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Team Ico Project Trico Unveiled?

Solomon Lee — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:44:53 -0500

An early trailer showing Team Ico's third project is available due to an exclusive video posted by the PlayStation Lifestyle website. The video shows a young boy who bears a striking resemblance to the lead protagonist from the game, Ico.

Sony has offered no comment on the video at this time. Those that wish to visit the site can do so here.

Turbo The Movie First Trailer

Tim Grube — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:16:32 -0500

The first trailer surrounding Turbo The Movie, a Jarrett Lee Conaway film.

Turbo The Movie: A Film By Jarrett Lee Conaway

Tim Grube — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:14:23 -0500

Jarrett Lee Conaway has made his rounds across the videogame and film industry. He previously worked here at Gaming Horizon Inc. as an Executive Editor back in the days of PSX Network when we were part of IGN.com Affiliation Network and now he is about to graduate at the University of Southern California. So what is this all about? Well, he has completed one of the best (I think so atleast) short film surrounding videogames ever to hit the "small" or even "big" screen.

Entitled, TURBO, is a high-adrenaline short film in the tradition of The Karate Kid and Tron. It tells the story of Hugo Park (Justin Chon, Twilight) a misspent youth whose only outlet for angst is a 4D fighting video game called Super Turbo Arena. When Pharaoh King (Jocko Sims, Crash the Series), the Michael Jordan of cybersports, announces a tournament to determine who will join his pro team, Hugo's sets his eyes on the prize. But Hugo isn't the only gamer who wants fame and glory.

If Hugo wants to win he's going to have to beat Shamus (David Lehre, Epic Movie), the all time Turbo champ at the local Pandemonium arcade, and Ruse Kapri, a feisty prep girl that knows how to win. Realizing he can't win on his skill alone, Hugo turns to his brother Tobias, a former kickboxer whose last match left him confined to a wheelchair. Together the two will mend old wounds and see if a washed up street fighter can teach a troubled teen how to become a virtual gladiator!

Also, there will be a public screening on May 2nd at the Norris Theatre (at the University of Southern California). at 3PM. First come first serve. Turbo will be sold afterwards, for $10 or less. The price has not yet been determined.

Visit the website by clicking here.

Japanese Metroid Website Reveals Potential Prime Spinoff

Zach Lott — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:50:42 -0600

Excellent news for Metroid fans: 1up has discovered a banner on the official Japanese Metroid website that declares that "Another Side Story" set in the Metroid universe is "coming soon."

Furthermore, the Japanese text below translates to "Follow Metroid Prime's history from the perspective of the Space Pirates," most likely meaning that the project, if a game instead of a manga, as 1up points out, would let players play as a space pirate instead of Samus.

Don't get too excited in case Nintendo later reveals it to be an online manga similiar to what they've done in the past, but stay tuned, as if this turns into a game, we'll let you know.

Street Fighter IV Opening Cinematic

Zach Lott — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:28:46 -0600

With Street Fighter IV just a couple of weeks away, Capcom has released the opening cinematic for the game. Check it out below:

Resident Evil 5 Demo Hits PSN

Zach Lott — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:00:11 -0600

PS3 owners have been waiting patiently for the Resident Evil 5 demo that hit the Xbox Live Marketplace last week to make its way to the Playstation Network, and today that patience was rewarded, as the demo is now available for download. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Resident Evil 5 Demo Hits Xbox Live

Zach Lott — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:16:41 -0600

Although Microsoft is rather busy these days with firing their employees, it seems that they haven't forgotten that they still have an online service to maintain, as Major Nelson has announced via his official blog that a demo for Resident Evil 5 has arrived on Xbox Live.

The demo, which is the same one released in Japan last month, allows you to play "by yourself or play with a partner in co-op mode, either online or offline with a split screen," according to Nelson.

Capcom has yet to reveal a date for the PSN demo, but it shouldn't be long before it'll be available. We'll let you know once it's announced.

Square Announces Dissidia Final Fantasy for mid-2009

Zach Lott — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:18:13 -0600

Square Enix announced today that Dissidia Final Fantasy, the PSP fighter featuring famous Final Fantasy characters, will be hitting North American shores in mid-2009.

The game will feature a lengthy story mode along with a new battle system that incorporates classic Final Fantasy battle features such as overdrives and limit breaks and RPG-based character development.

In addition, Dissidia Final Fantasy Trading Arts figures will be available through the North American online store around the time of the release.

Final Fantasy Trailer's from (Random Latin and Greek Letters) Event Released.

Ryan Fulton — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:40:00 -0600

Videos from Square Enix's Summer event, just recently released to the public. Please enjoy.

FFXIII VS:

FFXIII:

New Trailer for Batman: Arkham Asylum; Looks Survial-Horrorish

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:43:34 -0600

Even though Warner Brothers handed the Batman license to Eidos almost 2 years ago, it seems that we're only now seeing the first fruits of that agreement.

Just released is a teaser trailer for Batman: Arkham Asylum. GameTrailers has the exclusive, which you can see below (or see it in HD).

My first reaction is that it may end up as a sort of Dead Space-like, or possibly more Bioshocky horror/exploration game. The trailer could be misleading to that effect, but I don't imagine a game about a mental institution for the criminally insane will be aimed at the 7-12 demo.

GB Review: Midnight Club LA Remix (PSP)

Ryan Fulton — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:48:26 -0600

Midnight Club LA Remix is a competent racer with few niggling issues and annoyances. The portable version holds up well to its fully featured console cousins and for an arcade style racing game on the go you're unlikely to come across a better example of the genre at the moment, but it's far from a must have title if you're not really in the market for a portable racing game. It's worth a buy if you're interested in a racer that's not tethered to a television.

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

Every once in a great while, in every field, in any genre, there is a title that exemplifies, redefines, and generally leaves everyone else involved in the business both gob-smacked and flabbergasted. Midnight Club LA Remix for the PlayStation Portable is not such a title, but it is a competent arcade racer spread across the cities of Los Angeles and Tokyo where you can pop parking brakes and bust nitrous boosts to your heart's desire. While it exhibits a few issues it ultimately proves itself to be a fun title.

Launch Gallery: Midnight Club LA Remix

(15 images)

As with any arcade style racer, realism takes a backseat to outlandish physics, over-the-top crashes, and general mayhem. The gameplay is flawed at times, but ultimately enjoyable. The game engages you by using the city as a glorified menu system allowing you to chose races and upgrade your car at your will once you unlock the features. While this is enjoyable to an extent, it feels like a chore after a while -- considering how you're forced to endure at least two healthy loading screens merely to accomplish any task. Once you arrive at your destination you can look forward to a one to five minute race followed by some more loading screens. Repetition of races is also a minor gripe that should be considered.

The racing itself is a blast, the sense of speed is very real, and the turning on most cars feels just right once you get a hang of how to handle each of your cars. The AI controlled races vary from laughably pathetic to fiendishly difficult. While this is not a bad thing it's difficult to find races where there is a definite sense of being in just the right spot for an exciting finish which is somewhat of a let down. On a related note, which explains the lack of exciting finishes to a degree, the AI does not resort of "rubber banding" their way back up to you when you're in the lead or vice-versa. The car modification system is exceptionally robust and the number of modifications available for each individual car is nothing short of astounding.

The game's sound is difficult to quantify. The racers and main character all feature voice acting that's subpar across to board, and the dialogue is beyond poorly written unless you consider 2 Fast 2 Furious to be the apex of screenwriting prowess. That being said, there is a certain campy value that the dialogue and voice acting adds that makes the game endearing or at least mildly amusing the first few times you hear the insults that are thrown about by the other racers. The music is a standard faire of rap, electronic, hip hop, and rock songs. Featuring nearly 100 musical tracks the selection is anything but constrained, and the long list of artists should almost guarantee that there is at least once act that you're interested in listening to. Unfortunately most of the races are shorter than the songs included in the game so the music is often cut short by the lack of a continuation feature.

The graphics are generally sharp with minimal pop up when moving. Upon closer inspection the textures are rather drab and lack much in the way of definition, but this is hardly a deal breaker since this is really only noticeable when you're stopped and looking directly at an object (which really isn't the point of a racing game, is it?) The cars themselves look as if they were recreated with care and the cities seem as if a great deal of forethought was put into their design. Each city has defined districts that differ in appearance from the rest of the city, and the streets seem to flow comfortably in such a manner that doesn't punish the player too badly for making a wrong turn. All things considered it's an attractive visual package for a portable racer.

Midnight Club LA Remix is a passable effort at an arcade racer that while falling short on a few points manages to create an enjoyable casual experience for a portable racing title. The loading screens sort of detract from the pickup-and-playability of the title, but if you've got an extra moment or two it may just be worth your while to put rubber to the streets of LA and Tokyo during your free time. Far from redefining the genre the game offers an experience that is generally pleasing and engaging.

GB Review: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (360)

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:42:24 -0600

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is Treyarch's first Spider-Man game not based on a movie. The gameplay, especially in combat, is a step up from previous Spidey titles but the story is short and unsatisfying. Too much emphasis is placed on a half-baked "choose your fate" branching storyline that quickly devolves into a non-stop series of boss fights. The ability to switch between red and blue Spider-Man and black-suited symbiote Spider-Man is novel, but wasted. People like me who pine for a game with Spider-Man 2's quality of web slinging with a decent game attached might be satisfied, but not impressed. This game is worth a rental for Spidey fans or any curious gamer, but at the end you wont be itching for more.

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

Spider-Man is probably the perfect character for video games. He can jump higher than anyone; he can walk, run, and sit on walls; he can beat up multiple attackers with blinding speed and feline agility; and he can swing around town on webs he shoots from his wrists. If ever there was an entity better suited for virtual representation, I'd like to hear it.

He's had a spotted past in games. I have no qualms saying that Spider-Man 2 on the Xbox is one of my favorite games to play. Altogether, the game is a wreck, but it's the web swinging I love. I could sit in front of that game for hours doing nothing but swing around its digital Manhattan. It just felt right in that game. You could feel the weight of Spidey as he grabs a fresh webline, feel the G-forces as he reaches the apex of a swing, feel the wind sheer off his body as he pulls his legs in and kicks out at just the right moment to maximize airtime and distance. That game is the perfect Spider-Man webslinging simulator. Every game since then has tried to be a better game, cramming in more story or more combo attacks and celebrity voices, abandoning the web mechanics altogether. Spider-Man 3 was a complete waste. How couldn't it be? It was rushed to come out with the movie, which itself was a waste.

Launch Gallery: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

(15 images)

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is different. It's not based on a movie or a particular series of comics (like Ultimate Spider-Man). If I had to describe Web of Shadows as intrinsically as possible, I'd say that it is Treyarch and Shaba Games' attempt to create a Spider-Man game that perfectly captures not only the feeling of swinging like Spidey, but the feeling of being Spidey. Not being bound or hurried by the release date of some summer movie, this game actually stands a chance of accomplishing that.

The web swinging is simplified and made more efficient, for sure, but the the focus this time around seems to be on the combat. Previous Spider-Man games have always been heavy on combo-attacks, but never very much fun. You never got the feeling during combat that you could do everything Spider-Man could, only that you were playing a watered-down beat-em-up tacked onto a web-swinging game. This time around, it feels much better. Combat makes heavy use of Spider-Man's abilities, and allows (at last) to make use of Spidey's best advantages in combat: his speed and ability to stay airborn.

How silly is it for Spider-Man, a man who can walk on walls and lift himself or anything else into the air with ease, to be seen standing with two feet on the ground, throwing punches against enemies? In Web of Shadows, there's no need to stay on the ground for the sake of grounded baddies. Better to knock them up into the air, where you're free to mangle their helpless bodies. The most welcome addition is the ability to "web strike," or zip yourself up to an enemy from far away, get in a quick attack, and then bounce out before he knows what hit him. You can string together web strikes and clobber dozens of enemies, one at a time, bouncing from head to head, staying in constant motion the entire time.

Treyarch's previous Spider-Man games have all been so-called "sandbox games" like Grand Theft Auto where an entire city is under your control, and you can attempt story-based missions at your leisure. This time around, the game is much more linear, but built around a sandbox architecture. You can still go anywhere in the city, and you still start missions by approaching specific characters and starting them, but there are no real alternatives. There are no real side-missions, and the random crimes you'll encounter just by wandering around aren't very engaging.

No, the game sees itself as linear and story-based, and shouldn't be ashamed for it.

The story itself involves the return of Venom and the black symbiote, and its eventual attempt to spread its inky tentacles across the whole city. Early in the game, Spider-Man gets re-introduced to the symbiote and through much of the game is free to switch between normal (red and blue suit) Spider-Man and symbiote (black suit) Spider-Man. Herein lies the biggest bullet point in the game's sell-sheet.

The game insinuates that your actions as either red/blue Spidey or black Spidey affect how the story branches. This is partially true. There are several points during the story where you're given the option to follow either a "good" path (marked by a red/blue Spidey icon on screen) or a "bad" path (marked by black Spidey). Whether you chose to be red/blue or black Spider-Man within the game itself makes no difference, and is altogether pretty arbitrary. Each suit has its strengths and weaknesses as far as combat and agility go, but it really just comes down to your choice of outfit. The branching storyline is controlled by your selection of the good/bad path, and when you're playing a super hero does it make that much sense to ask the player if he wants to do something good, like save somebody, or something bad, like let them die? Sure, after playing through the game once as a goodie two-shoes you might go through again to see what lies on the dark side, but the so-called conflict between good ol' Spider-Man and his evil suit doesn't come across very well when you're basically given the options of "be good" or "be bad."

It would be better if the branching paths in the story were based on your actions and not simply your selection of them. If the black suit had a more noticeable advantage in-game, maybe I'd be more tempted to use it. Maybe the game could keep track of how often you use the black suit or how much damage you cause with it, and from that make it harder and harder to go without it. Then, based on which suit you've spent the most time with, the story can branch however it likes. This is what I thought was going to happen. This is how the marketing material makes it sound.

Altogether, the story mode is somewhat satisfying but brief. The intention is probably to let people try the various branches, but I can't imagine it being too enticing.

Once you've beaten the game, you can't re-load your saved game and freely roam the town with all of your upgraded and unlocked abilities, nor can you start a new game with your earned abilities. This is a huge, huge problem for me. You spend the whole game unlocking and upgrading attacks and combos, and then after a boss fight wherein you can't even use them, they're completely wasted. I feel like I wasted all that time.

As I said, I can spend hours inside Spider-Man 2 ignoring the missions and just swinging around, looking for collectible items, earning points, unlocking new combos. Spider-Man: Web of Shadows doesn't really allow for this. It's a shame, really, because the swinging sure is fun.

I'm left at an impasse. I can't recommend this game for fans of Spider-Man video games. For people who don't really care, the more refined package and far fewer bugs compared to previous Treyarch Spidey games, as well as it being the first one truly designed for next-gen (although from the graphics you might not know it), it might be worth a rental.

They've finally made a game that feels like being Spider-Man, now they just need to make one with a satisfying game on top of it.

Resident Evil 5 Coming To PC?

Tim Grube — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:34:02 -0600

Resident Evil 5 is approaching quite rapidly and today the folks over at MCV have found something deep within a Capcom Q1 2009 release schedule. It states the RE5 is scheduled to be coming out on the PC as well as the previously announce PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

This is big news for PC fans because many RE fans have been asking for a PC port and now it is here! The game is scheduled for release on March 12, 2009 in Japan, and March 13, 2009 in North America and Europe.

Valve Unleashes Left 4 Dead Intro

Tim Grube — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:18:14 -0500

Valve has released the introduction video for its zombie shooter Left 4 Dead. Left 4 Dead will is expected to hit the Xbox 360 and PC on November 18.

The demo is scheduled for release on November 11. Expect more soon...

Tomb Raider: Underworld Demo Now Available On XBL

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:58:36 -0500

In case you haven't got enough Lara in your life, you can now download an official demo for Tomb Raider: Underworld via the Xbox Live Marketplace.

PS3 fans seem to not be invited to this party. We haven't gotten any word that a demo will find its way to the PlayStation Network.

Tomb Raider: Underworld goes on sale November 18.

TGS 08: Resident Evil 5 Video.

Ryan Fulton — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:41:01 -0500

Capcom has released a new video for the 5th installment in their ever-popular Resident Evil series. In the video we get to see, zombies, Chris, Sheva, Wesker, chainsaws, etc. You know the drill by now, be ready for some more black man zombie killing action! Follow the link for the goods.

Fresh Skate 2 Video Arrives

Zach Lott — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:14:03 -0500

A new video from EA for Skate 2, the upcoming skateboarding game, has been released. Check it out above as the game's developers discuss their plans for adding more authenticity to the game's tricks and gameplay mechanics to make it feel more like actual skating in addition to allowing players to explore and manipulate the world off their skateboard.

New Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Screenshots

Tim Grube — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:44:45 -0500

Activision and Treyarch are hard at work on the next Spider-Man game entitled, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows and today we were treated to three new screenshots. Peep them below. The title is expected to be released late October on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, PSP, DS, and PlayStation 2.

Launch Gallery: Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

(3 images)

Blizzard Releases Opening Cinematic For Lich King

Zach Lott — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:43:54 -0500

Those of you who've been waiting for years for a chance to take down the Lich King in World of Warcraft will finally get your chance in a few months when the next expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, hits, but for now you'll have to be satisfied with the game's new trailer, which doubles as the opening cinematic. Check it out above.

E3 2008: PlayStation Store Update

Shiva Stella — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:03:57 -0500

Many of the videos presented during Sony's conference yesterday have been added to the PlayStation Store for comfortable download and viewing at home. Take a peek.

PS3 Store

Super Stardust HD Team Mode Add-on ($4.99)

Rock Band

Rock Band The Best of the Who Rock Band Edition Track Pack ($19.99)

(12) individual songs ($1.99/ea)

Amazing Journey
Baba ORiley
Behind Blue Eyes
Eminence Front
Going Mobile
Leaving Here
My Generation
Good Looking Boy
Sea & Sand
Summertime Blues
Who Are You?
Young Man Blues

Videos

God of War III
Motorstorm Pacific Rift
Xamd Lost Memories
Buzz PSP
Resistance: Retribution
Ratchet & Clank Quest for Booty
PixelJunk Eden
Siren Blood Curse
PAIN Amusement Park
Gran Turismo TV
MKU vs DCU
Blitz The League II
Valkyria Chronicles
Resident Evil 5
This is Vegas
TNA Impact! Wrestling

PC Store

Videos

Resistance: Retribution
Buzz PSP
God of War III
Motorstorm Pacific Rift
Xamd Lost Memories
Ratchet & Clank Quest for Booty
PixelJunk Eden
Siren Blood Curse
PAIN Amusement Park
Gran Turismo TV

E3 2008: God of War 3 Trailer

Solomon Lee — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:14:46 -0500

Check out this debut trailer for God of War 3 on the Playstation 3.

E3 2008: New BioShock on PS3 Footage

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

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

E3 2008: Next Gen Prince of Persia Trailer

Zach Lott — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:55:58 -0500

E3 2008: Xbox 360's New Dashboard Video

Aaron Dunlap — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:42:05 -0500

Here is a video straight from Microsoft of the brand new dashboard interface coming to the Xbox 360 this fall. The video shows their new avatar system, Netflix playback, Xbox Live Parties, and more.

E3 2008: RE5 March 13 Release Date Confirmed

Aaron Dunlap — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:54:54 -0500

Today at the Microsoft E3 2008 Press Conference it was confirmed that the release date for Resident Evil 5 on the Xbox 360 will be March 13, 2009 worldwide.

New Mega Man 9 Trailer And Info

Zach Lott — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:08:18 -0500

It's not quite time for E3, but Capcom has given IGN some fresh details about Mega Man 9 in addition to the game's first trailer.

Perhaps the most interesting announcement is that Mega Man 9 will be hitting XBLA and PSN in addition to Nintendo's WiiWare service. Capcom had previously declared the game to be a Wii exclusive, but the end of the new trailer prominently displays logos for Microsoft and Sony's respective services.

Details about the story have also been unveiled: Mega Man 9 is set after Mega Man 8. Some of Dr. Light's creations are involved in global riots, and Dr. Wily blames him for the occurrences on TV. It's up to Mega Man to clear Dr. Light's name.

IGN notes that the game looks and feels like a classic Mega Man title, with character designs straight from Keiji Inafune, creator of the franchise. There are also over 50 new enemies and bosses, and an online leaderboard will rank you against other players worldwide.

Finally, the first two NES Mega Man games are set to be released on the Virtual Console sometime in the near future.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer, which shows off a variety of levels.

E3 2008: Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game

Tim Grube — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:29:25 -0500

Ubisoft announced today that it will publish Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game, for Wii, Nintendo DS, PC and Mac this September. The game is currently being developed by Ludia and is said to allow players to experience the show's high-pressure kitchen and dining room challenges as a faithfully rendered 3D Chef Ramsay watches their every move.

"I had a great time doing the voice for my own animation, said Gordon Ramsay. "Being in a video game is a new experience for me and I'm very pleased with the results.

After executing the three phases of an order preparation, cooking and service Chef Gordon Ramsay will score each meal. As they progress through the game, players will be rewarded with access to recipes from Chef Ramsay's own repertoire.

"Hell's Kitchen has everything a great video game needs: pressure, excitement and intense competition, said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft North America. "We are very excited to be bringing the intensity of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and the Hell's Kitchen experience to the virtual world this fall.

Gamescampus Hires New Executive Vice President David Chang

Tim Grube — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:07:44 -0500

Business, business, business! San Jose-based online game publisher, Gamescampus.com, announced today the appointment of game undustry executive David Chang as Executive Vice President of marketing and Business Development.

Chang will manage the marketing, business development and public relations departments for the company and will report to Gamescampus.com and OnNet USA CEO, Kevin Kim.

David Chang brings more than 11 years of game and media industry
experience to his post at Gamescampus.com. Prior to his joining Gamescampus.com, Chang served as Vice President of Business Development for PlaySpan, the game industry's first publisher-sponsored in-game commerce network.

Previously, Chang was active in IGN's highly successful business and
corporate development practice. Following the merger and acquisition
of IGN by Fox Interactive Media, Chang served as IGN's Managing
Director of International Business where he led Fox Interactive
Media's international content strategy, corporate development and
operational expansion into Europe and Asia.

"I am very pleased to have the opportunity to join OnNet USA as their
Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for
Gamescampus.com" said David Chang. "Our goal as an organization is to provide gamers the best online gaming experience possible by offering a community-based free-to-play online video game portal with
innovative and entertaining products and I can't wait to contribute to
this awesome effort."

Rumor: Original Metal Gear Solid To Hit XBLA

Zach Lott — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:51:43 -0500

In news unrelated to the E3 leak, Wired's Game|Life blog has heard a rumor that the original Metal Gear Solid was recently spotted on Microsoft's developer-only PartnerNet service, which is used to test upcoming Xbox Live games. If true, this rumor means the game will likely be released on XBLA sometime in the near future.

However, members of the NeoGAF forums quickly pointed out that the huge amount of audio in the game would make it nearly impossible to shrink the game down to the 350 megabyte limit on the size of XBLA games, meaning that Microsoft may once again increase the allowed file size to accommodate the game provided that the rumor is true.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Hits Store Shelves

Zach Lott — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:08:10 -0500

The wait for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is finally over, as Konami announced today that the game has shipped to retailers across the nation.

"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots not only represents the height of the stealth-action genre, but it also defines what it is to be a next-generation game by setting new standards in gameplay, storytelling and graphics," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "We are incredibly excited for fans and gamers alike to reunite with all their favorite characters from the Metal Gear Solid saga while experiencing a game unlike anything they have seen before. We truly believe Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots symbolizes a milestone for videogames, and will be remembered for years to come."

The game was developed by Kojima Productions, the team run by legendary game designer Hideo Kojima, and is retailing for $59.99. A special edition is available at GameStop for $84.99 while a MGS4 PS3 bundle can be purchased for $599.99 at Konami.com.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Receives Perfect Score From Famitsu

Zach Lott — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:08:35 -0500

It's not often that Japanese gaming mag Famitsu awards a game a perfect score of 40/40, but Kotaku has discovered via a Japanese blog that Metal Gear Solid 4 has become only the eighth game to ever earn this distinction. Gamers who have been worried about whether or not the game stands up to its predecessors will no doubt be pleased to hear this news.

Interestingly enough, 2008 marks the first time that Famitsu has ever awarded two perfect scores in the same year, the other time this year being for Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Hit the link to see a scan of the review.

Tomonobu Itagaki Leaves Tecmo, Sues Company

Zach Lott — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:01:45 -0500

In what will certainly be remembered as one of the most unexpected events of 2008, Tomonobu Itagaki, Team Ninja leader and mastermind behind Ninja Gaiden, left Tecmo last night and announced that he is suing the company. The reason? He failed to receive a completion bonus for Dead or Alive 4 that was promised to him by Tecmo president Yoshimi Yasuda.

1up did some digging and discovered that Itagaki's problems with Yasuda may extend past unpaid bonuses, as they've heard that Yasuda wanted to force him into making several ports of his games and was more concerned with making money over creating a quality product.

In a recent interview, Itagaki stated that he's interested in creating a new action game similar to Ninja Gaiden, but now the question arises of where he'll go from here to create it. Will he join another development team at another publisher? Will he form his own studio? For now, the answer will have to wait.

Here's the statement that Andrew Szymanski, Itagaki's translator, sent to both Kotaku and 1up:

"At approximately 2:30 PM Japan Standard Time today, June 3 2008, an official statement from Tomonobu Itagaki was sent by fax to major Japanese news outlets. In the interest of fair and expedient reporting of this story throughout the English-speaking world, I have been asked by Itagaki to convey this statement to you. Herein find attached Itagaki's official statement, in English, for the benefit of your readers.

"You will likely have questions regarding the content of the statement, or about Itagaki's future plans. I am afraid that I will be unable to answer such questions for the time being; however, rest assured that more information will be forthcoming as soon as it is deemed appropriate to do so."

Hit the jump for Itagaki's full statement, which includes a message to game fans.

Statement

I, Tomonobu Itagaki, hereby announce that on the 14th of May 2008 I filed a complaint in the Tokyo District Court against Tecmo Co., Ltd. for unpaid completion bonuses, and against the President of Tecmo, Yoshimi Yasuda, for such unlawful acts as unreasonable and disingenuous statements made towards me, claiming damages in total of 148 million yen. I also announce that this complaint was delivered to the defendants on May 22nd of the same year.

In addition, I hereby announce that I have today submitted a letter of resignation to Tecmo Co., Ltd. stating that I will resign as of the 1st of July, 2008.

Before the start of development on Dead or Alive 4, Tecmo Co., Ltd. had agreed to pay a completion bonus to me for this Xbox 360 title, which I produced. However, when the time came for the actual payment, Tecmo Co., Ltd. went against its previous agreement and refused payment. President Yoshimi Yasuda chose not only to violate this agreement, but also turned defiant, telling me if you are dissatisfied with the decision not to pay the bonuses, either quit the company or sue it. In addition, he made demeaning remarks about me to my subordinates and colleagues, causing me significant emotional distress and worsening my personal relationships and work environment. Thus, I have no choice but to resign from Tecmo Co., Ltd.

The conduct of Tecmo Co., Ltd. and its president Yoshimi Yasuda towards me has been unbefitting of a publicly-listed company.

I have filed this lawsuit with a strong intent to question the social responsibility of Tecmo Co., Ltd. and its President Yoshimi Yasuda, as well as condemning them for their unjust acts. Today, in addition to announcing the reasons for this lawsuit, I make clear my reasons for resigning.

To All Game Fans

I truly feel sorry to all the fans of the games I have made. Ninja Gaiden 2, which will launch on the 3rd of June will be the last Ninja Gaiden I will create. I will also never be able to make Dead or Alive 5. I regret the circumstances that have forced me to leave Tecmo, where I had worked for so many years, and I regret the disappointment this will cause my fans.

However, I can no longer continue to work with President Yoshimi Yasuda, a man who chooses not to honor promises even when he is able to do so.

I truly hope that nothing like this happens again in the future.

Tecmo Co., Ltd. Creative Officer

Leader, Team NINJA

Tomonobu Itagaki

GB Review: Plushees (DS)

Eric Jonathan Smith — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:23:16 -0500

Plushees: cute but deadly... fun?

A simple glance at the cute-yet-frightening boxart of Plushees for the Nintendo DS and you might be tempted to group it with the multitude of low quality kids' games that have suffocated Nintendo handhelds for years. However, despite its appearance as a stuffed animal themed minigame collection, it manages to overturn poor expectations with simple and light goal-oriented gameplay. Plushees, despite its inadvertently unsettling exterior, is actually a solid choice for the right age group and may very well captivate budding gamers of the eight-and-below set.

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

Plushees' premise is simple: through the power of imagination or dark magic, stuffed animals have come alive and are naturally in need of love and companionship that only you can provide. To do this you must purchase plushees carnival-style with tickets earned from the game's two main modes, Arcade and Plushee Play. It will take a lot of play, as the 25 plushees you can purchase in the Plushee Store cost anywhere between 200 and 1000 tickets and run the gamut from monkeys to dragons.

Arcade mode consists of four games, Alley Ball, Ka-Plinko, Pop-A-Loon, and Whack'a Troll. These easy-to-understand pick up and play games are generally accessible to anyone and will be effortlessly consumed by the younger crowd due to their uncomplicated stylus control. Kids should have no trouble flicking the ball for points in Alley Ball, placing the disc to drop through the pins in Ka-Plinko, or tapping the screen with the stylus to pop balloons in Pop-a-Loon or fend off Shrek look-alikes in Whack'a Troll. Though none of these games complex, you will earn a couple dozen tickets or so in each session so even in short bursts you get a sense of progress and accomplishment towards buying new plushees.

Once you earn the plushee of your dreams you can use it in the game's other major mode, Plushee Play. Plushee Play includes four games: Simon Says, Jump Rope, Hide-n-Seek, and Butterfly Catch. Simon Says is like the memorization game of its namesake, only in this iteration you select which plushee acted out the correct command that either you or the computer selected. In Jump Rope you can make your plushee hop in time in two ways, either by tapping it in time or by drawing prompted patterns on the touchscreen, the latter of which is more frantic and fun. Hide-n-Seek might be more accurately likened to a game of tag and features your plushee as it runs around trying to hug other plushees by choosing the correct icon of the other plushee on the touch screen. Butterfly Catch is somewhat broken, as it is very difficult to perceive the depth of the butterflies your plushee is chasing around the screen; luckily, the game is lenient and you don't have to be too close to catch them. You earn points instead of tickets in this mode, but earned points can be converted into tickets, so these games still have incentive to be played. While the games in Plushee Play are a bit deeper than the arcade games, the arcade games still have a simple, general appeal that these lack.

Plushees' presentation is adequately cute. The stuffed animal cast isn't overly sweet, but certainly sport a classic soft, rotund look. When the game uses 3D environments, such as the one used in Hide-n-Seek, it's very simplistic but adequate. Special mention must be made of the techno track in the music selections: this trance-like tune is catchy but seems hilariously out of place given the game's context. The game also features a multiplayer option should you find another player with a Plushees game card.

Of course, given that Plushees is about earning stuffed animals and playing games with them, it certainly won't be appropriate for an older child who has already been introduced to a franchise like Pokemon. While some of the games are generally fun and somewhat addictive, such as Alley Ball or Ka-Plinko, the subject matter of the other modes might only be appropriate for children age eight or younger. But, given the straightforward goal-based nature of the game, Plushees still manages to stand out in a kids' market overcrowded with licensed games of questionable quality - and at only $20, Plushees is even easier to recommend to parents confused by the overwhelming mediocre choices available to young gamers.

id Software Announces Doom 4

Zach Lott — Wed, 07 May 2008 18:07:45 -0500

It's been a challenge for id Software to stay on top of the game engine and FPS markets over the past few years, but it seems that John Carmack is ready to buckle down and begin work on his next big title, as id has announced that development for Doom 4 has begun.

The announcement was made in a statement issued today revealing that id is currently hiring a variety of designers and programmers to assist with the game's development. CEO Todd Hollenshead said that Doom 4 "demands the greatest talent and brightest minds in the industry" and that it is "critical for id Software to have the best creative minds in-house to develop games that meet the standards synonymous with our titles."

Joystiq expects the game to run off the new id Tech 5 engine, John Carmack's latest graphics engine that seeks to battle Epic's Unreal Engine 3, which has been used in numerous titles for the Xbox 360 and PS3, for dominance in the engine-licensing market.

A list of what job openings id needs to fill is available at their website.

Activision, Vivendi, Others Pull Out of E3

Zach Lott — Sat, 03 May 2008 11:12:22 -0500

E3 has been much smaller and focused since it became invite-only last year, but things are about to shrink even more, as Kotaku, Joystiq, and Gamespot have all made varying reports that several publishers have decided not to attend this year's show.

Kotaku kicked things off by reporting that Vivendi, Activision, Her Interactive, NCSoft, and id Software are pulling out of E3 this year. Soon after, Gamespot reported that id is attending and that Foundation 9 is joining the list of absent publishers. However, they have since declared id's status to be "unclear." Also, Joystiq reported that RPG behemoth Atlus has dropped out as well.

Vivendi and Activision's decision comes with news that they have dropped out of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which runs E3, leading analysts to speculate that they are unhappy with the orginization's president, Mike Gallagher. He has been criticized for being "less knowledgeable and sophisticated about this industry than Doug [Lowenstein, former ESA president]" by Michael Pachter, an analyst for Wedbush Morgan. Kotaku's other sources agree that Gallagher's actions are involved with the publishers' decision.

However, the other publishers haven't left the organization, with NCSoft telling Kotaku that the decision not attend E3 came from their development cycle and had nothing to do with the ESA.

Foundation 9's decision, according to Gamespot, also has nothing to do with the ESA. "... exhibiting at E3 is just not something that fits with our marketing strategy this year," said a representative for the publisher. The rep also stated that some of their employees may still attend, but that the company is "not investing in the exhibit space."

Also, it was noted by Joystiq that an Activision representative told them that the company will not partake in "official E3 activities," meaning that the company might maintain a "presence" at this year's show. They will also have a non-E3 event on the first day of the show, according to Kotaku.

50 Cent: Blood On The Sand Trailer Shows Up

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:04:38 -0500

Never one to support the rumor that rap stars are at all diluted as to their own self importance, 50 Cent is back for more gun-slinging and to engage in the cappin' of various mofo's. Folks, may I introduce: 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand.

This time, for some reason, he's shooting up terrist types in the Middle East. Valuable combat strategies that can be gleaned from a quick viewing of this trailer include: always abandon cover and run toward the bullets, drop your weapon if you have an opportunity to engage in flashy hand-to-hand combat, and never worry about your own wake of destruction -- it'll only hurt everybody but you.

50 Cent: BOTS is looking at a Fall 2008 release on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The Latest World of Warcraft Commercials

Tim Grube — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:51:18 -0500

For those of you who missed the latest World of Wacraft commercials, here they are all in one video! Enjoy!

GameBump is Hiring! Be part of the team!

Tim Grube — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:42:57 -0500

I promise the flames die down eventually...

GameBump is officially seeking to hire talented writers who are interested in working within the gaming journalism field, so if you've got mad writing skills, have a drive for seeking out the latest gaming news and reviews, and know your way around a console or two, you're just what this new, fresh site is looking for. It also helps if you can take a joke (see above).

Applicants need not have experience working on another site, but they must include some recent writing samples to prove they're not in the fifth grade. Accepted applicants will be put on probation until they find their niche, be it news, reviews, previews, editing, interviews, editorials, or various features. Previous experience within the industry is an obvious plus, but mostly we're interested in people with a passion for videogames who'd like to join this exclusive, innovative team.

GameBump is also searching for additional programmers and graphics designers to help lighten the load on the rest of us; simply include the position you're looking at in the subject line of the email and our very own programming or graphics specialists will talk with you about specific knowledge you should already have.

At current all positions are volunteer, but you get free games, the chance to attend events/trade shows under the GameBump name, work experience, contacts, published material, and some flashy text for your resume. Also, you get to hang out with me and/or Aaron Dunlap - that's an experience that can't be replicated in and of itself.

We look forward to hearing from some great and talented people.

Instructions:

Include your position in the subject line, either: staff writer, general contributor, programmer, editor, or graphics designer
In the body of your email, include: any prior writing experience, your favorite game (and why!), your owned hardware, your preferred company (if you have one), how you heard about GameBump, what you think you can bring to the table, and why you're just dying to work here.
Attached, please include: at least one-two writing samples; this can be anything, but don't let it be less than 500 words. We want to get a feel for your style more than anything. And no viruses, please.

Send your email to me here and I'll respond to let you know I received it. If I don't respond, send another copy to here. Good luck.

Konami Ships Off a Bevy of New Games, MGS Collection Included

Shiva Stella — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:36:40 -0500

Konami confirmed this morning that the company has shipped three new games nationwide, headlined by Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection for the PlayStation 2.

The collection retails for $29.99 and includes the original PlayStation's Metal Gear Solid (as a PS2 disc), MGS2, and MGS3 with package artwork by series artist Yoji Shinkawa. You can view order details here if you're interested.

Following The Essential Collection comes Diary Girl for the Nintendo DS--the game functions as a PDA-lite and "provides girls of all ages the ability to interact with friends through their own customizable avatars, as well as organize a calendar and address book in their own password-protected electronic journal." Sounds spiffy.

And remember, ladies: it's not a game, it's a "lifestyle accessory". I'm going to keep that in mind any time I buy anything. Diary Girl retails for the standard $29.99.

And finally, add Lost in Blue 3 for the Nintendo DS to the list.

In Lost in Blue 3, players guide one of two stranded characters, each with their own personal history, through exotic locales on a mysterious island while surviving the elements to stay alive. Players can work alone or cooperatively with other characters to gather food, explore the island and hunt dangerous wildlife. Completing one character's storyline will unlock the storylines of two additional characters, allowing players to explore the island in different ways, experience new storylines, and uncover different endings.

Lost in Blue 3 also retails for $29.99.

New FFCC: Ring of Fates Gameplay Footage

Solomon Lee — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:37:43 -0600

Square Enix has unveiled a new trailer for its Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates. The game is set for release this month for the DS.

You can view the video below.

Konami Confirms Pre-order Bonus for MGS4

Shiva Stella — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:49:45 -0600

For those of us who already own a PlayStation 3 but would still like a nifty Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots bonus, Konami is launching a pre-sell program in April that'll include a Metal Gear Saga 2.0 DVD.

The DVD features character biographies, trailers, a 20th Anniversary special, and a code for accessing the Metal Gear Online beta test.

The game includes the Metal Gear Online "starter pack" that allows for up to 16-player matches and is set to ship on June 12, 2008.

If you don't yet own a PlayStation 3, Konami has also teamed up with Sony for an MGS4 console bundle (MSRP $499) that includes the 80GB unit, a Dualshock 3 controller, and the game.

As an aside, I have no idea what this image means.

Sony Announces MGS4 PS3 Bundle

Aaron Dunlap — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:02:20 -0600

Good news for the large chunk of humanity that's been waiting for Metal Gear Solid 4 to buy a PlayStation 3. Sony has announced a bundle that will contain an 80GB model, a DualShock 3 controller, and a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. All that for $499.99, or five hundred dollars for people without exact change.

This should be replacing the not-so-popular Motorstorm bundle, and considering the price, game, and DualShock 3 controller (at last), this is actually a pretty decent bargain. Yes, a $500 bargain.

Atlus Confirms Persona 3 FES for North America, Plus Teaser Trailer

Shiva Stella — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:16:52 -0600

Here's some good news to start the afternoon off with if you're an Atlus fan, as the company has officially confirmed that its Persona 3 FES is indeed coming to North America and will include both the regular and bonus content for the very happy price of $29.99. For those of you only mildly familiar with the Persona games, they're the ones with demons.

Here's the email confirmation Atlus sent out to its "faithful" this morning:

Ok, we give up. The rumors were true.

Persona 3 FES is coming to North America!

Months of trying to keep FES a secret are now behind us (which means all of us here can reflect on just how futile an effort that was).

So what's the big deal about Persona 3 FES? "FES" is short for "Festival," and in Japan, FES was released as a reward for gamers who picked up the original. Not only does the new FES content enhance the original game, but the new FES component is actually a game in and of itself, accessible right from the get-go. We think of it as two games on one disc. It is the definitive Persona 3 experience.

We will be releasing the stand-alone version of FES. There was of course the option of just releasing the "Append" disc (which would have required ownership of the original game), but in the end, we didn't want you to have to own anything else to enjoy the experience.

We'll have a ton more updates going out for FES soon, telling you about the extra features, content, and modes for you to enjoy. Thanks for being patient. We're glad you stuck around.

Oh, and we decided to set the suggested retail for FES at $29.99, just for the heck of it. Thanks for continuing to support us, Atlus Faithful!

Look for the game on April 22 (take that, evil ebay prices!) You can check out the Persona 3 FES website here, if you're curious, and of course you can view the fresh teaser trailer below.

GB Review: Patapon (PSP)

Shiva Stella — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:34:35 -0600

Get ready to drum to the beat.

Patapon is a great musically-geared PSP game from several of the creative minds behind the popular LocoRoco and sports the same simple flair, highlighted by a colorful world, straightforward mechanics, intricate visual details, and a fantastically catchy beat that'll make this an addictive treat for Sony and music-genre fans. But even if LocoRoco let you down, Patapon comes with some improvements: it relies on an actual storyline that gives the game purpose, the "characters" have a touch more depth, and the amount of army tweaking, hunting areas, bosses, and mini-game diversions should offer enough motivation for you to finish it. For $20, you simply cannot go wrong.

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

As is often the case with deities, you - the 'All-mighty' god of the adorable patapons - have been too preoccupied with the business of the universe to cast them an endearing glance. Completely neglected by their patron deity, the patapons - tiny, bloodthirsty, giant-eyed creatures with a serious knack for rhythm - have been forced to deal with an incursion of the malignant zigotons, ugly suckers that, in the ignorance of the divine, have walled their way between Patapolis, the patapon capital, and the object of the patapons' desire a great, mysterious gift that you conveniently placed at the end of the world. In your absence the patapons have suffered defeat after defeat at the hands of the foul zigotons and in a final act of desperation the sole survivor of the patapons' once magnificent army raises the war banner and cries out for your aid.

Should you answer the call, all of Patapolis will rejoice as you enter the world of Patapon, Sony's mix of real-time strategy and rhythm for the PSP from almost the same folks who brought you LocoRoco, the cute musical puzzle game that had you tapping your toes while sliding colorful blobs throughout the trappings of a rainbow paradise. Though LocoRoco was definitely a delight and a great boon for Sony's handheld, it lacked a certain quality and the player felt like he was maneuvering gelatinous globs for the sole purpose of hearing the next song. Patapon, refreshingly, does more than feature adorable music; it actively incorporates it into the gameplay via a very simplistic control mechanism. The player taps out a command in line with the music and the pulsating edges of the screen, a great help for beginners, and the patapon army behaves accordingly, either advancing (pata-pon), attacking (pon), defending (chaka), or performing the occasional miracle (it's good to see you living up to your reputation).

On the surface, it almost seems too simple; there are no thousand command combo variations that'll trigger some fancy cutscene, no "special" power-ups that'll teach your patapons how to fly, and no healing magic to get your troops back on track. There aren't even items - just four basic commands, yet the music and pounding drums makes them incredibly addictive. The proverbial icing is that each command operates as a strategy, such that "attack" has patapons throwing spears from a wider distance while "defend" orders the patapons to bunch up on the flag carrier, attacking only what approaches the army and therefore narrowing the archer's arch; this is a great maneuver for when bosses are attacking the area immediately in front of them and not the army's flank, where the tightly packed patapons are huddling safely out of reach. Nevertheless, a backup maneuver is sorely missing. When a patapon that isn't the flag carrier dies it leaves a "cap" (its head) behind for the army to collect so the player can resurrect the unit, but patapons at the rear (mostly archers) can get left behind due to the army's inability to retrace a few steps. The lack seems almost silly.

Pon, pon, pata, pon!

While the basic gameplay consists of leading your patapon army throughout the 30+ main missions, Sony threw in some boss battles and lighter hunting areas, enabling the player to collect source materials (rocks, sticks, etc), money (ka-chi), and "legendary" weapons. Admittedly the enemy design is redundant: the first boss the player encounters is a giant turquoise-spotted, fire-breathing dragon while the second is a giant red-spotted, fire-breathing dragon (and yes, both dragons require the same strategy to defeat). The patapons' prey receive the same treatment, boasting black birds, pink birds, gold birds, and the like. However, there is just enough variation and the bosses are just difficult enough to keep the gameplay interesting. For additional diversity there are some nasty environmental aspects including excruciatingly painful lightning strikes and annoying wind changes to watch out for as well as animals that actually fight back, but again, the sole purpose of Patapon is to lead those adorable bug-eyed killers into battle with your significant drumming abilities. As a final touch, the highly important fever mode, which you activate by staying true to the beat for ten commands, is the key to success, sending the patapons into a blood-frenzy that crushes everything in its path; one troop type in particular, the kibapon (cavalry), relies entirely on fever mode and is less than useless without it, though with it the kibapon become war deities that rival the All-mighty Himself. The only downside to the fever mode is that most levels appear designed to encourage the gamer to reach fever by walking forward; this amounts to a lot of empty space and needless repetition, as you can reach fever by standing in-place and defending, if need be. Another annoyance is that the music changes as you initiate fever, so you can easily miss a beat and lose fever if you're distracted by patapon singing and the acoustic switch.

Singing, dancing, and drumming your one-eyed soldiers to success - while the highlight of the gameplay - is only half the story in Patapon, as any great army unleashed by any great civilization requires plenty of bureaucratic management. To this end Patapolis awaits the All-mighty's use, boasting many convenient features, the foremost of which is the life-tree for patapon creation and/or reincarnation (nobody's perfect). At the life-tree you can bring forth many a new patapon by mixing ingredients, usually minerals, meats, and tree branches, for specific race and troop types. If you're looking to create an archer (yumipon), for example, you throw in a rock and a stick and viola - instant bow-and-arrow buddy. To "adjust" the yumipon you simply increase the quality of the ingredients, this time mixing a tytanium ore with hinoki wood to create a tikulee (blue) yumipon, read: an archer with improved stats (HP, damage, speed, crit, etc). There are four basic troop types: yumipon (archers), yaripon (spearmen), kibapon (cavalry), and tatepon (infantry), and each unit within each type my be either a regular (white) patapon or, with a little genetic tweaking, achieve that extra special rank: pyokola (red), gekolos (green), mofeel (purple), or tikulee (blue).

Though the life-tree is the heart of Patapolis, Sony added some elements of the mini-game variety for fun and musical relaxation. As the player completes missions he'll collect "unique" items that can be utilized by the life-tree to create "hero" patapons - the great patapons of lore who kept the troops fed and the altar flooded with resources. The mini-games have you repeat tunes in a 'Simon-says' manner for four lines and, depending on your timing, reward you with prize goods for patapon creation. The rest of Patapolis - the "gateway" to the world map, the base camp (led by the priestess patapon, Meden) - serve as nice perches from you can view plot progression, but otherwise they exist to make the city feel less vacant.

Patapon's presentation is on par with LocoRoco's and is about what you'd expect if you played its pseudo-predecessor: the environs are colorful, the patapons and zigotons are detailed from their helmets down to their very tiny feet, and all character and object design features a simplistic structure and color palette. What differentiates it the most from LocoRoco, besides its "puzzles" (most of which include the obtaining and usage of the proper miracle needed to proceed) and gameplay mechanics, is the inclusion of an actual storyline and characterization, shallow though both may be. The player feels as though there is a real goal to obtain for helping the struggling patapons succeed and not just another level filled with cute little musical "events" that may eventually bore him. This drive to finish the game nicely compliments its replayability and keeps the gamer coming back for more of this unique musical experience, often hunting for kicks or creating patapons to form the "ultimate" army. Perfectionists beware: with more than 100 weapons/armor and plenty of source materials to tweak your darling soldiers, you can spend a few hours doing nothing but gaining goodies and improving stats. Unfortunately all 100+ of those weapons/armor must be obtained by completing missions: you can't take the source materials you already have and turn them into weaponry, which is a missed opportunity that could have added countless hours and much depth to the gameplay. On the whole, however, Patapon is yet another fantastic title on the PSP, perfect for short or lengthy mobile gaming sessions and full of endless acoustic delight. You'll be pleasantly surprised by this one.

Publisher: Sony Computer Ent.
Developer: Sony Computer Ent./Japan Studio/Pyramid
Release: Feb 26, 2008
MSRP: $19.99
Everyone

Gears of War 2 Announced

Solomon Lee — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:51:07 -0600

Microsoft and Epic Games has officially announced, in their keynote speech at this year's GDC event, that Gears of War 2 is slated for a November 2008 release for the Xbox 360.

Check out the teaser trailer after the jump.

First Deadly Creatures (Wii) Trailer Live

Shiva Stella — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:12:38 -0600

The first trailer for THQ's Deadly Creatures on the Wii is available tonight and linked below for your viewing pleasure.

The game is being developed by Rainbow Studios, the team behind Motorcross Madness, Cars, and ATV Offroad Fury; for this reason I haven't gotten my hopes up, but I admit that I'm curious... monsters go oh-so-well with destruction.

New Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 'Limited Edition' Trailer

Shiva Stella — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:02:11 -0600

Here's an interesting Ubisoft trailer for the evening, this one for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 on the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. The video is advertising the "limited edition" version; you can check out the list of features below to see if it's worth the extra $10. Check out the hot key chain.

Includes Collectible Poker Chip Key Chain
Limited Edition Bonus Disk
Exclusive Strategy Video: With insider tips and secrets from the developers, pro gamers, and Frag Dolls you won't get anywhere else.
Pro Gamer Interview: Get an exclusive look at the life of a pro gamer with MLG player FinestX.
MLG Pro Circuit '07 Season Highlights: Watch the pros take on the most heated matches of '07.
Tom Clancy's EndWar(TM) Sneak Peek: Join the Frag Dolls for a hands-on look at the latest thrilling game in the Tom Clancy arsenal.

Since when do "insider tips" and commentary from the "Frag Dolls" make something a "special" edition?

Resident Evil 5 Due in 2008... most likely

Shiva Stella — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:07:51 -0600

Here's a little something interesting for Resident Evil fans this morning. According to the latest podcast featuring Chris Kramer, Senior Director of Communication and Community for Capcom (I imagine that he handles the hate mail and forums), over at Major Nelson's place, it's highly possible that Resident Evil 5 will see release this year.

And I quote:

We have a really fantastic year ahead of us... a year that's going to include games like Bionic Commando, Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter IV is going to be making its arcade debut next week in Japan. We've got a new game that we're working on in the US called Dark Void...

If you'd rather skip the radio-like melodrama you'll find the above comment at the 30.00 mark.

Assassin's Creed DS Gameplay Footage: I Feel Asleep

Aaron Dunlap — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:52:41 -0600

Since its announcement, Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles has been kept pretty close to Ubisoft's maternal chest, odd for a game that could conceivably be such a big deal.

Well here's some gameplay footage. Do not watch while operating heavy machinery.

I guess the minigame shown near the end to pick pockets looks pretty interesting. It appears you scratch out the screen to reveal the contents, then have to drag the thing you want out of the pocket like a medieval game of Operation.

Faith and a .45 Teaser Contains .45 Seconds of Gameplay

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:56:23 -0600

I haven't been following Faith and a .45 very closely, because there's been no reason to, and this "teaser" doesn't really change things. If you like the Ken Burns effect as applied to concept artwork and split-second takes from gameplay with uncomfortable, forced camera angles you should love this.

The SD video is above, or hit the link below for the HD version.