Killer is Dead (PSN/PS3)

Like a modern day grindhouse film, SUDA51's story about a hired American killer with a mysterious past unfolds in a way that is not unlike Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" movie series, or some of his other more recent films. This game, or interactive experience as I've grown to know it was given the uniquely appropriate title of "Killer is Dead" by it's collaboration of developers, and publishers (XSEED, Grasshopper Manufacture, Kadokawa Games & SUDA51). In the simplest of explanations that I can think of I'd say that  it is an over-the-top hyper stylized gorefest filled with flirtatiously sexy mini-games, epic boss battles, combo based combat, and an interesting cast of individuals who are all a part of a mythology like none other.

Mondo Zappa who just so happens to be the main protagonist of this otherworldly plot is a guy with a mysterious past, an augmented arm, and several unanswered questions. As a hired killer Mondo willingly does the bidding of another gangster looking gentleman who also deals in the profitable business of executions. This employer who looks an awful lot like the gun armed Barrett of FF7 (Final Fantasy VII) goes by the name Bryan. Along with his interest in taking on contracts Bryan also has an odd, and often times unreadable sense of humor about him. With Bryan's guidance, the assistance of a female accountant named Vivienne, and the help of a younger "moe" style female secretary named Mika, Mondo sets forth time, and time again to fulfill contracts as well as earn a living so that he can support his more perverse hobbies.

Divekick (PSN)

Earlier this year when Evo, and various other fighting game tournaments were going on I caught word of "Divekick" through a fellow fighting game enthusiast who goes by the username @IFD_Delusion. It was by mere chance that I had noticed his tweet about the game, and after seeing him play it hands-on in one of his Youtube videos I knew this was something worth my time, and attention. Very rarely do fighting game developers think this far outside the box. It is insane at how complex the guys, and gals of One True Game Studios were able to make this two button brawler. Initially started as a joke to poke fun at fighting game stereotypes, and gaming industry stereotypes this unique indie title was eventually placed into the Kickstarter program where it evolved into a full fledged fighter worthy of the praise the fighting game community had given it. Thankfully they were able to get the project funded. As an indie fan, a fan of artistic creation, and a fan of the gaming industry I can tell you now through hands-on experience that it's very much worth playing. Being the passing fad, or modern day craze that it is you will no doubt find humor, and fun times along with many others at the helm of this PS3, PS Vita, and PC exclusive.

ZENO CLASH II (PSN)

When it comes to originality in the RPG universe hardly anyone does it like Square-Enix. Sure you'll have the occasional RPG developed by a developer who can think outside of the box (NIS America -"Time and Eternity"), but for the most part they all follow a very similar pattern. You heroes, or heroines usually come in the same RPG related classes (Barbarian, Wizard, Dwarf, Mage ...), and the enemies in an equally similar selection. Often times said hero, or heroine must face insurmountable odds against an evil army, empire, or all powerful creature or character. To say that the genre has become repetitive would be an understatement. Thankfully though the guys, and gals over at ACE Team have created a unique RPG experience like no other. Their previous release of the arcade RPG "Zeno Clash" which was hailed as a "Stonepunk" experience ended up being mostly overlooked by the gaming community, but did gain that cult following that gaming companies such as Atlus are known for. Zeno Clash had it's own mythology which was filled with interesting creatures, and characters who looked as if they were ripped from the pages of "The Island of Dr. Moreau", and rooted within a more science fiction type of world. The game's design even had an interesting Jim Henson flair about it (Dark Crystal, Labyrinth). It's the type of creative effort that would easily compete against Yoshitaka Amano's Final Fantasy creations.

Dragon's Crown (PS3/PSN)

The skies opened up, angelic voices sang, and the gods and goddesses of old bestowed there blessings upon me the day that I received the code for the upcoming release of "Dragon's Crown"! Just kidding, but even so it was a blessed event to me. I've been longing to get my hands on this game for what seems to be an eternity, and to be lucky enough to get early access to it was a privilege indeed. Both myself, and the staff at Atlus have been dropping hints for the past two months (or so) about how cool of an experience it was going to be. The fact that the pre-order bonus comes with a most excellent artbook is alone a testament to the effort Atlus has poured into the marketing/creation of this game. Keep in mind that Atlus, and Vanillaware titles are few, and far between so getting them while you can is definitely a wise decision. Most of you out there will know that Atlus's game releases/co-releases are usually gems, and end up with cult followings becoming harder to find as time passes. This is why I stressed so much to pre-order the game. Not only will doing so get you the game (PS Vita/PS3) itself, but by pre-ordering it you will also get a limited edition artbook with art by Vanillaware's George Kamitani. It's a win-win situation.

Do Not Fall (PSN)

During my playthrough of XPEC's latest release of "Do Not Fall" a couple of things kept on popping up in the back of my mind. One such thought was that the main character "PiPi" reminded me an awful lot of the old "Nestle Quick" bunny from the animated television commercials, and secondly that the name "PiPi" reminded me of something I ought not mention here (Childish Laughter Follows ^.^). The game as odd as it is revolves around some interesting characters/creatures, and their pursuit to make the ultimate drink via the inside worlds of a vending machine. Some of you may not be sold on such an off-the-wall idea, but it's these out-of-the-box creations that generally gain most of my respect when it comes to video game offerings. The developer definitely knew what they were doing with the design, and theme of the game, and executed it all in what I like to call a "Perfect Storm". Do Not Fall, as cutesy as it may appear is a hardcore mind !@#$% that will have you returning for more, and cussing as you try your hardest to perfect your playthroughs. While this description would likely turn away a lot of you it's certainly not a bad thing.

Mamorukun Curse! (PSN)

When I first heard the title "Mamorukun Curse!" I had no clue in hell as to what it was about. Through the usual Youtube, and internet research though the details about the game did begin to emerge. Even so it wasn't until I actually got my hands on the game that it all began to truly make sense. The title "Mamorukun Curse!", which is odd in it's own right is actually a play on words that most anime lovers will understand. In most anime situations that involve younger characters "kun" is added to their name as a sign of affection in the shared character dialogue. Hence the title, "Mamomorukun's Curse". The main character of the game who goes by the name "Mamoru" ended up meeting his untimely demise as he was crossing a road in the real world. This vehicular tragedy ended up sending poor Mamoru barreling head first into the afterlife along with a handful of other boys, and girls from other parts of the real world. This newly banded army of friends found that not only they were dead, but that in order to gain a second chance at life in the real world that they'd have to aid the eccentric afterlife tour guide, "Fululu (pronounced "Fururu")" in the removal of an otherworldy threat. It is this vaguely fleshed out plot setup that is the basis for this full-fledged Japanese shmup (Shoot'em Up).

R.I.P.D. the Game (XBLA/PSN)

There's been a lot of buzz going around the internet these past couple of weeks regarding Universal's theatrical release of "R.I.P.D.". Most people see many similarities when compared to the former "M.I.B." movie series. I myself can definitely see the initial based title, and the basic plot of the film being slightly similar to "M.I.B.". At the same time though I can also say to you that it won't be a complete knock-off of said franchise. What Universal, Atlus, and Oldschool Games are obviously trying to achieve is an afterlife oriented experience in which dead law enforcement of the past (namely Roy & Nick) are standing up against an unseen threat. While this secret organization of good guys versus bad guys is similar to that of "M.I.B." the threat against the "R.I.P.D." officers are anything, but the same. In the case of "R.I.P.D." the threat does not come in the form of otherworldly aliens, but instead the ghastly, and disfigured souls of the criminally departed whom walk unnoticed amongst the living. The "R.I.P.D.", or "Rest In Peace Department" as they are known have been monitoring the recent deado gold theft activities, and have sent out Nick (A newly deceased cop) along with an old time sheriff named Roy to investigate the situation as well as take out any deados that they find. This of course is the basis, and overall premise behind the game of the same name.

Spartacus Legends (PSN): "THIS IS STILL NOT SPAAARTA-CUSS!!!"

This morning I started up my PS3 in hopes of partaking of the Double XP offerings in Black Ops 2. Little did I know that I'd receive a message, and a gift from the developers of "Spartacus Legends". The message basically told me that the game had been fixed, and in order to gain access to this newly patched version I'd have to delete my old download, and download the game again. Also attached to the message was a single use code for 50 free gold coins for use in the game! At this point I was thinking to myself "Why not?". I decided to take them on their word, do as they said, and enjoy my $4.99 worth of gold coins. The download took long as it usually does. You can't expect less of a wait from a game with a 2,000+ MB file size, unfortunately. Upon downloading, and installing it I got into the game hoping to the Greek Gods that the developer had actually fixed the issues I found wrong with the game. To my utter dismay I once again found myself cussing out the game in rage though.

Spartacus Legends (PSN): "WTF!? THIS IS NOT SPAAARTA-CUSS!!!"

