Obsessive Collecting Disorder (XBLIG): "A Stylish & Challenging Indie Game With a Parody Twist"

As a reviewer I sometimes go above, and beyond the call of duty to bring you guys the latest reviews. In some instances this includes enduring extreme video game challenges that are darn near impossible to complete. This time around the developers at Super Smith Bros. kindly asked me to review their new indie game Obsessive Collecting Disorder. I actually knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to review their game. There was something about it that screamed quality to me though. As I did my playthrough of OCD I found it somewhat fun in a "Glutton for Punishment" sort of way. In the end the game not only tried my patience in numerous ways, but it also made me laugh which is definitely a plus in my book.

"Help Jeremy McGrath Out With His Efforts & Gain An Awesome XBLA Racing Game"

I would like to add my thoughts to the previously posted article ...

Cancer is a scary thing that is unfortunately affecting more, and more people every day. I've had relatives who survived their fight with Cancer for the long haul, so I know what Jeremy McGrath is going through. It think it's very kind of him to offer up his sales money to show support for the organization that helped find a bone marrow match for his wife. In turn I believe his efforts can help others who are looking for a match as well. As far a the game goes it's definitely worth every cent/point. I reviewed the game a while back, and it recieved some much deserved praise from me. If you haven't got the game yet definitely get it. You'll not only be supporting a great cause, but you'll also be gaining a very fun game.

- Brad (OtakuDante) -

"Jeremy McGrath Donates Proceeds From Video Game Sales"

 
 JEREMY MCGRATH TO DONATE VIDEO GAME PROCEEDS TO BETHEMATCH.ORG AS WIFE KIM FINDS A BONE MARROW MATCH

Los Angeles, CA - August 30, 2012 – Last week, Jeremy McGrath announced that his wife Kim has found a much-needed marrow donor as a treatment for her recent Leukemia diagnosis thanks to the efforts of Bethematch.org. In response, Jeremy has pledged to donate his profits from the new video game, Jeremy McGrath's Offroad available now for Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network, to Bethematch.org.

Blog Update 7/28/2012

I'm just stopping by to fill you in on the details of my vacation, and the upcoming "Resident Evil: ORC - End of Days" tournament I'm training for ...

First things first. I'm taking a much deserved vacation to recover from some muscle, and hand injuries I sustained while moving furniture to my father's 2nd story apartment. Muscles don't exactly heal that quickly, so I'll be taking it easy for a while. As for my hands I'm actually beginning to be able to close them into a fist again. After August 8th I'll return to my regular reviewing schedule.

Ninja Exorcist Ep.1 (XBLIG): Art Contest (CLOSED)

Awesome news readers!!! I have another great contest for you. This time around the indie game that I gave so much praise to is up for grabs. All you have to do is send in your best work of art/drawing that relates to "Ninja Exorcist Episode 1". You can draw your own rendition of Daigo (the lead ninja), his unearthly wife Miya, any of the enemies/bosses, or even epic battles between Daigo and his demonic adversaries. The interpretation is up to you, but in the end there will only be 3 winners. Submit your best artistic representation, and your art may become part of the official website fan art gallery. The developer also mentioned to me that special edition of the game may be released with an in-game gallery, so it's definitely something to look forward to.

Ninja Exorcist Ep.1 (XBLIG): "Press Release"

Ninja Exorcist Ep.1 Available Now On Xbox 360 Indie Games

Ninja Exorcist sets sight on re-igniting dwindling software quality on XBLIG platform and provide XBLA style for a fraction of the price

Vancouver B.C. 2012/07/26 – Humble ninja, today marks the beginning of an epic descent into demon slaying and bloodletting, as Nebula Game Studios is excited to announce the release of the beautiful new action-stealth 2D adventure, Ninja Exorcist. Out now on the Xbox 360 Indie Games channel on Xbox live for the ridiculously low price of $1. Join us, and take control of Ninja prodigy Daigo, as he slashes, and stealth kills his way through hordes of demon enemies in the beginning of a journey inspired by Buddhist and Shinto mythology. Ninja Exorcist features hours of gameplay, 19 large stages, including awesome boss fights and many cool features.

Interview with Robb Rinard, Creative Director Behind "Jeremy McGrath's Offroad"

A while back I reviewed an impressive XBLA racing game called "Jeremy McGrath's Offroad". I actually gave the game some much deserved praise. I had definitely enjoyed my playthrough of the game. Everything from the HD visuals to the actual gameplay were all brilliantly designed. Not long after the review I had talked with my PR contact about an interview he wanted done. I typed it up, and sent it to him. I had almost given up hope on ever getting the interview back, until I just checked my email. I'm definitely glad to be able to bring you this interview between me, and the creative director of 2XL Games. Hopefully the interview will spark your interest enough to at least give the demo a try. Without further adieu though here is the interview ...

Ninja Exorcist Episode 1 (XBLIG): "An Oriental 2D Side-Scrolling Masterpiece!

It's not often that I get psyched about a game to the point that I immediately recommend it before posting my review. In this particular instance I did though . It just so happens that Nebula Game Studio's presented one heck of a game with their own original release of "Ninja Exorcist Episode 1". Immediately when starting up the game I noticed the in-depth attention to detail that the developer had incorporated into the title. Everything from the prologue to the actual gameplay screamed high quality (1080p to be exact). With that being said I did get some errors while playing the game, and had to cut my playthrough short. The good news on that situation though is that the developer has already issued a patch for the game, and it should be coming out soon. This lets me know that the developer actually cares about their product, and the consumer which is always a plus.

Dead Sea (XBLIG): "Horror-Survival At Sea"

When I got Brave Men Game's request to do a review early this morning I was very curious as to what they had in store. I think it was earlier this year that I had reviewed their game "Hell's House", so I was expecting something similar. What exactly that was going to be I wasn't sure though. For some reason I expected some sort of apocalyptic game, but I was very wrong with that guess. After viewing the teaser trailer I had some serious doubts about the game, as you too will likely have. Even so I decided to do the review. Without further adieu I give you my two cents worth on this oddly interesting indie game ...

Pro Basketball Shooter (XBLIG): "A Single Button Arcade Style Basketball Simulation Game"

When I was a young fellow growing up video games had not really overtaken my life. I would often times play outside sports with my brothers, and sisters such as baseball, basketball, and even some tennis. It may be hard to believe, but I was actually a fairly active person back then. As I grew up though priorities changed, and I found myself enthralled by the world of gaming. I became so obsessed with the interactive technology that I spent many hours of my life playing video games, and continue to do so to this day. I eventually ended up becoming the video game journalist I am today as a result of my choices. With that being said it is nice to be able to play sports games even if it is just a simulator like the one I'm reviewing here. It brings back memories, and actually makes me want to get back outside and play. Maybe one day I will ...

Blog Update 7/23/2012

Hi Guys & Gals!,

I know things have quieted down recently here on "The Oni Xpress", but I assure you they'll pick back up very soon. I got caught up on a backlog of dvd reviews on my other blog which complicated things a good bit. The good news is though that I just picked up two XBLIG titles for review. One of them is an arcade style basketball shooter called "Pro Basketball Shooter". It was created by 'Rendercode Games' who are known for their previous XBLIG racing titles. The other game "Dead Sea" is by "Hell's House" creator 'Brave Men Games'. It features some CG animation, and a horror/survival tale that will most likely feature some intense gameplay. I only saw the teaser trailer though, so I don't really know much about it yet.

Sushi Castle (XBLIG): "Milkstone's Answer To 'The Binding of Isaac'"

Milkstone has answered my gaming prayers! Ever since I laid eyes on gameplay footage of 'The Binding of Isaac' I have longed to play the game. This was unfortunately impossible for me since my outdated PC can't handle even the simplest of Steam game titles. I was extremely psyched when I happened upon a tweet recently where @milkstone discussed what this game was all about. I replied by tweeting a message to the developer saying they could count me in for a review. I know that Milkstone has a good reputation for releasing some of the best quality titles on the XBLIG platform, so I knew "Sushi Castle" had huge potential. Needless to say the game did not disappoint. As I did my routine playthrough of the game I found nothing, but pure enjoyment from the experience.

Dungeon Fighter LIVE: Fall of Hendon Myre (XBLA)

When I hear the word NEXON I immediately think of mmorpgs. Not only do mmorpg based games pop into mind, but images of anime style characters and fantasy realms also come to thought. In all honesty I've never really followed PC games such as the Dungeon Fighter series too closely, but as an artist and anime fanatic I couldn't help but notice the ads that were placed on the gaming sites I frequent. I've always secretly longed to have a decent gaming PC so I could enjoy such games as the ones NEXON has produced. Even though my desire to game on a PC remains I'm truly glad that NEXON decided to bring one of their free-to-play rpgs to the Xbox 360 console. It allowed me, along with many other non-PC gamers to enjoy the delightful gameplay that the developer has been producing for years.

Zuma's Revenge (XBLA): "Amphibious Retribution PopCap Style"

When it comes down to delivering quality, and family friendly arcade style games no one quite does it like PopCap Games. Over the years I have spent countless hours with my parents, and siblings playing PopCap titles on the family PC. We have enjoyed a variety of different titles from the PopCap universe including games from the Bejeweled series, Plants vs Zombies, the Bookworm series, and even the Zuma series. My family will no doubt continue this trend as more games are released. In retrospect PopCap games have been a huge part of my gaming history. They are one of the few types of games that I will actually play on the PC, and are about the only types of games that my basic computer can handle. With that being said I'm definitely glad that the developer/s of these titles have brought them to gaming consoles such as the Xbox 360. While they were great on the PC, they are many times better on the Xbox 360.

Frogger Hyper Arcade Edition (XBLA): "Konami Revitalizes A Classic & Does It Right!"

If you're an oldschool gamer like myself then you've most likely spent at least some of your time playing the classic Frogger game. The first time I actually played Frogger was on one of those ancient PCs that are now as obsolete as obsolete can get. I recall playing Frogger at a school my Mother was teaching at during my childhood days. It was one of those fond gaming memories I'll likely never forget. I think that encounter with Frogger was actually the first time I had ever gamed on a computer, and is part of the reason I got interested in computers in the first place.

Anyways in a haphazard sort of way my point is that some games, regardless of their retro beginnings still have a flicker of life left in them. This is definitely the case with Konami's re-imagining of the classic Frogger game. They have once again breathed life into this almost forgotten classic. Not only did Konami revive Frogger, but they also did it the right way. Aside from the classic Frogger goodness that most of us know you'll find some additions to the game that make it many times better than it was to begin with.

Blog Update 7/8/2012

Greetings all my loyal readers! By now you've likely noticed the header/title change on my blog. While I've always been partial to my original blog name of "OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno" it seemed a little cliche to me. I wanted an blog title that was both catchy, and innovative without necessarily using my username as a part of it. My plans are to stick with the new title of "The Oni Xpress". It has an epic oriental ring to it that implies what I'm all about, hardcore press coverage. The header you currently see will most likely not be the final product. I have asked a good friend of mine (@MasterBlud) to design a more professional banner/header for me. I'm confident he'll make something worthy for my blog.

Spelunky (XBLA): "Spelunky Goodness With a Next-Gen Presentation""

First, and foremost I would like to thank Derek Yu for the code. ("Thank you so much!") He endured my persistent hounding, which I now feel very sorry for. He seems to be a very nice guy, and was unfortunately put into a situation where fake reviewers were spamming him with code requests. Thankfully though he saw through my simple minded request, and gave me the opportunity to review his deeply impressive game. This game of course is none other than 'Spelunky'. Many reviewers have sought it as well as many gaming fans. I'm definitely grateful to have the chance to feature my review of this game on "OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno". Without further adieu though I present to you my review of 'Spelunky'!!!

Go Gimbal Go (XBLIG): "A challenging 2D platformer fit for all ages"

When I first saw 'Go Gimbal Go' I didn't know what to expect. I passed up the opportunity to request it for review on many occasions simply, because I thought it was some childish game that wouldn't be fit for my audience of readers. I'm glad that the developer (Gimbal Lock Studios) decided to contact me though, because otherwise I would have missed out on this interesting title. In the email I received from the developer he told me what the game was all about, and from his descriptions I could tell a lot of thought went into the making of this game. While I did not see the game comparisons he saw (Super Mario Sunshine ...) I did notice some similarities to other classic video games. After spending significant time with the game I decided to post my review, and this here is that review.

First Gameplay Trailer For NeoCore's Upcoming "The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing"

First-ever Gameplay Trailer for The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing Released

BUDAPEST – July 3, 2012 – Independent developer NeocoreGames presents the first-ever gameplay trailer for The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, giving soon-to-be monster hunters their first glimpse of an impressive, larger-than-life clash with monsters, a fundamental element of this upcoming action-RPG. Set in a gothic-noir universe and wrought with wry humor and snappy dialogue, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, loosely based on Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula, is currently in development for PC and XBLA. 

A-Band (XBLIG): "An Artistic Jam Session With New Rock Bands"

Sometimes I get myself in some of the worst situations when it comes to reviews. Either I'm juggling a bunch of reviews on my two blogs at one time, or I'm doing reviews on games/dvds that I'm not really into. Sadly this is the case with the game I'm about to review here. Against my better judgement I promised the developer (Flammable Games) I'd do a review on their game knowing ahead of time that the game was better played with the drum peripheral/controller. It's the kind of circumstance that makes me want to beat my head against the wall. Regardless of my struggle I was able to play enough of the game to give you guys a decent review.