Blake is in Rage!

One of the strangest promotional ads I've seen for any video game was the one where rising NBA star Blake Griffin attempts to woo the folks at id Software to put him into Rage. It was a strange coupling that made me scratch my head as I attempted to discern why Blake cares for this title so. It was an entertaining ad though, probably because I love basketball so much. 

Anyway, after getting a chuckle from the promo the first time I saw it, I completely forgot about the Former Rookie of the Year's campaign, until I bumped into him in-game.. In bobblehead form. Hey, it's a start. Keep hope alive, Blake. Rage may warrant a sequel, and if that occurs, maybe you'll be an actual NPC. And hopefully id will mo-cap you on a Knicks game night so you don't set all your career highs against my team. Ahem, sorry.

Look for my Rage review in the next couple of days. Until then, bobble Blake will keep you company.

Batman Zips and Glides around Arkham City, Punches Dudes

I am a Gotham City criminal, on Batman's long list of perpetrators to be brought to justice. The reason? Batman: Arkham City has gone criminally misrepresented here on OBG, with a grand total of one article written throughout the title's development cycle. It's not that I don't care, I do. I was about a year late to the Batman: Arkham Asylum wagon, but when I finally got on I was absolutely captivated. Perhaps I've limited my reporting of Arkham City because subconsciously, I want to tackle it the same way. 

Anyway, here's a short video of how Batman will eventually track me down and punch me in the face. I love what Rocksteady has done with the open world elements and Bats quickly covering ground (or air) without the Batwing. And of course, the free flow combat looks as good as ever. Batman: Arkham City will descend from the Gotham night sky on October 18. Though this probably won't be a week one purchase for me due to time and money constraints, it looks like a worthy get. If you're a fan of the world's most gangsta detective and are not enamored by the other games of Fall, look no further for your fix.

via Destructoid

Weekend Update: Play Uncharted 3 Right Now!

If you own a PlayStation 3, your ass should be walking down to Subway right this instant if you haven't already. All you have to do is purchase a medium drink ($1.90 in New York monies) and you will have access to Uncharted 3's multiplayer mode, no questions asked. 

Subway has recently overtaken McDonalds as the most popular fast food chain in North America, so most of you should have no problem finding a Subway restaurant to take advantage of this promotion. Each medium drink cup's code can be redeemed on a selection of Uncharted 3 multiplayer items, so stock up, just don't forget to get the damned game itself. The entire month of October to hone your Uncharted 3 fragging skills, level up, and unlock instruments of destructions. Need I say more? 

Renegade Ops: Micro Machine Guns

Avalanche Studios have a certain inclination for over-the-top action and destruction. The very first time I played Just Cause, though unrefined, I knew the Swedish developers were very capable. Their idea of ludicrous action, massive explosions, and stunt driving came to fruition in the Godlike comedic action of Just Cause 2. So here is Renegade Ops, a vehicular combat title that tries to capture the beautiful destruction of the Just Cause games while scaling down to the size of Micro Machines. John Moschitta Jr. not included.

Click to read more ...

Watch Two Ninjas Destroy a Building in Dead or Alive 5

Allow me to expose myself as a gamer for a moment (pause). Back when the Xbox released in 2001, I played some Halo: Combat Evolved at a buddy's house and had my mind blown. He had a few other games for Microsoft's green monster, but I wasn't impressed enough to drop the coin for Master Chief alone. A few weeks later, we went in on his newly purchased Dead or Alive 3, also known as the game which helped sell me on Xbox, and consequently ruined my adult social life.

I enjoyed the original Dead or Alive games, though what Team Ninja was able to do with Dead or Alive 3 was a revelation. Incredible interactive environments, beautifully rendered characters, tricky yet rewarding combos (Hayabusa's Izuna Drop still eludes me), and explosive tag battle action. The series' fourth entry was more of the same, but better looking. Dead or Alive 5 seems to be adding to that formula, by showcasing series heavyweights Hayabusa and Hayate literally bringing down the house with hard-hitting ninjutsu. Oh yeah, want. While the post-Itagaki Ninja Gaiden III has slightly shaken my faith, the new Team Ninja's Dead or Alive is looking fine as a muhfucka, even in it's pre-alpha infancy.

So get this, two ninjas walk into a construction site, right.. What? Have you heard this one before?

El Shaddai: Get High with the Metatron

If you ever told me I would play a game based on a bible story and thoroughly enjoy it, I would laugh at you, then proceed to slap you across your face and run away screaming incoherently. El Shaddai: Ascencion of the Metatron has just proven me wrong. The sea isn't boiling, the sky hasn't turned red, nor have any other signs of the apocalypse surfaced. El Shaddai has taken a bible story and flipped it into a truly awe inspiring game.

Click to read more ...

Terribly Voiced Trailer or Not, I'm All in on Deus Ex: Human Revolution

I've been looking forward to Deus Ex: Human Revolution for quite some time. I'm hoping very much that it ends up being better than a steaming pile of excrement, because my sixty bucks says this baby is going to be a big time winner!  

Eidos Montreal and Square Enix haven't been shy when it comes to marketing DXHR, and I can't blame them because everything about this game looks incredible. Stylized violence, stealth, character interaction, ability upgrades, item management, what else do you want? If you've been hiding under a rock and haven't seen the dozens of other videos, just watch this one. A mundane-voiced gentleman summarizes all you need to know, for the most part. Rest assured, the voice acting in-game is much better than this trailer's voice-over. 

If DXHR has one strike against it at this point, it may be that there is too much going on. It looks to have the scope of an Oblivion or Fallout 3 in that it will easily warrant at least 2 plays, just so you can see a percentage of what the game has to offer. When these flimsy plastic discs are sold for three Jacksons, you take a game with replay value like this and make sweet love to it. Yeah, that's my plan, as long as the bounty of options don't muddle things up. Let us pray.

August 23, mark it down. Catch a mysterious affliction that can only be cured by the augmentations found in Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Take the entire week off, because from the looks of things, you may need it. You have a sickness, and the only cure is more arm-blade!

REVIEW: From Dust

I must admit, titles where the player is given the powers of a God and asked to shape the world how he or she sees fit were never compelling to me, regardless of how incredible the premise sounds. In what feels like the first game in which I play the part of the Almighty since I've become a mature gamer, I decided to give From Dust a Godly go of it. Does its foundation hold up to the heavy expectations heaped upon it, or is this one wiped away by a tsunami?

Click to read more ...

Sideway is Getting Up on a PS3 Near You!

There is a distinct lack of urban underground culture games. The idea is rarely thought up, and even more rarely successful. The last game in this vein I remember is Marc Ecko's Getting Up, which was a flawed yet enjoyable bit of the city underground. Before that was the benchmark, Jet Grind Radio, which has yet to come close to being touched by anything similar. Are these the only two games that have implemented some sort of hip hop and graffiti as gameplay staples? Note: the God awful Def Jam games DO NOT count. 

Well watch out underground heads, because here comes Sideway. In clear contrast to the movie of similar nomenclature which centered around wine tasting or some shit, Sideway revolves around the big city and the lovely wall art that lives within. It looks like your classic platformer with the fresh twist of controlling a 2D character stuck in a 3D world. The protagonist - who writes Nox - has happened upon a bit of a misfortune, and now has become graffiti himself. 

Apparently, Sideway was playable at Comic Con, and I missed it. Fail. Oh well, looks like I'll have to wait until release! Rumor says it'll sell at $9.99 on PSN this Summer. For more, check out the PlayStation blog.

REVIEW: Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3

The Gundam series of anime was not one of the first stepping stones down my path of otaku, but it was one of the largest. It was a boon for housing many of the things I love: giant robots, high technology, futuristic weapons, outer space, and in some scenarios, powerful characters and a strong story. It's only logical that I would be drawn to a title that plays out the Gundam universe, be it skinned over Dynasty Warriors or otherwise. After enjoying the first entry in the series and skipping the second, does Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 have enough Minovsky particles to keep my interest bolstered?

Bonus: Win a copy of Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 for PlayStation 3! Details below!

Click to read more ...