Audiology [OMG Your Ears!]

A common complaint about Killa Blog is the lack of auditory stimulation, so in your travels around the internet today, be sure to swing by:

Gootecks.com. They've converted Justin Wong's Q&A into a podcast. It's an hour and six minutes of relaxed banter, answering tons of SFIV and fighting scene questions, and making me feel a little bit better about my own struggles with Rufus' short, Fierce link.

Dirtbox Radio, a more rhythmic arena, delivers another HeBeGB live set in the Dirtbox Archives. Haven't had enough commute time to listen to the whole hour and a half, but it sounds pretty flippin' tight. You can download it from Dirtbox here.

Team Teamwork for their Vinyl Fantasy 7, an album's worth of hot lyrical tracks mashed with the classic themes of Final Fantasy VII. Just caught this on Kotaku this morning, so I haven't delved in too deeply, but it seems forrealistic. Jay-Z's Lucifer crossed with the Mako Reactor BGM? Fuck yes.

Could this be the framework for a future Killa Blog Podcast?




... God, I hope not.

Go for Baroque [Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom Impressions]

I reckon I owe KB more than that last text post...

Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom is (1) a blast, (2) the first VS. Series game in seven years, (3) chock full of fun, colorful characters, and (4) only the third respectable fighting game for the Wii.

Wtf is a Tatsunoko? Learn to Google. (Though, please, do not confuse with Tsuchinoko, the reptillian cryptid and crown jewel of Snake Eater zoological die hards.) Anyways, now you know Tatsunoko is a Japanese animation studio responsible for many of the nation's iconic characters like Speed Racer, Samurai Pizza Cats, and Gatchaman. They reached a deal with Capcom for a VS fighting game intended only for the domestic market, but the huge North American fanbase eventually tempted Tatsunoko and Capcom, and after a ridonk number of licensing issues were resolved, it has been localized for these United States, and is available on an extremely prolific console.

Besides Smash Brawl, the only other significant source of fighting action on the Wii is Guilty Gear XX ^Core (and GGXX^C+, but who's counting?). I've bought my share of Guilty Gear releases, and it's not for everyone. Even with the foreign characters, I think people will be immediately more inclined to delve into Tatsunoko vs. Capcom.

Controls are somewhat of a challenge, though not a dealbreaker. I did not (for once) go out and buy the associated fight stick. I'm sticking it out with the Gamecube controller; the only problem being the joystick and directional pad being woefully inadequate for some of the more technical inputs, like dashes (especially instant air dashes). I've resolved this to some degree by assigning L+M+H to the right trigger simplifying the use of Advancing Guards and Air Dashes. I've got left trigger assigned as L+M+H+P allowing quick use of the Mega Crash (think Guilty Gear's Burst).

The choice of a 2v2 format (instead of MvC2's 3v3) is a better fit for the size of the roster (a respectable 26) and a good place to start for anyone not intimately familiar with tag team fighters. However, if you do know MvC2, you should be able to dive in head first. All you need to pick up are the Baroque cancel, the Variable Aerial Rave, and Mega Crash, and you're up to speed.

So far I've been sticking mostly with Capcom characters, especially Zero and Alex. Jun the Swan, Tekkaman Blade, and Yatterman No.1 have all stood out to me as highlights from Tatsunoko side.

I've unlocked all characters as of Yatterman No.2 last night, and I'll be spending more time in Training and Online before I make another formal post about the merit of this title. But if you ever have or think you may ever pull of an Air Rave, than this is probably a safe buy for you. I know a lot of you out there have Wiis, so seriously consider picking of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom if you have the feeling for the flavor of a fighter. (Oh, and hey, buy it through Killa Blog!)

And I think I heard Shwa got this bad boy... I'll have to hit him up.

The Crossover Glossover [Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Ultimate All Stars Very, Very Initial Impressions]

Used Friender in a combo vs. Legoman. Tatsunoko vs Capcom is pretty cool.

