Joystiq

Classic Syndicate infiltrates GOG on Jan. 19, asks how to conquer world first

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EST

Syndicate, the original title of twisted corporate greed and cyberpunk inhumanity, is hitting GOG on Thursday, Jan. 19 for $5.99. GOG's Syndicate will come with the game manual, artwork and avatars, but until it's officially released GOG is having a little dystopian fun.

Ten players can win a copy of Syndicate by forming the best team of four people -- yourself and three others, real or imaginary, dead, alive or not born yet -- to lead the DRM-free revolution as the world's largest Syndicate. Just drop a description of your team in the GOG comments before 7 a.m. EST on Jan. 19 for a chance to prove yourself in the corrupt corporate world.

Classic Syndicate infiltrates GOG on Jan. 19, asks how to conquer world first originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Populous and Ultima IV hit GOG -- and Ultima's free

JC Fletcher — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST

Interested in being the master of a whole world -- or being a total slave to the rules of one? Two games newly added to GOG's DRM-free lineup will let you experience both. Populous lets you build a world and a civilization, and then ... you know, unleash natural disasters upon it.

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar puts you in the role of a hero who must save the land of Britannia while adhering strictly to eight virtues. Thrift isn't one of those virtues, but it's still something you can practice with this game, as GOG is giving it away for free! If you want to pay for some Ultimas, the first three are also up.

Populous and Ultima IV hit GOG -- and Ultima's free originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Magic Carpet rides to Good Old Games

JC Fletcher — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:15:00 EST

As a contrast to the disappointing recent news about an EA game disappearing from an online store, here's a story about one being added. The last of the six EA games announced for addition to Good Old Games is now available: Bullfrog's 1994 first-person upholstery flight game Magic Carpet. The others include Wing Commander: Privateer, Dungeon Keeper, Ultima Underworld 1+2, Crusader: No Remorse, and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. More unannounced EA games are expected, for a total of "more than 25."

If you wanted to spend your weekend sitting on a carpet tossing fire around, for the sake of your family and neighbors spend the $6 to do so in this game.

Magic Carpet rides to Good Old Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peter Molyneux's 'FeedMe' is a 256-player Populous pet project

Randy Nelson — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:20:00 EST

After taking a trip back through the development of his first game, Populous, at GDC today, Lionhead's Peter Molyneux revealed that he's actually still working on the game. Programmed by Molyneux in his spare time, "FeedMe" is a 256-player version of the original Commodore Amiga title -- and the audience for his presentation got a rare look at it.

Showing if off wasn't easy. Molyneux had to compile the Visual C++ code, encountered a fatal error and sucessfully debugged it. The result: a very basic, high-res Populous world map with almost no user interface. In the course of watching this, we realized that the famed designer has only one game in the taskbar on his computer: Minecraft -- which, when you think about it, does draw inspiration from Molyneux's world-manipulation-based classic.

Peter Molyneux's 'FeedMe' is a 256-player Populous pet project originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESRB: Magic Carpet, Sorcerer's Maze materializing on PS3 and PSP

JC Fletcher — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST

Last week, Xbox 360 owners got the first look at Fable 3, the newest Peter Molyneux game. Don't feel left out, members of the PlayStation Family -- you've got your own Molyneux game on the way! An old one!

The ESRB has rated the PlayStation version of Magic Carpet for release on PS3 and PSP, meaning it'll join last week's release of Populous: The Beginning as PSOne Classics at some point in the future. Why settle for being a king when, for the low price of $5.99, you could be a wizard on a flying carpet!

If that doesn't grab you, you'll also be able to pick up Sorcerer's Maze at some point. While not a Molyneux game (it's a low-budget Arkanoid-style game published by XS Games) it is also about a sorcerer (not sure about the "maze" part). And how can you refuse that box art, even in a digital version with no box?

ESRB: Magic Carpet, Sorcerer's Maze materializing on PS3 and PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA studio boss would love to revisit Bullfrog IP; EA renews Bullfrog trademarks

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST

In an interview with Kikizo, EA's Bright Light Studio head, Harvey Elliot, mentioned that he would "love" to work on old Bullfrog Productions properties like Populous and Theme Park. Elliot cautiously noted that Bullfrog's classics were "right for their time, and the trick with those games is coming up with what's right for the time now." In other words, he's not entirely keen on "just a 'remake' or something."

With a new edition of Bullfrog's Syndicate rumored to be in production at Starbreeze Studios, one might conclude that Harvey isn't the only one at EA looking for "what's right for the time now." And one might conclude even harder when database digger Superannuation finds that Electronic Arts has filed new trademarks for Populous, Theme Park, Wing Commander and Road Rash. Pure speculation? Yes. Highly desirable? Also yes.

Source -- Why there's hope for Bullfrog IP returning [Kikizo]
Source -- Superannuation

EA studio boss would love to revisit Bullfrog IP; EA renews Bullfrog trademarks originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumorang: Riddick dev helming new Syndicate game

Jason Dobson — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:45:00 EST

A new report suggests that Starbreeze Studios is working on a new Syndicate game, with Electronic Arts set to publish. Word of the Riddick and The Darkness dev's involvement with the title first made the rounds last October. Possibly related is a new casting call posted on superannuation for actors in an upcoming "futuristic" Starbreeze/EA title called "DART," which according to the post will be set in a "high tech city."

Though nothing has been formally announced, sources tell GI.biz that the Syndicate series is behind EA and Starbreeze's mysterious Project RedLime, which was originally referred to as a "classic franchise" for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

While that project was said to be "already deep in development" in February 2008, don't expect to revisit the classic cyberpunk series anytime soon. According to the report, the new Syndicate title won't be released until Starbreeze finishes up its current project based on Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne. Until then, the four gentlemen in the corner giving us the crazy eyes will just have to wait.

