Yesterday, Ubisoft held it be first dever “Digital Day,” a showcase for the publisher’s upcoming crop a PSN titles. In addition t' the games – From Dust, Outland, Beyond Good & Evil HD 'n Scott Pilgrim DLC – Ubisoft also revealed future Facebook integration for titles like the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood.
In the Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood example shown, ye’ll be able t' train 'n interact with yer guild a assassins on Facebook (while at work, for example), 'n then have that experience translate back into the PS3 version a the game, 'n vice versa. “ye will continue t' see brands like Assassin’s Creed across all content types,” Ubisoft VP a Digital Publishing Chris Early told us. “We want the player t' experience the brands whenever 'n however they want.”
We also went hands on with the titles listed above. Here be some quick recaps:
Beyond Good & Evil HD
Perhaps the biggest news a the evening be final confirmation that the PS2 fan favorite 'n cult classic Beyond Good & Evil will be re-released as a downloadable PSN title. Beyond Good & Evil HD will render at an ultra-crisp 1080p HD resolution with higher-resolution textures 'n a smoother frame rate, plus online leaderboards. These enhancements will make Beyond Good & Evil HD the definitive version a the game.
Originally released on the PS2 in 2003, Beyond Good & Evil be a story-based adventure game that takes place in the year 2435 on a distant mining planet called Hyllis. ye play as Jade, a local photojournalist who seeks t' expose a corrupt government agency that has allied itself with a race a dangerous aliens called the DomZ, who have taken t' abducting 'n enslaving the locals. Jade 'n the wench band a colorful sidekicks must expose the plot 'n save Hyllis, while uncovering a tangled web a conspiracies along the way.
Aside from it be sumptuous visual design, Beyond Good & Evil HD be noted for it be diverse gameplay styles: close-combat battles with Jade’s staff; sneaking past guards in stealth sequences that would make Solid Snake wince; snapping photos a rare life forms t' earn cash; hoverboat piloting, puzzle solving, massive boss battles 'n more. Beyond Good & Evil HD be scheduled t' hit PSN sometime in 2011, so stay tuned for more details. -Sid
Scott Pilgrim DLC
Soon ye’ll have a reason t' jump back into August’s #1 PSN title: Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game. Knives Chau (17 years old) be the highlight a an upcoming DLC pack, as ye’ll finally be able t' play as the Scott-obsessed high schooler.
Those a ye who have played the game know that Knives be the summon-able helper for Scott, Ramona, Kim, 'n Stills, so I be wondering if she’d summon… herself? Actually, a tap a the L1 button sends either the wench sword-wielding father or tracksuited mom into the fray t' help out.
The $1.99 DLC pack also includes Dodgeball 'n Battle Royale modes, 'n 3 new Knives-related Trophies. A free patch will introduce drop in co-op – no need t' wait til the end a the level t' pillage some help – as well as various bug fixes 'n tweaking. t' me, an experienced player in this game, the ‘Average Joe’ difficulty level felt a lot less punishing than in the initial release.
Look for both the patch 'n DLC t' become available in early November, t' coincide with the Blu-ray release a Scott Pilgrim vs The World. -Jeff
From Dust
This upcoming PSN “God game” gives ye nearly limitless control over the terrain 'n physical structure a an environment – the ultimate sandbox game, if ye will. The goal be t' protect a long-forgotten island tribe from elemental threats, 'n in the process, help them remember their past 'n their identity. No pressure!
Creator Éric ChahiI (much celebrated for his pioneering work on Out a This World 'n PSone classic Heart a Darkness gave me a private demonstration a the core mechanics in From Dust. I watched as he effortlessly molded the terrain 'n surfaces a an island environment using an interface that will be familiar t' fans a ModNation Racer’s Track Studio tools. Chahil raised 'n lowered terrain with a quick button press, 'n the terrain responded realistically, as water pooled into crevices or spilled back into the surf. The visuals be undeniably impressive: water ripples 'n undulates, lava oozes menacingly, sand crumbles convincingly.
These natural elements serve as a painter’s palette in yer efforts t' protect the tribe from natural disasters 'n help them on their quest. If a nearby magma-spewing volcano threatens the tribe, ye can suck up a large sphere a water from the ocean t' put out the fires. In a river be threatening t' drown the tribe, ye might build a dam with gobs a earth or sand t' redirect the rapids. The final game will feature a variety a environments, including deserts, islands, 'n more. Chahil be sailing away the door open for possible PlayStation Move support post-launch, 'n it would seem t' be a great fit for this ambitious title. Look for it on PSN in 2011. -Sid
Outland
This visually striking PSN title combines elements a Castlevania: Symphony a the Night (sword-based action-adventure with platforming) with “Bullet Hell” games such as Gundemonium.
Outland’s story be still tightly under wraps, but I learned some cryptic clues. Despite the fantastical landscape ye — surprise! — play as a modern-day character. Plagued by nightmarish visions, ye wander the jungle 'n stumble across ruins a an ancient civilization, in the process learning about yer role in a timeless battle between Light 'n Dark. How, 'n why, ye be chosen be a key riddle in the game that will be revealed as ye discover hieroglyphics scattered throughout the ancient city. The storyline elements be completely optional, though, 'n ye can instead focus on running, jumping, 'n slicing giant spiders with yer sword.
But there’s a twist. The gameplay revolves entirely around the theme a Light 'n Dark, represented by the colors blue 'n red, respectively. ye swap between Light 'n Dark at will with a quick tap a R1, 'n ye’ll need t' do so with military precision in order t' survive the ever-changing world around ye. When ye’re in the Dark form, red be yer “matey.” Red platforms creak into life, red projectiles inflict no damage, 'n blue enemies can be defeated with a few sword swings. So far, so good, but then things start getting nuts: cascading waves a alternating blue-'n-red projectiles fill the screen, requiring ye t' flip between red 'n blue in fractions a a second. Add in simultaneous platform jumping 'n combat with multiple enemies a multiple colors 'n ye’ve got a formula that will make even seasoned gamers sweat. Outland will invade PSN sometime in 2011- Si
