SpyParty preview: A triumph of reverse intelligence
Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EST
I know times are tight, especially for one-man indie dev teams, but, as a service to the gamers of Earth, Chris Hecker has got to get a better booth.
In a nondescript corner of PAX, under a nondescript banner and sporting slightly worse than nondescript graphics (all placeholder, Hecker assured) it would have been easy to miss
SpyParty. It would have been a particularly unfortunate fate considering it was (drumroll) the best thing I've played at PAX so far.
Continue reading SpyParty preview: A triumph of reverse intelligence
SpyParty preview: A triumph of reverse intelligence originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is anxious for PAX East
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST
With all the hubbub going on this weekend at PAX Prime in Seattle, we're more anxious than ever for the return of PAX to Boston. Did you know that those lucky devils at PAX Prime got a chance to play Duke Nukem Forever? Also, hey, that game exists! All we got was an attempted theft and some guys recording a podcast (or whatever).
So we're hoping for big things next year. Nay, expecting them! The return of Starcraft: Ghost, perhaps? Under the guidance of ... umm ... Bungie Studios! It makes perfect sense! Alright, alright -- maybe not. Either way, here's your weekly roundup of all the best gaming-based webcomics. If we're missing any of your favorites, please let us know in the comments!
In the mean time, check out our seven favorite strips from this past week below, and vote for your favorite in the poll after the jump!
Combat Assistant (Virtual Shackles)
Old School (Extra Life)
X-Ray Vision (Dueling Analogs)
Authorization (Brawl in the Family)
The Carriage (xkcd)
Madden 12 (Another Videogame Webcomic)
The New Smurf (of Noobs and Men)Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is anxious for PAX East
Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is anxious for PAX East originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Here's the BioShock Infinite Game Informer cover(s)
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:30:00 EST
Next month's Game Informer cover isn't revealing a new game - unlike last month's Batman: Arkham City cover - but it's still got plenty to offer. Behold! Three separate BioShock Infinite covers, crafted by Irrational artist Rob Waters, that ape the old-timey, Norman Rockwell aesthetic of "The Saturday Evening Post." Unveiled during a PAX panel titled "From Concept to Cover: The Game Informer Selection Process," GI Editor-in-Chief Andy McNamara shared not only the final three covers, but the many revisions that went into each one. We've got some galleries below of each cover and its various revisions, including some commentary from both Game Informer and Irrational.
Continue reading Here's the BioShock Infinite Game Informer cover(s)
Here's the BioShock Infinite Game Informer cover(s) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Meatbag-hating droid HK-47 teased in Star Wars: The Old Republic
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:15:00 EST
Good news for you HK-47 fans out there! The meatbag-hating android from KOTOR and KOTOR 2 was teased at the tail end of today's Star Wars: The Old Republic panel at PAX, meaning you can enjoy classic lines like "Observation: I am awesome" in a massively multiplayer setting. Check out HK-47's greatest hits after the break.Continue reading Meatbag-hating droid HK-47 teased in Star Wars: The Old Republic
Meatbag-hating droid HK-47 teased in Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Halo: Reach's Spartans who didn't make the cut
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:00:00 EST
Bungie revealed an interesting tidbit about the creation of Noble, the protagonist Spartan squad engulfed in the conflict on the titular planet in Halo: Reach. There were initially more members of the team, though two were eventually cut in favor of the five in the final Noble team we know today (excluding Noble Six, the player character in Halo: Reach).
"Back in the early days, we talked a lot about The Magnificent Seven and The Seven Samurai," Luke Wilson, story and cinematics lead, said. "And yes, originally, there were seven Spartans. Here's a little bit of trivia for you guys: Rosetta and Tom, yes, were two of the Spartans we had to cut, unfortunately."
