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Splinter Cell Conviction trailer Bournes it up
Hot on the heels of a new Assassin's Creed trailer comes this new Splinter Cell Conviction trailer from Ubisoft's Ubidays event. The trailer shows off the new social stealth system that will be employed in Conviction, as well as Sam Fisher's new combat capabilities. We've noted before that Sam Fisher now possesses some kick ass maneuvers akin to those seen in the Bourne films and this trailer confirms it. In fact, the whole atmosphere of the trailer seems to take a page from the modern spy franchise, which isn't a bad thing at all. After all, how many times can you play as a guy in a rubber suit? Check out an extended look at the game after the break. Be warned though, the video is a little dark.
EndWar controlled solely by voice commands
In an announcement during their Ubidays event in Paris, Ubisoft stated that their upcoming strategy title, Tom Clancy's EndWar, is capable of being controlled using only voice commands, although if you want, you can change the settings to use the controller to play as well. Ubi also wanted to point out that they are implementing a different camera position from the norm, comparing it to Madden's over the shoulder view. More details are expected to be revealed on EndWar as Ubidays continue. Are you down for gabbing your way through World War III?[Via Evil Avatar]
Tom Clancy's EndWar to be fully voice-controlled
EndWar's controls truly are nothing like the controls for Battle for Middle-earth. The Tom Clancy-branded RTS will be playable using only voice commands directed through a headset, Ubisoft confirmed today during its 'Ubidays' event in Paris. While the option to use a gamepad will still be available, the voice-controlled default setting might solve the difficulties of navigating a console RTS without a mouse n' keyboard -- or, it might not. Of course, being the "end war," why not risk it all with a novel control scheme?Further impressions will likely arrive tomorrow, as EndWar is expected to be featured on the Ubidays show floor.
SGD '07: Rainbow Six: Vegas screenshots are gorgeous
Straight from this week's Sony's Gamer's Day comes three beautiful looking shots of the PlayStation 3 version of Rainbow Six: Vegas. We've been waiting for this title for a while, can't wait for it personally. I just hope that they're able to keep the online play as good as the 360's play is. As usual, the screenshots look excellent. Look for this game on shelves on the 12th of June. %Gallery-3242%
A duo of EndWar screenshots prove interesting
If you've fallen in love with every Tom Clancy novel known to man, you've probably read about one. Because they're all very, very similar. Doesn't make them bad! Just similar. Regardless, when Tom Clancy started to get involved in software, people were skeptical at first, but realized "hey, these games are pretty darn fun." For the most part, that has been the trend. Some games, however, fell short. This one, EndWar, seems to be on the right track.This game, taking place during WWIII, yes three, follows a bunch of mock battles with some mock heroes and explosions. It employs a more strategic team effort, especially in the online components (we'd assume). This game essentially wraps up everything that has been set up in the other Clancy franchises with massive online battles where players take their own army up against others. It sounds neat and if it happens to be an RTS (our gallery begs to differ), it looks great.%Gallery-3067%
EndWar screens dazzle the senses
Okay, so these new EndWar screens don't dazzle all the senses. They dazzle every sense except sound, smell, taste, and touch. So, um, when you come right down to it, all they dazzle is the eyes (unless you find licking your monitor a dazzling experience). Anyway, regardless of what particular sense is dazzled, the screens themselves are, in fact, dazzling. If this is the kind of quality we can expect from EndWar, the first RTS in the Tom Clancy franchise, color us impressed. The screens are just loaded with highly detailed objects and effects. We're particularly fond of the explosion seen above. Visit Xboxygen to see the screens in high resolution glory.
EndWar controls nothing like BFMEII
Now that we've taken a look at the first shots of EndWar, we can start to ask the serious questions. Being a console RTS, one question rises above all others: how does it control? According to EGM and Michael de Plater, who is leading the EndWar project, it controls nothing like Battle for Middle Earth II. 360 fanboys will recall that BFMEII, and now Command & Conquer 3, were Electronic Arts' attempts at streamlining console RTS controls. That's not good enough for Plater, who says that BFMEII "was a test case for exactly what we didn't want to do." A note for console RTS developers: watch out for flying mud.CVG reports on the EGM information, clarifying that the main factions of EndWar will be the U.S. Joint Strike Force, Russian Spetsnaz, and the European Enforcers. Furthermore, combat will be limited to 12 squads at a time. Limiting combat numbers sounds like a great idea, as managing giant armies (as in BFMEII or C&C3) can be difficult on a console. Also mentioned in the article, the battlefield will be fully destructible.Now we have a new question: will EndWar set the new standard for console RTS games, or will we have to wait for Halo Wars?[Via Joystiq]
Tom Clancy's RTS, EndWar, should end all war... games
If I were allowed to make the subject line longer, I'd probably have stuck in about three or four of Mr. Clancy's book titles. Such nonsense. Anyway, CVG has cracked the code on the official Tom Clancy's EndWar website and discovered the first teaser trailer showing what? The start of World War III? So we've played World War II out to death, now we have to make up fake future wars? Fine by me. Enjoy the trailer... we'll fill you in on more information once it develops.
