Launch Station: Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Square Enix has done their best to draw out the Kingdom Hearts series as much as humanly possible before they have inevitably end the series with Kingdom Hearts 3.  For close to six years now, Square Enix has been releasing side story after side story trying to flesh out the entire mythos surrounding Kingdom Hearts that fans have gotten quite anxious for the next numbered entry in the series.  To tide fans over just a little bit longer, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, exclusively for the 3DS, serves as the official prequel to Kingdom Hearts 3 as the ending of Dream Drop Distance is said to lead right into third core Kingdom Hearts game.

In preparation for the return of Xehanort, King Mickey and Yen Sid decide to put Sora and Riku through the Mark of Mastery exam.  As part of the Mark of Mastery exam, Sora and Riku are sent into the Sleeping Worlds.  Sora and Riku's task is to reawaken these Sleeping Worlds by unlocking each world's keyhole and eliminating the new Dream Eater threat that stands in their way.  If Sora and Riku are successful in completing this task, they will be deemed full-fledged Keyblade Masters.  In Dream Drop Distance, there are two playable characters, Sora and Riku.  You never control both characters at the same time, but you will rotate between each character on the fly thanks to the Drop Gauge.  The Drop Gauge, which gradually depletes over time, controls when you switch between the two playable characters.  Once the gauge empties, you will switch control from Sora to Riku or vice versa.  You can add more time to the gauge by fighting Dream Eaters and you can also switch characters at any save point in the game.   The Command Deck battle system that was first introduced in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep for the PSP returns in Dream Drop Distance with a couple additions.  Dream Drop Distance adds a new Flowmotion mechanic.  Flowmotion allows the player to interact with their surroundings in new ways to help traversal of the environment and set up new combos in battle.  Along their adventures, Sora and Riku are able to capture Dream Eaters, which can be used to help out in battle and provide different abilities for each character.  In past Kingdom Hearts games the Gummi Ship was used to travel between each world, not in Dream Drop Distance.  Dream Drop Distance makes use of a new mini-game called Dive Mode, which has player's literally diving down a long tunnel, collecting stars and defeating enemies before you reach the world's gate.  Also Dream Drop Distance is compatible with the Circle Pad Pro, which will make it much easier to control the game's camera, and has Augmented Reality functionality, which will allow players to play with the Dream Eaters they obtain in the real world.

No matter what I say, all Kingdom Hearts fans that own a 3DS will pick up Dream Drop Distance.  I do applaud Square Enix for their incredible support for the 3DS this past month.  It seemed like they were the only publisher other than Sega that wanted to keep us 3DS gamers satisfied this July and I along with many other gamers are grateful for that.  Speaking of Dream Drop Distance, I personally think it will be a really good game for the 3DS.  From my time with the demo, I do believe that to get the best experience with the game is to play it with the Circle Pad Pro because without the camera seems to be a quite erratic.  Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance should be a solid portable RPG to keep gamers satisfied for the coming months.

Launch Station: Risen 2: Dark Waters

Originally released for the PC back at the end of April, Risen 2: Dark Waters will finally be released for consoles tomorrow.  Risen is not a high profile game series so I was a little confused when it came out for the PC, but was delayed for the consoles.  It might be for the better as Risen 2 is being at a time when gamers are starving for new game releases due to the drought of games released these summer months.  A factor that could possibly spike the initial sales of the game.

Risen 2: Dark Waters is a pirate-themed action RPG, a unique theme for a game considering there are not many games based on pirates in the last few years.  Risen 2 picks up after the events of the first game (if anybody has even played it), humanity is at the brink of extinction by a group of raging Titans.  Due to all the destruction caused by the Titans, monsters have started emerging from the watery depths of the sea.  You take control of the Nameless Hero, a member of the military group known as the Inquisition.  The Nameless Hero is tasked with exploring the world in order to find out a way to stop these new threats from the depths of the sea.  Risen 2 offers a vast sea and a huge amount of islands to explore in this dark and gritty pirate-themed world.  Like most RPGs in this day and age, Risen 2 allows the player to take multiple approaches to each scenario in the game and make decisions that will change certain aspects of the game such as the world, story or character progression.  Speaking of character progression, there are no set classes in Risen 2.  The player will get to choose how to customize the Nameless Hero's skills and attributes however they want.  Risen 2 also offers a full day/night cycle which affects different aspects of the game as well.

Unlike zombies or nazis, pirates have not been done to death in video games that some gamers might give Risen 2: Dark Water a look.  Unless you are desperately looking for a new action RPG to buy in these slow summer months, Risen 2 does not look good enough to justify a full 60 dollar purchase.  If you really want to play it, I honestly suggest waiting for it to hit the bargin bin.

Bit by Bit: July 22-28

After such a dull week in the wonderful world of video games, it seems this week will pick up.  With the end of July and beginning of August, we get two new releases in Risen 2 and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.  So I should have two Launch Stations up this week to accompany the release of each game.  Seeing I am writing this pretty late at night and there were not that many big releases coming up very soon that I am very excited about, there will be no Most Anticipated Game of the Week section in Bit by Bit this week.  Also I would like to thank Jirard Khalil, The Completionist, for retweeting my tweet about last week's Bit by Bit, which has gone to be my most viewed Bit by Bit ever.  Again thanks Jirard and make sure you guys watch The Completionist on Youtube.

Game of the Week
While I did have a phenomenal time playing Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Friday evening with my brothers, I do not give it Game of the Week.  Plus there was game this week that I spent quite a lot of time with and had a lot of fun playing.  I just finished this game Friday before heading for to work.  This game is Pokemon Conquest.  I spent the past week beating the last few castles before the final level, Dragnor.  I had the most difficulty with Valora.  I went into the first battle against their warlords with the wrong set of Pokemon and I had to retreat as there was no hope for me to defeat them.  After that defeat, Valora sent three of their warlords to Avia where I had only one of my warlords stationed.  I dispensed the two Arons fine, but my fighting Pokemon could not overcome their Chimecho's psychic attacks.  Losing those two battles was the most adversity that I faced in Pokemon Conquest and it made retaking Avia and capturing Valora that much more satisfying because of the extra challenge.  I will not reveal what exactly happens after beating Nobunaga in Dragnor, in one intense battle I might add, but I found it very enjoyable and entertaining.  Also the addition of eight special episodes that you unlock once you complete the game is great.  It adds a lot of replay value to a game that to this point felt a little too short for a tactical RPG.  These reasons are why Pokemon Conquest is most deserving of being my Game of the Week.

Video of the Week
It is hard when you are the head news and reviews editor of a big independent gaming website to have time to do your own videos, but Jared from Screwattack sure finds the time.  While it does take quite a while for him to release a new ProReview (Jared's own review show), they are always well produced and give a fair review of the game he is reviewing with some of Jared's sarcastic humour mixed in.  Jared's latest ProReview is of Quest 64 for the Nintendo 64 and it is a very entertaining, funny and fair review of this Nintendo 64 RPG.

