CLAMP + Tekken = Heaven

While sifting through all the gaming news that comes out over the course of a week, I couldn't help but stop and check out the article entitled "CLAMP Collaberates With Tekken 6 Team" . . . Uso! If you know what Manga is, I'm sure you've heard CLAMP mentioned before. The reigning queens of Manga, CLAMP is a four women manga-ka, known for such great titles as Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits, X/1999, as well as their most recent hit Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE.

After reading the article and finding out that CLAMP was going to design some costumes for the next Tekken game, I was estatic. I have always loved CLAMP and their designs, I couldn't help but wonder how the rest of the gaming community would take this news though. I've known my share of video gamers that are Anime and Manga Otakus as well. There are also those gamers who absolutely hate Anime and Manga and anything associated with them. After reading the comments, it was definitely a mixed reaction. A lot of people mentioned that CLAMP is completely Shojo, that their works are geared towards girls and that Tekken didn't need any "pretty" and "girly" costumes.

It's true that a lot of their work can be catagorized as Shojo. CLAMP is known for their detailed and ostentacious designs that can be loud and a bit unrealistic. But isn't that what Tekken is all about too? Highly stylized fights with crazy characters who battle it out in all kinds of locales. Mix in a bit of fantasy clothing and it completely changes the look of Tekken. It's not like CLAMP is revamping the whole entire wardrobe, just designing a few set pieces for the biggest characters.

I'm definitely interested to see how everything turns out. Getting Japan's (and the world's) greatest Manga-ka to work on one of Japan's best selling fighting games, Tekken 6 might get the extra boost of publicity that they needed, after loosing momentum caused by the release delay. I do hope that this doesn't turn out to be a habit of CLAMP's though. I like seeing them exploring different media to showcase their work and expand into new territory but at the same time, I wish they would just focus on their current Manga series and finish them already! Plus, with CLAMP designing the characters for Code Geass, which was written and produced by another Manga-ka, I can't help but wonder if they are moving away from creating their own original works. Maybe their next project will be designing characters for the next Final Fantasy game.

And The Stanley Cup Goes To . . .

Even though my Sharks were outed in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I couldn't help but watch the last two teams put everything on the line in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. If you didn't know, the playoffs are a best of seven match up with the higher seeded team getting home ice advantage. I have a few football fans as friends and they always mention how it seems kind of wimpy to play to four wins. As they put it, "If they lose, they get another chance. It seems too soft." My reply is always simple, "You only think that way because there is no way any football team could play at that high of caliber for seven games, four rounds straight." And it's true. Hockey is already a fast and punishing game. Make a mistake, you get checked into the boards for it. Make a goal and you get checked even harder. A split second decision can cost you a game but to win you need 60 minutes of perfection. After almost a month without watching any playoff hockey, I was amazed at how much faster the game was when I turned on the TV to catch the last game of the 2008-2009 season. The only thing I could say was, "hayai . . . sugoi."

That was game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals - fast and amazing. But before I get into the details of the game, let me give you some background info. Game six of the 2007-2008 Stanley Cup Finals. It was truly a game seven for the Pittsburgh Penguins because the Detroit Red Wings had them in a stranglehold of three wins, needing only one more to claim the cup. The Pens were on home ice, hoping that it would give them the advantage to beat the Wings and stay alive. Unfortunately that didn't happen as they watched their one goal for the entire season slip away.

A lot of things happened the summer after that loss including what seemed to be a very big blow to the Pens. Marian Hossa, one of the top scorers for the Pens was going to another team . . . was going to the Red Wings. He wanted to win the cup and believed that he could do it with the Red Wings, that they would be repeat winners in the next season. Even a pay raise and pleas from the captain Sidney Crosby couldn't keep Hossa with the Pens.

As the 2008-2009 season started up, the Pens blazed a record pace, seeming unstoppable. Then something happened, their winning ways disappeared and serious problems cropped up for the Pens. It almost seemed impossible for them to make the playoffs this time around. But a mid-season coaching change got them back on track and into the playoffs. As for the Red Wings, they were unstoppable. Only a small mid-season slump tarnished their stellar record, coming up 3rd best in the league and second in the Western Conference (my stupid Sharks were #1, I'm still so bummed about that).

As the playoffs started, one by one they fell. The underdogs, the top teams, and the favorites all were knocked out until there were only two teams left standing - the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings . . . deja vu. And here we were again, game six of the 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Finals. Detroit once again with a stranglehold of three wins - all they needed was one more and they would be repeat winners. But the Pens weren't going to go down so easily. They'd been in the losers spot before and they didn't like it. They wanted the cup and they wanted it badly. They pulled out a stellar win, sending the Finals to game seven, sudden death.

Joe Louis Arena, the home of the Detroit Red Wings and one of the toughest buildings to play at in the entire league. For six years straight, the team with home ice advantage in a Stanley Cup game seven won. Six years straight. The odds were stacked against the Pens and you could tell. The first five minutes brought an onslaught from the Wings. Three scoring chances were recorded in that time and it was only the work of the Pens' goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury that kept the game scoreless. The Pens finally got their feet under them and started to play. Though the game remained scoreless after 20 minutes, the Red Wings looked like they were in the driver's seat.

Period two was under way and found the Pens attacking back at the Wings. A simple turnover in his own zone became deadly for Detroit defenseman, Brad Stuart. The costly cough up was the perfect opportunity for Pens' center Maxime Talbot as he shot it between the pads of Chris Osgood. With the Pens up 1-0, Detroit wasn't going to back down. But almost 9 minutes later found Talbot once again with the puck on a 2-1 breakaway. Choosing to shoot instead of pass, Talbot lasered the puck over Osgood's outstretched glovehand, scoring his second of the night. I'm sure Talbot is going to haunt Osgood's dreams for a while. But it wasn't all good news for the Pens in the second. A big (and legal) check from Wings' Johan Franzen cost the Pens their captain as Crosby was sidelined for the rest of the period. The Wings took this opportunity to mount a comeback.

In the third period, Crosby gutted it out and played through his injury while the Pens tried to hold on for dear life and that's what it exactly looked like. Still in the lead with two goals from Talbot, the Red Wings were throwing everything and anything at the Pens and Fleury. With a little over six minutes left in the third, a rifle of a shot from Wings' defenseman Johnathon Ericsson broke through the wall that was Fleury. Now Detroit had six minutes to tie the game up and send it to overtime.

For five minutes they peppered Fleury with pucks and punished the Pens with an almost non-stop onslaught of shear desperation. With only a minute left in the game, the Wings pulled their goalie for the extra-attacker. Outnumbered by one now, the Pens could only try and fend off the Wings' attack and pray that their goalie could keep the puck out of the net. With only seconds remaining the puck came to the one Red Wing that you never want to see have it (or if you want the Wings to win, then he's the guy you want to have the puck all the time) - Henrik Zetterberg. A huge blast came from this player but Fleury was up to the task with a great leg pad block. But the Wings weren't done yet. The juicy rebound found its way to Nicklas Lidstrom and if you thought Zetterberg was scary, Lidstrom is the boogy-man. Four time Stanley Cup champion, six time Norris Trophy winner (for being the best all-around defenseman in the league), and the big C of Detroit. With Fleury on his knees, the top shelf of the net was wide open for this sniper to take a shot out. As he fired in for what seemed like a sure goal, Fleury somehow threw himself across the goal crease and blocked the shot as he fell back down to the ice . . . just as the horn sounded. The Pittsburgh Penguins had won the Stanley Cup.

Even though I hate these two teams (stupid Sharks losing to the Ducks, argh) this game was one of the best playoff games I've seen to date. Though I still feel as if Detroit lost the game rather than the Pens winning it, it was such a great spectacle and I'm glad of the outcome. Seeing the Wings lose is great, especially to a team they beat the previous year, it was definitely something special. I think a very strong rivalry was born out of these two Stanley Cup Finals as well. I can't help wondering as well how Hossa felt, seeing the team he left win the cup against the team he joined to do that very thing. While the 2008-2009 season is officially over, there is still much more to come this summer from the world of hockey. I look forward to the entry draft as well as what will happen to the Sharks' Unrestricted and Restricted Free Agents. Watching game seven of the Finals really got me excited for this next season and what it will bring. I just hope this time the Sharks don't exit the playoffs as early as they did this past season. I can't wait, next season is going to be awesome!

Three Things I Loved About E3 2009

With E3 2009 already over, there was so much news from all the major players. Enough to keep every one's attention and wallet ready for this holiday season. As a final goodbye to one of the greatest gaming conventions ever put on, here is what I loved about E3 2009.

1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - The moment the demo started, my heart was racing. Nathan Drake was back and ready to lead us through another wonderful journey from Naughty Dog. A new girl in tow, a new location, but the same action we've come to expect - Uncharted 2 looks to be the blockbuster title that the original Uncharted should have been. The multiplayer beta has been fun but it was only a sample of what I expect from this game. Action, adventure, mayhem, and maybe a chick-fight as well. So get your wallets ready people, the holiday season will soon be upon us.

2. PSP Support - Even though I was disappointed with the PSP Go, no one can be disappointed with the things Sony has in store for the PSP - especially the games. A boat load of new titles like Gran Turismo (finally!), LittleBigPlanet, Jak & Daxter, and many others are hitting the PSP this holiday season with the sole goal of keeping your hands on your PSP rather than on your PS3 controller. Hopefully this is only a taste of what Sony has coming to the PSP in the months ahead.

3. Motion Controller - I knew this was in the works for a while now. Being an avid surfer of the United States Patent and Trademark Office website (yes, I know, it's a sickness), I always make sure to check in on the major players in the video game industry as well as the tech industry. Everyone has to apply for a patent, so if you want to get the latest news first, twenty minutes of sifting through the new applications will do it. The original diagrams of Sony's motion controller were really odd looking to me. There were two designs, one was of a normal DualShock 3 that looked like someone cut it in half and the other was a small handheld wand.

At E3, Sony unveiled its prototype of the wand and I have to say - wow. For me, motion controllers were always kind of a fad. The EyeToy was fun at first, I only use the PS Eye for Eye of Judgment, and the Wii's controller never looked precise enough to really do anything significant with it. Sony's new wand might change all that. Precision, that's what it's all about. Everything from writing your name (and making it look like an adult actually wrote it), swinging around a whip, and even guiding a squad of tanks to the enemy - the tech demo shown at Sony's Press Conference was both impressive and creative. Though it's still in the developmental stage, I'm excited to see how this baby works once it's finalized and on store shelves. This time Sony, please support the stupid thing. I don't want another peripheral that has only one game that uses it.

Three Things I Hated About E3 2009

There's always something that gets on my nerves at E3. Whether it's the fanboys harassing you because you only own one console, companies not showing that game you've been dying for, or the long delays before every press conference. Something always goes badly and rotten news is just as guaranteed as great news at E3.

1. Streaming Video - No, I don't hate God of War 3, I hate blurry video of God of War 3. With amazingly beautiful games being demoed at this year's E3 like Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed 2, MAG, ModNation Racers, and a handful of others - it's really annoying when the live video your streaming jumps around, lags, and the image quality comes out mushed. Lag, a gamer's version of fire and brimstone, should be illegal in this day and age. So c'mon E3, why not save us gamers and open E3 up to the public!

2. G4TV's Coverage - Is it just me or does G4 cover sex and video games equally now? From the amazingly stupid and annoying talk-show style of commentary to random shots of half-naked women - G4 has truly changed from when I first started watching it. G4 could easily be the cure from my lagging video stream but trying to put up with the incessant asinine twits that run the show is just too much for me to bear. So c'mon E3, why not save us gamers and open E3 up to the public!

3. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction - When the DS showed Scribblenauts, I was intrigued and a bit jealous, but it was okay. I had my PSP, I was happy. When Microsoft showed Project Natal, I thought it was a cool idea but was slightly lacking. So I was okay, I had my PS3, I was happy. Then they had to come out and show Splinter Cell Conviction, exclusive to that "other" console. A series that I have loved since it started, a game that I was looking forward to, a game that added so many great ideas to a well established franchise. I was not okay, I had my PS3, and I was not happy. If any game was going to make me jump the PlayStation Nation Ship, it would be this game. Sam looks meaner and faster than ever, no longer attached to Third Echelon. On his own, trying to solve his daughter's murder and taking out a bunch of baddies (and maybe goodies) at the same time. Though I'm not going to pick up a 360 (If I ever do pick up a 360, that is the day to buy some lotto tickets, a lot of lotto tickets), it still doesn't stop this PS3 gamer from sticking out her lip and pouting. So c'mon Ubisoft, why not save this gamer and bring Splinter Cell Conviction to the PS3!

Three Things That Disappointed Me At E3 2009

Every year there is always that one huge disappointment. A game that was completely absent, news of a game going exclusive to a console you don't own, and sometimes the news is supposed to be good but just doesn't feel that way. E3 can be hit or miss depending on how well received games, hardware, and the overall news that is unleashed there. Here are some of my biggest disappointments from E3 2009.

1. Beyond Good & Evil 2 - Thirty minutes of trying to explain to my father why I had to watch the Ubisoft Press Conference live, ten minutes of having to listen to the G4TV Staff blab on about how wonderful Microsoft's Press Conference was, and two hours of watching developers say the same thing over and over - and what did I get out of it? Absolutely nothing! Two things I was looking for in that press conference and only one I really cared about - something, anything, even a simple off-the-cuff comment about Beyond Good & Evil 2. But there wasn't even a small reference let alone a trailer or any other kind of news on this game. You'd think that Ubisoft would want to show some games other than fitness, tween, and Wii mini-games - that something like BG&E2 (even Assassin's Creed 2 would have been nice) would just show what kind of powerhouse Ubisoft has turned into. Unfortunately, I was left with nothing except the hope that this game will surface later at one of the other gaming events.

2. PSP Go - A new PSP, those were the rumors that started to spread a few weeks (and months) before E3 2009. I was hoping for a revamp and upgrade of the PSP-3000. A second analog nub, an internal hard drive, and bluetooth compatibility. That was all I was hoping for, a true and new iteration of the PSP. When the Go was leaked I found myself very disappointed with this device. Not the next rung in the evolutionary ladder of portable gaming but a sidestep. I like some of the things they have and some things they will probably do with the PSP Go but I also hate how they are going to make us choose. Digital media or UMD? Small and compact or Slim with a bigger screen? $250 or $180? For me it's just not worth it to fork out another $250 for a device that I probably won't even use. I like my tangible media and I love watching it grow and expand to new shelves and areas of my house (even if my parents don't). I know that the day is coming when you can only buy and download media but I'm going to hold out as long as I can until that day. For right now, the PSP Go seems more like an experiment to see how well this method of distribution is going to play out. Until I see a true step up and sequel to the PSP, I don't think I'll be picking up this or any other handheld gaming device. Here's to the PSP Squared.

3. The Last Guardian - Wait, am I reading this right? The Last Guardian, a game from Team ICO who can do no wrong in the eyes of madtyger, is on a list of E3 disappointments? Yes, your eyes have not deceived you and this game is on the right list. A game that I've been waiting to see for four years now. From a team that if they made a pancake flipping game, I would love it. So why am I disappointed with finally seeing a trailer and getting a confirmation that it is coming to the PS3? Other than the chimera German Shepherd puppy dog looking thing being a big different than what I expected, the main thing that disappointed me about the trailer was seeing the bond between a boy and his puppy (I know it's not a puppy but I'm going to call it one until they tell us his name).

Let me back track a bit and explain why I love ICO and Shadow of the Colossus so much. Not only are they beautiful and well crafted games, but they suck you in and make you fall in love with the characters - without using dialogue. In the first game, I didn't pay attention to Yorda too much when I was first introduced to her. I thought it would be a pain to have to baby-sit her. But after a few "levels" through the world I began to really care about her. I didn't notice it at first but after a while I started to notice that I'd hold my breath when she wouldn't jump far enough over a gap and I would have to grab her hand before she fell. Granted, this event happened every time she jumped but it didn't make it any less worrisome. When I had to leave her behind while I solved a puzzle, I found myself running back to check on her once in a while to make sure she was okay.

In Shadow of the Colossus, I truly thought that I was alone in the game until a single event totally shook my world and made me realize how much I loved this in-game character. Okay, I know he's just a horse but there is something truly special about Agro. He's with you every step of the way. Taking you across a stone bridge, helping you reach a cliff that you couldn't before, and even coming to your rescue as you fight for your life against a giant beast. I really thought Agro was just another horse, a thing, object that was there for me to get around. Like a car in Mercenaries or the bike in Steambot Chronicles, he was a mode of transportation. As I played through the game I realized he was much more than a horse, he was a character. When left alone he'd run around, drink water, eat some grass, but always staying close enough just in case you needed him. Ironically I hate real horses but Agro is truly my favorite game character and when I thought he died, it really changed how I felt in the game. I truly felt alone whereas before I felt solitude but not loneliness.

This is what I love about Team ICO games. The gameplay is fun, the worlds are beautiful, but for me it is how they make you fall in love with AI controlled characters without even realizing it. Most games, I find myself hating my "co-op" partner. Sheva wouldn't shoot anything, Rios would always get in my way, and even Sully caused me a few problems in the church. I never feel this way about Yorda or Agro though. They feel like friends I've known for ages, companions that will help you in your mission, or someone you'd die to protect.

So back to why I'm disappointed with The Last Guardian. This bond that you have with the AI-controlled character is at the forefront now. I don't doubt that I will fall in love with the puppy but it doesn't seem like it will be as subtle as it was with Yorda and Agro. I didn't even realize how alive they felt to me when I playing the game until the end. I'm sure I'll love the game, it's a guarantee. But after getting so attached to the other AI-controlled characters, I'm curious to see how I will react to this new companion. The subtlety might be gone, but everything else I love about Team ICO games is there and I cannot wait to get my hands on this game. I only have one thing to say to them - That puppy dog thing better not die in the end!

Three Things That Surprised Me At E3 2009

E3 2009 brought some interesting and unexpected news this year. With its return to the L.A. Convention Center, E3 was almost returned to its former glory . . . almost. There was just so much that was announced, demoed, and talked about that there is just way too much to write about. Instead, I will focus on some of the biggest news that I found interesting and relative. There's always a few surprises at E3 but this year with all the information leaks, I was kind of wondering if Sony had anything left up their sleeves. Granted, everyone talked about Final Fantasy XIV being announced well before Final Fantasy XIII has been released. For me, I had a few other things that caught me by surprise.

1. Kazuo Hirai - It was nice to see Kaz Hirai back on the E3 stage after sitting out of last year's event. The top dog of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. and the President of Networked Projects & Services Group, Kaz came on stage to officially unveil the newest member of the PlayStation Family - The PSP Go. Seeing at how much the PlayStation Nation is offering this year, I'm shocked that Kaz even had the time to come to E3 but I'm glad he did take the time. Seeing him along with the other big names of Sony seemed to bring back that grand 'ole E3 feel of days gone by. Seeing him and all the new games coming out this year has hyped me up about gaming and the PlayStation Family even more than before.

2. ModNation Racers - LittleBigPlanet took the gaming industry by storm with its cute design style, creative presence, and more importantly its amazing ability to turn the average gamer into a game designer. Taking LBP's three main keys of Play, Create, and Share - ModNation Racers is not only harnessing the ideals behind LBP but are taking these ideals and making them into a brand new genre of video games. ModNation Racers lets you create your race track (in under five minutes no less), customize your racer, and battle your friends on the tracks you have made. I'm seriously excited about ModNation Racers, LBP was fun but you have to admit it is very difficult to design and create a decent level. Yet ModNation Racers seems to cut all that red tape away and allow you to create quickly, intuitively, and easily. Race, Create, and Share - I am so in.

3. MAG - I was very skeptical about MAG when it was announced at last year's E3. 256 players, 128 gamers working together to conquer a massive (and I mean massive) map. My first thought was that it would never work, I can't get four gamers to work together let alone 128. But after seeing the live demo of MAG at E3 2009, I think I'm slowly changing my mind about this game. It was great to see it up and running with the full 256 players. 16 squads of 8 players took the battlefield to try and coordinate an offensive strike on the enemy base while another 16 squads tried to defend it. I was very impressed by some of the elements implemented to encourage cooperation as well as teamwork. The way spawn points work, calling in air strikes, and the leader's perspective - they all seem like great tools for team focused play. I can only hope that once the actual game comes out, gamers will realize that you can't win a war on your own.