Capcom just loves mixing up their franchises, and this time around it seems that they are going to mash up their favorite franchise character, Ryu, with the upcoming Asura’s Wrath. Andriasang reports that Street Fighter’s Ryu will be available as DLC after the game is released.
Currently there are no firm details released about the DLC, such as price or when to expect it, but Capcom has revealed the above image which may make some people happy and just confuse others as to why they would do such a thing in the first place. Can Ryu’s two fists defeat a man who can grow up to six of them? Will there be quick time events involved? Who knows…
According to a recently pulled Amazon France listing, the next Call of Duty game will be a sequel to Black Ops, titled Call of Duty Black Ops 2. A LinkedIn profile also had a job listing which described work on Black Ops 2, but it was deleted in a hurry.
Activision has reportedly already bought several Black Ops domain registrations for sequels, so this reveal is not a big surprise. However, it is nonetheless interesting to see how they are handling their money making franchise.
The other interesting part about this story is how it broke. The French site Gameblog was the first to report the Amazon listing. They report that after the article was posted, Activision “demanded” it be taken down. After refusing to comply with the order, Activision stripped Gameblog of an invitation to an upcoming Transformers: Fall of Cybertron preview event, and pulled all advertising off the site.
Well… this is interesting news to say the least. It appears Namco Bandai is working on a Kinect focused Dragon Ball Z game, but the details are very scarce at the moment. The Korean Game Ratings Board has rated a game that is being called Dragon Ball Z Kinect and Namco Bandai is the publisher.
We’ve reached out to Namco Bandai in North America to see if there is any truth to this rumor, and if it is indeed true just imagine it. All the times you tried to use a kamahamaha as a child will finally pay off. Or you can even put in a fun little mini-game where you have to perform the Fusion Dance properly and if you mess up the Kinect makes a fat/old version of you instead.
Fireman Sam/Timmy Time Publisher: Avanquest Software Developer: Vacari Genre: Kids/ Puzzle Platform: DS Release Date: Out Now
Overview:
Although the DS’s touch screen has meant that, over the years, the system’s been exploited for all manner of mini-game compilations, how many of these were made for much younger kids? It’s an audience that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves from the games industry, either offering them poorly thought-out software made during someone or other’s downtime, or giving them nothing of interest, hence forcing them to play games designed for slightly older players. Who knows, perhaps the minimum PEGI rating of ages 3 and up could be seen as restrictive. Anyhow, Avanquest Software aren’t ignoring this Cbeebies-watching bunch, with these two games based on popular kids TV shows.
Gameplay:
There’s no story to talk of, just a grouping of short games under each of the shows’ aesthetic. The games are over a selection of different categories and aimed to develop thinking and movement skills by getting the younger player to consider the problem or task at hand and use the stylus as need to tap or move the necessary object or person. The categories are: Observation games, Dexterity/Action games, Puzzle games, Memory games, Musical games (and Logic games, an extra category Fireman Sam has but Timmy Time sees fit to do without).
These categories encompass mini-games which have the player doing some typical tasks such as sliding puzzles, jigsaws, whack-a-mole type games, spot the difference, memory match-ups and Guitar Hero-like scrolling panels to tap in time to the music with the stylus. Timmy Time has 14 games whereas Fireman Sam has 15 (the only game Fireman Sam has that Timmy Time doesn’t is a game called ‘Norman calculates’, which is a sudoku variant for kids).
There are three different difficultly settings for each game throughout both titles – easy, medium and hard. For the most part, these have been well matched to the typical person who would be playing the game, as the easiest difficulty setting is always suitable. The settings can occasionally fall foul (only on a select few games, might I add, like this sudoku one which provides a full blown sudoku puzzle at the hardest setting), when at the hardest difficulty, where they can be a bit too challenging for a small child.
The difficulty ratings link in with the incentives for success to encourage kids along the way. Points-based scores are given at the end of each game, with a higher difficulty resulting in more points if you’re successful. Both games then have a section to check up on these scores, and if the player has managed to complete the mini-game, they get any number of 1-3 trophies accordingly. Completing the first difficulty gets 1, the medium difficulty gets 2 and the hardest difficulty gets 3 trophies. This give the games a hint of replay value for those children who would like to go back and obtain all the trophies.
