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Google Catalogs makes web-based catalog browsing a reality
For folks who prefer to get their retail therapy in digital form, Google Catalogs is a godsend. In case you forgot, it's an aggregation portal with digital catalogs from myriad merchants that lets you browse retailer wares without killing trees and now it's available on the web. When Catalogs first debuted, it was only available as a tablet app for iPad or Android. The new web-based catalog browser, however, lets users peruse wares from over 300 merchants -- including Crate&Barrel, Brookstone and even Fredrick's of Hollywood -- on any device with an internet connection. The holiday season's approaching folks, so head on down to the source and get your shopping out of the way early -- or, at least flesh out your personal wish list.
Writers Guild of America announces 2010 game writing nominations
Well folks, we've been here twice before -- it's that very special time of year when the Writers Guild of America announces nominations in the category of "Videogame Writing." As has been the standard for the past two years, the list of games is a dubious mix. We'd certainly point to Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2 (our 2009 Game of the Year, lest you forget) and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed 2 as worthy of the title, but ... well, nearly everything else on the list strikes us as either unworthy or straight up misplaced. It reads as follows: Assassin's Creed 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Wet X-Men Origins: Wolverine We're just as flummoxed as you are that titles like Wolverine and Modern Warfare 2 showed up -- especially while a litany of other great writing falls by the wayside (we're looking at you, Dragon Age and Professor Layton 2) -- but that might have something to do with the WGA membership requirement for consideration in the nominations. Regardless, we'll find out who's going to take the golden manuscript home when the show takes place simultaneously in both Los Angeles and New York City on February 20. [Via GamesIndustry.biz]
Best of the Rest: Chris' picks of 2009
Secret of Monkey Island: Special EditionA high-definition update – with high-quality voice work to boot! – of the adventure gaming classic, Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition represents a sea change in how LucasArts treats its adventure gaming roots. Instead of squirelling them away in a vault while development continues on Star Wars title after Star Wars title, LucasArts is putting them up on Steam, and remastering them for a whole new audience, with the first Monkey Island adventure leading the charge.
Best of the Rest: Justin's Picks of 2009
Time Gentlemen, Please This was hands-down the funniest game released in 2009, and 2009 was a year in which we got a new Tim Schafer game and the return of the Monkey Island series, so that's saying something. If you missed out, please go buy it, it's cheap as can be and a true delight.
Best of the Rest: Dave's Picks of 2009
Resident Evil 5 I've long been a fan of the Resident Evil series, and while the campaign here has problems and should never be played solo, the Mercenaries mode is what kept me coming back. Those action-packed levels spent trying to survive while running low on ammo and health were some of my most chaotic, yet highly enjoyable, experiences of 2009.
A2M trademarks 'Naughty Bear,' no one shocked
Artificial Mind and Movement, better known to those in the gaming world as A2M, seems to be in the business of inappropriate euphemism name mashups. Starting with the company's own name's abbreviation, moving into the recently published Wet, and recently filing a trademark (spotted by Superannuation) for a new game titled "Naughty Bear," it appears as though the developer is on a mission to bring devilish grimaces to the faces of 13-year-old boys everywhere (ours included).Oh, and just in case you were thinking about quickly snatching up the merchandising or film trademarks to such an impressive sounding name, A2M covered its bases and nabbed those too. We do hear that "Sexy Gorilla" might be available, though. [Image credit] [Via Superannuation]
Review: Wet
You have to love a game that works solely on the strength of its convictions. Deep down in the very core of its rockabilly heart, Wet knows that shooting dudes while you slow-mo dive and slide is fun. Fun enough to build an entire game around without too much ancillary garbage? Yes. A thousands times yes. Sure, Artificial Mind and Movement has sexed it up with a gritty grindhouse feel and some outstanding music, but Wet is a game that never forgets on which side its bread is buttered. And that's the murder side ... of the, um, bread. %Gallery-51182%
PSN Friday: Better late than never
