Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogobig.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Arthur's picks of 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/best-of-the-rest-arthurs-picks-of-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/best-of-the-rest-arthurs-picks-of-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/best-of-the-rest-arthurs-picks-of-2011/#comments Battlefield 3
I love Battlefield 3. I love it almost as much as it seems to hate its players.

At least, that's the way it feels sometimes, trying to get into a game, trying to get correctly squaded up, trying to find a server with room, having to use a server browser on consoles in 2011, downloading 2 GIGABYTE patches ... y u no luv me, BF3?

But when it does love me, it loves me so well ... and there I go, into that cycle of abuse again.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Arthur's picks of 2011

JoystiqBest of the Rest: Arthur's picks of 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activisionassassins-creed-revelationsbattlefield-3BF3bulletstormcall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3DICEEAforza-4forza-motorsport-4infinity-wardMGSmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiosmodern-warfare-3pcpeople-can-flyplaystationps3rayman-originsRelic-Entertainmentsledgehammer-gamesTHQtoy-soldiers-cold-warTreyarchubisoftUbisoft-MontpellierUbisoft-Montrealwarhammer-40k-space-marinexboxTue, 03 Jan 2012 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Top 10 of 2011: Deus Ex: Human Revolution]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/joystiq-top-10-of-2011-deus-ex-human-revolution/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/joystiq-top-10-of-2011-deus-ex-human-revolution/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/joystiq-top-10-of-2011-deus-ex-human-revolution/#comments Skyrim is going to get tons of accolades all over this year, and deservedly so, but Deus Ex: Human Revolution pulled me into its world more effectively than any other game in 2011.

It didn't do everything right. Obviously, there were the boss battles. They required a narrow combat approach, playing to some of Deus Ex: Human Revolution's weakest elements. But those encounters were only disappointing insofar as they contradicted the fluidity of gameplay styles and approaches the rest of Human Revolution offered.

Continue reading Joystiq Top 10 of 2011: Deus Ex: Human Revolution

JoystiqJoystiq Top 10 of 2011: Deus Ex: Human Revolution originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deus-ex-human-revolutionEidos-Montrealjoystiq-best-of-2011microsoftpcplaystationps3Square-EnixxboxTue, 03 Jan 2012 20:45:00 EST<![CDATA[One more Diablo III console development job opening for 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/one-more-diablo-iii-console-development-job-opening-for-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/one-more-diablo-iii-console-development-job-opening-for-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/one-more-diablo-iii-console-development-job-opening-for-2011/#comments At this point, the "Diablo III is probably coming to consoles" thing is like a joke without a punchline. We just keep building and building on the premise, but there's no release in sight. Still, Blizzard keeps giving us material for the setup, this time in the form of another job posting on Gamasutra for a Console Network Senior Software Engineer.

In English, Egon? According to the job listing, "this position is responsible for ensuring the best implementation of sophisticated networking systems on consoles."

Last time we checked, Diablo III game director Jay Wilson said "we don't want to announce something until we're sure." Blizzard sure does hire a lot of people without being sure!

JoystiqOne more Diablo III console development job opening for 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardDiablo-3job-listingmicrosoftpcplaystationps3shenanigansxboxWed, 28 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Viacom ordered to pay Harmonix several trucks full of money]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/27/viacom-ordered-to-pay-harmonix-several-trucks-full-of-money/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/27/viacom-ordered-to-pay-harmonix-several-trucks-full-of-money/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/27/viacom-ordered-to-pay-harmonix-several-trucks-full-of-money/#comments When Viacom sold developer Harmonix in November of 2010 for $50, it was really only the beginning of the drama to come. Almost exactly a year ago, ex-shareholders in Harmonix prior to Viacom's buyout of the music game developer sued the conglomerate for failing to pay performance based bonuses, which were agreed upon when Viacom bought the company back in 2006. Then, earlier this year, Viacom sued those same stockholders for $131 million for "contractual overpayment." With us so far? Well, take a deep breath. It gets better.

That lawsuit triggered a mandatory arbitration clause in the original contract, and now Viacom has revealed to the LA Times that the private arbitrator in question has ordered the company to pay the former Harmonix shareholders $383 million.

The story is still developing, and this isn't the last you'll hear of it: Viacom has filed in a Delaware Court to have the judgment overturned, because of "improperly excluded" evidence and testimony.

JoystiqViacom ordered to pay Harmonix several trucks full of money originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>harmonixharmonix-music-systemslawsuitlegalRock-BandviacomTue, 27 Dec 2011 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[More than a few graphical issues for some Saints Row: The Third players]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/more-than-a-few-graphical-issues-for-some-saints-row-the-third/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/more-than-a-few-graphical-issues-for-some-saints-row-the-third/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/more-than-a-few-graphical-issues-for-some-saints-row-the-third/#comments We liked Saints Row: The Third. Like, an awful lot. And this time around, after an awful port of Saints Row 2, Volition even went the extra mile, developing the PC version of Saints Row: The Third in-house, leading to much rejoicing over what's generally considered the best version of the game. But, as is often the case, not everyone is having a great time.

It seems there's a rather vocal group of users on the official Saints Row: The Third forums and the official Steam threads for the game having major performance issues in outdoor areas. This is a problem, given that the open-world parts of open-world games tend to, you know, be in the open areas of the world. Outdoors.

The performance problems appear to be spread across AMD and Nvidia hardware. Volition is soliciting users for their configurations and dxdiag files (don't ask!), and is working with with the GPU manufacturers on possible solutions. Having perused some of the message board threads in question, a more common configuration aspect for those affected is an overclocked CPU or GPU, which can cause negative performance issues on certain titles. Meanwhile, Volition has stated that it's still looking into the issue, one patch later.

JoystiqMore than a few graphical issues for some Saints Row: The Third players originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amdnvidiapcsaints-row-the-thirdvolitionMon, 26 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Ocean developers worked some magic on Final Fantasy XIII-2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/star-ocean-developers-worked-some-magic-on-final-fantasy-xiii-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/star-ocean-developers-worked-some-magic-on-final-fantasy-xiii-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/star-ocean-developers-worked-some-magic-on-final-fantasy-xiii-2/#comments Did that almost reasonable 24-month turnaround time between Final Fantasy XIII and the just-released-in-Japan Final Fantasy XIII-2 rock your understanding of reality? Who could blame you? The development time of the last "direct" sequel was also pretty short -- two years between Final Fantasy X and X-2 -- but it was five years between Final Fantasy XII and XIII. Did Square-Enix make some dark sacrifice to summon the new game so quickly?

You'll probably need to talk with Tri-Ace about that. According to Tri-Ace programmer Yuichiro Kitao (courtesy of Twitter), the Star Ocean/Valkyrie Profile developer assisted with design, programming, and art on the all-too-rare Final Fantasy sequel. Animal sacrifice may have also been involved, but that's not the kind of thing you talk about on Twitter. That's okay, Square-Enix; even Santa had the elves for help with that Christmas(ish) miracle.

JoystiqStar Ocean developers worked some magic on Final Fantasy XIII-2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>final-fantasy-xiii-2microsoftplaystationps3Square-Enixtri-ACExboxMon, 26 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gameloft apologizes over unannounced move to free-to-play with Hero of Sparta 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/gameloft-apologizes-over-unannounced-move-to-free-to-play-with-h/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/gameloft-apologizes-over-unannounced-move-to-free-to-play-with-h/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/gameloft-apologizes-over-unannounced-move-to-free-to-play-with-h/#comments High profile iOS developer (and, er, taker of inspiration) Gameloft probably thought players would be excited by its character action homage Hero of Sparta 2 going free to play. And they were! They were very negatively excited.

Unfortunately, the iOS update to Hero of Sparta 2 affected everyone who downloaded it, including those poor souls who had already paid for the game. That update introduced advertisements to support Hero of Sparta 2's new free-to-play business model, which understandably annoyed paying players, and, by Gameloft's own admission, "deteriorated the gaming experience."

Luckily for those paying players, Gameloft issued a formal apology on their Facebook page, blaming "the craziness of the Christmas period" and stating that "this game update didn't go through our usual quality assurance process." Gameloft also pushed out a new update removing all ads from the game, and has switched Hero of Sparta 2 back to a paid app.

JoystiqGameloft apologizes over unannounced move to free-to-play with Hero of Sparta 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appstoregamelofthero-of-sparta-2iosiphonemobileoopsThu, 22 Dec 2011 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Real shooting with Gotham City Impostors]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/real-shooting-with-gotham-city-impostors/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/real-shooting-with-gotham-city-impostors/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/real-shooting-with-gotham-city-impostors/#comments There's a thing that most licensed games just don't get. The license association, the premise, really, is the bait, but it's the gameplay that's the hook. The game is the thing. For just a few minutes, let's strip away the goofy exterior surrounding Gotham City Impostors. Take away the Batman references, the Joker allusions, the bright colors, the bonkers aesthetic. Dress it all the way down to the only thing that matters: the game.

When you do that, you've got something more surprising than a weird Batman game without Batman, with lots of guns: a candidate for the best downloadable console shooter since Battlefield 1943.

Gallery: Gotham City Impostors (Gamescom 2011)

Continue reading Real shooting with Gotham City Impostors

JoystiqReal shooting with Gotham City Impostors originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gotham-city-impostorsmicrosoftmonolithpcplaystationps3Warner-Bros-InteractivexboxMon, 19 Dec 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gears of War 3: RAAM's Shadow DLC Review]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/gears-of-war-3-raams-shadow-dlc-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/gears-of-war-3-raams-shadow-dlc-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/gears-of-war-3-raams-shadow-dlc-review/#comments Gears of War 3 warranted some pretty enthusiastic adjective usage: "polished," "well-paced," "fantastic," even. I'd go so far as to call it the most refined, well-put-together shooter of 2011. So when the first piece of add-on campaign DLC, RAAM's Shadow, was announced, I was excited for it. More Gears 3, but set before the first game? It sounded great.

Unfortunately, RAAM's Shadow elicits some different adjectives: "sloppy," and "underdeveloped."

Gallery: Gears of War 3 - RAAM's Shadow

Continue reading Gears of War 3: RAAM's Shadow DLC Review

JoystiqGears of War 3: RAAM's Shadow DLC Review originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicGears-of-War-3microsoftraams-shadowMon, 19 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Searching for Reckoning in the Kingdoms of Amalur]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/searching-for-reckoning-in-the-kingdoms-of-amalur/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/searching-for-reckoning-in-the-kingdoms-of-amalur/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/searching-for-reckoning-in-the-kingdoms-of-amalur/#comments EA and 38 Studios have been showing Reckoning (Kingdoms of Amalur) for more than nine months now, and I still don't think they've figured out how to explain what it is.

We've heard comparisons to God of War and character action games because of its combat system. We've heard comparisons to the Fable series by virtue of its character customization and imagery, and I've even heard Skyrim and Oblivion comparisons thrown in there for good measure because of the size of the world, and because of Ken Rolston's involvement.

But Reckoning (Kingdoms of Amalur - hey, EA, 38, can we talk about that naming convention some time?) isn't any of those things at all. There are comparisons to be made, though, namely to Secret of Mana and Diablo II.

Gallery: Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - 12/9/11

Continue reading Searching for Reckoning in the Kingdoms of Amalur

JoystiqSearching for Reckoning in the Kingdoms of Amalur originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>38-studioseaElectronic-Artskingdoms-of-amalur-reckoningmicrosoftpcplaystationps3reckoningxboxMon, 12 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare announces Command and Conquer: Generals 2 [Update: First screens!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/bioware-announces-command-and-conquer-generals-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/bioware-announces-command-and-conquer-generals-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/bioware-announces-command-and-conquer-generals-2/#comments
The hand-wringing tweets and posts about the possible direction for BioWare's unannounced game have proven all for naught, as EA and BioWare announced the Frostbite 2.0 powered Command and Conquer: Generals 2 at tonight's VGAs. The game is set to be released in 2013.

Update: We've got the official PR from Electronic Arts, found at the Source link below. Most notable is this line: "Command & Conquer Generals 2 is being developed by a new BioWare studio, BioWare Victory, and is coming exclusively to the PC in 2013." So Victory Games is now BioWare Victory and its plans for a PC-exclusive C&C game are still in place. Wow!

Gallery: Command & Conquer: Generals 2

JoystiqBioWare announces Command and Conquer: Generals 2 [Update: First screens!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecommand-and-conquer-2012command-and-conquer-generals-2electronic-artsspike-vga-2011victory-gamesSat, 10 Dec 2011 22:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic Games announces Fortnite]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/epic-games-announces-fortnite/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/epic-games-announces-fortnite/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/epic-games-announces-fortnite/#comments
With Gears of War 3 concluding Epic's flagship franchise this year, it's on to something new for the developer. It was kind enough to show just what that is tonight at Spike's VGAs: Fortnite.

Fortnite sees characters building forts and emplacements against monsters and other terrors of the night. Platforms were not announced.

JoystiqEpic Games announces Fortnite originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicEpic-Gamesfortnitespike-vga-2011Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony confirms post-fungal-apocalypse title The Last of Us, due in 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/sony-confirms-post-fungal-apocalypse-title-the-last-of-us-due-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/sony-confirms-post-fungal-apocalypse-title-the-last-of-us-due-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/sony-confirms-post-fungal-apocalypse-title-the-last-of-us-due-i/#comments


At tonight's VGAs, Sony and Spike finally quit teasing us and formally announced The Last of Us, the next game from Uncharted developers Naughty Dog. Set in an America ravaged by a horrifying fungal infection that has left a few survivors in a desperate struggle for survival, it's super unique and you never would have guessed I wrote this before it was officially announced or anything.

The trailer indicates a very Uncharted-looking bunch of people running from some very 28 Days Later(-meets-demonic-broccoli) looking infected. Color us excited. The Last of Us is due exclusively for the PlayStation 3 in 2012.

Update: The press release is out, linked at the Source link below, and the official site is up at www.lastofus.com. There's not much in the way of information, but the presser does note that "The Last of Us is developed by some of the industry's most talented game designers including Bruce Straley, game director, and Neil Druckmann, creative director." The plot description goes something like this: "Abandoned cities are being reclaimed by nature and the remaining survivors are killing each other for food, weapons and whatever they can get their hands on. Joel, a ruthless survivor, and Ellie, a brave young teenage girl who is wise beyond her years, must work together to survive their journey across what remains of the United States."

JoystiqSony confirms post-fungal-apocalypse title The Last of Us, due in 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 20:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>naughty-dogplaystationps3sceaspike-vga-2011the-last-of-usSat, 10 Dec 2011 20:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Xfinity, Verizon services miss this week's Xbox 360 dash update]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/xfinity-verizon-services-miss-this-weeks-xbox-360-dash-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/xfinity-verizon-services-miss-this-weeks-xbox-360-dash-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/xfinity-verizon-services-miss-this-weeks-xbox-360-dash-update/#comments The long-awaited "Metro" update to the Xbox 360 dashboard is finally launching this week, but you might not want to make any popcorn just yet. A number of Microsoft's recently announced content partners won't be showing up to the party on time, most notably Comcast's Xfinity on-demand library, Verizon's Fios live-tv service, and the HBO GO app. Microsoft has given a nebulous "early 2012" release window for HBO and Xfinity, though Verizon should be bringing Fios to Xbox Live "later in December" - along with SyFy, UFC, and a number of others. A full list of partners, and when to expect them, is available after the jump.

Continue reading Xfinity, Verizon services miss this week's Xbox 360 dash update

JoystiqXfinity, Verizon services miss this week's Xbox 360 dash update originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dashboard-updatedashboard-update-fall-2011fioshbo-goHboGometromicrosoftverizonverizon-fiosVerizonFiosxboxxbox-360-dashboardXbox-LivexfinityXfinityTvMon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The darker gray of Rainbow 6: Patriots]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/the-darker-gray-of-rainbow-6-patriots/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/the-darker-gray-of-rainbow-6-patriots/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/the-darker-gray-of-rainbow-6-patriots/#comments As I'm sitting down in Ubisoft's San Francisco office for a two hour presentation on the recently announced Rainbow 6: Patriots, there's one thought running through my mind before it even starts:

What the hell is Ubisoft thinking?