On the Download: July 22-28

While there were no games that came out this week, there are a few new downloadable games to dive into.  During the dog days of summer, you can always find something new to play during the seemingly annual gaming drought from one of the many downloadable services.  From demos to DLC to full games, there is always something new for release on PSN, XBLA, iOS, Steam and the Nintendo eShop.

Nintendo's 8-Bit Summer continues to roll along with the release of Wario Land:  Super Mario Land 3 for the 3DS Virtual Console.  Along with Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Mole Mania has also been released for the 3DS Virtual Console.  Surprisingly for the third Super Mario Land for the original Game Boy, Nintendo had Wario take the spotlight from his good-doing counterpart, Mario.  After being kicked out of his castle by Mario at the end of Super Mario Land 2, Wario hears rumours that a group of pirates have a golden statue of Princess Toadstool hidden somewhere on Kitchen Island.  Wario decides to turn his luck around after facing such a devastating defeat at the hands of Mario and goes to Kitchen Island to steal said statue.   You take control of Wario as he fights his way through platforming level upon platforming level, crushing foes and collecting treasure.  Along the way, you can find different hats (Bull, Jet and Dragon Hats) that give Wario special abilities such as temporary flight.  Much of Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 is about collecting as much treasure as possible because the more treasure you collect, the bigger the castle you receive upon completing the game.  For all those interested, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 is available to download on the Nintendo eShop for 4 dollars.

This PSN game was released last week, but I sadly forgot to cover it in the last On the Download so I have decided to highlight it today.  Dyad is a very stylistic game that should remind many gamers of games like Rez and Child of Eden.  Dyad is a tunnel racing puzzle shooter.  You control this little ship as it travels down a tube.  By using momentum in beat with the psychedelic visuals and the trance music, you can hook, graze and lance enemies in order to propel yourself further down the tunnel.  Dyad has 27 levels for players to enjoy and master.  Dyad also offers two other modes aside from the main game, Trophy and Remix Mode.  Trophy Mode is a sort of mission-based mode where you have to complete different tasks in certain levels to advance and Remix Mode is more a free play mode where the focus is more on relaxing than getting the highest score.  If you want to dive in an incredible unique and stylish download, Dyad is available exclusively on the PSN for 15 dollars.

Hump Day Music: Song of Storms

Back at the very end of March, I bought a ticket to The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddess concert when it comes to Toronto this September.  Just today, I got my ticket in the mail from Ticketmaster and I was surprised.  The concert was always in the back of my mind, but I kept on forgetting how close it was getting.  Now the tickets will now serve as an almost constant reminder that I got to figure out my transportation, food and other things very soon.  To celebrating getting my ticket to what should be a phenomenal night at the symphony, I would like to share one of my favourite tracks from The Legend of Zelda.

This song comes from Ocarina of Time.  You learn it in the Windmill in Kakariko Village.  It is the Song of Storms.  This simple little tune that Link learns for his Ocarina is not just a great way to summon a storm in the land of Hyrule, it is a pretty catchy piece of music.  It is very playful and has a fun melody to it.  Every time I hear the Song of Storms, I start swaying back and forth to the music because it is so infectious.  While I cannot wait to hear how the live orchestra will play the song at the Symphony of the Goddess concert, the original flute and accordion used for this track is how I will always remember this great piece of video game music.  Today, I will be sharing the remix of the Song of Storms from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.  I hope everybody enjoys.

Hump Day Video: Darksiders II

While July seems to be a slow month for games, August looks to pick up for the slack with some big releases.  Among these big releases is one that holds the fate of a company in it's hands.  THQ's financial woes have been well documented and it has seem to come down to this game to bring them back from the brink of destruction.  With the weight of an entire company on their shoulders, Vigil Games looks to be creating a phenomenal game in Darksiders II.  When the first Darksiders was released back in 2010, it was easily overlooked by many as just another God of War clone.  I was among those that overlooked Darksiders for it's heavy influences from God of War and The Legend of Zelda until I tried the demo.  While Darksiders did borrow a lot of key mechanics from God of War and The Legend of Zelda, Vigil implemented them in such a way that it was just fun to play and explore this rich new world.

With Darksiders II only a few weeks away from release, THQ and Vigil have released a new story trailer that I would like to share today.  Unlike the story trailers that were released before, this trailer is made up of all in-game footage.  This trailer gives gamers one last glimpse at the game before it releases and it is one great glimpse.  There are brief snippets of action mixed with little teases of what will be in the game from riding Death's horse to fighting a dark version of War that get me excited to play this game.  First I need to complete the first game then I will most likely pick up Darksiders II when it releases for the Wii U later in the year.  Until then enjoy watching this great trailer.

Favourite Games of 2012 So Far

During the summer months, there are not a lot of big games that come out.  While there is a steady stream of great downloadable games that come out in the summer, not many big retail games come out in the summer as they stick to the overcrowded winter and spring seasons.  With this evident drought of games, there are some weeks when yours truly has to think of different things to write about when no actual games release said week.  This week I decided to look back on the my favourite games of 2012 so far.  The games will be listed in order of their release not how much I like them and I am only including games that I have either beaten or have played a considerable amount of.  I hope that everybody enjoys this list and maybe finds a game in this list that they may have overlooked.

Run Roo Run
There is no other iOS game that I have found released this year that is better than Run Roo Run.  Charming graphics, simplistic yet intuitive controls, satisfying gameplay and a plethora of levels that test both your mind and reflexes, Run Roo Run is the complete package for only one or two dollars depending whether you get it for the iPhone or iPad respectively.  5th Cell's first game for iOS is a game that no iDevice owner should miss.

Mass Effect 3
If you have been following this blog for a while now, you would know I full how much I love the Mass Effect series and in turn Mass Effect 3.  While some jaded people got hung up over all the supposed controversy with the ending and the Day One DLC, I found Mass Effect 3 to be an incredible game experience that serves as a worthy finale to this grand video game trilogy.  Mass Effect 3 is a game not to be missed this year as it is quite possibly the best game of 2012 and the best RPG from this side of the world.

Journey
Journey is easily one of the most unique experiences I had playing a game this year.  There are no tutorials, no real instructions.  You are just dropped into a seemingly baren desert with this profile of a mountain in the distance.  The controls are simple yet incredibly intuitive, the graphics and art are just jaw dropping, the music is beautiful and the puzzles, while simple, are very charming and engaging.  Journey is a soothing and relaxing experience that can be finished in one sitting.  If you missed out on downloading this gem for the PSN, you can pick up the Journey Collector's Edition that comes out at the end of August.

