E3 2012: Guardians of Middle-earth Unveiled

This Autumn, gamers will be returning to Middle-earth, and helping some of Tolkien's most iconic characters beat seven shades of hell out of each other. No, it's not an action adventure; it's a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, and it's coming to the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade.

The game is in development at Monolith Productions, and the gameplay is built around five versus five battles. With over 20 characters, these showdowns could be pretty epic, with the likes of Gandalf, Sauron, Gollum, Thrain, Legolas, Gimli and more squaring off. MOBA games generally emphasise complementary abilities, teamwork and dynamic levelling, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out here.

Quite how Gollum with a rock facing off against the incredibly powerful Gandalf will be balanced remains to be seen. Marvel fans will also be interested to see that apparently Gimli has learnt a few lessons from Thor, if his hammer-throwing is anything to go by in the brand new CG trailer below. Naturally enough, the game will feature tie-ins to Peter Jackon's upcoming The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey film.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/01/e3-2012-guardians-of-middle-earth-unveiled

E3 2012: New Metal Gear Rising Trailer

Konami has revealed a new trailer for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance as part of an online pre-E3 presentation.

The gameplay trailer, which focuses heavily on the slicing and dismemberment, also highlights Raiden's 'Ninja Run' ability that allows him to dash quickly up and over background objects.

“Within the Metal Gear series Raiden has always been this really cool character with incredible action scenes," said Yuji Korekado, creative producer at Kojima Studio, during the presentation. "Unfortunately these scenes were always cutscenes that users werent’t able to control."

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance aims to address that.

The trailer also revealed the game is due to release "early 2013".

Konami confirmed during its presentation that Metal Gear Rising will be playable for the first time at E3 next week, so expect more information soon.

For other huge biggest E3 announcements as they happen, keep checking back to IGN’s E3 hub.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/01/e3-2012-new-metal-gear-rising-trailer

E3 2012: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 Announced

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 has been announced at Konami's Pre-E3 Showcase, via a reveal trailer.

The moody CG trailer features the protagonist from the first Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Gabriel Belmont, taking on an enormous army against the backdrop of a giant Gothic cathedral. At one point, Gabriel gains supernatural powers from an unwitting soldier, turning himself into a bat-like creature made of smoke. The trailer ends with the introduction of a new character, who bears a strong resemblance to Castlevania regular, Alucard.

Host Geoff Keighley said that Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will be released in 2013, with more to share later this year. The original Castlevania: Lords of Shadow was released in late 2010.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/01/e3-2012-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-2-announced

E3 2012: New Dishonored Trailer Drops

A haunting new trailer for Dishonored - showing off the first in-game footage - has just hit ahead of E3. To the accompaniment of sing song children's voices, various moody locales are highlighted. Lightning strikes, search lights scan, oppressive buildings tower over rundown city streets. While all the footage is in-game, this is much more of a scene setter than a detailed look at gameplay; all about mood and tone. Even the action - plague-ridden rats running amok and overwhelming guards, fighting off a snarling dog, and a whole sequence of brutal knife kills has an ethereal quality. It's cool, and very much lives up to the promise of the previous CG trailer, so check it out.

You can also check out IGN's Rewind Theatre for the last Dishonored cinematic trailer below.

 

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/01/e3-2012-new-dishonored-trailer-drops

E3 2012: Tomb Raider Release Date Announced

Crystal Dynamics has revealed the release date for its upcoming Tomb Raider reboot. In a trailer released tonight, the studio confirmed Tomb Raider will arrive on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on March 5, 2013.

The news follows an announcement a few weeks ago that Crystal Dynamics was pushing the game to next year. At the time, studio head Darrell Gallagher wrote that “Our priority now is to make sure we fully deliver the very highest quality game. In order to do this, we have decided to move the game’s release date by a few months, from Fall 2012 to the first quarter of 2013.”

Square Enix has confirmed that Tomb Raider will be at E3 next week, and the game will also make an appearance on IGN’s Live Show direct from the show floor, so expect some new details to come very soon.

For the biggest E3 announcements as they happen, keep checking back to IGN’s E3 hub.

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Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/01/e3-2012-tomb-raider-release-date-announced

Fox Sets Release Dates for X-Men: First Class Sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, ID4 3D and More

20th Century Fox announced several release dates for upcoming films today, along with some date changes.

The big news (at least around IGN!) is the official release date for the sequel to X-Men: First Class, which will open July 18th, 2014. Still untitled, the film – again directed by Matthew Vaughn – will go into production in early 2013.

While no official casting has been announced, it’s assumed that at the very least James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence are returning – with Lawrence the subject of a bit of a scheduling war earlier this year, as Fox and Lionsgate both worked to set their production dates for the X-Men sequel and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, respectively. Ultimately, Fox agreed to wait a few months on X-Men, though this means the Hunger Games sequel -- beginning production this fall -- had to be especially fast-tracked, since Fox contractually has first option on the much sought-after Lawrence.

Summer 2014 is pretty big for Fox, as the studio also announced a May 23rd, 2014 date for the newly titled Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the sequel to the studio’s (after X-Men) “Prequel/reboot there was a lot of skepticism about only for it to ultimately turn into a well-regarded success” of 2011, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Rupert Wyatt will again direct, with Andy Serkis returning as Caeser.

One big move by Fox is Steven Spielberg’s Robopocalypse. Originally scheduled for summer 2013, it will now kick off summer 2014 on April 25th, 2014.

Meanwhile, taking the place of Robopocalypse on July 3rd, 2013 will be Independence Day 3D. Yep, ID4 is getting the 3D rerelease all 1990s blockbusters seem to be lined up for, with Fox noting Stereo 3D, who did the conversion on Titanic (which grossed a huge $344 million worldwide from its 3D re-release) will do the same for ID4.

Fox also announced their Ben Stiller/Kristen Wiig film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty will open Christmas Day, December 25th, 2013. Walking with Dinosaurs has moved from October to December 20th, 2013.

Also scheduled for 2013 by Fox are Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters on August 16th, 2013 (moving from its original March date) and the animated film Epic, featuring the voices of Beyonce Knowles, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Knoxville, Aziz Ansari, Jason Sudeikis, Steven Tyler, Blake Anderson and Judah Friedlander. ‪‪Lastly, the as-yet-untitled buddy cop movie starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, from Bridesmaids director Paul Feig, will open April 5th, 2013.

On the heels of Fox’s schedule announcements today, Disney made a couple of schedule changes of their own today. Opening against ID4 3D on July 3rd, 2013 will be The Lone Ranger, moving from May 31st. And Thor 2 is now opening a week earlier, on November 8th, 2013.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/01/fox-sets-release-dates-for-x-men-first-class-sequel-dawn-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-id4-3d-and-more

Little Dark Knight Pony Rises

We've seen some pretty cool/hilarious mashups for the various Dark Knight Rises trailers so far, but this My Little Pony video might take the cake. Never before have two more polarizing franchises collided with such spectacular (and slightly unsettling) results. Check out the video below for a pick-me-up:

The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters July 20.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/01/little-dark-knight-pony-rises

Dota 2 Microtransaction System Revealed

Though Valve’s Gabe Newell had previously said Dota 2 will be a free-to-play game, today we finally have specifics about exactly what kind of microtransaction system will be included. In a post on the Dota 2 blog, Valve states that it “will not be a pay-to-win game,” and that “all the items in the store are cosmetic, and don’t affect gameplay.”

Valve also will not sell individual heroes, which is a pretty big change from competitors in the genre like League of Legends. “We believe restricting player access to heroes could be destructive to game design, so it’s something we plan to avoid,” said the post.

In terms of what you can pay for, Valve will allow for visual customization of heroes and other gameplay elements like the courier. Better still, like with Team Fortress 2, Valve is opening up the a Steam Workshop for Dota 2 so fans can submit designs and, if approved by Valve, will be cut into the profits when the designs go live on the store.

A post on the official FAQ explained this decision in more detail. “We're acutely aware of the community's concerns around remaining true to the theme of the game, so much so that we think the community should be directly involved in the process of choosing what goes into it. The Steam Workshop allows you to submit your votes and thoughts on contributed items before we make any decision to put them into the game, so jump in and help us stay on the right track. We think the community at large is actually really good at making these kinds of decisions.”

Paying for new items won’t be the only way to get new stuff. As you compete online in matchmaking battles, you’ll also earn Battle Points and Battle Levels, which will result in item unlocks.

Now that Valve has detailed the microtransaction system, does that mean Dota 2 is pretty close to officially launching? In the FAQ, Valve states it doesn’t even really consider Dota 2 to be a beta test at this point, but “we've still got work to do before we can support the number of players who've shown interest in Dota 2. Right now we're working on expanding our server infrastructure, which is the primary bottleneck.”

In an official press release, Valve stated Dota 2 will be released this year, but gave no specific time frame. If you’d like to get into the closed beta test before launch, you can sign up on the Dota 2 site.



Source : http://www.ign.com

Gas Guzzlers Combat Carnage Review

The first time you start a race in Gas Guzzlers, you'll be in a crappy car, behind AI opponents in much better cars, and you'll lose. Boy oh boy, will you lose. But it's OK, because even when you lose, you still earn money to be able to slowly upgrade your car and take on the big boys, right? Wrong. You don't earn a dime, except by picking up money bonuses scattered at points on the racetracks. But even if you do that, every single upgrade in the garage is locked to you, making it frustratingly difficult to make any progress through the game. You play the same race over, and over, and over--never finishing above fourth or fifth and never getting anywhere near being able to even move on to the next track in the campaign, much less a different game mode.

Hopefully you like this car and this track: you'll be seeing a lot of them.

This is lousy design. Slow progression isn't necessarily a bad thing, particular in a realistic racing simulation like Gran Turismo (though even that series allows you to earn money and buy new cars at the beginning). But for a game that bills itself as a fun, arcade-ish, combat racing title, it's unacceptable. Unlocking the combat portion, which is billed in the title, is infuriatingly difficult. Gas Guzzlers' problems are compounded by the lack of clear explanation as to what does what when you play. There’s a button, for example, to ignite your car’s turbo booster, but no explanation as to what charges the booster (turns out that crashing into things does it). You also have two weapons buttons, although it's never made clear which weapons fire forward and which fire backward, or what the specific effect on the other cars is. Trial and error doesn't help much, because AI opponents can recover almost instantaneously from land mine hits, explosions, and even head-on collisions. You, of course, don't get any such molly coddling.

If you'd like to try to level the playing field a bit by going online, good luck to you. The few servers you'll find are always empty or nearly so, and never have anyone in them who want to start a race. Other game modes, too, offer no respite, as they remain locked to you until you manage to struggle past a gauntlet of necessary unlocks. This unlocking process is grind-y and frustrating, and takes all the fun out of what’s otherwise a fairly good racing mechanic.

See, in spite of all its shortcomings, Gas Guzzlers' races do a good job of balancing a semblance of realism with plenty of over-the-top drifting, spins, gunplay, and general insanity. Although the game doesn't give you much help with anything like a rubberbanding mechanic (players falling behind the pack aren't artificially sped up to stay competitive), you use an assortment of guns and missiles to temporarily knock out people ahead of you and gain ground. While these moments are rare and difficult to achieve, combat and other little things do spice up the gameplay.

Damage shows up on your car, but it's not tied realistically to how you get hit.

That’s the real tragedy here: Gas Guzzlers has plenty of content and personality. It has tons of car customization options, weapon loadouts, and a decent number of vehicles and tracks. But like an acquaintance who suffers from terrible social anxiety, the game does everything in its power to keep you from getting to what's underneath. When things are going right for you, Gas Guzzlers offers edge-of-your-seat excitement, because you don't want to suffer the frustration of starting all over again. Getting knocked into a wall or getting hit by a weapon even once can be unrecoverable in a race, so you are always putting your best foot forward. And, once you've got them mapped right, controls are responsive, tracks feel realistic (you slide around a lot more in dirt than in asphalt, for example), and blowing stuff up is satisfying.

Still, some obvious features of an arcade racer game are clearly missing. Since the tracks are both short and linear, you'd think there'd be multiple pathways, shortcuts or secret areas, but you'd be wronger than ketchup on a hot dog. While Gas Guzzlers' tracks do have some branches, taking them has little effect on your position in a race. Games like Split/Second and Need for Speed: Shift offer tracks that reward you for taking risks or using your imagination. No such luck here.

Indeed, taking turns properly, drifting around corners, or even ramming small obstacles like palmetto trees and barrels have little effect on your position in a race. The primary influencers appear to be luck (you have to hope that the leaders take each other out), and constantly keeping the accelerator depressed to maximum no matter what. This may prove more difficult than you think, however, because Gas Guzzlers has a habit of resetting your controls to the defaults despite your painstaking re-mapping of them. The game doesn't recognize an Xbox 360 controller or a PlayStation 3 controller by default, even if you’ve got the proper drivers installed on your PC. This means you’ve got to map the controller buttons yourself, which leads to some jury rigging to get things working properly.

You earn roadkill bonuses for hitting chickens. Take that, chickens!

Gas Guzzlers does some things right, but the whole deal ends up feeling decidedly under par. Graphics are only fair, music is canned and looped, and the voice samples are poor. But beyond its mediocre production values is a wobbly foundation, and that's ultimately Gas Guzzlers' insurmountable flaw. The extreme difficulty in unlocking new content is a fatal failing, because it keeps the game frustrating and fails to reward players for hard work. That ain't how the West was won, partner, no matter how much gas you might be able to drink.



Source : http://www.gamespot.com

Nintendo's Wii U at E3 2012

Last year was just a taste of things to come.

