The first solid details on Bizarre Creations' fourth entry in the Project Gotham Racing series have emerged in the pages of Official Xbox Magazine US.
The biggest feature in the fourth instalment seems to be a whole bunch of fancy weather effects, including water that beads realistically on the paintjobs, sprays from the tires and causes madness in the in-car view.
While we're still not convinced of how much photoshop trickery has gone on, the OXM screens are looking absolutely gorgeous.
Expectedly, there's also a broader set of vehicles promised for PGR 4 ranging from the vintage'63 Corvette Sting Ray all the way to the slick Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. There's no shortage of tracks either; according to OXM PRG 4 will sport over 200 racetracks from 10 different locations.
The last of the mentioned improvements are a number of tweaks to the series' famous in-care view. Apparently there's a significant bump-up in animation, with your driver feeding the wheel as you screech around turns and a slight vision blur effect when you have a nasty encounter with a wall.
More screens and details should emerge next month, but don't get too impatient - according to OXM Project Gotham 4 won't be out until next winter.
Political leaders, politicians and policemen have already downloaded the GTA IV trailer, watched it numerous times, and gone ape at the fact that the fictional city resembles New York.
While the city does resemble New York, it's actually the GTA hold haunt Liberty City, which, as we all know, is heavily based on NYC.
"Setting Grand Theft Auto in the safest big city in America would be like setting Halo in Disneyland," said City Councilman Peter Vallone, chairman of the council's public safety committee.
The New York Daily News reported "Grand Theft Auto is set in a mythical city that bears a striking resemblance to New York." Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly isn't one bit impressed. "It's despicable to glamorize violence in games like these, regardless of how far-fetched the setting may be."
Jason Post, a spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg, put the final nail in GTA IV's coffin: "The mayor does not support any video game where you earn points for injuring or killing police officers."
You have to get up pretty early in the morning to fool the Halo faithful and in any case, prime time Saturday night isn't the crack of dawn by any interpretation. An April Fool's prank of the "We didn't even bother to research it" variety from Game Stooge is what we have for you this time and it has to do with a prequel to Bungie's Halo series.
Don a pocket protector and start up your favorite MC Frontalot album because it's about to get real nerdy up in here.
The story as it goes has a prequel to Halo starring the beloved cast of the alternate reality game sensation, I Love Bees, in a tactical shooter much like the Rainbow Six series. The problem being that none of the characters would know each other prior to the original Halo, nor would any of them have any combat training whatsoever. Hell, the protagonist, Janissary James' great accomplishment was getting shot in the chest. Okay, so she broke some limbs and generally beat the crap out of some folks along the way, but she isn't exactly the Chief.
Another, more obvious error, is the Cortana-like A.I, Melissa (see also: Durga), being referred to as Dana by Game Stooge. If they had listened to the I Love Bees audio files for, oh, let's say two minutes, they would have gotten that one right. Hello? Wikipedia? Ever heard of it?
This exercise in epic fail concludes with a fake address by Bungie co-founder Jason Jones that makes him sound more like a public relations robot than a human being. When was the last time any of you remember Jason Jones doing a public anything, much less a statement outside of the Halo 2 documentary? You have a better shot at finding Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny playing a game of Strip Uno at the end of a rainbow than you do finding Jason Jones doing anything public, ever.
If we're lucky, this "Doctor Who" marathon we're in the middle of will last until April Fool's is over.
This one is a cute April Fool's Day joke, despite Turbine announcing it on Friday, they did give it a dateline of April 1. What Turbine says is that in their upcoming Lord of the Rings Online, you'll meet the Sméorufolc, a version of hobbit who wear caps of white wool. They also have a passion for mushrooms and eating them altered their skin color to blue. Yes, they are Middle-earth Smurfs. The "press release" looks to be full of subtle anagrams and generally playful nonsense. Only a few more hours till Blizzard, a company known for their April Fool's Day jokes, steps up to the plate. What will it be?
On the other end of the cute spectrum, a confirmation of Metal Gear Solid 4 on the Xbox 360. We still can't tell if this was intended as a joke, but VG Resource Center says they have confirmation of MGS4 on the Xbox 360. VGRC claims they have an email from Konami stating, "Yes, in fact, we are working on putting Metal Gear Solid 4 on the Xbox 360 and PC, which should both come out roughly 6 months after the PS3 release. However, we've been working with Microsoft so the 360 and PC versions will both take advantage of Xbox Live and Games for Windows Live, with such features as achievements and the ability for 360 and PC owners to play against each other in multiplayer. I'd love to give you some more details, but this is already pushing it. We are making the big announcement July 11th at this year's E3, so you'll just have to wait until then. Sorry!"
So, the source at Konami acknowledged the game, announced another platform, said it would have Live capabilities, says the big announcement won't be till July 11, puts it all in a perfect quote and then apologizes that they can't give away any more information? Damn, you already gave away the whole cow, what are you apologizing for? We don't need anything else!
Praise be to the Circuit City's and Wal-Mart's of the world as Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360 has arrived a few, scant days early on Mount Joystiq. What? You actually go to a game store to buy your games? You should probably stop doing that. After shredding it up like only nerds with tiny, plastic toy guitars can, we actually took a look at the instruction manual, curious as to any information regarding the mystery port found at the base of the X-Plorer.
The gods of rock shined upon us as it is now clearly labeled the Effects Pedal port, as seen above. Opposite the page is an explanation of all the buttons and gadgets found on the guitar, including an explanation of the Effects Pedal port. How dost thou rocketh mighty ports of pedals?
via cvg
Hopefully you've got plenty of games in your 'to do' tray because over the next few weeks there's going to be slim pickings. After the deluge that greeted the PS3 launch weekend (some 63 titles) we are now down to just six.
