Joystiq

Jason Dobson

Review: Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Xbox 360/PS3)

by Jason Dobson { 4 months ago }

Listen ... do you smell something? Stripped of its license, Ghostbusters is a passable, if largely forgettable game. The entire experience is held together on the merits of its source material alone, with occasionally witty dialog and story draped like a sheet across what amounts to inconsistent gameplay and level design that would make most amateur modders cringe.

Still, given Ghostbusters' rocky road to retail, I suppose we should be grateful that there's a game to complain about at all.

Gallery: Ghostbusters (360/PS3/PC)

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Survey: Developers still worship Miyamoto, Blow too

by Jason Dobson { 4 months ago }

Luminary Shigeru Miyamoto hasn't lost his shimmer in the eyes of game developers, with a recent industry poll finding the Nintendo icon to be without equal. The survey, commissioned by organizers of next month's Develop Conference, asked 9,000 devs to name their game development hero, with nearly a third of respondents pointing to Miyamoto as the man with the plan.

The popularity contest also named id Software's John Carmack as the next most idealized developer, followed by Maxis and now Stupid Fun Club brainpan Will Wright. The top ten list of industry highlights was rounded out by Braid dev Jonathan Blow, who's likely too busy rewinding time (to see if he can somehow land higher on the ballot) to care.

Metal Gear Solid Rising getting re-done graphics engine

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

Like a case of bad allergies, Metal Gear Solid 4's graphics left us rubbing our eyes. That said, when it comes to developing the recently unveiled Metal Gear Solid Rising, the latest sequel's eye candy is not nearly sweet enough.

According to Kojima Productions assistant producer Sean Eyestone, the team is remaking Rising's engine "from scratch" to make it look better than MGS4. Speaking during a recent Kojima Productions podcast, Eyestone describes the multiplatform project as "a big project like Metal Gear Solid 4," adding that the team "team is serious about making it look as good as possible on every platform." Let's just hope our meager eyes can take it.

[Via 1UP]

Sucker Punch explains why it remains PS3 exclusive

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

Developer Sucker Punch started life nearly a decade ago with its first release on the Nintendo 64. Since that time, however, the studio has created titles exclusively for Sony platforms, including the Sly Cooper franchise and recent electro-shocky superhero game, inFamous. Co-founder Brian Fleming recently spoke out on his company's love-in with Sony, explaining that Sucker Punch's platform exclusivity has less to do with money and more to do with simply enjoying what they do.

According to Fleming, while going cross-platform puts a game in front of more potential eyeballs, "it also introduces a whole bunch of problems and compromises and difficulty that doesn't make making games a lot more fun. In fact, I think it subtracts from that."

While the exec notes without reservation that the studio is in this business to make money, he adds that you "have to be careful about being greedy." He adds that the pursuit of dollars has to be weighed against other things, like enjoying what you do for a living, publisher relations and game quality. We'd be hard pressed to argue, especially since our obsession with inFamous has only grown since the game first shocked our hearts.

Famitsu lifts camouflage off Metal Gear Arcade

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

It's a little known fact that here at Joystiq we have a pretty extensive collection of coins, both big and small. It's a source of pride, but even so we're just as eager as you are to empty our piggy banks in the name of Hideo Kojima and his mysterious Metal Gear Arcade. The project was one of E3's most enigmatic announcements, with few details offered to accompany our baffled looks and gaping maws.

Now some news about the game comes from Famitsu's latest issue -- but you might want to sit down for this. No really, as the mag reports that Metal Gear Arcade will be played sitting down while wearing 3D glasses and using a "special controller that allows for separate movement and viewpoint controls." The game will also support both solo and 16-player co-op matches. It sounds like we'll be trading these quarters for yen when Metal Gear Arcade targets Japanese arcades later this year.

Gallery: Metal Gear Arcade

E3 was successful for little guys too

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

Okay, we admit it. Despite E3's recent return to form, we missed Kentia Hall's secluded cave of unspoken delights, if only for its cheap food and even cheaper thrills. Still, the lack of a space to call their own didn't stop some companies from venturing to the surface and setting up shop in the outskirts of E3 proper. It's an adventure that, according to some, was well worth the effort. Glad we all agree.

Operating a booth on the fringe of South Hall, Gamer Grub's Raphael DiBianco was one of a handful of smaller outfits that got something out of the experience. The game snack pusher told IndustryGamers that while it didn't invest much money into its E3 presence, "we got a lot of bang out of what we did." Still, he joked that the big guys at the show "ostracize the little kids and leave us in the corner." Just be glad, DiBianco, this isn't the E3 of old. Oh, the hazing stories we could tell.

Blue Fang sinks teeth into former Looking Glass artist

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

Now, we don't want to come right out and say that game industry vet Alex Chouls has a zoo fetish, but he has sided with Blue Fang Games, the studio behind Zoo Tycoon, Zoo Tycoon 2 and, well, almost every game we can think of with 'zoo' in its title.

The former Looking Glass 3D artist first joined the company shortly after the System Shock house turtled in 2000, and recently leapfrogged into a new role at Blue Fang as the studio's creative director. In his new post, Chouls will help steer the newly announced zoo sim World of Zoo for the Wii, work he expects to build on for future projects. After all, he otter-know.

