Blog5 Games

New hellraising screens of Clive Barker’s Jericho!

See all of the songs available in SingStar Pop!

Check out all of the various soldier rankings you can earn in UFO: Extraterrestrials on PC!

New hellraising screens of Clive Barker’s Jericho!

Dynasty Warriors takes its musou-charging action to the DS.

Capcom has released brand new screens for Devil May Cry 4, as well as a ton of new information about the game, including added moves, new bosses, and the return of a certain special someone…

No, not really. Really, he just quit and the CEO for the Christian game dev company wants more people to join him.

Left Behind Games officially accepted the resignation of senior vice president Jeffrey S. Frichner, but CEO Troy Lyndon still wants the souls jobs of the company’s three remaining board members.

The shake-up comes just months after Left Behind Games reported a $4.1 million loss for its third quarter. While LBG hasn’t said why they are seeking a new board, it’s pretty clear things aren’t going too well over there. Brian Crecente

Left Behind Games Begins Executive Purge [Gamasutra]

Concerned residents of Second Life have watched patiently as the past two years the virtual world has grown from a tiny community into an entire empire. It’s grown so fast that the day-to-day maintenance and upgrading of the site hasn’t caught up and now an open letter has been circulating listing some of the problems that Linden Labs need to fix. Some of the issues includes the inability to backup inventory losses, issues with friend search and friend lists, transaction problems, and more. But of course, true to Second Life form, they trying to be super nice about it:

We remain fully supportive of Second Life and are more than willing to continue doing our part to help, but our confidence is steadily being eroded due to a general lack of communication and the apparent failure to successfully address the many issues detailed above. What we are asking for is that these problems are addressed immediately, ahead of new features, and that we are able to see tangible improvements. We accept that this will not happen overnight but it also cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely either.

There must be some kind of inner-peace you can buy in the virtual markets because if I had all those problems in one of my games, I would be pissed. Alec Baldwin kind of pissed. Kim Phu

‘Second Life’ Users: Fix It, Already [C|Net]

Once again my laziness has paid off. I meant to pick up SNK VS. Capcom Card Fighters DS last week but never got around to it, and now we’re hearing from players all over the country that the card contains a game-stopping glitch that keeps you from being able to collect all the cards. Looks like it isn’t just Taito that needs better playtesting on their DS games.

The bug occurs on the ninth floor of the tower during the second play through. The game crashes after talking to an opponent named Jon. Fighting him is necessary to complete the game, so you’re pretty much stuck at that point. That is one giant suck.

So basically the US QA team didn’t even finish the game, or there was some kind of problem with manufacturing. There’s a message in the SNK forums stating that we should hear something official soon, but I figured I’d save anyone else shopping for a new DS game the headache, at least until it gets taken care of.

For those who ought the game after I got all excited about it last week, terribly sorry. I’m just as disappointed as you are, only without the whole spending $30 for it thing. Go laziness! Michael Fahey

Thanks to everyone who sent in the tip!

It looks like those sexy new, slim Xenos GPUs will be hitting the Xbox 360 this fall.

According to Chinese-language publication Commercial Times, the 65nm-made Xenos graphics processing unit gas been sent out already and production will start in May.

That means at least two things are getting trimmed down in the 360, the CPU and the GPU, why not shoot for three and add the price to the list? Brian Crecente

What’s better than playing old school games on the Nintendo Virtual Console? Not having to play it with the wiimote which (come on, admit it) doesn’t really bring back the nostalgic memories of playing Alex Kidd on a console as ugly as your parents’ old rattan couch.

Enter the new hack for the Sega Genesis controller to add to your accessories for your Nintendo Wii. All you need is a some wiring know-how, a Genesis controller, and a shopping list only a geek like my dad can understand. A couple of hours and expletives later, you too could be a proud owner of a classic controller that works on a not-so classic machine. Kim Phu

Wireless Sega Genesis Controller for Wii [Cre.ations via Sega Nerds]

It’s Monday, and that means old game goodness from the good folks at the Wii Shopping Channel. This week sees the beginning of the Belmonts, a ninja game without violent decapitations (say what?), and a TurboGrafx-16 game that probably should have stayed in Japan with its friends.

Castlevania (NES - 500 Points): Meet Simon, not the first and certainly not the last Belmont to fail at destroying Dracula for all eternity. Frankly I don’t see what’s so big about the Belmont line. They never finish a job. He always comes back, so what’s the point? It must be the whip.