Wilson described Rosetta as being "sassy," while Tom was "a cowboy." If you need us, we'll be pouring one out for the first casualties in the Fall of Reach.Halo: Reach's Spartans who didn't make the cut originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Telltale Games bundles Puzzle Agent, Sam and Max, four more for $20
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST
Starting right now, Telltale Games is offering six adventure games for just $19.95. The initial four are The Whispered World, Jack Keane, King's Quest Collection, and Penny Arcade Adventures: Episode 1, with Telltale's own Puzzle Agent and Sam & Max: Season 2 unlocking as more people buy the bundle.
Child's Play and The World Wildlife Fund are among five charities receiving 25 percent of the profits from this promotion. The deal is currently being offered only on PC, and will be available via the Telltale Games store until September 10.Telltale Games bundles Puzzle Agent, Sam and Max, four more for $20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Video: Watch Splosion Man's 'Donuts, Go Nuts!' song performed live at PAX
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:30:00 EST
Not at PAX? Want to live vicariously through the power of the internet? We can think of no better solution to your dilemma than to recommend you watch our video of Matt "Chainsaw" Chaney's ukelele performance of "Donuts, Go Nuts!" from the Twisted Pixel booth this afternoon. And look on the bright side: You can go flip on your Xbox and play Splosion Man (again!) while all these suckers at PAX are left napping on beanbag chairs.Continue reading Video: Watch Splosion Man's 'Donuts, Go Nuts!' song performed live at PAX
Video: Watch Splosion Man's 'Donuts, Go Nuts!' song performed live at PAX originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Portal 2's PAX co-op gameplay footage introduces robot hugs
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST
Just because you aren't at PAX Prime this weekend doesn't mean you can't experience at least some of the joys and wonders that the show floor has to offer. For instance, the 10 straight minutes of Portal 2 co-op gameplay that we've dropped after the break, courtesy of GameTrailers -- hearing the "oohs" and "aahs" of the crowd on all sides, you'll feel just like you're there! And sure, you might not get a free Portal 2 shirt like this session's attendees did, but you can experience a heartwarming robot hug. And isn't that more than enough?Continue reading Portal 2's PAX co-op gameplay footage introduces robot hugs
Portal 2's PAX co-op gameplay footage introduces robot hugs originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Halo: Combat Evolved and the battle for boats
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST
During development of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, Bungie actually created a working boat. One map in particular was discussed during today's Bungie panel at PAX 2010 -- an area with several islands where the player would have to navigate from one to the other via watercraft. Bungie showed a video of an early rendering of the craft in use, which very much looked like a futuristic version of a cigarette boat.
In the end, it was cut from the game -- not because it didn't handle well, but because "it wasn't fun." Personally, we would've liked to try our hand at aquatic Haloing, but then again we're huge fans of Miami Vice.Halo: Combat Evolved and the battle for boats originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Outland preview: When shmups grow legs
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST
If you need proof that the upswing of independent game development is having an impact on more mainstream devs, look no further than Outland, the upcoming XBLA and PSN release just revealed by Ubisoft during PAX 2010.
Just tell me this doesn't seem like one of those way-out-there ideas, the product of one-man coding in his spare time: It's a beautifully rendered animated platformer that draws aesthetic inspiration from classics like Out of this World ... oh, and it's sort of based on Ikaruga.
Crazy, yes, but also very real and, as I can attest after one of the levels and a boss battle, very beautiful. Continue reading Outland preview: When shmups grow legs
Outland preview: When shmups grow legs originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Elemental launch results in Stardock layoffs
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EST
The "consequences" of Elemental's "disastrous" launch were swift as Stardock CEO Brad Wardell has confirmed layoffs at the company. ShackNews reported yesterday that those let go included developers, designers, and salespeople working on Elemental. Wardell stated in his post on the subject that these are the first layoffs to the company since 1998, while elaborating, "Elemental's revenue was anticipated to provide the revenue both for our main games team's next project as well as a second team. Unfortunately, that is unlikely to happen so we've had to start laying people off."
Wardell contacted Joystiq to say, "We obviously have had technical issues on launch that we are paying for in reviews and weakened sales, but as anyone in our QA can tell you - and I've interviewed them post-launch - we thought the game was ready which merely shows, I think pretty obviously, that we will need to change the way we do QA on major new releases as well as how we handle our own betas."
The executive concludes, "It aggravates me to no end that there's often very little connection between the myriad of poor decisions made at the executive level - including myself at the top - and the people who end up losing their jobs. But my job isn't to dispense economic justice. My job is to try to keep as many people employed as possible and make sure our customers are taken care of."
Update: Added official statements.Elemental launch results in Stardock layoffs originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Joystiq Podcast PAX Prime 2010 #2
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST
Filed under: Podcasts
New on this episode of the Joystiq Podcast: Duke Nukem Forever is fully coming out. Also new? GSM static at the beginning. Sorry about that, by the way.
Also, some chat about Outland and some dudes flop on beanbags.
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Hosts: Justin McElroy (@justinmcelroy) and Chris Grant (@chrisgrant)
Music: "Gravity (Don't Let Me Go)" by Jon Black, "Red Eye" by Ben Kweller
For fans: Joystiq Podcast Facebook group
New to the show?: Listen to Episode Zero
The Do It Line!: 1-(877)-JOYSTIQ
See all of this week's links after the jump.Joystiq Podcast PAX Prime 2010 #2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Video: Part two of Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST
During his keynote speech at PAX yesterday, Warren Spector revealed the second half of Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic, which you can find and watch right after the break. The first half, you'll remember, set Mickey up as a mischievous type who'd played around with a magical paintbrush and eventually fallen into a spinning vortex of darkness.
In this half, Mickey is dropped into a mad scientist's castle in the Wasteland, where we get to meet Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the Phantom Blot and a cast of other characters who will undoubtedly appear elsewhere in the game. And just like the first half, this one is presumably full of old school Disney animation references and in-jokes, none of which we actually get (although Google helped us out with this one). Any Disney scholars want to call out Spector for showing off?Continue reading Video: Part two of Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic
Video: Part two of Disney Epic Mickey's opening cinematic originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sarcastic announcer Easter egg uncovered in Wave Race: Blue Storm
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 05:00:00 EST
A NeoGAF forumite going by the moniker "Raoul Duke" recently uncovered a timeworn Easter egg hidden within the folds of the aquatic GameCube racer, Wave Race: Blue Storm -- and appropriately enough, this egg is awfully rotten. By entering in a super-obscure code on the game's audio settings screen, players can change the typically pleasant (and omnipresent) pit crew commenter to a sardonic so-and-so who talks smack about your every action.
You can check out a video of this old-new Easter egg posted just after the jump, or, if you feel like taking a hit to your self-esteem for some reason, you can learn the arcane measures you have to follow to find the secret voice track over on NeoGAF.Continue reading Sarcastic announcer Easter egg uncovered in Wave Race: Blue Storm
Sarcastic announcer Easter egg uncovered in Wave Race: Blue Storm originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Retro City Rampage preview: A Hodgepodge of Homages
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST
There are all of those inside jokes, those gaming and pop culture references that we slip into conversation now and again, eliciting a chuckle from those "in the know." Now imagine you had enough knowledge to make a game and decided, "Hey, what the heck? I'll go ahead and put in a nod toward this classic in my game." That's kinda what Brian Provinciano did.
He came up with Retro City Rampage, a self-professed "open world action parody" that started out as Grand Theftendo, an attempt to create Grand Theft Auto 3 on the NES. It kinda snowballed from there and eventually ended up being Retro City Rampage, a retro sandbox game with plenty of moxie.
Continue reading Retro City Rampage preview: A Hodgepodge of Homages
Retro City Rampage preview: A Hodgepodge of Homages originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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80 percent of Power Gig setlist is new to music games
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:00:00 EST
Here she is: the full Power Gig: Rise of the Six String setlist -- all 70 tracks of it. As promised, Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews Band and Kid Rock are all on board (for the first time ever in a music game, no less), along with John Mayer, Paramore and harder rocking from the likes of Mastodon and Incubus. 80 percent of the tracks have never appeared in a music game before at all -- pretty impressive for an original IP. Power Gig will have plenty of competition this fall, but it looks like the setlist won't be a weak spot.
