While in his Bomb Shelter, Blueonic was able to crack open the special edition of Max Payne 3. Check out the video below to see what comes in that giant box.

Be on the lookout for a full review of Max Payne 3 very soon...

After dealing with the ho-hum old-school return of the world's most famous blue hedgehog in Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I and the above average nod to just about every Sonic title released in Sonic Generations I was starting to suspect that the fastest thing alive would forever be subjected to a life of mediocrity. Episode II of Sonic The Hedgehog 4, however, puts those misgivings to rest, bringing us a true spiritual successor to the side-scrolling days we all fell in love with.

Unlike in Episode I, where the game takes place after the events of Sonic & Knuckles, Episode II finds our hero after the events of Sonic CD, as Dr. Eggman has revived Metal Sonic and is set to build a new Death Egg to wreak havoc on the world. It's up to Sonic and Tails to stop Dr. Eggman yet again, bringing peace to their planet once again.

Taking place between five worlds, Sonic and Tails run, fly, swim, and even snowboard down snowy hills, underwater labyrinths, and cloudy skies filled with Badniks and other hazards that wish to take you down. Each world (with the exception of Death Egg II) is split into three stages, followed by a Boss Battle that will have you facing off against either Dr. Eggman or Metal Sonic. As it was in the Sonic games of the Genesis era the name of the game is collecting rings and clearing each area in the fastest time (or highest score) possible.

Episode II acts in a way as a successor to Sonic The Hedgehog 2, as you have the capabilities to use the advantages of both Sonic and Tails to  conquer the worlds you run and fly through. On occasion you'll find yourself using Tails to help you reach bigger heights and use a super spin attack that can clear away any enemies and debris that will keep you from reaching your destination, thanks in part to some wildly new combo maneuvers. By pressing the Square button you can pull off these combo maneuvers, though you might find yourself accidentally using one instead of the other during a dire moment (especially during boss battles).

As you progress through the stages, the difficulty level tends to spike a bit. In one level you might find yourself clearing it in just over two minutes, whereas in the next stage it might take you close to seven with a couple lost lives here and there. (This was evident in Stages 2 and 3 of the White Park Zone.) Boss battles will also take a lot of strategy to conquer, as no two bosses are alike. Sure, you have to hit it a number of times to defeat it, but it's about how you go about doing it as you avoid lasers, falling boxes, Balkiries (first seen in Sonic 2), and robotic vines that will attempt to slam into you.

One of the nice additions to the game is the usage of Tails's plane the Tornado during the Sky Fortress Zone. In these instances you will be both flying the plane with Tails while taking out enemies with Sonic. The plane also has its own rendition of a barrel roll, which can be used to rid the screen of pesky crates that will block your way or Badniks that are overcrowding your area. It's during the boss battle against Metal Sonic and his hovercraft where the Tornado shines the most.

As it is customary in side-scrolling Sonic games, Episode II wouldn't be complete without a trip down some special levels that must be played in order to collect the seven Chaos Emeralds. Fortunately, these levels bring us back to the classic bonus levels found in Sonic 2, where Sonic and Tails must collect a specific amount of rings before reaching a specific checkpoint. The 3D-twisting tunnel that also has its share of bombs and electric orbs that will keep you from collecting that much-needed emerald, which when collecting all seven will help you to become Super Sonic.

The single player experience of Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II will take you roughly four to five hours to complete the first time around, but that's without revisiting levels to collect the emeralds and red rings hidden throughout each stage; not to mention the twelve achievements that you can earn by doing various tasks. Those that own Episode I will also be able to unlock the four-staged Metal Sonic levels, but you need to make sure you purchase the game on the same console in order to access them.

Players can even go co-op both local and online, taking on all the levels as either Sonic or Tails and using the combos to your advantage. While online mode has its moments, there is a lot of lag happening throughout the stage as this review is being published. (The Tornado-based levels will also take some cunning strategy to tackle, as I found myself falling off the plane more often than not due to the other player being unable to catch me for my landing.)

PROS:

• Feels like playing the original Genesis games
• Combo moves add something distinct to the Sonic universe
• Tornado-based levels

CONS:

• Lag issues while playing online
• Difficulty spikes as you go along
• Doing the Tornado-based levels in co-op mode a major pain

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Episode II of Sonic The Hedgehog 4 manages to sweep away the clunkiness of Episode I, replacing it with smooth gameplay and a truer feel of the Sonic games of generations past. Those that were a tad disappointed with the first part will be happy to know that their beloved blue hedgehog and his two-tailed fox partner have returned to form, finally giving us a real follow-up to the brilliant Sonic CD.

FINAL GRADE: 8.5 (out of ten)

Press copy of PSN version provided by SEGA and Ryan Morgan of TriplePoint PR.

Cartoon Network took note of the huge praise they were given for bringing back its beloved Toonami block this past April Fool's Day. Now it's looking like it's here to stay.

Announced today as a part of the [adult swim] lineup, Toonami is ready to be brought back on Saturday May 26. While it's not clear if old staples like Tenchi Muyo! or Dragonball Z will be part of the redux, it should be guessed that the anime that is currently airing on [adult swim] (i.e. Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist) will be featured in it.

Be sure to keep an eye on the official Toonami page for the latest news regarding its upcoming return.

It is with most regret that the Bastards have to indulge themselves with some, as they say, fresh blood.

This week the B3 crew gripe about how their childhood heroes are all dropping like flies, then jump into their thoughts on the Merrimack Repertory Theatre's production of Ghost-Writer. The week in sports is discussed, the demos for Spec Ops: The Line, Kinect Star Wars, and Minecraft are played, and Tim Burton's remake of Dark Shadows is reviewed.

A spot of tea goes well with this week's show. It's Episode 140: Damn, That Alice Cooper's An Ugly Woman!

The godfather of 3D fighting games is coming to consoles sooner than you think...

In a press announcement released today SEGA revealed that Virua Fighter 5 Final Showdown (the latest in the popular franchise) will be heading to the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade on June 5 and 6, respectively. Priced at $14.99/1200 MSP the latest in the game series will feature 20 characters, as well as new costumes and animations for all to give a try. Separately SEGA will be releasing character customization DLC packs for all the fighters, each one costing $4.99/400 MSP, containing 600-950 customization items. Two other customization packs, each one consisting of nine to ten characters’ customization worth, will also be available at launch for $14.99/1200 MSP.

Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown will feature two new characters not seen in the regular version: Virtua Fighter 3 favorite Taka-Arashi and newcomer Jean Kujo. New dynamic and interactive fighting arenas will also be intact. New console-exclusive features will include Training Mode, eight player Online Room Match Mode, and a match record feature to replay, save, and upload fights. SEGA and the game's developers AM2 promise that the console version of Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown will bring the storied franchise’s detailed balance, overhauled fighting mechanics, and extreme depth to new audiences and VF veterans alike in what they hope to be the acclaimed series’ best version yet.

I'm a kid of the 80s, and as one I was exposed to many great syndicated cartoons such as Stunt Dawgs, Bucky O'Hare, G.I. Joe, and Samurai Pizza Cats. When I came across Ronimo Games' Awesomenauts, that exciting feeling that I once felt when those classic shows first appeared as soon as the theme song hit and the backstory told.

Mostly taking place online, Awesomenauts has two teams of three battling head-on as they do their best to destroy the opponents' energy supply while -- at the same time -- protecting theirs from suffering the same fate. A side-scrolling tower defense game in some ways, gamers are given six characters (three to start off with, three more to unlock later on) that have different strengths and weaknesses on the battlefield. The smaller guys tend to be weaker but faster, whereas the bigger guys are slow but can do the most damage.

The characters you can play as have, as it were, strong keen personalities. For example Sheriff Lonestar and his Texas droll has the passion for destruction, as he can blast away his opponents, turrets, and energy capsules with his pistol and sticks of dynamite. Leon, on the other hand, is a chameleon whose libido is as dangerous as his lasersword (not to mention that tongue of his). Then there is Yuri, a jet pack-riding monkey who can drop explosions from above. (If that alone doesn't make you want to try the game out, then I have no hope in helping you find enjoyment.)

Online battles can last around 25-30 minutes a piece, so if you are looking to waste some time on some senseless fun, then this game might just be for you. As each battle starts off your guy is given the bare minimum to fight off enemies and take down turrets. Around the levels will be these cubes, which can be used to purchase secondary weapons, upgrade health and power levels, and even add a bit more oomph into your primary piece of machinery. You can grab health orbs from high places, zap harmless creatures, or even just teleport yourself back to your pad to recharge your batteries if you find yourself near-death in battle. If you do die, you will simply relaunch from your space egg, but the more you get yourself killed the longer it will take for you to re-spawn.

While the online multiplayer is loads of fun, I cannot help but think that Awesomenauts could've benefitted from even just a small Story Mode. Ronimo Games have created these characters that are chock filled with personality and cool-sounding backgrounds, so it makes me sad that I cannot play this game seeing these crazy guys get into space rants, wacky conundrums, and some old-school shenanigans that these people deserve to be placed in. You get a small taste of what a story mode would've been like in the Tutorial, and believe me when I say you'll want to see more where that came from when it's done.

For a MOBA game on consoles, Awesomenauts hits this one out of the park. The control scheme is perfectly crafted, as remembering which weapon does what is simple thanks to the lack of overstuffing various abilities into a specific button sequence (as well as the handy guide on the bottom-right corner of the screen). During my time with this game I was able to either join a new game or become part of a current battle 95% of the time, which is 90% more than my online experience with Skullgirls, which means if you are ready to battle online, Awesomenauts will be ready for you. Finally there is the whole nostalgic cartoon feel to this, where the theme song is super catchy and the characters are idiotically lovable. (Seriously: can I get my hands on some old-school Awesomenauts action figures and playsets?)

As Awesomenauts progresses you'll be able to level up your characters, unlock new ones, and earn a few shiny new upgrades to add onto them for future battles. Ronimo Games has also promised new characters will be released within a few months of release, which leads me to wonder how they're gonna top Yuri. While the matches may take awhile to reach their explosive conclusions, the time will fly by quickly as you partake in these fun little battles, as the game's personality will be all in your face whilst you are gunning down and blowing up your enemies.

PROS:

• Excellent online play
• Memorable characters
• Simple control scheme
• That theme song!!!

CONS:

• Could've used a story mode
• Matches may last too long for impatient gamers

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Awesomenauts succeeds in just about everything it sought to accomplish. A big welcome party to non-PC gamers to introduce them to the wonders of MOBA gaming, it spews out enough personality and style that will drag them back in each time. It may not be perfect, but it's a stellar first-try for the online genre. Now if you excuse me, I have to patiently wait for an Awesomenauts lunch box to be released...

FINAL GRADE: 8.1 (out of ten)

Press copy provided by Ronimo Games

Avengers time. C'mon, grab your friends. We'll go to very distant lands!

This week the gang tear a new asshole in parents who bring their children to a film that is neither appropriate or would hold their short attention spans, before going into the movie of the moment: The Avengers. Anvil gives his weekly sports report, tributes to the late Patriots player Junior Seau and Beastie Boy Adam "MCA" Yauch are held, and the demo for Dirt Showdown is examined.

The action-packed madness can be found here in Episode 139: Ave--PUT THOSE NIPPLES AWAY, HULK!!!

Last night the three of us made the trek to the Plymouth Memorial Hall to catch Cage Titans' latest fight card. With ten amateur fights and five pro matches the night was filled with many great hits, submissions, and even a little controversy...

Preliminary Bouts:

Marc Giordano (Dojo1) Vs. Brian Sparrow (Pro-Elite)

The fight stayed on the ground for the most part, but Sparrow submitted Giordano via arm bar 1:42 into the first round. This would later be awarded the Submission of the Night.

WINNER VIA SUBMISSION: Brian Sparrow

Moises Rodriguez (Tri-Force) Vs. George Nassar (MAXX Training)

Round One: Nassar tried to get an arm bar in, but Rodriguez lifted him up, only to find himself on the ground again. Nassar was soon taking punches from Rodriguez, as the rest of the match dragged to the end of the first round.

Round Two: Both fighters came out swinging, with Rodriguez getting a nice tap to Nassar's chin. Nassar soon had Rodriguez up at the cage, but was then taken to the ground. Rodriguez tried to get a few more swings in, but Nassar was able to hold him back to the end of the round.

Round Three: Nassar pinned Rodriguez up onto the cage, but once again found himself on the ground. Rodriguez tried his hand on a couple side punches, with Nassar clenching Rodriguez's head. Rodriguez momentarily got out of Nassar's grasp, and threw a couple punches before going back to the ground grappling. The rounded ended, leaving the decision up to the judges.

WINNER VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION: Moises Rodriguez (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

David Mejia (Carlson Gracie) Vs. Jordan Smith (Clinch MMA)

Round One: Smith pinned Mejia to the cage, only to find himself on the ground in a few seconds. Both fighters rose to their feet, throwing punches and kicks at one another.  Smith clenched onto Mejia on the ground, but wound up taking a couple punches. Smith returned the gesture with a couple kicks, but was pinned to the ground once more before the end of the first round.

Round Two: Both fighters hopped around the cage, throwing as many punches and kicks as they could. Mejia soon was locked onto Smith's back trying for a rear-naked choke before settling for a couple punches. Soon Mejia was on top of Smith, as Smith held him down as much as he could to prevent being hit before the end of the round.

Round Three: Mejia came charging towards Smith, knocking him to the ground. Mejia once again tried for a rear-naked choke, but found himself unable to lock it in. Both fighters jumped to their feet, with Mejia connecting a few punches before moving to the other side of the cage. Mejia and Smith continued the battle on the ground, with Mejia dominating with many different hits to the head. It wasn't enough, however, and the fight's decision rested on the judges.

WINNER VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION: David Mejia (30-27 all)

Stephen Langlais (Team BKJA) Vs. John Healey (The Shop)

Round One: Both fighters began with a few punches and kicks, before Langlais grabbed Healey and brought him to the side of the cage. Healey was then able to reverse the position, slamming Langlais to the ground. Both fighters seemed to keep one another from landing any critical, though Healey did get a couple knees to Langlais's side. The roles were once again reversed, with Langlais on top swinging at Healey until the end of the first round.

Round Two: Langlais and Healey traded bars on the cage, before Healey found an opening and swung at Langlais to escape from the side. Healey then pinned Langlais to the cage door, dropping him to the ground and then connecting with multiple punches. Healey had control of the majority of this round.

Round Three: Both fighters traded kicks before being pushed to the side of the cage. Back at the center Langlais taunted Healey as he couldn't connect with a single punch, with Healey returning the gesture by slamming him to the ground. Healey grabbed Langlais in a headlock, kneeing him in the stomach before each fighter rose nose-to-nose of one another. Healey got Langlais on the ground once more before the round's end, leaving the decision once more in the hands of the judges.

