Saturday, February 23, 2013

"Leave him wanting more"

In the February 22, 2013 episode of Bubble Gang...

- Locker room gags for the losers

- One man argues at the funeral "I Shouldn't Be Alive"

- Bubble Gang does Harlem Shake!

- A peaceful wild west turned awry when a mad cowboy challenges a cowboy on a duel...

- Don't worry, those girly stuff can also be..."FOR MEN" so it's okay if you're a dude...

- Leave him wanting more with KAMEY. Bubble Gang does Camay Bar Soap and Shower Gel by spoofing this commercial as KAMEY BAR SOAP AND SHOWEL GEL!

Bubble Gang does Camay
- Pickup Lines! Ayt! Ayt! Katahimikan!

- News reporters making up some news coverage of some prisoner set for execution

- Problems with your life? Tata Lino's here to help!

- A talk with some guy who's facing problems due to communication gap with his dad. Don't ask...Let them talk...

- IyoTube

Thursday, February 21, 2013

To Aru Majutsu to Kagaku no Ensemble

In celebration of Ascii Media Works' 20th year, there's going to be a movie version of the hit TV anime series "To Aru Majutsu no Index" under the banner "To Aru Majutsu no Index Endymion no Kiseki", which will hit theaters this Saturday across Japan but before that, there's a new PSP game that combines all of your favorite characters from two To Aru series. That's right, your favorite characters from To Aru Majutsu no Index and To Aru Kagaku no Railgun joined forces for this one-of-a-kind video game that some say it took place before the film.

To Aru Majutsu to Kagaku no Ensemble is an icing in the cake that really sums it up for Ascii Media Works' 20th birthday but this is just more than just a birthday present to ASCII. Aside from meeting up with your favorite characters from the To Aru franchise such as Index, Toma Kamijo, Mikoto Misaka, Kuroko Shirai, Styil Magnus, Kaori Kanzaki, Kazari Uiharu, Ruiko Saten, Accelerator, Last Order, Sisters, and other characters from the franchise, you can also expect original in-game characters as well. If that wasn't surprising, there's a special character waiting in the game and Alisa Meigo from the upcoming Endymion no Kiseki film makes a very special appearance on Ensemble.

Ensemble takes place before Endymion no Kiseki and the storyline made by the series creator Kazuma Kamachi were purely original meaning that this is an all-original storyline made for this game. While the game begins at their respective routes of the Science Side and the Magic Side, the two routes intertwine at a certain point. Like most games, Ensemble is depend on the player's decision because it has choices, multiple approaches, multiple paths, and multiple tools you can expect on this game. Choose your path and you'll be facing some crucial consequences of your actions and it's up to you how the Ensemble story unfolds.

As a headsup, To Aru Majutsu to Kagaku no Ensemble was developed by the same blokes behind Toradora Portable and Oreimo Portable. We're talking about Guyzware, the developer. Which means that there's a bit of a clever Live 2D System that you expect from other games, the Live 2D System lets the character change moods as you scroll your way to the story so far.

A good effort all round and for a To Aru fan, I think that the Ensemble PSP game is the biggest treat for any To Aru fan who just can't wait for Saturday's big movie.

LIMITED EDITION:

Although the game may cost you 6,280 Yen, there's a limited edition offered for 9,980 Yen as well. For the Limited Edition, which is a must have for any To Aru fan around here, not only you can get the PSP game but also comes with 4 Chibi-Kyun mini-figures: two of the returning heroines Misaka and Index, and the other two of Urepady Exica and Hibiki Kukimoto. It will also bundle a stage set for the figures and come in a box with an exclusive illustration by the animators at J.C. Staff.

2014 Suzuki Alto Eco

2014 Suzuki Alto Eco

Ever since the Suzuki Alto Eco came out in 2011, Suzuki is now the king of fuel efficiency because it's fuel economy is about 30.2km/L based on Japan's JC08 Mode standards and that's about .2kmpl more than the Daihatsu Mira e:S.

As fuel economy is now an issue of today, the Suzuki Alto Eco is updated for the 2014 model year and for this year, the Alto Eco borrows something from the latest Suzuki Wagon R; a new mild-hybrid system named "ENE-CHARGE" (short for 'energy charge'). Combining the Alto Eco's R06A engine with an electric motor/generator and a lithium-ion battery, ENE-CHARGE provides regenerative braking and at least some level of power assist to the internal combustion engine.

