There certainly isn't anything unusual about publishers shutting down online servers for games that people are no longer playing. So it shouldn’t surprise you that EA announced today that they will be taking an axe to a number of servers on Feb 2.
The two most notable entries on the list are the poorly received Facebreaker and Madden NFL 09 for PS3 and Xbox 360. Granted, Madden NFL 10 is where most football-loving gamers spend their time these days, but I’m willing to bet there’s a good chunk of players out there who didn’t pick up the newest installment for whatever reason who are now going to have to either throw down green to pick up Madden NFL 10, or forgo playing Madden online until the next iteration is released. Either way, I have a feeling quite a few players out there are going to be none too happy next month.
Here's the full list of titles losing online support:
UPDATE 4:32 p.m.: EA has declined comment. "We do not comment on speculation or rumor," said a spokesperson.
ORIGINAL STORY: You might want to sit down for this one, readers. According to sources speaking to ESPN, Electronic Arts is currently prepping a reboot of the NBA Jam series, exclusively for Wii.
Oh, lord.
ESPN also claims EA is working with NBA Jam creator Mark Turmell to develop the updated version of the two-on-two coin-op classic. NBA Jam was a massive hit in arcades and both SNES and Genesis in the 90s. The series peaked and disappeared. Nothing has really replaced it since.
I've reached out to EA for comment and will update if the company comments on the rumor.
Currently, Andrew Pfister and myself are lobbying for the reboot to include the series' tradition of secret political figures characters. Can you imagine McCain/Palin vs. Obama/Biden matchups?
Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.
Bayonetta Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 MSRP: $54.99 ESRB Rating: Mature
Bayonetta is a 3D action game of the “beat-‘em-up” variety. It’s all about combat: physical melee attacks combined with ranged weaponry and magic, used to fight hordes of enemies big and small (but mostly big). It’s also somewhat about unrestrained scenario design and the attractive qualities of the female form. Somewhat.
Who's the developer?
Platinum Games is the development studio that formed when Hideki Kamiya left Capcom in 2006 along with fellow developers Shinji Mikami and Atsushi Inaba. Between the three of them and their associated teams, there is a strong (and creatively unique) lineage of both 2D and 3D action game design, as they were responsible for Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, God Hand, Killer 7, P.N. 03, and Okami. Oh yes, also a little game called Resident Evil 4.
Platinum’s most recent game was last year’s MadWorld for Wii, a similarly bombastic and violent action game.
What's the story?
Bayonetta is set in the present day in a fictional European city, but its story begins 500 years ago when a “dark event” led to the slaughter of the Witch faction…excluding one survivor who goes by the name of Bayonetta. On a mission of revenge, Bayonetta sets her sights on the forces of Heaven responsible. That’s right, Kamiya is turning the tables on who is “good” and “bad” in the game, emphasizing the sadistic side of combat. Protest-prone religious groups might just want to let this one go.
Haven't I played this before?
We’ve come a long way since Kamiya’s original Devil May Cry, and he’s putting some major twists on the 3D beat-‘em-up formula. Bayonetta’s combat strategies need to incorporate the use of Witch Time (slow motion activated by a close dodge), Torture Attacks (brutal finishing moves usually performed by her demon-possessed hair), picking up dropped enemy weapons, and animal form transformations. Also, Bayonetta has guns attached to her feet and can spin around like a backyard water sprinkler of death.
Multiplayer/Online?
Not only is Bayonetta designed to be single-player only, there’s a difficulty mode that encourages you to play with just one hand. No clue why it’s designed like that. Nope, no clue whatsoever.
"Bayonetta is a wonderful experience that I emphatically recommend for fans of the genre. Granted, the objectification and ogling of the titular character can be rather uncomfortable at times (the end credits and post-credits should be watched in solitude, if only to save yourself heaps of awkward explanation) and the awful storyline reads like an elementary school child's book report on The Divine Comedy, but like (ahem) adult entertainment, plot is secondary to action. And in that sense, the team at Platinum Games has truly forged a refreshing new entry in the hack n' slash action genre."
You’d think that Project Natal would be providing Microsoft with enough hands-free-based challenges for the moment, but as Tech Flash (via Engadget) recently found out, the house that Gates built is looking to pursue some much more science-fiction-y motion controlling technology as well.
Now, this isn’t your standard camera-picks-up-motion kind of setup. Oh no. We’re talking Electromyography (EMG) here, which basically uses sensors applied to the body to pick up electrical activity sent by muscles to control computers, electrical devices, etc.
It will be many years before we see any kind of practical (let alone entertainment-based) application for this technology, but here’s a demo video showing off some of the possible applications of this admittedly kind of freaky tech. Three words: Air Guitar Hero.
Like it or not, online features are probably becoming a permanent staple of Naughty Dog video games down the line. In a recent Uncharted 2: Among Thieves post-mortem interview, Naughty Dog co-president Evan Wells told Andrew Pfister that developing multiplayer was a success this time around and will most likely dictate some of their decisions for future releases.
"I actually don't want to make a game that doesn't have some sort of online component, whether it's competitive multiplayer [or] Deathmatch-style," said Wells. "But I think that online is the very best way to create a community, because now these people have an ongoing relationship. They are part of that relationship because they provide the feedback, and you can provide updates and you can keep working with them."
Before you start howling at the moon, Wells did note that developing an online community doesn't necessarily mean the traditional implementation (or perceived tacking on) of multiplayer.
"Even if it's just through leaderboards or something like that...it's just great for people to be able to share that experience with other players and to have that direct line of communication to the developer," he said. "I think it's really important, so I think absolutely all of Naughty Dog's games going forward will have some sort of online component."
Are you still playing Uncharted 2's multiplayer? Would you like to see more of it?
Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.
To start the year off right, Atlus wanted to make sure you were able to fully grasp the "Tendency System" in their hardcore, fantasy RPG, Demon's Souls. Punishing intrepid gamers since its October release last year, those of you who have survived yet still need guidance can check out their final installment of their walkthrough video series below.
When you think "Seinfeld," you don’t often think "coveted video game record." And yet, here we are. See, as fans of the seminal sitcom-about-nothing know, the classic arcade title Frogger was of particular importance to George Costanza, who, after finding out that his high score of 860,630 points had gone unbeaten for over two decades, tragically watched as the arcade cabinet was crushed by an oncoming truck after he failed to move it across Frogger-ish traffic.
Interestingly enough, famed game record organization Twin Galaxies has been waiting for someone to beat the impressive "Costanza Score" for over four years now, and today it was announced that Pat Laffaye of Westport, CT has done just that with an impressive score of 896,980 points.
"Even though it was imagined by television writers, Pat has broken one of the most famous scores in pop culture. Pat's amazing score will now forever be attached to not only Twin Galaxies history, but pop culture trivia as well," Twin Galaxies division manager Patrick Scott Patterson said in a statement.
Gaming is an expensive form of entertainment. Between consoles, controllers, peripherals, hard drives and, of course, games, being a gamer requires a kind of financial investment unlike any other medium. And while spending $60 or more on a game these days is just the way it goes, there’s a good chance that game prices might actually go down someday soon…maybe...kind of.
At least, that’s what EA Canada senior producer Jason DeLong recently told Game Informer when prompted about the future of the industry.
“I think that we’re going to start to see – maybe not in the next year, but in the near future – games go down the route of smaller up-front experiences and lower prices at the beginning, and then the ability to extend the game through episodic material or future feature material. I think that’s a direction we’re probably heading in."
This potential model shift would owe much to the troubled economy, as consumers continue to look for ways to save cash any way they can. Cutting back on the number of games they purchase is one such way to do this, and gamers will continue to do just that until they can afford not to. Or, until game prices come down, whichever comes first.
When do you think we'll see price drops for games across the board, if at all?
I didn't play many video games over the holidays (that's part of a separate post coming later), but I did carve out time to check out an independent art game my friends were raving about: Every Day The Same Dream. It's a short gem that left a lasting impression and I felt compelled to share with all of you.
Even though Stephen Johnson already mentioned it a week or so ago, I'm guessing many G4 readers weren't checking the Internet during their time off, so it makes sense to bring it up again.
Every Day The Same Dream is best played without knowing very much. The premise is simple: you play a man with a routine, a very strict routine. Wake up, get dressed, say hello to the wife, drive to work, sit in a cubicle amongst a million other cubicles and eventually go home. To "win" Every Day The Same Dream (if you can call it that), you must try to break the cycle.
It'll take most players less than 20 minutes to see Every Day The Same Dream from start to finish, but that's part of its brilliance, too. It makes a meaningful statement during its time with you, something that can't really be said for most of the games we spend dozens of hours with. I became stuck at one point involving a, um, cow, but other than that, it's an enjoyable breeze.
Please, let me know what you think of it.
Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.
This week’s new release list might be light, but it also happens to include two highly anticipated games: the eye-melting twitch-fest Bayonetta (check out Sterling’s review if you haven't already) and the apocalyptic action-adventure titleDarksiders.
Nintendo DS fans looking to experience the high intensity action that comes from working in a fast food joint will certainly have their hands full with Fast Food Panic. And if you’re looking to shed a few of those holiday pounds, you might want to give My Fitness Coach 2: Workout & Nutrition for Wii a chance, assuming you can get off the couch to pick up the game.
Not convinced Sony and Zipper Interactive can pull off MAG, their online shooter that supports 256 players simultaneously? Find out for yourself in the newly launched MAG open beta.
MAG's open beta kicked off today and runs until midnight on Jan. 10. The beta supports two game types -- 64-player sabotage and 256-player domination -- and is available worldwide.
If you're not sure how to download the, PlayStation Blog has released the specific steps:
Log on to the PlayStation Store, Select "View All By Title -> M Titles -> MAG" and download the MAG Beta file like you would any other freely-available PSN video or demo (298 MB)
Launch the MAG Beta program from your XMB to download a special patch that will restart MAG once the update has been received (another 37 MB)
After the reboot, the Beta will reconnect and download the actual game data so that you can play (1.8 GB – 2.3 GB depending on your region)
Have you downloaded the beta?
Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.
No one understands your freakishly intense passion for all things Cirque du Soleil quite like G4. That’s why you need to mark your calendars, set your DVRs, and cancel whatever important dinners you might be planning this week, because on Jan. 7, we will be brining you "G4 Presents: Inside KÀ by Cirque du Soleil."
This behind-the-scenes special, hosted by Alison Haislip, will give you an all-access look at the latest high-flying, Asian-inspired creation from one of entertainment’s most visionary and breathtaking performance troupes. And because we know just how ravenous your Cirque du Soleil appetite truly is, G4 is also holding a KÀ VIP Weekend Getaway Sweepstakes, the winner of which will receive six VIP booth tickets to KÀ, three deluxe rooms for two nights at the MGM Grand, airfare for six, a meet-and-greet with the show’s cast and other prizes. Pretty cool, eh?
If this sounds like your kind of scene, then be sure to head over to G4’s official KÀ sweepstakes pagebetween now and Jan. 17 to enter.
And be sure to tune into G4 on Jan. 7 at 8PM ET/PT for "G4 Presents: Inside KÀ by Cirque du Soleil."
DJ Hero wasn't the phenomenon that Guitar Hero's become, but Activision is apparently getting behind their new music game for another round. Destructoid noticed that DJ David Guetta recently told Canadian-based newspaper Kelowna that he's excited to work on the next DJ Hero.
“I think it's amazing, this game, and I'm going to work on the No. 2 version,” said Guetta. “It's a really crazy game. After 10 minutes, you get the rush that a DJ gets after 10 years of practising. I have fun with it, but you know what? I can't go to the maximum level. It's too difficult for me. It's crazy.”
Given the modest sales of DJ Hero, it seems unlikely Activision would produce a whole new peripheral for the second installment of DJ Hero, but given that most of my issues with DJ Hero were with the peripheral itself (read my review over here), I'm crossing my fingers Activision takes the plunge.
Would you like to buy content on Xbox Live in specific dollar mounts, not mysterious points?
This option is available through Games On Demand but nowhere else. I've speculated it's a testing ground for a more widespread feature (alongside Zune Marketplace's text search), though Microsoft's been quiet about specifics. When asked by Game Informer about the possibility, they didn't say no.
"It’s Microsoft points right now, and those have been very successful for us. Especially at retail – people buy tons of points cards and bring them home. We continue to think about it. I’ll put it this way: we want make it as easy as possible for people to have the entertainment experiences they want," said XBL general manager Marc Whitten. "I will say that will say that we will continue to focus on making the system simple, without giving you the roadmap."
That's progress, I guess. Rest assured, I'll continue to press Microsoft on this in the future.
New Heavy Rain videos have popped up in YouTube-land showing more gameplay of Ethan Mars, one of the four main protagonists, and his son. While warming up cold pizza and tucking your son into bed don't sound like greatest time out, the videos exhibit more of the ominous tone French developer, Quantic Dream (2005's Indigo Prophecy a.k.a. Fahrenheit), is going for.
It just seems like something is always about to pop out, even from the washing machine.
World records involving someone spending tons of cash on something ridiculous don’t come around nearly as frequently as I would like, and that’s why this latest world record news has me so damn happy. See, a guy named Buss “Erik” Lightyear recently set the record for the most expensive virtual item ever purchased when he threw down a whopping $330,000 for the Crystal Palace Space Station in the MMORPG Entropia Universe, Edge Online reports.
Upon winning the auction, Lightyear posted on the game’s forum, "I was really hoping to win this auction. I believe Crystal Palace can be amazing since it won’t just be owned by some investor, but instead a very active, and very old player who loves Entropia Universe."
Since Entropia features a thriving virtual economy in which virtual money can translate into actual cash, this purchase isn’t the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, since, as the game's creator, MindArk, pointed out, Lightyear will be able to generate solid money for himself if he manages the station responsibly.
This latest purchase breaks the previous record (also set within Entropia) of $100,000 spent for Club Neverdie – The Virtual Space Resort and Nightclub.
What’s the most you’ve ever spent on a virtual item?
Unbeknownst to me, I achieved something in December: a gamerscore of nearly 20,000 points. It's not actually 20,000 points, though. As a friend pointed out through a kind Xbox Live message, my gamerscore is currently teetering at 19,999 points. Talk about living on the edge.
Tonight, I plan to make the push into 20,000 points.
I should admit that gamerscore means very little to me, which explains why I've been at 19,999 points for almost a month and remained oblivious. The idea of picking the achievement that pushes me into 20,000 territory, however, is pretty amusing. I'm even going to let you guys weigh in on the decision.
(Also, why the heck was I playing Avatar: The Game? You'll find out soon..)
What achievement should I unlock to finally achieve 20,000 points?
Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.
When you think "Seinfeld," you don’t often think "coveted video game record." And yet, here we are. See, as fans of the seminal sitcom-about-nothing know, the classic arcade title Frogger was of particular importance to George Costanza, who, after finding out that his high score of 860,630 points had gone unbeaten for over two decades, tragically watched as the arcade cabinet was crushed by an oncoming truck after he failed to move it across Frogger-ish traffic.
Gaming is an expensive form of entertainment. Between consoles, controllers, peripherals, hard drives and, of course, games, being a gamer requires a kind of financial investment unlike any other medium. And while spending $60 or more on a game these days is just the way it goes, there’s a good chance that game prices might actually go down someday soon…maybe...kind of.
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