Just two hours ago via Twitter, Anamanaguchi gave out some big news and a special treat for their fans. Previously set for “Spring 2013,” Endless Fantasy has been given an official release date of May 14. Even though they’ve been around for a while, the chiptune rockers have only two other LPs to their name, Dawn Metropolis and the soundtrack for the Scott Pilgrim game, so it’s hard for a supporter not to be excited. As well as a release date, the tweet contains a link to Planet, the second solo taken from the album after Meow and its bodacious music video. It’s good stuff- give it a listen!

(This post is brought to you by Oreo, who reminded me of Anamanaguchi’s imminent new album)

The post [News] Anamanaguchi’s Endless Fantasy Gets Release Date And A New Song, Still Rad appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Previously on Chipfinite Weekly, we’ve heavily featured artists and albums with an unconventional or creative slant on the chiptune genre, and for good reason- the fusion of multiple disparate sounds, when carried out skillfully, can be something amazing to listen to. However, for something to break new ground and set itself apart, there also has to be a high-level benchmark, a conventional standard to be compared against. Of all of the “conventional” chiptune artists I’ve listened to, there are few that stand out more than Disasterpeace, known well as the composer for the Fez soundtrack.

In Rise of the Obsidian Interstellar, the name of the game is a galactic adventure. Other than a brief outlay of a plot and song titles, this entry in Disasterpeace’s discography is an outer space concept album sustained solely upon its own “instrumental” 8-bit sound to excite listeners’ imaginations and bring forward a semblance of narrative. Creating some form of narrative purely through chip may seem like a difficult proposition, but the twelve tracks in the album make it seem easy. From the very first note, the album beams listeners into the middle of deep space with perfectly developed style that paves the way for a story to be told. Keeping excellent pacing throughout, The Obsidian Interstellar varies tracks and styles with purpose, exhibiting high and low points, areas of hectic rhythm and calming melodies that allow the formation of a narrative to take place. What exactly is the narrative? In the end, it’s up to you to determine, but you’ve been given a damn good frame to fill.

Though parts of a concept album, any one (save for a certain track) of the tracks from Rise could stand fantastically alone. After Prologue sets the scene, Jump Error kicks the plot into motion, throwing our heroes into chaos towards a destination unknown (alongside a fantastically danceable beat) before slowing down and allowing the hapless crew to take stock of their situation, stranded who knows where in the vast and elegant emptiness of space. I previously mentioned a single track unable to stand on its own legs, and that track is Beta’s Brilliancy. While it may be nothing special alone, it’s a pivotal scene within the context of the album as a whole. Consisting of slow note progressions amid interference, it grows, slowly adding more complexity, slowly becoming higher as the notes waver more and more. Then, at its apex, it moves into Ensis, a rallying point that sends the protagonists back into their journey, stronger than before.

It will take multiple listens to be able to fully appreciate and understand the flow of Rise of the Obsidian Interstellar. For music based upon such a simple “instrument,” its production levels and depth are surprisingly high. So go on, buy this album. Join the crew of the Interstellar and embark upon a brand new journey. You won’t regret it.

Released on the first day of 2011, the album is available on Disasterpeace’s Bandcamp page at $2 digital and $10 for a fantastic-looking physical CD.

The post [Chipfinite Weekly] An (Inter)Stellar Album appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Since I picked up Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones from the 3DS Ambassador program, I’ve been enthralled with a certain aspect of the series, one that is truly able to set it apart from the rest: relationships. Despite the cold, heartless rigidity of grid and number-based combat, Fire Emblem has been able to connect to players through its many colorful characters and their interactions. More than any other game in the series, relationships and romance are truly at the heart of the recently released Awakening, making it the perfect “romantic” game for this Valentine’s Day.

In the Fire Emblem series, the Support system, the driving force of character relationships, is fairly simple. When the right units stand next to each other for long enough during battle, they gain the ability to unlock support conversations. Revealing backstory and often humorous, these support conversations not only help to gain insight into beloved characters, but they also give the pairs bonuses in the fray should they be standing near each other. The more support conversations a pair has (up to three), the closer they are and the better the benefits. Sadly, in terms of actual romance, there were a couple problems- namely, not every relationship is romance.

In Awakening, everything has changed. While Supports were little more than slight bonuses in previous games, they are integral to success in this newest 3DS entry. In addition to what seems to be an unlimited number of connections, the change most apparent from the start is a new “S” level of relationship, available (unforunately in the eyes of many) only for characters of opposite gender. Yes, folks, this level is marriage. Barring blood relations and pure incompatibility, the possibilities for romance are vast and varied, especially in the case of your self-created avatar. That playa can enter a relationship with any fellow warrior of the opposite gender. The routes may vary, including antics involving pies, sweaters, personal grooming and who knows what else, but the end result is the same: a ring on dat finger.

You may make a good pun, but you’re still a sleazeball, Virion.

Complementing relationships beyond simple support, Fire Emblem: Awakening’s revamped combat system has an impossible to ignore focus upon teamwork and camaraderie. If two units are even standing next to each other when a battle commences, the second is right there, selflessly providing combat bonuses and occasionally even stepping in to join in on an attack or block an enemy’s assault. In an even greater departure from previous games, units can pair up, occupying the same space while the passive soldier gives the controlling unit significant stat boosts. Just as with adjacent units, double attacks and blocking come into play. The result of all this? The feeling of a living, fluid army.

By literally pairing up units and watching them fight together, an incredibly profound bond is formed, which only strengthens as time goes on. I can’t say how many times Prince Chrom has helped his beloved Sumia take down an enemy, but I can vividly remember a scene where he leapt in front of her, deflecting an arrow and saving her life from my woefully inadequate tactical skills. By watching pairs grow closer outside of battle and seeing them become amazing fighting duos in the fray of war, a connection is made that goes deeper than what I thought was possible, especially with over twenty unique units to watch and play matchmaker with.

Cutest couple. Hands down.

Even I’ve been surprised by how much I’ve invested emotionally in these characters. I never quite realized it until recently: for the entire game, my avatar had been paired up with Chrom’s cleric sister Lissa, but I made a decision to separate them. Lissa was lagging behind in combat applications, and the new Anna girl was fantastic! Considering that my army effectively shrinks to half of its size on the first turn, the lone wandering sprite of Lissa came close to wrenching at my gut. How could I have so easily tossed her aside when they had been through so much?

What’s written above can only scratch the surface of the emotions I have felt thanks to Fire Emblem: Awakening. As my five (and counting) happily married couples can attest, love can bloom, even on a battlefield.

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In news that has severely dampened my Monday, Game Informer reports that Fire Emblem: Awakening, the nigh-upon-us latest installment in Nintendo and Intelligent Systems’ SRPG franchise, while still launching in digital form tomorrow, will not be reaching the physical shelves of some retailers until as late as Friday the 8th. Chalked up to a “shipping error,” the title seems to have been delayed from its February 4th release date until the 6th for Best Buy, and the 8th for most GameStops, with the latter corroborated by this thread on GameFaqs. However, it does appear that this delay may be on a case-by-case basis, with some GameStop locations still expecting their shipments by the 5th. All in all, it seems that it would be best to contact your local stores to determine how greatly you will be affected by the troubles.

The post [News] Fire Emblem: Awakening Delayed Several Days, Millions Weep appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’ll spell it out- I adore chiptune that ignores boundaries, fusing styles and instruments from anywhere and everywhere in order to produce a creative and entertaining sound. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that this week’s artist, Daniel McLay’s one-man J. Arthur Keenes Band does just this on Computer Savvy, bringing his Gameboy together with various instruments and genres to create a stupendous indie chip-pop album.

Within Computer Savvy, the tone and style are varied enough that it’s difficult to make blanket statements about the musical output of The J. Arthur Keenes Band, yet what remains consistent is a fantastic taste for creative chip, with or without (and the presence of a multitude of interesting people found within Daniel McLay’s past, going by the lyrical content of its songs).

Beginning with ”The Bus That Couldn’t Slow Down,” the album leads in with a low electric tone, layering on a ukulele and acoustic guitar before breaking into a dreamlike state with cascading chip and McLay’s methodically placed vocals. With its simple yet effective instrumentation and strong lyrics, it quickly grabs listeners’ attentions, leading them along into “Cluck”, a faster-paced instrumental piece. At first comparable to Anamanaguchi with a pleasing blend of electric guitar and chip but running through several other styles of pacing within its length, it’s a short but sweet listen before the journey found within “Water2 (Wetter).” Returning to the reflective vocals of “The Bus”, it begins with a similar blend of high-energy beat-driven pop, mutating and moving through several other styles, including a distinctly reggae-influenced movement. My final highlight, “Foe Paw,” the sixth track on the album (and my favorite), is one of the heavier songs contained within, with a heavy focus on a dense chip melody backed by electric guitar and accompanied by intense vocals reflecting upon a dismal past, with prayer for a change of fortune in the future.

Available free of charge on 8BitPeoples or for a minimum of $5 on the artist’s Bandcamp, Computer Savvy is yet another chip album worth your time.

The post [Chipfinite Weekly] Getting Savvy with J. Arthur Keenes appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

I’ve decided that this edition of Chipfinite Weekly will start off with a riddle. Here’s a good one: what do you get when you cross an NES and a keyboard? The answer is simple: an amazing album. Courtesy of chip artist Shnabubula, NES Jams is, by and large, the most impressive and entertaining album in the area of classic game arrangements that I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. Why may that be? How about you hit the jump and find out.

In most cases game arrangements, especially from the NES era, completely eschew the original bleeps and bloops of their chip-based origins in favor of more robust and versatile instrumentation. In contrast, NES Jams consists of two simple instruments- a piano and NES emulation software. Featuring two hands upon a keyboard stretching its wavy way into the distance upon an NES cartridge, I don’t think that I’ve seen an album cover more perfectly expressive of the musical contents of its tracks. Pairing the naturally smooth and expressive piano with the electronic emanations of the NES, both instruments are woven together perfectly to create an amazing interplay, aided in no small part by impressive piano playing with more than a hint of jazzy improvisation. Always perfectly distinct yet unbreakably intertwined, the two instruments work together impressively, with neither every truly taking over the spotlight. Bringing new life to a variety of tracks from classic NES titles through both creative instrumentation and wonderfully expressive arrangements, NES Jams carries a sound not only unique, but also amazing.

Of the eleven tracks contained within, my favorite (though I freely admit that it may be through my familiarity with the tune) is an arrangement of the Temple theme from Zelda II, beginning with lucid movements upon the keyboard that slowly become more free and complex, as the song overall grows grander. Also of note is the final track, an arrangement of Wood Man’s theme from Mega Man 2, which perfectly matches and even surpasses the high-speed energy of the original.

Available on Shnabubula’s Bandcamp, NES Jams is available for whatever price you desire to pay. Get on it, yo!

The post [Chipfinite Weekly] NES Jamming appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Fans of soul-crushing geometric obstacle courses in possession of Android phones and tablets, rejoice! At long last, Terry Cavanagh’s highly acclaimed (by me as well) experiment in bright colors, high-energy music, and insane difficulty has made the transition from iDevice to PC and Mac to Android, and as a celebration, Terry is offering the new version for a discount of 99c.

Now for the bad news. Due to previously detailed complications with the Nexus 7 hardware involving inescapable delay in touch-based events, Super Hexagon is currently unavailable on Google’s tablet. However, the game appears to function marvelously on almost all other Android devices.

The post [News] Super Hexagon Spins Onto Android appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Click here to view the embedded video.

…and a few types of terrifying. Released today, the music video for their new single, “Meow,” features the band’s misadventures at what is, depending on who you ask, either the best or the worst arcade ever. One by one, the members each join a crew of cartoonish misfits and have the time of their lives at appropriately themed arcade attractions (Apparently, goths like ball pits. Who knew?) before dying horrible deaths and coming back to life in a cool video game cutscene. Though it’s great that they didn’t die, even better news lies at the end of the video- Endless Fantasy, the chip-punk outfit’s first new album since 2010- will be released this Spring. Mark the calendars, folks!

The post [Chipfinite] Anamanaguchi’s New Single is All Kinds of Rad appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

The first of the three, and by far the “purest” (in chip terms) is BLUENOISE, a fun and free, but short, collection of tunes, almost all capable of instantly instilling smiles upon fans of chip music no matter their moods, but especially if they enjoy jazz. Within the seven tracks contained on the album are some of the smoothest tunes that I have laid my ears upon in the realm of chip. Of the album, the indisputable highlights are Bitmap_Blues., a wildly flowing piece that perfectly captures the essence of improvisation, and Her #0000ff Eyes… The only distinctly negative point on the album is its brevity. While all three BLUE albums are fairly short, BLUENOISE is by far the smallest, clocking in at just under sixteen minutes, leaving you wanting more.

The second of the trilogy, BLUESCREEN is one of the most perfect musical follow-ups that I have seen. To put it simply, it is just more. Better art, more music, more complex melodies, greater variety, and the addition of real instruments catapult Protodome’s sophomoric far beyond its older sister. Released seven months after BLUENOISE, the growth shown in between is astounding. Bridging the first and final albums, it begins a transition from jazz-inspired chiptune to chiptune-inspired jazz, adding great amounts of depth to Protodome’s sound. From the high energy and movement of JPEG_Jive., to the fantastic live saxophone featured in There’s Always Next Week., to the slow and reflective tone of Grayscale., BLUESCREEN cannot be recommended highly enough. Just like BLUENOISE, it’s available at a “pay what you want” designation over at Protodome’s Bandcamp page.

Wrapping up the trilogy, BLUESHIFT takes another step higher, adding more instruments, more variety, and, for the first time, vocals. Listening to BLUESHIFT, it’s truly incredible to see just how far the trilogy has evolved from BLUENOISE. Expanding even further to include big band music, 80′s synth funk, and, as mentioned earlier, vocal accompaniment, BLUESHIFT is an incredible conclusion to the trilogy, built high upon the groundwork laid by the two previous albums.  Even with its dramatically expanded scope, it still retains the same sense of playfulness and joy that was present from the very beginning.  Both New York Cheesecake and Oh I Feel Just Fine… (Because I’m Making Macaroni) exemplify this aspect, featuring the fantastic vocal work of Alissa Thompson singing about (what else?) comfort foods. Like the foods described, they’ll put a fantastic grin upon your face. Furthermore,  until you listen to Here’s One I Made Earlier…, it’s impossible to comprehend just how well chip fits in with horns, piano, and all the other trappings of a Big Band. Also of note is a bonus remix of Four Color Hero, Protodome’s contribution to the first Chiptunes=Win album. Available, of course, on Protodome’s Bandcamp page, BLUESHIFT has a minimum price of £1, but is well worth the price, especially considering the mac and cheese recipe included within the album’s .zip file. I mean, how great is that?

