Gaming News 11/03/12 - 18/03/12
Nintendo
- Epic says the Samaritan tech demo looks crap compared to unreal engine 4
Mark Rein, epic vice president, has said that the awesome Samaritan demo they showed off at last year’s GDC looks crap compared to the games it has running on their new unreal engine 4. Epic is due to reveal the engine later this year.
This year’s Samaritan demo, however, was highly optimized and according to Epic’s Mark Rein, it could be running on a laptop next year or a smartphone the year after. This is where Rein pointed out that the UE4 demo will make the Samaritan look feeble by comparison and will generally be crap next to what they show off for the next generation engine, saying “Imagine if that were a piece of crap, what would the next thing look like?”
- Epic says it will be shocking if the Wii u doesn’t do well
Epic vice president, Mark Rein, says that the Wii u will be a big hit with consumers when it launches later this year. Speaking to Eurogamer Rein stated that he believes parents are now ready to upgrade their kids existing Wii systems.
“I like the Wii U. I think E3 will be a big eye-opener for people.”
“I played Batman: Arkham City on the Wii U and they are doing some really cool stuff with the controller.
“Do you remember the Zelda demo they had on it? Would you not buy a Wii U just to play that? Of course you would. That’s what Nintendo is all about. Their hardware is the software delivery service for their great content. That Zelda demo was gorgeous and we can do even more than that with Unreal Engine 3. I think it will do great.”
“It’s a great brand that a lot of parents really trust and they’re probably ready to buy their kids an HD Wii that does that much more than just being an HD Wii.
“I’d love it if they’d done it last year, but I’m excited for them to do it this year. I’d be shocked if it doesn’t do well.
“Did you play that Battle Mii game? Two players would play with a Wii Remote and Nunchuk and one would play with the Wii U controller?
“I would buy a Wii U to play that game in a heartbeat. And I hope people make those kind of games with our technology. I think we’ve yet to really see what the Wii U can do and I think at E3 this year they’re going to shock us.”
- 3DS once again reigns supreme in this week’s Japanese charts
This week’s media sales are in and it shows once again that the 3DS is a force to be reckoned with. 3DS sold 68,951 units while its closest competitor the PS vita only managed 10,041. Also worth noting is that 10 of the Japanese top 20 are on the 3DS.
- [PS3] One Piece: Pirate Warriors
- [3DS] Hatsune Miku and Future Stars: Project Mirai
- [PS3] Street Fighter X Tekken
- [PS3] Mobile Suit Gundam UC
- [3DS] Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D
- [3DS] Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
- [3DS] Mario Kart 7
- [3DS] Super Mario 3D Land
- [3DS] Harvest Moon: The Land of Origin
- [3DS] Monster Hunter 3G
- [3DS] Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
- [3DS] Girls RPG: Cinderella Life
- [PS3] Naruto Shippuden: Narutimate Storm Generation
- [360] Street Fighter X Tekken
- [PSV] Unit 13
- [3DS] Doraemon: Nobita and the Island of Miracles
- [PSP] Tales of the Heroes: Twin Brave
- [WII] Just Dance Wii
- [PSP] Monster Hunter Freedom 3
- [WII] Wii Sports Resort with Wii Remote Plus
- Nintendo 3DS: 68,951
- PlayStation 3: 34,816
- PSP: 16,176
- PlayStation Vita: 10,041
- Wii: 8,322
- PlayStation 2: 1,363
- Nintendo DS: 1,352
- Xbox 360: 1,290
- Nintendo files trademark for “The Last Ranger”
Japanese publication My Game News Flash is reporting that Nintendo has filed a trademark for a new game titled ‘The Last Ranger’ or Saigo no Youjimbou (The Last Bodyguard) in Japanese. Nintendo hasn’t hinted if this is referring to a new franchise, or an existing franchise, but it’s interesting nonetheless. Could it be related to the Pokemon Ranger series or maybe a sequel to Dillon’s rolling western?
- Kid Icarus uprising anime clips are available to download now.
Nintendo UK has issued a press release to remind everyone that ahead of the launch of Kid Icarus: Uprising on Friday 23rd March, Nintendo 3DS owners now have exclusive access to the first part in a series of Kid Icarus Anime clips, entitled ‘Thanatos Rising’. It is available now via Nintendo Video and features the angel Pit and his battle against one of Medusa’s minions – all in glorious 3D.
- Rayman Origins 3D has been pushed back to June worldwide
Ubisoft has decided to delay Rayman Origins 3D till June worldwide. Ubisoft wouldn’t reveal exactly why they’ve decided to delay the Nintendo 3DS version, even though the game is readily available to purchase on other formats.
