It’s been a little bit of a slow week. A few small things were announced at Tokyo Game Show, but that one comes so late in the season for conventions that most developers have sort of blown their wad by now. More than that, most of the really huge games are coming out in the next month or two and there just isn’t that much to show.

The only news I really have are some release dates. Some are tentative, others are vague. But a few are locked. Let’s rehash:

1. Red Dead Redemption GOTY Edition – 10/11/11
2. Final Fantasy X HD – undated
3. Dead or Alive 5 – 2012
4. GoldenEye 007: Reloaded – 11/1/11
5. Max Payne 3 – March 2012
6. Final Fantasy XIII-2 – 1/31/2012
7. Metal Gear Solid HD Collection – 11/23/11 (Japan; USA likely 11/8/11)

I do have one additional story. If you’re looking forward to R.A. Salvatore and Todd McFarlane’s Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, you’ll soon know just where to get your preorder. The Destinies Choice Pack has a Twist of Fate card and compass to help out the beginning of your adventure, along with three armor sets, specific to character class. The Fate-Touched Weapons Pack includes a set of rare weapons, running the gamut of fighting styles (bow, hammer, staff, sword, scepter, etc.). Finally, the Ultimate Hunter Treasure Pack comes with a Dowsing Rod to help players locate alchemy ingredients. I’m not sure what other retailers will carry yet, but it appears GameStop gets you the Destinies Choice pack while Amazon will have the Ultimate Treasure Hunter. Both retailers will get you the Fate-Touched Weapons. So you’ll have plenty of weapons either way, but do you want to upgrade your armor, or your alchemy?

Finally, it looks like there won’t be any VGQH next week. I’m on vacation and away from most internet access until I’ve killed a speed goat (antelope). If we fill our tags early I’ll probably do one issue on an off day. Wish me luck. Unless you’re on the antelope’s side. Then wish them luck. I won’t mind.

DagoBot is back with more PAXPrime coverage. While there, he got to interview Mega-Ran and K-Murdock:

If you were to make a list of the best team ups from any genre, who would make the cut? Would it be Captain America, Wolverine & Black Widow from ‘Uncanny Xmen’ #268. The Spiderman/Black Cat issues written by indie auteur Kevin Smith. Brainiac & Luthor. The under appreciated Power Man & Iron Fist.

What about when it comes to music. Did the ambitious ‘Watch The Throne’ by Jay-Z & Kanye live up to expectations. Are you old-school and have ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell on repeat. Did the love child of Adult Swim, Danger Mouse and MF DOOM ‘Danger Doom’ rock your world.

In gaming cannon, we have been treated to brawlers that show case characters from popular franchises (Super Smash Brothers, Soul Calibur & Kingdom Hearts) and even crossover clashes of Xmen vs Streetfighter and the ultimate Marvel vs Capcom.

Adding to the pantheon of super powered amalgams of video games, hip-hop, monomyth ethos and overall goodness is Random (A.K.A. Mega-Ran) & K-Murdock. I caught up with the dynamic duo at Pax Prime last month to get their thoughts on mashups, their artistic vision and party rocking out of body experiences.

Hey guys! First off, tell us a little about yourselves.

K-Murdock: My name is K-Murdock… and basically i’m a music producer/audio engineer/self-proclaimed RPG Master/avid watcher of anime/dreamer/and proud fan of the Chicago Bears.

Random: Name’s Raheem, was a teacher for the past 6 years, finally decided to spread my wings and try this music stuff full time. Born in Philadelphia, now residing in the Valley of the Sun.

What first got you each interested in music, and who were some of your favorite acts and musical influences growing up?

R: I had really creative friends. My buddies all created new game ideas, comics, and even music. We all decided one day to try our hands at music, and the rest is history! My first experiences with music were in my mom’s household… she would always have old soul records playing. Being from Philadelphia, arguably one of the birthplaces of soul music, I had a lot of interest in that sound. My mom loved Marvin Gaye, and I have to cite him and Stevie Wonder as two of my biggest inspirations. Once Hip-Hop hit the block though, it was all over…Ha. LL Cool J is my favorite and most influential artist, even to this day.

K: I grew up listening to my lots of 80s R&B as thats what my mom was playing in her car when we would go out. Artists ranging from Anita Baker to Luther Vandross, I know the catalogs too well. That factored with me trying to be as cool as my cousins who got me into hip-hop. I had a nice range of music to influence me, but it all changed once i heard A Tribe Called Quest’ Low End Theory in 91… that was my biggest influence and reason i got into hip-hop and music making.

With each of you having a various influences in hip-hop and rap, what was it like coming together and meshing styles to create your sound?

R: Its a really cool thing, we’re a lot alike in a lot of ways… we both love video games and hip-hop and those were our common grounds. But his sound is something so lush and spacey, that it’s a sound that I’ve always wanted to capture but didn’t know how… I produce as well, occasionally, but have been blessed to have some great minds in my corner.

K: It was pretty natural from my point of view as Ran and I share many of the same influences. It’s always cool when i hear him speak on emcees as his biggest idols the same way I cite producers like Pete Rock or Q-Tip or DJ Spinna. We have so much in common that again, it made it very easy to do music, which is probably why we stay creating together. It’s easy, and when u find that kind of chemistry where its that fun, you dont let it go!

How would you describe your music?

K: Progressive hip-hop, nuff said!

R: I call it “New Retro.” A little old and a little new…Spontaneous. Fun. True. Unpredictable. Witty and inspirational. If you were to put video games, the 80’s, hip-hop, soul music, jazz and stand up comedy into a blender, you’d have something close to The Random Experience.

Tell us about ‘Forever FamiCON’ , how did this come about? What got you guys together for this project?

K: Basically, I was working at XM Radio hosting my radio show Subsoniq and got a package from Ran. In it was ”The Call’ and ”Mega Ran’, both were dope but naturally I had NEVER heard anything like Mega Ran. Coincidentally at that time I was formulating the concept for Forever FamiCOM, which was originally gonna be an instrumental album. After I heard Ran do what he did and make it sound cool and conceptual…I hit him on myspace and the rest is history!

R: It’s a great story, and K told that one perfectly.

What did you think of the reception the album got when it finally dropped? And what was it like gaining a following within the ‘nerdcore’/chip hop/chip tune’ genre

R: The reception totally surpassed my expectations. Seems like I always say that, so maybe I need to start raising my expectations…Ha. To see the love it got from video game publications and sites that I’d been reading for years is just amazing. I’ve had fans tell me that “Dream Master” made them cry. That they knew exactly how I felt on “Drop The Load.” Fans have drawn us amazing art, traveled out to the shows from crazy distances, made videos, remixed the songs…Wow. The fan support has been phenomenal, we were able to tour off of it once, and now we get to do it again. It’s a very amazing and humbling thing.

K: I’m still being integrated into the ‘Nerdcore’ fold. But, from my touring with Ran the last year, I can say undoubtedly that Nerdcore fans support on a level thats beyond humbling…. and a way that makes me resent the lack of support many true hip-hop fans show. Hip-hop is a lot of talk, but the Nerdcore fans put their money and hearts where thier mouths are. It really makes you feel appreciated. I’m happy I am allowed to rep on their behalf. The reaction the album got is a testament. It’s brought out closet nerds who are equally big hip-hop heads as they are gamers like me & Ran… thats been real cool to see. I’m honored to be part of that.

K-Murdock…this one is directed at you.. What ‘equipment’ do you use for your music production?

K: I used to use an Akai MPC 2000xl for like 10 years till a homie who is a beta tester for Native Instruments put me on to the Maschine in 2k9 and now I’m all about that, its the hub of my prod setup, coupled with lots of analog synth VSTs and of course a nice library of records and samples.

How would you describe your musical evolution?

R: The evolution of Random has been a slow and steady one. It’s strange, but when I listen to my old music, I almost don’t even recognize that person anymore. That’s a GREAT thing in my opinion. It’s only been 5 years, and my music has taken me to places I’ve never dreamed of it going. So the sky’s the limit for the future. My mind is in a completely different place when I sit down to make music now…I’m able to draw inspiration from the smallest and strangest things these days. I think I’ve really grown as an artist in ways I’ve never thought I could have.

K: For me, It was meeting Raw Poetic from my group Panacea in 2003. I gave him a beat CD of traditional boom bap tracks but the one beat that I through on at the end of it was the one he loved. It was some experimental sh!t. It became our first recorded song- Birdfeather. RawP encouraged me to experiment and really delve deep into the anime and video game influences. It helps make my music stand out i guess, so I definitely “thank him for lettin me be myself”.

What other projects have each of you worked on or been involved with?

K: Basically I’m known for working with my aforementioned group Panacea, but i also have produced for Grammy nominated artists Raheem Devaughn and done remixes for a wide array of major and indie label artists too. You can peep my discography on my site: http://neosonicprod.com

R: Well, in addition to the “Mega Ran” series of albums, I’ve been working on my Random solo albums and mixtapes. Most recently “TeacherRapperHero” volumes one and two, which are out now and free. In March we released “Black Materia” with producer Lost Perception and my past albums include “The Call,” “Patches and Glue,” & “The 8th Day’. The next two albums in the works are “The Memorandum” with Phoenix rapper Mr. Miranda, and “Language Arts” which will release next year. I’ve worked on this album longer than anything I’ve ever done…it’s gonna be good.

You recently completed a ‘Kickstarter’ funded tour in the UK, tell me a little bit about that? How did it go for you guys?

R: It was an amazing experience! I’m so thankful to be able to say that we not only went to the UK, but KILLED out there! I almost didn’t want to come back. We felt a lot of love and made some lasting friendships out there. Can’t wait to go back and do it even bigger.

K: It was great, for me I’m 3 for 3 on Kickstarter and love what it does. Erasing the middle man between an artist and he or she’s fans. We got some amazing loyal fans and it showed. The fans that werent going to the UK, helped us because they believe so much in what we do musically, very humbling. The trip was great, but I spent too much money as the dollar carries no weight…but the experience was priceless.