Kid Icarus: Uprising
Nintendo may have took 20 years to release a new Kid Icarus game, but Uprising makes the time fans waited well worth it.  Kid Icarus: Uprising is a labour of love from Masahiro Sakurai and Project Sora that brings Pit to the 21st century in style.  While the controls can get in the way from time to time, the fast-paced action, witty fourth wall breaking banter, exciting story and fun multi-player experience sure make up for it.  Kid Icarus: Uprising is easily the best 3DS game of 2012 so far that 3DS should not miss.

Xenoblade Chronicles
One of the last great games for the Wii, Xenoblade Chronicles is a grand RPG adventure from Nintendo and Monolith Soft.  Xenoblade Chronicles has an incredibly gripping story, fun real-time combat and an enormous world to explore with a huge amount of side quests to keep you occupied.  I have played at least 25 to 30 hours and I barely scratched the surface of all the content in this Wii RPG.  For a system that has been starving for RPGs, Xenoblade Chronicles stands tall as the pinnacle of RPGs on the Wii and for Japanese RPGs in this console generation.

Off the Newsstand: Nintendo Power Issue 280

Absolutely no new retail game releases this week.  Meaning that there will be no Launch Station at all this week.  Now that I got enough time to look at the latest issue of Nintendo Power.  The big Issue 280, only 20 more issues until a landmark 300 issues of Nintendo Power.  Following in suit with all other video game magazines, the July issue revolves around all the big news from this year's E3.

On the cover of Issue 280 is the Wii U, Nintendo's next console.  Considering Nintendo Power has been one of my main sources for Nintendo news, previews, reviews and coverage, I was disappointed that there was not a full article on the Wii U.  It was just a stuck at the beginning of the Power Up section of the magazine.  I remember after Nintendo's big showcase of the Wii at E3 2006, the following Nintendo Power had an amazing article called The Wii Experience that looked at the Wii and some of the big launch titles such as Red Steel, Raving Rabbids, Madden and Tony Hawk.  It was not just a brief look and a list of the Top 10 Wii U Games at E3 2012.  In all honesty, it was a fine look at the Wii U, but I expected much more from Nintendo Power considering this is the official Nintendo magazine for North America and the Wii U report was the cover story of this issue.  If they were not going to have the Wii U as the cover story for this issue, they should have put something else on the cover like New Super Mario Bros. 2.  Speaking of New Super Mario Bros. 2, there was a five page preview of the upcoming 3DS game.  It was a fine preview, but there was nothing too substantial.  Given a few more pages and an interview, this preview could of easily served as the cover story for Issue 280.  Along with that preview was a look back all of Nintendo's releases in 1987, which was pretty cool, but felt more like filler, and a preview of the Adventure Time game for the DS and 3DS.  Even though I have never watched the show, I found the Adventure Time preview easily the best article in this issue.  It gave a substantial amount of information about a game that until now nobody really knew much about and had a very good interview with Adventure Time series creator and animator, Pendleton Ward.  Even though I am being down on this issue of Nintendo Power, there was still some good content in the Download, Preview, Review and Community sections of the magazine.

As a whole, I expected much more from Issue 280 of Nintendo Power.  When you such a big story in the Wii U on the cover, you have to hit the ball out of the park or leave people like yours truly disappointed.  There is still quite a bit of good content in Issue 280 of Nintendo Power, but it is not an issue that you have to go out of your way to read.

Bit by Bit: July 15-21

Sales, sales and more sales.  I have bought a good amount of games from sales these last few weeks and the list keeps growing.  Surprisingly I only picked up one game from the Steam Summer Sale in The Witcher Enhanced Edition, but I have been keeping close tabs of the sale.  Going on Steam many times throughout the day to vote on the community deals and check the daily and flash deals.  Also picked up Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for 5 dollars on the PSN's Summer Sale and Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters for my 3DS, which is apart of Nintendo's 8-Bit Summer initiative.  Proof there are plenty of great games that are available for cheap in the downloadable space, you just got to look.

Game of the Week
The Game of the Week is Marvel vs. Capcom 2 as it is the game that I played the most this week.  I did not get a chance to play many games this past week so when I downloaded Marvel vs. Capcom 2, I played it for over two hours straight.  Played a few matches with my younger brother, which were very fun and highly competitive.  The rest of my time was spent trying to clear Arcade mode once, which was why I spent so much time playing Marvel vs. Capcom 2.  Once I got past Stage 3 in Arcade Mode it seemed like I was dying every other match.  It got quite frustrating, but I never gave and kept at it.  Through my perseverance, I got better at the game.  Learned the great value of assists and how to best play as couple of the characters.  I usually stuck with Wolverine, Spider-Man and Juggernaut, but would switch things up with other characters when things did not work out.  I found Cyclops works great against the last two forms of the final boss, Abyss.  While at times Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was very frustrating, I did feel incredibly accomplished when I finally beat Arcade mode.  It is a ton of fun and I cannot wait to play more with my brothers and friends.

Most Anticipated Game of the Week
My Most Anticipated Game of the Week has to go to the Journey Collector's Edition that is set to release at the end of August.  While I have already played and completed Journey, this Collector's Edition, which will cost only 30 dollars when released, has a lot of extra content.  Including Journey, this Collector's Edition comes with thatgamecompany's two other downloadable gems, Flower and flOw, a 30 minute documentary on the making of Journey, creator commentaries for the games on the disc, three never before released prototypes from thatgamecompany, concept art and soundtracks for the three games and more goodies.  These three incredible unique and beautifully artful downloadable games alone could sell this disc, but add in all the extras and this disc is well worth the 30 dollar price point.  In fact, it is a steal at this price.  I cannot wait to pick the Journey Collector's Edition this coming August 28th.

Video of the Week
I have fell in love with The Completionist and have been going through all the past episodes this past week.  I would love to share a past episode, but this segment is the Video of the Week not weeks past.  So I am going to share the Mail Bag episode from this past week.  The Mail Bag episode has Jirard and Greg reading all the great fan mail they have gotten.  It is tons of fun to watch.  BEARS!

On the Download: July 15-21

There is a lot to enjoy in the downloadable space.  There are sales on almost every major downloadable platforms, summer downloadable game initiatives are in full swing and unlike at retail, there are a steady stream of games being released each and every week.  And it is all at a click of a button.

