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Create a Ratchet and Clank comic, win entry to Sony Comic Con events
So there's this contest going on at the PlayStation Blog, but you needn't bother. As you can see above, we've already won. If you insist on trying your luck, you can find the comic template at the PlayStation Flickr account. In order to win the prize, which is access to VIP events at Comic Con on July 22 & 23, including hands-on time with Ratchet and Clank: A Crack In Time and other games. Can't make it to Comic Con? There's still some schwag in it for you, so you may as well give it a go. Except we've already won, as we've said. Still, your entries will need to involve something to do with time and must be sent to rcfcomiccon@gmail.com by midnight, July 10. Include your name, address and let them know whether you'll be in San Diego on July 22.
Watchmen BD-Live director's chat set for Comic-Con
Beyond its Facebook ties, the Watchmen Blu-ray set will include the opportunity to participate in a BD-Live session with the director while he's live at Comic-Con four days after its release on July 25. Hopefully able to do a better job of creating a live experience for home viewers than our experience with Hellboy II: The Golden Army or The Dark Knight, Video Business reports event attendees can watch the movie and observer director Zack Snyder's responses. Other details revealed during a media presentation yesterday included the Blu-ray cut's Maximum Movie Mode, a session that takes the run time up to three hours so Snyder can step in and explain various behind the scenes details of the movie -- only hardcore fans need apply.
Game publishers continue takeover of San Diego Comic-Con
Big Download reports that many game publishers, including 2K, Konami, NCSoft, Ubisoft, and more, will be exhibiting at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, continuing the trend of game content at the event. We're interested in seeing how the growing game publisher turnout will affect Comic-Con. The convention is already dominated by giant media companies, but, well, game publishers like Activision really like having giant, flashy showings at conventions. Seriously, Comic-Con, if you let these companies get comfortable, they will take over. Pretty soon, the Guitar Hero games will outnumber the furry cosplayers.To look at it from a more positive perspective, if you're going to Comic-Con, you're going to get to play some free video games. Also, we hope you got your tickets, because they're sold out. We've pulled every game publisher we could find in the exhibitors list, and listed them for you after the break. The Pokémon Company is on the list only because Nintendo wasn't, and there's a chance the Pokémon booth will have games and not just merchandise.
Grab your own Grifball Spartan at San Diego Comic Con
Click to kung fu-gripisize image If you're attending the San Diego Comic Con and are a fan of all things Halo 3, then you'll likely be excited to hear that Toys R Us and McFarlane Toys are teaming up to sell the exclusive figure you see above during the show. Only 6,000 of these Grifball bad boys (or girls, because you really don't know who's under that 200 billion-dollar suit of armor) are being sold at the show, and you can grab your own for $15. We suggest making this a priority stop, as the figure features a Bomb, Gravity Hammer, Recon armor, and Sword Hilt, with the latter two being pretty big deals in the world of spinning space rings, we hear. Also, 6,000 isn't a lot when you consider 126,000 people attended the show last year.San Diego Comic-Con goes down from July 23-26 at the San Diego Convention Center.%Gallery-49402%
NYCC 09: The Conduit revisited; hands on a 'new' game
The Conduit is a story of hype because it is a story of hope. Not the interactive story (that might be about hope, too), but the story of the game's development. We won't rehash the dramatic rise to relevance of High Voltage Software's labor of love, but we certainly thought about it as we played a section of the game at New York Comic Con this weekend. The Conduit has a publisher -- finally -- in Sega, but it is still cherished for its grass roots origin. Technically, this was very much the same game we previewed back in October, but we couldn't help but notice the change taking place as we blasted through an alien invasion inside Sega's Comic Con booth.The Conduit has made it -- acquired by a major third-party publisher. Its chapter as indie orphan is over. Now, on the verge of release, it competes with any other title that reaches store shelves. We may want to hold onto the sentiment of victory (the little guy making it to the big show), but the game has changed. We must consider The Conduit from a different perspective. In fact, dual perspectives: How does The Conduit rate as a Wii game; and how does it rate as a contemporary first-person shooter? %Gallery-33787%
