Bayonetta and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle head up the first gaming month of the new year.  Both should prove to be awesome action titles.  I'm still debating Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars -- it just seems to be the type of game where I'd be more in love with the concept than the game itself.  For a fighting game, will it at least support the Classic Controller?

Contra 4: Rocked 'n' Loaded continues to remain on the list of desirable music releases.  C'mon, guys..... we've been waiting a long time for our ears to be attacked aggressively.  Will this be the month?

The Hurt Locker was one of the 2009 films I missed that I've been dying to see.  It's been making the top 10 lists like crazy, so I'm definitely curious.  My sister saw it, and she said it was one of the most expertly tense films she ever saw.  Looking forward to watching Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs again -- sans the "mouth-watering 3D", sadly.

D'oh, and there's my first mislabeling of the new year.  It's January 2010, damn it.  Must still be in denial because of that whole "turning thirty" business. 

Adam, apologies, but could you bump that subject header's year up a notch?  Much obliged.

I'll be buying my first soundtrack in several years, Final Fantasy XIII.

And for games, Mass Effect 2 on the 360.

FFXIII and Ar tonelico 3 OST, and the Ar tonelico 3 Hymmnos albums.

And, possibly, the Kingdom Hearts field and battle Piano collection. Utterly disappointed by the first album, but much of that was having lame source material. This album has potential to be good. I need to hear more before I decide whether or not to buy.

Ramza

Well for me:

Games
Bayonetta (for PS3) is still a very big if.  Most likely I will wait on this one, so other than this I don't think there is anything else for gaming I'll be picking up this month.

DVD (no blu-ray purchases this month for me)
Doctor Who - The Keys of Marinus
Doctor Who - The Twin Dilemma (with this one all of the Colin Baker 6th Doctor stories will have been released on DVD)

Soundtracks
Final Fantasy XIII Limited Ed OST
Kingdom Hearts Piano Collection - Battle & Field

So, why has the BBC not released complete seasons of Dr. Who? I'm talking about the original run... is there copyright issues involved, or are they simply being greedy trying to take-in as much money as possible by charging too much for individual releases?
I would love to own the original Dr. Who series...

cheers,

-avatar!

To answer your question, I'll point you to a website that I have bookmarked and visit frequently to stay on top of Dr. Who DVD/Blu-ray news. 

http://home.comcast.net/~smanfred/

and if you go here:

http://home.comcast.net/~smanfred/DVD_FAQ.html

Question 4 will address your inquiry.

Kingdom Hearts Birthy by Sleep is going to be a Day One Purchase for sure.
I'll probably get Mass Effect 2 as well, but it'll likely be pushed back by my backlog.

And, uh, that's about it.
I was looking forward to the FFXIII OST, but having heard a lot of the music in the game now, I'm completely indifferent towards it.

I'm awaiting Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom for sure, but I have a feeling it will collect dust after a week.

No More Heroes 2, Tatsu v Capcom, and yeah, probably Bayonetta too. Might look into the PSPmake of Shadow of Destiny, if I can find where I misplaced my cramfritterin' PSP on Christmas Day.

I was expecting to pick up Fragile, or rather Fragile Dreams this month as well, but I understand it's been pushed back?

I got my package of Final Fantasy Creatures Kai vol. 1 last week, and after setting them all up (which took some time) they're quite enjoyable, but for all those who was waiting for a kickass Terra atop Magitek Armor... I'd say that one isn't as up to snuff as the others in the set.  I got the set direct from Japan (and not through the North American side (from the Square Enix online shop for example) as one is missing if you go that route).

It comes with:
- Bahamut Sin from FFVII AC
- Terra on Magitek Armor from FFVI
- Zalera, The Death Seraph from FFXII
- Valefor from FFX
- The Brothers from FFVIII
- Tiamat from FFI (this is one that's missing from the NA set)

Also got in the FF Trading Arts Mini Vol. 4 (also direct from Japan for the same reason - 1 is missing from the set if you get it from here) - I've always liked these and I have the other three sets and the FFIV ones too. 

Comes with:
- Yuffie
- Sephiroth
- Zidane
- Vivi
- FFX Yuna (this is missing from the NA set)

I don't know for sure if the missing ones are included in the NA sets as a "secret" one (that's how they advertised Terra on Magitek Armor in that set).

Your post practically begs for some snapshots.   Got any to share?

I need to get going on the FFVII - FFIX play arts. They've pretty much got the major players in FFVII in figure form, FFVIII is lacking a great deal, and FFIX is getting there.

I think I want Cloud on the Hardy Daytona the most. Those Play-Arts weapon sets look spiffy keen, too.

http://www.hlj.com/product/KBYSQ-57

I just took these with my iPhone, so the quality's probably not all that great:
http://twitpic.com/xt3dg
http://twitpic.com/xt3gr
http://twitpic.com/xt3l1
http://twitpic.com/xt3oj
http://twitpic.com/xt3qv
http://twitpic.com/xt3ti
http://twitpic.com/xt3vp
http://twitpic.com/xt3zd

Isn't Ar-Tonelico 3 coming out for the PS3 in the U.S. this month? Or is that Japan? When IS it being released in the U.S.?

Nice collection!  Bahamut Sin and Valefor look particularly boss.  Love the Trading Arts Mini figurines, too; Rydia, Vivi, and X-2 Yuna are especially cute.

Just a word of warning: I'm swiping that huge Chocobo plush once your back is turned.

Did you buy a lot of assorted blind-box figures, or did you find a Japanese seller that offered a set of one of each figure?  As I understand it, the North American release omits Tiamat but packages one of each of the rest in a set.

I just order a box set.  I got the Creatures and Trading Arts Mini sets from CD Japan actually (only cause they were small enough to go air mail - FFXIII Play Arts Figures I order from NCSX cause shipping's cheaper - those are coming February).  For example, with Creatures you get a box of 8, and there's one of each plus a couple more, so I have an extra Zalera and Brothers figure.