All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

During a Comic-Con panel, Capcom's Keiji Inafune offered a scant few details about Mega Man Universe, the Mega Man crossover game (or something) teased by an amazing stop-motion trailer, which you can see again after the break -- it's wonderful!

"We wanted to preserve as much as we can of the classic 8-bit Mega Man feel, while allowing players to project their own Mega Man onto the game," Inafune said. So it'll have an 8-bit look like Mega Man 9. "We wanted to create a platform where players can play as their favorite version of Mega Man, another Capcom character -- or maybe a different character completely," he added. "You'll be able to play as the Mega Man of your dreams."

The proposed cross-Capcom, cross-character play actually makes us think of another recent 8-bit game (unofficially) starring Mega Man, Super Mario Crossover. "The game will also unite Mega Man fans," Inafune said, "putting them together in one specific place."

The awkward, golden Mega Man from the original NES Mega Man 1 U.S. box art will even make an appearance, as he did in the teaser. "We talked about how crappy the original package art was, but there's somebody out there that loves that one and probably wants to play as him." (The trailer, by the way, was info-free for a reason: "We made the trailer purposely mysterious, because we wanted to play on the idea of what Mega Man is," Inafune explained, citing the changing face of the Mega Man series over the years.)

Finally, Inafune teased that another big Mega Man announcement was on the way soon, which would address an "oft-requested" desire from fans.

For all of our awesome fans who weren’t at Comic-Con this year, I’m excited to share the first look at the 2D cutscenes from inFAMOUS 2 we debuted yesterday night.

As senior artist on the title, I work with the art teams to help production run smoothly and tackle the huge task of drawing every frame of our graphic cut scenes. It’s time consuming and a lot of hard work but, in the end, I hope InFAMOUS 2 will reflect our love for comic books and give fans the experience of being a super powered hero. It means a lot to both me and the team to see all the love you have for InFAMOUS. In addition, we may have some Comic-Con panel highlights next week to share as well.

Before I forget, go and register on infamousthegame.com to receive an exclusive InFAMOUS 2 PS3 theme!

- 1,000 Nintendo points - build a growing line of allies - defeated enemies join your line - longer line makes you stronger - when you have a long line, swing the Wiimote for special line attacks Sword — Spin Line Your line swings like a sword Spear — Rush Line Your line rushes at enemies in front of you Hammer — Press Line Your [...]

The much-anticipated sequel finally has a release date.

Looks like Line Attack Heroes is heading to WiiWare after all this time. Believe it or not, it’s set for a July 27th release in Japan! The game goes from disappearing off the radar to releasing next week! Thanks to StarCube for the heads up.

#review Be a hero. Be yourself. Do good in Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, a game in which you play a fallen angel trying to help other people down on their luck. More »

Activision reveals Spider-Man voice cast at San Diego Comic-Con.

#preview I got my first hands-on with the PlayStation 3's Killzone 3 this week. Fantastic graphics are a franchise given. I liked how this one plays and how it made me think of Mario's dino. More »

Alan Wake's mysteries still linger, months after a pitch-perfect conclusion. Unlike most downloadable add-ons introduced after the fact, the first of two new episodes, "The Signal," comes after the fiction and wisely targets fans who wouldn't care much for standard DLC fare like "Additional killing grounds!" or "Deadlier explosive rounds!" If you just wanted to share a few more words with the imperiled author (and get 250 Gamerscore out of it), here's your chance.

Well, provided you can find him. The man's having trouble finding himself in the town of Bright Falls, which grows even more unstable and incoherent with every step he takes. Once again it's unclear where the world ends and the writer begins, and the developers at Remedy don't waste time before they start shoving reality and fiction into the same space. Their tinkering leads to an amusing spin on the original game's cardboard cutout gag, and more interestingly creates a few challenging scenarios that differ from those in the main game. I think I would have remembered a demolition derby.

Heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold joins Grammy award-winning Latin superstar Juanes' debut as Rock Band DLC next week. The song pack will include the group's title track from the album Nightmare, along with "Seize the Day" from City of Evil and "Scream" from Avenged Sevenfold.

