Tuesday, January 29, 2013

dis one i has later, k?


Just this month of January, Cabal ONline NA has been updating their item shops. Several cute pet changes caught my attention. Still thinking of which pet i should get. However this Cat Fencer caught my attention.
so I'll kip my Current Pet and has cat fencer later, k?




Monday, January 28, 2013

Juri Will Kick You in the Face. And You Will Like It.



As far as Street Fighter characters go, Juri Han is unique. She's the first Korean Street Fightercharacter and the sole Taekwondo fighter. She's also tough, evil, and very cool looking.
And that's exactly why Juri, who debuted in Street Fighter IV, has quickly become a fan favorite. It's easy to see why cosplayers would be drawn to Juri, with her unforgettable hairdo and her athletic, yet very appealing and totally rad outfit. Juri will kick your butt. In style.
Like we do every Wednesday, here is a look at some—not all—of the best Juri cosplay the internet has to offer. Who pulled off this Street Fighter character best? Have a look at the wonderful cosplay in the above gallery. 
For more info on Juri, check out the Capcom wikia. And in case you missed it, here's a round-up of wonderful Chun-Li cosplay.
 


Source: Kotaku

Friday, January 25, 2013

Vigil Games Lead Combat Designer stands up, says goodbye



Vigil Games Lead Combat Designer stands up, says goodbye

Vigil Games Lead Combat Designer Ben Cureton and the rest of the Vigil staff cleaned out the office today, after Vigil was left untouched at THQ's auction. Vigil was shuttered, and as per THQ's letter to employees, everyone working there was laid off. In a post on NeoGAF, Cureton compared the scene in the office to a silent warzone.


"The walls look bare," he wrote. "It's quiet. The seats are empty."


Vigil Games, the studio behind Darksiders 2, was working on something calledCrawler, a project we first heard about in THQ's December bankruptcy filing. After two months working on Crawler, Cureton was convinced that it would blow people's minds.


"I knew, without a shadow of the doubt, that the project we were working on (Codenamed: Crawler) was going to blow people away. In fact, it did blow people away. We did, in two months, what many companies haven't done in a year. The pride of knowing that no one was doing anything like us was so satisfying, it kept us coming to work and giving 100 percent every single day, even through the dark times."


Today was one of those dark times. Cureton was taken aback when he didn't find Vigil's name on the list of purchased properties.


"Maybe you can imagine what it feels like when you read the list of who bought what only to discover your name is not on the list," he said. "Why? Did we do something wrong? Were we not good enough? Were we not worth 'anything?' Imagine that."


In the end, Cureton thanked fans of the Darksiders series and promised to continue making games, having already worked in the industry 20 years.


"In closing, I can only say thank you to the fans of Vigil games," Cureton said. "Your support means more than you can imagine. Your feedback (both positive and negative) gave us long-lasting insight that we will all take with us, wherever we may go. You are the reason we made Darksiders 1 and 2... and you are the reason we will continue to make games.

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/vigil-games-lead-combat-designer-stands-up-says-goodbye/

Thursday, January 24, 2013

A good sign


Look, I like my Wii U. I really like it. Nintendo came at us with yet another weird, innovative system late last year, packed full of gaming potential and open to a crazy amount of control schemes and options. And Miiverse -- what a breath of fresh air! While it's still early in the game I feel comfortable saying that Nintendo knocked it out of the park as far as console launches are concerned.
But I'm playing another Mario game with my Wii U. And while it's a great Mario game, and while I'll always have love for the mustachioed plumber and his brother, I don't truly feel fulfilled with the Wii U just yet. The launch line-up was respectable, but I've blown through it all already, and there still is something missing from the initial offerings.
When you boil it down, I buy a new game system with the intent of using it for playing role-playing games. While I consider myself a well-rounded gamer, RPGs are what I live for. Dungeons, airships, healing potions, grid-based movement, big eyes, spiky hair, random encounters -- it never gets old, and I don't really feel like I've gotten my money's worth from a console until I've worn the print off the face buttons of its controllers from grinding.
Which brings me to the Wii. Not a bad system, but it was probably the worst in a long time when it came to role-playing enjoyment. It wasn't until the very end of that console's relevance that RPG fans could say that it was really "worth it," and even then it took a lot of begging and noise-making to get to that point. When I think of the Wii, I think of bowling and wrist straps and holiday rushes, and not a lot of quality games. That all said, Xenoblade Chronicles was one of the best games of last year, and definitely "worth" picking up a Wii for. It's just that, up until that time, the Wii was a wasteland for quality JRPG action.
For those of us that came up in the 16-bit ages, Nintendo had the system for RPGs. Most, like the Final Fantasy games, Chrono Trigger, Breath of Fire, the Secret of series, Lufia, Tactics Ogre, and countless others, came from third parties, but several greats also came from Nintendo, and all of them made for a very memorable childhood. Sadly, as time went on RPGs became rare side dishes on Nintendo systems. From Nintendo 64 to GameCube to Wii, it felt like my genre of choice required a non-Nintendo system to play, which was a bummer for this Nintendo fan.
Nintendo seemed completely disconnected from the role-playing gamer these past few years with the Wii, and that's not to mention the "core" gamer and his/her needs. The focus was on family fun, affordability, and the reworking of popular Nintendo franchises right out of the gate, with almost no mind paid to experiences for the older, more experienced gamer. Zelda? Yes, I love Zelda, but that's not enough.
For whatever reason, whether it be a lack of network capabilities, lack social functions, or non-HD graphics, third-party publishers mostly seemed to gloss over the system for their RPGs and other core games. Opportunities for localizations regularly slipped by, leaving Wii owners puzzled. We had to stomp and throw a fit with online campaigning to get some of the better titles from Japan, including Xenoblade Chroniclesand The Last Storyand we've recently learned that our noise-making also got us Pandora's Tower. So it was "worth it" in the end. But we've still missed out on so many great games, leaving us to wonder if anyone was listening to us at all.
Today's Wii U Direct was a refreshing change, and a sign of good things to come for the Wii U. It seemed that, from today's presentation, that Nintendo has been listening. Maybe we made just enough noise. Maybe they're refocused. Who knows. But it does seem that they're tuned into the frequency of role-playing Nintendo fans now. 
A joint project between Atlus and Nintendo's Intelligent Systems division brings us a cross-up that mixes the world of Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem. A system that, until today, had nothing in the way of key RPGs in its line-up now has what is likely to be the most crazy and exciting collaboration of the year. While we're still waiting for details, it's enough to know that two major role-playing game franchises are coming together in an upcoming Wii U title. What a way to come out of the gate!
And then there's this new "Xeno" series game, coming from Monolith Soft and Nintendo. The director and designer of Xenogears and Xenosaga are on board to bring the Wii U what looks to be an evolution of Xenoblade Chronicles. We don't even have a name for this title, but huge beasts, mecha battles, lovely visuals, and a soaring orchestral score were shown in a teaser trailer. It was the "two" in Nintendo's one-two punch to RPG fans this morning. I've never been more excited about a red "X" in my life.
A new Zelda game? A Wind Waker port? New Mario Kart and Mario franchise titles? New system features? Yes, all big news, and all good things for Wii U owners. But the two most prominent of Nintendo's announcements this morning were RPGs. I loved that the final announcement was the Xeno- game. It seemed to say that, yes, we have a lot coming for Wii U, but get a load of this sucker.
Details on both of these games are scarce, but we're already in a good place. I had no doubt that, out of the gate, the Wii U would be "worth it" for us. But these two new announcements have put the system squarely in the RPG spotlight. I read countless comments this morning from people that said that they now "have to get a Wii U" for these. These announcements and this kind of reaction are good for us, RPG fans. It lets other developers know that we are ready and willing to buy and play their Wii U RPGs. It also lets them know that Nintendo will be happy to prominently feature their game in their broadcasts. 
I think everyone from my camp is pretty happy this morning.
I'll leave you with an encouraging thought: All of this hit us in mid-January. We still have all year for potential good news from Nintendo. E3, gamescom, and Tokyo Game Show all hold more possibilities for announcements. But even with these Year One is already looking good for the Wii U.
Company president Satoru Iwata personally apologized for the lack of titles for this first quarter of 2013 this morning, and then showed us all of this. So they have been listening. 
You're on the right track, Nintendo. I'm looking forward to what 2013 will bring.

