General gaming

General gaming

Dead or Alive 5 Adds Dynamic Environments With Familiar Gameplay

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 05:05 PM PST

Back in TGS 2011, Team Ninja confirmed the existence of Dead or Alive 5 through a one-minute teaser trailer, and it marked the first real sequel since the departure of former Team Ninja general manager Tobunobu Itagaki back in 2008. In said teaser, series brawlers Hayate and Ryu Hayabusa fight on the roof of a construction site in downtown Tokyo -- trading the kind of lightning-quick combos the series is best known for. While everything in the trailer at this point looks painfully familiar, it all changes the second Hayate kicks Hayabusa into a reactor. The resulting explosion hurls the black-clad ninja through the air, and knocks loose a crane that then sets a group of construction beams spinning wildly around the environment -- knocking over columns and other set pieces encircling the two combatants. The trailer closes on a dramatic cliffhanger, as Hayabusa desperately grabs the edge of the stage after almost being knocked off the rooftop.

While this manufactured drama felt a little ridiculous -- especially for a series like Dead or Alive where people shrug off being bounced into explosive surfaces like a pinball regularly -- I remained eager to see more. Yesterday I spent an hour playing a pre-alpha build of this Itagaki-less Dead or Alive game and I can tell you two definite things: First, that DOA5 feels as fast, fluid, and combo-driven as any other title in the series, and manages to add new simple mechanics that aren't immediately overpowering. And second, that the dynamic environment of the construction site makes arenas in the new DOA feel both chaotic and alive at the same time. Both the combat and environments lend themselves well to what developer Team Ninja calls "fighting entertainment," a concept that apparently emphasizes transforming fighting games into more of a spectacle while keeping player-driven actions simple.

Dead Rising 3 Set in California, Stars a New Character - Report

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 04:44 PM PST

Dead Rising 2 Off the Record

After teasing that some sort of announcement on a new Dead Rising game was going to be made soon, the first details on Dead Rising 3 have been leaked.

A post on the official Dead Rising Facebook account yesterday read, "I'm getting packing for my new adventure - camera, notebook and baseball bat. What else would i need for a break in paradise?" and was signed by Frank. Frank West was the protagonist of the first Dead Rising, as well as Dead Rising 2: Case West and Off the Record.

Ninja Gaiden 3 Borrows a Lot From The West

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 02:45 PM PST

By a completely bizarre coincidence (I actually do have enough faith to believe that this is the case; that Team Ninja did not brazenly lift this), Ninja Gaiden 3 takes place in the same place as Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. That is, both games have setpiece moments taking place within the Rub'al Khali desert. Both heroes -- Ryu Hayabusa and Nathan Drake respectively -- find themselves walking into a seemingly abandoned desert village. The village, in both cases, turns out to host a bunch of bad dudes intent on taking out our heroes.

That's not the only weird Western coincidence I notice in my recent demo of NG3. As Ryu enters the village, he puts his hand up to his ear, and walks slowly as he exchanges dialogue and story exposition with another character. It's jarring that something like Ninja Gaiden, with an emphasis on fast, precise, and brutal combat, has a moment that feels drippingly slow.

Mega Man Remains a "Key Brand for Capcom"

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 02:43 PM PST

Mega Man Universe

You could be forgiven for being under the impression that the Mega Man franchise had been put on the back burner at Capcom. Two game cancellations in a matter of months will lead people to believe that. But that simply isn't the case, Capcom insists, though it isn't willing to prove that by announcing any new projects just yet.

Mega Man Universe (pictured above) was canceled earlier this year following its announcement in 2010. It was to be a downloadable, make-it-yourself game for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

The Last Story Makes it to Europe in February

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 12:45 PM PST

Another of the three Wii-exclusive RPGs Nintendo of America showed no interest in bringing to North America now has a release date in Europe. The Last Story will be available on February 24, 2012.

A European release for the game had been confirmed months ago, so the only news here is the exact release date. This is important even to those in North America, and not just because it means an English version will be available for import.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Struggles to Find Its Own Identity

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST

Describing a new game entirely in terms of other games is unfair to the game, to its creators, and to readers alike. In the case of something like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, though, it would be unfair not to discuss it in terms of other games. It openly borrows ideas and draws inspiration from several popular franchises, and after spending four hours with the game I'm having a hard time pinning down exactly what sets Reckoning apart from its source material. It's Elder Scrolls meets Fable meets God of War combat bearing World of Warcraft's aesthetics, and there's no pretending otherwise.

That being said, Reckoning doesn't look to be a bad game by any means. Still, after playing through a key story event, freely roaming the area surrounding that skirmish, and jumping back and forth across the world map to dabble in different towns, dungeons, and environs, I find myself very ambivalent about this collaboration. Reckoning has quite the pedigree -- acclaimed fantasy author R.A. Salvatore, comics big shot Todd McFarlane, and former Elder Scrolls designer Ken Rolston have all played roles in its development -- but its individual components don't blend quite as smoothly as I'd like.

Want a Second PSN Account on Your Vita? Buy an Extra Memory Card

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:32 AM PST

Vita

It was recently reported that the PlayStation Vita would not allow for more than one account to be attached to the system at any time. Supposedly the only way to switch PSN accounts would be to do a factory reset. While that is the only method available to those with a single memory card, purchasing an extra memory card will allow you to use an additional PSN account on the same system.

The exact details of how this work were explained to Wired by Sony associate brand marketing manager Crystal MacKenzie yesterday. She stated that PSN accounts are tied to the memory card, not the system itself. "So if you wanted to change different PSN users but use the same memory card, you would need to go factory reset," she said.

The Fall of Tony Hawk

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 10:59 AM PST

Feature

Header

The Fall of Tony Hawk

By: Andrew Hayward December 8, 2011

A pair of events in fall 2007 shook the videogame skateboarding genre.

First in September, Electronic Arts launched Skate, which both outsold and out-reviewed October's Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, the latest in Activision's long-running series that had both popularized and dominated the genre since launching in 1999.

3DS Circle Pad Pro Can Last a Long Time on One Battery

Posted: 08 Dec 2011 10:32 AM PST

3DS Circle Pad Pro

The 3DS Circle Pad Pro's need for a AAA battery was an unpleasant surprise, no doubt. If there's any bright side to be had, it's that the battery reportedly won't need to be replaced frequently at all.

The peripheral, along with Monster Hunter 3G, will be out in Japan on December 10, though at least one gamer seems to have already gotten his or her hands on it already. Andriasang reports the manual it comes with provides a battery life estimate. It states the lone AAA battery the Circle Pad Pro requires can provide up to 480 hours of play time. The fact that you won't be changing the battery often is demonstrated by a screw being used to keep the battery compartment closed.

Posted by Shri Krishna

Total Pageviews

statcounter

View My Stats