Resident Evil: Revelations is leaving the confines of 3DS to greener pastures on Xbox 360, PS3, PC and Wii U! It will be released on May 21st 2013 in America and May 24th in Europe.
It will not only be available on retail disc But it will also be avaialble on digital download for all four platforms, although the digital WiiU and PC versions will come later.
Updates over the 3DS version will include high-definition graphcis, Achievements and Trophies to earn, enhanced lighting effects and more immersive sound, a terrifying new enemy to fight, extra difficulty modes and many improvements to Raid Mode. These include new weapons, new skill sets, Hunk as a playable character and more. Raid More sees players taking on hoards of enemies, and can be played in Single Player or Online.
“The critically acclaimed survival horror title takes players back to the events that took place between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5 and reveals the truth about the T-Abyss virus. Resident Evil Revelations features series favourites Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, plus respective BSAA partners – Parker Luciani and Jessica Sherawat. The action begins on board a supposedly abandoned cruise ship, the ‘Queen Zenobia’, where horrors lurk around every corner, before players head for the mainland and the devastated city of Terragrigia. With limited ammo and weapons available the race is on to survive the horror of Resident Evil Revelations.”
Resident Evil Revelations will take full advantage of Residentevil.net with content available to users once the game launches. Players can pre-register on the service from January 24th to gain early access to Resident Evil Revelations themed content with further information about online events to be revealed closer to launch.
This is great news. Although Resident Evil: Revelations was a great exclusive for the 3DS, the game deserves to be played by more fans and thus this re-release on additional consoles is definitely welcome. I hope to play the game on 3DS before this new version hits. I actually bought the game last holiday alongside Resident Evil 6: Archives, but I had to sell it to get some cash before I got a change to play it. Sadly.
IGN’s beautiful Naomi Kyle reporting on PS3 Skyrim DLC releasing.
All PS3 Skyrim DLC and Expansions for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will be released in February 2013 confirmed Bethesda, including the PlayStation 3 versions of Dragonborn, Hearthfire, and Dawnguard.
This will come as great news for PS3 owners following previous comments Bethesda has made that they had completely given up on attempting to port the expansions to the PS3, due to the complexity of the system and programming games for it that have been released on Xbox 360/PC.
Due to the complexity of the cell chip, it becomes difficult to port games from Xbox 360 to PS3, the architecture is completely different. And the Xbox 360, due to the ease of development and higher sales, has been the main development platform for multiplatform title for years now. According to Bethesda, they failed at getting the PS3 DLC for Skyrim to run smoothly, and decided to give up on the endeavor.
However it now seems that they have indeed put the effort into it, and reversed course. Could this be due to the PS3 outselling Xbox 360 worldwide for the first time late last year?
Either way, it may be too-little-too-late for a lot of gamers, who may have decided to pick up the Steam, PC or Xbox 360 versions of Skyrim, where they could buy all the Downloadable Content. But for those who only have the PS3 version, they certainly will be glad to hear this news.
Additionally, all Skyrim expansions will sell for 50% off during their launch week on the PlayStation Network as a thank-you to Bethesda fans who have had to wait for so long on their preferred platform.
Bethesda will also update Skyrim’s PS3 version to 1.8 following the release of Dragonborn on PC on February 5th. Specific dates for DLC on PS3 were not divulged.
The English titlescreen for the USA release of Atelier Ayesha.
Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk will be released on March 5th 2013 exclusively for PlayStation 3. The game was developed by Gust, localized by NIS America for it’s English translation, and will be published by Tecmo Koei.
It is the latest game in the long-running but little-played Atelier series. An RPG franchise based on the art of Alchemy, where players spend the game exploring a world in which to find and collect various items, that they can then combine into recipes to create better items and more powerful spells in an artists workshop.
Collect items to brew more powerful potions and magic using Alchemy.
Sadly for fans of the series, most of the games have stayed in Japan. Although many of them have been localized as well. Other than the alchemy angle, the game’s are standard Japanese RPG, anime-style fare.
Here is the very anime Atelier Ayesha opening movie intro.
This latest game, Ayesha, stars a girl alchemist named Ayesha Altugle whose been forced to live by herself ever since her grandfather died. Following that event, her younger sister Nio has gone missing, leaving Ayesha alone. On the day that Nio disappeared, Ayesha was out gathering medicinal herbs… Now she sells those ingredients to make a living for herself. One lucky day, she discovers that her sister is in fact alive, somewhere in the wide expanse of the world. Thus begins her quest to find her sister.
