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Metal Gear Rising or Clockwork Orange: You decide!
There's a possibility that Raiden is sitting in the doctor's seat just above, like a good little droog, or it could be Clockwork Orange's Alex getting a reprogramming. We can't be sure, but it sure does seem like whoever it is isn't having a very good time. Perhaps it's time for Revengeance?
Platinum's Kamiya hoping to announce his own game in 2012, Fumito Ueda loves Portal 2, and more
Since Bayonetta's late 2009/early 2010 debut, director Hideki Kamiya has gone relatively quiet. And while he remains that way for now, it seems we may see some movement from him this year, as he told 4Gamer in its big "looking back on 2011" Japanese developer feature (via Andriasang) that he "would like to announce a new game and make a comeback on the game scene and be known as more than just some guy who posts on Twitter," as his hope for 2012. Bizarrely, he didn't name a single favorite game from the last year, choosing instead to say "nothing in particular" struck his fancy, while Nintendo's eShop "3D Classics" were his favorite entertainment content last year. The feature also features a cadre of Square Enix devs, who hilariously all named Skryim their favorite game of the year (with the exception of a single producer), while the no longer Sony-affiliated Last Guardian creative lead Fumito Ueda put Portal 2 at the top of his list. He was also quick to point out that "The Last Guardian is in development, with the staff hoping to meet expectations even though with each game they taste the difficulties of creation." Okay then! Catherine and Dark Souls also got nods from a variety of devs, as did Super Mario 3D Land. And hey, you know where we stand.
Researchers say nanorockets could deliver medicine quickly within the blood
Faster delivery is always better when it comes to pizza, Thai food and now... drugs? Doctors seem to think so as they're experimenting with a new method of delivering medicine to the bloodstream via tiny nanotubes powered by rocket fuel. By storing healing meds within the platinum-coated metal tubes, doctors have been able to propel the tiny vessels up to 200 times their own length per second -- faster than swimming bacteria. It works as such: by introducing a hydrogen peroxide/water solution, the platinum reacts, sending it zipping forward and catalyzing the peroxide into water and oxygen. The downside? Even though the fuel is only .25 percent peroxide, it's still slightly toxic -- so it looks like it's back to the drawing board until they can develop a safer alternative. Spiders, perhaps? Check out the video demonstration after the break.
Vertu Signature Precious is awash in sea of sapphire...and regret (video)
It may not feature GPS, an accelerometer, or even a camera, but if you've run out of disposable items to encrust with jewels, then Vertu's Precious -- the latest revision to its aging Signature lineup -- may be the mobile phone for you. While its basic array of quadband GSM, 2100 / 850 MHz 3G, Bluetooth and WiFi may seem a touch modest, varieties come slathered in platinum, three types of gold (yellow, white and red), leather, ceramic, and enough jewels to make Her Majesty blush. Its face, known as the "sea of sapphire," is mostly obscured (save for the OLED display), but you high rollers can take comfort knowing it spent more than two weeks in a 2000°C oven to appease your discerning taste. Also hidden are 4.75 carats of ruby bearings, which are said to give the keys a frictionless, satisfying click. The ring tones are exclusive compositions by Dario Marianelli and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra -- though we were bigger fans before they sold out. For a quick glimpse of how the Precious comes together gem by gem, just follow the break. There's no word on pricing or availability, but if you're considering putting up your first born as collateral, you might want to reconsider this cringe-worthy creation. [Thanks, Radi]
Sleek by 50 Cent Platinum headphones announced, invites Beats to a showdown
It's official. The cans we saw teased earlier in the week have just been made official by Sleek Audio and Curtis Jackson (otherwise known to the world as 50 Cent), with the rapper himself dishing out cash and input to make it happen. We're told that they were designed by 50 and engineered by Sleek, and are the first headphones ever to offer 'Wireless Hybrid' technology with military-grade metals. More specifically, the Sleek by 50 Cent Platinum headphones utilize Kleer lossless wireless technology, with a 60 foot range and a micro-USB rechargeable battery. If you run out of juice, there's a detachable mic cable that can be jacked in for continued listening. The cans themselves house a pair of 50mm dynamic drivers, a customized internal amplifier and a call-out to Dr. Dre. Just kidding. Maybe. We're still waiting on a price and release date, but we'd expect 'em to ship soon for just a touch more than HP's Beats -- you know, given the wireless and all.
