Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Movie Blog

The movie blog is now up so head on over and check out the red band trailer of Legion, it's freakin' awesome!

A Bat Cave For Your Home

Those of you who peruse Home are in for a treat if you are also planning to pick up Batman: Arkham Asylum for your PS3. If you pick up the game next week you will unlock a Bat Cave personal space for Home, which is awesome to say the least. There are other treats to be had as well so head over to the Playstation Blog to check them out.

PS Blog

Another Cop Out

I cannot stand it when people throw the PS3 under the bus for being hard to develop for. Personally I see it as a dev who can't code properly and since Microsoft made the X360 super easy to develop for, it always seems like someone needs to throw down the PS3. Yes, it is hard to develop for, so was the PS2 and the PSOne before it. If Sony didn't lay down these challenges then the videogame industry would have completely stagnagted after the SNES.

So here we are, about a year and a half since Haze was released, and former Free Radical and current Crytek UK managing director Karl Hilton, throws out that the PS3 being difficult to develop for made their game blow. Sorry guy's you made your game suck not the PS3. I don't know who played Haze, I myself couldn't make it through the demo without shaking my head in disgust.

The game was lauded by several game outlets as being a Halo killer, and the game looked great when you looked at screens or vids at any time prior to release. IT had lush jungle environments and a decent story to back up the gameplay. In the end it was just a generic FPS. Sure the PS3 is har d to make a game for, but using it at this point as the reason your game flopped is a cop out. Just say that you didn't do what you set out to and be done with it. There were numerous problems with Haze and most of them could be found in the demo.

A small interview is over at develop-online if you want to see what Mr. Hilton had to say

Awesome Dragon Age Goodies Just For Buying New!

EA has become to me what Capcom and Square Enix always were, one of the best publishers to get great games from. Though Squenix has slipped in the last few years from it's post EA has risen. They have released some of my favorite games this gen because they decided to focus on original IP instead of just rehashing sequel after sequel, something another company seems to love to do *cough* Bobby 'Activision' Kotick *cough*

Anyway, Dragon Age: Origins hits in November, the 3rd to be exact, and it's one of those RPG's I just can't wait to play(RPG's are my all time favortie games) and since it comes from Bioware that makes it even better. EA wants me and you to buy the game brand new, so they are giving some stuff away that is gonna make you want to buy it new.

Whether or not your picking up the Collector's Edition or just the standard, you will be getting a download code for 'The Stone Prisoner' and a free suit of armor. So your thinking that's just okay? Well the 'Stone Prisoner' DLC is going to available for download later for $15, which pretty much makes this almost as sweet of a deal as the Fallout 3 GOTY. If you want to read the original press release you can find the link below.

EA Press Release

New Spyborgs Screens

Spyborgs is one of those games I am looking forward to coming out for the Wii next month. There aren't too many Wii games that appeal to me as a gamer, core games aren't as hard to come by as they were but games that are sort of middle of the road are, and this is one of those games. It's a third person shooter, that seems to be in the vein of Bionic Commando.

That's not to say that you will be swinging around with a mechanical arm, but there are sure to be some similarities since they both come from Capcom. Check out the screens for a better idea of what it is.

Time to Get an Elite

Kotaku seems to have dug up the image of an Xbox 360 Elite with the low, low price of $299 in a Meijer catalogue. This is could also indicate that the PS3 price cut is in fact coming soon, that and the sales of the system have slowed so they need to do a price drop.

It doesn't neccessarily mean that the Pro model has been phased out either, it could very well be $249 once the price drop takes effect. This is however unlikely since the boxes that helped fuel one of the initial rumors was that the new Xbox 360 Arcade units only had the Arcade and Elite listed.

I like how at this pricepoint the Xbox 360 will be in direct competition with the PS3Slim(if it's real), as the Slim is shown with a 120gb. It's gonna make flaming and trolling even worse though, fanboy wars will reach epic heights. Head over to Kotaku if you want to see the proof for yourself.

kotaku

Three New Platinum Titles, One Package

I have always thought that Capcom aims to please the gamer, and it looks like they are doing so again. They will be combining three stellar titles in one handy package for the low price of $39.99. Dead Rising, Devil May Cry 4, and Lost Planet Extreme Condition Colonies Edition(added DLC), will go on sale September 8 of this year.

For those of you who have yet to purchase these games, this would be the best way to get in on what you have been missing(a lot). The original press release is below, with handy product descriptions.

THREE INCREDIBLE CAPCOM HITS FOR THE XBOX 360® IN THE AFFORDABLE PLATINUM HITS TRIPLE PACK
Dead Rising®, Lost Planet®: Extreme Condition - Colonies Edition, & Devil May Cry® 4 Come Together in One Dynamic Package

SAN MATEO, CA — August 10, 2009 — Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced the Platinum Hits Triple Pack for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. This affordable collection of three of Capcom’s greatest games for the Xbox 360 will be available for a suggested retail price of $39.99 beginning September 8, 2009.

The Platinum Hits Triple Pack combines Dead Rising®, Lost Planet®: Extreme Condition - Colonies Edition, & Devil May Cry® 4 all in one box. Each of these games has been awarded Platinum Hits “Best Seller” status and together have sold over 3 million units in North America alone. Any gamer who had the bad luck of missing these legendary titles, will now have a chance to redeem themselves for a great low price.

Dead Rising is an action horror game that follows the harrowing tale of Frank West, an overly zealous freelance photojournalist in pursuit of the story of a lifetime. What he finds is a small suburban town completely overrun by zombies. He seeks refuge in the local shopping mall, but soon learns it is far from the safe haven he had thought. Dead Rising takes place over 72 hours, during which Frank must unravel the mystery behind the catastrophe and survive the dangerous swarm of enemies that lie in wait. The unprecedented level of freedom provides players with a vast array of gameplay possibilities to do anything and everything they've wanted to do in a mall. Hundreds of unique objects can be used as weapons to fend off the hordes of zombies - everything from golf clubs and baseball bats to cash registers and stuffed animals.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is a sci-fi third-person action shooter that offers an amazing single player experience offline and a heart-pounding multiplayer experience online. The adventure takes place on the frozen alien planet E.D.N. III. To survive, gamers will battle snow pirates, gigantic indigenous creatures known as Akrid and harvest the precious thermal energy found inside them. To do this they’ll utilize hi-tech weaponry and Vital Suits (VS ) – gigantic mechs used to traverse the treacherous frozen planet they’re on. In Lost Planet: Extreme Condition - Colonies Edition, players get the same compelling single player experience found in the original game, with the addition of three new modes. In Score Attack, all enemies have points assigned to them and the score awarded will change depending on how they are defeated, with skilled marksmen being rewarded. For those who thrive on a challenge, Trial Battle Mode delivers, pitting players against all of the game’s bosses, one after another. Players of both Score Attack and Trial Battle modes will be able to compare their skills and compete for bragging rights via the online ranking system. Finally things get a little crazy with Off Limit Mode which lets players take on Lost Planet’s harsh environments and enemies with over-the-top, super-charged weapons and a powered-up grappling hook. Lost Planet: Extreme Condition - Colonies Edition was one of the first games to allow cross-platform connectivity from Xbox LIVE® to Games for Windows – LIVE, allowing console and Windows-based PC users to battle it out on the same online battlefield.

Devil May Cry 4 immerses gamers in a gothic supernatural world, where a new protagonist, Nero, clashes with Dante, the featured character of the previous Devil May Cry® games. As Nero, players will unleash incredible attacks and non-stop combos using a unique new gameplay mechanic, his powerful “Devil Bringer” arm. Fans of Dante won’t be disappointed as he too will be playable during the course of the game. With the advanced graphics of the current game systems, high definition visuals and intricate detail come to life as players explore new and exotic locales. Dynamic action and undeniable style combine with unprecedented fighting options and a gripping story to produce the incomparable experience that only a Devil May Cry game can deliver.

Grants For Making PSN Games

Looking at making a game for the PSN but need a little more incentive? If that's the case then it looks like Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has got you covered, or at least they will.

SCEE has and event coming up an October covering three days in which they will be taking pitches of your ideas. They will be working with Pixel-Lab and Northwest Vision; successful companies will be awarded the grant, an executive production and mentoring with SCEE, and the chance to continue the project and pitch to XDev Studio Europe.

Did I forget to mention the grant is worth GDP 10,000? This is the second year for Get in the Game and last year had tw winners with projects currently in consideration at Sony. I love indie games, they make up a large portion of my purchases over the PSN. If it weren't for indie devs and idea's we would pretty much be stuck plaing the same games with different coats of paint all the time(though we still do that most of the time).

I don't know if this is open to US residents but it would be worth looking at just to be sure. You never know, you could be the next Pixeljunk, or studio that sees massive success via PSN.

