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Video: BioShock plasmids aplenty
It's true. We loves BioShock. Loves it. With the impending release only months away, we were pleased to see a mountain of video coverage on GameTrailers. We had meant to post it earlier, but we were distracted by lolcats. The series of videos covers the many plasmids available in BioShock. Some are fairly simple, like the Winter Blast plasmid, which freezes your enemies. Others are a little more complicated, like the Security Bullseye plasmid, which automatically makes your enemy the target of nearby security bots. All in all, the plasmids look to add a considerable degree of strategy and fun to BioShock. Check out the videos after the break.
2K football rises again, 2K8 debut trailer
It's been a long time coming, but 2K football is back. GameTrailers has posted the debut trailer of All-Pro Football 2K8. The trailer is heavy on the hip-hop, which is to be expected based on the game's previously announced soundtrack (not to mention other 2K sports soundtracks). The All-Pro engine looks nice, with plenty of jukes, spins, and tackles on which to feast your eyes. We have to wonder though, can any non-licensed football title stand up next to the Electronic Arts Madden juggernaut? How about you? Assuming All-Pro delivers where it counts, will you pick it up over Madden?
Fallout 3 will fall in Fall (2008)
Fallout, it's one of those games that you either A) love or B) have never played. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the first official trailer of Fallout 3 has caused undo stress on the Intertubes and rushing streams of data to burst from the weakened joints. The trailer reveals nothing in the way of gameplay, but it does show off some very pretty in-engine footage. If you've been salivating for some post-apocalyptic goodness, look no further. Oh, and in case the headline didn't tip you off, the game is expected to drop in the Fall of 2008. For the completely obsessed, you may now download the trailer and play it repeatedly for the next year and a half.Also, for the record, we'd like to add that Ron Perlman needs to do more video game work. That guy is like butter, makes anything better.[Via Joystiq]
Video: Hell as seen in The Darkness
Literary depictions of Hell vary considerably from person to person. Dante described the 9th circle of Hell as a frozen wasteland, made so by the chilling wind created by the Devil's wings. Meanwhile, Hell as depicted in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (truly a masterwork of the 20th century) gives its inhabitants a wide array of personalized punishments from which a sinner must choose. In The Darkness, it seems, Hell and its appearance are completely at the whim of the Devil. In the video above it is depicted as a war zone (reminiscent of WWII) with a blackened sky and withered landscape. We have to admit, listening to the Devil say "this is my dream of you" is pretty damned creepy. Check out another video (featuring Pestilence, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse) after the break.
Video: EGM previews BioShock
EGM recently got a chance to take a long look at BioShock and have been kind enough to share their impressions with the rest of the internet (how thoughtful). The video preview discusses the many aspects of BioShock, from its cinematic qualities to its accurate simulations of environmental effects. Irrational's Ken Levine notes that it was important for BioShock to perform according to a gamer's expectations. For instance, an enemy who is caught on fire should seek water to put it out. Similarly, shocking a pool of water with electricity should electrocute any enemies standing in the pool. Other topics discussed include BioShock's viability as an FPS, enemy AI, and the game's overall structure. Check out the preview after the break.
New BioShock footage, massive gallery
We just can't wait for BioShock. If you listen to the Fancast, you probably already know that, but it remains noteworthy. The game simply looks gorgeous and it has some promising gameplay to boot. The footage above is basically a mishmash of gameplay footage, assembled in no particular order. Give it a look and tell us what you think. Be warned though, watching all of these clips out of context may begin to make you feel a little ... insane.Also, we've uploaded a huge BioShock gallery, which you are free to peruse at your leisure. Find it below.[Via youNEWB]%Gallery-3532%
Grand Theft Auto IV images galore!
Rockstar has rolled out a handful of new Grand Theft Auto IV images and we've incorporated them into a new gallery, along with previously released content as well. The shots all show off a very impressive level of detail, from foliage in the trees to reflective surfaces on automobiles. We also get some close looks at GTAIV's protagonist, Niko Bellic (seen above behind the wheel of a likely stolen ride). Check out our extensive new gallery below and tell us what you think.%Gallery-3451%
A closer look at BioShock's Little Sisters
Despite the many menacing characters found in BioShock, not the least of which is the Big Daddy, the creepiest character revealed so far is undoubtedly the Little Sister. These little "girls" run around the underwater world of Rapture collecting something called Adam from the dead (note the large syringe in the image at right. The player can decide to save these "children" or to harvest them, as the Adam they carry is useful to the player. In the latest BioShock podcast, Ken Levine, creative director of Irrational Games, discusses the moral conflict that the developers have created in the Little Sister character.The whole podcast is just shy of 20 minutes, and is exclusively about the Little Sister. Given the appearance and demeanor of the Little Sister character, the moral choice presented by her is likely to become a touchy subject, and the podcast attempts to clear the air about it. Levine discusses the challenges of creating such a character (originally designed as an insect) and forcing the player to make a moral choice about it. Among the juicier bits of info revealed in the podcast is the fact that players cannot physically harm the Little Sister. Little Sisters can be "harvested," but cannot be harmed by weapons or powers that the player possesses. It is made clear that harvesting will result in the death of a Little Sister, though Levine doesn't discuss specific details. The podcast is definitely worth a listen. If you've got the time to spare, we suggest you check it out.
GTAIV hops on the special edition bandwagon
It seems like every major release -- and even some not-so-major releases -- gets a special edition these days. The latest to hop on the bandwagon is the next in the franchise that power-hungry politicos love to hate, Grand Theft Auto IV. We have to admit though, as special editions go, this one's a doozy. For the bargain basement price of $90, you get a metal safety deposit box, an art book, a soundtrack CD, a keychain for holding the keys to the deposit box, and a Rockstar duffel bag. Oh, and you get a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV as well. We dig that the special edition basically gives you the end result of a high profile theft: a loaded safety deposit box in a duffel bag.What say you, fanboys, does it top the cat helmet?[Via Joystiq]
New York pol compares V-Tech Rampage to GTAIV
Confusing politicians about video games is like shooting fish in a barrel it seems. State Senator Andrew Lanza (R) of Staten Island, has publicly come out against a flash game called V-Tech Rampage, in which players reenact the recent massacre at Virginia Tech. Concerning the game Lanza stated, "There are certain things in life you don't make light of and should not be turning into a game ... It's not a game, it's a tremendous loss of life."Unfortunately, Lanza revealed his lack of understanding about the game when he called on "retailers, manufacturers and Web site hosts" to distance themselves from the game. V-Tech Rampage is an independent game created by an Australian man named Ryan Lambourn. Clearly, Lanza doesn't understand the distinction between industry product and that which is independently produced.Still, Lanza finds a way to lump GTAIV into his statements, saying, "You've got Grand Theft Auto where you murder police officers ... To me, I can't imagine people marketing and distributing it, and putting it in the hands of kids, but it's happening." If we're going to continue the fight against violent games, can we at least get a new scapegoat? GTA is getting old.[Via Joystiq]
Midnight Club Los Angeles races to Xbox 360
Rockstar has officially announced that Midnight Club: Los Angeles is headed to the Xbox 360 and PS3. The game is being developed by Rockstar San Diego, the group that originally developed the Midnight Club series. Midnight Club: Los Angeles promises to "push the boundaries and expectations of what a racing game can be." Exactly how Rockstar San Diego plans to do this isn't made clear. Still, Los Angeles will be the first Midnight Club title developed for new-gen systems, so expect a healthy dose of graphical polish. Also expect plenty of "street racing culture" and barely-dressed women. Midnight Club: Los Angeles should be available in early 2008.[Via Joystiq]
The Darkness demo slated for early June
A bulletin recently posted by the official MySpace page of the upcoming 2K title, The Darkness, has clarified several details about the new release. The juiciest of these tidbits is the revelation that a demo is slated to be released before the game hits store shelves. The bulletin notes that the demo won't be finished in time to make any magazine covers, so it will download only. Currently, the demo is scheduled to arrive approximately 3 weeks before the title debuts on June 25th, so it should be on Marketplace in the first week of June or so.Also mentioned in the bulletin, a new video has been created, though it has yet to escape the evil clutches of the "certain voluntarily regulatory agencies." We can't imagine what sort of agency would prevent the distribution of horrifyingly violent material, but then again we're to desensitized to judge anymore. The bulletin also reveals that those who pre-order the title from EB or GameStop get an exclusive 2K Sports Darkling that wields a baseball bat. Nice.Here's hoping the demo comes out sooner rather than later.[Thanks, Ben Furneaux]
Rockstar: 360 hindering GTAIV development
Speaking to the Official Playstation Magazine, Rockstar's creative vice president, Dan Houser, noted that the Xbox 360's lack of a guaranteed hard drive poses a challenge for the development of Grand Theft Auto IV. When asked directly about the issue, Houser agreed that the hard drive issue presented limitations. It should be noted, however, that Houser elaborated that both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 have their share of challenges. As Houser put it, "both have their own particular pleasures and pains." What exactly these pleasures and pains are is anyone's guess.For what it's worth, the version of Grand Theft Auto IV being shown to the press is running on an Xbox 360. Do with that what you will. [Via Digg]
Loads of new GTAIV details rounded up
With scans of the latest Game Informer hitting the net earlier today, our paymasters at Joystiq have uncovered lots of juicy details about Grand Theft Auto IV. There are so many details, in fact, that it would be impossible to enumerate them without the aid of a bulleted list. Lucky for everyone, we have such a function handy for just this kind of situation. Many of these bits were copied directly from Joystiq because we're lazy to preserve clarity. So, here we go.
Take-Two board of directors gets carjacked
Following the revelation that Take-Two hadn't found a buyer, news arrives today via GamePolitics that Paul Eibeler, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, has been forced to step down. Take-Two's annual meeting took place yesterday and was quickly taken over by shareholders demanding that Eibeler step down. Strauss Zelnick, former CEO of BMG Entertainment has become the new Chairman of the Board. Ben Feder, coming from News Corp., is now acting CEO.While the change isn't likely to affect Take-Two's lineup of games, it should hopefully help the company shed its reputation for accounting problems and coffee that's just a little too hot. Then again, according to GP, it will take more than a few replacements to make things right. You can bet GTAIV will be watched like a hawk from both inside and outside Take-Two.
GTAIV trailer now on Marketplace
If you're the kind of person who prefers to watch trailers on a television, then you should be pleased to know that the GTAIV trailer is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Whether the trailer is the most masterful or the most over-hyped thing ever created is up to you. Still, we have to say, Liberty City looks mighty pretty, especially in HD. Go download it and begin planning your domination of the Russian crime syndicate today!
Take-Two saga continues: no buyers yet
It seems Take-Two just can't catch a break. After the golden towers of Take-Two were ransacked by angry shareholders demanding that CEO Paul Eibeler step down, Take-Two announced that it was postponing its annual meeting to come up with alternative solutions. Alternative solutions, in this case, means selling the company. TeamXbox has received word from Take-Two that the company is "unlikely to present alternative courses of action prior to the annual meeting on March 29th." In other words, it looks like Take-Two hasn't managed to find a buyer (not even Microsoft).Expect more Take-Two drama to unfold during the company's annual meeting this Thursday.
Irrational developing X-Com sequel?
If you played PC games during the 90s, chances are you've played X-Com. A memorable turn based strategy title, X-COM put players in control of an elite agency tasked with defending the planet from alien invaders. Players researched alien technology and built their arsenals to combat different types of enemies. All in all, X-COM earned a fond place in many gamers' memories. Potentially good news then, as Irrational Games, makers of the upcoming BioShock, may be working on a sequel. A client document from Irrational's law firm, Fierst, Pucci, & Kane LLP was discovered by Shacknews. The document in question lists X-Com among Irrational's games. Adding fuel to this fire is the fact that Irrational's Ken Levine himself has professed his love for the X-Com series and Take-Two (owner of Irrational) purchased the rights to the series in 2005.Should the rumor prove true, we can only hope that the imminent success of BioShock will convince Irrational Games to bring the game to the Xbox 360.[Via 1UP]
Take-Two in trouble with NASDAQ
Take-Two Interactive, publisher of the famed Grand Theft Auto series, is under pressure to complete its quarterly report. NASDAQ has filed a non-compliance on the company for failing to report its July 31, 2006 statement on time. If Take-Two fails to comply, the company may have its stocks de-listed from NASDAQ, which would cause havoc with the share prices. Take-Two's official stance is that they wish to review their stock options before releasing the financial report, though taking over three months to do so is suspect. According to the SEC, 10-Q forms (the form Take-Two is late on) must be filed within 40 days of the end of the financial period. There's gotta be something more than a simple review of stock options going on. Could Take-Two be shuffling around records to hide or eliminate a fraudulent transaction? Maybe the media exposure over Bully has hampered sales; TT could be stalling for time to release the bad news, hoping the share price impact is softened by strong holiday sales outlooks. In any case, Take-Two needs to get their act together or investors may look elsewhere to keep their retirement assets. If so, TT would need a mega-hit series to keep the investor's money from falling out of their pockets ... oh, wait.
