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<description>Video gaming news blog.</description>
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<copyright>Copyright 2006-2008 Gaming Horizon</copyright>



<item>
<title>NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM Ships</title>
<author>Tim Grube</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/naruto_ultimate_ninja_storm_ships</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/naruto_ultimate_ninja_storm_ships</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/naruto_ultimate_ninja_storm_ships#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/b3nzdgtu8wf3uj4ut1i7y4cd.jpg" alt="NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM" alignment="" border="0"></p>Namco Bandai Games America Inc., today shipped <span style="font-weight: bold;">NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja 
STORM</span> to retailers across North America exclusively for the PlayStation 3 console.<br><br><div style="margin-left: 40px; font-style: italic;">The Ultimate Ninja series is recognized 
by Naruto fans and gamers alike as the video game franchise that best captures 
the high-energy ninja action of the hit animated series, said Todd Thorson, 
director of marketing and public relations at Namco Bandai Games America, Inc. 
NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM 
represents an incredible leap forward for the franchise as we make our debut on 
the PLAYSTATION 3 system with an all-new battle system, free-roaming gameplay 
and undeniably stunning graphics.<br><br></div>Developed by CyberConnect2, NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM is 
rated T for Teen by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $59.99.<br><br>
		  	
		  	<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja STORM&tag=gaminghoriz0c-20&index=blended&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">
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<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:33:03 -0600</pubDate>
</item><item>
<title>GB Review: Soul Calibur IV (PS3)</title>
<author>Shiva Stella</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/gb_review_soul_calibur_iv_ps3</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/gb_review_soul_calibur_iv_ps3</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/gb_review_soul_calibur_iv_ps3#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<div class="image"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/lvs93n1vs1do0zlri3swzz7m.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"></div><div><br></div></div><img style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?width=109&amp;color=orange&amp;font=stencil&amp;size=20&amp;text=IN%20SHORT"><br>

<p class="MsoNormal">For those of you unfamiliar with Namco's Soul Calibur
series, it's the one with the slew of weird characters vying for two powerful
swords--soul calibur and soul edge--to rule, destroy, or save the world, and
most of the time they look exceptionally good while doing it. Soul Calibur IV
continues that trend with 33 characters seeking to use the swords to accomplish
their own (often selfish) desires, including two bonus "guest"
characters from the Star Wars universe: the legendary Darth Vader and the mysterious
"apprentice" from the upcoming Force Unleashed. Though the game
clearly fails to revolutionize the genre, it accomplishes everything it sets
out to do quite well, and the addition of online play and a very robust
character creation system keep the game addictive.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img alt="score: " style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;width=89&amp;color=orange&amp;font=stencil&amp;size=20&amp;text=SCORE:"><img alt="4 out of 5" style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;color=orange&amp;font=pizzastars&amp;text=tttt&amp;size=25"><br><br><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.gamebump.com/?aboutreviews">Click here</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> for an explanation of our review and scoring format.</span><br></p>



<p class="MsoNormal">As with any fighting game, Soul Calibur IV pits you against
an onslaught of characters that you must take down by lowering their health bar
with flashy moves and powerful combos. Namco also included a soul gauge feature
that changes color depending on your performance; block too often or receive
too many strong attacks and the gauge will start flashing red, entering a
"soul crush" state, at which point you're vulnerable to a one-hit KO
attack called a critical finish. To keep things fresh (and because it's mildly
entertaining to witness characters fighting in customizable undergarments),
equipment destruction is a vital component of any fight; equipment condition is
displayed in a three slot vertical bar designating head, upper body, and lower
body gear, and enough attacks to the same area will break the equipment.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p></p><p></p><div class="image"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/bphc74t9sbsgta6ickuo9r0l.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"></div><p></p>



<p class="MsoNormal">The soul gauge modifications manage to prevent players from
over-blocking, but this is mostly because they're afraid of having their
equipment destroyed--not because they fear any elite finishing moves; the
critical finish attacks have to be performed a half-second or so after the
opponent's gauge flashes red, and because there's a lot of action on-screen
it's difficult to pay attention to both the guy that's beating your brains out
as well as his gauge.</p>



<p class="MsoNormal">Soul Calibur IV offers up a sufficient variety of the
standard modes included in nearly all of its competitors, highlighted by a
disjointed, loosely named five stage story mode, a training session convenient
for those new to the series, an eight stage arcade mode, and the tower of lost
souls, which is a survival mode that rewards you with new equipment for completing
secret objectives as you clear floors; this is a significantly less boring and
time-consuming procedure than the "adventure" mode of previous games
in the series, however you cannot adjust the tower's difficulty level. A versus
mode is included for local multiplayer and features either a standard or
special setting to determine whether skills and weapon effects are active, but
sadly is limited to two players, as is online play via the PlayStation Network.
What's upsetting is that you're often stuck in a room watching matches before
you're able to take the winner, though the fights are usually quick and you
always have the option of creating your own room and inviting a friend to
eliminate the wait.</p>



<p class="MsoNormal">The character creation feature is extremely impressive,
enabling you to modify any character's template and save up to 48 different
versions of each character. You're also given the option to design your own
character from scratch, modifying everything from equipment color and model
physique to voice, skill set, eye color, and fighting style. When you're satisfied
with your unique creation you can take it through the story mode, where it'll
perform in cutscenes, or hop online to show off your creativity to the community.
Though the character creation system is highly robust, unfortunately your gear
options determine your character's stats and your ability to set decent skills.
This gets especially frustrating when you're trying to churn out a ferocious
Solid Snake or Harry Potter because characters designed with the
"best" equipment will therefore have the best stats and a great
battle advantage, however you can play with weaker characters in standard versus
or online mode, where skills and weapon effects are inactive.</p>



<p class="MsoNormal">Soul Calibur IV's presentation is nothing short of stunning,
with gorgeous, highly detailed environments featuring some interactivity in the
form of breakable stuff; the visuals are absolutely breath-taking, with most
stages featuring moving objects (space ships, animals, etc) in the background
and appropriate ambient noises that change depending on the stage. The striking
characters move fluidly and are detailed down to the fine texture of their
clothing and every strand of hair that blows in the wind--Soul Calibur IV easily
ranks as one of the most visually impressive games in its genre.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="image"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/jb1229ldl3xzj3wkjgyqk518.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"></div><p></p>



<p class="MsoNormal">Given the game's convenient 2.6GB install option that
significantly shortens loading times and unbelievable amount of unlockables it's
a shame to see Namco limiting customization in other aspects of the game. For
example, you can set your own stage music as an audio alternative, but only if
your music consists of Soul Calibur themes purchased from the PlayStation Store,
which is infuriating. You're also currently stuck with the two bonus Star Wars
characters given (Vader and his apprentice), but expect to download the 360
version's bonus characters in a "fresh" and overly priced variety
pack--the opportunity for Namco to make money on this feature is simply too
good for them to pass up. Don't be surprised if Namco also releases
downloadable equipment, stages, or other characters and bonus content.</p>



<p class="MsoNormal">Soul Calibur IV's only real flaw is that its modes are a tad
shallow due its lack of 4-player play both online and locally, but its
character creation system and even standard online play more than make up for
it. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The game should rank very highly on the list of anyone who enjoys a good,
heavily customizable fighter--even casual players</span>.</p>

</div></div>
		  	
		  	<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Soul Calibur IV&tag=gaminghoriz0c-20&index=blended&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">
		  	<img style="border:0px;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?text=BUY SOUL CALIBUR IV AT AMAZON&color=lorange&font=stencil&size=10&width=500" />
		  	</a><br />
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<pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:26:28 -0500</pubDate>
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<title>Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 Ships!</title>
<author>Tim Grube</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/tamagotchi_connection_corner_shop_3_ships</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/tamagotchi_connection_corner_shop_3_ships</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/tamagotchi_connection_corner_shop_3_ships#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/6ccx2l0ttxargmr6ji9r64lk.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"></p>Namco Bandai Games announced today 
that <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tamagotchi Connection: Corner 
Shop 3</span> has been shipped to North American retailers for 
Nintendo DS.&nbsp; <br><br>Based on the popular 
virtual pets, gamers can run over a dozen shops with adorable Tamagotchi pals. Team up with fan-favorite Tamagotchis: 
Violetchi, Mametchi, Memetchi or Kuchipatchi, and get behind the counter of more 
than 12 different stores.<p style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 40px;">Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 
is a great way to teach the responsibility of running a business in a way that 
everyone can enjoy, said Todd Thorson, Director of Marketing and Public 
Relations at NAMCO BANDAI Games America.&nbsp; 
Its fun mini-games, distinct art style and atmosphere will bring a smile 
to anyones face.</p><p>Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 
3 is rated E 
for everyone by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99.</p>
		  	
