e3-2009
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Development on 360 version of FFXIII just two months old
Considering the impressive demo of Final Fantasy XIII running on Xbox 360 shown off at the Microsoft presser during E3, we were shocked to find out recently that the build being demoed was actually less than six months old. The game's producer Yoshinori Kitase told Giant Bomb during E3 that, "Up to the trial demo version that was released in Japan, [the game] was PS3-only in terms of development." He explains further, saying, "The Xbox 360 version is definitely following after the PS3 version, but [we] were finally able to come to a point in the PS3 development where some of the staff could take their hands off and start programming the 360 version." Seems as though the claims that the PS3 version would be complete before work on 360 development started were a bit ... overzealous?%Gallery-41346%
Hands-on: Critter Crunch
You've got an iPhone, right? If so you may have stumbled across this game already on the App Store. Critter Crunch is a puzzle game by Canadian developer Capybara Games which is being ported to the PlayStation Network for release this summer. This is a lot more than a simple port, however, as the game will be completely reworked to take advantage of the PS3's high definition output and online features. Critter Crunch is a puzzle game in which you play as the adorable Biggs -- as seen winking in the logo above -- who is constantly being attacked by critters from above. His method of keeping the ever-encroaching hoard at bay is simple: feed them to each other. Small critters feed medium critters which feed large critters and, once full, they pop and take with them any similar colored critters that sit adjacent to them. It's kind of gruesome in an adorable sort of way. This basic mechanic has survived the transition onto the PS3, but it's brought friends. The PSN version will have many more levels, critters, modes and features. As those who have seen the trailer will no doubt be happy to hear, the PSN version will feature nature documentary style animated cutscenes, all completed (as the in-game animations are) by a single animator. %Gallery-65580%
Hands-on: RUSE (and its steep learning curve)
RUSE is shaping up to become a nice addition to PC gaming, and also to the vacant market of real-time strategy games on consoles. Halo Wars and Red Alert have pretty much been the only standouts, but where's the real depth and longevity of a title like StarCraft? Ubisoft's RUSE is hoping to fill that gap, and based on the time we spent with it recently, it may be just the thing. That is if it'd stop with the gimmicks like showing it at E3 on a Microsoft Surface table and just give us the console goods. Not all of us have a spare $15,000 sitting around.Head beyond the break to see a (very, very) long demo from the Tunisia setting in RUSE, and to read our thoughts about it. It's not something you can pick up and learn in a scant few seconds, but it offers you enough to keep coming back to it. Find out why inside.%Gallery-48492%
E3 2009 highlights: The Nintendo roundup
Nintendo E3 2009 checklist: Mario? *check* Zelda? *check* Metroid? *check* Are we missing something? Head past the break to find out!
EA VP: 'Small team' working on more Mirror's Edge
Joy be thine, as EA has confirmed Joystiq GOTY Mirror's Edge won't be the last we see of Faith. In speaking with Videogamer back at E3, EA's senior VP of EA Games Europe, Patrick Soderlund, stated, "You will see another Mirror's Edge for sure. It's just a matter of when that time is and what we do with it. We have a small team on it and I'm excited about what we do."Of course, one mustn't jump to conclusions and automatically label this as a sequel. Soderlund could've meant anything based on that comment. EA could be working on a full-fledged sequel (something we desperately need), sure, or could be adapting a port for some other system. Or, the company could be making a spiffy new Flash game for all we know. Only time will tell, but the important thing is that no matter what this project turns out to be, we all have more parkour-based gameplay to look forward to down the line. And that's a very good thing.[Via VG247]
Interview: WayForward's Voldi Way talks blobs, Shantae, and street cred
Voldi Way, president of WayForward -- or "Tyrannical Overlord" of the company, if his business card is to be believed -- gave us one of the company's first interviews as a "publisher," having recently self-published downloadable games on DS (Mighty Flip Champs) and WiiWare (LIT). During this E3 interview, Way told us that the company has at least three new unannounced projects, two of which are coming this year on Wii, and one also headed for PC. He also addressed the purported Aliens vs. Predator DS game and discussed the company's licensed game strategy, about which we may have accidentally given him a complex.
E3 2009 highlights: The Xbox roundup
E3 was brütal! If you blinked, for a split/second, you missed something. Even if you were trine to keep up, it was a blur -- staying a.wake like that, you only pushed yourself to the brink of your own dark void. That's where Joystiq comes in; to crackdown on the madness; to reach out ... with conviction -- phew! Crysis averted. We've scoured the dark corners and survived the inferno to piece together this roundup of all things Xbox at E3. Why? Just 'cause we love you. So, draw nier and shift your eyes past the break.
Johnny Chung Lee joins Project Natal team, puts Wii hacking experience to good use
In this time of economic hardship, it warms the heart just to hear that someone's found any job. But when our main man Johnny Chung Lee lands a position on Microsoft's Project Natal team, it's high fives and handshakes all around. And really, it's a perfect fit -- among the many hacks of his illustrious career, he's put together a VR head tracker (and utilized it in a first-person shooter) for the Wii game console. Apparently, Lee's part of the group that is taking the tech we saw at E3 and getting it ready for prime time. As you'd expect, the man is pretty stoked to have landed his dream job. "The 3D sensor itself is a pretty incredible piece of equipment, he says, "similar to very expensive laser range finding systems but at a tiny fraction of the cost." Congratulations, Johnny! If you should feel the need to leak any product pics, you have our email address. [Via Joystiq]
Reggie: Metroid Other M is a 'more traditional' Metroid game
With all the rapid-fire 3D action, Metroid: Other M may not look anything like any Metroid we've seen before, but according to Reggie Fils-Aime, it's a return to a more familiar Metroid style. "A year ago, someone could have asked me, what's going on with Metroid?" Fils-Aime told GameSpot. "When are we going to go back to the more traditional Metroid series versus the path that we went down with Prime? Here's the answer: Other M." The more traditional series -- with a "harder edge," according to Fils-Aime.Reggie would like Other M to sell a bit more than the traditional Metroid game, however. "Metroid, for us, is a key franchise. And, in our view, really, since the SNES Metroid, we haven't broken through in terms of 1.5, two million units, and that's our bar," he said. He also told GameSpot that he's beginning to hear feedback from other companies, hoping to work with Nintendo in the same way Team Ninja is on Other M.%Gallery-65847%[Via The Escapist]
TUAW at E3: Real Tennis 2009
The last preview we've got for you from E3 last week isn't really a preview -- Real Tennis 2009 was the first game due out from Gameloft that we played in their party bus outside the Los Angeles Convention Center, and sure enough, it's out right now in the App Store for $4.99 (all of the games we played with them last week, including the impressive Castle of Magic, are due out before the end of June). As a tennis game -- Gameloft claimed it was the first on the platform, though that doesn't seem true -- it plays pretty well, though the players are controlled with onscreen buttons rather than touchscreen gestures. Serving is the only activity that tries to take full advantage of the iPhone's controls: you can target your serve with the accelerometer, and then tap the screen anywhere when the serve meter is full. The action is pretty fast, and sometimes too fast: if you don't get moving in the right direction right off the ball, your player will get to where they need to be way too late.Perhaps the most interesting part of the game lies in multiplayer: though we didn't see it in action, we were told that the game offers up to four-player WiFi multiplayer (even before 3.0 is set to make it easier for developers to do). So that's pretty impressive in and of itself -- if you can find three other people with iPhones and the game to play.
Hands-on: Bayonetta
So we're Bayonetta in this city and we're kicking monsters and shooting things with our boot guns and all of a sudden this giant statue comes to life we're dodging and our clothes are disappearing and then there's lava everywhere so we run on the skyscrapers and fight angels and we're chased by a tsunami and then we're in a cathedral and there's a dragon coming through the window and we're fighting it and then it lifts off and it's flying and the cathedral is flying and everybody's flying and fighting and shooting and what is going on. %Gallery-22955%
A look at Epic's latest Unreal Engine 3 additions
We first heard about some changes coming to Unreal Engine 3's backend way back at GDC, where the tech was first demonstrated for developers. At last week's E3, Epic was kind enough to give us a demonstration of some of the changes coming to its famous engine, and we have to say they're pretty spiffy. Nothing is jaw-dropping, but with some tweaks under the hood, the development process and post-release analysis can help developers utilizing Unreal Engine 3 in many surprising ways.%Gallery-65783%
Interview: Splash Damage's Richard 'Rahdo' Ham
Immediately following our demo of Brink, we were able to sit down with Splash Damage creative director Richard 'Rahdo' Ham and grill him some about the game. He came to Splash Damage following work on Fable 2 for this project, and has quite the gaming resume. But, following the demo for Brink, we were left with a lot of questions, and luckily Ham didn't mind answering them. He couldn't give us everything, though, as he failed to answer some of our more serious questions (Coke, or Pepsi?). So, head past the break and check out our chat with Splash Damage's Richard 'Rahdo' Ham!%Gallery-64854%
E3's biggest trailers - page 4
Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Metroid: Other M Milo (Project Natal) Modern Warfare 2 (on-stage demo) New Super Mario Bros. Wii Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } << BACK COMMENT NEXT >>
