Author: Sean Madson
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E3 2013 Impressions: Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo Wii U)
One of the more predictable announcements coming out of Nintendo at this year’s E3 was the news that there would be a new Mario Kart coming. Mario Kart 8 continues the trend of chaotic kart racing that involves throwing iconic objects from the Mario franchise at the other racers in hopes of pulling ahead, as…
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E3 2013 Impressions: Muramasa Rebirth (Sony PlayStation Vita)
Muramasa: The Demon Blade was something of an overlooked title on the Nintendo Wii. It had the misfortune of being released on a console where third party titles generally don’t sell very well. Also regretful is the limitations of the platform not allowing the 2D art style to shine to the degree that it should.…
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E3 2013 Impressions: Bayonetta 2 (Nintendo Wii U)
Perhaps more surprising than the news that Bayonetta would be getting a sequel is the news that it would also be a Wii U exclusive. Especially since it will be the first time the franchise appears on a Nintendo console at all (as the first game only appeared on Xbox 360 and PS3). Adding to…
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E3 2013 Impressions: Tales of Xillia (Sony PlayStation 3)
Despite Namco Bandai’s reluctance to give Tales fans any Vita love, it has never been a better time to be a fan of the franchise. Just last year saw the release of both Tales of Graces f on the PS3 as well as the 3DS entry of Tales of the Abyss. This year will yield…
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E3 2013 Impressions: Goodbye Deponia (PC)
If you’ve ever had a chance to check out Night of the Rabbit, then you’re already familiar with the work of German developer Daedalic Entertainment. The developer/publisher has notoriety for their work on adventure games and while I will admit to not having much experience in the genre, I can’t think of a better way…
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E3 2013 Impressions: Dragon’s Crown (Sony PlayStation 3/Vita)
I’m a big fan of Vanillaware titles, so as you might imagine, I’ve been keeping my eye on Dragon’s Crown for quite some time. What perhaps interested me even more is knowing that it would be a beat-’em-up style game, but with a fantasy aesthetic much like the Golden Axe and Dungeons & Dragons arcade…
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E3 2013 Impressions: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Sony PlayStation 4/Microsoft Xbox One/PC)
I was a little late to the Witcher bandwagon, but over the last couple of years, I not only checked out the original PC release, but also the Xbox 360 version of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. I absolutely loved the storytelling in both, with the second game’s branching paths providing incentive to give…
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E3 2013 Impressions: Shin Megami Tensei IV (Nintendo 3DS)
It’s incredible to think that it has been almost a decade since the last main entry in the Shin Megami Tensei series. Unlike Nocturne though, the latest installment is making the leap to portable consoles in the form of Shin Megami Tensei IV for the Nintendo 3DS. While I would have preferred a full on…
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E3 2013 Impressions: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PlayStation 3/PC)
I won’t mince words, I was not a big fan of Final Fantasy XIV‘s initial release. Setting up subscriptions was a pain, there was a needless reliance on crafting and its subsequent minigame, and above all else, it just wasn’t fun. So naturally, the cynic in me is eager to pass off A Realm Reborn…
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E3 2013 Impressions: Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (Sony PlayStation 3/Microsoft Xbox 360)
When Final Fantasy XIII-2 released last year, it managed to address nearly every flaw the plagued the original. The maps were opened up, the cast was scaled down and better written, and time travel elements were implemented. Honestly, the only thing missing was a decent conclusion. That’s where Lightning Returns comes in. There isn’t much…
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E3 2013 Impressions: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Sony PlayStation 3/Microsoft Xbox 360/PC)
Whether you were for or against it, the Castlevania franchise is one of many that has found itself in the reboot camp as of late. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was a complete re-imagining of not only the mythos, but also the gameplay. Rather than following the trend of the Metroidvania games of old, Lords of…
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E3 2013: 10 Thoughts On… the Sony Press Conference
After the tepid response of Microsoft’s press conference and the fact that Nintendo decided to forego doing one altogether, it really was Sony’s year to steal the show. The heavily social media focused presentation of the PlayStation 4 has largely been forgotten by this point, presenting a rare opportunity to start things off on a…
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E3 2013: 10 Thoughts On… The Microsoft Press Conference
After their colossal PR meltdown following last month’s Xbox One reveal, Microsoft had a lot to prove at E3. Not only did they have to show off actual games coming out for the system (since their initial announcement was all talk of television and… that’s about it), but they also had to clarify the complex…
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10 Thoughts On… Project X Zone Demo (Nintendo 3DS)
The fact that Project X Zone is even getting a North American release is nothing short of a miracle. The game is a follow-up of sorts to Namco X Capcom (a Japanese only release for the PS2) and it combines characters from franchises belonging to Namco, Capcom, and Sega. The number of properties involved is…
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Diehard GameCAST: Episode 33 – Nintendo’s E3 no show, Dead Island: Riptide, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Pandora’s Tower, and more!
A heated discussion ensues over Nintendo’s lack of press conference at the upcoming E3. We also touch on the latest Nintendo Direct and re-release of Earthbound.
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A Rare Title in the Making: Class of Heroes II
The story behind the existence of the Class of Heroes franchise is a rather interesting one considering what an obscure title it is. For the unfamiliar, Class of Heroes is a series of dungeon crawlers developed by Acquire primarily for the Sony PSP, though there are versions of the the games available on the PlayStation…
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Review: Monster High Skultimate Roller Maze (Nintendo 3DS)
Monster High Skultimate Roller Maze Publisher: Little Orbit Developer: Game Machine Genre: Racing Release Date: 03/13/2013 While I don’t classify myself as being the intended demographic for Monster High Skultimate Roller Maze (especially since I didn’t know what Monster High was until playing this game), sometimes one is able to make peace with that so…
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Diehard GameCAST: Episode 32 – Shin Megami Tensei IV, Lucasarts, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Gears of War: Judgment, and more!
We pull ourselves away from Monster Hunter long enough to discuss Shin Megami Tensei IV being localized, the recent closure of Lucasarts, and more unconfirmed rumors about the next Xbox.