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Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z special edition packs in DOA 5 Ultimate costumes
A jam-packed special edition of Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z will be available in limited quantities for PS3 and Xbox 360, bundling the game with a full-color comic from Dark Horse, some Yaiba costumes for Ryu Hayabusa and Mimoji in Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate and the full Yaiba soundtrack. Publisher Tecmo Koei has also revealed some bonus costumes and screenshots for Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. You can see a Mighty No. 9 crossover and a schoolgirl get-up in our galleries below. Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z tells the story of Yaiba Kamikaze, a ninja who is almost killed when he encounters Ninja Gaiden series poster child Ryu Hayabusa. Yaiba loses an arm and an eye in the fight and has them replaced with cybernetic implants. He agrees to help a corporation quell a zombie outbreak in return for information on where to find Hayabusa so that he might exact his revenge. Yaiba launches on the aforementioned consoles, along with PC through Steam, on March 18.
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z bringing that cyborg ninja to Europe a week early
Yaiba Ninja Gaiden Z-ooms to Europe one week ahead of North America, slicing up the continent on February 28. Just yesterday, Tecmo Koei announced the flamboyant spin-off will hit North America on March 4, coming to Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Yaiba represents an unusual three-way collaboration between Team Ninja, Lost Planet 3 dev Spark Unlimiited, and Soul Sacrifice studio Comcept. The fruit borne is a mixture of Ninja Gaiden slice-and-dicing and, well, lots and lots and lots of zombies. And plenty of smut too, as a new trailer reveals.
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z pits cyborg ninja against zombies next March
Spark Unlimited, Team Ninja and Comcept collaboration Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z has been pegged for a March 4, 2014 launch in the US on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC through Steam. Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z centers around anti-hero Yaiba Kamikaze - a ninja who massacres his entire clan for perceived weakness. After dying by the hand of Ninja Gaiden series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa during a duel, Kamikaze is then resurrected as a cyborg by a mysterious corporation, which forces him to embark on a quest to quell a zombie outbreak in exchange for the power to enact his revenge on Hayabusa. Team Ninja told Joystiq back in August that the Unreal Engine 3-powered slash-em-up is its own thing - not a spin-off or sequel. Team Ninja went on to say it would love to pursue a sequel, granted Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z manages to find an audience. And if the latest trailer above is any indication, that target audience is folks who enjoy terrible, cringe-worthy euphemisms.
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z set to slash through Steam
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z will now chop, slice and dice on PC. Publisher Tecmo Koei announced this morning that the spin-off will be available on Steam, alongside the announced Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, in early 2014. Yaiba, which we haven't heard much of since Gamescom, is an action-packed bout of ninjas vs. zombies created between Spark Unlimited (Lost Planet 3), Team Ninja and Keiji Inafune's Comcept, which also has its hands full with the successful Mighty No. 9 Kickstarter.
Metareview: Lost Planet 3
We said Lost Planet 3 is a "game about attempting to get on with it and failing miserably." So, let's get on with it... Game Trailers (77/100): "It's true that a lot of the game feels standard issue; nothing's really broken but there's certainly a bit of awkwardness. In the end playing Lost Planet 3 is very much like taking a job on a remote ice planet: most of the work is pretty ordinary, but there are enough bright spots and interesting people to make it a job worth taking." IGN (62/100): "But the biggest frustration of Lost Planet 3's level design is its lack of consistency. Getting locked in the mech and auto-killed instead of ejected sucks. Can you grapple that ledge? Probably not, but you have to check. Can you fall off that cliff? Probably not, but just when you've gotten used to the idea that an invisible wall will stop you, you fall to your death." Game Informer (60/100): "I don't hate Lost Planet 3. There's still a base satisfaction to popping orange Akrid weak points and mopping up goo. I even made a point to track down most of the hidden collectibles. The first two games balanced out any unsavory elements with mega moments and straightforward fun. The third entry simply doesn't have enough thermal energy to overcome its many problems. " Eurogamer (40/100): "Level design is a problem in the exterior scenes: the game's world is so cramped and divided by loading screens I genuinely couldn't tell you which bits are the hubs and which are the spokes, and that hurts your sense of stomping freedom in the rig. But the interiors are just lazily strung together shooting galleries which pinball Peyton between objective markers on flimsy narrative pretexts."
Lost Planet 3 review: How I Met Your Mothra
An elderly Jim Peyton would like to get a few things off his chest before he dies – the secrets, the lies, the many battles of youthful days gone by. Also, the huge rocks that just fell on him. As his granddaughter scrambles to pry him out of a cave-in coffin, she's drawn into an epic flashback that beats a season of Dallas, both in terms of length and inopportune timing. We're not meant to take this as a vocal description of every granular detail of Lost Planet 3, of course, but it sure feels that way sometimes. "And then I waited for the mega crab monster to charge me ... again," Peyton sputters. "So, I rolled out of the way ... again ... and I shot it in the back and then ... wait, I think I reloaded my gun first and THEN I rolled." He expends another pained breath. "Have I mentioned how I shot the glowing weakpoint?" Geez, Gramps, just get on with it.
