Grand Knights History Producer, Yoshifumi Hashimoto, released a video today for the game’s official blog today discussing how the Online component of the game works. It’s all in Japanese however. Thankfully, AndriaSang has an idea about what Hashimoto was talking about. What I’m here for is the video. So far, all we’ve had for Grand Knights History in video form is its relatively static opening movie with the awesome music. That vid showed mostly still shot, but no motion. However, with the vid above, we finally see it moving, and beautifully at that. Along with WayForward, Vanillaware is tops when it comes to 2D sprite animation. The video, as AndriaSang describes, is the character selection process for when you choose units to do battle. As you can see, you can change certain aspects of your character, including armor and hair color, weapons, and accessories, etc.
Review in Progress #9 : Mortal Kombat : Xbox360, PS3 (Played)
Status : One playthrough of Arcade mode, one 2 player team ladder playthrough, story mode finished and challenge tower complete.
“I’m not interested in Mortal Kombat, I’ll wait for a price drop and get Portal 2 in the meantime”.
That was my input on one of the biggest release days of this year. Half of my planned Portal 2 review is still in progress or might even be co-reviewed, half of my Portal 2 review is waiting until Sony and these hackers stop their shit and get service running smooth again. Mortal Kombat also had a pretty quick price drop which was when I decided to snag the game.

360 players need not feel bad about the fancy exclusive label on the box. Kratos is garbage and has no challenges in the tower or place in story mode.
For me, Mortal Kombat was a fad I jumped into along with many other kids my age, just like pogs and Yu-Gi-Oh. Never had serious interest in them, but it was what all the cool kids played, so of course I tagged along. I bought most of the early series, played so I could look at the fatalities, feel really trendy by playing a game that dares to go against spelling “Combat” with a K and then move on to a fighting game that wasn’t so stiff. It was more about the spectacle than kompetition… see what I did there?
Having played Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe last month with ol’ Prota, I can honestly say I was hardly expecting a fighter worth my time, but gave it a chance anyway. So, how does this game measure up with other recent fighters?
Video Game Music w/ the James Episode 6 : Ys Seven (Part 1)
Well well, looks like I have a couple of minutes to start writing some stuff. My Review in Progress for Final Fantasy 4 is almost wrapped up (the first publish will be up to the end of -interlude-) and as an added surprise, I’ll also be discussing Mortal Kombat, which was actually not on my to-do list, but, it was addicting enough for me to play through the entire story mode.
For now though, it’s music time. It’s funny how Ys Seven came to mind for this post. Far from my favorite Ys game, the story was great and the music is arguably some of the best in the series. I tend to have vivid dreams this time of year, and a couple of nights ago, actually started dreaming some of my favorite music from this game and putting it on TWF, so I said why not go through with fulfilling my dream. Brace yourselves, cause this is going to be a large list of tracks, even if I eliminate some. As a matter of fact, I’ll break this one into two episodes, one for each disc of the soundtrack.
Why not just put up the whole intro for the opening track, right? Right. It’s actually pretty standard rpg opening music, nice pulse, the melody in the strings is pretty cool. Not my favorite opening in the series, but that doesn’t make it bad, just alright. I still get pumped listening to it every now and then.
My first though encountering this track in the game : “This dick does not deserve such a badass theme song”. It’s one of those slow paced electric guitar themes more suited to a character more mysterious and …silent — he doesn’t know when to stfu! The guy earns his cool points late in the game, but until then, it doesn’t fit the personality at all. It’s a perfect listen if you want something slow to jam to though. Continue reading
8-Bit Girls Dancing Gets A Song Stuck In My Head
This song… I was shown this song several weeks ago by my sister. Upon seeing this, the bright colors were a bit of a turnoff. But at the same time, I could not dismiss the charm that both the video and the song had. The song, “Kodo no Himitsu” (or “Secret Heartbeat”), is sung by J-pop group Tokyo Girls Style. This particular song is actually a remix by YMCK, a group from Japan known for their 8-Bit music. I don’t know much about YMCK unfortunately (but they do sound familiar). The sprites used here do kinda remind me of the ones from the 16-bit Final Fantasy games, mostly with how their eyes are closer to their noses. Anyway, check the vid out.
Here’s some Catherine Screenshots For Ya
Catherine’s got some new screenshots up for the US version of the game. While we’re at it, I’ll be posting some older screenshots as well. From the details so far regarding this game, Vincent (the guy with the afro) has a girlfriend, Katherine, that wants to get married. He thinks about it, but he never gives a straight answer, and it’s annoying her. Another girl, Catherine, comes into the picture, and all of a sudden Vincent is freaking out. Not only does he seem to have the hots for this new, younger girl, he’s also been getting nightmares ever since he met her.
As erotic as the game may look, it’s tackles some serious issues regarding love and marriage. Considering the divorce rate in the US, this could be quite a game to play. And a good topic to tackle too since marriage is something that is either great (from a woman’s perspective) or hell (from a man’s perspective). Anyways I’m rambling on. Hit the jump for the screenshots.
Catherine Deluxe Edition Announced, Don’t Mistake It For Pizza
Atlus has come up with a special edition for Catherine and, if you order this “Love is Over Deluxe Edition”, it will be delivered to you in a pizza box. Yes, you heard right, a freaking pizza box!
In addition to the pizza box, it will also come with a Catherine pillow case, Vincent’s boxers, and a shirt with a health meter running on empty. The deluxe edition will be priced at $79.99, $20 more than the regular version. Regardless of which you choose, just pre-ordering the title will net you a 36-page artbook and a CD with remixed songs from the game.
All that extra stuff is nice, but all I can think about is how cool it would be to have a game delievered to me in a pizza box. Hmm…I wonder if I have any leftover pizza boxes lying around.
Via: Joystiq
BIT.TRIP SAGA Coming to 3DS
That’s all six games, Beat, Core, Void, Runner, Fate, and Flux, coming to the 3DS, in one cartridge. Aksys Games has also stated that the game will also have Stereoscopic 3D. No word yet on how some of the games will function (Some are no-brainers, others like Flux make me wonder). So for those who always wanted to play the games but didn’t have a chance (or you’re too rightfully scared to buy them off WiiWare), now you can play all six games on the go. Aksys has no release date yet, but I’m guessing we’ll be getting it this year.
Also, now I get the meaning of that 3D Commander Video picture that circulated the interwebs sometime ago.
via Kotaku
Holy Shit! An Intellectual PSN Debate!
From what I’ve read of the big PSN crisis, it usually comes from two angles. There’s the legal/economic side where people are looking to sue Sony, hunt down whoever hacked their PSN service, ensure their financial security. It’s either “Fuck you hackers!” or “Fuck you Sony” and people just going crazy pointing fingers. Then there’s the other side where people are taking advantage of the situation to remind us that competitive services are still alive and well.
I can’t deny that I’m a little worried myself, and others on TWF have expressed similar concern. Continue reading
Now Even You Can Look Like Souji Seta (Or Is It Yu Narukami? Pah!)
Thanks to Persona 4, wearing glasses is cool again. Cospa is make a pair of these glasses, worn by the main character in Persona 4. The cool thing about these is that it’s not just for show; These can also be worn with prescription lenses, so the ocularly-challenged can wear these too. They do cost roughly $89 dollars, and since this is coming from Japan, I doubt they’ll be taking most health insurances (including Medicaid….dammit!). But screw it man, these glasses look freaking awesome! Hopefully they’ll be selling these in the Fall. You can order these at the AmiAmi website. I also recommend reading comment from user Unbeknownst2U from Destructoid on which frames are right for you.
Okami and God Hand sequels are a possibility, if fans want them
Motohide Eshiro, producer of Okamiden, mentioned the possibility of Okami and God Hand sequels in an interview with Gamesradar. However, that all depends on whether there’s a demand for them.
“We’re certainly willing to explore the option of another Okami game if the market is there for it. If people want it, we’ll be pleased to deliver it.” When the cult popularity of God Hand was brought up, Eshiro said “I personally am quite the fan of God Hand – I thought it had really dynamic gameplay of focusing not on blocking but on constantly dodging and moving. It was really fun and refreshing, and it would be great to see that turned into a series. Once again, it boils down to demand – how many people want it, what kind of ideas we have that would be fresh and make it worth exploring again, and we could come up with a plan that could fit the users’ needs and the market’s needs at the time.”
PSN users’ personal info compromised, over 70 million affected
This is a rough time to be a PlayStation Network user. PSN being down for the past 6 days as bothered many, but was more of an inconvenience than anything else. But now Sony admits that all of its users have had their personal information compromised from an external intrusion.
The PlayStation Blog goes on to list what information has been acquired. Apparently, everyone’s “name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID” has been obtained by the person(s) behind this. Further information that could have possibly been stolen as well consist of “profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers.” If that wasn’t enough, Sony says that, while there is no evidence that credit card information has been obtained, to take measures as if your credit card number and expiration date have been acquired.
Soul Brother takes over Adult Swim
If you’re looking for a fun way to kill some time on the internet, and enjoy a game with solid platforming and exploration, then I got just the thing for you.
Adult Swim’s latest browser-based game from Superflat Games, Soul Brother, is akin to titles such as An Untitled Story and VVVVVV. You control the soul of a person who just recently died, and you now have the ability to possess the various creatures you come across. The catch is, you can only possess someone when you die. Doing something like jumping into a spike pit will instantly have you take control of another creature on the same screen. And since different creatures have different abilities, such as being able to move blocks or double jump, switching bodies often is vital if you plan on finding all 33 gems of wisdom.
I just finished playing through the game and I have to say it’s pretty fun. It’s not a very long game, only taking me a little under an hour to beat. Then again, I was in a rush and only got 24 of the gems. But I do plan on playing it again when I have more time, in order to get them all. Plus, I love the pixel art style. So if you find yourself bored and with nothing better to do, then do yourself a favor and check out Soul Brother. I highly recommend it.
Via: Joystiq
Nintendo focusing more on software, 3D Zelda: A Link to the Past could happen
There’s been a lot of talk about Nintendo going around, especially with all the rumors and information surfacing, and now Shigeru Miyamoto continues to tease us with more news about their plans, as well as what to look forward to. According to Miyamoto, Nintendo’s been focusing on hardware lately, which would explain why we haven’t been seeing much software from Nintendo recently. However, he says that the focus will shift towards making more games
Miyamoto states that Nintendo will be creating “meaningful and high-value games” downloadable through the 3DS’ eShop. He also says that there are going to be more game remakes on the horizon for the handheld, and happened to mention that a remake he’d very much like to see is The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
Personally, I’d love to see it happen. It would be great to replay the game with a new two-layered look, and it’s nice to see some popular Nintendo games getting remade. But I can’t wait to hear more about Nintendo’s new titles, and I’m curious to see what games are going to be available on the eShop service.
All I know is that this year’s E3 looks like it’s going to be a crazy one thanks to Nintendo.
Via: Destructoid
Source: Next-gen Biz
Kung Fu Theater: Fight! Dragon! (aka Tatakae! Doragon!)
While roaming the aisles at an FYE I frequent, my eyes came upon a most curious little treasure. A kung fu television show. Now, of course, such an idea is not unheard of. The classic David Carradine TV show aptly named “Kung Fu” is one of the most popular examples. And other shows like “The Green Hornet” had elements of Kung Fu in them, with that show having a pre-stardom Bruce Lee. But this item was different. It was a genuine production from Japan, and starred people who were (gasp!) actually Asian. The box proudly proclaimed that it was “available for the first time in the U.S.” and that it starred Bolo Yeung (most well known as Chong Li in Bloodsport) and Yasuaki Kurata (numerous Shaw Bros. movies and probably known to more modern audiences as the Kung Fu master Fumio Funakochi in “Fist of Legend“). After seeing that I could get my Kurata on, and that it cost only twelve dollars, I bought the show immediately.
Getting home, I realized a few things: First, the box art was…odd. It had a picture of Bolo, true, but it was one of him from Bloodsport. And there was some random dude who was not Yasuaki Kurata posing behind him. Moving on from that, I would find out that Bolo’s character lasts a mere 2 episodes of this 26 episode show. Despite these early issues, I can gladly say that “Fight! Dragon!” is one of the best investments I ever made, and is a grand example of schlocky, Kung Fu action at its best.
Final Fantasy Type-0 Website Up, Music Kicks Ass
Square Enix has launched the website for Final Fantasy Type-0. To complement it, it’s got some kickass music to go along with it. Unfortunately, the other two at the bottom right are blacked out and not up yet. Bummer too, cause this music seems to indicate that some serious shit is about to go down in this game. And you know what, I believe it, what with the gratuitous amounts of blood I’ve seen in the trailers recently. Now, the thought of blood in a game is nothing new. But for a Final Fantasy game, it’s pretty rare, with one of the few instance I recount occurring in Final Fantasy VIII (how do you think Squall got that scar?). I’ve also seen blood in one of the earlier Final Fantasy Versus XIII trailers, but for some reason, it looks to have been toned down from the more recent trailers.
Anyways, I’m getting ahead of myself here. Final Fantasy Type-0 was under the name Final Fantasy Agito XIII since its debut. It was part of the universe of Fabula Nova Crystallis. Last fall, the name of this entry was changed to Type-0 after someone in the dev team (Not sure who) saw that the game deviated a bit too far from the original intent of the game (and the overarching story/world structure of FNC). Although the name change has distanced itself from the other two games in the world, it is still part of the same universe.
Final Fantasy Type-0 is slated to release on the PSP this Summer in Japan.










