Review: Wreck-It Ralph

Remember Toy Story? A lot of toys from our childhood made a cameo appearance on that trilogy and it made millions. Here comes another movie from Disney and this time, characters from our video game childhood are gracing the big screen. Since I first saw the trailer, I told myself that I will watch this film no matter what. And when it finally shown here, I rushed to the nearest movie house and watched it. Is it worth the hype? or Is this a disappointment to all the  gamers out there? Find out after the jump

Dota 2 in the works

Counter Strike, Day of Defeat, Portal and Team Fortress had been highly successful despite the fact that these games are just modification (mods) that took some elements and/or resources from it's main game, Defense of the Ancients or popularly known as DotA is an action real time strategy (RTS) game that was made from the Warcraft III tool set. Soon it became a very popular game across the world. Just like the previous games mentioned, DotA will now have a separate stand alone game currently entitled Dota2 that will run without installing Warcraft III and is currently developed by Valve.

Head over to Dota2's official website for latest news and more information

Rurouni Kenshin coming to the PSP

Rurouni Kenshin's creator Nobuhiro Watsuki ended the series' manga back in 1999 and aired its last OAV last 2001. But fans rejoice, Kenshin Himura is back as a 2D game on Sony Playstation Portable. More after the jump

Rurouni Kenshin, popularly known as Samurai X in the Philippines will finally get its new game adaptation after 5 years.

Bandai Namco announced that the title of the game is Rurouni Kenshin, Meiji Kenkaku Romantan Saisen and is expected to come out in Spring 2011 in Japan and is exclusive to the Sony Playstation Portable.

Visit the official website

cross posted at GameOPS

Happy 25th Birthday Mario

The video game character that almost all generations knew celebrated his 25th birthday yesterday. Yes, I'm talking about that pasta loving plumber who rescued that beautiful princess.

Mario Mario is the flagship of Nintendo and 25 years ago, Super Mario Brothers made its debut in Japan. Nintendo celebrates that historical moment in the US and in Japan.

With all the new Wii games involving Mario currently appearing, expect Mario to stick around for the generations to come.

E3 2010 Live Streaming

It's the Super Bowl of Games and Gadgets! Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3 will start on June 14, 2010 10:00 am Pacific Time. You can watch it live thanks to Gamespot. Visit the press conference of your choice by clicking the links below:

June 14
Microsoft Press Conference - 10:00AM
EA Press Conference - 2:00PM
Ubisoft Press Conference - 5:00PM

June 15
Nintendo Press Conference - 9:00AM
Sony Press Conference - 12:00NN

You can also check Gamespot's Live Show for on-the-floor camera view of the said event

Signs of Getting Addicted to Dota Again

1. Playing Dota is now included in the Saturday night plans.
2. Reading hero guides again.
3. Installed Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne and downloading the latest map preferably with AI.
4. Downloaded and installed hamachi.
5. Creating this effing list.

Yes guys, the Phantom Assassin user is back...

Starcraft 2 Release Date Announced

Blizzard Entertainment recently announced the official release date of their most awaited game Starcraft 2. Mark your calendars on July 27,2010 as we welcome the sequel we have been all waiting for.

Visit the official site

PSP Go out in Autumn 2009

Once again Sony made an iteration of their Playstation Portable by making it more "portable". PSP Go was designed to be more compact and no UMD in sight. Another major change is clearly directly linked to this: the PSP Go gains a very reasonable 16GB of solid state memory, along with a slot allowing use of another memory device. Bluetooth support is also added.




The balance of probability suggests Sony intends online distribution of content to the device via its own PlayStation Network, which is exactly what Nintendo is trying with its latest DS iteration.




The most immediately noticeable change is of the course the redesigned slimline form of the case, using a slide-out form factor familiar from mobile phones, and by the looks of it allowed by the removal of the relatively bulky optical drive

Ye Old Konami Code

Veteran gamers like me knows what that Konami code I'm referring right? For the much younger generation who doesn't have the slightest idea what is the code, refer to the picture below:



Now why the hell am I telling you this code now? Facebook and Plurk recently embedded these codes on their website for some easter eggs. Try it to find out

You can see the official list of sites that have the codes at KonamiCodeSites.com which you need the code to access. uber geekness.

Square Enix buys Eidos

The Eidos group filed losses of £100 million in 2008 and experienced plummeting or stagnant sales on their franchises like Tomb Raider and Hitman which led them to selling their company to Square Enix. We don't know yet what will Square Enix do to their new acquisition and what will the future of Eidos franchies. Square, which started as Squaresoft, then partnered with Electronic Arts which formed Square EA, then bought Enix and now Eidos.

Source

E-Games 2009 Calendar

Ever wanted to see your character in Cabal or Ran be materialized as a real girl? Watch a cosplay event most of the people may answer. But E-Games themselves created a godly item, the E-Games 2009 Calendar. Twelve gorgeous babes wearing Cabal and Ran clothing. If the thought isn't enough to make you drool, think about Alodia Gosiengfiao and Jamilla Obispo (from PBB) wearing nothing but armor *evil grin*

Not convinced yet? Go to GameOPS and see our exclusive preview

Anino Pwned for Piracy

Anino Games was owned by the NBI lately due to issues regarding the use of pirated software. Anino Games was popularly known as the one who created the first all Filipino game entitled Anito which was developed on a gaming software named DarkBasic, which is the "older brother" of Blitz3D, the software I used to develop my thesis way back in college. Hmmm I wonder if their DarkBasic is licensed or pirated? *smirk*

Full story after the jump.

Filipino video game developer Anino Games Inc. is currently on hot water after the raid of the National Bureau of Investigation last August 22nd 2008. The raid was a result of the complaint filed by AutoDesk at the NBI's Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division.

NBI confiscated 36 computers installed with alleged illegal copies of AutoDesk applications which include 3D Studio Max 2008, 3D Studio Max 9, Maya 8.5, AutoCAD 2008, Maya 2008 and Combustion 4.

Anino Games President Niel Dagondon released the following statement to INQUIRER.net after the raid, "the company has always been willing to work with AutoDesk... "[A]ttacks such as these are damaging not just to Anino and its staff but to the entire Philippine creative and outsourcing industry in general. This has a negative effect not only on Anino's operations but to the reputation of Philippine offshore service providers as a whole composed of dollar-earning companies whose clients are mainly based abroad"

via GameOPS

Activision + Blizzard

Activision and Vivendi (who owns the rights of the games published by Blizzard) merged believing that combining the two can dominate the gaming market. Details after the jump

July 10, 2008 -- Paris, France and Santa Monica, CA – Vivendi (Euronext Paris: VIV) and Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced the completion of the transaction announced on December 2, 2007 to create Activision Blizzard, as the world's most profitable pure-play online and console game publisher. Activision Blizzard was formed by combining Activision, one of the world's leading independent publishers of interactive entertainment, and Vivendi Games, Vivendi's interactive entertainment business, which includes Blizzard Entertainment's® World of Warcraft®, the world's #1 subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Activision Blizzard will continue to operate as a public company traded on Nasdaq under the ticker ATVI.

Jean Bernard Levy, CEO of Vivendi, said: "We have created the world leader in online and console games with this transaction and the combined strengths of the two businesses offer immense growth potential. I am also very confident that, with the new leadership team in place, the new entity is perfectly positioned to take advantage of these rapidly developing markets across the globe."

René Pénisson, Chairman of Activision Blizzard, added: "We are delighted that the merger has been completed. We are very excited about the opportunity for Activision Blizzard to create a broader entertainment software platform. We are leaders across North America and Europe and are creating a substantial footprint in the rapidly growing Asian market. We are determined to ‘think big'!"

"The completion of this transaction marks the beginning of an important new chapter in the history of interactive entertainment," said Robert Kotick, President and Chief Executive Officer of Activision Blizzard. "By combining leaders in mass-market entertainment and subscription-based online games, Activision Blizzard has leading market positions across all categories of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry. With more than 10.7 million subscribers on World of Warcraft, and with tens of millions of people playing Guitar Hero, Activision Blizzard's games are transcending the traditional stereotypes and are more popular as a form of entertainment than ever before. We look forward to building upon our brands to create value for our shareholders, customers and consumers."

