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GRAW 2 producer: don't play Gears for more than ten minutes
Because only the first ten minutes are awesome. In a recent interview with CVG, the content producer for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 details some of the enhancements slated for the sequel, but not without taking a few shots at fellow, erm, shooter, Gears of War. Though Olivier Dauba admits that Gears is "a very good game" and "is raising the bar this Christmas," he believes the experience grows stale after ten minutes. After all, who can really stand more than ten minutes of awesomeness at a time? "We're designing our game as a more long-term experience. In my opinion if you play ten minutes of Gears of War it's an absolutely awesome ten minutes, but if you play 20 minutes it doesn't bring anything new. They've made something perfect for ten minutes but we try to go beyond that and making something that lasts for quite a few hours." Mr. Dauba then notes that it's "a different game maybe but in my opinion we're aiming for something deeper and wider with a bigger scope," ultimately saying nothing. Whether or not you agree with that evaluation of Gears of War shouldn't distract you from what the interview's really about: In GRAW 2, passing helicopters will make the smoke go all swirly.
GRAW Chapter 2 expansion is now 1/2 off
When Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter's expansion pack came out on the XBLM there was a little uproar from the fans. Not due to the luscious content it held, oh no, but because the download cost a whopping 1200 Microsoft Points! But today Ubisoft announced that the Chapter 2 expansion pack has been discounted to a more reasonable 600 Microsoft Points. Go download the expansion pack for the new uber low price and if you already purchased it for 1200 ... that kind of sucks. Maybe Ubisoft will be nice next time and not gouge their loyal fans who ate up the content right away. [Thanks, Derka]
Gears selling like it's supposed to
Microsoft wants us to be impressed. In just six weeks, Gears of War has reportedly sold more than 2 million copies, making Epic's shooter the fastest-selling Xbox-exclusive ever (Halo 2's coming to PC, remember?).But really, achievement that this is, would anything less be acceptable? With all the hype and marketing that's gone into Gears -- and the headstart Microsoft has had on cultivating an Xbox 360 install base -- this game had best be the fastest-selling title of its generation this year.See also: Gears of Wars sells tiger fast, 1M copies in two weeks
Metal Slug Anthology with a 'twist'
Metal Slug Anthology ships for Wii today, combining the series' seven arcade installments into one, and twisting them out with some quirky control schemes.More standardized versions of Anthology will arrive on PSP and PlayStation 2 in the coming weeks, but the Wii offering is the most tempting. Sure it's gimmicky, but it provides a series of unorthodox challenges (mastering each control setting), undoubtedly luring seasoned vets to invest a few more quarters into the franchise -- as if these games weren't hard enough already.
Alpha, bravo, charlie ... GRAW 2 confirmed
It's official. Today Ubisoft confirmed that Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (GRAW 2) is currently being developed and will hit all major consoles Spring of 2007. The game itself looks very pretty, but doesn't look much better than its already beautiful older brother. We know of a few people who are excited about this gem of a game, so we'll see if it lives up to the anticipation. Screenshots and video after the jump. [Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]
GRAW 2 details hit web weeks after print
Media sites are buzzing today with news of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2. The sequel was haphazardly announced in late October, but today marks the first revelation of explicit details; at least, to the eyes of an internet-only peruser. Anyone who's passed by a newsstand in the last week or so may have noticed the current Game Informer cover featuring a well-tuned soldier of the future, instantly recognizable as the 'GRAW guy' (to the well-informed). Leafing through the issue's pages, one discovers a lengthy feature article dedicated to Ubisoft's springtime sequel. So today, in a reversal of fortunes, the internet is sweeping up the old news, proving that big scoops can always be negotiated for. So what's the price?
Fujifilm slaps US release date, price on Z5fd / FinePix S5 Pro
Fujifilm is apparently in the mood for spewing out much-anticipated launch details today, as both its face finding portable and S5 Pro DSLR are getting tagged with a US release date and price. The Z5fd has added the "face detection" moniker since we last saw it, but keeps the same 6.3-megapixel sensor, metal enclosure, trio of color schemes, 2.5-inch LCD monitor, i-Flash (flash that adapts to the environment), and "Blog Mode," which will automatically resize your photos for easy web posting while maintaining the original biggie. On the DSLR side, the FinePix S5 Pro is getting all official too, touting a 12.3-megapixel Super CCD SR Pro sensor, the company's own RP Processor Pro for "smoother tonality," ISO up to 3200, film simulation mode, and the obligatory face finding technology to boot. So if you're looking for a pocket-friendly digicam to come your way next March, the Z5fd will be landing for $229, while the upscale S5 Pro would make a lovely Valentine's Day gift if you're down with the $1,999 pricetag.Read - Fujifilm's Z5fdRead - Fujifilm's FinePix S5 Pro
Gears of War VGA bug fixed, set aside for future update
Mark Rein dropped into the Epic Forums last night to let VGA cables users know that the Gears of War aspect ratio issue has been fixed. Gamers playing on non-widescreen monitors have experienced squashed aspect ratios since the game shipped. A patch will be included in the next Gears update, which has yet to be scheduled. Rein added that Epic is still working on additional features for the update.Epic's vice president also made a direct apology to fans for the VGA oversight, explaining that the development team was only using widescreen monitors. A non-widescreen monitor has since been acquired for testing purposes.
Radio-controlled airgun picks off unsuspecting rodents, children
While it's no big deal when militaries establish sentry gun perimeters to protect their own backyard, crafting a slightly less dangerous version for your own property deserves its share of credit. While USB rocket launchers (even ones with lasers) are fairly potent at livening up your mundane office environment, their short range (and harmless nature) won't do you much good if you've got rodents (or mischievous kids) rummaging around your grasslands. Enter the RC Airgun, a remote controlled shooter that can be dictated from afar to take out any unsuspecting trespassers whenever you deem worthy. While details of its construction are scant, we certainly applaud the engineering efforts here, so be sure to click on for a few more pics, or hit the read link for some sweet video action.[Via Slashgear]
Killzone is back, ready to redeem itself... with money!
There has been a lot of controversy regarding whether or not the original Killzone was all that great. Some say it was awesome, some say it was awful, still others say it was pretty good, but the hype detracted from the good game it would have been. If you expect something amazing and get something "just good", relatively, it's a bad game. But it's not. Make sense? Let's get on with the news, then. The PS3 Killzone had dropped out of sight ever since making an appearance at E3 2005. An article over at the Dutch newspaper "de Volksrant" was titled "A video game more expensive than the most expensive film," and lo and behold they were speaking of Killzone for the PS3. It's worth noting that the title was comparing costs to Dutch films, not worldwide films. But that means Killzone is costing more than $21 million. In addition to this news, the game will have downloadable content, adding a more episodic feel. So now we know -- Killzone isn't dead. Just really expensive.
Super Star Soldier now available on Virtual Console
Well, Nintendo sort of promised us Virtual Console updates on Mondays, and no, they technically didn't lie. Late last night, Nintendo added a single new game, Super Star Soldier (of TurboGrafx-16 fame), available for 600 points. For those of you who aren't familiar with the title (you know ... everyone), Super Star Soldier is a vertically scrolling arcade shooter, resplendent with eight whole stages and seven whole bosses. There are even two-minute and five-minute time attack modes! Golly!Cynicism aside, those old 2-D shooters are fan favorites, and may add a lovely bit of retro to your gaming life. Anyone excited? Or just pissed that Nintendo is on its merry way to breaking its ten-game-a-month promise?
Gears of War enhancements incoming, trilogy unconfirmed
"Why stop at three?" Epic's Mark Rein writes in response to Microsoft's Jeff Bell implying that Gears of War will become a trilogy. While no doubt a success, we're not ready to put Gears in the same league as Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto, Mario, or Metal Gear Solid. Nevertheless, Rein points to these franchises' abilities to continue to deliver popular entertainment (beyond the trilogy mark) and suggests, similarly, the Gears universe still has plenty of content to offer fans. Sounds like plot might factor into the sequel -- and here we thought sawdomy* was the only thing this series had going for it.Rein did add that Epic's focus is still on the original Gears of War, promising to deliver "some great enhancements you'll hopefully see before too long." Perhaps ranked matches will be tweaked to support team-play after all.*Use of the chainsaw attachment to defeat your enemy; coined by Penny Arcade.
PS3 launch: Overheard on Resistance
Dude #1: We camped for four days. Bought a couple cots and stayed in sportings goods -- 'til they kicked us out. So we got some tents, barbeque grills -- partied outside. Dude #2: Yeah man, we camped for two days. I love that shit! Dude #1: Ah, that shit is so cool! [Resistance: Fall of Man; unranked deathmatch]
Take another look at Xyanide Resurrection [m]
Chris has been posting a lot on Xyanide Resurrection, and like many of you, I was skeptical about this game. Playlogic kept touting its revolutionary video technology, yet all we had to look at was still screens. Now that I had a chance to see the game in motion, I'm kindly requesting that all of you take another look at the game. I love retro shooters, and although this game does share similarities with Iridion and Nanostray, its really much, much prettier. Check out the video, after the cut, or download this hefty Motion JPEG video to your PSP's VIDEO folder:
Red Steel: how do you feel?
Red Steel is certainly shaping up to be one of the most talked about titles of the Wii launch. Love it, hate it, or maybe think it's just a quick rental way down the line -- likely, you have an opinion, and we want to hear it. And we'll even give you something new to talk about, like this new video from GameTrailers (sorry, you'll have to follow the link for this one). Though it must be said ... whoever is navigating in this video doesn't appear to be the world's most skilled player. It's either that or all the bad guys are capable of massive damage, and we're going to bet on the former.Check out the video and speak out: are you gonna get your vengeance on or take a pass on Red Steel?[Via NeoGAF]
Metareview - Every Extend Extra
Q Entertainment's been on a roll -- at least, in the handheld market (let's forget Ninety-Nine Nights ever happened). Lumines was arguably the PSP's best title up until this week, when the sequel dropped; and Meteos was a heralded effort for DS. So, not straying too far from the formula, the developer has offered up another portable puzzler, this time, an adaptation of popular freeware title Every Extend.Did Q Entertainment morph freeware into blockbuster? Or is Every Extend Extra too niche to capture the imaginations of block-falling junkies? Here are the critics' takes: PSW Magazine UK (90/100) - "[We're] delighted to report that it's also as frightfully addictive as its handheld brother, Lumines ... we've been vying to top the leaders boards and add 'just one more' to our max chain all week, and we're confident we'll still be playing Every Extend Extra in months to come." Game Informer (83/100) - "Only those who thirst for that elusive mastery of the concept will be playing for weeks on end." 1UP (60/100) - "Every Extend is as addictive as the best puzzlers, so it's painful to see its pumped-up remake bogged down by over-the-top special effects ... it's probably best to stick to the free version." [The alternative: Lumines II]
New Xyanide Resurrection screens released
Gamespot has just released a bunch new screens of Playlogic's upcoming shooter Xyanide Resurrection. And if shooting at giant, half-naked, outer-space prepubescent boys is your idea of having a good time, the game appears to be right up your alley.Fortunately for us, that's not all it has going for it. The game's developer, Playlogic, is using a new video-streaming technology that combines high-quality interactive video backgrounds withreal-time game sceneries for the first time ever in a handheld game, the company's press release stated.In the game, you play as Drake, an executioner who must escort the witch Aguira to the Maelstrom all while navigating through tunnels and fighting off enemies.
Gamestop lists Ghost Recon for PSP
Retailers have been great at revealing upcoming announced games. Remember how we spotted Oblivion for PSP at Gamestop? Sure, there were tons of denials, but truth was: it was real. (Pictures here.) Gamestop has revealed yet another interesting listing: Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 for PSP. The first GRAW was a critical success. Hopefully, the sequel will be able to capture even a small part of the original's excellent gameplay. We have the PS2 version of the first GRAW pictured up here, and we're confident that Ubisoft can get the PSP version looking close to the visual fidelity of this game. I mean, look at the awesome work they're doing on Rainbow Six: Vegas. [Via Gamespot]
Mad Catz gets in on the hot Gears action
Mad Catz is always good for a branded peripheral or two, but five? Yes sir, Mad Catz adds to the momentum of the Gears of War hype machine with a Console Crate (pictured right), a Console Skinz and faceplate combo pack, and three additional faceplates.True Gearheads will have some hunting to do. To collect all four faceplates, you'll have to journey to Best Buy, Circuit City, and Gamestop, as each retailer has been stocked with an exclusive plate. We suppose you could order each online and save yourself the trekking, but where's the fun in that? Okay, seriously, does anyone buy faceplates?
Metareview - Killzone: Liberation
With that Killzone sequel stuck somewhere in the PlayStation 3 pipeline, Sony and Guerilla have opted to keep the franchise alive with a PSP spin-off, releasing this week. Guerilla was not up to the task of proving FPSs could be done well on PSP, so Liberation is brought to us in third-person, which has proved more stable and successful on the platform. But releasing alongside Vice City Stories and a pair of Q Entertainment puzzlers could mean Liberation gets slept on.Here are some mixed critiques: IGN (90/100) opines Killzone's got "depth" and "accessibility," making it "one of the best games on [PSP]." GameDaily (80/100) gives a clear-cut endorsement: "Killzone: Liberation is definitely worth buying." Game Informer (73/100) applauds Guerilla for "actually trying to do some quality work on the PSP," but warns, "this game will kick your ass" because of awkward controls and difficulty balance.