- Here are the most wanted games in Japan
Japanese publication Famitsu has published its readers most wanted games. Dragon Quest X, which is exclusive to Wii and Wii U, is still clinging tightly onto third position, with both Persona 4 for PlayStation Vita and Resident Evil 6 for PlayStation 3 leading the chart.
- [PSV] Persona 4: The Golden
- [PS3] Resident Evil 6
- [Wii] Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Online
- [PS3] Dragon’s Dogma
- [3DS] Monster Hunter 4
- [3DS] Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
- [3DS] Fire Emblem: Awakening
- [3DS] Animal Crossing 3DS
- [PS3] Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City
- [PSP] 2nd Super Robot Wars Z Hakai Volume
Sony
- Mass effect 3 takes poll position on the UK charts
BioWare RPG Mass Effect 3 has shot straight to the top of the U.K. All Format Charts following its PAL debut last Friday. The critically acclaimed sci-fi sequel is the biggest U.K. videogame release of 2012 thus far, with week one sales eclipsing the combined efforts of Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. Elsewhere on the charts, snowboarding reboot SSX slides to second place, with Capcom crossover brawler Street Fighter x Tekken debuting at number three. FIFA 12 and Mario Party 9 round out the Top Five.
Check out the full list below.
- Mass Effect 3
- SSX
- Street Fighter x Tekken
- FIFA 12
- Mario Party 9
- The Sims 3: Showtime
- Mario & Sonic at the London Olympics
- Modern Warfare 3
- Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
- Zumba Fitness
- New Assassins creed details surface
Ubisoft has revealed that the seasonal system in Assassins Creed 3 will most certainly affect how you play the game. For instance, when its been snowing heavily the roads and paths will become treacherous, which means the lead character Connor will have an advantage as he races through the trees to assassinate his next target.
Ubisoft has also detailed some of the Major events of the 18th century that will be represented in Assassins Creed 3, including the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Siege of Boston, and even the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, whileNew York will suffer the Great Fire of 1776.
- Resident Evil: Chronicles HD Collection coming to Europe and North America as download
Capcom announced today it will bring the Resident Evil: Chronicles HD Collection to the PlayStation 3. The collection includes Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles.
The collection will be available in June in North America and Europe. You can pick up the HD collection via the PlayStation Store. The collection is only available as a digital download. Both titles will be available individually at a later date.
- GTA V will not launch this year says analyst
Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V will likely miss out on a 2012 release, according to Sterne Agree analyst Arvind Bhatia. According to a Forbes report, Bhatia predicts publisher Take-Two will opt to push the game back to the March 2013 quarter as opposed to December 2012. Furthermore, he feels the open-world crime sequel will benefit from an early 2013 launch due to less competition and increased installed base for the current crop of home consoles. Bhatia also feels a Wii U version is a possibility.
GTA V was unveiled in November 2011 via a short teaser trailer, though Rockstar hasn’t committed to a release date at present.
- Phantasy Star online 2 coming to PS vita in 2013
Phantasy Star Online 2 is slated to begin service in 2013, after the PC version’s 2012 launch, Sega revealed. The Vita version is only 10 percent complete and the PC version’s alpha 2 test is now complete. That test reached 50,000 people. Closed beta is the next step for PSO2.
- Ratchet & Clank collection announced
Insomniac Games is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Ratchet & Clank by remastering some of the series’ classics in 1080p HD with 3D support, the company announced today. The Ratchet & Clank Collection will contain Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal—the collection is being remastered by Idol Minds working with a team at Insomniac.
The collection will include three Platinum trophies and the online competitive multiplayer from Up Your Arsenal. You can get your hands on the collection this fall in North America, after the spring release in Europe. Insomniac says North American fans will get something special because of the delayed release. The European release will be called The Ratchet & Clank Trilogy.
- Crytek Confident in Homefront 2
Crytek’s Avni Yerli reckons the combined clout of the Crisis developer and some solid marketing will ensure that Homefront 2 makes waves at launch. The sequel to the 2011 shooter is currently in development at Crytek UK, formally Free Radical Design, and is scheduled to ship in FY2014 for PC and consoles. Homefront itself divided opinion upon release, though thanks to some impressive marketing by publisher THQ proved successful enough at retail to warrant a sequel. Developer Kaos however folded soon after.
"It has a huge mind share, everybody knows the IP," Yerli told GI.biz. "The first game has indeed a low Metacritic, but due to really great positioning and great marketing it has reached a good mind share."
"I think with Crytek quality attached to it and similar marketing attached to it, it can make a big splash at the time it comes out."
