Scott and I bring you episode 116 this week, and he discusses his obsession with Angry Video Game Nerd videos, while I reminisce about the Sega Master System and continue to talk about TERA Online.

In news this week we discuss Funimation making a return to FIOS, Steins;Gate film to release this fall, K-On!’s sequel manga to be ended this June, and PS Vita is getting a Hatsune Miku limited edition.

To end the show, Scott reviews all of Eden of the East, and we answer some listener e-mails.

Visit the Otaku In Review page, as well as subscribe, rate and review us on iTunes.

Michael Camacho (@gnitro) and Erick Martinez (@nightmare452) have a very short episode this week after a fun and eventful weekend hanging out in New Jersey and New York over the weekend. We discuss what our experience, plus Republique Kickstarter, Saints Row the Third announcement, Spider-Man, Documentaries, TERA Online and XBox 360 for $99.

Beer Run: Stone Ruination IPA

Music Breakdown this episode is as follows:

• LiSA “Egoistic Shooter”
• Far East Movement “Girls on the Dance Floor”
• HelloVenus ” Venus”
• Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears “She’s So Scandalous”

Listen via direct download and through iTunes. Rate and subscribe!

Thanks to PieMonster777 from SteamGameCovers.com for our Logo artwork!

For this special edition of The Brony Effect, I am joined not only by Scott Spaziani of Otaku in Review, but Michelle Zhang as well. We come together to discuss Season 2 of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. We spend the next hour breaking down our favorite, surprising, and worst episodes and moments from Season 2, as well as our overall thoughts and what we hope to see in Season 3 this coming fall.

Music Breakdown this episode is as follows:

• galiant609 “This Day Aria Symnphonic Metal Remix”
• OmniPony “Poni Robots”

Listen via direct download and through iTunes. Rate and subscribe!

Thanks to PieMonster777 from SteamGameCovers.com for our Logo artwork!

Scott and I discuss MMORPGs, TERA Online to be specific, and there may be yet another Funimation rant.

In news this week, we see licensing and release news coming from Sentai Filmworks, Aniplex USA, Mangagamer, NISAmerica, and Funimation. We also have interesting news of Hyouka featuring K-On! seiyuus, and Steins;Gate JAV parody discontinued.

In our final segment I review the classic anime film, Project A-Ko, and Scott gives his thoughts on the second viewing of Working!!.

Visit the Otaku In Review page, as well as subscribe, rate and review us on iTunes.

Michael Camacho (@gnitro) and Erick Martinez (@nightmare452) are here to discuss the announcement of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale and who we think will and will not be in the game. We also discuss The Running Man, Republique, Gear School, TERA Online, and more.

Beer Run: DuClaw Double Naked Fish

Music Breakdown this episode is as follows:

• Rakaa “Ambassador Slang”
• Girls’ Generation – TaTiSeo “Twinkle”
• Avant “Makin’ Good Love”
• Houkago Tea Time “Thank You”

Listen via direct download and through iTunes. Rate and subscribe!

Thanks to PieMonster777 from SteamCovers.com for our Logo artwork!

Scott and I are here with a more relaxed show after that crazy season preview from last week. We kick it off discussing a right-wing blogger’s inflammatory article on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and the Bronies, and how I became the target of the attacks by many of the blogger’s followers.

In news we discuss Kodansha licenses, 21st Century Boys listed by Viz, K-On! London taxi to become toy model, Madoka Magica to get its own magazine, and Doraemon DVD recalled due to the word condom.

In our final segment, I give my first impressions on the latest KyoAni series, Hyouka, while Scott gives his review of Ah! My Goddess! Season One.

Visit the Otaku In Review page, as well as subscribe, rate and review us on iTunes.

Michael Camacho (@gnitro) and Erick Martinez (@nightmare452) talk Korean BBQ, Comics, WCW Monday Nitro, Movies, Diablo III, Trials Evolution, and more this week in a two man show.

Beer Run: DuClaw Alchemy

Brony Effect: Scott Spaziani (@scottspaziani) and Michael discuss A Canterlot Wedding

Music Breakdown this episode is as follows:

• The Ting Tings “Hang it Up”
• Dumbfoundead “Cool and Calm”
• Omnipony “My Little Changeling”
• Tech N9ne “Worldwide Choppers”
• Ali “I’ll Be Damned”

Listen via direct download and through iTunes. Rate and subscribe!

Thanks to PieMonster777 from SteamCovers.com for our Logo artwork!

Check out the original article and more great content at The Geek Asylum.

By Chris Catanzarite

Diablo 3 Beta weekend has come to a close and left me quite satisfied with what I have seen so far. There were many questions about one of the most anticipated PC titles in a few years. Had Blizzard waited too long? What was the game play going to be like? Please don’t let them turn this into World of Warcraft. Well in my humble opinion Blizzard got it right. The decade plus wait was worth it and I think when I get to enjoy the full game it will be even better.

Gameplay

Gameplay is obviously the most important thing about any game, but especially with a game that has had a legacy like Diablo. The original Diablo was released over 16 years ago in 1996, and Diablo 2 in 2001. The delay undoubtedly had to do with Blizzards intense focus on the WoW franchise and subsequent expansions, as well as Starcraft 2. But the game play and formula that blizzard came up with in the original has maintained its simplicity and functionality and received a bit of a face lift.

People were saying in the time leading up to it that they hoped they didn’t make the game a World of Diablo. Well many forget that WoW received many of its game play cues from the Diablo series. From the skill development all the way down to inventory management and hotkeys. I can say with certainty that Blizzard held true to the formula and all the elements even smoother and easier to use. I was extremely pleased that blizzard kept the game in the same viewpoint as the others instead of with the top down view.

Environments

This is what I was most pleased with in the game, at least what I was able to experience in such a limited beta. The environments in the Diablo series have been key to the games replay value. They vary; they change each time you play so no dungeon is exactly the same twice. Sadly in the beta we only get to experience New Tristram and the ruins of Old Tristram, both of which are done beautifully. The graphics really shine in this game and create a rich environment that I imagine is going to be incredibly fun to explore in full.

Mood

The key to what made previous Diablo games so gripping was the mood. The overall aura created with the environments, atmosphere, and sense of dread, doom and urgency. It’s something that is so difficult to create and balance. Many games get this element completely wrong or just not good enough. What blizzard has managed to do again is suck you into the world of Tristram and make you feel that their struggle is your struggle.

From the perpetual darkness you’re in to the ambient music and sound effects. The music in particular I found pleasing just like the old ones. It’s not a constant score playing on loop. It can be as simple as a few guitar cords played just as the right time or a real theme going on. It just adds to the game it doesn’t take it over.

Concern

My biggest concern I noticed so far was the new skill development. I found it a bit confusing. It seems as though they may have simplified it adding fewer skills and easier ways to manage their upgrades with skill runes. I’m sure I just don’t completely understand it yet as I am used to the more complex system offered in previous versions.

Seeing how you can only play until level 13, you don’t get much of a chance to experience upgrading. Also the game more or less guides you in the skills you can choose. I’m not sure if this is just an element in the beta or if it will also be done in the full game to aid you in learning the new system.

Things I’m excited to see in the full game are the cinematic scenes. None of the cinematics were included in the beta and from the clips I’ve seen from blizzard they appear to be truly epic. It will only help to further enrich the story of Tristram. The auction house is the most exciting thing for me, if anyone remembers trying to play and trade fairly with others in Diablo 2 was a nightmare. You couldn’t trust anyone and it was easy to fool somebody or rip them off.

Well this problem has been solved. With the auction house you’ll be able to buy, sell or trade your precious items for real cash or in game currency as well. And it’s all monitored by Blizzard. Ah, a sigh of relief that my rare magic items will be safe from assholes trying to screw me over.

Wrap Up

Overall this beta has just made me even more excited for the hours of my life that I will spend playing this game and getting sucked into the world of New Tristram. From the beta alone I can strongly recommend this game. It appears to me that it will be worth every penny and will create years of enjoyment and loyal fans all over again.

Kodansha launched their digital manga app during New York Comic Con of last year. I had no idea they were looking in to the digital arena, so this was a welcome surprise. Considering they took over the Del Rey label, they were working with a good size catalog of titles to release to their readers digitally. While Viz Manga and Yen Press have you create an account, Kodansha just lets you download the manga without the need for one. This worries me a little as this will limit the ways I can read the content I purchase.

Kodansha released its digital app with a decent selection. Currently it is only four series, which are Arisa, Fairy Tail, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and Until the Full Moon. Arisa only has about four volume available currently, and Until the Full Moon has two volumes. What was surprising was the amount of volumes Fairy Tail and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei had available at launch, which were fifteen and ten respectively.

Unfortunately there is no release schedule, considering outside of launch nothing has been added. I saw a banner advertising Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei volume eleven at one point, but it failed to materialize. With all the hope I have for more, I have many concerns about Kodansha having launched this app and already giving up on it. To not have any more releases six months later is disheartening.

Browsing of titles is very easy, and I feel that their app is the fastest out of all of them to maneuver around. The quality of the pages and artwork is what one would expect. Each page and the artwork look crisp and clear, but Kodansha’s titles suffer from each page having the need to come in to focus. This really is bothersome at times as it breaks up the pace while reading. Considering you download these titles directly to the iPad, there is no excuse for this. Kodansha needs to fix this issue as it really does hinder the experience.

The pricing of the manga is right on par with Viz Manga, at $4.99 per volume. They even launched with a special on all Fairy Tail volumes at only $2.99 each. As I stated in the Viz Manga review, $4.99 a volume helps to make it easier to sway me in to an impulse purchase. This price point will also make it easier to re-buy a series like Negima! that I own physically but would rather own digitally and downsize my physical media collection. Each series also has a preview volume of each series that is available for free.

Kodansha overall has done a good job with the initial launch of their app when it comes down to a decent library of titles, and the quality of the pages. The major issues at this point are the lack of a further additions to their catalog, personal account and the brief loading of each page. I still hold hope that Kodansha will renew interest and commitment in expanding the number of titles available in the future. Kodansha’s app is only a few upgrades and some commitment away from being an excellent experience overall.

Top 3 Recommended Manga (Almost by default):

1. Fairy Tail
2. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
3. Arisa

Top 3 Most Wanted Manga:

1. Sailor Moon
2. Negima!
3. Love Hina

I am pleased to announce my website, The OtakuGamer, has partnered with my friends over at The Geek Asylum to do some cross-posting and promotion together. This will bring more content to my site, as well as push content on to The Geek Asylum. Since I started this blog, most probably have noticed it has had more of anime focus. This partnership will help diversify my content with video game posts as well. The content pushed to The Geek Asylum will primarily be anime related.

Many have noticed most of my posting has been related to podcast episodes, but I am going to use this opportunity to start writing more, whether it be reviews, opinion pieces, or other content. So I hope my readers look forward to the increased amount of content, as I know I will. Don’t forget to check out The Geek Asylum as well, and all the great content they put out on their site.