Read more at http://www.destructoid.com/rpgs-on-wii-u-nintendo-really-gets-it-now-243002.phtml#V5piQkIL3gd0cQRK.99 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Anime of the Week: Fairy Tail




If you enjoy watching Bleach, Naruto, One Piece or even remember Rave then you will surely enjoy watching "Fairy Tail". This anime packs a whole lot of action, cute girls, magic, and impressive adventures.  The main character Natsu, is a boy who was raised by a Dragon named "Igneel". The character Natsu actually reminds me of Naruto or Luffy - protagonists who never give up, oblivious to a lot of things and certainly acts stupid which is actually their charm. Each character in Fairy Tail is unique in their own way, each being a mage in their guild - always trying to protect each other and their friends with their lives. When you watch this you will find it kind of cheesy but awesome at the same time, seeing how much each of the characters love their guild for so many different reasons.  I find each of the characters involved in the story give this anime more "life" and "depth" with their unique personalities and ofcourse with their own life stories. I highly recommend this anime as a very entertaining one and I’m sure it will keep you company and keep you busy for a long period of time.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Manga of the Week: Bakuman



Do you dream of being a mangaka, or simply wondered how manga are made? Then this is the series for you. This manga captures the life of 2 young aspirants to mangakas in a way that you feel all the surprises, thriller and drama in a very funny way.  It's not easy to become and live as a mangaka, as Mashiro knows from his late uncle. Bakuman is increasingly interesting and worth reading. It has a beautifully crafted story with a unique art style, a real manga full of spirit and emotions.  And is written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata the same duo who gave us Death Note.  Another interesting aspect of the manga is the insertion of story ideas of the mangas that the artists make, some concepts in the creation of stories and how to make an interesting manga in general, plus a few insights on how the manga industry works. If you like seeing how comics are made, or if you have a dream of your own, read Bakuman! It’s a terrific series, and a nice inspiration.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Ragnarok Online 2 Review – Blinded by Nostalgia



Ragnarok Online 2 is the sequel to its previous successor Ragnarok Online. This game is widely known and shouldn't have an introduction at all, and if you are a big fan and never heard of this game than you seriously missed a great experience over the year. This free-to-play MMORPG is mostly based around the Norse mythology and is a fan favorite among many MMO Fans. This sequel took a very long time to be made since its initial plan was scrapped due to a last minute change of plans at Gravity Corp and the sense that their title wasn't living up to expectations.


Class selection is always very important when you make your first character; your first life will be the first unique experience that you have in a game and the fear that your first impression is on something you dislike is very real. Thankfully, the classes in Ragnarok Online 2 are generally common and have been seen before in the previous Ragnarok game. I decided to go for the Magician, but the Archer, Swordsman, Thief and Acolyte are also really fun classes to play. When creating your character you can also choose between one of the four jobs. These jobs (commonly more known as professions) add some dynamic changes to your experience. The four jobs that can be taken are the Chef, Alchemist, Blacksmith and Artisan and are exactly what you would imagine. I took the Alchemist job to test out how well it synergized with my magician.


Everything that you can remember from Ragnarok Online… well just forget about that because this game is a lot different in the sense of its graphics and overall controls. Obviously the devs have learned a thing or two over the last decade and incorporated it into gameplay and UI. Moving your character can be done with the WASD keys and your camera is controlled with the mouse as in any MMO from this era. If you want you can still right click to move in this game, but personally I’m not a really big fan of this. Engaging any target is fairly simple but requires a tad bit more thought than most similar MMORPGs in the genre. Obviously as a magician you have to rely on your mana and skills as your auto attacks are nearly worthless and a swift wind can blow you down. The three starting skills were plenty to get me started on my adventure and also indirectly taught the importance of timing and cooldowns to combo foes before they got into range to counter-attack. This obviously changes per class but in general if you’re not spamming skills in this game, you’re being ineffective. Unfortunately, the animations seem to make the combat a bit clunky for a title launched in 2013. I also got slightly irritated at times when I would move unexpectedly when trying to click on interactive environment pieces or NPCs due to the secondary nature of the click as a movement option.


Let’s jump back a bit to those jobs I mentioned earlier. Since one of these jobs can drastically help you out with gearing yourself or giving you extra buffs, you will have to utilize it frequently to keep it relevant as you grow in power. Otherwise you’ll fall behind in job level and not use it to its full potential. The jobs level up by gathering materials and crafting so it’s not a big deal, though a little plain.


Ragnarok Online 2 also has an upgraded version of the original’s card system. For anyone unfamiliar with this feature, this card system might sound like there is some sort of RPG trading card game within Ragnarok Online 2. Instead they act similar to how gems in other MMORPGs work when embedded into armor or attached to skills. These cards are necessary to unleash the full potential of your character. These cards can be found as lucky monster drops or through NPC combination crafting, and you can equip any 5 cards at a time. Thankfully instead of filling your bag up with optional cards to swap in for certain circumstances, you can instead place all your cards into the Card Book for convenient storage as well as an organizational structure to make keeping track of your card roster a breeze!