GamesIndustry

Old IP's Making a Comeback

I think EA may be set to revive a couple of dusty old franchises for current-gen use, as recent Trademark filing's for both Populous and Road Rash, amongst others, have been uncovered.

Superannuation dug up recent trademark registrations for Populous, Theme Park, Wing Commander and Road Rash. Harvey Elliot recently told Kikizo that bringing back old franchises for a new coat of paint is something they are interested in.

"I think there's an opportunity to bring those back in the future," he told Kikizo, "but only if it's right for the time and not just a 'remake' or something. We'd need to do it in a way that's true to the original values, but would still make a great game today."


I would love to see a new Road Rash game, it was one of my favorite's when I was a kid. There's nothing quite like beating people down on motorbikes. If they are reviving franchises a new SSX would be full of win, still one of the best snowboarding games ever. Anything anyone else would like to see?

via IGN

Fallout 3 GOTY In October

For those of you who were on the fence about Fallout 3, or sold it like I did, you will be happy to know that a Game of the Year edition is set to drop in October with all of the DLC that has been released for the X360 version already and is scheduled to be released for the PS3 soon.

I was so disgusted with the fact that the DLC probably wasn't going to come to the PS3 that I unloaded my copy after completion. I wil most definitely be picking this copy up along with the idea that nothing is exclusive this gen, at least not how they would have you to be believe. It's going to retail for the standard $60 which makes it totally worth it, that's a lot of DLC and it's pracitcally free. So if you want the DLC this is the way to get it, even if you already own the game, sell it and buy this one instead. Boxart below courtesy of PSU.



Fallout 3: Game of The Year Edition set to hit stores Oct 13, listings at both Amazon and Gamestop.

Borderlands Cover Is Awesome!

Ready to see some kick ass cover aret for the upcoming game Borderlands? Okay here you go.



Pretty sweet if I do say so myself. Borderlands is an FPS/RPG set to release in a few months that offers an extremely deep system to hook gamers and never let them go. There is something like a million weapons combos and upgrade that can be created throughout the game ofering players an unprecedented amount of control over what they are using. The game is set for an October 20th release, don't forget to pick up your copy.

Finally, A Better Memory Solution For The Wii

The Wii and its storage problems, something that has plagued its users since launch, well maybe more its core users. During E3 they update the system to launch things off of an SD card and increased the capacities excepted up 16gb(I think). Well when Guitar Hero 5 launches, Wii owners can now use a 32gb SD card and stream the DLC from it straight to the game, just like PS3 and 360 users.

Right ow you can only play off of the card or off of the system itself, they don't work in tandem with each other. SD cards are kinda pricey once you get into ranges of 32gb, but I am sure quite a few gamers will get one anyway since a permanent storage solution for the Wii is non-existent.

This is a great thing since it will likely mean DLC can be introduced into and for more games, leaving it less likely users will have to purchase song packs from an actual retail store and can just pick and choose what they want. Surely Nintendo and other companies will opt to put DLC on the Wii Shop once this becomes available globally. At least I can hope they will.

via IGN

Capcom's Gamescom Lineup

I'd be pressed to say that Capcom isn't currently one of my favorite game companies. Most of everything they put out is gold in my eyes, and there are few games that have come from them that I dislike, Devil May Cry 2 may be the only one. It makes it even more exciting to know what they have coming down the pipeline and heading our way in the near future. There is a bit for everyone in the list of games being shown at Gamescom, and here they are. The original press release is below it.

Lost Planet 2,
Monster Hunter 3
MotoGP 09/10
Spyborgs
Dark Void
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Ultimate All-Stars

All of those games are on my want list, and I am hoping they have time to announce a new game or two, Devil May Cry 5 specifially. Here's the press release if you like reading these things.

CAPCOM DELIVERS STELLAR LINE UP FOR CONSUMERS AT GAMESCOM 2009
Blast off into the Void before being the first to experience some of the most eagerly awaited titles including Monster HunterTM Tri and Lost PlanetTM 2

LondonAugust 11, 2009Capcom® a leading worldwide developer and publisher of videogames, today announced a spectacular line-up for consumers attending this year’s GamesCom in Cologne between 19th – 23rd August. The show will be the first time that European gamers can get their hands on future titles Lost Planet™ 2, Monster Hunter™ Tri, MotoGP™ 09/10 and Wii brawler Spyborgs™ as well as the action packed sci-fi adventure Dark Void™ and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom™ Ultimate All-Stars.

The upcoming title Dark Void blasts into centre stage at the Capcom booth. Creating a thrilling new gameplay dynamic for the third-person shooter experience, gamers will defy gravity with Dark Void’s unique vertical combat system and take to the skies with the explosive jet pack. To bring the real life flying experience to consumers Capcom will be hosting the Dark Void Body Flying Machine. Situated right outside the Consumer Hall visitors can literally blast off in a vertical orientated airstream at 180km/h. Consumers can then leave the show in one of 200 branded Dark Void taxis that will be driving through Cologne, but not before playing the game at the booth and receiving a limited edition Dark Void gift.

After journeying into the Void gamers can dive into one of the most beautiful titles ever created for the Nintendo Wii. GamesCom marks the western debut of Monster Hunter Tri. Visitors can experience the same game that took the Tokyo Game Show by storm last year where the queues stretched right around the Capcom booth with a waiting time of over two hours. Living the life of a hunter won’t be a solitary experience as gamers will be able to hunt co-operatively and form a team of up to four players to survive in a living, breathing eco-system where man co-exists with fantastic beasts.

Adding to the list of debuts, racing game fans won’t want to miss the exclusive worldwide showing of MotoGP 09/10. Taking the series in a refreshing new direction, gamers will get the chance to play a hands on demo and experience for the first time some of the new challenges that reward racing style and skill and not just crossing the finish line first.

Going from the race track to the fighting arena, the upcoming and visually stunning Wii title Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars will have fighting game fans’ fingers twitching. Players can choose from the combined roster of colourful characters to create the ultimate tag-team with the likes of Street Fighter favourites Ryu and Chun-Li and classic Tatsunoko stars Ken the Eagle and Tekkaman. Each character brings a unique arsenal of moves, including spectacular hyper-combos that literally take over the screen with devastating results.

European gamers will be able to experience the highly anticipated extensive multiplayer action of Lost Planet 2 as the title makes its worldwide debut on the PLAYSTATION®3. This impressive next instalment sees a return to the Lost Planet but offers gamers a series of totally new epic challenges with battles erupting on a planetary scale. Players will need to journey across a range of harsh environments and defeat giant Akrid in explosive four player co-operative play where skill and team work will be tested like never before in an epic fight for survival.

Also available to European gamers for the first time is Spyborgs, the upcoming beat-em-up brawler coming exclusively to the Wii. Designed around the two-player co-operative experience, gamers will need to slash and pummel their way through hordes of mechanized enemies and wickedly challenging boss battles.

To complete the line-up Capcom has teamed up with Intel to bring visitors to GamesCom the fear they’ll never forget. PC gamers can be among the first to experience the survival horrors of the critically acclaimed Resident Evil 5 for PC. Intel will be showing the game which takes full advantage of the intelligent multi-core technology in the Intel® Core™ i7 processors on a series of high spec PC’s in their dedicated RE5 booth situated in Hall 9.1, 61A.

Capcom’s Booth is situated in Hall 6.1, corridor A, No 31. For more information on any of the playable titles head to www.capcom-europe.com The press kit for GamesCom will be available to download on 19th August from www.capcomeuro-press.com

ABOUT CAPCOM
Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including best-selling franchises Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Devil May Cry. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Tokyo Korea and Hong Kong, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom can be found on the company web site, www.capcom.com.

Capcom, Mega Man, Resident Evil, and Devil May Cry are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd., in the U.S. or other countries. Dark Void and Street Fighter are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Capcom U.S.A., Inc. “All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Codemasters say 'Meh' To Natal

When Natal was shown at E3 this year a lot of people went gaga over it, and a lot of people just shrugged it off. Personally the application toward non-game uses is what intrigues me most with this little bit of hardware/software. They showed a range of games being played with Natal, most notably Burnout, and Codemasters isn't too sure about it either.

Videogamer caught up with Codemasters Ralph Fulton, current design manager of Dirt 2 and from the GRiD team, who doesn't think motion control will ever wrestle a traditional controller from gamers hands. Here is what he had to say

“The complexity of control for a racing game, certainly for a core racing game like ours, requires a controller,” he said. “It requires feedback, and I don't think waving your hands around and pretending you're steering a car offers you the precision or the feedback that racing games require.”


I agree with this 100%, and I would like to add that most core games will not offer the kind of precision needed to play unless you are using an actual controller. A wand, Wiimote, or nothing at all is just not good to play racing, FPS', TPS', anything at all really. Games that are specifically designed to play via these methods are one thing, but imagine playing Halo without a controller, it just doesn't sit right. I don't know about anyone else but I would just feel silly playing a game without a controller.

Videogamer