Toyz Review: Revoltech Yamaguchi Vash The Stampede

If I recount my experiences with Japanese Animation, there have been several shows over the years that have impacted and influenced me a great deal. There'd be too many to list down if I started going through each and everyone of them, but fortunately, in relation to today's post, I'm going to concentrate on one anime in particular - Trigun. A futuristic space western tale set on the planet Gunsmoke, this series was the brainchild of one Yasuhirow Nightow, who wrote and illustrated the original manga before it was adapted for TV. Focusing on the story of a man known as "Vash The Stampede", Trigun follows the fellow's adventures, as he evades danger and save lives at the same time. However, his presence alone inadvertedly causes so much destruction and chaos, and one particular incident in his past left an entire city in ruins. As a result, Vash now has a big bounty placed on his head, leaving him constantly on the run from the law and the badguys who want to kill him! I could go on and on about how silly, cool and exciting this series is, but I'd best leave that for curious eyes to see for themselves. Just check out the intro to this classic and see what I mean.

Trigun Intro
Now that I've talked about the show, it's time to get to the heart of this post - a review on the newest toy based on Vash and out for the collectible to buy and share with the world. I'm talking about none other than Revoltech Yamaguchi's Vash The Stampede action figure, and by golly, it's an amazing toy that is a must have for the definite Trigun fan! Why do I say this? Because this baby packs several swappable parts and interchangeable pieces, not to mention a body full of poseability, articulation, and action! Take a look!

Ok, now that I've squealed and ranted about the figure in a positive light, I'll move on to a detailed review of it now.At first glance, The Revoltech Yamaguchi Vash (designated "Series No. 091") can look deceptively small, especially with the way it's positioned inside the box. True, no one knows exactly how a figure's gonna fare out to them unless they open it, but in this case, many may make the mistake of immediately passing on what is already proven to be a top-selling figure. I picked this cool dude up a week ago, and I'm still in disbelief that it's going hot like donuts.

Vash is packaged inside a white box with a see through plastic screen that exposes the toy and its numerous parts inside. The figure itself is positioned in the center, with its legs spread out and the upper body hunched to make it fit inside the packaging. Like I said, it makes the figure look smaller than it should be. That's a matter of perception though, and anyone who needs their doubts dispelled can easily check the various poses pictured at the back of the packaging to get an idea just how articulated and tall this figure can be.

Once I opened this baby, I could very well see how much the Revoltech line has grown considerably since its early iterations all those years ago. Articulation and detail have been the prevailing points for the Yamaguchi line of figures, and no expense was spared in crafting a fine and well sculpted Vash The Stampede, based on his appearance on the recent Trigun movie: Badlands Rumble, which debuted in Japan last end of April. This particular look of Mr. Humanoid Typhoon looks more like a hybrid of his Manga and Anime appearance, with more emphasis on the former for the extra details he gets on his suit. That's probably a good thing, and getting the best of both worlds is great for me.

I took the guy out of the plastic and started fiddling with the various joints and accessories. Keep in mind, Revoltech prides itself in interchangeability and variation, so there's A LOT of ways to play and make Vash look extremely cool. The only gripe I have is that his .45 is stuck in the one right hand accessory it is attached to, meaning he can't use the gun on the left one. A minor quirk, yes, but I would have loved to switch and play with his main gun accessory.

The left arm is actually a prosthetic that conceals a machine gun inside, which can be interchanged again with the one left hand exposing and using said gun. Fancy stuff to play around with different concepts here, but I prefer Vash holding and posing with his .45 while seated on a damaged concrete surface.

Ok, now that I've pointed out the main stuff, all that's left to critique is the paint. I choose well and hard over two other pieces of this figure, and being mass produced, paint is an issue that must be carefully addressed before picking up a Revoltech figure. Some of the other Vashs has paint chips and smears, but I got lucky plucking out a good one. Also, with the numerous pegs and accessories coming along with this figure, it's easy to lose track or misplace these items, so Revoltech was nice enough to include a small mini orange box just to store said items, only with the used ones, plastic stands, and explosive peripherals unaccounted for. Be sure to handle the figure with care, as the tight joints may loosen over time or with excessive play and use.

Bottomline, while I already have a Vash figure with the McFarlene release, I love this rendition a lot more and am very pleased with having it. As a big fan of the character and Trigun, I couldn't pass this guy up when I saw it out at my local hobby shop. As I mentioned earlier, this figure is going fast, and there's no doubt why that's so. He's just too cool to be missed, and even if he's a pacifist gunslinger who advocates no killing, he has a heart of gold and a mission of love and peace, which makes him an awesome hero in my book.

Rating - 5/5

Captain America Update: Tommy Lee Jones Cast As Col. Chester Philips

In order to make the man, you have to recruit the man.

And that's what Marvel Studios did when they hired Oscar Award winning actor Tommy Lee Jones to join the cast of next year's hotly anticipated superhero flick - Captain America: The First Avenger!

As reported in Marvel.com, the man who has played several iconic roles in films such as Men In Black, Space Cowboys, and The Fugitive, has now been confirmed officially in taking on the role of US Army Colonel Chester Phillips, who was the man who recruited a young and feeble looking Steve Rogers into the secret US Army experiment known as "Project: Rebirth". According to Marvel, the character will be updated to reflect the changes in the film adaptation of the classic Cap origin story, and Tommy Lee Jones' presence just adds more fuel to this already superb superstar line-up of actors in the movie, which includes Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/ Captain America and Hugo Weaving as The Red Skull. For more info, check out Marvel.com.

