Twenty Cents: Tokyo Game Show 2011

After some hiccups, Twenty Cents is back up and what a better time to be posting, because as I type this, the Tokyo Game Show conference is kicking right now in Japan and there are some very nice announcements that you cannot miss out on.  I have a surprise for your guys, but until then, let the show begin!

Since I know some of you might be late to the party, I will make this much easier by posting links to all the TGS announcements from my many sources.  I recommend you also follow these sites in order to stay up to date on the latest information.

Destructoid:
Vita features shown in detail, corgis featured!
Look at these official PS Vita accessories
Japan's Vita 3G coverage pre-paid plans, carrier
Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is a Vita launch game
PSP on Vita: 500+ titles, UMD program possible
Hideo Kojima teases new game that will 'take awhile'
Metal Gear Solid, Zone of the Enders on Vita, HD
26 titles announced for Vita, 100 in development
PS Vita launches in Japan on December 17th
Final Fantasy X HD announced for PS3 and Vita
Tecmo Koei announces Dead or Alive 5
I'm a Fighter [Update]
Dead or Alive 5 concept video is freakin' nuts
Ninja Gaiden 3 to feature easier, story-focused mode
Ninja Gaiden 3's Consequence trailer
One image from Ninja Gaiden 3's online multiplayer
New Ninja Gaiden 3 screenshots make my arm hurt

Kotaku:
Kotaku: Tokyo Game Show 2011

Siliconera:
Sony Mascots Toro And Kuro Bring The Pain In New Street Fighter X Tekken Screens
PlayStation Vita Capable Of Multi-tasking, Open Web Browser During Games
PlayStation Mascots Toro And Kuro In Street Fighter X Tekken For Vita
Shin Megami Tensei And Marvelous And Level 5 RPGs In Development For Vita
Nico Nico Service To Be Available On PlayStation Vita

Eventhubs (special exception since these were shown at TGS):
Vergil, Iron Fist and TGS Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 trailers

A lot of what I'm posting can be found between these sources, so I'll post the first place I get a new piece of news from.

Twenty Cent Gaming Video Review [Mortal Kombat]

Mortal Kombat review courtesy of a friend and fan, Gary, on behalf of Twenty Cent Gaming. Come and get the Twenty Cents on the game as a whole, including stuff like the bonus content, the movie bonuses, the strategy guide, art, and DLC.

Remember, reviews by Twenty Cent Gaming are done by fans, for the fans.

This review is up a little later than intended due to technical issues and life.

[August Update] Freddy Kruger was recently added as DLC to the game

Twenty Cents: Dem Interviews, Dem Interviews

Just like the headline says, all I will say is "Dem Interviews" -laughs-

The amount of interviews popping up lately has been surprisingly high.  It's good to see that devs are willing to talk and give their Twenty Cents.  There's some really good stuff here, so I encourage you to have a look.

Dem Interviews:

SDCC Interview: Hiroyuki Kobayashi on Dragon's Dogma
Catherine Localization Studio Interview
All Naruto Characters Will be Accessible in Naruto Storm Generations
Comic-Con 2011: Uncharted’s Characters Created in Collaboration with Actors  (this is technically a discussion but there is some reeeeeally great information here)
Storm Generations Namco Bandai Interview, Gameplay Footage (not the same interview as the previous one)
‘Used Game Sales Are Only Hurting Us.’ Says Insomniac Developer
Uncharted 3 Interview with Vic about Uncharted’s Epic Story
DoDonPachi Resurrection coming to Europe, the first interview
Street Fighter X Tekken Interview Discusses About 3D To 2D Shift And… Darkstalkers
How NIS America Brought Bleach: Soul Resurrección Out Of Japan
Getting Under The Scarf Of Shinobi 3DS: Interview With The Producer
Sony Executive Comments On A Little Known PS3 Exclusive
Post Release Bation Interview - A PS3 Version of Bastion Isn't Out of the Question
Sonic Generations interview with Aaron Webber

Quite a bit there to check out.  Have fun, guys, and remember, 20 cents is better than 2.

Twenty Cents: Translated 4Gamer Interview With Former Capcom Employee Keiji Inafune

This has to be the most insightful interview I've ever read pertaining to the Japanese game industry and the industry as a whole.  4Gamer managed to catch Keiji Inafune, former Head of Global Production at Capcom.  This interview was conducted just before the man left the company.

Translated 4Gamer Interview With Keiji Inafune

I warn you, this interview is super lengthy, but I managed to read to the very end.  I really have nothing to say because so much was covered.  I can only saw "Wow...."

Twenty Cents: Freddy Invades Your Dreams In Mortal Kombat [Interview]

Yesterday, it was announced that the mystery character to be DLC in Mortal Kombat is Freddy Kruger, a scary man with a claw lol

Ed Boon, co-creator of Mortal Kombat, explains Freddy's inclusion and discusses other characters as well.  Follow the link for the interview.

