It's no mystery that Batman: Arkham Asylum has become one of the surprise hits of the summer. Fans dared to hope for a Batman game that accurately captured the character while still being a fun game. It seemed impossible but the folks at Rocksteady Studios pulled it off. The game is beautiful, engrossing, and just plain fun thanks to a great cast and greater gameplay.

But just where did Rocksteady Studios come from?

When I listed off my Top 5 Games of the Summer, number 4 on the list was Blazblue: Calamity Trigger. It was a game that had come out of nowhere and grabbed my attention. It was a strange occurrence because I'm not much of a fighting game enthusiast. I've mostly been limited to the Soul Calibur series and rental time with Street Fighter 4. They're both good games but not really enough to capture my full attention. But Blazblue had something about it, a kind of allure I couldn't place.

If I had to narrow it down, I'd say it was because it was a completely new franchise. There wasn't years of history behind it where gamers who've played the series in the past could immediately boot it up and take me down. Blazblue is also one of the most gorgeous 2D fighters I had ever seen. The backgrounds meshed perfectly with the foreground sprites and created a wholly original look.

And then there were the character designs. I'm a fan of anime and the characters struck a chord with me. There are classic representations of the catgirl, the gothic lolita, the big breasted woman, and the loner but there's enough of a twist to each that it doesn't feel old hat. Sticking to anime archetypes may drive off potential fans but it also lures in others.



But all these elements on their own wouldn't drive me to want this game. If the battle system was too obtuse for me to wrap my head around, I would simply ignore it. But many of the reviews that I looked at underscored how easy the game was to pick up and play. There were strong, medium, and weak attack buttons and a special button. The game also allows beginners to use the right analog stick to unleash Distortion attacks that are normally linked to button combinations. It all seemed like the perfect introductory fighting game, but I was still too unsure to take the plunge.

That's where the $30 gaming deal comes in.

I have a friend who felt the exact same way I did about the game that I did so I proposed that we went half and half on the game. Each week we would swap it back to the other person so that he would have his turn. If one player didn't like the game then the other would pony up an extra $20 whenever he got it to have total control of it. If both like the game then we would go half and half for a second copy of the game. It was the most fair deal that we could think of, and it was completely worth it.

Blazblue has completely exceeded my expectations. It gives you the basics to work with then slowly invites you to go deeper into the system. I'm immensely addicted and can't recommend the game more to anyone who has an interest in it.

The ability to download demos through Xbox Live or the PSN is a great service for gamers. If there's a particular game coming out that you are looking forward to, you can try it out beforehand, get a feel for it, and decide whether it's worth buying. When it comes to demos, I usually only download the ones that I can see myself potentially buying. That changes from now on. Every week, I will download every demo that comes out and give you my thoughts on them. Is the game worth trying yourself? Is it an absolute must-buy when the full game is released? Are there any potential problems that I saw in the demo? I will look at all these things with the PSN Preview.

Battlefield 1943
I've played very little of the Battlefield series in the past. Mostly just when I was at a friend's house and was bored. What usually kept me from it was the fact that it was a PC-centric series and I'm more of a console gamer. So when I booted up Battlefield 1943, I wasn't expecting much. What immediately caught me off guard was the fact that there's a 30 minute gameply time limit for the demo. I had never encountered anything like this before and couldn't figure out why it was like that. I eventually realized that it was a way to encourage the purchase of the full game. It would be possible to play the one available level online for free anytime you want otherwise.

Only one thing really annoyed me about the Battlefield demo. There was no indication of what the controls were. To help you guys with this, here's a hand little guide to what each button does on the PS3 controller:

X: Jump
Square: Reload
Triangle: Melee
Circle: Enter/Exit Vehicles
R1: Fire Weapon
R2: Switch Weapon
L1: Aim/Gas in Vehicle
L2: Throw Grenade/Reverse in Vehicle

Once you have the controls down, the demo's easy to pick up and play. The Battlefield series, if you've never played it before, is online only. Key battles from World War II are made into maps where players are automatically placed on either the American Marine Corps or the Japanese side. Each side is given a set amount of spawns and the goal is to control as many bases as possible in order to bottleneck your opponents. The one map available is Wake Island which is horseshoe shaped and provides opportunities for jeeps, planes, tanks, and boats.