Captain America: The First Avenger bursts into theaters in July 22, 2011!

KOF XIII Update: Adding New Tweaks To The Competition!

It's been a while since I've heard any word on The King Of Fighters XIII, but all that changes with these neat looking Technical Video Chapters released by the folks from SNK Playmore, giving players some more insight as to what to expect from the new entry to the series. As the latest installment that promises to conclude the Ash Crimson saga, KOF XIII removes some of the last game's gameplay elements, such as the Critical Counter System, but delivers some new tweaks in its place, such as EX Moves ala Street Fighter IV, and the return of the Multi Power Gauge, as well as adding Drive Cancels, aka Super Cancels. For a taste of things, check out Chapter 1 and 2 of the Technical Reference Videos Here!

KOF XIII Technical Reference Chapter 1 Video

KOF XIII Technical Reference Chapter 2 Video
Looking good, eh? With console releases to follow shortly, KOF XIII will first make its mark when it gets released on arcades in Japan this July 14.

Superman/ Batman: Apocalypse Is Coming!

Back when it was released last year, Superman/ Batman: Public Enemies was a hit I'll say, and being a Warner Bros Animated Feature, I would expect no less from the guys behind Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited. As an adaptation of the story arc of the same name that ran through the first 6 issues of the comic book series, it wasn't exactly faithful to the source material it was based on thanks to the different scenes and ending, but it still had the punch and charisma so many fans and devotees of the DC Animated Shows have been looking for, not to mention excellent artwork and voice casting that continues to be a trademark success of WB animated features. Now, with so many new projects down the line which includes a new Batman animated movie next month called "Under The Hood", I was wondering what Warner Bros. next DC animated project could be. Well, SuperheroHype gave me the answer when I checked on updates on their website, and it's something I am already excited to see when it gets released!

Yes, Jeph Loeb and the late great Michael Turner's Superman/ Batman story is going to get the animated treatment! Based on the second S/B story arc that introduced the new Supergirl into mainstream DC Continuity, this animated feature will be called "Superman/ Batman: Apocalypse", and will see release for Blu-Ray and DVD on September 28 this year... which is about a year since Superman/ Batman: Public Enemies was released! Can't wait for this one, and it's gonna include a Green Arrow short! If you're a fan of DCAU, you must look out for this one!

Loving Super Mario Bros. Crossover!

Have any of you heard of this wonderful game called Super Mario Bros. Crossover? You haven't? Well, you should, especially if you're a fan of all things Nintendo and classic side scroller platform action! I got word of this Flash based game a couple of months back when news caught on of this superb flash project that was readily available to play, for free, at Newgrounds.com. Since then, a lot of people have tried it out, and the feedback has been absolutely amazing, with several fans and converts desperately seeking an official release for this game alone! Yeah, it's truly a must try piece of fan software, and here's how it looks like:

Yeah, that's old school NES Box Art style... with a twist that's so awesome and epic at the same time! There's a reason why it's called Super Mario Bros. Crossover, and you see it right here! Joining the famous plumber in his adventures to save the Mushroom Kingdom and Princess Peach are none other that Link from The Legend Of Zelda, Samus from Metroid, Bill from Contra, Simon Belmont from Castlevania, and Megaman! Now, you'd be wondering how they'd play if the gameplay in Super Mario is substantially different when compared to their respective games. Fear not! Every ability you remember, from Simon's whip to Megaman's Megabuster, is still intact, and it's done and adjusted in a manner that fits well into this game's environment. For example, when these guys pick up a mushroom or flower, their abilities enhance according to what power-ups or upgrades they received from their own games. Bill gets a machine gun when he picks up a mushroom, while Samus upgrades into her Metroid armor when she power-up. Amazing game, I tell you, and now a new member has joined this ragtag cast of NES heroes - Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa himself! I tried him out, and the sucker plays EXACTLY the same as he did in his own games in the NES! Truly an epic piece, and we have programmer Jay Pavlina of Exploding Rabbit to thank for this work of art!

Super Mario Bros. Crossover can be played over at the game's official site! Go and visit, and relive classic old school NES action with a bang!

Remembering The King Of Pop...

It's been one full year since we lost the King Of Pop, but his music still lives on in our hearts. No amount of words can express how much the entire world misses him, but we do what we can to remember the great things he did during his lifetime, with exceptional songs leaving an everlasting impression on us all, such as this personal favorite of mine.


R.I.P Michael Jackson. Your music will live on forever.

The Women Of Marvel Covers!

O-La-La, I've stumbled upon some impressive variant covers from the House Of Ideas at Newsarama! To celebrate their fabulous femme fatales month, Marvel is spotlighting some of the hottest vixens from their impressive inventory of heroes, villains, and hotties! Check it out!

Mary Jane Watson
Black Widow
Ms. Marvel
Pepper Potts/ Rescue
Emma Frost
Gorgeous is one way to describe these covers. Look out for these in the coming months at a comic shop near you!

Bruce Willis Kicks Ass In The New Red Trailer!

Yahoo! Movies has posted up the first trailer of Bruce Willis' newest movie, Red! Based on the DC comic book series of the same name by Warren Ellis and Cilly Hamner, Bruce plays the part of Frank Moses, a former CIA Black-Ops agent who has quietly retired to a more private life. However, when a high-tech assassin starts hunting him and threatens someone he loves, Moses reassembles his old team in a last ditch effort to survive. Directed by Robert Schwentke, Red also stars Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Karl Urban, Mary-Louise Parker, and Brian Cox. Check out the trailer!

