Wild Arms Revival Incoming?

One of the earliest JRPGs on the original PlayStation was Wild Arms. For a lot of early adopters of the system, it was what kept them busy as they waited for Final Fantasy VII to come out. What they discovered, though, was that the game was actually pretty good. While simple, it handled 3D visuals reasonably well, and the Old West aesthetic was a setting that just wasn't coming into play in the genre (or any other genre for that matter). With that, Wild Arms became a reasonably successful series, resulting in five mainline games and a tactical strategy RPG. However, we haven't seen a new entry in the series since 2007.

Now there's reason to be excited as the series creator, Akifumi Kaneko, tweeted about meetings he was having with Sony regarding Wild Arms' 20th anniversary. Gematsu has a translation here, and it looks like the series composer, Michiko Naruke, was there as well. That's all we have to go on right now, but it does open the door to some interesting speculation.

Will this just be a remaster of one of the early games, possibly with some new arranged music tracks a la Final Fantasy X / X-2 Remaster? Maybe a bit of fanfare for the Wild Arms PS2 games before they become available on the PS4? If it was a new game in the series, I could see people being pretty happy about that. There've been rumors floating around that Sony has two JRPGs in development for the PlayStation 4 with one possibly by Level-5, but we don't know what the other is. For all we know, it could be a new Wild Arms.

For now, though, all we can do is wait and see if any more information trickles out. I for one wouldn't complain if the series came back. The Western theme always struck me as unique and the games are something I've closely tied with the PS1 and PS2. Star Ocean managed to stick around, making an appearance last generation. However, Wild Arms just disappeared. It could all be a pipe dream, but it would be nice if this is a beginning to actually reviving the series.

Review: Destiny (PS3)

Because of lofty aspirations, Bungie’s first title following the phenomenal success of the Halo games was destined to leave many gamers disappointed in some way or another. It’s a difficult task in any entertainment arena to attempt a follow-up to such an overwhelming success as the Halo franchise was for Bungie. Destiny is that game.

And it has its share of disappointments, primarily in failing to be the massively multiplayer offering it had aspired to be, and having a primary focus on repetitive missions. But it clearly sustains many of the stellar qualities that made Halo a universally well-regarded and lucrative gaming hit, and has even showed improvement in first-shooting game-making, showing lessons learned from the past were implemented by Bungie in its present.

Review: Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus (PS3)

Back in 2002 Insomniac games introduced us to the world of Ratchet & Clank on the PlayStation 2 and for me, my world was changed forever. I loved that game and the two direct sequels (Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal) that grew alongside the popularity of the PS2. I ended up skipping Deadlocked as it wasn't a full story-driven adventure but I did consume the Size Matters offering on the PSP before they made the move to the PlayStation 3.

Review: Knack (PS4)

While anticipating the launch of the PS4 I couldn't help but look forward to Knack. Amidst the usual offerings of racing, sports, and shooters that typically litter the landscape during a system launch I was happy to see the return of something more in line with my kind of game: the platform action-adventure. The genre seems to be a bit of a dying breed but it is still my favourite. When the PS3 launched, there really wasn't a title that fit this category with Genji: Days of the Blade being the closest. On the Xbox 360 we had Kameo: Elements of Power.

Editorial: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 We Hardly Knew Ye

So, with a new generation of consoles here, it's time to eulogize the imminent passing of the previous one. We look back on all of the good times we had, the bad times, the high and low points, all the things that made the generation special for us. My problem is that this past generation was the first time I genuinely found myself not caring about console games, and I can see that opinion galvanizing in the future.

There were plenty of games that I liked that came out on those systems, but they also came out on PC where they were often times prettier. Even better, if I waited until something like a Steam Sale, I could get a lot of those games for a sack of nickels, which is quite the savings over their console equivalents where I was hard pressed to find a lot of those games for under twenty bucks.

Review: Killzone - Mercenary (PS Vita)

The PS Vita was really aching for a good first person shooter, and while Killzone: Mercenary certainly has its faults, it’s easily the closest to filling this role and one of the best Vita games to date.

It’s a graphical behemoth that really showcases how beautiful Vita games can be, and while some silly mechanics like touch screen melee kills may turn off some people, they’re not forced. You can easily avoid melee combat with some tight gameplay that has that familiar weightiness that Killzone is known for.

PS Vita TV Announced

Sony has announced a new, screen-less iteration of the Vita that will act as a set top box connected to the TV.  Jeff briefly discusses the news in the video below.

Review: The Last of Us (PS3)

Few games have been as anticipated as The Last Of Us.  Officially announced December 10, 2011 on the Spike TV Video Game Awards, it's been a long wait for players and an even longer development cycle as a second team at Naughty Dog started working on this game in 2009 just after Uncharted 2 shipped.

The Last of Us tells the tale of Joel and Ellie as they journey through a bleak world that has been infected by some apparently unstoppable contagion (transmitted by bite). Their ultimate goal may be to find a cure, but it won't be without a high cost to both of them.

There are various stages and terrifying forms of infection: a "runner" to a blind "clicker", and eventually a bullet-absorbing "bloater." There are also human enemies in the game. The military is out to "protect" everyone, which in this case, won't work (I don't want to spoil the story completely for you). There are also marauders in various places that will try and take you down as well. Although overall there isn't a great deal of variety in the enemies, they do all react differently and require different tactics to defeat.

Review: God of War: Ascension (PS3)

It feels like a long time since I've entered the God of War universe. In fact, I've been holding back on playing the PSP game "God of War: Ghost of Sparta" just because I didn't want my love affair with the game franchise to end. I've waited for Ascension to get here, and now it finally is.

First of all, this review is strictly for the single player game. I have just finished the campaign and I'm not quite ready to jump into multi-player. It feels wrong to me somehow, having been in this universe since it first graced the Playstation 2 in 2005.

Feature: Collecting - God of War

On March 12, 2013 God of War: Ascension (also known as God of War IV) will be released. The excitement and anticipation mount for this title and so we thought we would take a look back in time to see just where this series started and how far it has come.

Since 2005, God of War has fired up gamers around the world and immersed them in a world filled with Greek mythology and some of the most visceral gaming experiences known to man. So much so, in fact, that this article might actually need to have a mature rating slapped on it for good measure.

Preview: God of War Ascension Multiplayer (PS3)

The world's worst-kept surprise: We're getting another God of War game.

Ascension brings us some more Kratos-style carnage but this time an early view of Kratos's descent. Kratos is in the midst of trying to sever ties with Ares – and plans to do so by defeating three Furies. With the action taking place much earlier in Kratos' life, we will be getting a better glimpse of a more human character instead of the remorseless killer we know so well from the franchise.

Feature: This Generation - Part I

For the purposes of these features, "This Generation" refers to software found on the following hardware: Wii, DS/3DS, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360. Trends found on the PC platform will be addressed but because the demarcations between PC hardware iterations can be foggy, establishing what is of this generation is much more difficult to finalize.

"This Generation" includes major trends or evolutionary notes that will, in this writer's opinion, be identified strongly with this generation of games and hardware for years to come. 

First item to hallmark this period of gaming: Meaningless Rewards.

Feature: Sony Holiday 2012 Preview Event

 

When I arrived at Sony's annual holiday preview event in Toronto I immediately felt a sense of comfort. This sensation was far different from the very first time I arrived at such an event. As the years have passed I have made connections with my fellow journalists and these events are not only a time to play the latest games but also a time to get together face to face with those that share similar passions. It has not only become comfortable, but also enjoyable.

Preview: PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3, PSVita)

It's understandable that many understood the initial announcement of Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale as Super Smash Bros.: Sony Edition because that's the easiest comparison to make. In short, Battle Royale is a Sony mascot brawler, in the same way Super Smash Bros. showcases its pantheon of characters and memorable environments.

The Weekly Checkpoint 22

With the weekend upon us, it's time for another news round-up.  For this Checkpoint we're taking a look at the closure of Sony Liverpool, a slew of layoffs at a number of developers, Nintendo Power shutting down, and also some happier news like KotOR 2 making its way to Steam, and a fancy patch that makes the PC version of Dark Souls look a lot better.

The Weekly Checkpoint 19

Welcome to the weekend everyone!  It's time to round-up this past week's gaming news, and this time we're taking a look at EA's decision to sue Zynga, as well as Electronic Arts reporting that they're making more money from their PC games than PS3 currently, SWtoR will be going free to play this Fall, WoW lost 1.1 million subscribers in the last three months, Sony is still having money problems, Namco had a very lucrative Q1, and Bethesda has announced some of the actors who will be lending their voices to Dishonored.

The Weekly Checkpoint 15

It's the weekend once more, and with that Mr. Nash discusses some of the bigger gaming news stories to come up over the last few days. This week we look at the EU's recent ruling on the resale of digitally distributed software, Final Fantasy VII getting re-released on the PC after all these years, and Sony deciding to team up with Gaikai.

E3 2012: Sly Cooper Thieves in Time Hands-On (PS3)

Sly Cooper received the full HD treatment last year with the release of the Sly Collection on Playstation 3, which featured all of the original Playstation 2 titles in one package. Sly Cooper Thieves in Time is the first original title in the series for the PS3. I was a big fan of the series on the PS2 and was eager to get my hands on the demo at E3.