NYCC 09: BattleForge hands-off / system-down
Know this: BattleForge is not a trading card game. BattleForge is an RTS. Correction: It's an online RTS -- it's not playable offline. And so, when producer Sebastian Nell connected to the server for a hands-on demonstration on the New York Comic Con show floor, the server temporarily went down, and we were left to chat in front of a blank screen. BattleForge is still in an open beta testing phase, so we'll forgive the technical outage for now -- but surely this is a key issue that needs to be avoided after the official game launch. The other issue is the general misconception that BattleForge is a trading card game. It's true, traditional RTS units are represented as virtual cards in the game, and players command "decks" -- and "booster packs" (8 cards: 1 rare, 2 uncommon and 5 common cards) can be purchased for $2.50 from an online marketplace; cards can also be traded between players. Still, there aren't physical cards to be collected, and the trading card aspect is more bullet point than innovation.%Gallery-44102%
Seen @ NYCC 09: Old frenemies in the bargain bin
Once bitter rivals sharing the throne, these old familiars now find themselves huddled together under a discount sign. At least they're still on top of the heap ...
NYCC 09: Invincible Tiger hands-on (XBLA)
We learned a valuable lesson today: Don't judge a game by its ... name. First uncaged earlier this week, Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao is the sort of hackneyed game title that simply can't survive in the brutal wilds of Joystiq.com. So, already composing the first kill strikes in our minds, we picked up an Xbox 360 gamepad and entered the Tiger.First thought: Wow, this is kinda like Kung-Fu Master -- the venerable father of beat-em-ups. Next thought: No, this isn't like Kung-Fu Master. The level is a movie set, not side-scrolling, but stage-like, with vertical sections, props, and stunt areas. You don't move as an 8-bit Master, but as a fast and fluid 3D model: leaping, rolling, diving, flipping, kicking and splitting wigs. %Gallery-43835%
NYCC 09: Original Splatterhouse included in reboot
"Everybody wants that," exclaimed Splatterhouse co-producer Mark Brown, responding to a question about the original 1988 beat-em-up's inclusion in the forthcoming franchise reboot. "In one form, we're gonna deliver on it," concluded Brown, who was joined by writer Gordon Rennie in a design panel at New York Comic Con today. Brown, who is producing the new Splatterhouse alongside Dan Tovar, called the original, the "crown jewel of the [Namco] back catalog," and confirmed the plan to bundle the classic arcade game (also ported to Turbografx-16 -- and now on Virtual Console) as an extra in the new game, perhaps as a "premium edition" bonus. Splatterhouse is due out "later this year" -- Namco Bandai is targeting Q3 2009. The official game site has just gone live with a new trailer and screens. On a side note: Splatterhouse appears to be the first game to allow players to use their own severed limbs as weapons ... once their bloody stumps regenerate into new arms. Confirmed.
NYCC 09: Battlefield 1943 Pacific hands-on (XBLA)
Battlefield 1943 Pacific is just like ... well, other Battlefields. That's a compliment, by the way. 1943 is no janky spinoff. It's small in scope, sure, but it offers (and even improves upon -- read: no more health packs!) the core experience of its disc-based brethren. This is visible -- even playable -- in a pre-alpha build (XBLA version) on the New York Comic Con show floor. We got our hands on the Wake Island map, one of three in the downloadable game, which is modeled on the actual geographic location with a few gameplay-enhancing improvements. 1943's color palette is distinctly vibrant, clashing against the epic destruction that ensues once a match begins. As featured in Bad Company last year, the Frostbite game engine's destructible environments are exploding and imploding in 1943 as well, with buildings reduced to mere foundations as players carelessly toss grenades, launch rockets and even bomb from the skies (bombers can be somewhat controlled from within specially-marked, protected bombing HQs). Destruction is a gimmick -- but a good one. %Gallery-43905%
Joystiq @ New York Comic Con 2009!
