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Possible Silicon Knights project title leaked: Siren in the Maelstrom
A Canadian cultural agency known as Telefilm Canada recently posted a list of 56 new media projects it's helping to fund over the next year. One name on this list sticks out more than all the others: St. Catharines, Ontario-based developer Silicon Knights' apparent new project, which is titled "Siren in the Maelstrom." We know the developer is up to something, as hinted at by a few recent help wanted ads -- could this be the something for which it's hiring? We've contacted Silicon Knights to try and find out.We're pretty upset that the leaked title isn't "Eternal Darkness: Siren in the Maelstrom." On the other hand, it's also not "Too Human: Siren in the Maelstrom," so we guess we should count our blessings.[Via VG247]
Silicon Knights hiring, possibly for Too Human 2
Would you like to become a Silicon Knight? If so, you'll be pleased to learn that the Ontario-based developer is hiring game designers for a new project, according to a Gamasutra job listing posted on July 10. We must note that we aren't sure if employment at Silicon Knights entitles you to call yourself a Silicon Knight. Destructoid speculates (to its horror) that the project is a Too Human sequel, which seems likely, given that the job requires "familiarity with the fantasy and science fiction genre and role-playing games." With the current state of the industry, we're delighted to see more job openings, even if they result in more Too Human.
Embattled Midway caught in Epic vs. Silicon Knights suit
As Midway continues to fend off the courts and the government whilst floating in bankruptcy limbo, Edge Online reports that the company is now fighting yet another legal battle, this time over attorney fees in the Epic vs Silicon Knights lawsuit. Yeah, it's been a while since we wrote about that. Quick refresher: Silicon Knights is suing Epic over the "inadequacies" of the Unreal Engine used by licensees, which the developer originally used to craft Too Human before opting to create its own engine instead. As part of the proceedings, subpoenas for Unreal Engine records were issued to licensees, one of which was Midway.Now, Midway is asking the court to defer all costs of the record review process to Silicon Knights. Additionally, the publisher is asking that certain documents be redacted so that Silicon Knights will not be exposed to any trade secrets. Midway cites its bankruptcy proceedings as preventing it from paying any costs associated with the review, including the hire of attorneys and former Midway employees.The request resulted in a tit-for-tat between the companies' attorneys, with Silicon Knights responding that Midway's creditors have already approved a monthly expenditure of $35,000 over three months to pay for the review. Silicon Knights' attorneys also state that the company has "taken extraordinary steps" to prevent any "undue burden" on the beleaguered publisher.This is normally where we would make a Mortal Kombat "Finish Him!" joke but, frankly, our hearts just aren't in it.
Silicon Knights exec departs, looks for 'something different'
"I'm just looking for something different," said Rob DePetris, former Vice-President of Finance for Silicon Knights. The executive, who recently bid adieu to the Too Human developer, has yet to decide where he and his trusty HP-12C will head next. Speaking to The St. Catherines Standard, DePetris did note that he would remain involved in the community and was not "planning on leaving."DePetris will be replaced by one Mike Mays, who will "help usher in a New Year of continual growth for Silicon Knights, the games industry in Ontario and the Niagara Region," according to a company statement. We wish Mays and DePetris the best of luck, even though we had no idea who they were until today. [Via Endsights]
Too Human soundtrack grinds iTunes, CD for phat lootz
Too Human is something of a divisive game. Some people love it, others hate it. From the unusual control scheme to the unique setting, the game has earned a mixed reputation. Still, the game did reasonably well, especially for a new franchise. Well enough, it seems, that Silicon Knights has announced the release of an official soundtrack album. Given that the focus of the game is on grinding endlessly for new gear and abilities, you may not have noticed that the game's soundtrack is pretty good. The folks at Silicon Knights obviously agree and remind us that the soundtrack was recently nominated for "Best Original Video Game Score" by the Hollywood Music Awards. The Too Human soundtrack, composed to complement the game's Norse setting and storyline, is now available from Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes and Sumthing Distribution.[Via Joystiq]
Too Human soundtrack button mashes ears on CD, iTunes
Too Human cleaved a line between those who appreciate the subtle nuances of button mashery and others who simply didn't get it. It's a gap, however, that may be bridged somewhat with the one element of the game that managed to garner significant praise. No, not the hoarding of random loot, but the music.The hour-long Too Human soundtrack, scored by Silicon Knight's composer Steve Henifin and performed by the FILMharmonic Orchestra and Choir Prague, is now available for around $16 from Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes and the CD label Sumthing Distribution's own site. The soundtrack promises an interesting mix, from orchestra to metal, and even "cyber elements" that "are more elegant and organic in style." Whatever, as long as we won't again be forced to watch a Valkyrie descend for the hundredth time to carry Baldur (and our patience) off to Valhalla as the selection goes from track to track.
Rumor Roundup: LittleBigPlanet PSP in 2009 and more from December's EGM
Another day, another hint at LittleBigPlanet coming to PSP. The latest rumor mongering comes from EGM (via NeoGAF), whose December issue suggests a PSP version will debut in 2009 -- supposedly, it'll be "fantastically ambitious and will further flesh out the PS3 LBP experience." What it won't have, it seems, is Media Molecule at the helm, as the developer is rumored to be working on an online RPG (in addition to a LBP sequel?). Previous mutterings pointed the finger at Sony's Studio Liverpool (WipEout Pulse) being the developer.Other juicy gossip from the 'zine: Square Enix has quietly canceled Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (gasp!), Capcom is bringing 1980s side-scrolling shooter Forgotten Worlds to Xbox Live and PlayStation Network (more gasps!) and Silicon Knight's unannounced Sega title is now looking for a new publisher. December's EGM should soon be on newsstands everywhere. Update: As noted in the comments section (thanks ... Fer-nan-do), Square Enix has released a statement denying the cancellation of Crystal Bearer. The publisher "has every intention of releasing it" but no date is currently known.
Born for Wii: Eternal Darkness
It's almost Halloween, gamers: are you ready? For most of us, the approach of Halloween signifies a few things: a chill in the air as winter crawls ever closer, overdosing on candy, and concerned parents fretting over how many razor blades they're going to find lodged in seemingly innocent candy apples. For a few of us, it means wild parties and crazy costumes. But for all of us, it's the season for scares.Of course, how you get your fair share of hair-raising excitement is up to you, but we here at Nintendo Wii Fanboy think there's a better way for you to spend your time than seeing Saw V this Halloween weekend. Close the blinds, turn off the lights, crank up the sound and settle down with one of the scariest, most original games of last generation: Silicon Knights' Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem. Everyone's favorite purple lunchbox was often criticized as being a kiddie platform to the chagrin of Nintendo fans everywhere, and Eternal Darkness did its best to challenge those claims when it was released in 2002. The game's rich narrative and diverse gameplay were a large part of its appeal (and critical acclaim), but being one of the downright creepiest games of all time sure didn't hurt. For messing with our heads and making us afraid to sleep at night, Eternal Darkness is the scariest game that's ever been Born for Wii. #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } NEXT >> %Gallery-35492% Every week, Born for Wii digs into gaming's sordid past to unearth a new treasure fit for revival on the Nintendo Wii. Be sure to check out last week's entry in the series, Discs of Tron, and for more great titles that deserve your attention, take a look at Virtually Overlooked.
Silicon Knights 'temporarily' lays off 26 employees
Silicon Knights announced today that it has laid off 26 employees in the wake of the completion of Too Human and heading into "several new and exciting games." The press release notes that it is common for development teams to grow during a single project and "whittle down" once the project is complete. According to the release, Silicon Knights had undergone "four years of unprecedented growth" in which the company reached over 180 people before the cutback. The layoffs are purportedly temporary with company head Denis Dyack stating, "These 26 individuals are hard-working and valued team members that we hope to bring back as we ramp up on our future projects."While the press release states that "All the company's directors and leads are still at Silicon Knights and working on its next projects," a Joystiq tipster said that the 26 cut employees included "a few long-tenured ones."Find the full press release after the break.
Silicon Knights lays off 26 employees 'temporarily'
We'll spare the "too human" jokes and get right to it: Silicon Knights laid off 26 employees today as the studio reshuffled its size in preparation for "several new and exciting" projects. Before the "temporary" cutback, the company totaled just over 180 employees."These 26 individuals are hard-working and valued team members that we hope to bring back as we ramp up on our future projects," head knight Denis Dyack said in a statement. The layoffs are consistent with typical development cycles in the industry, but do come at a time when global markets are wavering. Silicon Knights has not yet named any of the individuals affected by today's downsizing, but a tipster suggests the group includes "a few long-tenured ones."Read the full statement from Silicon Knights after the break.[Thanks Bob!]
Behold the Zero Punctuation Too Human review
Just when we all thought that the lumbering storm cloud that washed Too Human's existence with unrestrained negativity (or "mixed" positivity, depending on how you look at it), we remembered something: Zero Punctuation. As a man who loves to hate, we imagine there was no way Yahtzee would pass up a game like Too Human. It is, in his opinion, universally bad and apparently has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. To anyone who enjoys the game (frankly, we've been a bit addicted), you have been warned. Everyone else, find the review after the break.
Too Human cracks NPD Top 10
According to the NPD Group the controversial loot-grinder Too Human cracked the top ten sales chart for the month of August. Selling 168,200 units in a ten day period, Too Human landed the number 8 spot beating out Madden 09 for the Nintendo Wii and Guitar Hero: On Tour for the Nintendo DS.While reactions have been mixed since Too Human's release, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack told X3F in a post game release interview that the team from St. Catharine's, Canada, couldn't be happier with the final product. Controversy aside, Too Human debuted strong and continued sales only solidifies that the previously announced sequels are still in the works. That Valkyrie death animation can still fall in a well and die, though. Just saying.[via GameDaily]
Too Human update fixes connectivity, nothing else
We turned on Too Human this morning (no, really) and found an auto update. Hoping it might have shortened the Valkyrie death sequence, we immediately unequipped all weapons and armor and ran naked (figuratively) into battle, only to be faced with the same 15.5-second consequence. We also thought the menu screen loaded faster, but that is all apparently just in our heads.In a forum post this morning, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack revealed that the update "fixed some connectivity issues and was done prior to release. It does not contain any balance or gameplay changes." Better luck next time.
'CliffyB' defends Too Human from critics
[Update 2: The Giant Bomb user formerly known as CliffyB has changed his user name based on a request from the Giant Bomb staff. Seems this was a case of mistaken/overtaken internet identity. Joystiq regrets the error.][Update: It seems there's some doubt as to whether or not this review was actually written by Mr. Bleszinski or just some Giant bomb user who took his common online moniker. Either way, the review is still an interesting, alternative look at the game. We're looking into it and we'll update as warranted.]After so much hype and so many years in development, many were surprised by the lackluster critical reception for Silicon Knights' Too Human. Count among the surprised Epic Games' Cliff "Don't call me CliffyB anymore" Bleszinski, who defended the game from its harshest critics in a recent Giant Bomb reader review.Bleszinski says he found the game more engrossing than either BioShock or Call of Duty 4, pouring 16 straight hours into it on his first sit down and readying for a second playthrough after a 42-hour quest. While admitting that the story "isn't God's gift to writing," Bleszinski still insists it compares favorably to a lot of other video games. His main beef, though, is with critics who derided the game's combat as too simple simply because they weren't willing to delve into what Bleszinski sees as some complex strategic depth. "It will require some attention to learn," he warns, "If this is too much to ask, do not fret. There is always the Wii." Ouch!The full review goes into an insane amount of detail on Bleszinski's experience with the game. Check it out if you're interested in a well informed, decidedly different perspective on this epic.
Fanswag Weekly: Win a signed copy of Too Human [update]
Update: This giveaway is now closed and our winner will be notified soon. Check your spam boxes, kids! After a week covering Silicon Knights and Too Human, it's time to end our special coverage with a special giveaway. Up for grabs we have a copy of Too Human autographed by the team at Silicon Knights. We also have a swanky Too Human cloth bag for you to put it in. You wouldn't want the ink to get all smudged, now would you?). But wait, there's more! We also have an autographed Too Human poster for our second prize winner (check out a photo of it after the break). To enter, simply follow these directions: Every player in Too Human has to make a philosophical choice: Human or Cybernetic. Leave a comment telling us which path you would choose, and why. It doesn't even have to be specific to Too Human, just have fun with it. Only one comment per person will be accepted. Posters of multiple comments will be disqualified. We'll accept entries until 11:00PM eastern time today, August 29th, 2008. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. This giveaway is open only to residents of the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec). Later today, we'll pick two winner via random drawing. One grand prize winner will receive an autographed copy of Too Human and a Too Human cloth bag, worth $80. One second prize winner will receive an autographed Too Human poster, worth $20. Complete giveaway rules can be found here
Dyack: Ownership of Eternal Darkness IP is 'complicated'
Our greener, slightly more hi-def colleagues at X3F recently had a chance to sit down with Denis Dyack, famously outspoken founder and president of Silicon Knights. Although Dyack and Silicon Knights have been working with the others in recent years, the company does have a history of working alongside Nintendo, perhaps most notably when Ninty published cult favorite Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem on the GameCube. Since it was released in 2002, the fan clamor for an Eternal Darkness follow-up has been considerable.Regrettably, the signs given by Dyack here (at around the 4.30 mark) aren't encouraging. The sticking point seems to be the issue of who owns the Eternal Darkness IP, something which Dyack describes as "a complicated question with a complicated answer."That said, he also reveals that Nintendo is a "silent partner" with the developer, and that the two companies have a "great" relationship. "It's not time to talk about Eternal Darkness 2," he concludes. The chances of an Eternal Darkness sequel on Wii seem a little slimmer after watching this, and that makes us sad pandas.
Dyack: Nintendo a 'silent partner', Eternal Darkness IP ownership 'complicated'
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Dyack_says_Eternal_Darkness_IP_ownership_is_complicated'; In the final part of X3F's interview series, Silicon Knights President Denis Dyack said that the question of who owns the Eternal Darkness IP is, "a complicated question with a complicated answer," while at the same time confirming that Nintendo is still a "silent partner" with the developer."That's a question we've never answered," he said. "At the end of the day, it's not time to even talk about those things for various different reasons. You know Nintendo, who's still our silent partner, a lot of people don't know that, we have a great relationship with those guys. It's not time to talk about Eternal Darkness 2." Dyack went on to say that, despite some reports to the contrary, SK has never announced ED2 to be in development.Dyack also discussed his one console theory, and how the consolidation of the developers and publishers support his claim that the industry is moving towards a one-console future, adding that Silicon Knights is not opposed to being acquired by a publisher. He also said that the company's next game will be "very different" from Too Human, declining to elaborate further.
X3F TV -- Denis Dyack, "Future Knights" Interview
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/Dyack_says_Eternal_Darkness_IP_ownership_is_complicated'; In the final part of our three part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack we discuss the future of the studio. From genre bending, clarifications and the unanswered question regarding the ownership of the Eternal Darkness IP, this interview covers everything you'd want to know about the future of Silicon Knights.Stay tuned tomorrow for a special giveaway to round out our Too Human coverage.[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes. [Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon). [RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [M4V] Download the M4V of the first section of this video directly. Gallery: Silicon Knights: Studio Tour
Dyack mum on Eternal Darkness IP ownership
In the final part of our three-part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack one of the biggest questions lingering in our mind was the ownership debate regarding the Eternal Darkness IP. Some say Nintendo is the sole owner of the name, some say they were simply the publishers.While Denis agreed that the question is one they have never answered in the past, he still kept silent on the answers. ""It's a complicated question with a complicated answer and we're not answering that question."However Dyack surprised us by stating that Silicon Knights still has a "silent partner" in Nintendo when discussing Eternal Darkness but reiterates that nothing has ever been announced for a sequel to the famed horror title.
Silicon Knights could join a major publisher in the era of consolidation
In the final part of our three-part interview with Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack we discussed the one console future, specifically the topic of consolidation. With companies such as Electronic Arts purchasing developers like BioWare and Pandemic and Microsoft purchasing Lionhead, does Denis Dyack see Silicon Knights joining a major company in the future?"I think I see that for everybody," Dyack told X3F. "I think what is really important for us, more than anything else, is that we're allowed to create great games, grown in the way we want to grow [and] maintain our culture."While Dyack isn't adverse to the possibility he did contend that any thought on the matter now is pure speculation on his part. "Who knows, it's like trying to predict what the weather is going to be like a week from now."
