Thursday, January 31, 2013

Free Donkey Kong Country 3 Soundtrack

The talented crew of remix artists over at Overclocked Remix have finally completed their DKC album trilogy with the release of Donkey Kong Country 3: Double the Trouble!. Once again, we are treated to an eclectic selection of great remixes celebrating the final game in Rare's classic trilogy. The massive collection features over 70 tracks spanning 5 discs covering tunes from both the SNES original as well as the Game Boy Advance release which was loaded with new music. Enjoy!



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Hyrule Historia Shoots To The Top Of Amazon's Best Seller List!

Hyrule Historia has officially launched today and it has made quite an impact on not only the video game industry but the literary sales charts as well. Back in August, the book shot to the top of the Amazon best seller list due to the English translation announcement and pre-order campaign. The book has since spent the last 93 days in the top 100 and has once again taken the number 1 spot on the Amazon best seller list even displacing the highly successful 50 Shades of Grey trilogy. The book has also popped up on just about every gaming website and blog with people showing off pages and celebrating its release. It is quite interesting to see a piece of literature based on a video game dominate the Amazon top selling book list in such a way, it shows just how beloved this legendary series truly is. Darkhorse has even released an updated trailer to celebrate today's release. Enjoy and be sure to grab your copy!


Monday, January 28, 2013

Top 5 Wish List For The Wind Waker HD

To say that Zelda fans are excited for the Wind Waker HD on Wii U this fall would be an understatement. Many are pondering what kinds of changes or alterations we will see made to this once polarizing entry in the legendary franchise. With that in mind, it feels like a good time to build a wishlist of the top 5 things we here at Treon's Realm would like to see in the enhanced version of this classic.

  1. Skyward Sword control options: This one is a long shot but it would be nice to have the choice of traditional controls on the Wii U Gamepad and enhanced motion controls a la Skyward Sword. The motion control could even be used as an option for the musical Wind Waker wand. This would add a lot of replay value for those who want to experience the game both ways.
  2. Tingle Tuner: This is an obscure feature of the original game even for the most hardcore of Wind Waker fans. When you first find Tingle, he gives you the Tingle Tuner which is used with the Gameboy Advance so a second player could help out. It was an interesting addition that even hid within its depths a series of hidden gold statues that were otherwise unobtainable. It would be nice to see this feature make a more prominent comeback considering the Wii U Gamepad would work perfectly with the feature.
  3. Camera quest: The camera quest was fun but very flawed due to the limited amount of picture storage. I wanted to collect all of the figurines but hated being limited to only 3 pictures at a time. This meant over 40 trips to unload your camera to get all figurines! It was hard enough remembering to take the over 130 pictures which usually required multiple sessions through the main quest. Lets see the Wii U Gamepad used as the camera via gyroscopic aiming and allow it to hold the entire selection of photo's or at least something more reasonable like 50 pics at a time.
  4. Orchestrated Soundtrack: With Nintendo officially backing a fan made Twilight Princess album, it would be the ultimate fan service to allow the fans to recreate the soundtrack for the new game. Hell, with the 25 GB discs on Wii U, give the classic and remixed soundtrack as a switchable option for the player. If Nintendo wants to do the orchestrated soundtrack themselves, even better!
  5. Triforce of Courage Quest/Lost Dungeon(s): Personally, I didn't mind the Triforce quest overall but what I did mind was the excessive Triforce Chart collection and money hungry Tingle charging ridiculous prices for Chart "translation". The greedy little bastard charged 398 rupees per map for a whopping total of 3,184 rupees to translate all of the required Triforce Charts. The need to find so much additional "stuff" is what caused the game to grind to a halt for so many fans. It would be nice to see this streamlined and focus on exploration for the relic itself and not all the charts and money leading up to the Triforce. Altering this portion of the game leads us to the "Lost Dungeon(s)". Many don't know that Wind Waker originally had a dungeon or two which were cut for development time. These dungeon(s) are known to fans as part of the "Scrapped Dungeon Theory" which was formed based on the importance of these locations, developer comments and hints littered within the code of the Gamecube original. The Triforce of Courage quest was rushed to fill in for these lost dungeon(s) which is largely why it felt tacked on. Series head Eiji Aonuma has apologized for this and I think it would be awesome to add these dungeons back in while streamlining the Triforce Quest. While the exact dungeon(s) have never been revealed, fans have put together the most likely locations based on item importance and game flow. Those locations in the existing game are: Fire Mountain (Item collected: Power Bracelet), Ice Ring Isle (Item collected: Iron Boots) and Greatfish Isle (Thought to be the original dungeon for Nayru's Pearl and Water Boots which are buried within the games code but never made an appearance)

Those are some of the most desirable changes for Wind Waker but considering Nintendo's more conservative approach to remakes, I would recommend tempering your expectations. What things would you like to see Nintendo add, remove or change in this classic? Please comment below.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Treon's Metroidvania Game Of The Week - Insidia

The Metroidvania sub genre of action adventure games contains some of my all time favorite video games and I tend to go out of my way to discover and experience new games in this style. It is an under utilized type of game that gives some much needed depth to the traditional side scrolling games like Mario or Sonic. Thankfully, it seems that some indie developers have noticed this as well and new games are being developed with some even playable within your web browser regardless of your OS. This is perfect for the console/handheld gamer looking for a quick fix on Windows, Mac or Linux.

This brings us to one of the more fleshed out free games in this category, Insidia. The story involves a traveler who crash lands on a dark alien planet and must find 10 ship parts to repair his craft. Despite the fact that the game is browser based, it still manages to feature an impressive number of conventions from the Metroidvania genre. Ability power ups, a mapping system, hidden areas and even multiple endings are all featured and make the game a blast to explore. An impressively moody soundtrack and slick visuals round out the package. If you're a fan of this type of game, I recommend giving it a try. Enjoy!


Friday, January 25, 2013

Ni No Kuni Rant!

I am a fan of video games in general but it is no secret that my bias is for Nintendo, Independent, Japanese and Retro gaming. I don't own a PlayStation 3 and outside of stumbling upon one for free, I have no intention of ever owning one so the release of Ni No Kuni for PS3 bums me out and makes me happy at the same time. Before you cry fanboy foul on me, let me make it clear that I am thrilled that the game made it to North America in some form and I am truly thrilled for the PS3 crowd who get to experience this fine piece of interactive art from one of my all time favorite animation studios. I am bummed because I REALLY wanted the Nintendo DS version which Publisher Namco Bandai stated would not be brought over. Namco made it clear that the key factor was the expense involved in translating the "Wizard's Book", a physical companion book needed to cast spells, craft items and reveal various game world details. The PS3 version was planned to have this book worked into the game digitally which made sense. That would have been the end of the story but...

It turns out that the PS3 version just received a "Wizard's Edition" for those who pre-ordered and among the cool bonus items was the Wizard's Book! The very same book Namco used as their excuse for not bringing us the DS version of the game! This is irritating beyond words for fans who really wanted to play the game for the system it was originally created for. What is even more baffling is when you consider the sales numbers of both editions in its homeland.
  • Nintendo DS Version: Over 500,000 sold
  • PlayStation 3 Version: Over 150,000 sold
That's a pretty large gap in sales and the North American RPG market on PS3 isn't nearly as large as the Nintendo DS one. While some may argue that the DS version wouldn't sell by the time of an English release, that argument is void on two points.
  1. The Nintendo DS is the biggest selling video game console of all time and RPG's such as the 2012 Pokemon Black and White 2 still managed very impressive sales on the 8 year old system.
  2. While you could claim that the Nintendo DS is at the end of its life, the same argument could be made with the PS3 which has less than half the install base of the DS and this issue looses all validity when you consider the Nintendo 3DS is fully backwards compatible with the game and the 3DS would do well with more quality RPG's such as this.
The real kicker is that the Nintendo DS/3DS audience already features a built in fanbase for the works of Level 5, the games developer. Namco could have just advertised the game as:
"A new RPG from the Developer that brought you Dragon Quest IX and the Professor Layton series!"
What's really odd is that Namco is bringing over Project X Zone for the 3DS this summer which sold far fewer copies than Ni No Kuni!? Bare in mind that I am not complaining about Project X Zone coming over (I'm not), I am simply drawing a comparison about how odd the situation is.

I'll end this by questioning why the game hasn't been announced for the Nintendo Wii U? All of the work is in porting the game over since the translation is already done and the game would feature the best of both previous versions. The HD graphics of the PS3 with the touch control of the Nintendo DS and you could even incorporate the Wizard's Book on the touch screen and it would feel completely natural. Again I am thrilled the game made it over here, just saddened that the original version did not. The thing that really pisses me off is that if the game doesn't do well on PS3 (which some fans feel is possible), companies will point to that as a reason for not bringing over other JRPG's that could do well. Please comment below on your thoughts about this awesome RPG. Enjoy the Japanese Nintendo DS trailer for this amazing game.


Nintendo Consoles Getting TWO Major JRPG Crossover Games Worldwide!

English speaking fans of Japanese games are in for a major treat on the 3DS and Wii U. Nintendo fans are getting not 1 but 2 major crossover titles, both of which are aiming for english language releases. The announcement of worldwide releases for these titles is a major shift considering that these types of projects are rarely seen outside of their home country. With the upcoming releases of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Wii U/3DS), Pandora's Tower (Wii) and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS) it seems that Nintendo is quickly becoming home to major Japanese developed RPG's. A great sign for fans of the genre and those growing tired of endless FPS titles that do little to advance the industry.

Project X Zone (aka Project Crossover Zone) - Developed by Nintendo owned Monolith Soft for Namco Bandai and released exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. The game features over 50 playable franchise characters from Namco, Capcom and Sega in a strategy RPG that is all about fan service. The game was originally released in Japan last year but seemed to have trouble finding traction in sales. Many had assumed that between licensing and the immense translation needed, the game had no chance of seeing release in the rest of the world. It turns out that Namco will be bringing this unique title overseas later this year (Summer 2013). In an effort to keep development costs within reason, the game will retain its Japanese vocal track and feature subtitles. This is a very fair accommodation considering that the game is even making an appearance outside of Japan. Enjoy a launch trailer from Japan!


Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem RPG (Title unknown) - Nintendo and Atlus are teaming up to bring us a major crossover RPG featuring 2 of their most hardcore franchises. Details were scarce aside from the initial announcement but imaginations are running wild over the possibilities. The game is currently assumed to be a Wii U exclusive due to the announcement being made during a Wii U focused Nintendo Direct. This announcement also included the confirmation that this is only the first of future crossover titles between Nintendo and other heavy hitters in the industry. Many don't realize that Nintendo has allowed many huge third party developers to handle their biggest franchises in the past which has resulted in a healthy relationship between the Big N and company's such as Sega, Capcom, and Namco. Enjoy the announcement teaser trailer!


Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Wonderful 101 Looks Stunning In New Trailer Plus Bayonetta 2 Sneak Peek!

This morning's Nintendo Direct was loaded with great games and The Wonderful 101 continues to impress with the latest trailer for the unique action strategy game. Platinum Games is currently working on 2 Nintendo exclusives and while Bayonetta 2 looks mighty impressive, The Wonderful 101 stands out due to its crazy mix of Viewtiful Joe's action and Pikmin's strategy. Nintendo continues to be a bit dodgy about a release date but a Q2 2013 release looks likely at this point.


Nintendo also managed to slip a quick sneak peek into the development of the highly anticipated Bayonetta 2 which is currently being developed exclusively for the Nintendo Wii U. Enjoy!


New Wii U Monolith Soft Trailer Teases With A Mysterious X!

There is little doubt that Xenoblade Chronicles (developed by Monolith Soft) is one of the finest games on the Wii. Epic doesn't even begin to describe the game with a campaign that takes a MINIMUM of 70 hours to complete! Most impressive is that the game streamlines the experience making it easy to return to even if you're forced away from it for weeks or months, an amazing accomplishment for any RPG.

Nintendo just revealed a new game in development for Wii U that immediately conjures flashbacks of Xenoblade Chronicles. While the game had no details outside of the trailer, I would not be surprised if this is some sort of new chapter in the Xenoblade universe. While many are leaning more towards the Xenosaga/Xenogears series, also developed by the same team, I must remind you that those series were tied to Namco and Squaresoft respectively. Now that Nintendo owns Monolith Soft, the odds favor the idea of turning Xenoblade Chronicles into a full blown Nintendo franchise. Either way, the stunning trailer will leave fans breathless. Enjoy!


The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker HD Hits Wii U Fall 2013!

Today's Nintendo Direct unleashed a flood of good new for Nintendo fans. First up is the surprise announcement of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD for the Wii U which is coming this Fall. The original game was used as a way to transition the development team into the HD abilities of the Wii U which in turn lead to the team bringing the entire project over to the system for a full release. The visuals pack an amazing punch and I honestly cannot think of a better title to bring to Nintendo's first HD console. While full details have not been revealed, Nintendo has given us some juicy tidbits on what to expect.

