Monthly Archives: September 2009

During the Halo 3: ODST panel at PAX, Bungie’s Joe Staten revealed that Fourth Wall Studios are developing a meta-game for Halo 3: ODST called “Sadie’s Story.”

Created by artist Ashley Wood and former members of 42 Entertainment, which created the “ilovebees” campaign for Halo 2, Fourth Wall’s meta-game tells the story of New Mombasa after the Covenant attack, but before the ODST arrived on the scene.

The story will follow the exploits of a New Mombasa resident named Sadie, which serves as a companion to the main narrative, which Bungie’s Marty O’Donnell compared to a radio play.

Not much else was revealed, other than some art from Sadie’s Story, including the “security camera footage” pictured above.

Sounds interesting at least.

More over on Joystiq.

According to Ubisoft creative director Max Beland, who was demoing Splinter Cell: Conviction at PAX, Sam Fisher’s night vision goggles are back.

A video shown on site revealed the goggles in use, allowing Sam to see through walls in black and white, with enemies glowing brightly.

That’s about it really. Nothing further to report on it. Still, it’s something you did not know before.

Via Joystiq.

At GamesCom, Yoshi Kitase and Motomu Toriyama from Square Enix told VG247 that Final Fantasy games shouldn’t take as long to develop in the future.

During the conversation, we mentioned CEO of Square Enix Yoichi Wada’s comment regarding the firm “taking too long to produce games”, to see if they were in agreement.

Us at GamesCom: Yoichi Wada has said that he wants the development rate to go a bit faster. Is this possible and what is the development team doing to help speed things along for the future?

FFXIII’s Yoshi Kitase and Motomu Toriyama, speaking through a translator: For FFXIII there are a lot of firsts, and because it’s a new console that the teams are working on, it took a little time for the team to get used to everything. Now that they have the engine built for it the basics are covered, so the development time for future projects should be shortened.

Still, it may not be as simple as Wada thinks (laughing).

Hopefully, what this means, is that it won’t take what feels like ten years in between titles.

Loads of stuff currently in the works for Home has been revealed by Sony during Japan’s CESA Developers Conference – one of which is a Pet Robot.

Sony’s Masami Kando said that a future Home update will allow direct access to the PlayStation Store, allowing users to download demos and go into online play sessions. He then went on to show two tech demos featuring net radio broadcasts, podcasts, and television commercials allowing for synchronization between multiple users.

The robot bit came in when Kando showed a demo of a robot which could move through your Home space and react to your calls, which could be done without using a keyboard.

Keep in mind that all of this is still a work-in-progress, but it proves that Sony is determined to make Home more fun for users in the future.

Via Joystiq, IGN.

Titan Studio announced at PAX that a new map for Fat Princess would be released called New Pork.

The urban style map has a sewer system, rooftops, and is “just the beginning of additional content for Fat Princess”, according to Titan.

Sounds like good an fat fun to us.

Via Kotaku.

Zombie Cow Studios has announced an indirect sequel to Time Gentlemen, Please!, called Revenge of the Balloon-Headed Mexican.

The first episode has Dan and Ben solving puzzles like last time, and going up against an antagonist from south of the border who has a balloon for a head.

“Things are going to be a little different for the guys this time around, which’ll lead to some interesting new scenarios and puzzles,” said Zombie Cow’s Dan Marshall. “For example, Dan and Ben can now be split up, allowing the player to flip between the two as and when they choose. So we’ve got these two separate branches going on within the first episode – which makes it feel very different to the previous games.

“People will be able to jump straight into Revenge of the Balloon-Headed Mexican without worrying about what’s happened in previous installments. We’re shooting for these being truly episodic in size and scope – we’re looking at it being about the same sort of length as a TV show, depending on player skill.”

Runic Games has announced that Torchlight, its action RPG with randomly generated levels, will hit October 27 via digital download.

The single-player game has three classes to choose from – the Destroyer, Vanquisher and Alchemist- and an interesting sounding retirement option for maxed out characters to hand over benefits for newly created ones.

Those who want to play online, can do so eventually when Tochlight’s online multiplayer version is released at a later date.

Runic is comprised of developers who worked on Diablo, Diablo II, the Lord of Destruction expansion and Mythos, so it should be an interesting title.

Full press release is through the break with the teaser video shown at PAX.

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Sony’s SingStar Latino for PS2 and PS3 has been given a rating by the ESRB.

While it has a Teen rating, the description for the game given by the ESRB is rather hilarious as it mentions the videos and song lyrics included in the game.

We can’t do it justice, so here’s what we pulled from the site:

Some music videos depict women in revealing clothing (e.g., tight pants, bikini tops, bra-like tops, shirts/dresses that expose deep cleavage) and performing provocative dance moves (e.g., touching breasts and crotch, grinding and gyrating hips). One video depicts a couple, presumably nude, rolling around and kissing underneath bedsheets. The game includes a video with an extended allusion to bodily fluids: A painting depicts a pipe connected to a man’s groin and emptying a yellow fluid into a stream. As the song plays in the background (e.g., “Mi agüita amarilla…Mo ja las ca lles…Y la empie zo a mear.” [My little yellow water…It wets the streets…And I start to pee.]), a teacher pours a yellow fluid into several cups and serves them to his students, who drink heartily. …… Song lyrics occasionally contain suggestive/sexual references (e.g., “Y no me hables de sexo seguro” [And don't talk to me about safe sex] and “Ni un instinto animal que el sexo vuelva loco” ["Not an animal instinct that goes nuts for sex]).

We can’t wait to see what the ESRB has to say about SingStar Gangsta Rap should that ever come out.

Thanks for the laugh, Joystiq.

The Uncharted 2: Fortune Hunter Edition has been revealed, and it includes the game in a collector’s case, an art book, codes for special downloads, and a knife.

Well, a replica of the game’s ancient artifact, which happens to be a ritual dagger of some sort.

Not just anyone will get this edition though, Naughty Dog and Sony are to hand these out via competitions on the US PS Blog, the multiplayer beta, and in Home.

Hit up the link for more.

The release of Need for Speed: SHIFT is just around the corner, and EA released the minimum spec requirements for the PC version yesterday.

It’s posted again below the break in case you missed it before.

However, Blues News contacted EA to find out why an internet connection was listed as mandatory, and were told that it’s only mandatory if you choose play online.

The game will use SecuROM for a disc check with no online component, however, an online authentication for software updates and online play will take place should you choose to take your skillz to the internets.

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Ron Gilbert delivered a keynote at PAX yesterday which focused on his path to becoming a game developer and his opinion on the game industry as it stands today.

Toting the benefits of being an independent developer, after mentioning that the original Monkey Island was created by seven people for $135,000, Gilbert chastised large companies with “big-budget” business only mentalities, and went on to discuss the “games as art” debate and the Hollywood cutscene mentality.

“The games industry [has become] just that.. an industry,” said Gilbert. “Big companies need to be safe. This is why indie games excite me. They have the freedom to fail.

“Games are art that is meant to be lived, not viewed. What Hollywood fails to understand is that games are an art form; they are not toys. The worst way to tell a story in games is by a series of cutscenes interspersed between action [scenes].”

He was really all over the place in expressing his thoughts on gaming. Shack has the rest, and it’s a rather good read.

Some artwork for The Secret World was handed out at PAX last night, and BigDownload as the set posted.

It’s rather nice looking artwork. Some of it rather creepy as well.

One though, depicts the three factions you can choose from, Dragon, Illuminati, and Templar.

There are 17 different bits for you to look at, so head over that way.

Rumor has it that Sony plans to develop a casual browser MMO for Star Wars based on the Clone Wars.

Ten Ton Hammer received this information from one of its sources, who stated that Sony and LucasArts where in on the deal together.

“Sony Online Entertainment has once again partnered with LucasArts to do another Star Wars MMO,” says the site. “While we have not yet learned the title of the upcoming game, it sounds like SOE is planning to use the browser-based Free Realms engine to power the game, and the game’s setting will be the Clone Wars.”

Again, keep this as rumor until more is learned. We will shoot an email off to both Sony and LA and see if either bites.

Thanks, Massively.

Looks like Deathspank has its very first video.

It’s after the break courtesy of Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

Ron Gilbert ‘s new PC adventure game is being described as “Monkey Island meets Diablo,” according to the DeathSpank official webpage.

Sounds interesting to day the least. Go watch.
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Microsoft’s latest commercial for Halo 3: ODST has been released.

Shows a new ODST throughout his career and it is very, very, very well done.

It’s past the break, courtesy of IGN. The full video will be on Spike TV Monday September 7 at 10:30pm EST.

Game’s out on the 22nd.

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Mass Effect 2 screens have been released from PAX 2009.

D’toid has ‘em.

There’s an explosion, Shepard, Thane and Grunt – which should make you very well pleased.

Head on over to the link for a look.

If you have seen them, go look anyway. They’re so nice, you will want to slap someone.

A demo for LittleBigPlanet will arrive on PSN next week, allowing those who have yet to “jump in the sack” (loved that bit) a chance to try the platformer out, and see what the fuss is all about.

That rhymed a bit, sorry.

Anyway, the demo has in-game levels and mini-games for you to play with by yourself or with up to three of your friends. You can also customize your own Sackboy and play around with stickers and objects and more.

This hits on September 10 while the Game of the Year Edition is expected to be released on September 8.

Head on over to the US PS Blog for the full bit.

Thanks, Syrok.

Big Fish Games has released a point-and-click PC puzzle game called Drawn: The Painted Tower.

Available for digital download through the publisher’s official site for $6.99, it is rather lovely looking if we’re being honest.

Game description from the site:

Unravel the secrets of the Painted Tower while overcoming challenging puzzles on your quest to save Iris. A curse has locked each floor of the tower, and only the most creative adventurer can find a way through. Enter lush painted worlds and meet fantastic characters who will help you…and sometimes try to stop you, on your quest through the dream world of The Painted Tower.

Sounds interesting. Click the link for more. Also, there are a couple videos posted after the break courtesy of Kotaku.

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Steam’s weekend sale has Street Fighter IV on sale for half-off the original price.

Normally $39.99, for a limited time it’s $19.99.

Great deal there.

Wonder if this is part of what Christian Svensson was talking about during our podcast, when he stated that “you’ll see a few promotions happening very, very soon on Street Fighter IV PC that will make it that much more attractive for people to jump right in and try it on PC”.

Sure seems that way, but even if not, it’s still an nice deal.

Hit the links.

Rockstar has announced that there’s a new Title Update for GTA IV up on Xbox Live which will supposedly stop “cheaters” in their paths.

According to the official site for the firm, the Xbox 360 update “fixes the invisible player issue and prevents the use of cheat code exploits in multiplayer games.”

Good to know. Dirty cheaters. They never prosper. Or so they say.