EA Sports have been announcing new features for this year’s batch of sports games, and next on the list is NHL 12. Packed with tons of great modes and new forms of action, this latest game is looking to take hockey simulation to the next level.
First things first: the Be A Pro mode has been completely revamped, and the better you play, the more time your player will get on the ice in the next shift – just like the real pros! The game also features a new Full Contact Physics Engine, where everything on the ice is live. From the aggressive players to size and physicality affecting movement, this new game promises to simulate real players in the game like never before. This will also be the first time that players will face dynamic goalies: knock the net off, make contact with the goalies, and knock them out of position to put your team in the winning position.
NHL 12 is due to be released in Australia on September 8, 2011, and in New Zealand on September 9, 2011.
I had to laugh after doing this article as it truly shows that you should always read more than one persons account. The main headline that caught my attention was that Capcom were apparently going to “cut support for the Wii and 3DS”. I was a bit upset and bewildered that one of my favourite game developers, (Resident Evil, Street Fighter 2), would part ways with Nintendo, a company they had worked so close with in the past. Only after following the story as far back as an article that didnt list a source, did i see how it had been twisted and turned like a game of Chinese whispers.
What i did find listed on many reputable financial and news sites were some actual figures that while indeed indicating Capcom to be giving the PS3 and XBox 360 more of a focus, their involvement with Nintendo was far from over.
PS3: 16 titles, 8 million units (11 / 6.2 million)
X360: 14 titles, 4.7 million units (11 / 4.2 million)
DS/3DS: 9 titles, 2.4 million units (11 / 1.7 million)
PSP: 11 titles, 2.2 million units (11 / 6.2 million)
PC/Other: 3 titles, 500,000 units (3 / 500,000)
Wii: 2 titles, 200,000 units (5 / 1.4 million)
I think what a lot of people have failed to decipher from these figures is that the 3DS is the only device that Capcom forsee an increase in sales per title with all other consoles and handhelds expecting to see declines. Selling 6.2 million units over 11 titles may actually be more profitable than 8 million over 16 due to production and costs. Look at the PSP which has sales expectations way below the previous fiscal year despite having the same amount of title releases. Expectedly the Wii would be receiving less of a focus than other consoles but this also has to do with console life cycle and the current state of the market. The Wii had huge initial adoption rate and sales have slowly reduced. This could also be a result of the introduction of the Move and Kinect, while the PS3 even by Sonys admission is only now hitting its stride, therefore making much more sense for Capcom to allocate more resources towards. All in all not much has changed and im glad many readers of these other sites with semi-misleading headlines are responding accordingly.
Nintendo have been preparing for their busy June release schedule as of late, and with that comes a new trailer for the upcoming Wii mystery title, Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident (formally Mystery Case Files: Dust to Dust). Instead of showing actual gameplay in this clip, we are treated to the opening cutscene in the game which sets the scene for this mystery as an eerie voice blares from a recording device.
This mystery (at least based on the trailer) revolves around a mystery substance that a Winston Malgrave created which is supposed to “cure all the world’s ills”. Malgrave then asks for a meeting on his island bearing the same name to better elaborate. I am a bit intrigued myself, but now I would like to see how this game actually plays, which from what we know it will revolve around the player taking part in “hidden object” games, as well as puzzles found throughout the island. For now though, check out the trailer below and tell us if this sleuthy story piques your interest.
Hothead Games have revealed that the latest title they have been working on is a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy game. Both the platform and release date are still under wraps, but given the developers’ downloadable history, a Xbox Live Arcade and/or PlayStation Network release looks plausible.
They’re the team behind games such as Deathspank, Swarm and the Penny Arcade Adventures, so it will be interesting to see what they can make of the sci-fi adventure, as there’s been no substantial tie-ins prior to this point.
The announcement has got fans all hot under the collar, although I was a little underwhelmed when I saw 2005’s “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” in cinemas. Is anyone excited by the news and/or fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?
Spil Games’ new Activity Feed feature allows players to see and share their awards, high scores, and achievements with friends in a dynamically updated list on their personal profile pages on their two of their three gaming platforms, with the final one to come; www.agame.com for teens; www.games.co.uk for families; and future plans to add it to Spil’s Girls www.girlsgogames.co.uk social-gaming platform.
