General gaming

General gaming

Six Must-Play DS Visual Novels

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 05:09 PM PST

Feature

Header

Six Must-Play DS Visual Novels

Though they're barely games, these titles offer a veritable Reading Rainbow of enjoyment.

By: Bob Mackey December 12, 2011

In Jeremy's post on the 3DS's recent sales surge, one of his points really stood out to me; namely, that the original DS popularized previously unknown (or recently nonexistent) types of games for an audience still trying to wrap their brains around the system's two screens and novel means of input. And while the genre in question hasn't yet reached the popularity of brain training, dog raising, or gentleman simulation (a la Professor Layton), without the DS, visual novels would still be one of those weird Japanese things we only hear about in whispers, riddles, and animes. Granted, most of the ones that don't make it to our shores feature doe-eyed, underage gals in various states of undress and helplessness, but that doesn't mean the genre's a total wash. Though a few stinkers wormed their way into an American release, the handful of quality visual novels for the DS certainly merits discussion -- which is why you're reading this very feature! Or having it read to you -- I'm not one to criticize Internet browsing habits of the criminally lazy.


The Phoenix Wright Series

Tales of the Abyss: Why You Shouldn't Ignore This 3DS RPG

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 04:55 PM PST

It?s very likely that you overlooked Tales of the Abyss when it was launched in the U.S. back in 2006. The RPG had to compete with no less than Square Enix?s heavily anticipated Final Fantasy XII. Despite developing an affectionate niche, it failed to achieve mainstream success.

It?s therefore fortunate that Namco Bandai decided to revisit Tales of the Abyss on Nintendo?s young handheld; fortunate because it will give Abyss a second chance to impress players in the U.S. -- it was definitely well-received in Japan, where it even spawned an anime series and several manga spin-offs.

Aonuma Expects Future Zelda Games to Use Skyward Sword-Style Motion Controls

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 04:21 PM PST

Zelda Skyward Sword

However you may feel about their implementation in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, you should get used to the idea of playing your Zelda games with motion controls of some sort. Eiji Aonuma doesn't see them going anywhere.

It's hardly a guarantee -- plans can always change -- but when asked about using Skyward Sword-style motion controls again in the future, Aonuma told the Official Nintendo Magazine U.K., "I honestly think we cannot go back to button controls now, so I think that these controls will be used in future Zelda titles, too."

Microsoft Still Looking to Produce Original Programming for Xbox Live

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 02:31 PM PST

Xbox 360 dashboard

Although it has secured deals with a number of TV and entertainment content providers to bring various video content to Xbox Live, Microsoft doesn't want to stop at offering others' live and on-demand content. It would also like to create its own original programming in an effort to continue establishing the Xbox 360 as more than a gaming console.

The company is in the process of looking to hire a television executive to head up these efforts, according to a Bloomberg report. Stratis LLC's Tom Schneider has been enlisted to hunt down potential candidates, with Marc Graboff and Jeff Gaspin both being approached. Gaspin is the former chairman of NBC Universal Television Group, a position he left last year prior to Comcast's takeover of NBC. Schneider was also an NBC executive; he left the company just this past month.

Metal Gear Rising Was Canceled Prior to Platinum's Involvement

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 12:30 PM PST

Metal Gear Rising Revengeance

Many fans are excited that Platinum Games, the developer of Bayonetta and MadWorld, is now officially the team behind Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (the new name for Metal Gear Solid: Rising). Others are not quite so pleased. Whichever side of this issue you may fall on, were it not for Platinum, the game may not have ever made it to store shelves.

A video called "The Truth Behind Rising" is set to be released by Konami tomorrow detailing how the collaboration between Kojima Productions and Platinum Games came to be. In the meantime KP producer Yuji Korekado has shared some details on the latest Kojima podcast, the most noteworthy of which is in regards to a secret cancellation of the game at one point.

Modern Warfare 3 Reaches $1 Billion in Sales Faster Than Avatar

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3

Even before it sold 6.5 million units on its first day in the United States and United Kingdom, it was clear that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was going to sell tremendously well. With Battlefield 3 presenting it with competition it hasn't faced in years past (sorry, Medal of Honor), though, there was some question as to whether MW3 sales would suffer at all as some gamers opted to pick up BF3. While DICE's shooter has done well -- it was the best-selling game in the U.S. during October and third-best in November -- MW3 is still managing to exceed the records set by Black Ops.

Activision today announced that Modern Warfare 3 sales exceeded $1 billion in 16 days. That my sound like a long time after it did over $400 million in the U.S. and U.K. on day one and $775 million after five days, but that 16 days is a record -- Avatar took 17 days to reach the $1 billion mark.

Posted by Shri Krishna

Total Pageviews

statcounter

View My Stats