Red Movie Trailer
Red opens October 15 later this year!

Happy 19th Birthday, Sonic The Hedgehog!

Back in my early gaming years, I was more of a Sega guy than a Super NES player during the infamous 16-Bit "Console Wars" generation. It wasn't just because I owned a Mega Drive console (my cousin had a SNES I could play as well); the line-up of games SEGA chugged on back then were pretty impressive, and titles like Altered Beast, Bare Knuckle, Shinobi, Spider-Man vs The Kingpin, and even a port of Street Fighter II already kept me happy as can be. However, anyone who owned a Mega Drive or Genesis can attest to the fact that there was one game in the list that was easily a MUST PLAY title. I'm sure those who bought a Genesis the first time got this packed along with the machine. This game's arguably synonymous with the system itself!

Yes, Today is the 19th year anniversary of the release of the original Sonic The Hedgehog game for the Sega Mega Drive/ Genesis, and conversely, it's also Sonic The Hedgehog's birthday! That's right, everybody's favorite little blue hedgehog celebrates almost two decades of existence, and it's hard to believe that it all started in 1991, turning into a lucrative franchise that has persisted through several generations of console platforms. To celebrate this occasion in gaming history, this post will be all about how I remember the heroic freedom fighter, and how much he meant to me then, as well as now.

In many ways, Sonic was Sega's answer to Nintendo's Mario, only that instead of relying on headjumps and mushrooms, this guy excelled using his most famous asset - his speed, to conquer evil and take back his home planet Mobius from the evil reign of Dr. Robotnik (Dr. Eggman in Japan). Controlling and playing the character was similar to any Mario game sure, but there were obvious differences. He collected rings that served as his extended "lifebar", and roamed around several zones to fight and free his roboticized friends, as well as face Robotnik numerous times. That was how I remembered playing Sonic for the most part, and the game's success spawned several sequels on the Genesis, earning him a sidekick and more allies in the fight to free Mobius from tyranny. Sonic 2 was actually my favorite in the series, but the first game also holds a special place in my list, especially with its awe-inspiring soundtrack. Ah 16-Bit music, how I missed you.

Sonic The Hedgehog Gameplay
Besides his "way past cool" attitude, what I enjoyed about Sonic was the thrill of playing the character and experiencing his adventures hand-on. Apart from the sequels that followed in the Genesis, more titles eventually popped up as Sega began producing more powerful consoles to further their evolution in the gaming industry. Probably the other Sonic series I appreciated the most was the Sonic Adventure games for the Dreamcast. Sure, it wasn't 2D sidescrolling platform gaming anymore, but there was something appealing about playing this new three dimensional take on the blue hedgehog's adventures, especially with Sonic Adventure 2, which brought a whole new meaning to the words "fun" and "speed". Same emphasis was still placed on spinning, running, collecting rings, and evading/ defeating bad guys, but these Sonic games were on a completely different level compared to the classics, and that was somewhat of a good thing back in the day. Heck, Sonic even got his own comic book and cartoon series to boot, and I used to follow the latter in Cartoon Network diligently. There were several animated shows, but my favorite was the one with Princess Sally and the freedom fighters, offering a more serious form of storytelling to the hedgehog's escapades.

Sonic The Hedgehog SatAM Intro
Unfortunately, the day came when Sega decided to pull out of the console business and focus all of its efforts into producing games only, and Sonic practically became a "free agent", meaning the property could appear in any console that was formerly a competitor. As such, Sonic teamed up with his once eternal rival, Mario, and through several crossover games, fans finally had the chance to duke it out - Plumber vs Hedgehog. That was not to say that Sonic didn't have his own series of solo games produced anymore - there were several in fact. Unfortunately, they didn't capture the charm of the character, and recent attempts strayed away from what made the character cool in the first place. Luckily, all that is about to change with the upcoming 2010 release of the "true sequel" to the series - Sonic 4: Episode 1. The blue hedgehog returns to sidescrolling action in a 2.5D setting. Everything old is new again, and if it wins the appreciation of the fans once it comes out, then it would be a fitting gift to the hedgehog's 19 years of existence.

With several games, cartoons, and even a comic book series published by Archie Comics, Sonic is truly one of the best gaming characters I've had the privilege and pleasure of knowing since I got into gaming all those years ago. He certainly entertained many with his cocky attitude, and he remains a cool character through and through, and we have artist Naoto Oshima, designer Hirokazu Yasuhara, programmer Yuji Naka, and Sonic Team to thank for. Happy Birthday, Sonic The Hedgehog!

The Green Hornet Trailer!

Via SlashFilm and You Tube, The first trailer of the much anticipated film adaptation of the classic 60's superhero series, The Green Hornet, is now online! Check it!


A project that was supposed to be directed by Kung Fu Hustle star Stephen Chow, the now Michel Gondy directed Green Hornet film stars Seth Rogen as the titular hero, along with Jay Chou as his sidekick and confidante, Kato (a role that Stephen Chow was also supposed to play before he left the project). Cameron Diaz plays Lenore "Casey" Case, while Christoph Waltz plays the villain, Benjamin Chudnofsky. For more info, check out the synopsis and details over at Slash Film.

The Green Hornet debuts on conventional and 3D theaters on January 14, 2011!

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Update: MvC 3: Episode 1!

As E3 2010 demonstrated with its numerous trailers and gameplay testing, Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds is a title everyone cannot wait to get their hands on and play once it's officially released next year. I myself cannot wait for the gorgeous looking fighting game, and with each new look at some new footage or artwork from the title, I literally go bonkers just thinking of the possibilities in store once this baby is playable! With that, there's just the wait to think about... or is it? Capcom has other plans in mind, and they have decided to release what is apparently the first episode of a line of cinematic trailers promoting the game and the events transpiring within it! Take a look!

Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Episode 1
Evidently, certain scenes have been seen before in previous trailers, but this expands the nature of the story in many ways, specifically the character rivalries and the toss up between Devil May Cry's Dante and the Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool, which ends hilariously! You just have to see this E3 Trailer for yourselves! Oh, and now it's confirmed who the last boss will probably be. I knew it...

Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds gets released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 next year!

E3 2010: Mortal Kombat Gameplay Footage!

It's been another intense weekend thanks to numerous activities, but gaming is still at the heart of things this week, and what probably caught most peoples' eyes is the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo, which showed a plethora of titles that's just too exciting to anticipate for the next year. One of them happens to be the best reimagining of a fighter that fans of bloody games have been hoping for... A new Mortal Kombat! As the 9th installment of the series, Ed Boon, one of the legendary creators of the series, and NetherRealm Studios (formerly Midway Games) are set to deliver a new game that takes the franchise back to its old school roots - full of blood, brutality, and action! In fact, Gamespot has gone up to Mr. Boon and set up an video interview that talks in depth of what Kombatants can expect from the new MK, featuring gameplay insights and actual footage from the game to boot! Check it out, and watch out for Scorpion and Kung Lao's fatalities!

Mortal Kombat Gameplay E3 Demo
The new Mortal Kombat, coming out for PS3 and Xbox 360 doesn't have a release date yet. Watch out for more details in the future!

Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D Gets A New Trailer!

I woke up to this bit of movie news. Via Capcom Unity and IGN, the new trailer of Milla Jovovich's next adventure as Alice is here! Feast your eyes as she and her comrades face of the waves of undead, biological experiments, and the mysterious Albert Wesker in Paul W.S Anderson's Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D! Check it!

More Resident Evil: Afterlife News & Previews

For more info, check out IGN or my recent blog post on this flick. Resident Evil Afterlife explodes into theaters in September 10, 2010.

E3 2010: Super Street Fighter IV is heading to the 3DS!

E3 2010 is an epic event, and it's full of announcements and reveals that gamers craving for more goodies like a kid looking for tasty sweets at a candy store. Seeing the live feeds and trailers of what's happening over there made me wish all the more that I was actually participating in the festivities, but the news and updates are enough to tide me over... barely at least. Arguably, Nintendo is the highlight again of this year's E3, and that's thanks to its superb line up of upcoming games for the Wii and DS, and the reveal of the 3DS, the company's newest portable gaming system. Several 3rd part developers have already signed up to make games, including Konami and Hideo Kojima, who are remaking MGS3: Snake Eater for the new platform. Capcom is also introducing a brand new Resident Evil to Nintendo's new device, so that's more than enough, right? Wrong. There's another title they're releasing for the 3DS... and it's a portable version of Super Street Fighter IV!!!

That's right, Capcom is actually releasing SSFIV for the 3DS! Capcom Unity spilled the news, and upon reading the article, I was utterly shocked with disbelief. The iPhone already has a port of SFIV on the way, and now SSFIV comes to the 3DS?! Where's the PSP love these days? I'm still on the market for a 3DS, sure, but I'm surprised that Capcom went for that instead of Sony's portable device, which I think was built well to play most, if not all fighting games. Probably we'll be seeing a PSP version eventually (I hope), but this is still surprising news, and the game is tentatively called "Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition". I guess the SF IV series finally made it to a Nintendo platform, and if that's supposed to be initiative for me to grab the 3DS, by all means I will! In the meantime, visit Capcom Unity's post for more info and screens!

Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is under development and the release date is TBA.

E3 2010: Another Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Gameplay Trailer!

Earlier, you saw Chris, Ryu, and Dante versus Wolverine, Cap, and Deadpool. Now, watch as Hulk joins Cap and Deadpool and takes on the same team of Ryu, Dante, and Chris!

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Gameplay Trailer #2!

Marvel Vs Capcom 3! Spring 2011!

Video Game Review: Metal Gear Solid: Peave Walker

I've been around and about these past few weeks, and thanks to the gaming news storm that is E3, more of my time and updates are spent there, as you can very well see from the recent posts. Gaming has really gone up a notch with all of the exciting announcements made by the big three companies, and I'm looking forward to a lot of things this year and next.

On the flip side of the coin, I finished Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker a few days ago. As another installment that chronicles the saga of Naked Snake/ Big Boss, I thoroughly enjoyed this game, especially with all the tweaks and twists present to give me another excuse to play a Metal Gear game. Unlike Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots, this game is exclusively released for Sony's Playstation Portable, and it plays like a refined version of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops - a game that series' creator Hideo Kojima only served as producer. Now back in the director's chair, Kojima takes the entire videogame community back to the past and sets the adventure 10 years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

In the events of Peace Walker, Big Boss has established "an army without a nation" called the Militaires Sans Frontières or MSF in Columbia, which acts as a mercenary group on call to aid and assist anyone in need without answering to a state. This vision has led to their recruitment by a group of visitors from Costa Rica - a man known only as Professor Galvez, and his student, a young girl named Paz. Snake, along with his second in command Kazuhira Miller, are hired by the visitors to take care of a mysterious military force causing a ruckus in their country. MSF initially refuses, but when Galvez reveals his true motives in secret and plays a mysterious tape that has a familiar voice only Snake would recognize, the man now known as Big Boss makes up his mind to help the girl in need, and find out what exactly is going behind the scenes to give him peace of mind.

As with any Metal Gear game under Kojima's supervision, Peace Walker is another amazing adventure that focuses primarily on stealth, action, and subterfuge. Themes raging from the Cold War, Guerilla Warfare, and Nuclear Deterrence are laced into the whole narrative, giving another history lesson to the diehard plans playing this game. However, there are several exaggerated moments that will remind everyone that this is still a pure work of fiction, especially when Kojima inserts a lot of easter eggs that will have fans talking and remembering his name. Story wise, it continues the steadfast and emotional tale of Naked Snake's rise to power and the establishment of Outer Heaven that started in Snake Eater and Portable Ops, but it also has nods to the other Metal Gear games of the series, particularly the future in which the Sons of Big Boss fight and stand out. There are also plenty of supporting characters new to the series, as well as familiar names and faces that MGS affectionados will recognize immediately. Peace Walker also happens to be full of content that serve well into (and outside) the context of the story, with recorded "Cassette Tape" dialogue in the "Briefing Files" that take hours upon hours just to listen to and finish. The game is truly blessed with high production values, and as far as this reviewer is concerned, this is the first Metal Gear Solid installment since the first game to feature something of this caliber that is similar to the Briefing Files in MGS1, only without the animated cutscenes included.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Characters Trailer
Among its aims to produce such a unique title, the core aspect of Peace Walker is still its stealth based gameplay. Unlike Snake Eater, things are trimmed down to make everything streamlined, to the point where Snake can no longer crawl and carry bodies around like in previous games. The CQC, running, shooting, and sneaking are still intact, and they work well for the most part using the PSP's control interface, save for some difficulties in sneaking and aiming, which takes some time getting used to. Acquiring weapons and gear in Peace Walker has also changed somewhat, since the game also takes a cue from Portable Ops and forces you to play army builder and base manager to your newly acquired Mother Base facility. Those assets come in when you have recruited a sufficient number of soldiers and POWs to your cause, which can be done by incapacitating them and whisking them away by helicopter using the Fulton Recovery System. This is one of the tools players will be using a lot in Peace Walker net to the Camera, so be sure to choose who to kill or recruit carefully. Soldiers hired successfully are then free to be assigned to a number of tasks, including Combat Ops, R&D, or even the Mess Hall. Attributes and levels then raise, allowing the base to flourish and open up new areas and abilities, such as the development of new gear and weapons (even a little secret project later). All in all, Peace Walker is about leadership as much as it is about action. Take note that during certain cutscenes, there's a certain amount of interaction and quick time sequences involved, so be sure not to just put the PSP down and admire the amazing artwork of Ashley Woods.

If most Metal Gear games had the player flying solo to fight a battle that's almost impossible, fear not, for the cavalry has arrived in the form of a new CO-OPs feature exclusive to this game. On certain adventures, 2-4 players can play alongside one another and take on certain missions and bosses together. They can hide in boxes fit for two, recover life together, or revive their partner who's in a temporary state of death via CPR. The possibilities are nearly limitless when in comes to cooperation gameplay, and even without online present, ad-hoc gaming in Peace Walker more than makes up for that absence. Heck, if you have disagreements with your fellow Metal Gear player, you can always take to the Versus Ops feature and duke it out, deathmatch style or otherwise.

If you're a Metal Gear Solid fan and deeply acknowledge that "Kojima Is God", you owe it to yourselves to pick up Peace Walker and play alongside your fellow Metal Gear fans. There is as much fun to it as there is resolution to the story of Big Boss, and while it's not a completely perfect game in itself, it's up there with the best in the PSP's greatest hits list. Boss fights could have been better if they meshed the grand mech fights with some person to person duels, but overall, it still gets the job done nicely. Also, Monster Hunter fans may want to check this out for Kojima's inclusion of the game's elements in certain Extra Ops missions. What that is, you'll have to find out yourselves, so take time to learn more about Snake and Peace and get this one... fast.

E3 2010: Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Gameplay Footage!

This is it. After seeing teasers and trailers of the next megatonic crossover fighting game, Capcom has unveiled in E3 the gameplay trailer of Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds!

Alright! It's Showtime!

Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds Gameplay Trailer
Wolverine, Captain America, and Deadpool go head to head against Chris Redfield, Ryu, and Dante! How epic can things get now?!

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 explodes into consoles in spring of next year!

E3 2010: Silent Hill 8

It was inevitable. Gamers are going back to Silent Hill by 2011. The question is... will it be good? Check out the new trailer to find out.

Silent Hill 8 E3 2010 Trailer
Shown at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, Konami hasn't given the full title to this latest installment in their survival horror series, but it's tentatively called "Silent Hill 8", so it's expected to be official and canon to the series extensive and somewhat convoluted history. By the looks of the trailer alone, everything we see here is in-game graphics, and the story sees the main character as a prisoner on the run ala The Fugitive, finding "sanctuary" from the law in Silent Hill, where he'll most likely find himself wishing he was back behind bars after he goes through the local attractions there.

Silent Hill 8 is confirmed for a PS3 and Xbox 360 release sometime in 2011.

It's The Smurfs!!!

Slashfilm and Yahoo! Movies have just released the teaser trailer to Sony Pictures Animation/ Columbia Pictures CGI Live Action adaptation of the beloved little blue creature community - The Smurfs!

Neil Patrick Harris stars as one of the live action cast for this August 2011 release, and he's also in the video below to welcome everyone to an exclusive first look at the movie! Check it out!

