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Red Faction patch inbound, adds new mode, fixes
Volition has announced that a patch is on the way for Red Faction Guerrilla, which will add some new features and contain some tweaks to the game as well. The biggest of the additions is a new variant of Wrecking Crew called Challenge Mode. Wrecking Crew Challenge Mode, appropriately enough, challenges players with three consecutive levels, each with different weapon and backpack settings. The ultimate goal, as usual, is to rack up as high a score as possible. Additionally, all other Wrecking Crew modes will be available for single-player games.There are a number of other additions, like the ability to disable specific weapons and backpacks in custom games. Ore that hasn't been mined will also now show up on the mini-map, which is good news for Achievement / Trophy hunters. Finally, the patch will add support for the upcoming DLC, which is set to release next week. Head over to the official Red Faction site for the full patch notes.
THQ earnings show profits up
THQ recently unloaded its earnings for its first fiscal quarter ending June 30, and with strong sales of UFC 2009 Undisputed and Red Faction: Guerrilla (it's all about the ostriches, baby!), the company is, uh, very much not operating like THQ. It reports that net profits climbed a whopping 77% to $243.5 million (from $137.6 million last year) and that net sales (non-GAAP) for the three months ending June 30 was $233.9 million, up 93% from $121.1 million last year.And, again, it's all due to strong showings of Red Faction: Guerrilla and UFC 2009 Undisputed. Both titles shipped over a million units (the latter shipping almost three) and made huge profits for THQ during Q2 of this year, the company's first fiscal quarter of 2010.
Metareview: 'Red Faction: Guerrilla' avoids being 'birdf*cked!'
Sorry, we couldn't help but reference Volition's absolutely brilliant April Fools video in the headline. Anyway, the reviews for Red Faction: Guerrilla are fairly solid. The Mars liberation simulator is being recognized as good summer fun with plenty of explosions. Now, "get your ass to Mars." 1UP (A-): "Guerrilla isn't a terribly deep game, but as a "summer blockbuster," it works just right. It doesn't expect you to get lost in a deep, engaging sci-fi world -- you're on a mission to Mars to watch stuff explode. A deeper story might have made it more enjoyable in some respects, but it might also have killed the momentum of the demolition action." GamePro (5/5): "It's become a rare thing for me to actually stop playing a game to call one of my friends and gush about something amazing that happened, or how much they need to play it when it comes out, but I did this countless times while playing Guerrilla" GameInformer (90/100): "The single-player campaign is lengthy, and continually rewarding. Don't be surprised, however, if you shun this experience for multiplayer. ... No matter what mode you enter, Red Faction: Guerrilla delivers on its promise of destruction, and offers an experience unlike anything else out there." Giant Bomb (4/5): "While there are clunky bits at the fringes of Red Faction: Guerrilla that give it a handful of frustrating or disappointing moments, the core moments of the game are exciting and well-conceived." Edge (7/10): "Red Faction plays its hand early, letting you blow a building to pieces in the first few minutes of the game. Though the explosions scale with progress, and the act of detonation continues to be a giddy pleasure, Mars could do with a thicker atmosphere." %Gallery-19834%
Volition: Saints Row, Red Faction Wii games a 'possibility'
When playing Saints Row or Red Faction, did you ever wish you could smash up buildings or conduct drive-by shootings with a porn star while waggling a Wiimote? Even if you answered "no" to that question, developer Volition says it may one day be possible. During the Red Faction: Guerrilla launch event in New York City last night (held at the red planet-themed tourist trap/night club known as Mars 2112), we asked senior associate producer Jeff Carroll if the THQ-owned studio ever considered making Wii versions of their popular franchises. "Though [THQ] may do Wii versions of [our games] in the future, Volition won't be doing them -- at least for the next year or so," Carroll said. "We actually talked about whether we were going to become a partial Wii developer," he explained. "Then we talked it over with THQ and they had enough studios that were going to be Wii-specific. But we really wanted to focus on the technological advances [in console development], especially for Red Faction Guerrilla." When asked if these Wii titles were in the works, he replied that he didn't know but that they were "within the realm of possibility." The real question is: Will Gary Busey be involved? For insanity's sake, we hope so.
