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.

Rockstar confirms L.A. Noire’s May 17 release

Posted on January 24, 2011 by John Scalzo

In case you missed the leaked trailer this weekend, Rockstar Games has officially released the second trailer for L.A. Noire and you can check it out above.

As expected, the PS3 and Xbox 360 game has been tagged with a May 17 release date, so we won’t have to wait much longer to start chasing a serial killer in the noirish 1940s.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Weekly Warp-Up: Vaporware No More Edition

Posted on January 23, 2011 by John Scalzo

No, that’s not a typo. Welcome to the Weekly Warp-Up, your weekly wrap-up of the biggest and the best articles posted at Warp Zoned this week…

First things first. Before we get into the week’s biggest news stories, Warp Zoned is proud to announce that Hell has frozen over! 2K Games and Gearbox Software have announced an official release date for Duke Nukem Forever. After nearly 15 years, the world’s most famous piece of vaporware will be released on May 3rd.

Now then, on with the rest of the Weekly Warp-Up…

Get Warp Zoned!
Sega’s latest efforts to bring Sonic the Hedgehog into the 21st century have been met with poor critical reviews and an even poorer reception from hardcore Sonic fans. We lace up our red sneakers in an attempt to describe How To Make the Perfect Sonic the Hedgehog Game.

And Episode 2 of the Warp Zoned Podcast is now available for your streaming and downloading pleasure. In this episode, we discuss what we’re playing, what we wish we were playing, and what we’ll be playing soon as. We also comment on the good, the bad, and the ugly of MAGFest, leading into a commentary on gaming culture as well as convention culture. (This part is not for the faint of heart, as Senior Editor Nicole Kline’s inner truck driver comes out in full force.)

3DS NYC Reveal

Square Enix 1st Production Department Premier

The Week in Reviews…

It’s a Secret to Everybody…

The Week in New Games…

The Week in Announcements…

And Finally…
CBS got tricky with the cover art of their Amazing Race Wii game, inadvertently revealing most of the returning teams in Amazing Race: Unfinished Business.

Posted in News |

See the Pesticide Gun in action in new EDF: Insect Armageddon trailer

Posted on January 22, 2011 by John Scalzo

I’ve had more fun on the Xbox 360 with Earth Defense Force 2017 then I’ve had with almost any other game. And after four long years, D3 Publisher is finally readying a sequel in Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon.

The publisher has shifted development duties to Vicious Cycle (and added a PS3 version), but it looks like the same bug-stomping, city-levelling gameplay will remain intact. Especially after checking out this trailer showcasing the Pesticide Gun, one of 300 weapons that’ll make the cut when the game ships this Spring.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Buy Dead Space 2, get special armor for Dragon Age II

Posted on January 22, 2011 by John Scalzo

Dead Space 2 developer Visceral Games and the developer of Dragon Age II, BioWare, are both internal Electronic Arts studios. Apparently, these two teams got together at the last company picnic and came up with a neat Dead Space 2/Dragon Age II crossover.

Players who purchase Dead Space 2 (which will be in stores next week) will receive a download code for the “Ser Isaac of Clarke” armor set in Dragon Age II. Modeled after Isaac Clarke’s signature spacesuit, the set will include armor, boots, gauntlets and a helm that offers increased protection but requires high dexterity and cunning.

Dexterity and cunning are required to wear the armor, but through the magic of the Internet, all you have to do to see a trailer featuring the armor is click the link below. (more…)

Posted in News | Tagged , , , ,

Leaked L.A. Noire trailer reveals May 17 release date

Posted on January 22, 2011 by John Scalzo

UPDATE: Rockstar has removed the trailer from YouTube. But Monday is only two days away.

Rockstar planned to release the latest trailer for L.A. Noire on Monday, but German gaming site Playfront.de (among others) beat them to the punch by adding it to YouTube today.

The trailer gives off that dark, moody vibe that is typical of the noir storytelling tradition and it also reveals the game’s release date: May 17.

Developer Team Bondi may have taken their sweet time in bringing the game to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but the trailer shows it will likely have been worth the wait.

You can see the trailer for yourself (until Rockstar pulls it down that is) after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

New Releases: Dead Space 2, Two Worlds II, Lord of Arcana, More

Posted on January 22, 2011 by John Scalzo

If no one in space can hear you scream, then you’d be forgiven for not knowing that Electronic Arts plans to release Dead Space 2 this week. Of course, if the necromorphs infected you with a desire for more Dead Space after one of their previous games, you’re likely bouncing off the walls of your home as if there wasn’t any gravity inside.

A pair of RPGs round out the rest of the major new releases this week. Square Enix will be bringing action RPG Lord of Arcana to the PSP while SouthPeak Interactive will be bringing Two Worlds II to the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

The full list of the rest of this week’s new releases can be found after the break. (more…)

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

Topless golfers in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11?

Posted on January 21, 2011 by John Scalzo

Here’s something that sounds almost too ridiculous to be true (because it probably is). UK tabloid The Sun (link includes uncensored version of above image) has posted an article revealing (hehehe) that players can create a topless character in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11.

The article is very short on details, but PS3 owner Jo Eley describes how she spent ages creating her character and then one day the avatar lost her clothes before stepping up to the tee. No explanation for the glitch was given and instructions on how Eley made her avatar play a round of strip golf weren’t included.

On the newly naked version of herself in the game, Eley said, “We couldn’t stop laughing. Now I can’t get rid of it. It could have been worse, she looks quite good and has bigger boobs than me.”

EA Sports, as you’d expect, blamed it all on “[modifications] as a result of hacking.” With the evidence we have so far, I think I agree with them.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 |

NetherRealm finishes Mortal Kombat; in stores April 19

Posted on January 21, 2011 by John Scalzo

OK, I don’t know for sure if development on Mortal Kombat has finished, but it makes a good headline. As you can see, that headline also confirms that the fighting franchise will return to the PS3 and Xbox 360 on Tuesday, April 19. WB Games plans to resurrect “Mortal Monday” for European gamers as the game will be released a day earlier across the Atlantic: Monday, April 18.

Warner Bros. and NetherRealm have also unveiled the final boxart for Mortal Kombat. Besides including an awesome image of Scorpion and Sub-Zero fighting their eternal fight, the PS3 box includes a special “Exclusive Content” stripe, effectively putting an end to the hope that the Xbox 360 version would get an exclusive character as well.

But Kratos or no Kratos, Mortal Kombat has a release date and I am ready to decapitate some kombatants.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged