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Braid bends time on PartnerNet
The official website for Braid, a unique platformer coming to Xbox Live Arcade, has announced that the game is now available on PartnerNet. PartnerNet, if you don't know, is a special network available to owners of an Xbox 360 dev kit. One of the first conclusions that some are likely to make is that this means Braid is nearing release. We would warn our readers that this isn't necessarily the case, as some games are available on PartnerNet well in advance of release (we're looking at you Ikaruga). So, all you lucky dev kit owners, enjoy your Braid. The rest of us will wait patiently in the corner.[Via IndieGames.com]
Ikaruga back on Xbox 360 PartnerNet
Treasure's crazed, color-coded shoot 'em up Ikaruga has been found on PartnerNet, an alternate form of Xbox Live for developers to use for testing code, according to a poster at the SHMUPS forums. The game was reportedly a 49.04 MB download, and captured screenshots show menus for the leaderboard and replay system. Also noteworthy is that the game supports both 16:9 and 16:10 aspect ratios.Ikaruga's appearance on PartnerNet does not necessarily mean the game will be released anytime soon, although there does seem to be an indication that the game is nearing completion. Ikaruga was announced for XBLA alongside Rez, which is slated for release this month.[Via Arcade Renaissance]
Rumor: Are these the next Guitar Hero DLC packs?
We don't really know if the list of three new song packs for Guitar Hero II reported by HarmonixFans.com is on the level. They look logical enough to us, but we also don't have access to the mysterious "Microsoft certification documents" from which the information was reportedly taken. So, take it with a grain of cliché, but here's the list:Pack 1: "Cowboys From Hell," "I Love Rock & Roll," "Cochise" Pack 2: "Godzilla," "I Wanna Be Sedated," "Sharp Dressed Man" Pack 3: "Iron Man," "Take Me Out," "Smoke on the Water" The thing that makes this list harder to dismiss is that this same site had a list of the first packs of GH songs before they were released to the public, and HarmonixFans says this latest tidbit is from the same source. Of course, they also qualify that the last batch of songs was on PartnerNet when they reported it and this one isn't. So, feel free to discuss the relative merits of the songs, just don't go buy $24,000 of MS points (or whatever they cost) in anticipation.[via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Xbox 360 PartnerNet video hints at Jetpac, Juiced 2007 [update 1]
"PartnerNet? Is that some sort of Xbox Live dating service?" A valid question, but one regrettably met with a negative answer. PartnerNet is a section of the Xbox Live network specifically reserved for and accessed by Xbox 360 debug units. As such, it contains unreleased and even unannounced downloadable content reserved for future migration to public servers. Embedded after the break you'll find a PartnerNet video tour of sorts, as sent anonymously to CheapyD at CheapAssGamer (sans soothing narration). Since the video was likely recorded quite a while ago, most of the listed games are familiar ones. Things to look out for are Rare's Jetpac, Juiced 2007, Absolute, Obbes Pinball, Tetris Online and Halo 2 (likely referring to the upcoming Xbox 360 multiplayer maps). Exciting, isn't it? [Update: Microsoft has politely asked us to remove the video for several understandable reasons.]