Click to begin your photo tour -- it's like you're really here! Joystiq is here: Live from New York Comic Con 2009! Join us on the show floor as we bask in the glow of video games. Take that, you boring old comic ... books. Check out all there is to offer us thumb twiddlers, including a Platinum Games Inaba sighting -- and ... is that really you, Vin Diesel? -- in our gallery below:%Gallery-44042%
Meet the Gears of War 2 crew at NY Comic Con
For those attending New York Comic Con, which takes place February 6-8th, know that the event will not be without a significant Gears of War 2 presence -- Cliff Bleszinski not included.Dom Santiago voice actor Carlos Ferro, writer Joshua Ortega, writer/consultant Eric Nylund and DC/Wildstorm's Ben Abernathy will all be on hand throughout the weekend, signing autographs, schmoozing it up and hosting a special Saturday Gears 2 panel. If you're all about collectibles, NECA will be showing off the third Gears action figure series, including the too-cool 12" Marcus Fenix light-up figure. Feel free to dress up as your favorite COG / Locust character and be sure to take plenty of pictures with the celebrity Gears crew. We're almost positive they'd love to see your enthusiasm expressed through a homemade costume.
Get Champions Online swag and beta keys at New York Comic Con
Cryptic Studios will be showing off Champions Online at New York Comic Con (which takes place in February from the 6th to the 8th) and they want you to know that you will be handsomely rewarded if you are able to pay them a visit. Not only will there be new playable demos to explore, but fans will also be treated to swag, and the possibility of beta keys. The beta keys will be awarded to contest winners, but we've got no idea what the contests might be, so you'd best brush up on your feats of strength, eye-laser marksmanship, and flight dexterity, just to be safe. Here are the details for Cryptic Studios at NY Comic Con:Cryptic Meet and Greet: Saturday, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m., Room TBD*Champions Online/Star Trek Online Panel: Saturday 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., Room 1A24 (view never before seen footage of STO)MMO Round Table: Saturday 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Room 1A24 *Check in at the Cryptic booth (#1341) for the super-secret room location. Oh, and if you happen to be looking for a job in the games industry, it sounds like Cryptic might have some folks at the show on the lookout for new recruits, so make yourself known!
Activision, EA headline increased game presence at New York Comic Con
The New York Comic Con has revealed a rather bountiful list of video game exhibitors taking part in this year's event. The game group is reported to take up 11,000 square feet, which represents a 50% increase from last year. The publishers attending with wares: Activision-Blizzard: X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Prototype. Atari: Champions Online, Ghostbusters: The Video Game, The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, Ready 2 Rumble Revolution. Codemasters: Fuel, Damnation and Overlord 2 on Xbox 360. Overlord Dark Legend on Wii. Jumpgate Evolution on PC. Electronic Arts: Spore Galactic Adventures, Godfather 2, Dragon Age, Burnout Paradise, Battle Forge and Battlefield Heroes. Konami Digital Entertainment: Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, Blue Dragon Role Playing Card Game. Namco Bandai Games America: Afro Samurai, Dynasty Warriors: GUNDAM 2, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 4 (with tournament), Splatterhouse, We Ski, Snowboard and "much more." SouthPeak Games: Velvet Assassin on Xbox 360. X-Blades on Xbox 360 and PS3. Roogoo: Attack on DS and Roogoo: Twisted Towers on Wii. TC Digital: The Chaotic TCG. Although there are no further details, Cryptic Studios, Mythic Entertainment, Rockstar Games, Sega, THQ and Ubisoft are also expected to attend. The NYCC takes place February 6-8 at the Jacob Javits Center. We'll have hands-on impressions of several titles mentioned when we attend the show next week.
