Of course, nothing is simple with a Resident Evil game, and taking up that theme, we meet the cast and crew as they are trying to kill each other as the two forces are on the other side of the spectrum, while having to face enemies from a third angle in the infected residents of Raccoon City.

The action is fast and furious, and the cast is huge as you do battle in Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City releases in March 2012 from Capcom for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems.

However, it is not just the date that is news here, but the special announcement that came with the release date, as gamers that purchase Dragon’s Dogma will be the first to have access to a demo for Resident Evil 6 before its November 2012 release date. No word on an exact date for the demo, but those purchasing the game will get first access before the public.

Dragon’s Dogma is coming to both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 from Capcom on the abovementioned dates.

Pac-Man will be riding Mokujin, and Mega Man (as much as I love Mega Man X) will carry his appearance from the box art of the very first Mega Man game. These two gaming classics join the other Sony exclusives: Cole Macgrath from Infamous and (here I must confess ignorance) Toro and Kuro (?).

Once again, so excited for this game to come out, Street Fighter X Tekken hits shelves for the PS3 and 360 on the 6th March in North America. Three days later Europe joins the party, and PC and Vita owners will get their chance hopefully soon after.

And CyberConnect2, the developing studio, isn’t ashamed of just how outrageously outrageous this game is.

Renowned for their artfully done anime-stylized games, CC2′s newest IP is turning heads. Whether it’s in the positive or negative is entirely up to the gamer’s own perspective. One thing’s for sure: CC2 is looking to create a stir, and create they did.

In an office lined with over 3,000 DVDs, Blu-rays, anime, and manga of all sorts, employees here are more than just encouraged to delve into the melodrama of Japan’s favorite pastime: it’s a requirement for employment.

“It’s a general rule in our studio that all staff members should know all of the anime and manga that are on the shelves,” said CC2 president Hiroshi Matsuyama in an interview with Eurogamer. “If they don’t, and if they’re not reading something or watching something, I get mad.”

In a resume peppered with titles such as .hack and Naruto, CC2′s past works are testaments to this practice of immersion. Each previous title has been just like an interactive anime, with an animation and dramatic story-telling style just like their television and movie counterparts.

Asura’s Wrath will definitely be no different. In past trailers, it’s already been made clear that the art style is very anime-esque. Go ahead and add story mechanics to that category. Wrath‘s story will be split into episodes. At the beginning of each “episode,” players will be treated to a short trailer, and then at the end, there’s going to be a cliffhanger.

Whether this unconventional technique will sit well with players remains to be seen. It’s certainly different, as the game will probably feel like you’re playing through a series of episodes from a TV show as opposed to one cohesive game. After a demo released last week to some rather negative commentary, Matsuyara admitted that it’s probably because people aren’t having an open mind about the structure. “There have been a lot of mixed comments about the gameplay and how the story balances out against the gameplay,” he said. “We think that’s happened because people are comparing it to a lot of other games they’ve played before.

“We’ve seen a lot of comments that people want the game to be more like Bayonetta, for example. If you want to play a God of War type of game, play God of War, and if you want to play a Bayonetta type of game, play Bayonetta. I want people to play it and not have all these preconceptions. I want them to start from zero, from square one, and to take it for what it is and understand that it’s a completely different experience focused on the story.”

Well, negative responses or not, Capcom, who’s partnering with CC2 on the game, says that a response is better than no response. “We’d rather have people say that they really like it or that they really hate it,” said Capcom producer Kazuhiro Tsuchiya. “Having that contrast is really important rather than a half-arsed reaction to the game, because that doesn’t have any impact. If people say it’s really good then others will go and play it, and when people say it’s really bad others will want to see for themselves.”

Just how bad is it? Well, for starters, you’re punching gods in the face, tossing ginormous elephants into outer space, and have machine-gun wielding Buddhas to help you blast through obstacles. Yes, machine-gun wielding Buddhas. The oxymoronic gates into Oblivion just opened up.

We won’t even touch on getting ground into dust by a gigantic finger whose tip is the size of North America.

However, CC2 is keeping its reputation intact with the art style. It’s beautifully crafted, a testament to its past titles. With the deep lines and dramatic lighting, one could almost argue that it’s like a carving, or an embossing. Dramatic, indeed.