Take a look at the tunes after the break, then scroll back up and answer this question: What's the absolute best song on the list? If you said Bad Religion's "I Want to Conquer the World," you're exactly right.Continue reading 80 percent of Power Gig setlist is new to music games
80 percent of Power Gig setlist is new to music games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Room adventure game is tearing us apart, Lisa
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:00:00 EST
So, here's the thing: If you're not in on the cosmic joke that is Tommy Wiseau's impossibly bad masterpiece The Room, you're probably not going to grok anything we're about to talk about. Everyone else, brace yourself: Newgrounds founder Tom Fulp released The Room Tribute earlier this morning -- an adventure game which recreates the aforementioned film scene for scene from the perspective of its nigh-unintelligible protagonist.
What could have been a quick and easy Flash game is actually a pretty lengthy experience, with collectibles (like hidden spoons tucked all throughout San Francisco) and expansions of The Room universe not present in the film, such as the haunting interior of Denny's apartment. Oh, also much like the film upon which it's based, The Room Tribute features frequent, thoroughly unerotic nudity -- so don't play it at work. But do play it at your earliest convenience. It is simply wonderful.
Unless, of course, you haven't seen the movie. You monster.The Room adventure game is tearing us apart, Lisa originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Atlus USA president reassures fans
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:00:00 EST
Following Atlus's announcement of a merger into its parent company Index Holdings, you may have been concerned about the state of the developer and publisher. "But what of our RPGs about super-stylish high school students?," you may have asked. "Any news about my beloved sci-fi surgery simulators?" "Will I still have dungeons in which to crawl?"
Atlus USA president Shinichi Suzuki issued a statement today to allay our fears. "
We want to assure our fans and affiliates that Atlus remains in operation and will continue, as always, to support our beloved community with the finest quality game experiences possible," Suzuki said. You can read the full statement after the break, then take a sigh of relief and get back to your everyday life of wondering when Atlus USA is going to announce a localization of Catherine.Continue reading Atlus USA president reassures fans
Atlus USA president reassures fans originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tokyo Game Show 2010 promising more products, fewer RPGs
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST
There are a total of 630 products being shown at this year's Tokyo Game Show, nearly 40 percent more than the 456 products shown last year. However, while there's a lot more on show, it's surprising to see which genres are dwindling down. For example, there are half as many RPGs this year as last (dropping from 52 to 26). Japanese publishers are showing significantly fewer sports and puzzle games this year, as well.
On the upside, there's an increase in shooters (from 10 to 19) and a shocking number of peripherals: 157. Certainly, the release of PlayStation Move, Kinect and the upcoming 3DS must have something to do with that figure!
Most exciting of all is the mysterious "Other" category, which has dramatically increased from 103 to 226. Does this mean we'll see more innovative, genre-bending titles out of this year's TGS? Or, will it mean we're going to see a lot more Square Enix perfumes? See the full rundown of genres for this year versus last after the break.Continue reading Tokyo Game Show 2010 promising more products, fewer RPGs
Tokyo Game Show 2010 promising more products, fewer RPGs originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 preview: Force Majeure
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:30:00 EST
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 is little over a month from launch and during my time playing it here at PAX, it was pretty obvious how far along the game has come. LucasArts has shown the same area of the game both at E3 and Comic-Con, but now it's been fleshed out and, more importantly, we were finally able to play it.
Continue reading Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 preview: Force Majeure
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 preview: Force Majeure originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nintendo opens the floodgates on Fluidity media
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST
Fluidity, the new WiiWare game Nintendo is showing off at PAX, looks a lot more interesting than you'd expect from a game about tilting containers to let water flow. For one thing, the containers in question are whole rooms set inside a comic book, filled with puzzles that require you to squirt, freeze, melt or otherwise manipulate water to complete them. For another, the water animation is mesmerizingly pretty.
PAX attendees have the opportunity to swish around in Fluidity for themselves, but the rest of us will have to be content with the trailer after the break and the screens in our gallery.Continue reading Nintendo opens the floodgates on Fluidity media
Nintendo opens the floodgates on Fluidity media originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Retro City Rampage shooting for December on WiiWare, 'in talks' for XBLA and PSN
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:45:00 EST
While demoing Retro City Rampage, one of the PAX 10, its creator Brian Provinciano revealed to Joystiq that the game would likely launch in December of this year. Up until now, all we had was a tentative Q4 2010 window -- Provinciano nailed the last month of the year as being an optimal time to subject the world to his experiment at seeing how many inside jokes he could fit into a single game.
WiiWare is currently the only platform, though Provinciano noted that he was currently "in talks" with Microsoft on bringing the game to XBLA. PSN was also on the table, he offered. A PC version would be out of the cards for "at least a year."
Provinciano began the game as Project Grand Theftendo, where he sought to create an 8-bit version of Grand Theft Auto 3 that ran on the NES. We'll have a preview of the game soon.
Retro City Rampage shooting for December on WiiWare, 'in talks' for XBLA and PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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WRUP: Labor through the backlog
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:00:00 EST
ZOMGBBQ -- 2010 has been crazy-packed with games! Exceptional retail and downloadable titles have overwhelmed us this year, and now we're on the precipice of the "bad" part of the year. What's your most shameful game in the backlog and what are you currently playing?Continue reading WRUP: Labor through the backlog
WRUP: Labor through the backlog originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Swarm gameplay trailer plays follow the leader
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:30:00 EST
While the first trailer for Hothead's Swarm didn't feature any gameplay, it did show off the many, many ways to kill the game's main characters -- those little blue ... things. We're feeling that Lemmings vibe again in this new PAX trailer, which introduces the first gameplay footage.
All those gruesome deaths? Just as comically effective in game. Head past the break to see for yourself.Continue reading Swarm gameplay trailer plays follow the leader
Swarm gameplay trailer plays follow the leader originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dungeon Siege 3 gameplay footage lays siege to your eyes
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST
We got a first look at Obsidian's upcoming third Dungeon Siege title back at E3 -- and even caught a glimpse of its CGI teaser shortly thereafter -- but, up until now, we hadn't been able to show it to you in motion. Y'know, actual gameplay. That's just what you'll find after the break.
As for the video's content, we're compelled to relay that it looks awfully JRPG-influenced to us, in addition to being extremely lush and heavy on the flowing bits of fabric on characters' costumes. Other than that, well, have you seen Torchlight or Diablo? If the answer's "yes," you've got a good idea of what to expect.Continue reading Dungeon Siege 3 gameplay footage lays siege to your eyes
Dungeon Siege 3 gameplay footage lays siege to your eyes originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit trailer challenges your relationships
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:30:00 EST
We take warning screens very seriously. That's why we've preemptively removed Hinkle from our friends list. We wouldn't wanna risk any "hard feelings" if he went and wrecked our Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit records. It's better this way, Dave.Continue reading Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit trailer challenges your relationships
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit trailer challenges your relationships originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BBFC uncovers Activision's plans to hold a massive Blood Drive
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST
Yes, after suffering a few years of not-so-flattering opinions among hardcore gamers, Activision has decided to use its considerable wealth and power for more altruistic enterprises. The British Board of Film Classification recently revealed that the gargantuan publisher is hosting a Blood Drive of unparalleled scope later this year, which it hopes will deliver billions of gallons of precious hemoglobinz to people across the globe who need those hemoglobinz.
Hah! We're just kidding, of course. Can you imagine? No, no, the BBFC just rated a game coming from Activision called Blood Drive, a car combat action game for the Xbox 360 and PS3. The rating mentions "strong language and gory violence," leading us to believe it will focus more on the killing side of said genre, rather than the racing side. According to CVG, an Amazon listing which has since been pulled gave the title an October 26 launch date. We'll let you know when we hear more. (A real blood drive. Oh man. You should have seen your faces!)BBFC uncovers Activision's plans to hold a massive Blood Drive originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Portal 2 multiplayer screens from PAX will win your heart
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST
We still haven't been told the names of the two robots cooperatively making their way through an Aperture Science facility in Portal 2, but that doesn't matter -- we'll name them Red and Blue. In the screenshots below, released today by Valve, you can see our dashing nonhuman heroes hitting switches, diving into portals and just plain oozing personality.
In fact, even without seeing them move, we can already tell all sorts of things about how they act together. Red seems a little more timid and reserved, while Blue appears to be a go-getter who gets things done. Then again, look at that swan dive Red's pulling off. That's a thing of beauty right there. Curse you, Valve! You've already made us care about them so much!Portal 2 multiplayer screens from PAX will win your heart originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Conduit 2's All Seeing Eye avoids GoldenEye, moves to 2011
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST
November 2 was going to mark the release of not one, but two high-profile first person shooters on Wii: Conduit 2 and GoldenEye. It looks like Sega and High Voltage are taking a step back, telling Nintendojo that the Conduit sequel has been pushed back to Q1 2011.
There's no specified reason for the delay, but it's likely that Q1 offered a better release window for the Wii shooter. Sega famously released Resonance of Fate one week after Final Fantasy XIII. Presumably, Sega would want a better fate for Conduit 2.Conduit 2's All Seeing Eye avoids GoldenEye, moves to 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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All of Amazon's $10-$20 game purchase credits in one spot
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST
Amazon's been on a tear with its expanding practice of offering store credit along with the purchase of games - sometimes up to $20. GamerDeals has put together a handy list of all the current offers (a surprisingly large number). Keep reading for highlights.Continue reading All of Amazon's $10-$20 game purchase credits in one spot
All of Amazon's $10-$20 game purchase credits in one spot originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Namco remakes arcade classics again in Wii's Namco Museum Megamix
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST
The last time Namco Bandai released a Museum collection on Wii with updated versions of its classics ... it didn't really work out. Namco is trying again with Namco Museum Megamix -- sort of. In fact, many of the remixed games in this collection are the same as in the previous collection, judging from the materials released. The Galaga Remix seen in the screenshots is the same "defend Pac-Man" rail shooter seen in the 2007 game, and Pac-Motos and Pac-n-Roll Remix, described in the press release, was also present. That's right, Namco has now taken to re-releasing its remakes.
The Megamix adds at least one new rearrangement: Grobda Remix, based on a shmup you're forgiven for now knowing about. It'll also feature original (read: good) versions of Pac-Man, Mappy, Rally-X, Galaga, and more. Megamix will be out in November.Continue reading Namco remakes arcade classics again in Wii's Namco Museum Megamix
Namco remakes arcade classics again in Wii's Namco Museum Megamix originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BBFC: Dragon Age Ultimate Edition to include Awakening and all DLC
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:40:00 EST
Despite popping up on GameStop and having been rated by Australia's OFLC, the so-called "Dragon Age Origins - Ultimate Edition" still hasn't been officially announced by EA. Now the British Board of Film Classification has gone ahead and listed the supposed contents of the re-release, which is "made up of a number of separate components," including:
While the GameStop listing has since been removed, the retailer had posted a $60 price and an October 12 release date for the Ultimate Edition. We'll be sure to note the official details when EA officially announces them.BBFC: Dragon Age Ultimate Edition to include Awakening and all DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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IndieCade 2010 finalists announced, everyone's nominated for everything
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:20:00 EST
The IndieCade 2010 festival, an annual event held in Culver City, California which celebrates independently-created games, is doing a couple things differently for this year's awards presentation. The first is that all 32 of the finalists are nominated for every award category, such as "Technical Innovation," "World/Story," and the slightly more obscure "Sublime Experience." Check out the full list of categories and their lengthy list of contenders just past the jump.
Oh, the second difference for this year's show? It's going to be hosted by LeVar Burton. In short, it's shaping up to be the best awards show ever.Continue reading IndieCade 2010 finalists announced, everyone's nominated for everything
IndieCade 2010 finalists announced, everyone's nominated for everything originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Pitchford explains the Duke shirt that predates Duke Nukem Forever
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:05:00 EST
Come get some background on Randy Pitchford's back-in-fashion Duke Nukem shirt, seen above:
"I moved to Texas and became a professional game maker to join Allen Blum, he created Duke Nukem 3D," the Gearbox co-founder told an audience at PAX. "He and Todd Replogle in Southern California, freaking invented this whole damned thing. And I moved out to Texas to join him and George Broussard and Scott Miller, and all the guys on the team, so that I could be part of Duke Nukem 3D. Because I wanted to add to that. I thought it was awesome; it was really fun and I wanted to be part of that team.
"This t-shirt I'm wearing, George gave me this t-shirt in 1996," Pitchford continued, now speaking as part of the team that now hopes to complete Duke Nukem Forever. "And we've been waiting for this game ever since. Guys like Alan didn't want to let the Duke dream die. They've worked their butts off all this time making great stuff."
[Image credit: Mikey Neumann, Gearbox creative director; via Twitter]Pitchford explains the Duke shirt that predates Duke Nukem Forever originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Disaster Report 4 to shake up PS3 with Move and 3D support
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:45:00 EST
Irem is working on a new Disaster Report game, this time for the PS3. Titled Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 4: Summer Memories, the first HD entry of the franchise has you escaping an earthquake-stricken city in the year 201X. (And no, Mega Man won't be making a cameo ... we think!) In addition to supporting 3D and PlayStation Move, this will be the first title in the series to add a "cleanliness" parameter. According to Andriasang, "if your character gets too dirty, your stress will rise." Thankfully, you'll be able to take care of this with the all-new "use the toilet" feature!
It's unclear if Disaster Report 4 will make it stateside. The last entry in the series, a PSP game, never found a publisher. The first two games for PS2 were released as Disaster Report and the pornographic-sounding Raw Danger (pictured above).Disaster Report 4 to shake up PS3 with Move and 3D support originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Duke Nukem Forever preview: Yeah, it's actually playable. No, really.
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:15:00 EST
After what is arguably the longest, most troubled development in the history of video games, Duke Nukem Forever is finally, really, truly here. It's not being shown secretly, behind-closed-doors at some industry event. Instead, it's at PAX, an event that is, more than any other in this industry, consumer facing, and that tangibility is a big part of Gearbox's reveal.
Wait, who? Gearbox Software, the Texas-based dev who's helping to bring 3D Realms' pre-Google (think about it!) labor of love to consoles, is behind this revival along with publisher 2K Games. "This is a game you can't make promises about," Gearbox prez Randy Pitchford told an audience of incredulous gamers this morning. "Haven't we not been teased enough? We don't want to tease. We just thought we'd bring it to PAX." And Gearbox didn't just bring a trailer - although it did bring one of those - but more importantly, there's about 15 minutes of playable game. Let that sink in for a while.
While we weren't able to grab video of the trailer - you'll have to settle for my account - Pitchford did say that people could take pics. Actually, he said, "You've got cameras. You've got cellphones with cameras on them. Take all the pictures you want [...] We'll even take the pictures for you." You know, when Duke Nukem Forever was first announced, I didn't have a cellphone yet ... and the idea of a cellphone with a camera on it? Madness.
Continue reading Duke Nukem Forever preview: Yeah, it's actually playable. No, really.
Duke Nukem Forever preview: Yeah, it's actually playable. No, really. originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer takes aim at cheaters, looks to recruit more players
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:50:00 EST
"Yeah, it surprised us too," Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer design director David Vonderhaar told us at the multiplayer reveal event in Los Angeles earlier this week. What surprised Vonderhaar and the team at Treyarch was the "30 to 40 percent" of Call of Duty players that never venture into mulitplayer, according to Activision research. His goal for Black Ops: To get as many of those people into multiplayer as possible.
With Modern Warfare 2 breaking sales records and its developer, Infinity Ward, in a state of collapse, following the highly publicized departure of the studio's founders and many of its senior staff, all eyes are on Treyarch to pick up the torch and deliver the most robust and polished multiplayer experience the franchise has seen yet.
But how far does Vonderhaar look to find competition? "The benchmark is always the last game that the studio's made, or that Activision's published," he said. "Multiplayer CoD games command three of the four top spots on Xbox Live right now. We're filling stadiums of people every night with players." And that fan base, which is shared across Infinity Ward's two Modern Warfare titles along with Treyarch's zombie-infused World at War multiplayer, hasn't shied away from upgrading annually.
But first, there's a challenge that Vonderhaar notes: A lot of different kinds of gamers buy Call of Duty games and never go online.
Continue reading Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer takes aim at cheaters, looks to recruit more players
Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer takes aim at cheaters, looks to recruit more players originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Monster Hunter Frontier features improvised Dead Rising 2 weapons in Japan
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:30:00 EST
We have a pretty good idea what boxing gloves with knives taped to them will do to zombies. But how about wyverns? Japanese gamers will get to find out exactly that when Dead Rising 2 launches there (September 30 on consoles, October 28 on PC).
Those who purchase Dead Rising 2 will get vouchers to unlock Dead Rising 2-themed items in either the PC or Xbox 360 versions of Monster Hunter Frontier. Those items include the aforementioned knifegloves, a boomstick (a shotgun with a pitchfork on it), a moose head, and several different colors of the Terror is Reality racing suit. Now let's see some giant swords in Dead Rising 2!
Monster Hunter Frontier features improvised Dead Rising 2 weapons in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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White Knight Chronicles: Dogma Wars for PSP revealed, will offer PS3 connectivity
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST
Level-5's PSP entry to the White Knight Chronicles franchise has finally been revealed in the latest issue of Famitsu. Episode Portable: Dogma Wars is a prequel, set 10,000 years before the events of the PS3 games. Set in the Dogma Age, the Yshrenia and Athwan Empires are fighting for control over the world. You will command the Athwan "Train Battalion" as you fight the towering mecha Knights of the Yshrenia. As Andriasang points out, "you're going to be fighting the giants this time instead of transforming into them."
No gameplay details have been revealed, but Dogma Wars already sounds dramatically different from its PS3 counterparts. Fans of the franchise will want to keep an eye on it -- if only for the promised connectivity with the upcoming PS3 sequel.White Knight Chronicles: Dogma Wars for PSP revealed, will offer PS3 connectivity originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Red 5 Studios reveal Firefall, coming to PC 'near the end of 2011'
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EST
Perhaps it isn't enough for you to know that Firefall -- Red 5 Studios' first release -- is full of guns and jetpacks? Would it help if you knew that the lead designer was also headed up Tribes? Ahhh, good! Firefall is a "team-based action shooter" featuring "hundreds of players" completing objectives and battling to the death in a "dynamic open world." And, frankly, it looks great.
The title is free-to-play and relies on an in-game marketplace for profit. We might normally balk at such a monetization system, but we were thoroughly impressed by the game's debut gameplay trailer, not to mention the pedigree behind Firefall. If you're as enticed as we are, you'll be glad to know that Red 5 is accepting applications for the game's beta starting right now.Continue reading Red 5 Studios reveal Firefall, coming to PC 'near the end of 2011'
Red 5 Studios reveal Firefall, coming to PC 'near the end of 2011' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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