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Okami Wii-ports for duty on March 25
You people should be thanking Ready at Dawn for providing you with a means of escape from the unforgiving and surprisingly creative torture we had planned for all Okami skippers. By purchasing the "exact" Wii port of Clover Studios' beautiful swan song when it releases on March 25th (the date Capcom says it's "currently driving towards"), you'll earn yourself a chance at redemption. And by the time you're actually playing it on March 26th (the intro is a bit on the long side), you'll thank us for pointing you to the best Zelda game in years.
God of War trailer has us screaming: THIS IS PSP!!!
Can this game get any more beautiful? It seemingly does every time we see it. It looks stunning in screens, but looks even more gorgeous in motion. You may think it's a PS2 game, but then when you remember it's on a handheld, you'll also be screaming, just like our obnoxious headline.
Welcome to Eos Cave, a new God of War level
Click for full-resolution image. Eos Cave is a brand new Chains of Olympus level, and boy oh boy does it look pretty. Dare we say this PSP-exclusive God of War game looks even prettier than before? The character models, the lighting effects all look top-notch. We know the game is going to play well, and look even better. Who couldn't get excited for this? Check out all the new images in our gallery below: %Gallery-3212%
Ready at Dawn drawn to current-gen consoles
With work on God of War: Chains of Olympus coming to an end in March, developer Ready at Dawn is already planning an excursion beyond the PSP's portable realm. In a lengthy interview with 1UP, the studio discusses how easily the Greek-on-the-go got the green light thanks to the hard work put into the well-received Daxter. "The first meeting just went like 'we should make a God of War PSP game' and they were like 'yeah you should.' And that was pretty much it," quipped the game's director, Ru Weerasuriya.Once Kratos is out of the way, Ready at Dawn hopes to put on a similarly impressive show on that system you currently have chained to your television. "This team is ready to move onto something pretty big, and we've [been] planning it for quite a while, and this team needs to show what they're capable of doing on next-gen or current-gen." Expect to hear more about Something Pretty Big as soon as the team gives Okami its deserved second chance on the Wii. [Via PSP Fanboy]
God of War may be the last PSP game from Ready at Dawn
Expectations are high for the upcoming God of War game on PSP. The development team behind the critically acclaimed Daxter found themselves enthralled with God of War on PS2 during development of the PSP game and made an easy pitch to SCEA to make their own GoW game. "The first meeting just went like 'we should make a God of War PSP game' and they were like 'yeah you should.' And that was pretty much it." Unfortunately, it looks like Chains of Olympus will be the last PSP game from the talented team at Ready at Dawn. "This team is ready to move onto something pretty big, and we've be planning it for quite a while, and this team needs to show what they're capable of doing on next-gen or current-gen." While we'd love to see the team continue their magic on PSP, it will be interesting to see what Ready at Dawn will be able to produce on even more powerful tech. For the complete interview (with new screenshots!) visit 1UP.
God of War: 222MHz versus 333MHz
A few months ago, Sony finally unlocked the PSP's full processing capabilities. It was always locked to 222MHz, but since firmware 3.50, developers had access to 50 percent more megahertz of power. Ready at Dawn, developers of God of War: Chains of Olympus, found themselves relieved by the removal of the processor restriction. They were already hard at work on the game, optimizing for the lower clock speed -- but when they had access to the full power of the PSP, things got really interesting. This video demonstrates the differences between a months-old version of the game, running at 222MHz and a newer build, running at 333. The differences are subtle at first. The game was never a graphical slouch, and would've been beautiful even with a restricted clock speed. However, you'll notice better lighting, more particles, and a few minor differences in the newer builds. Every minute difference adds up to create an experience that will be unparalleled on PSP for quite some time.
New God of War screenshots will stab you in the eye
Click for full-resolution image. Your mouth would also be hanging wide open if Kratos jumped on your face and was going to deliver some serious stabbing to it. These brand new screenshots of God of War: Chains of Olympus certainly don't disappoint, delivering the same visceral, violent feel of the PS2 originals. If you were in the same position as this goliath, what would your final thoughts be? %Gallery-3212%
Can we see your combos, Kratos?
Remember God of War: Chains of Olympus? It's a small indie game that's coming out for PSP. You may not have heard of it, but it involves this guy named Kratos running around killing things. We think it's pretty cool. Here's a brand new video of the game in motion, just to remind you that March is very, very far away.
Welcome to Helios: a new God of War level
What is Helios? No, it's not a cell phone. It's a new level in God of War: Chains of Olympus. These brand new screenshots (12 in all) showcase Kratos' carnage once again. Just like Tartarus and Attica before it, these shots look absolutely stunning. In one of the screens, we see Kratos charging the spell acquired from the CoD demo. The lighting and particle effects look stunning, and we're certain that it'll look even better in motion. There's still a long while before we'll see more of Kratos' new PSP adventure. Until then, check out these new screens: %Gallery-3212%
Okami Wii an 'exact port' of PS2 game
Okami on the Wii was confirmed by Capcom just a few days ago, along with the news that Daxter developer Ready at Dawn would get the game up-and-running on Nintendo's system. Men roared their approval and punched the air, women wept and howled with joy, and all was well with the world. As anybody who's played it will know, Okami is all kinds of awesome. But Okami with Wiimote-engineered brushstrokes? Finally, we could die happy.But hold the hearse, because here's Ready At Dawn president Didier Malenfant on what else will be new in the Wii version: "The game on Wii is going to be an exact port of the PS2 version and I think that's what fans of the franchise want to see. This game has such a huge following throughout the world that people would probably send us death-threats if we messed it up by trying to add things that don't have their place in the Okami universe."An "exact port," he says, and you know how we feel about those, so immediately there are important questions raised by this. Questions such as: if you've completed the PS2 game, will the promise of added Wiimote functionality alone lure you back? Is it ungrateful to expect a little more than "just" Wiimote brushstrokes (as excellent as that addition might be)? And did Didier really just put "Okami" and "huge following" in the same sentence?[Via Siliconera]
Wii Warm Up: Let's talk more Okami
So, after a string of denials, Okami was finally confirmed for the Wii. Since it's consistently been one of the most-asked-for titles, we shouldn't be too surprised, and yet, we are ... at least a little. With Clover having gone the way of the dodo, at least in that form, and Capcom saying "no, no, no ... well, probably not" for so long, we really didn't think we would hear about Okami -- at least, not this soon. Were you surprised? What do you think of the team handling the port, Ready at Dawn?
Ready at Dawn working on non-PSP project
Ready at Dawn is viewed as a hero of sorts for PSP owners. With both Daxter and God of War: Chains of Olympus under their belt, the team has been praised for its ability to bring console-styled gameplay and technology to the handheld.Well, it looks like the team is looking upward and onward, moving towards a new project. Unfortunately, it's not a PSP game ... it's a Wii one! Ready at Dawn is working with Capcom to produce Okami on Wii. It's a fantastic game that deserved more notice, and we're confident that the studio will bring something truly magical to Nintendo's platform.Congrats on the move to the consoles, guys! Don't forget us too, okay?[Via Joystiq]
Get your brush ready: Okami's on the way
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Okami_headed_to_Wii'; After the rumors started rumbling yesterday, more and more sites are piling on this morning to assure everyone that Okami has indeed been confirmed for the Wii by Capcom. It won't be long before we see it, either, if early reports are correct; the game is currently scheduled for a spring release, and full motion-control functionality is planned.Word is that footage from the game -- at least in the form of screencaps -- will be available as early as today, so we should soon see just how the under-appreciated PS2 title will look on the Nintendo console.[Update: Check after the jump for a slide from Capcom's event that reveals the development team and more.]
Tartarus featured in new God of War screenshots
The God of War madness will not stop! Sony's released yet another batch of screenshots from its upcoming Chains of Olympus, this time focusing on Tartarus. There isn't much more to say: these pictures show off Kratos doing what he does best. %Gallery-3212%
Sample the God of War soundtrack
There's more to God of War: Chains of Olympus than good looks. In fact, it sounds amazing as well. Check out the background music of the Battle of Attica. To download directly to your PSP, why not visit our mobile site at m.pspfanboy.com using your PSP system? Download MP3
PSP Fanboy hands-on: God of War demo disc
Wait, that's it? Even though the demo goes far beyond what we've played of the game so far, we can't help but want more. But that's a good thing: it shows how compelling God of War: Chains of Olympus is. It's easily a system-seller, and will probably become the best title in the entire system's library when it releases next March. What makes it so compelling? Everything that you know and love about God of War is here on the handheld. The battle system is perfect for hardcore and casual players alike. Button mashing will work in the game, especially in the demo, but there's an appreciable amount of depth to the system. Dodges are activated by holding both shoulder buttons, and blocking is triggered with a single shoulder button. There's a slight pause when you block, akin to God of War 2, which has us thinking a counter system will be implemented later in the game. Each battle is fun, and within no time, you'll be ripping people in half, doing combos, and juggling enemies in the air. It's absolutely accessible and instantly rewarding: ideal for a handheld game. The UMD demo begins as all Chains of Olympus demos have: with the battle of Attica. After the now-familiar battle with a dragon-esque beast, the demo continues to unfamiliar territory. Yet another boss battle, one with the Persian king Efrit. He utilizes a magic attack that attacks the immediate area around him. While it's easy to get around his wide-sweeping sword, players will have to dodge quickly to avoid the long reach of the magic spell. Once again, we get to see Kratos' brutality at play, and a hint of the story that's about to unfold. The Persian king offers money in exchange for his life, but Kratos won't have any of it. Once again, quick button pressing events are scattered throughout the battles, and the incredibly visceral animations that occur make them still feel as fresh as ever. Kratos' bravado makes him a compelling character still, and seeing him literally make the boss' head explode is gratifying. %Gallery-3212%
It's here: the God of War demo disc
We check our mail and find the God of War: Chains of Olympus demo disc staring back at us. As you read this, we're already playing the game, preparing our impressions. Until then, you'll just have to gawk at these pictures (taken with a camera phone, sorry!). And don't worry, when we're done with the demo, we'll be giving it away. (Oh, and did we mention that we have three copies to share?) %Gallery-8040%
Uncut footage of Kratos fighting a boss
God of War needs no fancy trailers. It doesn't need clever editing to make it look cool. No, all you need from the franchise is good, uninterrupted gameplay footage. And that's what we have here today. Watch Kratos go mano-a-mano against this Chains of Olympus boss. It doesn't appear to be direct-feed, but it should give a good idea of the kind of fun you can expect from the upcoming UMD demo. (Oh, and because the finale of this video is pretty brutal, you must be 17 years or older to watch it. See it after the cut.) [Thanks, Hashbrown_Hunter!]
It was inevitable: GoW demo strikes eBay
When you attach words like "not for resale" and "limited edition" to something, you know it's going to end up on eBay. Already, one overzealous eBay seller has placed his demo disc up for auction. For a free disc, it's getting a pretty penny: 1,150 of them, to be precise. The seller says "allow 2-3 weeks for delivery." Why? Because it's obvious that they don't have the disc yet. Hopefully, lostmyheadnmind, the high bidder, doesn't mind. [Thanks, Michael!]
God of War: Chains of Olympus demo disc finally gets shipped
That took long enough. The God of War: Chains of Olympus Special Edition: Battle of Attica demo disc (also lovingly abbreviated as GOW: COO –SE:BoADD) is going to make its September release date, with only a few days to spare. This demo is quite possibly the most anticipated demo in recent memory, with forums constantly abuzz about its ever-shifting release date. Considering the limited number of copies being printed, it might actually end up being a collector's item (let's see how much it goes for on eBay). We're eagerly awaiting our demo discs, just like you, and we can't wait to share our impressions of Kratos' upcoming PSP adventure with you. [Thanks, kspraydad!]
