Tag: PS3

DrinkBox Co-Founder Talks Guacamelee!

Apr. 09 Gaming, Video Games no comments

Toronto-based independent video game studio, DrinkBox Studios, released their new PlayStation Network game today.

Guacamelee! is the third title from DrinkBox to be released on Sony’s download service. Previous games in their portfolio include About a Blob for the PlayStation 3 and Mutant Blobs Attack!!! for the PlayStation 3 and Vita.

“Guacamelee! is a Mexican-themed Metroidvania-style co-operative platforming brawler,” says Graham Smith, co-founder of DrinkBox Studios. “That’s a mouthful, but I’m pretty sure that’s the shortest way to describe it.”

Image provided by DrinkBox Studios

Image provided by DrinkBox Studios

Guacamelee! features a distinct art style inspired by Mexican culture, featuring playable characters dressed in flamboyant Luchador wrestling garb fighting monsters inspired by Mexican folklore. “For example, the player encounters an Alebrije early in the game,” says Smith. “In Mexico, these creatures were created by an artist named Pedro Linres in the 1930’s, and are still commonly sold as sculptures.”

Guacamelee! has been DrinkBox’s largest production to date, with a 2-year development cycle, including 7-months of pre-production.

“With this long pre-production time, we were really able to flush out the game’s mechanics with a small team of people before moving into full production with the whole team,” says Smith.

Smith added that the team’s ambition with the project meant that the DrinkBox engine, used for Mutant Blobs Attack!!! was expanded in a number of areas, including combat systems, scripting systems, conversation systems, an in-game mini-map, and PlayStation 3-to-Vita features such as remote-play, which allows players to stream the game from their PlayStation 3 to their Vita, and cross-save that allows saved files to be transferred from the PlayStation 3 to the Vita.

“We were more ambitious with the characters and story in the game, including a lot of dialog, in-game and animated cut scenes with musical scores, and boss fights.”

Guacamelee! will be the third game from DrinkBox to launch on a Sony platform first.

“For Gucamelee! We are working with Sony as part of their Pub Fund program, which gives us an advance on royalties when the game ships in exchange for an exclusivity period,” says Smith.

When asked about releasing titles on platforms other than Sony, Smith adds, “We don’t have any objections to releasing on other platforms at all. Mutant Blobs Attack!!! was actually released on Steam a few months after the Vita version shipped and our engine runs on Xbox 360 as well.”

Guacamelee! is available on the PlayStaion 3 and Vita as a downloadable title through the PlayStation Network today.

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Marvel vs. Capcom 3: I’m Gonna Take You For a Really Long Ride

Apr. 04 Gaming, Uncategorized, Video Games 1 comment

Marvel_Vs_Capcom_3_box_artworkI decided I’m gonna spare you guys the history lesson, this time around.  Chances are if you’re reading a review of a fighting game, you know all about Capcom’s storied history of punching games with fireballs and lasers and whatnot.  And chances are especially good you’ve at least heard of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and probably played it a good deal to boot.

On paper, it sounded great.  For the generation of gamers who grew up with a Dreamcast and pounded out combos on MVC2 for days on end, it seemed to be a freaking godsend.  An honest, Capcom-quality sequel that not only had most of the characters and features everyone loved about its predecessor, but was actually balanced.  As fun as MVC2’s roughly 400 billion characters were, anyone who got involved with any form of serious tournament-level play quickly realized that there were pretty much only four characters worth using: Sentinel, Storm, Magneto, and Cable.  Using anyone else was either a test of skill, cockiness, or both.

MVC3 did, indeed, fix all of this.  It’s balanced, has incredibly tight and fluid combat; it even adds an online matching system that doesn’t suck!  The problem, the big problem, is that Capcom tried to make the game a good deal more accessible to people who didn’t necessarily grow up playing fighting games.  Part of that attempt worked well.  As I said before, they made all the characters much more balanced, so anyone can pick their favorite characters and expect to have a decent chance at winning.

No combo breakers here, kids.

No combo breakers here, kids.

Unfortunately, they also made it embarrassingly easy to pull off combos, and those combos last a long, long time.  Even in a game like MVC2, pulling off a combo above 10 hits (one that didn’t involve a super move, at least) took at least a modicum of skill and practice.  In MVC3, you can basically throw the controller against the wall and Dante will start flipping around the screen and racking up hits like a damn madman.  If I get juggled around the screen in a game like Street Fighter III, I patiently wait for my opening, applaud the guy for his skill, and move right along in the match.  If I even get scratched by someone in MVC3, I might as well put down the controller and start cooking dinner.  Maybe write a novel.  Something about an old man and a sea, maybe.  Either way, there’s not a thing I can do to interrupt the oncoming hour-long combo, and that’s a problem.

Press X to comeback.

Press X to comeback.

