e4
Latest
Netflix's take on 'The End of the F**king World' debuts January 5th
Netflix has been diving head-first into graphic novel adaptations as of late, and its next premiere might just be a sterling example of that. The streaming service has announced that its adaptation of Charles Forsman's graphic novel The End of the F**king World will premiere on January 5th. As the bleeped out title suggests, this isn't exactly a family-friendly coming of age story. Self-admitted teen psychopath James joins salty rebel Alyssa on a road trip to find a new life, at first looking for opportunities to kill her and eventually realizing that he's starting to develop feelings. Suffice it to say that their clashing-yet-oddly-matching personalities lead them to strange places.
Netflix and E4 team up for 'Kiss Me First' gaming drama
Netflix is a proven producer of top-tier TV shows, so it should come as no surprise that traditional broadcasters now want to collaborate on new projects. Today, Channel 4 announced that it's teaming up with the streaming giant for a show called Kiss Me First, which follows two girls and their dual lives in the real world and a video game called Agora. It'll premiere on E4 in the UK before being shown on Netflix around the world. The six-part drama won't be available to British Netflix subscribers, although that shouldn't be too much of a problem given that All 4 is essentially free to use (you'll have to sit through the ads though).
E4 will 'shut down' on election day to encourage young people to vote
What's the best way to encourage young people to vote? There's no definitive answer, but switching off a TV channel is one of the more unusual ideas we've heard about. For the UK's General Election on May 7th, Channel 4 says it will "shut down" E4 from 7am and instead show a fictional character called Darren. As promotional ads reveal, the idea is that Darren runs E4 behind the scenes, and will be turning off the channel to make sure everyone places their vote. It's not like E4 will actually close down that day, but still, it's brave of the broadcaster to abandon its usual slate of shows, ads and promos. We're interested to see how the public reacts -- it's a little patronising to suggest all of Britain's youth is incapable of voting and watching The Big Bang Theory in a single day.
4oD catch-up apps now support mobile streaming
While Channel 4's catch-up service 4oD has been available on mobile for a number of years, viewers were always limited to streaming their favourite shows over a Wi-Fi connection. That changed at the start of the month when the broadcaster updated its iOS app to deliver streams over 3G and 4G connections. It took a couple of weeks, but it's now equipped its Android app with the same capability. That means you can now stream full Channel 4, E4 and More4 programmes when you're on the move and enjoy "4Shorts," hundreds of clips, extras and trailers from your favourite shows. If you wanted to stream Countdown while on your daily commute, you can now do so on either your iOS or Android device.
Found Footage: Say hello to ePad
Apple is definitely one of the world's most admired companies, but their lofty ambitions, high visibility, and easy-to-identify style also makes them ripe for parody, as in this very funny video by the UK's E4. They're boasting about a madeup device called the ePad, which will wow you with its revolutionary and magical keyboard, screen, and standard attached computer and television. Like they say, if you want to see one of their shows, you can just literally reach out and touch ... well, we won't ruin the surprise. But it is funny. And it shows that while yes, the iPad is a cool device, anything you talk about in a "revolutionary" and "magical" way can seem like it's exactly that -- even if it is just another heavy piece of junk.
Mizuguchi's XBLA games compiled in Q3 "Cubed" compilation
More new coming from today's Atari press conference is word that game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi will be releasing all three of his Xbox Live Arcade games to retail as a compilation disc. This Arcade compilation will be called Q3 (Cubed) and will include Lumines Live!, Every Extend Extra Extreme as well as Rez HD and include all DLC associated with each title.Pricing for the compilation will be €30 (around $40), but a firm release date has yet to be confirmed. Expect early 2009.[Via Joystiq]
Atari announces Mizuguchi's 'QJ' for Wii, 'Q3' compilation
Atari is banking on Tetsuya Mizuguchi's next project, a music game with the working title "QJ," to reestablish the celebrated developer at the top of his, uh, game -- or to strike a chord with Wii owners, at least. The publisher announced today that it will bring Q Entertainment's QJ to Wii, but omitted further details. Marching behind a string of Lumines sequels, Mizuguchi has stumbled offbeat with his last several experiments, including Ninety-Nine Nights, Gunpey and Every Extend Extra Extreme. But QJ's music foundation suggests that Mizuguchi could be drumming up renewed inspiration from his own cult classic, Space Channel 5. Additionally, Atari announced the Q3 ("Cubed") compilation disc for Xbox 360, which will include Mizuguchi's XBLA games: Every Extend Extra Extreme, Lumines Live and Rez HD, along with all released DLC. The collection has been given a tentative price of €30 (roughly $40) and has yet to be dated for release.