Former Halo Wars dev bites into Apple

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

When Ensemble Studios closed its doors earlier this year many of its staff landed behind a desk at either Robot Entertainment or Bonfire Studios, a pair of outfits that rose up from the Age of Empires and Halo Wars dev's splintered remains. Not Graeme Devine, however -- he's far too trendy for that business.

Instead, the Halo Wars lead designer revealed to Kotaku's @crecenteb via Twitter that he opted for a job at Apple, working for the company's iPhone group. It's unclear exactly what he's working on at the popular fruit company, though given his experience perhaps Apple is looking to bring game development in-house. We've reached out to Devine for more, though whatever he's up to we're sure there's an app for that.

[Via Develop]

Miyamoto flattered, not worried by Sony, Microsoft motion controllers

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

If there was one driving theme behind this year's E3, it was that motion controls are too cool for school. However, even with both Microsoft and Sony jumping onto the bandwagon with their own gesture-based antics, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto tells the BBC that he's "not worried at all" about being left behind.

In fact, the brain trust says that Nintendo's "very flattered" by the competition. Still, Miyamoto barbed his comments, stating that, based on what he's seen so far, neither competitor's motion controllers "have the type of depth that we're able to provide with Wii Motion Plus." Sony. Microsoft. You hear that hitting the floor? That's the gauntlet.

[Via 1UP]

Rockstar, Media Molecule lead 2009 Develop Awards nods

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

Rockstar Leeds and Rockstar North, together with LittleBigPlanet dev Media Molecule have netted an impressive eleven nominations for the 2009 Develop Industry Excellence Awards, the UK's annual prize patrol for all things excellent in the industry.

The Rockstar houses pocketed six of their own for work on GTA: Chinatown Wars and GTA IV: The Lost and the Damned, including nods for visual arts, technical innovation and audio. Rockstar Leeds is also up for the award for best handheld game studio, while both are in the running for being recognized as the best in-house team. Media Molecule is up for five awards as well, including best indie studio and best new IP. The Guildford studio is also up for the technical innovation award, where it's not only up against the Rockstar folks, but the teams behind Killzone 2, PlayStation Home, Football Manager Live and Fable II.

We wish all nominees the best of luck and remind them not to forget to thanks their moms should they take the stage and accept an award during the July 15 ceremony.

Obscure making PSP Go jump this fall

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

Despite its name, Playlogic is doing it best to ensure that its teen survival horror caper, Obscure: The Aftermath, is anything but hard to find. The publisher announced that in addition to the game's previously mentioned UMD release in September, the company will also release the Obscure sequel for download on the PSP Go this fall. A version for play on toaster ovens and other household appliances is also rumored to be in the works, though Playlogic representatives were not immediately available for comment.

Renegade Kid returning to the hospital in Dementium II

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

Developer Renegade Kid apparently stumbled across some leftover brown paint, and is currently working up a sequel to Dementium: The Ward. The game is set to continue the story of the first game, which had players stumbling through the darkened grimy halls of an abandoned hospital trying to discover a way out. Or at least some morphine to dull the pain.

Notes Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham, "We were extremely satisfied with what we accomplished with the original Dementium, but knew we could do even more given the chance to develop a sequel." Little is known about the return trip into portable madness, though publisher SouthPeak promises even more hospital scares when Dementium II ships for the DS in the first part of 2010.

Kratos seeking vengeance in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

Namco Bandai must have an entire department dedicated to finding new ways and characters to market with its Soulcalibur brand. Following last year's ballet with the Force, the company has announced that God of War's Kratos will be taking out his frustration on the cast of Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny for the PSP.

What with all of his disemboweling and afternoons on the links, we honestly don't know how everyone's favorite Spartan with a chip on his shoulder fits bickering with Soulcalibur brawlers into his busy schedule. Nevertheless, the Ghost of Sparta will appear as a guest character in the miniaturized fighter. We just hope he's on his best behavior while in someone else's house when Broken Destiny ships later this summer.

See the trailer after the break.

Gallery: Kratos in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny (PSP)

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Pro skaters sound off in Tony Hawk Ride trailer

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

Sure, that new skateboard controller for Tony Hawk Ride looks rad, but what do the pro's think? Several professional skaters, including Christian Hosoi and Mr. Hawk himself, talk up the game and skate deck in this latest trailer using phrases like "the ultimate rush" while what looks like innocent bystanders explode. Seriously.

There's some choice comments, though we think the best comes from Paul Rodriguez, who says simply, "If you've had an interest in skating, but maybe didn't want to put yourself in a position of getting injured, here's your chance." We've no desire to fall and straddle any railing at high speed, so this sounds right up our alley.

Gallery: Tony Hawk Ride (6-2-09)

ModNation Racers, like LittleBigPlanet on wheels

by Jason Dobson { 5 months ago }

It wasn't all sequels and plugged leaks at Sony's E3 press conference. Sony also announced a new PlayStation 3 franchise called ModNation Racers, the latest in the company's Play.Create.Share lineup popularized by LittleBigPlanet. The game looks to strap LBP's overcute style and love of physics into kart racing that, according to Sony, will let players express themselves and become "superstar designers" by sharing tracks, karts and characters over the PlayStation Network.