Game: Final Fantasy XIII Genre: Console Role-Playing Game Developer(s): Square Enix Production Team 1 Publisher(s): Square Enix Release Date: December 17, 2009 (JPN) March 9, 2010 (USA)/(EUR)/(AUS) Rating: RP System(s): XBOX 360, Playstation 3
During Microsoft's media briefing at the 2008 E3, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XIII would be released in North America and Europe on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Furthermore, the Xbox 360 version will come on multiple discs. A Japanese release of the Xbox 360 version of the game is not planned.
Square Enix confirmed at a Japanese press event that Final Fantasy XIII will be out on December 17, 2009 in Japan. Suntory also plans to release the Final Fantasy XIII Elixir to promote the game's release. At the same press event, Square Enix also announced that it would be bundling Final Fantasy XIII in Japan with a limited edition white 250GB PlayStation 3 Slim with a pink colour print of Lightning on the surface of the console, which will release on the same day.
The game's producer, Yoshinori Kitase, along with other creators of the game, put together a video with interviews and new footage on November 13, 2009. The conclusion of the video announced that the game is to be released on March 9, 2010, for both Europe and North America.
Here's a sneak peak of the most anticipated Role-Playing Game of the Decade!
Game: Naruto Shippuden: Ryujinki Genre: Action-Adventure/Fighting Game Developer(s): Takara Tomy Publisher(s): Takara Tomy Release Date: November 26, 2009 (JPN) CERO Rating: A (All Ages) System(s): Nintendo Wii
Here's a game for those looking for Japanese Imports for the holiday season and this is one you might wanna pass. Naruto Shippuden: Ryujinki is a new game for the Wii that was released in Japan on November 26, 2009 and this game is celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Naruto series. This game takes a different leap from the previous Fighting Game Naruto series, Clash of Ninja and then developed a free-roaming hack-and-slash video game. Graphics and Design look quite similar to the Clash of Ninja games, and even reuses several character models. All characters receive detailed, new outfits that are based on their normal attire.
The story is loosely based on the Hunt for Itachi arc, although Jiraiya does not fight Pain, who does not appear. Naruto's half of the story revolves around attempting to stop Kuroma from unleashing the powers of five powerful dragons on the world with the help of a young girl named Akari, who gives Naruto the Dragon Sword to fight. Sasuke, on the other hand, has already formed Hebi by the time the story begins, in order to hunt down and kill Itachi.
However, his efforts are hindered by Akatsuki's attempts to capture the dragons that Kuroma has summoned for their own purposes. Throughout the story, the player either plays as Naruto or Sasuke along their journey, utilizing their respective blades and team members' abilities to fight through various levels. Other characters make an appearance as well such as Sakura, Kakashi, Shikamaru, Neji and a few more in the Naruto Series.
The Gameplay reminds me of playing The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time just with Naruto characters and many many MANY flaws involved into this game as in Very frequent annoying load times, various slowdowns when 2 or more enemies are on the screen, the controls get repetitive after a while and the Camera angles are pretty awful.
I expected alot more with this title since it was supposed to an Action Adventure Beat 'em up game but my hopes on this game was a major lost.
Game: No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise Genre: Action-adventure Developer(s): Grasshopper Manufacture Publisher(s): Marvelous Entertainment/Spike (JPN), Ubisoft (USA) Release Date: February 25, 2010 Rating: RP System(s): XBOX 360, Playstation 3
On November 17, 2009, Famitsu magazine announced that the 2007 Wii game No More Heroes is coming to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 Retitled under a new name called No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise. The game will feature new modes, Japanese voice acting, HD visuals and will not have motion control unlike the Wii Version. The release date for this game is scheduled for February 25, 2010 in Japan and there are no further information about this game being released in North America as of yet.
Here is a Video Slideshow of No More Heroes that should get you pumped for next year and I hope the North American date gets announced pretty soon.
Game: Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier Genre: Platformer Developer(s): High Impact Games Publisher(s): Sony Computer Entertainment Release Date: November 4, 2009 Rating: T System(s): Playstation 2, PSP
Remember the first year when the Playstation 2 came out? If you do, then you’ll probably remember a game titled Jak & Daxter: The Precursor’s Legacy. It was one of the first games, besides Final Fantasy X, that was on a DVD-Rom. It was also one of the few popular platform games on the PS2, the others being Crash Bandicoot and Ratchet & Clank. So with the newest addition to the series and a new developer – Naughty Dog didn’t develop this title, High Impact Games did it this time – will The Lost Frontier live up to the legacy that is the Jak & Daxter series?
