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The Secret World becomes a little less secretive
Age of Conan hasn't even come out just yet, but for certain people FunCom's next project is the focal point. There has yet to be a massively game with a modern (alternate Earth-style) setting, where Lovecraftian horrors threaten to disembowel unprepared players. Up until now the only game with this kind of promise -- The Secret World -- has been operating in near-silence while Age of Conan's release as crept up (and jumped back) over the past year. With knowledge of the game barely a year old, we're left with a lot of room to wonder. So it's kind of nice to read an interview about the game with its product manager, vague as the information may be.
Dead Space dev wants PS3, 360 versions dead even
Toaster-headed space horror news now, with EA outlining its intentions to get Dead Space running equally well on both of its intended console platforms. When asked if the PlayStation 3 version would suffer any Madden-ing technical shortcomings (as we've sadly come to expect from certain publishers), executive producer Glen Schofield told Videogamer.com, "The plan has to be, and it will be, on parity with the 360."EA Redwood Shores is currently developing the sci-fi screamfest with the Xbox 360 as lead platform, with a shift to the PS3 following in the next few months. "That is so that you're not downgrading the PS3 later," said Schofield. "We're putting all our engineering muscle into making the PS3 great, and then we'll know that the 360 will be great."Great news, especially if Dead Space turns out ... great.
Around Azeroth: What horror awaits?
Reader Slyde, an Alliance Hunter on the Magtheridon server, arrived at the border of Ashenvale. But as he prepared to cross the bridge into Azshara, he spotted these two visions of horror carved from wood. Eldritch blue smoke emanated from their eyes, giving their twisted visages an even more horrifying effect. Though they served as a warning to all who travel in search of adventure, it was a warning Slyde ignored as he ventured ahead into new lands. Do you have any unusual World of Warcraft images that are just collecting dust in your screenshots folder? Because we'd love to see it on Around Azeroth! Sharing your screenshot is as simple as e-mailing aroundazeroth@wow.com with a copy of your shot and a brief explanation of the scene. You could be featured here next! Remember to include your player name, server and/or guild if you want it mentioned. We prefer full screen shots without the UI showing. And please, no more sunsets. No, really.%Gallery-1816%
Checking out interactive environments in Alone in the Dark
A new trailer for the PC version of Alone in the Dark just hit the internet, giving us a glimpse into what to expect from the title. We're anticipating pretty much the same experience as the other versions of the game on the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3, just with some toned-down graphics. And, we're also incredibly excited about the high levels of interactivity the game's environments exhibit, as you all undoubtedly are.%Gallery-10200%
Requiem Bloodymare footage is not that horror-ific
A few days ago, Zenke brought us news that the folks behind Ragnarok were working on a "Horror MMO" called Requiem: Bloodymare. At the time, we had no idea how you'd pull off a gory, horror-based MMO, but thanks to Joystiq's YouTube-searching abilities (these videos were all posted back in November-- whoops), we now have video, and you can see above just how this thing might play out.In a few words, "just like every other MMO." Granted, this is the starting area (which explains why the mobs are just standing there being neutral), but even the trailer itself doesn't promise anything super new-- the same old spells, grinding, standard MMO gamplay, and "extreme battle effects." It doesn't look bad, but it doesn't look new either, so anyone hoping to have a real horror experience in an MMO (I had my hopes up, if only for a second) will still be waiting.But maybe the quest text, in Korean in the video, will add that much more to the experience. Release is set for sometime this year, so we'll see.
Hitchcock marathon to ring in the New Year on HDNet Movies
Got any big plans for New Year's Eve? If not, HDNet Movies is hoping you'll spend the evening glued to the Alfred Hitchcock marathon that will be broadcast as 2008 rolls in. Starting at 3:30AM on December 31st, viewers can catch nine of Hitchcock's classics before the feature presentation takes over at 10:30PM. 'Course, we needn't tell you that Psycho will indeed be the main act, but horror aficionados will also appreciate the likes of Vertigo, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Birds and Rear Window (just to name a few). Reportedly, each of the movies were "meticulously converted from original film sources" in order to be shown in 1080i, and hey, if you've already made plans to get out of town, just pick up a capacious new DVR and catch up when you return.[Image courtesy of BuyCostumes]
Joshikousei Nigeru!'s final boxart not so wacky
Remember that bizarre boxart we cracked jokes about for Joshikousei Nigeru! Shinrei Puzzle Gakuen, the budget survival horror-themed puzzler from Success? That cover turned out to be just a placeholder, and the finalized design has been put up at Joshikousei Nigeru!'s recently launched teaser site. The new art seems more appropriate to the game's schoolgirls-in-distress cast, but it's not nearly as memorable as the ghoul lunging for some off-camera cheeseburger (viewable past the break). We're actually kind of bummed that Success opted to not use that silly image. We were planning on turning the bogeyman's open-mouthed expression into the next Jam Sessions dude, photoshopping him into article images at every opportunity.%Gallery-10383%
In Development: The Secret World
Some of you will have heard of this project by Funcom, the development studio that brought us Anarchy Online, The Longest Journey, and the upcoming Age of Conan. The Secret World, from the sound of it, might be closer to the horror MMO that I was talking about here. From what's available on the website that's gathered together all the puzzle pieces, including some game concept artwork, it looks like TSW might be a Lovecraftian-type of world, which makes it more than welcome in my eyes.I'm getting tired of Fantasy and Space as MMO themes. It's time for something new. Barring a Western, or Gritty Cop Drama Environment, the Cthulhu Mythos seems a ripe and ready universe to base an MMO in. Think about it: it's both urban and provincial, outdoors and indoors, can handle both technology and some variation of magic, and the creature models will be outrageously creative.That's my best guess, anyway. Anyone else get a different take from it all?
Wacky survival horror puzzle game has wacky boxart
Set for a Japanese release this coming January 24th under Success' budget line of games, SuperLite 2500, Joshikousei Nigeru! Shinrei Puzzle Gakuen tasks you with fighting off ghosts and escaping a haunted schoolhouse via Bejeweled-style puzzles. Think Puzzle Quest, except the fantasy and RPG elements have been replaced with creepy dead children.Joshikousei Nigeru! will sell for 2,625 yen (approximately $23.60), which is about how much Success paid whoever decided to use that photo for its packaging art. The pictured ghoul looks less like a menacing spirit than some dude about to eat a cheeseburger. Match three jewels to save your cheeseburger from the wraith! As you can see in the gallery we've put together, there's a lot of fantastic promotional artwork for this game; why weren't any of those images used instead?%Gallery-10383%[Via Ruliweb]
Why no horror genre?
I'm not currently aware of any horror-themed MMOs, and it made me wonder why. Think about how immersive and creepy a Silent Hill-esque MMO might be, where perhaps your field of vision is narrowed, with graphics outside of the cone murky and nebulous. Your only real notification that there's an enemy nearby being your trusty radio's static. The feeling of isolation and madness in a world you only dimly comprehend.But maybe that's the problem. A lot of what horror is depends on the singular experience, despite those movies that feature a gaggle of teenagers getting dismantled in various gruesome ways. Like Silent Hill, or Resident Evil, or even Quake to a certain extent, true horror depends on getting under your skin, establishing a rapport with the player one-on-one. This experience can only be diluted by online MMO play, where you have the companionship of other players, even if only peripherally. Consider also that the main feeling associated with an MMO is that of heroism, of being the One Who Makes a Difference. In horror titles, the prevailing feeling tends more toward survival, or perhaps discovery/enlightenment, where you attempt to solve a mystery. Horror requires a resolution, and it typically cannot be replayed -- once you've seen the monster under the sheet, it no longer holds dread for you. I guess we can write this genre off, then. What's next, the Western? Hmm ... lemme think about it.
Mario: This time he's rated M for murder
We can't decide whether this X-Play short is funny or disturbing. Satire is all well and good, but when it's turns someone that we love even more than the Canadian Prime Minister into a serial killer, it's just a little hard to swallow.Anyone else having nightmares tonight?
TRU just says no to Dementium
Looks like Target isn't the only one turning down titles lately -- Toys 'R' Us is getting into the game as well by not carrying either Manhunt 2 ... or Dementium! We're terribly disappointed in the retailer, but we could understand the motivation -- after all, if any store was ever aimed at children, it's TRU, and Dementium is a mature title.However, it's not that simple. Word around the campfire is that the TRU folks made the decision not because of the game's rating, but because they didn't think it would be very popular and they didn't want to waste the space. Now, we're not sure what the gaming section is like at your local Toys 'R' Us, but we've seen some pretty questionable shovelware gracing the shelves down here. Is it an excuse to avoid any controversy, or is the retail giant planning to focus future shelf space only on release they feel are more likely to sell?Regardless of the reason, while we can again understand a retailer aimed at children skipping mature titles (if they were consistent about it, that is), but randomly deciding what will and will not be popular is pretty lame. We remember another little game that got such treatment at first ....
Rumor: Manhunt 2 being pulled from Target stores
This has yet to be confirmed, but some Target insiders are claiming that the retailer will not be selling copies of Manhunt 2, the controversial Rockstar game. The rumor was started by a Target employee at the Evil Avatar forums, and was later supported at GoNintendo by an electronics specialist at the retail chain.Adding further basis to the rumor, Target's website states that the PSP version of Manhunt 2 is not available in stores, although it can be purchased online. The PS2 and Wii versions are not even listed on the site.If this rumor turns out to be true, it won't be good news for Rockstar, especially if other retailers follow suit. As of now, though, these rumblings apply to Target stores only.
The Daily Grind: Pick a genre, any genre
For today's edition of The Daily Grind, we thought we'd ask you what you were looking for in your next big MMO? Are you one of the many for whom fantasy is the universe you want to escape into? Or are you looking for something new? I know many of us were sad to see Perpetual's title Gods and Heroes get shelved, as Historical MMOs are definitely a cool concept. Personally, I have to admit, I'm hoping someone will eventually option someone like Phillip K. Dick or William Gibson and we'll see a strong cyberpunk MMO in the Sci-Fi genre. How about you? If you had your pick of any genre that you'd like to see some new MMOs in, what would you pick? Would you like to be a dark elf, or a civil war soldier? Take the poll, leave your thoughts, and let's see what you all want. What genre do you want to see more MMOs in? Fantasy Horror War Sci-Fi Historical Puzzle Sports Super-hero Real-life Something else you didn't list (comment below please) Free polls from Pollhost.com
Move over, Puzzle Quest: there's a new ghost in town
We're trying (in vain) to keep early enthusiasm in check around here, but we may have seen the second coming in DS puzzle fusion. Joshikousei Nigeru! Shinrei Puzzle Gakuen (thanks to Siliconera for the title) blends Bejeweled-style puzzles with -- wait for it -- horror.It's too much. Our poor, weak hearts can't take it. This new blend appears to follow the story of three young girls (which Google helpfully autotranslates as a "highschool girl threesome") as they check out an old schoolhouse that's rumored to be haunted. Unfortunately for them, it is haunted, and Marie and her two friends are trapped inside with a bevy of angry (and creepy) ghosts. In order to escape, they must -- wait for it -- stack jewels. This heavenly combo is set for release in Japan in January, and we can only pray that someone, anyone, picks it up for release outside that region. We may just have to import regardless. Famitsu has a few more screenshots, and we've tucked a couple away after the break.
Sadness delayed again, vaporware suspicions refuse to go away
NIBRIS' Sadness tweaked our interest from the get-go, but we'd be lying if we said the ... uncertain path of its development so far didn't concern us. Since it was announced, one publisher has jumped ship, the game has been delayed on more than one occasion, and we've been dripfed information and media (none of which hints at there being any real content) at a painfully slow pace.As we see it, NIBRIS has either been monumentally unlucky, work on the game has ground to an ignominious halt for the time being, or Sadness -- gulp -- doesn't actually exist.Things aren't about to get any rosier, either. In an email received by a NeoGAF poster, NIBRIS revealed that Sadness wouldn't be on shop shelves before 2009 (let us not forget the game was once slated for a Q4 2007 release), and that its website would be updated soon with more news. Call us cynical curmudgeons all you like, but holding your breath for said update probably isn't a good idea in this case.It's a tremendous shame, really, as we want Sadness to be the real deal, and we want it to be fantastic. The premise, design and concepts we've heard so far all hint at a promising, unique project. Needless to say, if NIBRIS does manage to pack as much intrigue into Sadness as we've seen during its development, we'll be perched on the very edge of our seats come release day.
Hellgate: London opens to online dungeon crawlers
This Halloween is full of treats, but if you can tear yourself away from the festivities in all the other online games, you can now roam post-apocalyptic London in search of weapon upgrades and experience points. Hellgate: London's public servers have gone live and are awaiting demon-slaying heroes and heroines.Flagship Studios' Bill Roper posted a launch announcement on the game's official website, and took the opportunity to thank the community, the publishers, and the friends and families of the development team for their support over the past four years.The single-player and multi-player 3D action RPG comes from a studio that includes some of the same developers who gave us Diablo way back in the day. If you haven't bought the game yet, you might want to check out our demo impressions or download the demo to check it out for yourself, but beware of possible in-game advertising if that sort of thing irks you.
DS Daily: Favorite horror game?
Even with Dementium out, there's not much in the way of horror gaming on the DS. In fact, there's just that, Resident Evil: Deadly Silence, and, we guess, Touch the Dead. However, since we really wanted to talk about horror gaming today, we think we'll go outside the boundaries of the DS library for today's discussion.There's a pile of Resident Evil games, of course, and Silent Hills, as well as other survival horror classics like Clock Tower, Fatal Frame, and Siren. Not to mention the House of the Dead series, and its precursors Chiller and Corpse Killer. Castlevania is at least horror-themed, if not all that frightening. From Night Stalker to Phantasmagoria, games have been trying to scare us since the developers realized we could care enough to get scared. What is your favorite horror game, and why? Is it because of the presentation or the gameplay? In our minds, horror is one of the few genres of gaming in which lackluster control schemes and not-so-great combat are less important than telling a good story and setting atmosphere. Which is why it should be no big surprise that Silent Hill 2 is our favorite game in the genre.
DS Fanswag: Check into The Ward
We've been talking about it forever, and now you've got a chance to win it -- a copy of Dementium: The Ward, valued at $29.99, will land in the lap of one lucky reader. Want it? All you have to do is leave a comment on this post talking about the scariest moment you've ever had playing a horror game. Did someone happen to slip up behind you while you were sneaking past Bad Things? We want to hear about it. Never been scared? Flex your anti-horror muscles all you want. Just leave a comment -- and remember, you can only enter once per day -- between now and Sunday, November 4, because at 11:59 EST, we'll be closing down the contest. Monday, November 5, we'll toss everyone into the random drawing and choose one winner, who'll receive a spankin' new copy of the game. There are, of course, a few caveats. Winners must be both U.S. citizens and over the age of 18. You can check out the full official rules here.
Renegade Kid on Dementium and the limits of the DS
Last week, we spoke with Renegade Kid's Creative Director, Jools Watsham, about some of the more general challenges the fledgling developer faced when bringing survival horror to the handheld, and today we'd like to get a little more specific. Good survival horror on a handheld? Sounds like quite an undertaking, and from some of what Watsham told us, a lot of effort went into bringing a traditionally home-based experience to a portable format. From the look of horror to the sound of fear, Renegade Kid had their work cut out for them with Dementium: The Ward.%Gallery-4929%