Nintendo's 8-Bit Summer continues this week with finally the release of Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters for the 3DS Virtual Console.  Also this week sees the another 3DS Virtual Console game, Tumble Pop, released and Mario Picross go on sale for 3 dollars, but I am not here to talk about those games.  Today I am looking at the game that I have wanted on the Nintendo eShop since the release of Kid Icarus: Uprising.  Kid Icarus: Of Myth and Monsters is the sequel to the NES classic.  Angel Island is in peril once again.  This time around it is the demon Orcos and his minions who threaten Angel Island.  It is up to Pit to find the three Sacred Treasures in order to defeat Orcos.  The levels in Of Myths and Monsters allow players to freely scroll in all directions, which add more exploration elements to the game.  Also Pit is able to use his wings to slow his descent and extend his jump.  Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters is available for download on the Nintendo eShop for 4 dollars.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, in the eyes of most gamers, is the ultimate skateboarding game in existence.  When this extreme sport was just gaining popularity, Activision and Neversoft made a game that did it justice.  Yes, it was a pure arcade-style skateboarding game more than an actual simulation of the sport, but it really did showcase how spectacular of feats these tricks can be.  Sadly when Tony Hawk's Pro Skater got really popular was when Activision decided to shove it down our throats with yearly sequels, which eventually killed the series for a bit.  Funny how Activision has not learned from those mistakes, but that is not the point.  Looking for a fresh new start to the Tony Hawk franchise, Activision and Robomodo have released Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, a re-release of the best levels from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2, as part of Microsoft's Summer of Arcade.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD has the same gameplay from the first two games in the series.  Robomodo is working on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 DLC for the game that will add new levels and new tricks like the revert.  While not every skateboarder or song return from the classic Tony Hawk games, Robomodo has tried to take the best from the first two games in order to provide a nice nostalgic trip for veterans and a fresh start for new players.  Right now, you can only download Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD on XBLA for 1200 Microsoft Points, but it will be coming to both the PSN and PC in the coming weeks.

Hump Day Music: Bits of Me Impressions

While it was announced way back in April, I finally got my copy of Brentalfloss' new CD Bits of Me in the mail last week.  Originally when I came on here and talked about Bits Of Me, I was on the fence about buying this album.  After some debating, I gave in and put down my 15 dollars to pre-order Bits of Me and show my support for Brentalfloss and his work.  Even though it took about two months after it's initial release to finally reach me, my patience was well worth it.  I received an autographed physical copy of Bits of Me, a free digital copy, three little Brentalfloss pins and one Brentalfloss sticker all for 15 dollars.  I made such a good choice pre-ordering this CD.

I first listened to Bits of Me when I received the free digital copy over a month, I was not impressed.  I do not know exactly why.  I might have just been in a bad mood when I listened to it.  When I popped the CD into my Mac to listen to it last week, I had a completely different reaction to the CD.  I loved it. There is only one song on the entire 18 track CD that I did not entirely enjoy.  The rest of the CD is absolutely incredible.  I have listened to it many times in the one week I have owned the physical CD.  While I do love every track on this CD other than Meet Me in the Dungeon, Dear, my personal favourites are Contra with Lyrics, Castlevania II with Lyrics, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!! with Lyrics and Zelda II with Lyrics.  All-in-all, any video game fan will find something to love about Bits of Me.  If you are interested in picking up Bits of Me, you can buy the physical CD from Level Up Studios for 13 dollars or download it from iTunes, Amazon MP3 and Bandcamp for about 9 to 10 dollars.  Bits of Me is well worth any price you pay.  And for your viewing pleasure is one of the songs featured on Bits of Me, Castlevania II with Lyrics.

Hump Day Video: Deadpool: The Game

In recent years, games have found a bigger home at the San Diego Comic-Con than in the past.  Taking up a lot of floor space, many video game related panels take place and a few announcements are made usually pertaining to comic book related video games.  Comic Con also is the first time the public can play a lot of demos for games showed off at last month's E3.

Out of all the video game announcements, the one that took the cake was the reveal of High Moon Studios' newest project, Deadpool: The Game.  Along with the announcement came an amazing teaser trailer for Deadpool: The Game that I will share you with you all today.  This trailer only shows a little tease of what the gameplay should be like, but from what has been shown so far it looks like a great mix of bloody violence with the humour of The Merc with a Mouth.  I personally believe Deadpool is in the fully capable hands of High Moon Studios, the team that brought us the great Transformers: War for Cybertron and its upcoming sequel Fall of Cybertron, as it looks like they fully respect the source material and want to do their best to translate it to this interactive media for all to enjoy.  So here is the teaser trailer from this past weekend from Comic Con for everybody's viewing pleasure.

Launch Station: Heroes of Ruin

We must be in the dead of summer as the video game releases are slowing to a crawl.  The next big wave of game releases does not start until July 31st with the release of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance.  At least 3DS owners are getting some quality retail games during this drought of video games.  This week the only release belongs to Heroes of Ruin, the second big 3DS game coming to gamers from Square Enix this July.  Compared to Square Enix stables of Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts, Heroes of Ruin is a brand new IP from Square Enix built from the ground up for the Nintendo 3DS.

Peace in the realm is threatened as the ruler of the city of Nexus, Ataraxis, is slowly dying from a curse.   A message is sent out to all promising a reward beyond measure for the person who finds a cure to Ataraxis' curse.  You play as one of the four mercenaries that goes on the dangerous quest to find a cure.  Each mercenary represents a different class in the game.  You can choose from playing as the sword-wielding Vindicator, pistol-packing Gunslinger, magic-using Alchitect or the fist-swinging Savage.  After choosing your class, you are able to customize your appearance, fighting style, armour set, weapons and class abilities at any time.  Heroes of Ruin can be played solo or co-operatively with up to three other players at anytime.  Square Enix and n-Space are providing daily challenges for gamers to complete for special rewards and achievements, the ability to trade items with others through StreetPass and instantly downloading new game content such as new characters and quests through SpotPass.

Personally, I am have no real interest for Heroes of Ruin.  I will applaud Square Enix for taking a risk and backing an original IP like Heroes of Ruin instead of sticking with just their core franchises.  For those looking for an action RPG experience much like Diablo to take on the go, Heroes of Ruin will be a great purchase for the 3DS.

Off the Newsstand: Game Informer Issue 231

Been a little busy these last few weeks with summer game releases to get a chance to talk about the magazines that I have plowed through these last few weeks. Actually finished my latest issue of Nintendo Power and I do not have that much to read. Guess I will have to wait until my new issue of Game Informer comes in the mail. Speaking of Game Informer, today I am looking at the last issue of Game Informer I read, which actually was released the week of E3.

