Category: Adventure

Mass Effect 2 on PS3 Will Use Introductory Module to Bring Players up to Speed

mass effect 2 ps3One of the biggest features touted for Mass Effect 2 was the ability to import saves from the original game and carry on your story as Shepard. While PC and X-Box 360 gamers world wide were able to enjoy this bonus, PlayStation 3 users are going to have a bit of a handicap going into the sequel due to the first game never making it to their system. BioWare, ever the crafty sorts, have a solution in the form of an introductory module. BioWare founders Dr Ray Muzyka and Dr Greg Zeschuk relieved a little bit about the module in a recent chat with CVG:

“What we’re providing is an introductory module. We haven’t revealed the details of what that is yet, but it’s going to provide a lot of information on both the context and setting of Mass Effect”

So nothing significant at this point, but its good to know that PS3 players won’t be totally in the dark when they step into Mass Effect 2. Hopefully this introductory module will enable gamers to make the big decisions from the first game in a truncated form, instead of having Mass Effect 2 assign them a pre-determined background like it did for the PC and the 360.

There you have it, PlayStation 3 folks, not only do you get all the DLC bundled with the disc when the game hits in January 2011, but you’ll also have an opportunity to catch up with the universe pre-ME2. This is definitely good news, and the more people that get to experience Mass Effect the better. Any PlayStation people excited about this news?

Source: CVG

Nintendo 3DS Screenshot Comparisons Might Surprise You

Metal Gear Solid 3 3DS

As much as I might express concern over the still unsure pricing of the Nintendo 3DS here in the U.S., I’m going to swallow my pride and just admit that I want one more than you can imagine. Although I suppose you could imagine it if you tried really hard and thought about something you really, really wanted, but that ruins the illustration, and makes you a jerk.

Anyway, while I knew from trailers and screenshots that the 3DS had rather impressive visuals, the only real way to tell just how much better Nintendo’s new handheld looks over its predecessor is to see side-by-side screenshots. On top of that, how much better do the remakes of the old N64 games like Ocarina of Time and Starfox 64 appear? The answer could be shocking (hint: it’s “a lot”).

Check out the comparisons after the jump. Continue reading Nintendo 3DS Screenshot Comparisons Might Surprise You

GamerSushi Asks: Favorite Legend of Zelda Scenes?

If you are a true gamer at all, you probably have played a Legend of Zelda game. Having played and finished all of them but one (Spirit Tracks), I consider Zelda to be one of my favorite series of all time. The story is simplistic, though occasionally it can surprise you, but the real draw is the gameplay, which is nothing short of sublime.

However, that isn’t to say that the franchise has not had its share of memorable moments and I think the list on LegendZelda.net is worthy of notice. Although, to be honest, my favorite scene, shown in the above picture, is of Link delivering the death blow to Ganondorf in the most brutal way possible in The Wind Waker. It’s an enduring image that I will never forget.

What do you think of the list? Is there a scene you feel was omitted or undeserving of a spot? What would you have added to the list?

Source: LegendZelda.net

Coming Soon: Myst the Movie?

Myst

One of my earliest memories of playing video games on my very own PC (as opposed to the old Macintosh machines at school), was sitting down late at night and wandering through several hours of Myst, one of the top selling adventure games of all time. It was a game unlike anything I had played before. I remember being simultaneously creeped out, enthralled and filled with a sense of awe as I explored the stunning visuals, solved the puzzles and pieced together a world by my own choices. Some of the puzzles still rank among my favorite in gaming history (the piano in the rocketship, for instance).

Given the game’s huge commercial success over time, it should be no surprise then that people in Hollywood have been interested in turning this point-and-click adventure game into even more cash. That’s right, everyone: Myst has been optioned for a movie by Mysteria Film Group along with producers Hunt Lowry (Last of the Mohicans) and Mark Johnson (Chronicles of Narnia).

The primary thing about the first game of Myst is that it is almost completely non-linear, contains virtually no dialogue, no action, no violence and no other direct contact with characters. So how is this going to work as a movie, exactly? Continue reading Coming Soon: Myst the Movie?

Welcome to Fall: The Upcoming Games of 2010

Ladies and dudes, the time is here: the fall season of gaming is officially upon us, and all we can do now is paddle as hard we can to keep up with the avalanche of titles falling to our TVs and monitors. Sure, I’m mixing metaphors here a little bit, but the point here is the same: lots of games are coming out, and you no doubt want to play a large share of them. Yes, even though Little Big Planet 2 has been delayed.

