Some amazing screen shots of a new TMNT game surfaced on Joystiq today confirming the existence of the game Turtles in Time existence. It looks amazing, and reminds me a bit of Street Fighter 4(simple backgrounds, candy colors).

I took the liberty of straightening the image out to get a more clear impression of what it might look like.


This is all part of a 25th anniversary road trip designed to rekindle nostalgia in the old franchise and bring in some new blood. It seems to be working. I'm officially interested.

BTW, Adam posted some about this at Blast Heroes.

P.S. Is that Jessica Simpson as April O'neil?

A hot and fresh batch of Assassin's Creed 2 pics just recently came out of mondoxbox.com's oven and they look scrumptious.

New gameplay elements that have only been teased are on display in this batch of pics, one being the undoubtedly awe-inspiring and downright silly looking DaVinci SkyMobile and the other the ability to (drum roll please...) swim-in-water. GASP! It's good to know that hundreds of years later the Assassin's Bureau have learned how to not instantly drown upon being submerged in H2o.

Judging from these screens, the game is shaping up to be as gorgeous as the original, but anyone who slogged to the conclusion of Assassin's Creed knows that looks can be deceiving. Will Assassin's Creed 2 pump up the mission structure to match the splendor of it's cinematic presentation? We will see this Christmas. Until then I'm off to pick pockets and punch clerics in the stomach for information.

Hey guys, sorry about the lateness of both these. Better late than never, right? Anyway, check 'em out, they're full of juicy gossip!

Zemeckis Teases New Roger Rabbit

Robert Zemeckis is one cool cat.

Check this out. In passing, Z-Man drops a megaton on MTV like it's no big deal: he very nonchalantly says that he's "thinking" of a making a new Roger Rabbit. When asked if he would be using the classic methods in regards to animation, he teases that it will be a blend of old and new school tech.

Let's make sure that this is entirely clear. Zemeckis is obsessed with performance capture and 3D (Polar Express, Beowulf), so you can bet your bottom dollar that this movie will be made on computers. The question is, will we see any hand-crafted frames in the movie, or will all the toons be 3D models shaded to look like classic cel animated characters?

NOTE: Image used is not a production still. It was created by amazing graphic artist Pixeloo.

VIA Andy:

The media embargo is finally over, and I can finally tell you about all of the great games you'll be playing in the next year or so. I'm sure that lots of sites will be inundated with screen-shots and movies, so this blog will focus on my personal impressions of the game, and hopefully provide a good fan's eye view of the action.


Spyborgs- I will actually be writing a more in-depth blog about this game a little later, so stay tuned for that. This was one of the biggest surprises of the event. I went into this presentation with no idea what to think, and the game didn't quite win me over until I got my hands on it a little later.

Remember when you and a friend would press start and beat up all the bad guys between point A and point B? Remember the feeling you got when you think you beat a giant boss, only to have it come back stronger and flinging missiles? This is a game for you. This game is a modern entry into the proud legacy of Capcom beat-em-ups. Throw in motion controls that are tasteful and intuitive, instead of obnoxious and tacked-on, and you have a Wii game for Capcom fans to get excited about.


Dead Rising 2- At some point in the demonstration for this game the protagonist, Chuck Greene, picked up a bucket with a bunch of power drills stuck into it. He then dunked this "drill-bucket" onto a zombie's head. What was left was a mess and a question: Will players be able to combine items to make super-awesome-custom-weapons-of-epic-violence? I asked Inafune San by way of Ben Judd, and he gave me the best non-answer I've ever heard. He said something along the lines of, "I cannot answer that question because we are not talking about any extra features today. But how often have you just stumbled upon a "drill-bucket". Get ready for custom mayhem.

Also, at some point Chuck drove a motorcycle with chainsaws duct-taped to the handlebars through a crowd of 7,000 zombies. 7,000 zombies is 14x the number of zombies seen at once in the original DR. To reiterate, 7,000 ZOMBIES ON SCREEN AT ONCE.

Photography is gone, but there will be new objectives to match Chuck's unique personality and skill set. In addition to PP, players can also collect money. Inafune San was coy about what players will able to do with the money stating "You don't eat money". My guess is gambling. There was a big SUV display in one of the casinos. Can we win that SUV in a jackpot and run over zombies with it? I sure hope so.


Dark Void- At long last, a videogame that gives you full control of a jet pack! I know the industry is relatively young, but it is about time. The game is really special in that you can really approach each mission in your own way. Players are given the ability to fly, hover, and run and cover on the ground, with seamless transitions between control methods. The controls are a little daunting at first because you are just given so much to work with. Once you have the hang of them, get ready for a new gaming experience.

Cool plot elements were teased, and what little music I heard was amazing. This game is on track to be an original, top-notch action game.

Bionic Commando- My exposure to the single-player was limited, but rest assured that there is swinging and giant Capcom bosses. The voice acting sounded a lot better than I was expecting too.

The multiplayer really left an impression on me though. Players start with a pistol and are free to find any of the weapons scattered on the map. What was cool is that you never had to reload. You either have a weapon or you don't. The swinging takes some getting used to, but pretty soon you're zipping into people and kicking them right in the face. Players are awarded more points for more stylish kills. Acrobatics and mid-air shooting are worth more that stationary sniping. I can see myself getting really addicted to the multiplayer. Try it for yourself tomorrow, when the demo hits!



Lost Planet 2- Let me get this out of the way: This game is, in terms of graphics, the best looking game that Capcom has ever made. Now onto the good stuff. I love Lee Byung Hun probably more than the next guy ("All In", anyone?), but he will not be missed in LP2. Players are given really robust character customization options, and the online matches should be full of really diverse pirates.

The campaign is now handing in 4 player co-op. When playing by yourself the AI will take over for your other 3 characters.

The level shown featured one of the largest enemies I've ever seen in a game. What really makes LP2 exciting is how it lets you fight these giant enemies. In most modern games that feature giant bosses, the player usually defeats them by way of some goofy mini-game controls. Take Marvel Ultimate Alliance. When you fight Galactus, you have to fight him with some goofy quick-time event button pressing. Zelda usually makes you do some cute trick to beat the bosses.

LP2 lets you take on the giant enemies your way. The player is really left to their own devices. Want to slowly waste the boss away with your machine gun? Go for it. Want to hop in a giant robot and take to the skies? Go for it. Want to jump in the enemy's mouth and fight your way through a river of crap before being violently ejected from the enemies backside? This is the game for you.

The camera is more zoomed in on the player compared to LP1 and new control options like dashing really help to make LP2 feel more exciting. This game really has the potential to be the next big thing in the action genre. It really is the coolest looking action game that I've ever seen. I cannot do it justice here, just wait until you see it.

Also, get ready for loads of new weapons, VS suits, enemies, and environments.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite- This was my very first MH experience and I really dug it. The scope of this game is MASSIVE. There is so much to do. I am sold on this game by way of cats that perform a musical number for you while they're cooking meals that have unique status effects. Amazing.


Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles- This might be the best looking game on the Wii, no joke. The game is also incrediblycinematic. The camera really made the game feel more tense and exciting. Controls have also been streamlined a little bit. It looks like all the little problems that the first one had have been addressed.

I was really expecting more of the same with this one, but Capcom has really pushed the Wii to present one of the most gorgeous and tense games they've ever put out.

MYSTERY GAME #1- MARVEL VS CAPCOM 2- This is the MvC2 you know and love with widescreen support, HD support, custom soundtracks, and online play. The game really shines in HD. I noticed facial animations and little touches that I'd never seen before. Even Morrigan's tired old sprites shine. And thank God for custom soundtracks on this one.

MYSTERY GAME #2- Fate Unlimited Codes- I managed to somehow not get a picture of this one. I blame the fact that I had just met Jessica Chobot.This is a 3-D fighter with easy inputs and floaty movements. It plays like the long-lost cousin to Star Gladiator and Tech Romancer. It would have been right at home on the Dreamcast. It will be available as a download-only title on the PSP.

A new Moto GP and Ace Attorney spin-off were also announced.

Please feel free to ask me any questions, and let me know what you'd like to read about!

1UP editors Alice Liang, Matt Leone, and David Ellis talk about their return to Rapture in BioShock 2. What really happened to Rapture's citizens? What's the story behind the Big Daddies? Are the splicers meaner than before?

Andy:
The last day of Captivate 09 has come and gone. Another set of fine presentations, and another classy dinner outing were the agenda for today.

Today's Schedule:

Lost Planet 2- I cannot understate how epic this game looks. It has the potential to be the next big thing in the action game genre. I really enjoyed the first game, but it was definitely an acquired taste. It had some distinct elements scattered through a pretty decent action game. Lost Planet 2 looks to take those elements and root them into the most bad-ass action game ever made.

