Crow character. Will be adding wings and some feather textures.
BearWolf.
Early Nathan Langdon
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
In which I rant about Final Fantasy XIII-2
Okay, I'm generally not much of an angry gamer, but I may come across as one in this recent article I did at GamerANX about my lack of enthusiasm for Final Fantasy XIII-2. I really don't harbor feelings of intense hatred for the ultra-linear predecessor to the second direct sequel in FF history, I promise! But I do get a little snarky (and poke fun at the new weird bulbous-headed moogles). Give it a read, if you're interested!
I did do a bit of research for the article, since I haven't really been keeping up on the news regarding the title. Once I heard Ezio was going to be a DLC costume for the new male lead Noel, I pretty much threw in the towel. I admit that I probably will purchase the game in the future, because in all honesty, the gameplay looks pretty intriguing, but I'm definitely not in a rush. Even a 40/40 from Famitsu will not sway me (which it did get, by the way, and I'm not sure who really puts much faith in those scores anyway, outside of rabid fanboys).
Well, through my research I did stumble on a couple of character design-related annoyances that I would've loved to put in the original article, but they just didn't fit. When you think of absurd costumes, you think of Final Fantasy, right? I thought X was about as weird as it could get, but check this out:
This is Caius Ballad, the main antagonist of XIII-2 and the character you see fighting with Lightening in the first teaser trailer, as well as the game's logo. There are so many things about this character design that just rub me the wrong way! Honestly, I don't even know what to say without digging myself an early grave. I am notoriously a fan of Seymour, after all...
What I liked about Seymour and Final Fantasy X (overall), was that the majority of it didn't seem to take itself too seriously. I mean, who takes Seymour seriously? Or Kuja, for that matter (another favorite FF character of mine). The problem with XIII, and potentially XIII-2, is that it's taking itself far too seriously, and yet Tetsuya Nomura is churning out silly character designs like these. [edit: It's come to my attention that I'm not really articulating my point very well. I think my major beef with Caius stems from the fact that his design seems like one big a big mash of character stereotypes. Or maybe I just think he's ugly?]
And have you heard of Chocolina? When the name first arose, all that was known about her was that she appeared around the world dressed in chocobo-themed clothing selling goods. Me, being the naive gamer I am... I pictured a dorky little girl dressed in full-body chocobo costume. Instead, we get this:
And of course this single image has already spurred dozens of news articles talking about the "hot new shopkeeper" who'll make "sexy cosplay." Yay? I should be excited, right?
Naw, I'm just all-around disappointed and throughly unamused by pretty much everything surrounding Final Fantasy XIII-2 at this point. Maybe I'm just grumpy, maybe I'm stuck harboring some metaphorical ideal of what a Final Fantasy game should be, but either way, this game really couldn't interest me less at this point. I play RPGs for story and characters above all else, and Final Fantasy just isn't pushing the right buttons anymore. I'm sure the gameplay will be pretty neat, though.
What are your thoughts on Final Fantasy XIII and XIII-2? Are you excited for the sequel?
I did do a bit of research for the article, since I haven't really been keeping up on the news regarding the title. Once I heard Ezio was going to be a DLC costume for the new male lead Noel, I pretty much threw in the towel. I admit that I probably will purchase the game in the future, because in all honesty, the gameplay looks pretty intriguing, but I'm definitely not in a rush. Even a 40/40 from Famitsu will not sway me (which it did get, by the way, and I'm not sure who really puts much faith in those scores anyway, outside of rabid fanboys).
Well, through my research I did stumble on a couple of character design-related annoyances that I would've loved to put in the original article, but they just didn't fit. When you think of absurd costumes, you think of Final Fantasy, right? I thought X was about as weird as it could get, but check this out:
This is Caius Ballad, the main antagonist of XIII-2 and the character you see fighting with Lightening in the first teaser trailer, as well as the game's logo. There are so many things about this character design that just rub me the wrong way! Honestly, I don't even know what to say without digging myself an early grave. I am notoriously a fan of Seymour, after all...
And have you heard of Chocolina? When the name first arose, all that was known about her was that she appeared around the world dressed in chocobo-themed clothing selling goods. Me, being the naive gamer I am... I pictured a dorky little girl dressed in full-body chocobo costume. Instead, we get this:
And of course this single image has already spurred dozens of news articles talking about the "hot new shopkeeper" who'll make "sexy cosplay." Yay? I should be excited, right?
