Stepping out from behind his regular feature, Turning The Spigot, Brock 'Spigot' Wager brings you his review of Rotor'Scope: The Secret Of Endless Energy on the Xbox Live Indie Games Channel.
Rotor'Scope: The Secret Of Endless Energy won 2nd place in last year's Dream.Build.Play competition and is now available on the Xbox Live Indie Games Channel.
Check out his review of this steam punk puzzler and leave a comment for a chance to win one of two copies of the game we have to give away.
While it hasn't been all puppies and rainbows lately for Electronic Arts - in just the last few moths they've announced major layoffs and plans to cut back on their slate of games - they still have a number of major games in the pipeline. As part of their quarterly investor report, EA detailed their release schedule for the next twelve months. You can see the full slate by clicking the 'more' button, but some of the highlights:
- APB and the next Medal of Honor game are both set to release the third quarter of 2010 (July to September).
- Crysis 2, a pair of EA Sports Active titles for the WiiFit and a console version of Sims 3 highlight this coming holiday season.
- The Q1 2011 will see Dead Space 2, the next Dragon Age game, a new Spore game and EA's new Epic-developed shooter.
All of this and the usual servings of EA Sports, Harry Potter and Need For Speed games. EA also has at least three stand alone downloadable games, one of which is a digital trading card (DTC) game.
[LIST][*]Q1 FY2011 - April 1 through June 30, 2010
Skate 3 (Console)
Need for Speed World (PC)
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa (Console, Handheld)
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11 (Console, Handheld)
[*]Q2 FY2011 - July 1 through September 30, 2010
APB/All Points Bulletin (PC)
Medal of Honor Title TBA (Console, Handheld, PC)
NCAA Football 11 (Console, Handheld, PC)
EA SPORTS FIFA Online (PC)
Madden NFL 11 (Console, Handheld)
FIFA 11 (Console, Handheld, PC)
NHL 11 (Console)
Monopoly Title TBA (Console, Handheld)
MySims Title TBA (Console, Handheld)
[*]Q3 FY 2011- October 1 through December 31, 2010
Crysis 2 (Console, PC)
Need For Speed Title TBA (Console, Handheld, PC)
DTC Game For Console Online (Console - Downloadable)
FIFA Manager 11 (PC)
NBA Jam (Console)
NBA Live 11 (Console, Handheld)
EA SPORTS Active Title TBA (Console)
EA SPORTS Active Title TBA (Console)
EA SPORTS MMA (Console, Handheld)
Hasbro Family Game Night Title TBA (Console)
Hasbro Littlest Pet Shop Title TBA (Handheld)
Harry Potter Title TBA (Console, Handheld, PC)
The Sims 3 on Console Title TBA (Console, Handheld)
EA Play Label TBA (Console, Handheld, PC)
[*]Q4 FY 2011- January 1 through March 31, 2011
Dead Space 2 (Console, Handheld)
Dragon Age Title TBA(Console, Handheld, PC)
Shooter from Epic TBA (Console, PC)
Need For Speed Title TBA (Console, PC)
EA Games Action Title TBA (Console - Downloadable)
Konami has announced another of their old school properties will be getting a new gen makeover. Rocket Knight, first seen on the Genesis nearly two decades ago, will be ricocheting onto the XBLA, PSN and Steam later this year.
In the game you play as Sparkster, a knight with a rocket pack. Ok, so it's a bit bizarre. But the new version looks like a fun 2.5D adventure. It's slated for release later this year. Screens from the game can be seen here.
Did anyone even know this was coming? Sunsoft surprises everyone this morning with a WiiWare sequel to one of the (many) best games to hit the NES: Blaster Master. There's also a swath of games hitting the DSiWare channel, as well. And only one lonely Virtual Console title: Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom.
Full descriptions below (links will come later).