The post [Chipfinite Weekly] We’ve Got the BLUEs- All Three of Them appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

It’s that time of year, and Christmas is only days away. The tree is in the house, the stockings hung on the mantle, and snow is on the ground (hopefully). However, something is missing. Is it the colorful selection of Christmas cookies? No, those are still here … but half gone. Is it the music? Of course! I know what you’re all thinking: “I want to listen to chip music, but it just doesn’t convey the holiday cheer that I want it to!”

Worry no longer. Hit the jump to find two incredibly different, yet simultaneously excellent, holiday chiptune albums.

The first chiptune Christmas album featured may very well be, in fact, the first chiptune holiday album. Released all the way back in 2003 by 8BitPeoples (and still available for free on their site), The 8Bits of Christmas is a short and sweet collaborative album containing eight chip artists (including Nullsleep and Bitshifter), eight tracks covering various holiday classics (as well as a few original tunes), eight different “instruments,” and, of course, eight bits. The sound on this work, while varying from track to track, maintains a strict adherence to pure chip, resulting in a clean, few-frills sound throughout. Though this aspect of the album remains the same, the actual variance between tracks is incredible due to differences in the source material, artists, and sound chips utilized.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The end result is a superb (yet small) album, with most songs clocking in at well under three minutes. From Nullsleep’s fairly minimal and decidedly mellow cover of Silent Night to Hally’s up-tempo and all over the place “Xmas Songs Arcade Punk Mix,” there’s something in this album for everyone … except people who hate chiptune … or Christmas.

On the other hand, ChipWINter, the latest pay-what-you-want project from Chiptunes = WIN, (released on the tenth of this December) is an entirely different beast. The third (and smallest) compilation release from the group, ChipWINter once again showcases original songs and arrangements from a diverse group of chiptune artists, this time with a distinct Yuletide flavor.

In contrast to the pure chip magic from 8BitPeoples, the myriad artists of ChipWINter take a different approach, using live vocals (We Three Kings by Professor ShyGuy), live instruments (various tracks), and even sampled dialogue from the Peanuts Christmas Special (Linux and Lucy by BR1GHT PR1MATE). From masterfully crafted melodic pieces to the aforementioned tracks fusing instruments virtual and real, the album travels all over the chiptune spectrum.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Of the album’s highlights is an0va’s remix of Christmas Time is Here, because why should they have stopped with a single Peanuts remix? A relaxing lounge-friendly arrangement at its beginning, it’s elevated to an entirely new level with the introduction of lucid jazz guitar. Also of note, Glenntai’s Snowfall & Snowballs is an amazing original track that starts out slowly and simply but transforms into an increasingly complex upbeat piece as it progresses, all the while maintaining a strong feeling of winter. To close, I feel the need to mention Polar Bear Rides by Kubbi solely due to the delightful images evoked by its title.

The post [Chipfinite Weekly] We Wish You a Merry Chipmas appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

In case all of you fans of the blue bomber and/or the World Warriors haven’t heard, the day has finally arrived: Street Fighter X Mega Man is at last available for (free!) download at Capcom Unity, though, at least for the moment, it is only playable on PC. It’s a fairly hefty download (about 34 mb), so be prepared to wait just a little longer if your internet connection is slow.

I have to  say that, from my short experience with the game so far, it does both franchises proud. It feels perfectly like an official adventure for the blue bomber, yet the themes and personalities of the Street Fighter crew are well-integrated. Add in an astounding 8-bit soundtrack by Chip-Hop artist and Street Fighter A_Rival, and you’ve got yourself a fantastic release!

The post [News] Go Home and Be a Mega Man: Street Fighter x Mega Man Out Now! appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

It goes without saying that there’s a lot of chip music out there. A lot. Well, no longer should you fear, for on this day comes a new (weekly) feature from Twinfinite in which I dig through my chiptune collection and throw you loyal readers the best that I have to offer in terms of the genre: one or two albums, and, in most cases, these albums will be easily obtainable (legally!) for the perfect price of nothing.

Since this is the introduction to the feature, I thought it best to include my introduction to the genre: Anamanaguchi’s Power Supply. Onwards!

Click here to view the embedded video.

In the genre, this album was my absolute first. Impressed by the band’s soundtrack for the Scott Pilgrim beat-em-up, I knew that I needed more, eventually stumbling upon their first album (available for free at 8BitPeoples). From this single album, my obsession has been fueled, helping me to turn into the chiptune enthusiast that I am today. Due to its status as the band’s first album, it obviously lacks much of the polish and refinement that Anamanaguchi has picked up over the years, but despite this, I still consider it to be some of the best? The reason? It’s just fun.

If you’re not familiar with the group, imagine a rock band with some guitars. Loud, fast, electric guitars, playing in unison. Add an NES on top, taking the place of the lead singer and filling out much of the instrumentation. That’s Anamanaguchi. Forging ahead with reckless abandon and boundless energy into a loud and dense soundscape with an alluring mix of real instruments and chip, they have a signature sound that goes far beyond mere chiptune.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The amazing thing about Power Supply is the sheer variety packed within its seven songs; no two are alike. One of the definite highlights is Airbase, an intense piece which alternates between repeated guitar-heavy riffs to a more melodic, chip-driven segment. The fact that Airbase has failed to grace the OST of a single game is, in my eyes, downright criminal. In almost complete contrast is Flora/Fauna, an amazingly smooth and (in the context of the album) mellowed-out song that ebbs and flows beautifully. The thing is, every single track on the album is incredibly catchy, making the inability to sing along (due to lack of vocals) the second greatest crime involved with Power Supply.

Even after all these years, Power Supply remains a favorite for a reason. It takes no effort to become swept up in the overflowing passion and youthful energy contained within every song. So please, try the album out. You won’t be sorry.

The post [Chipfinite] Chipfinite Weekly: Origins appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Click here to view the embedded video.

In what is doubtless the most out-of-left-field news to come in quite some time, Capcom will, on December 17th, be releasing a brand-new fan game to celebrate the 25th anniversaries of both Street Fighter and Mega Man. For free. Starring the blue bomber himself, the 8 robot bosses of traditional Mega Man games have all been defeated, leaving Mega Man with nobody to fight except a familiar gang of World Warriors. Traversing all-new stages based upon the home fields of his enemies, Mega Man will be stealing their signature moves. From the trailer, I could spot Rose, Chun-Li, Dhalsim, Rolento, Blanka, and, of course, Ryu, as well as (according to our good friend Kevin Slackie) Urien. All in all, it looks to be a fun time, and with a newspaper clipping depicting Dr. Wily in prison, I can only hope for M. Bison as the final boss. December 17th can’t come soon enough!

