ubisoft
Latest
GRAW / XBLA Bundle on the way?
Club Skill reports that Microsoft will release a new 360 Premium bundle on September 30 that incudes a copy of Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfigher and Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged for $399.99. XBLA Unplugged includes 6 titles: - Geometry Wars Evolved - Bejeweled 2 Deluxe - Wik: Fable of Souls - Hardwood Backgammon - Outpost Kaloki X - Texas Hold'em That's a great deal. But Club Skill doesn't reveal their source or offer any proof. File this under "wishful thinking" until we get official confirmation. Nice idea though. While we're talking fantasy bundles, why not throw in Oblivion and a 12 month subscription to XBL? [via 360stuff]
More than one level in Red Steel after all
We were pleased to learn that Red Steel is actually a full length game (shocking!) and not just the same level we've seen dozens of times, with dozens of guys bouncing around a set and waving the Wiimote. Can't they find a woman for one of these? Where are your Frag Dolls now, Ubisoft? Or please, get the intense guy again. He was our favorite. And while this new video is quite the sizzler, we're insulted by the fact that the actor left perfectly good sushi just sitting there in favor of picking the game back up. Find the pause button, son. It's all about priorities.Keep going to check out the video.
Enchanted Arms grabbing PS3
It's easy to be the life of the party when you're the only one attending. Enchanted Arms is generally acknowledged to be an entertaining, albeit unremarkable, game that has gained a bit more attention simply for being the first traditional Japanese RPG to hit the Xbox 360. It may even wind up beating others to the magical punch (that's a play on enchanted limbs and the earlier party analogy, you see) on Sony's next-gen console, as the game's official website now indicates that a PS3 version is in the works. Ubisoft has yet to announce intentions to publish an English version again, but such information should likely arise once the Tokyo Game Show kicks off later this month and a firm release date emerges from, err, From Software. If you plan on foregoing the Xbox 360 version in favor of this one, you can look forward to a motley group of heroes, an ineptly imprisoned ancient evil and an adventure which the Official Xbox 360 Magazine (UK) calls a "most likable cult oddity." [Via Eurogamer]See also: Enchanted Arms' Metacritic page Enchanted Arms embraces bilinguilasm
New Prince of Persia announced
The angsty Prince is back in a new game entitled Prince of Persia: Rival Swords. Like Revelations before it, Rival Swords is essentially an enhanced port of a PoP console game. Rival Swords takes the gameplay from last year's critically acclaimed The Two Thrones and adds new levels and multiplayer modes. For example, you will be able to race through levels against a friend, or play through new chariot levels and re-enact your favorite scene from Ben-Hur. The game will hit Holiday 2006 in Europe, and then hit American shores in 2007.Should we get excited? I'm a bit doubtful on this one. Revelations met critical disapproval due to its high number of glitches and ridiculous loading times, and the same developer (Pipeworks Software) is working on this port. They might be able to work out the bugs this time around, but with so many original games heading to the system soon, a port can't really grab my attention.[Via IGN]
Ubisoft looks for more female players -- Alive coming to Wii
Ubisoft is shaping up to be one of our favorite companies. Their fresh and innovative view of games and this industry as a whole has impressed us time and time again. Plus, they seem to be female friendly seeing as how their US office was headed by a woman named Christine Burgess-Quémard and they are also the parents of the lovable, kick ass gaming team, the Frag Dolls. Something else Ubisoft is doing to make us like them more is develop awesome Wii games. Rayman Raving Rabbids, Splinter Cell, Far Cry and their newest take on earthquakes and how to survive them -- Alive. Not much has been revealed about Alive and it was only recently confirmed by Yves Guillemot in an interview with International Herald Tribune. Alive doesn't focus so much on shooting as it does on character survival. How this is going to attract more female gamers we aren't certain but it is definitely something to find out. [Via IGN]
Splinter Cell coming to the Wii
As if Ubisoft hadn't done enough already, they've added yet another game to the "launch window" release. Splinter Cell: Double Agent is currently being developed by Ubisoft's Montreal studios for a quick release on the Wii. Let's use our psychic powers to predict the future, shall we? There will be no online component for the Wii version. The programmers have utilized the Wiimote to create a special, unique control scheme. Some missions will remain exclusive to the Xbox 360 version of the game. Sam Fisher will star in some government-oriented espionage action. (goes to look) Oh my stars, look at that, we're precognizant. On the less skeptical side of things, this looks to be one of the better-looking Wii titles, and Splinter Cell doesn't often disappoint, so chalk this up as another minor victory for the fledgling console.[via Joystiq]
Wii's first 3rd-party peripheral is a foam donut
French game publisher Ubisoft is the first company other than Nintendo to announce a peripheral for the Wii. The peripheral takes the form of a small, plastic racing wheel with a slot in the middle for the motion sensing Wii-mote, and is to be bundled with Ubisoft's GT Pro Series and 4x4: World Circuit racing games, although the simple design -- it's basically a foam circle -- suggests to us that it should "work" with pretty much any Wii racer. We'd imagine that the feeling would be similar to that of driving a car after the steering wheel had fallen off the column, and thus hilarity will no doubt ensue. On the one hand, the Wii-eel (Wiil?) could be a great example of the increased immersion that the Wii's controller will allow; on the other, Engadget HQ is chock-a-block with pointless pieces of plastic, so we're sure the novelty of finding a hunk of foam with every Wii game will wear off pretty damn quickly.[Via Joystiq]
Far Cry fan's lonely cry
Will anyone at Ubisoft hear reader Luigi's lonely cry: Many sites including Ubisoft's official Far Cry site reported on a patch that was supposed to answer the prayers of the few Far Cry fans that are left. They first announced the patch on their site on Friday August 18th saying that it would be online early the following week. One week later they posted an update saying that "One small last minute issue was found which needed to be fixed." It is now two weeks later and despite a number of complaints by fans on the official Far Cry and Xbox Forums Ubisoft is yet to give us any more news. As our tipster freely admits, Far Cry devotees are few and far between, but this situation is indicative of an industry-wide problem. More and more devs are releasing slop knowing they can patch it later if enough people complain.