Issue 231 of Game Informer had all the inside scoops on some of the biggest games highlighted at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo.  I know Game Informer does get a lot of inside looks very early, but this issue was sent to subscribers the week of E3, when some of the games/tech demos in this issue were first revealed to the public.  Therefore causing some leaks and killing some of the possible surprises at this year's event.  Personally, I do not believe it would have been that hard to send the issues out so subscribers and newsstands received the issue after E3 was over. While this gripe may not hurt the quality of the issue, I do think that when this issue was released did steal some of the grandeur away from this year's E3.  The cover story was all about the new Gears of War: Judgment (or what I like to call Gears of War: Reach) being co-developed by Epic and People Can Fly, the team that worked on Bulletstorm.  The cover story has an in-depth look at the story of the game that follows Baird and Cole Train on a mission that takes place 14 years before the original and the new multi-player modes such as OverRun, the combination of Horde and Beast modes.   The cover story was fine and enjoyable; I am not sold on the game at all.  It seems like Epic and Microsoft are trying to milk the series for all it is worth instead of providing possibly a new IP or a sequel to Bulletstorm with more refined mechanics.  Right now, Gears of War: Judgment is in my opinion the Gears sequel that nobody wanted.  Along with the Gears of War: Judgment, Issue 231 contained exclusive previews for the Skyrim DLC, Dawnguard, Tomb Raider, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Dead Space 3 and Assassin's Creed III: Liberation.  Each preview had in-depth descriptions of the E3 builds for each game.  I personally enjoyed the Tomb Raider preview that looked at a few scenarios that I did not see while watching the demos from E3.  Honestly the best stuff from this issue came from the Connect section.  An extremely extensive look at Unreal Engine 4, an article on how cross-platform gaming could possibly change the way we play, a very compelling interview with Robert Bowling, former creative strategist for the Call of Duty franchise, on his departure from Activision and his new game Human Element and a great interview with Jason West and Vince Zampella that sheds a different light on their dispute with Activision are all articles that are worth picking up this issue of Game Informer to read.  To round out the issue are the solid previews and reviews for all to enjoy.

While I do not agree with the release schedule of this issue and how it did take away from the lustre of E3, Issue 231 is a great issue of Game Informer that I cannot fault for things possibly out of the editors' control.  This issue has some of the most incredibly thought provoking and informative articles I have found in any magazine and a great set of exclusive previews to accompany another solid cover story.  It is the full package that is well worth the asking price.

Bit by Bit: July 8-14

As usual, it was a busy week for yours truly.  Working, blogging, picking courses for university, reviewing old math notes and squeezing in time to play some games.  As we enter the middle of July, things are slowing in the video game industry.  Not many games come out in the summer months and the there is a small stream of gaming news that gets reported each day.  It is getting a little harder to come up with content for Silver Bit every single day, but I have been managing.  Got two new editions of Off the Newsstand on the way along with a Launch Station for Heroes of Ruin, another new release for the 3DS, this Tuesday and the regular Wednesday and Thursday posts.  Make sure you keep checking Silver Bit each day for new content during the dog days of summer.

Game of the Week
It is been a while since I picked up my plastic set of instruments and played a game of Rock Band or Guitar Hero.  While looking around in the one of the Microplays in my area, I found Rock Band 2 for Wii.  I have been looking to pick up the game for a while now so I have a game that all my friends, brothers and I can play, but it has been extremely hard to come by until now.  I took this opportunity to pick up Rock Band 2 for Wii along with Contra 4 for DS and BioShock for PS3 (they had their Buy 2, Get the Third for Free deal on, so I kindly obliged).  That evening my brothers and I brought up our big box of plastic instruments and played Rock Band 2.  It took one or two songs to get into the swing of things again.  I forgot how fun Rock Band can be and Rock Band 2 is great continuation of the series.  There are hundreds of songs to unlock and plenty of more to download off of the Rock Band store.  Cannot wait to play more Rock Band 2 in the coming weeks.  It easily earns Game of the Week for this past week.

Most Anticipated Game of the Week
After long waiting for XSeed to elaborate on the incredibly vague release date of Summer 2012, The Last Story finally has a release date set in stone.  The Last Story will be available in North America August 14th.  For those who pick up the game during it's first run, The Last Story will come with a special collector's case and an art book.  For those who pre-ordered the game, you will receive an 8 track soundtrack.  Plenty of incentive for the last big Wii game to be released for the system.  If you have not pre-ordered the game yet, what are you waiting for?  Especially all those Operation Rainfall supporters, it is time to put your money where your mouth is once again.

Video of the Week
I have been torn between two videos for Video of the Week.  I would like to share both, but some reason how you embed the videos from Screwattack seems the mess things up so I will only share one.  The video I am sharing with you is this week's Clip of the Week that shows us the true finale to the Iron Man of Screwattack to decide who will join Craig in going to the Tokyo Game Show in September.  It is an excellent skit that perfectly spoofs old Japanese kung-fu movies to a tee.  For the other video, which is the newest Death Battle between Link and Cloud that you can check out over on Screwattack.com.

On the Download: July 8-14

There are sales galore this weekend.  Thousands of games are being discounted on Steam while you can grab Mighty Switch Force for the discounted of price of 3 dollars this weekend on the Nintendo eShop.  Along with the sales, a couple of big downloadable games are coming to different platforms.  The every popular Tiny Wings is getting an HD port for the iPad, which you can find on sale for 3 dollars on the App Store and Airtight Game's first big downloadable project has been released for XBLA and PSN this week for 1200 Microsoft Points or 15 dollars respectively.  Re-releases were not the only thing this week as we got a few notable games to download.

While Nintendo's 8-Bit Summer continued with the release of Kirby's Pinball Land and Sword of Hope II for the 3DS Virtual Console, there is a 3DS download that should get a little more attention than it already has.  The game is called Johnny Kung Fu and comes to us by the talented people at UFO Interactive Games.  The local crime gang run by the notorious Mr. Wang has kidnapped Johnny's girlfriend.  Knowing what needs to be done, Johnny dons his Kung Fu grab in order to save his girlfriend, who is being held at the top of Mr. Wang's tower.  Johnny Kung Fu is a unique 3DS download that mixes old and new.  The game jumps between side-scrolling brawling segments to Donkey Kong-esqe platforming levels reminiscent of the games found on Nintendo's old Game and Watch handhelds.  Things start to ramp up as Johnny only has a hour or two to save his girlfriend.  If you like to pick up a game that bridges the old and new in the way Johnny Kung Fu does, you can pick this game up for 6 dollars on the Nintendo eShop.

Made by small indie developer SideQuest Studios, Rainbow Moon is a strategy RPG exclusive to the PS3 which has a strong emphasis on exploration, character development and turn-based combat.  In Rainbow Moon, you start out playing as Baldren, who has been warped to the world of Rainbow Moon by his arch-rival.  Trapped in this unknown realm, Baldren has accidentally opened up a dimensional gate which has freed a full army of monsters.  These monsters overwhelm Rainbow Moon thus turning the once peaceful realm into a living hell.  Now it is up to Baldren to seal the dimensional gate and find a way back to his home world.  Rainbow Moon is packed to the brim with content.  There are six playable characters including Baldren that can be customized with upgradable weapons, armour and other accessories.  There are over 100 special skills that you can teach one of the six playable characters, more than 20 dungeons to explore and a compelling story that will last you over 40 hours.  If you are interested, you can download Rainbow Moon off of the PSN Store for 15 dollars.

