After browsing the internet for some more news regarding the 'expanded' BlazBlue, I found these pictures.

This is Hazama.

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED ABOUT BLAZBLUE'S STORY, DON'T READ THIS SECTION

Hazama (Terumi) is the main villian of BlazBlue. The person who's pulling all the strings and the only individual that makes Rachel sweat bullets. Also, he's the one who cut off Ragna's arm in the beginning of Ragna's story arc in the game. He's also crazy. Plus, he's also a captain for the NOL in disguise. At the end of the BlazBlue story arc, he's the one who orders Tsubaki to find and kill Noel and Jin.

END OF SPOILERS

I really like how he looks. He looks like Ichimaru Gin cosplaying as Micheal Jackson...with green hair. Plus, his weapon is pretty awesome. He will screw you up with his...butterfly knife. Apparently, his Nox (ex: Noel = Bulwurk (her guns), Carl = Nirvana (his puppet)) is called Ouroborus, which is also the name of his drive.

Judging by the pics, his fighting style looks similar to Iori from KOF, but that's just based on observation. I don't know how he's going to fight, but I am interesting in seeing on how he fights. This guy is the reason why Ragna's life is a living hell, so he must be pretty damn strong.

So, what do you guys think? Are Tsubaki and Hazama the right choices as new characters? I personally wanted Kokonoe to be playable, but hey, can't win em all.

[UPDATE]

Found some more info on Hazama.

Hazama



Profile

Height: 183 cm

Weight: 61 kg

Birthday: April 29

Blood Type: AB

Birthplace: Unknown

Hobbies: Collecting silver accessories

Likes: Boiled eggs

Dislikes: Cats

CV: Yuichi Nakamura



General Information:

Drive: Ouroborus - Summons chains which can hang in the air, be
launched at enemies, or be used for transportation by swinging from an
axis. It might also be able to ensnare his opponent.



He wields knives and will apparantly be a speed-based character.

It's been awhile since I did a C-Blog. It's 3 AM, bored, finished playing Magic the Gathering on my Xbox (which is pretty badass btw), and it's about time I speak my mind about certain things...cause it's been awhile.

Now, before reading, keep in mind about this. I love things that are over the top. I love eye candy. I love explosions. I love shiny things. I. Love. Destruction.

I love:

MINDLESS. SELF. INDULGENCE.



Well...the band yea, they're awesome, but I'm talking about it in the literal sense.

Mindless over the top eye candy that makes you brain go in self-propelled natural high. A feeling that gives you a giant rush and you don't even have to put much thought into it. A feeling of happiness, an euphoria even, of doing over the top stuff that you wouldn't believe.

This is why I love Dragonforce and other well known power/epic metal bands (ex: Rhapsody of Fire).



Over the top vocals, guitars, synth sounds, and sometimes, a choir and/or orchestra to back up the band in giant, epic, metal tracks that sends my heart into space while I cry blood. So...so beautiful. ;o;



^manly tears

That's my reaction to music...but to games, that's another ballpark.



As much as I love Rock Band, there are other games out there that I love so much. This is one of them. One of my favorite games of all time. Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction. I've always dreamed of a game like this...

Hulk is one of my favorite super heroes. Period. For Radical Entertainment to create a game like this just sent my brain in sensory overload. It felt like I had 30 orgasms and I didn't need to change my pants. I loved to destroy the ever living crap out of everything and everyone that I laid eyes on, while enjoying the games story (even though it didn't matter THAT much to me).

Then came another mindless wonder.



Garys Mod. Dear. God. The things I did in that game...it made me go like...like this:



Gary's Mod took my mindless self indulgence to a whole new level. Nuclear explosions. Fun with the Portal gun. Custom models. Blowing up over 30 people at once...in slow motion...over...and over...and over again. It made me want to get my computer laid and have it have 15 mini-PCs, running all at once, all playing Gary's Mod.

I can go on and on about other games that does this. Crackdown and the GTA series after 3 can achieve these things. Certain MMOs can achieve these things to (Epic geared Shaman in the Ancients Battleground...riding tanks, planting explosives, and setting people on fire. Oh God it was glorious...). Wolverine quelled my thirst for blood and violence and I loved every second. The first Mercenaries game was great too! Black on the PS2 as well (Destructible walls ftw).

Then, when I thought all has been done...then came a man known as Alex Mercer.



After all the things I heard about Prototype, about what you're able to do in the game, about who was making the game, about who you would be playing as...I pre-ordered it as fast as I can. When the game was released, I was waiting outside the Gamestop near my house, waiting for the UPS truck to arrived to the store with my pre-order copy. I was the first person in my Gamestop to purchase the game. I got my little map and my Alex Mercer figure (which is over my desk, looking cool).