Visuals & Audio: Both games are more or less identical except from the audio and visual element. The puzzles have been changed to include static backdrops from the respective cartoon series and characters are used who will be familiar to those who watch the cartoons. The menus are simple and well-designed, with big panels which make the game easier to negotiate, and full written explanation before each new game to ensure comprehension. The theme tunes are carried over from the shows, as well as voice snippets and sound effects where applicable, although the repetitive nature of these (they start over from the beginning every time you enter the game menu) mean they could begin to grate on even the most committed of Fireman Sam/ Shaun the Sheep/ Timmy Time fans. Also, the sound quality of these jingles coming out of the small DS speakers isn’t fantastic. Fortunately, there are sound options to decrease the volume of the music and sound effects separately, and of course the option of turning down or muting the console manually with the volume controls.
Overall:
Pre-school games and games for kids in the early years of their education aren’t all that common. Usually the kids are tempted to play what their siblings are playing, but these aren’t always suitable, so one of the qualities you look for in a game for young kids is how well matched it is to their abilities. Are these two suited? Mostly, and certainly on the lower difficulty settings they are. The hardest difficulty could prove too challenging on a number of the games though.
But that’s not where the issue lies. My issue with the game is that it has not got enough content. Even with a bit of replaying, each of the two is unlikely to last small children any more than an hour before they lose interest, which considering the price of a new game (even with these two’s reduced price point), makes it a rather expensive source of fun. What it has is good, let it be said. Games that will stimulate their mind by getting them to remember sequences, identify differences or develop their reflexes. Then there’s the layout of the menus, which is perfect and fit for purpose. It’s just matter of whether there’s something a bit more interesting, that would last them longer, to spend your money on.
Rockstar Games have been busy at answering a lot of your questions about their upcoming Max Payne 3. Check out Part 1 of the Q&A if you missed it, and if you have any questions on Max Payne 3 or any of Rockstar’s games email Rockstar Games’ Mouthoff – [email protected], or head over to their Facebook or Twitter pages.
Q – “I’ve waited nearly 10 years for this. Will Max Payne 3 feature any driving this time around? I know you guys avoided it so it doesn’t seem like a version of a Grand Theft Auto game but since Max is 10 years in and established as its own, will you add that in?”– Dymez510
“Max is there more in-depth hand-to-hand combat with interaction of environment?” – zell92i75
A – As we’ve stated in the past, we’re working very hard to ensure that we’re being faithful and true to the heritage of Max Payne – and the heart and soul of Max Payne gameplay has always been as a pure shooter. Apart from some pretty cool melee kills that can be triggered when in close quarters with an enemy (check out the very end of the latest Design and Technology video for an exemplary pistol-whipping), we have no intention of betraying that to introduce driving/racing or brawling elements. Just get ready for some of the most cutting-edge, advanced and insane shooting gameplay you’ve ever experienced. If you want driving, we do make some other games. This game is all about story driven gun play.
Q- “With the trend of video games becoming ‘easier’ to complete to cater to the casual market in the hope of everybody completing the game, can we expect a challenging hardcore Max Payne game? I remember from previous Max Payne games, there being tough levels with intense shoot-outs. Can we expect the same with MP3?” – ILikeVideo-Games
A – Yes – while we’re not going to go into too much detail about the specifics of it just yet, we can answer that there will indeed be varying optional difficulty levels for players to play through the single-player story with – so that the game can be a challenging, satisfying and fun experience for players of all skill levels, and special rewards for completing on harder difficulty levels – we will have more details soon.
Q – “Thanks for answering my Max Payne 3 question! Ok… I know I’m making a stupid request but… somehow, in Max Payne 3, could you please put some producers and writers commentaries? I wanna know everything you got inspired with, how you did it and why you did it. Some fans would appreciate this idea too!” – received via Mouthoff
A – Not a stupid request at all! Although we most likely won’t be including development chronicles or commentaries within the game itself, if for no other reason than we rarely have much spare room on our game discs, we’d definitely recommend you pay close attention to some of the content online that will continue to hit in the lead-up to game release – including our behind-the-scenes Research posts and Rockstar Recommends series here at the Rockstar Newswire, the continuingDesign and Technology Series of videos, and exclusive interviews we’re giving with gaming sites discussing the development of Max Payne 3.
Q- “@rockstargames Wow, I have a lot of questions. Are you going to be divulging the full list of classic characters for Max Payne 3’s Special Edition?” –DrDeanDarko (via Twitter)
A – Yes, we will be confirming the full list of characters in Max Payne 3 Special Edition’s Classic Character Multiplayer Pack soon.
