Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogobig.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Splatters review: Slip, slide, splat]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/the-splatters-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/the-splatters-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/the-splatters-review/#comments Physics-based puzzle games can be a little hit-or-miss - sometimes literally. While the element of unpredictability can be addictive in games about knocking down structures with furious birds, it can also lead the way to frustrating trial and error when the physics refuse to cooperate. The Splatters on Xbox Live Arcade hits more than it misses, but it has a few issues that keep it from splashing onto the walls of the physics puzzle hall of fame.

Gallery: The Splatters (XBLA)

Continue reading The Splatters review: Slip, slide, splat

JoystiqThe Splatters review: Slip, slide, splat originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftmicrosoft-studiosspikysnail-gamesthe-splattersxblaxboxxbox-livexbox-live-arcadeWed, 18 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aliens: Colonial Marines multiplayer, or 'How Gearbox played as Xenomorphs and dissected its guests']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-multiplayer-or-how-gearbox-played-as/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-multiplayer-or-how-gearbox-played-as/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/aliens-colonial-marines-multiplayer-or-how-gearbox-played-as/#comments ImageAt a recent preview event for Aliens: Colonial Marines, developer Gearbox didn't let us play through the single-player portion of its upcoming shooter, but gave us a shot at commanding our own marine in multiplayer. Playing Team Deathmatch, journalists took the reigns as marines, while a group of Gearbox employees faced off against as us the frightening Xenomorphs.

If you're familiar with team deathmatch from other shooters, Aliens: Colonial Marines will do little to surprise you. The multiplayer is asymmetrical, meaning the two sides of the conflict are pretty different in terms of abilities and play styles. While we didn't get to play as the aliens, we did get to watch them be played, which showed us that there is a least a little here that makes this different from your everyday red vs. blue combat situation.

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (4/4/12)

Continue reading Aliens: Colonial Marines multiplayer, or 'How Gearbox played as Xenomorphs and dissected its guests'

JoystiqAliens: Colonial Marines multiplayer, or 'How Gearbox played as Xenomorphs and dissected its guests' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesgearboxgearbox-softwaremicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3segawii-uxboxWed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The acid-blooded devil is in the details for Aliens: Colonial Marines]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/the-acid-blooded-devil-is-in-the-details-for-aliens-colonial-ma/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/the-acid-blooded-devil-is-in-the-details-for-aliens-colonial-ma/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/the-acid-blooded-devil-is-in-the-details-for-aliens-colonial-ma/#comments Image"You can see this pocket on the pants," Brian Burleson, senior producer of Aliens: Colonial Marines says as he points to a promotional image behind him. It shows one of the Colonial Marines standing over a Xenomorph while another alien leaps at him from behind. "When we released this [image], someone said to us, 'No, the pocket is on the front of the cargo pants.' And we were like, 'Seriously?'"

That's where a lot of developers might stop caring. It's a licensed product that serious fans will probably snatch up anyway, right? How important is a pocket on a pair of cargo pants? But Gearbox Software said "We're going back in and fixing that."

The stakes are pretty high with Colonial Marines, and not just because the series has had passionate fans for decades. This isn't an inconsequential "what if" side-story like the Aliens vs Predator games, nor is it a retelling of any of the films in the franchise. It's an entirely new, canonical entry in the Alien mythology - a true, official sequel to Aliens and Alien 3 -- and the developers are taking that opportunity and running with it.

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (4/4/12)

Continue reading The acid-blooded devil is in the details for Aliens: Colonial Marines

JoystiqThe acid-blooded devil is in the details for Aliens: Colonial Marines originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesbrian-burlesongearbox-softwaremicrosoftmikey-neumannnintendopcplaystationps3Randy-Pitchfordwii-uxboxWed, 04 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Gearbox boss says impressive Wii U 'a really nice bridge' to the next generation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/gearbox-boss-says-impressive-wii-u-a-really-nice-bridge-to-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/gearbox-boss-says-impressive-wii-u-a-really-nice-bridge-to-the/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/gearbox-boss-says-impressive-wii-u-a-really-nice-bridge-to-the/#comments Nintendo's Wii U demo reel at E3 last year contained a clip of Aliens: Colonial Marines, but we haven't heard much about the version since then. Speaking with Gearbox President Randy Pitchford, we tried to surgically extract a viable specimen of information out of him, but he refrained from getting too specific.

"Nintendo still has a lot to announce with their platform, and it's not up to us to go ahead of them," he told Joystiq. "I think it's a great platform and I'm really excited about it, particularly with this game, there's a lot of exciting opportunities like, 'Wow, my motion tracker is there, and I can move it like this!'" he said as he moved his arms side to side. "There's just so much cool stuff."

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (4/4/12)

Continue reading Gearbox boss says impressive Wii U 'a really nice bridge' to the next generation

JoystiqGearbox boss says impressive Wii U 'a really nice bridge' to the next generation originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesgearboxgearbox-softwaremicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3Randy-Pitchfordwii-uxboxWed, 04 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gearbox: Aliens Colonial Marines was announced before development started]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/gearbox-aliens-colonial-marines-was-announced-before-developmen/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/gearbox-aliens-colonial-marines-was-announced-before-developmen/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/gearbox-aliens-colonial-marines-was-announced-before-developmen/#comments ImageDespite first being announced by publisher Sega in 2006, development on Aliens: Colonial Marines didn't begin at Gearbox until after the title was revealed to the world.

"Everyone was just so excited that the deal got done," Gearbox President Randy Pitchford told Joystiq at a recent event for the title. "20th Century Fox, Gearbox and Sega all had to agree to do this and commit themselves to it. The fact that that deal even existed -- everyone on the business side was so excited that the deal happened that they just wanted to tell the world. So before we even started on the game they announced the deal."

Because the announcement was made so long ago, many gamers feel the game has been taking an exceptionally long time to come out. "I think there have been a couple of things that have kind of created that feeling. One thing is that it was announced before we were even started. Another thing is that there was an [Alien] RPG game in development by Obsidian which was canceled. And I think when that happened we hadn't even really shown this game or talked about it yet, so that created some confusion of, 'Wait, what was canceled?'"

Gallery: Aliens: Colonial Marines (Concept Art)

Continue reading Gearbox: Aliens Colonial Marines was announced before development started

JoystiqGearbox: Aliens Colonial Marines was announced before development started originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aliens-Colonial-Marinesgearboxgearbox-softwaremicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3Randy-Pitchfordwii-uxboxWed, 04 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Shank 2 review: Refined brutality]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/shank-2-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/shank-2-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/shank-2-review/#comments
Evidence would suggest that the developers at Klei got together in a board room and said, "Shank was really good. We should do another game exactly like it, only a little bit better." And wouldn't you know it, that's exactly what they did. Shank 2 could be mistaken for its predecessor at first glance, with similar 2D visuals and fast-paced violence. But look a little deeper and you'll find a little more meat, a little more nuance and, somehow, even more brutality.

Gallery: Shank 2 (2/8/12)

Continue reading Shank 2 review: Refined brutality

JoystiqShank 2 review: Refined brutality originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaelectronic-artsklei-entertainmentmicrosoftpcplaystationps3shank-2xboxFri, 10 Feb 2012 11:45:00 EST