Codemasters has today announced a new First Person Shooter for the PS3 called Bodycount. The game is currently in production at Codemasters Studios in Guildford, and is being designed by Creative Director Stuart Black (co-creator and designer of 2006’s Black). The development team is creating the game using the EGO Game Technology Platform. In the game, players become embroiled in a secret global power struggle as they take on the role of a powerful combat asset eliminating targets on behalf of a clandestine network.
The aptly named Bodycount will feature state-of-the-art weaponry, which players can use to tear through destructible cover and execute explosive kills. It will also feature the by now almost obligatory online multiplayer and co-operative game modes. Here’s what Stuart Black has to say about his and the team’s vision for the game:
“We’re all massive FPS fans and believe that there’s room for a refresh of the shooter experience. Everything in Bodycount is absolutely centered on the bullet and its impact on the world. Our shredding tech enables us to create a different kind of gameplay, where players and AI can’t hide behind indestructible cover and rely on whack-a-mole mechanics. Here the environment is constantly changing as the game world is shot to hell; it’s going to be a huge amount of fun.”
Them’s fighting words indeed! Bodycount is scheduled for release in Q1 2011, which is way too long to wait after having seen these first two jaw-dropping screenshots!
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SEGA Europe and Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami have today unveiled some screenshots and nuggets of information about forthcoming third-person action-shooter, Vanquish. Developed by Platinum games and directed by Shinji Mikami, Vanquish is an epic sci-fi shooter with a frenetic combat system and an immersive storyline set in the near future, where Russia and the US are at war over the planet’s dwindling energy resources. Players take the role of Sam, a government agent who wears a futuristic battle suit and wields an impressive array of weapons, as well as being a skilled martial artist. This is what Shinji Mikami had to say about the game:
“Vanquish is a game where we’ve tried to inject the extreme pace of an action game into a shooter. The gameplay and staging are all put together around the keyword ‘intensity’. I think it’s very rare to come across a game where shooting loads of robots is so much fun.”
Vanquish is due for release in Winter 2010 on PlayStation 3.
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Tecmo Koei Europe and NSP have today announced that they will be releasing cult classic Fist of the North Star on the PS3 in Europe this summer. The game pays homage to the old side-scrolling beat-‘em-ups of the past, but brings the genre right up to date with ground-breaking physics, combat, and gore, inspired by the cult comic. The game is set in a ravaged, post-apocalyptic Earth. What few survivors there are left live in small communities, trying to keep themselves safe from the vicious gangs who prowl the wastelands. The sole protector of the innocent civilians and the downtrodden in general is a mysterious martial artist called Kenshiro, who bears seven scars on his chest and is the chosen practitioner of the legendary assassin’s art of Hokuto Shinken.
Players can look forward to exploring destructible and interactive environments as they play the part of Kenshiro, facing down dozens of enemies at once, and stringing combos together to unleash killing moves and special attacks. As they progress through the game they’ll unlock secret moves and hidden characters taken straight from the Fist of the North Star Universe, including Mamiya and Rei. Every playable character has had their story faithfully reproduced from the source material, and every character will have a new original story and ending especially created for the game. Fans can rest assured that the FNS visual style has been faithfully reproduced in the same style as the original comic series.
Note that the final game name has yet to be confirmed.
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Crystal Dynamics, the developer who revitalised the Tomb Raider franchise, has today issued a somewhat cryptic and tantalising announcement of a new game called Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, which will be available as a digital download. Note that the words “Tomb Raider” are nowhere to be seen! All very curious. The game is due to be shown strictly behind closed doors at this year’s Game Developers Conference which starts on March 9th.
Crystal Dynamics is being so secretive about the new project that it won’t even say what platforms the game will be on at the present time, but we’re assuming and hoping that PS3 will be one of them. They’ve put together this nice looking website for the game (not much on there right now, but the logo looks nice anyway!) which would indicate that the game is going to be on the major consoles. Crystal Dynamics is currently working on two games, so maybe the first is a Tomb Raider game and the second is this extra downloadable game? One thing’s for sure, Crystal Dynamics is not giving much else away at the moment, as these words from Darrell Gallagher, General Manager of Crystal Dynamics, indicate:
“This is a really exciting project for Crystal Dynamics. We have created something completely new and very different to what people might be expecting. Lara Croft is such an iconic character in videogames, with Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light we have created what we believe is a truly original digital experience.”
Stay tuned for more news as and when we get it.
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After the runaway success of the first Test Drive Unlimited game, which saw over one million players creating online accounts, Atari has today announced Test Drive Unlimited 2 for the PS3. Test Drive Unlimited 2 expands on the traditional racing experience with its Massively Open Online Racing (M.O.O.R) environment, enabling players to compete, team up, and share their achievements and creations online. TDU2 blends the open-world experience with realistic vehicles and performance dynamics, and for the first time features vehicle damage, weather effects, day and night cycles and a new island location to explore.
As with the first game in the series, TDU2 aims to seamlessly blend the single and multiplayer experiences. The game is “always live”, with automatic updates and online/offline integration. A revamped single-player narrative mode can be played offline or as part of the multiplayer narrative, and this latest game in the series also introduces all-new race types, vehicle classes, environmental challenges and locations.
The stunning limited-edition vehicles of TDU2 are flawlessly replicated with developer Eden Games’ finely tuned driving technology. Players get to define their online persona by customizing their vehicles and collecting property, clothing and much more. Here’s Jeff Lapin, CEO of Atari, SA, talking about the game:
“After the highly successful Test Drive Unlimited which redefined the genre with massively open online racing, Test Drive Unlimited 2 will be an innovative evolution in racing games, expanding its unparalleled multiplayer experience and immersing players in a world full of new online content and lifestyle customisation.”
Test Drive Unlimited 2 is due to be released on PS3 this autumn.
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Konami has today released new artwork and screenshots for the forthcoming PS3 game, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, which is due for release some time in 2010. These are the first screenshots we’ve seen since way back last August, so go ahead and feast your eyes on the beauties! The game marks a new beginning for the Castlevania series, with Madrid-based developer Mercury Steam working closely with Konami’s Kojima Productions studio led by the man behind Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima. The PS3 title will mix combat elements with a fully interactive 3D realm populated by all sorts of undead abominations and evil beings.
The game is set in the ravaged Europe of the Middle Ages, after the planet has been all-but devastated by powerful magic, leaving dead souls trapped and doomed to roam the earth, alongside other monsters. The hero, Gabriel, a member of the Brotherhood of Light, sees his wife Marie murdered and then trapped in limbo by the creatures and goes on the hunt for those responsible, namely the Lords of Shadows. During his epic quest, Gabriel must face and battle the evil Lords, armed with his trusty Combat Cross.
The gaming environments range from snowy mountains to Gothic castles and desolate wastelands, and as you can see from the screenshots, the locations are simply stunning. This is what Dave Cox, producer, had to say about the game:
“Castlevania: Lords of Shadow will take the Castlevania series into brave, uncharted territories, and is a breath-taking adventure that boasts stunning aesthetics, deep and challenging gameplay, and a truly inspirational voice cast to deliver the game’s dramatic depth. This is a world’s first! A dream team-up between a western development studio and one of Japan’s most revered and innovative creators.”
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Psychological crime thriller Heavy Rain has stormed its way to the top of the UK All Formats Top 40 in its first week of release, knocking last week’s newcomer, Aliens Vs Predator, down to the number 2 slot. Quantic Dreams’ long-awaited PS3-exclusive game is, in the words of the developers:
“The place where action gaming meets film-noir head on, in an adventure unlike any other. A game where your mind, emotions and human nature will be put to the test like never before, Heavy Rain takes interactive entertainment down a dark, compelling path rarely ventured in the gaming world.”
Indeed, Heavy Rain has proven to be so popular that MCV is today reporting shortages of the game in UK stores. It’s been heavily advertised on TV in the UK, and has also received incredible scores from some of the biggest games sites in the UK and Europe (Eurogamer – 9/10, IGN – 9/10, Total Video Games 10/10). It really is encouraging to see a genuinely groundbreaking game proving to be so successful both critically and commercially.
