Monthly Archives: December 2009

The GT Academy 2010 time trial demo releasing this week costs a piffly 219Mb to download. We know because we’re doing it now.

The purpose of the tester’s is to find winners for next year’s GT Academy.

It hits publicly on December 17. We’ll do a movie for you in a sec.

The irrepressible Gamikaze’s posted up 30-odd new screens of Heavy Rain. Look at them here and here. Check out the guilt on that.

The Quantic thriller’s out early next year for PS3. Thanks, TomisH.

Ubi’s press released Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, giving a few details and some images.

Apparently:

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is the next chapter in the fan-favourite Sands of Time universe. Visiting his brother’s kingdom following his adventure in Azad, the Prince finds the royal palace under siege from a mighty army bent on its destruction. When the decision is made to use the ancient power of the Sand in a desperate gamble to save the kingdom from total annihilation, the Prince will embark on an epic adventure in which he will learn to bear the mantle of true leadership, and discover that great power often comes with a great cost.

PR and images after the break. Can we stop now?

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BioWare’s put out a trailer showing off Mass Effect 2′s sentinel class, which ably shows why the RPG ranked number one among VG247 readers as next year’s most wanted game. It’s just brilliant.

Hit the link. Sci-fi agogo. It’s out for PC and 360 next month.

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Want to see yet more FFXIII screens but with slightly different text? It’s Christmas, right? Siliconera’s posted some English language shots, sent from Square Enix US. This is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened in all of today.

Just release it, for God’s sake. Please.

CVG’s posted up some new shots of Alien Breed Evolution.

The T17 reboot’s out on Wednesday for 800MSP. May as well, innit.

The latest Iwata Asks has revealed prototype names for DSi LL, namely “DSi Comfort,” “DSi Executive,” “DSi Premium” and “DSi Living”.

Someone clearly has common sense. Thankfully.

Miyamoto, apparently, wanted to name the machine “DSi Deka”, Deka meaning large.

More madness through the link. Via Andriasang and GoNintendo.

The Passing, Left 4 Dead 2′s first add-on, will release in early 2010, Valve said today.

The content will see the sequel’s survivors meeting up with the original game’s cast. No specifics on how the narrative’s going to work were discussed in the PR.

The Passing will also include new arenas for Survival, Versus and Scavenge, and introduce a new co-op challenge mode.

A new “uncommon common” zombie class, melee weapon and firearm will also be added.

Full thing through the link.

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The Splinter Cell Conviction Collector’s Edition is to feature a Sam Fisher statue when the game releases on February 26, if you can believe that.

You probably can. This is what else it’s got:

• An exclusive Sam Fisher statue
• The game in a SteelBook case
• Infiltration Mode: Eliminate all hostiles in the mission area without being detected
• A playable skin: Shadow Armor
• Early access to 3 weapons: SC300, SR2 and MP5
• The official soundtrack

In addition, this was stuck at the bottom of the press release:

“The Splinter Cell Conviction team invites everyone to connect to the Xbox LIVE on the 16th of December at 5pm UK time for the worldwide premiere of the multiplayer modes.”

So do that.

SCE technology platform boss Masayuki Chatani has told Nikkei that Sony will “face difficulties” if it continues to rely on the “sell-and forget model”.

“Servers and the like have running costs… after we sell the hardware, though, we continue to sell products such as content and services,” he said.

“We expect to see considerable growth in digital content, such as game download services, avatar items and the like.

“We can also accept payment in a growing number of ways.

“In addition to single-payment packaged software, there are also schemes like monthly fees or per-item charges. I think this variety of payment methods will bring about a diverse range of playing methods, too.”

Monthly fees, eh? Sony said in a presentation recently that subs were on the way to PSN, but SCE boss Kaz Hirai quickly assured that PS3 network play is to remain free.

Thanks, CVG.

An Army of Two: The 40th Day demo’s hitting XBL and PSN this week.

The demo will include “most” of the shooter’s first level. Basically Salem and Rios are in Shanghai, something blows up, a lot of people get shot.

PR here. There’s a trailer after the break. A PSP demo’s out in January.

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VideoGamesZone.de’s posted up 1080p screens and HD video from the imminent GT5 Academy Time Trial track. Take a look.

The track’s going to be available for download on December 17.

Truth be told, there’s not a huge amount to look at here. Unless what you want to look at is a track and a car.

GT5′s out next year.

Modern Warfare 2′s the top of the UK chart for the fifth week running. That’s it, really.

Wii Sports Resort whipped up to two from five kicking FIFA out to four, and Assassin’s Creed II hung up for a well-deserved third place.

Data below for the week ending December 12.

2K’s just put out a press release for Spec Ops: The Line, the Yager shooter announced that the VGAs this weekend. Read the whole thing here and watch the first video after the break.

The game “unfolds within the destroyed opulence of Dubai,” apparently, and sees US Army Colonel John Konrad “and his loyal squad remained behind to protect those incapable of escape.”

Pumping. It’s out for PC, PS3 and 360 next year. Looks pretty shooty, soldier.

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Reveals aside, you probably want to know who actually won what at the VGAs this year. See below.

For all the rest of the news from the awards, hit this. Thanks for the list, Kotaku, and to bobbymington for the heads up.

• Game of the Year: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Studio of the Year: Rocksteady Studios
• Best Independent Game: Flower
• Best Xbox 360 Game: Left 4 Dead 2
• Best PS3 Game: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Best Wii Game: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
• Best PC Game: Dragon Age: Origins
• Best Handheld Game: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
• Best Shooter: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Best Fighting Game: Street Fighter IV
• Best Action Adventure Game: Assassin’s Creed II
• Best RPG: Dragon Age: Origins
• Best Multiplayer Game: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Best Individual Sports Game: UFC 2009 Undisputed
• Best Team Sports Game: NHL 10
• Best Driving Game: Forza Motorsport 3
• Best Music Game: The Beatles: Rock Band
• Best Soundtrack: DJ Hero
• Best Original Score: Halo 3: ODST
• Best Graphics: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Best Game Based On A Movie/TV Show: South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!
• Best Performance By A Human Female: Megan Fox (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen)
• Best Performance By A Human Male: Hugh Jackman (X-Men Origins: Wolverine)
• Best Cast: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
• Best Voice: Jack Black (Brütal Legend)
• Best Downloadable Game: Shadow Complex
• Best DLC: Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
• Most Anticipated Game of 2010: God of War III

Below’s a list of all the reveals and news that came out of the Spike VGAs at the weekend.

Big stuff there. Be sure to watch all the video. You can get all the news and general bits of gossip from the liveblog.

• Spec Ops: The Line announced and trailered
• VGAs – Who won what
• VGAs – Force Unleashed II announced, trailered
• VGAs – Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands movie shows movie themes
• VGAs – Tron Evolution looks pretty much as you thought it would
• VGAs – True Crime trailered, United Front developing
• VGAs – First Crackdown 2 gameplay trailer reveals glide suit
• VGAs – Medal of Honor gets awesome debut trailer
• VGAs – Halo: Reach trailer shows engine, new armour
• VGAs – Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 trailered
• VGAs – Halo: Reach trailer shows engine, new armour
• Spike 2009 Video Game Awards Liveblog is a GO!

Digital Foundry’s posted what is probably the most boring performance analysis graph in the world, showing Dante’s Inferno so locked at 60 frames-per-second it looks as though Visceral’s thrown away the key.

We had a chat with Mr DF the other day, and he reckons the game’s excellent demo dropped two frames in 25,000. Play is 60fps, cut-scenes at 30.

Check out our video of the entire demo here. It’s out in February. Please buy it. God asked you to.

As promised, the Australian government has opened up the debate as to whether or not the country should have an 18+ rating to the public. Hit this for details.

“Submissions are being sought on whether the Australian National Classification Scheme should include an R 18+ classification category for computer games,” said the attorney-general’s department.

“Submissions can be made by downloading and completing the submission template. Submissions may also be mailed or faxed. The discussion paper and submission template contain the contact details for making a submission.”

Get to it, Australian people. You’ve got until February 28 to explain to old people why you’re grown-up enough to see a cartoon gun shoot a zombie.

Missed this one yesterday. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II was announced and trailered at the VGAs over the weekend, as you can see after the break.

It’s CG-only, showing the Apprentice facing off against large, nasty things in an arena.

Have a watch. It’s out next year.

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Warner’s confirmed it’s to publish the now-announced Batman: Arkham Asylum 2, not Square Enix Europe.

“We are thrilled to build a global game franchise from Batman: Arkham Asylum, which is receiving an incredible response from gamers and fans of Batman around the world,” said WBIE boss Martin Tremblay.

“Rocksteady has taken Batman to a new level in the video game space and we are committed to delivering a sequel the fans will love.”

It’s a worldwide deal. Unlucky, Herr Square. You’ll just have to settle with FFXIII, instead.

PR after the break.

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