Obsidian Entertainment is perhaps best known for being a foster home for franchises. After expanding the words and worlds of others with sequels to Knights of the Old Republic, NeverWinter Nights, and the forthcoming Fallout: New Vegas, Alpha Protocol grants the developer an opportunity to construct a role-playing game that need not abide by someone else's rules. Obsidian's strengths in storytelling and technology stand unsupported in the spotlight this time.
It sets the stage for an inescapable comparison between Alpha Protocol and Mass Effect -- provided it's Mass Effectone we're talking about. Like BioWare's first attempt at combining third-person, cover-based shooting with long-term character building and narrative choice, Alpha Protocol seems intent on telling a gripping story, even while the cardboard scenery falls down. The character models look dated, screen tearing is distracting and those extra months of post-delay polish don't shine through.
And just as with Mass Effect, the technological struggles of the engine might be relegated to the background and forgiven once your attention turns to Alpha Protocol's cast of duplicitous operatives. Yes, dry spy guy Michael Thorton doesn't make a good first impression -- more Luke Skywalker than Jack Bauer -- but he definitely makes one, as evidenced by two possible scenarios viewed side-by-side. In one, Thorton meets his Rome contact , Madison, for a sweet and earnest bedside discussion. In the other, at the same point within the game's timeline, her reception is icy and violent. What on earth could you have done in an alternate playthrough to lose that many points with her? You know, reputation points.
Can you believe that EA launched their online website on this very day back in 1995? Just look at that work of art. I think the design is better than GoNintendo! I’ll have to get in touch with the designers on this project, just to see if they can’t whip something up [...]
#wii
Our previous look at Monolith Soft's upcoming Wii role-playing game Xenoblade—formerly known as Monado: Beginning of the World—may not have convinced you that the game is worthy of carrying the "Xeno" prefix. But what about this new trailer? More »
#wii
Our previous look at Monolith Soft's upcoming Wii role-playing game Xenoblade—formerly known as Monado: Beginning of the World—may not have convinced you that the game is worthy of carrying the Xeno prefix. But what about this new trailer? More »
Manga UK, the British arm of anime distributor Manga Entertainment, has announced that it's picked up the rights to Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva, the animated Professor Layton feature film released in Japan last December. We're currently checking with the US company to determine its plans, but at the very least we now know that there will be an officially translated (dubbed, in fact) version of the film on Blu-ray and DVD this September. Consider getting around the region coding ... a puzzle.
The movie features an original story by Level-5 CEO and Professor Layton creator Akihiro Hino, about mysterious kidnappings and a creepy opera house that apparently holds the secret to immortality. And puzzles.
#psp
If you thought Konami and Kojima Productions' collaboration with Capcom's Monster Hunter series was a bizarre fit, you'll likely find the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker tie-in with Square Enix just slightly less weird. More »
#psp
If you thought Konami and Kojima Productions' collaboration with Capcom's Monster Hunter series was a bizarre fit, you'll likely find the Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker tie-in with Square Enix just slightly less weird. More »
Activision announced today that the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 "Stimulus Package" set a new Xbox Live record -- clearly, mapathy had set in. According to Microsoft's figures, the DLC pack was downloaded over one million times in 24 hours, surpassing 2.5 million units within a week. All at $15 a pop.
To recap: 2.5 million of you are totally okay with a $15 map pack so, if this happens again, we aren't going to be there to kiss the boo-boo if it's suddenly $20. Just so we're on the same page.
What the PS3 homebrew community hoped was an April Fool's joke by Sony turned out not to be, as the latest system update for the console (3.21) axed the ability to install another operating system, i.e. Linux, on it. The feature has been absent from the PS3 "Slim" since its release, but owners of the original form factor probably never expected to lose the functionality. Enter Geohot, the person who in January claimed to have "hacked the PS3." He now claims to have created a custom firmware update that not only reintroduces the Other OS feature to original PS3 units, but potentially the Slim systems as well.
Geohot writes on his blog that "this can be installed without having to open up your PS3, just by restoring a custom generated PUP file, but only from 3.15 or previous. It's possible this CFW will also work on the slim to actually *enable* OtherOS." He also takes Sony to task for removing the feature in the first place, saying it is "potentially turning 100000+ legit users into 'hackers.'"
The YouTube video we've embedded after the break purports to show Geohot's PS3 booting Linux thanks to his custom v3.21 firmware. He hasn't put a firm date on the release of the hack, but simply divulging its existence was probably more than enough to get Sony's lawyers drawing up the paperwork for a cease and desist.
#thisweekincomics
A couple of big-brand video game comics series end this week, but I can't keep shaking my head at the Superman series that feels like it should never have started. More »
Remember when manufacturers used to make TVs that had VHS players built into them? Well, there were a few manufacturers that did the same thing with the NES. I think that goes to show just how popular the NES was back in the day. I know I’d much rather have one of [...]
Avatar: The Last Airbender's move from Nickelodeon cartoon to live-action movie isn't enough to shake off THQ, publisher of games based on the franchise. The company has announced Wii and DS games based on M. Night Shyamalan's improbable film adaptation of the basic cable cartoon series, which focuses on a kid who uses wind-controlling powers (and an arrow on his head) against the Fire Nation.
The games will, of course, allow players to control the title character in segments. However, the story will be told "from the unique perspective of the antagonist Zuko, exiled prince of the Fire Nation, who embarks on a personal quest to capture the Avatar, a young boy named Aang, in order to regain his father's honor." A twist worthy of Shyamalan himself! Or not.
The Last Airbender "immerses players in the world of bending" (no, really, that's what the press release says) in June.
#callofduty
Want to see what all that Modern Warfare 2 fuss is about, PC gamers? Then play the game's multiplayer mode for free this weekend, courtesy of Activision and Valve's Steam service. More »
How can you have an article about the top 10 horses in video games, and not include Epona? You just can’t, and thankfully Game Informer realizes that. For me, it’s hard to think of any other horses in games that have had nearly the same impact as Epona. As far as I [...]
We were almost certain that the above Dead to Rights: Retribution trailer Namco Bandai recently sent us was a joke. Not because of its constant depictions of brutal dog-on-man violence (which, admittedly, is kind of hilarious), but because the content of the trailer is obviously ripped off from a recent film you're probably familiar with.
Don't believe us? Check out the trailer above, then check out the film trailer after the jump. The stark similarities should be made abundantly clear.
We posted up an auction the other week for a major bit of Mother merchandise, and the person that won that auction has now taken a bunch of pics to show off his goodies! You won’t believe some of the rare items found in this collection.
cerasus.media launches 7 Card Games as its first title on Nintendo DSiWare™. Thrilling with Texas and Omaha Hold’em Poker, Blackjack, Hearts, Freecell plus Klondike Deal 1 and Deal3, the collection contains all of the most popular card games in Northern American territory.
Who has the best hand? Take a seat, have a drink and get started: [...]
Focus testing is an ugly, ugly process that goes on with most games. A bunch of people are brought together to playtest a game, and they spout out any/all thoughts they have on the project. These comments can lead to the final product, and may actually end up ruining the experience for a [...]