Red Faction: Guerrilla getting multiplayer demo May 21
The recent single-player demo for Red Faction: Guerrilla has been downloaded more than a million times already. Still, assuming you're tired of swinging sledgehammers in a vacuum, Volition and THQ will release a multiplayer demo over Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network on May 21.The demo will highlight the game's "Damage Control" mode, as players work to build and rebuild key structures on a pair of included maps, using an assortment of nine weapons and five backpacks. 15 unlockable experience levels will also be included -- useful with Red Faction: Guerrilla set to ship on June 2 and ostrich hunting season just around the corner.[Via Console Monster]
PSA: Red Faction's Ostrich Hammer is real
click to enlarge (without hilarious speech bubble) Just a quick note: Remember the Ostrich Hammer that was revealed on April Fools' Day for Red Faction: Guerrilla? Yeah, well it's real. We asked Volition if the ornithoid tool would actually be featured in the game. At the time, we were told that the team was waiting to see what the community's reaction would be. It seemed feasible, given that the developers had gone to the trouble to actually model it in the game.It's more than feasible now, it's official. Volition has confirmed -- with new screenshots, no less -- that the Ostrich Hammer will be an unlockable in Red Faction: Guerrilla's multiplayer mode. On top of that, the devs are promising plenty of new info in the coming weeks regarding "more hammer unlocks, new modes" and changes made based on multiplayer beta feedback.We suggest you spend the interim researching what other animals would make the best hammers%Gallery-49055%.
Qore Episode 11 is free, subscribers get Linger in Shadows
Qore Episode 11 will be available tomorrow on the PlayStation Store. And guess what? It'll be FREE for everyone. The upcoming issue will feature a behind-the-scenes look at inFamous, Fat Princess and Red Faction: Guerrilla.If you're a subscriber, don't feel too left out. You'll be getting free access to Linger in Shadows and you'll get early access to the Red Faction demo -- no need to pre-order. For a preview of tomorrow's episode, click past the break.
Red Faction: Guerrilla to release June 9, demo on April 23
THQ has set a firm release date (on today of all days) for Volition's third-person reboot of the Red Faction franchise, Red Faction: Guerrilla. The game's demo will be available on April 23 to one and all, with those that pre-order from GameStop gaining access to said demo starting April 3. Red Faction: Guerrilla will release for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 on June 9.%Gallery-19834%
Pre-order Red Faction: Guerrilla, get a demo
A listing on GameStop.com has revealed that a demo for Red Faction: Guerrilla will arrive in April. The demo is being offered as a pre-order bonus for the game (seemingly a common practice these days), though THQ confirmed to VideoGamer that it will be available to the unwashed, non-pre-ordering masses eventually. Those who pre-order the game from GameStop will receive access to the demo from April 3 to April 23 and also an exclusive multiplayer map. According to GameStop, the persistent destruction of Red Faction: Guerrilla -- which we quite enjoyed at E3 last year -- will ship on June 9.[Via VideoGamer]%Gallery-19834%
Red Faction: Guerrilla trailer shows off tools of destruction
If you like weapons and exploding buildings, then you'll likely enjoy the latest trailer from Red Faction: Guerrilla. Either that, or you're an action hero. Unless your driver's license says Bruce Willis, however, then it's safe to bet you just like action, and don't find yourself as a regular participant in its chaos. The same cannot be said for folks on Mars, as action finds them on a daily basis. Don't believe us? Watch the trailer past the break, which depicts the everyday violence happening on the red planet. Here's what we've learned from said trailer: Quaid managed to start the reactor, but Kuato's rebellion hasn't won yet.%Gallery-19834%
Volition QA staff lost in THQ restructuring [update]
THQ's wild swings have finally brought the axe down on Red Faction and Saints Row creator Volition, reportedly culling the bulk of the Champaign, IL studio's QA staff out from the developer's ranks. Speaking with Kotaku, a THQ spokesperson confirmed that Volition lost 86 employees in the cut, including 47 temporary workers and 39 full-time staff. The numbers represent the lion's share of the QA department's 102 employees, with quality assurance duties now "primarily" falling to "THQ's centralized QA facilities, with a small staff remaining on-site in Champaign," according to a THQ statement. The layoffs are part of THQ's larger move to eliminate nearly a quarter of its jobs in an effort to cut costs and keep analyst bankruptcy predictions from coming true. Update: THQ's Julie MacMedan chimed in this afternoon to clear the air as well as any confusion regarding these layoffs, which according to the corporate communications VP only affected the publisher's QA facility in Champaign, IL and left Volition's "core development teams" untouched. "This will result in the eventual closure of the facility with a transfer of sixteen employees to Volition," wrote MacMedan in an email statement. "It will not result in any layoffs within the core development teams at Volition. Volition remains a key development studio within THQ and will continue to employ 236 staff." Confirming earlier information, she added: "The layoffs include 47 temporary employees who will not be having their service extended. Unfortunately, fluctuating headcount among the temporary staff is common based on when our games ship. In addition, 39 full-time staff will be laid off." In conclusion, and in a refreshing change of pace to these sorts of reductions, MacMedan wrote: "All laid off employees (both full-time and temporary) will be given at least sixty days' notice. We will do what we can to assist them in finding work in the community or elsewhere in THQ."