See all of E3's biggest trailers
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/All_of_E3_s_Biggest_Bestest_Trailers'; This year's E3 brought with it some of the most exciting new game announcements we can remember -- not to mention fresh looks at titles we've been itching to see more of. From Assassin's Creed 2 to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, the trailers released for E3 2009's biggest games are also some of the best we've ever seen. Since we want to make sure you can share in our excitement, we've rounded 'em all up in one handy-dandy "trailer park," if you will. Click on "continue" below for the whole thing, A to Z – or jump straight to your trailer of choice – and prepare to set your lookin' balls to "stunned." Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Alan Wake Final Fantasy XIV Heavy Rain Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Red Steel 2 Assassin's Creed 2 Forza 3 Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier Metroid: Other M Silent Hill: Shattered Memories Bayonetta Golden Sun DS The Last Guardian Milo (Project Natal) Splinter Cell: Conviction The Beatles: Rock Band (intro) Gran Turismo 5 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Modern Warfare 2 (on-stage demo) Split/Second Brütal Legend Gran Turismo Portable LittleBigPlanet PSP New Super Mario Bros. Wii Star Wars: The Old Republic Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Halo 3: ODST Mass Effect 2 Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box Super Mario Galaxy 2 Crackdown 2 Halo: Reach Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Hands-on: Project Natal: Burnout
Though the big boss got to talk to that weird little android kid, my time with Project Natal was limited to using Microsoft's motion sensing technology retrofitted onto Burnout. My expectations were pretty high, as Grant came back with some pretty glowing reviews. I figured that it would work, but it wouldn't necessarily supplant the controller as my preferred method of game interaction.
Interview: Square Enix's Akitoshi Kawazu on Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Square Enix's Akitoshi Kawazu was the very first person to diverge from Final Fantasy's formula, while simultaneously inventing it. Following the success of the original game, Kawazu created Final Fantasy II, which set precedent by lacking continuity with the world of the first game, but which also added named characters to the game, and removed the experience point system. Kawazu went on to create the SaGa series, which is most closely associated with the producer, as well as the Crystal Chronicles series. In a group interview with Joystiq, 1UP, and Gametrailers, Kawazu spoke about the game that is now breaking away from the Crystal Chronicles formula -- the Wii-exclusive single-player action RPG Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers.%Gallery-3302%
Joyswag: Rare Alan Wake goodies from E3 [update]
Update: Congratulations to Joyswag winner heyo007! Sweet dreams ...After emptying our pockets post-E3, we came across some nifty Alan Wake swag that was tucked away in the side pockets of our carpenter jeans. And, in Joystiq tradition, we're giving it all away to one lucky reader.Up for grabs is an exclusive (and quite rare) Alan Wake E3 faceplate that's numbered 477 out of 500 and an attractive Alan Wake t-shirt (sized XL, of course). If you think about it, the swag pairing makes logical sense: the faceplate covers your Xbox 360 and the tee covers your buff, naked self. To enter, leave a comment telling us about your most recent nightmare. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). Limit 1 entry per person. This entry period ends at 11:59 pm ET on Thursday, June 11. At that time, we'll randomly select 1 winner to receive a Alan Wake E3 faceplate and t-shirt (ARV: $50). Please check your email! For a list of complete rules, click here
E3 was successful for little guys too
Okay, we admit it. Despite E3's recent return to form, we missed Kentia Hall's secluded cave of unspoken delights, if only for its cheap food and even cheaper thrills. Still, the lack of a space to call their own didn't stop some companies from venturing to the surface and setting up shop in the outskirts of E3 proper. It's an adventure that, according to some, was well worth the effort. Glad we all agree.Operating a booth on the fringe of South Hall, Gamer Grub's Raphael DiBianco was one of a handful of smaller outfits that got something out of the experience. The game snack pusher told IndustryGamers that while it didn't invest much money into its E3 presence, "we got a lot of bang out of what we did." Still, he joked that the big guys at the show "ostracize the little kids and leave us in the corner." Just be glad, DiBianco, this isn't the E3 of old. Oh, the hazing stories we could tell.
Impressions: Snow White hacks up children in Fairytale Fights
There's a decent chance you've never heard of Playlogic's Fairytale Fights. It was shown at Leipzig last year and that's about it. Given its premise though, you'll likely be hearing about it again. In a nutshell, Fairlytale Fights has players controlling one of four fairytale characters -- we saw Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White -- and then set about hacking the fairytale world into messy, bloody bits. It's got your attention now, right? %Gallery-65701%