  • Fully Upgraded HD Graphics
  • Tuned up overall experience (Expect some modification to the Triforce of Courage quest near the end of the game)
  • Ability to play solely on the Wii U Gamepad
  • Miiverse integration


The Wii U will also be receiving a completely original Zelda title as confirmed by series head Eiji Aonuma but that game is set to be a new experience that challenges the conventions of the legendary franchise. The team is setting out to break up the linear structure which I would assume means more of an open world structure reminiscent of the NES original as well as breaking away from being a completely solo experience. While I don't think this means the game will suddenly turn into WoW, I wouldn't be surprised to see features similar to Four Swords Adventures or something akin to Raid Mode in Resident Evil Revelations, just a thought. This massive overhaul of the franchise won't be easy and will take time which was a driving force behind the idea to release The Wind Waker HD this Fall. As a die hard fan of the series, I couldn't be more excited! What are your thoughts on Wind Waker HD? Let us know in the comments below.

Source

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Resident Evil Revelations Officially Raids The Wii U This May!

The rumor's of Resident Evil Revelations coming to home consoles are true. The official title has been revealed to be the same as the  previously rumored Resident Evil: Revelations Unveiled Edition. The excellent 3DS game is making the move to Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on May 21st in North America (May 24th in Europe). While full details of the new content for this version have yet to be revealed, initial information has stated that the following new features will set the game apart from its 3DS counterpart.
  • Revamped visuals
  • A "terrifying new enemy"
  • An additional difficulty mode
  • New Raid weapons (as well as new Custom Weapon Parts)
  • New character Hunk playable in Raid Mode
Odds are very high that the Wii U version will end up as the best version of the game outside of the 3DS original due to its similar control setup and features. While it is a long shot that the excellent Wii Remote controls from Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition will be featured, I would be shocked it the Wii U Gamepad wasn't used for gyro aiming and Genesis scanning controls a la Zombi U. This may not be a new Resident Evil but I can assure you as a long time fan of the series who has logged over 40 hours on the 3DS version, this is easily the best Resident Evil game in over 5 years. Enjoy the announcement trailer!



Monday, January 21, 2013

Street Fighter X Mega Man Receives Much Needed Update With Version 2!

Capcom has just released an update to Street Fighter X Mega Man known as version 2. The new version adds a variety of tweaks and additions based on feedback from fans since the inital release in December. One of the biggest new features is the addition of a password system as the initial release had no real way to save your progress as well as improved controller support to make the game play more like the classic NES games. Here is a breakdown of the new/fixed content as well as an updated trailer.
  • Minor Tweaks
  • Bug Fixes
  • Screenshot Feature
  • Improved Controller Support
  • New Password System
  • Buffed Bison
  • New Secret Character


Street Fighter X Mega Man Ver. 2 is once again free and available for download now. Am I the only one who finds it ironic that Capcom managed to find a way to release a DLC/Patch for a FREE game? I don't think they can help themselves at this point. Enjoy!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Pandora's Tower Release Date, Price and Pre-order Details!

I can't deny the level of excitement I have for Pandora's Tower. As much as people love to hate on the Nintendo Wii, it really is a great system for people looking for unique and great sleeper hits. Xenoblade Chronicles and Last Story are among my top games from the last 5 years so I am thrilled that the Wii is getting a proper sendoff with a unique action RPG epic. Amazon and GameStop have both started taking pre-orders for the game as well as revealing the launch date and price.
  • Pre-order: Amazon or GameStop (Amazon is the best choice for online due to free shipping)
  • Release Date: March 26
  • Price: $39.99
While the date has not been officially confirmed by publisher XSEED, March 26th fits within the "spring 2013" announcement and is oddly specific for the 2 retailers who usually give a date on the final day of a month if they don't known a specific date. Be sure to grab your copy as this will be a limited release.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Treon's Game Of The Week - Free Icecream

Free Icecream is a creepy flash adventure game. The story is simple enough, you play the role of a girl who gets captured with her friend by a killer offering "free ice cream" from his truck. You are challenged to "Escape from the house without being caught by the insane cook". The game is a throwback to the classic point and click adventure games of the 90's and offers an interesting bite sized horror take on the genre. A great game for survival horror fans who are looking for something off the beaten path. Enjoy!


Will PlayStation 4 Feature A Wii U Style Gamepad?

Right now we are taking this "news" with a grain of salt but when you consider Sony's past, it may not be that far off. CVG sources are stating that Sony may just be axing the Dual Shock as the primary controller for their upcoming PlayStation 4 (codename: Orbis). This may surprise some who have grown accustomed to the 15 year old controller which has seem very little change across Sony's three home consoles but the real shocking news (sarcasm alert!), is that the next controller will feature a LCD touchscreen (see Wii U Gamepad) and biometric sensors (see Wii Vitality Sensor).


