“Grittier, Dirtier” New Mortal Kombat Coming in 08
April 23, 2007
Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon Boon stated that the next fighting game to come from the Mortal Kombat franchise will be “serious” and “a lot more realistic looking.”
“[W]e’re not joking around in this one, it’s not going to be like jokes,” he told CVG in an interview. This news comes after the confirmation from Midway that the company’s next-gen games (including the next Mortal Kombat title) would be powered by Epic’s Unreal Engine 3.0. As a result, Boon confirms that this as-of-yet untitled fighting game would be “a lot grittier, dirtier” than previous entries in the Mortal Kombat series.
In addition to claiming that his team is looking to adapt the Mortal Kombat series to next-gen console technology (such as the implementation of motion-sensing functions), Boon has also stated that his development team has wiped the slate clean. Certain features in past games may be in danger of being eliminated: “We’re not putting any restrictions like we HAVE to keep weapons or we HAVE to keep fighting styles and stuff like that…we’re going to try to introduce as many new characters as possible, new features, new stuff like that and take advantage of the amazing presentation, graphics that all of a sudden you can do, things that are a lot more real.”
Boon revealed that his game probably won’t come out until the end of 2008.
PSP Price Cuts for Europe
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has announced price cuts for the PSP in Europe.
The price of the PSP Core bundle will fall from €199.99/£149.99 ($271) to €169.99/£129.99 ($230). Earlier in the month, a price drop in the U.S. was announced (from $199.99 to $169.99), although the effect of this change on sales has not yet become clear in the latest NPD data.
Sony officials have also announced that the registered retail price of budget priced Platinum re-release titles will fall from £19.99 to £14.99 ($40 to $30). Five new titles will also be added to the range, in the form of Ridge Racer 2, Tekken: Dark Resurrection, Killzone: Liberation, LocoRoco and Moto GP.
“PSP is unique and is constantly evolving. It offers the widest palette of mobile entertainment, from gaming to video, music, photos and internet,” said SCE UK managing director Ray Maguire. “But now the exciting possibility of connecting remotely to PS3 makes PSP more relevant than ever. So what better time to offer a brand new price point, and the launch of five new Platinum titles?”
Sony Reveals 2Q Line-up
April 20, 2007
Sony Computer Entertainment America announced the key titles of their lineup for the second quarter of 2007 today, adding that “more than 100 first- and third-party PS3, PSP and PlayStation 2 titles will launch during the next few months of 2007.” The list so far contains mostly third-party titles, but Sony is still confident that their first-party studios will soon release content that will add depth to their library.
“Our second-quarter line-up […] demonstrates a continued commitment from both SCEA and third-party developers to the PlayStation family of products,” said Peter Dille, senior vice president of marketing, SCEA. “We are excited by the content being developed by our partners, but are also looking forward to launching PlayStation-branded exclusive games created by our own worldwide studios this quarter and throughout the rest of 2007.”
Sony has also presented a total of eight new titles consisting of both original and retro games that can be purchased directly from the PlayStation Store.
Sony’s list of key titles is as follows:
PS3
F.E.A.R.
Spider-Man 3
Ninja Gaiden Sigma
MLB 07: The Show
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
The Darkness
The Bigs
Transformers: The Game
PlayStation Store
Calling All Cars
Championship Sprint
Gauntlet II
Joust
Mortal Kombat II
Rampage World Tour
Super Puzzle Fighter II HD Remix
Rampart
PSP
Alien Syndrome
Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars
Crush
Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground
Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy II
Harvest Moon Boy & Girl
Ridge Racer 2
Test Drive Unlimited
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas
Valhalla Knights
PS2
Dawn of Mana
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary
Manhunt 2
NCAA Football 08
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2
Odin Sphere
Ratatouille
Shrek The Third
Spider-Man 3
Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam
Overhauled ‘Final Fantasy’ Anniversary Titles
April 19, 2007
In early February, Square Enix made an announcement regarding the chosen release date for the anniversary editions of Final Fantasy I (April 19) and II (June 7), and since then, there has been no news regarding definitive release dates for other regions.
Square Enix, however, has recently made an announcement informing American gamers that localized editions of Final Fantasy I and II would be available this summer. Final Fantasy will be available in North American stores starting June 26, while Final Fantasy II will ship out on July 24.
These games celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original Final Fantasy, which was released in the Japanese market towards the end of 1987. A translated American version was released for NES systems in 1990, and the cartridge is still considered to be a rare collector’s item.
Despite initial plans to release an English version of Final Fantasy II in the states, that plan was eventually scrapped so that translators could work on Final Fantasy IV for the Super NES (which was subsequently renamed Final Fantasy II to avoid confusing American audiences). For a while, America had not seen an official translated version of Final Fantasy II until the release of Final Fantasy Origins for the original PlayStation.
