The above video is an interview with Dario Casali of the L4D2 team, talking about the iteration of level design and how it has progressed from the first game. While so far it is nothing like this entry from L4D(perhaps my favorite developer blog entry of 2008), it gets more behind the design process and theory of how to maneuver both the director AI and players--particularly how to do so beyond what was done in the first game.
Of particular interest is how different maps scale better to different modes of play, such as versus. The idea of mazes and larger maps to navigate, so that the director AI has more with which to work, sounds like it could either be overkill or make for a more tense experience (knowing Valve, I'd expect the latter).
Also of note, via Kotaku, is that Left 4 Dead 2 preorders four times the first. It's not really a surprise when one considers how strong the first game was, and how it was an untested IP, but this was said anyway:
"As we get closer to launch we see the reaction to the demo, pre-orders are four times what Left 4 Dead 1 was, people's excitement, the boycott itself and how it's changed... I think people are just excited now," he said.
Count me among the excited; though a large part of that is the ability to play Rochelle, as there aren't too many black female protagonists in games as yet.
More videos, covering Realism, Scavenge, and Survival mode are available at the G4TV blog.
This weekend's Modern Warfare 2offensive viral video fracas has gone way past just GayGamer. Many other sites have come out to express their dissatisfaction with the video which used a "hidden" gay slur in it's messaging. The video has since been pulled but it left a lot of people wondering how it got produced and approved in the first place.
G4's Adam Sessler has joined the fight with his latest "Sessler's Soapbox." Adam has been a long time friend of GayGamer and has always been outspoken when it comes to issues of gay rights and hate speech. This time is no exception and once again he comes out with both guns blazing.
Thank you, Adam, for all you've done and continue to do to help make the world of gaming a better place to be.
I already made mention of Shattered Horizon with a rather quiet and eerie video that reflected the silence of space. Well, today is the release date, and can be purchased from many different sites for the price of $17.99 (though full price is $19.99, and not sure how much longer this sale lasts).
Above is a video showing actual first person gameplay, focused less on ambiance, and more on showing you firefights. It highlights the zero gravity fights, being able to propel through space, and shooting people.
Halloween may be behind us now, but that doesn't mean the scares have to end, right? Over at The Totally Rad Show, the guys take on Ju-On: The Grudge the way that it was meant to be played: lights off, sound up, and drinks in hand! While I think that I may be a little too much of a scaredy cat to play the game myself, I found watching Alex, Jeff, and Dan to be an enjoyable experience. There's always a little fun to be had watching other people get the pants scared off of them, especially if it stars three cuties that have the tendency to clutch each other in the dark while filmed with a night vision lens.
Have any of you checked out the game / haunted house simulator for yourself? Am I being too much of wimp or should I avoid this title like a strange noise heard in the distance?
Let's face it, the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time movie is first and foremost an excuse to get Jake Gyllenhaal to jump around with his shirt off. And I fully support that. But what are we supposed to make of this trailer that was just revealed for the film? Not only does it feature very little shirtless Gyllenhaal action, but it actually looks like it might be a decent movie. This could disrupt the years of a cherished history where movies based on videogames are abominations not fit even to be used as torture.
Sure, the movie isn't following the exact plot of the game, and the game's signature acrobatic puzzles are nowhere to be seen, but I am still optimistic. Gyllenhaal's prince seems to take the Sands of Time character minus the angst of Warrior Within and Two Thrones, then adds a bit of the more recent Prince of Persia's snark. At the very least, it looks like it'll be a good popcorn flick to kick off the movies of summer when it hits theaters on May 28.
Last week I showered you with snapshots of Capcom's upcoming Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom. Today I'd like to continue my love letter to Japanimation and Fighters with an oldie but a goodie. The upcoming Wii game is not Tatsunoko's first foray into the game market. In October of 2000, Takara released Tatsunoko Fight. This Japan only title flooded consoles with its' tag team anime fantasy battles. While developed by Takara the game's technical mechanics dance closely around those of Marvel Vs. Capcom and Street Fighter. The system is compiled of light and heavy attacks to be chained together to form unblockable combos, which can be segued into ultra combos as one takes or receives damage. Standard fare to be sure and at a time when others like MvC2 did it better it is easy to see why this game never made it here to the states.
Despite the developer opting out of more original mechanics, the game is flush with bright animations and authentic voiceovers. The fight roster is fleshed out with appearences from several of Tatsunoko's more illustrious shows; Casshern from Neo Human Casshern, and Tekkaman from Tekkaman: The Space Knight. Takara also created an entirely new IP for the story elements surrounding game called Volter: Denkao Senka Volter. All three are scheduled to make appearances in Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom. The entire project is rife with fan service for those familiar with the series and further explains this title's achieved success.
Maybe it's not the greatest cinematic achievement, but compared to a few other game-to-movie translations, Silent Hill is practically a masterpiece. If you've never taken the time to check it out, folks in America (sorry, rest of the world) can now watch it streaming on Hulu for free, as they're added the movie to the site just in time for Halloween. Trick or treat!
In case you haven't already, you'll need to sign up for a free account with the service in order to prove that it won't warp your fragile young mind. The movie does a great job with the world created in the game visually, even if the plot and more subtle elements are kind of fumbled. I liked Laurie Holden as Cybil the lesbian cop though, and Alice Krige was as nutty as ever. But don't take my faint praise for it, Hulu user Cassie Bee raves:
i love this movie!! crazy stuff makes you think sometimes about whats really going on that we dont know about?!!?!?! happy halloween everyone!! *mwahs*
Frequency - 240 MS points. Frequency is an action/puzzle/platformer. You play as a robot capable of firing three colored bullets, blue, yellow, and red. But you also need to keep your colored ammunition in stock, so your robot has the ability to absorb any of those colors from enemies or objects in the environment. Taking red ammo from a red car is pretty straightforward, but things get more interesting with color combinations. See some green grass? That grass can turn into both yellow and blue ammo. The ammo also acts as your health, so switching between colors quickly becomes vital to your survival. Think of it as Mega Man meets Ikaruga, except without the unforgiving difficulty. On top of all of this there is a great story for the game, which came as a complete surprise, but a very welcome one.
Amniotic - 80 MS points. Sure, Amniotic looks like just another (absolutely gorgeous) twin-stick shooter, but it takes the genre in an interesting direction by incorporating elements of the popular game Flow. Enemies will drop orbs when you defeat them, which can be collected and added to your cell like a tail. This tail acts as your health bar, and when an enemy touches you or any part of the tail segments fall off. The orbs collected by enemies also act as weapon upgrades, which keeps the pace of the game fast with your cell constantly getting stronger with each orb collected. The game mechanics are fun on their own, but it's worth mentioning that this game looks amazing, especially considering the file size constraints of the $1 price point.
Arkedo Series - 02 SWAP! - 240 MS points. The second game in the Arkedo series is a puzzle game based on the Puzzle League/Tetris Attack formula. Colored blocks come up from the bottom of the screen, and you need to match them into rows or columns of three or more. The twin stick controls work surprisingly well, and the bright colorful graphics give it a great sense of style. If you're a puzzle fan, SWAP! is an excellent download.
Beat Hazard - 400 MS points. Beat Hazard is a twin-stick shooter that allows you to upload your own music to impact the gameplay. Your ship's rate of fire is determined by the beat of the music, so the better you know the track you're playing, the better you'll perform. The game comes with 10 songs for those that don't want to import their own, and they all work quite well for a fun experience, but the game gets really fun when your own music is involved. I tested the game with the Persona 3 soundtrack, and for the most part is worked quite well. You quickly learn that not every song will turn into the most fun experience, with the game favoring techno or hip hop beats over peaceful pianos. But if you have the music library to back it up, Beat Hazard will last you for a long, long time to come.
Run Away - 80 MS points. Run Away is a simple game where your doodle character seems to piss people off wherever he goes, forcing him to run away from the would-be attacker. The gameplay is incredibly simple, breaking down into either jumping over obstacles or rolling under them, but it is also undeniably fun.
Well today marks the big launch date of the fashion fabulous Bayonetta game in Japan. Unfortunately, those outside the land of the rising sun have to wait until after Christmas or beyond before we get to see this high heeled vixen fight the forces of darkness.
