@ 31. May. 2007. – 10:07:26 pm
Looking back at May - there's one very obvious matter that sticks out. The Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta. Other things did happen though, I promise you, and as usual in these little round-ups, I'll only mention the most important happenings for those who may have been stuck under a rock for the month. Hit the jump for a read.
@ 31. May. 2007. – 04:30:15 pm
Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training rival is coming to the Wii – and judging by the title, you’ll even get a certified qualification from playing it.
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree is, unsurprisingly, the Wii version of the DS game of the similar name. It contains the same kind of minigame tests to try and weigh your brain, and each test comes from one of five different mind-bending categories – analyse, compute, identify, memorise, and visualise.
The real difference between the two versions is that the Wii version has a Mii Academy, into which you can enrol any one of your Miinions (see what I did there?! Oh, hahaha! etc), track their progress, read their student record, and see their grades. "Their", of course, referring to you, so don't think enrolling your Jesus Mii will hide your shame.
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree will be released in Europe on 20 July.
@ 31. May. 2007. – 10:59:30 am
Surely I'm not the only person to keep noticing these things?
New items have been detailed on the Brawl website recently - including the interesting mechanic of the "Final Smash", an item that gives your character the ability to unleash a furious attack.
Today's item is the "Cracker Launcher" - a huge tube that fires fireworks repeatedly. You only have to aim. The website's blog warns, however, that you should "be safe and sensible when playing with fireworks".
Well Fox isn't.
@ 31. May. 2007. – 09:55:51 am
It has been revealed that EA are developing the next in line for the Need For Speed series, as ProStreet has been confirmed as an official title.
Little is known about the title at this time, other than it’s likely to have shinier cars than before, and will appear on the 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, DS, PSP, and PC. EA have commented that, with ProStreet, they are trying to take one step towards the “ultimate experience” that all EA-developed games will soon strive to achieve.
Hit the jump to see the 45-second clip of a shiny car revving its engines. (Otherwise known as a 'trailer'.)
@ 31. May. 2007. – 09:53:25 am
Through means of a glitch-eroo, clever Halo 3 gamers have discovered how to get access to the Custom Game lobby that is present within the Beta code.
Just follow these simple steps to gain yourself the Custom Game option (until Bungie patch it, anyway). Make sure you have at least eight people ready and waiting to help you out.
Doing so will give you access to all kinds of stuff - new weapons (the Pistol and the Plasma Sword), new vehicles (the Wraith), and new modes (Influential VIP, Rocketball, Escort...). The only 'downside' is that the stats for these games don't appear to be logged properly on Bungie's website, but I'm sure you can cope with that.
@ 30. May. 2007. – 04:33:38 pm
Isn't it the way? The Japanese always get all the cool special editions and colours, and the two new additions to the DS Lite gene pool will be no exception.
Metallic Rose and Gloss Silver (viewable here) are the new paint jobs due to be released on 23 June, and Nintendo have already confirmed that there are currently no plans to show them off across the pond.
Best get the cans of Dulux out if you want a new sheen, then.
@ 25. May. 2007. – 07:35:35 pm
Here it is, organisation fans – this year’s E3 schedule. The whole shindig will run from 11 July to 13 July, with Microsoft kicking off the conferences the evening before E3 will start a-proper, followed by Nintendo and then Sony the next morning. Other companies will then get their go, and all conferences are due to last one hour.
It seems like 13 July has either been left entirely spare for media types to sample the games on show, or spaces for that day just hasn’t been filled yet. It isn’t entirely clear, but the absence of conferences from the likes of SEGA and Square Enix can be explained by their recently self-hosted “Gamer Days”.
Hit the jump to see the timetable - and just remember that the times listed are for Americans. The timezone used was unspecified, so unfortunately I can't GMT-ize them for you.
@ 25. May. 2007. – 05:55:27 pm
Bizarre Creations are taking their manic Geometry Wars series to the Wii and DS, it has been announced.
The Nintendo versions of the game will remain as colourful and as zap-tastic as the 360’s Retro Evolved (which will also be fully included in Galaxies) was, as well as introducing plenty of new modes.
A mission-based campaign mode is promised, where players “blast-off on quests across the galaxy”, taking on various waves of menacing shapes on “new and classic Battle Grids”. A multiplayer mode is also on the cards, with hot seat, co-op, simultaneous and versus modes to be included. Eager Geometry Wars enthusiasts who buy both versions of the game will also be able to unlock bonus content through the Wi-Fi.
As usual, the press release also takes a moment to say how the Wii and DS’ unique control capabilities will be fully taken advantage of. In other words, expect to control your ship by Wiimote movement for the Wii version, and stylus movement for the DS version.
Galaxies is likely to be released before the year is out, but that’s only a personal guesstimate.
@ 25. May. 2007. – 05:09:32 pm
Yay! Traveller’s Tales announced today that their excellent Lego Star Wars series will return for one last outing before Lego Batman gets underway.
Sub-titled The Complete Saga, the new game is set to span all six episodes of the sci-fi masterpiece (as explained by the wonderfully succinct tagline – “kick some bricks in one through six”). The game has been announced for the PS2, PS3, 360, Wii and DS, and is said to contain new characters, features and levels as well as some of those featured in the two previous games.
Traveller’s Tales also commented on each platform’s merits, and how the game would change to suit each of them. The 360 and PS3 versions will have online capabilities, allowing players instant drop-in play, and the Wii and DS versions will have suitably waggly and touchy control systems.
You can see the announcement-accompanying trailer after the jump. Enjoy!
@ 25. May. 2007. – 01:37:38 pm
Thar be a big list ahoy this week, ye landlubbers. Arr, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is being released on almost every platform, and has unsurprisingly been met with poor to average reception when facing up against The Critics. Oh, and look at that, I slipped out of pirate speak. Nevermind. I guess the moral of the story here is - don't buy Pirates of the Caribbean as you won't want to stick with it for very long.
What you should be concentrating on is the excellent all-nonsense fun of Mario Strikers Charged Football (Wii) - an upgraded continuation of the GameCube's Mario Smash Football (no colour due to the GameCube being dead, consistency fans). Also definitely worth a punt this week is the finally released Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (PSP). It has the BBFC gubbins on it that prevented its release previously, and is another stellar foray into Solid Snake's world. I'd also recommend Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales (DS) - an interesting card-battle action-adventure with the second most adorable animals in the world of Final Fantasy (Moogles being first, obviously).
As a final note, PS3 owners with their old PS2 memory cards might find the release of the Official PlayStation 3 Memory Card Adaptor quite useful.
Hit the jump to see the full list of games that will be gracing us with their presence this week.
@ 24. May. 2007. – 03:16:55 pm
Well look at that. Rockstar have gone and announced a special edition version for both platform releases of GTA IV. And it will have “special packaging”. Oh. Em. Gee.
Cracking open that special packaging will net you an art book (“featuring never-before-seen production artwork”), a selected soundtrack CD (“featuring new material from top artists, only available on this release”), a Rockstar keychain, and a Rockstar duffel bag.
The special edition is confirmed for release in both US (on 16 October) and European (on 19 October) territories – the former will get it for $80, but the European tag is currently pure speculation. Although, GAME are offering the 360 version for £50, which isn’t bad considering it’s just an extra ten smackers from the normal version.
I’ll be getting it just for the soundtrack CD really. You can always count on GTA for a cracking tune or two.
@ 23. May. 2007. – 03:21:28 pm
Nintendo confirmed today that everybody's favourite piece of playable chewing gum will be taking his next adventure to the DS on 22 June.
Kirby: Mouse Attack (previously known as Kirby: Squeak Squad) has already won no awards for what is most definitely the stupidest plot in the history of videogames. One day, while Nintendo was looking for absolutely any excuse to release another platformer, they decided that Kirby should have a picnic. And during that picnic, some mice (the Squeak Squad) would come along and steal Kirby's strawberry shortcake, and a "whole host of Dreamland treasures". But, importantly, the shortcake. Thus, Kirby gets mad, and decides to tramp across 50 levels to reclaim his pudding.
According to the press release, Kirby: Mouse Attack also offers a multiplayer mode where players compete in three minigames, or a plot writing competition, the results of which are sent to Nintendo for copyright. The release also points out that the game is "jam-packed with fun".
Oh, Nintendo.