"From the beginning, our goal has been to make the best games in the world, and this transaction strengthens our ability to do just that," said Mike Morhaime, Blizzard Entertainment cofounder and Chief Executive Officer. "As part of Activision Blizzard we'll have the reach and resources to share our games with an even wider audience - -while maintaining the same approach as always to providing high-quality entertainment and services to our players."

In addition to World of Warcraft, the #1 subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game, the transaction brings together some of the world's leading interactive entertainment franchises including Guitar Hero®, the #1 family entertainment and #1 music-based franchise; Call of Duty®, the #1 first-person action franchise; Tony Hawk, the #1 action sports franchise; Spider-Man, the #1 Super Hero franchise; Cabela's®, the #1 sports hunting franchise; and two of the top-ten kids movie-based franchises, Shrek and Madagascar™, for calendar year 2005 through 2007 according to the NPD Group, Chart Track and The GFK Group.

The transaction was approved by Activision's stockholders at a special stockholder meeting on July 8, 2008 and closed on July 9, 2008.

Visit their site for details

Square Enix releases a game for iPod

Who would think a company like Square Enix develop a game exclusively for Apple's iPod? Yes you read it right! Details after the jump!

Square Enix has a surprise RPG for the handheld gamer. No, it's not on the PSP or DS. Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes is an iPod exclusive RPG with a rather unique twist. You'll be able to transform your music collection into "Tune Troopers" that you can use in battle. Even cooler: you'll be able to level up your "Tune Troopers" simply by listening to the same song you created them on your iPod. You'll need the help of all your best MP3s, as you fight the Mechanical Militia and save your brother.

The iTunes download, available today, will retail for $4.99. The game will be controlled exclusively through the iPod click wheel and will be compatible with iPod nano with video, iPod classic and fifth generation iPod

The Heavens Tremble with Diablo 3!

OMG! Diablo 3 is coming! Talk about hype by the Blizzard team! Well, expect for a lot of changes because the original team behind the Diablo franchise left Blizzard long ago.

Loveless

Prologue:

When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end,
The goddess descends from the sky

Wings of light and dark spread afar,
She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting..

Act I:

Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess
We seek it thus, and take to the sky.
Ripples form on the water's surface
The wandering soul knows no rest.

Act II:

My Friend, your desire
Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess.
Legend shall speak of sacrifice at worlds end.
The wind sails over the water's surface
Quietly, but surely...

Act III:

As the war sends the world hurtling towards destruction
The prisoner departs with his newfound love
And embarks on a new journey.

He is guided by hope that the gift will bring bliss
And the oath that he swore to his friends.

Though no oath is shared between the lovers,
In thier hearts they know they will meet again.

Act IV:

There is no hate, only joy
For you are beloved by the goddess.
Hero of the Dawn, Healer of Worlds.

Three friends go into battle
One is captured,
One flies away,
the one that is left becomes a hero.
If we were to enact it,
would I be the one to play the hero,
Or would You?
Indeed
After all, your glory should have been mine.

My Friend, the fates are cruel
There are no dreams, no honour remains.
The arrow has left the bow of the goddess.

My Soul corrupted by vengeance,
Hath endures torment,
To find the end of the journey in my own salvation.
And Your eternal slumber.

Now what i want most...
is the 'Gift of the Goddess'...

Act V:

Dreams of the morrow hath shattered soul
Pride is Lost.
Wings stripped away, the end is nigh
Such is... the fate of a monster.

Even if the morrow is barren of promises,
nothing shall forestall my return.
If this world seeks my destruction...
... It goes with Me

Special Act:

Even if the morrow is barren of promises,
Nothing shall fortell my return
To become the dew that quenches the land,
To spare the sands, the seas, the skies
I offer thee this silent sacrifice

The Force of Soul Calibur IV

WTF?! Darth Vader and Yoda on Soul Calibur 4!