		  	<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3&tag=gaminghoriz0c-20&index=blended&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">
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		  	</a><br />
		  	]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:20:01 -0500</pubDate>
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<title>Soul Caliber IV Dated For July 29</title>
<author>Zach  Lott</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/soul_caliber_iv_dated_for_july_29</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/soul_caliber_iv_dated_for_july_29</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/soul_caliber_iv_dated_for_july_29#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/ln3925ctufx8t7r7f1rb4kyx.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"></p>After three years of anticipation, fighting fans will finally be ready to wrap their hands around <span style="font-weight: bold;">Soul Caliber IV</span> this summer, as publisher Namco Bandai has announced that the next iteration in the franchise will hit on July 29.<br><br>Namco Bandai also announced the details on the limited edition of the game, which will also hit on July 29 for $79.99. Extras for this edition include a comic book, additional customization options, and a tournament kit. <br><br>Hit the link to visit the game's official website. <br>]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:07:22 -0500</pubDate>
</item><item>
<title>Wii Review Bonanza, or: Your Wii is Sick - Must be Something you Played</title>
<author>Eric Jonathan Smith</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/wii_review_bonanza_or_your_wii_is_sick__must_be_something_you_played</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/wii_review_bonanza_or_your_wii_is_sick__must_be_something_you_played</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/wii_review_bonanza_or_your_wii_is_sick__must_be_something_you_played#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/3t93lizv1sdmdni3k8hj5ph8.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"></p><br>Kneel. Place hands on either side of the ceramic-like object. Wait. A sudden urge takes you, spewing the remains of a previous ingestion. You glance at what was just created; between the remains of what were once good ideas you see those <span style="font-style: italic;">extra things</span> you tacked on that seemed like a quick fix at the time but ultimately caused their own regurgitation. You lament at the pain you caused yourself, but deep down you can feel that the pain is still there. <br><br>So what have you been eating? Or in this case, what have various developers been feeding the ceramic bowl in question, the Wii? Their own regurgitation, that's what - and a little bit of Nintendo's own leftovers for good measure. The Wii is the one that's sick, suffering from delirious spells of minigame collections, shoddy ports, forced motion control schemes, and God knows what else. <br><br>A little examination is in order. Five case studies have been prepared, each a different opinion of how Wii software appears. Some of it isn't too pretty  but fear not, we might even discover a cure. So lean back, relax, and try not to throw that Wii remote into the tv. <br><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/writer/252e9dddd2f4994ae92f97a194864fa5.jpg"><br></div><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">CASE STUDY #1: AUTO MINIGAME SUFFICIENCY SYNDROME</span><br><br>Subject: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Namco Museum Remix</span><br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">PROGNOSIS</span>: Sudden ingestion of too many minigame collections causes repetition, boredom, and possible suicide in large doses. <br><br>A certain kind of bug that especially has a tendency to bite the older and wiser is nostalgia. It can be a pretty nasty little sucker, causing previously sane and logical men and women to do foolish things like pine for dated graphics and simpler gameplay styles. As the years have gone by, once bustling arcades have forever shut their doors and the game consoles of yesteryear require a type of mouth-to-cartridge action bordering on fellatio to get the games working. <br><br>Namco's Museum series of arcade home conversions are some of the first treatments that should come to mind when considering ubiquitous, readily available classical cures. After all, every system under the sun absolutely needs multiple versions of Pac-Man on it, right? Namco has now made sure that the Wii is no exception and has released Namco Museum Remix, the Museum containing the nostalgic classics and  you guessed it  the Remix consisting of Wii-specific minigames. <br><br>However, it's not a good sign when a classic compilation makes you wax nostalgia for older compilations. That's not to say that Namco Museum Remix has any large, glaring faults: it is by all means a competent product, even if you have to roll around Pac-Man in lieu of a standard menu interface, which can be slightly annoying. But no, as with any other compilation, its success or failure hinges on its selection of games, and Namco Museum Remix drops the ball a bit. Sure, it has standard classics in Xevious, Mappy, Dig Dug, and Pac-Mania (you know, that are available on most of the other collections) but trades in Galaga for its inferior predecessor Galaxian (dear God, why?) In the games that no one ever wanted to play section, there's Cutie-Q (a poor Breakout clone) and Super Pac-Man and Pac &amp; Pal, two rather poor sequels to the original. At least it offers Gaplus (Galagas sequel) as a sort of cruel consolation prize. <br><br>If this somewhat mediocre selection of its past was all Namco offered in Museum Remix, this collection would be DOA. Luckily, they put a slight bit of effort in its resuscitation: the titular Wii-specific "remixes" of other classic titles. Unfortunately, they aren't enough to keep this one alive for too long. However, they did get the nostalgic feel down pat! Feel like playing the rollercoaster minigame from Final Fantasy VII? Play Galaga Remix! How about Whack-A-Mole? Then Gator Panic Remix is for you. Granted, Rally X Remix is a rather fair version, as are Pac Motos (a Pac-infused version of the original bumping off the edge game Motos) and Pac 'n Roll. But the problem is that these suffer the same shallow fate as other Wii minigame collections, and in the few minutes that you'll be done with them you're then left with merely the arcade collection. <br><br>Diagnosis? The entire weight of Namco Museum Remix will rest on how much you like the classic arcade games included. Considering the selection isn't all that great to begin with, the weight will likely fatigue the classics in a relatively short amount of time.<br><br><img alt="score: " style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;width=89&amp;color=orange&amp;font=stencil&amp;size=20&amp;text=SCORE:"><img alt="3 out of 5" style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;color=orange&amp;font=pizzastars&amp;text=ttt&amp;size=25"><br><br><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.gamebump.com/?aboutreviews">Click here</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> for an explanation of our review and scoring format.</span><br><br><div class="image"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/pkjzl8w8sryscs22hokj90pe.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"><div style="text-align: center;">She'll eat the monkey.</div></div><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">CASE STUDY #2: PORTROENTERITIS</span><br><br>Subject: <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Sims 2: Castaway</span><br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">PROGNOSIS</span>: Patients suffering from contact to shoddy, careless ports from other systems suffer from: shattered belief in console's viability, fatigue, and indigestion. <br><br>One of the oldest epidemics in videogamedom is that of the port. Whether it was arcade to console, PC to console, or vice versa, the word port has connotations of mediocrity and for good reason: many ports are sloppy, rushed, stripped down versions of the original. Even in more modern times, ports retain that sloppy, rushed feel when they stray from the hardware they were built on. Unfortunately, this has been a lazy way for developers to cash on the Wii's success. <br><br>One such wave that has plagued nearly every piece of gaming hardware to ever exist, past, present, and future is The Sims. Popular with 15-year-old girls of all ages, The Sims is an omnipresent choice with casual gamers, and logic would successfully conclude that it should end up on the Wii. <br><br>The premise is simple: after constructing your Sim on a yacht, something bad happens and he or she washes ashore on a mysterious, deserted island with nary a volleyball around to keep as company. Obviously a tropical island is a terrible place to be lost, so it's up to you to guide your Sim to his/her ultimate goal of getting off the island alive. And to be perfectly honest, the interface in which you'll be accomplishing this works fairly well; with the Wii Remote acting superbly as a pointer in lieu of a mouse, navigating menus isn't all that hard. <br><br>Too bad the menus themselves looked like they were ported from a higher resolution without the proper tweaking. The entire game really looks very simple and to be frank, boring. You could choose to stay on the island for as long as you wanted, but when it looks that dull, why would you? Jagged edges are more reminiscent of the graphical hell that was the 32/64-bit era more than a tropical Eden. <br><br>But, this is a simulation at heart, and that gameplay still works. The Sim will have to collect resources to survive with the help of monkeys (of course) and eventually should have a decent little living space set up. There are also various goals that you can find scattered across the island that will give you some objectives amidst the rather open-ended (if not mundane) tasks. <br><br>Diagnosis? Not as bad as it could have been. Wii Pointer functionality works well amidst the poor resolution and the gameplay experience isn't a complete throwaway. More hardcore gamers, stay away (if the name wouldn't make them do so already). <br><br><img alt="score: " style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;width=89&amp;color=orange&amp;font=stencil&amp;size=20&amp;text=SCORE:"><img alt="3 out of 5" style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;color=orange&amp;font=pizzastars&amp;text=ttt&amp;size=25"><br><br><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.gamebump.com/?aboutreviews">Click here</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> for an explanation of our review and scoring format.</span><br><br><div class="image"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/tw97t0eemdmquq8iksshx10p.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"><div style="text-align: center;">My, Soulcalibur. You look as beautiful as you play.</div></div><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">CASE STUDY #3: MOTION SICKNESS</span><br><br>Subject: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Soulcalibur Legends</span><br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">PROGNOSIS</span>: Prolonged exposure to poorly implemented Wii waggle controls can lead to: madness, frustration, and nausea. <br><br>Having new ways to control games means that there will be new ways for developers to screw up their implementation. Even after decades with a pretty standard diagonal pad and any number of supporting buttons, some still couldn't get it right. Poor control is absolutely killer to a game's success and probably the worst blight it could have. <br><br>Enter Soulcalibur Legends. A spin-off of Namco's eternal (also, a mere shadow of its former self) fighter, Legends tells the story of Teutonic Knight Siegfried Schtauffen and his dealings with Soul Edge, the evil blade. Yeah, it's a fighting game story. What the hell do you want from me?<br><br>Though it may have been built ground-up for Wii, it plays nothing like it. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it was built ground-up to be a cheap cash-in. Siegfried and the other Soulcalibur heroes you command all control by swinging the Wii Remote as you would their weapons. It's a good enough idea in concept. In execution, it's abysmal. Controlling attacks in this manner is ungodly unresponsive and makes you question whether simple button presses would have been better. Considering this is a central gameplay mechanic, this is inexcusable. There is no way that Legends could be an adequate action title due to this flaw alone. <br><br>The game is also cringe-worthy in the visual department. In some aspects, especially the environments, it looks like a launch title for the PlayStation 2. That might be forgivable, but the level designs are as monotonous as the enemies you fight. Character models fair a bit better, because they are based around the designs from Soulcalibur II, if not taken wholesale from it. Legends also suffers from the tired design choice of "defeat every monster in the room before you can move on". Please. <br><br>I found myself looking more at the menus and the art in the story sequences because, well, they are actually rather decent, and not just in comparison to the game itself. I'd be tempted to say that the menus are the best part of the game. When all is said and done then, the most hardcore of Soulcalibur fanatics will be able to eke something out of this game  though I wouldn't go so far as to call it <span style="font-style: italic;">enjoyment</span>. The controls are just too poorly implemented for anyone with more than a merely casual interest in the franchise.<br><br>Diagnosis? Highly contagious, and not in the good way. Contagious in that it will creep up on your brain and soul and make you regret every penny and second spent on it. Unless, of course, you're just a hardcore and gullible fighting game fan - those people are crazy. <br><br><img alt="score: " style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;width=89&amp;color=orange&amp;font=stencil&amp;size=20&amp;text=SCORE:"><img alt="2 out of 5" style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;color=orange&amp;font=pizzastars&amp;text=tt&amp;size=25"><br><br><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.gamebump.com/?aboutreviews">Click here</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> for an explanation of our review and scoring format.</span><br><br><div class="image"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/t2ngi6e9d9cxeripg6ipkmw4.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"><div style="text-align: center;">Okay, so it's not the sexiest thing on earth. Maybe you can dig it.<br></div></div><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">CASE STUDY #4: THE MYSTERY BUG </span><br><br>Subject: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Smarty Pants</span><br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">PROGNOSIS</span>: ???<br><br>Sometimes even the best doctors can get baffled. True to that, every once in a while a game will come up that makes you question why it was necessary to be in videogame form. Was it really easier to play Monopoly on a TV than on a board (Hint: no)? Much of the experience of such a famous and standard board game rests on handling those gaudy bills and tapping your piece of choice past go. In other words, the actual game could sometimes be boring, but having it physically in front of you kept you from falling asleep. <br><br>EA's Smarty Pants dares to go into this territory. It is a trivia game, not unlike the old board game pursuits of old. Each of its cavalcades of questions ranging from pop-culture to history has a multiple choice selection. There are a few different modes, including ones for both single remote and multiple remote setups, suitably nudging itself into party game territory. <br><br>So. That's it. That's Smarty Pants in a nutshell. Sure, there's some sort of dancing thing you have to do with the Wii Remote, but we'll not mention that any more for its own sake.<br><br>Is there a benefit to having a trivia game on a home videogame console? From my own experience, I'd have to say yes. Smarty Pants is actually fairly well presented, with voiceovers and decent sound effects that make it seem more like a game show than just a trivia game. The group mode, which requires multiple Wii Remotes, each acting like a buzzer, manifests this presentation style. As with anything trivial, in a group setting you'll likely find yourself shouting out the answers, as much as you may regret this in your memory later on. The fact that Smarty Pants is capable of this is something positive in and of itself. <br><br>Diagnosis? Smarty Pants is hardly a wonderful title, but it's not necessarily a throwaway. If you really want to play a trivia game on the Wii, it's a decent enough choice. But, uh, you know, you could buy a copy of Trivial Pursuit for less. <br><br><img alt="score: " style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;width=89&amp;color=orange&amp;font=stencil&amp;size=20&amp;text=SCORE:"><img alt="3 out of 5" style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;color=orange&amp;font=pizzastars&amp;text=ttt&amp;size=25"><br><br><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.gamebump.com/?aboutreviews">Click here</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> for an explanation of our review and scoring format.