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.

Bungie Aerospace trademarks “Crimson”

Posted on May 12, 2011 by John Scalzo

It’s the question everybody is asking, just what is Bungie up to? The answer got more complicated today when Bungie offshoot Bungie Aerospace filed a trademark for something called “Crimson.”

According to the filing, Crimson is “Computer game software downloadable from a global computer network; Computer game software for use on mobile and cellular phones; Downloadable computer game software via a global computer network and wireless devices.”

So basically, Bungie is getting into the app business. Is “Crimson” a part of Bungie’s New Universe, the mega franchise they’re developing for Activision over the next ten years? Or is it something new entirely? The founding of Bungie Aerospace, a brand new company unconnected to the Activision/Bungie deal, would suggest the latter.

Whatever it is, it looks like we’ll be waiting a good, long while to find out. Bungie has no plans to attend the 2011 E3 Expo.

Posted in Mobile, News | Tagged

XBLA Wednesday: Gatling Gears, Star Raiders

Posted on May 11, 2011 by John Scalzo

Microsoft has added a pair of games to the Xbox Live Arcade today:

Gatling Gears is a top-down shooter from EA that has been priced at 1200 Microsoft Points ($15) and Star Raiders is an update of the classic Atari 400/800 game that has been priced at 800 Microsoft Points ($10).

More information on both games can be found after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Soul Calibur V trailer slices its way online

Posted on May 11, 2011 by John Scalzo

As promised, Namco Bandai has released the first teaser trailer for Soul Calibur V. The fighting game will follow Patroklos, son of Sophitia Alexandra, as his destiny becomes intertwined with the evil Soul Edge and holy Soul Calibur.

Soul Calibur V will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2012. Namco Bandai is expected to reveal more information about the game at this year’s E3 Expo.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

A few more Hitman: Absolution details

Posted on May 10, 2011 by John Scalzo

After releasing a teaser trailer this morning, Square Enix has revealed a little bit more about Hitman: Absolution this afternoon.

Scheduled for release in 2012 for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, Hitman: Absolution that developer IO Interactive is calling a “familiar and yet significantly different experience from other Hitman games.” The game will be powered by the all-new Glacier 2 engine, which is an enhanced version of the company’s proprietary engine last seen in Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days. We’ve also learned a few storyline details:

Hitman: Absolution follows Agent 47, a cold-blooded assassin, who takes on his most dangerous contract to date. Betrayed by those he once trusted — and now hunted by the police — he suddenly finds himself at the center of a dark conspiracy and must embark on a personal journey through a corrupt and twisted world.

Hitman: Absolution will make its worldwide debut at this year’s E3 Expo, which will be held from June 7-9.

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

PSN Outage Update: “A few more days”

Posted on May 10, 2011 by John Scalzo

Sony has supplied another update to the PlayStation Network restoration timeline. It looks like it’ll be a few more days at least:

I know you all want to know exactly when the services will be restored. At this time, I can’t give you an exact date, as it will likely be at least a few more days. We’re terribly sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work through this process.

That’s a better estimate than May 31st, but it’s still pretty bad news for any PS3 owner that wants to play new games like Mortal Kombat, Portal 2, SOCOM 4 or Brink (which was released today) online.

[Source: PlayStation.Blog]

Posted in News | Tagged , ,

Truthality: Christina Perri’s “Jar of Hearts” is Really About Mortal Kombat

Posted on May 10, 2011 by John Scalzo

If you’ve listened to the radio in the last year, you’ve no doubt heard Christina Perri’s “Jar of Hearts” (her album, Lovestrong, is in stores today), an angsty piano rock song that’s supposed to be about Perri’s ex-boyfriend looking to restart their relationship. Except that’s not what it’s about at all.

In reality, it’s about Scorpion and Sub-Zero’s fight to the death in Mortal Kombat! Forget backmasking, Perri has planted a hidden message to Mortal Kombat fans everywhere in a sad song about a cheating boyfriend. Don’t believe me? Just look at the lyrics: (more…)

Posted in Features, PS3, Top Story, Xbox 360 | Tagged

IO announces Hitman: Absolution

Posted on May 10, 2011 by John Scalzo

All the teasing is finally (well, almost) over as IO Interactive took to their Twitter account today to post a teaser trailer announcing Hitman: Absolution.

The trailer is very short, but it confirms that IO plans a full reveal at E3 and shows Agent 47 screwing a silencer into his trademark gun (which was used as part of IO’s Hitman ARG). In keeping with the assassin’s secretive nature, no platforms or release date for Himan: Absolution was revealed.

Posted in News | Tagged ,

Remedy reveals more Alan Wake

Posted on May 10, 2011 by John Scalzo

Remedy’s Head of Franchise Development, Oskari Hakkinen, has reached out to Joystiq to confirm that a new Alan Wake mystery project is in the works.

Hakkinen was encouraged to send the confirmation due to a Joystiq report that “Alan Wake 2” had appeared on the resume of an artist who claimed to work on the title. The “2” part in the title appears to be a mistake, but Remedy also revealed that the new project is not DLC for the original Alan Wake:

Fans of the franchise will be excited to learn that yes, more Wake is coming! But to be absolutely certain to avoid confusion, this next Wake installment will not be Alan Wake 2. But neither will it be DLC. The rest we’re saving for our official announcement when we’ll actually SHOW YOU.

So it’s not a sequel and it’s not DLC. So it’s either a sidestory (in the same way that Capcom doesn’t consider Resident Evil: Code Veronica a sequel to Resident Evil 3: Nemesis) or it’s a new edition of Alan Wake that contains new content (and I would guess the previously released DLC as well).

There’s no details on when it’ll be officially announced, but Remedy did say the game has a tentative release date of Fall 2011. Hakkinen also said that “platforms” (that’s plural, with an “S”) for the game would be announced soon. So it sounds like Alan Wake may finally be lighting up the desktops of PC gamers this Fall as well.

Posted in News, PC, Xbox 360 | Tagged