Yep, just six major releases. So don't blame us that Prince of Persia: Rival Swords on Wii is the standout title, there's really not much to sift through. At least we can all look forward to the magnificent God of War II that is most definitely scheduled in for April 13.
The complete list of games released in the UK this week (06/04/07):
Last month, THQ told analysts in a quarterly conference call that it would be introducing its SmackDown vs. RAW series of wrestling games to the Nintendo DS, Wii, and PlayStation 3 this year. Today the publisher spilled the first details on SmackDown vs. RAW 2008, which will also appear on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Xbox 360, combining for the company's largest cross-platform WWE release yet.
THQ also gave a glimpse of what to expect from this year's installment of the game, saying that WWE spin-off league Extreme Championship Wrestling will have a "significant" presence in the game, with a number of ECW stars, arenas, and weapons included. As for the gameplay focus, THQ said that "realism and strategy are at the forefront" with its new struggle submission system, which uses analog controls to let players dictate the amount of pressure applied to their opponents in submission holds.
SmackDown vs. RAW 2008 will also sport adjustments to features included in last year's game, with new rosters, more interactive "hotspots," a combined season and general manager mode, and revised action outside the ring and online community options.
If you've been oooing and ahing at the Xbox 360 Elite's HDMI connection -- which really should have been there all along -- then this is the post for you: a source at Microsoft has posted specific details of the Elite's HDMI capabilities. Apparently the Elite will only support the 1.2 HDMI standard, and not the 1.3 spec which would have enabled TrueHD or Dolby Digital+. As such, you'll have to stick with regular DD, DTS, and WMA-Pro for your sound output. It also only supports dual channel PCM output, not full 5.1 channel, and if you want full 5.1 PCM output the tipster cheekily recommends "purchasing the Toshiba A2 player" which is much cheaper than the $479 Elite. At this point the complexity of the tech talk takes a step up, as amirm refers to a fall update that will bring support for "different video levels for VGA output" which could potentially improve fidelity and HDCP handshaking support on displays operating at 1080p. We suspect that around half of the people that started reading this left to read our interview with fake SJ somewhere around the point that we mentioned "dual channel PCM output", but what do the three people left reading think about these HDMI deets?
You could be playing a demo of the hotly anticipated racer, Forza Motorsport 2, in a matter of weeks, according to an ad in the latest issue of the US Official Xbox 360 magazine.
The advertisement, which has appeared in the May Issue of the publication, says the Forza 2 demo will be "available April from Xbox Live Marketplace".
Let's just hope the demo doesn't suffer from any delays, considering there have otherwise been no official announcements.
The same issue also advertises the new Halo 2 map pack, which will include two revived Halo: Combat Evolved multiplayer maps.
We're chasing Microsoft for details on the Forza demo for Europe. Check back later for the feedback.
Cambridge (Massachusetts)-based developer Harmonix has teamed up with EA and MTV to develop Rock Band, a new music game that "takes the core premise of Guitar Hero and expands it tenfold".
If you thought Guitar Hero's two-player mode was cool, Rock Band hopes to blow you away with a new four-player option that lets you jam with other players over the internet, reports USA Today.
Alex Rigopulos, co-founder of Harmonix, revealed that the new game "lets you create a complete collaborative band," with microphone and drum kit controllers coming along with two guitars (lead and bass). That sounds awesome.
Set for a pre-Christmas release on Xbox 360 and PS3, the game will feature acts from the original artists thanks to MTV's involvement, who will be helping to make deals with music publishers.
MTV's Jeff Yapp commented: "This game offers a meaningful way for labels to participate in a segment of entertainment they, for the most part, have not been able to."
Although a track list is yet to be revealed, it is said to include a range of music "from metal to classic rock to Southern rock to everything in between", revealed Rigopulos, and will allow gamers to download new songs from the internet.
Sounds awesome, doesn't it? We may have some time to wait, but that's okay because we've got Guitar Hero II coming to 360, don't forget.
The game manual for the US version of GHII reveals that the mysterious port on the bottom of the guitar controller will allow the connection of an effects pedal, although it says the feature is "currently unavailable. Bummer. Hopefully some pedals will be release for use with the game at a later date.
It's a good time for rocking rhythm-action gamers.
Battlefield: Bad Company, EA's PS3 and Xbox 360 shooter, is displaying its wares in three new screenshots. Have a gander.
The game's been built from the ground up for the two consoles with the aim of bringing the essence of the Battlefield series' multiplayer experience to a single-player game. Action is combined with freeform gameplay and destructible environments, events following a group of renegade soldiers fighting behind enemy lines.
Ticket prices for October's E for All Expo have been set by the show organisers IDG.
Single day tickets will be priced at USD 50 (EUR 37) for the Thursday and Friday, while Saturday and Sunday tickets have been bumped up to USD 75 (EUR 56). A full pass for the four days will cost USD 110 (EUR 82), according to a report on GameSpot.
Last week Nintendo confirmed it would be an 'anchor exhibitor' for the event, with more ESA members expected to pledge support for the consumer show shortly.
The event will take place at the LA Convention Centre and feature product showcases, games tournaments, a job fair and a retail section in Kentia Hall.
The E for All Expo will take place October 18 – 12.
Even though you won't be able to preorder the Xbox 360 Elite at Gamestop, Circuit City has stepped up to the plate and is accepting preorders on the new black console. Just head on over to Circuit City's website to preorder, it's quite simple. You could also throw down extra preorder dollars on a new black controller or maybe a black play and charge kit, it's all up to you and your bank account. Anyone willing to shell out nearly $500 on a preorder to guarantee an April 29th black Xbox 360 Elite? Or do you think there will be plenty to go around come launch day?
Over on the AVS forums, an insider from Microsoft let the kitty cat out of the bag on the Xbox 360 Elite's use of HDMI. According to the post, the Elite will incorporate HDMI 1.2 and not the newer 1.3 version which the PS3 uses. What's the big difference you ask? Well, not too much other than HDMI 1.3 features TrueHD and DTS-HD audio output and other small fixes where as 1.2 does not. There's a lot of technical mumbo jumbo to be read, so if you're into all that technical jazz feel free to read up on the differences. For the HDMI noobs amongst us (which we mostly all fall under) check out Wikipedia's HDMI 1.2 vs 1.3 comparison and get learnified. To those of you who are purchasing an Elite 360, does this 1.2 revelation alter your opinion or sway you away from your future Elite purchase?
On Thursday, April 5, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 developer Red Storm Entertainment is assaulting Xbox Live to take on European gamers in a tactical shooter showdown.
The event is running from 7pm GMT to 9pm GMT. First of all, you need to add one of the following GamerTags to your Friends list prior to the event - UbisoftDev1, UbisoftDev2, UbisoftDev3 or UbisoftDev4. Then log in to Xbox Live between 7 and 9 and wait for an invite.
Red Storm folks present will be Christian Allen (Creative Director), Chris Bray (Lead MP Designer) and Prince Arrington (Associate Producer) and they'll attempt to play as many people wanting in as possible.
Following this morning's reveal of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008, first screenshots from the THQ sequel are body-slamming us and following up with a Chinese burn (15 screenshots in fact, which we've uploaded to this here page).
The screens are from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game - Wii, PS2, DS and PSP iterations are also planned. Expect to see WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 toward the end of the year.
Guitar Hero II is coming out tomorrow (even though some of you have your hands on it already) and we feel that our blogging duty requires us to tell you about the best deal out there. Enter Circuit City's gracious offering. This week at Circuit City, when you pick up Guitar Hero II for $89.99 they'll give you a FREE 1600 Microsoft Points card. Yup, that's a $20 value kids. You can then use those points to purchase the recently confirmed Guitar Hero tracks that will be on the XBLM next week or just splurge on random XBLA games or themes. Now, who says corporate retail giants don't care about the consumer's best interest?
Playing video games is a dangerous business. If gamers aren't dodging flying controllers or getting inadvertently hit by their partner while playing Wii Sports, they're getting the dreaded Tekken Thumb after a few fighting rounds too many. Now, according to a UK report, it's official--gamers who button-mash too much can wind up in hospital.
In 2006 in the UK, a total of 577 children had to go to hospital for treatment for repetitive strain injury (RSI), according to British newspaper The Daily Mail.
RSI is a medically recognised condition which results from spending long periods of time making repetitive movements with the hands, wrists, arms, or shoulders. If these motions are performed on an almost daily basis (such as by an assembly line worker or a typist), inflammation can occur and not be given a chance to heal, since the muscles will continue to be used in the same way.
The figures are a 35 percent rise on those from 1999, and it is believed there is a direct link with the growing popularity of gaming.
Conversely, injuries related to falling out of trees were down 36 percent last year to 1,163, which The Daily Mail believes illustrates the trend for children to "turn away from basic outdoor activities."
Late last month, online retailers EB Games and GameStop posted a listing for Project Silpheed, an Xbox 360 shooter previously released by Square Enix in Japan. Unfortunately, it looks like EB and GameStop got it wrong...about the spelling that is.
Project Sylpheed, as it is also known abroad, will be coming to the US this summer, Microsoft confirmed today. Developed by Japanese game studios Game Arts and Seta Corporation, the game will be published domestically by Microsoft Game Studios. The shooter is a 3D update of the arcade game Silpheed and features more than 50 minutes of CG cutscenes.
In addition to confirming Project Sylpheed for the US, Microsoft also confirmed that another Japanese-developed Xbox 360 game, Vampire Rain, will also be available this summer. Vampire Rain is a stealth-based shooter featuring a special agent hunting down creatures of the night in Los Angeles.
Disney's Meet the Robinsons, based on the Walt Disney Pictures animated film, is a time-traveling action/adventure game. Players experience the adventure as Wilbur Robinson, helping him chase the dastardly Bowler Hat Guy and his diabolical robotic hat Doris through multiple timelines in an attempt to thwart their evil plans. The game weaves in and out of the film's plot, expanding the Robinson world and offering an all-new adventure. Wilbur will have a host of gadgets at his disposal as he battles enemies and solves puzzles while pursuing Bowler Hat Guy and trying not to alter the future.
Capcom just announced that we'll be seeing more Lost Planet multiplayer map love this week. On Friday, April 6th Lost Planet's map pack #2 will be released to the XBLM featuring two new maps and will set you back 400 Microsoft Points just like it's old brother map pack #1. The two new maps are called "Hive Complex", which is set in an abandoned mine, and "Trial Point" set in a futuristic business complex. Preview videos of the new maps are available after the jump. Has anyone purchased the previous map pack and came away satisfied? If so, are you thinking about purchasing these two new multiplayer maps for more frigid fun?
In the wake of one of North Korea's worst famines, an insidious North Korean general influences the government to secretly divert humanitarian aid to beef up its army, slowly gaining power in the process. In the midst of another North Korean famine, food riots begin rocking the countryside, and the rogue North Korean general assumes complete control of the army. Blaming China for the famine, he begins charging north to seize Chinese territory with tacit support from its new Russian ally. China officially agrees to a multinational force to safeguard the China-North Korean border. Unofficially, the Ghosts and other special forces go in. Their mission: cripple the North Korean threat and depose the rogue general.
The always-gorgeous (well, almost always) Mass Effect has fell a few rungs down the graphics ladder with these latest screenshots - but we're still hoping they're just plain old bad grabs. Please
There's still plenty of commotion surrounding the release date of the BioWare RPG, which internet reports insist is pencilled in for June while Microsoft is expectedly keeping quiet.
Either way, look for plenty of coverage in the weeks running up to release (whenever that may be) - because we simply can't wait to get our hands on the final 360 stunner. Please just be bad grabs.
Disney Interactive has released the first screenshots of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - and we've never seen such a huge visual leap between two Wii and Xbox 360 counterparts.
As you can see from the supplied evidence the 360 version is shaping up quite nicely, while the Wii edition, with it's sub-PS2 character models and ticket to jaggy hell, needs to be thrown overboard. We'll let you guess which screens are which.
As for the game itself we'll have to wait and see how that turns out - the last Pirates game from Disney was passable so hopefully this will improve on the creaky template.
SEGA of America, Inc. has released an Armored Core 4 playable demo for the Xbox360, now live on Marketplace. The demo features 3 full levels and a handful of mechs to customize and test drive.
Armored Core, the mech action game that defined the mech gaming genre, is back to take on next-generation platforms! Armored Core 4 reinvigorates the series by offering an all-new storyline, new environments, and for the first time - online capability!
The FULL game includes:
* Multiplayer functionality allows up to eight players to battle online.
* Join one of six factions specializing in different aspects of battle.
* Over 35 missions played out in detailed futuristic 3D environments.
* Fly through canyons and rip through cities battling multiple enemies.
* Deploy "Quick Boost" and "Over Boost" features for precise explosive movement and precision control of AC units.
* Engage "Primal Armor" the all-new defense shield that adjusts its strength according to specific battle conditions.
Microsoft "will wait" and see how demand for motion-sensitive controllers grows before developing its own SixAxis / Wii Remote-like controller, says Microsoft's Chris Satchell.
Speaking to CVG, the Microsoft Developer Group GM told us that unless there's real demand from gamers and publishers for the tech "there's no point building the hardware if nobody really wants it".
"One thing I'm not certain of is that third-parties are super-excited about that motion control - or at least they're not showing it with the games that are hitting the shelves yet", he said.
"We're yet to see a really good game on Wii that really says 'OK that control kicked ass'.
And of the PlayStation 3's SixAxis controller, Satchell commented: "I think the jury's way out on that. I don't know if it's really that meaningful or not. So I think the jury's out on whether everybody really wants [motion control] so we'll wait and see."
Satchell's comments are at odds with those of Xbox boss Peter Moore, who hinted earlier this year that Microsoft does indeed have its own Wii-inspired plans up its sleeve. "We have plans. This does not come as a surprise", he said.
Later this month, Activision is releasing download content for the Xbox 360 version of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and we've nabbed screenshots that show what's coming.
The content adds eight playable new characters to the existing roster in addition to new achievements. Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Venom, Magneto, Sabretooth, Hawkeye, Doctor Doom and The Incredible Hulk are being introduced in a Hero pack and a Villain pack.
The packs can be purchased individually for 500 Microsoft Points apiece or in a combined pack for 800 Microsoft Points.
Ex Red Octane staffers John Tam (executive producer on Guitar Hero II) and Corey Fong (brand manager) have been banned from creating instrument-based rhythm action games for a year.
Reported on GameSpot, it's part of the resulting agreement of a legal dispute between three former members of Red Octane and Activision, whom the publisher had sued over allegations that they'd used their knowledge of the Guitar Hero brand "improperly... to develop and shop around a demo for a competing game".
"Lodestone [a studio established by Fong and Tam] intended to target a confidential and proprietary Activision corporate opportunity for the Guitar Hero franchise involving a certain confidential third party that was known to Tam and Fong by virtue of their employment with Activision," a court injunction stated.
"Tam, working with Fong, directed an Activision employee and Activision independent contractors to develop, at Activision's expense, a demo of Defendents' game..."
In addition to being banned from developing instrument-based rhythm action games (in particular games that are (guitar-, drum- or synthesizer-based) for a year, under the agreement Fong and Tam are not allowed to distribute the mentioned demo or develop Xbox 360 peripherals for Guitar Hero II within six months of the sequel's release.
This week Xbox 360 owners will be able to throw their 800 Microsoft points at puzzle favourite LUXOR 2, which arrives on Xbox Live Arcade at 9am GMT tomorrow.
Getting the old pie chart out LUXOR 2 offers 88 levels of puzzling mischief, 13 bonus rounds and 4 difficulty modes - which should keep you busy for a while.
You can already download a demo of LUXOR from Microsoft's Zone website (which in a related matter is where we used to hammer X-Wing vs. Tie-Fighter every. Single. Day.) It basically has you shooting coloured balls off of a chain trying to bunch them into groups of three - which we promise it's more fun than it sounds.
If that all sounds attractive enough to you, get yourself on Xbox Live tomorrow and look out for our fabulous verdict very soon.
Over 11 years since the original was released, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars has entered the All Formats charts at number one, knocking software for the newly released PlayStation 3 down the charts, GamesIndustry.biz reports.
Sales of Sony's best-selling title Resistance: Fall of Man dropped by 66 per cent, nudging it down to number two in the charts, while MotorStorm sales also fell by 62 per cent, as it reversed into the number three position.
Codemasters' multiformat Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 slips into fourth place this week, with SEGA's Virtua Tennis 3 at number five.
A strong performer this week is Ubisoft's TMNT: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which climbs the charts from number 19 to number six. EA's UEFA Champions League 2006 - 2007 also climbs into the top ten this week, from number 15 to seven.
Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is at number eight this week, just ahead of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 at nine and Activision's Call of Duty 3 at ten.
This week's highest new entry is EA's Medal of Honor: Vanguard for the Nintendo Wii, just missing the top ten by debuting at number 11.
Denki Games boss Colin Anderson reckons Microsoft's willingness to allow so many rubbish games onto Xbox Live Arcade is "trivialising" the service.
"We're already beginning to see the traditional games publishers flood these new channels with re-hashed versions of the same tired old products," Anderson wrote in his GamesIndustry.biz column on casual gaming.
"They don't even appear to be 'sympathetic re-interpretations', they're just knock-offs of familiar products, uncaringly converted with just enough 'enhanced' features to plausibly deny accusations of not caring about the product or audience.
"What's worse is that Microsoft appears to be permitting this. Perhaps not deliberately, but whether through choice or simply a lack of long-term vision they appear to be trivialising their service."
That doesn't mean that the games appearing on Xbox Live Arcade aren't part of something big though, with Anderson arguing that they "may just help to expand the possibilities for new game experiences - for both industry and audience alike".
Ubisoft's latest release schedule has revealed it will be bringing Wartech Senko no Ronde to European shores in May.
The Xbox 360 shooter pops you up against increasingly enormous bosses in a beat-'em-up-style versus battle. The only difference being that you are a spaceship, rather than a person, and you use laser beams and missiles instead of karate chops and Van Damn spin kicks.
It launched back in August across Japan and has received strong reviews.
Unfortunately Ubisoft was unavailable to tell us any more about the title, but we expect all of the features of the Japanese version will make it to Europe, including mutliplayer head-to-head.
If, for any reason, you have a damaged Microsoft® Xbox 360™ disc and like to replace it, please review the information below.
The "information below" basically says if you own a first-party 360 game that's been damaged, "for any reason", you can send it in and get a new copy sent out to you in 4-6 weeks. "Any reason". Right. Kids, this is as much of an admission as you're going to get from MS that their games and/or system updates are borking your discs.
Sound easy? Nothing is easy when we're talking 360 customer support. Nope, it'll cost you USD$20. For real. [sigh]
Be sure to take advantage of this generous offer though, it's for a limited time only.
Hands On Mobile, Inc. announced today that they have entered into an agreement with Activision to produce a Guitar Hero mobile game for handhelds. While we aren't sure if that means cell phones, PlayStation Portables, Nintendo DSs, Game Boy Advances, HP calculators or all of the above, it's further proof of the massive juggernaut that is the Guitar Hero franchise. Although this franchise was announced before, then canceled, it's now apparently been reborn.
Plus with the announcement earlier today of Harmonix' Rock Band, Ubisoft's Jam Sessions for the DS, and even the Mother 3 soundtrack being made available on iTunes -- it's clear that games and music are currently making waves. It's like the horror genre in movie theaters right now. Soon you'll be seeing things like Hammered Dulcimer Champion and Harmonica Savior hitting store shelves
Rayman Raving Rabbids marks the return of the iconic video-game hero, Rayman, in his funniest and zaniest adventure ever. When the world of Rayman is threatened by a devastating invasion of crazed, out-of-control bunnies Rayman must rise up against his furry foes to foil their wicked plans. Utilizing an array of amazing new abilities, and with the help of magical creatures, Rayman must break out all the moves to save his world from these delirious bunnies and their hare-raising antics.
Ive been following the site DiGG over the last few months and a trend occurs that really puts a downer on these social voting sites.
Whenever big sites such as Engadget, Joystiq, Gizmodo, Kotaku and others post a digg even if the digg post was sourced from another site that had already submitted a Digg they because of their size nearly always get the stories from them made popular.
So the little sites who the story originated from just cant compete with sites who get mega hits each day.
Maybe there should be a source link on each digg post (if one exists)
Am i the only one who thinks its just a case of the big sites winning each time or could i be wrong.
Should sites like Digg/Slashdot and others change to make sure say that the proper site gets the linkages?
I should say that i have nothing against the sites above but maybe a fairer system is needed ?
As you may have heard, there have been some updates to Xbox 360 Warranty that you should be aware of. It may be worth checking out if you need any warranty work done.
Warranty is now 1 year instead of 90 days.
Free shipping, new post service warranty and faster service are some of the highlights.
1. New Warranty Enhancements, Including Cost-Free Shipping and Return of Original Console
We recently announced that we changed the Xbox 360 warranty in the United States and Canada from 90 days to one year from the date of purchase. Now we're adding additional service enhancements, taking Xbox 360 customer service one step further.
- Free Shipping:
In the event your console needs to be returned to us for repair your shipping costs are free. We will immediately send you a postage paid container in which to send us your console, and we will pay for shipping charges to return your console to you.
We are committed to delivering an improved Xbox customer service experience for our Xbox 360 console customers, one that is faster, more efficient and includes shipping free of any charge. From our customer service representatives to our executive team, the entire Xbox team has made delivering on this commitment a top priority.
- New Post-Service Warranty:
If we repair your Xbox 360 within the original warranty period, you will receive either the balance of your original warranty, or 90 days, whichever is longer. In addition, we will now pay for the shipping both ways.
If we repair your Xbox 360 after the warranty period has expired, while you will be responsible for the repair costs, your repaired console will be returned to you with a new, one year repair warranty.
- Return of Original Console
In either an in warranty or out of warranty situation, most customers will now receive their original console back from Microsoft.
2. Faster Service
We are implementing an expedited repair process; upon receipt of the console, Microsoft will repair it and ship it to you within five business days.
3. Enhanced Operations
We're increasing the number of Xbox customer care representatives, enhancing our training processes and further building out our on-site technical support, all so our customers will begin to experience a noticeable improvement in the quality of the service they receive when they contact us.
Xbox will be hiring a customer care champion who will be responsible for ensuring the end-to-end experience for all Xbox customers is first-class, evaluating and implementing new practices and policies to further enhance the Xbox customer experience. We are also adding more staff at the supervisory level, to ensure we serve you better.
Sega Toys has just launched the cutest companion you could have, conveniently in time for Easter. Dream Chick (not the kind that you normally see on the Internet), is a fluffy hand-sized chick that flaps its wings when held. Making you feel even more adored, it makes “peep peep” noises when its head is stroked. Dream Chick is available for 1,507 yen ($12.90/£6.62).
Original Guitar Hero developer Harmonix has gone solo and teamed up with EA and MTV to develop a brand new music game dubbed Rock Band, that "takes the core premise of Guitar Hero and expands it tenfold".
Jason Booth, programmer on Rock Band, has now revealed that the awesome Guitar Hero II controller on 360 will be compatible with the new title.
"For some reason, IGN posted that Rock Band will not be compatible with Guitar Hero guitars. I thought I'd drop in and let you know that this is not correct," he told the game's official forum.
Best be quick getting a look at these screens, as they've already been pulled from GamePro's website but remain on another for the time being.
Little is known about the fifth installment of Criterion's aggressive racer on 360 and PS3. But we do know it'll be a much more open experience than ever before and the HD Eye Toy and Vision Cam era will play some part in gameplay.
How do we know this? We sat down with director of design Alex Ward, which you can read more about here.
The first screens seem to have been taken from a magazine preview that has since been removed from the host's website. But with the internet being the breeding ground for scanners like it is, you can still find the shots here. Hurry though; we're sure the internet police are closing in...
Two Japanese Xbox 360 titles have been picked up by Microsoft Game Studios for release in the US.
Seta Corporation and Game Arts' Xbox 360 shooter Project Sylpheed has been picked up for a US launch by Microsoft. Square Enix holds Japanese publishing rights and Microsoft says the game should be in stores this summer in the US.
Artoon's supernatural stealth game Vampire Rain has also been picked up by MGS. Vampire Rain is also a PS3 title but obviously Microsoft won't be having anything to do with that version. Summer is again the date tipped for a release.
Microsoft UK has yet to release any info regarding potential UK releases of either game.
Following a week of rumours regarding a Forza playable demo hitting Marketplace soon, Microsoft has coughed up some official details.
"The rumours this week of a downloadable demo are true and the details on timing will be confirmed in the coming weeks," said the company.
Game Director Dan Greenawalt, "Soon, gamers will get a taste of the raw horsepower the Xbox 360 game engine has provided as we redefine what it means to be a racing simulator with Forza Motorsport 2.
"Whether it's the hundreds of thousands of physics parameters captured from countless man hours taking track measurements and capturing car data to harnessing the power of the industry's most advanced the neural-network search algorithms, non-linear and linear math models as well as AI simulation systems from our Microsoft Research Labs, we've turned mountains of real world raw data into a living, breathing racing simulator where the only difference between the game and reality is that you're not risking life and limb when you hit a wall at 200 mph."
Forza Motorsport 2 is due for release in May. More on the demo as soon as we get it.
The TV commercial showed - shock and horror - a car weaving through traffic during a chase scene in a busy city. How will our kids get through this without realizing that it's JUST A GAME?
"We concluded that the ad glamourised street car racing and could be seen to condone dangerous driving," said a statement from the ASA.
Even though the ad is clearly accompanied by the text "Dramatisation. Professional stunt. Do not attempt" the ASA still thought it should be pulled as the words reinforced the sense that events were real and were capable of being copied.
A short response from Microsoft said that the firm is "committed to responsible console gaming" and that they wouldn't intentionally show irresponsible behaviour in an advert. We can't wait for all those Forza or Burnout 5 ads to hit TV land. What then?
In addition to confirming that a Forza 2 demo is in the pipeline today, Microsoft has revealed the latest list of cars for the Xbox 360 motorsports spectacular - say hello to the Aftermarket Tuner Car Classics.
The Aftermarket Tuner Car Classics features beefed up motors from 1992 through to 2006, with 35 vehicles in total joining the Forza 2 roster. You'll be able to leap behind the wheel of the likes of the Tommy Kaira Skyline from Nissan and the VeilSide Supra Fortune from Toyota - and plenty more. Here's the full list:
1998 - Toyota - AB Flug S900 Supra Turbo
2000 - Honda - Aerogear Integra Type-R
2003 - Toyota - APR Performance Celica GTS
2000 - Audi - AWE Tuning SilverBullet S4
1995 - Toyota - Border MR2 Turbo T-bar
2003 - Chevrolet - Corvette Guldstrand Edition
1994 - Honda - Do-Luck NSX
1992 - Toyota - Do-Luck Supra
2003 - Nissan - Fairlady Z Custom Edition
2003 - Ford - FocusSport SVT Focus
2003 - Lexus - Foose Design IS430 Project Car
2000 - Dodge - Hennessey Viper 800TT
2006 - Mitsubishi - HKS Time Attack Evolution
1995 - Mazda - INGS RX-7
2002 - Chevrolet - Lingenfelter 427 Corvette
1999 - Mitsubishi - MINE'S CP9A Lancer Evolution VI
1993 - Nissan - MINE'S R32 Skyline GT-R
2002 - Nissan - MINE'S R34 Skyline GT-R
2004 - Honda - Mugen Civic Type-R
2002 - Honda - Mugen Integra Type-R
2003 - Honda - Mugen S2000
1995 - Mazda - RE-Amemiya RX-7
2003 - Mitsubishi - Sparco Lancer Evolution VIII
1998 - Subaru - Tommy Kaira Impreza M20b
2002 - Nissan - Tommy Kaira Skyline GT-R R34
1995 - Toyota - Tom's T020 MR2
2002 - Toyota - Tom's W123 MR-S
2002 - Toyota - Tom's Z382 Soarer
1998 - Toyota - Top Secret 0-300 Supra
2000 - Nissan - Top Secret D1-Spec S15
1998 - Toyota - VeilSide Supra Fortune 03
1998 - Toyota - VeilSide Supra Fortune 99
2000 - Acura - VIS Racing Integra Type-R
1995 - Toyota - VIS Racing MR2 Turbo T-bar
2004 - Honda - Wings West Civic Si
BioWare has responded to the public outcry over yesterday's rather rough-looking Mass Effect screenshots, admitting that the shots were a "mistake" and "didn't look very good".
"The other day, we released 3 new screenshots," posts BioWare community coordinator Chris Priestly. "A few people posted comments about how the art in Mass Effect was 'dumbed down' and wasn't looking very good. And I took exception to the comment and posted my feelings. The problem was, the screenshots they were criticising DIDN'T look very good."
The post continues: "The whole truth of the matter is that the person at BioWare who took those screenshots made a mistake. People in our industry don't admit this much, but we do make mistakes.
"The person took those screens at the last minute as they were needed for the article. He did take them in game from areas of the game that worked and then he sent them off... He didn't clear them with Casey and the ME team though."
To prove to internet doubters that the RPG stunner in fact hasn't been "dumbed down" Priestly went and captured a new screenshot which he says "much more accurately shows the true quality of the art that you'll see in Mass Effect".
You can see the screenshot for yourself on the right of this page - and admittedly it's a vast improvement over the shoddily compressed pics from yesterday.
"I just wanted everyone to see this, especially those who had some concerns about the final quality, so they would have a better idea of what the game will really be like."
Way to rock my baby-blue cotton socks off, Codemasters. The upcoming XBLA version of the classic Sensible Soccer is going to feature online multiplayer. Codemasters David Solari:
I remember the days - and nights - of playing Sensi endlessly back at college and we're sure the updated Xbox Live Arcade and PC versions due later in the summer are going to appeal to both old and new fans.
We think it's important to stay true to the original and we'll be delivering what fans of the original SWOS have been eagerly waiting for years, SWOS online multiplayer!
Since the only thing that could have made Sensi better was the addition of online MP, this is what I like to call a smart move. Can't wait
Today we received two separate tips from readers telling us that Target stores wouldn't sell them Guitar Hero II on the Xbox 360 because there was a "recall." We couldn't get in touch with Target corporate, but numerous local Target stores we contacted said they hadn't received anything from corporate about a recall. However, they did say that it may take a day and to check back tomorrow. Best Buy and Gamestop also have nothing in their system about a recall. Red Octane wouldn't return our phone call and an Xbox spokesperson says Microsoft "doesn't really handle third-party relationships."
Based on a Gamespot message board GameStooge is reporting that the guitar is having issues with an unresponsive whammy bar. Apparently there were two different guitars manufactured (pictured above) for the game and the problems allegedly exist in the guitar with the pedal jack next to the power cord.
We're awaiting word from Red Octane on whether or not there is an issue with their Xbox 360 guitar controller and we'll follow up with Target tomorrow to see if the "recall" is official.
features
Over 70+ Trials in Unique Stylized Worlds – Pass trials by entertaining the bunnies and unlock new worlds and many collectables such as costumes, music and items for Rayman’s cell.
Loads of Hysterical Fighting Moves – Run races on animals, fight in the arena, dance or engage in toilet plunger- shooting action!
Party with friends – Experience frenzied competition with up to 4 players in frantic and quirky multiplayer trials.
Dress to Impress – Go punk, pop, rock or hip hop and use your funky dance moves to entertain the bunnies; keep them moving to your rhythm and collect additional disguises. Become more and more popular and unlock additional items.
description
Hordes of crazed out-of control bunnies have invaded, enslaving Rayman and forcing him to participate in ‘gladiator’ style trials. Help Rayman win his freedom back by entertaining and outwitting these fury foes. Use the most hilarious fighting moves imaginable. Run races on animals, fight in the arena, mesmerize the bunnies with your dance moves, throw cows, milk pigs or engage in plunger shooting madness! The possibilities for fun are endless.
features
Feel the power: Experience the first WWII combat game built exclusively for next-gen. See the battle come to life with advanced graphics, a new physics engine, and animations and environments that deliver you right into the heart of the action.
Take up arms: Choose to get up close and personal with your enemies using an all-new battle mechanic. Adapt to situations and improvise as you disarm traps, assemble explosive devices, and use your cunning and reflexes to escape a host of battlefield situations.
Make the call: New, next-gen level design offers multiple attack routes, allowing for branching mission paths that let players decide how to confront the enemy. Will you flank your opponents or hit them head-on? Each unique path will require special tactics, from sniping to demolition to all-out, straight-ahead clashes.
Go to war: Battle it out online with up to 24 players in either single or split screen play. Run and gun or commandeer multiple occupancy vehicles including tanks, motorcycles, and jeeps. A ranking system and soldier classes with unique abilities offer a diverse combat experience like no other.
Try to hide: New environmental physics allow players to destroy soft cover hideouts, exposing their enemies. Force your opponents into the open, but watch out that your cover isn't eliminated, exposing you!
description
The follow-up to the best-selling next-generation game, Call of Duty® 3 delivers more intense combat than ever before. Follow the Allies on the Normany Breakthrough campaign as they push inland to liberate Paris and take the first step on the path to Berlin.
Through a seamless narrative that delivers the rush of unrelenting battle and breathtaking action, players assume the roles of four ordinary Allied soldiers—American, British, Canadian and Polish—and are thrust onto an authentic, living battlefield for an unprecedented variety of combat.
Experience advanced high-definition graphics, detailed character animations, and explosive on-screen action, delivering the most immersive and cinematically intense war experience ever.
Culdcept Saga is the latest entrant in the popular Magic-meets-Monopoly game franchise that had previous installments on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation and Dreamcast. Saga includes online battles via Xbox Live on the Xbox 360 gaming system.
Yesterday, over on Bungie.net, they put up a little warning post to current Halo 2 players stating that they were adding new servers and that some game stats may get lost during the work. They then went on to say that these shiny new servers will also be running and logging all of our future Halo 3 beta and Halo 3 fun. But wait, did you just read that? Bungie is adding brand new game servers that'll support the Halo 3 beta! Holy cow! That means the Halo 3 beta will be releasing in like weeks, no days ... wait, minutes or even seconds! Or not, because soon after the servers went live Bungie updated their post by saying that, "this was just a routine server upgrade, similar to when we upgraded the web servers a couple weeks ago, and isn't a hint of imminent changes in the beta status". So, we guess the new servers aren't official confirmation of anything beta related. It was just our inner fanboys yearning for Halo 3 beta news and nothing more than that. What a sobering thought.
Our Canadian friends are now officially feeling the Xbox 360 Elite love, because they've become privileged enough to be able to preorder the black wonder. X3F reader Trevor sent word that both Canadian Best Buy and Future Shop stores are now taking online preorders for the 360 Elite. So, if you're Canadian and willing to throw down $549.99, simply make your way to their online stores and get your preorder on. Also note that in the US you can only preorder the Elite from Circuit City, because US Best Buy stores have yet to take the preorder plunge. As we always say, preorders for all fanboys everywhere (except Europe)!
Most people, outside of those planning to buy an Xbox 360 Elite, are understandably miffed that the 120GB hard drive will debut at a wallet draining $179. As such, Microsoft has received quite a bit of flack for the pricing of the unit. Major Nelson himself got an earful from us on the subject during the latest Fancast. Aaron Greenberg, group product manager at Microsoft, recently defended the 120GB HDD price in an interview with GameTheory. Greenberg noted a few reasons for Microsoft's pricing decision, among them that Microsoft requires stringent specifications for drive performance. In other words, they have to perform at specific speeds to provide an optimal gaming experience, and they must provide a certain level of security. Greenberg also notes that the 120 gig HDD price is comparable to other self-powered external hard drives on the market. Greenberg's statements are in line with what we heard from Major Nelson.
Additionally, Greenberg notes that the pricing structure is consistent with the rest of the Xbox line. As he puts it, the $299 core becomes the $399 premium by adding a $99 hard drive. By adding a $179 hard drive to the core, you get the $479 price of the Xbox 360 Elite.
Sure, there are some expensive external hard drives out there, but we don't buy that Microsoft can't find comparable drives at lower prices. There are plenty of 120GB drives out there for much less than $179. Are we to believe that all of them fail to meet Microsoft's specifications?
Someone wandered into a Toys R' Us in Japan recently to discover, much to their surprise, a playable Devil May Cry 4 kiosk! From his description, he's playing it on the XBox 360 (why else would he compare it to Gears of War and Lost Planet instead of Virtua Fighter 5 and Genji or something?), which is surprising since the announcement of multi-platform-itude was made fairly recently.
What did the guy think of the level he was able to demo? It seemed to play great, but was sort of repetitive (understandable, although if you fight anything a few times in any game, repetitive can be an allocated descriptor). Hopefully the repetition slides away and is replaced with DMC3 difficulty. Graphics and effects were great, but the backgrounds seemed a little out of place, or didn't flow with the environments. Slightly jealous, but that's why I can just throw in the other odd-numbered titles of the series and get my fix.
The Gears of War website just updated with details on the new gameplay mode that will be hitting Live as an update on April 9.
Along with Annex, the download will also update the Assassination mode. Hit the jump for the details, and yes, Annex will feature respawning. Brian Crecente
Annex
Objective: Capture and hold key locations to collect enough points to win the round.
Description: In Annex, you win by keeping control over key map locations, or objectives, long enough to collect a winning number of points. Every map has two to five identified objectives available for capture, with one objective active at a time. Objectives are based on map weapon-spawn locations and have a potential value of 60 points toward either team's score. Teams collect those points by maintaining ownership of an objective until all its 60 points have been distributed. Every second that a team controls an objective, the team gets one point. When an objective falls to zero points, the next objective is selected at random.
On the HUD, the current objective appears below the team scores at top left. This indicator contains several pieces of relevant information. The weapon icon inside the circle indicates which weapon-spawn location is being used as the objective. The compass along the outer edge of the circle shows the relative direction to the objective. The number inside the circle indicates how many points remain at that objective and the background icon color indicates which team currently controls it. No color means the objective awaits capture, a red icon means the Locust Horde hold the objective and a blue icon means the COG hold it. When the icon in the indicator circle fills, the corresponding team's score also changes color, the team begins collecting points from the objective, and the point value of the objective drops.
On the map, a projected ring marks the physical location and boundaries of the objective in the world. The ring's color indicates the current captor: White means neutral, blue COG, and red Locust. To capture an objective,