</span><br><br><div class="image"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/78ggf09i2va8fmqrs083f08y.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"><div style="text-align: center;">I can't even tell what's bleeding.</div></div><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">CASE STUDY #5: NO MORE TEARS</span><br><br>Subject: <span style="font-weight: bold;">No More Heroes</span><br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">PROGNOSIS</span>: Exposure to games designed for Wii from the ground up may cause: enjoyment, fun, laughter, and world peace. <br><br>"Will you do it with me?"<br><br>If any of the above games had asked you such a question, I hope by now youd have learned to at the very least understand the risk factors involved; simple precautions will keep your Wii from being subjugated to possible infection. <br><br>However, another game asks this favor, a game so dirty yet so clean, some would say downright filthy in content yet nearly spotless in design. "Will you do it with me?" If you're privy enough to hear those words uttered by Travis Touchdown, by all means, accept. Travis is the star of No More Heroes, a game with the distinction of being the near opposite of the Wii flu - it is a coherent, focused, original title using the Wii Remote in a startlingly effective manner. <br><br>The premise is straightforward but with spry delivery that never takes itself too seriously. Travis is essentially both a dork and a loser and while drowning his sorrows at a bar he runs into a mysterious woman named Sylvia who promises him he can be the world's top assassin  all he has to do is off the rest of the world's top-ranked assassins. Na&#239;ve Travis of course accepts the offer, with his prime motivation being to sleep with Sylvia. Your prime motivation to play the game will likely be to see what outrageous and foul-mouthed things will come out of the mouths of Travis and his co-stars. <br><br>The game's structure is built around going after each of the 10 assassins. To get to each, Travis must pay Sylvia a fee, which he can earn by doing sidejobs like lawn mowing (seriously) and minor assassination gigs all within the façade of an open-ended environment and setting for the game, Santa Destroy. This environment is one of the game's faults because jobs and assassination gigs must be selected at specific locations <span style="font-style: italic;">before</span> they can start, thus the free-roaming world really serves no other purpose than to add the filler of travel. Still, it is ultimately a minor issue. <br><br>How the story and gameplay unfold within each of the 10 main assassination missions is, in a way, underwhelming yet satisfying. Combat may appear simple at first, as pressing A controls Travis's attack, but Wii-specific moves come in the forms of finishers and grabs. If an enemy is near death, an arrow will appear on-screen, prompting you to move the Wii Remote in its direction for a super-violent finisher. Travis cuts his enemies into pieces, with blood and guts as exaggerated as his own persona. Later it is not uncommon to dismember entire groups of enemies at once, causing the entire game to slow down, ludicrous in its fulfillment. Travis also has a number of wrestling moves that are controlled by moving both the Remote and Nunchuk and do add a bit of variety. After every successful finisher, Travis also has a small slot wheel that can serve to make him even more powerful than he already is, providing temporary invincibility and the like. <br><br>No More Heroes is by no means a cure for the Wii's blues  the game is not perfect. The aforementioned faux open-ended structure along with somewhat repetitive combat (the finishers never get old, however) and the fact that the assassin bosses take from dozens of hits to hundreds to defeat can sometimes  sometimes  leave a foul taste. But it lasts for but an instant in the presence of the rest of the game as a whole. Its language and bloody style may put some off, but if you're into that sort of thing, your Wii could really deserve the pleasure of doing it with Travis. <br><br>Diagnosis? While not a panacea, No More Heroes is certainly the type of original, short term treatment that the Wii needs in larger doses. A must-buy for anyone who needs a good action title for any system. <br><br><img alt="score: " style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;width=89&amp;color=orange&amp;font=stencil&amp;size=20&amp;text=SCORE:"><img alt="4 out of 5" style="border: 0px none ;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?height=25&amp;color=orange&amp;font=pizzastars&amp;text=tttt&amp;size=25"><br><br><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.gamebump.com/?aboutreviews">Click here</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> for an explanation of our review and scoring format.</span><br><br>]]></description>
<pubDate>Sat, 16 Feb 2008 20:25:13 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>New Tales of Vesperia Trailer</title>
<author>Solomon Lee</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_tales_of_versperia_trailer</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_tales_of_versperia_trailer</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_tales_of_versperia_trailer#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<P><IMG alt="" src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/yxe9sybpt7bfs3q38piidt4r.jpg" border=0 alignment=""></P>
<P>Namco Bandai has released a new trailer regarding their announcement of Tales of Vesperia at the Jump Festa 2008 event.</P>
<P>The game will feature cel-shaded graphics with character designs and animation managed by Kosuke Fujishima and Production I.G. The platform and release date details have yet to be announced.</P>
<P>Check the link to download the trailer, or just hit the jump to view.</P>
<P></P>
<P></P>


<P></P>
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<P></P>]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 27 Dec 2007 12:10:39 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Video Game Training DS Announced by Namco Bandai</title>
<author>Akshay Masand</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/videogame_training_ds__announced_by_namco_bandai</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/videogame_training_ds__announced_by_namco_bandai</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/videogame_training_ds__announced_by_namco_bandai#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.gamebump.com//images/tags/namco.jpg" align="right" style="margin: 10px; border: 1px solid black;" />Are you interested in improving your video game skills? You might be in luck if you have DS. Namco Bandai announced a new game that supposedly trains you to play video games which improves your gamer skills such as reflexes and memorization. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Video Game Training DS</span> is a collection of mini-games based on Namco's classic games which include Galaga, Xevious, and Mappy. The new DS game reportedly has over 500 mini-games based which are based on over 30 different titles developed by Namco.<br><br>How much will this actually help your skills? Will it be fun? We'll find out in time. The game is will be released in Japan on March 20, 2008. No announcement for release in the United States as of yet.<br>]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:40:09 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>We Don't Know Anything About Fragile, But Here's a Video</title>
<author>Shiva Stella</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/we_dont_know_anything_about_fragile_but_heres_a_video</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/we_dont_know_anything_about_fragile_but_heres_a_video</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/we_dont_know_anything_about_fragile_but_heres_a_video#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.gamebump.com//images/tags/namco.jpg" align="right" style="margin: 10px; border: 1px solid black;" />While we know next to nothing about Namco Bandai's <a href="http://gamebump.com/index.php?tag=fragile&amp;x=0&amp;y=0">Fragile</a> (except that it's an adventure-RPG being developed by Tri-Crescendo for the Wii), the company has made a teaser trailer available for the title. <br><br>The game's <a href="http://fragile.namco-ch.net/">official site</a> has also launched.<br><p></p><p></p><br><br><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="gtembed" height="392" width="480"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=28268">
<param name="quality" value="high"> <embed src="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=28268" swliveconnect="true" name="gtembed" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain" allowfullscreen="true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" height="392" width="480"> </object><br><br><ol><li>Typical RPG music - check.</li><li>Language I still don't know - check.</li><li>Characters with anime-look - check.</li></ol>Seems like a bona fide RPG to me. So, any translators?   <br><br><br>]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:40:00 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>New Soulcalibur IV Screenshots</title>
<author>Solomon Lee</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_soulcalibur_iv_screens</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_soulcalibur_iv_screens</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_soulcalibur_iv_screens#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<P align=center><IMG style="WIDTH: 472px; HEIGHT: 137px" height=123 alt="" src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/vevtad9k455z976excfhx2h3.jpg" width=418 border=0 alignment=""></P>
<P>Namco Bandai has released&nbsp;new screenshots of Soulcalibur IV for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.&nbsp;The screens reveal an intense battle taking place between Sophitia and Astaroth.&nbsp;Soulcalibur IV&nbsp;is scheduled&nbsp;for a 2008 release.</P>
<P>Check the link to view&nbsp;the images.</P>]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Nov 2007 01:00:54 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Namco Bandai Developing New RPG for Wii</title>
<author>Shiva Stella</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/namco_bandai_developing_new_rpg_for_wii</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/namco_bandai_developing_new_rpg_for_wii</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/namco_bandai_developing_new_rpg_for_wii#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.gamebump.com//images/tags/namco.jpg" align="right" style="margin: 10px; border: 1px solid black;" />In some interesting Namco Bandai news of the day, the company has announced the development of Fragile, an "exploration" RPG for the Wii.<br><br>There are no pretty pictures or teaser trailers yet, but Namco Bandai has confirmed that it will make an official game announcement via the next issue of Famitsu (aka Japan's most famous gaming magazine), which ships on November 22 (if you live in Japan). <br><br>There will also be a game event on November 24 to shed additional light on the title, followed by the launch of the game's official site.<br><br>]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:20:05 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja 3 Officially Announced</title>
<author>Tim Grube</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/naruto_ultimate_ninja_3_officially_announced</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/naruto_ultimate_ninja_3_officially_announced</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/naruto_ultimate_ninja_3_officially_announced#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.gamebump.com//images/tags/namco.jpg" align="right" style="margin: 10px; border: 1px solid black;" />So it appears they are still developing games for the PlayStation 2. Reason being, Namco Bandai just announced the development and release date of NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja 3 for the PS2 console. There is said to be more than 55 missions this time around with over 40 characters to choose from.<br><br><div><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-style: italic;">NARUTO is an international 
sensation and Ultimate Ninja 3 is the perfect 
complement to the VIZ Media franchise, said Makoto 
Iwai, 
Executive Vice President and COO, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. 
CyberConnect2 has built upon the series and crafted a title that reaches Hokage 
level of fun.</span><br></div><br>A release date is expected in March of next year.<br></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><br></div>]]></description>
<pubDate>Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:37:15 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>New Screenshots of Soulcalibur IV for 360, PS3</title>
<author>Shiva Stella</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_screenshots_of_soulcalibur_iv_for_360_ps3</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_screenshots_of_soulcalibur_iv_for_360_ps3</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_screenshots_of_soulcalibur_iv_for_360_ps3#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/fugfsvhs5ffbp74otnzhgtlj.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"></p>New images of Namco Bandai's Soulcalibur IV for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 are in and viewable at the link. The title is set for a 2008 release. <br><br>]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 08 Nov 2007 13:34:01 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>Another Time Crisis 4 Update, Note the New Guncon</title>
<author>Shiva Stella</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/another_time_crisis_4_update_note_the_new_guncon</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/another_time_crisis_4_update_note_the_new_guncon</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/another_time_crisis_4_update_note_the_new_guncon#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/f4a8p8q0o6ufp7g4pxc1cseh.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"></p>In another Time Crisis 4 update for today the game's director, Takashi Satsukawa, has posted over at the official PlayStation Blog regarding the title's development, specifically the creation of the new guncon and the logic behind the move. Time Crisis 4 and the new guncon will enable players to maneuver independently of the camera as well as shoot, varying the arcade style a bit. <br><br>Here's an excerpt:<br><br><div style="margin-left: 40px;">The Time Crisis team has been eager to implement a solution for moving and shooting to the series for years now  our development tools allow us to do this in early builds of games  but it was too difficult to implement this feature into a full game using only the Guncon 2 controller. With our next title planned for the PLAYSTATION 3 system, we began work on our next iteration of the Guncon hardware to bring new functionality to the series and allow us to implement our goals for a free-roaming Time Crisis experience. <span style="font-weight: bold;">We asked our designer to come up with a few illustrations showing a Guncon with one analog stick. After getting the results, we realized that this was going to be a more intimidating project than we had planned</span>!<br></div><br>Hit the link for the full article. Click <a href="http://gamebump.com/go/new_time_crisis_4_trailer__grenades_click_now">here</a> for today's new trailer.<br><br>
		  	