Will the game be a big seller overseas, with its heavily Japanese inspired art style and highly melodramatic story line of revenge, bereavement, and betrayal? That’s something that we won’t know until gamers decide to pick it up, but Tsuchiya knows just how much of a risk both Capcom and CC2 are taking. In a market increasingly aware that a $60.00 price tag just won’t do for a brand new and unproven IP, Asura’s Wrath could tank just as hard as that crushing blow that’s about to land on your head.

“Of course there’s a big risk in a new IP in this day and age, especially with all the sequels and prequels around,” said Tsuchiya. “We can’t guarantee that people will accept our game — they may well hate it.

“Sequels are necessary in our industry, but it’s also important to have new ideas so we can grow and progress. And that challenge of creating a new IP, it helps us grow as games creators as well. So that’s what we’re thinking — it’s risky, but it’s a challenge that we’re excited about.”

In all honesty, Asura’s Wrath deserves a fair chance. Within all that shouting and sheer madness, there’s an inner peace to be found within the matrimony between manga, anime, and video games. While it may seem simply far too alien (and rage-fueled) for many of us, it just might make some of us feel right at home.

Asura’s Wrath is set to be released on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on February 21st in North America, February 22nd in Japan, and February 24th in Europe.

Via Eurogamer.

After sitting through the download, and believe me, it is a rather large download, I was able to get up and running in the demo rather quickly. The game starts you off as Jill Valentine, in a location that appeared to be very similar to the mansion that you visit in the first Resident Evil and in the first DLC pack for Resident Evil 5. It may just have been my eyes playing tricks on me, but it looked very familiar to those locations.

Controls were easy enough to pick up with the Y button being used to interact with items, the left circle pad for movement and either the A or B button to move through dialog. I ended up putting the 3D slider up to near full, as I felt it was necessary to capture the full experience, and it never really had me getting sick at any point. I would note that getting the 3D up that high will throw you off a bit if you have to look away from the screen and come back to the game, but for those that get sick off of 3D, you can play the demo at least, in 2D with no issues.

Of course, without a right circle pad for aiming, a few concessions are made for when you need to actually shoot someone. You will need to hold the left shoulder button down, which puts you in aiming mode, and then you use the Y button to pull the trigger. You can also use the Gyro controls in the 3DS to aim at the enemies, and if you own the Circle Pad Pro (aka. The Frankenstick), you can use that as well, as Revelations will be the first game to support it out of the box. I liked the standard controls of holding down the left shoulder button, but there are several control options to find something to your liking.

Another thing that I have not seen in a Resident Evil game up to this point, but don’t quote me as being 100% correct is a new device that allows you to locate hidden items. With the device, you can scan around the room to find hidden items in the environment. It seemed to take away the idea of locating things on your own, but if I can have something to help me find ammo, I am all for it.

The demo is a bit short, but I do think it gives you a good enough grasp on the game mechanics and whether you are going to want to play this title for an extended period of time. Personally, I have played through it a couple of times now, and I found it to be surprisingly enjoyable, with a good mix of graphics and controls. It might not be for everyone, but I would at least take the time to download the demo and see if it is something that is up your alley.

Resident Evil Revelations is developed and published by Capcom and is exclusively available on the Nintendo 3DS system.

Listed under the info on the game it said the game will support two to eight players for online multiplayer, but on top of this it will allow for up to six players for online co-operative play. This was all the information that was included on the site, but it has since been taken down . . . a good sign, maybe based, on the Halo: Reach leak a couple of years ago?

Kotaku has reached out to Capcom regarding this, though we suspect they’ll stay tight-lipped on the subject for now. Obviously Resi 5 used Co-op throughout the campaign making it a lot easier and more fun in places, but there are no details if this will be the same for the new entry in the franchise. Perhaps we could see it used in the campaign – Chris Redfield obviously appeared as part of a squad – or maybe a Horde-type mode is on the cards?

This is just wild speculation from me right now; chances are though we will see and hear more in the lead up to the game. If you missed the trailer – maybe you were under a rock or something – you can view it below.

Via IGN

With over 47 million copies of Resident Evil titles already sold worldwide, Resi Fans have already got a lot to look forward to this year with a brand new 3DS title Resident Evil: Revelations coming out next week, which fills in the story between RE4 and RE5 and stars Jill Valentine, an abandoned cruise ship with creepy dark corridors and monsters lurking in the middle of the Mediterranean. Then there’s Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City arriving late March that will flip the events seen in RE2 as donning rubber outfits and gas masks, players will become members of an elite Umbrella Special Ops Squad. Hunting down and wiping out any survivors/witnesses remaining after the T-Virus outbreak riddles Raccoon City, it’s a third-person shooter that promises to be a different spin on the traditional survival theme with the focus being on predominately on action but will still have plenty of familiar Resi references whilst chronologically, it brings yet another new perspective to the overall Resi story arc.

Resident Evil 6 is the big one though. Fans have wanted a fully fleshed out, new gripping story for Leon S. Kennedy ever since the horrific events at Racoon City Police Department unfolded back in RE2. In the 10 years following our blond haired hero’s escape from a burning emergency train in the bowels of Raccoon City’s sewers, Leon has sworn to take down Umbrella and acting as a special government agent, gone on to rescue the President of the United States daughter from some uber scary, running, chain-saw wielding zombies in Spain (as attempted in the unparalleled RE4). Cut to the modern day and Leon has some facial hair, a new leather jacket and is now best buds with Mr. President. Bio-Organic weapons have become a worldwide concern with countries facing imminent attacks. Believing that revealing the truth behind the atrocious events that took place in Raccoon City will reduce the bioterrorist activity that’s been occurring all over the world, the President suffers from the very thing he was trying to prevent as he prepares to deliver his speech. Following the bioterrorist attack, Leon is faced with his greatest challenge to date as his friend and President is hideously transformed…

In the meantime, continuing his role as a Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance member with bulging biceps and trademark crew cut, Chris Redfield lands in another country facing bioterrorist attacks; China where the current outbreak is worst than the BSAA thought and his personal feelings begin to get in the way of the job in hand…

YES! Your eyes do not deceive you!! For the first time EVER in the franchise, Leon and Chris come together on a global scale to save the world from the ultimate bioterrorist threat. BEST. NEWS. EVER!

The scope and production values are looking pretty hot too with Leon running down dark grimy alleyways and Chris leaping through a neon Chinese city centre with flames roaring all around him. Katsuhiko Ichii, Head of Capcom’s R&D and Global Marketing enthuses; “The development team, led by Hiroyuki Kobayashi [Executive Producer], is working tirelessly to deliver the most impressive Resident Evil title ever. We are all genuinely excited by the title and cannot wait to share it with the world.”

Resident Evil 6 will have what the development team are calling “fusion dramatic horror” that will bring together a brand new, intense storyline blended with true horror featuring single-player and co-op action that will appeal to both die-hard fans of the franchise as well as enticing newcomers to the series. All we know is that November can’t come quick enough and we’re already booking the time off work.

Resident Evil: Revelations is out on 27th January 2012 for the Nintendo 3DS.

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is out 20th March (US) & 23rd March (EU) for on Xbox360 & PS3

Resident Evil 6 is due out 20th November 2012 for Xbox360 & PS3

Wow! I think I need a lie down! Let us know your favourite Resi Character and tell us just how excited you are about all things Resi :D

The excellent controls from Street Fighter IV have apparently been revamped to suit the incoming Tekken audience. Let’s hope the experiment in gaming continues and we see Tekken X Street Fighter come out in the not too distant future too.

The trailer also teases a PS Vita version in development with Cole MacGrath and Pac-Man by the looks of it.

Street Fighter X Tekken hits March 6th in North America and March 9th in Europe on Xbox 360 and PS3. Check out the tag team madness below.

Click here for the trailer

Outside of these fighting titles, there has been little to no talk of Capcom producing HD remakes of other classic titles, but a forum post at Capcom Unity would suggest otherwise. A fan asked for more Street Fighter HD remixes, and Capcom Senior VP Christian Svensson replied, saying, “I’d like to do more 2D stuff in the future like [Street Fighter].”

So what’s keeping them from doing just that? For one, Svensson said that the development costs make another HDR a very touchy issue. “The costs of doing a project like that today, with the attention to detail/features that SF3: Online Edition had, it would be difficult for sales forecasts to shoulder,” wrote Svensson.

Although happy with the outcome with both fans and critics, Svensson admitted that the HDR projects were scary at times, like when the team tossed out over 2,500 frames of animation because they weren’t happy with the end product. “I can’t overstate what a tricky project HDR was,” wrote Svensson. “…it was a really hard tightrope to walk and some points in development were really scary.”

We probably won’t see any remakes from Capcom soon, but it’s nice to know that they’re still open to the idea. While this could be just a pipedream, a Mega Man HD Remake would be great.

Via OXM.