Launch Station: Persona 4 Arena

The Persona series is a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei, a big franchise of RPGs which focuses on summoning demons.  Persona focuses on the many different groups of teenagers to summon a special side of their psyche known as a Persona to fight demons.  From a series that has established itself in the RPG genre, it is surprising to see Atlus create a fighting game based off the fourth and currently final entry in the Persona series.  Employing Arc System Works, the team behind both Guilty Gear and BlazBlue fighting game series, Atlus might have the right team to transition Persona from RPG to fighting game successfully.

Persona 4 Arena takes place two months after the end of Persona 4.  A mysterious fighting tournament has started in TV World, a realm that in the Persona universe runs parallel to our world, and characters from both Persona 3 and 4 are trapped fighting in it.  By playing through the story mode for each character, you will solve who is running this mysterious fighting tournament and how can these characters escape.  Unlike the latest entries in Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom that have embraced 3D models, Persona 4 Arena sticks with gorgeous high definition 2D sprites with incredible amount of hand-drawn animation and stages.  While in a fight, characters are able to fight on their own with their fists or call upon their Persona to assist them.  Combining your own physical attacks with assists from your Persona can prolong combos and be the difference between winning or losing.  Like in many other fighting games, players are able to execute special attacks and defend from opponent's attacks for prolonged periods of time.  To inhibit players from spamming these moves and techniques, special moves and guarding are limited by the Persona 4 Arena's Burst Gauge.  Persona 4 Arena also includes both offline and online multi-player for players to challenge friends and absolute strangers to one-on-one fights.

Personally, I have never played any of the Persona games so I am not too familiar with the series to get excited for a Persona fighting game.  For fans of Persona or fighting game fans in general, Persona 4 Arena looks like a solid fighting game that will satisfy your Persona and/or fighting needs.  I will say it is pretty cool yet risky decision for Atlus to take Persona from its' RPG roots and make it a fighting game.  One decision that I personally would like to see succeed.

Hump Day Music: Mortal Kombat!!!

I have been in a fighting game mood as of late, all thanks to my purchase of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 last Friday.  While I am playing it quite a bit, there has not been a piece of music that has jumped out me like Ken's theme from Street Fighter, Take You For a Ride from Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and the theme I am going to highlight.  Easily the most iconic fighting game theme of all-time.  It literally will have you screaming the name of the game at the top of your lungs.  It is time for MORTAL KOMBAT!!!

Midway's classic fighting game from the early 1990s easily ranked high in the eyes of many children of time due to it's gratuitous amounts of blood and violence.  I remember when I was younger being in awe of the insane 16-bit violence, but I never saw it anything more than a great fighting game.  I never had the urge to try any of the humanly impossible Fatalities on anybody outside of the game like many politicians and video game activists would have you believe.  While the violence did make Mortal Kombat remembered in the annals of video game history, it is the game's theme that has stuck with me all these years.  This impactful theme grabs you from the very beginning and never lets go.  The electronic beat that underlines the entire piece will get you pumped up in no time.  From "Test Your Might" to running down the names of the entire roster, the very basic and repetitive lyrics will have you singing or it would be better to say yelling along.  Every time I hear the chorus, it makes me want to yell Mortal Kombat as loud as I can.  Let us see if you will test your might and listen to the Mortal Kombat theme.

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.

On the Download: April 22-28

A little later than usual.  It was a busy Thursday, so got to double up today.  Right now is your weekly dose of On the Download and much later today another edition of Off the Newsstand will be up.  Just been reading a lot of magazines between work, blogging and free time.  While this week's On the Download is not as packed as last week, there are things for console, handheld and smartphone/tablet gaming will enjoy this week.  In a trade-off for no new eShop release, Nintendo 3DS owners got a system update this past Wednesday.  With the update, you can now create folders to organize all the apps and games on your 3DS, download patches and updates for retail games and a nice little re-design of the Nintendo eShop, which makes it a little easier to navigate.  If you have not downloaded it already, make sure you download it after reading On the Download.

Well Capcom did not listen to me when Soul Calibur came to iOS and I said fighting games do not work on iOS as they have just re-released Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for iOS.  Considered one of the best, most popular and intricate fighting games in video game history, it is hard to think of playing Marvel vs. Capcom 2 with a touch screen, but no matter what we say Capcom has done it.  Marvel vs. Capcom 2 has been optimized for iOS tablets and mobile devices featuring everything you will find in any previous release in arcades and on consoles.  Exclusive for the iOS release, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 features local multi-player through Bluetooth and a new control feature called the Flick Button, which makes it easier to pull off complex moves with the touch controls.  If you are a Marvel vs. Capcom superfan or really want an inexpensive fighting game for your tablet or mobile device, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for iOS will be a perfect purchase especially at the current sale price of 3 dollars.  If you like playing fighting games will actual controllers, better stick to Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for XBLA and PSN.

Since resurrecting the Monkey Island series for Tales of Monkey Island, Telltale Games has become known for creating great adventure games for this generation of gamers.  Telltale's newest episodic adventure game project is a game adaptation of popular zombie comic and TV show, The Walking Dead. Unlike typical zombie games such as Left 4 Dead and Resident Evil, The Walking Dead is more focused on character development and emotion than action and extreme tension.  The Walking Dead: The Game puts players in control of a whole new character in The Walking Dead universe by the name of Lee Everett.  Lee is a convicted criminal who is given a second chance at life after the zombie outbreak.  In a world where the undead are walking the Earth and the remaining humans have gone insane trying to keep themselves alive, protecting a orphaned girl by the name of Clementine might be Lee's only chance a t redemption is this hell on Earth.  Telltale has tried out some new features with their Walking Dead adventure game.  These features include having the actions and choice you make in each episode affect how your story plays out throughout the entire series and a time limit for making decisions in order to further immerse the player into story.  Currently you can pick up the first episode, "A New Day" on XBLA, PSN, PC and Mac, but it will be later available for iOS as well.  New episodes will release each month up to the fifth and final episode.  If you enjoy Telltale Games other adventures or love The Walking Dead, Telltales new game will definitely be a great download.  You can find individual episodes on XBLA and PSN for 5 dollars with a Season Pass running you 19 dollars.  For PC and/or Mac users, you will only be able to pick up a Season Pass which will cost you 25 dollars.

Vita Wednesday: Third-Party Launch Titles

Welcome the second and final Vita Wednesday.  Last week, we took a look at Sony's three biggest offerings for their new handheld.  This week we are taking a look at the three biggest offerings from the third party publishers like Ubisoft, Capcom and EA.  If you look at the majority of the games launching with the Vita from third-party publishers land in one of two categories.  They are either a port of a recently released console game or a portable entry of an existing franchise that does not do much to make itself stand out from other entries in the series much like Dynasty Warriors Next and Touch My Katamari.  While I personally wanted to stay away from highlighting one of these two categories in this Vita Wednesday post, I will have to due to the lack of anything relatively new released at launch for the Vita.

Just as Street Fighter launched with the Nintendo 3DS, another Capcom fighter launches with the PlayStation Vita.  This time around Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 gets the portable treatment.  As the definitive version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 includes 12 new characters, new modes, new stages, re-balanced gameplay and a more robust online mode.  Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 for the Vita has all the modes and features that the console game has with one new mode exclusive to the Vita.  This mode is Touch Mode.  In Touch Mode, you control your fighter through tapping and swiping the touch screen.  If you are looking for a great fighting game for your Vita, no doubt Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is your game.

From the ever-creative mind of Michel Ancel, Rayman Origins landed on consoles with not much of a splash.  Released in the middle of the insane holiday season, this great platformer was fed to the dogs as juggernauts like Modern Warfare 3, Skyrim and Assassin's Creed dominated the last quarter of 2011.  Sad considering Rayman Origins is in my opinion much better game than those just listed.  If you missed out on Rayman Origins back during the holidays, Ubisoft has brought the lovably limbless hero to the launch of the PS Vita.  This Vita version of Rayman Origins has all the features of its big console brother with a few additions exclusive to Sony's next generation handheld.  Rayman Origins for the Vita has a Ghost Mode, which uses the Vita's Near functionality to receive ghost data from friends and race them in game.  Also Rayman Origins for the Vita features touch controls for the game.  With Rayman Origins coming to a handheld near you, it would be foolish to miss out on this excellent platformer yet again.

At the launch of the PSP, there was one game that caught the eyes and ears of all who played it.  It proved to many the potential of the PSP and quickly became it's killer app.  This game was called Lumines, a puzzle game similar to Tetris that perfectly blended music and rhythm with addictive block-dropping action.  Seven years later, Lumines graces the launch of the Sony's newest handheld with Lumines: Electronic Symphony.  Playing with the title, Electronic Symphony features a soundtrack filled with great electronic music.  Electronic Symphony is more focused on straight arcade puzzle action as you vie for the high score and then upload to online leaderboards.  New to Lumines, Electronic Symphony includes avatars that can gain experience, level up and has abilities that can be used to improve your score.   If you are looking to play with others, Electronic Symphony has online multiplayer.  Like every Vita game, Electronic Symphony has touch controls that can be used instead of the d-pad and face buttons.  For all the puzzle game fans out there, Lumines: Electronic Symphony is a game you should not miss if you pick up a Vita.

Hump Day Music: Cornered 2001

OBJECTION!  TAKE THAT!  Words that any seasoned Ace Attorney knows like the back of their hand. Japanese gamers had these glorious courtroom adventure games for a long time before it landed here in North America on the Nintendo DS.  Since then the Ace Attorney games have become cult classics with the star of these games, Phoenix Wright becoming gaming icon.  Phoenix Wright is so popular that Capcom added the defense attorney as a new fighter in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.  Speaking of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, for the past few days I have been listening to Phoenix Wright's theme from the game so I decided to bump Hump Day Music up a day.  Also I wanted to talk about the new Club Nintendo games that were supposed to be announced today, but considering that at this very moment they are not I decided to move it to tomorrow.

Like last week with the Castlevania series, there are plenty of tracks for the Ace Attorney series that I will definitely highlight in future editions of Hump Day Music.  Today, I would like to present you one of my favourite tracks from the series.  It is from the original Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney for the Nintendo DS  and plays right when you have suspect on cross examination on the ropes so to speak.  It gets your blood pumping as you continue your courtroom battle to prove your client is not guilty.  It is Cornered 2001.