With the new year comes the next house party of games held by Microsoft on the XBLA. This time around it seems like they are trying to market the games like they are a real house party, at least that is how it looks from the video released today that announced the entire lineup for House Party 2012.
The games which will be released during the House party promotion include Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, EA’s Warp, Nexuiz and the long-awaited I Am Alive. Obviously the two highly anticipated titles of this line-up are Alan Wake and I am Alive. Currently there is no release date for these titles nor when we can expect the House Party to begin. Though considering the last House Party occurred in the later half of February it is safe to assume somewhere around there.
While it may have been expected by most, Sony has officially come out and given Twisted Metal a release date for the UK. While North Americans will be able to play the title on February 14th, those in the UK will need to wait until February 17. This follows most predictions, as the international release of most titles usually does not vary greatly from region to region.
This news comes from a Sony representative responding to an inquiry by MCV. It is worth noting that expected buyers who pick up the game at release will also be receiving a voucher that will allow them to download Twisted Metal Black the 2001 PS2 game for free.
The release of 38 Studios, Big Huge Games and EA’s ambitious RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is growing very close, in fact it is only a month away now in North America as the title will be released on February 7th in North America and February 10th in Europe. The title is seeing a multiplatform release, so while console owners do not need to worry about what they will need to run the title, PC gamers will need to know just how strong their gaming rig will need to be to even run the title. As such 38 Studios released the minimum and recommended PC specifications for the title which can be seen below. It is also worth noting that an internet connection is required to register and activate the title as well.
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
OS:
Windows XP with Service Pack 3
Windows Vista with Service Pack 2
Windows 7 with Service Pack 1
CPU:
Intel Core2 Duo (or equivalent) running at 2.2GHz or greater
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (or equivalent) running at 2.6GHz or greater
RAM:
At least 1 GB for Windows XP
At least 2 GB for Windows Vista and Windows 7
Disc Drive:
CD/DVD ROM drive (required for installation only), 8x or faster CD/DVD drive
Hard Drive:
At least 10.5 GB of free space
Video Adapter:
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB or better
ATI Radeon HD3650 512MB or better
Supporting Pixel Shader 3.0
Minimum Resolution Supported is 1280×720
DirectX:
9.0c Compatible
RECOMMENDED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
OS:
Windows XP with Service Pack 3
Windows Vista with Service Pack 2
Windows 7 with Service Pack 1
CPU:
Intel Core 2 Quad (or equivalent) running at 2.4GHz or greater
AMD Phenom X4 (or equivalent) running at 2.6GHz or greater
RAM:
At least 3 GB for Windows XP
At least 4 GB for Windows Vista and Windows 7
Disc Drive:
CD/DVD ROM drive (required for installation only), 8x or faster CD/DVD drive
Hard Drive:
At least 10.5 GB of free space
Video Adapter:
NVIDIA GeForce GTX260 1GB RAM or better
ATI Radeon HD4850 1GB RAM or better
Supporting Pixel Shader 3.0
The internet contains a wealth of information, even information that some companies weren’t planning on revealing quite yet. Such is the case with this possible Aliens: Colonial Marines special edition. The image was discovered on Gamekyo and being that Sega has yet to confirm any special edition or make any statement about there being a special edition this news can best be seen as a rumor, but a very hopeful rumor at that.
The special edition as seen above, contains a resin figure of a xenomorph attacking a Power Loader, a USCM dossier, a wrap around display and digital content such as the M240 Flamethrower, M577 A2 Smart Gun, M414 Pulse Rifle Upgrade, and the “USCM Academy Firing Range” game mode. To be honest this special edition looks to be the real deal, but also could simply be a very elaborate fake. We’ve reached out to Sega for their stance on this special edition.
It appears that those hoping to get their hands on the HD versions of the older Silent Hill titles may need to wait a little bit longer as multiple retailers have changed the release date of the title once again. It should be noted that the Silent Hill HD Collection has already been delayed once, from November 2011 until January 24 2012.
However it has come to our attention that multiple retailers, including Amazon, GameStop and online rental service GameFly have all changed that release date to March 6th instead of the previously announced release date. Konami themselves have not made an announcement about this delay yet and we have reached out to them for confirmation of the delay.
It seems that despite the usually well-informed and trustworthy reporting of Nikkei, Kazuo Hirai has not taken a step up the Sony ladder to becoming the new president of the company. At least not yet anyways. Sony has issued a brief and to the point statement saying that currently “nothing has been determined.”
Now while this may seem like a downright refusal, the fact that Sony’s own statement fully says that they have “made no announcement in this regard and nothing has been determined at this time” makes it seem like there could possibly be something moving behind the scenes at Sony, but the company may not want it revealed just yet. Or Nikkei’s report could simply have been false. Time will tell.
Some of you may remember back when the PlayStation Vita was officially revealed at E3 2011 Sony stated that the North American version of the PlayStation Vita 3G version would make exclusive use of AT&T’s3 3G network. Both companies have been very quiet about this since that announcement but today AT&T finally came out with some information and data plans for those who will be picking up the 3G version of the handheld.
There will be two options available for those who want to play their Vita online anywhere. There is a $14.99 plan with a limit of 250MB per month, and a $25 plan with a limit of 2GB per month. AT&T also revealed that anyone who signs up for the Vita data coverage will also be able to download a free game from a certain list of titles, however that list has not been revealed. It is also worth noting that those pricing plans are for monthly payments, not long term coverage.
The hype has grown immensely for the next installment of Resident Evil because players will have a chance to take on the roles of Umbrella team. In the latest trailer, we find Umbrella Security Services team intercepting Spec-Ops soldiers. With the mentality of eliminating all survivors, Umbrella shoots to kill. While both sides are aggressively attacking each other, a zombie horde drops in to say “hello”.
If gamers can take anything away from the cinematic, it would be that this game is hardcore. Even if there is no visible gameplay in this trailer, the cinematic is unbelievably mouth-watering. Watch the entire trailer below, and decide for yourself whether or not you should pre-order immediately (here).
At CES Las Vegas 2012, Parrot, the creators of everyones favourite augmented reality quadricopter have just unveiled their new hotness in the AR.Drone 2.0. For the uninitiated, the AR.Drone is a quadricopter controlled by Wi-Fi using a smartphone or a tablet. Also, it’s from the future. With the brand new 2.0 hot off the presses, Parrot has added in an HD camera, video recording, flight data sharing, a new piloting mode, increased stability and a brand-spankin’ new look. Check out the official release below.
A FLYING HD CAMERA
While in flight, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0‘s front camera transmits, in live, what the quadricopter sees onto the pilot device’s screen.
For the first time, with a resolution of 1280×720, it shows a view from the sky in High Definition, with smooth and unbelievably clear images.
The pilot enjoys an experience like never before, as if he was on board. For gaming purposes, this camera can also recognise specific shapes and colors to show augmented-reality elements on the smartphone’s screen.
RECORD AND SHARE FLYING EXPERIENCES
Thanks to the new AR.FreeFlight 2.0 piloting application, players can record their own HD videos and watch them or share them with the AR.Drone community.
Additionally, with the “travelling” feature, the pilot can film HD video sequences like a professional! Simply select the direction of travel (forward, back, sideways) and the duration, and the AR.Drone 2.0 does the rest.
AR.FreeFlight2.0, A NEW PILOTING AND SHARING APPLICATION
Besides flying the AR.Drone, the new application AR.FreeFlight 2.0 – available to download for free from the AppStoreSM and AndroidTM Market- offers players a new interface and many options.
FreeFlight: Access to the piloting application. The player can record flights, take HD videos or photos, and save them in his piloting device. All the flight data (altitude, speed, duration and place) can be saved, checked by the pilot and shared with the community.
Guest Space: Access an overview of the AR.Drone2.0, the best flight videos and practical information.
Drone Update: Access the AR.Drone2.0‘s free software updates.
AR.Drone Academy: Get geolocation data of the best flight zones, watch other pilots’ videos and access their flight data.
AR.Games: Access applications/games available for the AR.Drone.
Photos/Videos: Directly access your own videos and photos. They can be watched or uploaded to Youtube for the community to enjoy.
‘Absolute Flight’, A REVOLUTIONARY ULTRA-INTUITIVE FLIGHT MODE
After the AR.FreeFlight 2.0 pilot application has been loaded onto an iOS or AndroidTM smartphone or tablet, the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 connects to the device via WiFi. Once this has happened, all the on-board instruments appear on its screen, which becomes the “cockpit”.
Press briefly the take off button and the four brushless motors turn on. The AR.Drone 2.0 takes off.
Flying is very simple. With your thumbs placed on either side of the screen, a control button automatically forms beneath each one:
Press and hold the left button and the AR.Drone 2.0 follows the movement of the pilot’s device: it moves forward, backwards or sideways when you tilt the tablet forward, towards you, or to the left or right.
Slide your finger over the right button, and the quadricopter rises, descends, or rotates right or left.
Thanks to Parrot’s patented new ‘Absolute Control’, mode, the player accesses an even more intuitive piloting system.
With a 3D magnetometer, the AR.Drone 2.0 knows its precise orientation with respect to the smartphone, which becomes the reference point. The pilot no longer needs to care about the orientation of the AR.Drone 2.0’s front camera, which will accurately track the smartphone’s motions and tilts.
Experienced players will select ‘Relative Flight’ mode, the conventional flight mode. This disables Parrot AR.Drone 2.0‘s magnetometer. The pilot manages the quadricopter’s orientation, with no assistance.
SURPRISING STABILITY AT ANY ALTITUDE
The heart of the AR.Drone 2.0 contains MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems). A 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis gyroscope, a 3-axis magnetometer, and a pressure sensor give the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 surprising stability: Two ultrasound sensors analyse flight altitude up to six meters. New! A pressure sensor completes the device, and affords great vertical stability. Four blades, specially designed for the AR.Drone 2.0, make it possible to carry out particularly fluid flights. A second camera, placed beneath the quadricopter and connected to the central inertial unit, measures the craft’s speed using an image comparison system.
TWO HULLS MADE FOR BOTH TYPES OF FLIGHT
The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 has two hulls with specially designed contours. Made of EPP (a material used in creating car bumpers), they are light, highly resistant and protect the quadricopter’s parts.
For outdoor flight, the contoured hull, available in three colors (orange/yellow; orange/green; orange/blue), reduces wind resistance and preserves the AR.Drone 2.0‘s handling and stability.
When indoor, a second hull protects the blades from any impacts. The black-and-white cockpit, underlined with a red stripe, reinforces the quadricopter’s mysterious, thrilling appearance.
Finally, light-emitting diodes (green in front, red in rear), positioned on the landing gear, help the pilot track the orientation of his AR.Drone 2.0 in space for easier flying.
AN OPEN DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM In order to expand the use of the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 and its compatibility with other OSs, and to develop new flying games and applications, Parrot is providing developers and members of the AppleR and AndroidTM community with a software development kit.
By logging in at https://projects.ardrone.org and accepting the terms of the license, developers can access the source code used to fly the AR.Drone 2.0. A wiki and a tutorial are also available. A forum lets them discuss their work and share feedback with Parrot engineers.
Sierra On-Line’s Space Quest series has drawn enough attention to hail a fan-made game, Space Quest: Vohaul Strikes Back. The last Space Quest of this caliber was produced back in 1995. Appropriately named “Team VSB”, they have created this free-to-download game over a span of 10 years.
The story surrounds the many adventures of the Rodger Wilco and the vengeance declared by the supposively destroyed Sludge Vohaul. Once the aggressive space apes acquire the back-up mainframe for Vohaul’s mind, Rodger becomes the immediate target. Rodger’s task is to stop Vohaul in his tracks while finding a way to keep his own love interest alive.
Vohaul Strikes Back is a point-and-click adventure that encapsulates the old adventures of the original series and completely fan-made. Team VSB has the download available for FREE at www.sqvsb.com. Be prepared for evil scientists, mischievous janitors, and monkeys in the trailer below!
