Rob Bricken for Topless Robot:
The finest dystopian Dance Dance Revolution-themed gang war movie ever made.
via Topless Robot.
Hardcore Dance Dance Revolution Movie Is Real
– Posted on February 15, 2012Posted in: Movies, Video Games
Video Games Archive
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Gotham City Imposters
– Posted on February 10, 2012Posted in: Comics, Video Games
Earlier this week, I wrote down some impressions from playing the Gotham City Imposters open beta for ComicsAlliance (read them if you are so inclined). After playing a little bit of the final version, I haven’t changed my opinion much. I’m a little disappointed that there aren’t any other gametypes other than Fumigation, Psych Warfare, and Team Deathmatch. I was hoping for some other really creative gametypes to complement them, but perhaps Monolith decided to just focus on getting the three that they had right. All three are fun and substantial, so at least there aren’t “filler” gametypes that no one will ever play.
There’s a couple of other differences that I noticed right off the bat. The first is the addition of many (I’m talking 100+) microtransaction pieces. They’re all vanity-related and don’t affect gameplay, but there’s a few pieces of flair that are only obtainable via extra purchases. This may or may not annoy you, but I personally don’t mind.
The other big difference is the addition of a single player challenge mode, which tasks players with moving around each of the 5 levels using the glider, grapple, and skates. You can earn up to three different medals on three tiers of challenges which also award you XP. It’s an elegant way of incorporating a “training” mode where players can learn how to maneuver around using the gadgets while also giving an incentive to spend time there rather than learning on the fly. I dig it.
At $15, I still think the game deserves a good, long look if you’re into team-based shooters with oodles of unlockables. It’s almost as robust as the multiplayer components for full retail games, but at a fraction of the cost.
Gotham City Impostors Beta Impressions on ComicsAlliance
Download Gotham City Imposters on Xbox Live (It’s also available on the Playstation Network for PS3 and Steam if you own a PC)
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Double Fine’s Adventure Game Kickstarter
– Posted on February 8, 2012Posted in: Video Games
Keeping the scale of the project this small accomplishes two things. First and foremost, Double Fine gets to make the game they want to make, promote it in whatever manner they deem appropriate, and release the finished product on their own terms. Secondly, since they’re only accountable to themselves, there’s an unprecedented opportunity to show the public what game development of this caliber looks like from the inside. Not the sanitized commercials-posing-as-interviews that marketing teams only value for their ability to boost sales, but an honest, in-depth insight into a modern art form that will both entertain and educate gamers and non-gamers alike.
I’m surprised it’s taken this long for a major game developer to crowdsource funding for new projects (niche musicians have used it in years past to fund new albums), but who better to capitalize on both nostalgia and goodwill than Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions. The man has made some of the most cherished games of my childhood (Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle, Grim Fandango) and I’m sure as hell excited to back a project that will attempt to revitalize the dying genre.
In just a few hours after posting the Kickstarter page, Double Fine has already got half of its $400,000 funding goal (the original deadline was over a month!) for a genre that is supposedly incapable of selling in this day and age. Hopefully, this will serve as proof to the industry that games don’t have to head down the same path as Hollywood movies are in milking tired franchises year in and year out.
At this point it’s really only a matter of time before we see a Kickstarter for Psychonauts 2…
(Don’t forget to watch the video on the top of the Kickstarter page. It’s very entertaining.)
Update (2/9):
We did it! 100% funded in just over eight hours. You people are amazing! But it’s not over yet. The number keeps going up and now the question is just how much news do we want to make with this? We’re getting a lot of attention already and it seems like this little project could have an impact beyond itself.
All money raised will go to make the game and documentary better. Additional money means it can appear on more platforms, be translated into more languages, have more music and voice, and an original soundtrack for the documentary, and more!
Your backing and comments have been truly inspiring to me and the team, so on behalf of Double Fine and 2 Player Productions I want to say THANK YOU!!!
Amazing.
Double Fine Adventure by Double Fine and 2 Player Productions — Kickstarter.
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Your Can’t Transfer Your Old PSP Game Discs To Your New PlayStation Vita
– Posted on February 7, 2012Posted in: Video Games
Jason Schreier:
Sony has told Kotaku that there will not be a North American version of the UMD Passport program, which would allow PlayStation Vita users to transfer their PSP discs to the upcoming handheld.
Disappointing, but predictable. I imagine the infrastructure it would take to implement this sort of program is just not worth the niche, one-time market that it would serve.
Frankly, you’re better off just playing the games on your old PSPs. I mean, would you really want to pay an additional $6-$15 per title to transfer games you already own to a new system?
via Kotaku.
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The Syndicate Demo
– Posted on February 4, 2012Posted in: Video Games
Tycho, for Penny Arcade:
Syndicate doesn’t tell you something very important: it may walk like a shooter, and talk like one, but the ebb and flow has more in common with MMO endgame Raiding than some latter-day inheritor of the action mantle. I had to fight the “final boss” at least twelve times before defeating him, with three different “pub” groups, and when it finally happened it was because we ported over broadly defined RPG roles like grabbing adds, tanking, and main heals.
Playing the Syndicate demo was a bit like being thrown to the wolves in the future. You’re matched up with four random people and have to fumble your way through the cyberpunk-infused environment. There’s no tutorial or explanation on how to play the game or what makes it different from other shooters. It looks great because it uses the same Frostbite 2 engine that Battlefield 3 does, but also has a pretty low framerate which feels like it’s in the low to mid 20’s. Be prepared to squint, too, as the font sizes for everything are about 6 point. Woe betide you if you don’t have an HD TV at this point. Fortunately, the game does let you fumble your way through if you’ve played other shooters before, as many of the basic maneuverability controls are the same. Beyond shooting bad guys, I basically followed the waypoint markers on screen and hit the context sensitive buttons when prompted.
