Up late talking games & writing? You're...

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Alright, so I know I haven't been updating nearly as often as I have been.

Sorry about that, but I do have my reasons -- I’m deep in the middle of editing my book (the deadline is the end of this month and I can feel it breathing down my neck!) and when I'm not doing that, Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate has been consuming my every free moment, of which there have been precious few. 

So, please forgive the lack of new content here. ^_^

In terms of the near future, I'm expecting updates to remain slow until the beginning of May when my workload will lighten up a bit... however, I'm currently prepping a series of testimonials from people who are Monster Hunter fans. That should go up next week.

I'm also going to Undead Labs tomorrow to get a hands-on with State of Decay for XBLA. You might have remembered I mentioned it here at the blog a few times, and it's one of my most-anticipated games of 2013. I'll have some preview coverage just as soon as I can get it written.

In the meantime, you can check out my recent review of Guacamelee! (which was totally awesome) and please give a listen to the brand-new, re-launched @Gamecritics Podcast. We've got a fantastic new host and a new publishing schedule, two things which will be of interest to fans of the show. And hey, if you're not a fan, listen anyway... you soon will be!

Finally, I've accumulated quite a few PR announcements over the last week or two. I'm going to post them all down below, so skim through the titles and see if anything catches your eye.

TTFN!

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Independent adventure game publisher Wadjet Eye Games has brought their best seller Gemini Rue to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Inspired by the point-and-click classics of Sierra, LucasArts, and Revolution, this award-winning game combines "old school" adventure gameplay with gritty, low-res graphics and a gripping neo-noir narrative. Gemini Rue is currently on sale on the App Store for $3.99 (regularly $4.99): https://itunes.apple.com/app/gemini-rue/id614678683

 A Universal App, Gemini Rue runs on iPhone 3GS and above, iPod touch 3G and above, and all iPad models including iPad Mini.

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We’re pleased to announce that QuakeCon 2013 online pre-registration is set to open on April 15th! While general admission to QuakeCon remains FREE for all attendees, when pre-registration opens we will be offering premium packages. These premium packages are limited and will be available on a first-come first-serve basis.  Pre-registration for QuakeCon will begin Monday, April 15th at 7:00pm CST/8:00pm EST on http://registration.quakecon.org/.

For more information visit: www.quakecon.org. Images for the QuakeCon premium packages can be downloaded from this link:https://www.yousendit.com/download/UVJpNWNqQzd0d0VYRHRVag 

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Mr. Runner 2: The Masks -- the sequel to the widely popular Mr. Runner which has more than five million downloads -- will be arriving on iOS in a couple weeks. 

Players are thrust into the comical, unpredictable running platformer made up of the main character’s dreaming subconscious as he avoids deadly yet imaginative obstacles to catch an enigmatic figure that holds the key to his identity. As the crazy cartoon world changes around him his mask temporarily morphs to resemble pop culture icons, everything from your favorite super hero to a classic video game figure is likely to appear. 

The game will officially launch Wednesday, April 24 on iOS.

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NIS America is thrilled to announce that we have partnered with ATLUS, a brand of Index Digital Media, Inc., to publish Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan throughout Europe this summer. The game will be available in physical format at retail stores, as well as a digital download version on the Nintendo eShop. Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan contains plenty of challenges and gameplay for fans of old school dungeon-crawling RPGs, exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. A demo which includes 2 dungeons will be available on eShop early this summer leading up to the game’s release, for those fans who want to get a nice sneak peek of Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan! 

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Independent game development studio Minority Media announced today that Papo & Yo, its critically-acclaimed emotional adventure game, is now available internationally for pre-order on Steam, Amazon and other PC-based direct download platforms. Starting today through the PC launch on April 18, 2013, gamers can pre-order the game to receive 10 percent off the $14.99 purchase price and a free copy of the wildly popular Papo & Yo original soundtrack (OST).

For the full list of digital distributors, please visit http://www.weareminority.com/blog/pre-order-papo-yo-for-pc and pre-order Papo & Yo today. For more information about Papo & Yo and Minority, visit www.weareminority.com/ or connect with Minority on Twitter: @we_are_minority.

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505 Games, a global publisher of video games, today announced that the block-building smash hit Terraria is headed to thePlayStation®Vita system (PS Vita). In development by Engine Software, Terraria for PS Vita will be available in summer 2013.

Originally released in 2011 for the PC by creator/developer Andrew Spinks' Re-logic studio, Terraria has received universal, critical acclaim and over 2 million "Terrarians" have struck out on their own adventures and fallen for it's mix of side-scrolling, action-adventure gaming and emphasis on crafting and exploration.

For all the latest news and updates on all things Terraria head over to https://www.facebook.com/TerrariaOfficial or https://twitter.com/Terraria_Logic.

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It's here! After lots of packaging, tweaking, and testing, we're rolling out the new Torchlight Editor - GUTS.

Torchlight 2 now fully supports Steam Workshop. A new launcher synchronizes any mods you have subscribed to,  and lets you customize their activation state and loading priority. In addition, when playing Internet games in the lobby, you will be able to filter modded games by mod combination, and with a single button click, subscribe to those mods. Torchlight 2 will then restart, synchronize them, and activate them before returning you to the game.

New to modding? Here's how to get started with GUTS - the Torchlight Editor wiki that we've been creating. You will definitely want to bookmark this resource! http://docs.runicgames.com/wiki/Getting_Started

Click here for the complete patch notes. http://forums.runicgames.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54098

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Meteor Entertainment, publisher of the much-anticipated mechanized robot shooter, HAWKEN, has revealed that their advanced interactive Mech store is officially online - www.playhawken.com/store

The Mech store is the result of weeks of hard work, late nights, and passionate dedication of the entire METEOR / HAWKEN team to ensure a seamless and visually spectacular player experience, both within and outside of the game itself. Visitors to the site will find everything they need to immediately acquaint themselves with the game and the hardware they will need to wreak havoc in online warfare.

TO VIEW THE MECH STORE:

Just visit www.playhawken.com/store or point your browser to the www.playhawken.com homepage and click on the image near the top of the screen labeled “Browse the Online Mech Catalog – MECH STORE OPEN NOW”

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It's been nearly ten years since the last chapter closed in the original Shin Megami Tensei® role playing game (RPG) series, but the long wait is nearly over. Developed by the award-winning ATLUS team, Shin Megami Tensei IV (SMTIV) features powerful new demons, expansive dungeons, epic story arcs with branching plot lines, game-altering decision making, and more. Built specifically for the Nintendo 3DS™ system with optimized graphics, 3-D dungeons, voiced dialogue, and StreetPass functionality, SMTIV will be a premium title available this summer.

  

Shin Megami Tensei IV will be exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS system and sold as a premium title beginning this summer. The game is expected to receive an M rating from the ESRB, but is not yet rated. More details will be revealed in the future, with updates on the official SMTIV website at http://www.atlus.com/smt4. 

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ATLUS, a brand of Index Digital Media, Inc. announced Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is now available for download on the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation®3, PlayStation®Vita, and PlayStation®Portable.  Presented as a parallel world to the events that unfolded in Persona®2: Innocent Sin, Persona 2:  Eternal Punishment delivers all the gameplay and action from the original Eternal Punishment title, delivering the missing chapter to fans to complete the full Persona experience.  The title is priced at $9.99.

As in the other Persona titles, players have the option to fight demons encountered or negotiate with them to earn items, assistance, or their Arcana cards in order to fuse new Personas and gain access to more powerful attacks.  Additionally the game incorporates a rumor system, where players collect and exchange rumors throughout the game. Rumors taken to the Kuzunoha Detective Agency can be spread for a fee, changing the dynamic of the gameplay to alter storefronts and other gameplay elements.  

   

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is rated M for Mature.  

  

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Kalypso Media has released a new single-player demo of Omerta - City of Gangsters for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft .

The demo features two levels from the Prohibition-era gangster game that mixes city conquest with turn-based combat and heist planning. Grab the demo to get a taste of Omerta, and see if you can become the ultimate crime lord in 1920’s Atlantic City.

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They say there’s no freedom like the open road, and no bigger badasses than bikers. Deep Silver is proud to take gamers deep into a world of bare-knuckle violence, seedy strip clubs, and rip-roaring motorcycles with the Ride to Hell universe, revving into homes starting June 2013.

Ride to Hell: Retribution tells the story of a lone rider, Jake Conway, a man with either a gun in his hand or a girl on his lap (and on more than one occasion both!). He’s on a merciless path of revenge against a brutal biker gang called The Devil’s Hand, armed to the teeth with an arsenal of deadly weapons to enact his vengeance on foot and on bike. The only law Jake answers to is his own.  Hit hard, ride fast and leave 'em in the dust on June 25, 2013, in North America and June 28, 2013, in the rest of the world for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC, and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

Looking to lead your own pack of fearsome bikers? Ride to Hell: Route 666 is just for you, taking the player on a journey to conquer legendary Route 66. Players will recruit and lead a gang of bikers from Chicago to Los Angeles,fighting for every mile of the road using both brain and brawn. Fast paced arcade combat combined with easy to understand tactics – anyone who understands team sports will be able to dive right in to commanding their gang. Get ready to rule the road with Ride to Hell: Route 666 in June 2013 on the PlayStation®Store, Xbox LIVE® Arcade for Xbox 360 and Steam.