WINNER VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION: John Healey (27-30, 28-29, 27-30)

Connor Matthews (Lakeville MMA) Vs. Anthony Hargrove (MAXX Training)

Matthews knocked Hargrove down to the ground, quickly turning the match into a feast of grappling. Matthews soon attempted an arm bar, but Hargrove managed to get out of it. Hargrove soon found himself in a rear-naked choke via Matthews, forcing to tap out 1:37 in the first round. Matthews was a rabid animal in this bout, with Hargrove unable to get his hands around him.

WINNER VIA SUBMISSION: Connor Matthews

Vovka Clay (Triumph MMA) Vs. Shannon Soares (Gillett's MMA)

Round One: Soares charged towards Clay, knocking him to the ground in a piledriver-looking maneuver. Both fighters traded grappling positions, before rising to their feet and slamming each other back to the ground. Soares stayed on top for the majority of the first round.

Round Two: Vovka kept Soares in a headlock, finding themselves battling for control both on foot and on the mat. Vovka soon put a rear-naked choke on Soares, forcing him to tap out 1:52 of the second round. Vovka was ready for more right after the win.

WINNER VIA SUBMISSION: Vovka Clay

George Bounoutas (Carlson Gracie) Vs. Mark Cardarelli (USMMA)

Round One: Both fighters started by charging at one another, with Cardarelli cautiously watching Bounoutas's moves. Bounountas was able to get a takedown on Cardarelli, but not without being busted open in the head via a quick swipe from his opponent. Both fighters managed to get a few punches in on one another on the ground, with Bounoutas staying on top for the most part of the first round.

Round Two: Cardarelli was able to get a few punches in the first couple seconds, before Bounoutas got him to the ground and attempted to steal a few swipes. Bounoutas's wound opened once again, though it did little to slow him down. The round ended with little change to the position of the battle.

Round Three: The fighters were brought to the ground, with Bounoutas able to get the upper hand in the power struggle with his opponent. Bounoutas's wound opened again, but he still wouldn't slow down and give up his domination of the fight. The match went into the judges' hands.

WINNER VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION: George Bounoutas (30-27 all)

Dan Lopez (Sport Specific Fitness) Vs. Peter Barrett (MAXX Training)

Round One: Barrett came at Lopez in the beginning swinging and kicking, with Lopez able to move away half the time. The match soon went cage-side, with Barrett pushing Lopez onto the steel ridges and almost breaking the door down during the process. Both fighters caught their composure, with Lopez connecting a couple punches before round's end.

Round Two: The fighters traded punches, neither one of them seeming to lose any sort of steam. Suddenly Lopez started knocking Barrett down, with the referee calling the match before quickly changing his mind. Barrett soon took over, almost earning a TKO, but Lopez was able to stay in the fight through the round's end. The crowd was not pleased that the match was to go on.

Round Three: Barrett took charge, with the intensity of the crowd behind him. Barrett knocked Lopez to the ground, getting in as many punches as he could before the referee stopped the match 0:45 into the third round. The crowd had mixed feelings about the result, with a blend of cheers and boos mending in the air. A rematch seems imminent, as the crowd gave Lopez a standing ovation. No animosity was to be found between the fighters, as they hugged before they left the cage. Fight of the Night would be awarded to this battle.

WINNER VIA TKO: Peter Barrett

Jeff Watts (Team Pradal Serey) Vs. Rico Disciullo (Sityodtong)

Round One: Watts got into a wrestling stance as Disciullo tried to get a punch or kick in. Watts grabbed hold of Disciullo's leg, getting an ankle lock in. Disciullo was able to escape, but was then temporarily locked in an arm bar. Both fighters stood toe-to-toe as the round came to a close.

Round Two: Disciullo knocked Watts to the ground, throwing numerous punches, but was unable to get the big hit in. The referee forced Watts up, with Disciullo getting a knockout punch 1:12 into the second round. Watts had trouble getting up after the match was called. This would be voted as Knockout of the Night.

WINNER VIA KNOCKOUT: Rico Disciullo

Main Card:

James Smith (MAXX Training) Vs. Nick Fontecchio (Connors MMA) - Heavyweight Amateur Title Bout

Round One: Fontecchio pushed Smith to the cage, but Smith was able to get a headlock in on the ground. Both fighters stood up before Fontecchio was able to slam Smith to the ground and throw a few punches. Smith then attempted to lock a submission in, but was unable to connect. Fontecchio also attempted an armbar, but was unsuccessful as the round reached its end.

Round Two: Fontecchio took Smith down, as both fighters struggled to get a hit in. Fontecchio stayed on top for the most part, holding Smith down as he attempted to create a submission maneuver whilst throwing random punches. The scene remained the same as it went to the next round.

Round Three: Both fighters quickly turned it into another ground game. Fontecchio stayed on top again as he tried to bend Smith's arm out to attempt another submission. The referee called a stop to the match 2:31 into the third round after Fontecchio landed multiple hits on Smith.

WINNER VIA TKO: Nick Fontecchio

Shaun Marmas (Integrated Martial Arts) Vs. Chris Rowley (Sityodtong)

Rowley started the match off with a simple takedown, landing a couple punches on Marmas's side. Rowley stood up, but was quickly grabbed back down by Marmas before both fighters rose to their feet. Marmas slammed Rowley back down, but was soon caught in a headlock before transforming Rowley's attack into another takedown. Marmas was then caught in Rowley's grasp, but was able to reverse it into his advantage. Marmas then locked Rowley in a triangle choke, forcing him to tap out 4:44 in the first round. Both fighters gave each other props for a well-done match right afterwards, with much respect given to one another.

WINNER VIA SUBMISSION: Shaun Marmas

Keegan Hornstra (The Shop) Vs. Bobby Flynn (Pro-Elite)

Both fighters hugged before the start of the match, before Flynn pushed Hornstra to the cage. The match moved to the ground, as Flynn put himself on top and managed to get on Hornstra's back. Flynn attempted to get some strikes in, before going into a rear-naked choke to make Hornstra tap out 2:20 in the first round.

WINNER VIA SUBMISSION: Bobby Flynn

Jesse Merit (Team Anubis) Vs. Shawn Baker (CCFA)

Round One: Baker started off the match with a couple kicks, as both men moved in a circle around the cage as they were feeling each other out. Baker continuously kicked at Merit's side. Merit looked as if he was being too cautious, as his punches weren't connecting. The match stayed on foot throughout the entire round.

Round Two: Merit finally started connecting hits, but Baker seemed too speedy to cause much damage. Merit attempted a couple charges towards Baker, but was soon caught in a headlock next to the cage. Baker tried for a sleeper in his position, as Merit slowly went to the ground. Merit soon escaped, but then found himself on the ground as Baker tried pinning him down to find a good opening for a submission. No such luck, as the match went into the third round.

Round Three: Baker pinned Merit to the cage, as Merit threw a couple knees into Baker's abdomen. Baker returned the knees with his own, which seemed to knock the wind out of Merit. Baker locked Merit in another headlock, moving the match to the ground before Merit escaped his grasp. The match retuned to the ground, as Baker and Merit slowly stood toe-to-toe locked next to the cage. Both fighters went back the ground, as Baker attempted to get some final strikes in before the round's end. The match would be decided by the judges.

WINNER VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION: Shawn Baker (27-30 all)

Jimmy Collins (Lauzon MMA) Vs. Lionel Young (MAXX Training)

Round One: Collins charged towards Young during the start of the match, with both fighters dropping to the ground as they traded side punches. Collins was able to hold Young down as he clenched on his back in an attempt to get a hold in. Young soon rolled over, but found himself with Merit on his back again throwing punches from behind. Young struggled to find his composure, as Collins continuously threw punches at him. Suddenly Young turned the tables on Collins, as the round ended with him dominating Collins on top.

Round Two: Young landed a knee into Collins stomach, but Collins was able to take him down to the ground. Young quickly reversed it, with him on top and Collins trying to roll him back over. Once again Collins was on top, with Young on his belly as he tried blocking his hits. Young tried to get out of it, but found himself yet again on his back, before rolling Collins over and attempting to get as many hits in as Collins tried for a headlock. The last few seconds of the round had Collins throwing a couple more punches.

Round Three: The match quickly went to the ground, as Young attempted to connect a few punches as Collins held him down. Collins then put Young in a sleeper hold, forcing him to tap out 1:18 of the third round.

WINNER VIA SUBMISSION: Jimmy Collins

Johnny Campbell (SSSF) Vs. Tateki Matsuda (Sityodtong) - Pro Welterweight Title Bout

Round One: Campbell connected with a swift kick to Matsuda's thigh, but missing on two crucial high kicks. Campbell attempted a takedown, but failed to get Matsuda off his feet. Matsuda connected a side kick, as Campbell taunted him whilst throwing more kicks that didn't see any connects. Matsuda was brought to one knee, but quickly gained back concentration as Campbell tried for another high kick. The two charged at one another during the last few seconds of the round, with Matsuda falling to the mat as it reached the end.

Round Two: Campbell and Matsuda both attempted high kicks, each one failing to find any connection. Matsuda landed a punch on Campbell's cheek, whom answered back with a swift kick that sent Matsuda rolling backwards onto his feet. Campbell tried for another takedown, finding the result the same as before. He soon managed to get a quick punch on Matsuda's face, before both fighters crossed legs during simultaneous kicks. Both fighters dealt kicks and punches back and forth, each one too quick to cause any damage to one another. The round ended with a quick grappling, with neither fighter able to take the other down.

Round Three: Campbell and Matsuda continued to trade kicks and punches., with neither fighter wanting to back down. Matsuda was able to get a few quick punches near the cage, but soon backed from Campbell as he attempted to return with his own. Campbell soon was able to get Matsuda on the ground, but quickly both fighters sprung back to their feet. Both fighters appeared to be losing steam at this point, though they were still able to trade a couple kicks and punches. Matsuda then held Campbell on the cage, but was unable to accomplish anything as the round reached its end.

Round Four: Both fighters circled the cage as they attempted to feel each other out . Matsuda managed to get two kicks in, as Campbell went for another takedown. Campbell found this takedown to work, but soon found himself on the bottom as Matsuda tried to sneak in a couple punches. Both fighters got back on their feet, but Matsuda quickly charged at Campbell, knocking in to the ground. Matsuda clung to Campbell's back, searching for a submission attempt. Before the round's end Matsuda was able to connect a couple punches on Campbell.

Round Five: Campbell quickly went for a takedown, but Matsuda returned with one of his own. With Matsuda on top Campbell struggled to find a way to grasp his opponent while on the ground. Matsuda quickly landed a few punches, but Campbell soon jumped to his feet, only to be taken down again by his opponent. While clinging to Campbell's back Matsuda connected a few more punches, as his opponent struggled to get to his feet. Both fighters seemed to use up all their energy as the round met its end, leaving the decision in the hands of the judges.

WINNER VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION: Tateki Matsuda (44-50, 44-49, 46-49)

Proofread by Blueonic & Anvil

Teg chats with the Taitale Studios's CEO Lead Game Developer of one of the most anticipated MMO games coming out this year.

Recorded at PAX East Teg gets the lowdown from Nick Talmers Nieuwoudt about Novus Aeterno, the first true MMO real-time strategy game. Hear how the game mechanics work, how the units you create impact the game, and how AI priorities works will work when you are offline. Plus find out how Taitale brings fans into the development stages to help create the game.

Get the lowdown here in the PAX East 2012 Special Podcast Report: Novus Aeterno!

Since PAX East 2011 I have been keeping a keen eye on Reverge Labs' Skullgirls, a 2D fighter that takes various nods from games like Guilty Gear and anime like Ikki Tousen. The final product that has appeared on Xbox Live Arcade and PSN, however, has left much to be desired.

Skullgirls has eight fighters you can choose from, with each one having unique talents and traits that play to their advantages during their battles. For example Miss Fortune has the ability to remove her head, and then use it to attack her foes on one side of the screen while the rest of her body attacks on the other side. The slapstick-influenced Peacock can launch explosive devices towards you, as well as use classic comedic props such as pies and mallets to knock out her opponents. Double, meanwhile, can transform herself into any of the Skullgirls characters and perform their techniques.

In Arcade Mode of Skullgirls players can choose to play as one strong character, two semi-strong characters, or three regularly-strengthed fighters. While it might be wise to stick to one strong fighter, those who are good with various characters may find themselves wanting to go with the two or three character route during Arcade mode, as the various methods each fighter has can work to your advantage against the other participants you face off with. Story Mode focuses on eight different stories surrounding the fighters, each one linked to the tale of the Skull Heart. The story goes that there is an item known as the Skull Heart that can grant any wish to those who obtain it. However if the one asking for the wish is impure, she will be transformed into the Skull Girl and wreak havoc over the the human race.

Players will be able to unleash combo attacks while fighter, even earning different levels during battle that can lead to more powerful attacks (known as Blockbusters). It was here, unfortunately, where my first problem with Skullgirls appeared. I found it increasingly difficult to conjure up any sort of combo attacks with the way my Xbox controller is set up. The more I played the game, the more I realized that Skullgirls was designed to play more on a traditional arcade stick, something that plenty of gamers (including myself) may not put money down on.

There is a tutorial mode that's supposed to help show how to pull off the bigger moves, but half the time I couldn't perform what they were telling me to do. It also doesn't help that they used code initials instead of the actual A/B/X/Y button names to tell you how to complete the move, which led to multiple times pausing the tutorial and looking at what which code initial matches to each button. Even when I got that down patch the combos would never work. The only way I could pull them off was by going crazy on my D-pad, which I don't like doing in feat of breaking my controller.

Then there is the problem with the AI in Skullgirls, as it can be very difficult to defeat just about anyone in this game even on the easiest mode (known as "Sleepwalker"). The character I have the biggest issue with is Miss Fortune, who for the past few weeks I have been unable to defeat, no matter how many times I go up against her. (I've heard from other gamers online that they've also had issue with her difficulty, making me wonder if there's a problem with her coding.) Half the time I faced her I couldn't get a single punch in, as she spent the entire match doing combo after combo to beat me lifeless. It's one thing to add a challenging element to a fighting game, but Skullgirls can become beyond frustrating.

It's a fact that Skullgirls looks great. The hand-drawn anime visuals add a great style to a genre that hasn't seen a look done this well since Wii's Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars. Each character moves around as fluidly as a big-budgeted Cartoon Network series, with the Blockbusters stealing the show at every corner. The voice acting can be quite hilarious at times, with some lines fitting perfectly with the character that you're about to face. (The "cheeseburger" taunts you say against Miss Fortune had me on the floor laughing.) The soundtrack from famed Castlevania composer Michiru Yamane also helps set up the mood in each stage you play.

Skullgirls also features an online battle mode...when it works, though. Three-quarters of the time I've tried battling online it either kicks me off or it says there's an error with the server. When it does work I couldn't help but notice the game having lag issues. From time-to-time the action in the game would slow down, making it hard to maneuver and battle it out against your online opponent.

With only eight characters to play as, there is currently a very minuscule replay value to be found once you beat all the story modes (if you can beat them, that is). Sure there is plenty of fighting to be had with friends, but the sheer quality of its sights and sounds still doesn't replace the quantity of combatants you can go hands-on with. Autumn Games has promised more characters via DLC, but if they're not free (as the 1200 Xbox Points/$15.00 price tag is more of a ripoff than anything) many people won't be jumping on the chance to grab them.

