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Episodes
- Diablo III to be Announced This Week
Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:30:00 -0500
If you visit the Blizzard website right now you'll get a strange splash page depicting ice with some runes. People throughout the Internet are speculating what this could mean ... perhaps Blizzard will be announcing a new game? Perhaps the long awaited Lost Vikings sequel will be announced this week at the Worldwide Invitational in Paris?
Well it's quite simple, it's exactly what everyone is hoping/think it's going to be.
Blizzard is going to formally announce they are developing Diablo III this week at the Worldwide Invitational in Paris (or D3 they like to call it).
In fact, much like Starcraft II , Blizzard has been hard at work on D3 for several years and people will quite surprised at just how far along they are with the development of D3. Again, like Starcraft II, D3 will have greatly enhanced graphics, updated gameplay, new classes, and will continue to tell the story of the struggle between the agents of Heaven and Hell (sure that's pretty vague, but it's D3 is D2 with enhanced graphics and updated gameplay, what more do you need to know?).
But when will it come out? Right now from what I understand the loose release schedule is as follows. World of Warcraft Wrath of the Lich King is to be released by the end of 2008. StarCraft II will be released towards the end of 2009. And Diablo III is aiming to be released by the end of 2010, but I would expect D3 to be delayed until at least 2011.
So all of those who have been patiently waiting for a sequel to Diablo will finally have their prayers answered this week ... and then will have to wait several more years. Well at least Starcraft II should be out to hold those starved D3 fans over.
- Gaming Steve Review: Keep on the Shadowfell
Wed, 21 May 2008 12:00:00 -0500
Normally I don?t venture outside of the realm of video games, but with the upcoming release of Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition and its many ?video game type elements? incorporated into the new version (online play, set party roles, quicker combat, and so forth) I thought I would check out the first official 4th Edition product released this week, the adventure module entitled Keep on the Shadowfell.
This module was designed to work as both a ?regular? adventure that could be played as you would any other D&D adventure as well as a introductory module to 4th Edition D&D. In theory all you need to start playing D&D is Keep, some friends, and you?re ready to go. At least that?s the theory. But how does it work in practice? We will see?
Before we delve into the adventure and its contents I have to comment on the quality of the printed module itself. At first glance it?s pretty impressive. Inside a full-color binder you?ll find a 16-page quick-start rules as well five pre-made character sheets, three double-sided full-color battle maps, and a full-color 80-page adventure booklet. Wizards has decided to use the same encounter layout that they started to use in their adventure products last year where nearly all encounters are laid out on two pages (with larger battles spread over three pages). This two-page layout format has further been refined works really well. Each encounter was extremely simple to follow, even in the thick of battle with multiple groups of monsters fighting.
And the battlemaps, although completely unnecessary to the overall game experience, my playtest group really enjoyed using them. It?s a small and simple addition, but something as simple as few battlemaps made the DMs life that much easier while greatly enhancing the enjoyment for the players.
Continue reading "Gaming Steve Review: Keep on the Shadowfell" »
- GCA and ESA Fight Over E3 Awards
Mon, 19 May 2008 23:45:00 -0500
With the recent departure of LucasArts from the ESA and E3, as well as the more notable withdrawal of Activision-Blizzard, some problems are starting to appear in the now slightly fragmented industry.
The story goes like this: the Game Critics Awards, a voluntary organization made up of independent game journalists, has shown its intent to include games not only shown "in" E3, but those "around" E3 as nominees for its "Best of E3" awards. This has of course infuriated the ESA which wants only those companies who are actually involved in E3 to be eligible. A response to the ESA from Geoff Knightly, co-chair of the GCA:
"The fact that Activision is not a registered exhibitor for E3 has brought to light the issue of how to determine the eligibility of games... A precedent has been set that in the past, judges have voted on games that have been presented off the show floor at hotel suites and across the street from E3. It would be a shame for me if the best game of E3 didn't win the Best of Show award because it was demoed across the street from the show floor...
The fact we are independent awards [lets us] define our own rules for eligibility... Our organization isn't for profit. It's a volunteer organization, a consortium of journalists, so we can be pure."
A sound argument can be seen on both sides: on one hand, what is a "Best of E3" award if it's not only for actual E3 members? Then again, is it really fair to game developers that their games are excluded from one of the few notable awards because their game was simply across the street? I personally don't think an independent awards organization should have to listen to an industry association, but it is ESA's show, so it will be interesting to see how they react.
