During our recent visit to Microsoft to try out the competitive multiplayer in Gears of War 2, we got a sneak peek at one other mode in the upcoming game, horde. Once Epic's Cliff Bleszinksi ran through the competitive modes we covered previously, he gave us a sneak peek at some other multiplayer elements and talked co-op. We're finally able to spill the details on the new mode and other choice bits on the Gears 2 multiplayer experience.
Horde is essentially a cooperative survival mode that lets you and four friends work together to deal with increasingly difficult mobs of enemies that come in waves. In addition to the new mode we had a chance to check out two new maps, avalanche and day one, which added a new wrinkle to the multiplayer experience.
So, first off, horde mode. The new mode lets you and four friends test your skills against waves of enemies. Basically every wave will be made up of a set amount of enemies. Once you clear the wave you'll have a few seconds to prep and collect ammo and whatever pickups have been left by your foes or gear that respawns. The first waves are totally manageable and are made up of familiar enemies. However, as the levels progress things get crazy as new enemies such as the mauler boomer, butcher boomer, grinder boomer, and the flamer boomer. Each variation comes packing new weapons and gear that bumps up their threat and irritation levels to new heights.
However, you might look back fondly on the new boomers when you hear about what else is coming. The bloodmounts are new and exciting enemies which find locust riding mounts that bring a world of pain. If you're fast you can take out their riders, but these new foes are something else. At the moment the mode is being tweaked for balancing so specifics on the number of waves, right now Epic is thinking 50 or so, and exactly how things will play out are still being determined. We got pretty far in our play time, but things got pretty brutal. The biggest challenge is keeping your ammo stocked by collecting what's handy before enemies spawn in. The best way to survive is teamwork as your group can revive each other if everyone's attentive and fast on their feet. If you can't be revived before something horrible happens you'll respawn in time for the next wave if one of your team members survives.
One of the cool new twists to the mode is the stage interactivity on the two new maps we saw, day one and avalanche. Day one is set in a city center and paints a disturbing picture of how things went down on emergence day. Basically the stage is made up of a downtown city street, complete with movie theater. At its center is an emergence hole that offers an unpleasant surprise every so often: a rampaging worm that reaches out and chomps on anything that's unlucky enough to be close by.
However the avalanche level featured an even crazier interactive element, an actual avalanche that changed the layout of the level. Before the mighty rush of snow hits the level is a simple mountainside town. The boxy level is bordered by structures you can go in and explore with a center area that has a gazebo like structure with weapons to collect. The problem with the center area is, when the snow hits, you don't want to be there as you'll instantly die. While the snow is dangerous, there are some nice perks to it. The biggest perk is that the level layout is changed by the snow and you'll be able to access different weapons, including some from the new weapon class being introduced in the game, the heavy weapon class. We got to see two, the mulcher and the mortar, from the new class which is essentially an incredibly powerful but challenging to aim firearm. The mulcher is a chaingun like weapon that is a powerful close quarters weapon with so much kick it's tough to be too accurate with. The secondary fire to it lets you actually plant it in the ground and create a mobile turret with a limited range of fire. The challenge is that the weapon uses a heat system which will lock up the gun if you use it too often. To help you balance usage you can manually cool it by flushing heat. The new mechanic is called active cooling and works like the active reload system.
The mortar follows the same logic and lets you fire a cluster of powerful explosives that present a danger to anything around, including you. However, if you plant it in the ground you'll get a range finder and be able to take out foes at a far range which is incredibly handy. The downside to both weapons is that you'll move slowly with them and using them on the fly isn't super effective.
The visuals in horde mode and the new maps are obviously along the same quality lines as what we've reported. We would like to call out the visuals for the avalanche which are very cool. The heavy weapons are a little nutty but feature some impressive effects that sell their raw power.
Based on what we played, horde mode is a slick new addition to the Gears experience. The five player support is cool, although we do still wish for some two plus player co-op, and a lot of fun. Another cool tidbit we didn't get to see too much of was bot support in the game which sounds like another cool touch that Epic's adding into the game. Look for more on Gears of War 2 this week when Microsoft demos it live on our stage show Tuesday afternoon. The game is slated to ship this November.
