News

X06 Summary

Posted by: John at 9/27/2006 4:48 PM - Comments (0)
More On: Microsoft
Well here's one giant PR talking about all the happenings at X06. Peter Jackson's going to be working on a game using the Halo ip. A Halo RTS titled Halo Wars is going to be coming for the 360 by Ensemble Studios who did Age of Empires. 2 episodes will be available for Grand Theft Auto IV  just months after the release of the game. Splinter Cell: Conviction will be an exclusive title for the 360. BioShock will be an exclusive for the 360 and PC. Project Gotham Racing 4 was unvieled. The HD DVD drive will retail for $200 and out in mid-November. There are a few other tidbits as well but today was a big day for the Xbox 360 and PC.


Xbox 360 Ushers in Exclusive New Worlds of Entertainment for

Most-Anticipated Franchises Ever at X06

 

Microsoft announces partnership with Peter Jackson to create two new interactive entertainment series for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live; new, exclusive “Halo Wars,” “Splinter Cell,” “Grand Theft Auto,” “Bioshock,” “Banjo Kazooie” and “DOOM” announcements wow crowd; HD DVD version of Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” to be distributed with Xbox 360 HD DVD Player this fall.

 

BARCELONA, Spain — Sept. 27, 2006 — On the shores of one of the world’s most artistic and progressive cities, Microsoft Corp. today thrilled attendees at its annual X06 event with announcements and gameplay experiences by inviting everyone to play the next generation now on the Xbox 360™ system. The announcements highlight how the world’s greatest game creators are stretching the bounds of what’s possible in high definition and online storytelling and included the following:

 

·        A landmark partnership announced between Academy Award-winning writer, director and producer Peter Jackson, Academy Award-winning screenwriter Fran Walsh, and Microsoft Game Studios will create two new interactive entertainment series exclusively for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live®. The first series will be a collaborative effort with Bungie Studios to co-create the next great chapter in the “Halo®” universe. The second series will be an entirely original property targeted at bringing new audiences into the captivating world of interactive entertainment. In addition, Microsoft Game Studios will partner with Jackson and Walsh to establish Wingnut Interactive, a studio dedicated to the creation of world-class interactive entertainment.

·        “Halo Wars” is an all-new real-time strategy game based on the legendary “Halo” universe and designed exclusively for Xbox 360 by Ensemble Studios, creators of the “Age of Empires®” franchise.

·        Rockstar and Take-Two announced they will provide Xbox 360 gamers with exclusive access to two downloadable, epic episodes of “Grand Theft Auto IV” via Xbox Live, each with hours of entirely new gameplay and available only on Xbox 360 just months after the release of the title.

·        Ubisoft confirmed that the next “Splinter Cell” title, the next installment in the series after “Splinter Cell Double Agent,” will be a console-exclusive on Xbox 360, a testament to the ability of Xbox 360 to deliver a complete experience no other console can match.

·        2K Games confirmed that “BioShock,” a revolution in the genre that will forever change the expectations for first-person shooters, will be released exclusively on Xbox 360 and Microsoft® Windows® next spring.

·         “Project Gotham Racing® 4,” the latest addition to the best-selling racing franchise from Bizarre Creations exclusively for Xbox 360, was unveiled. “Project Gotham Racing 4” promises to continue the “Project Gotham Racing” pedigree of innovation by introducing exciting new experiences to racing fans worldwide.

·        The beloved “Banjo-Kazooie®” franchise will breathe new, high-definition life on Xbox 360 exclusively from famed developer Rare Ltd.; astonishing next-generation visuals and presentation reunite beloved characters Banjo, Kazooie and Gruntilda — among other fan favorites — with their sharp wit and hilarious sense of humor.

·        Microsoft Game Studios announced its highly anticipated new massively multiplayer online game, “Marvel Universe Online” for Xbox 360 and the Windows Vista™ operating system, developed by industry luminaries Cryptic Studios, creators of the smash hit “City of Heroes.”

