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Take your time with this Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure gameplay
Not since Honey, I Shrunk the Kids have tiny people enjoyed so much time in the spotlight.
Fable: The Journey dares us to steer a relationship in the right direction
"Your horse pays the price for your mistakes," Peter Molyneux says during a demo for Fable: The Journey, Lionhead's upcoming Kinect-powered spin-off. The Journey is centered around a young man and his trusty steed and sets out to forge a bond between the two, similar to the relationship players had with their dog in Fable 2.%Gallery-125521%
Building Counter-Strike: Global Offensive atop a strong community
I can't imagine how hard it is to be a development studio with some of the most beloved franchises under its belt. Fans expect so much. It can't be easy to be Valve -- doubly so when trying to develop the next entry in one of the studio's popular competitive franchises, Counter-Strike. Valve's Chet Faliszek really wants to please the fans and eventual communities that will spring up around Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.%Gallery-134634%
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive loses cross-play
A lot can change in six months. As of last summer, Valve had planned to offer cross-play for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on the PC, Mac, and PS3. But based on what it's learned from the beta, Valve has decided to strip the functionality in favor of offering constant updates for players on the PC and Mac."The beta has proved we want to update not just the beta, but the game itself post-launch frequently on the PC," Valve's Chet Faliszek revealed to Joystiq. "To do that we need to separate the platforms so one doesn't hamstring the other. So for that, we have removed the idea of cross-platform play -- essentially make all platforms stronger by not mixing them."If you would like to get into the ongoing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive beta, fill out Valve's survey. If you want cross-play back in the game, wait to sign one of the dozens of online petitions currently being created.
Porsche makes its Forza 4 debut in May
Porsche was absent from the racing lineup in Forza 4, much to the disappointment of many series fans -- including Turn 10 creative director Dan Greenwalt. It was with visible pleasure, then, that Greenwalt announced the return of the iconic German roadsters at an Xbox showcase event last week.Set to arrive in May, the Porsche Expansion Pack -- priced higher than the usual DLC, Greenwalt said -- adds 30 new cars to the game, seven of which are entirely new to the series Greenwalt wouldn't go into specifics on the lineup, but confirmed the Porsche Expansion Pack adds 20 new Porsche events, fully integrated into the main campaign, and brings the total number of cars available in Forza 4 to 625.
Forza Horizon spun off by Playground Games
The developers at Playground Games are about to experience the worst thing about developing a new game in Microsoft's Forza racing franchise. Once you announce it, you have to gradually withstand the pun-heavy headlines that result. Forza Horizon really is a spin-off, though.Set to launch in Fall 2012, when Forza Motorsport proper takes a break, Forza Horizon aims to adjust the tone of the franchise and inject some new, Turn 10-approved talent into the development pipeline. Microsoft has yet to share much on the game beyond a live-action trailer, which hints at a more playful, festival atmosphere for racing, but was quick to point at the pedigree of Playground Games.The company was founded during 2009 in England's Leamington Spa, starting with veteran developers from Codemasters (Dirt) and encompassing talent from as far back as Psygnosis. Turn 10 creative director Dan Greenwalt describes the announcement as a new "wing" for the Forza series. You may have seen it leaking over the weekend, at which point it was more of a huge spoiler.
Halo 4 bringing the Battle Rifle back, introducing unlockable abilities in progression system
Few fictional weapons can drum up their own cult following. The cadence and rat-tat-tat ruthlessness of Halo's Battle Rifle is unmistakable no matter which side of the barrel you're on. It's a death sentence in the right hands, punctuated by an ellipsis of bullets ... and painfully described in overwrought, armament love letters built on phrases like "ellipsis of bullets." As far as iconic Halo bits and pieces go, the Battle Rifle seems almost as inextricable as Master Chief.And yet the cyborg with humanity at heart skipped enough games for Microsoft to make a big deal out of his return in Halo 4. The new (ish) franchise custodians at 343 Industries are in a tight spot, where they have to shape a message not only around what's new, but what's coming back. The Battle Rifle's return is an easy way to establish the latter, then, especially to those fans who couldn't wrap their heads around the weapon's disappearance in the first place.Speaking to Joystiq in an interview last year, former Bungie game designer Jaime Griesemer saw the weapon as a piece of deadly nostalgia. "It's not just a weapon, it's the weapon," he said. "For a skilled player, they spend most of their time using that one weapon. If you never miss, it's the most effective tool in the toolbox. So for them, Halo 3 is the Battle Rifle. All their Halo emotion and experience is tied up in it. So it isn't surprising to me when people react that way."How daunting must it be to work in a space where a video game gun can reach beloved status? It's no wonder Microsoft is being sensitive and cryptic about Halo 4, which introduces what could be the biggest, most widespread (and controversial) change to the multiplayer in years. According to 343, Halo 4 will add customizable loadouts and abilities that are unlocked through a progression system.%Gallery-149446%