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Spartacus Legends (PSN): "First Impressions"

When it comes to Roman mythology, and history I'm a diehard fan. I have spent hours upon hours of my life at the schools' libraries as well as local libraries reading up on Spartan conquests, gladiators, and all the gory details associated with both. It seems to me though that as interesting as these subjects are, and have been in the past to people that the hype about them did not increase until films such as "300", and television series like "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" came into being. Speaking of which, I can't help but think of the phrase that Gerard Butler so brilliantly quoted in the film "300" ("THIS IS SPAAARTA!!!" xD) every time I hear something with the word "Sparta" in it. In fact this morning I came up with my own parody version of the quote, and it goes something like this, "THIS IS SPAAARTA-CUS!!!". As cheesy as that likely sounds I can't help, but quote it every time I get into a "Spartacus Legends" match. For those of you who are unaware of it, Spartacus Legends (a Free-to-Play) game was released today on the PSN store. This means PS3 owners get first dibs at sampling the new fighting experience. Xbox 360 owners will get their chance tomorrow.

Tekken Revolution (PS3): "Follow-Up Review"

As promised I spent some quality time getting familiar with Tekken Revolution, it's unique offerings, and it's unusual departure from the core mechanics of previous Tekken games. The fact remains that the game still plays heavily on the punishing mechanics that most of you touch base with in any Tekken match, and in doing so feels nothing like the traditional Tekken fighters of old. The "Free-to-Play" aspect is another matter all in itself, one which I'm not entirely sure about just yet. Unfortunately for that topic I will not be able to give you a definitive opinion until Namco has finished with the trial phases of the game. I can, and will however explain the game in better detail for those looking to join the others who are interested in this particular Tekken spin-off.

Tiny Token Empires (PSN)

When I first watched the trailer for Tiny Token Empires I honestly did not know what to make of it. I noticed that it seemed to feature some sort of "RISK" style of gameplay, but that it also featured some puzzle gameplay similar to that of various PopCap games. Needless to say it had me intrigued enough to want to see what it was all about. After contacting the French developer (BiP Media), and discussing the usual review arrangement I immediately got started on trying to figure the game out, so that I could relay what I found to you guys. Unfortunately as it sometimes goes with reviews I found myself not only struggling to understand the game, but I also found it damn near impossible to put what I was seeing into words. I knew I had my work cut out for me, and there was no doubt in my mind I'd be spending more time than usual learning the ropes of "Tiny Token Empires".

KontrolFreek - Shields "Ammunition" (PS3)

I think it was either late last year, or earlier this year that I reviewed my first KontrolFreek products. I was truly impressed with the craftsmanship, the overall designs, and functionality of the "FPS Freek", and "FPS Havoc" controller enhancements. In fact I still use them to this day when gaming with my brothers in "Black Ops 2". The in-game improvements that these two products offered definitely showed throughout my product testing phase, and beyond. However good that may sound it is not the reason why I'm here today. It was recently announced that KontrolFreek was releasing a new line of controller add-ons to their online store, and I felt that these new products would be another noteworthy item worth featuring here on this blog. These latest add-ons, dubbed as "shields" were said to provide the gamer with a cleaner, more protected controller. In simple terms it's KontrolFreek's own unique take on controller decals.

Let's Talk: "Fair & Unfair In the World of Gaming"

I'm going to give it to you straight folks. I'm sick, and f*cking tired of gamers who chose to cheapen the online gaming experiences with hacking, cheating, spamming, and lagswitching. It has become a growing epidemic, because of the gaming community, and developer's acceptance of the issue. Recently some friends of mine tried their best to justify the situation as well. It is this mentality that allows the scum of the online Earth to do as they please. You may say "Well Brad, there are ways around it", or "Try different tactics", or even my all time favorite "Your internet connection must suck". Well friends, I'm here to tell you different. While there may be ways around the usual fighting game bullsh*ttery why the f*ck should I have to go out of my way to do so. I think that sort of thinking is ass backwards. Game developers should be applying features to games to counter act the BS. For example the roster of Injustice is filled with the most unbalanced set of characters that I've ever experienced in a fighting game. Most characters are heavy keep away types that make it easy for online losers to have there way with the best of players. Sinestro, and Deathstroke are a prime examples of this. It goes without saying that while some techniques in a fighting games are made available it doesn't necessarily mean it's alright, or justifiable to use them.

Guacamelee (PSN)

Guacamelee is a virtual pinata filled with tantalizing tidbits from various platforming genres. DrinkBox Studios, the developers behind this tribute based platformer have delivered a combined experience unlike any I've seen in my entire career as a gamer. You'll find hints of games like "Super Mario Bros.", "The Legend of Zelda", "Mega Man", and several Metroidvania style platformers. The developer even pays homage to various indie game studios (The Behemoth ...), gaming news sites (Destructoid ...), pop culture icons (Grumpy Cat ...), memes (Me Gusta ...), and even famous super hero battles (Bane vs Batman). There's not much that this cell shaded 2D platformer doesn't cover. Even with all of the similarities though you will find that this feisty fiesta style brawler stands alone as it's own unique experience.