Like Juanes, Avenged Sevenfold will also be featured in Rock Band 3's on-disc track collection, releasing later this year. Head past the break if you juanes see next week's DLC details.

#design There doesn't seem to be a lot going on in the game scene right now (at least for people not interested in motion controls, ever-more-unsettling modern war shooters and misjudged forum policies), so I'm taking advantage of the quiet time to go back some of the basic structures in games. Today I'm taking a first-principles look at the kinds of stories videogames tell. More »

#comiccon2010 In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's video game tie-in to next year's live-action Green Lantern movie. More »

Here's that LittleBigPlanet 2 release date you were looking for: November 16. That's just under four months away, which leaves you just enough time to make some tough decisions. Here are your choices: you can either pre-order the game from select retailers to score a number of special costumes -- as seen in our gallery below -- or you can opt for the $80 Collector's Edition, which is also a limited edition, by virtue of actually being limited.

Pre-orders from Amazon will net you both Ratchet and Clank costumes, along with four new "Animals" costumes for a grand total of six. Order from BestBuy and grab, claw-style, the Toy Story Alien costume along with, you guessed it, the four Animals costumes. Lastly, order from GameStop and get a Tron suit along with the same four Animals costumes. There's also a Gonzo costume, but Sony's not saying which retailer that's tied to.

If all this pre-ordering sounds hard, why not just do it the American way? Throw money at the problem! 80 bucks nabs you a copy of the game, a 7-inch Sackboy plushie (cute!), LittleBigPlanet 2 bookends, all the above mentioned costumes, and exclusive Jak and Daxter costumes. Not bad for a $20 premium. The catch: This Collector's Edition is actually a limited edition, "so you better pre-order soon to ensure you get one," Sony says.

Microsoft has posted financial results for its fiscal fourth quarter and year, which ended June 30. The Entertainment and Devices Division (EDD), of which the Xbox 360 and PC gaming business are a part of, posted revenues of $1.6 billion for the quarter, up from $1.25 billion during the same period last year. Revenue exclusive to the Xbox and PC gaming business was up to $228 million, a 30 percent increase.

EDD also posted an operating loss of $172 million, which grew for the $141 million recorded during the same quarter last year. Factors contributing to the loss included increased marketing costs, increased third-party sales on Xbox Live Marketplace and the discontinuation of the KIN phone.

Microsoft's full fiscal year 2010 report paints a brighter picture, with the EDD posting an operating income of $679 million, up from $108 million in fiscal 2009, an increase of 528 percent. The increased income was due primarily to reduced operating expenses. Revenue costs also decreased $528 million, thanks largely to lower Xbox 360 production costs. Fiscal 2010 revenues were essentially flat at just over $8 billion.

Additionally, Microsoft moved 1.5 million Xbox 360 consoles during the quarter, compared to 1.2 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009. In all, 10.3 million consoles were sold in fiscal 2010, down from 11.2 million the previous year. Meanwhile, Xbox Live now has 25 million members, and our cohorts at Engadget report that Xbox Live Marketplace revenue has exceeded Xbox Live subscription revenue for the first time.

#voice Neil Patrick Harris, the man behind Dr. Horrible and How I Met Your Mother's Barney Stinson, will be the voice of one of the four different Spider-Men in Activision's upcoming Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, according to the publisher. More »

Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside...

Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside...

Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside...

Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside...

Last night at Bungie's Comic-Con panel, the studio went "beyond the canyon" and revealed what's behind the hill in the Blood Gulch remake: "The rest of the map." Turns out this version of Blood Gulch, which will be known as "Hemorrhage" in Halo: Reach, is actually one part of a gigantic five-part map called "Forge World" -- there's an island in the back bay, an outcropping called "The Rock," a hangar built into the cliff overlooking the bay dubbed "The Colisseum," and an open field area up above. The entire map starts out blank, and players will be invited to build their own levels in it using Reach's revamped Forge editor mode.

