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DS Daily: FPS
The latest footage of Renegade Kid's Moon convinced us (and IGN's Matt Casamassina) that the game could be something special, though a few of you evidently still need some encouragement. In the comments, reader John B. argued that no matter how much impressive technology Renegade Kid throws at Moon, it wouldn't be enough, because first-person shooters just don't work as well on the DS.We're of the opinion that the handheld currently lacks a great FPS, but do you think the DS will ever see a triple-A game in this genre, given its obvious technical limitations?
Moon footage defies gravity, hardware limitations
Renegade Kid's Moon continues to look like the hotness in the latest videos of the game posted by IGN. These are by far the lengthiest direct-feed clips we've seen to date, and display a fluidity and style that managed to leave a strong impression on both us and Matt "I love Zack & Wiki, me" Casamassina."Moon Out-Metroids MP Hunters," proclaims the latest headline on the IGN editor's blog, and that's not just lazy hyperbole -- we actually agree with him.Take a gander at two more videos past the break.Read: Matt Casamassina frothingRead: Gameplay footage%Gallery-20245%
Asylums, nurses, and gore: Dementium's awesome Japanese launch event
Dementium: The Ward launches in Japan today, and Japanese publisher Interchannel-Holon could not have found a more perfect venue to promote Renegade Kid's horror title*. "Alcatraz E.R." is a novelty restaurant in Tokyo's Shibuya ward with a mental asylum theme where patrons must announce their blood type before entering. They are then handcuffed by girls dressed as nurses who serve up food in surgical trays and drinks in hospital drips.In other words, it's a totally amazing and ideal place for a Dementium promotion. Hit the break for more gory pics of the press-only event (our invites must have got lost in the mail). * Admittedly, they could have used an actual abandoned psychiatric asylum, but that probably comes with its own issues.%Gallery-4929%
High Voltage drops a truckload of screens from The Conduit on us
Click image to enter the gallery High Voltage knows how excited for The Conduit the Wii Fanboy community is. That's why they just hit us up with 18 screens for the game, with the vast majority of them being screens you've never seen before. We were shocked to see how far along the game is, as the screens show off several weapons, a variety of different enemy units and even clue us in to some of the environments the player will be charged with traversing. Really, you should be checking out these screens. They look pretty damn good.So, get started already!%Gallery-25003%
The Conduit really connects with the Wii
Expressing interest for The Conduit is good for the Wii. Why, it's even good for gaming in general. The latest press release from High Voltage Software describes the vision for this unique shooter, and CCO Eric Nofsinger is going right against the grain, saying "Too many Wii owners have been told that the Wii is a casual platform with no room for serious games or top-tier graphics."That statement gets our hopes up for the exact opposite of everyone's favorite Wii word -- shovelware. The Conduit looks to be entirely original and crafted with the utmost care, as evidenced by the gorgeous trailer, drooled over by many. Nofsinger wants to avoid the casual stigma entirely, "by providing gamers with the kind of title they imagined back when the platform was first announced." Best of all, the release window has been confirmed for Q1 2009. That's less than one year, which is practically heaven considering some developers often jump the gun and leave us hanging with their tantalizing announcements.
LotRO: Seven genres in one game
Part of the genius of Lord of the Rings Online is how Turbine managed to wrap seven genres into one game. No, I am not talking about their Web games promoting the Mines of Moria. Rather, I am talking about how utterly different the play of each class is while being in the same environment. This is great because it aids the replayability of a game whose content, shall we say, lends itself to considerable replay for the committed player. Each class is its own game – so much so that each actually typifies not merely a different RPG character type, but actually completely different genre of gaming.Can you match the genre to the character class?
Huxley: a Brave New World?
It is a curious thing to hear of a game being themed after a classic speculative fiction novel. It's even more curious because the novel in question, Brave New World, has little in common with Starship Troopers (as the game's images suggest) and a whole lot in common with Idiocracy (did they have sex hormone gum in that movie?). Brave New World itself was Aldous Huxley's take on American excessive trust in technology, the future, manufacturing, science, and hedonism, culminating in images such as babies being processed in factories instead of born, people being altered to meet almost cookie cutter standards of beauty, and sex being so casual as to almost require assigned seating. One can only imagine what Aldous Huxley would think of the United States in 2008. Huxley promises to be a great game combining the MMO and FPS genres in a new and entertaining fashion, and I am all for creativity and license. But that's just the problem. When I heard about Huxley the game, my mind immediately leaped to the possibilities of some other first person shooter games derived from the other works of Aldous Huxley, and frankly, that boggles the mind.
Introducing a mature FPS in High Voltage's The Conduit
High Voltage Software has been hard at work with the Wii, apparently, as their tech demo above shows. The stuff they've done with the water is especially nice, we believe. But, a tech demo is just a tech demo, right? Correct, but what's interesting is that they are hoping the in-house engine that powers this tech demo will be used in their upcoming game, The Conduit.Now, we say "hope" because The Conduit doesn't have a publisher yet, so there's no guarantee it'll release. And from the tech demo above, and the screens that IGN has (we've tucked a few past the break), we're of the mind that this game needs a publisher. We'd like more than one good FPS on the console.
Huxley breaks radio silence
As we noted when we named PlanetSide our #3 Sci-Fi MMO to date, it's good to see the "MMO" try on some new (i.e., non-RPG) clothes now and again. That's why we've been keeping a close eye on Webzen's MMOFPS Huxley. Updates on Huxley have been coming in a trickle in recent months. Videos have been released now and again, and we knew it was in closed beta, but Webzen hasn't said much to the public lately. Good news: the silence was broken by an article at IGN the other day!The basic info is all there: two persistent cities supporting up to 5,000 players in a post-apocalyptic Earth setting, instanced battles with hundreds of players, and differences between the PC and XBox 360 versions of the game. There are also several new screenshots and videos. The game looks a lot like Unreal Tournament 3. Not a surprise, since it's a first-person-shooter running on Unreal Engine 3.According to the article, the PC version of Huxley will launch States-side before year's end, with the 360 version following about six months later.[Via XBox 360 Fanboy]
Next Halo game: FPS MMO?
So now that Bungie and Microsoft have parted ways, what's next for the Halo universe? The latest rumor says Master Chief and company are headed to an first person shooter MMO. That... would be spectacular, given that's done right. Halo is already basically an MMO, considering all the persistent stats, customization and tracking that Bungie has put into it. All it really needs is a virtual world for the Covenant (or what's left of it), Earth, and the Flood to fight it out in, and we're off to the rocket races.The rumor, which is actually from the latest EGM, recommends Bungie for such a task, and there has been speculation that Bungie will go to an MMO next also (although, there's been speculation that every big game developer is working on an MMO, so don't hold your breath on that one either). But it's true that while PlanetSide is entertaining, we haven't yet seen a next generation FPS MMO done right. Could be that Bungie are just the ones to do it.[ via X3F ]
Joystiq hands-on: Link's Crossbow Training (Wii)
Reaching back to the glory days of light guns, the Wii Zapper steals the name of Nintendo's classic NES controller, but the two are fundamentally different. The previous light gun used a mechanic to essentially see what was on-screen, so the gun sight actually corresponded with the action. The Wii Zapper instead is just a plastic shell to hold a Wii Remote and Nunchuk. The Wiimote pointer continues to work through IR triangulation; players can't sight down the new attachment.I recently played the Wii Zapper pack-in, Link's Crossbow Training, and was surprised at how good the Wii Zapper felt and how well the game responded. Shooting from the hip -- sometimes literally -- I maintained good control over the on-screen cross-hair. I still prefer the precision of a light gun's sight, but knocking down Zelda-themed bad guys in a series of game scenarios was still fun.%Gallery-8658%
Today's most first-person-waggle video: Metroid Prime 3
Metroid. Prime. 3. So close to release. After delays and forgotten promises of online play, will this be the first great Wii first-person shooter? This new GameTrailers clip gives no idea to how this thirst quenching title will control. We're trying to to get sucked into the hype. (There's that other game to strum us into a frenzy for now.) But here's hoping that Metroid will be a much-needed oasis. (The thing in the desert, not the band.)See the new video for this August 27 game after the break.
Hour of Victory screens and box art
Midway's upcoming World War II themed shooter Hour of Victory has the UK box art, first screenshots and some concept art and renders available for your viewing. The game will be an Xbox 360 exclusive and at the very least doesn't look ugly. We'll have to wait an see from a gameplay standpoint and how it looks when in motion if it's really worth your time. So far it seems to be taking steps in the right direction from a visual standpoint. Some of the commenters at the source were giving it the "meh" treatment since we have our Call of Duty and Brothers in Arms. We're going to wait and see before we pass judgement, though. That being said, do you think we're getting swamped with World War II titles, or is this right up your alley for the setting of a first person shooter?
Quake DS conversion released
It's been a while since we heard about the homebrew DS port of Quake. But now the coder, Simon Hall, has emerged from his Tower of Porting Ordeals and made his work available for public consumption! If you have a DS flash card and a copy of Quake for the PC (shareware or full version!) then in just a few short minutes you could be on your way to playing a flat-shaded, slow, imperfectly-emulated, but still undeniably Quakey Quake! We are willing to cut them some slack on the technical issues, since the release is still a work in progress, and the fact that it works at all is keen. They've also added touchscreen camera control and the ability to toggle god mode with the R button! We have great memories of playing multiplayer Quake at one of those pay-by-the-hour LAN gaming centers at our 16th birthday party. We also have great memories of playing our DS earlier today. Seeing the two come together is just blissful. We love the ingenuity of the homebrew community. We're going to crank up the Nine Inch Nails and get to installing.[Thanks, wraggster!]
1up prepping Haloverload
1UP is going to be offering three full weeks of Halo 3 updates with video, podcasts, pictures, finger puppets, and posts. Are we jealous? Only a tiny bit. Are we envious? Not of all the work they'll be doing. Even they're calling it a "megafeature." After they're done, you're either going to want to storm the Bungie offices, kick the doors in, and demand your own copy of the game, or else you'll want to strangle someone at 1up because you're green with envy.We'll give you a preview of the coverage here:Week one - YAY! We played Halo 3! (post)Week two - Hey, did we mention we played Halo 3? (podcast)Week three - Guess what, we played Riiiiiiiidge Ra ... er, we mean Halo 3!!! (video)Efforts are underway by 1UP to have November named "National Halo 3 Month," more as it develops.
Microsoft planning FPS-centric controller for Xbox 360?
A few juicy hints were dropped by Microsoft's Robert Walker on Monday in regards to a special FPS controller in the works for the Xbox 360. His comments were made at Gamefest in Seattle, and he was quick to clarify that Microsoft has no concrete plans for the device, but that it's more of a long term exploration. Sadly, it's no replacement for the tried-and-true keyboard/mouse combination: Microsoft is merely working on a new right analog stick that would be better with the precise movements required for FPS and game types. The controller wouldn't replace the current, well-praised offering, but would merely be an option for enthusiasts and competitive types. Microsoft is also dropping more hints about some sort of motion sensing technology implementation in a future 360 controller, stating that their experiments with joysticks weren't well promoted to developers, but playing it safe by dissing the sensitivity of the tech for FPS and racing use. The main question seems to be: will it rumble?[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Some really shifty shots
Xboxyde graces us with some new shots of Vivendi's 4th dimension bending shooter, Timeshift. The screens show off some of the nifty backdrops and some decent weapon models -- not spectacular, though this is expected from what was originally an Xbox title. Hopefully the final gameplay lives up to its promise (it should if E3 was any indication).
Next Call of Duty answered, previewed
If the mention of World War II still compels you to go about shooting things (typically Nazis) from a first-person perspective, you'd best check out 1Up's weeklong feature that promises to detail every pixel, polygon and private that constitutes the upcoming Call of Duty 3. Taking over from Infinity Ward, developer Treyarch is keen on capitalizing on next-gen technology and the creative freedoms it provides -- with any luck, that means we'll actually be able to open doors in this one. Oh well, we suppose loads of on-screen enemies and trampled blades of grass are just as useful.The screenshots and video provided are enough to convince us of the game's technical gravitas, but we're obviously much more interested in the Wii version and how it looks to take advantage of the unique control system. A small blurb in the first part of the preview suggests how, while at the same time suggesting that the other two versions of the game are the main focus here. "The Wii version, in development outside Treyarch, shows some potential to bring the player into the game during the Battle Actions in a way the PS3 and 360 won't be able to. Actually wrestling with a German for his gun or actually disarming that explosive are things only the Wii will let you do this gen."Battle actions are Call of Duty's answer to Shenmue's Quick Timer Events. At certain points during the game, you're required to press certain buttons in order to escape a cinematic struggle or situation. Failure is likely to result in far more unpleasantness than getting smacked in the head by some Japanese kid's soccerball. These sound particularly intriguing if done correctly for the Wii and should make up for some of its inevitable graphical shortcomings. Even then, we have to wonder how long it'll take before we grow tired of crawling through trenches and taking out tanks. Is World War II the new Hoth?[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
Ubisoft on Wii: A good place to put our money
The good folks at Infendo have posted an interview with Ubisoft president, Laurent Detoc, taken from the June 2006 issue of Fast Money. In it, Mr. Detoc justifies Ubisoft's decision to give Nintendo a Wii exclusive in the form of first-person shoot 'n slash, Red Steel. Detoc points out that this year, "we'll be the only publisher besides Nintendo that'll have an exclusive title--Red Steel, a first-person shooter game--released for the new Wii console when it debuts [in November]. People think this is crazy. Nobody is paying attention to Nintendo. Everyone has been obsessed with the Xbox 360 and Sony's [upcoming] PlayStation 3."He praises the system's unique controller and its ability to create new ways of playing games, and indicates that being first out of the gate will give them a major advantage. "It seemed like a good place to put our money. For my competition, it's too late to have a game out for the Wii by Christmas. They can't do it. But we did it. We will be there. Maybe Wii will fail, and I'll look like an idiot. But if it succeeds, then we will have a new brand on our hands that could be worth up to $100 million"We think that Mr. Detoc might be making a mistake by directly connecting the success of Red Steel to the success of the Wii. After all, the game's E3 showing, for lack of a better expression, just didn't cut mustard. Pass the Metroid Prime 3, please.[Note: According to Infendo, all instances of "Revolution" have been changed to "Wii". What a relief.]
Quite possibly the best internet skit ever
I love Olde English. Apart from the fact that 40% of the homepage's area is dedicated to images of beer, their funny videos are a perfect blend of student humor and stupidity. Probably the best video on the site is their Gym Class skit, a clever satire of multiplayer first person shooters. Watch as a group of friends proceed to mercilessly shoot each other with imaginary machine guns, rifles and handguns, just like a FPS. Then laugh as the winner claps and says "good game", just like a FPS.If you liked that then check out Hello? Fuck! otherwise known as "waking up with a hangover and trying to find the phone." Before you ridicule me for its lack of relation to gaming hear this! At least two game consoles have some screen time in this video, so as Phoenix Wright would say, "TAKE THAT!"Also, as you've probably already guessed, these videos are NSFW.[Thanks, Greg Gant]