Both Final Fantasy Anniversary titles will undergo complete overhauls in graphics and sound. They will also contain new FMV sequences to bring the games into the modern era of RPGs.
Xbox Live Pac-Man Championship Announced
April 18, 2007
Microsoft and Namco Bandai reps have announced a new global Xbox Live Pac-Man World Championship contest, with players competing for a chance to travel to New York City and be crowned champion.
From April 25th to May 9th, players with a full version of Pac-Man for Xbox Live Arcade can (after registering, of course)rank themselves through Live Arcade to assert themselves at the top Pac-Man player. In the interest of fairness, previous leaderboard scores will be completely deleted. At midnight on May 9th, Microsoft will tally the top nine scores across the globe for Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Japan and Mexico, as well as two finalists from Europe and the U.S. Those winners will be flown to New York City for the June 5th finals, where the winner will be crowned by Pac-Man creator Toru Iwatani.
A 10th ‘wildcard’ finalist will also take part in the championships based on a concurrently run ‘Pac-Man FANatic’ contest, where any member of the public can submit a video that “best illustrates their love for Pac-Man.”
The finals champion will also receive a number of other prizes, including 26 years of free meals from Quiznos, 100,000 Microsoft Points, and a customized Xbox 360 console featuring a special Pac-Man inspired design.
“Namco Bandai Games and I are proud to partner with Microsoft on the Xbox 360 Pac-Man World Championship, which celebrates how popular Pac-Man remains to this day. The success of Pac-Man stems from its fun gameplay and host of characters that have been enjoyed by families for generations. It will be exciting to see Pac-Man fans from around the world compete on Xbox Live Arcade to become the first-ever Pac-Man World Champion,” said Toru Iwatani.
Guitar Hero III Confirmed for Online, Major Platforms
April 17, 2007
Red Octane reps have confirmed that the latest in its Guitar Hero franchise will be focused on online play and downloadable tracks, and it will hit every major platform.
Red Octane founder and president Kai Huang said that Neversoft would be working to bring the features to Guitar Hero III, the latest in the franchise expected to be released for Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, and the PS2 by the end of the year.
In an interview with GameSpot, Huang also confirmed earlier suspicions regarding a handheld version of the game, saying the company was “looking at a DS version, for early next year.”
Last September, Activision chairman and CEO Robert Kotick said at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia XV Conference that Guitar Hero will be released “on every significant new format.” The game was also recently announced to be in development for mobile phones by San Francisco mobile developer Hands-On Mobile.
Huang added that new Guitar Hero developers Neversoft would be “focusing on online play, of course, and that includes both co-op and competitive modes. We’re looking at more downloadable content, and more music, because we know that’s one of the things the fans want–as soon as they finish playing Guitar Hero, they want more music.”
Huang also told IGN that for the Wii version of the new game, while Red Octane was “really excited about the Wii game because there are so many options for the Wii remote,” players would still “play the game with a guitar peripheral and it will be similar to a guitar you’ve seen in the past.”
On former Guitar Hero developer Harmonix’s recently announced Rock Band, now positioned as an MTV- and Electronic Arts-backed competitor to the Guitar Hero franchise, with additional drumming and vocal features and full online play, Huang said, “I was very excited to hear about Harmonix and EA working on the game Rock Band. I think Guitar Hero was really the first big game that defined the music rhythm genre… So we’re excited that Harmonix is working on it. They’re a fantastic developer, we’ve had a great relationship working with them in the past, and we know that they’re going to do a great job with the game.”
Sonic Returns To DS
Sega has announced that Sonic the Hedgehog will be returning to the DS this fall with a new 2D game entitled Sonic Rush Adventure, including multi-player races both locally and via Nintendo Wi-Fi.
Sonic Rush Adventure, developed by Sega Studios, promises to bring “dizzying dives, near vertical curves and brain twisting loops” through standard sidescrolling play, as well as a new “high seas adventure” with Sonic battling a horde of pirates.
Sega says that as players progress throughout the 2D action stages, they can unlock new items and materials to help his sidekick Tails build new ships, including a submarine, water bike, and hovercraft, which players then use in touch-screen controlled ship races and battles, ending with “epic” 3D boss battles spanning both screens.
Finally, Sega has announced that players will be able to compete in multiplayer racing and mission based battles both locally and through the internet using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
Capcom Reveals New Titles
April 16, 2007
As part of its Gamer’s Day event, Capcom revealed a number of new titles for multiple devices.
Capcom dabbled in PC gaming but never made a strong commitment to PC games, so releasing Lost Planet for PC is cool. Lost Planet will feature DirectX 10 and Shader Model 3.0 support as well, making one of the best looking console games one of the best looking PC games ever made. Lost Planet is a good sign that we will be seeing more Capcom titles coming to PCs in the near future. Also coming to PC (and PSN and Xbox Live) is Talisman, Games Workshop’s hybrid board and RPG.
For many, Wii is making out the best with the new Capcom titles. Lets’s start with Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. Using the Wii Remote as your boomstick, players will gun down zombies and other monstrosities. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition might be the best Resident Evil of all time! It includes everything from the previous versions, utilizing the Wii Remote to point and blow apart the armies of the undead. Also coming to Wii is Project Treasure Island Z, a series of puzzles and mini-games centered around the antics of a pirate in training, Zack, and his magical monkey, Wiki. Younger gamers will be entertained.
Newly announced titles for Nintendo’s handheld DS system include the third chapter in Capcom’s cult Phoenix Wright legal adventures, with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations. Set for release in September 2007, Trials and Tribulations will continue the tradition of the first two chapters of the series, with a new “mysterious hard-boiled” prosecutor named Godot, and a return of the second game’s “pysche-lock” interrogation tool. Also coming to Nintendo DS, in October, is the latest in the decades-long running Mega Man franchise, Mega Man ZX Advent, which includes a new “biometal” system that allows players to change into different forms and utilizes the DS touchscreen to switch between ‘Biometal’ and map navigation screens. Not a bad way to celebrate 20 years of Mega Man, I’d say.
Capcom also revealed that it was working with Cartoon Network to deliver a game based on the Adult Swim original cartoon Harvey Birdman to both the PSP and PS2 by developer High Voltage (Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude), though no further details were yet revealed.
As for PS2, Capcom has announced that the company as acquired PlayStation rights to the motor sport MotoGP, and will be publishing its first PlayStation 2 game based on the sport this year, tentatively titled MotoGP 07.
Capcom also revealed a number of digitally distributed titles coming throughout the year for PC, Xbox Live, and the PlayStation network. Foremost amongst these is the return of Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix coming to all three digital platforms this fall, including newly redrawn 1080p HD graphics from the backgrounds and blocks, handled by developer Backbone and all new character portraits, done by Udon Entertainment (the company responsible for the official US Street Fighter series of comics). The game will also see “improved game balance,” and, most importantly, online play — a feature fans of the cult puzzler have been asking for since it first appeared. The game will also be including the X, Y, and Z-’ism’ modes from the Dreamcast’s “For Matching Service” version.
Also coming are two more original titles, with WizKids’ Rocketmen: Axis of Evil arriving on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network as an arcade shooter as up to four players battle cooperatively through multiple levels in a struggle to ‘free the Solar System.’
BlizzConn 2007 details
April 13, 2007
After a year off and after the massive success of World of Warcraft and Burning Crusade, Blizzard Entertainment has just recently announced the return of BlizzCon for the year 2007.
On August 3rd and 4th, players of such franchises as Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo will once again have the chance to mingle with other fans at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. In addition to meeting and greeting, BlizzCon 2007 guests are sure to enjoy discussion panels with Blizzard developers, artist and developer signings, competitive and casual gaming tournaments, World of Warcraft Trading Card Game tournaments and demos, a silent auction, commemorative Blizzard merchandise and products, live orchestral performances of music from Blizzard games, and contests (and prizes, of course) for costumes, machinimas, and character sound-a-likes.
Said Blizzard president Mike Morhaime, “We were gratified by the response to our first BlizzCon in 2005 and have been looking for an opportunity to hold a follow-up event ever since. With BlizzCon 2007, we plan to deliver another entertaining and informative experience for the attendees, and we look forward to meeting all of them again this year.”
Tickets for BlizzCon 2007 will be available for the price of $100 (US) per guest, and will go on sale within the next few months. Guests must be ages 4 and older to attend.
Final Wii Web Browser Released
April 12, 2007
Nintendo officials have announced that the final version of the Wii Internet Channel - with a customized Opera Web browser version - is now available for free download, complete with a number of new features and improvements over the earlier beta version.
The final version of the Internet Channel is available for free download from today, until June 20, 2007, after which it will cost 500 Wii Points ($5). Once downloaded, the Internet Channel is free for the lifetime of the system.
The full version of the Internet Channel features a manual zoom, in addition to the automatic mode available in the previous version. Text clarity is also improved at all zoom levels, along with improved scrolling, collapsible toolbars, new on-screen cursors and buttons to instantly type common phrases such as “www” and “.com.”
The Internet Channel now also features a built-in search function on the Start page, as well as an built-in function that allows users to query terms without having to go to a search engine. In addition to a general performance upgrade - increasing performance and start-up times - the toolbar can now be hidden while browsing.
The browser also comes with pre-loaded bookmarks, including one for the Astaro Wii Content Filtering Portal, a parental control system specifically created for the Wii which will be available beginning May 7th.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer Wii owners an improved, simple and safe internet service through the Opera Browser. The new version of the Internet Channel will allow the whole family to experience the Internet from the comfort of their couch in a safe and secure environment,” said Laurent Fischer, marketing director of Nintendo Europe.
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