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Marathon DLC (Jjaro Map Pack) hitting tomorrow
We here at X3F love our old-school FPS's just as much as the new-school ones, and at a price of 250MSpts, the upcoming DLC for Marathon 2: Durandal looks to get us back into the archaic swing of things. The new Jjaro Map Pack will hit the Marketplace tomorrow and includes twelve multiplayer maps, two Achievements (worth 30pts total) and three new multiplayer modes (King of the Hill, Kill the Man with the Ball, and Tag). For those obsessed with such things, the Achievement details can be found after the break. Oh, and according the post at 360sync, the devs will be Live and playing on the night of release.
Marathon: Durandal DLC video blowout
Looks like 360Sync decided to turn the drip feed of Marathon: Durandal DLC info into a full torrent. There is now video of seven more maps in addition to the two that were revealed already. According to 360Sync, they also have video footage of one more, making ten maps so far. Here are all the maps currently revealed: Duality Thick and Chunky Melatonin Mime Target Fortress Lh'owon Arena Mars Needs Women Vulcan Beyond Thunderdome Not only that, but Bruce Morisson, project lead for Marathon at Freeverse, has left a comment stating there are "several" more to be included with the upcoming DLC. That's a lot of maps. Check out video of all of the maps revealed so far embedded above. Once the first video is over, the next will automatically load (alternately, you can skip to the next video using the navigation buttons). [Thanks, StLouisRibs]
Marathon: Durandal runs away from German ratings board
Microsoft moved quickly against the Germans and had Marathon: Durandal removed from the USK ratings board site. It is gone, it has ceased to be. Oh no, does that mean it's not coming out for Xbox Live Arcade? Nah, looks like somebody just let Master Chief's grandpa out of the bag a little early and Microsoft wants to stuff the old man back in. We'll promise to still act surprised when the game eventually does come out on XBLA. When Marathon is revealed, it could be another DOOM scenario where they'll just announce it at the same time it goes live. If only there were a major upcoming event where they could pull something like that off. But in all seriousness, the USK, like the ESRB, doesn't just make games up. They've been known to leak info early ... but not make stuff up. Considering it's already been privately rated by the board, we'll see what's going on with Marathon: Durandal relatively soon. [Via Xbox360Fanboy]
USK removes Marathon 2 rating for 360
Either we spoke too soon, or Microsoft's ninjas are pretty damned quick. X3F readers will recall that the USK (essentially Germany's version of the ESRB) rated Marathon: Durandal for the Xbox 360 last week. This led us to assume that our wild speculation from last November was true, and that Marathon was making its way to Xbox Live Arcade. Now, it looks like something is amiss. We checked the USK listing during our weekly Fancast recording session on Sunday, and lo and behold, the listing was gone (gasp!). No, really, check for yourself. So, here's the question: was the USK hallucinating, or has Microsoft demanded that the USK lower the veil of secrecy on what should have been a top-secret project?
Bungie's Marathon for 360 makes the grade in Germany
Our lemonade stand colleagues over at Xbox 360 Fanboy may be one step closer to joining the Illuminati as their wild speculation has finally paid off. Mac gaming legend, Marathon: Durandal, looks to be compromising your Xbox 360 in the near future. The odds in favor of this arriving via Xbox Live Arcade are staggering. Spotted on the USK website (Germany's take on the ERSB, if you will), the spiritual predecessor to the Halo series has received a 16+ rating, meaning that the sale of which is restricted to those under the age of 16, as mandated by the Youth Protection Law. Or Jugendschutzgesetz, as they call it. Curious. Being that Marathon: Durandal is in fact the sequel to the original Marathon, we're more curious as to why this popped up first. Now that we think about it, with Bungie's hands full of Halo 3, one must wonder exactly how they have the time to develop such a title. Suspicious, isn't it?
USK rates Bungie's Marathon for 360
Last November, just prior to Halo's birthday, we (wildly) speculated that Marathon might be heading to Xbox Live Arcade. Obviously, we were incorrect ... then. It seems our precognitive powers were even more potent than we realized, as Marathon, Bungie classic and spiritual predecessor to Halo, has been rated by the USK (Germany's ratings board) for the Xbox 360. To be precise, the entry is for Marathon: Durandal, which is actually Marathon 2. This leaves us to wonder whether the original will make the jump as well. Already our minds are reeling with yet more speculation. Will Marathon: Durandal receive a graphical upgrade? Will we see each game in the series hit Xbox Live Arcade, leading up to the inevitable release of Halo 3? We have no idea, but we hope we'll be hearing more soon. [Via XBLArcade. Thanks, Ankalagon]
Freeverse product update (Macworld Expo)
Freeverse occupies a typical booth at the Macworld Expo in an atypical space; instead of joining the few Mac gaming companies located in the North Hall, Freeverse holds down a corner of the bustling South Hall. Brothers Ian Lynch Smith and Colin Lynch Smith gave us updates about the company. (Full disclosure: this writer has occasionally created trailers for Freeverse games.)The longtime Mac developer and publisher chose the South Hall because, like other Mac game publishers, Freeverse has diversified and sells "more than just games," according to Colin. (Indeed, vector graphic app Lineform, audio recorder Sound Studio, and comic maker Comic Life Deluxe are on display.)For games, the company is showing its nearly-finished Mac version of Heroes of Might and Magic V, the first game published using the quick-port Cider technology. Cider helps translate Windows APIs, but the resulting games require an Intel Mac -- which is itself basically PC hardware. As the Cider guinea pig, Freeverse is looking forward to charting the game's sales against its costs.Big Bang Brain Games -- Freeverse's take on Brain Training -- the latest Burning Monkey Solitaire, and other titles are also being showcased. The brothers remained cautiously optimistic about game sales, saying they expect 2007 to be better than 2006's transition to Intel hardware.
Many think Marathon on XBLA is a "good idea"
If you're done watching the Bungie guys cursing on video, you may find yourself with a renewed interest in getting your mitts on Marathon, their ground breaking FPS that out-doomed Doom. You could always download the entire trilogy for free, straight from Bungie, and give it a spin on your Mac and/or PC, but if you're more of a console gamer, there is a tiny flicker of hope ... wrapped tightly in a whisper ... carried on a pillow of desire: In Bungie's Weekly Update Spenser asks, "Marathon and XBLA: is it at all possible?" Frankie responds, "Of course it's possible, it's just not on any current agenda. If it's any consolation, many, many people think it's a good idea." Alright, so there's barely enough hope there to keep our blackened gamer-souls from consuming us whole, but it's comforting to know we're not alone. There are "many" of us who think this is a "good idea." You know what you have to do Bungie ... wrap up this Halo business and give us some Marathon! [Via TUAW]
Metareview - Heroes of Might and Magic V
It's been a trial by fire for Ubisoft and Russian developer Nival Interactive as they have attempted to revitalize the Heroes of Might and Magic franchise. The re-launch of one of the longest running strategy series has suffered delays, beta tester petitions, and negative previews, but Heroes V has finally made its way to store shelves. The game includes a slick new 3D engine, lengthy campaigns, and six colorful factions that fans will instantly recognize. In addition, most of the critics agree that Nival nailed the fundamentals of the traditional Heroes of Might and Magic combat formula. However, a major criticism of Heroes V is its small number of maps, as well as the initial absence of a map editor (due this summer, according to Nival). GameSpot (82/100) was impressed with the enhancements to online multiplayer: "Heroes V makes a few efforts to speed up online play by offering options for quick stat-based combat resolution, timed turns, straight hero-versus-hero duels, and the new 'ghost mode'." GameSpy (70/100) did a lot of camera spinning: "The switch to 3D, while a successful one, has its drawbacks. The camera is a tad finicky when moving on the underground map. It can be hard to place the camera where you need it and it's also too easy to miss objects that are hiding behind a tree or a mountain." Yahoo! Games (70/100) cautions new players unfamiliar with the sometimes complex attack orders and unit stats: "The biggest failing of Heroes V, which you can almost anticipate from its emphasis on looking so good, is that it's stingy with information. And the bad documentation here kills a lot of what makes the series great."
A first look at Heroes of Might and Magic V
Following a petition by frustrated beta testers to delay Heroes of Might & Magic V until improvements were made, Primotech has added a rather negative preview of the game to Ubisoft's list of criticisms. The reviewer cites problems with the battle system, the resource trading process, and the time limits imposed on town management. So how much time does developer Nival have to polish up this reinvented franchise? Gamespot lists an April 4 release date, the Ubisoft site says May, and Amazon's projected availability is June 30. Unless we see some positive press soon, the later date is probably the safer bet. [via GameBanshee]
OMG Cup winners announced
The OMG Cup (OMG=Original Mac Games) was a contest run as a joint venture between Freeverse software and iDevGames, designed to encourage independent developers to produce killer Mac games. Voting ended last month and today Freeverse has announced the winners. William Hogben walks away with 1st prize for his game Escort Wing. For his efforts, William will receive The OMG 2005 Cup Trophy (pictured at right), $300 dollars, one game from Freeverse Software games, and a contract with Freeverse Software to turn his winning entry into a finished product.Second prize went to Matt Diamond for Pawns and Will Thimbleby rounds up the winners' circle with Tracktor Beam. Congratulations to all of the winners. Those are some pretty cool games.
Might & Magic V: new screenshots
Yesterday, we reported that Heroes of Might & Magic V would be making its way to the Mac this Spring. Today, Italian game site Tiscali has provided us with over 20 new screens from Ubisoft and Nival's continuation of the classic strategy franchise. [via GameBanshee]
Heroes of Might & Magic V to the Mac
Apple enthusiasts already have plenty to be excited about this week and now Mac gamers have reason to rejoice. Freeverse has announced it will publish the Mac port of Heroes of Might & Magic V, to be released shortly after the PC version ships at the end of next month. Licensed from Ubisoft, this latest release takes the classic series into fully 3D animated environments with a new Active Battle System and a variety of customizations for your heroes and armies. Check out Ubisoft's official game site for more details. Now, about that other new Might & Magic game - the one that uses the Source engine. Freeverse? Aspyr? MacSoft? Anyone? [via GameBanshee]