"Forge World," Bungie Community Lead Brian Jarrad told the audience, "is the evolution of what we've been through with Forge. How do we expand on it even further, and give people even more flexibility, and more toys to work with?" The answer: By combining very detailed and customizable tools with a variety of variables used in whatever ways players see fit, according to Jarrad. The Forge editor can now apply different physical models to pieces inserted on the map, leaving them fixed in mid air or even half-embedded in other pieces. Additionally, spawn points can now be easily colored according to team, teleporters can be dropped at will and even customized for vehicles, and gigantic structures (like a multi-level tower) can be summoned and placed just about anywhere.

While we’re entertaining the crowds at San Diego Comic Con this week with a peek at LBP2 and some free shirts.  We have some great news…

Over at camp Media Molecule…LittleBigPlanet 2 has just passed “Alpha”! Yay!  And while we still have a ton of work to do, we’re that much closer to release and we’re ready to announce some news you’ve all been waiting, so on behalf of our retail partners and our friends at Disney…here we go…

First things first…“When is LittleBigPlanet 2 coming out?” – You’ll be pleased to know we’re on schedule to have LBP2 out in stores on November 16th, just in time for the holidays.  So whether you plan to be there on Day 1 or need to put it on your big holiday ‘wishlist’, rest assured, LBP2 will be here soon.

Next item on the list…”Will there be any pre-order items?” – We’re glad you asked!  YES, we have several exciting pre-order offers through several retail partners.  Each pre-order consists of 2 parts – a very special costume offer from our partners @ Disney / Pixar and Insomniac; and 4 new “Even More Animals” costumes.  That’s 5-6 different LBP2 costumes just for pre-ordering LBP2.  Here’s a sneak peek of a few pre-order programs coming
soon to our US retailers:

Amazon.com – If you’re a fan of the Ratchet & Clank franchise (who isn’t), you’ll love this.  Pre-order at Amazon.com and get 6 Sackboy costumes including exclusive access to Ratchet & Clank costumes from the ever popular Ratchet & Clank franchise.  In addition to the exclusive 2 costumes, you’ll get four new “Animals” costumes, for a total of 6 costumes.

BestBuy & BestBuy.com – All together now…”the claw!!!”  We’ve partnered with Disney & Pixar to provide the exclusive “Aliens” costume for BestBuy pre-orderers.  We can already imagine the number of uses you guys will use this costume combined with the new Sackbots feature.  And be on the lookout for more characters thru an upcoming Toy Story 3 DLC in the near future.  Plus the 4 costumes from “Even More Animals”

GameStop & GameStop.com – Are you as excited for the release of TRON: Legacy as we are?  If so, head on over to GameStop and pre-order to get the exclusive *Clu* Sackboy costume from Tron: Legacy. Be the first to have this costume and hold tight for more TRON: Legacy costumes later this year.  And again, you also get the 4 different “Even More Animals” costumes.

AND MORE TO COME!  - Stay tuned as we announce more pre-order programs like this special DLC package including one of our favorite Muppets – GONZO!  There’s no doubt you’ll have fun exploring the many areas in LBP2, with bent nose and all.  And keep an eye out for more Muppets costumes shortly after launch via the PlayStation Store.

What else…”PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell me you guys are offering a Collectors Edition” – OK, OK, good news is YES, we’re offering a Collector’s Edition of LittleBigPlanet 2 in the US, bad news is it’ll be a limited run, so you better pre-order soon to ensure you get one. The LittleBigPlanet 2 Collectors Edition, will also be available on November 16 at select retailers at $79.99, and in limited quantity.  Here’s what you can expect from the LittleBigPlanet 2 Collectors Edition:

• A copy of LittleBigPlanet 2 – duh.
• Your own little “Sackboy” – 7” of plushie-goodness for you to accompany you on your journey thru LBP2.
• Exclusive LBP2 “game ends” – keep your PS3 games in a tidy, organized and ‘Sack-ured” within these unique bookends
• One stop shop for exclusive DLC + more – regarding in-game content, the LBP2 Collector’s Edition comes packed with 11 different pre-order costumes, including:

