New Games

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• O.G. vocalist gives Pokemon theme a Ron Paul remix
• SMITE now taking your pre-orders, beta begins soon
• Friday marks the second beta weekend for The Secret World
• Talking Adventure Time and game design with Konjak
• Heroes of Ruin multiplayer trailer encourages four-play
• Gaikai to offer Hawken prior to its full launch
• Introducing Artists Wanted, the community art project!
• Live show: Playing Diablo III, so go help some kids!
• North American eShop to get two Pokemon apps this fall
• Dtoid Playdate: Who's up for some Max Payne 3?
• Note Worthy 002: Fez, Ridge Racer, Silent Hill, and more
• Team Fortress 2sdays: Diablo comes out this week
• Machinarium now on Android, Kindle Fire, and NOOK
• An erotic Minecraft Podtoid tribute to Jonathan Holmes
• Mario Kart 7 patches up some glitches today
• Podtoid records today, you little idiots!

O.G. vocalist gives Pokemon theme a Ron Paul remix Posted: 15 May 2012 03:30 PM PDT This is one of those stories that insults every other potential videogame news story in existence by finding it's way into forefront of my mind despite its relative lack of importance. There are at least ten other news items I'd love to be writing about at the mome, but I just have to write about this thing first. I can't help it.  That's partially die to the time sensitive nature of this story. Ron Paul could drop out of the race at any second, taking whatever relevance that this re-imagined version of the Pokemon theme song has to the world along with him. I'm also fascinated with the idea of equating Ron Paul's effort to "catch all" the delegates to one's effort to capture an army of imaginary pocket monsters. It's a brilliant metaphor. Catching a Pokemon gives a poke-fan the feeling that they're doing something important, but in reality, they've accomplished nothing of practical value. Is that the kind of spirit of imagination that keeps Ron Paul's campaign alive at this point in the race? On a less analytically aggressive front, it's just awesome to hear someone sing-scream the words "RON PAUL" with this level gravitas and intensity. I'll be singing this song in the shower all week because it makes me feel like a lion. For more of this type of joy, check out Tim Heidecker's Songs in the Key of Cain and Sugar Kane by Sonic Youth, two loving tributes to that other Presidential candidate with a Pokemon connection. Random Time! - Original Pokemon theme song singer belts out Ron Paul remix [GoNintendo]

SMITE now taking your pre-orders, beta begins soon Posted: 15 May 2012 02:30 PM PDT First of all, don't get confused. The upcoming action-MOBA title SMITE is still free-to-play. However, you can now plunk down twenty of your hard-earned dollars and not only be guaranteed beta access, but you'll get an extra ten heroes to play. You can also decide to unlock extra heroes with time played, just as you would in Hi-Rez's other free-to-play title, Tribes: Ascend. From the looks of it, this is only a limited-time offer and eventually it'll go up to $30. Oh, and there's a beta countdown timer as well, which will hit zero in about 16 days! You can check out the pre-order information here. I played SMITE back at PAX East and had a pretty great time. My favorite part was definitely the option to auto-buy your items, since I think that will allow newer players to ease into the game better. Are you MOBA fiends looking forward to adding another game to your list? Or will you be passing up on SMITE?

Friday marks the second beta weekend for The Secret World Posted: 15 May 2012 01:30 PM PDT The second beta weekend event for The Secret World is almost here. It'll run from Friday, May 18 at 9:00am Pacific to Sunday, May 20 at 11:59pm Pacific. Those of you who participated in the prior beta can continue to use your same character from before. This new event will expand what's happening in Kingsmouth with additional characters and missions. For specifics, head over to Funcom's blog post which includes a brief summary of the playable content. I'm not sure how it took me so long to realize that limited-time access to MMOs ahead of their full release is a dangerous way to accidentally spend an entire weekend in front of a computer, but Guild Wars 2 might have had something to do with it. Between The Secret World and Diablo III, it sounds like many of you PC gamers will have your weekend made.