Since we’re so nice, we’ve put together an epic list of our 30 most anticipated upcoming games of 2010. You’ll be surprised at just how much is waiting for you. We’ve got everything from RPGs to zombies, DS exclusives and sprawling PC MMOs. Check it out! Continue reading Welcome to Fall: The Upcoming Games of 2010

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Beyond Good and Evil HD in 2011, Produces Joy

Beyond Good and Evil

Listen. You guys are going to have to bear with me for a second: Beyond Good and Evil was one of my favorite games of last generation, which I’ve said more times than I can possibly recount. And Ubisoft has just announced that an HD remake of the game is coming in 2011 to PSN and XBLA. Not only is this just an up-converted version of the game, but the character models and textures are being tweaked for the better, so it looks its best when running at 1080p.

Really, beyond just typing “squeeeee” like a lunatic over and over, all I can say is that this news changed my day. Is that a little melodramatic? Possibly. What I know is that Beyond Good and Evil had an excellent story, awesome characters, Zelda-like mechanics and some great design behind it. While there’s no word on a date or a price yet, we do know that this is coming as a downloadable title, so I honestly wouldn’t expect anything extravagant in terms of cost.

So… am I the only person excited about this? Ridicule me or join in on the enthusiasm.

Source – IGN UK

Everything You Wanted to Know In This Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Gameplay Trailer

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow drops next week on October 5th, and if the earliest reviews are any indication, the game could be a darn good one. To prep fans for all the changes and things to expect in this newest iteration of the long beloved series, Konami has released a brand new gameplay trailer that demonstrates how this is no ordinary Castlevania, and how they intend to take the series down a new path.

With Hideo Kojima in charge, I’ve been impressed with some of the cinematic trailers I’ve seen, and this 11 minute dose of gameplay and introductions is something I wish more game studios did with new releases. If you’ve been on the fence about Lords of Shadow, I’d recommend checking it out, as this might tip you one way or the other.

So, who plans on checking this out? What did you think of the trailer?

Breath of Death VII Creators Live the Dream

Breath of Death VII

You may or may not have heard of Breath of Death VII, an XBox Live indie game release that has been making the Web rounds for the last few months. Created by Zeboyd Games, a two man development unit, BoDVII is an old school NES style RPG that will cost you only $1 to download and play. It’s chock full of references to old RPGs including Phantasy Star and also packs a nostalgic punch for anybody that has loved and played those great little top-down titles of old.

The duo of developers released some stats on the game the other day, revealing that it has surpassed the 30,000 purchases mark. They also do a rundown of the things that they think the game did well to set itself apart from the rest of the pack, and some advice for would-be fledgling game developers. I know that a few of you are interested in game making yourselves, so I thought it would be a helpful thing to read.

I actually have not heard about this game until today, but I’m planning on downloading it as soon as I get home. Not only has it received some rave reviews, but I just kind of want to support the guys. I mean, seriously, they are living the dream, doing what they love, and made a killing with just a few months of hard work. Kudos to them.

Has anyone heard of this, and do you have any interest in playing it? Go!

Source – Zeboyd Games

Enslaved Goes Behind the Scenes With a New Video

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is a new game coming out from Ninja Theory, best known for the PS3 launch title Heavenly Sword. I’m not sure if we’ve ever posted about Enslaved on the site, so I’m going to do a quick recap for those who are unfamiliar with this game. Taking place 150 years in the future, the game follows two of the few remaining humans as they attempt to find their way home through a decimated North America past the various combat mechs that still plague the land. Sort of a different spin on the old post-apocalyptic yarn, and it borrows some design elements from the show Life After People, if I remember correctly. Check out the new behind the scenes video for Enslaved: Odyssey to the West which also stars Gollum himself, Andy Serkis!

It’s kind of a shame that I haven’t been following this game more closely, because it looks very intriguing. The game is actually coming out on October 5, so it’s hitting right at that perfect time before Call of Duty: Black Ops and Fallout: New Vegas dominate the market. Anyone here thinking of picking this up? Also, I want my title to be “Chief Creative Ninja”.

El Shaddai’s Breathtaking Visuals Are Heavenly

El Shaddai, a 3rd person action game from the creator of Devil May Cry and Okami, was announced at this year’s E3, but it has been largely overlooked. That may not be the case after you see this trailer, which was shown at TGS last and showcases the game’s fluid combat and unique art style.

Personally, I’m a sucker for anything that looks like something I’ve never seen before and this fits that bill perfectly. The game’s story is based on The Book of Enoch and the game follows Enoch on a quest to find seven fallen angels in order to prevent a flood which will wipe out mankind. So I hope you dig that Hallelujah-choir because I get the feeling you will be hearing a lot of it. It’s being published and developed by Ignition, who most recently gave us the watercolor world of Muramasa for the Wii. No release date has been announced yet.

So what do you think? Is this something you would be interested in? We always complain about drab games showing brown in HD, but this game steers far clear of that. Would you be willing to give it a shot?

Last Guardian TGS 2010 Trailer is Gorgeous, Again

We seem to be on a bit of a Team Ico kick lately, but it’s hard not to be excited about all the awesome news that’s coming out of the Japanese developer these days. It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything at all about their new project, The Last Guardian, and they finally delivered at TGS in Japan last week.

With such a long delay in news, I kind of wondered if there was some issue with development, but judging from the newest trailer, I’d say those fears have now been alleviated. I seriously can’t believe how gorgeous this game is, and I can’t wait to play it, whenever that release finally lands. What do you guys think of the trailer?

Team Ico Collection for the PS3 is Happening

Shadow of the Colossus

I guess it’s for real this time.

Several months back, there was a rumor that a Team Ico Collection coming to the PS3 at some point in the near future. This little anthology would feature both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, upgraded to glorious and stunning HD to match their already gorgeous art design.

Well, this juicy rumor has now been proven real, and confirmed by this week’s issue of Famitsu, the Japanese gaming magazine. Now, when it will release – and for what price – is still up for grabs. However, there are rumors going around placing its release in March or April 2011 for a price of about $40. Call me crazy, but I like it.

While I’d rather be playing the game at Christmas, I guess I can live with getting this game next year, because let’s face it – these are two of the greatest games of last gen, put together on one disc for our enjoyment. Who else is ridiculously excited about this?

Source – Andria Sang

Review: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

spider-man shattered dimensions review

I think Spider-Man may rank in first place for having the most alternate dimension spin-offs. You have Spider-Man 2099, Ultimate, Manga, India, 1602, Reign; the list goes on and on. Despite the fact that there’s dozens of Spider-Men to draw inspiration from for a game, we’ve generally stuck to the same old Peter Parker with a few exceptions (such as last gen’s Ultimate Spider-Man). Franchise new-comer Beenox decided to tap into the rich tapestry of Spidey’s history and bring together four different version of the web-slinger-Amazing, Noir, 2099 and Ultimate-for a cross-dimensions web-fest. With four different play styles and multiple possibilities, how well does Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions do in delivering the definitive Spider-Man game?
Continue reading Review: Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

Mario Celebrates 25 Years of Stomping Goombas

There are a few times when I feel older than my years, despite the fact that I am only 23. One example is that children born when Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone came out are now teenagers. The other is that, 25 years ago today, Super Mario Bros. graced the Nintendo Entertainment System and changed the way we viewed home entertainment. What started that day in 1985 was just the beginning of a life long journey for Nintendo from a small playing card company to the video game giant it is today. Mario has been through a lot of changes in his life time, and Nintendo has cooked up a video to celebrate.

Watching that video brings a smile to my face as it makes me remember all the great times I’ve had playing Mario games over the years. Although Nintendo doesn’t really click with my anymore, there’s no denying that they were a powerful force in my childhood, and probably ruined my willingness to engage in physical activity for the rest of my life. Do you guys have any memories about the plumber? Any game you remember more fondly than the others? What do you hope to see from Mario in the next 25 years?

Metroid: Other M Impressions

Metroid: Other M

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post, loyal readers. As a huge fan of the Metroid series, beginning with the very first game back during the NES days and continuing through all the sequels, even the Game Boy version, I was looking forward to Other M with no wariness whatsoever. After all, even though I didn’t care for Metroid Prime 2 and 3 all that much, I thought the return to a non-FPS point of view would give Samus the jolt she needed in order to revitalize the franchise. And with Team Ninja adding their power to Nintendo’s, what could go wrong? Continue reading Metroid: Other M Impressions

Christopher Lloyd Reprises Role As Doc Brown For Back to the Future Games

Back to the FutureOK, the Back to the Future fanboy just has to get this out of the way right off the bat. Ready for it? Great Scott!

Anyway, several months back, Telltale Games announced that they were going to be developing some Back to the Future and Jurassic Park adventure games. Well, today they let loose a little bit more information about the project, and the details are certainly enticing. For one, there are going to be a total of five episodes of gaming goodness. For dos (that’s Spanish for all of you keeping track at home), both Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd have released their likenesses for use in the game.

On top of all of that, Bob Gale, one of the key people behind the writing of the movie trilogy, will be contributing to these games to make sure they are in keeping with the series. And last but not least, Christopher Lloyd will be reprising his role as Doc Brown, lending his vocal talents to the project. Heavy. I can honestly say that these are some of my most anticipated games in development right now, and I’m going to jump on any news that comes out of these guys. I hear they’re going to have a DeLorean at PAX, so Mitch, that means you need to take pictures.

Anyway, who else is pumped about these games, and this news? What do you think of the new concept art? Go!

Source- Telltale Games

Assassin’s Creed:Brotherhood Walkthrough Confirms Flag Collection

The closer we get to November, the more I know in my heart that I will not be able to refuse the siren’s call of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. While I do have my doubts about the quick turn around time, everything I’ve read about the game, from the single-player to the multiplayer, seems to paint it in a good light. I’m especially willing to give it a go after I watched this video, which details some of the single-player mechanics along with how you will be managing your Assassin’s Guild.

Pretty neat, no? Originally, I thought that confining the game to just Rome would severely limit the scale, but it turns out that I might be wrong. Sending my Assassins all over Europe to start riots and kill targets sounds like a lot of fun, and bossing people around is always a good time. What do you guys think of the video? Are you anticipating Brotherhood? Also, as you may notice by the title of the article and the little snippet in the video, the much maligned flag collecting is back. You may commence your complaining (or celebrating, if that’s more your thing.)

GamerSushi Asks: What Are You Playing?

Tomb Raider Guardian of LightIt’s been a few weeks since we’ve asked you all how your gaming minutes are being spent, so I thought we were about due for another helping of “What Are You Playing?”

For me, I’m trying to get through a little bit of the dreaded gaming backlog and all of its horrors, but I keep getting interrupted by Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, which I am completely in love with at the moment. If you’re unaware, it just released on Xbox Live Arcade last week, and is due out on the PC and PS3 next month.

I’ve never been a fan of the Tomb Raider series, but what they’ve done in this game is turn it into more of a top-down co-op Diablo style game, complete with puzzles, platforms and loot. It’s almost like Diablo meets Resident Evil 5, if that makes any sense at all. While the game doesn’t have online co-op at the moment, it will when it hits other systems in September. I’ve been playing the co-op locally with my brother, and we’re having a blast solving puzzles and doing the platforming. I can honestly say it’s already one of my favorite co-op experiences of this gen. If that’s not a glowing recommendation, I don’t know what is.

In addition, I recently completed Alpha Protocol, am moving to 3D Dot Game Heroes next, and hope to tackle Crackdown 2 before Halo: Reach drops on September 14th. Whew. Anyway, now it’s your turn. What are you playing? Go!

New DeathSpank Dropping in September

DeathSpank 2

Some developers take years to pump out a sequel, but we gamers are an impatient folk. We want it now, and Hothead Games is happy to oblige. Although the original DeathSpank only came out last month, September 21 sees the release of the sequel on the PlayStation network, followed by the X-Box LIVE Arcade version the next day. DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue is going to be about 50% longer than the original, which wasn’t that short to begin with (around 15 to 20 hours). The main difference in Thongs of Virtue is that the puzzle and questing aspects will be more pronounced, but the hack and slash combat that defined the original will still be present.

Since DeathSpank is the brainchild of Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert, gamers should expect more of the same hilarity that permeated the first game. Indeed, the point of Thongs of Virtue is to destroy magical undergarments that are possessing their wearers. Unfortunately, the short time span between the two games means that Thongs of Virtue won’t address any of the issues that were raised with the first title meaning that online co-op is still out. However, DeathSpank’s wizard friend returns for local co-op, along with Steve the Ninja. This new game will also feature a variety of exotic weapons, such as guns.

What do you guys think about this quick sequel turn around? Is it even worth putting something out if you can’t fix the complaints about the original? True, they were few and far between, with online co-op being the major sticking point, but I would have liked to see that included. Let us know!

Source and Image – Kotaku

Metroid: Other M Goes to the Movies

Other MNintendo and Team Ninja’s collaborative efforts on Metroid: Other M are coming to fruition at the end of August, and the game is going to be a bit different than what fans of the series are used to. Typically, Metroid games play up the feeling of loneliness and desolation on hostile alien worlds, but this time around Samus is going to be a lot more vocal and she’ll have a few characters backing her up. Because the game is focusing more on character interactions, Other M will feature almost two hours of cut scenes. Since you’ll probably spend most of your time looking for hidden items and blasting creepy bad guys, Team Ninja is doing you a service by giving you the option to watch Other M’s video segments strung together in a sort of “theater mode” once you’ve finished your playthrough.

A very nice gesture on the developer’s part, but I can’t help but feel that they’ve missed what makes Metroid the unique series that it is, outside of the whole being-hit-so-hard-your-items-fall-off gameplay mechanic. Metroid isn’t about long winded cut-scenes or being told hold Samus feels. Part of her mystery is that you don’t know anything about her, her motivations or what goes on inside her head. She’s a bounty hunter and a warrior. Do people want to know more about Samus? I might be alone in this, but I like Metroid when it’s dark and enigmatic, not when it’s beating you over the head with narrative. What about you guys? Are you down for some cinematic action, or are you a bit wary?

Source: Kotaku