Then I got to play the game...and...well...this happened:



I love this game. I've been waiting for a game like this for a long, LONG time. I am serious when I say this, hard days at work...stressful days in which I want to freakin rip the heads off of stupid people at my job...screwed up days in which I just want to end...have all gotten better thanks to this game.

To go around and blow the ever living crap out of everything I see. Slice up everything I see. Consume everything I see. I play Prototype and my day is better. I let loose and freakin destroy everything I see while I blast my music from my MP3 player (Children of Bodom, Unearth, etc.). I feel so much better after doing so...pleasing myself without getting so worked up after a long day at work.

To the people at Radical Entertainment, from the bottom of my heart:



Thank you so...so much for creating a game like this. I love every freakin minute of it, despite it's flaws. I'm having so much fun with it, it's ridiculous. You have no idea how much this game has helped me feel so much better after a crappy day.

and to the other developers such as Rockstar, Team Ninja, Realtime Worlds, and others who make these over the top games with boobs, violence, and eye candy. Thank you as well. Thank you for keeping this brain from over straining itself while it sits back and enjoys the bloody, bouncy show.

I love mindless self indulgence. I hope it never goes away. Games are made to be over the top...and dammit. I FREAKIN LOVE IT! To escape reality...and enjoy it without the repercussions. Thank God for video games.

Now, it's time to wait for another game that will send my mind into a euphoria of pleasure:



...........

Music. Such a powerful force in the world of gaming. It can move us to tears, allow us to gain untapped strength for intense battles, or even set up ambiance when you're in the middle of an open field or just sleeping in an Inn just to regain some HP.

From the days of 8-bit, all the way now to the Next-Gen, music still plays a powerful role in the games we play. However, back in 1997, a new gaming genre was being created in Japan that, to this day, uses music in a way that MUSIC is the GAME.

This genre will be known as the Music Game genre.

It started with the pioneers: PaRappa the Rapper, Beatmania, and Dance Dance Revolution. All 3 became major hits in Japan and here in the US. To this day, if you go into an arcade, chances are people are going nuts in DDR. Search up 'Beatmania' on YouTube and you'll be greeted with over 14,700 results.

Now, let's back up, to 2 years before the music game genre began. In 1995, here in the United States, 2 students from MIT founded a company that was built on the premise that the experience of performing music could become accessible to those who would otherwise have trouble learning a traditional instrument.

Those 2 individuals are Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy. The company they founded eventually became what everyone knows as...



Before 1997 rolled around, they created some "applications" that were not necessarily games. The company's earliest project was The Axe: Titans of Classic Rock for the PC. The Axe allowed users to easily perform unique instrumental solos by using a PC joystick. Harmonix then designed "CamJam", which performed similar functions, this time using simple body gestures to trigger music sequences.

Now let's go back to 1997, when the music game genre began. Harmonix turned it's attention to Japan and noticed how the music game genre was becoming increasingly popular and successful over there. This inspired Harmonix to create their FIRST music video game.

The game was called 'Frequency'.



Released for the Playstation 2 on November 20, 2001.

For info on how Frequency, and how it was played, you can go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_(video_game)

After it's release, Frequency was critically acclaimed and won numerous awards, however it failed to become a mainstream success.

So, Harmonix went along to create their 2nd game. The sequel to Frequency.

The game was called 'Amplitude'.



Released for the Playstation 2 on March 24, 2003.

For more info on how Amplitude, and how it was played, you can go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplitude_(video_game)

Several changes were made from its predecessor to broaden the game's appeal, from gameplay tweaks to a more mainstream soundtrack.

Again, however, Amplitude achieved awards, critical praise, and a small cult following, but it was not a financial hit in the end.


Now, I love Amplitude and Frequency. These 2 games are what developed my love for the music game genre. They're high in my list of my favorite games of all time. Probably in the Top 10. Especially Amplitude, since I prefer it over Frequency, but I still love Frequency to death.

I guess why I love Amplitude more is the fact that it has David Bowie...yes...

David Bowie...




The reason why I'm writing this blog is because it relates to what Harmonix recently did. To explain that, let's go right into what made Harmonix explode into the mainstream.

Back in 2005, Harmonix teamed up with publisher RedOctane to release Harmonix's mainstream breakthrough hit. The game that started the "loud clicks", the color coded buttons, the insane note charts, and unleashed our inner rock star.

That game was:



Released for the Playstation 2 on November 8, 2005.

Guitar Hero was the game that put Harmonix on the gaming map. Harmonix had a major hit on their hands and they capitalized on it. On November of 2006, they released the sequel, Guitar Hero II. Released for the Playstation 2 and the Xbox 360 (the release for the 360 was in April).

Now, believe it or not, Guitar Hero was nothing more than a 'test' for Harmonix...for something they've been planning during the development of the first Guitar Hero. Something BIG.

