Crystal Dynamics today announced an exclusive Tomb Raider Trilogy Pack for the PS3, which will be released on March 25, 2011. The pack includes the Tomb Raider Legend and Tomb Raider Anniversary games, both of which have been newly remastered in HD quality, as well as Tomb Raider Underworld, which was previously released on PS3. The pack will also included some special items which were created exclusively for it, such as a Tomb Raider Trilogy PlayStation 3 theme pack, the official Lara Croft female Home avatar outfit, the Viking Thrall male Home avatar outfit and a collection of “making of” trailers in HD for the entire series. Here’s what Darrell Gallagher, Head of Studio, Crystal Dynamics, had to say about the pack:
“We’re really excited to be able to offer gamers the chance to play both Legend and Anniversary ‘remastered in high definition on the PlayStation 3. These are two titles we are extremely proud to have created.”
Hudson Entertainment announced today that it’s about to kick it old school and then some by bringing a whole truckload of TurboGrafx-16 games to the PS3 via PSN. The 10 games from the much-loved old console will be available as individual downloads for PSN users this winter. Here’s the first list of games as provided by Hudson Entertainment, with the promise of many more to come:
Alien Crush
Bomberman ‘94
Bonk’s Adventure
Dungeon Explorer
Neutopia
New Adventure Island
Soldier Blade
Super Star Soldier
Victory Run
World Sports Competition
The original TurboGrafx-16 video game console was developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, and was released to popular acclaim in Japan in 1987, and then in North America in 1989. The console had an 8-bit CPU and dual 16-bit GPUs and was capable of displaying 482 colours at once. TurboGrafx-16 was also the first console to have an optional CD module, which allowed for more storage and cheaper costs. No word as yet as to the cost of the games to download, or the release date, but it should be soon.
A new report from analysts at Wedbush Securities is predicting that Activision is looking into ways of making even more money from Call of Duty. According to a report on Kotaku today, the Wedbush analysts think that it’s highly likely that Activision will be monetizing a second tier of multiplayer online gaming for Call of Duty players. They even give a specific time frame for the move, saying that it will be in the first quarter of 2011.
Kotaku says that Activision is well aware of the massive numbers of people playing Call of Duty: Modern Warefare 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops online, and has been scratching its head trying to come up with ways of tapping into that goldmine even beyond the retailing of the game and assorted map packs and add-ons. According to Kotaku, Activision would like to go along the same monetizing route as World of Warcraft creators Blizzard, or Valve, which has recently started selling in-game goods to Team Fortress 2 players.
Kotaku concludes by saying that although Activision has vowed that the boxed retail versions of COD franchise games will never have a subscription fee attached for online play, there are still many other ways in which the series could be monetized, and they could be just around the corner.
Tetris is coming to PSN this week of January 3, 2011, with 1080p HD graphics and 5.1 Dolby Sound, as well as several PS3-exclusive multiplayer modes, according to a post from Christophe from EA Mobile on the official PlayStation Blog. Christophe writes that EA Mobile is really excited about the three new PS3-exclusive real-time multiplayer modes, which he says will be “more fun and competitive than anything you’ve seen before.” You’ll also be able to play Marathon mode by yourself if you’re after some classic Tetris single-player action.
Christophe says that original Tetris creator Alexi Pajitnov got a chance to try out this latest PS3 version of his game recently and totally loved it. The PlayStation Blog has also published a trailer that you can view at the bottom of this post that features a sneak preview of some of the multiplayer modes such as 4-player Battle mode -complete with power ups -Shared mode and Team Battle mode. Judging by the video, it’s going to be the most OTT Tetris experience ever! No official word on pricing as yet.
Joystiq reports today the news that players will be able to use any save file (it doesn’t have to be a completed game file) from the first Dead Space game to unlock the original plasma cutter weapon in the forthcoming sequel, Dead Space 2. Basically, if you have the required save, you can unlock the weapon as soon as you like, even at the start of the game, although Joystiq reports that Visceral Games’ Louis Gascoigne has told them that unfortunately any upgrades that you might have made to the plasma cutter during the course of the first game will not be available when you unlock the weapon with your save in the sequel. Shame!
Dead Space 2 is due for release on PlayStation 3 on January 28, 2011. Meanwhile, fans that can’t wait until then can always check out the new demo which is downloadable now via the PSN. In the demo, players get to take Isaac Clarke on a terrifying adventure through the Church of Unitology, a supposedly “safe” place that quickly turns into anything but, during the Necromorph outbreak on the Sprawl. During the course of the action, players will get to experience some of the new tools that Isaac can use to fight Necromorphs, including the new Javelin gun, updated stasis recharge mechanic and enhanced telekinesis ability. Players will also experience the advanced suit, equipped with jets that enable Isaac full 3600 control in Zero-G space.
“The holidays are a great time to enjoy all forms of entertainment, and we can’t wait to give horror and action adventure gamers a taste of what awaits them in Dead Space 2,” said Steve Papoutsis, Executive Producer of the Dead Space franchise. “Releasing the demo five weeks before launch will not only re-connect players with our hero Isaac Clarke, but will also give them the opportunity to experience firsthand various jaw-dropping scenarios. It’s gonna be awesome.”
Game Informer has today published the first screenshots from the forthcoming new Tomb Raider game, which seems to be all about taking Lara back to her roots. Crystal Dynamics has promised that fans will be seeing a tougher, grittier, more realistic Lara this time around, and the new batch of screenshots would certainly seem to bear that out. We can see a lot of blood and bandages and Lara wincing in pain and gritting her teeth as she falls heavily in one shot, and in another she appears to be trussed up in ropes and bandages and hanging upside down. Wonder how she’s going to get out of that predicament?!
The dusty, cobwebby tombs look full of atmosphere and foreboding, making the treasures that Lara uncovers seem even more dazzling in contrast. Take a peek at these very early screenshots courtesy of Game Informer, and start getting excited about what’s to come with this total reimaging of the Tomb Raider universe!
Joystiq reveals today that Tecmo Koei’s Dynasty Warriors 7 is to be released on PS3 in North America on March 22, and three days later in Europe on March 25. According to Joystiq, the new game will have both 3D and Move support, as well as online co-op play. Tecmo Koei also recently released screenshots of the new Chronicle Mode, as well as shots of new character Ding Feng, billed as “The Scariest Face in Wu”! Chronicle Mode is apparently a “free-roam” mode, where players can choose one of the 60 characters in the game, and roam around China at will, visiting cities and buying and upgrading weapons when not engaged in fighting the enemy to the death and all that! The game’s story mode has also been upgraded, and in time-honoured Dynasty Warriors tradition will follow the fortunes of the Shu, Wu, Wei and the new Jin kingdoms, from the end of the Later Han period to the Three Kingdoms period.
According to Tecmo Koei, if you’re a Dynasty Warriors fan, you’re basically getting more of the usual historical battling goodness, just bigger, better and more polished than ever. Can’t be bad!
New Uncharted 3 screenshots and video footage has hit various sites on the Internet today. EuroGamer has an interesting interview with the game’s director, Justin Richmond, who told them that, despite how it appeared from the first teaser trailer, where Nathan Drake was seen exploring a vast desert after a plane crash, Uncharted 3 will not be an open-world game.
“It’s still up in the air how much gameplay we’re going to let you wander around,” Richmond told Eurogamer. “It will probably feel more open than the other games have. For sure.”
The PlayStation Blog also features more Uncharted 3 footage today, including another interview with Justin Richmond, as well as Creative Director Amy Henning (click video below to see).
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (to give the game its full title!) is due to be released exclusively for PS3 on November 1, 2011, with ShopTo.Net’s prediction that it will be the biggest selling game of the year doubtless music to Sony and Naughty Dog’s ears!
Xwerx announced today that its XtendPlay controller enhancement for the PlayStation 3 is currently on sale at a special post Christmas price of 10% off the retail price of $19.99. You’ll have to be quick though, as the offer only lasts until December 31!
The secret of XtendPlay is its patent-pending design, which was refined over thousands of hours of testing. The result is an innovative product that improves the ergonomics of game play, empowering gamers to remain at the top of their game and be comfortable at the same time. The device’s soft-touch fleXlite shape keeps fingers and hands relaxed, Airflow Channels keep hands cool and dry, and the size and shape enhances comfort in any playing position.