If this is remotely close to being the final design of the controller, Sony will spin their usual yarn that they had conceptualized the entire thing long before Nintendo ever came up with it. These sources also claim that Sony will be revealing the PS4 sooner rather than later opening up the possibility of the system making a showing well before E3 2013.

Source 1
Source 2
Source 3

Friday, January 18, 2013

Nintendo's Release Schedule For Early 2013 (Wii U, 3DS & Wii)


As we enter the first half of 2013, Nintendo fans are in for some ups and downs when it comes to new game releases. 3DS owners will be treated to a steady flow of quality games in just about every genre. Heavy hitters such as Castlevania, Luigi's Mansion and Fire Emblem are going to make sure you keep your 3DS charged and ready to go. Nintendo Wii U has a tougher time in early 2013 but this is to be expected for a new system trying to find its legs. EVERY system has had these early growing pains but we will be treated to some excellent exclusives in the form of LEGO City: Undercover, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and the sublime Rayman Legends. Overall, there are a lot of great games coming and even the underrated Wii is getting some last minute love in the form of the action RPG epic, Pandora's Tower.

Nintendo Wii U

  • Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2 (Digital Download Only) - February 7
  • Rayman Legends - February 26
  • LEGO City: Undercover - March 18
  • Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate - March 19
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted - March 19
  • The Croods: Prehistoric Party! - March 19
  • The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct - March 26
  • The Amazing Spider-Man Ultimate Edition - March 2013
  • Aliens: Colonial Marines - March 2013
  • Game & Wario - Q2
  • The Wonderful 101 - Q2
  • Pikmin 3 - Q2
  • Wii Fit U - Q2

Wii U eShop

  • The Cave - January 22, 2013
  • BIT.TRIP Presents... Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien - Q1
  • Puddle - Q1
  • Toki Tori 2 - Q1
  • Zen Pinball 2 - Q1

Nintendo 3DS

  • Fire Emblem: Awakening - February 4
  • Brain Age: Concentration Training - February 10
  • Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan - February 26
  • Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - February 12
  • Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate - March 5
  • Naruto: Powerful Shippuden - March 5
  • Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate - March 19
  • Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity - March 24
  • Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon - March 24
  • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers - April 16
  • LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins - April 21

3DS eShop

  • Bloody Vampire - January 31
  • Witch's Cat - January 31
  • Jewel Master: Cradle of Egypt 2 - March 19
  • ATV Wild Ride 3D - March 2013
  • Coaster Creator 3D - Q1
  • Ikachan - Q1
  • Guxt - Q1
  • Nano Assault EX - Q1
  • Jett Rocket II: The Wrath of Taikai - Q1/Q2

Nintendo Wii

  • Retro City Rampage (WiiWare) - January 2013
  • Pandora's Tower - Spring 2013


Wednesday, January 16, 2013

XSEED Officially Releasing Pandora's Tower This Spring!

It turns out the fans had it right in reference to the recent XSEED twitter image. Fan favorite company XSEED Games issued a press release today which confirmed that they are bringing the final Operation Rainfall game, Pandora's Tower to North America this spring. While the Wii had its ups and downs for the hardcore gamer, it can be said that the system is getting a fantastic sendoff when you consider the 3 excellent epic titles hitting the platform between 2012 and 2013. Many thought the system was done after the 2011 release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword but the voice of dedicated hardcore Nintendo fans didn't go unnoticed. Personally, XSEED Games is one of my favorite game company's with a large number of their games in my Wii, DS and PSP collection's so I can't wait to grab my copy of this unique action RPG. Just a head's up, be sure to grab your copy as soon as it's released because XSEED is a small company that will only be able to release a small print run due to the nature of this niche game. Both Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story Limited Edition are no longer available through standard retail so expect Pandora's Tower to become the same kind of collector's item. Enjoy this great European trailer showcasing the final four epic games for the Nintendo Wii and be sure to grab your copy of Pandora's Tower this spring!


XSEED Twitter Image Sparks Rumors Of A US Pandora's Tower Release!