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Capcom has today announced that it has listened to the fans pleas and decided to make the Albert Wesker playable skin and Magnum Revolver available to everyone who purchases Lost Planet 2, rather than exclusively to those who pre-order the game via GameStop, as was originally announced. At the same time, Capcom has also revealed details and screenshots of two new multiplayer maps which fans who pre-order the game at GameStop locations in North America will be able to download. Presumably this is to make up for the loss of exclusivity on the Wesker skin and Magnum. I wonder if Capcom will change its mind later and let everyone have the maps as well?!
The first of the two new multiplayer maps is Helix, an underwater NEVEC mining facility with several layers and lots of twisting corridors. You can swim between the layers or dive to the bottom to change your attack position, and use Aqua Catapults to rapidly propel yourself to the upper levels.
The second of the new multiplayer maps, Back to the Island, is set on the Island 902 atoll, and features both wide-open spaces and cramped interiors. This map also has an underwater section and a beach.
Finally, Capcom has also announced today that the same team that was responsible for the splitscreen gameplay in Resident Evil 5 will also be working on the two-player splitscreen system for Lost Planet 2, giving players the opportunity to fight alongside their friends on E.D.N. III. You can see a screenshot of that splitscreen mode here.
Lost Planet 2 is due for release on PS3 on May 18th 2010.
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Everyone that makes an RPG these days is always banging on about how they’re redefining the genre and all that, but for once SEGA may have produce a game that lives up to the hype with modern-day espionage RPG Alpha Protocol. The game is being developed by Obsidian Entertainment, and will launch in Europe on May 28th 2010 for the PS3.
With a storyline lifted right out of today’s headlines, Alpha Protocol brings a new level of modern-day realism to the RPG genre. Your job, as rookie spy Michael Thorton, is to track down those responsible for a murderous missile attack on a passenger plane, a mission that leads you to uncover an international arms-dealing conspiracy. The game leaves it up to you to decide who you befriend, trust or kill, with your choices having repercussions on the wider gameplay.
The RPG elements of the game revolve around the customisation of Thorton’s character, as players have complete control over the development of his abilities and interactions with other characters. Customisable character skill-sets, attributes and weapons all play an important role in allowing gamers to tailor Thornton to their own personal playing style. Here’s what Gary Knight, European Marketing Director of SEGA Europe had to say about the game:
“Alpha Protocol offers a new take on the RPG genre, giving players the chance to immerse themselves in the world of modern day espionage. Being the first ever RPG in this setting, Obsidian has written a truly immersive storyline with a cast of characters everyone will remember.”
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THQ has today announced UFC Undisputed 2010, the only mixed martial arts video game to deliver the action, intensity and prestige of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In the game, players will get the chance to experience what it feels like to step into the Octagon against more than 100 of the best UFC fighters in the world. Gamers can expect intelligent and intuitive combat, increased fighter customisation, robust career progression, challenging new gameplay modes and plenty of online options.
If you’re interested in the world of UFC and its fighters and personalities, you’ll be excited to hear that each of the more than 100 UFC fighters is fully rendered for photorealism. UFC personalities such as commentators Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg, voice of the Octagon Bruce Buffer, Octagon girls, referees, trainers and more will all be included in the game.
The improved combat features include a new Sway System with full upper body and head movement, which allows for the dodging of attacks, and a new Posture System which enables you to deliver strong, fight-ending strikes from every position. You can also manage Octagon control with new strikes, submissions, transitions and cage positions, as well as the introduction of a Southpaw stance.
Players will also have the chance to give their created fighters move sets from various MMA disciplines, including Sambo, Karate and Greco-Roman Wrestling. In Career Mode, the “Game Is Watching You” system tracks every action and uses the data to dictate in-game commentary, opponent intelligence and overall career progression. In your bid to reach the UFC Hall of Fame, you can practice with online co-op sparring sessions with other fight camps and form unique personalities for created fighters to increase their cred, popularity and sponsorships based on interactions during weigh-ins and interviews. Other modes include Title and Title Defense Modes and Tournament Mode.
UFC Undisputed 2010 is due for release on PS3 on May 28th 2010.
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2K Sports has today announced that a free demo of Major League Baseball 2K10 will be available for download for the PlayStation 3 on Thursday March 4th 2010. The demo will offer fans an opportunity to relive the excitement of the 2009 World Series and play a 3-inning game as either the Philadelphia Phillies or New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The demo also gives players the chance to perfect their pitching for a chance to win $1,000,000, which is the amazing cash prize that 2K is offering to the first person who throws a verified perfect game in Major League Baseball 2K10. The contest is available via the PlayStation Network, and you can learn more about it at the official website.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Major League Baseball 2K10 celebrates baseball’s core battle: pitcher vs. hitters. Improved pitching mechanics and right-stick swing controls let you pound the strike zone and rake like a pro, along with a completely revamped fielding system, hundreds of new signature animations and a star player rating system. New game modes include My Player and MLB Today.
Major League Baseball 2K10 will be available for the PlayStation 3 on March 2nd 2010.
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BioShock 2 has only been out for about two minutes but already 2K Games is announcing its post-launch downloadable content plan, and even releasing some new screenshots of said DLC. The first downloadable goodies to be released will be the Sinclair Solutions Test Pack, which will be available from March on the PlayStation Network for £3.19. The pack contains a number of customisation features that will enable players to further their character’s development in the game’s multiplayer modes and provide a deeper multiplayer experience, including:
- Rank Increase to level 50 with Rank Rewards
- Two new playable characters: Louie McGraff and Oscar Calraca.
- 20 new trials, some of which will only become available after a player reaches a rank of 41 or higher.
- A third weapon upgrade for each weapon.
- Five new masks, some of which will also only become available after a player reaches a rank of 41 or higher.
2K Games says that it will also be publishing downloadable extensions of the single-player experience in the coming months, including fresh narrative, new tools, and new challenges that extend the lore and fiction of Rapture. This is what Christopher Hartmann, president of 2K, had to say about BioShock 2’s forthcoming downloadable content:
“The fans who waited in the snow, rain and cold for the midnight launch of BioShock 2 have spoken and their message is that Rapture still has many fascinating stories to tell. Downloadable content is a key part of our efforts to continue to entice the fans that have made 2K a household name – we intend to deliver single and multiplayer content that respects and expands upon one of the greatest fictional worlds ever created.”
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Relentless Software, creator of the Buzz series of games, has today announced that Blue Toad Murder Files: The Mysteries of Little Riddle, will launch on the PlayStation Store in North America on March 25th 2010. Following hot on the heels of the successful European launch, episodes 1-3 will be released as a bundle for $14.99, with individual episodes costing $7.49. Episodes 4-6 will then be released on April 29th 2010.
Blue Toad Murder Files: The Mysteries of Little Riddle is a co-operative episodic downloadable game for up to four players created exclusively for the PlayStation Network. This is what Andrew Eades, Executive Director at Relentless, had to say about the game:
“Blue Toad Murder Files is a thoroughly British game which doesn’t take itself too seriously. We’re really excited to share this with North American gamers – we hope they enjoy poking fun at the English stereotypes and humour just as much as we have.”
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SEGA Europe has today announced that the demo for Yakuza 3 is now live on the PlayStation Network. In the demo, players take on the role of Kiryu Kazuma as they explore realistic Japanese environments and complete a series of side mission from the game. They’ll also get to try out the new combat experience with two brutal boss battles.
Along with the demo announcement, SEGA has today released some brand new screenshots from the game, featuring lots of angry-looking people, and a “Characters” gameplay trailer for you to feast your eyes on.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Although the demo and the first two games in the series are set in Tokyo, Yakuza 3 also features a new location, the tropical island of Okinawa, where Kazuma runs an orphanage and looks after his daughter, Haruka. One of the main themes of the game is how Kazuma’s sordid past follows him to his idyllic island home and prevents him from enjoying a happy retirement.
Yakuza 3 will be available exclusively for the PS3 on March 12th 2010.
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PS3-owning Assassin’s Creed II fans can get ready for some downloadable content due to be released on February 18th. The primary content is an episode called Sequence 13: Bonfire of the Vanities, in which you get to work with Machiavelli to free the city of Florence from the grip of the mad monk Savonarola by targeting influential citizens under his control. Battle, sneak and free-run your way through more than ten new memories, and discover a new district of Florence, as well as using Ezio’s new move, the spring-jump.