Talking Adventure Time and game design with Konjak Posted: 15 May 2012 12:30 PM PDT [Destructoid's Director of Communications Hamza Aziz asked Jonathan Holmes to make a show called 'Sup, Holmes?' so that Destructoid could later sell a t-shirt that says 'Sup, Holmes?' on it. This is that show. Subscribe to the audio podcast feed and find more episodes here. Sup, Holmes? airs live, Sundays, 1pm Pacific on Dtoid.tv] It was a genuine shock to to discover mid-interview that Joakim "Konjak" Sandberg was working on WayForward's upcoming Adventure Time game. It was even more surprising to hear that to Konjak, the Adventure Time gig was just another job. Don't work folks, his casual attitude towards his amazing work did nothing dampen my excitement. Joakim is one of my favorite sprite animators ever. His work on Noitu Love 2 and The Iconoclasts is nothing short of classic. To know he'll be helping to bring Jake and Finn to the small screen has me all the more confident that Adventure Time will be one of my favorite games of the year.  We also got a little into game design priorities, and one of Joakim's ideas for an... ice skating game? It all made a lot more sense in context. You can check out the full episode here, or grab it in Podcast form here. For listening.  Thanks again to Joakim for being on the show, and be sure to check out this Sunday's show, featuring Rami Ismail from Vlambeer, developer of Super Crate Box and Ridiculous Fishing. It should be a hoot!

Heroes of Ruin multiplayer trailer encourages four-play Posted: 15 May 2012 12:00 PM PDT Ah ha! Oh, sometimes it's just irresistible.  The latest trailer for n-Space's Heroes of Ruin for 3DS focuses on the title's multiplayer, which will allow for up to four players to team up locally or online to take on the game's challenges. Dale was rather positive about the game last year at E3, noting the ambition that team has in making a true multiplayer fantasy adventure for the handheld. We'll find out if they succeeded when Heroes of Ruin releases in Europe on June 15, followed by the North American launch on June 26.

Gaikai to offer Hawken prior to its full launch Posted: 15 May 2012 11:30 AM PDT This probably goes without saying, but, December isn't exactly right around the corner. As such, the wait for Hawken has and continues to be a test of my patience. Cloud gaming service Gaikai has reached an agreement with Meteor Entertainment to offer the mech game before its official 12/12/12 launch. As you are probably aware by now, Hawken will be free to play, so this seems like a smart partnership. We get to play a title we're hyped for early at not cost to us, and Gaikai gets a bunch of new users while, presumably, selling them on the concept of cloud-based gaming as a viable alternative. I'd also like to point out that the official website for Hawken has a release-day countdown. Only 210 days to go, people! This almost feels like satire.

Introducing Artists Wanted, the community art project! Posted: 15 May 2012 11:00 AM PDT Remember that insanely awesome pixel art poster we showed you recently? Well that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to artistic talent within the Dtoid community. Realizing this, Jonathan Holmes came up with a fantastic idea that made the rest of us all slap our foreheads in unison: let's assign a monthly art project for the community! So starting in May, we'll be hosting a month-long call for submissions to make sure all you fledgling Bob Ross-types get the attention you so deserve! For our first month, your assignment is TRUE NATURE. Create something that explores a videogame's (or videogame character's) true meaning -- its essence, if you will. Remember, this should be a personal interpretation! Go back and read the recent promoted blog by Captain Carrion. See how he explored the creepier side of Dig Dug and exposed it as a horror title? That's the sort of thing we're talking about! To see your art appear on the front page, just write a Community Blog and title it "True Nature: [Title]"! Then just post your art (and a bit about the process that went into making it) and tag it with the "Artists Wanted" tag. At the end of the month we'll gather them all up and put them on the front page! I can't wait to see what you people come up with. Now get creating!

Live show: Playing Diablo III, so go help some kids! Posted: 15 May 2012 10:30 AM PDT It's the big day! Diablo III is finally out, and King Foom is ready to rock it on Mash Tactics today. We're not just goofing around with loot drops today, though. While we play games, we want you to go help some sick kids who need it. The fine folks at The Fighters Alliance are holding a couple of marathons to raise money for Child's Play Charity, and we want to help out! Go check out T3 TV and Aaron Solon as they stream to raise money for this noble cause. Mash Tactics airs Monday through Friday at 4p.m. Pacific on Dtoid.TV. Watch King Foom play a variety of games, each day with its own theme. With a heavy focus on community and viewer interaction, you can be as much a part of the show as anything else.

North American eShop to get two Pokemon apps this fall Posted: 15 May 2012 10:00 AM PDT Pokémon Dream Radar and the Pokédex 3D Pro have been confirmed for North America and are set to launch on the 3DS eShop later this fall. Sounds about right, given the not-so-distant upcoming release of Pokemon Black/White Version 2. If you enjoy using the various system features of the 3DS, Pokémon Dream Radar might be of interest. In it, you capture Pokémon against an augmented-reality backdrop. The Pokédex 3D Pro, on the other hand, is an expanded version of the free non-pro Pokédex app that has 600+ Pocket Monsters and loads of info you'd otherwise need to look up on a wiki. Did you ever get around to using the Pokédex 3D? I thought it served as a cool little tech demo for the 3DS, but probably wouldn't have gotten the app had it not been free. Nintendo has yet to list prices for either of these new apps, so we'll have to wait and see what they can get away with charging.

Dtoid Playdate: Who's up for some Max Payne 3? Posted: 15 May 2012 09:30 AM PDT Max Payne 3 is out and the reviews are in: this game kicks ass! The campaign sounds fantastic, but for you multiplayer-focused gamers the highlight of the package has to be the new Crew system in the Rockstar Social Club. Joining a Crew makes pairing up with friends and like-minded strangers easier than ever, and it adds a whole new layer to Max Payne 3's already robust multiplayer offerings in the form of Feuds. Battle a rival Crew multiple times? The game will remember that and give you specific targets in-game to take out! Awesome! Our official Destructoid Crew is 700-members strong as of this morning, so I think it's high time we hop online and start some Feuds of our own! It looks like some of you have already started getting your hands dirty; time for the rest of us to get in on the fun! I'll be booting up and kicking ass tonight about 10 Pacific, but there's no reason for the rest of you to wait that long! Hell, you can hop on right now if you want! Either way, we'll see you online!

