d3
Latest
Getting ahead with Dead Head Fred
D3 Publisher showed off Dead Head Fred at its pre-E3 event, and shared a ton of new images. The game, which is scheduled to arrive in August, continues to get zanier (and gorier!) every time we see it. Expect more impressions of the game soon, but enjoy these screens for now.%Gallery-3233%
ESRB seeks to rate game trailers [update]
The Entertainment Software Rating Board is looking to rate gameplay trailers, according to information obtained by Gamasutra. Footage for D3 Publisher's Dark Sector was requested to be pulled because it contained "excessive or offensive content," even though it was behind an age gate. 2K Games told Gamasutra that they had to receive a separate rating for The Darkness trailer and that "game publishers that do not comply with the age gate requirement are subject to enforcement actions by the ESRB," though what those actions entail is not made clear.If the ESRB is indeed moving to rate trailers, many questions are left unanswered. Our biggest concern would be with user-created footage and machinima. Would the ESRB see that as falling under their sphere of influence? Much like the Oblivion "skin-cident", could publishers be punished for content made by the community? And does the organization have the manpower to enforce such a policy change?Update: Game Politics has provided some historical context to this news, noting that the ESRB's actions are not without precedent.
D3 Publisher announces Dragon Blade, Wii-exclusive hack 'n slash
D3 Publisher of America, publishers of the popular Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords, have just announced the Wii-exclusive Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire, a third-person action adventure in which players take the role of a magically-imbued dragon.According to Gamasutra, the game will be heavy on the motion controls, allowing players to control the dragon's movement and powers through a unique "two-handed" control configuration. The title is an arcade-style hack 'n slash, according to D3 PA VP & COO (OMG! BFF TTYL) Yoji Takenaka, and will feature an original story by Richard A. Knaak, best known for the DragonLance series, as well as a number of Diablo and Warcraft novels.Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire will be released sometime in the fall. Check out the trailer embedded after the break (thanks, Enycma).
D3 announces Wii exclusive Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire
D3 Publisher has got hearts in their eyes for the Wii and plan on bringing an exclusive title Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire to the console. A third person action adventure based on an original story by DragonLance author Richard A. Knaak, the title will feature an "intuitively designed, two-handed Wii control scheme and use both arms simultaneously to emulate the dragon's arms, wings, tail, fire and more," allowing players to "battle colossal enemies and embark on quests to upgrade their weapons and make them even more powerful over time." The game is currently under development at Japanese development studio Land Ho.With the possibility of Project H.A.M.M.E.R. being canceled, looks like this is the only hack-and-slash game coming to the console in the immediate future. Still, having never read DragonLance, we find ourselves sitting on a very tall fence on this one.
D3 acquires developer Vicious Cycle
D3 Publisher of America and Vicious Cycle Software, makers of the Vicious Engine, have joined forces in that old, synergistic bond known as an acquisition. Vicious Cycle will become a subsidiary and will stay in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The two have collaborated before on PSP version of Puzzle Quest and the upcoming Dead Head Fred. PSP Fanboy has been covering Dead Head Fred extensively; the game is due out later this year.
Nikon getting set to unveil next-gen professional DSLR?
We'll admit, we certainly like where all this is going, but until we hear anything official, you'll still have to restrain yourself and take this tidbit with a spoon of NaCl. Just days after getting wind of D3 rumors galore, a "photo editor at a major newspaper" has tipped us on a phone call he received from Nikon in which his presence was requested at a meeting where a "new professional camera that is leaps and bounds better than anything Canon is offering" would be showcased. As expected, that's about all the details he could pry from the caller, but since the meeting is purportedly scheduled for June 26th, at least we've got some sort of timeframe to get our hopes up about.
Dark Sector slices calendar up, forgets about 2007 release
Thank goodness! You may be wondering why we've got our arms raised high in elation as we praise the heavens at the news of the anticipated Dark Sector getting pushed back to early 2008. It isn't that the game has hit a roadblock during production. It isn't that they don't feel the game is ready for people to play. The real reason is fairly obvious: every game known to man is trying to get pushed out the door during the holiday season of 2007. Dark Sector doesn't want to be yet another hit in your wallet or something that simply gets forgotten about. D3 wants their title to get noticed and so do we. Thanks for taking one for the consumer team, Dark Sector, and we'll see you in 2008.
Nikon D3 DSLR rumors running rampant
It sure feels like we've been around this block before, eh? Nevertheless, it seems that the ever-popular D3 rumors are cropping up again en masse, and while there's still no true signs of an imminent release, a whole heap of fanboys and girls are doing all they can to will it into production. A smattering of message boards are harping on the "forthcoming" high-end DSLR from Nikon, stating hopes that it'll sport 18.7-megapixels, a nearly full frame sensor, and an uncanny ability to cope with low-light conditions. As expected, guesstimates surrounding a release date are literally all over the Gregorian calendar, but majority sects believe that a summertime launch is definitely plausible. So if you're game for getting swept up in all the commotion, be sure and hit the read link for all the unconfirmed mayhem you can stand.[Image courtesy of David McGhee]
Puzzle Quest sequel in the works
If Final Fantasy can reach the double digits, why can't an RPG puzzler also have sequels? In a recent interview with the creators of Puzzle Quest, IGN learned that not only were the creators surprised by how quickly the title has sold, but that they are also working on a sequel. Infinite Interactive's CEO Steve Fawkner said: "We have enjoyed creating (and playing) Puzzle Quest so much that I think we wanted to start on a sequel the day the game was released. The right thing to do, though, is to spend some time gathering ideas, discussing new features, and listening to our customers before we dive right in and start work on a sequel. But I can almost guarantee that, barring the most unfortunate Act of God, you haven't seen the last Puzzle/RPG hybrid to come out of Infinite Interactive." If that still doesn't convince you that a sequel is in the works, Puzzle Quest's publisher D3 also chimed in about a sequel possibility: "Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords is considered one of D3's key franchises. Absolutely do not count out the possibility of an amazing sequel to this remarkable game." So what changes would you like to see in this inevitable sequel?
D3 brings Puzzle Quest and friends to XBLA
D3Publisher has announced their plans to bring three titles ("the first of many") to Microsoft's bit-flinging Xbox Live Arcade service: Mad Tracks, RocketBowl (XBLA's first bowling game, they coo), and the addictive matching game Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. Of course, Puzzle Quest is what we're really interested in here. We can imagine the XBLA version's HD graphics undoing the cramped constraints of the Nintendo DS release, while the delivery mechanism should bypass the PSP version's awkward loading pauses, and then there's Xbox Live integration for a proper multiplayer experience. Match up these three improvements to form the ultimate (albeit decidedly non-portable) version of Puzzle Quest![Thanks, Sherveen]
Play DS while learning to drive
Vingt-et-Un, the developer responsible for some of the weirder Simple 2000 games like The Zombie vs. Ambulance, have created a new entry in D3 Publisher's Simple DS series. Simple DS Vol. 14: The Driving School is a DS program designed to teach the rules of the road, with text-based quizzes and drills. It also attempts to teach driving skill with "practical" driving-instruction segments. This looks great for us, since we taught ourselves to drive on Spy Hunter anyway. We just need to break our habit of trying to drive into 18-wheelers and we'll have it down. While we're talking about this game, we want to complain about the lack of Simple series games in the US. D3 started a US branch, and they currently publish the Naruto games, but the only games we've seen from their hilarious budget series were Break 'em All and Dino Rider. The Xbox 360 just got Earth Defense Force-- we hope that's the start of a trend.
PSP Fanboy hands-on: Cube
We've spent a lot of time with D3 Publisher's upcoming action puzzle game, Cube. The basic premise of the game is quite simple: get your cube to the exit. Of course, as is the case with all puzzle games, it's not going to be that easy: you'll have to avoid various traps along the way, lest you meet a blocky death. There are a few elements that spice things up along the way. Firstly, your cube can stick onto any side of the platforms. The game encourages you to traverse through levels any way you want: upside-down, on its side, right-side up. The three dimensionality of the game is interesting, and it opens up a lot of gameplay possibilities.There are quite a large number of puzzles to tackle in the game, which is a huge plus. Also, there's a level editor so that you can create and share your own puzzles. Our early build doesn't have it, but the final retail version will also have Game Sharing, so you can play with other PSP owners that don't have the game. Considering its budget price ($20), there's a great amount of content, making Cube easily one of PSP's greatest values. However, we're a little concerned about a few presentation issues. It feels like everything is a bit too sluggish: the controls feel a little too slow, and the load times seem a bit too long for a game with such minimalistic graphics. Most annoyingly, you must reload the entire level when replaying it--this will prove to be quite frustrating in the more difficult levels.Hopefully, these quirks will be ironed out before the game's official release on April 24th. Expect more coverage on PSP Fanboy closer to the game's release.
New trailer for Naruto Ninja Council 3
Naruto: Ninja Council 3 is approaching its May release, and to promote it, D3 Publisher has released a new trailer. The trailer shows a lot of what we expect from Ninja Council games (Naruto-styled brawling), and also what we expect from action games on the DS (stylus activation of special moves).But what we didn't expect was how varied and weird the touch screen stuff would be! There's all kinds of stuff happening on that bottom screen. Check after the post break for the video, and click the link for a big screenshot-cluster thing.
Metareview: Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (PSP, DS)
With a mix of puzzle and role playing elements, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords tries to hook both casual and hardcore players. Does it succeed? The answer is a strong "yes", though the game is not without its issues. The DS version has smooth stylus control but has a cramped screen layout and poor visuals, while Puzzle Quest PSP suffers from awkward loading pauses but has a better screen layout and graphics. Fortunately the drawbacks aren't enough to spoil the highly addictive gameplay. Gamespot (8.5/10) - "What's most remarkable about Puzzle Quest is how a simple change of context turns some tired genre conventions that have been done to death into something that's suitable for just about anyone, regardless of your interest in the components." Gamealmighty (8.3/10) - "Like a traditional RPG, your character will earn experience points and levels, allowing you to customize your strengths by the allocation of points. There are over 150 diverse quests to tackle that take place on a large and lush campaign map. Before you know it, you'll find yourself engaged in your first combat, and from that moment forward, you'll be hooked. This is no easy puzzle game and the more you uncover then the more you realize that Puzzle Quest is actually quite deep and strategic." Gamesradar (7/10) - "The source material Bejeweled is fantastically compelling, so the puzzling is solid even if purists may dislike the addition of spells and powers. But those powers can definitely tip the scales in a match, so they add a whole new nuance and added strategy. And your constantly rising stats, abilities and property deliver a nice feeling of progression." Be sure to check out the PC demo released earlier this week to get a sample of the unique gameplay.
Which Cube would you rather have?
While searching the webbed world for info on the D3's PSP puzzler Cube I came across another game called Cube. Now this other Cube may not be available on PSP yet, but perhaps the fact that there's D3's Cube coming to PSP might keep this more advanced Cube with it's blazingly advanced graphics off the system. Not to mention the fact that I doubt the copyright police would allow there to be two games named Cube on the PSP. So I say to you reader; if both games lived in a world of Highlander where there could be only one, which Cube would you like to see on PSP? D3's Cube or Monotech Power Game Unit's Cube?Video evidence after the jump ...
Try before you buy: Puzzle Quest
Puzzle Quest is trying to do something different by combining the puzzle and RPG genres. The dangers of trying something new is that it has a high chance of failure. Luckily for those interested in Puzzle Quest, there is a PC demo online now so you can try before you buy. Much like that drug dealer that gives you your first taste free, Infinite Interactive wants you to get hooked on the demo so you rush out to purchase Puzzle Quest. Is this unique game worth your time? After trying the demo, I think this game will be a cult hit for sure. Giving purpose and story to a puzzle game definitely adds to the experience and the art is well done. But luckily for you, the demo will allow you to make up your own mind. What do you think of Puzzle Quest? [Via Joystiq] [Update 2: Provided direct link to demo.][Update 1: Corrected formatting.]
Naruto game announced ... but which one?
You might have to take some notes on this one, because it's a little complicated, especially since the games involved have very long, very similar names. Tomy and D3 Publisher have announced a new Naruto game called Naruto: Clash of Ninja MVZ, to be released on the Wii in the US with exclusive new content.However, exactly which Naruto game it is is somewhat of a mystery. The unruly (but perspicacious) NeoGAF horde thinks that it's not the Wii Naruto (Naruto Shippuden Gekitou Ninja Taisen EX) that just came out in Japan, but rather a port of the Gamecube Naruto Gekitou Ninja Taisen 3 with some new characters, minigames, and, we would assume, new controls. But Gamespot is reporting that we're getting a version of EX with the animations and characters changed to reflect where the US localization of the anime is in the Naruto storyline. We don't exactly know what's going on. There will be a Naruto game of some kind on the Wii this fall, and the rest is obscured by ninja trickery, deployed in a successful attempt to confuse and disorient us.
Vicious Engine envisions creative Wii FPS controls
While at the Vicious Cycle booth, we got a chance to view at Vicious Engine, now working on the Wii, and how the team sees to implement controls for first-person and over-the-shoulder titles. Essentially, only the nunchuk is used for camera and movement. The top joystick moves and strafes your character, while left and right rotations trigger the accelerometer and rotate the characters perspective left and right and a forward / back roll with cause the camera to look down / up, respectively. In play testing the control scheme, using the accelerometer control to move the camera feels awkward, and the rotations seem to move in 15 degree spurts (as opposed to fluid movement). After a few minutes, however, the movement became more intuitive. With the simplification of movement in one hand, the other hand (and, more importantly, the infrared motion sensor) is free to control whatever -- sword-fighting or off-of-middle cursor positioning. Level Designer Bryan West told us, rather bemused, that with how the control scripts are implemented in the engine that even he could build a game with what's available. Visually, the engine looked slightly better than Red Steel, especially the character model we saw. West talked with us and lamented about the common trend of ignoring Wii's graphical capability and simply upscaling textures used for PSP titles. We're assuming, then, that we won't be seeing the same issue with Alien Syndrome, a PSP and Wii title using the Vicious Engine. West also told us that they are working on a Wii game internally that involves the Vicious Engine but cannot currently discuss at this time.
D3 Publisher Simplifies mobile gaming
D3 Publisher has already conquered the budget-friendly game market in Japan with its Simple 1500 PSone games, Simple 2000 PS2 games, and the Simple DS series. (The numbers there represent the retail price, in Japanese yen, of titles in those series.) There's no news of Simple 3000 PS3 games yet, sadly, but D3 Publisher has today announced its imminent move towards domination of the cheapo mobile game market in Japan with the introduction of its Simple 500 series. The new wave of ¥500 downloads, which are compatible with all i-mode phones in Japan, includes concentrated versions of Love Upper (a female boxing game, originally on the PS2, that floors the Rumble Roses), One-chan Bara (a game of bikini girl-with-guns versus aliens, which has recently appeared on the Xbox 360), and Earth Defence Force (pictured; a b-game version of Sin & Punishment, and another recent 360 release in Japan). It's about time D3 Publisher America released some of D3 Japan's best games in the West, we think, instead of blurting out Naruto games and Cabbage Patch Kids.
Councilin' ninjas on the DS, Naruto style
Naruto Ninja Council is making the jump from the GBA to the DS for its third installment, and GameSpot has served up a fresh round of impressions on the forthcoming title. The mission-based single player game is reportedly solid, requiring the player to familiarize him or herself with all the support characters and the pantheon of techniques, as success in any given phase requires the right combination of elements, though it's not as strict as it sounds. The vast amount of choice instead offers options, allowing players to select the force that they're comfortable with, so long as they can surmount the challenges as they're presented. All of this, from characters to their unique attacks, is taken from the series. For basic moves, controls are straightforward, but any special move requires special action based on the technique, and these employ the touch screen or the mic (more blowing into the mic!).Visually, it seems the game isn't too much of a step up from its predecessors. Environments don't tax the DS, as they are a little plain, but elements from the series are clearly recognizable. For fans, it seems this will be a solid foray deeper into the world of Naruto.