The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (SNES - 800 points): For 16 years our ninja lawyers have been trying to get our name stricken from this game. The adventures of Kid Ying and Dr. Yang are the stuff of legend, but ninjas never give piggy back rides. Not even deadly ones. Otherwise an excellent game.

Shockman (TGFX16 - 600 Points): This is the dumbed-down sequel to an excellent Japan-only game, Kaizou Choujin Schbibinman. It combines side-scrolling shooting with platforming elements as two vaguely Mega-Mannish characters battle to victoriously do something or another. From what I’ve been told this is the only game of three to come out in the states, and the worst of the lot.

Still, you’ve got undead battling and (debatably) ninjas, and no VC update that combines those two great tastes can be all that bad. Michael Fahey

WII-KLY UPDATE: THREE NEW CLASSIC GAMES ANNOUNCED FOR WII SHOP CHANNEL

April 30, 2007

Vampires and ninjas and Shockmen, oh my! This week the Wii Shop Channel takes a trip into the world of ghoulish creatures, mystical curses and professorial abductions. See if you can remember which of these games sparked the whip-carrying craze of the late-’80s! For the best retro gaming around, it’s time to pay a visit to the red-hot Wii video game system’s Wii Shop Channel.

The three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

Castlevania (NES, 1 player, 500 Wii Points): Step into the shadows of the deadliest dwelling on Earth. You’ve arrived at Castlevania, and you’re here on business: to destroy the curse of the Evil Count, once and for all. Make your way through six monstrous floors filled with bats, ghosts, zombies and every kind of ghoulish creature you can imagine. Use the legendary whip Vampire Killer and a host of deadly weapons to battle your way to Dracula’s chamber and the ultimate duel of good vs. evil.

The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (Super NES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): In The Legend of The Mystical Ninja, take control of Kid Ying and Dr. Yang in an action adventure through feudal Japan. A curse has stricken the village of Horo-Horo, and its beloved princess has vanished. Together Kid Ying, a daring young mystical ninja, and Dr. Yang, master of the invincible spirit transformation, must overcome 10 levels of the Dragonbeast to save Princess Yuki. Each stage contains intense 3-D and 2-D zones where the duo must perform dozens of attack moves and solve magical problems and puzzles before advancing. Battle humorous enemies like the Carp Meister, who stuns victims with poisonous fighting fish, Tanaka-U-Out, a knockout artist who wallops opponents with a bone-crushing hammer, and the Sumo Tag Team, kings of the unbeatable belly-buster crunch. Collect coins to buy new equipment and to receive clues, spend some time playing minigames in the arcade or try your luck and increase your fortune at the Quiz House and Horse Races.

Shockman (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points): It’s been two years since Arnold and Sonya were made into Shockmen. A message from the professor to return to their bodies has them head to his laboratory, but they are ambushed by a mysterious enemy along the way. After narrowly defeating the enemy, they catch a TV news flash announcing the Ryo Empire invasion. They find that the professor has been abducted and set out to rescue him. Shockman is a side-view action shooter that has eight stages, including Action Stages, where you jump and use special techniques, and side-scrolling Shooting Stages. This game expands on the well-paced story from the previous version and contains cooperative elements like shared life and a powerful Team Shockbeam that can be used during two-player simultaneous play.

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I just got Pocket Pool in the mail on Saturday. I’m fairly certain it’s not worth playing without even needing to open it. The only thing worthwhile about the game, I’m sure, are the brief cheesecake videos of attrative women stripping. Thanks to Gametrailers, you don’t need the game for even that brief bit of fun. Gameplay trailer above, not-really strip tease after the jump. Did they need to put a picture of a woman on the friggin table too? Did they? Brian Crecente

The Latino Review has the summary of the 22 page treament of the upcoming script for the Gears of War movie. It includes a precursor to what happens in the game adding additional characters that already existed but never saw (i.e. Marcus’ father, Adam Fenix, and the girl Dom’s “looking for”, Maria). Kim Phu

First Look at Gears of War Movie [CVG]

Well this was lovely news to wake up to! EA today officially announces a brand new entry in the Burnout series for next generation consoles, called Burnout Paradise, the artist formerly known as Burnout 5. It’s the same crashing, smashing, and indeed bashing fun of the Burnout series, transferred into a free-roaming, open world environment. Drive anywhere, crash anything. Sounds absolutely divine. Let that sink in while you take a look at the teaser trailer.

It sounds sort of like the open-endedness you get in games like Need for Speed Carbon, only with the much more explosive action of the Burnout series. You’ll have free reign in Paradise City, where the grass is green and Guns and Roses most likely gets some sort of royalties. Can’t name the place that without having the theme song to go with it.

