Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Hits Vita June 12

by Mike Bendel on May 17, 2012 @ 2:33 pm


Already released on PS3, Konami’s pinned a release date on the PS Vita version of its Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. It’s coming June 12, comprised of PS2 classics Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Interestingly, the date is actually two weeks ahead of when Japan will get it. No word on when it’ll hit Europe yet.

The title highlights Konami’s ‘Transfarring’ capability, which allows gamers to load their save data seamlessly across both platforms. That means you can switch between the PS3 and Vita at any time and resume your progress. It isn’t the first time we’ve seen such a feature demonstrated, but it’s still nifty.

While it’s mostly a carbon copy of the PS3 HD Collection, sans the omission of PSP title Peace Walker, Konami hasn’t passed up the opportunity to utilize the Vita’s touch-screen and rear touchpad. Through touch-based gestures, players can control the camera and cycle through weapons.

Is Criterion Working on Need for Speed for Vita?

by David Sanchez on May 17, 2012 @ 1:34 pm

A job listing on Next-gen.biz indicates that developer Criterion Games is working on a new game for the PlayStation Vita. The opening is for a software engineer, and after different mentions of both Burnout and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, it’s more than likely that the game in question will be a racer.

According to self-proclaimed internet extraordinaire Superannuation, the listing originally stated that the game was to be released on the Vita specifically. Now, however, there’s no mention of Sony’s portable, and the job post instead mentions “new” and “other” platforms. Considering the Vita was the latest device to hit the market, it could be the new platform the listing is referring to.

Last year, Criterion released Burnout Crash! via digital download, and before that, the developer worked on Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Of course, that was back in 2010, so it makes sense that the studio is planning a new game. The likely candidate is the next Need for Speed title, which would definitely be a good racer to take to the Vita.

The Walking Dead Episode 1 Shoots One Million Sales in the Head

by David Sanchez on May 17, 2012 @ 12:36 pm

Famed adventure game developer Telltale Games has reported that The Walking Dead Episode 1: A New Day has officially hit the one million sales mark. That’s awesome news for both Telltale and The Walking Dead, as the game was received quite well by gamers. What that means is that most of those one million sales are made up of satisfied fans who got a great game.

According to Telltale, The Walking Dead is its fastest-selling series. Episode 1 topped sales charts across Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and Steam, and because this is just the first of five episodes in the series, we can definitely expect The Walking Dead to continue to rake in revenue for the folks making the games.

Currently, Telltale is planning to release The Walking Dead for iOS platforms this summer. Additionally, Episode 2: Starved for Help is scheduled to land on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, PC, and Mac next month. Here’s hoping the next chapter in the series is as great as Episode 1, so the franchise can continue selling well, and so fans of The Walking Dead can keep getting content worth being stoked about.

Borderlands 2 Collector’s and Limited Editions Revealed, Are Awesome

by David Sanchez on May 17, 2012 @ 12:06 pm

Publisher 2K Games has revealed full details on two special edition bundles for the Gearbox-developed FPS/RPG Borderlands 2. The first is the Deluxe Vault Hunter’s Collector’s Edition, which is priced at $99.99. You’ll get Borderlands 2, Marcus Kincaid bobblehead, Inside the Vault: The Art & Design of Borderlands 2 art book, set of stickers, map of Pandora, download code for a digital comic book, and extra in-game goodies.

The second bundle is the Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition, which sports a hefty $149.99 price tag. It’s hefty for a reason, though, because it includes everything from the first bundle, and it also comes packed with a steel book case, Creatures of Pandora ID chart, set of lithograph postcards, field notes by Sir Hammerlock, cloth map of Pandora, and a numbered certificate of authenticity. Also, this bundle is totally going to include a red loot box replica, which easily makes that $149.99 justifiable. I mean, it’s a freaking loot box, people! Just like in the game!

Borderlands 2 is currently scheduled to land on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on September 18. Both special edition bundles will be available across all three platforms, so you don’t need to worry about being snubbed if you prefer one console over the other. And because we have a few months until the game launches, that gives us plenty of time to save up our hard-earned coins for one of these two sets. Seriously, though, that red loot box is going to be awesome.

Ubisoft Details Far Cry 3 Multiplayer Beta, Kicks Off This Summer

by Mike Bendel on May 17, 2012 @ 11:38 am


Looking for something to fill the summer FPS drought? Ubisoft has you covered, as its released details on the Far Cry 3 multiplayer beta, set to kick off for a duration of two weeks “later this summer” on Xbox 360 and PS3. The beta is a fairly extensive affair, with sixteen simultaneous players per match, it offers up the opportunity “to choose from six playable classes and will able to experience online action within multiple maps and modes – including the innovative Firestorm mode.”

“Dozens of weapons with hundreds of upgrades and customizations will also be available. Gameplay includes teamplay-focused experiences with support points and weapons, as well as the ability for all classes to revive fallen teammates. Zip-lining, combat sliding, psyche gas and barrel bombs are just some of the gameplay elements that can be experienced when playing,” reads the announcement.

Ubisoft has partnered with GameStop to distribute beta codes to Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier purchasers. There’s one catch, though: the offer is open to GameStop PowerUp Rewards members only. Fortunately, there will be other ways to snag a key for beta access, either through Ubi’s Facebook page or community websites. We’ll reach out to Ubi to see if we can secure a few keys to giveaway.

Developer Reveals How to Distribute iOS Apps Through Kickstarter

by Mike Bendel on May 16, 2012 @ 7:24 pm


With Kickstarter gaining steam, partly thanks to the enormous success of Tim Schafer’s adventure game, prospective Kickstarters have wondered how certain projects are handling distribution on closed platforms, such as Apple’s iOS. The company only gives out a limited number of promo copies and on top of that, a forced password gate for ‘free’ apps isn’t allowed as such an approach would evade Apple’s royalty cuts.

It turns out there is a workaround however, one that Apple seems to currently approve of, but you’ll have to ask them first. The developers of Zombies, Run! came up with the solution of releasing a paid and free app, the latter containing some introductory content with an optional authentication mechanism to unlock the full version. Basically the same as a password gate, but since the free app contained some content and the unlock was entirely optional, Apple gave it the go ahead.

It’s not a clear-cut solution as the developers Zombies, Run! point out. The policy could certainly change in the future and anyone interested in going this route should contact Apple first. At any rate, it’s nice to hear that Apple is giving some leeway to these Kickstarter projects. Apple may lose out on the initial round of sales, but ultimately it benefits them once the app is officially released. It will be interesting to see how bigger projects, like the recently funded Republique approach this.

Ubisoft Says the Wii U Can Be a Successful Platform

by David Sanchez on May 16, 2012 @ 3:28 pm

Ubisoft has been open about its support for the Wii U for the past few months. With games like Rayman Legends and Assassin’s Creed III being teased as possible candidates for Nintendo’s upcoming platform, it’s obvious that Ubisoft hopes to bring some of its bigger franchises to the system. Eurogamer reports that during its earnings call, Ubisoft further expressed support for the Wii U, revealing that it had seven games planned for the console, and even stating that the Wii U could have “great success.”

The console’s tablet controller is one of the things Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot is really stoked about, saying that the screen will help emphasise the social aspect of video games by allowing players to “play asynchronously with your friends, to receive challenges, and to really have a screen to communicate with your friends.” The publisher seems to be embracing the casual and group gaming aspects that Nintendo made its own with the Wii. “So all this tells us that the machine can have a great success, because it will bring to families a good machine,” continued the Ubisoft CEO.

Chief Financial Officer Alan Martinez then announced that Ubisoft had seven games planned for the Wii U, five of which will be casual titles, and two of which will be developed to appeal to the core crowd. Assassin’s Creed III will potentially be one of the core titles, and it joins games like Rayman Legends, Ghost Recon Online, and Avengers: Battle for Earth, just a few of the games that have been teased by Ubisoft.

It’s great to see a major company supporting the Wii U, mainly because variety in the industry is always welcome. Here’s hoping the publisher can deliver on its promise to bring both quality casual and core gaming experiences to the Big N’s upcoming console.

Rumor: Eidos Hiring for Deus Ex 4, Targets Next-Generation Consoles

by Mike Bendel on May 16, 2012 @ 1:16 pm


After the successful debut of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Eidos Montreal would be crazy not to revisit the franchise once again, right? Sure enough, it’s come to light that a “major Canadian company” is hiring for a “semi open-world action adventure title that responds to player choice and interaction.”

While the job listing on LinkedIn via Twitter doesn’t exactly spell out Deus Ex 4, the franchise has been particularly revered for its open-ended gameplay set within a structured world. Additionally, the project is based on an “existing IP” that combines “elements of choice and stealth within the gameplay.” Yeah, this sounds like Deus Ex. While Thief 4 could be a possible candidate as well, that’s already been announced for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

What’s more, is that project is being built from the ground-up to take advantage of next-generation platforms due out within the next few years. A wide range of vacancies are open, from senior gameplay programmer to cinematic director. Next-gen can’t come soon enough, eh?

Ubisoft Sale on PSN Has Some Sweet Discounts

by David Sanchez on May 16, 2012 @ 11:29 am

Ubisoft is celebrating the warm month of May with some impressive deals on a bunch of games. If you managed to blaze through Max Payne 3 and/or are currently disliking Diablo III and you need something to play, you may want to check out Ubisoft’s discounts, which were announced on the PlayStation Blog.

PlayStation Plus members get 50 percent off, while all other PlayStation 3 gamers will be able to snag some titles for 30 percent off. The sale covers a wide variety of games, from smaller downloadable titles such as Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game to digital versions of retail games like Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. DLC is also discounted, and HD remakes like Beyond Good & Evil HD are included in Ubisoft’s May sale, as well.

You’ll find the full list of discounted games below, with prices for PlayStation Plus users and standard PlayStation Network folks. Personally, I would recommend Outland to anyone who hasn’t already played it. The game is a beauty to behold, and its strong soundtrack and great platforming/bullet hell gameplay make it a truly special little download.

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Gamers Destroy Diablo III on Metacritic

by David Sanchez on May 16, 2012 @ 9:54 am

Gamers are irate over the fact that they were unable to play Diablo III last night. Servers were down, and players weren’t allowed to enter the game, even if they wanted to play on their own. This is due to Diablo III‘s required internet connection, which bars any players from entering the game’s world unless they’re online.

Additionally, Blizzard’s DRM tomfoolery isn’t helping, and this has become one of the main reasons for some huge criticism among players. As a result, Diablo III has received a massive amount of negative fan reviews on Metacritic. Gamers are calling the title a disaster, and they even go so far as to unleash their verbal hatred for its gameplay and graphics, with people saying that the game is boring and repetitive, all the while failing to deliver decent visual design.

I haven’t had the chance to play Diablo III, and because I mainly use my rig to play indie games, the chances of that happening are pretty slim. But wow, guys, is the game really that bad? Does it deserve the 3.6/10 rating that it’s gotten from gamers on Metacritic? If so, I’m glad I never invested any time into the series, because this just seems like one steaming pile of disappointment.

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