Ed Boon Talks Freddy Krueger in Mortal Kombat, Secret Origins of DLC Characters

Twenty Cents: Three Days of Blue Disappointments [July 21]

The last few days have been very emotional roller coaster rides for fans and gamers throughout the globe.  However, who I refer to specifically are the fans of one "Super Fighting Robot" who goes by the name Mega Man.  Diehard fans of the Blue Bomber, including me, have met with very unfortunate news one article after another, from Mega Man Universe getting canceled to Mega Man Legends 3, a game fans have hoped to see for over a decade, getting canceled as well.  To add some more salt to that wound, there is still no representative Mega Man character in the newly announced Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3.  Fans who had hopes of seeing a character were quickly put to disappointment as a leaked list of the remaining new characters showed up, only to get confirmed at 100% accurate.  This particular string of events has taken up a lot of my time over the last few days as I've been scouring all over Capcom-Unity, Eventhubs, Twitter, Facebook, and various other sites, gathering information and even participating in some organized efforts to get Capcom to pay attention to Mega Man again and put Legends 3 back into production.

It really shouldn't be that much of a big deal, Twenty Cent Gaming

That would be correct, it shouldn't be that much of a big deal.  However, we are talking about fans who have grown up with these beloved Mega Man games ever since they were little (I've been a fan for 24 years and I'm 26 years old).  We're talking about fans who were given a glimmer of hope and an opportunity to make magic happen and, all of a sudden, all of that is thrown away along with the hearts and souls that were put into that magic.  For some, it's just business.  For others, this is a very painful stab to the heart and a kick to the face. I wish I could go more into it, but that would require me to write a 10 page essay on the topic.

I've been hearing some bad things surrounding this whole ordeal

That, my friends, is the main point of this article.  As of today, San Diego Comic Con offically started and with that, it was expected that some trouble would be brewing for this event with Capcom.  Instead, speculation and rumors start spreading quickly like wildfire.  For the most part, most of what I found originated from Twitter posts and you can view those here:

Capcom Europe "It's a shame fans didn't want to get more involved"

It's been a very heated battle between fans and Capcom and it only looks like it was going to get worse.  As a matter of fact, it did:

Destructoid: Don't believe the mega man comic con rumors

With all of this going on, it pegs one's mind to wonder just what Capcom's true motives are when it comes to their games.  Back when Mega Man Legends got canceled, on that day, this was said:

"Q. This is the second Mega Man game cancelled this year, what does this mean for the future of the Mega Man Franchise?

A. Mega Man is still an important franchise within Capcom’s portfolio and we will continue to pursue opportunities to create new titles in the series."

(you can view the rest of the questions in regards to this here: Capcom-Unity: Mega Man Legends 3 Canceled)

I find that rather funny, because Mega Man is apparently such an important franchise that they thought it would have been important to cancel two key titles within the franchise, both of which were started up by Keiji Inafune and his faith was left within his team.

Honestly, the diehard Mega Man fan within me is teeming with anger and tired of being lied to and betrayed, being given a glimmer of hope just for it to get shot down.  I hope Capcom gets their acts together.


[UPDATE]
With one disappointment after another, you would think the fans could have a break from the heartbreak.  However, just as I was typing this article up, it seems that we have been treated to yet another disappointment:

Niitsuma: Why Mega Man isn't in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3

This really boggles my mind.  I was one of the many people who voted for Mega Man X to be in the game as DLC.  It's even more boggling that Niitsuma stated X didn't top rank and thus didn't make the cut when he was #1 on the polls, beating out the known choices of Virgil, Phoenix Wright, and Frank West.  Is there any hope for Mega Man at all?  It's very hard to tell at this point.  However, for you Mega Man fans, I urge you to not give up the fight.  Continue to make your voices heard that you want more Mega Man and that you want Legends 3 back into production.  As a matter of fact, I would urge you to Like this Facebook page:


Facebook: 100,000 strong for brining back Mega Man Legends 3

Who knows if Capcom is really going to listen, but what do you have to lose?  More importantly, not doing anything is only going to contribute to the problem and not to the potential solution.  If you are a Mega Man fan, you owe it to yourself to see justice for the Blue Bomber.

Now that I'm back and rolling with Twenty Cent Gaming, expect some massive updates and posts, including a video review by a fan and fellow friend of mine.

[July 22 UPDATE]
This just in.  Apparently the Mega Man site on Capcom USA seems to be down.  This came from a source on Twitter and I just confirmed it myself.  What could Capcom be thinking.

Capcom USA Mega Man Page

Twenty Cents: Mega Man Lost Another Life With Legends 3

How much do you think Capcom cares for one of its top notch franchises, Mega Man?  If you answered not much or none at all, then you might be right.

Mega Man Universe, a game highly anticipated, was canceled a few months back after it was noticed that it had disappeared from Cacpom Japan's page.

Guess what other title left Capcom Japan's page?  If your answer is Mega Man Legends 3, then you'd be correct.

And if that couldn't have been a good sign, it definitely compares nothing to the fact it has been announced that the game has been canceled.  This also includes the Prototype Version, which was supposed to determine the future of the project.

And the only real answer was "It failed to meet criteria."  Criteria that hasn't even been listed, so we don't even know what made it go into the red zone.

You can view this screw up here

What does Twenty Cent Gaming think?
Honestly, all I'm going to say is that I'm severely disappointed, though I saw this happening but had hoped it wouldn't.  I have been a fan of Mega Man since I was 2 (when it came out in 1987.  Yes, I'm that old >.>) so it breaks my heart that Capcom doesn't seem to care for the Blue Bomber.  I can't fault the Legends team for trying, it's those who have the power to say yes or no I'm upset at because they have that power.

Come on, surely you're angry?
I'm furious on the inside, but this isn't the place for me to let loose.  I gotta keep it pro.  Perhaps I'll video rant about it.

Twenty Cent Gaming Review [Alice: Madness Returns]

A return trip into MADNESS
Alice: Madness Returns brings Alice forth once again into the depths of madness and chaos.  Familiar faces return, new faces emerge, and Alice must once again confront her inner demons while dealing with her past, the biggest demon of them all.

Even more than a decade later, Alice continues to suffer
Madness Returns sets itself 11 years after American Mcgee's Alice.  Alice was released from the asylum and now lives as an orphan in a village in London.  Alice has been consulting a hypnotist to suppress her memories which are the source of her hallucinations and madness.  However, Alice continues to suffer from hallucinations, and they are now even more horrid than before.  During a trip to acquire some medicine, Alice ends up following a white cat and ultimately stumbles down the rabbit hole again and into Wonderland.  Alice finds that Wonderland has changed since the last time she was there, as a "new law" has corrupted her sanctuary and turned into into a land of chaos and madness (no pun intended).  Alice must find the root of this corruption, which may actually be tied to her memories and may have been done unknowingly by her own hand.


Surely Alice isn't much of a fighter...
On the contrary, Alice has access to a....unique arsenal of weaponry and abilities fitting for her journey and settings.  One of the first weapons you get early on in the game is Alice's signature Vorpal Blade, a kitchen knife (yes, a kitchen knife) that can be used to hack and slash enemies with combos.  This was her signature weapon in the previous game.  Not too soon after that you come across the Pepper Grinder, which is just what the name says.  Alice aims an over-sized pepper grinder and, with the turn of the knob, fires pepper shots at the enemy.  This is most commonly used for the puzzle aspect of the game, as firing at snouts can reveal hidden paths and items.  If that hasn't gotten you thinking yet, let's talk about wielding a teapot as a cannon.  No dice?  How about using a horse head on a stick as a power attack?  Wow, you must be used to crazy.  What about using an umbrella as a shield?  Okay, okay, that actually sounds normal.  You get the point, though, and I haven't even covered half of the weapons.

As the game has an abundance of platforming, Alice can jump up to four times, and each time after the second jump, can float to slow her fall.  You will be doing this a lot, so get used to it. Another little quirk which I found interesting is the Shrink Potion that is obtained at the beginning of the journey.  By holding a button, Alice shrinks herself down on the spot.  This also has a lot of uses for puzzles and finding hidden paths and items.  If you find yourself getting stuck, take a swig of the potion and look around for clues.

You'll be doing a lot of fighting, so of course there's the dodge.  Alice turns into butterflies and dodges in a direction, usually forward if she's targeting an enemy but the direction can be influenced by holding a direction.  This can also be done in the air, which comes in handy for extending your jump distance as well.

A new and very cool mechanic in this game is Hysteria Mode, which is like a (excuse my language here) "Fuck Everything" mode.  When Alice is near death, this can be activated and it makes her invincible during its duration and drastically increases her attack power, turning her into a walking death machine.  Just be sure to find those Roses so you can get some health back during that point.  You don't want to be waiting to use that mode again and suddenly get killed.

An Unreal style of visuals for Alice
Madness Returns uses the Unreal 3 Engine and PhysX (GPU acceleration only on PC) and I must say, the game does look good.   The environments are extremely detailed and are brought to life through activity.  There isn't an area in which something isn't happening in the background or even around Alice.  I've never quite seen hair as free-flowing as Alice's.  It really feels like a fairytale that has gone to hell, which is the setting of Wonderland.

Hey, I've noticed that Alice doesn't always wear the blue/white dress
Oh you mean seeing Alice like this?

I actually liked what they did with this.  Depending on the world Alice is in, her dress changes to fit the setting.  I got far enough in the game to get the dress seen in the screenshot (it's called the Royal Suit), which is my favorite dress followed by her Steamdress, which is the first dress she changes to from the Classic dress (that's what the blue/white dress is called).  If you don't like a dress she's wearing, you can always to go the main menu and switch the dresses (make sure to save beforehand so you don't lose your spot if you didn't hit a checkpoint).

Alice is the world's most unique collector
As you journey through the game, you will acquire Teeth which is the currency and can be used to upgrade weapons.  Collecting bottles unlocks stuff in the Extra Content menu (doesn't unlock anything affecting the game).  However, the most important thing in the game are Memories.  Memories not only help ease Alice along in the game, but provide backstory in case you haven't played the first game.  Actually, some memories also relate to how you play the game.  For example, if there was a platform segment in which you had to navigate a certain way, you may find a Memory afterwards that will describe how Alice was in the real world in that exact manner.  It's a rather interesting way to keep the player interested in the story while encouraging exploration and collecting.  Collections can be tracked in the pause menu and in the main menu.

What does the player get for beating the game?
The player is allowed to start a New Game+ in which the game is started over but with everything obtained in the previous run, so no having to get everything over again.  Yay for making collecting much easier!  In addition, the player will have access to Dress Specials.  Dress Specials are special effects that are active when Alice wears a dress.  For example, wearing her Steamdress will make breakable boxes drop twice the amount of Teeth and Roses than usual.

What does Twenty Cent Gaming think?
As exciting and interesting as I can make this game sound, the truth is that both components are lacking in some areas, the story being the biggest one.  You get the occasional real world scene, then back to Wonderland for a while, then that one scene, then back to Wonderland, rinse and repeat.  Most of the interaction is in Wonderland, but even that feels heavily underwhelming.

The fighting isn't completely repetitive due to the arsenal, but the enemies sure are.  There tends to only be one or two definite ways to kill an enemy, and those enemies will spawn a lot, so be prepared to do the same thing over and over again until you run into a boss fight that didn't feel much like a boss fight and you end up seeing said boss multiple times as a common enemy.

Jumping around and solving puzzles is the bulk of the game, but that's not really bad considering this is an action-adventure platform game.  It just feels like I did too much at once without proper story breaks or seeing much interaction between characters.

This game had tons of potential but it feels like only about 70% of it was used.

However, in the end, I will give this game the Twenty Cent Stamp Approval of Recommendation.  If you just zoom through the game, it won't take long to beat.  However, if you're a completion-type of player, be prepared to spend some time with Alice.


What's the Downloadable Content?
You can obtain American McGee's Alice, the original PC game.  For 10 bucks you get some Achievements/Trophies, and story before Madness.  However, brand new copies of the game came with this for free (The game's about 34 days old so this still may be happening.  You need an EA account to get the game this way, however).

Next, you can get some special dresses not available in the game and you can get an automatic level 4 upgrade to all weapons (level 4 in the max).  This will set you back a couple bucks.

While you could possibly forget about the DLC, I would recommend getting it for the full experience that Alice has to offer.  I can guarantee that a lot of players do not know of American McGee's Alice, so it's a good thing the game is available as DLC.  However, I will warn you that the game is a straight convert from the PC version, which means HD visuals that don't quite help.  It would have been nice for American McGee's Alice to be remade. 

And a trailer :D

Twenty Cents: Former Gameloft Employee Talks Work Conditions and Company Approach

Gamertag Radio: Former Gameloft Employee Worked Insane Hours, Felt Company Wanted Quantity Over Quality

It seems like working at Gameloft isn't exactly what one would have in mind for a potential experience.

Twenty Cents: Final Fantasy XIII-2 North America Release Date

Look at what the bird dropped in my lap on Twitter:

Twenty Cents: Albert Wesker Answers 35 Fan Questions

Albert Wesker's voice actor answers 35 fan questions

I just have to cover this one, because I'm a huge fan of D.C. Douglas, the man behind the recent iteration of Capcom's main Resident Evil antagonist Albert Wesker.  He wasn't the original man behind the voice, but he was very well-received by the fans.  In fact, Douglas himself is a very passionate fan of the character as he's done some small projects on his own such as parodies, and even some humor as Wesker answering the phone.  You should actually check out his website The D.C. Douglas Blog

While you're checking out that fan-powered interview, here's something else for you to see as well, also available on his blog:

 

It's not often you see a voice actor going out of their way to do stuff like this.

Twenty Cents: Nintendo's Mailed Response to Operation Rainfall

Good Morning everyone!  It's Monday, which means everybody's working and doing the do.  It also means the information highway of gaming is brimming with info.  Let's kick the day off with the Twenty Cents on something that I'm sure people are going to perhaps not want to hear.

