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PixelJunk Eden Encore to be revealed, playable at GDC [update]
One of the PS3 highlights of last year's GDC for PS3 was the unveiling of the third PixelJunk title, PixelJunk Eden, during Dylan Cuthbert's post-mortem of the first two games in the series. This year Cuthbert is set to return and unveil the latest PixelJunk project, according to a press invitation to the PlayStation Blog Lounge. Not only that but there will be hands-on time for those who attend.We know that the fourth game in the series won't be PixelJunk Dungeons, which was also vaguely mentioned back at GDC 2008, as it requires more development time. At this point we really have no idea what PixelJunk 4 could be but, after our experiences with Monsters and Eden, we can't wait to find out next Thursday.[UPDATE] Dylan Cuthbert has let the cat out of the bag via his Twitter feed. PixelJunk 4 will not be shown at GDC next week, instead we'll get the first look on the expansion for the third game in the series, PixelJunk Eden Encore.
PixelJunk packed 3-in-1 trunk for Asia
The PSN PixelJunk series will be bundled in the PixelJunk 3in1 Pack for the Asian market, reports Siliconera. The bundle will include Racers, Monsters and Eden. All games have English or Japanese language options, but there's no word yet if the disc includes the Monsters expansion or the Eden soundtrack.Although we've yet to hear back from Sony Europe, Sony America let us know that it has no "official announcements at this time about the PixelJunk series." If the region didn't deserve a hard copy for Siren: Blood Curse's 9 gigglebytes, what chance does PixelJunk have? Ending on a good note: at least PS3 games aren't region locked.[Update: Q Games president Dylan Cuthbert confirmed to Joystiq that this PixelJunk pack is Asia-only. "Right now, this special bundle is for Asia only."]
PixelJunk Eden wimp patch finally hits Europe this week
Despite being originally planned for release in Europe and Japan simultaneously, the PixelJunk Eden "wah, it's too hard" patch is still not out in PAL regions. The official PixelJunk website has now been updated to reflect the fact that, finally, the patch will see release in Europe on January 29. The patch adds various features to the game which makes it a little bit less challenging, such as an entirely new control system, more time and a continue system. There's also a much-improved multiplayer camera, making playing with friends far less frustrating. Barring accidents, Europeans will be able to give it a try themselves tomorrow. We'll let you know once it's live.[Thanks, Gerard@]
PSP version of PixelJunk Monsters features 50% more content
People just can't get enough PixelJunk Monsters. PS3 fans fell in love with this charming tower defense game, leading to the release of the Encore expansion pack and subsequent Trophy patch. PSP owners are in for a treat as they'll be receiving their own version of the game later this year.What will Monsters PSP feature? We're expecting the same content featured in the PS3 games, but Dylan Cuthbert promises there will be even more stuff in the PSP game. In an interview with Core Gamers, he reveals the team is currently "adding 50% more content or more" to the game. Those that have played both Monsters and Encore know well that this is a massive amount of content. How will we possibly get rainbows on all of these levels?When asked if PixelJunk Eden, the third of Q-Games' downloadable games on PS3, would also receive PSP treatment, Cuthbert seemed doubtful. Eden is a far more complex, processor-intense game. "Never say never of course, but it would be quite a challenge and a number of things might have to be changed."%Gallery-7756%
PixelJunk Eden patch on Jan. 15, 'Encore' expansion announced
A PixelJunk Eden patch will be ready to pollinate PSN this Thursday, January 15th, according to PlayStation Blog. The patch will add a number of user-requested tweaks, including a new (optional) control scheme, an improved multiplayer camera, a continue system, more time on the clock -- and, if that's not enough, the game's large crystals will now replenish a full one-half of the oscillator meter instead of just a third, Q-Games' Dylan Cuthbert recently confirmed. Essentially, the patch fixes the major qualms frustrated Grimps had with the game. The developer also took the opportunity to announce an "Encore" expansion for Eden, but details will be forthcoming over "the next couple of months."Despite Eden's charm and "casual" appearance, much like PixelJunk Monsters, the difficulty ramped up like a sheer cliff in later levels (yeah, looking at you Garden 7) -- especially when playing with a non-gamer partner. The patch should make the game friendlier (read: easier), and, personally, we're most curious to try out the new control system. We've asked Sony if the new scheme alters having to shake the controller to "insta-drop," because that could definitely be a blessing.
