Grave Gamer News & Views — platinum games

Bayonetta Dev Taking on Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra (?!)

As if Platinum Games weren’t busy enough wrapping up Bayonetta 2 as well as creating the original IP Scalebound for Xbox One, the Japanese studio is bringing their third-person action expertise to Nickelodeon’s animated Avatar sequel, The Legend of Korra. Yup.

Published by Activision, The Legend of Korra will be a downloadable title for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbone, aiming for the Fall. The game follows the titular element bender in a quest penned by Tim Hendrick (a series regular writer) that’s plopped between the show’s second and third seasons.

Naturally, you’ll be able to harness the power of the avatar , wielding air, water, fire, and earth to smack opposition around. Not only will you fight chi-blocking Equalists, you’ll have to tangle with other Benders in 3-on-3 arena matches.

I think we’re all aware by now how south these licensed games can go. Especially one based on a Nickelodeon TV show? We’re skirting certain disaster. But… Then there’s Platinum Games. Even at their worst (Revengeance) they still manage to produce an enjoyable game if nothing else.

We’ll see if their Korra game is a rousing success or chi-blocks the part of our body that enables fun.

Bad Hair Day by Luke the Ripper

Anarchy Reigns Cheapened By Delay?

It’s been a rocky road for Platinum Games’ strange online action-brawler.  The biggest impediment to Anarchy Reigns comes in the form of a financially struggling Sega whose shift towards singularly backing cash cows like Sonic has cast “second tier” projects in a state of turmoil.  For awhile there, it was touch and go in regards to Anarchy Reigns’ Western distribution – so much so to the point that Platinum was suggesting fans look into importing the already localized title.

But despite a completely finished international edition and despite the game’s July 5th release in Japan right around the corner, we won’t see a stateside release until sometime early next year.  There’s no apparent reason for this but that baffling decision has been outbaffled by the appearance of a $29.99 price tag for the game on several retailers’ websites (including the big one).

Sega hasn’t confirmed or shot down the price point, but if real, there could be a bunch of reasons for the tag slash.  Just the other week, Deep Silver announced they’d publish Dead Island’s sequel at a reduced cost because they figured games should be cheaper towards the end of a console cycle.  Or Sega could just be hedging their bets, knowing full well they have a cult title in their hands, and have placed a budgeted price point on it to draw attention.  The downside to that theory is Sega not having faith in Platinum’s product, but at that price, do you care what Sega thinks?

“It seems the gameplay portions of the trailer are quite popular.  The ability to slice everything is a refreshing feature, and the playable cutscenes are well received too.  People have been comparing it to Ninja Gaiden, but at least Ninja Gaiden 3 was a shitty game that cannot be helped. I don’t want it to be compared to that.”

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance’s producer, Atsushi Inaba, drawing the line on comparisons being made between his game and Team Ninja’s ode to unfun.

To be fair, while Platinum Games looks to have a phenomenal hack n’ slash on their hands that will likely transcend genre standards, it still seems like a pretty shitty Metal Gear game.  Fans will get to put Revengeance’s asymmetrical war to the test when the Zone of the Enders HD Collection (eventually) releases, as a demo for Mr. Inaba’s efforts will be included.  Otherwise, look for Metal Gear Rising early 2013.

Currently playing Vanquish.  This is probably what P.N. 03 wanted to be before someone decided dancing was a cooler gameplay mechanic than fun.