Note Worthy 002: Fez, Ridge Racer, Silent Hill, and more Posted: 15 May 2012 09:00 AM PDT As promised, we're back with another installment of Note Worthy, Destructoid's newest feature that digs deep into the music from some of the latest games as well as older ones that deserve some attention. This month we take a look at Fez, Ridge Racer (Vita), TERA, Silent Hill: Downpour, and Skullgirls along with some oldies, and my surprise favorite of the month, Black Ocean by IMERUAT. So read up, listen to some samples courtesy of Destructoid's Soundcloud page, and let us know what you think of this month's offerings. Black Ocean Release Date: April 25, 2012 (JP) / May 2012 (EU) Price: 2,800 Yen ($34) / 20.00 EUR ($26) Availability: Amazon Japan / Wayo Records Artist(s): IMERUAT (Masashi Hamazu, Mina) While this isn’t a game soundtrack, involvement of composer Masashi Hamauzu (Final Fantasy XIII, SaGa series) makes this one more than note worthy. After Hamauzu’s departure from Square Enix after the completion of Final Fantasy XIII, he founded a group with vocalist Mina that explores a somewhat experimental sound utilizing Hamauzu’s signature piano and strings work along with Mina’s versatile vocals that come in English, Japanese, and her native Ainu. Square Enix’s Mitsuto Suzuki is also featured prominently as an arranger on the album, so there are dreamy electronic soundscapes to be found as well. The group released a single in 2011 that was one of my favorite releases of the year, and Black Ocean, their debut album, features the three tracks featured on that single plus ten more. The title track, “Black Ocean,” is a perfect opener with its pairing of electronic and orchestral elements, with thunderous percussion and Mina’s ethereal voice. I’d use the words otherworldly and experimental to describe the rest of what follows. There’s the incredibly soothing “Cirotto” and “Haru no Kasumi,” the playful “Leave me alone” with Hamauzu’s signature piano work and some silly vocal stylings, the strange “Left” with a heavy Mitsuto Suzuki influence and telephone tones, the pop-oriented “Morning Plate,” and the quirky “Battaki.” I also appreciate the solo piano and strings closer, “Springs,” but my two favorites are the six-minute long “6muk” with pumping bass drums and beautifully layered electronics (and a springy sound that’s right out of a spaghetti western) and the rockin’ “IMERUAT” which throws in everything from guitar, piano, strings, strong vocals, and pads in a powerful explosion of emotion. This is easily one of the most important releases of the year, and everyone needs to check it out. This is pretty groundbreaking stuff, and is a fitting next venture for somebody as talented as Masashi Hamauzu. Fez Original Soundtrack Release Date: April 20, 2012 Price: $7 Availability: Bandcamp Artist(s): Disasterpeace I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the Fez soundtrack, but man is it powerful. The opening track, “Adventure,” is somewhat unassuming with a simple arpeggio and upbeat melody, but the album quickly takes a turn for the more ambient and textural and truly becomes more about the entire listening experience that spans over an hour rather than the individual tracks contained within. Each track flows into the next, blurring the lines between where one ends and the next begins. What’s really fascinating, however, is that the single-word track titles are so incredibly descriptive of what’s contained within that it’s hard to decide whether the emphasis is on the individual or the whole. Take the mysterious “Puzzle,” the ethereal and unsettling “Beyond,” or the dreamy “Flow.” The soundtrack becomes very loose and atmospheric, making a soothing backdrop for whatever else you may be doing while listening (for me, it was driving a long distance). There’s very little use of percussion to the point that when it does appear suddenly in “Sync,” it’s a bit jarring. I love the foreboding “Fear,” the healing and angelic “Spirit” and “Nature,” the somber “Death,” and the oppressive “Pressure” which features the constant presence of static. Both “Age” and “Reflection” are contemplative, coming towards the end of the album, and my two favorite tracks, “Majesty” with its triumphant melody and the heartfelt “Love” make great closers. It’s interesting, but just listening to the album from start to finish, I feel as though I’ve accomplished something great. This is a true masterpiece from Disasterpeace, and I think everyone needs to give it a listen. HALO: REACH ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Release Date: September 28, 2010 Price: $15.98 Availability: Sumthing Else Music Works  Artist(s): Martin O'Donnell, Michael Salvatori, C Paul Johnson, Stan LePard This is an older release, but I was never able to write about it as another writer at OSV handled the review. This was my favorite Halo soundtrack, so I was looking forward to digging in for myself. True to past soundtrack releases from the franchise, the music is presented in lengthy suites that contain several pieces and cues for a given stage, ranging from five to twelve minutes in length. This is great in letting the listener re-live the game through the soundtrack, but bad for those only looking for that one magical moment that they remember from the game. While Reach brought a lot of new ideas to the table with rock instrumentation and even some Middle Eastern-inspired melodies (or not Middle Eastern, as Marty O’Donnell explains here), there is still enough emotional orchestra, tribal percussion, and even a touch of the familiar Halo theme worked in here and there if you listen for it. What surprises me is that I recall while playing the game certain bits of music that made me think, “Wow, I can’t wait to have this on CD,” only to find that it's just a 20-30 second snippet of music here. That just reinforces how powerful this soundtrack is in-game, and I had a blast listening to it on CD. In fact, I feel like I could play through the game once again, this time on legendary! I’ll quickly say my favorite pieces are the riveting “Tip of the Spear,” the desperate “New Alexandria,” and the nostalgic “The Package.” There are also several bonus tracks found at the end, including a nice remix of “Uphill, Both Ways” from Halo 3: ODST. If you’re going to check out a Halo soundtrack, this is the one in my opinion. I don’t know how O’Donnell was able to keep things so fresh after four previous installments, but he somehow did, and it’s a great sendoff for O’Donnell and Bungie. LIVE A LIVE Original Soundtrack Release Date: May 2, 2012 Price: 2,100 Yen ($26) Availability: CD Japan / Play-Asia Artist(s): Yoko Shimomura Square Enix (then Squaresoft) published many soundtracks through the 1990s and early 2000s that have since gone out of print and have disappeared into the void. LIVE A LIVE is one such album. While Square Enix has re-released some of these as cross-promotions for their franchises and composers, I can’t think of a specific reason we’re seeing this one now, although I’m not complaining in the slightest.  