• Best Buy: Nariko (Heavenly Sword)
• EBGames/Gamestop: Kratos, Medusa, Minotaur (God of War pack)
• Amazon: Downloadable level design guide, sometimes a free $10 gift card as well
  
• GameCrazy: Adorable knitted zipper pouch
• Circuit City: Free $10 gift card
• ALL: Space Suit Sackboy Costume (free from MM/PSN)

The Wii may be all the rage these days as titles like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Mario Galaxy keep gamers happy while more casual players are enticed with the unit's bountiful shovelware, but many have forgotten about the game that led Nintendo's initiative to expand the market by bringing casual and non-gamers into the mix: Wii Sports. Serving as an introduction to the system and the Wii Remote, it was a fun minigame collection that earned accolades from a plethora of mainstream media outlets and fueled the hype machine that helped propel the Wii to the top of the sales charts.

Most of us moved on to other games soon after purchasing the system, but publisher Hudson Soft apparently hasn't been so quick to forget the game that spearheaded Nintendo's assault on your grandmother's living room. Deca Sports, one of their upcoming titles, is an obvious foray into the new market that Nintendo has forged.

Supercross is as straightforward as you'd expect it to be; you hold the remote sideways, pressing the 2 button to gas and the 1 button to brake as you make turning motions to steer. Wide motions during turns cause you to lose control, which means that this event is aggravating unless you severely limit your motions, hampering the overall experience.

The badminton event plays very much like Wii Tennis, but the difference is in how the birdie reacts to your hits. The ball in Wii Tennis wasn’t very reactive to location, while here your swings really do determine the angle and trajectory of the hit. It’s a definite improvement, and the shortness of the rounds makes it good for bursts of play.

The beach volleyball event, where you and a friend (or an AI partner if you’re by your lonesome) can play against another team in a standard game of volleyball, is especially fun. The controls feel really fresh and immersive. It feels great to flail madly and work with your partner to keep the ball alive and then smash it over the net into the sand

What really stands out for its uniqueness is the figure skating event. You utilize the Nunchuk to guide your skater across a path of yellow dots while you use the remote to perform tricks as you skate across large, colored icons that occasionally appear on the path. However, the poor controls make it difficult to keep your skater on track, and it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how and when to execute tricks. On the whole, though, Deca Sports warrants checking out if Hudson Soft successfully blends the game's fun elements with its more unique events.

The plot of course remains centered on the Dark Knight Cecil and his questioning of authority and the whirlwind of events that follow. Square Enix has promised however that all new scenes will be added to the story that were written out for its original release but were either technically or logistically unfeasible at the time. Early screens have shown that the game looks to improve over FFIII's exploitation of the DS hardware, as more characters can be displayed on the 3D battlefields. The original version's battles, as mentioned previously, loaded quickly and were over quickly - FFIII DS suffered slight load times that were made all the worse due to the high encounter rate. Whether FFIV will suffer the same remains to be seen. Another addition is that characters are now able to use skills inherited from other characters, the details on which are still scarce.

This of course isn't the first time FFIV will see release on another console. Subsequent re-releases on the PS1, Wonderswan (a Japanese-only handheld), and Game Boy Advance have seen minor additions to the game. But never before has the game been completely remade, so the hope for new content built from the ground up is there. The original game is short but some standards - an experienced player can breeze through the quest in about 10 hours. Let me repeat - experienced, on the original US version's toned down difficulty. Someone playing the game for the first time should see more than 20 hours from the game, which is a solid length for its now portable status.

Final Fantasy IV sees its DS release on December 20 in Japan. There is still no word on a release to the West; however, that gamble is about as safe as betting that Cecil will have to come to terms with himself and save the world from a villain that pops up for the first time in the story's latter act. In other words, yeah, it'll happen.

In Jeanne D’Arc, players take on the role of the French heroine during the 100 year war between the French and English. The role-playing game by Level-5 brings an interesting and unique look to the historic story when it arrives next month on the PlayStation Portable handheld.

Sony recently sent along a preview copy for us to check out before the anticipated August 21 release date. As stated above, players take on the role of Jeanne D’Arc or more commonly known stateside as Joan of Arc along with two of her partners Liane and Roger.

In the game, Jeanne heads home to Domremy where she finds the town burnt to the ground. In the battle that follows, Jeanne turns into a warrior who has even more power to take down enemies and take on damage.

Following the devastation by English forces, Jeanne’s motive is clear to return freedom to France. During her journey, Jeanne meets plenty of other companions including Colet, Bertrand and La Hire. In the actual game, players will make decisions on which warriors will battle in each stage.

Clearly the game, Jeanne D’Arc is focused on conflicts between the French and English during this time, but equally wants to expand on the story with mythical creatures, magic and more. The combination seems to work well.

In addition, the gameplay is solid taken straight from the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics. The turn-based RPG has you battle it out in a chess style grid. Experience and leveling are gained both during and after battles. In addition, players are able to utilize weapons, spells and other such items in battle as well. The game is broken down into stages and each one has a goal which must be accomplished in a certain number of turns, along with conditions for failure.

Two interesting additions to the battle sequence are the burning aura and unified guard. Aura is on offense and allows characters to unleash a powerful attack if a glowing circle appears on-screen and you attack from that location.

Meanwhile, guard is revealed when two characters are close to each other on the grid. Often times it will result in a miss or at least lessen the attack on you. It’s obvious from these inclusions that the game is focused on teamwork more than individual play.

One other notable inclusion is the armlet that Jeanne utilizes. One time per battle and possibly more, the armlet gives Jeanne the chance to go twice or use special attacks.

Meanwhile, players will gain spirit affinities in one of three areas. This can help and hurt you depending on the affinity of your enemy. Various skill stones build power in specific affinities which in turn can determine the path your character takes. Purple stones are skills, while red are for more powerful abilities. These stones are only accessible for swordsmen. Meanwhile, two more stones are available to anyone in the green and blue. Green gives you magic, while blue boosts your statistics.

Sticking with the stones, players are able to accumulate stones in-game either by buying, finding or acquiring them from defeated opponents. It’s an interesting inclusion that adds some depth to the experience.

As for the graphics, they are stunning with cel-shading in-game and terrific cutscenes between battles.

Based on what we’ve seen so far, Jeanne D’Arc definitely will keep RPG fans on the PlayStation Portable happy. With what is rumored to be a 40-hour adventure, clearly stunning graphics both in-game and cut-scenes and solid gameplay, Jeanne D’Arc is worth a gander when it hits shelves in August. ]]> Sun, 29 Jul 2007 17:20:34 -0500 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_god_of_war_chains_of_olympus_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_god_of_war_chains_of_olympus_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_god_of_war_chains_of_olympus_psp1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

It’s like God of War, but on the PSP. No, seriously, it’s the same game.

God of War 2 garnered a lot of critical praise, but personally, I loathed it. God of War was an amazing game that revived and reshaped the brawler genre and brought a second wind to the then-dwindling PlayStation 2 with surprising graphics, cinematics, and overall production quality. The gameplay was addictive, the controls intuitive, the combat sickeningly satisfying.

God of War 2, released just a few months ago, was quite literally the same game. Sure, it was a sequel in the traditional sense: it takes place after the first game, it has a new story, and there’s a 2 after the title. Besides that, though, there was nothing new. It was like deja vu, a tired re-tread. Same controls, same style of puzzles, same enemies, same cobat, same interface, same everything.

From my experience with God of War: Chains of Olympus, I feel the same way. It’s an all new story and it’s ported beautifully onto the PSP with practically identical controls to its PS2 counterparts; but it’s still the same game.

The big problem with bringing a 3D game to the PSP is the infamously absent second analog nub. Some games put camera controls on the two shoulder buttons, others put control onto the D-pad. God of War: Chains of Olympus does neither. There are no camera controls, in fact. The game has a smart camera that locks the perspective where it need to be and follows you around as you move throughout the environment; similar, if not identical, to the PS2 games.

As soon as I picked the game up I was performing the combos now-ingrained in my mind. Identical to the PS2 games.

In short, if you want to play God of War on your PSP, this is your game. If there was something about God of War that you didn’t like or wish was added, no dice here. I would hate to see God of War become another one of those series that churns out inevitable sequels year after year with little to no innovation. ]]> Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:10:53 -0500 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_uncharted_drakes_fortune_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_uncharted_drakes_fortune_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_uncharted_drakes_fortune_3601# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

If Lara Croft was a dude, his Tomb Raider would be Uncharted: Drake’ Fortune. Uncharted is an upcoming adventure/exploration/action game for the PlayStation 3 that I had a few minutes to sit down with at E3 this week.

Uncharted’s story kind of “re-imagines” the life story of Sir Francis Drake, the legendary explorer. According to the game’s plot, Drake didn’t die of dysentery when he was supposed to have. Rather, he faked his death so he could pursue El Dorado, which he realized was mis-interpreted; it doesn’t really mean “man of gold,” it means “city of gold.”

The main character in the game isn’t Francis Drake, though, it’s his son, or his grandson.. or his cousin’s nephew, I don’t really remember. The new, younger Drake is also an explorer, the Indiana Jones type. The game takes him through the jungles and the mountains as he tries to uncover the mystery of Sir Francis.

The section of the game I had time enough to play took place in a jungle and featured a lot of climbing and jumping. There’s a pretty nice, simple acrobatic system for scaling walls and handling obstacles.

Combat also has a pretty big role in the game, as even remote jungles seem to be full of enemy hoodlums gunning for you. Uncharted has a cover-fire system similar to Gears of War, though nowhere near as satisfying. You can stick yourself to most surfaces and fire around corners, but it all feels loosey-goosey. Aiming guns seemed rather sloppy as well, especially around corners.

The biggest problem I faced, a phenomenally huge problem, is that it takes a ridiculous amount of bullets to kill an enemy. With the pistol, the primary weapon in the game, I counted over six body shots before an enemy went down. I’m not talking about futuristic cyber-soldiers with mithril body armor, either. These are guys wearing tank tops and tshirts. With picked-up weapons like assault rifles and such, it still takes way, way too many shots. It’s almost cartoonish.

The graphics seemed typical for a PS3 game: very pretty, but distractingly shiny. It’s like there’s a layer of bacon grease was sprayed over all the foliage and characters. I think there’s some default lighting effect present in the PS3’s graphics drivers, and developers get way too excited when they find it.

 

Just a few minutes ago I was reflecting that it seems like I think every game I play at E3 is going to be awesome, but then I remembered Uncharted. If this game wants to make any kind of impact come its holiday release, it needs some major tuning. Aiming is poor, bullets are rubber, and everything looks wet. There is a lot of potential in the graphics, controls, and possibly the story. I just wasn't feeling it with the E3 demo.

]]> Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:07:45 -0500 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_call_of_duty_4_modern_warfare_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_call_of_duty_4_modern_warfare_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_call_of_duty_4_modern_warfare_3601# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

I’m sick of WWII shooters. Aren’t you?

People have been saying that for years now, and I could never really agree with them because I always had a place in my heart for the Call of Duty series. Sure, World War II shooters are tired, but Call of Duty could always surprise and enthrall me.

That is, of course, until Call of Duty 3. That’s another issue, though, and I’ll get back to that later.

“The WW2 market was already well-established when we came in, and we stomped all over those guys,” an Infinity Ward representative told me. “We’re going to do the same thing with this.”

The this he’s talking about is Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the first CoD title to pull away from war-torn Europe and bring players into the modern age.

That comment made me think, though, about the genre of modern-age military shooters that feature real military units using real weapons against real enemies who also use real weapons: there isn’t one.

The idea seems terribly obvious, so much so that the sheer lack of modern military shooters seems almost insane. Think about it, though; can you name any other popular military shooter that takes place right now?

There’s Tom Clancy games, sure, but those have all gone futuristic. Rainbow Six has gone future-happy with R6: Vegas, Ghost Recon has turned into GRAW which is anything but present-set. Everything else either takes place on Mars or a space station.

How can this be? Perhaps, I surmise, because it’s too hard. Making a game set in the future is easy, you can just invent whatever technologies and conflicts you want. To make a good modern warfare game you would have to get every detail right while still making the game fun to play.
If anybody had to do it, it should be Infinity Ward -- who started working on Call of Duty 4 right after they finished Call of Duty 2, a fantastic game and probably the best Xbox 360 launch title. In the meantime, Activision shoveled Call of Duty 3 onto Treyarch, who many feel was not up to par with previous titles. That’s a weasel-wordy way of saying I hated it, but a proper journalist isn’t supposed to say such things.

Call of Duty 4, which I took a look at this week at E3, puts players in control of a U.S. Marine and a British SAS trooper, much in the way previous CoD titles alternated between US, British, and Russian sides of the same faction. The game features a storyline wherein a fictional group of Chechnyan rebels stage a coup, and players will be fighting in areas near and around Chernobyl.

There is an overarching plot to the game, but the actual character you play as has no story, just as in other CoD titles.

There are over 70 weapons in the game, all of them completely realistic and appropriately represented. Other military hardware shows up in the game, too, such as the high-tech Javelin surface-to-surface missile launcher that auto-targets enemy vehicles and fires a missile (a $75,000 missile, the Infinity Ward developer reminded me) straight up, then straight back down onto the top of the target (where shielding is almost always the weakest). There’s also Cobra helicopters and other gunships to provide air support.

The level I looked at took place in a battle-torn village and featured some of the most frantic combat I’ve ever seen. The enemies all run around with multiple RPG launchers strapped to their backs, darting back and forth from cover to cover. There are hundreds of animations for characters, all of them motion-captured and activated dynamically. AI characters duck for cover naturally, shoot around corners when they need to, and stumble convincingly as they’re shot down.

I also came across a few of the “holy sh-t” moments that made me fall in love with Call of Duty. Certain weapons feature IR-sights, which are like laser sights but only visible with night-vision goggles and appear as airy, ethereal green lines emanating from your gun. Put a few soldiers in the same space and those lines dancing across rooms and through the darkness can be quite breathtaking.

There are also some awesome smoke effects, as when enemy-fired RPGs leave behind dynamic smoke trails that linger like banners in the sky. The game features a new dynamic lighting and shadow system as well, just one of the many additions to the constantly-revised Call of Duty engine.
Also new is a material-penetration system, where every surface and object is given a unique density. Soft materials like plaster walls and wooden fences can simply be shot-through. Fresh bullet holes glow green through night-vision until the heat dissipates.

As for the annoying elements of Call of Duty 3 that won’t be carried over: those stupid little mini-games they threw at you in the console versions, like twisting the analog sticks around to charge demolition explosives, or the little scripted grapple-fights where an enemy would grab your gun and force you to mash buttons or wave your Wii-mote like mad until the game would decide you won -- they’re gone (there won't even be a Wii version), bomb setting and all combat will be straightforward; the pointless scripted cut scenes that did nothing for the actual story, like early in CoD 3 where a teammate threatened to mutiny against his superior -- none of that, anything a character says will be story-oriented and nothing will ever take you out of the game.

And the cool stuff that will be coming back? Frantic, balls-out action sequences that may give you P.T.S.D.? You bet. Slower, stealthy-style sections to even out the pacing? Yeah, there’s a few sniper levels complete with ghille suits. Picking up and throwing back grenades thrown at you? Yes. Cooking off grenades so they’ll blow sooner after throwing? Yes. Tank driving? I couldn’t get an answer out of the guy; that probably means yes.
Infinity Ward seems pretty excited about the multiplayer mode. “It should beat Halo, not in terms of sales, but in terms of fun,” the developer told me. Deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the flag, domination, all that stuff. What should make it stand out isn’t crazy mode, but rather the ease of control and gameplay. Apparently, multiplayer control should be exactly like single-player.

Like pretty much every other game at E3, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare will be out this holiday season, meaning the game is pretty-much finished and now being polished. It’s unusual, then, that there was no free-play demo at E3; it was entirely “watch somebody who made the game play it,” which often means that the demo will explode if you go anywhere off the beaten path.



Fans of the Call of Duty series who liked it for more than it’s Nazi-blasting WWII setting should rest assured that this isn’t just a modern shooter with “Call of Duty” in the name, this is a Call of Duty game from top to bottom. People who lost hope in the series after Call of Duty 3 should rest assured that CoD3 was just an offshoot, and that the very people responsible for the greatness of the original Call of Duty games are behind Modern Warfare.

Bearing in mind that I still haven’t actually touched the game, I’m obligated not to give an actual gameplay verdict. As a gamer, though, and not a journalist, I’m buying this game.

]]> Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:20:00 -0500 Tim Grube http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_parappa_the_rapper_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_parappa_the_rapper_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_parappa_the_rapper_psp1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

Remember back in 97’ when Sony Computer Entertainment released their first rhythm game entitled PaRappa The Rapper? How about that thin paper looking dog? Or even the famous line, “Kick, Punch, It’s all in the mind”? Well, he’s back and this time coming to the PlayStation Portable. Today at the annual Sony Gamers Day in San Diego, we had a chance to go hands-on with the game and were quite shocked with what we saw.

