Features, Platforms, PlayStation 3, PS Vita, PSP, Wii, XBLA, Xbox 360

The Sunday Seven: Most Wanted Gaming Crossovers

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After looking at the insane mashup that Sega, Namco and Capcom have put together for the upcoming Project X Zone on the 3DS, it got me thinking about other gaming brands I’d like to see pushed together. These could be games pitting legends against each other in a fight to the death or something involving them working together. Publishers and IP owners can be very protective over their brands, but here’s a selection I think would work well together given half a chance.

Continue reading The Sunday Seven: Most Wanted Gaming Crossovers →

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Star Trek Dev Diary: An Original Story

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Namco Bandai’s latest making of video for the upcoming Star Trek game goes into detail about the story. This includes information of a female vulcan (possibly a former love interest of Spock) and a rift machine that rips space a new one and allows the lizardy Gorn to fly in and attack anything without scales. The game is going to be set in-between the 2009 movie and the upcoming Star Trek: Into Darkness. It’s released on April 26th, two weeks before the new movie, giving fans plenty of time to lap up the first proper Star Trek game in years. Don’t forget to check out Matt’s preview too. Continue reading Star Trek Dev Diary: An Original Story →

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Play Grid 2 Early at Game’s In-Store Lock Ins

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If you’d like to play Grid 2 a month early you should get yourself down to one of the Game stores listed below. It’s lock in season again and Game have teamed up with Codemasters to let gamers get their hands on the eagerly-anticipated racing title pre-release. There will be a fastest lap competition at each event too, with the winner netting themselves a copy of the game when it’s released.

A member of the Codemasters dev team will be on hand to answer questions and offer hot tips to shave seconds of your lap times. Soft drinks and pizza will also be available. Good times. Places are limited, so visit your store, phone them or tweet them to reserve your spot. Venue details and dates follow after the break. Continue reading Play Grid 2 Early at Game’s In-Store Lock Ins →

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Confirmed: Sega Are Remaking Castle of Illusion

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Last weekend we posted a teaser trailer that had us believing (hoping) that Sega were going to answer our demented fan mail and remake the classic Mega Drive game, Castle of Illusion, starring Mickey Mouse. Well, the big teases have finally confirmed that they are working on a HD re-imagining of the game for PSN, XBLA and PC platforms.

Sega Studios Australia are handling development and they are also working with the original game’s director. From the screenshots released so far, it seems that they are sticking with 2D gameplay, which is something of a relief. Sega’s Senior Digital Brand Manager, Mai Kawaguchi, supported this by saying, “If you have played the original game, you will also see that we have kept intact many of the major iconic elements of the game that helped define this groundbreaking game at the time of its original release.”

No pricing details are available at this time but we know the game will be released this summer. Check out a few new screenshots and a trailer after the break.

Continue reading Confirmed: Sega Are Remaking Castle of Illusion →

Features, PC, Platforms, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Why We Love… Single Player Games

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Recent news has seen gamers lash out over the launch fiasco surrounding EA’s latest SimCity title. The game requires an always-on internet connection, which meant it broke as soon as it went live as thousands of enthusiastic gamers tried to play at once.

This happened days after Crytek CEO, Cervat Yerli, said, “I think the notion of a single-player experience has to go away.” Instead, he believes there should be more integration with the online world with “online single-player.” So, while keen to plug his upcoming online game, Warface, he’s stupidly kicked his other game –Crysis 3– in the stones. Guess we know why Crysis 2 and 3’s single-player modes can only muster a rental recommendation then.

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Platforms, PlayStation 3, Puzzle, Reviews

Voodoo Chronicles: The First Sign Review

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Hidden object games are something of a rarity on PSN. I haven’t played any since a range of PSP titles in 2010 including Route 66, The Mystery of the Crystal Portal and Actual Crimes: Jack the Ripper. Sanuk have returned though with another detective puzzler to test your peering skills.

