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Dead Rising 2 not in the works, being considered
Considered by many to be one of the best games available on the Xbox 360, most of us thought a sequel to Dead Rising was a certainty. It may then come as a surprise to fans to learn that the game is currently not in production at all. In a recent interview, Keiji Inafune told Game Informer that he'd like to produce a potential sequel, but it's not in the works right now. Inafune adds that the game is being considered in Japan, and that it's the one project being considered that he'd like to produce the most, but there are still many technical and financial issues to be considered. X3F readers will know that both Dead Rising and Lost Planet were very successful in the west, but not so much in Capcom's native land of Japan. Anyone want to take odds odds on seeing Resident Evil 5 before Dead Rising 2?
Inafune says Dead Rising 2 not in production
Mmmmm, angry brains. Despite what we've been told, apparently Dead Rising 2 is not in production according to a Game Informer interview with producer Keiji Inafune. Inafune says that it is something he would "love" to make, but his responsibilities at the moment don't allow for that kind of time. He says Dead Rising 2 is a title being considered by Capcom Japan and if they announce it, he would want to produce, but he doesn't clearly state that the game is on hold because he wants to be the one to do it. Sad news for Dead Rising fans who were probably expecting an announcement that the sequel would be around sometime late next year. Despite being successful in the States and Europe, Inafune's Dead Rising and Lost Planet didn't do so well in Japan. Maybe it's time for Microsoft to apply a little pressure with Capcom on behalf of those who don't really care about Monster Hunter Freedom 2 and want a little more Frank West in their life ... we know MS knows how to spend money for what they want.
Condemned 2 developers working closely with ESRB
Manhunt 2's de facto banning by the ESRB due to its AO rating is causing other developers like Monolith – creators of the upcoming Condemned 2: Bloodshot – to take notice and work closely with the ESRB. CVG reports Condemned's senior producer, Constantine Hantzopoulos, has pulled features from the game because of the Manhunt 2 drama. Hantzopoulos says that things like someone's head being put into a vice (Casino, anyone?) and a couple decapitations were removed from the game. It's not like Hantzopoulos isn't used to dealing with ESRB censorship – he also worked on Indigo Prophecy which had to cut some sex scenes from the US version. We can't wait until five or six years down the road when we get to organize the absurd censorship fights developers have with the ESRB for a post. We can already imagine the conversations now: "OK, so, three decapitations is an M, but two decapitations with a blood spurt is AO? Got it."
Condemned 2 altered to prevent AO rating
We haven't really covered it here on Xbox 360 Fanboy (for obvious reasons) but most of our readers are probably aware of the Manhunt 2 AO rating debacle -- the game received the AO rating from the ESRB for both PS2 and Wii. As a result, the game will have to be altered if Rockstar ever wants it to see retail shelves. It looks like this occurrence is already affecting the rest of the industry, as Condemned 2 producer, Constantine Hantzopoulos, reveals to CVG. According to Hantzopoulos, the Condemned 2 team is cutting certain content from the game in order to avoid an AO rating. As examples, he states that the ability to put an enemies head in a vice has been cut, as have several decapitations. Judging from Hantzopoulos' comments, other environmental attacks, like putting someone's head through a TV, may be cut as well. Condemned 2: Bloodshot, whatever its final state may be, is expected to arrive early next year.
SEGA: Rally Revo this Fall, Condemned 2 in Feb
Today, SEGA must have felt a little left out of the E3 hubub and as a result decided to share its video game release schedule through 2008. SEGA isn't giving out concrete dates, but has announced that Xbox 360 games Virtua Fighter 5 and SEGA Rally Revo will be available this Fall, The Golden Compass this December, Condemned 2: Bloodshot is penciled in for February, Iron Man next Spring, Universe at War: Earth Assault Q1 of 2008, and The Club will make its way to retailers Winter 2008. So, later this year SEGA will grace us with some online Virtua Fighter 5, SEGA Rally Revo and The Golden Compass and anything releasing in 2008 we won't comment on, because 2008 is way too far in the future for our A.D.D. minds to care about. Bring on the 2007 games!