LIVE A LIVE is one of Yoko Shimomura’s first soundtracks at Squaresoft. Beforehand, she worked at Capcom on titles like Breath of Fire and Street Fighter II, but LIVE A LIVE marked her first big project as the sole composer on a Squaresoft title. While most tracks fall under the two minute mark, leaving little time for serious song development, there are some great melodies here, and of course, that lovely SNES sound that will remind you of other Squaresoft titles from this era.  From the bombastic opening notes of “LIVE-A-LIVE,” you know you’re in for something special. There’s the funky Asian-flavored “Secret of Mission” and “Sound of Shinobi,” the more subdued “The Bird Flies in the Sky, The Fish Swims in the River,” the rockin’ “KNOCK YOU DOWN!,” the upbeat and cheery “Nice Weather, Ain’t It!,” and the chippy “CAPTAIN SQUARE.” Shimomura even goes wild West with “Under the Fake” and “THE WILDS.” There’s the token emotional track, “CRY-A-LIVE” and some killer organ work in “The Demon King Odio” and “ARMAGEDDON.” The bubbly ending theme, “Live for Live” will melt your heart, and the two bonus remix tracks that were originally included with a strategy guide published in 1994 are also both presented here. “Batlissimo,” treads on 80s pop, flamenco, and 80s rock territory, while “Forgotten Wings” features piano and strings for a more emotional approach. While I’m told this game is amazing (people say this about anything released in Japan only, though) and would like to see it released someday, the music composed by Yoko Shimomura can be understood universally. Those who are curious about the game or are fans of Shimomura may want to check it out. Odin Sphere Original Soundtrack Release Date: April 18, 2012 [Reprint] Price: 3,360 Yen ($46) / $19.99 (digital) Availability: CD Japan / iTunes Artist(s): Hitoshi Sakimoto, Masaharu Iwata, Mitsuhiro Kaneda, Kimihiro Abe, Manabu Namiki The year 2007 was an incredibly prolific year for Hitoshi Sakimoto, seeing the release of Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, Grim Grimoire, Deltora Quest, ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat, Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Opoona, and Odin Sphere. It also marked the beginnings of Basiscape, Sakimoto’s sound studio featuring a talented team of composers. Odin Sphere in particular also marked the beginnings of Sakimoto's partnership with Vanillaware (his name was even used on the back of the game as a selling point). This is actually a reprint of the 2-disc soundtrack from Basiscape Records. What you have is a transitional work between what Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata were already doing together on games like Ogre Battle and Final Fantasy Tactics and their more recent collaborative works with the entire Basiscape team on titles like Opoona and Muramasa. The Odin Sphere soundtrack is a little rough around the edges. I don’t feel that there are very many complex ideas, and the melodies don’t particularly stick with you. In fact, they can get annoying after hearing them over and over again when getting stuck on a particular stage in the game. I do dig the pretty main theme with its female choral singing, and the two arrangements of this theme that come at the end of album are fantastic. Also of note are “Tutorial” which sports a catchy melody and a bouncy harpsichord, the upbeat ”Mysterious Town Pooka” with its jumpy pizzicato strings, "The Country of Death - Second" with its haunting choir and startling sound effects, and the playful “The Fairy Country – Second” by Manabu Namiki. It’s really impressive how some of the Basiscape members are so effectively able to mimic Sakimoto’s signature orchestral style. This isn’t Basiscape’s best work, although I understand if some people enjoy it based on their attachment to the game itself. The price tag is a bit steep, although you get a nice package for the price (I love the cardboard slipcase with artwork by Vanillaware’s George Kamitani). RIDGE RACER - PLANETARY SOUNDS Release Date: March 26, 2012 Price: 2,625 Yen ($33) Availability: CD Japan Artist(s): Hiroshi Okubo, Taku Inoue, Rio Hamamoto, Ryo Watanabe, Yuu Miyake, sanodg, AJURIKA, Kyoko Miyakura, SamplingMasters MEGA, SamplingMasters AYA This is the soundtrack for Ridge Racer on the PlayStation Vita. As usual, a diverse team at Namco Bandai is joined by SuperSweep to provide a hard-hitting electronic soundtrack. We get a dreamy opening track followed by two of my favorites, the feel-good “Planet” and the incredibly catchy “Into the Lead” with its repeated lyric, “Slide through the curves / Drift into the lead.” The funky bass in “Future Driven” and the fat encompassing pads in “Virtuoso” also stand out. “Take You Away” has an fun melody, while “Super Acceleration” is the catchy electronic music I wanted to hear more of on this soundtrack. And that’s the bottom line. I didn’t feel there were enough melodies here to draw me in as there has been in past Ridge Racer titles. This works in the game, or maybe driving fast in your car, but the melodies aren’t strong enough for outside listening. Those who purchase the disc directly from SuperSweep in Japan, however, get a 55-minute continuous mix version which I believe is the definitive way to listen to this soundtrack as each piece flows into the next in a well thought-out way that’d be great for a party. But that’s only if you can get your hands on the bonus disc. Shinobi 3D Original Soundtrack Release Date: January 25, 2012 Price: 2,625 Yen ($32) Availability: Amazon Japan Artist(s): GEM Impact (Norihiko Hibino, Takaharu Izutani, Yoshitaka Suzuki), hiro Soundtracks form the Shinobi