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This week, after great success on the iOS market, Terry (VVVVVVV, Don’t Look Back) Cavanagh’s nail-biting action game Super Hexagon arrived at a price of $3. An upgraded version of Hexagon (a game jam warm-up that got out of hand), the concept of Super sounds simple: You are a small triangle spinning around a hexagon. Finding yourself face to face with rapidly enclosing walls, you must survive. True, it may very well be simple, but that’s the attraction of the game.

Right from the very first menu, Super Hexagon is minimalistic, elegant, and fast. Within seconds, you can find yourself playing a round, and within seconds, you’ve lost. I’m not going to beat around any bushes- this is an incredibly difficult game, and its intensity will definitely turn away its fair share of players.

At its heart, Super Hexagon is one of the simplest games to be commercially released in ages, but in its minimalism lies its strength and addiction. As your triangle navigates the increasingly fast and complex waves of walls, passing time checkpoints to go from “Point” to “Hexagon,” you fight against the swinging camera, struggling to maintain focus as the center pulses to the tune of Chipzel’s throbbing chip soundtrack. The “win state” for each level is survival only for a minute, but oh, what a difficult minute.

At each death, the only thing between you and another attempt at victory is a press of the space button, taking less than a second and starting up with the triangle right in the position where you died as the music returns from a different point. Outside of Super Meat Boy and bit.trip RUNNER, it’s hard to think of a single title that has such fantastic flow between states of death and life. Even in this game where death can easily come in less than five seconds, you’re never taken out of your groove, but rather sucked back in.

At the beginning, there are three modes available: Hexagon, Hexagoner, and Hexagonest, each ranked at Hard, Harder, and Hardest, respectively. Even though the same basic gameplay is in place in each, they’re all quite different experiences. The game moves faster, the color scheme changes, and the wildly swinging camera behaves differently in each one. After the sixty second mark, the color scheme, camera angles, and wall advancement change as you enter Hyper mode and the game speeds up considerably.

Most survival games of this type dole out helpful unlockables as a reward. Not Hexagon. Once you reach the sixty second mark, you unlock the ability to begin a game directly in Hyper mode. This is Terry Cavanagh’s world, and the only reward for your victory is a harder trial, culminating in Hexagonest’s Hyper mode, a trial from hell with the difficulty distinction of “hardestestest.”

Bringing even more devilish wit to keep players addicted, the game includes an Arcade Mode for parties in which every difficulty is unlocked and players can enter their high scores under whatever name they choose. Given the fast-paced nature of Super Hexagon, it’s a small but quite impressive addition that adds more even value past the already engrossing online leaderboards, both global and against friends.

Again, I wish to reiterate how effective the menus are. After finishing a round, it takes nothing but a tap of the tab to bring up high scores or the escape key to return to a previous menu, using the arrow keys to navigate within each level. The simple design and quick flow function perfectly, and while these menus may not be the most visually impressive that I have ever seen, they are, hands down, the best.

Confession time: upon choosing to review Super Hexagon, I began to worry that my computer would be unable to run it smoothly, but there is nothing to worry. Even my laptop, a machine that struggles with almost everything, was able to play the game at a responsive and silky smooth framerate, something that never happens on my decrepit machine. If your computer can play anything, it’ll be able to handle Super Hexagon, no problem.

While it may not be the deepest game, or one for the faint of heart, Super Hexagon is truly a masterpiece of addicting and minimalistic game design that any fan of twitchy trials should clamor to place into their library. Perfection.

[Final Breakdown]

[+Smooth and intense gameplay] [+Superb soundtrack] [+Intense challenge] [+Elegant and easy menu design] [+Striking visuals] [-Challenge may alienate timid players]

The post [Review] Super Hexagon appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

It will come as no surprise that 2011′s Aliens: Infestation has a heavy Metroid feel. In fact, it’s inevitable, given how much the Alien franchise has influenced the Nintendo series. Even so, it also carries its own distinct atmosphere and themes as well, setting itself far apart from the adventures of Samus Aran. While Metroid tells a tale of survival and victory at any costs in an alien climate, Infestation is instead a story of gradual attrition- many may, and many will, fall at the hands of the xenomorphs, and there is nothing to be done to stop it.

Even against this odds, can a small, plucky band of marines defeat this menace and save many worlds? The answer isn’t in this review, but hit the jump anyway!

The basic premise of the game is simple: aboard the infested ship Sulaco and in several other environments, your four-man squad of marines is tasked with destroying the alien menace while simultaneously uncovering and halting a plot by Weyland-Yutani to use the xenomorphs for their own porpoises.

Of course, their plans go awry, unleashing horror upon the unsuspecting crew of the Sulaco, and when I say horror, I mean it. By the time your weapons are completely upgraded, aliens might fall like flies, but even then, they’re threatening. You will get hurt, there’s no question about it. These enemies are actual hunters, dropping in from anywhere and everywhere to ruin your day. Their attacks have incredible range, they can run faster than you, they can even open doors, and if you find yourself in a small space, you better pray to god that you have a grenade, or you’ll be ripped to shreds. At times, sadly, the aliens can be too overpowered, and cheap shots, all with knockback on your end, can leave you unnecessarily trapped.

Bosses now, those are a whole other story. Besides the somewhat disappointing final fight, they are tough, able to wipe out an entire squad before you can even say Sigourney Weaver (not appearing or mentioned in the game). They are fast, they are strong, and they take a helluvalot of ammo to take down. Despite how well these fights were made, I often found them difficult to enjoy due to audio glitches involving missing or incorrect music and/or missing sound

For the entirety of the game, you will only encounter three types of xenomorph: drones, warriors, and gorilla-based brutes that can blitz you from nowhere, but the unpredictable and predatory nature of their attacks keep them feeling fresh. Even so, you’re too busy frantically running and shooting to notice this lack of variety. Running is important in more than one sense, because the acidic bloodspray of a xeno can drain your health incredibly quickly.

Your men and women will die. Rather than a standard life system or a simple game over, you will be forced to undergo a strategy of recruitment. Throughout the game, you will encounter stray marines sprinkled across the map (for a total of 19 playable characters), waiting to fill a gap in a squad low on soldiers. While not all of them may hold the same quality of character, there are many, many charming characters featured in the game who infuse cutscenes and dialogue with their own attitude. It would be an understatement to say that I became attached to many of my squadmates. When a beloved marine falls (which they most assuredly will), it can hit home hard. Thankfully, you often have the option to mount a rescue, going to a location marked on the map and clearing an alien hive to save your comrade before too much time has passed. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to recruit unless you actually have an opening, leading me to, on two distinct occasions, instigate a suicide mission or letting time run out in order to rope in a promising recruit.

Though their personalities may be different, each marine is functionally the same, drawing from one communal armory, made up of four weapons discovered throughout the game. In the end, weapon selection comes down mostly to personal preference (though the always-present pistol is never useful for anything other than a backup), but it is annoying when certain segments require the use of the flamethrower for progression to continue, requiring a long trip back to the save room in order to swap out gear, and here is where I wish that Aliens: Infestation could have followed Metroid a bit more closely.

Throughout the game, the flamethrower is the only item that you pick up that will actually help you in ways other than strict progression. Other than this one instance (and that of plastic explosives, which are useless against the speedy foes), every pickup is strictly for the porpoise of aiding progression, gaining firepower, or replenishing supplies, and never the twain shall meet. None of the necessary upgrades are even very far off the beaten path, so the only reason for exploration is to find the generic upgrades applicable to whatever weapon you currently hold. Truth be told, the number of vents leading to hidden explorable areas is so much larger than that of vents with anything useful. Often, the increasingly labyrinthine yet vacant vents only contain simple health and ammo pickups that you could have easily found anywhere else in the game. It’s a form of padding and false depth which quickly becomes tiring.