- Maxis Responds to the Spore DRM Controversy
Fri, 09 May 2008 15:00:00 -0500
There has been a small firestorm concerning the Spore Digital Rights Management system. Well Maxis has been listening and Caryl Shaw, Online Producer for Spore, sent me a note about these concerns:
Hey Spore Fans -
We wanted to let you know that we've been hearing your concerns about the online authentication mentioned earlier this week. I didn't want to head into the weekend without getting back to you with some information about how Spore is planning on using this new system.
A few things we wanted you to know:- We authenticate your game online when you install and launch it the first time.
- We'll re-authenticate when a player uses online features, downloads new content or a patch for their game.
- The new system means you don't have to play with the disc in your computer. And if you are like me, always losing discs, this will be a huge benefit.
- You'll still be able to install and play on multiple computers.
- You can play offline.
We do hope that players will play online - sharing creatures, buildings and vehicles with other players is something that is unique to Spore and one of the coolest features of the game. Every day, when I play the Creature Stage, I get to see wacky and awesome new creatures from my Buddies on the team coming over the hill at me and I can't wait to see what happens when our creative, passionate community starts sharing their creations.
I'd love to write more - but I need to get back to work. We've got a game to finish. :-)
-caryl
Personally I don't see the big deal about the online DRM, especially for a game such as Spore which all but requires you to play online and communicate regularly with EA's servers. Heck, Spore is almost an MMORPG in considering all the online content that will be available for the game once it's released.
Oh yes, and if you think EA's DRM is harsh wait until you see the new DRM that Blizzard is working on for S2 and D3....
- Vivendi, Activision-Blizzard Snub ESA, E3
Fri, 02 May 2008 13:00:00 -0500
In their first big move since they became the biggest publisher in gamerdom, Activision-Blizzard have officially left the ESA and will not be attending this year's E3.
From the ESA's senior VP of communication and research, Rich Taylor:
"While the Entertainment Software Association remains the preeminent voice for U.S. computer and video game publishers, we can confirm that Activision and Vivendi Games opted to discontinue their membership. The ESA remains dedicated to advancing our industry's objectives such as protecting intellectual property, preserving First Amendment rights, and fostering a beneficial environment for the entire industry. Our high level of service and value to members and the larger industry remains unchanged."
What does this mean for gamers? Well, for starters, none of Vivendi's developers will be "in" E3 (most will have a presence "around" E3, separated from the official show) including Activision-Blizzard, Sierra, Atlus, Majesco, NCsoft, and WBIE. Vivendi will also have to start defending themselves in cases of government interference and copyright infringement, both areas the ESA helped game companies when defending these interests.
The ESA, like many industry organizations, probably had some rules and perhaps fees that Vivendi just didn't agree with but it's unclear the reason for the departure at this time. Whatever the reason this is something which will probably have significant long term repercussions for the industry in general.
- Grand Theft Auto IV Quick Observations
Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:30:00 -0500
So I'm about five hours into GTAIV and I have the following quick observations:
- I am actually watching TV ... inside a video game ... on my TV. Trippy.
- The most impressive animation I've seen so far? Characters walking down the stairs. Finally someone has mastered this animation (I'm actually serious.).
- A single hot dog on the street costs $5 and a new leather coat only costs $34? Living in the "real" New York City I have to tell you that that is surprising close to accurate.
- "Date" a woman and earn some warm coffee? It's great that Rockstar can poke fun of everyone including themselves.
- Damn there is a lot of cursing in this game, even for a GTA game it's a bit shocking. Everyone is dropping f-bombs ... pedestrians, DJs on the radio, TV hosts, everyone is cursing all the time. M for Mature indeed.
- Gas in the GTAIV world costs less than in the real world ($3.59 a gallon in GTAIV). It would have been cool if Rockstar dynamically changed the price of gas in the game in accordance to real world prices ... and just freaking sad.
- Multiplayer is scary fun ... worth the price of the game alone.
- Once again I can never find anything good to listen to on the radio....
- And finally GTAIV is much better than any of the past GTA games. Rockstar has taken the best parts of GTAIII, Bully, and The Warriors and made a deeper more cohesive game.
What do you guys think of the game so far? - How to Sell a Grand Theft Auto Clone: Gary Busey
Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:00:00 -0500So what if Grand Theft Auto 4 come from a long history of games that provide hours of entertainment and a deep story full of foul, slimy, but so fun to watch characters? All Saints Row 2 needs is Gary Busey.
In one of the strangest advertisements I've ever seen for a video game, Uncle Gary hands out some educational Street Lessons for those anticipating Saints Row 2. Topics range from heavy weapons to the law enforcement of Stilwater. And yes, Busey is as totally freaking nuts as ever.
