Archive for September, 2009
Posted by admin in Gaming
At Tokyo Game Show this week, Turn 10 revealed that Forza Motorsport 1 fan-favorite track, the fictional Fujimi Kaido, would be making a return in Forza Motorsport 3.
With over 10 miles of track and 100 turns, Fujimi Kaido is a remake of the popular track from the original title. At twice the length of the original track, Turn 10 has added an entire backside to the track, which helps show off the game’s gorgeous environments. In the demo we saw, the driver sped by rivers and waterfalls, with the peak of Mount Fuji
The track is inspired by the popular underground Japanese touge racing scene, which made it perfect for showing off the game’s drifting, powered by the Forza’s stunningly realistic physics engine. In Forza 3, drift mode is always on and monitoring your drift progress in the background. By hitting left on the d-pad, players can bring up a drift counter, the total of which goes towards a global leaderboard. Whether you’re paying attention to it or not, Forza 3 is always watching, adding an extra layer of depth to game’s tight drift game.
No Comments »
Posted by admin in Gaming
Today, Microsoft brought three of legendary Japanese videogame creators — Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear), Keiji Inafune (Mega Man), and Toshihiro Naghoshi (Super Monkey Ball, Yazuka) — into one room. The reason? To have an open discussion about Project Natal.
No Comments »
Posted by admin in Gaming
Hey, remember Dead Rising 2? Remember how we’ve seen next to nothing of the game for months now? Remember that time?
Well Tokyo Game Show is on us and we’re finally going to be hearing about Dead Rising 2 later this week. We might even get to play it! Until then though, we have at least one new screenshot to show off to you all by way of Capcom Europe.
No Comments »
Posted by admin in Gaming
If you’re over the whole “zombies in videogames” streak the industry has been on the past few years, you’re not alone. What once was a rare and genuinely exciting occurrence (Zombies Ate My Neighbors!, for instance), has now become commonplace with varying degrees of success. Dead Rising to a full-on zombie mode in Call of Duty: World at War. From Left 4 Dead to Little Red Riding Hood’s Zombie BBQ (yes, that’s a game).
The market, as it seems, might be oversaturated with the wails and groans of the undead. Shouldn’t we get back to that whole bald space marine thing? I mean, that was working out pretty well.
So I get it. I comprehend where you might be coming from. But here’s the thing – I’m not over it yet. As fan of horror films, if there’s a game with zombies in it, you’ve got my attention. So despite the flood of titles to hit the market, I’ve had my eye on Nihilistic Software’s digital download undead slaughterfest, Zombie Apocalypse, for a while. Before it was even officially announced, in fact.
The zombie apocalypse is finally here, hitting PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE Arcade this week. But is it any good, or should be cut off its head and burn the remains on arrival? Hit the jump to find out.
No Comments »
Posted by admin in Gaming
In the latest Microsoft press release, the platform publisher talks massive about the success of Xbox LIVE Arcade this summer. People downloaded the 1 vs. 100 clients like crazy and, overall, the publisher saw a 200 percent monthly revenue growth from last year’s Summer of Arcade program. Tucked away at the bottom of the release is a mention of the XBLA title Joy Ride, an Avatar-infused kart racing title with a twist — a light free-to-play MMO twist, we should add.
In the official release, Joy Ride is stated to debut “an innovative free-to-play business model on Xbox LIVE.” This is the second time we’ve noticed this sort of wording from Microsoft in regards to this game on Xbox LIVE as a whole, and it’s nice to see it again in such a prominent place.
Joy Ride will be a free download this holiday and the stream of paid content — stuff like tracks, cars, Avatar costumes, etc., — will, in theory, be supporting the title. More importantly, this “free-to-play business model on Xbox LIVE” stuff makes us think Joy Ride will play a role in the future of MMOs in the LIVE space, specifically with whatever Turbine plans to dish out in 2011. Weird that an XBLA title might be the flag-bearer.
Via Destructoid
No Comments »
Posted by admin in Gaming
You might not give much of a crap about 1 vs. 100, but there are three million people out there who do. Microsoft’s Xbox Live gameshow has been downloaded three million times in the thirteen weeks it’s been up, making it a top ten Xbox Live property. Yeah.
Microsoft has also been boasting about the success of its “Summer of Arcade” promotion. Despite last year having a much higher profile, this Summer saw Xbox Live revenue jump 200% over last year. Shadow Complex, Trials HD and Marvel vs. Capcom 2 have all been named among the huge sellers, with all three of them joining the opening week sales top five for XBLA.
So yeah. Microsoft has plenty to be smug about. Hit the jump for the press release, which I copypasta’d like a professional.
You might be feeling the fall breeze in the air, but Xbox LIVE is still smoking from one hot summer.
Beginning with the first “1 vs 100” trivia question on June 1, 2009 and continuing through the launch of revolutionary Summer of Arcade title “Shadow Complex” on August 19, 2009, Xbox LIVE has delivered brand new ways to access, play and share games on Xbox 360.
“It’s clear that we’ve had an incredibly successful summer, and the Xbox LIVE community cares about the innovative gaming experiences we deliver” stated Scott Austin, director of digitally distributed games on Xbox LIVE. “We are the leader in digitally distributed games, have the ideal partners in the industry and work closely with them to offer the best in downloadable content and entertainment.”
Xbox LIVE delivers a new genre of entertainment: “1 vs 100”
A pioneering accomplishment in interactive entertainment, “1 vs 100” was downloaded nearly three million times during the 13 week pilot season, making it one of the top 10 most downloaded pieces of gaming content on Xbox LIVE to date. In fact, on average, more than half a million very special contestants competed in “1 vs 100” each week. And, up to 114,000 people in North America and 81,000 people in the UK and Republic of Ireland competed simultaneously in “1 vs 100 Live” shows. Featuring a live host, real prizes and regularly-scheduled programming, “1 vs 100” is a brand new genre of entertainment on Xbox LIVE.
