Tag: Square Enix

AJ’s 2021 E3/Nintendo Direct & September PlayStation Showcase Roundup

Sorry for the delay in posting the usual June E3 news but I (like so many others) was waiting on Sony to get with the program and give the fans at least some idea of what they can expect to get excited about over the next year or two. Well, a year later Covid-19 still wouldn't take a hint and kindly flock off so this year's E3 event still wasn't the typical show everyone is used to. It was back, though, online only and rebranded as the "Electronic Entertainment Experience", but I'll always take some kind of a show over no show at all.

Microsoft and Bethesda got things going with their first E3 press conference as one singular industry titan. Followed shortly after by Nintendo, who did their now-standard E3 Nintendo Direct presentation. Sony, however, decided it was too cool for school, skipped E3 altogether and waited till just this month to hold their own upcoming releases showcase. But now that we've heard from all 3 players, I can finally round up the highlights for you.

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AJ’s Upcoming Gaming Releases Roundup – 2020 Edition

Now that my Games of the Year list is behind me, I can start looking forward to this year. There are a lot of exciting new offerings on the horizon for 2020, some of which will begin releasing fairly soon. A few upcoming titles, however, have already been delayed and may, perhaps be delayed further. But regardless of when they all arrive, this should still certainly be a very entertaining year. As per my usual MO (in case you hadn't caught on yet), I've decided to lay out the top 12 highlights, along with the most current release information I have. Enjoy. Read more

AJ’s Picks: The 12 Best Games of 2019

Happy 2020! It's a new year once again (and a new decade as well), and that means it's time for another round-up of the best games from the previous 12 months. 2019 was another amazing 365 days of great games to play. So many great games, in fact, that narrowing down my choices to merely a select 12 proved particularly difficult this time around. In the end though, I was able to get it done, and now feel sufficiently confident in my selections. I hope you will too. So without further ado, I humbly present, my picks for the 12 best games of 2019.

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AJ’s E3 2019 Roundup

Well, the 2019 Electronic Entertainment Expo wrapped up a few days ago and it was definitely a memorable one for quite a few reasons. There was plenty of exciting news from the world of video games, as well as the typical head-scratcher or two. As with most E3s, there were far too many games shown and announcements made to possibly be able to cover everything in a single post, so I went ahead and condensed it down to a more easily digestible dozen for you. So without further ado, here are the top 12 highlights I have selected that were either unveiled or reconfirmed at the event.

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The PlayStation Portable: A 12-Year Anniversary Retrospective

Well, today marks the 12th anniversary of the North American release of the PlayStation Portable. It's kind of hard to believe it's already been 12 years since Sony decided to enter the portable fray. In honor of the 12th anniversary, it only seems fitting to take a look back at the handheld console and talk about twelve of the greatest games to ever appear on it.

The PSP debuted in the US on March 24, 2005. The first real competitor to a Nintendo handheld since Sega's Game Gear (10 years earlier), the PlayStation Portable quickly positioned itself as a sleek and sexy alternative to the clunkier chunkier Nintendo DS. The PSP actually had a lot going for it: better graphics, a superior form factor, millions of ardent Sony fans, and a wealth of great games. It also had a few stumbles which were almost all hardware-related: screen issues on certain models, the decision to use prohibitively expensive proprietary memory cards, not to mention the incredibly unpopular PSP Go.

All in all though, the PSP was a pretty incredible little machine. Did I mention the great games? Let's delve into that further, shall we? Here are 12 shining examples of the best gaming experiences the PlayStation Portable had to offer:

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Nier: Automata – Early Impressions

So I picked up Nier: Automata on release day without any prior experience with the Drakengard series or Nier. I had paid it mild attention when I started seeing early footage and then it went largely forgotten, lost behind my growing backlog of games yet to be played. When I started seeing footage of pre-release reviews and very early first impressions I began seeing what was so intriguing again. Then I learned that this game was being made by Platinum Games - I had all but decided this was going to be next on my list. Read more

Some Good Stuff is Coming

With the end of #4if approaching quickly I was curious about what to do next. So I was looking at some article suggestions on our boards and one of those was the question of: Are there any games you're looking forward to in the near future? And I thought to myself, "Self, there are games you're looking forward to, you should write about that." Read more

New PlayStation Store Releases: Back to the Future!

So, Back to the Future day is nearly upon us! October 21, 2015, to be precise. If you've seen the movies (hopefully everybody has), you should remember that as the date that Marty and Doc time-travel to when they visit the future in Back to the Future Part II.

Although mankind has seen many cool technological advancements since that 1989 film was released, it's a shame we still don't have hover cars or hoverboards. Or power laces and smart jackets, for that matter. No Jaws 19, either (though that one's probably for the best).

Crazy as it may seem, there is one prediction that might just prove to be true (sort of). In the movie, a hologram billboard congratulates the Chicago Cubs on winning the 2015 World Series by sweeping Miami. Well, it just so happens that the Cubs actually made it to the playoffs this year! Not only did they make it, but they also just won their Division Series, and now advance to the National League Championship for the first time since 2003!

They may not be facing Miami in the World Series (not only because Miami didn't make it to the playoffs, but also because they are both in the same league and couldn't play each other in the World Series anyway), but should the impossible occur, and the Cubs win it all this year, it would be nothing short of legendary. (It is important to note that the Cubs haven't won the World Series since 1908.)

Anyway, presumably in honor of the fast-approaching date, (as well as the 30th anniversary of the original movie) Telltale Games has released an updated version of Back to the Future: The Game for the PlayStation 4. The 30th Anniversary Edition now allows you to play the game with the character of Biff Tannen voiced by the actual movie actor, Thomas F Wilson. Play it on October 21st, as you cheer the Cubs on (hopefully, to a decisive victory) in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.

Also out this week, a hack-and-slash Dragon Quest game, Wasteland 2, and the next entry in the World Rally Championship racing series. "I wish I could go back to the beginning of the season and put some money on the Cubbies." Proceed further to see more of this week's new releases.

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New Steam Store Releases: Soma

One of the most talked-about games to hit the Steam Store this week is Frictional Games' underwater sci-fi horror title, Soma. The game looks to be a bit like Amnesia meets BioShock, which is interesting enough in itself. On top of that, it seems like the story might be worth the price of admission, alone. I don't know about you, but I will definitely be checking this one out at some point.

Also new this week, Blood Bowl 2, a (so far) pretty tepidly-received enhanced port of Final Fantasy V, and an epically crazy sci-fi twin stick shooter called Assault Android Cactus. Talk about a dark descent, then proceed further to see more of this week's new releases.

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