The popular and funny Ratchet and Clank franchise is heading for a PS3 release – called Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. It will be released here on November 9. I spoke to the famous Insomniac developers about what is in store.
Firstly : this title marks the start of a brand-new series of next-generation games for our heroes. What will be the first thing we will notice when we slide the title in the PS3?
The first thing anyone playing the game will immediately notice is the beautiful, highly detailed worlds that we have brought to life in Ratchet & Clank Future. Our tools and technology teams have done an amazing job continuing to develop our proprietary engine technology, and combined with the creative imagination of our artists, we are able to create an all-new galaxy begging to be explored.
Tell us about the overhaul of the engine technology to take advantage of the new console?
First, some background. First-person shooter mode in Time Crisis 4 tells a somewhat tangential story that complements the main action found in the game's arcade mode. In it, you'll be playing as Captain Rush, who has been tasked with discovering the source of the so-called terror bites, which are essentially swarms of nasty-looking bugs that pop up throughout the various missions. As Rush, you'll be responsible for blasting your way through 15 stand-alone stages that feature some crossover with the game's main storyline. You might even see some familiar faces. Have no fear, though. Unlike the vaguely Euro-trashy heroes in Time Crisis' main storyline, Rush is a badass by comparison.
Unlike the main mode, FPS mode in Time Crisis 4 gives you a first-person view of the action. In this mode, you're on your own, soldier. No buddy to help you out when stuff hits the fan. Heck, you're even going to have to reload your weapon manually. Think you can handle that?
During a recent meeting with Eidos we were afforded our first look at Conflict: Denied Ops, a first-person shooter currently in development at Pivotal Games. We weren't permitted to play the game on this occasion, but we were invited to watch an Eidos representative play through the first level, titled Santa Cecilia Monastery.
Conflict Denied: Ops takes place in and around Venezuela, where, in the game's version of events, the government has been overthrown by a corrupt regime and a civil war is raging. Team America offers to intervene, the regime objects and threatens nuclear-flavored reprisals, and so the US intervention is carried out in secret by two members of the CIA's "special activities" division. That's where you come in. You'll be playing as two undercover soldiers--a sniper and a machine gun specialist--whom you can switch between at any time during solo play, or whom are tailor made for cooperative play with a friend.
Unreal Tournament 3 represents a departure of sorts from its predecessors. While the early UTs were billed as sort of the blood sport of the future, Unreal Tournament 3 will usher in a single-player campaign about an intergalactic war and featuring characters that look like they were from the casting call for Gears of War, another Epic game. But while Gears of War is a very tactical game about using cover, Unreal Tournament 3, just like its predecessors, is about lightning-fast run-and-gun gameplay where you'll do a lot of killing and dying, but you're always able to respawn within seconds to continue the fight.
Though Unreal Tournament 3 will have a single-player story, the game is still built around the idea of intense multiplayer battles, either against computer-controlled bots or other players online. (While the PC supports up to 32 players, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions will support up to 16.) There will be a number of modes in the game, ranging from simple... More »
Konami Corp. last week debuted the English build of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for Sony Corp.'s Playstation 3 at the E for All Expo in Los Angeles. The latest sequel in the premier franchise stuns players in the most lifelike espionage tactical gameplay in the series to date.
In the E for All demo, Snake, referred to as Old Snake in the game, is briefed by Otacon to reach a rendezvous point. The level takes place in the Middle East, similar to the setting previewed in early trailers.
Old Snake yields a new range of combat action, including a dynamic auto camouflage that will allow him to blend in to an environmental texture. Either flat on the ground or against a wall, the advanced suit will blend and increase a camouflage percentage in the right corner of the screen.
In one sequence, Snake can choose to camouflage as a statue. When perched on the statue, the context button automatically grabs the crotch of the side statue to complet... More »
It’s me, Travis, again. You know, the Senior Producer of PAIN. I want to thank everyone for responding so well to my first PLAYSTATION Blog post. It was the first time I had the opportunity to explain PAIN to more than a few people at a time.
It’s always hard to describe a game that doesn’t play like anything currently on the market. That’s a good thing. No, it’s a GREAT thing. Now that we are close to releasing the first PAIN Theme (Downtown), I get to sit back and enjoy other PLAYSTATION 3 gamers bringing the PAIN. Wait... no I don’t.
PAIN is an evolving game and how it grows will largely depend on what people like you want to see (and play). I wish that I could tell you what plans we have for the next theme, but in the meantime, I can tell you that some of your responses to my first blog post made my arguments to management more “convincing.”
Imagine me screaming, “LOOK HOW MANY PEOPLE SAY WE SHOULD SHOOT (THIS PERSON) OUT O... More »
Those Xbox message boards are always a cornucopia of information that Microsoft really doesn’t want us to know. That seems to be the case again, as Xbox.com forum goer by the name of “Post Up” has posted what appears to be the list for what we can expect in this fall’s Dashboard Update…
>Compatibility with 3rd party wireless controllers
>Compatibility with messenger pad
>Xbox Live Vision firmware upgrade, sharper image filtering
>Many more Vision Cam settings
>New screensaver settings - when away from Xbox 360, screensaver will play for optional time, before screen goes dark
>New Xbox Live Arcade blade - where you can download, play and learn about Xbox Live Arcade
>Brand new “web based adver-games” flash games which aren’t downloaded, but are playable bite sized games, accessed via new Xbox >Live Arcade Blade
>New Screensaver option in Themes and Gamer Pics option in >Marketplace blade
>New functional... More »
As part of GameSpy's Game of the Year Interview Series, we speak with Warhawk's Senior Producer, Harvard Bonin.
As the GameSpy editors gathered for our annual Game of the Year kick-off meeting, a furious argument broke out over the game Warhawk. "It's just a shame that the Warhawks were so underpowered," someone said. "Are you kidding me!?" someone else blurted: "A good player can dominate the map with one of those!" All of a sudden, everyone was chiming in: This weapon was unstoppable, that weapon was too weak, you're not using it right, etc. etc. It underscored the truth behind Warhawk's success as a multiplayer game: this game is so balanced that players continually walk a fine line between being a badass or a crater on the ground.
Aside from being a great game in its own right, Warhawk broke some new ground for the PlayStation 3. It was distributed both digitally and at retail. And as basically an online-only title, it really put the PlayStation Net... More »
Kojima revealed at TGS that there would be over 70 weapons in Metal Gear Solid 4, and what’s more they would be customisable. With CES going on right now, we are getting new footage of some of these weapons. Watching these five new videos from the MGS4 English demo, it’s almost safe to say that Kojima has done it again.
Kojima continues to announce new features, such as being able to play the game in First Person Mode, suggesting that there isn’t anything Snake can’t do. Furthermore, with over 70 weapons, MGS4 is going to be one of the most feature full games to come out in 2008.
In this following video from youtube you can see the epic weapon shown in the title image - the rocket launcher, “Javelin”.
MGS4 will have the most diverse array of weapons yet seen in a Metal Gear game, not only because of the sheer amount, but that you can modify each weapon extensively.
Unless you have been living under a rock or in a run-down shack in Montana living like a mountain man, you missed out on the popular World of Warcraft and Hellgate: London patches this week.
Other than those two, there is not much to report in the way of demos, patches, and gaming clients this week folks. Although this makes my job much easier considering the fact that I will have fewer things to list, I am disappointed in the lack of demos that we received. Oh well, I guess there is always next week.
Demos
Conflict: Denied Ops
puts you in command of two hardened CIA paramilitary operatives in intense missions set across South America, Africa and Siberia. Experience ruthless real-world action. Go loud, go stealthy. Switch between your two-man squad under intense crossfire or join a buddy in the 2 player co-op campaign. Take cover as your surroundings are blown to pieces in massively destructible environments featuring Puncture Tech
. ... More »
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