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New PSP puzzle game features ... NINJAS
Ninjas can make almost anything seem cool. Have early morning classes? Imagine how much cooler they'd be with ninjas. Having a boring lunch? A ninja could kill your lunch right in front of you. This new PSP puzzle game from From Software also spices up the genre with these cloaked warriors.In Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke, players create shadow clones in order to solve puzzles. How does it work? Watch the video and find out. It starts off rather simply, with a lone ninja pulling a switch. However, the switch activates something that needs attention at the same time. The ninja's shadow clone replicates the actions of the first action, giving the second ninja time to act. But then, what if three things need to be done? Or four? That's where things get interesting, folks.While many PSP games fail to see an international release, we're confident a publisher will pick up this rather intriguing game.
Behind the scenes video peeks at Lego Universe
Here's something interesting. It's a LEGO Universe behind the scenes look video (mouthful!) in which we get to see some sneak peek stuff concerning the upcoming title that lets players build their own world, which is likely full of genitals. Oh, we also get to gawk at a really cool building full of more LEGO than half of America sees in a few years. We really aren't sure how anyone at NetDevil or LEGO gets anything done with all those blocks just begging to be put together. We'd be halfway done creating our LEGO-dition of Han Solo frozen in Carbonite after our first day or two.It didn't help our jaw-to-floor ratio when the video also informed that within LEGO Universe, we can expect to experience pirates, ninjas and robots in LEGO form. It's a nerd trifecta +1! We're not sure whether we want this MMO to succeed or fail. Success means the loss of our entire lives for an undisclosed amount of time and failure -- something we never really wish upon a developer -- means keeping our families, friends and jobs. You can check out the video for yourself below below the cut.
70 Orc Hunter running for Connecticut legislature
More politicians are coming out of the WoW closet. Jeanne Stevens is a WoW player -- with a 70 Orc Hunter, a 58 Troll Shaman, and a 53 Blood Elf Rogue -- and a Republican running for the Connecticut state legislature. And she freely admits it in a new interview with Wandering Goblin, as covered by our sister site, Massively. Her hunter is balanced between marksman and survival, her shaman specs elemental (close to my heart!), and her rogue climbs the assassination talent tree. Will she be able to master the beasts in her political race? (Okay, you go ahead and insert your own shaman or rogue wordplay here.) Maybe she'll hold some in-game speeches or rallies. She could hold forth on top of Orgrimmar's bank, or maybe lead a raid to Stormwind as a metaphor.Is it surprising that a Republican chooses Horde? I think you could make a case for either faction going with either political party. Personally, I love to see that she's middle-aged and a woman, which defies Blizzard's assumptions about the majority of WoW gamers. She also chooses pirates over ninjas. I'm not sure there's a political comment there, but I'm sure someone will show me the light.[Thanks to Wandering Goblin via Massively.]
Ninjas keeping Sega employees quiet
What's the best way to keep people quiet? Mousey Mousey 1-2-3 is fine, but that only works on children and stupid people (doubly well on stupid children). Conan the Librarian's a good choice, obviously, but he's pretty pricey. No, we think Sega's got it all figured out. As you can see from the above picture recently taken by MTV Multiplayer in Sega's offices, they're keeping employees mum with inspirational ninja posters.So, do the posters work? Well, let's put it this way: Either they're duds, or they're far, far away from the offices of people working on Sonic Unleashed, Samba de Amigo and the Platinum Games deal.
Hayashi: Only 10 percent of ninja lifestyle in games
From Ninja Gaiden (old) to Ninja Gaiden II (new) video games have taught us a lot about ninjas. In fact, they're probably the best ambassadors of ninja culture since Soupy Sales' short-lived sitcom That's My Ninja! stole the nation's heart in the late 70s. But Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword producer Yosuke Hayashi wants you to know that there's a lot more to ninjas than flipping out and killing people. In fact, he recently told MTV, "I would say out of the entire image that you have of a ninja, we only have grabbed 10% of that. So we have this whole other 90% to go."Personally, we'd love to see some other aspects of ninja life, like when they slice cantalopes open at the grocery store to check their freshness, learn that love is the only real power or, as seen above, get rapped about by Vanilla Ice. What ninja facet do you want to see explored?
Pirates vs. Ninja Dodgeball: robot contenders profiled
When we initially heard about Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball, our first question was, "what about zombies and robots?" (Actually, we first wondered why pirates had top-billing, but that would've led to a long and pointless debate.) Fortunately, developer Blazing Lizard heard our cry and sent assurance that zombies and robots were, indeed, ready to fight. Our sister site X3F has new, robotic pictures and concept art for the upcoming Xbox Live (and possibly PSN) title. Peruse the gallery below and enjoy robot profiles adjacent to the images. Gallery: Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball: Robots
Sony wants Pirates Versus Ninjas Dodgeball on PSN
Gamecock is trying to capitalize on the popular internet meme in their upcoming XBLA game, Pirates Versus Ninjas Dodgeball. Although currently an XBLA exclusive, it looks like there's strong interest to bring the game over to the PSN. "Sony really wants this Pirates vs Ninjas game we're doing for Xbox Live and we're platform agnostic so if we're investing in a title let's give it a chance wherever there is one," Gamecock CEO Mike Wilson told GI.biz.The PSN offers a number of unique opportunities for developers. Unique games like flOw and Everyday Shooter have managed to flourish on the PSN -- certainly, they would've floundered if released in a traditional retail space. Also, unlike XBLA, there are no size limitations on what developers can provide. "The market's not there yet but it will be and it's nice that you don't have this 150MB limitation. It will be interesting to see how it emerges as a market.[Via Joystiq]
New Ninja Gaiden 2 gameplay video is predictably rad
Has the adoration of ninjas and ninja culture become a cliché yet? There's a tingling part of our writers' sense that says "Yes, absolutely." But how are we supposed to stifle the national boner we have for ninjas when new clips of Ninja Gaiden 2 are being released? Especially ones like the above video that show Ryu Hayabusa (again, pardon the cliché) flipping out and killing people with Wolverine claws?The answer: We can't. We might as well revel in videos like this, especially the parts where Ryu faces off against a six-armed demon and the only thing scarier than a six-armed demon: Other ninjas.
Wii, DS ninja party game strikes from the shadows in March 2008
Right on time, agents from EA have stepped from the shadows to confirm details surrounding the previously revealed Ninja Reflex, a "ninja party game" for the Wii and DS. The game, which will ship in March 2008, will be co-published by both EA and the appropriately named Nunchuck Games, and is being developed by Sanzaru Games, a new California studio founded earlier this year by seven former Activision devs with an obvious ninja obsession. And who can blame them?While we presume that a Wii-based ninja party game will have us lurking from the rafters and terrorizing the family cat, EA notes that Ninja Reflex's gameplay will center on performing challenges and testing reaction time " with millisecond precision" as players try to earn the right to wear the coveted black belt. There is also promise of four player multiplayer matches, and while we've grown weary of traditional party games, we imagine there's nothing quite as satisfying as the crunch that comes from leaving your best mates blackened and bloodied as they beg for mercy after being beaten senseless at the business end of your Wii remote.
EA preparing ninja party game for Wii, DS
Think of the greatest party you've ever been to. Hold that image in your head. Wow, it was a magical night, wasn't it? The booze was free flowing, the perfect song was playing and that special someone looked at you across the room ... and smiled. Guess what -- When you compare your very special night with EA's new party game, it looks a little more like a meeting of the Carpet Store Owners of America. Because EA's not just throwing any party, nephew. EA's throwing a ninja party. And there ain't no party like a ninja party, because a ninja party don't stop ... until the floor is coated in blood and everyone is dead.Ninja Reflex is a "ninja party game" for the Wii and DS. And though more details are coming on Dec. 4, that's all we know about it right now. But you don't need to know any more about it to make your purchasing decision. To that end, we'll now be reiterating the salient details for you: Ninja. Party. Game. Now, go fold five bucks into a shuriken and get to pre-ordering![Via NDSF]
Hiding from justice
Mesta on Eldre'thelas has an interesting tale of woe over on the forums: he had someone within his guild ninja a few items from the guild bank, and then they discovered the next day that the guy had "disappeared" completely-- he not only didn't appear on their server, but he didn't show up in the Armory, either. Metsa thinks name change, and that appears to be the likeliest scenario-- not a lot of reason to ninja valuable items if you're just quitting the game with them. So it looks like yes, name changes will simply let ninjas run free.Blizzard's official response in the thread is pretty apathetic-- Bornakk basically says that you've got to be careful about who you let into the guild bank ("l2bank," essentially). Over on Massively, we recently posted about something called "MMOrality"-- the idea that players uphold a social code in game. But that's all based on each player having their own identity, and the premise that if someone does something wrong, you can hold them responsible for it. But these paid name changes, it seems, takes away that little bit of justice-- if we can't hold players responsible for their actions at all, we can't enforce MMOrality in any way.Blizzard still can-- obviously, they know who's who even if names get changed. But just the same, I'm not sure if players should necessarily have access to name changes-- the majority of people who change their names have legitimate reasons for doing so, I'd guess, and it's a shame to let the few ninjas ruin everything. Is there a way we can allow players to pay to change their identity while still making sure those who break the "MMOral" laws are held responsible for what they do?
Will name changes let ninjas run free?
While Robin and I think it's a great idea, some people are in an outcry about the upcoming name-change service that Blizzard is offering. As Monsoon tells Blizzard on the forums:This is probably the worst ever decision ever made. How are we supposed to track ninjas and retards who may apply to our guild if there is no way to track their name changes?"Nethaera calmly responds:Perhaps putting them on an ignore list might help.The ignore list will be automatically updated once that character's name change gets activated. Of course no system is fool proof, and there will always be someone looking to exploit things, but realistically, is it a terribly big problem if people you consider "ninjas" and "retards" yet are still unwilling to put on your ignore list can change their names once every 90 days? In my experience, the kind of person who likes to call others "retards" generally isn't very nice themselves, and tends to find new "retards" all the time (with no offense meant to Monsoon here). I don't think it would be possible, even if the ignore list were extended to include a potential thousands of names, for some people to be satisfied that all the "ninjas" and "retards" were sufficiently dealt with and removed from the system
Breakfast Topic: Which class is the most piratey?
Yes, I know, yesterday was International Talk Like A Pirate Day, if I thought of this question on ITLAP Day, then that should make this count, right?Yar. Anyways, I got to wondering, which class would make the bestest pirates in the open waters, or on the open lands. My first reaction was rogues -- those scoundrelly rascals -- who could launch surprise attacks and scheme and cheat their way into any big adventure. But then I thought, no, rogues go around pick-pocketing people, hiding in the shadows, and wearing those silly hoods. No, indeed, rogues are actually much closer to ninjas with their "Ambush, Eviscerate, Vanish!" style of attack! And everybody knows "all nature says that pirates and ninjas must be enemies."So then I got to thinking maybe warriors would be better -- fury warriors! Dual wielding those fancy rapiers, shouting at the top of their lungs, wearing that fancy... plate... armor.... And then I thought, pirates don't wear plate armor. They have to wear snazzy buccaneer pants, a gentleman's jacket worn all lazy-like, and possibly have some good dreadlocks for good measure. Some dirt always helps too.My conclusion was that no class is an exact pirate match, but some classes come pretty close in spirit. Warlocks, for example, are very piratey in their own way, going against the grain of society so to speak. But perhaps it doesn't matter which class you are, as long as you can say "Arrr matey!" and perhaps have some Savory Deviate Delight. What do you think is the most piratey-est class in the World of Warcraft?
Other Uses For In-Game Titles
I have to give my aging eyeballs credit for this story. I was reading news feeds this morning and didn't have my glasses on and completely misred a word from this post from Windychan121 on the Livejournal WoW Chicks community. I thought she began her blog entry with "Ninjas need to get a title". Yeah, I really need to start using "Large Fonts". It got me thinking though, even after I figured out what Windy really meant to say. For a great part of the history of World of Warcraft, the game used player titles to reflect PvP rank. Although this was a dearly beloved part of the game for some people, it got removed (even though people got to keep their existing titles) when the first expansion was released when the PvP system was totally changed. Fast forward to present-day Azeroth and we're seeing a lot of people in the capital cities with new titles which reflect their status in the Arena ladder, with titles like Gladiator, Duelist, Rival, and Challenger. Going back to the ninja topic, why don't we give ninjas titles? Before you start throwing overripe produce at me, sit back and think about this for a second. Think of a system where you would have an option at the end of an instance, when you zone out, to rate the conduct of players in your instance or raid. It could be as simple as a good or bad rating, perhaps with a drop-down menu to specify the type of activity the player engaged in. People who consistantly got bad ratings from a high percentage of the members of their groups would start to accrue points towards various less-than-desirable titles. Of course positive player reviews would have the reverse effect. While I think this is a tremendous idea, I don't think it will ever be implemented for the simple reason that it could have a negative impact on the subscriber base. But do we really care if we lose those people? It's something to think about. What other uses can you foresee for player titles? [Special thanks to 'Aello' from Gnomeregan for lending a hand in the screenshot!]
Age old Pirates vs. Ninjas question to be settled with dodgeball
Blazing Lizard has decided to table all other discussions for the moment, and answer one burning question. Gone are the questions like "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" and "If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?" and "Do you want fries with that?" Instead they're heading back to the basics of stealthiness vs. swarthiness ... "Ninjas or pirates?" According to studio director Chris Stockton, "This is the ultimate in rivalries, and we aim to have them settle it with all out balls to the wall action." Nice! Although where will you be able to play this? No man, whether pirate or ninja, can say. The game "is poised to redefine consumer expectations of console downloadable games when it's released for a TBD platform in the first quarter of 2008." Very mysterious.In the meantime, check out the screenshots and concept art in the gallery below, and sharpen your peg legs and shurikens.%Gallery-5856%
New Naruto video is ninja-fortified
So have you guys heard about this Naruto thing? Apparently there's this show about a bunch of ninjas, and they like hang out together but also totally fight and there's headbands and stuff. The absolute coolest thing about Naruto is that it's the basis for a series of side-scrolling brawlers, known as the Ninja Council series in the US.This officially makes the Naruto license awesome, because all side-scrolling brawlers are at least slightly awesome by default. Of course, it is already well-established that ninjas are cool (and by cool we mean totally sweet.) Jeux-France has a substantial gameplay video of the latest Ninja Council game, Naruto Shippuden Saikyo Ninja Daikesshu 5, as well as some magazine scans. We suggest checking them out even if you're not a fan of the series, because it is always life-affirming, in our opinion, to see a good old-fashioned beat-em-up.
When you stare at this DS case, the DS case stares back at you
Gametech seems to have a taste for the gaudy when it comes to DS Lite covers, but they totally got it right at least once. This DS Lite case features a kunoichi (female ninja) design in simple white on black fabric. It's cute and striking at the same time.The design looks quite similar to R Stevens' I am Ten Ninjas t-shirt, although much more feminine and much less blocky. We'd love to clothe our DS in such mystery, but at 3,980 yen ($32.26) it's a little pricey for our tastes. But, then, so are most sandwiches.
Tenchu Z demo creeps from shadows to Xbox Live in U.S., Europe
Like the fat kids in gym class picked last for ninja dodgeball, North America and Europe are finally getting their hands on the demo for Tenchu Z. This appeared in Japan a few weeks ago and in Official Xbox Magazine a few months ago, but if you've been unable or unwilling to get it through either of those means, it's now up for your downloading pleasure.The demo offers the chance to play through a single-player mission with "pre-selected ninja accessories." This is the point where we'd tell you that a real ninja wouldn't let some game dictate what accessories he could use. We would tell you that, but if you haven't gotten the demo by now, you're probably not terribly ninja to begin with. You're more of the Beverly Hills variety.
Turtle power envy
Seeing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game on the ESRB's list of upcoming Virtual Console titles should bring joy to our nostalgia-ruled hearts, but we're finding it hard to not be pessimistic about this particular release. We've put more hours into Konami's beat'em up than you can shake a bo staff at, so it's not the actual game that we have problems with. No, it's just outright jealousy over the XBLA port of the arcade version. While we're stuck with 8-bit graphics and support for only two players, the 360's turtle fans have the original cut scenes, arcade graphics, and online co-op for up to four players! Inconceivable! To add insult to injury, we might have to shell out 600 Wii points for the NES game instead of the usual 500 because of licensing issues. If that'll be the case, we would actually be spending more than what 360 gamers are paying! We can at least find solace in the NES version's extended levels, extra stages, and Pizza Hut advertising. Also, TMNT II wasn't the only new ninja release spotted on the ESRB's Virtual Console catalog. Ninja Gaiden, Tecmo's 1989 platformer, will also be stabbing its way onto the Wii. Let's see the Xbox try to top us with a game like that! Oh wait...
The golden age of ninjas
We won't look down on you if Tecmo's announcement for Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword was the first time you'd ever heard of ninjas sneaking onto a handheld console. The stealthy assasins carry out their orders so efficiently and silently, most people aren't even aware of a ninja's presence until they see their own blood on the wall sprayed from an expert slash across their necks. Modojo has a lengthy feature tracking portable appearances by ninjas like Shinobi and Goemon, following their shuriken-throwing adventures from the Game Boy all the way up to the Nintendo DS. Our favorite game from the bunch is Ninja Five-O, a Bionic Commando-esque side scroller that was released for the GBA. If there's one thing terrorists fear, it's ninja cops swinging through their defenses!