DC Universe Online interview with Executive Producer John Blakely
Sony Online Entertainment's (SOE) upcoming MMO DC Universe Online (DCUO) was well-received at Comic-Con '08 and has the potential of connecting with gamers and comic fans on a whole new level -- allowing them to play alongside the heroes they grew up with in comic books and cartoons. Christian Donlan from Eurogamer has an interview with John Blakely, VP of Development at SOE Austin and Executive Producer of DCUO, from the 2008 Fan Faire in Las Vegas. Eurogamer spoke with Blakely about keeping underperforming titles alive, remaining flexible in terms of DC Universe Online's vision vs. its evolution over time, and the fan reception to DCUO at Comic-Con '08. The interview touches on the choice to bar gamers from playing established heroes in the DC Universe like Batman and DCUO's payment model as well.
Champions of the Force, exposed
Champions of the Force, the online-only collectible trading card game for Star Wars Galaxies got a public airing at Comic-Con just recently, where LucasArts took the time to show off this tight and well-polished game. And polished it is. Legends of Norrath might have been a fair crowd-pleaser, but it had its share of flaws, and SOE-Denver have taken time to tune things up and streamline the play. Plus, it's Star Wars -- come on. You know you want it. Search your feelings, you know it to be true. You will be able to get your groove on, either via the SWG client or through a special standalone client, against other players or against an NPC opponent. Four classic Star Wars archetypes are available for play: Rebel and Jedi, and (of course) those bad boys, the Imperials and Sith. Aside from the basic one-on-one matches, there's word of at least one storyline game (and perhaps more later) set somewhere between Star Wars epsiodes four and five.
Free Realms video preview shows quests in action
TenTonHamster has put together a whopping 13 minutes of Free Realms preview video footage from the Sony Online Entertainment Block Party, at the 2008 Comic-Con. Sony artist Sebastian Strzalkowski brings us on a tour of Free Realms, beginning with character creation and moving on to quests and minigames. Along the way, he notes that Free Realms characters are not locked onto a given server, and can easily move to other servers to meet up with friends. Strzalkowski also touches upon the system of point accrual and redemption for premium content in the game. Also, true to its name, Free Realms allows for a free-to-play experience, with an optional possibility of earning points through short ad views. He shows viewers a simple user interface, with an OS X-like dock at the bottom of the screen and an animated map.The video presentation focuses mostly on minigames and quests, with bite-sized play times linked to rewards. The idea is that it provides a sense of accomplishment without having to rack up hours of gameplay.
Futurama's next flick will be the first on Blu-ray
As if the wait for Futurama's return wasn't bad enough, the wait for its Blu-ray debut has been almost unbearable. The good news out of Comic-Con is that the next movie, Bender's Game is coming day and date on Blu-ray November 4. /Film's early peek at the trailer brings word of jabs at high energy prices and Lord of the Rings parodies, no official release from Fox yet -- or hints about the previously released movies coming to HD -- but in the meantime check out the full ad and mark down 11/4 on your calendar.[Via TheHDRoom]
See Dark Void's jetpack action in video
We know we've been banging the drum for Dark Void pretty hard, but we're hoping that after today you're going to understand why. The segment of the game in the above video is the exact one that sold us on it, from the flailing animations the hero Will makes in flight to the radical UFO hijacking. (Notable difference in our experience: We had a much-cooler walk-through guide, designer Jose Perez, who didn't pretend to still be freaked out by controlling the jetpack after he'd played/watched the demo 100,000 times. Really dude? Really?)Even if you've gotten tired of hearing how great Dark Void looks, we urge you, take a look at this video and see if it doesn't get your thumbs flicking in anticipation. If you want more, we've put some gun-play video after the break.
Comic-Con 08 in pictures
We braved the jam-packed San Diego Convention Center show floor to bring you some eye candy from this year's Crowded-Con. Included in the gallery are MMO publisher booth tours, the palatial Upper Deck booth, and some general Con pics as well as highlights from a few of the panels and from the SOE block party Saturday evening. Sister site Joystiq has a gallery of some of the great costumes and gratuitous cosplay seen at Comic-Con, so be sure to check those out as well via the preview embedded below. Comic-Con 08 in pictures >> %Gallery-28668% Gallery: Costumes of Comic-Con 2008
