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You got a fast car. Let's wreck it
myFlash = new FlashObject('http://www.gametrailers.com/umremote310.swf', 'swffile', 425, 363, 8); myFlash.altTxt = ''; myFlash.addVariable('mid', 12821); myFlash.write(); People only watch car racing for the crashes. Lucky for us all, Forza 2 features vehicle damage, unlike some racers out there. This video also highlights the physics that go into Forza 2, from shocks to slipstreams. Now comes the inevitable pre-rendered/real time argument. Anyone care to take sides?
Viva Pinata gameplay revealed
If you've been hungering to know (and see) more specifics regarding Rare's upcoming game, Viva Piñata, take a gander at this massive video demonstration from Leipzig. Clocking in at over twenty minutes long, the video goes over just about everything you've wanted to know, including: Attracting piñatas to your garden Tending said garden Piñata romance (rowr!) Xbox Live features Piñatas, piñatas, piñatas. The game looks great. Rare's first game developed entirely on the 360 is colorful, vibrant, and overall very nice. Check out the video if you've got the time to kill. Anyone else think it's strange not to have a third person avatar in a children's game?
Bungie: Halo 3 "feels" more like Halo
In Bungie's latest weekly update of the Halo 3 development process, we learn that the Halo 3 single player will feel very much like the original Halo. Bungie's Frankie had this to say of the campaign mode: I have been playing through Campaign mode purely for kicks. Exploring, in fact. There's lots of the feel of the original Halo, where you'll find yourself in a huge (dangerous) and intrinsically fascinating environment and just want to go tool around and check things out. At this stage in development, the encounters are very carefully placed. Sometimes that means you're in frantic firefights (on a significantly bigger scale than in Halo 2, although all I will confirm numerically is at least one more Grunt.) but there's also time for exploratory reflection and the, "Oooh, maybe I can climb up there and check that thing out," sort of play. If that sounds like a Grand Theft Auto style in the Halo universe to you, then Frankie dismisses that claim very quickly: Don't get me wrong. It's not GTA -- it's still Halo, but there's a bigger feeling scope to some of these levels that has me reminiscing about the original game. And yet, conversely, I'm super excited about the new stuff. Seems like this thing is getting very fleshed out. We wonder how long until Bungie gives us a taste via a demo on Xbox Live. Wouldn't Nov. 17 just be the perfect date for that?
Metareview - Ninety-Nine Nights
Born of a union between Kingdom Under Fire developer Phantagram and Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Q Entertainment, Ninety-Nine Nights promised to combine the grand scale of Dynasty Warriors with dramatic storytelling and strategic gameplay. Despite its impressive pedigree, however, N3 appears to have delivered only an average button mash experience with a next-gen coat of paint. Perhaps the game's lofty ambitions will be better served in a sequel. TeamXbox (67/100) enjoyed the battle effects and character animations, but it didn't hold the reviewer's attention: "Once the 'wow' factor wears off (the number of enemies per frame is crazy at times), Ninety-Nine Nights starts to get pretty mundane...it was more of the same, over and over again. It feels like more could have been done without losing the button mashing appeal." GameSpot (59/100) feels the mindless action orientation only wears thinner as N3 progresses: "None of the seven playable characters have particularly compelling stories to tell, and the game's annoying English voice acting doesn't do a good job of conveying what little story there is." IGN (56/100) notes a critical flaw in one of the game's only redeeming features: "N3 has a tendency to skip straight to a cutscene once you complete an objective, even if you just killed a rather large enemy that dropped something you might want. Too bad for you. If you didn't scoop it up in the half of a second you had after defeating the enemy, then you're out of luck."
Halo 2 run makes the record books
Halo 2 player, Cody Miller, has reportedly been entered into the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records. His accomplishment? A speed run of Halo 2 with no deaths -- on Legendary difficulty. There is no mention of his actual clear time, but no deaths is impressive all by itself. Anybody with a copy of the Guinness care to send us a scan? It should be on the only page with Master Chief. And anyway, how the hell does anyone make it off of Cairo Station on Legendary without dying once? Cody explains it himself right here (there's even a video here). [Via Joystiq]
Rumor: Free Game with 360 starts today
Video Game Jocks is reporting that Microsoft will begin giving away a free game with the purchase of a new Xbox 360. The promotion applies to either a Core or Premium console. The available games are: Project Gotham Racing 3, Kameo: Elements of Power, Perfect Dark Zero or Dead or Alive 4. Supposedly the deal begins today and runs through September 22nd. For now, take this with a grain of salt, as the article fails to link any source information whatsoever. If anyone can find the actual announcement, hit us up with a tip and see your name inside pretty brackets. [Like This]
Metareview - Dungeon Siege II: Broken World
It would appear the lines are starting to blur between episodic content and bona fide expansion packs, as evidenced by the relatively short and uninspired campaign in Dungeon Siege II: Broken World. 2K Games probably should have hacked and slashed ten bucks off the $30 price tag and labeled this one "DS2: Episode 1". It's all in the marketing. GameSpot (63/100) was disappointed that Gas Powered Games failed to break new ground: "After the lengthy and far-reaching campaign of Dungeon Siege II, this short and narrowly focused 10-hour expansion feels like more of a throwaway side quest than a compelling new chapter in the history of the troubled world of Aranna. Beyond the dungeons, the story brings nothing to the Dungeon Siege universe and could just as well go untold." IGN (63/100) enjoyed putting the beat down on the grunts, but the build up had no payoff: "As inventive as the rank and file enemies are, the bosses aren't as dramatic as they could be given that you face each of them multiple times. Every time you kill a boss, you're going to have to face another one just like him somewhere down the road. In a few cases, you're even going to fight him in a location that looks the same too." 1UP (60/100) thinks it's time for a shiny new engine: "Broken World is using, essentially, a 3-year-old graphics engine. So, like most 3-year olds, it can be unpleasant to deal with (and look at) -- especially when it comes to framerate issues and those pesky camera angles." See also: Metareview - Titan Quest
Kameo pack adds versus play, achievements
New Kameo content on Marketplace, dubbed "The Kameo Power Pack," is set to add several features to Rare's platformer. The content adds three new modes of play including Expert mode, Time Attack mode, and Rune Battle mode. All modes support two players, the first two being co-op while the third is a versus mode. One interesting tidbit: the new content will actually add 15 new achievements and worldwide leaderboards to the game (anybody know if this gives Kameo more than 1000 achievement points?). Whatever your opinions of Kameo, it's nice to see Rare supporting the game with fresh content this far into its lifespan. Expect to see it hit Marketplace "soon." [Thanks, MumbleyJoe]
Kameo Power Pack announced
Rare has announced that a Power Pack will soon be available for their Xbox 360 adventure Kameo: Elements of Power. This represents the game's fifth downloadable offering via the Xbox Live marketplace. In previous packs, Kameo herself received a closet full of new duds, but this time her monster pals get to play dress up with some modified armor. Regarding gameplay enhancements, the Power Pack ramps up the difficulty for six of the original game's levels with Expert mode, while the Time Attack and Rune Battle modes offer new multiplayer support. Pricing and availability have not been made available, but earlier costume packs sold for 200 Microsoft points ($2.50), and the first co-op pack was free.
Crackdown: more than meets the eye
Okay, so, we've seen some Crackdown videos before. We've seen thugs get shot. We've seen them juggled maliciously with a rocket launcher. What we haven't seen is the video above. It seems that all cars of the future are capable of pimping themselves, much to the chagrin of the jobless, future Xzibit. Also, for a supercop, this guy sure runs down a lot of civilians.
GOW rumblings: no demo?
Following yesterday's BIG announcement that Gears of War will hit the US on November 12th and in the UK on the 17th of November, comes the news that there will not be a demo released before the game ships, or possibly ever. Speaking with TeamXbox, Epic VP, Mark Rein, had this to say:"Demos take a long time to create and polish and we can't afford to get derailed like that if we want to have the game in stores by Thanksgiving. Given a choice of the game this year or a demo this year and the game next year I'm sure every one of you would rather have the game this year because you're already planning to buy it. No idea if we'll do a demo or not after the game ships."Maybe that was the real BIG announcement. Seriously though, we all want a taste of GOW, but is there anyone out there waiting for a demo to make up their minds? If so, tell us why.[Via Fraggerock]
Emergence Day emerges as *gasp* Nov. 12
The reason viral gaming campaigns bug us is 'cause the hype never matches the delivery. Last Monday Epic's Mark Rein declared, with a theatrical wave of a rather ham-shaped hand, that there would in fact be a "BIG announcement coming next week." At the same time, in another corner of the gamerverse, XBL gamertags using the fictitious names of fictitious characters pleaded with eager (or disinterested) gamers, "We need your help. Can't talk now. Don't know who to trust. Will send more tomorrow." Codes were delivered, codes were broken, retail sites were apparently updated a little too early and now, on Thursday of the foretold "next week," we know the truth: Gears of War is coming out this fall ... specifically, November 12th! And gone is the Microsoft-published pricepoint of $49.99. This fall, $59.99 (with $69.99 special edition, natch) is the new $49.99. Yay?You see? It's just not that exciting. We already knew it was coming out this fall and educated guesses would have pegged November, just prior to the Nov. 17th PS3 launch, as a likely candidate. And announcing a higher than expected price isn't usually received very well (just ask Sony). Then again, maybe this isn't the BIG announcement. Maybe this is all part of a cleverly orchestrated plot by this guy to get our hopes up, dash them against the rocks like so many brains, and then, when we've hit bottom, throw a face melting Gears of War demo in our very melt-able, exceedingly cynical faces. Your move, Epic.
Fusionnnnn Frennnzyyy!...um...2!
Microsoft announced today that the sequel to Fusion Frenzy -- creatively titled, Fusion Frenzy 2 -- will be released in the US in time for the holidays. The title is being developed by Hudson (Mario Party, Bomberman) and published by Microsoft Game Studios. For those unfamiliar with the original Xbox title (pictured above), Fuzion Frenzy is a party game full of frantic minigames and eXtreMe! character designs. It's kind of like Mario Party without all the boring board game sections (oh, snap!).It will be interesting to see what Hudson does with the franchise -- the original game was developed by Blitz games, who are currently working on another 360 game, Possession. Anybody itching for a good 360 party game?[Thanks, Paul]
See Forza's ride pimping in motion
Microsoft recently released this video of Forza's ride pimping possibilities. It's reasonably safe to say that if you love rides and the pimping of them, you'll like Forza 2. Custom wheels, rims, bumpers, grills, engines, shocks, even paint, it's all there. Not to mention the game itself looks like a bit of alright.Anybody here planning to spend more time tinkering than racing?
Alien Hominid to crash land on XBLA this year [update 1]
There's two ways you could look at this, depending on how cynical and jaded you are. You could jump up and down knowing that Alien Hominid, one of the most successful and interesting indie games ever made, is coming to Microsoft's popular Xbox Live Arcade service this winter ... or you could grind your teeth knowing that your perfectly suitable Xbox copy isn't backwards compatible (yet?) so, if you want that side scrolling action, you'll be shelling out for the same game again. Granted, it was only $20 to begin with, and a $10 XBLA price would still keep the total well below your average AAA title, but it's the principle dammit! This is a slippery slope for Microsoft to be on. Cynical (and/or cheap) gamers have foretold the day when Microsoft would use future profits to determine the fate of backwards compatibility on a particular title. Conspiracy theorists will point to Alien Hominid's relatively spartan and humble graphics as proof positive that Redmond isn't playing fair. Of course, these accusations will be premature since there are certain to be more backcompat updates before the Fall console launches, but they'll be made regardless. Game Informer reports that Alien Hominid developer The Behemoth is also bringing their in development title Castle Crashers to XBLA in early 2007. For more indie-dev goodies, check out the excellent Gamasutra podcast this week for an interview with The Behemoth's John Baez. [Thanks, Shizzle] [Update 1: 1UP previewed the game at the Comic-Con expo that began today. They confirm the obligatory 360 upgrades like high-def and widescreen support, but also note that "the developers are looking into adding a few bonuses here and there to give the Live Arcade version something extra for players who are familiar with the original" but add "we don't have any details on that front at this point."]
Peter Molyneux's orgasmic delight
Conrad over at Joystiq has posted an interview with Lionhead's Peter Molyneux. There's a lot of good stuff in there and I won't attempt to recount it all. I will, however, relate this little tidbit to whet your appetite:"You know in those days that's what it was like, I smoked more cigarettes, drunk more and did disastrous things to my body. I was a total introvert, the world outside of what I did on my computer became dim, almost psychotically so. But, there was, and I apologize for using this words, there was this orgasmic delight in physically creating something."Good stuff. Conrad and Peter talk Fable, Fable 2, Pete's "secret project", and more. Head over to Joystiq and check it out.
A few Fable scraps
The Lionhead Times has be updated with a few bits of info regarding Fable 2. Most of the info is just general development stuff, but there are a few interesting things to point out. For instance, the story of Fable 2 takes place 500 years after the events of Fable and The Lost Chapters, giving the game a richer history from which to build the story. The story is also planned to be longer than the original, which is definitely good news. Somewhat more cryptic, it's also revealed that the story could take a turn that will "shock" players. Another little tidbit, the Fable 2 team now has to make "milestone" builds of the game in order to showcase the game's progress to the suits at Microsoft. The upshot of this is that we should get some insight on the game's progress as well. Fable 2 is one of the 360's heavy hitters so, rest assured that we'll keep you posted.
Halo 3 has a happy ending, or how I learned to love YTMND
The animated .gif addicts over at YTMND have been very busy lately revealing the truthiness behind recent video game rumors. Here are some of those OMIGOD NEWS FLASH! announcements from YTMND's gaming posse: The PS3's 100% official start-up screen REVEALED! Nintendo's bunker busted REVEALED! Halo 3 ending REVEALED! World of Warcraft in space REVEALED! Shiggy's secret N64 formula REVEALED! Half-Life 2's plotline REVEALED! (take that, suckas) YTMND's formula is never going to get old, simply because there will never be a shortage of fanboy ideas and rumors to make fun of. [Via Xbox360Fanboy] More: The Wii zeitgeist, via YTMND, Wiill Ferrell tests Wii accelerometer technology and Dick Hunt!
Halo 3 happy ending?
To all the haters who complain about frivolous blog posts and possible spoilers. Lighten up. It's the best day ever! [Thanks Joe]
Rare's Jetpac rumored for Xbox Live Arcade
Eurogamer reports that the 1983 classic Jetpac could be in the works for Xbox Live Arcade. This simple title (the original version was just 16 KB), was created by legendary developer Rare, known then as Ultimate Play the Game, for the ZX Spectrum. Jetpac was reintroduced to the gaming public in 1999 as an unlockable extra in Rare's Donkey Kong 64. Will Jetpac fly as a standalone Xbox Live Arcade title? For some, sure, but maybe Microsoft should rethink XBLA's current pricing structure. Jetpac would be a lot more attractive if it was part of a 400-point ($5) bundle with 2–4 other super-retro games.