The Activity Feed is the latest addition to Spil’s social features—which have proven popular with 130 million unique visitors per month—and is now live on Spil’s social-gaming platforms. It’s currently available in 14 countries.
“As our user base grows, we want to provide tools that optimize user experience and allow our users to connect and communicate with each other,” said Oscar Diele, CMO of Spil Games. “The Activity Feed will combine huge amounts of information into a seamless feed that meets the different needs and lifestyles of our key target groups.”
Based on Spil Games’ current usage statistics, the new Activity Feed will debut with over:
420,000 daily achievements posts.
150 high scores published every minute.
About 500,000 new friend requests every day.
More than 200,000 comments left daily.
Spil Games feel that the sharing of awards and seeing the high scores and achievements of others will particularly appeal to teens and the younger generations’ competitive nature.
With the Gamestop listings for both Cooking Mama 4 as well as Camping Mama: Outdoor Adventures leaking a few weeks back, Majesco have now confirmed both games for a fall release. While these two announcements were expected, Majesco have went even further to actually throw out some details for each title. Camping Mama: Outdoor Adventures will be exclusively released on the Nintendo DS, and Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic will mark Mama’s 3DS debut.
For Camping Mama, here is a bit of what players can expect:
Mama develops her wilderness skills in Camping Mama: Outdoor Adventures that features 100 different stylus based games across a broad range of challenges: craft a fishing pole, use it to fish then cook your catch; capture wild chickens for a tasty egg breakfast; set up your tent; collect exotic insects and much more. Both girls and boys can enjoy fun outdoor activities like rock climbing, spelunking, rowing and tree climbing as they navigate 38 different levels that span forests, mountains and seas. Would-be campers can choose to play as either the son or daughter with Mama or Papa providing guidance depending on the challenge. With customization options and collectible play, Camping Mama lets everyone go wild in the great outdoors!
Notice that fellow in the boxart with the glasses? In Japan this title was called “Camping Mama + Papa”, so this series could very well begin to branch out even more with spin-offs as Majesco have also confirmed three additional cross-platform Mama skus planned for 2012 (although that is just some speculation for now). The actual gameplay for Camping Mama though sounds rather interesting and with all of the locations listed, this could very well be the biggest DS release yet for the series.
For even more Mama love, Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic! also received some new details:
Join the original digital chef as she makes her debut on Nintendo 3DS with Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic! From new recipes and ways to play to fresh kitchen activities and dish combinations, the iconic kitchen cutie has some tricks up her sleeve that will magically transform kitchen newbies into master culinary artists! Slice, dice, knead, toss and flip your way through more than 200 unique Touch Screen mini-games as you cook in brand new ways with the Nintendo 3DS gyroscope: crack eggs, flip pans, balance plates and much more. Earn bronze, silver and gold medals while mixing up over 60 recipes that range from side dishes to full meals. Organize, decorate and clean your kitchen while watching surprising 3D events unfold as you prepare each meal.
While I expect to see more of the basics with this title, the idea of using the gyroscope to perform tasks sounds like it will offer some rather refreshing elements to the game. When news Cooking Mama 4 was leaked, I was rather curious of just what the 3D effects would be and even though this small bit of info doesn’t fully elaborate other than the mention of “surprising 3D events”, it does seem to be a very prominent feature that will hopefully deepen the overall experience.
When “Nexus Tower opens its doors soon, tons of new content is being released for all players to explore and enjoy. This will include new characters, weapons, Faction-specific pets, and over 50 new missions, as well as access to the new LEGO Universe Vault system for safe-keeping extra models and gear. Nexus Tower will (also) be the main social center of the Universe, with existing and future content accessible from portals within the hub. You can blast off from Nexus Tower’s Launchpad to game worlds far and wide – Nimbus Station, Crux Prime, LEGO Club, Starbase 3001 and beyond! Beginning soon, players can fly to Nexus Tower from the Race Place launch pad in Nimbus Station.”
Plus, there is ton more LEGO-fied fun coming to Lego Universe. Check it:
* New Daily Missions – Embark on 20+ new Daily Missions available from the Faction Reps!
* New Rockets – Blastoff in a new ride inspired by Nexus Tower, the Nexus Talon Dropship or the famous Venture Koi!