The game is due out this Winter. Hit the jump for the first three screens and of course, the obligatory press release. Michael Fahey

GET READY TO BREAK THE RULES - PARADISE IS COMING!
EA INVITES DANGEROUS DRIVERS TO BURNOUT PARADISE THIS WINTER

Guildford, UK - April 30, 2007 - Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced the title for the revolutionary new Burnout™ videogame currently in development for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360™ videogame system. Players will be able to take their dangerous driving experience to a whole new level when Burnout™ Paradise is unleashed this winter.

Burnout Paradise proves that crashing is awesome! Next generation technology has enabled an unprecedented level of crash deformation allowing you to experience the most explosive pile-ups in the series’ history. Now the development team can realise their original vision for the Burnout franchise: an open world environment where you can do anything, anywhere, anytime!

“We have been working towards Burnout Paradise for quite some time. Next generation consoles have opened up a raft of new gameplay opportunities and the Criterion team has leapt at the chance to innovate and raise the bar to an all-new high,” said Pete Hawley, Executive Producer, Burnout Paradise. “There are going to be some big surprises and a lot of new features but the core of the game is still pure Burnout. Instant accessibility will be reinforced by innovative on-line capabilities which will see Burnout Paradise smash racing conventions.”

Feel the adrenaline course through your veins as you take to the road for the first time in Paradise City, where the action is all around you. Explore the city, discover events, and look for the best opportunities to crash, jump and pull signature takedowns. In Burnout Paradise you’re given the keys to the city, but it’s up to you to earn the keys to the meanest and most dangerous cars on the street, and earn your Burnout licence.

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PaRappa the Rapper is coming to the PSP in North America this July with four player multiplay and eight playable remixes.

Developed with musician Masaya Matsuura and New York artist Rodney Greenblat, the funky rhythm game first debuted on the PSOne ten years ago. A PSP version hit Japan last year.

The U.S. version of the game will be a remake of the original with the ability to play up to three other people head-to-head in ad-hoc match-ups, wirelessly share a demo level and download eight additional playable remixes.

If you missed the flat graphics and raptastic music of this game when it first hit, you’ve got to pick it up this time around. Personally, I can’t wait. I sure hope they release new music down the line though.

H to the E to the R to the O
And here comes your hero
Ho! Here we go!
P to the A to the R to the A
Parappa’s the name
I rap everyday

Brian Crecente

To: Crecente
From: Ashcraft
Subject: Gold

Japan kicks off Golden Week. Today is a national holiday — April 29th is Emperor Hirohito’s birthday. This year, that fell on a Sunday, so it slid over to Monday. The end of the week has a few more holidays, but many companies close down on Monday and employees get time off. The entire country goes on vacation, which makes leaving your house or going shopping a real drag. Everywhere is insanely crowded!

What you missed:

• Baby girl named after Sonic creator
• Luke did some good leg work on Goatgate
• France doesn’t really like Xbox 360

Alrighty, off to bed I go…

These are the best Assassin’s Creed screens I’ve ever seen. Why? Because they’re the worst-looking. Means we’re beyond shiny concept bullshots and are getting pics of what the actual game that we’ll actually be playing will look like.

Seems it will look TEAL.

Luke Plunkett

[via CVG]

Wow, an animated interactive game you can actually play! While 1980’s saw a couple of interactive titles, namely Dragon’s Lair and Space Age, the genre proved to be visually stunning but frustrating play-wise.

Fast-forward to the 21st century. A couple ex-Disney animators help create The Act. The game’s been in development for something like six years and has been play testing in the New England area. Instead of using the clunky joystick Dragon’s Lair employed, The Act uses a knob. For example, when trying to charm a women into going on a date, the player must use the knob to control the amount of charm they emit. Turn too much, and you’ll come off as over eager. Turn too little, and you’ll come off as not interested.

Screw animated interactive titles, I’m so glad to see someone making a knob-based arcade game! Brian Ashcraft

The Act [Arcade Heaven]

Hey Europeans! If you’ve imported an American/Japanese PLAYSTATION 3, you’ll need an adaptor to run it in your scary wall sockets. This AC adaptor from Fristsing is outfitted with a built-in fuse and a cooling fan. Plus! It’s in the shape of a PLAYSTATION 3 and can be used with all Sony PlayStation and Microsoft consoles. The font on the adaptor’s side serves as a friendly reminder that, yes, the PS3 looks way better with PS2 font. Brian Ashcraft

Adapt With This [Fristsing via Ubergizmo]