This is for you Nintendo enthusiasts out there (including me).  It seems that Nintendo has responded to Operation Rainfall once again, this time by a letter in the mail.  I don't even need to quote this one, have a look at the letter yourselves: Nintendo Goofs Up Again

You can go to the source of this letter Here

What is Operation Rainfall?
Operation Rainfall is a campaign started by the fans to get Nintendo of America to localize three games for the Wii: Xenoblade, Pandora's Tower, and The Last Story.  All three of these games are RPGs from Japan and are the most wanted games for Nintendo's console at the moment.  Operation Rainfall started a pre-order campaign on Amazon, setting these games up to be pre-ordered and these games had topped the charts on Amazon's pre-orders, showing just how high in demand these three games are.  Nintendo, however, shot all that work and faith down by stating that they had no current plans to localize these titles.  Now allow me to reveal that Xenoblade is heading to Europe, which means this game will not only be in English, but translated into many other languages.  It really brings one to question where Nintendo of America's head is all.

You can check out Operation Rainfall by clicking this link 

What does Twenty Cent Gaming think?
I'm not gonna hold back, I think Nintendo is screwing up really, really bad.  The Wii has lost a lot of its shine and has really become something forgettable.  You really don't hear of anyone speaking of the Wii and now there are very few titles to look forward to on the Wii.  What makes matters worse is the fact that the three titles of Operation Rainfall's campaign are done by Nintendo.  Nintendo dropped the ball when the 3DS was released and it will still be some time before the handheld even comes close to taking off and Nintendo's screwing up opportunities for the Wii U and that system isn't even out yet.  They keep saying about how they have no plans for bringing over three titles which could be making them a lot of money and actually bring attention back to the Wii, but they aren't even pushing the system at the moment.  The RPG genre is on the decline, struggling to return to glory, and you would think that this would be a grand opportunity for Nintendo to make the right move.

However, in light of all this negativity, if we, the fans, are to see these games come over, we cannot give up.  Nintendo must continue to be pressed about these games despite the company continuing to blow it off.  If you want a glimmer of hope, look at what happened with Namco and Tales of Graces f.  Namco was completely bombarded to the point where it could no longer be ignored and look, Tales of Graces f is en route for North America and Europe.

So what can you do to help the cause?  Check out Operation Rainfall's site, maybe get on Amazon and pre-order the game, spam Nintendo using any manner possible.  There is no future without the fans.

Check out this video showcasing all three titles:

Twenty Cents: Mortal Kombat FAILtalities

Every so often, I find myself browsing the internet and stumbling upon some of the greatest video game parodies ever (like Dorkly Bits for example).  Today, I came across this video that's about a few months posted but it's funny as hell.  It's called Mortal Kombat FAILtalities by R1665.  This is some real funny stuff, and I'm posting the video for your viewing pleasure.  Who would have thought there was a person Jax couldn't arm rip xD

 

You can also check out R1665 here on Newgrounds

Twenty Cents: Twenty Cent Gaming Is Now On Twitter

Twenty Cent Gaming Is Now On Twitter!


@20CentGaming


Follow Twenty Cent Gaming on Twitter and get the Twenty Cents on gaming all day, every day!

Twenty Cents: The Gaming Liberty Interview with Sean Smillie on SSX

SSX, an extreme snowboarding game that many fans wanted a new game for, is coming back.  The Gaming Liberty managed to catch producer Sean Smillie and got the Twenty Cents on SSX.  Hit the link to find out how the game came to be, some insight on the technology, characters, and just how much the fans matter.

The Gaming Liberty - SSX Interview with Sean Smillie

What does Twenty Cent Gaming think?
I grew up a big fan of extreme sports, from watching X-Games religiously to playing Tony Hawk, SSX, Matt Hoffman, etc.  SSX Tricky is my favorite in the SSX series of games (I still own it for my PS2) and it makes me happy to see the game being brought back into High Definition.

SSX releases for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox360 in 2012 (according to GameStop it comes out January 3rd.  This may be subject to change) for 59.99 USD.

Twenty Cents: Amazon.com Game Deals

You came to get the Twenty Cents on some deals, but perhaps you may be able to save a whole lot more on some of these hot deals from Amazon.com

Amazon Video Game Deals of the Week

Mmmm...38% off of L.A. Noire and that game just came out?  I think that sounds like a winner.  Better than having to pay 63.58 here in Michigan.

Twenty Cents: Love Conflict Puzzle Platforming Game Catherine Has a Mandatory Install

Before you press START and begin Vincent's life of same name women and running up staircases from monsters in his nightmares, you're going to need to do a little installing first.  Be sure to have 2.5GB of hard drive space free.  Catherine will thank you for it. <3

I don't know how Katherine would feel, though.  Maybe she'll be happy.  Better hope she doesn't tell you she's pregnant.