* Faction pets – Players can complete furry new quests to obtain their special Faction pet.
* Commendation Vendor – Have you sold or deleted some of your Mission and Achievement Rewards, but now you’d like them back? No problem, just visit Admiral Honor Accolade in the Sentinel vendor area in Nexus Tower. He has lost and forgotten treasures in stock now!
* New Items Galore – Other vendors throughout Nexus Tower sell amazing new items and gear. Use the Foreman’s Radio to drop a piano on your enemies, or the Man Eating Plant to gobble them up! And when you really want to pound on the Maelstrom, we’ve got two words for you: Mole Whacker!
* New Reward Models – Build on your Property with the new Construction Set, Office Set and an even larger selection from the Micro City Set!
* Upgraded Launch Pads! Launch pads have been reconfigured to select the first rocket in players’ Backpacks.
* Multi-Missions! Some mission givers will now offer more than one mission at once. Accept as many or as few as you like!
Learn more at LegoUniverse.com and check out the new trailer below. If you have checked out the new stuff, let us know how cool it is! 🙂 I am off to play with some LEGO now. WOOHOO!
You know what game I am shocked about that is coming out this year? MW3. Yup, MW3, or Modern Warfare 3, or rather Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.
No seriously, we haven’t heard anything about the next one, and then BOOM!:
LEAK<TRAILER< STATEMENT< ANNOUNCEMENT<AD ON HULU!
OMG I WANT IT!
Despite all that, its quite hard to deny that it will be amazing to find out what happens to Soap, the other dude and the Russian dude. Plus, the Call of Duty series has set a benchmark in the shooter genre, and I will most likely be playing it come November 8, 2011. Whats that? Yup, 11/8/11. BANG!
And now, statement time:
“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is by far the most epic Call of Duty experience yet. The teams at Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games have worked tirelessly to create for the Call of Duty player a scale that is unimaginable with a level of polish and creativity that will push the genre forward,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc. “The passion and energy of our developers is reflected in everything about the title. From the innovative gameplay, to the cinematic intensity, to the most advanced multiplayer ever, Modern Warfare 3 will raise the bar for this already incredible franchise.”
Honest Hearts DLC Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Developer: Obsidian Entertainment Versions: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PC, PlayStation 3 (forthcoming) Release Date: May 17, 2011 Price: 800 MSP ($10) – Buy Now!
Overview:
Fallout: New Vegas was released back in October of 2010 and since then only one DLC pack was released. Now in the last few weeks three DLC packs were announced to be released for the next three months. The first of these DLC packages is Honest Hearts, and with it comes the story of a legend that many of us have heard about in our journeys through the Mojave wasteland. The legend of The Burned Man, still alive somewhere in the wasteland. Besides the legend in the flesh, does Honest Hearts have enough going for it to justify your time?
Story:
Rumors and legend of a burned man run rampant across the Mojave wasteland. Caesar’s Legate from the original attack on Hoover Dam was burned alive due to his failure to take over the dam from the NCR. But the rumors say that this man did not die that day, but he still is alive somewhere in the wastes.
The story of Honest Hearts starts the same as previous DLC missions have; the discovery of a radio transmission. The discovery comes instantaneously as you begin your game. It is worth noting that this is not end game content and will require you to have a non-completed save file to access the content, otherwise you will need to start over from scratch.
After you track the radio transmission to its source you will find yourself working for the Happy Trails Caravan Company. They need some additional help because things have been rough in Zion lately and they could always use another gun. After you leave the Mojave Wasteland things quickly go wrong as they usually do. Being a caravan in the wasteland must be the most dangerous profession there is.
After an incident occurs you find yourself the sole survivor of the caravan team and with no way to get back home you must trust the local tribes or do things your own way and make your way out of the Zion National Park. The three tribes that are occupying Zion are the Dead Horses, The Sorrows and the White Legs. The White Legs have connections to Caesar’s Legion however and are out for blood.
The main attraction here is obviously Joshua Graham himself, the Burned Man. Shortly after beginning your journey you will encounter this man and he needs your help. The Dead Horses and The Sorrows have been under attack by the brutal White Legs and you are the only one who can help sway the events unfolding for these tribes.