• Disney / Pixar’s Toy Story 3’s “Aliens” Sackboy Costume
• Disney’s TRON: Legacy “Clu” Sackboy Costume
• The Muppets’ “The Great Gonzo” Sackboy Costume
• PlayStation’s “Ratchet” Sackboy Costume
• PlayStation’s “Clank” Sackboy Costume
• Even More Animals’ “Crocodile” Sackboy Costume
• Even More Animals’ “Vulture” Sackboy Costume
• Even More Animals’ “Cobra” Sackboy Costume
• Even More Animals’ “Mandrill” Sackboy Costume

And exclusive to the LittleBigPlanet 2’s Collectors Edition:

• PlayStation’s “Jak” Sackboy Costume
• PlayStation’s “Daxter” Sackboy Costume
• 5 exclusive LBP2 PSN Avatars – Lastly, complete your PlayStation experience with a new identity on the PlayStation Network with these new avatars.

Whew!  That was a lot to take in, but we hope it was well worth the read. Now back to Comic Con…..

Next summer, after you're done gallivanting across the galaxy with celluloid Green Lantern Ryan Reynolds, his adventures will (unsurprisingly) be continuing on your home video game console in Warner Bros.' Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters. (We know what you're thinking and, yes, it will be confusing when Sex and the City 3 is released next summer with that exact same subtitle.)

Details are scant at this point, but as you can tell by the name and image (bigger version after the break) sent out with the press release, GL will apparently be battling the robotic Manhunters, an interstellar police force replaced by the Green Lantern Corps.

As you might remember, the title's being developed by Double Helix games, a studio that's had mixed success up to this point. Here's hoping for a home run ... made by giant green baseball bat composed entirely of mind energy.

Atlus continues its extensive video documentation of Etrian Odyssey 3: The Drowned City, with a clip demonstrating the new ocean exploration feature. And no, we're pretty sure the ship isn't called the ATLUS by default.

#screengrab Vader held up a bank in Long Island, New York on Thursday. As seen on Boing Boing. More »

#clips Cave, the studio behind countless shmup classics, is releasing a new maniac shooter for Japanese arcades. This is it. More »

#starcraft If the extent of your real-time strategy gaming extends to playing Starcraft and pre-ordering Starcraft II, boy have you missed a lot in the last ten years. More »

You won't always be playing as a Tier-1 operative, a.k.a. "the scalpel," in EA's upcoming Medal of Honor reboot. Last week, at an EA event, I got to see a portion of "the sledgehammer" side of the single-player campaign. While this segment stayed true to the core values that are defining EA's vision for the game, one thing was clear: you can't always be the hero in this game.

With the player and his squad pinned down by a Gatling gun atop a hill, the situation called for a support effort, not heroics. While most games would have you storming the hill against all odds, or finding a convenient way around, Medal of Honor approaches this situation quite differently. You have to accept that you're rather powerless.

You're told that your best option is to simply lay down some suppressive fire. I watched as the demonstrator stayed behind cover, peeking out just enough to roughly spot the target. Then he fired away. While you may not be scoring any kills doing this, you are providing a sufficient enough distraction for your squadmates to plant charges underneath the gunners and blow them to pieces.

Seeing as how "modern warfare" was recently interpreted as "riding snowmobiles while dual-wielding Uzis," it's refreshing to see that EA's approach isn't obnoxiously bombastic.

We weren't exactly sure what qualified as an "Ancient Enemy" in the Star Trek universe -- haven't most of them been around since, like, the 60s, anyway? The debut trailer for the second season of content updates (which carries the "Ancient Enemies" subtitle) for Star Trek Online reveals the true identity of these time-tested foes: Big, scaly dudes with tusks. Oh, and floating, demonic torsos. Oh, and floating, demonic torsos that can fly around in space without a ship.

So, in short, not only are these enemies older than the game's traditional fare, but they're jumpsuit-spoilingly scarier as well. You can catch a glimpse of these second season baddies in the trailer posted after the jump.

#clips Linus Åkesson may not be a 70s pop star or a towering swimsuit model, but he's still the kind of Swede we like. Why? He can make an organ sound like a video game. More »

#japan Busy this weekend? Those in Tokyo, you can check out the arcade version of Konami's love simulator Love Plus. Or you can do something else. It's really up to you. Not me. More »