All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

#delayofgame Originally due sometime this fall, Zipper Interactive's SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs is now penciled in for release some time next year. The developer confirmed today that it's delaying the PlayStation 3 game to give it a little extra polish. More »

I saw the upcoming Scott Pilgrim vs. The World movie at Comic-Con last weekend, and while our purview is still just interactive entertainment, the film is an indication of just how prevalent video games have become in popular culture. Just like the popular indie comics on which it's based, the film is chock full of video game references and even has some big plot points that invoke old-school video game clichés. Gaming is woven into the language of this story and this movie.

I got a chance earlier this week to sit down with director Edgar Wright, Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O'Malley, and the movie's cast to talk about the flick, video games in general and how mainstream audiences will react to seeing games used onscreen in this way. We also got some new insight on the retro-style Scott Pilgrim vs. The World game.

Second verse, same as the first.

Zipper Interactive's latest in the SOCOM series has seen its release delayed into 2011, the developer has confirmed via the franchise's official blog. Having appeared in playable form as early as GDC 2010, SOCOM 4 was scheduled to ship this fall and has been used by Sony as a key "core" title in demoing PlayStation Move.

"While we're certainly aware that you've been looking forward to playing SOCOM 4 this year, we don't want to take any shortcuts. Instead, we want to deliver the best and most immersive SOCOM game we possibly can and we're going to use our extra time to do just that," read the statement, penned typed by Zipper community manager Jeremy Dunham.

SCEA's senior corporate communications director, Patrick Seybold, told Joystiq, "We can confirm that SOCOM 4 will be released in 2011. The team is focusing on additional features which will help to deliver the most compelling and immersion SOCOM experience yet. Please look out for further updates and announcements over the coming months."

As soon as a more specific release window for the title is announced, you'll read it here.

[Thanks, Solace]

Which came first: the fat chicken or the purple egg?

#clips Continuing the tour of class warfare in Monday Night Combat, Uber Entertainment today introduced us to the Assassin, the fastest character type in the upcoming class-based shooter for Xbox Live Arcade, packing both cloak and dagger. More »

#clips Rockstar Games wasn't shy about utilizing the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as a killing tool in Manhunt 2, but will they follow suit and support Kinect for the Xbox 360? Could Grand Theft Auto V turn millions into sadistic mimes? More »

When Microsoft announced it was giving everyone present at its E3 press conference a gratis Xbox 360 Slim, we told you to expect to see our units up for grabs shortly thereafter. Sure, it's been a little longer than we'd have liked, but we're finally set to give these things away. We're starting today with a simple, Twitter-flavored giveaway. It's easy:

• Retweet our tweet about the Joystiq iPhone app video tour
  • Not sure how to retweet? Watch this helpful video
  • Feel free to include a message with your retweet (we really want more reviews!)
  • Example: "You really should download (and review!) the new Joystiq app! RT @joystiq Video tour: Joystiq app for iPhone, iPod Touch http://bit.ly/cqYmVE"
• You have until 7pm ET tomorrow, Thursday July 29
• At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive a 250GB Xbox 360 "Slim" (ARV $300)
• You must be 13 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)
• Limit 1 entry per person
• For a list of complete rules, click here

Keep your eyes out for more chances to win of of our two remaining Slims in the coming weeks.

What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition.

For more info on our policy, click here.

Our initial thoughts on the first part of Blizzard's real-time strategy trilogy.

We play through the new Quest Mode and reveal some new tracks.

Hudson is doing its best to make sure that its very pretty Wii platformer Lost in Shadow doesn't get lost in the typically crowded holiday game release season. Unfortunately for those of us who want to play it now now now, the company is accomplishing this by waiting it out. Lost in Shadow, first revealed in August 2009, won't be in stores in North America until January 4, 2011.

It's nice, then, that there's still more to learn about the game to keep us occupied. The latest trailer (after the break) and screens reveal mysterious gates that allow the player character, normally just a shadow, to take shape as some kind of light being, and move in 3D space.

#blizzard Last night I played my first round of StarCraft II multiplayer. It was the first time I ever played any StarCraft game against a human opponent. It might also be my last. More »

#madden The revolving door psych ward that is the Cincinnati Bengals admitted another high-maintenance case yesterday with Terrell Owens. It might turn into a headache in real life, but with the focus in Madden solely on talent, the Bengals are loaded. More »

Holster your weapon, grunt.

Sad news for fans of the animated series Metalocalypse, as Siliconera reports that Adult Swim "pulled the license" on Metalocalypse: Dethgame. Originally under development at Frozen Codebase, the beat-'em-up was set to appear on Xbox Live and PSN at the tail-end of 2009, courtesy of Konami. So much for that.

We've followed up with Konami to confirm, but it looks like Dethgame ain't happening. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a Hatredcopter to board and a target to attack that has nothing to do with this news. Nope, nothing whatsoever.

#screengrab Next time you're in Derby, England, you can drive the Lara Croft Way. The city's new road, named after the Tomb Raider heroine, is open for business, with a Lara lookalike for hard proof. As seen at the BBC. More »

Indie gaming studio The Behemoth was an unexpected surprise among the video game booths at Comic-Con 2010 in San Diego. We haven't heard much about its upcoming Battleblock Theater since it was announced, making the brand new build on the show floor all the more enticing.

Like the previous version we played, gameplay revolved around little blockheads battling it out in a deathmatch ... put on for the entertainment of large cats.

Nintendo swims into Hudson's waters.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii (korean) - Commercial 1 - Commercial 2 - Commercial 3 - Commercial 4 One Piece Gigant Battle (nds, japanese) Thanks to Cadaver for the heads up!

A dungeon is a terrible thing to waste.

Wondering what's changed from the first Kane & Lynch title to the second? The folks at IO Interactive are here to tell you, with a peek behind the scenes of the upcoming sequel. Aside from adding online co-op to the game's main campaign, a mess of other mechanics have been tweaked in the game, apparently to quell issues fans had with the first.

Unfortunately, the issues named are things like "cover system," "aiming and shooting," and "AI," which kind of ... worries us. That said, art director Rasmus Poulsen promises the game is going to be "so visceral, so intense, so in your face, that you're gonna be left without any skin left." So, you know, there's that. Join us behind the scenes just after the break, won't you?

#art Chinese artist Liu Bolin took to the streets after literally being made homeless by the Chinese government. Suojiacun, an artists village in northeastern Beijing was torn down during the Olympic redevelopment. More »

Strap on your fairy wings and take a look at these pics.

#podcast Boy, do we feel better here today after spending an hour confessing on Kotaku Talk Radio about the big games we never played. You can now download our confessions. More »

#realtimeworlds "What would it look like if Nintendo built Google Earth?" That's the question used to describe Crackdown and APB developer Realtime World's new project, a mix of social gaming, social networking, and traditional gaming known as MyWorld. More »

It's a winter murderland as Battlefield: Bad Company 2 deploys VIP Map Pack 5 on Xbox 360 and PS3 today. The snow will turn crimson on White Pass in Rush mode, and on Nelson Bay in Conquest. Check out the trailer after the break.

#spoileralert StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty's lava-filled planet of Redstone III has a hidden secret, a guest appearance from another Blizzard-created game. More »