There's no doubt I had fun with the demo. It looked good, had destructible environments, and the game never stuttered once. I even ran away with one match and came in first as far as statistics. The one problem that I see is that it doesn't seem all that different from previous Battlefield games. Now I don't have a lot of experience with the series but I couldn't point out brand new features without doing research. I can say that if you're looking for a fun multiplayer game then Battlefield will fill that void. At only $15 for the full game, it's not a bad deal.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game
I honestly didn't download the demo because I recently rented the game. It was a lot of fun and if you're interested in the game then check out IvorySoul's review.

And so ends the first PSN Preview. I hope it was helpful and I'll see you again next week.

A little while ago, a review I did for the Playstation 3 version of Prince of Persia was posted. For those that didn't read it, I noted its problems but overall I found it to be a fun game that was at least worth checking out. The graphics were beautiful, the gameplay was tight, the story was well-done, and I felt there was more of a challenge then most gave it credit for.

So I was definitely interested when Ubisoft announced that there would be DLC in the form of an Epilogue. A new combat move, a somewhat new boss, a greater challenge to the traps, a new magic technique, and two new skins for the Prince and Ellika. It seems like a lot, and when I first heard about it, I decided I would get the DLC if it was $15 or less. Well, it was released this past week for only $10, and I bought it.

What a complete waste of money. I couldn't even tell I was doing the combat move right away since it led immediately into another button press. The new boss was easy as can be and it never feels like you truly "defeat" him. The traps did add extra challenge and the new magic differed from the old magic somewhat, but it was too short. As for the skins, I've never been one for skins, it takes me immediately out of the game seeing characters that don't belong in the narrative.

I probably wouldn't be complaining as much if the DLC wasn't TWO HOURS LONG. That's how long it took me from beginning to end. Pathetic. And not even the story was worth it. I could sum it up in two sentences. "Ahriman is free but weak and Ellika is pissed. They escape and decide to look for the rest of Ellika's people." Congratulations, I saved you $10. The graphics are as beautiful as ever, but it doesn't heal the sting of purchase. This DLC should have been the prologue to the sequel. It would have been much more satisfying. As it is, don't even bother.

I'll admit it, I enjoyed the new Prince of Persia. The game had a great flow, great graphics, and an enjoyable story. It had its problems, but all games do. When I saw the announcement that Ubisoft was going to release a DLC pack in February, I was wary. I've never experienced DLC first-hand, but it never seems to jive with what came before it. Especially when it comes to the subject of pricing. Burnout Paradise seems to be the only game immune to this as the DLC alone makes me wonder if I should purchase it.

At any rate, reading further, I was surprised to learn that the Prince of Persia DLC would be an Epilogue to the game, telling the further adventures of the Prince and Ellika. Everything about this DLC seems like it will work. The difficulty has been increased so it should be interesting to see how they did that. A new power is introduced for Ellika which should provide a good way to diversify it from the main game. The Prince has a new charging attack that seems cool if uneventful. It's a good way to change it up a bit, but I can imagine myself still doing the same combat moves that worked before. There's also a new boss but he's an amalgamation of two previous bosses. Kind of a cheat, but what can you do?

This seems like pretty significant content to me. It clocks in at about 3 hours, which is comparable to Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty. I have high hopes for it but a purchase will definitely depend on how much it costs. If its 10 bucks, then its a done deal (especially since I only paid $40 for the main game). If its $15, then I'll have to see what the impressions are and decide based off that. More than $15 seems a little ridiculous and I wouldn't buy it no matter how good it is.

The main question on everyone's mind about this DLC pack is whether it was designed to be the true ending to the game that Ubisoft cut out to make downloadable content or it is truly unique stuff developed since the game was wrapped. The best answer to this is when the new voice acting content was recorded. I'm not sure myself but it'd be a good indicator of when it actually happened. In the end, it doesn't really matter all that much to me since I got the game cheap. But I was wondering if you Prince of Persia fans will be getting the DLC? Or even if your not a fan, would you get it?

We all know Bethesda Softworks by now. They are the creators of The Elder Scrolls series and have recently released Fallout 3 to much acclaim. Their RPGs also have a very unique feel. They are often first person and allow the player to choose how they look, go wherever they want, do whatever they want, and act however they want. It's the freedom and amount of possibilities that really attract Bethesda fans.

Then there's Square Enix, who's JRPG series have created a map of how Japanese make their RPGs. They are grand and epic in scale, but also very very linear. There's the opportunity to go in a separate direction every once in a while, but for the most part, it's a straight-forward affair. This allows them to create a deep story that goes from point A to point B. Their characters are all designed by the creators and it almost feels like playing a book.

The question is, which one is better? Would you prefer to ax Tidus's design and create a brand new character that you created from scratch? Or would you like to explore the world of Fallout 3 in a linear plot that tells a grand story?

I have no preference between the two. I could play either way and still be highly entertained. But I wonder if there's such a game that has successfully combined the two. The player is able to create their own character and feel like their role-playing even though he is following a very linear progression. It's food for thought, and I was just wondering what you guys' thoughts were on the subject.

I bought Resistance 2 the other day on a bit of an impulse. You see, my friends and I were a bit bored and we wanted something new to do. I dropped the fact that I hoped to pick up Resistance 2 soon as an afterthought and suddenly everyone jumped on it. I've had it for two days now and I haven't even touched the Campaign nor the Competitive mode. It's all about cooperative in this house.

The thing that's weird about this is that I have never been a huge fan of online games. People are usually dicks and the whole experience just seems unpleasant. I've seen my friends play Halo online many times and I've always left unimpressed. But Resistance 2 is different. Eight player co-op is massive amounts of fun to play. Hordes of enemies rushing toward you, hundreds of bullets flying all over the screen, and having to pay careful attention of flanking enemies that could run through your ranks like tissue paper. And all of this is done without the slightest hint of lag. Now this is a great experience in and of itself but it could easily be ruined by asshole players. This is not the case with Resistance 2.

The community is awesome. Players are forming tactics to take on enemies, calling out who needs help, where we're being flanked, thanking each other; it's almost unheard of in my mind that an online game could be this way. Plus the experience system completely hooks you right away with each new level granting you something new. Now will this sense of wonderment carry over to the competitive modes? I have no idea. I still have other games that I want to beat before fully diving headfirst into this new world, but I am convinced that Resistance 2 will have me playing online for some time to come.

And just in case anyone would like to know, my favorite class is the medic. I feel almost self sufficient using it because I heal my own health by damaging enemies. I've only played a bit of the soldier and spec ops but the medic hooked me right away because I jumped into a 7 player game where I was the only medic and everyone was immediately appreciative. Just another great example of the community.

Sorry for the terrible title but I really couldn't think of anything better. It's a reference to the fact that I have two games I want to talk about today. Let's start with the more casual of the two, the LEGO series.

I've played bits and pieces of the series from the beginning but I have never sat down and really played them until recently. I've been working through LEGO Batman with a friend whenever we both feel like it and it's a mildly amusing game. But there's a question we have whenever we play, what will Traveller's Tales do next? I have a few ideas. I think it would be pretty cool to have a LEGO Lord of the Rings game or a LEGO 007 game. Both have the potential to be a lot of fun in the same way the past games were. Do you guys have any existing properties that you'd like to see in LEGO form? Or has the series worn out its welcome?

The other topic I'd like to discuss is the Disgaea series. I picked up the third game a while ago and have finally found time to sit down and play it. I've always been a huge fan of the Disgaea series and I love most strategy RPGs in general, but I've always quit playing after I beat it. Now, for any of you that has also played Disgaea, you know that its filled with multiple endings, hidden dungeons, and the potential to level your characters all the way to Level 9999. That's freaking ridiculous. A part of me wants to actually try to accomplish the level of 9999 but I know it'd be a time consuming process that probably isn't worth it in the end...even though it'd be awesome to rack up over a million hit points in damage. My question is, have any of you ever reached level 9999 in Disgaea? Do any of you actually play the Disgaea series?

You know, for a while now, I've been looking at the holiday season and thinking to myself, "How in the hell am I going to play all these great games?" Then I saw one of Penny Arcade's more recent comics and realized that I'm not the only one. The holidays are packed with great games coming down the pipeline, with some already being released.

So with that being said, I'm curious to know what games are on your radar? Will you be able to play them all? Or will you have to wait until later?

For my part, the following games are a must-play in my mind:

Resistance 2 - I loved the first game. My friends loved the first game. I can't wait to try the new co-op and the online matches.

Fallout 3 - I never played the previous Fallout games but every one of my friends who have this game tell me constantly how good it is.

Valkyria Chronicles - I love strategy RPGs and the demo of this game convinced me that it was a must buy. Who would've guessed this was from Sega?

Eternal Sonata - The PS3 is desperate for RPGs and this one not only looks beautiful but the story intrigues me as well. The gameplay also does a great job of differentiating itself.

Mirror's Edge - The uniqueness and beauty of the game is what's selling me.

Prince of Persia - The game seems to be a return to form but this is honestly the only title on my list that I feel nervous for putting on.

Now you might notice that there aren't any Wii games on my list. While there are two games that I'm interested in, I'd rather wait to see what others say about them first and then make my own decision. Those games are Animal Crossing: City Folk and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.

So what about you guys? What's on your radar for the season and why are you interested in them?

I finished MGS4 tonight. No spoilers, I promise. All I'd like to say is that there is no other game out there that has been so emotionally satisfying on every level, that puts every kind of emotion imaginable in your head. It is, like the title says, only the second game that has ever made me cry.

The first? Final Fantasy 7 which I played a long long time ago when I first experienced the storytelling techniques of videogames. The death of Aeris was so shocking and so out of nowhere that I didn't know what to think. Then the reactions of the characters, the music, and the burial seen brought the tears to my eyes and, for the first time ever, I felt emotionally connected to a game beyond excitement.

No game since then has been able to affect me like that though I've been invested in some way or another. But upon completing Metal Gear Solid, I felt a rush of emotion that came out of nowhere and tears welled up in my eyes again. This, in my mind, is the mark of something perfect. The gameplay isn't revolutionary and there is still an abundance of cinematics but as a longtime Metal Gear fan, I don't care. It was the very reason I got a PS3 and it was money well spent.

I don't know if the game has affected you like it affected me, but it has put Kojima on a whole other level in my mind. Whatever he does next, I will be paying very close attention.

Yep, I picked up the Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 bundle and I couldn't be happier. I actually had the day off today which meant I spent as much time as I could playing the game and it's been a fantastic experience. Of course, this is coming from an already MGS fan and I doubt this game would change anyone's mind about the series, but for those who do love the games, this is a must-play.

As for the PS3, I can't believe how wonderful the graphics look. I'm just blown away with every new scene. The system was easy to set up and I'm now once again a Playstation fanboy. Kudos to Sony for winning me back over.

The interesting thing about me getting a PS3 is the fact that I didn't get it through the friend that worked at Gamespot like I expected to. He ended up getting fired Tuesday for some unknown reason so I went to Wal-Mart to pick it up instead. The great thing about that decision is that they are holding a sell where if you purchase a Blu-Ray player, including a PS3, you get a free $100 gift card. I truly believe I've gotten the best deal possible with this bundle.

The question is, what should I get with the $100? Right now I'm thinking 1 PS3 game and 1 Blu-Ray movie. The problem is that I have no idea what to get. If you guys could offer any recommendations, I'd be thrilled.

As a final note, my PSN ID is VirginWolf (duh). Send a friend request and I'll add you. Now, I'm back to MGS4.

When the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time first came out, it was love at first sight. The plot was intriguing, the gameplay was enthralling, and it just felt like one of the best gaming experiences of my life. I hoped for a sequel just so I could continue that incredible experience and my wishes were granted.

the aesthetic of the first game and focus on a Prince who was tougher, meaner, and grittier to attract a larger audience. It made sense in the context of the story, but I couldn't help but feel that they raped one of my favorite game characters with this sudden change in character. I ended up not buying Prince of Persia: Warrior Within because it just seemed to different.

Then there came the third and final game in the trilogy: The Two Thrones. I heard that the aesthetic was much better than Warrior Within and successfully blended the two styles from the previous games into a consistent one. It sounded like Ubisoft had listened to the fans and had made a game to satisfy their demands. But, like Warrior Within, I did not buy the game. I had heard that it picked up where Warrior Within had left off and since I had no idea what that meant, I didn't get it.

But now, with the announcement of a brand new Prince of Persia game that has no connection to the previous one, I find myself intrigued again. What's really strange is that I have the desire to go back and play the entire Prince of Persia trilogy which would mean buying Warrior Within and The Two Thrones. The question is: Is it worth it? Or should I just avoid them completely? Thanks for any advice given.

I've been a bit of a fan of the Soul Calibur series since I first played SC2 on the GC. I loved the weapons-based fighting and the basic mechanics of the game and even though I was a bit disappointed by SC3, I can't help but look forward to Soul Calibur 4. The thing is, every time I see a new character revealed (particularly female ones) I'm reminded of another fighting game series known for its, ahem, generous portions.

Let's take a look, shall we?


Amy



A bonus character in Soul Calibur 3, she has the look of a goth girl. Her main feature is not her bust but rather her extremely short skirt.




Cassandra



Originally appearing in Soul Calibur 2, the sister of Sophitia has a modest bust but seems to have forgotten to wear pants.












Hilde



Hilde must be the first female character ever to wear armor that actually covers her chest. Color me impressed Namco.




Ivy



And then we have Ivy who looks like she belongs in a Dead or Alive game. Honestly, what's the point of wearing clothes if you have so little on?









Seong Mi-na



I'm trying to figure out what is preventing her shirt from flaring up during battle. Let's just say it got ripped and she didn't have to to fix it.




Setsuka



Setsuka is one of the original characters from Soul Calibur 3 and it looks like she can't wait to "bust" into SC4. See what I did there? Ha ha ... oy.









Sophitia



Looking at Sophitia, would you believe that she's a mother? I'm reminded of a term from American Pie. At any rate, that outfit would not work in rainy weather.




Taki


It used to be, only Taki and Ivy fought for the title of bustiest Soul Calibur character. With all these new challengers, will the woman who loves skin tight clothes be forgotten?




Talim



It's nice to see that Namco is treating a 15 year old's chest like normal. It'd be a little odd if she suddenly sprouted between games though that's puberty for you.




Tira


In Soul Calibur 3, Tira used to have the problem that Seung Mi-na had. Now she's got them strapped down so she can go into interesting positions. How in the world is she standing like that?




Xianghua



Xianghua is a fan of short shorts and looks to be the petite of the adult women. She might have a problem with plumber's crack though.




So there you have it. While it appears some women could break into the scene in Dead or Alive, there's a nice mix of sizes instead of every one being bigger than your head. And just in case you're wondering, so far Soul Calibur 4 contains 12 male characters and 16 female characters not including Darth Vader and Yoda. By comparison, Dead or Alive 4 had 9 female characters and 12 male characters not including Spartan-458.

I'm not really saying anything about either series. I'm just making an observation. Out of curiosity, who's your favorite character to play in Soul Calibur whether male or female? I personally like Talim. She's got great speed and can rack up damage with some good combos.

I'm realizing that I have a lot of good friends at college when it comes to borrowing games. Back when Crisis Core came out, I made a deal with a friend so I could play it myself since there was no way I was buying a PSP. Now that GTA4 is out, I've made another deal with a friend so I could try it out.

The deal is this: I'm not usually one to drink or party. It's just not my thing. But, if I went drinking with him and his friends, he would let me borrow his PS3 and copy of GTA Tuesday while he studied for finals. I don't have any finals so this is an excellent deal for me. Well, last night I did, I had fun, and the deal is sealed.

So, once again, even though I don't have the system, I will get to play one of the key games for it. I can't wait to try it out myself and see if it's actually worth the hype. I'm pretty sure it is as I'm a fan of the past GTA games as well.

On a side note, I picked up The World Ends With You and have been playing the crap out of it. Quick impressions: I love it. I mean, I REALLY love it. It's probably one of the best games I've ever played. I had been sort of falling off the RPG bandwagon but this game alone put me back on. Way to go Square. Expect more detailed impressions tomorrow. Later.