Yaiba 'is its own thing,' Team Ninja would love to make Yaiba 2
Although it's set in the Ninja Gaiden universe, Team Ninja looks at Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z as its own entity, separate from Ryu Hayabusa's outings and able to develop into its own property. Speaking to Joystiq at Gamescom, studio head Yosuke Hayashi said his team would love to make a Yaiba 2, but it needs to ensure the first Yaiba is a success first. "It's not a sequel or a spin-off, it is its own thing," Hayashi said, "And so the systems are very different. We want to have it open to another audience, to people who like zombie games. The target is a little bit different, but it should still feel like a good, solid action game." Yaiba isn't just a ninja meets zombies crossover, it is also a worldwide collaboration between three separate games studios: Ninja Gaiden dev Team Ninja and Keiji Inafune's Comcept from Japan, and California-based Spark Unlimited. It's an unusual collaboration to say the least, but one Inafune believes has worked out well. "It's been interesting to see the Comcept team, the Team Ninja team, and the Spark team working together on this project," Inafune said. "First we were being careful with each other and respecting each other's boundaries, and stuff like that. But it really has become an open dialog between the teams, respecting the strengths of each team, and bringing out those strengths through discussion and through open and honest collaboration. To see that happen that between Team Ninja and Spark has been something that's really good for Yaiba."
Lost Planet 3 Video Preview
As a prequel to Capcom's ice-cracking shooter series, Lost Planet 3 will disintegrate the mysteries that have dogged us since 2006's Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. Why do the snarling inhabitants of planet E.D.N. III insist on flaunting their weakpoints? Why don't astronomical objects stop and ask for directions? How did the condition get so ... extreme? We'd rather not spoil any of that, so instead we'll show you the game's warm protagonist, his big bipedal rig and the on-foot combat in our new video preview. Lost Planet 3, developed by Spark Unlimited, is due on August 27 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z trailers won't cost you an arm and a leg
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z stars Yaiba Kamikaze, a ninja killed by primary series star Ryu Hayabusa during a duel. We're not sure how Yaiba came back from the dead, but at least we can see how he died.
Lost Planet 3 multiplayer trailer mechs its way online
Grappling hooks, glowing bugs, turrets, mechs and snow? Must be a Lost Planet 3 multiplayer trailer. The game launches this August.
Lost Planet 3 orbits over NA June 25, EU June 28
Capcom tells us the release dates for Lost Planet 3 are June 25 in North America, and June 28 in Europe. The game was previously earmarked for early 2013, but early 2013 has all but come and gone, so a delay isn't too surprising. Spark Unlimited's third-person shooter is a prequel to the events of the first game, despite it being called Lost Planet 3.Check out all of the North American retailer-specific pre-order bonuses on the Capcom blog. %Gallery-180867%
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z will slice its way to Xbox and PS3
Previously announced only for "consoles," it appears that Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z will be heading specifically to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The news comes via a batch of job listings for developer Spark Unlimited (which is also handling Lost Planet 3), which identify Yaiba as "a bold new take on 3rd Person slasher with Horror elements for the PS3 and Xbox 360."So there you have it, any fears (hopes?) that Yaiba would debut only on the next generation of consoles have been cut down like a cybernetic zombie ninja.
Lost Planet 3 TGS demo transforms into video walkthrough
If reading the Lost Planet 3 preview from our Tokyo Game Show coverage isn't your thing, here's the demo in video form. Or, you could read along while watching the video. Right eye on the text, left eye on the video.
Lost Planet 3 and the dichotomy of man and machine
There's an interesting clash of play styles I discovered during my preview session of Lost Planet 3. When within his rig – a giant biped mech armed with a huge drill and claw – protagonist Jim is nearly invincible, try as you might to get to the soft, fleshy core of this hulking mechanical giant.Yet Lost Planet 3 won't let you get away with cruising through the campaign from within the safety of Jim's rig – often he'll be forced to get out, navigating the cold tundras of E.D.N. III alone. It's at these times when I felt weak and without a safety net during my E3 demo. It's an interesting dichotomy not seen in many other games out there right now.The dangers of a blisteringly cold ice planet are obvious, and the segments where Jim is on foot are incredibly hazardous. Exploring a web of caves, I stumbled upon an akrid nest. Think: the next scene in Aliens. There were eggs everywhere, hatching and releasing akrid spawn. My assault rifle quickly became ineffective at crowd control. Good thing I found that shotgun, which had the just the right amount of oomph.It wasn't long before I found momma akrid, a large crab-like thing with pincers. It was a boss with an identity crisis, continually charging me like some bull who spotted a man in a puffy red parka. Shoot, roll to the side, and shoot some more.I felt vulnerable and completely outmatched – the perfect combination of terror and panic only well-crafted scenarios can produce. I didn't have massive wells of ammo to draw from. I had to be nimble and crafty. I had to be smart about when I shot and where. And because of this, the reward of finally bringing this thing down was ever so sweet. Taking on such a thing in my mech would've been a decidedly different gameplay experience, one I feel would've lost all of the characteristics I enjoyed in the tense encounter.These contrasts of feeling incredibly powerful and invincible within the rig, and feeling alone and desperate and vulnerable on foot, instilled a variety in Lost Planet 3 I haven't seen in many other games. If Spark Unlimited sustains that trend throughout the entirety of Lost Planet 3, I think they'll produce a fine game – and, dare I say, perhaps the best entry in the series yet.%Gallery-156930%
Why it's called Lost Planet 3 despite being a prequel
It must be hard to maximize your reach to gamers when there's a "3" in the title of your game. What if I've never played the first two games? How am I expected to understand all of the references and deep, established lore? It's quite the pickle for those looking to come into any established franchise without prior experience.In the case of Lost Planet 3, it's a pretty interesting prospect. It's the third installment in a fairly polarizing series – either you love Lost Planet or you don't – from a relatively unknown developer who hasn't shipped that many games.%Gallery-156930%
Capcom projections: Resident Evil 6 sells 7 million, DmC does 2 million
Capcom has laid out commercial projections for its biggest upcoming games, and expects Resident Evil 6 to sell seven million copies. Resident Evil 5 sold almost two million in its first six months or so in the US alone.Resident Evil 6 is just one of four big titles in the pipeline from Capcom. The Ninja Theory reboot of Devil May Cry is expected to sell two million, and this month's launch of Dragon's Dogma is expected to yield a total of 1.5 million units sold. Finally, the recently announced Lost Planet 3 – which is in development at Spark Unlimited – is expected to sell the least of the bunch, with 1.4 million copies.
Lost Planet 3 coming in 2013 from Spark Unlimited
The proverbial lid on Capcom's annual Captivate news has lifted over the past 12 hours, with trailers for Devil May Cry, Resident Evil 6, and now, Lost Planet 3 surfacing. Wait, that last one's not an announced game! Hot dog! Spark Unlimited (Legendary, Call of Duty: Finest Hour) is putting together a third Lost Planet for Capcom, heading to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in "early 2013." It seems Spark is ditching the sultry locales of Lost Planet 2 for the frozen wastelands of the first game, at least as far as this trailer is concerned. It also seems there'll be some sort of a giant storm to deal with during your return trip to Capcom's misplaced orb. Expect a full, "official" announcement from sooner rather than later.%Gallery-152818%
Rumor: Spark Unlimited producing sci-fi sequel, speculation says Battlefront 3
Remember Star Wars: Battlefront 3? It was never really made, but was never officially canceled either, and the idea faded into the background some time in 2010. Not everyone is ready to let the dream go, as PlayStation Lifestyle is reporting a slew of data that it says suggests developer Spark Unlimited is working on Battlefront 3.Lifestyle's evidence includes a job opening at Spark listing "a 3rd Person Action/Adventure sequel in a high-profile science fiction franchise currently greenlit for full production development for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC markets;" a Spark employee's LinkedIn profile that describes a sword-fighting game for a well-known IP; and another that lists a triple-A third-person shooter that's been in development for three years.Spark Unlimited's previous projects include 2008's Legendary and Turning Point: Fall of Liberty, and 2004's Call of Duty: Finest Hour. Battlefront 1 and 2 were developed by Pandemic Studios, which was bought by EA and eventually shuttered in 2009. Before closing, Pandemic said it was not working on Battlefront 3, and no developer has officially claimed it since.Spark's coming title could be one of many unannounced sci-fi sequels, such as Star Wars: Jedi Knight 3, yet another XCOM revamp (why not?) or Asteroids 3D: When Spinning and Shooting Doesn't Work. Spark says it plans on publicly announcing its sci-fi secret this year.
One legendary Legendary demo now on the XBLM
Today, Spark Unlimited figured they'd gift us with a surprising, out of nowhere gift that has left us in the awkward position of not having anything to give back. The gift, a 748MB Legendary demo that can be downloaded via the Xbox Live Marketplace. And seeing that this demo was sprung on us so suddenly, the only holiday gift we can give in return would be our actual downloading of the demo. So, that'll have to do. You've been gifted a Legendary demo, now gift back by actually playing it. It's only right.[Via Major Nelson]
Legendary achievements and Legendary screens
Today, Spark Unlimited released a new set of screenshots for Legendary The Box as well as a complete list of game achievements. You can take a gander through the new and improved Legendary screens including a gelatinous looking werewolf, a dude's face and some on screen text that looks eerily similar to X3F's witty image commentary text. Just saying. %Gallery-18136%
