Monthly Archives: October 2009

The God of War Collection for PS3 has gone gold, folks, and to celebrate – Sony has listed all the Trophies you can acquire in the games.

This extensive list is a bit big to be posted here, so head on over to the US PS Blog to check it out.

If you have never played a God of War game – shame on you if that’s the case – the list may contain spoilers so be forewarned.

Game’s out November 17 in the US and early 2010 in the UK.

A couple videos posted on YouTube and GameVideos show off the first stage of Konami’s Castlevania: The Adventure – ReBirth.

It hit WiiWare in Japan today for 1,000 Wii Points.

Crack that whip.

Thanks, GoNintendo.

Activision has sent out a press release, reminding one and all that DJ Hero is now available in North America.

Both issues are available stateside: The standard $120 version, and the Renegade Edition for $200 with its upgraded turntable, game, carrying case/DJ stand, and the Eminem, Jay-Z CD set.

Europe gets in on the turntable action October 30.

Some screens for Star Trek Online popped up over on CVG earlier today.

We’re getting properly excited for this one, folks. Can’t wait to send an Ensign planetside to his demise.

Are we sick? Yes. Does it still sound fun? Hell yes.

It’s out the first part of next year, Khan willing.

More through the link.

NOA’s Kit Ellis has told G4 that its latest Link adventure, Spirit Tracks, takes place a century after Phantom Hourglass.

So while it’s an all new Link, the setting will still be familiar because it’s the same world.

As far as Link’s mode of transportation is concerned, the train is not only upgradable, but eventually you will be able to lay your own tracks in order to explore the land a bit more.

Neato. Video is after the break, thanks to GoNintendo.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks will hit shops December 11 in Europe and December 7 in the US.

More »

Netflix has told Joystiq that a disc-free version of the service will arrive in the form of an update sometime next year.

Until then, users will have to pop in the Netflix disc to access the service until it becomes available.

“Netflix members and PS3 owners have really wanted a way to instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix via the PS3 system,” a representative told the site. “The instant streaming disc represented the fastest and easiest way to let them do this.

“Late next year we expect to have an embedded solution available for PS3s via a system software update slated for release through the PlayStation Network.”

To clarify, the disc-based service has nothing to do with Microsoft.

“The Netflix agreement with Sony for PS3 is consistent with the terms of our partnership with Microsoft for Xbox 360,” the rep added. “Our goal is to give members the opportunity to instantly watch movies streamed from Netflix via the widest variety of Netflix ready devices.

“All of our partners are aware of our goal.”

More through the link.

2K has announced via a press release that The Stronghold Collection is now available for PC in North America.

It has five games from the real-time strategy series that allows players to conquer the Middle Ages: Stronghold, Stronghold 2, Stronghold Crusader, Stronghold Crusader Extreme and Stronghold Legends.

Those wanting to get it can do so for $29.99 and it’s DRM-free.

Check with your local retailer.

Immediate joy. Hit the link to see video of two laps from Black Rock crash-racer Split/Second, filmed off-screen at today’s EG Expo in Leeds.

Surprise of the show. It’s the most instant fun we’ve had with a car and a games console for a long time.

The game’s out for PC, PS3 and 360 early next year.

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A video for Modern Warfare 2 has surfaced on the internet showing a player mowing down what appears to be innocent bystanders at an airport.

Apparently, this is video taken from a gamer in France. We have it posted for you below the break – it is a bit of a spoiler so don’t watch if you don’t want to.

We’re unsure as to what the actual context of what is being depicted is, but we’ll shoot (no pun intended) a mail off to Infinity Ward for comment to see if it can be clarified.

Don’t go all Fox News just yet until we hear back.

Via Eurogamer forums.

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Ubisoft’s Philippe Bergeron has told German television show PLAY’D that the firm is currently looking into settings for the third installment of Assassin’s Creed.

Two that were mentioned were feudal Japan and medieval Europe.

“There are two things that come to mind – there is medieval Europe, which would be very interesting trying to play a King Arthur story line,” he said. “Another one that is a personal favorite of a lot of people on the floor is feudal Japan, which is something that would be very interesting just culturally to discover and I think also to make players discover as well.”

Ubisoft has also discussed the possibility of Assassin’s Creed III being set during World War II with a female assassin, however, Ubi’s Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat has said that the next setting is already set in stone and in planning.

The second installment is not even out yet. Seriously. Get it out first, please.

Thanks, D’toid.

Amazon UK has the black Wii bundle up for preorder on its site and it’s currently discounted as well.

The bundle includes Wii Sports Resort, Wiimote, Nunchuk , MotionPlus, and Wii Sports for £164.99, which is £15 off the normal price.

It ships November 6 in the UK and other European territories November 20.

Via Joystiq.

Orson Scott Card has said that there are not enough turn-based strategy games out there, and the ones that are out there focus too much on battle.

Speaking with BigDownload about Shadow Complex, among other things, Card said that most game developers could learn a thing or two from Sid Meier when it comes to creating strategy games.

“I like the turn-based strategy game and there aren’t very many of those made, and most of them are made badly,” he said. “Really Sid Meier is the only guy who does it reliably. And I wish more people would learn the lessons from the way he does it. Because I’ve looked at some of the other offerings and they emphasize the tedium and the fog of war.

“You have to fight these endless battles. And I don’t want to play war. I want to play Civilization. And Civilization, you have to be able to fight, you have to be prepared to fight, but the main business of Civilization is being civilized –creating stuff, building. That’s what I want to do.”

It’s a rather interesting read, and the full thing is through here.

Hit the link for eight minutes of God of War III gameplay, shot off-screen today at the EG Expo in Leeds.

It’s a bit bonkers, to be honest. This is filmed from the E3 code.

Off you go. It’s out next year.

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Aussie Steam users who downloaded Borderlands accidentally received a censored version that apparently has much less violence than the “real” version.

2K Australia is currently working on fixing the issue, and issued this statement:

“[2K AU] have been talking to the US 2K team via email and working out how this happened/ what the next steps are to amend this via Steam. They’re working on clearing this up with Valve right now and know to ask how they will handle those people who have already d/l’ed the wrong version.”

Apparently, an extra file called “borderlands_low_violence.ncf” is causing the problem, and this same file is noticeably absent from the North American version.

More through D’toid and AusGamers.

Brink’s single-player will be comparible in size – and quality, from what we saw of it today – to the biggest names in the action business, Splash Damage boss Paul Wedgwood said in his EG Expo session this afternoon.

When asked how long the game’s story would be, the developer said: “In terms of unique gameplay, we’re still kind of nailing exactly what that’s going to be, but it’s certainly going to compete with other big triple A shooters, so if you think of things like Halo, Call of Duty, Gears, that sort of thing: it’ll be along the same lines.”

Wedgwood added that the shooter will have much replay value and backstory.

“A big goal for us is to make the game really, really playable. In the same way you have a racing game, you go through the story mode but there’s still a hell of a lot more to still unlock and play and Achievements and things to do,” he said.

“We’re doing that a lot with our environment design… At the centre of the map I just played through there’s a huge ship called Hope, which is an old chemical ship, and there’s a whole backstory to that ship. And the more you play that map and the more you play through the environments you become more aware of its backstory and everything that’s going on.

“There’s a definite a reward for exploration rather than just playing through the game once.”

Brink’s out for PC, PS3 and 360 next spring.

Brutal Legend DLC lands on Xbox Live and PSN next month November 3 and 5, respectively.

Called Tears of the Hextadon, it has two maps for multiplayer and will be free on PSN until November 19, after which it will run you £3.99/$3.99. It’s not free anytime on XBL at all, and will run you 400 MS Points.

The Brütal Legend Tears of the Hextadon map pack expands the Brütal Legend Stage Battle multiplayer experience with two new multiplayer maps. In the first map, Circle of Tears, vile waters have carved a rough-hewn circular battlefield into a forsaken land that players must circumvent to destroy their opponent. In the second map, Death’s Fjord, players find themselves on an icy mountain pass with a dense cluster of fans that lie below, waiting to be harvested by those brave enough to capture them without cover from enemy attack. All players who download the new map pack will receive a free axe, the Blade of Ormagöden.

Full press release is through the break, and you can also check it out on the US PS Blog.

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Roger Daltrey has told The Republican that The Who could be getting its own dedicated Rock Band game.

“The [Beatles] game, yeah, yeah, they’re going to be doing a Who one next year. There is one planned,” he told the newspaper. “[The idea] is fabulous. Anything that gets non-musical people interested in music is wonderful. In my opinion, music is our last true great freedom.

“They can burn our books, they can burn our paintings, but they can’t stop us singing and making music.”

Sounds fine, providing he’s not getting DLC mixed up with an actual game.

Via 1UP.

Splash Damage boss Paul ‘Locki’ Wedgwood just confirmed in a Brink EG Expo session that the game will have dedicated servers for multiplay. He made a proper point of it, in fact.

He said the aim is to have free, dedicated servers for the title available on day one. As you’d hope.

We’ll go back through the recording and dig out the quotes in a bit.

We weren’t allowed to film in the session – which featured a long gameplay demo – or take any photos, unfortunately. It looked pretty damn swish.

It’s out for PC, PS3 and 360 next spring.

DICE has reiterated Karl-Magnus Troedsson’s tweet that dedicated servers are the only way to go for multiplayer on the PC version of Bad Company 2.

“A lot of buzz has been floating around the internet lately about dedicated servers,” said Gordon Van Dyke. “Since Battlefield 1942 DICE has used dedicated servers for all platforms. This formula has worked well, and still works well, for us and for the gaming community. We have stayed true to this practice and will continue this tradition into the upcoming title Battlefield Bad Company 2.

“Other games use player-hosted or ‘peer to peer’ solutions, often resulting in a ‘host with the most’ situation; where the player hosting the match has an advantage over other players connected to their game.

“This makes dedicated servers the best solution for online PC gaming hands down.”

All the chest beating is in response to Infinity Ward using IWNet for PC multiplayer matches with Modern Warfare 2.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 is out on 5th March 2010 for Xbox 360 and PS3 as well as PC.

More through GI.biz.

Gamasutra has posted a chart citing NPD figures that details how each console’s price cut has contributed to September sales figures as well as other year to date figures.

Looking over it, you’ll see that sales in the millions are listed for the years 2007-2009 during the months to September.

Wii comes out on top all three years, with 2008 being its best September year to date with 5.2 million in sales, while PS3 shares the same time frame with 2.3 million in sales. The best September for Xbox 360, so far, was last month with 2.4 million in sales.

While PS3 was the top selling console for the first time last month, only being bested by a handheld, the console will still have to outsell 360 by “around 35,000 units each week until the end of the year to break even with Microsoft”, according to Joystiq.

The full thing is through here, and the link above.