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Multiplayer Confirmed for Bioshock 2

Zach Lott — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:39:19 -0500

Though details are rather scarce, Joystiq has discovered that the latest issue of Game Informer's cover story on Bioshock 2 has confirmed that the game will feature multiplayer.

We'll be on the lookout for more details once someone has gotten their hands on the issue. Stay tuned.

E3 2008: New BioShock on PS3 Footage

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:16:20 -0500

Check out this new HD video footage of BioShock on the PlayStation 3.

Can Bioshock Save Japan?

Shiva Stella — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:48:42 -0600

According to Takashi Sensui, Microsoft's Xbox-related go-to guy in Japan at a recent Spike, Xbox 360 New Year's party, more and more (Xbox 360) western titles will be making their way over to the gaming capital of the world, and those being third-party titles at that. The first three games include Battlestations: Midway, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, and 2K's ever-popular Bioshock.

It's an interesting move, with Xbox 360 sales lagging behind... everything else (hard to top those Nintendo DS's). It's possible that offering western-style games to Japanese gamers via the 360 might boost unit sales, but it's equally possible that the audience doesn't give a damn. But if Bioshock, one of 2007's premier titles in the west, can't move 360s over there, then what can?

Game Developers Conference 2008 Featured Speakers

Shiva Stella — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:33:41 -0600

The Game Developers Conference 2008, which is currently scheduled for February 18-11 in San Francisco, has published a list of featured speakers and topics under discussion for each. Here are some big names for the curious:

Peter Molyneux (Head of Studios, Lionhead Studios), on (surprise!) Fable 2 - The Big Three Features Revealed.

Peter Molyneux's stated ambition as a designer is to make FABLE 2 a landmark game. In order to achieve this three big design features have been added. The inspiration and rational behind these features will be discussed along with their evolution throughout the development process. The wider context of their impact and influence on the RPG genre with also be examined as the ambition is also to evolve the genre itself. The talk will be supported by retrospective videos as well as live game examples.

Ken Levine (President/Creative Director, 2K Boston) on (bigger surprise!) Storytelling in Bioshock: Empowering Players to Care about Your Stupid Story (sign me up).

Game stories can matter, even in first person shooters. But first we're going to have to give up a lot of our preconceptions about what people care about when playing a game. For too long, games (especially first person shooters) have been stuck in a "game sequence followed by story sequence" mentality. Ken Levine will tell the tale of how the BIOSHOCK took a pointy-headed idea about a pseudo-objectivist utopia and turned it into one of the most compelling and succesful game worlds in recent history. What were the tools used? What compromises had to be made? Where did the shooter end and the story begin? How did we make people give a crap? How did we use story and narrative to become perhaps the most talked about game at the super-crowded E3 2006? What does this all mean for stories in games? And must of all, what hell does "Mise En Scene" mean?

Chris Butcher (Engineering Lead, Microsoft/Bungie) on E Pluribus Unum: Matchmaking in Halo 3.

The online multiplayer mode of HALO 3 features an automatic matchmaking system to place players into games. Players may join individually or with parties of friends, and are quickly matched into groups. This presentation describes the algorithms behind the peer-to-peer matchmaking model, and its implementation over Xbox Live. It examines the impact of matchmaking on the HALO online community, and provides techniques for shaping the player experience and discouraging cheaters. The tradeoffs of an automatic matchmaking system compared to traditional multiplayer game browsers will be discussed, and illustrated by some results from the first months of HALO 3's operation.

Cevat Yerli (Managing Director, Crytek) on Crysis in the Making.

This session will offer a look into key areas of CRYSIS development that markedly depart from Crytek's first project, FAR CRY. Main topics include Nanosuit design and gameplay, creating a rich, destructible/non-linear world, and peopling it with dynamic, believable AI enemies that challenge and entertain the player.

You can view the full list of featured speakers here. If you're interested in the keynotes, however, you can find that here.

2K Seeking Tools Programmer for 'AAA' Title, Bioshock 2 Anyone?

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:10:45 -0600

Here's something that gives a little more credence to the Bioshock 2 rumors, as this 2K Games (2K Boston) job listing page now boasts several position openings (the newest being a tools programmer) that all just happen to mention the success of Bioshock and that the team is in the pre-production stage of their next "AAA" title... which may or may not be the anticipated Bioshock 2.

Also note that they're interested in people with Unreal/PlayStation 3 production experience which isn't unusual in itself but does leave the mind to wonder if this next game could be a surprise PS3 exclusive (highly unlikely) or if they're just looking to improve the PS3-side of their newest gem.

I know it's a huge leap, but one can certainly ponder the possibilities.

Bioshock Film in the Works?

Shiva Stella — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:00:01 -0600

Following word of a Bioshock 2-prequel being in development, it now seems that a Bioshock film is also under consideration at a "major film production company".

If the film is a go, according to a secret inside source, it'll rely on advanced green screen technology to animate the physically (and mentally) corrupted denizens of Rapture. Sounds wicked.

No word on a storyline or where the project would fit into the actual timeline of events (assuming that Bioshock 2 rumor is correct), but we're all ears.

Bioshock 2 In Development... and it's a prequel?

Shiva Stella — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:57:40 -0600

Those of you who enjoyed Bioshock will be interested to know that rumors are now flying that Bioshock 2 is both currently being developed by 2K Games and is a prequel, rather than a sequel, to this popular Game of the Year title.

According to the rumor now being reported on forums across the Net, a source within 2K is confirming the game's development. While it's only a rumor, considering the huge success Bioshock was for 2K it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it were true.

The original Bioshock received runner-up for GameBump's own Best Shooter of 2007 award.

[GOTY] Best Shooter of 07: Call of Duty 4

Aaron Dunlap — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:49:18 -0600

Our Single Player Review (*****)
Our Multiplayer Review (*****)

Why It Won: Call of Duty was already an established series by the time Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare came around. After Treyarch's Call of Duty 3, many had thought the series had caught the "sequel syndrome" that plagues almost any big studio franchise that gets a new installment each year, each game becoming just another iteration of the previous with one or two features interesting enough to be mentioned on the back of the game's box. Boy were we ever wrong.

Call of Duty 4 isn't a greatly ambitious game. It didn't have the mega-millions advertising budget of Halo 3, it didn't have the Ayn Rand-ian objectivist overtones of BioShock, and it didn't really require that you go out and buy a new $4,000 computer to run it like Crysis. The scale of the game itself is somewhat large but it's no Earth-vs-Aliens. What the game lacks in scope, however, it makes up for in pure quality. Call of Duty 4 is a fun game, a well-made game, and a rewarding game. From the first mission you're sucked into the world of modern Special Forces and you're never let go.

The single player mode may be relatively brief but there are no dull moments. This game doesn't sag during the middle and the ending doesn't disappoint. You can't say that about many games these days. There's no backtracking or boring missions stuck into the middle to give the game length, and there's no abrupt, "Buy the sequel!" ending. How refreshing is that?

The multiplayer mode, something that could be easy to overlook, is so amazingly intelligent that it rivals and, in my opinion, tops Halo 3's online mode. I've waited my whole life for a game that rewards experimentation with multiple weapons and playtypes instead of letting people get stick to one tactic and dominate anybody else. It's here, and it's fantastic.

Call of Duty 4 is what I want from future games. It shirks trendy gameplay gimicks and instead focuses on being the best at what it does.

Why You May Disagree: I've heard some complaints about the lack of tactical elements, such as the ability to issue commands to squad members or a cover system where you can press against walls and fire around corners. You know, like every other game made in the last three years. Some Halo kids take offense to our claims that Call of Duty 4's online play is better than Halo 3's.

But We Say: Just because the only way to get a military shooter not set in 1940s Europe used to be in the form of the a Tom Clancy tactical squad-based game, it doesn't mean things have to stay like that. Call of Duty has never been a tactical game, so why should they start now just because that's what everybody else is doing? Some people don't like those kind of games. Some people just want a straightforward shooter where the only weapons aren't an M1 Garand and American pride. Too often games have these features and ride them to death. The Brothers in Arms games that featured squad commands, how many times did they shove it in your face? Rather than becoming a one-trick pony and a slave to one or two gimmicks, Call of Dut 4 focuses on overall quality and not marketing bullet points. To the multiplayer naysayers, I suggest they give the game a fair try. If anything, they probably find it too difficult because they can't jump around and obliterate an entire enemy team with a shotgun and an oversheild.

Runners Up:

Halo 3 - One of the most advertised, best selling titles of this year-slash-lifetime, Halo 3 has a lot of quality features. Unfortunately, none of them are in the campaign mode. It's reasonable that Bungie figured everybody would be buying the game for the multiplayer, but all twelve of us who were more interested to see what a bloated, runaway development budget could do for single player games were rather disappointed. This category is about the overall shooter experience, and a good multiplayer mode with a mediocre campaign mode does not a Best Shooter make.

The Orange Box - Valve's amalgomated parcel of gaming value known as The Orange Box is an extremely good gaming experience, but unfortunately the definitions for the Best Shooter category nearly exclude it. Portal is more of an adventure/puzzle game than a shooter, and Half-Life 2, and Half-Life 2: Episode One all released before this year. For new content, that only leaves Half-Life 2: Episode Two and Team Fortress 2. Those two are great, but compared to Call of Duty 4 they don't quite make it.

BioShock - This steam-punk underwater adventure is a critical and financial success, but not many of the staff here at GameBump were quite as impressed as everybody else. Personally, the ridiculously short supply of ammunition early in the game when enemies are attacking you from all sides is what broke the experience for me. Sure it had storytelling, and impressive visuals, but I didn't have much fun finding them. Managing Editor Shiva Stella says the game isn't even a shooter and that I'm wasting my time writing this paragraph.

Check out the Game of the Year 2007 Homepage.

New Bionic Commando Screenshots

Solomon Lee — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:29:29 -0600

Capcom has published new screenshots of Bionic Commando for the PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The game takes place ten years after the events of the original game and is scheduled for 2008 release.

Hit the jump to view more images.

Spike VGA 2007 Award Winners

Tim Grube — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 10:47:04 -0600

The 5th annual Spike Video Game Awards show doesn't air till tonight at 9pm EST, but the winners have "somehow" made its way into my inbox this morning. The show is being held in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Events Resort and Casino. I honestly thought Halo 3 would hit the Game of the Year, but I never expected Skate to be in the best Sports game category.

But anywho, check out the full list below!

GAME OF THE YEAR
BioShock

STUDIO OF THE YEAR
Harmonix

BEST SHOOTER
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision/ Infinity Ward)

BEST RPG
Mass Effect (Microsoft Game Studios/ BioWare)

BEST MILITARY GAME
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision/ Infinity Ward)

BEST INDIVIDUAL SPORTS GAME
Skate (Electronic Arts/ EA Black Box)

BEST HANDHELD GAME
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo/ Nintendo)

BEST GRAPHICS
Crysis (Electronic Arts/ Crytek)

BEST GAME BASED ON A MOVIE OR TV SHOW
The Simpsons Game (Electronic Arts/ EA Redwood Shores)

BEST RHYTHM GAME
Rock Band (MTV Games/ Harmonix)

BEST DRIVING GAME
DiRT (Codemasters/ Codemasters)

BEST ACTION GAME
Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo/ Nintendo)

BEST TEAM SPORTS GAME
Madden NFL 08 (Electronic Arts/ EA Tiburon)

BEST SOUNDTRACK
Rock Band (MTV Games/ Harmonix)

BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY
The Orange Box/ Portal (Valve/ Valve)

BEST XBOX 360 GAME
BioShock

BEST WII GAME
Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo/ Nintendo)

BEST PS3 GAME
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (Sony Computer Entertainment/
Insomniac Games)

BEST PC GAME
The Orange Box (Valve/ Valve)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
BioShock

BEST MULTI-PLAYER GAME
Halo 3 (Microsoft Game Studios/ Bungie Studios)

MOST ADDICTIVE VIDEO GAME FUELED BY DEW
Halo 3 (Microsoft Game Studios/ Bungie Studios)

Downloadable Content For Bioshock Available

Tim Grube — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:21:38 -0600

Bioshock sales are doing incredibly well and that's what happens when you make a good title unlike Kane & Lynch. At least the review scores and advertisements are right. Well, the folks over at 2K Games just informed us that downloadable content for Bioshock is now available via Xbox Live Marketplace and a PC patch.

New downloadable content includes:

Four Plasmids and Gene Tonics
Sonic Boom: Hurls creatures and objects back with a blast of force
EVE saver: Enables Plasmids to use less EVE
Vending Expert: Reduces prices in the vending machines
Machine Buster: Increases the amount of damage players deal to cameras, bots and turrets

Achievements (exclusive to Xbox 360):

Xbox 360 players can gain 100 points for Brass Balls, by beating BioShock on the hard difficulty setting without dying

CBS GameCore's Holiday Gift Guide 2007

Tim Grube — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:40:30 -0600

Our good friends over at CBS GameCore just posted their annual holiday gift guide that features everybody's top 5 along with the top 10 overall listings. Some of the games in the top 10 include:

What are your picks for this holiday season? Post them in the comments of this story! For the time being, head over to GameCore's website for the full listings.

CGI Resident Evil Movie Announced, Introducing Biohazard: Degerneration

Shiva Stella — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:15:06 -0500

In more Resident Evil news, reports have surfaced that Capcom is currently working with Sony Pictures Entertainment to produce a CGI Resident Evil film entitled Biohazard: Degeneration. According to CVG the movie will boast "groundbreaking visual effects and [a] brand new storyline" that should enhance its appeal to videogame moviegoers everywhere.

No release information is currently available but the buzz says to expect it sometime in 2008. We're also short on voice actor and director details, though no doubt fans would enjoy the return of George A. Romero, who directed the first live-action RE flicks but was replaced for RE: Extinction.

We'll keep you updated.

New Bionic Commando Screenshots

Solomon Lee — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:02:00 -0500

Capcom has published new screenshots of Bionic Commando for the PC. The game will also be making its way to the PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime in 2008. Hit the link to view more screens.

First BioShock Assets Revealed

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 22:11:00 -0600

Publisher 2K Games has revealed the first screenshot and three pieces of artwork for BioShock, a role-playing shooter from award-winning developing house, Irrational Games.

BioShock immerses players into a war-torn underwater utopia, where mankind has abandoned their humanity in their quest for perfection. Fueled by intense player choices and consequences, BioShock is scheduled for release on Xbox 360 and PC and is already hailed as one of the most anticipated games of 2007.

Enjoy. Originally written by Shiva Stella