It's been a while since we've seen a really unique application of the dark magic-fueled creation tools behind StarCraft 2, so we're glad the video posted below could come along and decisively end our dry spell. Behold: Origins, a recreation of thatgamecompany's microcosmic PSN title, flOw.
Join Bop Louie as he searches for this three friends - Shades, Freeon Leon and Gil - to help him complete his mad scramble. It won’t be easy. Brain-boggling mazes, traps and bizarre pitfalls stand in your way back to Ufouria.
You’ll rely on your friends to survive in this strange, changing world. But beware. You [...]
The NPD's "PC Games Digital Downloads: Analyst Report" states that in 2009, 21.3 million "full-game" PC titles were downloaded through digital distribution networks, while 23.5 million physical units were purchased at retail. Yes, despite the explosion of digital distribution in the PC space, retail is still important.
Overall, digital distribution "accounted for 36 percent of dollar sales," but the initial cost of a PC product -- if it even has any upfront cost -- doesn't really give the full picture of the financial potential.
The top five "frontline" digital retailers (those who have the games that are also typically offered in stores) were:
Steam (SURPRISE!)
Direct2Drive
Blizzard.com
EA.com
Worldofwarcraft.com
We've listed the top five casual digital retailers after the break. NPD notes that casual distributors have lost market share due to the rise of "social network gaming" (Facebook) and free, inexpensive mobile titles.
- Game is very near completion
- working on finishing touches and bug testing
- conceptualization most likely began right when Sonic and the Black Knight was wrapped
- Built on the best of Sonic Unleashed
- not intended to be Unleashed lite
- game story is canon for the series
- not many cut scenes
- Wisps may/may not talk
- Wii [...]
#podcast
This week's episode of the Kotaku Talk Radio podcast has hit the web...of Spider-Man. Download or stream the latest episode to hear Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions game designer Francois Taddei spin us a tale of multiple webslingers. More »
Sega has announced that an update is now available for the Xbox 360 version of Phantasy Star Universe (the PS2 and PC versions are kaput, remember). Entitled "GUARDIANS Advanced Content," the update includes new items, new missions, a new character customization system and tweaks to existing classes and abilities. The update is free for all subscribers and will be applied automatically on login.
Sega also reminded players that the Phantasy Star Universe expansion, Ambitions of the Illuminus, is now available free of charge. Originally costing 800 MSP ($10), the expansion features its own set of additions including new weapons, locations, enemies and more. If you grab the update and the expansion and squint your eyes, you just might be able to trick yourself into thinking it's a realPhantasy Star sequel.
Square Enix's pre-order bonus for Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep might not be extravagant, but it is ... adhesive. Putting money down at Amazon, GameStop or Best Buy will net you the system-bestickering decals shown, in light and dark variants so as to stand out on any color scheme.
#ps3
Netflix will, by the end of October, ditch the disc necessary to stream movies onto the PS3, CEO Reed Hastings said in the company's latest earnings call. More »
#beta
The upcoming freemium real-time simulation Company of Heroes Online kicked off an exclusive closed beta today, promising that 20,000 more access keys will be handed out on July 26 via IGN's FilePlanet. More »
#ps3
We love games that involve shadows. But no one on team Kotaku was buzzing about Echochrome ii. Then I saw it yesterday running on a PS3, controlled by the wand-like Move controller. And now I can't shut up about it. More »
When we announced Front Mission Evolved's September 14th launch date we joked that Square Enix had neglected to check the calendar. You know, because September 14 is also "International Halo: Reach Day," a notable religious holiday. Also there's another video game coming out that day.
Now Front Mission Evolved has been pushed back two weeks, to September 28. The funny thing is, other high-profile games are arriving on that new launch date -- sometimes you just need to mecha decision, we guess.
New footage of WayForward's Batman: The Brave and the Bold for Wii introduces three of Batman's brave, bold pals. Green Lantern Guy Gardner, seen here as a playable co-op character, is given many opportunities to hit things with various bludgeons, cudgels, clubs, and other heavy things created with his power ring (and his mind) -- even, at one point, encasing himself in the shape of a giant hard-light person.
Captain Marvel and Aquaman both appear in this footage as summonable partner characters, who appear to help out with a screen-clearing attack. Marvel (commonly referred to as The Big Red Cheese) uses his ability to punch stuff really hard, and Aquaman floods the entire world on demand. A bit of overkill, perhaps, but it's not The Meek and the Measured.
For those of you wondering why the Final Fantasy franchise has seemingly betrayed its roots, you're probably about to encounter some seriously mixed feelings. According to Andriasang, Square Enix recently announced Final Fantasy Legends: Hikari to Yami no Senshi (Warriors of Light and Darkness), a retro-style entry into the franchise featuring all the crystals, job systems and 2D sprites which fans of the company's classic RPGs could ever hope for.
Unfortunately, the game will be distributed episodically through Square's Final Fantasy Mobile platform for Japanese cell phones later this year. However, it is being developed by the team behind Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, which started as a mobile title before making it to the much more accessible WiiWare platform. We've got our fingers crossed that Legends will get a similar treatment.
This is your lucky day, masochists! Atlus has announced that it will extend support for Demon's Souls' online servers until "at least" March 2011. When the game shipped in April 2009, the Demon's Souls user agreement made it clear that online functionality would be sponsored for "no less than six months". Now it would appear that the game's surprising success has led Atlus to extend that commitment significantly.
In celebration, Atlus is flipping the Demon's Souls World Tendency to Pure White, which will knock the controller-snapping difficulty down a few notches. The change should last for "a couple weeks," just long enough to lull newcomers into a false sense of security.
#3d
In an experiment that could spread to other 3D video games on the PlayStation 3, the developers of November's Sly Cooper compilation are considering including a controller-based slider that will adjust the depth of 3D displayed by the game. More »
* Mention of the BIT.TRIP RUNNER soundtrack coming soon and in 6 tracks
* Mentions control scheme for BIT.TRIP BEAT on iPhone being wither touch or motion
* Also, a tidbit being if there’s enough fans who want a “hardcore” mode of BIT.TRIP, there might [...]
#screens
Another five shots of NHL 11 show off more than the game's good looks; they spotlight some of the new wrinkles put into this year's game, due out Sept. 7. More »
First and foremost, that headline is the most skin-crawlingly nerdy thing we've ever committed to virtual paper, and we write about video games professionally on a daily basis. Moving on.
In an interview with Official Nintendo Magazine (as transcribed by ZeldaDungeon), Eiji Aonuma commented on the placement of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword in the oft-speculated timeline of the franchise. More notable than the game's positioning was Aonuma's confirmation of an overarching Zelda timeline -- though he explained that it's a "confidential document" to which only "myself, Mr. Miyamoto and the director of the title" have access.
Aonuma revealed that Skyward Sword comes before Ocarina of Time in said timeline, but wouldn't comment on whether it's the first game in the chronological series. He explained, "for us to add titles to the series, we have to have a way of putting the titles before or after each other," hence the secrecy. That makes sense -- as long as they're all comfortable with the swirling, black morass of insanity that's surfaced due to their reticence.
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