Category: Play

What’s Jack Black doing now? Only making the most metal game EVAR

Years ago Tim Schafer, creator and writer of games such as Grim Fandango and Secrets of Monkey Island, created a game for the Xbox called Psychonauts, it was critically praised for it’s gameplay, level design, story, humor and just about everything else under the son. The game did not sell so well (as many aesthetically pleasing games do), but it became a cult classic. Despite the game’s poor sales Double Fine Studios and Tim Schafer signed a contract with Vivendi Universal to create another game for them. For many months it was unknown what this game would be called, or what it was about.

Double Fine eventually released the next game they were working on, but it wasn’t what most expected. It was a flash fighting game (which can be seen on their website), and it was rather funny, but it was no Psychonauts. Then Jack Black, the world famous comedic actor known for his role in School of Rock and in the band Tenacious D, was seen wearing a T-shirt. No big surprise there, but what was on it was a hint on what was to come from Double Fine.
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Super Smash In February: Good or Bad?

Super Smash Bros Brawl cover art

Super Smash Brawl has been officially moved to February 10th, 2008. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Personally, I believe this is a good thing because in my mind, if a game takes longer to come out but it actually needed that time to fix things, it is completely worth it. I don’t want a game to come out a few months earlier just because that’s when they said it would come out. I want the game to come out when the creators feel that it is ready.

Additionally, who can really say that there’s not enough games out right now, or coming out in the next couple of months as it is. I know I definitely don’t have enough money to spend on these games but if you do, you probably have better stuff to do than think about when Super Smash is coming out.

Also, February is generally a month in which a small number of games usually comes out. In addition to spacing out the times of these awesome games coming out, it is filling in the some of the gaps during a usually gameless month.

Weekly Games: 10/14

Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground Cover

Ok, so where I live it’s still officially 10/13. Who cares?! It’s a week in games, meaning someone’s gotta tell you all what you’re missing while you play Orange Box’s Portal or Team Fortress 2.

PS3

  • Tony Hawks Proving Grounds (10/18): In case Skate wasn’t good enough for you and you need something to cling on to for the weekend. Because apparently Everyday Shooter ain’t good enough fer ye.

PSP

  • Thrillville: Off the Rails (10/15): Ever have the need to build amusement parks on the go?
  • Swat: Target Liberty (10/18): So, liberty’s the target, eh? Well, good luck shooting her with a missile.
  • Spiderman 3 (10/18): Amazingly late, we thought this one was all but forgotten. Silly us. Activision doesn’t leave a man behind. Ever.

360

  • Thrillville: Off the Rails (10/15): Same as above, but from the comfort of your own home. Like a real architect would.
  • Beautiful Katamari (10/17): Rolling your way, this nonsensical puzzle make-everything-part-of-you game is fun…for whoever likes that weird stuff.
  • Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground (10/18): In the event you have a PS3 but remembered that achievements are meaningful in your life.

Wii

  • Thrillville: Off the Rails (10/15): Hey, why bother taking it with you or using a standard controller. Use the damned wiimote like everyone else!
  • Rockstar Presents Table Tennis (10/17): Finally, the 360 exclusive gets put on the console it was really intended for. That is, if it plays well.
  • Spyro: The Eternal Night (10/17): Say hello to fire breathing dragons and goodbye to…wait, nothing really.
  • Victorious Boxers: Revolution (10/18): Wii Sports, eat your heart out. This boxing game will give you a real workout. And when you throw an uppercut, it’ll work.
  • Tony Hawk’s Proving Grounds (10/18): Well, at least it’s not on the PSP.
  • Ultimate Duck Hunting (10/18): This must be the greatest game of all time. I mean, it has the word “ultimate” in it. That makes it magical.
  • Avatar: The Burning Earth (10/18): It’s a damn good thing you play as the Avatar, so you can blow those bad fires away and make sure the Earth doesn’t get too roasted. It doesn’t taste good burnt.
  • Guilty Gear XX Accent Core (10/18): As if the long and pointless name wasn’t good enough, it’s probably a fighting game with 2d graphics. ’nuff said.
  • Mercury: Meltdown Revolution (10/19): Three words that would never go together, put together, and still have no meaning.
  • Ultimate Board Game Collection (10/19): Can’t get any more straight forward than that. Because hey, you can’t play all these games on Yahoo! games. Or can you?

Nintendo DS

  • Thrillville: Off the Rails (10/15): This would complete the demonic circle of game consoles, but the PS3 was spared of it’s pity. Well played Lucasarts.
  • Cheetah Girls: Pop Star Sensation (10/15): Ahh, to be young, fit, attractive, and a cheetah girl once again.
  • Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day (10/17): Yes, staring at a small 2 inch screen that’s 2 feet from your face is a great way to improve your vision.
  • Bee Game (10/17): Not to be confused with the Bee Movie Game, this is like Catz. Not NintenCats, but close.
  • Prism: Light the Way (10/18): There is no way to be more inspirational then lighting the way.
  • Avatar: The Burning Earth (10/18): This Nintendo exclusive is for you people (all 5 of you) without a Wii, yet with a DS.
  • Pet Wild Animals: Dolphinz (10/18): Oh, for sure. Add a Z to the end of a word where an S should be and now it’s cool. Why didn’t anyone see this earlier?!
  • Fish Tycoon (10/18): Imagine, the best way to spend time while sitting in a car or train or plane, is to deal with virtual fish. Peachy. MAN THE HARPOON!
  • Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground (10/18): That’s right, someone had to do it. Be on every system. There’s always one, and this bad boy did it. Congrats to insanity.
  • Mahjong Quest (10/18): The board games may stay at home, but if I had to take one with me, it would definitely be Mahjong. If I knew how to play.

PS2

  • Thrillville: Off the Rails (10/15): blah blah blah…
  • Tony Hawk’s Proving Grounds (10/18): …blah blah blah…
  • Avatar: The Burning Earth (10/18): …blah blah blah…

Seems like that’s it for now. Stay tuned next week when we bring you more of those outrageous bloopers!

Oh, and don’t forget that there will be a ton of demos coming around, hopefully, from E for All. We may be a bit slow on updating with all that, so keep checking your local PSN/XBL provider!

Hitman IS going to be R-Rated

Hitman the Movie

The rumour mills worked overtime yesterday, to bring in some phoney news about the Hitman movie being watered down for a PG-13 release. Looks like it was all lies. We’ve got news (or rather, confirmation) that Hitman is heading straight for an R-rating and will not compromise on gore, violence and all that stuff.

Director Xavier Gens is still on the project and is apparently confused as to why the rumours wanted him out of the project. Thank the lord for this news. I was under the impression that just once they make a good video game-movie and blam, they censor it out. Let’s hope we’re getting all that blood and gore we wanted.

A day of woe: EA buys Bioware, Pandemic

Mass Effect screenshot

’tis truly a sad day in the gaming industry. Two of our most loved game developers, Bioware and Pandemic have been bought by the corporate giant that is EA. Well, I don’t need to list EA’s evils before you, but let’s just say that they are a large corporation, and Microsoft and Sony are also large corporations.

Bioware is one of the most popular and trusted game developers in the industry, standing by the likes of Valve, Epic, Bungie and so on. Their forté was RPGs and not just any RPGs, but really good ones. Neverwinter Nights, Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, Baldur’s Gate series, and for God’s sake, Mass Effect, all of them are from Bioware. With EA’s acquisition, we may just be looking at a writhing death for any more awesome titles like these.

Also, Bioware is working on a top-secret MMORPG project for release somewhere in the future. EA is now going to get all the cash. EA’s CFO Warren Jensen stated bluntly: “”In fiscal 2009 and 2010, we expect the BioWare and Pandemic properties to deliver revenue in excess of $300 million annually.” That made me chuckle. Halo 3 brought in that much in a week. But it does make you wonder: Is the Bioware/EA acquisition headed for a model similar to the Bungie/Microsoft one?

Pandemic Studios is famous for its Mercenaries and Star Wars: Battlefront lines of games. They also created Destroy All Humans! and its sequel, two fun games that went unnoticed. Again, all their base now belongs to EA. They have no chance to survive, make their time.

The total deal has cost EA $860 million, which is more than a hole in the pocket. Regardless, it could be possible that EA is not only trying to diversify its portfolio, but gain a substantial lead over its competitors. Besides, Pandemic is known for its LucasArts games (Mercenaries, Battlefront) and one of Bioware’s finest is also an LA title (Knights of the Old Republic). Is EA trying to humiliate LA? Is LA going to strike back? Are both LA and EA fronts of an organization planning to take over the gaming industry? God, I hope so.