphical style.

It begs to ask why the actual game looks…bland in comparison. Polygons are constructed to build an opulent Gothic castle and terrifying creatures but it comes off as cartoon-ish and just plain uninteresting no matter how I look at it. Both the castle and monsters, which are less terrifying than they are ugly, don’t give off a sense of excitement. There are moments where the artistic aspirations are visible and you can get a glimpse of a shimmering nightmare image that would have been breathtaking to behold but instead I was treated to incredibly long stretches of boring scenery.

I guess this is a fine transition to bring up the topic of pacing. The game isn’t actually more than about 8 hours, which makes me wonder why the whole thing felt really tedious. It has the backtracking and exploration that the genre calls for but there’s no sense of excitement returning to previously unreachable areas. Instead I thought to myself “Eh? I have to go back?” The castle just wasn’t something I wanted to explore and that’s a shame for a Castlevania title that wanted to return to its traditional roots.

Combat, I had hoped, would be the thing that held the whole thing together. Sadly, it is uneven and unresponsive. There are moments where I feel like I’m just flailing around my whip without any real contact and just hope that the enemies die. They distinguish when you need to dodge an attack or block an enemy’s attack but it’s an inelegant system to switch between the two mid-combat. The problem is that the developers attempted to transition their 3D combat system from the original Lords of Shadows into the 2D plane and it just didn’t turn out to be a fun way to play a 2D side scrolling adventure game.

There is one saving grace however which is the soundtrack. Grand, operatic music accompanies this game and sets a mood far more atmospheric than the actual game. In fact, the music just makes you wish the game was able to match its style.

If Castlevania: LoSMoF  can be boiled down to a single fault, it’s that the game isn’t exciting. I never felt the desire to explore or see more of the game and the combat just further diminished my desire to continue playing past completion. For what’s supposed to be an adventure game, the adventure isn’t thrilling and that’s probably the greatest sin the Belmont family has committed this time around.

[Final Breakdown]

[+Great voice acting][+Great music][+Pretty good 3D effects][-Bland visuals][-Uneven combat][-Lacks atmosphere][-Not an exciting adventure]

The post [Review] Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..