Street Fighter X Tekken Announced!

GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!  GIRLY SCREAAAAM!!!!!



So anyway. As you may have figured, I'm a huge fan of fighting games, with Tekken and Street Fighter being my all-time favorite fighting game series. A crossover fighting game with these two games is a concept dreams are made of, but for years it wouldn't come. They fooled around with the concept in Namco X Capcom, but the game was a finicky strategy RPG and it was only released in Japan. But finally, rumors flying around on the internet were answered recently at this year's Comic-con. The head honchos behind Street Fighter and Tekken have announced Street Fighter X Tekken! The teaser trailer is above, and a rough gameplay trailer is below.

Impressions: Final Fantasy XIII

I've been playing the hell out of my PS3 lately, and I've already bought several games for it. My games include Final Fantasy XIII, Metal Gear Solid 4, Bayonetta, and Super Street Fighter 4. All of these games are excellent, but I've spent the most time with FFXIII so far.

My first impression of FFXIII was borderline negative, mostly because of the noted linearity of the game. It was running from point A to point B, fighting and fighting again. But as I advanced further into the game, the intricate mechanics of the battle system were unlocked and battles were made infinitely more fun. The paradigm shift system makes combat very strategic without complicating things, and access to Eidolons makes battles incredibly flashy. Accompanied by amazing visuals and a kickass soundtrack, I came to really enjoy the constant battles. Battles in Final Fantasy really have never been better.

Finally, I've joined the next gen gaming scene!

Just got my new Playstation 3 Slim yesterday! It's the 120gb model, which I hear is being discontinued soon in favor of a newer 160gb version that's coming out soon. I really don't need all that memory really, I'm fine with 120gb and I can always upgrade the hard drive.

I'm trying not to play it right now because we only have standard def TV's in the house right now, and we're about to get a 55inch HD TV tomorrow. Let me tell you this right now: YOU CANNOT PLAY NEXT GEN CONSOLES WITH AN SD TV. The graphics are too powerful for older TV's. First of all, text is not well defined so it is extremely blurry and very hard to read. The graphics are also too detailed, and all of that is condensed so it does not look nearly as good as it should and it is very hard to see everything. This is common knowledge really, but its just a heads up to anyone thinking of buying a PS3/360.

So, the only game I have so far is Final Fantasy XIII. I'm aware of all the controversy and mixed reviews its gotten by fans, and after playing about 7 hours in I'm totally understood all the complaints. I'm going to write a review for it soon, but seriously, its just been a rail-shooter the whole time. Its starting to pick up since combat has gotten more fun, I can further develop characters and weapons, and the story is picking up. I haven't been totally disappointed, but it still hasn't impressed me yet either. We'll see...

Top 5 Melee Weapons in Gundam

This time around, we're counting down five of the biggest, deadliest, and most impressive melee weapons in Gundam. While I will be taking into account the power and effectiveness of each weapon, it's really all about the wow-factor. I've always felt that melee combat is the be-all end-all of Gundam battles, so these weapons in particular will have a significance to them in terms of what they brought to their respective shows.

As usual, these are just my thoughts, so if you think I've missed anything just comment on your favorite weapons in the comment section below!


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5.  GN Sword
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The focal point of the Gundam Exia is its enormous GN Sword. It has special properties that allow it to cut through just about anything, and it folds back to reveal a beam rifle. Its wrist-placement and the Exia's melee style of combat is what made the first season of Gundam 00 so entertaining. All owed to this badass weapon.


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4.  Gerbera Straight
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Everybody looks twice when they first see this gigantic katana sword. It almost seems impractical at first, considering how beam sabers are the standard in close-range weaponry. But this sword is made specially to be just as effective as a beam weapon, and it is absolutely capable of splitting mobile suits in half with a quick swing. The pilot of the Gundam Astray prefers the Gerbera straight over beam weaponry because it does not consume battery energy from the suit. Though, having said all that, it's really all about appearances. It's a GIANT Gundam-sized katana sword for god sakes. It earns its position here with pure style.


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3.  Beam Scythe
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A beam weapon in the shape of a scythe may seem a bit overkill, but it's undeniably effective and quite intimidating. The size and shape of the scythe makes it ideal for splitting mobile suits in two clear halves, and its swinging power is greatly strengthened by the vernier thrusters behind the blades that boost the blades right into the target. The Deathscythe Hell even comes equipped with an upgraded beam scythe that has two blades, for maximum cutting potential. It has a preference for ending things quickly, which is fitting because it's basically a symbol of death in giant robot form. And seriously, what's not to like about that?


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2.  Epyon's Beam Sword
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The Gundam Epyon's beam sword was a beam saber multiplied by at least 5. The Epyon itself was touted as being the ultimate close-range mobile suit, so it needed a beam saber that would compensate for the lack of any ranged weaponry. This beam sword compensates rather admirably; its flaming blade requires so much energy to maintain its power and size that it needs to be connected to an extra energy source via a long cable. While that may sound cumbersome, I take it as a symbol of just how devastating it really is. 

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1.  God Gundam's Hands
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This may seem a bit unconventional, but come on; the God Gundam's fists are about as "melee" as it gets. They're the harbingers of justice. The glowing hands of death. They're alpha and omega, and probably the most epic anythings in the history of Gundam. Just have a peek at Domon's signature move, the "God Finger".

My goodness. There's no surviving that one. What basically happens is, all the energy is focused into the hands, then released into the body of an enemy mobile suit. This creates a devastating explosion that releases from within, leaving absolutely no parts unscathed. The God Gundam is also capable of firing off a "Hadouken" style energy ball, and a gigantic energy hand that crushes foes from a distance. Considering the amount of highly destructive and versatile techniques at its disposal, how can I not consider the God Gundam's hands the ultimate melee weapons?

Just watch that video again. "Baaakunetsu, God Fingaaaa!" Hell yeah.


Check out my other Gundam Top 5 lists~

Max Factory's Figma Makinami Mari, reserved

Looks like I'm getting deeper and deeper into this. Surprise, I've already pre-ordered my second figure. I'm really liking the poseability and style of Max Factory's figma line. I went for the upcoming Makinami Mari figure, Mari being a new character in the Rebuild of Evangelion movies. It's due out in late October. Here are some images:

Preordered Figma Black Rock Shooter!

It's official, I've preordered my first figure! It's not an expensive GSC figure, however. Its an action figma, specifically the Black Rock Shooter figma from Max Factory. It looks quite impressive, and is pretty affordable. Here are some images: