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Another Xbox Live sale: Ryse, Persona 4 Arena and more for cheap
We think Microsoft may have an addiction. On top of the Ultimate discounts on offer this week, Microsoft has announced an entirely different crop of cheap games, available through February 24. Two sales at the same time? Madness! If you want to take advantage of Microsoft's lapse in judgment, you can grab Ryse: Son of Rome for $40. We may even see more of this in the future, as Microsoft toys around with discount digital pricing on Xbox One. Ridge Racer Unbounded is on sale for $5 and all of its DLC can be acquired for pennies on the dollar. Persona 4 Arena, Angry Birds: Star Wars and more on Xbox 360 are cheap too so, if you're interested, pop on over to Major Nelson's website for the full list of markdowns. [Image: Microsoft Studios]
Ridge Racer Unbounded is undelayed [update: officially released]
Earlier this month, Namco announced that Ridge Racer Unbounded would be delayed from March 6 until "later in 2012" to add more features. The final release date was to be given "shortly."It's something of a surprise, then, that people are already finding the game in stores. NeoGAF users are reporting that they've found copies on store shelves. Even more surprising, it's available right now on GameStop.com. But ... only on Xbox 360. The PS3 version still appears as a pre-order, with a release date of yesterday.We're checking with Namco now to figure out what the official release date is supposed to be. But while you wait to find that out, you're welcome to buy the game.Update: A Namco representative told Joystiq that the official release date was yesterday, March 27.
Ridge Racer Unbounded trailer creates a few cities
It looks like race fans will have quite a few options when imagining new racing locales in Ridge Racer Unbounded. We call first on the loop-de-loop!
You're going to wub the Ridge Racer Unbounded soundtrack
The soundtrack for Namco-Bandai's latest entry in its long-running racing series, Ridge Racer Unbounded, has been revealed. It'll feature electronic music prominently, including some of the more well-known artists out there right now like Skrillex and The Crystal Method. The kids tell us these are "hot acts."Skrillex's "Kill Everybody" and "Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites" will be in the game, joined by other lesser-known contributions from artists Scratch Perverts, Unknown Error, OVERSEER, RuN RiOT, Ever Never and, as stated, The Crystal Method. Also, series fans will be glad to hear that Hiroshi Okubo, who has been rocking the radio dials for the past 18 years, will contribute several new tunes created exclusively for Ridge Racer Unbounded.Namco-Bandai recently pushed back the launch of Ridge Racer Unbounded, which now has a tentative "late 2012" launch window.
Ridge Racer Unbounded staying in captivity for a few more months
Ridge Racer Unbounded's delay in Europe is extending to the rest of the world, and unfortunately getting an extra extension into the unknown. Namco announced this afternoon that Unbounded is delayed until "later in 2012," and a new date will be given "shortly," alongside news of pre-order incentives and game features. A tease of a marketing plan? Hot dog!Much like Namco's other delay from today, the amorphous reason for the delay is "additional time to pack the disc with features that will truly make the game sing." Singing cars? Now we're talkin'!
Ridge Racer Unbounded delayed four weeks in Europe
Who has time to make a hackneyed "Riiiiidge Raaacer" joke when vital information has just been released regarding the franchise's next installment? Oh, wait, we totally do. Unbounded, the next game in Kaz Hirai's favorite series, has been delayed to March 30 in Europe, Eurogamer reports."The development team felt they needed a little bit of extra time to optimise the game," publisher Namco Bandai told the site. The Bugbear-developed racer is coming to the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.Ridge Racer Unbounded was originally scheduled to launch in Europe on March 3. Multiple North American retailers still list the game as scheduled for March 6. Joystiq has contacted publisher Namco Bandai to clarify whether the North American release date has been affected.
Ridge Racer: Unbounded trailer turns out some destruction, level editor
Ridge Racer will be heavily seasoned with Burnout flavors when Unbounded hits the streets on March 6. The latest trailer shows some of the developers playing with cars (when they should be crashing them!), but it also includes footage of the game's level editor mixed in with all the crashing.
Ridge Racer: Unbounded unleashed March 6
Though the title implies otherwise, Ridge Racer: Unbounded's development period has been given strict bounds. Developer Bugbear absolutely must be finished making the surprising new racer by March 6 of next year ... because that's the release date. Namco Bandai also released a new trailer focusing on multiplayer gameplay. Luckily, that's been captured within some pretty clear limits as well. Specifically, the little window above.
Ridge Racer Unbounded: Crashing through expectations
You know Ridge Racer, right? It's that arcade racing stalwart that occasionally revives itself for a new platform launch or awkward update, but consistently delivers drift-heavy, if not somewhat stale, racing mechanics? Or maybe you know it like I do, as a game to occasionally obsess over, to replay over and over while its electronica soundtrack bounces along in the background. Either way, Ridge Racer Unbounded is none of those things. Sure, Unbounded's driving still leans heavily on drifting, and the soundtrack is still composed of bouncy, synthetic beats, but Unbounded is an entirely different beast from previous entries in the series. It combines elements of both Split/Second and Need for Speed to concoct a hybrid Ridge Racer experience like none before, and -- at least thus far -- creates a surprisingly refined experience as a result.%Gallery-130924%
Ridge Racer Unbounded gameplay video ruins dozens of sidewalk cafes
Ridge Racer Unbounded, the newest entry in Namco Bandai's ever-present racing series, has historically played its cards fairly close to its chest. Little has been revealed about the racer since it was first announced back in February, and ridge-racing veterans have expressed concern over the decidedly extreme direction the series appears to be taking. Thanks to the magic that is Gamescom, however, we now know quite a bit about Unbounded's core gameplay mechanics. As explained by producer Joonas Laakso in the video above, the title's "crash race" mode slots neatly between Ridge Racers of yore and Split/Second: players fill a power meter by drifting, which can then be used to open shortcuts or destroy other racers. Environments are also highly destructible, with points awarded for destroying "collateral" that has been deemed "inconsequential." Chewing up the scenery with your front fascia will be instrumental in finding the fastest lines, as well as earning the highest scores. At the moment, we're intrigued by the racer's dramatic cinematics and minimalistic UI presentation, however it's also possible that we've simply been entranced by Joonas Laakso's accent. Unbounded is due out in 2012, so we'll just have to wait and see if the title can hold up without European charm.
Namco Bandai media roundup: Trailers from Tekken, Tales, Ace Combat, and more
Namco Bandai went just a little crazy at GamesCom, releasing entirely too much media for us to post piecemeal. So after the break, you can find new trailers and screens for two Ace Combats (on PS3/Xbox and 3DS), two Tekkens (on PS3 and 3DS), Tales of the Abyss, Inversion, and more. Armored Core 5 alone has earned a "blowout" appelation, with no fewer than three videos and a gallery. How much do you love mechs? Find out right now!
Create cities to ruin in Ridge Racer Unbounded
Ridge Racer Unbounded breaks with series tradition in more than subtitle and attitude. The above trailer introduces the "City Creator" feature, allowing players to lay out their own environments. And then smash into them head-on.
Ridge Racer Unbounded will be a brand within a brand
Some of you in the Ridge Racer hardcore may have been a little put out by early video of the edgier Ridge Racer Unbounded, but it appears you needn't worry. During Namco Bandai's Level Up event in Dubai, product manager Kevin Chadine said that the Ridge Racer brand is becoming a larger umbrella with several series underneath it, much like EA has done with Need For Speed, saying of Unbounded that "This is just a different branch." So don't fret, Ridge Racers. Think of Unbounded less as a new direction and more a sidepath, a shortcut that's being explored. And, assuming this is the first of many, let's hope the side streets down the road have better names.
Ridge Racer Unbounded teaser trailer is far less crashy
The first trailer we saw for Namco and Bugbear's Ridge Racer Unbounded didn't focus so much on driving as much as it focused on T-boning innocent pedestrians. This (much shorter) teaser actually features a racer obeying the rules of the road. Well, kind of. A little.
Ridge Racer Unbounded colliding with Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in 2012
Namco Bandai Games VP of marketing, Carlson Choi, describes Ridge Racer Unbounded as "very different from the Ridge Racer you've come to know." if you've ever bought a game console at launch, you've probably come to know Ridge Racer very well, and you'll easily recognize the face of Reiko, the franchise's seemingly immortal mascot. Her behavior in the Unbounded trailer shows a turn for the worse -- she crashes her expensive car through a busy intersection, implying that Ridge Racer is about to adopt a more dangerous and careless approach to racing. Another, more obvious clue: It's being developed by Bugbear Entertainment, creator of chaotic arcade racer FlatOut. Ridge Racer Unbounded is set to arrive on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC sometime in 2012.
