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Injustice: Gods Among Us' latest character reveal is so Raven
News of a new costumed adventurer confirmed as an Injustice: Gods Among Us combatant feels like a semi-daily occurrence lately -- a trend that continues with this morning's affirmation of Raven as a playable character in NetherRealm Studios' new fighter.As seen in her debut trailer (once available here, since vanished), Raven's abilities are just as floaty and mystical as one would expect, with quick, swiping melee attacks and what appears to be an alternate/evil stance with limited teleportation capabilities. Raven's big, scary, four-eyed father also makes a brief appearance during her fittingly insane super, and if you're familiar enough with her story to know his name, you're also familiar enough to be upset about her outfit and chin.
Doomsday confirmed for Injustice, Superman suddenly remembers a bunch of stuff he needs to go do
Doomsday, the ancient, artificially engineered monstrosity responsible for the "death" of Superman (among hundreds of thousands of others) has been confirmed as a playable character in NetherRealm Studio's forthcoming Injustice: Gods Among Us.Previously, Doomsday was spotted in the background of Superman's Fortress of Solitude stage, though his status as an actual character remained ambiguous. As seen in the video above, Doomsday's main ability appears to be getting completely stomped on by Captain Marvel Shazam, at least until Doomsday punches him through the entire planet and back, quite literally.
Latest Injustice showdowns: Superman vs. Sinestro, Hawkgirl vs. Green Arrow
It's time once again for NetherRealm Studios' weekly infusion of Injustice: Gods Among Us fight tapes, this time featuring all-American legend Superman, creepy Craigslist birthday party magician Sinestro, reincarnation poster child Hawkgirl and facial hair enthusiast Green Arrow.The most important part of either of these videos isn't the fact that Green Arrow has some decidedly Sub-Zero moves going on, or that Sinestro's slender torso makes us uncomfortable, but rather that the Clash system is still in place. First seen at E3 last year, the Clash system was in danger of being scrapped altogether last August, though it seems NetherRealm was able to make the system work.
Injustice match videos continue with Aquaman, Cyborg, Grundy and Lantern
The latest round of Injustice: Gods Among Us fight tapes have been released following the results of NetherRealm Studios' ongoing popularity contest between the game's sizable stable of heroes and villains. This time, Atlantean king Aquaman is pitted against fellow Justice League of America member Cyborg (above), while interstellar cop Green Lantern dukes it out with the also green (albeit for a different reason) Solomon Grundy, after the break.While these videos still mysteriously lack any indication of how meter management is working during these fights, we are learning more about each character's abilities with each new bout. Aquaman, for instance, can cancel incoming projectile attacks by creating a whirlpool around himself, and Cyborg appears to be one of the most mobile characters in the game, thanks to his zip-line/grappling hook thingy. Meanwhile, Green Lantern's ability to create complex, working machines and weapons has been put to full use, as has Solomon Grundy's, uh, deadness.
Injustice: Gods Among Us' alternative costumes for Harley Quinn, Bane
A small care package of delightfully intriguing Injustice: Gods Among Us artwork has been delivered to the fighting-focused folks over at Shoryuken, containing both concept art and a look at what are presumably the first of many alternate costumes for Harley Quinn and Bane.Harley's new digs, as seen above, are much closer to her previous iterations than her default Injustice costume, with the most appropriate comparison being to her appearance in Batman: Arkham City. The big difference here, besides the return to a biker aesthetic, is the fact that her hair has been changed to its correct original blonde, rather than the New 52-inspired red/green default.Meanwhile, Bane's alternative look is much more techno than his primary appearance, with a mask that says "grim reaper" more than "luchador" and a green chest repository of Venom somewhat reminiscent of Soul Calibur's Astaroth. Hit the source link below for the full gallery of screenshots and concept art for both characters.
Latest Injustice footage shows Joker, Flash, Shazam, whams, bams
The next round of Injustice: Gods Among Us combat footage has been released into the wild, now that round 2 of NetherRealm Studio's ongoing character popularity contest has come to an end. The resulting bouts pit Joker against Lex Luthor (above) and Flash against Shazam (below), who up until the New 52 relaunch was known by his original, proper name, Captain Marvel.As was the case with the last round of videos, very subtle similarities to Mortal Kombat are apparent to anyone looking for them: Captain Marvel Shazam's moves invoke a sense of Raiden, Joker's various gadgets remind of Cyrax/Sektor and Flash's kicks have a Kung Lao look to them.
Aquaman joins Injustice: Gods Among Us
The Justice League of America's most under-appreciated superhero, Aquaman, has been confirmed as the latest addition to the cast of playable fighters for Injustice: Gods Among Us. Slightly reminiscent of Mortal Kombat's Rain, Aquaman's abilities appear to walk a fine line between trident strikes and water/lighting-based elemental attacks, as shown in the character's debut trailer at IGN.Injustice's version of Aquaman appears to be closer to the New 52 version of the character, rather than any of his legacy incarnations, due to the fact that he fights with a trident and still has both hands. This is unlike the longest running version of Aquaman from the 1990s, who lost his left hand in 1994 and subsequently battled with a hooked prosthetic harpoon spearhead attached to a mystical, retracting rope.Actually, now that we think about it, maybe that would have hit a little close to home.%Gallery-178886%
New Batman Arkham game coming this year
A new Batman Arkham game is being released this year, although it's unknown if series developer Rocksteady Studios is behind it. The news comes courtesy of the Time Warner Q4 2012 earnings call, as posted by Yahoo! Finance."And we also have a strong games release this year, which will include the next release in the Batman Arkham franchise," said John K. Martin, Time Warner chief financial officer and chief administrative officer.Warner Bros. Interactive and Rocksteady Studios released Batman: Arkham Asylum in 2009, followed by Arkham City in 2011. In that sense, a new Arkham game in 2013 adds up.According to a Variety report from last year, Rocksteady is developing another Batman game, but it's set in the Silver Age of comic history, and isn't expected to be released until 2014. Maybe Variety and Warner are talking about the same game, but it sounds like they may not be. In any case, we've reached out to Warner Bros. Interactive for more info.
Injustice: Gods Among Us fight tapes show off Bane, Harley Quinn
NetherRealm Studios and DC Comics are hosting a series of popularity contests over on the official Injustice: Gods Among Us website, pitting heroes and villains against each other in a tournament-style bracket where fan votes determine the hypothetical outcome.Sounds fun and everything, but what we're primarily interested in are the gameplay videos released once a winner has been determined, the first two of which can be found above and beyond the veil. We're not going to spoiler the outcome of either fight, obviously, but we will say that Bane's abilities look very reminiscent of Kabal's from Mortal Kombat, while Harley Quinn has more than a little bit of Mileena about her.The next round of voting starts on February 11, so we're anticipating more videos in a couple weeks.
Injustice: Gods Among Us has a Killer Croc in its sewers
NetherRealm Studios creative director Ed Boon has revealed Killer Croc as the latest confirmed addition to Injustice: Gods Among Us' roster of playable heroes and villains. No further details have been released aside from the above screenshot, though we feel safe in assuming that Croc will fall into Injustice's stable of power-oriented characters, rather than its gadget-focused cast.Riddler and Penguin, two additional previously unannounced characters, are also seen in the above screenshot, though whether they themselves are playable remains to be seen -- it's possible that they are part of that stage's interactive elements.We have a special place in our hearts for good ol' Croc, which you can discover after the break.
Lex Luthor, Bane confirmed for Injustice: Gods Among Us roster
Two more nefarious ne'er-do-wells are on deck to hurl both punches and one-liners in NetherRealm Studios' forthcoming DC Comics fighter Injustice: Gods Among Us. Lex Luthor, classic Superman baddie and girlfriend kidnapping enthusiast, shows up to the party in a powered robotic suit, using a special shield and gadget-based attacks.Meanwhile, perennial Batman-buster Bane is a grappling-based character devoid of projectiles, using his Venom-infused bigness to out-big other opponents. Given the character's history, we can wager a guess as to what wrestling move his full-meter Super will predominantly feature.While no trailer has been released as of yet, a scan of the latest Game Informer (tweeted by NetherRealm Studios' Ed Boon) does give us a glimpse of what the characters will look like. Luthor's appearance is quite similar to his robotic look in DC Universe Online, which is fine, we suppose, but Bane's resemblance to his appearance in Batman & Robin gives us pause. Which is to say, we had to pause and throw up after being forced to remember that movie.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes assemble in autumn 2013
Lego Marvel Super Heroes will fly, swing and smash into retail in the fall of 2013. This latest Lego collectathon from TT Games will "complement the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes construction toy collection," which already includes scenes from X-Men, Iron Man, Avengers and Spider-Man franchises. Expect to see it on just about everything, including the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, PC, Vita and 3DS.The game will have an original storyline in which Nick Fury needs the help of Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Spider-Man, Wolverine and "other heroes" to stop Loki and Galactus. Okay, Lego Galactus sounds pretty awesome."Players will brave the ultimate mission to save the world as they explore famous landmarks in LEGO New York and take the adventure beyond Earth to iconic locations in the Marvel Universe," said TT Games Publishing managing director Tom Stone.Players will unlock over 100 characters from across the Marvel Universe, which also includes Wolverine, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Deadpool. No word on whether Howard the Duck will be playable.
Judge denies THQ's plan for a quick sale as Warner Bros., others show interest
Earlier this week, the various organizations to which THQ owes giant piles of money filed an objection, claiming that the developer/publisher's bankruptcy plan for a quick sale to Clearlake Capital Group was designed to minimize harm to its staff and leadership, rather than maximize its ability to pay back its debt obligations. As is the way with these sorts of things, a hearing was held yesterday to get the situation sorted, during which U.S. bankruptcy judge Mary F. Walrath concluded that THQ's plan does not allow enough time for interested parties other than Clearlake Capital Group to get properly involved in the process. Therefore, the plan is rejected. "I am not convinced that we are under the gun to have a sale process by the 15th," Walrath said during the hearing, according to Business Week. Another hearing has been scheduled for Monday, January 7. "In the meantime I think the parties need to talk."Meanwhile, five companies are in the process of due diligence, Centerview Partners banker Sam Greene testified during the hearing. Warner Bros. lawyer Howard J. Weg was also in attendance, saying that WB would be interested in further exploring THQ's available assets, should the sales period be extended.Buying up franchises from bankrupt developers is nothing new for Warner Bros., and considering how well Mortal Kombat turned out, it may not be a terrible development, should it come to pass. Imagine, for instance, a Saints Row game developed by RockSteady, or a Darksiders fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios. Worse things have happened.
Lollipop Chainsaw 'Premium' and 'Valentine' editions coming to Japan
We're not sure if y'all are aware of this, but Valentine's Day works way, way differently in Japan than it does here. Boys traditionally don't give Valentines to girls, for instance; women are the primary gift-givers, and generally speaking giving anything other than chocolate is atypical.There's also two new Lollipop Chainsaw special editions coming out exclusively in Japan this Valentine's Day, but that's less of a cultural difference and more of a marketing thing. The game's new "Premium Edition" will cost ¥3,980 (about $48) and will include codes to unlock costumes and additional character voices.Meanwhile, the ¥4,980 ($60ish) "Valentine Edition" includes a "Happy Valentine Disc," which contains a PC desktop Juliet clock, wallpapers and various gravure pictures of the game's official cosplay models. It also comes with a "Premium Movie Disc" full of trailers and cinematics, as well as a Lollipop Chainsaw manga and the Premium Edition's unlock codes.No word yet on a potential North American release of either version, but we have learned that the Japanese phrase "義理チョコ" (giri-choko) means "obligatory gift chocolate," which is probably more entertaining in the long run.
Deathstroke carves himself into the Injustice: Gods Among Us roster
Slade Wilson is a mercenary and assassin (and hater of teenagers) in the DC Comics world known as Deathstroke – and now he's the latest brawler to throw down in NetherRealm's Injustice: Gods Among Us. Keen observers will remember he also made an appearance in Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe.Deathstroke likes guns and has a steel sword for close-quarter combos, evidenced in the video above. Plus, he's kinda got this whole Two-Face thing going on with his mask, but we're sure Batman accidentally punched him like eight times so he must know already.
Lego Lord of the Rings for 360 recalled due to packaging error [update]
If you're planning on picking up the Xbox 360 version of Lego Lord of the Rings today, make sure to open the case and verify that an actual game is inside before you leave the store.It appears as though demo discs, instead of the retail game discs, have been shipped out to numerous retailers incorrectly, according to Game Informer. Only Xbox 360 shipments appear to have been affected by the issue, and even then not all 360 shipments were part of the faulty batch, so there's still a chance you'll be able to go out and buy an actual copy today.We've reached out to Warner Bros. for comment and will update with any further information we receive on the situation.Update: Warner Bros. issued a statement to IGN saying it's recalling a "small number" of discs which, while labelled as demo discs, do in fact contain the retail game.The statement reads: "Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is recalling a small number of LEGO The Lord of the Rings video games that were released for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft to Walmart, Target and Toys 'R' Us in the United States with a disc labeling error. The discs in question are incorrectly labeled as demo discs, but those discs do contain the full game content and are fully functional. This error does not affect any other formats of the game. We are in the process of remanufacturing the discs and will get them to the stores as soon as possible. Consumers who purchased a copy of the Xbox 360 version of the game with the disc labeling error can contact customer support via email at support@wbgames.com or phone at 410-568-3680 for a replacement disc."
Injustice trailer covers control differences from Mortal Kombat
NetherRealm Studio devs gab about their spin on the DC comic universe for Injustice: Gods Among Us in this trailer. There's plenty of gameplay footage to take in, along with control differences between this and NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat.
Lego The Lord of the Rings embarks today to handhelds, reaches consoles Nov. 13
Lego The Lord of the Rings is now available for a handheld fellowship of Vita, 3DS, and DS. It shall not pass onto Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and PC until November 13.If you're unsure about blocking it into your holiday purchasing schedule, check out our recent preview which spotlights the Weathertop scene from The Fellowship of the Ring. For those of you who can't recite Tom Bombadil off by heart, here's a reminder. As you can ascertain from the above video, it won't quite be like that in the game. %Gallery-169651%
Turbine hit with unspecified number of layoffs
The Boston Globe is reporting that Turbine has laid off an unspecified number of employees today due to restructuring. It's unclear how many of the 400-person workforce were let go. Warner Bros. Entertainment Group Spokeswoman Remi Sklar issued the following statement: "As part of the continual review of our business operations and fluctuating market conditions, we have had to make reductions in our Turbine workforce. The group continues to remain an integral part of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment." Former Community Specialist Suzie Owen acknowledged on Twitter that she was one of those let go: "Looking for work in the Boston-Providence area. Any links would be most appreciated. I am unable to relocate at this time." Turbine recently hired several game industry veterans to include in its teams. Massively contacted Turbine for further clarification and received the same quote.
Joker and Green Lantern confirmed for Injustice: Gods Among Us [Update: Now with screenshot]
Joker and Green Lantern have been confirmed as members of the Injustice: Gods Among Us character roster, which shouldn't be a terrible surprise to anyone. The announcement was made through a series of tweets by NetherRealm creative director/founder Ed Boon. Screenshots should arrive sometime before the end of the day.We can't wait for a few months from now, when Boon and crew have burned through all the obvious character choices and start announcing some weird deep cuts. "They announced B'wana Beast for Injustice," someone might say near/around a water cooler one morning. "Yeah, I don't know either."Update: As promised, the above screenshot was indeed delivered before the end of the day. A high-resolution version awaits your scrutinizing inspection here.