@ 23. May. 2007. – 02:40:56 pm
As the second game in a dual announcement – Ubisoft today also confirmed that Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 is in development.
The ugliest bunnies ever conceived are back (blame Frenchy Michael Ancel), and this time they’re trying to take over the entire planet. Thus, Rayman has infiltrated their base of operations (a shopping mall, no less) to try and stop their evil doings by playing another large selection of minigames.
It hasn’t been confirmed what consoles the Rabbids will hit this time around, but the Wii and 360 are very likely bets. The game is scheduled to be released in Q3, otherwise known as Autumn. Or Fall, for my American fans.
@ 23. May. 2007. – 01:20:14 pm
As the first game in a dual announcement – Ubisoft today confirmed the existence of Sam Fisher’s fifth adventure – Splinter Cell: Conviction.
Currently billed for the 360 and PC, Conviction takes a similar ‘good guy, bad guy?’ slant to the last game in the Splinter Cell series, Double Agent. This time, you’re the fugitive and “you’re being ruthlessly hunted by the very government you once served”. You will need to “react to changing situations and use the environment and the crowds around you to create diversions and deter your enemies”, apparently. It all sounds a bit Assassin’s Creed.
That is, of course, until you realise there’s no high-tech gadgetry to be played with in Assassin’s Creed. There’ll be plenty to help you stay one step ahead of the game in Splinter Cell: Conviction, however, and plenty more besides.
Hit the jump to see the first trailer of the game. Also note the ‘v’ in Conviction is coloured specially red to denote the roman numeral V, for five. Clever stuff.
@ 23. May. 2007. – 12:35:27 pm
Activision decided to turn its amps up to eleven today as it revealed the first details of Guitar Hero III. The next instalment in the rockin’ series is to be made available on the PS2, PS3, 360, and Wii – all bundled with wireless models of Gibson Guitar’s Les Paul and Kramer guitars.
Guitar Hero III will include all of the modes fans have come to expect, as well as newly added features such as a “new multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, gruelling boss battles, a bevy of exclusive unlockable content and authentic rock venues”. Online multiplayer game modes will also be included, allowing “axe-shredders worldwide to compete head-to-head for true legendary rock status”.
This time round, Activision has ensured to strike up multiple partnership details with major music record labels, giving Guitar Hero III the possibility to have one of the deepest catalogues of music yet. Currently confirmed tracks are:
The appearance of Knights of Cydonia is worth it alone, frankly. Colour me interested.
@ 23. May. 2007. – 11:07:15 am
In the biggest announcement since sliced bread was first revealed to stunned audiences - Nintendo has confirmed a European release date for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.
On 27 July, DS gamers will be able to catch 'em all once again as 107 new Pokémon are thrown into the mix. Playing as either a boy or girl character, you will be guided by Professor Rowan on your quest to become the ultimate trainer whilst also unveiling the shady Team Galactic's plans, who have supposedly been stealing rare Pokémon...
To get access to all 493 critters, you will need to utilise the GBA Pokémon games. Inserting one of them into the DS' GBA slot and visiting "Pal Park" in Diamond or Pearl will release the Pokémon in the GBA player's party into the park, ready for re-catching. As usual, inter-title trading will also be necessary as each DS game has title-exclusive 'mon (detailed below).
For Diamond they are: Seel; Dewgong; Scyther; Murkrow; Scizor; Larvitar; Pupitar; Tyranitar; Poochyena; Mightyena; Aron; Lairon; Aggron; Kecleon; Cranidos; Rampardos; Honchkrow; Stunky; Skuntank; and Dialga (the game's legendary monster, as seen on the box art).
For Pearl they are: Slowpoke; Slowbro; Pinsir; Slowking; Misdreavus; Houndour; Houndoom; Stantler; Spheal; Sealeo; Walrein; Bagon; Shelgon; Salamence; Sheildon; Bastiodon; Mismagius; Glameow; Purugly; and Palkia (the game's legendary monster, as seen on the box art).
Finally, as an incentive (like people really need one) to pre-order either of the titles, GAME stores are offering a free and appropriately colour-fashioned stylus for every pre-order made. Now, if all of that hasn't whet your appetite, I don't know what will. Get pre-ordering!
@ 23. May. 2007. – 10:10:49 am
Well, yes. Sort of. You see, it kind of slipped out at a Capcom financial meeting, where CEO Kenzo Tsujimoto made a mention of Gyakuten Saiban 5 (that being the Japanese name for the Ace Attorney series). No official information has yet been given, but it would seem unlikely for the CEO of a company to mention a new iteration in one of its best selling series as a bit of a laugh at a finance meeting.
In the meantime, we can look forward to Trials and Tribulations – the third game in the series and also the last to feature Mister Phoenix as the lead character. No release date has yet been set for the title, but I reckons it's likely to hit by the end of the year.
@ 22. May. 2007. – 04:43:20 pm
Yessir. Straight out of Harmonix HQ - here are the details of seven more tracks that are confirmed for the next instalment of Guitar Hero. They are, in no particular order:
@ 22. May. 2007. – 01:03:00 pm
Today, Nintendo re-launched the official website for the next instalment in the Smash Bros series - the Wii's Super Smash Bros: Brawl.
Fans, myself included, were hoping (read: expecting) for a nice dolloping of new information. The announcement of Sonic as a playable character would have been nice, for example. Instead, we're offered a confirmation of the return of the "Battlefield" stage that's been in every Smash Bros game since the first, and a preview of a title screen music track. Bah.
The best detail came in the explanation section of the website - giving readers a few, very small, new screenshots of the game in action. One such screenshot has Mario pummeling away at Link - even going so far as to punch him in the crotch. And boy, is he feeling that.
@ 21. May. 2007. – 02:57:26 pm
Blizzard’s recently promised big announcement is definitely big – catering to RTS fans everywhere, StarCraft II has been announced.
Supposedly in development since 2003, the game is already “very far along”, with a fully-functioning multiplayer mode that allows players to take control of any of the three factions – the returning Terrans, Protoss, or Zerg. When questioned about the game’s release, though, Blizzard said that they won’t let anything out of the bag until “it’s ready”.
Changes from the original StarCraft include new units for each of the three groups, as well as extra, more subtle nuances to elements of the game to allow for better and more diverse strategic play.
It certainly sounds like Blizzard are putting in the effort, so fingers crossed it doesn’t go the way of the GameCube’s StarCraft: Ghost. That is, down the toilet.
@ 21. May. 2007. – 01:18:56 pm
An interesting snippet of Sony news for today comes from SCE’s Korean website, as an 80GB PS3 is being advertised.
The model will cost 518,000 Won, which equates to roughly £232. Admittedly, the prices shown are before tax is whacked on, but compared to our 60GB version, that’s a saving of £193 and you’re getting a 20GB larger hard drive.
The exact release date for the supersized Sony product is 16 June, with no current plans to release the machine in any other territories but Korea.
@ 18. May. 2007. – 02:57:16 pm
It's a time for downloads this week, methinks. Anybody with a copy of Crackdown or another way of getting 'in' must download the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta (360). It's an essential slice of first person shooting, and a valuable look at what kind of tomfoolery Halo 3 will be able to offer us once it's released in September.
For those without a 360 or a Beta invite, another fine download on offer this week is Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest on the Wii Virtual Console. It was, and still is, arguably the finest Donkey Kong platformer to ever come out of Rare.
Finally, for those in the know, Ouendan 2 (DS) is getting a release in The Land of the Rising Sun. It is an absolutely essential import, and a fine example in the rhythm action genre.
Hit the jump to see the full list of games that will be gracing us with their presence this week.
@ 18. May. 2007. – 02:53:01 pm
A quick news burst for you here: Square-Enix has announced that it will release Final Fantasy VI Advance on 29 June.
The release marks what is likely to be the last title released onto the GBA in European territories.
Or, at least, the last decent title.
@ 18. May. 2007. – 01:27:00 pm
Yes, he’s back again. Tony Hawk will be skating to the PS2, PS3, 360, Wii and DS later this year in his eleventh outing.
For Proving Ground, Neversoft are keen to concentrate on the customisation aspect of the series. Players will now “have the freedom to define their character, story and style based on the choices they make, the paths they choose and the style of skating they use.” There will also be “a fully customizable online Skate Lounge” (the transition from offline to online play will be “seamless”, apparently) and “a Video Editor with full-featured editing tools and visual effects”.
