Lara Croft has definitely seen better days in these screenshots released for the more gritty reboot to the series that Square Enix and Eidos are working on. These screenshots may be a bit old to some people but that doesn’t mean that a good compilation isn’t needed. She’s bloody, she’s beaten, she’s even tied up in one case but she looks to be ever vigilant.
While this Tomb Raider is still being developed by Crystal Dynamics the studio has promised that players will see Tomb Raider in an entirely new light after they play this game, whether they have ever played a Tomb Raider before or not. Supposedly Lara will be stranded on an unknown beach after the boat she was on was destroyed during a brutal storm. She has no choice but to try and survive in an unforgiving environment. Oh and did I mention that she has no experience whatsoever in adventuring during this game? Interesting stuff.
Remember THQ’s logo? How it has been more or less a staple of the gaming industry as they have used the same logo since the 90’s? Well that logo is no more as they have just revealed a brand new logo that you can see above. Apparently this logo will begin appearing on all THQ releases starting next month in February. The logo change is being spoken of as the dawn of “a new THQ” by the developer.
CEO Brian Farnell can be quoted saying:
“Our new logo epitomizes the change, innovation and creative growth that are the cornerstones of the new THQ. By developing triple-A, innovative, original intellectual properties, attracting the top talent in the industry, and placing that talent first, THQ continues to redefine itself. This new logo seeks to capture that change and make it tangible.”
Interesting to see them changing their logo to re-establish themselves in the industry. Which logo do you prefer? Personally I like the older logo better but that could simply be because of what I grew up with.
The New Year has just began. And yet, it seems as though many would like the year to be nearly over. Some of the biggest and best games of the year are scheduled for a late 2011 release. Batman Arkham City is just one of those games. To ease the pain of patience, Rocksteady has released some concept art for the new Batman game. If you have not played Batman Arkham Asylum yet, then we strongly suggest you do so. Right now, it is only between $20-$25 at many United States retailers. Not only do you get to sneak around the Asylum, but you also get to use the Bat’s fists. The price of admission is worth it.
Warner Brothers has decided to push back their release of F.E.A.R. 3 yet again until May of this year. Originally F.E.A.R. 3 was supposed to be released back in November of 2010 but was delayed until March 25th for unknown reasons. Yet again however they have decided to push back the third game of the F.E.A.R. series but supposedly this time it is to provide extra polish for the game.
It’s interesting to see that the game has been delayed for so long though if it is for actual polish then that is good news to hear. Fans of the series would much rather prefer the chance to play a fully functioning and non-buggy release instead of something that was released before it was fully developed. Or it could be for another reason entirely but unfortunately we have to wait longer for another dose of F.E.A.R.
Do you have one of those PS3’s with a huge hard drive and don’t have much room left to store your massive collection of games? Then you are in luck because BioWare will be releasing the entirety of Mass Effect 2 on the PlayStation Store next Tuesday when it releases in stores as well. This downloadable version will contain all of the specials that the retail version includes; such as the “Overlord,” “Lair of the Shadow Broker” and “Kasumi” DLC that PS3 users are getting free with purchase.
There is no set price for the downloadable version but it will most likely cost the same, or close to, the retail price that is being suggested at $60. If it does happen to be cheaper then it will be interesting to see the difference between the sales figures for each format. Though size of the download could play a part as well. You can also catch Mass Effect 2’s PS3 launch trailer, subtitles included thanks to the German branch of EA, below.
In true NIS America fashion, Hyperdimension Neptunia is going to be released with a Premium Edition. Hyperdimenison Neptunia will be released in a little more than a month and its time for NIS to vamp up the hyping even more than they have in the past. They have released information regarding their Premium Edition to tide fans over for a short time as they count down the days until they will be able to enter the world of Gameindustri.
The Premium Edition will come with a collectible box of course, as well as an illustrated artbook that will have character art and concept art as well as the original Japanese cover art that was unfortunately toned down for American release. No news on whether or not this edition will cost any more than your standard PS3 game but most likely it will not. Also fans will be glad to know that most of the DLC that has been released in Japan will also be released on the US PSN for download as well.
Big news Prinny fans, Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! has been released all across the US for purchase in stores in UMD format and you can also download it straight from the PSN if you feel like getting it that way instead. You can see our review of the game here. It may be very difficult but with 1000 prinny lives dood you can do it!
Also as you can see in my review of the game you will notice that collecting tickets to get the hidden Asagi Wars game is pretty difficult. Thankfully you will no longer have to worry about doing elaborate jumps and making it through Prinny 2 to successfully unlock Asagi Wars. NIS America has released a patch for Prinny 2 that you can get off of the PSN that will allow you to make your way into Asagi Wars without trouble. The method for doing so was posted on the Playstation blog and you can find it below.
Prinny 2: Asagi Wars Premium Special Ticket (free): Can’t wait for Asagi to become the main character? Well, she can’t either! Grab this special ticket and help Asagi come to the front of the line. Gain access to Asagi Wars right from the beginning! Forget the Prinnies, this time Asagi can be the hero! In order to activate after installing, place the cursor on “New Game” at the title screen and press the buttons in the order of: ∆, □, о, ∆, □, о, ×
It will only cost you 481 KB of storage and works perfectly fine. This way you’ll have a much easier way of getting to Asagi Wars if you don’t feel like doing it the standard way.
505 Games, publishers of Supremacy MMA which is being developed for Xbox 360 and PS3, have announced that they will be working with Jens Pulver for their fighting game.
Former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver will lend his likeness and story to Supremacy MMA. While the official license for UFC remains firmly in the grasp of THQ, this is a step in the right direction, getting some big names of the industry on board. As part of the deal, Pulver will also represent the game during a variety of real fights, the first of which will be XFO 38 “Supremacy MMA” on January 22, 2011 in Woodstock, Chicago.
Furthermore, they have released another trailer for the game, showcasing the unsanctioned, unlicensed style of delivery and the brutal, raw combat the game hones in on, as opposed to the very flash, television-like presentation of other MMA/UFC games.
Do the underground aesthetics of Supremacy MMA appeal to you? It is looking to give a grittier, more true-to-life representation of the sport by going down the route it has. Be aware, the trailer isn’t really suitable for minors.
We carry good news for owners of Pokémon HeartGold, SoulSilver, Platinum, Diamond and Pearl. From next month you’ll be able to capture Shiny versions of Legendary Pokémon Raikou, Entei and Suicine.
As they are shiny Pokémon they will be a different colour than normal and carry an unusual twinkle as well which will be evident if you encounter them, or after you’ve caught them, put them to use in battle. They will only be available through this special promotion via Wi-Fi connection from 7 February.
It appears the announcement comes with a further silver lining too as those buying Pokémon Black & White should also know that there’s an extra perk carried by the Pokémon from this opportunity. As we understand it, they will help in your capture Zorua and Zoroark in the new Pokémon adventures.
After publishing Arc Rise Fantasia last year, UTV Ignition are at it again with yet another game which looks to stun players with visuals as well as create a whole new way to play an action-adventure game with El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. If you have never heard of El Shaddai before, now is the time to take notice as this could be one of the most ground-breaking releases of this year.
El Shaddai is an alternate telling of the biblical mythology as narrated in the ‘heretical’ Book of Enoch, part of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The gameplay is actually more if a unique action-adventure which has a very stunning design making for a whole new original experience. It should also be noted the huge team that are working on this title with Japanese developers whose former credits include the huge franchises such as Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, and Okami.
Here is a bit more info from UTV Ignition on El Shaddai:
El Shaddai: ASCENSION OF THE METATRON features a disruptive next-generation combat system and stunning original direction from director Sawaki Takeyasu, previously the art director on Okami – considered by some media as ‘the most beautiful action game ever created.’
“With an immensely talented development team combined with the game’s highly inspired action game play and strikingly unique art style, I am proud to deliver this game to gamers all over the world. I hope you will enjoy the wonderful game experience of El Shaddai,” said Game Director Sawaki Takeyasu.
“El Shaddai: ASCENSION OF THE METATRON has been muted by the media as one of the most anticipated titles of 2011 and UTV Ignition is looking forward to its success,” UTV Ignition Entertainment Chairman Hassan Sadiq.
Judging by the screenshots and the pure excitement and passion of Takeyasu, it looks like El Shaddai has a lot of potential to be a break out title, or franchise even of 2011. We still don’t have an official date on El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron as of yet except for Spring, but it will be hitting both the Xbox 360 and PS3 in just a few months so rest assured as new information comes forward, we will be sure to bring them to you.
For now though, you can check out the official website here, which features some music and visuals that should hold you over until then. You can also check out five new screenshots below.
