Gaijin

Order the full soundtrack online from Square. They are taking pre-orders.

I wasn't aware there's a collector's edition in the US other than the 360 bundle which is super lame.

Lunar? Now that's an unexpected comparison.

I'm not sure why, it just reminds me of it. I get the same vibe from it the first time I played my Sega CD Lunar. Must just be nostalgia in my head from the opening music or something.

Maybe it's because I haven't played a traditional JRPG since Valkyrie Profile 2/Xenosaga III.

Keep me informed. (especially interested in how the boss/battle themes are) Way back when it was first unveiled it struck me as fairly Xenogears-esque, but now I almost get a weird Phantasy Star/Vagrant Story hybrid vibe from it.

Hey, I've seen the character creator, and it's quite anime-themed. Could I make Grace? (would settle for Milia)

The character creation is rather extensive. You could probably make almost any anime character. I didn't spend a whole lot of time making mine, but it was pretty robust.

So far, it kinda reminds me of a Lunar Silver Star game/Escaflowne anime hybrid.

Ouch, White Knight Chronicles was released and I don't think anyone noticed. Seems to have some pretty big flaws, though there's just as many 9.0 reviews (none by professional sites, just reader/buyer reviews). So many there's something that really appeals to some.

Just got it as a gift. Tried it out and it's really pretty good. I don't see what the gripes are. It's not spectacular, but it's not bad either. It's above average, which apparently nowadays means it sucks.

Only thing I don't care for is some of the voice acting. Graphics are nice, nice art design on the Knights, the battles let you move around realtime, but has no real bearing on whether you can hit or be hit, so that's the only really odd thing for me. The music is catchy, and there's something about the game I can't really put my foot on, but I like it. Haven't tried the online quests.

Story seems to be standard Japanese JRPG, to which you know if you like or not. I have about three hours in and so far, I'm still playing. I have Bioshock 2 waiting to be opened but, I think I'll start it up after I'm done with WKC.

I remember those. Had a few of them back when.

Guess we complain about Sonic for the same reason we complain about Macross. Its because we actually love them. I'll be happy with this game as long as it has the propwer pinball mechanics, momentum based gameplay and no boost. Speed is gained as a reward for playing well. Also only sonic (tough Amy, Tails & Knuckles would be welcome as DLC optional characters). The last game i rememberd had those elements done right was the very first Sonic Advance. the other two were starting to mess with th gameplay. I highly recommend you to try this one. And rush doesn't count for relying to much on gimmicks.

I'm more happy than anything to see 4 come out. I just wish it was a retail release.

It's not that I don't want a proper Sonic on a console. To me, the series split on the Dreamcast. I really liked Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2, but things started seriously going downhill with Sonic Heroes. So in my mind, the Sonic Advance and Sonic Rush games were the spiritual sequels to the Genesis games, and the console games have been a (poor) continuation of Sonic Adventure.

Perhaps I'll try Advance and Rush someday, but I don't see myself buying a DS any time soon.

And I'll go a bit off track on my thoughts of Sonic 4:

I'll be happy when 4 hits though I wish it was a proper full game disc retail release. Sonic is Sega's mascot, and "old school Sonic" could be a fairly large casual hit in the same way New Super Mario Bros was/is. A lot of people (more casual gamers) remember old titles they played way back when but, are put off when they find what they remember is no longer familiar. I think this is why New Super Mario Bros did so well. An old school Sonic at retail in the stores for PS3/360/Wii could be pretty big.

Sega could even push it the same way it did back when they compared Sonic to Super Mario World...nostalgia done right can work. Many people I know who have bought that Mario title don't really play games much...they bought it because they "remember playing that game" and don't want to play the new ones. They never finished the old or the new one, but they bought it. I could see the same thing happening with an old school Sonic.

While I'm happy its coming, I also wish it wasn't a download title...the audience for this one will surely be crippled compared to a retail release. Wait till all the episodes are done, release as a multi platform disc title and watch the cash roll in. I just can't help but feel that Sega is shooting themselves in the foot by doing it this way.

BUT, I suppose it's better then getting Sonic and the Black Knight's Golden Rings or whatever other new title that will further drag the Hedgehog into darkness. Yes, I'm really being whiny about it and I admit it.

I guess. If the "main" series was the Genesis games, than this would be the first since Sonic and Knuckles. The handheld titles, aside from the menagerie of other playable characters, had the same gameplay though.

With the glut of what Sonic has become on consoles; Unleashed, the 360/PS3 "Sonic the Hedgehog", and the horrid Wii storybook ones, this is welcome. I didn't mind the two Adventure titles for Dreamcast, but after that, all the console Sonic titles began to get worse and worse. Unleashed is the worst offender; inbetween nice normal "Sonic" levels are stupid god of war kiddie wherehog levels.

And yeah, even though Rush may play like old Sonic(I don't own a DS) , I still want a proper Sonic on a next gen home system. I doubt I'm the only one that feels this way.

How is this a return to the roots, and Sonic Advance/Sonic Rush not?

The handheld titles never really pegged me as "Main" Sonic games...

Project Needlemouse finally shows...

'Bout time Sonic returned to the roots.

That wasn't water. More like an electric plasma-nanite field, which was shown previously to dissolve anything that touched it, IIRC.

I dunno; looks like water to me... What part showed it dissolving anything?

After Burner Climax on the PSN this spring in the US/Europe.

Trailer. Looks awesome.

http://kotaku.com/5458830/after-burner-cli...ope-this-spring

Yup, day one purchase for me.

So, finally got around to d/ling the demo. Was a bit turned off initially because I really didn't need another bitchy witchy in my life...

Found it to be quite interesting. When it's one-on-one you can definitely take time to drive in the combos, but when it's a melee it becomes more button mashing and dodging. Think it has potential -- does it get better in the real game? Wondering whether should put down the money for it.

Yes, it does: the combat is Devil May Cry style taken to the next level. Nothing compares combat wise. Boss fights are fun too.

PS3 version is getting patched. Will allow installing to the HDD which should eliminate the load times. 'Bout time. This should have made the US launch.

Regardless, I'm glad it will be patched.

I will look into the Pioneer you mentioned. While we are at it, what does everyone think about the LED?

The fireplace is sealed but I don't like the idea of drilling holes into the walls. Plus all that cord coming from the side just looks tacky! I dont want to spend moer than $1500- as there are much Macross toys to buy for this yr too.

Thanks MacrossMan!

LED is nice, but like fluorescent LCD's and Plasmas, have their own drawbacks as well. Off angle viewing with Edge Lit LED LCD's being one. Not all LED backlit LCD's are the same; there are edge lit, local dimming, white LED backlit....it goes on and on.

Sony and Samsung have a whole new lineup debuting soon. If you aren't in a rush, you may want to check them out when they arrive. Some are 3D capable even, if you want to future proof your purchase now.

Find a TV that looks best to you picture on or off, at the price you want. Check some reviews of that model(make sure it's not a lemon model or has chronic issues...all manufacturers have at least one bad egg) , and go from there. That's the best advice really, since picture quality is very opinion based.

I think I like this game even better than the God of War series. III could change my mind, but I don't think anything will touch the combat in Bayonetta for awhile.

They fixed the line about the human brain containing x amount of info. Thank goodness.

After Burner Climax, PSN and X-Live only.

Was waiting for this. Bayonetta only added to the desire for more Afterburner after the references/sequence.

Bought Darksiders, then downloaded the demo for Bayonetta.

I'm enjoying the depth of game play in Darksiders, where Bayonetta feels like a button masher with an evade button and crazy hair monsters.

Not that I don't enjoy Bayonetta, I just see than as different types of games. One is an action Zelda, the other is a fast paced Devil May Cry. Both are great, I just prefer DS.

I did not see any of Bayonetta's "issues" on PS3. Then again, I'm not a professional gamer, and maybe my eye didn't pick up on it.

Both have quasi-religious overtones, but that's no biggie, there is some great lore to work with. My biggest gripe with Bayonetta is that the attacks seem very short ranged. I'm used to GoW, DMC, and now DS, where my attacks had some reach, but thats not a mark against her, just a style preference.

Actually, while you can button mash, Bayonetta is the least button mashing game of them all. The combat system is incredibly complex especially once you start to get other weapons. And there are longer ranged ones. Once you play it a couple chapters you really begin to notice the brilliance of it. And as much as I love GOW, the boss battles in Bayonetta so far put all the others to shame. Give it a shot...the demo doesn't even scratch the surface.

Which one is Durga? I've got the katana for my hand weapon and the pistols on my feet, and I've been using that combo for about half the time I've been playing (I'm about to fight the fourth Cardinal Virtue, I think). I have the claws on my hands and the shotgun on my feet for the B combination, but I haven't found it to be as versatile a combination.

The claws. I tend to use katana and then claws on the feet more though. Good combos with that mix, in fire mode.

But if you equip claws on both, and change electric to hands and fire on feet, the charge bombs in combos are strong too.

I see. Well as for the Onyx Roses, it took me till about chapter II or III to realize this but you don't need to purchase them. Once Rodin makes the weapons you have them in your inventory. The weapons you see in at Gates of Hell are replicas as far as I know.

Buying the alt production versions are so you can equip both to hands and feet. Durga on both is quite powerful.

Sorry, I meant the demo.

Ah. Worth buying. Either version. When I see Darksiders outselling this one, it makes me sad. Not that Darksiders is bad, but Bayonetta is that much better. At least for me.

Shame on people for not buying this masterpiece. Don't download...support!

I think I already did have dialogue boosted, but it may have been reset when I last "auto'd" the audio settings. (Street Fighter IV was giving me some weird issues, and I re-did a lot of audio settings)

I recommend some speakers with some power. Even a cheapie home theater system will sound better than TV speakers. Or even the cheap sound bars aren't half bad for the price.

Well, I just moved my PS3 to test a different TV and used ROTF for reference, and that one was simply "PS3 to TV, via HDMI". Tried several of the TV's own sound settings, including "normal" "clear voice" and "movie".

But my own TV was the same.

Well, through the TV speakers, I'm not sure you'll get much. Through a center speaker, it's much more defined, but even with just my TV, that line seems quite prominent compared to the other dialogue. You can boost the audio a bit with the BD menu on the PS3...that actually helped my friend who complained of something similar. His dialogue was quiet compared to everything else (even set to 2 channel) until he +2'd the setting.