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Prinny, Can You Really be the Hero? The answer is an Astounding Yes Incredible and original PSP title. Prinny is a hero to hungry PSP gamers. 
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Jaded Since Jade; Has Ubi Gone Soft?
by Joel Windels | 07/02/09 | 5:10 PM PST
There was a time when I looked up to Ubisoft as a beacon of light in what I saw as an otherwise dark and misguided industry. 2003 was a year in which I had the time to play a lot of video games, and managed to play most of the year's major releases. I was, at the time something of a Nintendo fanboy, though I did own a PS2 and Xbox as well. Nintendo were for me, a company that refused to comply with the industry's growing stagnation, yet the GameCube was struggling to economically perform.
Cast your minds back to 2003: EA ruled the roost, with the Need For Speed and sports franchises dominating the charts. The Sims had spawned countless amounts of uninspired expansion packs, the woeful Medal of Honor: Rising Sun and Enter The Matrix were selling well and copycat behavior was abound with lackluster games being marketed into success, such as Tony Hawk's Underground, True Crime: Streets of LA, Burnout 2 and Angel of Darkness. Even Nintendo's new Gameboy Advance SP model reeked of a "cash-in" and all signs of innovation were crumbling commercially, from Nokia's ill-fated N-Gage to the apparent collapse of the much-hyped Capcom Five, following the poor reception of P.N.03 and the cancellation of Dead Phoenix. Aside from a couple of notable exceptions in the shape of Soul Calibur II and Knights of the Old Republic, 2003 represented an industry heading in the direction of Hollywood, a realm where innovation and artistic quality is considered commercially unviable and low-risk, high yield strategies are abundant and substance is sacrificed for style.
Jaded Since Jade; Has Ubi Gone Soft?
by Joel Windels | 07/02/09 | 5:10 PM PST
There was a time when I looked up to Ubisoft as a beacon of light in what I saw as an otherwise dark and misguided industry. 2003 was a year in which I had the time to play a lot of video games, and managed to play most of the year's major releases. I was, at the time something of a Nintendo fanboy, though I did own a PS2 and Xbox as well. Nintendo were for me, a company that refused to comply with the industry's growing stagnation, yet the GameCube was struggling to economically perform.
Cast your minds back to 2003: EA ruled the roost, with the Need For Speed and sports franchises dominating the charts. The Sims had spawned countless amounts of uninspired expansion packs, the woeful Medal of Honor: Rising Sun and Enter The Matrix were selling well and copycat behavior was abound with lackluster games being marketed into success, such as Tony Hawk's Underground, True Crime: Streets of LA, Burnout 2 and Angel of Darkness. Even Nintendo's new Gameboy Advance SP model reeked of a "cash-in" and all signs of innovation were crumbling commercially, from Nokia's ill-fated N-Gage to the apparent collapse of the much-hyped Capcom Five, following the poor reception of P.N.03 and the cancellation of Dead Phoenix. Aside from a couple of notable exceptions in the shape of Soul Calibur II and Knights of the Old Republic, 2003 represented an industry heading in the direction of Hollywood, a realm where innovation and artistic quality is considered commercially unviable and low-risk, high yield strategies are abundant and substance is sacrificed for style.
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The Role of Female Characters in Video Games Part 2 - Samus Aran
by Joey Davidson | 07/02/09 | 5:00 PM PST
I started this series of articles just a few months ago. I have already told you that my intention here is to investigate the role of female characters in gaming. I am not necessarily trying to provide a solution, but I am definitely looking to further unearth the inherent problem. Female characters in gaming cast a negative shadow over the medium and gender perception as a whole.
If you are looking to understand my full intentions throughout this series, I would like to offer you a chance to read my first article. I spend a lot of time in the early goings trying to explain my position. Well, I have done that already. So I decided that here, and with future editions of this editorial, I will begin more quickly than before.
When I finished the first piece, I immediately started to get a slew of reactions from colleagues, friends and readers. Not all of them were positive, of course, but they did spark the types of discussions for which I was looking. And a lot of people started to offer Samus Aran as a solution for the model of strong females in games. She immediately became my next target.
