At the Video Game awards, amongst a host of exciting new game trailers (Uncharted 2, God of War III) was a not so good game trailer for Watchmen: The End is Nigh. Now, not to judge a book (er game) by its cover or sound like a Watchmen-fanboy but it looks like utterly forgettable dreck. More of the been there, done that, wouldn’t have a t-shirt of it if you paid me, that continues to creep up with every video game tie-in.

Look, I get that video game time-ins are on a certain schedule. They have to be released in conjunction with the product that they tie-in to in order to make make sense. I’m with you there. But does that really mean each of them have to invoke the same generic feelings? I’d like to honestly believe that is not what the creators are going for, because that would be unfortunate.

Instead I’d like to believe that they are victims of circumstance, doing their best with the restraints that they have to work with. And if my half-full glass scenario is true, I’d like to hope that they tar-and-feather the marketing people who think that this - THIS - is a good trailer.

EDIT: I originally referred to the game as Watchmen: The End is Nye and published without fixing it. But when I came back to edit this post, it occurred to me that this game would instantly be 10,000 times more exciting if Dr. Manhattan was trying to stop that brilliant TV Scientist (and idol of many 90s nerd children) Bill Nye, The Science Guy.

My own personal feelings aside (a slick, entertaining yet-partially flawed pseudo-remake of GTA 3), the Time article makes an interesting comment - “…a grade-A shoot-’em-up that doubles as an interactive novel…” - that seems almost more (incidentally) provoking than naming it the top game of 2008.

For the past few years, gaming has been torn between becoming a mature artistic medium or remaining a digital past time, the electronic heir to Monopoly’s living room. This battle has taken the form of hardcore gamers rampaging against the rise of casual gaming that the industry itself has latched on. These arguments always seem to harp and focus on the Wii’s bountiful shovelware, and while, there is a lot of ground in this argument, it misses the more interesting one:

What hooks the casual gamer?

From the days of Ms. Pac-Man, game makers have been trying to implement some level of story into their games. Some have a vague sense of concept (Italian plumber + kingdom of mushroom + angry snapping turtle), while others embrace the other extreme (Kojima, I’m looking at you). Twenty years ago, there was no real defining line between casual gamer and hardcore gamer. Anyone could play Pac-Man or Mario Brothers. But as the games became more virtual and “harder” to control a segment became phased out.

The current idea in gaming to bring back the masses, revolves around the idea of mini-games or simplistic controls that promote fun. Basically, electronic board games. I applaud these efforts and think its perfectly healthy to have a tremendous amount of these, especially since you can have a degree of experimentation that you cannot have in any other way.

But eventually the novelty wears off.

In the early days of film, people would flock to the theaters just to watch two minutes of people stepping off a train, or running around with a hose. It was a technological wonder and the people paid. But behind the scenes, the creators began to see what could be possible and, with the audience in their hands, waiting, pushed the medium into its more complex story driven phase.

Since then, for good or bad, movies have gone through growing phases to keep the audiences - both casual and die hard, mainstream and independent - happy. And it does so with many crossover hits. Passive audiences can move from generic and bland films to more hardcore films that require active audiences just through exposure.

Which brings me back to the GTA IV comment. I wouldn’t say it’s the best example of an interactive novel (in fact, I would strongly argue that Metal Gear Solid 4 does it much better), but in its own way it can serve to be the 21st century’s version of The Great Train Robbery. With its high profile, news making, crossover gameplay, it can be the hi-definition interactive gunshot to digital-boggle addicted audiences, and with that potential, maybe it deserves to stand as the best of the year, despite its flaws.

I guess I should go read the Non-disclosure agreement before I say too much, but I will say this: If you enter the environment, you get hit on. A lot. And you get showered with friend requests. But only if you are a girl. Egads!

Press Release

Toronto, ON - Aug 17 2007 - Looking to entice new fans to the comic market, Toronto-based UDON Comics will be distributing over 20,000 free comics to fans at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle on August 24th-26th.

“Our giveaway comics won’t be samplers or promo issues. These are regular full-sized issues of our Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Rival Schools and Exalted comic series. We want to get our comics in to the hands of thousands of video game fans,” says Erik Ko, UDON’s Editor in Chief. “With the 20th anniversary of Street Fighter coming up in 2008, now is the perfect time to remind people how much they love these properties and show them the quality product we publish.”

In addition to the randomly-selected free comic inside each PAX loot bag, members of UDON will be at the convention selling exclusive comics, artbooks and posters as well as sketching and signing for attendees. In particular, fans of video game and anime artwork will want to snap up copies of the convention exclusive ‘Art of Capcom’ brand new 300+ page hardcover artbook which sold out at Anime Expo and Comic-Con International earlier this summer.

Figures.com has a gallery up of the upcoming Castlevania action figures. Four figures are planned. Dracula, Alucard, Simon Belmont (original style, not Ayami Kojima’s redhead redesign.), and Succubus. Smaller figures will come packed with them including the eye (which is actually kind of small compared to how it is in the game) and a fleaman.

Emil Chronicle Online, makers of very cute MMORPGs will be bringing the very cute Major Motoko Kusanagi into their online role -playing system, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Collaborating with Production I.G., ECO blind-sided me with this fabulous RPG module that I could never play, because it’s only in Japan.

I’m not completely sure how ECO works, but I think it’s a MMORPG that you can buy add-ons for. So if you want a little Kusanagi and a little Tachikoma, and a run in with the Laughing Man, you need to buy this. The pack comes with a 60-day free trial of ECO, so I wonder if you can run it offline, too.

~

Genre: Heart full online RPG (that’s what google translated the genre as, so it must be true!)

Sale Date: August 24, 2007 - JAPAN ONLY *sob*

Platform: Windows PC (I’d buy a windows machine for this)

Price: 3,990 Yen (including tax)

Official Site: http://www.econline.jp/md/koukaku_sac/index.html

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I found this info from the Masamune Shirow Hyperpage.

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It only took a week for McFarlane Toys to announce the Halo 3 Action Figures.

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The line-up will include the following action figures:

• Master Chief
• Brute Chieftan
• Cortana
• Jackal Sniper
• Grunt (2-pack)

As well as three vehicles:

• Warthog
• Ghost
• Brute Chopper

The figures are not expected to be released until Spring 2008, long after the release of Halo 3 for Xbox, in September 2007. Read more details on Spawn.com.

It’s an interesting read, as Ellis lays out some of his activities and ideas online. He reveals the movie will be based on Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse (Super-Nintendo). One of the most interesting things he says is he wants it to be a trilogy.

“Secrets of Video Games” will not only introduce video games to children, it will also include information on various game creator professions, the process of creating video games, interacting with video games, expert opinions on social issues such as the effects of video games on the brain, and the competitiveness of the Japanese video game industry from an economic perspective.

So what is the catch? Yes, it’s only available in Japan. But worst, it’s only being distributed to 24,000 elementary schools and 2,700 public libraries across Japan. As fantastic and generous as it is, it makes my chances of picking this up on Yahoo Japan pretty slim.

During their presentation, Capcom said the entire game will be redrawn, including backgrounds, character select screens, and endings. But specifics as to which artists from UDON will be working on the project were not mentioned. A very cute slide featuring the evolution of Ryu illustrates the changes in the graphics. A photo can be found here. There is hopes of a fall release for Xbox Live Arcade and the Playstation Network.

Press Release

[thumb:226:r] Marvel Entertainment, Inc., SEGA Europe Ltd and SEGA of America, Inc. have expanded their relationship to include the rights to develop and distribute games inspired by Marvel’s Hall-of-Fame franchises - Captain America, The Incredible Hulk and Thor. Through the exclusive, multi-year global licensing agreement, SEGA will create titles for console, handheld and PC platforms based upon both the classic comic books and planned feature film adaptations of these world-renowned Super Heroes. The deal follows Marvel and SEGA’s announcement to create titles based on Super Hero favorite Iron Man, with both game and film slated to be released in Summer 2008.

“Video games are an ideal medium to showcase the appeal and excitement of our Super Hero franchises,” said David Maisel, Chairman, Marvel Studios. “SEGA is one of the industry’s most innovative game developers and we are thrilled to partner with them to bring Captain America, The Incredible Hulk and Thor to the video gaming arena. These franchises represent three of Marvel’s most popular characters and lend themselves to captivating game play. We have already seen SEGA’s passion for the Marvel Universe through the early development of the Iron Man video game, and we look forward to working closely with them over the next few years to maximize the potential of these franchises in the interactive entertainment space.”

Under the expanded agreement, SEGA will develop a title to be based on Marvel Studios’ highly-anticipated The Incredible Hulk feature film. The film will return the larger-than-life Super Hero to the roots of the long-running comic series and television show with an all-new action-packed storyline directed by Louis Leterrier (Transporter 2, Unleashed). The Incredible Hulk video game will be released in the same timeframe as the film. Games based on Captain America and Thor will follow, though the timing of those feature film projects, currently in development, has not yet been determined.

“We are excited to broaden our partnership with Marvel, a recognised leader and innovator in the entertainment industry,” said Simon Jeffery, President and COO, SEGA of America. “As SEGA continues to create games that are built from the ground up to appeal to Western audiences it makes perfect sense to work with a powerhouse like Marvel. Captain America, The Incredible Hulk and Thor are icons that people are already familiar with and love, so our goal is to give gamers the ability to play out their fantasies by actually becoming these Super Heroes. Fans can now not only watch them in movies and read about them in comic books, but also literally control their actions through the video games we are creating. We look forward to bringing these icons to life like never before and putting the power in the hands of the fans.”

Toronto, ON - Feb 20, 2007 - Video game fans everywhere have been impressed with UDON’s release of the STREET FIGHTER: Eternal Challenge art book, which not only shows off the fabulous art of Street Fighter but also provides a detailed look at the franchise and its history. Now, UDON’s line of video game art books is expanding with several gorgeous art/history books coming in 2007, all brought to you straight from Japan and translated into English for the first time! Things kick off in April with MEGAMAN ZERO Official Complete Works.

MEGAMAN is a timeless Capcom property that appeals to all ages, and the artwork and designs of the MEGAMAN ZERO series are often considered to be the most innovative in the franchise. This inspiring art book is filled with character designs, concept sketches, location designs, event digests, data archives, character dialogue lists, item charts, and exclusive interviews with the series’ creators giving an in-depth look at the world of MEGAMAN ZERO.

So, whether you are a lifelong MEGAMAN fan, a die-hard gamer, or if you just have an eye for gorgeous artwork, you will find plenty to love about MEGAMAN ZERO Official Complete Works. This is just the first release in a series of new art books, so look for updates on future releases at www.CapcomComics.com.

MEGAMAN ZERO OFFICIAL COMPLETE WORKS
US Price: $34.99 ISBN: 978-1-897376-01-0
Format: 180 pgs, Full Color, Artbook, 8 ¼ X 11 ¼ inches

SIDESHOW TOYS
Sideshow will be importing the Medicom 1/6 scale (Barbie sized) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of Patriots figures. Raiden and Solid Snake are confirmed with this release, with promises of intricate details. [ Figures.com ]

NCEA

NCEA has a few projects on their plate, adding to their Player Select toyline.

Resident Evil: Anniversary figures
• Tyrant
• Licker
• Hunter
• Crimson Head Zombie

Castlevania
• Simon (they say the one from the original game, but I am uncertain if they were simply explaining who Simon Belmont is or if they mean the original version, not the prettyboy redhead one)
• Alucard (of course!)
• Dracula
• Sucubus (hahaha)
For the love of all things good, I hope all of the figures are beased on the illustrations of Ayami Kojima.

Devil May Cry
• Dante (Devil May Cry 1 version)

Some images (no Castlevania pics yet!) as well as pictures from already announed figures from God Of War, Tomb Raider, Legacy of Kain and Hitman on Figures.com.

GENTLE GIANT
This is actually more Medicom news (boy I love Medicom). A 1/6 scale fully articulated Mastercheif is coming decked out in his Spartan armour and a black cloth bodysuit (maybe he’s a mime in his spare time).

Also, Halo Kubricks! Funny little blocky goodness.

KOTOBUKIYA
Kotobukiya continues on with their Square-Enix license with figures from Kindgom Hearts II. Sora: Wisdom Form and Sora: Master Form. Kotobukiya is unsure how these figures will be distributed.

Of course more Final Fantasy toys are coming. Highly articulated figures from the Play Arts line will include:

Final Fantasy Advent Children
• Reno
• Yuffie Kisagari
• Kadaj

Final Fantasy VII
• Cloud Strife
• Aerith Gainsbough
• Tifa Lockhart
• Cloud Strife and Hardy Daytona motorcycle boxed set

Photos from Kotobukiya’s booth.

Kotobukiya with ARTFX wil be producing 1/6 scale models or statues from Devil May Cry 3 and Devil May Cry 4.

Press Release

[thumb:222:r] Toronto, ON - Jan 25, 2007 - Hot off the success of ONIMUSHA: NIGHT OF GENESIS, Udon is kicking its Capcom Manga line into high gear with three new STREET FIGHTER manga series!

First up, April sees the release of the STREET FIGHTER ALPHA Vol.1 (of 2) Manga, an eagerly anticipated manga series finally adapted for the English audience. Fan-favorite characters Like Ryu, Chun-Li and Akuma are brought to life through the explosive story and art of popular manga creator Masahiko Nakamura (Sadamitsu the Destroyer). Prepare for all-out martial arts action as Street Fighter heroes battle against the forces of the evil Shadaloo crime lord M.Bison.

Next, in June, Udon brings you the STREET FIGHTER II Vol.1 (of 3) Manga by popular Japanese artist Masaomi Kanzaki (Xenon, Gun Crisis). For the first time, fans can enjoy this classic manga faithfully adapted, uncut and unedited. See the best fighters from around the world face off in the ultimate martial arts tournament. But behind the scenes, an evil crime boss has a hidden agenda-to use the world’s greatest warrior as his next living weapon!

Then in July, the spotlight falls on one of Capcom’s loveliest ladies in SAKURA GUNBARU! Vol.1 (of 2), a high school action-comedy sure knock your socks off! See how Sakura established herself as one of the most valuable players in the Street Fighter universe. Beautifully illustrated by artist Masahiko Kanzaki, this series also features the introduction of the popular SF Alpha character Karin, Sakura’s archrival!

And there are even more new Capcom Manga series just around the corner! Stay tuned to CapcomComics.com for the latest news on Udon’s Capcom Manga line, as well as previews of each upcoming volume.

STREET FIGHTER ALPHA Vol.1 (of 2) Manga (ISBN: 978-1-897376-50-8) April 2007.

STREET FIGHTER II Vol.1 (of 3) Manga (ISBN: 978-0-9781386-1-5) June 2007.

SAKURA GUNBARU! Vol.1 (of 2) Manga (ISBN: 978-1-897376-52-2) July 2007.

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Press Release [thumb:220:r] SEGA and Marvel Entertainment announced that they have entered into a worldwid licensing agreement whereby SEGA has secured the exclusive rights to develop an distribute video game titles for all platforms based on Marvel’s renowned Iron Ma property. Under the multi-year agreement, SEGA has been granted the exclusiv interactive rights to develop and distribute games based on both Marvel’s Iron Ma feature films and the classic comic book iterations of the character. The Iron Man agreement represents the first step in a strategic partnership between Marvel an SEGA to bring at least one additional Marvel Super Hero property to next-ge platforms

The first Iron Man project produced under the license agreement will be based on Marvel Studios’ highly-anticipated Iron Man feature film starring Academy Award Nominees Robert Downey Jr. and Terrence Howard, and directed by Jon Favreau. This project, the first feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment, will blast into theaters May 2, 2008.

“Marvel is recognized as one of the world’s leaders in the entertainment industry and SEGA is excited to be publishing the next-gen interactive entertainment based on Iron Man, the first Marvel Studios project being brought to the widescreen,” said Simon Jeffery, President and COO, SEGA of America, Inc. “The Iron Man history is filled with compelling and intriguing characters and stories and with the power of the next-gen systems, SEGA will be bringing these characters to life like never before.”

David Maisel, Executive Vice President, Office of the Chief Executive of Marvel Entertainment, added, “SEGA is an excellent partner to bring our Iron Man franchise to the next generation consoles. SEGA is a powerful force in the video game space and has always been on the cutting edge of the industry. We are very excited to be bringing Iron Man to theaters in 2008 and to team with a great partner to simultaneously introduce Iron Man to the video game world.”

Other Iron Man Game Appearances

• Captain America & The Avengers (1991); Data East
  Arcade, NES, SNES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Game Gear, Game Boy

• Marvel Super Heroes - War of the Gems (1995); Capcom
  Arcade, PlayStation, Sega Saturn

• Iron Man and X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal (1996); Acclaim
  PlayStation, Sega Saturn, GameBoy, Game Gear, DOS

• Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (1998); Capcom
  Arcade, Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation

• Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000); Capcom
  Arcade, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox

• The Invincible Iron Man (2002); Activision
  Game Boy Advance

• Tony Hawk’s Underground (2003); Activision
  Xbox, GameCube, PS2, PC(Australia only), Game Boy Advance, Mobile Phone

• X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse (2005); Activision
  GameCube, PS2, Xbox, N-Gage, PSP, PC, Wireless, Mobile Phone

• Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects (2005); Electronic Arts
  GameCube, PS2, PSP, Nintendo DS, Xbox

• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006); Activision
  PC, Wii, PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360, Game Boy Advance

Cameos

• Ultimate Spider-Man (2005) Activision
  GameCube, PS2, PC, Xbox, GBA, Nintendo DS, Mobile Phone
  An old woman wrongly believed that Spider-Man was chasing Iron Man while the webslinger was actually chasing the Beetle. Stark himself doesn’t appear in the game, only his codename gets mentioned.

• The Punisher (2005) THQ
  PS2, Xbox, PC
  Iron Man, Tony Stark and Stark Enterprises made an appearance in the 2005 Punisher video game. An inside joke alludes to Stark’s alcoholism: After viewing the destruction left by the Punisher, Stark sighs and says, “I need a drink.”

Information gathered from Wikipedia and GameFAQs.
-Steph

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Apparently I can now tell people that I’m writing a CASTLEVANIA animated film for Project 51 Productions.

So, um. Yeah.

Project 51 will be setting up a production blog for CASTLEVANIA in the near future.

This has the potential to be the greatest video game movie ever made. Not like that seems to be a difficult feat…

If you’re wondering why there are no updates or anything from me this last month or so, I have some personal things to take care of that specifically has to do with my health. Not life threatening or anything, but I do have some minor surgery scheduled towards the end of October. Unrelated to that, I seem to have a bit of an infection this weekend and last night had a massive allergic reaction to something.. not sure what, but boy did my eyes ever swell up. When it rains, it pours…

Aside from that, I also have a sci-fi con appearance next week at the Comic Talks panel

Hopefully Vic and Christian can fill the void and record another podcast in the next couple of weeks. And I’ll post anything fun I happen to find (by “find” I mean my brother sent me a link)

Until then, please take care, everyone! Keep posting in the forums, I’m still up for a bit of socializing.

RELIVE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG’S EARLIEST ADVENTURES WITH THE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVE SERIES!

[thumb:213:r ] In 1993, Sonic the Hedgehog sped his way from video games to comic books. Almost 200 issues later, “the blue blur” can lay claim to having the most successful comic book career of all video game heroes! Now you can travel back in time to where it all began in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES, a thrilling series of upscale reprints that lets you revisit Sonic’s early days in a premium yet affordable format. These special 5 x 7 & ½ inch editions contain 112 action-packed pages, faithfully re-colored and printed on superior stock, with a low cover price of only $7.49 US!

Picking up where the SONIC THE HEDGEHOG: THE BEGINNING trade paperback left off (which reprinted the original Sonic mini-series issues #0 through #3), SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES #1 ships in November and dives right into the action, starting with the first issue of Sonic’s ongoing comic book series all the way up through issue #4. Following on its heels in December is SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES #2, representing issues #5 through #8.

In SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES #1, fans will thrill to these classic tales:

• “Meet Me at the Corner of Hedgehog and Vine” (issue #1): Robotnik unleashes the fury of a mecha-plant within the great forest, and Sonic must defeat it and save his rival for Sally’s attentions, Antoine, at the same time!
• “You Bet My Life” (issue #1): The odds are against Sonic when he crashes the Casino Night Zone only to face the dreaded Orbinaut!
• “Triple Trouble” (issue #2): The terrible trio of Coconuts, Scratch and Grounder ruin a perfectly fine day for Sonic and Tails!
• “Vertigo-a-Go-Go”: Sonic meets the madcap Horizontal and Vertical during an unplanned trip to The Unknown Zone!
• “The Bomb Bugs Me” (issue #3): It’s an intriguing series of subterfuges and dastardly disguises… and a surprise ending, too!<
• “Rabbot Deployment” (issue #3): The first comic book appearance of Bunnie Rabbot!
• “Lizard of Odd” (issue #4): The first comic story to feature Super Sonic… and just in time, as the deadly Universalamander threatens everything in sight!
• “Tails Little Tale” (issue #4): The first Tails solo story!

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES #2 features more classic laughs & action:

• “Olympic Trials & Error” (issue #5): Robotnik issues an Olympic challenge to the Freedom Fighters. At stake: the restoration of Mobius, or complete Roboticization!
• “Chomp on This, Chump!” (issue #5): Introducing the Termite-nator, an ever-growing consumer of wood… which isn’t so good if you live in Knothole Village!
• “The Spin Doctor” (issue #6): the action-packed adaptation of Sega’s “Sonic Spinball” video game!
• “Sonic’s Christmas Carol” (issue #6): The timeless tale is transported to Mobius, complete with curmudgeonly Robotnik as Scrooge!
• “Uncle Chuck’s Treasure” (issue #7): The Freedom Fighters find an old map belonging to Uncle Chuck, and it just may hold the key to defeating Robotnik forever!
• “Sorceress in Distress” (issue #7): Sally goes to the Great Forest in search of a suitable wooden staff to complete her Halloween Sorceress costume. When Robotnik comes upon her, he believes Sally to be a real sorceress and kidnaps her with the intention of marrying her!
• “Bots All Folks!” (issue #8): Jealous that one of his lackeys is a closet fan of Sonic, Robotnik unleashes his fury with new ruthless robots to attack the blue blur!
• “A Little Music Goes a Long Way” (issue #8): All Sonic and his friends want to do is make beautiful music, but a certain robotic meanie has other ideas—namely shrinking the mirthful music makers!

Each story is meticulously restored and printed on high-grade paper-so you can feel like you’re zipping right alongside the cobalt crusader as he saves Knothole Village! So what are you waiting for? Put on your favorite pair of sneakers, grab a chilidog, start reading these thrilling collections and let the excitement begin!

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES #1, ships 11/8. 112-page, full color paperback, $7.49 US. SCRIPTS: Mike Gallagher. ART: Dave Manak.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES #2, ships 12/6. 112-page, full color paperback, $7.49 US. SCRIPTS: Mike Gallagher & Angelo DeCesare. ART: Dave Manak.