XSEED Games has recently tweeted an image that is getting hardcore Nintendo Wii fans quite excited. The image, which may turn out to be nothing, shows a tower in the middle of rainfall. Many Wii fans have connected the dots leading them to believe it is in reference to the final Operation Rainfall game, Pandora's Tower. Here is the photo in question:


For those unfamiliar with the fan campaign known as Operation Rainfall, it was put together to bring three big Nintendo Wii titles to the US. The campaign succeeded in bringing over 2 of the games, Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story which both went on to sell extremely well despite being released in the Wii's twilight year. The third game, Pandora's Tower, was translated and release in Europe but any word of it coming to the US went silent with many assuming it would never surface. The picture above along with the massive success of The Last Story which was published by XSEED Games is leading people to think they may take a chance on Pandora's Tower which could easily be advertised for both the waning Wii and Wii U which needs more new and unique games for it first year.

I personally contacted the company in late 2011 questioning the possibility of the company bringing over Wii titles such as Fatal Frame 4, Pandora's Tower and The Last Story and they responded that they would look into the latter two. A few months later, The Last Story was announced by the company so they do listen to their fans and take our suggestions seriously. With The Last Story being the company's most successful game, there is a real possibility of Pandora's Tower making a US appearance. Of course, this could all turn out to be wishful thinking so take this with a grain of salt until an official announcement. If you want to know what the game is all about, I am including a video preview of the game from last spring. Enjoy!


The Cave Gets A Release Date, Price and New Trailer!

Full launch details on Double Fine Productions cave exploration adventure game The Cave has finally been revealed. Publisher Sega has announced that the game will hit Wii U eShop & PSN on January 22nd while XBLA & Steam will get it a day later on January 23rd. All versions will be priced at a very reasonable $14.99. The Cave is perfect for fans of unique adventure games with a sense of humor and the latest trailer perfectly illustrates why Double Fine is one of the better independent developers working today. Enjoy and mark your calender!


Monday, January 14, 2013

Gunman Clive Soundtrack Now Available For $1

The 2 man team behind the retro western Gunman Clive has just released the games soundtrack for a mere dollar. The game is an excellent platformer that is only enhanced by its catchy soundtrack which stands out due to its western vibe mixed with bits of chip tune. Considering you can now get the game and soundtrack for under $3, there is absolutely no excuse not to support this great title if you're a fan of retro platformers or indie games. Enjoy and be sure to grab your copy!

Amazing Sci-Fi Short Film Puts Hollywood To Shame!

True passion can trump ANY Hollywood budget and short film R'ha shows this better than almost anything out there. The film was created by Kaleb Lechowski, a 22-year old student, who was responsible for everything you see outside of some audio assistance. The CGI and animation on display is absolutely stunning putting to shame most of what Hollywood shovels onto theater screens. Even more impressive is the emotion and heart in the storytelling that sucks you in and doesn't let go making you want to experience more of the intriguing story and world. It's works such as this that show what is possible when money is not the driving force of creativity. Enjoy this amazing piece of art!


R'ha Facebook
Kaleb Lechowski Deviant Art

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Resident Evil: Revelations Unveiled Edition For Wii U?

Not to long ago, rumor's began to spread that Capcom was looking to bring the 3DS exclusive Resident Evil: Revelations to the Xbox 360 and PS3. Those rumor's are changing to reality as Resident Evil: Revelations Unveiled Edition has been revealed in the form of Xbox 360 achievements. While some may not like the double dip, many RE fans are desperate for a palate cleanser after the ill received RE6 and RE: Operation Raccoon City. Capcom recently made a statement that they don't want to port older Xbox 360/PS3 games to Nintendo's Wii U which leads many to believe that this game would be their next release for the system which makes sense considering the ease of porting the 3DS version to a home console with the exact layout of the the handheld minus the 3D. This is further compounded by ONM (Official Nintendo Magazine) teasing in their February issue:
"Are you scared? You should be... World Exclusive! The first look at a stunning new game."
As long as they give the option of the excellent gyro aiming or sublime Wii Remote aiming from RE4: Wii Edition and some extra content like Ada's "Separate Ways" campaign, this could turn out to be a sort of comeback for the beleaguered franchise. In the meantime, here's an extended trailer showing the fate of a character you run into repeatedly in the main game. Enjoy!


Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4

Friday, January 11, 2013

The Blue Blur Goes Sonic In Amazing Fan Film

From writer/director Eddie Lebron, creator of the great Mega Man fan film, comes Sonic, an impressive production that once again does justice to its source material. The Blue Core Studios production is a short film created to show what an actual feature length Sonic film could look like. Clocking in just under 20 minutes, the film features Jaleel White as the voice of Sonic who is well known for voicing the hedgehog in his many animated outings as well as his famous roll as Urkel from the Family Matters TV series. The CGI in the film is pretty damn slick and used to great effect for characters such as Sonic and Robotnik's robot army. We even get some impressive cameo's from many internet celebrities such as Doug Walker (The Nostalgia Critic), James Rolfe (The Angry Video Game Nerd) and Brent Black (Brentalfloss). The film is quite good and it's a recommended watch even if you're not a hardcore Sonic the Hedgehog fan. Enjoy!


