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Dead Space 2 debut trailer becomes undead
"Make ... us ... whole ..." It appears all the re-dead Necromorphs that Isaac killed in the first Dead Space game aren't exactly happy about being strategically dismembered. EA has released the debut trailer for Dead Space 2 -- for real, this time. Expect a lot of gruesome imagery, some inkblots, and a whole lot of screaming. If you're watching at work, you may want to turn down your speakers. And get back to work.
Dead Space 2 trailer leaked, then pulled (... so that's what Isaac looks like)
Joystiq readers know we're fond of one Ms. Lexine Murdoch, or, as she's known around these parts, Dead Space Girl. Well, we'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Mr. Isaac Clarke, the oft-masked engineer (and protagonist) from the first title. While you may think this is the first time you're actually laying eyes on the mysterious Mr. Clarke, we'd like to direct your attention to this video from the 2008 original. While Isaac looks a little worse for wear after the harrowing ordeal aboard the USG Ishimura, we're glad to see he hasn't lost his trademark sense of humor ... The image comes from the first trailer for Dead Space 2, apparently called "Dementia" according to Scrambled Pixel, who somehow tracked the video down early. We say "early" since we're assuming this was the treat intended to be released tomorrow, on 4/29/10, the date coded into the Rorschach inkblot we received earlier this week. Oh, also because it's now been pulled from YouTube "due to a copyright claim by EA." Don't worry though, we remember everything! It had the usual Dead Space fare: Necromorphs, Necromorphs vomiting, the Marker, crazy alien runes, and the above reveal (but not really!) of happy-go-lucky space miner Isaac's face. On second thought, you should probably just stop back tomorrow.
Dead Space 2 Rorschach inkblot teases Thursday's date, makes us work
Growing up, our grandpop would relate a time when video game news was sent via the telegraph and his ability to decode the dots and dashes of Morse code put food on the table. But now, times are different, and all that's needed is a quick copy and/or paste shortcut that's led to no shortage of complaints about "young people" and all the things we don't "appreciate." Whatever. And now the team at Visceral Games -- no doubt comprised of Matlock-loving old folks -- are intent on making us work for our gaming news. Take, for example, the above Rorschach inkblot we received in the mail. Sure, it's a creepy Dead Space 2 thing, we get it ... but, wait. What's that? If you turn down the lights (or, to put that into "young folk jabber," adjust the contrast in Photoshop) there's a hidden message. We managed to decode the alien runes on the included letter, which read, "The Sickness is the Cure! The Cure is the Sickness!" However, plum tuckered from all that decoding, we decided to skip deciphering the ink blot and instead stopped by the Unfiction forums where users have handled most of the heavy lifting already. The message mostly looks like nonsense ("ust a shard"?), but there is one decoded piece that is promising: 42910. That's either a nonexistent zip code (from space?) or a reference to April 29, 2010 ... this Thursday! We're going to stick with the latter, for now, but what does it all mean? Even money says it's going to be a trailer for the game, which we can just upload and embed in between our already scheduled Thursday afternoon naps. Grandpop would be proud. %Gallery-91844%
Dante's Inferno 'St. Lucia' trial editor explained on video
So, you've learned how to stand a better chance at surviving the user-generated arenas in Dante's Inferno's upcoming DLC expansion, "Trials of St. Lucia." Aren't you curious as to how those titular trials get created? The video above has a pretty good primer on all the different options afforded to the game's more creative players, as well as a few tips on how to make your trial tough, but winnable. Hey, even folks condemned to the deepest pits of Hades deserve a fair shot.
Dante's Inferno dev gives tips on how not to die in Trials of St. Lucia
The upcoming "Trials of St. Lucia" expansion for Dante's Inferno will put you up against a force far more malevolent than Beelzebub himself: The inherently mean spirit of the online gamer. Dante will have to conquer challenges crafted by other players, which will most assuredly be more difficult than any brawl that came packaged in the game. Why, you might ask? Because everyone on the internet wants you to be miserable. Don't give up hope! Greg Rizzer, the game's lead designer, created the video posted above, which is chock-full of helpful tips to keep you from succumbing to this deluge of pain. (Oh, and we were just kidding about the 'everyone wants you to be miserable' thing. We, for one, only want to bring you joy.)
Dead Space: Martyr novel tells story prior to Dead Space
Click to necromorph image to full size Looking to bone up on your knowledge of the Church of Unitology? Tor Books, in collaboration with Visceral Games, will release Dead Space: Martyr this July -- a book that will not only explain the origins of the fanatical church, but also that of the "Black Marker," the powerful alien artifact discovered on Earth in Dead Space's fictional future universe. The book stars Michael Altman, the geophysicist who first discovers the potential for crazed-out hallucinations from alien artifacts. Steve Papoutsis, Dead Space 2 executive producer, hopes that Martyr is "the first of many books to let fans dive deeply into Dead Space's secrets and immersive lore." Dead Space: Martyr by B.K. Evenson will retail for $14.99 when it releases this July.
Battlefield producer Gordon Van Dyke leaves DICE for Visceral
If you've enjoyed a Battlefield game in the last ever, then you've probably heard of Gordon Van Dyke: he's the associate producer on the Battlefield franchise. Back on April 1, he tweeted that he left DICE's cushy Swedish offices for a new position in EA. We were hesitant in light of that date but, sure enough, he tweeted some more. Finally, Van Dyke has confirmed that his new digs are in sunny Redwood City's Visceral Games. We contacted him for info on why he left DICE and were told it was to help Visceral with "a new project" -- and that we'd "find out more about it later." Being close to his family was another big deciding factor. [Via Blast Magazine]
Dead Space 2 thrusts gameplay footage at PAX audiences
Dead Space 2 producer Steve Papoutsis promised that Visceral's survival horror sequel would have a greater emphasis on action. Well, they weren't kidding. At their live-streamed PAX panel, the Visceral team showed off thirty seconds of footage of the upcoming game, and "action-packed" would be a pretty appropriate way of describing it. The blurry off-screen footage captured from the show's Ustream may not be the best look at the quality of Dead Space 2's graphics, but it gives a good idea of what to expect from Issac Clark's new adventure. Rushing through a moving train, Issac can be seen activating a jet pack in a scene that looks like it should be from Dark Void The Rocketeer. Watch it after the break.
Visceral Games to stream Dead Space 2 panel live from PAX East
Can't make it to PAX East this year? We feel your pain -- while there are quite a few Joystiqeurs winging their way off to the East Coast to partake with Mike and Jerry and the gang, there are almost as many of us still stranded back at home with all of you. But fortunately, our friends at Visceral Games are doing their best to share the love -- they'll be Ustreaming their Dead Space 2 PAX East panel live this Saturday at 1:00 p.m. EST. We've included the feed on this very post, so bookmark this page right now, and then come on back Saturday afternoon. Producers Steve Papoutsis and Rich Briggs will be in attendance along with Art Director Ian Milham, and the guys will "bring players up to speed on the Dead Space universe and prepare them for what's to come in Dead Space 2." They're even showing a bonus look at "the all new Isaac suit," and they'll be answering questions live from the simultaneous Facebook chat, too. Of course, a Q&A with the Dead Space 2 producers is little consolation to missing out on eating breakfast cereal with professional hugger Justin McElroy, but those of us at home this weekend will have to take what we can get.
'Ripper' is Visceral Games' PSN & XBLA game, according to Pachter report
[The Illustrated London News; October 13, 1888] Of the many highlights from the Wedbush firm's visit to EA HQ last week, as recorded in analyst Michael Pachter's report on the publisher released to media outlets today, one stuck out like, well, like a 19th century serial killer. Pachter has apparently announced Ripper, a "new PSN, Xbox Live game" from Visceral Games. In other words, put two and two together, my dear Watson, and that rumored Jack the Ripper game is actually Visceral Games' reported downloadable project. Pachter's notes don't provide additional details on the Ripper game and only reiterate that Visceral also has Dead Space 2 in development. When questioned, a Visceral Games representative issued a "no comment" to Joystiq. We'll keep sleuthing around for clues, though -- and in the meantime, kindly report any suspicious-looking games to our tips line.