Were it not for the atmosphere of the game, I would have likely tired of the ventilation shafts much earlier, yet the feeling created by the dim, foreboding construction of the ship and surprisingly subtle and fear-injecting score compels exploration and at the same time fear, letting you know that xenomorphs could be anywhere, and you need to find and destroy them, yet also that xenomorphs could be anywhere, ready to mess you up. The sprite work, as well is fantastic. The xenos move fluidly and frighteningly, and you can easily get a glimpse at a marine’s personality simply from his or her standby animations in safe rooms or upon discovery.

As they are wont to do, Wayforward has created a fantastic sidescrolling experience with Aliens: Infestation, pitting you and your gang of marines against some of the most threatening and mobile enemies I’ve seen in a Metroidvania of its type. Despite wishing to give it a higher score, there are far too many issues, both in design and from glitches, to award the game with a top score.

[+Great combat] [+Creepy atmosphere] [+Excellent enemies, memorable characters] [+Atmospheric music] [-Semifrequent glitches] [-inconsistent pacing] [-Not enough depth of collection]

The post [LTTP Review] Aliens: Infestation appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

If there were anything to encourage me to get myself together and beat DSiWare’s Shantae: Risky’s Revenge, it’s this announcement. Leaked via GoNintendo, the cover of the November issue of the soon-to-be-defunct magazine prominently features the announcement of the 3DSWare title Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse. Featuring the return of the plucky half-genie protagonist teaming up with her nemesis Risky Boots, it’s hard not to be excited for the game, given that it’s a WayForward developed platformer.

Hit the jump to see the full magazine scans in our gallery!

The post [News] Nintendo Power Reveals New Shantae for 3DSWare appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Music is amazing. Without words, without plot or concrete meaning, it has the ability to bring out emotions, to elevate a moment into an unforgettable experience. In this interactive post, we, the staff of Twinfinite, explore this, sharing our favorite music, some of our favorite moments, with you, the reader. After the jump, you’ll find our testimonies, our memories. I ask that, as you read, you play the many excellent and varied tracks as they come, so that you may experience what we have.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Journey is arguably the most beautiful game I’ve ever played, and it’s not without the beautifully orchestrated soundtrack by Austin Wintory. The entire experience is absolutely wonderful, but one of the most incredible moments is the final scene of the game.

Up goes the journeyer to what could be heaven, or another life, who knows. It’s completely different from the sand dunes you were so accustomed to. There’s water flowing, and blue skies, and everything is so bright and vibrant. Your destination is just in reach, and you are finally reunited with your partner after your climb to the heavens. All the while, the incredible ‘Apotheosis’ is playing in the background, cuing in whenever you overcome certain obstacles or reach certain checkpoints. It syncs so well with the whole theme of the game, and is a beautiful accompaniment to the reaching of your goal that you’ve been trudging towards for the past who knows how long. The strings are pounding, wind instruments piercing, and without this incredible piece, this scene would not hold the power that it does. It nearly brought me to tears, and chokes me up still to this day. If you haven’t played Journey yet, the soundtrack alone is reason enough. You won’t regret embarking on this emotionally opening experience.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What a truly intimidating song this is. You start Zelda with this whimsical theme that works well with the notion of exploration. Then when you enter a dungeon this non-stop scaling set of notes fills your ears as you walk in to a room full of creepy looking statues, bats, dragons and all sorts of bad things. This is a song that immediately instills memories of dying in a dungeon.

It’s a great piece of music that ties in to always getting me anxious and not many dungeons or even boss battles can say that. The Dungeon Theme of Zelda is a classic piece of music that haunts and reminds me of how music can actually intimidate you into playing in a different state of mind. I can’t even enjoy Wizorb to its fullest because of what this song always reminds me of.

Secret of Mana may not be the greatest adventure experience ever crafted for the SNES, but it damn well has the most wonderfully adventurous soundtrack ever composed. You read that correctly: the soundtrack surpasses even the system’s library and sound chip. It’s an enduring masterpiece, and Hiroki Kikuta is my favorite composer because of it. The likes of Nobuo Uematsu, Koji Kondo, and Yoko Shimomura are more accomplished composers with several excellent soundtracks to their names, but none of them have ever made a soundtrack that compares to the magic of Secret of Mana. It’s a truly distinct sound that not only immerses me in the game, but meshes so perfectly with it to create a truly magical experience.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Each song in the game evokes a strong feeling of thrill and wonder, even while covering a range of different emotions: joy, excitement, melancholy, danger, or purpose. Each of these rolling melodies fit the beautifully colored locales they belong to: Into the Thick of It puts you into a hopeful, adventurous mood as you wander through the bright green forests at the start of the game; Ceremony fills you with dread as the unsettling discord of its bells beckon you into the misty halls of the South Ruins; Flight into the Unknown captures the exhilaration of flying over continents on the back of a friendly, fur-coated dragon; Star of Darkness greets you somberly into the once sunken Grand Palace; and The Meridian Dance, a fiercely rolling war ballad, announces the arrival of the Mana Beast and the finality of your destiny. Between each of these tunes lie yet more melodies packed with the same magical finesse, making it a solid and unforgettable soundtrack.

In short, Secret of Mana‘s soundtrack is magical, not just because it’s memorable and dynamic, but also because it fits perfectly with the rest of the game.

ActRaiser is a relatively lesser-known SNES title, but it’s a cool game with some unique mechanics. Part of the game is a city-building God Game, and the other part is a 2D sidescroller in which your character (the deity of the game world) takes human form and clears out monsters so the cities can thrive. Like many of the best games from the SNES, ActRaiser holds up quite well even today, and it’s definitely worth playing.

One way this game truly stands out is with its soundtrack, and the choice track is the song from Bloodpool Part 2. To this day, it still amazes me how good this still sounds. You could put this song into any action game/scene and it would be incredible. Listen to this.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The word ‘epic’ is one of the most woefully overused terms on the Internet, but I’ll dig in and say that this song (and soundtrack overall) lives up to it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The soundtrack of Total War: Shogun 2 is easily the best soundtrack I’ve ever heard in a video game. It is not only true to the game’s aesthetic of medieval Japan, it sounds beautiful and dramatic in the right times. When playing Shogun 2, you will hear a variety of musical sounds, from deep, rumbling tanko drums to the fleeting pluck of a koto, all of which anyone can identify as uniquely Japanese. But more important than its variety is its relevance: the music accompanies the player according to what they are doing to match its mood, whether calm or intense.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It is especially effective in a strategy game such as Shogun II. On the campaign map, you will hear a serene, calming tune to accompany your meditations of an alliance or a pivotal battle. It almost compels you to sit there and listen to muse some more. As an added bonus, the music coincides with the season the campaign is currently in, enhancing the immersion of the player beyond just being authentic. On the battlefield, there’s nothing like a foreboding tune to go with moving your army into formation, then a track of inspiring, dramatic drums and chants to accompany your brilliant cavalry flanking maneuver or your samurai’s bloody slaughter. The satisfaction of an exciting and deep battle experience is multiplied, simply by the music.