Konami has tried many times to bring Frogger into the modern age of gaming, but every time they failed.  Taking a page from what Namco did with Pac Man, Konami has released the classic Frogger gamers know and love with modern graphics and new game modes with Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition, available on XBLA, PSN and WiiWare.  Along with the classic Frogger game mode, there are a brand new game modes such as Tile Capture, Battle Royal and Freak Out for gamers to play through.      In the Hyper Arcade Edition of Frogger, you can customize the graphics through different skins.  Some of the skins you can use are the modern neon skin of Hyper Arcade or classic 8-bit skins and sprites from Frogger, Castlevania and Contra.  Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition also includes 4 player competitive multi-player so friends can compete to see who is the best at Frogger.  Looking to relive the glory days of Frogger, Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition is available for 10 dollars on PSN, 800 Microsoft Points on XBLA and 700 Wii Points on the Wii Shop Channel.

On the Download: Steam Summer Sale

This week I will again be putting up two editions of On the Download.  Today's post will be all about the Steam Summer Sale.  Tomorrow's post will look at the noteworthy downloadable games to be released this week.  Without any further ado, let us talk the biggest sale of the summer.

The Steam Summer Sale is finally here for everybody to enjoy.  After a few weeks, the good folks at Valve have given them the sale they have been waiting for since the middle of June.  Taking place from July 16 to 22, this sale will see thousands of games go on sale.  From daily deals to community deals, where Steam users can vote on which game to be discounted, to flash deals, short deals that change every few hours, to discounts on the majority of games in Steam's library, there should be a deal for just about anybody.  Some of the most notable deals so far are 75% off Portal 2, Shogun Total War 2, Terraria, Saint's Row 3 and Back to the Future and 50% off Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Ridge Racer: Unbounded and Rayman Origins.  That is only the deals from the first day of this sale, I cannot wait the amazing deals in the week to come.  Better stay tuned to Steam for the next week for all the crazy deals and savings.

Sonic & Mega Man: A Crossover of Epic Proportions

Sorry in advance that there will not be a Hump Day Music this week due to an announcement of epic proportions.  Crossovers are common in video games and comic books.  They answer tons of what if questions fans might have and offer an excellent chance to have the audience of one franchise be exposed to what makes another franchise so great.  Some of the most notable crossovers are Capcom's VS. Series, Super Smack Bros., Alien VS. Predator, the Mario & Sonic games and the recent Pokemon Conquest.  Just in time for the San Diego Comic Con, easily the biggest and most popular comic convention in the world, Archie Comics has announced a crossover that should get any gamer excited.  Across 12 comics, 3 series and 2 franchises, two gaming icons will join forces for the very first time next year.  Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man will team up in this 12 part comic event spanning Sonic, Sonic Universe and Mega Man comics.  This crossover will be handled by Ian Flynn, one of Archie's best writers, and feature the art of Patrick "SPAZ" Spaziante.  Right now, the finer details of this crossover are under lock and key, but more shall be revealed at Archie's Sonic & Mega Man panel at Comic Con this weekend.

As a big fan of both franchises, I am very excited.  I have been reading Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog comics for well over a decade and I did pick up the first seven issues of Archie's Mega Man series, so I do have a history with both series.  Personally, the Sonic comics are my favourite as they deviate from the story of the games and have it govern every story in the comics much like the Mega Man comics.  At the moment, I have not picked up a Sonic comic in months because the grocery store that I would buy my Sonic comics each and every month stopped selling them.  It is a bummer considering the series has really gotten good these last few arches.  I have not picked up a Mega Man comic because I do not like the direction Archie is taking it.  Like I mentioned before, the Mega Man comics followed the games too much with little to no deviation to create it's own identity much like the Sonic comics have.  With this crossover, I am really going to enjoy the new material for Mega Man as it will not be filler or another adaptation of a classic Mega Man game.  Also with Archie's top talents on this project, I know this crossover is in good hands.  While some might saw it is hard to this crossover working because there is not much similar between Sonic and Mega Man, some of the most unlikely crossovers are some of the best.  Just look at Pokemon Conquest for example.  Who would have thought Pokemon and Nobunaga's Ambition would ever work?  No one, but look at how great of a game it turned out to be.  We can speculate all we want, but we will not know for sure until we have the result in our hands.  Right now I just got to say,  great move Archie.  You got this fan excited.

Launch Station: Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure

Another week, another rhythm game for the 3DS.  Last week saw the release of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy from Square Enix, this week sees Sega's offering in Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure.  It seems in the dead of summer, the 3DS is getting some love with a good stream of quality games coming out.  Well it is a good time to be a 3DS owner then as there will be a new game to look forward to almost every week this month.

Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure is a first -and-foremost a rhythm game with puzzle and adventure elements mixed in.  In Rhythm Thief, you play as Raphael, also known as illusive art thief Phantom R.  Raphael is searching for the whereabouts of his father, who went missing a few years ago.  During Raphael's adventures, he runs into a mysterious girl known as Marie and a seemingly resurrected Napoleon Boneparte, who is trying to take over Paris.  The bulk of the story mode has you going from level to level playing a series of rhythm games.  Each and every level in the game has a different rhythm mechanic that uses each part of the 3DS (touch screen, d-pad, face buttons and gyro) to the best of it's abilities.  For Sega aficionados, Rhythm Thief features parodies of past Sega rhythm games such as Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo hidden throughout the game.   Outside of the rhythm game based levels, you are able to travel to various areas in Paris, talk to NPCs, solve puzzles to advance the story, find hidden rhythm games and story branches and use the medals you earn by completing levels to buy mini-games and movie clips from the shop.  Rhythm Thief also features a multi-player mode where you can take on friends in a variety of rhythm challenges and StreetPass functionality that has you challenging the people you StreetPass to beat your high scores and vice versa.

It is great to see for the entire month of July the 3DS release schedule is dominated by third-party games.  Nintendo makes some of the best games on their systems, but the third-party support is what will makes or breaks any system.  So it is nice to see Nintendo step back for the month of July and let other companies take the spotlight on the 3DS.  Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure has been on my radar for awhile.  Everything I have seen and read about the game looks very unique and a lot of fun.  If you want to see for yourself, try the demo on the Nintendo eShop.  It does take a few tries to get use to each levels control scheme, but once you figure out the rhythm the game is a lot of fun.  While I do not plan to pick up Rhythm Thief right away, it is a game that I will eventually pick-up for the 3DS in the near future.  For those looking for another good rhythm game for the 3DS to go along with Theatrhythm, you should definitely considering picking up Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure.

Launch Station: NCAA Football 13

It is that season again.  Time for all the big sports games to all have their annual release.  First up is NCAA Football 13, which releases tomorrow followed by Madden NFL 13 next month and NHL 13 and FIFA 13 both in September.  Sports fans have a busy couple of months if they are planning to buy each EA Sports release.

Being an annual game, NCAA Football is EA Sports' simulation of the insanely popular sport of college football.  While developed by the same studio as Madden, EA Tiburon, NCAA Football has a few subtle differences that make it play different than EA's football juggernaut.  Much like the subtle differences between college and professional football.  The biggest enhancements to the core game of NCAA Football all surrounds the quarterback position.  EA has added over 420 new animations for the quarterback, 20 new quarterback dropback moves, a new passing system and numerous new sack avoidance moves.  The AI on both sides of the line has been improved.  Wide receivers have better awareness, which comes in the way of a little icon above each receiver that shows the player the level of readiness a receiver has as they look for the ball.  On defence, there are no more blind swats as the blockers will have to see the ball before actually making their move.  NCAA Football 13 also sees improvements to presentation, Dynasty mode and the Road to Glory mode.  EA Tiburon has also added the new Heisman Challenge mode, where players choose a previous Heisman Trophy winner and take part in challenges to match his award-winning performances in order to win the Heisman Trophy again.

I do enjoy sports games from time to time, but I have never been a big enough sports fan, other than wrestling, to pick up the game each and every year.  I do not mind picking past entries of sports game as they are much cheaper and play more or less the same or maybe even better than the current games,  but I am not the target audience for many of these sports games, NCAA Football 13 included.  For the gamers that love buying these games each and every year, NCAA Football 13 will be another solid entry in the NCAA Football series.  It will keep sports gamers tided over until Madden hits store shelves in late August.

Bit by Bit: July 1-7

This past week was very good.  Celebrated the birth of my homeland, Canada with friends, plenty of work and plenty of time to play.  It should be another relaxed week, but eventually I will have to start preparing for university this coming September.

Game of the Week
With the summer video game drought, it allows gamers to go back and play games that they may have not got a chance to play during the busy spring and winter months.  For the first time in about a good month or so, I picked up Resident Evil 5 in preparation for Resident Evil 6 coming this October.  I will have to say I had a lot of fun playing Chris Redfield's adventure in Africa even though it is a little more action than survival horror.  During the two hours I played this past week, there was a lot of action sequences and only a few tense moments.  The few tense moments were very enjoyable.  I really enjoyed the slow trek in the mines where the only source of light was this one lantern Chris has to hold.  Not knowing what is exactly in front of you was very tense and got me to jump a few times.  I also enjoyed the fetch quest for four pieces of an amulet, which you needed to use to open up the next part of the marshlands.  It offered a nice change in pace from the almost constant stream of infected enemies that you had to shoot.  The only thing I did not enjoy was the extreme difficulty spike when I had my brother join me to play co-op.  We were playing on normal difficulty and we could not get past the wolves at the beginning of Chapter 2-2.  It got so annoying that I had my brother stop playing so I could at least advance farther than the first few pathways.  Even with my frustrations with the difficulty in co-op, I did have a lot of fun with Resident Evil 5 and hope to play more this coming week because I want to beat the game before Resident Evil 6 comes out.

Most Anticipated Game of the Week
Well it seems to be a Resident Evil themed week as my Most Anticipated Game of the Week is Resident Evil 6.  Actually it is Resident Evil 6 Anthology for PS3.  This amazing collector's edition for Resident Evil 6 has officially confirmed to be coming to Canada so I made sure I pre-ordered it.  The Resident Evil 6 Anthology comes with Resident Evil 6 and digital copies of Resident Evil 1 through 5 all for the amazing price of 90 dollars.  For somebody who only owns Resident Evil 4 for the Wii (one of my brothers actually owns Resident Evil 5 if you were wondering), it is an excellent way to get every core game in the series.  I am going to wait and see what the reviews say about Resident Evil 6 before I decide whether to pick up my pre-order or put my 5 dollars towards my inevitable Wii U purchase.  After hearing some of the impressions of the demo, I may have a little tiny smidgen of doubt it might not turn out well, but I still have hope. At least, I have the Resident Evil 6 Anthology reserved for the first two days of it's release.  Do not get me wrong, I am still looking forward to Resident Evil 6.  I am cautiously optimistic especially considering I going to university this Fall and 90 dollars is a lot of money to spend for a student in one go.

Video of the Week
Well the trend these days seems to bump up the release of every big game.  First, Capcom bumped up Resident Evil 6's release date from November 20 to October 2.  Now Activision has bumped up Transformers: Fall of Cybertron up a week to Tuesday, August 21.  Along with the new release date, Activision dropped a brand new trailer for fans of the Robots in Disguise to drool over and it will make you drool.  Cannot wait to play this game at the end of August.  Now let us step through the Matrix.

Off the Newsstand: Electronic Gaming Monthly Issue 255

One issue removed from EGM's huge red-design, it is time to see if the magazine still feels fresh or fun to read like the first issue of the re-design was.  Mostly, it feels very fresh and very easy to read.  For a while when EGM first came back, it took me a while to read through the 82 pages that made up the new EGM.  It was not an easy magazine to read back then.  Over the past year, it got a little better until now I can breeze through it in a week like I do with Nintendo Power and Game Informer.

Sometimes you can read a good cover story about a game and it does nothing to change your opinion on said game.  The cover story for Medal of Honor: Warfighter was well-done and very informative, but I still do not care for the game itself.  While it is based entirely around the personal stories of these Tier 1 soldiers instead of a globe-trotting Michael Bay style campaign found in most military shooter, Danger Close has to do a little more to get this gamer's attention.  In line with the cover story, the rest of the issue had a few articles about military shooters.  The EGM Interview picked the brain of Tommy Jacob, a lead designer on the Ghost Recon games.  It was a very interesting interview that gives you an inside look at how Red Storm approaches the Ghost Recon series and their style of shooter.  Easily one of the best articles in this issue alongside the EGM Roundtable discussion on Violence in Video Games, another great read.  Issue 255 of EGM serves up the same quality Top 10s, Previews, Reviews and Commentary pieces that you have come to know and love.  All around a solid issue of EGM.

It did not blow me away like the issue before it, but Issue 255 of EGM was a solid read.  Unless you are a huge fan of military shooters, you can easily skip this issue and not miss much.  I do say that gamers should go out of their way to at least read the EGM Interview with Tommy Jacob and the EGM Roundtable on Video Game Violence.  Two excellent articles that deserved to be read by all.

On the Download: July 1-7

It has been one busy Thursday for the video game industry.  I turned on the computer today and was bombarded with at least four big news stories.  Two of these stories relate to my weekly post on the newest downloadable games.  First, Capcom and Marvel are joining forces again to bring both Marvel Super Heroes and the original Marvel vs. Capcom to XBLA and PSN this coming September in the Marvel vs. Capcom Origins.  Next story is Sega's announcement that their iconic flying platformer from the Sega Saturn, Nights into Dreams will be getting a HD remake for XBLA and PSN releasing this Fall.  Two big games you will definitely see me covering here in On the Download come their release.

July 5th marked the start of Nintendo's 8-Bit Summer initiative  on the Nintendo eShop.  Throughout the month of July, there will be two new 3DS Virtual Console games released on the eShop each week. The first two games released for the 8-Bit Summer are The Legend of Zelda and NES Open Tournament Golf.  Both games were released to the 3DS Ambassadors just under a year ago for the NES wave of free games.  For those who already own these games for the 3DS, you are able to update them, which adds the restore points feature found in all other Virtual Console games among a few other upgrades.  If you are not a 3DS Ambassador, you are able to pick up these NES games for 5 dollars each.

