Robotoki reveals another zombie game… world yawns

Zombies. There is no escaping them, no matter what Jesse Eisenberg preached in Zombieland. Zombies are here to stay for quite some time it would seem, as indie game studio Robotoki announced their first title, Human Element, a zombie survival game, will debut in 2015. Robert Bowling, the company’s President and former Creative Strategist at Infinity Ward, said of the game, “Their greatest strength is the fear that [zombies] instil in us, the survivors, that unreasonable fear. Unreasonable fear that leads us to do unreasonable things to survive.”

While the description sounds very similar to Naughty Dog’s upcoming game The Last Of Us, and the poster echoes the classic Left 4 Dead, Bowling’s new company may be able to offer more than run, shoot and hide. The game will feature a character creation system, where you choose a class – Action, Intelligence, or Stealth – as well as a separate identity or starting scenario, but there is still only a choice of three: survive alone, survive with a partner, or survive while protecting a young child. Hopefully these various combinations will offer much retail value, with Bowling placing a special emphasis on survival on both a physical and moral level.

Will you have to feed a baby human flesh? We won’t know for another three years when the game is distributed across every conceivable platform, from “next genertation consoles” to PCs to mobile phones.

[Source: Game Informer]

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Wii U gets its own social network, Miiverse

I know that everybody loved Friend Codes, but Nintendo plans to do away with the matchmaking service when the Wii U launches later this year. Instead, the console will come pre-bundled with the Nintendo Network, which will be home to a Wii U-centric social network known as Miiverse (or “Mii Universe,” if you prefer).

When players enter the Miiverse, they’ll be transported to a bustling city of Miis that are congregating around the most popular apps and games the Wii U has to offer (even games you don’t own). In addition to learning that Super Mario Bros. Wii U is very popular, the Miiverse will also blast the player with status updates from “friends, people playing the same games as you, and people who speak the same language as you.”

For a more personal connection, the Miiverse also offers video chat (courtesy of the Wii U GamePad’s front-facing camera), messaging (including handwritten messages scrawled on the GamePad’s touchscreen), and game-specific message boards.

These in-game messages will also bleed over into the games themselves, as all Wii U games will have the ability to connect to the Miiverse. During the Pre-E3 Nintendo Direct presentation, company President Satoru Iwata showed how gamers can converse and commiserate within Super Mario Bros. Wii U.

The Miiverse will also be accesible from other devices including the 3DS, the PC, and mobile devices. However, this feature of the social network won’t be available when the Wii U launches this Fall.

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These are the first screenshots of Super Mario Bros. Wii U

Tonight’s Pre-E3 edition of Nintendo Direct revealed some interesting new details about the Wii U GamePad and Pro Controller, but the most interesting thing that company President Satoru Iwata showed off was unveiled with no fanfare at all.

During the latter portion of the presentation, Iwata unveiled the Miiverse social networking component that is included with every Wii U console. He also said that the service can connect gamers as they’re playing Wii U games and demonstrated this connection with 16 seconds of footage from Super Mario Bros. Wii U.

The game is officially untitled and Iwata never confirmed the video came from the next Mario game. But we know the game in development, we know it’ll make its debut at E3 2012, and we know that this new footage is different from last year’s New Super Mario Bros. Mii tech demo.

You can see a few screenshots we pulled from the video, or watch the entire presentation yourself, after the break.

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Wii U Pro Controller announced and it looks very familiar

Nintendo didn’t just show off the Wii U GamePad during their Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 presentation, they also debuted the tablet’s little buddy, the Wii U Pro Controller.

When you don’t need the full-size tablet (or are “mainly interested in multiplatform games with more traditional means of control”), you can use the Xbox 360-looking controller to your left. I mean, just look at it. The face buttons and the right analog stick have switched places, and the whole controller looks a tad wider from front to back, but they’re basically the same.

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata announced that the Wii U Pro Controller will be sold separately from the Wii U console.