In a few days, Nintendo will formally pull back the curtain on its plans for Wii U. Though the system was revealed at E3 2011, this is the year that truly matters. This is the year the system launches. That means we'll see final hardware, not just prototypes. That means we'll see games, not demos. That means we'll see real plans and not just sweeping promises.

Or at least that's what happen. Though Nintendo has much to prove at this year's show - and not much time between now and when the system is slated to launch - it's tough to tell exactly what gaming's most enigmatic publisher will actually do. Wii U is by far E3 2012's biggest spectacle. It's the biggest question mark. As we've said time and time again, all eyes will be on Nintendo as it transitions from one of its most successful eras into the unknown.

With all that said, here are some of the games we expect to see at this year's show. These are the stars of Wii U's evolving line-up, one that seems to be growing almost daily.

The Unknown

The strange thing about Wii U is that its biggest games are likely still waiting in the shadows. We know Mario and Pikmin are on the way, and we've seen some promising third party support, but we're still waiting for the real knockout punch.

We're waiting for the Zelda game. The Metroid. The addition of key third party franchises like Resident Evil and Bioshock Infinite. And while adding third party ports wouldn't seem like the biggest deal, it's a critical element to Nintendo establishing itself as being in the same league as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 - while still setting itself apart with its own content. Balancing all of those ideas will be very difficult for Nintendo - and we should have some idea of its success next week.

Rayman Legends

Release Date:TBA
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Platformer

Rayman Legends first surfaced through a leaked concept trailer, one which demonstrated an array of specialized Wii U functionality. One question we have is whether all of those ideas will make it in the final product, but we're also curious to see how Ubisoft follows up last year's platformer, which we rather loved.

It's likely we'll see games like Assassin's Creed or Mario taking a bit of the spotlight this year, but we're particularly interested in seeing what happens with Legends. If Ubisoft has managed to take the creativity of last year's Rayman Origins and fully meshed it with the potential of Wii U, Nintendo fans might have more than one platformer to look forward to at some point in the future. Hopefully at launch.

Pikmin 3

Release Date: TBA
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Strategy

We've been waiting for a new Pikmin game for almost a decade. As much as Nintendo fans seemed to gravitate towards Shigeru Miyamoto's quirky strategy game, the publisher didn't quite seem to agree. Or, at the very least, it was intent on taking its time developing a sequel.

What matters most, however, is that we know the game is on the way, and we know it will be at E3 2012. It will be interesting to see if this is the Pikmin we all know. Though the Wii U controller immediately begs application to existing Pikmin mechanics, it would be fascinating to see Nintendo change direction and do something entirely different.

Regardless, we are eager to see what shows up in just a few days.

Assassin's Creed III

Release Date: October 30, 2012 (360, PC, PS3)
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Action

The more Ubisoft reveals about Assassin's Creed III, the more it climbs up our most anticipated games of 2012. While the franchise seems like a known quantity, this drastic change in setting and tone has us eager to see more. Even though we want to see more footage - and more importantly play the game - the one thing that has our attention is the Wii U version. Bringing a core action title like this to Nintendo's new console is the perfect testing ground to see if this grand experiment can change the way we play traditional Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games. We'll see if Ubisoft is able to bring Nintendo's vision to life.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii U

Release Date: TBA
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Platformer

We've been a little apprehensive about Nintendo's announced Mario game so far. It's not that the game will be bad - we rather enjoyed its predecessors. But based on the demo we played last year, which Nintendo has confirmed will be the basis for its upcoming game, we didn't see anything new or exciting. We didn't see anything that really grabbed our attention, that proved the idea of the Wii U console. So that is New Super Mario Bros. Wii U's big test - to take a tried-and-true gameplay formula - one that has existed for more than 25 years - and find a way to evolve it to perfectly reinforce Nintendo's innovation in 2012. That's a tall order, but if there's any character that can pull it off, it's Nintendo's plumber.

In just a few days Nintendo will lay out its opening concept for Wii U. The system will no longer be a concept in our minds, one that wasn't entirely realized or brought to life by brief (albeit enticing) demos at E3 2011. Games will be announced. Games will be confirmed. Games will be played. And in about one week, we'll know if Nintendo's next gamble will be something we can believe in. The publisher risks much and has often been rewarded for that risk. We'll see if it can do it one more time.



Source : http://www.ign.com

Halo 4 Pre-order Bonuses Revealed

Over the last week retailers have begun to reveal various pre-order bonuses for the much-anticipated Halo 4.

Interestingly, many of them are customisable armour and weapon skins, avoiding any potential controversy of giving an unfair advantage to players who choose to pay for their copy of the game in advance.

You can see a full range of the skins that will be on offer in the latest Halo Bulletin. Details of where you'll be able to get specific skins will be released in the coming weeks, but this thread on the Halo forum has an up-to-date of where to get what.

Halo 4 will be released worldwide on November 6th, 2012.



Source : http://www.ign.com

Spy Hunter Reboot Coming to 3DS and Vita

A reboot of arcade classic Spy Hunter is coming to Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita.

The announcement comes on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the original, with the new title promising to be the "most thrilling and dangerous ride yet". As with the original, the player will take control of the "Agent", who drives a high-tech super car equipped with advanced weaponry. His mission? Well, naturally it's to take on a global terrorist organisation with its sights set on world domination. Once again the car will be able to transform into a speed boat as well as an off-road assault vehicle.

Spy Hunter is being developed by TT Fusion and will be released this autumn.



Source : http://www.ign.com

More Dead Space 3 Screenshots Leaked

Following the mysterious appearance of Dead Space 3's logo and first screenshot yesterday, a raft of new images from the game have appeared online, posted by AGB.

The images show long-suffering series protagonist Isaac Clarke sporting a fetching new beard (essential for killing Necromorphs on a frozen planet), and the game's secondary protagonist and Isaac's co-op support, John Carver, who first appeared in the animated teaser trailer that can be seen on the official Dead Space site. Meanwhile, another snap strongly suggests that Isaac might be able to dual-wield in the new game.

Source : http://www.ign.com

Resident Evil: Retribution Goes Viral

With Paul W.S. Anderson's Resident Evil: Retribution scheduled to hit theaters this September, Screen Gems and Sony Pictures has decided to go viral with their fifth RE installment by launching an official website for Umbrella Corporation.

In addition to frequent interruptions from Milla Jovovich's Alice, the site also promotes a mobile recruiting tour set to hit San Diego sometime in the near future (Comic-Con perhaps?). The tour claims to have already hit Cancun, Mexico in April. No further dates are listed, but Cannes, France and Barcelona, Spain are marked locations of the recently ended Cannes Film Festival and the upcoming CineEurope.

For more info, check out the official website. And if you find any signs of Umbrella Corporation in your area, be sure to let us know in the comments below. Resident Evil: Retribution will premiere in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D on September 14.

Via ComingSoon.net



Source : http://www.ign.com

Arrow Star Stephen Amell Talks About Playing TV's New Oliver Queen

Coming to The CW this fall, Arrow is a dramatic new take on the Green Arrow story, starring Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen. The series begins with Queen returning home after having gone missing years before – finding himself stranded on an island in the interim, where he has mysteriously picked up some very impressive skills he soon is putting to work via his new, hooded alter ego.

At The CW’s recent Upfront event, I spoke to Amell about playing the DC Comics hero, what the tone of Arrow is, and whether we might expect to see other DC characters on the series, which also stars Katie Cassidy as Dinah Laurel Lance – known to comic book fans as Black Canary.

IGN TV: What is this show’s take on Oliver Queen?

Stephen Amell: We tried to make him as real as possible. The character doesn’t have any superpowers. Nobody on the show has any superpowers. [Arrow pilot director] David Nutter -- I think he said this when a picture of the costume was released -- when he made Smallville, he wanted to find the humanity in Clark Kent. We’re looking for the humanity in Oliver Queen too. He’s gone through a ton to get to where he is, and we’re going to explore how he got there. But we wanted to make sure that he was really properly weighted and real.

IGN: We know the series begins with him having been missing for five years. Is it safe to assume that experience fuels his desire to become a hero?

Amell: Yeah, he gets stranded on the island, and we explore that. We’re going to explore the island as we move along, but he got some really important advice before he got to the island. He’s taken that with him for five years, and comes back with business to take care of.

IGN: Will we explore the island via him going back there, or are there flashbacks?

Amell: I think the idea is to --- not all the time, and not with a set regularity -- but I think it is critical to explore how he went from the person that he was when he left the island -- which is extremely different: he’s spoiled, he’s entitled, he’s a bit of a jerk -- and he comes off it something very, very different. So we’re going to explore how he gets there.

Stephen Amell in Arrow

IGN: There’s obviously a lot of DC Comics you could draw on. Do you know how much you might use certain villains or guest stars from other DC Comics in this show?

Amell: Stay tuned. I know that the people that are working on the show, they love comics. I know that Geoff Johns from DC Comics -- he’s a great guy -- he was up there [on set]. I think that he’s going to write an episode eventually. It would be unfortunate if, being a comic book show, we didn’t draw from all the characters in the DC Universe. I hope we do.

IGN: Katie is playing a character who obviously comes with a lot of backstory from the comics herself. What’s the dynamic like between her and Oliver on the series?

Amell: It’s not good right now. I didn’t treat her very well five years prior, so she has some beef with me -- rightly so. But she is an interesting character.

IGN: People who know the comic books are going to hope that we eventually get to see Katie in fishnets - and not just because she’ll look good in them! Do you think that’s a possibility down the line?

Amell: [Laughs] I don’t know. I hope that Katie eventually -- fishnets or otherwise -- she deserves to be a superhero at some point.

IGN: What was it like for you to put on the Arrow costume?

Amell: Aw, man, it was awesome. The costume is great too. The main idea behind the costume for us was functionality. I can put the costume on by myself, and that was super important. If I can put it on by myself, I think that people will buy it. And that was our idea. That’s our world.

IGN: That is rare, because some of the actors who play superheroes talk about how it’s impossible for them to get the costume on or off without several people.

Amell: Yeah. No way, no. People help me put it on sometimes for the sake of expedience, but I can put the whole thing on by myself.



Source : http://www.ign.com

Epic Wins Silicon Knights Court Case

Epic has emerged victorious from its long-running court case with Silicon Knights. According to a tweet from Epic’s Mark Rein, the jury found for Epic on all counts.

The trial first began in 2007 when Silicon Knights served Epic with a lawsuit alleging that Unreal Engine 3 did not work as promised. At the time, Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack wrote that Epic was “unable or unwilling” to fix the engine’s problems and accused Epic of using licensing fees to develop Gears of War rather than working on Unreal, and said that the technical problems forced them to develop a separate engine, making Too Human significantly more expensive to produce.

The lawsuit began during the development of Too Human

Today, Epic said the following in a statement: “The jury rejected Silicon Knights' claim that Epic breached its Unreal Engine 3 license agreement with Silicon Knights. The jury also found in Epic's favor on all of its counterclaims, namely that Silicon Knights breached the license agreement, misappropriated Epic's trade secrets, and infringed Epic's copyrights in the Unreal Engine 3 code. The jury awarded Epic damages totaling $4.45 million. Epic has 30 days in which to file a request to the court for reimbursement of attorneys' fees and costs. The court previously had thrown out Silicon Knights' fraud claims after nine days of testimony.”

"We are delighted with the jury's verdict and all of the hard work done by the Hunton & Williams legal team,” Epic general counsel Jay Andrews added.

In the five years since the trial began, additional information has slowly emerged. As the release of Too Human approached in 2008, Silicon Knights sought a court order to block Epic from viewing code for the game, as the company had developed a proprietary 3D camera system and was seeking a patent. Epic eventually counter-sued and the case went to trial earlier this year. Earlier this month, a judge ruled that Silicon Knights could earn only one dollar if the case had fallen in their favor.

In the wake of today's verdict, the future of Silicon Knights remains uncertain. The developer last released X-Men: Destiny, which received a 5.5 from IGN last year. We've reached out to the studio for its response to the verdict and will update with any comment we receive.



Source : http://www.ign.com

Diablo III Real-Money Auction House Delayed Again

If you logged into Diablo III today, perhaps you noticed the real-money auction house is not yet live. According to an in-game notification, the real-money version of Diablo III’s auction house will go live on June 12, 2012.

This is the third time the real-money auction house has been delayed. Initially it was expected to launch one week following the game’s May 15 release date, then it was pushed to May 29.

Over the course of the past two weeks the virtual currency auction house has frequently been down for maintenance as Blizzard addressed technical issues.

“We're also continuing to investigate latency affecting search results, active auction lists, posting auctions, and successful sales and purchases on the gold auction house, and hope to have all transactions running smoothly as soon as possible,” said a recent official post.

As of this moment, the virtual currency auction house is up and running, but it’s not possible to sell commodities such as crafting components and gems.



Source : http://www.ign.com

Battleship Review

Battleship Review:


Somehow, the big-budget Hollywood adaptation of Battleship – an aesthetically sterile board game with little plastic pegs – ended up looking a whole lot like the Transformers films, albeit without generating the same kind of audience interest (as evidenced by the comparatively wimpy box office returns). Activision's multiplatform title of the same name actually pulls from both bits of source material, oscillating between first-person shooter segments and a tactical grid that lets you align ships to battle alien carriers and provide occasional ground support from afar.
Much as it's pleasing to see a movie game that isn't another generic hack-and-slash affair, Battleship opts to enter an even more competitive space with a generic shooter, which packs only a startlingly short single-player campaign with not a lick of multiplayer action in sight. And as is often the case with such film tie-ins, the game feels very much like a surface read on the genres it pulls from, offering little in the way of depth or variation from a rigid routine.

