a2m
Latest
Revenge of the Wounded Dragons side-scrolling onto PSN tomorrow, Nov. 24
A few days after its mysterious appearance on the ESRB database, the Sony Online Entertainment–published Revenge of the Wounded Dragons has been fully revealed -- and it's coming out this week. Tomorrow, in fact! Developed by A2M-owned Wanako Games, Wounded Dragons wears its inspirations on its sleeve, with a rescue-your-girlfriend story straight out of Double Dragon and single-file waves of enemies à la Kung Fu. Wounded Dragons appears to feature a more involved combo system than its forebears, though, along with modern niceties like Trophies, custom soundtracks and leaderboards. Like NES fighters, however, the game is limited to local play -- yes, despite, ironically, being published by SOE. Revenge of the Wounded Dragons will be released on the PlayStation Store tomorrow, November 24, for $9.99. Hit the break to watch the trailer.
ESRB rates SOE-published 2D brawler 'Revenge of the Wounded Dragons' [update]
Update: An SOE rep has confirmed to Joystiq that more details on the game will be released next Monday. Hold tight! If it weren't strange enough that Sony Online Entertainment is listed as the publisher for recently ESRB rated PlayStation 3 side-scrolling brawler Revenge of the Wounded Dragons, we find it all the stranger that a trademark filing from last September puts Wet developer A2M in the developer's seat. The game's description, aside from pinning it as a PS3 exclusive, tells us that it's a "2D fighting game" where players will "frequently punch, kick, and throw enemies as they 'side-scroll' forward through the platform city environments." We put our top men on deciphering this rating-wary, encrypted message, and they have surmised that the title will likely be some form of a Double Dragon clone. Reading further into the description, we see that the game follows "two brothers attempting to avenge their grandfather's death and rescue their sister from the local mafia boss." A 2D, sidescrolling brawler that follows the tale of two brothers out for revenge? You don't say! We contacted both A2M and Sony Online Entertainment for comment, but have yet to hear back. Source 1 - ESRB Source 2 - USPTO Congratulations to osuiscoolteam2008 on being the first to comment. You've been emailed a free Battlefield: Bad Company 2 beta code. Click here, for more information on this giveaway. Official rules apply.
Developers frustrated with ESRB cheaters
Speaking at the Montreal International Game Summit, developers spoke out against the practice trying to scam the ESRB out of a lower rating. "They say to the ESRB that it's a Teen rating rather than a Mature to try and sell more; you can do this just by sending them a video that doesn't show the most violent stuff and then you'll get the rating that you want rather than the rating you should get," said Rémi Racine, the CEO of Wet developer A2M, according to Edge. "Maybe getting your game out at a certain rating will help that game, but it's really not going to help the industry as a whole." For its part, the ESRB says that it regularly checks up on games post-release, and those publishers who try to cheat their way into a lower rating could be slapped with a $1 million fine. So, while cheaters may never prosper, when it comes to those who try and cheat the ESRB, the axiom might more accurately be "Cheaters may prosper, but only for a little while, and not even really at all in the grand scheme of things." Yeah, you're right, it lacks some punch. But you get the idea.
Eliza Dushku interested in live-action Wet
While the idea of getting wet at the movies doesn't sound all that great (wet clothes and air conditioning don't mix, people!), the prospect of a Wet movie is certainly something we can get behind. That's just what voice of Rubi Malone Eliza Dushku proposed during an interview with MTV, stating that the game "maybe could turn into a live-action Dushku vehicle."Of course, it's best to keep in mind that there aren't any actual plans yet; Dushku isn't confirming things are in motion to make a live-action Wet film a reality, rather she wouldn't mind playing Rubi Malone in the film if it ever happens. We wouldn't mind it, either -- it'd give her a chance to make up for her underwhelming performance in the game.
