Most Recent: Xbox 360

Capcom officially announces Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City

Posted on March 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

After being outed last week by Official Xbox Magazine, Capcom has confirmed that Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is in development for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 by Slant Six.

Sensing the grumbling of fans that believe the series is straying too much from its roots, Capcom is returning to September 1998 and the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3. For the first time, players will play through the entire game as Umbrella operatives attempting to cover-up the T-Virus outbreak (while also battlnig zombies and Bio-Organic Weapons like Nemesis):

It is September 1998 and the action centres once more on the ill-fated Raccoon City and the horrific consequences of the deadly T-virus outbreak from the Umbrella facility. With a cover up required, Umbrella orders an elite team into Raccoon City to destroy all evidence of the outbreak and eliminate any survivors. Hearing of this plan, the US Government dispatches its own special forces to uncover any evidence that exposes the cause of the viral infection and Umbrella’s actions. Players take on the role of an Umbrella Security Services soldier (U.S.S.), competing alone or in four player co-op in a battle against all the competing forces at play in Raccoon City.

Operation Raccoon City will feature a variety of callbacks to the earlier games in the series including the Police Station and an appearance by Leon Kennedy (who has to be assassinated in one mission). The game will also include several competitive multiplayer modes pitting the Umbrella Security Services against a United States Special Ops team.

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is scheduled for release this Winter.

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

Leaked Mortal Kombat roster features Robo Sub-Zero, Human Smoke, Sheeva

Posted on March 28, 2011 by John Scalzo

A NeoGAF user has posted a screenshot of the character selection screen from Mortal Kombat.

While most of the kombatants have already been announced by NetherRealm Studios, there are a few new names to add to the game’s roster. The most surprising addition is the only original character in the game, Robo Sub-Zero (he occupies the Hidden/DLC slot, so he won’t be immediately selectable). He is joined by the previously unannounced Sheeva and Human Smoke (who is sporting Gary Oldman’s awesome hairdo from Bram Stoker’s Dracula). If this selection screen is real, it means that all 25 characters from the first three Mortal Kombat games (and Quan-Chi) will be available in the MK reboot. Lending further credence to its believability is the fact that Ed Boon has always said that this rehistory of Mortal Kombat might include a new cyborg character.

Hit the jump for a full rundown of every character in Mortal Kombat, which releases for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on April 19. (more…)

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Confirmed: Kintaro, Kenshi, “Lady in Red” planned as Mortal Kombat DLC

Posted on March 27, 2011 by John Scalzo

UPDATE: NetherRealm Studios has confirmed to CVG that Kintaro, Kenshi and Scarlet, AKA the “Lady in Red,” will be the first three DLC characters.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: A purported scan from the May issue of GamePro is said to show the first three downloadable characters for Mortal Kombat.

The one-page image shows Kintaro, the four-armed Shokan boss from Mortal Kombat II; Kenshi, the blind swordsman first seen in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance; and “Lady in Red,” a mysterious new character that may or may not be new brand to the Mortal Kombat franchise.

Several red ninjas have made appearances in the Mortal Kombat universe universe. “Skarlet” was the fan name for a glitch that would change Mileena or Kitana’s costumes to red in Mortal Kombat. While “Ruby” fought alongside Ermac in an episode of the animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm. There’s also Sareena, a female ninja who bares a strong resemblence to the “Lady in Red” that first appeared as a minor character in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon.

Ed Boon has previously discussed who he’d like to see as DLC characters for Mortal Kombat and Kenshi was on the original list. So hopefully we’ll find out if this rumor is the real deal or just another “Hornbuckle” soon.

[Source: Hadoken.net]

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

New Releases: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12, 3rd Birthday, WWE All-Stars, More

Posted on March 26, 2011 by John Scalzo

While the impending release of the 3DS still dominates the coming soon lists, there will be plenty of new games available when the calendar skips to the week ahead.

Fresh off Tiger Woods’ victory on Morning Drive, his namesake game, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters, will be available in stores this week for the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360. It’ll be joined by Square Enix’s long-awaited PSP sequel to Parasite Eve, The 3rd Birthday.

More sports action dominates this week’s new releases including the arcade wrestling title WWE All-Stars (PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360 and PS2!) as well as a pair of racing games: Shift 2: Unleashed (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) and NASCAR 2011 (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360).

