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Bellator MMA Onslaught brings arcade-style grappling to XBLA and PSN
During GDC, Deadliest Warrior publisher 345 Games showed off its latest licensed project, a mixed martial arts game based on the "Bellator" MMA organization, which can be seen on 345 partner Spike TV. 345 informed me that the major hook of Bellator is that fighters advance through single-elimination tournaments rather than having bouts chosen.In general, however, the idea is that you don't have to be a person who knows the nuances of MMA organizations, or an armchair MMA strategist, to understand the gameplay of Bellator MMA Onslaught, as it's designed with simplicity and pick-up-and-play qualities in mind.In the demo I saw, punches and kicks were mapped to one button each (left and right punch, left and right kick), and grappling maneuvers are mapped to the right stick, allowing you to reach out and then push the right stick in different directions to perform different holds, attempt to get out from a hold, etc. -- the technical stuff of MMA fighting, turned into a simple mechanic.The version I played was considered early -- the TV-style UI was not yet present, and developer Kung Fu Factory and 345 had yet to even decide on all the mechanics to be included. The final game is due this summer.%Gallery-150468%
ESA members asked individually about SOPA, some respond
Rock, Paper, Shotgun collaborated in obtaining responses. The Entertainment Software Association's support of the "Stop Online Piracy Act" has led us to ask every member of the video game industry's lobbying and political group to publicly declare its stance on the bill. The ESA's continued support means every member, by proxy, is a supporter of the bill. Some companies have pulled their logos from supporting SOPA documentation to dodge ire, while others are hiding behind rhetoric, as you'll see below. Joystiq contacted every member of the ESA and requested a declarative statement on SOPA. After the break we've listed the responses we've received, along with others we found. We continue to seek clarity on this issue from every member of the ESA. This will become the page we update as we receive responses and clear declarative statements, so feel free to bookmark. (Joystiq does not support SOPA, nor does our parent company.)
Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat brings first two games to retail this December
If you haven't purchased either of the downloadable brawlers based on Spike TV's historically violent Deadliest Warrior franchise, nor have you seen any episodes of the show itself, then let's be frank: You're just not that into Deadliest Warrior. That's fine! Different strokes, and all that. Still, if you'd like to have as complete and deadly an entertainment experience as is possible, you'll want to grab Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat when it lands at retailers this December. The $29.99 package includes the original Deadliest Warrior: The Game and Deadliest Warrior: Legends, as well as all the downloadable content (and a few new weapons and arenas) for each. It also includes some never-before-aired episodes of the show for diehard fans. We hear the hypothetical skirmish between Lumberjacks and Investment Bankers is particularly engaging.
Second 'South Park' game headed exclusively to Xbox 360
It's been nearly two years since the last South Park-branded title landed on Xbox Live Arcade, but apparently at least one more is in the works exclusively for Microsoft's digital marketplace. In speaking with 345 Games creative director Prithvi Virasinghe during a recent Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon preview, I couldn't help but wonder what other Comedy Central properties his studio might work on next -- perhaps one of the network's most famous? "Right now, South Park is actually in a first-party deal with Microsoft Studios, who published the first game, and they're doing a second game as well," he explained. Apparently South Park: Let's Go Tower Defense Play! was just the first of two titles in the deal, set to expire whenever that follow-up title launches. "After that, that first-party exclusivity window expires, and we get a shot of taking that back," Virasinghe explained. Though his team is up to the challenge, Virasinghe also has some other projects he's interested in first, particularly a couple of ideas involving Stephen Colbert (as well as Colbert's hilarious side character, Tek Jansen). That said, the developer needs to leap some hurdles before that can happen, the least of which is deciding whether or not its game idea fits well with the brand. According to him, "It has to be the right combination of game idea meets property." Personally, I'm holding out for Tek Jansen.
'Colbert Quest,' and The Colbert Report games that could be
I don't know about you folks, but I'd love to see a Tek Jansen video game. Thankfully, so would Prithvi Virasinghe, creative director at Comedy Central's internal game studio, the newly minted 345 Games. Virasinghe told me during an interview earlier this week that Tek Jansen, and the show "Colbert Report" from which it originates, are prime among his choices for a future game. But only if Mr. Colbert is into it, of course. "I've honestly tried to do this many, many times," he said of concepts for a Colbert-themed game. "One of the ideas we had for Colbert was we wanted to do 'Colbert Quest,' which was kinda like an homage to the Police Quest or Space Quest games." Apparently his team at 345 even went as far as to put together a "design treatment" for "Colbert Quest," which he detailed by saying, "You're sort of in this world that's humor-based, that's kind of situational and quest-based, and it would have Colbert as some sort of overlord of this domain." Unfortunately, "Colbert Quest" only made it so far before it was shot down by Comedy Central higher-ups. But while that specific concept may be out, Virasinghe isn't giving up so easily on a Colbert game. "He does have this other character, Tek Jansen, which would really make sense. There's so much stuff we could do with Tek -- if I got my hands on Tek, I'd have a ball." Of course, all of this is dependent on how well 345 Games does with its current project, a game adaptation of monster-themed sitcom "Ugly Americans" set to launch later this summer. "Hopefully this game does well, it creates some breathing room for us to think a little bigger, and maybe even attract the Colberts into wanting to do something," Virasinghe explained. So, what about it Stephen? You're on notice!
