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D-BOX ventures into video game sector with Motion Code
First it was home theaters, and then came the rumors of actual theaters. Now, D-BOX is officially getting into bed with video games, though we can't say for certain how well it'll be received. For those in the dark, D-BOX's Motion Code system enables specialized chairs to rumble and bumble along with the on-screen action, and thanks to a new deal with Electronic Arts, synchronized buzzing will be a part of Need for Speed Undercover on the PC. There's no word on what other titles are lined up for Motion Code treatment, but we've all ideas this one here will be a litmus test of sorts to see how things pan out. Call us crazy, but we'll take an actual Sunday drive over a simulation.[Via TheHDRoom]
Video: NFS takes on the fuzz, goes Undercover
Embedded after the break is the latest Need for Speed: Undercover trailer "Cop Chase" and, from the title alone, you can deduce that there are cops, chases and cops participating in a chase. Surprising though is that the trailer is actually pretty decent and succeeds in its purpose, piquing our interest and getting us interested in the latest NFS iteration. We're not sure if this trailer is representative of the entire Undercover experience, but here's to hoping it is. Thumbs up to "Cop Chase".
Cops and Robbers race online in NFS Undercover
Jiggers, fellas! It's the cops! Need for Speed Undercover, EA's latest attempt at pulling its arcade racing stable out of a seemingly never-ending tailspin, will allow players on both sides of the law to size each other up in a new multiplayer mode called Cops and Robbers. According to EA, the new mode will allow two teams of up to four players each to compete against each other to deliver -- or prevent the delivery of -- a package to a safe house. Additionally, the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC versions will support up to eight players in sprint and circuit multiplayer races as well. Of course, it remains to be seen if Undercover will do enough to remind us why we once cared about this franchise, or if, as our recent impressions found, it will just feel like Most Wanted with a new coat of paint.
EA uncovers NFS Undercover game mode
In anticipation of the release of Need for Speed: Undercover, Black Box and EA just revealed an all new Undercover online game mode called "Cops and Robbers". Just as it sounds, Cops and Robbers pits two opposing teams of four against each other (one cops, one robbers) in an attempt to earn the most points. Robbers have the mission to pickup various packages and drop them off at specified destinations, while the Cops team tries to prevent the package delivery. Once the round is complete, players will swap sides and play as either the Cops or Robbers. Hmm, sounds innovative!
Uncovered: New Need for Speed Undercover trailer
Though the above Need For Speed: Undercover trailer is excitedly labeled as the debut of gameplay footage (!!!), what little (albeit pretty) racing action it boasts is quickly pushed aside by an ex-cop meat head and Tom Cruise channeller. Ever the innovative and unorthodox rebel, "G-Mac" keenly points out that he doesn't like rules, man, but thrills.We're going to chalk this trailer up as a failure, lest its intention was to instill a desire to punch the game in its unshaven, pretentious face. Best you read our hands-on instead. Gallery: Need For Speed Undercover
Joystiq hands-on: Need For Speed Undercover
click to enlarge Call us old fashioned, but we're just a little more interested in how EA's next Need For Speed will stack up as a gameplay experience than a Hollywood movie starring Maggie Q. (No offense, miss, er, Q.) So celebutaunts and FMV (okay, HD FMV) aside, the demo of the game we got behind the wheel of is surprisingly ... a racing game with cop chases.Mind you, it's very pretty, with HDR lighting and a nice healthy framerate to, dare we say, satiate one's need for speed. To that end, one of the three challenge types we played – Highway Battle – was an all-out drag race through heavy freeway traffic, the goal of which being to get far enough to your opponent that they "fail out." It was a rush, and showcased the ease of control EA is aiming for with Undercover's cars (read: we didn't crash nearly as much as we'd expected to), but it was over all too quickly.%Gallery-30062%
GC 2008: What's new in Need for Speed Undercover?
To be blunt, after some of the series' most disappointing entries, Need for Speed Undercover has something to prove. Today, EA revealed some of the features of the November release, the opening salvo in the battle to win back our hearts (unless you count the announcement of Maggie Q's involvement ... which we do not.)You'll be taking down a crime syndicate with Ms. Q (if you're nasty), a story that will be presented with the help of live-action footage (hooray!). From a gameplay perspective, the big draw seems to be the Heroic Driving System, which EA describes as "a unique technology that generates incredible high-performance moves at 180 miles per hour during breathtaking highway battles." ... So, it's an emergency brake?Maybe it's just our relief from the yucky, Far 2 Fast and Uncom4tably Furious aesthetic that's plagued the series recently, but this new entry sounds like a breath of fresh air. Well, Undercover, it would seem we, much like the Ghostbusters, are ready to believe in you.%Gallery-30062%
Video: Need for Speed Undercover live action uncovered
Anytime we hear that a game will feature live action sequences, we immediately have nightmares about awful, awful Sega CD games. Now, we're not saying that the live action sequences in Need for Speed Undercover will be awful. In fact, if this recently released video is any indication, they may actually be pretty good. The video features a police officer discussing the state of Tri-city, the city where Undercover takes place. Unfortunately, other than what appears to be some CG footage at the end, there isn't a hint of what the game actually looks like. Maybe next time.
Need for Speed Undercover speeds to November
Black Box today announced that Need For Speed Undercover will be arriving November 18 in North America and Novermber 21 in Europe. The game brings cop chases back to the series and features actress Maggie Q -- famous for her roles in Live Free or Die Hard and Mission Impossible III (not to mention having a letter for a last name) -- in live action segments that "propel the original story." Q plays a federal agent, described as "a seductive handler who recruits and guides players as they go undercover." Let's get this straight, a sexy woman recruits you so you can become an undercover agent that drives awesome cars for a living? So, basically, it's a 15-year-old's fantasy come true.For what it's worth, Black Box claims that Undercover "takes the franchise back to its roots" and throws police chases back into the mix. No word on whether or not the police involved are also sexy.[Via Joystiq]
Need for Speed Undercover hits pavement in November
Developer Black Box's nitro button must be worn down to a nub. The studio announced today that its upcoming Need for Speed sequel, Undercover, will ship this November, pulling up to the starting line well before the 2009 release previously mentioned by EA CEO John Riccitiello.In development for every platform under the sun (yes, even mobile phones), Need for Speed Undercover will also sport what Black Box describes as "big-budget live-action sequences" starring Balls of Fury and Mission Impossible III actress, Maggie Q, as a federal agent who recruits drivers to take down a criminal syndicate. While recent Need for Speed racers have all but siphoned our tanks of what enthusiasm we once had for the series, those who care can look forward to race with Ms. Q in North America on November 18 and in Europe on November 21.
Next Need for Speed going 'Undercover' in 2009
We'll be honest and say that the past few entries in the Need for Speed franchise haven't exactly driven us mad with desire. But, ever the salesman, EA CEO John Riccitiello knows just the way to get a game back into our hearts: Mention it in the same breath as The Transporter.Riccitiello said that the next iteration, Need for Speed: Undercover will have a strong mission structure and a similarity to the Jason Statham action classic. "For those of you who ever saw movies like The Transporter - it's sort of a cult classic among people with a B-movie mentality, which fits me perfectly," he said. "I liked it. I apologize. For those of you with no taste, and you liked it too, we can go have a Schlitz after this."Don't worry John, we're right there with you. We're just heartbroken that we're apparently going to have wait until 2009 to partake of the fruits of your genius.