XtendPlay is available for direct purchase at the XtendPlay site.
To take advantage of the special holiday discount offer, simply enter the following promotional code: XPAFTXMAS10.
A portion of all December 2010 sales on the site will be donated to Get-Well Gamers Foundation, a video game charity devoted to bringing games and games equipment to children in hospitals and other long-term treatment facilities.
Thrustmaster today unveiled its T500 RS wheel and pedal set specially designed for Gran Turismo 5. The T500 RS is a real driving simulator, combining power and precision and benefitting from Thrustmaster’s expertise in racing wheels, honed over the past 20 years. The wheel and pedal set has been designed with the primary aim of allowing users to go as far as possible in the GT5 experience. Here’s Kazunori Yamauchi, CEO of Polyphony Digital and Senior Vice President of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc, talking about the wheel:
“The goal that I set for the Thrustmaster team was to design for me the most precise wheel ever developed, without any latency – to accurately reproduce the sensations of GT5, and let users truly feel the emotions experienced by drivers on real racing circuits.”
The T500 has been completely optimised for GT5, and meets the demand for absolute realism, with the majority of the parts being made from metal. The power of the wheel and pedals is pretty amazing, with Force Feedback effects relayed via a 65W industrial motor, providing 150mNm at 3000 RPM.
It all sounds and looks very impressive, and well it might, as the T500 RS retails for a whopping £449.99. If you’ve got that sort of serious cash to spend on a driving wheel and pedal set, then check out HMV or Amazon on January 5th when the T500 RS will be available to buy.
Sony today released five brand spanking new screenshots from forthcoming blockbuster Resistance 3. The game is set in a brutal, alternate 1950s universe, four years after the epic conclusion of Resistance 2, with dishonourably discharged Sentinel Joseph Capelli in hiding from the invading Chimeran menace with a handful of survivors, including his new wife and young son. When Dr. Fyodor Malikov arrives with a desperate plan, he sets into motion the events of Resistance 3, the third instalment in the popular first-person shooter series.
Currently in development at Insomniac Games exclusively for the PS3, Resistance 3 inhabits a world where America has been successfully conquered and destroyed by the deadly Chimeran race, forcing the last remaining human survivors into hiding. In addition to the epic single-player campaign, Resistance 3 also offers two-player online or split-screen co-op throughout the single-player campaign, and a new-focused progression-based multiplayer experience.
For those of us who loved playing the first Resistance game way back when the PS3 was launched, September 6, 2011, when the game is due to be released, can’t come soon enough!
EA has today announced that Portal 2, the sequel to Portal, will be coming to PlayStation 3 on April 2, 2011, following an agreement with Valve Software. Recently named the “Most Anticipated game of 2011” at the Spike TV Video Game Awards, and the winner of multiple awards at this year’s E3, Portal 2 will see players introduced to a host of fresh puzzles and devious new test chambers in never-before-seen areas of Aperture Science Labs, as well as being reunited with GLaDOS, the occasionally murderous computer companion from the original Portal. The game’s all-new co-operative mode will feature its own unique campaign and characters, and will force players to both think and act together.
“Portal 2 is Valve’s most innovative title in the company’s history and will be launched with a first-class launch campaign this April,” said Doug Lombardi, vice president of marketing at Valve. “We’re excited to be working with Electronic Arts to deliver this title as we expand our platform strategy to include the Mac and PlayStation 3 platforms.”
Codemasters has today released a new gameplay video for Operation Flashpoint: Red River, the all-new chapter in the multi-million selling tactical shooter series due for release in Q2 2011 on PS3. In the first of a series of gameplay biographies introducing key players in the game’s narrative, Staff Sergeant Knox explains his role in Tajikistan as the USMC are shown taking on deadly insurgent enemies.
The trailer demonstrates some of the wide range of combat scenarios which players will encounter in the game’s diverse new battlefield of Tajikistan, with Knox’s narration detailing his personal take on the conflict. From defending bases to sweeping through mountains, villages and towns to flush out entrenched enemies, Knox and his Marine Fireteams are shown engaging insurgents at range as well as at close quarters, with added ground and air support. A10 bombers are also depicted obliterating an insurgent stronghold with a strafing bombing run before the marines sweep in.
Up to four players can enjoy the unique Operation Flashpoint experience across all game modes, with seamless drop-in, drop-out co-operative play. Whether playing solo or co-operatively, players can build up XP across all modes to unlock weapons, skills and modifications for their class, customising their loadouts to suit their preferred style of play.
Enjoy the new screenshots and video for now, and look forward to playing the game in mid-2011.
Capcom has announced two new characters for the forthcoming PS3 game, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, namely Ororo Munroe, better known as Storm, from the X-Men, and Crimson Viper, the CIA agent who made her debut in Street Fighter IV. At the same time, Capcom has also release videos and screenshots featuring the pair, and pretty spectacular they look too.
In the game, Crimson Viper will be joined by such fellow Capcom legends as Zero, Arthur, Wesker, Ryu, Chris Redfield and Chun-Li, while Storm will be teaming up with Marvel starts such as Spider-Man, Thor, Hulk, Wolverine, Iron Man, Captain America, Doctor Doom and Magneto.
Fans can look forward to the ultimate 3-on-3 faceoff when Marvel vs. Capcom: Fate of Two Worlds is released on PS3 on February 15 2011. Although the roster is already filling out nicely, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we don’t get a few more character announcements before the February release date, so stay tuned, fight fans!
Electronic Arts DICE studio announced today that Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam, the digital multiplayer expansion pack for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, will be available to download via PSN from December 22nd, for £9.99. Certain digital content will also be reduced in price from that date.
In Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam, gamers find themselves in an entirely new theatre of war, fighting as either the U.S. Marines or North Vietnamese Army (NVA). The punishing jungles of Vietnam are brought dramatically back to life via the award-winning Frostbite engine, where players can take advantage of Battlefield’s classic sandbox environments in five all-new multiplayer maps using powerful air invasions or close-quarter guerrilla tactics.
The expansion pack also includes new weapons, vehicles, achievements and trophies. Players can look forward to exploring five all-new maps playable in four different modes, including Conquest, Rush, Squad Deathmatch and Squad Rush. A fifth map, Operation Hastings, will be unlocked as part of a worldwide community challenge, beginning December 22, where players will be working together to reach an incredible target of 69 million team actions on PlayStation 3.
Grand Theft Auto creators Rockstar Games’ dark and violent detective thriller, L.A. Noire, has to be one of the most anticipated games of next year. Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles in the post-war years of the late 1940s, the forthcoming game is most certainly benefitting from Rockstar’s signature attention to atmosphere and detail.
In the game, players take on the role of rookie detective Cole Phelps (played by Aaron Staton of Mad Men), as he solves gruesome and mind-bending cases, interrogates suspects, and rises through the ranks of the LAPD.
L.A. Noire is built around a brand new technology developed by Depth Analysis, called MotionScan, that enables the developer to capture and scan every nuance of a real actor’s facial performances and put them right into the game itself. Rockstar says that MotionScan provides a level of realism, detail, performance and emotion that has never before been seen in a video game. It goes way beyond the limited grid of data points delivered by traditional motion capture by incorporating the actors’ actual performances into the game by scanning and placing them onto the digital characters.
According to Rockstar, such unprecedented depth of detail when it comes to viewing a character’s emotions as written on their face is ideal for a game like L.A. Noire, which focuses on characters and performances where everyone is hiding something.
L.A. Noire is the first ever video game to use MotionScan technology, with every character in the game using the technology, and over 400 actors filmed during the course of the making of the game.
Look for L.A. Noire to be released for PS3 in Spring 2011.
Activision announced today that Prototype 2, the sequel to Radical Entertainment’s original best-selling open-world game of 2009, Prototype, is currently in development and due for release in 2012.
“When Prototype surpassed 2MM units we knew gamers would want a sequel to find out what happens next with Alex Mercer,” said Ken Rosman, Studio Head, Radical Entertainment. “The team here at Radical is sincerely grateful to the fans and we are laser focused on delivering an even bigger and better experience with Prototype 2!”