Little is known on Homefront 2 at present, and with the game out any time between April 2013 and March 2014, it might be a while before we get to digest some info.
Xbox
- Crysis Developers to Announce new game next month
In an article posted today by CVG, referencing an interview they conducted with Crysis developer Crytek, they speak of Crytek's plans to announce a "spectacular" console/PC game in April. Some quotes about the project culled from the article:
Pressed for more detail, the games GM continued:
"The other project looks absolutely fantastic - I mean, genuinely the best of that kind of project we've ever done."
"It looks spectacular, the team are doing really, really well and it's just really nice to see the team really enthusiastic about what they're doing. They're really happy."
"We're going to carry on doing those games. We like doing mobile games, we like doing free-to-play, but we also like blowing things up in a visually stunning style."
- Second Bio-shock infinite heavy hitter video: The handyman
After the recently-released introduction to the Motorized Patriot that also marked the beginnings of the Bioshock Infinite Heavy Hitters series of videos, Irrational Games sets out once again to show us another baddie - the Handyman.
- More Max Payne 3 Info revealed
Rockstar have published a sheet of information with deatails of their upcoming shooter Max Payne 3. The game is to be released on May 15th.
General Storyline: We all know at this point that the main thrust of the story is Max failing to protect the lovely younger bride of Rodrigo Branco, an impossibly wealthy real estate mogul, which leads to him heading to Sao Paolo Brazil in pursuit of her and her kidnappers. However, there have been hints at the storyline also including some New York City game play. So while the "present-day" situation is in Brazil, there are events in-game that will remind Max of events that led him there. These memories are played out via NYC levels.
Aiming: There are multiple ways to set up your aiming. You can go free-aim, which is the most hardcore experience and stays true to the Max Payne roots, or you can choose Soft Lock or Hard Lock. Soft lock will maneuver the reticule to the nearest bone of your target, so you can still get some nice crippling shots in at the extremities or headshots, rather than the center-of-mass aiming that will occur with Hard Lock. You can even fine-tune the aiming setting further, with custom sensitivities, etc. With all of the interactions in Bullet Time or the like, Free Aim will provide the player with the most-visceral experience and best control over their actions.
Difficulty: There will be several difficulty levels from which to choose, keeping the game accessible to a broad range of players without making it a dumbed-down experience to experienced gamers.
Weapons: There is a three-weapon carrying capacity for Max this time around. This includes two one-handed weapons like pistols and sub-machine guns, and one two-handed weapon like a rifle or shotgun. Any one-handed weapon can be used in a double-wield combination. The weapon selection will happen with a weapon-wheel not unlike we saw in Red Dead Redemption.
Bullet Time Upgrades: When you hear "Max Payne" you think Bullet Time. This core game play mechanic has received some attention from the developers. The Shoot-Dodge process is more realistic. You will actually see Max bracing for impact when he is flying into or over obstacles. Furthermore, the Bullet Cams from the prior games are back, and are re-named "Final-Kill" cams. They signify that you have cleared out the final enemy in a particular area or wave of baddies. The player even gets to control the speed of the final bullet in this camera mode, and the cameras are actually dynamic depending on the methodology used to take the shot.
Finally we have a new mechanic called Last Man Standing. If Max is delivered a fatal blow but has painkillers in his possession, he will automatically enter Bullet Time and the targeting reticule will start to head towards his attacker. This gives Max the ability to shoot back at his foe and, if he kills him, rewards Max with a bit of health at the expense of a painkiller. Fair trade, I'd say.
Cover: This is the first Max Payne title to include a cover system. The decision was predicated on giving players the option of run 'n gun game play all the way through or a more calculated approach.
Cutscenes: Fans of the comic-book style cutscenes, rejoice! They will return in Max's latest adventure. But instead of them being static panels, a motion-comic visual will be used. It takes in-game footage and combines it with text and Max Payne voice actor James McCaffrey's signature vocals. It should be as Noir as you want it to be.
Multiplayer: The multiplayer mode most-featured is the Gang Wars one. This sets into action a series of matches in which the outcome of a prior match dictates somewhat the goals and objectives of subsequent matches. A couple of examples were given: In one, a team that controls the most territory at the end of the first match might find themselves scrambling around in the next match trying to defuse bombs that have been planted in their copious territories. Or in another example, someone with the highest number of kills might find themselves the target of a hit squad in the next match. Things like this will keep things fresh and interesting for a long time to come.
- New Max Payne 3 Design and Technology video
Check out this fantastic new video on the cutscenes and animations in Max Payne 3.
Sources: http://www.teamxbox.com/