First, and last, look at Red Faction: B.E.A.S.T.
Looking for another new "core" third-person shooter for the Wii? We suggest you look in an alternate universe where Locomotive Games was not shut down. The developer was working on a new entry in THQ's Red Faction series, called Red Faction: B.E.A.S.T., for the Wii. Their last project prior to this was the Wii version of Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed.It seems that after the cancellation and the studio closure, somebody released a bunch of character renders and video footage of the unannounced game and sent it to Unseen64. The video is a bit, uh, YouTube-quality, but it clearly shows some pretty nice lighting effects as well as the destructible environments that are Red Faction's trademark.%Gallery-42384%
THQ reveals 'Significant Business Realignment'
No, it's not a new game title. It's the real-life struggle of THQ, which made word of internal studio closings and significant layoffs official today, as it reported losses of $115.3 million in its fiscal Q2. In total, five studios will be shuttered and 250 employees released (approximately 17 percent of the publisher's workforce), and the company will reduce its forecasted development spending by $100 million in the fiscal 2010 year. "THQ plans to focus on fewer, higher quality titles, and to align its organization and cost structure accordingly," outlines the quarterly financial report. "We will dominate the fighting category!" added CEO Brian Farrell during today's conference call, plugging upcoming WWE and UFC titles. As for those "higher quality titles," THQ has pushed Volition's Red Faction: Guerrilla into the first quarter of fiscal 2010 (April-June 2009) and Darksiders: Wrath of War into the second quarter (July-September 2009). Also absent in the short term, CFO Colin Slade will be taking an unspecified medical leave of absence. "I'm looking forward to returning to THQ as soon as possible," said Slade before retiring from the call.
Joystiq E3 hands-on: Red Faction: Guerrilla
Volition's decision to change the perspective in Red Faction: Guerrilla from the first to the third-person couldn't have been an easy choice to make, but it seems to be the right one, something that even now feels strange to put to words. Even as a fan of the developer's terrain-deforming original, it's difficult to look back on Red Faction without qualifying my enthusiasm with the promises and potential of what might have been. However, after sitting down with Volition senior artist Jasen Whiteside over a hurried E3 lunch and actually playing the title, it's evident that action game fans shouldn't feel at all awkward about adding Red Faction: Guerrilla to their list of titles to look forward to in early 2009.%Gallery-19834%
Joystiq hands-on: Red Faction: Guerrilla (360/PC/PS3)
At a recent THQ game event, another writer asked me about the original Red Faction. I told him it was one of the first games to use destructible environments. And then as I kept talking, I added qualifiers and backed off from that statement. Eventually, I rambled on to say it was also the first not-fully-successful game to do that in a long line of unsuccessful games. It was still cool -- smashing through a window was impressive -- but it didn't give the destroy-anything sense that the developers pushed.Due late this year, Red Faction: Guerrilla could finally deliver on that promise, although it has caveats of its own. Still on Mars, this time you play almost the entire game above ground. I had fun smashing holes into buildings and even destroying them with a sledgehammer. But I missed the underground, mining elements of the original. If everything is supposed to be destructible, why not the ground, too?On a technical and design level, it makes sense that a destructible ground would be a lot to ask. But it sure would be satisfying. Even without that option, Red Faction: Guerrilla could be a great game%Gallery-19834%
THQ details Red Faction: Guerrilla as 'open-world' third-person shooter
THQ's confirmation of third entry in the sci-fi series Red Faction earlier in February was decidedly light on details beyond the fact that development duties were once again being handled by Volition and that the game would cater to players on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. THQ has now revealed that the upcoming sequel will adopt a numberless title, Red Faction: Guerrilla, and will feature a return to Mars 50 years after the last game with an environment described as "open-world" -- but then again what isn't these days?The biggest change, however, is the series' move from first to third person, with THQ's Brad Carraway describing the gameplay as focused on "fast-paced guerrilla warfare style combat" and "true physics-based destruction." We're trying to look impressed, but again it's more rare to find a game these days that doesn't boast some level of physics-based shenanigans than not. "Robust" multiplayer modes are also promised, but by now the ordinariness of it all has started to make our eyes glaze over as we wait for Red Faction: Guerrilla's release sometime during THQ's 2009 fiscal year.
