El Shaddai US & European Release Dates Due "Shortly"

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is a visually striking action-adventure title telling the religion-twisting tale of Enoch and friends. One of those friends is a guy named Lucifel (yes, they mean Lucifer), who will apparently be voiced by Jason Isaacs. How does this guy get all these devilish roles? 

Development on El Shaddai has completed, descending on Japanese turf on April 28th of this year. North American and European release dates "will be announced shortly." At one point, I was convinced El Shaddai was not coming to our shores. Luckily, the publishers know a game that looks this fresh will be well received here. I'm looking at you, Mistwalker and Nintendo!

Ignition Entertainment -- sacrilegious developers of this sweet, sweet looking title -- plan on exploring and announcing strategic marketing partnerships as they come along, and this time they won't be limited to Japan. Didn't you hear about the "Enoch" and "Lucifel" styled jeans that sold out online in three minutes? Sorry, must have been too busy to write about that one. At any rate, we need some new jeans up in here! 

None of Marvel vs. Capcom 3's Secrets are Safe!

Update: Videos have been taken down by Capcom. Here's a picture of Galactus being a douche bag instead. Less than two weeks until release, suck it up!

Another day, more leaked Marvel vs. Capcom 3 information. Up today are the full intro cinematic and spoilerrific boss battle. If you plan on being surprised at MvC3's final battle, avoid at all costs. Though I'm sure that if you keep up gaming news on the interwebz, this won't be much of a surprise.

The boss battle can be found here. Do not click if you hate spoilers. This is your final warning.

Beyond Black Mesa Makes its Gritty Debut

Half Life 2 fan film Beyond Black Mesa is finally available in full to be watched online, so do it now. Fans of the Half Life universe, fan films, and independent productions alike can agree that this is awesome. 

Shot with little more than one camera and a budget just over a grand, Beyond Black Mesa is a testament to what a bunch of talented fans can do. A few high-budget studios who have dabbled or are looking to dabble in game-to-film crossovers have some 'splaining to do!

If you're interested in learning more about the film, visit the website. Make sure you give yourself 12 minutes to watch the movie in full beforehand though, definitely well worth it.

Sega and Platinum Games Announce Anarchy Reigns

Last year's news of Platinum Games working on a multiplayer title has finally resurfaced, now with more details! Anarchy Reigns is a brawler at heart, upping the ante of the experience by adding multiplayer support. It's said to offer a diverse range of game types, ranging from tag team battles to a full-on battle royale, where a mess of players beat the life out of each other. 

Jack, protagonist of the awesome Wii exclusive Mad World, makes an appearance with chainsaw and all. He looks a little different in high def color, but it seems like he hasn't lost his penchant for brutality. Other characters appear to have some resemblances, such as the bull-headed fellow who draws some similarities to Mad World's Big Bull Crocker, and the female whose got an ass like Bayonetta. Fuck it, I'll just go ahead and say the Metal Gear Solid: Rising ninja character is Vanquish's Sam Gideon in a new suit. It's a Platinum Games reunion!

Anarchy Reigns is set for a Fall 2011 release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Type-0 Get HD Trailers

The Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy Type-0 trailers revealed at Square Enix's event from a week an a half ago have gotten their HD treatment, and I really think you should watch them. Why? Because I said so, that's why. Also because they look really good. 

I was previously a little down on Final Fantasy Type-0, the former Agito XIII, mostly because of the decision to keep it on PSP, but I admit that it looks like it's going to be a whopper. Especially knowing that it's coming on 2 UMDs, meaning Square Enix has no reason to skimp on graphics, voice acting, and content. I may have to dust off my PSP for this one.

And for those who are really looking forward to Final Fantasy XIII-2 (shame on you) here's HD Lightning:

WTFNGPSP2OMG! PlayStation's Powerful New Portable Confirmed

In the wee hours of the morning, while the northern east coast cowered in fear from some serious thundersnow, the far east coast setting off some big things. Big as in PlayStation Portable 2 reveal. The curve ball though, is that Sony has avoided as branding as PSP2, instead opting to codename it NGP, or Next Generation Portable. Will it be renamed to PSP2 at some point down the line? Damn if I know. These companies and their naming conventions these days, drive me crazy! For sanity's sake (as in, making you as insane as I am), I'm just going to call it the NGPSP2.