The other problem is the X-factor.  Granted, it has a lot of good applications, and used properly it’s an incredibly strategic tool.  Just one example: in addition to boosting all your stats and recovering your health, activating the X-factor cancels any move you’re doing, leaving room for a ton of combo opportunities.  HOWEVER.  All that’s an added bonus for the X-factor…not the point of it.  The point of it is, again, to make things easier for players who don’t know what the hell they’re doing.  Instead of being a purely strategic tool, it becomes a button you can idly push when you’re on the brink of losing, and suddenly be able to kill two characters in 10 hits.  Some might call it an equalizer, I call it a lazy attempt at balancing the playing field.

Here’s the bottom line.  With the updated Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 out, and available at a reasonably cheap price (as opposed to the full $60 I paid for the original MVC3…thanks Capcom), it’s certainly worth a cursory look, at least.  But if you’re expecting the kind of truly fun and fair online play you’d get from Street Fighter III or Garou: Mark of the Wolves (homework assignment: look that up if you haven’t heard of it.  Now.), you’re going to be just as disappointed as I was.

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Farewell PS2, Hello Steam Box

Jan. 11 Gaming, Video Games no comments

Pictured, left to right: Old n’ Busted, New Hotness

The day is fast approaching where all media will be available predominately in digital form. Paper books are already being replaced by ebooks, newspapers are going out of print in favor of news media online, digital downloads of movies will overtake DVDs and Blu-ray, and systems like the PlayStation 2 will be replaced by the rumored Steam Box.

Oh wait, that already happened.

After 13 years, 150 million units sold, and over 10,000 games, Sony has announced that they are ceasing production of the PlayStation 2. When it first launched in 2000, its amazing technology left its rival systems Nintendo GameCube and Sega Dreamcast in the dust. It was backwards compatible, included a DVD player, as well as online multiplayer content. The PlayStation 2 was a huge leap forward in gaming technology, and its success has never been duplicated. It’s successor, the PlayStation 3, came nowhere close to repeating the PS2′s sales, and production on the PS2 continued until now.

While the PlayStation 3 (and it’s rival, the Xbox 360) made tremendous leaps forward in gaming technology, one of the biggest innovations was the PlayStation Store. It wasn’t just online multiplayer anymore, now gamers had full access to the internet to download games, movies, TV shows, and music. Hell, you can pre-order an upcoming release, and have it automatically download to your console on release day. It’s like something out of science fiction!

It’s also one of the many recent blows against physical media, the most recent of which is the newly confirmed Steam Box.

True, Valve’s gaming platform unveiled the Big Picture a few months ago, an interface catered to those who have their PCs hooked up to their televisions. But now all your Steam purchases can be enjoyed on its very own console, freeing up some of that hard drive space. Now you’ll have piece of Linux run hardware dedicated solely to playing your Steam library in your living room.

In an interview with Verge, Valve CEO Gabe Newell gave a few details.

What we see is you’ve got this sort of struggle going on between closed proprietary systems and open systems. We think that there are pluses and minuses to open systems that could make things a little messier, it’s much more like herding cats, so we try to take the pieces where we’re going to add the best value and then encourage other people to do it. So it tends to mean that a lot of people get involved. We’re not imposing a lot of restrictions on people on how they’re getting involved.

So are most of these going to be Linux-based Steam Boxes?

We’ll come out with our own and we’ll sell it to consumers by ourselves. That’ll be a Linux box, [and] if you want to install Windows you can. We’re not going to make it hard. This is not some locked box by any stretch of the imagination. We also think that a controller that has higher precision and lower latency is another interesting thing to have.

So what does this mean to the console industry? It would seem the only thing they’ve got going for them now is exclusive content. The openness promised with the Steam Box, the extensive game library and irresistible sales, the factthey are embracing the modding and indie game development community… it hardly seems like a fair fight. If the hardware capability is comparable to the current consoles, Sony and Microsoft need to step up their game with their next generation of consoles, or the PS3 and PS4 will have a much shorter lifespan than the stalwart PS2

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How the PS3 Could last 10 Years and Why That May Not Delay the PS4

Oct. 16 Editor's Pick, Gaming, Video Games no comments

Ten years is a long time for a video game machine.

There are not a lot of tech devices or hardware that go more than a year or two without some kind of substantial upgrade – look at the iPhone with its near annual revisions. Technology changes at breakneck speeds so when Sony says they will support the PlayStation 3 for a minimum of 10 years, you can understand some raised eyebrows.

“As regards home consoles, the PS3 was put into business in 2006, and it has a 10 year life cycle… I think the value of the PS3 will continue to rise,” says Sony President Kaz Hirai in an interview translated by Eurogamer in February of 2011.

But if you look at Sony’s history of how they deal with new hardware this does not necessarily mean we will not see a PlayStation 4 until 2016. Even after the PS3 launched in November 2006 the already aged PlayStation 2 still received support. The following year Sony published God of War II on the PS2. In fact in 2008, two years after the PS3 had already launched, the PS2 saw 71 new game releases, including Persona 4, Yakuza 2 and Kingdom hearts: RE:Chain of Memories. These were not last minute cash-ins, but significant releases with a budget and talent put into them. The PS2 was still alive and well.