Luxury iPhone 4s, iPads a great idea for well-heeled givers
Looking for a Christmas gift that is so unique that only a handful of people on the planet will find it beneath the Christmas tree? If you happen to have a wad of cash burning a hole in your pocket, then you might want to contact luxury electronics designer Stuart Hughes. Liverpool, UK-based designer Hughes recently created a £5,000,000 ($7.9 million) rose gold and diamond encrusted iPhone 4, but he has a bargain available for holiday gifting. For a mere £39,995 ($63,200), you can pick up one of ten iPhone 4s that have had the everyday glass back replaced with materials from a 65 million-year-old T-Rex tooth and a meteoric stone. This lovely iPhone has a bezel made of 8.5 carat diamonds, and the Apple logo is made of platinum and diamonds. If you miss out on picking up one of these iPhones for whomever you're trying to impress, you can always pick up one of the luxury iPads that Hughes has designed. The Supreme Fire iPad (£109,995, $173,814) is made from a 64GB 3G iPad draped in 2.5 kg of 24 carat gold. If that seems like it would be a cheap gift for your loved one, you can always upgrade to the £299,995 ($474,053) Solid Platinum iPad Supreme Edition. The casing is made of 2.7 kg of pure platinum, encrusted with 173 diamonds weighing in at 85.5 carats. For many of us, these products are slightly out of reach, but we have video on the next page featuring Mr. Hughes and some of his earlier designs for you to drool over. [via Computerworld UK]
Trading platinum for Station Cash items OK with EQII's Georgeson
EQ2Wire has an interesting tidbit regarding the exchange of platinum (EverQuest II's in-game currency) and items purchased with SOE's Station Cash. With players now able to gift Station Cash items, EQII vets wondered aloud on the game's official boards if trading some of their surplus plat for SC paraphernalia would lead to a ban. Surprisingly, EQII producer Dave "Smokejumper" Georgeson took a laissez faire approach to the discussion, in effect saying that players are welcome to the trades provided they're not facilitated by any third parties. "We really don't want to put a hard value on platinum to SC conversion rates, so we would probably only step in on this if we thought it was going to cause us legal headaches in the future. So...if kept on the low-down, it'll never cause problems. But if someone put up a website selling items officially with posted conversion rates, I have a feeling that legal might want to step in and stop it to avoid issues. Make sense? Keep it person-to-person and I don't think this will ever be an issue," he wrote. In addition to the exchange discussion, EQ2Wire's Feldon chimes in with a brief analysis of the game's economy and inflation troubles that's worth a read if you're thinking of heading back to the world of Norrath.
Scientists using metallic wastes to generate clean energy
Solar farms are swell and all, but they aren't exactly fit for laboratories or studio apartments. Thanks to new discoveries by gurus at the University of Birmingham, though, we could be on our way to a far more diminutive method of creating clean energy. As the story goes, we could soon be using microbes to transform wastes in metals into energy. The team managed to pinpoint Hydrogenase enzymes and BioPd in their research, which they believe can be used as catalysts for the treatment of persistent pollutants. The overriding goal, however, is to "develop a one-step technology that allows for the conversion of metallic wastes into high value catalysts for green chemistry and clean energy generation," but it's difficult to say at this point how close they are to realizing it. The best news? This is bound to start a new rash of Cash 4 Gold commercials.
Pachter predicts $100 'Platinum' Xbox Live membership
The bump in cost for a Gold membership on Xbox Live is just the tip of the iceberg, according to game industry seer Michael Pachter. Predicting a $100 plan as the next evolutionary step in subscription options soon to be available to Xbox Live consumers, he told IndustryGamers reports that while the initial extra $10 "translates to around $100 to 150 million per year in additional revenue for Microsoft," the company will "reinvest at least this much in developing other new applications, and will roll out a premium service with $100 to 200 million worth of enhancements. If they can get 2 million users to switch from the $60 plan to the $100 plan, they'll make an extra $80 million a year, and can keep investing to try to grow that business." It makes sense: Xbox Live is easily one of the biggest draws of the console and consumers have already shown they're willing to pay a premium for it. But even if Microsoft were to offer a "Platinum" service, what could justify what is comparably such a heftier price tag? "For all I know, the Platinum plan might include virtual goods credits for various Microsoft games," Pachter posits. "If members could get specialized Halo armor or weapons worth the extra $40, they might be more willing to sign up, and it doesn't really cost Microsoft anything to offer things like that." You know what? We may know a few people willing to pay for something like that. [Thanks, Mark]
Philips' Cinema 21:9 Platinum HDTV finally takes the leap into 3D
It's kind of hard to outdo yourself with only two dimensions when they read 21 and 9, respectively, so Philips has decided to do the only thing left for a trendy display maker: go 3D. Though we saw (and loved) a 3D prototype of the 56-inch variant at last year's IFA, this new, 58-inch Cinema 21:9 Platinum HDTV looks set to bring the third dimension to actual retail. It's got the Ambilight wall illumination that some people will like, LED backlighting with local dimming that most should love, and a slimmer, brushed matte bezel that will be appreciated by all. The 400Hz panel is capable of pumping out Full HD 3D and is expected to cost around €4,000 ($5,112) in Europe or £3,500 in the UK with a launch set for later this month. And if you want one in the US, well... things aren't looking very Ambibright for you. %Gallery-101115%
Lung-inspired hydrogen fuel cell skimps on platinum, sees efficiency boost
For as spectacular as hydrogen fuel cells are on paper, they haven't been able to replace combustion engines in vehicles. Or much of anything else, really. But thanks to Signe Kjelstrup at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in Oslo, the tried-and-true fuel cell is getting a serious boost. Kjelstrup's crew determined that by using less platinum in a cell, a substantial increase in efficiency and a significant decrease in cost could be achieved. The new design relies on an architecture that's "modeled on the bronchial structure of the lungs to supply hydrogen and oxygen gas to their respective electrodes," which is said to help "spread the gases more uniformly across the catalyst than current channel designs and provides a greater surface area so less platinum is needed." It's still early on in the discovery process, though, and there's certainly no solid word on when this will reach a point where widespread implementation is feasible. Seventh-generation Prius, perhaps?
Sly Cooper Collection nabs three Platinum Trophies
If collecting virtual Trophies has become something of an addiction, you should be playing close attention to Sly Cooper Collection. Like God of War Collection before it, each game will feature its own Platinum -- meaning, you'll be able to get up to three Platinum Trophies in this HD remix. However, there are a few PlayStation Move mini-games being added, meaning you'll likely need to buy a Move if you want to get every possible Trophy.
Heavy Rain sells one million worldwide
No one was exactly sure if Sony's gamble with Heavy Rain would pay off. With no aliens, no stealth kills, and no epic boss battles, the game strayed so far from the mainstream norm that some wondered if it could possibly succeed. Considering the incredible technical effort Heavy Rain represented, it's clear that this was also an expensive experiment for both Sony and Quantic Dream to take on. After seven weeks of release, Heavy Rain has managed to sell through a million units worldwide, according to an announcement on the PlayStation.Blog. No specifics are offered, but we'll deduce that Europe represents the largest piece of the sales pie; Heavy Rain was completely sold out in that part of the world. It's unclear if a million units sold is enough for Quantic Dream and Sony to break even on Heavy Rain's lengthy development. Undoubtedly, the game will continue selling through the year, which has us hopeful that the industry will be unafraid to invest in another game like it in the future.
Final Fantasy XIII fastest selling game in franchise, Square Enix claims
Great. We're pretty certain Square Enix is going to make another one of these videos now. With sales of "more than one million units in North America over the first five days," Square Enix has good reason for that smug look on its face. Taking into account European sales, Final Fantasy XIII has "recorded the largest first-week sales in franchise history." A number of factors undoubtedly contributed to the record-breaking success of the latest iteration of the JRPG series. Not only is it the first numbered Final Fantasy game on a current generation system, but it's also the first game in the franchise to appear on two platforms -- and two continents -- simultaneously. Finally, it's been nearly four years since the release of Final Fantasy XII on PS2. Fans were clearly hungry for a real Final Fantasy fix. Luckily for Square Enix, there's much, much more Final Fantasy in the works: Final Fantasy XIV is due this year and Final Fantasy Versus XIII should be ready by the time Square Enix is done counting all this money.
4N wristwatch delivers digital time in a mechanical fashion
Given how simple we've made timekeeping over the years, it was inevitable that luxury watches would have to move into more esoteric lands in order to exude the appropriate sense of wonder when witnessed by those who can't afford them. You might call that the Xperia Pureness effect. Ergo, quite aside from its platinum or 18-carat gold construction options, the 4N watch tries to grab the spotlight with its quirky disc-based mechanism, which rotates numbers (four numbers, hence 4N) into position to display a digital readout of the time. The fact that all three discs -- built out of aluminum or a titanium alloy -- and the MVT01 movement are exposed to the eye earns geek cred from us, while the limited run of only 16 units should ensure the desired exclusivity for the watches' future owners. As the old saying about price goes, if you have to ask, you can't afford one.
