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New Bounty Hounds screens revealed, ships Sept. 12
IGN has just posted nearly 40 new screens of Namco's upcoming Bounty Hounds. The screens show some nice levels and more mouth-watering battles that we've come to expect from this game.From these screens, Bounty Hounds is shaping up to the best-looking PSP game to date, with maybe the exception of Killzone. And with the recent news of infrastructure multi-player support, this game just keeps getting better and better.What makes this all even better is the game comes out in a few days come Sept. 12, and you can bet I'll be there picking up my copy first thing in the morning.(Via IGN)
As promised, Riiiiiiidge Raaaaaacer 7 updates! [Update 1]
The Japanese magazine Famitsu posted some news about the upcoming Namco-Bandai title, Ridge Racer 7. A lot of the news was just rehashing the E3 information, but the new information comes in a description of the modes of play. There are a lot. Let's take a look: Ridge State Grand Prix: the main mode of play. 160 races await you on 44 courses (22 if you don't count reversed courses... which you should, they're surprisingly different). Win races, earn new cars and parts. Online Battle: Online gaming fanatics main mode of play. Online races support 14 players. In addition to competitive racing, other options will include relay, team battle and pair time attack. Global Time Attack: face off against the world's racers, all trying to get the best time on any given course. You can also use split screen here and race with a buddy, teaming up for pair time attack. Arcade: standard play that supports two-player split screen. UFLA Special Event: events downloaded through the internet. Sounds promising! Machine Connector: customize your ride in this mode. From performance to visuals, it's all an option. Future stickers, parts, etc will be available for download. Ranking Browser: not really a mode of play, but you can see the rankings of the top players worldwide. Fun stuff, huh? Still no actual screenshots or release date, but this is a pretty good indicator of what's to come. Cross your fingers for the Tokyo Game Show, racing fans![update: here are some game screenshots hot off the press guys! Looks gorgeous!]
Riiiiiidge Raaaaacer 7 has news speeding its way!
The Sony execs really, really love this game! Ridge Racer 7 is probably going to get a large influx of news in the coming weeks, according to the Japanese website, according to IGN, according to us. There's a fun flash animation on the official Namco-Bandai site at least and those are always exciting (since most of us can't read anything else on the site). Even though the game was building up some steam near E3, only some conceptual footage was found. Now with this announcement, will we see a new or updated (or playable?) build at the Tokyo Game Show? Would be cool. This brings up a fun question to be answered by you all: which racing game really matters? Are you a Ridge Racer, Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, or other big racing title fan? Which one has you most excited for the next-gen console?
Tales of the World screens look radiant
Tales fans in the US just don't get enough love. Tales of Phantasia never left Japanese shores, and Tales of Eternia was fully localized... for Europe only. Hopefully, the upcoming original PSP Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology won't meet the same fate. Like previous Tales of the World games, the game will feature characters from other Tales games, like fan-favorite Tales of Symphonia. The battle system is ripped from Tales of the Abyss, and lets you control up to four characters per team.Look at the screenshots, and try to tell me this game doesn't warrant a US release. C'mon, Bandai Namco: get your act together. I want to get Tales of the World (and Tales of the Tempest) ASAP![Thanks daniel-kun!]
Blazing hot Ace Combat trailer & screens [Update 1]
Famitsu has beautiful new screens of Ace Combat X, an all-new continuation of the Ace Combat series. Famitsu also grabbed a trailer, which is voiced in English so you can fully appreciate the cheese. The graphics are sharp, and features some potentially awesome multiplayer. Makes me want to watch Top Gun again. Wait... I never want to watch that movie ever again. The game comes out September 17th.[Via PSP-Vault][Update 1: Trailer is now embedded after the cut, for your viewing pleasure.]
Ridge Racer 2 intro and gameplay video
There's something about the PSP and its great affinity towards CG women. The Ridge Racers series is famous for the CG model Reiko Nagase posing seductively on top of the cars. The upcoming Ridge Racers 2 is no different, as it continues the tradition. This video showcases some of the gameplay from the upcoming sequel and also shows you the sleek intro sequence as well. The game hasn't been announced for US release yet, but will be available in Japan in September.[Via IGN]
Release date for Tales of the Tempest
October 26 boys and girls. That is when you might want to consider importing Tales of the Tempest, Bandai-Namco's newest installment in the Tales series. A good opportunity to flex those Japanese speaking muscles right? No doubt all the time spent on the game will make it well worth the years of waiting. Since Japan already has a release date, maybe we could get one for the rest of us?
Interview with Toshinore Sone
Cubed 3 got to chat with Bandai Namco's Toshinore Sone. The Assistant Producer for Dig Dug: Digging Strike (which is set to release in Europe August 25) discussed Nintendo, Dig Dug and how he got his start in video games. When asked why he decided to "resurrect" Dig Dug on the DS, he replied: "With the dual screens of the Nintendo DS, I thought it would be an interesting way to combine Dig Dug 1 and Dig Dug 2. This idea led me to come up with the proposal for Dig Dug : Digging Strike. Since I grew up in a generation playing Dig Dug, I wanted those in my generation who also enjoyed the game to relive and rediscover the game all over again." It was interesting to find out that the team responsible for Dig Dug did not work to create DD:DS.
