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Neverdead review: Devil may try
Death and dismemberment are nothing new in the eternal battle between good and evil. As we are taught from a young age, the forces of evil are forever ravaged by those of good. Heads are severed, bodies split in twain, souls imprisoned. As a general rule, however, such terms are rarely applied to the hero.NeverDead attempts to buck the trend by giving us Bryce, an immortal demon slayer who finds himself constantly burned, electrocuted, stabbed, shot, sliced, digested and torn apart. Even when reduced to nothing but a rolling head, Bryce will always be ready for more. The question is whether you'll be ready too.%Gallery-125983%
Sniper Elite V2 trailer, dev diary and gallery explode in your face
Rebellion's Sniper Elite V2 throws players behind enemy lines as an Allied soldier in World War II, strategically taking down Axis troops during the Battle of Berlin with x-ray-enabled headshots, as shown in the above video. In the video after the break, Senior Producer Steve Hart calls Sniper Elite V2 more of a "thinking-man's shooter than some of the run-and-gun titles" out now -- he must be really into this war thing, because those sound like fightin' words to us.%Gallery-145284%
Neverdead lives on retail shelves on January 31, 2012
Originally pegged for a February launch, Konami has pushed up the launch of Neverdead to January 31, 2012. The game, developed by Rebellion, was conceived by Shinta Nojiri, a game designer and director at Konami who has worked on several Metal Gear titles. Konami also revealed that DLC is planned for the game, though no specifics were given.
Rebellion (Rogue Warrior, AvP) seeking to emphasize quality, rebuild reputation
Rebellion, the studio behind Rogue Warrior and Aliens vs Predator, is looking to change its reputation for less-than-average quality. Speaking to Edge (via MCV), CEO Jason Kingsley says the company is trying to turn things around. "It's now a deliberate policy to move away from making games that might have been good for business, but not necessarily good for our reputation," Kingsley stated. "You're only as good as the deal you're offered. If someone says 'Can you make me a game in nine months?' then the answer is, 'Probably. But it won't be as good as a game where we've had creative input and the time to mature the idea.'" Rebellion is currently working on NeverDead and Sniper Elite V2. The road to redemption is a tricky one after high-profile incidents. Just ask Obsidian.
NeverDead art shows off body parts
Rebellion's supernatural action title, NeverDead, has a unique hook: Its main character can fight even when his limbs have been severed. Part Devil May Cry, Bayonetta and even Dead to Rights, it also seems to share Splatterhouse's sphincter fixation. It's all pieced together in these new screens.
Rebellion giving Sniper Elite sequel a shot next year
UK-based developer Rebellion is on target to release a sequel to its 2005 sharpshooting sim Sniper Elite, teaming with 505 Games to publish the title. Like the original, Sniper Elite V2 will put players in the combat boots of a skilled marksman during World War II, as seen in the concept art above. If you've seen Enemy at the Gates, you have a good idea of what's in store ... only with (much) less Jude Law, we suspect. Waiting patiently is something snipers know a lot about, and it's something you'll have to do for this game -- it's pegged for release in 2012.
Aliens vs. Predator is $5 on Steam until Thursday
This week's Steam sale is Aliens vs. Predator, Rebellion's "critical success," on sale for $5 (75 percent off) until Thursday at 7pm ET. It may not have been the most well-received game by critics, but for $5, you can make up your own mind. Figuring things out for ourselves is truly the only freedom anyone has, after all. Additionally, both DLC offerings for the game -- the Bughunt and Swarm packs -- are also discounted by 75 percent, down to $1.87 apiece.
Rebellion opens social games division after Evil Genius success
Aliens vs. Predator developer Rebellion is giving itself something new to rant about, opening a division for the creation of social games. After launching a Facebook game based on the Evil Genius IP it acquired from Vivendi, it is putting more resources into the development of games for social networks. No specific projects from this division have been announced. In a statement on the company's website, CEO Jason Kingsley said that " The release of Evil Genius has given us an appetite to look at other opportunities in the area," noting that gamers can no longer be defined just as console owners. CTO Chris Kingsley called Evil Genius "a fun and rewarding project." In addition to this new undertaking, Rebellion also recently announced that its Asura Engine supports both the 3DS and the NGP.
AvP game engine Asura 'fully functional' on NGP
Go ahead and add Aliens vs. Predator to the list of console games that are possible on Sony's next-generation portable. Rebellion has a "fully functional" version of its Asura game engine ready -- and ready to be licensed -- for NGP game development, reports CVG. According to MobyGames, Rebellion has used the engine since 2003's Judge Dredd: Dredd Vs. Death, with the most recent incarnation powering last year's multiplatform FPS AvP. The studio says it has an Asura-based, multiplayer third-person shooter demo running on NGP. "We'll be attending DICE [this week] and GDC to show what we have created and look for business partners," pitched CEO Jason Kingsley. "The technology, design and art teams have worked incredibly well with Sony's newest device," boasted Kingsley. "We have managed to make our engine fully functional and looking great on the hardware in double quick time." Okay -- but does the frame rate hold up in triple time?
Never before seen NeverDead screens
We haven't seen hide nor hair nor severed chunk of Rebellion's wild-looking NeverDead for months. Now, on the eve (of the eve of) Halloween, we get a look at the game's lead, Bryce, using his arm as a club. We've gotta hand it to the guy: He's really risking life and limb! (Well, limb at least -- he's immortal.) %Gallery-106269%
GOG offering Rebellion titles for up to 50% off this weekend only
You probably don't need to buy 11 games this weekend, but for the low-low asking price of (approximately) $41, GOG.com is offering a smattering of Rebellion's titles. The entire Empire Earth series, Judge Dredd's battle against an entire planet, and Evil Genius (among others) are on sale for 30 percent off individually or 50 percent off in a big ol' bundle. Forget about Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and next week's Vanquish -- you've got strategy games to play. For, like, ever. The sale ends Monday at 11:59PM EDT, so get on it before these good old games go back to more appropriate prices.
NeverDead coming to Xbox 360 and PS3; new screens available now
Konami has finally confirmed which platforms Rebellion's never-say-die action game, NeverDead, will launch on: Xbox 360 and PS3, unsurprisingly enough. Tucked within the announcement were some new screens, direct from Gamescom 2010. Feel free to head into the gallery below to check out the new shots. Unlike our previous gallery, we're pretty sure these screens won't give you nightmares for the rest of your life. %Gallery-99889%
Choose My Adventure: Off the rails
Join me as I brave my way through lands unknown in an adventure dictated entirely by you, the Massively readers! Suggest everything from game played to character creation to ultimate goal and watch it unfold in a series of posts here on the site. Then, as our two months are up, we'll do it all over again in a new game! This last week wound up being a medley of moments -- some pretty cool and others a study in frustration, honestly. However, to be completely fair, while some of this is related to the game, a goodly portion of the frustration is related to some pretty glaring oversights for newcomers on Sony Online Entertainment's part. Curious as to what happened in Star Wars Galaxies this week? Join me behind the jump as I break down what things broke down, and what bits were pretty solidly in the "kick ass" column.
Aliens vs. Predator gets Bughunt Map Pack DLC July 7
The problem with the struggle between the Aliens and Predators is that both are pretty equally matched: Predators have a lot of technology and stand about 200 feet tall (give or take a couple hundred feet), while Aliens have greater numbers and acidic blood that could eat through a truckload of fruitcake in milliseconds. Humans have -- uh, actually, we just have soft, fertile bodies and aesthetically-pleasing skull shapes. Talk about your bum deals, right? But for those who like to roleplay as one of the aforementioned extraterrestrial species, know that Sega is deploying some DLC for Aliens vs. Predator in the form of the Bughunt Map Pack. Available on July 7, the DLC adds 4 brand new maps: two for Deathmatch, Predator Hunt, Infestation, Species Deathmatch, Mixed Species Deathmatch and Domination, and two for the game's Survival mode -- each featuring new environmental hazards and weather effects. The new maps are called "Crash Site," "Furious," "Tempest" and "Monument" Look for the Bughunt Map Pack on July 7 on PSN, Xbox Live and Steam for $6.99 (560 Microsoft points). If you're looking for something a bit more on the free side, then check out the stills in our gallery below and click past the break for a teaser trailer. %Gallery-96657%
You'll lose your head over this NeverDead media
Revealed during today's Konami press conference, NeverDead looks like something that might have originated from the makers of Devil May Cry and Bayonetta -- but it's actually the work of UK-based Rebellion, the studio most recently responsible for Aliens vs. Predator. Its star is an immortal, gun-toting, wise-cracking gunslinger with the unusual ability to literally pull himself together if dismembered. The crazy concept -- and, in fact, the entire game design -- comes from the mind of Shinta Nojiri, a veteran Konami designer and the director of the Metal Gear Ac!d titles. We'd say he's lost his head, but Nojiri would probably find it, pop it back on and glare at us disapprovingly. Instead, we'll just point you toward the trailer after the break. %Gallery-95495%
NeverDead, a new Rebellion game for Konami
Hey, do you like Devil May Cry? Because during the Konami press conference, the publisher announced a new action game in the same vein of Capcom's series. It's called NeverDead, currently under development at Rebellion Studios. Even more interesting is that Konami's Shinta Nojiri, whose last game was Metal Gear Acid 2 for the PSP, is designing it. The game utilizes an interesting mechanic: immortality. The characters cannot die. The example shown during the press conference had a hero getting dismembered and physically pulling himself back together, into one piece. Gruesome! There was no mention of specific platforms.
Rebellion accused of not paying dismissed employees
Something's apparently rotten at Rebellion. Not only was the dev forced to shutter its Derby office doors back in March, but those ex-employees seemingly aren't getting their deserved cash. Develop reports that numerous sources have come forward, claiming they've never received their promised salaries or redundancy pay. Sources tell Develop that a few of the employees had been working there "for nearly 20 years" and are due large compensation packages. An even worse reality, one source posits, could result in Rebellion filing for bankruptcy -- which would mean that anybody due compensation could very well never receive payment. Grim stuff, for sure. Rebellion's Derby office effectively closed its doors back in March. Founding brothers Jason and Chris Kingsley could not be reached for comment as they're currently traveling.
Sega expects profits in fiscal Q4 2010 forecast
Sega recently posted quite the surprise for its investors: a revised earnings forecast. In an interesting turn of events, Sega has foregone the doom and gloom of having to admit it will likely earn less money during its Q4 2010 forecast -- the period between December 2009 and March 2010 -- for something a bit more on the cheery side: profits! First, Sega estimates net sales of ¥380 billion ($4.08 billion), a 9.5 percent decline from its previous estimate of ¥420 billion ($4.51 billion) -- wait, we thought we had good news in here? Aha! Here it is: net income. Sega previously forecast net income of ¥15 billion ($161 million), but has now adjusted that to ¥18 billion ($193 million). This spontaneous spike in cash money is attributed to "improved profit margins in the pachislot and pachinko machine business and amusement machine business." We imagine sales of Bayonetta and Aliens vs Predator also helped. And in case you're wondering what the difference between net sales and net income is: Net sales accounts for the total profits a company makes based on the products it sells, while net income takes into account net sales and other operating costs, such as licensing fees and taxes. [Via GameSpot]
Rebellion confirms layoffs, Derby closure
Although Aliens vs Predator has been deemed successful, Rebellion has been forced to swing the axe. A report from Develop claims that Rebellion's Derby office has closed its doors and that several positions at the home office in Oxford, UK have also been eliminated -- something we heard murmurs of back on March 10. There are no exact figures on how many Oxford employees were handed pink slips, though a Rebellion spokesperson told Develop "a few staff in junior positions had been let go." Our hearts go out to the recently unemployed and, as always, if there's anything you'd like to add to the story, feel free to let us know.
Report: Rebellion cuts 20 staff, Derby studio shuts down
Rebellion has allegedly let go approximately 20 staff from its main studio in Oxford, UK, while its Derby location has been shut down, reports Develop. Rebellion, which most-recently released Aliens vs Predator, has yet to confirm the details As is typical with these types of stories, it's hard to tell if the layoffs were part of the natural game development cycle after a major release, or if there's an actual "issue" going on. As for the Derby studio, which once upon a time was Core Design (Tomb Raider), it has been on the chopping block for months. If you are a member or representative of the studio, please don't hesitate to contact us (whether on or off the record) with clarification. [Via Edge]
