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GAME REVIEW: Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations (PS3)

Ok, so another year, another Naruto game by the Cyber Connect 2 guys. Yes, while drowning in a sea of unplayed games, I have made time to log in about 30 hours into Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations. So has franchise fatigue finally hit home on my love for Naruto games? Hardly.

It's that time again!
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RANT: Intentional Misinformation? The 1911 Shadow Conspiracy.

Author
MURDERNATOR
I know this is going to seem like a cop out, two trailers in as many weeks. But I can't help it. I may have mentioned before, but I am a big fan of guns, and for that matter, guns in games. Also, I am a big fan of Max Payne. In the days of yesteryear it was a truly stand-out game for nailing the weaponry: Pistols blow back in real time, revealing fully detailed slides that animate independently of barrels, and shell casings are actually modeled to be the correct size. For it's time, it was a real homage to the guns it chose to portray. And since I'm a fan, I've been following Rockstar's informational Max Payne 3 video series and stumbled upon this one today:



For you Max Payne fans, and gun fans, does anything strike you as odd? Read on. Continue reading "RANT: Intentional Misinformation? The 1911 Shadow Conspiracy."

RANT: Masters of Our Medium

Author
MURDERNATOR
I often wonder about what goes on in the marketing think tanks for game trailers and press. With each new triple A title getting marketing budgets that would make the actual development budget blush, it's always a fun game to play "how will the marketing hotshots try to sell me this game?" From the "he was fat, now he's skinny and everyone is having fun!" MW3 approach, to the "show all the FMV til they're confused as shit" Assassins Creed tactics, games hardly even need to point out that they are games anymore. It's like the pointless Milk ad campaign: Like people FORGOT to buy milk, or GTA. Anyways, in keeping with ridiculous, tell-you-nothing trailers I submit for your disapproval:

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RANT: Off The Haterade

Author
MURDERNATOR
It's been almost two years since I posted my initial reaction to the new direction for the Devil May Cry franchise. I, like many others, had an initial knee jerk reaction of disbelief and anger at having a beloved franchise abandoned by Capcom: left in the hands of a stranger who would surely not be able to deliver on the promise of a good DMC game. Well, here we all are, a little older, a little wiser, but still as opinionated and critical as ever. Yet, the more I see of Ninja Theory's take on the young Dante adventures, the more I feel that this game could actually be pretty good.

Honestly, Japanese or European made, Dante is a dick bag.
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RANT: BF3 is Poetry.

Author
MURDERNATOR
I know by now most of you readers are probably thinking, "hold on, MURDERNATOR hasn't mentioned a new game in about six months! This oft irrelevant blog is capsizing into the completely unfathomable reaches of internet obscurity, and MURDERNATOR is at the helm, crying like an infant while jerking off to the latest BirgirPall video!" Well, there is truth in that. Dirty, sordid, truth. Not only do I still have two unopened games from October staring at me with accusing, hate-filled eyes, I also have been seriously neglecting my true love: Team Fortress 2. Things are dire in the house of MURDER for sure. The culprit, the vile home-wrecker, responsible for all of this is (no surprise if you read the blog) Battlefield 3. But what am I to do? I am captivated, enthralled, addicted. Are we in love? I COULD try to sneak past augmented assholes, only to realize I spent my Praxis points poorly. I COULD take Drake on another spin through the world, killing in the name of sweet sweet trophies. I COULD buy Naruto/Asura's Wrath/Journey, all games I am actually eager to play. I COULD open Ace Combat. OR I could spend every evening with my beloved BF3. The choice is clear, my love is gushing, there is only one thing left to do... Woo her.

"I'll look to knife, if looking knifing move:"
Continue reading "RANT: BF3 is Poetry."

RANT: Downward Spiral Gaiden

Author
MURDERNATOR
If you know me, or have been following the site for any period of time, you know that I have a fond spot in my heart for Ninja Gaiden. Not the arcade original, or the NES games, none of those were even on my radar to be honest (more of a Shinobi boy back then). No the Gaiden love first blossomed with Ninja Gaiden for the Xbox. I didn't have an Xbox at the time (who did?!), so when Ninja Gaiden came out Abortion Fist and myself would get off work at around midnight and drive 45 minutes to our friends house just to play the thing every night. And you know what? It was 100% worth it. Well this week the third numbered game in the series (but definitely not the 3rd game) has released to what one could only say is a lukewarm reception at best. The fact that I haven't already purchased and beaten the game by now is testament to just how far this series has fallen. Let's take a look.

Ninja May Cry
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RANT: SHOW ME YOUR RAGE!

Author
MURDERNATOR
While people may argue that video games can't conjure up the emotional impact of a well done movie, there's one emotion that a game can amplify more than any movie could ever hope to: RAGE. That's right, sure you can see some terrible things happen while watching Blackhawk Down, and while you may sit passively and think "Damn dude, don't drag his dead body through the streets..." you will not be throwing your TV remote across the room and side-kicking your dog through a window. No, nothing can quite get the real life murder juices flowing like a video game. Every one has experienced it in someway, and since everyone handles life differently, everyone RAGES differently as well. Let's take a look, maybe you'll recognize yourself...

Rage on the outside, pink on the inside.
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RANT: GDC 2012

Author
MURDERNATOR
With GDC 2012 wrapping up this week, I'd like to take a bit of time to go over some of the news that came out of the convention: Assassins Creed Native America. Ok done. Compared to some GDCs of yesteryear this one came and went without much of well, anything really. The thing I heard the most talk about was uproar over DLC for games that are already out. But to be honest I guess this is about as much news media as we should be getting out of a conference for game developers. In fact this years pretty underwhelming GDC might be a good sign for the industry.

That's a tumbleweed. Meet me halfway and imagine the crickets.
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TOP 10: Test Of Time Games - Best

Author
MURDERNATOR
You know how whenever the average person recollects something with fondness, the rosey tinge of nostalgia smears away any rough edges or imperfections? How if one was to recall a past love, like say Die Hard Trilogy for PS1, they would recall an amazingly deep game with jaw dropping visuals and enemies that exploded into human sized showers of blood. Ah the good 'ol days! However, the past is not always as we remember. Rewatch Thunder Cats and try not to tear your ears off, or attempt, if you dare, to sit through an entire episode of Voltron. Feel that warmness in your throat? That's vomit. Sometimes the opposite is true as well though. We can pick up a game from gaming past and get just as much enjoyment out of it now as we did then. In part one of this two part installment we will be looking at some of the games of yesteryear that have aged with grace and dignity, and are still every bit the classic today that we remembered them being.

Best o' time

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RANT: PSN + Update

Author
MURDERNATOR
A while back I signed up for PSN+. At the time it was still in a slightly fledgling state, and had only just introduced cloud saving (albeit in a pretty archaic fashion). Well, that was about half a year ago, and anyone who is familiar with the Playstation Network knows, Sony continually changes the damn thing, most time for the better. So consider this a recap, and a pros and cons breakdown of my first six or so months as a PSN+ subscriber.

For all the nay-sayers and skeptics, PSN + is really OH MY GOD WHAT'S WRONG WITH HER EYES!!!!!!!!
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RANT: Playstation Vita

Author
MURDERNATOR
So the Playstation Vita has launched in North America. As I write this, they are trickling into the hands of consumers. I feel as though we should mention a console launch to some degree here at NODJ, but alas I just can't conjure up the excitement that usually goes with the release of new gaming hardware. Instead of excitement there is a overbearing feeling of dread. Then again this wouldn't be the first time my apathy has been no indication (in fact many times it has had inverse effects) of how well a console will do. But as it stands right now, the big question circling around the PSV is simply: Why?

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RANT: The Future?

Author
MURDERNATOR
So this will be old news by internet standards, but yesterday Tim Schafer and Double Fine scored a home run as they got over double the funding needed for a new project in just over 8 hours, all paid for by loyal internet fans. If this is not an example of the public putting its money where its mouth is, then I don't know what a mouth is. Coming from someone who works in the gaming industry, for an independent developer, I must say it is truly invigorating to see that there are other potential ways to make a game that break away from the shackles of publisher dependency. Of course with the good comes the bad. Let's pontificate.

Hats off to you guys!
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RANT: Back to the Future, Pt 3

Author
MURDERNATOR
Finishing off the week in nostalgia/time travel, I will chime in on games that my prepubescent MURDERNATOR self would have gushed over, circa 1995. To date myself, MURDERNATOR would have been exactly 12 years old, and looking for love in all the wrong places. Assuming young Abortion Fist hadn't been visited by his future self already, and spilled the beans on my upcoming time traveler visit, my younger self would be amazed to see fully grown MURDERNATOR step out of the time machine, with what appears to be facial hair. That's right young MURD, you'll get there one day. After a quick meet and greet, and strictly imposed "no touching" rule, I would proceed to show my 12 year old self three games that would blow his feeble fucking mind!

While I was back in time, I'd prob tell my past self to practice more Photoshop.
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TOP 10: Ways for BF3 to Not Offend Straight Guys Who are Offended by Stuff They Think is Homophobic

Author
MURDERNATOR
I love Battlefield 3. Even with a new daughter and my usual adult responsibilities I have shucked all non-essential entertainment (movies, Console gaming, showering) and focused all my attention on DICE's return to PC glory. That being said, I only have about 80 hours logged and hardly consider myslef an expert. But I do what I can, when I can. It was one night of intense online play, as I charged headlong into a mass of tanks, C4 at the ready, dodging a hail of incoming mortar fire and tracer rounds, that I realized something: "man, this game fucking HATES gay people!"
We here at NODJ will not tolerate that kind of blatant bigotry so here and now I propose to Dice 10 ways to alleviate the hate!

Wow that's a mouthful.
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RANT: YEAH RE6!

Author
MURDERNATOR
So I was going about my usual day, trying to think of what topic to write about, as my daughter fitfully cried any time I didn't devote 100% attention to her when SHIT YEAH! Resident Evil 6 TRAILER!!!!!!!!!!!! What an amazing surprise! Let's take a look!

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