So what else is there to do besides grinding character and job levels or hunting monster cards? You can dissemble many items and refine equipment for one if you have the spare time to aim to be the strongest you can be. Being a trader and earning plenty of gold is also a must from time to time. Something that is also a nice addition to this new game is the Khara System. As you play through the game you will receive these special Khara challenges that can give you rewards which include special titles. These titles can give your character a special stat boosts which can help you deal out that extra damage or armor. Complete these missions in a special sequence to get even more bonus missions with more additional rewards. There are also hidden missions for players will to put the extra effort in to find them.

 

Graphics

The original Ragnarok Online didn’t just make a name for itself for being a solid game. It’s unique manga style graphics and goofy over the top emote boxes remain an icon to this day. I always liked the art style and the graphics the game were presented in and just liked the overall feel of the original because of it. Unfortunately I don’t feel the same with this sequel. In fact the game doesn’t look that unique at all and rather looks dated compared to the current fantasy genre. I found some graphical settings became even uglier when set to high. Honestly the effects are over the top at times and better left turned off. Nonetheless, the animations, visualizations and overall graphics are not that bad overall. I just wish their unique style converted to 3D better than this. To run Ragnarok Online 2 you will need the following computer requirements:

Minimum requirements:

Pentium 4 2.0 GHz
2GB or more RAM
GeForce FX 6800 or later 512 MB of VRAM
At least 5GB of free space

Recommended

Intel Dual Core 2.0 GHz or above
2GB or more RAM
GeForce FX 6800 or later 512 MB of VRAM
At least 10GB of free space

 

Conclusion

For a game that went through so many years of development I must say that I am quite disappointed. The basics from their previous game are certainly present and slightly improved but innovative isn’t a word you can attach to this game. Honestly it feels like the devs were trapped in time and afraid to branch too far from the success of the original, even if it meant subpar gameplay. Ragnarok Online 2 is despite this still a lot of fun; all the crafting, dungeons, PvP and other many features are still here and can keep you busy for hours if you don’t feel like questing. But other than that this game fails to match the hype that the sequel of such a signature franchise in MMORPG history should have reached.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Cabal Online Episode IX: Rising Force


Article source: MMOBOMB.com


Cabal 2 (featured in the trailer above) still has yet to get an official release date here in the west, but that hasn’t stopped the developers from continuing to release content for the original which despite its age still remains fairly popular.

Games-Masters.com has revealed its plans for Cabal Online’s ninth expansion dubbed “Rising Force”. The expansion comes only three months after the last major content update and is set to launch in February. The update will bring a whole variety of new features including a new PvP mode, new dungeon and a revamped skill system.

A more comprehensive list of upcoming new features in the new expansion are listed below:

  • New Mission Battle System will be added – a ranked cross- server 1v1 daily PvP battle on a brand new battleground
  • A brand-new dungeon will be available, the Tower of the Dead B3F
  • The skill system will be revamped, bringing new effects and skills such as Domination, Silence, Dodge, Pierce, Immunity, Evasion and damage reflections.
  • Brand new combat skills will be added to the existing classes
  • The stat system will be changed, and monsters will see a buff to increased toughness.
  • New achievements
  • A new Essence Rune will be available for crafters
  • The Honor and Bringer Titles will be changed


The expansion is available to everyone free of charge and will be simultaneously made available in 6 languages including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Turkish. No official date in February has been given for the launch yet. You can find out more information by visiting the official site here.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Tower of the Undead B3F!

I'm really digging the character designs of the new enemies to be added in Cabal's latest update! They look so intimidating even as still images, what more when I actually get to fight them in-game?

The only thing left to do now is level up so I can actually fight them...

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Manga of the Week: Bokurano

The earth is but one among countless other earths across alternate dimensions. It and every single atom on it will be annihilated... unless its human representatives compete and win in a battle tournament on a universal scale. Victory means a chance to enjoy another few days, weeks, or months of existence. Defeat? Oblivion.


Bokurano is not a happy manga. You might want to go read Kare Kano if you're looking for something more lighthearted. I have to admit, after finishing reading Bokurano (which translates to "Ours" in English), I felt profoundly depressed. Many of the startling revelations, ambitions, actions, and scenarios reflect what really happens in real life. Granted, the perspective leans more towards pessimism and tragedy, but that doesn't make some of the things that happens in the manga any less possible.

One thing you have to keep in mind while reading is it's not about the mechs; not totally, anyway. Bokurano - translated as "Ours" - is primarily a character-driven manga. You read it to get into the minds of the pilots who fight to save their world. In fact, each chapter in Bokurano is done from the point of view of a different, unique pilot, and no pilot's POV is repeated. The title, then, fits perfectly. The characters, their perspectives, their actions/beliefs/reasons for fighting, the world that they seek to protect - all of it, is "ours."

I'm trying hard not to spoil anything major here, and if I keep writing about it I fear I might let something leak. However, please, do not read this if you are at a very high point in your life. Likewise, do not read this if you're already prone to depression. Keep away if you're planning on doing charity work anytime soon, or if you already do. The only time I would possibly advise this manga be read by anyone is if they feel mentally, emotionally, and maybe even spiritually prepared to come face-to-face with one author's raw take on the naked truth of humanity and what we live for.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

New year, new games

Blatantly copy-pasted from Kotaku:
(Note that there are some movies thrown in the list)

January

  1. 1/15 - DmC: Devil May Cry (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
  2. 1/22 - Ni no Kuni (PS3)

February

  1. 2/4 - Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)
  2. 2/5 - Dead Space 3 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
  3. 2/12 - Aliens: Colonial Marines (PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U[TBD])
  4. 2/19 - Crysis 3 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
  5. 2/19 - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3, Xbox 360)
  6. 2/26 - Rayman Legends (Wii U)

March

  1. 3/5 - Tomb Raider (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
  2. 3/5 - SimCity (PC, Mac)
  3. 3/12 - God of War: Ascension (PS3)
  4. 3/12 - StarCraft II: Heart of The Swarm (PC, Mac)
  5. 3/19 - Gears of War: Judgment (Xbox 360)
  6. 3/22-24 - PAX East: The guys behind Penny Arcade host the 4th outing of their Boston based gaming expo.
  7. 3/25-29 - GDC: The Game Developer's Conference, a professionals-only event where developers network and interact in San Francisco.
  8. 3/26 - BioShock: Infinite (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
  9. 3/31 - Game of Thrones Season 3 premieres.

April

  1. 4/12 - Evil Dead released in theaters.
  2. 4/23 - Dead Island: Riptide (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

May

  1. 5/3 -Iron Man 3 released in theaters.
  2. 5/7 - The Last of Us (PS3)
  3. 5/17 - Star Trek Into Darkness released in theaters.

June

  1. 6/11-13 - E3: The Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, where big publishers gather to show off the year's hottest games.
  2. 6/14 - Man of Steel released in theaters.
  3. 6/28 - Kick-Ass 2 released in theaters.

July

  1. 7/12 -Pacific Rim released in theaters.
  2. 7/26 - The Wolverine released in theaters.

August

  1. 8/13-15 - GDC Europe: The European instance of the aforementioned Game Developers Conference.
  2. 8/21-25 - Gamescom: The world's largest gaming trade show, held in Germany.
  3. 8/30-9/2 - PAX Prime: A massive Seattle-based expo also put on by the Penny Arcade crew.

September

  1. 9/19-22 - Tokyo Game Show: Another very large expo, TGS shows off the newest properties from Eastern developers.

Games/Products/Events Without Dates

  1. Ouya Console (March/April)
  2. BlizzCon (August/October): Blizzard's convention is coming back in 2013 after a year hiatus.
  3. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (March) [Wii U, 3DS]
  4. South Park: The Stick of Truth (Spring) [PS3, Xbox 360, PC]
  5. Pikmin 3 (Spring) [Wii U]
  6. Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Spring) [PS3, Xbox 360, PC]
  7. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (Q1 2013) [3DS]
  8. Assassin's Creed III: The Tyranny of King Washington (Q1 2013) [PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii U]
  9. Call of Duty: Black Ops II Revolution DLC (Q1 2013)
  10. Grand Theft Auto V (Q2 2013) [PS3, Xbox 360]
  11. Metro: Last Light (March) [PS3, Xbox 360, PC]
  12. Remember Me (May) [PS3, Xbox 360, PC]
  13. Injustice: Gods Among Us (April) [PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U]
  14. Destiny
  15. Star Wars 1313
  16. Watch_Dogs [PS3, Xbox 360, PC]
  17. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct [PS3, Xbox 360, PC]
  18. Lost Planet 3 [PS3, Xbox 360, PC]
  19. Deadpool [PS3, Xbox 360]
  20. Beyond: Two Souls [PS3, PC, Mac]
  21. Fortnite [PC]
  22. Rainbow 6: Patriots [PS3, Xbox 360, PC]

Santovahkiin

It's never too late for DOVAHKIIN SANTA!