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Video: BioShock; Big Daddy; Big Game
GameTrailers has a very interesting BioShock video of going on the prowl for the game's Big Daddies. Melissa Miller, 2K Games' Content Producer brings us the walkthrough and gives us the rundown of what we'll be seeing. It showcases security hacking, and the teleportation, enrage, telekinesis plasmids. While there is a "Work In Progress" watermark at the bottom, it still looks very nice and sets the atmosphere with the ambient music and constant sound of water flow. Rather than spoil it for you, we'll let you see for yourself. So, can you take on a Big Daddy?[Via Xbox Way]
Fantastic Four: ROTSS preview is ... fantastic!
1UP posted an optimistic preview of Marvel's upcoming Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer game for the Xbox 360. In talking with the senior producer we learn that Fantastic Four: ROTSS will incorporate a fleshed out team system that uses "fusion attacks". These fusion attacks will allow characters in the game to team up and dish out the pain. We also know that the story will be 50% original and 50% from the movie sequel. We don't learn much more than that, as we'll just have to wait to see if the game is what 2K promises it to be. Until then, we have a few screenshots to keep your belly full and nothing but optimism on our end.[Thanks, Jonah]
BioShock screen shot contest revealed
Irrational is holding a very interesting contest involving BioShock. Here's the premise, users are presented with a series of screen shots that outline a sequence of events inside BioShock. In this particular instance, you (the player) find yourself face to face with a grenadier. He has a box full of homemade grenades. You have one shell left in your shotgun, a telekinesis plasmid, and an electro bolt plasmid. The questions is: how do you take him out? Participants are asked to write out a solution in 1000 words or less. The best solution will be filmed in the game and posted in two weeks. Naturally, Irrational is looking for the most creative and interesting solution. All in all, the contest is a pretty cool way to get the community involved and show off video of the game in progress.Hit the "read" link for the full scenario and instructions for entry. If any of our readers make it into the top entries, we'll feature them here. Be sure and tell us if you make it.[Via Evil Avatar]
MLB 2K7 is going, going, gone gold
On Friday, 2K Sports announced that upcoming sports game MLB 2K7 has officially gone gold. In their press release, they also confirm the February 27th release date that we reported on earlier. Now discs can be pressed, no more bugs can be fixed, and those signature style animations cannot be tweaked, because baseball is upon us. We know this game has potential, but is anyone buying MLB 2K7 guaranteed? Though, if you're a MLB baseball fan you don't have much of a choice.[Via Game Stooge]
Of MLB2K7, Marketplace, and ugly trailers
If you were to look at the above image of Major League Baseball 2K7, you'd probably assume that the game has some serious graphical prowess. The cloth looks real, the face is well rendered, the stubble is nice and manly. All in all, it looks pretty good, right? Okay, now go download the latest trailer off of Marketplace. It's available today. Go ahead, it won't take long; it's barely 3 MB in size. Now watch it. It's okay, we'll wait ... did you watch it? What did you notice? That's right! It looks awful. Seriously, it looks like a poorly compressed CG movie from the PS1 era. Just a note to prospective content providers: Xbox Live Marketplace is not YouTube. At least give us 480p.We know, it seems petty to point out an ugly trailer, but the 360 was built with HD in mind. Next to so many great looking trailers, this actually makes MLB2K7 look bad by comparison. So far, people have good things to say about the game. We just want a good trailer to go with it.
Ghost Rider, the flaming skull guy previewed
Could Ghost Rider be God of War with a comic license pasted on top? It's unlikely, but it sure would be amazing if Ghost Rider had even half the game of Kratos. While IGN's current preview does go over some of the game's features, it gives very little opinion on the title's quality. Here are some tidbits from the preview for those interested in Ghost Rider: Ghost Rider has light or heavy attacks he can use to create combos Once an enemy is injured enough, a variety of finishing moves can be used to defeat them Some levels involve riding the Hell Cycle The game has five chapters Between chapters there will be comic book style cut-scenes There will be cameos from other Marvel characters like Lilith and Scarecrow PSP owners will of course get exclusive content like multiplayer via adhoc for up to 4 players To read the preview in full, check out IGN.
