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Dragon Quest IX Pushed Back In Japan

Zach Lott — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:14:16 -0600

Originally scheduled for a Japanese release on March 28, Dragon Quest IX has been delayed until July 11, according to Joystiq (via NeoGAF).

It seems like Square Enix discovered some major bugs in the game's code and delayed the game as an emergency precaution, since they have been advertising the game heavily throughout Japan, which has traditionally been where the series sells the most units.

There's still no news on a North American release date, but we'll keep our eyes peeled. Could there be an announcement at E3, perhaps?

Valkyrie Profile and Dragon Quest V Release Dates Announced.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:15:43 -0600

MarketWatch (I know, wtf.) has recently given away the release dates to several upcoming 2009 SquareEnix titles. Since I'm not a fan of making people wait:

Star Ocean: Second Evolution, Jan 6, 2009. (PSP)
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride, Feb 17, 2009. (DS)
Star Ocean: Last Hope, Mar 3, 2009. (360)
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume, Mar 17, 2009. (DS)

Still no release date for FFXIII, but who honestly expected one.

Heavy Rain: 30 Minutes of French and Good Lighting.

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:20:20 -0500

Recently released video of Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain from the Micromania Expo in France has reached the gaming site formerly known as Jeuxfrance which shall henceforth be known as Gamekyo. The animations could use some work, and the gameplay looks as if it may be somewhat dry just yet, but damned if the game doesn't have lighting down to a science. Qualms aside it looks like it could very well be an interesting game. The video is definitely worth a look. Just excuse the French... unless you speak French, then please, by all means, ignore what I was just talking about.

WipEout HD: How'd they do it?

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:34:48 -0500

Now after playing WipEout HD you may ask yourself, how did they manage to keep the game running at a crisp 1080p with 60 fps? Well the answer isn't a demonic compact, nor is it wizardry of any sort. Ok maybe it's technical wizardry, but that's not really what I had in mind.

You see, rather than being rendered in true 1080p at all times, the game's engine uses a dynamic output that scales based upon how much the system can handle at any given point. After it pushes out the best resolution it can while keeping the game at 60fps the data is passed along to the PS3's hardware horizontal scaler to make up the difference, all the while maintaining the amazingly fast pace of the game.

Pretty neat, huh? Please hit the link to get a far more technical walkthrough of the process.

E3 2008: Dragon Quest IV Screenshots

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:56:27 -0500

Check out the new screens of Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen for the Nintendo DS.

Launch Gallery: Dragon Quest IV

(5 images)

Like Brawl, Mario Kart Wii is Experiencing Disc Read Errors

Zach Lott — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:21:39 -0500

If you're amongst the rabble of gamers that came home with a copy a Super Smash Bros. Brawl in tow only to have it not work or freeze while playing, then you might want to get ready to riot. GoNintendo is reporting that Japanese gamers are having the same problem with Mario Kart Wii.

The issue once again stems from the Wii's inability to read dual-layered discs if the disc drive lens is dirty.

If you discover that your Wii is in need of cleaning, you can send it in to Nintendo through a repair form that is available for North American residents via Nintendo's official website.

Update: Nintendo has responded to these rumors, stating that Mario Kart Wii is on a single-layered disc and that they are unaware of any problems regarding disc-reading errors.

3D Realms Denies Duke Nukem Reports

Solomon Lee — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:03:22 -0600

Following a news article in the Dallas Business Journal stating Duke Nukem Forever's release date as confirmed, 3D Realms has slammed the report and declared the claims that DNF is scheduled for a 2008 release to be false.

George Broussard, 3D Realms President, has issued this statement in response:

"The release date is still 'when it's done', and will be until the appropriate moment. Platforms have not been finalized or announced. You can rest assured that we are moving toward a goal and that the recently released teaser trailer is the start of that process and seeing more of the game, sooner than later."

Those that wish to read the full statement can do so here.

Space Ace To Release for Blu-Ray, HD DVD

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:12:20 -0600

Digital Leisure, a company that makes casual DVD-player games, has announced the upcoming release of Space Ace on Blu-Ray and HD DVD formats on April 8th. Similar to Dragon's Lair, Space Ace is a sort of interactive movie. Fully animated (hand-drawn animated lead by Don Bluth, of An American Tail and The Land Before Time fame) sequences are controlled by the player/viewer at certain junctures in the story, sort of like those "chose your fate" novels of yesteryear, except they're movies, or games.

The gamemovie...moviegame will have special features shot in 1080i, with an exclusive "Head 2 Head" online multiplayer type thing on compatible HD DVD players.

Thanks for sending in the tip, Robert!

GB Review: NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (Wii)

Solomon Lee — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:58:38 -0600

NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams is a promising title that suffers regrettably from bland platforming levels and poor control scheme. Despite having high hopes for this game, I can only recommend NiGHTS as a rental for both hardcore fans and newcomers. The game sports beautiful visuals and a nostalgic soundtrack but the game as a whole feels much too fragmented. Online multiplayer modes are a nice addition but they don't offer much in terms of replay value and appeal. As it stands, NiGHTS is only enjoyable at select moments with the rest of the game falling victim to mediocrity.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

NiGHTS: Into Dreams, released over a decade ago, was Sega's flagship title for the Saturn that challenged Nintendo's magnum opus, Super Mario 64. Though the game was highly praised for its creative gameplay mechanics involving flight and the use of a special controller, Nights was eclipsed by the red plumber in Mario 64 that achieved enormous success. After many years of fan requests and petitions, Sega has enlisted Sonic Team to bring back one of their most cherished titles on the Nintendo Wii. The long awaited Nights sequel has arrived with the enigmatic NiGHTS soaring once again in NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams.

The story involves the tale of two children, William Taylor and Helen Cartwright, who have nightmares regularly due to failing relationships with their parents. Consequently, they are overcome by feelings of despair and loneliness as they both struggle alone. NiGHTS, the carefree purple Nightmaren, reaches out to them upon their arrival in the mysterious dream world known as Nightopia. It is in this world that Will and Helen summon the courage to help NiGHTS rescue Nightopia against the evil Wizeman and the sinister Reala. Together, they must restore peace to Nightopia by collecting the positive traits of five colored orbs: courage, hope, intelligence, growth and purity.

At the start, you can choose either Will or Helen and your choice will dictate the story that unfolds in the game. Both of them have unique experiences in Nightopia as they encounter NiGHTS, Reala and the evil Wizeman in different circumstances. The game begins in a centralized area known as the Dream Gate where you are able to visit seven different worlds through separate doorways. Each world consists of five levels with mission objectives to be completed in a short period of time. The first few levels are reminiscent of the flight levels seen in the original release with NiGHTS soaring through yellow rings, snagging blue chips and destroying flying enemies. Taking control of the purple jester-like Nightmaren requires you to fuse together and "dualize" with NiGHTS. In other words, both Will and Helen must temporarily assume the form of NiGHTS to begin and complete the chase levels.

NiGHTS can be controlled with the Wiimote, Wiimote and nunchuk, classic controller and the Gamecube controller. NiGHTS fly horizontally and vertically leaving behind a sparkling rail of lights that can be used to execute aerial combat maneuvers. The Wiimote option is utilized by pointing the screen cursor in the direction that NiGHTS should be flying. Whereas the nunchuk and classic controller offers intuitive controls, the Wiimote by itself lacks the necessary precision needed to guide NiGHTS from Point A to Point B. In the various stages, you can perform two special moves: the Drill Dash and the Paraloop. The Drill Dash allows you to spin and accelerate at a faster speed to collect rings, smash items and destroy enemies. Conversely, the Paraloop is executed by flying in a circular motion around flying creatures and foes. Thus, an aerial vacuum is created that captures both Nightopians and Nightmarens in mid-air and sends them to a different world entirely.