		  	<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Time Crisis 4&tag=gaminghoriz0c-20&index=blended&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">
		  	<img style="border:0px;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?text=BUY TIME CRISIS 4 AT AMAZON&color=lorange&font=stencil&size=10&width=500" />
		  	</a><br />
		  	]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:24:41 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>New Time Crisis 4 Trailer + Grenades, Click Now</title>
<author>Shiva Stella</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_time_crisis_4_trailer__grenades_click_now</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_time_crisis_4_trailer__grenades_click_now</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/new_time_crisis_4_trailer__grenades_click_now#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/f36rwbtphl13zuzy5tb0m4to.jpg" alt="" alignment="" border="0"></p>Namco Bandai has unleashed a new trailer for its Time Crisis 4 on the PlayStation 3. The game is set to launch on November 20 - until then go ahead and give it a peek at the jump. <br><p></p><p></p><br><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="gtembed" height="392" width="480">    <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain">     <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=27450"> <param name="quality" value="high"> <embed src="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=27450" swliveconnect="true" name="gtembed" allowscriptaccess="sameDomain" allowfullscreen="true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" height="392" width="480"> </object>
		  	
		  	<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Time Crisis 4&tag=gaminghoriz0c-20&index=blended&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">
		  	<img style="border:0px;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?text=BUY TIME CRISIS 4 AT AMAZON&color=lorange&font=stencil&size=10&width=500" />
		  	</a><br />
		  	]]></description>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:11:47 -0600</pubDate>
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<title>SoulCalibur Legends Gone Gold</title>
<author>Solomon Lee</author>
<link>http://www.gamebump.com/go/soulcalibur_legends_gone_gold1</link>
<guid>http://www.gamebump.com/go/soulcalibur_legends_gone_gold1</guid>
<comments>http://www.gamebump.com/go/soulcalibur_legends_gone_gold1#</comments>
<description><![CDATA[<p></p>
<p><img alt="" src="http://www.gamebump.com/images/upload/da9320p2bkmk5yder6xenmyc.jpg" alignment="" border="0"></p>Namco Bandai has announced that SoulCalibur Legends is golden for the Wii. The game departs from the traditional arcade style combat to an action adventure title that allows you to fight hordes of enemies with veteran fighters from the previous games. Soul Calibur Legends is slated to be released on November 20.
<p></p>
		  	
		  	<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Namco Legends&tag=gaminghoriz0c-20&index=blended&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">
		  	<img style="border:0px;" src="http://www.gamebump.com/typeimage.php?text=BUY NAMCO LEGENDS AT AMAZON&color=lorange&font=stencil&size=10&width=500" />
		  	</a><br />
		  	]]></description>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:31:43 -0500</pubDate>
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