Luckily, Sega has decided to drop us some eye candy too keep us happy despite the sadness we may feel in knowing others are feasting upon the Bayonetta banquet already. Your respite comes in the form of a few gameplay videos that were released today with English voice overs for the characters. The one at the top shows one of Bayonetta's transformation sequences, in which apparently demon like angels help rip up her clothes so that she comes out looking even more fabulous. It also showcases some of the filmstrip cinematic style the game uses from time to time along with some regular beat-em-up fighting sequences.
The other video is after the jump and is the actual opening sequence to the game, so if you don't like spoilers I suggest not watching it since it basically sets up the storyline for the whole game while also allowing you to destroying enemies in a fantastic free-falling environment. Overall, these videos just make me want Bayonetta that much more, which means that the New Year can't get here fast enough.
That last trailer for Left 4 Dead 2 that I posted was so awesome that it made me want to see it as a movie, not a game. This teaser for the hotly-anticipated sequel just makes me laugh. But on purpose!
Basically, two cute guys hide out in a garden shed and instruct us on how to survive the L4D2 viral outbreak. And in the spirit of Shaun of the Dead, humor ensues as things go awry. Then they go awry in a big way.
Oh, and in case you missed the note at the end, pre-ordering the title at participating retailers (Like GameStop in the US) will get you a bonus weapon: the American baseball bat! Crack those zombie skulls and send 'em flying into the cheap seats! Woo woo!
I'll admit - I was reluctant to post this video, because it starts with "Gay" Tony Prince himself busting out a couple of ethnic slurs and then an F-bomb of the anti-gay variety. Then, I had to admit to myself that the reason Rockstar succeeds at crafting games with surprisingly deep social commentary is that they are one of the only studios in the industry who are willing to jump up and down on the eggshells most developers (and some Hollywood studios) must delicately walk around. This comes from a long-standing reputation for stretching the limits for acceptable dialog in a game, whether by presenting a hate-filled underworld of crime, making fun of a particular ideology or product in commercials, or, most poignantly, lampooning and debunking various stereotypes most people have about those diverse groups that make up the world of Grand Theft Auto.
One of my favorite recurring themes in GTA IV was shown in plenty of American characters assuming Niko must be Russian because of his Eastern European accent - to which Niko usually coughs an offended, "I'm not Russian!" This is not only socially helpful in reducing player ignorance about what certain accents indicate, but it's also narratively heart-wrenching from Niko's point of view, since it was a Russian who betrayed him in the war and ultimately caused him enough strife to drive him out of his home country. Nevertheless, the ignorance and apathy of most Americans toward the complexity of events outside their borders is portrayed fairly accurately in the characters Niko meets.
It's that delicate balance of storytelling through the shattering of sanctity at which Rockstar excels, and which keeps me hopeful for a fairly sensitive and eye-opening game to be released tomorrow, even if it uses tools like offensive language and a few over-the-top stereotypes to contrast the actual humanity of a complex gay character and the (presumably) straight Latino assistant who does his dirty work.
If you're not worried about hearing Gay Tony throwing around some R-rated terms to make a point about Liberty City as a melting pot where everyone can be civil to each other, the above trailer shows off some of the new guns, base jumping, doing shots, line dancing, and plenty of violence. Use it as directed to get your fix for the only retail game this holiday season to have "gay" in the title until the game releases tomorrow, on XBox Live Arcade or in stores as part of Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City.
Trying to predict Nintendo game announcements is impossible. Nobody outside the company knows when or where to expect them out side of "anytime" and "anyplace." Proving this once again is their latest the totally out of the blue (and in my little opinion, totally awesome) announcement on the Nintendo Channel for WiiWare title called Excitebike: World Rally, a modern adaptation of the NES classic. The title appears to stick very close to its roots, with familiar art direction and interactions. You'll get a bunch of tracks to race and a track editor just like the original game, but World Rally also includes motion controls for those adventurous enough (don't fret whiners, NES-styled controls are there too) and online multiplayer.
We're promised more details in the next installment of Nintendo Channel's Nintendo Week. Perhaps the best detail has already been let out of the bag: the game will be available for purchase a little less than two weeks from now on Nov 9! Until then (or next week), we'll have to make do with the brief clip of gameplay featured here. Seriously, how cool is that music? It brings back too many memories!
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