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Final version of Wii U tablet officially unveiled

Only, it’s not called the Wii U tablet anymore.

A few hours ago, Nintendo put out their latest Nintendo Direct broadcast. On the 30-minute program, company President Satoru Iwata revealed the Wii U GamePad to the world. While the two GamePads look similar (and the touchscreen in the center is the same), the outer edge of the controller is brand new.

The analog nubs have been replaced by full-size analog sticks that are clickable (just like the PS3 and Xbox 360). The sticks themselves have been pulled further away from the screen while the d-pad and face buttons have been slid closer for a more comfortable feel. The GamePad also has a small sensor below the d-pad for scanning objects such as “action figures.”

But the coolest feature may just be the “TV Button” along the bottom row. Pressing it turns the Wii U GamePad into a full-fledged, infrared television remote. Maybe it’s the head cold I current have talking, but I think Nintendo just won the living room war with that little innovation.

Hit the jump to view the full Nintendo Direct Pre-E3 2012 presentation.

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Game Informer reveals Gears of War: Judgment early

Game Informer promised to reveal the first details of the next Gears of War game on Monday, during Microsoft’s E3 2012 Press Conference.

But it looks like they’ve jumped the gun a bit, revealing the new game will be titled Gears of War: Judgment and that it’ll be a prequel set more than a decade before the first game.

According to the magazine, Judgment will star younger versions of Augustus “Cole Train” Cole and Damon Baird during their days in Kilo Squad. Two additional teammates (never-before-seen in Gears lore) will be joining them and IGN got the scoop from an anonymous source:

Baird, Cole, Garron, and Sofia — the four members of Gears of War: Judgment’s Kilo Squad — have been “charged for treason because they didn’t follow orders, stole equipment, and their actions could end up killing millions of people they swore to protect.

So it’s like The A-Team? Guess we’ll find out tomorrow.

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Aliens: Colonial Marines Collector’s Edition makes me say “Get away from her you…”

Here’s something to take the sting about the most recent delay for Aliens: Colonial Marines. Sega and developer Gearbox Studios have announced a Collector’s Edition that will make you want to sing the praises of the Corps… “A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal’s a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade! I love the Corps!”

Retailing for $99.99, the Collector’s Edition will be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 only (sorry PC gamers). The centerpiece of the edition (which is house in a “Xeno Hive” box) is an awesome resin powerloader figurine complete with a snapping Xenomorph. Sega has been shipping a life-size version of this statue to multiple game conventions around the world, so if you’re going to be at the E3 Expo next week, be on the lookout for it.

The package also features a USCM Dossier complete with a Mission Briefing, USS Sephora Schematic, Recruitment Card, LV-426 Recon Photo, USCM Iron-on Badges, and a USCM Graduation Certificate.

A host of in-game bonuses rounds out the Collector’s Edition including four playable movie characters (Corporal Hicks, Private Hudson, Private Drake, and Sergeant Apone), Additional Marines Character Customization Options, an exclusive multiplayer map (USCM Academy Firing Range) and a trio of weapons (Ripley’s Flamethrower, Sonic Electronic Ball Breakers, and Phase Plasma Rifle).

If you just want the in-game stuff (minus the Academy level, the Ball Breakers, and the Plasma Rifle), you can pre-order the game from GameStop to get them.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be available on February 12, 2013.

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Ni No Kuni’s E3 2012 trailer reveals January 22 release date

Gamers everywhere were pretty distraught when Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, the Namco Bandai-published PS3 collaboration between Level-5 and Studio Ghibli, was delayed from late 2012 to early 2013. Thankfully, the new year will only be three weeks old when we finally get a chance to play it. An E3 trailer for Ni No Kuni was released by Namco Bandai ahead of the big show and it confirms a January 22, 2013 release date for the game.

If you’re a fan of gorgeous animation, you owe it to yourself to watch the trailer above.

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