·        Two additions to Xbox Live Arcade were announced: the first-person shooter that pioneered the network-gaming era, “DOOM®,” from acclaimed developer id Software and Activision, is available today for download via Xbox Live Arcade. The game includes the original four-episode, single-player game, four-player split screen (cooperative and deathmatch) and four-player cooperative and deathmatch over Xbox Live. Also coming to Xbox Live Arcade soon is “Sensible World of Soccer” from Codemasters. Based on the classic 1994 Amiga title, “Sensible World of Soccer” will let gamers choose between the original graphics or an updated, high-resolution look and feel — while still capturing the original’s entire world of football.

·        Arriving at retailers in North America, the U.K, France and Germany in mid-November 2006, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player will retail for $199.99 in North America (estimated retail price)* and €199.99/£129.99 (estimated retail price)* in the U.K., France and Germany. The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player comes with the Universal Pictures’ blockbuster film Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” on HD DVD (for a limited time) and the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote.

 

“Xbox 360 is changing the way developers are telling stories today — from the industry’s most beloved franchises to exciting new properties,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. “We are inspiring the imaginations of the entertainment industry’s best and most creative talent to take their franchises in exciting directions, while also spinning new tales for everyone.”

 

“We are incredibly pleased to be here in Barcelona to talk about the next chapter of Xbox and how Xbox 360 continues to deliver on the promise and potential of the next generation,” said Chris Lewis, regional vice president of the Home and Entertainment Division, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), at Microsoft. “As we prepare to launch some of our biggest global titles and best regional content both right now and well into the future, consumers will have much to choose from with a system designed for high-definition and online entertainment. We are the only next-generation experience that seamlessly connects players to their games, friends and entertainment content.”

 

Xbox 360 Stretches Popular Franchises in New Directions

Xbox 360 continues to expand the interactive entertainment landscape, enabling industry superstars to take beloved franchises in exciting new directions. Microsoft Game Studios announced its partnership with Peter Jackson to herald in a new age of interactive entertainment that can only be realized on Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. The goal of this partnership is to create new stories and redefine the way they are told. The first part of this long-term relationship is for Jackson, Walsh and team to bring to life two new interactive entertainment experiences exclusively for the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. The first project is to co-write, co-design and co-produce a completely new and original chapter in the “Halo” universe in collaboration with Bungie Studios. The second project is an entirely original property from the team in New Zealand that will not only bring a whole new interactive story to life, but will also captivate new audiences that have yet to discover the power of interactive entertainment.

 

In addition, in collaboration with Microsoft Game Studios, Jackson and Walsh are creating Wingnut Interactive. The two will create a world-class interactive entertainment studio that fuses the strength of Microsoft’s technology and interactive entertainment experience with the creative and imaginative excellence of the Wingnut Interactive team.

 

“Microsoft has built an amazing living canvas with Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, which allows the storytellers of our time to express themselves in a new medium. They have fundamentally changed how people think about games,” Jackson said. “My vision, together with Microsoft Game Studios, is to push the boundaries of game development and the future of interactive entertainment. From a movie-maker’s point of view, it is clear to me that the Xbox 360 platform is the stage where storytellers can work their craft in the same way they do today with movies and books but taking it further with interactivity.”

 

In addition to demonstrating its leadership in the next-generation of games through exclusive alliances, Microsoft Game Studios announced “Halo Wars,” an all-new real-time strategy game based on the legendary “Halo” universe and built exclusively for Xbox 360 by Ensemble Studios, the creators of the “Age of Empires” series. “Halo Wars” places the player in command of human UNSC armies as they deploy for mankind’s first deadly encounter with the enemy Covenant forces.

 

In addition, Microsoft Game Studios provided first details surrounding “Project Gotham Racing 4,” the latest addition to the premiere racing franchise from Bizarre Creations and the reunion of Banjo, Kazooie and Gruntilda in an all-new addition to the “Banjo-Kazooie” franchise from industry veterans Rare.

 

Microsoft and Ubisoft announced that the next “Splinter Cell” title will be created exclusively for Xbox 360. Based on the increasingly proven potential of the Xbox 360 hardware and its online promise, Ubisoft confirmed that Xbox 360 will be the exclusive platform for the next iteration of its influential and massively popular espionage franchise. Through the power of Xbox Live, the series that revolutionized online cooperative and competitive gameplay promises to transform and modernize online gaming once again.

 

New details regarding the exclusive, epic episodic content for the upcoming and highly anticipated “Grand Theft Auto IV” from Rockstar and Take-Two were also revealed; Rockstar Games will offer two downloadable episodes, each with hours of entirely new gameplay, extending the experience of an already immense game. Both chapters will be exclusive and available only to Xbox 360 gamers via Xbox Live. “Grand Theft Auto IV” will be available to Xbox 360 gamers on its first day of availability: Oct. 16, 2007, in North America and Oct. 19, 2007, in Europe. Release dates for the two downloadable episodes have not yet been announced.

 

Xbox Live Arcade made a surprise unveiling today of one of the greatest games of the
3-D era: “DOOM” (id Software) is now available for download for 800 points. The game brings legendary “DOOM” mayhem to gamers, who for the first time ever can relive the classic demon-blasting fragfest in both single-player and two-to-four player co-operative and deathmatch modes over Xbox Live. Also a new, multititle relationship with Codemasters was announced, with the first title being the classic, fast-action soccer game, “Sensible World of Soccer.”

 

Xbox Live is a thriving online game community, connecting more than 3 million members across nearly 25 countries to enjoy hundreds of social games, as well as on-demand game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games, and music and movie content. With more than 10 million downloads to date and nearly 100 independent, classic and original development titles available by next summer, Xbox Live Arcade is a fast-growing phenomenon.

 

Most Affordable Way for Xbox 360 Owners to Jump Into the Next-Generation of DVD

At X06, exciting details about the highly anticipated Xbox 360 HD DVD Player were also revealed. Available in mid-November 2006 in North America for $199.99 (estimated retail price)*, in the U.K., France and Germany for €199.99 (£129.99) (estimated retail price)* and other territories in 2007, the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player comes with the Universal Pictures blockbuster film Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” on HD DVD (for a limited time) and the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote. Users can just add Xbox 360 HD DVD Player to Xbox 360 to create the ultimate home-theater experience.

 

“The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player is the best high-definition movie experience and value on the market,” Moore said. “The reviews, the word of mouth and the consumer response have all been crystal clear — HD DVD is the format of choice. We’re not forcing movie technology on game players but are instead letting them choose how to personalize their experiences. If they want HD DVD, there’s no better value out there.”

 

The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player offers up to six times higher resolution than DVD, and as part of the fall 2006 console update all Xbox 360 consoles will have the ability to output native resolution 1080p games and movies. Users can enjoy blockbuster HD DVD releases, with more than 150 titles available by the holidays from major movie studios including HBO, Paramount Pictures, StudioCanal, Universal Studios, New Line Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

 

The Industry’s Most Anticipated Titles Are Coming to Xbox 360

In addition to taking popular franchises in new directions, developers are finding new life through Xbox 360 with exciting new content and are delivering many of the industry’s most praised and anticipated titles.

 

Arguably the most anticipated title of 2006, “Gears of War” from Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studios is a third-person tactical action/horror game available exclusively on Xbox 360. “Gears of War” will be the only game to blend a deep and disturbing story of human survival against hordes of nightmarish creatures with a next-generation tactical combat system and unsurpassed visuals and special effects. “Gears of War,” which will be available Nov. 12, 2006, in the U.S. and Nov. 17, 2006, in Europe, has garnered numerous industry awards and accolades including the Game Critics Awards Best Console and Best Action Game of E3 2006, IGN’s E3 2005 Best Xbox 360 Game, and GameSpot’s E3 2006 People’s Choice Award.

 

From leading U.K.-based developer Rare and Microsoft Game Studios comes “Viva Piñata™,” an original game concept and the latest innovative gaming experience for gamers of all ages and types. “Viva Piñata” invites gamers to create an immersive world where living piñatas inhabit an ever-changing environment. “Viva Pinata,” which has won several industry awards including Best Graphics from Nick Jr. Magazine and IGN’s Runner-Up for Best Strategy Game of E3 2006, is scheduled to be available this holiday.

 

Underlining the Xbox 360 platform strength, Microsoft and Ubisoft today confirmed that “Assassin’s Creed,” the eagerly anticipated action title set in medieval times, is also coming to Xbox 360 day and date with the game’s release on other platforms. “Assassin’s Creed” is a next-generation action-adventure/stealth title from the highly talented and critically acclaimed team that brought gamers “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.” “Assassin’s Creed” will place gamers in the role of a ruthless and skilled Assassin as he tracks his victims through the historical era known as the Crusades.

 

Last week at the Tokyo Game Show in Japan, “Lost Odyssey” wowed audiences with its incredible graphic style and epic storyline. From famed Japanese developer Hironobu Sakaguchi, “Lost Odyssey” will be shipped in Japan in 2007, and in the U.S. and Europe at a later date.

 

Few games have generated more interest than “BioShock” (2K Games) in the past year, and Microsoft confirmed today that the highly anticipated first-person shooter will be exclusive to Xbox 360 and Windows when it launches in spring 2007.

 

Looking into the coming year, X06 showcased a montage video trailer demonstrating the dazzling power and versatility of the Xbox 360 platform, promising gamers a choice of titles and genres coming this spring season, including the Microsoft Game Studios titles “Crackdown™” (Real Time Worlds), “Too Human” (Silicon Knights), “Mass Effect” (BioWare Corp.), and “Forza Motorsport™ 2” (Turn 10). In addition to these titles from Microsoft Game Studios, games from today’s leading publishers round out what is already a robust library of offerings for the Xbox 360 platform, including “John Woo Presents Stranglehold” (Midway), “Lost Planet: Extreme Condition” (Capcom) and “Pro Evolution Soccer 6” (Konami).

 

Microsoft underscored the continued momentum behind Xbox 360 with more than 5 million consoles sold since launch, the fastest console launch ever. Microsoft remains on track to deliver 10 million consoles worldwide, with a library of 160 games, by end of year. The Xbox Live community continues to grow and is on track to double in size to 6 million gamers by June 2007. Those numbers are supported by the most impressive number of all: Xbox 360 is now available in more than 30 countries since the console launched last November. By the end of this year, Xbox 360 will launch in even more countries, including South Africa and in Europe where plans are set in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

 

Microsoft also provided attendees with an update on Games for Windows and announced several exciting new Games for Windows titles, including “Bioshock” and “Marvel Universe Online.” Starting this September with “LEGO® Star Wars® II: The Original Trilogy” from LucasArts and “Company of Heroes” from THQ, games will carry the Games for Windows branding after meeting a set of technical guidelines designed to provide consumers with a consistent, reliable gaming experience on Windows XP and Windows Vista. The guidelines include easier game installation, improved reliability and support for key Windows Vista features such as the Games Explorer and Parental Controls. They will also support wide-screen gaming, will launch from within Windows Media® Center, be compatible with 64-bit consumer versions of Windows, and will support the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows (for games that enable gamepads).

 

Attendees were given a glimpse of the exciting upcoming Games for Windows titles including “Hellgate: London” (NAMCO BANDAI Games), ”Rail Simulator” (Electronic Arts) and “Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures” (Eidos/Funcom), as well as Microsoft Game Studios titles “Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs,” “Alan Wake,” “Zoo Tycoon® 2: Marine Mania®,” “Flight Simulator X,” “Shadowrun™,” “Halo 2” for Windows Vista and the newly named “Marvel Universe Online,” a massively multiplayer online game for Xbox 360 and Windows Vista from Cryptic Studios.

Midway sold for $100k and a lot of debt

by: Chuck - posted: 12/1/2008 12:57 PM - Comments (0)
Summer Redstone has sold Midway to Mark Thomas for $100,000 in cash.  As part of the deal Mr. Thomas will also assume $70 million in debt for the company who hasn't had a major hit in years.  It's a bit weird to see one of the major pioneers of the video game industry getting sold to a third party but you have to wonder why they weren't able to sell the company to EA, Ubi, or Activision.  It will be interesting to see what happens to Midway now as the company could be closed, have it's IP's sold off, or any number of things.

Guy creates real-world Lancer, not quite as cool as Dom and Marcus

by: Chuck - posted: 12/1/2008 12:54 PM - Comments (1)
Here's a video of a guy who added a chainsaw to his AR-15.  While the gun is a bit of an homage to Gears of War it turns out that it is not quite as cool as it appears in the video game and probably not overly useful in real life.  Still it does peak the "Damn that's pretty cool meter.  Here's a video of it in action:
Thanks to Gizmodo for the link

Wiikly wiileases wiivealed

by: Chuck - posted: 12/1/2008 12:43 PM - Comments (0)
Another week another set of DLC from Nintendo.  On the Wiiware side they are releasing Space Invaders Get Even(500 points) and Pit Crew Panic (800 points) while the virtual console gets the NEOGEO version of Metal Slug 2(900 points).  Kind of a slow week all around, enjoy this trailer for Space Invaders Get Even while trying to figure out why they are trying to get even.
[READ MORE]

Gaming Gibs for 12/1/2008

by: Chuck - posted: 12/1/2008 12:36 PM - Comments (0)
Here are a few things I missed while watching people scramble for Black Friday deals:
  • Gaming faces captured, like the "O" face but different.  Somewhere my girlfriend and John's wife chuckle silently
  • EA building a Dungeon Keeper MMO for the Korean market?  Don't make me move EA!
  • CD Projekt bringing The Witcher to the 360 and PS3?  Will we get downloadable cards for new chicks we conquer?
  • This week on M&A Planet, Eidos is the wounded deer at the back of the back, EA and Ubi are the wolves circling in the dark.   Who will get the kill first?
  • Gran Turismo 5 to hit this time next year?  Let's hope so, I want to be racing the Top Gear track by Christmas 09
  • Got Halo Wars questions?  The folks at GSB want them, no you can't ask about why Microsoft closed down Ensemble
  • Game On talks about Fallout 3 and other stuff

Experience the joy of moving bullets in new Wanted trailer

by: Chuck - posted: 11/30/2008 10:11 PM - Comments (0)
We all know the drill when it comes to movie-tie in games but that rule doesn't always apply to games that take place before or after the movie in question.  In the case of the new Wanted game from Warner Brothers the game takes place after the events of the movie and therefore has at least some potential to not suck.  Here's the new trailer for the game which gives you a taste of the bullet bending you'll be doing in the game.

Half NBA teams use NBA Live to evaulate talent, perhaps Isiah Thomas was one of them

by: John - posted: 11/30/2008 9:04 AM - Comments (0)
LA Times has a story saying how some teams use EA's NBA Live to evaluate NBA talent. All I have to say is .. WHAT? Has anyone on the teams play the game and see how terrible it does in simulating an actual game? I haven't played a good NBA Live game in a very long time but to use it as part as your professional job to evaluate and also gauge other teams seems a little.. I don't know, absurd to me. Now we have the reason Isiah Thomas screwed up the Knicks. He probably did all those trades on the game and was able to run up the score while playing on Rookie mode and thought, "Hey, it's so crazy it just might work." What's next? Marvin Lewis using Madden to simulate his upcoming games so he can tune up his coaching gaming plan?

Gears of War 2 updated, multiplayer issues fixed

by: Chuck - posted: 11/27/2008 12:30 PM - Comments (0)
Those of you who are carving locusts with a chainsaw rather than a turkey with a knife will be happy to know that Epic has released a title update for Gears of War 2 that should fix all of the issues people have had playing matches online.  Here's the bug list fix from the official community site:

* Adjustments to make Public matchmaking faster, especially in the single player party and the four player party case. Some of these adjustments should be felt immediately and some will play out over several days as our update enables us to reduce player segmentation by reducing the number of servers required to do matchmaking. This will increase the number of possible matches available for you to join.

* A tweak that should prevent us from losing some of our additional detailed stats data that we gather for gearsofwar.com. Due to the large number of concurrent matches, our stats gathering servers were not able to collect data for every single match played. The Xbox LIVE leaderboards are 100% accurate but our existing stats web pages may have some missing data prior to the update.

* A fix to address the issue where some players were unable to start the story-based campaign if Xbox LIVE was down or unavailable.

Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon cancelled for the PS3

by: John - posted: 11/27/2008 7:49 AM - Comments (0)
Add this game to the list of games where the PS3 versions are cancelled. Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon drops next week but you'll only be able to pick it up on the Xbox 360. Shacknews has confirmed that the PlayStation 3 version was cancelled due to "development issues" or as we like to say, "We can't get the Unreal Engine running well on the PS3 so to hell with it.". It's the last game for the studio as THQ is shutting down Sandblast so kind of sad to see them go but at least you'll get one last game from them albeit only on the Xbox 360. Sorry PS3 folks.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone

by: John - posted: 11/27/2008 7:45 AM - Comments (0)
From the staff at Gaming Nexus, we all hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving! Eat up those turkeys and cheer on the Detroit Lions as they strive for 0-16.

Vizio Drops Some Prices before Black Friday

by: Dan - posted: 11/26/2008 4:53 PM - Comments (0)
If anyone is looking for a new HDTV or to upgrade your gaming rig, Vizio is giving you some options with price drops on several models. Here is a list of five of their models (including locations, prices and restrictions) found at either Costco, Sam’s Club, WalMart or Sears have seen s price reductions. This is not the entire list, so visit these retailers to see all models involved:

• VIZIO 19” HD LCD HDTV (VA19) $199.99 at Costco Locations Nationwide through 12/7/08 with Member Only MVM Coupon
• VIZIO 32” Plasma HDTV (VP322) $437.00 at Walmart effective Wednesday, 11/26/08 - New Everyday Low Value
• VIZIO 37” HD LCD HDTV (VW37) $499.99 at Costco Locations Black Friday weekend while supplies last Friday-Sunday, 11/28-30/08
• VIZIO 32” Full HD 1080p LCD HDTV (VOJ32LF) $559.99 at SEARS Stores Nationwide thru Sunday, 11/30/08
• VIZIO 42” Full HD 1080p LCD HDTV (VS420) $698.00 at Sam’s Club Locations Nationwide now while supplies last for the Holidays. [READ MORE]

Lineage II Challenges Players to Enter Kratei' Cube

by: Eva - posted: 11/26/2008 2:45 PM - Comments (0)
Lineage II continues to invent new challenges for their players who crave the heat of combat. The latest arean comes with the release of Gracia Part 2. Kratei's Cube provides both PvE and PvP in twenty minute timed matches. Contest start every 30 minutes for non stop action.

One of the special features of Kratei's Cube is that players will score points for player as well as creature kills in these matches. KOed players come back strong with CP, MP and HP fully restored and no point loss ready to rejoin the fray. Winners will earn Fantasy Isle coins to spend during downtime.

The screenshots of Kratei's Cube show off the attention to detail the NC Soft artists put into Lineage II. I keep hearing Jonathan Coulton's "Creepy Doll" every time I look at the Cursed Boys.
You can check out the full details on Lineage II Kratei's Cube after the break.
[READ MORE]

PlayStation 3 firmware update adds full screen flash

by: John - posted: 11/26/2008 2:17 PM - Comments (0)
The latest firmware update for the PlayStation 3 to be released today should add full screen Flash support. Nothing else is known but hey, I like these small updates. It makes it so if something breaks, it's easier to go back for the developers and for those updating we don't have to lose some features that we like in previous updates.

Disney Throws Founders Feast for Pirates of the Caribbean Online

by: Eva - posted: 11/26/2008 1:45 PM - Comments (0)
Disney Interactive is starting a new annual event for Pirates of the Caribbean Online. Now that Jolly Rogers curse has been lifted and pirates aren't turning into ravening zombies Tortuga is celebrating with a Fall Harvest festival in the European tradition. Starting November 27, players will find a fantastic spread on the beaches of Tortuga.

Part of the draw is GM participation. Players will have the chance to find the GMs outside of the taverns to swap stories and fire off questions. Participating pirates will be rewarded with some signature loot. The dancing, music and games of the Founders Festival will last through November 30.

Just as a reminder, be sure to get your entries together for the Live the Pirates Life Anniversary Contest. Check out the Grog Blog for all the current news for Disney's POTCO.
[READ MORE]

PSN 50% off Sale

by: Dan - posted: 11/26/2008 12:41 PM - Comments (0)
Sony is having a bit of a sale over at the Playstation Store from now until December 4th, as five titles are now half off. Echochrome, Novastrike, PixelJunk Eden, The Last Guy and Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 all have had their price reduced from $9.99 to $4.99 for the next week. This is a nice way to build your collection of games, especially if you recently purchased a PS3 like myself. I may have to pick a couple of these up.

First Impressions: Need for Speed Undercover

by: Randy - posted: 11/26/2008 2:44 AM - Comments (0)
When it comes to evaluating a racing game, it can be tempting to simply squint your eyes and estimate where the game falls on the sliding scale of simulation vs. arcade.  So, to get this bullet-point quickly out of the way, Need for Speed Undercover is wholeheartedly racing in the arcade lane.

To wit, vehicular damage modeling is purely cosmetic and, in fact, the body molding automatically fixes itself back up to pristine condition at the conclusion of each race; said damages are charged to the State as opposed to garnishing your own wages; and straight-up driving posits greater emphasis on forward momentum as opposed to precision handling and sharp cornering.

The four tiers of cars do, however, handle differently enough from one another that some getting-to-know-you time is required for each.  The variations don’t exactly run the gamut from monster trucks to Vespas, but more like from Chevy Camaros to Ford GTs, Volkswagen R32s to Pagani Zondas, and Mazda RX-8s to Nissan GT-Rs.  As expected, it’ll take a lot of miles raced and a lot of money in hand to unlock those third-, second- and first-tier vehicles.  I’m counting over 50 vehicles on the block, with a reasonable spread between American, European, and Japanese models. [READ MORE]

News Roundup: Wrath of the DC Universe

by: Randy - posted: 11/25/2008 11:58 PM - Comments (0)
  • The Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe mash-up actually dodges a potential fatality.
  • The suspects are lined up as Massive Gamer examines "Who Killed Tabula Rasa?"
  • Five MMOs to play other than WoW: Wrath of the Lich King.
  • Is the cost-benefit ratio for DDR3 finally worth it?  APH Networks looks at Patriot Extreme Performance PC3-14400 2x1GB DDR3 RAM.
  • TechwareLabs compiled its Official Netbook Buying Guide.
  • One of the most feature-rich chassis to come along in a while, it's the Thermaltake Armor+ LCS.
  • The only criticism the Biostar TA790GX A2+ Motherboard deserves is that is lacks interesting addons.
Thanks to Defunct Games, Massive Gamer, APH Networks, TechwareLabs, and Digit-Life for today's news roundup.

Second Council of Stellar Management appointed in EVE Online

by: Randy - posted: 11/25/2008 11:47 PM - Comments (0)
There's no other MMO that does this sort of thing.  None.  But EVE Online has now got in the final tally of votes from their second CSM (Council of Stellar Management).  The CSM is a completely player-run, player-elected forum of nine EVE Online subscribers.  Their mission, should they choose to accept it, is to be the voice of their people (their in-game race) and bring relevant player-voiced concerns to developer CCP.  But the Council doesn't just shoot CCP an email list of grievances.  CCP actually flies these players out to meet in Iceland for a face-to-face summit where the nine reps handle in-game business in an up-close-and-personal manner.  The nine Council members are from all over the globe:  Serbia, Netherlands, Denmark, the US, the UK, Hungary, and Australia.  Good luck trying to not to be impressed with the boundaries EVE Online pushes with the word "videogame."

50 Cent: Blood on the Sand new screens and video

by: Randy - posted: 11/25/2008 10:56 PM - Comments (0)
Despite 50 Cent's precipitous fall into rap irrelevance, he's still got his name gracing a videogame.  To wit, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand.  And while it's easy to be dismissive of anything with his name on the box -- 50 Cent: Bulletproof was a critical disaster yet still a commercial success -- Chuck is sounding like he wants to give this one a fair shake, saying that the game is actually better than the license would let on.


To Chuck's credit, the video above looks like it's got some things down on paper that should work well.  Third-person over-the-shoulder cam.  Close-quarters combat.  Functional cover system.  Blind fire around corners.  Army of Two-styled help-your-buddy-up-to-the-next-floor co-op.  The "relevant" Middle Eastern setting.  A rap soundtrack that would only otherwise be found in a Rockstar game.  Strippers.

The following screenshots will slow down the action enough for you to focus on 50 Cent's vein-rippled biceps, the maps filled with sand-colored mazes, the bullet-riddled architecture, and eye-in-the-sky minigun action.
[READ MORE]

UFC 2009 Undisputed screens

by: Randy - posted: 11/25/2008 8:21 PM - Comments (0)
Judging from these screenshots of UFC 2009 Undisputed, there's a thin line between Ultimate Fighting and the Kama Sutra.  Still penciled in for a Spring 2009 release, these pics will have to whet your mixed martial arts appetite until then.  [Actually, I'm waiting for a game to be made out of David Mamet's awesome, awesome Redbelt film.]
[READ MORE]

Too Human soundtrack now available for $15.98

by: Chuck - posted: 11/25/2008 12:37 PM - Comments (0)
If you were one of the people who played Too Human and thought "These controls are a bit wonky and the game is clunky but HOT DAMN I love the music" then you're in luck as the sound track is now available on Amazon for $15.98 as well as Best Buy, iTunes, and Sumthing Distribution (the CD label).  The key tracks include must from when you totally killed that guy with a sword and the theme from that one cut scene that you totally skipped.  [READ MORE]

Gaming Gibs for 10/25/2008

by: Chuck - posted: 11/25/2008 12:29 PM - Comments (0)
Here are a few things I missed welcoming home the 2008 MLS Soccer Champions (Still Massive):

Left 4 Dead gets a little blue

by: John - posted: 11/25/2008 10:54 AM - Comments (1)
I really, really like Left 4 Dead and I can't resist jumping into a server for a half hour of zombie killing. That said, I don't think I can look at Bill the same after listening to this clip. The person used canned clips from the game itself to produce this... well you just have to listen for yourself.

New Nintendo DS Bundles coming this Friday

by: John - posted: 11/25/2008 9:10 AM - Comments (0)
Black Friday will see some new Nintendo DS bundles hitting the stores. The Mario Red Nintendo DS will give you the system with a red coloring complete with a copy of New Super Mario Bros. The Ice Blue Nintendo DS comes with a custom carrying case and Brain Age. If you want to pick them up, it'll cost you $149.99 this Friday. [READ MORE]