Was it worth the wait? Actually, this week's PSN update is rather substantial, offering up The Legend of Han Tao (don't be fooled by its cheesy name, it's not that bad) and several demos worth checking out, including WET getting wild at the top of the list. Let's not overlook the classics either, as PS1's Tomb Raider 2 and SimCity 2000 are both available for $6. There's plenty more content to check out after the break. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
Video interview: Bethesda's Pete Hines on WET
We're calling it "this year's Mirror's Edge" -- WET is dripping with style, but will its unconventional controls and arcade-inspired combo system jive with mainstream gamers? We chatted with Bethesda's Pete Hines to talk about the publisher's late involvement with the A2M project. Below is a text excerpt of the entire video interview:What does WET stand for?WET is short for wetworks, which is a CIA term for operations where your hands are literally going to get wet with blood. We want you, as the player, to always be shooting, always be taking people out, whether it's with your guns or your sword. You're running around walls, jumping, spinning, sliding. It's about comboing together cool moves to take out your enemies and doing in this cool 70s Grindhouse look.What gives WET its Grindhouse feel?You really get that Grindhouse feel from the VO work from folks like Eliza Dushku, voice of Ruby (the character you play), Malcolm McDowell. There is a lot of music in the game, both from Brian LeBarton, who works with Beck, created an original soundtrack for the game that's kind of really cool and hip and funky; and then layered on top of that are all these tracks we got from indie bands that have this cool rockabilly type sound that fit really well with both the original soundtrack and with the game.%Gallery-40639%
WET demo slips onto Xbox Live
If there's one thing we've learned about video games marketing we've learned here at Joystiq, it's that most game designers and PR firms assume that the average gamer loves the idea of attractive women with swords (and zombies, if possible). Enter WET, a game featuring an attractive woman with a sword and guns and bullet-time. Thankfully, based on our time with the game, it does more than simply play on the attractions of the male gamer stereotype, it's actually pretty fun. If taking control of sword-wielding, gun-toting, bullet time-using female badass sounds like your cup of tea, you'll be happy to know that a demo is now available on Xbox Live. Go get it. [Via Evil Avatar]
European PSN releases for August 20
Veeeedjaahs! Getchya vidjeeahs heeeaah! Unsurprisingly, a veritable cornucopia of promotional material for PS3 and PSP titles was unleashed upon GamesCom 2009 attendees -- and now, thanks to the magic of the internet, they can be yours as well. Trailers and gameplay footage for a few big titles make up a majority of this week's PSN Euro update -- but there's also a demo for WET in there, too. Which is great if you be trying to get your Dushku on. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
GameStop knocks $10 off Wet and Rogue Warrior pre-orders
GameStop is looking to entice those on the video game-purchasing fence (it's a real thing ... look it up!) regarding upcoming Bethesda-published titles Wet and Rogue Warrior by offering $10 off each game's price should they pre-order through the retailer. If you decide to snag both games (what are you, a millionaire?), we only ask that, should you leave the two games alone in a room, you keep the door cracked. We'd hate to see what kind of super-killer offspring they'd produce. [Via Bethesda Blog] Source – Wet at GameStop Source – Rogue Warrior at GameStop
Eliza Dushku: Games 'acceptable and cool for grown ups'
BBC News caught up with Eliza Dushku recently, noted actress (uh, you've seen Bring it On, right?!) and voice of protagonist Rubi in the upcoming A2M-developed Wet. When it comes to games, she's apparently a fan and says they're a pretty acceptable form of entertainment (thanks!).She says that games have "almost become acceptable and cool for grown ups -- not for people who are just in their teens." In fact, some of her own friends and colleagues used to be ashamed of their gaming, but now do so "loud and proud." In all fairness, though, most of her friends are Blinx: The Time Sweeper fans, so they probably should be ashamed.
Wet trailer gives us a shot at love
What's better than controlling a femme fatale equipped with handguns and a katana? How about a song making light of her murderous nature? Wet developer A2M have delivered just that in the video you see above, with various impaled victims bursting into song over the course of the blood-splattered video. Here's hoping that the game will be as exciting and hilarious as the viral ad above paints it to be when it hits store shelves on September 15.
