MMO updates

MMO updates

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Age of Wulin

Posted: 27 Jul 2011 06:11 AM PDT


Personally, this is "the" game to watch for me in ChinaJoy 2011. If you have read my pas posts about the game, you would have known why. An absent leveling system is not the main draw, but rather the abundance of features players can participate in and carve out their own legacy in the game. Without further a due, let's start the small presentation. Please note that all details are NOT confirmed .


The follow videos are apparently leaked, as stated by Snail Game in an official press release. I am not very sure if this is just a PR move, but it is indeed effective in getting all the media's attention. Let me summarize each video.


Training System - Players will gain training points in almost what ever they do, like exploring a place for the first time, mining for the 100th time (example) and even riding a horse. In the video, you can see players drawing and playing Chinese chess as well. These are all part of the Life Skills system, which including gathering, fortune-telling, crafting, fishing and more. There are currently 17 of such skills, and the most interesting system should be the beggar feature.


Life Skill: Beggar - Players will be able to obtain a life skill changing them into beggars. And no, I don't think you can just AFK by the roadside and wait for others to toss you money. Maybe I am wrong, but a town full of AFK beggars is... Well, in beggar form, other normal players will not know who you are. Beggars will then proceed to NPCs and plead with them for items/ gold (possibility to be turned away).

Beggars may also approach normal players and ask them for a donation. If a player does not want to donate, he may reject and hence the shoving action you see in the video. As the video quality is not really clear, I am unable to confirm if Beggars are able to sell normal players items directly. Apparently, the normal player opened 2 different packages after donating and there is a chance one of them is a fake with normal misc items. More info to come when available.


Miracle System - In the actual world of wulin, there are many legendary pugilists who are trained in different ultimate martial arts. In Age of Wulin, if you are lucky enough, you may have the chance to kick-start a chain of miracle quests and eventually meet them, gain some strong items or even learn one of the ultimate martial arts skill. However, this will not be easy as a player's affinity with various NPCs should be high before they will give you clues on how to proceed with the chain quests.


Guild System - This system in Age of Wulin is MASSIVE. As you can see from the trailer below, guilds are able to build their own territory, design their chambers and even have their own stage to hold internal PvP matches or invite outsiders for a tournament. These are still early days for the feature, but it is shaping up to be awesome.


Combat System - I don't think I need to explain much, but the jumping and gliding etc looks really like Blade & Soul's... *runs before getting stoned to death*


Below is a video showing how the action scenes in Age of Wulin is captured. I am lazy to translate, but I guess most people will have no troubles understanding by watching their actions.

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Snail Game Part 2

Posted: 27 Jul 2011 01:05 AM PDT


This post is a continuation of Part 1 found here (link). In this post, we will be taking a short look at Snail Game's ChinaJoy booths, 1 especially for the attending public while the other for potential business partners to discuss possible deals. Snail Game is not just all about Age of Wulin, but the previously posted Black Gold Online (link) looks promising as well, along with a few browser MMOs. I am not so sure about The Penguin War (link) though... ...


And the booth below is for business deals to be discussed. Age of Wulin will be exporting to Europe under gPotato EU (English), Russia, Taiwan, Malaysia & Singapore (Chinese) when available. Will there be more English servers for the NA and SEA regions? Let's wait and see. If you are reading this, more information was just released for Age of Wulin. Stay tuned in a few hours' time!

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - The bosses arrive

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 09:42 PM PDT


This is just a casual post to kick-start ChinaJoy 2011's official opening. The photos were actually taken yesterday though, by the gaming journalism arm of Tencent Games. As you can see, the bosses are made to hold the QQ Penguin, the mascot for the Tencent QQ services. These are only some of the bigwigs in attendance by the way!

↑↑ The9 Interactive's Vice CEO, Mr Tony Park.

↑↑ Left: Giant Interactive's CEO, Right: Shanda Games CEO

↑↑ Blizzard Entertainment's Vice President.

↑↑ Left: Sohu ChangYou's CEO, Right: NetDragon's CEO.

↑↑ NetEase's CEO (seated). NetEase is the 2nd biggest gaming company in China after Tencent Games.

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Warface

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 10:19 AM PDT


I am sure most of you would have heard of this game by now. If not, let me introduce it again. Warface is the first title developed by Crytek Korea (or Seoul) using the latest CryEngine 3 (same engine as Crysis 2). The game is custom made primarily for the Asian regions including China and of course, Korea as a Free to Play title. Tencent Games, the biggest online gaming provider in China, is the publisher for that region (link).


The latest trailer prepared for ChinaJoy 2011, titled "2013", basically tells the game's storyline. For the actual in-game footage (debut trailer), please visit the link found above.

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Planet Legend Online

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 10:05 AM PDT


Planet Legend Online is actually not developed by a China company, but rather by a Taiwanese one. The game had been to various conventions in the past, including Tokyo Game Show and G*Star. This time round, the game is ready and the developer, International Games System, is ready to start looking for overseas publishing partners.


Planet Legend Online is a action 3D side-scroller MMO as you can see from the trailer above, but there is something quite different as well. Paying homage to Metal Slug, there is actually an option for ranged classes to face the "up" direction and attack. All the skills are colorful and full of impact as well, with the combat system giving players a definite adrenaline rush. Did you see Weapon X being used in the trailer as well?


While I know the game is focused on fun and combat, the facial expression of each character classes seems to be the same =.= More classes, modes and features are in development and IGS is currently scheduling a beta test period at the end of the year (subjected to change). This game does look promising to me, I hope there will be some social features though.

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - The Penguin War

Posted: 27 Jul 2011 02:06 AM PDT


Yes, I know you are as surprised as I am. But... bear with me. The Penguin War is a new online shooter with third person view (MMOTPS), developed by Snail Game from China. You may know Snail Game as the developer for Voyage Century and Age of Wulin as well. According to reports, players are not only able to play as Penguins, but also as various historical figures as well.


When answering a question about the lack of action when compared to a first person shooter, the official reply given was that the customizable skill matching system and random field items found in the game will cover this perception. The Penguin War will also be a fast-movement shooter. There is this feature where players will automatically lean against structures (for example staking out corners), but there isn't any visual given at the moment


In a market currently flooded with FPS, will this rather whimsical TPS game survive? More news when the game is officially revealed at ChinaJoy 2011.

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Infinite Worlds Online

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 05:07 AM PDT


I introduced this online game a few months back (link), and it will be making an appearance at ChinaJoy 2011. Developed by China's Quyou Game, Infinite Worlds Online is a game where different worlds clashed with each other. There are currently 4 worlds and each world comes with its own character classes which you can see below: Swordsman, Trooper, Mecha and Sorcerer. In case you are wondering, there is a human inside the mecha and each class will have both genders provided.


In case you are wondering and too lazy to read my previous post, these 4 worlds are together in the same plane of existence. Hence, players may be of the Mecha class and invade ancient China where the Swordsman class start off and vice versa.


According to foreign reports, the game is being looked at by various established online gaming companies worldwide, including North America's Aeria Games. Will this game be brought to the English market? It will be interesting to see it happen!

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Saint Seiya Online

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 08:44 AM PDT


At this rate, there won't be any news to cover when ChinaJoy 2011 begins on 27th July in a few days' time. Today, Perfect World officially announced Saint Seiya Online by opening the game's teaser website and revealing their partnership with Japan's SEGA. The franchise is currently celebrating its 25th year and the MMO is licensed for both China and Taiwan only. Below is a picture of Masami Kurumada, the series' creator.


Other than the logo being revealed, there is a timetable on which a series of ChinaJoy events for Saint Seiya Online will go on starting from 29th July. There is no mention of a playable demo available... More news to come when available!

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Red 5 Studios

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 02:11 AM PDT


This should appear to be a surprise to some, seeing that Red 5 Studios' majority shareholder is China's The9 Interactive. Despite that, Red 5 has decided to enter ChinaJoy 2011 on its own, showcasing the company's maiden MMO title, Firefall. Below, you can see the amazing booth setup at the gaming convention.


It is also mentioned that a statute based on one of Firefall's character will be made as well for the convention. The status costs a whopping USD 1 million and is crafted by the guys who made the Queen of Blades statue from StarCraft. I can't wait to see the full thing being displayed.

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Perfect World

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 02:20 AM PDT


This is my very first post for ChinaJoy 2011, and I will like to kick things off with one of my favorite online gaming companies, Perfect World. As usual, Perfect World will be bringing almost all its present games to the show, with most predicted to get a massive content update announcement. The new title will include Swordsman Online, perhaps the date for official Closed beta will start.