PS3 gets big robots and drama known as Gundam
If you like big robots, explosions, exploding robots, or big explosions, you may have played a mech game. One such game, which also has a Japanese animation series (multiple, actually), is known as Gundam. Mobile Suit Gundam has been slated for a US release sometime within the next year, which could actually mean (and is rumored to mean) by the end of 2006. This game, hailing from Namco Bandai, has been several years in production and boasts, among other things, "ultra realistic destruction physics." Well there you have it. They're ultra. Nothing beats ultra.This game takes place after the XBox360 Gundam title, One Year War. So if you're a huge anime buff and need to get the whole story, timeline, whatever, then you may need to check that one out too. The basic premise is you take control of your big robot and destroy other big robots (strategically, of course) or other objects, complete objectives, unlock more robots, and wreak havoc in a robot war. Which can be surprisingly fun. In the article at IGN, there's a link at the end which goes into more detail for those interested. Some of the stuff about the PS3 hardware itself in the interview is interesting as well. It has to be said... it's Gun-dam great!
Pac-Man wakka wakka wakkas XBLA
The good news: it's Wednesday and there's another Xbox Live Arcade game to blow some MS bucks on. This time it's Pac-Man, part two of Namco's arcade offerings following Galaga, and he's also fetching 400 MS Points ($5 in Earth money). The bad news: Pac-Man is the last game confirmed on Microsoft's initial Xbox Live Arcade Wednesdays list. We know Microsoft wants to keep up the weekly cycle, but with no announcement of future games, it makes us feel uneasy. Official Xbox Magazine listed the following titles and dates ... Aug. 16: Texas Hold 'em Aug. 23: Time Pilot Aug. 30: Scramble Sept 6: Lumines Live! ... but Microsoft naturally shot 'em down. We're thinking OXM is right on the money (they are official), and Microsoft's just being cautious.See also:The growing list of Xbox Live Arcade titles
Pac-Man is out, boyeeee!
Pac-Man, Namco's seminal arcade hit, is now available on Marketplace. The full game can be purchased for the Midnight Madness price of 400 points. It's...um...well, it's Pac-Man. What more is there to say? Go get it.
Bounty Hounds lets you blow up aliens
From the developers of Hello Kitty: Rescue Mission (hey, developers gotta pay the bills somehow, right?) comes the PSP-exclusive shooter Bounty Hounds. It's been a long time since we last heard about this game, but Namco Bandai has blown the covers off this game big time. The main gameplay involves you dual-wielding Halo 2-style, and you'll obviously have to choose the right weapons for the right occassion. In a feat of technical marvel, the developers have managed to squeeze a feature that we thought only the PlayStation 3 could do: real-time weapons swapping. With 500 weapons and items you can equip, and a unique energy field mode, this game is looking up to not be just a good shooter, but an original one as well. Span the mighty Internets to get your hands on multiple videos and perspectives:Gamespot:PreviewInterviewIGN:Progress ReportScreensMoviesGameVideos:Combat GameplayChoices GameplayAttacks GameplayMelee GameplayRanged Gameplay
Metareview - Tekken: Dark Resurrection
Your PSP is in need of a resurrection, ain't it? Was that too harsh? 'Kay, maybe just a lil' resuscitation. Uh-huh, admit it, unless you're a raving fanboy, the past four months, in terms of licensed game content, have not been kind to your Sony portable. Naysayers may write off Tekken: Dark Resurrection as another example of a popular PS2 franchise making the jump to PSP -- or worse, declare it 'just a Tekken 5 port.' Forget that. TDR is an enormous accomplishment in the portable fighting genre and more importantly, it's got your PSP's heart beating again. GameSpy (90/100) points out the game's most apparent flaw .... "it's that there are online features, but they don't include versus play over the internet." Games Radar (90/100) concludes that it's "oceanic depth" that makes this "the single best portable fighting game ever." 1UP (80/100) finds that despite a cheap end boss and d-pad issues, "Tekken: Dark Resurrection is one of the easiest games to recommend for the PSP."
Galaga hits Live Arcade
It's Galaga! Available right now on Xbox Live Arcade! A game sure to make gamers, non-gamers, and even the significant others of gamers very happy. Everybody loves Galaga. Grab the demo, and if you like it, Galaga can be purchased for 400 points. That's a mere $5. Seriously, when you were a kid, if someone told you that you could play all the Galaga you ever wanted for five bucks, you'd go for it right?If by chance you have no idea what Galaga is, get the demo and experience gaming history. Otherwise, rejoice!
IGN gives Tekken: Dark Resurrection a 9.2
While I don't think I'll be plunking down the $372 for the Tekken Gigapack, after reading IGN's review of Tekken: Dark Resurrection, I may have to pick it up. IGN gives Dark Resurrection a 9.2 as they annoint it as the best fighting game and arcade port ever on the PSP. They also go on to say it's one of the best games available across any genre. Dark Resurrection, which is basically an updated Tekken 5, sports tons of extra content in the form of "new customizable items, characters, environments, and other cool goodies. There are new ranks, new moves, new music, small interface enhancements, every character is available from the start ... you name it, it's probably in here." One problem I've always had with fighting games on portables are the controls. I can never seem to pull off moves very easily, and it seems the case is the same with Dark Resurrection. "The PlayStation Portable's directional pad makes it difficult to pull off moves that arcade and PS2 veterans might otherwise have no problem with." They go on to say most players will get used to the d-pad issue, but still, that kinda sucks. The good thing is aside from that and a couple other small complaints, there doesn't seem to be too many other faults in the game. So there you have it, one of the first reviews of Namco's latest fighting venture is out and it seems like it's a winner. [Via IGN]
More reason to want Tekken: Dark Resurrection
As if we needed any! But in case you did, Gamespot has gotten their hands on the import copy of Tekken: Dark Resurrection, likely laughing their importing butts off thinking about how much fun they're having and how much we loathe them for being able to play the game. Like a gentle mother assuring her child that he can be whatever he wishes to be upon growing up, Gamespot soothes us by speaking of the game's astounding graphics and excellent control scheme, further cementing our maddening desire to purchase this game and, more than likely, call off from work for a day.
Chimpanzee plays Ms. Pac-Man, gets eaten by ghost
There are a plethora of reasons for teaching a banana-munching mammal how to play a classic game such as Ms. Pac-Man. A plethora. The prime one, of course, being that it's an excellent and completely unpredictable strategy in obtaining complete world domination. The world's defences would have little choice but to collapse in the face of an army of chimpanzees highly skilled at traversing mazes, collecting various fruits and evading ghosts. Evil dictators and mad scientists would be well advised to watch the YouTube clip (embedded after the break) and see exactly how it's done.Another reason could be to provide commentary on the game's depth (even a chimp can play it!), the chimp's intelligence (he pwn3d my high score!) or the sheer irritation caused by a backseat gamer fingering your screen and telling you which pellet to go after. Whatever the reason, we're glad someone did it. Next week: Hedgehog plays Sonic the Hedgehog, researcher loses eye.[Thanks Franco!]
Hellgate: London source code lifted?
Gamers With Jobs Press Pass passed along their scoop that the source code for Flagship Studios upcoming spiritual Diablo sequel, Hellgate: London, has been hacked right out of their network, like meat from the bone. Ex-Blizzard developer, and co-founder of Flagship Studios, Bill Roper stated "that while they have heard the same rumors they cannot confirm or deny that any code has been lifted from their servers." Can't he check? We'll wait ...... anyways, according to Press Pass' sources -- sources we can only imagine exist in the shadowy, illicit corners of the internet that our library filters won't let us anywhere near -- "the virtual break-in was conducted by a Chinese individual who is currently attempting to sell the code from a personal website." See, shadowy contraband getting pushed on the black markets of the internet ... it reads like a hackneyed beach thriller, but nerdier and not mass-marketable.Let's hope the team at Flagship doesn't follow the historical antecedent that Valve set when the source code for Half Life 2 was stolen in 2003: the already delayed title suffered another year of delays before being released in the fall of 2004. Then again, that delay ended with the release of a fantastic game, so we'll take that back. Half Life 2 is fine company to be in, delay or not. [Thanks, Shawn]
Square-Enix and Namco-Bandai are on the patch
At a press meeting in Tokyo yesterday, president of Square-Enix Yoichi Wada and vice-president of Namco-Bandai Shin Unozawa talked about the next generation of gaming and the importance of online features. They stressed this was not limited to MMO's but all future titles. A lot of the talk seemed to beat around the bush for lower development costs, citing ad placements in games (ramping it up for the online world ... ads are in a ton of games already, so possibly a randomized billboard or something? You know?) and software updates rather than gratuitous amounts of bug testing. Which is a patch, more or less.So, is releasing software updates better than actually going through bug testing? Sure, it costs less, but those who've played games like Oblivion know that these updates can come too late -- eternally trapped as a vampire since the quest to cure was bugged, unable to enter this guild or that, effectively losing many hours of work on the game. But would such a thing have been caught by bug-testers anyway? If nothing else, the release of next-gen games would be pushed back a lot farther without patches as an option.Hopefully the PS3 will smartly incorporate software testing but not allow unfinished or unpolished games to reach the market (although it does happen...). Oh, about the Playstation 3, Unozawa tossed in: "The Playstation 3 will definately sell." That's nice of him to say! That's "definately" reassuring.
Time Crisis 3 tops Amazon's gaming list, outsells Brain Age & New Mario
How does a game released October 21, 2003 top Amazon's current best selling video games list? Good question. During the July 4 holiday weekend, Amazon dropped the price of Time Crisis 3 (with dual GunCon2s) to $19.99, sparking a surprising sales surge that shot the aging PS2 light gun title to the #1 position on Amazon's "Top Sellers in Computer & Video Games" list. While the industry is notorious for remaining dormant during the summer months, the Time Crisis 3 sale managed to outsell the red hot DS Lite and its most popular software titles, Brain Age & New Super Mario Bros. Time Crisis 3 is currently sold out on Amazon, but remains the bestseller as of this afternoon.
