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Ntreev bringing arcade-style MMO to states
We're not even a month into 2008, and already it seems like there's a veritable deluge of free MMOs coming through the pipes. Joining this rising tide is a new title called Grand Chase from Ntreev USA (the folks behind Trickster Online), which promises to bring an exciting real-time arcade style combat system that will set it apart from the pack. Though the leveling system will be standard RPG fare, combat will focus on skills, combos, and item-use. It's worth noting of course that Auran was promising a similar basket of real-time goodness with Fury not long ago, and we all know where that got them.It's got kind of a funky anime look to it, which will no doubt endear it to a certain demographic and turn off another completely. The story, or at least the vague allusions to a story from the bits of information we've gathered, center on some sort of epic battle against an evil Queen of Darkness. How they plan to stretch that over dozens or hundreds of hours of gameplay isn't exactly clear, but we're sure they'll figure it out. If you want to see the game's zany eastern stylings for yourself, head on over to the official site for a bewildering video introduction.
Hudson revisits Dungeon Explorer on PSP, DS
Hudson's Turbografx-16 title Dungeon Explorer was one of those games that blew us away when originally released in 1989, but when revisited on the Wii's Virtual Console nearly two decades later it proved that some games are best left alone, looked back on through rose-colored glasses. Despite this, however, Hudson is at it again, this time with a laboriously-titled sequel, Dungeon Explorer Warriors of Ancient Arts, currently in development for both the PSP and Nintendo DS for release this coming February.While Atlus handled the development reigns on the original action RPG, it's unclear what studio is tackling this portable follow up. What we do know is that the game is expected to keep with the original's hack and slash theme, offering "many unique fighting styles" and "deep and customizable multiplayer adventuring," as both versions will also support up to three players simultaneously. Interestingly, however, both the PSP and DS versions look to offer distinct differences as well, with the PSP version including 150 different "fighting arts" to the DS's meager 60, such as the "Big Bang Arts," which may or may not be just a theory.[Update: A Hudson representative has contacted us, letting us know that Dungeon Explorer Warriors of Ancient Arts is being developed internally at Hudson Soft.]
Hellgate: London opens to online dungeon crawlers
This Halloween is full of treats, but if you can tear yourself away from the festivities in all the other online games, you can now roam post-apocalyptic London in search of weapon upgrades and experience points. Hellgate: London's public servers have gone live and are awaiting demon-slaying heroes and heroines.Flagship Studios' Bill Roper posted a launch announcement on the game's official website, and took the opportunity to thank the community, the publishers, and the friends and families of the development team for their support over the past four years.The single-player and multi-player 3D action RPG comes from a studio that includes some of the same developers who gave us Diablo way back in the day. If you haven't bought the game yet, you might want to check out our demo impressions or download the demo to check it out for yourself, but beware of possible in-game advertising if that sort of thing irks you.
TGS07: Valkyrie of the Battlefield shows watercolors are still cool
So far in Valkyrie of the Battlefield's short life, we've only seen the occasional screen or magazine scan, but now Sega has finally taken the wraps of its newest PS3-exclusive RPG.Sega kicked off the cel-shading revolution with Jet Set Radio, but now the company is pushing the technology even further by using it to create gorgeous watercolor-theme graphics, which its calling Canvas. It really does look like a painting has come to life.While we would have loved to see some actual gameplay, there's no denying the game looks great. Let's just cross our fingers that Sega decides to ship this baby worldwide.