Rumorang: Riddick dev helming new Syndicate game originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: EA has Starbreeze working on new Syndicate

Alexander Sliwinski — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Business

CVG claims that EA has Starbreeze Studios working on a new entry in the Syndicate franchise. Starbreeze is best known for creating the Chronicles of Riddick and The Darkness. The original Syndicate was created by Peter Molyneux's old studio, Bullfrog.

Starbreeze doesn't note that a new Syndicate game is currently in production on its website and this information isn't official. A return to the Syndicate universe does sound like a nice idea, so hopefully CVG's source isn't the same one that told it about the Starcraft MMO last year.

[Via Big Download]

Rumor: EA has Starbreeze working on new Syndicate originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Expendables: Guns blazing, everything exploding

Eric Caoili — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Video, Screens

Following Most Wanted Entertainment's unveiling of Mechanic Master, IGN investigated the Hungarian studio's site and dug up an interesting squad-based shooter in development -- The Expendables. Using the touchscreen, players guide "the world's lamest international private army" through 35 missions, blowing up almost everything in sight.

As you can see in the trailer and screenshots, this doesn't look like the most polished game, but the character sprites (and the buzz-saw tractor) definitely have some charm to them. The Expendables actually reminds us of a faster-paced Syndicate. You remember Bullfrog's Syndicate, right? That series was tight.

MWE hasn't yet announced whether it has managed to pick up a publisher for the title. We have a feeling that if the studio ever does find one, it will have to find a more useful implementation for the top screen. Not that skulls laughing and machine guns spitting out bullet casings aren't totally awesome.

[Via IGN]

The Expendables: Guns blazing, everything exploding originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lionhead's Molyneux open to revisiting his past catalog

Jason Dobson — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:00:00 EST

Filed under: Retro, Microsoft Xbox 360

Though his vision usually outstrips his games' technical prowess, super developer Peter Molyneux is still responsible for some the most unique gaming experiences ever put to code. He's let us soar through the air on an enchanted rug, mow down civilians in a near-future dystopia, and has even let us play god once or twice.

Unfortunately, after having the distinct 'pleasure' of being absorbed by larger studios on two separate occasions, many of his most memorable creations have since been left to the pages of history. Even so, while Molyneux is currently courting players with his canine-friendly Fable 2, he recently told Shacknews that he's open to revisiting his earlier games, particularly Syndicate.

"I really would love to redo a version of Syndicate," he commented, adding that while he has not been given the go ahead to knock the dust off his past achievements, "one day, I'm sure that opportunity is going to come up and I'd love to do it." Of course, he's said this all before, but we continue to hold out hope. In a world filled with one mundane first-person shooter after the next, we could really use another Magic Carpet.

Lionhead's Molyneux open to revisiting his past catalog originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Build a fanboy paradise in Populous DS

JC Fletcher — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Screens, Imports

The civilizations you build in Populous DS can grow in different areas of the Populous world, developing wildly different cultures. Famitsu has revealed these cultures and the warriors produced by each. By far the most interesting area you can build is the Nintendo-themed land of Bitplane, in which buildings are gigantic Nintendo consoles and the inhabitants are made of pixel-like cubes. Basically, it's just like our minds, except that we assume useful work gets done within its confines.

Our other favorite new location is Mars -- not because we hate liquid water (apparently the denizens are grateful for tsunamis), but because it is protected by caped superheroes. And also because we're just going to assume that the cities are full of circa-1990 Spike Lees.

Build a fanboy paradise in Populous DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Populous: Demon days

JC Fletcher — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Screens, Imports

In Populous DS, you do your society-building stuff as one of five elemental gods. Each god has a counterpart demon who comes by and gets all up in your business (which is civilization). These demons look similar to the player's god characters, but all evil and such. For example, the plant goddess looks like she's dressed in greenery, while the plant demon has all kinds of twisted tendrils and stuff coming out of her arms. The rest of the demons, similarly, look fit for inclusion on a Dio album cover.

To combat these celestial jerks, and to help shape your land, your character has access to special elemental "miracles." These include earthquakes, gusts of wind, and even a mass growth of mushrooms that can be used to cure viruses.

GAME Watch has character art of all the demons, along with screens that show the effects of the miracles. It's still Populous, so think more "the grid looking just like it always does, but some squares turn a different color" and less "amazing graphical effects."

Populous: Demon days originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First clear look at Populous DS

JC Fletcher — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Screens, Imports

Hey, awesome! A Marble Madness level generator for the DS! ... Oh, wait, no, it's just Populous DS. That's okay too, we suppose. It's just ... it looks a lot like Marble Madness, and we like Marble Madness in general better than strategy-type sim games where you build OH HEY look at that guy! He's pretty impressive!

Does anyone else find it interesting that Japanese publications get the scoops on this game? It's a remake of a very Western game from a very Western developer, published by EA! But so far, the only release date the game has is the Japanese date of December 31st. It could be that a Japanese EA team is porting it -- or maybe EA wants to give us plenty of time with EA Playground before announcing another big game.

First clear look at Populous DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First blurry look at Populous DS

Eric Caoili — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Screens, Imports

Almost two months since its game was announced, Electronic Arts has finally published tangible details and the first screenshots for Populous DS in this week's issue of Famitsu.

Due next February 21st, this remake of the god game will feature both touchscreen and classic controls, though these isometric sims seem to lend themselves to the former. In addition to four different modes -- Challenge, Free Play, VS (up to four players, and Gallery -- Populous DS will come packed with popular maps from its many, many previous editions on PCs and consoles. Peek past the post break for a camera-phone shot of the Famitsu page.

Continue reading First blurry look at Populous DS

First blurry look at Populous DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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