Gamers take on the role of PaRappa, a paper-thin rapping dog who is trying to win the love of Sunny Funny. Your job is to learn the moves of fighting, driving, raising money, baking, and so much more. To do this, the teacher will rap a line that consists of the buttons on the PSP handheld such as the D-Pad and shoulder buttons. Once the teacher raps a line, you will need to repeat it. There is a grading structure, so you must stay above good, avoiding the bad or awful areas.

PaRappa isn’t getting a makeover, but the game will indeed receive a couple more modes that will keep the replay value up high as it’s pretty much the original that was released back on the PlayStation. Some of the new modes consist of Ad hoc, in which players can connect wirelessly and share a demo level with four PSP systems simultaneously. Essentially it’ll download onto the gamer’s PSP even without the game, and then friends who don’t own copies of PaRappa will be able to play with you. Once the gamer turns off his or her handheld, the game will then disappear.

As stated, the game is basically the PlayStation original, but players will be able to download eight remixes from the internet. These remixes can be downloaded from the PSP or downloaded onto your computer and then transferred over via the memory stick. Visually, the aspect ratio was tweaked tremendously making it look really crisp and smooth on the PSP’s screen, but there weren’t any graphical modifications made according to a Sony representative.

Sound-wise, nothing has been changed or tweaked as far as we know. The sounds of the characters, background music, and interface remain untouched.

One thing that totally didn’t make sense to me was the fact that Sony plans to release this on the PSP as a “packaged title” instead of being made available via PlayStation Network. If you go on the PSN now, you will see other classic titles such as Cool Boarders, Crash Bandicoot, and Medieval. I understand there’s a bit more being put into PaRappa, but the extra items are mainly multiplayer, making a “physical” release unnecessary. 

Being on the PSP, the game does look really incredible. It’s very smooth, no glitches, the sound is spot-on, and the controls still function as they did in the original. No complaints there. Unfortunately, multiplayer wasn’t working at the time, so we were unable to check out the whole Ad hoc functionality and the downloading interface for the remixes.

I am happy that Sony is bringing this classic title back, but it just seems more logical to put it on the PlayStation Network (and why not include PaRappa 2 while they’re at it?) The game is due out in July and more than worth picking up. We will have a full review as release gets closer.  ]]> Thu, 17 May 2007 12:16:04 -0500 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_motorstorm_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_motorstorm_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_motorstorm_ps31# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

Last week was Sony Computer Entertainment's Q4 Media Day and gaming press from all over the country were flown (on Sony's dime) to Hollywood to get a hands-on look at some upcoming first-party titles. As Tim was too busy to make it, I picked up the slack and went in his stead -- my first pre-paid media event in my many years in game journalism. I could already feel my scruples weakening before I got on my plane, but once I arrived I was relieved to find that there were about 40 other journalists (quite a few from the Big Three sites) who had all taken Sony's offer of free airfare and hotel stays in order to get hands-on time with the games. In the movie business, reporters who accept free trips to pre-screen movies and meet the stars (junkets) are considered a fair bit whorish, but gaming is a different ballgame. At least this is what I keep telling myself.

Anyway, the game at the Media Day that everybody seemed to be there for was MotorStorm so I and Roberto from Gaming Age had to park ourselves in front of one of the three units playing the game for hours and trade off the single controller so nobody could take our place.

MotorStorm is a racing game, you probably know, built around the idea of desert underground-style rally racing. Festivals for hippie motorheads are set up throughout the desert to watch these insane races between motorcycles, ATVs, dune buggies, cars, racing trucks, and big rigs all tearing through the mud and dirt.

Therein lies the most unique element of MotorStorm, instead of focusing on a few types of vehicles with mildly divergent performance mechanics, MotorStorm has a ton of vehicle types available. Some races even let you use any vehicle class you want, so you could be on a itty bitty dirt bike racing against huge big rig trucks and every other type of racer at the same time on the same courses.

Each vehicles handles differently, of course, and this opens up the courses for some creative routing. Big, heavy vehicles want to avoid areas with a lot of mud and jumps while the lighter vehicles can dance right over them. Each of the courses I saw had many different paths to chose from, though they all basically follow the same route; in one canyon race course has many shelved levels stacked on the sides of the canyon, for instance.

MotorStorm tries to boast a superior sense of speed, and their attempts are quite apparent. The game features a "boost" system more generous even than Burnout's. You don't have to earn the boost time or unlock it, you can just jam down the boost button as long and as often as you'd like, so long as you keep an eye on the engine temperature meter to be sure you don't blow your vehicle into tiny bits. This boost element can be fun, but it or anything else doesn't provide the sense of visceral speed you'd expect. There's no camera lens tricks, motion blurring, or musical kicks that traditionally amplify a game's feeling of speed.

Also borrowed from Burnout are rather pretty, slow-motion, particle-heavy opportunities to watch your vehicle burn and tumble whenever you get into a serious crash. You can pan and zoom the camera around during these slow-motion crashes, and you can even pause time and keep spinning the camera around to look at the exploding hunk of wreckage you just caused. This can be a bad thing if the graphics people got lazy with some of the vehicle models, as when I was spinning the camera around a crashing muscle car I got a nice view of a completely blank underbody of the car. The Sony PR people hovering around looked a bit nervous when I found that.

The graphics are otherwise mostly lovely. It's interesting how the vehicles all start out looking pretty with cool paint jobs, and then as they race through the dirt they accumulate layers of fine dust, and if they hit actual mud the tires kick it up and it cakes all over the front of the car. Damage is handled well too, as cars soon start to lose hoods, dent doors, and spare tires and gas cans come loose and fly from trunks or rear beds. Also interesting was how the mud on the ground would show tracks once they were driven through; not flat tire-print tracks, mind you, the mud actually formed grooves for all the tires that had gone through (accomplished graphically through paralax mapping, Roberto guessed).

The biggest problem I had through my time with the game was cruel level design. Many levels take place on mountainsides with plenty of chances to screw up and fall off the edge of the mountain, but they often throw turns so sharp (usually blind turns) that you have no way around it. I'm not the best at racing games and assume I'm just bad at the game, but other people agreed on that point. Since it was just a demo build, it could have been a high-difficulty track that was just given out of order. I also wished there were an option for a speedometer on the screen, just for a better sense of how fast I'm going versus how fast I could be going. Having HUD-free displays is becoming a trend among this whole "next" generation, but I worry we're missing useful information as a price for a clutter-free screen.

One thing is for sure is that what I played was a lot better than the consumer demo currently available for MotorStorm. Controls are tightened and lighting effects are smoother.

MotorStorm is already set to release in Japan, but won't be on shelves stateside until February. That delay is due to the fact that the Japanese version isn't going to have online play and the US version will, but if you ever want to see a working definition of answer-evasion try asking a Sony or Evolution Studios representative what the online mode will include. All I got out of them was that they were shooting for at least 8 multiplayer players per race.

As it seems MotorStorm is going to be one of the only non-simulation style racing games for the PS3 for a while, it might be a no-brainer for those looking for some arcade style racing action. The multiple vehicle types work and feel great, and for the most part the game looks pretty good. The lack of 1080i and 1080p is a bummer for those of us with HDTVs, and I found a few things that could use some tuning up on the graphics front. I just didn't ever feel like I was playing something truly extraordinary, just a racing game with different vehicles and mud. A game like this should have a real standout quality, let's just hope they can find one before they finish it. ]]> Sat, 16 Dec 2006 16:48:00 -0600 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gamebump_touches_motorstorm_ps3 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gamebump_touches_motorstorm_ps3 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gamebump_touches_motorstorm_ps3#

Notice: In accordance with our integrity policy, we disclose upfront that transportation and lodging to the Sony Media Day event were provided by Sony, as we otherwise couldn't afford to go.

Last week was Sony Computer Entertainment's Q4 Media Day and gaming press from all over the country were flown (on Sony's dime) to Hollywood to get a hands-on look at some upcoming first-party titles. Since Tim was too busy to make it, I picked up the slack and went in his stead -- my first pre-paid media event in my many years in game journalism. I could already feel my scruples weakening before I got on my plane, but once I arrived I was relieved to find that there were about 40 other journalists (quite a few from the Big Three sites) who had all taken Sony's offer of free airfare and hotel stays in order to get hands-on time with the games. In the movie business, reporters who accept free trips to pre-screen movies and meet the stars (junkets) are considered a fair bit whorish, but gaming is a different ballgame. At least this is what I keep telling myself.

Anyway, the game at the Media Day that everybody seemed to be there for was MotorStorm so I and Roberto from Gaming Age had to park ourselves in front of one of the three units playing the game for hours and trade off the single controller so nobody could take our place.

MotorStorm is a racing game, you probably know, built around the idea of desert underground-style rally racing. Festivals for hippie motorheads are set up throughout the desert to watch these insane races between motorcycles, ATVs, dune buggies, cars, racing trucks, and big rigs all tearing through the mud and dirt.

Therein lies the most unique element of MotorStorm, instead of focusing on a few types of vehicles with mildly divergent performance mechanics, MotorStorm has a ton of vehicle types available. Some races even let you use any vehicle class you want, so you could be on a itty bitty dirt bike racing against huge big rig trucks and every other type of racer at the same time on the same courses.

Each vehicles handles differently, of course, and this opens up the courses for some creative routing. Big, heavy vehicles want to avoid areas with a lot of mud and jumps while the lighter vehicles can dance right over them. Each of the courses I saw had many different paths to chose from, though they all basically follow the same route; in one canyon race course has many shelved levels stacked on the sides of the canyon, for instance.

MotorStorm tries to boast a superior sense of speed, and their attempts are quite apparent. The game features a "boost" system more generous even than Burnout's. You don't have to earn the boost time or unlock it, you can just jam down the boost button as long and as often as you'd like, so long as you keep an eye on the engine temperature meter to be sure you don't blow your vehicle into tiny bits. This boost element can be fun, but it or anything else doesn't provide the sense of visceral speed you'd expect. There's no camera lens tricks, motion blurring, or musical kicks that traditionally amplify a game's feeling of speed.

Also borrowed from Burnout are rather pretty, slow-motion, particle-heavy opportunities to watch your vehicle burn and tumble whenever you get into a serious crash. You can pan and zoom the camera around during these slow-motion crashes, and you can even pause time and keep spinning the camera around to look at the exploding hunk of wreckage you just caused. This can be a bad thing if the graphics people got lazy with some of the vehicle models, as when I was spinning the camera around a crashing muscle car I got a nice view of a completely blank underbody of the car. The Sony PR people hovering around looked a bit nervous when I found that.

The graphics are otherwise mostly lovely. It's interesting how the vehicles all start out looking pretty with cool paint jobs, and then as they race through the dirt they accumulate layers of fine dust, and if they hit actual mud the tires kick it up and it cakes all over the front of the car. Damage is handled well too, as cars soon start to lose hoods, dent doors, and spare tires and gas cans come loose and fly from trunks or rear beds. Also interesting was how the mud on the ground would show tracks once they were driven through; not flat tire-print tracks, mind you, the mud actually formed grooves for all the tires that had gone through (accomplished graphically through paralax mapping, Roberto guessed).

The biggest problem I had through my time with the game was cruel level design. Many levels take place on mountainsides with plenty of chances to screw up and fall off the edge of the mountain, but they often throw turns so sharp (usually blind turns) that you have no way around it. I'm not the best at racing games and assume I'm just bad at the game, but other people agreed on that point. Since it was just a demo build, it could have been a high-difficulty track that was just given out of order. I also wished there were an option for a speedometer on the screen, just for a better sense of how fast I'm going versus how fast I could be going. Having HUD-free displays is becoming a trend among this whole "next" generation, but I worry we're missing useful information as a price for a clutter-free screen.

One thing is for sure is that what I played was a lot better than the consumer demo currently available for MotorStorm. Controls are tightened and lighting effects are smoother.

MotorStorm is already set to release in Japan, but won't be on shelves stateside until February. That delay is due to the fact that the Japanese version isn't going to have online play and the US version will, but if you ever want to see a working definition of answer-evasion try asking a Sony or Evolution Studios representative what the online mode will include. All I got out of them was that they were shooting for at least 8 multiplayer players per race.

Prediction: As it seems MotorStorm is going to be one of the only non-simulation style racing games for the PS3 for a while, it might be a no-brainer for those looking for some arcade style racing action. The multiple vehicle types works and feels great, and for the most part the game looks pretty good. The lack of 1080i and 1080p is a bummer for those of us with HDTVs, and I found a few things that could use some tuning up on the graphics front. I just didn't ever feel like I was playing something truly extraordinary, just a racing game with different vehicles and mud. A game like this should have a real standout quality, lets just hope they can find one before they finish the game.

Ports have been pretty popular on the PlayStation Portable up to this point. One game that certainly didn’t go in that direction though is Killzone: Liberation, a follow up to the highly anticipated, but mixed reviewed, PlayStation 2 title. Liberation is still a science fiction warfare game, but instead of being first-person it jumps to third by giving players an overview look at the action and overall it works for the game. 

In this Killzone, players take over two months after the events of the PlayStation 2 version. The Helghast and General Metrac are on the attack and it is up to you, Templar, to assist the ISA troops to find hostages and stop the forces. The story is fine, but that’s not what’s going to make you jump at this title.

The gameplay is very impressive for a PlayStation Portable title. I really like the top down view of the battle; it really works in the game and allows you to see what’s going on around you. It was a terrific design decision by the developers. Staying with the gameplay, you start out with a machine gun. As you delve deeper into the experience, you’ll pick up a variety of weapons like grenades, C4, sniper rifles, shotguns and more. Just from the preview UMD, there was a nice variety of weapons to choose from and they all worked very well. These are not the only things you can pick up in the line of fire; you’ll also be able to add health packs and syringes to heal wounds for yourself and teammates.

The missions that I played were very well done and diverse. Some weren’t the longest and that may be a slight downside, but they were enjoyable nonetheless. From just the demo you have a variety of mission types including rescue, elimination and infiltration.

As for the controls, they are pretty tight in Killzone: Liberation. The analog nub is used to move Templar while square fires your guns, triangle reloads, O throws grenades and X does other combat abilities. Meanwhile, the trigger buttons are used to strafe and crouch. Lastly, the D-pad is used to give commands to your teammates and it works well. These decisions by the developers certainly make the overall controls comfortable and pretty easy to adjust to. 

Finally, the graphics are very good particularly for a overview styled game. There is some very good depth just in the demo on the battlefield. The enemies and characters are all very well done. The sound effects are equally impressive and certainly help the entire presentation of the game. 

The new direction Killzone is going on the PlayStation Portable works for the title. The game features beautiful graphics, multiplayer options and terrific sound. Just from our experience, the controls are pretty tight in the game too, making Killzone: Liberation finally the successful shooter everyone has been waiting for. It has a wonderful arcade feel. We're still unsure about the multiplayer action, but otherwise, we can safely say that Killzone: Liberation should be one of the best PSP games to come out this year.]]> Sun, 22 Oct 2006 17:08:02 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ninetynine_nights_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ninetynine_nights_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ninetynine_nights_3601# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Olly Dean.

While new Japanese releases for the Xbox 360 have been as thin on the ground as Japanese Xbox 360 purchases, this August seems to be bringing a veritable torrent of them. At the front of the pack is N3: Ninety-Nine Nights, the latest from Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s Q Entertainment, as a new take on the popular epic hack-and-slash battle genre with a high fantasy twist. Not a single giant enemy crab in sight. 

The game features seven playable characters, each with his own campaign, presenting his own perspective on the same main storyline. Their paths cross occasionally and encountering one of these hero characters will unlock them to play for yourself, and that’s the only time that the story is of great importance because it does little more than bookend each campaign and attempt to give some context to the carnage.

The story, however, is mainly an excuse to partake in colossal battles that borrow heavily from both the Dynasty Warriors series and developer Phantagram’s own Kingdom Under Fire games. The extra horsepower of the Xbox 360 is put to work by allowing a purported 5,000 enemies on-screen for you to mercilessly cut down, giving the skirmishes an unprecedented sense of scale.

The first thing to note is that your average enemy orc is going to be no match for you, equipped as you are with weapons and combos capable of taking out whole battalions. It’s in sheer weight of opposition numbers that the game will try to overwhelm players, but as you can also command your own, admittedly fairly useless, troops to give your hero some backup, laying waste to the enemy hordes becomes simple but gratifying fun.

Command over your troops is a much smaller element than in Kingdom Under Fire and thanks to some poor AI risks becoming more of an annoyance. The interface is thankfully fairly transparent but still comes off as unnecessary, as allies will sometimes be so inept as to be unable to kill a single enemy in the middle of their ranks or hit an enemy from a distance that it’s often easier to do it yourself - especially when you’re overpowered to such an extent.

