Musing about Heavy Rain

Coming soon to a PS3 near you.

Quantic Dream’s upcoming Skinemax Movie You Play, Heavy Rain, is firmly on my list of anticipated games for the year, but of course I am trying to keep my expectations and standards low.
While there are quite a few videos showing what appears to be gameplay, I am still not totally convinced of how playable this Not a Game really is. It plainly isn’t just Dragon’s Lair or Space Ace in 3D, but I am still kinda weirded out by the context-heavy controls, and the seemingly mundane stuff you do. Making architectural drawings? Setting a table? Applying makeup? What is this… the next gen of Shenmue? Is it all about memorizing when or where to press ‘X’ or ‘O’? Will this be a game with true interaction, or is it really just Quick Time Event: The Game?

That aside though, what really got me interested is the narrative- having four playable heroes whose paths cross or intersect throughout their individual searches for an elusive serial killer is a great premise. Not too sure about the way that if and when a character is killed, the story goes on without them. What player would just abandon a path and just plow forward instead of just reloading a previous save? I guess it adds to the replay value if you let some player characters die, but perhaps this shouldn’t have become a selling point, instead just noting that the Save system is vital for branching paths.

Also, as great as the game looks, it’s plainly no Avatar in terms of character believability. Characters still have a blank stare in their vacant eyes, which only exacerbates the dry delivery of some of the lines of dialogue. Still, I’ve only seen snippets, so hopefully this all turns out to be little nitpicks.

When all is said and done, hopefully this game delivers on the aspects of interactivity, groundbreaking narrative, dramatic punch and, well, mature elements that it is promising. We’ll find out in a couple of months.

Tekken 6 Character Countdown Part 40: Devil Jin

Speak of the Devil.

As a way of counting down the time to the release of Tekken 6 for the PS3 and Xbox360, I’ve decided to begin this weekly series of lengthy, character-specific articles, each one featuring one of the competing warriors in the latest and greatest King of Iron Fist Tournament.

Number 41. It’s been a long road since we started waaaaaay back in January. Not bad eh? Well, unfortunately we still don’t have a copy of Tekken 6 yet, but at least we’ve shorn down the wait to less than six weeks. Anyway, the current fighter to be featured can be considered a recent addition, though his/its presence has been in the series for quite a long time. Finally arriving as an actual playable fighter in Tekken 5, this ferocious challenger embodies the dark side of one of the game’s main heroes (or former main hero as the case may be). Hatred and sadistic glee given physical form, this malevolent warrior from hell itself has since become a favorite for players who want to kick ass and look devilish doing it. We’re talking about Devil Jin.

Devil Jin
Distinguishing Features:In case you miss the glowing yellow eyes, fangs and big-freakin’ horns, he’s got two huge black wings sprouting from his back. Demon-themed wardrobe, including armor, clawed gauntlets and chains. And some stylish clogs.

Strengths: Deadly combination of Mishima and Kazama-style attacks with his own unique brand of mayhem, namely flight and swooping attacks and the ability to project laser beams from his eyes. Intimidation factor with some of the most blasphemously spectacular customs in the game (goat face and legs, anyone?). Inhuman strength and mental powers. His Devilish Power is over 9000!

Weaknesses: Nerfed quite a bit since Tekken 5DR and the original Tekken 6.0. Holy water or the Mystic aura of a pure-hearted maiden of the Kazama bloodline. Frequent molting.

Affiliation: Linked inexorably to Jin Kazama, making him a dark power in the shadows within and behind the Mishima Zaibatsu.

Background: The manifestation of the Devil Gene within Jin Kazama, the being known as Devil Jin first appeared during Tekken 3 in Jin’s ending, saving Jin’s life after he was gunned down by the Tekken Force and Heihachi Mishima. After taking out his would-be killers, Devil Jin flew off into the night.

Jin Kazama would later awaken and his life thereon was a continual struggle to suppress the evil within him.

The next time the Devil manifested was in the aftermath of the Tekken 4 tournament, when Kazuya Mishima attempted to awaken the Devil Gene within Jin in order to possess it. After Kazuya and Heihachi are defeated, Jin takes on Devil Jin’s form and flies away, later going berserk in a forest where he causes massive destruction. When he awakens later in the midst of the ruined forest, Jin realizes that its only a matter of time before he is taken over completely by the Devil Gene.

At the end of Tekken 5, Jin defeated his great grandfather, Jinpachi Mishima, and became the head of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Soon after taking command, Jin immediately sent out the Tekken Force to spread chaos all over the world…

Character Analysis: Forget the outdated ‘Devil’ that appeared way, way, way back in Tekken 2- it’s all about Devil Jin, dudes, when it comes to supernaturally-empowered ass kicking. Instead of being just a straight Jin clone, DJ has his own unique stance and style of movement, giving him the look and feel of a predatory bird… which is pretty damn awesome. His laser attacks and flight shouldn’t be used carelessly, lest he be left open to punishment, but he does have techniques that utilize his flight and powers that are quick enough to use out of hand. All in all… definitely one of the game’s power players.

Story-wise, we know little as yet of DJ’s exact role in the ongoing plot, but it’s bound to be connected to Jin Kazama and his current anti-hero role. Has the Devil Gene (and Devil Jin) take over? The demonic-themed decor of Jin’s private office, the Gargoyle’s Perch stage, seems a dead giveaway… Jin may be the one sitting in the throne, but it may be DJ giving the orders.
On the other hand, why doesn’t DJ appear or manifest in the course of the game as a sub-boss? Perhaps like Kazuya, Jin has mastered his inner Devil, or perhaps merged with it. In any case, it will be interesting to see what storyline DJ himself pursues in the game, and what his future may be in the series.

So indeed, what does the future hold for Jin Kazama’s devilish alter-ego? It’s safe to say their fates are intertwined, so whatever happens to Jin in the aftermath of the war will dictate where they go. I dare say that DJ is about as popular as Jin himself, so no doubt they will surely survive anything short of actua capture and consumption by Kazuya himself. Keep looking with caution to the dark skies of future Tekkens for the flapping of black wings.

Stay tuned Next Week as we delve into another fighter’s story!

Tekken 6 is set for release on PS3 and Xbox360 in late October, with a PSP version release TBA.

Big Tekken 6 Console News Coming…

… tomorrow, June 22. Well, it’s actually June 22 NOW here in my parts, but it’s still about 12 hours to go in the US, where the news will be broken from SD Tekken. What can it be? We’ve seen hints of it from the Cardboard Tube Samurai costume revealed yesterday, but that seems to be just a piece of a bigger picture. What that picture is… well, we’ll find out soon enough. Rest assured, Tekken fans all over the world are waiting with great anticipation. For now though, all we can do is wait. Damn it. Heheh…

Tekken 6 Character Countdown Part 12: Eddy Gordo

Capoeira’s Poster Boy faces his Darkest Hour.

As a way of counting down the time to the release of Tekken 6 for the PS3 and Xbox360, I’ve decided to begin this weekly series of lengthy, character-specific articles, each one featuring one of the 40 or so competing warriors in the latest and greatest King of Iron Fist Tournament. Hopefully, by the time we finish and reach character number 40, we’ll have the console version of Tekken in our hands already.

Part 12 brings us to a fighter who came in relatively late in the series, bringing with him a unique fighting style that was, at the time unknown in videogames. His fascinating, dance-like stance and powerful and seamless, seemingly unending kick combos made him an instant favorite for players of all levels- including button-mashers, much to many an opponents’ frustration. Much has happened since then, and while he has been balanced out considerably since, in the right hands, Eddy Gordo is still a force to be reckoned with.

Eddy Gordo
Distinguishing Features: Dreadlocks. Expensive sunglasses and lots of bling. FASCA!!! Usually seen in a handstand.

Strengths: A deadly combo machine with kicks and gymnastic moves that hit like an avalanche on the unprepared. Once he gets into his groove, the rhythm of destruction he can rain down on his opponent is almost a force of nature.

Weaknesses: If he gets predictable, can be easily countered, anticipated and punished. Will do anything for those he considers his only family left- his ailing master and his lady love, Christie Monteiro.

Affiliation: Currently working as a member of the Tekken Force under Jin Kazama, taking part in covert operations throughout the world.

Background: Born to one of the richest families in Brazil, Eddy’s life was forever changed when his parents were murdered by drug cartels. As part of his father’s dying request, Eddy admitted to the crime and was put in prison where he would, supposedly, be able to escape the immediate attention of his family’s enemies. There in the hard and merciless hell behind bars, Eddy waited to strike back at the ones who had killed his father and grew stronger. He met an old man, the Great Master of Capoeira, who taught him how to fight. Later, when Eddy broke out of prison and joined the Tekken 3 Tournament to begin his quest for vengeance, he found out the identity of his father’s murderer- Kazuya Mishima.

Eddy would disappear in the next tournament, his spot on the roster filled in by his student and his master’s granddaughter, Christie Monteiro. It is implied that Eddy went deep underground at this time, seeking out the whereabouts of Kazuya. Little is known of his activities, and Eddy would only resurface and return to the King of Iron Fist Tournament in Tekken 5.
When Eddy’s master was released from prison, the great Capoeira Master was but a shadow of his former self. An unknown illness plagued the old man, giving him only six months to live. However, Eddy learned that his master’s life could be saved through the technology and resources of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Setting aside his personal vendetta for now, Eddy sought to win the tournament for his master’s sake.

At the end of the King of Iron Fist Tournament 5, Jin Kazama emerged as the victor and new CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Eddy approached Jin and the two spoke in private, soon reaching an agreement. In return for the Zaibatsu’s aid in finding a way to save his master’s life, Eddy joined the Tekken force and began using his strength and skills to help the Mishima Zaibatsu carry out its plans of world conquest…

Character Analysis: Easily one of the most popular and well-known Tekken characters, Eddy Gordo probably popularized Capoeira to the layman and mainstream society, for better or worse. As a character, he is usually portrayed as a righteous young man whose life has been thrown into chaos thanks to his family’s involvement in the business of Kazuya Mishima. His only anchors to a life apart from his thirst for revenge are his master, the Great Capoeira Master, and Christie Monteiro… for them, he would do anything and everything- perhaps even make a deal with the devil himself.

Eddy and Jin Kazama joined the Tekken Tournament at the same time, way back in Tekken 3. It seems likely that two youths, but seeking justice, would find a certain kinship or even friendship in one another, even if circumstances may place them on opposing sides. Since then, each has changed, for better or for worse. Today, Eddy is forced by fate to approach Jin. Does he recognize the radical change that has transformed Jin since they last met? Does he care that he is now carrying out much of the same evil that caused him his own misfortunes many years ago?

In any case, Eddy has thrown his lot in with Jin and the Zaibatsu, and no doubt he will carry through with his promise if it means saving his master’s life. And, if in the process it brings him into confrontation with the man who set him on the Devil’s Road- Kazuya Mishima himself- all the better, it seems. Everything that Eddy has been fighting for seems to be falling into his grasp. But dealing with the devil always has its price- Eddy may end up with everything or nothing depending on how the rhythm goes.

What does the future hold for Eddy Gordo? When Jin and the Zaibatsu fall into their inevitable ruin, a survivor and fighter like Eddy should have the sense to jump ship and make for the surface. It’s been a hard time so far for Eddy- perhaps now he’s due for some payback. Surely the main proponent of Capoeira will land on his feet when all is said and done- hopefully with his lady love at his arm and his master at his side- in order to fight and dance another day.

Stay tuned next week for another fighter’s story!

Tekken 6 is slated for the PS3 and Xbox360 in Fall 2009.

G.I. Joe The Movie Teaser Trailer

YOOOOO JOOOOEEE!!!

Okay, this probably really isn’t much of a game-related post, but darn if G.I. Joe the Movie isn’t something gamers and comic book fans alike are waiting for with feverish anticipation. This initial spot, shown at the Superbowl, is promising. I like how they’re selling the spot a lot with The Baroness (although I’m kinda biased for Olivia Munn from Attack of the Show as the Cobra Witch) and I love the whole disintegrating Eiffel Tower thing. NOT too hot with once again, Hollywood defaults to generic black uniforms for the Joes. WHO designs costumes these days? Mortuary assistants? Goth groupies? Upholsterers? Meh. Anyway, it looks action-packed, but all the wild stunts and tumbling through the air with rockets passing by reminds me of the same stunts in The Transformers… not too odd, that.

