Author: John Scalzo

John Scalzo is Warp Zoned's Editor-In-Chief and resident retro gaming expert. You can email him at john AT warpzoned DOT com.

WWE ’12 pins PS3, Wii, 360 this November

Posted on June 1, 2011 by John Scalzo

Smackdown has been smacked down and Raw has been cooked, this year’s WWE release from THQ will be known by the much simpler title WWE ’12. THQ promises that WWE ’12 will be “Bigger, Badder, Better” when it releases on November 22 for the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360.

Not only does the game have a new title and a new slogan, but the technology behind it has been rebuilt from the ground up:

WWE ’12 will offer players the opportunity to engage in the WWE experience through the new Predator Technology dynamic gameplay system, which is poised to deliver the most fluid, dynamic, authentic and action-packed WWE simulation experience to date. Included are the new Breaking Point submission system, new Attributes and control layout as well as significant improvements to other key gameplay systems, including Momentum and Stamina. WWE Universe Mode 2.0 will generate new and more impactful elements of unpredictability based on player decisions, while dynamic visual changes to gameplay presentation, including new animations, camera positions, lighting and improved rendering, will set the tone for delivering an exceptional simulation of WWE programming.

WWE ’12 will also include an extensive Creatve-A-Wrestler mode with customizable entrances, finishing moves, storylines and Highlight Reels along with the return of the popular Road to WrestleMania mode. Finally, the game will boast one of the largest rosters of WWE Superstars, WWE Divas and WWE Legends in franchise history, including Randy Orton, John Cena, The Miz and the debuting Alberto Del Rio.

The game’s debut trailer can be found and a ridiculously detailed developer Q&A with Creative Director Cory Ledesma can be found at SmackdownVsRaw.com (the Q&A also includes a ton of screenshots). Not surprisingly, THQ will be showcasing the game at next week’s E3 Expo.

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Deep Silver bringing Dead Island, Risen 2 to E3

Posted on June 1, 2011 by John Scalzo

Deep Silver has announced they’ll be bringing two games to this year’s E3 Expo: the zombie FPS Dead Island and the pirate RPG Risen 2: Dark Waters.

More information on both games can be found right here, in case they haven’t pinged your gamer radar yet:

Dead Island (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Dead Island, the upcoming gruesome zombie action game with RPG elements by renowned developer Techland, combines first-person action with a heavy focus on melee combat, character development and customisation of a vast array of weapons. All of these gameplay features are presented in a dark story inspired by classic zombie movies with a gritty and engrossing campaign that can be played with up to four players in co-op mode.

Set in an open world tropical island, hordes of different festering zombies await players around every corner while they embark on a variety of thrilling missions through the holiday resort. With firearms and ammunition being scarce the player must rely on discovering and utilising items as weapons for self-defense and fighting off zombie hordes in intense melee combat. A diverse range of items can be collected and will later serve to transform the player’s ordinary makeshift weapons into serious instruments of destruction.

Risen 2: Dark Waters (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Piranha Bytes combines Risen’s authentic role-playing gameplay with a fresh setting, new content, further-developed technology and multiple, thematically varied islands. With its highly interactive game world and dynamic day/night rotation – influencing countless aspects of the world – Risen 2 allows players to plunge into one of the most intense role-playing worlds ever created.

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Let It Bleed: First trailer for Mortal Kombat DLC character Skarlet

Posted on May 31, 2011 by John Scalzo

As a retelling of the original trilogy, the Mortal Kombat reboot didn’t have much room for new characters. Thankfully, Ed Boon and company plan to remedy that omission with DLC characters, the first of which is Skarlet.

Skarlet can be seen in the regular game chained to Shao Kahn’s throne as a prisoner, but once she’s unleashed this blood mage will do some serious damage. Check out the trailer above to get a sneak peek at both of her Fatalities, her X-Ray Move and her special moves.

There’s no word yet on when we’ll get to finish somebody with Skarlet, but NetherRealm plans to bring her to this year’s E3 Expo. So we’ll get to see more of her then.

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See the final box art for Madden NFL 12

Posted on May 31, 2011 by John Scalzo

Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis vaulted over some stiff competition to earn the right to grace the Madden NFL 12 cover. Today, Hillis has officially been targeted by the Madden Cover Curse as the final box art for the game was revealed. Feel free to click on the image to view a slightly larger version.

Madden NFL 12 will be released for the PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 on August 30.

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First details of Call of Duty Elite subscription serivce

Posted on May 31, 2011 by John Scalzo

Activision has been talking up their “Beachhead” initiative, a unified platform for Call of Duty stats and bonue features similar to Halo Waypoint, for a few months now. Today, the company is ready to unveil it under its official name: Call of Duty Elite.

As expected, Call of Duty Elite will carry a monthly fee, which Activision executives describe as “less than fees for comparable online-entertainment services such as Netflix.” For comparison’s sake, the Netflix one-disc package is priced at $7.99 a month. But don’t worry, gamers will have plenty of time to decide whether or not Elite is worth the price as it’s not scheduled to launch until this November, alongside Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

So what will gamers be getting for their subscription fee? Tracking tools will coordinate a wide variety of statistics for multiplayer matches, which can be used to find out which weapons work best on which map. A Theater mode will allow gamers to record and share clips of their Call of Duty adventures. And a Facebook-like Groups feature will let users meet up to plan their multiplayer matches (this feature will also be included in a free version of Elite). Best of all, Elite subscribers will receive all downloadable map packs for free as well, which will likely be the main draw for many early Elite subscribers.

Will you pay for Call of Duty Elite? Or is this just another way for Activision to squeeze another fistful of money out of their cash cow franchise? Let us know in the comments.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

PlayStation Store to return by week’s end

Posted on May 31, 2011 by John Scalzo

It has taken over a month, but the ApocalyPS3 2011 appears to be over.

Sony has announced that a full restoration of PlayStation Network services, including the PlayStation Store and Qriocity, will be in place by the end of the week. According to Sony, the almost worldwide restoration of services applies to the Americas, Europe/PAL territories and Asia. However, PlayStation Store services will remain down for PSN users in Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea.

For those of us outside those three areas, the following PSN services will be back online by Sunday, June 6:

  • Full functionality on PlayStation Store
  • In-game commerce
  • Ability to redeem vouchers and codes
  • Full functionality on Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity for PS3, PSP and PC
  • Full functionality on Media Go

This also means that the games in the “Welcome Back” program will be available to download soon.

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First StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm gameplay trailer released

Posted on May 31, 2011 by John Scalzo

That leaked teaser for StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm has now been officially released alongside the title’s first gameplay trailer, which you can view above. The trailer is heavy on the Zerg swarming across the universe, but as of right now, there’s still no release date for the expansion.

Hopefully, we’ll learn more at E3. And in case you missed it, hit the jump for another look at the teaser trailer, starring Nova and Kerrigan. (more…)

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Mortal Kombat: Legacy Episode 8 – Get Over Here!

Posted on May 31, 2011 by John Scalzo

Scorpion and Sub-Zero continue to do battle in the second-to-last episode of Kevin Tancharoen’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy. I don’t think I need Scorpion’s spear to tell you to… come here!… and watch it. But it surely helps.

Next week, the entire tale (or at least this season) comes to a close with Sektor and Cryrax.

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