Most Recent: Xbox 360

New Releases: Killzone 3, Bulletstorm, De Blob 2, More

Posted on February 19, 2011 by John Scalzo

Two pairs of heavyweights in their respective genres go head-to-head in this week’s new releases.

First up, we have the launch two major first person shooters… Sony’s continued fight against the Helghast in Killzone 3 (PS3) versus Epic Games’ latest fragfest, Bulletstorm (PC, PS3, Xbox 360). Don’t forget, the Xbox 360 version of Bulletstorm comes in an “Epic Edition” that inlcudes a few in-game goodies and access to the Gears of War 3 beta.

The next fight is a little less high profile (and both games come from the same publisher), but in a battle between handheld RPGs… Atlus is bringing Radiant Historia to the DS and also bringing Ys I & II Chronicles to the PSP.

Standing alone is THQ’s De Blob 2 (DS, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360), which would probably be a unique title at any time of the year.

The full list of the rest of this week’s new releases can be found after the break. (more…)

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

January 2011 NPD report: We all just got served

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

I always considered sales to be the lowest possible form of gaming conversation, but with NPD eliminating numbers from their public reports, it’s more like a pure representation of what the popular trends are in gaming.

And that trend is dance. Four games in the software top ten for January were dance games: Just Dance 2 (#2), Zumba Fitness (#5), Dance Central (#8), and Michael Jackson: The Experience (#9). While peripheral rocking may be on the way out, the music genre as a whole is alive and well, in fact you could argue that the dance games of today are the new band games of yesteryear, grossing exorbitant revenue and achieving a massive base. However, it signals that our medium of interactive entertainment is being taken over by genres we would not traditionally call video games and titles that simply don’t appeal to us. As the Japanese say, “it can’t be helped,” and I guess it’s a good thing overall if cores games are still financially healthy.

And indeed they are. Dead Space 2 (#3), Little Big Planet 2 (#4), and DC Universe Online (#10) made their debut in the top ten the same month as launching. Michael Jordan’s tongue-lashing exploits in NBA 2K11 (#6) returned, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (#7) snuck around and Call of Duty: Black Ops claimed the top spot, nearly three months after launch. This figure is augmented as all platforms are combined into one figure, so I can’t comment on how much that Nintendo DS port contributed.

Also absent are console figures, but that didn’t stop Microsoft from their customary spin installment. While both the PS3 and Xbox 360 are performing better than this time last year, Microsoft revealed 381,000 units sold, proclaiming the 360 as “the leading game console in 2011,” a statement which is pretentious after only January, unsubstantiated without any regional qualifier, and probably wrong considering the Nintendo DS is very much a game console, regardless of what Aaron Greenberg wishes you believed.

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

Trailers, Screenshots, and Artwork, oh my! Media blowout on PSN/XBLA title Moon Diver

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

Strider Hiryu, regrettably absent from Marvel vs. Capcom 3, starred in some of the best 2D sidescrolling action games of the 90’s, and now game designer Kouchi Yotsui is returning to redefine the genre with Moon Diver (which you may remember as Necomachina, the name it had when it was announced). Developed by Feelplus and published by Square Enix, the game centers around a group of specially trained ninjas as they attempt to take back the planet from a boy who has given life to inanimate objects, including bridges, trains, and entire cities, which now besiege the globe. Players engage in insane platforming and combat either solo or with up to four friends in co-op to vanquish their enemies. The game even incorporates elements of the Faust legend, (the boy’s name is Faust and he got his powers from Mephistopheles) which pleases my counter-Enlightenment sensibilities.

Hit the break for a full media blowout, including screenshots, artwork, and the visceral gameplay in action with a trailer. There’s no announced release date, but you can bet Moon Diver will be one to watch. (more…)

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Latest Rage trailer heads out to the Wasteland

Posted on February 18, 2011 by John Scalzo

Cory Barlog may never get his proposed Mad Max game off the ground, but it looks like we’ll get a reasonable facsimile when id Software releases Rage for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 13.

The new trailer above showcases The Wasteland, a desolate place populated by mutants, bandits, monsters and roving gangs of dune buggy riders. Yup, sure sounds like Mad Max to me. The game even appears to bhave its own version of Thunderdome, a place where two (or maybe more) men enter, but only one man leaves.

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

Operation Flashpoint: Red River deploys on April 26

Posted on February 18, 2011 by John Scalzo

Codemasters gave the order today that Operation Flashpoint: Red River will be released for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on April 26th in North America (April 21st in Europe). In honor of the new release date, Codemasters has released the new gameplay trailer you see above, “which introduces the game’s conflict in Tajikistan from the perspective of Corporal Ryan Balletto”:

With footage showing the epic landscapes players will experience and battle through in Operation Flashpoint: Red River, Marines are shown protecting convoys, attacking dug-in insurgents and setting up ambushes against the backdrop of Tajikistan’s beautiful countryside and spectacular mountain ranges.

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

A look at Forza Motorsport 4’s development

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

After Forza 3‘s two year-plus performance at retail was outsold by Gran Turismo 5 in little over a month, Turn 10 Studios is hard at work to take the racing sim crown with Forza Motorsport 4. This hard work was recently exposed in an excellent article at MSN Autos, exploring how racing games like Gran Turismo, Forza, and the upcoming NASCAR The Game 2011 translate real world driving into interactive entertainment.

As you can imagine, developing these racing sims is getting really insane. For example, Turn 10 is incorporating proprietary performance data from tire manufacturers like Pirelli to emulate how tires grip and slip in the game. Additionally, the team spends two three days accumulating terabytes of video and pictures to render every track down to subcentimeter accuracy. Finally, the developers teased a little bit about “Kinect-only Mode,” where you’ll be able to lean inside of the car in cockpit view to peek around blind corners or your competitors’ vehicles. The article also features input from the developers of NASCAR The Game 2011.

It’s been a big day for racing game news, and any fan of the sim sub-genre in particular should check out the article. Racing games are just as guilty as FPS for over-saturating the market this generation, but with the games still breaking new ground in accuracy, bring ’em on I say.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged , ,

Three new DLC packs souped-up for Need For: Speed Hot Pursuit

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Mike Gutierrez

EA announced today that starting on February 22, a new DLC pack for Need for Speed Hot Pursuit will be released every week on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network in the following order: Armed and Dangerous, Lamborghini Untamed, and Porsche Unleashed (OMG THE PORSCHE UNLEASHED LOL). Armed and Dangerous includes two new multiplayer modes, while the latter two contain three new cars (playable as both cops and racers) from their respective manufacturers as well as ten new events. All packs contain four new trophies/achievements and will run you $6.99 or 560 Microsoft Points. Hit the jump for more details on the modes and cars.
(more…)

Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Tom Clancy, Pac-Man CE DX picked for future XBLM deals

Posted on February 17, 2011 by John Scalzo

Major Nelson has revealed a few Xbox Live Marketplace deals for the next two weeks and it looks like gamers will soon be able to purchase the best game of 2010 for 50% off.

But first, Tom Clancy Week will give XBL Gold members a chance to obtain the following add-ons for half off during the week of February 21st:

  • Tom Clancy’s EndWar – Escalation (200 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter – Chapter 2 (300 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 – Co-Op Collection (200 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. – Air Supremacy (400 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2 – All-in-one Pack (400 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory – Games on Demand (600 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction – Deniable Ops: Insurgency (400 Microsoft Points)
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction – Outfit (200 Microsoft Points)

After that, during the week of February 28, XBL Gold members will be able to download Pac-Man Championship Edition DX for only 400 Microsoft Points (that’s just $5 people!). The game is a steal at any price, but at 50% off, it becomes a required purchase.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 | Tagged