Gallery: Rainbow 6: Patriots (11/28/11)

Continue reading The darker gray of Rainbow 6: Patriots

JoystiqThe darker gray of Rainbow 6: Patriots originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftpcplaystationps3rainbow-6-patriotsrainbow-sixRed-Stormtom-clancyubisoftUbisoft-Montrealubisoft-torontoxboxMon, 28 Nov 2011 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[The dangerous game of Spec Ops: The Line]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/22/the-dangerous-game-of-spec-ops-the-line/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/22/the-dangerous-game-of-spec-ops-the-line/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/22/the-dangerous-game-of-spec-ops-the-line/#comments It's been more than a year since I've seen Spec Ops: The Line. In fact, I'm one of the few people to have played Spec Ops, back at a pre-E3 event in Los Angeles in 2010. It was an unofficial session, as previews were limited to eyes-on impressions, so I won't go into too much detail about it. But even then, it was clear that Spec Ops: The Line had a long way to go.

Now, 18 months later, I've played more than an hour of a Spec Ops that feels solid and functional -- current, even. But now that The Line seems well on its way to relevancy as a game, developer Yager faces what might be an even bigger obstacle. In a quest for a literary sort of statement and message, Spec Ops: The Line has the baggage of the entire medium to overcome.

Gallery: Spec Ops: The Line (11/22/2011)

Continue reading The dangerous game of Spec Ops: The Line

JoystiqThe dangerous game of Spec Ops: The Line originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftpcplaystationps3Spec-Ops-the-LinexboxyagerTue, 22 Nov 2011 08:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Need for Speed: The Run review: Drive angry]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/need-for-speed-the-run-review-drive-angry/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/need-for-speed-the-run-review-drive-angry/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/need-for-speed-the-run-review-drive-angry/#comments
Need for Speed: The Run has a prologue level of sorts that establishes protagonist Jack's situation - a guy in trouble with the wrong people, looking for a way out. He finds it in a cross-country race with a purse of 25 million dollars. But where The Run really begins is in a warehouse garage off the Embarcadero in San Francisco. You pick a car and roar out onto the street, greeted by the light of an early morning in the city. It's not exact, by any means, but developer Black Box nails the feel of San Francisco's streets well. And then crazy sh*t starts happening all around you, in the best way possible, as more police cars than I think San Francisco actually has are chasing you and dozens of other cars toward the Golden Gate bridge, and...

It makes an impression. Need for Speed: The Run starts out so well that I coasted on that high for about 45 more minutes before I realized the game I was playing just wasn't very good.

Gallery: Need for Speed: The Run (On the Edge)

Continue reading Need for Speed: The Run review: Drive angry

JoystiqNeed for Speed: The Run review: Drive angry originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftneed-for-speed-the-runpcplaystationps3xboxMon, 14 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Assassin's Creed: Revelations review: Hanging on, letting go]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/assassins-creed-revelations-review-hanging-on-letting-go/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/assassins-creed-revelations-review-hanging-on-letting-go/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/assassins-creed-revelations-review-hanging-on-letting-go/#comments
Assassin's Creed: Revelations, a third sequel in as many years, is asking a lot. Ubisoft has been remarkably clear that another game is coming next year, and that it will advance the story of Desmond, the series' main character. This leaves Revelations in an awkward position, serving as a coda of sorts to the stories of Ezio Auditore de Firenze and his Crusades-era forbear Altair Ibn-La-Ahad, stories that seemed competently told already. It doesn't seem like Assassin's Creed: Revelations needs to exist -- but then, neither did Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, which nonetheless turned out to be great.

Surprise or no, Ubisoft has managed it again. By introducing an interesting new cast of characters, making additional refinements to the free-running and combat systems, and providing closure to characters we've gotten to know for their entire lives, by defying all logic, Assassin's Creed: Revelations is another great Assassin's Creed game -- mostly.

Gallery: Assassin's Creed: Revelations - 10/11/11

Continue reading Assassin's Creed: Revelations review: Hanging on, letting go

JoystiqAssassin's Creed: Revelations review: Hanging on, letting go originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-revelationsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3ubisoftubisoft-montrealMon, 14 Nov 2011 12:05:00 EST<![CDATA[THQ announces the first Saints Row: The Third season pass]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/thq-announces-the-first-saints-row-the-third-season-pass/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/thq-announces-the-first-saints-row-the-third-season-pass/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/thq-announces-the-first-saints-row-the-third-season-pass/#comments Ah, gaming. There's always something new to be excited about! Last year, it was the online pass, which has become standard practice for almost any game with a meaningful multiplayer component released in 2011. But publishers are always looking to innovate, and this year has seen the rise of the Season Pass. The newest game to boldly ask for your money in advance? Saints Row: The Third!

Offering a full fifteen percent off of the DLC if you were to buy all four releases separately, the Saints Row: The Third season pass will get you three mission packs - "Genkibowl VII," "Gangstas In Space," and "The Trouble With Clones" - and the Nyte Blayde DLC pack, which comes with a sweet "vampire-hunting sports car." No word on if the car does the hunting by itself, but with Saints Row there's no way to be sure. The DLC covered by the season pass will release between January of 2011 and "Spring 2011." You can find the full details and press release after the break.