Hands-on: Dante's Inferno: The Trials of St. Lucia (DLC)
If there's one thing Dante's Inferno lacked, it was originality. Lacking the "holy sh–" impact of God of War III, Visceral Games' hack-n-slash felt incredibly pedestrian. That changes with "The Trials of St. Lucia," an upcoming premium DLC pack that introduces the game's first bit of originality. The DLC add-on is made up of three new features: online co-op, user generated trials, and St. Lucia, a new playable character inspired by Christianity's Saint Lucy. Like Dante, Visceral's reimagining of her character is rather far-off from biblical canon. The playable martyr looks like an angel, and dons a move set that's completely unique from Dante's. (The differences between the two characters are comparable to those between Dante and Nero from Devil May Cry 4.) The basics of her offensive powers are familiar: light and heavy attacks, and grabs. However, St. Lucia also has the ability to fly. Flight enables a brand new move set for players. I was able to quickly fly to the other side of a comabt arena, sweep multiple enemies, and then slam one of the larger enemies with a quick combo. The new flight dynamic is a lot of fun and, because St. Lucia's controls are so similar to those of Dante, it's easy to pick up and play. %Gallery-88277%
GDC: Dante's Inferno art show at San Francisco's Hotel des Arts
Wayne Barlow's 'Cerberus' ... gross Held in conjunction with the Into the Pixel and Video Game Art Show exhibitions, San Francisco's Hotel des Arts is dedicating its entire fourth floor to "The Making of Dante's Inferno" through April 2010. We've got a sneak peek at the art on display in the gallery below, but if you want to see the real deal we'd suggest you make your way to the opening night reception being held at the Hotel des Arts on Thursday night, from 6pm to 10pm, smack dab in the middle of GDC week. %Gallery-87800%
Dead Space 2 contest calls for creative dismemberments
Those of us who have played the first Dead Space can probably agree that there were some bitchin' dismemberments throughout Isaac Clarke's journey to disengage the U.S.S. Ishimura's parking brake or whatever. But Visceral Games is looking to get creative with the sequel, so, the studio is tapping you, "Mr. John Q. Public" or perhaps "Ms. Jane Doe," to come up with some unique limb detachment techniques for Dead Space 2. You can submit your idea in one of three forms: through a written description; by snapping a picture; or by submitting a video -- up until March 26, when the entry period ends. Finalists will then have their ideas rated by the community, with the winner being revealed on April 20. Said winner will get face-mapped into the game, only to be dismembered by a Necromorph. We're not really sure we'd want to see our own death -- in a video game or some lame movie, but there it is. If you're looking for more info, head past the break for a video explaing how you can get involved.
Visceral Games working on XBLA, PSN offerings, says general manager
Now that Dante's Inferno has been loosed upon the gaming populace, the question of "What's next for Visceral Games?" is asked with increasing (and often comical!) frequency. Yeah, we know about Dead Space 2 and there are murmurs of "The Ripper" being in development at Redwood Shores, but what else? While emphasizing the studio's focus on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, general manager Nick Earl said, "That's not to say that we don't have smaller efforts under way and direct-to-consumer efforts on XBLA and PSN." Earl points to DICE's downloadable Battlefield 1943, "which was created in a studio even bigger than Visceral" and managed to break sales records. "That is showing the opportunity there," says Earl, noting that Visceral will "have some interesting offerings over this year and next." We're fine with that strategy so long as one of those offerings is "The Body Count of Monte Cristo." The pitch: You play as the wrongfully imprisoned Edmond Dantès, toiling away years of captivity under the tutelage of your friend, the monk Abbé Faria. Learn mathematics, history, language, and kicking ass, all in preparation for your escape. Resurface years later as the Count of Monte Cristo and exact your revenge across 20 levels of 19th-century action, bond market simulation, and romance minigames. This summer, count down to action with The Body Count of Monte Cristo, from Visceral Games!
Mega64 reveals the true origins of Dante's Inferno
Mega64's latest lampooning is a bit more historical than the troupe's other videos. Posted just after the jump is a video reenaction of the moment of Dante's Inferno's inception. We'd thought that a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Classic Literature major had planted the idea-seed in an EA executive's mind -- apparently, said gardening was actually performed by Ba'al Zebûb himself. Check out the video after the jump -- though, if you're employed at a place which frowns upon the use of the word "boners," you can consider said video NSFW.
Report: Dead Space 2 PC no longer in EA's plans [update]
A great deal of news came out of EA's Q3 earnings report yesterday; enough to make us overlook this item: The early 2011 listing for Dead Space 2 didn't reference a PC version of he title, as was previously announced. Blue's News reportedly contacted Electronic Arts about the absence of the listing, and was told by a representative that "as of right now a PC sku is not in the plan." That doesn't mean a PC version of the game is never coming out -- after all, the game's release window is still a year away. We've contacted EA to see exactly what "the plan" entails. Perhaps an elaborate casino heist? Update: An Electronic Arts representative responded to our query, stating "Visceral Studios is dedicated to delivering an outstanding Dead Space sequel for the Xbox 360 and PS3. A PC SKU is under consideration. Nothing additional at this time."
Report: Dante's Inferno not heading to the United Arab Emirates
According to bilingual gaming news site GamesLatest, the store shelves of the United Arab Emirates won't be stocked with fresh copies of Dante's Inferno any time soon. Electronic Arts reportedly published a statement explaining the company "decided not to release Dante's Inferno in the Middle East after an evaluation process which is based on consumer tastes, preferences, platform mix and other factors." It might also have something to do with the territory's hesitance to distribute games dealing with religious matter. As GamesLatest points out, both Darksiders and God of War were banned in the territory for their deity-rich plots. Then again, maybe the UAE Media Council just has something against impossibly gravelly voices. Either way, we've contacted EA to get first-hand confirmation of the report. %Gallery-51250%
Metareview: Dante's Inferno
Dante's Inferno isn't the best damn game out there, but it's not a hellish experience either. The game, which re-imagines ... is loosely based upon ... has some ephemeral connection to the literature, still delivers entertainment, according to reviews. Perhaps the sequel will be a more heavenly experience? Game Daily (80/100): "Rounding out this impressive package are a series of cut scenes (both 2-D animation and 3-D computer generated movies) ... Obviously, critics will obsessively compare Dante's Inferno to other games, or complain about the quick time events, but don't let those nitpicky issues prevent you from experiencing this imaginative and fun adventure. It's one Hell of a good time." IGN (75/100): "Dante's Inferno takes a bold, visually impressive take on a literary classic and adds in an intriguing action focus to create a different kind of action title. Unfortunately, some derivative combat sequences and a shallow combo system prevent the title from becoming a truly great experience." Eurogamer (60/100): "But you can't ignore the fact this is a God of War clone at its core, and many of the ideas here feel tired, familiar and dated. Nor can you ignore the fact that God of War III is nearly here. If it's a toss-up between that game and this one, as it probably will be for PS3 fans, you're best off waiting to see how Kratos' next adventure turns out." 1UP (C+): "The game is filled with lots of good and well-executed ideas, but they all seem to exist independently of one another. It's a popcorn movie that clearly took a good deal of talent to pull together, but comes up short of creating the grand adventure that it seems to be trying for." %Gallery-45836%
Hellacious marketing: Dante's Inferno is in the code
It seems the marketing team behind Dante's Inferno hasn't burnt out yet, with several ASCII art campaigns popping up in the source code for several popular websites. All direct to the same Dante's Inferno site. The first image (above) appeared in digg's code, as noted by brentcsutoras, and other sites like IGN, GameSpot and Kotaku also had their source code altered to display Dante-related images. It's one of the cuter, somewhat classier approaches to this title's marketing, and that makes it oddly noteworthy. If you're wondering why there's nothing in our source code (we're checking now just to make sure) ... we don't let anyone touch that. We consider it to be at least third base and you really have to get to know Joystiq before it's prepared to take the relationship to that level.
Visceral begins shift from Dante's Inferno to Dead Space 2
[Pictured: Isaac Clarke in Dead Space 2; adaptation] A week from the launch of Dante's Inferno, no one would expect Visceral Games' Nick Earl to reveal any uncertainty about sales, but Industry Gamers did attempt to elicit a reaction from the senior VP -- by reminding Earl that his studio's new game will share a release date with BioShock 2 (never mind that it's surrounded on either month by other big-name releases). "In life, there's the things you can control and things you can't control," Earl said somewhat poetically. "I can't be too concerned with our competitive slate; our team has put so much time into Dante's Inferno, and I have a lot of faith in it." Perhaps "faith" is a natural result of working with the source material, but more likely Earl can sleep at night because he knows he has the support of a strong marketing budget. As a work of public domain, Dante's Inferno is that rare double-bonus for EA: a recognizable property and free to adapt -- no strings attached. In turn, EA has invested in a resounding "buzz" that targeted game outlets early with memorable stunts and will culminate in an unprecedented Super Bowl spot. "There may have been [a Super Bowl ad] from Atari years ago, but it has not been done in recent memory, and it shows the confidence we have in Dante's Inferno," Earl said of the publisher's first Super Bowl commercial, which will air on Sunday. With Dante's Inferno out of his hands, Earl confirmed that the majority of Visceral's staff is shifting to Dead Space 2 (while a small team continues to work on Dante's DLC). "We're more focused on the action than the horror this time," Earl said of the apparent ACTION-horror sequel. "We're more empowering to the player."
