via borje

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via ps3fanboy

We're quite aware that all of you aren't RPG fanatics, but that's okay. The Sony consoles became reigning champion of the RPG genre after the SNES drifted off to a tender sleep (but still gets woken up every so often by classic enthusiasts), so for that reason, it's important to hear what the developers of a "crutch" genre have to say about this coming year. Crutch genre, meaning that it's one of the major selling points of Sony consoles -- no other system has had such a focus on them. Anyway, let's make a neat list.

Koei is looking forward to using the cell processor to create "an undisclosed game" fans can freely enjoy. Freely, like downloadable content? Hmm.
Bandai-Namco emphasizes the various functions of all next-gen consoles and admits they have begun working with new hardware. No specifics.
Sega/Sonic Team/Phantasy Star Universe producer spoke of the online capabilities of each console and admitted there's a lot of potential in the Wii. They also mentioned the SIXAXIS and Wiimote as important to the future of gaming.
Nippon Ichi Software spoke of a declining market for high-profile games. Survival in the industry will be dictated by the ability to utilize the next-gen console's capabilities while balancing rising development costs. True enough, if a bit depressing.
Bandai Namco's Tales of... producer said specifically that it's time for the concept behind the Tales series to be rebuilt -- but is unsure about the future of the series at the same time.
Level 5 president Akihiko Hino is optimistic. He's got two titles in the works (one being the Dragon Quest IX game for the Nintendo DS) as well as White Knight Story. He didn't comment on that one, sadly.
From Software announces the development of the DS title also.

Could RPG's be moving more and more onto the DS because of rising development costs and the sheer number of DS's out there? Do you guys think Sony will have to share the genre with it, or will Sony lose it entirely? Either way, it'll be a good year for gamers who like dealing damage in the form of numbers. ...

via ps3fanboy

Seems that two SKU's aren't enough for Sony. We've got our surprisingly acceptable $499 model of PS3 and the super-snazzy Wi-Fi $599 model, but how would you guys like to toss out those bits of trash and obsolete Sony nonsense for the amazingly awesome, beyond your wildest imagination $2500 model? No, we didn't put one too many zeroes on that (the words zeroes and zeros are both acceptable, so no worries). Rub your eyes and continue reading.

This rumored new model of PS3 in the works is a more "media-centric" build. It's going to look more like a video player and have upgraded playback features, including two HDMI connectors to keep your audio and visual separate. It's not the SCEI brand -- it's a Sony. It's not the PS3 -- it's the PS3.5 and it hasn't been verified, but it's slated to set you back $2500. Oh and yeah, it can also play those PS3 games. What do you guys think of this? Bad idea, or the worst idea? ...

CraigT spilled some info on a future version of the Spectrum emu for the DS:

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New Sodoku release for Nintendo DS by CrescentMoon




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via pocketgamer comes their top 10 most anticipated releases for 2007

10.) Panzer Tactics from Sproing
9.) Ubisoft's Rayman Raving Rabbids
8.) Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings from Square Enix
7.) Jupiter Corporation's Spectrobes
6.) Sim City DS from EA
5.) Rare's Diddy Kong Racing DS
4.) Pokemon Pearl/Diamond from Gamefreak
3.) Kojima Productions' Lunar Knights
2.) Wario: Master of Disguise
1.) Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Er wheres Theme Park ...

via MCV

UK games retail is in the midst of a new year price-cutting blitz, with many PS2 games on sale for under a fiver and even current top ten Xbox 360 titles available for around £25.
Gamers have plenty of bargains to choose from at the January sales, with Christmas number one FIFA ’07 going for under £20 at Amazon and £14.99 at Play.com on PS2. The High Street is also getting in on the act, with PS2 FIFA ’07 selling for under £25 at major retailers including GAME, Gamestation, HMV, Woolworths and Tesco.

And online even current Xbox 360 chart titles are included in the price bonanza, with Play.com offering Pro Evolution Soccer 6, WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2007, Dead Rising and Saints Row all for £24.99, while next-gen FIFA ’07 and Need for Speed: Carbon are on sale for £27.99.

Amazon’s headline deals include Canis Canem Edit on PS2 for a bargain basement £14.99, GTA: Vice City Stories on PSP at £19.99 and The Sims 2: Pets on PS2 for £17.97, while its Xbox 360 range includes Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent for £25.97 and PES 6 for £24.99.

Leading specialist GAME is also shifting next-gen games at under £30, with Need for Speed: Carbon and Splinter Cell: Double Agent on Xbox 360 at £26.98 and £25.98 respectively. The retailer has a 'two games for £30' promotion running on DS and PSP titles, and also has releases like Brian Lara International Cricket and True Crime: New York City on PS2 for £4.98.

Supermarket giant Tesco is currently promoting a two for £25 deal on a wide range of PS2 games, while catalogue PS2 releases like Goldeneye: Rogue Agent, Wipeout Fusion and Area 51 are all going for under a fiver.

And Woolworths is starting to shift its old stock for staggeringly low prices too, with PS2 title Area 51 on sale for £4.73, Black available at £7.47 and Burnout Revenge on the shelves at £7.47. ...

via dsfanboy

2006 was a banner year for gamers, particularly DS gamers. We've got it all: a rainbow of system colors, an incredible library of games, and powerful studios clamoring for a piece of the action. Our favorite handheld consistently rocked out, thundering over the competition -- all the competition -- for the entire year. The DS avalanche of awesome can't possibly continue at this rate ... and yet, when we look at the forthcoming year and the incredible parade of titles set for the year, it seems that the DS will, in fact, continue to dominate global gaming.

And we're totally okay with that. Just so you know.

If you're still scrambling to finish some of the titles from the latter half of 2006, play harder -- no matter who you are or what you like, you're sure to find at least ten games this year that are must-haves, and that's just among the games we know about right now. What's worse (or is that way, way better?) is that most of them are slated for the next few months. So run through Portrait of Ruin and put aside the hard rockin' Elite Beat Agents (your fingers will thank you for the break), and check after the jump for a few of the games that will drain your free time in 2007.


Phoenix Wright: Justice for All

If you didn't already import the Japanese version of everyone's favorite attorney, then this month provides what will certainly be one of the most talked about games of the year. The import reviews have already promised a stellar send-up and we can't wait to get the cross-examination going.

Look for more zany characters in the second installment of the growing franchise, and though the caseload may be lighter, we hear each one is far more in depth. This is a great way to kick off a new year of gaming.


Hotel Dusk: Room 215

And speaking of adventure games, Hotel Dusk may not be getting as much attention as some other titles, but that doesn't mean it isn't worthy. Hotel Dusk, the spiritual successor to Trace Memory, is the story of Kyle Hyde, a cop-turned-salesman, whose search for a friend takes him to the mysterious hotel that serves as the center of the story. Details on the retro action -- the story takes place in the twilight of 1979 -- are as sketchy as the art style, but from the haunting trailers to the snippets we've seen, this one looks every inch a winner.


Wario: Master of Disguise

Action platformers have been a little touch and go on the DS, with even some of the most popular series, like Kirby, receiving mixed reviews for their handheld offerings. Wario, however, seems about to slink into the spotlight with a solid game that will prove why anything with Mario's darker shadow is worth playing until you can't play any more. If nothing else, the bizarre mix of puzzles, minigames, and action -- which incorporate both the controls and the touch screen -- will provide enough variety to please almost any gamer, and Wario himself will be his good ol' devilish anti-hero self. Wario: Master of Disguise is likely to end up one of the most fun and most well crafted games we'll see this year.



Pokemon Diamond & Pearl

There's really only two words we have to offer up here: five million. Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl have already sold more than five million copies, and that in less than three months. Pokemon is going to own April like April's never been owned before, and the WiFi battles may bring in a legion of all new Pokemasters. For those who've just gotta catch 'em all, the two titles offer up more than one hundred new monsters, and there were several other small changes when the franchise moved to the DS. Anyone care to start laying bets on how many copies of Diamond and Pearl will sell worldwide by the end of 2007? We're not sure we can count that high.


Line Rider

Which one of these is not like the others? Surely the answer is Line Rider, which is not exactly making an appearance here because it's a game we'll all own by this time next year. However, it is representative of a recent surge to bring popular web-based flash games to the portable DS. Done right, this new deluge could be big on the DS, as it's definitely a matter of two addictive tastes that could go great together. The innovative Line Rider could be really excellent on the DS, as its gameplay is well-suited to the stylus treatment. But only if the price is right, and we hope the right people are listening when we say that. Done well, this trend of ports could be very exciting on the DS, but we'll have to wait and see. And don't worry, dear reader -- we'll let you know what we see as soon as we see it.


Sim City DS

Speaking of movements ... we're all about porting PC strategy games to the DS. If there's anything the stylus is built for, it's managing cities as they march across a barren landscape, spreading a little light industrial love as they go. And Sim City DS certainly looks like it's going to be done well, though we can't exactly say that EA always bats a thousand. We do have high hopes, mainly because we could probably lose ourselves ...

via dsfanboy

It seems like just yesterday that we were first talking about Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja, a roflcoptery title if ever there was one, and now it's mere weeks away from a February release. It's crazy how time flies, especially when we're busy being fanatical for our favorite handheld.

Just to get you into the campy ninja spirit, there's a video of poor Izuna after the jump. Please, for the love, give this girl a job. Everyone deserves to feel like they have a purpose in life, and we have a soft spot for funny-colored hair. Not to mention we do love a game that doesn't employ the stylus unnecessarily, and apparently, Izuna is stylus-free. We're in! Now go watch the video. --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sboEYWmt7Rg ...