Last, but certainly not least, the Ride to Hell universe will be rounded out with Ride to Hell: Beatdown, a rock’n’roll brawler set to light up the mobile space, on the go! More details on this title will follow soon.

Ride to Hell: Retribution is developed by Eutechnyx, Ride to Hell: Route 666 by Black Forest Games.

For more information about the Ride to Hell universe, please visit one of the following official sites:

Web: http://www.ridetohell.com
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/ridetohellgame
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RideToHellGame
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/deepsilverhq 

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Independent developer NeocoreGames revealed today a spectacular new gameplay trailer and screenshots for The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, demonstrating the much anticipated Rage and Power-up System, whereby players have the ability to tailor skills on the spot. Whether it is killing foes instantly or freezing them in place, players have an enormous selection of abilities to take advantage of while they combat twisted creatures born in secret laboratories.

Watch or download the trailer and check out the latest screenshots here.

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Ubisoft® announced its new line-up of digital titles, adding to the portfolio of games to be released in the coming months.

Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon lets players get the girl, kill the bad guys and save the world in a VHS-era vision of the future!  As Sergeant Rex Colt, you are part man, part machine, all American.  You are a state-of-the art Mark IV cyber-commando on a mission...of vengeance.

Flashback
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Flashback is back in 3D and HD.  Updated for the new millennium by its original creator and rendered in 3D by the power of the unreal engine, a new generation of players can now experience a game that helped define sci-fi Action/Adventure games.

Cloudberry Kingdom
Unhappily ever after?  That’s how it starts.  The Orb resurfaces and the classic characters return.  Kobbler with his mania, Princess with her endless boredom.  It’s only a matter of time before Bob, our hero, shows up to put order back to madness.  Three powers struggle for victory and the fate of Cloudberry Kingdom hangs in the balance.  

Metro: Last Light is a first person shooter and the highly anticipated sequel to the extraordinary Metro 2033. In the year 2034, a nuclear war has turned the world into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. In Moscow, the tunnels of the Metro have become a new home for the former inhabitants of the city. Within the catacombs, they fight for their survival, fending off hordes of hideous mutants born from the toxic atmosphere, as well as other factions desperate to take control of what little hospitable land remains. As they fight, they also search for a doomsday device that could be the key to their victory. A civil war is inevitable. During these dark hours, the players will embody Artyom, and become the last light for all of mankind.

Today Metro: Last Light sees an epic bombshell of gameplay action released as a beefy strategy video guide, Ranger Survival Guide, Chapter 1 is now available. The first of three creature-filled videos to come, the guide takes you deep under the city and prepares you for the foes you will meet, the items you will need, and gives sheds some light on the dark, fascinating story of Metro: Last Light – all cloaked in stealthy action. YouTube: http://youtu.be/pTqqL8QWXP0 

For more information please visit: www.enterthemetro.com.

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Request: Over at GameCritics, one of our regular readers put in a request for an article about why I like Monster Hunter so much.

I’ve reviewed the games a couple of times and the topic has been dominating my Twitter feed since 3 Ultimate came out, but I don't think I've ever written solely about why this series holds much appeal for me. So, to honor that request I'm in the process of coming up with some thoughts about why cutting tails and crafting armor is so incredibly compelling, even after hundreds of hours.

However, rather than just talking about myself, I thought it would be more interesting to get quotes and testimonials from other people who adore the games as well. If there's ever been a series that I felt never got its proper due, it would probably be Monster Hunter. As a way of rectifying that, perhaps hearing first-hand accounts from people who've taken the plunge will help win over some new fans and build popularity for property that's largely unknown or misunderstood in the West.

Whether you’re a series veteran or a recent newcomer, if you've got a taste for the hunt and you'd like to be included in this piece, please send me an e-mail with your thoughts, feelings, impressions, history with the various games, or anything at all that might shed some light on Monster Hunter for others. I will be compiling and editing everything that’s sent in, and will produce one comprehensive piece at the end, and it will appear here and at GameCritics.com, in addition to being sent directly to Capcom.

My e-mail address is listed on the right-hand side of this blog above my photo. Please keep submissions to no more than one thousand words (anything less than that is just fine!) and let me know how you want to be credited and if there's anything you'd like me to plug as a way of saying thanks for chipping in.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 12th. Looking forward to hearing from y'all! 

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This week starts the countdown to getting my book edits done. Most of my time in the evenings will be going to that until it's wrapped up, so I'm going to get right down to business here and then get to work...

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Games: According to the package notice left on the door of the GameCritics West studio today (how do they always manage to come when no one is in?) the next thing I'll be reviewing appears to be Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel.

Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel

Unfortunately, EA is only sending one copy, so it seems like trying to review the online co-op will be a little problematic. On the other hand, the game does offer splitscreen action, so maybe that won't be entirely terrible...

Otherwise, I'm putting the finishing touches on my Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate review tonight. 

Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate

Although I'm nowhere near the end because the games in this series are absolutely enormous, I've already got about 75 hours or so in between the solo campaign and online/local multiplayer. While I still have some quibbles with the basic formula and the graphics won't drop any jaws, Capcom has no trouble delivering an outstanding experience that's deep, rich, and satisfying. Spoiler: it's going to be a very favorable review.

In other games news, I've been tooling around with a few things randomly. 

With the wife currently in command of my 3DS (she's working on her own Monster Hunter character, of course) I’ve hopped back onto the Vita and have been trying to catch up with what I've missed during my recent 3DS binge.

Right off the bat, I found two little gems courtesy of @AshtonRaze and @Jeremy_LaMont. These fine fellows recommended Haunt the House and Aqua Kitty respectively, and their instincts were right on.

Haunt the House

Haunt the House is a cute, cartoony little thing about a ghost who can possess objects in a series of (wait for it...) houses with the goal of frightening the occupants away and freeing spirits trapped within. It's super-simple and the entire thing can be finished in an hour or two, but I love the concept and the aesthetics are awesome.

Aqua Kitty is an iteration on the 1980 classic Defender, although I suppose the majority of gamers these days are probably too young or haven't done enough research to know much about the original.

… aaaand that feels really weird to write. I may need to take a moment here.

*ahem*

Anyway, the gist is that the player controls a submarine that shoots back and forth in a 2D ocean with the goal of defending kitty friends hanging out at the bottom of the sea. Enemy fish will try to come and kidnap them, so it's all about blasting and dodging while collecting the occasional power up.

Aqua Kitty

It may sound a little simple, but Defender was an enormous hit back in the day, and I'm guessing that anyone who spends a few minutes with Aqua Kitty will see why.

The other big winner I discovered on the Vita was Cyberbots, a 2D fighting game made by Capcom. For whatever reason it was never localized for the US, and it's always been one of those “games that got away " until now.

Cyberbots

It's located in the PS One Classics section of the online store, and it goes for $6 or so. It's unfortunate that the game has had no translation done on it whatsoever (all dialogue is still in Japanese) but the menus are in English and with a little help from a move list from GameFAQs, it's totally playable. 

I had a great time with that today, and it was really interesting to look back at this title from 1995 or so and see what a solid, well-developed and interesting fighter it is. Side note: sharp-eyed players will recognize a few characters here, Devilotte and Jin Saotome, both of whom have made guest appearances in other Capcom games.

Clive Barker's Undying

Speaking of "games that got away", GoG.com recently added Clive Barker’s Undying to their list of releases. This has been on my ‘gotta try this’ list for ages, so heads up that you can now get it in a legit way. Find it right here.

Finally, the wife and I have been fooling around with Resident Evil 6 (just Jake’s campaign so far) and I have to say that after hearing everyone trash the game so hard for so long, we were both surprised to find that it's actually kind of fun.

Resident Evil 6

That's not to say that the game doesn't have problems -- I am absolutely mystified as to why Capcom thought they could put a player into this virtually brand-new experience with no education or tutorials of any significance. The inventory systems are totally different, the character controls are totally different, using melee attacks is of the utmost importance, and the entire game seems like a top-to-bottom reboot of what Resident Evil is. Or was, I suppose.

It's clear to see that the developers attached the RE name to cash in on its popularity, but in all honesty, I think they would have been better off turning this into an all-new IP. It's a pretty radical departure from what I think everyone expected, and while that would have been enough of a challenge to overcome all by itself, the absolute lack of any meaningful information on how to interact with the game was a grievous error in judgment. If I hadn't read @GC_Danny’s astute review and talked to several people about it beforehand, I suspect our reaction to the game might have been quite different.

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Podcast: I've had several questions via email and Twitter about the status of the podcast, so I wanted to take a minute to clear things up: the podcast is alive and well, and we’re recording a new episode this Friday.

Of course, since our former host Dylan Collins has departed to focus on other things, there are definitely some changes in the works. While our time with Dylan was great and we wish him the best of luck, we’ve got a bunch of ideas cooking and are quite also excited about the new, rebooted show to come.

Thanks very much to all of the listeners and to everyone who has expressed concern about the status of the show... it means a lot to us that people out there care! Have no worries, though. The show is in good hands and you can all look forward to a new episode next week, most likely.

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Resident Evil newcomer Rachel, who made her debut in the 3DS release of Resident Evil Revelations, will be joining Hunk as a brand new playable character in Raid Mode.  Resident Evil Revelations also features two brand new enemies, including the Wall Blister and a surprise new creature that appears in Raid Mode once players have reached a certain level.

