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ModNation Racers career mode getting 'Casual' difficulty
Have you been the recipient of more than a fair share of victory-denying rocket bombardments while playing through the career mode in ModNation Racers? The odds are about to tilt back in your favor -- in a recent post on PlayStation.Blog, SCEA San Diego community manager Ramone Russell announced that United Front Games is currently putting the finishing touches on a Casual difficulty mode for the game's single-player campaign. The post doesn't specify as to when we can expect the new difficulty. It also doesn't specify whether switching to Casual mode automatically generates and broadcasts a message to your PSN friends, informing them of what a tremendous sissy you are.
ModNation Racers' top 15 finish sets slow pace for May racing game sales
Despite three high-profile launches in May, the racing genre got lapped that month, according to NPD sales data. Sony's PS3-exclusive ModNation Racers, Activision's Bizarre-developed Blur and Disney's excellent Split/Second all fared poorly on the retail circuit with ModNation squeezing its way into the top 15 (on just one platform, mind you), while the other two multiplatform titles didn't crack the top 30. Analyst Michael Pachter told IGN that he "thought the ModNation number was respectable, since the game came out only on May 25." Blur came out on the same day, so, relatively, its sales were disappointing. While sales figures weren't provided for any of the above games, Pachter writes in his monthly NPD analysis that Blur "sold well below our estimate of 100,000 units," giving us some insight into how both it and Split/Second performed. However, Split/Second was released a week earlier than ModNation and Blur. With two much higher-profile racing games coming out this fall, in Gran Turismo 5 and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, it remains to be seen if the racing genre itself is toxic at the checkout counter or if gamers have simply passed over May's hybrid concepts, content to wait for the new models of their favorite makes.
Copyrighted characters dominate ModNation Racers' top creations
Give gamers creation tools, and they'll immediately recreate icons from other famous franchises. Like LittleBigPlanet before it, ModNation Racers' extensive character and car editor has been used to pay homage to a number of high-profile games and films -- and these creations are the most beloved by the MNR community. In addition to Peto-Mad's Mario (above), the top downloaded creations include Iron Man, Spider-Man, and a Transformer to boot. The accuracy of these creations have us wondering: will Sony take these user-submitted Mods down before another company threatens a lawsuit?
Kevin Butler hypes ModNation Racers, gets schooled by Tretton
The latest video from Sony's fictional Vice President of a whole bunch of things has everything you could ever ask for: Tons of Kevin Butler bon mots, some clips of gameplay footage from ModNation Racers, and an appearance by real-life Sony president and CEO Jack Tretton. Unless, of course -- what if Tretton's actually just a highly paid actor as well? Come to think of it, we've never seen him in any context except for ... on the stage! Check out the video above to see the line between fantasy and reality get blurred before your very eyes. Also, the video contains a sneak peek at Kevin Butler's custom Mod and race track -- both of which will be available to download when ModNation Racers launches next week.
Post-launch ModNation Racers patch will improve load times
If you have any interest in Sony's upcoming ModNation Racers, you've probably already read our review (and entered our giveaway). You're familiar, then, with our biggest grief with the early review code: obnoxiously long load times. Apparently we weren't the only ones to notice. According to Chuck Lacson, associate marketing manager at SCEA, developer United Front Games is "looking into further optimizing the game via a post-launch patch." That should be good news for those already sold on Sony's "Race, Create, Share" motto. The rest of us, though? We'll be able to download a playable demo in the next PSN Tuesday update, May 18. The demo will include one track, playable in both single player and split-screen modes. It will also offer creation tools -- and, best of all, any tracks you create and share in the demo will be available in the full version of the game.
Take home the real-life, solar-powered ModNation Racers golf cart
Alright, stick with us, here: Last month, Sony collaborated with graphic artist Jeremiah Garcia to create a ModNation Racers-branded golf cart. It was supposed to be designed to look like it was created by the indie rock troupe Passion Pit (of LittleBigPlanet 2 trailer fame) -- whatever that means. The cart, which runs on solar power, was then displayed at the Coachella Festival to help promote the green energy movement in collaboration with the non-profit group Global Inheritance. But never mind all of that! What you do need know to is that you can win this golf cart by entering the "Get the Keys to Your ModNation Kart" sweepstakes over on the PlayStation Blog. You can try to get a better understanding of the vehicle's origins by watching the video after the jump, but c'mon, what more do you need to read then "hey, free golf cart."
ModNation Racers trailer showcases Career mode
Did you read our ModNation Racers review? If so, you know that the game's Career mode was a big hit with us. Unlike most other kart racing games, United Front Games has crafted an actual story (with cinematics and voice acting!) to flesh out the Pleasantville-esque world of ModNation Racers. This trailer from PlayStation Blog highlights some of the more memorable events from the game's Career mode. Don't forget -- the PSP version has the same story and cinematics as the PS3 version, and it also features the same multi-tiered objective system!
ModNation Racers (kind of) takes to the skies with 'Air Raid' DLC
What's that? DLC for a game that's not even out yet? Yes, that's how they operate over at Sony -- but don't worry. This isn't an unabashed attempt to nickel and dime you. Rather, PlayStation.Blog will be distributing vouchers through various outlets which will grant ModNation Racers players access to a new character, kart, and all his accessories therein. The racer in question is "Air Raid," pictured above in a sleek, vintage, non-flying biplane. Keep an eye on PlayStation.Blog to find out where the codes are being sent to. We'll try our darndest to get our hands on a few vouchers for you guys. Because, you know, we love you.
Review: ModNation Racers
Hardcore gamers tend to avoid kart racing games without Mario in the title -- and for good reason, too. Ever since the success of Nintendo's original SNES effort, the genre has been flooded with mediocre copycat shovelware, starring mascots of rather questionable origin. (Seriously, M&M's Kart Racing is a real game.) While it may be easy to write off ModNation Racers as just another kart racing game, I was surprised by how well-crafted and deep United Front Games' debut title is. While it has garnered a lot of attention due to its "play, create, share" gimmick, ModNation Racers stands out as a deep, satisfying racer through its gameplay alone. For better and for worse, ModNation Racers is cut from a far more hardcore cloth than the typically "family friendly" fare in the genre. ModNation demands skill, and no amount of luck will be able to compensate for sheer ability. The weapons are more balanced than in other games: almost no single weapon is as devastating as Mario Kart's blue shell and lightning bolt. The ability to enhance weapons by saving them adds an appreciable level of depth: do you use your weapon immediately, or save up for a better one? And the shield introduces yet another strategic element to the gameplay. These small additions to the gameplay add up to make a far more challenging (and satisfying) racer. %Gallery-64898%
Sackboy joins the ModNation Racers
It seems United Front Games is taking more than just inspiration from Media Molecule for their upcoming "Play, Create, Share" racer. In fact, it seems to have actually kidnapped the star of LittleBigPlanet and made him bonus DLC for the PS3 version of ModNation Racers. According to the PlayStation.Blog, early copies of the game (marked with a special sticker) will include a code that unlocks Sackboy as a playable racer. Both pre-ordered copies and first-run copies purchased at retail will feature the bonus. Sony seems very eager to encourage pre-orders for the upcoming racer, as Sackboy is just the latest addition to an extensive pre-order bonus campaign. Has the tactic worked, or are you still on the fence? Check out a new trailer (featuring Sackboy!) after the break.
Pre-order Modnation Racers from goHastings, save $20
Online retailer Hastings is offering a pretty clever offer for United Front's upcoming kart racer, allowing folks who pre-order ModNation Racers to customize the game's price as they might customize its roster of characters, cars and tracks. However, this customization option is fairly limited -- your only choice is really just $39.99, which is a full $20 off the game's usual price. We know you've come to expect a broader scope when it comes to ModNation's customizationability, but it's hard to feel miffed with an extra Jackson in your wallet. [Thanks MLC!]
ModNation Racers promises better balanced weapons
Don't you hate it when you're in first place in Mario Kart and then ... BAM! A blue shell makes you lose the race in the final lap? Thankfully, United Front Games is promising better-balanced weapons in ModNation Racers. "No matter how powerful a weapon is, there is still a chance to evade it," the developer explained in a recent post on the PlayStation.Blog. Hopefully, the "chance" won't be as rare as this trick from Mario Kart Wii. The game isn't meant to appeal exclusively to the hardcore, though. "We also wanted to ensure a tight race, so the power of each stun is scaled based on your position in the race and distance from the player attacking. What that does is allow anyone in the pack to always have a chance," Nick Letzia explained. It certainly is an interesting design choice -- we wonder if it'll work as well as the developers expect when it comes out in May? Check out a trailer after the break.
ModNation Racers coming to PSP and PS3 on May 25
Sony's next entry in the "Play, Create, Share" lineup is drawing near. ModNation Racers will launch simultaneously on PS3 and PSP on May 25. Both versions of the game will feature a career mode, online multiplayer and a track editor. If you read our interview with United Front Games' producer Dan Sochan, you'll already know that there's even some connectivity: play both versions of the game to unlock additional content on the PSP. In addition, Sony has announced a few pre-order incentives. Various retailers will offer extra characters, including Ratchet and Clank, Nathan Drake, and Kratos. For more details, check the PlayStation.Blog.
