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Manhunt 2 gets AO rating from ESRB
After being rejected by the BBFC in the UK, Rockstar's Manhunt 2 is seemingly getting banned in America as well. According to Game Politics, the "murder simulator" is getting an AO (Adults Only) rating, which effectively bans it from all major video game retailers.Take Two games will certainly fight this decision as fiercely as possible in the coming days. Remember, the game's release is supposed to be only a few weeks away ...[Via Joystiq]
Video: BioShock developer diary
GameTrailers has posted a developer diary video from Irrational Games, makers of BioShock. Of course, if you're going to talk about BioShock, you might as well talk about the Big Daddy. It seems that he (it?) has wormed his way into every bit of BioShock promotional material out there, and this video is no different. Specifically, the video deals with the relationship between the Big Daddy character and the Little Sister. The two are always together and will work together when confronting threats. It's really an interesting look at how the pair interacts with each other. It's almost heartwarming to see the Big Daddy affectionately pat the Little Sister on the head, though the feeling is somewhat sullied knowing that he most likely drilled someone into a wall only moments before. Watch the video and tell us what you think.
Get ready for The Darkness
Next week, PS3 gamers are finally going to get (shock!) a real game. 2K Games is releasing The Darkness to the Americas next week. We've received a batch of new screenshots from the game, showcasing some of its brutal, gory gameplay. We're working with 2K Games right now to have something real special for you ... Stay tuned for more details.%Gallery-3226%
Finalized Big Daddy figure is oh so lovable
We've seen our good friend in his early stages before, but now The Cult of Rapture is showing off his final look. The Big Daddy figure, which will be included in the BioShock limited edition, stands six inches tall, is a sculpted wonder, and is beautifully painted. So beautifully painted that you can even see the blood splatter on his drill! And to be perfectly honest, we were expecting a tiny two inch tall Big Daddy mini-fig in the limited edition. But this six inch beast is more along the lines of total awesomeness. Pictures of the finalized Big Daddy figure have been lovingly placed in the gallery below for your viewing pleasure. So, is the extra $10 for the limited edition becoming well worth it?%Gallery-3501%
Video: The Darkness? More like Teh Hawtness!!1
The new trailer for The Darkness is sweeping the interwebs, and it's totally awesome. It's got a nice narrative by the Darkness itself. It shows off aspects of the game not yet seen, in a more underworld-type setting. It's making the 25th of June all the more painful a wait. Which is somewhat of a good thing, as the anticipation only makes us more excited. Are you going to devour some hearts later this month?
Video: BioShock plasmids aplenty
It's true. We loves BioShock. Loves it. With the impending release only months away, we were pleased to see a mountain of video coverage on GameTrailers. We had meant to post it earlier, but we were distracted by lolcats. The series of videos covers the many plasmids available in BioShock. Some are fairly simple, like the Winter Blast plasmid, which freezes your enemies. Others are a little more complicated, like the Security Bullseye plasmid, which automatically makes your enemy the target of nearby security bots. All in all, the plasmids look to add a considerable degree of strategy and fun to BioShock. Check out the videos after the break.
2K football rises again, 2K8 debut trailer
It's been a long time coming, but 2K football is back. GameTrailers has posted the debut trailer of All-Pro Football 2K8. The trailer is heavy on the hip-hop, which is to be expected based on the game's previously announced soundtrack (not to mention other 2K sports soundtracks). The All-Pro engine looks nice, with plenty of jukes, spins, and tackles on which to feast your eyes. We have to wonder though, can any non-licensed football title stand up next to the Electronic Arts Madden juggernaut? How about you? Assuming All-Pro delivers where it counts, will you pick it up over Madden?
BioShock's Big Daddy box art unleashed
Fresh from the murky ocean depths, 2K Games just released the official box art for BioShock and what more can we say other than we're loving it! Anytime we see a Big Daddy, a Little Sister, or BioShock's lovely water our inner fanboy is instantly unleashed. And the cool thing is that the game's box art displays all three! Sweet huh? Take a look at BioShock's standard edition cover art after the break.[Via GamingTalkHQ]
BioShock box art puts Big Daddy up in your grill
If super-sexy minimalism like that seen in the BioShock Limited Edition doesn't float your bathysphere, we humbly present the alternate "regular edition" box art that was released by 2K Games today. Unlike the LE art, it doesn't exactly say "thinking man's shooter" so much as it says "Oh snap, that giant water robot's about to punch you," but we suppose it gets the job done. We wish we had thought to put the 360 box on front, because that's the one where the Big Daddy is wearing a drill on his hand ... and nothing else. It's sexy and unnerving, like the video for When Doves Cry. But it's also a little NSFW. Feel free to track it down, but don't say we didn't warn you.
Fallout 3 will fall in Fall (2008)
Fallout, it's one of those games that you either A) love or B) have never played. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the first official trailer of Fallout 3 has caused undo stress on the Intertubes and rushing streams of data to burst from the weakened joints. The trailer reveals nothing in the way of gameplay, but it does show off some very pretty in-engine footage. If you've been salivating for some post-apocalyptic goodness, look no further. Oh, and in case the headline didn't tip you off, the game is expected to drop in the Fall of 2008. For the completely obsessed, you may now download the trailer and play it repeatedly for the next year and a half.Also, for the record, we'd like to add that Ron Perlman needs to do more video game work. That guy is like butter, makes anything better.[Via Joystiq]
Video: Hell as seen in The Darkness
Literary depictions of Hell vary considerably from person to person. Dante described the 9th circle of Hell as a frozen wasteland, made so by the chilling wind created by the Devil's wings. Meanwhile, Hell as depicted in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (truly a masterwork of the 20th century) gives its inhabitants a wide array of personalized punishments from which a sinner must choose. In The Darkness, it seems, Hell and its appearance are completely at the whim of the Devil. In the video above it is depicted as a war zone (reminiscent of WWII) with a blackened sky and withered landscape. We have to admit, listening to the Devil say "this is my dream of you" is pretty damned creepy. Check out another video (featuring Pestilence, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse) after the break.
Video: EGM previews BioShock
EGM recently got a chance to take a long look at BioShock and have been kind enough to share their impressions with the rest of the internet (how thoughtful). The video preview discusses the many aspects of BioShock, from its cinematic qualities to its accurate simulations of environmental effects. Irrational's Ken Levine notes that it was important for BioShock to perform according to a gamer's expectations. For instance, an enemy who is caught on fire should seek water to put it out. Similarly, shocking a pool of water with electricity should electrocute any enemies standing in the pool. Other topics discussed include BioShock's viability as an FPS, enemy AI, and the game's overall structure. Check out the preview after the break.
Rumor: Shocking revelations -- Bioshock coming to PS3 eventually [update 1]
The 360 game Bioshock looks awesome. We're not going to lie. In keeping with our not-lying policy, we're reporting on a report stemming from OPM UK. They say that Bioshock is indeed in development for the PlayStation 3. They don't even say it once. They say multiple times that the game, thought to be exclusive to 360, is in development for Sony's platform. Propaganda spread by the Official PlayStation Magazine, or truth?It's a half-truth. The magazine claims the title isn't an exclusive, but a timed exclusive. If those who really want to play the game can wait the extra year, they'll get their Bioshock on the PS3. 2K Games will bring the title to all other consoles after a while on the 360. Are we excited? Sure. We aren't quite sure how long the exclusive will last on the 360, but estimating from other titles, it can be anywhere from a few months to an entire year. We'll keep you posted on the validity of these reports as they turn up.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!][Update: 2K Games has decided this rumor just ain't true, folks. For now. We've still got hope for an eventual port, however.]
