After having her memory forcibly wiped for reasons unknown, Nilin awakes in Neo-Paris, Remember Me’s city setting. This is a fascinating place, one in which humanity has embraced Sensen technology, an enhancement that lets people view their surroundings through an augmented overlay, as well as store and share memories. From the towering skyscrapers and rotundas of the city’s wealthier districts, to the condemned streets of the slums lined with junkies who’ve indulged in a few too many memories, each area is loaded with rich detail.

You’ll get a great sense of both the positive and destructive impacts technology has had on the inhabitants of Remember Me’s world. And though its residents speak with an overwhelming amount of silly jargon and titular words (expect to hear the word “remember” at least 800 times), Neo-Paris begs to be explored.

If only you could explore. Rarely will you be allowed to deviate from the main path. Most levels consist of cramped corridors and climbing segments that feel far too restricting. Neo-Paris is also eerily isolating. NPCs all but vanish by a few levels in, leaving the once-bustling city feeling oddly deserted. Remember Me’s environments are so distractingly closed that it’ll leave you feeling more claustrophobic than most games in recent memory.

This also makes it quite predictable, as you’ll know you’re in for a battle any time you enter a room big enough to accommodate three or more people. Combat in Remember Me attempts to mimic the successful formula of the Batman: Arkham series, but falls a bit flat. It lacks the balletic flow of the games from which it draws inspiration; the controls feel too stiff and, at times, unresponsive. Nilin’s punch and kick animations are flashy and fun to watch, but targeting a specific enemy when using combo attacks is challenging. It’s especially difficult to keeup up your momentum during large encounters, where you’ll dodge enemy blows more often than dishing out your own.

Combat is made a bit more interesting thanks to enhancements called Pressens, which imbue each strike of a combo with special properties. Low on health? Socket one of Nilin’s attacks with a Regen Pressen to replenish some hit points on impact. Likewise, Power Pressens dole out extra damage, while others increase the potency of your selections. Building combos to suit your needs adds a unique layer of depth to an otherwise bland combat system.

So, too, do Nilin’s special abilities, such as area of effect stuns, or a move that makes her temporarily invisible. These slick combat tricks provide a window of opportunity to overload the brain of an unsuspecting human enemy with a flood of memories. While all of these special attacks produce some awesome effects, they have lengthy cooldowns when used, which becomes problematic when facing enemies that can’t be defeated without them. In these situations, you’re meant to use Cooldown Pressens to reset Nilin’s special skills–unfortunately, some enemies damage you when attacked with regular combos, rendering Pressens practically useless as you circle your foes while waiting for a cooldown to reset. These encounters are few and far between, but they make battles drag on and sour the experience.

You’ll forgive some of these shortcomings once you get a taste of Remember Me’s standout feature: the Memory Remix. During these sequences, you’ll watch a cinematic cutscene unfold before fast forwarding and rewinding through the same scene, altering variables to produce a new outcome. Success comes down to trial and error, as there’s only one solution that will let you proceed. But failure is never frustrating, because you’ll witness an interesting end result unique to the components you modified. Memory Remixes are a refreshingly new take on puzzle solving, and they add some much-needed interaction to a traditionally hands-off element of games. You’ll just wish there were more of them to go around.

Remember Me is an inconsistently enjoyable experience. Its world provides an interesting glimpse into a could-be future, and the Memory Remix puzzles and Pressen system help offset its extreme linearity and stiff combat. There are enough good ideas here to keep you playing from start to finish, but Remember Me’s rougher edges mean it’ll fade from your memory far sooner than you might like.

This game was reviewed on PS3.

The post Remember Me review appeared first on Game News.

Dragon’s Dogma will grow even more dogmatic next year with Dark Arisen, an expansion announced today. Capcom revealed a trailer and sprinkling of info for the expansion as well as details on two upcoming downloadable modes for its open-world adventure game.

Details on Dark Arisen are scarce, and Capcom left no word of what it will add to the game or even its delivery format. The company has a history of releasing new versions of games at a discounted price to retailers (such as Super Street Fighter IV and Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3), so that is one possibility.

Capcom was much more loose-lipped about Dragon Dogma’s upcoming Speedrun and Hard modes. These free modes offer additional challenge in exchange for new equipment, and are scheduled to arrive before the end of the year.

Dragon’s Dogma had middling sales in the west, but performed well in Japan, moving more than a million copies worldwide. Capcom has stated that it considers the franchise one of its established series, with more entries planned down the road.

The post Dragons Dogma expansion Dark Arisen coming 2013 appeared first on Game News.

Capcom officially announced today that they are planning to release a set of downloadable content shortly after the launch ofResident Evil 6 (opens in new tab)next month. The pack will reportedly include three new multiplayer modes.