In order to be able to get the new content, you must already have a disc copy of Assassin’s Creed II on PS3, and a minimum of 1.0 GB of spare memory. And a broadband connection of course, but you probably figured that out already! The Bonfire of the Vanities episode alone costs £3.19, and the Bonfire of the Vanities episode plus three Templar Secret Locations (Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria dei Frari and Arsenal Shipyard) costs £5.49.
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Publisher Zen United and distributor PQube have today announced details of a Limited Edition of BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger for PS3. The Limited Edition, which is presented in a specially branded box, is now available for pre-order for a limited period at the same price as the standard version of the game.
As you can see from these amazing screenshots, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is a fantastic-looking 2D weapons-based fighting game, created by Arc Works Systems, the Japanese developer behind the Guilty Gears franchise. The characters and art have been specifically designed for high-definition next-gen consoles, with the design process of the characters, story images and fighting system moves taking more than 18 months to perfect. The huge amount of work that has gone into designing the game is reflected in the 100-page art book, which is part of the Limited Edition package. Also included in the bundle is a bonus DVD with two hours of detailed tutorial guides covering the fighting systems, special moves and individual character strategies. This is what Tom Ohno, Managing Director of Zen United had to say about the game:
“It is great to see our labour of love and passions summarised into a book and DVD for European users. Both the Tutorial DVD and Art book present what we believe as important elements to bring the game alive, and we hope people enjoy them.”
BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger will be released in the UK on March 19th 2010 for an RRP of £49.99.
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EA has today released ten brand new screenshots for Skate 3, and pretty amazing they look too. You can see some rail-grinding action, some bowl action, great shots of the all-new skate park, all sorts of good stuff. One thing’s for sure, if it plays as good as it looks, Skate 3 is shaping up to be the best game in the Skate series so far, by a mile. Much of the action centres around the new Skate city, Port Carverton, which features unique districts, plazas, skateparks and endless lines.
An all-new Skate School has been introduced to enable newbies to get some practice in before taking to the streets, while old hands will find that the gameplay has had a major overhaul, with plenty of new tricks to learn, as well as improved off-board actions. The emphasis is on teamwork for this latest game in the series, as players have the opportunity to take on challenges and progress together through the career campaign. They can also build teams and become board-selling moguls, and there’s even a brand new social network called Skate.Feed which players can use to communicate with their friends, rivals and teammates.
Skate 3 is due for release on PlayStation 3 on May 31st 2010.
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We already knew that an Albert Wesker skin would be an extra download in Lost Planet 2 for anyone pre-ordering the game at Game Stop, but now Capcom has revealed that Gears of War heroes Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago will also be available for selection as playable skins, either in the campaign or versus mode. The accompanying screenshots show the three characters in action. Imagine that, getting to play as Marcus from Gears of War alongside Wesker from Resident Evil! Pretty surreal! Marcus will probably be looking for cover all the time though, jus’ saying.
Meanwhile, Capcom has also launched Lost Planet 2 Facebook and Twitter sites where you can go to keep up with all the very latest news on the game, as well as participate in competitions to win cool stuff, such as cute Akrid plushies. Wait a minute? Cute Akrid plushies?! Has the world gone mad?
Lost Planet 2 is out for PlayStation 3 on May 18th 2010.
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It seems that no major game gets released today without some sort of special edition being released at the same time, and Yakuza 3 is certainly no exception to that, with SEGA Europe today announcing that the game will be available in an exclusive premium edition pack when it’s released exclusively for the PS3 on March 12th 2010. This is the full contents of the pack, as revealed by SEGA Europe:
“• 4 pieces of DLC
1. Battle for Survival – Take on all the bosses of Yakuza 3 as Kazuma
2. All-Star Tournament (7 character tournament)
3. All-Star Tag Tournament (8 team tournament)
4. Haruka’s Request – This unique series of challenge missions will send you on a task of exploration throughout the entire Yakuza world, playing mini-games and entertaining Haruka.
• 31 track soundtrack
• Yakuza Who’s Who – learn how all the characters are connected and who turned from rivals to allies in this fully animated guide.”
As well as this special pack, those who pre-order the game will receive the Challenge Pack, which enables them to enjoy two-player mini-games such as Pool, Bowling, Darts and Golf, and they will also receive four alternative costumes for Kazuma, Haruka and Rikiya.
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