The long awaited episode 14 is finally here, in this episode we take a look at our first modern game, this one happens to be Infamous, does this game live up to all the hype?
Also, we take a look at an intriguing new feature in Rock Band, is it worth your while or is it another feature that will fall through the cracks?
Watch and enjoy! 
EA files trademarks and expresses interest in old IP.
by Martin Robinson, IGN UK
UK, August 12, 2009 – Classic gaming franchises such as Populous and Road Rash could be returning to the current generation of consoles, with EA filing new trademarks for the games as well as expressing an interest in reviving old franchises.
Superannuation has picked up new trademark registrations for Populous, Theme Park, Wing Commander and Road Rash.
The discovery comes shortly after EA Bright Light Studio boss Harvey Elliot, a veteran of Theme Park and Populous developer Bullfrog, didn’t rule out the possibility of the classic games returning in some form.
“I think there’s an opportunity to bring those back in the future,” he told Kikizo, “but only if it’s right for the time and not just a ‘remake’ or something. We’d need to do it in a way that’s true to the original values, but would still make a great game today.”
It won’t be the only Bullfrog game to be put through the remake machine – talented developer Starbreeze is currently lined up to revive the revered Syndicate brand in the near future.
My Take: This doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as both Populous and Road Rash have been reverred as great IPs, and it would be nice to see them return but there is a dark side to this story…
Here’s what I want… Critertion to helm a new Road Rash project, can you imagine Road Rash from the makers of Burnout?!
Here’s what will probably happen: Okay, we got Theme Park, Road Rash, and Syndicate…. Let’s make them XBLA arcade ports and call it a day.. *sigh*…
What do you think? Should these games come back or are we just desperate to see old titles again?
(God help us if it’s Road Rash: Jailbreak)
Sound off in the forums!
Newton13
Remember Lunar? That one great game released on the Sega CD so many moons ago? Or perhaps you’ve played the Playstation remakes? The Silver Star Story Complete, Eternal Blue Complete, or both?
Well, you might think this game has gone completely into obscurity since the fall of Working Designs and the fact that the DS game (Lunar: Dragon Song) sucked something awful.. Well it looks like it’s being remade (again) and this time for the PSP, these first screenshots are the only evidence we have right now…
As far as we know, it’s coming out in Japan (no definitive release has been set), will it hit the US or UK shores? Let’s hope so…
Note: I’ve played the entire Lunar series including the GBA version, although I’ve played the Silver Star Story to death, it’s one of my favorite RPG’s of all time, and I will definetly pick this one up for the PSP if it finds it’s way to US shores…
Check out these screens!
Lunar returning? What do you think? Sound off in the forums!
This isn’t the game I remember.
Game Length – About 1 hour, this shouldn’t take you too long to blaze through.
Replayability –There’s four player co-op online and leaderboards to keep you going, but the extra modes (survival, and quick play) don’t really add much more than a distraction.
Technical Aspects (Looks,Sounds,Controls) – The graphical upgrade on this game looks very good, I do wish you were able to go back to the original graphics like say, Monkey Island, but the revamp is a nice looking touch.. Sound has been mildly improved with new voice actors providing the turtles one-liners and Veronica Taylor (Ash Ketchum) as April O’Neil
Online Capabilities – Up to 4 player online co-op, a lot of fun but a bit hard to see your character admist your allies and enemies alike.
Value For Money – Thank God they didn’t go for the $15 price point or I would really feel ripped off, but this isn’t enough for the $10 you have to shell (PUN!) out.
I’ll admit it, I’m a big ninja turtles fan, growing up with the cartoon and comic books in the ‘80’s, the turtles were always a hit, and Turtles in Time was arguably the best release of the classic beat ‘em up game to date, but, sadly, all is not well in the retelling.
Turtles in Time: Reshelled is probably not what you think, you might think it’s a remake of the SNES game released several years ago, and you would be wrong.. This is a reshelling of the arcade version released in 1991, you may ask yourself what the difference is? Well, I’ll tell you. In the SNES version, you had quite a few more bosses and levels as well as (my most memorable level) the level where you throw foot soliders at the screen to beat Shredder hanging out in a giant mech that’s in your face… You get to fight the Rat King in the sewers, and Tokai and Razzar are met long before you reach the boat.
In the arcade version, you won’t fight Shredder til the very end, and even then this fight is more reminsant of the last fight in The Hyperstone Heist than it is the SNES title, Shredder just has a big sword and runs around the screen smacking you, he’s easy enough to kill and dodge but…. Epic? Far from it. You also will not be fighting the Rat King in this version, as far as the arcade is concerned, he does not exist. Who would have thought you would go to the sewer only to have *Spoiler* Shredder appear and warp you throughout time?