Other new stuff which I generally don’t have a clue about includes “Bowl Carving” and more “Nail the Trick moves”, in a game world supposedly 50% bigger than that of Project 8’s. And that’s 50% more space to do stuff I don’t understand in, readers. Gnarly.
@ 17. May. 2007. – 01:28:51 pm
Doctor Kawashima is back with his army of DS-clad grannies, as Nintendo today announced Brain Training 2. (The actual title of the sequel is More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain?, and will be an impressive sight when squeezed onto the spine of a DS game box.)
New to this edition are some different Brain Age tests. The ol’ classic Rock, Paper, Scissors makes an appearance, as you’ll be asked to quickly work out what would win or lose you the game in the presented situation, Memorising 5x5 sees you remembering the position of numbers on screen, and Speedy Symbols challenges your memory of symbols associated with specific numbers. Other new brain games detailed in the press release includes Correct Change, where you have to work out the right amount of money to hand back after a transaction as quickly as possible, Missing Symbols, a twist on the classic ‘20 Calculations’ test, and Masterpiece Recital, where you follow a music sheet shown on the top screen and play the corresponding piano keys on the touch screen.
You may also be interested to know that the Sudoku puzzle mode will reappear. Around 100 puzzles will be included and spread across easy, intermediate, and advanced difficulties, although I could never get past intermediate, personally.
Brain Training 2 is expected to be released on 29 June for a discounted price of £19.99.
@ 17. May. 2007. – 08:45:51 am
Those with a Halo 3 Beta invite from marked copies of Crackdown may have had some trouble downloading the file yesterday.
A problem occurred where the download button in one of the Crackdown menus stayed greyed out, as somebody forgot to release a patch that activated it. Anywho, said patch has now been released, and after getting it Crackdown owners should be able to access the download page.
As an apology, Bungie has extended the duration of the Beta until 10 June, giving everyone an extra few days of play. Thanks, Bungie!
@ 16. May. 2007. – 01:29:39 pm
Today, Bungie let loose not only the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta, but a concrete release date for Halo 3.
Americans will get their mitts on the title on 25 September, while us European types will have to wait an extra gruelling twenty-four hours until 26 September.
Accompanying the release date announcement is an exclusively produced Zune mp3 player (only for Americans, mind). “Encased in collectible packaging, the Zune – Halo 3 Edition digital media player comes pre-loaded with artwork, trailers, and music from all three Halo games, as well as an exclusive new episode of Red vs. Blue. The Zune – Halo 3 Edition (estimated retail price $249) will be available exclusively at GameStop starting 15 June.” As the ‘proper’ Zune model is yet to be released for Europeans, it’s unlikely that we’ll see anything like this.
And with that, you can now happily download the Beta!
@ 15. May. 2007. – 08:31:11 pm
Warning: This post contains sexual references which some readers may find offensive, and which may not be appropriate for younger readers. Please do not click "
Read more" if you do not want to read this material.
@ 14. May. 2007. – 08:51:20 pm
Ho ho ho.
Eleven-year old Khloe Leslie recently turned on her copy of Animal Crossing: Wild World to be greeted with the phrase "fucking cow" when talking to one of her villagers.
The Scottish girl has now been banned from playing the game after enquiring with her mother.
A Nintendo spokesperson quite rightly said that the game "is either a pirate copy" or that the phrase came from "user-inputted text" when pressed by the OUTRAGED media. It is very likely that the phrase came from a Wi-Fi visitor or the like, and it's even more likely that a constellation of stars closely resembling a penis will soon appear in the night sky.
@ 14. May. 2007. – 01:59:18 pm
Lara Croft is spreading her wings, as Kathryn Clements (a senior type over at Eidos) today confirmed that Tomb Raider Anniversary is Wii-bound.
"The Wii home video game system is a hugely innovative games console and we wanted to make a special version of Anniversary to appeal to Wii owners," she said. "The Wii Remote and nunchuck controllers allow Wii gamers to control Lara in brand new, unique ways, and there are plenty of new features, to be revealed soon, which will ensure Anniversary really hits the spot – literally."
Literally, folks.
@ 14. May. 2007. – 01:27:38 pm
Chunsoft confirmed the existence of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2 today after Japanese magazine CoroCoro released new screenshots and details.
Taking a similar format to the original Mystery Dungeon games, the new titles will come in two different editions – Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2: Time Expedition and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2: Darkness Expedition. Chunsoft have decided to do away with the GBA version, instead choosing to release both titles on the DS.
The new Mystery Dungeons will include all of the new ‘mon introduced in Diamond and Pearl, and will bolster the starting Pokémon list from ten to sixteen.
More details are expected in the next issue of CoroCoro magazine.
@ 14. May. 2007. – 01:01:14 pm
Square Enix have announced yet another project today in the form of an expansion pack for Final Fantasy XI.
Sub-titled Wings of the Goddess, the only clues as to what content it will bring have to be derived from the video trailer that accompanied the announcement (viewable after the jump). The expansion is set for simultaneous release across all platforms and territories sometime this Winter.
Other notable FFXI news comes from a comment made by series director Koichi Ogawa. He pretty much confirmed that the game won’t be going to the PS3, as it would apparently take so long to port (between four and five years) that the project just wouldn’t be worth it.
@ 11. May. 2007. – 04:03:14 pm
If I were you, I'd be saving my money this week. While there's still a selection of interesting games on offer, they're distinctly average and ones you will have seen plenty of times before.
One example of this would be the arrival of Cooking Mama: Cook Off (Wii). It's here, but you can get the DS version for less money and a near identical experience. In a similar vein, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars gets its 360 release, but this looks to be just a further graphical spit and polish in another release in the (nevertheless fine) RTS series.
On a different note, for all you puzzle-lovers out there - Picross DS is coming to town! I'll be damned if you can't find a free version of it on t'internets, though. It's also probably just me, but I don't get Picross. At all. And that's a negative selling point, really...
Hit the jump to see the full list of games that will be gracing us with their presence this week.
@ 11. May. 2007. – 01:26:20 pm
Namco unveiled today what is to be the next game in the Soul Calibur series, and how it’s going to be developed exclusively for the Wii. (This time it’s actually Soulcalibur, and, no, I don’t know why they got rid of the space either.)
Soulcalibur Legends takes place in the 16th century, and details the adventures of Siegfried (aka Nightmare) and other as-yet unannounced characters from the Soul Calibur series. Some released artwork hints at the obscenely-endowed Ivy making a playable appearance, although this is unconfirmed.
The game is taking a bit of a spin-off slant, having jumped genres from a beat-‘em-up to an action adventure where, “using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as their weapons of choice, players perform moves and combos using orchestrated slashes and movements.” From Namco’s description, it all sounds like it’s going to be akin to the Wii’s other action slasher – Square Enix’s Dragon Quest Swords. We’ll see who can win out in terms of quality once Legends is released in the winter months later this year.
@ 11. May. 2007. – 01:25:16 pm
Monolith Productions confirmed today that a sequel to Condemned: Criminal Origins is in the works.
Titled Condemned 2: Bloodshot and billed for release on the 360 and PS3, the game will see players once again controlling Ethan Thomas. Now an utterly broken man, he’s trying to track down his missing partner in an investigation of a group of serial killers.
The game is currently set for release in early 2008.
@ 10. May. 2007. – 06:45:20 pm
Evening fans. There’s plenty to digest here, as Realtime Worlds sure haven’t been shy on the details for the upcoming Crackdown downloadable content.
Firstly, there will be two packs. The “Free For All” pack will, surprisingly, be free for all and will bump up the game’s content a little bit – most notably making the possible gamerscore for Crackdown the proper 1000. The second pack, “Getting Busy”, will cost 800 points and will introduce a mass of new features into the game – including everything featured in the free pack, so you only need to download the one.
Just what both packs will introduce is handily bullet-pointed for you after the jump.
@ 10. May. 2007. – 04:11:20 pm
Following the successful release of Guitar Hero II on the 360, Harmonix have decided to reveal the next axe-wielding title in the series - the vintage sounding Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.
Currently exclusive to the PS2, Rocks the 80s is promised to have thirty tracks in total, including the following seven that were detailed in the press release:
What this will mean is that gamers everywhere will be screaming "I wanna rock! ROCK!" while strumming away within minutes of loading up the game. You'll be able to do that in any of all the usual modes Guitar Hero players have come to expect.
More details are expected soon.
@ 10. May. 2007. – 03:20:06 pm
Blimey. Someone at Square Enix has been busy, as the best RPG company around today announced eight new games.
Nintendo consoles will be getting two of these. First up was Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon for the Wii. Not much is known about this title, apart from the storyline, which revolves around recovering somebody's missing memories. The game is expected to be similar to the DS' Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales.
The second game to be announced was Final Fantasy IV for the DS. Following the success of the Final Fantasy III remake, Square Enix have decided to give number four the ol' dual screen spit and polish.
The 360 and PS3 will be getting one title that's scheduled to be released simultaneously in Japan and America. Entitled The Last Remnant, Square Enix was confident in its ability to impress, commenting particularly on what will apparently be the most innovative battle system in a long while.
The only other multi-format game announced was Star Ocean 4, which was tentatively billed for "next-gen systems". From then on, Square Enix showed an onslaught of support for Sony systems, and particularly the PSP.
Before I do move on to said PSP titles, it should be noted that Final Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System (that is one hell of a mouthful) was announced for the PS2. This is basically Final Fantasy XII all over again, only with an improved job system and license board, a 16:9 widescreen mode, English voiceovers, and an accompanying bonus DVD. Think Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix, only not as good.
But, yes, the PSP. A revelation that is likely to blow the socks off of any Final Fantasy fan was the unveiling of Final Fantasy Dissidia - a Super Smash Bros. type game with all Squeenix and FF characters. From the media shown, currently confirmed playable characters are Cecil Harvey (FFIV), Kain Highwind (FFIV), Sephiroth (FFVII), Zidane Tribal (FFIX) and Kuja (FFIX). Cue excited squeals.
Square Enix then continued to announce two more new PSP games, both of which will be remakes of Star Ocean games. Star Ocean: First Departure and Star Ocean: Second Evolution were announced, and will be remakes of Star Ocean on the SNES and Star Ocean: The Second Story on the Playstation respectively.
To summarise, those eight new games are: Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon (Wii); Final Fantasy IV (DS); Final Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System (PS2); Final Fantasy Dissidia (PSP); Star Ocean: First Departure (PSP); Star Ocean: Second Evolution (PSP); Star Ocean 4 (next-gen systems); and The Last Remnant (360/PS3). And not one of them is likely to be a stinker.
@ 10. May. 2007. – 03:01:04 pm
I'm liking these quick release date announcements lately!
Eidos confirmed to the public today that the PS2 version of Tomb Raider: Anniversary will be made available on 1 June.
The game was previously titled "Tomb Raider: 10th Anniversary Edition", but had to be renamed due to the game slipping to the eleventh year since Lara Croft's creation.
A release date for the PSP version has yet to be announced.
@ 10. May. 2007. – 02:26:22 pm
A burst of quick news for you.
Mario Party 8, complete with at least 75 new Wii-styled minigames, will be released on 22 June.
AND THAT’S IT!
@ 09. May. 2007. – 02:50:58 pm
Electronic Arts revealed their plans today of a brand new The Simpsons game.
The story given at the moment suggests that The Simpsons family learn that they have been trapped inside a videogame and decide to have a little fun. Bart, for instance, takes the chance to transform into his superhero-self, Bartman.
Few other details are currently known, other than that it will take the format of an action game, and will have all of the usual humour fans of the show has come to expect.
The game is set to be released across all platforms.
@ 08. May. 2007. – 02:46:06 pm
A quick announcement from Nintendo today - Metroid Prime: Pinball will see European light on 22 June.
The DS pinball-em-up has Samus bolting around a number of boards in a near-permanent morph ball state. The game also has a rumble feature embedded into the cartride to make those bumper movements seem even more realistic.
So there you go.
@ 04. May. 2007. – 03:59:55 pm
There's a couple of games that I've had my eye on this week.
The first is Eledees (Wii), also known as Elebits. While it may seem like just another elongated minigame title, Eledees has charm pouring out of all of its available orifices. I'm sure Konami wouldn't use that as an advertising slogan, but Eledees looks to be rip-roaring fun in an infinitely Katamari kind of style. The premise is simple - ransack your location to find as many little Eledees as possible. Fling open cupboard doors or lob a fridge into entirely different rooms of the house - just find the lil buggers. Sounds fun, don't it?
