Posts By Julian Titus
Come, sit on our laps and let us tell you a story!
Instead of romancing their significant others with chocolate, flowers, and back rubs, the Tri-Force PixlTalk crew instead spends Valentine’s Day talking about video games. This week, we go hard on story in games in part two of our Storytellers edition.
This isn't the way you extend the life of an RPG with DLC.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 is the first game in the series to feature downloadable content, and the Lightning/Amodar battle is the very first piece of content to be released. While it’s great to see Square Enix taking steps into a new space, it’s clear that they need to do a little more research before the next DLC comes out.
A super special edition of the PC version and American Nightmare is just the beginning.
Alan Wake had a rather lengthy development cycle, and at one point, Remedy’s third person horror game was intended for PC. The game was then slated to go multiplatform before becoming an Xbox 360 exclusive that had the bad luck of launching the same day as Red Dead Redemption. Now, as Remedy puts the finishing touches on the XBLA release of Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, the original game is finally ready for its PC debut. Remedy hasn’t forgotten their PC roots, and intends to make the Alan Wake release something special.
More DLC is on the way to help explain what happens at the end.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 was intended to right the wrongs of its predecessor, and it did a pretty good job of that, even if it faltered in spots. One of those problem areas was with the game’s ending. We don’t like to spoil story here at PixlBit, but for this news story it is necessary. For those already in the know (or curious parties that don’t mind spoilers), the controversial bit will appear after the jump.
Multiplayer isn't a requirement to get all 1000 points.
Mass Effect 3 is one of the most highly anticipated games of 2012, but it hasn’t been without its share of controversy or concern amongst fans. There’s the confusing ability to play the game in three different modes that range from all action to all story. There’s been the uproar over the multiplayer DLC slated to be packaged with the upcoming release of action figures, and of course there’s been the concern over the inclusion of multiplayer in general. While the multiplayer in Mass Effect 3 can impact your progression in the single player game, it’s not mandatory, and the achievements for the game reflect that.
Final Fantasy takes a journey into the future of the franchise, but hits some potholes on the way.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 had a lot to make up for, being the follow-up to one of the most divisive games in the beloved RPG series. For a franchise that was built on every iteration being wildly different from the last, Final Fantasy XIII perhaps changed a little bit too much in removing many of the core elements that the series—and JRPGs in general—are known for. While that game took over 5 years to develop and was met with confusion and in some cases rage, Final Fantasy XIII-2 is a game that went from announcement to release in about a year. Is it possible that a game so rushed could hope to right the perceived wrongs of its predecessor? The short answer is “yes”, but there’s a pretty big “but…” to go along with it.
The Tri-Force crew takes a journey to the land of the rising sun!
Konichiwa, beyotches! It's time for another edition of PixlTalk, Tri-Force style! It's all about Japan this week, as your intrepid trio takes a look at the Japanese industry and talk about how concerned we are about the future of gaming over there. Your cup will runneth over with podcasty goodness as we argue about the merits of Mario for the hardcore gamer, discuss the sexuality of Bayonetta, casual racism in Resident Evil 5 (among other games), and mention some of our favorite Japanese games from this generation. We talk in some detail about Metal Gear Solid 4, Vanquish, Demon's Souls, and then Patrick makes sweet, sweet love to The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. So sit back, pour some sake, and listen to a podcast so meaty you'll need to hold it with both hands.
The legendary SCEA front man may have a ton of new responsibility.
UPDATE: Sony has confirmed Hirai's promotion. Effective April 1, 2012, Kaz Hirai will be the new President and CEO of Sony, while current President and CEO Howard Stringer will be named Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective June 2012.
Dual-wielding is SO 2007...
The Darkness II has some big shoes to fill. Not only is it a sequel to a beloved first person shooter from the early days of the Xbox 360 and PS3, but it’s being developed by a studio tasked with taking over for Starbreeze Studios. Starbreeze, of course, is the studio behind the highly regarded Xbox game The Chronicles of Riddick, which is currently working on the Syndicate reboot for EA. Yes, The Darkness II has some big shoes to fill, but so far the game looks to do just that.
Ed Boon can't imagine leaving the series behind, but wants to diversify.
Since the early 1990s, Ed Boon has worked on the Mortal Kombat series almost exclusively. He created the arena-based arcade shooter The Grid back in 2001, but besides that, Boon (and most of the team that now comprises NetherRealm Studios) has been all about the gory fighting franchise. With the latest Mortal Kombat game selling over 3 million copies so far, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Boon and his team would want to get cranking on another iteration right away. Or is it? In a new interview, Mr. Boon talks just a bit about the future of NetherRealm.
