Monthly Archives: May 2009

GSC’s put out the first two screens on the now-confirmed S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, as you can see after the break.

The title promises a new story and a new version of the developer’s A-Life system over Shadown of Chernobyl and Clear Sky.

It’s out this autumn.

Update: There’s more in shots from a Russian mag here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Thanks, _S_E_R_G_.

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Champions Online will be one of 360′s first MMOs, Cryptic design boss Bill Roper has told VG247, and has promised there won’t be a “huge gap of time” between the PC version on June 14 and the console SKU.

“I do, I really do, and we’re really excited about that,” said the exec of the chances of being one of the first MMOs on the Microsoft system.

“I think the consoles are ripe for having a really great MMO, and I think the players have got to be really excited about that. The platform has matured, the connectivity has matured enough to where the time to do it, really, is now. We’re just looking forward to getting it done.”

Roper said a date wasn’t fixed the the superhero game’s 360 version, but that it is being full developed alongside the PC title.

“I don’t have a date, I don’t have a window, because we haven’t been given any separate requirement for that, but I don’t think it will be a huge gap of time for when it follows,” he added.

“It’s not going to be a year later, or something like that. We spin builds every day, QA makes sure everything’s still working, the engine works great on 360, all the server stuff works well. We still make sure everything works.

“For the most part we put a lot of focus on the UI. That, of course, is one of the biggest features: that it plays and feels really good on consoles.”

The 360 version has been pushed back thanks to both wrangling between Atari and Microsoft on the game’s console launch, Roper said, and the fact Cryptic’s focused on the PC SKU because it has more control over its launch.

“We’ve been putting a lot of focus on the PC version because we have a lot of control about how that releases, when it releases, requirements, all those kind of things. There’s always a lot of things to get worked out when you’ve got big companies working with each other. There’s obviously a lot of stuff for Atari and Microsoft to hammer out in terms of bringing an MMO to the consoles, and 360 specifically.”

To date, 360 has been very sparsely populated with MMOs, the only “traditional” examples being FFXI and Phantasy Star Universe.

Roper was talking in a phone interview yesterday.

Microsoft has responded to claims from Bill Roper that Don Mattrick isn’t a “fan” of the MMO genre by saying 360 is already creating “memorable” MMO experiences for its 17 million Live members.

Cryptic design boss Roper told VG247 yesterday that he thought it unlikely Microsoft would announce a first-party MMO for 360 at E3, as Xbox boss Mattrick isn’t keen on the sector.

In a statement issued to VG247, a Microsoft US spokesperson said:

We’re already tapping into the robust Xbox LIVE community of more than 17 million members to create memorable massively multiplayer experiences on Xbox 360. In fact, we already have MMOs on the console, including “Final Fantasy XI” and “Phantasy Star Universe,” and even more on the way with “Age of Conan.” We’re even introducing the first a whole new type of massively multiplayer online game later this year with “1 vs. 100,” a dynamic, interactive game that lets the LIVE community play along in front of an audience of thousands and an actual host for a chance to win real prizes.

MMO games are a growing category on consoles today and they hold great potential for the future, and Xbox 360 is the only console with the rich online capabilities of Xbox LIVE to deliver those kinds of innovative experiences in the living room.

Roper himself is working on Cryptic’s Champions online, which is in development for 360 as well as PC.

The first reviews are in for SouthPeak’s Velvet Assassin, and it looks as though ze Var is over for real-life WWII spy Violette Summer.

• IGN – 5
• GamePro – 2.5/5
• Crispy Gamer – “Fry it”

Some new shots on Gamershell, if you’re still interested.

Valve’s offering Left 4 Dead at a 40 percent discount this weekend.

It’s now up on Steam for £16.19 instead of the usual £26.99.

Don’t forget you can play it free today as well. How can you resist?

Good grief. According to this Hollywood Reporter story, producer Beau Flyn has optioned a 2006 Wired article on the spectacular rise and fall of Gizmondo with the intention of making a movie.

The article, obviously, focuses on “colourful” Swedish character Bo Stefan Eriksson. He’s the guy that headed up the ridiculous handheld, the one that totalled an Enzo at 160mph in Malibu and has been in and out of US and Swedish jails for such niceties as embezzlement and kidnapping.

More through there. Thanks, Kotaku.

An inFamous demo is to release on PSN on May 21, as confirmed by Sucker Punch.

The PS3 exclusive’s out on May 26 in the US and May 29 in Europe.

EA’s put out a new story vid of Brutal Legend, and this one has a tiny bit of gameplay in it.

It’s the movie shown to intro the game at EA’s spring event in London last week, and successfully passes the “goosebump test”.

The world needs more metal. Hit the link to see why. It’s out for PS3 and 360 this October.

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Janco’s Mike Hickey has predicted that The Sims 3 could sell up to 4 million units in 2009.

Sims 2 sold an estimated 3.5 units in calendar 2004. Sims 3 releases in June.

Hickey also said he expects the upcoming Harry Potter game to sell about 3.2 million units sold-in.

More on Gama.

Seriously. Media Molecule is offering to send a woollen Sackboy to anyone in the UK and Ireland that bothers to send in their name and address.

All you have to is:

So, to get your toy, simply do the following:

• Go to the official UK LittleBigPlanet YouTube page
• Subscribe to the channel
• After subscribing you will then need to send a message with your home address, via either…

Youtube messaging system or an email to: littlebigplanet@scee.net

Free things for the win. Get to it.

What’s this? According to IGN, it’s a game Square’s likely to announce at E3.

There isn’t much to go on there. The page shows a futuristic city, a few things blowing up and a quote from JFK:

“The World is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life.”

Like, deep. We’ll get more from the show, hopefully.

Variety sources are claiming PS3′s much-rumoured motion controller is to be revealed at E3 in June.

As per a patent filed in 2007, the device is thought to be tracked by a small webcam and can read different coloured lights, as well as the shape and angle of each light, making it far more sensitive that the Wii-mote.

Is this true? Very probably. How surprising would it be? Not at all. In any way. You have permission to look tired and all-knowing when they wheel it out in the press conference.

Another Prototype video was released today. This time, executive producer Tim Bennison chats about gameplay and mission modes.

Looks like helicopters are pilotable and make a great weapon against zombies.

Activision and Radical will release the action game June 12.

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A list of supposed Xbox 360 Achievements surfaced for Guitar Hero: Van Halen today.

Granted, we’ve known the game was coming out thanks to Bobby Kotick, the German Ratings Board, and GameStop. Therefore, this new bit of information could be legitimate.

Looks as though Little Guitars, Cathedral, Spanish Fly, and Eruption are included according to the list, and if you decipher it even more -  Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love, Running with the Devil, and Hot for Teacher are there too.

Locations include West Hollywood, Dallas, London, The Netherlands, Los Angeles, and Rome and it looks like another full-on band experience thanks to the “All Band Members Activate Star Power at the Same Time” achievement.

If all of this turns out to be true, it’s a day one buy. We’ve been practicing our David Lee Roth jumps for just such an occasion.

Hit up D’toidfor the full list.