It's a universal fact Norio Wakamoto is awesome. Sure he gets typecast as villains of all sorts but dammit he's just so good at it. Don't ask me why but for the last hour I've been looking at various videos and career info regarding Wakamoto and thought I'd share some of the more entertaining vids for shits and giggles.

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/qrDw-3xBGN0
https://youtu.be/fNkATKq0bUw
https://youtu.be/RB-UV69j1Lw
https://youtu.be/UucITQR0SrQ

Sam Alexander fucking sucks and needs to die in a fire.

Okay, okay, deep breaths. Let me preface this by saying this is a rant journal about Marvel comics. If you don't care, turn away now. For those of you who do care, there are some spoilers.

Anyway, as I've said in the past, Nova is among my favorite comic heroes of all time. Specifically Richard Rider, the Human Rocket himself. Now, Cosmic Marvel has been in a bit of a rut lately and a big reason why is Nova, the central hero of Cosmic Marvel, was supposedly killed at the end of Thanos Imperative and he took the entirety of the Nova Force with him. No more Nova, no more Nova Corps.

Now, every comic geek knows what they say about people staying dead in comics so really it was only a matter of time until Nova would come back. What we ended up seeing eventually was a teaser of a new looking Nova in a stupid looking outfit, far inferior to Rich's. But whatever, new costume, I can get over it. Then I saw it was being written by Jeph Loeb and was like "oh...oh no". Well this past week I found out he's an all new Nova called Sam Alexander and somehow he's going to factor into this upcoming Aveners vs. X-men event. We first saw him in the more recent Point One comic which I finally got the courage to flip through in the shop this week.

Fuck...this...kid!

I hate Sam. You know, part of what made Rich Rider so awesome was his personality after Annihilation. This guy who was once a reckless rookie was turned into a crazy strong warrior who who deftly combined the principles and leadership qualities of Captain America with the wit and roguish attitude of Nick Fury. Want to know Sam's characterization? He's a brash, young Peter Parker wannabe. Holy hell...

You know, there's two things wrong with this. First, this character type has been done to death enough as it is and second, it was already done with Nova. In the original Nova book from the 70's Rich Rider was basically a teenage Peter Parker type of character and guess what, it didn't work back then either. What makes them think it'll work now? Nova was an obscure character drifting in comic book limbo until he was totally reinvented for Annihilation

That Richard Rider has been chucked aside is simply insulting and idiotic in a major way. A comic hero isn't just a costume with a concept, it's the character underneath as well. Replacing a beloved character with another alienates readers even if the costume is the same. Need I remind everybody of Spider-Man's infamous Clone Saga? Remember how much people loved Ben Rielly? Yeah, I thought so.

Dammit Richard! I just know you and Star-Lord survived the collapse of the Cancerverse. For the love of all that is good in the Marvel Universe please return to us and curb stomp this little twat for disgracing the Nova Corps.

Latest one being "It's About Time".

Is it just me or did anybody else get a serious Metal Gear Solid vibe during like the last third of the episode. I mean, sure there's Twilight in a sneaking suit wearing a bandana and an eyepatch but there was also the guards with the flashlight/cone of vision and when Twilight posed next to a statue was just like Snake in the first level of MGS4.

Between things like Dr. Whooves, Big Lebowski Ponies and Q playing Ponyville Q, I think My Little Pony has more clever in-jokes and references than any cartoon in recent memory. Emphasis on clever so Family Guy doesn't count. XD

It might have something to do with me having had a couple beers but for some reason this idea sounds immensely entertaining to me at the most. Here's the idea. I was thinking you guys would write comments to this journal and later I will read them in the manliest man-voice I can muster, totally serious and straight faced. Kind of like a dramatic reading of bad fan-fiction you know?

Here's the catch though, I was sort of hoping for a little continuity from comment to comment. It can be serious, ridiculous, badass or whatever, just try to make your comment follow up to the one prior to yours.

Maybe this will work, maybe it won't. I figured what the hell. At the very least I hope we get some kind of humor out of it. XD

Be mindful I am going to read every last word as it's written in the comments. Not just stuff in quotes.

You know those PS Vita characters who were rumored to be eventually released as DLC? They're already on the disc...

https://youtu.be/6oA3QqJ9m2w

Fuck you Capcom...just...fuck you! I have never been so tempted to make a negative pun out of that name until today. Shit like this is exactly why I wasn't excited and committed to not buying this title at launch. I hope this game sells like shit. I would love it if it actually sells worse than UMvC3. That game got no marketing this one did and I hope it bombs.

Fuck! I'm going back to Tekken and Blazblue goddammit!

Another list because I feel like it. This one is a bit more of a niche subject then the last list but dammit I feel like writing it. I only expect one person to really care about this list but dammit he better leave a comment. You know who you are and you better tell me your favorites too! >=3

These are in no particular order. They're just my top five favorites. Oh, and just for shits and giggles since it's barely relevant...
https://youtu.be/mxCr6svK_ZY

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Zero's Top 5 Sengoku Basara Characters

Chosokabe Motochika
I loved this guy from the moment I saw him. Just look at his design. So much manly pink and purple! Also, I ask you, what's cooler than a samurai? How about a samurai who's also a pirate? Yeah, pretty friggin' sweet. I love that anchor spear he swings around and sometimes he even attacks by surfing on it. He's got a real Yakuza vibe to him and that's a character archetype I never tire of. Swings that anchor with one hand. The other is perpetually in his pocket. Dude has got some serious swag

Motochika has a pretty neat personality too though. Despite putting on a rough exterior, acting like a cocky thug and even calling all his subordinates "sons of bitches", he's also very open and honest. He quite clearly cares very deeply about his people and will go to some crazy lengths for their sake. More testament pirates are awesome.

Matsunaga Hisahide
Talk about style. As far as I can tell Hisahide is such a slick badass he's the only playable character with a walk animation. Dude is so chill he's in no rush. As a villain I find Hisahide fascinating. He has no ambitions of conquest or glory. He simply wants to collect antiques and other worldly possessions so he can enjoy his meaningless life as he sees it.. Hisahide has demonstrated he has a somewhat nihilistic view of life, including his own. This coupled with unflappable manners and anutter lack of empathy makes him a chilling character.

I find his visual design amazing as well. Compared to some of Sengoku Basara's more outlandish designs, Hisahide seems more on the conservative side. Even so I love his asymmetric color scheme and his moves are just awesome. He attacks with the poise of a fencer and in between slashes just blows shit up left and right with a snap of his fingers. I love it.

Fuma Kotaro
When I think of a cool ninja I think of something like Kotaro. Among the ninja in Sengoku Basara he's easily the best. Kasuga looks out of place with that cat suit and Sasuke looks too much out of the Naruto school of ninja design. Kotaro is perfect though. He actually looks like he could be a ninja. He even looks a bit like Hotsuma from that PS2 game Shinobi. He also has a very distinct personality despite not saying a single word in any of his appearances. He's a silent, deadly, no nonsense assassin. Sure, he may not be the most vibrant personality but he's still very cool on a fundamental level.

Kotaro is blast to play as well. Crazy fast with teleports and all the classic ninja moves like shurikens and Izuna drops. Hell, one of his air moves has him slitting the other guy's throat. Oh, and he has one of my favorite themes in the game as well.

Katakura Kojuro
Kojuro is the definition of badass. I think a big reason of why I like him so much is because I think among the outlandish cast in these games, Kojuro is the most like an actual samurai in a very cool way. He fights in a very traditional looking way, not especially outlandish or over the top. Very disciplined and precise. After some attacks he'll clean his blade with his sleeve. He's like a samurai in his moves but he also in his personality.

Kojuro is unwaveringly loyal to his lord, Date Masamune, but not in a stupid. blind loyalty kind of way. He always has his lord's welfare in his mind and will always act for what he believes is best for Masamune, even if it means going against his wishes. Right afterwards though he'd happily give his live to atone for it and redeem his honor. Again, very traditional samurai. Oh and remember when I said earlier I like Yakuza type characters? Kojuro is one of those designs from head to toe. Just look at him in his Moonless Slaughter mode and it couldn't be more apparent.

Tachibana Muneshige
Muneshige is a huge, manly man with manly facial hair who fights with not one, but two chainsaws which he can imbue with lightning to make stronger. Dayum. I'll admit, a big part of why I like this character is how he plays. You can wade knee deep into crowds and literally rip armies apart. It's incredibly satisfying.

I wish I could comment more on his character but I have an incomplete perspective here since I don't know his story from the latest game, but from what I do understand Muneshige is somewhat comical despite his badassery. As strong as he is he occasionally has these inner ponderings that we get to hear where he thinks about thinks like his marital problems. He's also loyal to his lord but has to deal with near constant frustration since he serves under that little bastard Otomo Sorin. Seeing him slap that little fucker was one of the best things ever in this series.

I really fucking hate it when movies, and games end on these ridiculous cliffhangers like the sequel is an inevitability. Well, what if it isn't? What then? I'll tell you what then. We the viewer are left utterly screwed and without any closure at all. Dammit, why tell a story if you aren't going to give it some closure?

I need to clear a little shelf space and I have a few volumes of manga that I have failed to keep my interest and as such I have no interest in continuing to purchase further volumes. Also, it's unlikely I could make any profit off these and any I would make would be remarkably small so I'd rather just give them away. Here are the manga in question.

Bleach Vol. 1-5
Soul Eater Vol. 1

If you're interested in any of these let me know in the comments and also tell me if you'd be willing to pay back shipping and handling or not. I'd prefer to get rid of these not at my own own expense since they won't really be gifts but right now my main priority is just getting rid of them.

Granted, I obviously haven't played Ninja Theory's Devil May Cry reboot/alternate universe/whatever they're calling it to desperately quell the fan rage, so I can't pass judgement on it at the moment. However I can completely justify my hated for what it currently appears to be and where it's heading.

A while ago a friend asked me why I thought it looked so crappy since the most common complaint he's seen was Dante's new look which personally I think everyone can agree is terrible. However I also elaborated on a few other points in my response. I feel like sharing because I feel that many who aren't fans of Devil May Cry believe we're just afraid of change. There's a bit more to it than that.

This reply was very long. You've been warned. X3

---

Whoo boy...get ready to read.

Well I won't lie, the aesthetic change is a large reason why. Now I'm not against change and I thought the franchise needed a little revitalizing. Hell, I though DMC4 would have been better if Dante was barely in it and Nero was strictly the focus, but I digress. A big part of the series charm was how cheesy yet awesome Dante was. This change is simply too much though. This new character just looks like a punk and the half-demon half-angel thing is just idiotic. Now, granted this is obviously what chief designer Tameem Antoniades wants stylistically. He likes that kind of aesthetic and I'd have more respect for the development if he just came out and said "Hey, we're doing a different take on DMC with a different style I like. Hope you guys will give it a chance". But that's not what he does.

In interviews Tameem has displayed time and again he simply doesn't grasp what made the series such a hit to begin with and continues to piss on the fanbase and the series legacy. He seems to believe a big reason why the first game was such a hit was because it was "fashionable" and "glamorous" and "underground", whatever that means, and said that what was cool back then isn't cool anymore which is why it was changed. That's pure bullshit Tameem. Just man up and say you like punk more than heavy metal you tremendous douche. He says he wants to make a game that can be taken more seriously but this is Devil May Cry you moron. The franchise built it's name on being a fun loving and over the top, specifically not taking itself too seriously.

Now I do have reasons hating it beyond the aesthetic change. Ninja Theory has a shitty track record to me and they have yet to make a single game I find halfway decent. Judging from the trailers of the game I've seen, DmC doesn't look to be changing that. The gameplay looks sub-par, especially for this series. For starters they're using the Unreal engine which locks the game in at 30fps rather than the standard 60fps the series had before. Slower action is no good and it is most definitely slower. Speed is part of why I liked the previous games. In addition the combat itself looks remarkably dull. Thus far I've seen big open battle arenas with maybe four enemies present at most. They don't even fight very well. They just get wailed on. Speaking of which, every combo seems to devolve into slash into launcher, juggle enemy until dead, lather, rinse, repeat on next enemy. Once "Dantay" gets airborne he's pretty much untouchable. If I want to beat the crap out of punching bags I'll play Sengoku Basara. I play Devil May Cry for the stylish action and, even more importantly, the challenge.

Video trailers of this game look so utterly mediocre. Especially when compared to older games. Just look for yourself.

https://youtu.be/BHwLOtgSJCE

Compare that with combo videos from previous installments and the difference is painfully obvious. Now I'll admit I have a bias here. I view this title first and foremost as a fan but that's also kind of the primary problem here. This is a completely different game trying to pass itself as Devil May Cry for whatever reason. If this new game were a just a new IP I'd be willing to give it some benefit of the doubt. I'd still think it looks mediocre but I'd at least be willing to give it a chance. Problem is it's got Devil May Cry for a title and it is visibly altering defining traits that I and many other fans loved and found essential to the experience. That the production staff at Ninja Theory has on several occasions dissed the previous installments is just rubbing salt in the wound.

If Tameem and his crew didn't like the series why are they bothering to make game in the franchise to begin with? It's kind of like that asshole who says your favorite music sucks and tries to force his music down your throat explaining why it's so much better. Tameem is exactly that kind of asshole.

Prototype 2 is one of the games I'm most looking forward too this year. I was extremely fond of the original despite its shortcomings. Watching the trailers and trying to piece together a potential story has been exciting because the better parts of the this franchises story has always been what's happening behind the scenes rather than in the actual game.

That said I'm always puzzled when people act surprised that Alex Mercer did a heel turn in the sequel as if he was somehow the hero on the original. He may have been the protagonist but no way he was the hero. I wouldn't even justify him an anti-hero. At best he's utterly amoral and at worst a monster. Yes, he stopped Manhattan from getting nuked and yes he showed some rudimentary care for a few people but his motives never seemed to be altruistic.

It's been a while but from what I recall, most of what Alex did was in the pursuit of the truth behind Gentek, the Blacklight virus and whatever happened to him before awakening in a morgue. He just so happens to commit mass murder and leave a trail of corpses in his wake, showing little concern for anybody else around him His motivations are selfish and any beneficial results of his actions are simply accidental.

For me it's no surprise at all Alex is the villain in Prototype 2 because he was a villain to begin with. Then again that game was full of nothing but bad guys and he may have been the lesser evil but at his core I still believe he is an evil character by design.

James Heller looks like a promising fellow. He may be motivated by revenge, another selfish objective, but he was arguably a better human than Alex before their changes. Unlike Mercer, Heller wasn't a paranoid sociopath. Certainly a better starting point if you want your protagonist to be heroic.

I thought this after seeing a trailer for a Dynasty Warriors style One Piece game. Yeah, they're making that. Here's the trailer.

https://youtu.be/uA-7MLpIwF4

I'm willing to give it a shot especially after how well Hokuto Musou turned out. I have certain stipulations though. For now it only looks like the Straw Hats are playable but I really hope a few adversaries get added before release. If it gets localized for the US I'll try it for sure. However if Crocodile isn't playable I'm not going to bother importing. Yes, that's a deal breaker. Crocodile is my favorite One Piece character...period.

Back on One Piece the series though. I've always liked it a lot and found it definitely be among the better manga among Shonen Jump's offerings. I just took a breather from it around the beginning of Enies Lobby but never got the motivation to really pick it up again.

Do any of my watchers keep up with One Piece? I'm curious how the quality has been as of late. Too many popular manga nowadays seem to hit a point where they just stop being as good as they were and I'm wondering/worried if One Piece has had this happen. I've heard bit's of what's going on and it sounds pretty cool but I'd like some more informed opinions if anybody has some to offer. I don't want to bother getting back into it if I'm just going to be disappointed right after Enies Lobby.

Disclaimer! My Little Pony journal. This is your last chance to turn back.

So, I was catching up on My Little Pony and much to my surprise I learned that in episode 14 the nameless background pony affectionately referred to as "Derpy" by the fans was not only referred to by the fan name but also given a speaking role. Now to start, is already meme fuel so I had to go on youtube and see what was left in the wake of this occurrence. Some results are rather amusing. This one in particular gets a chuckle out of me.

https://youtu.be/yRZ9pPb1i78

Now that aside I just got to say this is is just more proof in my eyes that love it or hate it or anything in between, MLP is a cut above many of it's animated peers. With such a loyal and passionate fan following you know the creators are doing something right. However to see the staff behind the show offer fan service like this shows just how much they care about their fans which strikes me as something really impressive nowadays. I'm not entirely sure why but it does.

Oh, and the Big Lebowski ponies were epic by the way.

Asura's Wrath is less than a month away and despite some of my concerns and reservations I'm still getting rather excited about it. I was doing some browsing on forums earlier today and found this rather delightful article describing some of the iconography that inspired the game's artistic style which at this point is in my opinion the game's most apparent strength.

A Buddhist's Guide to Asura's Wrath

It's a fascinating read and written by the same guy who wrote that article I linked to months ago about the principles of animation used in the Darkstalkers games. Check it out.

The upcoming release of Asura's Wrath also reminded me that I've gotten into the habit of buying new IPs in games as a matter of practice because I'm getting sick of seeing the same things over and over. The payoff has been inconsistent. I always hope to be surprised by something fresh and exciting but that's not always what I get.

Since it's become common practice for me and because I just watched all three episodes of Sequelitis back to back, I'm strongly considering making reviews specifically for new IPs in games. And I don't mean just rambling off the top of my head like usual. I mean actual scripted thought out reviews. To the best of my knowledge it's a niche in reviews that nobody has filled yet, though I could be wrong. Please tell me if I'm wrong.

All I need is a logo...and a name. A good name.

I'm actually asking you, my watchers and those who care to read my journals. Now, I'm a fan of expansion and growth in all forms and all locations but there have always kind of been tiers of preference in my mind on where different kinds stand. Now, lately I find that balloon style inflation is climbing a bit on my mental ladder for whatever reason and I'm not entirely sure why.

So I'm curious, for those of you who enjoy this kind of expansion, why do you like it?

Like the title says. Just a list for those who are either nerdy comic enthusiasts like myself or just wondering which characters I like. Keep in mind that these are just my top three and they aren't in any particular order largely because a lot of these characters have had both high and low points. So without further ado...

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Zero's Top 3 Marvel Heroes

Deadpool
Ah yes, the Merc with a Mouth. Everybody's favorite fourth wall wrecking crew. I've been a fan of Deadpool for a long time. To put in bluntly I think he is potentially the best anti-hero in comics. This largely depends on his depiction though and there have been a few. Sadly as of late the character has a tendency to be written as little more than walking punch-line. A buffoon who simply stumbles into one zany situation after the other with little reason or character development. Fact is Deadpool is much smarter and much, much deeper than that.

The definitive run of the character was written by Joe Kelly and any Deadpool "fan" who hasn't read it simply isn't a fan...fact. Now of course I love the humor. Deadpool is one of the most hilarious characters out there. It's one of his most defining characteristics but but when Kelly wrote him it was fore a reason. Deadpool at his core is a disturbed, extremely troubled, insecure individual who who uses the comedy and the jokes as a coping mechanism. A classic example of the clown that laughing on the outside but crying on the inside. What really sold me on the character though was his ongoing efforts to be a better person. Deadpool has every reason to be a terrible human being and in many ways he is. He's completely aware of it and despite that he wants to be something more, something better, and he's trying. That a character can have that sort of depth and still be as consistently funny as he is is remarkable.

All that on top of the fact he's one of the deadliest fighter in Marvel also adds some badass points. It's not just the healing factor, it's also skill. He's taken on groups of super powered heroes and still kicked some serious ass and done so in very clever ways. It's tragic the public at large generally sees him as pure comic relief. He's so much more.

Moon Knight
Go to any forum discussing Moon Knight you're sure to see people draw parallels to Batman. It's unavoidable. Both are heroes without super powers who fight crime on the street level for vengeance and do so with themed weapons and gadgetry. I can see why people make comparisons. They're a lot alike at skin level, but get deeper and you'll find the characters on a fundamental level are as different as the colors of their costumes.

There are a few defining characteristics about Moon Knight. For starters, he fights crime partly as a means to atone for his past actions as a mercenary for hire. He also does it because after a surviving a near death experience on a mission he either became or believes he became the avatar of Khonshu, an Egyptian god of vengeance. He dishes out brutal beatings to thugs as a form of appeasement to his patron god. In a way fighting crime is almost his religion which I find intriguing.

The other aspect I like is his apparent mental instability. Moon Knight created multiple personalities to assist him in his crime fighting. This aspect of him however puts great strain on his personal relationships. Hell, it puts strain on Moon Knight himself. Writers later took his instability farther, having Moon Knight refuse demands from Khonshu for more killing in his name. However the way it's played makes us wonder if Khonshu is in fact a real supernatural entity or perhaps a darker, more violent aspect of Moon Knight's psyche. Seeing the character's interactions with others in spite of his mental state, his effect on those around him and watching him dish out brutal justice against scumbags who totally deserve it makes him a total badass.

...As long as Bendis doesn't write him anyway. Ugh... >.=.<

Nova
Oh Nova, you've come such a long way. Hey guys, tell me if this sounds familiar. A human named Richard Rider encounters a dying alien who imparts on him his power, inducting the human into the Nova Corps, a group of intergalactic peacekeepers. That's Nova's origin and yes he was a very lame attempt a being Marvel's resident Green Lantern. All that changed in 2006 with a little event called Annihilation. The Nova Corps were wiped out, Rider was the last Centurion and tasked with not only containing and protecting the entirety of the Power that fueled the Nova Corps, as well as the super computer that directed it.

I'll admit I knew barely anything about this character until a friend recommended checking out that even and since then I've been hooked. It that short span of time I saw this character go from rookie with survivor's guilt to a hardened leader and hero who effectively stopped the end of the universe by ripping the bad guy's intestines out through his mouth. Nova is a really cool character he has the demeanor of a regular guy with a just a dash of Spider-Man sarcasm who is utterly devoted to doing the best he can to protect galactic civilization. And boy does he protect it from some crazy stuff.

Nova is a great character on his own and just a good as seeing him mature into a leader is seeing the action he gets into. I don't want to get into too much detail, but in a nutshell, it's pure madness. Cosmic threats, hostile alternate dimensions, galactic empires and the literal end of the universe are all on order when you talk about Nova. It's pure epic science fiction goodness and Nova frequently spearheads the best of it. Heroic, very human and incredibly epic are why Nova has very quickly become one of my faves.

To think such an awesome hero was just slumming it with the New Warriors (think teenage Avengers) for the longest time. Just goes to show you what a good writer can do with a character.

---

So, if you actually had the patience to read all that what do you say you share a little. Assuming you like Marvel in any capacity feel free to tell your favorite heroes and why they're you're faves. For that matter is you just want to discuss writers or other comic topics go for it. There's way to much out there for me to read it all so I'm no expert but I still like to keep tabs on what's going on.