Naw, I'm just all-around disappointed and throughly unamused by pretty much everything surrounding Final Fantasy XIII-2 at this point. Maybe I'm just grumpy, maybe I'm stuck harboring some metaphorical ideal of what a Final Fantasy game should be, but either way, this game really couldn't interest me less at this point. I play RPGs for story and characters above all else, and Final Fantasy just isn't pushing the right buttons anymore. I'm sure the gameplay will be pretty neat, though.
What are your thoughts on Final Fantasy XIII and XIII-2? Are you excited for the sequel?
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Batman Arkham City + DLC PACKS
Batman Arkham City + DLC PACKS - 5DVD
Developed by Rocksteady Studios, Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring into Arkham City, the new maximum security "home" for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight. ..."
Batman: Arkham City Minimum System Requirements
OS: Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon X2 4800+
RAM: 2 GB
GFX: ATI 3850HD 512 MB or NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB
DX: 9c
HDD: 17 GB Hard Disc space
Batman: Arkham City Recommended System Requirements
OS: Microsoft Windows 7
CPU: Dual core CPU 2.5 GHz
RAM: 4GB
GFX: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460
OS: Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon X2 4800+
RAM: 2 GB
GFX: ATI 3850HD 512 MB or NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB
DX: 9c
HDD: 17 GB Hard Disc space
Batman: Arkham City Recommended System Requirements
OS: Microsoft Windows 7
CPU: Dual core CPU 2.5 GHz
RAM: 4GB
GFX: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460
Hoyle Puzzle And Board Games 2012
Hoyle Puzzle And Board Games 2012 - 1DVD
Hoyle Puzzle and Board Games 2012 is the largest collection of puzzle games available for your PC! This super collection of more than 1,000 puzzle and board game variations includes traditional favorites plus new games to challenge your skill, strategy, and wit. Take a break from your daily duties and relax with classics like Chess, Checkers, and Dominoes
Love word games? Twist your vocabulary in ways you never thought possible with fun and unusual Anagrams, Crosswords, and Word Searches. Play Mahjong Memory, or Master Match to reveal your matching skills. With new and classic games, Hoyle Puzzle and Board Games 2012 is chock-full of fun!
Love word games? Twist your vocabulary in ways you never thought possible with fun and unusual Anagrams, Crosswords, and Word Searches. Play Mahjong Memory, or Master Match to reveal your matching skills. With new and classic games, Hoyle Puzzle and Board Games 2012 is chock-full of fun!
System requirements:
System: Windows XP(sp2), Vista / 7
Processor: Intel Core2Duo 2.0GHz
Memory: 512 Mb
Video: 128 Mb Hd Space 2.5Gb
System: Windows XP(sp2), Vista / 7
Processor: Intel Core2Duo 2.0GHz
Memory: 512 Mb
Video: 128 Mb Hd Space 2.5Gb
LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7
LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 - 2DVD
Based on the last three Harry Potter books and final four films, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 takes players through Harry Potter's heroic adventures in the Muggle and wizarding worlds. From Privet Drive in Little Whinging to Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and Hogwarts - plus new locations including Grimmauld Place, the Ministry of Magic, and Godric's Hollow - players will encounter new faces, new challenges and new magic, preparing them for the ultimate face-off against Lord Voldemort.
Play through 24 story events and return to Hogwarts where there are 16
different lessons to attend.
Learn and use all new charms and spells including the Unforgivable Curses.
Master advanced dueling skills to defeat Voldemort's Death Eaters as you
battle toward the ultimate showdown with the Dark Lord himself.
Discover and unlock over 80 characters including, Fenrir Greyback,
Bellatrix Lestrange & Professor Horace Slughorn.
Minimum System Requirements
Processor Dual core CPU @ 2GHz (Pentium D or better)
Video Card NVIDIA 6800, 7600, 7800, 8xxx or better, ATI 1950 or better
Memory 1GB RAM
OS Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
HDD Space 8GB of free hard disk space
Additional Info 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible Audio Device
DVD-ROM drive
Recommended System Requirements
Processor Quad core CPU @ 2.7 GHz
Video Card NVIDIA GeForce 8800 or better; ATI HD3870 or better
Memory 2 GB RAM
OS Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
HDD Space 8GB of free hard disk space
Additional Info 8X Speed DVD-ROM drive
Play through 24 story events and return to Hogwarts where there are 16
different lessons to attend.
Learn and use all new charms and spells including the Unforgivable Curses.
Master advanced dueling skills to defeat Voldemort's Death Eaters as you
battle toward the ultimate showdown with the Dark Lord himself.
Discover and unlock over 80 characters including, Fenrir Greyback,
Bellatrix Lestrange & Professor Horace Slughorn.
Minimum System Requirements
Processor Dual core CPU @ 2GHz (Pentium D or better)
Video Card NVIDIA 6800, 7600, 7800, 8xxx or better, ATI 1950 or better
Memory 1GB RAM
OS Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
HDD Space 8GB of free hard disk space
Additional Info 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible Audio Device
DVD-ROM drive
Recommended System Requirements
Processor Quad core CPU @ 2.7 GHz
Video Card NVIDIA GeForce 8800 or better; ATI HD3870 or better
Memory 2 GB RAM
OS Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
HDD Space 8GB of free hard disk space
Additional Info 8X Speed DVD-ROM drive
Grotesque Tactics - Evil Heroes
Grotesque Tactics - Evil Heroes - 1DVD
Game Description :
The young recruit Drake fails the exam of the military academy and is thus denied the right to fight for his proud kingdom of Glory. Humiliated and frustrated he seeks to launch himself into the jaws of ferocious mushrooms. However, he then notices that he is not the only one who is just wanting to take their own life in disappointment.He encounters the last depressed remains of Glory’s troops which, now bearing severe injuries, have just returned from a decisive battle – the one particular battle that Drake was denied to join. The most famous hero of humanity is also among the few survivors: Holy Avatar. The arrogant knight in shiny armor tells you about the threat of a sect, which suddenly appeared and destroyed the entire royal army.The land of Glory is being overrun by creatures of the Dark Church, and worse yet, HE, the great Holy Avatar, has been defeated for the first time in his entire heroic life.
The young recruit Drake fails the exam of the military academy and is thus denied the right to fight for his proud kingdom of Glory. Humiliated and frustrated he seeks to launch himself into the jaws of ferocious mushrooms. However, he then notices that he is not the only one who is just wanting to take their own life in disappointment.He encounters the last depressed remains of Glory’s troops which, now bearing severe injuries, have just returned from a decisive battle – the one particular battle that Drake was denied to join. The most famous hero of humanity is also among the few survivors: Holy Avatar. The arrogant knight in shiny armor tells you about the threat of a sect, which suddenly appeared and destroyed the entire royal army.The land of Glory is being overrun by creatures of the Dark Church, and worse yet, HE, the great Holy Avatar, has been defeated for the first time in his entire heroic life.
Minimum System Requirements:
Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7
Processor : Intel Pentium 4 at 2.0 GHz / AMD Athlon XP 2200+
Video Card : 128 MB VRAM – NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500 / ATI Radeon 9500
Memory : 1 GB RAM
Hard Disk : 2 GB of free Hard Drive space
Sound : DirectX 9 Compatible sound card
Direct X : 9.0c
Controls : Keyboard & Mouse
Installation : DVD-ROM Drive
Recommended System Requirements:
Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7
Processor : Intel Core 2 Duo at 2.0 GHz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
Video Card : 256 MB VRAM – NVIDIA GeForce 8800 / ATI Radeon HD 3800
Memory : 2 GB RAM
Hard Disk : 2 GB of free Hard Drive space
Sound : DirectX 9 Compatible sound card
Direct X : 9.0c
Controls : Keyboard & Mouse
Installation : DVD-ROM Drive
Faces of War
Faces of War - 1DVD
Faces of War thrusts gamers into the decisive battles of World War II in Europe. Players command American, English, Soviet and German troops while fighting famous conflicts such as the Normandy Invasion, the Battle of the Bulge or the Battle of Berlin. Thanks to complex artificial intelligence, soldiers don’t simply execute any order given by a player, they think about how to do it in the most efficient and safe way, integrating a psychological element into the combat gaming fray.
Features
* Manage the War or Fight it Yourself - Play from the traditional point-n-click RTS view, or immerse yourself directly into the battle in a close-proximity 3rd person view as you take control of a single soldier for intense, one-on-one action.
* Complex AI System - Enter the battlefield equipped with a squad of six intelligent soldiers that think and react on their own as the war rages on, while squad morale is affected by in-game events.
* Destructible Environments - Maneuver in and out of war torn buildings as you lead your squad into interactive WWII battlegrounds.
* Superior Multiplayer Experience - Gameplay includes eight multiplayer modes, up to sixteen players over a network (LAN/Internet) and four-player co-op play.
* Authentic WWII Warfare - Command American, English, Soviet and German troops during world-renowned battles that include the Battle of Bulge, D-Day and the Battle of Berlin.
* Manage Your Squad - As the battles progress, locate and furnish individual soldiers with specific weapons and equipment to achieve a tactical advantage over your enemy.
* Tactical Planning - Advanced AI reactions and real-time physics guarantee that no mission will be fought the same way, making tactical planning of great importance.
* Weapons and Equipment - Features 36 weapons including pistols, rifles, submachine guns, mini-guns and flamethrowers, along with more than ten grenade types and anti-tank mines.
System Requirments :
Minimum:
- System: Pentium IV 2.0 GHz or equivalent
- RAM: 512 MB
- Video Memory: 64 MB
- Hard Drive Space: 2500 MB
Features
* Manage the War or Fight it Yourself - Play from the traditional point-n-click RTS view, or immerse yourself directly into the battle in a close-proximity 3rd person view as you take control of a single soldier for intense, one-on-one action.
* Complex AI System - Enter the battlefield equipped with a squad of six intelligent soldiers that think and react on their own as the war rages on, while squad morale is affected by in-game events.
* Destructible Environments - Maneuver in and out of war torn buildings as you lead your squad into interactive WWII battlegrounds.
* Superior Multiplayer Experience - Gameplay includes eight multiplayer modes, up to sixteen players over a network (LAN/Internet) and four-player co-op play.
* Authentic WWII Warfare - Command American, English, Soviet and German troops during world-renowned battles that include the Battle of Bulge, D-Day and the Battle of Berlin.
* Manage Your Squad - As the battles progress, locate and furnish individual soldiers with specific weapons and equipment to achieve a tactical advantage over your enemy.
* Tactical Planning - Advanced AI reactions and real-time physics guarantee that no mission will be fought the same way, making tactical planning of great importance.
* Weapons and Equipment - Features 36 weapons including pistols, rifles, submachine guns, mini-guns and flamethrowers, along with more than ten grenade types and anti-tank mines.
System Requirments :
Minimum:
- System: Pentium IV 2.0 GHz or equivalent
- RAM: 512 MB
- Video Memory: 64 MB
- Hard Drive Space: 2500 MB
Recommended:
- System: Pentium IV 3.0 GHz or equivalent
- RAM: 1024 MB
- Video Memory: 128 MB
- Hard Drive Space: 2500 MB
Chic Pixel Holiday Giveaway!
For a bit of a festive treat, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank both the regular frequenters of Chic Pixel and any newcomers for taking the time to read what I have to say by offering a little giveaway contest. I really appreciate any and all comments and just knowing a handful of you read all the way through my posts makes it worthwhile.
So what am I giving away, you ask?
Since Chic Pixel really is all about my favorite hobbies (namely BL manga and all sorts of popular and lesser-known video games), I thought I'd do things a little differently by offering not one, but two prizes:
First up is a copy of volume 1 of Crimson Spell, a BL manga by Ayano Yamane! (contains graphic sex, entrants must be over 18)
The second prize pack is for all the Japanese game enthusiasts out there: choose this option and you'll get a rare Arc Rise Fantasia pin set and an El Shaddai goodie pack, which includes a pin, illustration card, and a sticker! These were scored by my amazingly cool mom at E3 2010 and 2011, and I'm pretty sure you won't be able to find them for sale anywhere else.
Entry terms:
- Leave a comment on this entry stating which prize pack you'd most like to win (entrants are only eligible to win one or the other). Remember to leave a way for me to contact you!
- For an additional entry, promote this contest and/or my blog via Twitter, Facebook, or however you'd like! Just leave a comment every time you tweet/post about it so I can keep track of your entries! (maximum of 5 additional entries)
- Contest is open to anyone in the world and closes promptly on Friday, December 9th at 9 pm EST
Good luck!