Catherine releases in North America for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for 59.99 USD.

Here's a trailer for you.  Enjoy it and laugh, or maybe feel sorry.

Twenty Cent Tip of the Night #1

Men, if your lady forcefully disengages your console before you got to save, you have every right to plug in and play HER instead.

 -Twenty Cent Gaming

Twenty Cents: PSP Remaster Gets An Official Site

Andriasang: Sony Opens PSP Remaster Official Site

Sony has opened up an official site for the PSP Remaster Series.

What is this PSP Remaster Series anyway?  I've heard word of it.
The PSP Remaster Series is taking titles on the PlayStation Portable handheld and remastering them for the PlayStation 3.  Think of those PlayStation 3 HD Collections that have been coming out (Sly, Prince of Persia), but these are PSP titles getting the HD treatment.  These games will have control enhancements, HD visuals, and bonus content.  There is also functionality between the PSP and PS3 versions of a title.  PS3 users will be able to connect to PSP users, and save data can be shared between the PSP and PS3 so you can play at home, transfer, and then play on the go without even having to start over.

So far, Monster Hunter Portable 3rd is the only title announced to get this treatment so far.  Unfortunately, both the PSP version and the Remaster version is still only in Japan.  There is no word of release in North America and Europe for either.


What does Twenty Cent Gaming think?
I think that it's going to be GO time for Sony.  This move will not only bridge the gap between the PS3 and PSP user base, but offer a truly enhanced experience for portable gaming.   If this can get over to North America, it could help boost PSP sales by getting more people to invest in the products and also allow the PSP to get just a little bit in on PS3 sales.  It will be even better if there was some kind of discounted bundle made to sweeten the pot even more.

There are quite a few games I wouldn't mind seeing get the PSP Remaster treatment.

Which ones?
Mega Man Powered Up - Another Mega Man remake (Mega Man 1 for Nintendo).  However, there is a very key reason this game would benefit from a PSP Remaster.  Sony has adopted the notion "Play, Create, Share" with titles such as LittleBigPlanet and more recently in inFamous 2.  Mega Man Powered Up featured a level editor which allowed a player to create their own levels.  These levels can also be uploaded and downloaded from a server for others to enjoy.  There were hundreds and hundreds (maybe even in the thousands now) of levels created (I made quite a few).  This is also a chance to also get Capcom to pay more attention to Mega Man.

Phantasy Star Portable 2 - Oh this game would totally benefit from a PSP Remastering.  PSP2 Infinity is available in Japan, and putting this to the PlayStation 3 would be on the of the best moves in the interest of not only Sony but more importantly Sega.  Build your character at home, play online with other PS3/PSP friends, then take your character on the go?  I'd be all in for it.  The game has plenty of content to keep you playing.

Dissidia: Final Fantasy - A Final Fantasy fighter brought to life on the HD screen?  I think we'd have a winner here.

More about the PSP Remaster Series will come as information and announcements are made.  So, what would you like to see get the PSP Remaster treatment?

Twenty Cents: Mortal Kombat II Skins for Kitana and Jade

The Sixth Axis: Mortal Kombat II Kostumes For Jade And Kitana Revealed

NetherRealm Studios revealed two more free costume skins, some sleek and sexy retro Mortal Kombat II skins for Kitana and Jade.

What does Twenty Cent Gaming think?
NetherRealm Studios has been on a roll ever since the release of Mortal Kombat (Mortal Kombat 9) back in April.  We've seen new characters (Kenshi, Rain, Skarlet, and more to come) and a bunch of free costume skins. It seems NetherRealm knows just what their fans want and are aiming to please to the best of their abilities.  The characters cost money of course, but the costumes have been free so far.  These particular costumes also come for free if you purchase Rain.  If there was a hot moment to get into Mortal Kombat, it is now.

Mortal Kombat is available for the PlaySation 3 and Xbox 360 for 59.99 USD.

Twenty Cents: El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

Destructoid: Possible El Shaddai spinoffs could come to Vita, Wii U

Shane Bettenhausen, the director of business development at Ignition Entertainment, has told Destructoid that El Shaddai has become more of a brand to them than anything and that the title could see spinoffs in the forms of new games and /or DLC.  Hit the link for more information.

What does Twenty Cent Gaming think?
Have you ever played/seen/heard of El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron?  This is an action game by Ignition Entertainment in which Enoch, a priest, is tasked with the mission of finding the seven fallen angels in order to prevent the great flood from occurring and destroying mankind.  The story is inspired by the Biblical Book of Enoch.  The game features very beautiful cel-shaded visuals and has no HUD (Heads Up Display) interface so there's no cluttering of the screen.  Instead of health meters, damage is shown by the destruction of armor/clothes.  Don't misunderstand, characters won't be naked or anything.  Enoch can obtain weapons by taking an enemy's weapon and "purifying" it.