Anyways, I’ll be keeping an eye out for this. Should be fun, if anything else. I should dig out those old episodes for now though. Heh.

Tekken 6BR: More Awesome Customs AKA Why Tekken 6 Consoles Will Be The Best. Fighter. Ever.

Samurai Asuka!!!

Showing off a bit of arm… badass.

To quote the Discovery Channel… “Awesome!” While they’re still not as crazy or perhaps as numerous as VF5R’s customs (granted, Sega has had at least a year’s head start), but Project Tekken finally seems to be stepping up Tekken 6’s customization options in Bloodline Rebellion.

I found these pics of some customized babes in the Japanese Tekken BBS, and well… WOW. Asuka’s feudal era outfit looks like something from Soulcalibur! If you’re thinking about putting her in this look, be prepared to spend a LOT of fight money- as far as I can tell, that costume is composed of several pieces, each of which costs a bundle; the gauntlets, kimono top, waistband armor, hakamas, shinguards… each one has to be bought separately. And then you should get her new bow-and-arrows item and a katana or a naginata to complete the set. Goddamn Namco-Bandai knows how to make money.

I am totally loving some of the new outfits and options, regardless of the damn astronomical prices. The hair customs also seem to be growing (pun intended) quite nicely as well, but my money is going first on costumes I think.

There are TONS of cool stuff for other characters though, too many to put on. Suffice to say you can easily make a fighter unrecognizable from his or her default look, and then some. It’s gonna be tons of fun to customize. And damn expensive. That console version can’t come soon enough.

“Please don’t tell my father… about my new wardrobe.“

So that’s what Julia’s calves and ankles look like…

All I can say is… Tekken 6BR’s customs ROCK. Hopefully all this awesomeness will make it into the PS3 and Xbox360 versions later this year. Damn it’s gonna be a long wait till Fall.

Sequel Anticipation: Streetfighter IV

It’s just about a month left to go before we get to play Street Fighter IV in the comfort of our own homes. Unlike Tekken 6, SFIV was never released locally in arcades since the game was priced a bit too high for local arcade chain Timezone (man, how much was Capcom asking? Tekken 6 gives far more for quite a bit less, I guess…). But this is probably for the best, since the home versions should not only be arcade-perfect in terms of looks and movement, they’ll also have gobs more content thanks to several console-only fighters and extras.

Making the cut are Streetfighter alumni Cammy, Sakura, Rose, Gen, Feilong and Dan. Thanks to the wealth of vids shown at the recent CES show, we can pretty much say that the console fighters look just as awesome as the rest of the SFIV cast, and they move great and fit right into the roster.

Okay, I admit, I’m pretty pissed that none of my faves from Streetfighter III made it in, but I’ll be supporting SFIV all that I can. Why? For one, if this chapter does well, hopefully Capcom will see fit to continue the franchise and THEN maybe we’ll see my fave Ibuki and company return for a rematch. And, for another, Cammy looks AWESOME in 3-D. Just for that, SFIV is sold. Heh.

Anyway, aside from the console exclusive characters, we can expect all the fighters to have unlockable alternate outfits. Pics and vids of most of the alternates for the arcade fighters have already been shown (Chun-Li’s Chinese dress, Ryu’s topless gi, El Fuerte’s chef get-up, etc.), but I’m hoping that Capcom added these and more to the consoles. We haven’t seen any from the new fighters, but according to Capcom’s Seth Killian, the alt. outfits should be pretty cool- some are funny, while some are dead-serious. All I want is Sakura in a proper Shotokan gi outfit, and Cammy in a bikini. Gimme, Capcom.

There will also be unlockable costume colors (not costumes), custom win quotes and unlockable ‘personal actions’, which are special character taunts. You choose these elements for your fighter at the Character Select screen.

I still have my reservations on the longevity of SFIV, being used to the more expansive move lists of Tekken and VF that I am. But as a longtime SF fan myself, it’s not about the stuff you can do, but how good you can do them. SFIV should be gobs of fun, regardless. I’m pretty sure I’ll have a blast with the SF crew when the game hits this February.

TRU Sales Falls Short, Lara to get Reboot

Apparently, it appears that not even a millionaire heiress-adventuress is immune to the world financial crisis. According to recent news, the latest chapter of the adventures of Lara Croft, Tomb Raider Underworld, has not met expected sales figures for Eidos. Sales of the game, particularly the Xbox360 version, haven’t reached the standards of the last TR game. While Tomb Raider Legend sold 3 million copies a few years ago, it seems that Underworld will be lucky to break 2 million. As a result, 30 members of the development team at Crystal Dynamics have been laid off. Man, that’s happening a lot in the gaming industry these days.

According to Robert Brent of Eidos, the character of Lara Croft may be in line for a makeover- a total redo similar to the one that jumpstarted the Batman franchise (helmed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale). A possible change may be to make Lara more ‘female-friendly’.

This was a problem long brewing- the game is buggy and woefully short, and the weird thing about exclusive DLC to the Xbox360 version must have really gotten a lot of gamers, PS3 owners in particular, really pissed. It’s as much a fault of greedy execs as it is any fault of the devs for coming up with a pretty but particularly flawed game in TRU.

I’ll be sad to see Lara, as she is now, go. Hopefully the next devs, if TR does indeed go to another developer, will make Lara’s waning star even brighter in the next game.

Bloodline Rebellion’s New Character Bios Revealed!

Fighter’s Generation just posted the translated bios/backstories of the two new challengers in Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion…

Alisa Bosconovitch: Deep within a lush and thriving forest lies a heavily defended research facility. This facility was a research institute named after its director, Bosconovitch. This facility was very important, as it was here that the Mishima Financial Group’s most sensitive military equipment was developed. Located at the core of the research center was a room that kept its most prized possession: a clear capsule, in which a young girl slept soundly. Her name, Alisa Bosconovitch. What in hell is she? She is rumored to have been created by none other than Dr. Bosconovitch.

Lars Alexandersson: As the Mishima Financial Group (MFG) waged war on the world, its illustrious corps, the Tekken Force, began its worldwide coup d’etat; However, G Corporation’s rose up and opposed their forces, resulting in intense conflicts the world over. The mastermind behind the coup d’etat was none other than Lars Alexandersson.

Lars is a young charismatic Tekken Force officer with unmatched physical ability and intellect. Even after his promotion he continued to place himself in the thick of battle. His military prowess and openheartedness has made him popular among his subordinates. He’s a descendant of Heihachi Mishima, and no one aside from him knows this fact. Not even Heihachi…

Okay! Interesting stuff. From that, I can deduce some stuff. Alisa may have been activated to fight on behalf of the Zaibatsu, or she may have awakened on her own for some reason. Still not clear to what side she’s on. As for Lars… he’s supposedly on the Zaibatsu side as a Tekken Force soldier, but will he stay there? Will he eventually try to usurp Jin, which will tie in with the whole ‘Bloodline Rebellion’ theme?

Well, I’m pretty sure NONE of this will be clear until we actually see a story mode of some sort in a console version, as any arcade ending is usually vague as heck. Anyway, hopefully there will be some sort of Tekken presence in the upcoming TGS (though the game has not been announced among Namco-Bandai’s lineup). More on this as we get it, as usual.

Slow Daze

Man, I have to apologize for not being able to post much recently. Work has been pretty weird and I often found myself at the office without any access to the internet- which feels akin to having one’s hands cut off. Anyway, gaming has also been pretty slow anyway… not much in terms of games I want, though that should change soon. The Tokyo Gaming Show is just around the corner, and hopefully some pleasant surprises will be in store for us. Sony has a truckload of unannounced games to be shown, so I hope we’ll see a title that rhymes with SMEKKEN FIX in there somewhere. By the end of the month, Fallout 3 will be released, which should be awesome. For now though, I’m still preoccupied with Soulcalibur IV… playing quite a bit of PSP (and looking forward to Ikkitousen: Eloquent Fist) and trying to build up excitement again to play a bit of MGS4. Slow days indeed, but again, that should soon change.