I have listed the news in the following order: Multiplatform, Gamecube, Playstation 2, XBOX, and handheld systems.
MULTIPLATFORM LARA CROFT ANNOUNCES PLAYTIME THIS AUTUMN Eidos to unveil Tomb Raider 7 this Autumn, with an early-ish 2005 release mooted
11:02 Keen to shirk the negative reaction endured by last year' s The Angel of Darkness, Eidos has announced that it will be unveiling the seventh instalment of Tomb Raider " this Autumn" after its new developer Crystal Dynamics was said to be working ahead of schedule in the latest Lara Croft adventure.
Speaking in the aftermath of its quarterly financial results, released this morning, the Brit company said: " Our Crystal Dynamics studio in the US is making exciting progress in the development of the next Tomb Raider game which will be unveiled this Autumn, and is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of the current financial year."
That essentially means we could be seeing new details on the game any day now, with the finished product due to hit stores by March/April 2005 - good news for any self-respecting Croft fan.
Following the mixed reviews of Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, developed by original Tomb Raider studio Core Design, word on the street is that the new development team has attempted to return to the magic of the original games, with a more agile Lara at players' fingertips. The fact that original creator Toby Gard is back in a senior role after the suspected closure of his Confounding Factor studio can only abet such matters.
As for Core Design, Eidos has said the studio has been " refocused and restructured" and is currently working on a number of " new concept and pre-production works" for both home consoles and the PSP. The studio' s own website also states " we are currently working on new development titles, all of which will be announced in the very new future."
Project: Snowblind Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Genre: TBA
Release Date: January 3, 2004
By
Will Tuttle | Sept. 14, 2004
We took some time to play Eidos' futuristic shooter and walked away surprised by what we saw.
A few weeks ago, at GameStars Live in London, I swung by Eidos' booth to play Project: Snowblind, their new FPS that was originally developed to be a game in the Deus Ex series. While it looked alright, I really didn' t think it would make much of a splash when it arrived. Last night, however, my mind was changed. Eidos came to town, bearing a brand new, never-before-seen build of the game. We got a chance to check out both the single- and multiplayer modes, and I have to admit that I was impressed by what I saw.
Snowblind takes place in 2065 and tells the story of Nathan Frost, a grunt who decides to volunteer for an experimental military super-soldier program. After being outfitted with some impressive physical augmentations, he' s sent to Hong Kong, to do battle on the front lines of a war between a maniacal regime and Nathan' s employers, the international force known as Liberty Coalition. Not surprisingly, something goes wrong (it always does) and Nathan must lead his ragtag group of men into the enemy' s terrority to save the world? Does he do it?
Well, I' d have to assume that he does. The developers didn' t want to give away too much of the plot but, to be honest, I didn' t really pay attention to the storyline, as I was tranfixed by the game' s nice looking locales and varied gameplay.
There' s a heavy emphasis on finding new and different ways to utilize the wide range of weapons and powers, particularly in the single player game. While you won' t get anything extra when you kill your enemies in creative ways, just seeing the baddies react (and die) to your machinations makes trying out different techniques extremely satisfying.
Let' s start with the weaponry at you disposal. While there are a lot of the staples found in many modern FPSs (such as the shotgun, machine gun, and sniper rifle), the developers have added a lot of new tricks. Nathan can use a rail laser that can be charged up to penetrate walls, as well as a gun known as a flechette, which rapidly fires energy balls that can bounce off of solid surfaces. Each of the guns has an alternate fire, as well, which run the gamut from standard grenades to something a bit smarter. When you alternate fire on the flechette, for instance, you' ll fire a swirling mass of energy balls (called drones) that will actually seek out and envelop your foe like a swarm of angry bees. I was told that the blast actually has its own AI, so it will adjust to its target' s attempts to dodge the fatal attack.
