They’re bum rushing again; a cascade of gnawing, screaming, snarling, sicken bodies fly through every open crevasse of a charming little house that has become a barricade of fortitude against the undead.
All this because one of our token heroes made a last minute smash and grab for some ammo, broke up the typecast quartet, and was welcomed by a sludge of zombie pheromone vomit to the face.
If Half-Life and its sequel spelled the advent of the videogame sense of the cinematic, capturing the filmic while never using its exact form, then Left 4 Dead runs with developer Valve’s legacy to uncultivated territory.
On the surface it’s what you’ve come to expect, with perfectly placed spectacle and the crescendos in pace to match. But Left 4 Dead also takes that cinematic inheritance a logical step further, by slyly inserting an omniscient Director who puppeteers and schemes to abash your foursome’s every cooperative move.
Prince of Persia Producer Ben Mattes took the time to answer several interesting questions regarding everything from combat to the game’s new art style on PlayStation 3. Here are some of them as follows:
Charliesdad asked: Wondering how you addressed the balance issues from earlier entries in the series. For example, Sands of Time was amazing, but going back to it recently the combat wore thin after a while (especially in the first big group fight) to be followed by long stretches of almost no combat. Does the new game fall on one side or the other or is there a middle ground that you all shot for and hit? And Demo tomorrow? Maybe?
Mattes: First, one of our main goals in combat was to make every fight grandiose and meaningful, to make every encounter feel more epic. Thus, we decided to make the new combat system a duel mode in which every enemy has special attributes, a unique personality, cool moves, and his strengths and weaknesses. ... More »
AOL announced the launch of AOL PlaySavvy.com, a new site that targets parents of children ages 5-17 and helps them decipher the world of games, both PC and console.
PlaySavvy also helps parents stay aware of their kids’ entertainment choices including assisting them in making informed decisions about buying games for their children.
Press Release: AOL Launches PlaySavvy.com
The PlaySavvy.com launch is a continuation of AOL’s overall programming goal to offer consumers interactive and engaging experiences with relevant sites that target people’s passion points.
This year, AOL launched several targeted sites including ParentDish.com, http://www.parentdish.com, Lemondrop.com, http://www.lemondrop.com, WalletPop.com, http://www.walletpop.com, and Holidash.com, http://www.holidash.com.
"Playing video games is one of the top pastimes for children these days, almost more than watching... More »
Despite recent reports of Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon being cancelled for PlayStation 3, a THQ UK representative told Eurogamer (linked above) that it will indeed still be arriving to Europe as scheduled on February 13th of 2009.
To quote: THQ has clarified the situation with Destroy All Humans! Path of Furon - saying the PS3 version will be released in Europe after all.
Yesterday it was reported that the game will only be available for Xbox 360 in the US. Now a THQ UK representative has stated both versions are still on track for a European release.
"Destroy all Humans: Path of the Furon will be released on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 formats on February 13th 2009 across Europe," he stated.
"Due to the game being shipped earlier in North America on 2nd December a decision was made to proceed exclusive... More »
Just under two weeks ago, word broke on Nintendo's Wii Speak stating the Wii Speak Channel is only for Wii Speak purchasers and not to buy it used.
The reason for this was that the peripheral's manual stated the code needed to download the Wii Speak Channel "cannot be replaced by Nintendo or your retailer if it is lost or stolen." This would have meant that those who bought it used would not have been able to download the Wii Speak Channel.
Since then, Nintendo seems to have had a change of heart and has stated: "Nintendo can confirm that when consumers purchase the Wii Speak accessory, they are provided with a Wii Download Ticket with a unique number. The ticket, which can be redeemed via the Wii Shop Channel, will enable the user to download the Wii Speak Channel free of charge to a single Wii console," the representative stated.
2008 has been full of ups and downs for the PlayStation 3. Whether or not Sony delivered on all their promises is questionable.
However, if there is one thing that can't be taken from Sony's next-gen console is the tremendous growth its software library has undergone over the past year.
In 2007, critics of the PS3 lambasted the console's software catalog. The system was victim of numerous shoddy ports, and lacked any defining title it could call its own. Then, early in the new year, Sony made the eyebrow raising announcement that they intended to drive sales not by slashing the price again, but by delivering quality software.
And, to the disbelief of even the most devout Sony fanatics, things did begin to change. The PS3 became the lead platform for many multiplatform projects, ironically, not because it was the most powerful platform, but because it was the most infuriating to develop for. Starting with Burnout Paradise in January, the differen... More »
While perusing the aisles of my local Target this evening, I noticed something that caught my attention.
Nintendo has apparently just released a controller combo pack that includes a Wii Remote, Nunchuck, and Mario Kart Steering wheel, without telling a soul in the press. This is very bizarre as game companies usually like us to be aware of even the most mundane of its business moves (e.g. picture pack releases on Xbox Live.)
This is an officially licensed set that includes all authentic Nintendo accessories. Somewhat surprising though, is the $74.99 price point for the bundle.
Some may seek out the pack thinking they are getting a good deal, but don’t let this fool you. Nintendo has done nothing for the consumer in terms of savings. Bought separately, all of the items in the bundle cost the exact same price as the bundle. Technically, you would save two cents by purchasing them individually. Wii Remote ($39.99) + Wii Wheel ($14.99) + Nunchaku ... More »
Nintendo has released figures for 2008 hardware sales in Europe, which reveal the PS3 is outselling the Xbox 360 - though the Wii is still laughing in both of their faces.
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, more than 10.4 million Wii consoles have been shifted in Europe this year. The high point for Nintendo was April, when nearly 180,000 units were sold. The figure for Xbox 360 during the same month was around 90,000, as it was for PS3.
Overall, PS3 sales are said to exceed those for Xbox 360. However, Microsoft's console proved more popular than its rival during October, when a price cut boosted sales to more than 60,000 units.
The DS has beaten the PSP over the course of the year. In July Nintendo shifted 225,000 handhelds, while the PSP reached a peak of 50,000 units during the same period.
(0) 
