Interview: 4 Questions for Mike Kennedy, Senior Producer of Unbound Saga
Interviews can be unpredictable beasts. One may suffer from incessant marketing speak, while the next may be littered with all manners of awesome – - the latter is the category in which I place the words of Mike Kennedy, senior producer of Unbound Saga, the upcoming PSP brawler. There are three things that you should keep with you long after reading this:
- Modern gaming’s deep control schemes may be an impediment to fun
- Unbound Saga, in a way, is much like bubble wrap
- Repetitive gameplay isn’t necessarily a bad thing when well-crafted.
Sega Re-Enters the Hardware Business (Kinda) With the Retro Gen
It’s said that the only guarantees in life are death and taxes, but I’d like to ammend that statement with an extra category: an annual Sega hardware rumor. Since the premature exit of the beloved Sega Dreamcast, the rumor mill gets a-grindin’, churning out a small dose of hope to which fanboys and retrogamers cling – - despite the impossibility of the occurance.
But lo (and also behold!) Innex’ Retro Gen, which is an officially licensed take on the Sega Nomad, the portable version of the Genesis. Not only does it play Genny games, it also accepts Mega Drive carts (so you can get your import on) and licensed games that have been downloaded to an SD card using a special development cart. Best of all, it has a built-in rechargeable battery that you can power via USB, which will save quite a few chips as the Nomad was a battery-devouring beast.
You can expect this six-button baby available for purchase on July 25 for a cool $50.
[Hat tip: Kotaku]
Macross Ultimate Frontier Coming to Japanese PSP; No Chance for America
If you were to ask me to name the biggest influences on my life, Macross would rank just behind, Mama Wilson, MLK, Thomas Paine, and Chris Claremont. It may seem odd to place a melodramatic cartoon aimed at Japanese teens as such a powerful factor, but it was my first exposure to serious themes and circumstances in animated form; it was difficult to worry about the well-being of Wile E. Coyote after he suffered few dozen anvil drops to the head without consequence.
New King of Fighters XII “Triumph of Combat” Video Looks Great; Are You Stoked Yet?
Another week, another fine piece of King of Fighters XII media. At this point in time, you’re either overflowing with anticipation for the title’s July release, or simply wishing that the gaming gods would end it all, swiftly and painlessly. Still, the clip showcases the marvelous (and much-needed) facelift that Ryo, Terry, Athena, and the rest of the cast have received.
The Greatest 2D Sports Videogame Athletes: The Fat Guy Edition
The first two entries in this retrospective (Little Mac, Starman) have proven to be a Nintendo love-fest and rightfully so; “The Big N” has crafted some of the most enjoyable and memorable titles ever to grace gaming. How appropriate is it that the third profile in the series, and thus completing the Nintendo Hat Trick, is Ice Hockey’s round mound, also affectionately known to as The Fat Guy.
Ice Hockey was unique in its day because it allowed gamers to tailor their four-man squads to their liking. There were three archetypes available for assembling your quartet: Skinny, Medium, and Fat. Skinny Guys were lightning fast, but were easily bowled over by checks, and couldn’t put any muscle behind their slapshots. Medium Guys were the most well-rounded with average ability in all skills without any glaring weaknesses, sort of like Mario in Super Mario Bros. 2. Fat Guys, however, were the blubbery Sherman Tanks of the game. Their skating speeds were molasses-slow, but the big boys compensated for the sloth-like movement with supreme checking and shooting strength. I’ve always imagined that if I had the capacity as a pre-teen to bring the lovable big man to life Weird Science-style, that he’d emerge from the smoke as John Kruk with a hockey stick in hand.
R.I.P., Mike. Keep Moonwalkin’
Worms 2: Armageddon Comes to XBLA: Fun Romp or More of the Same?
The sad truth about Team17’s Worms series is that it is somewhat stagnant. At one time, it was a fun, innovative turn-based strategy game, but I can’t recall being particularly excited about the series at all since Worms Armageddon. In the ten years since then, seven Worms games (nevermind the spin-offs) have been released, and none of them have made a splash. Wherefor art the glory days of a ninja rope swing to a Holy Hand Grenade drop?
With any luck, that all may change, and very soon. Worms 2: Armageddon is set to release next Wednesday, July 1. While technically a sequel to the XBLA Worms that came out in 2007, Worms 2: Armageddon is a spiritual successor to the award-winning title of a decade past.
You can also get a gander at some new features over here. Among the most exciting sounding newness is the tactical promise of a sentry gun, persistent fire that burns terrain over multiple turns, vertical cavern levels, and whatever the hell a Buffalo of Lies is.
This blows wind up my skirt in so many ways it isn’t even funny. We’ll see on Wednesday whether or not it’s worth the 800 MSP. But I’m sure you already know whether or not you’re going to play it.
Hands On With the PSP Go: One Nicely Designed Portable
Life can be quite the playful minx.
I was unable to attend E3 this year (the reasons for which goes far beyond the scope of this blog), so I didn’t get a chance to get my lion paw-like mitts on the PSP Go when it was officially unveiled a few weeks back. Thinking that I had blown my chance to play with it before its October release, I was totally shocked to find it resting in my hands on Wednesday night.
Review: Shadowrun (Genesis)
I missed out on a lot of great games, growing up. Either because I didn’t have the right console or because I was a stupid kid and was way more interested in miscellaneous crap. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of excellent games that I have never even touched – - I don’t think I’m alone in this, either.
I’d wager that a disturbing number of World of Warcraft players have never touched Baldur’s Gate. Not to mention all the kids playing Halo that never played Quake. It’s not about older being necessarily better; it’s just about noticing the wonderful opportunities we have to discover with those buried gems.
In that spirit, I am trying real hard to play the games I should’ve played years ago. Maybe it’s better that I’m doing it now, because now, I’m a grown ass man, and I won’t sit and struggle through a garbage game. I’ll just cuss and complain, and move onto something else.
BlueSky Software’s Shadowrun for the Sega Genesis is one of those games I’d never heard of. It takes place in Seattle, in some wacky dystopian cyberpunk future where elves and orks run around jacking your cash. It’s a frustrating setting where nothing is fair, and you’ve just got to get a better gun and get over it.
GameBone Pro Gives Your iPhone Dedicated, Physical Controls, But You Probably Won’t Own One
I had my reservations in the beginning, but the Apple iPhone/iPod touch has proven itself a surprisingly robust gaming platform. The only problem? Not all titles are conducive to touch inputs. Enter the GameBone Pro, an 8-way D-pad with 4 face buttons and 2 shoulder buttons that looks to give gamers true tactile sensation – - if it’s supported.
The Super NES-styled controller has the ability to make nice with your handheld via Bluetooth or the 30-pin connector, and it rocks speakers, mic, and an audio jack. A built-in lithium battery allows the GameBone Pro to charge the iPhone/iPod – - pretty awesome right? Well, there is a darkside.
See, developers have to craft games designed specifically for the GameBone Pro, which creates the inevitable chicken/egg scenario. Will developers bother with it if nary a soul one owns one? Will anyone own one if there aren’t any games available? The answers are not easy, friends.
The GameBone Pro is scheduled to be released in September, but pricing is still up in the air. Why? To quote the official website:
What are currently open to pricing suggestions from the public. We want to ensure our customers get the best value possible and our distributors/resellers receive a decent margin as well. Please feel free to suggest a recommended price for our GameBone Pro.
Any wagers on if this will actually come to market? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
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