- Ubisoft Announces a New Prince of Persia Game
Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:45:00 -0500
In an unprecedented move, Ubisoft has announced another sequel in the Prince of Persia series, currently titled ... Prince of Persia. The rebellious move is expected to net Ubisoft lots of money and huge profits.
In another move by maverick Ubisoft, the game will be launch for not one, not two, but four platforms: the Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and DS. Ubisoft believes the game will do what no game has done before and "rejuvenate the action-adventure genre." In perhaps their most unexpected move, the game will be on sale during the Holidays of 2008.
In all seriousness, a new Prince of Persia game isn't a bad thing. All three in the recent trilogy were fantastic games, despite some missteps in character and attitude. Ubisoft also announced that the game will have an "illustrative art style" that intrigues me. The upcoming movie also piques my interest: Bruckheimer may not be an artistic savant, be he made a theme park ride into a competent, enjoyable movie series, so Prince of Persia shouldn't be much trouble.
- So Who Isn't Buying GTA IV? And Why?
Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:00:00 -0500With all the insane hype, the near perfect scores, and the simple fact that it's a new Grand Theft Auto I have to wonder, is anyone out there not buying this game? I even know several people who are buying a new system just to play GTA IV. Everyone and anyone who plays games seems to be buying this game.
But yet something surprising happened to me today while I was trying to arrange some multiplayer mayhem with my Xbox 360 friends ... only few of them were planning on picking up the game. Even with all the hype and amazing reviews they weren't planning on picking it up any time soon. When I asked them they give me a very simple reason ... they don't like the Grand Theft Auto franchise.
And to tell you the truth ... neither do I. (Whew, that felt good to finally get off my chest.)
Yeah, I understand the appeal of GTA III and Vice City, but I just found them ... boring. The cities seemed dead to me with robotic pedestrians, the side-quests seemed more like work than fun, and the endless "collection quests" drove me insane. Those games seemed like a rough collection of mini-games, none of which I found particularly fun or exciting. (However I will say that San Andreas was much better and I actually enjoyed that entry in the series, but still I found it above average at best).
But yet I'm still super excited to play GTA IV, even though I don't really enjoy the GTA franchise. Why you ask?
Ironically it's because of Rockstar's non-GTA games. The Warriors, Bully and even Manhunt were some of the most enjoyable gaming experiences of my life. I found all of those games rich experiences with fascinating characters, complex stories, and engrossing worlds. I enjoyed these games as much as people seem to enjoy the GTA games, and for the same reasons it seems.
Hence, that is why I can't wait to play GTA IV. GTA IV seems to combine the best aspects of Rockstar's non-GTA games along with the "tried and true" GTA gameplay aspects. And if Rockstar managed to combine their two worlds of GTA and non-GTA gameplay, then I fully expect GTA IV to be right up there with the legends.
I guess I'll find out, along with several million other people, in just a few hours.
Anyone else out there own an Xbox 360 or PS3 and is not planning on getting GTA IV? What's up with that?
- Gaming Steve Members Featured in Latest Spore Update
Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0500
It appears that the Spore development team keeps tabs on the Gaming Steve Spore forums as in their latest update on the Spore web site they featured four creatures created by GS forum members.
LadyM (Mallen), Hydromancerx (Naucean), Petreak (Mentripod), and Oviraptor (Vvukkrauur) were lucky enough to have sketches of their creatures not only turned into official Spore creatures, but each of their creatures were evaluated by the NASA Astrobiology Institute as well as the Spore design team. A sample:
Vvukkrauur, by Oviraptor
NASA Evaluation: Lots of bilateral symmetry on this one. Perhaps the two light green discs below the eyes are heat sensing organs to help detect prey in murky water when the eyes become less useful.
Recreated by Spore Engineer Jeff Gates
Jeff says, "Its low profile is useful when it hunts its prey (not Earth prey). I can't tell if it?s cute or mean, but I know I want one!"Congratulations you four! I only wish I created a creature as well ... doh!
Update: Mason11987 (Swiftick) and Wydraz (Flaaarg) were also mentioned on the site and are active forum members (sorry I missed you two). So six of the eight creatures featured were from the GS Spore forum ... not bad at all.
- U.S. Government Using Games to Train Spies
Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0500
In the increasingly complicated world of International Intelligence, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was looking for a new way to train recruits in the fine art of "critical thinking" three guesses where they decided to turn (and the first two don't count). Yep, the world of video games (of course)!