The story behind Jak & Daxter picks up where the previous game (Jak X: Combat Racing) left off. There is a shortage of eco (planet energy, so to speak) in the world and with it comes violent storm that can tear the planet apart. Jak & Daxter go out and search for a solution to the problem, taking to the skies in search of an area called the Brink of the universe. As they reach The Brink, which literally is the end of their world, they get attacked by Eco pirates, who fight the duo for whatever eco they have. At the end of it all, their ship takes damage and they are forced to land on a small island. And that is where our story begins.
So if you’ve played any of the previous J&D games (sans the PSP game “Daxter”), then you’ll be playing the same game. Not that it’s a bad thing…if you enjoyed the series, that is. The gameplay is pretty much the same as before; you complete missions to progress the story, do side-quests to gain secret items and collectibles, and travel around to different spots. As you go through, you’ll learn new abilities that’ll be mandatory to use for completing the level.
On the other hand, the changes they’ve made in the game makes this experience different than before. For starters, if you’ve played any of the previous games (preferably Jak 2 and 3, where they introduced 2 morphed versions of the main character), then you’ll be surprised that Jak cannot transform into his Dark or Light alter ego. The reason: the area they are at has large amounts of Dark Eco (highly volatile planet energy) and transforming will have a dangerous, if not deadly effect on them. However, they made Daxter – his wise-cracking furry counterpart that’s a mix between an otter and weasel – able to transform into a dark form. It’s a form that’s only used whenever he’s separated from his partner and doused in Dark Eco.
Transportation in this game is also another mentionable change. In the past games, your main mode of transportation was ground vehicles, from motorized scooters to all-terrain vehicles (the latter in Jak 3). In this installment, the skies are the only place to travel so it’s aircrafts only. The crafts are customizable to a point; weapons and craft upgrades are available for purchase along with new ships makes it somewhat interesting. Add on the side-missions of target races and you have something more enjoyable than getting from point A to point B.
The in-game combat stays true to the legacy of Jak & Daxter…which means it’s pretty simple. From the dash punch to his spin kick, there hasn’t been much of a change. The guns are still in the game, and with it are upgrades that are scattered throughout the game. His special abilities are a noteworthy point in this game. Even though he’s unable to transform into Dark/Light Jak (oh, how I miss the Dark Punch), he has a new set of abilities that can be unlocked when you find Precursor statues. With these abilities are physical upgrades, which modify his attacks in a manner that’s reminiscent of the first J&D game. It’s a nostalgic throw-back that’s enjoyable to say the least.
Overall, Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier is what it is: a continuation of the Jak & Daxter series. If there were any major down points, it’d have to be the in-game camera. It can be a nuisance, which it was in some of the past games but a bit more obvious in this game. Also, the dialogue is another downer. Not to say that the dialogue is bad, but there’s a bit less humor on Daxter’s part. And considering that Daxter is known for his witty one-liners and comebacks (Jak 3 is a good example), it just wasn’t there this time.
Long story short: if you were expecting a major comeback of the series…you’re not missing much in this installment. It doesn’t mean that the game is bad, it just means that you’re not missing much.
We break our podcast wide open with a awesome topic of Super Street Fighter IV! How much are they trying to give us for a advanced version of the hit game? Will it be cheaper? Listen to our podcast then tell us what you think in the forum!!
Well, we are back once again with another interview on The Reset Button. LeVonn78 sits down with Amber Dalton aka Athena Twin of the PMS Clan which means Pandora's Mighty Soldiers. PMS Clan members compete in various co-ed competitions and online ladder tournaments. PMS has become a well-known group in a male dominated gaming industry, and is committed to continue gaining ground for women in the industry which we all think that is pretty cool in our book. Any girl that can kick some serious tail in a game has my vote anyday but anyway, Click on the Video below and also check out the additional floor video of events that was going on at GameX.
For more information about the PMS Clan you can check them out at www.pmsclan.com plus you can add them on myspace at http://www.myspace.com/pandorasgamebox/
Also. you can share your Comments about GameX or Either the Videos at the J1 Forum.
Today on The Reset Button, LeVonn78 gets an Exclusive Interview from PA Jedi's "New Jedi Order" and we also get to see a cool Jedi Fight. Click on the Video Below to watch.
For More Information about the New Jedi Order, click either of these following name links:
Genre: First Person Shooter, Role Playing Developer: Gearbox Software Publisher: 2K Games Release Date: 10/20/2009 System: Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Borderlands is a role-playing shooter, a game similar to the Fallout series. The story is simple: you are a bounty hunter on a distant planet known as Pandora, in search of The Vault. What is The Vault, you ask? It is the mythical place filled with treasure, alien technology, and whatever else you desire. But between the bandits and the massive amount of creatures on the planet Pandora, getting there is far from simple. You start out with a choice of four characters to play with, each character with their own specific class (Hunter, Soldier, Berserker, and Siren) and unique abilities. Once your character is chosen, you receive a message from the Guardian Angel, a being who tells you that The Vault is, in fact, a real place and only she can lead you there. Once you disembark on your first town, Fyrestone, you are greeted by a robot known as Claptrap, which will be your guide to the town. Not to mention that the rogue inhabitants of Fyrestone gives you a lethal greeting as well.
What happens after that? You have to play to find out. But on with the review…
Borderlands is a stunning game as a whole, showing that the people at Gearbox really did their homework. The controls of the game are simple and easy to adapt to, allowing people to jump in the game quickly without much confusion. The game’s art style is what stands out about this game, having a hand-drawn style that suits this game perfectly. There’s a bit of loading time, but if it’s installed to the hard drive, then it’s nothing to worry about. The actual game play is where Borderlands shine. For starters, this game is filled with a lot of guns, the total count being over 17 million. Ranging from pistols, shotguns, SMGs (Sub-Machine Guns), and sniper rifles, you’re guaranteed not to run into the same type of gun in game play. And as you level up in the game, you find more unique guns, such as RPG-firing shotguns, SMGs firing lightning rounds and much more. The quests/missions in the game are another selling point. There are a large amount of quests in the game, the bulk of it being side-quests and player challenges. So unless you’re trying to speed-run the entire game, you’ll be spending your time completing the side-quests.
Game play also differs depending on what class you choose. Each class – Hunter, Soldier, Berserker, and Siren – has its own unique skill and weapon proficiency (I.e.: the hunter works best with revolvers and sniper rifles, the soldier works well with shotguns and rifles). After you level your character up to LVL 5, you’re awarded with a skill point that’s automatically given to your unique skill. Your skill has its own skill trees, which gives upgrades the character’s proficiency and unique skills. Sadly, you receive your last skill point at LVL 50. But by then, you’ll already have crafted your character into a deadly weapon against the dangers of Pandora. And hey, if you don’t like how you set your character’s skill points, you can always reset them. It may cost a little money, but the points will still be there for character building.
The game’s enemy AI is a down point in the game. To put it simply, the AI is predictable at times. After a few encounters, you’ll be able to tell how an enemy will attack you and by then it’ll probably be dead. It’s a small blemish in the game, something that’s obvious even though it’s covered up by the massive amount of guns. Humanoid enemies will shoot and occasionally take cover when you shoot and the beasts in the game will run/crawl/fly towards you and melee you to death. Even higher level enemies follow the same pattern and if it weren’t for the fact that they take very little damage from your attacks (literally, if you’re at LVL 22 and you are facing a LVL 24 monster, you do no real damage on it), it’d be a major flaw in the game.
Online play is also a noteworthy aspect in Borderlands. Up to 4 people can play in Borderlands and the difficulty – or the amount of monsters - vastly increases with each player. And with the more enemies that appear, the more loot that dropped. If a player drops out of the game, the enemies are downscaled so that players won’t be utterly overwhelmed by the opposition. Players can challenge each other in a “Duel” by meleeing each other. Once the melee attack is returned, a dome appears over both contenders and it’s time for them to fight to the death. Also littered throughout Pandora are arenas where players can face off in either Free-For-All or 2vs2 matches, just in case playing the story isn’t enough.
There are very few negative points that I have with this game. Besides the AI, the online play should have came with a trading feature where players are able to trade weapons, health packs, and other items in the game. The story is another downer; there are parts in the story that are unexplained, leaving you a bit confused if you’re focusing on the story. On the other hand, the developers stated that some of the gaps will be explained via DLC that’ll be released this year. Also, customizing the character’s appearance is another down point to me. The character’s appearance is set but you’re allowed to change the colors. If you were allowed to change your character’s clothes and it were integrated in the story…*sighs* the possibilities are endless.
Overall, Borderlands is a solid game. It truly combines the best of shooting games without the parts we hate and integrates them perfectly with role-playing aspects. The AI and unexplained parts in the story are the only negatives in this game, but it is arguably a game worth its asking price. I mean, a ton of guns at your disposal, a ton of mayhem, and the ability to build your character’s skill up? You can’t ask for much more than this.
This week on The Reset Button, we take a look at a Nintendo DS title called Scribblenauts which most say it is one of the best DS titles out now. Watch the video to see our Review of Scribblenauts.
Okay Gamers, We're back again a Review of Muramasa: The Demon Blade For The Nintendo Wii. Click on the Video to Check out this Awesome Game Straight From Japan and now into the US.
We are back this week with 2 awesome games that we are going to review on today's show. First, we have Batman: Arkham Asylum & Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny for the PSP. Sit back, relax and check out the show. For more information about this week's episode, check out the FORUMS section at www.j1studios.com
This week episode of The Reset Button, we talk about Madden NFL 10 & wonder why Levonn78 is so addicted to it. L-Money would be reviewing the Import copy Monster Hunter 3 and to tell you if it's Worth a purchase, and the we discuss about Resident Evil titles we like and also the New Slim PS3 which is arriving this fall. So sit back, relax and click on this vids below. Also don't forget, any other comments you have you can post them in the Forum in The Reset Button section.
This week, we take a look at a Remake of a classic called "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time Re-shelled" for the XBOX 360 and Our current games we are playing & waiting for. Find out more by watching Below!
Part 1: Turtles In Time Re-shelled Review
Part 2: Current Games We Are Playing & Anticipating
This week on The Reset Button, we mainly focus on a fighting game called King of Fighters XII of KOF XII For short. Also, does Stylado Kakumei seem to have another awful moment?? Check out our review of the little game that could. For more information about King of Fighters XII or The Reset button, head on over to the FORUM.
Today's Episode of The Reset Button, we talk about Evo Championship Series 2009, Otakon 2009, & Stylado Kakumei has an Very awkward moment indeed..... Click on the videos to watch and leave comments here or on the FORUM.
Evo 2009 Coverage
Stylado Kakumei's On Scene Evo Experience & Awkward Moment...
In honor of Evo Championship Series 2009, we a few of our favorite Evo moments & other videos that we are glad to show.
Daigo Umehara vs. Justin Wong
Justin Wong vs. IFC Yipes
Demon Hyo Vs. Dark Prince
Eric Kim vs One (EVO 2009 Qualify Match)
One vs. Demon Hyo
Carlos vs Marcelomandaji (EVO South America 2009)
If you want to watch a LIVE STREAM of Evo 2009 all weekend long, Just goto the Forum under The Reset Button Section to check it out and also post comments on what was your favorite Evo Moment?
Yeah I know it's a bad title name but here it is folks, Episode 3 of The Reset Button. We take a look at a New 2D Fighting Game "BlazBlue," pay Tribute to "The King of Pop" Micheal Jackson, and we Discuss about what was our Favorite Game, Worst Game, & Future Games we are looking forward to. So sit back, relax & check out Episode 3 of The Reset Button.
Review: BlazBlue (XBOX 360, PS3)
Micheal Jackson Video Game Tribute
Our Opinion On Favorite Game, Worst Game, & Future Games we are looking forward to.
Well Here it is Ladies & Gentlemen. Our First Episode of The Reset Button in VIDEO!! We will take a look at our favorite games at the Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3 for short as we rap up the final days of E3.
Here are some more videos from the E3 announcements. I'm not much of a Ratchet and Clank kind of guy but this does look good.
Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time
Impressive right? I would actually watch a feature length film of R&C. Would you?
Well I know waaay too many Mario fans out there, so I know that people are excited for the ever impressive sequel involving our hero traveling from planet to planet for all of plumber-kind:
Super Mario Galaxy 2
A beautiful Wii game! Thank you Nintendo! It takes a mind so full of creativity to create not just one, but a sequel to such an awesome game!
We'll be putting up more info throughout the week!
The game was announced at E3 2009 and is due for release in March 2010. God of War III is the latest installment in the God of War series, currently in development for the PS3.
Welcome to The Reset Button! We are going to be your new source of gaming information! If you get stuck you can always press The Reset Button!
Hideo Kojima showed up at Microsoft's E3 2009 press briefing to announce that Metal Gear is now multi-platform. Xbox360 and PCs rejoice!
This new Metal Gear (known as Metal Gear: Rising) will be starring Raiden, a character seen in Metal Gear 2 & 4. Not much else has been said but we can guarantee that it will be amazing!
Release date has not been announced at this time.
In Other News,
Star Wars: The Old Republic looks ridiculously awesome!!!
It looks like it's going to be the most impressive MMO in Star Wars history!
Not only do you get to see a female Boba Fett (I'm not lying), but you get to see Darth Vader in his early prototype suit! This trailer makes you want to fall in love with Star Wars all over again.
By far the coolest lightsaber battles I've ever seen! The CG is beyond movie quality in my opinion! Tell us what you think:
Go to the J1 Studios FORUM and tell us what you think.
As one of the pieces that make up J1 Studios, you will learn, experience, and become knowledgeable about the gaming world. If you don't succeed, press The Reset Button!
