Now this is a real ninja war - Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations gets a new trailer and it starts off with an awesome scene.

The trailer starts with a scene of the older Naruto and the younger Naruto in a sort of Cowboy showdown. The camera then pans out at the Naruto showing all the characters from each of their timelines behind them as if they are an army. Both sides then run towards each other to face off in an all out ninja war.

In my opinion, all games with time skips should have the significan characters from the previous timeline included with the modern roster of characters. They don't have be in the story but at least give us the option to play as them. CyberConnect2 did it once with Naruto Shippuden: Narutimate Accel on the PS2 by including all the kid versions of the characters from the previous game included with the newer, older versions in the roster.

Now when CyberConnect2 showed off Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 and didn't include the characters from Ultimate Ninja Storm 1, I was certain that they'd pull off this marketing scheme sooner or later. At first I gave them the benefit of the doubt by thinking that "maybe it's a memory thing, maybe only X number of characters can fit on the disc blah blah blah" but as soon as Ninja Storm Generations was revealed it was no surprise.

I'm not saying I hate them for it. It's just that with any major anime that gets a fighting game and boasts a crazy amount of characters, it's better to wait for the 2nd or 3rd installment as the 1st game is meant to test the waters. Anime based games are sort of my guilty pleasure but as seen with the Dragon Ball Z series of games, you know that the universe already has this butt load of significant characters and yet you see a game with only half of that amount or that this saga was not included etc. Then wait for the sequel as it is most likely gonna have those missing characters or that missing story line.

The trailer says that it is going to include a bunch of new anime scenes that will further develop the characters in the Naruto universe and from what the trailer shows, they look very well animated, like what you would see in a Naruto OVA. Which is more than I can say for the not-so-nicely animated clips from Street Fighter IV and Dragon Ball Z: Ragin Blast 2. Those were filler quality at best.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations is out on March 13, 2012 complete with it's long ass name and will be available on both the PS3 and Xbox 360. It's ninja time!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK9CZelD72M[/youtube]

Trine 2 now out for consoles

Trine 2 is honestly the only downloadable game I've been excited for as if it's a triple A title. The sequel has been out for Steam since December 7 but it has finally landed on consoles. It's out now for the PSN(Dec 20) with it coming to Xbox Live a day later(Dec 21).

If you want a game to play with some friends, this is the game. It's a platform that needs a lot of cooperation to progress. Playing the game alone is not the way to go for this kind of game, but luckily you can connect with someone online now so if you do get the game, make a friend.

Compared to the visuals in the first game, Trine 2 is looks amazing. The world now looks alive and vibrant. While the length of the first game was just enough for the price given, I do hope its a tad longer.

Trine 2 will also feature an Unlimited mode which allows you to play any kind of character variation at the same time. Check it out the below, it looks pretty fun having a couple of wizards roaming around creating stuff.

I checked out PSN Store ande Trine 2 costs $14.99(same price in steam) with a demo already out if you plan to just try the game out first. If you haven't played the first game though, I suggest you give Trine a shot. It's still one of the best downloadable games out there and you'll appreciate the changes more in Trine 2.

Xbox Live's 12 days of great Deals

Looks like Xbox Live will be throwing some sales until the end of the year. Somewhat similar to the deals happening in Steam, each day until the New Year, Xbox Live will be offering special deals for games, game add-ons, and avatars, but the deal only lasts for 24 hours. gotta be quick!

You really have to be quick. Was only aware of this when they were on the second day, and first day had to be the game that I've been waiting to get a huge discount on. Xbox Live kicked things off with Bastion being 50% off on the first day. Can't believe I missed it.

The deals changes everyday so check regularly and maybe something will catch your eye. If you don't want to miss an awesome discount like me, check out this guy's page here. He works in Microsoft and will provide detailed information and announcements of the new offers.

Fenix's Rising, new DLC map pack for Gears of War 3 coming soon

  New Years' upon us and Epic Games want to start 2012 right by releasing a new map pack to expand Gears of War 3's addicting multiplayer. The map pack will include five new maps, new character skins, and a new level up system that lets you level up all over again.Think of the new system as the prestige in COD.

Fenix Rising will cost only 800 Microsoft Points, or free if you already purchased a Season Pass which give you free access to upcoming DLC. Here's the list of the new maps, which is inspired from the locales in the Gears of War 3 campaign. No old maps from previous games remastered here.