There is also the Wii U launching next month. Sony has gone on record saying they are not concerned about the Wii U. In fact, Sony will have a new extra slim PS3 model launching near the Wii U, which also shows that Sony plans on supporting the PS3 brand well into the new year.

“We won’t be going after the same niche early adopter market [Nintendo] will be going after this Christmas,” says Sony UK Chief Fergal Gara in an interview with Eurogamer. “I think we’re sitting in separate camps at this stage, so it won’t be head to head.”

Of course, Nintendo has been playing up the unique interactions players can have by using their new touch screen enabled controller with the new high definition Wii U console. However Sony was quick to point out that what the Wii U can do is easily implemented using the PS3 and the new PS Vita handheld.

“We tell our PlayStation fans all the time that what the Wii U is offering is something that Vita and PS3 can do quite easily,” says Sony Executive John Koller in an interview with Tech Radar last month.

And while this is true, it also requires a significant investment on the consumer’s part, requiring the separate purchase of the PS Vita hardware, currently retailing for $249. But maybe more important is that this shows Sony still has significant plans for the future of the PS3.

However, even with the potential of the PS Vita helping combat the Wii U, new hardware may still be necessary in staying competitive. We may not be playing Uncharted 4 on a super-high definition, 4K resolution mega console using the PS Vita as a controller in the next 12 months but we can probably expect Sony to have spilled the beans on what we can expect from the next generation by then.

In short, the PS3 has the potential to keep on trucking into 2016, there is still a lot of exciting software coming out now and into the new year to keep people playing, but the tech consumer’s hunger for something new and exciting can only delay the launch of a new PlayStation console for so long.

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Welcome To The Un-United States of America – Assassin’s Creed 3′s AnvilNext Engine

Aug. 03 Gaming, News, Video Games no comments

This latest trailer explores the more technical side of Assassin’s Creed III and it’s new game engine:

 

As you can tell, lady geeks and gentlenerds, the above video is all about Ubisoft’s brand new game engine AnvilNext. Anvil, AKA the engine previously known as Scimitar, has been the foundation of all the Assassin’s Creed games so far. Such a large revamp of the engine is big news for the AC series and from what we’ve seen so far, the changes have an enormous scale.

A dynamic four season weather system is an important addition to AC III  frontier setting. We’ve seen the protagonist Connor running through snowy backdrops in almost every video but knowing that the weather will vary dynamically throughout the player’s experience undoubtedly adds another dimension to the assassinations and exploration in the Un-United States of America. As well as sun, snow and rain on land, the weather will greatly affect the sea battles that were revealed at this year’s E3. Strong winds, heavy rain and swelling waves can turn the tides when Connor goes cannon-to-cannon with his foes.

The other major points that stand out in the AnvilNext trailer involve some pretty staggering numbers. War is tearing through the land of Assassin’s Creed III and up to 2000 NPCs can be involved in a conflict at a time. As of yet, Connor’s allegiances are unclear so I’m very excited to see him interact with hundreds of possible enemies at a given time. The other impressive number stated by the oh-so-smooth voice over is that the hero, Connor Kenway, whose birth name is  Ratonhnhaké:ton (pronounced Ra-doon-ha-gay-doon, for the record), will have over 1000 unique animations. To quote sultry toned VO man, this makes Connor “the most complex and technically advanced assassin yet” and apparently the “most detailed third-person character ever.” While the former is undoubtedly true, the latter sounds very much like the typical unverifiable hyperbole thrown around by sales & marketing personnel around the world. (Trust me, I’m one of them.)

One last point. After the recent Rise trailer, I was beginning to worry that Ubisoft were going to heavily slant Assassin’s Creed III in favour of the American audience, as so many other companies tend to do. Fortunately, it would seem that Connor’s loyalties are not as black & white as they first seem. In theory, a half-English, half-Native American character would align himself against the forces of the Revolutionaries yet the vast majority of footage shown has been the killing of British soldiers.

All credit for this gif goes to Daemon Hatfield of IGN.com

As you can see from this fantastic double-kill gif, Connor isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty with an American assassination or two.
It should be very intriguing to see where the hero’s alliances ultimately lie.

Assassin’s Creed III is developed by Ubisoft Montreal, published by Ubisoft and currently due for release on Playstation 3, Xbox 360, PC and Wii U on October 31st 2012.

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Ratchet & Clank Collection Finally Coming to North America

Jul. 18 Gaming, Video Games no comments

Here’s something to make you feel old: Ratchet & Clank is 10 years old this year.

To celebrate, Sony and Insomniac Games have decided to bundle all three Ratchet & Clank games together and release them with remastered 1080p HD graphics, stereoscopic 3D, and a new Trophy list.