PROS:

• Hand-drawn look nicely detailed
• Beautiful soundtrack
• Game can be humorous at times

CONS:

• Only eight characters for $15.00
• Need an arcade stick to play it correctly
• Online mode doesn't work from time-to-time
• Miss Fortune's AI

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I know there's a good game somewhere in Skullgirls, but as the game is now it feels below average thanks to the minimum amount of characters, confusing control scheme, and a certain character's AI system that makes her impossible to defeat. What Reverge Labs and Autumn Games have released here is an incomplete title, and to charge it the way they currently are is a slap to the face of every fan of the fighting genre. Maybe later in the year the game will become better, but for now I'd wait for new life to be breathed into Skullgirls before putting the cash down for it.

FINAL GRADE: 4.8 (out of ten)

Recorded once upon a midnight dreary, while Bastards pondered weak and weary...

This week the B3 crew takes a look at the demos for Dragon's Dogma, Ninja Gaiden 3, Bloodforge, Deep Black - Episode 1, and The Walking Dead - Episode 1. John Cusack's performance in The Raven is critiqued, the week in sports is examined, and the Bastards listen with delight to Jack White's new album.

What they utter is their only stock and store. It's Episode 138: Quoth The Raven, "Piss Off!!!"

By the end of the Rammstein concert Sunday night at the nearly-packed DCU Center people were set on fire, sprayed with water, showered with confetti, and covered in foam. It was also visual proof that the six-piece metal act from Berlin know exactly how to put on a memorable show.

Rammstein entered the arena via walking through the crowd and over a descending bridge, before breaking into "Sonne" with the crowd counting along with vocalist Till Lindermann in German. The pyro came full force during "Wollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen?" where flames and explosions surrounded Lindermann and drummer Christoph Schneider. During "Feuer Frei" the flames grew farther thanks in part to the fire-breathing masks worn by three-fifths of the band, creating a heat that could be felt all around the arena.

Being together for over fifteen years has done nothing to weaken the strong stage presence of Rammstein. Lindermann knew how to pull at the heart strings, especially during "Mutter" and "Ohne Dich," where his growl was replaced with a voice filled with power and sadness. Schneider banged away at his kit with extreme energy, whilst guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe jammed on opposing sides of the stage. Bassist Ollie Riedel stayed next to the drum kit for the most part, jumping down to join his guitarists here and there. Keyboardist Flake, on the other hand, slammed on the ivories whist walking on a treadmill and occasionally dancing along with the music, making it clear why he might be the most popular member of the band.

Despite the heavy music Rammstein have not forgotten to have fun during their performances. When Lindermann emerged with a giant cooking pot during "Mein Teil" there sat inside of it was Flake, gleefully being burnt alive by the frontman before running around the stage with mini-flames shooting out of his behind. As the first encore began the band crawled over the bridge to a mini-stage set in front of the soundboards like dogs while Schneider -- dressed in drag -- whipped them along to the other side. Lindermann also managed to get the audience wet during "Bück Dich" with a water cannon protruding from his face, then shooting the audience with bubbly foam out of his giant pink cannon in the show closer "Pussy."

When it was all said and done Rammstein gave it their all and more, and Worcester returned the showmanship with massive sing-alongs and the occasional helping hand (especially during "Haifisch," where Flake surfed the crowd on an inflatable boat). As the final note played the band knelt towards the audience, giving thanks to the crowd for feeding them the energy needed to pull off a show like this. "I hope we don't get arrested like last time," shouted a smiling Lindermann, referencing the infamous Worcester incident from 1999. In true form Rammstein gave the audience exactly what they came to see: a night of explosive songs, jaw-dropping spectacles, and a visual experience unlike any other band in the world can deliver. Here's hoping Rammstein returns to our parts sooner than over a decade later.

Taking a page out of Nintendo's book, Sony has announced that many of its popular characters will square off in a fight to the finish.

Dubbed PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale the game will have up to four players battling one another in worlds based off of classic Sony titles. Characters announced so far include Kratos (God of War), Parappa the Rapper, Sweet Tooth (Twisted Metal), Colonel Radec (Killzone), Sly Cooper, and Fat Princess, with more characters to be revealed later in the year. The game is being developed by SuperBot Entertainment, a new independent company under Sony that sports people who helped out make such games as the recent Mortal Kombat reboot and UFC Undisputed. Santa Monica Studio will also be lending a helping hand in development.

While we only know little about it, we can probably expect more in-depth detail regarding PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale later at E3 in June, with hopefully the chance to go hands-on with it on the convention floor.

There comes a time when a game not only embraces artistic integrity, it puts it front and center in the gaming experience. Titles such as Flower and Journey have done this well in the past, in which gameplay, storytelling, and visual beauty combine to create a unique experience. Newcomers Polytron Corporation (with some assistance from Trapdoor, the makers of the violently brilliant Warp) have done just that with its Xbox Live Arcade exclusive Fez, a game that not only gives nods to old-school gaming, but also successfully meshes it with new-school style.

Gomez lives in a world where cubes claim to be nonexistent, until one day he is given the adventurous task of saving his beloved world when shards of 32 gold cubes and 32 anti-cubes are scattered across the land. With the power of switching perceptions thanks to his new hat Gomez can now reach bigger heights and solve puzzles. Along with his not-so-helpful friend Dot, Gomez races against time to save his planet from being sucked into a black hole.

The game is constantly played from a 2D-aspect, with the ability to flip the view of each world 90 degrees at a time. Throughout the game players will have to find doors that lead to different rooms and areas that contain shards of the golden cubes, as well as figure out the solution to various puzzles. You will also collect maps that lead to hints for four hidden artifacts, though these maps can be quite confusing to figure out. There are no power-ups, there are no villains, and there are no penalties for death. This game is about an average character who is given an extraordinary task, something that should hit home to gamers everywhere.

The game's simple control scheme allows gamers of all ages to jump into Fez. Clicking the left trigger or right trigger flips the area, the d-pad or left control stick moves Gomez around, A jumps, B lets you talk or read signs, and X grabs objects used to solve key mysteries throughout the game. At times players will find themselves thinking outside the box to discover hidden cubes and pieces, with some puzzles literally requiring gamers to use something outside their Xbox. In a couple instances I came across some wall imagery that looked conspicuously like QR codes. Turns out by whipping out your smartphone and scanning the image you will find a hidden button code that -- when put in -- will grab you another cube for you to use on your journey.

It is very easy to get lost in the world of Fez, though, with its beautiful map causing more confusion than help. At the same time, however, I feel that this game encourages games to lose themselves in it. The worlds you travel within Fez are nothing short of breathtaking, with each pixel pulling you in closer and closer as the game progresses. It may look like something you've played on your NES back in the day, but here the game's ambiance helps to make the visuals seem fresh and something you've never seen before. Each area I discovered made me gaze at its beauty, something that not even a game made using the Unreal engine has ever made me do. My face almost starting hurting from smiling so much during gameplay because I was so enthralled by its world.

A special nod must be given to Disasterpeace's musical score. It is the icing of this game's delicious cake, with each song creating the perfect emotional companion piece to what is happening on the screen. (If I were you, I'd at least take a listen to it on his Bandcamp page, with the option of buying it if you like all things gaming.)

What works, too, about Fez is its tongue-in-cheek humor. For one thing your new friend Dot, who is supposed to be your guide in this game, really doesn't do much except tell you how to control the game. When it comes to the knowings of what's going on, he has just as much of a clue as you. Polytron also made some "glitchy" gags when Gomez first gains the power of the fez, going so far as to "rebooting" the game in classic Windows 3.1 fashion.

Fez will take you roughly six hours to complete during your first playthrough, as you need just 32 cubes of any kind to access the final door. The ending you will bear witness to is very Kubrick, only instead you're given a much happier ending than what he would've done. The option of New Game+ will also appear as soon as you beat it, with all the cubes and artifacts you've collected from your first go-around in your possession; and believe me: you'll have to learn a new made-up language to find the other 32 cubes in the game. (No, seriously, you will.) There's also one tiny little bonus you'll be able to do in New Game+, but I will not spoil it for anyone here.

PROS:

• Unique twist on classic gaming
• Beautiful visuals and soundtrack
• Puzzles will work your brain in various great ways

CONS:

• Can get lost in the worlds easily

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Fez is a love letter to games and gamers alike. It has so much character and beauty that it's impossible to ignore. What Polytron has done here with 8-bit gaming is the same thing electronica artists have done with chiptune music: made it fresh and exciting for a whole new generation. Fez isn't just an amazing game, it's also a work of digital art. When 2012 draws to a close, it might even be my pick for Game of the Year.

FINAL GRADE: 10 (out of ten)

Nyuk nyuk nyuk! BOOP!

This week the B3 crew gets into Record Store Day discussion, which somehow leads to a 4/20 rant and back around again. The week in sports is put on the table, and Blueonic happily goes Tourette's with Trials Evolution and the Ghost Recon: Future Soldier beta. Finally the movies The Three Stooges, Lockout, and The Lucky One are reviewed.

Clam it, chowderheads! It's Episode 137: The B3 Stooges!

Pop punk pioneers Shonen Knife, who recently celebrated their 30th Anniversary with a Ramones cover album, has announced that they'll be releasing a brand new studio album this June.

Pop Tune, the new album, was recorded in Osaka in early 2012 after the band's successful Osaka Ramones World Tour in 2011. The album will be released in America on June 6th via Good Charamel Records, with a US tour beginning in Philadelphia this July.

TOUR DATES:

7-19 Philadelphia, PA- Johnny Brenda’s*
7-20 Asbury Park, NJ –Asbury Lanes*
7-21 Brooklyn, NY- The Bell House*
7-22 Hoboken, NJ- Maxwells*
7-24 Providence, RI- Providence Social Club*
7-25 Portland, ME - Space Gallery*
7-26 Allston, MA- Great Scotts*
7-27 Rochester, NY – Bug Jar*
7-28 Long Lake, NY – Mt. Sabattis Pavillion*
7-29 Bethlehem, PA- Levitt Pavillion Steelstacks*
7-30 Detroit, MI- Lager House -*
7-31 Great Rapids, MI- The Pyramid Scheme*
8-2 Chicago, IL- Empty Bottle*
8-3 TBA
8-4 Minneapolis, MN-The Entry
8-5 Fargo, ND- The Aquarium
8-8 Seattle, WA- Tractor Tavern
8-9 Portland, OR- Dante’s
8-10 San Francisco, Ca- Bottom of the Hill
8-11 San Jose, CA- Blank Club
8-12 So Cal. - TBD
8-13 So Cal - TBD
8-14 Tucson, AZ- Club Congress
8-16 Austin, TX- Red 7 -
8-17 Dallas, TX- Club Dada
8-18 Little Rock, AR- Stickyz Rock’n’Roll Chicken
8-19 Nashville, TN- Exit / In*
8-20 Cincinnati, OH- Taft Theatre*
8-21 Cleveland, OH- Beachland Ballroom*
8-22 Toronto, ON- The Quadrangle / Hart House
* w/ opening band White Mystery

It's a real shame when a band really hits its stride, only to announce they're disbanding as soon as they're finished with their current tour. Such is the sad case of LAZYgunsBRISKY, an all-girl rock band from Japan whose past works were comparable to the likes of old-school Guns N' Roses and the Raw Power era of The Stooges. Last September they released their second self-titled full-length album in their homeland (and released in America this week), showcasing the sheerest elements needed to thrive in the rock world.

The album starts off with a sort of bad attitude in "A-Cha." Here vocalist Lucy howls about the American style and dream over Izumi's Hendrix-influenced guitar riffs. It's unknown by a non-Japanese speaker if she's for or against the Western culture, as her tone could be for either/or. "B.o.Y" brings the band through a sort of "kawaii rock" element, giving a feel of dance and free-spiritedness throughout the tune. While light-years away from their bad girl image "B.o.Y" is both too fun and too catchy to not get into.

It's in "Song For Me" where LAZYgunsBRISKY gets into their familiar territory. It hits heavy -- especially in Moe's drum department -- with a simple singalong chorus that contains an accompanying male vocalist that sounds suspiciously like Seiji from Guitar Wolf. (Odds are it's just someone that really sounds just like him.) Bassist Azu has her moment in the sun with "Here We Go," where plucks away like a demon stuck in the belly of the beast, while Lucy screams "nothing could be true" with a fiery passion.

"Q" lets the band's fervors out in full swing. There's a sort of swagger that can be found in the way Lucy croons here, as the rest of the band backs up her needs with Spinnerette-styled sex appeal. It's followed by "18," which breathes a rockabilly life into the spunk of LAZYgunsBRISKY that brings to mind the likes of Gitogito Hustler and 54 Nude Honeys into the foray. Meanwhile "Freak" has the band warped in Izumi's twangy notes and Lucy's megaphone-drowned vocals, a badass initiative if it weren't for the fact that you can barely understand what she's saying in the song, and not in a strong way. (Perhaps she should've taken a cue from Damon Albarn when he recorded Gorillaz's "Punk".)

The album closes with "It's Gonna Be Alright," a very big change in pace compared to the rest of the album. Perhaps it's here where the band wants to assure their fans that even though they're about to go their separate ways, those involved in LAZYgunsBRISKY will still be friends with one another. It's the type of song that melts the icy heart made by the previous tracks, giving way to a warm smile that oddly bookends with the album's sneering opener. If this album really is LAZYgunsBRISKY's swan song, then they have left us one hell of an epitaph.

**** (out of five)

Press copy provided by Good Charamel Records

The days of hardcore side-scrolling mass anarchy shooters appears to be upon us once again, as Boston's own Demiurge Studios has unleashed Shoot Many Robots, a game that is as insane as it will drive you to become. It's been well over a year since I went hands-on with it at PAX East 2011, so how has it fared since then?

Up to four players online and offline face off in this game, as you take on many evil mechanisms big and small. Some shoot back, while others use various types of weapons to try and kill you and your fleshy pals. As you off these damned droids you can collect gears that can unlock new weapons, gear, and other things that will help protect you from the metallic evil that wishes to destroy you.

I know what you must be thinking: how did these robots overrun the human race? Well as there is no backstory to be found in Shoot Many Robots, it seems that is left up to the player's imagination. Perhaps a group of inventors were looking to improve on the logging industry by building robots with chainsaws and programmed them wrong, making them think humans were trees. Maybe the robots began to think independently, and decided upon an uprising against the humans who created them. We aren't told, so the possibilities are endless as to what happened.

In the game you are given two sets of weapons. The primary weapon gives you unlimited ammo, and can vary from uzis and shotguns to flamethrowers. Depending on what sort of level you will come across can help or hinder you depending on which of these primary weapon you choose from. Your secondary weapon, however, can vary from sticky bombs to ice rays, and can take out many robots if your aim is true. The secondary weapon is stocked up limitedly, so it's best to use it against the tougher, heavier droids you'll have to face off against.