Summon Night coming to DS
Banpresto's Summon Night series of RPG's finally made it to the U.S. last year on the Game Boy Advance. Fans of the GBA action-RPG's will be happy to know that Summon Night is getting a new entry on the DS: Summon Night: Twin Age. The original Summon Night games were strategy RPG's similar to Tactics Ogre, but this, like the GBA games, is more action-oriented. It stars two plucky youths named Aldo and Leeha who want to become great summoners-- you know, standard RPG stuff. They want to be the very best, like no one ever was. To find gems is their real test-- to use them to summon monsters is their cause.Twin Age will be released in Japan in August. No word on if Atlus will pick it up for localization.%Gallery-3357%
Metareview - Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
You have to wonder if Sony Online Entertainment was so co-dependent during the development of the Champions of Norrath games that they had to abandon the successful series when partner Snowblind Studios was bitten by the superhero bug. Instead of leveraging EverQuest's popularity for the launch of the PlayStation 3, SOE decided to stick with their more generic Untold Legends setting, which debuted on the PSP nearly two years ago. But with its paltry 18-20 hours of gameplay, lack of SIXAXIS support, and all of three pre-customized characters to choose from, Dark Kingdom ends up being little more than a rushed launch title, not the next-gen Norrath many people were hoping for. IGN (65/100) wants more PS3 and less PSP: "Apart from the repetitive combat system, there's a ton of gameplay issues that you'd hope would've been fixed with the transition over to the PS3. Load times are surprisingly long when you're accessing new levels. Rocks and boxes, as well as hills or background objects can cause your character to freeze in mid-jumping animation for at least five or six seconds. You'll also run into a lot of camera problems during combat, where the camera will unexpectedly zoom in or out during a fight." GameSpot (60/100) thinks Dark Kingdom is ill-suited for looters: "Gear lust is one of the more prominent driving forces in dungeon crawlers, and it's here that Dark Kingdom comes up short. Pieces of armor with different names and radically different effects look identical on your character, limiting the joy of equipping new gear and seeing how it looks on your increasingly badass adventurer. Your character will use the same basic weapon, as well as most of the same combo attacks, from beginning to end." GameSpy (60/100) hopes Sony is planning to make better use of the PS3's storage capacity: "What surprises me the most about the whole pre-formed character shtick is how confining it seems for a next-gen console with the power of the PS3. Look at the character customization options in Oblivion and you might understand where I'm coming from with this. All that power and I only have three options to choose from?"
Titan Quest: Immortal Throne update
The holiday issue of PC Gamer has some exclusive details on Titan Quest: Immortal Throne, the first official expansion pack for Iron Lore's epic action-RPG. Due early next year, this new campaign serves as a continuation of the original game's storyline, and moves the action to an underworld environment inhabited by 20 new monster types. A ninth skill mastery will also be available, as well as 250 unique weapons and pieces of armor. No pricing has been announced, but Immortal Throne is expected to provide 10-15 hours of additional gameplay.If you already have the core campaign, don't forget to check out the growing list of mods available over at the Titan Quest Vault.See also: Metareview: Titan Quest
Titan Quest expansion announced, modders interviewed
THQ has announced that a Titan Quest expansion pack will be released before the end of Q1, but there are other options for extending your mythical adventures beyond the game's core campaign. Aspiring developers have started showcasing their mods at the Titan Quest Vault, and have offered some insight into their creative process through a series of interviews. German modder Toh Klidan, for example, is the author of Andromeda's Sacrifice, a retelling of the classic tale of the Aethiopian princess and her savior Perseus (of Clash of the Titans fame). According to Klidan, the Titan Quest tools appear more confusing than they actually are, so we should be seeing more independent campaigns and maps in the near future. There are over 40 available now. Let us know if you've tried any of them.See also: Metareview - Titan Quest
Sacred 2 expected in October 2007
Ascaron Entertainment has announced that Sacred 2: Fallen Angel will launch next October. The German developer's follow-up to the cult classic RPG has an updated engine under the hood, and six playable characters (with good and evil storylines) for plenty of replay value. The timing couldn't be better. By the end of next year, you should have completed every quest in Oblivion, fought for both the orcs and humans in Gothic 3, and conquered countless Neverwinter Nights 2 campaigns. Of course, you'll still have Assassin's Creed, Elveon, and The White Council to contend with.See also: Sacred 2 web site goes live
Metareview - Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