For that, the fuel economy for the world's most fuel efifcient car is now improved to a record high 33kmpl  based on Japan's JC08 Mode standards. 33KMPL! No other fuel efficient car comes close!

For styling details, the 2014 Alto Eco has given a new front design and a new speedo on the interior. Prices start at 900,000 Yen and for the first time, the Alto Eco now comes with an available 4WD variant.

URL: http://www.suzuki.co.jp/car/alto_eco/index.html

Scoop: http://autoc-one.jp/news/1313764/

Let's Do The News! (February 21, 2013)

(cheers and applause)

JM: I wasn't expecting that this hack-and-slash game could be that better than that, anyway, let's do the news and it's BIG NEWS! Big news is that Sony announced the Playstation 4 gaming console at the live press conference earlier!

JC: Wow! Sony announced the Playstation 4 console? Wonder what it looks like.

JM: Uh, only the new controller was featured while the whole console is not yet featured until this year's E3 or something and this is dubbed as Dualshock 4...

Dualshock 4 controller for the new PS4

RH: Wow, looks better than the old controllers of the past Playstations of yesteryears and um...where's the start and select button?

(audience laughing)

JM: As a matter of fact, that's a bit of a problem here but what this new controller has, something that old PS generation controllers don't have, enhanced rumble capabilities, a touch pad, a share button, a headset jack, and a dual camera that senses the position of the controller.

(whoa)

JC: Wait a minute....A headset jack? A touch pad? Dual camera? Whoa! No wonder it's a world first for the PS4 controller, well except for the headset jack because I think the XBOX 360 controller has a headset jack under and this is where a bunch of noobs and vets used it and go trash talking while playing multiplayer games. Turns out they like it better than the Kinect mike because it's a bit of noisy in the ears of the opponents. Good for losing their concentration and taunting though...

(audience laughing)

RH: Wait a minute....You said that those blokes can't concentrate on the killshot because some lucky bloke used the Kinect's microphone and then make some noises to annoy idiots until he bashed one after another? That brought me an idea, that makes me more negotiable in a game of Black Ops! Gonna try that...

(audience laughing)

JC: Uh, little man, that's not quite a good idea because sometimes, those blokes may kick you out in the gaming session and they won't let you in for good...

RH: Oh....

(audience laughing)

THE IDOLM@STER 2 Master Artist 2 FIRST SEASON 04 - Makoto Kikuchi

JC: Anyway, as we know, apart from Hiromi Hirata for being Makoto Kikuchi from THE IDOLM@STER franchise, she also played as Maggie from R.O.D. the TV, Ruji Familon in Zoids Genesis, Mao in the Makai Senki Disgaea 3 game, and others. Now, I just got a report that the voice actress behind one of my favorite iM@S idol announced that...um...uh...

RH: What? Pregnant?

(audience laughing)

JC: Once again, thank you for completing my sentence. Yes, Hiromi Hirata said that she was six months pregnant and that really is a bombshell for one of the people involved in iDOLM@STER...

JM: Pregnant you said?

JC: Yes. She's pregnant. Don't blame her why but some idiots said, she got bit by some alien shapeshifter in the arm...

(audience laughing hysterically)

RH: Alien shapeshifter? What is this? Torchwood? You think she's like Gwen Cooper when she got bit by an alien and then the next day, she's pregnant?

(audience laughing)

JC: E he he he he, oops! Why did I just said that? Oh wait! We're just referring to some defunct sci-fi show to state a point!

(audience laughing)

JM: Guys, guys, would you please enough with this sci-fi trash talk malarkey? Can we just move on to the next topic?

JC: Okay, okay, okay, enough about that...Anyway, there's a brand new Bentley Continental Spur coming this year and here's the pic...

2014 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
...by the looks of it, it kinda look like the Mulsanne, the car that killed James May while being chased by cops in Albania. Thing is though, if you were an idiot like James who ended up being chased by cops in another country rather than Albania, would you end up on the same fate as James May on this new Flying Spur?

(audience laughing)

JM: On a nutshell, I think yes because sometimes Bentleys result to, what you called it, CATASTROPHIC UNDERSTEER. Sure, it's got the power from its twin-turbo W12 engine, same as the GT, but as a four-door saloon, I think it's nowhere near as good as the Rolls or a Benz.

RH: Yeah, pretty soon, you'll just wanna kill yourself on the Bentley when the jig is up...

(audience laughing)

2012 McLaren P1 Concept

RH: Anyway, McLaren provided details for the upcoming P1 hypercar and according to McLaren themselves, the P1 hypercar will be a...and when you're sitting down...(imitates drum roll) A HYBRID?! A HYBRID ENGINE WIELDING SUPERCAR?

(audience laughing)

JC: Wait, the P1 is a hybrid supercar? How come this McLaren's going to be a hybrid? Oh dear, guess those guys made themselves a Prius with a McLaren badge on it...

(audience laughing)

RH: Care to tell me how much power the P1 develops?

JC: What? About the same as the Prius?

(audience laughing)

RH: Wrong. That's about 903bhp!

JC: What?! 903bhp?!

JM: Uh-huh. 903bhp. You see, sources told that the P1 uses an improved version of the engine that was used on the MP4-12C, which generates about 727hp, while the electric motor generates about 176hp. If both the petrol engine and the electric motor kicks in, the combined power output is guaranteed to be 903bhp and that puts it awfully close to the standard Bugatti Veyron's thousand horsepower mark.

JC: Something smells about this article...

RH: What?

JC: The McLaren P1. Hybrid engine wielding supercar. Suspicious much?

JM: Jezza, don't be stupid. Nothing's suspicious about the McLaren P1 even though the fact that it's a hybrid engine wielding supercar.

(audience laughing)

RH: Oh, wait! Jezza, you think it does ring a bell? You think some blokes in McLaren spend their lunch breaks playing Ridge Racer on PSVita? I guess this is where their idea came from...

Ridge Racer PSVita screenshot

(audience laughing)

RH: Uh-huh, everytime when there's a carmaker going to make a hybrid supercar, I remind of this Ridge Racer machine, the hybrid engine wielding Kamata SYNCi...

JC: Agreed...And on that bombshell, that's the end of the news...

METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE

Over two and a half decades, the Metal Gear saga is a hallmark of Konami history. With over a billion copies sold worldwide, it become one of Konami's flagship titles and in case you missed last year's 25th anniversary party, there's a movie in the works. As a trendsetter of pop culture, I always love how the saga evolves into new and exciting ways to sneak your way through redemption and now, there's a new game that changes the way Metal Gear has played...forever.

METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE
Welcome to METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE, the latest chapter of the Metal Gear saga with a vengeful twist and when I said "twist", it really is because RISING marks the departure of the stealth action genre that coveted the saga for decades with the birth of a new high speed action game that lets you...well, as the saying goes, CUT WHAT YOU WILL. (キレる体験。)

This is the first time a Metal Gear game that lets players kill everyone on sight and it's definitely the most BRUTAL hack-and-slash game ever made. If you think that's surprising, this game is, for the first time ever, a collaboration between Kojima Productions and PlatinumGames. If you don't know what PlatinumGames was, it's a Japanese game developer behind the sanely bonkers games such as Bayonetta (which was directed by the man behind Devil May Cry series), Vanquish (directed by the creator of Biohazard/Resident Evil franchise), Max Anarchy/Anarchy Reigns, Mad World, Infinite Space, and others. In the spirit of PlatinumGames, games like Bayonetta or Vanquish were really really HARDCORE and gamers were so impressed on how those games were developed because of its uniqueness.

Here's a little story, when you caught the trailer from the VGA 2011, you might be noticed why it was titled REVENGEANCE. Apart from being a combination of the words "REVENGE" or "VENGEANCE", the blokes from Kojima Production found out that making this next chapter is a bit challenging. They did well on the storyboard but in the terms of quality assesements, that's a different story. Hideo Kojima could have killed this project until he joined forces with PlatinumGames. With PlatinumGames doing the bits of Metal Gear Rising, Hideo Kojima was very impressed and they're really back in business. Thing is though, what the folks from PlatinumGames said "Uh, Kojima-san, you do the storyboard, we do the action". Which means, with an epic storytelling courtesy of Kojima Productions and the hardcore gameplay feel courtesy of the same blokes that brought you Bayonetta and Vanquish, REVENGEANCE really turned skeptics into believers and fans really drooled over Raiden's unique hack-and-slash action that defies all odds.

After the fall of the Patriots four years ago, Private Military Corporations or PMC's that were controlled by the Patriots were collapsed and spawning rogue entities that origins traced back to criminal organizations. As PMCs are employing cyborg technology, the balance of global power has gone out of control. You are Raiden, a child soldier bearing the namesake "Jack the Ripper" who became a cyborg ninja whose origins are connected from Sons of Liberty and Guns of the Patriots. Raiden is a member of a PMC called Maverick Security, with the support of Boris, Kevin, Doktor, and Courtney, he lives by the mantra of protecting the innocent right until a terrible incident that lead him fueled with the soul of revenge.