Boss encounters are initiated at the end of the first level of each world. The different challenges vary from easy to moderately difficult when facing a hideous foe. Frustration easily mounts in boss fights as you often struggle to figure out how to finish the necessary mission objective. In addition, dying in a boss fight means that you have to start the entire mission over again. Sadly, there are no save points or items that allow you to restart the boss encounter after a slow but painful death. Once the boss is defeated, you must fight a stronger form of the same boss once more in the final level.

Persona masks are highly coveted items to be found in the separate worlds throughout, and when found and used accordingly, they transform NiGHTS into three different creatures: dolphin, dragon and rocket. The dolphin persona mask allows you to swim freely underwater and enables access to secret secluded areas while the dragon mask provides NiGHTS with superior wind resistance. Finally, just like the name suggests, the rocket persona mask turns you into a rocket blasting you through yellow rings and breakable objects at a phenomenal speed.

The biggest disappointment in this game is the platforming levels. With either Will or Helen, you must finish numerous mission levels ranging from regrouping with NiGHTS to collecting as many orbs as possible. However, these levels are dull and uninspired compared to the more intriguing free-roaming flight levels with NiGHTS. What's more, it's not always clear where you're supposed to go when trying to complete the mission objective in a timely manner. To top it off, the camera is dreadful and quite a nuisance around tight corners and walls. These levels comprise a majority of the mission levels in the Nightopia worlds that really doesn't add anything valuable to the overall gameplay.

After the first Nightopia world is cleared, a special doorway is unlocked to another world. This secluded world, known as My Dream, is home to your private collection of creatures from the Nightopia worlds. In reference to the Paraloop technique, Nightopians and enemy creatures, Nightmarens, are brought to this world after they are captured in regular mission levels. There are two kinds of every creature and the type and quantity of the creatures will influence the environment of the My Dream world. Special gifts and invitations can be exchanged and extended to online friends that wish to visit your paradise through an exclusive friend roster list.

Multiplayer matches feature two different modes: Race and Battle. Under the Race mode, you can compete against a friend locally or online to be the first to reach the goal. The three online modes are as follows: With a Nearby Friend, With a Faraway Friend and With a Random Player. With a Nearby Friend mode pits two players against one another in a Nightopia game. The Faraway Friend mode allows you to challenge a friend online from your friend roster list whereas the Random Player mode matches you up against almost anyone online. Regarding the Battle mode, you are free to set the rules and parameters of a competitive game against a friend offline.

The visuals in this game are simply a delight. Vibrant colors and polished designs are evident in the trees, waterfalls, rocky terrains, buildings, aquatic creatures and the surrounding landscape. The roller coaster mission with fireworks, flying enemies and the soaring NiGHTS is wonderful eye-candy filled with charm and excitement. As for the soundtrack, the music blends perfectly with the game in promoting the artistic and whimsical world of Nightopia. Most of the voice work is well done with strong performances behind Will, Helen and the cheerful NiGHTS.

Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: 12/18/07
ESRB: E

Patapon: Just a Really Good Deal for the PSP

Shiva Stella — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:04:37 -0600

Recently I reported an apparent price-drop for Sony's Patapon, the company's very Locoroco-esque and next promising hit for the PSP. Though the game was originally listed with an MSRP of $29.99, the game's cost remains lowered to $19.99.

Today Sony updated its popular PlayStation blog with the reason for the drop: the cost has been lowered to the Greatest Hits price point in order to attract gamers that might otherwise pass it up or lose it in the barrage of upcoming PSP titles.

Here's the official word from Jeff Reese, director software marketing.

Patapon is really different and highly creative, a new kind of PSP experience we dont want anyone to miss. So to make it more accessible to everyone, we are happy to officially announce that we are releasing it at $19.99, lower than other new PSP games. Its a game that shouldnt get lost with some other big titles launching on the platform. It deserves your attention because its very cool.

Totally called it. You can look for the game on February 26.

What's the Deal with Patapon?

Shiva Stella — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:29:03 -0600

Hmm. You look familiar.

While bouncing around on Gamestop's latest price-drop listings page today I happened to come across Sony's Patapon, a PSP game that looks very similar to the popular PSP hit, Locoroco (and that's not a coincidence).

While it's customary for price-drops to occur for really old games you should already have played and really bad games you should never touch, why is there a $10 drop for a game that isn't even out yet? Is it so horrible that they're dying to rid themselves of stock they currently don't have or are they just trying to solicit pre-orders? Or maybe it's merely a really nice deal?

I am become confused...

That Duke Nukem Forever Teaser Is Out... A Decade Late

Aaron Dunlap — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:57:22 -0600

So you've been waiting ten years for Duke Nukem Forever (question: why?) and what have you got to show for it? This video, that's what.

The video features no actual gameplay, and basically confirms the following facts: Duke Nukem will be in it, so will aliens.

Personally, I don't see the point of being excited for a game from a company whose last product was made over a decade ago and after 10 years of working on one game has nothing to show for it but a rendered video that could be done by a college 3D graphics class in an afternoon. But hey, that's just me.

If you wish, check out the video after the jump.

Blue Dragon 2 Coming In 2008?

Solomon Lee — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:02:55 -0600

According to CVG, Takashi Sensui, Xbox Japan's boss, has stated in an interview with Jiji Press, the company's strategic goal of doubling the number of Xbox 360 titles in Japan in 2008. The highlight of the titles to be released, could possibly be a sequel to the RPG title, Blue Dragon.

Quoted directly from the news story, Mistwalker president, Hironobu Sakaguchi, has issued this comment:

"We're in talks with Microsoft about development of a sequel. Specifics aren't finalized, but there's a possibility that it will be produced as an online title."

Nights Into Dreams Not Coming Stateside

Solomon Lee — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:58:26 -0600

Following the news of NiGHTs into Dreams being re-released on the PS2 for Japanese gamers, more information has been gathered regarding the North American release.

According to reports, it appears that the game will not be coming stateside. Takashi Iizuka, the man handling this relaunch, has stated that "there are currently no plans for the PS2 version to be released outside of Japan."

On the upside, fans can take heart as the Wii title, NiGHTs: Journey of Dreams is set for release on December 18.

New Race Driver Grid Screenshots

Solomon Lee — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:38:47 -0600

Codemasters has released the first images of Race Driver: GRID, previously known as Race Driver One, for the PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The game is scheduled for a 2008 release.

Hit the jump for some highlights or visit the link to view more images.

New Nights Into Dreams Screenshots

Solomon Lee — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:22:13 -0600

Sega has published the first screens of Nights Into Dreams for the PS2.

Originally released on the Sega Saturn, the game will receive enhanced graphics and is set for Japanese release early next year on February 21.

According to Famitsu, Nights will feature an art gallery and a movie playback option. There is no word of a North American release at this time.

Hit the link to view more images.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Available Now

Shiva Stella — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:45:18 -0600

For those PlayStation 3 gamers eager for something else to play besides other hot releases, Naughty Dog's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune probably fits the bill.

The game is now available at stores and for additional information you can visit the title's official site, located here. Interestingly enough, there's a soundtrack that'll be available via itunes starting tomorrow, November 20.

The demo is still available on the PlayStation Network.

First Review for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Up

Shiva Stella — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:51:16 -0600

In case you missed it last night, IGN has posted the first review for Naughty Dog's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, set to launch on the PlayStation 3 on November 19. Those curious about the game can still download the free demo available at the PlayStation Store. Here's a snazzy quote from Evan Wells, co-president ND:

The response to the demo that we released last week has been outstanding. Im really glad everybodys enjoying it. And I hope I dont come across as too conceited to say that the complete game is even better! We really tried to design Uncharted as a comprehensive package and it was challenging to select a slice of it that captures the huge variety of gameplay that we have in the game.

In closing, Id just like to say congratulations and thanks to everybody who had involvement in the creation of Uncharted: Drakes Fortune. And that includes all of you on the forums who have been giving us encouragement and feedback along the way believe it or not, we were listening, and many of your comments helped us make Uncharted a better game.

Well that's encouraging. IGN scored the title a 9.1 and had this to say in summation:

Here's the thing about Uncharted, the final sum is far greater than the individual parts. Maybe you don't dig the combat or maybe the pop-in gets you down, but the overall package of an endearing story, outstanding score, great performances and fun gameplay should put this title on the top of your holiday wishlist. Say what you will about the PS3, but Uncharted isn't just a standout for Sony -- it's a standout for gaming as a whole.

New Uncharted Drakes Fortune Video

Shiva Stella — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:40:55 -0600

GameSpot has a new exclusive gameplay video showcasing Naughty Dog's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PlayStation 3. The video follows Sony and ND's November 8 release of the (extremely short but beautiful) demo via the PlayStation Network. You can check out the footage at the jump.

PlayStation Store Update: Uncharted Drake's Fortune Demo Out

Shiva Stella — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:18:05 -0600

The US PlayStation Store has been updated as is practically custom for every Thursday now. Goodies include:

Demos:

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
College Hoops 2K8

Add-on Content:

MotorStorm Devil's Weekend ($6)
Guitar Hero III song packs (6.25/each)

Game Videos:

MotorStorm Devils Weekend Video
Ratchet & Clank Future: ToD Launch Trailer
Devil May Cry 4 TGS Trailer 2
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 Trailer
Burnout Paradise Carson GT Trailer
Burnout Paradise Manhattan Trailer
Movie and Blu-ray Disc Trailers:
One Missed Call Trailer
Sweeney Todd Trailer
Hostel Part II Trailer

PS3 Wallpaper:

(5) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Wallpapers (free)

Themes:

Classy Pink, Pixel and Nature (also free)

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker Now Available

Solomon Lee — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:55:02 -0600

Square Enix has announced that Dragon Quest Monsters: Jokers is now available for the DS. To date, the Dragon Quest series has sold more than 43 million units worldwide. The handheld title is rated "E10+" for "Everyone 10 and older" and has an MSRP of $39.99 in retail stores.

Hit the link to visit the official website.

Koei's Bladestorm Now Available

Shiva Stella — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:44:02 -0600

Koei has announced that its Bladestorm: the Hundred Years' War is now available for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. Review scores aren't exactly rosy thus far but if you're on the fence about it you can always check out the demos available on the XBL Marketplace and PlayStation Store. Below is a score summary, and if you're interested in more info hit the jump.

80 - EuroGamer: "A very, very good videogame: another brilliant evolution of Koei's unique interpretation of the real-time strategy genre..."
61 - PSM3 Magazine UK: "A so-so mix of tactics and chaotic combat."
60 - PSM Magazine
47 - EGM: "With all these hiccups, I'm shocked this war lasted one year, let alone 100." (I see EGM keeps getting wittier and wittier)
40 - 1UP: "The majority of the environments are quite sparse, with few buildings yet plenty of fog to help hide the fact that the draw distance here isn't that spectacular."

Excerpt:

In the 14th century a quarrel over English succession to the French throne escalated into what history would call the Hundred Years' War. This ongoing war had exhausted the standing armies of both sides and there was a growing dependence on mercenary soldiers.

Taking the role of a mercenary soldier, players must contract their services to the English or French; with the ultimate goal of achieving glorious fame and fortune. Those who establish a reputation as a formidable warrior and leader of men, will amass a valuable war chest and lure hardened warriors to their employ.

As arrows rain from above, knights charge on horseback, and cannoniers fire volleys at heavy infantry, armies will collide in unprecedented scale. Players will be immersed in ferocious battles where an innovative action style enables them to defeat countless numbers of soldiers with one cleverly chosen attack command. Outwit your opponents and overwhelm the enemy with dominating force to be the last one standing when the dust settles on one of history's greatest conflicts.

The title is rated Teen and also sports some lovely 720p visuals. Check out prices at the link.

Wii Hard Drive Still Not Gonna Happen

Aaron Dunlap — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:38:59 -0500

I want it, you want it, your father wants it, but Nintendo doesn't: a hard drive inside the Wii.

Shipping with only a few megabytes of internal flash storage, the Wii's internal memory can quickly fill up with game saves and, much more likely, downloadable Virtual Console games. If they'd just throw a hard drive in that shiny white box you'd be able to store hundreds of times more data, but Nintendo apparently won't even consider it.

According to the Play.tm article linked below:

"The way that we look at it is, we really don't want people storing every single game they buy on their drive," responded Nintendo of America PR manager, Eric Walter.

"When you buy a game, it's yours forever, so you can delete it, and go back and get it at any time you want. In a way, we liken it to putting music on your iPod; you listen to it for a while, and then you get tired of it, and you pull it off, and you put some new stuff on."

Actually, that's not how all iPods work. The iPods with small amounts of flash storage, yeah, you certainly have to maintain your library carefully and swap songs individually. But then there's the iPods with inexpensive, high-capacity hard drives where you can load up all your music and then choose whichever songs you want to hear and still have space left over for photos and games.

Y'know, kind of like what we want to do with the Wii.

In other words, that analogy blows. For now, all there is to do is buy tiny, easy-to-lose memory cards for storing data once the internal memory is filled up.

New Uncharted Drakes Fortune Interview, Jak & Daxter Not Dead

Shiva Stella — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:45:33 -0500

PALGN has posted an interview conducted with Naughty Dog's co-president, Evan Wells, regarding Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PlayStation 3. It covers the added difficulties the company faced in developing the title (as well as switching from PlayStation 2 to PlayStation 3 hardware), why ND decided to leave out any multiplayer options, the game's AI and use of the Sixaxis controller as well as a slew of other details.

Toward the end of the interview Wells also comments on the company's loss of the Crash Bandicoot franchise (apparently seeing other developers work on CB is "a little bit like watching your daughter do porn" - and yes that's a direct quote) and the possibility of crafting another Jak and Daxter title. Hit the jump for an excerpt or go straight to the interview at the link.

Excerpt:

PALGN: Will Uncharted feature any multiplayer?

EW: No multiplayer, it's kind of selfish at least on my part I actually enjoy these single player adventures and while multiplayer is fun from time to time, I guess i'm an aging gamer. I can't stand getting onto Xbox Live or whatever and having some twelve year old punk crack it at my idea. To hook up with your friends, well we're all busy and it's hard to coordinate times to play together. So we really just wanted to cater to that individual who wants to sit down on their couch, turn down the lights, turn up the stereo and fall deep into the game and immerse themselves.

PALGN: So Naughty Dog is finished with Crash Bandicoot now?

EW: Yeah, we have to be. Unless we go back to Universal and pay them a lot of money to work on the game that we created then we're done with Crash Bandicoot. Unfortunately I love the character to death and those games have a special place in my heart, in fact CTR is the one game that i'll continue playing for years to come.

PALGN: Is it disappointing to see other developers work on Crash Bandicoot?

EW: Yes, a little bit. It's, I don't know if you want to quote me on this, It's a little bit like watching your daughter do porn (heck yes we want to quote you - Ed).

PALGN: The story is a little bit different with Jak though as Sony own the IP, do you want to continue the Jak franchise?

EW: Yes, it's certainly something that a lot of Naughty Dog staff still feel very passionate about. We were sort of getting creatively tapped out. We spent our last five years on the franchise and we definitely needed this break. But I fully expect we'll be doing some Jak and Daxter in the future, I don't know when but yeah.

PALGN: Because Insomniac did such a good job with Ratchet and Clank...

EW: Oh yeah definitely that inspired us. I think it's fantastic and I have played it and it is fantastic. I'd really like to do Jak and Daxter but i'd like to do something very different, I wouldn't want to just do something we did on the PlayStation 2 I'd like to do something really special.

New Blue Dragon Update

Solomon Lee — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:12:13 -0500

Microsoft has announced that new downloadable content is available on Xbox Live for their RPG, Blue Dragon. One of the highlights is the "Way of Thieves" item that allows Shu and party to steal rare items from their enemies during battle. The package will cost you 200 Microsoft points and should appease fans until the November release of their "Shuffled Dungeon" package.

Hit the jump for the link to the official site.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Demo Due in November

Shiva Stella — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:40:38 -0500

In more interesting Uncharted: Drake's Fortune news, Naughty Dog's Christian Gyrling has confirmed that a demo of the title will be available sometime in November. In his own words left in the comment section of his post on the PlayStation blog regarding the game:

"A demo will be available in the Play Station Store sometime mid November. I dont know the exact date as of now."

Unseen Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Screenshots

Tim Grube — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:28:01 -0500

Naughty Dog has been quiet about their upcoming title, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PlayStation 3 until today. New screenshots surfaced over at French gaming website, Jeux France showing off in-game scenes. Head over to peep them.

GH Preview: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (360)

Aaron Dunlap — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:07:45 -0500

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.

Uncharteds story kind of re-imagines the life story of Sir Francis Drake, the legendary explorer. According to the games plot, Drake didnt 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 doesnt really mean man of gold, it means city of gold.

The main character in the game isnt Francis Drake, though, its his son, or his grandson.. or his cousins nephew, I dont 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. Theres 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. Im 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. Its almost cartoonish.

The graphics seemed typical for a PS3 game: very pretty, but distractingly shiny. Its like theres a layer of bacon grease was sprayed over all the foliage and characters. I think theres some default lighting effect present in the PS3s 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.

Blue Dragon Art Surfaces

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:41:00 -0500

They're small, but it's the first peek of Blue Dragon for the Xbox 360. Check em out! Originally written by Tim Grube

First D&D: Tactics Screen Released

Aaron Dunlap — Thu, 17 May 2007 16:30:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Below are some new screens from the 2007 SCEA Gamer's Day event for Dungeons & Dragons: Tactics for the PSP.

Castlevania: The Dragon X Chronicles Screens Released

Aaron Dunlap — Thu, 17 May 2007 16:28:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Here are the first screenshots from Konami's Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles for the PSP which debuted at the SCEA Gamer's Day event.

New Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Trailer

Shiva Stella — Thu, 17 May 2007 14:15:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Here's the SCEA Gamer's Day 07 trailer for Naughty Dog's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune on the PlayStation 3. Announcement details and artwork/screenshots can be found here. Enjoy.

divxMovie('http://files.gaminghorizon.com/t_uncharted_gd07.divx',true);

Square Enix Announces Four Titles for NA Market

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Mon, 14 May 2007 12:42:00 -0500

Square Enix has announced the development of and tentative release dates for four of its impending titles as well as game details and system specifics.

For the Nintendo DS, Square is planning to launch Dragon Quest Monsters - Joker, an "addictive handheld monster collection RPG" that enables players to "capture, train, and breed a powerful army from more than 200 classic Dragon Quest creatures in order to become the world's greatest monster trainer." Sound familiar? The game is set to release in Q4 2007 (all dates given are for North America and, of course, subject to change at a moment's whim).

Square is developing another Dragon Quest title for the Nintendo Wii, entitled Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors. The game is being billed as suitable for both the hardcore and casual gaming audiences and makes extensive use of the Wii remote, enabling players to "slash, parry, and slice their way through a land filled with trademark Dragon Quest foes." The release date is currently TBA.

Square is also planning to release Ivalice Alliance Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, a portable update of the original 1997 PlayStation classic (Final Fantasy Tactics), for the PlayStation Portable. The game features new CG cutscenes, new jobs, a 16:9 widescreen presentation, multiplayer, and "new storyline elements" that all "refine the genesis of the Ivalice Alliance." The game will launch simultaneously in both the European and North American regions this October and is already being enjoyed by gamers in Japan.

And finally, the company is also intending to launch Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings, which continues the story of Final Fantasy XI, exclusively for the Nintendo DS. The game is a "sophisticated experience that commands full use of the Nintendo DS," featuring touch screen functionality via the stylus. The game is expected to release this winter. Originally written by Shiva Stella

Double Dragon Headed to XBLA Tomorrow

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Tue, 08 May 2007 12:48:00 -0500

Microsoft has announced that it is bringing the "legendary arcade classic that introduced gamers to co-op stree-brawling action" - Double Dragon - to the Xbox Live Arcade service beginning Wednesday, May 9, at 9 a.m. GMT (2 a.m. PDT). The title will cost 400 Microsoft Points, is rated E10+ (with mild suggestive themes and violence - weren't those the good ole' days?) and includes online co-op via Xbox Live.

Double Dragon is the story of Billy and Jimmy Lee, twin brothers who learned to fight on the cold, tough streets of their city. Their expert knowledge of the ancient martial art of Sou-Setsu-Ken, combined with their streetwise outlook, means that theyre two of the most formidable combatants ever to walk the streets. Billy and Jimmy will use their feet, fists, elbows and whatever weapons come to hand to defeat the gang that kidnapped Billys girlfriend.

Features include:

Two-player co-op multiplayer locally or over Xbox LIVE
Special extras such as a look at the original Japanese and U.S. Double Dragon sales fliers
Gameplay with either the original graphics or with new high-definition graphics
All new music
Hints and tips for newcomers
Three leaderboards
Customizable button configurations
Ability to earn up to 12 Achievements and 200 Gamerscore points

Originally written by Shiva Stella

New Nights: Journey of Dreams Screens

Shiva Stella — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:14:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Sega has published five new screenshots for its Nights: Journey of Dreams for the Nintendo Wii. Straight from Sega:As a fantasy jester called NiGHTS, players will fly through Nightopia, a rich and vibrant world where dreams come to life. With the innovative Wii Remote, gamers will experience a heightened sense of gliding, spiraling, and looping through a variety of mystical dream worlds packed with high-flying adventure. Players must find inventive ways to confront the Nightmarens from the neighboring dark world of Nightmare using amazing acrobatic skills, freedom of flight, and other special abilities to protect Nightopia. NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams is an adventure filled with courage, hope and inspiration that the whole family will enjoy this holiday season.Enjoy.

GH Editorial: Personal Vendetta

Aaron Dunlap — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 10:28:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor.

On Monday, April 16th, the deadliest shooting in American history took place at Virginia Tech. In the handful of days since this tragedy, people across the nation and world are trying to make sense of it, to rationalize it, to recover from it, or to forget it. A few people, though, are missing no opportunity to exploit human suffering and death to increase their exposure or legitimize their own self-satisfying crusades.

Personally, since I heard about the shooting on Monday I've had my head between my legs in hopes that if I ignored the bad things in the world they'd go away. This was all going well enough, until a few voices rose above the blur of blame-this-blame-that talking heads and dragged me to the surface.

People have been blaming video games for the world's problems for years now, so it's become hard to care or even notice when the latest demagogue wiggles his way into the spotlight long enough to do so. This situation, however, is different. This shooting has affected almost everyone in the country in some way, and people are actually looking for answers; so when Jack Thompson and Phil McGraw spout off their ill-conceived garbage about video games being at blame for a psychopath's murder of over 30 students and faculty members, people might just listen.

On Monday night, just a few hours after the violence in Virginia had ended, CNN's Larry King had syndicated TV shrink Phil "Dr. Phil" McGraw as a guest on his show. When King asked Dr. Phil if a mentally disconnected killer like Cho Seung-Hui could be treated, McGraw answered:

You cannot tell me -- common sense tells you that if these kids are playing video games, where they're on a mass killing spree in a video game, it's glamorized on the big screen, it's become part of the fiber of our society. You take that and mix it with a psychopath, a sociopath or someone suffering from mental illness and add in a dose of rage, the suggestibility is too high. And we're going to have to start dealing with that. We're going to have to start addressing those issues and recognizing that the mass murders of tomorrow are the children of today that are being programmed with this massive violence overdose.

KING: Well said. This, of course, without any evidence that Cho even played video games. If it's alright to blame the entire concept of video games for psychotic behavior without even knowing that the killer ever played one, why not blame comic strips or sugar or moonbeams reflected off of swamp gas? It would be unfair to say that the devil made him do it, because we don't even know if Cho and the devil are even friends, but somehow it's completely acceptable to place the blame on a whole industry and a pastime of millions of children, teenagers, and adults across the globe without even a bit of conjecture to suggest the killer even plays them? On Monday night, I don't think anyone was even sure of the identity of the killer yet, let alone anything about his hobbies.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported in an article that a high school classmate of Cho's claims that Cho spent some time playing Valve's online PC shooter Counter-Strike. The Washington Post later redacted this statement and removed it from the online version of the article. The article's author, David Cho (don't get your Cho's crossed), tells Joystiq that he removed that detail because it was based on conjecture and the memories of people who didn't even know Cho Seung-Hui and only claimed to have seen him playing the game a few times.

One interesting thing to keep in mind is that the article incorrectly states that Counter-Strike is published by Microsoft. I'll come back to that in a bit.

Everybody's favorite Jack Thompson had already managed to get himself on TV before the Washington Post article. He was brought on Fox News as a "school shooting expert" (this because he follows around victims of school violence like ambulance chasers, convincing family members to waste time and money pursuing the game publishers instead of getting on with their lives), where he mostly prattled on about how every school shooting he'd seen was because of either Vice City or Counter-Strike. He was on TV for less than five minutes, thankfully, and didn't get much further than his age-old stance that video games dunnit.

After Thompson saw the Washington Post article, though, he went on the war path.

First, Jack sent a rousing "open letter" to Bill Gates. GameAlmighty.com has the full letter here, but here's the first paragraph:

Dear Mr. Gates:

On Monday, April 16, at 3:10 pm, I was a guest, as I often have been in the past, on the Fox News Channel. News anchor Bill Hemmer asked me to profile the Virginia Tech rampage killer. I did so, noting that until that day the worst school massacre in world history was at the hands of Robert Steinhaeuser, who literally trained on the Microsoft on-line, hyper-violent shooter game, Counterstrike. I mentioned your companys game by name. I explained that the rehearsal for such a massacre is key to being able to pull it off, as efficiently as Cho, whose name we didnt even know at the time. Cho and Steinhaeuser were able to do what they did the first time because it was not the first time. This is why the military uses this same virtual reality simulation to train soldiers to want to kill and how to kill calmly, as the witnesses of Cho said he did. The letter ends thusly:

Mr. Gates, pull the plug on Counterstrike today, or do we need more dead to convince you? "Virginia Tech" was the 9-11 of school shootings, and it appears Microsoft is in the middle of it, in more ways than one.

Regards, Jack Thompson

First of all, notice how the first thing he mentions is how he was on TV; if you think this guy gets off on attention, just wait. The interesting thing about Jack's letter is that its entire point is to blame Microsoft chairman Bill Gates for Counter-Strike and how much death it's caused. This is interesting because, of course, Microsoft has nothing to do with Counter-Strike! The game is developed by Valve and published by Vivendi. The Washington Post writer forgot to fact check before publishing, and Jack Thompson composed this entire ooh-look-at-me letter to Microsoft without first making sure that Microsoft actually has any kind of connection to the game in question.

Soon after this, Thompson sent another open letter to the Virginia Police Department Chief. You can read the whole letter here, but here are the important bits:

Dear Chief Flinchum:

The news story in yesterdays Washington Post proves correct my prediction to your Department Monday that Cho, whose identity was not even know to me at the time, would be a video gamer trained to do what he calmly did on a violent shooter video game.

I went on the Fox News Channel Monday and even identified the game, Counterstrike, obsessively played by Cho, which was also used by Robert Steinhaeuser to author what is now the second worst school shooting in world history in Erfurt, Germany, which he also concluded by killing himself. These are not coincidences; these are patterns.

Once again, he starts off by mentioning that he was on Fox News. He also says that Cho "obsessively played" Counter-Strike, which is completely unfounded.

Thompson also implores the Virginia Police Chief, "If your Department really wants to get to the bottom of this, you need to talk to me now."
While the Virginia Police Department tries to pick up the pieces of this tragedy, deal with potential copy-cat killers, and try to investigate Cho's threat and motives, Jack Thompson wants to waste their time with his God-like delusions of authority. He wants to show them the truth, that it all boils down to "murder simulators." Jack Thompson should be ashamed of himself.

Never mind that, according to a search warrant (pdf) filed by the Virginia State Police, Cho Seung-Hui had no video games in his school dorm. Never mind also that when MSNBC's Chris Matthews interviewed one of Cho's suite-mates, he said that he never once saw Cho playing any video games.

Jack Thompson doesn't mind, because he still maintains that Cho trained on Counter-Strike. He even went on Hardball with Chris Matthews and tried to spout his theories again. Matthews wasn't having any of it, as you can see in this video from Kotaku.

MATTHEWS: How does the game prepare or drill him in the execution of 32 people?

THOMPSON: It drills you and gives you scenarios on how to kill them. It gets you to kill with your heart rate lower

MATTHEWS: I know it is a theory. And it is a theory in this case. When was the most recent testimony, and when is it applied to, that he was involved with Counter-Strike, the video game, that Cho was?

THOMPSON: Cho? His high school friends. And, typically, when

MATTHEWS: OK. Well, he is a fourth-year student at Virginia Tech...

As I said before, in the wake of a tragedy like this we are all looking for answers. We want to know how a person could do something so horrendous, we want to have some kind of rationalization for an irrational act. This is a natural reaction and is part of coping. I doubt we'll ever know what exactly was going on inside Cho's mind in the time before the shootings, and honestly I don't think we ever should.

But what Jack Thompson is doing isn't helping anybody. He doesn't want to explain Cho's motivations, he just wants to rationalize his own personal vendetta against the gaming industry. Thirty-two people have died senselessly, and instead of helping the afflicted or promoting counseling for depressed teenagers, Thompson just wants to spew his hatred.

Any time anybody under the age of thirty does anything violent, Thompson is on TV ready to blame the games. What has he ever accomplished, though? In my tenure as a games journalist I've seen Thompson call all gamers pot-heads, threaten to sue Wikipedia, sue the Florida bar, prey upon the families of countless family members of violence victims to increase his exposure, offer $10,000 to charity and then refuse to pay, and claim that the Beltway Sniper trained on Halo just for starters, but this is by far the worst.

If there was any evidence to support the fact that the Virginia Tech shooter played Counter-Strike, or even played any video game, I could accept Thompson's crusading as a mis-interpretation of facts. But, for the lack of such evidence, Thompson just pretends that there is evidence. Just to clarify, there is absolutely nothing to suggest that Cho Seung-Hai has played any video games in the last 5 years, but Jack Thompson maintains that that Counter-Strike is the cause.

Jack Thompson is delusional. He is an immature, hallow, self-centered little man who will leave no corpse unexploited to further his cause. America has experienced the worst shooting in history. This is a time for encouragement, for empowerment, and for reflection. This is definitely not a time for hatred, but hatred is all Thompson is capable of. He has an unrelenting, unmitigated hatred for video games and all people who play them and he is willing to exploit even a national tragedy to spread his hateful message.

There is no way to argue that video games had anything to do with this shooting. But, just for the sake of prosperity, could they?

To be perfectly honest, in my lifetime of playing video games I have probably killed over a billion imaginary people, robots, monsters, vampires, and zombies. I can recognize most widely-produced pistols, rifles, assault rifles, and machine guns by sight now, thanks primarily to their use in video games. I know military and counter-terrorism movement strategies, techniques, and equipment; again, mostly because of video games. As far as I know, however, I haven't killed any real people. I've never committed a felony, I've never threatened anybody with violence, and in the few situations when I've been around real weapons I've behaved as responsibly as I could imagine would be possible. Most of my friends are in the same situation.

The connecting fibers between school shooters is not that they play video games, it's that they play video games and shoot people. A person who plays video games and then goes on a shooting rampage can no more blame the games for the rampage than he could the brand of toothpaste he used that morning.

If video games did not exist, those who crave violence would simply find it elsewhere. It's important to remember that violence is not a recent phenomenon, while video games are. People have been killing each other since the dawn of man, not because they learned how to in books or cave paintings, but because there is something wrong with them.

I too would love to find a single thing to blame the violence at Virginia Tech on. If there was a single thing we could point out as the cause and lock up, ban, or outlaw, I'd love it. If somebody could suitably convince me that banning video games on a global scale would prevent any more violence of the scale of what we saw on Monday, I would gladly throw all my games into the trash. Anybody can see that it would be impossible to come to such a conclusion, however. There will always be crazy people in this world. There will also always be old people who don't understand the media of the young. Cho Seung-Hui was no more driven to murder by video games than he was by rap music, rock and roll, or baggy pants.

Legend of the Dragon for Wii

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 22:47:00 -0500

Game Factory has announced that it is publishing Legend of the Dragon, based on the popular children's television show, on the Nintendo Wii. The game is currently being developed by Neko Entertainment and will mark the publisher's first step into the next-generation arena, capitalizing on the company's younger audience.

"We are thrilled to be publishing for the WiiTM," said Henrik Mathiasen, Game Factorys President. "While the Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 next-gen consoles have really captured the imagination of the more mature gamer, at Game Factory were really excited about the potential impact WiiTM will have on the childrens market, as this is obviously our forte."

The Legend of the Dragon story begins against the backdrop of Chinas sacred temples and just as a new Golden Dragon is selected. The Golden Dragon is the honourable title given to the chosen warrior set to fight the evil Zodiac Master, Woo Yin.

Each of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs has its own temple protected by a guardian; all guardians have individual powers unique to their zodiac symbol to help them defend their temple. The Zodiac Master Woo Yin - plans to capture these powers; with them he will be unstoppable in his fight for the dark side to reign over China.

Ang Leung has been chosen as the new Golden Dragon over his twin sister Ling, but the surprise and humiliation of this decision is too much for Ling and she quickly defects to the dark side. In her new position as the Shadow Dragon, she will fight against her brother and old friends in a bid for revenge.

Legend of the Dragon will feature 19 playable characters that are able to transform into "mystical" warriors, a real-time spell-casting system, cell-shaded visuals, and destructible environs.

The title is currently slated for a Q2 2007 release. Enjoy the new artwork. Originally written by Shiva Stella

Dragon Ball Online Confirmed for 360?

Shiva Stella — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:12:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Namco Bandai has confirmed that the company is working on a new Dragon Ball game for the Xbox 360, entitled Dragon Ball Online, via a job posting for the Xbox 360 version.

As the name suggests the game is an MMORPG and is set to be published sometime in 2008 for Japan, while a stateside release is anyone's guess. The company has also launched the game's (Japanese) website, complete with first imagery, that you may view here. Dragon Ball Online is also slated for release on the PC.

Ubisoft Announces Driver 76

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:40:00 -0600

Ubisoft has announced that they will be bringint the Driver series to the PlayStation Portable with the new game, Driver 76.

The upcoming PSP title will feature 27 missions along with 70's music and vehicles. The game will look to feature six different storylines and of course the non-stop driving action the series is known for. Besides the single-player experience, gamers will be able to play a variety of multiplayer games as well including street racing, destruction derby, pink slip racing and swap meet. One more note is that Ubisoft intends to include downloable content too.

Currently at this time there is no release date scheduled for Driver 76.

Originally written by Brian Mohr

Bladestorm And Fatal Inertia Due This Summer

Shiva Stella — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:20:00 -0600

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Koei has announced that Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War and Fatal Inertia will be available in North America this summer for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. Said Amos Ip Senior Vice-President at KOEI Corporation, "Both titles are taking advantage of new game engines and hardware. We are allowing our development teams additional time to further explore the capabilities and potential of each system by extending the product launches for a simultaneous platform release this summer."Straight from Koei:About FATAL INERTIAIt is the 22nd century, and mankind has developed an evolutionary sport mixing high-performance street racing, rally, and demolition derby. In this brave new world of racing, gravity-defying machines tear across pristine natural environments where the beauty of nature masks the perils that wait.FATAL INERTIA boasts fast-paced single and multiplayer racing experiences with unique game dynamics and controls. Race crafts hover meters above the earth, but travel at a higher velocity as they edge closer to the ground. With racers drifting around glacial walls and hurtling alongside sheer cliffs, the games courses are an awe-inspiring amphitheater for combat racing.Players will customize their vehicles in a manner similar to the way present-day tuners modify their vehicles, but will have an array of futuristic hardware at their fingertips. Unconventional weapons that manipulate velocity, time and force can be used to create a variety of physics-based effects on opposing race craft.FATAL INERTIA is the debut title from KOEIs Toronto- based development studio, KOEI Canada. The team is led by Takazumi Tomoike, creator of the Dynasty Warriors® series, and KOEI Co-Founder and Chief Advisor Yoichi Erikawa, who under the pen name Kou Shibusawa is regarded as one of the worlds top video game designers. This game is not yet rated by the ESRB.About BLADESTORM: THE HUNDRED YEARS WARIn the early half of the 14th century a quarrel with England over the succession to the French throne escalated into what history would call the Hundred Years War. This summer, BLADESTORM: THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR will bring to life the intensity and drama of a war-torn Medieval Europe with a cast of legendary characters including Joan of Arc and Edward the Black Prince.Utilizing a new game engine attainable only through the power of next generation hardware, BLADESTORM: THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR will recreate the fierce clashes between the armies of England and France at an unprecedented scale, where every soldier reacts individually to their immediate surroundings. Players will assume the role of a mercenary leader and strategically command, in real-time, a wide range of troops including infantry, archers, cavalry, and cannoniers.BLADESTORM: THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR is being developed by KOEIs Omega Force, the team behind the award-winning Samurai Warriors® and Dynasty Warriors series. This game is not yet rated by the ESRB.

GH Review: Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2)

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:19:00 -0600

This review 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.

Mention the word anime to a casual viewer and more often than not the words Dragon Ball will pop up 90% of the time. Despite being technically 15 years old, the popularity of Goku and friends has endured the test of time. It has also managed to withstand the pressure of delivering games that make proper use of the license. Atari goes back to the well again, giving DBZ fans Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2.

If youre unfamiliar with the anime, all you really need to know is that it involves a lot of action interrupted by lots of talking and balls of energy that take at least five episodes to charge. Despite that though, fighting is the focus of DBZ and all of the DBZ games from this generation deliver it in spades.

The fights tend to play out just like the television series - loads of combos; lots of flying and dashing, smacking an opponent across an enormous battlefield, and destruction of the environment; lots of charging; and tons of brutal looking special attacks. Going full out with every powerful move you have isnt such a smart idea either because youll drain your ki meter. Its this meter that brings a semblance of balance to the game. Any type of special attack or projectile will reduce this meter and the only way to gain some back is to charge. The problem with that is that it leaves you vulnerable to an attack because you have to stay stationary to do so. This adds a bit of strategy to what can sometimes become mindless button mashing and spamming of specials.

The most impressive thing about Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is the sheer scope of the game. A great variety of modes, fitting the entire 400+ episode story of DBZ, a cast of over 100 characters, and lots of Z-Items to buy/combine. This may not seem much to those who have played the more recent titles, but understand where this reviewer is coming from I havent played a Dragon Ball title since Hyper Dimension on the Super Famicom. So, I was pleasantly surprised to see a dual-language option on top of all that. Thank you, Atari, for returning me to my childhood for a spell.

Ultimate battle plays like your standard arcade ladder mode, working your way through a number of rivals before calling it a day. Dragon tournament allows you to set up tournament brackets, perfect for playing with a large group of friends. Dueling acts as a quick play mode, letting you set up a quick match against either the AI or a friend. Battle training obviously lets you train. Evolution Z and the item shop allow you to fiddle with your Z-items and create your own character with customized skills.

The mode youll probably spend most of your time on, however, is dragon adventure. Here, youll make your way through each of Dragon Ball Zs numerous arcs. Each arc is divided into scenarios or battles each complete with narrative to help flesh out the story. Of course, fans already know whats going on, but those new to the series will really appreciate this. While its not a direct substitute for watching the series, considering that this is essentially an interactive version of the DBZ mythos makes it easy to recommend to those just jumping onto the bandwagon.

I mentioned it in passing earlier, but sadly, sometimes the battles do degrading into button mash, knock foe across the field, charge for high damage specials, unleash high damage special, repeat. The higher difficulty settings alleviate that problem to a certain extent, but its still a viable tactic.

While its definitely a great looking game, I cant shake the fact that it looks exactly like the last few DBZ games. I understand the if it aint broke, dont fix mindset, and theres only so much you can do with Toriyamas designs, but the look is growing a little stale. This is no fault of the developers; its more the well drying up than anything else.

The audio, however, is still fantastic. The latest voice actors lend their voices, and they talk just about everywhere, including menus. And I mentioned the Japanese language track is included too, which I totally adored. However, I still switched between the two tracks for a little bit a variety because, well, sometimes they talk way too damn much, but I dont want to completely turn the voices off.

One last nitpicky complaint is the restriction of the battlefield. The fields are relatively huge, but when you can dash long distances, it really makes it feel small. And the fact that an invisible wall keeps you in bounds takes away from the fact that youre fighting across such a great span of the globe. This may not bother many of you, but it bothered me.

Atari and Spike continue the trend of great Dragon Ball Z fighting games with Budokai Tenkaichi 2. An awesome variety of modes, a huge roster, customization, and the entire Dragon Ball story tied up nicely in one package add up to a title that every DBZ fan ought to have. And even if you only have a passing interest in the series, BT2 would be enough to turn you into a fanatic.

Fast frantic fighting is awesome, but can degrade into mashing and spamming.

Theyre not ugly; in fact, its pretty good looking. Im just a little tired of the look.

English voice cast reprises their roles; Japanese option included; usual DBZ sounds and music.

Lots of modes to play with; huge roster; fights are fast and furious.

Loads of Z-items to find/buy which are used to customize characters; may not appeal to everyone

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Ships

Tim Grube — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:14:00 -0600

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Atari announced today that Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 for PlayStation 2 has shipped to retail stores nationwide.

Tips & Tricks Magazine says that this "latest addition to the popular Budokai series can be summed up in three words: bigger, better, badder!" Emily Anadu, Product Manager, Atari, Inc. agrees, "The DBZ video games just keep getting better, and Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is the latest testament. Fans will love the incredible interactive environments, the addition of characters never-before-seen in the video games, and the ability to engage in tag battles and new attacks. For those who haven't yet battled in the DBZ universe, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is a great place to start because it incorporates more of the mythology than any other game to date."

For more information on Dragon Ball Z video games, please visit http://www.atari.com/dragonballz.

GH Review: Test Drive Unlimited (360)

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 23:15:00 -0500

This review 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 Brian Mohr.

Racing has suddenly gone in a new direction with Ataris Test Drive Unlimited. Players head to the island of Oahu to drive through various races like any other driving title, but this time there is a twist. Instead of just straight races, Eden Studios is taking you for a new ride with a massive open racing game where you can go and race anywhere on the island you want even against online opponents. Its quite a different trip and Test Drive Unlimited is venturing into new territory, but how does the experience pan out?

First and foremost, Test Drive Unlimited is a pretty good looking title on the Xbox 360. Where it really shows is in the car models. Inside and out, it is impressive to look at and there is some really nice detail and reflection graphics presented. These are easily some of the better looking car models shown on the 360 to date. On top of that, the environment looks lush and beautiful. It certainly captures the tropical atmosphere of Hawaii and isnt repetitive looking at all. There is a real nice attention to detail about the island too as the developers went out of their way to map Oahu right with landmarks, road signs and more. The only problem is that Eden Studious obviously didnt give much attention to the characters as they are blocky and visually distracting.

Of course graphics wouldnt mean all that much for a racing game if there arent any good cars to drive. Thankfully Test Drive Unlimited features approximately 150 cars from nearly 50 manufacturers including Mercedes, Lamborghini, Lotus, Ford, Dodge, Chevy, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, VW and plenty more. This game features a nice variety of new and classic vehicles for any car lover. Cars are nice, but Eden also included a nice variety of motorcycles too.

Aside from the cars and graphics, TDU does a nice job of making the entire experience seamless. Youll have one or more residences on the island with a garage. If you want to test drive a car, you simply go to a dealership that carries the brand you like and you can give it a spin as well as buy your vehicles there. That is easy, but joining races whether online or off is just as simple. Players simply drive to starting points on the map and press X. This is where everything is seamless as you can choose a single-player game or select multiplayer all while driving around the city.

If you jump into multiplayer, this is where the action in Test Drive Unlimited is at. The developers made the experience very simple by always having you online and able to interact with other players. On the roads around Oahu, there are other cars that you can challenge on the spot or you have the option to meet up with opponents through the club area.

Through the online game, players are able to wager money on the outcome of the race and even trade cars with other online members. Youre also given the option to filter the type of player youre looking to race by car, friend or more. There is a nice news ticker that alerts you to races and you are given the option to create your own races too, right down to the checkpoints, class participants and more. One other nice feature is that TDU offers players the opportunity to create a unique identity with create-a-driver. This allows you to select your physical looks, accessories and wardrobe which include brand name merchandise.

Probably one of the few major problems in the game has to be the sound. The engine sounds are mediocre. The soundtrack and voice work are even worse. The soundtrack is anything but memorable and the voice acting has no depth or personality to it. The other real bothersome problem with the sound is the GPS voiceover which is too frequent and quickly gets irritating.

One other problem with the game is the fact that the single-player experience isnt that engrossing. Basically youre participating in various races and other driving jobs (i.e. time trials, errand runs and more) to build up money for cars, accessories and parts. The opponent A.I. is poor, the storyline is extremely weak, and the overall adventure gets tiresome quickly.

Test Drive Unlimited is a solid product that features stunning graphics and a tremendous open-ended online experience. Though the game has a slight drawback in the sound and single-player campaign, the multiplayer more than makes up for it and should provide racing fans with plenty to do. Overall Test Drive Unlimited is a new experience that is worthy of the trip particularly for the reasonable $40 price tag.

Fun and easy to play. Combining the single and multiplayer experience is very exciting.

Cars and the island look nice, but characters arent refined enough for todays graphics.

Voice acting is average; the soundtrack, car sounds are poor. GPS voice quickly gets bothersome

The game is fun to play for a little while, but grows tiresome quickly on single player

There is plenty of replay value with multiplayer since it is well done and keeps you interested

Dragon Quest Heroes Oozes Into Stores

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 10:01:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.The original author is Evan Lahti.

On sale today is Square Enix's first DS title ever to hit North American shores, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime. Retailing at $34.99, the title represents a unique platformer with multiplayer battle modes, and a different take on the lore from its long-running Dragon Quest series. Instead of filling the shoes of a young adventurer, players take the form of Rocket Slime, usually a common enemy within the franchise, but a smiling, well-intentioned protagonist in this case.Check out our hands-on E3 preview of the title, or head over to the official North American website for the game, as well as the official fansite for more information.

Test Drive Unlimited For 360 Gets Green Flag

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 23:04:00 -0500

The Xbox 360 version of the much anticipated Test Drive Unlimited shipped to stores today in North America, according to Atari. The title is rated E10+, and will retail for $39.99. In addition, a 48-hour free trial of Xbox Live Gold will be included with the purchase cost. The PS2 version has not been released yet.

Test Drive Unlimited has generated a lot of high hopes for a unique and exciting blend of racing and massively multiplayer online content, and could go far towards diversifying and innovating the current field of online gaming.

Ubisoft Contributes Another PS3 Launch Title

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 22:58:00 -0500

Developer Ubisoft has confirmed that they will be responsible for another launch title in the PS3's opening lineup. Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII, will be released with the PS3 as well as having already been confirmed as a launch title for the Wii. Blazing Angels is also already available on the 360, released early this year.Have there been any reported drowning deaths associated with the flood of WWII titles yet?

9 Dragons Preview: The Sacred Flower Clan

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 08:40:00 -0500

The latest 9 Dragons clan preview is online!

This weeks' update deals with the sultry, mysterious and deadly Sacred Flower Clan. Comprised entirely of women (many scantily clad, it seems), this clan of beautiful assassins seeks to restore the balance of Yin and Yang in the Middle Kingdom - apparently by killing a whole lot of people.

It is said that, For every action comes an opposite reaction, and from that perceived act of discrimination made by Shaolin, there rose a clan of beautiful, deadly, female masters. Hence Sacred Flowers motto, If men rule the world, women must rule men!

So now you understand why Sacred Flower disciples despise both Heavenly Demon and Shaolin, but you should know they are also spiteful of Wu-Tang Clan, who they feel have bastardized the Yin and Yang symbol to suggest that women (symbolized by Yin) encompass all the darker, negative aspects of the universe. Sacred Flower thereby opposes the white clans, and most men in general, as they strive to raise womens current status in society with their fervent cult-like beliefs. Their revealing clothing is justified as a means to entreat, allure, and conquer men by enchantment. So what is perceived as their feminine weakness becomes part of their strength.

So, what have I learned from this latest update ( aside from the suspicious Sacred Flower / Secret Garden allusion I know you're all laughing up your sleeve about )?

1. The women of 9 Dragons are evil.

2. These women will use their femine mystique to dominate men, and...

3. ... women like to use whips.

MMO? Sounds more like any given night with Mrs. Francis, in all honesty. So, for those of you trying to experience the Sacred Flowers on the cheap, don't bother picking up the game - just check on the cost of a marriage license with your local City Hall.

Dreamfall Nominated For MTV Award, Voting Commences

Shiva Stella — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 14:01:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Videogame music fans will be pleased to know that Funcom has announced that the orchestral score for its Dreamfall: The Longest Journey has been nominated by MTV for a Video Music Award. If the game beats out the competition, it'll take home the "Best Video Game Score" title, becoming the first game to win the award in the new category."With Dreamfall, we wanted to create a unique and layered musical experience, says game director Ragnar Tørnquist. Our composer, Leon Willett, brought depth and texture to the orchestral score, which went hand in hand with Funcoms philosophy to pay great attention to the sound and music in our games. Were both honored and excited to have been recognized with an MTV Video Music Awards nomination.Other titles competing for the Best Video Game Score award include Hitman: Blood Money, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and Electroplankton. Titles competing for Best Video Game Soundtrack include Fight Night: Round 3, Burnout: Revenge, NBA 2K6, Driver: Parallel Lines, and the ever-controversial Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.You can view the listing and voting information here. Polls opened yesterday and will close on August 28, 2006.

Nancy Drew Ships For PC

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:11:00 -0500

If you grew up expanding your vocabulary through Nancy Drew's old exploits like I didn't, you'll be pleased to know that Her Interactive has announced that Nancy Drew: Danger by Design has shipped for the PC. The game casts players as the famous female lead as she hits Paris to investigate the behavior of a popular fashion designer.

Her Interactive states:

Nancy Drew: Danger by Design finds Nancy in Paris where she was sent by a nervous investor to check on Minette, a leading fashion designer whose recently strange behavior may delay her Spring Collection and potentially derail the fashion house. Strange threats and unwelcome guests arrive for Minette. Unsettling rumors dating back to an unsolved, historic mystery distract Nancy from the current task at hand.

As Nancy, players will sort through the web of suspects to look for clues. From Minettes old flame Dieter von Schwesterkrank to gorgeous model Jing-Jing Ling, deceit is woven deep within the fashion industry. Whether exploring the underground catacombs or abandoned metro stations for clues, players will need to rely on their powers of observation and deductive reasoning to solve this international mystery, and help Minette launch her Spring Collection on time.

Females players are playing an increasingly prominent role as video game consumers, and our fan base continues to expand. Today, our Nancy Drew series is enjoyed by women of all ages girls, moms and even grandmothers and our games have served as an interactive bridge to the generation gap, said Megan Gaiser, president and CEO of Her Interactive. We are pleased to introduce our latest Nancy Drew offering to fans worldwide.

Nancy Drew: Danger by Design is rated E for Everyone and carries a nice, low MSRP of $19.99. Originally written by Shiva Stella

Super Dragon Ball Z Ships to Stores

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 22:26:00 -0500

Atari has announced that they have shipped Super Dragon Ball Z for the PlayStation 2.

The latest game in the series puts players in a completely 3D fighting environment where you'll battle it out on the ground and in mid-air. The game looks to feature 18 characters including five unlockable ones like Goku, Gohan and Vegeta.

Originally written by Brian Mohr