Sharp's 4k x 2k 64-inch ultra high res monitor
For those of us that have a hard enough time telling the difference between 720 and 1080, let us tell you that once you've seen Sharp's 62-inch 4k x 2k, there's no going back. You know how when you get up close to a 1080 picture you can still start to see the pixels? Well, gazing into this 4096 x 2048 (8.3 megapixels) picture is an experience more reminiscent of sitting by a window, and not by a display. It's kind of hard to capture that level of detail with photos (hell, our camera isn't even 8.3 megapixels), but we sure tried. Check out our high res gallery.
Can I get some peanuts and a dog with that MLB 2K7 trailer?
2K Games unveiled new in-game footage of MLB 2K7 for the 360 at this week's CES as the baseball season quickly approaches. If it weren't for some jerky fielder movements, static looking crowd, and zombie-looking eyes, we would have thought this was an actual broadcast (almost). So is this good enough realism for our Japanese friends who prefer cartoony players until uncanny valley no longer exists? And while not perfect, it's definitely impressive. MLB 2K7 hits the 360, Xbox, PS3, PS2, and PSP this March.
Jeter still MLB cover model
If you base your sports game purchases on how pretty the cover athlete is, than this is a great day for you. Derek Jeter will once again don the cover of a 2K Sports' title. Predictably that title will be Major League Baseball 2K7. Mr. Jeter (or DJ as I like to pretend I call him) had this to say: "It is a real privilege to represent the premier MLB title in the video game industry." He continued, "Just as I am always striving to improve my game, 2K Sports is constantly improving theirs, and this dedication has made Major League Baseball 2K7 the best MLB video game ever." He then stopped reading the cue cards and went back to his favorite hobby of counting money. Major League Baseball 2K7 will appear on the PSP March fifth (according to EB Games). [Via IGN]
Surprise -- Derek Jeter to grace MLB 2K7 cover
New York Yankees Shortstop Derek Jeter will have his mugshot plastered on the front of all copies of Major League Baseball 2K7. This should come as no big revelation, as the seven-time All Star has previously adorned the covers of the last two annual editions. Jeter has also appeared serially on game boxes for the now-deceased All-Star Baseball franchise from Acclaim. Say what you will about Electronic Arts for lack of innovation, but at least they swap out cover athletes every year (thanks in no small part to the curse). To be fair, 2K Sports is hoping MLB 2K7 will be a reinvention of the franchise. According to designer Ben Brinkman, "First year, drill down to the core and get the core baseball game going. Year two, add some cool features, maybe some tersely modes, maybe redesign franchise. The third year, just wrap it up into a nice bow and nail it." So if not this year, expect MLB 2K9 to be the real winner. MLB 2K7 will come to bat Spring 2007 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PSP, PS2, and the original Xbox.
Bioshock website is alive
2K Games has launched the official website for Irrational's Bioshock. It's the usual fare of media essentials (including a link to the new trailer) enhanced by a creepy 40s-era motif. If anything, the attention to detail on the site is a reminder that Irrational isn't playing around. Having earned numerous 'Best of Show' awards at E3 this year, Bioshock is certainly a game we should look forward to.
Raffle: Family Guy game (your choice of Xbox or PS2) [update 1]
[Update: Winners have been chosen for both versions. Congrats #11 and #26!]In case you're still not sure how this Child's Play raffle process works, check out the comments donations on our first raffle post for a Neuros Recorder 2 bundled with a PSP and some games. Thanks to everyone for donating to a great cause and helping to raise over $400 already! Tonight, we're going to start the raffle for 2K's Family Guy video game, available in both Xbox and PS2 varieties. (Unsure Xbox 360 owners can safely assume the title will be supported shortly after appearing for a brief second on an updated backwards compatibility list yesterday).The rules: each dollar in donations purchased using this link earns you one comment. Think of each comment as a raffle ticket. Be sure to note in your donation comment which version of the game would be your first choice. In three days (midnight EST this Saturday), we'll choose our winners using random.org and verify their donation. More on the rules here. We'd like to thank 2K for the games, and encourage anyone interested in donating raffle prizes to contact us!Buy Family Guy game raffle ticket
PSP Fanboy review: Dungeon Siege Throne of Agony
PSP gamers have been waiting eons for a great system-exclusive RPG. The Untold Legends series did a fair job of satisfying my hack and slash needs, but didn't bring anything new, inventive, or exciting to the table. Enter Dungeon Siege. This beloved RPG series has been considered one of the PC's best. While the original games were developed by Gas Powered Games, this PSP-exclusive sequel is taken care of by newbie team SuperVillian Studios. And unfortunately, it appears this team simply wasn't ready to handle such a large game: although many elements of the game are excellent, numerous bugs, general sluggishness, and a repetitive formula, make it just another game to pass the time.
EA Sports perfecting mediocrity
A group of NBA Live '07 fanboys have had enough of the series' annual increase in broken gameplay and have written a letter to EA expressing their displeasure. Although the focus of the letter is on NBA Live '07, with YouTube links showing the latest issues with the series, it touches on the general unhappiness with other declining EA franchises like Madden and FIFA. "At one time, EA was producing the best titles money could buy and one had little reason to look elsewhere. Now gamers have a sense that if you want the best, it's not EA."And as an aside, more than a few eyebrows were raised when press copies and reviews of NBA Live '07 came trickling in a week after the game went on shelves, almost as if EA knew they produced a sub-par product. Hollywood employs this same tactic on bad movies so they can get as much money back before the word gets out how bad things really are.Although the issues expressed by the fans of NBA Live '07 are positively valid, there is the alternative NBA 2K7 from 2K Games which was released the same day as NBA Live '07. This doesn't help Madden fans who experienced similar issues with Madden '07, but have no recourse because of EA's NFL exclusivity deal. In the case of Madden, EA also shows apparent ignorance toward reasonable proprosals by fans to fix the series.It's certainly cause for concern that EA Sports is taking the "we'll patch it later" stance toward console games this early. This is the first generation capable of console patching and ideally should be used to fix subtle errors. Instead EA is following the PC model that console gamers have fled from: ship first, patch later. It's probably time for sports gamers to show consumer activism and take their money to other franchises. That'll get EA's attention faster than any letter.
NHL 07 ready to shoot it out with 2K?
After spending last season stuck in the penalty box, EA makes its Xbox 360 ice hockey debut with a 541mb NHL 07 demo showcasing the upcoming game's shoot-out mode. Featuring highly detailed player models, new controls, and an honest-to-God dynasty mode, this could be the first next-gen EA Sports title that doesn't feel like it's short a Hanson Brother or two. In fact, I have heard buzzing from hockey fans with mullets far longer than my own, that this could be the year EA steals the puck back from the 2K series. Based on your limited experience with the demo, will NHL 07 bring a toothless smile to your facemask?
Metareview - Prey (Xbox 360)
Is this the answer to our summer woes? Well, let's put it this way: it's either Prey or Chromehounds -- if you're an Xbox 360 owner. We're goin' with the Cherokee alien abductee, even if Prey is a short-lived romp. This one's got 'summer blockbuster' written all over it... Detroit Free Press (100/100) is not noted for its gaming insight, but chimes in with praise: "This is one game any Half-Life or Doom fan can buy without reservations." 1up (80/100) wants more of the gimmicks: "If only the Native American mysticism had figured in more. If only the spirit "death walk" had developed into something more than a shooting gallery. If only the voice acting and storytelling were a little better." GameSpot (75/100) deals a low score -- by its standards -- summing it up: "[Much] of the game's potential for unique thrills feels wasted by its straightforward level design, and the multiplayer doesn't add much to the package."
