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Bioshock 2 coming to Japan, courtesy of D3 Publisher

by David Hinkle { Nov 30th 2009 at 6:00PM }

Good news, Japan! D3 Publisher is localizing Bioshock 2 for you and, this time around, you won't have to wait that long to get your ADAM-soaked hands on it. Andriasang reports D3 Publisher will release the 2K Marin, et al.–developed sequel sometime in early 2010 -- presumably close to the February 9 US release date. We just hope the new Japanese ad campaign dials back the completely frightening a bit.

Puzzle Quest 2 coming to DS, XBLA in Spring 2010

by JC Fletcher { Nov 30th 2009 at 9:30AM }

Though we're confident Infinite Interactive's Puzzle Quest 2 will eventually be a mega-multiplatform release like its predecessor, D3Publisher announced that the game's roll-out will start on DS and Xbox Live Arcade. It'll be out in spring 2010, along with every other game you've ever heard of, which means that you'll now have the choice to play all those games or Puzzle Quest. They'll occupy about the same amount of time.

Puzzle Quest 2 will let players match gems as one of four new character classes: War Mage, Inquisitor, Barbarian, or Assassin, using "all-new weapons, spells, and shields." Sorry if you just got over a Puzzle Quest addiction.

Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow coming to DS in Spring 2010

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Oct 29th 2009 at 2:30PM }

If you've been dying to march Akira Toriyama-designed characters through fantasy landscapes and monster-infested dungeons, you'll be saddened to hear that Dragon Quest IX has yet to be announced for North American release. As if sensing your oddly specific yearning, D3Publisher has stepped in with a US debut for Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow.

Dubbed Blue Dragon: Ikai no Kyojuu in Japan (and published by Namco Bandai, which owns the majority of D3Publisher), the second DS entry in the Mistwalker's role-playing franchise stars a new protagonist, with gender, facial features and clothing determined by your input. Awakened Shadow is set two years after the events of the Xbox 360 game and finds Shu and the gang returning to Blue Dragon's "contemporary" RPG gameplay. Expect to upgrade weaponry, tactically change shadows and skip every scene featuring Marumaro.

Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow is scheduled for release in Spring 2010.

Matt Hazard trailers put out-of-work characters back in the game

by David Hinkle { Oct 23rd 2009 at 7:00PM }

It must be tough being a video game character. They always have to be "on" -- ready to go should we boot up our systems or pump more quarters into the machines. But what happens when we stop turning them on? A two-part trailer for the second-chance Matt Hazard: Blood Bath & Beyond (now a side-scroller!) explores the more desperate side of the digital beings we've so carelessly abused and sold back to GameStop.

Head past the break for the two trailers and see if you can spot all of the cameos! (You know it's hard times when even a certain mustached plumber can't find any work.)

Continued →

Matt Hazard returns in Blood, Bath and Beyond

by Justin McElroy { Oct 1st 2009 at 5:29PM }

click for high-res gallery ... of Matt Hazard

You probably weren't eagerly awaiting the return of self-aware game hero Matt Hazard. Oh sure, it's kind of a funny premise, but so was Ishtar and we all saw how that worked out. Besides, if you want to softly chuckle as you play a miserable game, the first Matt Hazard title is probably available for a pittance.

Regardless, we've brought you to this post to alert you to the existence Matt Hazard: Blood, Bath and Beyond now (officially) coming to XBLA and PSN. It's a really great name, but judging from the screenshot, we're assuming Darkened Structure was taken.

Gallery: Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond

There's no date like September 29 for The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

by JC Fletcher { Sep 15th 2009 at 3:15PM }

XSEED announced the release date for the localized version of RIZ-ZOAWD, now more sensibly (but less intriguingly) titled The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road. Players will be rolling Dorothy and co. around the land of Oz with a virtual trackball starting September 29. Perhaps the most noteworthy thing about that date is that it isn't Spring 2010.

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road combines the Oz setting and characters with a JRPG design, resulting in something that is, well, really weird.

Gallery: The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road (DS)

BlizzCon 2009: A hoard of Diablo 3 info

by Kevin Kelly { Aug 27th 2009 at 9:10PM }

Blizzard's playable Diablo 3 demo at this year's BlizzCon felt like a step backwards from last year's, mostly because the Rune system was removed completely. It'll be in the final game, but since Blizzard is still working on the Skills that the Runes enhance / rely on, the company said it didn't make sense to have the Runes in this time around. Bummer. It makes sense, but we still missed the bouncing, flaming skulls the Witch Doctor once issued.

Also, last year's area included a lot more dialogue, and had moodier lighting. This time we were smack dab in the middle of a giant desert, which didn't offer many chances to encounter spooky, candlelit chambers. There were a couple of dungeons you could drop down into this year, via swirling sands, but for the most part you were hoofing it around under the bright sun.

Gallery: BlizzCon 2009: Diablo 3

Continued →

Licensed game from High Voltage inspired by Bionic Commando

by JC Fletcher { Aug 14th 2009 at 11:30AM }

In addition to the Wii Astro Boy game, High Voltage Software is making a Secret Saturdays game for D3 Publisher. Like Astro Boy, which is inspired by Treasure's Astro Boy: The Omega Factor, High Voltage took cues from an excellent game when designing this children's game: Bionic Commando. The good one, that is, not the new one.

"Yes, we were playing Bionic Commando Rearmed when we were initially pitching the concept for the game to D3Publisher," producer Josh VanVeld told Siliconera. The Claw allows Zak Saturday to grapple (amongst other things), so that kind of mechanic seemed like a perfect fit and gave us the opportunity to try out a new 2D/3D hybrid camera system in our engine."

While Zak's grappling-based gameplay seems to be most prevalent, VanVeld said that there are "literally dozens of other characters, all of which have unique play styles." The mere mention of grappling was enough to get us to try a game based on a cartoon we've never watched.

[Thanks, Ed!]

XSEED clicks heels together, brings Wizard of Oz RPG to North America

by JC Fletcher { Jul 20th 2009 at 2:15PM }

A licensed Wizard of Oz game doesn't seem like the biggest news, but the fact that XSEED is publishing it is a clue that there's a little more going on than the usual licensed kids' game. In fact, The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road is a localized version of Media Vision's RIZ-ZOAWD, which is nothing less than a Wizard of Oz-themed JRPG. XSEED has partnered with original Japanese publisher D3 to bring this weird game to North America.

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road combines the Oz setting with turn-based Dragon Quest-esque combat, with certain enemies more susceptible to attacks from certain party members, and a trackball-like movement interface. You'll be able to send your flying monkeys out for it this fall.

D3 is now a subsidiary of Namco Bandai, which means that The Wizard of Oz is the fourth Namco Bandai game to be picked up by XSEED.

Gallery: The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road (DS)

D3 trademarks new Matt Hazard title

by Justin McElroy { Apr 29th 2009 at 3:20PM }

Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard was not a very good game. In fact, it kind of made our hearts hurt a little bit to play it. So, when we read that D3 had trademarked another Matt Hazard title, we were going to just let the opportunity to write about it slide by.

But that's when we read that the new title was "Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond," which really yanked the decision out of our hands. C'mon, "Blood Bath and Beyond"? That's hilarious. We're not sure if it's for the "retro" XBLA/PSN Matt Hazard game announced in February or a new sequel, but either way, a great name. ... Not that we'll play it.

Puzzle Quest: Galactrix beams down to XBLA on April 8 [update]

by Justin McElroy { Apr 2nd 2009 at 10:14AM }

We take no pleasure in admitting that Puzzle Quest: Galactrix on the DS was a poorly designed, loading-time-riddled heart breaker. So, it's with no small amount of trepidation and a modicum of hope that we report the XBLA version of the game will arrive on April 8 for ~~an undisclosed price~~. [Update: Just heard back from D3. Galactrix will run you 1600 points, or $20.]

Though its DS counterpart hurt us and hurt us badly, we're hoping that the XBLA version fares much, much better. We're not sure all the problems can be fixed by porting the game to a different box, but we'd love nothing more than to be proven wrong.

Gallery: Puzzle Quest: Galactrix (XBLA/DS/PC)

Continued →

Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard launch trailer

by Richard Mitchell { Feb 23rd 2009 at 11:00PM }

There is one overriding fear present as we watch the Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard launch trailer. It's clear that the developers are attempting to create a parody of some of gaming's most tired stereotypes. That's a neat concept, and one we can get behind. The fear is that if the game doesn't have decent gameplay -- a likely possibility at this point -- all the humor in the world doesn't matter. Without fun gameplay, you see, all you're left with is a title full of gaming's most tired stereotypes.

At least the trailers are funny, though.

Xbox.com lists Puzzle Quest Galactrix for Feb. 25

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 17th 2009 at 2:45PM }

Xbox.com has updated its previous listing of Puzzle Quest Galactrix to note a February 25 release date. If this date holds, it means the XBLA version will not require a six-month wait again, arriving in XBLA's virtual retail space around the same time as the DS and PC versions.

We contacted publisher D3 and the company could not confirm the date nor pricing at this time. For those who still haven't tried Galactrix, the follow-up to multi-platform sleeper hit Puzzle Quest, there's always the Flash-based demo available. However, we recommend anyone with addictive personality traits not come within a parsec of the title.

[Via GameBytes]

D3 throwing Puzzle Quest: Galactrix launch event -- and you could be there

by Randy Nelson { Feb 13th 2009 at 4:30PM }

What? The public being allowed into a game's launch event? We've never heard of such a thing. Okay, maybe we have. So has D3 Publisher, who is going to let the first 100 Joystiq readers that RSVP to PQGalactrixRSVP@d3p.us celebrate the release of its latest ~~controlled substance~~ Puzzle Quest game, Puzzle Quest Galactrix.

The event is being held in Los Angeles on Thursday, February 19 from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. -- so bear that in mind before emailing. The publisher isn't going to fly you there or anything.

The first 50 "chosen ones" who show up with a Nintendo DS will receive a pre-release copy of the DS version of Galactrix. They'll also be able to play every version of the game pre-launch and have a chance to win T-Shirts, calendars ... and potentially even a customized Galactrix DS Lite. To your email clients, dear readers!

Update: 2/15 - 11:40PM EST : Tickets are still available, feel free to email the address above.

Namco Bandai announces intent to purchase D3 Publisher

by Randy Nelson { Feb 12th 2009 at 3:18PM }

It looks like even a crack squad of bikini-clad samurai won't be able to hold off an acquisition of D3 by fellow Japanese publisher Namco Bandai. That latter has revealed plans to effectively buy out D3 by purchasing all of its stock. Namco has already made deals with D3's board which have resulted in it obtaining a 70% stake in the company. It has offered to purchase the remaining 30% at a share price of ¥62,000 (US$686)

In a press release announcing the proposed buyout, Namco notes that D3 would benefit from Bandai's reach into other mediums (toys, TV, arcades, movies/music); the sharing of game engine technology; cooperative development of mobile titles; and the rights to use Namco-owned properties (characters, etc.) in its Simple series of budget games.

We'll let you know when -- and if -- D3 has tekken the offer.

[Via VG247]

Source - Bandai Namco plans D3 buyout [andriasang.com]
Source - Bandai Namco Q3 Management Plan [press release: PDF]