In Shoot Many Robots there are two kinds of levels you will come across. The first is your run-of-the-mill side-scrolling setup that will have you maneuver through the level as you destroy as many bots as you can. Here you'll find yourself mostly in the outdoors area of your home turf, having to jump over rundown trucks and climbing onto rooftops in order to take out as many robots as you possibly can. At times you'll find your character trapped in a small area until you kill all the bots on-screen, but with the right strategy and a keen sense of your surroundings you can probably wipe them out in a couple minutes. Levels that take place in factories will have other hinderances such as massive gears, lava, and squishing engines that you'll have to maneuver around in order to avoid death. Thankfully there are checkpoints, which do come in handy when you're all out of beer and secondary weaponry.

The other kind of level you'll deal with is Survival. Here you will have to live through at least one round in order to continue on your journey to save the world, and it's easier said than done. The bots come at you at the near-hundreds, sometimes from behind and above, making you an easy target. Even with the three beers you are given to boost up health the task can be much harder than you can imagine. Some of the power-ups you are given can help you destroy them easier, but only for a limited time. However once you pass the first round you won't have to worry about beating anymore, as you can survive as long as you can without having to worry about having to start over again.

Demiurge Studios is known for their work in such games as Borderlands, Mass Effect, and a couple of the Brothers In Arms titles, and Shoot Many Robots's overall look is definitely reminiscent of the former. Its cartoonish is quite appealing, as it sometimes soften the blow when you're being smothered by an army of chainsaw-wielding robots. Also on-par is Rich Vreeland's rockin' score, which is very reminiscent of the classic FPS title Redneck Rampage (a game that seriously needs to come back for a new generation to enjoy). Its musical cues not only sound great, but also help out in the end when it comes to prepping for a melee section of the game.

Now comes the hard part about this review: the overall gameplay aspect. Shoot Many Robots is indeed a fun game to play with friends, as the more people you have the easier it is to take on the bots. When you play by yourself, however, it can lead to more frustrating levels than you can imagine. Yes it can be fun, but at times you'll probably be screaming at your TV at the sheer difficulty you'll be facing (and this is on the Normal Mode).

Also a hit-or-miss is its control scheme. Jumping, switching weapons, and floor smash is easy to figure out, but when it comes to aiming that could be tricky. By having the aiming system mashed with the maneuvering system, it can sometimes be a chore to try and kill the robots. I can't seem to figure out why Demiurge Studios didn't have it set so the right analog stick was used for aiming, which would've made it less of a chore to shoot the flying robots above you.

One other thing that bothers me is the somewhat forced M-rating of the game. Shoot Many Robots could've easily been playable by people at least ten years-old and up, but it is not to be due of the wording of some of the weapons' descriptions. It's sadly not even funny, which is what I think Demiurge was trying to go for. Trust me when I say there's a difference between earning an M-rating for art's sake (Mass Effect, The Dishwasher), grabbing one for pushing the envelope brilliantly (Bulletstorm, House of the Dead: Overkill), and slapping one on for the sake of trying (and failing) to be "edgy." Shoot Many Robots falls into the latter category, which is a shame because it closes off such a large demographic that would love playing a game like this.

Players can expect up to 17 hours of gameplay in the story mode, and with many stars to earn in order to unlock areas you can expect many more tagged on in order to complete the main game. You can also revisit old levels with friends so you can earn more gears to unlock the rest of the weapons you can use on the robots, making many reasons to go through and beat the game again.

PROS:

• Tons of bots to kill
• Great weapon upgrades, costumes
• Four-player co-op takes some of the heat off of the robots

CONS:

• Can be frustrating playing by yourself
• Aiming is tough when trying to evade enemies
• Unnecessary bad language more amateurish than clever

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Shoot Many Robots gives proper nod to such classics as Metal Slug and Contra, both in gameplay and difficulty. While playing solo may infuriate you as you die once again by the the clenches of the androids, with friends the game can be a blast. It's just a shame that the unneeded vulgarity in the game closes off a good chunk of gamers that would love to play it. Still Shoot Many Robots is a fun, gun-crazy title from Demiurge Studios that will impress many who find it on their resume.

FINAL GRADE: 7.6 (out of 10)

After spending last weekend at two conventions, the Bastards reconvene for an all-new episode.

This week King Baby Duck and Blueonic share their thoughts on PAX East 2012, and Anvil manages to find reasons why he had some sort of fun at Anime Boston. The week in sports is discussed, as are the demo version of Sniper Elite V2 and Fez.

It's short, sweet, and will get you extra clean! It's Episode 136: You Don't Drop The Soap. The Soap Drops You!

We the Bastards were able to take the trip down to the very lovely Holiday Inn Events Room in Mansfield, MA for the AFO Night of Champions.

FIGHT RESULTS:

AFO Vacant 155-lb Championship

Tyson Chartier (3-1, Sityodong) 154 lbs. VS Thane Stimson (0-1, Alpha Male) 153 lbs.

Stimson wins via locking in a Guillotine choke, 2 minutes 45 seconds into the first round.

AFO Vacant 170-lb Championship

Brandon Chagnon (4-2, Sityodong) 170 lbs. VS Jeremy Ross (4-3, Gladiator BJJ) 167 lbs.

Ross wins via guillotine tap out, 1 minute 2 seconds into the first round.

Grappling Exhibition

Kody Nordby (Undefeated AFO 125-lb Champ) VS Kin Moy (#1 135-lb Amateur)

These guys did a great grappling match to show the art of the sport! Norby will be going into the military in the next few days, so that means he won’t be fighting for a while.

AMATEUR MATCHES:

Mike Burke (3-1, Lake Valley) 171 lbs. VS Tim Leary (3-0, Redline) 169 lbs.

First Round: Leary was able to do a couple reversals on Burke, and it went down to the ground where Leary almost got a rear naked choke. Nothing came from it, which brought it to the second round.

Second Round: Burke took down Leary, and was in a stalemate for a bit. There was some movement from Leary to spin out from a ground position, but ended up back with Burke at half-guard. Burke was able to throw a few more punches, but it still managed to reach the third round.

Third Round: Burke started off with kicks and punches, and was able to bring the match to the ground. Burke then got a rear naked choke and a tap out 38 seconds into the third round. Winner and new amateur champ of 170-lb weight class: Mike Burke.

Kevin Ortiz (1-1, Thorton MMA) 156 lbs. VS Jarrid Heon (3-3, Team Link/Strike Zone) 145 lbs.

First Round: I would have to say this one went to Heon. He came out with a great kick to the arm of Ortiz, then it ended up against the cage. It then went to the ground where it seemed Ortiz had control on the ground for a quarter of the match. Heon was then able to gain control on the ground and dominate the first round.

Second Round: Heon came out on top once again, and was able to get Ortiz to the ground. The fight almost had to be stopped due to multiple blows to Ortiz, but he was able to kick out of it.

Third Round: Heon was able to get Ortiz to the ground once more, connecting some serious strikes to Ortiz that he could not fight back. This one goes to decision, the judges unanimous crowning Jarrod Heon the amateur champion.

Cory Pickering (4-0, SSS) 144 lbs. VS Soap Am (1-0, TPS) 145 lbs.

Soap Am via knockout 11 seconds into the first round, crowning him the new AFO 145-lb weight champion.

Billy Giovanella (Connor’s) 135 lbs. VS Devin Pilkington (Ruckus) 136 lbs.

First Round: Giovanella was able to get two takedowns and dominate on the ground.

Second Round: Giovnella looked like he had the first half of the match until Pilkinton was able to get him into a dangerous triangle. Giovenlla was able to get out of it, with the match carrying over to the third round.

Third Round: The match seem to go back and forth, with Giovenlla able to get a few takedowns. Match goes to decision: Billy Giovanella, with a judge's score of 29-28.

Jarrod Sarno (SSS) 126 lbs. VS Mike Delosreyes (Dexter) 125 lbs.

First Round: Sarano was able to control the first half of the fight, but then Delosreyes was able to control the other half of the fight with strikes.

Second Round: Delosreyes was coming out with punches and kicks, but was taken to the cage and brought to the ground. Sarano stayed in half guard for most of the fight and worked the mid-section of Delosreyes. Delorosreyes was able to change the fight in his favor, but then it turned toward a stand-up fight as the round ended.

Third Round: Round seemed to go back-and-forth, where Sarano was able to put Delosreyes against the cage and get him to the ground. We saw a lot of reversals and strikes, but this round was up in the air.

Decision: Jarrod Sarno via unanimous decision, crowning him the Amateur Flyweight Champion

Asi Samburu (0-0, Doomsday) 170 lbs. VS Tunde Odumuso (1-4, Ruckus) 176 lbs.

Odumuso with a TKO body-to-head kick. Samburu fell and was dazed, causing the ref stopped the fight 1 minute 21 seconds into the first round.

Anthony Soto (0-1, Ruckus) 224 lbs. VS Leo Powers (0-0, Dexter) 212 lbs.

Powers tossed one hell of a punch that dropped Soto 1 minute 25 seconds into the first round, giving him a TKO victory.

Rickey Berkerian (0-0, SSS) 154 lbs. vs Frank Falso (0-3, Ruckus) 157 lbs.

Falso had some dominance with takedowns, but in the end Berkian puts him in an arm bar 2 minutes 48 seconds into the first round.

Mike Ingles (1-0) 184.5 lbs. VS Felix Gomez (1-0, Florian Martial Arts) 184.5 lbs.

First Round: Gomez seemed to have dominated with Ingles pressed against the cage, with both fighters trading knees and few punches.

Second Round: Gomez yet again put Ingles into the cage, controlling him by delivering rib shots. The fighters traded a few more knees and punches, but it seemed like Gomez again has the upper hand.

Third Round: Gomez once again held Ingles against the cage. The fight ended up on the ground, and it came close to an arm bar from Ingles to Gomez, but Gomez was able to get out and try for his own submission. The match goes to the judges: Felix Gomez via unanimous decision.

Eric Spicely (0-0, Triforce) 170 lbs. VS Giuseppi Andreoli (0-0, Rukus) 171 lbs.

Spicely defeats Giuseppi with a leg triangle choke submission in the first round.

Davis Roast (2-0, Sitydtong) 139 lbs. vs William Figueroa (0-1, Allaire) 145 lbs.

First Round: Roast had his back against the cage, and was taken to the ground by Figueroa. Roast was able to get a reversal into a full mount, where he was able to toss a couple ground and pound shots. Figueroa tried to get a choke hold on, but it ended with him flipping over. The event caused them into a mini fight before the round ended.

Second Round: The round ended up on the ground, where Figueroa was able to throw knees into the side of Roast.

Third Round: Roast shot in for a takedown, and it ended up with Figueroa attempting to lock in a guillotine. They ended up in a stalemate, but Roast was able to get back up and throw a couple more punches. Roast clutched onto Figueroa's back, attempting to get a rear naked choke, but was unable to complete it. Match goes to the judges: David Roast via unanimous decision.

Tom Venticinque (4-2, Team United) 185 lbs. VS Joe Palazio (4-1, Rukus) 185 lbs.

First Round: Venticinque held Palazio in a guillotine choke, but was unable to complete the submission.

Second Round: Palazio came out swinging, and was able to turn the fight in his favor this round. Palazio was able to get a rear naked choke but unable to complete the submission.

Third Round: Palazio was able to grab a kick thrown by Venticinque, and knocked him down. The fight ended up in the corner with Palazio in half guard over Venticinque. It seemed the Venticinque was able to still dominate the fight on his back, but in the end Palazio was able to stand up and toss a couple more ground-and-pound punches before the bell. Judges vote Palazio unanimously as victor.

Randy Cole (0-0, Sityodtong North Shore) 134 lbs. Vs Lorenzo DeLosReyes (0-0, Dexter) 135 lbs.

Cole put DeLosReyes into a guillotine choke, but then reversed it into a ground-and-pound, declaring Cole the victor 36 seconds into the first round via TKO.

Ok, I know I am late with this one, but by the time I got home and over the past few days I have been tired and work did not slow down also. So I finally am going to take some time to document the final day where I was fully made into a zombie. You wake up after an event like this and as much as you like it, your body tells you that this cannot keep going on. Especially after dancing the night away at the curse party, I realized on Monday that I did not have the strength to shift my car into reverse. Let’s jump into what the final day had to offer.

Waking up was especially hard after the party at Curse. I knew I would hate myself, but in the end it was worth that night. It was going to be another question if it was worth doing PAX for the final day. Only time could tell, and it was a question I was willing to go find out. I showed up to PAX around 9 am to pick Blueonic and KBD up, since I had been driving into PAX every day and they had a room. First item for those who were not following the coverage of PAX was the round table at 10 am. Everyone in the media area was amazing with helping set up this discussion, and providing us with a table and internet access that was not wireless. This was the ESH sit-down and summation of the first two days of PAX, and you should be able to catch it on the B3 UStream channel if you want to see and hear the details. The summation of this conversation would be that PAX was amazing, but would be better if we got support and a showing of Activision, EA, and other major publishers that day-by-day seem to care less about the people that support them. I would love to see EA pay for a convention like this if only to make themselves not look like all they want is money. My ranting aside, great conversations were had.

After our cast was done, it was back off to the floor for what few interviews that we could come up with and a final sweep of the floor. Most of this day was booked by 2K Games and seeing what they had to bring to the stage. Our first round was playing Borderlands 2, Spec Ops: The Line, and a preview of XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

So Duck, Blueonic, and I sat down at the Borderlands 2 booth first to see what Gearbox was up to. We were originally going to split the sessions, but that would soon change. I loved playing the original Borderlands, so I was going to watch Blue play it first and then take over. As I watched I realized how long it had been since he had played, and I was ending up telling him what to pick, what to do, and yelling at him to put points in his talent tree. I think at this point he realized what a fan I was and handed the controller over to me, the back seat driver so I could set everything up and play.

We had picked the Siren as I loved the running and SMGs of the original game, and I could not wait to see how the class played. Quickly I saw that the talents were completely different and I confirmed in the interview that everything on that end was changed. After placing many points in the special powers and the survival skills based on it as I did not know how well my partner would play, I ran off to kill stuff. We were faced with a crab like creature who had crystals protecting critical strike area's on his legs. As we killed these and moved forward I learned that my partner had also not been at my level of play so the new special power of locking up an enemy in a distortion bubble came out working extremely well. I was able with the new power to either stun a target and take it down, or stun a target to fight later on.

The basic concepts from the game are still there so getting into the new one was really easy and seemed like an upgraded version of the first. I quickly marked quests on the map and kept moving forward hoping that I would make it to a boss battle. I succeeded in my rush and was rewarded with a 50-foot crab to kill while my partner was trying to figure out where he was. Okay, I must confess that I had played the original Borderlands recently, so I was accustomed to what I was going to face; and I did die once, but I was able to revive myself unlike my partner. I ended up killing the boss and getting some extra time to run around the level exploring before time was called and we ended the session.

The interview also revealed that many interesting additions to this game including a new damage type and an expansion to the artifact system that will make every class even more unique then before. I was also happy to hear that each class is good with all weapons instead of making someone focus on just shotguns or SMGs. Catch the rest of the audio interview to get the full effect, any way I am already planning on spending a lot of my already little free time playing this game. Gearbox has always been an amazing group of people. I would love to get my hands on Borderlands 2 when it comes out, and I will probably come back to do a full review of the time I did get to play.

The next stand that we went to was for Spec Ops: The Line. I took more of a back seat on this because I hogged the Borderlands 2 play, and I was quickly realizing that I was dehydrated from all the time running around. This was also a game that it seemed Duck was looking forward to as much as I was looking forward to Borderlands 2. I sat back and watched amazing visuals of a city taken over by a sandstorm and destroyed by conflict. I can tell you from watching the game that the artists should get a commendation for all their work setting a great tone for what looked like an interesting FPS. I watched combat happen over dunes, in planes, and through a skyscraper. This was all single player content that I was watching, but it easily made me interested in what happened and what type of world the character was located in. Duck currently has an article up on this so I will not take this game away from him, go take a look as he had the most hands on and interview setup.

Next up would be a game known as XCOM. If you have played it, you might love it or be completely frustrated with the original. This game started off its life with an amazingly hard difficulty and was a love it or hate it title. So what is this new game like then? Well if you loved cheap deaths then I am told you will be disappointed because this game is based on decision and not luck like the earlier games. It is a turn based strategy game where you control members of a squad, and set up their weapons and training. In fact you can build the base that your troops will live in after every mission.

XCOM has a nice little tactical setup where if you get a team member killed then he will not come back at the end of the mission. I love to see games that have consequences for messing up, as to many games now seem to hold a players hand. The way this game was designed is so you can build a custom squad that you will care about and be able to follow through all the missions. Since nobody wanted to answer questions about the multi-player I decided to ask if there was a random component to this game to extend multiple play through. It turns out that there are so many levels that were made; it should take you a very long time to start seeing repeats. This game sounds interesting; making many more comments on it would require a sit down play session that was not being offered at the time. All we can do for now is research and wait to see what is offered.

After the 2K Games lineup was done, we had some time before the Fire Fall interview and play through. We decided to walk around and see what we might have missed. We came across a nice little indie game known as Drunken Robot Pornography. In its current state it is a shooter about picking up power ups and defeating a boss for each month of the year. This game plays like a boss battle endurance match with a score system to see if you can top your friends at it. We were told that there is also a boss-building section to this game where you can make a custom boss for your friends to try and complete. I always try and support the indie companies because they inspire amazing new idea's to the community, so go out and buy some indie games. You never know what you will find.

Ok, I have been harping on the Red 5 interview for Firefall, and the time has finally come. We had a special computer in a little hidden area in their booth. This was an interesting interview with Red 5's James Macauley, because it was less of a play and ask questions session. We were able to do the interview while playing the game, so it was more of a walkthrough with questions while we played. So what is this game that I got to play and was making such a big deal about?

Well it is a 3rd/1st person shooter (you can decide what you like) with an RPG component. This is not a tacked-on part like most games, you get levels and stats along with a PVE aspect. This is really like if Borderlands were to be combined with Team Fortress. You can run around with friends gathering resources and building weapons and gear along with a fully built in team competitive mode for PVP. I would like to stress also that this is not an MMOFPS in the fact that you will not be spending hours getting to a max level in order to compete with people. I would say that it takes the approach that guild wars did, give people the option to decide what they want to do when they start.

So you get your normal TF2 base classes of dreadnaught, recon, medic, engineer, and soldier to choose from. Each one of these classes has its own play style and special powers, and you can change between the classes as you play so there is no need to create a new profile. I have not had a chance yet to try the PVP aspect, but in the PVE I have placed a tiny "Thumper" and I have defended it from waves of bug-like creatures. I am told that the starting town that you are in can be controlled by assaulting enemy force and a community event to retake the location will happen, so dynamic events around the world will be common place.

The map shows a grey area around the starting location that if you go outside your link to data (radar on map) will not work, and in future patches you will be able to build relays to stop this effect. From the little time I had to play this game I see lots of potential in it, and I look forward to playing more. (Take a listen to my walkthrough interview with Red 5 whenever you get the chance.) I plan on a LAN party for my favorite PAX games this weekend after I move to my new house, and Firefall will be the first game I will play when I get the chance.

It was time to head home and go back to my normal life, and as much as I did not want to I was more tired during this weekend then I have been after a long week of work. My PAX experience has renewed my love of games and the culture that follows them even more, and makes me want to put more effort into the development of my own personal project. I have many full reviews to make, and with a list of games still in beta it makes time short to write them. If you have not seen a game reviewed here that I have shown interest in, then it is because I am looking for the time to get the most out of the review.

I have many keys to games that I think deserve screenshots and a more in-depth look than I can give them in this journal. Expect many reviews to pop up in the near future (if work allows me time) about many of my PAX games that I have mentioned. I hope the developers will hang in there for a little longer as I sort my life out and try to make reviews at the same time. I still want to make a video review site in the very near future, so I will probably even double review many of the games I have played now. For those who have looked at these epic walls of text I hope they have added an understanding of the coming games and PAX in general. Now get out there and play some games!

The Bastards are given a walkthrough of the first bits of the upcoming free-to-play title Firefall from Red 5.

Teg chats with James Macauley, the vice-president of development at Red 5 and executive producer of Firefall, who gives the crew a rundown on what to expect in this massive title. Hear how it will be one of the most competitive free-to-play games on PC, how often new content will be added (as well as how far along they've planned Firefall for currently), and find out what happens after "The Melding."

It's yet another PAX East 2012 Special Podcast Report: "Firefall"!

Before we jump into Ghost Recon Online, I wanna take care of some confusion about the three SEPARATE Ghost Recon titles they presented at PAX East. First there's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, which will be on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3. Second Ghost Recon Online will be on PC and the Wii U, with the PC version playable on any internet browser. Finally there's Ghost Recon: Commander, a playable app on Facebook. For this piece, however, we'll be focusing on Ghost Recon Online.

Going hands-on with Ghost Recon Online they had it set up so it was a four-on-four game, where you play with the other people right next to you in a multiplayer setup. The design of the game was absolutely amazing, especially from the fact that you are playing it off a browser that comes to the foreground of your computer. The weapons that I was able to play had all sweet setups, but that's no longer the name of the game. They have made this game a hell of a lot better, putting more emphasis on the ghost recon aspect of combat. If you're expecting to go gung-ho like you do playing Call of Duty or Battlefield, you will be shot down in a hail of bullets. Ghost Recon Online is set up so that you are working with team members, so gamers will have to get on their headsets with microphones to speak up some tactical intent in order to come out on top.

Ghost Recon Online really gives you the capabilities of guerrilla warfare. You'll need to learn how to use cover to your advantage, and this will be able to help your team score a victory. They have also made the game to be evenly played amongst the players. For example when you come into the game you can't just whip out the charge card and buy all the best equipment and lay to waste people. You have to earn the levels in order to obtain the guns. Next to that from what I understand the guns that you feel the most comfortable with can do so much more to your liking with the upgrades you add to the gun.

With the third-person aspect in Ghost Recon Online it gives your a great field-of-view, but not only that you're able to switch to your rail or scopes to increase your accuracy. They also had a line that would go to your nearest soldier, which would give you better capabilities to know where your fellow soldiers are, not to mention a better idea on who's in your surroundings. All in all, Ghost Recon Online is looking more and more great the more I see it, and I'll be even more happy when this game finally comes out to the masses this May.

Check out our interview with Thomas Seris, Ubisoft's Senior Brand Manager, about Ghost Recon Online.

The very first scene I bore witness to at the PAX East demo for Spec Ops: The Line had me hurdling in a helicopter through a ruined Dubai, as opposing forces were doing everything they could to shoot us down while we were returning fire. Its fast-paced moments had me gripping my controller ever-so tightly as my copter swerved around rotting towers, while my jaw dropped slightly as I lit up enemy copters and tore down crumbling buildings. Then came the kicker: the helicopters all got trapped in a sandstorm, ripping through everything until the screen turned black. I realized at that moment that Spec Ops: The Line was turning out to be a wartime game unlike anyone has ever seen.

Developed by Yager Development Spec Ops: The Line will have you control Captain Martin Walker through his journey to search for Delta Force founding member John Konrad in a very bleak Dubai. In it he and his two comrades will roam the desert, search through buildings, and persevere terrible storms in order to complete the mission. It also doesn't help that there are some survivors that are looking to take you and your men down.

The environments you are can be quite handy when it comes to taking down multiple men. In one instance there were roughly four men pointing their guns at me as they stood below a bus filled with sand. By shooting out the windows of said bus the enemies were taken out by the desert grains in an instant. You can also signal your fellow soldiers to take out enemies at specific points, which is good when you are trying to deal with a sniper as other enemies are firing at the same time. Meleeing enemies and sneak attacks also come in handy when dealing with multiple targets in the same room.

With all the battles happening in the demo for Spec Ops: The Line, the one thing that stood out most for me was the camaraderie between Walker and his partners in war. Both the serious aspects and the humorous elements of what they would be talking about added a sort of realism that really hasn't been seen in video games. It's been done in such films as Three Kings and Full Metal Jacket, sure, but here it just seemed more natural and down-to-earth. In one instance you are laughing as Walker acts like a kid while sliding down a rope, but in the next moment you are doing everything you can to save you and your friends from dying in battle. It sort of adds on to the factual idea that in war, anything can happen unexpectedly.

So far the control scheme works wonders in Spec Ops: The Line, and could be considered as one of the most volatile in the third-person shooter genre. Switching weapons, giving your other soldiers commands, and hiding in safe areas as literally as simple as pushing a button. Aiming your grenades might take getting used to (as Blueonic found out the hard way), but all in all how you play it is pieced together wonderfully. The graphics look fantastic, and the attention to detail especially during the opening sequences will be sure to make EA Games and Activision jealous.

One other thing makes Spec Ops: The Line stand out from the Call of Duties and Battlefields of the gaming world: the main game focuses on Walker, and Walker alone. While other war-based shooters tend to jump around from soldier-to-soldier, here you will spend your entire time with Captain Walker, getting to know both the man and the soldier that defines him. While there will be some multiplayer thrown into the game for people to compete in, the story itself will be just a single-player experience, with no co-op whatsoever.

Spec Ops: The Line is due to be released on June 26 on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. With what we've seen so far, it is looking like a safe bet that 2K Games and Yager Development have brought the Spec Ops series back into the forefront of realistic combat. After waiting two years to go hands-on with it, I can honestly say it was worth it. Here's hoping the full experience will bring us one unique shooter in the long run.

Be sure to check out Blueonic's interview with Spec Ops: The Line's lead writer Walt Williams and lead designer Cory Davis.

The next addition of Monday Night Combat is just around the corner! If you haven't heard of this game, go to your Xbox or PC right now and download it for some kickass fun!!!

The upcoming Super Monday Night Combat has gained even more players on your teams, so not only will you have the six original characters, you will have fifteen new ones to choose from. (There are also some more staff/mascott characters to see.) They also have a new upgrade for the characters: when they are in battle, they can earn golden armor that makes them almost invincible.

Other new attributes for Super Monday Night Combat include skills, endorsements, new bots, turrets, arenas, kill rewards, and bacon...er, I mean pick ups. From what I saw at PAX East Uber Entertainment made the graphics even better, and the mini-tournament we were playing against one another was awesome. Granted I did get my ass handed to me a bit, but that's because I was still trying to figure out the new set up and movements of the game. (That, and I was playing as Captain Spark, who I thought was like the assassin ninja girl but looked more like The Rocketeer.) I really do look forward to when Super Monday Night Combat comes to PC, but hopefully it will also be an Xbox Live Arcade release in the not-so-distant future. As of now the PC release date is still to be determined.

Platform: PC (Xbox Live Arcade version possibly in the works)
Official Website

Android fans of the Dungeon Overlord Facebook game will be happy to hear that elements of their game can now be played on their phone.

Yesterday Night Owl Games unleashed the Dungeon Overlord Goblin Manager (or DOGMA, for short) on Android phones. (An iPhone version is currently in the works.) The app will let players manage some of the key areas of Dungeon Overlord while they're away from the computer. DOGMA will connect to your existing game, and will let you do the following things:

• Event Manager: Notifies of incoming attacks, completed activities, and other in-game events
• Resource Manager: Collects resources and manages Mining Mode activity
• Shipping Manager: Ships resources between your dungeons and to friend’s Dungeons

The Dungeon Overlord Goblin Manager is free, but those who buy the full $2.99 version will also be able to use the Crafting Manager, Creature Manager, and Research Manager.

Blueonic sits down with the two minds that brought the visual and written aspects of 2K Games and Yager Development's upcoming shooter Spec Ops: The Line.

Recorded at the 2K Games booth at PAX East Blueonic chats with The Line's Lead Writer Walt Williams and Lead Designer Cory Davis, who dive deep into why they chose Dubai as the setting for the latest Spec Ops game, and how they wanted it to stand out from the run-of-the-mill "popcorn-styled" war-based video games. Plus find out how players will see this game from a soldier's eyes, and if some might react in an upset manner at some of the events that will happen in The Line.

It's another PAX East 2012 Special Podcast Report: Spec Ops: The Line!

I stumbled on some greatness at PAX East when I bumped into Andrew Brown, Community Manager at Triforce, while taking a look at Ghost Recon Online. He told me about the awesome video game replicas his company makes, from guns to statues of characters, and invited me on down to their booth.

Mathew Marone, Sales Director at Triforce

When I got down there Andrew introduced me to their Sales Director Mathew Marone, who gave us a great audio interview about there products that can be found below. Triforce have created these really interesting guns from some of the biggest video games of our generation, including the Locust Burst from Gears of War to the M-8 Avenger Assault rifles from Mass Effect. I can't believe the detail they had put into the guns, and the weight to them even brings more authenticity. I was really impressed by the designs, especially the Batman arm holding the Batarang.  Believe me: I wanted to get all the stuff they had and hang it up in my man cave.

Triforce have made replicas that can only be described as badass! In fact they were so good that most of the products they were showing were sold out. All I can say is that I'm looking forward to all the stuff they are going to come out with in the near-future. You can find more info on Triforce on their official site.

Check out our interview Mathew Marone of Triforce here!

The Bastards take you onto the floor at PAX East with some of the biggest and newest stars of the gaming development world!

Recorded throughout the three days at PAX East King Baby Duck, Blueonic, and Teg ask the hard-hitting questions about many of the upcoming games arriving later this year on consoles and computers:

• Reneé Lasswell of Night Owl Games goes into detail about Dungeon Overlord's upcoming expansion pack and special app for those who love the game but are constantly on the go
• Matt "Chainsaw" Chaney of Twisted Pixel Games gives us insight about the PC and tablet/smartphone port of Ms. 'Splosion Man, and also plugs his first professional foray into music (starts at 9:55)
• Sean Murray of Hello Games dives into detail about what's new in the daredevil's life in Joe Danger: The Movie (starts at 13:16)
• Illfonic chats about Nexuiz, and how it stands out from the rest of the FPS arena combat world (starts at 18:14)

It's all here in a special mini-on-location edition of B3! PAX East 2012 Special Podcast Report!

How can one not fall in love with a game with a title like Drunken Robot Pornography? The folks at Dejobaan Games (who are behind the brilliant AaAaAA!!! series) brought its unique first-person shooter to PAX East, and while it was still in testing mode what we were able to play was pretty impressive.

In the demo we had to face off against twelve robots (one named for a specific month), each having similar weaknesses but upping in the difficulty area as the months progressed. You first have to aim for their appendages that protruded from their bodies, which taking them out helped make its core weaker. (You could just shoot at the core, but according to the developers that would've taken longer to defeat them.) However the robots have their own forms of defense systems, ranging from lasers and whipping robot tentacles to slow-moving bombs and missiles that hurdle towards you. Fortunately the floor area has places to hide, and you are equipped with a jet pack to reach high points to keep on attacking.

Dejobaan Games has not set a release date for it yet, as they told us it will launch "when it's ready." Once it does the developers promises hours of robot-killing fun, with one amazing way for players across the world to participate in the chaos. Gamers will be able to build their own giant robots, and share them with everyone online for them to battle against. You can make them as big, fat, and tentacle-y as you'd like, and see how the rest of the world fares against it. One thing's for certain: Drunken Robot Pornography is aiming to reach out to its gaming community in the most unique way possible, and it's reason enough for you to keep your eyes peeled for it when it finally drops.

Klei Entertainment, the folks that brought us the Shank series, brought its latest bloody baby to PAX East this weekend: Mark of the Ninja.

Unlike in Shank this game features more of the dark shadow element that the ninjas use to their advantage. The darkness acts as both a solid offense and a good defense when it comes to hiding and taking out their enemies. In Shank you were the gun-ho run-in with daggers, swords, and chainsaw that really caused a lot of havoc. In this game you're able to hug the wall a bit more and actually do more stealth kills. The idea of the game now is try to get through the level with either killing all the enemies, or you can even choose to get through the level with out killing people.

The main part of Mark of the Ninja is that your ninja clan hasn't been doing well, so your ninja bears this tattoo that gives these heightened senses. However the draw back to the heightened sense is that it will drive you freakin' nuts, and that you must end your life at the end of the mission before you get sucked into the madness. This is definitely the part of the story that intrigued me. With me I believe it can only mean that one thing isn't true, which could either be what the masters say to the ninjas, or the ninja you play as seems to be immune to it. I can see this game going for another round because it just looks that good.

Klei Entertainment has created yet another great game, which you can look out for exclusively on the Xbox Live Arcade mid-2012.

Check out our interview with Klei Entertainment here!

While the rest of the Bastards invaded PAX East with our friends from the Land of ESH, I took on this year's Anime Boston at the Hynes Convention Center. While there I was joined by some of our friends like The Vagabonds, Saignement, and Shades Blackflame. Meeting up with these guys made the whole Con so much better, and we had a lot of fun just looking around and seeing all that there was to offer.

Friday morning I made my way by public transportation to the Hynes Convention Center site of Anime Boston 2012, arriving at about 7:45 am. I started looking for where to get my media pass, but found myself in a hallway of confusion. Most of the staff wasn’t sure exactly where to send me, so they would just point me to a room that they thought. After a while I finally got to where I needed to be, and got myself checked in. I grabbed my official Anime Boston guide that was filled with maps and tips, along with all the info that I needed for panels and shows.

I started to walk around the convention center and its three floors, and it started off real slow because different rooms opened at different times throughout the day. I spent most of my morning while I waited for everything to open walking around and looking at some of the great costumes that some of the people had made or were wearing in general. I was awestruck by some of these magnificent outfits and the time that was put into them. Some of my personal favorites came from the steampunk people because there’s just looked amazing. One of the guys had made wings/glider onto his costume, which truly impressed me. If you aren’t an anime fan the costumes are still worth the price of admission, but there is so much more that they had to offer.

The first part of my walking tour took me to Artist Alley. In Artist Alley everything there was handmade and I saw a lot of great things. This one lady took rubber duckies and old broken toys and put them together to look like zombie ducks, which were really cool. There were tons of pictures and jewlery that covered everything from anime to steampunk, even your own custom IDs from Archer and Resident Evil's Raccoon City Police. There was even a table that had these beautiful little hats and origami crane earrings. There is something for everyone looking for a souvenir in Artist Alley.

After leaving Artist Alley I made my way from the third floor to the first, which was were the dealer's room was located. I made my way in and there was so much going on from companies showing off what they have to offer and dealers selling there products. The first people I got to talk to were the awesome people at FUNimation. They had a nice booth right near the entrance, and they were very welcoming. I spent about fifteen minutes talking to them about all they had to offer, but I had to move along so much to see and do and so little time. My next stop was with the people over at Crunchyroll, and I got a chance to chat with them and see what they had set up. They had an interactive area where if you stood in front of the screen people in other places could see and talk to you, which was really awesome. I then started to wander around and found this really cool shop that had handmade leather items from jackets and armbands and everything in-between.

I went into the second part of the dealer's room and saw Harbinger Entertainment. They had a booth about their Live Action Role Playing Games, and to invite people down to try it out. While you were there you could hold there super light weapons and talk with the owner and people who take part in all the events. This was one booth that I had to bring Shades Blackflame to because that is right up his alley. After seeing everything that there was to offer, which can easily take you a couple hours (and that’s without stopping to look for items and DVDs). Some shops even sold some funny-looking wigs, which were good for a few laughs.

Anime Boston also had a ton of panels, so I figured I would sit in on a few. Unfortunately none of them were really anything I found worth staying for the whole thing. There was one panel/video viewing that I really wanted to attend (the Sgt. Frog panel), but I take public transportation and the panel ran too late for me to make it home so I couldn’t go. That is one of the complaints that I really had was that with a convention with things running real late, if you don’t live close or have a hotel room you're not going to be able to go.

The other complaint that I had was that while the staff was friendly, most didn’t know where to send you for what you were looking for. (Some didn’t seem like they really wanted to help you, either.) I did meet one staffer Matt, who when I had a question he must've spent like 5-10 minutes helping me find out where I needed to go. His help got me to where I was going. On the second day the staffers were a lot better with the help, but Matt was helping everyone from the moment he walked in.

I am going to end this by saying that Anime Boston 2012 was a really good convention, and I really enjoyed myself. It wasn’t so much the convention that pulled me in but the people that were there. If you are a fan of anime -- or just like one show -- Anime Boston has something for you. So next year come on down and have a good time with some great people, and who knows? You might just see me there again.

I get home on day one of PAX East knowing that it will not be easy to get up and do the walk around never sit down thing again today. Well the morning came and I had to roll off the side of the bed and try to stop myself from hitting the floor. I guess that was enough to start out on day two of the convention.

This time I did not do a solo run through the building like yesterday. I ran around and tagged in on some interviews, and also set up a few on the spot voice interviews myself. The first order of today was an interview with Twisted Pixel about all the games that they are producing.  They were talking about a contest to eat creatures in The Maw to win a Kinect, porting Ms. 'Splosion Man, and a CD that Matt "Chainsaw" Chaney is making.

Next we took a stroll over to Hello Games' Joe Danger: The Movie.  Do not let the title fool you, this is a game about a retired stunt man who finally hits it big. You get to do all types of random driving with action and fighting of different bosses. I do not want to say that this is a racing game more than an arcade type action game that you can play with your friends.  It is an interesting look if you want something light to play in a party.

I decided to walk over and do an interview with the Nexuiz and let them give a walkthrough of what the game is about so that everyone can get more of a first hand feel for it. I can not stress again to support your indie companies, and this game is worth taking a look at. Yes this is more shameless plugging for my former classmate and friend, so please show some support and try the Steam beta if you want by signing on to Alienware.

Yes, this was me taking everyone to revisit booths that I have been to before because I needed to show the group the MMORTS that was Novus Aeterno. When I talked to them on day one I was looking at gameplay, so today was more of a story day. I learned that the kid who created this started of as a 16 year-old who lived in South Africa, and has his life threatened by a group of locals. Because of this, the kid left for Greece to start a new life, and while there got into the local gaming competition for RTS games. He was doing so well that he soon was tired and started creation of his own persistent RTS that he turned into and MMORTS. This kid is now 21, running Taitale Studios and is close to releasing his game. Who is this amazing kid you may ask? His name is Nick Talmers and if that story did not make you see how passionate that he is to go through everything he did to finally come to making this game then I do not know what will. We had an interview with him, and I got to ask him about what he was making and why you should try this game. Trust me, it is interesting so head over to their official website.

Next we walked over to the tablet/phone game Ghostbusters: Paranormal Blast . This is an interesting augmented reality game where you use your GPS to go to a location and fight ghosts. This is an interesting idea and a great start for an ARG, I hope this studio takes it a step further with Google glasses so you are not limited to the screen on your tablet/phone.

We then went over to Mark of the Ninja from Klei Entertainment to stealth kill some stuff. I was not doing an interview here so I took some time to get acquainted with this game and do some killing. This is a nice little 2D stealth game about killing dudes and rescuing captured ninjas. This is one of the few games that does quicktime events right, as they feel like a seamless part of the attacking system and not just buttons to press to move the game forward. They are not huge combinations to press, just a button and a direction that determines if you kill someone silently or loudly. You can use the shadows and cover so you are not spotted and shot at by the enemy. Check out the review and interview for more information later this week.

In-between some of these events we swung by Ghost Recon Online and made a date for an interview with them. Well this would be our next stop to see how this game is, but let me quickly say that as of now Blueonic owes me a shirt as I capped the last point for our team and got us a shirt. So Ghost Recon Online is a first-person shooter that will have a free-to-play model. Like most companies now, they realized that people want weapon unlocks that cater to a play style and not pay-to-win. This is great as this game has the graphics to stand up to the Call of Duty and Battlefield games and is also free. You will earn unlocks for your weapons the more you use specific ones, so specializing in what you want to play is rewarded. This game seems to hold true to the Ghost Recon model as combat is small groups of people in tactical fighting.

Our next look was a few games that Square Enix could show us from their hotel room setup. Most of the big games like Sleeping Dogs had long waits even for media so we will be trying to get a look at them today. We did get to see Quantum Conundrum first, a nice little puzzle platform game. From the demo we got to see a game where you can manipulate four different types of dimensions with special properties that helped you through an area. You could do things like going to a Fluffy dimension where things are lighter, a dimension where things are heavier, one where time moves slower, and one that reverses the direction of gravity. In the game you are a kid who is stuck in a crazy professor's home and looking for a way out. You will get to see his creations and go through challenges that he has set up. There will be a time mode so you can compete against friends also. If you need a fix after beating Portal, this might be where you want to look.

The other game that we got to see at Square was Heroes of Ruin. This game was a nice RPG made for the 3DS where you can run through randomly-created dungeons and levels with friends leveling up and collecting loot. It has the typical Diablo-style format with four classes to choose from and the ability for you to customize your skill tree to make yourself unique to the group that you are playing with. Heroes of Ruin also takes the Borderlands style of play that allows people to join your game and the creatures scale up to provide you with more of a challenge. The 3D in this game was really worked on and shines in this game, one of the best 3D games that I have seen to date. It's great if you want an RPG experience while you and a few friends are on the run and want to take a break. Quests will give you experience and the game adjusts to your group so there is no need to worry about falling behind your friends if you can not play as much as them.

Ok, so this is the part that the title of this article was created for.  t the end of the night we made the decision to head over to the Curse party and see what was going on.  My main draw was that it had the title of Planetside 2 on it, but I did not end up seeing anything about this game other then the T-shirt I was given in my Curse bag. I am not going to complain because free stuff is always amazing. I did get to have a quick word with Pico from Curse's weekly roundup and she could not have been more amazing and friendly. This was an open bar party, but the bar soon had a line that made it not worth the wait for the drinks.  When the music started, I decided to throw away any pride that I had and just have fun. I know there are going to be some pictures that will make me shake my head now, but when it comes down to it I have a great time dancing. Duck and I did start a game themed dancing circle as he ran in dancing, I joined and did the Hadouken move as he fake falled. This started a slew of video game related dancing that ended in pure madness.

When all was done I slowly walked my way back to my car to rest and start off with the final day. I know walking would really hurt on day three.

Fans of Portal may rejoice, as lead designer Kim Swift may just be topping herself with the latest puzzle title Quantum Conundrum, developed by Airtight Games and published by Square Enix.

In Quantum Conundrum players must solve various puzzles using five of the different dimensions that are used throughout the game. In the demo we were given the chance to test out three of the different dimensions. The first, Fluffy, made everything soft enough to pick up and toss around. The second, Heavy, made everything weighted for usage on certain buttoned platforms. Finally, Slow-motion made everything around you decrease in speed to a crawl. All these methods come useful during specific puzzles, with some situations calling for all to be used during the procedures. During the trial we were given various puzzles that involved throwing furniture, positioning drinking birds, blocking lasers, and jumping on and off flying objects at the precise moment. Needless to say there were may times I kicked the bucket during the gameplay.

Quantum Conundrum features a sort of unique humor that fans of Swift's past puzzle game will enjoy from its narrator Professor Fitz Quadwrangle, although it is more innocent and -- dare, I say -- cute than the sarcastic stylings of GlaDOS. (His yearning for more keytars had all of us laughing.) Gamers will also be happy to find hidden easter eggs throughout the game. One great example is how the paintings in each room change depending on which dimension you have it set on. Its cartoonish look also adds to the humor, making it more friendly to players of all ages.

With a release date for sometime this summer, players can expect a run time of 6-12 hours in Quantum Conundrum. Players will also be able to compete on leaderboards to see who can beat the game in the shortest amount of time. With many different puzzles and unique ways to solve them you can bet that Quantum Conundrum will leave players with brains worked and funny bones tickled throughout.

Have you ever wanted to be the next Peter Venkman? XMG is promising such a dream to come true in the upcoming tablet/smartphone game Ghostbusters: Paranormal Blast.

Using augmented reality players will be able to battle it out against such famous ghosts as Slimer, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, Zuul, and many others in real-time. Using your current locations players will be able to scout their cities for such ghosts, and then proceed to attempt to capture them with their proton packs. Once the character has been knocked out, you can pull out the capture device, turn your tablet or phone to the proper angle, and then suck them into the parallel universe for safe keeping.

So far the graphics look great, and look closely with the Terminal Reality Ghostbusters title from 2009. If the augmented reality works the way it was previewed at PAX East Paranormal Blast could be one of the most fun apps to come out this year. According to XMG, there will be a silent release in Canada sometime in June. Once all the bugs and kinks have been worked out during this test run a full worldwide release is to be expected sometime in September. Just make sure you don't cross the streams, or fall under Zuul's hypnotic powers.

Who you gonna call? This time, it might just be you!

At the very first PAX East in 2010 Hello Games was showing off its then-PSN exclusive Joe Danger, starring a down-on-his luck stuntman looking for another chance at the limelight. Two years ago his time has finally come, in the form of Joe Danger: The Movie.