The Role of Female Characters in Video Games Part 2 - Samus Aran
by Joey Davidson | 07/02/09 | 5:00 PM PST
I started this series of articles just a few months ago. I have already told you that my intention here is to investigate the role of female characters in gaming. I am not necessarily trying to provide a solution, but I am definitely looking to further unearth the inherent problem. Female characters in gaming cast a negative shadow over the medium and gender perception as a whole.
If you are looking to understand my full intentions throughout this series, I would like to offer you a chance to read my first article. I spend a lot of time in the early goings trying to explain my position. Well, I have done that already. So I decided that here, and with future editions of this editorial, I will begin more quickly than before.
When I finished the first piece, I immediately started to get a slew of reactions from colleagues, friends and readers. Not all of them were positive, of course, but they did spark the types of discussions for which I was looking. And a lot of people started to offer Samus Aran as a solution for the model of strong females in games. She immediately became my next target.
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Tekken 6 Director: Unlockable Characters are Outdated
by Kombo Staff | 07/02/09 | 4:56 PM PST
Once upon a time, discovering a hidden character (or, more likely, reading a magazine and showing off your "skillz" to all your friends) offered great excitement in the fighting game arena. And once it caught on, it caught on big; odds are, if you were playing a fighting game, there was at least one guy hidden away somewhere.
But then, for many, it began to get tiresome; to hone your skills at a friend's house or at the arcade, mastering a certain character, only to find yourself forced to use other, lesser entities in order to reclaim your former glory... or to just use that one guy who you thought looked really, really cool.
It is a tradition which carries on, even today, much to the chagrin of gamers everywhere. Many a complaint has been lobbied against the likes of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Street Fighter IV for hiding away characters such as Luigi, Cammy, Sakura, and Captain Falcon under lock and key, preventing players from getting the most out of their experience when they open the box.
But, at long last, one fighting game director is ready to stand against such practices.
Tekken 6 Director: Unlockable Characters are Outdated
by Kombo Staff | 07/02/09 | 4:56 PM PST
Once upon a time, discovering a hidden character (or, more likely, reading a magazine and showing off your "skillz" to all your friends) offered great excitement in the fighting game arena. And once it caught on, it caught on big; odds are, if you were playing a fighting game, there was at least one guy hidden away somewhere.
But then, for many, it began to get tiresome; to hone your skills at a friend's house or at the arcade, mastering a certain character, only to find yourself forced to use other, lesser entities in order to reclaim your former glory... or to just use that one guy who you thought looked really, really cool.
It is a tradition which carries on, even today, much to the chagrin of gamers everywhere. Many a complaint has been lobbied against the likes of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Street Fighter IV for hiding away characters such as Luigi, Cammy, Sakura, and Captain Falcon under lock and key, preventing players from getting the most out of their experience when they open the box.
But, at long last, one fighting game director is ready to stand against such practices.
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Are the Games of the Past Harder Then the Games of Today?
by Nick McCavitt | 07/02/09 | 4:56 PM PST
It takes a lot for someone to be a hardcore gamer these days; in the early days of gaming it was a simpler process, like who could play the longest or the quickest. Now though, it's who can kill the most in a row or find the most hidden extras to prove you're a cut above the average gamer. In this highly energized atmosphere, it should be an easy prospect for us to take on the games of the past practically in our sleep.
At least, that's what I thought.
It turns out, however, that I was quite incorrect in that assumption. It all came to me when I saw that Castle Wolfenstein could be acquired for the iPod Touch and felt confident in my ability to crush those pixelated Nazis in a blink. I had done so many times the first time I played the game, and the foes and challenges I'd faced in other FPS games since were much greater. What was a pistol toting Nazi beside a group of Overwatch soldiers, or Bioshock's Big Daddies? Playing this game would be a walk in the park, I told myself.
It proved not to be so at all.
Are the Games of the Past Harder Then the Games of Today?
by Nick McCavitt | 07/02/09 | 4:56 PM PST
It takes a lot for someone to be a hardcore gamer these days; in the early days of gaming it was a simpler process, like who could play the longest or the quickest. Now though, it's who can kill the most in a row or find the most hidden extras to prove you're a cut above the average gamer. In this highly energized atmosphere, it should be an easy prospect for us to take on the games of the past practically in our sleep.
