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Collector's Watch: R-Type Command "Figurine"? |
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By HCG Musashi on
4/30/2008 5:48 PM
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Umm, "figurine" sounds weird for a spaceship - how about "scale model"? Yeah, that sounds better...
Anyway, Atlus announced today that if you buy R-Type command from select retailers, you'll get a bonus scale model of the R-9 spaceship, compliments of IREM
So far, the only retailer I've seen offering the scale model is GameStop -if you're looking to get your hands on one...
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First Impressions: Metal Gear Solid 4 Online - Beta |
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By HCG Musashi on
4/25/2008 10:58 PM
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After an annoying delay due to server stability, the online Beta for Metal Gear Solid 4 is now up and running!
Paco tipped me off early this afternoon that the servers had gone live -I think I knocked over at least 3 baby carriages and a half-dozen elderly people rushing back to the HCG office to get my ass online.
After downloading two annoying update patches (that surprisingly gave you the choice to download via a bittorrent mode) and setting up my Konami ID (speed bump #2), I was up and running...
A modest character customization menu is the first thing that greets you. While you only have the choice of 5 faces for your character (all male), you do have a good bit of control over nearly every piece of clothing your character is wearing, with 5 color variations for each. There's also a good bit of variety to choosing the in-game command voice for your character as well. While it might not be as customizable as Rainbow Six, there's still enough variety to keep everyone from looking and sounding like storm troopers.
On to the most important part - the gameplay. The best way I can describe it is a cross between Call of Duty 4 and Lost Planet. Take the gritty, war-torn environments of CoD and the run-and-gun style of Lost Planet MP and you'll have a pretty good idea of how MGS4 plays. The 2 levels available in the Beta are not huge, but are riddled with tunnels, catwalks and hiding spots a-plenty. As with CoD4 you never feel completely "safe" in any location - there's always another way to get there or a vantage point to put a bullet in your head.
MGS4 MP also uses a unique points system, which allows access to better weapons and equipment. You are awarde ...
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Persona 3 FES arrives tomorrow! |
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By HCG Musashi on
4/22/2008 7:18 PM
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The wait is almost over! - Atlus announced today via their fan newsletter, The Atlus Faithful that Persona 3 FES has been shipped out and will be arriving in stores April 23rd.
Persona 3 - FES was originally released in Japan as a stand-alone add-on to the original game. For the US release however, the original Persona 3 will be included with the FES add-on -all on one disc.
If you passed up Persona 3 the first time around, this would be a great time to take another look. You can't beat the price, either -the combo set is going for only $29.99! Hell, it cost around that much just for the add-on disc when it was released in Japan!
Check The Repository for an exclusive Persona 3 FES Atlus Faithful wallpaper as well.
//Persona 3 Official U.S. site//
//Sign-up for "The Atlus Faithful" Newsletter//
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Atlus announces U.S. release date for Izuna 2 |
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By HCG Musashi on
4/18/2008 5:47 PM
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While not suprising considering they published the first Izuna roughly a year ago, it's still great to see Atlus has decided to bring the sequel to the states.
Izuna 2: Return of the Unemployed Ninja is scheduled for a July 22nd release - here's a short gameplay video showcasing the new features. After checking out the video, hop over to The Repository and download the Atlus Faithful exclusive wallpaper!
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Metal Gear Solid 4 / Limited Edition Gun Metal PS3 is Coming Stateside! |
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By HCG Musashi on
4/12/2008 8:56 AM
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I wouldn't have believed it myself if it wasn't coming straight from the source.
In a post on Sony's Official Blog site, details about the U.S. release of the Premium Pack were given:
"We are confirming that there will be a North America offering of this VERY, VERY Limited Edition bundle! This is the “gunmetal grey” PS3 – the one seen selling out in a matter of moments in Japan at the KonamiStyle web store. Stay tuned for more details on this exciting product!"
The post also says that on Monday, April 14th they'll have a "very special surprise" and to check the post for more info.
The blog also went into detail about the Pre-order DVD, Standard vs. Limited Edition and Metal Gear Online...sorry, the only thing that interested me was an ass-kicking, metal grey PS3 stealth-killing it's way onto U.S. shores.
Points to Sony and Konami for acknowledging the existence of the Premium Pack to U.S. audiences. I'm sure most gamers knew about it anyway, but it's nice to see an official announcement.
I'll keep you all posted on the details as they surface.
//Read the Playstation blog post//
//Konamistyle Japan's MGS4 Premium Pack//
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Musou Orochi - Maou Sairin - Intro Movie |
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By HCG Musashi on
4/10/2008 6:11 PM
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Hot on the heels of Dynasty Warriors 6 - Musou Orochi - Maou Sairin (Rebirth of the Demon Lord) hit Japanses store shelves April 2nd. So far, there hasn't been an official announcement from Koei of a U.S./Europe release or whether an Xbox 360 version will be developed as well.
So while us Musou addicts pace the floor, patiently waiting for some good news - here's a little look at the intro. As confirmed by the most excellent Koei fansite, KOEI Warriors, Maou Sairin will feature new combination attacks by choosing 3 compatible warriors. Good stuff.
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Okami Artbook - Official Complete Works announced! |
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By HCG Musashi on
4/7/2008 4:51 PM
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Of all the types of gaming collectibles I try to get my hands on, by far the most sought after for me are art books. Being an artist myself, I love diving into a good art book - nothing else gives you a better appreciation of how much time and effort goes into your average video game. Also, it's interesting to see all the ideas left on the cutting room floor.
Unfortunately, video game art books are not as commonly published in the U.S. as they are in Japan. They're usually packed as a special edition of a strategy guide or given away as a pre-order bonus; even then, they're usually thinned down versions of their Japanese counterparts.
You can imagine then how exited I was to hear that Capcom was teaming up with Udon Entertainment to publish an artbook in the U.S. for one of my all time favorite games, Okami.
Titled Okami - Official Complete Works, this 288 page monster looks to be fitting of it's title. Udon's official site for the artbook has some previews pages to drool over.
If you like what you see, you can pre-order (release date is set for early May) the book for $29.99 + shipping. Now $30+ might seem a bit expensive, but weighing in at almost 300 pages, this artboook is worth every penny in my opinion.
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Collector Watch: Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection |
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By HCG Musashi on
4/3/2008 6:18 PM
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Okay, this one's a pretty easy sell - Konami releases a package containing all 3 Metal Gear Solid titles so far to drum up attention for Metal Gear Solid 4. They also release said package for a ridiculously low price ($29.99) and throw it all in a slick box with artwork by none other than Metal Gear's lead bad-ass artist, Shinkawa Yoji. Also, most retail outlets recieve about 3 box sets, with no guarantee of more on the way.
I have a feeling history is once again going to repeat itself. The name of the game in collecting um....games is to get in early. I know most people are thinking "Why would I spend 30 bucks on this when I can save that for Metal Gear Solid 4?" Well, here's my theory:
The average gamer age has increased year after year, which means that a good portion of gamers counting the hours for MGS 4 were too young to experience the first Metal Gear Solid and maybe even Sons of Liberty or Snake Eater. They might ignore this set for now, eyes firmly fixed on Guns of the Patriots, but I can guarantee that some of them are going to walk away from MGS 4 with a burning desire to see where it all began. By the time the dust settles with the release of MGS 4 in June, the Essentials Collection will be in demand.
So, if you're looking to snatch up a little investment for the future, then I'd suggest picking up a copy. Hell, even if you aren't a collector, this is a great addition to your gaming library.
Oh - also: If you want a still-sealed copy - most of the gaming stores (EB/Gamestop/Func ...
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