Monthly Archives: July 2009

Thought that might get your attention.

Anyway, JoWooD and DreamCatcher say that Anja Rubik and a 3D animated Yoga guru will take you through the most important parts of Yoga for Wii and offer information on both the individual exercises and the philosophical basis behind yoga.

It supports the balance board too.

OK, fine, this was an excuse to put a picture of a pretty lady on the site for all you guys. You’re welcome.

Press release through the break.

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The third bit of downloadable content for Killzone 2 is expected soon, and Sebastian Downie from Guerrilla Games says more information on it is expected next week.

Apparently it’s called Napalm & Cordite and it has flamethrowers and boltguns. Nifty.

Before that can be released, however, there is the small matter of the patch expected for the game, which will land on Bastille Day.

Or July 14 if you’re not French.

The US PS Blog was kind enough to list the patch notes through an official press release, which can be found through the link or after the break.
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Looks like the weekend sale is in full swing over on Steam, and for a limited time you can get Codemasters’ racer GRiD for 50 percent off its normal price.

So, $14.99 compared to $29.99… not too shabby.

Head on over a take a look.

The first trailer for ModNation Racers has arrived thanks to GameTrailers, and we have it posted for you below the break.

It’s rather adorable, and shows off the loads of customization options with racers and the cars they will be driving.

Also show, a bit, is the track customization.

Looks fun. Go watch.
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Nintendo has announced that Game & Watch titles will land on DSiWare starting next week, in Japan.

No word on when to expect a UK or US release, but it’s not too far-fetched to say that it’s a possibility.

Here’s the list:

July 15

• Ball (200 Points)
• Vermin (200 Points)
• Flagman (200 Points)
• Judge (200 Points)

July 29

• Helmet (200 Points)
• Chef (200 Points)

August

• Donkey Kong Jr (200 Points)
• Mario’s Cement Factory (200 Points)
• Manhole (200 Points)

Thanks, CVG.

PlayStation Network operations director, Eric Lempel, has said that downloadable PS3 games will not be heading to PSN any time soon.

Mainly because of the shear size of ‘em.

“It’s not something we have planned, just because the size of the games is massive,” he told IndustryGamers. “With Blu-ray we can put up to 50 gigs on a dual-layer disc, while [Xbox 360] is still on a 9-gig media. So technically it’s possible, but I think the issue would be, ‘Do you want to download 40 gigs and keep that on your hard drive?’

“I think there’s great opportunity there in the future, and it’s something we’ll always look at, but for the time being it’s not a direction we’re going in.”

More through the link.

Via Play.TM.

PopCap’s Garth Chouteau has told Kombo that Plants vs Zombies may land on other platforms besides Mac and PC.

“I don’t know the exact order in which that game will make its way onto other platforms, but it’s certainly been successful enough, quickly enough, that we’re looking at other platforms and deciding where we’ll take that game next,” he told the site.

“It’s safe to say that we take [the console] side of the business very seriously. We’ve had a lot of early and preliminary success…I know you’ll certainly see more from us there. We have multiple titles in the works for DSi, Xbox, PSN and we’re starting to work on Wii games.

“So, we’ll get there; but it is a little far from our real comfort zone. We’re still experimenting, you know, getting a lay of the land, and figuring out how best to adapt our games.”

He also mentioned the possibility of  iPhone users getting some PvZ lovin’ too.

More through the link.

Patrick Liu, lead producer for Battlefield 1943, has said that the franchise is not going “kiddy” as some assumed with Battlefield Heroes, and will instead swing more towards the “core” crowd with upcoming titles.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a certain future, to go broad – maybe it’ll be the other way around actually, to focus down again to the core,” he told Kikizo. “We have plans, definitely, but I can’t go into them now. A concern that a lot of fans have is that we’re going “kiddy” with Battlefield, which isn’t true. It’s a segment right now, but it’s in no way a certain future for the franchise.”

Liu also told the site that single-player campaigns will receive more focus in future games, starting with Bad Company 2.

“Bad Company 2 is going to be even more focused, I think, on single player than Bad Company 1 was. Bad Company 1 was really our first try at making a single player campaign, DICE haven’t made that before. So we learned a lot of things making that game, and all that learning is going into Bad Company 2.

“So we will definitely try to improve and expand on the single player part of Battlefield.”

More through the link.

Thanks, dirigiblebill.

Robot Entertainment has released a list of fixes included in Title Update 3 for Halo Wars.

It is expected to arrive in just a few weeks, and here’s what you can expect:

Balance Changes

• UNSC Warthogs Gauss cannon damage against tanks and other heavily armored vehicles reduced by 25%
• UNSC Warthogs build time increased by 3 seconds to 25 seconds
• Anders research time bonus decreased to 25% from 50%. Her Research cost bonus remains unchanged at 50%
• Covenant and UNSC turrets have 5% increased health and 5% increased damage
• UNSC Elephants have a 20% more health
• Grenade damage type now has 25% additional damage against Warthogs and other medium armor ground vehicles.
• Recycle basic cost return fixed to be 50% for constructed buildings.
• Locked down bases when unlocked will now release units inside very quickly, which means that when under attack a player can now build a fighting force while locked down and then release them much more quickly than before.
• UNSC Leader powers disabled at the start of Reinforcement Matches
• Players no longer receive points for team killing.
• Self Destructing/Recycling buildings now gives points to opponents

Bug fixes are posted after the jump, courtesy of 1UP.

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A new developer diary for Dante’s Inferno has been released, and the video focuses on the Second Circle of Hell, which is Lust.

It’s rather neat, and you can watch it below courtesy of GameTrailers.

Game’s out next year.

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Funcom’s CEO Trond Arne Aas has said that Age of Conan has been turned around by the company and because of this, players are returning and server activity has increased.

“The problems for Age of Conan arose after the game had been live for a period of time, as players progressed into parts of the game where content turned out to be too thin and advanced features simply weren’t good enough,” the CEO told GI.biz. “There were also performance issues on some machines, and the items and RPG system – even though it worked exactly as we designed it – did not engage players for as long as we had hoped for.”

“We have turned most if not all of this around and we have corrected these issues through a series of massive updates. For us it was never an option to drop the game despite the challenges we faced.

“I can say that we have seen very positive trends in subscription longevity and server activity, and I think this is proof that we are turning around the fortune of Age of Conan.”

More through the link.

Konami has officially announced Hudson Soft’s Calling for Wii which is slated to land in early 2010.

The player begins the game trapped in a strange room, with the Wii Remote doubling as the on-screen mobile phone. Using a torch to see dark areas, players will receive calls to their handset, which are answered by raising the Wii Remote to their ear.

Exploration and puzzle-solving is called into play, with claustrophobic locations hiding secrets and danger.

Creepy.

More information is through the press release below, and GoNintendo has some screens of it posted.

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With production values beyond the typical budget game, Natsume promises that Afrika will not destroy your wallet too much.

“We are not so interested in the so-called ‘value’ titles,” Yasuhiro Maekawa told Gamasutra. “Most of the Natsume games I’d say are about in the middle. Sort of normal retail price titles with normal graphical levels.

“For a PlayStation 3 title, this will probably be $49.99. That’s what we’re thinking. Between $39.99 and $49.99. $59.99 is probably too much.”

Via Joystiq.

DC Universe Online has a teaser on its MySpace page, featuring a partial reveal of a poster to be given away at Comic-Con San Diego.

It’s the picture you see above with the following comment attached:

“I just saw the poster that we’re giving out at San Diego Comic-Con and people will be “clawing” to get it.”

Has to be Catwoman.

Not a very subtle hint, is it?

Thanks, IncGamers.

Eurogamer France has three Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 gameplay videos posted for your viewing pleasure.

Each one stars either Ryu, Ayane or Momji.

Game’s out in the fall with a demo expected to land on PSN in September.

Hit the respective links for each one.

Guerilla has revealed new bits of DLC for Killzone 2 by way of Trophies listed on PSN.

Looks like maps “Suljeva Cliffside” and “Arctower Landing” will be joined by two new multiplayer weapons which are the flamethrower and boltgun.

No word yet on how much the DLC will run or when to expect it since it has not officially been announced.

More through Kotaku.

Reggie Fils-Aime has said that reaction to Nintendo’s Wii Vitality Sensor is the same as when the Balance Board, DS, and the Wii controller were unveiled.

“If I told you that you would be standing on an oversized bathroom scale, and having fun doing it, you probably would have said, ‘Reggie, I don’t get it’”, he told Fast Company. “And yet, here we are with the balance board arguably as the third largest development platform across the globe.

“All I can tell you is, with the game developers that we have, we will bring forth an experience that you will say, ‘Wow, I get it’. Until you have that software, it’s tough to understand.

“There are a 150 million consumers in the markets that we do business, that say they’d be interested in videogames if they had the right content, but today don’t play. Those are the consumers that we believe something like the Vitality Sensor with the right software could compel to get in the game.”

More through Eurogamer.

LittleBigPlanet is being re-released in Game of the Year packaging with downloadable content.

It is expected sometime this year, exact date and pricing yet to be determined.

There is also no word on what DLC will be included, as it is a work in progress, but it is expected to contain the majority of what is already available via PSN.

More over on MCV.

The US PS movie store update brings nine HD movies to the service including Knowing, Push and The Matador.

HD television offerings include the usual, and the pilot episode of the Sci-Fi Network’s (SyFY) Warehouse 13.

Full list of HD offerings are below, while the rest can be found over on the US PS Blog.

HD Movies

• Knowing
• Push
• Dragonquest
• Get Smart’s Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control
• The Matador
• Evil Bong II: King Bong
• The Devil’s Tomb
• The Sky Crawlers
• Brokedown Palace

HD TV Shows

• Kings – Season 1 Chapter One
• 4th and Long – Season 1 Moose Crossing
• TNA Wrestling Pay-Per-View 2009 – Season 0 Against All Odds 2/8/2009
• TNA Wrestling Pay-Per-View 2009 – Season 0 Destination X 3/15/2009
• TNA Wrestling Pay-Per-View 2009 – Season 0 Lockdown 4/19/2009
• TNA Wrestling Pay-Per-View 2009 – Season 0 Sacrifice 5/24/2009
• Burn Notice – Season 3 Signals and Codes
• Jesse James is a Dead Man – Season 1 Baja 500
• Rescue Me – Season 5 Wheels
• Warehouse 13 – Season 1 Warehouse – Pilot
• The Philanthropist – Season 1 Paris
• GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley – Season 2 Ep 17
• Royal Pains – Season 1 Ep 5

Loads of Ghostbusters costumes are coming to LittleBigPlanet on July 16.

You will be able to dress your little guy as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, give him a Slimer hat, run around as one of the Ghostbusters, or put him in a ghostly hoodie.

Tentatively, the items are priced $2.15/£1.32 each or you can buy a pack with all of the items for $6.50/£4.00.

It was Sony Japan that revealed the themes with a Yen price, therefore, it may change.

Siliconera has a mashup of the different items you can get. Go have a look.