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Mega Ran Explores Time And Space In Latest Album

During our Mega Man 25th Anniversary celebration in December, we featured the talented Nerdcore rap artist Random (a.k.a. Mega Ran) and his track "Grow Up". His latest album, Time and Space (The Deluxe Edition), has recently launched and features an array of tracks with samples from such gaming greats as Chrono Trigger, Battletoads and Mega Man X. The album has 17 tracks split between the actual songs and instrumental versions of each song all for $5, an excellent deal.


Time and Space, The Deluxe Edition Album

Castlevania 3DS Getting A Much Needed Demo

The Castlevania series received a major overhaul with "Lords of Shadow" and it definitely divided longtime fans of the classic franchise. There is little doubt that the Metroidvania take on the series was its most defining and successful approach so it was a bit jarring to suddenly be thrown into the God of War gameplay style of the new game. While the second game will be following the same style as the first, the 3DS game is attempting to return to the side scrolling roots of the series.

This brings us to Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, a title which the developers stated would not be a traditional Metroidvania game and has caused alarm among fans of past portable Castlevania sharing the action adventure gameplay style. While the game does retain a few exploration based elements and a similar map system, the concern among fans seems to be enough to prompt Konami to release a 3DS demo. Personally, this is a great idea since my own concerns about titles such as Resident Evil Revelations and Kingdom Hearts 3D were put to rest due to their respective 3DS demo's which led me to purchase those games. The full release of the game in North America is March 5, 2013 so the demo will likely hit about a week before but no official date has been given. With any luck, we'll get to experience a quality  game in line with the wealth of excellent GBA and Nintendo DS Castlevania titles.


Tuesday, January 8, 2013

New Pokemon Series FINALLY Makes Some Major Changes!

Pokemon, the most successful RPG series of all time, has largely followed the exact same formula for over 15 years with changes mainly coming in the form of new Pokemon and communication between games. Nintendo has just unveiled Pokemon X and Pokemon Y for the Nintendo 3DS through their Nintendo Direct video series and it looks as if the series will be making some much requested changes as well as introducing the sixth generation of Pokemon and shifting away from the colors/precious gems naming convention. 

While little is known of the core story, the game showcases a shiny new 3D engine that truly brings the series to life and is a long overdue evolution for the series. The new 3D visuals, while not cutting edge, share a lot in common with newer handheld RPG's such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The battles also feature the new 3D engine which has been a sticking point for many fans wishing to see battles similar to the Pokemon Stadium games. The new series also marks another major landmark in the series with a simultaneous worldwide release this October. This is a major milestone for the series due to different regions around the world having access to past games months, if not years, in advance. In a competitive series which has gone online worldwide, this often hurt the fan community who wanted to play/trade with fellow fans in other country's. Provided the new games really begin to evolve the long time series, odds are high that many lapsed fans of the series (myself included) may just make a return to the insanely successful franchise. Enjoy!

View the Pokemon X & Pokemon Y trailer below - 1:30


Watch the full Nintendo Pokemon Direct below - 11:12

Monday, January 7, 2013

Club Nintendo January Rewards Update

Nintendo has updated their downloadable Club Nintendo rewards for January and for the remainder of the month they are offering 4 titles across 2 systemsThe expiration date for this offer is now February 10 and the price ranges from 150 - 200 coins for each title. This seems to mark a shift to a single monthly update with a larger selection of titles available with each update. Sadly, this update also brings a spike in pricing with the outrageous price of 200 coins for titles like Punch Out which is only $5 to buy directly from the 3DS Virtual Console. Be sure to check back February 11 for the next reward update.

Snowpack Park - WiiWare
150 Coins (Available Until February 10)

Mario Kart 64 - Wii Virtual Console
200 Coins (Available Until February 10)

Tetris3DS Virtual Console
150 Coins (Available Until February 10)

Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream 3DS Virtual Console
200 Coins (Available Until February 10)

Click here to see rewards 

Time To Flesh Out Your Survival Horror Knowledge

Finding news and information for mainstream games is pretty easy thanks to the internet but finding good sites for niche gaming can be a bit tougher. With this in mind I want to introduce you, my readers,  to some of the better yet obscure niche game sites. Over the years, I have stumbled upon many great sites that don't get the attention they deserve so I will be bringing you some of my favorites.