I see a lot of potential in El Shaddai and I'm happy that the game won't just be a one-hit release.  I would actually like to see more out of this game and it looks like that is going to happen in the future.

If you like action games like God of War, Devil May Cry, and Bayonetta, I strongly recommend that you look into this game.  There is a demo available on PSN/XBL.

The game has a North America release date of August 16th of this year (Updated from July 26, courtesy of GameStop ).  That's just a month off.  This game will be for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for 59.99 USD.  This game will also release in Europe September 9th of this year.

Twenty Cent Rumor: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds

Marvel vs Cacpom 3: Fate of Two Worlds released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 back in February earlier this year and while reception has been mostly positive, players have expressed their concerns over character selections.  So far, we only have two characters available for Downloadable Content and that's Capcom's Jill Valentine from Resident Evil, appearing in her Battlesuit form from RE5 and Marvel's Shuma Gorath.  However, these have been the only two characters to join the rosters as extras and we're in the middle of July.

More recently, there has been word of a new iteration of Marvel vs Capcom 3 that is supposed to be unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con in about a week.  It's supposedly titled "Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3" and will bump the roster up to 50 characters in addition to extra content.  It is also being said that this release may get a disc release like Super Street Fighter IV/Arcade Edition.  This is purely speculation although Capcom has stated that there will be some nice updates in store for fans at San Diego Comic-Con.  Treat this information as you will, but right now this is nothing but a rumor sparked by many of the fans.

What does Twenty Cent Gaming think?
Personally, I just want them to announce that they have added spectating to online mode and that Mega Man X (or any Mega Man) will be playable in the future.  Lately Capcom has been dropping the ball with these 0.99 cent Shadow Battles and occasional event updates.  It wouldn't hurt to have more characters, though.  It would give me a reason to pick the game back up and play seriously again.

If you wish to read more on this rumor, you can click Here

Twenty Cent Gaming Review [Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel]

The third and final song
Following Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia (PlayStation 2) and Ar Tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica (PlayStation 2), Gust finishes up the series with Ar Tonelico Qoga.  Qoga is a term according the game's language that translates to "finale."


What is the story?
Ar Tonelico Qoga takes place in Sol Cluster, the third region of the planet Ar Ciel.  Unlike the previous two games, the region is mostly run by the Reyvateilic country Clustania, and these Reyvateils are very cold-hearted towards those who are not Reyvateils.

Aoto, an apprentice steeplejack who has been working for five years in hopes to become a full steeplejack, meets Saki, a Reyvateil who is being sought out by Archia, a company that holds key ties to her.  After this fateful encounter, Aoto becomes a bodyguard for Saki, seeking to protect her from all harm.  After meeting Finnel, another Reyvateil, Aoto ends up tangled in conflicts between Archia and Clustania as he embarks on a hero's journey to protect those dear to him as well as the world.

Despite the "hero's journey" being a common story structure in Japanese RPGs, Ar Tonelico Qoga is very emotional compared to most of the other games in the genre.  This is mostly due to the main focal points being love, trust, and bonding.  A structure of this type can be compared to those found in dating simulations and visual novels, the latter being a very accurate way of describing Ar Tonelico Qoga.

However, there is a reason that Ar Tonelico Qoga earned itself an "M for Mature" rating, and the story is the biggest factor.  There is a heavy dose of sexual innuendos and suggestive themes, which are consistent factors throughout all three games but is the heaviest in this installation.

If you thought there would be more than one ending, you would be right.  There are multiple endings depending on the player's actions towards certain characters in the party.


What can the player do?
The player, controlling Aoto, will travel throughout Sol Cluster, meeting various friends and foes, defeating enemies, synthesizing (a very common mechanic in Gust-developed games), collecting treasures, but most of all, forming bonds of trust (and possibly love) with Reyvateils.  The player will spend most of the experience talking with Reyvateils and Diving into them in order to discover more powerful Song Magic as well as learning more about the girls.  A new mechanic introduced into Qoga is the ability to have Reyvateils strip off clothing in order to gain more power.  This mechanic is more important during battles, but can be used outside of battles to modify a Reyvateil's abilities.  When on the field, you can open treasure chests for items, and there is an encounter bar that depletes after a battle.  When it's empty, you won't have any more encounters until you leave for the world map or leave to another major section of the map.

Speaking of battles, this is where Qoga has changed the most from the previous two Ar Tonelico entries.  As they were turn-based battles, Qoga opts for an action-oriented battle system that can be compared to games in the Tales of series (I gave Qoga the nickname "Tales of Ar Tonelico" because of this).  You control one of three attackers (you can change who you control through the menu inside and outside of battle) and have the ability to freely run around a 3D field.  You have normal attacks, special attacks that consume HP (these have to be learned), and a SUPERMOVE that can be executed if certain conditions are met.  Normal attacks can be chained into special attacks, but special attacks cannot be chained into other special attacks.