Not much is known about the new game so far, except that there’s a new hero in town – Sgt. James Heller. Radical Entertainment promises that Prototype will be the “most stunningly over-the-top action game of 2012”, as players do battle in the viral wastelands of NYZ and build up a genetic arsenal, with the ultimate aim of destroying the hero from the first game, Alex Mercer. Sounds intriguing, but we’re all going to have to wait a long time to find out more!
Curve Studios Launched a new Explodemon trailer today, showcasing the super-fast-paced action that you can expect to be experiencing when the game is released in January 2011. The 2.5D platform action game is heavily influenced by classic Japanese games from the golden era of the SNES, and is based around hero Explodemon, who uses his explosive ability to combat enemies, propel himself through the air, destroy anything in his path and solve puzzles using the game’s solid physics system.
“One of our core aims when designing Explodemon was to making the levels replayable once you’ve finished the game,” explains design director Jonathan Biddle. “So, in addition to there being a huge amount of collectables and secret areas that you’ll likely miss first time around, we’ve worked on making the control system deep enough that insane speed runs are possible.”
As fast as Explodemon is already, players will be able to upgrade him during the course of the game, making him even faster, deadlier and much more agile, with the ultimate aim of shaving seconds off level completion times and earning bragging rights on the global leaderboards.
On Saturday, leading game developer, BioWare, a division of Electronic Arts, unveiled Mass Effect 3, the highly anticipated latest instalment in the epic series, with “Earth”, the game’s spectacular premier trailer making its exclusive début at the Spike Video Game Awards. EA’s not giving much away about the game so far, but judging by the trailer, London is in for a massive alien kicking.
The Mass Effect franchise is set in a fascinating science fiction universe, full of dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets, and jam-packed with intense action, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, with an absorbing storyline at its heart. The last instalment, Mass Effect 2, is the highest-rated videogame of 2010 on Xbox 360, and has just received three awards at the Spike VGAs, for Best RPG and Best Xbox 360 Game of the year, with BioWare being named Studio of the Year.
“At BioWare, we are always driving ourselves to improve and I firmly believe our best work is still ahead of us,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Group General Manager and Co-Founder of BioWare. “We could not be prouder of the team’s accomplishments with Mass Effect 2, and are excited and humbled by all of the recognition the game has received so far. We can’t wait to show you what the team is doing to make Mass Effect 3 an even bigger success.”
Mass Effect 3 will be released on PS3 in December 2011, and if that’s too long to wait for you, Mass Effect 2 will finally make its long-awaited PlayStation 3 debut on January 21, 2011 in Europe. A PS3 demo of Mass Effect 2 will also be available to download from the PSN from December 22, 2010 in Europe.
PlayStation Move Heroes, due for release next spring, brings together for the first time ever a cast of some of the PlayStation’s most beloved characters from three iconic franchises – Ratchet & Clank, Jak & Daxter and Sly Cooper – in a new title developed exclusively for the PlayStation Move. Ratchet, Clank, Jak, Daxter, Sly and Bentley assemble together to compete in a series of intergalactic challenges and events. Using the PlayStation Move motion controller and the PlayStation Move navigation controller, players now get the chance to control every move of the game’s heroes as they smash, hurl and shoot their way through challenges.
The game’s story centres around a mysterious alien duo who are wreaking havoc throughout the galaxy, snatching entire chunks from the worlds of Ratchet, Jak and Sly to create their own brand new planet. After being abducted and taken to the new world, Ratchet, Clank, Jak, Daxter, Sly Cooper and Bentley are invited by their “gracious” alien hosts to compete in friendly, yet challenging competitions to test their special skills, all of which are set in familiar landscapes from each franchise, including Metropolis (Ratchet & Clank), Haven City (Jak & Daxter) and Paris (Sly Cooper). It turns out though, that things might not really be as friendly as they seem, and the PlayStation heroes dream team soon find themselves embroiled in the ultimate battle to protect the galaxy, and their own lives.
I just love the idea of assembling a dream team of favourite PlayStation characters like this, let’s hope the gameplay lives up to the initial promise. It’s about time Jak & Daxter turned up on the PS3! Now all we want is for them to get their own PS3 game too, it’s long overdue.
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