There are some innovative grenades in the game, as well. We' ve all used frag and flashbang grenades before, but in Snowblind you have complete control of when they go off. By pushing the left trigger again after throwing the grenade, you' ll detonate it, whether it' s in the air or on the ground. Not all of the grenades simply explode, however. Tossing a riot wall grenade will put up a temporary, transparent shield directly in front of you, allowing you to quickly take cover in open ground. My favorite, however, was the spider bomb. When you toss one of these, it will spawn a small, robotic spider that will instantly go after and shock any enemies in the vicinity. While these shocks won' t kill your foes, they' ll stun them, allowing you to sweep in and take them out with no worries.
While the wide range of weaponry plays a big part in the game, Nathan also has a bunch of powers that he can use along the way. There are defensive powers like a shield and invisibility, offensive powers including one that lets Nathan shock any nearby enemies, as well as enhancements that give you an instant advantage over your foes. While the slow time power could use a bit of work (the screen blurs a bit too much to make it effective), there is a vision ability that turns the screen green while making your foes bright yellow. The best part of this is that you can see your opponents through walls, allowing you to set your aim before crashing through the door.
As I said before, though, the game' s emphasis is squarely on creatively combining your powers to take out your enemies in the most effective (and, hopefully, coolest) manner possible. For instance, the vision ability can be used to spot your enemies behind obstructions, at which point you can use your rail laser to take them out. At one point, I saw someone drop a spider bomb, attach an electric mine to it, then use the " kicker" gun (like the magnetic gun in Half-Life 2, it allows you to pull in and push away objects) to toss it into the middle of a group of enemies. While it might have been just as easy to run and gun your way through the soldiers, it was a lot more satisfying to watch them die from afar through the scope on your sniper rifle.
Most of the creative trickery happens in the single player game, however, as the multiplayer mode is a frantic free-for-all. 16 players can take each other on over a variety of maps using most of the weapons found in the game. Like many multiplayer games, you must choose a class from five different categories, the primary difference being the style of weapon they carry. Berserkers carry the flechette gun, Agents are equipped with the rail laser, while Sniper are outfitted with ... well, you know. In a nice addition, you can change classes at any time, although you run the risk of getting killed while you' re in the menu.
While we only got to play online with the PS2, the game will also be playable on Xbox Live. Everything ran fairly smoothly when over the network, although there did seem to be a little bit of slowdown when the action got intense. Some of the multiplayer maps will feature vehicles, as well, and although I didn' t get a chance to drive any myself, I noticed a standard car-type vehicle, as well as one with a machine gun mounted in the back. You can be sure that we' ll be seeing the standard game types (Deathmatch, CTF, etc.), although I' m hoping that Eidos has a few tricks up their sleeve.
I was most impressed, however, by how polished the game looked. Everything had a slick, neon-lit Blade Runner-esque look to it, thanks to some nice mapping and filtering techniques. Character animation was relatively smooth, with just a few hiccups when the screen was full of action. Hopefully Eidos will have time to optimize everything before release. The levels were all nicely designed, especially in the case of a large outdoor temple that felt perfectly paced and challenging enough to keep my interest.
Going in to last night' s event, I wasn' t expecting much from Project: Snowblind but, thankfully, I' ve changed my tune. Thanks to some creative gameplay, fun weapons, and impressive graphics, I have high hopes for this once little-known shooter. Snowblind, you' ve opened my eyes.
Stephen Daultrey
The Fairly OddParents: Shadow Showdown ships Sequel to well-received game based on the hit Nickelodeon show is off to stores today.
THQ today announced that The Fairly OddParents: Shadow Showdown, for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and PC, has shipped to retail outlets nationwide. In addition to expanding on the single-player mode featured in the first game, Breakin' Da Rules, Shadow Showdown features multiplayer minigames. The PlayStation 2 version contains a making-of documentary. The Game Boy Advance version of the game will ship on September 20.
By Staff -- GameSpot
GAMECUBE NEWS GAMECUBE GRABS SOME DRAGON BALL Z Last year' s PS2 bash-' em-up Budokai 2 to start a ruck on Nintendo' s console
16:28 Cartoon and violence seem to go together like Laurel and Hardy, which is why there is a definite charm to Atari' s Dragon Ball Z Budokai fighting series. With the third instalment already heading to the PS2 this November, Atari has decided to release the second game - Dragon Ball Z Budokai 2 - to fight-starved GameCube owners.
