You know how Yoda is supposed to be an exclusive character to for 360 version of Soul Calibur IV and Darth Vader is going to be the exclusive character for the PS3 version?

Well, they're actually... timed-exclusive characters. Maybe.

Vader is coming to the 360 version as a download, and most likely vice-versa on the PS3

According to them, they have confirmation directly from Namco. No hacks/fan discs involved. There's also no photoshopz. View the screenshots in high resolution. The pixels are picture-perfect. Otherwise, it must be one hell of a photoshop job as the shadows and lighting fit in. The little jagged and weird colored outlines on Vader are the result of lighting and lack of anti-aliasing, plus the fact you're probably displaying the picture as big as possible, distorting the quality.

Not to mention that Vader is looking down towards Yoda, which all characters do when facing him.

Looks like they'll most likely be downloadable characters at a later date, as if Namco hasn't already set up other DLC waiting for us to get once the time comes.

I'm starting to think Namco is starting to milk people for some DLC. One of their previous games, Ace Combat 6, had a lot of DLC. Their 360 JRPG Eternal Sonata had a DLC that basically unlocked things you'd unlock by beating the game once, and chances are that if you even like it enough to download extra junk, you'd finish the game anyways.

Namco is also planning to charge for extra costumes and their soundtrack, which you can actually get by getting the Limited Edition Strategy Guide (yep. a limited edition strategy guide. i'll get my soundtrack somewhere else, thank you very much). Customizable parts are understandable since they'll have more of an impact on the gameplay as opposed to looks. Now with putting the other "exclusive" character as possible DLC, they'll be making certain gamers from both PSN and XBL pay a few bucks for the other character, so what's the point of having them exclusive when you could just include both of them from the start?

I don't know, but just because I'm a fan of this series, I'll probably shell out all I got for as much SC IV DLC as possible. I'd gladly pay a small amount for a new character. It can't possibly be anyone else. It makes sense to place Yoda, Vader, and Starkiller next to each other on the select screen and it was already popular fan speculation that the opposite character would be appearing in that slot.

But hey. At least Namco isn't EA. We can just take that and call it a win.

Sorry about the SC IV posts. Once I get the game and... game until I can game no more, I'll finally tell you guys how awful I thought Nintendo was at E3 this year

Other News
-I seriously have tons of MS points to blow, so I spent 320 on two Family Guy episodes. to quote one of them, "BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!"

There are only 4 days left until things start getting awesome. The countdown is getting shorter and shorter...

Looks like Namco's ready to set up some SC IV DLC already.

It seems that the first batch of SC IV DLC will have customizable parts, the soundtrack, some wallpapers/themes, and old costumes. CIassic Nightmare, CIassic SC1 Sophitia, CIassic SC2 Voldo, and CIassic SC2 "Death Bunny" Astaroth will be most likely featured in the DLC pack. I wouldn't mind them bringing back SC2 Yoshimitsu, but SC1/2 Nightmare is already awesome. I'm assuming that there's more DLC since there's a 1 at the end.

And since I'm getting the Limited Edition, I'll also get some exclusive content, so if the DLC is available at launch, the first time I play it, it'll be fully loaded

1UP has also reviewed the game, giving it a rating of A, roughly equivalent to a 9.5/10. I usually don't listen to 1UP, but that's still a great score. I've been hyping the game for a while now and even I didn't expect it to be that high. I also actually didn't expect them to prefer Yoda over Vader.

Anyways, I played some more Soul Calibur today and got ranked #4 with a score of 59 on the Yoshimitsu Survival leaderboards. I don't have a camera right now, but anyone with the game can check the leaderboards.

Also, I beat GH3 on Normal. It went by a lot faster than I thought. Good rhythm game.

*sigh* Only 4 days, damnit. I even have some backup MS points just for the DLC. Because I'm just too big of a fan.

By the way... "I'm Batman lol"

Other News
-Final E3 impressions will wait until after I get SC IV.

-After reviewing some Fallout 3 footage from E3, I'm beginning to have some doubts.

-Don't tell anyone I'm using my debit card for some MS points

The Soul Calibur IV countdown continues

I'm surprised that it has its own launch page (just go to GS's home page and you'll find it). The 4th (technically, 5th) installment of one of the best 3D fighters is almost here. Only 5 days left, and I'm slightly more excited than I was before.

Congrats to Vexx88 for being able to order the game. See? He's awesome, and all you other guys/girls aren't getting any closer if you just sit around like that

Famitsu has given the game 35/40, the same score for Eternal Sonata/Trusty Bell, which is surprisingly more than Persona 4 with a rating of 33 (link). A great rating as far as Famitsu scores go. 9, 9, 9, 8. If anyone misses this title, then... well, at least don't miss RE5. Then we have a problem

In other news, for the next few days I have to watch my 11yr old sister, my mentally disabled 14 year old brother, and my younger cousin who's 10 years old. My parents and my little 5yr old brother are out on a trip to a wedding. Alone. You know what this means? Unprecedented use of my debit card! No, maybe not.

At least my parents get home soon enough to pick up my reservation of SC IV . It's reserved under my mom's name, though, so I lucked out

Yesterday I purhased Puzzle Quest off XBLA. Yep. I still have some MS points to blow (and... don't tell anyone about teh debit card). It's pretty good so far, but I am pretty terrible.

I also tried the trial for 1942: Joint Strike and it's not that great. There are better top-down shooters like Ikaruga (despite the punishing difficulty). They really, really, really need to bring Raiden Fighters to XBLA. They really, really do.

Anyways, for now I'm just at home not doing much. Don't ask why I'm up at 4 in the morning. I'm not up because I want to be

Only a week left. I'm surprised that there are actually LOTS of people who already have their hands on SC IV (it's the stores fault, not the players). But I'm going to be a good boy and get it on release. Since I'm reserving the limited edition, I had to pay $10 reservation fee, so I'm spending about $95 total (in USD btw lol). Sounds like a crapload of money for one game, but it'll be totally worth it

With release setting in real soon, I'm not as hyped as before. I'm also staying away from any SC IV-related forum, mainly because there's some leaked info around.

Anyways, how about a couple things not related to SC IV?

I got Geometry Wars a few days ago. For 400 MS points, it's great, but it's pretty intense. I can barely get past 200,000 points. It's as great as a lot of people say it is.

Ninja Gaiden Black is still as hard as ever. I'm around Chapter 12 and even on Ninja Dog Mode, it's just ridiculous. But Ayane's hawt

Also, I've been playing some more GH3 lately. I'm good on Normal. I just plain fail on the higher difficulties. The disc is pretty scratched since I'm borrowing it from someone else. It occasionally gets a disc read error, but for the most part it runs okay.

In other news...

My parents aren't going to be around from this Wednesday to Monday because they're going to a wedding. Thankfully my youngest brother is going because he is selected to be the ringbearer (which is the only reason they're even going). I have to sit at home for several days.

And I got nothin else going on until the 29th.

A revision of the previous blog...

So I actually did get to see The Dark Knight. My dad wasn't working today, so that freed up some free hours, so we went and I took along sacredarrow3. The line was packed, so we went an hour early.

seriously, in one day I reserve (the limited edition!) Soul Calibur IV and see The Dark Knight, one of the best movies I've seen in a while.

so now we're just chilling at home playing some Guitar Hero now with another one of my younger cousins.

Go see The Dark Knight. I wasn't really hyped for this movie, but it kicks ass. It's like Bruce Wayne is half-Asian or something. It's that good

and now to respond to comments in my previous blog

@Primo
Well, I got to see it one way or another

@Vexxy
Indeed

@Ipod
Gamestop still has some dignity... you just have to know which ones to go to.

@Iboo
Resident Evil 5 gets my vote

@Kenshin
I don't do anything when you talk about Disgaea I'm just too hyped for this, but I'll tone it down if you want

And of course I'm getting FFXIII when the time comes. I want to play more JRPGs and I'll know where to look

@immortal
Thanks

The bad news is that I tried to go see The Dark Knight today, but the tickets were sold out. Due to some other things happening today, we couldn't get tickets for the other showtimes. Great. One of the best movies of this year and they're out of tickets. I can't see it for another two weeks since my parents will be gone and I have to sit at home to do some babysitting.

The good news?

The really, really good news?

I reserved my copy of the limited edition of Soul Calibur IV!

I reserved it at a Gamestop, but apparently it's one of the less than 20 Gamestop stores worldwide that don't rip you off or have bad staff. They're actually pretty big fans of Soul Calibur as well. If anyone wants to go to a Gamestop that doesn't make you feel gypped every time you purchase something, let me know and I'll give you Mapquest directions.

9 days away, and I'm excited. But man, I wish I could have seen The Dark Knight today to make this the second best day of my life.

I remembered the last time I reserved a game. I reserved Oblivion, then when I finally got it, it didn't work on my computer because my CD drive couldn't read it. It actually did start to work. It just took exactly 5 minutes for the drive to read it. This was my old computer btw, before it broke.

But yeah. Reserved. That means anyone living in my area can't have it unless i don't claim it in 48 hours, but you know I'll get it.

and LOL at GS's hands-on with SC IV. "How are the breast physics in this game?" "Yoda's breast physics are pretty good" damnit I should have been there live.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go play some Geometry Wars. Why are these shapes trying to kill me? I got a B in Geometry, so leave me alone