Click to read more ...

Sentinel and Hsien-Ko are Marvel vs. Capcom 3's "Final" Fighters

Sentinel and Hsien-Ko are Marvel vs. Capcom 3's final two characters. Supposedly. Though between DLC and unlockables, I'm not ready to sign off on any finalizations.

Could Marvel and Capcom could've done better with this last two slots? Possibly, Capcom especially with the news that Frank West and Phoenix Wright were late cuts, I'd much rather have either of them than Hsien-Ko, whose bandwagon I never really hopped on. I'm feeling Sentinel though, especially since it's almost guaranteed that he'll have his mango colors. That's right baybee, the Knicks say fuck you too!

via Eurogamer

Bullet Points: Crysis 2 Multiplayer Beta

All footage I've seen of Crysis 2's multiplayer in action led me to believe this was going to be the hot new title for online head-to-head this year. With Halo wrapped up for the time being, and the shaky ground Call of Duty has stood on recently, the door was opened for a new king of competitive multiplayer.

Two or three hours with the Crysis 2 beta leads me to believe it is truly that; a beta, not reflective of the final product. Hit boxes are off, lag persists, and good luck even connecting to a match. Odds are you'll run into more than a few host/server disconnects. The models look cheaply made, especially in death, where they ragdoll like five planks stuck together with one bent nail. Overall, the game feels unpolished. While the Manhattan rooftops are a great place to showcase a nanosuit's impressive array of skills, it's a bland representation of the fully rendered destroyed New York City locations Crytek has been using as a selling point.

+ Exciting, cinematic action
+ Hi-tech perks and abilities keep the pace high
+ Addictive, rewarding, multiplayer system (though not very original)
-  Unpolished
-  Unstable match connections, lag
-  Hit box areas appear off

I came away feeling like Crysis 2 is Modern Warfare with hi-tech abilities and perks, which isn't really a bad thing. It retains the CoD series' addictive and rewarding incentive based system. They've got some time to clean the damn thing up, and I hope they do, as it would suck to let so much promise go to waste. March 22nd is just around the corner, so Crytek will have to work fast.

Bullet Points: Bulletstorm Demo

I've been lambasting Bulletstorm from what seems like day one. Why, you ask? Well, the graphics and effects are amazing, the action is off the charts, and the skill/style based combat rewards creative fragging.

It all sounds good until the characters start running their mouths, and that's where it goes downhill for me. In one word summation, "dick tits". That's what the writers have sunk to. However during this incredibly fast paced, short-lived demo, the script was not on display, nor was the atrocious voice acting. It's all about killing with skill.

+ A bloody, adrenaline rush of a good time
+ 300 kickin' and beam whippin' lets you get creative with kills
-  Hero Grayson Hunt looks like Billy Ray Cyrus
-  Too much health, almost impossible to die
-  Way too short 

After playing the enthralling demo twice, (and watching my associate play through twice) I came away with a changed mind. I didn't think the action of Bulletstorm could be worth sitting through the rusty nails I was prepared to have forcefully kicked through my ears, but I may be eating some serious crow come February 22nd.

Suit Up for the X360 Exclusive Crysis 2 Multiplayer Demo

Got an Xbox 360 and a Gold Xbox Live membership? Lucky you, because you're granted exclusive access to the Crysis 2 multiplayer demo, releasing today, January 25th!

While The multiplayer of Crysis 2 is nothing we haven't seen before - perks, abilities, customization up the wazoo - I can't help but feel that the CryEngine 3 powered beast just may provide one of the year's more addictive gaming experiences. 

In my eyes, hi-tech perks and armor abilities, incredible speed of play and mobility, and working the environment into putting away foes in creative ways is grounds for weeks, maybe months, of continued play. It's why I like Halo: Reach's matchmaking so much, it's why Modern Warfare and Black Ops' warzones wear on me, and it's why I'll probably play the hell out of some Crysis 2. Sure this trailer may be trying a little too hard, what with its overused, licensed music and use of voice clips to be cute and clever, but the real nitty gritty, the running and gunning, looks hard as hell, yo.