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Rumor: Warhammer online hammers 360
Our seafaring, scurvy ridden, piratical masters at Joystiq are reporting that Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) is heading to consoles -- the Xbox 360 to be specific. According to a recent job posting, EA Mythic is looking for a Warhammer console producer, responsible for leading "production and design on an exciting EAMythic title being developed across next generation console platforms for the online MMORPG market." Of course, it's possible that this job title refers to some other EA Mythic produced Warhammer title, but it's just as likely that the posting refers to WAR. If true, it's nice to see the 360 get some more MMORPG lovin'. Along with Age of Conan, the 360 is developing a solid library of MMOs. Of course, the big question for 360 owners is if and how much these games will cost, especially for those who already pay for Gold Live service. If an MMO was good enough, would you be willing to pay additional fees on top of your Gold subscription?[Via Joystiq]
Rumorang: Warhammer Online heading to consoles
A recent EA Mythic job listing has renewed speculation that Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) is being co-developed for consoles, likely Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The listing calls for a 'Warhammer Console' producer who will lead the production and design of a "title being developed across next generation console platforms for the online MMORPG market." While WAR is not explicitly named, it's certainly implied. With this revelation, comes a mess of questions: what effect, if any, would console versions have on WAR for PC? Would the projects be wholly separated? Or would bits and pieces from each version be sacrificed to simplify cross-platform development and keep the overall budget down? [Thanks, Ves]
Mooooo! New animal-themed PSP faceplates coming soon
Talismoon, the same company that brought us the Evolve line of PSP face plates, is gearing up to do something we haven't seen before - fur-themed faceplates. Yeah, you read that right. Cow and leopard-themed PSP faceplates with a fur-like finish will be available soon for $15 a hide."With the Talismoon upcoming range of Evolve 'Wild Jungle' edition for the PSP and Xbox 360, gamers will be treated to extreme levels of comfort thanks to a soft 'like fur' finish, as well as refreshing and unique new look," a press release stated. "Both sets of faceplates for PSP and Xbox 360 will come complete with everything needed for a pain-free install, and each fur faceplate pattern will be unique. Initial stocks will consist of a 'cow' or striking 'leopard' fur finish." I'm not totally sure I want my PSP feeling like a cow when I'm playing a game of Warhammer, but this is just so bizarre, I'm going to have to buy one anyway.[Via PSP-Vault]
Metareview - Warhammer: Mark of Chaos
Still smarting from the disappointing Mage Knight Apocalypse, Namco Bandai really needed a hit with Warhammer: Mark of Chaos. Adding to the pressure was the success of THQ's Warhammer series (the excellent Dawn of War), and competition from other fantasy-themed strategy titles such as Battle for Middle-earth II and Heroes V. The good news is that Hungarian developer Black Hole Entertainment delivered the dark and gritty aesthetics of the Warhammer universe, and the scores reflect their efforts. However, like many publishers of late, Namco Bandai may have compromised quality assurance to stay within the all-important holiday launch window. IGN (80/100) enjoyed the game's deep customization and attention to detail: "The visuals in general are very good. All of the unit models are finely crafted pieces of art. The modeling is great and the textures on top are excellent. They do some nice things with lighting and heat shimmer effects that make magic come alive. All of this comes with a price. The framerate can drop substantially in large battles." 1UP (70/100) is holding out for the first patch: "It's a real mess sorting things out when you get into scrums where unit overlap turns organized regiments into brawling blobs. In short, you get plenty of detail under the hood, but too few helpful barometers. It's hard not to fall under Mark of Chaos' 'almost-there' spell. Prize-winning? No, but certainly promising...if we can hold our breath for fixes." Game Informer (68/100) thinks the combat system could use some tweaking: "Lacking any sort of base-building or resource-gathering, Mark of Chaos has to get by on the RTS combat that makes up the majority of the gameplay. Unfortunately, the battles fail to distinguish themselves in any meaningful way from what we've seen in the genre for years. Hero duels (no armies allowed) invariably go to the person who spent more points in their 'dueling' skill tree – which, of course, gimps them in terms of leading an army."
Namco Bandai officially announces Warhammer
Last month, we reported that Warhammer would be coming to the PSP, but just recently Namco Bandai has officially announced it plans to ship Warhammer: Battle for Atluma, a card-based battle game, this fall."One of the more compelling card-based games to date, Warhammer: Battle for Atluma goes beyond simple player interaction and encourages an inclusive sense of community among players through head-to-head battles, card collecting, trading and strategy sessions," said John Whitmore, Director of Internal/External Development at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. "This unique dynamic coupled with the strategic, fast-paced nature of the game certainly sets Warhammer: Battle for Atluma apart from other games in its genre."While the press release didn't offer up any new gameplay information, it did mention the game will be rated "T" for teen, and the title's developer is JV Games, which has most recently developed James Bond 007: Nightfire for the Gameboy Advance.
Warhammer WarCry: Battle for Atluma coming to the PSP
While Namco appears not have struck gold with its most recent title, it may be able to strike it with its newest upcoming game – Warhammer WarCry: Battle for Atluma, which will be the PSP's first card-based battle game.The game will be based on the Warhammer card game and will give players the option of leading the Grand Alliance or Hordes of Darkness to victory. Allowing players to collect more than 450 cards, 90 different units and the ability to wirelessly connect with a friend to battle it out for each other's cards has me tickled to death with excitement. Warhammer WarCry also allows for the building of custom decks and features an extensive tutorial system for us noobs out there. I gotta be honest, I'm not too familiar with the Warhammer series; instead I've been more of a Magic: The Gathering kind of guy. But I'm up for any decent card-based battle game on the go, and we won't have too wait long, either, as Warhammer WarCry is set to ship Oct. 17.(Via Playstation.com forums)
Warhammer: Mark of Chaos new media
Not to be outdone by its futuristic cousin, Warhammer: Mark of Chaosis sporting some updated media of its own. Namco Bandai's revival of the classic strategy franchise has a new video over at GameTrailers. And in case you missed the E3 trailer, it's worth checking out just for the Final Fantasy-quality cinematics.GameSpot is also serving up seven new Chaos screens and a designer diary from award-winning composer Jeremy Soule (of Neverwinter Nights and KoTOR fame).See also: Joystiq E3 impressions - Warhammer: Mark of Chaos
Warhammer 40,000: Dark Crusade vids
GameTrailers has some new HD gameplay vids from Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, THQ's latest entry in their sci-fi strategy series. Due in Q4, the expansion features two new playable races -- the undead Necron and the technological Tau -- which brings the number of playable factions to seven. Developer Relic Entertainment (Homeworld, Impossible Creatures) is also including a new single player campaign. Fans of Rise of Legends might want to check this out. See also: First looks at Warhammer: Mark of Chaos
PC impressions: Warhammer: Mark of Chaos
Unlike many RTS titles, Warhammer: Mark of Chaos only has a very basic level of base building, instead choosing to concentrate on tactical planning and the outfitting of very ornate helmets. The visual aspect of the game is heavily touted and, for the most part, they deserve to be--the level of detail present in each unit making up your army is impressive, right down to the customizable armour and clothing that gently glistens in the harsh sun. Of course, a lot of it's just cosmetic, a fact made especially clear once a flaming rock hurled from a catapult lands amidst your troops and sends them flying in all manner of directions. It's an amusing sight, to be sure, but the sad reality is that it probably means you're losing the battle.Mark of Chaos actually places you in charge of the evil invading force, so the pitiful humans are the ones that usually find themselves on the losing end. It's easier when you effectively command your powerful hero units to lead the charge, as they often boast a very welcomed level of customization and plenty of useful spells. It's by no means an original concept, but Mark of Chaos is hoisted above its "me too" level by some truly excellent presentation, perfectly capturing the look and feel of epic battles erupting between the game's powerful factions. A particularly nice touch is how the very environment begins to change as you march across the land, with grass dying and the sky growing dark. It drives home the illusion of a full, living world caught in the grips of war, something that very few real-time strategy games can claim to have accomplished.
Dawn of War today?
According to this press release, THQ announced that Dawn of War went gold close to two weeks ago. However, over at IGN it seems that this real-time strategy was actually cancelled. What's going on here? Well, according to several major retailers Dawn of War is hitting stores today. So what gives IGN? (Not that we expect an explanation...) In terms of DoW, it's actually an extension of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. So if you're looking for that dark, futuristic edge combined with quality RTS, then look no further.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War demo for adults only
All you Warhammer fans out there now have the chance to check out the brand new demo for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The 319 MB demo includes a single-player campaign, as well as a couple of skirmish maps to test out how well the game has translated to the PC. We've taken a preliminary look at the game and can tell you it's worth checking out for a measly 319 MB.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Exclusive inside look at the beta
Thanks go out to "Pete" for an insightful and thorough peek at Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. His hands-on look at the beta has yielded a good post that should get all you fans excited. Heads up for RTS fans, this game has great potential for anyone interested in a good RTS. The graphics are reminiscant of Warcraft 3 but also has style similar to Starcraft. Using Relic's new graphics engine that was also used in Homeworld 2, this game looks great. Also the strategy implemented in Dawn of War is astonishing. Almost every unit can be upgraded to be used for somthing else (i.e. Space Marine Dreadnaughts can be upgraded for either anti-infantry or anti-tank purposes). Also, squad based infantry makes for interesting strategies. For example, if artillery rains down upon a squad of Marines not much damage will be inflicted on them - but it might as well have. It throws the Space Marines into the air and separates them, greatly diminishing the squad's effectiveness and rendering them almost entirely useless. At least, until the squad gets a chance to regroup, which can be deadly in a large scale battle.