No Comments »
Posted by admin in Gaming
A new patch is available for the Personal computer version of Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood. The fresh notes are sure to crop up somewhere, but the official release mentions that this patch — bringing the game up to version 1.1 — balances several of the character classes in multiplayer, therefore making them useful.
The patch also ushers in compatibility with user-created content. People with time on their hands can now download Techland’s “User Content Creation Package” over at its official Web site and begin making Bound in Blood-themed cacti mazes, clown shootouts … or whatever.
Ubisoft is planning to release this patch for console versions of the game. In the official release, it’s stated that the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the patch “are underway and will be released in the upcoming days.”
Via Destructoid
No Comments »
Posted by admin in Gaming
The “Martyrdom” perk was something of a sore spot for at least a few Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare players. Allowing for a live grenade to be dropped upon being killed, the perk annihilates any aggressor near the perk-holder’s corpse. It sounds cheesy, and it is for the most part.
Aware of the reception of the perk, it appears as if it may have been tweaked or refined in Infinity Ward’s follow-up to the shooter, Modern Warfare 2. Chatting it up with VideoGamer, lead character artist for the title Joel Emslie stated, “We are very, very aware of the community and what they like and don’t like, and Martyrdom has caught our attention.” He added, “I’m happy with how the game is.”
“It’s [Martyrdom] treated differently. And I will state this — it fits in perfectly.”
Sounds like something is afoot, for sure. But as Emslie noted when first approached, the perk wasn’t in the beta, therefore he couldn’t discuss it beyond that bit of information. We’re left wondering with twitchy fingers.
If you’d like to learn more about what has changed or remained the same check out our recent preview.
Via Destructoid
No Comments »
Posted by admin in Tech News
The video game industry is having trouble reversing its poor showing over the past few months.
Industrywide revenue in August slipped 16 percent year over year, market researcher NPD Group reported Thursday. And total year-to-date sales were down 14 percent.
PS3 Slim….the next console leader?
(Credit: Sony) Neither software nor hardware could stop the industry’s slide. Hardware sales came in at $297.6 million for the month–down 25 percent compared with August 2008. Video game sales brought in $470.32 million–a 15 percent hit, year over year.
Hardware
Nintendo once again dominated both the handheld and console markets in August. The industry’s leader sold 277,400 Wii units in August. Consumers bought 552,900 Nintendo DS units.
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 barely held onto second place in console sales, pushing 215,400 units into homes.
Buoyed by the cheaper PlayStation 3, Sony’s console trailed the Xbox 360 with 210,000 units sold. Its PlayStation Portable handheld was another popular item with 140,300 units sold. Ironically, Sony’s PlayStation 2 continues to sell well. According to NPD, Sony sold 105,900 PS2 units–not bad for a product that isn’t even considered “current gen.”
Software
Unlike many previous months, Nintendo Wii games didn’t dominate the top-10 list of best-selling titles. The company’s console had only three of its titles make the list. Even so, that’s the most games for any single console in August.
And this time around, a Wii game didn’t take the top spot. Instead, Madden NFL 10 for the Xbox 360 reigned supreme with 928,000 units sold. Nintendo’s Wii Sports Resort captured the second spot with 754,000 units sold. Madden NFL 10 for the PS3 captured third place, selling 665,000 units.
…
source The Digital Home
No Comments »
Posted by admin in Tech News
To commemorate the Sega Dreamcast’s 10th anniversary, I thought I needed to do something a tiny special.
Listed below, you will find 10 of the best Dreamcast games ever released. Some are certainly superior than others (I’ll let you decide on that), but they all hold a special place in my gaming heart. And I’m willing to bet they might hold a special place in yours.
Let’s take a look.
Jet Grind Radio
Jet Grind Radio seems one of the most very special games released for the Dreamcast.
Using a cell-shaded design that fits perfectly with the game’s story, you’re a rollerblading graffiti gang member who wants to tell everyone in the city who is in charge. To do so, you need to cruise around town and “tag” the streets.
Why I love it: Jet Grind Radio, like many of the games I loved from the Dreamcast days, offered a very special idea that gamers responded well to. It was fun and willing to “push the envelope” a tiny. That should be commended.
Jet Grind Radio has a very special look.
(Credit: Sega) NFL 2K1
NFL 2K1 was one of the ideal football games ever released. It featured outstanding visuals for its time, the controls were great, and the gameplay was even superior. It provided me with the most exciting football experience of its time.
Why I love it: When the NFL 2K series was in its prime, I forgot about the Madden series. Yes, it was that good. This day, we’re stuck with Madden. And each time I hike the ball in Madden NFL 10, I’m left wondering what the NFL 2K series would look like this day. Hmm.
NFL 2K1 looks awfully nice for that generation.
(Credit: Gamespot) Phantasy Star On the internet
If you never played Phantasy Star On the internet, you missed out on one of the most compelling games ever released for the Dreamcast.
Phantasy Star On the internet was the first on the web home console game ever released. The title allowed gamers to hack and slash their way through the story, while partnering up with gamers across the Web.
Overall, the game’s on the web experience wasn’t great compared to what we’ve this day, but it started the online-gaming era. It should be commended for that.
Why I love it: The game’s story was good, but just being able to hook up to the Web and play with others on the web was an breathtaking feat at the time. It was my entree into the online-gaming world.
…
source The Digital Home
No Comments »
|
Entries (RSS)