Continue reading THQ announces the first Saints Row: The Third season pass

JoystiqTHQ announces the first Saints Row: The Third season pass originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcmicrosoftonline-passpcplaystationps3saints-row-the-thirdseason-passthqvolitionxboxThu, 10 Nov 2011 23:02:00 EST<![CDATA[A platform, Karkand, and Battlefield 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/a-platform-karkand-and-battlefield-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/a-platform-karkand-and-battlefield-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/08/a-platform-karkand-and-battlefield-3/#comments I hope you like Battlefield 3, because based on my trip to EA's Redwood Shores offices yesterday, you're going to be getting a lot more of it. In a brief presentation prior to some extended time with next month's Back to Karkand DLC, the word "service" was used more than once. EA sees Battlefield 3 as a platform to deliver more content and Back to Karkand is the first salvo in that strategy.

Gallery: Battlefield 3 (Back to Karkand)

Continue reading A platform, Karkand, and Battlefield 3

JoystiqA platform, Karkand, and Battlefield 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-3microsoftpcplaystationps3psnxblxboxxbox liveXboxLiveTue, 08 Nov 2011 21:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Mass Effect 3 Private Beta live now for some Xbox Live users (Update: more pictures, more users)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/rumor-mass-effect-3-private-beta-live-now-for-some-xbox-live-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/rumor-mass-effect-3-private-beta-live-now-for-some-xbox-live-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/rumor-mass-effect-3-private-beta-live-now-for-some-xbox-live-us/#comments According to a tipster, some Xbox Live users who received access to the Dashboard Preview Program today had another surprise waiting for them: early access to the Mass Effect 3 Beta. We haven't gotten official confirmation from EA yet, so we can't confirm with one hundred percent certainty whether or not this is really-real. The picture is, um, pretty convincing, though.

EA announced the Mass Effect 3 Beta/demo a short time ago, specifying that it would eventually be open to all, but available early to purchasers of Battlefield 3. We guess it didn't mean available earlier-est.

Update: Well, that didn't take long. Lightning fast posters over at NeoGAF have downloaded the client and have started posting pictures.

Continue reading Mass Effect 3 Private Beta live now for some Xbox Live users (Update: more pictures, more users)

JoystiqMass Effect 3 Private Beta live now for some Xbox Live users (Update: more pictures, more users) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betadashboard-updatedemomass-effect-3mass-effect-3-betamass-effect-3-demomicrosoftrumorxboxFri, 04 Nov 2011 21:35:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: You [probably] won't be banned for playing MW3 early - we think]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/psa-you-probably-wont-be-banned-for-playing-mw3-early-we-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/psa-you-probably-wont-be-banned-for-playing-mw3-early-we-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/psa-you-probably-wont-be-banned-for-playing-mw3-early-we-t/#comments At this point, you'd be forgiven for not knowing up from down with regards to early copies of next week's Modern Warfare 3. Is it safe to play online? Will you be banned? Where could you even find a copy of Modern Warfare 3 early?

We can't blame you. Even we haven't even been sure - after some vaguely foreboding comments from Xbox Live's Stephen Toulouse earlier today, we felt compelled to warn you all that maybe, just maybe you should put that $1700, three-day early copy of Modern Warfare 3 on the shelf until Tuesday. But, in the event your neck isn't sore from all the back and forth over the last 36 hours, we've got the final definitive word from Activision itself... we hope:
"We value and appreciate the community's support. We have no interest in banning legitimate copies in these last few days. We just ask for everyone to wait for Tuesday when everybody can play the game together."
So, we guess you can play Modern Warfare 3 - assuming you've committed the dark retail magic necessary to acquire it early that it. Us? We'll be over here in the corner, where we don't have to look right or left for a while.

JoystiqPSA: You [probably] won't be banned for playing MW3 early - we think originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbanningbanscall-of-duty-modern-warfare-3infinity-wardmicrosoftmodern-warfare-3psapublic-service-announcementsledgehammer-gamesxboxxbox-liveFri, 04 Nov 2011 21:21:00 EST<![CDATA[The edge of civilization in I Am Alive]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/the-edge-of-civilization-in-i-am-alive/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/the-edge-of-civilization-in-i-am-alive/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/the-edge-of-civilization-in-i-am-alive/#comments For a game set in the aftermath of a disaster of enormous magnitude, I Am Alive looks to be composed of small triumphs and intimate terrors. Every ledge climbed is an achievement. An unloaded gun might be as useful as a full magazine. And the scariest thing around isn't the crumbling remains of a fictional US city - it's the people that are left to pick up their own pieces.

Gallery: I Am Alive (10/27/11)

Continue reading The edge of civilization in I Am Alive

JoystiqThe edge of civilization in I Am Alive originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>i-am-alivemicrosoftplaystationps3psnxblaxboxFri, 04 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joe Danger: Special Edition officially official for XBLA]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/03/joe-danger-special-edition-officially-official-for-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/03/joe-danger-special-edition-officially-official-for-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/03/joe-danger-special-edition-officially-official-for-xbla/#comments Danger comes to Xbox
It was just a week ago when the Korean Game Ratings Board kind of, sort of implied that PSN hit Joe Danger was on its way to Xbox Live. While everyone involved was maddeningly silent amidst requests for confirmation or denial, developer Hello Games announced this morning that Joe Danger: Special Edition is in fact on its way to Xbox Live - and published by Microsoft, no less. This is unusual, given Microsoft's generally restrictive policies with regards to first-party publishing on Xbox Live.

Development duties on the port are being handled in-house at Hello Games, but it's not a simple translation. Hello have, in the words of Studio Managing Director Sean Murray "revisited the original," in an attempt to sand off some of the rough edges. "I think we knew that Joe Danger was a hard game, but it could be frustrating [too]," Murray continued. "I think we've really changed that, it's a much more joyous game now, through like a thousand changes big and small."

Hello Games has also spent time adding "new environments, gameplay modes, characters - lots," said Murray. "I'm not sure it would be possible for someone to complete in under 30 hours now... the game is huge."

Gallery: Joe Danger: Special Edition (XBLA)

JoystiqJoe Danger: Special Edition officially official for XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joe-dangerjoe-danger-special-editionmicrosoftxboxThu, 03 Nov 2011 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: How to open your ports for Battlefield 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/29/psa-how-to-open-your-ports-for-battlefield-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/29/psa-how-to-open-your-ports-for-battlefield-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/29/psa-how-to-open-your-ports-for-battlefield-3/#comments
Are you getting into games of Battlefield 3, but still having issues? Are you finding yourself dying before you think you should possibly be dead, or seeing an absurd delay between when you pull the trigger and when bullets come out of the end of your gun? Are you screaming at your television about how fast your network connection is and how bad your lag in Battlefield 3 should not be?

We might be able to help. You got to open your ports, dawg.

Continue reading PSA: How to open your ports for Battlefield 3

JoystiqPSA: How to open your ports for Battlefield 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-3DICEEAElectronic-Artsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3psapublic-service-announcementxboxSat, 29 Oct 2011 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Battlefield 3 Console review: Squad score bonus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/28/battlefield-3-console-review-squad-score-bonus/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/28/battlefield-3-console-review-squad-score-bonus/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/28/battlefield-3-console-review-squad-score-bonus/#comments (Disclaimer: The bulk of this review appeared earlier this week when we published our final word on Battlefield 3 for PC. This review includes that text, as well as specific comments about the console versions of the game.)

Let's sit down for a few minutes and talk about Battlefield 3.

Let's step outside of the hype, the constant back and forth between fans of the series and fans of, you know, that series. Let's leave the baggage attached by EA's masochistic desire to sidle right up against that game, and we can ignore that beta too. I know it's hard. But let's do it anyway.

Instead, let's talk about what we've been told is DICE's most ambitious, biggest game ever. And let's talk about how Battlefield 3 is simultaneously disappointing in that respect, and brilliant in others, and why that might be OK anyway -- maybe even great.

Gallery: Battlefield 3 PC Review Gallery

Continue reading Battlefield 3 Console review: Squad score bonus

JoystiqBattlefield 3 Console review: Squad score bonus originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-3battlelogDICEEAmicrosoftplaystationps3xboxFri, 28 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Xbox 360 Battlefield 3 servers are down, EA 'aware']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/psa-xbox-360-battlefield-3-servers-are-down-ea-aware/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/psa-xbox-360-battlefield-3-servers-are-down-ea-aware/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/psa-xbox-360-battlefield-3-servers-are-down-ea-aware/#comments While we're working on getting you a review of the console versions of Battlefield 3, we're in the same boat as many of you this evening: the Xbox 360 version is currently unplayable online due to server difficulties. Developer DICE has commented on the situation via Twitter, stating that they're working on the problem and will have the game running as soon as possible. Hopefully the issues are resolved soon - we've got unlocks to, uh, unlock.

JoystiqPSA: Xbox 360 Battlefield 3 servers are down, EA 'aware' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-3microsoftxboxxbox-liveTue, 25 Oct 2011 21:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Battlefield 3 review: Squad score bonus]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/battlefield-3-review-squad-score-bonus/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/battlefield-3-review-squad-score-bonus/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/battlefield-3-review-squad-score-bonus/#comments Let's sit down for a few minutes and talk about Battlefield 3.

Let's step outside of the hype, the constant back and forth between fans of the series and fans of, you know, that series. Let's leave the baggage attached by EA's masochistic desire to sidle right up against that game, and we can ignore that beta too. I know it's hard. But let's do it anyway.

Instead, let's talk about what we've been told is DICE's most ambitious, biggest game ever. And let's talk about how Battlefield 3 is simultaneously disappointing in that respect, and brilliant in others, and why that might be OK anyway -- maybe even great.

Gallery: Battlefield 3 PC Review Gallery

Continue reading Battlefield 3 review: Squad score bonus

JoystiqBattlefield 3 review: Squad score bonus originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-3DICEEApcMon, 24 Oct 2011 03:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Diablo 3 limited edition includes Diablo 2, Diablo skull USB drive]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/diablo-3-free-with-wow-annual-subscription-limited-edition-also/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/diablo-3-free-with-wow-annual-subscription-limited-edition-also/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/diablo-3-free-with-wow-annual-subscription-limited-edition-also/#comments
Hey, remember that amazing StarCraft 2 special edition? You know, the huge one, with the full sized art book, and the USB drive with Starcraft and Starcraft: Brood War? And the WoW pet? Man, that was sweet.

Well we hope you like Diablo 3, because, like, that's pretty much exactly what they're doing for the Diablo 3 Limited Edition. Announced at today's Blizzcon press conference, the Limited edition will also come with a behind-the-scenes DVD. Diablo 2 will be included in the box on a special USB drive (in a holder shaped like freaking Diablo's skull), and, for users who register their LE, an in-game mount for WoW, Tyrael's Charger. And don't forget that giant art book.

So. Awesome.

JoystiqDiablo 3 limited edition includes Diablo 2, Diablo skull USB drive originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzconblizzcon-2011Diablo-3limited-editionpcworld-of-warcraftFri, 21 Oct 2011 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare announces details of upcoming Mass Effect 3 demo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/bioware-announces-details-of-upcoming-mass-effect-3-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/bioware-announces-details-of-upcoming-mass-effect-3-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/bioware-announces-details-of-upcoming-mass-effect-3-demo/#comments Buyers of next week's Battlefield 3 have a sci-fi surprise in store, as first run copies of EA's shooter juggernaut also include a code to access Mass Effect 3's recently announced cooperative multiplayer mode. The demo will launch in January, though the actual date is yet to be determined.

For the non-cooperatively inclined, don't fret -- the demo will also include a section of the single-player campaign. Users in every region in which Battlefield 3 is available will have access to the multiplayer portion of the demo, provided they buy Battlefield, that is. It sounds like the single-player portion just might be free to all, regardless of your Battlefield status. You can find more information at the official BioWare forums.

JoystiqBioWare announces details of upcoming Mass Effect 3 demo originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-3Demomass-effect-3microsoftpcplaystationps3xboxThu, 20 Oct 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dragon Age 2 - Mark of the Assassin Review]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/dragon-age-2-mark-of-the-assassin-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/dragon-age-2-mark-of-the-assassin-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/dragon-age-2-mark-of-the-assassin-review/#comments A mysterious woman hoping to use you for a heist during a rich guy's party, her motivations much more complicated than they initially seem... wait a minute. Dragon Age 2: Mark of the Assassin, the second major DLC release for Bioware's current fantasy RPG series, has a strikingly familiar premise. Similar, even, to Mass Effect 2's Stolen Memory downloadable add-on, which also featured an enigmatic female thief looking to use Shepard to robin-hood somebody.

But that's where the similarities end. Where Stolen Memory felt like a tight, fast, well-paced attempt to tell a character's story, Mark of the Assassin is a much more sprawling exercise. Unfortunately, that's generally to its detriment.

Gallery: Dragon Age 2 - Mark of the Assassin (Launch)

Continue reading Dragon Age 2 - Mark of the Assassin Review

JoystiqDragon Age 2 - Mark of the Assassin Review originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dragon-Age-2mark-of-the-assassinmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxThu, 20 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[City Interactive announces Sniper and Combat Wings release dates]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/city-interactive-announces-sniper-and-combat-wings-release-dates/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/city-interactive-announces-sniper-and-combat-wings-release-dates/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/city-interactive-announces-sniper-and-combat-wings-release-dates/#comments Do you like wings? Well, what about ghosts? How about those things with additional adjectives or nouns? We hope you fall in there somewhere, and so does City Interactive, who announced release dates for both Combat Wings: The Great Battles of World War II and Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 on Wednesday.

No, we don't mean they're coming out on Wednesday. In fact, Combat Wings will grace you with its aerial, er, grace, next February -- on the 7th for the United States, and the 10th for Europe. Meanwhile, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2, the followup to last year's critically something-or-othered release, will be available on March 16th in Europe and the 20th in the States.

JoystiqCity Interactive announces Sniper and Combat Wings release dates originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-interactivecombat-wingsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3sniper-ghost-warrior-2xboxThu, 20 Oct 2011 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Double Fine Happy Action Theater will make you a pigeon toilet]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/double-fine-happy-action-theater-can-make-you-a-pigeon-toilet/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/double-fine-happy-action-theater-can-make-you-a-pigeon-toilet/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/double-fine-happy-action-theater-can-make-you-a-pigeon-toilet/#comments

You heard that correctly, though that's obviously not the only thing happening in this trailer for Double Fine's newest cavalcade of Kinect funtimes. There's also ball kicking, and fireworks, and dancing, and hot lava! Pretty much everything you need to know about Happy Action Theater is here, although you haven't really seen the game sold until you see someone pull a Terminator 2.

Double Fine Happy Action Theater will release next year this holiday on Xbox Live, courtesy of Microsoft Studios.

JoystiqDouble Fine Happy Action Theater will make you a pigeon toilet originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012double-finedouble-fine-happy-action-theaterkinectmicrosoftxboxxbox-liveTue, 18 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Iron Brigade DLC official, involves Mars and bears]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/iron-brigade-dlc-official-involves-mars-and-bears/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/iron-brigade-dlc-official-involves-mars-and-bears/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/iron-brigade-dlc-official-involves-mars-and-bears/#comments That DLC for Trenche- er, we mean, Iron Brigade, that was kind of sort of revealed back in August is now official. And it's officially weird. At least, the premise is.

Titled "Rise of the Martian Bear," the premise goes like this: nemesis and all-around poster boy for the evils of Monovision, Vlad, was defeated, but not before he had time to transfer his consciousness into his pet bear. And that did the obvious thing and ran to Mars in order to regroup and rebuild the forces of evil and what we presume is more red-tinged bad reality television.

Rise of the Martian Bear doesn't have a release date, though Double Fine told us it should be "soon." Like, really soon. Meanwhile, once you do get your hands on it, you'll bask in the wonder of new missions and an objective-oriented wave-based survival mode. Which is kind of hard, judging by the small bit we played last week.