Deadliest Warrior: Legends to pulverize PSN on July 26
Deadliest Warrior: Legends may be old (spiked) hat for Xbox 360 owners, but for those of us with access only to a PS3, the game has yet to arrive. That's all about to change, as 345 Games tells Joystiq that its latest release will head to the PlayStation Network Store on July 26, pointy blade-equipped staff and all. Like its XBLA launch, Deadliest Warrior: Legends will run you $10 when it arrives in the coming weeks. No explanation was offered for the disparity in launch between 360 and PS3, but we're told Sun Tzu sends his sincerest apologies.
Deadliest Warrior Legends review: A stab, crush and cut above
Pipeworks Software's Deadliest Warrior was a game characterized by happy surprises. Most were intrinsic to the over-in-a-second combat the title presented -- nothing's more surprising than having your delicate, evasive foxtrot interrupted by a spear through the face. All, however, served to enforce the biggest surprise of all: Someone made a licensed game that allowed ninjas to engage in one-on-one bouts with vikings, and then they made it good. Much like its predecessor, Deadliest Warrior: Legends is peppered with fleeting, unexpected delights. It also contains a shocker of its own; that the original title wasn't just a qualitative anomaly. The series' second coming is full of so many inspired, innovative improvements over the surprisingly solid original, you'll temporarily forget that it's based around an anachronistic bloodsport that's far too ridiculous to exist, even virtually. Until, of course, Shaka Zulu stabs Atilla the Hun so hard that his torso falls off. %Gallery-127597%
Say hello to nine surly fighters in Deadliest Warrior: Legends
Gone are the ambiguous archetypes of Pirates, Vikings and Centurions -- Deadliest Warrior: Legends will feature nine real-ass soldiers pulled from history, Bill and Ted-style. Check out the list of fighters, as well as some concept art for their inevitably brutalized character models, after the break.
Deadliest Warrior: Legends to pillage XBLA next week
Major Nelson has revealed that 345 Games' refreshing follow-up to Deadliest Warrior will arrive on Xbox Live Arcade next week. Deadliest Warrior: Legends will be available July 6 for only 800 MS Points ($10). Also, a note for fans of the original: Those with a copy of the original Deadliest Warrior will receive special weapons within Legends. We were impressed with the game at E3, particularly its new Risk-like multiplayer mode.
Deadliest Warrior: Legends preview: Risk-y business
Deadiest Warrior has a long history of surprising me at trade shows by being much, much better than any licensed downloadable game has a right to be. That trend wasn't bucked at this year's Electronics Entertainment Expo, where the newly rebranded publisher 345 Games -- not to be confused with 343 Industries or 505 Games, mind you -- showed off Pipeworks' second stab at the combatative franchise, Deadliest Warrior: Legends. The title appears to bring a number of intriguing, necessary additions to the core one-on-one combat system, possibly bringing it into parity with deeper entries in the genre. However, the aspect which provided me with my annual jolt of surprise didn't involve dismembered, anachronistic soldiers: It involved the game's new strategic game mode, "Generals."
New Deadliest Warrior and Ugly Americans titles coming to XBLA and PSN under 345 Games
Emboldened by the success of last year's anachronistic fighter Deadliest Warrior: The Game (which has sold over 400,000 downloads to date across XBLA and PSN), MTV Networks Entertainment has announced the opening of a new development studio called 345 Games. We spoke with Dan Yang and Prithvi Virasinghe from the newly incorporated studio about its plans to create game adaptations of Spike TV and Comedy Central programming. They revealed that they're starting with one distinct project from each network: Deadliest Warrior: Legends and Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon. The first, a follow-up to last year's Deadliest title, will feature all new fighters pulled from across the fullness of time, and more than twice as many arenas as the series' first installment. Each warrior type will be represented by titular legends such as William Wallace or Shaka Zulu, who can lead their armies in the new "Generals" campaign mode. Skirmishes between factions in this mode are carried out using the same battle simulator used in the show, and players can affect their troops with certain "X-Factors," such as training exercises, or unique General strategies.