If you're debating whether or not to purchase Ubisoft's Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, the extreme range of reviews for the new RPG-shooter may leave you even more confused. A few things to consider: IGN issued their score without reviewing Dark Messiah's multiplayer, and Game Informer didn't seem to experience any of the technical glitches that marred GameSpot's and GameSpy's sessions. If you haven't done so already, you might want to download the demo, then wait a few weeks and see what other customers are saying. Game Informer (93/100) enjoyed the Arx Fatalis-style atmosphere: "The ancillary aspects of the game – exploring Dark Messiah's fantastic world, enjoying the plotline, and simply basking in the great ambiance that Arkane Studios has created – are savory distractions that never get in the way of the core gameplay." IGN (88/100) loved the combat system: "The mix of brute force, spell casting and blade-work work well together. Combined with the ability to lift boxes, barrels, crates and a host of inanimate objects, you're never short of something to hurl or a clever way of inflicting pain." GameSpot (67/100) did not love the combat system: "All told, the game's single-player has its moments but is often really repetitive. It's certainly not bad, but the story never ropes you in, the combat isn't very satisfying, and you never get the feeling that Sareth is growing more powerful as you play." GameSpy (60/100) had issues with just about everything: "Unfortunately, things like shaky enemy AI, meandering and unintuitive level designs, and a paper-thin plot make the game's brilliant moments seem way too infrequent. The biggest inherent problem with Dark Messiah's multiplayer is that all the cool Source physics elements have been gutted from it." See also: Metareview - Heroes of Might and Magic V
Jade Empire's grand PC makeover
BioWare's three-year absence from the PC (not counting those fine Neverwinter premium mods) is about to come to an end in January when the revamped Jade Empire ships. According to project director Diarmid Clarke, the 3 million-strong fan community asked for some overdue PC love, and the Canadian developer responded. Speaking with FiringSquad, Clarke discusses Jade's new levels and fighting styles, reveals a few new enemies, and explains the decision to recruit Gray Matter (Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Call of Duty: United Offensive) to assist with the port from Xbox.The high-res coat of paint and enhanced effects are evident in the latest batch of screens, but it will be interesting to see if fans take their Chinese kung fu mythology with the fully customizable mouse and keyboard controls, or the more familiar Xbox controller. Which will you choose?See also: Mass Effect rumored for the PC BioWare exec confirms Jade Empire continuation
Metareview - Marvel Ultimate Alliance
The ongoing debate over which superhero universe reigns supreme may never be settled, but Marvel Comics is looking like the clear winner in the gaming space with Activision's release of Marvel Ultimate Alliance. There's no Incredible Hulk (he's in Vivendi's game), but just about everyone else from the House of Ideas makes an appearance, which amounts to at least 20 playable characters on each platform. Where Ultimate Alliance really shines over Justice League Heroes is in the stronger focus on teamwork, not to mention a more impressive cast of villains. <Your team name here>, assemble! Game Informer (93/100) likes the new transparent rejuvenation system: "In this game, you no longer need to stock potions. When an enemy is slain, there's a chance that the fallen will gift you with a cluster of healing orbs that automatically zoom to your character. This change not only removes the clunky system of healing, it makes you feel more like a hero. Your focus is always on the battlefield, not a meter." GamePro (90/100) appreciates the challenging enemy AI: "The major boss battles are head and shoulders above anything you've seen in the past. The roster of villains changes with such frequency that you never get a chance to get sick of them. Stronger ones boast talents like healing and immunity to certain attacks, while others carry shields that force your active crew of four to work as a team." TeamXbox (88/100) was dazzled by the production quality: "The opening cinematic by Blur Studios is perhaps the finest I have witnessed in a videogame...but it's worth mentioning that the in-game footage cut scenes by Raven are no slouches either. Raven's in-game work is really nice too. Characters all have that comic book look, but have been updated to have their own edge. The backgrounds are just as sweet, flexing a bunch of post-production effects and lots of animations."
Metareview - Justice League Heroes
The success of the X-Men Legends series proved that there is still a market for good hack-and-slash RPGs. But Warner Bros. Interactive wasn't about to let Activision and Marvel Comics have all the fun -- not when the WB is home to DC Comics and some of the most beloved superheroes of all time. The resulting Justice League Heroes falls a little short of its mutant counterparts, despite the efforts of Snowblind Studios (Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, Champions of Norrath) and Justice League Unlimited writer Dwayne McDuffie. Die-hard fans will be disappointed by the omission of some popular Leaguers, although the alternate costumes and their unique modifiers might make up for that. More unforgivable is that the members of Gotham City's impressive rogues gallery are absent from a JLH villains roster that sorely needs them. How about a Batman Legends next? Game Informer (73/100) was generally displeased, but cited a first for The Man of Steel: "It only offers two-player offline cooperative play. Enemy types and environmental architecture are highly recycled. The plot reads like a kindergartner's first attempt at writing. On the plus side, this is the first game that successfully makes Superman a fun character to play." 1UP (65/100) wasn't content throwing down with Lex Luthor, Braniac, and Gorilla Grodd: "Maybe the drama would have been more believable if the villains weren't downright dumb. A talking gorilla, an intelligent robot, and a killer bee? That's all you got, DC? Where are all the Batman villains? The Joker, Two-Face, Catwoman -- now those are villains worth fighting. Not some dude who calls himself 'The Key'." IGN (64/100) thinks JLH's character balance is a little off: "Surprisingly, Zatanna is the most potent character in the game. She can heal, cast an over-powered fire attack at low cost (when leveled up), and can turn 95% of all enemies into harmless rabbits. Sadly, Batman is easily the most useless and joyless character you can select. Even Aquaman is more fun to play. Batman's powers, such as calling in a fleet of bats, just don't cut it."
Metareview - Mage Knight Apocalypse
With the release of Mage Knight Apocalypse, Namco Bandai may have been hoping to steal a few precious hours from RPG gamers before Neverwinter Nights 2 and Gothic 3 hit the shelves. Unfortunately, a few hours is all it takes to realize Mage Knight is one for the bargain bins. You might be better off getting your hack-and-slash kicks from Titan Quest, or even Dungeon Siege II: Broken World. IGN (54/100) was displeased with the game's production quality: "The storyline isn't executed very well. The frequent cut scenes never deliver any kind of engaging dialogue and are further hampered by voice acting that sways from average to terrible." GameSpot (44/100) didn't appreciate the innovative combat system: "Since the save points are all over the place, you'll usually only have to take a few steps to pick up the fight right where you left off. You'll quickly fall into a very repetitive and annoying cycle of death where you resurrect, fight, and die over and over again...slowly picking away at the mob of monsters until finally they're all dead. It removes any sort of challenge or sense of attrition from the game." GamePro (40/100) thinks Mage Knight sets new lows in pathfinding: "Allies constantly become stuck behind walls and pillars, enemies lose track of you when you walk out of their line of sight, and glitches allow you to hurl spells at blissfully unaware boss mobs. On occasion, we were forced to complete an entire level solo when our two computerized comrades became stuck in a maze somewhere."
Shell head and Stretcho highlight new Alliance trailers
In less than three weeks, Activision will begin shipping Marvel Ultimate Alliance, and there's been a steady stream of trailer updates over the past month. Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic are the latest attractions, and although these heroes are both geniuses, they have their flaws -- one has a drinking problem, and the other spends too many hours in the lab. If you ask me, Reed Richards' greatest accomplishment is bagging Sue Storm, so you have to wonder where this guy's priorities are. Which four heroes will you be using for your Ultimate team?
Wii game testers wanted: must have flailing arms
An article on MTV News delves into the process of creating and testing gestures for the Wii version of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (the one without hyper-realistic graphics) and highlights how videogame testing is affected by Nintendo's unique approach to gaming. Unlike traditional games that might pose challenging requirements such as pressing the A-button to jump or the X-button to attack, Wii games may ask players to perform more elaborate motions. The wide range of movement detected by the controller means that the gestures used in gameplay require a lot fine-tuning, lest your arm's attack thrust becomes misinterpreted and your character instead chooses to hug the mutant abomination attacking your party. Associate designer on the project, Mike Chrzanowski, points out that the game initially started with over 20 different gestures but was eventually simplified to include only five. With players constantly shooting webbing and tossing patriotic shields about, it was vital that the game could successfully recognize and distinguish between the various gestures. Tasking testers with repeating various swipes and stabs, the Vicarious Visions team carefully monitored the motions that resulted and how different players interpreted and reacted to the on-screen instructions. After countless coding and tweaking, they claim to have constructed an interface that is 97 percent reliable. While Marvel: Ultimate Alliance doesn't make the most extensive use of the Wii's controls, it does illustrate how game testing and control mechanics need to be adapted for the platform. It remains to be seen whether or not other developers will go through as much trouble as Vicarious Visions did to differentiate between specific arm motions and mindless flailing (there will likely be several games that count on the latter). More interesting is the recurring issue of shoehorning game actions into motion-sensitive controls. There's a fine line between taking advantage of a platform's capabilities and tacking on new mechanics. After all, is it really better that you twist your wrist in order to open a door as opposed to merely pressing a button? [Via Game|Life]
Elveon brings Unreal 3-powered fantasy
Turns out Legolas isn't the only elvish hero around. In the action-RPG Elveon, you'll play a mighty elven warrior charged with defending your realm from some angry gods. Probably not the most original plot, but Slovakian developer 10Tacle Studios is promising adaptive battle AI in the form of enemies who learn to defend and counterattack against your fighting style.WorthPlaying has posted a bunch of new screens showing off the Unreal 3-powered graphics, and GameTrailers has a recent combat vid and this year's E3 trailer. Elveon is schedule to launch next summer for the PC and Xbox 360. Check out the game's official site for more details.
Ultimate Alliance producer interviewed
UGO recently interviewed Activision producer Matthew Paul to get some background details on Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Paul discussed the creative process he and Marvel games writer C. B. Cebulski used to craft the Alliance plot, and also talked about how the reworked X-Men Legends technology allows for a greater range of combat moves. Look for alternate costumes and unique gameplay with the Wii controller when Alliance ships in October.
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
Mage Knight Apocalypse web site goes live
Namco Bandai Games has launched the official web site for Mage Knight Apocalypse, the action-RPG set in the popular Wizkids tabletop universe. Promising an involved storyline to go along with its hack and slash sensibilities, Apocalypse should be available by the end of the summer. Read GameSpot's recent interview with senior producer David Georgeson, and check out the trailers and gameplay vids at GameTrailers.
