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Rainier's Articles


PS3 Preview - 'Valkyria Chronicles'

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - Post - E3 2008

Genre: Action/Role-Playing
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Release Date: November 2008

With the announcement that Final Fantasy XIII will be coming to the Xbox 360 in addition to the PS3, things are looking kind of grim for Sony in one of the areas where they used to be the undefeated champ: role-playing games. With titles like Infinite Undiscovery, Star Ocean 4 and now Final Fantasy XIII coming to Microsoft's system, in addition to support from niche companies like Atlus, Sony's lost a lot of its normally unbreakable hold over the RPG gamer market. Yet for all of that,

NDS Preview - 'Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia'

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - Post - E3 2008

Genre: Action/RPG
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Release Date: Fall 2008

I've loved Castlevania since the moment I took Simon Belmont on his awkwardly difficult adventure through the castle to punch Dracula in the face, and while not every title in the franchise has been good, the 2-D titles remain some of the best offerings on their respective systems. The announcement of a new Castlevania for the DS brought joy and happiness to my heart. While I was a bit disappointed with the last DS title, Portrait of Ruin, it was still a great game, albeit a tad

PS3/X360 Preview - 'Bayonetta'

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - Post - E3 2008

Genre: Action
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: PlatinumGames
Release Date: September 2009

Let's be frank here: There's still not a whole lot we know about Bayonetta. We know it's being developed by PlatinumGames — formerly Clover Studio, the hardcore heroes of the last console generation. We know it's being put together by Hideki Kamiya, the creator of Viewtiful Joe and Devil May Cry.

And thanks to E3, we now know that if the heroine of Bayonetta and Devil May Cry's Dante were to ever get into a fight, Dante would lose twice before he hit the ground. This is Kamiya

PS3/X360/PC Preview - 'Damnation'

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - Post - E3 2008

Genre: Shooter
Publisher: Codemasters
Developer: Blue Omega
Release Date: Q4 2008

It's not really difficult to trace the development of shooter games to certain landmark titles. Once Half-Life got big, you started to see the inspiration of its story line and level design trickle into other games on the market. Once Halo hit, the idea of a regenerating health bar instead of the Doom-style medpaks took over, and Gears of War popularized cover movement and squad tactics that had normally been the dominion of super-realistic titles like Rainbow Six. Damnation is pretty clearly a post-Gears of War

'Ninjatown' (NDS) - 4 New Screens

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - E3 2008 - July 15th

Sunny skies, lush forest and rolling hills combine to form the land known as Ninjatown where adorable and honorable Ninjas populate this vibrant yet peaceful place. However, after the mysterious eruption of a nearby volcano, Ninjatown is attacked by hordes of sinister enemies lead by Mr. Demon, who, for reasons unknown, is bent on destruction. It is now time to use each of the Ninjas’ unique skills and powers – including the Mighty Wind of Ninja Dropping and Stealth Hugs - even the Ol’ Master Ninja comes out of retirement to fight off the evil and secure Ninjatown,

PSP Preview - 'Resistance: Retribution'

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - Post - E3 2008

Genre: Shooter
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Sony Bend
Release Date: Q2 2009

First off, this is another shooter on the PSP that uses the four face buttons in lieu of a second analog stick. If this is a problem for you, then you may as well stop reading now. I don't want to see you on GameFAQs in six months complaining about it; you were warned, straight up, up front, black and white.

Resistance: Retribution is set between Resistance: Fall of Man, the PS3 launch title that dealt with an alien invasion of the UK, and the forthcoming Resistance

'Star Wars The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance' (NDS) - Screens

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - E3 2008 - July 16th

The galaxy far, far away takes on a dazzling new look in the first-ever CG-animated Star Wars feature – Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It's a major entertainment event that includes a brand-new movie, a weekly television series and an exciting videogame that bridges the gap between Episode II and Episode III feature films. Star Wars: The Clone Wars brings a fresh new look to the timeless saga of one of the most celebrated stories and introduces generations of fans to brand new characters including Anakin Skywalker’s new Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano and promises epic new adventures as

'Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels' (Wii) - Screens

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - E3 2008 - July 16th

The galaxy far, far away takes on a dazzling new look in the first-ever CG-animated Star Wars feature – Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It's a major entertainment event that includes a brand-new movie, a weekly television series and an exciting videogame that bridges the gap between Episode II and Episode III feature films. Star Wars: The Clone Wars brings a fresh new look to the timeless saga of one of the most celebrated stories and introduces generations of fans to brand new characters including Anakin Skywalker’s new Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano and promises epic new adventures as

Xbox Live Arcade Preview - 'Galaga Legions'

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - Post - E3 2008

Genre: Shoot-'Em-Up
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Developer: Namco Bandai Games
Release Date: TBA 2008

Galaga Legions was developed by the same team that made Pac-Man Championship Edition, and much like the dot-chomping fellow, this new Xbox Live Arcade iteration is a successful update to the original Galaga formula. Although the premise is still the same - you pilot a spaceship and are tasked with shooting down waves of insect-like aliens - Galaga Legions incorporates a number of additions that help modernize the title.

First of all, you can move your ship in all directions with the left thumbstick,

'Champions Online' - Screens

by Rainier on Jan. 1, 2006 @ 1:30 a.m. PST | Filed under E3 - E3 2008 - July 15th

Cryptic Studios also announced today that it has acquired the Champions intellectual property (IP) from Hero Games. First published in 1981, the Champions role-playing game is one of the first RPGs to forgo the traditional dice-rolling system of character generation in favor of a point-based system. Cryptic Studios has licensed back to Hero Games the rights to produce Champions RPG books, and the sixth edition of the HERO System and Champions, set to release in 2009, will include rules on how to recreate Champions Online characters and scenarios.

Champions Online is all about total customization -- it will offer