Ubisoft steers GT Pro Series onto the Wii
Ubisoft is all over Nintendo lately. Not only are they dominating the Wii launch lineup, but they're the first to bundle a peripheral not designed by Nintendo with their games. Yes, that's games plural. Their new steering wheel, which cradles the Wiimote like the precious jewel it is, will be bundled with both Monster 4x4: World Circuit and their new racer, GT Pro Series. IGN snagged a short intervew with associate producer Tats Myoio. They didn't cover much, but the screens of the colorful cel-shaded game and the first look at the superfly steering wheel are so exciting that an interview is just the cherry on this Ubisoft sundae.The highlights: GT Pro Series will feature over 80 licensed cars, including Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Toyota. There are 11 different options for customization. The game includes a wide variety of racing modes: Championship (Career) mode, a Quick Race mode, Versus mode (splitscreen only!), Time Attack and Drift Mode. Any race can be saved and replayed later, for your viewing pleasure. GT Pro Series supports 16:9 widescreen, but no progressive scan. The steerig wheel was developed by Thrustmaster specifically for GT Pro Series, but it will work with other Wii titles, like the aforementioned Monster 4x4, Excite Truck, Cars, and portions of Spongebob as well. We're vehemently not going to be the ones who break down and make a Thrustmaster joke. Just in case you were wondering. [Thanks, AssemblyLineHuman!]
Splinter Cell infiltrates Wii launch lineup
Not content with preparing seven titles for the Wii's upcoming and still nebulously dated launch, Le Ubisoft has announced that Splinter Cell: Double Agent will also join the arm flailing fray. IGN reports that the Wii version is based on the PS2 and Gamecube builds and that it will fully utilize the system's unique control capabilities. The exact control specifics have yet to be divulged. One of the examples cited is using the Wiimote to pick locks, though there's arguably more appeal to be found in the the thought of slashing a hapless guard's throat with one swift and decisive motion. Curiously, the game will be missing "some" of the missions present in the Xbox 360 version (and less curiously, an online component). The Wii launch will likely fall after Double Agent's October debut, so the cause doesn't appear to be an unreasonable restriction in development time. A few missions for a different control scheme -- is that a fair trade? While it's certainly possible that Ubisoft will include extra missions more closely designed with the Wii controller in mind, that seems unlikely given the platform differences in past Splinter Cell titles. After all, there are seven other motion-sensitive games that need to be bitten off and chewed before the Wii's launch later this year. [Thanks AssemblyLineHuman and Jeremy.]
Ridiculously long Red Steel video
Eight minutes with Red Steel ... sounds like a party game involving a closet. It's the same footage we've seen of the first level, but instead of seeing it in a trailer, we get to see IGN's Fran Mirabella play through the level ... and even die! [Thanks to Velvet Kennedy who originally sent this in.]
Far Cry: Vengeance revealed
The guys at VGM Daily managed to get some info on the unnamed Far Cry project that has been said to release on the Wii from Andre Vu of Ubisoft. Dubbed Far Cry: Vengeance, the game is not to be a straight port of the Xbox versions. The game is also to support progressive scan (480p) and widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) in the final retail version.Some interesting ways of working the Wiimote's gesture-based functions were also revealed. Thrusting the Wiimote forward will allow you to zoom in, where slashing the Wiimote will allow you to use your knife and/or feral attack. The nunchuk's capabilities will also be used. Pulling up on it will cause Jack Carver to jump.It turns out that Ubi is also testing online for the game. The game is to be officially unveiled on the 14th of this month.
Ubisoft CEO confirms girly game: 'Alive'
Ubisoft's Alive was first revealed in March 2006, when an alleged release schedule was leaked to the public. Ubisoft had declined to comment on the title until this past weekend when International Herald Tribune writer Doreen Carvajal reported that Alive, which "features characters who rely on their instincts and each other to endure after an earthquake," is scheduled for release in 2007. Carvajal even scooped this quote from Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot: "[Alive is] more oriented toward drama, more life in characters, more depth. It's still about surviving, but you can't resolve things by shooting only."Guillemot referred to Alive as an "action plus" title, a genre that Carvajal has spun into Ubisoft's attempt to focus on what the writer deemed the "feminine side of gaming." Carvajal's recent article examines industry attempts to appeal to a mass audience, which means attracting female consumers. But will replacing rocket launchers with character development lose fans or gain them? Perhaps in a stagnant industry, it's a risk worth taking.
Assassin's Creed finally confirmed for 360
Ending months of rumor and pointless photoshopping, Ubisoft has officially confirmed that Assassin's Creed will be released on the 360 in Q1 2007, the same time the formerly "exclusive" title hits the PS3, with a PC version to follow. Glad that's settled.With developers seemingly desperate to minimize their risk, is the whole concept of "exclusivity" now just a matter of months and marketing? Oh yeah -- except for our awesome 360 exclusive Gears of War.[Thanks Bonzai]
Watch some Enchanted Arms
myFlash = new FlashObject('http://www.gametrailers.com/umremote310.swf', 'swffile', 425, 362, 8); myFlash.altTxt = ''; myFlash.addVariable('mid', 12811); myFlash.write(); So, Enchanted Arms came out a few days ago, but we thought we'd share this video anyway -- be thankful that the game allows you to opt for Japanese dialog. It's not exactly a secret that the 360 is no treasure trove of Japanese games (though Dead Rising might change that). As such, Enchanted Arms presents a rare opportunity for the monotonous random battle masochists out there (like me). If you need, need a JRPG fix, Enchanted Arms just might do it. Clearly, it's no Final Fantasy, but if you've got to have a hero with feathered hair (you just don't see it nowadays) Enchanted Arms is your only choice. Anyone pick this up yet? Recommend it for die hard JRPG fans?
Assassin's Creed confirmed (or not) again [update 1]
And the Assassin's Creed rumors just keep comin'. Pictured at right is the latest cover for 360 Magazine, a British rag that covers, you guessed it, the Xbox 360. It says it all right there:"World Exclusive: Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft goes in for the kill."Could the longstanding mystery behind Ubisoft's staunch refusal to reveal AC's 360 status finally be solved? Any Brits out there seen this magazine yet? Does it even exist? Hit the read link and then click "Latest Issue" to see the cover.[Thanks, Les Doodis.]Update: We know that you all know this by now, but AC has been officially confirmed. You may now commence chiding us for our delinquency in posting this sooner.
Rabbids to rave on other consoles after all
So much for Wii's Rayman exclusivity -- Ubisoft quickly shut down the spreading rumor that the new game, Rayman Raving Rabbids, would not debut on any other console until 2007. Supposedly, the game is set to hit "old and next-gen platforms" this year. But our moment in the sun may not be over yet. There's been a lot of talk about games for other systems being ported to the Wii, but this brings up a new twist: how will a game designed for the Wiimote handle on other consoles? Since all the publicity is centered on the Wii version, guess we'll have to wait to find out ....
Ubisoft shares Dark Messiah of M&M with Steam
Valve has been busy piling up games with hearts of gold in their increasingly popular, and increasingly cramped, Steam bordello. With the recent additions of Introversion's DEFCON and seventeen members of the burgeoning PopCap clan, Steam is really (steaming up/under pressure/on fire). Sure, a little service called Xbox Live ain't doing so poorly, but they're not delivering highly anticipated AAA retail titles yet, so there. Today, Valve announced a deal with Ubisoft to distribute their Source-based, first-person RPG, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic over Steam. More importantly, the release will be simultaneous with the retail release this October. Unlike Half-Life 2, which is distributed digitally over Steam and in stores by EA, Valve does not own this property, they're just the messengers. Ubisoft is acknowledging the demand for digitally distributed AAA content and using the largest platform they can find to promote it. We're still waiting on governement-distributed protein pills and personal submarines, but the third pillar of our future vision is now realized.Check out a video of Dark Messiah, and today's press release, after the break.
Assassin's Creed confirmed for PC, not Xbox 360
Following a PC Gamer report that Assassin's Creed is PC bound, Ubisoft has finally confirmed, "Assassin's Creed PC will indeed see the light some day." Still, the publisher remains vague about when that day will come and whether or not an Xbox 360 version will also be released.The news puts an end to the mystery of Assassin's Creed's exclusivity, though Sony fanboys can still brag to their counterparts that they'll be playing first. Take that![Thanks, Judd]
Far Cry Instincts Predator marks territory on XBLM
We never could figure out if the lukewarm reception of Ubisoft's Far Cry Instincts Predator on the Xbox 360 was because it was a quick and dirty port of an Xbox title with some graphical flourishes, or the rambling assembly of words they call a title. Far. Cry. Instincts. Predator. ?. Either way, we have a chance to reconsider our initial revulsion by downloading the 345MB demo the Xbox Live keepers have thrown in our cage. Like a wild animal -- with the default inventory of wild animal skills -- we'll lunge at the demo and pin it to the ground in one fluid cat-like motion, before plunging our incisors into its single map and rending all five included gametypes from its mutiplayer skeleton. It goes without saying that we do this instinctually. Predatorily. While crying.
