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Wii Fanboy eyes-on: MadWorld
In meeting up with Sega today at E3, one thing became apparent: they are lacking in Wii and DS games to show off in their closed door session. That is, until we met up with the folks from Platinum Games and they showed us MadWorld.Know this: MadWorld should be a day one purchase for you. Also, Atsushi Inaba's hair is much nicer in person.%Gallery-22964%
E308: Sega confirms some kind of DLC for Samba
Sega sent out a press release announcing their upcoming releases, hiding a bit of news among the tentative release dates. In the blurb about Gearbox's new version of Samba de Amigo, Sega confirmed the existence of "over 40 songs and additional downloadable tunes." Will they cost money? Probably! Given the choice between getting money and not getting money, even Sega probably knows what to choose. In other lovely Sega news, Madworld, Atsushi Inaba's black-and-white hyper-action game, is hitting the U.S. next March. Really, whenever Sega and Platinum Games decide to get that out, we'll be -- if not ready (because who could be ready for such awesomeness?), at least saved up. %Gallery-20601%%Gallery-22964%[Via press release]
MadWorld's Inaba: Japanese devs are 'too soft'
Hey, you reading this! You a Japanese developer? If so, we need a word! Firstly: wow, thanks for reading us -- that's awesome. Secondly, and with the niceties over: you know what your problem is? You're too soft! At least that's what Platinum Games' Atsushi Inaba reckons.In an interview with Gamasutra, Inaba suggested that Japanese developers spend too much time concentrating on established franchises, and not enough on amazing, creative new ideas -- ideas such as MadWorld, which is what Inaba is presently working on. If anything, argues the Okami creator, it is Western developers who are now producing the most innovative videogames."We don't feel that we're at the top of the industry, but we know that we have to catch up to where Western developers are," he concludes. Is he right, readers?
Battlefield: Bad Company trailers parody Gears of War, Rainbow Six
In the immortal words of Matthew Wilder, it looks like EA isn't letting some early bad press for Battlefield: Bad Company break-a their stride. We've seen a veritable gaggle of promotional material for the controversial title as of late, including two recent trailers which clown on some other popular shooters. The first of which, seen above, parodies the unforgettable Gears of War trailer, and features an unnamed infantryman butchering Gary Jules' cover of the Tears for Fears classic downer "Mad World". The other (available after the break) somewhat mocks Rainbow Six's stealth tactics. It's not exactly uncharted territory, but we can always appreciate such Yankovician displays of friendly competition between developers.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
MadWorld finds a home online
A sparse official website has appeared for Platinum Games' MadWorld, along with the street-sign-through-cranium trailer the entire internet and its dog has seen by now, and three screenshots (which are also old, at least in internet terms).What is new is the text that's on display, which consists largely of the MadWorld team explaining (in endearing Engrish) some of their stylistic choices, namely the black-and-white visuals (which are there to help convey "brutality") and the buckets of blood (included to create a sense of "exhilaration"). There's also confirmation of North American and European releases in Q1, 2009, and a brief discussion about "linking and layering moves," which (not for the first time) recalls the likes of God Hand. It's all a bit devoid of content otherwise, though worth keeping an eye on.%Gallery-22964%[Thanks, HellAlucard!]
Platinum's Shigenori Nishikawa on MadWorld's over-the-top violence
While at Capcom, Shigenori Nishikawa worked as a designer on Resident Evil 4, the Resident Evil remake, and Dino Crisis 2 and 3. Now, as his first project with Platinum Games, he's directing his own original game, MadWorld. Famitsu spoke to Nishikawa about his bizarre new game.Nishikawa revealed MadWorld's setting as a game show called "Death Watch." Protagonist Jack has to kill the other participants in entertaining ways for the audience's sake, and he grows in rank as he does this. This translates into a scoring system based on the "extreme" nature of the kills. The black-and-white look is designed to emphasize the blood. Nishikawa originally planned to render the blood in a high-gloss silver, but opted for red instead. Because of this violence, Nishikawa and producer Atsushi Inaba aren't yet sure the game will release in Japan.%Gallery-22964%
New Sniper Studios game has great looks, horrible timing
Sniper Studios has chosen the worst possible time to release a trailer of its next project, a mysterious, untitled Wii game for which only the footage above exists. The trailer itself looks fantastically moody and noirish, and in any other week we'd be raving non-stop about this, but the recent reveal of Platinum's visually similar MADWORLD means the impact of those stark, black and white visuals was certainly lessened.But hey, this still looks totally awesome and stylish, and we're dying to know more. Sniper's only past experience has been in developing Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars on the PSP (the studio become an official Wii developer last November), so we've no idea which direction this will head in.
New screens tease more MADWORLD
MADWORLD is surely set to be next year's absolute best ultraviolent, stylized, graphic-novel-inspired, God Hand-like game, and to demonstrate this, we will stack adjectives until they clatter to the floor in a heap. Initially, we were given only a peek at the awesomeness: a grainy scan and a few tantalizing screenshots. But now a few more have turned up, and the slow reveal of PlatinumGames' debut is the news equivalent of unwrapping a particularly delicious piece of candy. Satisfy your craving in the gallery below.%Gallery-22964%
Sega on the Platinum Games deal
We hope Sega made a good decision when they decided to publish Platinum Games' works. Both Sega and Platinum (or Clover, really) are companies who make great games, but have had serious problems recently. We would like to see two of our favorite game companies succeed together.Gamespot spoke to Sega of America president Simon Jeffery and VP of marketing Sean Ratcliffe about the deal and what drew Sega to Platinum. Jeffery believes that Capcom's Japan-focused marketing and organization contributed to the Western failure of Clover's products, and that because Sega runs a very Western-oriented organization outside of Japan, Sega can more effectively market Platinum's games.A few interesting details about the deal came up, as well. This publishing agreement isn't just game-by-game -- Sega is Platinum's exclusive publisher for some unspecified period. Sega also holds the IP rights for the new games.%Gallery-22964%
Joystiq goes hands-on with some upcoming titles
Our overlords at Joystiq recently got their hands on some titles Wii lovers care about, taking the time to write up their impressions as is their job. And, we'd be neglecting in our job if we didn't do our best to present you with anything and everything Wii-related out there on these great big internets. So, if you've yet to check out their coverage on these Wii titles, then be sure to hit up the links below. Sonic Unleashed impressions: all Sonic, no Unleashed Joystiq hands-on: Rock Revolution Platinum Games: MADWORLD eyes-on, first trailer and screens Joystiq hands-on: Skate It (Wii) %Gallery-22964%
Wii Warm Up: Mad About Platinum Games
We're thrilled about MadWorld. The truth is, we were so happy to see evidence that Mikami, Inaba, and Kamiya's crew was back to work after leaving Capcom that we'd probably even be excited about a card RPG. But MadWorld is no card RPG. Its smirking attitude towards violence and high-contrast black-and-white color scheme hint that something very special is on the way. How did you react to the news of MadWorld's development? Were you more excited about this game on its own merits, or was the news of Platinum's emergence (to Sega's possible benefit!) the more awesome component of the MadWorld reveal?%Gallery-22964%
Sega partners with PlatinumGames, reveals first MADWORLD shots
Click to enlarge. var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Blood_chainsaws_and_slaughter_Sega_reveals_MADWORLD_on_Wii'; Earlier this week on DS Fanboy, we reported on a rumor that Sega had signed up to publish three titles from PlatinumGames, the studio formed by former employees of the vaunted Clover Studio. To our delight, Sega just sent forth a press release confirming the partnership, along with the first two shots of PlatinumGames' Wii debut, MADWORLD.Described as a game that "straddles graphic novels and 3D worlds," MADWORLD looks every bit as stunning as early video footage had suggested. It's set for release during Q1, 2009, and promises weapons that range from chainsaws to street signs, irreverent humor, and sports commentary to accompany the slaughtering.Finally, there's a fourth title that Sega is keeping under wraps for now -- all we know is that it's being directed by Shinji Mikami, whose resume includes the first three Gyakuten Saiban games, God Hand, Killer 7, Resident Evil 4, and Viewtiful Joe.%Gallery-22964%[Via press release]
Platinum Games: MadWorld eyes-on, first screens & trailer
click to enlarge var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Eyes_on_first_screens_of_Platinum_Games_Mad_World'; MadWorld currently has the distinction of being the only Platinum Games game that we've actually seen -- you can peep the debut trailer after the break and first-time director Shigenori Nishikawa (adorned with an incredible MadWorld shirt) demoed the game for us live at last night's Platinum Games event. First, he prefaced the gameplay with the following sentiment: "We didn't want to create a game that was depraved or perverse but rather featured comical, over-the-top violence so that anyone can enjoy it." So think less Manhunt 2 and more No More Heroes. In fact, Nishikawa repeated this mantra throughout his demo, after every scene of grisly violence, he'd remark about how "lighthearted" the game was. And every single time, the skeptical audience laughed at (with?) his enthusiasm. We begin the demo by meeting Jack, the protagonist, set in a black-and-white world accentuated with flourishes of red blood. He begins tangling with enemies, throwing them into the spiked walls (sometimes over and over and over), tossing them into dumpsters only to have the lids sever their bodies at the torso, or shoving a street sign through their face, then dragging them around. Most notably perhaps is the chainsaw attached to Jack's arm ("everyone loves chainsaws," Nishikawa reminds us). With one swift flick of the Wiimote, you split enemies in half, right down the middle. After that: Man Darts. What? %Gallery-22959%
Sega announces Platinum Games partnership, first three games
At a private event last night, a very excited (and cautious) Sega told us about their new partnership with Platinum Games, the creative team comprised of former members of Capcom's Clover studio. Sega of America pres Simon Jeffrey introduced them like this: "These guys are some of the most talented, some of the most respected guys in the entire gaming business. Their portfolio is incredible, they're revered, they're almost worshiped in some parts of the gaming community and we're very truly honored to be working with them."The first three games should come as little surprise to anyone reading Joystiq the last couple days: Bayonetta, by Hideki Kamiya, creator of Devil May Cry, Okami, and Viewtiful Joe; Infinite Line, by Hifumi Kouno at Nudemaker, creator of Steel Battalion and, before that, the Clock Tower series; and MadWorld, a mad-cap feast of ultraviolence for -- you guessed it! -- the Wii by first time director Shigenori Nishikawa.%Gallery-22953%
Mad World to make violence cheerful again
Are you sick to the back teeth of violence being so goddamn depressing? If so, Platinum Games, the developers formerly known as Clover, are right with you! In the latest edition of Famitsu, Platinum director Shigenori Nishikawa has declared that "cheerful violence" and "curb brawler" will be the themes of the company's first Wii title, Mad World. Echoes of God Hand, perhaps? Mad World was unveiled yesterday through a shaky, grainy and spectacularly bloody video. Sporting heavily stylized black-and-white visuals, the only color to be found in the game was in the fountains of blood that regularly filled the screen. According to Famitsu, ultra-violence is very much the name of the game, which stars a troubled protagonist dedicated to committing his ultimate slaughter. If you missed the footage (it was constantly being removed from video sharing sites), go past the break to catch up, and see how having a road sign lodged through one's face doesn't have to be a miserable affair.
It's a Mad World of leaked video from Platinum Games
Yesterday, DS Fanboy reported on the rumor that Platinum Games, the company started by ex-Clover Studio members (and Capcom luminaries) Atsushi Inaba, Hideki Kamiya, and Shinji Mikami), was partnering with Sega for new games to be released on the Wii and the DS. This video of Mad World is not technically confirmation since it could be a total fake, but it sure looks real -- and it sure is getting taken down from Youtube and Gametrailers with alarming speed. Mad World is a bloody, futuristic action game that looks (from the blurry video) more like a brawler than the kind of operatic sword maneuvering we know from Devil May Cry. We hate to mention it again (because we always do when talking about Clover), but it evokes a futuristic, really bloody God Hand. It looks like we were wrong about one of the rumors, by the way: Bayonetta is a PS3 game (if any of this is real), and not a Wii game.
See first vids of Platinum's MadWorld and Bayonetta [update]
We brought you the rumor yesterday of Sega inking a deal to publish titles by ex-Clover staffers' Platinum Games, and a couple of new videos on GameTrailers basically confirm it. We're sorry about the quality (they're shaky-cam videos from a mysterious source), but we think you can get the idea. The first, seen above, is a super-violent Wii game called MadWorld.After the break, you can find a clip from Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya's Bayonetta. It's a story of a girl with guns on her feet (based on the classic short story by John Steinbeck). Look for higher-quality versions of these clips to rear their heads soon with Sega's Gamer's Day taking place tomorrow.[Update: It appears that (surprising no one) Sega has had the videos pulled down. Let's hope we get higher quality versions tomorrow.][Thanks, Fernando]
Rumor: Sega publishing Platinum Games ... games
Oops! Looks like some Sega news slipped through the grip of an embargo. The now-removed report detailed an agreement between Platinum Games – the development studio born from the ashes of Capcom's much-loved Clover Studios – and Sega, who will publish three of the developer's titles. Those three games are Bayonetta, directed by Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya, featuring a female protagonist with "guns on her feet" (finally!); a DS sci-fi RPG titled Infinite Line; and an "ultra ultra violent" Sin City-esque Wii game titled MadWorld. There's a good chance we may hear more during Sega's Gamer's Day event on Wednesday but, for now, consider this one a rumor.
Event demonstrations in Mario & Sonic at the Olympics
IGN has dished out four new trailers for Sega's upcoming romp starring both Nintendo and Sega's most recognizable characters. It's also the first game to have both Sonic and Mario in it, although it might not be the one you're waiting for. So, check out the freestyle swimming above and head past the break for three more trailers from the other included challenges in Mario & Sonic at the Olympics. %Gallery-4700%
New Gears of War maps hit this Thursday
Take heart, Gears of War fans and Gary Jules, you're finally going to be able to do something about "worn-out places" when a pack of four new multiplayer maps for the game drops this Thursday on Xbox Live. The "worn-out faces"? Still entirely your problem.For 800 points ($10) you'll get the "Hidden Fronts" pack, which includes "Bullet Marsh" (a Kryll-infested swamp), "Garden" (an overgrown conservatory), "Process" (an Imulsion processing plant) and "Subway" (piece it together). They're not free like Epic wanted right now, but that'll be rectified if you download after Sept. 3, when they'll become a free download, Halo 2 style. So, will you be waiting, or will you be wearing out the places with the rest of us?%Gallery-2901%
