First Impressions: Lost Odyssey

Five hours into Mistwalker’s new RPG for the Xbox 360, Lost Odyssey.  I am no stranger to the turn-based-combat system of traditional Japanese RPG’s. In fact, I’m a big fan of the concept. Perhaps that makes my impressions of Lost Odyssey a little biased. Okay, I’m biased. I like amazing games. So far, Lost Odyssey is proving to be the culmination of many wonderful things. Gorgeous graphics and art design, a solid and entertaining combat system, and a story of immense intrigue. 
In regards to the loading times mentioned in almost every review of Lost Odyssey, I’m finding myself baffled. Yes, the loading times are there, and yes they occur somewhat frequently. But I don’t recall much whining about the loading times in Oblivion, which seem to me to be just as long or longer and almost as frequent. The loading times in Lost Odyssey have done nothing to dampen my experience, or have they bugged me in the least. In fact, the opening of Lost Odyssey blessed me with a sense of gaming nirvana that I haven’t felt since the opening of Final Fantasy 7. That’s high praise indeed. 
Unless the game takes a dramatic downfall in later hours, I’m going on record as saying that Lost Odyssey has been severely underrated by a number of reviewers. Time will tell if it can maintain the brilliance demonstrated to me in the first five hours. I sure hope it does. Look for my full review soon.
-James Wilson 

Now Playing: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Oblivion never seems to get old. The fact that I have logged in over 150 hours and am still finding new things is testament to the hugeness of this game. It gives a perfect Epic Fantasy tickle up my spine every time I am trudging through these beautiful forests, slaying trolls or minotaurs, watching the breathtaking rising and setting of the sun. Oblivion is a beautiful, masterpiece of a game. Still one of the best of the new generation. I’ll be playing this game until Elder Scrolls V. And loving every bit of it. 

-James Wilson 

Sam & Max: Season 2 finale

After months of building anticipation, the groundbreaking episodic game series Sam & Max Season Two has reached its climax. Now Telltale can at last reveal details about the exciting Sam & Max Season Two finale. With souls on the line and the fate of mankind hanging by a thread, Sam & Max will come face to face with their biggest, baddest adversary ever. The episode, entitled “What’s New, Beelzebub?”, will debut Thursday, April 10 for subscribers of Turner Broadcasting’s GameTap service. Its worldwide release will follow one day later, on Friday, April 11, from Telltale’s website.

“What’s New, Beelzebub?” caps a five-game season that has been gaining momentum since November. During this time, Sam & Max have faced off against a demonically-possessed Santa in the North Pole, visited the tropics to stop a cataclysmic volcano eruption, stormed a trendy Eurotrash nightclub overrun with dancing zombies to vanquish their vampire leader, and launched across space and time to track down their missing friend Bosco. Now, judgment day is at hand, and it’s time for a showdown with the guy downstairs to bargain for Bosco’s soul. But, in the corporate wasteland known as Hell, not even Sam & Max are safe from eternal damnation. Can they wiggle free from Satan’s grasp, or have they finally reached the end of the line?

The Sam & Max series has been widely heralded as one of the best examples of successful episodic gaming. In Season Two, the model has been used to piece out a clever and humorous story month by month, gradually growing suspense and winning the praise of critics and fans as seemingly unrelated threads and increasingly varied scenarios have woven into a surprising and compelling plot. As the most epic and off-the-wall Sam & Max episode yet, “What’s New, Beelzebub?” promises to close the season with a bang.

Anticipation is already high for those following the series, but it’s not too late for new players to dive in. All Sam & Max Season Two episodes can be purchased from Telltale’s online store through a full season set or as individual episodes and are also available as part of a GameTap subscription.  Additionally, customers who purchase the Season Two bundle from Telltale will be eligible to get a DVD that includes all five episodes along with bonus content for just the cost of shipping and handling. Emails will be sent to qualifying customers when the DVD is available for ordering.

The success of the Sam & Max game series has fueled a renaissance for the franchise. Telltale recently released a special 20th Anniversary Edition of Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell’s Surfin’ the Highway comic collection after a decade out of print, and a DVD box set of the 1997 animated series has just been published by Shout Factory. Both are available in Telltale’s online store, along with other Sam & Max merchandise.

Caspian the friendly Prince

The good folks from Disney Interactive Studios sent along this brand-spanking-new trailer for the game based on The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Like the last game, this one was also created by Traveler’s Tales, the company best known for the Lego Star Wars games.

Take a look:

Dead Space: Animated

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) and Starz Media announced today the development of an animated movie prequel to the highly anticipated sci-fi survival horror game Dead Space™. The companies also have animation projects in development for two other EA franchises. The relationship kicks off with this Dead Space prelude that will deliver new details on the horrifying tale the game will unleash this Halloween.

The script for the Dead Space animated feature picks up the plot where the original comic book series ends and leads up to the beginning of the Dead Space game. The story focuses on the events aboard a futuristic mining spaceship, the USG Ishimura, after it pulls a mysterious artifact from a remote dig site. The artifact triggers the sudden invasion of a long-dormant alien presence, and the Ishimura’s crewmembers find themselves locked in a frantic struggle to survive. The animated feature is slated to premiere at the same time as the game is launched.

This project signals both companies’ belief that mass-appeal games provide opportunities for new and exciting programming in a variety of different media. This announcement comes at a time when the video game industry is valued at more than $30 billion worldwide for packaged goods, wireless and online games in calendar year 2007 and game-inspired entertainment is pervasive in movie theaters, on TV and across online media.

Starz Media is currently in discussions with broadcasters worldwide that have already expressed interest in airing Dead Space, which is scheduled to be released via broadcast TV and then on DVD. The company will launch international sales of the animated feature at the upcoming MIP-TV market in Cannes, France. Starz Media will also market the movie through its home entertainment company Anchor Bay Entertainment, as well as via online and wireless distributors.

The deal with Starz Media and its animation unit Film Roman reflects EA’s growing commitment to developing filmed entertainment projects based on the company’s games. For Film Roman, the venerable animation company behind “The Simpsons,” “King of the Hill” and the pre-school hit “Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!,” the booming video game business is fertile territory for developing new hit movies and series.

“Due to the richness and complexity of stories that have evolved for video games, they have become a type of entertainment that can span generations and provide fantastic inspiration for other forms of media; especially in the realm of animated features,” Film Roman President and COO Scott Greenberg said. “We’re particularly thrilled to be starting off with Dead Space.”

“We are really excited to be working with Film Roman to create an animated feature that will tell the portion of the Dead Space saga between the comic and game,” said Glen Schofield, Executive Producer for Dead Space. “With the video game, comic book and now animated movie, Dead Space has become a true multimedia brand. Each of these elements delivers the story to new audiences and tells it from different aspects and perspectives.”

Film Roman is producing “Dead Space” in alliance with Digital Tetra Inc., in Korea. The Gotham Group of Los Angeles, a leading animation representation company, helped put the production arrangement together.

Under development at EA Redwood Shores, Dead Space is not yet rated by PEGI or ESRB. For more information about the game, go to the website at www.deadspacegame.com.

Dark Sector’s Enemies

This week, D3 Publisher released these five looks at five major enemies from Dark Sector, and we present them all to you here…

Downey, Howard voice Iron Man game

SEGA® of America, Inc., SEGA Europe Ltd., and Marvel Entertainment, Inc. announced today that the Iron Man™ video game, based on the successful Marvel comic book series and the upcoming film by Marvel Studios, will feature the voice talents of Robert Downey Jr., Terence Howard and Shaun Toub. All three actors will reprise their onscreen roles of Tony Stark (Downey), Lt. Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Howard), and Yinsen (Toub). The Iron Man video game launches day and date with the blockbuster movie on May 2, 2008.

Iron Man, an explosive third-person action shooter game that pits one of the world’s most renowned Super Heroes against unspeakable odds, draws its story from the upcoming movie while also incorporating story elements from original Iron Man comic books. Using the advanced technology in Iron Man’s suits of armor, gamers can take advantage of the wide array of high-impact weapons to strategically annihilate any enemy force standing in their way. Before tackling stunning and immense open battlefields, players can customize their armor suit as they encounter progressively more vicious enemies, and fight in epic battles that could challenge even the toughest Super Heroes.

Iron Man is the story of Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and inventor who had it all. But during a routine weapons test in the Middle East, Stark was captured and forced to construct the ultimate weapon. Instead of following his captors’ demands, Tony built his own devastating weapon – a powerful suit of armor that provided the key to his heroic escape. From this point forward, Tony Stark became more than a man. He became Iron Man.

I am Iron Man

Sega’s trailer for Iron Man: The Game (based on the upcoming movie). I’ve got very high hopes for this one…

C&C begets Tiberium

EA’s trailer for Tiberium, the first person shooter based on the Command & Conquer universe:

EA unveils Sims 3, world yawns

Electronic Arts Inc. announced today the first details on one of interactive entertainment’s most anticipated games, The Sims™ 3. Featuring a brand new engine that has been in development for nearly three years, The Sims 3 allows you to immerse your unique Sims in an open living neighborhood right outside their door. The initial feature-set unveiled includes the new seamless, open neighborhood, new Create-A-Sim, new realistic personalities and new unlimited customization. The Sims 3 will launch globally in 2009.

The Sims franchise has long been recognized for its appeal to a universal audience, both male and female, and at any age. Its broad appeal and loyal The Sims community has vaulted the franchise to an impressive 98 million games sold around the world and translated into 22 different languages. Celebrated for its creativity, humor, and community, The Sims franchise has become a global and cultural phenomenon since its inception in 2000.

Now, The Sims 3 is being designed to be the next-generation flagship game from The Sims Label.

“In The Sims 3, Sims can go beyond the boundaries of their home lot, and immerse themselves in an open, living neighbourhood, interacting with other Sims using our new deeper personality system,” said Rod Humble, Head of The Sims Studio. “It is this type of open-ended gameplay that inspires endless creative possibilities. In addition the new goals and rewards systems will give players of all kinds from core gamers to storytellers the ability to enjoy long-term gameplay.”

New Seamless, Open Neighborhood—Explore the Neighborhood Freely.
See the sights with your Sims! The new seamless neighborhood architecture allows your Sims to roam freely around the neighborhood and visit their loved one and friends—or foes. Discovering other Sims homes and families, traveling around to new locations like City Hall or the local park will create a whole new way of life for your Sims. Storytelling options will multiply as your Sims stroll downtown to meet new acquaintances, head across town for lunch, spy on their neighbors and bump into the boss when they least expect it.

New Create A Sim—Create Any Sim You Can Imagine.
In addition to the open, living neighborhood, the all-new Create-a-Sim interface will feature easy-to-use design tools that allow you to make truly detailed Sims that are more realistic than ever. Create-a-Sim gives you the incredible freedom to customize just about any Sim you can imagine. From thin to full-figured to muscular—everything in between and even the extreme! In addition to determining your Sims body shape and size, you will also be able to fine-tune every feature on their faces, customize their hair style and select their skin tone, all from a vast selection of options. With so many choices to choose from, it is fun to create more realistic characters that look like you, someone you want to look like, or even a famous personality.

New Realistic Personalities—Every Sim Is A Unique Person, With A Distinct Personality
With the innovative and proprietary Realistic Personality System in The Sims 3, you can attribute each character with five distinct personality traits, helping shape your Sims behavior and how they interact with others and their surroundings. This new system will empower you to create extremely complex and diverse in-game personalities. Will you create the nosy, inappropriate, kleptomaniac grandmother who loves to meddle in other people’s business? Or the commitment-phobic, hot-headed punk rocker whose rude nature and childish disposition keeps him from scoring a date? In The Sims 3, Sims will go beyond the basic set of day-to-day needs to be distinct individuals with multifaceted personalities, who can focus both on short-term opportunities and long-term goals. With a wide selection of personality traits to mix and match, more than 700 million combinations of Sims await. You never know who’ll meet in The Sims 3!

New Unlimited Customization—Everyone Can Customize Everything!
New and accessible creativity tools in The Sims 3 make it simple for anyone to customize anything, anywhere! From floors to flowers, fashions to sofas, wallpaper to window shades and more, The Sims 3 gives you all the flexibility and options you need to be the architect of your dream house or explore your interior design skills to outfit your ultimate home. Your Sims can make home an ultra-deluxe mansion, a cool bachelor pad, family’s dream home or charming cottage. The choice is yours in The Sims 3.

”The new engine and technologies in The Sims 3 are designed to unleash the player’s imagination with realistic looking Sims who have distinct personalities and a seamless living neighborhood for them to discover,” added Ben Bell, Executive Producer on The Sims 3. “Players are going to be thrilled by the level of realism in The Sims 3!”

For more information visit www.TheSims3.com.