Shadow Complex 2: “Not if, only a question of when”

Posted on March 11, 2011 by John Scalzo

Chair Entertainment loves their 2009 Xbox Live Arcade shooter Shadow Complex. They love it so much that Creative Director Donald Mustard has promised Eurogamer that Shadow Complex 2 will be released sometime in the future.

“I’ll put it this way. More Shadow Complex isn’t a question of if, it’s a question of when,” Mustard said. “Shadow Complex is our baby and we love it dearly and, y’know, we’re working on some cool stuff [in general]. That’s all I can say.”

Chair recently completed work on the iOS game Infinity Blade, but they have yet to officially announce their next project.

Posted in News, Xbox 360 |

Red Faction: Armageddon blows **** up real good with Ruin Mode

Posted on March 11, 2011 by John Scalzo

Do you love the sound of breaking glass? Then Red Faction: Armageddon‘s “Ruin Mode” is for you:

Introducing Ruin, Red Faction: Armageddon’s mode dedicated to pure destructive mayhem. Choose your weapons, enter the arena, and unleash hell. Chain together explosive combinations for bonus points, and compete with your friends’ high scores on the online leader boards in Challenge Mode. Or engage in untimed Free Play rounds in which you explore the surface and seek out its most destructive secrets. As you destroy all that you see around you, your creativity will be rewarded.

Check out the trailer above to get a taste of Ruin Mode or play it for yourself at THQ’s booth (#956) if you’ve got tickets to this weekend’s PAX East.

Red Faction: Armageddon will be released for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on May 31.

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

Mass Effect 2 Review: Shepard’s Back and There’s Gonna Be Trouble

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Adam Woolcott

It was one of the best-reviewed games of 2010. It received many accolades and dozens of Game of the Year awards. Now… Mass Effect 2 is finally available on the PlayStation 3, one year after its initial release on the PC and Xbox 360. The late-releasing port is usually a wasted venture that appeals to a small subset of gamers who own just that platform, but BioWare has done everything it can to make it appealing to those who haven’t yet experienced the game. Whether it’s touching up the visuals (check), using it to demonstrate the engine that’ll be used in Mass Effect 3 (check), or including $20 worth of bonus content (check), Mass Effect 2 for PS3 is in many ways the prototypical “Game of the Year” re-release… only in this case it’s done specifically to satisfy PS3 owners that have been waiting an entire year to play one of 2010’s best games.

Press Start to Continue →

Posted in PS3, Reviews, Top Story | Tagged

The Darkness II playable at PAX East; first screenshots revealed

Posted on March 11, 2011 by John Scalzo

2K Games is bringing playable demos of two of their biggest upcoming titles, The Darkness II and Duke Nukem Forever, to this weekend’s PAX East show. There’s probably not a person reading this that doesn’t have at least some idea about Duke Nukem Forever, but The Darkness II should have your attention as well.

The Darkness II introduces “Quad-Wielding,” which allows players to use their Demon Arms while simultaneously firing two weapons. Basically, you’ll become an eviler Doctor Octopus.

You can check out a quartet of “Quad-Wielding” Darkness II screens after the break.

Press Start to Continue →

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

Warp Zoned at PAX East 2011

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Warp Zoned Staff

The Warp Zoned team (Senior Editor Nicole Kline, News Editor Mike Gutierrez, Podcast Producer Ryan Littlefield and Contributor Brianne Galli) have arrived at this year’s Penny Arcade Expo East. The 2011 edition of the gaming festival is being held at the Boston Convention Center today, tomorrow and Sunday.

The sold-out show includes demonstrations and hands-on playtime for many gamer’s most anticipated titles including BioShock Infinite, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon and more. The second annual PAX East Omegathon will also pit 20 lucky expo-goers against each other in brutal battles of Katamari, Jenga and Operation.

Keep your browsers tuned to our PAX East 2011 page to keep up with the latest news, previews and all the shenanigans of Nicole, Mike, Ryan and Bri.

Posted in News | Tagged

Dark Horse publishing Rage prequel comic

Posted on March 11, 2011 by John Scalzo

Bethesda Softworks and Dark Horse Comics have announced that they’re teaming up to create a three-issue comic miniseries based on id Software’s upcoming Rage.

The series will be written by Arvid Nelsion (Rex Mundi) and penciled by Andrea Mutti (DMZ). The cover art (which you can see to your left) is being created by Glenn Fabry, best known for his work on Hellblazer and Preacher. The first issue will be available June 22 and will serve as a prequel to the game’s story:

This comic series, developed with the direct participation of Rage’s creative director, Tim Willits, presents a new twist on the post-apocalyptic near future as one woman discovers that the survival of humankind doesn’t necessarily mean the survival of humanity. The Earth has been devastated by a collision with an asteroid, with a tiny fraction of the population surviving in life-sustaining Arks buried deep below its surface. Those who survive emerge to find a wasteland controlled by a global military dictatorship called the Authority. But a rescued scientist learns that the Authority has lied to her and the other survivors about how this new world came to be.

Rage will be released for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 13.

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

Tribes: Ascend announced at PAX East

Posted on March 11, 2011 by John Scalzo

Long-time readers of Penny Arcade are well aware of Mike “Gabe” Krahulik and Jerry “Tycho” Holkins’ love-hate relationship with the Tribes franchise. So it should come as no surprise that Hi-Rez Studios has used the first day of the PAX East expo to announce Tribes: Ascend, the next game in the multiplayer shooter series. The publisher has also unveiled the game’s debut trailer, which you can see above.

Hi-Rez considers the Unreal Engine 3-powered Tribes: Ascend as the true successor to Tribes 2 and considers the game “a re-introduction of the franchise to the gaming world.”

“Before Halo, before Modern Warfare, and before Battlefield, there was Tribes.”, says Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios COO. “Tribes fans appreciate the game’s essence – athletic FPS combat combined with teamwork and strategy. As we began development of Tribes Universe, we focused first on capturing that essence – refining and modernizing iconic elements like jetpacks, skiing, and vehicles. We’ve had tremendous fun play-testing and realized the potential of a multiplayer focused title ahead of Tribes Universe. The community has been waiting for a multi-player shooter that is the modern successor to T2. Tribes: Ascend is that game.”

Tribes: Ascend will be released towards the end of the year as a downloadable title for the PC and Xbox Live Arcade. Releasing the game on “additional platforms” is also being considered.

Posted in News, PC, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Batman: Arkham City swoops into stores October 18

Posted on March 11, 2011 by John Scalzo

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has announced that this Fall’s most anticipated game, Batman: Arkham City, will be released on October 18 in North America (October 21 in the UK). Apologies to Uncharted 3, Gears of War 3 and the rumored Halo remake, but it’s true.

The Rocksteady-developed sequel will be released on the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 and is said to be five times larger than Batman: Arkham Asylum:

Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring into Arkham City – five times larger than the game world in Batman: Arkham Asylum – and the new maximum security “home” for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new, all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.

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