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Best of the Rest: Ben's picks of 2010
1 vs. 100 Remember when Microsoft confirmed that there would be no more 1 vs. 100 and your heart broke in half? I remember that day. It was the first time I'd ever experienced anything akin to an MMO shutting down -- I was an active player in a weekly live game with thousands of other people, and it was closing. Like no other game I've played before, 1 vs. 100 brought together all of my friends -- gaming and non-gaming alike -- for a weekly shared experience. Couple that unique experience with my love for trivia (I totally dominated history and video game-themed nights), and 1 vs. 100 was a clear choice for one of my favorite games in 2010. It's a real shame there's no way to play it anymore.
Best of the Rest: Alexander's picks of 2010
Dance Central This is how the dancing genre should be done. Harmonix brought it on and stepped it up with Dance Central, a full-body follow-the-choreography game that showed off Microsoft's Kinect tech and ended up being the device's killer app at launch. Authoritative, yet fun, Dance Central felt like the first step in a franchise that could potentially have an amazing future. Dance Central 2 is a given and I can't wait to see what it delivers. Harmonix has shown us with Rock Band that it can rapidly build upon a core foundation. Chained dance routines? Online dance battles? Customizable routines? It's probably all on the table... and I would dance on that table using a stripper pole for all of it. But, my gawd, I would give anything for the option to remove or exchange freestyle sections for more moves.
Shop for an item shop in Steam's holiday sale
By now you know the drill for Steam's holiday sale. We'll link incredible deals, and you'll spend tiny amounts of money you didn't expect to spend. For Day 3 (until 1PM ET), the objects of your impulse buying include the quirky item shop RPG Recettear ($6.80), Bully ($3.75) and Just Cause 2 ($7.50).
Square Enix profits down, but not out as familiar franchises keep sales alive
If you think we're going to explain that mess of scribbles above -- fuggedaboutit! What we have parsed from Square Enix's six-month financial report (April–September 2010) is a rather slight net income: ¥1.723 billion ($21.4 million). While any company would take pocket change over a loss, Square Enix profits are indeed down 36 percent from the same period last year, and software sales for the first half of this fiscal year have relied heavily on "contribution from highly profitable carryover sales of major titles released in March" -- in other words: Final Fantasy XIII picked up the slack. And who were the slackers? Square Enix highlighted five "major titles" released during the period: Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 (DS) - 1.28 million units sold (Japan-only) Final Fantasy XIV (PC) - 630K units sold (worldwide) Just Cause 2 (multiplatform) - 560K units sold (worldwide)* Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days (multiplatform) - 1.12 million units sold (worldwide) Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep (PSP) - 510K units sold (worldwide)* *Title released in some regions prior to April 2010; sales only reflect those recorded in the six months ending September 30, 2010. Finally, Square Enix heralded its recent partnership with Chinese online games publisher Shanda Games; a deal indicative of two of the company's three proclaimed growth strategies: globalization and becoming "network centric." As for the third? Square Enix's three-pronged attack also stresses "strengthening our own-IPs." So when's that next Final Fantasy coming out again? [Image: Year-over-year comparison of monthly revenues from existing outlets; source: Square Enix]
Just Cause 2 now a PS3 Classic, 360 Platinum Hit in the UK
Despite the shortcomings of the product as a whole, there's a lot to love in Just Cause 2 -- most of which having to do with the many, many things you can do with a parachute, grappling hook and some ingenuity. By our calculation, that should earn the game a spot in the video game history books; and it seems Sony and Microsoft agree. The game has reached Platinum Hits and PS3 Classics status in the U.K., with an associated drop in price to £19.99. We've contacted Square Enix to see if the game will receive a similar treatment in the U.S.. We certainly don't see why not. We love explosive stunts just as much as our overseas cohorts.
Just Cause film optioned, screenwriter attached
Eric Eisner's L+E Productions has optioned the rights to a Just Cause movie script written by Michael Ross, reports Variety. Producer Adrian Askarieh is helping the production company flesh out the project "before shopping it to the studios." L+E Productions' first project, Hamlet 2, was picked up by Focus Features for a reported $10 million in 2008, giving some hope to the possibility of Just Cause actually appearing in theaters at some point in the future. Askarieh also helped to get the Hitman film out the door, to which a sequel is currently in production. The Just Cause film will apparently focus on the story of Rico "The Scorpion" Rodriguez as he takes on "deadly missions for the US government that come in the form of creating chaos and destrabalizing rogue nations from within and turning the bad guys against each other." Sound familiar? Let's just hope the adaptation doesn't take any of that ... questionable NPC chatter along for the ride. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Report: Mad Max game at Avalanche Studios
God of War 2 director Cory Barlog is likely working on the Mad Max game (a supposed tie-in with the 2012 movie sequel) at Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios. Eurogamer reports Avalanche Studios' founder Christofer Sundberg told the site, "I can't comment on the projects we are working on, but Cory is working here with us in Stockholm." We've known Barlog had been working on a Mad Max game since 2008, with production reportedly still going on last year -- we just never knew exactly where he was making the game. The studio's Avalanche Engine would actually be fantastic for driving an enormous, lush Mad Max game -- well, if "lush" existed in the Mad Max vocabulary. The engine certainly proved its graphical power in Just Cause 2. Now, if Barlog could only help deliver a cohesive concept, instead of just an empty sandbox, that could be a truly beautiful thing.
Final Fantasy 13, Just Cause 2, Supreme Commander 2 cheap on Amazon today
Last Thursday, Amazon discounted a random trio of Square Enix games for its Deal of the Day. Today, three more Squeenix games receive a temporary discount -- and this time, none of them are Nier. If you have yet to decide whether the time-release fun of Final Fantasy 13 is for you, the decision is slightly easier today: it's available for $29.99 on both Xbox 360 and PS3. It's joined by revolutionary mayhem simulator Just Cause 2, which is down to $36.99 on the same two platforms, and $26.99 on PC. Finally, Supreme Commander 2 is supremely cheap at $26.99 on Xbox or $19.99 on PC. Given Amazon's recent Deal of the Day history, if you were planning to buy any other recent Square Enix releases, perhaps you should sit on that purchase for a week, just in case.
Just Cause 2 gets free rocket-launching Tuk Tuk DLC
Ah, the Tuk Tuk. Almost universally recognized as the most useless vehicle of all time in regards to its implementation in video games. (You ever try to rack up a huge crash score while driving a Tuk Tuk in Burnout 3? It is impossible.) Avalanche, however, recently gave the poor, pod-shaped vehicle a facelift with a new piece of free DLC for Just Cause 2: Introducing the "Tuk Tuk Boom Boom" (pictured right), available today through Xbox Live, PSN and Steam. You'll notice that Avalanche has peeled the roof off of this particular model of the vehicle, leaving just enough room for a massive, powerful cannon. It's also faster and handles better than the rollover-friendly standard version, meaning the Tuk Tuk Boom Boom might just become your new mode of transportation of choice when it's time to raid that enemy base -- or, you know, that impoverished civilian village.
Video game world size compared
Digg recently featured a side-by-side comparison of video game worlds, and Azeroth as depicted in World of Warcraft found itself in competition against the sprawling universes of Grand Theft Auto, Guild Wars: Nightfall, Lord of the Rings Online and Just Cause 2. As is obvious from the picture, WoW seems to compare poorly when it comes to the sheer size of the worlds in question, but the map being used is both outdated and somewhat misleading. It's a pre-BC version omitting the Azuremyst Isles, Quel'thalas, Outland and Northrend, and it obviously doesn't include the acreage being added to the game with Cataclysm, either. Regardless, it's an interesting comparison, and other people have tried figuring out exactly how big Azeroth is, with some curious results.
Just Cause 2: Black Market Aerial Pack now available
We don't know how one tires of wreaking havoc across the countryside of a third-world island nation. What more do you need? But if you have, you'll be happy to be reminded that the "Black Market Aerial Pack" is now available for Just Cause 2. For 160 /$2 you can add the the chaingun-toting F-33 DragonFly Jet Fighter, a multi-lock missile launcher and a hangtime-extending parachute thruster to your cavalcade of chaos. The destruction's already begun on Xbox Live, but you can look for it to continue on PS3s when the PSN update arrives today. Xbox.com: Add Just Cause 2: Black Market Aerial Pack ($2) to your download queue
Second Just Cause 2 DLC pack coming May 25 [update]
The Just Cause 2 website has official news on the game's first two DLC packs. We'd already heard about the April 29 "Black Market Aerial Pack" (which will give you a new Jet Fighter to play with, along with a parachute addon to create a little more breeze), but less than a month later, May 29 [update: May 25] will bring the "Black Market Boom Pack," with a Quad Rocket Launcher, Cluster Bomb Launcher, and an Air Propulsion Gun, which fires jet blasts powerful enough to send both soldiers and vehicles flying. You don't really get bonus points for saying, "This... is my boom pack," after sending said enemies into the air, but we'll pretend that you do. Both packs will be $1.99 on PSN, or 160 ($2) from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Also on the official Just Cause 2 blog: you'll find YouTube videos of the game being played back at both slow- and fast-speed, showing off slow motion and time-lapse views of the impressive in-game world. We've put both of them after the break in case you want to give them a look.
Just Cause 2 and BioShock 2 getting DLC April 29
The latest Xbox Live Newsbeat update included release dates for two pieces of downloadable content that we didn't even know existed. We typically don't care for surprises, but we're willing to make an exception if it means we get more maps for the multiplayer component of BioShock 2 and more things to explode in Just Cause 2. On April 29, six new multiplayer maps will be added to BioShock 2 as part of the "Rapture Metro Map Pack." For 800 ($10), players get the new arenas, three new masks, a "Kill 'Em Kindly" Melee deathmatch mode, and three new Achievements. Just Cause 2 will receive the "Black Market Aerial Pack," a 160 ($2) booster which adds the chaingun-toting F-33 DragonFly Jet Fighter, a multi-lock missile launcher and a parachute thruster which extends your airtime whilst leisurely sailing across the Panauan landscape. How... unexpextedly soothing!
Just Dance just can't help being tops on UK sales charts
At this point, just give into the madness: Ubisoft's Just Dance is an unstoppable beast on the UK all-formats sales chart. According to Chart-Track, the title has been the top-selling Wii game every week in 2010 (except New Year's week) and boogies down as the third-largest third-party Wii game ever in the UK -- Sega's Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and Take-Two's Carnival Funfair Games are the top two, respectively. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 regained some ground, crawling back to the second spot, as Just Cause 2 parachuted down another spot to third. Modern Warfare 2 held its ground at fourth as Wii Sports Resort moved up one notch to fifth. The rest of the top ten has some Pokémons sprinkled in there. Check out the complete UK top 10 after the break. Source – Ubisoft Can't Stop Dancing [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
Just Cause 2 gets free 'pimped-up' ice cream truck DLC
Since it's universally accepted that Just Cause 2 is completely butt-crazy-gonzo, we weren't really surprised by today's release of a free, downloadable, "pimped-up" (according to the Xbox Live listing) ice cream truck for all platforms of the game. The "Chevalier Ice Breaker" features ultra low suspension (for those hairpin mountainous curves), front-mounted bull bars (for the ramming of things) and, presumably, more ice cream sandwiches than you could shake a Popsicle stick at. Xbox.com: Add Chevalier Ice Breaker to your Xbox 360 download queue Also available via PlayStation Store later today and for PC.
UK charts: Just Cause 2 just defied by Just Dance
Apparently the word "just" resonates deeply with UK buyers, as Just Dance and Just Cause 2 take the top spots on the UK all-formats sales chart, respectively. Just Dance sales rose 56 percent over the Easter holiday, hopping the rhythm title back to the top spot, which it previously held during the second and third weeks of 2010. The international success of Just Dance is absolutely fascinating and we're curious to see its impact on E3 this year. Clones must be in the cards. Just Cause 2 sales glided down 21 percent after riding the top of the charts last week. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 held its ground at third, while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Pokémon SoulSilver rounded out the top five. You'll find the complete UK top 10 after the break. Source – Just Dance Just Beats Just Cause [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
Just Cause 2 grapples to top of UK sales chart
In true revolutionary fashion, Just Cause 2 took the top spot on the UK all-formats sales chart last week. The sandbox title that's more fun when you ignore your objectives beat out Pokémon SoulSilver and HeartGold, which fought to the second and fourth spots, respectively. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 kept on the pressure in third, while the unstoppable Just Dance took fifth. Kratos fell down the charts, like he tumbled out of the good graces of Mt. Olympus, as God of War III went from first to seventh. Check out the complete UK top 10 sales list after the break. Source – Just Cause 2 Swoops in Ahead of Pokémon [GFK Chart-Track] Source – Latest UK Software Charts [GFK Chart-Track]
Joyswag: Just Cause 2 (Xbox 360) [update]
Update: The contest is now over and two winners will be emailed, so keep an eye on your commenter-tied inboxes. We understand that, during the game flood this March, you might be forced to choose your battles (financially speaking) carefully, possibly to the detriment of a game like Just Cause 2. And while we respect your decision, we'd like to inform you politely that: A.) The game's (mostly) a lot of fun! Didn't you read our review? B.) We've got a couple of copies for the Xbox 360 that you're welcome to try and win by entering our week-long contest. All you've gotta do is let us know which of the many, many Just Cause 2 trailers was your favorite in the comments below. Next Wednesday we'll pull two of you at random and forward a copy for the Xbox 360! Does March seem a bit less stressful now? Good! Oh, and keep an eye out for us at PAX East -- we've got some JC2 swag to put in your eager hands. Leave a comment telling us which of the many, many Just Cause 2 trailers was your favorite. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). Limit 1 entry per person per day. This entry period ends at 12:01AM ET on Wednesday, March 31. At that time, we'll randomly select two winners to receive one copy each of Just Cause 2 for Xbox 360 (ARV: $59.99). For a list of complete rules, click here. What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. For more info on our policy, click here. %Gallery-78125%
Avalanche opens casual online studio Expansive Worlds
The Hunter (well, technically, the hunted) Having created massive worlds for the Just Cause series, Swedish developer Avalanche has formed a new studio called Massive Worlds focusing on games in the casual online space. GamesIndustry.biz (login required) reports that the new unit will (unsurprisingly) be developing games using Avalanche's in-house game engine -- the same engine that powers Just Cause 2 -- but hasn't announced any specific titles just yet. The company recently acquired full rights to the free-to-play online hunting sim The Hunter, which it co-developed with UK studio Emote. Further development of the game -- along with the rest of the studio's titles -- will be overseen by Stefan Pettersson, who joins Expansive Worlds as managing director. Prior to taking the job, Pettersson worked as a consultant and, at one point, a producer/designer at Avalanche. (We're sure that had nothing whatsoever to do with his selection.)
Review: Just Cause 2
You have to promise me you won't play Just Cause 2. Now, don't misunderstand me, because you should absolutely buy Just Cause 2. It's got a lush, almost dauntingly large world to explore (and destroy); it's got a combination of grappling hook and parachute travel that lets you swoop through the world in a way that's just as, if not more thrilling than anything the Spider-Man series has ever cooked up; and it's got a lot of explosions. But the moment you play as intended, helping CIA agent Rico Rodriguez as he attempts to eject dictator "Baby" Panay from the island of Panau, you'll discover the sad truth: The tools at Rico's disposal are a hell of a lot more fun than what he's asked to use them on. %Gallery-78125%