Aaaand then they released the new Ratchet & Clank Trilogy in Europe back in June.

Not to worry, Americans and Canadians! On August 28th, we’re finally getting a taste of that sweet lombax action. The Ratchet & Clank Collection (as it’s going to be called on this side of the pond) will include Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal.

As a bonus for being so patient, the North American version will also include a demo for the upcoming Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time.

The Ratchet & Clank Collection will be released for PS3 in both retail stores and on the PlayStation Network August 28th, 2012, at a cost of $30 USD.

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Two New Characters Announced for Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale

Jul. 17 Gaming, News, Video Games no comments

The official Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con brought some expected but nonetheless exciting news about two new playable characters.

First up is the star of Playstation 3 gems inFamous and inFamous 2, Cole McGrath.

As a HUGE fan of the inFamous games, I’m very excited to see that Cole is going to be included into Sony’s smash fighter. The reason I say that it was expected is because the actor who plays McGrath, Eric Ladin, is now infamous for revealing information via his twitter account. The information he tweeted a recently was supposed to be secret and the posts were removed fairly swiftly, presumably by request from Sony representatives. Here are the tweets:

As you can tell, Ladin  confirmed Cole McGrath as character for Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale long before Sony did but it is still so cool to see the electrically charged hero/villain in action in the arena.

The other combatant(s) revealed are the long-standing Sony exclusive and titular heroes of the Jak and Daxter series, Jak and Daxter themselves.

While the duo have not featured in an original game on Sony’s current generation console, the recently released HD remastered Playstation 2 trilogy was met with large critical acclaim. While they have starred in games separately, Jak and Daxter will play as one character in Battle Royale. As one the leading series of the last generation, it didn’t take a detective to deduce that they would be playable characters in Sony’s upcoming massive fighting game.

Now that many of the most obvious characters have been announced, who else would you like to see in Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale? Let us know in the comments below, on Twitter or on Facebook.

 

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Big Lip Radio Presents: The Dork Side 120

Jul. 17 Comic Books, Movies, The Dork Side, Video Games Comments Off
On this weeks EXCITING episode Zach, Jerad and special guest host Eric talk about The Money in the Bank PPV. They review Chernobyl Diaries and Prometheus! And Jerad just discovered Harry Potter?! Seems he loves it. You cant forget about the Video Games. Zach goes over a slew of new games as well as upcoming

[Read More]

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Two New Walking Dead Games On The Way

Jul. 13 Gaming, News, Video Games no comments

The Walking Dead has been thrilling comic fans and TV zombie buffs for almost nine years, but video game enthusiasts will soon have two new games to sink their teeth into, both taking different approaches to the monster franchise.

TellTale Games has been very successful in creating their episodic Walking Dead comic book side story, simply known as The Walking Dead, for the PC, Playstation Network and Xbox Live Arcade digital download service. After receiving critical acclaim for the first two episodes, TellTale has announced that Episode three, titled “Long Road Ahead”, will be available for an August release.

TellTale has had some trouble with the development cycle for their Walking Dead, the second episode was delayed a number of weeks and now episode three has only a loose release window of “August 2012”. Hopefully TellTale can get on top of the release scheduling and players can expect more regular releases in the coming months.

But while TellTale is hard at work on the spin-off series for the comics, Activision announced last week that it will be publishing a first person action game to act as the prequel to the Walking Dead television series. Information is scarce on the project, but it is being developed by Terminal Reality, the studio behind Ghost Busters the Video Game and Star Wars Kinect.

The publisher promises to allow players to choose how they engage the shamblers, with the choice to fight, flee or hide in hopes of the monsters moving on without noticing them. Apparently supplies will also be scarce so players will be made to make some tough choices in how to proceed in some tense situations. The Walking Dead Video Game will be available on the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC in 2013.

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Fine Dining: Racoon City Style.

Jun. 25 Gaming, Nerd Porn, Video Games no comments

To promote the launch of Resident Evil 6 in the most grandiose manner possible, Capcom is opening a Resident Evil theme eatery in Shibuya, Tokyo.

The Biohazard Cafe and Grill S.T.A.A.R.S. will open in July 13th and will remain open for one year. No word on what the menu will be like, but Capcom has announced unique items will be available as well as special performances from dance team S.T.A.R.S. Angelique.

Available for PS3, PC, and X-Box 36 on October 6, Resident Evil 6 is the most ambitious game in the series and will endeavor to tell a worldwide pandemic from three different perspectives. Last month, 20 gameplay minutes of the Leon campaign was unveiled. It revolved around the outbreak at a presidential banquet.

 

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E3 – How Smartphones Will Work with Console Gaming in 2013

Jun. 08 Features, Gaming, Video Games no comments

Smartphone and tablet devices have really taken off in the past five years.

Going from near obscurity to mainstream way of life in a very short period of time. It is not uncommon to see a half-dozen people or more with their nose in a Smartphone where they used to be in a newspaper or book on the subway or bus.

