Monthly Archives: January 2009

Following on from the rumour that Resident Evil 5 is to potentially feature between 2-16 player offline multiplayer, Capcom has confirmed to videogaming247 that the box art doesn’t lie.

“I can confirm that our box art isn’t lying,” said a senior company representative to VG247 this afternoon. “That’s all, though.”

So, let the speculation begin.

Capcom has recently unveiled the Resident Evil 5 collectors edition for PS3 and 360, with the US getting a much bigger and better one.

Game’s out on March 13.

Update: The box art is a lie.

By Mike Bowden

If you look at hard at the Resident Evil 5 box art, you’ll notice that in amongst all the specifics it says “system link 2-16 players.”

Now whether this is just on the box as standard or if indeed you can link up your console with eight others from some offline action remains to be seen.

We have, of course, contacted Capcom for comment.

Thanks, D-Pad.

Update: The box art is a lie.

By Mike Bowden

EA has confirmed that the Command and Conquer: Red Alert Ultimate Edition we told you about last week will be coming to PlayStation 3 in March.

“Our team has been dedicated to bringing the RTS genre to console gamers and we are excited to have this opportunity to introduce PS3 owners to Command & Conquer,” said David Seeholzer, development director at EA.

“The PS3 is a very powerful platform, and the extra time we have had in development has helped us create the ultimate console RTS experience, with better graphics, improved performance, a ton of extras and some nice exclusive perks that cannot be found on any other version of Red Alert 3.”

The Ultimate Edition newness is detailed below:

• Five exciting new multiplayer maps
• Behind the scenes videos and trailers, including Raising the Iron Curtain Documentary, From Pens to Pixels, the Girls of Red Alert 3, Bloopers & Outtakes, the Red Alert 3 Remix and many more!
• PS3 exclusive Command & Conquer TV programming, including PS3-dedicated BattleCast™ PrimeTime and a special episode of Command School focused on tips, tricks and strategies from the development team
• In-depth profiles on all the Red Alert 3 Units
• The official Red Alert 3 soundtrack

Full details after the break.

By Mike Bowden

More »

Harmonix and MTV have announced six new tracks for Rock Band Wii including two from Trent Reznor’s industrial orchestra, Nine Inch Nails.

Each track costs 200 Wii Points and are available to download right now.

The full playlist is:

• Nine Inch Nails “March of the Pigs”
• Nine Inch Nails “The Collector”
• Ramones “Rockaway Beach”
• Clash “I Fought the Law”
• Jimmy Buffett “Margaritaville”
• Jimmy Buffett “Volcano”

No “Closer”? Shame. We like that one.

By Mike Bowden

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes lead designer Salim Grant has told Allakhazam that the fantasy MMO will be getting a free update that will raise the level cap and offer two new dungoens.

You will now be able grind up level 55 and the two new dungeons complement this change as they “are a complete overhaul of Pantheon of the Ancients, and the Nexus. Both are aimed at level 50-55 players, and both will feature group and raid content,” writes EG.

More through the links.

By Mike Bowden

PlayStation Home director Jack Buser (pictured left) is to talk at the Engage! Expo in New York on March 10-11..

Surprisingly, the Engage! Expo isn’t a huge Jean Luc Picard look-a-like competition, it is in actual fact the old Virtual Worlds Conference.

The Expo “is the event for youth and young adult brands, media and agencies to meet and learn how to combine their existing online efforts with the unparalleled engagement opportunities and new revenue streams of the 2D and 3D Web and Virtual Worlds,” says the official site.

The content of his seminar are unknown but here’s hoping Buser will announce some new features.

Thanks, PS3F.

By Mike Bowden

It won the single formats and it’s narrowly won the multis. Yes, the game that gives you the extra Wii-Mote plus a Duck Hunt clone and a few other mini games, reigned supreme in the US last year.

The combined console sales of Madden NFL were just 300k copies shy of the top spot with GTA IV in third place.

The top five are:

1. Wii Play – 5.28m
2. Madden NFL ‘09 – 5.25m
3. Grand Theft Auto IV – 5.22m
4. Mario Kart w/ Wheel – 5.00m
5. Call of Duty: World at War – 4.63m

By Mike Bowden

The second Gears of War 2 title update has been unleashed, and it fixes a whole hosts of exploits whilst making overall improvements to online play.

The patch was expected to be coming soon after yesterday’s reports detailing some new multiplayer achievements.

The patch notes are very long, almost as long as long a World of Warcaft’s, but not quite.

Gears of War 2 should auto-update next time you play the game.

Git some.

By Mike Bowden

Earlier today we told you that Ubisoft’s disaster movie FPS, I am Alive, was coming in Q1 2009. Well, we’ve had clarification from Ubisoft saying that the release date is actually “Calendar Q1″ – meaning that the game will arrive much sooner than we first thought.

“On release schedule Q1 is referred as Calendar Q1 (beg of Jan to the end of March),” a senior Ubisoft representative told VG247 this afternoon.

So expect Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. sooner rather than later, too.

Ubisoft also confirmed that screenshot published yesterday (above) is indeed real.

I am Alive was announced in July last year. It was thought Jade Raymond was working on the game but that has sinced been denied by Ubisoft with Alone in the Dark devs Darkwaorks now at the helm.

Expect more media as March approaches.

By Mike Bowden

This morning we told you when Tenchu 4, Call of Juarez 2, H.A.W.X. and I am Alive were coming out.

But that wasn’t all Ubisoft had to say for themselves, as releases for other titles – such as the hotly anticipated game-of-the-super-smash-hit-TV-series, Grey’s Anatomy – were unveiled too.

Everything after the break.

By Mike Bowden

More »

A new batch of Capcom’s Dead Rising Chop Till You Drop images have surfaced showing Frank being attacked in an abattoir, and the HUD telling you how to waggle your mote and avoid the meat cleaver.

Dead Rising Wii will be hitting European retailers with a golf club or another random, household object on February 27.

Screenshots after the break.

More »

The Major‘s sent word that Twisted Pixel’s The Maw is ready to go and will cost 800 MS Points.

Unlock the full version of The Maw to experience even more of Frank’s adventures on an alien world. Discover the mysteries of Maw’s abilities as you try to survive and ultimately make your way back home! Included in the full version is a special unlockable theme and gamer pictures – can you find the secret that holds them?

Well, can you?

By Mike Bowden

THQ has just dropped us a line announcing that the Dawn of War II early beta – Soulstorm owners only – is now live.

If you meet the criteria and fancy having a go then hit here for all the details.

However, if you don’t own Dawn of War Soulstorm and are too measly to fork out for now that Steam has knocked 75 percent of the price, Eurogamer is giving away beta as of this weekend. Full details of that can be found here.

Through the links with you.

By Mike Bowden

Nintendo has responded to yesterday’s reports that Wii-makes Pikmin and Mario Power Tennis were to retail at £39.99 – the same as a brand new game.

“Nintendo do not set prices,” said a spokesperson for the company to GI. “It is up to retailers at what price they sell any item for.”

“However, our trade price for these games will be below our usual trade price for Wii games and our present estimate of the likely retail price is in the region of £29.99.”

More through the link.

By Mike Bowden

Ubisoft has announced that Tenchu: Shadow Assassins will be released in Europe on March 6 exclusively for Nintendo Wii.

The stealth ninja game was previously pegged for a Q1 09 release.

Tenchu 4 will continue the saga of Rikimaru and Ayame who must use their lethal skills to keep the peace in feudal Japan.

By Mike Bowden

Ubisoft has declined to comment on Michael Pachter’s predictions that Assassins Creed 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction will ship sometime before March 2010.

When VG247 approached Ubisoft this morning we were met with a resounding “no comment” from a senior representative for the company.

Ubisoft confirmed last year that it was “hard at work” on Assassins Creed 2 whilst Splinter Cell: Conviction community manager Chris Easton, told VG247 that it wil be “worth the wait.”

Don’t expect these rumour to let up any time soon.

By Mike Bowden

Ubisoft has announced that Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood should be ready to go sometime in the second quarter of this year.

The Western shooter was announced last week as a prequel to the first game. At that time the release date for PC 360 and PS3 was still to be confirmed.

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood promises to be an “bigger and better adventure to fans of shooters and the lawless Wild West.”

Full details are here.

By Mike Bowden

Sony has confirmed to videogaming247 this morning that European as well as American press will invited to the God of War III “exclusive sneak preview” we reported earlier.

“Yes, the GOW3 development team will be holding an exclusive sneak peak in February, for a very select number of US & European press,” a Sony representative told us this morning.

We’re giddy with excitement. So should you be, even if David Jaffe is only half right, this should be something special.

By Mike Bowden

Ubisoft has revealed that combat flight sim Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. has moved up from Q1 09 to March.

The game is developed by Ubisoft Romania for PC Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and was officially announced at E3 last year.

Through the link for more info and a trailer.

By Mike Bowden

Ubisoft has announced that Darkwork’s catasrophe shooter, I am Alive is to be released in Q1 09 for Xbox 360 and PS3.

The date comes as a surprise somewhat as the title wasn’t anticipated to hit until the second quarter of this year.

As soon as the date becomes specific, we’ll let you know.

By Mike Bowden