#finalfantasyxiv
I absolutely adore Final Fantasy's animated cut-scenes. They are a wonder to behold. Too bad the games don't ever seem to live up to them. More »
RedLynx is going to have to come up with a new name for the Trials franchise, because the trial done been passed. The company announced today that Trials HD has officially stunt jumped past the 1 million mark in sales, which, as RedLynx CEO Tera Virtala notes, is quite an accomplishment for "a company of about thirty-five people." Trials debuted on XBLA just over a year ago.
The next Trials DLC pack, Big Thrills, is slated to be released later this year and will feature forty new maps including ten user-submitted creations.
We've previewed Rock Band 3's general new features, the Pro mode and the keyboard trainer, but where the rubber meets the road is the guitar trainer. This is where Harmonix can expand the scope of instrument-based rhythm games: If you can connect a real guitar to your console and actually play a game to learn how to play guitar, then learning to jam isn't just trivial, it's fun.
Though I only got to play along with the pro guitar trainer for a short time, every indication is that Harmonix has done exactly that. The guitar trainer is astounding -- paired up with the real guitar controller from Fender or the 102-button controller, Harmonix applies its steady knowledge of gaming reward and replay not just to earning career mode money or having fun with your friends, but to actually learning and applying a knowledge of chords and guitar notes.
Capcom and Sony Pictures are subjecting victims to another CG Resident Evil movie: Damnation. The animated feature will be released in Japan in 2012 using that 3D tech the corporations are raving about.
According to Capcom, the first Resident Evil CG film, Degeneration, has shipped over 1.6 million copies for home viewing and its limited "2-week / 3-screen theatrical release in Japan" grossed ¥40 million yen ($480K).
Despite Resident Evil's celluloid excursions being reviled by critics, the series has made plenty of bank. Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D is currently the top movie at the box office.
#screengrab
Today in Tokyo, Square Enix showed off a craftsman-made Final Fantasy XIV outfit that was used in a new ad for the game. As seen on Game Watch Impress. More »
So, you and your Needler are gonna charge the Covenant solo, huh? Man, who do you think you are, Master Chief? Real Spartans know that having a good team backing you up is the only thing that separates those who attain Halo glory from the ones that make sad Halo ads about. But if you're aiming to get a group of guys and gals you trust together, where can you turn?
Why, here, of course! Hop down to the comments and share your gamertag and find others doing the same. Party up and load out for a day of Covenant-stomping joy. Who knows, maybe you'll even fall in love?*
#psp
Japan's (literally) biggest girl group, AKB48, is getting its own PlayStation Portable bundle that comes with a whole bunch of sticker kisses for PSP smoochy smoochy. Love like this isn't cheap. More »
We had a peek at the upcoming Xbox 360 dashboard update back when the Kinect beta began, but the video after the break represents one of the most detailed looks we've seen so far. Apart from some aesthetic tweaks -- dig that swirly new boot sequence -- the interface remains unchanged for the most part. There are a few additions, notably the Kinect setup area in the system options with settings for the sensor, microphone, voice recognition and something called "Kinect tuner." The new dashboard is also rocking some new sound effects and, good news for theme hoarders, it supports current NXE themes.
The video also shows off the new Avatar editor, which has seen significant visual overhaul, featuring new menus that seem designed to accept Kinect hand gestures. The background music has also been altered and is now -- dare we say it -- a little more Kondo-esque.
#art
Tellart have built a version of Frogger that you don't play with a controller in front of a TV. You play with your feet, on the street, as it should be played. More »
Let's be honest with ourselves: If you're the kind of person who's pre-ordering Civilization V, you're probably the strategizin' type. You likely called around, made comparisons (maybe even put together a spreadsheet -- we won't judge), and then chose the most strategically fortuituous preorder that you possibly could, finding the perfect balance of cost and value for your money.
But just like all of those late game German Panzers, Direct2Drive is throwing a last-minute wrench in the gears. Preorder Civ V via it, and you'll get immediate and free access to the classic Civ III, the last iteration in the series to stay 2D, largely viewed as one of the best versions of the game. Plus, D2D preorders also get the new game's first bit of Scenario Pack DLC for free.
That's a good deal. Of course, if you want to preorder the new Civ, you probably have the old Civ collecting dust somewhere on a shelf. But you might at least add this deal to your spreadsheet, just to see how it balances out.
#tattoos
Sure, two Boba Fett tattoos on one arm may be "a bit much". But when one is a 16-bit rendition of New Zealand's finest bounty hunter, that's OK in our books. More »
Anchor Bay Films has acquired the distribution rights to Tekken (the movie), a live-action adaptation of Namco Bandai's fighting game franchise. Produced by Crystal Sky Pictures, the film is expected to be released "widely" in the United States next year, reports ComingSoon.net. (The movie premiered in Japan this past March, courtesy of Warner Bros.)
"The Tekken video game franchise has sold millions of copies over the past decade," said Anchor Bay president Bill Clark. "Crystal Sky has invested millions in the production, making sure they were able to convey not only the incredible fight scenes, but also the emotional journey of the main character, Jin" (as seen above). The movie has grossed just over a half million dollars to date, according to Box Office Mojo.
#hollywood
Resident Evil: Afterlife has had the biggest opening of any of the RE films. Know what that means? They're going to do another one. Oh, yes. They are. More »