LP2 will blow you away. It is above and beyond what you're expecting, and above and beyond what the genre has seen before.I have a lot more to say about this game post media embargo, and I can't wait to find out more about it myself


Monster Hunter Freedom Unite-My first Monster Hunter experience ever, and it was a pleasant one. The scope of this game is way larger than I was aware of. Do you have a psp? Do any of your friends? Yes? Then it's time for you to get excited about MH:FU.

Here is a picture of MH swag for you to enjoy:




(PSP pouch, strap, charm, and other goodies)

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles- The first RE shooter on Wii was a really big surprise for me. It was fun beyond what I was expecting. Moreover, it was easy to pick up. My girlfriend, who has always enjoyed spectating the series, finally joined in on the action. You cannot put a price on blasting away zombies with your girlfriend. RE:DC throws away all of the minor shortcomings of the first game and ups the presentation by a considerable degree. The game is extremely cinematic, and is arguably the best looking game on the Wii (seriously).

After dinner we were invited to attend a nearby dance club, but I opted for the casino instead. I have a weakness for slot machines, and I didn't want to go home without hitting one up. Also, I'm a huge nerd for Star Wars or Indiana Jones slot machines.

I won 70 Euros. On a free trip. Amazing.

Thanks again to the good people at Capcom. It was great to meet the people that make this site so great. I have a lot of good memories, some new friends, and a lot of games to be excited about.

Please feel free to ask me any questions, and let me know what you want to read about.

Oh, and seriously, Lost Planet 2 is freaking epic.

I'm excited to report that a friend of the site, Andy, has been invited to Capcom's media summit Captivate. He's bigapple3am on the Capcom unity blogs. This year it's from Monte Carlo, which to my understanding, is quite handsome.


From Andy's Blog:

Day 2 of Captivate 09 was a pretty impressive affair.

Here's the schedule that I got to see:

Spyborgs - I spent some time talking to Sven and CapKraig about this game and a lot of time talking to d.a.r.y.l. about this game. I will have more to say about this one later, but I think there is a lot for Capcom fans to get excited about with this one. Just wait and see.

Dead Rising 2- You know what I can't say about DR2? Anything. It looks like everything that was magical about the first one multiplied by 100. Oh, and Shaolin Cowboy has been officially one-upped.

Dark Void - What sucks about jet-packs? Absolutely nothing. I don't think you've seen anything yet to show you the amount of potential that this one has.

Bionic Commando- The multiplayer was really fun. I can't wait to talk about it, and I can't wait to play more and more and more of it.

Hands on Play - I got to get my hands on Spyborgs, Dark Void, BC, and Mystery game #1. I was not disappointed. Detailed impressions soon.

Just as exciting as the games was getting to see the city. We dined at the Café de Paris. It was a 20 minute walk from the hotel and the sights were unbelievable. The architecture is really beautiful here, and it's equally impressive to see the buildings resting on the sides of splendid mountains. I'll have lots of pictures when I get back to the states.

The night took another classy turn as I was invited to party with the good people of the press and Capcom's finest on a yacht. I got to meet a lot of really interesting people, and the conversations about the ins and outs of Capcom were really fascinating. Everyone that I've met has been really great and the experience has been one of a kind.

Up next is the blog for day 3. After that I will be doing a photo-heavy blog about the experience of Captivate 09 itself before diving into my in-depth impressions of the games post-media embargo.

Please feel free to ask me any questions about the experience, and let me know what you would be interested in reading about.

Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler was one of my favorite films of 2008. I first saw it in theaters in early January and have been anticipating its release on dvd/blu-ray since. And now it's finally here! Here's what I thought of it.
The movie:
Mickey Rourke! That's all you gotta say. You can't talk about this movie without mentioning what a tremendous performance he gives as the films protaganist Randy "The Ram" Robinson. His acting alone is reason enough to watch it. I hear that before Rourke signed on that Nicholas Cage was gonna play "The Ram", which seemed to me to be an odd decision, but, luckily for us, that never happended. Probably for the best. Part of this movies appeal was that it was being heralded as Rourke's big comeback into the picture business. Who doesn't like a comeback, right? Some of the films plot has to do with the potential for a comeback. But I'm not gonna spoil anything for readers who haven't seen The Wrestler yet. Just know that it's a very solid piece of work, compelling, brutal, but also tender, and heartbreaking as well. The good kind of heartbreak, you know? All the good qualities great movies should have. The Wrestler is my second favorite Aronofsky film next to The Fountain.
My only criticism is that I wanted more. There's a secondary plot involving "The Ram" and his daughter that I would have liked to have been fleshed out a little more. Oh, well. Be happy with what you got.
The dvd/blu-ray:
Now, I bought the blu-ray myself , but I'm pretty positive that the dvd and blu-ray of The Wrestler are indentical in regards to special features. The picture quality itself, on the blu-ray, I believe, holds true to how the film was shot and how it looked in theaters. It's a very grainy movie so don't expect a clean pristine picture like you'd see on a pixar or spiderman dvd/blu-ray. Sharpness varies from scene to scene somewhat but, again, the movie was probably shot this way. The finest detail can be seen in close up shots of faces, bloody wounds, and bare butts. Of which there are many. I'm talking about butts, of course. As far as the colors go I didn't see any discrepancies from what I remember in the theater. They're not to dull, not to over saturated either. Granted, my television has not been professionally calibrated, so you might have some different impressions regarding the visuals of the disc itself when you watch the blu-ray in your home.
As far as special features go I found this disc to be a little bit lacking. There are 3 special features. Just three? You get a music video of Bruce Springsteen's theme song "The Wrestler", not HD! A roundtable discussion of former professional wrestlers talking about the movie and wrestling, not HD! Seeing a trend yet? Then finally you get, and this was the only feature I found worth a damn, a 43 minute making of documentary. It's actually pretty good. Oh, yeah, NOT HD!!!!
If only blu-rays had something more to offer that would separate them from their dvd counterparts. But I guess blu-ray isn't profitable enough, as of now, to warrant that kind of special attention from the studios. What a ripoff! Just kidding. Or am I?

Yowza!

If you're are as obsessed with Street Fighter 4 as I am, then of course you've spent hours watching vids of tournament players. Street Fighter Dojo is a neat little websited that offers a unique "choose your own adventure" style atmosphere. There are too many videos about every possible matchup. It's great.
While I'm on the subject of SFIV vids, I should mention how cool the Daigo's fansite is.
And if you don't know who Daigo is, watch this vid. He's ken.

Also, there was some news yesterday about the championship mode release for SFIV.
From Capcom Unity:

Championship Mode, in a nutshell, means hot tournament action and match replays that let you watch the best of the best. Championship Mode goes live for both PS3 and Xbox 360 on Friday, April 24, and it comes entirely FREE.

For anyone that wants more than will fit in a nutshell...

Tournaments:
The tournaments offer a new take on classic SFIV competition. They are broken out into 5 different levels, which means everyone can participate and find a good challenge without getting blown out of the water or bored. You score Grade Points (GP) for tournament wins, and as your GP total grows, you'll become eligible to enter into more exclusive tournaments. Winning tournaments will also net you Championship Points (CP). The CP work basically like "prize money" up for grabs in the tournament. The higher the GP skill of the players in a particular tournament, the bigger the CP prize!

In true tournament tradition, character selection is double-blind. With the CP purse on the line, you won't be able to see who your opponent has picked until you've both made your choices, and the battle is set to begin.

The tournaments are run according to a standard type of single-elimination bracket, but your opponents are generated dynamically. This means the matching system will automatically match you with a player of your skill level participating in that tournament type, so you don't have to wait around. Since the tournaments are already seeded by player strength, you're assured quality opponents at your same skill level, as fast as possible. If you can advance through the rounds to take a top placing, you'll score GP and CP. As your points increase, you're eligible for tournaments with increasingly strong opponents.


--SG Championship (SUPER GRADE): 5 rounds long. The highest grade championship in which only top players can participate.
--G1 Championship (GRADE 1):- rounds long, for advanced players
--G2 Championship (GRADE2 2): 4 rounds long, for intermediate players
--G3 Championship (GRADE3) 3 rounds long, for beginners
--FREE Championship (Free Grade): 4 rounds long, open to anyone regardless of their level.

The tournament system is set up to reward you for participating. At G3, you actually score a point even if you get knocked out in your very first match. At G2, you don't gain points for a first-round loss, but don't lose any either. Similarly, you never lose points by participating in the FREE rank tournaments. Only in the top G1 and SG tournaments is it possible to lose GP, and even then you only ever lose 5 points for a first-round loss.

One of the best things about the new mode is that can play in tournaments in just the same way you can use the "arcade request" feature, so you're free to play in arcade mode while waiting for your next tournament challenger, who will be chosen automatically based on your rank.

Last, but most certainly not least, disconnecters, aka pullers, aka ragequitters, your days are numbered: If you disconnect during a match, the system will also dock you your progress in the tournament, so pullers will never be able to advance into the higher ranks of tournaments. What's even more fun is that the system also happily displays your disconnect percentage, so if you've got a bad habit, it's right there for everyone to see.


Replays
Replays are generated straight from the Championship Mode tournaments. The top 5000 Championship Point leaders will be given the option to upload a replay, which are then available for anyone to watch. Everyone on both X360 and PS3 will have be able to watch any of the replays on their platform, but there are also some system-specific extra features on the replays:

On PS3, viewers can watch your replay and vote in real time according to characteristics like "beautiful" or "funny." For the nerds, you can vote once every 30 frames (that's 2x a second!), although there is a cap to avoid total vote spamming. Replays will be ranked according to the user-submitted reviews, making it easy to find the flavor of replays you want to see.

On X360, you can't vote on the matches, but you can watch and then save a number of your favorites. While watching your saved matches, you'll also have the option to turn on input commands (just like the Training Mode option), so you can see the gritty details of exactly what button and joystick inputs the top players are using to win.

And just for good meansure, the full press release is below:

Update to Street Fighter IV: Championship Mode comes free!

Capcom is bringing new options to Street Fighter IV with an eye towards serious players. Street Fighter IV's Championship Mode update expands on the fighting fun by offering players the chance to compete in tournaments and to watch replays of the best tournament matches. Best of all: it comes to you at no cost! The Championship Mode update will be available for both PS3 and Xbox 360 owners on Friday, April 24 (times TBD).

Championship Mode offers you the chance to compete in 5 different grades of tournaments, creating the right challenge for players of every skill level. You'll score Grade Points (GP) for tournament wins, and as your GP total grows, you'll become eligible to enter into more exclusive tournaments. Winning tournaments will also net you Championship Points (CP). CP are like "prize money" up for grabs in the tournament. The higher the GP skill of the players in a particular tournament, the bigger the CP prize!

Replay Mode allows you to select and watch the best Championship Mode tournament matches.

On the PlayStation Network, you can rate matches while you watch according to characteristics such as "awesome" or "funny." Replays are then ranked based on these vote ratings.

On Xbox Live, instead of rating the matches, you can choose to download and save your favorite replays to study the players' techniques. You'll also be able to turn on the input commands from both players to be able to review their button and joystick motions in precise detail.

Unless you've been in a coma for the last four years, and you hate comedy, you probably are aware of who Judd Apatow is. His last two pictures, The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, were wildly successful and made stars out of both of their leading men: Steve Carell and Seth Rogen. His new movie is called Funny People, a comedy about a comedian, and it stars already established leading men, Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen (again?). Sounds promising. Looks like it might even get a little dramatic, so you might wanna bring some tissues for yourself and your significant other. Check out Adam Sandler performing "Photograph" by George Harrison near the end of the trailer. It's hilarious, but in a good way. Funny People will be released July 31st. See ya there!

The trailer for this movie, like most trailers, was deceiving. Adventureland is a comedy, a kind of dull one. This, of course, not being a negative criticism, I'm hoping this dullness was intentional. It's got puking, embarrassing erections, Bill Hader, and people getting hit in the crotch multiple times. But, it also got pretty serious, which was a surprise for me. A lot of the characters are unhappy with their current situations, family life, love life, dreams are ruined, plans are changed, and on top of all those problems they hate their jobs too. They're depressed, but not just because they're not getting laid. Not exactly the kind of follow up movie you'd expect from the director who gave us Superbad in 2007. This is a good thing, of course. It's nice to see a comedy take itself kind of seriously. However, I can see a lot of people not enjoying Adventureland because of it's tendencies to get that dramatic with no gag or joke to lighten the mood at the end of a scene. If you want rudeness, obnoxious slapstick, or something raunchy this picture's probably not your cup of tea. But if you have no reservations about what movies you'll go and see check it out in theaters while you still can. Or you can just wait and rent it on dvd. This movie didn't exactly set the box office on fire so you can anticipate seeing it out there to buy, probably, very soon.
GET THIS: Even if a movie does poorly financially, it still can be a good movie. Go figure.

Read Stuart's impressions after the break.

We were feeling so good about the podcast this week, that we decided to record two of 'em. So enjoy this bonus episode.

This new Mike Judge comedy looks pretty funny. Ben Affleck looks especially ridiculous. Judge for yourself.

Opens September 4, 2009
IMDB Synopsis:

Dean (Bateman), the owner of a flower-extract plant, tries to contend with myriad personal and professional problems, such as his potentially unfaithful wife (Wiig) and employees who want to take advantage of him.