EndWar controls to be nothing like Battle for Middle-earth II
EGM has secured some hot new details on the fourth pillar of the vast Tom Clancy empire, the RTS EndWar. The game is being headed up by Michael de Plater, a familiar name to fans of the Total War series, who said he's taking a different approach to the console RTS. In fact, EGM quotes him as saying "[The Battle for Middle-earth II] was a test case for exactly what we didn't want to do." Oh, snap!Reporting from the EGM info, CVG says the game will pit the U.S. Joint Strike Force, Russian Spetsnaz and European Enforcers against each other on fully-destructible battlefields, with fights limited to 12 squads at a time. With all of the questions that it does answer, EGM leaves the most important one on the table: Has no one realized that if this is, in fact, the "end war," it'll leave Tom Clancy slinging curly fries at Arby's? Hopefully we'll find the answer in next month's issue of the mag.
Ubisoft fourth quarter sales pushed up by warfighters, turtles
Leading to the obvious conclusion: Ubisoft needs to somehow combine the gritty realism of the Tom Clancy franchise with the anthropomorphic antics of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Politically charged yet irresistibly adorable properties like Tom Clancy's Splinter Shell and Tom Clancy's The War on Terrapins are sure to tap into hitherto untapped fountains of marketability and financial prosperity. Not that Ubisoft is currently in dire need of money, mind you. Gamasutra's detailing of L'Ubi's most recent financial report suggests that the publisher is already exceeding analyst expectations by exchanging one type of green for another.The company's fourth quarter sales saw an increase of 37% to $267.5 million, largely instigated by the one million unit success of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 on Xbox 360, as well as the TMNT film-based game which dragged in 1.1 million units in its eight platform-wide net. Sales for the full 2006/2007 fiscal year stand at $923.4 million following a jump of 24.4%, with earlier titles such as Red Steel, Rayman: Raving Rabbids, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas and Petz being key contributors.Ubisoft expects profitability to increase further in the coming year by supporting new-gen consoles and expanding their presence in "the casual market on the Wii and Nintendo DS systems." Oh! We've yet to add casual games into our bubbling cauldron of cross-franchise success! So, that'll be Tom Clancy's Krang Age, then?
EndWar viral footage is the shakiest ever
We brought word yesterday that the EndWar viral site password had been discovered, revealing a pair of video clips. Our friends at The Xbox Domain have uncovered the viral footage in handy YouTube form. As a public service to our readers, we have posted it here. We have to say though, even for viral footage, this stuff is pretty tame. The camera shaking and constant static effect nearly nullifies the whole experience. Honestly, if we didn't know from where the footage came, we'd have no idea what it was (which is sort of the point of viral marketing, we suppose). Still, if you've got a hankering for some Tom Clancy flavored World War III action, you might as well check it out. Hopefully it won't be too long before we see some actual gameplay.
Viral EndWar content discovered
Yesterday, our Tom Clancy viral website mystery was solved with the announcement of EndWar. Though, information about the game is still lacking, but that's where the original viral website Rev64 comes to the rescue with some new content. Head on over to the Rev64 website and use passcode "s9p1z6" to get in. Once in, you'll hear the plot and backstory that EndWar is based on, including some Russian revitalization talk. Our tipster Mike also mentioned two videos were viewable once in, but after the backstory is complete we get nothing. We're thinking we probably have to register to see the media. The two videos are supposedly a F-22 dropping happy bombs on a few unlucky souls and some shaky cam soldier footage. Can anyone confirm the two videos once in the Rev64 website?[Thanks, Mike]
Ubisoft announces Tom Clancy's EndWar, 'a strategy game like no other'
Ubisoft has just announced EndWar, the latest addition to their blockbuster Tom Clancy series. The first Tom Clancy game built from the ground up for next-gen systems (sorry, Sam), EndWar is a "revolutionary war strategy game ... like no other." Now, that means it's a "revolutionary" war strategy game, not a Revolutionary War strategy game which, obviously, wouldn't have any of the high-tech doodads we've come to expect from this brand.EndWar is being developed by Ubisoft Shanghai who share development duties on the Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, and Splinter Cell properties. We don't know much about the game except that it's due on next-generation consoles (we don't think they mean you, Wii) in fiscal year 2007/2008 and that we'll be able to "lead [our] own armies against hundreds of others online in real global locations on the massive battlefields of World War III." See, we told you it wasn't the Revolutionary War.[Thanks for the tips, everyone!]