Three PC games were developed by Visual Purple (a simulation studio) for the DIA with the explicit goal of training young agents to analyze complex issues. "It is clear that our new workforce is very comfortable with this approach," says Bruce Bennett, chief of the analysis-training branch at the DIA's Joint Military Intelligence Training Center.
Wired got the chance to play these three games, all of which sound very interesting. The games are a "surprisingly clever and occasionally surreal blend of education, humor and intellectual challenge" that range from "Zen Buddhism meets the National Intelligence Estimate" to "a whodunit that begins with scenes of a tanker under attack in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war in 1988". Maybe the government could make up some of the $2.6 million spent on these games by making a consumer copy (I'd sure like to give them a try). And what happens when these games become common in military training? Maybe in the next Call of Duty players will have to train in a video game in order to pass basic training.
- Gaming Steve Review: Mario Kart Wii
Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:00:00 -0500
Mario Kart Wii
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Price: $49.99
Platform: Wii
Category: Racing Action
Rating: E for Everyone
Release Date: April 27, 2008 (US), April 10, 2008 (Japan), April 11, 2008 (Europe), April 24, 2008 (Australia)Out in Europe for a fair few weeks now ? and uncharacteristically late reaching US shores ? I thought it only fair to spill a few beans on Mario Kart Wii, thus letting our American siblings know just what they're in for regarding the mustached one's latest at the end of the month.
There's both good and bad to report, so buckle in and take note.
First, let's talk single player. 32 courses ? 16 of which are new ? 25 characters, and a good gazillion vehicles round-off the features list, most of which require unlocking as you progress through its four different classes of increasingly (and surprisingly) punishing difficulty. Sure, the setup's undeniably familiar to vets of the series, but make no mistake, Mario Kart Wii boasts some neat new additions to this now-aging formula well worth bearing in mind.
Bikes would be the biggest of which, and it's all done a bit of a PGR4 in that regard. A little nippier, easier to knock around, and capable of some fab tricks, they're a blast to wield I'm pleased to say, and prove my personal weapon of choice 90% of the time.
Then there's the wheel; the freebie add-on contraption that Nintendo throw into the box as a bonus. While you play with the standard "hands out in front" Wii-mote pose seen in previous racing games on this system, clipping on this optional plastic shell gives it a far more tactile feel, not to mention one immeasurably more fun to boot. It certainly works in that regard, yet I couldn't help but notice that in terms of raw performance, my lap times shrunk the second I ditched the waggle controls entirely and opted for something more traditional.
Continue reading "Gaming Steve Review: Mario Kart Wii" »
- First Videos of Burnout: Paradise's New (Free) Islands
Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:15:00 -0500
Looking for a reason to head back to Paradise? Criterion may have the great answer in the first content pack for Burnout: Paradise: an entire Island. And best of all, it's all free.
The new videos show a very modern, sky scraper laden, downtown, with large curving roads that look great for high speed racing all connected to the main land by a huge, under construction bridge. The first piece of this downloadable content is also going to include the car seen in the video (and perhaps others) as well as "unique game" that Criterion will be revealing soon.
While I really enjoyed Burnout: Paradise, I haven't been as drawn back to it as I was to Burnout 3: Takedown (which is one of my favorite racing games of all time). A new island, cars, and gameplay sound like an excellent reason to return to Paradise City.
- Is This Really Even News Anymore?
Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:00:00 -0500
I am pretty much contradicting myself by writing about this, but yet another "main stream" journalist thinks video games are super terrible for society and that something must be done to stop them.
The source in question comes from an editorial written by Giles Whittell, writer and parent from the Times of London, where said Journalist has come to the conclusion that video games are as bad as heroin and teenage pregnancy. Sigh.
The writer believes that one shouldn't have to try games to know their bad just like they shouldn't have to try heroin or teenage pregnancy to know they're bad. An obvious indication of how little this person knows about games is their repeated use of the phrase "I will never buy my children a Nintendo" (because apparently someone at the Times believed it crucial that Giles actually try a game before criticizing it).
At this point I'm just going through the motions. Turns out crime has gone down as video game popularity has risen. The largest market isn't kids, it's 18 - 35 year olds. Heroin kills people and teenage pregnancy often leads to broken families. Video gamers almost always grow up to be skilled, intelligent, and productive members in a increasingly technology dependent society. Video games shouldn't be a babysitter, they are a form of entertainment, as much as reading a child a book or taking them to the park. Video games can teach children valuable skills including teamwork, the villainy of cheating, accomplishment and working with loss. I can keep this up all day...
Anyone care to guess when the next one of these type of stories get written?
