Archive for May, 2007
Final Fantasy anyone? How about new XIIIs PS3 info and IV DS teaser
The latest issue of Japanese magazine LEVEL has an interview with the director at Square-Enix who’s working on the Final Fantasy XIII series of games. Big thanks to Ceb who graciously translated the most interesting new bits to English.
About Fabula Nova Crystallis in general:
Motomu Toriyama: “The development of the three games was started at the same time and we gathered to try and find a common platform to stand on and try to build from. But since then, we’ve been working completely independently of each other. Each game is evolving in its own direction and take place in separate worlds with their own main characters. There exists basically no cooperation between the different teams. I wouldn’t even want to claim that we communicate with each other.”
Tetsuya Nomura: “The only similarity between the games that you can find is in the vague crystal theme.”
About Crisis Core:
Hajime Tabata: “There’s a reason why this game is released last [note: what about the 20 years of FFVII?]. This is one of Square Enix’s most important moments, when we’re about to tell the story that leads up to maybe the most beloved RPG of them all. So we’ve taken our time and prepared us well.”
Q: “How much do you listen to the opinions of the fans?”
A: “All I can say is that you encounter characters from the original game in Crisis Core. But you have to have in mind that this is a game about Zack and the Soldier organization. So even if the fans’ opinions are important, I won’t risk to destroy the central theme by throwing in loved characters who would disrupt the balance in the game.”
About Final Fantasy XIII: Article continues »
No comments »Mad Tracks is the Xbox Live Arcade release this Wednesday. Worms gets new game content.
From today, May 30th at 9AM GMT (2AM PDT), you can play Load Inc’s Mad Tracks on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360.
Mad Tracks will be available worldwide (except in South Korea) for 800 Microsoft Points (that’s $10 / €9.60 / £6.80) and is rated E for Everyone.
Players can race through 15 challenges consisting of nine mini-games and six different races behind the wheel of one of 12 sleek compact cars. Mad Tracks features 12 power-ups to keep engines revved up and players in the fast lane ahead of the competition.
Game features include: Article continues »
Top 49 best games without a sequel
Thanks to Vincent for linking us to this great Games.net list of “The 49 Best Sequel-Less Games“. It’s intention is to include great games that not only did not get a much deserved sequel, but also aren’t extended like Pirates! and Riddick’s game or remade as Pitfall Harry and Conker’s Bad Fur Day were. Definitely a great list, here it is from bottom to top:
49- XIII (PC, Xbox, PS2, GC)
48- Forsaken (N64, PS1, PC)
47- Uniracers (SNES)
46- Disruptor (PS1)
45- Conquest of the New World (PC, Mac)
44- Burning Rangers (Saturn)
43- General Chaos (Genesis)
42- Red Dead Revolver (Xbox, PS2)
41- Sunset Riders (SNES, Genesis)
40- Clive Barker’s Undying (PC)
39- Advent Rising (PC, Xbox)
38- B-17 Bomber (Intellivision)
37- Chu Chu Rocket! (DC, GBA)
36- Herzog Zwei (Genesis)
35- Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy (Xbox, PS2)
34- Tech Romancer (DC)
33- Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (Xbox, PC)
32- Blade Runner (PC)
31- Oasis (PC) Article continues »
DK Jungle Climber’s first screenshots reveals the DS action platform puzzler game
DK Jungle Climber was recently revealed as a new Nintendo DS title. Famitsu has the first screenshots of the game and say it’s an action adventure game with puzzle elements where you control Donkey Kong’s right and left arms separately to climb with the left and right shoulder buttons on the DS, by pressing both shoulder buttons at the same time DK will jump up the dual screen levels. When Donkey Kong is only holding onto one peg, he will spin, allowing him to climb up the pegs. Of course there will also be plenty of banana minigames, new moves, new items, and DS download play promises multiplayer for up to four players.
DK Jungle Climber is the sequel to the GameBoy Advance game DK: King of Swing. It tells the story of Donkey Kong enjoying a holiday at the beach, but when he gets hungry he sees a gigantic banana at the top of a nearby mountain, so he runs to go grab it. But DK finds out it’s not a big banana, instead it’s a spaceship that he breaks and causes a crystal banana to get stolen by the Kremlin corps lead by King K. Rool. To apologize he promises to return order to the land by returning the crystal banana, so he goes out to the jungle to go get it.
Nintendo announced DK Jungle Climber has a release date on DS of September 10th in America and October 12th in Europe.
Wii Development Team interviews - Part 1, the Wii Remote
It’s rare that you get to read an interview with the guy calling the shots at one of the big three companies. Be it Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo.
And it’s even rarer when you get to read an interview not of, but by, said President. That’s exactly what Nintendo did right after the launch of the Wii.
At the official Nintendo Wii web-site, President Satoru Iwata decided to have a little fun wherein he would interview his own employees . . . to find out their thoughts and to discuss the development of the Wii, the system hardware, the system design, the Wii Remote and eventually, the Wii Channels and specific Wii titles themselves. These interview were slowly rolled out, and Nintendo will undoubtedly post new installments of the interviews in the months ahead.
Part 1 is on the development of the Wii Remote.
It’s super interesting to hear the thoughts of these geniuses and how they went about coming up with their ideas. It was no small task to break such established video game conventions as a two-handed controller, connected to the TV via a cord.
They discuss how they came about development of the Wii Remote, from the Wiimote’s “rod” shape, to the request of another attachment by the Metroid development team (which became the Nunchuck of course), to the fact that the sensor bar has a responsiveness of over 200 signal exchanges a second . . . you’ll even learn why Mr. Iwata originally was going to call the Wii Remote the “rimokon” . . . Even in America! And it’s classic to hear them talking about the E3 showing at the end. One guy says it literally moved him to tears!
Enjoy, and look forward to the other volumes of the interview everyday for the next few days.
Article continues »
Dirty Dancing - The Video Game announced as a PC action puzzler
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Dirty Dancing movie, fans can now step back into the year 1963 and encounter the world of their favorite dancing film with Dirty Dancing - The Video Game for PC that will be released in late 2007. Through this action puzzler, Dirty Dancing enthusiasts now have the opportunity to experience the life of Baby, learn to dance with the resident dancing couple, Johnny and Penny, and work alongside the team at the renowned Kellerman’s Mountain House Resort.
Said to be one of the most enduring modern classics in feature film and home entertainment history, the release of Dirty Dancing - The Video Game will cap off a year-long celebration by Lionsgate in honor of the movie’s 20th Anniversary. Earlier this month, Lionsgate released a 20th anniversary edition DVD and Blu-ray disc along with a remastered companion CD from Sony/BMG. Both those releases came on the heels of a theatrical event that sold out theatres nationwide and resulted in ticket sales of more than 80,000 over a two-day period.
Article continues »
Top 10 douchebags of gaming
Time for another Top 10 list from Screwattack. This time it’s the Top 10 douchebags of gaming. What’s the main requirement to be on this list? Simple. Whenever you see them you want to punch them in the face.
Here’s the full list of douchebag characters: 10. Wario; 9. Superman; 8. Michael Jackson; 7. Dr. Robotnik; 6. Ruffians; 5. The Burger King; 4. Bowser; 3. Psycho Mantis; 2. Jack Thompson; 1. The Duck Hunt Dog. So true, so true!
American McGee’s Grimm announced as episodic game on Gametap for spring 2008
GameTap today officially announced a partnership with game designer American McGee and American McGee’s Spicy Horse studio to distribute American McGee’s next game, American McGee’s Grimm, through the online GameTap service. The 24 episode series will debut in the spring of 2008.
In keeping with American’s distinct development style on his smash hit game American McGee’s Alice, fans can expect the same twisted treatment of children’s classics, in addition to a fantastical art style, and groundbreaking gameplay elements. American McGee’s Grimm is a narrative-driven, action-adventure game which immerses the player in a world built around some of the best known tales from the Brothers Grimm, including Rapunzel, Rumplestiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood, and Snow White.
Article continues »
LucasArts shows Star Wars: The Force Unleashed development documentary
Even though LucasArts will be releasing Star Wars: The Force Unleashed on PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime November 2007, there’s isn’t much known about it.
Star Wars: Force Unleashed takes place between Episode III and Episode IV, when the new Sith Lord Darth Vader is out to wipe the galaxy clean of runaway Jedi. As Vader’s apprentice, you’re on a secret mission to dive head-first into the forbidden Dark Side of the force, take out the emperor and rule the galaxy as master and apprentice.
LucasArts shows in this video how the game’s main character went from Wookie warrior to Vader’s apprentice:
Click on the bottom-right corner arrow to view it full-screen.
Shadowrun opening cinema video
Shadowrun is out for Xbox 360 and Windows Vista PC, and as such Microsoft and FASA Studio have put the opening cinema online. Based on the revered paper-and-pen RPG and games, this next-gen Shadowrun combines FPS gameplay with the complications of the RPG series. It’s a multiplayer-only game, you’ll only be able to play it alone against bots.
In Shadowrun players fight for supremacy in an intense experience that rewards cleverness, cunning and split-second improvisation through a unique combination of modern weapons, ancient magic and advanced technology. Up to 16 players can battle together across Xbox 360 and Windows Vista PCs through the Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows online network.
Here’s the Shadowrun opening cinema video:
