Most Recent: PS3

Activision taps Beenox to develop future Spider-Man games

As Spider-Man Uncle Ben always said, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” So it seems rather fitting that Activision is about to bestow great power and great responsibility on Beenox, the developer of last Fall’s Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

The megapublisher has announced that Beenox has been named the primary developer on upcoming games starring the superhero. While Activision didn’t go into specifics about the wallcrawler’s next video game adventure, an investor’s call in November revealed a new Spider-Man game is in the works for a 2011 release.

For their part, executives at Beenox and Activision seem excited about the arrangement.

“Beenox’s creative vision reinvigorated the Spider-Man gaming experience among critics and fans in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions,” said Patrick Kelly, Senior Vice President, Activision Studios. “We can’t wait to see where this talented studio will take this franchise in the future.”

“We are thrilled with this opportunity to continue our close, collaborative relationship with Activision, Marvel and everyone’s friendly, neighborhood hero, Spider-Man,” said Dee Brown, Studio Head, Beenox. “Being able to map out Spider-Man’s interactive future gives us the creative freedom to really craft the best gaming experience for the fans.”

Posted in 3DS, DS, Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360 | Tagged ,

Modern Warfare 2 hacked to shreds on PS3

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…)

Posted in News, PS3 | Tagged

Jenova Chen of thatgamecompany gives details on Journey

Jenova Chen recently sat down with Sid Shuman of the PlayStation Blog to discuss the latest game from him and the folks at thatgamecompany, Journey. The two go into details about the unorthodox gameplay, multiplayer, and antagonist in this much anticipated PSN-exclusive title. Some especially interesting parts of the interview include Chen’s thoughts on the lazy work that goes into multiplayer games today, and how Journey is trying to socially stimulate players’ brains.

Previous titles from thatgamecompany include flOw and Flower, two of the most beloved downloadable games this generation. Journey seems to be shaping up nicely to live up to the accomplishments previously set by the development team.

Source: PlayStation Blog

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Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam Review: I Love the Smell of DLC in the Morning

Kicking off last year with the stellar Battlefield: Bad Company 2, EA closed it out by dropping the Vietnam expansion. Building upon already incredibly strong shooter mechanics, Vietnam reinforces the formula with another fantastic set of maps brought to life with the sights and sounds definitive of the era. (more…)

Posted in PC, PS3, Reviews, Top Story, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Wesley Snipes comes to App Store in Julius Styles: The International

Wesley Snipes has had a rough couple of years recently. After a string of theatrical (and direct-to-video) flops, the action star was arrested for failure to pay his taxes and is currently serving time in a federal prison.

But that hasn’t stopped him from announcing his next project, an iPhone/iPad game titled Julius Styles: The International that promises to combine action and puzzle-solving. According to Snipes, “This project was inspired by my desire to bring my Art of War, Murder at 1600 and Passenger 57 characters into the game world. Julius Styles will offer something for both the mind game strategist and the kick-ass special ops warrior lover.”

Developed by Lapland Studios, the game will be added to the App Store in June, with plans to bring it to the Playstation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, WiiWare and the Android App Store after that. The actor even plans to star in a movie featuring the Julius Styles character.

But it’ll likely be a long wait before the movie hits theaters as Snipes is scheduled to remain in prison until July 19, 2013.

Posted in Mobile, News, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 |