Love (of video games) is in the air on this week's episode of Weekend Confirmed! Hosts Garnett Lee and Jeff Cannata are joined by Nikole Zivalich and Ariel Angelotti to talk about Aliens: Colonial Marines, Ni No Kuni, Fire Emblem: Awakening, and more! Given the show's late-Valentine's Day recording time, the crew also sprinkles some "Gamer Dating Advice" throughout the show, before bringing it all home with some Finishing Moves.

Listen: Weekend Confirmed Episode 152 »

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch makes a strong first impression. The adorable fairy tale boasts a truly gorgeous presentation, striking score, spirited dialogue, and stand-out voice performances. The hero of the story, a young boy named Oliver, is unfaltering in his earnest kindness, giving the proceedings a sweetness that stays just a hair's breadth from saccharine. Despite all its luster, though, the spell it casts is ultimately too short-lived to sustain such a lengthy adventure.

Read more: Losing focus over 40 hours »

Weekend Confirmed is back, and this week, Garnett Lee, Jeff Cannata, "Indie" Jeff Mattas and Nikole Zivalich convene to talk about some new releases. Garnett kicks things off with some talk about his experience with Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, which is followed by some discussion about the recently-released indies, Skulls of the Shogun and Proteus. Naturally, the crew brings it all home with a batch of Finishing Moves, and the final post-show NFL TailGate of the season.

Listen: Weekend Confirmed Episode 150 »

JRPGs have become something of a niche genre--a far cry from when games like Final Fantasy VII commanded gamer mindshare. Why has the genre faded so much? Akihiro Hino, CEO of Level-5, developer of the upcoming Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, has a few ideas. "If pushed, I'd say Japanese RPGs tend to cater to players who are not skilled at action games and prefer to have command systems that allow them time to strategize, as well as those who enjoy stories that are similar to reading novels," he explained. "So for fans of Western RPG, such JRPGs might seem somewhat antiquated."

Read more: A 'refreshing change' from other modern JRPGs »

"With its charming presentation, moving story, and engaging battle system, it's hard not to eagerly anticipate Ni No Kuni," Alan Tsang wrote in our preview of Level 5 and Studio Ghibli's RPG. A downloadable demo will arrive on PlayStation 3 next week so you can see if all that anticipation pays off, or if you've wasted your time and your life and you may as well just give up.

Read more: What's in it? No idea »

We've been long entranced by the gorgeous visuals of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, Level-5's beautiful collaboration with the famous Studio Ghibli. Seeing it in motion, it's hard not to be entranced by the game's lush green forests, expansive towns, and whimsical creatures and townspeople. Nearly every moment has a visual detail worth admiring. In typical Ghibl fashion however, the story is as moving as the art. A young boy, Oliver, gets thrust into an adventure in another world (the titular Ni no Kuni) for a chance to resurrect his mother.

Read more: White Knight Chronicles meets Pokemon »

Level-5's gorgeous PS3-exclusive RPG, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, is one of my most anticipated games. I have a soft spot for pretty cel-shaded games--but a pretty cel-shaded Studio Ghibli game? Where do I sign up?

There must be other like-minded individuals. So of course, publisher Namco Bandai is readying a collector's edition to drain our wallets.

Read more: Includes a book, doll, and DLC »

Level-5 and Studio Ghibli's Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is now confirmed for a PlayStation release on January 22, 2013, having recently been delayed again. The revelation comes from the RPG's E3 trailer, which is every bit as lovely as you'd expect from revered animation studio Ghibli.

Watch: The E3 trailer »

Andrea, the two Jeff's, and Garnett waste no time getting right to all the new info on Resident Evil 6, Lost Planet 3, and Devil May Cry coming out of Capcom's recent press event. They also have a few quick updates from a similar event held by Namco that unveiled a PC version of Dark Souls and provided an update on the status of a western release for Ni No Kuni. We also get a first look at FEZ and Andrea shares some of what she saw at PAX East, including the awesome-sounding indie, Super T.I.M.E. Force. There's much more along the way as well before putting the Finishing Moves on this episode.

Listen: Weekend Confirmed Episode 108 »

Studio Ghilbi's intricately animated Japanese RPG Ni no Kuni has been scheduled to make a North American and European appearance with the help of accomplished developer Level 5. The question has always been when. Two months ago, the release was delayed to winter 2012. Now, it has been pushed back even further.

Watch: Oliver brings a companion to life »

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a gorgeous PS3 RPG from Level-5, developers of Dragon Quest VIII and Professor Layton. The project has been one of our most anticipated games of the year, thanks to its unique collaboration with legendary Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli.

Unfortunately, Namco Bandai announced that the US version is no longer planned for "early 2012." Instead, we can expect it by "winter."

Read more: Japanese and English voiceovers »

There's a lot to be excited for in 2012, and the Shacknews staff each have five games on their radar. The editorial team at Shacknews outlines their most anticipated games of 2012 individually. Next up we've got east coast editor Andrew Yoon and his list of 2012 titles.

Mass Effect 3

There's almost no way for Mass Effect 3 to match the heights reached in Mass Effect 2. And I'm okay with that. The first two games have made me incredibly connected to that universe, and I'm excited to see the consequences of my decisions. Will saving the Rachni help me in the final battle against the Reapers? Will going against Cerberus in both games—especially in the climax of the second game—drastically change my ability to save the galaxy? Will Liara appreciate the fact that I didn't get tempted by anyone else in the second game? Also, what will happen to that annoying "fan" that made an appearance in the first two games?

Even if Mass Effect 3 is a total flop (which I doubt), I've become so committed to this franchise, that I have no choice but to have ME3 on my list of 2012 must-plays.

Read more: The rest of Andrew's picks for 2012 »

The PlayStation 3 RPG Ni No Kuni is awfully pretty, but the name isn't exactly welcoming to western audiences. Now it seems that Level 5 has registered a new trademark in the US, for "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch." That subtitle should make for easier marketing when the game releases in early 2012.

Read more: No trademark for the DS game »

Level-5 and Studio Ghibli's Japanese RPG, Ni no Kuni: Shiroki Seihai no Joou, is headed to North American PS3s sometime early next year, according to an announcement made by Level-5 president Akihiro Hino. The announcement means English language gamers will be able to play the game just a few months after its November 17 release in Japan.

Read more: New features for the PS3 version »

Would you like to see Level-5 localize Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney, or perhaps Studio Ghibli collaboration Ninokuni (The Another World)? The Japanese developer would like to know. It's running a Facebook poll to judge which of its games currently available only in Japan are most desired by Western fans.

READ MORE: The games up for voting »