Oblivion producer speaks warmly about his PS3 version
Craig Lafferty is a man whose hand we'd like to shake. The PS3 version of Oblivion is a shining example of what is possible when you bother to learn the PS3's complex architecture. A lazy port, this was not. Mr. Lafferty is senior producer for the PS3 Oblivion and says the PS3's guaranteed hard drive was extremely helpful in "optimizing things like load times." He also advises that the Shivering Isles expansion is "being worked on," but could provide no details on "when or how" they'll get that into our eagerly awaiting hands. The interview is a bit modest in its comparisons to the earlier Xbox 360 version, but after reading numerous glowing reviews, we all know graphical differences abound. Unfortunately, no news about Oblivion for the PSP. Mr. Lafferty would only advise, "nothing new to report on that at this time." Well, no news is good news, right? (gulp) [Via digg]
New BioShock footage, massive gallery
We just can't wait for BioShock. If you listen to the Fancast, you probably already know that, but it remains noteworthy. The game simply looks gorgeous and it has some promising gameplay to boot. The footage above is basically a mishmash of gameplay footage, assembled in no particular order. Give it a look and tell us what you think. Be warned though, watching all of these clips out of context may begin to make you feel a little ... insane.Also, we've uploaded a huge BioShock gallery, which you are free to peruse at your leisure. Find it below.[Via youNEWB]%Gallery-3532%
First look at the Bioshock LE Big Daddy figurine
Last week The Cult of Rapture gave everyone a sneak peek at our favorite part of the Bioshock LE, the Big Daddy figurine. 2K Games kindly posted a few pictures of the figurine in its "work in progress" stage including the artist's clay sculpted figure and the first paint job. Indeed, that Big Daddy figurine has sweetness written all over it. Though, we have to be sure to remember that the paint job and scale of the figurine aren't finalized just yet, but The Cult of Rapture promises to show off the final version before the game ships. Go ahead, take a look at the picture gallery below and admire the Big Daddy figurine in all its glory. You'll be glad you did.%Gallery-3501%
Drill instructor! Meet BioShock's Big Daddy figurine
Potential purchasers of the limited edition BioShock box can look forward to more than just an award-winning design on the cover! Included in that release is a Big Daddy figurine, replete with oversized mitts, creepy diving suit and, oh yeah, A GIANT DRILL ARM!The above image is just a prototype -- they're still working on the final colors -- but already we're flashing back to that video of the epic struggle required to take one of these things down. Pick yours up August 21st, and proceed to hurl all manner of ammunition at it until it stops moving.%Gallery-3418%
A closer look at BioShock's Little Sisters
Despite the many menacing characters found in BioShock, not the least of which is the Big Daddy, the creepiest character revealed so far is undoubtedly the Little Sister. These little "girls" run around the underwater world of Rapture collecting something called Adam from the dead (note the large syringe in the image at right. The player can decide to save these "children" or to harvest them, as the Adam they carry is useful to the player. In the latest BioShock podcast, Ken Levine, creative director of Irrational Games, discusses the moral conflict that the developers have created in the Little Sister character.The whole podcast is just shy of 20 minutes, and is exclusively about the Little Sister. Given the appearance and demeanor of the Little Sister character, the moral choice presented by her is likely to become a touchy subject, and the podcast attempts to clear the air about it. Levine discusses the challenges of creating such a character (originally designed as an insect) and forcing the player to make a moral choice about it. Among the juicier bits of info revealed in the podcast is the fact that players cannot physically harm the Little Sister. Little Sisters can be "harvested," but cannot be harmed by weapons or powers that the player possesses. It is made clear that harvesting will result in the death of a Little Sister, though Levine doesn't discuss specific details. The podcast is definitely worth a listen. If you've got the time to spare, we suggest you check it out.
Joystiq interviews BioShock LE cover artist Adam Meyer
Impressed by the winning entry in 2K Games' BioShock Limited Edition cover art contest, we had a chat via online messenger with the winning artist Adam Meyer about his design and the process he took to get there, as well as a bit on his background.First of all, thanks again for doing those. Tell us a little bit about yourself.Well, I'm 27 I think, I live in the Orlando area with my beautiful wife. And I own my own freelance design business called Crystal Clear Art.How did you get involved with graphic design?I've always been interested in art. And once I graduated high school it became clear that if I wanted to make a career out of art, it was best to get into graphic design over the more traditional stuff. I went to community college but dropped out in favor of just getting right into the field. I got my first design job doing layout work for a small little print company and basically learned what I could from it and the left. I kept repeating this pattern for about 8 years. I'd work someplace, learn everything I could, then quit and find someplace that could teach me new things.After I worked my way up to art director at a local design company I decided it was time to get out on my own. And here I am.%Gallery-3343%
BioShock cover art contest winners
A hearty congratulations to Adam Meyer, winner of the 2K Games' BioShock cover art contest. His entry, shown above, will be used for the cover of the limited edition release. In addition, Meyer will receive and "all-expense paid trip to the BioShock Launch Party in August" as well as a copy of BioShock LE for both Xbox 360 and PC.We're impressed by all the entries 2K has revealed (12 in all), possibly more so than the previous BioShock t-shirt contest. You can get your own physical copy of Meyer's design in August for the Limited Edition standard of $70.%Gallery-3300%[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