The first new mode will be called Survivor’s Mode which is your basic last-man-standing deal, but with the added catch that once you’re dead you respawn as an infected, attempting to kill players. If you’re able to kill two players you’ll respawn as human again.

The second mode is called Predator Mode in which all players cooperate to try to take down one beastly AI enemy. The final mode is called Siege Mode and pits two teams against each other as one attempts to protect an AI NPC, and the other tries to take said NPC down.

Capcom isn’t letting loose exactly when the DLC will be launching, but has said that all of these modes will support six players and will use maps from the Mercenaries pool. They’ve also said that further Mercenaries maps are in the works for DLC as well.

As per Capcom’s timed-exclusivity agreement with Microsoft, all DLC will be coming to Xbox 360 first.

The post Resident Evil 6 to get three multiplayer modes post-launch appeared first on Game News.

Capcom has announced today that they will be opening up aResident Evil themed restaurant (opens in new tab)in Japan next month to tie-in with (and promote) the upcoming release of Resident Evil 6 in October.

Unfortunately, the question we’re all dying to know the answer to – “what’s on the menu?” – has not yet been announced, but we wait with bated breath to know what kind of food will be served at a restaurant themed on a video game about the eating of human flesh.

The restaurant will feature special swag for fans of the series along with performances by the dance troupe S.T.A.R.S. Angelique. Biohazard Cafe & Grill S.T.A.R.S. will only be open for about one year, and will host its grand opening in Shibuya, Tokyo on July 13, 2012.

We’re very much looking forward to finding out how many people are willing to eat at a restaurant called Biohazard.

The post Capcom opening Resident Evil themed restaurant appeared first on Game News.

Due April 24 (April 25 in the UK), the demo will consist of two quests; one pitting Fighters against a Chimera in an underground location, and the other challenging Striders to make quick work of a Griffin in the fields of Gransys. The test run will also give players an opportunity to play with Dragon’s Dogma’s character customization system and craft a hero which they can later import into the full game.

Dragon’s Dogma seeks to blend RPG, action, and survival-horror elements in an open-world fantasy setting. It is due for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on May 22 in North America, and May 25 in the UK. See more from Capcom’s action-RPG-survival-sandbox project in our 20-minute hands-on look, Dragon’s Dogma video preview – creating a stubby elf-dwarf.

The post Dragons Dogma demo coming next week, new trailer emerges appeared first on Game News.

We’re so glad to see the game is coming out this year, as it seems like every game announced these days is at least a year off. We’ll keep updating this story as more info becomes available, so stay tuned.

UPDATE: Capcom just released a press release for RE6 that’s full of important details. See for yourself:

Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, is very proud to announce that Resident Evil 6 is in full development and scheduled for release on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system on November 20, 2012 with a Windows PC version to follow. Blending action and survival horror, this latest instalment in the multi-million selling franchise is the most ambitious, immersive and feature rich title of the series to date and promises to be the dramatic horror experience of the year.

It has been ten years since the Raccoon City incident and the President of the United States has decided to reveal the truth behind what took place in the belief that it will curb the current resurgence in bioterrorist activity. Due to be by the President’s side is his personal friend and Raccoon City survivor, Leon S. Kennedy, but when the venue suffers a bioterrorist attack, Leon is forced to face a President transformed beyond recognition and make his hardest ever decision. At the same time, Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance member Chris Redfield arrives in China, itself under threat of a bioterrorist attack. With no country safe from these attacks and the ensuing outbreaks, the entire world’s population is united by a common fear that there is no hope left.

In a first for the franchise, Resident Evil 6 sees series favorites Leon and Chris come together to face this unprecedented threat. They will be joined by new characters, each with their own unique perspective and involvement, in this relentless dramatic horror experience enacted on a global scale.

“Resident Evil 6 represents a giant stride forward in the evolution of the series,” commented Katsuhiko Ichii, Head of R&D and Global Marketing. “The development team, led by Hiroyuki Kobayashi, is working tirelessly to deliver the most impressive Resident Evil® title ever both in terms of scope and production values. We are all genuinely excited by the title and cannot wait to share it with the world.”

Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Resident Evil 6 Executive Producer added: “From the outset the team’s intention was to create an experience that delivers a gripping storyline, tense single-player and co-op action all set against a constant theme of horror. We are calling this fusion dramatic horror and are confident it will resonate with both existing fans of the series as well as newcomers.”

The post Resident Evil 6 announced, trailer reveals November 20 release date appeared first on Game News.

It’s not unusual for PlayStation Plus members to get free games, though no previous month has had this much free content offered. Some of the extra Plus love is on account of PSone Classics Resident Evil Director’s Cut, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3 all being included (for two weeks only) as a part of the 15th anniversary of the series. They’ll be fun for anyone thinking of brushing up on the franchise before picking up the HD remasters of Resident Evil 4 and Code Veronica (coming out 9/20 and 9/27, respectively). And Altered Beast is the final game in the six-game Sega Genesis Collection being given away through PlayStation Plus (and available for $4.99 each for non-subscribers).

Here’s the full list of games and release dates:

Free PSN Games:

Plants vs. Zombies (9/6)
Astro Tripper (9/6)
Altered Beast (9/6)

Free Minis:

Bashi Blocks (9/6)
Jellypops (9/13)
Street Smarts (9/27)

Free PSone Games:

Jet Moto (9/6)
Resident Evil Director’s Cut (9/20, two weeks only)
Resident Evil 2 (9/20, two weeks only)
Resident 3 (9/20, two weeks only)

Keep in mind that the release dates are subject to change. But if they do, send angry emails and post incessantly on forums anyway. And if you’re interested, but not sure if PlayStation Plus is for you, here’s everything you need to know.

Sep 6, 2011

Source: PlayStation Blog

The post PlayStation Plus users getting 10 free games this month, including Resident Evil appeared first on Game News.

Unless SFXT is your entry into the Tekken series – in which case, boy do you have a learning curve ahead of you – the ursine subject of this clip shouldn’t be too much of a head-scratcher. Can you bear to keep it a secret any longer? Oh, hell with it, we’re all grown-ups here, Kuma the Bear is in Street Fighter X Tekken.

This one’s a bit more mysterious. Some of the shots almost look like our boy Dan Hibiki (opens in new tab)… but with producer Yoshinori Ono having confirmed the pink-clad dolt’s exclusion from the title, most likely it’s SF3 ninja Ibuki. Do these teasers have your interest piqued?

Aug 1, 2011

Unless SFXT is your entry into the Tekken series – in which case, boy do you have a learning curve ahead of you – the ursine subject of this clip shouldn’t be too much of a head-scratcher. Can you bear to keep it a secret any longer? Oh, hell with it, we’re all grown-ups here, Kuma the Bear is in Street Fighter X Tekken.

This one’s a bit more mysterious. Some of the shots almost look like our boy Dan Hibiki (opens in new tab)… but with producer Yoshinori Ono having confirmed the pink-clad dolt’s exclusion from the title, most likely it’s SF3 ninja Ibuki. Do these teasers have your interest piqued?

Aug 1, 2011

Unless SFXT is your entry into the Tekken series – in which case, boy do you have a learning curve ahead of you – the ursine subject of this clip shouldn’t be too much of a head-scratcher. Can you bear to keep it a secret any longer? Oh, hell with it, we’re all grown-ups here, Kuma the Bear is in Street Fighter X Tekken.

This one’s a bit more mysterious. Some of the shots almost look like our boy Dan Hibiki (opens in new tab)… but with producer Yoshinori Ono having confirmed the pink-clad dolt’s exclusion from the title, most likely it’s SF3 ninja Ibuki. Do these teasers have your interest piqued?

Aug 1, 2011

Unless SFXT is your entry into the Tekken series – in which case, boy do you have a learning curve ahead of you – the ursine subject of this clip shouldn’t be too much of a head-scratcher. Can you bear to keep it a secret any longer? Oh, hell with it, we’re all grown-ups here, Kuma the Bear is in Street Fighter X Tekken.

This one’s a bit more mysterious. Some of the shots almost look like our boy Dan Hibiki (opens in new tab)… but with producer Yoshinori Ono having confirmed the pink-clad dolt’s exclusion from the title, most likely it’s SF3 ninja Ibuki. Do these teasers have your interest piqued?

Aug 1, 2011

The post Street Fighter X Tekken teaser trailers hint at roster additions appeared first on Game News.

With a planned release for November of this year, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 boosts the total character roster to 50 (provided you downloaded Jill and Shuma-Gorath), and despite our massive amounts of journalistic integrity, we’re pretty god damn hyped based on the four we’ve seen today. Here’s the breakdown:

With a planned release for November of this year, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 boosts the total character roster to 50 (provided you downloaded Jill and Shuma-Gorath), and despite our massive amounts of journalistic integrity, we’re pretty god damn hyped based on the four we’ve seen today. Here’s the breakdown:

Firebrand

Pretty much a forgotten character, Firebrand was the star of forgotten Ghost ‘n’ Goblins spin-off Gargoyle, one of our favorite Game Boy games of all time (opens in new tab). He made a cameo in MvC3 (opens in new tab), so it’s only fitting Arthur’s old enemy be fully playable in this update.

Pretty much a forgotten character, Firebrand was the star of forgotten Ghost ‘n’ Goblins spin-off Gargoyle, one of our favorite Game Boy games of all time (opens in new tab). He made a cameo in MvC3 (opens in new tab), so it’s only fitting Arthur’s old enemy be fully playable in this update.

Strider

Another classic Capcom star that’s unfortunately shifted to the background lately, this fantastic, futuristic ninja was a favorite in MvC2, so it’s about time he appeared in this game.

Another classic Capcom star that’s unfortunately shifted to the background lately, this fantastic, futuristic ninja was a favorite in MvC2, so it’s about time he appeared in this game.

Hawkeye

Love him or hate him, Hawkeye is one of the core members of the Avengers and integral to Marvel’s history. Sure, he’s a circus freak that shoots arrows in a world where people lift mountains, but he’s still a fun character that adds a lot to a team. And did you see his special attack where he shoots Ant-Man at you? SQUEEEEE!

Love him or hate him, Hawkeye is one of the core members of the Avengers and integral to Marvel’s history. Sure, he’s a circus freak that shoots arrows in a world where people lift mountains, but he’s still a fun character that adds a lot to a team. And did you see his special attack where he shoots Ant-Man at you? SQUEEEEE!

Ghost Rider

Forget the horrible Nicolas Cage film, Ghost Rider is one of the most badass characters in Marvel’s pantheon, at least as far as looks go. He may not have been in any ground-breaking stories, but a biker with a flaming skull that whips people with chains and breathes hellfire will always be awesome.

So ultimately (HAHAHAHAH) beyond the new characters, some other updates are coming to the title, with promises of balance fixes (something MvC3 sorely needs) and a new spectator mode so you can see the masters at work. And just like Super Street Fighter IV, the publisher is charging $39.99 for it.

Forget the horrible Nicolas Cage film, Ghost Rider is one of the most badass characters in Marvel’s pantheon, at least as far as looks go. He may not have been in any ground-breaking stories, but a biker with a flaming skull that whips people with chains and breathes hellfire will always be awesome.

So ultimately (HAHAHAHAH) beyond the new characters, some other updates are coming to the title, with promises of balance fixes (something MvC3 sorely needs) and a new spectator mode so you can see the masters at work. And just like Super Street Fighter IV, the publisher is charging $39.99 for it.

But what about the rest of the characters? By our count, both Capcom and Marvel have four more to add each, so who will they be? Daredevil? Mega Man? The Thing? Frank West? Doc Ock? Captain Commando? Black Widow? Blanka?

UPDATE: Our speculation was short lived, as the eight remaining characters leaked a matter of minutes after the reveal. See themhere (opens in new tab).

Jul 20, 2011

The post Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 revealed, adds 12 new characters and other tweaks appeared first on Game News.

Super SFIV 3D suffers from neither of these issues, instead offering a playable, shockingly accurate representation of the 360/PS3 game (opens in new tab)released less than one year ago. To say it’s impressive is an understatement; we expect new hardware to wow us on some level, but a nearly perfect, graphically intense console-quality fighter, all crammed onto one card? That’s a technical achievement to be proud of, even if the main point of the system (3D) isn’t harnessed particularly well.

Above: The gimmicky (and optional) over the shoulder view isn’t great, but the standard view is dead on

Between Vanilla and Super, I’ve spent more than 120 hours in the Street Fighter IV world. In that time I’d like to think I’ve learned a thing or two, so when I say this conversion is dead on, I really mean it. Any combo I can pull off on 360 or PS3, that same combo is possible on 3DS. The animations are correct, the timing feels right, the sound effects convey the same subtle information necessary to make split-second decisions… it’s all there. Capcom even included makeshift Achievement/Trophy medals to unlock, just in case you miss earning pointless awards while playing.

Taking the fight online is quick and easy, though the quality of each connection varied wildly. Many of my multiplayer battles (including local wireless matches) suffered from notable slowdown that drastically affected both players’ performance. This issue could vary per player, per hotspot or per region, but in my experience the multiplayer was anything but smooth. The lag throws off any sense of timing or flow, which makes punishing whiffed moves a pain and usually leads to eating combos you’d otherwise block. Perhaps when more US-region players get their hands on the game this will ease up? The few matches I had that moved as smooth as the offline game were excellent, fast-flowing scuffles, so I’ve got my fingers crossed.

The stuttering nature of the multiplayer compounds the only other concern we had with Super SFIV 3D – the button layout. As with the aforementioned PSP version of Alpha 3, there are enough buttons, but there’s the unavoidable issue of the shoulder buttons. In a game that (usually) moves as fast as Street Fighter IV, you need easy access to all inputs; the L and R buttons are out of the way, making certain characters excessively difficult to play, and even then the 3DS face buttons are tiny and easily stumbled over.

This isn’t equivalent to playing with a SNES or PS3 controller – you’re holding an entire machine in your hands, which has its own weight and resistance. Is it possible to overcome these problems and go on an online winning streak? Sure, I saw no shortage of B and A-rank fighters who played as if they never left the arcade. But when you’re fighting lag and the button layout, the experience, while still technically accurate to the console version, starts to sag.

Fortunately, Capcom included a slight workaround for this…

The post Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition review appeared first on Game News.