• Academy –The lineage of the Fenix family can be traced back along a distinguished line of military officers.  Officer training at the Oracle Academy was simply the expected path for Marcus, and he had visited the grounds many times in expectation that he would walk the same path as his ancestors.  But it was not to be, and Marcus broke with tradition to be with his best friends Dom and Carlos.  Like any number of fine Seran traditions, the Academy is now lost to the invasion of the Locust Horde.
• Anvil – The fortress of Anvegad was called Anvil Gate because its impenetrable walls were forged in the fires of war.  Huge cannons sat atop battlements that guarded sprawling walls running the line of the UIR borders.  Marcus went there to find Hoffman, and they both thought that Anvil Gate would offer protection from the incoming forces of Locust and Lambent.  They were wrong, and little remains other than the ruined shell of a once mighty fortress.
• Depths – The excessive opulence of Azura defied all normal reasoning.  But Adam Fenix could see the cracks in the veneer of splendor from the moment he arrived at this underwater processing center.  And all that beauty mattered not at all once he was held captive by the Locust.  Out of options, he had to find a way to contact Marcus, and finally reveal the truths he’d been keeping to himself for all these many years.
• Escalation – Haldane Hall has been the home of the Fenix family for countless generations.  But the only history that matters to Marcus’s are his memories of warm summer evenings spent with his mother, Elain, relaxing in the estate’s gardens.  Sadly, all the estate’s history and beauty was lost when the Locust destroyed it in an attempt to kidnap his father.
• The Slab – Convicted for insubordination and treason, Marcus was incarcerated in Jacinto Maximum Security Prison.  Known as “The Slab”, this prison is not a correctional facility – it’s a place where Sera’s worst offenders are locked up and forgotten.  The inmates are brutal, parole is not an option, and the average life expectancy is about two years.  But that was before the Locust showed up, and what couldn’t get worse, suddenly did.  Now your life expectancy there is around 2 minutes.

New character skins are included. They have a total of four new skins, two for each side:

• COG:
  • Recruit Clayton – Clayton was born a Gear, grew up a Gear, and on the very day he became eligible, he signed himself up to become the capable, confident, and devoted Gear he’d always known he could be.
  • Thrashball Cole (Limited Edition) – The Cole Train prefers to take the most direct path to the Locust Horde in any situation. What he lacks in finesse, he makes up in raw energy.

• Locust:
  • Savage Marauder – Locust Marauders were the first to form any sort of organization outside of the Hollow – if their brutal infighting and bloodthirsty raiding parties could truly be called organized.
  • Savage Kantus (Limited Edition) – The Savage Kantus were profoundly impacted by the loss of the Hollow.  They have reverted to a primal, shamanistic state, and their battle cries have taken a dark, melancholy turn.  Few sounds are as terrifying to human ears.

Getting the map pack upgrades the way you level. Not really an upgrade, more like a choice to re-level all over again when you hit the max level of 100. Not sure why doing that all over again is appealing, but if its your thing, the map pack allows you to do it all over again three times. Think of it as COD's prestige feature. Each time you reset your level, you earn a new rank icon color each time: 1st Re-up earns you Red, then Green, then finally Gold for the third and last time you hit 100.  Hitting level 100 a second or third time will also earn you weapon skins:

• Re-Up Plasma – Animated flowing plasma in gold.
• Re-Up Omen – Shiny, red Omen.
• Re-Up Electric – Animated, golden electric shocks.

Other features aside from the maps of this DLC is only icing on the cake, but With only 800 Microsoft Points for five new maps sounds like a good deal. If you haven't sold your copy of Gears 3 yet, Fenix Rising will be out on Jan 17 2012.

[Source: Gaminformer]

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance Trailer (12-20-2011) [Update: 8 minute full trailer]

Now the 3DS is no where near my "want" list but I can't help but get excited when SquareEnix puts out a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.

So we got the main cast of characters from The World Ends With You with voice acting, Sora and Riku get new duds, Disney worlds some new and some old, Terranort, old man Spock~ I man Xehanort, Axel saying his real name, and mother freaking RINZLER from Tron Legacy.

I am sold on the content and presentation, if the story is bogus.. well that just comes with the KH territory. All that's left is actual gameplay. If it impresses then I might MIGHT just get a 3DS. Maybe.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVMUlDLLNE[/youtube]

Long version

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPtX25lSRmE&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]