Here Joe has been discovered by Hollywood, where he is now being put into every single action film imaginable. Taking cues from classic 80s films Joe Danger: The Movie has our stuntman riding in mine carts, flying on jet packs, and swooping down slopes on a snowmobile. As it was in the past game Joe will be able to jump, duck, and perform tricks to earn points and power up the speed boost.

Throughout the levels Joe will once again collect stars, spell out "DANGER," and avoid traps that will push Joe back to his most recent checkpoint. Sometimes Joe will have to quickly ride down the level to avoid being squashed by a charging force (such as an avalanche), with failure resulting in starting from the beginning. You can also destroy objects such as deadly missiles and dinosaur eggs that will earn extra credit in the long run. New to the game is boss battles, which can be quite difficult to handle when you are trying to jump or swerve away from obstacles.

Players will also be able to battle it out with one another using four-player split screen live, as well as compete in different challenges throughout the levels of Joe Danger: The Movie. You will also be able to challenge players across the globe, challenging their times and scores via a ghost mode similar to the one seen in the recent SSX video game. As of right now Joe Danger: The Movie will only be released on Xbox Live Arcade this summer, but we have been told that they have been working on bringing it back to PSN and the PC if it is at all doable. Here's hoping Joe's latest adventure will bring more Oscar-worthy performances in Joe Danger: The Movie, and not anything worthy of a Razzie.

Sega is listening to you Sonic fans. They heard your minor complaints about the first part of Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I, with its strange fluidity and overall look. That's why they started from scratch with Episode II, and so far it looks like we're in for a nostalgic treat.

At PAX East Sega had it set to try out two levels of Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II. Unlike the first one your favorite fox Tails tags along for the ride, and boy does he come in handy. By pressing the X-button at the right moment Tails aids Sonic in getting to those hard-to-reach places. Tails can fly Sonic over big jumps, use massive spin attacks to break through rough areas, and move Sonic faster underwater by maneuvering them both like a submarine. It's as if they took some of the background aspects of Sonic 2, and actually incorporated them into the gameplay.

Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II plays like the original side-scrolling games we fell in love with back in the 90s, and its overall high-definition puts the details of Sonic's world into true fruition. While Sonic Colors was the proper way to bring Sonic into the 3D world, Episode II of Sonic 4 aims to properly bring our hero back into the gaming style that made him famous in the first place. Even the smallest details were noticeable, such as how areas in the background you visit in the beginning of the level will be seen playable at the end of said level. (The usage of passing time also plays a great role in how the game's presentation has become far better than it was in Episode II.)

While it cannot be said how many levels will be in Episode II, Sega has promised that the overall gaming experience will match that to the classic Genesis games. Those who have purchased Episode I are in for a treat, as they will have access to playing Metal Sonic in four of Episode I's levels once they purchase Episode II. Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II will be released on May 15 on PSN, the 16th on Xbox Live Arcade, sometime that month on PC, June on Android/iPhones, and July on Windows Phones. Gamers who purchase a console version and portable version will be able to transfer saved data between the two, a major plus for gamers on the go.

At the Sega booth at PAX East I was able to go up with a classic title from Dreamcast of old: Jet Set Radio!

This game came out back in the day when rollerblading and listening to music with massive head sets was the way to be. In it they gave you the chance to rollerblade around and get into a bit of trouble with tagging and pissing off the police. Of course this one's a bit funnier because it's the Japanese police that are in some type of riot gear running around going "Hup hup hup!", along with the sterotypical detective cop with a crappy beard and the Dirty Harry .44 magnum gun running around shooting you.

This new Jet Set Radio has be revamped greatly with beautifully redone HD graphics. In the demo they had it so you bladed along a Japanese city that had some issue with taggers, which you could run along the area and re-tag it with your art. The good news about the game is they had a special contest where they had art submitted both from United States and the United Kingdom, with each country choosing nine new art tags, meaning eighteen all together.  The not so great news it only have 70% of the original music, but I guess that having a sort of three out of five ain't bad, especially since these are a lot of the older artist from back in the day.

Sega has done us a fine service with resurrecting Jet Set Radio for a new generation to enjoy. Here's hoping they truly bring back this series in the long run. Now if you excuse me, I have to dust off my blades and get ready for this massive comeback...

Interesting start to the day. So I was under the assumption that I would not be at PAX on Friday due to work, and I also did not have time to plan anything. What can you do with no planning and showing up late to an event? Well this is the story of my first part of the first day at PAX East.

I arrived to see a mass of booths and people, overwhelmed at what to do first. I Got settled in the press area with my free stuff, and realized that I have nothing planned at all. I had a list of games I wanted to check out and a few friends around the area. I met up with my good friend who is not press on the base floor and we decided to walk around till we found something to do.

Within five minutes of walking I see the sign for Firefall in the distance. This game caught my attention for its art style and the look of the game play footage when I first heard of it. Later on Red 5, the company that made this game decided that when the SOPA issue came around and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) supported this topic, they would drop all support of the ESA. What this meant is that Firefall made the decision being a new game to not show anything at E3. They were going to possibly cripple coverage on the basis of their principle.  I had to swing by this booth and thank them for their overwhelming support of video game rights and free speech. While talking with them I found out that even though the ESA pulled support of SOPA, Firefall would not be at E3 because of the initial support. This fact makes me want to tell everyone to support them as they stand up on their principles at all costs. I asked for a possible interview and demo to their game, and they were happy to scheduled me in.

I continued walking and saw a booth I was not expecting at all. Ever hear of the modification for original Half-Life called Natural Selection? Well the second game has its demo out. I know that if you were to buy the game, you will get access to the demo.  The last time I checked up on this game, it was in the start of its production cycle. From the demo I tried at the booth, this is an amazing start to a great game now. If you do not know what Natural Selection is, it is a mixture of an RTS and an FPS. I know I might have mentioned a game called Nuclear Dawn and Savage that did the same thing at some point. Well this game nails the combination perfectly. You can pick between an alien race that mutates and is organic, or you can pick the normal marine/Terran race with guns and technology. There is a person who is a commander for either side who builds resource collectors and base defenses, and is responsible for researching better technology for the players on the FPS side. The FPS players pick what class they want to change into with a base set of resources that flow in by killing and over time. This is going to be one of those hard games to describe, so you might want to look it up and try it for yourself.

I had posted on my wall that I was at PAX and a kid that I went to school had mentioned to stop by a booth that his company had set up. I walked into the amazing FPS arena game of Nexuiz that changes game play based on power ups that you can collect. It feels like your typical arena shooter with all the amazing futuristic weapons to pick up and watch shoot amazing particle effects out. What makes this game is the power up system. You can pick them up around the level and they can make everything from free rocket packs for everyone to your guns make funny noises. When you are running around trying to kill someone and the low gravity perk gets picked up, jumping around killing people can not be more fun. I have to give them props for being a very small indie company and coming out with such an impressive looking and playing game. It is on XBOX and Steam release soon, with a price point of $10.  Worth taking a look if you want to feel the old unreal tournament style game.

I was running around Solo for most of the time and decided to go find Blueonic next, while he was checking out Aliens: Colonial Marines.  I saw a booth and remembered an e-mail about an MMORTS space game and I could not help but make a detour to check it out. The game I ended up seeing is Novus Aeterno by Taitale Studios, and it looked like a promising game. The idea is that you start with two planets that can not be bombarded, and build up your structures on that planet. You can then proceed off the planet and expand your empire, or at least to a limit as this game is persistent and has a command limit. It is a very interesting balance of how much can you control before you start loosing space to other people, and the command limit makes sure that one player can not overwhelm another. This game's ships function much like SOTS or homeworld capital ships, you pick your hull and choose the weapons that you want/need. Build times have still not been determined yet, along with a few other features but the team is planning on getting that down based on community input. It is great to see a game company that is willing to ask it's players for help in making an awesome game in the early stages of development. The galaxy map will consist of many solar systems and there will be a fast warp between them, so travel with not be mind numbing. The downside of this travel is that your ships will land scattered in the system, so the defending team will have time to react. The idea of multiple galaxies is on the plate and will act as servers for different continental regions. Do not fear this, you will be able to travel between them and play with your friends across the pond. The only downside to galaxy travel will be latency since the server will be further away in the real life. This game is hitting its beta stage in the next few weeks, and is targeted to be out in around six months.

So I finally caught up with Blueonic and KBD, off to help with the Jonathan Coulton interview. The interview speaks for itself, he is a normal guy who you can see yourself having a drink with. A very humble for a guy who is praised for making the amazing songs of Portal. There is not much to say that the interview does not cover, he is an invested family guy doing what he has always wanted to do in life. It always seems like the people who you might consider famous or be a little star struck meeting are always people who got the ability to do what they have always dreamed of doing.

The end of the night had a panel that I thought I must attend as a game developer and lover of the game industry. It was suppose to consist of the crew that makes the extra credits internet videos, that main point is to expand on what games can do as a medium. They bring up topics as games used for teaching, the SOPA issue, games used to help with medical issues, and expanding the medium as a whole. Sadly the only one who could make the panel was James Portnow, but he did not disappoint. He ended up bringing up a few developers and the guys from the internet video loading ready run,  to answer as many questions from the audience as possible in the hour that he had. To many questions to put in here, but they were in the range of what games should I play to how to not use language in your menu systems. A very educational panel to see.

Day one is down, and I only have plans to talk to Red 5 come the last day about Firefall. I do not think I did bad for the first time at PAX.

I'll be honest: when I first saw the trailer for Sega's Hell Yeah! I did not know what to think. Its cartoon style looked unique, but its overall presentation didn't look so great. After playing it at PAX East, though, I might have just bore witness to a taste of the best downloadable title of 2012.

Lasting about ten minutes (about five percent of the game, according to game creator Camille Guermonprez) I controlled the skeletal bunny demon known as Ash in the depths of Hell. Apparently someone has been talking smack about him on the surface world, and now it's up to you to find them & wreak bloody vengeance. At first you are not given a weapon, so you need to avoid the enemies as you reach the proper goal to grab the weapon: a jet-pack buzz saw. It is here when the brutally hilarious anarchy begins.

You fly out into the air and kill everything around you in order to earn points and cash for upgrades, weapons, and different skins. At times you will find yourself facing mini-bosses, which can be defeated using some hilarious quicktime events involving squishing, arrows of love, quiz games, and basic ass-kicking. Once you defeat enough you can access the next area of the level. Sometimes you will find yourself having to search for the new weapons before you can defeat certain monsters. In this demo I was able to grab the missile launcher, which came in handy for defeating bosses that were hovering over flames or covered in electricity. Guermonprez also mentioned that no two monster types are the same, so expect to discover many different tactics to defeat them.

Finally seeing the game in motion I can honestly say that its cel-shaded look works wonders with the overall gameplay. The expressions from the monsters as you mow them down are nothing sort of priceless, and the animation is on par (maybe even better) than what we saw Klei Entertainment do with the Shank series. Then there is the overall humor of the game, which not only hosts homages from past horror films but also makes fun of Sega's beloved franchises. (A poke at Sonic the Hedgehog got the biggest laugh from me.) The controls were also nicely tuned, with each maneuver pulled off with pitch-perfect fluidity.

With a Summer release date in its back pocket on Xbox Live Arcade, PSN, and PC (as the game was literally finished this past week) Hell Yeah! is looking to be the top demon bunny from Hell to beat. It's by far one of the most original games I've come across this year, and its style, humor, and smile-enducing gore is bound to help make the game a hit with gamers everywhere. When it came to asking about the game's ESRB Guermonprez said that despite it being rated 12+ in Europe, it's been slapped with an M-rating here in the States. One thing's for certain: more players are surely going to check out Hell Yeah! now that it's been deemed too violent for a T-rating.

This movie-based game won't be your fish 'n chips Colonial Marines; this is the Marines in space. I wasn't expecting anything great going into seeing Aliens: Colonial Marines, but I got slapped in the face with awesomeness. Right off the bat I say thank you, Sega!

Going into the booth of Colonial Marines we got to see one of the designers starting playing the game roughly fifteen minutes into the story, getting onto the Sulaco where the marines were already aboard. While on the sealed umbilical cord that's attached from the rescue ship to the Sulaco it shows blood on the wall, and the character says how slippery it is. When he gets about halfway there an explosion happens, and you find yourself running to the Exodus because the seal starts cracking. The graphics for that scene were impressive, with the fire looking pretty good and the ripple effect down the umbilical cord giving an awesome sort of realism to what would happen from an actual explosion in space.

Once you finally get into the ship you start investigating the loading dock area, finding a group of soldiers that have gotten ripped apart and are fighting to keep one another alive. They tell you to move on, and you pull out the motion tracker to survey the area, a pretty spot-on device that gives you an idea where the Xenomorph were in the area. When you come upon a gruesome site of dead bodies with holes in there chest plastered to the side of the wall you find one that is still alive. While trying to cut out of it a Xenomorph pops up, and you find yourself having to kill it and rescuing the Marine.

You and the rescued Marine start advancing to the bridge so you can obtain the ship's recorder in order to find out what had happened. After fighting off a lot of the aliens and finally getting back to the loading dock you end up in a last stand kind of position with a chain gun with a cool retinal sight, where the sound effects from the guns were done very true to the movies. It all comes to an end when you're running across, and the Marine you saved from the wall ends up screaming with a Xenomorph popping out of his chest. You discover that the Marine has rigged himself with explosives, and takes out the umbilical cord. You fight your way back by holding onto the side of what left of the cord, and run over to the main ship. It is here where the impressive presentation ended.

That wasn't all they gave us, as they then led us to a second line where we could watch the creators of the game play as aliens against the people that were ahead of you in line. We chatted with the developers, giving us feedback on how the multiplayer works. We then got to play the game on the other side, where I was happy to take out eight aliens during the round. The multiplayer was done very well, and it was crazy to go up against the aliens, as they were like kids in a human-filled candy store. They also showed us the crusher alien, which is this massive freakin' alien that will turn you into a bloody stain on the floor. The thing had so much mass that it could rip you apart.

I had a smile on my face walking out of Aliens: Colonial Marines, and I'm ready to put my money down for the game when it comes out.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be released on the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, and PC near the end of 2012.

The King of Musical Geekdom takes a visit to the Land of ESH...

On an all-new One-On-One King Baby Duck and Pandalicious interview the great Jonathan Coulton, who shares his thoughts on gaming, music, and the themes and ideas of his latest album Artificial Heart. Also find out why he loves PAX so much, why he thinks something called "mobile gaming" will be the next big thing, the story behind "Je Suis Rick Springfield," and a trip to Three Album Island.

The interview was a triumph, and we're making a note of it right here! It's One-On-One: Jonathan Coulton!

Special thanks to Dana Cooper over at Girlie Action Media for setting up the interview

For the press hour we were able to book it right over to the awesomeness of Rockstar Studios, where we were able to get a chance to actually play Max Payne 3. Quite simply I am impressed with what I was able to witness.

