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Former XCOM leads form Uppercut Games, unveil Epoch
We tend to get nervous when muckety mucks at AAA studios leave to form their own iOS developers. They always seem to run at top speed from the "hardcore" shackles they've freed themselves from, naming their studio something like Candybaby Pop and launching with a game that seamlessly blends match-three gameplay, baking and Google Maps integration. So, we were understandably nervous when we got word that the former Art Director and Lead Designer for 2K's big-budget XCOM reboot had formed a new studio and were leading off with an iOS game. The first thing that put our mind at ease? Andrew James and Ed Orman called their studio Uppercut Games, which is one of our top three favorite types of punches. And as you can see in the above video, their first iPad/iOS game, Epoch, looks anything but casual. Here's hoping we'll manage to break our Pastry Planet addiction long enough to play it. %Gallery-128102%
XCOM Preview: Mass affect
2K Marin creative director Jordan Thomas wasted little time in addressing XCOM's year-long absence after E3 2010. "We're here to pull back the curtain on what we've been up to for a year," Jordan told us during a demo last week. "We've kind of been flying under the radar for a long time, and I wanted to start by talking about why that was." The studio was comprised of plenty of talent from Irrational who had worked on BioShock (including Thomas) and then developed BioShock 2 at 2K Marin. In other words, BioShock was their comfort zone, Thomas said. "Our first crack at XCOM kind of had a run-and-gun feel. It was very BioShock. It was contiguous first-person, it had a creepier, splicer-like alien enemy, and so on," Thomas said. Over the last year, they've tried to get away from that, making "several key alterations" to the XCOM reimagining we first saw last year. XCOM was a strategy game, the new XCOM is a first-person shooter, and that incongruity seems to be responsible for much of 2K Marin's second draft. "The main reason for that is that we are strong fans of the original XCOM series," Thomas said. "Basically, XCOM was about being the best of humanity repelling an alien invasion through cleverness and dynamism. Through taking the enemy technology and subverting it, to remove their strategic edge." Lucky for you, the "best of humanity" are on your team.%Gallery-126032%
XCOM inducing singularities on March 6, 2012
After months of secrecy, XCOM's release date has finally been declassified by publisher 2K Games. The first-person relaunch of the XCOM series will arrive on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on March 6, 2012, according to 2K. The nearly nine month window between now and then does, of course, give plenty of extra time to delay it, should that be necessary. Not that we hope it gets delayed, but it does stand to reason that we won't see BioShock Infinite in the first quarter of 2012 if XCOM sticks to the release date, as 2K Games is unlikely to drop two major shooters so close to each other. The game's E3 2011 trailer was also loosed, showing off a much more direct example of XCOM's first-person action gameplay. A press release accompanying today's release date news speaks to the game's setting as well, explaining that XCOM will put players into the shoes of Special Agent William Carter who, employing a crack team of veteran XCOM officers, will "strike surgically against the alien menace" in an effort to turn the tide of war against them. It's kind of like Halo, basically, except in 1950's America. And no Master Chief (as far as we know). And the aliens are way more inky, of course. Okay, it's not that much like Halo. Fine.
Dear Aunt TUAW: What's my best bet for international data?
Dear Aunt TUAW, I will be in China for 10 days on vacation later this year, and I'd like to share photos, updates, etc. with friends at home. What's the best way to do that? I have an iPhone 4 and a Wi-Fi only iPad. As far as I can tell, my options are to either buy into AT&T's international data plans (although I don't mind the price, the minimal amount of data you get probably won't be enough) OR unlock my phone and get a China-specific SIM (complicated, and I'm unsure how to get the SIM and make sure it works). Perhaps I might be able to get a MyFi-like hotspot device that would work in China, but I'm not even sure such a device exists. So what's the best option for data when traveling to China? Hugs, Your nephew Jason M
2K Australia studio head resigns in the middle of XCOM; 2K responds
Earlier this month, internet snoop supererogatory noticed 2K Australia's studio head Martin Slater resigned, right in the middle of development on the upcoming XCOM reboot. That news was paired with another tweet saying, "FWIW, there's a rumor that XCOM's undergone some big changes since it was announced." Sounds plausible, especially if the studio head of one half of 2K Marin (yeah, it's confusing) is no longer with the company. "Over the course of a project, development teams do change and evolve from time-to-time," a 2K spokesperson told Joystiq. "While we can confirm that Martin Slater is no longer with the studio, there have been no changes to the way in which XCOM is being developed. The project continues to involve strong collaboration between our California and Australia locations and continues to be led by creative director Jonathan Pelling, a longstanding member of the talented team that worked on BioShock, BioShock 2, Freedom Force and Tribes." While Slater's departure may not have caused changes in the way, or the process, that XCOM is being developed, that doesn't mean the game itself hasn't undergone changes since we saw it last, at E3 2010. We'll know for sure the next time we get our hands on the title. Probably E3 this year, right 2K?
XCOM, Spec Ops listed for fiscal 2012 release, Max Payne 3 not listed at all (again) [update]
Take-Two has updated its release calendar in coordination with the publication of its lastest financial report. Most of the entries aren't too surprising, including already known release dates and windows for LA Noire, Duke Nukem Forever and BioShock Infinite -- however, XCOM and Spec Ops: The Line, both of which were formerly scheduled for this calendar year, are now listed as "Fiscal Year 2012" (April 2011 – March 2012) releases. That means they could still both arrive this year -- Strauss willing and the creek don't rise -- but the publisher has opened up the possiblity for delays to the first quarter of 2012. Also, Max Payne 3 has again failed to make an appearance on Take Two's release calendar. When this happened last December, Take Two was quick to reassure fans that the title was still in development. We have our fingers crossed for a similar assurance in the company's conference call, which is due to start any minute. Update: During the Q&A portion of the investor's call, Take-Two CFO Lainie Goldstein spoke about the fate of Max Payne 3, saying, "There is no update on that title at this time." That's a really not great answer. We've emailed other Take-Two contacts in search of something more concrete.
Xcom Global international MiFi / data rental service review
A few months earlier in the year, we covered the arduous process of staying connected while traveling abroad. One of the ways we mentioned for jetsetters, backpackers and common tourists to stay jacked in while situated far from their homeland was a MiFi rental service from Xcom Global. The company has only been operating for a matter of months, but we recently took their services for a spin in order to give you a more detailed look at what to expect. The long and short of it? These guys are the guys to contact when you're about to grab your next passport stamp. Read on to find out why.
2K Marin on the cross-oceanic development of XCOM
Speaking to Gamasutra, 2K Marin's Jonathan Pelling discussed the state of development on the upcoming reboot of XCOM. The game has already raised something of a fuss with longtime fans, as the new game eschews the turn based strategy in favor of first-person shooting. Still, Pelling insists that the new XCOM will retain the "feeling" of the series and that it includes plenty of strategic elements. We've heard all of this before, of course, but Pelling did reveal the interesting fact that each of 2K Marin's teams -- one in Australia, the other in California -- is focused on a different section of the game. According to Pelling, the California team is "dedicated to leading the design side of the field operations -- the FPS combat and stuff," while the Australian team is focused on the story and campaign. He added that the studio is making sure neither team diverges from the other. Still, Pelling noted that the game has "a very strong concept behind it and so it's really just a matter, at this point, of executing."
X-Com: UFO Defense developer working on 3DS launch game
The internet is so cool, you guys. Check this out: Gamasutra recently did a feature on the XCOM first-person shooter reboot that's currently in development at 2K Marin. Julian Gollop, creator of the original X-Com: UFO Defense just happened to pop into the comments of said article to give his opinion on the current sorry state of the turn-based strategy genre, and revealing he's "now working on a turn-based tactical RPG which will be a 3DS launch title." Thanks, the internet! You're just full of surprises. According to some investigation from TinyCartridge, Gollop's LinkedIn profile states he's been at Ubisoft Bulgaria/Sofia the past three years -- and Ubisoft has a turn-based strategy game titled Ghost Recon: Lead The Ghosts in the works for Nintendo's three-dimensional handheld. We've contacted Ubisoft to see if this cyclically-titled Clancy jam is indeed Gollop's next opus.
Preview: XCOM
Many longtime gamers, including me, were disappointed by the news that the new XCOM is a first-person shooter. Having witnessed a hands-off demo of the game at E3, I can tell you two things. One, it's definitely a first-person shooter. Guns, grenades, sprinting; you know the drill. Two, the game actually has much more in common with the original X-COM games than you may think. %Gallery-95379%
Debut XCOM trailer is an inky black treat
At last, 2K Games has unleashed the debut trailer for 2K Marin's upcoming FPS relaunch of the XCOM franchise. Though the suburban, 1950s aesthetic smacks familiar of the underwater metropolis of BioShock, the extraterrestrial enemies you'll be tasked with eradicating look like no aliens you've ever had to fight off before. Okay, maybe if you're Spider-Man, you'll find yourself on familiar ground. Everyone else is screwed. Check out the trailer after the jump, and imagine how unpleasant it must be to have one of these gelatinous, violent blobs force feed themselves to you. That cannot be delicious. Or sanitary.
XCOM, Spec Ops: The Line opt for 2011 release
Tucked away in its E3 lineup announcement, Take-Two shed the tiniest bit of light on the release dates for Spec Ops: The Line and the upcoming XCOM reboot. According to the release, both games are slated for a 2011 release, though it doesn't get any more specific than that. Spec Ops had previously been announced for Take-Two's fiscal 2011, offering the hope of a November 2010 release at the earliest. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. If only there were other games that let you blast aliens and enemy soldiers.
Xenonauts capitalizes on XCOM rage
2K Marin's surprise announcement of an XCOM reboot upset a number of purists. "I'd rather have something that played like X-Com ... than a generic first person shooter with the X-Com name clumsily stapled on," one of our commenters chimed in. If you agree with this sentiment, Goldhawk Interactive has an appropriately-timed announcement for you. Xenonauts is an indie-developed, PC-only game that's meant to be a spiritual successor to the original X-Com, described as "neither a sequel to X-Com, nor a remake of it ... it shares the same core mechanics that made the original so compelling." Like its inspiration, players will take command of a global organization that must defend the planet against alien invasion. The "planetary defense simulator" will have you constructing bases, managing budgets, and engaging in turn-based squad combat. Goldhawk's Chris England explained in a press release that "we were a bit put out when 2K made their big announcement," as it may have stolen some thunder from today's announcement. However, England believes this is now actually an "opportunity," allowing the team to "capitalize on the general sentiment that the new X-Com game should be a strategy game." Does this announcement appease those of you burned by 2K's FPS reboot?%Gallery-91000%
2K Marin working on XCOM, '2K Australia name is no longer used'
Earlier today, we reported that the development of the recently announced XCOM was being handled by 2K Marin's sister studio in Canberra, Australia -- 2K Australia. As it turns out, that isn't the entire story. When we contacted 2K Games representative Charlie Sinhaseni for follow up, we were told, "2K Marin, both the Novato, California and Canberra, Australia arms of the studio, are collaborating on XCOM. The two function as sister studios now." Notably, this new relationship is very similar to the the previously existing one between Irrational Games/2K Boston and Irrational Australia/2K Australia functioning as sister studios. We also confirmed that, aside from BioShock 2 DLC, the California arm of 2K Marin is working exclusively on XCOM, effectively refuting the idea that it's working on BioShock 3. Further, we were told, "The 2K Australia name is no longer used." It appears that the southeast Australia-based studio will no longer be known by its former moniker and will instead fall under the "2K Marin" label. Guess the Marin County School District's gonna have some major budget restructuring to do with all that new geography under its belt, eh?
XCOM being developed by 2K Australia [update]
Update: As it turns out, 2K Australia is actually part of 2K Marin. We've got the full story right here. Original Story: Though 2K Games' middle-of-the-night XCOM announcement heralded 2K Marin as the studio heading up development of the title, 1UP reportedly clarifies that 2K Marin's "Canberra, Australia arm" (read: 2K Australia) will be in charge of the project. For those of you playing along at home, 2K Australia was the Australian counterpart to BioShock developer Irrational Games before it split to work with 2K Marin on BioShock 2, while Kenny L and company got to work on a separate (still unannounced) project. That said, this news frees up 2K Marin's core team for other projects. And if we were betting men, we'd put our money on the California arm of the company working on a third entry in the BioShock series. When reached for comment, a 2K Games rep told us we'll hear more specifics about XCOM and 2K Marin "over the next couple of months."
XCOM re-imagined by 2K Marin for Xbox 360 and PC
Click to XPAND In a surprise late night announcement, 2K Games has revealed that 2K Marin (responsible for BioShock 2) is working on a re-imagined version of XCOM. Like the first BioShock game, this "strategic" and "suspense-filled" first-person shooter will debut exclusively on Xbox 360 and PC. Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K, addressed the switch to a first-person perspective in a press release: "Players will explore the world of XCOM from an immersive new perspective and experience firsthand the fear and tension of this gripping narrative ride." According to the release, players will assume the role of an FBI agent "tasked with identifying and eliminating the growing threat" from an "unknown enemy." If the story stays true to the original franchise, expect aliens, global conflict, and lots and lots of dead, incinerated humans.
GameTap Thursday: Painkiller Overdose, XIII Century Death or Glory
Oh, blargh. Writing this post last week was so much easier when it was about Syberia II. This week, GameTap gold subscribers gain access to a neo-DOOM game and an RTS that might be a good -- wait, no, we take that last bit back. Painkiller: Overdose (Windows) - The pseudo-sequel to the old school-embracing shooter where you continue to kill everything. XIII Century Death or Glory (Windows) - Um, really, we have no idea. It's apparently a "historically accurate" RTS set in Europe. No word if it's so accurate it has giant enemy crabs. X-Com UFO Defense will be available gratis for one week only. A full list of the service's recently downsized free-to-play offerings can be found after the break.
X-Com: Screenshots from the Deep
We would trade our souls for a DS version of X-Com: UFO Defense, had we not already sold the bedraggled things to Milhouse at a discount price of five dollars of course, but it looks like Blue_knight's homebrew port of the tactical RPG is coming along well enough. Three cheers for hobbyist programmers!He has added a lot since we last covered the project -- tile selection, a tweaked UI, and an "entity rendering system." Though we're not sure what exactly that all means, the screenshots we grabbed and added past the post break look promising. Now if you'll excuse us, we have some souls to track down. Last we heard, Milhouse exchanged them for Alf pogs. Alf pogs! Remember Alf? He's back ... in pog form.%Gallery-4133%
Godspeed, X-Com DS
We usually wait until a homebrew project has had time to mature past its alpha builds before calling the game to your attention, but we take exception with any and all plans for a portable X-Com: UFO Defense. Our love affair with the turn-based, tactical title has been a romance with few equals, inviting comparisons with Shakespeare's tragic coupling of Romeo and Juliet. Should society ever try to separate us, you'll find that we've already taken measures to leave this miserable world, our lifeless arms entwined with X-Com's diskettes even in death. Blue_knight has posted screenshots of the progress he's made so far with adapting the game's data for the DS. The handheld clone already features tileset loading/creation, four height views, and touchscreen support for scrolling around the battlescape. Though there's still a lot left to implement, like fog of war and a map overview on the second screen, that hasn't stopped us from scouting countries for potential bases and trading tips on how to best attack Chryssalid terror sites.%Gallery-4133%[Via DCEmu]
DS Fanboy Favorites: Eric's top five
All this week, the DS Fanboy staff is letting you in on a few of their favorite titles. Each day, a different member of the staff will present their personal top five DS games along with a snapshot of their gaming paraphernalia and habits, in an effort to provide our readers with a little more information on the tastes and personalities of our writers. When my afternoons aren't busied by hours of photoshopping cat heads onto pictures of my friends, I pass the time with puzzlers and plumbers on my DS Lite. But those kitten-free days are few and far between, so I end up being able to only fit either the most polished or the most eccentric games into my packed schedule. Wario: Master of Disguise? Sorry, I've got things to do and feline faces to retouch. Lost in Blue 2? I'll have to pass -- I'm already lost in trying to get these whiskers to look perfect. My collection is a mishmash of AAA titles and niche releases, their cases piled atop one another like a Jenga stack of mismatched blocks, threatening to topple over at any moment. Just pulling a game from the middle of the shaky structure is an act preceded by hours of anxiety and self-doubt. Having my wife provide commentary during the ordeal, remarking "Oh god, it's going to crash this time for sure, I just know it. Why'd you even try, Eric?! Game over, man! Game over!" as I tug out my copy of Advance Wars DS doesn't make the challenge any easier. So when I do manage to put aside the pussycat photos and secure a game to play, it better damn well be worth it. Journey forth and read which of those titles have captured a place not only on my top five list, but in my heart.