At least, that's what I thought.
It turns out, however, that I was quite incorrect in that assumption. It all came to me when I saw that Castle Wolfenstein could be acquired for the iPod Touch and felt confident in my ability to crush those pixelated Nazis in a blink. I had done so many times the first time I played the game, and the foes and challenges I'd faced in other FPS games since were much greater. What was a pistol toting Nazi beside a group of Overwatch soldiers, or Bioshock's Big Daddies? Playing this game would be a walk in the park, I told myself.
It proved not to be so at all.
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How to Survive a Zombie Invasion!
by Joel Windels | 07/02/09 | 4:38 PM PST
Everywhere you look these days there are signs of an impending zombie apocalypse. The UK recently saw the release of Charlie Brooker's excellent Dead Set on DVD and this century has seen dozens of zombie-infested movies, a worrying rise that has also infected the world of video games. This generation has been swamped with zombies, from Dead Rising's limitless zombie horde to COD5's marching Nazi Zombies.
We all now have enough experience in dealing with the forthcoming undead doom, but just in case you need some advice in your preparation, here are some basic dos and don'ts in the imminent Armageddon.
DO
How to Survive a Zombie Invasion!
by Joel Windels | 07/02/09 | 4:38 PM PST
Everywhere you look these days there are signs of an impending zombie apocalypse. The UK recently saw the release of Charlie Brooker's excellent Dead Set on DVD and this century has seen dozens of zombie-infested movies, a worrying rise that has also infected the world of video games. This generation has been swamped with zombies, from Dead Rising's limitless zombie horde to COD5's marching Nazi Zombies.
We all now have enough experience in dealing with the forthcoming undead doom, but just in case you need some advice in your preparation, here are some basic dos and don'ts in the imminent Armageddon.
DO
- Assemble a team of survivors. Make sure they are capable with a weapon and unflinching in decapitating undead loved-ones. A team of 2-4 generally works best and if possible, recruit a multicultural group as to not provoke accusations of racism as you splatter the brains of the ethnically diverse gaggle of zombies. The lightest shade of milky brown will apparently pass as black.
- Get to a high, secure location. Zombies generally have poor dexterity and route-planning skills and will struggle when presented with sharp gradients.
... IF you want to live, read on.
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I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
by Joel Windels | 07/02/09 | 4:32 PM PST
I recently completed creating a flash-based game for a university project and during the design process took the opportunity to play a lot of games I had never played before. One of my favorite stories ever is a short one written by sci-fi legend Harlan Ellison called "I Have No Mouth, and I must Scream," which you can read here, and during my game research I stumbled across a 1995 PC game based on the story.
If you can't be bothered to read the story, it is about a supercomputer that has evolved and gained sentience in the wake of a global war and sets about destroying mankind: so far, so Hollywood. However, in this tale the computer (named AM) succeeds in laying waste to the entire planet and every living human, save for five sorry individuals. With its highly advanced intelligence and seemingly limitless hatred for mankind, AM manages to keep them perpetually alive despite the endless torture he performs upon them. The story takes place 109 years into the torture.
The game mechanic itself is anything but revolutionary, with the gameplay roughly mirroring what you would expect to find in a Myst game, but as with the book, the game totally blew me away.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
by Joel Windels | 07/02/09 | 4:32 PM PST
I recently completed creating a flash-based game for a university project and during the design process took the opportunity to play a lot of games I had never played before. One of my favorite stories ever is a short one written by sci-fi legend Harlan Ellison called "I Have No Mouth, and I must Scream," which you can read here, and during my game research I stumbled across a 1995 PC game based on the story.
If you can't be bothered to read the story, it is about a supercomputer that has evolved and gained sentience in the wake of a global war and sets about destroying mankind: so far, so Hollywood. However, in this tale the computer (named AM) succeeds in laying waste to the entire planet and every living human, save for five sorry individuals. With its highly advanced intelligence and seemingly limitless hatred for mankind, AM manages to keep them perpetually alive despite the endless torture he performs upon them. The story takes place 109 years into the torture.
The game mechanic itself is anything but revolutionary, with the gameplay roughly mirroring what you would expect to find in a Myst game, but as with the book, the game totally blew me away.
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BioShock 2 Plunging Back Into the Depths
by Nick McCavitt | 07/02/09 | 4:20 PM PST
When it comes to up and coming games, I always try to keep in mind the rule about never believing what you read, unless it comes from the creators. I tried to do this with Bioshock 2: The Sea of Dreams, which once again brings us to Rapture for more mind-bending undersea adventures. This time, however, there's a twist that doesn't involve a sudden plane crash. Instead of playing the mysterious Jack of the Will You Kindly, you play a rogue Big Daddy, wandering Rapture, and assisting Little Sisters.
I admit to feeling an uncharitable view of the game, as it just seems to be letting you do all the same things you did in Bioshock 1, just as a Big Daddy. It's not that Big Daddies aren't tragic figures, as they've had their very humanity stripped away to act as weapons in a war they didn't volunteer for, but it seemed to be difficult to build a game around such a thing. However, I admit that I may have jumped too conclusions too soon. This has to do with the new information I received about the Big Sister, who has been mentioned to be kidnapping little girls to make into new Big Sisters, which she then uses into making into her new empire under the sea. She's now the Queen of Rapture, and she seems determined to make it Girls Only.
BioShock 2 Plunging Back Into the Depths
by Nick McCavitt | 07/02/09 | 4:20 PM PST
When it comes to up and coming games, I always try to keep in mind the rule about never believing what you read, unless it comes from the creators. I tried to do this with Bioshock 2: The Sea of Dreams, which once again brings us to Rapture for more mind-bending undersea adventures. This time, however, there's a twist that doesn't involve a sudden plane crash. Instead of playing the mysterious Jack of the Will You Kindly, you play a rogue Big Daddy, wandering Rapture, and assisting Little Sisters.
I admit to feeling an uncharitable view of the game, as it just seems to be letting you do all the same things you did in Bioshock 1, just as a Big Daddy. It's not that Big Daddies aren't tragic figures, as they've had their very humanity stripped away to act as weapons in a war they didn't volunteer for, but it seemed to be difficult to build a game around such a thing. However, I admit that I may have jumped too conclusions too soon. This has to do with the new information I received about the Big Sister, who has been mentioned to be kidnapping little girls to make into new Big Sisters, which she then uses into making into her new empire under the sea. She's now the Queen of Rapture, and she seems determined to make it Girls Only.
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Update: Warner Bros. $33M Offer To Midway Approved
by Jeff Grubb | 07/02/09 | 2:44 PM PST
Warner Bros.' $33 million bid to buy Midway was approved today by the court overseeing the acquisition. This puts WB in control of Midway's biggest property, Mortal Kombat.
The deal will officially be closed in ten days, but Vin Diesel and Larry Kassanoff are two people who won't be happy to read this news. Both men filed objections to the sale, claiming that they had rights to different properties.
Update: Warner Bros. $33M Offer To Midway Approved
by Jeff Grubb | 07/02/09 | 2:44 PM PST
Warner Bros.' $33 million bid to buy Midway was approved today by the court overseeing the acquisition. This puts WB in control of Midway's biggest property, Mortal Kombat.
The deal will officially be closed in ten days, but Vin Diesel and Larry Kassanoff are two people who won't be happy to read this news. Both men filed objections to the sale, claiming that they had rights to different properties.
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Confirmed: Resident Evil: Afterlife Hitting Theaters in September 2010
by Bob Crossen | 07/02/09 | 12:34 PM PST
Update:
At the time of this writing, Shock Till You Drop received confirmation from Sony that what was rumor is indeed true. Will you be seeing it a year from this September, or is that too much of a time commitment?
Original Post:
Rumor in the middle of the venn-diagram that is movies and video games today is that there will be a fourth movie in the Resident Evil series. Titled Resident Evil: Afterlife, we can likely expect to see the same zombie crushing action we all enjoy.