- Madden on the PC ? RIP (And Why You Should Care)
Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:30:00 -0500
I wish I could say I?m shocked, but I?m not.
Yesterday on his blog, EA?s Peter Moore confirmed that Madden 09 will not be released on the PC, because ? well, because making games solely for the console is a more efficient way to back the old Brinks truck up to EA?s corporate headquarters, I guess. Officially, it?s being called ?serious business challenges in the sports category?.
On one hand, there?s a certain inevitable logic to the numbers. Sales from the console versions of Madden 08 (NPD, August 07) clocked in around 2 million units, almost 900,000 of that on the 360 alone.
Madden on the PC ? well, I couldn?t even find firm figures, but Bioshock was the top-selling PC game at around 77,000, so Madden?s PC sales had to be fewer than that. When you?re talking about a platform that doesn?t break 5% of your sales ... if I?m running a business, I?m probably making that same call.
That said, if you look at the history of the franchise, it?s hard not to feel like EA?s got the blinders on a little, and are missing a bigger problem that could bite them in the ass down the road. The fact is, they?ve been charging full-game prices for expansion-pack content for years now ? open a new Madden each year, and you get new rosters, some cosmetic upgrades, and one or two minor gameplay tweaks.
Even as they?re doing that, other aspects of the game remain unfixed, enshrined forever in EA?s Canton of Half-Assed Coding. And buying up the exclusive NFL license and effectively driving competition out of the market hasn?t been the best thing for public relations, even if it was the NFL who approached them.
Continue reading "Madden on the PC ? RIP (And Why You Should Care)" »
- Gaming Steve Review: Rainbow Six Vegas 2
Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:00:00 -0500
Rainbow Six Vegas 2
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Price: $59.99
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Category: Third-Person Shooter
Rating: M for Mature
Release Date: March 18 2008 (US), March 20 2008 (Europe); PC Version: April 15, 2008These days, everyone loves a good tactical shooting, taking down tangos in an overly planned manner. Games in the Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon series' have advanced from being completely hardcore titles to become somewhat more accessible, letting players ease in with slicker controls and cover points, as well as giving them a bit more health and power. The introduction of cinematic cutscenes that take full advantage of the new generation of hardware has also helped the helped the genre, as well as the fact that the Tom Clancy brand has been thrusted upon gamers everywhere.
If you haven't played a recent Rainbow Six game, they are basically tactical FPS with a story. Rainbow Six "mixes it up" by giving you indirect control of two equally skilled NPCs fighting at your side. You can order them to move to a certain position, blow up doors and clear rooms, as well as making them cover you when you're trying a particular maneuver and they do their jobs pretty darn well.
Overall it's a nice change to command a small squad rather playing yet another "uber killing machine". However, unlike your standard FPS your character is quite vulnerable ? even a few shots are more than enough to take you out ? so you have to play carefully and artistically. Vegas 2 follows this same basic pattern, with a story that involves Las Vegas, funnily enough...
Continue reading "Gaming Steve Review: Rainbow Six Vegas 2" »
- 50 Cent II ... Why Have You Forsaken Us Vivendi?
Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:00:00 -0500
In a move sure to excite those with poor taste in shooters (and Vivendi's stockholders), a sequel to the dreadful 2005 "hit" 50 Cent: Bulletproof.
The cover of next month's EGM confirms that the writers did indeed suffer through what can be assumed to be another blight on games. With the original selling well over 1 million copies, it is not to surprising to see a sequel coming.
Also to be anticipated is the media backlash, with 50 Cent: Bulletproof still able to make the 10 ten most violent video games of 2007 even though it was originally released in 2005. With a game so likely to be so bad, it just doesn't seem worth defending. Maybe one of those laws against violent video games could be of some use after all.
- Stop The Presses! A "Real World" Journalist Actually "Gets" Gaming
Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:45:00 -0500
In an excellent satirical piece for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Humorist James Lileks details the failure of Minneapolis's attempt to pass an anti-violent video game law.
James points out both the ridiculousness of a $25 fine for selling to minors, as well as the Judges comparing of the violence in the Bible to the violence in a video game. While it would seem he wouldn't be opposed to a more strict way of keeping violent video games away from children, he points out the most obvious place to start: with the parents.
The exceptional humor however comes from the author's take on the violence hidden in even the most friendly looking games, including Roller Coaster Tycoon (as a drowning simulator) and Wii Bowling (a "simulator for aggression against polished dowels"). How refreshing to finally read someone in the "real media" who actually understands video games.
