Bayonetta Makes Its First Public Appearance

I love you Platinum Games. Your studio is absolutely overflowing with fun and style. Today, the first in game footage of Bayonetta was revealed to the world. The video is not embeddable so you will have to follow the link below to see it yourself. The video is just a minor clip of what is sure to be the first full trailer which will undoubtedly be revealed at TGS.

Click here to check out the Pre TGS Footage!

For those who are unfamiliar with Platinum Games, let me school you for a moment. Remember Okami? That incredible moving painting that was one of the most charming and unique platformers to hit the PS2… ever!? That game was developed by Clover Studios (also known for games such as God Hand and Viewtiful Joe) but was unfortunately closed down because not enough people bought the game… despite good reviews. I don’t know why, maybe it was too deep or as Brad would say, Artsy Fartsy, for most “gamers” to embrace. Platinum Games was founded shortly there after by Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil), Atsushi Inaba, and other key members of the Clover Studio team. The studio started as “Seeds, Inc.” but was later changed to Platinum Games. “Platinum Games” went on to announce several ambitous future projects such as the ultra violent “Mad World” for the Wii and of course “Bayonetta” for the PS3 and 360. What is so great about this studio is that they are definitely not afraid of trying new things and avoiding the norm. So lets talk Bayonetta for a second.

As you can see, Bayonetta takes some obvious influence from Devil May Cry in terms of environmental design and over the top action. This is probably a direct result of Hideki Kamiya involvement with the project. The game stars Bayonetta, a female warrior with guns on her shoes and lethal hair that can be used to attack foes. Sounds over top? Thats because it most certainly is. The story is still under wraps but from what I have heard from journalists who got a look at the game behind closed doors, the game will definitely be impressive. I can’t help but notice her walk as well. The game will definitely feature some sexual undertones and scantily clad characters, a trend that is common among Japanese games. I personally can’t stop watching her walk…

So let the ass jokes begin.

I have my eye on this game and I can’t wait to hear what David has to say about the game when he returns from TGS!

-Nick

Little Big Planet Beta Highlights

The sheer amount of content available has reinforced my belief that Little Big Planet is worthy of purchase even if the creation tools remain untouched. I will spend more time with the tutorials, but I’ve spent hours and hours this week just playing user created levels online. This game is insanely addicting. There also seems to be immeasurable depth with the creation tools, and I have no doubt some extremely talented people will make Little Big Planet one of the best games this year. I really hope some of those people come from the 4player Podcast community.

Here are some clips from me playing LBP earlier in the week.

Brad

New Comic Thursday

I’m off to Los Angeles for a wedding and E For All. I’m back Monday evening and then off to Japan on Tuesday. I’ll try to keep up with blog posts and look for a dinner time podcast Monday before Japan.

Since it’s Thursday and thecosmicfly is a comic genius, here’s this week’s Comic.

To view the other Comics, click here.

See you soon,
David

Silent Hill Homecoming: Final Launch Thoughts

So tomorrow, the first western developed entry in my favorite gaming franchise EVER hits retail. Silent Hill is something that is truly special to me no matter how much Brad hates on its less than stellar combat and its strange, obscure puzzles. The game has always had this charm to it that other horror games have lacked. I merely stumbled upon the first Silent Hill in a used game store years back and picked it up because I needed a new game to play. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. From their, the series spawned several sequels that secured the franchise in gaming history as one of the most disturbing yet beautiful games in the industry. The games feature superb art direction, excellent (yet confusing) plots, and beautiful music that come together to make an experience that really doesn’t compare to anything else out there. So it’s been 4 years since the release of Silent Hill 4 and I have been starving for a new game. Silent Hill Origins was good but it merely calmed my yearning temporarily. Before the game hits shelves, there are a few things I want to address.

The first reviews of this game have started to flood in and they have been all over the board. With most other Silent Hill’s, reviewers typically agreed on a general score but this game has scores as low as “6/10″ and as promising as an “A”. This is probably for varying reasons but here is what I think. First of all, Silent Hill is a game that is hard to grasp. If you don’t pick up on the game’s charm, you are probably very confused as to what is so great about it. I have read several reviews already that have mentioned many of the same qualities to the game but the funny thing is that some people treat them as faults and some treat them as positives. Many reviewers have mentioned that the games combat has been dramatically improved but the lower scores tend to refer to this as a feature that removes some of the fear from the game and makes it a little too easy. Others refer to it as a much welcomed improvement to the series. They see it was something the game has needed for years. Also, many have mentioned the games story as being a bit more straight forward than any of the previous games even though it shares similar themes. Once again, reviewers seem to be split on this element as well. To make a long story short, I think it comes down to how much you identify with the older entries in the series. Some don’t like change because they thing it takes away from what made the earlier games so good. Others welcome it as an improvement and an evolution to the series. Despite this difference in opinion, I seem to think that most people agree that “Double Helix”, the new western developer, has captured the spirit of the franchise and delivered an acceptable entry in the franchise.

As for my predictions concerning my own reactions to the game. I expect that I will like the game and respect the developers for trying to take the franchise in a new direction. Of course, I will be playing the game live on the feed and talking about the game on this weeks podcast. The only question that remains is: “How will Brad receive the game?” Expect my full impressions on the podcast this week and my full review sometime next week after I finish the game. Be sure to tune in on Thursday night at 10:00 pm central time to get a look at the game in action.

P.S.- Did I mention that I really can’t wait to get my hands on the games soundtrack? Akira Yamaoka… you are a genius.

-Nick

Force Unleashed DLC = Distubing Industry Trend

This is why I am incredibly frustrated with the way this industry is headed. Take “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed”, a game that was just released to a number of decent reviews and incredible sales in the first few weeks. I picked up the game. I played through the game from beginning to end. I enjoyed it for what it was, a glorified “hack n slash” title remeniscent of “God of War” but set in the Star Wars universe. The game did a magnificent job of tying the 2 trilogies together and left me satisfied overall by the end of the game. Expect my full review soon.

So here we are 2 weeks later. I am gearing up for my next big fall release and all of a sudden, Lucas Arts hits me over the head from behind with something big and heavy. Yes folks, the game will be extended soon with the addition of DLC that includes the ability to play through the game as Luke Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Kit Fisto as well as an additional plotline to play through. Why the hell can’t this content be included in the final retail copy of the game??!! I don’t want to download it, I want to have it on my disc so I can play it on any system I pop it into!

This problem also relates to the recent announcement that Fable 2 will not include online co-op at launch but will instead add it through a patch within the first week of the games release! Now Lionhead is saying that the patch might be released on launch day!!!! Dammit Molyneux!!! Just delay the game a week or two and get that damn feature on the disc!!!! I beg of you! But of course, they can’t do that because the game has already gone gold and is in the final stages of preparation for launch. Another game to fall victim to this trend is Little Big Planet which will not include online cooperative level editor at launch. This is just getting too frustrating for me to handle. I need to go punch something.

-Nick