We previously reported that the status of Hellboy 2 was in limbo. No studios had signed on to the film and the previous studio, Revolution, seems to be folding considering their deal with Sony Pictures ran out.

Apparently, Universal Studios has agreed to finance and distribute the flick. The story is said to give Abe Sapien a larger role in the film and explore his relationship with Hellboy more. I really liked the first one and am glad to see the franchise won’t die before its time. They are shooting for a Summer 2008 release.

This game was released the same year as Contra 3 for Super Nintendo.  This is not the Contra you’re used to.  In fact, I have no idea why they even decided to call it a Contra title, if for no other reason than simply to cash in the success of Contra 3.  The only similarity is that you can be killed in one shot.  You don’t fight evil aliens or renegade robots. Instead you take one of 4 playable characters (each with their own special abilities and can be switched at anytime during the game) on a mission to take on a terrorist organization and rescue your kidnapped superior.  You gain weapons just like in Graduis, grabbing a number of backpacks based on the weapon you want then hit select when you gain the acquired number.  Objects can be destroyed, and the music is pretty cool for an NES title.  When you check this game out, don’t expect the original Contra, or even Super C, but it’s still a solid experience on its own merits.  Hopefully this will resurface as a Wii download.  If only Konami had given NES owners a new Castlevania title before the NES ended.

Silent Hill is the only franchise worthy to stand alongside Resident Evil in the survival horror genre.  Some fans may say that is surprasses it in terms of storyline and scares.  In 2004, Konami decided to go in a different direction  for the series’ most recent entry.  You play as Harry Townsend, a resident of an apartment building who finds himself mysteriously trapped inside the room.  With no means to communicate to the outside, the situation is turning worse for him, until he discovers a mysterious portal in his bathroom, which leads directly into the bizzare alternate world of Silent Hill. 

The gameplay is different from pervious Silent Hill entries.  For starters, your room serves as a hub by which you use to explore the different worlds of Silent Hill.  This is the only place in the game you are able to save, and you reach here via special holes that are scattered throughout the various worlds.  You explore the room via a first-person interface, and for a while, it can be used as a safe haven to recover your energy.  Also, this game is more combat oriented than the other games in the series, as you have a power meter that you can use to inflict more damage on an opponent.  You have a limited inventory, so now item management is a must.  Items can be stored in your room, and this actually becomes a basis for some of the game’s puzzles.  Although it can get fustrating (especially in the second half of the game) with unkillable ghost enemies and a partner you are forced to protect, this is a refreshing change of pace for the series.  One can hope that Konami would explore the possibilities of a first person Silent Hill game in the future.

This past week Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting became the fastest selling Xbox Live Arcade game so far, but Street Fighter fans need look no further than this enthusiastic cosplayer who invaded Otakon to celebrate their favorite franchise.

vid courtesy tentopet

“The Nintendo Difference” – a promo video released before the GameCube launch, with a lot of footage of games like Raven Blade and Donkey Kong Racing that never came out, in addition to a look at Kameo (which eventually came out on Xbox360) and some clearly pre-rendered concepts of Mario Kart and Metroid Prime alongside the infamous Legend Of Zelda Link/Gannondorf fight.
[Read the rest of this entry…]

Its only a few seconds long, and its only a rough animation, and its less than hi quality source.

But Access Hollywood has posted the first look at any Transformers in motion from the movie.

Watch “Transformers” First Look on their site, and keep an eye out at the very end for the robots.

UPDATE: Michael Bay has posted a downloadable version of the report in much higher resolution. You can get it HERE.

I wasn’t a fan of the TV show. I was hardly looking forward to the movie when it was announced.

But a funny thing happened: The Colbert Report. I began to really get an respect him, and went looking in his history and sure enough, Colbert was on the old Comedy Central series “Exit 57” with Strangers with Candy co-creators Paul Dinello and Amy Sedaris. I thought I’d take a look with a more open mind this time.

Now, the movie was getting mixed reviews, so I was still a little skeptical. Even the trailer wasn’t entirely impressive.

Thankfully, I enjoyed myself. In fact, I really loved this movie. I haven’t laughed this hard since Anchorman (and I still giggle like a moron at the mention of Dorothy Mantooth). Strangers With Candy the movie drops the afterschool special conventions the show had, but it gains better pacing as a result. Voiceovers and monologs are gone, instead giving way to more screwball convict talk, racism, and homoeroticism. Its a real family movie.

Now like I said, I wasn’t a fan of the show, so if this is mostly recycled jokes I wouldn’t know. Still I found Sedaris to be positively astounding as Jerri Blank, bouncing between a moronic child to streetwise hustler at the drop of a hat. Colbert and Dinello return as teachers Mr. Noblet and Mr. Jellineck, though their screen time is diminished to more supporting roles. Cameos from famous fans like Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Mathew Broderick add little, as their scenes are stolen in every instance by Greg Holliman’s Principal Onyx Blackman.

So I’m going to make this appeal to you, dear reader. If you missed the show the first time around or maybe just didn’t think it was funny, try the movie. It doesn’t quite push the limit like South Park or Chappelle, but the final line of dialouge left my mouth agape in shock and I was laughing well after I’d left the theater.

Of course, this review won’t change your mind now, but maybe you’ll watch it on cable in 6 months anyway.

The days of Pilotwings 64 and Wave Race: Blue Storm are a distant memory.

Nintendo appears to be getting huge support from 3rd parties, with Ubisoft promising 7 launch titles, including the previously announced Red Steel and Rayman. PC/Xbox island survivor shooter Far Cry will likely get the Wii off to a good start with a solid online multiplayer. Monster 4×4 World Circuit and GT Pro Series will add racing action, and Ubisoft is also planning an adaptation of the forthcoming animated movie Open Season. Finally, theres Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII, which is about squadrons of WWII or something. Prince of Persia has been mentioned but not yet confirmed.

Thats not all! Midway is in on the act too. The Chicago based publisher will bring Rampage: Total Destruction, Blitz: The League, and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon! While all 3 of these are current gen titles, they have no presence on the PS3 or 360. Rampage is an update on a classic arcade game. Blitz is a football title stripped of the NFL license but beefed up with arcade play and a more true to life atmosphere. MK: Armageddon is the final installment in the legendary fighting franchise, featuring every character in the series thus far (see right).

EA’s been eerily silent on the Wii but plan on Madden NFL, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, SSX, Need for Speed, Harry Potter, and The Godfather to make it out sometime. Madden NFL and Need For Speed are the only titles from their camp likely to make it out in the launch window, but the rest won’t be far behind.

Sega’s Sonic Wildfire has slippsed to the beginning of 2007, but Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz is planned for launch.

Finally, Activision is going to port Marvel Ultimate Alliance to Wii as well, giving the Wii an awesome action RPG and comic books fan’s dream all in one.

Thats over a dozen third party games to hit on or near launch for the Wii! And don’t forget they’ve still got Zelda: Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime 3, Mario Galaxy, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl.

Also, if you love reading tech specs, look at a breakdown of the Wii, and if you like rumors, check out the The Ultimate Wii Rumour Compilation . All that stuff is secondary to what we’re really excited about: a ton of good games.

I’ll try to compile some info on the PS3 launch too when I get more info. But honestly, just look at whats happening here. Nintendo in less than a year’s time has gone from the 3rd place purple box to the developer darling. Got to admit, its getting better. Getting better, all the time….

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