Terraria (PSN)

Most of you reading this review have likely already played the PC version of "Terraria". I unfortunately was never able to sample the supposed greatness that it offered though due to the lack of a proper PC graphics card. After finding out about the console release about 2 weeks ago I decided it was time for me to see exactly what the hype was all about. I wanted to know why it received such high ratings across the board. Before I get started with my review though It's probably best that you know that I've always sucked at Minecraft inspired games. I've never been able to adapt to the complex menu systems, or building options that are made available in those types of game titles. With that being said though I do understand the mechanics well enough to explain them.

Dollar Dash (PSN): "A Money Grubbing Multiplayer Experience"

Many of you have likely already read reviews on the "XBLA" version of "Dollar Dash", but I'm here to offer the PS3 gamers a review since the game was just released on the Playstation Network. Dollar Dash in essence is a collaborative creation between Kalypso Media, and Candygun Games. You'll likely be familiar with Kalypso's work, because of my previous review. Candygun Games on the other hand might not ring a bell. A couple of years ago, early into my gaming journalism career I reviewed a game called "Dead Block". As you can guess it was 'Candygun Games' who created that interesting zombie survival game. It seems that this developer has once again returned to the gaming scene with their signature animation style, and fun filled gameplay designs. Their latest creation (Dollar Dash) was a bit of a risk taker though. The developer opted to go solely multiplayer with the game, and included no story mode or campaign. I think they had a lot of confidence in their product, but whether or not that payed off is yet to be seen. Regardless of this I'm here to give you the lowdown on this madcap money maker, and intend on being honest with my review. Without further adieu let us get this show on the road!

Persona 4 - The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena / Persona 4 Arena (PSN/PS3)

First thing's first. I would like to thank the two people who made this review possible. The first person, Isako Tsuburai of Arc System Works has been more helpful to me than any other PR I've ever worked with. This Japanese PR has gone out of their way numerous times to help me with my inquiries pertaining to various Arc System Works releases. Without their help I would have gotten nowhere fast. Thank you Isako! You have been a godsend. Secondly I'd like to thank Alex Armour of Atlus for providing the code for review purposes. Without Alex following through with the code this review, once again would have not been a possibility. Both representatives are definitely awesome in my book, and I hope to continue working with them in the future. It's not often that you'll find such high ranked gaming PRs who are willing to work with smaller journalistic outlets such as the one I provide. I definitely find myself very fortunate in those respects.

Without further delay though I am here to get a job done, and that's what I intend on doing. I hope that you enjoy reading the following review of "Persona 4 Arena", and that it's an informative experience that will help you in your decision on whether, or not the game is worth the asking price.

Blog Update & Black Ops 2 Custom Emblems

There's been a lot going on in my life this first month of 2013. I've been busy tending to my adult blog, and getting business in order on that side of the spectrum in hopes that it might become as popular as my gaming blog. So far I've secured a lot more contributors, and have gained access to some new adult entertainment options for my blog. I know that has nothing to do with "OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno" directly, but it partially explains the reason why content has been so lacking here. As far as game reviews are concerned I have received some requests from XBLIG devs, but have heard nothing from the higher up devs leaving me to almost abandon my hopes for the future of this blog. My fear is that small time gaming journalists such as myself are not going to be able to get the XBLA, and retail games like we previously were able to in 2012. This can likely be attributed to the boom in gaming blog sites, and to the fact that a lot of the "so called" blog journalists out there were not being legit with their requests. In other words they wanted something for nothing, and devs fell for it. It gives honest, hard working journalists such as myself a bad name, and in turn causes developers not to trust us.

Dwarfing the Trolls

By now most of you have heard me voice my opinions about the declining quality of online gaming. I have even commented on some of Youtube's top Trolling channels (SUK, Whiteboy7thst ...) voicing my concerns to the online gaming community in hopes that someone might actually listen. I know that some gamers agree with what I'm saying while others are mindlessly obsessed with the current trend of "Trolling". As a last ditch effort I have devised a plan to thwart the threat of Trolling, and have set it into motion. You'll find that the current feature video on my Youtube channel (otakudante) tells you all about my plans as well as tips on how to deal with Trolls. I have deemed my own trend as "Dwarfing", and have explained it's origins in the description of the video. Below you will find a portion of the description that accompanies my latest Youtube video. It describes methods of "Dwarfing" Trolls, and explains the nature of the trend. Please, for the love of all that is sacred in gaming!!! Spread the word, and get Dwarfing trending for the sake of future gaming generations!