This is what battles look like in this RPG.
Fans of the series will probably be disappointed to learn that Atelier Ayesha is the first localized Atelier game to only include English recorded vocals, and does not include Dual-Track support so you can listen to the voice acting in its native Japanese (the way most anime fans prefer it). This is a big change from past titles which always featured both the English and Japanese voices included in the game.
Exploring the field and overworld in typical RPG fashion.
However Tecmo Toei is aware of the issue and aware that fans desire dual-audio-track support, and promises that the next entry will include both the Japanese and English voices. They are in fact embarrassed that it was cut for Ayesha. They told Siliconera, “We are very sorry. We have confirmed the voice option information with Atelier series developer Gust and for this title, Atelier Ayesha, it will be English only. We know how important this is for you and we will try to implement the voice option in the future Atelier releases. We aren’t happy with the lack of a dual-audio feature either, and we understand and share the concerns of our Atelier fan community,” said Tecmo Koei Europe representative Chin Soon Sun.
A sexy purple witch dress for Ayesha.
If you aren’t familiar with the Atelier RPG series, here is some background. Ever since the early 2000’s, the West has seen several of the games released. However to the unitiated the sheer amount of releases in the series, the confusing names, and the fact that there are multiple and differing “series”, make everything very convoluted and hard-to-understand. There have been several different “series” in the franchise, and they include: The Salburg Series (the first and debut titles), The Gramnad Series, The Iris Series (the first one English speakers will be familiar with), The Mana Series, and The Arland Series. Additionally there are several side-stories and one-offs, although only one of them has been localized for the West (2009’s DS RPG Atelier Annie).
Here is the entire list of Atelier franchise releases in America (In order by release date and system):
* Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana (PS2, 2005)
* Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny (PS2, 2006)
* Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (PS2, 2007)
* Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis (PS2, 2008)
* Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy (PS2, 2009)
* Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island (DS 2009)
* Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland (PS3, 2010)
* Atelier Toton: The Adventure of Arland (PS3, 2011)
* Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland (PS3, 2012)
Phew! Still many of the games in the series have never been released outside of Japan (and some of the games just listed were not released outside of the United States).
These Japan only titles include the debut games in the franchise:
* Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg, which released for PS1 in 1997 and it’s sequels:
* Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg 2 (PS1, 1998) and
* Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg 3 (PS2, 2001).
Other Japan-only releases include:
* Atelier Judie: The Alchemist of Gramnad (PS2, 2002)
* Atelier Violet: The Alchemist of Gramnad 2 (PS2, 2003)… From here is when the U.S. started seeing the games released. Even so, we missed out on:
* Atelier Judie: The Alchemist of Gramnad – Imprisoned Guardian (PSP 2010)
* Atelier Violet: The Alchemist of Gramnad 2 – The Memories of Ultramarine (PSP, 2011)
* Atelier Elkrone: Dear For Otomate (PSP, 2012) and
* Atelier Totori Plus (PS Vita, 2012), although that latter game may still be released here.
We also missed out on these “Side-Games” in the series:
* Marie & Elie: Atelier Pair (Wonderswan Color, 2001)
* Marie To Elie Atelier (Dreamcast 2001)
* Hermina & Culus: Atelier Lilie Another Story (PS2, 2001)
* Atelier Marie, Elie & Anis: Message On the Gentle Breeze (Game Boy Advance, 2003)
* Atelier Lise: The Alchemist of Orde~ (DS, 2007) and
* Atelier Lina: The Alchemist of Strahl (DS, 2009).
In fact the only side-game released in the US was the second-to-last, “Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island” which hit DS in 2009 in America, but was not released in Europe. PHEW. Now that is a lot of entries, essentially one or two a year!
So if you want to know what this Atelier RPG franchise is all about, track down either the first PS2 game released in the West (Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana for PS2 2005), or the first game in the Mana series (Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis, PS2 2008) or, and probably the easiest one to play and find, track down the first PS3 game entitled “Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland” (PS3 2010). Once you’ve played one of them, you can attempt to track down the others and judge whether you enjoyed it enough to seek out other games.
Trials Evolution Gold comes to PC with nifty extras like a soundtrack.
Trials: Evolution – Gold Edition will be released for PC at retail(!) and digitally via Steam, etc. on March 21st 2013.
This news was announced to celebrate the great success of the side-scrolling Excitebike-style platform/racing/puzzle game series which has sold an amazing 4 million units since the release of Trials HD in 2009 for Xbox Live Arcade. Its sequel, Trials Evolution was so successful it hit a launch-day sales record for Xbox Live Arcade when it was released last year (2012).
Trials Evolution Gold Edition will include the complete Trials HD game alongside every track from Trials HD. Additionally the retail game will come in a steelcase box and include the game’s official Trials Evolution Soundtrack. Also included will be a Gold Bike, Gold Wheels and Gold Rider Outfit.
Here is a video with tons of gameplay footage from Trials Evolution.
Explore a completely open, sandbox world Lego-style ala GTA!
The highly anticipated WiiU-exclusive Lego City Undercover will finally be released on March 18th 2013, announced developer Traveler Tales and Nintendo.
The game has been one of the most highly sought-after WiiU titles and one of the most exciting Lego games yet ever since it’s announcement, but the game ended up missing the WiiU launch last year. Technically though, it will still make the “Wii U Launch Window” even though it’s not hitting till March.
The main character Chase McCain at right.
The Chase is On! For the first time, the fan-favorite Lego City vehicles and play sets come to life in Lego City: Undercover, exclusively for the new Wii U console. Players assume the identity of Chase McCain, an undercover detective armed with clever disguises.
Use the Robber disguise to pry-objects open with your crowbar.
The mission is to put a stop to the fiendish Rex Fury and end his crime wave in Lego City. As players run, drive and even fly through the city, they’ll use the Wii U GamePad controller as a new police gadget.
Many vehicles at your disposal including a tractor on a farm!
Key Features Of Lego City: Undercover include:
* The Wii U GamePad is woven seamlessly into the game-play experience. Players use it to scan for hidden clues and criminals, receive mission updates and place waypoints on an overhead city map that displays their position in real time.
* Experience Lego City like never before. Players will encounter familiar play sets come to life as they explore the vast city, looking for clues to bring RexFury to justice.
Great fighting battles await you with fisticuff action in Lego City Undercover!
* Players can go undercover with a variety of disguises, including a firefighter, a construction worker and even a robber, and use their unique abilities to solve puzzles and access new areas of the city.
* There are more than 100 vehicles for players to collect and use to explore the city, including sports cars, motorcycles and even aircraft.
* Lego video games are known for their humor and parody, and Lego City Undercover delivers this and more with fully voiced characters and ambient crowds, bringing Lego City to life.
Vehicle and Police Chases abound in Lego City Undercover exclusively for Wii U.
Very slick and very nice looking new white 500GB PS3.
A White-Colored $300 PlayStation 3 500GB Super Slim console will be released in North America on January 29th 2013.
This marks the first time ever that a white PS3 system has been officially released in America, and this will be the first time a PS3 system bundle has included a whopping 500GB hard drive. Keep in mind however that all PS3’s have the ability to simply unscrew the included Hard Drive for a larger capacity model purchased seperately. So your mileage may vary.
This new white PS3 system includes a matching white Dual Shock 3 controller, alongside a 1-Year Subscription to PlayStation Plus, which will instantly grant players 12 Free PS3 titles ranging from LittleBigPlanet 2, to Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One to Infamous 2, and a number of other free games and content that PlayStation Plus subscribers have access too (those 12 free games are rotated out each month however, and you lose access to them when your PS Plus Membership runs out).
This PS3 system bundle is officially called the “Classic White PS3 Instant Game Collection Bundle”, and it is definitely a great deal for those who do not yet own a PS3 system. This system is the Super Slim Model, following the original Slim model released in 2009 and the PS3 “Phat” original design released in 2006.
Lightning Returns will hit this Fall 2013 on Xbox 360 & PS3.
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, the sequel to FFXIII (2009) and Final Fantasy XIII-2 (January 2012), will be released this Fall 2013 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 announced developer and publisher Square Enix. Fall will be a worldwide release.
A boss fight perhaps?
The new trailer showcases Luxerion, the divine city of light, which is one of the four regions of Nova Chrysalia (previously known as Novus Partus). Also released today are new screenshots that reveal a new character, Lumina — a mysterious girl whose unpredictable nature wreaks havoc everywhere she goes.