Ship or Shore

Battleship stars Cole Mathis, a U.S. Navy demolitions expert who must wander the islands of Hawaii detonating enemy turrets and communications hubs, all while taking down scads of aliens using a paltry selection of firearms. He's not the lead in the film, as the game's storyline purportedly takes place alongside that of the film, though you wouldn't know it from piecing together the dull dialogue snippets and cut-scenes. If the inanity of the plot wasn't assumed from its board game-to-film origins, the game actually prompts you to skip every cinematic on first viewing. So don't worry about missing anything – you're encouraged to dodge the narrative!

To some extent, Battleship is a tale of two very different games: the core first-person shooter campaign that dominates the experience and ultimately starts and ends each mission, and the map-based ship maneuvering that plays a strong role in many objectives, and cannot be safely ignored or marginalized. While the disparate elements are nicely intertwined, Battleship is limited by its narrow scope. Neither side of the equation feels particularly fleshed-out or expansive, and pairing them together in the seven single-player campaign levels doesn't make them feel any less shallow. And even within those elements, there's so little depth or variety to the action.

On foot, Battleship generally proves competent, though uninspired. Each stage charts a very straightforward path to its goals, so much so that the game enacts false barriers at times – like an unmovable ally blocking a pathway – to keep you on the intended path. And though they shake up the order and terrain, all seven missions follow the same routine, mixing stop-and-pop encounters with detonation tasks, which means simply holding a button near an object and then watching it blow. Occasionally, you'll protect an ally or installation for a brief period of time, but these moments do little more than trigger light enemy waves to attack.

Beyond the simplistic goals, a lack of diversity within the combat keeps the campaign from picking up steam. Just a few distinct enemy types – common bipedal foes, railgun-toting snipers, explosive rolling balls, and big brutes that take a few shotgun blasts to fell – pepper the stages, and the five firearms (plus standard grenades) encompass traditional fare, from the common pistol and machine gun to a chain gun and the aforementioned railgun. Battleship's on-foot combat has about as much kick and personality as a mobile touchscreen shooter, and doesn't look much better, either, thanks to simplistic models and effects plus some rough texture work.

Fire at Will

But wandering the islands and leaving alien guts in your wake isn't the entirety of the Battleship experience, as you'll often swap to the grid map to reposition ships and subs to engage in nautical combat or assist with the on-foot action (like calling in a volley of missiles on a target). Left to their own devices, the ships will attack nearby enemy cruisers, though you can focus their attacks as needed and move them around to any available opening. As they lumber about in the water – assuming you're near the shore while on-foot – you can actually see them move in the distance, which is a nice touch.

You'll take a more active role at times thanks to the wild card power-ups, which often scatter along the battlefield when you take down foes – another example of the strong link between the two aspects. While many of these simply enhance your ships' offensive or defensive capabilities, one wild card lets you take control of the cannons for a 20-second shootout, in which your ship earns a 200% boost to its firepower. Expectedly, these moments pass in a heartbeat as you completely overpower the opposition, and there's nothing more to each than aiming at a large target and hammering the triggers and a shoulder button.

That's a symptom of a larger issue with Battleship: every bit of the experience is so rudimentary and superficial that it doesn't add up to much. On the shore, the combat and objectives alike lack both variety and originality, while at sea, the ship positioning requires little tactical planning and the skirmishes are damn near automated. And the game lacks serious design consideration at times, such as absurdly long gaps between checkpoints, plus I experienced a scenario in which a checkpoint triggered right as an essential ship sank, leaving me stranded to restart the entire mission. Battleship lacks not only ambition, but also at times care towards what little is included.

Hardly Sunken Treasure

And it truly isn't much. Battleship is easily conquered within just four hours, with no semblance of bonus missions or even a whiff of multiplayer. All for $60 – the same price this publisher attaches to its annual military blockbuster, which sports a bigger and bolder campaign, much better production values, and a multiplayer experience that keeps on giving. Battleship is little more than a checkmark on a to-do list; a completed contractual obligation. Just a handful of red pegs on a board, signifying a failed effort.

Want more information on how we score reviews? Read the "How G4 Reviews Work" article here. 
Editor's Note: Battleship was reviewed using an Xbox 360 copy of the game; however, we also played the PS3 version, and found no differences. If further investigation reveals any differences between the 360 edition and the PS3 edition of the game, this review will be updated to reflect those differences. 



Source : http://www.g4tv.com

Resistance: Burning Skies Review

Resistance: Burning Skies Review:

Resistance: Burning Skies isn't just the debut first-person shooter to grace Sony's PlayStation Vita platform. It's also gaming's very first portable twin-stick FPS, a feat made possible thanks to the Vita's powerful, PSP-topping guts. And yet as powerful as those guts may be, it's not enough to save Nihilistic Software's efforts here. Burning Skies may walk and talk like a Resistance game, but it sure doesn't play like one.

 

 

Burning Down the House

Burning Skies is set against the backdrop of the Chimeran invasion of the United States, with players stepping into the shoes of firefighter Tom Riley. Out on a routine call to a burning warehouse, Riley and his squad run into an alien threat that soon reveals itself as the vanguard for a full-scale invasion.

Although Riley is eventually (and inevitably) caught up in the larger story, his sole motivation throughout the game is personal. He's fighting to protect his wife and teenage daughter, whom he meets up with early on in the game before sending them on their way to a nearby refugee camp. Why he doesn't just join them in that moment when he has the chance is never really made clear, and it's an example that speak to the narrative's larger issues.

The story in Burning Skies lacks any of the emotional depth that made Insomniac's console outings so compelling. You can see the Vita game reaching in that direction, but the two big character moments that come up toward the end ultimately feel hollow and out of place. There's also some nodding going on in the direction of Nathan Hale's adventures, though more in the form of deep cut offhand reference that only the hardest of the hardcore fans will pick up on.

Resistance Is Futile

The narrative woes are minor complaints in the context of Burning Skies' larger issues. Chief among those is the feeling that this is little more than a wannabe Resistance game. All of the necessary pieces are here: gun-toting Chimeran forces, imaginitively designed firearms, big boss-like beasties, locked first-person perspective, and more besides. These pieces add up into something familiar, but it feels more like a Frankenstein's monster take on the FPS series than the proper spin-off that it's meant to be.

Take combat scenarios. Which ones, you ask? Try all of them. The settings may change, but the execution is largely the same each time: you enter a new area, access to your previous location is locked out, a wave of Chimera spawn in, you kill them all. Or, more accurately, they kill you a few times while you learn the spawn patterns and then you kill them all. It's a dull process, especially once the difficulty ratchets up in the late game.

The canny AI from the console trilogy is nowhere to be seen in this portable spin-off. Your enemy is definitely aggressive; Chimera forces will know exactly when and where you poke your head out of cover to pop off a few shots every single time. They'll rush your position, and occasionally show a glimmer of intelligence by working around to a flanking position. They're just as likely, however, to confuse a wall for your firefighter hero, and get stuck in a running animation as they endlessly charge a position that you were never close to in the first place.