In September 2006, MTV Networks announced that it was acquiring Harmonix on behalf of MTV for $175 million. Harmonix's last Guitar Hero game for RedOctane, Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, which was released for the Playstation 2 on July 2007, thus fulfilling their contractual obligations with the publisher, RedOctane.

In 2007, RedOctane was bought out by Activision to continue the Guitar Hero franchise...and we all know what that led to:








NOTE: ALL THE GAMES ABOVE WERE RELEASED WITHIN THE TIME SPAN OF 2 YEARS! 2 FREAKIN YEARS! AND THERE IS 2 NEW GH GAMES CONFIRMED JUST FOR THIS YEAR! WTF ACTIVISION! WTF!

Ever since the teets of Tony Hawk dried up, Activison now has a new cash cow to milk...and it kinda hurts to see Guitar Hero being treated this way...it sucks, but what can you do. You know?


Anyways, back to Harmonix. In 2006, after being aquired by MTV Networks, Harmonix began to develop their dream game. The game that can turn 4 people into imaginary rock stars. The ability to sing, play guitar, play bass, and play drums. That game was...



Released for the Playstation 2 (December 18, 2007), Playstation 3 (November 20, 2007), Nintendo Wii (June 22, 2008), and Xbox 360 (November 20, 2007).

In 2008, Harmonix released the sequel, Rock Band 2.

I'm not even going to go into too much detail about Rock Band, because most people know how it's played.

For more info on both Guitar Hero and Rock Band, go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Band

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Hero_(series)


I love Rock Band to death and most people that know me can vouch for that. Rock Band 2 is currently my favorite game to play. Period. I just can't get bored of it. I can't even shut up about it. If brought up in a conversation, my head starts going in 360s from happiness.


So, you know I coughed my heart up and my brain exploded when I heard about this:



Rock Band Unplugged. Coming soon to the PSP.

Harmonix is going back to their roots with this title, because the game is going to be played the same way as Frequency and Amplitude.

So, Harmonix, making a successor to their very first 2 games, in the form of a portable music game, with the Rock Band franchise slapped on.

I can't even type down how freakin happy I am about this, but it's the equivalent to this:




I need to get a PSP...soon...REAL soon...

Anyways, I hope this educated you guys in some way.

If you have a PS2, try out Frequency and Amplitude. They really are fun games and you can probably get them in most gaming bargain bins. Plus, you can see how Harmonix was pre-Guitar Hero, which is a good kick.

Well, take care Dtoiders. I'm going to be shredding up some Judas Priest on Rock Band 2.

Ok, now, aside from going to Destructoid, I also keep in touch at times with other communities, such as Newgrounds, an art site I go to called SheezyArt, and ScrewAttack.

Now, ScrewAttack has been hyping up since last week that a huge announcement concerning their convention, SGC, is going to be revealed soon. It was confirmed since Tuesday, on their podcast 'Sidescrollers', that this announcement was going to be shown to the public today, Thursday.

I woke up at 6 AM this morning, got on my computer, and I saw the announcement...

After what I saw, I'm not kidding, my heart skipped a beat. How in the hell...just...just look at the video.



I thought this will be relevant to certain people's interests, since Destructoid will be guests at SGC.

I am lost for words and I can't even wrap my head around this. Maybe it's because it's still early and I'm semi-sleepy.

Anyways, now I'm definitely bringing a video cam to SGC. Hope to see some of you there.

If you can't see the video, go here. http://screwattack.com/SGC/DebateOfTheCentury

I know...I know...this isn't the first time Harmonix releases something Nickelodeon related into Rock Band...but SPONGEBOB?! WTF?!

Jesus...anyways, here are the songs that will be available this Tuesday, March 31st.

Journey - Don't Stop Believing
Pat Benetar - Heartbreaker
Glasvegas - Geraldine
The Von Bondies - C'mon C'mon
SpongeBob Squarepants - I Can't Keep My Eyes Off You
SpongeBob Squarepants - The Best Day Ever
SpongeBob Squarepants - Where's Gary?

As always, 160 MS points for the singles, the Spongebob pack is 440 MSP.

I am definitely getting Journey and the Von Bondies. I can't wait to freakin wail my voice again to Journey. It will be glorious. As for Spongebob...jesus. I'm still in shock. What do you guys honestly think about this? Are any of you actually thinking about getting the Spongebob songs? Is there anything else from Nickelodeon that Harmonix is going to add into the game?

Hey everyone. I wanted to write something for the C-Blogs for awhile now, but I couldn't think of any ideas. However, after waking up in 8 in the morning, knowing what I have in store for me today...and what's been going on as of late for me (not going to get into it), I decided to create a guide on how to game when you're poor.

This was inspired after being in the mood for Burger King's breakfast, only to be greeted with a single 1 dollar bill in my wallet. How screwed up is that.

