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Joystiq Streams: Minimum with Human Head and Steam code giveaway
Human Head Studios had a turbulent decade. The Wisconsin-based developer kicked off the HD console generation in 2006 by finishing Prey, a first-person shooter with some interesting ideas about portals released well before cake memes took over the web. After Prey's success, Human Head turned around and started work on a wildly ambitious sequel, but that game met with a rather grisly, obscure end. After lighter projects on Android and Wii U, Human Head is back with Minimum, an appropriately named third-person shooter with a spare aesthetic. How has the team's development process changed in the era of early access? What's it like making a shooter in 2014 compared to 2006? We'll find out when Human Head sits down with Joystiq for a look at their latest. Starting at 4:00PM EST, Joystiq Streams will be playing Minimum on Joystiq.com/Twitch. Project leader Norm Nazaroff and art director Jim Sumwalt will join Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) and Alexander Sliwinski (@Sliwinski) to discuss the game. Plus: We'll be doling out free copies of Minimum to folks that come out to watch. That's Joystiq.com/Twitch at 4:00PM EST. Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST, but we go live other times as well so follow us on Twitch to catch every show. [Images: Human Head Studios]
Report: Prey 2 reboot in development at Arkane Austin
The Austin, TX branch of Dishonored developer Arkane Studios has begun pre-production on a reboot of Prey 2, according to a Kotaku report citing supposedly leaked internal emails written by Arkane Studios' creative director, Raphael Colantonio. "Austin has officially been green lit for its own project," one of the emails reads. "Doing a new IP was not a possibility because it's adding risk to the challenge of growth, so after going back and forth with Todd, Harvey, Ricardo, we decided that Prey 2 presented an interesting opportunity if we could reboot it. Zenimax accepted our pitch which was 'the spiritual successor to System Shock 3.'" According to the report, this project is a new attempt at developing Prey 2, completely unrelated to the troubled efforts underway at Human Head Studios. Bethesda VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines had previously said that Human Head's work on the game was "not up to our quality standards." We've contacted Arkane for comment. [Image: Human Head Studios' Prey 2]
Prey 2 is 'just not good enough,' Bethesda says
Publisher Bethesda is "unhappy" with Prey 2's current state, company vice president of PR and marketing Pete Hines said during an interview with IGN during E3. "We appreciate that folks are displeased that we haven't had any update or any info on Prey 2, but whatever your displeasure is, you can't even be remotely as unhappy about it as us," Hines said. "We spent years and millions of dollars and a ton of effort trying to help [developer] Human Head make a great Prey 2 game. What we said the last time we said anything was that it's not up to our quality standards." Human Head is rumored to have encountered numerous setbacks during Prey 2's development. Anonymous sources claimed that development stalled in late 2011, and rumors from last month indicated that Dishonored developer Arkane Austin might be taking over the troubled project. Hines' frank comments during IGN's interview suggest that Prey 2 is either on the verge of cancellation or a major shift in development. "You don't just keep throwing money at something or going down a path that you're not happy about," Hines explained. "You have to make tough choices. Again, when we have more info on it, we'll be happy to talk about it. That's what I can say for now."
Why Defiance's 'fun now, depth later' is great for MMORPGs
This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity. I had my World of Warcraft year. In 2007, when 'The Burning Crusade' came out, the game clicked with me and it became almost the only thing I played for months on end, to the point where I started raiding with an up-and-coming guild. I know many other people who've had that year, with WoW or some other massively multiplayer game, before they lost interest, burnt out, or continued out of habit more than joy. In the last year or so, I've tried several massively-multiplayer role-playing games – Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guild Wars 2, The Secret World – and couldn't find that magic again. I could admire the design, but quickly lost interest in playing them. I was starting to think I'd never really like a massively multiplayer game again – and then, on a whim, I decided to check out Defiance. Defiance is the main game I've been playing for two weeks now, and this may continue. It's not that it's less flawed than the other MMORPGs, but instead that the parts of the game that it focuses on hold much more appeal to me. To put it another way: Most games within this genre are focused on combat, and Defiance's combat is significantly more fun for me than its competitors'.%Gallery-152577%
Prey 2 countdown ends at fan site, Bethesda has 'nothing to do with that site'
The "Alien Noire" website counting down to a Prey 2 reveal has concluded with a fan site that's apparently designed to host a petition to finish the game. Despite featuring logos for Bethesda Softworks and Human Head Studios, Prey 2's publisher and developer, respectively, the studios aren't involved in the site."It appears to be a fan site. We have nothing to do with that site," Bethesda's VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines tells Joystiq.Hines previously told us, "I don't know what that is or who is doing it. It's not something we're doing."Bethesda removed Prey 2 from its company website late last year, reiterating the game was delayed and not canceled.
Bethesda: Prey 2 teaser site is 'not something we're doing'
Remember the "Alien Noire" website supposedly counting down to a revelation about Prey 2? A recent update added a Prey 2 logo and more to the site. The site now also features logos for both Bethesda Softworks and Human Head Studios, Prey 2's publisher and developer, respectively.Furthermore, the hidden message in the site's source code has been expanded. Previously reading "Tommy needs your help," it now reads "Tommy needs your help with a stranded human who wants to go home." The message refers to Tommy, the protagonist from the original Prey, who plays an important role in the sequel.You might think that using official logos would substantiate the site's legitimacy, but apparently that's not so, according to Bethesda. A spokesperson tells Joystiq, "I don't know what that is or who is doing it. It's not something we're doing." So there you have it.
Rumor: Countdown site hints at Prey 2 reveal on March 1
The last time Bethesda said anything about Prey 2, it deemed the game as having "not been canceled," though it was no longer listed on the publisher's site. A recent teaser site sprang up with the URL "aliennoire.com" however, and much like any conspiracy theory, all signs from it point to whatever we want them to point to, such as the revival of Prey 2.NeoGAF users grabbed supposed screens of the site's previous source code that flat-out had the key words "Prey 2" and "Human Head Studios" in it, though the teaser site has seemingly been edited since then to remove those phrases. The cryptic countdown timer (which uses a "South Venusian" font, by the way) is ticking down to March 1. WhoIs registration info on the domain owner lists a private registrant by the name of "The Collective," with a Tahlequah, Oklahoma address, which happens to be next door to the Cherokee Tribal Administration. Coupled with the phrase "Tommy needs your help," which is still in the teaser site's source code, these two clues would certainly hint at the main character of Prey, a Cherokee mechanic and former soldier.The teaser site might not be associated with Bethesda or Human Head Studios in any way, even if the logo at the top of the page looks strikingly similar to signs from previous Prey 2 screens. We reached out to Bethesda just to make sure we're not too crazy, as there's still no definitive sign that this is entirely legit.
Rumor: Prey 2 development suspended since November
Bethesda announced earlier today that Prey 2 would not launch in 2012. Rumors suggest development is troubled, with Human Head Studios having suspended work on the FPS since November 2011.Word comes from a source close to Shacknews, who claims work was intentionally stopped in the hopes of negotiating better contract terms with Bethesda owner Zenimax. Many employees were reportedly laid off as a result, with Human Head aiming to rehire them once the contract was satisfactory. According to the source, the game was in limbo until March, when things finally "soured."Bethesda claimed the delay was "due to the fact that game development has not progressed satisfactorily this past year." Beyond that, the company wouldn't comment on the future or in what shape Prey 2 is in.
Prey 2 delayed beyond 2012, has 'not been canceled'
Prey 2 "will not be released in 2012," Bethesda Softworks announced this morning. The game has apparently "not been canceled," but at this point doesn't match Bethesda's "quality standards."Bethesda released a statement this morning revealing the delay. "The delay is due to the fact that game development has not progressed satisfactorily this past year," it reads. Despite the game showing "great promise," the publisher is "unwilling to compromise our quality standards to meet a release schedule."The Human Head-developed sequel to 2006's Prey suffered rumors regarding its cancellation earlier this year – rumors which Bethesda refused to engage at the time. Given Bethesda's track record with shooting down cancellation rumors, that put Prey 2 in a nebulous place for the past month.Update: Bethesda declined to comment "beyond anything that's in the statement."
Bethesda has no comment on Prey 2 cancellation rumor
Publisher Bethesda has no statement on the rumor that Prey 2 has been canceled, a story which gained significant traction yesterday. Dutch site PSFocus reported that the game, in development at Human Head Studios, was kaput and that an official announcement would be made next week.The last time Prey 2 showed up on our radar in a significant capacity was around GamesCom last August. As IGN notes, GDC talks planned for the game were cut a few weeks before the show.This isn't the first time this year a high-profile Bethesda title made its way into the rumored cancellation mill, as DOOM 4 went through the experience twice in six month. The difference? Bethesda flat-out stated "DOOM 4 isn't cancelled."%Gallery-131026%
Tommy will play an 'integral' role in Prey 2's story
While Prey 2 has players running, sliding and jumping around in the shoes of a new protagonist, one Killian Samuels, it doesn't mean the star of the first game, Tommy, has been taken out back to the space shed and put down, Old Yeller style. Chris Rhinehart from Human Head Studios has told IGN that Tommy will actually play an "integral" role in the story. "He's a character that you encounter many times throughout the game," Rhinehart said. "It's not just a single cameo where he shows up and takes off. He's integral to the story and events on Exodus. One of the big things is, the unique abilities that Tommy has, specifically spirit walk and death walk, are integral to his role and how he actually fits into the story." In the first game, Tommy was visited by the spirit of his grandfather, who taught him abilities which helped to propel the story forward. Could Tommy play a similar role for Killian in the sequel? Let's see if we wait until next year before finding out.
Prey 2 screens make Earth look bad
If there's a single takeaway from these new screens of Prey 2 straight outta Quakecon, it's that, man, where we live sucks. These screens are chock full of aliens and flamethrowers and exciting extraterrestrial-type stuff. Where are our holographic dancers?
Prey 2 live-action trailers get developer commentary
Bethesda has released a new developer commentary video discussing the two live-action trailers for Prey 2. The video does a good job of explaining Human Head's inspirations for Prey 2 and exactly how it ties into the original Prey. Another video, discussing Prey 2's CG trailer, is coming soon.
Prey 2 cinematic teases parkour-fueled, bounty-grabbing mayhem
The latest trailer for Prey 2 doesn't feature any actual gameplay (see our preview for that), but it does feature Johnny Cash's cover of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage." Perhaps we'd feel duped if it weren't such a thrilling clip.
Prey 2 creative director sets the scene for an 'alien noir'
Prey 2 drew a lot of quick comparisons to games like Mirror's Edge and Mass Effect following Human Head's gameplay presentation at Bethesda's "BFG 2011" media event last week. Afterwards, I talked with Human Head co-founder Jim Sumwalt, creative director of Prey 2, about another big influence on the game -- film noir. Set in a futuristic, hyper-vertical alien city, Prey 2 features some essential nods to the kind of classic Hollywood film noir that was inspired by German Expressionism. "The obvious is the use of light to create dramatic, long shadows," Sumwalt pointed out. "There's a really awesome use of color and reflective surfaces and distorted images." He cited newer neo-noir films, such as Sin City, as the inspiration for Prey 2's use of shadows. In an alien city, with a confused protagonist (he's got amnesia!), this effect almost guarantees a frantic, stressful tone, which is exactly what Sumwalt and company hope to achieve.
Prey 2 producer on taking new direction, with 'capable' id Tech 4
Prey 2 raised eyebrows at Bethesda's "BFG 2011" media event last week for its almost total lack of resemblance to the original game. Following the gameplay presentation, I picked the brain of associate producer Matt Bisenius to find out more about this startling sequel. Because Prey 2 is such a clear departure from the first game, I wondered if the developers at Human Head were trying to fix some perceived problems. "We didn't look at Prey 1 and pick out mistakes as much as look at it and pick out the core themes of Prey," Bisenius clarified. "So we kept the alien abduction, 'Keepers' as the main race, one man versus many aliens, and then the predator/prey relationship." He made it clear that Prey 2's new direction is not an effort to address any flaws in Prey 1, but instead reflects the natural progression of the overarching Prey story. Whereas the first game was contained within The Sphere, an organic ship that sustained itself on species from across the galaxy, Prey 2 will open players up to the franchise's universe at-large, which, in a way, revolves around the still-mysterious Sphere.
Prey 2 preview: Alien sequel
Prey 2 is so radically different from the first game in terms of look, gameplay and feel that it should really be approached with entirely different expectations. Though the universe may be the same and is set to include an appearance from Prey's former protagonist, Tommy, this isn't the straightforward sequel you may have expected from Human Head Studios. The hands-off demonstration at Bethesda's BFG 2011 event emerged from a downed airplane on an alien world. From there, you -- playing as US Air Marshall Killian Samuels -- begin a frantic battle with strange aliens amid the wreckage of his plane, using only your standard issue pistol. After you're knocked out by one of the aliens, the preview jumps forward a few years to a point where Killian is a talented bounty hunter in an open, alien city. In an interesting turn of events, neither you nor Killian have any idea of what transpired during the interim. Killian is aware of his profession and has retained his skills, but beyond that it's up to you to piece together the missing years.%Gallery-121460%
First Prey 2 images arrive
Believe it or not, it's possible to make judgments too quickly. For example, the last time we wrote about Prey 2 we were dismissing it for excluding the gameplay elements that distinguished the first game. Now, with the debut concept art and screenshot of the game ... well, we honestly don't know what we're looking at any more. Check out at this neon-drenched alien city. It's crazy, right? And why's this guy dressed like David Carradine in Kill Bill? Okay, so we're holding out hope for you, Prey 2. But you take the vaguely vaginal doors away from us and we walk.%Gallery-120619%
Prey 2 has parkour-style movement, new main character
We already met Killian Samuels -- Prey 2's notorious "sky cop" and main character -- in the game's first teaser, we just didn't know it at the time. According to the newest issue of Game Reactor (via NeoGAF), Samuels is a sheriff and prison guard, though neither title explains the bizarre glowing electronics in the middle of his forehead. Anyway, Samuels will apparently be employing free-running ("parkour") as he bounds away from enemies in chase scenes, and will otherwise use the game's large areas for shadow-sneaking (as well as shadow-murdering enemies, of course). The game supposedly won't have any multiplayer, motion, or 3D support, and is said to be open-ended in terms of structure. Also, crucially, Game Reactor's interview with developer Human Head promises a wide variety of the game's iconic door ... things. And no, we refuse to explain that last bit any further. [Image credit: Game Reactor]
Prey 2 teaser leaves us scratching our Human Heads
Gameplay rarely lives up to the trailers that precede it, and we certainly hope that's the case with the Prey 2 teaser Bethesda sent out this morning. If the Prey franchise is passed from a disenfranchised Native American and his spirit grandpa to a whiny bro and his pistol-wielding air marshal pal, we don't think we can count it as anything other than a downgrade. See for yourself just after the jump. [Update: Bethesda has clarified for us that our new hit character "whiny bro" was tragically killed in this video. However, sky cop survives to head up Prey 2.]