Rockstar Games have upped the ante on the graphics in Max Payne's latest journey, as they were fluid and just all around done. The gameplay was pretty sick, considering it's been awhile since Max Payne has been seen on either a PC or console setup. The bullet time awesomeness is back, with the ability to jump through the air and shoot up those who aim to kill Max. When you take out the last guy in the area you are currently in, you're able to control the cinematic death of that character.

When I was going into this I felt that Rockstar was going to mess up the world of Max Payne that we loved, but I feel like an ass for saying that, as they have been able to make the more advanced in what we were playing. (It also helps that the original developers Remedy have been giving their thumb's up throughout the game's development.)

Max Payne 3 has a cinematic feel to it, as if your are playing in a movie. Also the beautiful thing is there are NO LOAD SCREENS!!! You will be able to maneuver through this game as if it was a bonafide action film. I know that I have always had fun with the waiting screens, as it sometimes gets to the point where I can't figure out if the game has crashed or -- like in Duke Nukem Forever -- the load screens were so long you could actually get chores done around the house. I'm glad that Rockstar Games has put the game together in this cinematic aspect, as it gives you the feeling of a bigger open world in this third-person shooter.

When May 15 comes along (May 29 for PC owners) I can be almost certain that Max Payne 3 will be worth the wait, unlike most titles that have been delayed in the past. Until then, look out for more details about Max Payne 3 during the PAX East coverage.

I was surprised to see the return of an old title I used to play back in college. The Tribes franchise has always brought some of the most fast-paced multiplayer battles seen online. Today I have seen what happens when this beloved franchise ups the ante in combat mode: the free-to-play Tribes: Ascend.

For our demo we were able to give team deathmatch a spin. Clocking in at 30 minutes (or the first to reach four hundred points) the level had you spread out across the massive land as you tried to defend your area while battling off the other side of the war. You are given two main weapons: a simple pistol or a more powerful cannon that is best used to take down turrets. During battles you can slide down mountains with the Space button, and use your jet pack to reach higher ground with the right-mouse button. The F-button is used for grenades and other side weaponry.

It was fairly easy to be caught up in the craziness that was happening in Tribes: Ascend. Opponents would fly overhead, where you can do a little skeet shooting fun as they barrel above you. Getting into a firefight with your teammates also adds to the fun of chasing your enemies by the wayside. Granted it's not fun when it is you being attacked all around, but at least you re-spawn quickly so you can jump right back into battle.

For a free-to-play title Tribes: Ascend is heavily detailed when it comes to the characters and weapons. There is a glisten of shine on your armor as you fly through the air, and the explosions fill the screen with pure delight. While most of the level we were playing in was somewhat bare (with the exception of a base or two for each team) the gameplay experience made up for the minuscule attributes in the worlds itself. Perhaps it was just that one world, however, so other battle areas may have more elements to your surroundings.

With an official launch date of April 12 Tribes: Ascend is looking to live up to its promise to being the fastest online shooter on the PC. Its quick-paced combat will have many online players having a blink-free experience, where even the slightest second can affect what happens to you on the battlefield. You can sign up now on the game's official website, and download it as well in time for its launch next week. One thing's for certain: you will be jumping out of your seat either happily from achieving a solid kill, or angrily because you got reamed by the opposing side as soon as you about to achieve said solid kill.

Whenever you have Suda51 involved in any game, pure unadulterated insanity is what is to be expected. Here at PAX East that's exactly what I witnessed when I went hands-on with his latest gem: Lollipop Chainsaw.

In the level I was given to try out our heroine Juliet must defeat the zombified players of her San Romero High's baseball and football team. To kill the zombies you can use two different tactics. The first -- and most obvious -- is your chainsaw, which can be simply slashed at the undead's heads or in a fearless charing motion, railroading your formerly-living teams into a pool of blood and rainbows. The other way to kill the already-expired enemies is to use your cheerleader moves to attack and decapitate your foes. Both have their advantages, but many guys will have more eye candy to appreciate when Juliet busts out her cheers.

Players can also use her boyfriend Nick's severed -- but very much still alive -- head on a zombie's body, but in order to use it properly you must use a sequence Quicktime-styled events that get Nick moving. Here it was quite difficult to get Nick on his feet, as the emphasis on "quicktime" seemed a bit too, well, fast to keep it. Maybe it was because it's still in production, or perhaps it was because I was enticed by my surroundings at the BCEC, but I found this aspect a bit frustrating.

Lollipop Chainsaw was also noticeably glitchy. In one area I was supposed to sprint off of a board onto a school bus, but no matter what button combination I pressed Juliet just didn't want to launch herself. Sometimes I noticed that zombies would appear out of nowhere, and not in a coming-out-of-the-ground kind of way; the undead would appear right in front of me even when nothing was there a split second before. Again, as this game is still in production until its June release date these elements are bound to be fixed by the time it goes gold.

While Lollipop Chainsaw did not exactly blow me out of the water like I hoped it would, I am confident that the final product will do itself justice. After all, when you have Grasshopper Manufacture, WB Games, and Kadokawa Games teaming up for some zombies killing and cheerleader fan-service, it seems almost impossible that it will fail to deliver when it's launched across the world.

In just one day, the geek culture will be invading our home turf. Droves of gamers, developers, and performers will be scattered throughout the Hub for PAX East 2012. What are some of the things we'll be looking forward to the most? Come with me now on a journey through my gaming-loving mind, and see what players should be keeping an eye on.

We cannot start this piece out without talking about the Big Three. Nintendo will be focusing all of its area on the 3DS with such titles as Mario Tennis Open, Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir, and the recently-released Mario Kart 7. Also on-hand will be a special tournament area for Kid Icarus: Uprising, where players will be able to compete against one another with their special weapons cards. Microsoft, meanwhile, will be showcasing its incarnation of Minecraft, Trials Evolution, Deadlight, and the Kinect title Crimson Dragon. The recently-released Star Wars Kinect will be on the floor to play, hoping to convince more people to give it a go. The only one surprisingly absent from the event is Sony. Are they withholding their big guns until E3? We won't know until June, so until then we can only speculate.

A lot of the big developers will be at the convention showing off their A-game. Rockstar Games will be letting gamers get down and dirty with the much-anticipated Max Payne 3, but whether or not it will be its single-player or multiplayer mode remains to be seen. SEGA will be bringing some nostalgic magic to the floor, with its upcoming releases of Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 and Jet Set Radio HD. They are also bringing the scare tactics with Aliens: Colonial Marines and the off-the-wall Hell Yeah! EA Games will be there, too, but as of now we have no idea what they'll be showing off.

Meanwhile Capcom is going to go all mech on us with the upcoming Kinect hybrid Steel Battalion: Heavy Armour, while Ubisoft is bringing three of their biggest upcoming titles: Assassin's Creed 3, Far Cry 3, and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. Square-Enix will let players go hands-on with Sleeping Dogs (formerly True Crime: Hong Kong), Quantum Conundrum (from Portal designer Kim Swift), and Deep Silver's Risen 2: Dark Waters. A Hitman: Absolution panel will also be hosted, where gamers will get to see more of Agent 47's upcoming adventure. 2K Games will be bringing us back to Pandora in Borderlands 2, take us to a ruined Dubai in Spec Ops: The Line, and give press a special look at the upcoming tactical RPG reboot XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

Of course we can't forget about the smaller independent developers, who are one of the biggest things I look forward to checking out at PAX East. Our buddies Twisted Pixel will be presenting a brand-new game, as well as host special challenges exclusive to PAX East in such titles as Comic Jumper, The Gunstringer, and Ms. 'Splosion Man. Shank developers Klei Entertainment will let gamers go hands-on with their upcoming side-scrolling stealth platformer Mark of the Ninja, and Uber Entertainment will present its free-to-play Super Monday Night Combat, promising players that their bullets are still cool and their bacon is still hot.

Hello Games will be there letting gamers pull off crazy stunts in the upcoming sequel Joe Danger: The Movie, while Deejoban Games promises some Drunken Robot Pornography. (Yes, you read that title right.) Drinkbox Studios will be showing off Guacamelee, where you take control of a luchador wrestler on a quest to save the daughter of El Presidente. Owlchemy Labs (the people behind Smuggle Truck and its more "PC-friendly" sister Snuggle Truck) promises to show off its latest game, though we can't be 100% sure what we'll be in for. Finally Night Owl Games will be premiering what's next for its popular Dungeon Overlord game, as well as show off a new app that will come in handy for RPG lovers everywhere.

What else can be expected? Who knows! All that matters is Boston is ready to kick ass, take names, and write its initials on the High Scores page. PAX East 2012: it's time to press Start.

ALSO: BE SURE TO LOOK OUT FOR REPORTS AT ANIME BOSTON 2012 FROM ANVIL AND BASTETTE-IN-TRAINING SAIGNEMENT!!!

With PAX East and Anime Boston a couple days away the Bastards get their final gear together before embarking on their amazing journeys.

This week the B3 crew share what they are looking forward to at PAX East 2012 and Anime Boston 2012, and cross their fingers that they have their minds blown away by what will be happening. Anvil gives his weekly sports report, and the Bastards wonder why Wrath of the Titans was such a bore. Finally the demos for Zack Zero, Closure, and Wrecked Revenge Revisited are examined.

Grab your sword, and prepare to battle Kronos! It's Episode 135: Con, The Wrath of Titan!

Next year will mark the 20^th anniversary of the very first manga to ever get me into the world of Japanese animation. To celebrate I dusted off the Magic Knight DVDs and traveled back to the land of Cephiro with Umi, Fuu, and Hikaru. Magic Knight Rayearth was one the very first magical girl series, and has defiantly stuck with me throughout the years as one of my all-time favorites.

The story starts with three high school students, all from different schools, on a class trip to Tokyo Tower, when the cries of Princess Emeraude, the pillar of the world of Cephiro, summon them from Japan into her own world, to help save it from the evil reign of the Lord Zagato.  Once there they team up with the Master Mage Clef and a small create call Mokona in order to save Cephiro and find the Princess. In this world, a person’s will-power gives them strength, and can alter the world. Evil will creates monsters, while good while creates miracles. The Princess is the pillar of the world because her will is stronger than any other, so she must pray for the world to keep it safe. The high priest Lord Zagato has her captive however, keeping her from praying for the world. The three girls are charged with finding and using the power of the ancient rune gods in order to defeat Zagato and restore order to the world.

While Rayearth may not have the shining new look of today’s manga, it still holds its own after nearly 20 years since its production. The magical girl theme may seem a bit stale in this day and age, to go back and see one of the very first of its kind is a whole different matter, but it is truly amazing to see the differences that have emerged throughout the years. It does have its obligatory cutesy moments with the girls in little chibi forms and cat ears, yet it still manages to maintain a level of gravity that most modern shows seem to forsake. The plot lines, no matter how big or small they all, are all very fleshed out and full of story. The girls meet a woman to forge their magical weapons which grow stronger with them, and find in her an almost mother figure in the harsh world of Cephiro.

In terms of honoring the story, the anime follows the manga during the first season almost perfectly, aside of the inclusion of one made-up character. The second season, however, has even larger discrepancies in terms of major plot points that can be a bit aggravating for fans of the manga. In general however, both seasons are still demanding of attention for holding to a time when the quality of shows was at a bit of a higher importance level. With modern shows sinking into more and more fan service and less and less plots, Rayearth is a classic. The classics will never be bad, just old, and they don’t suffer for it.

For anyone looking to go back in time and see what some of the classics truly are like, they should look into Magic Knight Rayearth.

FINAL GRADE:

Anime Version: 4.5 (out of 5)
Original Manga: 4.8 (out of 5)

Written by Saignement

There's something about Rinko's tone throughout her band Molice's latest album. At times she's seems innocent, almost in a playful mood with her fellow bandmates Yuzuru and Takashi. However, in what can only be described as a sharp left turn, her perky persona becomes entangled into something more psychotic, as if she is determined to take out anyone and anything that crosses paths with her arms and weaponry. Whatever it may be, it greatly defines what NEUGRAVITY is: a schizophrenic monster out to give you a life-threatening good time.

Blade Runner plays a big role in the influence of the album's first couple tracks. The first, "RACHEL," drags the listener in with Yuzuru's whirlpool guitar riffs and Takashi's heart-pounding drum clashes, with Rinko taking the role of the replicant. Her vocals, done in English for the first time, spout the confusion that Tyrell's assistant feels throughout the original film. Are her memories real? Can she dream? What is the real truth? A couple times the lyrics come off a tad imperfect, but it feels more akin to said character rather than a simple translation error. "Please Please Pris" takes the perception of Daryl Hannah's character -- another replicant -- and seems to want to earn the trust of the listener. How foolish of them, however, as false comfort is just what Molice seems to bring to the table.

The band's true dark side comes full force in "FATEMA," where the listener is taken through a downward spiral of kittenish madness. Rinko plays with her prey, and the rest of the bandmates entice her to aim for the kill. You can just envision the anarchy being thrown around as the song reaches its climax. The same can be said for "Active Imagination," a track that hides its lunacy tone behind a crocodile's smile. Here Yuzuru rides away on his riffs as Rinko coos like a gleeful mourning dove during what should be a period of sadness, but instead is another excuse to lose one's mind to a shot of creativity. The tick-tocking "SOLDIERS" will have you embracing the madness with ever so much happiness, both morally and immorally.

There is a calm to this storm Molice have created, and it can be found in "Cheeky Afternoon". The band sounds relaxed, with Takashi quietly tapping away at his drum kit and Yuzuru strumming away in the forefront. Rinko seems more at ease here, her mad persona changed into one that's free-spirited. The quietness doesn't last, though, as it jumps into "YOUR nation," a song that gives way to a feeling of being chased. The epitaph on the album, "Jewel Story," is one final crazed romp through the album's movie-filled homages. Molice goes out on this album with guns blasting, fires blazing, and missions accomplished.

A step-up from Catalystrock, Molice's NEUGRAVITY is like an art house car chase flick, filled with enough sex, violence, character development, and awkward moments that will make critics and hipster cult fanatics drool with delight. It's more of a musical Death Proof than Drive, but the end result is still very rewarding. The crazed rocker anti-heroes walk into the sunset unscathed, ready for the challenges that tomorrow will bring.

**** (out of five)

Molice's NEUGRAVITY hits American stores on April 17 via Good Charamel Records, and in Japan on April 18 through VELOUR VOICE. Click here to listen to some preview tracks from the album!

Press copy provided by Good Charamel Records.

Before their upcoming gig at PAX East King Baby Duck and ESH's Pandalicious had a chance to sit down with local Square-Enix cover band The World Is Square.

Recorded around a roaring fire at the Walnut Street Cafe in Lynn, MA, The World Is Square get their musical and gaming geek on with the Land of ESH as they discuss their origins, what made them want to interpret the soundtracks to Square-Enix's most popular and critically-acclaimed titles in a whole new way, and the trials and tribulations that comes with adapting a piece of music with limited amount of instruments. As always, no episode of One-On-One would be complete without a trip to Three Album Island.

Kupo kupo! It's One-On-One: The World Is Square!

Check out The World Is Square on their official Bandcamp page!