While I love all kinds of video games in general, my favorite types of games boil down to 3 different categories. Action Adventure (like Zelda), Metroidvania and Survival Horror are my favorite types of games and while they may seem mainstream, the truth is that these three game categories are often overlooked by the gaming public. With this in mind, I will start by focusing on the latter of my top 3.

Finding quality Survival Horror games can be tough and today's featured site has been a fantastic resource in building my collection while introducing me to some dynamite articles which discuss horror in gaming from an actual game designer. Chris' Survival Horror Quest is an excellent site created and run by an industry professional who does an excellent job of giving design insight in his articles that sets this site apart from standard news sites. The site is truly a database for all things horror in video games wisely focusing on quality content and ease of navigation over lots of needless flash. A great site that deserves a bigger audience. Enjoy!


Saturday, January 5, 2013

Indie Hit FEZ Explores New Platforms In 2013

When it comes to Indie games, few are as famous and well publicized as FEZ. Hype and a long development cycle dogged this game like few others but when the game finally hit Xbox 360 in 2012, it managed to create an experience unlike anything else on the market. Focusing on puzzles and exploration, the game introduced players to a compelling world that begged to be explored.

The games designer Phil Fish is almost as well known as the game itself and while his personality and attitude on display in Indie Game: The Movie may divide some, there is no disputing that all of his work resulted in a wonderful gaming experience. Personally, while I may not agree with all of his views, I can understand his pain and passion to bring his vision to life despite the many obstacles which cropped up through the games development.

The biggest thing that saddened me as an indie game fan was the game being tied to Xbox 360 but that was a necessary aspect of development considering how long ago the game was started. Happily, this will be fixed this year as Phil Fish's company Polytron will begin to bring FEZ to other platforms. While specifics haven't been laid out, odds are high that the game will make its way to various PC operating systems as well as indie friendly platforms such as OUYA and Nintendo's Wii U which is on a mission to welcome indie games with open arms.


Source

Thursday, January 3, 2013

SNES Classic Sim City Removed From Virtual Console

Another Super Nintendo classic bites the virtual dust. Much like the sudden removal of the Donkey Kong Country trilogy from the Wii Virtual Console service late last year, Nintendo has recently removed Sim City from the service without warning. This is proving to be a disturbing trend and is causing worry among many retro gamer's who are questioning why Nintendo is doing this and what titles may get cut in the future. Many seem to think these actions are tied to licensing issues much like the removal of the NES version of TMNT but that doesn't make sense with titles such as Donkey Kong Country because Nintendo owns them outright and while Sim City is owned by EA, Nintendo developed the SNES version and aside from name there is little reason for EA to fight the game being on Virtual Console. My personal recommendation is to either own the physical cartridges of your favorite retro titles or quickly start to purchase any Virtual Console titles you have been putting off. Once they are purchased, you can re-download them if they are removed in the future.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

YouTube Video Game Channels To Follow: Gamester81

With the atrocious G4 TV finally being shut down and many mainstream "journalistic" video game sites loosing relevance, independent gaming blogs, video sites and YouTube channels are quickly becoming the best and most entertaining places for gaming info on the web. With this in mind, Treon's Realm would like to start highlighting some of the best YouTube channels for video gaming. I have already started by featuring standout channels such as The Rageaholic but I would like to flesh this out into a standard feature on the site. To kick things off, I am featuring Gamester81.

Have you ever seen a bizarre video game system and wondered what the hell it was? Odds are it has been reviewed by Gamester81, a YouTuber who specializes in reviewing game consoles both mainstream and obscure. He has an exhaustive amount of knowledge concerning video game consoles from all over the world and is an excellent resource when building or adding to a retro collection. From Mega Drive to CDi, you will not find a more complete collection of video game systems on YouTube. Enjoy and please subscribe if you enjoy his channel!




Action Meets Slapstick In Mario Warfare Part 2

The entertaining action movie take on the Super Mario universe continues with the recently released Mario Warfare Part 2. While part 1 had a darker tone, part 2 gives us some great fight choreography mixed with a bit of slapstick which proves to be a fun combination. I'm happy to tell you that the Mario Warfare Kickstarter campaign has been successfully funded meaning that we will get to see the story to completion. The campaign still has 8 days to go so feel free to pledge your support if you enjoy the series. Be sure to pay attention to Luigi's last line of this episode which will give you a humorous hint to the next part in this great series. Enjoy!