Joystiq

Metareview: Gears of War 3

David Hinkle — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:55:00 EST

The trilogy has concluded, and now that you've read what we had to say about Gears of War 3 it's time you checked in with the rest of the critical community. Were they as enamored of curb-stomping Locusts for a third time? Yes, pretty much.

Giant Bomb (100/100): "It answers questions. It leaves things in a dramatically different place than they were at the start of the game. If this were to be the final game in the Gears franchise, it'd be a satisfying place to leave things."
Game Informer (95/100): "Doesn't do anything radical, not that anyone expected it to. Only the staunchest Gears haters will find much fault here, though. This is the best execution yet of an idea that spawned one of the biggest modern franchises in all of gaming. What's not to love?"
IGN (90/100): "Every third-person, cover-based shooter from here on out will likely be compared to Gears 3, and it provides a fitting and poignant-- if sometimes cheesy -- closing chapter to the trilogy...The noted hitches, design decisions and 'been-there, done-that' feel of much of the content colors the overall experience, but it certainly didn't keep me from having one hell of a good time."
Eurogamer (80/100): "In its multiplayer, all you could have reasonably asked for; in its visuals, new heights reached, while cracks of old age are papered over; in its story, a fitting conclusion; and in its campaign, though short of the consistent brilliance of its predecessor, a mostly rousing and memorable spectacle.

Gallery: Gears of War 3 (Review)

Metareview: Gears of War 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gears of War 3's 'Dust to Dust' trailer is a twangy recap of games past

David Hinkle — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:30:00 EST

This latest trailer for Gears of War 3 compiles the events of the first two games -- through the powerful, narrative combo of twangy slow jams and CGI.

Gears of War 3's 'Dust to Dust' trailer is a twangy recap of games past originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Empires Online Season Pass offers all and future available content for one price

Mike Schramm — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:20:00 EST

Now that the free-to-play Age of Empires Online MMORTS is out (and it's not all bad, apparently), let's start talking about how you can pay for it, shall we? Of course, the game is free to download, and you get the game's two empires to play with right away. But developer Gas Powered Games are working on releasing new content all the time, of course, and Microsoft has announced at Gamescom that those really interested in the game will be able to pick up a "Season Pass" that will grant access to all premium content currently available. That pass will cost $99.99, and last for the first six months of the game.

At this point, we only know about a few different content packs, and there's a deal for a free Defense of Crete Booster Pack when you buy both Premium Civs, so everything on the market right now will set you back only about $60. But keep in mind that the Season Pass lasts until February of next year, so everything Gas Powered releases before then is yours to keep. If you like the game a lot, that will probably be worth the deal.

One note of warning: Gas Powered also says that buying the Season Pass won't keep you from rebuying content accidentally, so don't forget and buy more stuff when your Christmas cards come in. But hopefully if you spend $100 on a free-to-play game, you won't really be tempted to spend any more than that, right?

Age of Empires Online Season Pass offers all and future available content for one price originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crimson Alliance trailer reveals Gnox the mercenary

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:01:00 EST

Potentially free XBLA dungeon crawler Crimson Alliance's first character trailer reveals what happens when one runs a poker scam in their world. Hint: It involves trekking into dank, dark monster-infested places fraught with danger.

Crimson Alliance trailer reveals Gnox the mercenary originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trenched guide will help you dig in against the Monovision

Mike Schramm — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 01:00:00 EST

The good folks over at XBLAFans have assembled a guide featuring everything you need to know about Trenched, Double Fine's excellent shooter/tower defense/World War I/mech mashup title on XBLA. From the Achievements to all of the various unlockable mech parts and soldier gear you can find in the game, this guide has you covered. They've even put some maps together on each of the game's levels, so you can figure out exactly where and when you want to put defenses down against each incoming wave.

In other words, if you've got questions about anything in the game, the answers are right there. Now, as for any possible DLC ... well, there is going to be DLC, right, Double Fine?

Trenched guide will help you dig in against the Monovision originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alleged Dance Central 2 survey hints at potential feature list

Mike Schramm — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST

Pretty dark days over at Harmonix recently, but apparently the developer isn't letting the gloom get to its creativity. Kotaku says it has in its possession an email survey from Microsoft Games Studios containing a nice long list of possible features for Dance Central 2, the sequel that's been in "pre-production" since last year.

The suggestions run the gamut, from the ability to create custom dances and play as backup dancers -- or even singers! -- to more convenient features like the ability to replay certain sequences or get more specific feedback on your dancing. The survey is also said to mention a number of new game types, including a possible "fitness mode" and a number of online / offline multiplayer contests. Players may be able to connect socially, either through the game itself as Xbox Live Avatars or video silhouettes, or through social networks by sharing video and photos of their dancing.

~~If you've received the survey in question, drop us a line at~~ ~~tips@joystiq.com~~ ~~and attach a screenshot of it. Doing so will have us dancing with gratitude!~~ Thanks to Spencer for the screengrabs below!

Gallery: Dance Central 2 survey

Alleged Dance Central 2 survey hints at potential feature list originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Full House Poker preview: Know when to hold 'em

Mike Schramm — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST

After leaks about the secret beta appeared way back in November, Microsoft finally unveiled its Full House Poker game during an event at CES this past week, and I sat down with members of the gaming press (and celebrity guest Shannon Elizabeth) to run the Xbox Live Arcade poker title through its paces.

The rumors of the game being part of 1 vs. 100's legacy are true. "This is pretty much a spiritual successor" to the popular-in-certain-circles event-based massively multiplayer arcade title, says lead designer John Scott Tynes. But rather than a snappy trivia game show, this is definitely a Texas Hold'em poker game -- there's no celebrity hosts or mob members here. If you don't know your straight flush from your two pair, ace high, the game does have a tutorial to teach you the basic rules, but you'll have to find your own way to figuring out when and how to go all-in.

Gallery: Full House Poker (XBLA)

Continue reading Full House Poker preview: Know when to hold 'em

Full House Poker preview: Know when to hold 'em originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phil Spencer confident in Kinect: It's 'fundamentally different' from PlayStation Move

David Hinkle — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST

Just a few weeks before Kinect's retail launch, Microsoft hosted an event in San Francisco to celebrate the much-anticipated new hardware. There we spoke with Microsoft Game Studios VP Phil Spencer not only about the hands-free camera peripheral, but also the company's success with the "Xbox 360 S" console refresh, Ubisoft's strong Kinect launch lineup and, of course, the PlayStation Move.

Continue reading Phil Spencer confident in Kinect: It's 'fundamentally different' from PlayStation Move

Phil Spencer confident in Kinect: It's 'fundamentally different' from PlayStation Move originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Shadow Complex

Xav de Matos — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST

In many ways, Shadow Complex finds itself in similar standing as Rock Band and Guitar Hero; it's a style of game Konami has left for its competitors to refine and perfect. Taking its cues from the Metroids and Castlevanias of the world, the Xbox Live Arcade-exclusive title was able to stand out in 2009, regardless of its forgettable storyline and poorly constructed characters. As an overall experience, Shadow Complex was the best downloadable experience of 2009 -- and one of the year's overall best, for that matter.

Shadow Complex is a prime example of a developer -- in this case, Chair -- designing a game best suited for its platform and skyrocketing past expectations. It proves that 2D exploration and adventure can still have a meaningful impact if approached correctly. Sadly, Konami has decided against bringing new Castlevania experiences of this style to consoles and only now (since 2004's Metroid: Zero Mission) has Nintendo decided to return Samus closer to her roots in the upcoming Metroid: Other M (another game revealed at E3 2009).

It's no surprise that Shadow Complex resonated with us (hell, we dedicated quite a bit of time to the game), and while we weren't left mouth-agape at its originality, the entire experience left us craving more. We have yet to satisfy that craving, as no additional content has been delivered for the game since its August 19, 2009 debut.

Beyond its excellent blend of shooting and platforming, and its tremendous value (only $15!), Shadow Complex stands out as one of the best experiences we've had all year. It simultaneously resurrected our love of the 2D exploration genre and our inner speedrun freak, and is a testament to the maturity of the download space on consoles within the last few years. We hope the franchise will be with us for the long haul.

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Joystiq's Top 10 of 2009: Shadow Complex originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on: Halo 3: ODST Campaign

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:52:00 EST

Wait. What? You mean ... My thought was suspended as I, the Rookie, was deployed in a one-man pod from a warship in orbit over New Mombasa. Here we go: I'm now an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper.

While "shock" troops denote the shocking of an enemy force, I was the one shocked. Halo 3: ODST immediately chucks its Rookie into unknown territory. You mean, the tutorial level is not a corridor crawler through a spaceship?

After a rough insertion, I awoke six hours later, dangling precariously above New Mombasa's streets. This is the night-cast world we'd seen at E3. Bungie calls this map "the hub," the open-world environment through which the player accesses campaign missions (portrayed as flashbacks). "Film noir" is another term we've heard, and it's a reference to atmospheric elements, like New Mombasa's glowing-red dim, smoky streets and its jazzy background cuts; rather than a classic plot outline that goes something like: handsome good guy led astray by beautiful femme fatale. There is, though, a mystery to unravel.

Continue reading Hands-on: Halo 3: ODST Campaign

Hands-on: Halo 3: ODST Campaign originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadow Complex sets week-one sales record

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:40:00 EST

That's, um, sales of single-player games (multiplayer ones don't count!). And, uh, you know, we're just talking about Xbox Live Arcade titles -- not that clarifying this awfully specific sales record is an attempt to take away from the much-deserved success of Chair's excellent Shadow Complex or the 200,000-plus downloaders (much of the Joystiq staff included) who didn't wait long to cash in 1200.

Still, we're not going to label Shadow Complex's sales Achievement(R) (as Microsoft does) the "New Era of Downloadable Games." It takes far too much effort to produce a decent Metroidvania experience than it does a mediocre dual-stick shooter, after all.

We will, however, join in on the not-so-subtle peer pressuring. Seriously, you still haven't purchased Shadow Complex? Shame on you. (So ... just direct deposit that check, cool? Thanks Microsoft!)

Gallery: Shadow Complex

Shadow Complex sets week-one sales record originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spoiler Warning: Shadow Complex secrets and strategies

Xav de Matos — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST

With Shadow Complex closing out the second Summer of Arcade today, the Joystiq crew has been hard at work compiling a series of videos and images to help would-be explorers unlock the secrets of Chair Entertainment's latest adventure.

Of course (as the headline would indicate) this feature is filled to the brim with spoilers and strategies necessary to unlock some of Shadow Complex's many secrets. If you're looking for a Shadow Complex news fix, this isn't the feature for you ... but if you want to know where (and how) to find most of the game's hidden gems, jump in.

Gallery: Shadow Complex

Continue reading Spoiler Warning: Shadow Complex secrets and strategies

Spoiler Warning: Shadow Complex secrets and strategies originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Shadow Complex (XBLA)

Christopher Grant — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:15:00 EST

Let's get this out of the way: You'll need to forgive Shadow Complex its generic trappings. For one of the most hyped elements of the production, author Orson Scott Card's contributions are underwhelming. The hero (everyman Jason Fleming but let's call him ... Nathan Bourne) and the story are both entirely forgettable; however, the real star of the game comes from the other half of this collaboration: the gameplay. Put simply, Shadow Complex is the easiest Xbox Live Arcade recommendation I can make and one of the best games of the year.

Gallery: Shadow Complex

Continue reading Review: Shadow Complex (XBLA)

Review: Shadow Complex (XBLA) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadow Complex Achievements arrive with a handful of screens, new trailer

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST

Will Shadow Complex be this year's Bionic Commando: Rearmed -- ya know, minus all that direct nostalgia? Between the 2D platforming, arsenal of weapons, huge bosses, and frosted camera lens, it's getting harder and harder for us not to draw the comparison. One thing the new gameplay you see above features that BC:R lacked? Jumping! (Thankfully!)

An Achievement for melee kills (find the whole list after the break) helps to assuage our concerns of, well, not having a robot arm -- though anyone with half a brain knows that third-party human being parts beat out melee weapons every time. Hopefully the extra $5 for Shadow Complex over BC:R means those weapons are really sharp when you check them out on August 19.

Gallery: Shadow Complex (7/21/09)

Continue reading Shadow Complex Achievements arrive with a handful of screens, new trailer

Shadow Complex Achievements arrive with a handful of screens, new trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadow Complex script penned by comic book scribe Peter David

Randy Nelson — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:15:00 EST

Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studios are ramping up for the impending release of Chair Entertainment's Shadow Complex on XBLA, today revealing that the game's script was written by Eisner Award winning author Peter David. David has worked on various comic book titles for numerous imprints, but is probably best known for his run on The Incredible Hulk. He currently writes She-Hulk and X-Factor for Marvel.

The script for Shadow Complex is adapted from work by sci-fi author and visionary Orson Scott Card, whose 2006 novel, Empire, is based on the game's universe and an original concept by game designer Donald Mustard. David has written a story that parallels the events of the novel, which itself focuses on a future American civil war. We recently saw the game in action and wrote up our impressions.

David, Mustard and Epic's Cliff Bleszinski will be on-hand at next week's San Diego Comic-Con to promote the game, which hits the Xbox Live Marketplace on August 19.

Shadow Complex script penned by comic book scribe Peter David originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Impressions: Shadow Complex

Randy Nelson — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST

With just a little more than a month to go before the game hits the Xbox Live Marketplace, today we got a look at more of Chair Entertainment and Epic Games' love letter to Super Metroid, a.k.a Shadow Complex. We'd journeyed through some of the same in-game territory during E3, but this latest glimpse was geared more towards getting into gameplay we didn't really get a good look at then.

For starters, we witnessed several nods to the stealth-oriented gameplay of Metal Gear Solid (the game also draws on Kojima's classic series for artistic inspiration). In one area, designer Donald Mustard -- an avid fan of the 2D action-adventure who hopes his game kick-starts a new trend among his fellow developers -- guided his hero past moving floodlights and security cameras which, if not avoided, would have locked down the area requiring players to find an alternate path through. Stealth kills have also made their way into the game and even work on smaller robots, who, like human enemies, are fair game as long as players aren't in their line of sight.

Gallery: Shadow Complex

Continue reading Impressions: Shadow Complex

Impressions: Shadow Complex originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadow Complex likely won't be less than $20

David Hinkle — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST

While checking in with Epic's upcoming Xbox Live Arcade title Shadow Complex again today, we were given a nice little tidbit of info from Epic programmer Rob McLaughlin. While playing through the game's introductory level, we casually asked about a price for Unreal Engine 3-fueled shmup, to which Rob replied that the title would likely not see price point below $20. We grilled hm for more info, but, sadly, he couldn't accommodate us.

Shadow Complex likely won't be less than $20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadow Complex has stat trackers beyond Achievements

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:05:00 EST

Shadow Complex, the XBLA game from Chair and Epic that's two parts Metroid and one part Castlevania (even Cliff Bleszinski noted it was a "Metroidvania" title), has a robust stat tracking system behind the scenes. Beyond the standard Xbox Live Achievements, the game also tracks things like headshots with "Your head a-splode."

The 10-15 hour title is meant to be accessible to those who casually played titles like Super Metroid, but it's definitely being designed to appeal to speed-runners. There will be unlockables in the game for playing with only a certain weapon or beating the game under a certain amount of time. Chair's Donald Mustard told us there's a special unlockable for beating the game in under two hours*. Our theory: Marcus Fenix skin for the main character.

*Update: MTV Multiplayer has more details on the 2-hour speed run (one of several "Master Challenges"), which has been dubbed "Jason Bailey" -- an obvious homage to Metroid's skivvies code, JUSTIN BAILEY. New theory: Scantily clad Marcus skin unlocked.

Gallery: Shadow Complex

Shadow Complex has stat trackers beyond Achievements originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on: Shadow Complex not too complex, very familiar

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:45:00 EST

click to power-up

Let there be absolutely no doubt that Chair Entertainment's Shadow Complex is heavily inspired by 2D exploration games of yore, namely Metroid and Castlevania. The Xbox Live representative that guided our hands-on demo used the word "Metroid" no less than 437 times (slight exaggeration). The game is 2D, it doles out power-ups gradually and contains plenty of exploration and action. Let's be clear about this: That is absolutely not a bad thing.

Gallery: Shadow Complex

Continue reading Hands-on: Shadow Complex not too complex, very familiar

Hands-on: Shadow Complex not too complex, very familiar originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadow Complex: Metroid meets Contra and HAS A BABY

David Hinkle — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:30:00 EST

When Epic's Cliff Bleszinski hit the stage sans Lancer at Microsoft's E3 keynote, many at both the Microsoft keynote and here at the Joystiq mobile HQ wondered what Epic was up to. Then, we noticed he was accompanied by Chair Entertainment's Donald Mustard, and we caught our first glimpse of Shadow Complex, a game with heavy amounts of influence from 2D titles such as Metroid and Contra, with a splash of its own unique 3D action, making this a project all its own. For an XBLA title, it has an incredible amount of polish, and we're sure the price will reflect that when it releases this summer.

Gallery: Shadow Complex

Shadow Complex: Metroid meets Contra and HAS A BABY originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic Games' next is Shadow Complex for Xbox Live Arcade

David Hinkle — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:12:00 EST

Epic's Cliff Bleszinski just took the stage at Microsoft's E3 keynote and revealed Shadow Complex, a new game for Xbox Live Arcade in collaboration with Chair Entertainment, the folks behind XBLA title Undertow. Mixing elements from titles such as Contra and Super Metroid, the game is a 2D title infused with slick 3D graphics. Big guns and big enemies are the name of the game here, as Bleszinski promises big boss battles and a summer release for the title.

Epic Games' next is Shadow Complex for Xbox Live Arcade originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even more of your Halo Wars questions answered

Dustin Burg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:07:00 EST

Technightly posted an extensive Halo Wars Q&A that aims to answer some common and rather peculiar game-related inquiries. The list of 74 questions covers topics from UNSC and Covenant unit details, to the explanation of Flood's involvement in multiplayer. If there's a random Halo Wars question in need of answering, reading through this informative Q&A would be a good place to start. Then again, one could wait a week for the game's retail release to become an all-knowing Halo Wars expert.

[Thanks, Mills]

Even more of your Halo Wars questions answered originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Design studio leaks Forza 3 artwork

Ross Miller — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Driving

click to embiggen

This has been making the rounds for a couple of weeks now, but in case you missed it over the holidays, Kaarbo Design owner Noah Kaarbo allegedly let slip (and then promptly removed, but not before Google cached it) some of the sample work his company had done for Forza developer Turn 10 Studios and -- cue the fake surprise -- Forza 3.

Community site Forzacentral managed to grab all four posters, which are said to be samples of what could have appeared on the race selection screen. Of course, this doesn't confirm the existence of another Forza game per se, but should Microsoft Games Studios decide to maybe revisit the successful racing franchise, it looks like it already has a logo to use.

Gallery: Forza 3 - Leaked Artwork

[Via X3F]

Rumor: Design studio leaks Forza 3 artwork originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rare to fix Banjo-Kazooie's text issues after all

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Hastily abandoning an ill-advised plan to include a magnifying glass with every purchase of the game, Rare has resolved to solve reported text issues in its build-a-bear's-car adventure, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. After stating that the in-game text, allegedly illegible on standard-definition television sets, would be "too expensive in terms of time, resources and money to alter," the company has committed to releasing a correctional title update within the next 30 days.

This is "good news for everyone," according to a post on the developer's website. "Including us, as we would actually like people to enjoy our game and not revile us with a fiery passion." There you have it, internet. You may now return to being angry about other things, like Banjo's square nose.

Rare to fix Banjo-Kazooie's text issues after all originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F TV -- Gears of War 2: Flashback Map Pack

Xav de Matos — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: X3F TV, Gears of War 2

Tomorrow, one of the most anticipated titles of the year ships with a sizable bonus regardless of which version you pick up. On top of the ten included multiplayer maps in Gears of War 2, Epic Games has included a download code within each new copy of the game to download five additional maps. Taken from the original Gears of War, the Flashback Map Pack not only adds a dose of nostalgia to the Gears of War 2 multiplayer experience but it keeps the action fresh with new designs for each of the maps in the pack.

The waters of Canals have been frozen, Gridlock has been taken over by lush vegetation, Tyro Station seems to have had an upgrade in tech, Mansion appears more abandoned than ever before and Subway had dried up and now rains pieces of ash from the ongoing war.

Want to see the changes for yourself, in action? Check out our video that includes footage from the in-game Battle Camera.

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X3F TV -- Gears of War 2: Flashback Map Pack originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft exec. sends breakup letter to Ensemble

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

GI.biz got a hold of the letter sent out by Phil Spencer, big cheese of Microsoft Games Studios, to the staff about the closure of Ensemble Studios. He explains that the closure isn't Ensemble's fault, it's Microsoft's; the company just needs to grow, and is "accountable for making tradeoffs and the right level of investments that will drive profit and future growth."

Of course, like any good break-up, Spencer still wants to be friends with the newly dejected. He says that Microsoft will try to pick up any employees not moving on to the new company being started by Ensemble's leadership team. Spencer emphasizes in the letter that Microsoft is still heavily invested in making video games, but is looking to put the money where it can get "the most ROI" (return on investment) -- and yet, Rare survives? We'll take that to mean Microsoft wasn't getting the bang for its buck from RTS-developer Ensemble.

Microsoft exec. sends breakup letter to Ensemble originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rare: No plans for Viva Pinata DLC, working on 'something new'

Christopher Grant — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:27:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360

Worried that game dev Rare lost its knack for shooting stuff, taking a prolonged three-game detour through kiddie-town? First Viva Piñata, now Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise and Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, but what of the Goldeneyes and the Perfect Darks and the Conkers? In a (lengthy!) Q&A with Rare's Justin Cook, Trouble in Paradise's lead designer, says the team doesn't have "any plans for DLC" and "are taking a break from VP for a while to make something new."

Of course, Mr. Cook doesn't elaborate on what that "something new" may be, but it would appear we can safely cross "Viva Pinata DLC" off the list of anything else possible in the world. The rest of the three-page interview is chockablock with details on the new game so, if you're really curious about those new pinata races, hit up that Source link.

Rare: No plans for Viva Pinata DLC, working on 'something new' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Wednesday: Schizoid and Golf: Tee It Up! tee off on XBLA

Randy Nelson — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Sports, Casual

We've been covering Schizoid, the first home-grown XNA game to hit XBLA, since this time last year. Now it's finally ~~blasting~~ bumping its way onto the Marketplace, unique gameplay mechanic in tow. Priced at 800 MS points ($10), the game is entirely co-op centric, tasking players with ramming their ship (or ships, should they feel up to the dual-ship-controlling "Überschizoid" mode's challenge) into enemies of the same color. Play with another Live user or let the CPU control ship two.

Super Stardust HD developer Housemarque brings Golf: Tee It Up! to XBLA ... and an incredible likeness to Sony's Hot Shots Golf franchise to mind. Endless rounds of this golf game for beginners and seasoned vets alike (dare we say it's "golf for everyone"?) will set you back 800 MS points ($10).

Gallery: Schizoid (XBLA)

Gallery: Golf: Tee It Up!

This Wednesday: Schizoid and Golf: Tee It Up! tee off on XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Schizoid, Soulcalibur pages appear on Xbox.com

Justin McElroy — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Fighting

Our frenemies at Xbox 360 Fanboy have noticed an interesting trend: Pages appear for games at Xbox.com, then they're the next XBLA games released. Seriously, it's happened twice. If we're in for a repeat performance, you can expect fighting classic Soulcalibur and former XNA title Schizoid to appear on the service next week, as pages for both have been discovered on the site.

As developer Torpex has already said Schizoid is due next month, which would lend a little credence to the rumor, though Soulcalibur remains a wild card. The the suspense is all but unbearable, but at least we know it will end Monday when the real additions are revealed.

Source -- Schizoid
Source -- Soulcalibur

Gallery: Schizoid (XBLA)

Gallery: Soulcalibur (XBLA)

Schizoid, Soulcalibur pages appear on Xbox.com originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prepare for sploderific Schizoid-phrenia this July

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360

The sploderific XBLA game Schizoid will release in July according to developer Torpex Games. Judging by the latest image in the gallery below, the co-op omni-directional ~~shooter~~ knock-into-er appears to have been cleaned up quite a bit since we last saw videos back in December. Guess we'll just have to wait another month to find out how significant the upgrades are.

Gallery: Schizoid (XBLA)

Prepare for sploderific Schizoid-phrenia this July originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shane Kim on Marvel Universe Online MMO cancellation

Christopher Grant — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:15:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, MMO

During a dinner on Monday night with Microsoft's Shane Kim and Kudo Tsunoda, we got the chance to quiz the former about Microsoft Game Studios' rationale for abandoning Marvel Universe Online MMO. After years in development, the console-bound MMO died a slow and painful (-ly vague) death. The culprit: Kim tells us, "We don't have a heritage in MMOs."

Of course, previous experience isn't a necessary ingredient in success (fun fact: World of Warcraft is Blizzard's first MMO!) and after rattling off the forces Microsoft could marshal in its pursuit of bringing an MMO to the Xbox - financial resources, first-party console support, a robust online component, a proven developer, a stellar license - Kim agreed. "All those reasons are why we started the project." But MUO still failed to make it to market, recalling Microsoft's many previous attempts to successfully deliver and sustain an MMO: Asheron's Call 2, Mythica, the console-targeted True Fantasy Online, and Vanguard (read more here). At what point will the company give up, consider its lesson learned? "I would never say we're done," Kim said confidently.

So why does Kim think a company with Microsoft's significant resources continues to fail to bring an MMO to market? "It's a hits-driven business ... it's all about quality, all about hits." But he's not ready to give up yet. He says Microsoft has "learned the lesson" that it takes a lot of people to create and serve an MMO (good lesson!) and that he's reminded of how little success its had in the MMO space. In other words: MMO-icrosoft hopefuls shouldn't fret. The corporate behemoth will undoubtedly try again. How many lessons could there possible be left to learn?

Shane Kim on Marvel Universe Online MMO cancellation originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 May 2008 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Schizoid video is kind of puzzling

Justin McElroy — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:40:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Video

You may remember Schizoid as the first game set to officially make the jump from the XNA platform to the Xbox Live Arcade. Now, a snippet of video has emerged to help you put some gameplay to a name, as it were. Just because we've seen the game now though doesn't mean we're any closer to understanding it.

It's a puzzle, really. We were all ready to dismiss it as just another multi-directional shooter until we noticed that there's no actual shooting. It appears that red and blue Spider-Man chest emblems are trying to destroy similarly-colored lobsters by tackling them to death. Ah well, thank goodness for demos.

Schizoid video is kind of puzzling originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview - Rise of Legends

Alan Rose — Mon, 22 May 2006 22:58:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Online, Strategy, Metareviews

The double-edged sword of success must have weighed heavily on the minds of Brian Reynolds and his creative team at Big Huge Games. In developing Rise of Legends, they were faced with the challenging, yet unenviable task of following up the game's hit predecessor, Rise of Nations.

So what do you do for an encore? First, retain Nations' user-friendly interface, and then overcompensate for some poor audio choices by introducing three oddly original, and exceptionally balanced races. Those looking for a unique twist on traditional RTS civilizations will appreciate Legends' blend of classic fantasy, myth, and technology, as well as the visual quality Big Huge has become known for.

1UP (90/100) gives kudos for balance and diversity among the Vinci, Alin, and Coutl races: "Whereas Rise of Nations had a bunch of historic civilizations with relatively minor distinctions in their units and technology, Rise of Legends throws only three races into the fury, but they're both unique and incredibly well balanced."
IGN (82/100) likes a good fight in campaign mode: "The AI is generally very good. The enemy knows how to use its hero units and, though it still suffers from the trickle tactics of most RTS' AI, it can still manage to put together a sizable enough force to make you break a sweat. If the challenge level isn't just right, you can actually adjust the game's difficultly at any point during the campaign."
Gamespot (76/100) warns of a potentially difficult transition from standard RTS fare: "Each of the civilizations is so offbeat that there are no reference points, no similarities to RTS conventions that you can latch onto and use to dip a toe into the weirdness. The story in the campaign is decidedly convoluted, as well."

[via Metacritic]

Metareview - Rise of Legends originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 May 2006 22:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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