first-person shooter
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Confirmed: F.E.A.R. coming to Xbox 360
The rumors were true: F.E.A.R. is coming to the Xbox 360. A scan from the contents page of a future edition of OXM reveals that the next issue will feature the first shots of "the most destructive shooter ever made" running on the Xbox 360. Now lets hope Monolith sweetens the deal by adding some extra content and improving the multiplayer mode, 'cause a clone of the PC game's multiplayer section just ain't gonna cut it on Xbox Live.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
ZOMG: Ubisoft announces "Red Steel"
From the didn't-see-this-one-coming department is a new Ubisoft press release which reveals a brand new, totally unheard of FPS for the Revolution called Red Steel. The game sees players wielding the Revolution's magic wanger like a gun or a sword, either blasting opponents in the face with superb accuracy or slicing them up with unbridled malice. It all sounds very exciting."We’re honored to announce this exciting new franchise and we’re confident that Red Steel will be the must-have title for the Revolution when it launches,” says Serge Hascoet, chief creative officer at Ubisoft. Nintendo's very own Reggie Fils-Aime adds that, "Nintendo is excited to have Ubisoft bring Red Steel to the Revolution launch lineup."Amidst all the excitement, you may spot the official confirmation that Red Steel will be an exclusive Revolution launch title (one down, nineteen to go). Mr. Hascoet states that, "We have been working closely with Nintendo to take full advantage of the innovative controller to create a thrilling experience that can only exist on the Revolution.” That's certainly excellent news, since having a familiar and creaky genre such as the first-person shooter around will definitely help with easing sceptics into the new control system. Let's just hope developers don't dwell on the familiar for too long.
Even more Red Steel info unsheathed
Moz La Punk has obtained some substantial information from Game Informer's article on Red Steel, the Ubisoft first-person Revolution extravaganza which exploded onto the Internet this weekend. It's a lengthy read, but I've captured some of the highlights for those that have little in the ways of time, energy or attention span (see also: modern human being). Ubisoft is working closely with Nintendo on the project. They pitched it to Iwata and Miyamoto who liked the idea enough to not have the French team of designers executed. In the initial stages of the game, you're a reckless killing machine. By the end of it, you'll be an efficient and graceful murderer. The game clearly encourages you to better yourself. "The goal...is to use five bullets to kill five enemies". That is, if you ignore how much fun it is to kill one enemy with 45 bullets. Look at that ragdoll convulse! The game has bullet time. Cheer ecstatically or roll eyes as you feel appropriate. Accuracy is your friend: Shooting the gun out of an enemy's hand may prove to be more useful than shooting him in the face. Disarming him allows you to get nice and close with your sword. [Insert additional "disarming" joke here.] Depending on your performance and action, in-game characters will either loathe or respect you. It's easier to get your way with those that respect you. Especially the ladies. "Flailing your sword isn't a smart idea." Instead, specific motions will initiate deadly special attacks and combos. (It is not mentioned whether flailing your gun is smart or not.) Missions in the game can be completed in any order and are given out by either a sword master or a gun master. You need to show them both respect, or they'll treat you worse than Uma Thurman. You'll attempt to sway gang leaders to your cause. If that doesn't work, you'll have to sway them to an early and painful death. Aside from the usual split-screen gameplay, Ubisoft is working on secret, original multiplayer modes. Given their track record with the Splinter Cell series, I'd expect these to be very good indeed. "Aiming with the controller is as simple as using a laser pointer. You point your hand at a target and hit the trigger on the underside of the controller to fire." AI characters focus on "risk management", a term which apparently includes jumping over tables. "You signal "yes/no" answers by nodding the controller up or down or shaking it from side to side." Read that again. You nod your head with the controller as a form of communication with in-game characters. That is the single greatest thing ever. Red Steel is looking to be something very special. I always thought it would be a first-party Nintendo title that would really get the Revolution excitement rolling, but this is the game that finds itself in the enviable position of not only promoting its own concepts, but those of the Revolution itself. It's fair to say that a lot more people "get" the Revolution now than before this game surfaced. Whether or not this FPS lives up to its ideals is yet to be decided, but its value as an iillustrative example of the Revolution's potential is clear.[Thanks fischju! Color enhanced image courtesy of Kellan.]
Red Steel revealed: First Revolution screenshots [Update 1]
Some shots from the May issue of Game Informer have found their way onto the internet, ready for us to awkwardly gawk at them and marvel at the Revolution game they spectacularly reveal. Developed by Ubisoft and packed with explosive gunplay (and swordplay), Red Steel looks set to take full advantage of the Revmote, albeit in an unsurprising way. After all, it doesn't require much thought to make the connection between pointing a remote and pointing a gun. I look forward to Jack Thompson quoting that sentence soon.On the obvious matter of graphics, it seems like the Revolution can produce some very capable images, at least if one assumes that these aren't concept renders and are actually running off an official development kit. It's impossible to make out any of the text, barring the note on the bottom right which points out that your in-game character will tilt his gun as you tilt the controller. I suspect this also means that you can easily bash people in the face with the butt of your gun by performing a swift arm motion. And really, isn't bashing people in the face what the Revolution is all about?Hit the "Read" link for more images.[Thanks el moco!]
Metroid Prime Hunters commercial all dark and edgy
So, I have this great idea for a Metroid Prime Hunters commercial. Since it would have to appeal to those hip kids of today, the content would have to be dark, gritty and just generally disagreeable. A post-apocalyptic future is obviously the way to go, perhaps with some neon lights and masked strangers thrown in for good measure. With the setting established, we next turn to the other increasingly popular thing amongst teenagers today: Death! Let's have bodies just fall from the sky, complete with a slick narrator saying something like "More ways to die" or something cool like that. Following that, we could have some game footage, but that's not really important. Great pitch, huh?Oh? It's already been done?[Original IGN video here. Thanks dwarpdesign!]
Metroid Prime Hunters punishes chumps
Oh disconnectors, how we loathe thee and thy cowardly response to defeat. According to an interesting interview hype piece at the official Nintendo site, Metroid Prime: Hunters will be keeping track of those who disconnect from a Wi-Fi game in an effort to avoid tarnishing their online records. Mario Kart DS was another game that fell victim to this "strategy", a fact that has encouraged Nintendo to implement and liberally dish out "chump points"."We track a stat that the game calls Connection Percentage, but that I've been calling the Chump Meter. It keeps track of anyone who boots off. So, if I'm beating some kid and he tries to disconnect to avoid the loss, he'll be punished for that. When he turns the game back on, the game will know what happened and it will then hand out some Chump Points."The game will also be able to distinguish between intentional disconnections and the forgivable ones caused by your router unexpectedly exploding. This is certainly excellent news that will soothe many a temper, especially considering that Metroid Prime: Hunters is likely to be one of the most aggressively competitive games on Nintendo's Wi-Fi service thus far. [Thanks Nmaster!]
Metroid Prime Hunters: Screenshot extravaganza
The chaps over at the British Gaming Blog have posted a glut of Metroid Prime Hunters images for your personal and potentially depraved enjoyment. By "glut", of course, mean 42. If we had said "plethora" or "volley", we would have obviously meant considerably less than 42. However, had we said "cornucopia"...well, you'd be even happier than you are now.As you gaze at these lovely screens (some old, some new), be sure to constantly remind yourself that the game's release is but a scant few weeks away. [Thanks, JonathanEx!]