Sega reveals oodles of game dates
Yes, perhaps we have heard of practically all the games Sega says they're showing at E3, but we now know a bit more specifically when we'll get our soon-to-be-E3-cramped mitts on them. Due this fall are Bleach: Shattered Blade (Wii and DS), NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (Wii), SEGA Rally Revo, PS3, Xbox 360, PSP, PC) Sonic Rush Adventure (DS), Universe at War: Earth Assault (PC) and Virtua Fighter 5 (Xbox 360). In the holiday season, expect Ghost Squad (Wii), The Golden Compass (Multi), Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii, DS). Next year, look for Condemned 2: Bloodshot (Xbox 360, PS3) in February, Iron Man (Multi) in spring, Universe at War: Earth Assault (Xbox 360) in Q1, The Club (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) in winter, and Space Siege (PC) at some point during the year. If you want to learn more about any of these, we've taken the liberty of posting the whole release after the jump.
Condemned 2 to be violent and deadly
IGN's pre-E3 coverage continues with an interview with the developers of that bashingly violent sequel Condemned 2: Bloodshot. Producer David Hasle and associate multiplayer producer Tarl Raney talk with IGN about the game's story, what they're changing, what's staying the same, and how they used input they received from Criminal Origins to make this sequel all the better. The interview touches on a few interesting Condemned 2 tidbits revealing that the combat system will be much more interactive, the forensic scenarios will be optional, and those oh so intense finishing moves will be back, but will now allow you to move your victim around and use the environment to torture them. Also interesting is that the main character Ethan suffers from hallucinations throughout the game in which he sees and battles the lovely "tar men" you see above. Crazy, we know. It really sounds like the dev team listened to the gaming community, added more goodness, and made sure the sequel stuck to the original's gruesome roots. We're already in love and are uber excited to see what the team will show off at E3. Be sure to take a look at a few new screenshots from Condemned 2: Bloodshot after the break.
Condemned 2: Bloodshot's bloody details
A fresh and visceral look at Condemned 2: Bloodshot is hitting newsstands soon as new details and gory images await in the August issue of OXM. Not only does OXM show off some new twisted screenshots like the one above, but they also talk specifics. Condemned 2 takes place years after the original where our forensic hero Ethan Thomas has since left investigative work behind and now wanders the streets, drinking his sorrows away and battling his inner demons. But Thomas is forced back into the investigator role again when his partner mysteriously disappears. Condemned 2 promises a new hand to hand combat system, disturbing visuals, 30+ weapons, and a multiplayer element that's still under wraps. Condemned 2: Bloodshot is slated for a Spring 2008 release, so hopefully SEGA can stay away from the ESRB for a little while longer, because we're sure they could find something AO worthy in their current mood. [Thanks, NitroFrost]
Lost Planet and Dead Rising haven't broken 100K in Japan
This info is definitely not lost in translation with the universal language of numbers. According to Capcom's own sales records (chart after the break), neither Lost Planet nor Dead Rising broke 100K units sold in Japan. This isn't really the most shocking of news given the sales of the Xbox 360 in Japan, but it does show the game resonated with North American and European audiences more. Despite tepid sales in Japan, both titles sold outside the Land of the Rising Sun to the tune of 1.4 million copies each, signs of Capcom's growing global focus. Now, before you go pointing at cultural differences -- highlighted by Monster Hunter Freedom 2 for the PSP selling 1.2 million units, while the PS2 versions of RE4 also couldn't break 100K -- here's some fun info: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which was published by Capcom in Japan, sold 430K units. So, frozen tundras don't resonate with Japanese gamers, neither does a mall full of zombies, but playing a gang-banger bent on ghetto domination sells 200% more than Dead Rising and Lost Planet combined. Ah, good times.
Japan shuns Lost Planet and Dead Rising
As part of their 2006 fiscal year reporting, Capcom released sales numbers that prove that Japan hasn't been feeling Lost Planet or Dead Rising. According to their numbers, both games sold pretty well in North America and Europe, Dead Rising selling 730,000 and Lost Planet selling 810,000 copies in North America alone. But Japan is another story all together as both games have yet to sell even 100,000 copies, which makes up for less than 10% of each games' total sales. We understand that both Lost Planet and Dead Rising were geared towards Western audiences, so less than fantastic Japanese sales were a given. But we didn't think Japanese gamers would avoid these gems like the black plague. Don't worry though, Lost Planet or Dead Rising, we still love you and you can crash on our couch anytime you want.
Gamecock announces DS survival horror, Dementium: The Ward
The first title to escape from the confines of developer Renegade Kids will be Dementium: The Ward, a first-person survival horror game for the Nintendo DS. Published by Gamecock Media Group, the game promises to "set the bar for mature handheld games" by combining first-person shooter and adventure mechanics into "one nightmarish experience". Presumably, that means the game will be scary and not, you know, Trespasser. The press release notes that Dementium: The Ward concerns an unfortunate protagonist waking up in a desolate hospital, one frozen in time and overrun by gruesome creatures and worse yet, "challenging puzzles." The initial batch of screenshots also indicates that you'll be shining a flashlight on strange lumps of meat, an activity which we honestly can't attribute to any existing DS game. "Dementium showcases what a powerful piece of hardware the DS is, while drawing in a mature crowd that's looking for a title they can really sink their teeth into," says Renegade Kid's owner and creative director, Jools Watsham.Targeting the DS for an original survival horror title certainly seems noteworthy, especially when the platform's current "mature crowd" is either sinking its teeth into Brain Age or a glass of water next to the bed. Renegade Kid's real challenge likely won't be finding an audience, but conveying an unnerving atmosphere on a portable device. (Don't read the concluding sentence, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!)%Gallery-3636%
Dead Rising: Frank gets free clothes again
If you're thinking Frank West's wardrobe is getting a tad stale, then we've got a couple of free clothing options for you. Up on the Marketplace you can download three new locker keys for Dead Rising that'll unlock three outfits including a pure white suit, stripe outfit, and an accountant look. Old Frank will feel like a new man! All three outfits are free and ready for download, so plop in Dead Rising and be sure to have Frank try on the white suit. It may get blood stained really fast, but killing zombies will have never looked so good!
Dead Rising's Frank West gets change of clothes
Sure, Capcom can't fix the tiny-text or give us that delicious co-op rumor, but they sure can give us more outfits for Frank West in Dead Rising. Major Nelson tells us that Capcom released some free goodies and some micro-pain-ment things. The free stuff is a Pure White Suit, Stripe Suit and Accountant Suit. The stuff they'll charge you for is "to celebrate Dead Rising and Lost Planet reaching a million" units sold. There are four theme packs being sold for 150 MS points ($1.87) each. Yup, that's a way to show gratitude, celebrate people purchasing your game by charging them more. We're just going to ignore that slap in the face by saying we'll be happy when we get some information on Dead Rising 2.
Getting deep on Dead Rising
GameCareerGuide.com gives Dead Rising a New Yorker Magazine-style treatment and goes all highbrow in reminiscing about the title. Dead Rising occupies a very strange place in gaming. It was obviously a hit and talks of a sequel were already in the works a week after the game premiered. But, putting aside the tiny-text and the punishing save system, those horrors were eclipsed by Otis and that walkie-talkie. There's plenty of "drinks at the Palm" moments in the piece. Like you'll have to read all three pages to understand what this quote actually means, "Dead Rising has, as you might put it, a profoundly 'old-school' sensibility -- a pre-Miyamoto one, even. Its goal is to recapture what once made video games entertaining, by getting rid of many of the institutionalized assumptions that have made them boring, or frustrating, or arbitrary." Highbrow analysis aside, Dead Rising certainly was a game where the concept was in the right place, along with the writing, the heart, the brains -- mmmm, brains. It was the structure of the game that hurt, especially the menacing way you failed for missing one of those picky, picky case files. The GCG piece actually explains that one should think of Dead Rising as a classic game where you should expect to play it through on one life. Fail? Well, then you should start over. Yeah, the piece gets weird, but that's because you have "institutionalized assumptions" about what to expect from a game. Read the piece and then come back to let us know what you think -- we know you will.
Boom, Bloodshot! Condemned sequel announced
SEGA announced that there is indeed a sequel planned for Xbox 360 launch title Condemned: Criminal Origins in early 2008. The Xbox 360/Playstation 3 multiplatform Condemned 2: Bloodshot will continue the storyline of the original, as well as provide online multiplayer, which will have "the most brutal hand-to-hand combat experience the first person genre has ever seen." The funny part is that that sounds surprisingly similar to the "review" describing it as "A superb sequel of brilliantly brutal bloody hand to hand brawling..." Our only question is, will you run faster with a knife?
Condemned 2 stalking the PS3 in 2008
Condemned 2: Bloodshot has just been announced at the Sega Gamer's Day event for release on the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 in early 2008. Re-assuming the identity of Ethan Thomas, the severely messed up main character from the first game, players will be tasked with hunting down the location of his missing partner and taking down serial killers. The game will expand upon the violent, bloody first person combat of the previous game with a more robust fighting system and more impromptu weapons. They are also including a variety of online modes, including Deathmatch - something fans of the first game have been asking for for a while. I thought the first game was pretty good. It was definitely creepy and atmospheric and the graphics were very cool in a Silence of the Lambs kind of way. It was also pretty refreshing to see them mix up the first person shooter genre by putting a lot of emphasis in gory hand-to-hand combat and melee weapons. It had a number of things holding it back from greatness though, including a hackneyed bunch of investigative tools that added nothing to the gameplay, repetitive enemy animations, and bad AI. I have no idea how many times maniacal killers would smack me in the face with a 2x4 and then go 'hide' behind a pillar 1/10th the size of him like he had tricked me. Still, it sounds like Sega is on the right track, and they have about a year before release, so I have high hopes. Any other fans of the original out there? [Via N4G]
Survival horror creeps onto the DS
Rumours are going around the internet that Alone in the Dark 5: Near Death Investigation will be heading to the DS, along with versions for the home consoles and PC. The latest entry in the survival horror series sees Edward Carnby fighting for his life in Central Park. We'll get an episodic story and the chance to hot-wire a car in a minigame.Atari is also bringing at least five other titles to the DS: Tabaluga 2, Lucky Luke: Go West, Asterix Olympic Games, Cooking and Fashion Academy. Something for everyone then, and a real treat for image conscious chefs who like French cartoons.
IGN interviews the Silent Hill team
Ever since Silent Hills: Origins came back from its months-long silence, people have been talking about the game's incredible production values. IGN spoke with the game's producer, William Oertel, who spoke a little bit about creating the title: "When first conceiving the idea of Silent Hill on the PSP, the recurrent thought was to do a remake of the original Silent Hill. While some fans would have loved to have seen this, we decided it was better to take the opportunity to build on the rich story encompassed by the series. Doing a prequel (of sorts) allowed us to also touch on some of the moments in the original Silent Hill and present them in a new and different way. The story behind the town is really a story of the characters we've seen in past games. So, the game reveals part of their history, such as Alessa, Dr. Kaufmann and Dahlia, as well as adding a new character, Travis."It's great to see Konami offer yet another high profile, original game for the platform. With Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and an upcoming Castlevania game, it seems like Konami is quickly becoming one of PSP's elite publishers.Read more at IGN. Insiders will be able to see the game's entire intro sequence.
Brutally violent Silent Hill gameplay vids
Hope you didn't just eat lunch. Silent Hill: Origins is back, and it looks better than ever. Turn off the lights, get your security blanket, and snuggle up to these devilishly violent videos of the game in action. The game seems to have moved away from its Resident Evil 4 inspired camera, while gaining some context sensitive action buttons. Of course, none of this analysis will really matter as you watch this bone-chilling footage.Remember, kids. You have to be 18 or older to see footage from this obviously M-rated game.
Silent Hill Origins rises from the dead
Silent Hill: Origins had seemingly disappeared from the public eye, with many (including ourselves) fearing its cancellation. The game showed early promise, with impressive graphics and Resident Evil 4-style gameplay. However, it wasn't long until there were reports of troubled development: Climax, the game's developer, laid off numerous employees. Then, it was conspicuously absent from Konami's Gamers Day.Well, looks our fears were unwarranted. Game Informer has a new exclusive preview up: "The kicker was that even though the game was on a much smaller screen, our hands sweated and heart pounded as if we were playing a full-on entry in the series. If you're sensitive to scary content you'll probably not be playing this with the lights out and headphones on like the game recommends. With that said, it looks like Climax is on the right track with Origins."We're incredibly relieved that the game has taken a turn for the better. Check out Game Informer for more screenshots and videos.[Via NeoGAF]
