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The Last of Us adds new difficulty level in upcoming DLC
The final DLC for The Last of Us' Season Pass will contain a new difficulty mode for the game's single-player mode, as well as new maps, weapons and skills for the game's multiplayer component. Naughty Dog only described the upcoming difficulty mode as "new," not necessarily harder. So who knows, maybe it's Lollipop Difficulty, where the infected have been replaced by fluffy teddy bears and sadness is replaced with rainbows. Naughty Dog wrote that they will provide more information "as in-game elements near completion." Naughty Dog also released a new behind-the-scenes video detailing their journey creating Left Behind, the single-player DLC follow-up for a game with roughly a bajillion awards. We've included it after the break since, like the game's Clicker enemies, spoilers can rip your throat out make you have a very bad day if you get too careless. [Image: Sony]
The Last of Us 'Left Behind' review: Memories and motivations
The Last of Us "Left Behind" DLC refers to important moments in the main game's story. As such, this review may contain SPOILERS for The Last of Us. "Left Behind," the first and only piece of narrative downloadable content for The Last of Us, has a strange task ahead of itself. It attempts to tell an impactful story with an ending every player is assuredly already aware of, reaching into the past to tell the story of Ellie and her best friend Riley. Despite the knowledge of Riley's fate – we learned of her death in The Last of Us – I still found myself becoming hopeful for her future, wishing something magical would happen, that I could avert the tragedy. No such luck.
The Last of Us patch 1.06 goes live at 10 p.m. PT, enables Left Behind DLC
Gather your molotovs and modems, because according to a Naughty Dog tweet, The Last of Us patch 1.06 goes live tonight at 10 p.m. Pacific. The update is required for anyone wanting to play the game's story DLC, Left Behind, which comes out tomorrow. Patch 1.06 also tweaks much of the game's multiplayer, fixing spawn locations, lag issues, weapon balance and more. You can read the full list of notes on the official site. About the only thing it won't fix is your heart - Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic universe is a bit short on warm, fuzzy feelings.
Naughty Dog pondering new IP and what comes after The Last of Us
Now that Naughty Dog has wrapped up "Left Behind," the first (and only) single-player DLC for The Last of Us, the studio is considering new game ideas. "We have started brainstorming some stuff. To be honest, some of them are sequel ideas, and some of them are brand new IP - we've spent the last few weeks brainstorming new IP," Neil Druckmann, creative director of The Last of Us, told Eurogamer. "So we have to get some good steps and see... It's kind of like how we approached Left Behind. Can we tell people a story that's really worth telling, and that's not repeating itself? And if we can't, where can we get inspired - what is something that's really going to challenge us, and push storytelling in this medium forward?" Druckmann's statements imply Naughty Dog is leaning more towards cultivating new ideas than pursuing a sequel to The Last of Us. Naughty Dog already has one confirmed sequel in development: the Santa Monica studio is working on a new Uncharted game for PS4. "Left Behind," a prequel chapter to The Last of Us campaign, is set to be released on Valentine's Day, February 14, for $14.99. The supplemental story follows Ellie and her best friend, Riley, who are both stuck in a military boarding school in the Boston quarantine zone. [Image: Naughty Dog]
The Last of Us 'Left Behind' DLC opening cinematic riles up Ellie
The Last of Us won't be getting its first story DLC, "Left Behind," until Valentine's Day, but you can get a head-start now by checking out the opening cinematic. Knowing this world and how well things tend to turn out, Riley's return to Ellie's life can only mean good things, right? ... Right?
The Last of Us 'Left Behind' DLC set for Valentine's Day release [update: confirmed]
The first DLC chapter for Naughty Dog's The Last of Us is set for a Valentine's Day release, according to a PlayStation Store promotional image captured by GameTrailers. Pricing the upcoming "Left Behind" chapter at $14.99, the image claims that the DLC will be available on February 14. The pack's Sony Entertainment Network listing has also been updated to reflect the new release date. Actor Ashley Johnson revealed earlier this week that "Left Behind" will star a younger, more playful version of pandemic survivor Ellie. "Left Behind" is included as part of The Last of Us' Season Pass. Update: Naughty Dog, via its official Facebook page, has confirmed the Valentine's Day release date for "Left Behind"
The Last of Us DLC, 'Left Behind,' coming soon [Update: trailer, early 2014]
During tonight's PlayStation All Access event on Spike, Naughty Dog co-founder Evan Wells revealed a brief teaser trailer for "Left Behind," the upcoming prequel DLC episode for The Last of Us. The DLC will focus on Ellie's life before Joel, when she was palling around with her friend RIley, played by actress Yaani King. Update: The PlayStation Blog confirms Left Behind is a single-player DLC campaign - Naughty Dog's first single-player DLC, amazingly - and that it's due in "early 2014." Left Behind is included in the game's season pass, but Naughty Dogs says, "If you're only interested in the single-player DLC, you can pre-order it starting November 19 on the PlayStation Store for $14.99."
Left Behind Games expands Walmart distribution to 'broad area of states'
[dennissylvesterhurd] In an SEC filing of a letter to investors yesterday, Left Behind Games (the publisher of, um, Left Behind games) detailed plans to expand its Walmart distribution model from an initial 100-store testing ground in Texas to the somewhat amorphous "limited number of Walmart stores covering a broad area of states." CEO Troy Lyndon added, "The original test proved that when Christians are aware of the existence of Left Behind Games, they will respond and purchase them." In a follow-up conversation, Lyndon told Joystiq that the company's games are no longer available in the original 100 stores, and that the new initiative actually puts LBG's games in fewer stores than before (though this time across multiple states). It's Lyndon's belief, however, that a repackaging of the publisher's games -- all 3 Charlie Church Mouse games in a single $20-priced box and the Left Behind titles released with updates applied -- combined with reaching new markets, "will provide us with ongoing market insight and a chance to enhance sales." Lyndon also told us that the test in Texas was "a huge success; we performed at about the top 10-percent level last Christmas." Oddly, in neither the letter to investors nor in his conversation with us did Lyndon mention his company's upcoming expansion into console game publishing, Bible Adventures. It's like it just got ... left behind. Update: Left Behind Games CEO Troy Lyndon has told us "Bible Adventures (Charlie Church Mouse 3D) is still on schedule for a 2011 Wii release," so there you have it!
Bible Adventures coming to Wii, Xbox 360 from Left Behind
Bible Adventures, the first console title from Left Behind Games, will "educate young children by teaching them academic lessons vital to early childhood development through Bible stories." Based on the Charlie Church Mouse series, the game will not only span both the Old and New Testament, but should also teach mathematics, spelling and "reasoning skills." Left Behind CEO Troy Lyndon noted (via GamePolitics) that expanding their offerings to home consoles should expand not only their reach, but their wallets. "We expect our financial projections to grow exponentially as we transition from a PC game developer to a Wii & Xbox developer." But what about PS3 owners? Well ... they can go to hell.
Left Behind Games signs distribution deal with Jack of All Games
On the surface, this is a post about Left Behind Games (you know, they make those Left Behind games?) signing a distribution deal with Jack of All Games. But really, the only interesting thing is that the author feels it necessary to name Wal-Mart specifically as the first major retailer carrying the games, even though of course it is.No, we really just wanted to supply you with a link to the official Left Behind game site and ask that you click the "Left Behind" button and watch the subsequent video. You can thank us after you check out the "in-game film."
Left Behind: Eternal Forces now free (Hurry! First 1m only!)
It's no secret that religious messageware Left Behind: Eternal Forces failed to find an audience amongst gamers (we think it's the whole "prayer is more powerful than guns" thing) so it's with a raised eyebrow and a quizzical look – and maybe even a Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor huhhh – that we greet news of Left Behind Games' "Million Game FREE Giveaway." It's simple: just stop by this website, make your order, and "increase [their] installed base of users to benefit future sales and expand distribution."We should warn you though that it's not free free; there's a digital delivery or shipping surcharge of $5 or $6 respectively. Can't say we're filled with optimism for the plan, but apparently they know what they're doing ...[Thanks, jc]
Left Behind VP resigns, CEO demands remaining board follow
Judgment day has come for the three remaining members of Left Behind Games' board of directors. After accepting the resignation of senior vice president Jeffrey Frichner, CEO Troy Lyndon has called for the souls resignations of the rest of his board. Two months ago, LB Games posted a $4.1 million loss for its fiscal quarter; though at the time Lyndon claimed sales of the company's apocalyptic RTS Left Behind and an imminent sequel ('cause the world's end can always be spun into an unending cash cow) would drive the company into prosperity. It's unclear if Lyndon's new demands are the result of continued financial woes or just the will of the divine. With conversion no longer an option, will the board simply kneel before Lyndon and accept damnation?Gamasutra reports that Michael Knox, who worked with Lyndon at developer Park Place Productions, and Leslie Bocskor, of advisory firm Lennox Hill Parnters, have agreed to serve as interim board co-chairs while the current board members are exercised. "I am excited about the company's future as it extends its presence as a leader in the family values," said Bocskor.
Left Behind Games leaves behind money
According to Next-Gen, Left Behind Games posted a $4.1 million loss for its fiscal third quarter. This was on top of a last year's loss of $934,000. It really doesn't mean much given their first product, Left Behind: Eternal Forces, just debuted at the end of the last calendar year.Troy Lyndon, CEO of Left Behind Games, says the company will be profitable within the year, "We are expanding our sales channels beyond major retailers to include more Christian bookstores, ministry sponsorships, church outreaches, Christian conferences, LAN center licensing, viral online and Internet sales, music concerts and trial versions. We look forward to a very prosperous year." Left Behind Games is already fixing previous mistakes by using Big Huge Games' (Rise of Nations) RTS engine and some of their staff to make a better sequel -- it's not like the next game could be worse.
Ars Technica defends Left Behind, industry grows up a little
Recently Ben Kuchera of Ars Technica was interviewed about Left Behind: Eternal Forces on NPR's All Things Considered and found himself "defending the Christian right." He says Left Behind is being unfairly "demonized," the same way Bully and GTA have been, "We can't pick and choose our fights based on whether or not we agree with what a game says; we must fight for the game's ability to say anything it wants to." And that sound you hear is the industry getting just a little older.Religion, sex, politics and everything else we've heard "don't belong in games" will be -- or already has been -- incorporated into titles that'll sell millions of copies. As the industry gets older and the average demographic playing them does as well, complex ideas that may offend or challenge will start to pop up. What's thrilling and horrible at the same time is we have to defend the games with messages we agree with as strongly as those we don't. Like movies, music, theater, literature, television and other art, we shouldn't stop the message from being said, just make sure to vote with your wallet on what games you want to see more of. See also: Metareview -- Left Behind: Eternal Forces Political groups angry over Left Behind game Islamic groups want Left Behind off Wal-Mart shelves [Via Game Politics]
The Political Game: The 2006 Political Mix
Each week Dennis McCauley contributes The Political Game, a column on the collision of politics and video games:It's game over for 2006, the craziest year ever in video game politics. And that's saying something, given the Hot Coffee hoopla that plagued 2005. Here are some of the major political stories that rocked the video game world in 2006: Jack Thompson's failed Louisiana video game law: the controversial Miami activist attorney convinced the Louisiana legislature that he had crafted a piece of video game legislation that would withstand the inevitable industry legal challenge. The reality was, he hadn't – not even close - and things got ugly between Thompson and the Louisiana attorney general's office by the time Federal Judge James Brady tossed Thompson's bill onto the scrap heap of history.Minnesota's nutty "fine the buyer" law: The Minnesota legislature must have been suffering from a collective case of cabin fever when it passed State Senator Sandy Pappas' bill, which called for $25 fines against underage buyers of violent games. That would be the same Sandy Pappas who told GameSpot that, "Legislators don't worry too much about what's constitutional." Obviously, since the bill survived for about three seconds once Federal Judge James Rosenbaum got his hands on it. By the way, His Honor tried out Jade Empire on his clerk's Xbox while considering the case. Pretty cool for a guy who wears a long black dress to work.
Islamic group wants Left Behind off Wal-Mart shelves [update 1]
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is asking Wal-Mart to take the controversial religious game Left Behind off the shelves and out of its stores. CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad, in a letter to Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott Jr., asserted that the game promotes "religious intolerance ... i[its] enemy team includes people with Muslim-sounding names." Cited in the letter is a quote from Left Behind Games President Jeffrey Frichner, who told the San Francisco Chronicle last week that "'Muslims are not believers in Jesus Christ' -- and thus can't be on Christ's side in the game ... That is so obvious." Awad reminds in his letter that "Muslims do in fact revere Jesus as one of God's prophets."Left Behind: Eternal Forces has come under fire from a large assortment of groups from all parts of society, including the Christian Alliance for Progress and the Campaign to Defend the Constitution (not to mention the Alliance for Gamers Against Rotten Gameplay, AGARD). In fact, nothing in recent memory has brought so many disparate groups together like this game. In an odd sense, might this controversy spawn unity in some fashion?[Via Game Politics][Update 1: Judging by the first 20 comments we've received on this post, there's a good chance that half of the comments left will be off topic, in the sense that their sole purpose is express intolerance towards a religion or defending a religion against someone else's intolerance. In lieu of staying up late and constantly monitoring the post, we're going to keep comments closed for now and get some sleep.]
Political groups angry over Left Behind game
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Left Behind: Eternal Forces is beginning to raise the ire of some religious and political groups a month after its release. The Campaign to Defend the Constitution and the Christian Alliance for Progress are working to get the critically panned game pulled from Wal-mart shelves because of its "message of religious intolerance." Apparently some people think that gunning down the forces of the Antichrist, which include Muslims, rock stars and a sexy Secretary-General of the U.N., is un-Christian. Who knew?To be fair, the game does let you convert non-believers instead of killing them, but it's hard to argue with the campaign's message that the game promotes "violent, divisive and hateful scenarios." Still, it seems a bit opportunistic to single out Wal-mart, which only sells the game in 200 of its 3,800 locations, while other equally culpable retailers get a free pass. Is an intolerant message enough to justify restricting a game's sale?
Left Behind Games ordained with Big Huge Games engine
Gamespot has an interview with Left Behind Games' CEO Troy Lyndon -- whose game, Left Behind: Eternal Forces, they gave a 3.4 to -- about the upcoming sequel to Left Behind and expansion pack for the original game. For the sequel Lyndon says they've acquired the rights to use Big Huge Games' RTS engine. Big Huge Games is the company behind the Rise of Nations titles. In the interview Lyndon discusses the criticism the Christian based game has received from religious leaders; however, this shift to a completely different game engine is quite dramatic for the company. Left Behind: Eternal Forces cost $27 million and the engine was built from scratch, but he says, "We have specially built our game in such a manner that the technology behind it is separate from what makes it work as an RTS. Accordingly, we can change from one engine to another without a complete rewrite of the code." With the licensing deal Left Behind's sequel will have some technical staff from Big Huge Games to assist in development. Let us pray that it's a better game. The sequel will be out in 2008.
Video game asks for child sponsorship
Tugging at the heart strings of gamers, Left Behind: Eternal Forces comes with the note above. The CEO of Left Behind Games Inc. asks gamers to please sponsor an Eastern European child for $27 a month. The game was developed in Eastern Europe using "talented artists and engineers" and Left Behind games wants to give back to the community -- through your money. In case you're wondering, Eastern European Outreach is a "missionary organization committed to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Eastern Europe."Left Behind: Eternal Forces, based on the novel Left Behind about events following Christianity's concept of the Rapture, comes with a lot of things we hardly receive when purchasing a game. It comes with the sponsorship note above, along with the novel Left Behind and a little bright orange sheet that explains how to install the game or call for assistance. The orange sheet was clearly designed for someone who has never installed a game before.We'll be playing Left Behind: Eternal Forces this weekend to give some impressions on this controversial game. Many games have had concepts like religion and salvation built into them, but this time it's actual Christianity and not some made up deity. Well, not a made up deity to a significant portion of the population anyway.See also: The Daily Show gets Left Behind Jesus the hardcore gamer
The Daily Show gets Left Behind
Take one part The Daily Show, stir in one part violent religous video game Left Behind: Eternal Forces, and roll it all up with a nice portion of This Week in God's Rob Corddry. The results: a delicous, snarky treat comparing "murder-simulator" Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas with, uh, saving-simulator (?) Left Behind. "Damn! He just saved that guy right between the eyes!"See also:Congressman: Daily Show misrepresented meJon Stewart blasts Congress' ignorance towards video gamesStephen Colbert frags Steven Johnson