Combine that dimwitted AI with some uninspiring level design. You'll encounter one or two sections later in the game that almost feel like Resistance on the PlayStation 3 with fights that span multiple rooms or large, open spaces. Unfortunately, these sections are much better at highlighting the flawed AI. Besides that, you'll still spend most of the game taking on the Chimera is much tighter confines, featureless hallways and rooms, broken city streets, that all funnel you along a singular tight path.

The arsenal, at least, is familiar and well thought out. Favorites like the Bullseye and Auger are joined by a handful of new weapon like the Mule, a double-barreled shotgun that doubles as an explosive bolt-firing crossbow. The weapons themselves are fine; they all feel very unique and powerful in their own way.

There's even some innovation in the form of Gray Tech, collectible power-ups that can be "spent" on each weapon's set of six upgrades. A New Game+ option opens up after you've beaten the game, allowing you to continue collecting Gray Tech. The upgrades are all weapon-specific and most of them offer some pretty effective boosts, but most players will gather more than enough Gray Tech in a single playthrough to get a sense for the good stuff.

This being a Vita game, touch controls are to be expected. Each weapon's alt-fire capability, a Resistance staple, is relegated in Burning Skies to touch screen controls. Some weapons require swipes across the screen, such as the Mule, while others require you to tap the enemy target's location on the screen.

It's a solid idea in theory, but the actual process of adjusting your grip on the Vita as you let go with one hand, tap the screen, and then grab the handheld again simply doesn't work very well. You're using these weapons in combat situations, after all, and the necessary pause in action that comes when you adjust your grip is enough to significantly diminish the tactical value of secondary weapon attacks.

This isn't to say that Nihilistic's work to integrate Vita-specific functionality into an FPS framework is a total disaster. There are a few ideas that work out well, though we've admittedly seen variations on these in two other shooting-oriented Vita games already: Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Unit 13. Both of those games, just like this one, rely on the left and right fringes of the touch screen for control options that would fit on a SIXAXIS but not the Vita's sligthly stripped-down interface.

Melee attacks with Tom's fireman's axe and grenade tosses are both relegated to touch screen buttons that are always visible on the right side of the screen. It's an easy stretch to move your thumb from the face buttons or right analog controls to one of the touch options. Helpfully, the melee attack "button" also doubles as an action button, so you can tap that to open doors and interact with mission-specific objects. You can also double-tap the rear touchpad to sprint, but it's much more effective to press down on the D-pad instead, since the Vita's design makes it possible to hit the D-pad button while still pressing forward on the left thumbstick.

Resisting World War

Nihilistic also included a multiplayer component in Burning Skies. Rather than try to deliver an online play experience that is in any way uniquely portable or Vita-focused, players can instead link up with a Wi-Fi connection and drop into competitive online matches for up to eight players in Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Survival (comparable to Halo's Infection).

Multiplayer in Burning Skies isn't bad, per se, it's just entirely unnecessary. It's built with a console audience in mind, just like the rest of the game, but it's also built like a console game. There's a system of level-based unlocks for your various weapons and their upgrades. How many players are really going to invest enough time to climb through 30 multiplayer ranks in Burning Skies' Wi-Fi-only online mode?

The unlocks are also woefully unbalanced; once you've got the Mauler, a ridiculously powerful Chimeran chain gun, or the multi-rocket-launching S.W.A.R.M., there's really no need to ever go back to default weapons like the Bullseye or Carbine.

So while the multiplayer mode in Burning Skies certainly works, there's really no reason for it to be here in the first place. The Wi-Fi requirement is certainly a technical limitation, but Nihilistic gets some blame as well for failing to come up with a multiplayer mode that actually belongs on the Vita platform.

Nihilistic had an opportunity to set the bar for FPS gaming on the Vita. Instead, we've got this halfway decent first-person shooter whose main strength is the fact that it's portable. Burning Skies is a passable time-waster in that sense, giving you plenty of corridors to run through and alien dudes to shoot. That's also the heart of the problem though. It's technically flawed in some key ways, but the biggest sin that Resistance: Burning Skies commits is its top-to-bottom lack of ambition

Source : http://www.g4tv.com/games/psv/65702/resistance-burning-skies/review/

The Legend Returns: Hironobu Sakaguchi on The Last Story

The man behind the Final Fantasy series, Hironobu Sakaguchi, made his return to the director's chair with The Last Story for Wii. This epic RPG hit Japanese store shelves in early 2011, and will finally be making it's way stateside this summer.

Recently IGN had the chance to chat via e-mail with Sakaguchi-san. We talked everything from The Last Story to his directorial return to his current projects. Check out the full interview below, then be sure to sound off with your own thoughts in the comments afterward.

IGN: How did you go about creating the battle system in The Last Story? It’s decidedly less traditional than many people were probably expecting - was this intentional?

Sakaguchi: In the three years of development, we dedicated the first year to research and development, mainly as a trial and error period for the battle system. The battle system in the game is the culmination of that phase.

IGN: The Last Story marks your first return to the director’s chair in quite some time. Was it difficult getting back into the swing of things, or is directing something like riding a bicycle?

Sakaguchi: Since I was working with the same members as the Blue Dragon team, I was able to get back into it fairly smoothly. Also, from my experience, the producer and director do the same type of workload in the initial development phase, which I think is another reason why it wasn’t so difficult getting back into things as a director. I guess I’m the type of creator that wants to get involved in the grunt work.

IGN: What was the greatest challenge you encountered in your quest to make a brand new RPG adventure from the ground up? Alternately, what was the most rewarding aspect of this project?

Sakaguchi: At the initial stage our plan was completely shot down by Nintendo. To create an entirely new world view and characters again was a bit challenging, but rewarding in the end. That would probably be the answer on both accounts.

IGN: Music always seems to play a huge role in your games, if only in terms of setting a certain atmosphere and tone. What tracks stand out to you from The Last Story? What’s the overall tone you hope to invoke as readers play through the story (whether it be through music, dialogue, backgrounds, etc.)?

Sakaguchi: That would be the track called “Toberumono (The Flying One).” There’s a lot of sentimental value attached to it since I wrote the lyrics, and it also voices the “foreignness” that the game has. The song is about the world you are in not being the place where you are meant to be. The phrase “going home” is used positively as you fly towards the future.

The tone I would like players to invoke while playing this game is “warmth” and a sense of “texture.” I want players to experience the sensation of a handmade craftwork that feels natural, yet very detailed, with beautiful workmanship.

IGN: Creating a game as vast and fresh as The Last Story must have taken quite a bit of trial and error. Was there anything you tried to fit in but for whatever reason just couldn’t make it work?

Sakaguchi: That would be the “Rewind Function.” This was a feature that when a mage’s magic was successful, an icon would appear for the player to shake the remote. By shaking the controller at that moment it would rewind the battle to just before the mage unleashed their magic. From there it would show the sequence again from an overhead view.

Using this feature, players would have been able to see who used what magic, check the battle situation and then strategize on what to do next. However, the feature slowed the battle tempo too much, so unfortunately we decided to take it out. You can still see remnants of this feature in the overheard view while in command mode, or while watching the Lazulis Knights cheating in the match at the arena.

IGN: Characters play a key role in The Last Story. How did you go about creating a cast of characters that players can relate to?

Sakaguchi: We put together most of the characters’ bios while creating the plot. Then, while Fujisaka (artist of The Last Story) was finalizing the illustrations, I’d get inspiration from the art which I used to fine tune their characteristics and backgrounds.

This title also has a lot of voices. In the dungeons the characters converse with each other about random things, and this was something that was very important for me in the game. Because I wanted to convey some of their personalities through this small talk, it was crucial to include some of the voice actors’ adlibs and make small changes to the actual scripts to keep refining them and carefully mold each character.

Characters matter in The Last Story.

IGN: As an overall experience, how was working on The Last Story different from working on other RPG franchises you’ve been linked to in the past (which shall remain nameless).

Sakaguchi: The biggest difference is the battle system. I was aiming to create something that would make people say, “This is the new RPG battle style,” if possible. Additionally, we were really careful about the collision detection in the background graphics. I wanted to be careful about those small aspects because I thought they would affect the overall feel of the “texture” of the game while walking around in the world.

IGN: What’s the one thing you want players to take away from The Last Story?

Sakaguchi: To feel as though they are having an adventure together with the characters. I would be very pleased if players are able to feel truly immersed in the world and share the moments together with the characters.

IGN: Now that development on The Last Story has concluded, what are you working on next?

Sakaguchi: Currently we are developing a surfing game for the iOS. It’s called Party Wave, and is scheduled to come out this July. It’s a small development project, but the environment is very free and open which reminds me of the early Final Fantasy titles.

I’m very excited as I’m involved in creating some number fonts which I haven’t done in a while and writing the music. I’m enjoying it, and at the same time I think it’ll become another title that has that handmade warmth to it. We are also developing two more iOS titles. We’ll be able to release these shortly as well.

IGN: Lastly, what was your experience creating a sweeping RPG for the Wii? Did you enjoy the creativity yielded by having technical limitations to work within, or do you ultimately wish you had created the game on more advanced hardware?

Sakaguchi: It’s unfortunate, but the final issue that always seemed to deny certain ideas was the SD resolution limitation. However, within those parameters we aimed to create a title with beautiful graphics that can compete with modern day specs. I would be pleased if people would view our efforts to their best by switching their cables to advanced connection cables or by playing it in the best environment possible. And though the resolution may be SD, I think players will really enjoy the sophisticated world.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/the-legend-returns-hironobu-sakaguchi-on-the-last-story

App Store Update: May 30

Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.

Game Debuts

Mega Run – Redford’s Adventure – (Free)

Get Set Games’ Mega Run sequel is finally here! With over 60 stages, several playable characters and hundreds of secrets, this sequel is not to be missed. Redford’s Adventure is free-to-play, but players can purchase currency to speed up their progress.

Chin Up – (Free)

Help Mr. Chin climb as high as possible while avoiding falling items like sushi rolls, dogs, cats and plenty more in this lighthearted action arcade title.

Price Drops

Ducati Challenge – (Free)

Gamers can grab this visually impressive bike racer free-of-charge for a limited time.

Charadium II HD – (Free)

iPad gamers tired of Draw Something can now grab Charadium II free for a limited time. The app features a much more robust collection of modes, social features and drawing tools than its Zynga competitor.

European War 3 for iPad – ($0.99)

This deep strategy/board game is now on sale for the first time since it launched last month.

Beat the Beast HD – (Free)

iPad gamers that missed this colorful tower defense title the last time it went free now have another chance to nab it.

World Conquerer 1945 for iPad – ($0.99)

Another strategy title from the studio behind European War 3 is on sale for just $0.99.

Subscribe to the App Store Update via email:

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/app-store-update-may-30

The Witcher 2 Sells 1.7 Million

Across PC and Xbox 360 versions of The Witcher 2, CD Projekt RED has revealed that over 1.7 million copies have been sold to date.

The Xbox 360 version of The Witcher 2 was just released this past April, and the PC version was originally released in May of 2011. A Mac version is also on the way, currently scheduled for launch some time this fall. IGN awarded the first PC version a 9 out of 10 and the Xbox 360 version an 8.5 out of 10.

Due to the success of The Witcher franchise, CD Projekt RED has two teams working on different AAA role-playing games. One of those, Cyberpunk, was just revealed at their Summer Conference.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/the-witcher-2-sells-17-million

Frozen Synapse Red Expansion is Live

In case you missed Frozen Synapse when it launched in 2011, now may be a good time to check it out. Mode 7 has just released an expansion pack called Red that adds in a number of new features. For 10 USD you get full co-operative play for the single-player campaign alongside new campaign and challenge missions.

A new multiplayer mode and riot shields have also been introduced to the game. You can see a fancy overview of everything included in the trailer below.

If you head over to Steam right now, you can pick up the Red expansion at a slight discount, or buy the Complete Pack for under 25 USD.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/frozen-synapse-red-expansion-is-live

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault Coming to PS3

Sure, we already knew that the Ratchet & Clank HD Collection was coming to PS3 later this year, but now, Sony has revealed a brand-new Ratchet & Clank game set to come to PlayStation 3.

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault was announced this morning by Insomniac Games CEO Ted Price. “Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault is a fun-sized Ratchet adventure which will be available for download exclusively on the PlayStation Store. We’ve returned to the series’ classic feel, camera, controls and weapons, while innovating and giving you a whole new way to play. Even better, the addition of online features means you can experience Full Frontal Assault with your friends.”

Full Frontal Assault marks the 11th entry into the Ratchet & Clank series. It’s the fifth Ratchet & Clank game on PlayStation 3 (not counting the HD Collection) and the second downloadable entry that will be available via the PlayStation Network. It’s due out later in 2012.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/ratchet-clank-full-frontal-assault-coming-to-ps3

This Week on Xbox Live (5.30.12 - 6.6.12)

This week's Xbox Live updates are just plain . There's enough nostalgia, casual entertainment, and amazing DLC sales to get any Xbox 360 fan's attention. It's time to fill up that Microsoft Points wallet. Also, IGN is at E3 next week, so you'll also find updates for the week of June 6 here as well.

Xbox Live Arcade

ATV racing joins SEGA classics, some of which may or may not hold up.

• Mad Riders (800 MSP) 

• SEGA Vintage: Golden Axe


• SEGA Vintage: Streets of Rage

June 6

• Bang Bang Racing (800 MSP)


• Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (1200 MSP)

Demos

Nope. Maybe after E3.

 

Add-On Content

Yeah, you're going to want this stuff, for sure.

• Batman: Arkham City: Harley Quinn's Revenge (800 MSP)


• Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack (Free)

Discounts

PopCap is having a massive sale -- everything is half-off, amazing, and worth every last one of your Microsoft bucks. Also, the Borderlands DLC is awesome, as is Red Dead's zombie expansion. Go crazy on all of these games.

• Plants vs. Zombies (600 MSP)


• Peggle (400 MSP)


• Peggle Nights (200 MSP)


• Zuma (200 MSP)


• Bejeweled 3 (600 MSP)


• Bejeweled Blitz Live (200 MSP)


• Heavy Weapon (400 MSP)


• Astropop (400 MSP)


• Feeding Frenzy 2 (400 MSP)

June 6

• Boulder Dash-XL (400 MSP)


• Borderlands: Claptrap's New Robot Revolution (400 MSP)


• Borderlands: The Zombie Island of Doctor Ned (400 MSP)


• Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx (400 MSP)


• Borderlands: Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot


• Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (800 MSP)

Games on Demand

The selection this week isn't stellar, but hey, more Games on Demand.

• Minute to Win It


• Cars 2

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/this-week-on-xbox-live-53012-6612

Sony Temporarily Cut Vita Price in France

From June 1st Sony will cut the price of the PlayStation Vita by €50 (approximately £39.87/$62) In France.

If you already own a PlayStation Vita, Sony is offering a rebate for the full amount on any Vita purchased between June 1st to July 15th.

The is not a permanent price cut, however, but a temporary offer that will expire after July 15th.

"The PS Vita is the latest generation of handheld console and more than 1.8m have been sold worldwide since its launch,” SCE Europe VP Philippe Cardon stated. “Its innovations are numerous. With this offer we want to make it more accessible to the greatest number throughout the approaching summer vacation.”

By the end of March 2012, PlayStation Vita had sold 1.8 million units, with new Sony boss Kaz Hirai calling the figures "a good start".

There has been no mention of whether the offer will be extended to other regions in the near future.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/sony-temporarily-cut-vita-price-in-france

Game Against Kate Upton… For a Good Cause

As gamers, we live for that moment of triumph: edging an opponent in a close online match, scoring the winning goal, passing the competition seconds from the finish line. But how much better would that feel if your win also helped to save lives? Gamers will get a chance to find out June 1st, when the first-ever (RED)RUSH Games tournament kicks off, and they can join in the fight against AIDS by doing what comes naturally: competing to win.

“Gaming is a passion for millions of people around the world, and (RED) is going to tap into that passion to get people focused and engaged in our efforts to help deliver an AIDS Free Generation by 2015,” said Deborah Dugan, (RED) CEO.  “We’re giving gamers an incredibly fun way to compete in a world-class tournament while doing good at the same time."

Not only will gamers get the opportunity to help (RED)RUSH TO ZERO (going on June 1-10) build on the staggering $190 million the organization has already raised, but participants will have the opportunity to win prizes, including tickets to the upcoming MTV Movie Awards  and the opportunity to game against celebrities like Kate Upton, Jorge Garcia, Michelle Rodriguez and Kris Allen.

IGN is the official media sponsor of the (RED)RUSH Games, and will be bringing you full coverage of the event from E3, where the tournament will have a huge presence. The (RED)RUSH Games are being powered by STiKS GAMING, a new platform that allows gamers to register their Gamer IDs, sign up for teams, and game for charity to "battle for a better world."

“(RED) is one of the most respected, and innovative causes in the world, and we are honored to launch the STiKSGAMING platform with The (RED)RUSH Games,” stated STiKS GAMING partner Brett Claywell.  “We are excited to unite gamers in support of a global cause, and look forward to building a strong community in an effort to better the world while having some fun.”

“

We’re giving gamers an incredibly fun way to compete in a world-class tournament while doing good at the same time. --Deborah Dugan. (RED) CEO

Gamers can get involved immediately in the (RED)RUSH Games effort by visiting STIKSGAMING.com. The tournament will pit two teams against one another: TEAM INSPI(RED) and TEAM POWE(RED). After signing up on STIKSGAMING.com, gamers will get to choose which team they'd like to represent, and after making a small donation (as little as $10 USD), they will get to select a platform (PS3 or Xbox 360), and choose from a variety of games to compete in. Games in the tournament include EA Sports FIFA Soccer 12, EA Sports NHL 12, 2K Sports' NBA 2K12, KINECT SPORTS Season 2, and Forza Motorsport 4.

STiKS GAMING partner Michael Wasserman explains. "Once you make the donation and enter the system, that $10 is turned into a certain amount of points… As you accumulate points, you can then use those points to have the opportunity to play against your favorite celebrity who is part of the campaign."

After playing in a match against another (RED)RUSH gamer, wins and losses will be recorded on the STiKS GAMING website, each player's accomplishments will count toward the team score, and their donations will count toward the team's efforts to raise money for the cause.

"We narrowed the issue from just AIDS in general to one Millennium Goal which is quantifiable," said Dugan. The virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is the ultimate goal, and will be instrumental in halting the spread of HIV/AIDS by the target date of 2015.

During E3, the (RED)RUSH Games will be in full swing, and celebrities will be in attendance to play their games against each other and online against contest winners. Show goers will get the opportunity to visit the (RED)RUSH booth on the E3 floor and get a taste of the Games live. The booth will feature huge video screens to capture the celebrity gaming action, a live DJ and private gaming rooms.

“

We are excited to unite gamers in support of a global cause --Brett Claywell, STiKS GAMING partner

"The booth is designed for two main purposes. It's designed to give celebrities the opportunity to play from our booth against donors around the world, and for us to put on big exhibitions to create awareness at E3, with a huge jumbotron screen where people can watch celebrities battle each other," said Wasserman.

In addition to those already mentioned, celebrities involved include Wayne Brady,  Chingy , Samantha Ronson, Michael B. Jordan, Scott Porter, Ryan Cabrera, DJ Colleen Shannon, Aldis Hodge, Al Shearer, Kerli, Brian White, Cobi Jones, Stephen "tWitch" Boss, iLuminate, Chad "Madd Chadd" Smith and Fatal1ty. And the list keeps growing. "Every day, we're getting more and more people in," said Dugan.

Gamers can track who will be at E3 gaming at various times. Donors to (RED) who register through the STIKSGAMING.com site can have the opportunity to play celebrities two ways: by gaining points or by entering into a sweepstakes where they will enter a code to play a particular celebrity.

Players who participate will have a stake in a global effort to halt the spread of HIV. Once the goal is met, Dugan says, "There's culturally a victory lap at the end. You can actually check a box and say, 'We did this.' All these gamers came together for the first time in such a huge way, and we'd like to do it every year."

Stay tuned to IGN throughout E3 for updates on the (RED)RUSH Games, including celebrity gaming interviews and more.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/30/game-against-kate-upton-for-a-good-cause