However, that is not the main star of the show. Saint Seiya Online, which Perfect World announced a few weeks back, is slated to debut as well. The game was already in development for a couple of years, hence it should come as no surprise. I understand there is an unofficial Saint Seiya Online in China right now, but it seems nothing is done to the company behind it. The official Chinese blog for Saint Seiya Online is now... online as well.


What is a public gaming trade show/ convention with out the showgirls? Each year, individual companies will hire the hottest and most popular young models to parade around their booths to draw in the male crowds. Perfect World will be doing so as well, and here are some of them (out of around 30 I think)! More news to follow (if there is anything new) after ChinaJoy 2011 kicks off!

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Black Gold Online

Posted: 27 Jul 2011 12:51 AM PDT


Snail Game, one of the emerging online games developer from China, is not just resting its laurels on the upcoming release of Age of Wulin worldwide. Introducing Black Gold Online, one of the most mysterious title for ChinaJoy 2011 but looking as one of the most promising China-developed title so far. In fact, the game is actually co-developed by Russia studio, Mental Games as well. A steampunk world filled with magic as well, let me give you a brief look at the game's storyline.


In a world full of mysteries and adventures, merging technology with magic, there exist this mineral called Black Gold. Fights broke out over the control of Black Gold, as it provides energy for both the technology and magic users. Furthermore, when Black Gold is tempered by both techniques at the same time, a mysterious energy called "Black Steam" emerges. For the technology (or steampunk) side, it is used to power the various robots.


The land is further divided into 2 continents, where sunlight shone on the East (magic users) while the West (technology users) is covered in darkness. There were internal conflicts with regards to Black Gold, but eventually races from each individual sides (West and East) combined forces and went on to wage war with each other.


Here comes the confusing part. Listed on the website are 5 charactors (characters I think) and  I am not sure if they are the classes or races. According to the lore, there should be a Dwarf race as well, but a short figure could not be seen even in the silhouettes. 2 are revealed so far, with them being the Gunslinger and Bear Shaman. And where are the robots?!


According to various online websites, other features include the customizable robot seen in the screenshot above, mobile mechanical fortresses (what?!), skill customization, multiplayer mounts and rides and even a DOTA mode for the the game. More official news should be released at ChinaJoy 2011, so stay tuned!

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Shanda Games

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 02:03 AM PDT


Now on to Shanda Games. The company actually has a special name for their showcase at ChinaJoy 2011, which is called Game Allstar. Well, this name had been used by a Korean company as far as I am concerned, so there is nothing spectacular about it. As you can see in the logo above, there is a big "69". Apparently the marketing team is not accustomed to English jokes about the number.


"6" actually stands for the number of new events and partnerships, shows and media etc which will be officially introduced. "9" stands for the number of games which are going to be showcased, with a number still being a secret so far. The only 2 major online games announced so far for the show are Final Fantasy XIV Online China and Dragon Ball Online China while the others include Legend of Immortal, Dragon Nest China, Sudden Attack China and more. Dragon Nest China recently celebrated its 1st anniversary as well.


Do note that the 9 games should include some social games as well. For Final Fantasy XIV Online China, it looks like Shanda Games will be hiring one of the top Asian singers to perform the theme song which will "beat" Faye Wong's Eyes on Me, one of the most popular game songs in history.


For the industry, many are guessing what titles will Shanda Games be revealing. The apparent biggest announcement will be TERA China, which many have claimed to be spot on. There are a number of self-developed titles as well, but I will only be posting individual posts on those which are deem worthy. I am guessing Shanda Games will reveal TERA China as well, looking at how its rival Tencent Games apparently got all the big titles for 2011 and 2012.

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Tencent Games

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 02:53 AM PDT


Time to take on the biggest online gaming company in China... Perhaps even the world. Tencent Games host many carnivals and events on its own, including a competitive league for almost all its games, but will still be part of ChinaJoy 2011 as well. This year, the company is slated to have demos ready for various of their previously announced titles. To add on, the whole event will be hosted by the Happy Family, the most popular hosting team in China now. You can see their cartoon version below.


