Most Recent: News

D3 Publisher teams up with Dreamworks Animation

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Nicole Kline

D3 Publisher and Dreamworks Animation SKG have announced a publishing agreement for games based on Dreamworks’ next three feature films. The three films are Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Rise of the Guardians, and The Croods.

D3 and Dreamworks are excited about the publishing agreement. Chris Hewish, head of global interactive for DreamWorks Animation, said, “D3 Publisher has a wealth of experience in both the creative development and marketing of family friendly licensed games. This, along with their proven track record, makes them an ideal interactive partner for our next three films.”

Bill Anker, vice president of business development and licensing, at D3, said, “The upcoming video games based on the DreamWorks Animation films truly fit our commitment to making fun games that are enjoyable and accessible for the whole family across many platforms and handhelds. We look forward to working closely with the DreamWorks Animation team to deliver an authentic and compelling gameplay experience that will take the adventures in exciting new directions inspired by the films.”

Madagascar 3: The Video Game will be out in June along with the film. The game based on Rise of the Guardians will be out this holiday season, while The Croods game and movie are scheduled for release in spring 2013.

Posted in News |

“Gamers At Work” book released

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Nicole Kline

Ever want to know about the entrepreneurial history behind the start of the video game industry? Gamers at Work: Stories Behind the Games People Play is a book you might be interested in.

Written by Morgan Ramsay, the founder of Entertainment Media Council, this book brings the history of the video game industry to light through interviews with some of gaming’s most successful – and notorious – names. Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts, is on the list, along with Warren Spector (founder of Junction Point Studios), Ted Price (founder of Insomniac Games), and, of course, Nolan Bushnell, the infamous cofounder of Atari… and the founder of Chuck E. Cheese.

The book takes readers – presumably gamers – on a journey through the turbulent history of the creation of the video game industry as we know it today, following the stories of these men and others through their successes and failures. After reading The Ultimate History of Video Games, I don’t think anything can surprise me, but I’m definitely going to read this book anyway, because I’m a sucker for books about the industry.

To find out more about the book, check out the website at gamersatwork.org.

Posted in Etcetera, News |

Square Enix brings back True Crime series as Sleeping Dogs

Posted on February 9, 2012 by John Scalzo

About six months ago, Square Enix picked up Activision’s discarded open-world game, True Crime: Hong Kong. Now, the Japanese publisher has rechristened the game Sleeping Dogs and announced that it’ll be released for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 in the second half of 2012.

Developed by United Front Games, Sleeping Dogs (like the True Crime series before it) flips the typical open-world game on its head. Instead of featuring the criminal element in all of their sadistic glory, it follows an undercover cop, Wei Shen, as he infiltrates the Hong Kong Triad. Naturally, this involves a lot of fighting and brutal combat:

Offering players an island packed with action, every street corner, market stall, harbor dock or city skyscraper can become an opportunity for intense shoot-outs, adrenaline-fuelled street races and intense, brutal martial arts combat. Featuring one of the most intuitive and imaginative combat systems, Sleeping Dogs empowers players to perform an extensive set of martial arts moves, singlehandedly taking on numerous opponents. Players perform bone-crunching kicks and combos, vicious counters and a cinematic set of environmental takedowns making use of countless real-world items from circular saws to phone booths, incinerators to refrigerator doors.

To give you an idea of what the melee combat will look like, Square Enix has produced a live action trailer for Sleeping Dogs that you can view after the break. (more…)

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

XBLA Today: Gotham City Impostors, Shank 2

Posted on February 8, 2012 by John Scalzo

Today’s Xbox Live Arcade update will look very familiar to anyone who scoped out yesterday’s additions to the PlayStation Store. While Xbox owners won’t be able to throw down with the Jak and Daxter Collection, two other cartoony action titles are on the menu.

Gotham City Impostors puts you in the cape and cowl of a caped crusader (not The Caped Crusader) as you attempt to rid Gotham of Jokerz, a particularly dumb brand of criminal who’ve patterned themselves after the Clown Prince of Crime. It can be downloaded for 1200 Microsoft Points ($15), along with hundreds of dollars in optional DLC:

A 6 vs. 6 first person shooter, Gotham City Impostors is a multiplayer game unlike any other, giving players the opportunity to rebel against conformity as they customize their own characters. Posing as amateur vigilantes or villains, gamers create their own Bats and The Jokerz characters using unprecedented customization options including insane costumes, homebrewed gadgets and a wide range of traditional and imagined weapons.

Also available today is Shank 2, which stars a crazed brawler in a crazy brawler. It can be yours for 800 Microsoft Points ($10):

The fan-favorite 2D brawler is back in action with Shank 2. Shank is forced on the offensive wielding his trusty arsenal of weapons and combo moves to protect those close to him. Shank 2 raises the bar from the original, creating an amazing comic book visual style and combat system which redefines the 2D side-scrolling brawler.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Eat Sleep Play downsizing, Jaffe leaving

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Nicole Kline

Eat Sleep Play, the video game company David Jaffe co-founded, has laid off eight employees, and announced that they will be shifting their focus to mobile games. Jaffe himself is leaving the company to “also pursue casual games,” according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

This surprising announcement comes a week before the company is releasing Twisted Metal, their first – and last – triple-A title. Hopefully Jaffe has something crazy up his sleeve.

Posted in News, PS3 | Tagged

Complex picks “The 25 Best Video Game Coffee Table Books”

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Nicole Kline

Complex made an awesome list of the 25 best video game coffee table books. The list includes novels based on video games, art books, and even guides. It’s got my favorite novel based on a game, which is Ico: Castle in the Mist, and another I’ve been meaning to pick up: all of Valve’s Dark Horse comics, collected together in Valve Presents: The Sacrifice and Other Steam-Powered Stories.

Two more I’d love to get my hands on are The Art of Uncharted 2 and the whimsical Valkyria Chronicles Design Archive. Be sure to check out the article at Complex for the full list of all the books I wish were on my coffee table.

Posted in Etcetera, News |

Kinect Stars Wars/R2-D2 Xbox 360 bundle coming April 3

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Nicole Kline

Here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for – or at least, the moment I’ve been trying to patient wait for. Microsoft’s Major Nelson has announced on his blog that Kinect Star Wars and the R2-D2 Xbox 360 bundle will be released on April 3.

Microsoft also released some more details about the game itself. In addition to the three previously announced modes – Jedi Destiny: Dark Side Rising, Podracing, and Rancor Rampage – there are also two new modes, Galactic Dance Off and Duels of Fate. The Galactic Dance Off mode has me nervous, because it’s described thus: “loaded with Star Wars-themed pop tunes where those still honing their Jedi skills can take a break to battle Darth Vader on the dance floor or bust a move ‘Solo style.'”

I don’t know what Solo style is, and I don’t want to know. I do know that the system bundle will include an exclusive unlockable C-3PO for Galactic Dance Off mode. The game will have full 3D support, and you can get a sneak preview of it at select AMC theaters on Saturday, February 11, to coincide with the 3D release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

I don’t want anything to do with any of that. I just want the system and the controller. Sorry, Han – I just can’t handle your solo style.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged

PSN Today: Simpsons Arcade, Gotham City Impostors, Jak & Daxter Collection, More

Posted on February 7, 2012 by John Scalzo

Sony has pulled out another of their patented “kitchen sink” updates of the PlayStation Store. This week sees the release of three major PSN games (the long-awaited Simpsons Arcade Game, hitman game Shank 2, and multiplayer shooter Gotham City Impostors) as well as all three games from the Jak and Daxter Collection.

Speaking of the Jak and Daxter Collection, the complete package is available from the Full PS3 Games section as well as the sexually charged Catherine, tennis sim Top Spin 4, and the bricktastic Lego Pirates of the Caribbean.

Rounding out the new releases is the PS2 Classic SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie. And don’t forget that The Simpsons Arcade Game is free to PlayStation Plus subscribers (as well as Final Fantasy V). Oh, and the first episode of “The Tester” season three is now available.

Yup, kitchen sink time. You can find out more about all these new releases after the break. And for a complete listing of all of this week’s new game add-ons, head over to the PlayStation Blog. (more…)

Posted in News, PS3 | Tagged , , ,