The Smurfs Teaser Trailer!
Yes... Papa Smurf and his blue boys (and girl) are back! This flick is to be the first of a planned trilogy apparently. More details can be found via Slashfilm!

The Smurfs, directed by Scooby Doo's Raja Gosnell, opens on August 3, 2011.

E3 2010: Sony Keynote Press Conference

Last night's E3 was madness, and continuing on where I left off, there was one more company left that many gamers have been anxiously waiting to see show their stuff.

A couple of hours after Nintendo's amazing Press Conference, it was Sony Computer Entertainment's turn to step into the spotlight and showcase their stuff for this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. I watched and tuned in to Gamespot's live coverage, and the feeling was one of anticipation. With the competition's gear out and revealed, how did the makers of Playstation play and deal their cards? Read on and find out.

Sony started off their presentation with some trailer videos of upcoming games. Jack Tretton, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertianment of America, then stepped out to greet the audience, after which he starts things off by delivering another speech about the Playstation medium and its goals. Kaz Hirai, Chairman and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., then appears and describes the next thing Playstation can offer to its audience - 3D gaming. With that said, 3D glasses were distributed and worn by the audience in the E3 area, and a trailer debuted - Killzone 3. Showcasing gameplay footage in 3D, the FPS shooter's latest installment featured new levels involving monsters, soldiers, jet packs, and gattling guns. Also mentioned by the tech guys was that it will support and feature Playstation Move stuff, which is Sony's new Motion Control device (more on that later). Killzone 3 then got a release date - February 2011. More games supporting 3D were then mentioned, including the new Mortal Kombat, Tron: Evolution, Gran Turismo 5, Crysis 2, and so on. A Sly Cooper collection was also announced, and is scheduled to be released for PS3 sometime soon.

Next up, Jack comes back and talks about the aged old PS2. Even with its successors making trails this day and age, the aged old console is still alive and kicking some ass. Afterwards, he introduces a man named Peter Dille, who goes on to talk about Sony's new peripheral, the Playstation Move. The device is a wand-like device with a light up ball attached to it, and it works very much in the same fashion as Nintendo's Wii. A Playstation Move trailer was then shown, featuring famous Sony ad character Kevin Butler doing his thing to promote the Move, followed by a list of games that will support the device. Everyone was probably itching for a demonstration at this point, and they finally got it with a gameplay demo of a new game that was built with the Move in mind - Sorcery. It features a kid who can use his magic wand to cast spells, fighting monsters in a very Harry Potter-like style and manner. Later on, the young magician takes out and drinks a potion, which turns him into a rat and gives him the ability to traverse through obstacles blocking his way. While looking mighty generic for a PS3 title, it was very interesting to see, and the game is dated for a spirng 2011 release.

Another game for the Move was then demonstrated, this time being Tiger Woods PGA 2011. You can play and swing like a pro golfer in this one, and makes full use of the Move's capabilities. Afterwards, a surprise trailer was shown for a new game - Heroes On The Move. From the title itself, its gameplay places emphasis on PS Move, and the game features characters Ratchet, Sly, and Jak teaming up together for the first time! Quite a surprise, and a title Sony fanboys will definitely lookout for in the future!

Next up, Sony announced that they plan to work together with softdrink company Coca-Cola to deliver exclusive content to Playstation and its fanbase. However, everyone was then surprised by the entrance of none other than Kevin Butler, who went on to deliver one of the most awesome speeches ever heard in E3 - "GAMING! FOREVER MAY HE REIGN"! Awesome Kevin, awesome. Finally, the Move got a launch date and release details lined up for it. It will arrive on Sept 15 in Europe, Sept. 19 in the US, and October 21, with choices consisting of packages like starting kit at $99 to a PS3 Bundle Kit at $399. Good stuff for the motion control crowd, and those looking to use it with games already out will be excited to know that Heavy Rain and RE5 Gold Edition will support the device. New and upcoming games like a new Time Crisis and Ruse will also be supported. Nice.

Next, the Playstation Portable gets its time to shine. New trailers were then shown, with a kid named Marcus Rivers being the new mascot for the PSP Campaign. He interacts with Kevin Butler and Vic Palumbo in two different ads, and pretty much gives off the message that PSP is cool to have when you need gaming on the go. Next comes mentions and trailers of upcoming PSP games, like God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta, Tron: Evolution. Ace Combat: Joint Assault, Patapon 3, and Parasite Eve: The 3rd Birthday. Yep, good stuff coming to PSP, but no word of a PSP2 yet.

The Playstation Conference then moved to another important aspect of the whole Playstation dynamic in today's terms - online content. Jack Tretton then noted that a new season of The Tester was on the works, followed up by the announcement that there will be exclusive content coming up from partnering up with companies like HBO and Nickelodeon. Playstation Home users also got some love with Jack announcing that an E3 Virtual World was now for Home visitors to explore in the event they missed E3 itself. Gameplay footage was then shown for Little Big Planet 2, one of the most anticipated sequels of the PS3 generation. With a gameplay demo shown by Alex Evans, the game had more content to boast than its predecessor, more specifically the ability to create your very own mini games, such as bump car crash courses and button pressing games! LBP2 even sported some "create your own video" segements, so this is definitely a must watch out for title!


Towards the tail end of the show, Mr. Tretton then went on to discuss more about the Playstation Network and how Sony will expand the content for its users. To this end, he introduced Playstation Plus - a premium service PS owners can subscribe to for $50 a year in order to get exclusive content and more extras for Playstation. Afterwards, trailers and gameplay footage were shown for more upcoming PS3 games by EA, which included the new Medal Of Honor and the hot looking survival horror sequel game Dead Space 2! However, the biggest surprise was the arrival of Gabe Newell, the man behind Valve Games' Portal, and surprise surprise, he formally announced that Portal 2 was coming to the PS3!

Things finally unwinded with more new PS3 game trailers for Final Fansy XIV, Mafia II, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, and Infamous II, as well as a video montage of every other upcoming game heading to the PS3. However, Sony decided to end the show with a two final notes - by announcing that Grand Turismo 5 was FINALLY coming this year this November 2, and by introducing the new Twisted Metal game! David Jaffe and his crew came out to debut the game on the showfloor, along with a cosplayer dressed as the main clown guy, riding his ice cream truck of doom! Twisted Metal looked real pretty, and in addition to the smooth live action trailer, a multiplayer demo was shown by Mr. Jaffe and crew.

That pretty much wrapped up the entire Sony Press Con, and that was that for the big game companies and their keynotes on E3! Which was better? Well, Nintendo really stole the show with their presentations and the 3DS, but Sony and Microsoft did good as well. Take it as you will depending on your preference, but overall, everything was ok and fine for this year's E3 show. Check Kotaku for more details if you need more gaming news on the presentations and updates!

E3 2010: Nintendo Keynote Press Conference

Wow Nintendo. Simply WOW.

I'm fresh off watching the Nintendo E3 Press Conference, and if you thought Microsoft had a lot to say yesterday, think again. Anyone who grew up liking and playing games as kids should be familiar with the brand "Nintendo" and the legacy it carries. So what exactly did it put out in the show floor? Lots I tells you, and let me spill out the details about this surprisingly exciting conference!

Reggie Fils-Aime, President and COO of Nintendo of America, started the show by greeting gamers, then introducing everyone to the much anticipated trailer of the new Legend Of Zelda game for the Nintendo Wii - The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword! Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the series, then appears in a video message, holding the same sword and shield he carried to announce the new Legend Of Zelda game back in E3 2004. Gameplay demonstration is then held for this pretty looking action game, which is then joined by Miyamoto himself, who bursts into the E3 2010 scene from behind the screen to show fans what the new Zelda is made of. The game requires and makes good use of the Wiimote's Motion Control Plus add-on, turning that and the nunchuck into main character Link's Sword and Shield, respectively. Miyamoto then demonstrates bit-by-bit the unique new gameplay features that are in store for this title, then caps the whole segment by introducing another trailer for Skyward Sword. Pretty awesome.

Reggie then returns on stage, and introduces more stuff for Wii owners to watch out for, particularly on the games side. After talking about some sports related games, a trailer for a new Mario Sports game was shown, which was then revealed to be "Mario Sports Mix", which will see release next year along with the Zelda game.

Afterwards, Reggie goes on to talk about the success of the Wii in terms of sales last year in the US, and discusses ways in which Nintendo can expand the way in which Casual peeps can experience the console in a whole new way. Here enters "Wii Party" - a social interactive game which acts as a "Bridge title" that makes use of Mii characters created by the users and allows them to play group based games and activities, due in stores by this year's holiday season. Reggie then follows things up with a new trailer for Just Dance 2, the sequel to the move and step hit for the Wii. Up to 8 players can join in and dance, and the game will see a fall 2010 release.

In the next segment, DS Talk comes into the picture, and the latest trailer for the new Golden Sun shows - Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. Afterwards, we get more Wii action coming, with the announcement and debut trailer of a new Goldeneye 007 game! Despite the excitement felt in the air over that one, it wouldn't compare to the gameplay footage of Disney Nintendo's newest game project - Epic Mickey! Not only did gamers get to see this 3D action platformer game in action, we got treated to a few details about the game's plot, which includes visiting forgotten zones and adventure islands to making decisions that vastly affect the outcome of the game itself. This was mindblowingly awesome on so many levels, and if you're a fan of the mouse, you'd definitely be expecting this one, especially when the game also includes nostalgic trips to places based on classic cartoons from Disney's history, including Steamboat Mickey! Afterwards, things really got better with the Wii when a new and cute Kirby game was announced, called Kirby Epic Yarn! It reminded me so much of the classic sidescrolling platform games I used to play in my NES days like Super Mario, and even had a Little Big Planet feel to it with all the colorful and abstract lines shaped into yarns! All of these are definitely must haves when they come out!

Reggie then segways to another DS title, namely DragonQuest IX, explaining the features and modes of play fans can expect from the title. However, he goes back to the Wii again, and shows everyone another hot game that needed some new gameplay trailer footage - Metroid: Other M! This one brings elements of the classic Metroid back in a new way, and combines that gameplay with the one experienced in the Metroid Prime series! It will see an August 31 release this year, and as if that weren't enough classic titles getting remade for you, another one makes its long awaited return! Retro Studios brings back the lovable characters of Donkey Kong for a new adventure in the Wii, and it's aptly called Donkey Kong Country Returns! Same old school gameplay as the SNES classic we all know and grew up with, and it's coming to the Wii! Nice one Nintendo, real nice!