News trickled in recently with regards to Blade & Soul China getting a playable demo at ChinaJoy 2011. This will be sort of a surprise to me, as I didn't see the game being translated until later this year. One of the most anticipated titles in China, if not the most, the Chinese forums are flooding with threads and comments from the public about visiting the convention just to try the game out.


ArcheAge China will be making an appearance as well, but there is no news of it being playable. The game debuted a few months ago with much fanfare as well. If there is a playable demo available, I wonder what will all the other booths do with almost every gamers stalking out Tencent Games' demo stations.


The biggest of the "minor" titles will be ASURA, a Diablo-styled MMO but with Journey to the West's settings. Well, not all of it, but it is loosely based on the classic novel. Below is one of the official trailers revealed so far, so have a look!


There are various other hit titles as well, including Continent of the Ninth (C9) China, War of Zombies (online shooter), Webzen's BATTERY (online shooter), League of Legends China and more. Tencent Games will no doubt have the games all players are looking forward to. Well, that's the reason why they are China's biggest online gaming company.

[ChinaJoy 2011] Preview - Snail Game Part 1

Posted: 27 Jul 2011 12:51 AM PDT


Snail Game Suzhou, a rather "new" player in the English MMO industry, will be participating in ChinaJoy 2011 as well. First and foremost, the company's main highlight will no doubt be Age of Wulin China (or 9yin Online). The recent incident where Closed Beta keys are going to be sold caused much displeasure, but in the first day of sales over at a partner website, all 10,000 keys were sold out. No doubt some will be buying and reselling it for a high price, but it is still an incredible feat.


Now, the new games which Snail Game is preparing to debut. The second most important title will be Black Gold (directly translated), a MMORPG with a futuristic steampunk setting. Well, not totally steampunk, but there will be elements of it. More to come later when I dedicate a single post on this title. Update: You can find the post on Black Gold Online here (link).


The following games are not really much to look out for, and one even took my by surprise... in a weird way. The Penguin War, what the heck?! The other games will be a casual MMO and a web-game based on Voyage Century Online. And sorry, no showgirls gallery revealed so far.
Posted by Shri Krishna

General gaming

General gaming

Sony Engineers Discuss the PSP Remaster Project

Posted: 27 Jul 2011 06:00 AM PDT


The PSP Remaster project, first announced in May and discussed in detail at a developer event in Tokyo last month, allows game makers to take PSP titles and emulate them on the PlayStation 3. They're free to add HD-level graphics, surround-sound, 3D visual support, save-game transferring between the PS3 and PSP, and even completely new features not seen in the PSP original. The project is hot news in Japan right now, chiefly because its first launch title -- due out August 25 over there -- is an HD-compatible version of Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, the PSP killer app that's sold nearly 4.5 million copies across Asia.

According to Teiji Yutaka, member of the Software Solutions division of Sony Computer Entertainment that headed the project, PSP Remaster got its start with the previous PSone Classics project and other PS3 emulation efforts. "We were developing this emulation platform," he told Famitsu magazine in this week's issue, "and through it we came to realize that we might be able to get the PSP running in realtime on the PS3 without much problem. It was our talented engineers that made it happen."

The software, called the PSP Engine, is a sort of emulator/operating-system hybrid that runs on the PS3 hardware and provides support for all the PSP's functionality, including ad-hoc network support. "We had things up and running on the PSP Engine around one and a half, two years ago," Yutaka said. "The HD rendering was in operation by then, too, and that's when we began to remold the project into a saleable product."

Japan Review Check: Kirby Mass Attack, Epic Mickey

Posted: 27 Jul 2011 04:12 AM PDT


A selection of the most interesting games due to hit Japan next week, courtesy the review pages of Famitsu magazine:

- Kirby Mass Attack (9/9/9/9, 36 points): The highest-scoring game of the week is the new DS Kirby game, which is perhaps less surprising than it'd seem at first glance. "The touch-based controls are simple, easy to get into, and feel perfectly natural," Famitsu wrote. "The game's collection aspect encourages repeat play, and there're enough tricks to gameplay to make the experience seem worth it."

"It's really not the sort of thing I'd normally get into," one reviewer admitted, "but the gameplay's really done up well, and the touch controls make it a really fun experience. The difficulty bar is set pretty low, but you can dive pretty deep into the game if you like."

Japan Gamers, Devs Excited But Hesitant On WiiU

Posted: 27 Jul 2011 03:36 AM PDT


Last week's Famitsu-sponsored survey of gamers and developers' response to the PS Vita made it clear that people are crazily excited about Sony's new portable. The Japanese magazine published a similar survey of responses to Nintendo's WiiU, and the response -- while overall very positive -- was noticeably more muted. (The fact that the PS Vita is coming quite a bit sooner to the market probably has much to do with that.)

According to Famitsu, 38.3 percent of gamers polled said they had a good impression of the system after its announcement at E3 last month. 33.7 percent said they did not have a great impression, while the remaining 28 percent haven't made up their mind. While readers dug the new potential of the WiiU, a lot of them said that they didn't like the name very much -- 22.5 percent said it lacked impact, and many commenters said that it made Nintendo's new console seem like a minor upgrade to the Wii.

The response from developers was a great deal more positive overall. "A lot of people say that it's a very Nintendo-like console, but I'm more focused on the basic specs, which are pretty high-end," said Capcom producer Jun Takeuchi. "I think the key is going to be how the controller and TV interact, as well as Nintendo's approach to online. I think there's every chance of it being another juggernaut if the system's priced strategically enough. It'll be up to developers to figure out how to use the controller without diverting the player's attention too much."

Quick! Get the Remaining Summer of Arcade Games Now

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 07:42 PM PDT

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet

Through what seems to be a mistake on the part of the online Microsoft Store, the four remaining Summer of Arcade games can be purchased now.

Upon purchasing them, the store offers up a promo code that can be redeemed on either your Xbox 360 or Xbox.com. Fruit Ninja Kinect and Toy Soldiers: Cold War are reportedly no longer working, though both From Dust and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (the latter of which I've personally purchased and downloaded successfully) continue to be available.

As luck would have it, the Microsoft Store is currently running a promotion where you can get a free copy of The Maw on XBLA by purchasing any Summer of Arcade title. Separate from the Microsoft Store, buying all five titles will entitle you to a free copy of action-RPG Crimson Alliance once it's released in September.

Giving Credit Where it's Due is "Really F***ing Cheap," a "Common Courtesy"

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 07:14 PM PDT

L.A. Noire

It may not be as devastating as some developers make it out to be, but Epic Games President Mike Capps is no proponent of leaving names out of a game's credits because they weren't there when the game was completed. That's precisely what happened with L.A. Noire, a game that was in development for seven years and naturally saw many employees leave over the course of development. In Capps' mind, it isn't an expensive move to give credit where it's due, so why not do it?

"I think credit is really important, and it's really f***ing cheap -- pardon my French," Capps told IndustryGamers. "It doesn't cost you a thing to have a guy in the credits who worked for you for three years and had to move to Seattle because his mom got sick six months before the product shipped. Or even just say, he worked hard on this game but didn't finish it."

Capps explained that Epic will, at the very least, give a programmer who leaves credit under "additional programming." He said, "But we absolutely still credit them, because it's free to us and I want the guys here to know that if they ever left they would never be cut out of the credits. It's just common courtesy, really." Epic also makes sure to pass around a list of credits several times in order to ensure no one is inadvertantly left out.

Double Dragon II 3D Remake Headed to XBLA

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 06:10 PM PDT

Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons

Double Dragon II: The Revenge, the old Technos Japan beat-em-up from 1988, is being revived for a 3D remake on Xbox Live Arcade. Now known as Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons, the game is based on the arcade version, not the reworked NES one, and is being developed by Barunson Interactive for release this September.

According to Co-Optimus, Wander of the Dragons will have entirely new art but still features the old brothers, Billy and Jimmy Lee, as well as many of the old enemies and weapons (those available include knives, grenades, and two-by-fours) fans will remember. A new combo system and diving knee kick move is joined by the return of the old cyclone kick, making it sound as if the game will offer a bit more nuance than a direct port would allow for.

It'll need that depth with a 1,200 Microsoft Point ($15) price tag. Besides a four-player Versus mode and Survival mode (where players fight off waves of enemies for as long as possible), the Story mode features two-player co-op support. However, Co-Optimus says online play has yet to be guaranteed, which could be a really damper on what otherwise sounds like an intriguing remake.

