Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.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[Creep through Metro: Last Light's 13-minute gameplay demo]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/creep-through-metro-last-lights-13-minute-gameplay-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/creep-through-metro-last-lights-13-minute-gameplay-demo/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/17/creep-through-metro-last-lights-13-minute-gameplay-demo/#comments
When we visited THQ's E3 2012 private meeting rooms, small-ish areas were cordoned off for intimate engagements with each of the publisher's games: Metro: Last Light, Company of Heroes 2, and Darksiders 2. Rather than seeing the games on the dance club-esque show floor, THQ employees slowly and calmly lead attendees through demos, which certainly helped me to get a better grasp on the finer nuances of each game.

I mention this because the Last Light gameplay seen above is what THQ showed during E3, and it was super creepy. Do yourself a favor and snag some headphones, turn out the lights, and watch this alone.

JoystiqCreep through Metro: Last Light's 13-minute gameplay demo originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4a-gamese3-2012gameplaymetro-2033-last-lightmetro-2034metro-last-lightmicrosoftpcplaystationps3thqxboxTue, 17 Jul 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Last of Us tops E3 Game Critics Awards]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/the-last-of-us-tops-e3-game-critics-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/the-last-of-us-tops-e3-game-critics-awards/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/the-last-of-us-tops-e3-game-critics-awards/#comments Game Critics Awards weenarsOf the games shown at E3, The Last of Us has been named the best of them, according to the Game Critics Awards, the honors given to games by a shadowy secret cabal of attending journalists. Naughty Dog's survival game earned "Best of Show," "Best Original Game," "Best Console Game," and "Best Action/Adventure Game," along with a "Special Commendation for Sound."

There were a few awards that went to other games, surprisingly. Among the other big winners were the Wii U for Best Hardware, Dance Central 3 for Best Social/Casual Game and Best Motion Simulation Game, and Sound Shapes for Best Handheld/Mobile Game.

Continue reading The Last of Us tops E3 Game Critics Awards

JoystiqThe Last of Us tops E3 Game Critics Awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012game-critics-awardskinectmicrosoftnintendoplaystationplaystation-vitaps3the-last-of-usvitawii-uxboxTue, 26 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A tactical discussion with XCOM: Enemy Unknown producer, Garth DeAngelis]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/21/a-tactical-discussion-with-xcom-enemy-unknown-producer-garth-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/21/a-tactical-discussion-with-xcom-enemy-unknown-producer-garth-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/21/a-tactical-discussion-with-xcom-enemy-unknown-producer-garth-d/#comments A lot of things have changed since the original X-COM was released in 1994. Strategy games have gotten much grander, with higher production values and streamlined mechanics. Now, XCOM: Enemy Unknown has to tow the line between modern sensibilities and the expectations of series fans. We've already talked about our experience with the game at E3, but I caught up with Firaxis producer Garth DeAngelis to learn more about the differences between the original X-COM and it's upcoming revival. Specifically, I want to know what has changed, what has stayed the same, and what is entirely new.

Gallery: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (E3 2012)

Continue reading A tactical discussion with XCOM: Enemy Unknown producer, Garth DeAngelis

JoystiqA tactical discussion with XCOM: Enemy Unknown producer, Garth DeAngelis originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012firaxismicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxxcom-enemy-unknownThu, 21 Jun 2012 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Leon assassinates the president in this Resident Evil 6 gameplay clip]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/20/leon-assassinates-the-president-in-this-resident-evil-6-gameplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/20/leon-assassinates-the-president-in-this-resident-evil-6-gameplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/20/leon-assassinates-the-president-in-this-resident-evil-6-gameplay/#comments
Now before you get all upset, relax - the president is a zombie and totally deserves that bullet between the eyes in the above gameplay clip for Resident Evil 6, the first of two videos that highlight the entirety of Leon's portion of the Resident Evil 6 E3 demo.

If the idea of posthumous presidential assassination makes you cringe, hop past the break to see Leon shooting less prestigious zombies.

Continue reading Leon assassinates the president in this Resident Evil 6 gameplay clip

JoystiqLeon assassinates the president in this Resident Evil 6 gameplay clip originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcome3-2012leonleon-s-kennedymicrosoftpcplaystationps3resident-evil-6xboxWed, 20 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 4, Dishonored and The Last of Us top Game Critics Awards nominations]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/20/halo-4-dishonored-and-the-last-of-us-top-game-critics-awards-no/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/20/halo-4-dishonored-and-the-last-of-us-top-game-critics-awards-no/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/20/halo-4-dishonored-and-the-last-of-us-top-game-critics-awards-no/#comments E3 2012 Game Critics Awards nominees revealedThe nominees of the E3 2012 Game Critics Awards have been announced. Nominees for best of show include Dishonored, Halo 4, The Last of Us, Tomb Raider and Assassin's Creed 3. The games to receive the most nominations overall were Halo 4, The Last of Us and Dishonored, which each racked up four nominations. Meanwhile, the publisher to walk away with the most nominations was Sony Computer Entertainment at 12 nods, with Microsoft, Nintendo and EA tied in second place with eight each.

The nominees were voted on by various publications across print and the web, including our personal favorite: Joystiq. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 26.

You can see a full breakdown of nominations - sorted by category, genre and platform - on the Game Critics Awards website. Take in some more detailed stats - including platform and publisher nominations, and the number of nominations per game - right here.

JoystiqHalo 4, Dishonored and The Last of Us top Game Critics Awards nominations originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dse3-2012e3-2012-game-critics-awardsGame-Critics-Awardsmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationplaystation-vitaps3vitawiiwii-uxboxWed, 20 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Epic Mickey 3DS and the power of creation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/19/epic-mickey-3ds-and-the-power-of-creation/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/19/epic-mickey-3ds-and-the-power-of-creation/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/19/epic-mickey-3ds-and-the-power-of-creation/#comments Epic Mickey Power of IllusionWhile Epic Mickey 2 continues to mine Disney film history for its subject matter, Dreamrift Entertainment's Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion aims squarely at video game nostalgia, bringing back the Castle of Illusion from the classic Sega Genesis game, along with its villain, Mizrabel. It refreshes the vintage setting (and its attendant slow-paced platforming) with new designs and new touchscreen tricks.

The Castle of Illusion has fallen into Epic Mickey's "Wasteland," Dreamrift creative director Peter Ong explained to me during a meeting at E3. "Mickey's quest actually takes place in the Castle of Illusion in this game, but at the same time it's situated in Wasteland, so you'll see characters familiar to Epic Mickey and Wasteland such as Oswald being involved in Mickey's quest," Ong said.

Continue reading Epic Mickey 3DS and the power of creation

JoystiqEpic Mickey 3DS and the power of creation originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdisney-epic-mickey-the-power-of-illusiondisney-interactivedreamrifte3-2012nintendoTue, 19 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enjoy 20 minutes of necromorph dismemberin' in Dead Space 3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/19/heres-20-minutes-of-necromorph-dismemberin-dead-space-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/19/heres-20-minutes-of-necromorph-dismemberin-dead-space-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/19/heres-20-minutes-of-necromorph-dismemberin-dead-space-3/#comments
You got a bit of a taste earlier this month of Dead Space 3's co-opified gameplay, but those paltry seven minutes hardly hold a candle to the 20-ish minutes of producer-narrated gameplay EA released recently. Take a gander above (and maybe bring a parka)!