Source: GameSpot
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
It's Official Final Fantasy XIII to Xbox 360 too!!!
Square Enix's formerly PS3-only RPG epic will launch day and date on Microsoft's console in North America and Europe; timed 360 exclusive hitting US Sept. 2, EU Sept. 5. By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot Posted Jul 14, 2008 2:04 pm CT LOS ANGELES--At the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Microsoft presented what it thought was a major announcement from a top Japanese developer, Square Enix. Unfortunately, the "news" proved a tad anticlimactic, considering that the game in question was Final Fantasy XI, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game previously released on the PC in 2003 and the PlayStation 2 in 2004. Despite a sizeable PR push, the 360 edition of the game was lukewarmly received by critics and consumers, who barely bought 213,000 copies of it in the US. Over the next three years, Microsoft would announce several more Square Enix games for the Xbox 360, including the exclusive Star Ocean: The Last Hope and the timed exclusive The Last Remnant. However, in many gamers' minds these projects were dwarfed in importance by the stature of two other Square Enix games: Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII Versus, both PlayStation 3 exclusives... ...until today. This morning at its press briefing at the E3 Media & Business Summit, Microsoft stunned many in the audience by announcing that Final Fantasy XIII is now in development for the Xbox 360. Not only is the game coming to the console, but it will arrive on the same day and date as the PlayStation 3 edition of the game, with no timed exclusivity of any kind. However, when exactly that is remains a mystery, given that the graphics-intensive role-playing game still has no firm release date. "We believe that releasing an Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII will allow us to provide the game to even more fans in the two regions of North America and Europe," Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada told a stunned audience. No mentioned was made of Japan, where the 360 is far less popular than the PS3. Wada also used today's event to date the 360 release of The Last Remnant in all regions. The game will ship in North America on September 2, Europe and the UK on September 5, and Japan and Asia on September 11.
Source: GameSpot
Source: GameSpot
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Rock Band 2... Rocks too!!
While the original Rock Band is still going strong, Harmonix is already looking towards the next bit of kit that it hopes will be cluttering your place, with it now getting official with Rock Band 2 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. This time around, it seems the Xbox 360 will be getting a jump on things with a launch in September, with the PS3 version set to follow "later in the year." Both of those will, naturally, be coming with all new instruments, including the tasty Fender Stratocaster pictured above, but you will be able to use your current gear if you want to spare the extra clutter and save a few bucks. What's more, you'll also be able to carry over all your current downloaded content and, as IGN reports, you'll even be able to download and play new tracks on Rock Band 1 once Rock Band 2 is out. Of course, Harmonix is saving most of the details for E3 next month Here is more detail information: June 30, 2008 - Rock Band is ready for a comeback tour. Today, Harmonix announced Rock Band 2 is set to ship for Xbox 360 this September and PS3 later in the year. However, the official announcement of Rock Band 2 is sparse on details, so we went straight to Harmonix to learn more. We spoke with Lead Designer Dan Teasdale to get the full scoop on the mega-sequel. Teasdale gave us his thoughts on user-created content, improving accessibility, upgrading last year's model and more. Source: IGN.COM
Sunday, May 11, 2008
60% of GTA IV games were Xbox 360...
Following the launch of Take-Two and Rockstar Games' critically lauded Grand Theft Auto IV on April 29, the question on many industry watchers' minds was just how well the heavily anticipated game performed and whether it lived up to its heady expectations. Take-Two kept the stats-hungry mob on edge a full week after, saying just yesterday that the game nailed its reported 6 million sales prediction, generating $500 million in week-one revenue.
While Take-Two kept the industry waiting, Sony, which sponsored a portion of the advertising spots for the game, chimed in a full week prior to extol the game's as-yet-unconfirmed performance. In a congratulatory statement bereft of any hard details, the PlayStation maker said GTAIV "drove sales of the PlayStation 3 entertainment system within the first 24 hours," and not much else.
It now appears that the reason for Sony's ambiguity was that the majority of consumers opted to pick up GTAIV on Microsoft's console. Today on Microsoft's marketing-team-operated GamerScoreBlog, the publisher dished on the stats breakdown for the 6 million copies of the game sold in its first week at market.