There has been no word whether or not the game will be a direct port of the PS2 version which released late last year - indeed, nobody from Atari was available for comment at the time of press - but according to reports, the GameCube offering is definitely on the cards.
For the record though, the PS2 game featured approximately 34 larger-than-life characters, a Dragon Mode, where players fought alongside AI-controlled nutters in a quest for dragon balls, and some lavishly sweet cel-shaded visuals. We should have more on this soon, including a release date.
Stephen Daultrey
Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius: Attack of the Twonkies Ships (GCN) The genius Jimmy Neutron is back. What' s in a name right?
By Rainier Van Autrijve | Sept. 14, 2004
THQ and Nickelodeon announced that Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius: Attack of the Twonkies has shipped to retail outlets throughout North America for the PS2, GameCube and Game Boy Advance.
" Our long-standing relationship with Nickelodeon enables us to deliver kids interactive products based on the TV programs they love," said Tiffany Ternan, Senior Vice President, North American Sales and Distribution, THQ. " The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius: Attack of the Twonkies has great entertainment value, allowing kids to play a videogame version of the TV movie featuring an innovative and cool inventions system."
" We are excited to release The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius: Attack of the Twonkies before the movie airs on Nickelodeon and hits home video and DVD," said Steve Youngwood, Vice President, Nickelodeon Media Products Group. " This launch strategy will provide videogame fans a sneak peek at the TV special, while providing a compelling gaming experience for Jimmy Neutron fans."
This platform adventure game based on the hit Nickelodeon show and movie series finds Jimmy returning from outer space -- with an alien life-form stowaway. The alien starts cuddly and cute, but quickly becomes a ferocious beast with a voracious appetite for destruction. Once again Jimmy Neutron must use a revolutionary invention system to create some inspired gadgets to capture and contain the quickly multiplying alien attack. Players are able to create over 26 gizmos, 11 inventions, and four super inventions. There are of course also secret gizmos hidden in each level give Jimmy Neutron enhanced power-ups. With the help of these gadgets, Jimmy makes his way through six episodes spanning 15 levels including Jimmy' s Lab, Twonkus-3, The Neighborhood, Downtown, Retroland and the Final Showdown.
PLAYSTATION 2 NEWS BOMB JACK DROPS IN FOR TECMO RETRO FEST Publisher announces PS2 compilation of classic coin-up hits for Japan, including Solomon' s Key and Bomb Jack
15:45 It seems the only thing more fashionable than Vietnam shooters at the moment are retro bundles, with Tecmo the latest to follow the likes of Atari, Midway and Nintendo in resurrecting a bunch of its old classics.
The Tecmo Hit Parade, which has just been announced by the legendary company, comprises what is reported to be pixel-perfect renditions of seven of its old coin-ops from between ' 81 and ' 86. That means you' ll be able to get your grubby mitts on Star Force, Solomon' s Key, Tecmo Cup, Pinball Action, Senjyo, Pleiads and the ultimate of the lot, Bomb Jack. Teary-eyed? We certainly are over that last one.
The only sad news is that the compilation has thus far only been announced for Japan, where it will launch on November 25. On a more positive note though, considering that many of those games are fondly remembered in both Europe and US, we wouldn' t be too surprised if that were to change.
Stephen Daultrey
XBOX NEWS Guilty Gear X2 #Reload Fights Its Way In Stores (Xbox) The beefed up Guilty Gear X2 #Reload Xbox version is now available.
By Rainier Van Autrijve | Sept. 14, 2004
Majesco announced today that its 2D fighter Guilty Gear X2 #Reload has shipped to stores, and should be available nationwide.
" Guilty Gear X2 #Reload takes the classic fighting game franchise to an exciting new level with enhanced anime-style visuals and compelling multiplayer support via Xbox Live," said Ken Gold, vice president of Marketing for Majesco. " This offering of a highly entertaining product at an attractive price-point appeals to both hardcore fighting fans as well as the casual, mass-market audience."
Guilty Gear X2 #Reload, an upgraded port of the PlayStation 2 game, features a new story mode not found in the original in which battles are preceded by dialogue and events, overhauled animations, as well as extra movies in the gallery mode. Each character has his own story. The other modes of play from the PlayStation 2 version are carried over as well. Guilty Gear X2 #Reload also features Xbox Live support, real-time global rankings, and community support of voice and friends,
Guilty Gear X2 #Reload retails for $19.95.
GUNGRIFFON: ALLIED STRIKE Long before the days when MechAssault stirred the masses into a frenzy, mech games were the " problem children" of the console world. Despite the willing spirit of developers, the older generation of consoles had a tough time coping with the demands of a proper mech experience. One of the few franchises to make some magic on the 32-bit platforms was Game Arts' GunGriffon franchise, fast-paced games that were in many ways the spiritual predecessor of MechAssault. Game Arts hasn' t put out a new entry in the series since GunGriffon Blaze for the PlayStation 2, which was published by Working Designs in 2000, but now the quiet spell is over. Game Arts, in conjunction with Kama Digital Entertainment, is currently working on a new entry in the series only for the Xbox entitled GunGriffon: Allied Strike. We had the chance to get an exclusive hands-on of an early work-in-progress version of the game to see just where the latest entry in the series is going.
GunGriffon returns for the first time in years with a new installment subtitled Allied Strike on the Xbox.
If you' re not familiar with the GunGriffon franchise you should feel some shame for missing out on such a forward-thinking series, but you should also know that you' re probably not alone. The series began its life on Sega' s Saturn in 1996 with the original GunGriffon, and it continued on the platform in 1998 with GunGriffon II. Of those two entries, only the original came over to the US, because by the time the sequel rolled around, the Saturn was all but dead. After the PlayStation 2 game was released, there had been little talk of a new entry in the series until this year' s E3, when Tecmo announced it would be bringing out a new entry developed by Game Arts. In GunGriffon: Allied Strike, you will once again find yourself behind the controls of a massive, heavily armored mech, which is a versatile piece of machinery that you' ll rely on for survival. The Xbox game picks up where the series left off on the PlayStation 2 in terms of the franchise' s direction. You' ll find a single-player campaign mode that will send you on a series of assignments throughout a variety of different and troubled locales. You' ll take the role of a pilot skilled in operating the High Mobility Armored Combat Systems or " High Macs," which are the poster children for the franchise. Your overriding goal is to help protect your faction' s interests and resources in the far-off future where war has wreaked havoc on the globe. Your main problem will be the enemy tank battalions of rival factions that try to encroach on your territory.
The missions we were able to try were frantic and featured a good deal of activity on and off the battlefield. You' ll start out each mission at a briefing screen that will fill you in on your objectives for that particular assignment, and then you' ll be allowed to select your weapon loadout and companion mechs for a mission. The missions we saw were pretty straightforward demolitions or defensive missions that require you to take out or protect specific targets. As with its predecessors, your missions will, more often than not, never be quite that direct, as something always comes up that requires you to be quick on your feet and ready to deal with whatever comes your way at a moment' s notice.
Online gameplay will be a major upgrade over previous GunGriffon games.
In addition to the single-player missions, you' ll find a multiplayer mode that will support online play via Xbox Live. While the exact number is still being ironed out, the team is aiming for roughly eight or more players. One of the major aspects of the online mode in the game is the formation of teams. Game Arts is aiming to offer a variety of competitive and cooperative scenarios wherein players will have to partner up and coordinate with their mates in order to succeed. While the mode is still taking shape, we' re pleased to see where it' s heading, as online play with friends is definitely the next step for the series.
The gameplay in GunGriffon: Allied Strike is coming together nicely thanks to the control layout, which is similar to the one found in the previous entries in the series. The simple layout lets you move, shoot, switch weapons and views, as well as perform massive dashes and jumps, quite easily. The design of the controls, much like those found in MechAssault, leans heavily toward arcade-twitch-style mechanics as opposed to the more complicated and slower-paced sim feel of a proper MechWarrior or Steel Battalion game.
Allied Strike' s graphics are a little rough around the edges in the version we played, but they are heading in the right direction with some very solid elements coming into play. The areas we saw were large and featured a respectable amount of objects to destroy. The best aspect of the visuals at the moment is the hectic nature of the battlefield. You' ll see enemies come at you from every direction, including from the sky. Your onscreen heads-up display is a simple but easy-to-follow display that keeps you on top of the enemies around you on the battlefield and the ammo counter for your mech' s various weapons. You' ll see a variety of onscreen filters used to blur your vision and simulate the anarchic madness of firefights between massive mechs and heavily armored tanks. You' ll be able to view the action from the classic first-person view as well a third-person perspective. Though there are obviously some issues with frame rate, we expect that Game Arts will be tightening things up.
The audio in the game still needs a lot of work and right now it relies pretty heavily on sound effects rather than voice, although we heard a few snippets of dialogue here and there. One of the most immersive aspects of all the GunGriffon games has been its excellent audio, which frantically mixes all manner of beeps and whines to create a hectic but informative wall of sound for you. While it may be intimidating at first, you' ll come to find you' ll be able to pick out the tones that signal weapon locks, either by you or your foes, as well the radar warnings that alert you to incoming targets. Those sound effects were complemented by high-energy music that ranged from new tracks to some nostalgic tunes from the original game.
Look for more romping, stomping mech action on the Xbox when GunGriffon: Allied Strike ships this winter.
While what we saw was still pretty embryonic, GunGriffon: Allied Strike is showing a lot of promise. Game Arts has always been ambitious with the series, and we' re anxious to see what happens when that ambition meets a powerful system like the Xbox. While there' s certainly some stiff competition to be faced by the MechAssault franchise, there' s still quite a bit of potential in Allied Strike. If Game Arts can duplicate its winning formula of impressive visuals and immersive, accessible gameplay with the Xbox, the franchise should make a stylish return on Microsoft' s console. GunGriffon: Allied Strike is currently slated to ship this winter exclusively for the Xbox. Look for more on the game in the coming months.
By Ricardo Torres, GameSpot
Xbox to Launch in India and China?by UtahSaint 9/13/2004
Microsoft today said it is " evaluating" the launch of its digital entertainment gaming platform, Xbox, in India, but did not commit a timeframe for its availability.
" We are evaluating launching it in India and China and some other countries. But I cannot commit a date... We are doing plenty of research and partner evangelising and seeing which games are appropriate for the market," Ms Yolanda Chan, Regional Sales Director, Asia and Greater China, Microsoft Home and Entertainment Division said.
In Asia Pacific, Xbox is already available in Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Taiwan amongst others.
She said Microsoft was looking at infrastructure requirements in India including broadband, retailing and production capacity for the market.
Earlier during her presentation, Ms Chan said 15.5 million Xbox consoles have been shipped worldwide. " The target is to touch over 20 million by the end of financial year 2005."
HANDHELD SYSTEMS Advance Guardian Heroes ships The side-scrolling fighting game from developer Treasure brings beat-' em-up combat to the GBA. Exclusive screens inside.
Ubisoft shipped Advance Guardian Heroes for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance today. The sequel to the 1996 Sega Saturn title Guardian Heroes, the game continues the tale of the original and features a new story mode. " Ubisoft is excited to be reviving this legendary franchise," said Helene Juguet, Ubisoft' s director of marketing.
Advance Guardian Heroes is a fast-paced 2D fighter with more than 20 playable characters, 160 moves, and cooperative and versus modes. In the story mode, gamers can play as Enn, a warrior with the power of fire; Ray, a warrior with the power of thunder; and Hyu, a warrior with the power of ice, as they try to defeat Kanon and uncover the Soul Sword to save Earth.
Advance Guardian Heroes is rated E and carries an MSRP of $29.99. More game information is available in GameSpot' s in-depth preview.
By Tim Surette -- GameSpot
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