Joshua Graham is a very interesting character. He is a man full of righteous vengeance and can be quick to take the most violent route possible. But there is much more to this man who used to follow a way of peace. The bandages that Joshua wears can be seen as a metaphor for the layers that have hid his personality and transformed him into what he is today.
The storyline itself may not be as long as some may prefer but it is actually quite revealing in regards to how the player would handle such a unique situation. There are a few different choices one can take to quell the violence though two mirror each other exactly up until the end and a handful of side quests to help pad out length but players may still find themselves finishing Honest Hearts a bit to quickly for their liking.
Graphics:
Players will find themselves a bit awestruck the first time that they look around themselves after they make it into Zion National park. This is because the environment is very amazing to look at. Zion National Park may still have some devastation to it but it also is a beautiful place to see. The textures are good looking on the rocks and there is only a small amount of pop to them. For the most part the smaller details are also a huge plus as there are a number of cave painting-like artworks scrawled across the cliffs in places. Plus there are actually fish in the water!
Despite having a very impressive looking environment, there really isn’t a whole lot of new enemies or NPCs here. Besides the various tribes’ different appearances and Joshua Graham himself, we have seen everything there is to see before as far as humanoids go. There is a new enemy this time around, or should I say an old friend. The Yao Guai return and have seen a minor graphical upgrade but unfortunately remain more or less the same beasts you will remember from Fallout 3.
Audio:
Now there really isn’t a whole lot of new voicework to speak of, and barely any music as your radio is disabled when you enter Zion, but something that does deserve a mention is the voice of The Burned Man. The voice actor that they matched with this man does a magnificent job delivering the emotional impact that The Burned Man is meant to drive home.
Gameplay:
Before you agree to go along with the Happy Trails Caravan Company you must lighten your load. Players are only allowed to carry 75 lbs. of equipment with them which is limiting but not as bad as Dead Money which stripped you of everything you wore. Players are also unable to bring along their companions meaning you will need to go alone.
Zion doesn’t contain any game changing mechanics like Dead Money did. You are able to venture anywhere you choose to right from the start though a companion you pick up shortly after entering will try to nudge you the right way. There are plenty of places to explore in Zion, including a number of different caves and abandoned campgrounds. Exploration is even rewarded as reaching high points on the map with a specific companion will reveal nearby locations on your Pip-Boy.
A variety of new healing and crafting items are available, focusing on the fact that the tribes in Zion have had to survive off of what is growing around them in Zion. This includes Datura roots and their byproducts. Besides healing items however you will also be given a couple of new weapons, including the Yao Guai gauntlet, .45 auto machine gun and pistol, tomahawks and war clubs and even a few unique weapons. This means that you will find yourself taking more than a few things back to the Mojave wasteland after your done with Zion.
Thankfully it isn’t a one way trip like in past games. After the player finishes the main storyline in Zion they are able to return as many times as they wish. Of course the quests will not reactivate but it is a good way to gather some more of the unique items found only in Zion to take back with you.
Overall:
Honest Hearts is exactly what the fans of Fallout: New Vegas should be waiting for. The map itself is wide open and allows players to go wherever they please right from the beginning which reinforces the whole exploration aspect of the title. It is unfortunate however that no new enemies were introduced minus the Yao Guai and that the story itself can be completed in around 5 hours with all routes explored. At least with the ability to return to Zion when you finish the story you are given an infinite amount of time to venture around and explore every canyon and cliff face.
Konami has only had a few things to say about Otomedius Excellent being localized in the United States. Besides a trailer for the title and a few screenshots the poor game has barely been acknowledged by the company despite being something of a niche release in the first place, but a release supposedly coming out soon.
But at least the gaming retailers themselves are leaking information out. Siliconera has found that Gamestop has updated their listing of the game to a $50 collector’s edition package. Unfortunately the listing doesn’t go into further details about what the special edition will include and we have contacted Konami in the hopes of finding out more. It is interesting to note that Amazon is showing the title at only $30 for the regular edition.
The most recent bullet hell title that was released to retailers in the US was Deathsmiles and that too contained a special edition which contained an Xbox 360 faceplate if you decided to purchase it. Hopefully we’ll learn more from Konami within the next few days.