Interview: ModNation Racers' Dan Sochan
ModNation Racers has come a long way since the release of its public beta last year. Since then, Sony San Diego Studios and United Front Games have expanded the franchise quite a bit, adding a number of new creation tools, four-player split-screen support and even a PSP counterpart. We chatted with ModNation Racers producer Dan Sochan about what's new, and what we can expect from the future, including support for the PlayStation Move motion controller. Joystiq: What's new about the code we're seeing today at GDC? Dan Sochan, producer, ModNation Racers: There's the four-player split-screen, two-player online split-screen, and we've also announced and have been showing off more of the single player career. We kept the story of the single player career mode quite light. At its core, it's still a racing game, so we didn't want to complicate it with you saving the world. The story is you're this young racer who goes into this league, the ModNation Racing Championship, and you're basically going from a nobody to take on the ultimate champion. Through the way you have also have a bit of an influence. It has some elements of Pleasantville, where everyone tends to be a little bit more drab with the colors they choose for their characters and karts, and you influence them by being very creative. So all of a sudden everyone wants to have bright, vibrant colors and doing very elaborate decorating of themselves and their karts, and it's narrated through two characters: Biff and Gary, who offer comic relief through the game. How does progression work in the single player campaign? Do you unlock creation tools in that mode, akin to LittleBigPlanet? Yes, definitely there will be a certain number of unlockables you'll get through the career, but we tried not to make it exclusively through the career. We didn't want to pigeonhole people and force them to play that way. So you'll also get more unlocks by publishing, sharing, downloading, voting, basically being a participant in the community, which is kind of cool.%Gallery-64898%
Impressions: True Crime
click to enlarge After a five-year hiatus, free-roaming felony franchise True Crime is set to return (sans subtitle) in Fall 2010. United Front, which is also working on the upcoming ModNation Racers and houses veterans from games such as Bully, Prototype and Scarface, is developing the new entry for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Lead producer Jeff O'Connell describes it as a "more serious" reboot -- and a story that's more closely modeled after cop films. "It's an opportunity to be an innately good guy," he said of the undercover, under-pressure role you'll assume. "That's good drama." Inspired by films like "The Departed" (see: "Infernal Affairs"), True Crime follows undercover lawman Wei Shen as he infiltrates the triad, slow-mo kicks enemies in the chin, and completes objectives across the game's new city playground. "Is it an accurate representation of Hong Kong?" O'Connell asked. "It's not." Despite referencing over 27,000 photographs, the city has been "tuned for gameplay," eschewing a realistic, street-for-street recreation in favor of a more cinematic and moody Hong Kong. %Gallery-87831%
ModNation Racers trailer introduces devastating props
While what we've seen of the track editor in ModNation Racers has been impressive so far. But it's always lacked a certain amount of ... carnage. It looks like that's about to change, as this new trailer from the PlayStation.Blog introduces some truly wacky props. Creators will be able to place devices like the Wall of Flame, the Turntable of Destruction, and the Devastator. Oh, and did we mention there are giant camels? With launchers, ramps and other lethal traps, ModNation Racers just got a lot more interesting. With these new tools on hand, we hope to see someone create a devious track that finally bests Rainbow Road from the original Super Mario Kart. Check out the video after the break.
ModNation Racers expanding to PSP
Sony's customizable PS3 kart racer, ModNation Racers, is being shrunk down for a PSP version, to be released alongside its big brother sometime this spring. According to SCEE product manager Liam Quigley, the PSP game will have the same creative tools as the console iteration -- meaning you'll be able to mod and not just race, with the ability to create your own tracks, cars and racers. In addition, "You will also be able to upload, download, remix, and race creations by the PSP ModNation community," Quigley said. Once you've created or downloaded your own (likely vulgar) avatar, car and racetrack, you'll be able to race on your new track with up to 6 other PSP players online. That's some pretty big functionality for a handheld game!
Race to download the ModNation Racers EU beta
Europe will be able to download the ModNation Racers beta on January 21st when the EU PlayStation Store update occurs. Of course, as with all betas, there's a catch. Don't worry -- you don't have to buy another copy of LittleBigPlanet. The download will be absolutely free ... but only to the first 100,000 people that download it. Sadly, if you're not quick to grab the beta, it will simply disappear from the PlayStation Store, preventing any further downloads. You'll want to be by your PS3 next week if you want to guarantee entry into the beta (if you can't, enable Remote Play with your PSP). For more details on what's included with the EU beta, visit the PlayStation.Blog.
True Crime in Hong Kong revealed at Spike VGA
The second world premiere of the VGAs was the full version of the teaser we saw a couple weeks ago -- you know, the one we initially presumed was for another installment in the True Crime series? Yeah, well, it was totally for another installment in the True Crime series, which is being developed by ModNation Racers creators United Front. Guess there's no more mystery as to what Activision's upcoming Hong Kong-set action title is, huh? It'll be a little while before we can get the high definition version of the trailer up, but until then, check out a screengrabbed version of the trailer after the jump, and feel confident in the fact that we're very good guessers. Update: We've added a hi-res version of the trailer above.
ModNation Racers beta begins December 18
Sony's next big "Play Create Share" game, ModNation Racers, will be available for everyone to play starting December 18th -- provided you have a beta code from LittleBigPlanet: Game of the Year Edition or a Qore subscription. The beta will run all the way through January 10th, giving testers ample time to try out the many tools included in the beta, such as the character creation system (viewable after the break). The PlayStation.Blog and a number of other sites are bound to be giving away beta codes. If you're not willing to shell out the dough for LBP or Qore, these contests may be the only way to get an early sneak peek at United Front Games' racer.