The second, slightly more self-explanatory game is Final Fantasy III (DS).
It's Final Fantasy, and it'll be good.
Hit the jump to see the full list of games that will be gracing us with their presence this week.
@ 04. May. 2007. – 02:40:08 pm
Whoops! Due to an error with all copies of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, the game will not be released today.
Konami were due to finally let loose Snake's new adventure in Europe today, a full five months after its release in America and Japan. That was until some chap looked at the cover of the game and noticed that the BBFC rating was missing - thereby making the game's release a tad illegal. As such, all copies had to be shipped back to have their covers reprinted with the rating.
Konami did not have an announcement as to when the game would now be released with added BBFC features.
UPDATE: It's gonna hit on 25 May now, folks. (10 May 2007)
@ 03. May. 2007. – 02:34:19 pm
Well, sort of. They’re cheating a little bit.
After confirmation from Nintendo, it was revealed that System 3’s remake of the Commodore 64 game Impossible Mission will be the first ‘original’ title to hit the Wii VC. Although the game is being remade, the original retro version will also be included for play.
Impossible Mission is a platforming game that sees you exploring an evil bloke’s lab in an attempt to stop him from hacking into various important computer systems, and is also being released for the PS2, PSP, and DS.
@ 03. May. 2007. – 02:22:08 pm
Epic Games have today released for Hidden Fronts multiplayer map pack onto the Marketplace.
Weighing in at 230.32MB and setting you back 800 points (until 3 September, when it becomes free), the add-on introduces four new maps for play.
“Garden” is a multiplayer adaptation of the conservatory where the Berserker runs riot. She’s not around, but the fertilization and pesticide system is, and it must regularly be vented for safe proceedings. Otherwise, as Consolevania’s Hitler once said – “gas in ya face!”
“Bullet Marsh” is a Kryll-infested map that just happens to contain a bit of a dodgy power generator. Shooting it might just cause the lights to fail. Which might just cause the Kryll to devour whatever has just been plunged into darkness.
“Process” is a situation where one team will protect an Imulsion plant, and one team will invade it. With honking great spotlights dotted around the place, you really don’t want to be highlighted popping in the back door.
“Subway” is a fairly self-explanatory name. The Locust have turned the place into a cushy little home, and COG Soldiers seem to have a problem with that. You may or may not want to wipe the opposing team out.
The maps are definitely worth downloading, if not just for the petty reason of avoiding being kicked out of matches when you don’t have the downloadable content that the host does.
@ 02. May. 2007. – 02:21:33 pm
Just a quick one here, for fear of having to delve into stock market shares and god knows what else.
It has been announced that “the Board of The GAME Group plc (just GAME to us plebs), has unconditionally acquired Games Station Limited (Gamestation) from Blockbuster UK Limited (Blockbuster).”
The press release continues that this acquisition will “significantly enhance its customer offering in the UK market.” That’s up for debate with those who prefer Gamestation’s trade-in prices and return policies really...
@ 01. May. 2007. – 11:56:13 am
April, hey? Dominated by game announcements if I do say so myself.
Look - New Games!
It's been a good month for Wii and DS announcements. Nintendo gamers now have NiGHTS: Journey Into Dreams, Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition, Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations, and Sonic Rush Adventure all to look forward to. It's just a shame for Wii owners that you still have to look to the future for good releases, and that a good flow hasn't been kept up since the launch. Ho-hum.
For the 360 and PS3, the pretty sounding Beautiful Katamari was announced, promising an entertaining return to the roll-em-up series. Most of the internet chatter so far has been on the game's vocal soundtrack, which is disturbing and amusing in equal measure.
And finally, near the eve of the release of God of War II, God of War: Chains of Olympus was announced for PSP. The same team behind Daxter are creating it, and initial footage seems to show a promising 'more of the same' approach.
The 'Halo 3' Beta Is Coming.
Le gasp! Are you excited? Joe Public's first look at the Halo 3 multiplayer comes on 16 May, when the 900ish MB download will hit Xbox Live. I predict no less than three server explosions.
Click the link below to read more of the highlight headlines.
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