Mashing of the attack buttons is often enough as to launch your character into some fairly spectacular combos, complete with lightning trails, aerial attacks, and energy balls fired into crowds of opponents. The characters level up as you fight with them, which increases their strength and adds new attacks to the repertoire, and also red orbs from the bodies of fallen enemies can be harvested and used to unleash super attacks. During this time it becomes even easier to decimate the enemy forces as you cut huge swathes through their ranks, especially as enemies killed by these orb attacks will in turn drop blue orbs to power up ultimate attacks that should certainly mop up anyone who survived the initial blitz.

In the early stages enemy groups are limited to around fifty troops, which don’t take long to balloon to over a hundred, and the engine handles it gracefully with a decent frame rate. Although most enemies look alike, character models are reasonably detailed and seeing hundreds of them come over the brow of a hill towards you really looks impressive, not to mention imposing. We’ll have to wait for the full game to see if it ever manages the 5,000 that Q has claimed – at least at a decent frame rate – but in any case it’s one of the best looking games in the genre.

The scale is what really qualifies Ninety-Nine Nights as a next-generation game, although individual character models don’t look like a huge leap beyond the best-looking Xbox titles. That extra processing power is used to deliver things on a much greater magnitude and all in high definition. Hundreds of enemies storm across the battlefield towards you; archers fill the air with arrows to an extent that we haven’t seen since Braveheart; and your attacks send them flying as if they were nothing. Fans of the genre who were disappointed with the quick and dirty port that Dynasty Warriors 5 recently received may find that this is more of the spectacle they expected.

Ninety-Nine Nights is a fun game, for sure, but it’s not without problems. The levels can be fairly long with no ability to save halfway through, meaning that death near the end of a stage can lead to playing the last half-hour all over again. It’s a silly thing to overlook but when it happens to you it can be immensely annoying. Reports from Japan where it has been out for some time also suggest that the game is short with no online play at all, meaning that even those out to get every achievement could do everything over a long weekend.

Ninety-Nine Nights is a break from the usual Q Entertainment oeuvre and looks like some good mindless fun. The main problem is the ‘mindless’ part; like so many of these games there’s not a lot to it beyond slashing through crowds of anonymous enemies while getting incrementally more powerful the more you do it. Whether or not the full story and different characters will add significantly to the game remains to be seen, but from early impressions the game seems like more of a rental: fun for a quick blast and an impressive technical display but lacking the depth and content required for long-term play.  ]]> Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:24:10 -0500 Shiva Stella http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_disgaea_2_cursed_memories_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_disgaea_2_cursed_memories_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_disgaea_2_cursed_memories_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

In the world of RPGs, games tend to be divided into two distinct camps: the overly dramatic, wherein all the good guys are out to save the world, and the humorous, wherein at least a few of the good guys are out to save the world while you’re lucky if the rest of them can put down their beer and quit cracking jokes long enough to pick up a blade and swipe at something with it. Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories, sequel to the original Disgaea: Hour of Darkness (2003), remains true to the Nippon Ichi style that fans across the globe love – there’s a ton of adult humor, lots of quirky characters, some amusing plot twists, and all the strategy-RPG gameplay that you’d expect from the company out to rattle the genre within its super-dramatic cage. Recently we were able to sit down with the North American version and see how both the game and its localization were coming along, and I’m already impressed.

Though Disgaea 2 does borrow characters from its predecessor, it makes use of a whole new cast, plot, and world. Gamers are quickly introduced to Adell, the sole surviving human on the planet Veldime. Overlord Zenon, also known as “The God of All Overlords” (how very modest), has cursed Veldime by turning all its people into demons/monsters, stealing their conscience and memories of the past – of what it meant to be an ethical human. Not surprisingly, given that this is a Nippon Ichi game, Disgaea 2 opens with the world’s last human waiting for his demon mother to sacrifice the rest of her family in order to summon Zenon so that Adell can defeat him and end the curse. And of course, the summoning backfires: instead of a lordly demon kicking Adell all over the place, we get the lordly demon’s pampered daughter, Rozalin, who joins with Adell to find her father. From there the cast grows to include a French frog with a split personality, a ninja who can’t stop saying “zam”, Adell’s bratty siblings, and even a strangely powerful beauty queen, all determined to kill Zenon for one reason or another, and all constantly getting in the way of that goal.

Unlike most RPGs, which force the player into globe-trotting and backtracking to attain the final kill, Disgaea 2 makes use of a home-base for its team. Back with Adell’s family, players can go shopping at the weapon, armor, and item general stores; converse with the locals; pick up some free treasure; stop by the hospital for routine healing; and access the teleporter, a cute little weaponless archer who enables the gamer to select the next map (area). Each map usually contains anywhere from four to six stages (battles); the process is quick, eliminates all travel time, and is a great feature if story progression and slaughtering foes are you two favorite RPG aspects. Considering that Disgaea 2 is a very light-hearted game, it especially works well here.

Disgaea 2’s character design is also fitting, as Nippon Ichi again makes use of the traditional 2D sprites and colorful 3D areas. Battles utilize a block of land organized into panels, with character movement fields in red and a typical attack scheme: move your allies to a bad guy and select the attack option. To differentiate itself from other strategy-RPGs (including the famous Final Fantasy Tactics), Disgaea 2 does freshen the gameplay by offering combos; when an attacking character is adjacent to an ally, the two (or three... or four...) will team up and perform a more devastating attack, but as the sword cuts both ways it’s equally as pertinent that you avoid rushing a large group of foes as they avoid rushing you, unless, of course, you’re trying to kill each other quickly.

For more intensity, the game also offers a magic crowd along the basic elements (fire, wind, water, earth... stars?) and for the head-on type, ninja classes, magic mages, and even a sword-savvy samurai. Furthermore, battle areas are often colored into sectors by geo symbols, devices that create geo panels (colored spots). Occasionally these sections are harmless, but usually a geo symbol sports a particular effect, like “clone” or “enemy + 50” (in which case, you’d better be prepared). Other times the geo symbols offer experience bonuses for your team, and usually several geo symbols are active at a time on the same colored section. The geo panels invite you to destroy or move the geo symbols that are affecting your squad, and can significantly raise the game’s difficulty level as well as your bonus (each map in Disgaea 2 has 10 bonus awards, which can include cash, experience points, and items). Another unique feature of Disgaea 2’s is that the familiar lift/toss options are back: you can stack characters to throw them over/around obstacles (like the annoying “no entry” geo panels); toss bad guys into your gate (point of entry on the battlefield); and throw opponents at each other for kicks.

In another slight twist, each character on your team belongs to a class that has rated skills, such that Adell (demon hunter) has his highest skill rating in fist fighting, and thus, does significantly more damage with his fists than with a sword or lance. The classes that you can unlock for character creation all use the same system and sport higher rated traits for specific attributes, as gunners are A-level with guns (surprised?) while skulls (male mages) are A-level with wands/staves. Each class also boasts higher basic stats for related attributes, as skulls rely on high intelligence to pull off their magical attacks while gunners need higher hit (accuracy) to do the most damage.

This moves us to the character creation system, which is housed within the Dark Assembly, where the (literally) demonic senators gather to vote on bills you suggest (read: stuff you want). Creating a character – indeed, doing anything that involves the senate – costs mana points, which are awarded to characters for each kill they achieve. Higher skilled characters require more mana because the trade off is in bonus attribute points, which you can scatter depending on the class you’re creating/your mood. Most character creation doesn’t require the senate’s approval, but the top two levels do, and it’s the same for reincarnation (returning to level 1 for another class while inheriting/remembering skills you’ve already learned – think of it as job changing). When you’re ready to build some more intense allies, it’s off to the senate floor, where demons wait on your call to vote. The demonic senators may be for (blue) or against (red) you, and this varies by levels (a “strongly for” carries a deeper blue than a “leaning yes” senator). If too many demons are preparing to ruin your day, you can always take the demonic approach and offer your opponents bribes – hey, they’re just like real senators, only with horns. And if that’s just not your style, feel free to pull out the sword and engage in a new kind of political bloodbath. The Dark Assembly can effectively be worked like a minigame on the side, and successfully scoring votes will allow you to access new jobs, expand your shops’ inventory, extort money from the senate (good luck with that one), improve a character’s counter-attack rate, and so on.

Disgaea 2 also offers two additional features that most RPGers are unfamiliar with: the item world and the mysterious Dark Court, housed within each subpoena. Characters receive subpoenas for a variety of reasons, including leveling too fast, being too strong, having a high statistic, vandalizing geo panels/symbols, and the use of “excessive” force. As Veldime is now 99% inhabited by demons, felony charges are actually badges of honor that must be earned the hard way: by fighting through so many layers of opponents in the returning, yet tweaked, item world. The item world is the world that exists within each item and even boasts its own population, which you must thoroughly defeat in order to make your item stronger. For ease of use, there are now hospitals, shops, and secrets scattered about the item world on top of scores of hard cash and experience points just for plowing through the bad guys. Cell phones, which allow you to call for outside support or arrange meetings with political parties working the senate, are also included. Assuming you obtain your felony from the court and manage to fight your way out of the item world (or use a Mr. Gency Exit – as in, EMrGency Exit, cute, yes?), you’ll score a ton of treasure, cash, and other numerous goodies along with a felon’s reward, which will make all the danger worth it.

As I’m about 30 hours in, I’ve had the chance to sample some creative level design thanks to the geo panels and each character’s natural movement field. Visually, the storyboard graphics (used for dialogues) are both cute and detailed, while the sprites are equally so; characters also sport their own unique poses (Rozalin has a huffy one, while Adell gets into his “[something bad] just isn’t my style” mode). Characters are also colored vibrantly, which is again fitting considering that the majority of them are demons (monsters) or at least appear half human, half... something else. The musical score is fun and quirky and denotes a humorous, yet important atmosphere, and several boss segments feature Japanese singing in the background.

Disgaea 2 appears to be another strange, subtle hit for Nippon Ichi and should satisfy anyone tired of the traditional, over-dramatic “let’s save the world” scheme. In Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories, characters poke fun at themselves, insult other RPGs/RPGers, laugh about the insane amount of time it takes to “master” a game, mix in some humor for anything from item descriptions to dialogue, and generally provide the gamer with a good time. If you’re looking for an “old school” strategy-RPG that boasts a few twists and are prepared to laugh at the game’s fantastic way of characterizing all RPGs, you’re in luck. Welcome to the amusing world of Nippon Ichi. ]]> Mon, 24 Jul 2006 17:23:00 -0500 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_tom_clancys_rainbow_six_vegas_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_tom_clancys_rainbow_six_vegas_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_tom_clancys_rainbow_six_vegas_ps31# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

You know what they say, “What happens in Vegas... is a really annoying ad campaign that I wish people would stop quoting.”

The latest addition in the Rainbow Six series for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 takes the action to Sin City itself, Las Vegas. The elite team of counter-terrorist, counter-hostage, counter-everything officers are tasked with infiltrating gigantic casinos and other Vegas hotspots to stop hostage-takers, terrorists, and all other forms of badness.

The title shares a lot of elements with Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, this game’s older second-cousin. Like in GRAW, the events all play out in a linear storyline spanning only a few hours; and when a mission is over, the player is taken straight to the next mission via helicopter and is briefed in-flight. There’s no mission briefing screen; there’s no time to study a map and spend  a lot of time scrutinizing over minute details, which was something that was one of the defining elements of earlier Rainbow Six games. For that, Rainbow Six: Vegas is a lot less deliberate and a lot more kinetic, as decisions are made on-the-fly and there will always be a new threat. 

Unlike GRAW, however, and more like Rainbow Six, is the wide array of options for performing different tasks. The E3 demo we were shown this year started off with the player’s team dropping out of a helicopter onto the roof of a casino and having to decide how to get into the building.  There are stairs from the roof, yes, but stairs are a tactical nightmare from an encroachment standpoint (one guy at the bottom of the stairs with a keen eye and a quick trigger finger and you’re hosed). The other option is to repel down the side of the building. 

Repelling in R6: Vegas is more refined than we’ve seen in other games featuring the same ability (oddly enough, almost all of them are Tom Clancy games). You can repel downward at any speed you wish; you can stop to look into windows and even shoot at enemies through windows while repelling, and now you can also flip upside-down and descend head-first, allowing you to control your weapon better and to shield most of your body from the window. 

You can also be sneaky with repelling; it isn’t all about shooting baddies through glass. You can snake the fiber-optic camera through windows and cracks to get a better look around, and while doing so you can target enemies and specify which of your teammates should attack whom for a terrifically orchestrated breach. This “enemy tagging” technique can be used at any time using the snake cam, including under doors, around corners, and so on.

Other new(ish) gameplay features are wall-hugging, a staple these days for intrusion; the ability to blind-fire out of corners or over cover (sticking the gun up and shooting without the character being able to see what he’s aiming at); and some great team-based breaching maneuvers for getting through doors, across rooms, and other mundane activities that become much more complicated when around any corner could be a mean guy with a gun. 

The game itself is really quite beautiful looking. Ubisoft is pretty famous for spectacular lighting and graphical effects, and what we’ve seen so far doesn’t disappoint. Because Rainbow Six: Vegas is being developed for the PlayStation 3 and looks to be one of the launch titles for that system, looking amazing isn’t really an option here  - but it’s still hard to tell what a final product on the PS3 will look like, as nearly everything we’ve seen has been running on development kits. Even on the Xbox 360, which we had a chance to look at (but not play) on during E3, the game looks flat out jaw-dropping. You heard me, I said “flat out.” 

The only real stitch here is the fact that there were no hands-on demos available at E3 in May - the only way to see the game was to watch a Ubisoft staffer play through and narrate what he was doing. Usually when they only allow developers to play the game on the show floor it means that the game will probably crash if you do anything but the “right” thing, but the game was still six months away from its launch date at the time. As long as everyone keeps doing his job, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. 

Fans of the Rainbow Six roots might not like the abandonment of the whole “mission briefing” approach that defined the series on the PC, but sales charts seem to indicate that gamers prefer a more fast-paced, GRAW-style design. As the lines between all the different Tom Clancy series are so blurry anyway, you might as well just consider this a sequel to Advanced Warfighter that takes place in Vegas and not in the future. If that concept excites you, you can put all your money on Rainbox Six: Vegas this November and let it ride. Sorry, I had to make one corny Vegas pun.  ]]> Sun, 23 Jul 2006 20:10:49 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_age_of_conan_hyborian_adventures_pc1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_age_of_conan_hyborian_adventures_pc1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_age_of_conan_hyborian_adventures_pc1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Nate Francis.

MMO.

Those three letters are the key to some of the most profitible game franchises ever launched. From stubbornly popular titles like EVE Online to the industry juggernaut World of Warcraft, the MMO represents the chance for a good studio to write its own check. The lure of that kind of cash has led to an explosion of subscription-based games, most attempting to convince potential customers that their game is worth somewhere from 9-15 dollars a month, in perpetuity. 

From the "frontier days", when three titles - Ultima Online, EverQuest and Asheron's Call -  blazed the path for those that would follow, we've come now, in nine short years, to a cutthroat MMO battlefield. Dozens of more or less successful titles litter the landscape, with dozens more ever in development. As one game dies, two more take its place. Innovators are copied, sometimes within a matter of weeks. In this type of environment, anything is possible for a developer with talent, vision, a marquee franchise and dogged determination. 

Into this fray, the mighty Conan will cast his bloody gage. 

Age of Conan, Funcom's second foray into the MMO market, will trade on the world's most recognizable fantasy hero while thrusting its players into a dark, savage and deadly world of demonology, wanton cruelty and human sacrifice. Going to retail with a Mature rating from the ESRB, a potentially risky move for a subscription-based game, will ensure that players will be able to revel in the gritty (un)reality of the Conan universe - complete with in-game guttings and beheadings. However, that's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, in this highly anticipated game. 

Your Hyborean journey begins ignominiously: In the belly of a slave ship, chained to an oar. That is, unless you happen to roll a female character. In that event, you're chained to the wall, as crew entertainment. It's at this point, early on, when you begin to understand that you're in an edgier, less politically-correct environment than your standard-fare MMO. Yes, you'll escape the mildewy confines of your rowing bench, and wash up on a beach, where your journey will truly begin. Armed only with your manacles and a broken length of wood, you'll have to fight your way across an island and begin your progression through the single-player portion of the game. 

Yep. The next twist in your new MMO experience is that you don't start it online! Age of Conan features a single-player game which takes you to level 20. Therein, you'll be exposed to all of the elements of story, mechanics and gameplay which will carry you to level 80 in the multiplayer game. Funcom, true to its name, knew that this would prove tedious to plow thorugh over multiple characters; once you've completed it the first time, subsequent characters on your account will have the option to skip the single-player introduction and begin the game at level 20. 

Of course, the process of completing that levelling will require you to kill a whole hell of a lot of people. It's then that the next hook buries itself into your flesh: Conan's combat mechanics share a lot more with Oblivion than EverQuest. The game requires meleers to aim their weapons with the mouse, and then use one of six different attack angles to try to hit exposed parts of their enemy's body. Archers, on the other hand, will be drawn into what closely resembles a first-person perspective, complete with targetting reticle. The idea here is that your dexterity will count, and skill will matter. While combat occurs at a pace that more uncoordinated players can still manage and be comfortable with, dextrous players like those used to the frantic pace of shooters will likely be rewarded with outstanding ability and results. As players level, new combos and finishing moves are unlocked; beheadings become possible, and one finisher is said to involve impaling someone, then kicking the corpse off your blade as you turn to face your next opponent. 

If you're anything like me, that made you grin. 

At level 20, you'll move into the real game, where you'll adventure with other players (and sometimes kill them). A quest-based system will help you progress through to endgame - 60 more levels of oily barbarians, loincloth-sporting Picts and the various monsters and demons that generally make Hyborea a very, very dangerous place. A robust guild system will support full-scale town construction and sieging. Player crafters will make some of the most deadly equipment in the game. A PvP system will be implemented in such a way as to make it available for those who desire it, while allowing more casual players to enjoy the PvE game on their own terms. While that's sure to create some angst and ill-will among those of you who are straight-up PvP-gangstas from the hood (that hood being Shadowbane, presumably), harken then to this: The game has been designed and coded in such a fashion that, should demand be present, full PvP servers can quickly be implemented and brought online. 

Oh, and did I mention the return of mounted combat? Grab your lance, kick your horse (or camel, or... mammoth) into a gallop, and get ready to explode some kids. The power of a mounted attack brought at full speed is said to be utterly devastating. 

Excited yet?

The world waits breathlessly to see if any MMO can begin to knock World of Warcraft off its pedestal - heck, even to find out if someone can make a dent in its massive playerbase. Age of Conan may not necessarily be the game to do that; its M rating is well-earned, and purposefully so. It is a game developed to appeal to an older, smaller audience and give them an engrossing, perhaps more realistic experience. 

Yet, there are many, this reviewer included, who tire of WoW's endless grinds. We tire of the ridiculousness of much of the playerbase. We're the people who understand that "Barrens Chat" is akin to cursing. We tire of running the same instance over and over and over, for months, to earn a dozen pieces of gear that will only assist in conquering the next grind. Six million apples ripe for the plucking. We are, collectively, looking for the next big thing - and for the adults among us, Age of Conan might be just that.

Look for beta to begin soon, with a planned release in Q4 2006.  ]]> Fri, 21 Jul 2006 17:55:18 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_tekken_dark_resurrection_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_tekken_dark_resurrection_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_tekken_dark_resurrection_psp1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Eric Dayday.

Ports have been the biggest theme ever since Sony’s little handheld was released. One of the larger fighting game franchises finally makes its PSP debut in Tekken: Dark Resurrection, a port of the latest arcade version of Tekken 5. And by the looks of things, fans of the series will not be disappointed. 

The first thing that needs to be addressed is the graphics. Simply put, Tekken: DR looks fantastic. It’s probably one of the most gorgeous games on the PSP. In fact, it almost looks like it belongs on the PS2. There are rumblings that there are some framerate hiccups resulting in some slowdown as well as some slight pixilation and aliasing problems, but word is that it doesn’t detract much, if at all, from the rest of the game. 

The sheer content found here is quite amazing. I mean they managed to squeeze everything from the Tekken 5 arcade game onto the small UMD – characters, backgrounds, music tracks, etc. You name it, and if it was in the original arcade version, it’s in Dark Resurrection. On top of that are the numerous game modes – quick battle, story battle, arcade battle, network, Tekken Dojo, attack, and practice. Quick battle and practice are your standard fare; and story mode, of course, let’s you follow each character’s individual stories. Playing through story mode opens up more modes and a bunch of extras, which I’ll touch on later. Now, let’s take a look at some of the more unique modes.

Arcade battle plays out like you’re at a virtual arcade; think about Street Fighter II on Xbox Live and its quarter battles, and you’ll have the basic idea, though sans the human controlled opponent on the other side. Instead, you face off against a random set of “ghosts”, or AI opponents. Sounds like a generic survival mode, but the ghosts all have their own names, skill levels, and playing styles. And after each match, you can choose from a list of potential challengers and their preference of characters. The kicker – if you choose to, the game can track and record your own fighting style and tendencies to create a ghost of you. Even better is the fact that you can exchange ghost data with others using the wireless connection so you can fight your friends while you’re playing a solo session. 

Sharing ghosts isn’t the only multiplayer option available, though Wi-Fi matches are not present. If both PSPs have a copy of DR then you can play ad hoc versus matches with everything that’s available in-game to the players. The single-disc game-sharing versus matches aren’t too shabby themselves. They offer the entire roster to both players, but the player who downloaded the game won’t have any music playing, and the number of backgrounds is severely limited. Not too bad with one-disc though, right?

We’ve already mention how much stuff Namco has shoved onto the disc, but what makes it even more insane is the amount of extras they piled on. There’s a theater mode that lets you check out each character’s prologue and ending movies as well as the main intro. You can also listen to the game’s soundtrack while in the theater. There are also a handful of minigames that are unlocked as you progress through the different game modes. Not much is known about what kind of games are included, but we do know that Tekken Bowling makes an appearance.

Oh and one last thing - the fact that the PSP’s button layout mimics the Dual Shock controller quite well will make Tekken vets feel right at home here. It will be a smooth transition from console to handheld. 

Beautiful graphics, loads of extras and bonuses, a healthy dose of multiplayer options, and with the overall tried and true Tekken gameplay intact, Tekken: Dark Resurrection has everything it needs to be a success. It really is a Tekken you can play on the go, taking the arcade game and shrinking it down to handheld size. Tekken fans will gobble this up, but even PSP-owning fighting game fans in general may want to think about dedicating some money and time into it.]]> Tue, 18 Jul 2006 22:19:07 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_valkyrie_profile_lenneth_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_valkyrie_profile_lenneth_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_valkyrie_profile_lenneth_psp1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Olly Dean.

If there’s one thing Square Enix is better at than making classic RPGs, it’s making classic RPGs that end up going for ridiculous prices on eBay. Valkyrie Profile was no different, released for the PlayStation to decent reviews but a small production run back in 2000, and now routinely commanding prices of over $150. Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth is an enhanced PSP port of the original game which, as well as making the game available to those who missed out the first time, adds new content to entice fans of the original to play it again.

Valkyrie Profile is an RPG set in the world of Norse mythology, casting the player as a valkyrie named Lenneth, a servant of Odin, the chief god. Traditionally it was the job of the valkyries to lead the souls of warriors who die in battle to Valhalla – a sort of heaven for heroes – where they would be able to fight for Odin in the climactic battle at the end of time: Ragnarok. It becomes apparent that this apocalypse is imminent, and so you must go to the human world to train and recruit warriors to fight with the gods.

At its most basic level, Valkyrie Profile is an RPG – you have exploration, dungeon crawls, and, of course, combat. Each chapter that makes up the main quest has a time limit within which you can choose whether to explore and search for items, or to simply raid the nearest dungeon to get some experience and loot. There are numerous events going on within each time period that Lenneth can choose to get involved with, so progression through the game is rarely linear. Despite this freedom the game is a constant race against time, meaning that the pace is constantly high. 

With the battle to end all battles being waged in the afterlife, Lenneth’s questing obviously has a greater purpose, that being to find warriors to recruit for Odin. This unfortunately means that they have to die, but you are shown in advance which characters are in the latter stages of their existence. By the time they’re pushing up daisies they can be recruited into your growing entourage, and from then on are levelled up until they become sufficiently powerful to leave you in order to head upstairs and fight against ultimate evil. The story is suitably morbid (it’s about people dying, after all), and each of the characters has a unique tale to tell.

In total you’ll find a couple of a dozen characters to enlist and are free to choose which ones you want to keep, which ones you think are levelled up sufficiently, and even which ones you want to ignore completely.

Described in these terms, Valkyrie Profile can sound like a mix between Suikoden and Final Fantasy Tactics, but where it differentiates itself is in the dungeons. Played from a side-on scrolling perspective, players not only have to deal with frequent battles against roaming enemies (thankfully visible on the screen and not in random battles), but also some fairly devious puzzles and hazards more commonly associated with a 2D platformer. It’s nothing if not a break from the expected RPG conventions while remaining just traditional enough to avoid alienating Square’s loyal fan base. 

Valkryie Profile’s presentation has been improved from the PlayStation original, as a direct port might have trouble matching the finesse of some of the new PSP titles out there. The most overt addition in this respect is a bevy of new CG cutscenes – 30 minutes of them in total – which serve to illustrate the story and link it with the upcoming PS2 sequel, Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria. The graphics have also been subtly tweaked to take advantage of the widescreen dimensions of the PSP screen without harming the sprite-based charm of the original.

Despite the fact that ports of older games are becoming an all too familiar sight on the PSP, this is one that should be worth the effort. The PlayStation original has always been rare, and an enhanced port should provide the ideal opportunity for those who missed out on the limited production run and can’t afford a small fortune to check it out. It’s a proven and unique game that should be worth a look for fans of Square and RPGs in general. ]]> Mon, 10 Jul 2006 10:39:42 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_locoroco_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_locoroco_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_locoroco_psp1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Eric Dayday.

LocoRoco, to put it mildly, isn’t your run-of-the-mill game. In fact, it’s pretty hard to describe. It has simplistic game mechanics, an art style only a Crayola fan could love, and an odd sense of humor that only a select few on this planet will get. It’s one of those games where you think “I swear the creator of this game ate some special brownies and drank the Kool-Aid when he came up with this idea”. But hey, isn’t all that what made Katamari Damacy such an entertaining success?

LocoRoco to Katamari isn’t that bad of a comparison - bright colorful graphics, simple controls, and a distinct flair that makes it its own. However, the similarities end there as Loco sports different gameplay.

LocoRoco is broken up into stages, though the playable demo we managed to get our hands on only had one. But, it was enough to get a good feel. The basic idea is to get your blob from one end of the stage to the other. The catch is that you can only control how the stage rotates using the shoulder buttons while you let gravity have its way with the blob. You can’t spin a stage 360 degrees, at least from what I saw, so you’ll have to get creative to get past some of the obstacles set before you. To help you with that, you can also “flick” the stage by hitting L and R at the same time. This in essence makes the onscreen blob jump for you.

Over the course of the stage, you’ll increase the blob’s mass. In fact, you’ll want to since you’re given more points for finishing with the most blobs possible. However, you’ll come across obstacles that can’t be passed in a huge solid state. That’s when you tap the circle button to split up the blob into tiny little ones that can pass through small tight spaces. Once the obstacle is traversed, hold down circle to bring it all back together again. And as they do, the cute little things cry out with an adorable little laugh.

Getting from one end to the other gets more difficult because there are black orbs floating around looking to swipe a blob from your mass. It’s imperative that you avoid these at all costs because once an orb grabs hold of your yellow jiggly thing, you’re guaranteed to lose a piece, thus lowering your potential final score.

One of the things I’m looking forward to most is the multiple routes. Even in the one stage that was presented to us, you could see all sorts of different ways to attack the stage. There were also a number of hidden areas that you can’t see until you’re actually in one. This should increase the replay value quite a bit for those who want to max out high scores, or to find every nook and cranny and item available in each stage.

The music is just as off-the-wall as the graphics and the rest of the game in general, which doesn’t surprise me at all. In fact, if it wasn’t some super happy ultra bubbly little ditty, then I would’ve been surprised. The only problem I had is that I know the track repeated. Some of the levels I’m sure will take quite a bit of time to complete – definitely longer than some music tracks. If track progression is in the final retail copy, then this point is moot, but I thought it’s something I should mention.

LocoRoco is definitely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But if the recent success of the Katamari Damacy series is any indication, then there is indeed an audience for LocoRoco, one that will appreciate the odd antics of the cute yellow blobs. And with its very simple gameplay that only involves three buttons at most, it will easily appeal to the casual gamer. Not taking the game too seriously is an obvious requisite, and once gamers have engrained that into their heads, LocoRoco could become a niche hit.]]> Sun, 18 Jun 2006 20:50:58 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_lost_planet_extreme_condition_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_lost_planet_extreme_condition_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_lost_planet_extreme_condition_3601# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Evan Lahti.

Let it snow, let it snow. As December draws near each season, there’s always a special sentiment that surfaces as snow begins to collect in gentle piles. We northerners see it littered about the suburbs and streets (often to the dismay of our vehicles), and children know it as a kind of natural playground, where hills are sledded, forts made, and snowballs thrown.

Console games, however, haven’t quite captured the unique mystique of what the substance really looks and feels like. Snow’s weight and amorphous texture is a little slippery to render in real-time, after all. But running on the Xbox 360’s capable hardware, Lost Planet: Extreme Condition looks to buck this trend. Set in the white-clad landscapes of an unfamiliar world, players trek through ice and snow, and the element is portrayed beautifully among equally-detailed character models and environments. Oh, and there are rocket launchers, hoards of spider-like aliens, some gatling-gun-toting mechs, and a few snow pirates thrown in for good measure.

Much as we love the winter weather, intense action will be Lost Planet’s main draw when it releases next year, the likes of which we haven’t seen from Capcom since, well... Resident Evil 4. Though ice and snow shape a visual aesthetic for the game, it’s just the tip of the iceberg for the sci-fi shooter. The game’s story is a familiar one, with our character marooned on an unfamiliar rock with little memory of his immediate past, only a dim remembrance of his father’s death at the hands of an alien foe known as the Green Eye. Teaming up with human rebels known as the snow pirates, a grim forecast clouds the way further for our lead man Wayne, as an array of well-armed, erm…multi-armed enemies stand between him and his past.

This species, known as the Akrid, have made a home of the tundra-wrapped terrain captured so well in the game’s title. These exoskeleton-bearing, arachnid-like natives come in all shapes and sizes, and they seem a tad territorial, to say the least. Fierce, giant crab-like creatures, swarms of winged insects, tunneling snow-worm beasts and others emerged in the demo we played. Luckily, as far as weapons and equipment, our pal Wayne wields a multitude of hardware to get rid of the Akrid. A shotgun, machinegun, scoped rifle, gatling gun, rocket launcher, energy blaster, and a handful of grenades kept the terrestrials in check in the two levels we played.

Additionally, Wayne makes use of a grappling line (a not-so-subtle homage to Capcom’s Bionic Commando) for climbing structures at a moment’s notice, adding another dynamic to the otherwise run-and-gun gameplay. But the setting complicates the gameplay further – as things are a little chilly down in Akrid-ville, Wayne will need to pick up thermal energy to keep his vitality and life bar at a maximum. These orange orbs are just as key to surviving as avoiding the Akrid’s nasty claws is – at last check, freezing to death was not a pleasant way to die.

Speaking of pleasant things, while third-person gun-based games have developed a less-than-respectable reputation for balancing control and camera perspective, after playing the demo (recently added to Xbox Live), we haven’t any complaints about Lost Planet’s interface. Many titles try to compensate for an unresponsive or cumbersome camera by adding a lock-on system, but Capcom seems to avoid this completely, likely led by the experience of Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune, who is heading up development of Lost Planet. Inafune also worked on the wildly successful Resident Evil 4, which integrated a behind-the-back perspective that many fans enjoyed.

Visually, the game is near the peak of what the Xbox 360 has shown us thus far. The way rocket shells penetrate the soft ice and explode, shaking the white dust from its dormant, pristine position is a beautiful sight, and alien and human animations alike seemed entirely fluid. Wayne’s model seems especially well-polished: stumbling through the snow never looked so good. Online, we’ve heard that Lost Planet is shooting for up to 32-person multiplayer across different modes, though little of the feature has been revealed.

Pushing the game’s release date into 2007 may not have been the best financial move for Capcom, but it’s undoubtedly a sign that the game will see some improvement following its year-end release in Japan. While we know the plot’s basic setup, the few cutscenes we were granted were sparse, leaving us wondering about the emphasis on storytelling the game will have, as well as the quality of Lost Planet’s voiceacting – something Capcom hasn’t exactly made itself famous for. Still, what we’ve played seems well-rounded and exciting. The title looks to bring cool gunplay into a visually-stunning, rich environment. Like a tumbling pile of snow, Lost Planet is gathering momentum, and we’re looking forward to it avalanching onto the Xbox 360 next year. ]]> Tue, 13 Jun 2006 19:32:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_star_trek_legacy_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_star_trek_legacy_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_star_trek_legacy_3601# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Evan Lahti.

Between 10 feature films, hundreds of television episodes and dozens of characters, alien species and plotlines, a developer faces a galaxy-sized task any time it decides to put out a Star Trek game. Much like the famed Enterprise itself, the license has voyaged boldly into different genres, albeit with mixed results. First-person shooters, adventure titles, real-time strategy, and space-combat sims; you might think that there’s little space left to explore after the dozens of Trek titles published over the years. Regardless, Bethesda Softworks has plotted a course fir Star Trek: Legacy to make its way onto the Xbox 360 and PC, and after viewing a demo behind closed doors at E3, we’re happy to report that it won’t put gamers on red alert about another mediocre film- and TV-inspired release. The game truly looks to break new ground for the star-based series.

Bethesda, who obtained the licensing rights to the now 40-year-old franchise from Paramount in January 2006, called Legacy “an opportunity to bring all the franchises together into one product,” according to Parker Davis, who also worked as a senior producer for Star Trek: Bridge Commander. As Davis stated at E3, Legacy looks to span the entire Star Trek timeline, from the most recent “Enterprise” era, to Kirk’s original series, to “The Next Generation” and “Deep Space Nine.” As such, players will be able to take control of a range of vessels – a total of 60, including every Enterprise and ships from the Klingon and Romulan empires. It also means that fans will finally be able to play out memorable battles from the television series and films through the game’s lengthy campaign mode.

Inside the media-only preview we were treated to, Bethesda showed us a live demo of Legacy that included a battle between the USS Enterprise and the USS Reliant – a match-up that any Trekkie would remember from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Here, just as in the film, we saw Kirk’s ship paired against Khan’s, the Enterprise jockeying for position as the more maneuverable Reliant chipped away with phaser blasts. Sustaining damage over the course of the firefight, the Enterprise retreated into a nearby nebula to perform repairs. A quick slide of the analog stick diverted power between engines, weapons, and other systems, and Capt. Kirk’s vessel was back in action with little delay. A few aft-fired torpedoes later, the Reliant’s warp drives erupted theatrically, turning the vessel into a field of debris, and we’d completed the mission. As we watched, one of the things that stood out most was the immense care taken in model-creation – each of the ships carried a unique sense of weight and scale that made each moment of the combat feel purposeful and precise. We were told that Rick Knox, a leading 3D designer, is one of the lead designers for Legacy, and the detail in ship-representation certainly showed.

The second section of the game Bethesda gave us a look at was from Trek’s more “recent” era. A panning shot of the familiar, grey-toned rings of Deep Space Nine revealed more than a dozen ships exchanging fire over the space station, and even as the vessels flew independently about the screen, the game moved along at a smooth rate. Red and green flashes from Klingon and Romulan disruptors sliced across the astral plane as we saw our own destroyers slide into view. Davis revealed the four-ship Federation fleet under our control for the mission: Sovereign- and Galaxy-class variants of the USS Enterprise, as well as the USS Defiant and Voyager. Davis emphasized that the fleet represented a set of ships that the player had developed over the course of the game’s campaign – that they’d hand-picked, upgraded carefully and learned how to use in unison. This idea of ships from different Star Trek eras flying together should excite many fans of the series. He also revealed that each craft will carry its own tree-based structure for adding weapons and equipment (like cloaking devices and quantum torpedoes), and also for improving a vessel’s defensive and speed-based capabilities. This means that a smaller ship like the Defiant, known for its maneuverability and pulse phaser cannons, could be modified to fit a slightly different specification as the player earns command points in the campaign mode.

From the introduction of the Deep Space Nine sequence, Davis moved our fleet into battle via a stunning overhead/3D map interface. Selecting each of the ships and directing them to flank either side of the station, we then took control of the famed Enterprise-D for the first time, warping into the fray with our phasers fully-charged and a complement of photon torpedoes at the ready. Firing away at a massive Romulan Warbird, Davis showed that we could change between each of our ships on the fly as the combat became more intense, as well as give them basic instructions like attacking a particular target. At the end of the segment, all sides of the conflict had to band together against a menacing Borg cube that appeared, and Davis casually mentioned that the Borg will be the fourth playable race in Legacy.

Contrasting the speedy, cockpit-situated gameplays of titles like Wing Commander, Ace Combat, and Colony Wars, Legacy looks a little more lumbering to control, but shouldn’t be any less exciting for sim-combat fans in the least. It’s just a different kind of animal as a tactical space-combat game; instead of piloting an agile Federation fighter, players command million-ton warships with hundreds of onboard crew and personnel. As massive as these ships are, the game finds ways to blend elements of real-time action with strategy, and in this way, should be a direct hit for casual and hardcore fans of the Star Trek series.

We’re waiting for more details about the game’s online play, and Bethesda is still working on signing original voice talent for Legacy, but with Oblivion’s makers captaining its development, Star Trek: Legacy should be a stellar addition to the library of existing Star Trek games. Look for the title to beam onto the Xbox 360 and PC platforms this Fall.]]> Mon, 22 May 2006 17:39:09 -0500 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_metal_gear_solid_portable_ops_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_metal_gear_solid_portable_ops_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_metal_gear_solid_portable_ops_psp1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

As Nintendo continues to tour Mario & Co. through nearly every athletic event in existence (we're still waiting on word of Mario Rugby and Luigi Super-Cricket), it looks like our red-hatted friend will be making a basketball-inspired pit-stop on the DS, aptly named Mario Hoops 3 on 3.

Planned for a mid-September release, and developed by sports-games specialist Square-Enix (that's a joke, kids), we got our hands on a basic multiplayer version of the game at E3 this year. Sitting at a booth of networked DS Lites, we first chose our trioed-team by dragging characters with the stylus and into the respective "1P" and "2P" hoops. The standard cast was on hand: Wario, Luigi, Waluigi, Daisy, Yoshi, Peach, DK, and Bowser Jr., and there may be others that weren't revealed. Once we had our squad picked out and our high-tops laced, our characters hit the court.

The whistle blew, and after winning the tip-off, we started to get a feel for the game's controls. Like other DS titles, Mario Hoops requires what's commonly referred to as the "monkey grab" configuration, where players hold the portable in one hand as they trace the bottom screen with the stylus in the other. Considering that all of the dribbling, passing, shooting, and movement was controlled between the stylus and directional pad, it was a little tricky to master, but fun nonetheless. Swiping the pen across the screen horizontally passed the ball to teammates, while drawing upward and releasing performed the shots, layups, and dunks. On defense, pulling the pen downward performed a steal. The controls seemed a little unresponsive, but considering we're expecting the game in late Fall, we'll probably see some fine-tuning.

Visually, the court view is captured from a behind-the-back perspective. The camera is closer to the ground than most traditional basketball sports games, and flows north-south as the ball moves about the floor. Item boxes decorate the playing surface, and as players ran over them in multiplayer items like green, red, and blue shells, bombs, banana peels, and the other standard Mario equipment sprung from the court for use.

Mario and a few of his friends just can't seem to get in shape after playing hours of tennis, golf, soccer, and baseball – let's hope Mario Hoops 3 on 3 will help them drop a few pounds. We've only seen the multiplayer, but if the game can pick up a solid single-player mode along with some minigames, it could be a slam dunk for basketball fans. ]]> Fri, 12 May 2006 03:01:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_dragon_quest_heroes_rocket_slime_ds1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_dragon_quest_heroes_rocket_slime_ds1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_dragon_quest_heroes_rocket_slime_ds1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Evan Lahti.

In traversing the neon-lit corridors of E3's South Hall, one of the titles that caught my eye immediately at Square-Enix's booth was Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime. Having played through Dragon Quest VIII on the PlayStation 2, I arrived harboring a few curiosities as to what the developer had planned for extending the franchise onto the DS, but left feeling extremely excited about this upcoming title.

Usually one of the first enemies players encounter in the DQ games, players fill the proverbial shoes of Rocket the slime for the portable diversion. While not the sword-sporting hero we're accustomed to, Rocket's beaming smile and gooey physique carry an immediate appeal for fans of the series, or anyone susceptible to cute characters.

"Tanks For The Memories," was the first game mode I hopped into. The setup between the dual screens was honestly one of the most fun divisions of the gameplay I've witnessed on the DS. Two towering, brightly-colored tanks anchored at each side of the DS' top screen faced each other: one shaped like our friend Rocket himself, and the other a castle-ized version of our platypus foe. The bright, colorful aesthetic that runs through the Dragon Quest series was present here as well, though injected with a bit more cartoon appeal.

While the top screen served as a view of the field of battle, the bottom display was where all the action took place. Here, we had a top-down view of our ooze-textured friend, and we free-roamed around the top deck of our castle/tank alongside two cannons. Both of the artilleries were pointed in different directions: one arced upward, and the other pointed straight at our duck-faced enemy. As items trickled down a slide on the top deck, I'd pick them up by stretching Rocket thin by holding the A button and a direction in unison. Letting go, Rocket sling-shotted towards the objects, bouncing them into the air to land atop his pointy head for carrying. Quickly, I'd deliver them towards the cannon and load them in. Seconds later, they'd launch across the top screen, swirling slowly towards the opposing fort. It was a surprisingly rewarding little minigame – load the cannons, and sit back and watch them do the damage all by themselves.

Of course, my enemy put up some defense of his own. As boulders and bullets hurtled towards my tank, I had to begin using my weapons defensively as well and moving more quickly. If my foe fired an arced shot, I could counter it with one of my own, neutralizing the blast. If I saw an opening for a straight attack, I could load the other cannon to try and deal damage there. Even further, characters can hop into the guns themselves, launching across the map and into the enemy fort to lay down some close-range hurt. If you can make it across without getting picked off by incoming fire, landing in enemy territory means you can tear up their home turf, destroying computers and attacking your opponent directly using Rocket's ecto blast attack. It was uncertain exactly how breaking the enemy's equipment had an effect on their battle capabilities, but it added a disruptive quality to the gameplay that made things a little more strategic.

Overall, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime seems like it'll bring a fun, uniquely-crafted title to the DS library when it released. Though the game didn't seem to feature any stylus control support, and we'd like to know more about the multiplayer, the one game mode we played was a highly-addictive but simple concept. Comedy-drenched visuals, in combination with the familiar Dragon Quest universe and fun gameplay should make this title a solid buy on the DS when it's released later this September.

]]> Fri, 12 May 2006 02:57:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_tenchu_dark_secret_ds1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_tenchu_dark_secret_ds1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_tenchu_dark_secret_ds1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Evan Lahti.

One of the featured games at Nintendo's booth this week at E3 was Tenchu: Dark Shadows on the Nintendo DS. After getting our hands on some of the initial levels, we're ready to bring you the details on From Software's stealthy romp onto the handheld platform.

Following an opening screen, we see a list of menu options for the game before us, including a Kill Gallery, WiFi, Shop, Scrolls, and the main game itself. The Kill Gallery served as an inventory for the images that appear on the bottom screen when you execute a successful kill. The WiFi option, though we weren't able to check out multiplayer, mentioned the ability for players to sell items over wireless. At the shop, we could purchase a small set of items that were available, including bamboo spikes, a health-replenishing rice ball, a poison antidote, and a smoke bomb. Each of the objects carried different prices, and fit into separate inventory categories.

Stocking up on these items, I hopped into the first mission, “The Art of War,” selecting the silver-haired Rikimaru over the dual-dagger-wielding Ayame. A very basic level, the top screen was overgrown with bamboo trees and dense grass, while the bottom screen provided our map and inventory list. Many of the textures seemed blocky and on par with early PS1-titles, but framerate-wise the game moved along smoothly, albeit at the expense of the less-than detailed setting. The character models, while not the best we've seen on the DS, at least helped us tell the difference between our character and the enemies.

Moving through the undergrowth with my katana in hand, I noticed a triangular blip on the bottom screen -- a sentry, clad in kimono, moving in a rectangular patrol. Sneaking up behind him (actually running, as there wasn't a walk or crouch button to be found) and tapping the Y button unleashed my attack, taking the guard down. Seeing another enemy around the corner, I decided to try and use one of my items.

Getting ahead of the foe a little bit, I placed my bamboo spikes in line with his path, then ducked behind a nearby tree to watch. As the guard approached, the spikes shot up, impaling him instantly. It was a simple task, and the combat seemed pretty basic overall, but the use of different items should get more challenging as the levels become more complex in Dark Shadows. At the end of the stage, I was awarded points for Injury, Consecutive Kills, Endurance, and Secret.

Tenchu DS should be a worthy action and puzzle-based title for fans of the series and ninja-philes alike. The game's graphical quality left something to be desired, but if From Software can integrate depth and difficulty into the gameplay as the stages progress, Dark Shadows will be finding some light on gamers' DS' later this year.

]]> Thu, 11 May 2006 17:38:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_justice_league_heroes_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_justice_league_heroes_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_justice_league_heroes_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Evan Lahti.

One of Sony Computer Entertainment America’s most popular franchises, SOCOM, is coming back and this time it is called, SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals Combined Assault for the PlayStation 2. We had a chance to go hands-on with the game at this year's E3 2006 in Los Angeles. To get it out there, this SOCOM isn’t really different compared to past titles but instead Zipper Interactive has added a bunch of new maps and the spanking new Co-op mode to its title.

The demo we had a chance to play was pretty short and contained three missions on the tightrope map. The first mission was to blow up a shipment of SAM missiles; the second was to drop the bridge so enemy tanks wouldn’t come in; and lastly, the third was to secure an airfield so troops could enter the area. The missions were rather easy, to be honest, but I’m sure enemy AI will be introduced and/or upgraded at a later time. The co-op can be played in up to four players and all players must work together to get the job done.

Another addition was the option so that players could select an individual tactical mission area that was previously completed, and play it as a stand alone mission or an instant action mission in four-player co-op mode. A med kit is also going to be added that will allow the player to heal a friendly target or himself in the middle of a battle. The med kit must be equipped before the mission starts to utilize it.

One thing Sony and Zipper kept saying is that Combined Assault will be “backwards compatible” with SOCOM 3. How? Well, Combined Assault will include everything SOCOM 3 had, which includes maps, patches, updates, and many other necessary items. The maximum number of players on a given server for multiplayer is 2-32.

Sony plans to ship Combined Assault to stores this fall. Look for more on this title in the coming day’s right here at Gaming Horizon.]]> Thu, 11 May 2006 02:43:00 -0500 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_command__conquer_3_tiberium_wars_pc1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_command__conquer_3_tiberium_wars_pc1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_command__conquer_3_tiberium_wars_pc1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

Today at E3 2006 I was given a look at the upcoming and (personally) long-awaited addition to the Command & Conquer series. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is the first C&C game in over six years to continue the original "Tiberium" franchise (which was interrupted by the Red Alert series and, more recently, Generals).

When Westwood was absorbed by Electronic Arts, we hardcore C&C fans started biting our nails in anxiety that EA might either water down the franchise with endless, pointless sequels, or get rid of everything that made C&C great and make it just another real-time strategy game. Today I was gladly relieved of my fears. The team making C&C3 is very, very dedicated to the original storyline and cannot stress enough how important it is for them that they not only adhere to the series, but add to it as well.

For the uninitiated, Command & Conquer was considerably the first RTS game ever produced (though technically the second). The basic storyline was that the world was split into two factions, a union of democratic forces known as the Global Defense Initiative and a cultish organization called Brotherhood of Nod, and coincidentally around the same time a strange substance arrived on earth: Tiberium, a crystal-ore type material that grows from the ground and absorbs all the precious metals and resources from the ground (like gold or oil).

At the time, this was just a clever way to compensate for the fact that RTS, base-building games need some sort of collectable and renewable resource to drive the balance of the game. Players needed a way to collect money, so they thought up a fancy material that would grow from the ground and be very valuable.

Since then, and most especially with this upcoming sequel, the role of Tiberium is made much more prevalent. As is the case now with our natural resources, geopolitics become involved and a war is fought between the GDI, who want to collect the Tiberium to power towns, and the Nod, who follow the idealist zealot Kane, who incites passion amongst developing countries in the belief that the Tiberium is a gift to mankind and should be preserved. What was once a concocted resource for gathering in the game series has evolved into the subject of a world struggle. This kind of thought by the development team is very exciting.

This high concept isn't the only exciting thing. While the game has only been in actual development for a short time, the graphics in the demonstration mission were just completely remarkable. Tanks leave tracks in the sand and kick up dust as they travel, and the dust lingers and interacts with the wind. Hover-jets (called Orcas, which should be familiar to fans) create wind trails and disrupt the sand or water below them dynamically; water that looks absolutely perfect to begin with. Particle effects and light bloom are used stunningly well, which became quite clear when some vehicles were used to shoot down some buildings. As the buildings took fire, the walls and mortar started to crumble away in pieces as dust and debris started to fill the air around it. Once the buildings were completely destroyed, they toppled effortlessly and spewed even more debris around.

The production leader said that they've been working hard to make the AI work equally well for both "schools" of RTS players. Some players like to build an attacking force quickly and rush their opponents, while others like to "turtle" - that is, spend time building a huge base with powerful defenses, and then engage the enemy's base with a full force. Most RTS games' AI enemies work well with only one of those schools, but C&C3's AI can automatically adjust to match the player's style, or for in skirmish modes, the player can set what type of "player" the AI opponents should be.




Before today I was really worried about the recently announced Command & Conquer sequel. Now, I'm very excited to get this game in my hands and play it to death. RTS fans, especially long-time Command & Conquer fans, should be just as excited as I am.

]]> Thu, 11 May 2006 02:22:00 -0500 Tim Grube http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_resistance_fall_of_man_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_resistance_fall_of_man_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_resistance_fall_of_man_ps31# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

One game that is looking incredibly hot this E3 is Insomniac's (developer of Ratchet & Clank) upcoming PlayStation 3 title, Resistance: Fall of Man. We first heard of the announcement at the Sony Press Conference on May 8 and we were finally able to pry information out of Sony and even have a hands-on look. Resistance is set in 1951 in an alternate version of England and does not contain a World War II story.

The storyline is a bit complex, but to kick things off the game is looking very promising. The environments shown were very bright and the lighting was incredibly spot-on throughout both of the demos. Everything within the level can be shot at and destroyed while portraying the result in how it would stand up in real-life. For example, if the gamer shot at a window with his or her gun in real-life, the window would not break but only in those certain areas until you hit the pressure point. The same goes for the game; one shot at a window isn’t going to take the window completely out. And if you do shoot through a bunch of rounds, there will still be some residuals left over. Shooting at a piece of metal isn’t going to do a great deal of damage if you hit it once, but if you turn around and hit a wooden object - it’s totally different.

Weaponry used by your character is very unique and fun. Insomniac has already created these radical weapons that resulted in having many options the player can use in different situations. One of my favorite weapons in the game is the “hedgehog” weapon or in other words a bomb that blows up and spikes come flying out to hit your enemies. This type of weapon is very handy in situations when creatures are in a big group spread out over walls or in one large area. Instead of doing the two-weapon load-out, a weapon bag will store all kinds of weapons you've collected throughout the game.

Motion sensitive integration is also going to be added to vehicles so when you tilt the controller left or right, the player will be able to steer the vehicle. They didn’t go into too much detail regarding the vehicles, but it doesn’t sound like there will be a lot of vehicle interaction in the game besides a few sections.

All in all, Resistance is shaping up to be one hell of a title. It’s very addictive and I can’t wait to check out even more of the game. The company did say it is a launch title, so now I know what game I need to add to my PS3 preorder. ]]> Thu, 11 May 2006 02:04:00 -0500 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_superman_returns_the_videogame_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_superman_returns_the_videogame_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_superman_returns_the_videogame_3601# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

I had some time to check out the Xbox 360 version of Superman Returns today. When the game was first announced, I was markedly nervous about the ideal. Past Superman games have been atrocious, and the character of Superman himself insinuates certain freedoms that many videogames tend to lack.

One of the things I was most nervous about was a health bar. Superman, being super, cannot be harmed. This spits in the face of the traditional "health bar" mechanic for action games, and I wanted to see the game come out around that. I suggested simply a stamina system, and maybe a meter to indicate how "heroic" you've been lately. For this, I was very excited to see that Superman Returns does indeed contain no "health" system. There is a stamina gauge, which drops as you perform more powerful maneuvers using Superman's powers of heat vision, strong wind breath, icy breath, and strength. Using any of these powers will trickle the stamina bar down, and if ever you managed to completely wipe Supes out, he wouldn't be able to use any powers until his stamina recharged itself.

A second meter appears below the stamina, something the developers call the "Metro health," or the figurative health of Metropolis itself. If monsters are attacking the city, or if a crime wave sweeps the streets, Metropolis will be in bad shape. Superman's job is to keep the city safe. Superman doesn't have to protect his own life - he has to protect Metropolis. If the city is destroyed or overridden with crime, you lose.

The game itself plays a bit like Spider-Man 2 for the Xbox and PS2. You have full roam over all of Metropolis and you can do whatever you want until you choose to start the next mission, in which case things get a bit linear until the level is beat. Between levels, you're free to fly around, wreak all kinds of havoc or help the citizens with their mundane problems.

Almost every object in the city can be picked up and carried or thrown by Superman. He can lift cars and throw them as an attack, or pull water towers off of rooftops and throw them onto fires to squelch them. One of the game's developers from EA Tiburon demonstrated the power and flexibility of this system by flying up and pulling the big globe from the top of the Daily Planet and rolling it down a street where it ultimately collided with a gas station for a huge explosion. Another visual pleaser was having Superman fly just over a street while using his air blow power at full strength; all the cars on the street started rolling and tumbling in the wind, falling over each other and creating a wake of destruction, sort of like in The Matrix Reloaded when Neo flies crazy fast down a street with the cars flying in every which way. Yes, I referenced The Matrix Reloaded in a Superman preview.

EA Tiburon is most known for creating all of the Madden NFL titles. In fact, this is the first non-sports game that the Orlando-based studio has ever been assigned. It seems like a bit of a stretch, giving a humongous licensing deal for one of the most recognizable characters in comic book history to a studio that's never done anything that didn't include play-by-play commentary or shoe endorsements, but it seems to have paid off. The developer I spoke to said that they saw it as a challenge that keeps them working as hard as possible to make sure they get it right. For this, they recently announced that the game would not be releasing along with the Superman Returns movie as planned, but around November of 2006. If they'd gone ahead and let it launch this month just to tie in with the movie, there would just be another cruddy Superman game in the world.

Superman Returns will be available in some form or another on every game system currently available. The Xbox 360 version is obviously the best of the best, allowing for much more interactivity and powerful features, but a trimmed down version will be available for the PS2 and Xbox, and more portable-friendly versions will be released for the DS and PSP as well.

]]> Thu, 11 May 2006 01:26:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_warhawk_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_warhawk_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_warhawk_ps31# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Gaming Horizon Staff.

Earlier today, Gaming Horizon had a chance to go one-on-one with Incognito’s Dylan Jobe and Brian Upton to preview Warhawk for the PlayStation 3. You're probably thinking, “I’ve heard of Warhawk and is it the same Warhawk we knew and loved when it was released in 1995?” Indeed it is and has gained a major overhaul since then.

Now you may think that Warhawk is all about its aerial combat, but the game's developers informed us that the gamer will be doing missions on the ground and inside many land based vehicles. Vehicles will have motion sensitivity built in so that the new PS3 controller can be utilized in this portion of the game as it is with all aerial combat. As of right now, Warhawk is 60% aerial and 40% ground.

For those unaware of how the controller works in the motion area, the pitch and yaw of your craft is controlled entirely through tilting the controller in your hands. Lean it back toward you and the Warhawk pulls up, twist it to the left or right and it banks across the screen. Rotate the controller left or right again and press R1, and you’ll perform a barrel roll. It’s intuitive almost from the start, and besides being a little sensitive in tight-aiming situations, we’re confident it’ll feel smooth by the time the game’s released.

Warhawk’s art direction is also extremely appealing. Though not necessarily unique, the game blends futuristic elements with touches of the past – enemy fighters in the demo we played bore a striking resemblance to American P-39 Airacobras from World War II, and the Warhawk carried a bronzed, gritty paint scheme that seemed remindful of old aircraft.

All of this communicated a gritty, hands-on feel to the game that supplemented the controller scheme quite nicely: packs of enemy planes zoom over the landscape in formation, moving in on different targets, floating turrets wait for you to enter range, and daunting destroyers move slowly and menacingly across the water. While not all of the atmospheric effects and other animations were in place, there was a genuine sense in the experience that there was a lot going on in the environment that wasn’t necessarily directed toward the player, and in this way, Warhawk delivered a lot of immersion.

Beyond the models and textures, Warhawk’s GUI favored a more minimalist design, with a slim green panel anchored in the lower right of the screen monitoring your craft’s integrity and two other small, translucent boxes served to display the map and weapon configuration. As with multiplayer, there will be a total max of 32 players on a given server. But the coolest part they revealed was the fact that gamers can host their own Warhawk server via PlayStation 3. It is unsure if the console will have a max player cap due to the limitations  on your connection. If you can support 100 players, then the game can handle it.

Speaking of weapons, the Warhawk was armed with a standard machine gun for taking down wandering fighters, but some heavier artillery as well: a rocket, a lightning-bolt weapon, and a multi-missile launcher. Each of the load-outs had separate reticules that changed as you switched between them by using the D-pad.

Warhawk is shaping up to be a solid title from the looks of it. It’s about time we get a new Warhawk! As the game’s supposedly only 30% complete and we weren't offered a sneak peek of the ground-based content, we'll have to get back with you once new Warhawk details are released. ]]> Thu, 11 May 2006 01:15:00 -0500 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_heavenly_sword_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_heavenly_sword_ps31 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_heavenly_sword_ps31# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

A few hours ago I got my hands on a preview copy of Heavenly Sword for the PlayStation 3. The game is currently about 50% completed, and is looking to be a launch title to go along with the PS3's Holiday release.

Heavenly Sword is the game that a lot of people were connecting with God of War when the game was first shown off at the Sony conference this Monday. Having played a bit of it now, I can say that the only real connection between Heavenly Sword and GOW is the phenomenal combat.

The preview build only included a level played out like a Coliseum battle, mostly just to show off the combat without making us deal with the story mode. The final game will have a story; it won't just be battling over and over. One of the developers told me they "laid out the story so that people will want to keep playing just for it, not only for the gameplay reward."

So, on to the combat itself. The main character, whose name was released but I didn't catch, is armed with two long edged weapons that she attacks with using the standard attack button. If you hold the L1 button, she changes to a "ranged stance," where she switches to smaller blades attached to chains that she swings around in a fury, much like Kratos' "Blades of Chaos" in God of War. With this attack, you can hit many more enemies at once and at greater distances, but dealing less damage overall. Hold down the R1 button instead, and she switches to a "heavy stance," where she draws a very large sword that attacks very powerfully but is altogether quite slow. So, if you were surrounded by a lot of enemies at once, the ranged stance would be good for instantly dispatching them, or if you're in for a more intimate encounter against a single enemy, the heavy stance would allow you to do more damage. This balancing of powers is very wise, and plays very, very fluidly.

In addition to that, most environmental pieces like tables, barrels, plates, pieces of wood, or weapons dropped by fallen enemies can either be picked up and thrown or kicked in the direction of attackers. The area the preview takes place in is full of large wooden barrels that you can lift over your head and hurl at enemies, and as the enemies die they drop swords and blades that you can pick up and throw. Larger objects, like tables and benches, are just kicked at enemies.

There are also some very engaging "throw" moves, which all trigger exciting animations where you don't really have to do anything but the character unleashes a torrent of pain on enemies.

Boss battles, like in God of War, often require the use of a little minigame in order to beat them. The boss in the area I played could be attacked normally, but the only way to really take him out was to enter a minigame where you have to hit the key displayed on the screen (again, like God of War) that triggers a series of unfolding events that lead to the demise of the boss if performed correctly, or if you fail the sequence your attack fails and you have to try again.

Personally, I'm very excited about Heavenly Sword, now that I've gotten my hands on it. On the surface it might look a bit shallow, but the combat is amazingly engaging and rewards you for experimenting with attack styles quite well with some satisfying animations. Look out for any more Heavenly Sword details as we continue E3 coverage this week.]]> Wed, 10 May 2006 14:21:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ace_combat_zero_the_belkan_war_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ace_combat_zero_the_belkan_war_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ace_combat_zero_the_belkan_war_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Evan Lahti.

Just a year after the PlayStation 2’s launch, Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies broke next-gen ground for cockpit-jockeys and fans of Namco’s series alike. During its initial release, the game represented some of the sleekest graphics available on consoles, combining high-polygon plane models with breathtaking backgrounds and atmospheric effects. Following the equally strong reception of Ace Combat 5, Namco is making one more strafing run at aero-savvy gamers with Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War. 

Set a decade and a half prior to Ace Combat 5, players find themselves in the midst of an accelerating regional crisis that has transformed into a larger-scale military conflict. After some of its territories succeeded years earlier, the Principality of Belka drifted into economic collapse, and a fascist party assumed leadership of the once-prosperous nation. For six years following this event, Belka invested heavily in its military, forging new technologies and a range of super-weapons. Things finally come to a breaking point in 1995 when Belka invades its newly-independent neighbors, seeking to take control of valuable natural resources. With the help of allies from other nations, wingmen, and a cascade of aircraft, you’ll help restore peace and counter Belka’s aggressive acts.

More specifically, gamers will hit the cockpit as "Cipher" in Ace Combat Zero, a mercenary hired by Ustio (one of Belka’s bordering victims), but much like AC4, only a small amount of emphasis is placed on the player’s character. Instead, much of the story develops via interview-style cutscenes with enemy pilots, giving players input about their performance and their foes as well. This type of exposition is something Namco has pulled off well since AC4, in which the developer combined an anime-styled storyline with excellent voice-acting and classical music by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. Expect the same sort of quality in Zero. 

Another thing aero-enthusiasts can look forward to is the bevy of licensed planes, jets, and multirole fighers onboard for Ace Combat Zero. More than 35 pilotable aircraft, including MiGs, the F-35, F/A-18 Hornet, A-10 Warthog, and Sukhoi 37 are unlockable, each with realistically-represented capabilities in maneuvering, speed, and payload. Players will have to choose between planes depending on mission objectives they’ll have to complete, but they’ll also need to equip their fighter with the right ordinance to get the job done. Bomblet dispensers, burst-missiles, napalm bombs, long-range air-to-air missiles, and guided bombs are among those available in the game, as each aircraft has as many as three special weapons that can be purchased for it.

Finally, the most significant feature Namco has planned for Ace Combat Zero is the inclusion of the “ace gauge system". In combat, radar will recognize objects as either mission objectives, hostiles, or neutral. After a mission, depending on which targets they 've destroyed, players receive a “mercenary,” “soldier,” or “knight” ranking. Each archetype represents a different playing style, but it also determines which Belkan “ace squadron” (a group of the enemy’s superpilots) you’ll be pursued by in battle as well as the game’s ending.

Though this component should boost Zero’s replay value, aside from the campaign, a versus mode is also available with seven stages, while an instant action option remains sadly absent from the series. Nevertheless, what Namco has gathered for Ace Combat Zero should be enough to make it a worthwhile buy. 

While AC5 didn’t exactly represent a great leap forward from AC4, both games were incredibly enjoyable, packed with replay value and wrapped in high-quality presentation. We’re used to sequels repackaging the same gameplay and story, but Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War looks to be a worthy update for fans of the series as well as a dynamic title for newcomers. The additions Namco has in store this time around don’t seem to be mere gimmicks, but exciting improvements to an already high-flying franchise.]]> Mon, 24 Apr 2006 10:07:31 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_atelier_iris_2_the_azoth_of_destiny_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_atelier_iris_2_the_azoth_of_destiny_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_atelier_iris_2_the_azoth_of_destiny_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Chuck Landry.

Of all the sports that have been turned into games over the years, basketball is one that comes to mind as well suited to an over-the-top arcade overhaul, what with its high scores and end-to-end action. That’s probably why it’s been getting hyperbolic adaptations since NBA Jam way back when, and I’m sure anyone who frequented the local arcades in the early 90’s can tell you how much fun that was.

NBA Ballers: Rebound is the PSP iteration of 2004’s well-received PS2 and Xbox game, NBA Ballers, which was itself Midway’s attempt to update the old NBA Jam and Showtime formula. For those who aren’t familiar with the series, the game takes your basic basketball game and adds emphasis on accumulating the bling (ranging from clothes right up to mansions and flashy cars) for your players as well as trick shots and special abilities to keep things interesting, all the while unlocking new content such as additional courts and even professional NBA players.

The story mode makes a return, in which you can create a custom player and take him from street basketball to playing against the pros in a similar vein to the rags-to-riches stories found in the recent Tony Hawk games, which has been appropriately named the Rags-to-Riches mode. Recent games ranging from sports titles right through to The Godfather and Oblivion have raised the bar when it comes to comprehensive character creation. In comparison, Rebound’s doesn’t feel as flexible, but does the job with the ability to change the looks and clothing of your baller and then setting his playing style by tweaking the attributes for individual abilities. Trick shots and move sets can be assigned from real players, and a created avatar can be an outlandish celebrity or a serious ball player.

For those who prefer portable gaming to be in more manageable chunks, there is a full compliment of single game modes, as well as the option of wi-fi multiplayer matches. Graphically it’s an accurate conversion, albeit at a slightly lower resolution and poly count than the home console versions, and everything looks nice and detailed. The graphical difference is small and most probably won’t even notice.

Although Rebound is based on the original NBA Ballers instead of Phenom, the recent sequel, it also hosts the three-player mode that made its debut in the second game. It’s a good way of spicing up the one-on-one matches by adding a whole new tactical consideration, and poses an interesting challenge for experienced players who have played enough of the basic one-on-one. Oddly this only supports two players over wi-fi (the third will be CPU-controlled) which is a slight disappointment, but other new multiplayer modes have been included as a form of compensation.

As for other exclusives to this version, there are a number of all-new courts which feature impressive amounts of detail, and there will be many items of clothing and other accessories with which to adorn your character that won’t be found in either the original nor Phenom.

NBA Ballers: Rebound isn’t going to bring a huge amount of new content to the table for those who have played a lot of the two console editions, but for anyone just looking for an excellent portable rendition, it shouldn’t disappoint when it hits the PSP on May 2nd. As well as being a fun basketball game it looks to be one of the better sports games currently on the PSP, with a good combination of quick modes to play on the daily commute and the story mode to satisfy those looking for something to get their teeth into. ]]> Sun, 16 Apr 2006 12:59:28 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_lost_magic_ds1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_lost_magic_ds1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_lost_magic_ds1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Chuck Landry.

In just a couple of week’s time, Taito and Ubisoft will release LostMagic, an entirely new role-playing game for the DS. During the game’s opening, the character you are controlling will be destroyed by an evil female, leaving you in the shoes of Isaac, an aspiring magician-in-training.

What should set LostMagic apart from other titles on the DS (and most systems for that matter) is the way it blends real-time strategy into the RPG genre. As mentioned, you will control a young wizard named Isaac. Using the DS touch screen, you will command the character’s movement by selecting him and tapping a desired destination.

Combat in LostMagic is also unconventional. Again showing its RTS side, combat in LostMagic is real-time rather than turn-based. Holding the L-trigger will bring up a template where you can select magic spells to cast. But instead of just choosing one and clicking, you are forced to draw the corresponding symbol, or “rune.” Memorization will likely be an important skill to learn, as the battles don’t pause as you input these commands. Plus, the accuracy of your drawings will directly correspond to the power of the spells you cast.

There are six schools of magic, including water, fire, earth, wind, light, and dark. Thus, there are only six main symbols that you will need to learn. Combining the runes, however, will also be possible, leaving the grand total of spells in LostMagic close to 300.

In true Pokemon fashion, LostMagic also allows you to use your dark magic spell to capture weakened enemy monsters, which can then be used to fight alongside of you. As the game is split into levels, you’ll be able to decide which creatures you want to bring along for any given challenge. But you’ll be limited by a set number of “unit points,” forcing you to decide between several weaker minions, or a few select brutes. Your creatures, along with Isaac, can gain experience points as you progress, so keeping them alive will surely pay off in the end.

To top it all off, Taito is including multiplayer support. You can use either the DS WiFi capability or a local connection to battle it out against people anywhere you like. It does require that both DS consoles have the game cartridge, but you can also send non-owners the demo for free.

Although we won’t know for sure until we get our own copy later this month, LostMagic looks like it has a lot going for it at this near-complete stage. Hopefully the game is better than the early Palm Pilots at recognizing the characters you enter, because sketching out runes to cast magic seems like a great gimmick to add to a game of this type. If the storyline is any good and they pull off the RTS controls with the RPG, we’ll have a good game on our hands for spring.]]> Mon, 10 Apr 2006 22:46:00 -0500 Brian Mohr http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_field_commander_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_field_commander_psp1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_field_commander_psp1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

Strategy titles have been all but missing from the PlayStation Portable since its launch last year. Meanwhile the competition in Nintendo has a pretty secure handle on the genre. But, Sony is planning to get their foot in the door with the upcoming military turn-based strategy game Field Commander. In the game, players will take on the title role of a field commander whose goal is to defend the world from evil terrorist organizations that are looking to dominate the globe and incite violence worldwide.

raphically the game looks realistic and stunning with full 3D, detailed terrain and impressive visual effects. Particle effects for explosions, snow, rain and more are exceptionally done particularly for a portable title. The audio is also very solid too since the various sounds of war really bring the whole experience to life.

Overall Field Commander plays like most other turn-based strategy titles. The game gives you the ability to move units one by one as well as lay mines, attack terrain and take over cities. Of course the ultimate goal in the game is to either capture the enemy headquarters or destroy all their units.

Commander will feature 15 unit types broken down by their movement ability including wheeled, treaded, infantry and others. The units also have specialty abilities like special ops, snipers, grunts, scouts, stealth fighters, tanks, submarines, battleships and more. Just like in any other tactics game you’ll have to keep a close eye on your various units’ health, fuel, and ammo supplies when considering sending them up against certain enemies.

To make the game even more interesting, all the unit types will have special division powers that can be utilized at certain points in the mission. There is one other limited strategy that can be utilized at points in the game called offboard fire. This is featured in certain buildings during a mission and gives players the ability to do large area-of-effect smart-bomb attacks. 

Field Commander will allow gamers to battle over 30 missions in the single-player campaign mode. Beyond the single-player experience, gamers will have plenty more to keep them busy including various multiplayer options through ad hoc, infrastructure, hot swap which means being able to play on one PSP and HQ mode which is a play-by-email game. Sony plans to feature stat tracking, matchmaking and even create your own missions that you’ll be able to upload online.

Field Commander is shaping up nicely and looks to be a solid strategy title for the PlayStation Portable. The only problem that remains for the title is its widespread appeal as tactics titles tend to be a hard sell for a broader audience. Even so, Commander looks to give strategy fans all they can handle when it releases in May with an impressive single-player campaign and a diverse and very fulfilling multiplayer and online experience that should provide gamers plenty of enjoyment for months to come.

]]> Tue, 04 Apr 2006 17:32:03 -0500 Brian Mohr http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_the_king_of_fighters_neowave_xbox1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_the_king_of_fighters_neowave_xbox1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_the_king_of_fighters_neowave_xbox1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

SNK is continuing the King of Fighters franchise, long after the demise of the Neo Geo hardware, with the latest game in the long running series, King of Fighters: NeoWave. The game is named after the Dreamcast based Atomiswave arcade hardware and will be again an Xbox exclusive.

If you’ve played the series before, this game is another in the long line from the King of Fighters series. In the game, players choose a team of three fighters from over 40 characters and battle it out. The game includes some characters not featured in the arcade like Vanessa, Seth, Ramon, Kusanagi and Kim.

A slight difference in this game is the inclusion of three different fighting styles to select like super cancel, guard break and max 2. Super cancel lets players cancel special moves into other ones by taking a hit on the super meter. This results in some very interesting combos. Guard break causes the super meter stock to convert into an indefensible attack. Finally, max 2 gives you more attack power as the super meter consistently refills. This also results in the ability to perform hidden super moves when a life meter is just about empty.

One other gameplay addition this time around is heat mode which allows your character to increase their attack power. Utilizing this does result in less health though and it can be a real risk to pull off.

Graphically the game looks a little bit better than previous versions as the developers touched up some of the details and even mixed 2D and 3D. The backgrounds are pretty solid too in that they are now in full 3D, meaning the game overall is just finer looking.

King of Fighters: NeoWave is shaping up to be a pretty solid fighter from SNK as the only problem appears to be a lack of modes to play. Despite that, NeoWave is expected to feature an impressive roster of 43 characters and the ability to utilize three different fighting styles meaning there is plenty of combinations to keep players busy for some time. Add to it the continuous play with Xbox Live and NeoWave is looking like a can’t miss fighter for fans of the series or brawler happy people everywhere.]]> Tue, 04 Apr 2006 17:24:00 -0500 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_okami_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_okami_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_okami_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Chuck Landry.

You may not hear the title of Capcom’s upcoming game, Okami, and stop to find out more. But see a screenshot, and I’ll bet you’ll do just that. The game’s visual style looks like a fluid Japanese watercolor. Then you’ll read a little bit about the game, and discover that it’s being made by Clover Studios. Wait a minute – they made Viewtiful Joe. Suddenly you’re even more intrigued. Want to know more about Okami, yet?

I thought so. It’s been in development for over two years now, and is ambitious to say the least. You’ll be controlling Amaterasu, who is apparently a reincarnation of a sun god, but what you’re likely to notice eventually is that you’re controlling a white wolf. The gameplay looks to more closely resemble a Zelda game than anything else, meaning there’s no linear “level” structure. You’re free to explore, talk to villagers, and progress at your own pace. Orochi, it would seem, is a terrible monster who has stripped the world of all its color and left it a wasteland. As Amaterasu, it’s your job to restore it. And if you have to defeat some evil bastards along the way, so be it.

But let’s get back to Okami’s eye-catching visuals. Luckily we have screenshots because it’s very difficult to describe in mere words. The design idea simply came when the development team was creating concept art with watercolor, and somebody wondered aloud how that would look were it in 3D. Okami is the answer. The entire game looks like it’s been torn out of the pages of some centuries-old Japanese storybook. The color scheme starts off pretty bland – lots of greys, browns, and washed out colors. But, as Amaterasu roams around, ridding the world of evil beings, color in the form of grass, flowers, and so on begin to appear, literally sprouting in her wake as she runs through fields.

Like in a Zelda game, you’ll talk to NPCs, help them with their problems, dig holes, blow up rocks to open up passageways, and engage in real-time battles. What is completely new, however, is the "celestial brush". The mechanics of this are still sketchy, but in some footage that has been released, you can see snippets of the brush in action. When you use the brush, the game pauses and becomes a completely 2D sketch. You might have to draw a sun in the sky on the sketch, which will appear in the game. Other footage shows the brush being used to complete a constellation in the sky, and even drawing a quick line through a wooden fence results in the gate slicing into pieces and crumbling. We may not completely understand exactly how the brush will be used, but it promises to be unlike anything we’ve encountered before.

How can you not be excited about this game? It’s action packed, inventive, and even resembles a Zelda game in terms of combat. Let’s not forget that it’s introducing a completely new gameplay mechanic with the celestial brush. Plus, it’s full of Japanese folklore and it’s gorgeous to boot! I haven’t gotten my hands on the title just yet, but I can already insist that it warrants at least a rental once it comes out. Speaking of which, it should be out next month in Japan, and is currently slated for a September 15 stateside release. Paint that on your calendar.]]> Wed, 29 Mar 2006 14:49:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ubersoldier_pc1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ubersoldier_pc1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_ubersoldier_pc1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Matthew Call.

It seems PC games are a becoming a rare breed these days, with the Xbox 360 already released and the PlayStation 3 on the horizon. Several key developers have already announced that they will design games for the next-gen consoles along with PC versions, which may be the first step in stopping development for PC games entirely. The Xbox 360 has had several high profile releases this month while the PC has had few, if any. The PC will certainly always be a gaming platform, but it seems that major developers are moving away from PC games, which leaves more room for the lesser known development teams.

UberSoldier is the perfect example of such a game. The developer, Burut Creative Team, is a European company entering the gaming arena with UberSoldier as its first major project. A year or two ago, UberSoldier would have fallen between the cracks with other games like Doom 3 or Call of Duty 2 stealing the attention of the gaming press. In April 2006 a new, high quality first-person-shooter for PC is very marketable, as the November 2005 release of Quake 4 was the last time a polished FPS was released for the PC.

UberSoldier casts gamers as a German officer, Karl Stolz, who is killed in a Partisan raid on his convoy. However, as Karl dies before the player is able to actually do anything in the game, the developers bring him back to life, courtesy of Nazi occult technology. The Nazis are attempting to create a highly trained team of Ubersoldiers by reanimating the corpses of fallen soldiers and brainwashing them into killing machines. Karl doesn’t take too kindly to the process and promptly decides to kill the scientists and soldiers in the facility upon his revival. He then joins the Partisan movement, determined to put an end to the experiments.

Being undead gives the player some new abilities. In addition to being able to take a great deal of punishment, players are also able to create a shield around them for a limited duration. The shield stops any bullets from hitting the player, suspending them in the air similar to Neo’s ability to stop bullets in The Matrix movies. Players are even able to shoot the bullets back where they came from, which is often effective at clearing out large rooms of enemies. However, the ability doesn’t last long and must be recharged. To recharge the shield ability, players must get three knife kills or three headshots within a limited amount of time. When players get a knife kill or a headshot a timer appears on the screen and the other two kills must be acquired before the time expires in order to refill the shield ability. 

The game features 16 weapons, which are the standard World War II shooter fare. Machine guns, pistols, sniper rifles, flame throwers, and rocket launchers all make their required appearance. In terms of gameplay and theme UberSoldier bears much in common with Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Run and gun action is par for the course and, while the game does occasionally give player teammates, players have little control over what they do. Gamers looking for realism will need to look elsewhere, while those who are satisfied by lots of shooting and explosions will find them in spades.

Visually UberSoldier holds its own when compared to any other recent FPS on the market. There are shaders and particle effects galore and the character models are extremely detailed. All the high end lighting effects seen in recent games are present and the textures are well designed, giving the game its gritty feel. The physics system is also well implemented and the player is able to interact with almost anything that isn’t nailed down. In a new twist, nearby explosions actually knock players over leaving them vulnerable until they regain their senses and are able to stand back up.

In the preview build we received the audio was still in development. There was no dialogue in the cutscenes, and the audio in the game felt a little rough. The weapon sound effects were satisfying, as were the explosions. Environmental audio effects still needed to be fully implemented so it remains to be seen how the game will measure up in the audio department upon its release, although what has been done seems to be on par with other shooters in the WW2 genre. 

UberSoldier doesn’t contain any type of multiplayer, and the game’s 12 missions should take most gamers about 15 hours to complete. However, the lack of replay value is countered by a low $29.99 MSRP, meaning gamers won’t have to break the bank to purchase the game. UberSoldier seems to be shaping up to be the best FPS of 2006, although the year is still far from over. Other titles on the horizon, such as Prey, will likely take the Game of the Year spot, but for gamers looking for a good FPS early in 2006, UberSoldier is looking to be one of the best. ]]> Sun, 26 Mar 2006 18:46:51 -0600 Shiva Stella http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_kingdom_hearts_ii_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_kingdom_hearts_ii_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_kingdom_hearts_ii_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

Very few game sequels are even half as anticipated as Kingdom Hearts II, the second installment in the immensely popular Disney and Square Enix collaboration franchise. The game marks the return of Sora, Goofy, and Donald in the search for King Mickey, who has apparently freed himself (and Riku?) from the horrors behind the "dark gate" witnessed at the end of the original. The gang's new adventure once again spans several worlds - some old, some new - taken from Disney's archive of "most celebrated" films. As with the game's predecessor, KH2 features a cast of both Final Fantasy and Disney characters, from now familiar classics like Final Fantasy VIII's Squall (Leon) and FFVII's Aeries to Sleeping Beauty's three good faeries. Yes, the only franchise able to successfully base itself in the Disney realm is back, and it's looking equally as fantastic as its predecessor.

After a very lengthy and mysterious prologue (which I certainly won’t spoil for you here) that reminds the player of events that occurred in the ]]> Sat, 25 Mar 2006 20:17:14 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_suikoden_v_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_suikoden_v_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_suikoden_v_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Evan Lahti.

Since Suikoden’s release on the PlayStation in 1996, the series has attained a solid following, known best for its array of "collectable" characters that allow gamers to garner up their own little army: more than 100 of them in each title. But besides boasting a cast longer than a Broadway musical, one of the things that’s helped Konami’s game become so popular is its battle system. Team-up attacks make the gameplay more dynamic; different combinations of characters are more effective at different points throughout the game, and players can pick and choose between party members depending on what works best for a given battle. Though we’ve seen some variation on these basic traits in Suikoden III, IV, and the genre-deviating Tactics last year, Suikoden V looks to return the series to its roots with lengthy gameplay, classic RPG storytelling, multiple endings, a solid combat interface and more characters than you can shake a short sword at.

Specifically, you’ll encounter 108 companions as you fill the shoes of the prince of the kingdom of Falena, which happens to be ruled by your queen mother. Set more than a hundred years before the original Suikoden, the story begins when the queen sends you out to survey the ruins of a village called Lordlake, whose residents are apparently a little perturbed after she had their town burned to the ground just two years prior. Interviewing the townsfolk and investigating the scene (via a few screens of selectable dialogue), you begin to realize that mommy dearest may not have made the best decision. But reporting back home, your character finds even more disturbing news: the queen is in control of a mysterious artifact called the "sun rune" that’s affecting her judgment, to say the least. Having uncovered the truth behind the event at Lordlake, it’s time to find the other sacred runes and get this all straightened out.

Lucky for you, the so-called "Stars of Destiny" will provide some help along the way. In combat, parties are composed of up to six characters, and arranging fighters in different formations during turn-based combat enhances your team’s tactical abilities. Grouping characters in a horizontal line will enable offensive opportunities, but will also leave them all equally open to enemy attacks, for example. More formations can be learned or acquired throughout the game, and characters will have short-, medium-, and long-range attacks for further flexibility in the field.

Aside from the traditional, party-based combat, Suikoden throws in army- and duel-based systems as well to add some variety. The duel events function along with the story in a rock-paper-scissors format, with the player having to predict the actions of their foe based on bits of dialogue they’ll let loose. Developing the story outside of just cut-scenes could break things up a bit, but we hope this feature won’t seem too stale or separate from other parts of the gameplay.

Konami also is bringing back an expansive, free-roaming overworld map for players to explore, replacing the system from the previous two titles that many fans complained as being too restrictive, opting for the conventional "random battle" approach. You can also expect bonus content (probably the unlocking of certain characters) if you have Suikoden III or IV saves on your memory card, keeping with the tradition of the series. It’s also worth mentioning that the music and voice-overs that we’ve heard so far are very good—important features for what is likely to be a game measured in the dozens of hours.

Suikoden has had mixed success in crafting an open-ended RPG adventure thus far on the PlayStation 2, but Konami’s fifth time round the track looks to be a winning combination. Gathering all 108 characters can make for a consuming experience, but if Konami can find ways to keep things from getting tedious; if the game can keep its mechanics, battle system, and story all flowing smoothly in unison over its lengthy completion time, Suikoden V should be good news for fans of the series. ]]> Fri, 24 Mar 2006 10:21:19 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_metroid_prime_hunters_ds1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_metroid_prime_hunters_ds1 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_metroid_prime_hunters_ds1# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Sean Kearney.

SpellForce II: Shadow Wars is the sequel to the moderately successful SpellForce: The Order of the Dawn, which released two years ago, and aims to improve on the original in every conceivable way. It seems that the game’s developer, Phenomic, actually listened to the criticism of its fans and the gaming press and actually corrected the problems! I’m not entirely sure, but this might be a first for the industry. Sarcasm aside, Gaming Horizon received a preview build featuring the tutorial as well as three levels from various portions, and so far it's looking like one of the best PC titles of 2006, especially in the RPG and RTS genres.

SpellForce is unique because it attempts to take a role-playing game and combine it with real-time strategy elements, which is not an easy task. The simplest way to describe SpellForce is Dungeon Siege meets Battle for Middle-earth. Levels often begin with a single adventurer or a small group of adventurers fighting through a dungeon. Upon exiting the dungeon the adventurers typically discover a town or village that needs to be defended and the game switches into a real-time strategy. Players need to gather resources, construct buildings, and then form armies to actually fight the enemy. Surprisingly, the switch between dungeon crawler and RTS is remarkably smooth, and doesn’t distract the player or pull him out of the game with the sudden change of direction.

The story is the typical RPG tale that has been floating around for years now, but it is told with a style and sense of urgency that helps pull the player into the action. The player fills the role of one of the reclusive Shaikan, a human race with some ancient dragon blood which bestows special abilities upon its members. One day the Shaikan stumble into a dark elf, Nightsong, who has been seriously wounded in battle. Upon healing the elf it is discovered that a renegade army known as the “shadows” is moving across the land conquering everything in its path. The player must team up with Nightsong and several other adventurers they encounter along the way in order to find a method to stop the army’s march of terror across the countryside.

Simple enough, but the way the game uses the story adds a surprising amount of depth. Typically a scenario begins with the small party of adventurers traveling to warn or gather help from a nearby village, fighting small groups of enemies on the way. In the town some RPG-style conversations occur and the player is tasked with defending the town from enemy attackers or often must assist the town in resolving a local problem before being able to gain the people's support against the shadows. This allows every scenario to be unique while still tying into the overall mission of defeating the shadows. If the single-player campaign’s story isn’t enough, the game will also ship with a 30 hour co-op mode, complete with a different storyline. 

The game’s interface has been noticeably tweaked since the original SpellForce. In the last game players had to deal with gathering seven different types of resources. In Shadow Wars, the number of resources has been reduced to three. When creating villagers to harvest the resources, the game wisely allows players to designate a resource for the workers before they ever set foot outside the city hall. If players need to harvest stone, they simply build five stone worker villagers and the instant the villagers pop into existence they will immediately walk over to the nearest stone and start harvesting. The villagers can also be retasked at any time, so a stone villager can easily be sent to harvest another resource or construct a building.

Another nice interface upgrade deals with the combat system. Heroes in the game have special abilities, such as the ability to heal or cast spells. When a hero or group of heroes is highlighted, their portraits and abilities appear in the upper left corner of the screen. This is handy in combat since it enables players to quickly access any of their heroes’ abilities without having to individually highlight them. These two simple additions to the RTS interface greatly simplify the whole strategy process and will likely be adopted by future strategy titles.

The graphics in SpellForce II are the most impressive I’ve seen in an RTS. Since the game was designed as both an RPG and an RTS, players are able to move the camera from the typical overhead RTS view all the way down to an over-the-shoulder view like those seen in Dungeon Siege or Neverwinter Nights. With that level of camera control in mind, the developers added in small details on the character models that typically would not be visible in an RTS. The environments are also extremely detailed with individual blades of grass and mountains in the distance which are only visible when the camera is dropped down for a closer view.

The audio is also exceptional. The music, while sounding suspiciously similar to the Lord of the Rings movies, is top-notch and works well in the fantasy setting. The voiceacting is also well done, with the typical cheesy RPG style of gruff ogre and dwarf voices and dainty elves, but it works given the context of the game. Sound effects for combat and spells are also respectable and add to the style and atmosphere of the game.

SpellForce II: Shadow Wars will make a splash on the PC scene when it launches next month. At a time when it seems many major developers are beginning to abandon the PC in favor of console gaming, titles like SpellForce show that PC gaming still has plenty of life left. While I did only see four of the game’s levels in the preview build I received, what I saw was extremely well polished and has left me wanting to play the full game upon its release. Don't pass this one up. ]]> Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:39:22 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_rumble_roses_xx_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_rumble_roses_xx_3601 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_rumble_roses_xx_3601# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Matthew Call.

From the first glimpse of the original Rumble Roses in 2004 it was clear it would be different from any other console wrestling game. The Rock was nowhere to be seen, replaced by well endowed members of the fairer sex in various states of semi-undress. The game’s target audience was the most male-oriented since Duke Nukem, or perhaps Leisure Suit Larry. Rumble Roses was the Holy Grail of gaming for males – mix rock music, sweaty and violent wrestling matches, and beautiful women together and you have male nirvana.  Of course, the game’s content raised more than a few eyebrows and now that Rumble Roses is making its next-gen debut on the Xbox 360 there will surely be even more controversy in the days ahead. After all, what’s more offensive than a dozen scantily clad women wrestling? How about a dozen scantily clad women wrestling in high definition!

Rumble Roses XX is more than a simple port of the PS2’s Rumble Roses with enhanced graphics. While the game may appear the same on the surface, underneath the risqué aesthetics there have been several modifications of the game’s core mechanics. The most significant addition is the online functionality added through Xbox Live. While the original game limited players to competing against friends on a single PS2, the Xbox 360 game allows up to four players to compete together from anywhere in the world over Xbox Live.

One of the criticisms of the original Rumble Roses was that it lacked variety. In response Yukes, the developer, has incorporated several new fighting modes which are available in both single and multiplayer. The first addition is the “tag match” which is a two-on-two battle. To spice up the gameplay Yukes incorporated an emotion system into the bouts. How well gamers defend their partner affects how their partner feels about them. Allow your partner to take a few hits or a few chokeholds without lending a helping hand and your partner will return the favor by not assisting you in your time of need.

Another new mode is called “queen’s match.” In this one-on-one battle the winner chooses a humiliation for the loser as well as what outfit the loser will wear while performing the embarrassing act. This is bound to be the source of much trash talk over Xbox Live. In addition to tag and queen’s matches the game also offers handicap, three and four-way royal, pure humiliation, and street fight matches. A lack of variety should not be a problem for XX.

The moves list has also been expanded for the new game. XX’s moves include strikes, grabs, dashes, submissions, throws, slams, guards, and reversals. There are also several special moves including humiliation attacks, killer and lethal moves and the ability to use items like wrenches and guitars to beat down your opponent.

In addition to the four-player online matches over Live, Yukes has incorporated a “photo shoot” minigame into XX. The photo shoots allow players to shoot their favorite characters from any angle while they engage in various activities like posing as a model on a runway or lazing away the afternoon in the pool. The costumes are completely customizable during the photo shoots and once the shoot is complete players will be able to upload their snapshots onto Live for others to download and view. Yukes has also promised to add additional content to the game via Live after launch most likely in the form of additional costumes for the Roses.

While the game has been enhanced with Live functionality and a slew of new gameplay modes, perhaps the most interesting addition to the game is the ability to modify wrestlers or even create a wrestler from scratch. The menu system allows players to not only adjust costumes but also the wrestler’s bodies. Arms, legs, torsos, and even breast size are completely customizable. However, to prevent players from making grotesque plastic surgery nightmares Yukes has incorporated body style into the player’s animations and moves. If players do create a Pamela Anderson wannabe wrestler they will find that their character has a hard time moving around the ring and can’t react as fast as a smaller, slender wrestler.

As is the case with most Xbox 360 games the graphics in XX are certainly next-gen, featuring an unprecedented amount of detail and gorgeous textures. The lighting features good shadows and bloom effects and the framerate seems to be a solid 60 frames per second. There is also a large amount of variety amongst the fighters. In addition to the create-a-player feature each of the game’s default characters sports three main costume and fighting styles – heel, face, and superstar. Most characters begin with only one style and the other two are unlocked by beating challenges.



Rumble Roses is the first wrestling game for the Xbox 360. While there is some competition heading down the line later this year, Roses will hold the undisputed “best wrestler on the 360” title with its release later this month. Whether or not gamers are interested in the XX depends largely upon how they view the game’s portrayal of women and whether they enjoy wrestling games in general. Roses certainly turns heads and will likely draw down wrath upon anyone who plays it in the presence of their significant other. However, for those who are currently unattached and enjoy watching women in questionable attire wrestle with a free roaming camera, Roses will not disappoint. ]]> Mon, 13 Mar 2006 19:06:44 -0600 Aaron Dunlap http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_metal_gear_solid_3_subsistence_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_metal_gear_solid_3_subsistence_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_metal_gear_solid_3_subsistence_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content.

To say that the Second World War has become slightly overdone as a setting for shooting games in recent years would be a colossal understatement, but letting off virtual firearms at virtual Nazis seems to enjoy enduring popularity. Having seen everything from cyborg Hitler to zombie Nazis in games, you’d think that there wasn’t anything fresh in the concept, but THQ and Relic look to be intent on proving you wrong there.

Despite looking like a typical WW2 team-based shooter on paper – players split into American and German teams and proceed to exchange fire across various European maps as they try to capture each others’ bases – this is far from being a serious take on the war. The characters are all tongue-in-cheek stereotypes ranging from muscular cigar-chewing American marines to sneering SS troops, and it makes a nice change from endless Medal of Honor and Call of Duty knockoffs.

As far as single-player modes go, the options are relatively limited since this game was obviously designed with multiplayer battles in mind. The main story has you as one of the three main characters (each with their own unique specialities and weapon load outs) and two CPU-controlled allies battling through a dozen missions across Europe in an effort to stop a marauding German general who’s running around and slaughtering civilians. Each mission gives you a selection of objectives, some of which must be completed to pass and others that are optional, providing you with bonuses and a warm fuzzy feeling of completeness. The game plays well overall, but minor annoyances such as the fact that touching water inexplicably means instant death can grate.

The CPU characters are reasonably intelligent and able to take cover and return fire effectively without prompting from you, which is always nice to see, and their abilities compliment those of your chosen hero so that you won’t find yourself too poorly equipped if your choice doesn’t suit the mission. Certain points in the levels allow you to change characters so that you’ll never find yourself unable to progress when, for example, you have a heavy weapons character when you’re trying to be stealthy. In your efforts to do this, you’ll engage in some fairly generic third-person action, but with some interesting twists cribbed from the strategy genre.

With this being a squad-based shooter you’ll naturally find the basic squad commands found in the likes of Ghost Recon, but the really interesting new idea is the option to buy vehicles, air strikes, mounted guns, reinforcements, and various other new items to be instantly dropped into battle and give you a tactical advantage. As you play you’ll find yourself earning field units, and by bringing up a quick menu you can exchange these for the new kit – vehicles are dropped in crates by passing aircraft, and attacks like air strikes are called in by placing a cursor wherever you want it to hit and watching the enemies and masonry fly.

Blowing things up is half the fun in The Outfit - much of the environment is destructible to some extent and so can be used to your advantage. Enemies hiding behind an abandoned house? Hit it with a bazooka round or tank shell and you can blow a hole straight through to flush them out. Air strikes are particularly devastating, wiping out most enemies and vehicles in the vicinity while also doing serious damage to nearby buildings. The game doesn’t use real-life physics or anything like that, but some of the effects involved look nice and it keeps the maps from feeling too artificial.

It’s obvious when playing The Outfit that it’s been designed with multiplayer in mind, and the multiplayer options basically take in everything that you’ll find in single-player and more, whether online through Xbox Live, over a local network, or on a single 360 via split-screen. In addition to the expected deathmatch mode, the game boasts online co-op, strategic victory, and destruction modes. Players can join either the American or German teams and play as any of the three main characters as well as their German opposites. Strategic victory is reminiscent of Battlefield, with certain capture points that your team must take and hold to run down your opponents’ points, while destruction is something of a free-for-all that has both teams racing to cause more architectural damage than the opposition.

No preview of an Xbox 360 game would be complete without mentioning the graphics, and The Outfit comes off fairly well. Total realism is plainly not the aim of the developers here, and the game has does a good job of straddling realism and stylized cartoonishness without being disrespectful to the subject matter. The vibrant graphics look nice on a decent HDTV at the very least, and the framerate thankfully remains pretty consistent.

The Outfit might find itself suffering from the fact that it failed to capitalize on the recent drought of 360 games and will be walking into the high profile likes of Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, Burnout Revenge, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion as they vie for the attention of players who have been waiting a long time for something to play on their new system. It shows potential to be a fun, if flawed, little game that may not get the attention it deserves amongst this month’s big hitters. Check out the demo that’s now available over Xbox Live and stay tuned here for more on the game as it nears release.]]> Fri, 10 Mar 2006 18:42:00 -0600 The Gaming Horizon Archive http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_teen_titans_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_teen_titans_ps21 http://www.gamebump.com/go/gh_preview_teen_titans_ps21# This preview was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Eric Dayday.

Originally slated for a February release, the Teen Titans videogame, based on the successful though now cancelled cartoon show airing on Cartoon Network and Kids WB!, will now see action on consoles this April. History says that comic-licensed videogames haven’t fared well, especially when it comes to the beat-‘em-up genre. The Fantastic Four game based on the last summer’s movie is a great example of this. Will Teen Titans do anything different to help it stand out against the other mediocre titles it will inevitably be compared to?

Titans plays like your standard 3D brawler, fighting through waves and waves of grunties until you get to the boss of the area. That part sounds boring and not very original, but it changes things up a bit by having all five Titans available from the beginning. The setup is similar to the X-Men Legends series, but you’ll have the same five characters with you at all times, since of course, they are who make up the Titans. You can switch between any of the members on the fly, which should keep things fresh if you’re playing by yourself. Having five members opens this up perfectly for multiplayer sessions and up to four people can join in on the action.

Each member of the team brings something different and so you’ll need to switch on occasion because the levels throw some obstacles that can only be overcome with the use of someone’s special abilities. Cyborg is powerful but slow, Starfire has a bevy of strong ranged attacks, and Robin, as the leader, represents the most balanced member. Raven has the ability to move objects telepathically as well as attacking with her “soul self” And Beast Boy can change into a number of different animals, which can be very useful in certain situations. Taking another cue from X-Men Legends is that you can increase and gain more powerful attacks and abilities for each of the characters.

And don’t think that all you’ll be doing is moving from area to area beating people up a la Final Fight. The developers have mentioned that there will a few twists as you progress. One instance has the other four protecting Beast Boy in his ape-form for a few moments as he holds a bus.

The developer, A2M, is making good use of the license as you’ll see a ton of characters from the show in the game. Villains such as Plasmus, Cinderblock, and Mumbo are confirmed. And I have a very good feeling that the Titans’ season 1 arch nemesis, Slade, will make an appearance as well. Most of the cameos, however, can be found in a mode outside of the main story.

I mentioned that the gameplay changes up during the story mode. A2M is also including a completely different mode that plays like Super Smash Bros. This mode was most likely inspired by the “Winner Takes All” episode in which a number of heroes and villains face off against each other. Up to four players can choose from 36 unlockable characters including members of the Hive, Titans East, and the main Titans in alternate costumes. Fans of the show should have a blast playing this mode, living out fantasies of who would beat who.

However, it might be that fans of the show are the only ones who will appreciate the graphics. While they capture the look of the show well with its generous use of vivid colors and accurate recreations of the characters, Tower and the city, the graphics themselves look very rough around the edges. I realize that most of these screens are from early builds of the game, but after months of no new screens, I’m wary of what the final product will look like. However, at least the game looks decent when it’s in motion. It may not look good, but it’s definitely animated quite well. Starfire’s starbolts and Beast Boy’s transformations look as if directly lifted from the show. They did take some liberties with Raven’s powers, adding a purple outline to her normally all-black powers, which I think is a rather good addition.

The audio, however, fares much better as the show’s voice actors also provide their talents for the video game. Hopefully, the catchy theme song sung by PuffyAmiYumi makes an appearance too.

The rough graphics and the gameplay that comes standard in 3D brawlers may not be enough to bring in the casual gamer. However, fans of the show and the Teen Titans Go comic books will eat this up, no question. The show accurate look, voices, the same frantic action, and the option to match up characters against each other in the arena mode, should easily satisfy hardcore fans. And with the recent cancellation of the show, it gives them more reason to pick it up as it could spell the last we’ll see of the Teen Titans in this form.]]> Mon, 06 Mar 2006 20:42:00 -0600