A2M trademarks 'Naughty Bear,' no one shocked
Artificial Mind and Movement, better known to those in the gaming world as A2M, seems to be in the business of inappropriate euphemism name mashups. Starting with the company's own name's abbreviation, moving into the recently published Wet, and recently filing a trademark (spotted by Superannuation) for a new game titled "Naughty Bear," it appears as though the developer is on a mission to bring devilish grimaces to the faces of 13-year-old boys everywhere (ours included).Oh, and just in case you were thinking about quickly snatching up the merchandising or film trademarks to such an impressive sounding name, A2M covered its bases and nabbed those too. We do hear that "Sexy Gorilla" might be available, though. [Image credit] [Via Superannuation]
Review: Wet
You have to love a game that works solely on the strength of its convictions. Deep down in the very core of its rockabilly heart, Wet knows that shooting dudes while you slow-mo dive and slide is fun. Fun enough to build an entire game around without too much ancillary garbage? Yes. A thousands times yes. Sure, Artificial Mind and Movement has sexed it up with a gritty grindhouse feel and some outstanding music, but Wet is a game that never forgets on which side its bread is buttered. And that's the murder side ... of the, um, bread. %Gallery-51182%
GameStop knocks $10 off Wet and Rogue Warrior pre-orders
GameStop is looking to entice those on the video game-purchasing fence (it's a real thing ... look it up!) regarding upcoming Bethesda-published titles Wet and Rogue Warrior by offering $10 off each game's price should they pre-order through the retailer. If you decide to snag both games (what are you, a millionaire?), we only ask that, should you leave the two games alone in a room, you keep the door cracked. We'd hate to see what kind of super-killer offspring they'd produce. [Via Bethesda Blog] Source – Wet at GameStop Source – Rogue Warrior at GameStop
Eliza Dushku: Games 'acceptable and cool for grown ups'
BBC News caught up with Eliza Dushku recently, noted actress (uh, you've seen Bring it On, right?!) and voice of protagonist Rubi in the upcoming A2M-developed Wet. When it comes to games, she's apparently a fan and says they're a pretty acceptable form of entertainment (thanks!).She says that games have "almost become acceptable and cool for grown ups -- not for people who are just in their teens." In fact, some of her own friends and colleagues used to be ashamed of their gaming, but now do so "loud and proud." In all fairness, though, most of her friends are Blinx: The Time Sweeper fans, so they probably should be ashamed.
Wet trailer gives us a shot at love
What's better than controlling a femme fatale equipped with handguns and a katana? How about a song making light of her murderous nature? Wet developer A2M have delivered just that in the video you see above, with various impaled victims bursting into song over the course of the blood-splattered video. Here's hoping that the game will be as exciting and hilarious as the viral ad above paints it to be when it hits store shelves on September 15.
Wet to slash and shoot retail on September 15
Bethesda's new publishing arm is prepared to bring the Eliza Dushku-voiced, Artificial Mind and Movement-developed Wet to retail shelves in North America on September 15. Back at E3, we thought the game showed a lot of promise, yet the experience was kind of dampened by environmental inconsistencies. It's tough to be a super badass and stylishly murder countless goons when you barely have elbow room, you know?
Impressions: Wet (PS3, Xbox 360)
Wet is a game that is for all intents and purposes pretty good, but it has the makings to be a lot better. However, the developers failed to give Rubi the room she needs, and for the brief period of time we had with the game, felt the confines of the small environments kept the game from realizing its full potential.We won't bother wasting your time regaling the concept behind the game and what the whole point is -- we've already done that. Instead, we'll address what the game has done right, and what needs to change before a good game can become a great game. %Gallery-51182%
Matt Shell and the Story of Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings
In this video, Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings producer Matt Shell offers a brief outline of the new game's story. He mentions that the team worked closely with George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to get the story right, and it shows! The plot for Staff of Kings is one hundred percent Indiana Jones. By which, of course, we mean there's a powerful artifact that Indy has to find, and some bad guys fight him in and around moving vehicles as he pursues it. The magical artifact in this game sounds extra cool: the Staff of Kings is Moses' staff, imbued with the power to part waters, "invoke plagues, and bring down pillars of fire from the sky." That sounds a lot better than the Crystal Skull from the last movie, which we believe was used primarily by Dan Aykroyd to hold vodka.
Joystiq impressions: Wet
By now you know that Wet is the latest of Activision Blizzard's castaways to have been rescued from a grizzly, unpublished fate. At Bethesda's 2009 lineup showcase in London, we were given a demonstration of how the rescued game has progressed since it was last shown properly in 2007. Wet is a stylised, Tarantino-flavored acrobatic shooter for the PS3 and 360. The emphasis here is on constant movement and pulling off Kill Bill style moves, without having to resort to cinematics or quick-time events. Imagine Mirror's Edge meets Stranglehold and Devil May Cry. You play as Rubi -- voiced by Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku -- who is a "fixer." That's another word for "hired assassin," which explains the game's name -- a shortened version of the term "wetworks."The game reeks of 1970s action films, from the art direction and animation to the music and the environments. There's even a grainy film filter over the entire game, though apparently this can be turned off or changed in the settings menu. What we saw wasn't the most graphically impressive game in the world, but the abundance of style made up for any technical shortcomings.%Gallery-51182%
First in-game images of Dante's Inferno PSP surface
Curious what hell looks like in the palm of your hand? Eurogamer.pt has posted a pair of in-game shots taken from the recently announced PSP version of Dante's Inferno, which, while impressive, only further cement the notion that this particular take on Divine Comedy offers the liberalest of interpretations. Set to ship sometime in 2010 alongside home console versions, Dante's Inferno for the PSP is being jointly developed by EA Redwood Shores and Wet developer A2M. The Prince of Lies' involvement in the project, however, remains purely rumor and speculation -- but, we can hear him whispering, whispering, whisper ...%Gallery-51141%
Dante's Inferno set to burn up PSP next year
Electronic Arts has announced that its forthcoming, hellish action romp, Dante's Inferno, will be heating up the PSP in 2010. The portable version will ship alongside those previously announced for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with Wet developer A2M working with EA Redwood Shores to translate the game's nine circles of hell onto the small screen. Even with this news, details remain scant on the project. Still, given the game's purported God of War-style gameplay, we have high hopes that Dante will be able to follow in the Ghost of Sparta's miniaturized footsteps when Dante's Inferno ships for the PSP next year.
A girl with guns and a sword, new trailer for Wet
We're trying hard to temper any excitement for Wet with the cold reality that, despite looking like a lot of fun to play, the upcoming action fest is still sans a publisher to call its own. Even so, that hasn't stopped developer A2M from releasing gameplay showing off the game's high-flying antics, which look to mix together elements of Tomb Raider and Max Payne with a dash of Kill Bill.No release date has been set, though the Montreal dev teases that Wet is "coming soon." It's good to see that even after being dumped by Activision Blizzard, going solo hasn't dampened the studio's spirits.
Mirror's Edge and Mercenaries 2 fail to excite Japan
Anecdotal evidence suggests that neither Mirror's Edge nor Mercenaries 2 took off in Japan. This picture shows stacks of new copies of both games on sale for ¥1,980 ($21). Mirror's Edge was released on December 11 in Japan, and Mercenaries 2 followed one week later. Both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions are marked down, so the blame for poor sales doesn't fall solely on 360's lowly reputation in Japan. Japan has no rental services, so people tend to buy games, complete them immediately, and then sell them back to stores asap, before the prices are slashed, leading to a precipitous drop in used prices of popular games. Even that isn't the case here -- these games are new, and retailer Sofmap's website shows used copies of Mirror's Edge at ¥4,780 for PS3 and 360, while new copies are marked down to a mere ¥1,980. Would Mirror's Edge have benefited from a lead character redesigned for Asian audiences? Maybe, if that redesign had also encompassed not making the game a first-person shooter.
A2M still wants gamers to get 'Wet'
A2M still wants to get gamers Wet, despite the fact that the title doesn't have a publisher. A casualty of the Activision Blizzard merger, Wet was one of the titles drowned out of a Sierra lineup that included Ghostbusters and Brütal Legend.In an interview with Edge, A2M ???senior artistic technical director, David Lightbrown, described Wet as an acrobatic shooter. Gameplay will allow players to perform various acrobatic moves while blasting foes away, but instead of the "combo heavy approach" found in Devil May Cry, A2M wants players to feel rewarded for utilizing acrobatics. Wet has been designed as an arena-style experience, making it at least somewhat similar to Devil May Cry's "lock you in the room until the monsters are dead" approach. %Gallery-40639%
WET resurfaces, new screens dried off
Sometimes news comes from where you least expect it. Case in point: middleware firm Illuminate Labs. The lighting tech company recently toweled off new screens for Blizzavision cast off, WET, confirming that the acrobatic shooter is still expected to bound onto retail shelves for the PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime in 2009. In development at Montreal-based developer Artificial Mind and Movement (A2M), WET has remained submerged well below the radar since it was first detailed in August 2007. Beyond the new eye candy, WET's pool of details remains shallow, though it's at least good to know that someone will be fishing the game out of the well someday soon.%Gallery-40639%[Via CVG]
EA: 'There will be a Mercenaries 3'
EA boss John Riccitielo is the latest company bigwig talking up more sequels, just as his publishing megalith struck gold with Dead Space, one of the best original titles it's had in years. This time it's Mercenaries, which Riccitielo confirmed will see a third installment developed by series creator Pandemic. "There will be a Mercenaries 3," Riccitielo said during an investor call, adding, "and, if I have anything to do with it, there will be a Mercenaries 10." With nearly two million copies sold worldwide, a sequel to the open-world action game was a given ... but another seven beyond that? Mattias will be 'jacking other residents' wheelchairs at the mercenary retirement home by that point.