Anyways, note, this guide is for anyone who really is in a financial hole or wants to game at an affordable price, so you can save some cash for other things. Like food for example, or even clothes, or other bigger and better things. So here goes.

So this is just a thought.

1. Don't have a next gen system? No problem!

Some people out there can't afford a Xbox 360 or a PS3. Hell, some people can't even afford a Wii. What do you do if you're in this situation and want to play these systems?

Well, for starters, you can game on other consoles. Like the PS2, Gamecube, and I'm going to go out the limb and say the original Xbox. Of course, there's more. The SNES, Genesis, Dreamcast, the N64, and list goes on and on and on. Any system before the Dreamcast you can probably find in a local thrift store, like a Salvation Army or, even better, a Goodwill store. You can also find old systems at a reasonable price on eBay. Also, you can try ask friends and family if they don't want their old systems anymore. It gives the system a better home and you might get the system at a better value. Maybe even for free depending on the friends and relatives. Hell, it may even come with games.

You can even try some gaming stores...that are not Gamestop. Play-N-Trade is a good example. They sometimes sell old consoles and even old games. The best way to find these gaming stores is to look in the Yellowpages. Or, go to yellowpages.com and you can look for the gaming stores in your area. You may be surprised in what you find.

Plus, if you really can't find a good deal, there's the newspaper. Yes, sometimes people will post an ad in the paper about selling their old games. Also, of course, there's Craig's List. Most people here know how to use Graig's List, so Google it, search it, and hope you run into a goldmine.

Now, of course, if you really want to play anything next gen, just go to a friends house if they own a next-gen console, the demo booths in electronics stores, or even gaming centers (some gaming centers actually have consoles available to play, so be sure when you find a gaming center, be sure it has both PC and console play.).

To find the nearest gaming center near you, go to http://www.igames.org/.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking...I'm missing something 'important' in regards to playing anything from the Nintendo 64 and below. Well, it's not condoned here on Destructoid, so I might as well say this right off the bat.



It's up to you whether you do it or not. So, I'll just leave it at that.

Oh, if you want a system that bad and you're that broke, wait til Christmas and your birthday.

Hey, there's always your PC or Mac to play games on. Don't forget about that.

2. Games are expensive? Here is a solution!

Let's say you got a next-gen system and you want to play some games on it. Games can add up...alot. So here are a couple of ways to go about it.

If you have any of the current gen systems, then right off the bat, here are your best friends:









These services provide some seriously awesome games (you just have to search around for them) and they're all at an affordable price.

Plus, in terms of the virtual console, you have alot of old titles to choose from and you can play them from there on the Wii. No need to go crazy in finding a SNES or Genesis. You just save yourself some cash.

Now, of course, if you do own any of the older generation systems, getting games for them can be difficult.

You can try the same methods I mentioned above in regards to consoles, but for games (Craig's List, eBay, etc.).

Now, if you want to play some games, but don't own a system. You got a PC!...or Mac.

There are many PC games out there that are at an affordable price. Finding PC games is alot easier than finding older gen console games. Try Gamestop right off the bat or any electronics store that sells computers. You're bound to find some cheap, but good titles (be sure to do some research to find the good PC games from the bad ones).

Now, if you don't want to leave your home, you know, to save gas on your car and such, here's your PC friend:



There's TONS of games to choose from in there. Plus, there's even some deals for certain games on there, thus saving even more money. You even saved yourself some gas money! How about that.

Now, if you are beyond broke, you can always search Google to play Flash versions of old classics, like Pac-Man, Tetris, Asteroids, and so forth.

Speaking of Flash!





These 2 websites offer some seriously awesome Flash games. You'll be surprised in what you find.

Also, again, no piracy. Again, look else where for that stuff.

3. I am still broke! I want some quality titles! What do I do?!

Beggers can't be choosers at times...but if you really want some high end titles...here is a tip.




For those who have a job and are still broke:

-Get a better job, if you can.
-Cut back on fast food, pizza, and takeout in general.
-Do groceries.
-Don't waste gas.
-Sell junk.
-Donate blood or sperm. Or both.
-Odd jobs.
-Take junk to a recycling plant. Stuff that can be recycled.
-Do favors for money. LEGAL favors mind you.

There could be more, but that's what came into my head off the bat.

-----------------------------------

So there you have it, the guide to the poor gamer. Hopefully this will help you guys who are short in cash game like everyone else.

Now, if you will excuse me, I'll be practicing my vocal chords in Rock Band.







Oh crap! I forgot! If you are going to the ScrewAttack gaming convention this July, be sure to click on the link below! I would appreciate it very much! Thank you!

http://www.sgconvention.com/register.php?ref=experiment3

If you do go to SGC, I'll see you there....or at least try....Anyways, thank again.

BACK TO ROCK BAND!