ESRB rating description reveals WWII mission in BFBC2
Feb 7th
The ESRB has rated Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and in the ratings description, it notes that at one point the player is thrust into World War II before moving on to more modern combat.
Here’s the blurb, courtesy of Connected Consoles:
This is a first-person shooter featuring two modes of gameplay: single player, in which players control soldiers on a mission to stop terrorists; and multiplayer, in which players engage in team-based combat (”Conquest,” “Rush,” “Squad Rush,” and “Squad Death Match”).
Both modes involve using machine guns, rifles, grenade launchers, and rockets to kill enemy soldiers on the battlefield. In single-player mode, players conduct missions on an unnamed Japanese island during World War II and then move into the modern day through jungles, deserts, and snowy terrain. The firefights contain realistic gunfire, loud explosions, cries of pain; large sprays of blood come out of injured characters during the fast-paced combat.
There are also close-up depictions of knife-stabbing (flesh-impact sounds) and melee attacks with a power drill. Multiplayer mode tends to involve more goal-oriented tasks, such as “capturing-the-flag,” destroying and defending crates, point-based fighting.
Characters use profanity (e.g., “fuck,” “shit,” and “asshole”) during cutscenes and in the heat of battle.
Sounds like it could possibly be part of a playable storyline that is more of a lead-in to current events in the game – which loads of games have done in the past.
Still, we’ll send a mail out to EA and ask if it can explain the description a bit more to us.
BFBC2 has a multiplayer demo out now on PS3, and Xbox 360 with a PC Beta ongoing.
It’s out in March.
Some features in Fable III may upset people
Feb 7th
Peter Molyneux has said that during next week’s X10 event, he might upset some people when features in Fable III are revealed.
Speaking with Game Reactor in a video interview, Molyneux chats a bit about, Natal, indie game and the like.
You can watch the video through here.
Molyneux revealed to Develop yesterday that Fable III has entered it’s final edit stage, so hopefully some cool stuff will be revealed for it next week.
Far Cry Series Half-Off on Steam This Weekend
Feb 5th
Grab the first game for $4.99, or pick up the sequel for only $9.99
The weekend is nearly upon us, and that means it’s time for yet another end-of-the-week deal from Steam. This time they’re offering both Far Cry games for 50 percent off their usual price.
For the original Far Cry, that brings it down to just $4.99 from its normal asking price of $9.99. As for Far Cry 2, it’s being reduced to $9.99 from $19.99 — and that’s for the Fortunes edition that includes the DLC.
The offer’s set to expire on Monday, February 8, be sure to pull the trigger before then if you’re interested in trying out Ubisoft’s exotic shooters on the cheap.
Xbox Live to Cut Off Original Xbox Support on April 15
Feb 5th
Original Xbox will no longer have access to Live, nor will Xbox 1 games played on 360
After more than seven years, Xbox Live will cease to support the original Xbox beginning on April 15, 2010. Microsoft announced today their intentions to discontinue the service on their first game console, and by extension, any of its games that are playable on the Xbox 360 — including Halo 2. The change comes as part of an effort to continue evolving the Xbox Live service for Xbox 360 gamers; the continued support of the original Xbox has hindered Microsoft’s ability to do certain things with Live such as increasing the friends list cap of 100 people.
In a letter to Xbox Live members, Live general manager Marc Whitten explained why they’re making the decision:
On April 15 we will discontinue the Xbox LIVE service for original Xbox consoles and games, including Xbox v1 games playable on Xbox 360 and Xbox Originals. I want to start by saying this isn’t a decision we made lightly, but after careful consideration, it is clear this will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox LIVE community.Seven years ago we laid out our vision for the connected console when we launched Xbox LIVE. We believed then that the power of the Internet to connect people would revolutionize living room entertainment. It started with amazing multiplayer games, and we’ve since seen that bet pay off again and again with the launches of Xbox 360, Marketplace, Netflix and powerful social features like Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm. None of this would have been possible without the success of LIVE as a multiplayer gaming network.
Whitten acknowledged the “amazing run” that Halo 2 has had on Live, claiming the game’s dedicated community has “fundamentally changed the way we play video games.” But he made it clear that, to do more with Live, this was a necessary action. “[A]s we look down the road, we’ll continue to evolve the service with features and experiences that harness the full power of Xbox 360,” he explained. “To reach our aspiration, we need to make changes to the service that are incompatible with our original Xbox v1 games.”
Current Xbox Live members who play only on the original Xbox will be eligible for a prorated refund, according to a Q&A posted on the Xbox.com forums. But Whitten’s letter suggests there might be more than a refund available; he encourages Live members to check their messages and email address in the coming weeks for “more details and opportunities,” adding, “We view you as a partner in this process.”
Any specifics on what new functionality we’ll see from Live in the future is being kept under wraps for the time being. At the very least, removing support for the original Xbox will present Microsoft will the opportunity to allow Live members to finally have more than 100 friends on their friends lists. But that has been a problem since the launch of the Xbox 360, so Microsoft almost certainly has more up its sleeve than a higher (or perhaps nonexistent) friends list cap.
Forza 3 director on 60fps, Gran Turismo 5
Feb 5th
VG247 has posted an interview with Forza Motorsport 3 director, Dan Greenwalt. Perhaps the most interesting bit is Greenwalt’s explanation of why developer Turn 10 was so intent on making the game run at 60 frames per second. According to Greenwalt, racers that run at 30fps have “visual shuttering artifacts,” which developers are forced to cover up with motion blur. This, he said, takes up GPU resources for other features. Beyond that, he noted that the 60fps benchmark was essential to the “feel” of the game and the responsive nature of the controls. “I’m sure you would get a similar response from Infinity Ward regarding Call of Duty,” said Greenwalt.
When asked what he thought about Gran Turismo 5, and whether he was looking forward to it, Greenwalt said that “all good game developers look at what their competitors are doing.” He stated that he has been “a long-time fan” of the series, though he added, “At this point, after so many missed releases, it’s nearly impossible to say what GT5 will be or when it will ship.” That said, Greenwalt believes that Gran Turismo 5 will be “a good racing game.” Not exactly “No game competes with us,” is it?
The interview also covers some interesting statistics, like the fact that players have driven over 1.1 billion miles in online Forza 3 races. Check out the full interview for more stats and insights on the game’s development.
Web and iPhone Access to WoW Auction House Coming
Feb 3rd
Blizzard working on Auction House support for the Armory website and iPhone app
Forget about raiding and PvP action; many World of Warcraft players are obsessed with simply making as much money as possible at the game’s auction house where players can buy and sell many of the items encountered in the game. But scavenging the auction house for good deals (or monitoring your own auctions) has always been an activity that required you to be in the game — in other words, no auction house action when you’re at work or away from home for whatever reason. That won’t be the case for much longer, as Blizzard poster Bornakk has announced on the official WoW forums that Blizzard is developing a way to access the auction house through both the WoW Armory website and iPhone/iPod Touch app.
“While there are still plenty of details to be worked out, we’re designing the service to offer auction functionality similar to what’s available in-game,” Bornakk explained. “Players have been requesting — and we’ve been hoping to implement — a feature like this for a long time, and we’re excited that the Armory and the game have evolved to a point that makes it possible.”
At this point, thanks in large part to the complexity involved, there’s no release date being cited. But Blizzard already knows that at least part of the new service won’t be free. “It’s important to note here that certain elements of the service will be premium-based, which we’ll go into more detail on once the service functionality is finalized,” Bornakk wrote.
As if WoW weren’t enough of a time killer, Blizzard is helping to make sure it’s capable of dominating even more of your life. Following this update, what sort of out-of-game functionality could we see Blizzard add next? The ability to see what your friends/guild are doing and chat with them seems like a natural way for the game to evolve, but what do you want to see next?
The Classes of Command & Conquer 4
Feb 3rd
Command & Conquer 4 is the conclusion of the 15-year Tiberium saga with player progression, co-op play and live-action cinematics
Become a Ferengi or Federation Klingon in STO
Feb 3rd
Are you somewhat satisfied with your Star Trek Online avatar, but wish he or she possessed more unsightly forehead ridges? Perhaps you desire a pair of ears shaped and sized like funnel cakes? Do you wish it looked like your brain was attempting to escape out of the top of your head? Good news — the Federation Ferengi race can now be downloaded in-game for 80 Cryptic Points, which translates to a shiny half-dollar in real-world funds.
Federation players also have the option to download what we can only assume to be a reformed species of Klingon for 240 Cryptic points, or $1.50. We’re still unsure as to why anyone would play Star Trek Online and not make their own race, since we wouldn’t find the game so compelling without the adventures of Barbicane, the only surviving Bonerian in the galaxy.
Nier dated for April 23
Feb 3rd
Square Enix has dated Nier for April 23 worldwide for PS3 and 360.
SQUARE ENIX ANNOUNCES APRIL STREET DATE FOR NEW ACTION RPG NIER
Wednesday 3rd February/…Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces NIERTM will be available as a simultaneous global release on 23rd April 2010, for both the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
NIER, the newest title from Square Enix, delivers unique and memorable characters, intense action-packed battles, explosive magic and storytelling like only Square Enix can.
Nothing is as it seems in this latest action RPG game, set in a crumbling world plagued by disease and dark, unrecognisable creatures. Players assume the role of the unyielding protagonist, Nier, resolute in his quest to discover a cure for his daughter, infected with the Black Scrawl disease. With powerful allies and a mysterious book by his side, Nier encounters things that will confound even the most mighty warrior.
Armed with a powerful set of magical abilities as well as mighty swords and armour, Nier will do battle alongside a set of formidable allies against waves of dark enemies and giant bosses to discover the truth about the disease, his daughter…and himself.
Larry Sparks, Vice President Brands PAL Region of Square Enix Ltd. comments, “NIER fuses fast-paced action with a mature and mysterious narrative. The game sees a new direction for Square Enix and one that will appeal to action, adventure and RPG fans. We look forward to its release across PAL territories.”
For more information about NIER please visit the official website at www.niergame.com and Facebook page www.facebook.com/PlayNier
World of Warcraft Patch 3.3.2 Arrives
Feb 3rd
The promised “Fall of the Lich King” is upon us, as Blizzard has updated World of Warcraft to v3.3.2–bringing a new raid and various tweaks to the PC MMO–with the US / Australia, UK, French and German patches now on FileShack.
Most notable among the additions is that of Frostwing Halls, “the final stronghold of the Scourge and their Lich King,” which puts an end to the long-running Arthas saga just in time for the Cataclysm expansion to shake everything up later this year.
Should you be interested to spoil yourself see how it all pans out, or just want to peruse the change log, the ending cinematic and the patch notes are after the break:
Crysis 2 set three years after original, more details on Nanosuit 2
Feb 2nd
TVGB’s pulled out new details from the PCGames Crysis 2 mag scans that hit last week, claiming the game is set three years after the first title and adding new information on Nanosuit 2’s Tactics mode.
Tactics mode will help you gather information about the environment, enemy positions, and dead soldiers, apparently. The suit’s Power and Speed modes have been combined, so it’ll have four modes in total.
As we reported towards the end of last week, the Tactics mode also allows the player to get info on weapon drops and eavesdrop on enemy chatter.
Crysis 2 is set in New York – as opposed to the original’s island – and the vertical setting is to allow for general vertical shit. You know, like up and down stuff.
The mag saw the game’s 360 version, and was knocked out, by that account.
It’s out for PC, 360 and PS3 this year
Dawn of Discovery ‘Venice’ Expansion Dated
Feb 2nd
Those looking for more from the historical strategy game Dawn of Discovery (PC) will get their wish on February 25, as publisher Ubisoft has confirmed that is when the downloadable “Venice” expansion will be released in North America.
Among the additions: cooperative and versus multiplayer, a new “Venetian” setting, new items, new quests, new scenarios, and even a new kind of island, “the Volcano.”
Alongside the expansion, publisher Ubisoft will also release Dawn of Discovery: Gold Edition as a digital download the same day, bundling the original game with the add-on. Pricing for the Gold Edition and the expansion itself have yet to be confirmed.
[UPDATE] Impulse now lists a pre-order for Venice at $19.99. [/UPDATE]
As for Europe, where the base game is known as Anno 1404, the Venice expansion is likewise due sometime in February. A breakdown of its contents follows below:
New Venetian setting:
The rich Dawn of Discovery environment is complemented with a new Venetian setting offering new possibilities of interaction:
- Build two new Venetian ship types: the small and big tradesman cog
- Develop secret cabinets, infiltrate your enemies and sabotage their expansion
Multiplayer:
Play Dawn of Discovery online in multiplayer mode:
- Choose to play versus or co-op to defeat the AI by combining your techniques
- Up to 8 players
New Challenges and Quests:
- Up to 60 new items and 300 new quests with two new types: trading race and ship boarding
- Discover and exploit a new type of island, the Volcano island
- New scenarios to face new challenges with new achievements, medals and crests
And should any of this have peaked your interest in Dawn of Discovery / Anno 1404, there’s a downloadable demo over on FileShack that packs a few hours of gameplay
Microsoft’s SideWinder X4 Keyboard is a Ghostbuster
Feb 2nd
The Microsoft SideWinder X4 gaming keyboard was announced today, and it includes a host of gamer-friendly features. The press release touts the device’s “anti-ghosting” technology as its primary selling-point.
“We know that ghosting can be a problem for gamers, so we wanted to develop a way to eliminate this issue and improve the overall gaming experience,” explained Steven Bathiche, research manager of the Applied Sciences Group at Microsoft. The SideWinder X4 also has some other gamer-centric functionality, such as macro recording, mode and profile switching, and adjustable backlighting.
In a common phenomenon called “ghosting,” standard keyboard architecture typically records keystrokes in such a way that not all of the keys will always register properly when certain groups of them are pressed simultaneously. The SideWinder X4 reportedly eliminates this problem by giving each button a dedicated input. The X4 “ain’t afraid of no ghost,” allowing gamers to press up to twenty-six buttons at a time.
The SideWinder X4 Keyboard will be available for pre-order on Amazon.com later this week, and launches in March for the estimated retail price of $59.95.
Cryptic would ‘love’ to get Star Trek Online to consoles
Feb 2nd
Cryptic’s Craig Zinkievich told CVG that a console port of the com-pooter MMO is something the company is “definitely” interested in. “We would love to get STO to the console. At launch it will just be available for the PC but here at Cryptic we want our games across multiple platforms,” he said.
However, before you break out your good Starfleet duds and crank the jamz up to eleven in celebration, know that should Cryptic pursue a console port, it likely wouldn’t be available for quite some time. Zinkievich puts it this way: “But we’ll have to see how Star Trek does and then secondly we want to do it justice and not hurry something along just to get it on the console.”
If a Genesis and a Wii had a baby, it would be Sega Zone
Feb 2nd
You’re traveling through another dimension — a dimension not only of sight and sound but of retro games. A journey into a wondrous console containing a bunch of old Genesis games and some generic motion-controlled games. That’s the signpost up ahead. Your next stop: the Sega Zone.
Pocket Lint has images of a new licensed Sega console called the Sega Zone (or the Zone Sega, according to the box), out in the UK this summer, that contains 20 Genesis classics and 30 new games, 16 of which can be played with the device’s two wireless motion controllers.
Essentially a Firecore Classic Console crossed with the “Zone 40,” an existing knockoff Wii console, the Sega Zone also features a cartridge slot so you can play your copy of McDonalds’ Treasure Land Adventure. It’ll sell for £39.95 (about $60) in the UK
Rumor: Star Wars Battlefront: Online in the works
Jan 30th
The development of Star Wars Battlefront III has been rocky, to say the least. Work began at Free Radical before Crytek snapped up the company, then the game was rumored to be in Rebellion’s care before it eventually dropped from the face of the earth. Meanwhile Pandemic, the recently shuttered studio behind the first two games, apparently had nothing to do with the title at all.
The latest rumor, courtesy of Kotaku, puts development of a brand new Battlefront project, entitled Star Wars Battlefront: Online, in the hands of Slant Six Games and LucasArts. Slant Six is the studio behind several games in the SOCOM tactical-shooter series, making it a reasonable candidate for a Battlefront developer. The game will reportedly arrive in 2011 on PS3 and Xbox 360. It will focus on online play and, presumably, Star Wars. According to Kotaku, Star Wars Battlefront: Online is also the source of the Star Wars Battlefront III casting rumors that popped up last December.
MotoGP 09/10 free DLC and demo info revealed
Jan 30th
While things around the track have been quiet, Capcom is finally spilling the oil regarding DLC for its upcoming racer MotoGP 09/10. At this week’s Silverstone event, Capcom revealed that two free DLC packages will be released for the motocross title “shortly” after the game’s release.
Before the MotoGP 09/10 turns the final corner onto store shelves, Capcom will release an Xbox 360 and PS3 demo “about a month” prior to the game’s launch. The demo is slated to feature the world-famous Mugello, Italy, track as well as all three bike classes and will probably make any race fanatic’s wheels spin with joy. Whether you’re looking forward to its upcoming March release or not, one thing is certain: The racing references in this post need to end, immediately.
Vroom. Okay, now.
Dante’s Inferno Trailer: The Montage from Hell
Jan 30th
With Visceral’s interactive rendition of Hell less than two weeks out, our latest glimpse of Dante’s Inferno does away with the pesky voiceovers and cuts straight to the action.
Promoted through a variety of mediums–books, animated features, comic books, publicity stunts and the like–the PS3, PSP and Xbox 360 action game hits February 9
EA Sports announces FIFA Online, Beta for February 3
Jan 30th
EA Sports has announced FIFA Online which will be subscription free.
Able to be played on average computers with broadband internet, Beta testing starts February 3 with the English language version scheduled to launch in June, with other languages hitting in the next 12 to 24 months.
From the PR:
EA SPORTS FIFA Online will offer an authentic football experience with 30 licensed leagues, 500 clubs and more than 15,000 players. During the first closed beta stage beginning February 3, the game will feature a 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa tournament mode and a control system that uses the mouse only. At the second stage of closed beta, the game will feature a League Mode that enables fans to manage and compete as their favorite football club, and the ability to play online matches. FIFA Online will enable football fans and gamers to build their favorite club into their dream team by developing or acquiring players, upgrading skills, and getting unique apparel by earning in-game currency to acquire items or through micro-transactions. Additional content will be designed for the game based on feedback by fans.
It’s completely free-to-play, has all the up-to-date teams and leagues, and promises new features not seen “elsewhere in football videogames”.
Earlier today, it was announced that FIFA 10 had sold 2 million units in the UK alone and EA announced FIFA World Cup 2010 earlier in the week for an April release.