Well it looks like the three big console publishers, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, have taken notice. This year at E3 each of them outlined how they plan on keeping players connected through Smartphones and Tablets, syncing them with the video game experience.

Nintendo’s Miiverse

This may be most significant for Nintendo, since they have traditionally been most resistant to incorporating Smartphones into their business strategy. For over a year, Nintendo has had to deal with investors demanding they adopt a Smartphone friendly business model and they have finally solidified their mobile strategy.

Two days before Nintendo’s E3 show, they announced some of the functionality of their new Wii U console launching later this year (You can read our breakdown of that announcement here). The most significant announcement was the new online social network called Miiverse, where players can leave passive messages, see what friends and strangers are playing, and exchange content.

During the pre-E3 presentation, Nintendo President Saturo Iwata confirmed that Miiverse will also be accessible though the Nintendo 3DS and as an app on Smartphone devices “sometime after the Wii U launches.” He did not go into detail on which kinds of Smartphones will support the software, but it is still significant. Everything about Miiverse, from the social media influences to Smartphone integration, are light years ahead of the traditionally modest Nintendo method of online support.

However, Nintendo was not the only one with plans for supporting Smartphone devices in the coming year. In fact, both Sony and Microsoft announced their own strategies for incorporating Smartphones and tablets.

Microsoft’s SmartGlass

Maybe the most ambitious strategy is Microsoft’s SmartGlass software being incorporated into the Xbox 360. The concept behind SmartGlass seems to be one part Wii U like functionality, one part mobile entertainment experience. SmartGlass is an application that will allow users to sync their Xbox 360 with Windows Mobile, Android and iOS devices, including Smartphones and tablets. Unlike Nintendo’s strategy, SmartGlass seems to be an experience enhancer. One of the basic examples of how their device synchronization would work was allowing players to transfer a video they were watching on a tablet device on the bus to their Xbox 360 when they get home to finish watching their show seamlessly on their big screen. More complex interactions include getting preliminary data on videos or games they are running on their Xbox 360 to a tablet or Smartphone device.

Essentially, what Microsoft did was announce tablet enhanced controls, like inputting plays on Madden using a tablet, the day before Nintendo got a chance to blow-out their Wii U console, featuring a similar enhancement. And on top of that, with SmartGlass players can take advantage of the technology using hardware they may already own, rather than having to buy a whole new console. Granted, the Wii U has the benefit of having their tablet and game pad integrated into a single controller, but it was a big step against the new console. Another interesting point was that SmartGlass will work with just about any Smart device, not just the Microsoft branded Windows Mobile. Already we know that Halo 4 and Madden 13 will support the software, but time will tell how much support it will get in future games.

Sony’s Playstation Mobile

Finally, Sony made a new announcement for a new brand of Playstation certified Android phones called Playstation Mobile. Like last year’s Xperia Play Smartphone, Playstation Mobile will be a new line of THC Android devices that will be able to access the Playstation Store and play games developed using the Playstation Mobile Development Kit. It is hard to say how Playstation Mobile will be received, since the Xperia Play was met with a fairly lukewarm reception. How it integrates into the existing Playstation Network account may be key. Forcing players to purchase special Android hardware, rather than having Playstation Mobile integrate into a wider variety of Android devices, may hold Playstation Mobile back.

It was made clear at E3 2012 that into 2013 players can expect to see video games moving into a mobile environment aside from simply playing games on mobile and dedicated gaming handhelds. The Wii U and Xbox 360 social experience will be going beyond the living room and Sony’s Playstation Mobile will expand into more devices than just the Playstation 3 and PS Vita. In 2013 this may become just as important to gaming as functions like Xbox Live and the Playstation Network.

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A “Young Justice: Legacy” Video Game!

Feb. 22 Comic Books, Gaming, News, Video Games no comments

   As some of you may know, I am a HUGE video game nerd! But nothing tickles my fancy more when I hear something like this hitting the consoles near you! From the developers who brought you Busy Scissors for the Wii and  Sherlock Holmes  for the iPad, Little Orbit is proud to introduce……… Young Justice: Legacy the video game hitting all major platforms including handhelds.

   Yes, How could you think that a developer such as Little Orbit who makes childish B titles bring us hope for an Amazing Action adventure. It easy….It is meant for kids. As far as the “B” title rating….Well lets just say there is a big enough fan base already that it could possibly be considered and AAA title. The fact that there’s online multiplayer makes the game already 10x better than what they have created in the past and puts it up their past the games that don’t have online play. This game isn’t set to ship till early 2013, so that gives them time to hear people opinion and hopefully make the game that much better. Lets go ahead and take a look at some of the details for this game.

Fan Favorite DC Comics Franchise/Animated Television Series From Warner Bros. Animation Set to Make Video Game Debut in a Multiplayer Action RPG

Little Orbit, a worldwide game publisher, announced today that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the Young Justice: Legacy video game set to ship in early 2013 for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo’s Wii(TM) system, and the Nintendo DS(TM) hand-held system.

In Young Justice: Legacy fans can look forward to an original storyline set in between Seasons 1 and 2 of the television series, written in collaboration with show writers Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti. The game is packed with fan favorite playable characters, cameo appearances by popular Justice League heroes and villains, and includes online multiplayer as well as local multiplayer modes.

Visit the official Website at http://www.youngjusticelegacy.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/youngjusticelegacy.

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Press Release:Image Expo Welcome Party

Feb. 20 Comic Books, Press Release no comments

     From the title, it looks to be that Image is having some sort of Welcome party. For what? I guess you will have to read their presser for more info. Enjoy!

Image Comics, The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and iFanboy present the Image Expo Welcome Party

A Benefit Party in Oakland, CA. Celebrating Comics, Music & Free Speech

BERKELEY, CA – February 20, 2012 –Experience Creativity with comics’ greatest creators at the Image Expo Welcome Party sponsored by Image Comics and iFanboy to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!  The party is free for CBLDF members and kicks off at 8 PM on February 24, 2012 at The Uptown in Oakland, California. This party jump starts a weekend of celebrating independent comics and free speech at the Image Expo, taking place at the Oakland Convention Center. Proceeds from the Image Expo Welcome Party will benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, who will have a gift bag for members and donors!

“The way Downtown Oakland has transformed itself over the last couple years is really inspiring, and I have a lot of admiration for all the people who made that happen,” said Image Comics publisher Eric Stephenson. “Being able to involve Image in an event that takes place within such a vibrant community feels really good.”

Many of the superstar creators appearing at the Image Expo will be in attendance for the Image Expo Party, including: Robert Kirkman, Brian K. Vaughan, Joe Casey, Jonathan Hickman, Erik Larsen, Jim McCann, Blair Butler, Rob Guillory, Fiona Staples, Tim Seeley, Sina Grace and Joe Keatinge.

CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein said, “The Bay Area is an incredible creative place, and we’re thrilled to be working with Image and iFanboy to make this killer celebration of art and music that thanks our members for supporting our important work! I can’t wait to meet everyone who comes out!”

The party will also which will feature a musical performance by The Philistines, as well as music from DJs Dollar Bin and Wall Piece and some special celebrity guest DJs.

“We’re super excited to be teaming up with Image Comics and the CBLDF for this event,” said iFanboy co-founder Ron Richards. “There’s nothing better than celebrating comics and rocking out on the eve of a great convention like Image Expo!”

Full event details:

The Image Expo Welcome Party

WHEN: February 24, 2012 –                         Doors open at 8 PM

WHERE: The Uptown – 1928 Telegraph Avenue  Oakland, CA 94612

FREE FOR CBLDF MEMBERS

SUGGESTED DONATION: $10/all others

Proceeds will benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

ABOUT IMAGE EXPO
Image Expo is a three-day comic book convention commemorating Image Comics’ 20th Anniversary and celebrating creator-owned comics, being held on February 24, 25, and 26, 2012 at the Oakland Convention Center. Image partners Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino, will be the guests of honor, appearing for signings, panels, and special events. Other special guests include Image founders Rob Liefeld, and Whilce Portacio, plus the creators of today’s best creator-owned comics, including Ed Brubaker and Brian K. Vaughan. For more information, visit www.imagecomicexpo.com

ABOUT THE COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics artform and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance, and education in furtherance of these goals.

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

ABOUT iFANBOY
iFanboy is one of the leading online comic websites for news, reviews and a vibrant community. Founded in 2001, iFanboy has become one of the most respected and valued sites in the comics media.  Home to the #1 audio and video podcasts about comics, iFanboy is known for it’s personal connection, bringing it’s audience deeper into comics than any other media property. iFanboy is owned by Graphicly, one of the most innovative sources for digital comics and digital publishing distribution. For more information, visit www.ifanboy.com

I cant believe it! A Party! For the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! That is simply the best. Plus there will be a DJ, not to mention all of the great talent that will be there. If you like The Walking Dead, a few of the actors will be there as well. It’s only $10 buck plus you get a free goodie bag. If your on the West Coast it would be beneficial for you to stop on by and say hi to these amazing people!

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Press Release: The Spider

Feb. 20 Comic Books, Press Release no comments

This is a book that I have never heard about, but judging by the title it isn’t one that you will want to miss. Lets sit back and take a gander at what Dynamite entertainment has to announce!

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT PROUDLY PRESENTS…THE SPIDER!!!

IN COMIC STORES EVERYWHERE MAY 2012!

February 16th, 2011, Runnemede, NJ – The Spider, one of the greatest pulp characters of all time is now re-launched into the 21st century!  Dynamite Entertainment proudly presents The Spider #1, which will hit comic book stores everywhere in May 2012!  The series will be written by acclaimed writer David (Black Panther: The Man Without Fear) Liss and drawn by Colton Worley, with covers by Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Francesco Francavilla and Ron Lesser!