This new game though showcases a new style of gameplay with a new main character and as Raiden, armed with the HF Blade, you can hack-and-slash your way against cyborgs as your quest for revenge leads you from the villages of Eastern Europe, the sewers of Mexico, the streets of Denver, Colorado, the underbelly of World Marshal HQ, and all roads lead to the climactic battle in Pakistan. What surprised gamers is the system called Blade Mode and ZANDATSU. In Blade Mode, players are free to "CUT WHAT YOU WILL" and with the right timing and the right target, you might be able to initiate ZANDATSU. ZANDATSU restores your life and electrolytes, giving you an exciting edge on your gameplay.

Apart from this hack-and-slash action, there are subweapons that changes the course of your gameplay such as an RPG, heat-seeking missile  grenades, electromagnetic grenades that paralyze cyborgs, chaff grenades that is effective against surveillance machinery, red phosphorous grenades that clouds the place in smoke, or distract your enemies with a 3D hologram. How you use it is all up to you.

As you progress through the game, you'll get some new weapons that can make up with the strong attacks and combine it with some deadly combos to thrash down your foes such as Mistral's Pole-Arm "L'étranger" that is my kind of favorite because it poses a well balanced attack against surrounding enemies, Monsoon's Ninja Sai "Dystopia" that can paralyze cyborgs at the right time or useful for breaking down a heavy cyborg's armor, Sundowner's pincer swords "Bloodlust" that is slow but powerful enough to crush your foes, and the HF Murasama Blade used by baddie Samuel Rodrigues. As you play, you'll earn Battle Points and you'll spend it for upgrades and new skills that might be useful enough on a more intense gameplay, especially boss battles.

If you want to polish your skills, there are VR missions offered in Rising but if you want to unlock some VR missions, you have to find computers that scattered throughout this game. Find one and you've unlocked a new VR mission that tests your stealth, subweapon, Blade Mode, and other skills. This is how worthy you are being a true "Jack The Ripper" in Rising but that's just the half of battle because on early April 2013, there are some special VR Missions available as a DLC on the PlaystationStore. It will be priced at 300 Yen and these VR Missions involve on mastering the Dwarf Gekko, just like what you did in the Mexico mission. Yeah, good luck mastering this pesky little critter...

It maybe a twist to the franchise but Metal Gear Rising Revengeance combines the best of both worlds. With the storyline provided by Kojima Productions and the high-speed lightning bolt action provided by PlatinumGames, it is, by far means, the most remarkable hack-and-slash game I like. Sometimes, even though it was a great game made by the best people in Japan, there are so many things that went wrong with it. Yep, many things are wrong with it BUT IT'S STILL...

...THE BEST GAME I'VE EVER PLAYED. Best game ever played...end of discussion.

LIMITED EDITON:

With Metal Gear Rising Revengeance available exclusively on the PS3 for 6,980 Yen, your fandom thinks it's not quite enough because if you're a hardcore fan, you'll need to speed 9,980 Yen for the Premium Package. Metal Gear Rising Revengeance Premium Package not only includes the game but also an art book with works by Yoji Shinkawa, a soundtrack CD, and 2 Dwarf Gekko figures that can be split into half or reaatachable thanks to some magnets from each half of it. The Konamistyle special, which costs 12,980 Yen and availabe exclusively at Konamistyle.jp, features the same content from the Premium Package with the addition of a special Square Enix Playarts Kai Raiden White Armor version.

The Zandatsu Package gives you a headstart on Rising if you didn't have a PS3 yet. Not only you'll have a specially designed 250GB Playstation3 but also you have the Metal Gear Rising game and a downloadable code for a special theme on your PS3's XMB.

Those who pre-ordered it will be on a wild ride because they'll have a code to access a special body for Raiden and it's a special Cyborg Ninja body that resembles Gray Fox from the original MGS game. For Amazon.jp customers, they'll get an MGS4 version body of Raiden. For Konamistyle or Loppi, customers get the White Armor for Raiden. Tsutaya customers get the Inferno Armor for Raiden plus a special card on Metal Gear Solid Social Ops. GEO customer get the Commando Armor for Raiden and a card for Metal Gear Solid Social Ops. Joshin and Edion customers will receive special Raiden cards on Social Ops and most will give you a special Raiden (Mariachi version) card in Social Ops mobile game. Well, you get the idea.

Cheap speeds

150mph is the benchmark speed for high performance cars. No matter how much you can buy it, you can still reach the high performance benchmark but what if you can achieve it in low priced cars?

History's Top Gear has Tanner in the Saab Viggen, Adam's in the Pontiac Trans Am, and Rut's in the Infiniti in a relentless quest to see if it can reach 150mph but before that, there are some challenges.

Tanner beat the speeding arrow, Adam conquered the high speed stability, and Rut survived from having a pack of rats in his head.

The real challenge starts at El Mirage drybed where their cars are put to the test. Adam does 136mph, Tanner does 151mph, and Rut (with the nitro in the car) does about 140 but he lied about reaching over 150.

After the challenge, Rut's given the chance to drive the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse for an epic 6-mile journey. to deliver this car for some VIP and this VIP is...Tanner? Tanner Foust?

Turns out, it's Tanner who supposed to drive the Veyron GSV because he won the challenge, not Rut.

For Rutledge, the Vitesse is all about elegance but for Tanner, the Vitesse was built for speed because speed is the Bugatti's mantra but how?

The police closed the road just so Tanner can max out the Veyron GSV and in the end, Tanner managed to do 201mph on a closed public road.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE Vocal Tracks

METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE
Vocal Tracks

In anticipation for tomorrow's Japan release of the upcoming Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, a Playstation3 exclusive title in collaboration with Kojima Productions and Platinum Games, here comes the music inspired by the newest hack-and-slash addition to the Metal Gear saga. That's right, this Metal Gear Rising Revengeance Vocal Tracks offer 29 rocking heavy metal music tracks that were inspired from Raiden's most intense mission that seeks revenge against a PMC known as Desperado Enforcement and how intense was it? You'll find that out tomorrow when this comes out exclusively on the PS3 gaming console.

Anyway, those hard-bashing soundtrack compilation really sticks true to the "Cut What You Will" concept. Once you listened to all of these vocal tracks, rest assured that your earbuds had been disintegrated into chunks thanks to Raiden's Blade Mode that shows some devastation to Rising's mantra. Your audio can't keep up with the razor edge soundtrack inspired from Metal Gear Rising Revengeance! Pretty soon, your audio will get sliced into chunks! He he he....

If you're itching to have one of these, the Vocal Tracks is available for just 2940 Yen and for that, you have a razor-sharp audio CD filled with 29 razor sharp heavy metal rock musics inspired from the game that will "Cut What You Will" at the comfort of your own home!

TRACK LISTINGS:


01. Rules of Nature (Platinum Mix)
02. The Only Thing I Know For Real (Maniac Agenda Mix)
03. Dark Skies (Platinum Mix)
04. I'm My Own Master Now (Platinum Mix)
05. A Stranger I Remain (Maniac Agenda Mix)
06. Return to Ashes (Platinum Mix)
07. The Stains of Time (Maniac Agenda Mix)
08. Red Sun (Maniac Agenda Mix)
09. A Soul Can't Be Cut (Platinum Mix)
10. Collective Consciousness (Maniac Agenda Mix)
11. It Has To Be This Way (Platinum Mix)
12. The War Still Rages Within
13. The Hot Wind Blowing featuring Ferry Corsten (Platinum Mix)
14. A Soul Can't Be Cut (Platinum Mix - DLC Version)
15. Dark Skies (Platinum Mix - Low Key Version)
16. Return to Ashes (Platinum Mix - Low Key Version)
17. A Soul Can't Be Cut (Platinum Mix - Low Key Version)
18. Rules of Nature (Platinum Mix - Instrumental)
19. The Only Thing I Know For Real (Maniac Agenda Mix - Instrumental)
20. Dark Skies (Platinum Mix - Instrumental)
21. I'm My Own Master Now (Platinum Mix - Instrumental)
22. A Stranger I Remain (Maniac Agenda Mix - Instrumental)
23. Return to Ashes (Platinum Mix - Instrumental)
24. The Stains of Time (Maniac Agenda Mix - Instrumental)
25. Red Sun (Maniac Agenda Mix - Instrumental)
26. A Soul Can't Be Cut (Platinum Mix - Instrumental)
27. Collective Consciousness (Maniac Agenda Mix - Instrumental)
28. It Has To Be This Way (Platinum Mix - Instrumental)
29. The Hot Wind Blowing featuring Ferry Corsten (Platinum Mix - Instrumental)