Available today, Darksiders puts players in the roll of War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, as he attempts to bring the perpetrator of Armageddon to justice. The game, often compared to a Zelda title, features some great combat, exploration, and item collection.
In a typical hardware cycle, we'd be hearing about the next set of consoles about now. Xbox 720, PlayStation 4 -- whatever their theoretical names, the timing would be right. A fumbling economy, the Wii effect and higher hardware and software costs, however, mean that transition's been put off, a move that makes Uncharted 2: Among Thievesdeveloper Naughty Dog happy.
"No, we're not itching for new hardware," said co-president Evan Wells in a recent post-mortem interview with G4. "I would love to keep working on the PlayStation [3] for 5 or 6 more years...I think there's still a lot to get out of it. We're not really feeling limited by the hardware, it's more about the hours of the day and how quickly we want to get the next game out."
Not only does an extended hardware cycle mean Naughty Dog has more time to properly understand and exploit the available technology, it's a win for consumers, too, he argued.
"The consumers definitely are winners if the cycle is longer because they don't have to shell out $300 to...well, PS3...$600 for a new piece of hardware," he said. "But the developers win, because they get to continue to leverage all of their investment with that current generation. They don't have to go in there and start learning the new hardware and rebuilding all of their tools and rendering pipleines to support it. I only see software sales getting stronger over the next couple of years, so I hope the hardware manufacturers don't feel the pressure to put out some new systems any time soon."
You and me both, Wells. You and me both.
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We’ve been hearing about Eric Ruth Games’ 8-bit version of Valve’s popular zombie killing simulator Left 4 Dead for a while now, and thankfully we can now stop settling for simply watching gameplay videos, because the game has been released!
As Kotaku reports, nostalgia-loving gamers can download the free game from the developer’s site this very moment, and commence with the pixilated zombie slaying in mere minutes. I haven’t downloaded the game yet, but I’m sure some of you have/are planning to, so feel free to share your thoughts on this quirky reimaging.
You might think that the best way to start off the new year is to resolve to be a better person and pledge to not make the same mistakes you did the year before, but that's all nonsense. The best way to wipe the slate clean is by watching videos of bedroom gymnasts, grannies who love using green screen, puppies who are addicted to Law & Order and dunces competing on game shows, all of which can be found Around the Net.
Find the direct video links from Around the Net on Attack of the Show after the jump.
An iron stomach, Anthony Edwards-caliber good looks and a propensity to engage in snappy dialogue with fellow doctors who you’ll most likely end up sleeping with at some point might be all you need to be a surgeon in the real world, but in Atlas’ Trauma Team for Nintendo Wii, you’ll also need adept nunchaku skills and a deep appreciation for digital representations of the human body. Don’t believe me? Well, I just so happen to have a gameplay trailer to prove it:
Hello, 2010! Most of us need a vacation from our vacations, but it's time to get back in the saddle. I hope you enjoyed the Feedback episodes that helped round out 2009, but there's no rest for the weary, as we're jumping straight into Feedback for 2010. As usual, however, we need your help: what do you want the Feedback crew to discuss this week? It's the first question of 2010, so make it special!
Televisions that support 3D technology might not become commonplace in homes for a few years, but that’s not stopping three mega media companies from ensuring there’s plenty of quality 3D programming when/if supported TVs start popping up in living-rooms en masse.
Discovery Communications, Sony and IMAX have announced a new joint-venture to create the first round-the-clock, 3D television network in the United States.
"By partnering with Sony and IMAX on 3D, Discovery will lead the way in revolutionizing the next-generation home viewing experience in the U.S. and around the world," Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav said in a statement. "Today’s announcement is the next step in fulfilling Discovery’s mission of providing groundbreaking content for our affiliate partners and enlightening viewers with the most immersive and realistic viewing experience available anywhere."
IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond touted his company’s leadership in the development of 3D technology, and went on to say, "This new business venture is the first step in our strategic effort to take 3D into the home and extend the IMAX brand. We’ve already had strong collaborations with Discovery Communications and Sony in the past on IMAX event film titles, and we are thrilled to work with such strong partners to be the first to make in-home 3D a reality."
Even though the network isn’t scheduled to launch until 2011, it has been revealed that the station will consist of programming specifically designed to showcase 3D’s potential, which means you can expect to see plenty of shows about space, natural history, science, technology, as well as children's programming and, of course, movies.
As CNN reports, ESPN also announced today that it will be launching its own 3D network, ESPN 3D, in June of this year. However, the channel will not have programming 24/7, but will rather be used to broadcast live events at specific times.
3D technology is expected to be one of the biggest topics of CES 2010, which means there’s a pretty good chance we’ll be hearing more about this all-3D network in the coming days. So stay tuned.
I count myself among the millions of fans who are jonesing for a new hit of Lost. As the painfully long-awaited February 2 premiere of the sixth and final season looms closer, ABC has released a set of (surely clue-filled) teaser pictures. (You can view the full-sized pictures here.)
Having been done many times just in recent years by Battlestar Galactica, House, The Sopranos, (and technically South Park,) tribute renditions of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper with a show's cast members are almost cliché at this point. However, this is Lost, and as always, nothing is without reason.
The first thing that's noticeable, is that a conventional interpretation of assuming that each character represents a specific Apostle is probably moot, as some of them are placed in different positions in each of the photos. However, the "constants" (to use Lost terminology) are bounty hunter/Jacob friend, Ilana, age-less Richard, Sayid, Kate, Sawyer, Jack, Jin, and Frank. I'm not sure if that has any significance, but I could be wrong.
At the center, (of course,) is John Locke in the position of Christ. With a background of a tattered wall, representing the remnants of the fateful DHARMA Swan hatch, human remains, and debris, it is clear that despite a possibly altered present, that the island will still be the central theater in this epic drama.
What, then, does it mean?
It seems to me, that Locke and Jack are the key to these pictures. It could be meant to imply that season 6 will focus on the martyrdom and resurrection of John Locke. (That is, if those events even occur in that order.) Last season, we saw what we THOUGHT was the resurrection of Locke. Of course, that turned out to be one of the biggest swerves in TV history as it was the evil "Man in Black" using Locke's visage to manipulate everyone.
What relevance does that have now? It could mean that season 6 will bring about the ACTUAL resurrection of Locke. Themes of Locke being a Christ-like figure are hardly new to the Lost mythos. In fact, in a recent example, just before Jack and the other Losties leave the States to go back to the Island (with Locke's dead body in tow, no less,) the painting of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio's The Incredulity of Saint Thomas is brought into focus as it hung in the DHARMA Lamp Post station in Los Angeles. In the painting, even as he examines his wound, Saint Thomas the Apostle remains stubborn, resisting the notion that Christ has indeed returned from the dead.
Jack had always been the "man of science" versus Locke's "man of faith." They were always portrayed as polar opposites in the ideological approach to the Losties' time on the island. Therefore, does one need to guess too hard as to whichLost character is occupying Thomas the Apostle's place in the "Last Supper" photo? Yeah...
Has Jack lost what faith he gained? While in the last season, Jack seemed to be far more passive and ready to believe in Locke's divine magic, he did start to pick things up in the end and once again became that proactive Alpha Male that had to "fix" everything. Perhaps, it wasn't the Losties' "destiny" to detonate that hydrogen bomb, which (we can speculate) has created this alternate Lost universe. (Where dogs and cats live together and Biff owns all of Hill Valley, I presume?)
I would be interested in hearing what our loyal readers have to say about this puzzle. (At least the ones that are not going waste time posting that you "don't watch the show" like we care what you don't watch.) Is there some meaning to these pics even deeper than "Locke the Messiah?"
Perhaps, if anything, it's that having seen Richard Alpert in 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and 00's, it's very clear that he's a BIG fan of the same collared shirt with sleeves rolled up. He threw us a bit of a curveball in the pictures with the red one, but really...
Are you going to be at CES 2010? We are! Brian Leahy and I are headed to Las Vegas later this week to cover the first major event of 2010, the Consumer Electronics Show. Though the show isn't nearly as gaming-focused as it has been in the past (at one point, it actually used to be the E3 of gaming, well before E3 existed), it remains a prominent nexus for technological wizardry, showcasing innovations that are sure to influence our favorite medium in the years to come.