Supposed Valve Alternate Reality Game is a Hoax

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 03:29 PM PDT

Valve ARG hoax

Alternate reality games, or ARGs, have been used in the past to get users heavily invested in a game while also promoting it. Halo 2 had I Love Bees and, more recently, the lead up to Portal 2's release was filled with potatoes as part of a wide-ranging ARG that involved a number of indie games on Steam.

Reddit users have been piecing together something that is believed by some to be another Valve-run ARG, perhaps in connection with the ever elusive Half-Life 2: Episode 3 or Half-Life 3. 1UP has learned that it is not related to Valve, though that doesn't discount the impressive effort and coordination that's been poured into this ARG.

Battlefield 3 Levels Slightly Compacted on Consoles

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 02:35 PM PDT

Battlefield 3

There has been a great deal of complaining that the console versions of Battlefield 3 don't look quite as beautiful as the PC version. It's no coincidence that the PC version is what was shown for months, and given how far we are into this console cycle, it's expected that PC games will look better than their console counterparts. Besides the visual disparity, another difference is the decreased player limit -- up to 64 players can go at it online on PC, while only 24 can do the same on consoles. As a result, DICE says that levels have been somewhat compacted to make them play better. Ensuring the game is as fun as possible is the thinking behind all of these moves; it's not that DICE is "evil or stupid."

Speaking with German site GameZone (as translated by CVG), DICE Executive Producer Patrick Bach defended the choices that have been made regarding Battlefield 3 on consoles. He emphasized that the different versions are "more or less the same," as they run on the same engine and technology. The goal isn't to offer a dumbed-down game on consoles.

Bach said trying to make the games identical is "really, really hard," but it's a matter of finding compromises. "We tried to get more players in [to the console version] but then you need to scale down all the graphics, scale down all the destructibility, and sometimes you need to scale down all the map sizes."

From Dust Review

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 02:30 PM PDT

Playing god is a risky business; there are always unforeseen consequences. Case in point: my worshipers settle a new village upon an island -- only to find their homes washed away by regular tsunamis. I, as a godlike being known only as "The Breath," decide to help them out by creating a dam to save them from the unstoppable wall of aquatic disaster. So I grab a big pile of molten lava from a nearby volcano and dump it on the edge of my worshiper's island. Upon stepping back to admire my divine handiwork (it cools into a pretty nifty dam after all), I realize that my molten lava starts setting the foliage surrounding the village on fire before cooling. With my villagers screaming as the fire speeds towards their settlement, I suck up a huge pool of water from the ocean and douse the flames which by this point (and judging by the sudden silencing of their screams), has already ruined the day for several of my worshipers. But no need to worry -- it looks like my plan works... too well. The water put out the flames all right, but it also washes away the village. In my attempts to save my village from being washed away by a deadly tsunami, I in fact cut out the middleman and wash away the village myself.

So goes a typical five minutes in Ubisoft's From Dust, the second game in this year's Summer of Arcade for XBLA. It's like a cosmic video game version of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Here, players assume the role of the aforementioned Breath; you start off each level with a small pool of villagers and the goal of shaping the land to make it habitable enough for them to find villages at each (of up to four) totem location scattered across the map. Once they get settled, you guide your tribe to a mysterious mouth-shaped portal that leads them to the next level.

Kinectimals Adds Bears With an Appropriate Title

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 01:31 PM PDT

Kinectimals Now With Bears

One of the Kinect games Microsoft hoped to capture the attention of children with last year was Kinectimals. It was among several first-party titles that was launched alongside Kinect in November and featured a selection of four-legged animals that included the likes of tigers, lions, leopards, and jaguars. Microsoft is hoping bears are what you'd like to play with most, as it's re-releasing an enhanced version of the game -- bears being the big addition -- later this year.

If ever there were an appropriate name, it would be this: Kinectimals Now with Bears! is the title that the game will carry. ("Da Bearss" and "Dwight Schrute Edition" must have both been shot down.) Five types of bears -- black, grizzly, cinnamon, glacier, and polar -- will be added as an initial animal option alongside the lion, royal bengal tiger, cheetah, leopard, and panther. Ten additional animals await players, as does a new guide named Bumbilina.

Kinectimals Now with Bears is set for release this fall for $49.99. Thankfully, those who own Kinectimals won't be forced to buy another full-priced disc to upgrade -- all of this bear content will be available in the Bear Island DLC, which will cost $14.99 upon release.

Posted by Shri Krishna
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