The soundtrack represents the game perfectly and enhances the experience of the player, encompassing the calmness and intensity of strategy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeee hope. Loooooooooooooooooooo ses. Heeeeeeeeeeee hope. Saluuu ses. That’s the opening hymn you hear when you pop in Final Fantasy VIII to your PlayStation. I’ll never forget that moment.
I was so blown away by the graphics, by the idea of this system, but most of all I was blown away by the music. All these years I still a capella it (despite not knowing what it says) out of sheer nostalgia. It’s a music video of sorts, setting into the forefront the most amazing scenes from the game and starting the player up in the most mystical way possible.

Final Fantasy VIII has resounded with me through the years and can be considered my most favorite video game of all time. This can largely, and I’m not kidding, be attributed to the opening scene. I was entranced as the beautiful graphics filled the scene to such a magnificent song. It spoke of an adventure, of rivals, of villains, of friendship, and of love all in the span of three minutes. Not to mention that when I first got it, I didn’t have a memory card so I had to constantly keep restarting my game.

Since I can’t not mention it, I’d also like to point out that one of the best songs in gaming is definitely Metal Gear Solid 3‘s Snake Eater. It’s better than like, any Bond song. That ladder was far too short.

The post [Staff Featurama] The Power of Music appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

…It’s really quite a shame. It seems that Nintendo of America is hellbent on squandering whatever goodwill and respect the company as a whole received from the news that they would publish Bayonetta 2. I’ve said many times that I adore Nintendo as a software developer but abhor much of what they do as a company, and this advertisement after the jump just seems to be the icing on the cake.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s no secret that Nintendo has been trying for years upon years to seize the casual audience. For some time, they’ve also succeeded in doing so, as well. The Wii was the best-selling console of the previous generation, and the Nintendo DS is the reigning champion of hand-held consoles, with over 150 million sales.

As a result of this newfound focus on “casual” players, many gamers felt forsaken by Nintendo after the Wii. By all means and purposes, the Wii U was supposed to be an answer, an apology letter, featuring a return to complex controllers, a plethora of “hardcore” third-party titles out of the gate, and as was revealed not too long ago, Bayonetta 2. Recently, I had actually found some satisfaction in being a Nintendo fan.

But then… this.

“I am not a gamer.”

Every bit of progress, every hint of reconciliation, all of it thrown out the window. Nintendo of America doesn’t want to be associated with “gamers.” What exactly is Nintendo trying to say with this horribly misguided campaign? At best, the message can be interpreted as, “You don’t need to be an intense enthusiast to enjoy Mario,” but at worst, it comes out as, “Nintendo games and the 3DS are for normal people like you and me, not those troglodytic basement-dwellers.”

I just… I’m just disappointed. It seems that Nintendo of America is so desperate to retain its casual fanbase that it has gone beyond negligence of the fans that have built it up and gone straight to indirect insults. Maybe, maybe, this ad would have fit in during the launch of the Wii, but it’s ridiculous now. Is it really still a social stigma to play video games? In between the Wii and mobile gaming, the market has opened exponentially in recent years to new targets. Video games aren’t just for children and “hardcore gamers” anymore. They haven’t been for quite some time.

Please, Nintendo of America. Don’t try to attract sales through alienation. Your new target audience already has one foot in the door- wouldn’t it be better to invite them in?

The post [Featurama] In Which Nintendo of America Squanders any and all Goodwill appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Sadly, the rhythm genre isn’t anywhere near as popular these days as it once was. When I heard news of Rhythm Thief’s release on the Nintendo 3DS, I found myself interested — it looked to be a fun game with a colorful art style, so I took note of it. When the demo was released on the 3DS eShop, I was ecstatic because it was, in fact, a fun game with colorful art and the music was excellent to boot.

All of this was only an introduction, giving only a glimpse into the true character of the game. If there is one thing to be said about Rhythm Thief, it’s that the game constantly changes things up — and not always in a good way.

You know that you’re in for a treat when the opening cutscene of a game features the resurrection of Napoleon Bonaparte. This scene sets the stage for the story of our protagonist, Raphael, better known as the eponymous thief, Phantom R. No matter what happens, and no matter how ridiculous it is (and it gets quite ridiculous near the end), Rhythm Thief plays it straight, with a sincerity that seems to be somewhat rare in today’s day and age.

Shortly after, the game throws you straight into the action with its first rhythm game, in which you follow your backup dancers by swiping and circling on the 3DS screen in time with their moves. While most control schemes in the game are fabulously responsive, including the swipes, the circle (activating a spin) can be somewhat dodgy at times, though you soon learn the correct technique. That really shouldn’t even be a problem. Sadly, the somewhat shoehorned gyroscope controls aren’t nearly as effective — appearing in a mercifully small number of minigames, they’re tolerable for the most part, but downright broken in one variant.

Possibly the most impressive part of the game is just how many different rhythm games there are: 47 games within the main story and three ulockable bonus chapters, with a total of about 23 basic game variations. Anything from the aforementioned dance-off to a gyro-based fistfight to Samba de Amigo (Not a minigame similar to Samba de Amigo, mind you, it is literally Samba de Amigo). Each game variety that reappears shows up again harder, better, faster (stronger?), allowing for more fun and greater challenge after the first, easier iterations have been mastered.

Accompanying the varied games is an equally varied soundtrack, containing styles differing as wildly as jazz, high-energy techno, and classical music. While some tunes (especially the jazz) are fantastic, others are quite forgettable, yet almost all of them carry the beat necessary to hit the necessary cues. Almost. As is often the case in this game, there is one rhythm game variant, spread across two iterations, to break up the party in which the optional guide is necessary to hit the cues.

Outside of the action, you find yourself running around the streets of Paris as Raphael (think larger and streamlined Phoenix Wright), interacting with the citizens and backgrounds to advance the story, discover secrets such as hidden music tracks, and unlock bonus rhythm games. Since the developers never seem to be able to stay consistent in Rhythm Thief, the search for treasure can become somewhat frustrating for a completionist — some are hidden well and in logical places (such as a street lamp), while other hidden objects may be found floating out in open space. Essentially, it boils down to jackhammering each scene with the stylus until everything has been uncovered.

In another fun twist, you’ll never have trouble figuring out what to do for long in the game, because the map always tells you exactly where to go. In a game where much of the overworld sections involve detective work, it’s a rather disappointing feature, especially considered that the guide within the rhythm sections may be turned on and off at will.

While the characters may eventually grow on you by the end of the game, a major barrier stands in the way: voice acting. It’s a shame that while many of the cutscenes are quite nice to look at, the voice acting is fairly mediocre across the board. To top it off, during moments in which text is accompanied by voices, the two often fail to match up. It’s absolutely ridiculous that, in this day and age, such simple and stupid mistakes could make their way through at a company as large as Capcom. It seems to be an indication of the care put into the game as a whole, really: while some parts are excellent, others are almost painful.

Despite my complaints, I must say that by the final act, the game absolutely gets itself together, making for one of the most enjoyable stretches of gameplay I’ve experienced in quite some time (for those curious, I’ll just say it begins shortly after guns show up).

If you’re looking for a game that continually amazes and astounds, Rhythm Thief is not your bag. However, if you want a fun and enjoyable experience that always keeps a refreshingly straight and earnest face in an age filled with growing amounts of cynicism, I’d say that this is just the game that you’re looking for. The game has some rough patches, though. Some really rough patches. Despite that, I would not hesitate to include Rhythm Thief as one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in quite some time. I put about seven hours in to beat the game, and I’ve more than doubled that trying to improve my scores and unlock bonus chapters. It’s a shame, though. With just a little bit more quality control, it could easily have become something amazing.

[Final Breakdown]

[+Plenty of variety] [+Responsive controls (mostly)] [+Good music] [+Excellent replay value] [-Lackluster voice acting] [-Overworld gameplay is mostly mindless] [-Almost every positive point has painful exceptions]

The post [Review] Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

According to scans from the latest issue of Famitsu, the Ace Attorney main series is coming back into action in style, with fan favorite affable attorney Phoenix Wright making a return to the center stage. Alongside Phoenix is a new partner, “a mysterious girl in yellow clothing.” So far, no details are known about this new character aside from the fact that she is rocking that blue headband and those crescent moon earrings. In addition to the classic hand-drawn characters that we know and love from past Ace Attorney games, Ace Attorney 5 will also feature 3D character models, which shall hopefully pan out well.

As of the time of publication, there is no word regarding the release date of the game. Even though I only heard news of Ace Attorney 5 under an hour ago, my excitement is already at fever pitch. There can never be enough Phoenix Wright. Never.

The post [News] Capcom Announces Ace Attorney 5 for 3DS: Phoenix is Back, Baby! appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Over the weekend, we sent six of our finest writers to this year’s Penny Arcade Expo to see the sights, hear the sounds, and play the games. This is not their story- who needs them, anyway? Instead of chronicling their adventures, we will instead tell the stories that (probably for good reason) are left ignored, swept away by tales of valor and excitement in Seattle. Yes, this post holds the stories of those unsung heroes, recounting this glorious weekend during which they did not attend PAX.

Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead to what lies beyond the jump!

Like many of my fellow journalists, I awoke early in the morning on Friday, yet I was far from Seattle- instead, I had to attend to my education. It seems to be a theme for me: while the festivities of E3 were taking place, I was finishing exams. Two days before the onset of this year’s Expo, I found myself, after many glorious months of summer, back in classes. Despite the tragedy, I still remained with a three-day weekend to look forward to, so I chose to make the most of it.

On Friday, my plans to organize a D&D group tragically fell through, so a friend and I took upon ourselves the daunting task of playing Slender. Contrary to my expectations, the game was nowhere near as frightening as I had imagined it to be- it was much, much worse. Our first encounter with the faceless man left me in such a state that I was unable to continue playing, leaving the mission for my companion to carry out. After several minutes of running around without any power left in our flashlight, the second and final encounter sent my ally from a crouching position on the floor to standing on top of the couch directly behind him. After vowing to never return to the dark forest, we turned on all of the lights and watched Samurai Champloo after a healthy dose of screaming.

After an uneventful Saturday, I capped off my experience of not being at PAX by venturing with friends to our local theater to view The Avengers on Sunday, which was just as good during the second time as it was the first. Damn, do I love me some Joss Whedon. Anyway, it gives me the opportunity to post the above .gif, one that I adore with a passion.

Click here to view the embedded video.

One would think I’d be jealous staying home while many of my Twinfinite colleagues were living large in Seattle at PAX. Well, one would be right….sort of.

Sure, it’s a bummer to miss out on what clearly has been fun times for the gang but there will be other events. Instead of sleeping on the floor and sharing a single bathroom between six adults, I get to play games all weekend and hang around with my wife and kid.

I’m getting a lot of work done, too. I’ve got a bunch of games on the go because I can’t seem to say ‘no’ to reviews lately. So, it’s ‘play and write, play and write’, but at least I don’t have to spend my entire weekend in a smelly convention hall pretending that Tim Schafer is funny or whatever. See? I WIN! hahahaha

*cries*

After spending an entire week working out some major server issues at work, I finally had time to spend with my family. More importantly, I also was able to get caught up on some of the things I’ve been slow on getting around to. I was able to get caught up on my shows this season, get a new series started about bargain comics and finally got a 3000 word article prepped and ready to go after over a month of putting it off.

While gazing upon all the pictures from PAX that Yami has been posting nearly every day, I’ve been here at home in Massachusetts, working at my boring day job, and doing what most of us here will probably have been doing; playing games! Since their departure I’ve started and finished Max Payne 3, and worked. That’s literally all I’ve done… besides sleeping and eating. That was a given though, right?

I’ve also been holding my inner most envy in from all the lucky Twinfiknights at PAX. That envy turns to pure happiness though, as they did an amazing job, and look like they had an amazing time while they were at it.

Welp, I did my weekly marathon training with my bro, and we expounded on both how hopelessly addicting internet activity can be and how liberating it is to play videogames for a change. Then we spent Friday and Saturday painting the entire driveway red, after which we made plans to move onto the town. I promptly said, “Fuck plans,” and decided to spend the rest of the day playing The Last Story, which so far is brilliant because you can trip people with your banana peel crossbow.

That's right. Who needs PAX, anyway?

The post [PAX] The Team’s Adventures at Not-PAX appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Just today, as part of celebrations for their 25th birthday, Square Enix officially announced the latest entry in the Final Fantasy XIII series, a full-fledged console entry entitled Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. (Because XIII-3 would just be silly)

For this game, director Motomu Toriyama is pushing two main motifs: “Lightning returns,” and “world driven.” The plot, in which Lightning must prevent the world from destruction within thirteen days,  is being pitched as her “final battle,” so this hopefully means that this will be the last we see of XIII. The latter is somewhat worrying, as the game and real world will apparently be able to interact with each other through Facebook. Hopefully this brings a new and interesting concept to the table, but at the moment, the only word that comes to mind is “shoehorn.” Time will tell, and with luck, we will be able to see more of this game soon.

Hit the jump to see the official announcement video!

Click here to view the embedded video.

The post [News] Square Enix Announces Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Click here to view the embedded video.

As shown by the trailer above, the latest project that Nicalis has chosen to bring stateside is Yatagarasu, a doujin fighter from Circle Edge. Created by a team featuring veterans from the King of Fighters franchise, the game looks to be incredibly solid, with eight playable characters, some great-looking sprites, and a versus mode for playing with friends (currently no word on whether or not online is featured).

The only problem with the game is that it looks to be quite… generic, at least for the most part. Other than some of that slick katana action, I can’t say that the game features much that I haven’t seen many times before. However, I still have good expectations for the game, hoping that it may be able to replace the hole left in my heart by my missing copy of Super Street Fighter IV: 3D.

The post [News] Nicalis to Bring Yatagarasu to 3DS eShop appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

[Edit: Unfortunately, the source itself has claimed this screenshot to be fake. It just goes to show that some rumors can be too good to be true.]

Just minutes ago (via @DigitalGreenTV on Twitter), a new screenshot of what appears to be the title screen for a new Zelda game created by Nintendo and Grezzo (who worked on Ocarina of Time 3D) hit the ‘net. By all means, it appears to be legitimate to my untrained eyes, and I shall be ecstatic if this turns out to be legitimate!