The rumor claims that a Sony Pictures internal memo concerning the movie gave it a September 17, 2010 release. Considering that this isn't the first time hearing rumor about its existence, we find this to be more credible than your average rumor.
Just to be safe, keep your skepticism hat on and tell us whether you think another Resident Evil movie is even necessary in the comments below.
Confirmed: Resident Evil: Afterlife Hitting Theaters in September 2010
by Bob Crossen | 07/02/09 | 12:34 PM PST
Update:
At the time of this writing, Shock Till You Drop received confirmation from Sony that what was rumor is indeed true. Will you be seeing it a year from this September, or is that too much of a time commitment?
Original Post:
Rumor in the middle of the venn-diagram that is movies and video games today is that there will be a fourth movie in the Resident Evil series. Titled Resident Evil: Afterlife, we can likely expect to see the same zombie crushing action we all enjoy.
The rumor claims that a Sony Pictures internal memo concerning the movie gave it a September 17, 2010 release. Considering that this isn't the first time hearing rumor about its existence, we find this to be more credible than your average rumor.
Just to be safe, keep your skepticism hat on and tell us whether you think another Resident Evil movie is even necessary in the comments below.
source: Via Joystiq
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PSP Go: Sony's Plan All Along
by Alex Osborn | 07/02/09 | 11:36 AM PST
It has become a Sony standard that with the release of each new console, a new type of media must be integrated. Following the first PlayStation, we saw advancements in each subsequent generation, from DVD playback on the PS2, to the PSP's UMD drive and finally the Blu-ray enabled PS3. The PSP Go hopes to take this one step further by removing tangible media altogether and making it completely digital. And according to Sony, this has been their plan all along.
PSP Go: Sony's Plan All Along
by Alex Osborn | 07/02/09 | 11:36 AM PST
It has become a Sony standard that with the release of each new console, a new type of media must be integrated. Following the first PlayStation, we saw advancements in each subsequent generation, from DVD playback on the PS2, to the PSP's UMD drive and finally the Blu-ray enabled PS3. The PSP Go hopes to take this one step further by removing tangible media altogether and making it completely digital. And according to Sony, this has been their plan all along.
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Of PlayStation Portables, Networks, and Mega Men
by David Oxford | 07/02/09 | 9:01 AM PST
Mega Man fans are a hopeful lot. We spent the past decade and some change hoping for a new title in the Classic series, and in that regard, we got lucky with Mega Man 9 taking the video game world by storm last year. However, that seems to be the rare instance.
As I have made no secret of, a new title in the Mega Man Legends series is also highly desired. So much so, in fact, that a number of fans (myself included) are quite willing to settle for re-releases of the original titles, be it by way of Virtual Console and PlayStation Network, or even on a Collection disc, the likes of which both the original Mega Man and X have seen. All so we can share the love with people who have not yet experienced it, as well as show our support for a new entry with our dollars. Sadly, nothing of the sort lay on the horizon.
Fortunately, that's not the case for the two PlayStation Portable titles, Mega Man Powered Up and Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X.
Of PlayStation Portables, Networks, and Mega Men
by David Oxford | 07/02/09 | 9:01 AM PST
Mega Man fans are a hopeful lot. We spent the past decade and some change hoping for a new title in the Classic series, and in that regard, we got lucky with Mega Man 9 taking the video game world by storm last year. However, that seems to be the rare instance.
As I have made no secret of, a new title in the Mega Man Legends series is also highly desired. So much so, in fact, that a number of fans (myself included) are quite willing to settle for re-releases of the original titles, be it by way of Virtual Console and PlayStation Network, or even on a Collection disc, the likes of which both the original Mega Man and X have seen. All so we can share the love with people who have not yet experienced it, as well as show our support for a new entry with our dollars. Sadly, nothing of the sort lay on the horizon.
Fortunately, that's not the case for the two PlayStation Portable titles, Mega Man Powered Up and Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X.
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Mizuguchi, Suda, and Hino Look Back on E3 2009
by David Oxford | 07/01/09 | 2:44 PM PST
Weeks later, and I'm still wondering how many of Microsoft's millions it took to get those two to do that on the world stage.
Anyway, Natalephants aside, this was a fairly memorable E3, one which some might even deem a landmark event: The event itself returned to its former glory (or at least something more closely-resembling it than the past few years have shown), Sony and Microsoft finally pulled the trigger on the motion control revolution, and Metal Gear returns to Microsoft (Metal Gear Solid 2 was on Xbox, if you'll remember).
Naturally, it leads one to wonder what some of the creators of our favorite titles thought of the event. To that end, Famitsu caught up with Q Entertainment's Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Grasshopper Manufacture's Goichi Suda, and Level-5's Akihiro Hino to see what they thought of the event.
Mizuguchi, Suda, and Hino Look Back on E3 2009
by David Oxford | 07/01/09 | 2:44 PM PST
Weeks later, and I'm still wondering how many of Microsoft's millions it took to get those two to do that on the world stage.
Anyway, Natalephants aside, this was a fairly memorable E3, one which some might even deem a landmark event: The event itself returned to its former glory (or at least something more closely-resembling it than the past few years have shown), Sony and Microsoft finally pulled the trigger on the motion control revolution, and Metal Gear returns to Microsoft (Metal Gear Solid 2 was on Xbox, if you'll remember).
Naturally, it leads one to wonder what some of the creators of our favorite titles thought of the event. To that end, Famitsu caught up with Q Entertainment's Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Grasshopper Manufacture's Goichi Suda, and Level-5's Akihiro Hino to see what they thought of the event.
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Playstation Network Getting a Dose of Capcom Classics
by Kombo Staff | 07/01/09 | 1:33 PM PST
Read on to find the full list.
Playstation Network Getting a Dose of Capcom Classics
by Kombo Staff | 07/01/09 | 1:33 PM PST
Read on to find the full list.
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President Obama Honors Cancer Fighting Game Publisher
by Jeff Grubb | 07/01/09 | 10:46 AM PST
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama praised a handful of non-profit organizations that are bringing innovation to their causes. As reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal, one of those non-profit groups was the foundation responsible for the cancer fighting game Re-Mission, HopeLab Foundation.
The President gave a speech in person honoring the non-profits that were present and calling out to other innovators to join with the government with the goal of improving their communities. The President said:
Re-Mission is a PC videogame that was developed from the outset to help children and young-adults deal with and learn about the effects of cancer. You can find out more about the game by visiting Hopelab.org or the Re-Mission website.
President Obama Honors Cancer Fighting Game Publisher
by Jeff Grubb | 07/01/09 | 10:46 AM PST
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama praised a handful of non-profit organizations that are bringing innovation to their causes. As reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal, one of those non-profit groups was the foundation responsible for the cancer fighting game Re-Mission, HopeLab Foundation.
The President gave a speech in person honoring the non-profits that were present and calling out to other innovators to join with the government with the goal of improving their communities. The President said:
You teach us that there is no such thing as a lost cause if you are willing to be creative and challenge the conventional wisdom.
Re-Mission is a PC videogame that was developed from the outset to help children and young-adults deal with and learn about the effects of cancer. You can find out more about the game by visiting Hopelab.org or the Re-Mission website.
source: Gamepolitics
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First Live Footage of Gaikai Games-On-Demand Service
by Christopher Burke | 07/01/09 | 9:58 AM PST
Forget On-Live and say hello to Gaikai. This impressive service, led by industry veteran Dave Perry, is looking to take a chunk out of the upcoming games-on-demand market.
Read on to learn four things about this demo that might surprise you, and how Gaikai is taking a radically different approach to delivering games.
First Live Footage of Gaikai Games-On-Demand Service
by Christopher Burke | 07/01/09 | 9:58 AM PST
Forget On-Live and say hello to Gaikai. This impressive service, led by industry veteran Dave Perry, is looking to take a chunk out of the upcoming games-on-demand market.
What's different about Gaikai? It runs right out of your browser - no box, wires, or software installation required - and they have a live demo of the service in action that you can watch below.
Gaikai Technology Demo (JULY 1, 2009) from David Perry on Vimeo.
Read on to learn four things about this demo that might surprise you, and how Gaikai is taking a radically different approach to delivering games.
June 30, 2009