- Gaming Steve Review: Lost: Via Domus
Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:00:00 -0500
Lost: Via Domus
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft Montreal
Price: $29.99
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Category: Adventure
ESRB Rating: T for Teen
Release Date: February 26, 2008 (US), March 7, 2008 (Europe), February 8, 2008 (Australia)The highest compliment I can pay Via Domus, is that despite the lack of canonization deemed worthy by the show's creators ? meaning none of the game's content should be considered official events that actually take place within the confines of the show ? the storyline genuinely feels as if it were concocted by the writers themselves. Playing as one of the un-named 46 survivors of Oceanic flight 815 ? complete with his own back-story, secrets and flashback sequences ? the pitch alone is positively gripping to the typical LOST nut like myself.
Clearly made by avid watchers of the TV program then, the look, sound and mood is faithfully represented too, through some glorious presentation and superb use of music. Exploring The Hatch for instance ? keying in the numbers frantically while that dreaded alarm goes off ? provides that irresistibly tense LOST buzz us long-time viewers'll positively mop up.
Continue reading "Gaming Steve Review: Lost: Via Domus" »
- February NPD Results ? Last Gen On Top Again
Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:30:00 -0500
The Official February NPD numbers have been released, and they make for highly interested reading. It was a great month for everyone, but there was an unexpected high inflation of PS2 sales, even though hardly anything was released for it in February. Here is the complete list:
- DS ? 587.6K
- Wii ? 423K
- PS2 ? 351.8K
- PS3 ? 280.8K
- 360 ? 254.6K
- PSP ? 243.1K
These numbers are massive for this time of year, increasing on the sales of this time last year. The DS and Wii are having a wonderful time at retail, and Nintendo must be delighted that the DS sold over half a million units in a fairly quiet month for the handheld.
However, it is the PS2 that is the big news this time, as it emerged from nowhere to sell over 350,000 units. Some attribute this to Best Buy's $99 PS2 deal, and it will be intriguing to see where it ends up next month. If Sony reduced the price of the aging little machine to $99 itself, it will definitely sell more than these large numbers. The PS3 has beaten the 360 again this month, but Microsoft has continuously stated that the system is supply constrained. However, if it performs this poorly again next month, they're going to have to invent a new excuse.
Continue reading "February NPD Results ? Last Gen On Top Again" »
- Solid Snake Secret Super Smash Bros. Brawl Taunts
Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:15:00 -0500Never thought you lived to see the day Otacon explains Donkey Kong to Snake tries to wrap his head around a 2D Mr. Game-and-Watch? In what I'm now labeling the most hilarious video game crossover ever (though Star Wars characters in Soul Caliber is pretty ridiculous) Solid Snake has a special, classic "codec" conversation about every single character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Voiced by none other than David Hayter himself, Solid Snake is given the histories or tactical tips about all of fighters in the game. Full of fantastic in jokes, especially for fans of the Metal Gear Solid series, this shouldn't be missed even if you don't partake in the game.
There's a gorilla with a tie here! He's Huge!
Ton of taunt videos after the jump.
Continue reading "Solid Snake Secret Super Smash Bros. Brawl Taunts" »
- Echochrome PSP Demo Hands-On
Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:00:00 -0500
Last week the demo for the M.C. Escher-like Echochrome was released over the Japanese PlayStation Network. Always a fan of unique games, we downloaded the PSP version to see what all the fuss was about. After the very small download (approximately 4MB) and a few screens covered in Kanji, the main menu had some simple English alongside the Japanese text, so it was extremely easy to play.
The demo only had a handful of levels, but this was the perfect amount to show off the game's capabilities and basic premise. The game is basically a puzzle-based title, putting you in control of rotating and moving a wire-model of a level in 3D-space to guide a small puppet to his goal or to collect small dark characters. In essence, what the camera view shows is used as the perceived truth within the world itself, so when you move the wire-model level, you have to block gaps in the world by rotating the camera to put a pillar in the way, for example. Also, you have to move them to make a hole in the ground lead to a platform so your little puppet has somewhere to land.
The gameplay in these demo levels was fairly easy, but it was genuinely fun and clever to play. Moving the levels about wasn't as difficult as the images here show, and it was fairly intuitive once we got used to the controls. The D-Pad rotated the levels about, holding the X button made the puppet move faster, and pressing the triangle button turned "thinking mode" on, which paused the moving puppet but still allowed us to manipulate the level in the usual way.The graphics are fairly basic, but they are clean and clear. However, a lot of jaggies were present in this demo, which is not good considering it's barely pushing the PSP's technical grunt. On the plus side though, the violin-based soundtrack suits the game and is extremely enjoyable. The sound effects were also pretty unique and worked well in the game's bizarre universe.
