Bethesda has released a new developer diary for Fallout: New Vegas, which teases the post-apocalyptic adventure’s main story. “In New Vegas we wanted to say “You start the game in a very ‘Vegas,’ sort of, cliché style, almost. You are shot in the head and dropped in a shallow grave. So, it starts with, essentially, your would-be death,” says project director J.E. Sawyer.
As the mystery unfolds, you find out that the people trying to kill you were after a package you were holding. “What you were carrying is essentially tied into this major conflict in the area between New California Republic, and Ceaser’s Legion, and Mr. House, who’s the guy who sort of runs the strip in New Vegas,” explains Sawyer.
Check out the video for more story teasers and insights into the development team’s storytelling goals in New Vegas. Fallout: New Vegas is scheduled to release on Oct 19 in North America for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The game will release on Oct 22 for European audiences.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
KFC mascot, Pizza Hut shield class up Phantasy Star PSP
Well, we certainly didn't see this coming. Colonel Sanders, the fast food icon who has kind of been out of the limelight for years, will appear as a team member in Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity. This isn't like that guy who sneaked into the UN headquarters dressed as The Colonel. This is the real deal. Developers have actually created a character model based on the KFC mascot to use as a support character in battle.
Above: Either Colonel Sanders is depicted as some kind of butter-filled ninja in Japan, or this is the weirdest Phantasy Star tie-in we've ever seen
Apparently this is the 40th anniversary of the first KFC opening in Japan, and the restaurant's parent company Yum! Brands tapped Sega, the publisher behind the Phantasy Star series, to help celebrate.
The partnership doesn't end there. Yum! Brands also owns Pizza Hut, so Sega also put in a "Pizza Shield" as an equippable item in the game.
Above: When eaten, Pizza Hut pizza is the most bland and boring experience ever. But turn it into a weapon, and bam! You've got something
Unfortunately, it appears as though this epic greasy food tie-in will only happen in Japan. The pizza shield item will still be available in the North American version, but the Pizza Hut logo will be erased. As such, it's unlikely The Colonel will appear in the US release either. But that doesn't mean you can't still go out and eat a Double Down while you're in the middle of a gameplay session.
Before you start crying over the injustice, Japanese gamers never got their hands on Burger King's $4 Xbox 360 games that came out in 2006. So it's only fair that they get an exclusive fast food video game experience too.
Above: Either Colonel Sanders is depicted as some kind of butter-filled ninja in Japan, or this is the weirdest Phantasy Star tie-in we've ever seen
Apparently this is the 40th anniversary of the first KFC opening in Japan, and the restaurant's parent company Yum! Brands tapped Sega, the publisher behind the Phantasy Star series, to help celebrate.
The partnership doesn't end there. Yum! Brands also owns Pizza Hut, so Sega also put in a "Pizza Shield" as an equippable item in the game.
Above: When eaten, Pizza Hut pizza is the most bland and boring experience ever. But turn it into a weapon, and bam! You've got something
Unfortunately, it appears as though this epic greasy food tie-in will only happen in Japan. The pizza shield item will still be available in the North American version, but the Pizza Hut logo will be erased. As such, it's unlikely The Colonel will appear in the US release either. But that doesn't mean you can't still go out and eat a Double Down while you're in the middle of a gameplay session.
Before you start crying over the injustice, Japanese gamers never got their hands on Burger King's $4 Xbox 360 games that came out in 2006. So it's only fair that they get an exclusive fast food video game experience too.
Since Pokemon Black and White released early in Japan sometime yesterday-ish, the internet has been flooded with new information and details, and it's all happening so fast that it's tough to keep up with. Here are the latest facts that have come to the surface since the game has shipped, in handy bullet point form.
- The B&W carts are region locked on DSi and DSi XL, but will work fine in a regular DS or DS Lite. If you try to play the Japanese cart in a US DSi, it won't detect the cartridge. That means unless you have a Japanese DSi, you won't be able to use the DSi functionality on the Japanese game. No voice chat for us gaijins!
- For a full list of all 156 new Pokemon, including base stats, abilities and Japanese names, Pokebeach has a great one. We'll post an in-depth Isshu Pokedex of our own once we receive the game next week.
- The graphics look amazing.
- The PC can hold up to 720 Pokemon now via 24 PC boxes. Ugh, when is Game Freak going to give us a better Pokemon storage solution? Simply having more PC boxes doesn't cut it. Oh well.
- Trainers have Natures now! Just like Pokemon Natures, your trainer ID card will list your Nature. What could this mean?
- Churine and Monmen are not actually version exclusives because depending on the version you have you can trade an NPC for the one your version doesn't have in the wild.
- Both Zekrom and Reshiram are caught at level 50.
- The Pokerus still exists. EV trainers rejoice!
- There's some kind of post-game quest after you defeat the Pokemon League where you search for seven sages.
- Info on Gym Leaders and Elite Four on Bulbapedia.
- The third stage evolutions of the starters have been confirmed. Here's a youtube video of Futachimaru evolving into Daikenki.
- It's all but confirmed that none of the Isshu Pokemon are related to any Pokemon from previous generations. No Eeveelutions, sadly. We still find it hard to believe that Mamanbo isn't related to Luvdisc though.
President Obama urges children to make videogames
Who says Washington is out of touch with today’s world? President Obama has announced the launch of the National STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Video Game Challenge. "Our success as a nation depends on strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of discovery and innovation," said President Obama. "I applaud partners in the National STEM Video Game Challenge for lending their resources, expertise, and their enthusiasm to the task of strengthening America’s leadership in the 21st century by improving education in science, technology, engineering and math," he continues.
The challenge takes the form of two separate competitions. The first is a youth prize, to be awarded to middle schoolers who design their own educational video games. The submissions for middle school students can be either a playable game, or an on-paper design document with a total prize pool of $50,000. The second challenge is for actual developers (or undergrad/grad students) to create their own educational video games for young children.
Above: A student tightening up the graphics on level three
First prize (best developer submission) is $50,000. The prize for best undergrad/grad submission is $25,000. And the prize for the submission that has the “greatest potential to reach underserved populations” will receive another $25,000. That’s some serious walking-around money. The STEM program will be accepting all submissions as of October 12th, and will be announcing the winners in mid-March of next year.
The challenge takes the form of two separate competitions. The first is a youth prize, to be awarded to middle schoolers who design their own educational video games. The submissions for middle school students can be either a playable game, or an on-paper design document with a total prize pool of $50,000. The second challenge is for actual developers (or undergrad/grad students) to create their own educational video games for young children.
Above: A student tightening up the graphics on level three
First prize (best developer submission) is $50,000. The prize for best undergrad/grad submission is $25,000. And the prize for the submission that has the “greatest potential to reach underserved populations” will receive another $25,000. That’s some serious walking-around money. The STEM program will be accepting all submissions as of October 12th, and will be announcing the winners in mid-March of next year.
Cutscenes for cash? Activision mulls over the sale of in-game movies
Bobby Kotick says a lot of things. But then, people also say a lot of things about Bobby Kotick. Now, Activision's leading man is waxing poetic about the idea of selling in-game cutscenes as entirely separate movies altogether.
Above: Sure it's pretty, but what's the price?
Answering his own hypothetical question, Kotick later said that the likelihood of Blizzard proceeding with such a model in the next five years was relatively high and that he could foresee charging up to $30 for the final product.
Considering the current quality of video game CGI, Kotick's isn't entirely absurd (a little, but not entirely). Still, paying $30 for the privilege of watching an hour of disjointed, out-of-context cut scenes? We'll just play the game, thanks.
Friday, September 17, 2010
A cheeky instruction video about the do's and don'ts of making your NES cartridges work. For more stuff visit my site: http://www.gamegame.ca and while you're at it hear some awesome NES tunes at: http://www.nerdarmytheband.com.
20 Wii Games Nintendo Should Make
It's been said that Nintendo has already exhausted their franchises on the Wii and don't really have a lot up their sleeve for the next year or so since Brawl, Mario Kart Wii and other favorites have already made an appearance on the console, but we beg to differ. Join the Slobs as we dish out 20 games we want to see come to the Wii!
#20: Mega Man
Okay, we've gotta lay down a few ground rules for this one. If there's going to be a Mega Man Wii game, we don't want any of the Pokemon/Yu-Gi-Oh knock-off bullcrap that infested the Game Boy Advance games. (Remember MM Battle Network? Ick.) Also, anything based on an anime series is a serious no-no. Hell, make Mega Man X9, for all we care, just let us use the Wii Remote as a Mega Buster!
#19: Wrecking Crew
Unknown to most gamers, Mario actually used to be a construction worker as well as a plumber. If Wrecking Crew got remade with intricate 3D levels and a good Wiimote-based control scheme, you could race against the clock to clear the levels. Even better, Mario's other friends could get in on the work -- Princess Peach + tattered construction suit = Fun!
#18: Kirby
The pink puff ball rocks on DS, so let him loose on the Wii! We're thinking something along the lines of Canvas Curse, but in glorious, super-shiny 3D graphics. How cool would it be to use the Wiimote to send Kirby racing around the cosmos?
#17: F-Zero
This title should go online without a doubt. If done right, F-Zero could blow away any nay-sayers who claim that the Wii is graphically gimped. Just don't ask us to use that lame Wii Wheel.
#16: Punch-Out
Hey, it more-or-less worked for Wii Sports, and Wii gamers love their boxing. Bring back Little Mac, Mr. Sandman, and the rest of the classic boxers! Nintendo's gotta have an answer to Facebreakers, right?
#15: Super Dodge Ball
If Mario Kart could use Miis, then why not Super Dodge Ball? With the right control scheme, it could be a great way to get people to trade characters, build leagues (Capcom vs. Nintendo, anybody?), and revive a classic NES game. Don't cheap out with a port, give us a new game!
#14: Rampart
Rampart was the cool way to learn about the art of war. If Nintendo had the balls to go online with an updated WWIII remake, imagine the classic gameplay that would be wrought. It could be even more fun to design your own castle's colors, watching with glee as you erect flags over your enemies' sunken battleships and armaments.
#13: Duck Hunt
Is that ridiculous-looking Wii Zapper collecting dust under your bed? Well, would you fish it out for a remake of Duck Hunt? We'd probably give it a whirl -- only if we can shoot that damn dog.
#12: Pikmin
A game as odd as Pikmin would be right at home on the Wii, especially if Captain Olimar goes to multiple planets. Using the Wiimote to direct an army of Pikmin seems like a natural move, and it's kid-friendly too. Hopefully, we'll hear something during the next E3.
#11: Wii Sports 2
For a game that was so accessible, Wii Sports sure skipped a few big areas of the sports spectrum. If Nintendo wanted to make a quick buck, they'd be smart to package a Wii Sports sequel, complete with football, basketball minigames, hockey, and midget-tossing. Actually, scratch that last one.
#10: Earthbound
The Wii is sorely lacking in quality RPGs, and with the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the time is right for a new Earthbound game. There's just one problem: the greedy hands of Nintendo Japan want to deprive us of anything related to Earthbound! Out of three games, the U.S. only got ONE. And it wasn't even the first game! Why do they hate us when Americans show the Wii nothing but love? Waaah.
#9: Battletoads
You could ask anyone who owned an NES system back in the day -- Rash, Zitz, and Pimple were the original Nintendo badasses. The Battletoads have starred in games more violent than Mortal Kombat, yet they continue to fly under the radar. No more, we say! If their arcade game pushed the envelope with on-screen carnage, blood, and guts, just imagine what could be done with next-gen graphics! Step on it, Rare!
#8: Jet Force Gemini
One of the most underrated N64 games ever, Jet Force Gemini was the one shooter you could actually buy for your kids without looking like a bad parent. (It's really like a PG-version of Starship Troopers.) Since Rare seems to be in the mood for reviving old series, we wouldn't mind seeing a new Jet Force Gemini...
#7: Starfox
"Shake the Wii Remote to do a barrel roll!" Piloting the Arwing would be sooooo fun if we could use the Wii controls to tilt, roll, and somersault through the skies of Corneria. Fox and his crew are overdue for a new game, and Starfox Assault just wasn't long enough. Our only request: keep Slippy on the Great Fox -- no one wants to deal with rescuing his worthless hide in every mission.
#6: Mario Strikers Overload
"In a world where ultimate triumph or grim defeat is decided by soccer, the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdoms lie in ruins..." Ah, can you imagine it? Soccer fields riddled with ruins and destruction, chaos and eye-gouging graphics behind every goal, and even more characters than Super Smash Bros. Brawl... Mario Strikers Charged was a game that oozed attitude. It wasn't enough for the players to have soccer uniforms -- the game was so intense, even the delicate Princess Peach needed full body armor. Can you imagine the chaos of a sequel?
Hey, Nintendo -- bring back Mario Strikers, and we'll bring our wallets.
#5: Star Wars: The Truce at Bakura
Shadows of the Empire was one of the N64's biggest hits, even though most people had no idea what the Hell the main character, Dash Rendar, had to do with the story. Why not follow up with another obscure story that takes place right after Return of the Jedi? Besides, put a Star Wars game on store shelves, and it'll sell like cookies at a diabetic convention.
#4: Back To The Future Trilogy
There's no other film trilogy that could make a great next-gen game like Back To The Future. The level design alone would be awesome: Hill Valley circa 1955, the Wild West, and the surprisingly close year of 2015 (they'll have Wiis!)... the mind reels at the possibilities. And what better use exists for the Wii Fit board than hoverboarding?!
#3: Base Wars 3D
The original Base Wars introduced a great formula in sports games: replace the puny humans with ROBOTS. "Set in a 24th century wherein baseball team owners have grown tired of paying outrageous player salaries, they decide to replace their rosters with robots."
Why haven't real-life baseball teams started doing this? Baseball would benefit greatly from the Golden Video Rule: "If you want to make it better, add a rocket launcher." This game would outclass the Mii creation system by letting your make your own, unstoppable robot baseball army. Is your opponent blocking first base? Blast him to pieces with your pinch-hitter's RPG launcher and laser death beams!
Another cool gimmick would be the inclusion of 3D glasses. If the controls are virtual, isn't it about time the graphics were, too? Can you imagine swinging the Wii Remote at a baseball as it literally appears to exit your TV? Take us to the next dimension already!
#2: The Legend of Zelda
(Note: We mean a REAL, Wii-exclusive Legend of Zelda.) Sure, Twilight Princess was a great game, but there needs to be a TRUE installment of the series, made only for the Wii. None of this sissy crap where it starts as a GameCube game and gets held back for three more years of development. Just don't bring back Navi -- we like Midna just fine, thanks. Oh, that's a good idea. Direct sequel, anyone?
Heck, we'd even appreciate a Link To The Past remake -- they did it for the GBA, after all.
#1: Pokemon Titanium
The portable games are great, but Nintendo could take over the entire planet with an honest, stand-alone RPG game that combines all the Pokemons into one title. Even better, you could battle Pokemon trainers around the world, just as long as you can tolerate the hellish 16-digit friend codes. With Pokemon on Wii, we want online battles, online gyms, and huge tournaments. Just imagine -- 493 Pokemon in one game, and you could even carry 6 of them on your Wiimote. Do I smell money, or did I just wet my pants? (PS: Nintendo, you totally owe us for that last idea -- checks or cash, either would be fine.)
#20: Mega Man
Okay, we've gotta lay down a few ground rules for this one. If there's going to be a Mega Man Wii game, we don't want any of the Pokemon/Yu-Gi-Oh knock-off bullcrap that infested the Game Boy Advance games. (Remember MM Battle Network? Ick.) Also, anything based on an anime series is a serious no-no. Hell, make Mega Man X9, for all we care, just let us use the Wii Remote as a Mega Buster!
#19: Wrecking Crew
Unknown to most gamers, Mario actually used to be a construction worker as well as a plumber. If Wrecking Crew got remade with intricate 3D levels and a good Wiimote-based control scheme, you could race against the clock to clear the levels. Even better, Mario's other friends could get in on the work -- Princess Peach + tattered construction suit = Fun!
#18: Kirby
The pink puff ball rocks on DS, so let him loose on the Wii! We're thinking something along the lines of Canvas Curse, but in glorious, super-shiny 3D graphics. How cool would it be to use the Wiimote to send Kirby racing around the cosmos?
#17: F-Zero
This title should go online without a doubt. If done right, F-Zero could blow away any nay-sayers who claim that the Wii is graphically gimped. Just don't ask us to use that lame Wii Wheel.
#16: Punch-Out
Hey, it more-or-less worked for Wii Sports, and Wii gamers love their boxing. Bring back Little Mac, Mr. Sandman, and the rest of the classic boxers! Nintendo's gotta have an answer to Facebreakers, right?
#15: Super Dodge Ball
If Mario Kart could use Miis, then why not Super Dodge Ball? With the right control scheme, it could be a great way to get people to trade characters, build leagues (Capcom vs. Nintendo, anybody?), and revive a classic NES game. Don't cheap out with a port, give us a new game!
#14: Rampart
Rampart was the cool way to learn about the art of war. If Nintendo had the balls to go online with an updated WWIII remake, imagine the classic gameplay that would be wrought. It could be even more fun to design your own castle's colors, watching with glee as you erect flags over your enemies' sunken battleships and armaments.
#13: Duck Hunt
Is that ridiculous-looking Wii Zapper collecting dust under your bed? Well, would you fish it out for a remake of Duck Hunt? We'd probably give it a whirl -- only if we can shoot that damn dog.
#12: Pikmin
A game as odd as Pikmin would be right at home on the Wii, especially if Captain Olimar goes to multiple planets. Using the Wiimote to direct an army of Pikmin seems like a natural move, and it's kid-friendly too. Hopefully, we'll hear something during the next E3.
#11: Wii Sports 2
For a game that was so accessible, Wii Sports sure skipped a few big areas of the sports spectrum. If Nintendo wanted to make a quick buck, they'd be smart to package a Wii Sports sequel, complete with football, basketball minigames, hockey, and midget-tossing. Actually, scratch that last one.
#10: Earthbound
The Wii is sorely lacking in quality RPGs, and with the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the time is right for a new Earthbound game. There's just one problem: the greedy hands of Nintendo Japan want to deprive us of anything related to Earthbound! Out of three games, the U.S. only got ONE. And it wasn't even the first game! Why do they hate us when Americans show the Wii nothing but love? Waaah.
#9: Battletoads
You could ask anyone who owned an NES system back in the day -- Rash, Zitz, and Pimple were the original Nintendo badasses. The Battletoads have starred in games more violent than Mortal Kombat, yet they continue to fly under the radar. No more, we say! If their arcade game pushed the envelope with on-screen carnage, blood, and guts, just imagine what could be done with next-gen graphics! Step on it, Rare!
#8: Jet Force Gemini
One of the most underrated N64 games ever, Jet Force Gemini was the one shooter you could actually buy for your kids without looking like a bad parent. (It's really like a PG-version of Starship Troopers.) Since Rare seems to be in the mood for reviving old series, we wouldn't mind seeing a new Jet Force Gemini...
#7: Starfox
"Shake the Wii Remote to do a barrel roll!" Piloting the Arwing would be sooooo fun if we could use the Wii controls to tilt, roll, and somersault through the skies of Corneria. Fox and his crew are overdue for a new game, and Starfox Assault just wasn't long enough. Our only request: keep Slippy on the Great Fox -- no one wants to deal with rescuing his worthless hide in every mission.
#6: Mario Strikers Overload
"In a world where ultimate triumph or grim defeat is decided by soccer, the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdoms lie in ruins..." Ah, can you imagine it? Soccer fields riddled with ruins and destruction, chaos and eye-gouging graphics behind every goal, and even more characters than Super Smash Bros. Brawl... Mario Strikers Charged was a game that oozed attitude. It wasn't enough for the players to have soccer uniforms -- the game was so intense, even the delicate Princess Peach needed full body armor. Can you imagine the chaos of a sequel?
Hey, Nintendo -- bring back Mario Strikers, and we'll bring our wallets.
#5: Star Wars: The Truce at Bakura
Shadows of the Empire was one of the N64's biggest hits, even though most people had no idea what the Hell the main character, Dash Rendar, had to do with the story. Why not follow up with another obscure story that takes place right after Return of the Jedi? Besides, put a Star Wars game on store shelves, and it'll sell like cookies at a diabetic convention.
#4: Back To The Future Trilogy
There's no other film trilogy that could make a great next-gen game like Back To The Future. The level design alone would be awesome: Hill Valley circa 1955, the Wild West, and the surprisingly close year of 2015 (they'll have Wiis!)... the mind reels at the possibilities. And what better use exists for the Wii Fit board than hoverboarding?!
#3: Base Wars 3D
The original Base Wars introduced a great formula in sports games: replace the puny humans with ROBOTS. "Set in a 24th century wherein baseball team owners have grown tired of paying outrageous player salaries, they decide to replace their rosters with robots."
Why haven't real-life baseball teams started doing this? Baseball would benefit greatly from the Golden Video Rule: "If you want to make it better, add a rocket launcher." This game would outclass the Mii creation system by letting your make your own, unstoppable robot baseball army. Is your opponent blocking first base? Blast him to pieces with your pinch-hitter's RPG launcher and laser death beams!
Another cool gimmick would be the inclusion of 3D glasses. If the controls are virtual, isn't it about time the graphics were, too? Can you imagine swinging the Wii Remote at a baseball as it literally appears to exit your TV? Take us to the next dimension already!
#2: The Legend of Zelda
(Note: We mean a REAL, Wii-exclusive Legend of Zelda.) Sure, Twilight Princess was a great game, but there needs to be a TRUE installment of the series, made only for the Wii. None of this sissy crap where it starts as a GameCube game and gets held back for three more years of development. Just don't bring back Navi -- we like Midna just fine, thanks. Oh, that's a good idea. Direct sequel, anyone?
Heck, we'd even appreciate a Link To The Past remake -- they did it for the GBA, after all.
#1: Pokemon Titanium
The portable games are great, but Nintendo could take over the entire planet with an honest, stand-alone RPG game that combines all the Pokemons into one title. Even better, you could battle Pokemon trainers around the world, just as long as you can tolerate the hellish 16-digit friend codes. With Pokemon on Wii, we want online battles, online gyms, and huge tournaments. Just imagine -- 493 Pokemon in one game, and you could even carry 6 of them on your Wiimote. Do I smell money, or did I just wet my pants? (PS: Nintendo, you totally owe us for that last idea -- checks or cash, either would be fine.)
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