Batman: Arkham Asylum Demo Impressions

The history of the caped crusader in games is not one to brag about. With a few exceptions, most of Batsy’s forgettable forays into the gaming realm have been met with underwhelming reception, but all that may be about to change. Finally, after waiting for what has seemed like an eternity, the release of a downloadable demo for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 owners now, finally, have the chance to sample “Batman: Arkham Asylum,” and this ain’t you’re daddies Batman. [Continue Reading]

E3 ‘09: Quick & Dirty Video – DC Universe Online Gameplay

Here’s your chance to become apart of the famed DC heroes (and villians). Watch some gameplay combat along side the clown prince of crime himself, the Joker!

E3 ‘09: Batman Arkham Asylum Hands-On Impressions

Eidos is looking to save Batman’s video game reputation later this summer by releasing “Batman: Arkham Asylum” for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. I had a chance to spend a few minutes with the game, at Eidos’ E3 booth and take on a few of the game’s challenge rooms with both Batman and the Joker. Here’s what you need to know about Gotham’s greatest detective’s next mission.
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Get Over Here! Over 8mins Of New Mk Vs. Dc Footage

Still think the upcoming MK vs. DC fighting game from Midway is gonna suck? Check out this video with over 8 mins of new footage showcasing some cool ass moves, destructible environments/clothing, brutalities,fatalities, and new combo system. Plus an explanation of just how much control you have over your character even while being grabbed or thrown! Midway has stated time and time again about how they’re going back to their roots with this latest iteration of Mk and it’s apparent from this video. Check it out below and peep the scene were old Bats gets burned by fan favorite Scorpion…GET OVER HERE!!!

2.o spent some time with the game at the event as well, check out his impressions.

Preview Impressions: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

Do you remember when “Mortal Kombat” used to be awesome? The last few games have been fun, for the most part, but thing back to a time when it was the most amazing game your parents wouldn’t buy for you? Ever reminisce about the first time you ripped someone’s head off with Sub-Zero, or their heart out with Kano? Remember the first time you saw Reptile, heard about Ermac, or convinced your friends that there was a code to play as Sonya naked? Yeah, it’s been a while since “Mortal Kombat” was at the top of a lot of people’s must play list, but all that’s about to change with “Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.”

Midway knows how you feel about “MK” – how you liked it better back before the days of cyborgs, Mokap, and online play. They are throwing (almost) everything you know about the franchise out the window for their first-ever crossover title. They are going back to their roots for the upcoming game staring 10 classic “Mortal Kombat” mainstays duking it out 10 beloved comic titans from the DC archives.

In order to make the game more accessible, and make it feel more like the older titles in the series, Midway has made a few changes. The match-ups have been simplified back to what is essentially a 2D battle in a 3D environment. The controls are back to the D-pad, and off the analog stick (take that as you will 360 owners). The combos are easier. The weapons are gone, unless they belong to a superhero (Baterangs are in). Multiple fighting styles are gone. “Mortal Kombat” is going back to the way you remember things best – and they’re doing it with Superman.

I recently had the opportunity to take a few of the new characters out for a test run, and I was quite surprised at how things went. First on my list was Batman. I immediately noticed that the dev team had taken the characters into consideration when working on their mechanics. In other words, Batman felt slow, and kind of heavy. It was surprising because thinking back to most of the other “Mortal Kombat” games, all the characters, pretty much felt the same. An uppercut as Liu Kang felt the same as an uppercut as Shao Khan, but within the first few seconds, you could tell that Batman’s speed and controls had been specifically tailored to him. Comparing Batman to Catwoman, the old man’s age showed – Catwoman felt much faster and more nimble. I was more than a bit interested to see how someone like the Joker handles, but I was told everyone would have to wait until Leipzig to find out.

Midway has also put some thought into changing the actual pacing of matches. They have added in mid-match opportunities to beat the snot out of your opponent to fill in the “dead” spaces. For example, as you are flying from level of the arena to another, you get to beat up your competitor instead of just animated falling. At the same time, they have the opportunity to counter, and turn around all the accumulated damage on you.

As I watched and played the game demo, there were a few interesting tidbits that I picked up:

• Although Shang Tsung was playable, they are still working out whether or not he will be able to change into DC characters yet. It was suggested that he might be able to do a “move steal” as opposed to a complete transformation.
• Downloadable content is being considered, but there was nothing to confirm.
• Fatalities (the most important part of the “MK” experience) will be able to be performed by all the “MK” characters, and DC villains. DC heroes will only be able to perform brutalities – brutal beatings that don’t kill their opponents.
• The game will be rated “T”
• You’ll be able to play as either side (”MK” or DC) in the story mode. More on that at Leipzig.