PixelJunk Eden's easy patch coming this week to US [Update: Encore announced]
While available in Japan and Asia since December, American gamers will be able to get their hands on a new PixelJunk Eden patch this Thursday. The patch adds new features requested by fans. Firstly, a lot more time has been added on the clock. If that's not enough, there's a new continue system in place for those that just can't make it to that last Spectra. A new control scheme and adjusted camera system should be a pleasant addition for those that don't necessarily want an easier game.Europe still doesn't have a concrete release date beyond "Coming soon."Update: A PlayStation.blog post also reveals that an "Encore" expansion pack will be released for Eden in the coming months. Dylan Cuthbert also adds that Trophies can't be collected if you die and choose to use a Continue. The added time should help, though.[Thanks, LemonJim!]
New PixelJunk in early 2009, Dungeons coming later
Kentaro Yoshida, one of Q-Games' studio directors, has confirmed in an interview with GamaSutra that a new PixelJunk game will be with us soon. Sooner than we'd anticipated, in fact. Yoshida says that "a new team has started in on the next PixelJunk project. We have not yet begun publicizing the game, but it is on schedule to be released in early 2009." That's now!It seems that the game that was announced at GDC 2008, PixelJunk Dungeons, will not be the fourth in the series. It requires more development time and, as a result, will be released at some point after PixelJunk 4. Whatever that may be. Yoshida also states that "2D graphics have been a hallmark of the series so far, but we are looking to incorporate 3D graphics and take the series in new directions." An exciting prospect. Hopefully a 3D PixelJunk will retain the charm of the 2D versions.
PixelJunk Eden nominated for three Independent Game Awards
Nominations for the Independent Games Festival Awards 2009 have been announced today and one of our favorite PSN titles, PixelJunk Eden, has been nominated for three categories. The categories are: Excellence in Visual Art, Excellence in Audio and Technical Excellence. Eden is one of few console games to be nominated in this year's awards, and the only PlayStation Network title to get recognition.The winners will be revealed at the Independent Games Festival which takes place in San Francisco between March 23rd and 27th. If you want to learn more about all the games on the list be sure to check out Joystiq's IGF nominee run-down. Good luck to PixelJunk Eden, there's some strong competition there.
Q-Games teases 'two to three' PixelJunk titles in 2009
Popping in to deliver some New Year tidings on the PlayStation Blog, Q-Games' president Dylan Cuthbert opined on his favorite games of ought-eight ... and teased that at least two new titles from his Kyoto-based studio are coming to Sony platforms in '09.Cuthbert predicts that this year will be a grand one for games, "what with two or three more PixelJunk titles coming out." We've already seen one of them -- PixelJunk Monsters for PSP -- but the others? Given the number of tabled concepts Cuthbert recently showed Spike TV (skiing, fighting, etc.) we'd say a PixelJunk take on an established genre would be a shoe-in, but then there was the decidedly non-conformist -- and absolutely superb -- PixelJunk Eden last year. So, we can only ... imagine.
PixelJunk Monsters invading PSP in 2009
The diabolically addictive PS3 tower defense game, PixelJunk Monsters, is officially headed to PSP next year (which, if you haven't checked your calendar, is pretty soon). Appearing on Spike TV's "The Next Great Game Gods" VGA tie-in special, Q Games founder, Dylan Cuthbert, confirmed – and very briefly showed – the game.After a short show-and-tell of conceptual images for canned projects – which included skiing and fighting games – Cuthbert broke the news, saying that, "We got a lot of requests from fan mail and stuff saying they really wanted a PSP-native version [of PixelJunk Monsters]." But the game won't merely be the PSN title retooled for the small screen. "We thought, rather than just port it directly, let's add a bit more," Cuthbert teased. You can watch the full segment (Cuthbert appears about half-way through) after the break.[Thanks, Chris]
PixelJunk Monsters coming to PSP
Looks like more PS3 games are coming to the PSP. The popular tower defense game, PixelJunk Monsters, is heading to the PSP. In fact, there's going to be more content than ever before. This is great news, especially because we're not too fond of using Remote Play to stream games. We can't wait to see more when the game comes out in 2009. To find out more about the game, check out all the news on PS3 Fanboy.[Thanks, Top_Slacker!]
Some prices halved at the PSN Store
People come up to me and they say, "Ken, ol' buddy, aren't you doin' anything since you gave Kaz your old gig?" and I tell them, "Friend, I don't know how I still have enough hours in the day!" So, what's been keepin' me busier than a classroom of dung beetles on a field trip to the doody factory? Well, just findin' the best video game savings and passin' 'em on to you, the consumer. Why just today, I checked the PSN Store and it's is just crammed with games that simply must go to make room for our 2009 stock. People think that digital games don't take up space and I think those people are idiots who don't have the sense that god gave an avocado. But God bless 'em, I'd still sell 'em a copy of Echochrome or PixelJunk Eden for $4.99! I hear you sayin', "But Ken, what if I don't want those games? What if I want something different?" Well, friend, I may think you're dumber than a bag of hammers, but I'll still sell you something else from my stock at half price, there's plenty to go around! Have you heard about these before? Sure! But never let it be said that Ken Kutaragi would miss an opportunity to move a couple extra units. You can see my whole stock, just just come out to Krazy Ken's Digital Distribution and Tanning Salon, just 4 miles past Purcellville off the I-64 Turnpike. Or, you know, just click on this link. Either way, just remember what we always say: "If It Don't Say Ken, You Probably Overpaid For The Product You Purchased!" ... Yeah, we're still workin' on that.
Don't expect next PixelJunk game any time soon
Looks like the Q-Games team is taking their sweet time with the next PixelJunk game. The team has been quite prolific, with three PSN games under their belt: PixelJunk Racers, Monsters and Eden. The brand has managed to garner a loyal following amongst PS3 owners, and we're sure many are eagerly awaiting the next title.Unfortunately, it can be a long wait for the next PixelJunk game. Dylan Cuthbert told Parallaxed Game that the next game won't be unveiled for quite some time. In fact, nothing might be shown at next year's GDC show: "We can't talk about any of the future titles yet, we might not even show anything at GDC09, who knows! The next title isn't necessary based on the Dungeons prototype work as we develop several ideas simultaneously, finally going with the idea that has the most momentum."It's going to be a long wait, but so long as their next game can match the addictive quality of Monsters and Eden, we're sure it'll be worth it. Stay tuned.[Thanks, Adam T.!]
Help! PixelJunk Monsters patch isn't working! [Update]
So ... Did you get that PixelJunk Monsters patch yesterday? Neither did we. The patch is technically live and available for all. The problem is, the only way American users can get the patch right now is to download the game anew. To do that, you'll want to go to the PlayStation Store and click on the "View Downloads" button. Find and install PixelJunk Monsters -- it will already have the patch built in!If that's too much work, don't worry. SCEA is currently investigating the situation. Hopefully, it won't be long before you can auto-magically get the new challenge and Trophy-enabled patch.Update: The patch is now available when you launch the game.
Trophies: PixelJunk Monsters
Read more 'PixelJunk Monsters' stories Q-Games' popular tower defense game is getting a brand new mode: the Trophy challenge. This mode can only be done in single player, and has you completing levels with new objectives. This should add hours of new gameplay for those that have already mastered the game. The hidden Trophies can be completed in any game mode: just achieve the task. View Trophy List | Visit Trophy Portal
PixelJunk Monsters, Encore updates on Oct. 30
Q-Games isn't reinventing the wheel, it's just slapping on a new set of tires, as PixelJunk Monsters and Encore expansion updates hit PSN next week. The October 30th patches will add Trophies and variable difficulties (including a "casual" mode), as promised, but the free upgrades don't stop there. In addition, the tower selection menu will be tweaked (with an option to set the default action), the Ice and Tesla Towers will be re-balanced for the original island, custom soundtracks will be supported, and YouTube uploading has been added (up to 10 minutes of gameplay -- videos can also be stored in the XMB's video folder). Now, about online co-op ...If you fancy another go with these exciting details -- only this time in Dylan Cuthbert's drab British accent -- then by all means, head for the video preview after the break!
PixelJunk Monsters patch arriving before the end of the month
There's at least one PSN game which is universally loved: PixelJunk Monsters. We recently got a chance to play PJM at Q-Games' studios in Kyoto. However, it wasn't quite the same game we've grown to love: it's PixelJunk Monsters -- with an awesome patch.The upcoming patch adds Trophy support, YouTube recording, new difficulty levels (Easy and Hard), and adjusts the strength of the towers a bit. For example, you'll have the ice tower available (no gems required!). Also, the Tesla tower's range has been increased.We want to say more about the Trophy mode, but we're still awaiting approval from SCEA on how much we can divulge about that. We will give you one tease: you won't have to worry about these Trophies being retroactive. Update: So, the PlayStation.blog has just updated with the official details on the Trophy patch, which will be available on October 30th, in America and Europe. Watch Dylan Cuthbert talk about the details in this new video.
PixelJunk Eden soundtrack available for download tomorrow
Sometimes one interview just isn't enough! PlayStation.Blog has posted yet another interview with the artist that brought you the music in PixelJunk Eden. The guy's name is Baiyon and he also served as the art director for the game. As a bonus, the director of the game Tominaga "Tomi" Shouichi will also be included in the interview. The guys tell you about their favorite music, their influences and even who at Q-Games resembles a little Grimp. Find out the answers to all of that and more by reading the full interview here.Lastly, the PixelJunk Eden soundtrack will be available for download on the PSN store for $2.99 beginning tomorrow, October 2nd. The soundtrack is going for much, much more on Amazon and Play-Asia right now, so if you enjoy the game's music, this is a great buy.
Two artists, two PixelJunk soundtracks
Our friends at Siliconera have found the creative minds behind the musical landscapes of both PixelJunk Monsters and PixelJunk Eden. The two games are PSN hits, and have rightfully cemented their places in the hearts of PS3 fans everywhere.Otograph was approached about Monsters. Find out more about his inspirations and how Otograph met up with Q-Games for this interesting collaboration here.Then, check out the next interview with Baiyon, one part DJ, one part art director. Find out more about his serendipitous meeting with Dylan Cuthbert, and how he was able to create the unique presentation for this most recent Q-Games project. Read it here. You can also order the PixelJunk Eden soundtrack at Amazon or Play-Asia.
PixelJunk Monsters receiving difficulty settings with free patch
After writing an open letter explaining his fiancée's frustrations with PixelJunk Monsters' difficulty, BPPS writer Ryan Hewson received a response back from Dylan Cuthbert, president of Q-Games, saying help was on the way. Cuthbert had alluded to a major PJM patch before, but now he explains some more details of what's coming to PJM and PixelJunk Eden.The lord of PixelJunk says PJM will receive a free patch adding Trophies, along with Easy, Medium, Hard and Expert difficulties to the game. Online rankings will maintain the existing difficulty level for fairness -- which we guess is hard? Eden will also receive an expansion pack and may receive a "namby pamby mode" for a more casual experience -- we'd settle for some control mapping functions to seperate silk and jump ... not to mention mapping the instra-drop to a button instead of waggle. No dates on any of this, but we're contacting Sony about some form of ETA.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