In The Spider #1, the world knows Richard Wentworth as a decorated war hero and the son of a wealthy industrialist – but only a few confidants know the truth.  As New York City slides into violence and despair, Wentworth has transformed himself into a force of justice as The Spider!  With only his wits, his technology, and his pistols to aid him, he fights a one-man man war against crime, but when a mysterious new villain threatens the city with an unspeakable horror, it may be more than even The Spider can handle.  How far will a sane man go to restore order to an insane world?  Find out in The Spider #1 when it ships in May!

“Part of what always made The Spider so cool was the sheer scope of destruction caused by his villains,” says The Spider writer David Liss.  “The Spider’s enemies thought nothing of demolishing city blocks, killing thousands, turning countless innocents into mindless slaves.  Faced with crime this insane, The Spider had turn himself into a force of equal ferocity, destruction and ruthlessness.  He’s the most badass and take-no-prisoners of the pulp heroes because he has to be, and it’s been absolutely awesome transferring that kind of sentiment from the 1930s to contemporary times. Some things have been updated, but he’s still the kind of vigilante that makes the bad guys wet their pants.”

“This book has it all,” adds artist Colton Worley. ”It’s got action, pulp, noir, horror, romance…everything you could ever want in a story all in one place.  And helping to create the world that David Liss has set up has been a great experience.

“Dynamite has propelled The Spider into the 21st century at breakneck speed,” says CEO and President of Argosy Communications Joel Frieman.  “Please fasten your seat belts.”

“David [Liss] and Colton [Worley] are a perfect pairing for the Spider,” states Dynamite Editor Joe Rybandt. “The moment we saw Colton’s first pages from #1 we spread them around like proud new parent’s showing off pictures of our first-born, they were that amazing. All thanks to the incredible script by David of course. The time is right for a pulp revival and we’re leading the charge.”

“I have wanted to publish The Spider comics for some time now,” says Dynamite Entertainment President and Publisher Nick Barrucci.  “But I wanted to make sure that the comic book had a dynamite creative team!  And with the dream team of David Liss and Colton Worley, The Spider #1 will be a must read for all comic book and The Spider fans!  Check out the awesome interior pages from Colton Worley for issue #1!”

The Spider was created by Harry Steeger at Popular Publications in 1933. He fought crime by donning a black fedora, a black cape, a trademark ring and a brace of .45 automatics to terrorize the criminal underworld, while driving in his sleek black specially outfitted Daimler.

The Spider novels were mainly written by Norvell W. Page, who filled them with danger, impending doom, fantastic villains, and great action!

Join the conversation on Twitter with #TheSpider and on Dynamite Entertainment’s twitter page at http://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook or visit www.comicshoplocator.com

For art and more information, please visit:

www.dynamite.net

About Dynamite Entertainment:

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including The Boys, Green Hornet, Vampirella, Warlord of Mars, Bionic Man, Game of Thrones and more!

In addition to their critically-acclaimed titles and best selling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Garth Ennis, Michael Avon Oeming, Mel Rubi, Marc Guggenheim, Stephen Sadowski, Mike Carey, Jim Krueger, Greg Pak, Brett Matthews, Matt Wagner and a host of up and coming new talent!

DYNAMITE is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their titles – including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger’s PROJECT SUPERPOWERS – have debuted in the Top Ten lists produced by Diamond Comics Distributors. Several of their titles have also hit The New York Times Best-Sellers list: The Boys, Vampirella Archives, Robert Jordan’s New Spring and Wheel of Time graphic novels. In 2005 Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%). The company has also been nominated for several industry awards, including the prestigious Eisner Award.

 

All I can say is, WOW! This almost reminds be of Spider-Man but at the same time it doesn’t at all. (OK, so I made a statement that was pretty much pointless.) As a newcomer to this series I am seriously looking forward to picking up this book. I am also pretty sure I will go back and read the previous series of The Spider.

 

 

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Review: INCORRUPTIBLE #27

Feb. 19 Comic Books, Reviews no comments

The book that I am about to review is a book that I have never read before, so with some help of a bunch of websites I put together some history for this book to give myself as well as you readers a little idea of what it’s all about. From there I will go into my review and let you guys know what I thought of Incorruptible #27.

   Incorruptible is an ongoing American comic book series written by Mark Waid and published by Boom! Studios. The series follows former supervillain Max Damage in his quest to become a superhero. The book is a spin-off of another Waid comic, Irredeemable, which follows the transformation of a superhero into a supervillain. Incorruptible was first published on December 16, 2009 as Incorruptible #1 and as of February 22, 2012 consists of twenty-seven issues. Marcio Takara is the current and longest-serving artist on the series, having provided art since Incorruptible #11 in October 2010.