Made by two people, Spelunky was originally released free for the PC in 2008.  Spelunky is a 2D platformer where you journey through ever-randomizing levels on your way to the end of the game.  This week an HD version of Spelunky has been released exclusively for XBLA.  While Spelunky HD does have more polished animated graphics than the PC original, it is not a mere port.  Spelunky HD has new graphics, music, weapons, items, monsters, traps, zones and secrets for gamers to experience.  Spelunky HD has also been tailor-made for the 360 controller as the controls are much smoother and easier to get use to than in the original.  Even though the levels are completely randomized, you are able to navigate the levels any way you want.  Also each level is fully-destructible.  You can compete with gamers across the world with online leaderboards or through Spelunky HD's Deathmatch multi-player mode.  Spelunky HD's Deathmatch plays a lot like a platformer version of Bomberman as you use weapons and other items, possibly even bombs, to take out your opponents in small little arenas.  If you want to play Deathmatch alone, you can play against AI bots.  Also you are able to play through the entire game with co-operatively with three other players.  Spelunky HD can be picked up on XBLA for 1200 Microsoft Points for those interested in picking it up.

Hump Day Music: Panic Puppet Zone

Somedays, it is hard for me to come up with a piece of video game music I want to share.  It really depends on what music I am listening to at the time and what I want to talk about.  There are excellent tracks I have been holding back so I do not share only music from the same games because if you notice there are certain game franchises that I love a lot of music from.  Mega Man, Castlevania, Phoenix Wright, Metroid and Mario are just a few examples.  As I scoured Youtube to find a piece of music to highlight in this edition of Hump Day Music, I stumbled upon a track that may not have originally heard.  From Sonic 3D Blast, it is the Panic Puppet Zone theme.

I do not believe many have played and/or completed Sonic 3D Blast.  Personally, I have never made the time to sit down and actually get past the third zone in the game.  Sonic 3D Blast is not the greatest game in the Sonic series, but it is definitely not the worst.  It is a mediocre affair that many gamers have most likely stayed clear of in favour of the classic 2D Sonic games for the Sega Genesis.  Considering a fair number of gamers missed out on a really good piece of video game music in the Panic Puppet Zone theme.  The Panic Puppet Zone is the final zone in Sonic 3D Blast and has the best theme in the game.  When I think of Sonic 3D Blast, I honestly think of the music to Panic Puppet Zone.  It is the only piece of music from the game that made such a lasting impression on me.  Funny considering I never managed to play the final level of Sonic 3D Blast.  I know I heard it sometime before I played Sonic Adventure as I could tell that the Twinkle Park theme was remixed from a past Sonic game.  This theme packs everything needed for the final level of a game.  The beat is fast and furious, the track is very frantic, which in turn psyches the player up to complete the game and the track has a memorable tune that will stick in your head for days, weeks, possibly months.  The Panic Puppet Zone theme is a truly underrated Sonic theme due to the fact many gamers did not play much of Sonic 3D Blast.  If you ever played Twinkle Park in Sonic Adventure and could not stop blobbing your head to the beat, you should definitely listen to the original track that spawned that great remix.

Hump Day Video: Downloadable Cast

Yesterday was an incredibly slow day for the video game industry.  Yes, it was new release day, but other than Theatrhythm Final Fantasy for the 3DS no other new game was noteworthy.  Most of the gaming community did not care for The Secret World, EA and Funcom's new MMORPG, and Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends, the newest entry in Atari's Test Drive series.  With no big release and no real motivation to do I post, I decided to put out two posts today.  Two posts that should help you get over the hump that is Wednesday.  First up is the Hump Day Video that you are reading followed by Hump Day Music just a little later.

Jirard Khalil is The Completionist.  As The Completionist, Jirard reviews games in a different way.  Giving games a rating of if somebody should take the time to actually complete the game or not.  You can catch Jirard's content on his Youtube page, ThatOneVideoGamer or on Screwattack.  It was actually through Screwattack that I started to watch Jirard's videos and subscribe to his Youtube page.  One of Jirard's newest projects is a weekly video podcast called the Downloadable Cast (DLC for short).  During this weekly podcast, which is recorded live in front of a live audience on Twitch TV, Jirard and a co-host, be it his partner in crime Greg Wilmot or a special guest, discuss big topics in the gaming industry.  Out of the three podcasts so far, my favourite has to be the lastest one as they discuss the future of Nintendo.  While you may not agree with each opinion, I know I have not always, it is a great one hour discussion that really hit some great points about Nintendo's immediate future.  If you have the time, watch the video provided below.  If you enjoy this video, watch all of Jirard's other videos and possibly subscribe to his Youtube page to show you support from great original content.

Launch Station: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy is a video game franchise that has been renowned for its' incredible music.  So much in fact that  there are concerts dedicated to the music and anthologies of CDs that fans look for.  One Winged Angel, the Chocobo theme and the Victory theme are just a short list of incredible music that has been produced for the Final Fantasy series.  Tomorrow, there will be a game that will allow gamers to experience the music of Final Fantasy in a whole new way as Theatrhythm Final Fantasy releases for the Nintendo 3DS.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is a rhythm game spin-off in the Final Fantasy series.  The gods Chaos and Cosmos have disrupted the music crystal in a place called Rhythm.  It is now up to heroes from the Final Fantasys I to XIII to increase the output of the music wave known as Rhythpo in order to restore the crystal in Rhythm.  The player is able to choose a party of four Final Fantasy characters.  Some characters you can choose are Cecil from Final Fantasy IV, Cloud from Final Fantasy VII, Squall from Final Fantasy VIII and Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII.  There is a level for each game in the main Final Fantasy series.  Each level has three stages that highlights a different song from the corresponding game.  The three stages from each level are a Field stage, a Battle stage and a Event Stage with the option to play through the opening and ending themes of each level.  The gameplay is very similar to Nintendo's Elite Beat Agents for the DS, where you tap and swipe the touch screen in the correct spot in order to keep in time with the beat of the song.  After completing each stage, your characters will gain more experience and level up.  As you play through the Theatrhythm, you will unlock bonus songs to play along with bonus movies as well.  Theatrhyhtm also features varying difficulties, a Challenge mode and a Chaos Tower mode to keep gamers busy playing this game for weeks and possibly even months on end.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy looks like an incredible amount of fan service.  Anybody who loves the music that has been produced for the Final Fantasy series these last 25 years will definitely want to pick up this Final Fantasy themed rhythm game.  When it was first announced, Theatrhytm looked interesting, but nothing really worthwhile.  The more I have seen of it, the more I believe Theatrhythm Final Fantasy could be a considerable third-party hit for the 3DS and rightfully so.  It is a game I will eventually pick up someday for my 3DS.