Q – “R* are you planning to make DLCs for mp3 in the future ?I’m looking forward to this game, because Max Payne 1 and 2 are one of the greatest games and game experiences for me 😀 this game will be awesome !!!!! :D” – Maxx-Paiin
A – Thank you. It’s great to see hardcore Max Payne fans such as yourself getting excited for the game’s release – as we’ve said before, we’re working very hard to ensure a faithful but still fresh and new Max Payne title for you all. As for future looking downloadable content, it’s a bit early yet for us to confirm exactly what shape Max Payne 3 DLC might take as we’re still in the planning stages for that, but yes we do plan to support Max Payne 3 with content post-release to properly extend the game experience for fans.
Q – “Okay, question time!Will we see the nifty TV shows from the previous two in Max Payne 3?” – ABoyandHisX
A – Very possibly…
Q – “In footage of the game, we see Max in both São Paulo and back in New York City. Are the New York city parts solely at the beginning of the game, or are they perhaps a part of flashback missions throughout the story?” – received via Mouthoff
A – We don’t want to give too much away about the game’s narrative structure, but the game is about Max coming to terms with his experience in São Paulo and the events that took him there, so they are spread throughout the game, like memories triggered by events in São Paulo.
Q – “Any news about Max Payne on iOS?” – avbros
A – Yes – following the release of Grand Theft Auto III for iOS (and Android devices) late last year, the original Max Payne will be our next release for mobile devices. We will have an official announcement soon confirming the release date, but you can expect it to finally be released sometime in the next couple months.
Q – “Rockstar, if I may ask, what is the relationship like between you and Remedy?” – received via Mouthoff
A – Remedy are great long-time friends of ours – they may be an external development studio not part of the internal Rockstar system, but we’ve always loved what they create, and their passion for games, and feel a certain kinship in that they are a studio not afraid of creating original and unique story-driven game experiences very different from the norm. We admire and respect all game makers who stick to their guns and make interesting and original games, and in particular ones like Remedy that we’ve had the pleasure to work with ourselves and know to be good guys as well. As creators of the Max Payne series, we’ve been honored to have them directly involved with us in the making of Max Payne 3 and at the same time, it’s been a thrill to be in the loop along the way seeing what they’re up to with Alan Wake and the new American Nightmare release coming out. If you’ve never checked that game out, we definitely recommend having a look.
Q – “Are there any hopes of us getting a Bully 2? I loved the original and it’s been, what, 5 years? Please make another one.” – siim220
“Hey, and Bully 2? It’s Real? Please make Bully 2! The world needs a Bully 2” – Julio Cësar (via Facebook)
A – We absolutely love that over 5 years later, we’re still seeing so much enthusiasm for Bully – all we can say is to see the answer from Monday’s Asked & Answered about L.A. Noire! We really love Bully ourselves and may also make a sequel at some point.
Max Payne 3 is set to be released for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on May 18 and PC on May 29.
Monster Crush – Demolition Developer: 628 Games Publisher: 628 Games Platform: iPhone/iPad (reviewed) Release: 19/01/12 Price: $0.99 – Available Here
Overview
Casual on the go gaming is the bread and butter of iPhone and iPad video games. 628 Games’ Monster Crush – Demolition fits this genre perfectly, providing quick and fast on the go gameplay in a flash. Monster Crush is a physics based puzzle game similar to Angry Birds or iBlast Moki and offers very destructible gameplay.
Story
Monster Crush doesn’t exactly have a story so to speak more so an overall basic premise. Starting up the game players are introduced to a short cutscene which introduces this premise. The Earth has been invaded by aliens and it’s your job to kill them by detonating buildings on top of them, that’s about as far as the story goes. And that’s fine and a good enough reason to be blowing up building.
Gameplay
In order to defeat the alien invaders, you’ll need to strategically place bombs in specific locations in order to topple a building. The first few tutorial levels explain all this very well and getting the hang of this is very easy. Bombs come in two different variations regular and cutting, the latter (name suggests) is used specially for cutting buildings. All bombs can be timed up to nine seconds and as the game progresses and its puzzles get harder, the timing and placement of your bomb will become a necessity.
Throughout the game, you will be setting up a lot of bombs randomly and seeing they how go. And that is half the fun of Monster Crush. The game’s physics is genuinely fun to watch, however playing though the same level over and over again just to find the right combination of bombs and location isn’t.
A lot of trial and error is needed in this game, and that isn’t exactly a bad thing as the feeling of reward for completing a level is heightened by this. While this type of gameplay doesn’t appeal to everyone, if you’re a fan of puzzle ‘trial and error’ gameplay then much is to be enjoyed here.
Monster Crush isn’t all about crushing aliens. The game also offers up other objectives and game modes, all of which involve destroying buildings of cause. For example, in some levels you will be required to destroy as many blocks as possible or get a ball to roll as far as possible.
All levels require players to obtain a star ranking which in turn opens up cities which holds six more levels for players to complete. In total, the game has 42 puzzles to complete spread across 6 different cities along with this players can also create and share their own levels. Already, a huge number of user created levels are available to download for free via the game’s main menu.
Audio & Visual
The game sports an old school cartoony pixely 16-bit style. It’s a colourful game with bright visuals. However despite being held in different cities, there isn’t a lot of variety in each city’s backdrop. For the most part it is the same generic city backdrop with a few minor changes thrown in.
There isn’t much to set apart each city from one another, which is a bit of a disappointment. The game’s impending military-esq theme music works well with the game’s overall premise. Explosions in the game sound exactly how you would expect and there are no issues with sound effects in the game, they all work fine.
Overall
Monster Crush is a one of those games where you sit back and let the destruction entertain you. As a physics-based puzzle game, you may get frustrated over playing the same level over and over just to find the correct solution. But that’s the price for the feeling of reward. Gameplay is very solid, with levels becoming quite complicated at later stages of the game. Overall, Monster Crush is a very simple yet challenging game. As the saying goes, it’s easy to get the hang of but difficult to master.
I give Monster Crush – Demolition for iPad/iPhone:
Remedy has released their final dev diary for Alan Wake’s American Nightmare before the game’s release on the Xbox 360 next week. However perhaps this one would be best skipped if you don’t want to see too many spoilers about Mr. Scratch.
Then again… given the track record from the past few developer diaries then this video is certainly worth watching just to see what will be happening in the background. First we’ve had someone murdered in the background and carried away, and the last developer diary featured someone murdered in a house in the background. What will happen this time around? Let me give you a hint… it features lots of Mr. Scratch all over the place.
While there has been a small lull in Gears of War 3 DLC, it seems that there is another one coming out next month. Revealed on GTTV tonight, the next piece of Gears of War 3 DLC will be another map pack for the multiplayer mode as well as a few character skins that were available as pre-order bonuses originally.
The DLC is called “Forces of Nature” and will cost 800 MSP for those who didn’t purchase the Gears of War 3 ‘Season Pass’, as those will be able to get the game for free. The maps added into the game are called Aftermath, Artillery, and Cove along with two returning maps, Jacinto and Raven Down. The DLC will be released on March 27th and the character models can be seen above. Plus, there will be five new weapon skins unlocked, with two Forces of Nature exclusive weapon skins.
While there is plenty of battles to be fought in the world of Gamindustri, there is also a world share map that shows how much each nation (which mostly reference real life game consoles) is in control of the world at any given time. This usually adjusts depending on how you complete quests. Depending on the share ratios, this can also unlock new story paths and even bring goddesses from the first game into your party.
Now while the stock market and the share ratio between nations may not be that interesting for most people, there are also plenty of screenshots which can be seen below that feature all of the different characters in Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2. One of these images even has a very obvious reference to NIS America’s most recently released game, Atelier Totori. Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is set to be released exclusively on the PlayStation 3 on February 28th so the wait is indeed getting smaller.
Mass Effect 3 is officially out of this world – publisher’s EA are taking hype to new heights by launching copies of the game into space! An undisclosed number of weather balloons will lift off from New York, London, Berlin, Las Vegas, Paris and San Francisco next week. Each will bear a copy of the game and be fitted with a GPS tracking device, which will report the current location of the balloon to the official Mass Effect website.
Fans in the right area who are desperate to get their hands on the game will be able to track the balloons online and snatch them up from their landing zones, scoring one of the most heavily anticipated titles of the year almost a full week before the rest of the world. So if you’re near one of the starting zones, make sure and watch the skies!
Today also marks the unveiling of the online co-operative multiplayer phase of the Mass Effect 3 demo, so make sure and boot up that demo just one more time (or many many more!) to get a taste of what’s to come when the full title drops on March 6.
