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Two Worlds publisher obtains $12.9m in funding
SouthPeak Games, publisher of Two Worlds as well as the uber-cute DS title Ninjatown, has secured an impressive $12.9 million in private funding. As reported by VC blog VentureBeat's Dean Takahashi, the financing is particularly interesting given that most investments of this sort are directed at the online games, virtual worlds or social networks, rather than the more traditional console and PC game space that SouthPeak calls home.The company will have no shortage of projects on which to blow its newfound cash, with a number of other titles on deck including XBLA puzzler Roogoo, Monster Madness: Grave Danger for the PS3, and The Temptation, which is totally not-an-expansion to Two Worlds. With multiple sequels planned, Takahashi also notes that the pub sees last year's Xbox 360 and PC RPG as its biggest success to date, though it's a sentiment obviously measured in something other than review scores.
Two Worlds 'unfairly compared to Oblivion' by reviewers
In its interview with developer Reality Pump, OXM diplomatically asks why "the most epic RPG of all time," Two Worlds, was met with such a "mixed" reception from reviewers. The interviewee (who, quite oddly, is never named in the article) suggests that it was the comparison between the developer's open-ended fantasy RPG and Bethesda's open-ended fantasy RPG, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, that did the scores in. "I can't say for sure, but I suspect that it was unfairly compared to Oblivion," says the spokesperson. "It's understandable since Elder Scrolls was so good it basically set the standard."Ah, that would explain why Worth Playing labeled Two Worlds a "sub-par RPG with a sub-par storyline, sub-par gameplay, sub-par sounds, and very sub-par multiplayer." Reality Pump further notes that one of the game's major failings was being stuffed with ideas. "With the original idea, we were all so excited to be working on an RPG, that we tried to fit in every idea we had, even the ones that came late in the process. Ultimately, this hurt the end product in that it had parts that were underdeveloped."Will the expansion-turned-sequel, Two Worlds: The Temptation be better? "It's better in every aspect, and we know that many reading this have their doubts. All I can say is give us a chance to prove it." Fair enough -- as long as you don't mind us comparing it to Oblivion.
Two Worlds expansion Curse of Souls hits the Marketplace
While we doubt Oblivion will credit Reality Pump's Two Worlds as the wind beneath its wings, we still can't help but wonder if it's cold there living in the shadow of Bethesda's role-playing opus. Nevertheless, the lesser of the two open-ended RPGs continues to get love by way of downloadable content, the latest of which dropped today over Xbox Live. Dubbed Curse of Souls, the 600 point multiplayer-focused affair is the game's second, following the already available Tainted Blood, and promises, among other things, an extra 10 hours of content spread over 35 new quests. The download also adds a player-versus-player arena throwdown in the town of Tharnburg, no doubt making for a thrilling spectacle for the handful of players still frolicking in the world of Antaloor as they wait for the game's recently confirmed sequel.[Via Press Release]
Two Worlds: The Temptation dated for fall, now called a sequel
It appears as if SouthPeak and developer Reality Pump have big plans for Two Worlds: The Temptation, as the previously announced release has been upgraded from mere expansion to full-on sequel status, with the game expected to ship to retail this fall for both the PC and Xbox 360. The Temptation will pick up following the events in the first game, a title mind you that was almost universally derided when it was released in 2007.While SouthPeak remains mum on many of the sequel's specifics, the company notes that The Temptation will pack in "as much content as the original," as well as a new graphics engine, improved voice overs and "more intricate" missions. The publisher also describes the sequel's combat as "revamped," a fancy term that we hope translates to "not horribly broken."%Gallery-18838%
New Two Worlds DLC: Tainted Blood
After its announcement late last month, the first of two new downloadable content packs for Two Worlds has been released. Entitled "Tainted Blood" the new DLC offers 4 new multiplayer maps and over 35 new quests that can be accomplished with friends. The DLC also includes a new PVP multiplayer mode in which players "battle to control magical orbs within a variety of arenas." All in all, according to the press release, Tainted Blood should add 10 hours of gameplay to Two Worlds. Should you desire Tainted Blood (and who doesn't?), it will run you 600 Microsoft Points. We've received a handful of new screens of the DLC, which you can peep in the gallery below. Remember, there is still another batch of DLC planned for April as well as a full expansion called Temptation set to arrive sometime this year. We're reminding you so that you won't forget to not download those either.[Via Press Release]%Gallery-3889%
Two Worlds expansion to tempt you in 2008
Sure, Two Worlds may not have the best reviews or consumer confidence right now, but that doesn't make it beyond salvation (just look at the now-awesome Boom Boom Rocket). An expansion for the game, dubbed The Temptation, is coming second quarter 2008. According to WorthPlaying (pictures), Temptation has what you'd expect from an expansion: new areas, new baddies, new abilities and better AI. The real question is will Temptation tempt you to (re)visit Two Worlds next year?
Two Worlds gets XBL demo, update (soon)
Despite claims to the contrary, last September's Two Worlds was not the most epic RPG ever. In fact, it was pretty terrible, plagued by broken combat, dated graphics, and dialog that had us clawing at our ears just to make it stop. But like a parent who refuses to listen to reason and instead continues to believe that his or her child can do no wrong, SouthPeak has patted its little terror on the head and released a demo for the game onto Xbox Live. Promising "a huge portion of Two Worlds' expansive single-player map," the publisher no doubt hopes to persuade players to pick up the RPG before it is ultimately swallowed into Oblivion, but we urge our readers to stay strong.On top of the demo, SouthPeak has also confirmed that work is underway on a patch "coming soon" for both the Xbox 360 and PC versions of Two Worlds, addressing more than 50 different bugs and other issues in the game. We scrolled through the list, however, and saw no mention of fun being added into the experience, so we think we'll pass.
Two Worlds demo is up, title update coming
SouthPeak Games has informed us that a demo of the open world RPG Two Worlds is now available on Xbox Live. Just to be sure, we checked, and sure enough it's up there. Two Worlds is pretty much the closest thing we've got to Diablo on Xbox Live (apart from Phantasy Star Universe and the upcoming Too Human anyway), so if you've got a hankering for the demon slaying and loot gathering of yore, give it a spin.SouthPeak also lets us know that a title update for the retail version of Two Worlds is on the way, and will include several fixes and updates asked for by the community. Check out the list of changes after the break.
Achievement lists for a bunch of retail and XBLA titles
Over at Xbox 360 Achievements, there are a slew of new Achievements listed for retail and arcade games alike. They have Two Worlds, Skate, which came straight from EA, Fatal Inertia, NHL 08, & Medal of Honor: Airborne. On the XBLA side of things, there is the cheaper of the two Arcade games that came out today, Space Giraffe, Fatal Fury Special and we're especially happy to see Sonic 2 make it there as well. A cool little reveal about Sonic 2 is that it will have online multiplayer, derived from the splitscreen multiplayer found in the Genesis version. So, those are plenty of lists for you to examine for your next target of 1000 or 200 Gamerscore. Retail: Read: Two Worlds Read: skate. Read: Fatal Inertia Read: NHL 08 Read: Medal of Honor: Airborne XBLA: Read: Space Giraffe Read: Fatal Fury Special Read: Sonic 2
Shipping this week: rapturous edition
Well kiddies, it's finally here. BioShock will officially hit store shelves tomorrow. Now everyone will be able to share in the joy of the lucky few who nabbed the game early at Toys R' Us (or the lucky four that won it from us -- yes, the giveaway is over, by the way). So, go out and buy it already! Don't forget that you can get it on the cheap if you know where to look. Also of interest, Two Worlds is finally shipping this week, though most advertisements list it as being available this Friday, so you may not be seeing it in your local stores on Tuesday.Now, if only we could find an honest review of BioShock, we'd be set.%Gallery-3532%[Via Joystiq]
Two Worlds CE hardbound book exposed
With Two Worlds releasing next week, eager fanboys should know that there is a collector's edition available which features a bonus disc of additional content, an exclusive map and a ginormous 48 page hardbound art / storybook. And, as if it weren't obvious, the CE highlight is the 48 page book (only because a twenty sided die wasn't included) and our friends over at IGN were lucky enough to get the book already and open its pages. Revealed inside the Two Worlds novel book is information about the game's character classes, races, skills, and of course some spiffy artwork too. Simply by giving the CE hardbound book a look through, IGN admits that their interest in Two Worlds has risen slightly, so we can't help but think that for an extra $10 the Two Worlds CE would be the way to go if even just for the 48 page behemoth. We've given you something to ponder RPG fans, so get to pondering.[Thanks, DjDATZ]
How epic is Two Worlds? So epic ...
Two Worlds, the upcoming RPG from Reality Pump and SouthPeak Games, has always had one thing going for it: online multiplayer. With an similar design aesthetic to the 360's crown champion RPG, Oblivion, multiplayer is really the major selling point for Two Worlds. Sure, the game's creators contend that it improves on Oblivion in many ways, but for most gamers, the focus has been the promise of multiplayer. So, we knew about that. What we didn't know was that Two Worlds is the most epic RPG of all time. Yes, according to this latest promotional video, Two Worlds is just that. We certainly don't want to argue with marketing material (it's so shiny!), but we think we'll reserve judgment until the game is actually available.
Two Worlds is (apparently) the most epic RPG ever
So, we don't know how much real estate Two Worlds is taking up on your radar, but get ready for that to change. It's not just the Oblivion ripoff homage in the game's style, it's also this new trailer's assertion that this will be the "most epic RPG of all time"! See! You're excited now! We bet some of you were watching thinking that it didn't look all that epic, and then pow! Knowledge dropped.What's that? How do we know it will be the most epic RPG of all time? Well ... it says it. In print. And if you put lies in print, you go to jail. Everybody knows that. Listen, could you keep it down? We're trying to pre-order here.
Two Worlds Collector's Edition confirmed
The little RPG that could, Two Worlds has officially joined the collector's edition crowd, bonus disc and all. GamingTalkHQ spotted a listing over at Gamestop for a Two Worlds Collector's Edition and confirmed with developer SouthPeak that it is real and the listed contents were correct. So, for $10 more you'll receive a bonus disc which includes artwork, music, wallpapers and a web kit as well as a Two Worlds map and a 48 page hardbound artbook. The collector's edition will be available when the game releases on July 31st and sounds like it'd be worth the extra cash if you're into art and pretty photos. If not, standard edition for you.[Via GamingTalkHQ]
Two Worlds releases in July, not August
Two Worlds has seen so many release date changes it's getting hard to keep track of them. Back in May, Two Worlds was set for a release in July. Then we heard just last week that the game would be released in August. Now, speaking to GamingTalkHQ, SouthPeak has announced that the game will be coming out in July after all. Specifically, a SouthPeak representative said that the game will release on July 31st (assuming that this time the date is correct anyway). Whenever Two Worlds does come out, we hope it's worth the wait.
Two Worlds collide in August
Two Worlds publisher SouthPeak told Euroganer that the title would be hitting retailer shelves on Xbox 360 and PC in early August. They didn't narrow it down further than that, but reaffirmed that both platforms would see a simultaneous release. The one thing that really sets this free roaming RPG from Oblivion is the persistent multiplayer aspect of the game. Are you looking forward to playing online with Two Worlds this summer?
Zuxxez: Two Worlds deeper than Oblivion
Of course, that's the kind of thing you'd expect the Two Worlds publisher to say. Dirk Hassinger, head of Zuxxez Entertainment, the European publisher of Two Worlds (to be published by SouthPeak in the States), told Eurogamer that Two Worlds bests The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in many ways. Specifically, Hassinger notes that the inventory system is "smarter," and the magic system is "more complex." According to Hassinger, "even the way we handle horses has more depth." Furthermore, Two Worlds has more factions, and a darker, supposedly more involving story than Oblivion. The other big difference, of course, is that Two Worlds has multiplayer as well, including co-op and PVP. Thems are fightin' words indeed. We can't wait to find out if they're justified.%Gallery-3889%
New impressions of Two Worlds roll in
Eurogamer recently got their hands on an early build of the Xbox 360 version of Two Worlds, the open world RPG from Reality Pump and Southpeak. Eurogamer notes that the game's constant comparison to Oblivion is not unwarranted, and that the games actually share quite a bit as far as aesthetics and genre are concerned. Like Oblivion, Two Worlds gives players many, many opportunities to avoid the main storyline. Yes, there are sub-quests aplenty, so many in fact that you could probably spend dozens of hours in the game before beginning the main quest at all. The article does note, however, that many of Two Worlds' graphical elements (particularly human faces) don't hold up well compared to Oblivion. Likewise, the combat -- both magical and melee -- looks as though it could get repetitive quickly. Eurogamer remains hopeful that combat will be spruced up in the final version. They also believe that Two Worlds' much vaunted multiplayer mode could become the feature that sets the game apart. All in all, Eurogamer wasn't floored by Two Worlds, but they're looking forward to spending more time with the finished version.Our question to you: is a free online multiplayer mode enough to make you consider Two Worlds?
Two Worlds Achievements revealed
Upcoming Online RPG Two Worlds had its 41 Achievements revealed today, at IGN, of all places. Either way it seems to be the standard fair of objectives. At the very least, one would have to agree that it certainly seems far more obtainable than Final Fantasy XI's current set. Also worth noting is the final Achievement of "Defeated the Grand Enemy" has the second third highest Gamerscore worth of 370 points, next Madden NFL 06's "Complete 30 Years of Franchise", for 400 GS, and 2006 FIFA World Cup's "Complete all Scenarios", a 500-pointer. Are you going to be unlocking away next month in Two Worlds?
Two Worlds officially arrives in July
Eurogamer reports that SouthPeak has announced that Two Worlds will officially make its way to the Xbox 360 in July. Officially delayed earlier this month, Two Worlds will finally be available this summer. Part Oblivion and part Diablo/Guild Wars, Two Worlds offers players a huge world to explore. The game also features and MMO component, which allows up to 8 players to party up inside of hub cities that house thousands of players. The game also features a unique spell naming system, in which players name their own spells. Should you create an original spell, its name will stick and become the official name for the online game world. All in all, it sounds like manna from heaven for RPG players looking for a more social experience. Oh, and did we mention online play is free? Yeah, well, it is.