It was one of the biggest surprises in gaming this past year; the head-on collision of the “Mortal Kombat” and DC universes. We are, only a few months away from, what are shaping up to be, epic battles between Scorpion and Superman, Sonya and Catwoman, and even Sub-Zero and The Joker. While there is a lot of potential here, and it is pretty great, in theory, a little bit of the “Wow” factor has been taken away by the fact that Capcom did do this more than a few years ago. “Marvel vs. Capcom 2″ currently reins supreme in my book as the best fighting game ever made, and, as good as it looks, it is doubtful that “MK vs. DC” is going to knock it out of the top spot. However, I’m always open to a new number 2.

TGH invades Comic Con NYC!

Unit here with my other half Sir-G as we hold it down at the 2008 Comic Con in NYC. The event was madness and i had to control myself from spending $$$ on so much stuff! Peep the video below.
Unit out…

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe…mmmm

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe will feature a story mode, playable from two different perspectives, one from the DC side, and one from the Mortal Kombat side.  Depending on which side players choose, they will see the characters from the opposite universe as the invaders of their own.

Gameplay-wise, the game promises to add several new things, as well as remove some old mechanics. For instance, it has been stated that there will be no mini-games as there were in the last two installments of Mortal Kombat (such as the Puzzle Kombat and Chess Kombat games in Mortal Kombat: Deception).

Intertwined with the fights, there will be new gameplay modes featuring totally different game dynamics to the usual fight. These modes are “Free-fall Kombat”, which is activated automatically after throwing the opponent to a lower level in the arena. The player can fight in the air during the fall, after which the winner will land on his opponent, which will probably affect the course of the fight; and “Klose Kombat”, which is a mode you can enter during a fight, causing the characters to lock into combat with each other.  This changes the camera perspective to a close-up of the two, making for an interval of close-quarters fighting (much like in boxing games).

During fights, characters will show permanent signs of damage, such as bruises, blood marks, and broken or torn clothing pieces. Online play has been announced as a feature, but no further details have been given.

A day at the 2008 NY COMIC CON

So i finally got to check out the biggest comic con to hit ny (which is in it’s 3rd year btw) since forever. To sum it up quickly, it was fun and exhausting. Upon entering the javits center in which it was held, you were immediately surrounded buy storm troopers, cosplayers, life sized statutes of various cartoon and comic book characters, movie trailers, and people handing you flyers and pamhplets advertising stuff you should watch or buy. But one thing was very apparent as you got through the actual entrance to the floor…videogames are taking over. There was a large g4tv rv parked right at the front with huge tv’s attached to the side with gamers glued to them playing the fps enemy territory. As you looked to the right, large lcd’s were displaying a demo of EVE online. A little past that all the kids were crowed in and around the namco bandai booth playing the latest naruto fighting game. And not to be forgotten, konami had a large area set up where they were demoing the first u.s. playtest of MGS4 online and as you could guess the lines were long and the wait longer.

There were several other game areas set up around the floor, but i found it alittle odd how they were all positioned right at the entrance to a comic book convention. I guess if you have the cash you can setup where ever the hell you’d like. Also another big eye opener is the amount of figures and statues that were strewn about! Talk about hot shit overload! There were so many things i wanted to buy it was making me sick. I was able to keep it under control and that’s sadly because i have no where to put that stuff in my small apartment. But one day when i get that house…wooowee lookout!

And lastly we come to the actual “comic” part of the whole convention. They were still represented in full effect but were def taken a back seat to the things mentioned above. DC and marvel had panels were their artist were doing sketches and signings. Tim Roth along side a life sized replica of the hulk himself was on hand promoting the new Hulk flick. A little further to the back was a hella lot of venders selling original art, classic rare comics, more toys and statues, shirts , you name it they had it. The anime and manga scene was also a large presents at the show. It was so true what my friend LeSean Thomas had said about the state of anime and manga at the convention. He said that if you looked around and saw all the young kids and teenagers, none of them were dressed as hulk, spidey,superman, batman etc. they were all dressed as various characters from different mamgas and animes out there. And he was so true about that fact. And it further shows how anime and manga has impacted our culture especially on the youth of today. It’s an unstoppable force that’s taking over.

All in all i had a good time (had to go back a second day to treat myself!). I ran into a couple of friends i haven’t seen in a while, saw some sick costumes and ugly ones, saw some of my favorite artist (David finch autographed sketchbook woohoo!!), bought some cool tees and took some cool pics. Stay tuned for our 2008 NY COMIC CON video special (TrueGameHeadz tv) with extensive footage and interviews from the show floor.

Unit out…