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Xbox Live's Games on Demand has these games on sale next week
Xbox Live's Games on Demand service is getting a serious sale next week – as opposed to those funny, un-serious sales we get all the time – and Major Nelson has posted a list of the titles discounted from June 19-25.All titles will be 75 percent off, and they include Conan, Dark Void, Perfect Dark Zero, Prince of Persia and Viva Pinata Party Animals, most selling for $5. Check out the full list of sale titles below, as provided by Major Nelson:
Lots of older Xbox Live Marketplace content discounted
Looking to add a spark of new life to your old, rusty Xbox 360 games? First of all, how did your games manage to get rusty? Did you have them bronzed? More importantly, a slew of discounts on older DLC items on the Xbox Live Marketplace might just what your floundering classics need.
Rare: There 'isn't a need' to go back to classic series
[Error Macro] If you're waiting for sequels to your favorite Rare games, like Battletoads, Killer Instinct, or Taboo: The Sixth Sense, you should probably shut down your vigil now. Studio head Mark Betteridge told Develop that the company isn't especially keen on returning to old franchises. Rare "would only go back to older franchises if we saw an opportunity to make the product in a different way that would do justice to [them]," said the head of the studio behind this month's Perfect Dark remake, adding that there "isn't a need" to return to Rare's classics. Betteridge goes on to classify the role of Rare and other first-parties as "to define the Xbox 360 platform," something he says Rare is also working to do for Project Natal. As for the camera-based control system, it's "the biggest change in how you interact with software... ever, really," he said, "because we've moved to a clean sheet of paper on the user input – it's a huge change creatively in how you build a game."
OFLC posts rating for Perfect Dark on XBLA
The Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification has posted a rating on its website for the long-awaited XBLA port of Rare's Perfect Dark, which would hint that a release is just around the corner. (Major Nelson did say that it would drop "this winter.") The OFLC gave the shooter an MA 15+ for "strong violence," the toughest rating they hand out for video games. If a release is imminent, now might be the perfect time to play through the 360 prequel, Perfect Dark Zero, and get further acquainted with Joanna Dark before you can revisit her debut adventure in high resolution.
Rare: Kameo & PDZ sold tons, stop crying
This might be an unpopular opinion among some but, Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo: Elements of Power were boring games. Although each showcased a small portion of the Xbox 360's new power at launch, the games were (mostly) critically chokeslammed. Blame it on the short development cycle of launch games or the decline of Rare's developmental quality (until Viva Piñata that is) but both games could have been much better. So, what does Rare think of the majority opinion on those launch releases? Well, they're a business, they care about sales, and according to Rare's Nick Burton, they sold a metric ton of copies of each (you jerk): "One of the things that I always find funny is when people always quote Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero as being flops at the launch of the 360. In the industry if you break even you're lucky, you're in the minority," Burton told VideoGamer. "If you make a decent amount of money you're really in the minority. You're in the top percentile. Those two games made a lot of money. For the install base they sold phenomenally well." Honestly, we didn't need Burton to tell us PDZ and Kameo made money because we can already tell Rare has been infused with cash. Look at Viva Piñata and Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts -- clearly the people of Rare purchased some creativity and talent with that stack of monies. We joke because we love.
Half of Rare working on secret projects
We know that lots of developers are working on "secret" projects, which is a punchy, journalist-fooling way of saying "unannounced." But there really aren't any companies' secret projects we're as interested in as Rare's, as they could either be the continuation of a beloved favorite series, or the continuation of a kick in the groin. (We're looking at you, Kameo.)Speaking with Videogamer.com last week, Rare's Nick Burton noted that about half of the studio was currently unaccounted for on the release schedule. For those of you that don't speak developer, that means that Rare's letting you go to sleep tonight dreaming of a new Killer Instinct and (good) Perfect Dark, but you can expect to wake up to find the head of Grabbed by the Ghoulies in your bed.
Video: Perfect Dark Zero on the black box
It is no secret that post Microsoft buyout, Rare planned on releasing Perfect Dark Zero to the big, black, original Xbox. But then another console came down the development pipeline, the Xbox 360 was announced, Microsoft needed launch titles and so Rare had to move PDZ's development from the Xbox to the 360. The final product ended up just dandy fine (except for some interesting physics issues), but we always wondered what Joanna Dark would have looked like on the Xbox. Well, our insistent wondering is no more as some of the early tech demo footage of PDZ running on the original Xbox has surfaced.Watch the pretty Xbox particle effects glisten in the video after the break and admire the crazy amazing polygon count in the video above. True, PDZ may have ended up looking much, much prettier on the 360, but we can't deny the fact that it didn't look all that bad back on the Xbox. Especially those sparks. Original Xbox PDZ spark effects FTW![Thanks, Nick B]
Perfect Dark Zero sequel on the way?
Seems like a good day for rumors springing from magazines, so why not add one more? This one comes to us courtesy of the Official Xbox Magazine. It seems that a recent press release regarding the next novel in the Perfect Dark series also mentioned a forthcoming sequel to the game itself. Given that Perfect Dark is really one of the only existing Rare IPs that Microsoft can leverage (Donkey Kong is out for obvious reasons), it makes sense that they would be gunning for a sequel. Perfect Dark Zero suffered from more than a few issues, no doubt brought on by a monstrous development cycle that saw the game jump from Gamecube to Xbox to Xbox 360 (the same thing that happened to Kameo, by the way). Considering these previous issues, a sequel designed from the ground up for the 360 is just what the doctor ordered. Still, with Halo 3 coming out later this year and a Gears of War sequel presumably falling in 2008, we wonder where Perfect Dark would fit.For our two cents, we'd rather see a great sequel to Kameo, as the 360 is woefully short of decent platformers. At any rate, a sequel to Perfect Dark is all but assured. The only question is when.
A real Xbot grabs PDZ achievements
360 Fanboys, Xbots, Micro$ux, these are all words that are bandied about on your typical Microsoft/Sony flame war. We're naturally fond of the fanboy moniker (we're taking it back), but we've got a soft spot for Xbot, too. Xbot evokes the image of Bill Gates leading his robot army towards the impending Robot Apocalypse®, and that makes us smile. Imagine our excitement when we saw this video of a working Xbot. Unfortunately, it doesn't conquer the world, it just plays Perfect Dark: Zero. In fact, it doesn't really even play per se. Created by David Harr (gamertag: Diego Knyte), it just starts another match once the current match ends. Why, you ask? To earn 60 gamerscore points, of course! The robot was built specifically to complete the "Played 1000 Dark Ops Games" and "Played 1000 Deathmatch Games" achievements. It supposedly took 10 hours to design and build. All this to avoid 40 hours of gameplay. That's 30 hours saved! Good job, Diego Knyte![Via Live Gamer]
Rare reluctant to pursue Microsoft's vision
Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Rare's lead designer Gregg Mayles sounded reluctant about developing downloadable content for Viva Piñata. "We've got plenty of ideas for what we can do ... But the jury is still out," said Mayles. For now, Rare seems content to sit back and watch other studios' successes and failures. It's clear that if Rare is to continue to provide downloadable content, it doesn't want to go the EA route; that's not to say the developer is in the business of hand-outs. Ill-reception of Kameo's premium content has forced Rare to rethink its strategy, leading the studio to consider that resources are perhaps better spent on the 'next' project. Despite forming a branch of the Microsoft camp, Rare is having a difficult time adopting its parent company's content-for-now, content-for-later model.
Black Friday megadeals for Xbox 360
Sister site Xbox 360 Fanboy got the goods on some upcoming Black Friday deals yesterday. For those of you who may not know, Black Friday (so very appropriately named) is the Friday immediately after Thanksgiving, when stores feature gargantuan sales in an effort to suck shoppers in and kick-start the Christmas shopping season.Best Buy is having an $18.99 sale featuring: Amped 3 Condemned NBA Live '06 Rockstar Games Presents: Table Tennis The Outfit (apparently you can score this one for only $9.99 if you buy it in-store before noon) Circuit City offers a different set at $16.99: Full Auto Gun Perfect Dark Zero Quake 4 Tony Hawk's American Wasteland Our advice is to call the stores to find out if these deals will be available online and stay inside. Black Friday is normally a hellish experience with a lot of pushing, shoving and greed. In fact, we're surprised Rockstar hasn't made a video game version yet. Your mission: take out other shoppers before they can get your sale items.
Goldeneye throwback maps for download, Xbox Goldies only
Microsoft and Rare have released updated versions of Goldeneye's Facility and Temple (now "Ruin") multiplayer maps for use with Perfect Dark Zero. The pair is free to download, but only available to Xbox Live Gold members (hey, it pays to pay). Throw in a polished-up Complex, and we just might consider re-investing in this game.
Gamestation becomes 360 mecca
Alex Donaldson (AKA APZonerunner), writer for RPGSite in the UK, sends us news that the GameStation in Birmingham (again, UK) has been completely remodeled ... by Microsoft. GameStation is a multiplatform gaming store akin to GameStop here in the US, and apparently the one in Birmingham is huge -- are there game stores in the US with more than one floor? Alex was walking in to purchase a DS game when he noticed that there was green everywhere. Downstairs, there were twelve 360 demo kiosks on the bottom floor. What's more, the demo kiosks were all networked, allowing customers to play matches of Perfect Dark: Zero. The kiosks are all hooked up to high definition televisions, and some of them have bean bags or green and white couches in from of them. In the future there are plans to hold tournaments at the store (don't forget to bring your Live account on a memory card). Truly a 360 gamers paradise. Of course, there was one PS2 demo kiosk, but it was broken. Even though GameStation is a multiplatform store, it looks like Microsoft is hoping to make an impression on potential Wii buyers this holiday. Follow the read link for lots of pictures. Any of our UK readers been to this store yet? For that matter, can we get something like that in the US, please?
New 360 Platinum Hits for $29.99
Microsoft has officially announced the first batch of Platinum Hits for the Xbox 360. The games are: Perfect Dark Zero Project Gotham Racing 3 Kameo: Elements of Power Need for Speed Most Wanted Conspicuously missing from the list is Call of Duty 2, the 360's first million seller. The first four Platinum Hits will be available for the bargain price of $29.99 starting October 15th -- the second set should be announced in the spring of 2007. It's a far cry from what we considered a bargain last gen, but it's definitely better than nothing. So, for those of you that haven't picked these up yet, will a $29.99 price tag make you reconsider? See the full press release after the break.
Viva Pinata gameplay revealed
If you've been hungering to know (and see) more specifics regarding Rare's upcoming game, Viva Piñata, take a gander at this massive video demonstration from Leipzig. Clocking in at over twenty minutes long, the video goes over just about everything you've wanted to know, including: Attracting piñatas to your garden Tending said garden Piñata romance (rowr!) Xbox Live features Piñatas, piñatas, piñatas. The game looks great. Rare's first game developed entirely on the 360 is colorful, vibrant, and overall very nice. Check out the video if you've got the time to kill. Anyone else think it's strange not to have a third person avatar in a children's game?
Free Xbox Live Gold week, or free virtual girlfriend? It's all so confusing! [update 1]
As we were just saying in the previous post, Microsoft's got a lot of irons in the fire. The "free Xbox Live week" promotion seems to be particularly well-liked by the folks at Microsoft and Verizon, as the two companies have made plans to make the week of May 8th through May 14th free to broadband-connected Xbox 360 owners. The newest promotion is timed to coincide with E3, and will also include a giveaway of one million Microsoft Points and a "backstage" E3 pass (did you boys pick those up on Craigslist, by any chance?). Just because we're borderline obsessive-compulsive, here's everything that Joanna Dark says upon loading the promotion page (with our comments in brackets): Don't keep me waiting [I'm hurrying, but these damned foil packages are so hard to open in the dark!] I'm free all week [As opposed to for-pay the rest of the time... undertones of prostitution here. Sure, why not?] You got a week. Come get some. ["Some what," we wonder, as we stare at Ms. Dark's fetching hindquarters.] Don't arrive early. [A joke about premature arrival? Totally unexpected.] Are you ready to play? I'm game. Are you? You want a piece of me? [Can't get much more explicit than this.] Hope your couch is comfortable [It's fine for playing games. Here, put down that riding crop and have a controller.] Hey, you got me all week [Why does she punctuate only some sentences? This annoys us.] I'll be there. Will you? ["She told me to come but I was already there." -- AC/DC] [Via too many tips to count.][Update 1: Neither Microsoft nor Verizon have announced this deal yet, so we eliminted language in the first paragraph that suggests that the companies have made an official proclamation. A Microsoft spokeswoman notes, "we plan on releasing more information early next week."]
New PDZ maps headed to XBL Marketplace, demo too
Microsoft has announced that a premium content bundle, containing four new Perfect Dark Zero multiplayer maps, will soon be available for purchase on the Xbox Live Marketplace — the price has not yet been revealed. A free playable demo will also be posted for download, featuring the Outpost campaign level (solo, split screen, and Live co-op modes supported) and a new multiplayer map, Plaza.In addition, PDZ will receive several free auto-updates. One update will install 8 new bot (AI) personalities, including judge bot, who attacks the player with the most kills; bully bot, who attacks the player with the least kills; venge bot, who attacks the last person to kill the bot; and DarkOps Bot, who is the 'baddest' bot of them all.[Via Microsoft press release]
PDZ video walkthroughs, on Dark Agent
If you're having some trouble making your way through Perfect Dark Zero, then watching these walkthrough videos completed on Dark Agent difficulty will either: Help you immensely, giving you that little edge you needed to make it through a tricky part... ...or crush your gaming spirit, quickly and wholly, reminding you that no matter how good you think you may be, there are an infinite number of people all over the world who are infinitely better at video games than you are. Dark Agent can only be unlocked after completing the entire game on Perfect Agent. Cheat Code Central has this to say about Dark Agent mode: "You don't even want to know about the Dark Agent. Only the hardest of the hardcore will see the ending credits on this difficulty level." [Thanks for the tip, Efrain]
