PS3 Fanboy

This update is the cherry on our hot fudge sundae. While we've already seen the majority of Soulcalibur alumni return to Soulcalibur IV, we've yet to gander upon these three combatants. Rock, Talim, and Yoshimitsu are all making their way back into the fourth game. While this isn't a surprise, it's always exciting to get that first look.

Rock's axe/mace swinging and stylish animal hide headgear is always welcomed, and Talim's quick-as-wind tonfas never fail as far as fun factor goes. Yoshimitsu's seashell-themed design is a little strange, but it's not a big deal. Check out the rest of the pics at Famitsu.

If you saw the trailer for Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, then you may have seen the link to the official website at the very bottom of the screen. Those of you who were eager enough for more Naruto may have followed the link and noticed that there was nothing but a countdown timer greeting you (seriously, countdown timers are all the rage now). However, if you're reading this right now, that timer has already ran out and you can now access the website.

When you arrive at the website, it'll ask you to input a password that comes in the form of a little puzzle. For those of you who are true Naruto fans, you should know the answer. Those who are not and just want to check it out, you can highlight this text if you're stumped: [Tiger Tiger Dragon]. At the site, there are some extra screenshots to gawk at and more information on the game to digest. Head on over there right now.

[Thanks Bernardo G.!]

It's nice to know that the eternal telling of souls and swords will continue this Summer -- more accurately on July 29 for North America. While we're ecstatic that we now have a solid date for Soulcalibur IV, it isn't the only new information circulating the interwebs. Namco Bandai also revealed that the game will come in both regular and limited Premium Edition packaging.

Included in the Premium Edition is an art book/comic that serves as a prequel leading up to the events in Soulcalibur IV. Also included is an ambiguously described "tournament kit" that "give fans the opportunity to document the battle amongst friends." It's not clear as to what exactly that involves.

Premium Edition buyers will also have access to exclusive customization content. Following the pricing standards of other high-end low-end specs, the Premium Ed. and regular version will be priced at US$79.99 and US$59.99 respectively.

Eminence, a Sydney-based orchestra known mostly for their renditions of popular anime and videogame scores, has been tasked to record the orchestral set pieces for Soulcalibur IV. All in all, Eminence recorded seven music pieces at Trackdown Studios in Sydney, Australia. Eminence's director and concert master, Hiroaki Yura, told IGN that the music they recorded was "mostly the opening, the ending credit, player selection [screen] ... and a little bit of battle music."

Junichi Nakatsuru, the composer for Soulcalibur IV, was also on hand to oversee the recording of his masterpieces. He stated that he was conscious about bringing out the game's story through music. Not just the new title's story but the series long tale: "This Soulcalibur IV project itself is basically the result of all the previous Soulcaliburs and I'm taking all the good bits [from those games]... and building on them."

With a talented group of musicians working on a passionate composer's work, it's safe to assume we can expect to hear excellent music in the final game. To hear just how good Eminence sounds, have a listen to the clip after the break. The clip showcases music from a game unrelated to Soulcalibur; however, we think you'll be impressed from the mad skills nonetheless.

This is what real next-gen fighting games look like. Namco's latest batch of Soulcalibur IV screenshots look absolutely incredible. In fact, many of the environments had us questioning if these were in real-time or not. One look at Taki's enhancements, however, will realize that not everything in this PS3/Xbox 360 sequel is totally realistic.

Check out our new gallery below:

In a recent conference call with the press, Namco Bandai's localization producer Nobuaki Taguchi revealed numerous new details on its upcoming Gundam brawler. The game, which now has a confirmed August 28th ship date, is the first Gundam and Dynasty Warriors game that will feature both English and Japanese voices.

Although there will be no downloadable content, it appears that fans will have a lot to look forward to. There are two main game modes to explore, "Official" and "Original" mode. In "Official" mode, players will go through classic Gundam storylines based on the official manga and anime series. "Original" mode weaves a new tale for the game, that somehow manages to incorporate the various Gundam universes involved. Some of the series to be incorporated into the game include Mobile Suit Gundam (the first Gundam), Gundam Seed, G Gundam, and Gundam Wing.

Video games have come a long way. Soul Calibur 4 is one such game. While the original version, which we're not attributing to the arcade but on the Dreamcast (which was basically the arcade console for a while), was amazing, each additional title in the franchise looks better and better and plays more fluidly than the last. The newest game in the franchise has a few screenshots released to the world at large and they're impressive. Most are of the character Ivy, because she wears skimpy clothes or something, but they show off what we can expect when the game releases sometime next year. So, enjoy!

The upcoming online update to TEKKEN 5: Dark Resurrection will cost $9.99. The update, which will be available later this year, will include Opti Match, Quick Match, Custom Match and Friend Match, "making it easy to find opponents to fight with anywhere, anytime." While waiting for their turn to battle, players will also be able to study their opponents by watching battles in the lobby. Online will also include two new single player modes, including Practice mode and Survival mode.

A new Online News Ticker will post the weekly, monthly and overall rank leaders at any given point. According to the press release, "Players will fight their way to the deadly Dark Lord to prove that they are worthy of battling it out in the online TEKKEN ranking." Whatever that means.

"It is beyond words how excited we are to finally be bringing our famous fighting franchise, TEKKEN, online for the first time," Makoto Iwai, Senior Vice President and COO of NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. said. "Not only is TEKKEN 5: Dark Resurrection Online a great value, but it now features the largest evolution in the franchise to date."

One game easily stole the show at Namco Bandai's Editor's Day: Time Crisis 4. This PS3 exclusive title will feature support for the Wii-inspired Guncom 3. Having recently played the original arcade version, we can confidently say that the PS3 version will be superior in every single way. If you haven't taken a closer look yet, you should. This will easily become one of PS3's killer-apps amongst hardcore gamers.

The new Guncom takes advantage of Wii-esque technology, which allows it to be compatible with SDTVs and HDTVs of all kinds (previous Time Crisis console titles did not work with certain types of TVs). The new HD graphics are stunning: a vast improvement over the pixelated mess of the arcade original.

The single most exciting feature of the PS3 Time Crisis has to be its new FPS mode, which allows you to freely move around the world whilst using Guncom 3 to fire at enemies. By adding the precision controls of a light gun game into the FPS genre is certainly going to create a truly immersive experience. If Namco Bandai can nail down the controls on the game before its November release, we can't help but think that this game could potentially set the standard for FPS game control.

View the trailer after the cut, or download the trailer directly to your PS3 by visiting our website on your console.

The awkwardly (but aptly) titled Dynasty Warriors: Gundam is coming to PS3 and Xbox 360 later this summer, and Namco Bandai has released a plethora of new screens and artwork for the title. Developed by Koei's Team: Omega Force, the creators of the original Dynasty Warriors series, the game has players using fan-favorite mechas from "more than 6" TV series (we're assuming that means 7?).

Considered by many to be the best weapons-based fighting game around, 1UP is giving gamers an early tease of their upcoming exclusive Soul Calibur feature for EGM. Namco is giving fighting fans exactly what they want as they have announced Soul Calibur 4 will be appearing exclusively on Xbox 360.

And PlayStation 3. While we're appreciative of this first-look, we're sad to admit that this has simply whet our appetite for more. Hopefully, it won't be too long until our local postal employee stops by our door and rescues us from our shriveled, frothing Soul Calibur-deprived lunacy.

Ever since the announcement was made that Soul Calibur was getting a little side story treatment on the Wii, the fighting game enthusiast crowd let out a collective sigh. They expected a big, next-gen announcement of their favorite fighting franchise. Namco Bandai heard you, oh brave warriors! In just a few short weeks, make your way to the nearest corner store and pick up a copy of the freshest EGM you can find. They'll be unveiling the first look at Soul Calibur 4.

As EGM said, "if you're truly looking to give your opponent something to cry about, it's all about wielding sharpened steel, and nothing beats Namco Bandai's Soul Calibur series for weapon-based fighting thrills. In our world-exclusive preview, we'll reveal the future direction of this beloved series." We know the future direction! It's definitely headed towards the PS3 and probably the 360. We can't wait to grab our copy on July 3rd. Once we get the info, we'll gladly forward it to you.

It's no secret that Namco Bandai is a huge advocate of Sony and the PlayStation 3 -- just like how Capcom might be a huge advocate for Microsoft and the XBox 360. There's no shame in it. Every developer and publisher might find their niche in certain hardware and dev kits. That's why when Namco Bandai (hereafter known as NamBan for the heck of it) released their earning statements for the period ending March 31st, we must rejoice at their success.

First up, NamBan's full year profits were in the green with a 71% growth, despite slower-than-expected sales of the PS3 and its games. The last quarter ending saw an increase of 1.8% in net sales (about $3.83 billion). Most game sales were generated in Japan, with heavy hitters including Gundam, Tamagotchi (seriously?), and Power Rangers (seriously!).

They're doing well and expect to increase further next year. They propose a 4.5% increase to net sales, operating income to rise 6.6%, and net income to go up by about 9.3%. None of this matters, though, unless we go out and buy their games. So, everyone together now, let's say that tired line we know and love: Riiiiiiiiiiiiidge Racer! Break!

According to IGN, Namco Bandai confirmed today that Gundam Musou will be released in North America under the new moniker Dynasty Warriors: Gundam. It is scheduled to come out towards the end of summer on both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 platforms.

The game sold well in Japan, but not up to Namco Bandai's expectations. They had expected it to have an attach rate of over 50% though, which seems a tad high for this game. So maybe they were being a bit overly optimistic. Regardless though, it makes sense that they would expand the release market to increase their revenue return.

Hopefully this will be better than their previous PS3 Gundam attempt. The Japanese reviews were favorable, and the Dynasty Warrior games have always been a guilty pleasure of mine, but the graphics don't look real hot and the DW formula has grown a little stale. Also that new name bugs the hell out of me. It's descriptive sure, but it makes me think of this guy.