Mark of the Ninja Sneaks onto XBLA

As of yesterday, there has been a breach on Microsoft's Xbox LIVE Arcade. Early Friday morning, a shady figure in dark clothing with his face masked was seen infiltrating the platform using a combination of blinding speed, still patience, viscous killer instinct, and deathly silence; this ninja as we will call him, was designed to operate under the nose of the general population without being noticed. 

However, we have spotted the intruder and plan to alert all to his presence. Mark of the Ninja can be found on XBLA for 1200MSP. Use the cover of shadow to brilliantly execute your plan, and anyone who stands between you and your objective, my ninja. Klei Entertainment (creators of Shank, Shank 2) have taken care to craft a title that focuses on stealth as a priority, a rare feat for a ninja-centric title, which so often deal in hacking things to pieces.

Coupled with the infrequent premise of 2D stealth gameplay, Mark of the Ninja looks like a promising release. Worth the money? You'll have to wait to find that out. 

Yes Super Time Force, Yes

The latest trailer for Super Time Force is part GI Joe, part Ren And Stimpy, and part Adventure Time. No idea what I just watched, but yes to this. Please make it 2013 already, Capy. 

Dust: An Elysian Tail: Mewtroidvania

Anthropomorphism is a topic of complete polarization for me. On one hand, I was raised on the likes of Thundercats, Ducktales, TMNT and the like, enjoying every second of it even to this day. On the other, things like My Little Pony and the bronies it has spawned completely incenses me to the point of maniacal rage. Dust: An Elysian Tail is wearing anthropomorphism proudly, as evidenced by the titles play on words. Part of me thought to completely avoid this, what could have been a total ooze-fest of cutesy drivel targeted toward the young, dumb, and full of.. Fur. My other half can't say no to a hack-and-slash inspired Metroidvania action RPG. So I dove in, and well, surprise surprise.

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Deadlight: Wake Up Dead

I am no longer a fan of the zombies, and very rarely do I find myself wanting to play a game that uses the mindless undead as its dominant trait. In an odd turn of events, I felt compelled by new jack developer Tequila Works' initial release, Deadlight. Maybe it's because I've been dying to play a fresh new 2D action platformer for months? Maybe the bits of jumping and climbing punctuated by motion comic interludes worthy of a graphic novel was too much to turn down? Maybe she's born with it? Maybe it's Maybelline. Whatever it could have possibly been, I jumped into the deep, dark, zombie abyss with a 360 controller and high hopes.

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Cult Classic JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Gets HD Treatment

Ora vs. Muda: the eternal struggle

What kind of bizarre (nyo ho!) world am I living in that I get to blabber about JoJo's Bizarre Adventure twice in the span of a week? Last week's announcement of All-Star Battle made my pants slightly tighter, and a few days later the deal has been sealed with the announcement of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD Ver. 

Let's be honest here, the "HD" is just a smoothing filter processed over the original pixels, but ask me if I give a fuck. Go ahead, ask. NOPE. I don't, I'm just ecstatic to be able to play this brilliant fighting game again with a slew of new features including:

• "HD" graphics with the option of playing in the original SD glory
• Online matchmaking: choose opponents based on location, skill, connection speed, etc.
• Battle Point and Player Point fueled leaderboards
• Eight player online lobby, spectator mode included
• Save and share match replays

If that's not enough to get you excited, then you clearly never played the game the first go 'round, which was way ahead of its time in just about all respects. And if you haven't, this is a great time to play a ground breaking classic. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD Ver. releases for XBLA and PSN on August 21 at the very Capcom price of $20. 

 

A Few Seconds of Mark of the Ninja Impresses

What we have here is a very short sample of what we can expect from Mark of the Ninja, Klei Entertainment's next release. On the heels of Shank 2, which I expected so much more from, Klei has decided to shift gears to the rarely explored 2D stealth genre, which seems a bit illogical following two B-movie inspired gore fests. Before I sound too much like I'm complaining, I should point out I'm melting at every sight and sound of Mark of the Ninja. Why? Let's see:

1. Ninjas

2. Choose your own play style: kill em all or kill no one at all

3. Klei's incredible signature art and animation

4. Ninjas

5. Ridiculously ambient soundtrack, judging from the trailer

Many E3 accounts have pegged Mark of the Ninja as one of the best looking titles on the show floor, a fact that I'm not willing to dispute at this time. Thankfully, the title's release is right around the corner, with a solid date of 'Summer 2012' which I'm sure means September sometime. Hurry up and download to my Xbox, Ninja!

Fez: A Twisted Puzzle-Platform Experience

Fez had been just a few weeks from release for well over 5 years by a development team that a Middle Eastern thief could count on one hand. The man behind Fez has built quite a bit of hype for his labor of love, from an appearance in Indie Game: The Movie, to questionable comments made regarding the Japanese game industry and gamers in general - Phil Fish has created some press for himself and his creation. What I think of the man is of little concern at this point, so let me tell you about his game! Fez has you control Gomez, a cutesy StayPuft looking creature who has come of age and inherited a timeless knowledge and power from his village elder. It's all summarized like so: reality is perception. Perception is subjective. It's Gomez time!

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Fez Launches amidst Black Cats, Serial Killers, and Complaints

Fez creator Phil Fish has come under a rain of fire recently for some comments which sensitive gamers call unsavory. I've had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fish, and he's a bit of a douche bag, though no more than his hipster brethren. Living in the rotten Apple, I see hundreds of people a day with their heads lodged deeper between their cheeks than Mr. Fish, and none of them have created something that looks as mind-bending as Fez, so you know what? Phil is okay in my book. 

If the interwebz is any indication, many people will be avoiding Fez solely due to Phil Fish's dispostion. Present company excluded, of course. Come April 13, I will be playing this title that I have been looking forward to for ages, and I don't care if Fish hand delivers it and then punches me in my face. 

Fez Friday the 13th

Sine Mora: A Shooter Darkly

Shoot 'em ups are one of the most tried and true genres in the gaming world, tracing their roots back to a period that I can hardly even remember, and I ain't no youngin'. These games, as simplistic as they tend to be, oft times offer intense action and demand hand-eye coordination that few other genres do. One of the reasons why I'm still a loyalist, and why rare gems like Sine Mora have a chance to exist.

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Shank 2: A Cut Below the First

Last year, Shank crept up on me as a wicked little downloadable title about a revenge fueled killer with a penchant for style. A year later, the understandable success of the original has spawned Shank 2, a delicious yet familiar romp around a lovely, stylized 2D world. Are there enough additions to set the sequel apart from the first?

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