WiiWare
BLASTER MASTER OVERDRIVE Publisher: SUNSOFT Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence Price: 1,000 Wii Points™ Description: BLASTER MASTER OVERDRIVE is an action-adventure game that takes place on an Earth infected by an aggressive, polymorphic virus. Poor, defenseless animals worldwide have been turned into flesh-eating, hemoglobin-swilling terrors. Fortunately, the world has Alex, who happens to be one of the world's foremost biologists and specializes in viral mutation profiles and genetic manipulation. Every studious biologist facing imminent global annihilation needs a sweet ride, and Alex is no exception. He has S.O.P.H.I.A., a shape-shifting, gas-guzzling, projectile-spewing paean to destruction on four wheels. Things look grim, but with Alex and S.O.P.H.I.A. on the case, the world just might have a chance.
Tomena Sanner Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment Players: 1-4 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Businessman Hitoshi Susumu is behind schedule and in quite a rush. In fact, once he starts running, he won't stop! Dashing past samurais, T-Rexes, cowboys and all manner of wacky obstacles, Mr. Susumu must get to the goal as fast as he can for the ultimate 2-D dance party. Tomena Sanner is a high-speed side-scrolling action game with a unique timing-based control system that's as challenging as it is fun. As they fly, jump and dance over the many zany obstacles, players need to time their moves to keep their speed up and perform awesome tricks. Using just one button on the Wii Remote™ controller, players of all ages and skill levels will be able to play and help Mr. Susumu get to his goal. Four players can compete to see who is the fastest at running through the bizarre and comical world of Tomena Sanner.
Bloons® Publisher: Hands-On Mobile Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Bloons is an exciting puzzle game based on the simple fact that popping balloons is fun. Pop your way through dozens of puzzling levels in this exciting puzzle adventure. Each level will have a different arrangement of balloons. Using the darts you're given, try to pop as many as you can. Look out for special balloons, blocks and darts, and have fun discovering what they do. You can pick up and play for a few minutes or spend hours working your way through the game's 70 levels. As an added bonus, there's also a level editor that allows you to create your own balloon puzzles.
Hubert The Teddy Bear Winter Games Publisher: Teyon Players: 1-16 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Hubert The Teddy Bear is a party game in which players confront crafty bunnies. Outsmart them in eight winter activities including snow fight, sleigh ride, Christmas tree decoration, fishing, catching a bunny and more. Create a teddy bear and customize it to fit your own style. Choose its name and gender and dress it up by combining elements from plenty of clothes and accessories. Play solo or engage your family and friends by competing in one of the multiplayer modes. As many as 16 players can take part in one competition. Thanks to the balanced levels of difficulty – kid, youngster and adult – everyone can enjoy the game. This collection of casual winter sports provides a new experience for the whole family.
DSiWare
Oscar in Movieland Publisher: Virtual Playground Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™ Description: Following his Oscar in Toyland escapades, Oscar now plays the leading actor in sensational worlds of hit movies and TV shows. From Sci-Fi to Cartoon, Western to War, Horror to Jurassic and more, this is a game not to be missed. Oscar in Movieland features eye-popping graphics, parallax scrolling backgrounds and fabulous game play. This jump-and-run game is easy to play and packed with hours of fun and nonstop action. Use Wings to Fly, Springy Boots to Jump, and Oscar's secret weapon – his magical Yo-Yo – to swing on and zap enemies in some of the craziest platform levels you'll ever play.
Link 'n' Launch Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Take your puzzle-solving skills to new heights in Link 'n' Launch, a puzzle game in which you must move tiles to create a path that connects fuel to your rocket, blasting it through space. Complete the basic training mode to learn how to play Link 'n' Launch, and then buckle in for the ride through the robust Missions and Puzzles modes. Missions mode has you propelling the rocket through space to reach the target planet within a three-minute time limit, while Puzzles mode challenges you to clear all fuel and pipe tiles from the screen. In both modes, not only do you need to create a path to keep your rocket fueled, but you'll also have to account for immovable tiles and special tiles that upgrade your rocket or give you additional time to complete the level, all while keeping your rocket's flight path within the established boundaries. The launch countdown has begun – are you prepared?
Fieldrunners Publisher: Subatomic Studios Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Cartoon Violence Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Descend into the world of Fieldrunners, one of the most anticipated and visually stunning games in mobile tower defense history. Defend and control the field with a diverse selection of upgradeable towers, using a wide array of tactics and strategies against countless waves of unique land and air combatants. Enjoy hours of entertainment and replayable challenges. Do you have what it takes to dominate the fieldrunners and rise to the top as the ultimate tower defense master?
Sudoku 4Pockets Publisher: 4Pockets.com Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Sudoku 4Pockets offers you 3,600 puzzles, and your assistant Kiku will be there to guide you through each of the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced skill levels. The aim of sudoku is to complete a grid of nine-by-nine squares with the numbers 1 through 9 in each square, row and column. As you play, Kiku will guide you: She can tell you if you've entered an incorrect number, offer you hints and explain the moves and terms as you play. The simple-to-use number entry makes it easy to select numbers and add possible number candidates to aid your thought process. Whether you're new to sudoku or an advanced player, you can have fun playing and learning on your quest to become a sudoku master.
Extreme Hangman Publisher: Gamelion Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Mild Cartoon Violence Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: There's never been a Hangman game like this before! The world's favorite time-killer game takes an absurdist twist of comical proportions. Taking place in various settings, the game challenges players to save the Hangman from his enemies by guessing hidden words correctly. When players guess incorrectly, he is put one step closer to being shot, strangled, erased or hanged by his enemies. Play a single-player game or challenge your friend to a duel. Extreme Hangman features seven different settings with fun animations, over 2,000 words in various categories, and three difficulty levels.
Virtual Console
Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom Original platform: NES Publisher: Hudson Entertainment Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence, Tobacco Reference Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Featuring a cast of cute characters and an endearing sense of humor, this unique title has gained a dedicated following since its release on the original NES system. The wicked Minister Pumpkin, a nobleman in the Salad Kingdom, has rebelled and kicked King Broccoli off the throne. Worse yet, he has kidnapped Princess Tomato and, with the help of the treacherous Farmies, proceeded to abolish all truth, justice, sweetness and light from the Salad Kingdom. Players take on the role of the brave Sir Cucumber, hero of the kingdom, and set out on a quest to rescue the princess and topple Minister Pumpkin. Progress through multiple locations using set commands (such as MOVE, LOOK and TALK) while winning bouts of Finger Wars (Rock-Paper-Scissors), collecting information and items and heeding helpful clues from your faithful companion, Percy (a persimmon). If you fail, the entire Salad Kingdom will be tossed into frenzy. Sir Cucumber, your princess awaits!
If you know a gamer under the age of 10, then you probably realize how popular the Lego Star Wars (and Lego Batman, and Lego Harry Potter, and Lego Indy) games are. They're a sensation. They're not the most difficult or deepest games on the market, but they're the rare animal which can truly appeal to gamers of all ages. So it's not really a surprise that Lucasarts and Travelers Tales are going back to the well with Lego Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Based on the animated series airing in the US on Cartoon Network, Lego Star Wars: The Clone Wars tells stories set between Episodes II & III of the theatrical features. Travelers' Tales promises new moves and abilities, as well as an expanded Level Builder. Expect the game this Fall on all major platforms.
Lionhead studio head Peter Molyneux has a history of making some pretty provocative statements about projects he's working on. With the publicity machine spinning up for Fable III, you'd expect him to start saying some...interesting things again soon. And you'd be right. Speaking to Gamereactor about what we'll see at the Fable III unveil at this week's X10 event, Molyneux unleashed this chestnut.
Quote:
"There's some very, very big things happening in Fable," said Molyneux, "Bigger than you think, and it's going to really upset people." Molyneux added that he is "really scared" about telling people the news, saying, "They're going to get super pissed off, they really are."
Emphasis added. Assuming he's right about some announcement causing a ruckus, what could he mean? I don't see him telegraphing any sort of delay announcement this way, so it's still likely slated to come out this fall. What else? Could Microsoft possibly be planning to make Fable III Natal only? We'll find out later this week when Microsoft holds their X10 conference later this week.
Bethesda and Obsidian have begun peeling back the shrouds covering this Fall's Fallout: New Vegas. First we had the teaser trailer, now we have a 6 page feature in the new PC Gamer which is shedding some light on the game.
- You play not as a Vault dweller, but as a courier.
- Since it's so far from most other cities, Vegas wasn't hit with many nukes, so it's more or less intact.
- There are three main factions in the game: the New California Republic, Caesar's Legion and the residents of New Vegas.
- There will be special melee attacks in the VATS system, including a golf club to the groin.
- Something called "realism mode". In this mode you need food and water to survive, ammo and stims count towards your weight total and healing takes time. This is, of course, optional.
- New, smarter super mutants.
- A more intricate dialogue system, with bigger benefits for having high skill levels in bartering and negotiation.
Lots more details at the links.
Fallout: New Vegas is set to hit the PC, 360 and PS3 this fall.
Yesterday I had the chance to chat with the developers of Bioshock 2 on a conference call. Just about every aspect of the game was touched on in anticipation of it's release this Tuesday. This is your obligatory minor spoiler warning. Nothing of import was revealed about the story, but if you're in information blackout mode, you may not want to hit that 'more' button.
As much as any game of the past decade, the original Bioshock was lauded for it's story as much as it's gameplay. Which is why so many gamers seem to be anxious about the sequel. But according to the developers many of the more unique elements which made the original great are back, albeit in altered fashion. First and foremost: the philosophical underpinnings return. The objectivist world view of original antagonist Andrew Ryan has been replaced by the more collectivist views of the new leader of Rapture, Sophia Lam. Rather than a Randian individualist, Lam is more of a Marxist who pushes the concept of the "Rapture Family". But the game still revolves around an exploration of these philosophies. Well, that and setting mutated addicts on fire with your science magic.
You play as Subject Delta, one of the prototype Big Daddies who was put into stasis for decades. You're revived 10 years after the events of the original Bioshock and immideately set out to find the Little Sister you used to escort. Many of the Little Sisters were removed from Rapture in the original, but many remained. These eventually grew up to become the Big Sisters, who have taken to kidnapping girls from the surface to turn into new Little Sisters. The devs really wanted the Big Sisters to "feel" like awkward and gangly teens whose bodies grew too fast due to prolonged Adam usage, in the same way the Big Daddies in the original moved like tired old men. "Jack", your character from the original, has become almost a messianic figure to the Splicers still inhabiting Rapture. The underwater utopia is also back, with all new sections of the city to explore. You'll also be able to eventually venture out into the ocean floor and see the city from the exterior.
The developers also made it clear that this likely won't be the last game in the series, and this iteration won't have a "terminal ending" like the original.
There are changes to the gameplay as well. You can dual wield now, using both Plasmids and weapons at the same time. Plasmids also have more scalability, with three power levels instead of two. The developers made a point of mentioning that they heard the popular discontent with the final boss battle in Bioshock 1, and promise a whole new boss battle experience in this game. Things like research and hacking have also been changed, and in some cases streamlined. The camera is back, but also with some big changes. Instead of just snapping pics, you set up the camera to watch you fight, and you get graded from A to F on how "cool" your fight is. This encourages you to use new techniques and power combinations rather than just relying on one standby.
Fans of high difficulty will be glad to know that the Vita Chamber system has been revamped. You'll still "revive" in a Vita-Chamber if you die, but an significant enemies you were fighting when killed will have regerated some health. You can also turn off the Chambers right from the start if you want a tougher game.
Multiplayer
Ah, the most controversial part of Bioshock 2, the multiplayer. The MP is set during the fall of Rapture, which makes it a prequel to the original game. The setting actually makes sense, since it gives a good reason why there would be multiple evenly matched antagonists running around Rapture. You'll have seven game modes to choose from at launch including Bioshock-y takes on old classics like Adam Grab (Oddball) and Capture the Sister (CTF). Many of the game modes will feature a powerup which lets the player change into a Big Daddy. In that suit you're vastly more powerful than the other players, but that power comes at the cost of maneuverability and health regeneration. Some modes will have one Big Daddy, chosen randomly, on each team.
Games will support up to 10 players, but there won't be LAN or co-op play.
Bioshock 2 will be released February 9 for the 360, PS3 and PC.
You remember The Grinder, don't you? If you don't here's a refresher: developed by High Voltage Studios (The Conduit, Gladiator A.D.) the game is best described as Left 4 Dead with vampires and werewolves. So of course the developer had it slated as a Wii exclusive.
Why do I bring all this up? Because High Voltage has announced that The Grinder will go multiplatform, hitting the PS3, 360, PC and Wii in October of 2011. Check out the new trailer above, and expect more info on the game at next month's GDC.
Know what sucks about Mass Effect and Dragon Age and Fallout and all those other RPGs? They cost money. There must be some way to get the role-playing goodness you need without having to shell out all your gold!
Well guess what? Ravenlock’s found a way. It involves the PC (or OSX) and pixels, not to mention gun toting kittens, 9 single minded rouges, a dwarven fortress, and an entirely refreshing take on the genre. If you’d like to see old things done right or new things done differently, head on over to Immortal Machines and read this most recent issue of Free and Worth Every Penny. It’s an RPG-PALOOZA! Ooh yah!
Here are the software and hardware numbers from Japan, straight from Media Create, for the week 01-25 to 01-31.
The release of Dragon Quest 6 last week hit the spot for fans craving a JRPG classic on-the-go, falling just short of 1 million sold at 906,458 copies. Sega's End of Eternity had a slow opening despite generally good buzz, selling ~150k across the PS3 and 360. Sony's MAG from Zipper Interactive scraped into the top 10 with 19,139 copies.
The hardware chart was mostly unchanged from the previous week with PSP still holding down the number 1 spot. The DSi LL continued to outsell the DSi with consumers appearing to show a definite preference for the larger size.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata does not seem concerned about the potential for competition from Apple's recently announced iPad:
Quote:
Tech bloggers haven't been shy about criticizing the iPad for its price, its feature set, or its thoroughly mockable name. But now Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is commenting on it in a recent New York Times report. "It was a bigger iPod Touch," he said of the device. "There were no surprises for me." His comments could be seen as run-of-the-mill corporate sniping, but his thoughts seem to echo most of the criticisms being levied against the iPad. After heavy speculation some expected Apple's take on the tablet computer to pack a heavier punch.
1UP has put up their latest Famitsu Review Check, covering reviews of Dragon Quest VI (9/9/8/8), MadWorld (8/7/8/8), and Zangeki no Reginleiv (8/7/7/6). Comments for Dragon Quest VI were favorable:
Quote:
"It's a remake, but not just a remake," one editor said. "It's fully tuned for the Nintendo DS, so it feels totally fresh as you play it. There's nothing I can call 'astounding' in the added features, but being able to chat with party members at a touch of the B button is kind of a nice experiment."
Other reviewers had "the impression that the battles have been made just a tad easier for the casual-gamer crowd," although that wasn't enough to affect the scores much. More serious quibbles: no robust online functionality, the lack of a full monster-catching system (a part of the original Super NES game), and some small issues with menu navigation.
A special week for the Rock Band music platform. Not only will one of the finest metal albums of all time be joining the lineup, but there will be a special treat for Who fans on Sunday.
First up the the album, Megadeth's seminal 1990 album "Rust in Peace" makes it's way to the Rock Band Store. The full tracklisting:
Holy Wars... The Punishment Due
Hangar 18
Take No Prisoners
Five Magics
Poison Was the Cure
Lucretia
Tornado of Souls
Dawn Patrol
Rust in Peace... Polaris
And then there's The Who. They'll be playing halftime at the Super Bowl this weekend, and a after the game ends you'll be able to download a Rock Band version of the 15 song medley they're performing. That track will only cost you the usual 160 MSP/$2.
The Rust in Peace Album will sell for 1200 MSP/$15. All individual tracks will sell for 160 MSP/200 NP/$2. The Megadeth tracks will be available Tuesday for the 360 and Wii (individual tracks only for the Wii) and Thursday for the PS3. The Who Medley will be available Sunday Night/Early Monday morning after the end of the Super Bowl for the Xbox and Wii, and in the usual Thursday slot for the PS3.
It's a good update this week for both platforms, with the PS3 getting 5 demos, including one for the lone downloadable game, and the PSP seeing two well priced games in addition to a number of good games being on sale this week. The full list from the PlayStation Blog:
PS3:
Fret Nice ($14.99) [With Demo]
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Multiplayer Demo
Aliens vs. Predator Demo
Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Demo
Tank Battles Demo
Qore Episode 21 February 2010 ($2.99)
White Knight Chronicles International Edition Makeover Ticket ($4.99)
The time has finally come, as the final death knell for the Xbox v1 has arrived; Microsoft will be pulling Live support for Xbox 1 games (even X360 supported and Xbox Originals) effective April 15, 2010. According to Major Nelson, the first step is to turn off auto-renewals for folks who only access Live with their v1 Xboxes, and presumably this is to focus on improving the Xbox 360's Live services.
One of the fist things that comes to mind: Does this mean the Friends List will be expanded? As I'm sure many of you know, the 100 Friend cap has been blamed on Halo 2 support, so with that out the way we can assume that is one of the first changes that would be implemented, but either way I think this means major changes for the Live service.
Xbox LIVE general manager Marc Whitten has written a letter to the community, saying more details will be available soon. Click 'Read More' to read the letter.
A Letter from Marc Whitten: Discontinuation of Xbox LIVE for Original Xbox Games
Dear Xbox LIVE Members,
On April 15 we will discontinue the Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox v1 games playable on Xbox 360 and Xbox Originals. I want to start by saying this isn’t a decision we made lightly, but after careful consideration, it is clear this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox LIVE community.
Seven years ago we laid out our vision for the connected console when we launched Xbox LIVE. We believed then that the power of the Internet to connect people would revolutionize living room entertainment. It started with amazing multiplayer games, and we’ve since seen that bet pay off again and again with the launches of Xbox 360, Marketplace, Netflix and powerful social features like Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm. None of this would have been possible without the success of LIVE as a multiplayer gaming network.
There’s no greater example of the power of the Xbox LIVE community than the “Halo” franchise. “Halo 2” has had an amazing run on LIVE, with a dedicated community more than five years after launch and well into the next generation of consoles. It has fundamentally changed the way we play video games. And while it’s difficult to see that run come to an end, the “Halo” franchise continues to act as the benchmark for multiplayer gaming in this generation, with “Halo 3,” “Halo 3: ODST” and soon “Halo: Reach” on Xbox 360.
Your Xbox LIVE community has grown to 23 million strong. And as we look down the road, we’ll continue to evolve the service with features and experiences that harness the full power of Xbox 360. To reach our aspiration, we need to make changes to the service that are incompatible with our original Xbox v1 games. We will contact the Xbox LIVE members directly impacted by this change and if this includes you, I encourage you to check your LIVE messages and associated e-mail account over the coming weeks for more details and opportunities. We view you as a partner in this process.
We’ll share more details soon, but in the meantime I want to assure you that the best is yet to come for Xbox LIVE. I believe we’ll look back on 2010 as a landmark year in gaming and home entertainment, and I couldn’t be more excited about what we have in store with “Project Natal” and LIVE. The LIVE community is the driving force behind everything we do, and it’s because of the community that ground-breaking experiences on Xbox continue to be possible.
Bethesda has finally begun taking the wraps off of Fallout: New Vegas, the follow up (but not necessarily sequel) to Fallout 3, this time developed by Obsidian Entertainment. The video doesn't reveal a whole lot about the game, but it seems like the main foes this time may be robots and not mutants. It also gives the game a Fall 2010 release date. Expect more info on the game shortly.
And so the end is in sight for our long national nightmare. Splinter Cell Conviction finally has a release date, and this time Ubisoft wants us to know that it's set in stone. As in the object sent to various game journalists, including IGN.
Image courtesy IGN
The long delayed return of Sam Fisher will hit stores on April 13. But will it be worth the wait? This time Sam is stripped of many of his iconic technical goodies, instead having to rely on more mundane tools to thwart a terrorist attack and bring down his former bosses at Third Echelon who have betrayed him. The game will also feature a dedicated co-op mode, as well as adversarial multiplayer.
Last night, Sega revealed what was formerly known as Project Needlemouse on Gamespot. And it's something that some people may scoff at while others rejoice: Sonic the Hedgehog 4... in episodic form, that is.
Here's the details from GAF
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeoGAF
- Trailer: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/acti...o/6249444?hd=1
- Interview: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/acti...&mode=previews
- Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
- Released this summer on XBLA, PSN, and WiiWare
- Picks up right after Sonic 3 & Knuckles as far as story goes (so falls in Sonic 2 / Sonic 3 / Sonic & Knuckles storyline)
- spin dash, power sneakers, and homing attack are in
- Wii version uses motion control, PS3 version uses Sixaxis
- Wii version runs at 480p, PS3 and 360 version run at 1080p
Aw, yeah. Sonic The Hedgehog 3 + Knuckles is one of the greatest games I played as a kid. Here's hoping they recapture the magic.
- Nintendo hopes to have the next Zelda game ready to show off at June's E3 show. They also confirmed that the game will require the Wii Motion Plus accessory.
- In a conference call with investors, THQ announced that Darksiders, Red Faction, Saint's Row & DeBlob will all be getting sequels in the next two years.
- Veteran game composer and lead producer of the Silent Hill series for the last decade, Akira Yamaoka, has left Konami and joined up with Suda 51's Grasshopper Manufacture studio (No More Heroes). He'll be contributing to the still under wraps title Suda 51 and Shinji Mikami are working on with EA Partners. It should be unveiled at E3 this year.
- A multiplayer demo for Aliens vs Predator will be released Thursday on Xbox Live, PSN and Steam. It will include a deathmatch mode featuring all three races.
- Finally we bring you the story of the incredibly inappropriate ESRB rating descriptor for the equally inappropriate Dead or Alive Paradise for the PSP. It's since been pulled, and the ESRB has apologized, but it's still damn funny.
Quote:
This is a video game in which users watch grown women dressed in G-string bikinis jiggle their breasts while on a two-week vacation. Women's breasts and butts will sway while playing volleyball, while hopping across cushions, while pole dancing, while posing on the ground, by the pool, on the beach, in front of the camera.
There are other activities: Users can gamble inside a casino to win credits for shopping; they can purchase bathing suits, sunglasses, hats, clothing at an island shop; they can "gift" these items to eight other women in hopes of winning their friendship, in hopes of playing more volleyball.
And as relationships blossom from the gift-giving and volleyball, users may get closer to the women, having earned their trust and confidence: users will then be prompted to zoom-in on their friends' nearly-naked bodies, snap dozens of photos, and view them in the hotel later that night.
Parents and consumers should know that the game contains a fair amount of "cheesy," and at times, creepy voyeurism—especially when users have complete rotate-pan-zoom control; but the game also contains bizarre, misguided notions of what women really want (if given two weeks, paid vacation, island resort)—Paradise cannot mean straddling felled tree trunks in dental-floss thongs."
While not nearly as well known or ubiquitous as competitor Gamestop, Game Crazy is still a major force in the game retail industry. At least it was until today's announcement that their parent company, Movie Gallery, would be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
As a result the chain will be closing approximately 280 Game Crazy locations, leaving only 200 stores open nationwide. This comes after they announced 200 store closings just a few months back in September. As a whole the Movie Gallery empire - which also includes the Hollywood Video from which Game Crazy sprang - will be shuttering 760 locations.
The contents of all the stores will be liquidated immediately, so bargain hunters may want to see if they can find a deal.
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