QCF: New Super Mario Bros. 2

If you came to me 22 years ago and told me I'd be second guessing the number one plumber in video games, I would have told you to fuck right off (in a much more polite, 8-year-old tone). Until very recently, I had always been a ridiculously faithful Mario fan -- especially as a child. I collected everything from posters and comics to pasta noodles (seriously). I even had a letter printed in the September 1991 issue of Adventures of Super Mario Bros. by Valiant Comics (which I'm searching for again, so contact me if you have it).

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Want Bunny Must Die on Steam? VOTE TODAY!!

At PAX East 2012, I was privileged to receive the world-exclusive first look at the first full North American build for Bunny Must Die: Chelsea and the 7 Devils, the upcoming metroidvania action release developed by Platine Dispositif.

Bunny Must Die! Finally has a release date, set to be published October 12th, 2012 by Rockin' Android on both Desura and Gamersgate. But hold on, what about Steam?!

Well, it turns out a Steam release is a bit trickier; In an ironic twist, Bunny Must Die requires to be green lit by fans in order to see a release to ensure there's enough interest, despite Rockin' Android's Gundemonium Collection (also developed by Platine Disositif) seeing a very positive reception and decent sales. So here's where you come in! Head on over to the Steam Greenlight page and vote up Bunny Must Die!

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PAX Prime 2012: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance hands-on preview

It’s been several years since players have been able to control the angsty field operative code named Raiden, but with him coming out of his shell (quite literally so to speak) into the role of private cyborg ninja for hire, we’ll be able to finally play as the hardened super killer, courtesy of Platinum Games and Kojima Productions. Aside from all of the hype and fanboy love affairs, I was able to get a hands-on take with the preview build and find out just how grounded my expectations really were.

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PAX Prime 2012: Santa Monica Studios Interview With Aaron Kaufman

Imagine what kind of person you would become if everything you knew and loved was ripped away from you, and in a fashion that made it seems as if it were your own fault from the start. Only, you know, it was really a trickster god who set you up for disappointment following your assumed redemption.

Two years after God of War III, Santa Monica Studios is throwing Kratos back into action with God of War: Ascension, the latest installment of the franchise which describes the struggles and buildup of Kratos before his infamous rise as a God.

As George took some extended time with both the single player and multiplayer game modes, I had an opportunity to step aside with Aaron Kaufman, community manager of Santa Monica Studios. We discussed what’s new, what’s returning, and why fans are in for the greatest God of War console experience to date.

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QCF: Way Of The Samurai 4

As the ferryman paddles the boat to dock, a ronin departs the floating vessel, setting foot into the villiage of Amihama, a town rife with tense conflict. The violent dispute is a direct response to Japan’s transition of isolationism to active foreign diplomacy, and the warriors to lead the challenge are a group of Radical nationalists, the “Disciples of Prajna,” the Shogunate government, and British diplomats. Each of the groups being at odds with one another, The ronin plays a deciding factor towards the destiny of Japan, and his actions will forever alter the fate of Japan.

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QCF: Dust: An Elysian Tail

Turmoil reigns heavy in the kingdom of Falana as hundreds of troops lay waste to the land. Led by an intolerant general who’s bent on the extermination of an entire tribe, all hope falls on the summoned hero of the blade and his...ferret with wings. Xbox LIVE's Summer of Arcade comes to a close, and to end the annual line of releases is Dust: An Elysian Tail, an indie developed platformer from Dean Doodril of Humble Hearts (this dude is the entire studio).

Dust has come a long way since we last saw it at PAX East. With nearly nine years in the making, Dust takes an assortment of familiar conventions from gaming’s past and blends them into a formula that delivers one of the most memorable experiences in video games this year.

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QCF: Bloodforge

Just minutes into the beginning of Bloodforge, you’ll probably tell yourself “this certainly isn’t God of War.” And though Crom has his moments, he’s certainly not Kratos. In fact, it feels like he’s trying a little too hard to be everyone’s favorite revenge-seeking maniac.

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QCF: Ninja Gaiden 3

In the madness of the Shibuya skyline, a towering colossus wreaks havoc in the metropolis all around her, and one man dares to face her on a rooftop’s edge. Enter Team Ninja’s newest chapter to their action franchise, Ninja Gaiden 3. Team Ninja had quite a bit of pressure applied with the absence of Tomonobu Itagaki, the man who has helmed the director chair on every major game within the series, has left the dubious position with the mastermind behind the Sigma remakes, Yosuke Hayashi. So what we have here is a bigger departure in the design than one would expect, but has it done any harm to the franchise? Well…

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