What was the first gaming system that each of you owned growing up?

K: Atari 2600, but my fondest memories was when I got my NES in 86.

R: I had an Atari 2600 as well. I was late to move onto NES, so I was the last one on the block still playing Atari while the other kids played Gyromite and Duck Hunt. Ya know what, the last generation of 2600 games were actually really impressive!

What is your present console of choice?

R: I have a PS3 and Xbox 360, but I just got into PS3, so I’ve been catching up on the classics. Playing God of War 3 and Infamous now…waiting patiently for Uncharted 3!

K: PS3 mainly. My 360 has crapped out on me with the RRoD for the 3rd time!

What would be the most ultimate ‘mash up’ of a game?

R: I would love an RPG that contained stealth action techniques, like a Metal Gear Solid…That would be cool.

K: Maybe a Dance Dance meets final fantasy game… not saying I’d wanna play that but it be pretty ridiculous I’m sure.

What game are you currently playing?

K: I’m still playing Fallout New Vegas, I do these character builds based on other game characters and am currently trying to make Marcus Fenux from Gears. Some others that I have done are Agent 47 from Hitman, Dante from DMC, Sheva from RE5. Its fun to me and honestly, I’m just waiting for Deus Ex.

R: Playing God of War 3 and Infamous now.. waiting patiently for Uncharted 3!

If I was someone who has never seen you guys rock live…how would you describe one of your shows?

R: It’s an out of body experience, literally. I don’t know where the energy comes from, but it’s always high octane and loads of fun. I do a ‘freestyle’ at every show, so the song topic and direction changes depending on what I see. It really helps to personalize the experience. Everyone leaves the place sweaty, but there’s no regretful feeling afterwards.

K: It’s energy and lots of crowd participation. As much as the crowd gives us, we give right back. It’s on some Venom symbiotic stuff. Seriously though, the highlight is ALWAYS Ran’s live freestyle hands down.

Not including yourselves, who are your favorite acts to listen to currently?

R: I’m a huge fan of Deftones, I can listen to their stuff all day long. Right now in heavy rotation has been the new Jill Scott album, Kanye West and Jay-Z.

K: I’m a die hard and old school hip-hop head, which sounds old to even say. I usually listen to the same best of Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul CDs I have when I’m not listening to my own stuff for mixing references. I do love the Flaming Lips on a random note.

What can we expect from you guys over the rest of this year, and beyond?

K: New Forever FamiCOM DLC 2, the final one. Before we do our follow-up Sega-themed album in 2k12. A few other secret projects in the works too and lots of shows.

R: More shows, more music…Forever FamiCOM DLC2, which was all fan commissioned tracks. That will be coming soon. Mega Ran 10, the album will hit right after tour and then K and I will get started on the next album for next year. So much stuff!

Is there anything you’d like to promote or plug?

R: Yes, get the new Mega Ran 10 single “Pump It Up” feat. Adam Warrock here! http://megaranmusic.com/track/pump-it-up-feat-adam-warrock also, see ya on the road with MC Chris, MC Lars and Adam.

K: just want to say peace to my homie Random, shouts to all the other artists I work with, and thank you to the fans for helping me live my dream. Any and everything u need to know about me and my music is at: http://flavors.me/Neosonix and again http://neosonicprod.com

Mega Ran & K-Murdock are on tour now! Catch them when they are in your city…
http://megaran.com
Forever Famicon DLC 2 is available now…
http://megarankmurdock.bandcamp.com/releases

Dagobot is Mark Dago, a badass nerd musician in his own right.  You can check him out on Twitter and on Bandcamp.

I hope everyone had a good weekend. I scored my Mass Effect 2 platinum trophy and started my inFAMOUS 2 good karma run. I also had a good time with friends and really enjoyed my weekend, up until our Utes proved to me they are ultimately gutless. That loss to USC happened solely because the team is scared to get into a hard scrap. And that includes Kyle Whittingham making the gutless decision to push for overtime when he had enough clock to try one more play for a win. Of course, you aren’t hear to read about my disappointment in Utes football. But I do have one more aside before we get to the news. I watched Kevin Smith’s Red State on Sunday. Wow. If you haven’t seen this, go order it up On Demand before it’s gone. This is well worth it. And don’t let Kevin Smith’s name sway you one way or the other. This is not his typical fare but it is fantastic.

So, now for why you actually read this column, gaming news:

With Crysis 2 recently launching on consoles, Crytek is now set to expand the original Crysis to PSN and XBLA as well. Originally thought to be too difficult for a console to run, the first game was notorious for pushing the limits of many high end PCs. Now, not only is it coming through your download service, it’s coming with even better HD graphics and sterescopic 3D. The announced price is $20. Look for it on your virtual store next month.

Old school PC gamers may remember a top down series called Syndicate from the mind of Peter Molyneux. Rumors of another sequel or reboot have been bounced around since a 2006 interview with Molyneux in Leipzig. Those rumors were further fueled earlier this year leading to speculation about Starbreeze Studios working on the project. EA has now officially confirmed Starbreeze is developing a reinvention of the intellectual property. The espionage thriller will now be a first-person shooter (how creative) for consoles. The brass tacks? You play as Miles Kilo, a techno-enhanced human agent in a three way corporate battle for control of the American market. Because the corporations have basically run the government out of power, anything goes. If you think this sounds a little like another PC game game “from God” that’s recently been updated for consoles, you’re not alone. As curious as I am to see the game, I’m more curious how it will differentiate itself. The schedule for answering that question is “early 2012.”

File this one firmly under the rumor category, but it appears we could be seeing a change in Square Enix’s attitude towards the Final Fantasy series. In a market dominated by yearly releases from the likes of Activision and EA, the franchise is apparently being mandated for a biannual schedule. This means the next game should be in 2014, after FFXIII-2 releases next year. So what would this next game be? Based on the recent registrations of a domain name by their typical registrant company, they may be keeping to the same universe, making Final Fantasy XIII-3. As I mentioned, this is all rumor. But, assuming the rumor is true, could this be a move to build the franchise into a series of disconnected trilogies, much in the same way they were disconnected games before? Trilogies are all the rage in media these days. This wouldn’t be that strange of a move, just look to the Assassin’s Creed franchise as an example. Ubisoft originally said this was planned to be a trilogy, but now the second game has turned into a trilogy in itself. It seems their new plan is for Revelations to be the end of the second chapter, picking up later with a whole new assassin for the third. With as much success as it’s reached, you can count on that third assassin having at least three games. And there’s no guarantee they end the franchise there either.

Also new to the internet’s rumor category (from an anonymous source) is SEGA’s possible announcement of Bayonetta 2 at the Tokyo Game Show later this week. The first game definitely has a fan base and they’re sure to sell a few copies of a sequel. This announcement has been expected and anticipated by fans for some time and TGS is a great venue for it. So, while I’m keeping it as a rumor, I’m personally expecting it’s true.

Shifting gears, have you been enjoying Dead Island? Do you want more? You’ll get it later this month with the first batch of DLC for the game, the Bloodbath Arena. If you got a download voucher by pre-ordering you’ll score this add-on free. Otherwise, it’ll be available from your online store for $10. The expansion will include an online leaderboard to check your skills against friends in four wild arenas full of endless zombies, xp, and loot (including a new weapon, the brain wave bomb). Hopefully the company’s efforts on the DLC are not detracting from a series of glitches many players are still experiencing with their save games (even after the launch day patch that fixed a gamut of other bugs).

Fans of a quick, blue hedgehog have been waiting for confirmation on the announced November release window for Sonic Generations. SEGA has officially locked it down to November 1st. Preorders are now available at all major retailers. But, considering this fall’s lineup of top shelf games, I wouldn’t expect inventory to run too low on this one. Not that Sonic isn’t fun, but a $60 release for a character that hasn’t had a hit in a few years tells me it won’t stack up next to the competition.

The next pair of brawlers announced for Street Fighter x Tekken are Rufus and Bob. Their announce trailer is a lot better than the esoteric nonsense we’ve been getting so far. It’s actually dressed up like a comedic scene from an old kung fu movie with Rufus thinking Ken got fat to be more like him. Check out the ” target=”_blank”>video to see a possible teaser for another character at the end.

And today’s final Quick Hit is actually just a suggestion for something to watch tomorrow. Head on over to Rockstar Games’ website about noon (EDT) on Wednesday. That’s when you’ll get the first look at the trailer for Max Payne 3. The game isn’t out until March, but this will be the public’s first chance to see and older, grizzlier Max in bullet time action. Sure we’ve had some screenshots, including the one below, but seeing this game in action will go a long way toward confirming or overturning my hesitation about it.

That’s it for today, check back on Friday for the late edition of VGQH. I’m going to go play more inFAMOUS 2 now.

DagoBot is back with his first report from PAX 2011! We’ll have plenty more where this came from:

I attended my first ever Penny Arcade Convention (PAX to those in the know) about three weeks ago in Seattle. Now, while I’m not a hardcore Con goer, I’m no NOOB either. I have been to other Cons…with the biggest being that one in San Diego. The smallest? Some homebrew ‘Sci Fi’ scuttlebutt where they make the too sexy for the public ‘Slave Leias’ cover up. Or so I’ve heard.

My fascination and wide eyed wonder for video games began in my youth when I was given an Atari 2600 as a birthday gift. Later on I would graduate to a ColecoVision, a Nintendo Entertainment System, A Sega Genesis, A Playstation, An Xbox…well, you get the idea. This is in my DNA. All of it. 8 bit textures, Unreal engines, Side Scrollers, Story driven RPG’s, Action Adventure Shmups and even some shooters (they are not ALL overrated). So, when I got the chance to cover PAX Prime for BSR, I jumped at it. I had heard good things for years about this semi-annual gamer fest and wanted to experience it first hand.

Let’s get you up to speed. Created in 2004, PAX is solely a celebratory gala of gaming culture. An event that gives similar attention to table-top gaming, computer and console gamers. To clarify, there are two PAX events per year. One in Seattle (Pax Prime) and one in Boston (Pax east). Over the weekend you are treated to panels on game industry mythos, hands on play with the newest unreleased titles from indie and major game developers alike, tournaments, open bar parties & musical performances. Since ’04, attendance has gone from around 3,300 enthusiasts to over 70,000 in 2011.

What separates PAX from the other gaming conventions (Gamescon, E3, ETC) is that it’s not simply a ‘trade show’. It’s built from the ground up with ’US’ in mind. You. Me. All of US. That’s what makes this con so remarkable-for an entire weekend you can meet up with thousands upon thousands of like minded individuals and actually PLAY the games. All kinds of games. If you want to peruse the FREE library, one that boasts hundreds and hundred of table top games along with console game lending. You can do that. If you want to wait in Disneyland long lines to get a crack at the exclusive juggernauts of the Fall/Winter onslaught coming this holiday season. You can do that. If you planned ahead and reserved a spot in the gigantor BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer) room to play in what seemed like the heavyweight event of LAN parties. You could do that too. So many options, so little time. And to think you get a three day pass for a mere $60, it really is a steal.

This is just a mini-boss version of what the PAX phenomenon is. At the end of the day, after the all the shopping is done. After gaining experience points for attending the ‘Geek Parenting’ or the ‘Agony and Ecstasy of RPG writing’ panels. After you have iced down your Nintendo Thumb from the intense button mashing of the days events. The reason that PAX was such a blast for me was that I got to embrace part of my geek mana with other people who love these characters, titles and games as much as I do. An itch that I don’t get to scratch to frequently as I should. It was fun to let loose with the crew I was with as well as new friends that I made during the time I was there.

I am already making my plans to return the the Emerald city in 2012. I can’t applaud the people of PAX and the Seattle convention center enough. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Not only weren’t the ‘Enforcers’ not over the top, but anytime I had a question to find an exhibit hall, a booth or even a bathroom they were professional and polite. IMO, PAX Prime is the place to be. Level up, celebrate your inner gamer & make that pixelated pilgrimage in 2012. You will be better for it.

Multi-Console:
NHL 12 (PS3, 360)
Nicktoons MLB (360, Wii, DS)

XBox 360:
Gunstringer

Sony:
White Knight Chronicles 2 (PS3)
God of War: Origins Collection (PS3)

Nintendo:
Thor: God of Thunder (3DS)
Deca Sports Extreme (3DS)
Puzzler Mind Gym (3DS)
Pucca Power Up (DS)
Bit.Trip Saga (3DS)
Bit.Trip Complete (Wii)

I know Gunstringer is kind of an odd one to highlight, but this Kinect game features an undead, marionette, gunslinger skeleton. What more do you need to be awesome? How about a $40 price tag?

On the other hand, God of War: Origins Collection gets highlighted for obvious reasons. It’s Kratos and he’s a badass! This is also $40.

Although I’m certain neither one them actually read this column, I would like to tell my brother and his wife Happy Anniversary. What is it now? Ten years? How have they not killed each other yet? For the rest of you, let’s get to the news:

Since you’re reading this, I imagine you must have finally decided to take your first break from Resistance 3 since it released on Tuesday. So isn’t it great that the first Quick Hit is about the DLC recently announced for October 4th? The Survival Pack will be $3.99 and includes a new Invasion multiplayer mode (similar to Bad Company 2‘s Conquest mode), a multiplayer skin pack, and an XMB theme. It’s hardly the most robust add-on, but at least it’s priced about right for it, not the $15 a certain other company would charge.

Since being included in the Welcome Back package after the PSN hack, Dead Nation has reached 3.8 million downloads. That’s a pretty impressive figure for any game, let alone a downloadable title that didn’t get much press. How best to follow up on that success? DLC, of course. Have to make some money on those that got it free, right? Actually, “Road of Devastation” sounds pretty good. The story picks up right where the main game ended, with your character waking up in a laboratory and needing to escape. More zombies, new locations, new challenges, an addition to the story. Sounds like this DLC has everything you want in an add-on. Too bad there’s no price or date attached yet.

Should I just change this column to the DLC Round Up? Because Driver: San Francisco is getting some free multiplayer additions. Next week will see the addition of 12 new routes, with ten more coming over the next ten weeks. That’s a nice, steady supply of extra content for online players, all at no extra charge. In addition, the Driver Club was added earlier this week to give players extra achievements, user friendly stats and leaderboards, better director’s clip functionality, and the ability to follow your friends with the social feed. And, because North American copies were missing their Uplay redemption codes, you can even get the online passport free for a limited time. I don’t know about you, but I’d call that excellent support from Ubisoft.

For some reason, I actually have the soundtrack for Batman Forever in my basement. It’s not all good, but it was better than the movie. If the same can be said for the recently announced soundtrack for Batman: Arkham City, then this is going to be a must have (because the game is going to be amazing). The album features Batman inspired tunes from the likes of Coheed and Cambria, Panic at the Disco!, Daughtry, etc. It launches October 4th, with the game following two weeks later. Those buying the Collector’s Edition will get the album via a free download code. Everyone else can get it from Amazon.

Full track list:

1. Panic! At The Disco – Mercenary
2. Coheed and Cambria – Deranged
3. The Duke Spirit – Creature
4. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Shadow On The Run
5. Blaqk Audio  – Afterdark
6. The Raveonettes  – Oh, Stranger
7. ††† (Crosses) – The Years
8. The Damned Things – Trophy Widow
9. Daughtry – Drown In You
10. The Boxer Rebellion – Losing You
11. Serj Tankian – Total Paranoia
12. A Place to Bury Strangers – In The Shadow (only w/ Collector’s Edition)

And just because you can’t get enough news about Batman: Arkham City, how about New Game+? Rocksteady has announced that you will be able to restart the main story after completing it on normal or hard with all of your previous upgrades. You’ll need those upgrades too, because the enemies will be more difficult and come in different configurations. Counterattack icons won’t be appearing over their heads either. Though your Batman will be tougher, it seems the bosses will have learned a few tricks from their first fight too, making them more difficult to handle as well.

The latest game to join the Collector’s Edition craze came as a little bit of a surprise to me. Then again, considering the audience, I can’t figure out why I hadn’t expected it. It’s sort of an obvious one. This edition of Sonic Generations is pretty standard fare for Collector’s: figurine with classic and modern Sonics, numbered collectible “Gold Ring,” “20 Years of Sonic Art” book, “20th Anniversary Sonic Soundtrack,” “History of Sonic: Birth of an Icon” documentary, special box, and DLC. I’m actually glad to see the bonuses don’t focus solely on the new game, opting instead to celebrate the rich, 20 year history of our favorite bue hedgehog. The only pricing I’ve seen for the bonus edition is £99.99 from a UK retailer. That’s about $160US. I actually haven’t even seen it from a US retailer, so it may be region-exclusive. But at $160 that better be a real gold ring (doubtful). The game is scheduled for November.

I’ve found it a little hard to get excited about Max Payne 3, but the recent announcement of a release window may be the first step to changing my attitude. The game takes Max to Brazil where he works as a private security contractor. When gangs attack the family he’s protecting, Max has to battle new enemies and his old demons as he fights to save them. Part of my hesitation is that the story doesn’t seem to fit the epilogue I wrote for the character in my head after his second game. I also wonder if the game play can be successfully integrated into a more modern game. Regardless, it looks like I’ll be finding out in March 2012.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 has had a few details released regarding a device called the Historia Crux allowing for New Game+ type options that may also be able to break up the linearity of the game play, something much maligned in Final Fantasy XIII. That seems to be the most important part of the announcement, but it’s pretty extensive and way too deep for VGQH. As I dive more into the release I may do a full write up on the story (which means I’ll come back here and edit those last few sentences into a link to the full story). This sounds pretty impressive and indicates more than a little motivation from another great Square franchise, Chrono Trigger. We also got a ton of screens from the announcement, but I really liked this one (mostly because it felt like a Baby Diego reference):

In keeping with their typical pattern, Capcom has announced two more members of the Street Fighter x Tekken roster. The latest reveals are Lilli from Tekken and Zangief from Street Fighter. Frankly, these idiotic teasers for each character are getting lame. Could someone please just leak the entire roster like they did with MvC3 so we can get it over with?

And that’s pretty much it for Friday’s edition. Just a few last things to mention if you’re a PS3 user that digs the Play, Create, Share concept. The free Move expansion for Little Big Planet 2 is coming September 13th (along with a retail price drop to $40) and Sucker Punch has expanded the user-generated content for inFamous 2 again – this time adding bosses and level-linking to create your own stories. So get creative. I want to play more of your levels. And no, you can’t play mine. I’m awful at that stuff, though I do have a few decent creations in ModNation Racers.

If you’ve been following this site for a while you know I’ve become quite the pinball player and it’s thanks to those guys making all the tables on Pinball FX2. On August 31st a new table was released, this one being the Ms. Splosion Man table. Now this table is based on a video game of the same name which came out in July for Xbox Live Arcade. I was unfamiliar with the game but I watched a couple of videos and it looks to be an incredibly chaotic side platformer and it’s received quite excellent reviews.

Back to pinball, this table like the game it’s based on feels like you’re in control of a very chaotic situation. There’s a lot of things going on and before you know it you’ve gained quite a number of points. My first play through I was able to get up to 94 Million points but unlike the table which came out most recently “Captain America” I was unable to complete the first mission but I still felt awesome. Captain America made you feel awesome in completing missions, where as this one makes you feel awesome by scoring a lot of points and barreling through chaos. My favorite part was actually the multiball section because it has this nifty trap where you can trap one of your multiballs and if you get it out of the trap you have an extra ball for your multiball mode. Basically it means if you lose one of your balls it’s okay because you can get it back in the same mode. I ended up losing about 6 balls while still doing the same multiball.

The music and the voices seem to be the same as from the original game. The voices can get a little annoying but I tend to play most of my games while listening to other things so I didn’t notice as much. The table is really good for making you feel cool since it is so high scoring. It will cost you 240 Microsoft Points on the Xbox Live Arcade. They’ve been on a role as of late putting out some very good tables and this one has a fluidity about it which makes it a good table.

This week: Trigun: Badlands Rumble clips, some fun news about Dragon Quest in Japan, and Spice and Wolf comes to DVD/Blu-ray.

First up: Trigun: Badlands Rumble is coming to the U.S. on Blu-ray Tuesday, September 27th (after a very limited theater release during the summer), and Funimation is gearing up by sharing some clips from their youtube page.

The most wanted man in the galaxy returns in glorious HD for the first and only Trigun full length feature film. Gasback plays dirty, but he puts his faith in one high holy roller.

Clip # 1:

Yep. Just in case you weren’t aware – Vash loves donuts. He also tries to avoid violence at all costs. Both are important to keep in mind when watching Trigun.

Clip # 2:

Alright… “Your leg’s got a bad habit of kicking.”…really? Oh English dubbing… Good thing there are some awesome English voice actors to make up for lines of poorly translated / regionalized dialogue like that! Usually I just opt for watching with the original Japanese audio, but this film’s English track features the amazing Johnny Yong Bosch, Luci Christian, Colleen Clinkenbeard, and a few other voice actors that I really like. I think my biggest problem is with lines like the one just mentioned which aren’t translated all that effectively. (Admittedly, it’s often no fault of the translator – there are just some Japanese jokes that don’t turn out all that well in English).

Clip 3:

Clip 4:

Overall the film seems like a fun ride for any fans of the Trigun series. I didn’t catch this one in theaters in Japan but I heard good things from friends that saw it on the big screen. It had an extremely limited screening of only a day or two in select cities around the U.S. so chances are you’ll have to pick up the Blu-ray on the 27th to give it a watch.

For more about the film, visit Funimation’s website.

Next up: Anime News Network shared a neat announcement that Family Mart (a convenience store chain) in Japan will be selling pork buns (nikuman) that look like the Slimes from the Dragon Quest series. As the post mentions, Slimes are iconic enemies in the games and have been featured in every version since the first one premiered in 1986.

Something about food with eyes isn’t all that appetizing to me…but I bet these things will sell like crazy!

Photo from Anime News Network.

Finally this week: Spice and Wolf just came out on DVD/Blu-ray combo pack. You can pick it up for list price USD $64.98 or $59.99 on Amazon.

The journey through the wild countryside continues for the merchant Lawrence and the untamed harvest goddess, Holo. The companions reap the bounty of an ever-strengthening bond, depending on street smarts and animal instincts to carry them along the last miles of their trip to Holo’s northern home. While the villages along their route offer many opportunities for profit, the road is marked by heretics and shady dealers looking to separate the travelers from their savings — and from each other. With the end of the journey in sight, Lawrence and Holo revel in the riches of the relationship they’ve built — but what truly awaits the simple peddler and the forgotten deity at the end of their winding path?

You can watch the trailer here:

Red Faction: Origins bridges the gap between THQ’s videogames Red Faction: Guerilla and Red Faction: Armageeddon. It centers on Red Faction soldier Jake Mason (Brian J. Smith), son of war hero Alec Mason (Robert Patrick) who helped give the Martian Colonies their independence from the EDF (Earth Defense Force), and his discovery that his kidnapped sister, who has been missing for 12 years, is still alive and has become a member of a group known only as the “white soldiers.” The same group that killed his mother and kidnapped his sister in the first place. In order to save her he’ll need the help of his drunken and disgraced father and the support of the Marauders, Red Faction’s sworn enemies.

Having not played either of the Red Faction videogames I can’t comment on how well Origins fits in the story arc but I can say that the film’s plot feels a bit generic but considering its videogame roots its nowhere as hollow as it could be. Andrew Kreisberg’s (“Warehouse 13”) script is actually coherent, fairly intelligent and features a nice amount of character development. The cast is uniformly good with only a few flat moments. The special effects aren’t exactly cutting edge. The flying sequences are particularly troublesome but that’s to be expected from a made-for-Syfy film.

Bonus features include a very fluffy making-of featurette and an commentary with some of the actors, director Michael Nankin and Universal Cable’s director of development Tom Lieber that discusses changes from the original script, differences from the game and some of the off-screen antics.

It’s rare that I’d recommend a film that is based on a videogame but sci-fi fans will want to give Red Faction: Origins a look.

I hope everyone enjoyed their long holiday weekend. Mine was great, especially since I took Friday off after watching the Utes beat Montana State. Go Utes! With nothing to do Friday but get hydrated for my Salt Flats 10k on Saturday I finished my evil Cole run on inFamous 2. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I was a little surprised by the ending. I haven’t done the good guy run yet (I’ll start that as my hard run this week) but I think I know what to expect from that ending as well. In either case, I’d have to guess that this is probably the last title in the series. I suppose a third one is possible, but there would need to be major changes – especially if the good Cole ending is as definitive as the evil one. I don’t expect to see enough vagueness to allow for a single continued story. Either way, on to the news:

I mentioned some time ago that Rockstar had plans for another DLC package with Red Dead Redemption. Details for “Myths and Mavericks” are out now. The important details are that the package will launch around September 13th and it will be free. What you’ll get is 10 new locations with one to four modes for each one; the addition of stronghold mode at Armadillo, Chuparosa, and Tumbleweed; Shootout and Gang Shootout at Rio Bravo; and eight new player characters (including Uncle and Landon Ricketts). This is Rockstar’s thank you to all of the players who continue massacring one another online in their fantastic western. You’re welcome, Rockstar. And thank you.

If you’re hungering for more news about Street Fight x Tekken, I can give you two more characters that will appear. Capcom’s pattern of awful teaser trailers most recently showcased Rolento (Final Fight, Street Fighter Alpha) and Heihachi Mishima (Tekken). Mishima was to be expected, Rolento is worth a widening of the eyes and a nod, but nothing shocking. If you want more, check out the just released cover art:

Can’t get enough plundering with Dungeon Siege III? Of course not. Which is why Square Enix is expanding the title with the “Treasures of the Sun” DLC. The add-on brings hours of new quest content, new monsters, more loot, and new location, The Aranoi Desert. You’ll also unlock new abilities as you work towards the new level cap of 35. And if the extra five levels aren’t enough, they’ve added the ability to reallocate points at any time in the campaign. The expansion is scheduled for October 2011, and is listed at $9.99.

Another game set for DLC in October is Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. The game just came out today, but they weren’t able to include co-op for the retail release. Never fear, they plan to add it for free in October. The “Exterminatus” add-on will allow squads of up to four players in three classes. You’ll also get leaderboards, “dynamic challenges,” and “score modifiers.”

Activision finally outlined their premium tier of Call of Duty: Elite at their XP weekend. Plenty of players were skeptical and ready to have a fit over the pricing and content, but it turns out this is actually a good deal for hardcore multiplayer fans – especially if buy all the DLC. For $50 a year you’ll get access to the premium service. Seems steep at first. If all you’re getting is more video storage, virtual prizes, clan levelling, and “Elite TV” then the price just seems excessive. But what if it includes $60 worth of DLC? See what I mean? If you were going to buy all of the DLC anyway, save yourself ten bucks and get the membership. Or, better yet, save yourself another ten bucks and buy the Hardened Edition of Modern Warfare 3 for $100 and get free membership (plus Founder status for life, if that turns out to do you any good).

Next story, are you kidding me? More DLC? And in October too? Apparently Fall is no longer content to destroy your wallet with top shelf retail releases, the season wants to destroy virtual billfold as well. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is getting its “Missing Link” next month. Honestly, I’m a little lost and don’t to report it wrong, so here’s what they say on the official website:

The Deus Ex: Human Revolution conspiracy grows deeper in The Missing Link. During Adam’s quest for the truth in Deus Ex: Human Revolution, he mysteriously vanishes for three days. Where was he? What did he find out? The Missing Link reveals it all.

After being tortured by Belltower agents and having his augmentations disabled, Adam Jensen must rely solely on his basic capabilities to escape from a freighter, destined for an unknown location. While fighting for his survival on the ship, he uncovers another layer to the conspiracy that he never would have suspected. As Adam, befriend new, mysterious allies and fight ruthless enemies to discover what was happening in the shadows during the events of Deus Ex: Human Revolution!

New layers of conspiracy unveiled – Sprawling new environments, brand-new characters to interact with… Rebuild Adam’s augmentation set from scratch. Build up a brand new Adam!

Over on the US Playstation Blog they’ve announced the September bonuses for Playstation Plus Members. It’s months like these that make the program worth it. Click the link for the full list, but I’ll give you some highlights: Plants vs. Zombies and Altered Beast are free – and you can really get caught up on your zombie-slaying with free PSOne classics Resident Evil: Director’s Cut; RE2; and RE3 Nemesis; plus 50% discounts on RE4 and and RE Code Veronica X HD. Seriously, click the link to see the whole update. And this all just for September. I waited a full year before getting on the PS+ bandwagon and I feel like I missed out.

And that looks to be it for today. Plenty of DLC news and some other interesting tidbits. I hope I didn’t miss anything important, but I am thrown off a little by the long weekend. I even completely skipped my “In Stores this Week” column I normally write up. Which is kind of a shame because it was one of the best weeks we’ve had recently with Resistance 3, Driver: San Francisco, and Dead Island all coming out today. Oh well. Come back on Friday for more Video Game Quick Hits.