JoystiqEnjoy 20 minutes of necromorph dismemberin' in Dead Space 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dead-space-3e3-2012eaea-visceralgameplaymicrosoftpcplaystationps3steve-papoutsisvisceral-gamesxboxTue, 19 Jun 2012 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War: Ascension E3 demo pits Kratos against the animal collective]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/god-of-war-ascension-e3-demo-pits-kratos-against-the-animal-col/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/god-of-war-ascension-e3-demo-pits-kratos-against-the-animal-col/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/god-of-war-ascension-e3-demo-pits-kratos-against-the-animal-col/#comments God of War Ascension E3 demonstration pits Kratos against the animal collective
Well, okay, maybe not that Animal Collective, but this God of War: Ascension walkthrough from Sony's E3 press conference does predominantly pit Kratos against a cadre of half-man, half-animal manimals. The demo also showcases Kratos' newly acquired reconstructive abilities, as well as the quick-time events we've all come to expect from the series.

As far as creature design is concerned, we have to admit that we're pretty enthused by what we see here -- we're quite partial to the elephant man, ourselves. No, not that Elephant Man.

JoystiqGod of War: Ascension E3 demo pits Kratos against the animal collective originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>E3-2012god-of-war-ascensionplaystationps3Sony-Computer-Entertainment-Americasony-santa-monicaMon, 18 Jun 2012 19:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance DLC planned, could be new playable character and mission]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/metal-gear-rising-revengeance-dlc-planned-could-be-new-playabl/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/metal-gear-rising-revengeance-dlc-planned-could-be-new-playabl/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/metal-gear-rising-revengeance-dlc-planned-could-be-new-playabl/#comments

Platinum Games may give players a chance to put down Raiden's sword in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Around the 2:48 mark in the Game Trailers E3 interview above, Platinum producer Yuji Korekado (through his translator) suggests the possibility of other playable characters.

Specifically, Korekado mentions DLC, which he confirms the studio is planning for post-launch. "Right now we don't have any plans for online competitive play; however, we do have some plans for download content for after the release of the game, that will maybe let you play as a different character or experience different types of missions." We sincerely hope the character is Old Snake and the mission is to do some skateboarding.

JoystiqMetal Gear Rising: Revengeance DLC planned, could be new playable character and mission originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atsushi-inabadlce3-2012konamimetal-gear-rising-revengeancemetal-gear-solid-risingmicrosoftplatinum-gamesplaystationps3xboxYuji-KorekadoMon, 18 Jun 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Inside the mind of Ron Gilbert]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/inside-the-mind-of-ron-gilbert/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/inside-the-mind-of-ron-gilbert/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/inside-the-mind-of-ron-gilbert/#comments Inside the mind of Ron GilbertSega's booth was as loud and vibrant as the rest at E3 2012, humming with the frantic energy of a beehive that had just been kicked. Lacking a quiet corner, it was in the middle of Sega's bustling booth that I struck up an impromptu conversation with legendary adventure game designer Ron Gilbert.

I told the Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion designer that I wanted to get inside his head, to find out where he gleans his inspiration from when starting new projects.

"You don't want to be in this head," Gilbert promised.

Gallery: The Cave

Continue reading Inside the mind of Ron Gilbert

JoystiqInside the mind of Ron Gilbert originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>double-finee3-2012maniac-mansionRon-Gilbertthe-caveThe-Secret-of-Monkey-IslandMon, 18 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wink If You've Seen the Future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/16/wink-if-youve-seen-the-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/16/wink-if-youve-seen-the-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/16/wink-if-youve-seen-the-future/#commentsYou're reading Reaction Time, a weekly column that claims to examine recent events, games and trends in the industry, but is really just looking for an excuse to use the word "zeitgeist." It debuts on Fridays in Engadget's digital magazine, Distro.
E3 is always on the verge of devolving into a chaotic, inescapable din of competing mega-screens and marketing megaphones yelling over each other. Everyone is selling their own piece of the future. That's why, whether intentional or not, this year's show felt weirdly and stubbornly on message, as if a tacit agreement between every manufacturer and publisher ensured that nobody would step out of the here-and-now. If a gnawing absence of surprise and excitement pervaded the show, it's because everything we saw and discussed is expected to come out within the next twelve months.

