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Have a brush with Okami for $25
More lovely Okami art here. Here's a bargain you should wolf down with a quickness: GameStop is currently selling Okami for the low, low price of $24.99.We're a tad late to this one (we are reliably informed it's been at this price for a few days, so you should definitely tell us this in the comments, perhaps adding "lawl old"), but when a game as great as Clover's masterpiece is so cheap, it doesn't harm to remind you again. Also, by providing fifty hours plus of entertainment for under twenty-five bucks, this is the perfect game for a recession! See also: Ready at Dawn talks Okami with Wii Fanboy%Gallery-16485%[Via Go Nintendo]
Okami replacement covers shipping with bonus!
Hey, remember ordering replacement boxart for your copy of Okami? To make up for the unsightly blemish on the covers that came with the game (sorry, IGN), Capcom offered a selection of replacement art ranging from "the real cover, but IGN-free" to completely new, unconventional box designs, and we all got to pick one. We've had to wait a bit, but it turns out that we'll get all of them! According to Capcom's Colin Ferris, "Each cover sheet features the cleaned cover art on one side, and the two different new designs on the other." The covers are now on their way out, ready to adorn those copies of Okami that you forgot about or traded in.If you didn't order a replacement cover, perhaps because you didn't yet own Okami and are an honest person, you can still find the high-quality images available for printing.%Gallery-16485%
Atlus lovers, head to Amazon
We've already established that having the Atlus name on the front of a box is usually A Very Good Thing, and look! Somebody at Amazon must clearly have been listening to us, as the uber-retailer has the following Atlus-published titles up for sale: Rondo of Swords -- $19.99 Draglade -- $13.39 Ontamarama -- $10.04 Contact -- $23.44 Touch Detective 2 1/2 -- $9.99 That's not all -- while we were scrounging though Amazon's bargain basement section, we found a couple of other potentially worthy additions to your DS library: Children of Mana -- $20.09 Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble -- $10.04 You can also get Ping Pals for $4.29. But like that deserves a functioning link. %Gallery-14108%
Sega talks Platinum Games deal, franchises
In a Q&A session with Gamespot, the folks at Sega detailed some of their plans and expectations for the recently announced four-game publishing deal with Platinum Games. The agreement, which grants Sega exclusive rights to Mad World (Wii), Bayonetta (PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360), Infinite Line (DS) and a mystery title from Resident Evil designer, Shinji Mikami, was officially announced during a special event last week."The guys at Platinum are just at the top of their game right now, and what they've delivered is so clearly AAA in every way, when they started to show us product, we had to have it," said Sega of America president, Simon Jeffery. When asked about the marketing challenges inherent in starting up three (possibly four) new IPs, Jeffery notes that Sega is in it for the long run. "What we've seen today is the starting point, but all of those games--Bayonetta, Madworld, Infinite Line--won't be one-offs," he explained. "They're all uniquely different enough from everything in their space to build complete franchises out of. The whole foundation of PlatinumGames is built around that long-term strategy."Though talk of franchises this early in a game's life would normally elicit concern, the ex-Clover talent at Platinum Games could certainly do with the commercial success to match their critical acclaim. Y'know, aside from the Devil May Cry and Resident Evil guys.
Sega on the Platinum Games deal
We hope Sega made a good decision when they decided to publish Platinum Games' works. Both Sega and Platinum (or Clover, really) are companies who make great games, but have had serious problems recently. We would like to see two of our favorite game companies succeed together.Gamespot spoke to Sega of America president Simon Jeffery and VP of marketing Sean Ratcliffe about the deal and what drew Sega to Platinum. Jeffery believes that Capcom's Japan-focused marketing and organization contributed to the Western failure of Clover's products, and that because Sega runs a very Western-oriented organization outside of Japan, Sega can more effectively market Platinum's games.A few interesting details about the deal came up, as well. This publishing agreement isn't just game-by-game -- Sega is Platinum's exclusive publisher for some unspecified period. Sega also holds the IP rights for the new games.%Gallery-22964%
Sega partners with PlatinumGames, reveals first MADWORLD shots
Click to enlarge. var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Blood_chainsaws_and_slaughter_Sega_reveals_MADWORLD_on_Wii'; Earlier this week on DS Fanboy, we reported on a rumor that Sega had signed up to publish three titles from PlatinumGames, the studio formed by former employees of the vaunted Clover Studio. To our delight, Sega just sent forth a press release confirming the partnership, along with the first two shots of PlatinumGames' Wii debut, MADWORLD.Described as a game that "straddles graphic novels and 3D worlds," MADWORLD looks every bit as stunning as early video footage had suggested. It's set for release during Q1, 2009, and promises weapons that range from chainsaws to street signs, irreverent humor, and sports commentary to accompany the slaughtering.Finally, there's a fourth title that Sega is keeping under wraps for now -- all we know is that it's being directed by Shinji Mikami, whose resume includes the first three Gyakuten Saiban games, God Hand, Killer 7, Resident Evil 4, and Viewtiful Joe.%Gallery-22964%[Via press release]
Mad World to make violence cheerful again
Are you sick to the back teeth of violence being so goddamn depressing? If so, Platinum Games, the developers formerly known as Clover, are right with you! In the latest edition of Famitsu, Platinum director Shigenori Nishikawa has declared that "cheerful violence" and "curb brawler" will be the themes of the company's first Wii title, Mad World. Echoes of God Hand, perhaps? Mad World was unveiled yesterday through a shaky, grainy and spectacularly bloody video. Sporting heavily stylized black-and-white visuals, the only color to be found in the game was in the fountains of blood that regularly filled the screen. According to Famitsu, ultra-violence is very much the name of the game, which stars a troubled protagonist dedicated to committing his ultimate slaughter. If you missed the footage (it was constantly being removed from video sharing sites), go past the break to catch up, and see how having a road sign lodged through one's face doesn't have to be a miserable affair.
It's a Mad World of leaked video from Platinum Games
Yesterday, DS Fanboy reported on the rumor that Platinum Games, the company started by ex-Clover Studio members (and Capcom luminaries) Atsushi Inaba, Hideki Kamiya, and Shinji Mikami), was partnering with Sega for new games to be released on the Wii and the DS. This video of Mad World is not technically confirmation since it could be a total fake, but it sure looks real -- and it sure is getting taken down from Youtube and Gametrailers with alarming speed. Mad World is a bloody, futuristic action game that looks (from the blurry video) more like a brawler than the kind of operatic sword maneuvering we know from Devil May Cry. We hate to mention it again (because we always do when talking about Clover), but it evokes a futuristic, really bloody God Hand. It looks like we were wrong about one of the rumors, by the way: Bayonetta is a PS3 game (if any of this is real), and not a Wii game.
The Okami goofs continue: Clover contributions pulled from Wii port end credits
Poor Okami for the Wii. You just can't seem to get good press, whether it be through your hilarious advertising or more hilarious boxart (at least we got a pretty neat fix, though!) Now, the game's director, Hideki Kamiya, is upset that Clover's contributions to the game were cut from the Wii title's ending credits.Trust us, we're not trying to poke fun, because, and we'll be complete honest here, we want to have Clover Studio's babies. We loved those guys and every project they had their hands on. And, even if it's a Wii port, we think him and other Clover staff members that worked on the game should be credited. Capcom doesn't think so, however.Since the end credits were all one movie (which had the Clover logo at the end of it), Capcom decided to pull the entire credits. They claim that they had no access to the original source file for the logo, so they couldn't just pull that. If you ask us, that sauce is kind of weak, because in this day and age, the ability to quickly transfer information between parties is widely known and Capcom could've easily picked up a phone and called whomever they needed to. Also, there's, uh, e-mail.If you want to see the original ending credits, cruise past the break.%Gallery-16485%
Print your own Okami boxart, IGN watermark optional
In order to share the new replacement Okami boxarts with people outside the U.S. (to whom they can't ship the printed copies), Capcom has made the boxarts available as PDF downloads, in a big, take-it-to-Kinko's resolution. Capcom's one-time blunder is becoming more of a boon to fans every day.We checked the new version of the original design for IGN watermarks, and didn't see one. That means that you can place the IGN watermark wherever you'd like! You now have the power to choose the size, location, and opacity of the IGN logo on your Okami boxart. For that matter, you could use any watermark you like!
Okami guide also IGN'd?
Apparently IGN is the place to go for high-resolution Okami artwork. BradyGames' Okami strategy guide is also marred by IGN branding -- but a different logo, and in a different place. At first, we thought this was a windup from a tricky Kotaku commenter -- then we looked at the cover on the Brady Games website. Not only does the little D-pad-esque IGN logo appear next to Amaterasu's mouth, this watermark also features "IGN," and you can just see the ".COM" at the end there. Okay, so the Kotaku commenter is absolved -- now we kind of think this must be a joke on the part of the person who made the preview image for Brady's website. If not, we can look forward to some decorative slipcovers.[Via Kotaku]
The US Postal Service wants your useless junk
The US Postal Service may soon become very relevant to a generation which seems increasingly disinterested in physical mail. The USPS is launching a pilot program in ten cities and 1,500 post offices which hopes to aid in the fight against electronic waste. Come rain, sleet, snow, or any other violent natural occurrence, the post office will now allow you to mail used printer ink cartridges, PDAs, MP3 players, and other small electronics to Clover -- a company which recycles the castoff hunks of metal and plastic -- free of charge. You can feel pretty good about utilizing the new service too, as Clover is a "zero landfill" company, which means they do everything they can to avoid making more waste. Now, if the postal service can just do something about these old TVs that need hauling...
Okami keeps us hungry like the wolf for three more weeks
Unless you have a PlayStation 2, you're going to have to be patient. Ready at Dawn's highly-anticipated Wii port of Okami has been delayed from its original March 25th release date to April 15th. Gamespot, who received confirmation of the delay from Capcom, conjectures that some of Ready at Dawn's resources were shifted to expedite the release of the PSP God of War game.It could also be the case that Wii game publishers are quickly backing out of their March release dates, waiting out the coming Wii megaton instead of sending their games out to die. It's probably good strategy, although people who don't like fighting games are going to feel pretty unloved.%Gallery-16485%
Okami Wii shines with new widescreen, progressive scan support
Contrary to what has previously been stated, the Nintendo Wii port of Okami will have some extra frills. A listing on Capcom's website reveals that Clover Studio's masterpiece will now support widescreen (16:9) and 480p progressive scan support. That should give you more than enough reason to finally splurge on some Wii component cables. Developer Ready at Dawn, who is responsible for the port, had previously said the game would be an "exact port" with only Wii remote support added during brush stroke moments. While this isn't new content, the technical improvement is a welcome addition to this visually stunning title. Okam-Wii (not an official title) is due out March 25.
Capcom brags up Okami's Wii controls, teases at follow-up
Christian Svensson, Capcom's VP of Strategic Planning and Business Development, recently answered a few questions fans had for the upcoming Wii release of Okami. According to his report, preview copies of the game are being sent to media outlets this week, so it won't be long before we hear hands-on impressions for the PS2-to-Wii port!While Christian warns gamers not to expect any new content or a special edition release, he makes sure to remind us why we wanted the game brought to the the Wii in the first place: "It takes about 10 minutes to get used to using the Wii drawing, but once you do, it's effortless and fast as compared to the PS2 version. The act of physically drawing also has an amazing feel to it and really changes the pace/feel of the game."As if that wasn't enough to sell the game to anxious fans of the ARPG, he went on to add, "We have reasonable but modest expectations for the title ... If it happens to "destroy" said expectations, I'd definitely think hard about new content." It's a difficult promise to keep considering the current status of developer Clover, but stranger things have happened![Via Nintendic]
Did Okami out-Zelda Twilight Princess?