The game has already seen a mobile/PC release, so it’s unsurprising to see the game using a mouse cursor to navigate. The analogue stick or a Move controller can be used to point at objects with ease, although your arm will get tired using the Move. Continue reading Voodoo Chronicles: The First Sign Review →

Features, PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360

Games at Retail: Adapt or Die

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Last week finally saw HMV find a new buyer, ensuring one more traditional bricks and mortar business would enable gaming to have a high street presence alongside Blockbuster and Game. With most of us using online retailers to buy and pre-order games nowadays, you may wonder why we still need video games to be represented on the high street.

As this console generation winds down, we’ve seen a steep decline in game sales across the board. In 2012, retail sales were hit the most and dropped by over 20%. Game, Blockbuster and HMV barely survived, as gamers’ attention wavered. The original Wii’s bubble burst and there was a lack of any serious mass appeal products to renew lapsed players’ (read: more casual than you and I for example) interest. The numbers for Call of Duty are down and we’re repeatedly hearing of sequels selling only a shadow of what the previous game did – hello DMC.

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Road Redemption Kickstarter Ignites Road Rash Memories

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Seeing as EA seem like they’re never going to do anything with the Road Rash license, an indie team, DarkSeas Games, have launched a kickstarter to help fund their own Road Rash-inspired title, Road Redemption. Road Rash was a motorbike street racing game that had its heyday during the 90s on the Mega Drive where gamers could use chains, bats, kicks and punches to get to the finish line first. Frankly, we’ve missed it a lot.

Development is already well under way, but don’t expect to see the game until July 2014. The game will be released on PC, Mac and Linux. Console versions are likely to follow as stretch goals. The team say 360 development would be easy for them, as they have experienced staff in that field. They also hope to bring the game to the PS4.

The video shows a decent amount of gameplay with lots of weapon-based motorcycle combat to enjoy. The use of firearms seems like a strange choice as the Road Rash titles never bothered, but we suppose the times have changed. There will be a GTA-esque story involving joining a biker gang and taking out rival gangs. Mission types will involve violent races, escaping the cops, assaulting convoys and more.

More details along with the various amounts you can pledge for various rewards can be found at their kickstarter page. Continue reading Road Redemption Kickstarter Ignites Road Rash Memories →

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Ridge Racer: Driftopia Announced as Free-To-Play Racer

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Namco Bandai have surprised us this weekend with not only a new Ridge Racer game, but also with the news that it will be a free-to-play downloadable title on the PS3 and PC. Ridge Racer: Driftopia is coming later this year and looks similar to last year’s Ridge Racer: Unbounded, albeit with less building destruction. The tracks may well feature some of the same ones from that game as they look very similar in the trailer.

No other details have been released as of yet, but we’re sure microtransactions will be used to support the game. Fingers crossed the handling has been improved and is more in line with the older games as vehicles handled like buses in Unbounded. Vita fans may recall that the Ridge Racer title on the handheld was crippled by a lack of content as Namco thought it would be a good idea to make us pay for DLC that should have been included in the game. Hopefully they’ve learnt their lesson. But seeing as Driftopia will be ftp, you can be sure we’ll be giving it a fair shot. Check out the trailer after the break. Continue reading Ridge Racer: Driftopia Announced as Free-To-Play Racer →

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Project X Zone Trailer Looks Blindingly Awesome

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If only we could see more publisher cross-overs to bring our favourite characters together. Sega, Namco and Capcom have thrown their best stars into an epic battle on the 3DS. Not that the trailer shows it, but the game is supposedly an RPG in a similar vein to the isometric Final Fantasy Tactics. This trailer shows what happens when characters actually attack each other though, as the camera zooms in and goes side on, more akin to something like Street Fighter. Using combos and team-up abilities gives the game a very action-heavy look that appears to be making the best of the game’s stars.

With any luck this will sell millions and inspire Sony and Square-Enix to make a Uncharted / Tomb Raider crossover (OMFG!). Anyway, Project X Zone is already out in Japan and is currently lined up for a Summer release in the West. Which will probably explain a lengthy ‘illness’ from our editors, Matt and Jon, around the same time. Me too, if they release it on the Vita that is. Check out the insane trailer after the break.
Continue reading Project X Zone Trailer Looks Blindingly Awesome →

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Tales of Xillia Battle Showcase Trailers

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European fans have been waiting years for a localised release for Tales of Xillia and here are some new gameplay videos to whet your appetite. Xillia is actually the 13th entry in the Tales series, but just like Final Fantasy, you don’t need to have played the previous titles to get involved. The game received fantastic scores in Japan, so we’ve got high hopes for it.

Japan even got a sequel late last year, so Namco are probably waiting to see how this one does before announcing a Western release too. JRPGs are finally doing well again in these parts with Ni No Kuni and Tales of Graces F proving popular with fans and critics alike. Tales of Xillia lands August 1st, which should give you enough time to finish those other two. Well, one of them at least. Continue reading Tales of Xillia Battle Showcase Trailers →

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New Dark Souls II Despair Trailer

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Despair. Probably the most fitting word to be associated with the Dark Souls games. Namco released 12 minutes of gameplay footage earlier this week, but this is more of a cinematic, although there are a few in-game shots that show off the varied environments. They’re looking great, but will most of us even make it out of the first cave without being scarred for life? It looks like the game’s usual standards of collision detection are there too as you can see the player’s axe pass through a wall at one point (0:44). Why would you include that in a trailer? I don’t understand. Continue reading New Dark Souls II Despair Trailer →

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Castle of Illusion Remake Teased By Sega

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Sega have released a new video simply named, ‘Teaser Trailer.’ The imagery prompts fond memories of the 1990 Mega Drive classic, Castle of Illusion, starring Mickey Mouse. This leads us to believe we’re getting a remake or maybe even a proper sequel.

The sinister figure staring out of a gloomy castle window appears to be Maleficent, the villain of the original who also featured in Sleeping Beauty and more recently, the Kingdom Hearts games. A rolling apple at the end of the video is also another hint as the player collected apples during the original game. The small copyright logo in the corner also says 1990, the same year the original was released.

We’d love to get our hands on a new Castle of Illusion game and it looks like we might in the summer. While you’re at it Sega, feel free to give us a reboot of the co-op antics of World of Illusion too. Continue reading Castle of Illusion Remake Teased By Sega →

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Jet Li Bigs up eSports Gaming ‘Athletes’

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Martial Arts Superstar, Jet Li has made a surprising statement defending the growing world of eSports. Well it’s surprising until you hear that he’s a spokesperson for the Chinese MMO, Age of Wushu.

Translated by MMO Culture, the diminutive star of films like Hero, Lethal Weapon 4 and Once Upon a Time in China said, “If poker card games and chess both have the players sitting down and are considered sports, why not virtual gaming as well? There are two kinds of sports – one physical and one mental. There is no good reason to debunk virtual gaming as a sport, and I believe the participants of such virtual PvP events have the same mentality as physical athletes. Continue reading Jet Li Bigs up eSports Gaming ‘Athletes’ →

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Puppeteer Story Trailer Sets the Stage

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Man, September is far away. Sony Japan’s upcoming theatrical platformer looks like nothing else on the horizon right now and here at Dealspwn we can’t wait. Visually it looks like a mashup of LittleBigPlanet and The Nightmare Before Christmas and the booming audio demands the game to be played through speakers to get that theatre-feel.

The latest trailer introduces the main character and the villain of the piece, with a few glimpses of the fearsome boss fights you’ll encounter. A US price-tag of $40 at the end of the trailer suggests a budget-priced retail game, which on these shores should be a very tempting £25. Check out the trailer after the jump, I’ve also popped the old reveal trailer in afterwards if you want to get up to speed and have a look at some gameplay too. Continue reading Puppeteer Story Trailer Sets the Stage →

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Aliens: Colonial Marines Axed on Wii U

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Sega have just confirmed that the upcoming Wii U version of Aliens: Colonial Marines has been cancelled despite it having been due in 2013’s first quarter. The company confirmed the news to Joystiq, but without giving a reason: “Sega can confirm that the Wii U SKU of Aliens: Colonial Marines is no longer in development.”

This isn’t the first Wii U game to take a beating and this is where we’d usually once again comment on the struggling console. Not this time though, the last thing the Wii U is another underachieving game that will send gamers racing back to the stores clutching their receipts. Continue reading Aliens: Colonial Marines Axed on Wii U →

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Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 Siberian Strike DLC Out Now

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Finished Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 already? You probably have if you bought it seeing as it’s only about five hours long. This first DLC drop is a single-player expansion chapter in snowy Siberia and is available now for an eye-watering 800 MSP or £8.99 on PSN and Steam. Currently metascoring in the 50s, it wasn’t hard to see why City Interactive were being tight with review code for the original game.

After renting it though I would have thought that multiplayer DLC would have been up first seeing as the game currently has a solitary team deathmatch mode spread over a mere two maps. Check out the trailer for Siberian Strike after the break, but I’d be advise holding onto your money until it sees a discount. Not that you’re going to spend money on DLC for a game you’d only rent. Continue reading Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 Siberian Strike DLC Out Now →

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Injustice: Gods Among Us Demo Incoming

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Heads up fight fans, Warner Bros. Interactive have confirmed that Injustice: Gods Among Us is getting a PS3 and 360 demo next week. April 3rd is the date the demo will land on both platforms in EU territories, or a day earlier in the US.

The demo will allow you to try out Batman, Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor. They’re not the most energetic of scrappers from what we’ve seen in the gameplay bouts released so far. Superman and The Flash look much more appealing to be honest. Even so we can’t wait to try out the destructible interactive environments that look to give Injustice an edge over the competition. There are a few gameplay trailers after the break too including a new Green Arrow Vs Black Adam fight. Continue reading Injustice: Gods Among Us Demo Incoming →

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Jack Bauer Rescues Snake in Metal Gear Solid V Gameplay Trailer?

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Here’s a six-minute gameplay from what we’re presuming is the opening stage of Metal Gear Solid V. While there’s no official confirmation of the voice actor of the man leading Snake to safety, any fan of 24 should have no problem detecting the voice of Kiefer Sutherland.

The video shows snake having just awoken from his nine-year coma, which would explain why he’s having to crawl, as his legs haven’t quite woken up yet. The tapping noise his prosthetic arm makes on the hard floor is so awkward it’s unbelievable, it’s borderline unwatchable. The bum-crack shots of the guy ahead of Snake in his hospital gown are a bit much too.

We don’t see snake at his stealthy best here, he’s falling all over the place and knocking over bins like a drunken hobo but we’re sure he’ll be on his feet and snapping necks in no time. There are some cool cameos from past villains to enjoy, like a flaming Volgin and what may be a very young Psycho Mantis.

Continue reading Jack Bauer Rescues Snake in Metal Gear Solid V Gameplay Trailer? →

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David Hayter Won’t Star in Metal Gear Solid V

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Fan favourite voice actor, David Hayter, won’t be reprising his role as the voice of Snake in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V. That’s the official word from Hideo Kojima himself, who told Gametrailers, “What we’re trying to accomplish here is [to] recreate the Metal Gear series. It’s a new type of Metal Gear game and we want to have this reflected in the voice actor as well.”

Controversial stuff from the maestro, especially given that he was lucky to get away with sneakily ditching Snake for Raiden in Metal Gear solid 2 which many fans still feel sore about. Continue reading David Hayter Won’t Star in Metal Gear Solid V →

Gaming reviews, previews and features by Brendan Griffiths