Overall, this demo was a perfect little taster into the world of Echochrome and was a great way to introduce the concept in a playable form to gamers. If the anti-aliasing can be sorted out before release, then we are looking at something very special here that introduces a certain freshness to the puzzle genre of old.Echochrome is set for release on March 19, 2008 within Japan. No release date has been set for North America or Europe (although the game appears to be extremely import friendly). To download the demo and give the game a try on your own simple follow these instructions.
- New Mass Effect DLC Released
Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:30:00 -0500
The new Mass Effect downloadable content was released onto Xbox Live today for 400 Microsoft Points, which translates to $5/£3.40/?4.65 in real money. This DLC pack comes with 50 Gamerscore Points to achieve, along with a decent sidequest, as opposed to the mostly disappointing ones that were in the full game.
Major Nelson has all the download details:
Content: Bring Down the Sky
Price: 400 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Story Description: Batarian extremists have hijacked a mobile asteroid station in the Asgard system, setting it on a collision course with the nearby colony world of Terra Nova. Only you can save the human hostages on the asteroid and reroute it before it crashes into the world, killing millions of innocent civilians.
Size: 253.40 MBThis is all well and good, but if you're in the unfortunate position of having a save at the end of the game like myself, you will not be able to play this sidequest, and you would have to play through a new game (continuing with your old character if you so choose) to get to the part where you gain full control of the Normandy, where the new side-quest will appear on the star map. Initial reports of the content have been fairly promising, and for 400MP, it's not going to break the bank, so it should be worthwhile.
- Starcraft II's Zerg Reveal Themselves, Then Burrow Underground
Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:15:00 -0500
The last race to be detailed in the sequel to Blizzard's competitive sport, the Zerg, have been released upon the world in the form of a shakey-cam video from a presentation in Korea.
As much as I don't trust Blizzard to make a release date, this game looks great, and could actually be in our hands this summer. Depending on whether they get a beta out or not, it looks like endless amounts of balancing are all thats needed.
It would appear that the Zerg have retained their penchant for swarm tactics as well as the use of bio weapons. It would also appear that the Queen of Blades herself, Kerrigan, is still going to be at the head of Zerg. Blizzplanet appears to also have a details on some new Zerg units, like the Overseer, Roach, and Corrupter. Can I get a We are Swarm?
Video of the Zerg after the jump.
Continue reading "Starcraft II's Zerg Reveal Themselves, Then Burrow Underground" »
- Xbox 360 Price Drop In Europe
Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:00:00 -0500
Microsoft today confirmed that they are dropping the price of the Xbox 360 in Europe. Starting Friday 14th March, price drops for all the current SKUs will take place, taking the Arcade SKU to £159.99/?199.99, the Premium SKU to £199.99/?269.99, and the Elite SKU to £259.99/?369.99.
These price drops are quite aggressive for Europe, as now the Arcade version of the console is cheaper than a Nintendo Wii, and retailers here in this swing territory will entice customers with special deals, often going below these new RRPs. No price drops for other territories have been announced yet, but it is probably on the cards, with rumours stating that Microsoft wants to knock money off their systems in North America before the release of the hotly anticipated GTAIV.
Furthermore, the consoles are now cheap enough for people to basically trade in their older models that are more prone to the red ring of death and other issues, without losing too much money. The new models have improved motherboards and power consumption, as well as 65nm CPUs that help to make the system run cooler. This was probably not in Microsoft's plan, but us gamers are a clever bunch, and being able to run on improved hardware for little loss of money works for everyone.
- Spore Coming to the iPhone (and iPod Touch)
Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:45:00 -0500
In retrospect it's not a surprising announcement (Spore will be on everything in few years) but at a press conference where Apple detailed it's iPhone software development platform, EA was happy to announce a specially made version of Spore for the uber-popular iPhone (and iPod Touch).
Details are scant right now, but we know the game will use the special technologies in the iPhone, including it's Accelerometer and multi touch screen. The game will include some kind of creature creator, but the only images of the game in the flOw like stage. The game won't be released before September (presumably right along with the PC game).
So long as the price is right and the game is of the same quality of the PC game, I'll definitely be interested. The iPhone and iPod Touch have some really interesting technology in them, so hopefully we'll see some more creative games for the "platform" (such as this one).
- A Sims 3 Teaser Site is Live
Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:30:00 -0500
An official EA website has gone live to hype the upcoming, official announcement of what is presumably the next game in the line of the highest selling video game of all time: The Sims 3.
While a sequel to what is arguably EA's biggest cash cow was a no brainier, the fact that its announcement is coming along before the release of Spore is somewhat surprising to me. I expected EA to be trying to make Spore into the next Sims in terms of wide adoption by all manners of gamers, but an announcement like seems a little premature to me.
Either way, I can't wait to see what they have added. I got hooked on the original and the sequel to a lesser extent. I loved building houses (I had dreams of being an architect as a kid, so in a lot of ways it was my dream game), but the addictive, deep, and oddly random gameplay kept me coming back.
- Ziff Davis Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:00:00 -0500
The publisher in charge of such well known gaming magazines as Electronic Gaming Monthly and website 1up.com, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in an attempt to lower the companies debt. Ziff Davis has reportedly had money problems for a while now, with nearly 400 million dollars worth of debt.
Ziff Davis hopes to restructure the company in order to lighten the debt and hopefully not create any more. It is expected that the gaming websites/magazines won't be affected during the transition, though it's well known that Ziff Davis is perhaps still looking to sell its gaming division.
I really enjoy listening to both the 1up Yours and GFW Radio podcasts, and can tell some really passionate gamers work for these companies. Hopefully everything works out for as far as their concerned.
- Upcoming Book Blasts the "Violent Video Game Hype"
Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:30:00 -0500
Dr. Cheryl Olson of the Massachusetts General Hospital hopes to give parents a real world understanding of the violent video game studies seen so highly sensationalized in the media.
Olson's book, Grand Theft Childhood, is intended for the "parents, teachers, and policy makers" as a way to understand the real pros and cons of violent video games and cut through the "myths and hysteria" so often portrayed in the media. From Gamecouch's interview:
Until now, the most-publicized studies came from a small group of experimental psychologists, studying college students playing nonviolent or violent games for 15 minutes. It's debatable whether those studies are relevant to real children, playing self-selected games for their own reasons (not for cash or extra credit!), in social settings, over many years. But media reports and political rhetoric often ignore that distinction.
Olson gathered many things from the research we gamers consider common knowledge: children know games aren't reality, games are great for expelling anger (not creating it), and that both boys and girls play these games.
While many of us gamers know about these things, a book like this a great thing to give to the parents of a gamer. I'd also recommend Steven Johnson's excellent Everything Bad is Good for You for more understand of the effects of video games and modern popular culture.
Grand Theft Childhood is scheduled to be released on April 15, 2008.
- Region Free Freeloader Emerges for the Wii
Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:00:00 -0500
Datel has recently unveiled their hotly anticipated Freeloader for the Wii, allowing you to run games on your Wii from any world region.
Nintendo hasn't released an official comment on the device yet, but one can imagine they will not be too pleased about it, especially as they blocked the GameCube version of the Freeloader from running on the Wii. Datel has the ability to prod and poke the big N enough to make them focus on blocking their software, something Nintendo hasn't even done with DS flash cartridges yet.
Those lucky enough to be living in Japan and North America haven't had to face the huge delay Nintendo-published games generally have before they reach their shores, but Europe has suffered from this greatly. For example, Metroid Prime 3 was released in August 2007 in North America, but didn't arrive in Europe until two months later. This substantial delay was enough to convince some fans to import US Wii's so they could play further Nintendo-published Wii games at the same time as the rest of the world.
So who's to blame for the Freeloader? Is it Nintendo for not allowing the system to be open to different regions like the PS3 or DS? (The 360's region coding is decided on a game-per-game basis, controlled by publishers.) Or is Datel simply cashing in on a subset of gamers who wish to play the same things as people in other parts of the world at the same time? Well the truth is a blend between the two.
Nintendo is giving their consumers mixed messages. They allowed the DS to be region free, and haven't tried to clamp down on importing (like Sony and the infamous Lik-Sang lawsuit), but must've seen this as a big issue for the Wii to clamp down on it so tenaciously.
Datel is charging £9.99 for the Freeloader disk, which is not much for what it is, but given the low-cost materials involved and development time, it would be fair to say that they are turning a nice profit from the device.
Personally, I am waiting to see the Freeloader disc thoroughly tested by early adopters before pouncing on it, but this kind of technology is invaluable to gamers, especially when Europeans are forced to wait a long while for an anticipated game to come out. Smash Bros. Brawl is rumored to be released in Autumn in Europe, but will see US shores just next week. Datel couldn't have timed the release of the Freeloader any sweeter, as people in Europe will just import the US version now and circumvent the long wait, and I have no shame in admitting I will be one of them.
