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iPhone It In: Worms
There isn't a whole lot to say about my six or so hours spent with Worms, and as such, this won't be one of the longer iPhone game reviews you read anytime soon. In fact, if you've played past Worms games, then you're going to find some pretty glaring issues to complain about here and not much of anything new. The game looks great, has tons of content (near equivalent to the recent XBLA release, Worms 2: Armageddon), and doesn't cost a whole lot of money ($5). There are, however, a handful of niggling complaints that could be made about the lack of precision control necessary for a time-based game, as well as long load times strewn throughout the game's menus. Unfortunately, these little issues add up to a much bigger one -- they make me not want to play the game. %Gallery-68930%
Team17 head: Timed exclusivity is 'just the way the world works'
"I appreciate PS3 owners getting pissed off because it's not on their platform immediately, but that's up to Sony I guess to address that," Team17 studio head Martyn Brown said in a recent interview with VideoGamer.com. According to Brown, exclusivity is just a fact of life. "People on Live Arcade can't play Super Stardust [HD] or PAIN or a bunch of titles ... it's just the way the world works really." he added. Addressing concerns that his company was paid off by Microsoft for the timed exclusivity of Alien Breed Evolution on XBLA, Brown answered ... "bollocks" (British for "nonsense"). Instead, Brown credited the exclusivity deal to "early faith" from the publisher. Specifically, Brown stated, "In exchange for exclusivity we get a lot more promotion ... it isn't the case of here's some cash in a suitcase, It just doesn't work like that -- It would be nice if it did!" No suitcases full of bank notes, Mr. Brown? Oh, that's right, GTA IV's exclusive DLC used up all of Microsoft's petty cash for a bit. Sorry, guy! %Gallery-68333%
Microsoft's early faith in Team 17 is why Alien Breed hits XBLA first
While Team 17's upcoming Alien Breed renewal, Alien Breed Evolution, will be coming to XBLA, PSN and PC, VG247 has learned that the game will be arriving on XBLA a bit earlier than the other two. "It will come to PS3 and it will come to PC as well, but initially it'll be Live Arcade," Team 17's Martyn Brown said. Why not release on all three platforms simultaneously from the get go? Brown says it has to do with Microsoft giving Team 17 a chance before anyone else would. "They showed a lot of faith in us early doors [British for "early on"] and that's kind of kept going really," Brown notes. He even goes as far as to call the relationship a "first-party publishing relationship" (which is the case for Team 17's other franchise, Worms, but not Alien Breed). Hey, Microsoft, you trying to put a ring on that finger? %Gallery-68333% [Via XboxGaming]
Team17: XBLA publishing is much harder now
Team 17's Martyn Brown believes the barriers to self-publishing on Xbox Live Arcade are becoming more difficult to break through. The studio director tells GI.biz that it's "massively" harder to get games on XBLA now, saying that there just aren't "many gaps in the portfolio" and the top sellers are mostly established IPs -- like his company's Worms games. Brown believes that new developers without established connections need to make titles that cater to the platforms. He expresses that Sony "tends to like the new stuff" that isn't necessarily mass market, while with Microsoft "you're really going for the commercial mass market audience." The takeaway from this is that as digital distribution goes from being the new frontier to becoming the norm, it's going to have similar issues as current brick-and-mortar retailers.
Alien Breed Evolution to spawn trilogy on XBLA, PSN, PC
Speaking at the Develop Conference in Brighton, England today, Team17 leader Martyn Brown described his studio's forthcoming digital release, Alien Breed Evolution, as a trilogy -- "one of the most expensive digital titles to-date," too -- according to GamesIndustry.biz. Said to be costing in the realm of $2.5 million to develop, Team17's Unreal remake of its Amiga shooter will be distributed in three parts, spanning an estimated 15 hours of gameplay. The first "episode" will include three, one-hour levels and an additional three-hour, co-op scenario, and is scheduled to hatch on Xbox Live Arcade around October and destined for PSN at a later date, confirmed VG247. The underlying message of Brown's presentation, titled "10 Things Nobody Tells You About Digital Distribution and Self-publishing That You Must Understand to Succeed," seemed to be one of caution, as summarized by Gamasutra. Brown dispelled much of the get-rich-quick myth of independent, digital development -- and publishing. Sure, one in a billion basement programmers might strike gold, but to enjoy lasting success, as Team17 has for nearly two decades, expect to spend money to make money and employ a staff with a "wide variety of skills" (a team of 30 or so is currently working on Alien Breed, for example). Brown warned, "if you don't know something, get someone who does, because you will not be able to wing it." Update: It's coming to PC too. Source - Alien Breed trilogy cost $2.5 million to make Source - Alien Breed trilogy: PS3 version coming later Source - Develop 2009: Team17's Brown Talks Challenges Of Self-Publishing Online
Worms launch assault on App Store, available for five bucks
If your appetite for caecilian destruction hasn't been satiated by the recently released Worms 2: Armageddon, you'll be pleased to know that you can now get your fill on the go with the even more recently released Worms app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. For $4.99, it sounds like a nice little package. There's four-team multiplayer, unlockable items and over 50 challenges for the lone wolves among us to explore. Best of all, you can still customize your team names -- just keep it classy, folks. Your Weather app is watching.
