Games Roundup – Week 4, April 2010
Yep, we’re late again. I’d like to blame Supanova, but this was plain ol’ laziness on my part. I *do* have something to make up for it, though, so read on…
Multiplatform news
GetGaming.com.au — 50% off your 1st month with Australia’s new postal mail game rental service! – Stevivor.com: Okay, so this is what I was talking about. Aussies, take advantage of our country’s first GameFly-esque service!
Marvel Vs. Capcom 3‘s Bombastic Trailer Reveals 16 Characters – Kotaku: “Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 is official, with at least 30 characters and a 2011 release date for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, Capcom confirmed last week.”
Some obvious MvC3 reveals, plus some guesses. Excited?
Retailer-backed pro-R18+ petition draws over 72K signatures in Australia – Joystiq: “Though new South Australian Attorney General John Rau seems to be straddling the fence on the prospect of introducing an R18+ rating for mature games in the land down under, a large force of gamers are attempting to pull him over to their side.”
Roger Ebert’s latest column posts ‘games can never be art’ – Joystiq: “Ebert’s latest volley in the long-running discussion is a piece published on the Chicago Sun-Times website in response to thatgamecompany prez Kellee Santiago’s TED talk at USC last summer.”
The Art of Resident Evil 5 book coming in July – Joystiq: “The Art of Resident Evil 5, the book is being released by Udon and contains loads of content from the game, including “3D models, character designs, environments, storyboards, and promotional art.” It also includes “never before seen concept art and unused designs,” creator commentary and interviews with the development staff.”
I'm buying five copies.
Lost Planet 2 getting guest characters from Dead Rising, Monster Hunter – Joystiq: “A handful of Lost Planet 2 screenshots from Famitsu have revealed the game will borrow the stars of two more franchises: Frank West from Dead Rising and the Scaly Knife-Gun Dude from Monster Hunter, the latter being exclusive to the PS3 version of the game.”
Two Voice Actors Out Arkham Asylum 2 Villains – Kotaku: “Mister Freeze and Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra’s (Ra?) will be foes in Batman: Arkham Asylum 2, according to two voice actors’ comments on a podcast and via Twitter.”
Ubisoft getting greener by ditching paper manuals – Joystiq: “Ubisoft will cease including paper instruction manuals inside its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 boxed games, starting with this holiday’s Shaun White Skateboarding (as revealed in an announcement that quietly confirms the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Shaun White Skateboarding).”
Xbox 360 news
Dead Rising 2 Case Zero is a Prologue with a Purpose – Kotaku: “Dead Rising 2 prequel, Case Zero, is much more than a glorified demo you have to pay for. The game bridges the gap between the first and second titles and gives gamers a taste of everything new Dead Rising 2 has to offer.”
Halo: Reach Multiplayer Preview: A New Game, But Not Unfamiliar – Kotaku: “In 10 days, Halo: Reach gets its multiplayer beta – and consider that last word. With four different game types, new abilities and weapons, this isn’t some preview of the rest of a new game. It is a new game.”
Jet packs. JET PACKS!
Earthworm Jim HD trailer introduces snazzy t-shirts – Joystiq: “Rather than posit that, yes, we are obviously the biggest non-arthropod invertebrate fans out there, we’ll just point out how neat we think these “I love Jim” shirts are.
Rumor: Mass Effect 2 files could point to Liara T’Soni DLC – Joystiq: “Swallow this information with the same caution one would a drink served by a Batarian bartender, but it appears that Liara T’soni may return to fighting form in future Mass Effect 2 DLC.”
Project Natal spotted in the wild, user manual and all? – Engadget: “Since the day we learned that PrimeSense was behind Microsoft’s Project Natal, we’ve been under the impression that the 3D camera hardware would be a cute little face with three eyes. So why are we staring at another hammerhead shark?”
I wish Natal would be spotted in my living room...
What Gets You Banned From Xbox Live Until The Year 9999? – Kotaku: “A concerned parent has apparently taken to the official 360 forums, looking for an explanation as to why his son had been banned from Xbox Live until the Year of our Lord, 9999. Microsoft was only too happy to oblige.”
Sony PlayStation3 and PSP News
Kick-Ass The Game Might Not Live Up To Its Name – Kotaku: “Reminding us that the movie based on Mark Millar’s award-winning comic book Kick-Ass hits theaters on Friday is one of the few good things to come from this trailer for the PlayStation Network video game.”
On another note, did you know that Kick-Ass‘ cute-AS hero, Aaron Johnson, is engaged to a woman 20 years older than he is? And they’re expecting a child? Disappointing, eh?
Nintendo Wii and DS news
Super Mario Galaxy 2 introduces ‘Cloud’ power-up – Joystiq: “No, this new power-up won’t give Mario spiky blond hair and a giant sword. Instead, the Cloud power-up from Super Mario Galaxy 2 appears to give Mario the magical ability to walk on clouds.”
I still think he needs a ridiculously-sized sword.
Woman Falls Off Wii Fit, Becomes A “Sex Addict” – Kotaku: “According to a suspiciously brief newswire report, 24 year-old Briton Amanda Flowers has become a “sex addict” after falling off her Wii Fit board.”
PC and iPhone news
‘Doctor Who: The Adventure Games‘ premieres June 5, teaser revealed – Joystiq: “The Doctor Who adventure game will premiere on June 5, 2010, according to the BBC. In the first of the four free interactive episodes, the new Doctor and his companion find themselves in a destroyed version of 1963 London, battling (shock of shocks!) the Daleks.”
I've never seen a single episode. Make your own caption up.
Blizzard Bans 320,000 Cheaters From Warcraft, Diablo – Kotaku: “Blizzard, the company behind the Warcraft and Diablo franchises, does not screw around when it swings the banhammer, booting 320,000 online accounts tonight from some of its most popular games.”
Cop Who Made Video Games Dies at 83 – Kotaku: “In the mid-1990s Daryl Gates was like the John Madden of law enforcement. His name appeared above PC games made by Sierra. Better known as the Los Angeles police chief during the Rodney King crisis, Gates died Friday at 83.”
The iPhone Game That Will Wreck Marriages – Kotaku: “Football Manager, Sega’s famous sports strategy sim that’s renowned across Europe for being so addictive it destroys marriages, is now available on the iPhone.”
The fine print
This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire week’s news. All stories are chosen for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important, chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Looper – Podcast Review
The Hobbit & 2012 In Review – LIVE SHOW
Skyfall – Podcast Review
Seven Psychopaths – Podcast Review
The Cabin in the Woods – Podcast Review
After Dark – Courtney Solomon Interview
Interview with Andrew Constant about Torn – Comic Podcast
Priest – Cam Gigandet WonderCon Roundtable
Priest – Paul Bettany WonderCon Roundtable
Weird Al Yankovic – The Interview
Dr Who Season 7 – TV Trailer
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 – Animated Movie Trailer
Skyfall – Domestic and International Movie Trailers
Cloud Atlas – Movie Trailer
Oz the Great and Powerful – Movie Trailer
I want to give a big time review to Death at a Funeral. Worth seeing.