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Obsidian plans Dungeon Siege 3 update with better PC controls
Players of the PC version of Dungeon Siege 3 were disappointed with the keyboard-and-mouse controls used in the game, generally deciding that using an Xbox 360 controller was the way to go. If you're one of those folks, lead designer Nathaniel Chapman says there's good news: Obsidian plans to release an update that will improve the traditional PC controls. According to Chapman, better PC controls for the game is "one thing I would have liked to have spent more time on, and we are actually spending time on now." Chapman also hinted that Obsidian would like to have made "a more fleshed out tutorial system" and "more unique armor variants" for the game's four playable characters. But those will have to wait for future versions of the game: "It's always good sequel or DLC material," he said.
Seize this new Dungeon Siege 3 trailer
The new trailer for Square Enix's co-op dungeon crawler, Dungeon Siege 3, speaks of "loyalty" -- but all we see is a lot of butt-whooping. Now, we're not saying that's a bad thing, so you can just put that sword down slowly and count to three before eyeing the new trailer and screens.
Still clicking: Our exclusive interview with the Mythos dev team
Considering Mythos' stormy post-Flagship past and its relatively low profile over the past half year, we were pleased to see the team at Redbana unveil a website revamp last month, complete with a slew of vibrant new screenshots to tease the upcoming closed beta. The infrastructure revealed in the images suggests that the game has come a long way since we last checked in with the team; although many players might once have pigeon-holed Mythos as "just another Diablo clone," it's now maturing into a hybrid MMORPG that seems to have as much in common with Blizzard's other fantasy game as with the click-fests of yesteryear. Curious, we commandeered the team at Redbana in order to ask about the progress of the game. Meet up with us after the break as we discuss the transition to Redbana, overcoming the Diablo stigma, camera perspectives, map travel, character customization, and the likelihood that Mythos will be free-to-play. Oh, and did I mention you can play satyrs and cyclopes?!
Obsidian and Square Enix announce Dungeon Siege 3, will include co-op
It's been almost two years to the day since we last heard any updates on Dungeon Siege 3, which led us to the fairly understandable conclusion that Uwe Boll may have murdered the franchise with his Statham-fronted film adaptation. Apparently, those fears were unfounded -- Square Enix just announced it will publish the series' third installment, which will be developed by Obsidian Entertainment under the supervision of Dungeon Siege forefather, Gas Powered Games' Chris Taylor. The threequel, which is set for release on 360, PS3 and PC, will remain true to the series' roots, giving players access to a catalog of highly customizable RPG archetypes that will participate in some action-oriented ... dungeon sieging. Players will also have access to an "all-new co-op multiplayer mode," though the particulars of this mode weren't specified by the game's press release announcement. We'll try to divine a few more details at E3.
Chris Taylor talks Dungeon Siege 3
Miraculously, it appears that Gas Powered Games' Dungeon Siege franchise has survived a Boll-ocalypse -- that is to say, it's getting another game even after being "adapted" into a hilariously calamitous Uwe Boll film. Speaking to Eurogamer Germany (English version), Gas Powered Games boss Chris Taylor has divulged some of his plans for a third orc-killing romp. "There will be some things that are very much like Dungeon Siege 1 and 2, but some things will be simplified," he said. "I am done with multi-character parties; I really think that it's all going to be about a single hero. It's too much to manage." We can certainly get behind the idea of having fewer people to manage, as long as our hero has enough to do by his lonesome. For instance, it would be nice to be granted a choice in whether we'd like to hack or slash any given enemy.We expect to hear more on the topic once Gas Powered Games completes work on Space Siege. Which is a lot like Dungeon Siege ... but in space.[Via Big Download]
No more big-budget bombs for Boll
Bad news for Uwe Boll love-to-haters: the infamous German director and pouting pugilist will see his future endeavors financially constrained after his latest $70 million video game adaptation, "In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale," set the box-office alight with all the effectiveness of two moist fish furiously rubbed together. The $3 million weekend opening marked the director's third consecutive failure to Boll audiences over, and with no more German tax shelter funds to rely on, it looks to be his last big-budget bomb.Not willing to throw in the raggedy towel just yet, Uwe Boll (pronounce it correctly, please!) told The Hollywood Reporter that he plans to focus on smaller cinematic explosives. Like grenades. "These are films that represent my true passion, and they can be done with small budgets," said Boll. Bad movie lovers (or lovers of bad movies) need not fear -- if this director's proven adept at anything in the last few years, it's working around a complete deficit of worthwhile resources.[Thanks, David]
CES 2008: Hands-on with first public showing of Space Siege
The last Dungeon Siege update came out almost 18 months ago. Chris Taylor and his Gas Powered Games have had plenty of time to mull the next move, reflecting on half a dozen titles in the fantasy world, and even a major motion picture. The move they've made – a quick hyperspace jump away from the fantasy setting – shouldn't surprise anyone. With the Games for Windows initiative ramping up to full power it's the perfect time for the unveiling of Space Siege. Even in pre-alpha state, Space Siege is already exactly what you'd expect. Instead of a hard-jawed warrior wading through waste-deep goblin blood with sword clenched, the protagonist is a hard-jawed space marine wading through waste-deep alien blood with a big gun clenched in his hands. There isn't a lot of game to actually play on the CES show floor, but what there is reminds us of how much fun it is to mindlessly click creatures to death. Despite the similar-sounding nature of the game, there were actually a number of changes to the formula on display; enough that we think some folks are going to be surprised.
New Dungeon Siege movie trailer is incredible
You may have seen an ad on this very site for Uwe Boll's upcoming In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. Do yourself a favor: Head to the official website, go straight to the "Trailer" section and buckle in for the ride of your life. There's so much to enjoy here, we simply don't know where to begin. Should start by marveling at how Ray Liotta's main display of power seems to be making books spin around? Or is that too obvious?Should we mention some of the classic lines like "Those who you fight, we will help you fight them" and "Tomorrow we gouge evil from its shell"? Or should we note that while cool in movies like The Transporter, seeing Jason Statham (who's name is misspelled on the "Cast" page, natch) using martial arts in a medieval fantasy setting is totally rad? Honestly, we don't even know what you're still reading this for: You're about to witness the edge of reality.
Uwe Boll lands distribution deal for trio of films
Confrontational and often criticized film director Uwe Boll, known for such stellar standouts like Alone in the Dark and Bloodrayne adaptations, has signed with Freestyle Releasing for the distribution of three films: In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, Postal and Seed, the latter notable for not being adapted from a video game.The Dungeon Siege adaptation is due out January 18 in 2,500 theaters across North America, which means you'll likely have a chance to witness it, should you honestly choose to pay for it. (Given Boll's history and the film's long-delayed release, we're not expecting much.) Postal will actually beat Dungeon Siege to theaters, slated for September 28. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Boll said that "the film likely will open on 500 screens and grow from there based on box office."When the games come out, you'll finally be able to judge for yourself. Be careful what you say, however: you might end up on the other end of a directorial uppercut.
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.
Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony giveaway #2
THE HORROR!!! THE HORROR!!! Jeff Morrice sent in the best, and most terrifying picture for the first part of our Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony contest. While there's a ton of hideous monsters in this PSP-exclusive hack and slash RPG, none are quite as horrific as this beast known as "Michael Jackson." Watch out--he's a tricky one. He'll try to give you some "Jesus juice."Congrats to all the people that entered the contest. The winners will be contacted via e-mail. Now, continue reading to see how you can get another chance to win a copy of this game!
Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony giveaway #1
We have a lot of copies of Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony to give away. Starting today, we're going to have THREE separate chances for you to win a copy of this PSP-exclusive hack 'n slash RPG. Today, we're going to give away five copies of the game to those of you that are willing to spend a little time and effort:Take a picture or draw a piece of art that best describes a "Throne of Agony." Be creative! Be original! Send your entries via e-mail to throneofagony@anyo.org. All entries must be submitted before November 19th. The PSP Fanboy blogging team will judge your entry based on three criteria: originality & creativity (40%), effort (30%), and visual presentation (30%). The top five entries will win the prize. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit, so get to work!Stay tuned to PSP Fanboy to see even more Throne of Agony giveaways, leading up to our review of the game next week.Don't forget to enter our other contest:Hijack PSP Fanboy's 1500th post, win GTA
Viral blog takes girl to the broken lands
Viral ads are the hottest thing in advertising right now (see examples here and here). They try to spark your interest, so that you spread the site/idea/product around to a friend, like you would a disease (like how I caught this cold!). One reader, Mike Sutter, discovered a blog called "Honey for Tango" which focuses on a girl's encounter with the paranormal. This could haven been a convincing, and interesting viral blog, but unfortunately, it seems like the reveal happened too soon: her latest entry over-enthusiastically hypes the upcoming Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony.The game itself looks interesting, but her obviously fictional blog does a poor job of getting me excited about the game. Also, I understand the game is releasing on Halloween, but in my opinion, the blog's focus on the supernatural doesn't seem to mesh well with the fantasy environment of the game.
Internet casino sponsoring "Raging Boll" event
Widely known for his anti-masterpieces, House of the Dead, Bloodrayne and Alone in the Dark, German film director Uwe Boll drew plenty of internet ire in June by sending out a public challenge to his (many, many) detractors. Like any civilized and intelligent human being, Boll decided that the best way to deal with those that disagreed with his artistic vision for videogame adaptations was to punch them in the face, grr! The invitation urged haters to fly to Vancouver and meet the German in the boxing ring for a one-on-one session of metaphorically rich pummeling. Internet casino Goldenpalace.com has issued a press release stating that they will be the ones to sponsor the event, now dubbed "Raging Boll."Naturally, the prestige gained from having your event backed by an internet casino cannot be overstated. The joint's CEO, Richard Rowe, notes that Boll's attention grab is refreshingly ridiculous. "We receive so many outlandish offers for advertising exposure that it is refreshing to see something that surprises even us. That is why we decided to get involved. This has gotten so much attention so far, and we can't wait to see how it will turn out." Before starting proper on 23 September, Uwe will stop off in Spain to battle Carlos Palencia Jimenez-Arguello, a critic who has already vowed to Kill Boll (challenge video embedded in the latter section of the post). After that bout, Boll will face Something Awful's Richard "Lowtax" Kyanka, Jeff Sneider from Ain't It Cool News, Chris Alexander of Rue Morgue and Nelson Chance Minter from Website Critic. All the fights will be filmed for inclusion in Boll's Postal film, no doubt rendered vaguely entertaining by showing his face deteriorating over the course of the event. It may even prove to be beneficial to his career -- a few brutal blows to the head might be just the thing to bring him to his senses. Perhaps then he'll realize how difficult it is to hold on to credibility when you've got boxing gloves on your hands.[Via GameSetWatch]
Metareview - Dungeon Siege II: Broken World
It would appear the lines are starting to blur between episodic content and bona fide expansion packs, as evidenced by the relatively short and uninspired campaign in Dungeon Siege II: Broken World. 2K Games probably should have hacked and slashed ten bucks off the $30 price tag and labeled this one "DS2: Episode 1". It's all in the marketing. GameSpot (63/100) was disappointed that Gas Powered Games failed to break new ground: "After the lengthy and far-reaching campaign of Dungeon Siege II, this short and narrowly focused 10-hour expansion feels like more of a throwaway side quest than a compelling new chapter in the history of the troubled world of Aranna. Beyond the dungeons, the story brings nothing to the Dungeon Siege universe and could just as well go untold." IGN (63/100) enjoyed putting the beat down on the grunts, but the build up had no payoff: "As inventive as the rank and file enemies are, the bosses aren't as dramatic as they could be given that you face each of them multiple times. Every time you kill a boss, you're going to have to face another one just like him somewhere down the road. In a few cases, you're even going to fight him in a location that looks the same too." 1UP (60/100) thinks it's time for a shiny new engine: "Broken World is using, essentially, a 3-year-old graphics engine. So, like most 3-year olds, it can be unpleasant to deal with (and look at) -- especially when it comes to framerate issues and those pesky camera angles." See also: Metareview - Titan Quest
Single player RPGs are alive and well
WorthPlaying has posted 25 new screens from Mage Knight Apocalypse, which is now just five weeks from release. Namco Bandai's take on the WizKids IP joins a solid lineup of 2006 single player RPGs that began earlier this year with Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Titan Quest, and continues with this week's Dungeon Siege 2: Broken World. The next few months will also see the releases of Gothic 3 and Neverwinter Nights 2, while a sequel to the underappreciated Sacred arrives in 2007. Although many of these games offer multiplayer components, their development teams have focused on producing deep campaigns that offer significant replay value. In Apocalypse, for instance, each of the five playable races will have unique quests to complement the main missions. How many of these titles do you plan to purchase, and do you think they are better values than MMOs?
Dungeon Siege trailer overdoses on LOTR
What has orcs, elves, John Rhys-Davies, and ends in "of the King?" No, it's not Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, silly! It's Uwe Boll's latest, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. What else does his LOTR-killer bring to the table: that ass-kicking bald-guy from The Transporter, ninjas, Burt Reynolds, ninjas, Ray Liotta, and, in an Oscar-worthy role, Matthew Lillard! No, I'm not kidding, the annoying guy from Scream.Read on for the YouTube video, or use this link for a high-res, though unreliable, version.[Thanks, hellmasterx]
Dungeon Siege II toolkit released
If you've been bit by the modding bug while playing Dungeon Siege II, Gas Powered Games has released an official toolkit to help you begin crafting your own adventures. They've also opened the doors to Siege University II where you can learn all about Flick scripting, town portal restrictions, and map building. Nice curriculum!