I'm guessing you can guess why. X3

If anybody can think of a monologue or speech from an RPG or a Manga or a comic or whatever, let me know. If there has never been a voice put to it before, even better.

Thanks guys! ^.=.^

Hey guys, lets talk. I've been playing a fair amount of UMvC3 lately and I've got the conversation itch. I'd love to discuss...well...just about anything relating to fighting games right now. Marvel 3 may be what's occupying my mind lately and it's what I really want to talk about but I'd totally love to discuss just about any fighters that are out or coming out. Share opinions, tell us what you're looking forward too, hell, even ask me for advice or my opinion on something. I'm no expert in these games but I've got a solid grasp of what's going on. Let's chat in the comments. =3

Also, a question. It's high time I did another list style journal running off my top whatever of whatever. What would you guys rather I do?

-Marvel Heroes
-Villains
-Songs
-Musicians
-Movies
Sengoku Basara characters
-Street Fighters
-Something maybe you'd like to recommend

Just wondering. ^.=.^

Hey, did you guys see that new trailer for Metal Gear Rising? No?

https://youtu.be/5SNo8h-KfAU

Oh my god! What the hell is this shit? Look at all the ridiculous violence and cutting and dismemberment and gore and crap. What is this, Metal Gear May Cry? Seriously, this is not at all like what the E3 2010 trailer showed. That trailer showed a proper Metal Gear game with stealth espionage action. Look for yourself!

https://youtu.be/AtM3PGyiQUc

Oh...wait...

Now I'm no stranger to nerd rage. I'm still fuming over the direction of the next Devil May Cry but the difference between that pile and this game is this one was never intended to be a replacement of the main series. What I don't understand is how "Rising" elicits such fury from the Metal Gear fans, yet I don't recall them ever up in arms over the Metal Gear Acid card battle strategy games. It's another spin-off guys. Let it go.

Merry Christmas everyone!

So my journal yesterday was just me poking fun at everybody making a Merry Christmas journal but it actually reminded me that there was another Transformers game being developed called Fall of Cybertron made by High Moon studios, the same guys behind the criminally under-appreciated War for Cybertron. I went on some forums to see what people were saying and discovered there was a trailer released. Specifically this trailer.

https://youtu.be/tnazs2t5Brg

Bruticus? Grimlock?! WANT!!!

Makes me also want to try my hand and drawing transformers again. Honest opinion guys, if I was a Decepticon what vehicle do you think I'd transform into?

We all have our differences. Some of us are Autobots, some ore Decepticons. But just for the next couple days put all that aside. Love your neighbor and share some goodwill with your fellow cybertronian. Enjoy the company or your comrades in arms, help yourself to some oil-nog with a little energon in it if you want and have a very happy holiday.

Besides, if we don't all come together when Santacron starts slaying we'll all be obliterated.

Merry Opti-mas everybody!

So, King of Fighters XIII was released recently in the ever looming shadow of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 among other triple A titles. It's no doubt going to get lost in the mess but if you have to choose between KoFXIII or UMvC3, I wholeheartedly suggest you pick the former.

However, maybe you've never played a King of Fighters game before. Maybe you're curious what makes it any different from other fighting games. Well, for individuals asking these questions I feel like helping and linking to a great couple of tutorial vids by DandyDLC on the basics of KoF. These were made a while ago in anticipation of KoFXII and while that game was rather terrible, the tutorials are still great. They use KoF '98 for demonstration but the fundamentals are still the same even now. Check them out.

https://youtu.be/r75Lz1Drp8g
https://youtu.be/jF5yg2QH_Lw

Also, if you're at DandyDLC's channel be sure to check out his "Homo-genius" series. Lots if fighter related lulz to be had. X3

I was looking into the DLC costumes for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I think most of them are lame and have no intention of buying them all but there is one I absolutely need to get and that's the pack that comes with Bionic Commando Rearmed look for Spencer. It's no secret I'm nuts for that series. Coincidentally, the costume pack with that particular skin is being released the day before my birthday! Good timing. Sadly I work on my birthday and I have to go to the dentist for cleaning before more work on the day after. Timing! =/

And yes, this is a confirmation I broke down and bought a copy of UMvC3 but I kept to my word and did not buy it new. Capcom got none of my money. What's more I got it in virtually mint condition for 20 dollars. A deal if I say so. I'll probably post my thoughts about it later when I play more people online. I've got a solid feel for the mechanical changes but I want to give it a little more time to sink in.

Consider how many games were released this holiday season with titles ending in "3" I sort of thought about some other games or franchises I'd love to see revisited. I doubt they will so this is pure wishful thinking but I thought I'd share anyway.

Baten Kaitos series

There's been two so far, both with ridiculously long subtitles. I'm not much for RPG's but the Baten Kaitos games are one of the few I adore. They're probably my fave RPGs. I love the art direction and the music. The stories are meh but the characters in the prequel were great, especially Guillo. I get bored easily in most but BK held my interest with it's combat. It's technically a card game but it's more like the deck you construct is the actions you make available to your character. They are drawn randomly and you get bonuses by doing straights and flushes. Another cool thing was the fact cards changes over time and you could use items in sequence in battle that awarded you with new items. For example, grapes will rot over time and can be used to cause bad status effects on enemies and if you use a fire spell, water spell, the iron kettle and raw rice in the same attack you get rewarded with steamed rice, a very good healing item that can later be used to make sushi, and even better one.

This is mostly why I love the games. The combat requires active effort. You can't just autopilot the fights and you're even encouraged to experiment with card sequences to make other new items. It's a cool concept I'd like to see improved in a third game. The first was solid. The second was a huge improvement. It also had Guillo. Seriously, Guillo is one of the coolest characters ever that nobody knows about. XD

Jet Force Gemeni

I loved this game back on N64. I didn't have much experience with shooters but this one seemed so cool. It had a colorful, cartoon but very cool sci-fi vibe. Also, that soundtrack was fucking epic. I'm sure it had faults in retrospect, like the tribals. I haven't played it since middle school so nostalgia no doubt shades my recollections. Still, with all the 3rd and first person shooters coming out lately being mature testosterone fests with scowly-faced space marines I think more whimsical entry in the genre would be a welcome addition.

Only problem is a sequel would in all likelihood be made by Rare and in my opinion they haven't made a halfway decent game in a long ass time.

Legacy of Kain series

This is one I'm particularly vocal about. This series needs a fucking conclusion! One of the greatest stories ever told in video games and the final game ended on a massive goddamn cliffhanger while only resolving half the plot points. I know the gameplay in the titles have always been a little uneven but they were still fun on the whole and unraveling the history of the protagonists and Nosgoth itself was the biggest driving force to continue. The plot was the core of the experience and it's been left wide open with absolutely no kind of resolution. This needs to be changed...desperately.

The recent Tomb Raiders haven't been all bad and I'd argue that franchises nadir was far worse than Legacy of Kain's. There's only two reasons that franchise has survived and it's just not fair. I just want a proper ending to Legacy of Kain in a decent game. C'mon Eidos just give it to us already!

Any games you guys think deserve sequels?

Just a heads up to my buddies on instant messengers but some of you may have not being on as often as I used to be. Just wanted to let you guys know the reason why is because I was hired for a full-time job in the middle of fall and have been pretty busy with training. It leaves me little free time and I've been using it more for sleep and games at the moment.

I don't really want to go too in depth about what the job is, but I will say I have no attachment to it and don't plan to hold on to the job for more than maybe a year. I'm basically doing to help with my finances quickly and when I'm satisfied I'm going back to work at the bar. They love me there and I love working there.

Anyway, no telling when I'll be more available but if I am I'll give you guys a heads up.

I'm already working at a bar in real life so I thought I' try getting in on this. X3

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2944646/