Jet Set Radio (HD) Review

Date Released: Fall 2012
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2012
Genre: 3D Platformer
Players: 1 Player
Length: 7 hours for main game, 25+ for extra content
Replayability: Very good

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Introduction

Jet Set Radio is the unique 2000 platforming game where players take control of a rebellious group of spray-painting, rollerblading teenagers who intend on seperating the government’s corrupt and overblown power over the people of a fictional variation of a futuristic Tokyo, Japan called Tokyo-to. Originally available on the SEGA Dreamcast, Jet Set Radio has gone on to only have one true sequel, but a strong cult following and has been featured in references and cameos in several unrelated games. This modern high definition version is one of SEGA’s highest quality re-releases of all their past titles to date.

SEGA and The Creative Assembly Partner with Games Workshop to Create Warhammer Games

SEGA’s developer The Creative Assembly has teamed up with Games Workshop to develop video games based on the popular series Warhammer. The Warhammer series features fantasy settings and themes such as orcs, elves, goblins, and so on in a dark and gritty manner, noted as being similar to The Lord of the Rings mixed with Early Modern Germany. The Creative Assembly is mostly known for its tactical and strategy series Total War, in addition to action games featuring large-scale battles, such as in 2008’s Viking: Battle for Asgard.

An entirely new team within The Creative Assembly has been tasked to create multiple games based on Warhammer, which will not delay the progress of Total War, mobile, or action-console games currently being developed by The Creative Assembly.

For a press release, click here.

Virtua Fighter 2, Fighting Vipers, and Sonic the Fighters now available on XBLA and PSN

The first three games in SEGA’s collection of Model 2 arcade games is available now on the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. The three games available now are:

• Virtua Fighter 2
• Fighting Vipers
• Sonic the Fighters

Each game is developed by the iconic AM2 studio and as these titles imply, they are all in the fighting game genre. All games are hardware-perfect ports of the originals, but all include features spanning new secret characters, the ability to select updated or downgraded arcade releases, and of course online play. Unlike their original announcements, each game is priced at $5 USD (400 Microsoft Points on XBLA).

The games will also become available on the European PSN on December 5th, while Virtual-On and Virtua Striker, which are also part of this collection, will be released early next year.

Included after the break is the trailer for all of the released and upcoming games in the Model 2 collection.

Ryu ga Gotoku 5 (Yakuza 5) demo available for download on Japanese PSN

A demo for Ryu ga Gotoku 5 (Yakuza 5 in English speaking regions) is featured on the Japanese PlayStation Network on the PlayStation 3 console. In the demo, players will take control of Kazuma Kiryu and can test out new additions and tweaks to the games mechanics, such as the overhauled battle system and the new taxi segments. Please note that the demo takes up a total space of 1456 MB of the PlayStation 3’s hard drive.

A continuation of SEGA’s epic action role playing franchise, Ryu ga Gotoku 5 takes place across five different massive locations along with five playable characters in the most expansive game the series has seen to date. The title will be available in Japan later this week and although it has no announcement of a release in other territories at this time, anyone will be able to download the demo with a Japanese PlayStation Network account.

Space Harrier to receive 3D update on Nintendo 3DS, Space Harrier Collection out now on Japanese PSN

Japanese video game news website Gamer has revealed that the arcade classic third-person action/shooter Space Harrier will be receiving an updated port on Nintendo’s 3DS titled 3D Space Harrier, which will be optimized for the handheld’s dual widescreen displays and will feature newly added stereoscopic 3D graphics. Developed by AM2 under the direction of legendary game designer Yu Suzuki, Space Harrier has long been held as one of the greatest and most recognizable arcade games of all of time, revolutionizing the medium as a both a technical benchmark for games at the time and defined a genre with its fun and riveting gameplay, which still attracts scores of fans to this very day. Reports say that this port is intended to be the definitive version of the game, and whilst no further details have yet been revealed, the title is expected to launch on the Nintendo eShop at some point in the near future.

In other Space Harrier news, Space Harrier II: Space Harrier Complete Collection has been released on PlayStation 3 on the Japanese PlayStation Network. This compilation — which was originally released on the PlayStation 2 as part of the SEGA AGES 2500 series — brings the arcade versions of Space Harrier and Space Harrier 3-D [not to be confused with 3D Space Harrier] (both for the Mark III system) and the Genesis/Mega Drive version of Space Harrier II together, also featuring some bonus content and extras, including official art from all of the games. There’s been no word as of yet whether or not Space Harrier II: Space Harrier Complete Collection will be released outside of Japan, but it is currently available for the price of ¥800 (roughly $10 USD).

[Source: Gamer]

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed out now

Sumo Digital’s latest arcade racing title, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, is now available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and Wii U in North America and Europe. The sequel to 2010’s Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Transformed brings a myriad of new changes and additions to the series, with the most notable feature being the dynamic transformations of the game’s vehicles, which allows them seamlessly race on land, sea, and air. Transformed also assembles an all-star cast of characters from across SEGA’s long history, with several newcomers entering the fray, including Joe Musashi from Shinobi and Vyse from Skies of Arcadia. In addition, two guest characters from non-SEGA properties make an appearance on the game’s playable roster, those being auto racer Danica Patrick of NASCAR fame and the character Ralph from the 2012 Walt Disney film Wreck-It Ralph, which features several cameos of SEGA characters including Sonic the Hedgehog and the zombies from The House of the Dead.

Those who pre-ordered the game will receive a special ‘Bonus Edition’ of the title, which includes an extra course modeled after SEGA’s hit arcade driving game OutRun, as well as Metal Sonic from Sonic CD as a playable character. In addition to its release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Transformed will also be released for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita on December 7th in Europe and on December 11th in North America. Versions for Microsoft Windows and iOS are also planned, but currently do not have release dates.

Be sure to check out the game’s launch trailer after the break.

Jet Set Radio available for PlayStation Vita this week, mobile versions late November

The high definition upgraded version of Jet Set Radio will finally be available for PlayStation Vita users this week for download on the PlayStation Network. It was previously released this fall on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Steam for Windows PC.

Originally launched in 2000 on the SEGA Dreamcast, Jet Set Radio was praised for it’s unique take on the platforming genre, along with it’s graphical style and soundtrack, most of which is included in this version. Modern alterations, such as new camera controls and achievements/trophies have been added, the Vita release includes even more functions, such as optional touch-based spraying.

In addition, Android and iOS versions of the game will be released at the end of month. Jet Set Radio is available on all platforms for $10 USD, the title is set to be the first free game on PlayStation Vita for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed demo now available on Xbox LIVE, coming soon to PSN

A demo for the upcoming Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace for free in all regions the service exists. PlayStation 3 will also receive this, but once the network is updated, which is independent by region. It is currently unknown if any other platforms will also receive a demo version of the game, as SEGA has not announced any as of yet.

The demo features only Sonic as a playable racer, but has tracks based on the classic Panzer Dragoon and Golden Axe titles, the later of which is not a race, but a ‘boost challenge’. Both levels use the unique transforming mechanic where the player’s car turns into a boat or a plane when necessary.

A sequel to Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is available to purchase on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this week for most Europeans, but will be available for North Americans next week. The Nintendo Wii U version will launch with the console the week after and the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita versions will be available in December. The PC version has no release date at the posting of this article, but is expected in 2012.

Featured Video: Clockwork Knight intro

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Anarchy Reigns “Day One” edition announced for Europe

It was revealed through the Official SEGA Blog today that Platinum Games’s upcoming online beat ’em up Anarchy Reigns will be getting the special edition treatment in Europe with the “Day One” edition DLC for the game, which will feature two new multiplayer game modes and an extra playable character — the witch Bayonetta, the titular heroine of the 2010 action game Bayonetta, also developed by Platinum Games.

Bayonetta fights in her own trademark style, wielding four guns (two of which are on her feet) and uses a variety of unique attacks from the game. It should be noted, however, that Bayonetta holds no actual advantages over any other playable character in the game, and thus players concerned with balance issues can put their fears to rest. The two new multiplayer game modes in the “Day One” edition are called Mad Survival and Dogfight. Mad Survival is a different take on the game’s own Survival mode, in which a team of three must defend themselves against multiple waves of enemies of varying strength — the difference in Mad Survival being that the enemies faced here are other playable characters from Anarchy Reigns, who will put up a much more difficult fight than the standard roster of enemies. The other new mode, Dogfight, is major departure from the game’s other modes in that it sees players hanging from moving helicopters as they attempt to shoot opponents out of the sky. Both of these modes will take place in the game’s already existing multiplayer maps, with the later mode allowing players to explore the additional verticality of these environments.

“Day One” edition is currently exclusive to Europe, but SEGA soon plans to reveal how these bonuses can be obtained in other territories. It can be pre-ordered from both online and physical retailers for £ 19.99 / € 29.99 for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, while the game itself will be released in Europe on January 13th, 2013.

[Source: Official SEGA Blog]