Monthly Archives: November 2009

Modern Warfare 2 has an “emotional darkness” that goes beyond impact found in other games, super-composer Hans Zimmer’s told USA Today.

“What makes it really interesting is that it has an emotional darkness to it where sometimes you go, I just can’t believe they are going to do this now and then they do it,” he said.

“It’s full of those sort of moments where it just takes things further than anyone would expect them to do. So I think it is less a geographic journey than an emotional one.”

Can’t guess what he’s talking about. The shooter’s out on November 10.

SCEJ just announced five new PSP bundles for Japan, featuring white, blue, black, red and Monster Hunter shades. See them on Kotaku.

The non-game bundles are ¥19,800 (US$219.50). The Monster Hunter Pack’s ¥18,500 ($205). They’re all out in December.

No way. And yet, way. Super Street Fighter IV is to have both the car-crushing and barrel-breaking stages from Street Fighter 2. Look like the exact ones, as you can see from these Famitsu shots on Siliconera.

The game’s to also include two-on-two and four-on-four matches, as well as a replay channel.

More through there. It’s out next year.

In case you were feeling left out when the Left 4 Dead 2 demo went thermo for 360 yesterday, PC gamers, fret no longer: anyone can now download the desktop version.

Get it here. It’s out next week. If you’re not anticipating buying it, there’s probably something wrong with you.

PR after the break.

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A worthy winner of the “no shit Sherlock” tag, a story posted by Develop has Infinity Ward’s Rob Bowling saying Wii isn’t up to delivering tech parity with the likes of PS3 and 360.

“If we felt like we could deliver the cinematic experience we were going for on other platforms, then we would gladly move to that platform,” he said.

“Right now, we don’t think the Wii can deliver the exact experience that we’re doing. We like to be very equal across all platforms, and if it’s not equal then we won’t do it.”

Got a front page? Hold that sucker. More through there.

Hot on the heels of the PS3 being thrown into a Bravia comes a DS being shot through a wall.

That’s it. It’s hardly “news,” but it’s early and we don’t really care.

Via GSW and Kotaku.

Just how epic is Epic Mickey? Too epic for a mere one game, it seems, as cyberpunk-master-turned-steampunk-maestro Warren Spector already has a couple Epic Mickey sequel ideas bouncing around in his noggin.

“I don’t do anything that isn’t extensible,” Spector told 1UP. “And I will certainly feel like that I have not done my job if we can’t make other games in this world with these characters. In my head, I’ve got two more planned.”

However!

“In the business world of reality, those games have not approved, and who knows if we’ll ever see them. I had three games planned for Deus Ex, and you see where that got me.”

The man makes a good point. More through the link.

Siliconera‘s happened upon a new-ish (it was filed back in April) Sony patent that commandeers the rights to an interactive television interface not unlike that of Mystery Science Theater 3000. So basically, your avatar appears on-screen during a movie or TV show, leading to all sorts of wacky hijinks.

“For example, avatars displayed to a user, in response to user gestures in the real world, e.g. in response to manipulation of a game controller or other such expedient, may toss tomatoes that stick to the actor’s face or bounce off the actor’s face and roll along a table that appears in the movie or television show,” reads the patent.

Tomato-throwing? Yeesh – how juvenile. Count us in!

Also in the cards is a minigame that involves shooting spiders off actors faces, as well as ad-sponsored activities like, er, tossing Coca Cola cans at actors instead of tomatoes.

If anyone asks about the bruises, Keanu Reeves, you fell down the stairs. Got it? Yeah, that’s what we thought.

More through the link.

Shigeru Miyamoto has said that the next Zelda game for Wii will use MotionPlus in order to provide more realistic sword combat and targeting.

“In this (installment of the series), we’re using MotionPlus to make you feel much more like you’re actually fighting while holding a sword in your hand,” Miyamoto stated during an October 30 Q&A session, per Edge.

“In the previous game, you aimed at things by pointing at the screen, but this time we’ll use MotionPlus to create a much more convenient targeting system and a more pleasurable playing experience.

During E3, Miyamoto stated that he would like to see the next Legend of Zelda game be exclusive to WMP, but there is still no word on whether that will be the case or not.

More through the link.

Just a reminder to those living in North America that the 250Gb PS3 hit shops today.

The box is loaded with not only the console that “does everything” and a bag of chips, but a controller and AV cables all for $349.

Consider this your public service announcement for the day.

Thanks, GamingBits.

Thanks to the release of The Ballad of Gay Tony, GTA IV has cracked the top five on the Live activity charts, knocking Gears of War 2 down to number six and Halo 3: ODST to number five.

Miracles never cease. Who knows what the top five will look like next week.

Live Titles

1. Halo 3
2. Call of Duty 4
3. Call of Duty: WaW
4. GTA IV
5. Halo 3: ODST
6. Gears of War 2
7. FIFA 10
8. Borderlands
9. Madden NFL 10
10. Forza Motorsport 3

Arcade Titles

1. Trials HD
2. SOUTH PARK LET’S GO TOWER DEFENSE PLAY!
3. Zombie Apocalypse
4. Battlefield 1943
5. Tower Bloxx Deluxe
6. Castle Crashers
7. Magic: The Gathering
8. Fable II Pub Games
9. Panzer General Allied Assault
10. Shadow Complex

Indie and Original titles are past the break, courtesy of the Major.

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Splinter Cell: Conviction’s getting its very own Collector’s Edition and a limited run one at that.

Costing you around $79.99, it has an embossed Steelbook DVD case, art book, “collectible” decals, a Splinter Cell comic book, a pair of in-game items, a USB drive “loaded to the max” with collectors edition content along with the game and the prerequisite manual.

Here’s the full list of goodies, courtesy of Kotaku:

• CUSTOM USB DRIVE – This credit card–sized 3rd Echelon USB drive can stealthily fit in your wallet, is compatible with Xbox 360, and is loaded to the max with exclusive content you won’t find anywhere else, including:

• • Full-length ‘Making of Splinter Cell Conviction’ video
  • Wallpaper
  • Concept art
  • Renders
  • Screenshots
  • Storyboards
  • And more…

• FIFTH FREEDOM: THE ART OF SPLINTER CELL” BOOK: Relive the best of Splinter Cell from past to present. This comprehensive hard-bound art book by Prima(TM) includes detailed art from the original Splinter Cell, Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory, Double Agent, and Conviction, as well as in-depth commentary and notes from the developers.

• TWO EXCLUSIVE IN-GAME CONTENT ITEMS
  • Gain first access to the MP5-SD3, a lethal close-quarters submachine gun with an integrated suppressor.
  • Customize your multiplayer character with an exclusive 3rd Echelon outfit.

• COLLECTIBLE DECALS – Available only in the Collector’s Edition are two unique Xbox 360 decal stickers.

  • 3rd Echelon Logo Decal

    Iconic Bullet Hole Decal

• “DIGGING IN THE ASHES” COMIC BOOK: Watch the sequence of events preceding Splinter Cell Conviction unfold before your eyes in this one of a kind digital Splinter Cell comic book.

• STEELBOOK DVD CASE: Premium embossed metallic steel case packaging with iconic imagery.

Game’s out in February.

Organizers for the 12th Annual Independent Games Festival announced today that it has received a record number of entries for the 2010 edition.

This year marks the highest number of entries to the festival with 306 titles slated for the Main Competition, and after the 150 judges get their hands on each one, finalists will be named in January with winners announced at GDC in March.

The list of entries can be found over on the official website.

Full PR past the break.

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BUZZ! Quiz World launches on November 10, and to get you pumped for the trivia game, the US PS Blog has posted a video for it.

We were nice enough to embed it past the break for you, but if you must check out the post for yourself, just hit the link above.

You can also check out our previous post on the subject.

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Konami released its financial forecast for the year up to September 30 and the publisher predicts that profits for the remainder will drop 82 percent compared to last year.

The company expects to accrue ¥114 billion ($1.26 billion) in revenue, down 22.5 percent on the same period in 2008, with net income to come in at ¥2.2 billion ($24.3 million), down from ¥12 billion ($132.8 million) last year.

Konami attributes the results to a “quiet release period”, with most of its major titles launching in the second half of its fiscal year.

“Even though the figures for the consolidated business performance for the six months ended September 30, 2009 were approximate to the projected ones in all segments,” read the financial paper, “net revenues and profits of the consolidated interim results are expected to decrease when compared with the figures corresponding to September 30, 2008, mainly due to factors such as the fact that main titles released by our Digital Entertainment segment for the current fiscal year were not scheduled to be released until the second half of the year while in the same period last year major titles, in particular, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, had already been released.”

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and Pro Evo 2010 are expected to help things out a bit, as well as next year’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

Thanks, GI.biz.

Microsoft has announced the Hyundai Genesis Coupe as DLC for Forza 3.

Set to hit November 17 three versions will hit. The Rhys Millen Racing Red Bull Hundai Genesis Coupe, the HKS Genesis Coupe, and a “one of a kind” Genesis Coupe will all arrive in a free pack.

Free is free whether you like the car brand or not.

Full PR past the break.

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The lovely UPS man showed up about 15 minutes ago bearing a lovely gift -one that we have been excited over for quite a while.

Now that it is cradled lovingly in our greedy hands, all fretting and being grouchy over the lateness of the delivery has subsided into a cloud of tranquility.

Yes, our Dragon Age: Origins Collector’s Edition for PC has arrived, albeit an hour past its scheduled delivery time.

To make the occasion more momentous, we’ve posted pics of the unboxing because we love to share our lives with you.

Check ‘em out past the break, along with a new video for the game featuring music from 30 Seconds to Mars’ titled, “This Is War”.

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Those who preorder LittleBigPlanet for PSP from GameStop will get a bonus consisting of six outfits based on PlayStation franchises.

These include two costumes each from Uncharted 2, Killzone and MotorStorm.

Order in-store and you will get a download card, order online and you’ll get the code through email.

No word on whether these outfits are a GameStop exclusive or not, but one of the costumes for Killzone is a tank. You like tanks.

Via Joystiq.

The General Administration of Press and Publication in China, a regulatory authority, has ordered NetEase to cease operating World of Warcraft in the area due to the new version of the game lacking in approval.

According to Reuters, the hammer has come down due to an apparent “governmental turf war” between the agency (GAPP) and the Ministry of Culture, which also oversees the online gaming sector.

“Millions of Warcraft players will suffer the most,” said Leon Li, vice president of Chinese mobile Internet firm KongZhong. “But if you take a long term view of the industry, many of these Warcraft gamers may migrate to other games, so for the other Chinese online game companies, it is a good thing.”

NetEase launched the game commercially September 19 and the GAPP was upset that it launched without its approval.

Loads more drama through the link.

Funcom has received a grant for $260,000 from the Norwegian government’s Norsk Film Institutt to aid the development of a free-to-play snowboarding title.

Titled Edge of the World, the PC and Mac game will feature online competitions, social networking access, and trans-media integration.

While a release date has yet to be announced, Funcom plans to use the game to promote Norway’s winter sports.

Sounds like some gnarly online jibbin’ to us.

Via Develop.

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