Now, it is not that this is a bad game, it just doesn’t live up to the TMNT legacy.. You remember the 1989 arcade game released how many years ago on XBLA? Sure, it was merely a port of the original arcade version with nothing new short of online multiplayer, but it was only $5…. A drop in the bucket considering how much I spend on that game as a kid, now I spend quite a bit on Turtles in Time in the arcade, but I spend more time on the SNES game, and, quite frankly, prefer that version to all others, more levels, more bosses, just more fun.. But there is one thing that Reshelled has that the SNES and arcade cannot recreate.
That is Online play, up to four player co-op, this is still a lot of fun playing with friends and battling the bosses, did someone say “Turtle Power!”? But when grouped with strangers expect to be battling for pizza from people who clearly don’t need it. There is no lag that I ran into in my play sessions online so it runs smoothly, but this game may merely be an excuse to get 200 more achievement points and then shelve it for life, sorry Reshelled, you missed the mark.
In conclusion, Reshelled is a fun little distraction, but the flaws (namely the price tag), outweigh the benefits of this great game, you might want to give it a try before completely shelving it, but the fact is, this may not be the TMNT: Turtles in Time game you remember.
Source: Jason Ocampo (IGN.com)
August 4, 2009 – If you ask veteran PC gamers to list their favorite games of all time, odds are X-Wing or TIE Fighter (or both) are somewhere on their lists. There’s a reason for that, as both were superb action flight simulators that immersed you in the epic Star Wars conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire. X-Wing was the first game in the series and TIE Fighter the sequel, so TIE Fighter is often more beloved because it was more refined. Plus, it was awesome to rise in the ranks of the Imperial Navy and become the Emperor’s most valued fighter pilot.
It’s been more than a decade since the last game in the series was released; hard to believe but X-Wing Alliance was released in February of 1999. The space sim genre that was established by the Star Wars games and Origin’s Wing Commander series then began to fade for various reasons. However, fans have longed for a sequel to TIE Fighter since then.
However, things may be changing. There’s a new president at LucasArts, Darrel Rodriguez, who seems intent on revisiting the company’s past glories. In the past few months, LucasArts has begun to release its library on Steam, and the company recently released The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition on PC and Xbox 360. The latter was a remake of the classic adventure game with improved graphics (but for those who want a nostalgic return, you could toggle the original graphics at any moment.)
Now here’s where it gets interesting. G4 recently asked Rodriguez about the possibility of X-Wing and TIE Fighter returning. His answer: “We don’t have any announcements now, but stay tuned. We will soon.”
It might be time to dust off that joystick.
My take: There’s only one word for this awesome! Wouldn’t it be cool if X-Wing vs Tie Fighter found it’s way onto XBLA or PSN? Or, possibly, even better, A new game in the series? This is merely a rumor based on a potential freudian slip but….. X-Wing vs Tie Fighter? What do you think?
Sound off In the forums!
by Martin Robinson, IGN UK
UK, August 4, 2009 – Amazon has cut 50 USD from the price of the 160 GB PlayStation 3, with the unit – bundled with a copy of the revered Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune – now weighing in at 449.99 USD.
The cut – picked up by gamesindustry.biz – comes ahead of Gamescom, where many believe Sony will reveal an official price cut, as well as possibly introduce the much touted slim model of the PlayStation 3. The price cut for the 160 GB model is only effective in the US.
A listing for the PlayStation 3 slim was spotted on Amazon Germany over the weekend, suggesting that any official news on the rumoured console will come sooner rather than later.
My Take: Well, a price cut on the 160 GB model was inevitable since it comes packed with Uncharted, (I.E. it’s being discontinued), I’d say the likelihood of them actually cutting the price of the other console models may come soon, as the rumors for the “slim” model are sparking up more and more. Can the 80GB model finally make the $299.99 mark?
Newton13
Source: Erik Brudvig (IGN.com)
Guitar Hero 5 is hitting stores on September 1. If we’ve learned anything by now, it is the set list that makes or breaks a music game. Activision and Neversoft are doling out a couple dozen or so new song announcements each week. Have a look below to see if your favorite band made the cut and then check back soon as we update this list with any eventual downloadable tracks that get announced.
Previous updates saw such standouts as a previously unreleased live version of Nirvana’s “Lithium,” an exclusive re-record of “Mirror People” by Love and Rockets, and the music videogame debuts of Elton John, Face to Face, Rammstein and The White Stripes. There’s also never before released live recording of Rush’s “The Spirit of Radio,” AFI’s unreleased single “Medicate” which will be available in the game before stores, and “Bring the Noise 20XX,” a Public Enemy/Zakk Wylde collaboration that is exclusive to the game.
The list is now complete. Megadeth, Muse, The Raconteurs and more have their songs revealed here. Is it great? What do you think is missing? Leave a comment at the bottom of the article to express your sentiments.
| On the Disc |
New Additions
Previously Announced
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My Take: Well, there are some good songs, some lame songs, and some awesome songs, but... Isn't that always the case? What does GH5 really do that will make me want to shell out another $60 or even fork over for the special edition with the "new" guitar of which I have several at this point....
Note: As much as I love the song, Megadeth's "Sweating Bullets" short of the solo is far from a complicated track, if we get murdered with Slayer and Metallica in previous iterations why the change? And how come there is only 1 Santana track when the big reveal was that he was a playable character? Lastly, Tom Petty's "Running Down A Dream"? Seriously?
Final Note: Well, there's no Tool, but considering how bad it was in the original World Tour, this can be considered a positive change.
Sound off In the forums!
Newton13
Looks like Ubisoft is having a bad year, their fiscal quarter announcement is already 50% below than what they had anticipated and now, outside of some casual titles, including “TMNT, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Academy of Champions, and others”, Ubisoft’s big titles have been pushed back and won’t be coming out this second quarter.
Both Splinter Cell: Conviction and Red Steel 2 have been delayed til 2010, as well as, Ghost Recon 4 and I Am Alive which have been pushed to a fiscal 2010-2011 release, will we ever see these titles?
Yes, but not this holiday season, things are looking grim for Ubisoft but they did announce that they are looking at things in the “long term” and hopefully this will merely be a short term loss..
Get ready for a music game Christmas/Holiday season, do you know of any MAJOR title that hasn’t been delayed til at least 2010?
Sound off in the Forums!
Newton13
July 17, 2009 – Always wanted to play your own music in Rock Band? Now you will you have a chance.
MTV announced this morning plans to introduce a new Rock Band Network, which will allow artists – signed or unsigned – to submit audio tracks to be included into the popular music game.
“Our goal with Rock Band has always been to go beyond making music games and create a true music platform,” said Alex Rigopulos, CEO and co-founder of Harmonix in a press release.
“With the Rock Band Network, we’ve evolved the platform to its next logical step, giving players access to an incredible amount of new music by putting the professional tools we use in the hands of the artists themselves.”
So how does it work?
Bands will be given toolsets to turn their own audio tracks into Rock Band gameplay files. Those files can then be submitted to this website and will go under peer review and playtesting. Should the songs be approved, they will then appear in the new Rock Band Network store where they will be purchasable in an in-game marketplace.
“The Rock Band Network enables songwriters and musicians – at any stage of their careers – to create their own paths through the interactive music realm,” said Paul DeGooyer, Senior Vice President, Electronic Games and Music, MTV Networks Music Group. “Our download store has been an extraordinary success, and it’s exciting for us to provide access to our platform through this uniquely elegant solution.”
According to Billboard, artists can choose the price range (50 cents to $3 per song) and will receive 30% of the total sale.
The press release noted that all tracks appearing on the store will be Xbox 360 exclusive for for the first 30 days before “stand out” tracks will appear on Playstation 3 and Wii.
A public beta is expected to launch this August. One catch, however, is that users will need a premium Microsoft XNA Creators Club Online membership, which users can buy at four months for $49.99 or a year at $99.99, to upload the gameplay tracks for testing and approval.
We’re trying to confirm with Harmonix/MTV about whether or not PS3 and Wii owners will be able to submit tracks as well. We’ll let you know as soon as we do.
Update: MTV clarified saying: “On background – Users can use a PC or a MAC to download (free) tools and actually author the tracks. They will need an XNA / Xbox360 to audition and upload them to the marketplace.”
“And yes – authors will have the ability to customize some of the characteristics of the background visuals and effect how it is presented beyond just the note tracks.”
My take: Well, this is great if you’re a musican who wants your stuff in the game, or if you know HOW to cover your favorite artists without running into licensing issues, but…. HAVING to be a member of XNA is BS.. I’m sorry, but that would mean I have to spend another $50.00-$100.00 on a service that (for me), would merely allow some custom music tracks to be approved/declinced (possibly) by MTV for upload? Sounds like too rich for my blood what do you think?
Sound off in our forums!
Newton13
It’s hard to tell where Gearbox Software finds the time and resources to be developing so many projects simultaneously, but court documents examined by Shacknews have revealed Gearbox was the mysterious studio working on the unannounced Duke Begins, assumed to be a brand-new Duke Nukem shooter revealing the origins of the macho hero.
No details other than the game’s title have been disclosed (though at the pace this legal battle is unfolding, more details wouldn’t be a shocker), nor has Gearbox or Take-Two commented on the current status of the game’s development.
Source: http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/697358/Gearbox-Software-Was-Is-Developing-Duke-Begins.html#ixzz0LGRFvUSa&C
My Take: Hard to say whether or not this is floating anywhere above rumor, but with DNF possibly still in development, is an origin story for the Duke neccessary? You tell me..
Sound off: Weird Pixel Forums
Newton13
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