Most Recent: News

Big Huge Games gets saved by Epic proposition

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Andrew Rainnie

Sometimes there are stories that make you smile to the point of tears, like when “Firefly” was cancelled, but because of the vocal support of fans, Serenity was born on the big screen. This is one of those.

While people are still trying to sort through the smoke and debris that arose from the crash of Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios, amidst the firm’s ongoing debacle with the Rhode Island state government, it seemed as though Big Huge Games was caught up in a mess they had no part of creating. 38 Games was working on Project Copernicus, an MMORPG which may yet still find a home at EA, but the fact is 38 Studios only released one game, Kingdom of Reckonings: Amular, an RPG developed by Big Huge Games that was retooled for the Amular universe after their acquisition in 2009.

So yesterday’s news is more than welcome. Michael Capps, President of Gears of War developer Epic Games, announced that Epic will be creating a new studio in Baltimore, comprised of many ex-BHG employees. He revealed that the heads of Big Head Games approached Epic with the idea of setting up a new studio and wanting to borrow an Epic IP as a jumping off point for a new game, but that while Epic had reservations about whether they had the financial support in place to do so, they had coincidentally been considering growing their own team, a task which Capps describes as “impossible.”

“It’ll take a while to find space, set up desks and PCs, purchase sufficient Nerf weaponry and Dr. Pepper, etc. But some of these folks have been going too long without a paycheck to wait for that. So, as soon as we can, we’re going to try to get people working down here at Epic headquarters in Cary, NC as contractors… There’s a million things to work out. How many of the team can we hire? What will it be called? What will they be working on? We don’t know all the answers yet. Please give us some time to figure it out; we hope to have more to share soon.”

Looks like Big Huge Games is the little engine that could, and we look forward to more news from their new iteration soon.

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Robotoki reveals another zombie game… world yawns

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Andrew Rainnie

Zombies. There is no escaping them, no matter what Jesse Eisenberg preached in Zombieland. Zombies are here to stay for quite some time it would seem, as indie game studio Robotoki announced their first title, Human Element, a zombie survival game, will debut in 2015. Robert Bowling, the company’s President and former Creative Strategist at Infinity Ward, said of the game, “Their greatest strength is the fear that [zombies] instil in us, the survivors, that unreasonable fear. Unreasonable fear that leads us to do unreasonable things to survive.”

While the description sounds very similar to Naughty Dog’s upcoming game The Last Of Us, and the poster echoes the classic Left 4 Dead, Bowling’s new company may be able to offer more than run, shoot and hide. The game will feature a character creation system, where you choose a class – Action, Intelligence, or Stealth – as well as a separate identity or starting scenario, but there is still only a choice of three: survive alone, survive with a partner, or survive while protecting a young child. Hopefully these various combinations will offer much retail value, with Bowling placing a special emphasis on survival on both a physical and moral level.

Will you have to feed a baby human flesh? We won’t know for another three years when the game is distributed across every conceivable platform, from “next genertation consoles” to PCs to mobile phones.

[Source: Game Informer]

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Wii U gets its own social network, Miiverse

Posted on June 3, 2012 by John Scalzo

I know that everybody loved Friend Codes, but Nintendo plans to do away with the matchmaking service when the Wii U launches later this year. Instead, the console will come pre-bundled with the Nintendo Network, which will be home to a Wii U-centric social network known as Miiverse (or “Mii Universe,” if you prefer).

When players enter the Miiverse, they’ll be transported to a bustling city of Miis that are congregating around the most popular apps and games the Wii U has to offer (even games you don’t own). In addition to learning that Super Mario Bros. Wii U is very popular, the Miiverse will also blast the player with status updates from “friends, people playing the same games as you, and people who speak the same language as you.”

For a more personal connection, the Miiverse also offers video chat (courtesy of the Wii U GamePad’s front-facing camera), messaging (including handwritten messages scrawled on the GamePad’s touchscreen), and game-specific message boards.

These in-game messages will also bleed over into the games themselves, as all Wii U games will have the ability to connect to the Miiverse. During the Pre-E3 Nintendo Direct presentation, company President Satoru Iwata showed how gamers can converse and commiserate within Super Mario Bros. Wii U.

The Miiverse will also be accesible from other devices including the 3DS, the PC, and mobile devices. However, this feature of the social network won’t be available when the Wii U launches this Fall.

Posted in 3DS, News, Wii U | Tagged ,

These are the first screenshots of Super Mario Bros. Wii U

Posted on June 3, 2012 by John Scalzo

Tonight’s Pre-E3 edition of Nintendo Direct revealed some interesting new details about the Wii U GamePad and Pro Controller, but the most interesting thing that company President Satoru Iwata showed off was unveiled with no fanfare at all.

During the latter portion of the presentation, Iwata unveiled the Miiverse social networking component that is included with every Wii U console. He also said that the service can connect gamers as they’re playing Wii U games and demonstrated this connection with 16 seconds of footage from Super Mario Bros. Wii U.

The game is officially untitled and Iwata never confirmed the video came from the next Mario game. But we know the game in development, we know it’ll make its debut at E3 2012, and we know that this new footage is different from last year’s New Super Mario Bros. Mii tech demo.

You can see a few screenshots we pulled from the video, or watch the entire presentation yourself, after the break. (more…)

Posted in News, Wii U | Tagged ,

Wii U Pro Controller announced and it looks very familiar

Posted on June 3, 2012 by John Scalzo

Nintendo didn’t just show off the Wii U GamePad during their Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 presentation, they also debuted the tablet’s little buddy, the Wii U Pro Controller.

When you don’t need the full-size tablet (or are “mainly interested in multiplatform games with more traditional means of control”), you can use the Xbox 360-looking controller to your left. I mean, just look at it. The face buttons and the right analog stick have switched places, and the whole controller looks a tad wider from front to back, but they’re basically the same.

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata announced that the Wii U Pro Controller will be sold separately from the Wii U console.

Posted in News, Wii U | Tagged

Final version of Wii U tablet officially unveiled

Posted on June 3, 2012 by John Scalzo

Only, it’s not called the Wii U tablet anymore.

A few hours ago, Nintendo put out their latest Nintendo Direct broadcast. On the 30-minute program, company President Satoru Iwata revealed the Wii U GamePad to the world. While the two GamePads look similar (and the touchscreen in the center is the same), the outer edge of the controller is brand new.

The analog nubs have been replaced by full-size analog sticks that are clickable (just like the PS3 and Xbox 360). The sticks themselves have been pulled further away from the screen while the d-pad and face buttons have been slid closer for a more comfortable feel. The GamePad also has a small sensor below the d-pad for scanning objects such as “action figures.”

But the coolest feature may just be the “TV Button” along the bottom row. Pressing it turns the Wii U GamePad into a full-fledged, infrared television remote. Maybe it’s the head cold I current have talking, but I think Nintendo just won the living room war with that little innovation.

Hit the jump to view the full Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 2012 presentation. (more…)

Posted in News, Wii U | Tagged

Game Informer reveals Gears of War: Judgment early

Posted on June 3, 2012 by John Scalzo

Game Informer promised to reveal the first details of the next Gears of War game on Monday, during Microsoft’s E3 2012 Press Conference.

But it looks like they’ve jumped the gun a bit, revealing the new game will be titled Gears of War: Judgment and that it’ll be a prequel set more than a decade before the first game.

According to the magazine, Judgment will star younger versions of Augustus “Cole Train” Cole and Damon Baird during their days in Kilo Squad. Two additional teammates (never-before-seen in Gears lore) will be joining them and IGN got the scoop from an anonymous source:

Baird, Cole, Garron, and Sofia — the four members of Gears of War: Judgment’s Kilo Squad — have been “charged for treason because they didn’t follow orders, stole equipment, and their actions could end up killing millions of people they swore to protect.

So it’s like The A-Team? Guess we’ll find out tomorrow.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged ,

Aliens: Colonial Marines Collector’s Edition makes me say “Get away from her you…”

Posted on June 3, 2012 by John Scalzo

Here’s something to take the sting about the most recent delay for Aliens: Colonial Marines. Sega and developer Gearbox Studios have announced a Collector’s Edition that will make you want to sing the praises of the Corps… “A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal’s a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade! I love the Corps!”

Retailing for $99.99, the Collector’s Edition will be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 only (sorry PC gamers). The centerpiece of the edition (which is house in a “Xeno Hive” box) is an awesome resin powerloader figurine complete with a snapping Xenomorph. Sega has been shipping a life-size version of this statue to multiple game conventions around the world, so if you’re going to be at the E3 Expo next week, be on the lookout for it.

The package also features a USCM Dossier complete with a Mission Briefing, USS Sephora Schematic, Recruitment Card, LV-426 Recon Photo, USCM Iron-on Badges, and a USCM Graduation Certificate.

A host of in-game bonuses rounds out the Collector’s Edition including four playable movie characters (Corporal Hicks, Private Hudson, Private Drake, and Sergeant Apone), Additional Marines Character Customization Options, an exclusive multiplayer map (USCM Academy Firing Range) and a trio of weapons (Ripley’s Flamethrower, Sonic Electronic Ball Breakers, and Phase Plasma Rifle).

If you just want the in-game stuff (minus the Academy level, the Ball Breakers, and the Plasma Rifle), you can pre-order the game from GameStop to get them.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available on February 12, 2013.

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