franchise have always been favorites among fans, so despite the fact that Shinobi 3D was either ignored or not reviewed favorably by the gaming press, I thought it was worth checking out the soundtrack. Composed by GEM Impact, the composer team behind the scenes of many Metal Gear Solid soundtracks and Ninja Blade, the studio definitely has the experience to make this work. What you have here is electronic-infused ninja rock of the highest quality. There is also extensive use of shakahauchi (a Japanese woodwind instrument) and other ethnic Japanese instruments to give the whole score a strong Japanese vibe. You get that big, epic orchestral sound from Metal Gear Solid in the opening theme, “Stillness,” then rockin’ electric guitar paired with pumping electronic percussion in tracks like “Oboro Village” and “Yuki Onna.” The adrenalin surging “Kryoborg,” the explosive rock extravaganza “BioShark,” and the synthtacular “Lava Crawler” also stand out, and I think it’s awesome that the main theme is worked into several of these tracks for continuity. As bonuses, there’s also a concept version of “Stillness” and a “Shinobi Style” remix of the After Burner theme which is also featured in the game. There’s some great music here. Moody, cinematic, rockin’, and even some great melodies. It’s certainly one of the best quality soundtracks out there on the Nintendo 3DS. You’ll be hearing more of Norihiko Hibino on the 3DS as he’s the recording director for the live talent on Etrian Odyssey IV, so look forward to that as well. Silent Hill: Downpour Original Soundtrack Release Date: March 13, 2012 Price: $14 USD Availability: Amazon Artist(s): Daniel Licht, Jonathan Licht This is one that fans have been greatly looking forward to. Not because Daniel Licht’s score, but mostly to validate their opinion that without Akira Yamaoka, the Silent Hill franchise is doomed. This turns out not to be true at least in terms of the soundtrack as Daniel Licht does an amazing job creating an appropriately dark and textural backdrop for the game. His use of exotic instruments like mandolin and tribal percussion also went far to transporting me into the game through its music. The opening track, “Silent Hill” by Jonathan Davis of Korn is in line with that band’s material, and while fans may hate it, it’s not meant to be a big part of the game. Series vocalist Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is apparently also featured, although I had trouble picking her out. Don’t expect the grungy rock stylings that Akira Yamaoka brought to the table. My two favorite tracks would be “Meet JP” with its beautiful yet mysterious harp runs and “Monastic Tendencies” with its throaty choral chanting and organ. You also might appreciate “Clowning Around With Monsters” in the context of the game with its evil clown laughs, overdriven guitar, and crunchified percussion. Overall, a strong effort that has me looking forward to what Licht does with Book of Memories regardless of what I think of the game itself. Skullgirls Original Soundtrack Release Date: April 21, 2012 Price: $9.99 Availability: iTunes  Artist(s): Michiru Yamane, Vincent Diamante, Blaine McGurty, Brenton Kossak The much-anticipated soundtrack for Skullgirls was put on everyone’s radar when it was announced that Castlevania queen Michiru Yamane was signing on to work on the game. Little did we know that Flower’s Vincent Diamante and Retro Remix Revue’s Blain McGurty would also be on board to provide an amazingly snazzy jazz soundtrack. Michiru Yamane handles the main theme and stage themes, with the main theme sounding like a choral singing spoof on Stevie Wonder’s “Part Time Lover,” and her stage themes cover a lot of territory from the aforementioned jazz to some more electronic-oriented offerings. My favorites from her are probably the pumping electronic “Paved With Good Intentions” and the oh-so-smooth “The Lives We Left Behind.” Honestly, however, I think Diamante and the McGurty/Kossak duo outshine Yamane’s contributions. I love McGurty/Kossak’s sexy “Pick of the Litter” and the swanky “A Roll of the Dice,” and all of Diamante’s contributions are pure genius, showing a true mastery of the jazz genre. The laid-back and reflective “Forgotten Moments” is probably my favorite from him. While I have to admit I’m a bit let down by Yamane’s contributions (people will be left wanting something more Castlevania-flavored), on a whole, this is a great jazzy soundtrack, and there aren’t nearly as many of those out there as I’d like to see. TERA The Exiled Realm of Arborea Original Soundtrack Part 1 Release Date: May 1, 2012 Price: $79.99 Availability: Collector’s edition bonus  Artist(s): Inon Zur, Rod Abernethy I think North America kind of got a bum deal on the collector’s edition of TERA. While those in Europe are enjoying their fancy cloth map, a real book instead of a floppy manual, and an audio CD, the fact that the soundtrack released in North America is actually a data disc means there are 50 tracks as opposed to 26. With music composed by Inon Zur and Rod Abernethy, you’re in for an epic journey. Well, that’s to say that there’s a lot of big, bombastic orchestral music here. While it doesn’t make for the most exciting outside listening (you’ll feel like you’ve heard this all before in countless fantasy games and films), it works wonders in the huge and beautiful environments of the game. Whether exploring the vast wilderness or an exotic locale, the music makes for a great accompaniment. I actually dig the more mellow tracks, including “High Elf – The Children of Karas” with its sweeping strings and angelic choir, the upbeat “Elinu’s Dance,” and the majestic and powerful “City of Truth.” “Solitude” and “Catacomb” really hit the mark for dark and dangerous while “Tulufun Nights,” “To the Oasis,” and “Sailor’s Horn” take a turn for the more exotic. Finally, both “Turnabout” and “Watchtower Panorama” sport some impressive guitar work that should catch your ear both inside and outside the game. As a free soundtrack included with the collector’s edition I can’t really complain, although the presentation leaves much to be desired. It doesn’t come in its own jewel case, but rather is the fourth disc found in the disc tray under the game discs. Still, I’ll be watching to see if there’s a Part 2, as MMOs like this tend to have huge amounts of music.

Team Fortress 2sdays: Diablo comes out this week Posted: 15 May 2012 08:30 AM PDT Every Tuesday a bunch of us Dtoiders get together and hop online to play some Team Fortress 2 on the official Destructoid server! You should join us! I'm not sure if you guys heard but some game called Diablo III came out today. Apparently it's got item grinding and friendship, but you know what it doesn't have? Hats! Wait, it does? Hmmm, well if you're not up to your waist in the bodies of demons we would love to have you over for some Team Fortress 2sdays! Server IP: 63.208.142.126 Port: 27015 Early Match Time: 8 PM EST Late Match Time: 12 AM EST Map List: cp_badlands ctf_sawmill pl_badwater koth_harvest_final pl_goldrush cp_granary ctf_turbine pl_upward vsh_Hakurei_Shrine_v3 koth_nucleus cp_foundry plr_pipeline pl_thundermountain cp_egypt_final pl_barnblitz koth_viaduct cp_well vsh_manncohq_v14 koth_megaman6_b5 ctf_convoy_v2 arena_nucleus pl_cashworks_prefinal cp_kakaruko_a3 arena_watchtower cp_degrootkeep cp_kakaruko_a3 arena_nucleus pl_cashworks_prefinal If you have any suggestions for next week's match, sound off below! Also, we'd love to recap this week's events during next week's post, so take lots of screenshots and email them to spencer[@]destructoid.com!  Special thanks to Swishiee, and everyone who sent in screenshots this week! Can't make the game itself? Swishiee streams it starting at 11PM EST over on Streamtoid!

Machinarium now on Android, Kindle Fire, and NOOK Posted: 15 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT Refreshing the barren wasteland that is Android mobile gaming, critic and fan favorite Machinarium is now available through Google Play. The quirky indie hit, originally released in 2009 on PC, will also debut on Kindle Fire, NOOK Color and NOOK Tablet sometime this week, with an Amazon Appstore for Android debut to follow later this month. Pick it up for $3.99.

An erotic Minecraft Podtoid tribute to Jonathan Holmes Posted: 15 May 2012 07:00 AM PDT Podtoid listeners will know that Jonathan Holmes is sexual catnip to anybody alive. His posterior region, in particular, is a magnet that draws lust from the loins of all breathing humans. We talk about his sensual body a lot on the show, but one fan went above and beyond -- he gave us a temple of worship.  The above (likely NSFW) video is the extensive work of Vid Cirman, who has created a fully functional Jonathan Holmes statue complete with a deep anus that features life-like actions. We finally have a place to call home, and it feels so ... warm.  In all seriousness, I have been literally crying and howling with delight since I watched this. I have a feeling my colleague will also cry when he sees it ... but he won't be smiling.  This is my career!

Mario Kart 7 patches up some glitches today Posted: 15 May 2012 06:30 AM PDT An update is now live for Mario Kart 7, and you can grab it through your eShop update menu, or by scanning this QR code that Nintendo Life has generously produced for the internet at large. All the update does is essentially fix a few exploits found in the game, for instance the Wuhu Island/Mountain Loop and Bowser's Castle 1 shortcuts. A number of people around the web are hilariously reporting that potential cheaters are already attempting to load up Wuhu, and are miserably failing when trying to use the old shortcuts. Thank goodness for Nintendo's willingness to embrace patches! Before the DSi, people would have been left in the wind. Hundreds of people on various Mario Kart community message boards were refusing to play online with these glitches intact, so chalk up a definite win for Nintendo. Mario Kart 7 Update Available Now [Nintendo Life]

Podtoid records today, you little idiots! Posted: 15 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT Podtoid is recording today, even though I just want to play Diablo III all of the time. Meanwhile, Hamza is off duty because he's in Lossing Angles for the pre-E3 pre-preview-preview-pre-hype-pre-preview event. So that will be fun for him.  As always, ask us some damn questions and we will answer a number of them while remarking on the elegance of these biscuits for cheese.

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