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Capcom media drop: RE Revelations, Remember Me, DmC DLC and more
Capcom showed its upcoming lineup to journalists in San Francisco this week, with playable builds of Resident Evil: Revelations, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Remember Me, Darkstalkers Resurrection and the "Vergil's Downfall" DLC for DmC: Devil May Cry.We'll be posting our thoughts on those later, but in the meantime you can have a look at the new media above (Hunk in a Resident Evil: Revelations trailer) and below.%Gallery-178780%
Monster Hunter Tri servers go down April 30
The Monster Hunteth, and the monster taketh away. On April 30, just over three years after the game's release, the online multiplayer servers for Monster Hunter Tri on Wii will be disabled.Capcom's hope is that the people still playing the action RPG on Wii will migrate to Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on Wii U and/or 3DS, of course. That comes out March 19, giving you a safe, six-week overlap period to secure your hunting fix.
Recently revealed Vita games already cancelled (good thing they were fake!) [update]
Update: It turns out that three of the games were fakes made by a 4Chan forum user, though Monster Hunter 3 is still listed on Play.com. You got us, forum dude! And we're sorry.Original piece: Play.com has outed Monster Hunter Portable 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Nights, Tales of Innocence R and Final Fantasy Type-0 HD for PlayStation Vita via an early listing, as listed by Eurogamer. The leak confirms the western releases of Monster Hunter Portable 3, Final Fantasy Type-0 and Tales of Innocence R, all of which have previously launched on various Sony platforms in Japan. Vice City Nights is an unannounced title.Sony is hosting the PlayStation Vita Game Heaven on March 9, and we have a feeling that it just might include these titles.
Nintendo 3DS circle pad attachment coming to Japan on Dec. 10
In the midst of revealing a new color for its latest handheld, the 3DS, Nintendo also let slip some other interesting information during its pre-Tokyo Game Show presser this afternoon in Japan. For one, the bizarro second analog nub will be arriving at Japanese retailers starting this December 10, and it'll run customers ¥1500 ($19.50). Moreover, the Japenese console manufacturer revealed several titles that'll support the attachment, kicking off with Monster Hunter Tri G on Dec. 10th. Following Monster Hunter comes Biohazard Revelations (Resident Evil: Revelations outside of Japan), Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, Ace Combat 3D: Cross Rumble, Dynasty Warriors VS, and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. And finally, the "Slidepad" will require a single AAA battery for use, which indicates to us that it won't bolster the battery of the 3DS it's attached to. We're making sad faces as hard as we can right now.
Sony to remaster select PSP titles for PlayStation 3, allow cross-device continuous gameplay
As much as you love your PSP, we suspect that its low graphics definition is starting to bug even the most devoted fans. Sure, you can wait for the almighty NGP, but for the time being, Sony's offering the next best thing for you game connoisseurs: the PSP Remaster series for PlayStation 3. As the name says for itself, Sony will be porting select portable game titles to the PS3 in high-def Blu-ray flavor, and some may even come with new add-on content plus stereoscopic 3D support. But that's not all: gamers will also be able to share game save data between the two platforms, meaning you can pick up where you left off on your preferred device. Pretty neat, though it'll be interesting to see how much Sony and the studios wants to charge for what are essentially the same games you already own. The first PSP Remaster title announced is Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, but this is only heading to Japan at an unknown date -- gamers in other countries will just have to keep squinting at the PSP for now.
Monster Hunter Tri players have spent millions of hours hunting monsters
Gaming and caffeinated beverage-centric news site Coffee With Games has once again compiled a number of statistics for Monster Hunter Tri, Capcom's Wii-based online action-RPG -- which celebrated its first birthday last week. The results are, well, startling: Out of nearly 70,000 players who have reported playing the game through Wii's Nintendo Channel, an astonishing 6,313,120 total hours of play time have been logged. That's an average of 90 hours and 25 minutes for each reported player. Of course, that figure's predicated on the idea that those 6.3 million hours are spread evenly among the player base. There's a good chance that a majority of the crowd played the game for a much more modest amount of time, while about 500 people have played the game unceasingly for the 8,800 or so hours that the game's been out. Oh, man. We accidentally bummed ourselves out, there.
Monster Hunter Tri with Classic Controller Pro bundle back at retail
If you've been waiting to jump on the Monster Hunter Tri bandwagon or are just looking for an excuse to pick up a sexy black Classic Controller Pro, this post is for you. Capcom has announced that the Monster Hunter Tri / Classic Controller Pro pack is now back in stock at retail -- and with a cheaper suggested price of $50. Even better, Amazon is currently offering the bundle for just $40. That's a brand new controller and more hours of gameplay than you can shake a giant sword at for just two Jacksons.
Nintendo Australia drops Wii price
Nintendo of Australia is dropping prices left and right! That is, if you imagine a DSi on the left and a Wii on the right. The company announced a substantial price drop for the Wii console today, from its original AU $399.95 (US $369) down to AU $299.95 (US $277). The new price is still painfully expensive compared to other regions, but it's better. And EBGames is sweetening the deal by throwing in The Bigs 2 and Overlord: Dark Legend. The price drop is taking place concurrently with the release of Monster Hunter Tri, making Capcom's ARPG essentially the unofficial "launch" game for the new, cheaper Wii. If you buy that and the black Wii, it's sort of like you bought a bundle! [Thanks, Alejandro]
Review: Monster Hunter Tri
There was a time, back in the late '90s, when geeks and doe-eyed adolescents would accept anything from Japan with open arms. It was a time when DragonBall Z, Final Fantasy and Hello Kitty were in their prime, and a time when Japan-crazy teens would pay top-dollar for Pocky, just so that they could experience a sliver of the culture. Times have changed, and "Big in Japan" is not the game-selling bullet point that it used to be. A perfect example is the Monster Hunter franchise, which, despite its runaway success in Japan, has never really taken off in the West. Nevertheless, its latest title, Monster Hunter Tri, has piqued the interests of many American Wii owners asking the age old question: "Can I start with the new game, or do I need to go back and play the first two?" Luckily for newcomers, there is almost no story to the Monster Hunter franchise, so you can throw any trepidation about prior plot points out the window. The games act more as a simulation of the day-to-day life of an average, dinosaur-slaying wage-earner, trying to make a living by taking whatever temp jobs he can get. Tri gives hunters a little more motivation than previous titles, by putting players in charge of restoring a fishing village that has been ravaged by earthquakes and sea monsters. From time to time, you might check in with villagers or deliver some resources to fix up the farm, but that is about as deep as the story ever gets. Don't expect for a villager to recall something that happened in Monster Hunter 2, because nothing happened back then, either. %Gallery-86439%
Monster Hunter Tri guide introduces a monster of questionable huntability
Monster Hunter Tri is dangerous business. So dangerous, in fact, that Capcom felt the need to warn us about some of the harder-to-hunt monsters. In the last entry in its "Dangerous Guide to Monster Hunting," the publisher introduces the "Alatreon," which sounds like something that should only be taken on by the craziest, death-wishingest of hunters. After the break, you can see footage of the dragon tearing around a lava pit, where it apparently lives. At Capcom-Unity, you can read all about how these things " mercilessly tear apart whoever touches their sharp scales," and are so powerful that "their actions can affect the very weather." Okay, now who's ready to go swing a sword at one of these? The post also features links to the other entries in the "Dangerous Guide," so you can read up on the other creatures you'd have to be a reckless idiot to fight.
Monster Hunter Tri devs won't be at UK launch due to volcanic ash cloud
The London launch event for Monster Hunter Tri will no longer feature director Kaname Fujioka or producer Ryozo Tsujimoto. The pair's travel plans were thwarted by the unslayable monster Eyjafjallajökull. However, even though volcanic ash has kept the Capcom staffers from flying in, that doesn't mean there won't be any festivities on April 23. The event, which runs from 9AM to 9PM, will still feature a GAME store "transformed" in celebration of the game. And more importantly, it'll still feature free swag bags for the first 50 in line. In addition, in lieu of having Tsujimoto and Fujioka sign games live, the first 100 people to purchase the game will be sent autographed covers for their games.
Monster Hunter Tri launch trailer is all over the place
Monster Hunter Tri arrives in North America this week, and to mark the occasion, Capcom sent out this strange trailer. It starts off kind of somber and beautiful, with some haunting chants, and then it suddenly transitions into FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT. Then some shots of a hunter hanging out with Cha-Cha, doing some fishing, then FIGHT FIGHT. Presumably, the actual game spreads out the violent bits and the relaxing bits, but put in rapid succession like this it seems a bit psychotic. How's that for a back-of-the-box quote?
Meet Monster Hunter Tri's producer and director at UK launch event
If you're in London and eager to get started hunting monsters and, uh, holding a Classic Controller Pro, you'll probably want to be at GAME's Monster Hunter Tri London launch event on April 23. Not only will the game be there -- the first 50 people in line will receive a bag full of Monster Hunter stuff. And then you'll have the opportunity to have some of that stuff signed by producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and director Kaname Fujioka. Nintendo would like to remind you to wear your "best 'hunting' attire" to the event, so you look nice and ridiculous when you meet the developers. %Gallery-86439%
Capcom supporting Monster Hunter Tri with downloadable quests
Capcom wants to ensure you continue hunting after the release of Monster Hunter Tri, by releasing limited-time quests after release, in the form of "Event Quests," "Gigantic Monster Quests," and "Arena Quests." According to a post on Capcom-Unity, Event Quests will be offered "on an ongoing basis," but require players to achieve a certain hunter rank before taking part. "Gigantic Monster Quests," however are only up for one day, allowing parties of hunters to take on the enormous "Jhen Mohran" monster. Arena Quests allow only two players in a party, fighting a single monster. Some of these arena battles will offer better rewards for quicker completion. Capcom will announce each month's quest schedule on the first Friday of each month on Capcom-Unity, so set your bookmarks, monster hunters.
Nintendo collaborated with Capcom on the Classic Controller Pro
In a new Iwata Asks feature with Capcom's Ryozo Tsujimoto and Kaname Fujioka, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed just how closely Nintendo worked with Capcom to ensure the success of Monster Hunter Tri. Not only did the hardware manufacturer create a new controller, the Classic Controller Pro, but it actually consulted Capcom about it. "I'm just gonna go ahead and say it," Iwata said, "but we even discussed where the best place for the analogue sticks would be." Fujioka expressed the team's relative shock at Nintendo's openness. "To be honest, when we were first asked that, I thought, 'Is it all right for us to decide?'," Fujioka said. We said what we thought would be a good spot for the analogue sticks, and when it turned out just like that, I was surprised." Of course, that spot is "exactly where they are on the PS2 controller," but that's due to Capcom's choice!
Monster Hunter Tri ads mock non-monster hunters
It's rare for someone to berate you for not being tough enough for a Wii game, but that's exactly what Capcom's Monster Hunter Tri spokes-character Ironbeard does in this surprisingly funny series of ads. The Scottish huntsman mocks people for thinking that hunting real, regular-sized animals is hard when there are monsters to be hunted in Capcom's upcoming Wii game. Not only are these ads, which you can view after the break, funny, they're also kind of effective. We don't want to look at this fictional character with shame! We want him to be proud of us for being man enough to hunt giant fake monsters. [Thanks, Kieran!]
Monster Hunter Tri supports Wii Speak, bundled with accessory in Europe
Back in November, Capcom told Joystiq it was "hoping" to add voice chat support to Monster Hunter Tri using the neglected Wii Speak accessory. Today's announcement of the European release of the game confirms that players will be able to coordinate with their hunting parties by yelling at their TVs. Not only will the Western releases of Monster Hunter Tri support the Wii Speak accessory, but it will be offered as part of a bundle in the European version. In addition to the standalone game and a Classic Controller Pro bundle, you'll be able to buy a pack containing Monster Hunter Tri, a black Classic Controller Pro, and a Wii Speak mic. [Via Siliconera]
Classic Controller Pro releasing with Monster Hunter Tri in North America
Here's some awesome news: according to a press release sent out by Nintendo, Monster Hunter Tri will be available in North America this April -- which means that Capcom essentially delayed it as little as possible. Here's some more awesome news: it'll be available in a bundle with the Classic Controller Pro, the upgraded version of the Classic Controller that was previously only available in Japan. The set will cost $59.99. Even if you're not interested in Monster Hunter, you'll be able to get one separately, in black or white, for the same $19.99 price Nintendo charges for the regular Classic Controller. The Pro might not do anything different than the original, but it's laid out a bit more comfortably, with the analog sticks spread out further and the shoulder buttons moved out of the Classic's ridiculous single-file configuration. It's no coincidence, given Monster Hunter's PS2 origins, that this new controller is essentially identical in layout to a Dual Shock. %Gallery-83838%
Nintendo distributing Monster Hunter 3 in Europe this April
Nintendo appears to be confident in the sales potential of Capcom's Monster Hunter Tri. The company will take on sales, marketing, and distribution of the Wii action RPG in Europe and Australia, as it did for Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles and Zack and Wiki. Despite Capcom's announcement that the title would be delayed, Monster Hunter Tri will be released in April in the West -- just out of its original Q1 window. "Nintendo has identified Monster Hunter Tri as a key title for the Wii platform in 2010," Capcom Europe senior director of marketing Michael Pattison said. " We are really excited about partnering with Nintendo to further develop this franchise." Perhaps it could be developed further by releasing the Classic Controller Pro along with it. Just an option. %Gallery-34117%
Wait outside the Monster Hunter Tri site
The new Monster Hunter Tri site isn't quite open yet, with the full contents of the digital lodge kept locked down by an outrageous voice actor. But even without access to whatever's in there, there's some interesting stuff to be found outside the virtual barrier (navigate over to the door knocker twice to find it). The site features screenshots, the North American announcement trailer, weapon descriptions, and, perhaps most useful for us, a short listing of monsters -- maybe now we won't catch so much flak for referring to one of the game's trademark creatures as "like a dragon or something." It's like a Monster Hunter University for everyone! In the announcement, Capcom still referred to the game's release date as "Spring 2010," so we expect it to be one of the less delayed titles in Capcom's lineup.
