PixlBit

Listen to a podcast where generalizations are made about the people who pre-order new video game consoles.

In this issue of PB & Jason, we have Pokémon X & Y, a weirdly-worded Joystiq story, potentially low Xbox One and PS4 console pre-order sales, and an inferred reason for the delay of Ubisoft's Watch_Dogs. Tune in! Leave a comment! Send an email! Suggest more ways to end sentences with exclamation points! Listen! Click through!

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Not perfect, but very promising.

I’ve been reading mixed things about Batman’s first handheld outing.  I had some hands on time with the game and found it to be a much better representation of its console counterparts than I initially expected. The game is a 2.5D action platformer in the vein of games like Metroid. While the gameplay is primarily in 2D, the game does boast full 3D graphics and environments (with the Vita version having the slight edge visually).  Batman controls very much like he does in the other Arkham games, with most of the controls remaining on the same buttons, particularly during combat.

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The latest in the Zelda series continues to impress.

Zelda fans should already be excited for The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, but I am hoping that everybody gives it a shot. Traditionally, the 2D and handheld Zelda games have never really grabbed me in quite the same way as the now-standard 3D titles. After getting some hands-on time with A Link Between Worlds, I got right into it, and didn’t want to give it up. Running at a smooth 60 FPS, the game is both technologically and visually stunning. The dungeons are varied and provide thought-provoking challenges to overcome. While I wasn’t stumped by anything the game threw at me, I still needed to stop to evaluate the situation a few times in order to make progress.

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Armpit tickling as a boss finisher? Yes please.

The Wonderful 101 is at times a normal action/adventure brawler that is typical of Platinum Games, with an over-the-top sense of humor to boot. On the other hand, The Wonderful 101 is a deep action game with a unique battle system that brings about a sense of joy and discovery, alongside intense action from the bygone era of the SNES. It is, right now, one of the most unique Wii U games in retail, but it is not a game that holds your hand. Instead it will stomp on your hand and make fun of you; chances are you probably deserve it.

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Let’s all put aside our preconceived notions and take a critical look at Suda51’s latest effort.

Misogyny. It’s a word that’s been thrown around in tandem with Killer is Dead since the fated Gigolo Mode was first revealed. However, creator Grasshopper Manufacture has gotten a raw deal. This tongue-in-cheek mode (that only features two unique encounters) has thrown the stars completely out of alignment for the studio and the game at large. The fact of the matter is, Killer is Dead is quite similar to Suda51’s past works. Combining the frantic action of No More Heroes with the third person shooting from Shadows of the Damned and the darker atmosphere offered by Killer7, Killer is Dead is a fantastic fusion of some of Suda51’s oeuvre. The cryptic narrative that undercuts the experience further accentuates the charm of this excellent action game.

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