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Mediatonic investing 300K Euros in new Housemarque game
Housemarque's still celebrating in the afterglow of its recently released, well-received PSN title Dead Nation -- but the Finnish developer isn't resting on its zombified laurels. The studio has secured a €300 thousand investment from fellow Finnish company Mediatonic. According to Arctic Startup, the investment will bankroll development on a whole new title: A downloadable "family game of skill and wits," due out sometime next year. That sounds like a far, far cry from Housemarque's current announced project, the Ubis Outland -- though it seems bizarre that the studio's 20-some-strong development team would be working on two projects simultaneously. We've contacted Housemarque to see if they'll comment on where that sweet, sweet cashflow is going.
Dead Nation voice chat coming 'soon'
Saying that the developer "sincerely apologise that voice chat is not available in Dead Nation's online co-op mode," Housemarque CEO and co-founder Ilari Kuittinen writes on the EU PlayStation Blog that the zombie-filled, twin-stick shooter will be updated with the feature "soon," with the team "currently working intensely to introduce it as quickly as possible." While Kuittinen admits in his post that the lack of voice chat is "a major issue for some players," he goes on to say, "we think that releasing Dead Nation has been the right decision as the game is still great fun." We'd have to agree with that last part -- about it being great fun -- but have to wonder how much shipping without such a integral element to online co-op was worth compared to missing out on holiday sales.
Dead Nation review: It's dangerous to go alone
Twelve hours and 15,000 dead zombies later, I finished Dead Nation. Did I feel accomplished? Yeah, sure. But the feeling that I couldn't shake? Relief. Housemarque's long-awaited follow-up to Super Stardust HD is exhausting, in more ways than one. The body count should be a clue: Dead Nation is suffocatingly dense, truly embodying the term "sensory overload." Zombies will swarm you by the hundreds, and once you've disposed of them -- with bullets, explosives, fire and a giant projectile blade-thing -- their ever-present remains ... remain, serving to remind of the havoc you've wreaked. There's some spectacular tech powering the experience: atmospheric lighting, uncomfortably realistic audio and a subtle attention to detail that's difficult to encapsulate. But, I doubt you'll stop to soak it all in. In fact, you'll be lucky if you can manage a mumbled "wow," as you try to catch your breath after each level. %Gallery-70357%
Super Stardust HD 'pro' joins Housemarque, gets to work on Dead Nation
Described as a Super Stardust "pro," the phenom known as Tlo-Mek has joined Housemarque's team on account of "his gaming prowess." Sony announced the new hire alongside this gameplay footage of Tlo-Mek straight killing Housemarque's impending PSN release, Dead Nation. That's some way to land a job!
Dead Nation debuts on PSN Nov. 30
Dear PlayStation, It has come to my attention that you intend to launch a new downloadable PlayStation 3 game, dubbed "Dead Nation," on Tuesday, November 30 in North America (and December 1 in Europe). Based on what I have read on various video game blogs and e-podiums, the Housemarque-developed game offers the opportunity to annihilate necrotic ne'er-do-wells in a collapsed and imbalanced society. Since this video game has not yet launched, I'm sure there's time yet for you to examine my exciting proposal! Indeed, I hope to correct the imbalance within our own society caused by the cultural overexposure of the living dead, who are now present in television shows, novels, comic books, talk shows and a handful of video games. Isn't it about time you challenged gamers with a worthy foe, and one that doesn't simply covet brains for its nutritional benefits? I'm talking about The B.E.A.N. Replanting Initiative (T.B.R.I.). Why pander to your players with pale, unintelligible humans -- with whom they are intimately familiar with! -- when you could send in the: Bugs! Equipped with monstrous mandibles, thrilling thoraxes and loads of legs! Extraterrestrials! They came to boil our oceans, disintegrate our cities and zap our way of life! Aliens! I guess we covered this one! Nazis! History's most hated villains and most reliable, no-strings-attached targets for unrepentant violence! As you can see, the classic monsters have a lot of life left in them, which is more than you can say for zombies, because they aren't alive at all. With your cooperation, we can put them back in the spotlight. If you'd like, I'd be more than willing to consult on your enemy replacement initiative. Everyone at the B.E.A.N. Replanting Initiative would be more than happy to introduce bugs into your game, or help German-ate your assets. Kind regards, Leonard K. Trubb -- Outreach Manager The B.E.A.N. Replanting Initiative (T.B.R.I.)
Use your braiiiins, watch this Dead Nation upgrades trailer
One of our favorite features of Dead Nation is easily the weapon upgrade system, which helps separate the game from the many zombie shooters on the market these days. See it in action in this latest trailer, which highlights the various ways players can steel themselves before the undead hordes.
Dead Nation preview: Not another generic zombie game
After spending countless hours playing the excellent Super Stardust HD, I was totally excited for developer Housemarque's next PSN title -- until I learned what it was. Dead Nation looked and sounded utterly generic. "Ugh -- yet another top-down zombie blasting game?" I lamented. With Burn Zombie Burn and Zombie Apocalypse already available on PSN, and countless other zombie-themed games and add-ons flooding the market, I begrudgingly dismissed Housemarque's new effort. Having played the first third of the game in two-player co-op, however, I can admit to being wrong. %Gallery-70357%
Dead Nation promises online co-op at launch
Tackling an inexhaustible undead force all by yourself just isn't a wise endeavor. Super Stardust developer Housemarque has announced that its PSN top-down scourge shooter, Dead Nation, will let two players meet in the place where barely human husks lunge violently at any signs of intelligence -- you may know it as the internet. "Originally, online co-op wasn't going to be included as a launch feature, as the schedule and resources didn't allow it," Housemarque CEO Ilari Kuittinen wrote on the PlayStation Blog. "However, after many late night play-testing sessions and long talks with Sony Computer Entertainment, we decided that this was a must-have feature and it would be unfair to you if we launched without it!" You see, Ms. Croft? It's not that hard. "At this point, our coders went from working 12-hour days to working 16-hour days, as well as weekends!" Oh ... well, uh ... this is awkward. Housemarque has yet to announce Dead Nation's launch date, though we know that it will cost $14.99.
Trailer and screens for Ubisoft's Outland look outstanding
Housemarque's (Super Stardust HD) experiment in side-scrolling action game meets light/dark projectile absorption a la Ikaruga is a real looker. You can see just how remarkable Outland's visual style and intriguing play mechanic look in motion by rolling the following video.
Dead Nation beta invites being sent; check your e-mail!
And just like that, SCEA has begun sending out invites for a Dead Nation beta. We're not entirely sure what online functionality the beta is testing, especially considering the rather lax requirements for the program -- "All you need to do is make sure you are signed in to the PSN while trying to kill as many dirt-ridden flesh sacks as possible!" The beta is currently ongoing, and will end on September 3, giving invitees over a week of playtime. The invites appear to have been sent randomly, so check your e-mail (and your spam filters) to see if Sony has invited you into this unexpected preview event. [Thanks, Cristian R.!]
Preview: Dead Nation
Adding zombies to your game is like putting a lowercase "i" in front of your product name. Marketing types think people just go for the one called "the iBlanket" or the racing game with zombies. While that might have been true a short time ago, I've become desensitized to these overused hooks -- there's also got to be a catch to wrestle away my dollars. That's what makes Sony's Dead Nation somewhat unappealing. Developer Housemarque (of Super Stardust HD fame) has no problem shoving hordes of undead freaks into this PSN game and giving me weapons to kill them with, but that's already been done to death. Come on, guys. Throw in some really cute demon kittens or something. This longing came up as I demoed this well designed but ultimately vanilla twin stick shooter at Sony's E3 booth. As one of the world's remaining survivors during the zombie apocalypse, I made my way through a devastated city, pointing boom sticks towards throngs of monsters and ripping them to pieces. The list of weapons included the usual suspects: submachine gun, assault rifle, shotgun, grenades; and I snagged health packs by breaking boxes and vending machines. %Gallery-95678%
Live-action Dead Nation trailer is B-movie material
The live-action trailer for Dead Nation for which Sony put out a casting call last month has finally surfaced, showing off some of the real-life human drama associated with a fictional Zombocalypse. Watch as the trailer explores the deep, interpersonal relationships between the game's cast of multifaceted, intriguing characters, such as "Trucker Guy" and "Cheerleader" and "Mustachioed Police Officer." Then watch as they all get eaten. What a twist! It's also got a few gameplay clips, which do a good job of displaying the Smash TV-esque carnage you'll be able to reap. Sadly, we still haven't seen the title-appropriate level where you're tasked with mowing down wave after wave of Grateful Dead fans, but we've still got time for a few more trailers before Dead Nation drops later this year.
Housemarque explains tech behind 3D Super Stardust HD
3D gaming isn't entirely new, but will be a big focal point for Sony this year -- and what better way to show that than by turning one of 2007's bright spots into a full 3D experience. Super Stardust HD is undergoing a HD facelift right now and during an interview with Digital Foundry (via Eurogamer), engine lead Seppo Halonen and creative director Harri Tikkanen talked about adapting the game to 3D and some of the technological leaps and bounds made by Housemarque Games. What makes SSHD different than other 3D experiences -- specifically, Avatar and other 3D games like Invincible Tiger -- is that it'll be running at a native resolution of 720p at 120 frames per second, 60 frames per each eye, and doesn't use low-res buffers to create the effect. Housemarque accomplished this by having the engine render everything twice, added stereoscopic cameras and moved the vertex processing from the GPU to the SPU. This took up about 50 percent of the SPU's resources, leaving them with enough to pre-process a lot of the game, allowing things to render much faster than before. As for future Housemarque games on PS3, don't necessarily expect those titles to be in 3D. Tikkanen says that because some titles "lend themselves better to 3D than others," all future 3D compatibility will be decided "on a game by game basis."
Dead Nation: new PS3 exclusive from Super Stardust devs
We'd feel sorry for the undead if they weren't constantly trying to eat our brains. Here's yet another game about taking out a horde, nay a nation, of zombies. Dead Nation is the next PlayStation Network-exclusive game from Housemarque, developers of popular twin-sticker, Super Stardust HD. While it reminds us of games like Burn, Zombie, Burn! and Zombie Apocalypse (two other zombie-themed PSN games), we're certain Housemarque will be able to do something unique with this title. Fairly certain. Ish.
Super Stardust HD celebrates 2nd anniversary with Euro price drop
You've played Super Stardust HD, right? It's two years old now, and still one of the best PSN downloadable titles available. You surely picked it up around this time last year, when it became the first game to support Trophies. No? Well, now's your chance. To celebrate the game's second birthday, the developers have dropped the price from £4.99 to £1.59 (€1.99).Make sure you head on over to the European PlayStation Blog to see Housemarque's Petteri Putkonen's retrospective on the last two years. He also mentions Housemarque's desire to update the game even further, with an expansion that would "add a new dimension to the game," and requests that you contact him with any of your own ideas. It may be a while before you see them implemented, though, as the company is currently busy trying to outdo itself with its next PSN game. We can't wait.
Super Stardust HD dev working on new PSN and multiplatform titles
Finnish developer Housemarque is best known for its PSN-exclusive Super Stardust HD. However, the studio has ambitious plans to expand and become a "small boutique publisher" of new IPs. The team is currently working on three different games in an attempt to expand their portfolio and experiment with new gameplay ideas.First up is a PSN-exclusive game to be announced at Gamescom in Cologne this year. CEO Ilari Kuittinen told Gamasutra that the exclusive went to Sony to continue the team's "good relationship" with the company. The second title is the studio's first multiplatform game for a "leading publisher." "We haven't done this kind of a game genre before," said Kuittinen.Finally, Housemarque is also working on a third title, called Rope, a physics-based puzzle game that has players using a rope to flock "fuzzy characters" to a goal. (A rather stark change of pace from planet-destroying asteroids.) It's what Housemarque hopes will be one of its first self-published games. Rope is currently approved for PlayStation Network, but the developer is also talking with Microsoft, and is thinking about an iPhone or WiiWare version.
Yo Asteroid! Super Stardust Portable out Dec. 4
If there's one classic concept that video games have taught us, it's that things from outer space are coming to kill you. In the case of Super Stardust Portable, said things are mainly calamitous asteroids, intent on colliding with your puny spaceship and the planet below. The downloadable PSP title, a handheld rendition of the popular rock-blasting shooter on PlayStation 3, will become available on the PlayStation Store next Thursday, December 4th, for $9.99.Those used to the chaotic action of Super Stardust have a new "Impact" mode (bombs and boosts only!) to look forward to in this version, as well as a new final boss. Not that we thought you'd be bored without them -- the PSP version promises to hurl over 1,000 objects at the field at any given time. As programming lead Kimmo Lahtinen points out, "That's a lot of things to shoot."
Hands-on: Super Stardust Portable
What is Super Stardust Portable? Well, it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a PSP version of Super Stardust HD, ready to play anywhere you go. The PSN download-exclusive title is making the big jump from PS3 to PSP, and Housemarque (developers of the original SSHD) have succeeded in creating an authentic Stardust experience for the handheld.There are obviously going to be two big questions on everyone's mind regarding SSHD. Firstly, the controls. PSP may not have a second analog stick, so how will this work? Well, you simply use the face buttons to shoot in the direction you'd like. It may take a little while to get accostmed to, but SSHD vets will be boosting, bombing and shooting in no time. (ProTip: To do a circular attack with the Gold Melter, press all the face buttons at once.) Secondly, the graphics. While the visuals are obviously toned down from the PS3, the PSP version is able to render a surprising amount of enemies on screen while maintaining a silky smooth framerate. It may not be PSP's best looking game, but for a quick pick-up-and-play title, SSP offers more than enough detail.%Gallery-27754%
X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Golf: Tee It Up! and Schizoid
This is a very special XBLA in Brief ladies and gentlemen. Why? Because this week we take a look at Schizoid, which has a very special achievement in it. The Sploderific achievement, you see, is named after a word coined by our own Dustin Burg! Does that make us biased towards the game? Maybe, but it doesn't hurt that it's actually pretty good. Oh, we also take a look at Golf: Tee It Up!, which is a pretty decent game as well. Watch the latest episode and learn how you too can earn the badge of honor that is the Sploderific achievement.[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[M4V] Download the M4V directly.
XBLA expands with Schizoid and Golf: Tee It Up!
The Xbox Live Arcade just got two games bigger this morning with the addition of "the most co-op game ever" Schizoid and "the most golfy golf game ever" Golf: Tee It Up! And wouldn't you know that both games are available right this very instant for purchase off the XBLA for a middle-range 800 Microsoft points apiece. How perfect! Also, we don't think we have to remind you that, if you purchase Schizoid and go on the prowl for achievements, you'll inevitably unlock the Sploderific achievement. An achievement whose name was birthed from these sacred X3F blogging grounds. Have fun golfing, have fun being cooperative and (in general) have oodles of fun this XBLA Wednesday.%Gallery-14316%%Gallery-23112%