Red Faction III announced by THQ
The first Red Faction was one of the few FPS games last generation that was console-exclusive to PS2. This was made even more interesting by the fact that the game was well-known for its physics and destructible environs. The sequel saw release on all of the last gen systems, and the third game looks to be on the way to 360 and the PS3. Announced last week, Red Faction III is being developed by Volition Inc, (the developers of the first games, as well as Saints Row) and published by THQ.Not much is known about the title at this time. Whether the story will be continued, how current-gen tech will be utilized, etc, is all up in the air. Though we were teased with the idea that the tech will allow for "More exciting destruction technology," the only other real facts taken from the announcement were the news that the game is running (albeit in early form) and that THQ's target release date is April of 2009.
Red Faction III headed to PS3
An overdue second sequel to the ahead-of-its-time Red Faction has been mentioned during a recent investor-focused conference call. THQ's CEO, Brian Farrell, explicitly stated that Red Faction III is in development for the PS3 by THQ's Volition Studios, the same developers who produced the first two games. The series has been on hiatus since Red Faction II was released in 2003. The two first games utilised "Geo Mod" technology to allow players to damage the environment in realtime - something that's almost taken for granted nowadays but that was revolutionary back in 2001. We have great memories of creating cubby-holes and sniper points deep in the walls and waiting for an unsuspecting opponent to saunter past. Needless to say, we're psyched that Red Faction III is in development, despite the lack of any real details or even an official announcement.[Via Joystiq]
Red Faction 3 coming to Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Since the last game in the franchise was released in the terrifying time before Joystiq (2003!), you were probably too busy fending off saber-tooth tiger attacks to bother acquainting yourself with THQ's sci-fi first-person shooter, Red Faction. The series drew much attention to its use of "GeoMod" technology, a fancy bit of programming which enabled the real-time destruction and geometric alteration of specific and often rare in-game surfaces. A third game, unsurprisingly referred to as "Red Faction 3," has now been revealed to be in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.Speaking in a recent conference call, THQ CEO Brian Farrell noted that the game would once again be created by Volition, the same developer that's somehow responsible for both Saint's Row and Descent: Freespace. Red Faction 3 is expected to further enhance the franchise's destructive tendencies through the aid of today's more powerful platforms (translation: bigger 'splosions plus bloom) and should arrive somewhere between April 2008 and March 2009.
Just announced: Fracture by Lucasarts and Day 1 Studios!
Lucasarts just announced a brand new third-person shooter in collaboration with Day 1 Studios. Titled Fracture, the shooter is set in America in the year 2161, and is supposed to integrate highly destructive environments into its gameplay. The story involves an East vs West divide along the Mississippi, with mutants on one half and cybernetically enhanced humans on the other. Now, everybody knows that cyborgs and mutants hate each other, so of course, conflict is natural.As Joystiq points out, the whole 'destructive environments' thing is something we've heard many times before and it has never really been delivered. I loved the Red Faction series myself - but I always thought it was odd how the second one actually toned down the destructive environments. I liked taking down whole bridges with people on them. It was fun.
