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Manhunt 2 controversy rules out Saints Row Wii
The controversy that was whipped up over Rockstar's naughty Manhunt 2 may be more far-reaching than we originally thought; for example, it's pretty much scared Volition right off the idea of producing a Saints Row game for the Wii.Volition's Dan Sutton thinks that a Wii iteration of the crime epic would create little more than an unwanted hoo-hah, particularly with motion controls thrown into the mix. "With games like ours you get much more controversy when you add motion controls like you saw with Manhunt 2," remarked Sutton to CVG, before going on to explain how motion-controlled chainsaws and satchel charges probably wouldn't win many friends in the various regulatory bodies.So where do Wii-owning, virtual-hooker-killers turn now? Take-Two has already played down the idea of a Grand Theft Auto game on the Wii, and now one of the next best alternatives has been emphatically ruled out. Ooh, how about a True Crime game? Actually, just not caring sounds like a better option to that.
Saints Row 2 controversy concerns, graphics keeping it off Wii
Saints Row 2 producer Dan Sutton tells CVG that the game isn't coming to the Wii over controversy and graphical concerns. He explains that implementing Wii controls for "chainsaws, satchel charges, stuff like that" in the game might risk the title running into Manhunt 2-style controversy. That's a bad thing? Apparently, SR2's developer, Volition, isn't totally run by the marketing department. Sutton also explains that SR2 won't be making it to Nintendo's waggle-enriched juggernaut because Volition is "about pushing really good graphics" -- he believes the Wii feels like an older console. Ouch, at least he didn't mention duct tape.
Red Faction: Guerilla beta open on 360 for IGN Insider and FilePlanet subscribers
If yesterday's video extravaganza for THQ's upcoming shoot-'em-up Red Faction: Guerilla tickled your ludological fancy, then a tip we recently received might interest you. Apparently, the Guerilla multiplayer beta from which yesterday's footage was gleaned is now open for Xbox Live Gold subscribers through FilePlanet -- though you have to be either a FilePlanet subscriber or an IGN Insider in order to gain the access code necessary to conjure the beta onto your 360 through Live Marketplace.There is a beta application to fill out, though we don't think they would turn their precious subscribers away. It's of little importance to us, however, as we make it a point not to subscribe to things that aren't the Oprah magazine.[Thanks, Kyle.]
Saints Row canceled due to lack of Sony support, Cell 'complicated'
With Saints Row 2 arriving on the PS3 soon, some of us are left wondering why a port of the original Saints Row was eventually canned without a detailed explanation. Producer Dan Sutton of Volition tells CVG a valiant attempt was made, since they were about 50% done when they concluded that "we just couldn't get our heads around Cell ... it's just really complicated." Eventually, they decided when the port of Saints Row was finished it would simply be too late to release.Well, what's so complicated about it? "Cell's really, really powerful. The problem is it's also a really different system, the way it uses multi-threading technology." came the reply. They also attribute the lack of Sony support in fixing bugs to the cancellation: "PlayStation-only bugs are so complicated and Sony didn't have the support to help us out during the Saints Row 1 development."But it appears things have changed for better this time around for Saints Row 2, as Volition hired a specialized PS3 team to deal with the hardware. And Sony is helping this time around, too. "I think now the support's there at least - we've had many conversations with Sony trying to get our heads around that ... but now we have that support and it's really exciting." Sounds good to us -- let's hope Sony continues to provide that level of assistance to every third-party developer.
Tera Patrick takes it off for Saints Row 2
You may have heard that Tera Patrick -- do not Google her name at work! -- was "hired" as a "special" "producer" on Saints Row 2. It looks like we now have an idea of what she'll be "contributing" to the game's development: developer diaries. The first dev diary is really just a tease of future Tera Patrick dev diaries. She gabs about the game's features and takes off her clothes, all with the kind of forced sexiness that only a porn star can deliver.We miss Gary Busey. Find the (slightly NSFW) video after the break.
Tera Patrick 'hired' as 'special' 'producer' on Saint's Row 2
Phillip: Well, here you go, Ms. Patrick, this is where you'll be working. Tera Patrick: Right, well, that's what I wanted to ask you about. What is it, exactly, that I'll be doing here? Phillip: You see, Tera, you're a "special producer" on Saint's Row 2, so you'll be ... well, you'll be a producer. But a special one. Tera: You just wanted to use a picture of my boobs on a poster, didn't you? Phillip: No, no, don't be ridi-- Tera: Is this computer made of chocolate?
Joystiq E3 hands-on: Red Faction: Guerrilla
Volition's decision to change the perspective in Red Faction: Guerrilla from the first to the third-person couldn't have been an easy choice to make, but it seems to be the right one, something that even now feels strange to put to words. Even as a fan of the developer's terrain-deforming original, it's difficult to look back on Red Faction without qualifying my enthusiasm with the promises and potential of what might have been. However, after sitting down with Volition senior artist Jasen Whiteside over a hurried E3 lunch and actually playing the title, it's evident that action game fans shouldn't feel at all awkward about adding Red Faction: Guerrilla to their list of titles to look forward to in early 2009.%Gallery-19834%
Saint's Row 2 'a very differentiated product'
This is precisely why we're not in video game marketing. If we were trying to get our open-ended gangster romp into the hands of millions, we'd be sure to have "Just like Grand Theft Auto IV!" emblazoned across not only the game's cover, but all of its magazine ads, television commercials and special edition lunch boxes. Of course, the major failure in our marketing strategy would be in its honesty -- our game, "Radical Car Nicking," really would just be Grand Theft Auto with slightly murkier textures. That's why we're not in game design either, but we sure are good at copying and pasting quotes from THQ CEO, Brian Farrell! Like this one (via Next-Gen), from an investor meeting held on Wednesday in Chicago, where he said, "We think that we have a very differentiated product with Saints Row 2." Farrell acknowledged Rockstar's opus as "the leader in the genre," but noted that Volition's bandanna-wearing blockbuster would go in a different creative direction with "silly, over-the-top gameplay." We've certainly seen shades of that in the most recent Saint's Row 2 trailer, what with the encouragement of public streaking and outrageous misuse of sewage. It's out -- and very differentiated -- this October.
THQ: Saints Row 2 and GTAIV are 'very different'
Saints Row 2 will be releasing on August 26th October 14th and THQ wants everyone to know that it isn't just a GTAIV clone, that Saints is its own creation and is an experience "totally different" than what Rockstar offers. Or so says THQ CEO Brian Farrell who, during a recent conference call, admitted that "we're always concerned about GTA as a competitor" but mentioned that with Saints Row 2 they "have a very differentiated product in this open-world genre" that has more "tongue-in-cheek ... silly, over-the-top gameplay." And we have no reason to doubt Mr. Farrell. We like Saints Row for what it is, not trying to be overly serious and focusing more on the gameplay shenanigans rather than a serious, deep storyline. Heck, with Gary Busey peddling your product, you have to have some amount of humor. Right?
Saints Row 2 trailer pokes fun at GTA IV
The latest "please get excited to buy us" trailer for Saints Row 2 takes some playful potshots at Grand Theft Auto IV. The video, which we've placed after the break, asks us if we'd like to do mundane tasks like bowling in GTA IV or more over-the-top things in Saints Row 2, like shooting sewage at pedestrians? The trailer is a tiny bit awkward, acting as if THQ's game will be available right after players are done with GTA IV. We really don't know how long they expect us to be playing GTA IV, but considering Saints Row 2 doesn't come out until October, chances are we'll be done with it sooner than they anticipate.
Analyst: THQ has internal problems
Janco Partners' analyst Mike Hickey, after gazing deep into his crystal ball, reports many bad things in THQ's present and future. The biggest issue, Hickey believes, is the publisher's reliance on the recently delayed Saints Row 2. He surmises there is general internal conflict at the publisher, between corporate trying to salvage the company's finances, and developers trying to deliver a quality product. Hickey states THQ's guidance for this fiscal year is too aggressive and dependent on what THQ is calling "proven franchises," but he believes these titles are at risk due to delays, low demand and major marketplace competition.Hickey spends some time comparing Saints Row to Activision's True Crime. He says that Activision once called True Crime a franchise (before it killed it) the same way THQ is touting Saints Row, but he believes a "franchise" has a "predictable level of consumer demand," which Saints Row just doesn't have. However, he believes it'll be THQ's best-performing owned IP this year. Hickey tells investors to just look back at THQs owned IPs for the last couple years and make their own conclusions about how things are going to go down this fiscal year.
Don't trip dawg, Saints Row 2 be comin' 2 PC
THQ has confirmed to Big Download that ghetto fabulous Saints Row 2 will be poppin' caps on PC. Originally announced for Xbox 360 and PS3, the game doesn't have an official release date yet for com-pu-ters, but Gamestop lists it with the same launch date as the console version. Saints Row 2 probably plays a significant role in THQ's financial stability, so it's not surprising to hear that the title will try to pick up cheddar from whatever platform it can find it on. THQ recently fired 200 employees and reported a $35 million loss in its last fiscal year. We'll holla back with an update if the publisher gives a release date soon. %Gallery-19838%
No Saints Row 2 for you until October 14th
We have sad, sad news for all fanboys who are lil' gang members in training. THQ just announced that Saints Row 2, which was originally set for release on August 26th, has been delayed until October. October 14th to be exact. THQ cited "marketing issues" and overall "product quality" as reasons for the delay, saying that Saints Row 2 "is done" and that now "it's about polish." Humph ...Polish is always good and we'd rather take a two month delay then see a Saints Row sequel that plays like utter crud. But saying that that doesn't mean we have to be cheery about it. So, our official stance on the delay is anti-cheery acceptance.[Via Joystiq]
THQ delays Saints Row 2 until October 14
THQ has broken our gold-plated hearts (and teeth) by announcing that it will delay the launch of Saints Row 2 until the company's third quarter, from the August 26 release date announced just last month until October 14. According to Reuters, THQ cited marketing issues and product quality as the reasons for the delay, making us hope that the nearly two extra months of development will give Volition enough time to stamp out those remaining bugs. Additionally, while THQ believes that the delay will not have a negative impact on the company's fiscal 2009 performance, given the publisher's recent pink slip party and $35.3 million loss in fiscal 2008, there's really nowhere else to go but up. [Thanks Bo]
Gary Busey returns for more Saints Row 2 vids
You may recall Gary Busey's Saint's Row 2 videos from earlier this month. They are, to say the least, insane. That is to say that Gary Busey is insane, but that's okay. It works for him, makes him money. What we're getting at here is that Uncle Gary is back with more Saints Row 2 videos, and he's as crazy as ever. We know the purpose of these videos is to advertise Saints Row 2, but we just can't get over Gary. Frankly, "People don't like getting shot in the face" may be the best line we've ever heard. Find another video featuring Tulsa's insane favorite son after the break.
The tools of Saints Row 2 destruction
Thanks to Uncle Gary, we already have had a chance to preview some of Saints Row 2's arsenal of weapons, but nothing too in depth. Now, thanks to IGN, we have been graced with a rather extensive list of Saints Row 2 weaponry brought to you by helpful folks at ULTOR. You have your standard Annihilator rocket launcher, AS14 Hammer machine gun and stun gun, but also included in the mix are more interesting tools of destruction like a chainsaw and a (very hot) flamethrower. Make the jump to get all the deets and view a preview of the weapons and vehicles you'll encounter in the vid embedded after the break. Dual wielding shock paddles FTW!
Red Faction devs find PS3 potentially more powerful than competition
A developer at Volition, group behind the upcoming Red Faction: Guerrilla, joins the camp of developers who attest the PS3 has unbridled power beneath a rather complicated shell. Jeff Carroll, associate producer for the game, said other developers will struggle at first with the PS3, but when they figure it out, there's a very powerful system there.As for the needless comparison between 360 and PS3 versions, Carroll said "We've got the PS3 running at a similar frame rate to the 360. We're finding some of the challenges of the PS3 beneficial. We feel like we're doing rather well with the PS3." He goes into some specific benefits the PS3 brings to the table, like the increase in running speed once they moved animations and physics from the CPUs onto the SPUs. Potentially, Carroll said, the PS3 will push out better graphics than the 360. Since he says this game is pushing the PS3, maybe we'll see results that support his claim!
Joystiq impressions: Saints Row 2 (360/PS3)
Never before has a videogame so accurately allowed characters to pantomime taking a dump on a slain enemy. Years from now, when every game has a dozen user-selectable taunts built into it, we'll all look back on August 26's Saints Row 2 as the game that started the virtual dumping trend. And as this article was posted, in the comparison between Saints Row 2 and GTA IV, only the former could claim the virtual, pantomimed dump. Your move, GTA IV. There's more to Saints Row 2, and the rest of it also caters to adolescent boys (or the adolescent boy in us all). You can play co-op with a friend online and just fly helicopters, drive boats, race cars and motorcycles, and otherwise play in the updated Stillwater setting. If you want to follow the story missions--purported to be "darker" than the original by developers--you can both drop in and out of a single-player game in a way that keeps track of each players progress, so you don't miss any content. But, who are we kidding? THQ had fans of Saints Row at "pantomimed dump." %Gallery-19838%
Joystiq hands-on: Red Faction: Guerrilla (360/PC/PS3)
At a recent THQ game event, another writer asked me about the original Red Faction. I told him it was one of the first games to use destructible environments. And then as I kept talking, I added qualifiers and backed off from that statement. Eventually, I rambled on to say it was also the first not-fully-successful game to do that in a long line of unsuccessful games. It was still cool -- smashing through a window was impressive -- but it didn't give the destroy-anything sense that the developers pushed.Due late this year, Red Faction: Guerrilla could finally deliver on that promise, although it has caveats of its own. Still on Mars, this time you play almost the entire game above ground. I had fun smashing holes into buildings and even destroying them with a sledgehammer. But I missed the underground, mining elements of the original. If everything is supposed to be destructible, why not the ground, too?On a technical and design level, it makes sense that a destructible ground would be a lot to ask. But it sure would be satisfying. Even without that option, Red Faction: Guerrilla could be a great game%Gallery-19834%
Saints Row 2 pimp slaps consoles Aug. 26
The pimps, hoes and other assorted citizens of Saints Row are ready to return August 26 on Xbox 360 and PS3. IGN reports the release date was announced at THQ's Gamers' Day event held in San Francisco. The official Saints Row 2 website is now up and blinged to the nines with ghetto fabulousness. Late August seems like enough breathing room between SR2 and GTA IV to give the game a chance. Then again, depending on how over-the-top Saints Row 2 ends up being, it could carve out its own niche. We're just looking forward to some co-op play, because you gotta have friends to survive in the ghetto ... and a pimp hat, yeah, we're gonna need big pimp hats.
