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Metal Gear DLC packs coming to LittleBigPlanet Dec. 23
The PlayStation Blog has dropped all the details about the upcoming Metal Gear character and level pack for LittleBigPlanet, due for release on Dec. 23. The character pack will cost $6 and contain four outfits, including Snake, Meryl, Screaming Mantis and Raiden. The costumes can also be purchased for $2 individually, with the exception of Raiden.The $6 MGS level pack is the real seller here. It features a Gurlukovich soldier costume, 72 stickers, 12 materials, 10 decorations, 18 objects and more. Most importantly, it includes the Paintinator, a paint ball gun which adds some much-needed violence to LBP's happy world of lollipops and imagination. Check out the adorable promotional video after the break.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
LittleBigPlanet's MGS pack includes new Trophies, paintball gun
The Metal Gear Solid level pack for LittleBigPlanet we told you about yesterday? It's more than just eye candy; it introduces a new gameplay mechanic.Specifically, your SackBoys (and girls) will be able to battle enemies (and each other) using paintball guns. There are even Trophies encouraging such harmless behavior among the 11 the pack will add to the game. Another Trophy: Rexecutioner. Yes, you will be able to take on an LBP-ized version of Metal Gear REX. Sony, would you kindly announce a US date?
Fable 2 expansion delayed until 'late January'
Lionhead is going to need a little bit more time before it starts accepting the 800 ($10) fare to Knothole Island. According to the Fable 2 expansion's Xbox.com page, the new land won't be available next week due to "unexpected technical difficulties." It's currently scheduled to arrive in "late January."We'd be more upset about this if we didn't already have a massive backlog of games (not to mention family) to deal with over the next couple of weeks.[Via X3F]
UK's Telegraph names Fable II best game of 2008
The Daily Telegraph has thrown two pence in with its own "best of" video game round up, naming its top 50 games of 2008. Like X-Play before it, the conservative UK newspaper named Lionhead's Fable 2 as the best game to come along in the last 12 months, romancing the crown out from under near-winners, Fallout 3 and LittleBigPlanet. Other games sitting atop the heap included Rock Band 2, Gears of War 2, Spore, Grand Theft Auto IV and No More Heroes, with Left 4 Dead and Professor Layton rounding the publication's top ten. Check out the rather comprehensive list and let us know if your favorites made the cut.
Edge magazine GOTY '08: LittleBigPlanet
UK-based Edge magazine's latest issue contains the publication's "best of" picks for 2008, and LittleBigPlanet is at the top of the heap. Sony's über-platformer took game of the year honors, edging out runners-up Grand Theft Auto IV and Fable 2. (Fun fact: all three contenders were UK-developed.)LBP creator Media Molecule was recognized as 2008's best developer, while its creation also picked up the highest acclaim for innovation and visual design. (Yes, Halo 3's "best innovation" streak has finally been broken.) Edge also named winners for best audio design (Dead Space), best hardware (Xbox 360), best publisher (Microsoft Game Studios), and best online experience (Left 4 Dead).
Deal time: Snag Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts for $26
Considering Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts debuted at $39.99, it was already quite a bargain as far as Xbox 360 games go. Gamers are frugal people, though. They have to be, as gaming is an expensive hobby, after all. With this in mind, we present you with one heckuva deal on Banjo's latest adventure. Amazon currently has the game on sale for a paltry $25.99. Even better, it qualifies for free shipping. If you've been waiting to get your hands on the generally well received build-em-up / platformer, now's your chance.[Via Evil Avatar]
Fable 2's 'Knothole Island' DLC coming Dec. 22
The last launch window we'd heard for Lionhead's upcoming DLC expansion for Fable 2 was "mid-December". Naturally, we anticipated that the actual release date would be around the ides of the month -- however, Lionhead recently confirmed that the "Knothole Island" expansion (and ancillary bonus pack) would be landing on the Marketplace on December 22, an entire week after the month's mid-point. Being the fanatic hair-splitters we are, we're tremendously offended by this miscalculation. Not only will we not be purchasing the expansion (which is going for 800/US$10), but we're removing Peter Molyneux as a Facebook friend post-haste.
Peter Molyneux hints at Fable 2 full game download
Could Microsoft be looking to test the waters of full, current-gen game downloads that EA's already swimming in with the disc-less Burnout Paradise on PSN? Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Lionhead's most important head, Peter Molyneux, said he thinks a digital release of Fable 2 – X-Play's GOTY – via Xbox Live "would be a great thing for this studio to work on."But Peter, where's the hint in that? Ah, it was when asked specifically if there are already plans for this to happen that the famed designer said, "I can't say anything else on it – I would be killed to death." Killed. To. Death. So, if it really were happening, he'd risk being killed to ... a fate beyond death?
Fable 2 wins top honors in X-Play's 'Best of 2008'
The moment you've all been anxiously anticipating is finally here! The winners of X-Play's "Best of 2008" awards have finally been announced -- though perhaps a bit prematurely, as Calvin Tucker's Redneck Jamboree won't be hitting store shelves 'til next week. Fable 2 took the gold in the "Game of the Year" category, beating out Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, Metal Gear Solid 4, Grand Theft Auto IV, Left 4 Dead and Resistance 2.X-Play made some solid choices for the winners of other categories -- The World Ends With You took home "Best Handheld Game", Rock Band 2 clinched the "Best Music/Rhythm Game" category, MGS4 won "Best Action/Adventure Game", and Fallout 3 beat out Fable 2 in the "Best RPG" category. So, for those playing along at home, Fable 2 is the best game that came out this year -- but not the best RPG. Can someone whip up a Venn diagram to try and explain this one to us?
Fable 2 design lead departs for Quake Wars dev
Lionhead's headcount is down by one as Fable 2 lead designer, Richard Ham, has left the company to take on the role of creative director at Splash Damage, the UK-based developer of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. Ham, who has worked on games such as The Movies and the first two Syphon Filter titles on PSone, will head up development of an as-of-yet unrevealed action game for his new employer. In a Q&A on Splash Damage's site, Ham talks about his fondness for the original Syphon Filter, calling it his favorite project he's worked on – and it sounds like he's working on something similar now. Speaking about his new project, he said that "what Splash is doing is so cool, I just couldn't turn down the offer," adding, "In fact, there's a lot in it that's similar to what I wanted to do in Syphon Filter 3, back when it was going to be a PS2 launch title, but that I never got the chance to do. So I couldn't turn down the chance to be involved." So ... Funnel Strainer? [Via develop]
Lionhead 'testing and finalizing' Fable 2 patch
That patch for Fable 2? Lionhead's still on it. In a community forum post, the dev says that the title update designed to exorcise a few naughty bugs from the game is "currently being tested and finalized," although there's still no specific roll-out date.The patch will address a number of issues, but the ones that most players – and there are a lot of Fable 2 players – have been affected by (namely the Monk's Quest and Bowerstone furniture shop glitches) will thankfully be thoroughly nixed. Lionhead says of the Monk's Quest bug: "This will fix the problem if you've already hit it, too." So, for those who haven't already restarted the game to continue past this point in the main quest, you won't have to. Those visiting the furniture store late in the game will also find that there's more to buy there than ... a single book. One of the game's more disturbing "issues" – the ability for your character's children to be marked as targets for assassination – is being dealt with, since assassinating children ... it's not so cool. Nine fixes are detailed in the post, although Lionhead says there are many more less common issues addressed by the patch.
Fable II: New screens of Knothole Island DLC
Click to embiggen Lionhead has released three, and only three, new screenshots of the upcoming Fable II Knothole Island DLC. The screens show off some of the new characters you'll meet as well as some of the new locales to be explored. We're particularly enamored of the snowy mountain seen above. We're not sure what lies at its icy peak, but there is quite obviously a path leading there. It just screams Yeti, doesn't it? Could we at least hope for a snow troll? Check out the screens in the gallery below.The release date for this 800 MS Point DLC has still not been announced.[Via Joystiq]
New screens of Fable 2's 'Knothole Island' DLC
click to embiggen Lionhead has released a handful of new images from its upcoming Fable 2 premium DLC, Knothole Island. In addition to two more shots of the snowy tundra environment, the screenshots offer a free-floating (if they're not going to stop using it, why should we?) glimpse of the new leather-clad biker outfit. It's about as macho as we expected it to be. There's been no update on the release date for the 800/US$10 DLC, which was previously announced as coming in "mid-December."%Gallery-38447%
Microsoft: Black Friday Xbox 360 sales trump PS3 3-to-1
Black Friday, whether you view it as America's most chaotic consumer spending spree or simply as an excuse to shove everyone between you and a $3 toaster, is a critical retail event for console manufacturers. According to Microsoft, the Xbox 360 enjoyed record sales during the frantic shopping period, amounting to an increase of 25% over last year. The company can't resist claiming victory in a battle that doesn't involve the Wii -- the Xbox 360 is said to have outsold the PlayStation 3 by a factor of three.Microsoft also expressed satisfaction with software sales, with Gears of War 2, Fable 2 and Lips (yes, the karaoke game) leading the way. We'll have to wait until November's NPD results are out until we can see just how well each of those titles fared.
Banjo and Kazooie head to XBLA this week
After the title was delayed -- presumably so those who pre-ordered Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts could feel a little more special -- Microsoft has announced that the original Banjo Kazooie will finally be headed to Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday. The game will be available for the price of 1200 Microsoft Points (been seeing that price a lot lately, haven't we?) and features Banjo and his pal Kazooie in the original game that launched the series way back on the Nintendo 64. Apart from being one of the more well-known platformers, Banjo Kazooie also offers connectivity with Nuts & Bolts, allowing gamers to unlock new content in the XBLA game by playing its console-bound cousin.
X3F Impressions: Lips review
Announced during E3 with the glitz and excess of a live performance by Welsh singer Duffy, it was obvious that Lips was Microsoft's attempt to create a music platform for the Xbox that would lure in the same gaming crowd as Sony's SingStar. With the promise of karaoke party fun, high tech motion controlled microphones and images of walking lips seared into our brains, we took Microsoft's Lips for a musical romp. Click towards the break to read our impressions.
Rumor: Fable 2 coming to PC in February
Though the October NPD figures clearly indicate that everyone and their dog have already purchased Peter Molyneux's recently released, much-anticipated action-RPG, we're certain that some of our console-shy readers will be pleased at punch with this recent rumor -- German gaming site Gamona recently dropped some knowledge delivered to them by an unnamed "inside source" at Lionhead, who claimed that Fable 2 would be coming to PCs on February 15, 2009.While we maintain our trademark trepidation when dealing with hearsay, this isn't too outrageous a claim. After all, the original Fable made its way to PCs a year after its initial launch on the Xbox. February does seem a little soon for such a port -- though we wouldn't blame Microsoft for eagerly wanting to continue the harvest of cash money that the game has garnered thus far. We'll let you know when we hear more.
Too Human soundtrack grinds iTunes, CD for phat lootz
Too Human is something of a divisive game. Some people love it, others hate it. From the unusual control scheme to the unique setting, the game has earned a mixed reputation. Still, the game did reasonably well, especially for a new franchise. Well enough, it seems, that Silicon Knights has announced the release of an official soundtrack album. Given that the focus of the game is on grinding endlessly for new gear and abilities, you may not have noticed that the game's soundtrack is pretty good. The folks at Silicon Knights obviously agree and remind us that the soundtrack was recently nominated for "Best Original Video Game Score" by the Hollywood Music Awards. The Too Human soundtrack, composed to complement the game's Norse setting and storyline, is now available from Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes and Sumthing Distribution.[Via Joystiq]
Have a Jukebox for your Viva Pinata garden
Rare has a pretty neat promotion lined up for the holidays this year. First, the company is offering Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise players a new jukebox to decorate their in-game gardens. To grab the jukebox, simply scan the Piñata Vision Card found after the break. Of course, the jukebox isn't just for decoration. From now until December 10, Piñata Island will be conducting a poll to uncover the top 10 romance dance songs. Once the songs are decided, Rare will release one a day as special Piñata Vision Cards. Don't worry if a jukebox isn't your thing, as Rare will be releasing other special cards throughout December.
Fable 2 DLC takes heroes to 'Knothole Island'
Free-floating news, everybody! Lionhead Studios has revealed the first downloadable content pack for its dichotomous role-playing adventure, Fable 2. The "Knothole Island" pack introduces an island encased in snow, it's only hope for warm resolution resting on the shoulders of your swashbuckling hero. Or obese, mace-wielding woman.The whole Knothole pack (detailed after the break) promises new quests, "wondrous" items and "bizarre" characters for a fee of 800 -- that's ten America bucks. If you don't have any of those to spare, you might want to look into the additional (and free!) DLC pack that promises "a show of gifts, including Knight's Boots, Assassins Gloves, a special Weight Loss Potion, collectible silver book and more." You'll also need it to play co-op with anybody who downloaded the Knothole pack (though you won't be able to partake in the new quests without downloading it yourself).Expect the content to hit Xbox Live Marketplace in "mid-December."