   Incorruptible #1 was first released in December 2009 with pencils provided by Jean Diaz, ink by Belardino Brabo and colors by Andrew Dalhouse. Two alternate covers were provided for the issue: the first by John Cassaday, with colors by Laura Martin, and the second by Tim Sale, with inks by Paul Azaceta and colors by Matthew Wilson. A third limited-edition cover drawn by Jeffrey Spokes was also made available, appearing on one in every ten copies of the book.

On February 3, 2012, Waid announced that he was bringing both Irredeemable and Incorruptible to an end with issues #37 and #30 respectively in May 2012. Waid stated that he was “stretched thin right now both personally and professionally”, and that Max Damage’s character arc was reaching its end.

BRAND NEW ARC! GREAT FOR NEW READERS! Max Damage has seemingly driven Plutonian from Coalville, finally cementing him as a hero among the struggling desperate populace. But at what cost? And when the deal he made with Plutonian comes due, can Max be the hero that Coalville needs once again? Don’t miss the beginning of a new era in this companion to Mark Waid’s Eisner-nominated superhero series, IRREDEEMABLE!

I have come to realize that this is a series that you will have to start reading from the beginning. The story is just to in-depth to pick up in the middle, or from reading a little history, towards the end  of the series.

The individual book itself has 25 pages of full color. The majority of the pages have lengthy word bubbles that end up throwing me off before I even finish them. If you know me and my previous reviews I believe a comic book should be able to tell a story by pictures and have fewest word bubbles just to confirm what we are seeing.

Picking up from book #27 there is a bunch of crazy stuff happening. For example the books start with, from what it looks like a meteorologist and a detective speaking about some sort of radiation filled cloud that has been causing a lot of chemical contamination of all the food and civilians. Then out of no where a guy wearing all black on a motor cycle comes crashing through the chow line and shooting while killing civilians. The guy on the motor cycle refers to the other civilians as “Hangers” Which I found out later on in the book that it means people who hang on to their old lives/occupations after the radiation attack working for free to better the economy. So I guess we can assume that the motorcyclist is a rebel of some sort.

As we read on we get to see our hero MAX DAMAGE. If you read the history it says that he was a super hero that turned into a supervillian. I guess in this issue he is the super hero that everyone relies on. Back to the story, like I had mentioned he appears for maybe two of the frames on the page taking out the bad guy on the motorcycle. Then out of no where a time vortex opens up and another character pops out and says “MAX DAMAGE! The world- No THE UNIVERSE is in desperate need of your capabilities RIGHT THIS VERY….” and that’s the last time you see him in the issue.

Confusing to people who haven’t read the past books but understandable if there is some sort of reference in the past to this time vortex traveler. There is more to this great story but I am afraid if I say too much this book will be spoiled. As far as the art goes, I have seen better but at the same time this seems to be a book that relies on words more than pictures. The penciling and coloring are good but not eye-popping AMAZING! Don’t ask me to do better because I can’t. Overall the whole book combine would be a good read starting with issue number one. Nothing amazing but nothing that is unbearable. Give it a read and let us know what you think.

 

 

 

 

Have you checked out the Kickstarter page for “A CON-voluted Story”? Our very own Word of the Nerd team is involved with this awesome project!  Show them some love!

 

 

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PS3 Gamers: Say Goodbye To Your PSN Accounts!

Feb. 05 Gaming, News, Video Games no comments

       Heads up Playstation 3 owners, your PSN online account is undergoing a big change. Not really- actually just a name change, but a big, ugly one at that. On February 8th, Sony will change all existing “PSN” accounts to “Sony Entertainment Network” accounts, or SEN. This is Sony’s attempt to migrate all previous Sony Qriocity accounts and the like into the unifying SEN account for all things Sony, starting with the PS3 and PS Vita. Sony informed customers in an email:

“For general purposes, this account change is a change in name only. Your username or password will not change, nor are we asking you to change them”

Gee, thanks Sony! In your attempt to unify all of your services that no one uses, now we have to say “SEN names”? That just doesn’t sound right. I can see it now: “hey bro, what’s your SEN name?” It just doesn’t have the same ring to it as ‘PSN’ does.

“This transition is based on Sony’s goal to enhance its unique digital entertainment offering. As a series of these activities Sony started last September, PlayStation Network will be aligned with Sony Entertainment Network. This helps us get closer to our goal of establishing a global comprehensive network platform of services across games, movies, music and more, all accessible from one convenient account.”

Interestingly enough, this isn’t the case for the current-gen PSP, which will remain in the past, forever cursed with a PSN account. This just may be because Sony is phasing out the PSP in favor of the Vita, and one less device linked to these accounts will probably help things move forward quicker.

In all seriousness, this was inevitable. With all the big companies moving to create their own individual consumer media services, this had to happen eventually. Maybe now, with such an ugly name like ‘SEN’, the universal acceptance and popularity of just using the word ‘gamertag’ will grow.

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