If the impact of Nintendo's games was strong this year, they laid the icing on the cake with their next reveal - Their newest and 3D supporting handheld platform, the Nintendo 3DS! This baby has two 3.5" inch widescreens mounted to it (one for regular and the other for 3D), and has built in wifi support, two camera lenses, and an analog stick attached along with the customary buttons and D-pad. Graphic improvements and 3D Support were the focus of the 3DS' capabilities, including confirmation on media support for today's 3D movies. Eventually, games came back into the picture, and the once unidentified "Project Sora" title wa revealed to be a new Kid Icarus game - Kid Icarus Uprising! It's a shooter that looks and feels like a PS2 game, but will see release on the 3DS! Additionally, Nintendo then announced and showed a trailer featuring most of the world's most recognized 3rd party game developing companies who signed up to make games for the 3DS, which includes names like Square Enix, Capcom, SEGA, Activision, and even Konami! Along with other respectable programmers and game makers, Hideo Kojima appeared on the trailer and confirmed that a Metal Gear Solid game is being made for the 3DS (Holy cow, now I need to get one)! Finally, Nintendo capped things off with a promotional and fun 3DS trailer, featuring the big heads and personalities like Reggie and Miyamoto on the clip.

Like I said - "Wow". Nintendo really outdid themselves this year, and made up for a lot of setbacks from their previous lackluster E3 shows. I'm so excited for the 3DS now that I can hardly contain myself, but there's one more company that's still going to present their stuff in a few hours time. Nice one Nintendo and Microsoft. Looking forward to you now, Sony. For more, heck Kotaku for more details and stories!

E3 2010: Metal Gear Rising Trailer

The Microsoft E3 Press Conference may be over, but there's plenty of stuff to watch out for still from Nintendo, Sony, and the other game developers who haven't had their time to shine on stage yet. The Electronic Entertainment Expo is still running and giving a lot of gamers plenty of stuff to talk and drool about, and one of the highlights has arguably got to be THIS game:

Metal Gear Solid Rising E3 2010 Trailer
Yes, Raiden's now a bad-ass slice n' dice ninja ready to cut people (and watermelons) into mince meat. Be careful what you say if you dare try to insult this 'pretty boy', he's now got some heavy gear and a katana to make you wish you weren't born. "CUT" is indeed the word, and Hideo Kojima, how we love your games indeed.

Lightning Bolt Action still hasn't had a release date announced yet, so hone your Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi skills before you get a taste of this in PS3 and Xbox 360.

E3 2010: Microsoft Keynote Press Conference

At last, this year's installment of the Electronic Entertainment Expo has begun, and I couldn't be more excited about it. I'm fresh off listening and watching the first chapter of the 3 day major event via game sites like Kotaku covering the event, and I think a lot of people would agree on me that if you truly adore all things gaming, you need to pay attention to this in every detail. No excuses.

Starting things off was none other than Microsoft, developer of Windows and the Xbox 360 gaming console. In their Keynote presentation, they introduced the audience to a slew of beautiful game trailers, beginning with Activision's latest entry to their highly successful COD series, Call Of Duty: Black Ops. If any of you enjoyed playing the Modern Warfare games, this one is definitely up your ally, and will feature more covert operations and missions that are strictly off the record and have plausible deniability written all over it. After the gameplay demonstration, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima went into the stage and showcased his new trailer for Metal Gear Rising - a game he's producing and which features MGS2's lead Raiden as the main character, garbed in his Cyborg Ninja suit in MGS4 and cutting his opponents up like watermelons (There's a big emphasis on "Cut" and Watermelons, so when the trailer's officially out online, go and see it). More shooter madness came about with the trailers for Gears Of War III and Halo:Reach, and they're much anticipated titles by the 360 crowd, especially Reach, whom fans literally went apeshit over after seeing the gameplay trailer with their own eyes. Couple those with the debut trailer for Fable III, and you've got one heck of a line up coming for Xboc 360. Looking forward to it.

Next up, Microsoft showcased their long awaited motion control device - the Kinect. Originally known as "Project Natal", it was given a new name just a day ago, and everyone was anticipating its appearance in E3. MS lived up to their promise and demonstrated the new peripheral and its capabilities, which included full motion sensor range and activity through a plethora of games and titles like racing and sports. Speaking about sports, MS and ESPN made a deal together to deliver exclusive programming and content to Xbox Live, further expanding the online service's content and activities for its audience. Focus was still on the Kinect however, and plenty of Wii-like games were being promoted, from sports to exercises, where the player fully interacted with the game itself. The Kinect wasn't limited to that alone though, as there was another program introduced where a little girl came up on stage and used the peripheral to play and interact with a baby tiger... yes, a "baby tiger". It was cute and fun, but I could see how this product was aimed at attracting the kids and casual audiences. However, that's not to say that there's no fun to be found here... quite the opposite. There's a new dance game by Harmonix, the makers of Rock Band, coming out called Dance Central, and it's absolutely fascinating to think of the songs you could move to with this game. Not only that, Your Shape takes physical fitness exercises to a whole new level, and Lucas Arts has just started developing a new Star Wars game with the Kinect in mind, showing a Clone Wars like gameplay trailer that's just full of possibilities to explore. With Voice and Motion Control also possible through it, I don't think the Kinect is a bad thing at all, and it may just make the 360 experience even more interesting when it gets released on November 4 with 15 launch titles.

Finally, after all the trailers and demonstrations, we came to the final and key moment in this press conference - the unveiling of a new Xbox 360 model. The redesign is slimmer and clad in black, and features built in wifi and a 250 gb Hard Disk Drive. Pretty neat unit, and it goes on sale immediately, priced at the same $299 price tag as its predecessors. Not a bad presentation and end to Microsoft's Keynote. Now, I'm looking forward to Nintendo and Sony. Be sure to watch out for more feedback soon. In the meantime, check out the gamesites like Kotaku and 1up for more fantastic E3 coverage!