Fanswag: win Tetris Splash and E4
[Update: Our winners have been chosen. A big congrats to Frappioo on his copy of E4 and knight667 who won Tetris Splash.]Unexpected things are often problematic. For instance, perhaps one day you will wake up with a rabid wolverine in your underwear. Fairly problematic, right? Our situation is perhaps less dire, though. See, we've just been handed some Xbox Live Arcade download codes for Tetris Spash and Every Extend Extra Extreme. See, it doesn't really make sense to wait until next week to give them away, and we've already had this week's Fanswag Weekly giveaway. So, we've decided to offer these up to two lucky winners today! Simply follow the instructions below and you may have yourself a copy of one of these games by 5:00pm ET today, just in time for the weekend. Leave a comment on this post. The content of said comment really doesn't matter, but why not mention how awesome we are. We always like that. Be sure you only leave one comment, posters of multiple comments will be disqualified. We'll accept entries until 5:00pm today, October 19th, Eastern Time. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. After 5:00pm today, we'll pick two winners via a random drawing One 1st prize winner will receive a download code for Every Extend Extra Extreme, worth $10. One 2nd prize winner will receive a download code for Tetris Splash, worth $10. That's it. Best of luck to everyone. To read the official rules, click here.
E4 and Speedball 2 now on XBLA
If you turn on your Xbox 360 today -- and we have a sneaking suspicion that you will -- you will find two brand new games to download for Xbox Live Arcade. On one hand we have Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe. On the other we have Every Extend Extra Extreme (mercifully abbreviated E4). Speedbal brings a taste of the oft overlooked "sport of the future" genre. Previously, this ground was held solely by Smash TV, though that's really not fair as Smash TV is really part of a much smaller "game show of the future" niche. E4 brings absolutely nothing to the "sport of the future" genre, opting insteasd for lots of pretty lights and trippy music. All in all we have two unique offerings. Go get 'em and tell us what you think.
This Wednesday: E4, Speedball II, and discounted Lumines
Joining the already announced Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe this Wednesday on Xbox Live Arcade is the announced-in-March XBLA rendition of Q Entertainment's Every Extend Extra dubbed, helpfully, Every Extend Extra Extreme. Both titles will be available for 800 Microsoft Points ($10). Also joining the two full games is some news on older Xbox Live Arcade titles. First, Band of Bugs has a new expansion pack out titled "Ninja Sticks of Fury" which, we presume, will be the same 250 points ($3.12) as their previous expansions. And finally, Lumines Live! will get two "skins" free for all XBL Gold members through November 14th. Don't like free? They've also got a "Rockin' Holiday Pack" available for 400 MS Points. If you're thinking, "Hey, that's great Joystiq but I was turned off by the game's initial pricing" we're pleased to relay the news that, as of Wednesday morning at 9am GMT, Lumines Live! will be permanently discounted to 800 MS Points. How about now? %Gallery-8659%
E4 and Speedball 2 dash onto XBLA this week
This week's twofer Xbox Live Arcade offerings were just announced this morning and both game should leave you with a sense of fulfillment and joy. First up is a 800 Microsoft point Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe which includes 32 teams, 2D or 3D gameplay, Xbox Live fun and more Speedball goodness than you can shake a stick at. The other half of this week's twofer is Q Entertainment's Every Extend Extra Extreme which will also be available for 800 Microsoft points and features numerous game modes, lots of enemies and allows the use of gamers' custom music tracks. This Wednesday, October 17th the Arcade world has no choice but to get extra extreme to the brutal deluxe max, yo!
Joystiq plays Every Extend Extra Extreme
Joystiq managed to get some hands-on time with Every Extend Extra Extreme from Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Q? Entertainment. Described as something of an inverse take on the shooter genre (your goal is to blow up your own ship), Joystiq notes that E4 is a marked improvement over the original PSP iteration. First and foremost, the musical nature of the game (typical of Q? Entertainment titles) is now actually integrated with the gameplay. In other words, the actions you take in the game will affect the music. The game also incorporates a new shield system that encourages faster-paced gameplay. There is a new Endless mode which, appropriately enough, goes on forever so long as players continue to acquire Extend power-ups. Boss encounters have been removed from the game, which Joystiq finds puzzling, but overall the impression is definitely a good one. Head over to Joystiq for their full impressions.
TGS hands-on: Every Extend Extra Extreme
Don't let the ridiculous title fool you: Every Extend Extra Extreme has a lot going for it. Q? Entertainment's upcoming XBLA game expands upon the ideas of Every Extend Extra and provides a refreshing twist on a familiar concept. Unlike other shooters where players must protect their ship at all costs, E4 has players actually blowing up their own ships. The explosions caused by the self-detonated destruction ripple across, creating a domino effect that destroys all enemy ships within range of the connecting string of explosions. E4 improves upon the previous titles by making true on the promise of the PSP E3. Mizuguchi's trademark music synesthesia style was merely cosmetic in that title, with almost no interactivity between the music and gameplay. E4 is different, however. As if taking a cue from Everyday Shooter, the explosions now add to the musical tapestry of the game, as they'll add an interesting and catchy beat to the music playing in the background. Detonating at the top of a beat will make the resulting blast even more powerful, so internalizing the music will only add to the gameplay experience. E4 also adds a new shield system that encourages players to pick up power-ups as quickly as possible before they become vulnerable once again. The balance created by the new shield system creates a much faster-paced game than before, one where players will opt to trigger explosions more frequently -- it also makes the game a lot more accessible than the PSP title, which was somewhat notorious for its difficulty.
Rumor: Every Extend Extra Extreme Extricated in August for $10
In concluding a rather positive preview of rhythmically exploding retina melter, Every Extend Extra Extreme, IGN seems to casually pin down the game's release window and pricing. Article author, Douglass C. Perry, writes that Q? Entertainment's next Xbox Live Arcade game will be in one piece "and cost about $10, or 800 Microsoft points" when it arrives this summer, "probably August." When queried about this information, a Microsoft spokesperson couldn't determine its exact origin, offering that "Microsoft hasn't announced anything about the title at all, other than it exists." Though it seems possible that Q? Entertainment simply informed IGN directly, prefacing the information with words like "about" and "probably" seems to indicate that nobody really knows for sure. Mizuguchi fans looking forward to the more Extreme version of Every Extend Extra will have to extend their patience just a bit more.
Every Extend Extra Extreme Arcade bound
According to the 'stiq, the next title from Tetsuya Mizuguchi expected to hit XBLA is Every Extend Extra Extreme. E4 is going to be an updated version of the PSP's E3. The freebie PC version of Every Extend was originally developed by Omega. From the sounds of the press release, it looks like you'll be able to play with your own music, along with playing a versus mode online. Unfortunately, the schedule for the release is later this year, so don't expect it to be showing up as a surprise download during GDC. Have you played Every Extend before, on either the PC or PSP?[Thanks, Jonah Falcon]
Mizuguchi's Every Extend Extra Extreme announced for XBLA
It was never going to be Rez, and we knew it -- not unless Q has surprises for us -- but Tetsuya Mizuguchi's next bound-for-XBLA opus does have sufficient neon-on-black to make us very happy Marketplace campers. Every Extend Extra Extreme, or E4 for short, is a new take on E3 (which Q developed for the PSP last year). The original Every Extend game was developed by Omega for the PC (the freeware version is here). Described as a "trippy visual journey of self destruction," E4 will enable you to play with your own tunes -- or, according to the peoplespeak of Q's press release, "wiz ur muzik" -- and against others in an online versus mode. If you're hooked on the PSP version (and if not, do get hooked), you'll know that the gameplay is all about chain reactions. Pretty chain reactions. But this XBLA version also offers Leaderboards and Achievements to keep the chain junkies flying. When, you ask? "Later this year." %Gallery-1918%
