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Gamecock details E.I.E.I.O. 2008 expo
Self-described campaigner for independent titles and apologetic speech crasher, Gamecock Media Group, has detailed plans for its second annual and awkwardly worded Expo For Interactive Entertainment, Independent and Original. This year's E.I.E.I.O. is scheduled to take place on March 6 at the prestigious Stubb's Bar-B-Q in Austin, Texas. Gamecock's upcoming lineup will be on show and in the company of developers, "music, mayhem and good ol' fashioned Texas hospitality."The all-day event will lead into South by Southwest's (SXSW) Interactive Festival and culminate in a concert which hopes to feature "bands with members of the gaming press in them." Umm, does Rock Band count?
The only children who will ever play Insecticide (maybe)
You may have noticed that we're big fans of the look and setting of the upcoming buggy noir adventure Insecticide. Why? We like the slick look, the setting, and the humor ... all of which seem pretty adult to us. So color us a little surprised at this new trailer, which is all about children playing Insecticide and loving it. It makes sense, sure. We hear kids sometimes like bugs, and the game is rated ten and up. It's just not what we expected, but we can get on board with it. There's nothing quite like the delighted giggles of children watching bug-on-bug violence.%Gallery-3405%[Via press release]
Ken Levine not too concerned about VGA hijinx
You perhaps remember just a few weeks ago when some unruly Gamecock staffers ruined Ken Levine's life and hijacked his VGA acceptance speech for his "Game of the Year" award. In an interview with 1UP, the BioShock mastermind shared his thoughts on the event, saying "All I really gave a crap about was that the judges (who were all top journalists) chose us from the field. The rest is kind of gravy." Levine did relate what he would have said if given the opportunity, thanking "a tireless, amazing team who was on a mission to make BioShock great." Pretty classy, Ken. It almost makes us happy that you didn't speak at the VGAs, just so you could avoid the indignity of having to talk into a microphone that had just been farted into by a supermodel, or whatever the hell happened there.
Preorder Insecticide, be rewarded
We may be making an assumption that Insecticide is going to be good, but that's the gamble of all pre-released games. What isn't in dispute (among the totally partial DS Fanboy staff) is that preordering Insecticide demonstrates good taste in game styles. Insecticide appears to be a humorous adventure game in the style of the very best LucasArts adventures (but with action too). If that's not sufficient enticement to preorder, how about free junk? If you preorder the game at GameStop, you'll get a swanky-looking hardcover art book. Then you can visit the Insecticide website and enter a code found in the book to redeem a free "Bug Blaster." It is a gun that shoots a foam ball! Yay! No, really, we love those.
Five gifts that PAL gamers should import this Christmas
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Five_gifts_that_PAL_gamers_should_import_this_Christmas'; Gaming sites are inundated with holiday gift guides at the end of the year, listing the best and most popular games that everyone pretty much already has (or knows about). Well, we're not going in for that this year. Our gift guide will help you find the best gifts in categories the other sites won't cover -- because we just made them up. Nintendo's indifference towards PAL regions is infamous, but there's arguably less room for complaining when it comes to the DS. See, the DS is (and we do not use this phrase lightly) an importer's dream. It doesn't faff around with region-specific software, there's a huge library of diverse and interesting NTSC-only titles, and the games themselves are cheap. As in, cheaper than they'll be when they arrive in the UK/Europe/Australia six months from now. Frankly, we can't think of a good reason for you not to import. Which brings us to our latest anti-guide, featuring the five DS-related gifts that PAL regions won't be seeing until 2008 at the earliest -- if ever. All deserve to be imported without hesitation, so read on fellow PAL folk, and prep that credit card!
Insecticide gets buggy boxart
Following yesterday's sad news regarding Insecticide's release date, we felt horrible that the game had slipped a bit to February. Oh well, if it means a better game, then we'll just have to sit there and take it. But, in checking out more news on the game, we found that JeuxFrance posted up some stuff.In checking out the screens, we found they're all in our gallery below. Nothing new there, but they did have the final boxart for the game, which you see above. Considering we only saw a similar mock-up in a previous trailer and this boxart hasn't been confirmed at Gamecock's site (or the official site for the game), there's a chance this couldn't be the final boxart. But, we're fairly convinced it is.%Gallery-3405%
Gamecock sorry about crashing Ken Levine's VGA speech
If you made it to the end of the Spike VGAs (and you weren't being paid to live blog it), we're not sure if we should be proud of you or pity you. You did, however, get to see one of the more interesting parts of the evening when Gamecock staffers (complete with red capes and combs) stormed the game of year award acceptance speech. It would have been funny, except the award was being accepted by the well-respected and liked Ken Levine for BioShock. A day later, the company perhaps realized that it wasn't the smartest attention grab, with boss Mike Wilson telling us "the award acceptance they interrupted was the LAST one we would have wanted to interrupt, ("most addictive game fueled by mountain dew" would have been a wonderful choice) as we have the utmost respect and love for BioShock and all who were involved in it, and it totally sucks that Ken Levine didn't get to speak after making such a fantastic game." You can watch the video above to determine for yourself if Gamecock stepped over the line, just be aware: The video features near nudity, because the winners of all the awards were painted on actual naked women. ...No, seriously.
Buggy investigations on hold as Insecticide slips to February
Like the splattered, twitching remains of an errant fly on a speeding windshield, Insecticide's January 2008 release date is no more. Earlier today, a new release date for the bug-based detective game landed in our inbox, and we trapped it beneath an upturned beaker before it could buzz away again.Which is a very long way of saying: Insecticide now hits stores on February 12th. Booo. A shame for sure, but then a month is pretty bearable, and the last thing we'd want to see is Crackpot being forced to rush this potential gem of an adventure game.%Gallery-3405%[Via press release]
Friday Video: Slither and sleuth
You've just gotta respect a police/detective game that cracks jokes about donuts, and doubly so when the detectives in question are insects. We hear they like crumbs.Gamecock's Insecticide is one of those games we can't help but get excited over. It looks like the total package -- a little adventure, a little action, and a couple of cleverly-named and designed protagonists. Sure, as with so many DS games, it looks better in motion than in stills, but we're used to that. In fact, we find the look of it in motion so irresistible, we're shining our weekly video spotlight squarely on this new trailer. Go on, discover it for yourself ... and check out the updated screens in our gallery below.%Gallery-3405%
Pirates Vs. Ninjas site now live, new trailer
As you may have guessed from the headline above, the official Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball website is now live. The website includes some screenshots (most of which we've seen before), wallpaper, IM icons, and a new video. There are some "coming soon" features as well including forums and the ability to send the page to friends for "free pirate music mp3s." The new video, embedded above, is a cheeky live action affair involving a group of pirates searching for a ninja bandit. Frankly, we really hope Blazing Lizard can deliver on the gameplay here. If not, there are going to be some disappointed Xbox Live Arcade ninjas and pirates come early 2008.
Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball: first trailer
What better way to start your week than with the first official trailer for Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball? None better, that's what we say. But wait, there's more! Not only is there an awesome trailer -- complete with sea chantey -- but G4 is also hosting a rundown on several members of the Ninja team that includes each character's special move and background information. We're really digging the newly revealed characters, especially the cybernetic ninja. You gotta love cybernetic ninjas, right?
A very easy investigation turns up more Insecticide screens
Yesterday, we remarked on the relative lack of coverage of the investigative aspect of Insecticide. We see a lot of screens and video of action, but relatively few of the adventure-game portions. And so we decided to hit the streets and put our detective skills to the test, hunting for new screens of this portion of the game.Then before we started, we got six new screens in our e-mail. We're such awesome investigators that all we have to do is want to investigate. Look! The game has a story! And, yes, conversation trees! There is truly an adventure game hidden in the platformer. That is wonderful. Not only that, but the game's personality is evident from even the tiny snippets of dialogue found in these screens.%Gallery-3405%[Via press release]
A few Insecticide screens creep out
As the January 8th release date approaches, the Insecticide updates seem to be increasing in number. Hopefully the trickle of screens and video will become more of a downpour, helping to keep the game fresh in people's memories. We forget about it ourselves occasionally when discussing anticipated upcoming games, and we are actively interested in it. We need more.The latest screens show more of the platforming aspect of the game -- the bizarre cityscapes that serve as the levels, full of rooftop-jumping and precarious ledges. We admit that we'd like to see a bit more of the investigating. It's the adventure game devotees who will have the most interest in this game, and they aren't as interested in jump puzzles as they are inventory menus and dialogue trees.
Insecticide trailer is excellently visible
Insecticide appears to be shaping up nicely. The action gameplay seen in this latest trailer shows both sharper graphics than we've seen previously, and more responsive-looking movement. We don't think we could have pulled off the kind of acrobatics on display here during our playtest back in August. We fell in love with the quirky insect-noir adventure back then, so seeing marked improvement is wonderfully heartening for us.Speaking of marked improvement: thankfully, publisher Gamecock and developer Crackpot Games have learned to hold the DS on which the game footage plays still. Could our constant complaining about the swirling madness of previous trailers have paid off? We'll have to complain about other stuff now!
Gamecock says: Colbert for president
Unless you live under a rock, or a little place we like to call "not the US," you probably know that Stephen Colbert had a brief, but joyous, presidential campaign. Despite rising in the polls, Colbert was kicked off the ballot in South Carolina, effectively ending his bid for the White House.The folks over at Gamecock, though, will not accept Colbert's "South Carolina setback," and continue to show him support. Gamecock, which is the publisher behind Dementium: The Ward and other DS-bound games, believes that Colbert has the best interest of gamers at heart, and that he is one of the few politicians that doesn't demonize gaming. Gamecock's CEO Mike Wilson added, "Stephen Colbert had Will Wright on his show and he pummeled Nancy Pelosi's Mii in Wii Boxing. These decisive actions have earned our vote." As if we really needed another reason to love Gamecock, or Colbert for that matter.[Via press release]
Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball confirmed for XBLA
We couldn't decide whether to fill this post with romanticized pirate flair or fabricated ninja proverbs, so instead we'll just blurt out a balanced "HIYARGH!" and be done with it. The news that spawned this clash of cultures comes straight from Gamecock Media Group, which has announced that Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball will arrive on Xbox Live Arcade in "early 2008."The game is the first from developer Blazing Lizard, formed earlier this year by three Volition veterans (Red Faction, Freespace, Saint's Row). "It is no secret that Pirates and Ninjas have beef," explains studio director Chris Stockman. "But it turns out both have a great love for dodgeball and unique skills when it comes to playing the game. We are bringing together sworn enemies for what I can guarantee will be explosive dodgeball action." [Warning: Do not read the last sentence! You will regret it!]We're not shuriken back up those promises yet, but there's avast amount of potential when it comes to this age old stealth-striking, swashbuckling saga.%Gallery-5856%
The two sides of Insecticide
The folks at Gamespot were recently in the enviable position of having the chance to get their hands on Insecticide, a game we can't help but love, if only for the art style and intriguing concept. One of the best things about Insecticide is that it's almost two games in one; half action platformer, half adventure-style puzzle and investigation sequences. It's the best of both worlds, and Justin Calvert got to try both. Our own JC Fletcher had the same chance at PAX with an earlier version of the title, so we can't help but wonder if some of the rough edges have been smoothed.And it seems there's some good news: Calvert reported only issues with the uneven look of the game, and no platforming problems at all. If that's the case, then it looks like Insecticide only needs a polish to help it realize its potential, and from everything we've seen, that could truly be something great. We're keeping our fingers crossed, in hopes that we'll be getting buggy (and loving it) early next year.
Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball confirmed for XBLA, zombies revealed
Blazing Lizard has announced that Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball is headed to Xbox Live Arcade. Sure, this isn't exactly surprising, but it's nice to get official confirmation. The game is scheduled to arrive in early 2008. In news that actually is a little surprising, Blazing Lizard has revealed a new team in Pirates Vs. Ninjas Dodgeball: zombies. You can find more details about the zombie team at IGN. We knew other teams were headed to the game, but we never ever considered zombies. We're happy about their inclusion (zombies improve any game), but we're still holding out for the lawyer team. They're not the most aggressive dodgeball players, but they're great at defense (ouch). We've uploaded artwork for all the new characters as well as some images of the new graveyard arena into our Pirates Vs. Ninjas gallery. Check 'em out below. [Via Gamertag Radio] %Gallery-5889%
Metareview: Dementium: The Ward (DS)
Dementium: The Ward surprised the hell out of us at Gamecock's E3 retreat at the Hotel California. The survival-horror game brought the genre to the Nintendo DS in an incredibly smooth package. We actually almost missed our next appointment at E3 because the game just grabbed us with an unexpected level of design, unexpected from a survival-horror FPS on a handheld. But did it hold reviewers' attention beyond that initial shock of Renegade Kid's technical proficiency? GamesRadar (80/100): "The DS isn't supposed to do FPS horror right? Those were our initial thoughts too, as you start out in a dark room with a layer of black fog. But as soon as you snag a flashlight (which is immediately), Dementium proves its worth by displaying vast areas, numerous enemies and lengthy corridors with disturbing zeal and no loss in framerate." IGN (80/100): "It's pretty amazing that, for a system that's been out for three years now, there have been very few first-person shooters made for it. The Nintendo DS is a prime (no pun intended) system for the genre, what with its touch screen that can easily mimic the precise movement of mouse controls. Dementium: The Ward fills that void nicely - it's appropriately gory (it is a shooter, after all) but also adds an element of mystery to the whole thing. Some design issues do get in the way a tiny bit, but not so much that you'll hate on the game...and unless you've got the expectations of a PC shooter fan, it's hard to not be impressed with what Renegade Kid managed to pull off on the Nintendo DS hardware." Game Daily (80/100): "Dementium doesn't do anything we haven't seen before, such as playing a piano to reveal a secret, acquiring special colored keycards to open doors and shot gunning monsters. Yet at the same time, the experience feels new, since there's almost nothing like it on the platform, save for the aged Resident Evil Deadly Silence. So shut off the lights, put on a pair of headphones and get lost in this demented adventure. It's without question one of the DS' most under hyped games, and also one of its best."
Dementium: Sneaky Torsos, Vomiting Maws, and some simple strategy
Facing off against terrifying, ungodly beasts can be a little traumatic, but not knowing how to defend yourself against those abominations is even more frightening. When you tear open your copy of Dementium (perhaps obtained gratis from us), how will you proceed? DS Fanboy is here to help. This guide should be just what you need to gain a slight edge in learning how to deal with some of the more unpleasant residents of The Ward in a quick and painless (well, at least for you) manner. Of course, nothing beats experience -- but for now, settle back for a little spooky Halloween strategizing. %Gallery-4929%