Finally, everyone’s favorite hack and slash series returns for another round of ancient Chinese warfare. I refer, of course, to Koei’s Dynasty Warriors 7 (PS3, 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, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360 | Tagged , , , ,

Full House Poker Review: Avatars Playing Poker

Posted on March 25, 2011 by John Scalzo

Full House Poker isn’t Microsoft’s first try at creating a card-playing franchise on the Xbox Live Arcade. That distinction actually goes to the Tik Games-developed Texas Hold ‘Em, which was released way back in 2006. It seems that Microsoft has learned something in the ensuing five years, as Full House Poker is a superior game in almost every way; but is it a must-have XBLA release? I wouldn’t go “All In” on that bet. (more…)

Posted in Reviews, Top Story, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Weinstein Company gets into the game business

Posted on March 25, 2011 by John Scalzo

Famous film brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein have announced that their company, the creatively named The Weinstein Company, has started a video game division. The equally creatively named TWC Games will tap into the back catalog of The Weinstein Company and Dimension Films to develop and publish video games for mobile, social, and console platforms. Among the Weinstein/Dimension films that could get the game treatment are Scream, Hellraiser, Halloween and Children of the Corn.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if TWC Games teamed up with Freddy and Jason rightsholder Warner Bros. to create the ultimate slasher movie fighting game of Ghostface vs Pinhead vs Michael Myers vs “He Who Walks Behind the Rows” vs Freddy Kruegger vs Jason Voorhees? Considering the fact that Warner Bros. also owns Mortal Kombat maker NetherRealm Studios, it’s practically fate.

TWC Games will be working with Beefy Media, who has worked with Capcom in the past on a ton of projects, to bring their video game dreams to fruition. The consulting company will work with TWC Games to “foster relationships with publishers and create high quality games.”

Bob Weinstein, The Weinstein Company’s co-chairman, is thrilled about the announcement: “The video game marketplace is changing at such a rapid rate. With all of the digital platforms, there are so many opportunities to broaden our audience with compelling, high quality, cost-efficient, video game entertainment.”

Seriously, someone needs to convince Bob and Harvey to make that monster crossover happen.

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

THQ’s Homefront is a hit

Posted on March 25, 2011 by John Scalzo

THQ’s take on a Korean invasion of America in the 2027 has proven to be a hit with gamers across the globe. Described by company executives as one of the biggest games they’ve ever done, Homefront has now sold one million copies worldwide. THQ has also revealed that they’ve shipped 2.4 million copies of Homefront to stores since its release two weeks ago. So there’s plenty of copies out there if you want to become Homefront player #1,000,001.

“We are very pleased with strong worldwide shipments and sell-through for Homefront, and we continue to fulfill new retail orders for the game across the globe,” said Brian Farrell, THQ President and CEO. “Homefront is clearly resonating with gamers and we are certainly pleased with our initial sales results.”

Even before Homefront was released, THQ hinted that a sequel was in the planning stages. With the game crossing the million-seller mark already, expect to hear an announcement of Homefront: London any time now.

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

Capcom continues outsourcing – Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City announced

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Over the last few years, Keiji Inafune vehemently demanded that Japanese game developers blindly imitate what Western developers are doing, so they can make the money. A few months ago, he left Capcom. I can’t tell if it’s because of his demands, or because all their key game directors keep leaving, but Capcom seems intent on giving away all of its classic franchises to their friends in the West.

The world was shocked, absolutely shocked, as Capcom handed the reigns of Devil May Cry over to Ninja Theory when they unveiled their hideous, regurgitation-inducing (at least to DMC fans) makeover of protagonist Dante. Now, Official Xbox Magazine has confirmed that the next title in Capcom’s premier survival horror franchise, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is underway at Slant Six Studios for the PlayStation 3 and (of course) Xbox 360. Slant Six just did a stint with PlayStation’s SOCOM franchise, working on last year’s SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 (which was awesome) and SOCOM: Confrontation before that (which wasn’t so awesome). Stick Skills has tons of bullet points about the game on its site, and you can get even tons more from OXM. If you’re wondering what a western dev is going to do to this franchise, I believe this quote will satisfy your curiosity:

This is not a one-versus-one game where you’ve got one clip full of ammo and zombies on you. If you’ve ever thought of those times in an RE game when you thought, ‘I’d wish I had a big gun’, that’s what this game is.

There you have it. I’ll be sure to let you all know when Phoenix Wright: Space Marine is announced for the Xbox 360.

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged