It looks like there is hope yet for the promise of a decent Metal Gear Solid 4 Bundle. The 80 GB one is on SonyStyle’s website making it official in my mind. More exciting still is that the bundle is available for pre-order at Circuit City.com for the previously announced price of $499.99. I have already pre-ordered mine, so unless something goes horribly wrong, I will be making my leap into the next generation.

Apparently the 40 GB version includes the Limited Edition of the game, which comes with a Blu-Ray disc containing 2 hours of exclusive content as well as a soundtrack and access to Metal Gear online. I am assuming the 80 GB bundle comes with the standard version of the game perhaps explaining the price difference.

On a personal level, twice the memory, backwards compatibility and an extra 100$ in my pocket is a better deal. What can I say, I am poor.

If this package interests you I highly recommend pre-ordering as soon as you possibly can. They will be available in EXTREMELY limited quantities relative to demand.

Pre-order the 40 GB version here
Pre-order the 80 GB version here

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Roy action, buy games, consoles, how to, konami, merchandise, pre-order, ps3 4 comments

So I posted a while back about how awesome the Metal Gear Solid 4 Bundle was going to be. Since the game’s release is getting closer, Konami has officially announced the contents of the bundle.

Now rather than the package coming with an 80GB PS3, it will be coming with a 40GB PS3, which features a lack of backwards compatibility. Sign me up! But wait–there’s more! the rumored price tag of $499.99 has been slashed to a robust $599.99.

So again let us break down the contents to decide if this is a good deal:

So what about this bundle gives you an extra $60.02 incentive? I have no idea, all I know is I won’t be purchasing it come June 12th.

*NOTE* Purchasing the package in individual parts will get you an extra Sixaxis controller. Also, Gamestops do NOT take reservations on the MGS4 Bundle, but they DO take them on the Limited Edition version of the game.

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Metal Gear Solid 4 Bundle

Roy action, consoles, how to, konami, merchandise, ps3 2 comments

So this question is on the minds of all Wii and PS2 owners it seems. Normally I refrain from being so forward, but I think I just need to clarify for everyone. It is not a matter of Baroque being “good”, or “bad”. It is simply a question of if you are a match for Baroque. Here is a simple test to see find out if you should buy it:

Naturally, this formula is very lose and won’t apply to everyone. I know it is tempting for all the Wii owners out there to add a decent RPG to their collection, but don’t assume that this game is for you, simply because it can be called an RPG. My recommendation is to become a bit more familiar with the genre. Or if your grill is solid gold, just buy it anyway.

Previous articles about Baroque
Baroque (Wii and PS2) OST
Nintendo Power’s 3/10 Review
Baroque Exclusive Artwork
Baroque Preview

Roy action, atlus, buy games, nintendo wii, ps2, sting 0 comments

Ah, random dungeon games, have my readers noticed that I have a soft spot for them? There is something so unforgiving about a game where you die and lose everything… I don’t know why but I find it appealing. Furai no Shiren 3 is one of these games, and surprisingly enough it is for the Wii, a system which never stops surprising us.

As you may have guessed by the game’s title, Furai no Shiren is a series that spans numerous titles and systems. Believe it or not it all started on the humble Famicon, and from there spread to the N64 and Gameboy systems.

Now the series is making its way to the Wii, with the third installment scheduled for release on June 5th in Japan. I had a difficult time imagining a random dungeon game for the Wii, but luckily I managed to locate this video which shows some of the games cut scenes and a bit of the game play as well.

The game takes place after the second installment. Shiren is reunited with Sense (pronounced like sensei but without the i), his fencing master. The two, along with Koppa, Shiren’s pet talking weasel thing, decide to go on a journey to try and unlock the mystery of the “Trick Mansion.” Here is where the player will enter dungeons to acquire items, defeat enemies, level up, and progress in the story. Both Sense and Koppa fight along side Shiren as well as a variety of other characters both temporary and permanent (like Asuka, a female swordsman introduced later in the story) .

Since the game is for the Nintendo Wii, both the Wiimote and the Nunchuck adapter will be options for controlling your character. In a recent interview with the game’s designers, they said that players who want a more nostalgic feeling would be better off using the classic controller.

Since Furai no Shiren 2 was brought to North America, there is a good possibility that the next chapter will be brought over as well. As of yet, nothing has been said concerning an English localization, but considering it hasn’t even been released in Japan yet, that’s not too surprising. I will keep looking for more info, in the meantime you can check out the game’s official Japanese website here.

If you have never heard of the series and would like to give it a try, you can purchase Furai no Shiren 2 for $29.99 for the Nintendo DS here.

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Furai No Shiren 3 Update

Roy action, nintendo wii, rpg, sega, videos 0 comments

Baroque is being released April 8th in North America. To celebrate, here is the OST to the game. It is entirely instrumental, with songs that vary from the energetically charged “Endless Redemption”, to the slower and more solemn “Spilling Tears.” I think that Sting did a good job producing a cohesion between art, music, and graphics to create the overall mood of the game. The songs sound very futuristic and synthetic and give an impression of intensity mixed with sorrow.

Release date July 12, 2007
Discs: 1

Tracklisting
1. Pulse of Steel
2. Sinful Eyes
3. The Crimson Sky
4. Endless Redemption
5. Crazy Prayer
6. Advanced Angel
7. Stagnating Flow
8. Spilling Tears
9. Mysteries Forming
10. Floatage Girl
11. The Wriggling One
12. In The Plot
13. Frenzy and Noise
14. Innocence
15. Groan of Metal

Baroque OST part 1 can be downloaded here
Baroque OST part 2 can be downloaded here

If you wish to add the physical version to your collection, it can be purchased from Amazon Japan here. Unfortunately it isn’t available at any website that ships to America. As soon as it pops up on one, I will be sure to post about it. In the meantime, enjoy the soundtrack, and if you are interested the game is being released for the Playstation 2 and the Wii on April 8th, for $39.99.

Previous articles about Baroque
Nintendo Power’s 3/10 Review
Baroque Exclusive Artwork
Baroque Preview

Roy action, atlus, merchandise, nintendo wii, ost, ps2, sting 1 comment