One Reyvateil will join you in battle and begin singing, building up magic in order to execute a Song Magic attack.  She usually ends up dealing the most damage out of everybody in the party in one single move if there is enough magic stored and she can target multiple enemies at once.  However, enemies will sometimes attempt to attack the Reyvateil.  It will be your job to protect her as she will not be able to sing if she is taking damage or if an enemy is within her field.  Should the latter happen, you can press the O button to instantly move into her field and repel the enemy.

Now for the other main reason this game got an M-rating.  If you meet certain conditions, you can have your Reyvateil strip some of their clothing off in order to increase their singing rate and power.  This process is known as Purge and can be done up to three levels (this is done by holding one of the shoulder buttons and shaking the controller).  In addition, if you time the Purge correctly, you will get a dynamic animation sequence of the Reyvateil stripping.  There is one particular Reyvateil who practically ends up naked at level 3 and has some sort of green screen protecting her body.  Don't go picking her just because I said that, she is actually quite powerful.  I'm going to be frank, Purge = extreme fan service.  Even though I singled out one Reyvateil for being totally naked under a screen, most of the other Reyvateils will come close.

There is a logical explanation for this.  It is said that Reyvateils absorb magic through the skin, so by removing clothing, they can absorb even more.  I said logical, not necessarily justified.

I strongly advise against letting anyone under 16 play this game because of the battle system alone.  The previous two entries are fine (they both have T-ratings and use 2D sprites).


How does this game look?  How are the visuals?
You know what, I was amazed at the visual overhaul of this game.  The first two games were completely 2D, but Qoga was rendered beautifully in 3D.  The graphics added a layer of depth to the game that, in my opinion, the previous two games lacked.  However, I felt the animation team got lazy, because the same idle animations are used for quite a few characters and it just looked off because of it.


Will I like the music?
Totally frank answer, no.  The soundtrack is the most forgettable out of all three games.  Most of the tracks are plain and boring.  Honestly, I usually just enjoy listening to the hymns, but even a good amount of them aren't too appealing.  Despite the overall disinterest, I did take a liking to a few pieces.  Unfortunately, none of them were battle themes because those were quite bad.


What does the player get for beating the game?
Aside from one of the multiple endings, the player is treated to, in my opinion, one of the best credit sequences ever and it does an excellent job of closing the series by tying in the first two games as well.  Those who played the previous two games (I did) will take notice to some very familiar elements.

You are given the option of saving a "clear" file, which will allow you to start the game on a New Game+ setting.  You can play the game over again with your levels, gold, and some items intact.  You read that right, you carry levels over, too.  Meaning if you were perhaps level 89 at the end -raises hand- you would be level 89 at the start.

But wait, it gets even better, and Qoga is actually the first JPRG I can think of over the last few years to do this.  When you load up for New Game+, you can choose where to start off in the game.  Well, to be more specific, you are given the option to start at certain phases of the game.  Starting a new game this way will send you back to that particular part of the game, with all your stuff that was obtained by that point.  It makes getting the multiple endings a lot easier.


What does Twenty Cent Gaming think?
I'm going to be honest, I enjoyed this game wholeheartedly.  I'm used to over-the-top humor and found myself laughing most of the time at it.  The voice acting is quite tolerable (this is a big issue when it comes to JRPGs), and it felt like the voice actors/actresses actually put forth an honest effort.  The battles can get repetitive due to only having three normal string attacks and four special attacks.  You will be loving the [] button a lot during battles.

However, the game is almost way too easy, even on Hard difficulty.  You'll eventually find yourself going through battles and realizing that not much time has passed when that encounter bar has been completely drained.  I mentioned over-the-top humor, and I meant it literally.  If you find that over-the-top humor and heavy sexual innuendo isn't to your liking, you're going to be doing a lot of skipping of dialogue.  Put it this way, there is one particular scene which, by look, is totally fine.  However, if you aren't near the TV and can only hear the scene, it will sound like someone is having sex.  I kid you not.

Ar Tonelico Qoga is one of the better games that got localized for North America this year.  Go ahead and pick it up, but be mindful of where you're playing it :P


One more thing.  You said "yes" to Downloadable Content
Yes I did.  The PlayStation Store has extra chapters for Diving into one particular Reyvateil.  These chapters form a side-story visual novel.  You can buy them together or buy them separately.

The other DLC available are personality patches that affect a certain character in the game.  These don't affect the story at all, just the dialogue of one character.

In my opinion, you can just skip out on the DLC.  It's not expensive, but I would only recommend it to those who want the full experience of the game.


Is there a video or trailer I can watch to get an idea of how the game is?

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