That being said, I ended up with the same conclusions that Tycho did after making it through. There’s a lot of parallels with MMO Raiding, as the enemies aren’t your run of the mill fodder waiting to be killed. They’re essentially military squads in a sort of bizarro version of Rainbow Six Vegas. There’s often “boss” enemies that have an insane amount of health and it’s up to one guy on your team to grab his attention while staying alive. “Adds” will spawn and teammates will have to heal and revive each other. Playing the game like a typical shooter won’t get you really far unless you’re pretty damn good at them and even then, I too had to deal with several “pub” groups before I took down the final boss of the demo. (and that was a miraculous win too, after being revived in the middle of combat several times)
I’m a little unsure as to how I feel about the game. On the one hand, the coop mechanics are really deep and interesting. If you’ve ever raided in an MMO before, you know how positively gratifying downing a boss is. Unfortunately, you need to know and trust the people you’re playing with first. I imagine that trying to pub your way through Syndicate may lead to your fair share of quitters and “bad players,” leading to a frustrating time. However, if you’ve got a good group of four to play shooters with, this could end up being one of the sleeper gaming experiences of the year.
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Ghost Trick Now Available on iOS
– Posted on February 2, 2012Posted in: Mobile, Video Games
The only thing keeping Nintendo and Sony handheld systems relevant in the age of iOS/Android gaming is the fact that they offer high quality game experiences that can’t be replicated elsewhere. Of course, there are certain console titles that play just as well, if not better, on touch screen only devices, Scribblenauts Remix being one of them and Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective being another.
Capcom’s finally released Ghost Trick on iPhone/iPad as a universal app (with iCloud saved games enabled!) today. I haven’t actually played through the original version on Nintendo DS yet, but hear it’s a pretty good game. It’s a detective adventure game where you try to solve your own mysterious deaths as a ghost. There’s a bunch of parallels with the Phoenix Wright series, if you’ve ever played those.
You get the first two chapters of the game as a free download, and can purchase the rest in app for $9.99. It’s a pretty good steal, given the fact that Ghost Trick just came out barely a year ago as a $29.99 retail Nintendo DS title. Plus, you’re arguably getting a better gameplay experience as you don’t need to use a silly stylus or carry around a Nintendo DS with you.
I’m midway through the first chapter now and will most certainly be buying the rest.
Updated Protip (2/3): The iCloud interface is really ambiguous and scarily written. (“There is a chance that you might lose your progress” on both options?? Come on Capcom!) I’ve tested it, though and you want to hit “Sync iCloud backup data” to upload your current save to the cloud. Tapping “Sync this device” brings the save from the cloud down to whichever device you are using now.
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Vita Games Discounted For Digital Distribution
– Posted on January 31, 2012Posted in: Video Games
Andrew Yoon for Shacknews:
A Sony representative has confirmed the discount. “I can confirm that there will be a discount on the downloadable PS Vita titles from PSN. Exact details have not yet been revealed, but be on the lookout for an announcement in the very near future.”
The discount will apparently be 10% off the retail price for the equivalent retail boxed version of the game. It’s an interesting first step in the transition to a completely digital consumer experience for the games industry.
I’m not sure if 10% is enough, given that many retailers routinely offer 20% or greater discounts/promotions for new game releases. (Anyone who’s pre-ordered new video games from Amazon in the last two years is fond of their $10-$20 promotional credit offers) But the fact that Sony is willing to discount the digital version is at least acknowledgement that charging full retail price for it is folly.
If you’re able to delete and re-download games for free at will, it might actually give consumers an interesting purchasing decision to make assuming they have a decent sized memory card. One of the most annoying things about carrying multiple games on trips is physically carrying those games. Being able to load several games onto your memory card would cut down on travel weight significantly.
Now if Sony would only get rid of their comically overpriced proprietary Vita memory cards…
via Shacknews.com.
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Insomniac Won’t Be Making Any More Resistance Games
– Posted on January 26, 2012Posted in: Video Games
“We won’t be making any more Resistances,” Insomniac CEO Ted Price told VG247 during an interview at Southern Methodist University’s Game::Business::Law Summit today. Short, sweet, and to the point.
Guess Insomniac finally came to the conclusion that Resistance… was futile.
Seriously, though, the Resistance games were among the best shooters available on the PlayStation 3. I’m a little wistful that they won’t be continuing the franchise, but happy to see that Insomniac isn’t content with just making sequels. Here’s to bigger and better new IP’s from one of the best studios in the game right now.
via Insomniac: “We won’t be making any more Resistances” | VG247.
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Steam Releases Mobile App
– Posted on January 26, 2012Posted in: Mobile, Video Games
Well, well well, Steam. Look who’s decided to join the mobile apps party.
I suppose it was only a matter of time before Valve jumped into mobile. Right now the features list looks pretty basic, offering only friend status updates, chatting, and access to the Steam store. While good for impulse buys or checking up on deals, I was actually hoping for at least an achievement viewer. There’s nothing I like doing more when I’m away from my computer than wistfully reflecting on all of my gaming accomplishments.
Obviously, the mobile app’s functionality will only grow from here. After all, Steam itself started off as a pretty basic client, too. It’ll be interesting to see if Steam expands its tendrils into the mobile gaming distribution arena, given that both Android and iOS already have exclusive channels for that. Perhaps Steam will become more of a content curator? There’s certainly a lot of trash to wade through in those marketplaces.
Though the app is still in an invite-only beta mode right now, you can still download it and poke around the offline mode. If you’ve used the iOS Gmail app, the Steam app UI looks very similar.