JoystiqIron Brigade DLC official, involves Mars and bears originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DLCdouble-fineiron-brigadeiron-brigade-rise-of-the-martian-bearmicrosoftrise-of-the-martian-beartrenchedXBLAxboxMon, 17 Oct 2011 12:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Deja Review: Crysis]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/deja-review-crysis/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/deja-review-crysis/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/deja-review-crysis/#commentsWe're of the firm opinion that your time is too precious, too valuable to be spent reading a full review for a game that was already reviewed many, many years ago. What's the point of applying a score to a game that's old enough to be enrolled in the sixth grade? That's why we invented Deja Review: A quick look at the new features and relative agelessness of remade, revived and re-released games.
The original Crysis is an abstract concept for many. Whether through actual technical limitations or a perception thereof, it was the destroyer of worlds and PCs, seen as out of reach for all but the most tech-driven of PC gamers. It's been so easy to get caught up in the question of "Can it run Crysis?" that there's a swath of gamers who have never asked, "How is Crysis?"

But here we are, with Crysis (the first) finally making its way to six year old hardware. It runs. But is it fun?

Gallery: Crysis (PS3 / 360)

Continue reading Deja Review: Crysis

JoystiqDeja Review: Crysis originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Crysiscrytekdeja-reviewelectronic-artsmicrosoftplaystationps3psnxblaxboxThu, 13 Oct 2011 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[PSA: Compromised PSN info used in mass access attempt]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/psa-compromised-psn-info-used-in-mass-access-attempt/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/psa-compromised-psn-info-used-in-mass-access-attempt/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/psa-compromised-psn-info-used-in-mass-access-attempt/#comments

In a post on the Official PlayStation Blog tonight, the Chief Information Security Officer for Sony Phillip Reitinger informed users that a major, concerted wave of sign-in attempts were made using login and password information "obtained from one or more compromised lists from other companies, sites or other sources." Sony has, in their words, "taken steps to mitigate this activity." Reitenger specified that credit card information had not been compromised.

Accounts affected by the mass access attempt have received prompts via email to reset their passwords. Sony Online Entertainment accounts affected have also been provisionally disabled until their passwords are changed.

JoystiqPSA: Compromised PSN info used in mass access attempt originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hackingplaystationps3psnSOEWed, 12 Oct 2011 00:10:00 EST<![CDATA[PSN Tuesday: Sideway: New York and the attack of the add-ons]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/psn-tuesday-sideway-new-york-and-the-attack-of-the-add-ons/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/psn-tuesday-sideway-new-york-and-the-attack-of-the-add-ons/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/psn-tuesday-sideway-new-york-and-the-attack-of-the-add-ons/#comments
This week doesn't see quite the onslaught of new stuff that last week did, but man, there are a ton of add-ons for your existing games to make up for it. Seriously. A lot of add-ons.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Continue reading PSN Tuesday: Sideway: New York and the attack of the add-ons

JoystiqPSN Tuesday: Sideway: New York and the attack of the add-ons originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>playstationps3psnpsn-tuesdaypspsideway-new-yorksonyTue, 11 Oct 2011 22:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Assassin's Creed: Revelations - Hooked in Istanbul]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/assassins-creed-revelations-hooked-in-istanbul/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/assassins-creed-revelations-hooked-in-istanbul/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/assassins-creed-revelations-hooked-in-istanbul/#comments
I'm playing Assassin's Creed: Revelations, and I can't remember how to lock on during combat.

How embarrassing. And then I'm told there's even more equipment being added to change the way the game plays, and I wonder how Ubisoft Montreal could possibly make Assassin's Creed, a game that's been accused of creaking under the weight of its mechanics, better through adding more to that.

But if my initial time with Assassin's Creed: Revelations is proper precedent, the Hookblade is a sign of how Ubisoft is tying Assassin's Creed's various mechanics more closely together.

Gallery: Assassin's Creed: Revelations - 10/11/11

Continue reading Assassin's Creed: Revelations - Hooked in Istanbul

JoystiqAssassin's Creed: Revelations - Hooked in Istanbul originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-revelationsmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxTue, 11 Oct 2011 14:20:00 EST<![CDATA[The beta and Battlefield 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/the-beta-and-battlefield-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/the-beta-and-battlefield-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/the-beta-and-battlefield-3/#comments Last week, I spent some six hours with a not-quite-final-but-close version of Battlefield 3. I think EA and DICE would like for me to talk about the single player but really, I don't have anything more to say about it than I did a few weeks ago. I can't talk about most of the multiplayer maps I played with any specificity, other than the Grand Bazaar level, which, hallelujah, had a tank in it. But at this point, I feel confident in making the following statement:

Releasing a beta for Battlefield 3 might be the biggest mistake EA has made with its biggest game this year.

Gallery: Battlefield 3 (10/7/11)

Continue reading The beta and Battlefield 3

JoystiqThe beta and Battlefield 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-3DICEEAmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxMon, 10 Oct 2011 20:04:00 EST<![CDATA[UFC on Xbox Live: Full-access octagon]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/ufc-on-xbox-live-full-access-octagon/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/ufc-on-xbox-live-full-access-octagon/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/ufc-on-xbox-live-full-access-octagon/#comments If I didn't know better, I'd think Microsoft and the UFC want you to gamble.

At least, that's the impression I get after spending about half an hour with the upcoming UFC app for Xbox Live. It does a lot of cool things in its capacity as Xbox Live's first true Pay-Per-View offering -- more than any Pay-Per-View implementation I've ever seen. But the ability for Xbox Live members to interact with their friends list, to effectively compete against each other for the most accurate fight picks, might be the thing that sticks out the most. And it makes Vegas jealous to boot.

Gallery: UFC on Xbox Live - 10/7/11

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JoystiqUFC on Xbox Live: Full-access octagon originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftmike-maharUFCufc-on-xbox-livexboxxbox-livexbox-live-tvFri, 07 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST