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Daily Scoop: January 13, 2011 – Let’s Hear it for the Girls

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Nicole Kline

Today’s Amazon Deal of the Day in video games is the Nancy Drew Collector’s Edition Fan Favorites by Her Interactive for the PC. It’s on sale for $25 from $49.99, making it a whopping 50% off. Buy it for the quirky, computer-loving teenager who can’t get enough of her detective novels.

Not too much else to report today, unless you’re trying to find a deal on a console, and even those pickings are pretty slim. You can get a $25 video game credit at Amazon if you order the Xbox 360 250 GB console with Kinect, and a $50 video game credit if you order the PlayStation 3 160 GB console. Sometimes I wish Thanksgiving weekend came more than once a year. (My wallet disagrees.)

Posted in Daily Scoop |

Nintendo announces “no plans” to localize The Last Story for the West; Nicole cries

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Nicole Kline

Yesterday, VG247 said Nintendo told them they have no intentions of releasing The Last Story in the west. A representative told them they have “no plans at present” when asked about localizing the Mistwalker game. This comes as a blow to us RPG fans, especially those of us who had just cleaned up the drool off our keyboards after watching the latest trailer. The trailer – which was five minutes long and utterly stunning – left us all hoping an announcement would be made, especially since rumors have been flying left and right as to whether or not this Sakaguchi-helmed game would make it into our hands. It looks like, for the time being, we’re out of luck.

Hit the break to check out the trailer, along with a 15-second long television advertisement. (more…)

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Hard Corps: Uprising priced at $15, new screens released

Posted on January 12, 2011 by John Scalzo

Konami’s Hard Corps: Uprising, a high definition sequel to 1994’s Contra: Hard Corps, will lead off this year’s Xbox Live House Party. The game will be added to the XBLA on February 16 and will carry a pricetag of 1200 Microsoft Points ($15). A PlayStation Network version is also planned, though Konami hasn’t given it a release date yet.

To celebrate the release date announcement, Konami has released a bunch of new screenshots (including that awesome one featuring The Base above). You can see them all after the jump. (more…)

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Doritos Crash Course Review: John Henson Would Be Proud

Posted on January 12, 2011 by John Scalzo

Doritos Crash Course is, unsurprisingly, this year’s Doritos-sponsored Xbox Live Arcade freebie (along with Harm’s Way, a driving game/tower defense hybrid). The game takes the form of an extreme obstacle course that mashes together elements of Wipeout, Nickelodeon’s Guts and The Eliminator from American Gladiators. Best of all, the character you control on this side-scrolling course is your own Avatar. (more…)

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THQ introduces new logo, promises further innovation in games

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Ryan Littlefield

In today’s economy, you have to stay current, whether it involves your products, your marketing, or your environmental concern. Today, worldwide game company THQ followed suit by unveiling a new corporate logo at the New York Gamers Event.

Brian Farrell, THQ President and CEO had this to say: “Over the past few years, the gaming industry has seen an unprecedented period of innovation. You can see it in the deep, rich storylines, in the expansion of social and mobile gaming, and in the introduction of new technologies that enhance the gaming experience. THQ is proving its commitment to deliver the best experience to gamers through internally developed original intellectual properties, creative partnerships, and new talent acquisitions in order to solidify its position as a flagship publisher of extraordinary interactive entertainment.”

Though much of their work involves creation of third-party or licensed games, THQ has recently struck a chord with modern gamers. Their work on games such as Darksiders, Red Faction: Guerilla, and the Dawn of War series has shown the potential that THQ can bring to the table. With the re-creation of the company’s logo, consumers are left wondering if they really can expect more from THQ.

In response, Farrell states: “Our new logo epitomizes the change, innovation and creative growth that are the cornerstones of the new THQ. By developing triple-A, innovative, original intellectual properties, attracting the top talent in the industry, and placing that talent first, THQ continues to redefine itself. This new logo seeks to capture that change and make it tangible.”

Posted in News |

Limbo, Red Dead Redemption lead 2011 Game Developers Choice nominees

Posted on January 12, 2011 by John Scalzo

The nominees for the 2011 Game Developers Choice Awards, which will be handed out on March 2 during the Game Developers Conference, have been announced.

The monochromatic XBLA puzzle-platformer Limbo took seven nominations, more than any other game. But Rockstar’s cowboy opus Red Dead Redeption was close behind with six while BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 received five.

Other big nominees include God of War III, Heavy Rain and Minecraft, all of which received three nominations. Minecraft’s inclusion among the nominees marks the first time a game has received a GDC Award nomination and was selected as a finalist in the Independent Games Festival.

Hit the jump for the full list of nominees. (more…)

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FEAR 3 runs away from March release date

Posted on January 12, 2011 by John Scalzo

FEAR 3 has already scared away several release dates during its development and it looks like the game won’t be released on March 22 either. Instead, the game will make its way to stores sometime in May.

The news of the delay comes from FEAR_Tot, an administrator on the official FEAR forums:

The F.E.A.R. 3 launch date will now be in May 2011, as we look to deliver the best possible game for our fans.

Thanks for the patience, I promise it will be worth it.

So basically, he’s saying don’t fear the delay, the game will still be great.

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Modern Warfare 2 hacked to shreds on PS3

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 may have been a smashing success, but it has also become a paradise for players looking to exploit online multiplayer games. Although Javelin glitches and leaderboard tampering may have seemed like world-ending catastrophes at the time, these are minuscule compared to how broken the game is now on the PlayStation Network. In Spectator Mode, players can be seen opening up “VIP” menus which include God Mode, wall-hacks (shooting through walls), and some kind of aimbot as large red boxes appear around enemies who attract every bullet. I even witnessed a “Drug Mode” activated where the gameplay is displayed through alternating purple and grey filters and damage seems to be completely negated. After finishing a match with hackers, many players report their Clan Tags being changed; all emblems, titles, and equipment are unlocked; and Infinity Ward’s ticker displays “YOU GOT F****** OWNED!!!” in red along with the player’s kill and score ranks. This appears similar to challenge lobbies online (private matches where players can access a menu to unlock everything in the game), except it’s being used in public matches and accounts are being tampered with by other players.

Users in Infinity Ward’s forums have been reporting these issues since just before the new year, but the community moderators do not seem to have acknowledged the situation. Many have reached out to community manager Robert Bowling on Twitter, but his responses vary little from the usual rhetoric responding to reports of hacking. These issues may be a consequence of the recent hacks on the PlayStation 3’s security measures.

A video showing some of the issues can be seen after the break. Jump to the 2:00 mark to see some of the hack menus being used. (more…)

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