Vanquish previews emerge from Tokyo
It seems like a whole mess of outlets took a trip to Tokyo recently to play Platinum's upcoming Vanquish. ... What? Oh, well, no, we weren't there. It's fine though, it is. We're pretty sure that our invitation just got lost in the mail. (Our mail guy's a total Japanophile, so we'd believe it.) Besides, we were really busy that week. Just really busy with various things that we were doing. ... Anyway, we've read all the preview coverage that went up today and these are the broad strokes: You'll play as a government agent named Sam who's using his futuristic battle suit, large arsenal and martial arts skills to recapture a solar-powered space station just used by Russia to blow up San Francisco. (Side note: If you want to make an armor guy mad, attack San Francisco.) As for what its third-person action feels like, we're seeing a lot of descriptors like "intense" and "frenetic," perhaps a move away from bulkier action heroes like Marcus and the Chief. The only character detail we know about Sam is that he smokes mid-fight, which is pretty much all we need to know. One sad note: No online multiplayer. Well, maybe in Vanquish 2: Still Vanquishin'. What's that? You still want more? Well, maybe try Sega's blog or Game Informer or Eurogamer or basically anywhere but here. No, we told you, it's fine. *sniff* %Gallery-87352%
Uncharted 2 outselling first game, 'closing in' on 3m sold
It may not have charted in the January NPDs, but Uncharted 2 has stealthily beaten sales of the first game in the series, according to PlayStation's Jack Tretton. We can think of a number of reasons why: Certainly, the growing install base of the PS3 has something to do with franchise's growing success; and perhaps the addition of multiplayer makes Uncharted 2 a more attractive purchase than the first game; or maybe it's simply because it's pretty darn good. Uncharted 2 sales are "now closing in on three million copies sold worldwide," according to Tretton. Considering those figures, it's clear that Sony management should have one directive for developer Naughty Dog: "Make another one, please!"
Platinum Games' fourth game is Vanquish
On this evening's "World Exclusive" laden episode of GameTrailers TV, host Geoff Keighley unveiled the latest game from Japanese development all-star team Platinum Games, a futuristic shooter named Vanquish. From the bit of trailer we saw in tonight's show, the game is set on US soil sometime in the future. Also, hey, there are some mechs -- it's from Japan, right? We've got the whole thing embedded after the break, should you be so inclined. As noted earlier this week, the upcoming game comes from Resident Evil designer Shinji Mikami and marks the fourth title from the development studio -- the last of a four game deal with Sega inked back in 2008. Though we've got tonight's game announce still fresh on our brain box, we have to wonder what this means in terms of a publisher for upcoming games from all those other famous developers sitting around Platinum Games HQ, wondering what to do next. Okay, okay, they're probably not just sitting around. But still! No consoles were named or release windows given -- heck, the whole trailer was live-action -- but we have to imagine that kind of info isn't too far off.
God of War Collection coming in November, with two Platinum trophies
Did you know that the God of War Collection features two God of War games: God of War and God of War II? Oh, you could tell from the box art? Well, did you know that the God of War Collection puts both God of War and God of War II on a single Blu-ray disc, remastered in 720p HD for PS3? Oh, so you've been following this game, huh? While everything about the aptly titled re-release has been unsurprising thus far, we were caught off-guard by this tidbit revealed by the PlayStation.blog. The Kratos Kompilation has not one but two Platinum Trophies, one for each title. Trophy hunters need not worry about the difficulty of nabbing both Platinums: neither will require playing the game on the hardest difficulty. In fact, "Getting My Ass Kicked" encourages dying enough times to unlock Easy Mode. The God of War Collection will ship to retailers on November 17th. Well, unless you live in Europe ... %Gallery-75756%
SCEE Platinum line expands, includes Resistance 2, Killzone 2
The European budget line of "Platinum" titles has expanded quite significantly, adding four new titles for the low price of £19.99 / €29.99. The collection now includes Metal Gear Solid 4, MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, Resistance 2 and Killzone 2.We're a bit jealous of our European friends, as games rarely get the "Greatest Hits" label so soon. Killzone 2, for example, released just a little over six months ago. However, it makes sense to drop the price of these games, especially Killzone 2, so soon -- there are a lot of new PS3 owners out there, hungry to try out the system's greatest games.