Ubisoft viral site hints at new Tom Clancy game
Nowadays, "viral" is more or less the term used to describe any website that is overly cryptic, edgy or, thanks to an abundance of Flash, somewhat annoying. Enter the recently erected, cryptic, edgy and somewhat annoying Ubisoft website, jsf28555833-80604722.com. Upon visiting the page, you'll be faced with all manner of military gibberish, false newscaster mutterings and a man who appears to be in a permanent state of discomfort. The Tom Clancy logo at the bottom provides the biggest clue, seeming to suggest that marketing for a new terrorist foiling sim is already in stealth swing. Splinter Cell and Rainbow Six are fair targets, but a glance at the infamous (and quite reliable) leaked list of Ubisoft games shows one of the few remaining titles to be Tom Clancy's Firehawk for PS3 and Xbox 360. Further intrepid internet investigation (read: Google search) highlights the website's initial letters "jsf" -- Joint Strike Fighter. Is Tom Clancy taking to the skies?[Via Eurogamer]
Vegas' Red Edition DLC to hit next week
In IGN's latest preview of Rainbow Six: Vegas' Player's Pack Red Edition, they reveal that the release date is slated for next Thursday, the 18th [sic]. This information should put some restless gamer's minds at ease, as the content was originally supposed to come out in March. The price point was not confirmed, except for the fact that it will be under 1,000 Microsoft Points off of Marketplace. Hopefully this has been worth the wait, will you be picking it up, and at what price?[Via GameStooge]
Viral website features Tom Clancy game
Ubisoft is uncharacteristically up to some viral marketing antics, hosting some teaser for an unannounced game over at www.rev64.com. The website features the face of a man who winces and grimaces and a news stream heard in the background talking about OPEC and its affect on the US. There's a whole bunch of text flanking the right side of the page with clickable links that either play news clips, make the man's face cringe, or play weird sounds. Again, we're not professionals at figuring this viral stuff out, so we'll leave it up to you guys. But we do know that all of Ubisoft's fingerprints are on the site (that's the easy part) and it also showcases the Tom Clancy logo at the bottom of the page (even though IGN reports it as a Rainbow Six logo ... tisk, tisk). Is it a new Rainbow Six game or maybe it's the next Splinter Cell installment, we just can't tell. We'll just have to wait this one out, unless someone wants to spend hours analyzing the website and report back to us. Please?[Via IGN]
Rainbow Six Vegas gets the patch treatment
If you've played Rainbow Six Vegas since Tuesday, you'll know that there was a patch you had to download earlier in the week. And this isn't a boring little patch, oh no. This is a gameplay changing, bug fixing, behemoth of a patch. Ubi_Rickas originally posted the full details of the patch on the official forums, outlining what Ubisoft fixed. Among the biggest changes made was making the weapons a little more balanced (per community feedback), quicker loading for customized faces, host can no longer kick a player during the game, and many other tweaks. A full list of changes are listed after the jump. Are there any Rainbow Six Vegas fans who've been playing with the patch applied, and if so, what are your impressions of the new tweaks?[Thanks, smak]
OXM bribes readers with free GRAW Chapter 2
Speaking to Godfree from Gamertag Radio, Official Xbox Magazine writer Ryan McCaffrey revealed that the April issue will include Chapter 2 of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter for free (the revelation is found 61 minutes into the interview). Chapter 2 was initially released on Xbox Live in June for 1,200 MS points but has since been halved to 600 MS points, or $7.50 in US dollars. Early in the interview, which starts about 36 minutes into the podcast, McCaffrey laments the struggle of getting good content on the included disc to justify its existence, especially with Xbox Live Marketplace being an efficient and convenient means to obtain demos for free. Still, with a purported subscriber base of 425,000, they don't seem to be doing too bad. McCaffrey cited an issue from early last year where their disc included a free 6-week trial of Final Fantasy XI, and noted that they will try to have similar goodies whenever an MMO is slated for Xbox 360.Around the 39 minute mark, McCaffrey also revealed OXM Universe, "a persistent game" found on the disc. The point of the game is to build a probe and spaceship and interact with other OXM subscribers online (presumably online via the computer, though an Xbox Live title would be an interesting test of convergence).Also available on the OXM disc will be the GRAW2 demo as well as an "exclusive review" of the full game. The April issue of OXM will hit newsstands soon for $10 (or $2.50, if you exclude the standard price of GRAW Ch. 2)
GRAW 2 MP demo assaults Xbox Live
The GRAW 2 multiplayer demo that was promised last week is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Clocking in at around 300 MB, the demo allows up to 16 players on one map called Outpost. It's arguable that this demo is more important than the recently released campaign demo, as players will be spending most of their time in multiplayer. The demo is currently only available to gold members.In a surprise twist, a much larger MLB 2K7 demo is available as well. Go forth, download, and enjoy.
GRAW 2 Achievements revealed
360Monster held a contest in which the winner would spend a day with Ubisoft and get some hands on time with GRAW 2. Winner "Phatmuther" took some pictures of the 43 Achievements available for the game, and there are a few cool ones, and thankfully no sign of any world ranking based Achievements. The list seems pretty balanced between multiplayer, co-op and single player based goals. The coolest one we have a description for is "Ultimate Defender" where you have to win a 60 minute Co-Op Defend match. Full list and select descriptions can be found by clicking the "Read" link. Pictures from the event are also available for your viewing.