Wii U players will be able to take advantage of the unique features of that system with three different styles of play. Using the screen on the GamePad players can quickly access their map and weapons, or switch the GamePad out for a Wii U pro controller.  Alternatively, players are able to transfer all the horror to the GamePad as the title utilizes Off TV play.

The Miiverse feature will offer Wii U players further exclusives. Players can post a dying message on the Game Over screen for other players around the world to see.  The ‘Creatures Voice’ function allows players to personalize the thoughts of enemies in Raid Mode to taunt their friends. Screens of all the Wii U functions can be downloaded here.

Resident Evil Revelations supports Residentevil.net with online events and in-game connectivity planned for after launch. Exclusive dioramas of the game’s characters and enemies can be collected through the online service. Earn custom parts and weapons for use in Raid Mode and items for Campaign Mode.

Resident Evil Revelations will be released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and Wii U across North America on May 21 and Europe on May 24.

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Today, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. announces the first DLC for SILENT HILL BOOK OF MEMORIES, the PlayStation Vita-exclusive title with all-new gameplay mechanics and a constantly-changing storyline built around the Silent Hill universe.

This debut download pack (priced at $4.99) includes refined balancing and dozens of new gameplay features, including:

10 New Playable Characters
50 New Outfits
15 New Accessories
14 New Artifacts
10 New Weapons
15 New Story Notes
2 New Enemies
4 New Trophies

SILENT HILL BOOK OF MEMORIES' downloadable content will be available on PlayStation Network beginning 3/20 for $4.99. SILENT HILL BOOK OF MEMORIES for PlayStation Vita is available now in retail stores nationwide or digitally through the PSN Store.

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Kingdom Rush, beloved tower defender by Armor Games for iPhone and iPad, just released the free "Winter Storm" update with cool new content and a (frozen solid) hard mode, and I'd love you to consider covering the news. 

Blustering onto the award-winning game in this update:

Two New Wintry Stages

Terrifying Troll Enemies 

A Malicious Hard Mode 

Two Viking Heroes' Debut 

Five New Troll-thumping Achievements 

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Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, ended its panel at the PAX East convention today with the announcement that three titles from its revered catalogue - DuckTales ,  Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom and Dungeons & Dragons:  Shadow over Mystara - are making a welcome return on multiple platforms in the coming months. Originally released in 1989 on the Nintendo Entertainment System, DuckTales was widely acknowledged as one of that generation’s seminal platform titles. Taking its cue from the Disney cartoon series of the same name, DuckTales Remastered follows the adventures of Scrooge McDuck as he explores differently themed worlds to collect their treasures and become the world’s richest duck.

DuckTales Remastered has seen the development team take the levels and layout from the original 1989 release as a foundation before expanding upon them to significantly enhance the gameplay experience but where this update truly impresses is its graphics and sound. All of the visuals from the 8-bit game have been beautifully re-created as hand-drawn and animated sprites, across a backdrop of luscious, re-envisioned level backgrounds. Furthermore, original Disney Character Voices talent, including some from the cartoon TV series, bring in-game characters to life with charm and wit, while the classic melodies of the original soundtrack are given a modern twist.

As the first modern role playing game, the Dungeons & Dragons franchise from Wizards of the Coast gave birth to numerous products including two arcade titles from Capcom, Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom and its sequel Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara.  Both these titles are now being re-released with updated HD graphics and a wealth of other enhancements as a definitive double pack entitled Dungeons & Dragons ®: Chronicles of Mystara™. Scheduled for release digitally on PlayStation 3, Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360, Wii U and Windows PC in June, the title is being developed for Capcom by Iron Galaxy and will be priced at $14.99/€14.99/£11.99/1200 MSP.

Just as in the arcades, up to four players will select their character class before doing battle against the mythical beasts from theDungeons & Dragons’ universe with a mix of melee, range and magic attacks. But now, thanks to GGPO, there’s no need to jostle for position around a cabinet as Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara offers seamless drop-in/drop-out online gameplay in one of two modes. In addition to the classic arcade mode with its branching paths and multiple endings, players can utilize the all new House Rules feature and customize gameplay for a completely different experience.

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"Rise and shine! Ah, another glorious Friday morning.

We here at MMPR and Rising Star Games have been hearing rumors that you've been thinking about taking a trip to come stay with us up here in Greenvale on April 30. We just want to tell you that we think that it's a wonderful idea!

We are certain that you'll have an absolutely delightful time. Let loose those city shackles, and come enjoy the fresh air and quiet, country life. Take a stroll through town and meet the locals - they have wonderfully interesting stories to share. Socializing not your cup of coffee? You can always enjoy a nice scenic drive through the hills, or wet a line and go fishing. And if you're feeling hungry, hop on over to the A&J Diner, or wet your whistle at the Swery65 bar and grill. Life certainly is beautiful here in Greenvale.

To show you just how beautiful it is, we've prepared a "Welcome to Greenvale" trailer just for you. Won't you come join us?"

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Book: My deadline for edits on Speaking in Forked Tongues is approaching, so shit is getting real. 

It’s kind of bizarre to think it’s going to finally be published after all this time… I've been chipping away at it over the last month or so, but I'm going to crank the volume up starting next week and get it done. There might be a slight dip in my game-related productivity over the coming days, but we'll see how it goes.

More hard info to come.

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Games: I was recently invited to be a guest on the @CaneAndRinse podcast to discuss one of my favorite titles in recent years, I Am Alive. 

That episode is now up and available for your listening pleasure here.

In a similar vein, my review for the Mass Effect 3: Citadel DLC went up a few days ago, along with my review for Etrian Odyssey IV, which, if you will recall, was the sole reason I bought a 3DS.

It did not disappoint.

Oh, I also covered the Vergil’s Downfall DLC for DmC… in case you're curious, you can catch that as well. 

Finally, I'm currently working on my review of Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate.

I wasn't able to put as much time into it as I expected because the bridging software which allows players to transfer data between the WiiU and 3DS has not been available, and apparently will not be until the day of release. 

Since I'm usually able to catch a few quests here and there on a portable when I'm not in front of my TV, that was an unexpected setback. 

The Monster Hunter games are all pretty huge, and it took me something like 60-70 hours to finish Tri the first time -- and that was doing the bare minimum stuff. MH3U has added a ton more content, so there’s no way anyone will be able to review it top-to-bottom unless they've been playing it for twenty hours a day since the review copies went out.

Luckily, I'm already very familiar with the series and Tri (which MH3U is based on) so that helps a lot. Once I'm able to try the data transfer and log some solid time doing online quests, I'll probably call the review good.

So how is it???

Well so far, MH3U has been kind of mixed bag. 

Tri has never been my favorite MH game for several reasons (MHFU still owns my heart) but getting any Monster Hunter is a minor miracle these days, so I'm quite happy to have it. 

On the other hand, it's been a long time since I was at square one in a MH game, and I kinda forgot how poorly they get started… the tutorial missions are painfully boring and the lack of initial resources means that it takes several hours before you have any real options of improving your gear and getting to some exciting battles. I know it gets exciting later, but you'd never guess from how it begins.

I'm hoping that this initial slog doesn't turn potential fans off... I still think the series has a lot to offer, and I'm guessing there are a ton of people out there who would get into it if the circumstances were right. That said, it's a tough sell when the game gets off to such a dull start on top of already being pretty cryptic with explaining the systems and being limited to Nintendo hardware.

Still, fingers crossed this is the start of a good thing for more MH in the states!

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As a Sorcerer in Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, players will get to cast an array of high level magic spells as they make their way through the underground realm. Check out the latest video on our press extranet to see how the Sorcerer and his party fare against the Poisoned Undead, Banshees and the imposing Gold and Silver Knights.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen includes all of the content from the original Dragon’s Dogma plus a whole new underground realm for gamers to explore. Owners of the original game will be able to export their existing save data to continue their journey as the Arisen, while those new to the series can begin their Dragon’s Dogma experience afresh. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen will be available from April 23 in North America and across Europe on April 26.

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By visiting GameStopJoinTheParty.com, fans can help unlock exclusive content from Injustice: Gods Among Us, including an early premiere of the game’s opening cinematic! They can also win one of ten Battle Editions of the game and an Xbox 360.

Pre-orders at GameStop get the exclusive Red Son Pack which features bonus missions and character skins for Superman, Wonder Woman and Solomon Grundy. Complete details can be found at GameStop.com/Injustice.

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"Well, good afternoon. How was your morning? Did you sleep well, Zach?

It was another beautifully brisk morning here in Greenvale. We got a much needed shower and shave in, slid into a freshly pressed suit, and we got to watch the sun break over the coniferous evergreen hills of this little country town. Ah, and can you smell that, Zach? Mmmm, freshly brewed coffee.

Oh my, this coffee...this coffee is magnificent!

Sorry, Zach, I got a little carried away. Now, back to the case at hand (we'll definitely have to talk to someone about that coffee though). It would appear that 'The Monarch' of Greenvale has supplied us with some new information that could lead to unlocking the happiness of our fans. You want that don't you, Zach? 

Good, me too. 

It looks as though the official site for Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut is now live!

From the official site you can get detailed information  on the game, see what's happening in the news , and pre-order the game.

Did you hear that, Zach, you can even pre-order the game before its release on the PlayStation®3 entertainment system and PlayStation®Network towards the end of April.

Life sure is beautiful, isn't it, Zach?" 

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Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. announced that the DLC Virtual Reality (VR) Missions is available now on the Playstation®3 Entertainment System. Free for a limited time, the DLC adds 30 all-new missions to the game, featuring the classic VR look inspired by the original METAL GEAR SOLID VR Missions. The pack is pure, uncut gameplay that introduces a host of unique new challenges that will push Raiden's skills to its limits.

Along with the VR Missions, KONAMI will release two additional METAL GEAR RISING: REVENGEANCE downloadable content packs starting this April. The first DLC pack, Jetstream, will be a side story featuring Sam as a playable character. The second pack, Blade Wolf, will allow players to control the enigmatic Blade Wolf and will showcase his side story. Both DLC packs will feature multiple hours of gameplay including unique abilities and characteristics for each character, while also expanding on each of their storylines and origins.

The VR Missions DLC is available now for free on the PlayStation Playstation®3 Entertainment System.

The Jetstream and Blade Wolf DLC will be available in April for $6.99 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

For more information, please visit: http://www.metalgearsolid.com

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We’re pleased to announce that Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall, the second add-on pack for the critically-acclaimed first-person action game developed by Arkane Studios, will be available worldwide on April 16, 2013 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC for $9.99 (or 800 Microsoft Points).

In The Knife of Dunwall you take on the role of Daud, the legendary assassin who killed the Empress, and access his weapons, gadgets, allies and supernatural abilities. After assassinating the Empress, and forever changing the fate of Dunwall, you embark on a search for redemption. The Outsider reveals the key to your atonement, but who—or what—is Delilah? Accompanied by the Whalers, your loyal band of mercenary assassins, your search will take you through never-before-seen districts of Dunwall as you face off against new and terrible foes. Employ a unique arsenal of new weapons and powers that enhance Dishonored’s dynamic combat, mobility and stealth systems. In the struggle to hang onto the last shred of your humanity, the choices you make will ultimately determine your fate.

Dishonored has received over 100 'Game of the Year' awards from outlets including Game Informer, PC Gamer, Yahoo!, GameSpot.com, MSNBC.com, and CNN. In addition to garnering numerous nominations from the D.I.C.E. Interactive Achievement Awards and the Game Developers Choice Awards, Dishonored received ‘Best Action/Adventure Game of the Year’ at the SPIKE TV Video Game Awards and was recently named ‘Best Game of 2012’ by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) video games awards. For more information onDishonored or The Knife of Dunwall please visit www.Dishonored.com.

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Capcom and Valve are pleased to announce the Resident Evil 6 x Left 4 Dead 2 project. This crossover project between two of the interactive entertainment industry’s most respected publishers will see characters from Left 4 Dead™ 2 featured exclusively in the forthcoming PC version of Resident Evil® 6, while enemies from Resident Evil 6 will invade the PC version of Left 4 Dead 2. All content will be made available completely free for fans of either game to access and play.

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Deep Silver announced that Saints Row IV, the ball-busting next chapter in the Saints Row franchise, is starting a party in your pants this Fall.

In the next open-world installment of Saints Row, Deep Silver Volition continues the story of the Third Street Saints by elevating their status to the highest level – the leaders of the free world.  In Saints Row IV, the head honcho of the Saints has been elected to the Presidency of the United States. But the Saints are just getting started. Now the larger-than-life insanity of the Saints series gets a new twist with a catastrophic alien invasion, and the aliens have transported the Saints to a bizarro-Steelport simulation. Wield gargantuan superpowers and fight to free humanity from alien granddaddy Zinyak’s mental grasp. Escape the simulation that’s trapped the Saints crew, or die trying.

Saints Row IV lets players delve into an arsenal of alien weaponry and technology that will turn each Saint into an ultimate entity of destruction. Utilize out-of-this-world superpowers to fight all the way to the top. With intensified action and enhanced customization, players can use their newfound superpowers and leap over buildings, outrun the fastest sports cars, or send enemies flying with telekinesis in the greatest, most insane installment of Saints Row yet.

Save the world, Saints Style.

Developed by Volition, Saints Row IV will launch on current-gen consoles and PC on August 20, 2013, in North America and August 23, 2013, in the rest of the world.  

For more information about the Saints Row universe, please visit  http://www.saintsrow.com

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A free demo to Chasing Aurora is available in the Nintendo eShop. The demo features the multiplayer game mode Freeze Tag and four single player challenges. It is playable by 1-5 players.

Last week we've updated Chasing Aurora with new features like Wii U Pro Controller support, a more challenging single player mode, new gameplay and a much smoother framerate.

To celebrate the demo and the update we're running a sale in the eShop. Chasing Aurora is 50% off ($7.49 / €5.99 / £5.39) until 21st March.

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I completed Fire Emblem: Awakening earlier this afternoon. I'm a big fan of tactics games, and the thirty-five hours I spent with it were mostly fantastic, except for a small pacing problem at the very end. Still, in terms of the quality of play and how engaged I was, it gets top marks. 

It's easily one of my favorite games of the year so far, from a design perspective. No question.

However, after rolling credits I noticed a couple of things which made me raise an eyebrow, and those were already on top of a problem I had with the game even earlier on - essentially, Fire Emblem: Awakening has quite a bit to say about female characters and LGBT issues, while never overtly saying anything at all. Some may write me off as making a mountain out of a molehill, but it's little bits of innocuous commentary like this that helps to reinforce societal norms which are long past due for a change. We've got to call them out every time we see 'em. 

The first and most obvious issue is that in Fire Emblem, successful play hinges on a team-up mechanic where characters pair off and actually occupy the same space on the battlefield. One character is the primary attacker, and the other stands off in the background to offer supporting stat boosts and secondary attacks. 

It's a fabulous idea which I enjoyed greatly, but the problem is that the amount of support between characters is ranked as C, B, A, and S. In order to reach the highest level of support, the S, the two paired characters must be married.

Although I was not surprised to see that in-game marriage is only possible between a male and female character, it was still disappointing. Doubly so, since there's no real ceremony or process that the player must go through in order to marry their characters. The only thing that happens is that the two characters in question have one extra scene of dialogue where they express feelings for each other, and then… that's it.

Although I was bothered by this, it wasn't an issue that I expected Nintendo to lead the charge on, so I made note of this outdated viewpoint and played on. However, at the end of the game I went into a mode called the ‘Hubba Tester’ and it was like adding insult to injury.

In this extra mode, a NPC lets the player pick any two characters and then evaluates the relationship between them. It goes out of its way to say that this mode is “for amusement purposes only!” as if any other part of the game wasn't. Really, though, it was just an ass-covering disclaimer to anyone who might be offended at what's possible inside.

When picking two female characters who are mildly compatible, it's possible to get a reaction from the evaluator stating “I’m not one to judge, ladies!” clearly insinuating that there's more than friendship happening there. If you find two characters with strong mutual attraction (signified by hearts going in both directions towards the characters’ portraits) the NPC states “Hoo! It’s hotter’n Elfire in here!”

That's a pretty clear statement on a same-sex connection, and similar results can be found when matching up two male characters. (In the case of a suggested gay relationship, the quote is “Whatever floats yer boat.” Interestingly, there's a noticeably less-positive emphasis on this statement than there is with the implied lesbian relationships… something to do with the writer’s viewing preference, perhaps?)

Allowing hetero relationships to reach the maximum level of bond in the campaign out of sheer ignorance might have been one thing, but the commentary and theoretical relationships in the Hubba Tester mode shows without a doubt that the development team was aware of possibilities other than male/female.

The other issue I have with the game was regarding the endings themselves. I had a good mix of male and female characters in my active roster, and some of my best fighters were females. However, the game gives a brief paragraph of text explaining what happened to each individual or pair of characters after the final battle is over, and the females (whether they were the primary attacker or support character) consistently get short shrift.

For example, Sully was a female knight who was in the primary attack role for the majority of the game, and her partner was Gaius, a candy-loving thief. The closing writeup told me all about Gaius, but only gave me a quick bit on Sully even though she was really the star of the duo. The same went for Kjelle (an armored female fighter) and Laurent, her supporting mage husband. Kjelle was one of my most powerful characters out of the entire game, yet again, the ending wrapup was all about Laurent’s personal quest and how she accompanied him on it.

In general, every matchup followed the same pattern: here’s a big chunk about the male half of this pair, and oh yes, by the way, here's what happened to his wife… if you care.   

It may seem like a subtle thing, but it happened too consistently to be an accident, and I'm fairly disturbed by the sexism on display here. There's no question that the female characters were every bit as important as the males, yet they feel tossed aside when it comes time to end the adventure.

While the gameplay mechanics and general design of Fire Emblem: Awakening are top-notch, the title would only be better if it opened itself up to a more diverse range of players. Seeing this systematic and pervasive sexism/devaluation of females/non-hetero relationships was quite disappointing.

While developer Intelligent Systems and publisher Nintendo may be trying to avoid controversy by clinging to archaic values that keep women and LGBT people down, the days when such decisions are acceptable need to end -- it's not just straight males playing videogames these days, and more inclusivity would help to not only push the medium forward, but might help push society forward as well.

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Special thanks to @Shawn_i