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Dragon's Dogma: The Kotaku Review Just because space cadet Yuko Ogura is no longer Sega’s “image character” doesn’t mean we can’t post non-news about her. Oh no. Once a SEGA spokesperson, always a SEGA spokesperson! Above is a an official Yuko Ogura LIVE MASK. Just take a gander at that! Are you creeped out? We are totally creeped out. And it takes a lot to creep us out.
Eds Note: To bring everyone up to speed, Yuko Ogura was a two-time SEGA “image character” and even appeared in a SEGA produced kids’ show. Ogura claimed to be from an apple-shaped star called Korin, but has since shied away from that nutty claim realising that people don’t take seriously girls who say they’re aliens. SEGA has since replaced Ogura with the more normal Satomi Ishihara. Ogura Mask [Tokyo Times]
Nintendo have announced a release date for Phantom Hourglass in Europe. And it’s in 2007! October 19, actually, which is less than a month after the game’s US release. Leaves European Zelda fans in a pickle – do you wait 2-3 weeks and grab it locally? Or do you import to shave a week or two off that wait? Unless your English isn’t the best. Then I guess you just wait for the local release. For English-speakers, though…decisions decisions.
First instinct upon seeing the cover art was “no, this is not going to end well”. Now we’ve got some Cruis’n screens…this does not look like it’s going to end well. Unless this is some kind of joke (oh haha we can make a 2006 Ubisoft Wii racer too). But it’s probably not. Midway, seriously, what the fuck is this? I know that graphics aren’t everything, but…they’re still something.
Street Gears, a Korean PC game, has a nice Jet Set Radio-esque vibe and is screaming for an English translation. Looks like it would be a perfect PSP game. Someone make it happen! I’ll totally play it!!
Street Gears [Siliconera]
Once again, Epic honcho Mark Rein gives a master-class in flamebait. Previously, he was going on about that groovy Blu-ray. And now? Now he’s talking about how the PLAYSTATION 3 is benefitting from Xbox 360 exclusive Gears of War. I’ll let Rein explain. Sounds better when he says it: Now, oddly enough, we’re a little ahead on PLAYSTATION 3 compared to where we were at this time on Xbox 360, and what I mean by that is our code and our level of completeness, and that’s because we have shipped a game with UE3 already. So PLAYSTATION 3 is very much benefiting from Gears of War. That sounds silly, but it’s very much benefiting from Gears of War. And the point is that we’re more prepared today for PLAYSTATION 3 than we were for Xbox 360 this time last year, and the engine is running a little better — we’re X frames ahead with, let’s not forget, a lot more polygons and a lot more materials, a lot more characters and a lot more projectiles. When you see UT, this pushes the engine a lot harder than Gears of War did.
So! If you thought Gears of War on the Xbox 360 was hot shit, wait until you see Unreal Tournament 3 on the PS3. Epic’s “a little ahead,” and the engine’s “a little better.” But the game? A LOT BETTER. Must be all those extra maps Rein is cramming in there.
In other Mark Rein news, what about claims that Silicon Knight’s legal claims that Epic delivered crummy support? Epic delivers fantastic support, buster. Just ask Rein! This after the jump.
You think Nippon Ichi, you do not think Xbox 360. Disgaea, Phantom Brave, La Pucelle: Tactics…they’re not 360 games! Which is probably the whole point behind a deal which will see Nippon Ichi publishing games on the 360. No further word on anything like games or timeframes, but an XBLA version of any of the above names might be a good place to start. That or all-new games. Either way, I’m not fussed, sure there’ll be some people in Japan and some people outside Japan happy about this. Nippon Ichi planning to develop for the Xbox 360 too [Siliconera]
Microsoft have just announced they’re giving out free retrofits for all 360 wireless racing wheels sold, following some complaints they’ve received from users experiencing problems. Problems like…overheating. No shit. Seems a few owners have, while using the power supply (ie not in wireless mode), had their wheels overheat and spew smoke. Microsoft are recommending users hold off from using the power supply until they can get a retrofit, and have contacted all relevant product safety bodies in order to get the word out. Overheating. You gotta be kidding me. Press release follows.
Announced yesterday at Leipzig, Konami’s Pro Evo football series will be returning to a Nintendo home console for the first time in aaaaages with a Wii version of Pro Evo 8. Sound good? There’s a couple of catches. First, it’s running later than the other versions, and won’t be ready until Q1 2008. Second, all the press release really mentions is waggle control. No word on anything like online multiplayer or how many leagues/teams it’s going to feature. That’s not to say it won’t feature all of that, just…hold your horses until we get more info. Presser follows.
What was missing in SimCity? Hot spots for dating and “adult goods.” With Batsu Batsu na Kanojo no Tsukurikata, erotic games maker Kiss is picking up where Will Wright left off. The game features traditional dating sim elements plus a “city development system” that is reminiscent of SimCity. What’s different is that you’re goal isn’t to make citizens happy or foster an active economy, but focusing on creating dating spots like restaurants, theme parks and “adult goods” shops to woo ladies at. The official site is scant on info, so we’re not quite sure how extensive this SimCity bit is or if it’s just a gimmick. Still, the idea that you’re building amusement parks, restaurants and adults-only stores to court game heroines is HILARIOUS. Once more screenshots surface, we shall post them. Oh yes, we shall. Batsu Batsu [Kiss via Heisei Democracy]
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All the David Reeves you could ever want! The Sony address footage just won’t stop. Here, he talks about GO!Messenger for the PSP. And when he doesn’t talk, there’s a pretty slick CG video and hipster music. Go ahead, watch. Do it.