Wet to slash and shoot retail on September 15
Bethesda's new publishing arm is prepared to bring the Eliza Dushku-voiced, Artificial Mind and Movement-developed Wet to retail shelves in North America on September 15. Back at E3, we thought the game showed a lot of promise, yet the experience was kind of dampened by environmental inconsistencies. It's tough to be a super badass and stylishly murder countless goons when you barely have elbow room, you know?
Impressions: Wet (PS3, Xbox 360)
Wet is a game that is for all intents and purposes pretty good, but it has the makings to be a lot better. However, the developers failed to give Rubi the room she needs, and for the brief period of time we had with the game, felt the confines of the small environments kept the game from realizing its full potential.We won't bother wasting your time regaling the concept behind the game and what the whole point is -- we've already done that. Instead, we'll address what the game has done right, and what needs to change before a good game can become a great game. %Gallery-51182%
Joystiq impressions: Wet
By now you know that Wet is the latest of Activision Blizzard's castaways to have been rescued from a grizzly, unpublished fate. At Bethesda's 2009 lineup showcase in London, we were given a demonstration of how the rescued game has progressed since it was last shown properly in 2007. Wet is a stylised, Tarantino-flavored acrobatic shooter for the PS3 and 360. The emphasis here is on constant movement and pulling off Kill Bill style moves, without having to resort to cinematics or quick-time events. Imagine Mirror's Edge meets Stranglehold and Devil May Cry. You play as Rubi -- voiced by Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku -- who is a "fixer." That's another word for "hired assassin," which explains the game's name -- a shortened version of the term "wetworks."The game reeks of 1970s action films, from the art direction and animation to the music and the environments. There's even a grainy film filter over the entire game, though apparently this can be turned off or changed in the settings menu. What we saw wasn't the most graphically impressive game in the world, but the abundance of style made up for any technical shortcomings.%Gallery-51182%
Bethesda confirms publishing duties for Wet, coming Fall 2009
The rumors were true! Bethesda Softworks confirmed in a press release today that it had picked up the publishing rights for Artificial Mind and Movement's gun-and-sword-toting action title, Wet. The fate of the game was imperiled by The Great Vivendi Franchise Culling of 2008, though we're pleased to hear it won't be wandering the vaporware wasteland much longer -- according to the release, Wet is set to moisten PS3s and Xbox 360s come this fall.As an interesting aside, the press release also reveals that Buffy vet and current Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku will provide the pipes for Wet's armed-to-the-teeth protagonist, Rubi Malone. Oh, you picked Faith to voice your sassy, violent femme? Way to think outside the box, guys.
Famitsu, retailers say Bethesda publishing Wet
It looks as if Wet has finally have emerged from the murky waters of publishing limbo, though the likely reveal comes from the unlikeliest of sources. The latest issue of Japanese mag Famitsu, according to Siliconera, lists Bethesda as the publisher behind the Western-developed, stylish third-person shooter, which has been without a champion since being cast off in the wake of last year's Activision-Vivendi merger.In addition, several online retailers, including Amazon, Gamefly and CD Universe also claim that the action romp has been picked up by the Fallout 3 crew. However, there seems to be some disagreement on when the game will arrive at retail. According to Amazon, Wet will ship on August 31, while both Gamefly and CD Universe expect the game to arrive on September 30 and 31 respectively.Whatever the case, it seems probable that Wet has found a new home among the publisher's traditionally RPG-heavy catalog. While still unofficial, we've reached out to Bethesda in hopes of toweling off any additional information.Source -- Bethesda gets WetSource -- Bethesda Softworks Rescues Wet
A girl with guns and a sword, new trailer for Wet
We're trying hard to temper any excitement for Wet with the cold reality that, despite looking like a lot of fun to play, the upcoming action fest is still sans a publisher to call its own. Even so, that hasn't stopped developer A2M from releasing gameplay showing off the game's high-flying antics, which look to mix together elements of Tomb Raider and Max Payne with a dash of Kill Bill.No release date has been set, though the Montreal dev teases that Wet is "coming soon." It's good to see that even after being dumped by Activision Blizzard, going solo hasn't dampened the studio's spirits.