Better Late [Killa Blog GOTY]

What's Killa Blog's Game of the Year? (Pretty obv, when you look back.)

(Please keep in mind these are games I've played and were released in calendar '09. Bioshock and Resistance 2, for example, are not eligible.)

GAME OF THE YEAR: Street Fighter IV

Huge game especially for fighting fans, really rejuvenating the tournament scene in a big way. I personally spent hundreds of hours playing, and am eagerly awaiting the Super update this spring. Why so popular? People love a good Street Fighter, and Capcom went the right direction, bringing in everything great from Super Turbo, learning from the mistakes of III, all while combining graphics and an art style that updated the franchise.

Compared to MGS4, the game that ultimately trumped Fallout 3 for 2008 KB GOTY, '09 proved to be more of a competitive year. Fighters dominated my playing time, and therefore, Killa Blog.


BEST NEW CHARCTER DESIGN: Luna Himeki (VanPri)

Vanguard Princess's provocative, futuristic gunslinger takes the cake. Stiff competition from the likes of SFIV's Rufus, BlazBlue's Ragna the Bloodedge, Tekken 6's Alisa and L4D2's Coach, but a true gem shines through. Terminal Emission Libery Art FTW.


BEST NEW ENEMY: Freakin' Chainsaw Guy (RE5)

Ah, the Freakin' Chainsaw Guy from Resident Evil 5 got a lot of chatter on KB earlier this year. I don't think any enemy presented such a monument to mechanized equipment and close-quarters terror.


BEST NEW LEVEL: Dead Center - Atrium (L4D2)

Oooh yeah. The opening campaign of Left 4 Dead 2, while primarily indoor, is a great contrast from the original L4D that showcases the more colorful and open environments, the clever use of vertical space, and the realistic, often humorous attention to detail.

The final stage is the Scavenge segment, tasking players with collecting gas cans to fuel a stock car on display in order to make an exciting escape. The Atrium is so well designed that it plays great after dozens of rounds and is eagerly anticipated by survivors and special infected players alike. Total classic.


BEST NEW GAMEPLAY MECHANIC: Saving Attack (SFIV)

AKA the Focus Attack in North America, pressing medium punch and kick simultaneously will execute this technique that significantly consolidated the landscape of Street Fighter. Why 'consolidated'? The Alpha series' Alpha Counters, SFIII's parries, Guilty Gear's Roman Cancels, and Namco's unblockables all rolled into one. Yes, the Focus Attack is a revelation.

Street Fighter IV is so playable because of its take on its own fighter heritage. Eliminating air blocking could have returned the SF world to a jump-punishing dark age, but the Focus system accomodates more modern styles of ground fighting, particularly zoning and poking, allowing walking speed and backdash attributes to flourish as character strengths.



Sorry for the late arrival. Figured now or never. Thoughts?

HypoShock [BioShock 2 Hype]

So hey, did I mention I'm all jazzed up for Bioshock 2?

Assassin's Creed II is resting in peace, and I'm tearing through the Zombie Island of Dr. Ned currently in Borderlands. Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom should provide a proper fighting diversion at the end of the month, while the process of stealing, cracking, and playing Melty Blood (Act Cadenza Ver. B) has kept me occupied as well. But, oooh, the media blitz is on. Let the 2K Games PR machine spiral out of control!

There ain't no stopping Subject Delta! It's alive!

Get Equipped with.. Curbstomp [That AHX Tiger Handheld GIF]

Killer Bee Assault WANT [SSFIV Ultra Combos]

So, as you can see in this video, characters in Super Street Fighter IV will have access to two Ultra combos, which isn't new news, but illustrated for the first time for the general public. As enticing as Gief's Air Ultra grab may be, the more pressing speculation is...

Will Cammy get the Killer Bee Assault?!


...Or are we gonna get the [Reverse] Shaft [Breaker]?

UPDATE: What the fuck random giraffe torso? Just kidding. Go check out the hippos in the new Afrika stage.