Worms for the iPhone submitted to Apple
Everyone's favorite battling invertebrates are coming to the iPhone and iPod touch very soon -- the game was actually announced a little while ago, but Team 17 now says the game has been sent off to be examined by Apple's eyes, and so, as long as it doesn't have any objectionable content (you can't object to exploding sheep, right?), we'll see it up for download very soon.Exciting. Unfortunately, I'm coming off of a Worms 2 purchase on Xbox Live, so I'll probably be passing on this one, but if you haven't had a Worms fix in a while, the video on the next page shows what Team 17 is saying over on their Facebook page: it's "a full console-style experience," with extra options, including probably the ability to play your own music as you play. Multiplayer will only be pass-to-play to start with (bummer!), but they're hoping to add in both Internet and Bluetooth local multiplay at a later date. And there's no official word on price yet, but we should know it soon: look for Worms on an iPhone near you.
Team17 announces Alien Breed Evolution, teases imminent iPhone Worms
Developer Team17 loves its Facebook page. This morning the company announced a "retro modern remake" of Alien Breed, one of its games from way back in 1991. Alien Breed Evolution is an Unreal Engine 3-powered shooter, which can be played solo or co-op later this year. A representative for Team 17 tells us that a video of the game should be released in two to three weeks. Team17 also teased that iPhone Worms "looms... not long now." There is currently a tentative date, but the developer is awaiting the go from Apple. Like a good Worm, though, Team 17 has everything locked, loaded and ready to fire when ready.
Worms 2: Armageddon hitting XBLM on July 1
Team 17 loves using Facebook to announce stuff and the release date for Worms 2: Armageddon is no exception. The slimy critters will be bringing along their favorite WMDs to the XBLM on July 1 and they're yours for 800 ($10). Terrifyingly, Team 17's announcement note also reminds us that the original Worms: Armageddon came out 10 years ago (we remember playing the original Worms on our 386s even longer ago). This version has been expanded with extra features, weapons and levels. You can see the full list of improvements over at Team 17's Facebook page.
Worms 2: Armageddon trailers bring the fire, new feature
Team 17 has released not one, not two, but three new trailers for the upcoming XBLA release, Worms 2: Armageddon. The trailers show off some of the features that will be available in the game. Two features returning to the series (but absent from the previous XBLA release) are fire and electromagnets. The fire is fairly self-explanatory: It will spread and damage things in its path (and cause certain items to explode). The electromagnet can either repel or attract enemy ordinance depending on how it's used.Finally, one new feature is revealed: Player reactions. Did you ever find it strange that enemy worms would just calmly sit there as a stick of dynamite slowly ticked away next to them? Those days are over. If you drop something nasty next to another worm now, they will appropriately express their mortal terror. Check out all three trailers after the break.[Via GamerBytes]
Team17 working on Worms for iPhone [Update]
A video posted over at Pocket Gamer seems to show off a very early build of Worms for the iPhone. The video is pretty brief, though it still manages to impress us through some slick visuals and competent controls. Whether or not this is real, know that we want it to be real. We've put in word to both Team17 and EA's mobile division (which was rumored to have acquired the license). EA got back to us to say that the company "does not comment on rumor and speculation." While we wait on Team17, you can head past the break and watch poor Harlequin catch a rocket to the face. Update: We've spoken with a source at Team17 that has confirmed the video past the break is authentic and something the team produced in-house, choosing to sneakily unload it onto the 'nets, rather than send Joystiq a press release. Our contact said that Team17 has actually moved to self-publish games in the digital distribution space, so it no longer needs to rely on partners get its products out there. So, in short: Worms on the iPhone is real, Team17 is doing everything, and there isn't any planned release date as of right now.
OFLC outs Worms Armageddon Decade for XBLA [update]
A listing appearing on the Australian Classification Office website has revealed that another Team 17 Worms title, Worms Armageddon Decade, may eventually inch its way to the Xbox Live Arcade. The Armageddon Decade rating appears to have been applied for by Microsoft, which probably means this Worms edition will be an exclusive XBLA release and is a different project than the PSN's upcoming Worms. If the awesomeness that is Worms Armageddon is anything to go by, the XBLA's special Decades edition should be one of the most enjoyable Worms titles to date. That is, if Team 17 doesn't skimp on the weapon selection. Update: Team 17 just informed us about the differences between the upcoming Worms games. The PSN edition will be an enhanced version of the XBLA release, including more weapons, additional levels, new audio and 1080p support. The XBLA release of Worms Armageddon Decade (which we're told is subject to a name change) will be a "vastly expanded edition" of the original XBLA Worms, that will include weapons and features from Worms Armageddon as well as other brand new content. More details to come. [Via GamerBytes; Thanks Ryan!]
Codemasters publishing Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust, coming in April
In the weeks following the fateful Activision Blizzard merger, a great deal of concern arose from the gaming community as a number of anticipated titles effectively lost their publisher. However, while most fretting was focused on Ghostbusters and Brütal Legend, the suddenly jeopardized low-brow antics of Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust went undiscussed, and largely uneulogized.Don't feel too guilty, you neglectful so-and-so -- Codemasters' casual games branch Funsta has apparently picked publishing rights for the title. According to the company's site, the adult content-rich adventure title is due out in April for the PC, PS3 and 360, and has been granted a totally shocking Mature rating by the ESRB. Ever the survivor, it seems the Leisure Suit Larry franchise will live to sleaze another day.[Via Big Download]
USK diagnoses PS3 with a severe case of Worms
The Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (or USK, for those who are terrified of lengthy, foreign words), Germany's game rating organization, isn't traditionally known for bringing us the hottest scoops. However, a recent listing on their site perked up our ever-attentive ears -- they recently stamped a Freigegeben ab 6 Jahren gemäß § 14 JuSchG (restricted for those below the age of six) rating to a PS3 version of Worms. Given that the genre of said listing is "Arcade", we think it's safe to assume that they're referring to a PSN port of the XBLA title. This isn't a particularly surprising turn of events -- Worms has sold over half a million on the XBLA, and its done so over the course of about two years. However, Team 17, the game's developer, hasn't formally announced the PSNified title. Assuming the USK hasn't got its wires crossed, we should be hearing more about the port fairly soon.
Team 17 boss wary of DSi features
When the DSi was unveiled, the DS Fanboy offices were filled with nothing but whooping and hollering, for Nintendo managed to actually improve on what we considered was the closest to perfection a handheld device could be. The DS Lite has great screens, is smaller than the Phat and has a huge library of great games. How could Nintendo even improve on that? Well, they did, with the DSi, but one individual sees the new handheld as an avenue for pirates to perform their dastardly deeds.Team 17's studio director Martyn Brown has been eyeing up that SD slot as a potential source of piracy. "Adding an SD slot makes a bunch of sense for downloadable content given the way things are going," Brown said. "I just hope they've done something to counter the mass piracy that exists via the R4 on the Lite. It scares me that with an SD card input, that might leave it even wider open that it was on the original device." He brings up a valid point, but we guess we're just going to have to wait until Nintendo reveals more about the security features of the handheld.Either way, we're sure the homebrew community will have a field day once it releases to Japan in November.%Gallery-33263%
Leisure Suit Larry hits PS3, boasting Box Office Bust
Some game companies learn that when they make a horrid, insulting game that flops all over the place, they shouldn't make another one. For some reason or another, Leisure Suit Larry defies that logical rule and sucks every time he resurfaces. Maybe we're being too cruel. Out there, we're sure a couple people have enjoyed the sexual antics of a man whose stature apparently belies his charm. Now he's coming to the PS3.Enter Box Office Bust -- a name that implies the success of the gaming franchise as well as a booby joke. Larry finds himself doing some summer work at his uncle's movie lot doing odd jobs and seeking a mole who wishes to destroy his uncle's privacy by ... airing the studio's dirty laundry? Whatever, we're sure it's not important. The game boasts a pretty decent cast of voice-actors and writers, which may be necessary to raise this series from nothing into something. Are we being too harsh? We're just skeptical. Even so, we'll keep an eye on this title as it develops.