Before CES 2010 kicks off -- our coverage starts tomorrow -- we're making predictions on the biggest gaming trends coming out of the show that will impact the way you play (and perceive) games in 2010 and beyond. You guys no doubt have some theories of your own, so feel free to chime in.
Here's what we expect to see.
1. In A Post-Avatar World, 3D Is The Next Big Thing*
* That's what the tech industry will be preaching, anyway.
3D is a niche market in video games right now. Capcom has been a strong supporter of NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology on the PC, but in order to experience the new kind of 3D everyone is raving about in Avatar and other recent 3D films, consumers need new monitors and televisions. Such 3D hookups are present in current high-end HDTVS, but it will be some time before they're in the weekly deals at Wal-Mart. At CES 2010, it will be shocking to find a device that isn't incorporating 3D technology somehow, whether it's in your television, computer monitor or the phone that's resting in your pocket. It's the new tech buzz, the new HD. Even if it's not priced consumer-friendly, if you're not thinking 3D, you're crazy.
2. The Way You Interact With Games Is Changing
Games have the unique opportunity to approach 3D from multiple angles -- Wii proved that. 3D visuals aren't the only way to increase the dimensions of entertainment. How you interact with a product is changing. The controller isn't on its way out, but its purpose (and how much sits in your hand) is evolving. Expect a number of tech companies, emboldened by Microsoft and Sony's approaches to motion expected to arrive in 2010, to push interactivity in new directions. Tablets are making a big emergence in the coming year, following consumer's embrace of touch with devices like the iPhone. Whether it's through a camera watching body movements, sensors hooked into arms (Wii Vitality Sensor?), moving fingers across a screen or something else entirely, the controller is changing.
3. Mobile Advancement Begins Eyeing DS, PSP
Nintendo and Sony are sure to remain kings of the gaming handheld scene for some time, but advancements in mobile technology, an increased desire for a device that does everything and the ability to make purchases on the fly rather than through a brick and mortar store, threaten the market those companies have long watched over. At CES 2010, mobile hardware will continue to move forward at a faster clip than DS and PSP, as consumers are more accustomed to replacing their phones every few years than their handheld gaming platform. More developers will show an understanding of what makes games work on a cell phone, increasingly removing the need for many users to have a gaming-specific device. The endgame is a ways off, but it's close enough for Nintendo and Sony to start paying attention.
***
So, what are your predictions for CES 2010?
Check back tomorrow evening for the start of our complete coverage of CES 2010!
Sure, these video game caricatures are not afraid of Matt Hazard but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit. The last game, Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard, was clever in some ways, but mostly half-baked. That said, we did pardon it last year as 2009's best terrible game, so perhaps the return of the return will be better as illustrated in this new "Mood" trailer for Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond.
If you don’t feel like waiting around for another few weeks to find out what Capcom's inter-dimensional, jetpack packing, shooter Dark Void is all about, then you’re in luck, because Capcom has announced that a demo for the game is coming to Xbox Live tomorrow, and the PlayStation Network on Thursday.
The demo will let you test out your very own jetpack, jump behind the controls of a UFO for some breakneck aerial battling, and get a feel for the terra firma-based combat as well. It sounds like an all-around solid introduction to the game, so I guess now we just have to wait until the darn thing goes live.
Just when you thought you were out... BioWare is set to release the new expansion pack Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening in March, but you can sneak an early peek thanks to this first trailer. Not to be confused with the movie Awakenings, this one instead features Spectral Dragons instead of a dramatic Robin Williams. You have been warned!
Ever find yourself in a conversation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute because you haven't been paying attention? Remedy that with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (sans spoilers) about a new game.
Darksiders Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 MSRP: $59.99 ESRB Rating: Mature
Darksiders is a 3D action-adventure game set on a post-apocalyptic (in the biblical sense) Earth.
Who's the developer?
Vigil Games is an in-house studio owned by THQ, and is based in Austin, TX. Joe Madureira, the studio’s creative director, is best known for his work in the comic book industry, notably his mid-90s run on Uncanny X-Men. Darksiders is their first game.
What's the story?
You play as War, one of the New Testament’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (the others being Famine, Conquest, and Death -- look for them to appear in eventual sequels). War has been framed for bringing about the end of the world prematurely. As punishment for his alleged mishandling of God’s carefully laid-out plans, his powers have been taken away and he’s been banished to an Earth that’s been wiped clean of humanity. To make amends and discover the truth, he must battle the demons that have overrun the Earth.
Wait, is this another Devil May Cry game?
Nope! Well, not really. It’s 3D fighting, but searching for and reclaiming War’s “Gear Items” mean that there’s more of an adventure slant with environmental (and combat) puzzles. Think Legend of Zelda, only way, way more dark. You can even ride a horse! (War’s steed Ruin). You can also go back to areas previously cleared and explore them again with new skills and weapons for new discoveries. Sure, there’s a gun and a sword, and you gather souls when you kill enemies and can use them to upgrade your combos and weapons…but it’s taking a different approach than DMC, God of War, et al.
Multiplayer/Online?
When you are judged in the end times, you will be judged alone. (In other words: no.)
What'd we say?
We got our review code late, so check back soon for our written review of Darksiders.
Later this year, the universe will be LEGO-ized in the aptly titled LEGO Universe, the first massively-multiplayer online (and long awaited) game in the acclaimed block-tastic franchise. However, the LEGO Group has announced that fans of the series will be able to get an early hands-on look at the game at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The LEGO MMO lets players build, explore and venture across the expanses of space, and engage in all manner of family-friendly galactic adventuring. After missing several previously announced release windows, the game will finally be released on PC in the second half of 2010.
G4 will of course be bringing you all the CES 2010 coverage you can handle starting Jan. 7, so be sure to check back later in the week for our impressions of this and other titles that will be on display at the show.
For those still on the fence about boldly going where no MMO has gone before, check out this new Star Trek Online trailer entitled "Exploration," which features away team action, outerspace soaring, and of course, starships going boom.
You'd think it'd be natural for LucasArts to ask Mark Hamill, aka Luke Skywalker, to be part of one of the many Star Wars video games that have been produced over the years. PC Zone recently spoke with the former member of the Force, however, and said it's never happened.
Post-Star Wars, Hamill has made a name for himself as a prominent voice actor. Most recently, Hamill returned to his popular Joker voice for the widely acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum.
"I've never been asked to do it," he said. "That's fine, though. If you're playing Luke the way he was in the films - from his late teens to mid-'20s - I've outgrown the role. In the story, Luke is so boy-next-door farm boy, it's like Dorothy in Oz. All the other characters that surround him are fantastic."
It's true, though. Hamill is 58-years-old now. No doubt he could still reprise the role of Luke Sykwalker in some capacity, but LucasArts may have missed their window at this point.
You can catch Hamill in his latest game role in THQ's new action-RPG Darksiders.
Heads up Dragon Age: Origins lovers. You will soon have even more dragon…aging to do as BioWare has announced that it will releasing the first expansion pack for its acclaimed role-playing game on March 16.
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening (PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) will introduce a new area called Amaranthine, and will include new enemies, new character customization options, spells and abilities, a raised level cap, and five new party members.
"Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening shows BioWare’s commitment to our fans by delivering new story-driven experiences which enrich the dark heroic fantasy universe our fans have come to know and love," said BioWare co-founder, Dr. Ray Muzyka in a statement. "The vibrant worldwide community of Dragon Age fans will relish uncovering the secret motivations of the darkspawn, revealing how the darkspawn continue to infest the world despite the defeat of the Archdemon."
It certainly sounds like BioWare is making sure to cram as much content as possible into this expansion pack, and for $39.99 (yep, $39.99), they’d better. I mean, that’s just $20 less than the full retail game, and it will be released right in the middle of one of the craziest stretches of game releases in recent memory. I’m sure the die-hard Dragon Age fans won’t think twice about picking up the pack, but the sizable price tag could very well cause a number of players to take a pass until some later date, most likely when/if the price drops, in favor of picking up one of the many huge games being released around the same time.
Do you think you’ll be throwing down $40 to pick up the expansion pack?
As I predicted, Electronic Arts still values what Tiger Woods can bring to their golf game, despite his personal controversies and other advertisers pulling out en masse. EA Sports head Peter Moore announced on his corporate blog this morning EA will continue to work with Tiger Woods on future games, starting with the upcoming Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online, currently in private beta.
"Our relationship with Tiger has always been rooted in golf," said Moore. "We didn’t form a relationship with him so that he could act as an arm’s length endorser. Far from it. We chose to partner with Tiger in 1997 because we saw him as the world’s best, most talented and exciting golfer. We struck that partnership with the assumption that he would remain near or at the top of his sport for years to come."
EA came under criticism earlier this year for including convicted rapist Mike Tyson on the cover of Fight Night Round 4. Moore defended that choice for Tyson's profound athletic career. In an interview with Eurogamer, Moore said he made that decision "because of the respect I have for Mike Tyson as a boxer." Similar reasons are being used for the decision to stick by Tiger Woods.
"By his [Tiger's] own admission, he’s made some mistakes off the course," continued Moore. "But regardless of what’s happening in his personal life, and regardless of his decision to take a personal leave from the sport, Tiger Woods is still one of the greatest athletes in history. At EA Sports, we make authentic sports simulations. When we say 'It’s in the Game,' it is not just a tag line but a statement about the quality and authenticity of the game experience. Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online is truly representative of that rallying cry, and a game that all of us at EA Sports are proud to be delivering this month to sports fans around the globe."
I'm just happy I don't have to play Rogue Warrior, but do you think EA made the right call?
Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.
The dazzling Sara Jean Underwood will be on Attack of the Show tonight but she won't taking up her co-hosting duties again. This time, the 2007 Playboy Playmate of the Year will be talking about her special visit behind the scenes of Women of Ninja Warrior, including her trip to Japan, meeting all the Ninja Warrior girls and trying the course out herself.
Tune in at 7pm ET to find out more about Sara's Ninja visit and also for Chris Gore's first DVD reviews of 2010. In the meantime, enjoy Sara Jean Underwood's awesome burp.
Capcom announced today that it has partnered with Nintendo to distribute the publisher's highly anticipated Monster Hunter Tri for Nintendo Wii in Europe and Australia. The deal gives Nintendo control over sales, marketing and distribution of the title, while Capcom stays on as publisher.
"Nintendo has identified Monster Hunter Tri as a key title for the Wii platform in 2010," said Capcom Europe senior director of marketing, Michael Pattison, in a statement. "We are really excited about partnering with Nintendo to further develop this franchise."
Managing director of marketing and PR for Nintendo of Europe, Laurent Fischer, also commented on the deal, saying, "Monster Hunter has a huge and passionate following in Japan and we are looking forward to introducing the Monster Hunter Tri to a whole new audience in Europe as the series makes its first appearance on the Wii."
Capcom also revealed that European and Australian monster hunting fans can expect the game in April. Japanese gamers have been devouring the game since this past August with well over a million copies sold thus far. Sadly, there is still no word of when in 2010 Tri will be landing stateside.
After a slew of judges (including yours truly) played through more than 300 selections of indie games, the finalists for the 2010 Independent Games Festival have been announced.
One of my favorite parts of the Game Developers Conference every year is perusing the Independent Game Festival finalists. There's more innovation in that booth than several years worth of big-budget video games combined. That's not to say I don't love those big-budget extravaganzas, but the IGF finalists aren't (usually) in it for the money -- it's the love of game.
Here are your finalists, complete with links with images and descriptions:
Electronic Arts has told GameSpot they'll make an announcement tomorrow that's expected to confirm whether they will be one of the few companies to continue sponsoring disgraced golf athlete Tiger Woods. USA Today is speculating that EA will continue to brand its golf games with Tiger Woods.
This is very important. Why?
I have a vested interest in the outcome. No, I'm not an EA shareholder, but Stephen Johnson and I made a bet about Tiger Woods. Even though the guy has been publicly shamed day in and day out for the past few months (and rightfully so, it seems), I predicted EA would continue to stand by him, even if they start downplaying his involvement in the video game. Far fewer people would purchase a game without Tiger Woods on the cover, I've argued. Stephen, obviously, doesn't agree with me.
If EA decides to drop Tiger Woods, I have to complete the Mickey Rourke-starring Rogue Warrior from start to finish. A complete playthrough of Rogue Warrior is on the line, people.
As you can imagine, I'll be be paying very close attention to the EA Sports blog tomorrow.
1. In A Post-Avatar World, 3D Is The Next Big Thing*
3. Mobile Advancement Begins Eyeing DS, PSP
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