"According to retailers, more than 60 percent of all GTA games sold in the first week were the Xbox 360 version," the publisher's marketing team wrote on its blog. Sony had not responded to queries for comment on this claim as of press time. According to the hardware maker's most recent numbers, the Xbox 360's global installed base stands at 19 million, with the PlayStation 3 trailing at 13 million.
Microsoft also said that GTAIV has caused sales of its console to spike 54 percent week-over-week and that retailers' data indicates the game is attaching to new console purchases at a rate of 40 percent. GTAIV has also proven to be a hit with online gamers, as the publisher noted earlier this week that the game had unseated Activision's Call of Duty 4 as the top Xbox Live title for the week.
While Take-Two kept the industry waiting, Sony, which sponsored a portion of the advertising spots for the game, chimed in a full week prior to extol the game's as-yet-unconfirmed performance. In a congratulatory statement bereft of any hard details, the PlayStation maker said GTAIV "drove sales of the PlayStation 3 entertainment system within the first 24 hours," and not much else.
It now appears that the reason for Sony's ambiguity was that the majority of consumers opted to pick up GTAIV on Microsoft's console. Today on Microsoft's marketing-team-operated GamerScoreBlog, the publisher dished on the stats breakdown for the 6 million copies of the game sold in its first week at market.
"According to retailers, more than 60 percent of all GTA games sold in the first week were the Xbox 360 version," the publisher's marketing team wrote on its blog. Sony had not responded to queries for comment on this claim as of press time. According to the hardware maker's most recent numbers, the Xbox 360's global installed base stands at 19 million, with the PlayStation 3 trailing at 13 million.
Microsoft also said that GTAIV has caused sales of its console to spike 54 percent week-over-week and that retailers' data indicates the game is attaching to new console purchases at a rate of 40 percent. GTAIV has also proven to be a hit with online gamers, as the publisher noted earlier this week that the game had unseated Activision's Call of Duty 4 as the top Xbox Live title for the week.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Gibson suits Activision for patent infrigement
As one of the most lucrative franchises in gaming, Activision's Guitar Hero franchise has acted as a lightning rod for litigation and lawsuits. Last week alone, the popular rhythm game inspired two suits, one involving former Guitar Hero developers Harmonix and the other concerning content licensor Gibson Guitar Inc. While the former was settled as suddenly and quickly as it was filed, the latter continues to linger on.
In a letter sent to Activision in January, Gibson alleged that the Guitar Hero franchise infringes upon a patent the music instrument manufacturer filed in 1999 for "technology for simulating a musical performance." As per Gibson's patent, the product involves using instruments to simulate a live performance, and provides for a 3D headset with stereo speakers and a prerecorded concert using instruments to simulate a live performance. Gibson subsequently requested that Activision "obtain a license under Gibson's...patent or halt sales of any version of the 'Guitar Hero' game software."
Taking umbrage with this claim, Activision filed suit in the US District Court of Central California, asking the court to invalidate Gibson's patent and prevent the guitar maker from seeking damages. Today, Gibson has responded in kind to Activision's legal wrangling, regretfully announcing that it had brought suit against a number of retailers that it claims are selling the allegedly patent-infringing Guitar Hero products.
"On Monday, March 17, Gibson Guitar Corp. brought a lawsuit against various retailers, which are selling Guitar Hero products that are infringing on one of Gibson Guitar's U.S. patents," reads Gibson's statement. "Gibson Guitar took this action reluctantly, but is required to protect its intellectual property and will continue to do so against any other person in accordance with the law and its rights."
"Gibson had tried to settle this issue by negotiating directly with Activision as soon as the patent filed through one of Gibson's divisions was discovered and validated by outside counsel," the statement continued. "Activision chose to initiate litigation without notice to Gibson. Now, Gibson must pursue enforcement of its patent which predates the launch of the Guitar Hero game by several years."
While Activision wasn't party to Gibson's suit, the megapublisher was quick to respond, once again dismissing Gibson's claims and saying it would continue to support its retail partners.
"Gibson's lawsuit is a transparent end run around an impartial court that Activision asked on March 11 to rule on patent assertions that Gibson knows have no merit," reads Activision's statement. "Our Guitar Hero retailing partners have done nothing wrong. We will confront this and any other efforts by Gibson to wrongfully interfere with Activision's relationship with its customers and its consumers."
Activision also reiterated what it believes to be the cause for the abruptly soured relations with Gibson, saying the guitar maker has raised is patent infringement claims after three years due to the fact that "Activision was not interested in renewing its marketing and support agreement with Gibson."
Source: Gamespot
In a letter sent to Activision in January, Gibson alleged that the Guitar Hero franchise infringes upon a patent the music instrument manufacturer filed in 1999 for "technology for simulating a musical performance." As per Gibson's patent, the product involves using instruments to simulate a live performance, and provides for a 3D headset with stereo speakers and a prerecorded concert using instruments to simulate a live performance. Gibson subsequently requested that Activision "obtain a license under Gibson's...patent or halt sales of any version of the 'Guitar Hero' game software."
Taking umbrage with this claim, Activision filed suit in the US District Court of Central California, asking the court to invalidate Gibson's patent and prevent the guitar maker from seeking damages. Today, Gibson has responded in kind to Activision's legal wrangling, regretfully announcing that it had brought suit against a number of retailers that it claims are selling the allegedly patent-infringing Guitar Hero products.
"On Monday, March 17, Gibson Guitar Corp. brought a lawsuit against various retailers, which are selling Guitar Hero products that are infringing on one of Gibson Guitar's U.S. patents," reads Gibson's statement. "Gibson Guitar took this action reluctantly, but is required to protect its intellectual property and will continue to do so against any other person in accordance with the law and its rights."
"Gibson had tried to settle this issue by negotiating directly with Activision as soon as the patent filed through one of Gibson's divisions was discovered and validated by outside counsel," the statement continued. "Activision chose to initiate litigation without notice to Gibson. Now, Gibson must pursue enforcement of its patent which predates the launch of the Guitar Hero game by several years."
While Activision wasn't party to Gibson's suit, the megapublisher was quick to respond, once again dismissing Gibson's claims and saying it would continue to support its retail partners.
"Gibson's lawsuit is a transparent end run around an impartial court that Activision asked on March 11 to rule on patent assertions that Gibson knows have no merit," reads Activision's statement. "Our Guitar Hero retailing partners have done nothing wrong. We will confront this and any other efforts by Gibson to wrongfully interfere with Activision's relationship with its customers and its consumers."
Activision also reiterated what it believes to be the cause for the abruptly soured relations with Gibson, saying the guitar maker has raised is patent infringement claims after three years due to the fact that "Activision was not interested in renewing its marketing and support agreement with Gibson."
Source: Gamespot
Friday, December 28, 2007
Microsoft and their plans to have a Wii alike controller?
Will Microsoft release a first-party motion controller for Xbox 360? The company isn't talking.
"Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation. And I have nothing further to share," a Microsoft official told Next-Gen on Friday, when asked if the company would be releasing a motion controller add-on.
Rumors of a 360 motion controller surfaced on Wednesday, after XboxFamily.com reported that Microsoft would release a Wii-like peripheral this fall with the help of Gyration, the same company that first worked on prototype designs of the Wii Remote for Nintendo.
Microsoft is currently the only console maker not supporting some form of motion controls.
In May of 2006, Microsoft founder Bill Gates told MTV News that motion controls are "not mainstream for most games," before adding, "there's a lot to be learned about these controllers."
Source: GamePro
"Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation. And I have nothing further to share," a Microsoft official told Next-Gen on Friday, when asked if the company would be releasing a motion controller add-on.
Rumors of a 360 motion controller surfaced on Wednesday, after XboxFamily.com reported that Microsoft would release a Wii-like peripheral this fall with the help of Gyration, the same company that first worked on prototype designs of the Wii Remote for Nintendo.
Microsoft is currently the only console maker not supporting some form of motion controls.
In May of 2006, Microsoft founder Bill Gates told MTV News that motion controls are "not mainstream for most games," before adding, "there's a lot to be learned about these controllers."
Source: GamePro
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