In an effort to bait Nintendo fans generate interest in Ready at Dawn's upcoming Okami port, CVG has posted an article suggesting that Okami is a better Wii-ported 3D action-adventure game than Zelda: Twilight Princess. For mostly superficial reasons. Specifically, the swirling, watercolor-like art style, exploding with color in every screen. CVG's contention is that simply exploring the world of Okami is more fun than the "mature" brown Hyrule in part because it's more interesting to look at. In addition, the paintbrush interaction with the world (and its inhabitants) makes Nippon more engaging than Hyrule.They break their comparisons down into a five-point list of aspects like "Support" (Midna vs. Issun) and "Main Character" (hilarious description: " No contest. Ameratsu has a mischievous charm betraying her position as a goddess. Link just rolls around shouting 'Huh?'") and in the end Okami just barely wins this arbitrary game by one point. But before you get all huffy about somebody saying that something is better in some way than Zelda: the point isn't exactly that someone considers Okami better than Twilight Princess. That such a comparison is even conceivable is a sincere testament to Okami's undeniable quality.[Via OMGNintendo]
Atsushi Inaba wants to work with Nintendo platforms
Fans of the Viewtiful Joe franchise (or anything from Clover, really) will likely know the name Atsushi Inaba. The closing of Clover was very sad, but eventually led to SEEDS and, now, Platinum Games. So, just what interests Inuba and co. lately?Why, the DS and Wii, of course. When asked by 1UP on which platforms were desirable launching pads for a new title, Inaba said "Of course the Wii and DS are attractive platforms; they're platforms that aren't competing by way of the graphics. It's more about the gameplay." We couldn't agree more, because playing is believing with the Wii. Immediate releases from Platinum Games might not be on the horizon, however, as Inaba stated "we do want to create games on Wii and DS. But we have staff that has been creating games on the newest technology, like the PS3 and Xbox 360, so we are not interested in cutting that out."But, this interview is supposedly a bit late hitting the net, so there's also that to consider.[Via Go Nintendo]
Resident Evil's Shinji Mikami begins work on new project
"YEEEeeeees!!!"We couldn't agree more with Shinji Mikami's recent exclamation on his blog, where he announced that work had finally begun on a new, untitled project. The blog entry (translated by IGN) explains that the Resident Evil creator has managed to assemble a development team for his first endeavor under the Platinum Games banner. Though he says that more staff will be required to complete the game, we don't expect the lack of creative talent will pose much of a problem considering the company he's keeping at the studio.Mikami, eventually joined by Viewtiful Joe's Atsushi Inaba and Devil May Cry's Hideki Kamiya, departed Capcom in 2006 to form a new company, Seeds. In September 2007, it was announced that Seeds had merged with ODD Incorporated and ruined changed its name to "Platinum Games." NOOOooooo!!!
Europe to wait for Okami, reckons insider
In news that caused us to throw our heads back and howl loudly at the moon, an "inside source" close to Eurogamer has informed the site that Europeans will have to wait until summer for Okami. According to the latest schedule, the game is still set to appear in the U.S. on March 25th.It's not the first time this has happened with one of Capcom's Wii releases -- Europe may have had only ten days to wait for Resident Evil 4, but Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure took its sweet time getting here, and only launched last week. Then again, the Wii hardly sells in Europe, does it?Aussies, it's not confirmed, but recent history suggests you might be in the same boat. Can you feel the love? Can you?
Okami Wii-ports for duty on March 25
You people should be thanking Ready at Dawn for providing you with a means of escape from the unforgiving and surprisingly creative torture we had planned for all Okami skippers. By purchasing the "exact" Wii port of Clover Studios' beautiful swan song when it releases on March 25th (the date Capcom says it's "currently driving towards"), you'll earn yourself a chance at redemption. And by the time you're actually playing it on March 26th (the intro is a bit on the long side), you'll thank us for pointing you to the best Zelda game in years.
