Monthly Archives: October 2009

Valve has released a patch fixing a few things that were wonky in the Crash Course bit of Left 4 Dead.

It’s over on Steam.

Looks like you can let the survivors out of the closet in Versus mode now.

The full list:

• Fixed campaign image not updating correctly when creating a lobby
• Increased the reliability of the Steam Group server display
• Made mm_dedicated_search_maxping available to allow users to set the maximum acceptable ping for a dedicated server. The default has also been lowered 150ms, down from 300ms
• Fixed an issue where rescue closet doors could be opened in Crash Course in Versus mode

In the latest issue of Famitsu magazine, there is a preview of Bayonetta which has a disclaimer attached to it stating that SEGA is the one’s behind the PS3 port of the game.

Yeah, we all knew that, but Platinum Games, apparently, want to make that very clear.

However, for those who have not played the demo, there is also one posted within it stating very plainly that it was converted by SEGA – which can be seen on Siliconera.

Recently, comparisons were made to both the 360 and PS3 versions, with the PS3 port visually lacking by various degrees which has resulted in outcries, and arguing across the net.

So, hopefully, before it’s released next year, any muddiness or screen tearing will be remedied by SEGA.

Loads more through all the lovely links.

Thanks, PS3center.

Activision has revealed the tracklist for the music discs packed with DJ Hero Renegade Edition to Rolling Stone, and it’s full of Eminem and Jay-Z.

Jay-Z’s bit’s a best-of compilation with another expected in November while Slim Shady’s set has a new song exclusive to the game pack.

Mind you these are not playable, just best-of music discs.

The full list is past the break.

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While Microsoft announced this week that Forza 3 will have a ten-car DLC pack and two new tracks available on day one, the voucher card in the retail version we’ve just cracked open clarifies that 30 extra courses are to be given away along with the ten cars in two track packs.

The Sidewinder Proving Ground Track Pack contains 18 tracks from Forza 1 and 2, while the Benchmark High Speed Ring Track Pack contains 12 tracks from the “ultimate physics playground of open concrete,” according to the card. The courses are variations on two tracks.

We just tried downloading the content but it doesn’t look as though it’s there yet. See images of the redeem card after the break.

The game’s out on October 23.

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Installing Forza 3′s second disc, essential if you’re going to get the game’s full experience, takes around four minutes: watch the video after the break as proof.

The extra DVD contains 1.9Gb of data, such as car packs, tracks and environments.

If you don’t have enough space on your 360′s drive, the game asks you which car packs you want to install. You won’t see that in this movie as we’d cleared out a bunch of stuff beforehand.

Look and see. This was grabbed from the retail version, which releases on October 23.

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Avalanche Studios has released a new developer diary for Just Cause 2.

In it, the devs chat a bit about the setting of Panau Island which, apparently, the goal was to make the place “one big playground for the player to explore.”

The video is past the break and shows all kinds of stunts.

It’s slates for a Q1 release in 2010 on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Thanks, BigDownload.

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Gearbox has announced on the official forums for Borderlands that the game is golden folks.

It will ship on October 26 in the US and on October 30 in Europe.

Can we get a hell yeah?

You can still pre-order the through Direct2Drive and Steam and get 10 percent off. Do it.

Apparently, the ESRB is adding to the high cost of PSP Minis, especially since mandatory ESRB ratings for each can cost developers $2500 green ones.

“You have to invest some money into dev kits and into getting ratings for your game,” Fieldrunners developer Sergei Gourski told Gamasutra. “The costs of ratings such us ESRB is significantly more then we had realized”.

Titles developed for iPhone can forgo dealing with the ESRB, but it’s not like the agency’s not trying to get that to happen.

For now though, Apple is the sole ratings system for the iPhone and while that may sound like a boon to developers, Sony takes three to five days for approval, while Apple approvals can take up to six weeks.

More through Joystiq.

Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier will be available for purchase on the PSPgo, PSP-3000 and PS2 on November 3.

To get you happy for it, the US PS Blog has posted a couple shots, while GamesTrailers has the first look with the trailer.

Check both out.

EA Mobile’s bringing Command & Conquer: Red Alert to iPhone this month.

In it, you can control the Allies or the Soviets via 12 levels as you “drag and scroll to gauge the battlefield. Pinch-zoom in and out of the action. Select and move units with a tap.”

You can also fight in Skirmish Mode on two different battlefield maps with war squads you create and control, command units in different environmental conditions, build your base and manage supplies, and deploy units like Kirov Air Ships and new units like the Paladin Tank.

Sounds lovely. No word on price yet.

Via Joystiq.

Harmonix representative John Drake has told BBPS that DLC for The Beatles: Rock Band is not a sure thing as it all depends on sales.

“Every time we do one song, it’s not like Rock Band where we wait for the masters to come in and just author them… its like, send people to Abbey Road, use the original tape, separate them out… it costs thousands of dollars,” he said.

“We’re waiting to see how things sell. We’re waiting to see how the albums do. If they sell well, we’ll have a lot more content.”

Somehow, we don’t see sales for this title being an issue, but we could be wrong.

Via Joystiq.

The ESRB has rating some PSone Classics for PS3 and PSP including Amy Hennig’s Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver.

Other titles include Bomberman Party Edition, Fighting Force, Dirt Jockey and International Track & Field.

Who cares. Legacy of Kain BABY YEAH! Okay. Sorry. We’re calm now.

No word yet on when these will hit, but we’ll see if we can any word from Sony.

Thanks, Joystiq.

Namco Bandai has officially announced via a press release Clash of Titans for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Originally announced at GamesCom back in August, the game is based on the movie starring Liam Neeson, Sam Worthington and Ralph Fiennes.

It’s expected to launch alongside the film come March 2010.

Currently in development with Game Republic, the hack-and-slash action-adventure game will follow the movie but expand the universe a bit and has over 100 creatures from Greek mythology and locations range from ancient Greece.

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Activision has announced that GameStops in the US will be hosting DJ Hero demo events this Sunday, October 11.

The event is taking place at all stores from 10:00am to 6:00pm EST and allows to try before you buy, three weeks in advance.

Gamers will also have the opportunity to win prizes, one of which is the chance to meet Eminem and see him perform in New Orleans.

Full prize details after the break, courtesy of Joystiq.

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Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy has proposed tax breaks for the Scottish videogame industry.

These proposals have come to light after Murphy spoke with Realtime Worlds owner Dave Jones who has threatened to take his company to Ireland should there be further lack of support for developers.

“We have had a discussion about tax breaks and ways to support the industry,” said Murphy to The Evening Telegraph. “France have introduced tax breaks and we want to talk more about that and we will listen to any strong case being made; we want to do whatever we can to help.

“Dundee is the Scottish centre of excellence in this industry. I want to be very clear about that. The games industry has a big future and Dundee has a big future to play in that, in Scotland, in the UK and wider.”

Via Develop.

Today, Home users can get some Wolverine claws.

Twentieth Century Fox and SCEA are giving away free upgrades to Home users to celebrate the European release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine on DVD and Blu-ray.

These upgrades are the already mentioned claws and what we call a “wife-beater” t-shirt here in America.

To get your Wolverine on, all you have to do is visit the Threads Store after you watch a preview of the movie in the Home Theatre.

Hell yeah.

More via Kotaku.

Naughty Dog’s Amy Hennig has reiterated to D’toid that folks may not have seen the last of Nathan Drake.

Speaking with the site via an interview, the Uncharted 2 creative director said that as long there’s still a demand for our swashbuckling hero, it’s a possibility.

“There is no limit to how many games we could make, as long as people still want to see more adventures with Nathan Drake,” she said. “Obviously, none of us want to wear our welcome out, but we are still having a lot of fun with it, and we think there is a lot of untapped possibilities there.

“Certainly we will be exploring that some more.”

More through the link.

White Knight Chronicles: Awakening of Light and Darkness (a.k.a. White Knight Chronicles 2) has been revealed to take place right after the events of the first game.

In it, Leonard and his allies see that the City of Greed, the Kingdom of Barandel, and the Magic Republic of Foria are in big trouble.

Also, according to Joystiq, you’ll create another avatar to join Leonard and be able to transform, explore new areas, battle more monsters, and new equipment and skills will be added as well.

There’s also feature a new female knight, and you’re able to have six characters in your party.

Still no word on when this will hit Japan, but until it does, both Joystiq and IGN have some pretty pictures of it.

Remember back in August when EA Montreal VP Alan Tuscan told CVG that some of EA’s legacy games from the 16-bit era could make a return to the gaming spotlight?

Well, hold on to your hats kiddos, because it looks like some early video footage of a possible new Road Rash has landed on the internet.

CVG found the video, which is supposedly the work of EA Warrington, and shows concept gameplay of “bikers wrestling each other at high speed, and swinging baseball bats”

Neato. It’s after the break.

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Harmionix has announced that on October 13 and 15 for Xbox 360/Wii and PS3, respectively, the following tracks from Black Tide, Blink 182, Joe Satriani, Kansas and L7 will be released:

• Black Tide – “Show Me the Way”
• Blink-182 – “What’s My Age Again?”
• Joe Satriani – “Satch Boogie”
• Joe Satriani – “Surfing with the Alien”
• Kansas – “Icarus (Borne on the Wings of Steel)” (Live from Two for the Show)
• Kansas – “Point of Know Return” (Live from Two for the Show)
• L7 – “Andres”

Each track will run you  160 MS Points ($1.99/£.99/€1.49) and 200 Wii Points .