According to our own Mike Eaton, the Japanese text below “ZELDA” translates to “Zelda: Ebi Shield,” with “Ebi” meaning shrimp, or prawn. Given the design of this supposedly titular shield, I believe that it is safe to assume that the game will be depicted in a more cartoony style, such as Wind Waker and its DS spinoffs.

Edits will come as more information surfaces!

The post [News] Possible Screenshot of New Zelda Game for 3DS Leaked! appeared first on Twinfinite: Video game news, reviews, opinions, and community..

Drop everything, folks. Six weeks have passed us by, which can mean only one thing: Mid-season reviews! Matthew is busy running away from his responsibilities in Osaka, which has left me in charge! How… foolish. In one corner, we have Chris, who hasn’t quite had the best of luck with his shows. In the other is me, just having the best of times. Finally, we would have Matt, but he’s in Osaka.

Hit the jump for our reviews!

Books and books and books and wings!

Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai

The interesting thing about shows like these lies in the fact that they aren’t crass in what they are presenting. The whole concept of a pervert using his perviness in battle is fodder for a lot of nudity. The presentation and handling is still of surprisingly well thought out quality and the bizarre comedy of the show isn’t too bad either.

After 5 episodes, this show feels like it could take a break. Our protagonist has built himself an effective harem and has even proven himself to be a worthy ally. His growth is actually ahead of schedule.

Where the show goes from here is a big question. Right now he is in the midst of a shinigami battle for power. The red haired shinigami he has tied himself to has found the one true powerful being in the school and now it is time for the series to actually put a focus on battle. You can only get so far with fanservice leading to a one hit kill for a beast and I think this series will begin to push through to something more interesting.

So far, the show is well animated. Even the censorship is done with a bit of thought. There’s no blinding white mist: now we have black triangles and censor bars that, at the very least, don’t absolutely ruin the scenes.

Our protagonist reminds me of Love & Collage’s Hachibe Maeda. Except, instead of loving certain women unoquivacolly for their parts, Ryosuke simple finds the beauty there is in them.

With the way this harem ramped up, I’m not sure really how to gauge where it will go from here. However, it’s been a pretty good show for the season so far.

After an hour of staring, I'm positive I've overanalyzed that man's head.

Moyashimon Returns

Moyashimon‘s continuation started a bit rough with me, but the episodes have really started to grow in to their own. It still has much of the humor and science that made the series a favorite of mine. However, it is missing one MAJOR element.

Haruka Hasegawa.

What Haruka added was a potential romantic interest for our protagonist, Sawaki. With the removal of Hasegawa, we are left relying on primary interest Hazuki who has had a lot of focus on her, and Yuuki Kei who has had nothing really. Now many could argue that Haruka and Yuuki have absolutely no romantic feelings towards Sawaki. However when you remove a lot of the tension from the harem ensemble, you are left with characters that have very little real personality to back them up.

The effect is that everything feels a bit stagnant at university and the sophmore slump is unacceptable. Yuuki’s reveal to the group was shrugged off, Haruka has been withdrawn completely from the ensemble, and the pairing of Hazuki and Sawaki really has none of that tension and that power that Hasegawa brought with her.

Moyashimon is still one of the better shows out this season, but, unfortunately, its charm is now solely in the comedy. Even the microbe ability Sawaki has is downplayed as a teaching tool instead of being utilized as the outstanding talent that it is.

This is Moyashimon going through the motions and, unfortunately, it could be better. The festival has begun and it’s intriguing to see some elements of chaos. However, that’s really all there was. Sadly, this season of Moyashimon has yet to yield anything new, and that’s a bit disappointing.

Nature's biggest hunk, Dream Panda!

Shirokuma Café

Much to the surprise (and joy) of fans who failed to stay for the credits of its unexpectedly touching thirteenth episode, Shirokuma Café has continued into the summer season with an abundance of new episodes. At first, I was apprehensive, recalling the lull in originality that occurred near the middle of the show’s first thirteen episodes. However, I soon realized that there was nothing to worry about- not only has the Café kept on its course, but it has almost constantly been improving, week after week.

Going into the second stretch, I soon came to the conclusion that, for Shirokuma Café to avoid regression into stagnation, it would need to focus more upon its ensemble. While the black and white trio at the focus at the show is great, the show truly shines when it brings in even more eccentric personalities to accent the main cast. During the summer season alone, racial tensions between King and Emperor penguins reached new heights, a businessman from out of town found himself face-to-face with talking animals for the first time, and Panda-obsessed Rin-Rin kept on being his lovable self. In other words, it has been fabulous.

Despite Polar Bear continuing his trend of becoming the most deliberately misleading and harmful friend possible, Shirokuma Café still offers its own refreshingly light-hearted and fun sense of humor, keeping it on my must-watch list.

Pion: the greatest neko girl that will ever function as a deep-space probe.

Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita

Quick quiz: what do suicidal bread, yaoi romance manga, and neko girl deep-space probes have in common? If you don’t know the answer, start watching Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita. Translated into English as “Humanity has Declined,” my current favorite show of the season functions both as an amazingly colorful post-societal comedy and a scathing mockery of today’s commercialized culture.

Though the chronological order is completely scrambled, the two-episode arcs that make up the show are delightfully refreshing, allowing Jinrui wa to craft stories of a decent length while also covering a wide breadth of misadventures and themes, though with each arc, the commentary upon modern society’s trappings has become less and less pronounced.

Carrying all of the insanity upon her shoulders, our nameless heroine, who has been given the monicker “Realpolitik-san” at Twinfinite’s office, continually steals the show with her surprisingly dark and calculating thoughts. Alongside her may be found an ever-growing cast of oddballs and eccentrics, rotating in and out with each arc.

Even halfway through the season, I continue to marvel at just how beautiful Jinrui wa is, in almost every way possible. From the character design to the color palette, everything is gorgeous and bright. However, beneath the façade lurk some pretty damn dark humor and secrets, and it is in this what is truly amazing about the decline of humanity.

Neither can I... *sigh* :(

Kokoro Connect

How well can you truly know yourself or others around you? Kokoro Connect, through its main gimmick of body-swapping, attempts to answer these questions, and the results are overwhelmingly fantastic.

It seemed (extremely) unlikely from the first episode, but Kokoro Connect has flourished not only as a fantastic slice-of-life comedy, but also as a drama exploring broken psyches and the concept of self. Continually, I have found myself impressed with how the show is able to tackle serious emotional problems in one moment, then, through the magic of body switching, have Taichi kick himself in the balls the next. Almost every single episode, I have been left with goosebumps at the transition from next week’s preview to the ED.

Now that the body-swapping arc has concluded, our hapless group of buddies find themselves faced with random removal of all inhibitions and physical filters. While body-swapping was fun, the show’s new gimmick excites me because of its inherent danger- Yui and Aoki have already found themselves in police custody, and only one episode of the arc has passed. If this second arc progresses like the first, there is no doubt that some very exciting twists will be in store.

Finally, my one reservation concerning the show: while each female member of the ensemble has been explored and nearly torn apart, I feel that we just have so much more that we have yet to see from Taichi and Aoki. I deeply hope that these perspectives will be further explored in the later episodes, fixing the uneven character development that we have so far seen.

Matt sucks. Expect his impressions to come at a later date.

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