Key new features of the game include a New Game Plus system that encourages players to replay the game to do and see everything, a more traditional action-game combat system that uses the Final Fantasy staple APB (Active Time Battle) system and Paradigm Shift but bringing them into an Action RPG style, and the tying up of story ends from previous games with the final entry in the FFXIII franchise.
The beautiful main character, a girl named Lightning.
It’s finally coming officially! Spring 2013 in America for Wii by XseeD! THANK YOU!
Xseed will release Pandora’s Tower for Wii in America this Spring 2013, announced the RPG publisher. XSeed Games was responsible for The Last Story release date of August 14 2012 last year, which went on to become XSeed’s best-selling game of ALL TIME. Now, Pandora’s Tower may very well be the last game ever released for Wii; and a sure-fire collector’s item!
Thanks to the tremendous sales success of The Last Story and Xenoblade Chronicles, and the infinite push of the Operation Rainfall campaign of fans who clamored, begged, pleaded, worked, promoted and pushed for the American release of these three Japanese RPG-style titles to be released; XSeed has proudly announced that they WILL finally publish Pandora’s Tower in America!
This is a huge win for American gamers, RPG/adventure fans, and a true example of the power of the consumer, who pushed for change, went out and bought the two previous Operation Rainfall Wii titles (Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story) in big numbers, and finally got the attention of publishers who decided to put the resources into making it happen!
“It’s fantastic to be bringing such a highly-anticipated title like Pandora’s Tower to such a vocal fan base,” said XSEED President Shinichi Suzuki. “North American gamers have been very patient in waiting for this game to be released, and we’re confident they will be pleased when they get their hands on the title.”
Even since the beginning of the Operation Rainfall movement (which has now grown into a full-blown website devoted to covering the great games and RPGs that get lost between the cracks), Pandora’s Tower was always considered to be the least likely game of the Japanese trio to get released. Indeed, since late last year, everyone moved on and assumed it would never actually get released in the States. Thankfully that has changed, and hopefully it will become another huge seller for XSeed!
I also hold out hope that XSeed and Nintendo will come to their senses, and release all three titles in an Operation Rainfall trilogy pack for Wii U. These games deserve to be played, and the ailing Wii cannot do them justice. They deserve a re-release! This would also double as greatly increasing the Wii U’s stable of RPGs in the Wii U game library, which remains pretty much non-existent right now. If these were to be the first major RPGs released for Wii U, that’d go a long way towards making the WiiU a fantastic RPG machine.
Pandora’s Tower Synopsis:
Developed in Japan by Ganbarion, Pandora’s Tower takes the classic fairytale theme of a maiden in distress and adds a violent twist, with the protagonist setting out to slay over a dozen giant monsters and collect their flesh in order to free his beloved from an evil curse. The agreement with Nintendo grants XSEED Games exclusive publishing rights to Pandora’s Tower in North America.
A tale of unfortunate circumstances, Pandora’s Tower opens in the Kingdom of Elyria, where an unassuming singer named Elena succumbs to a wretched curse during a festival performance. Bearing an arcane mark on her back, she starts transforming into a savage monster, causing the town guards to attempt to kill her in order to prevent it. A young ex-mercenary named Aeron, whose heart has forever been pledged to Elena, whisks her away in the nick of time – and with the help of a mysterious witch named Mavda, he learns what must be done to avert her wretched fate. He must descend into The Scar, a massive chasm tied down by twelve chains connected to a floating island in its center, atop which sit thirteen interconnected towers. There, he must use his sword and a sacred chain to battle his way through each tower and extract the flesh of the boss “masters” that dwell within, which Elena must consume in order to reverse her ongoing transformation. But the clock is ticking! The longer Aeron takes to vanquish each beast, the less human Elena becomes, affecting her character and the game’s final outcome in a profound manner. Time is of the essence…
Absolutely amazing God and Country Bioshock Infinite wallpaper
Plan on playing Bioshock Infinite on your PC when the game comes out? Here are the system requirements that you’ll need. Release date for Bioshock Infinite is March 26 2013 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
MINIMUM
* OS: Windows Vista Service Pack 2 32-bit
* Processor: Intel Core 2 DUO 2.4 GHz / AMD Athlon X2 2.7 GHz
* Memory: 2 GB
* Hard Drive: 20 GB free
* Video Card: DirectX10 Compatible ATI Radeon HD 3870 / NVIDIA 8800 GT / Intel HD 3000 Integrated Graphics
* Video Card Memory: 512 MB
* Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
RECOMMENDED
* OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 64-bit
* Processor: Quad Core Processor
* Memory: 4 GB
* Hard Drive: 30 GB free
* Video Card: DirectX11 Compatible, AMD Radeon HD 6950 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560
* Video Card Memory: 1024 MB
* Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
The official 3DS Fire Emblem: Awakening Special Edition System Bundle
A non-XL 3DS Fire Emblem: Awakening Blue-embossed system bundle (Price likely $180) will release on February 4th 2013 alongside the launch of the highly anticipated 11th game in the Fire Emblem strategy RPG series.
The system is a blue-colored 3DS with a very cool, exclusive Fire Emblem: Awakening logo embossed on the front of the system. The game, Fire Emblem: Awakening, will come pre-installed on the system, which means it’s a digital title.
Artwork of the characters you’ll see in Fire Emblem: Awakening
This means you won’t get any physical box or instruction manual with the game, which might be a tough sell for those who prefer to own hardcopies as opposed to digital. The 3DS is also a regular, small 3DS (original version) and not the much larger 3DS XL, which also may disappoint some. Others may be disappointed that the color is not a new color, although it looks like it may be a different shade of blue than the “Aqua Blue” system.
The beautiful special edition blue Fire Emblem: Awakening 3DS (non 3DS XL)
This news was confirmed by Nintendo of America’s official Twitter following a full-page reveal in Game Informer. Official pricing has not been announced, but other similar bundles sell for $180. A regular 3DS (with no game included) typically sells for $170, whereas the 3DS XL sells for $200. The bundle will be released in USA and Canada, no word on whether or not it will hit other territories.
If you are unfamiliar with the long-running (since 1990… in Japan anyway, the first Western Fire Emblem didn’t release until 2003 for Game Boy Advance, titled “Fire Emblem”, even though it was the 7th main game in the series) Fire Emblem strategy RPG games, check out the trailer for Fire Emblem Awakening above.
Fire Emblem: Awakening will mark the first Nintendo-developed game to ever offer paid Downloadable Content (DLC has been featured in the Professor Layton games, New Super Mario Bros. 2 and other games, but were offered free). Something that has become standard on other systems and with games throughout the industry, but never yet offered by Nintendo themselves. Until now.
Awesome cutscene screenshot from Fire Emblem: Awakening
Fire Emblem: Awakening Overview:
Command your army and shape the course of history! In the visually stunning world of the Fire Emblem Awakening game, you command and fight alongside an army of spirited heroes standing against an enemy with the power to destroy empires; a dark dragon whose agents include armies of the undead. Plan your attack, customize your forces, and guide your heroes as you forge alliances that strengthen your resolve in battle and shape the course of history. Lead a team of distinct characters with unique abilities, rich backstories, and evolving relationships that guide the path of your quest. Plan your attack carefully – the lives of your soldiers and the future of the world depends on it.
Fire Emblem: Awakening offers great strategy RPG gameplay.
* IMMERSIVE STORY AND VISUALS – The deep and immersive fantasy storyline is told through beautiful glasses-free, stereoscopic 3D visuals and movies. * DEEP CAST OF CHARACTERS – A massive selection of characters are at your command, all with a unique personality and background story and different class types and skill sets. * DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT – An extensive selection of downloadable content will be available for purchase and will offer opportunities to acquire new maps, new story elements, new playable characters, new classes, and rare items and weapons.
Marth, made famous from Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl returns!
* CUSTOMIZATION: Create your own personalized character and fight alongside heroic characters on the battlefield. * BONDS GROWN IN BATTLE: Team up characters to strengthen their friendships on the battlefield. The closer they grow, the better these friends and allies will fight together. Some characters can even get married! * TEAM UP: Team up with a friend and fight against a group of enemies in the local multiplayer mode. * STREETPASS – The StreetPass feature allows you to exchange your team data. Recruit or battle against the other player’s team or purchase rare items they might carry. * SPOTPASS – The SpotPass feature allows you to receive new maps, items and legacy characters to battle against in random battle and local multiplayer mode.
Excellent visuals in this new Fire Emblem exclusively for 3DS.