Ubisoft was willing to venture much further into the future, surprising attendees of its own press conference with a snippet of Watch Dogs, a game that seemed too good to be true amongst E3's barrage of solid sequels. Here was a new intellectual property, with a serious and topical premise, and graphics too sophisticated to be running on a console from 2005. It's okay to talk about the next generation, apparently, as long as you don't explicitly call it that.

Continue reading Wink If You've Seen the Future

JoystiqWink If You've Seen the Future originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012microsoftpcplaystationps3reaction-timeubisoftubisoft-montrealwatch-dogsxboxSat, 16 Jun 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Confusion of war in Medal of Honor: Warfighter's multiplayer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/confusion-of-war-in-medal-of-honor-warfighters-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/confusion-of-war-in-medal-of-honor-warfighters-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/confusion-of-war-in-medal-of-honor-warfighters-multiplayer/#comments War can be a confusing beast to tame. My time with Medal of Honor: Warfighter during E3 2012 featured as much bombastic action as expected from a war-based shooter, but it also featured another bit of confusion. I was confused as to why I would only get to play one match, but had to watch a 15 minute presentation explaining each class first. And the variety between each class - different damage models and weapon loadouts, and different bonus killstreaks for each - meant for a sharp learning curve once we finally did get into a match. It wasn't the ideal situation, a complex demo on a very tight timetable.

Gallery: Medal of Honor: Warfighter (E3 2012)

Continue reading Confusion of war in Medal of Honor: Warfighter's multiplayer

JoystiqConfusion of war in Medal of Honor: Warfighter's multiplayer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>danger-close-gamese3-2012eamedal-of-honor-warfightermicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxFri, 15 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warren Spector: 'Ultraviolence' in games going too far]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/warren-spector-ultraviolence-in-games-going-too-far/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/warren-spector-ultraviolence-in-games-going-too-far/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/15/warren-spector-ultraviolence-in-games-going-too-far/#comments Warren Spector Ultraviolence becoming a problem in gamesEpic Mickey producer Warren Spector had only a limited view of E3 from within meeting rooms, but he still saw plenty of gruesome violence. "The ultraviolence has to stop," Spector told GI.biz. "We have to stop loving it. I just don't believe in the effects argument at all, but I do believe that we are fetishizing violence, and now in some cases actually combining it with an adolescent approach to sexuality. I just think it's in bad taste. Ultimately I think it will cause us trouble."

Spector said he left Eidos in 2004 because of the over-the-top violence he saw overwhelming that company's lineup. "We've gone too far," he said. "The slow-motion blood spurts, the impalement by deadly assassins, the knives, shoulders, elbows to the throat. You know, Deus Ex had its moments of violence, but they were designed - whether they succeeded or not I can't say - but they were designed to make you uncomfortable, and I don't see that happening now." To call Spector's newer efforts "Mickey Mouse games" would be taken as a compliment in multiple ways, we expect.

The other troubling trend Spector saw is an increased emphasis on non-game apps at E3, including services like Netflix. "When the games are the least interesting part, there's a problem."

JoystiqWarren Spector: 'Ultraviolence' in games going too far originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012epic-mickey-2junction-point-studiosviolencewarren-spectorFri, 15 Jun 2012 10:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Japan's fastest-growing game publisher isn't who you'd think]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/japans-fastest-growing-game-publisher-isnt-who-youd-think/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/japans-fastest-growing-game-publisher-isnt-who-youd-think/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/japans-fastest-growing-game-publisher-isnt-who-youd-think/#comments Japan's fastestgrowing game publisher isn't who you'd thinkSony's PlayStation Vita may still be brand new, and Nintendo's Wii U has yet to even hit store shelves, but Japanese developer/publisher/social platform GREE doesn't need a new console. Or any console, for that matter. Its platform is virtual, and its growth strategy is extremely aggressive. "We're hiring more than 30 people a month," GREE's US CEO (and international CFO) Naoki Aoyagi told us in an E3 2012 interview.

Those "more than 30 people a month" are filling not only GREE's 1,000-person-plus Japanese offices, but also its "almost 400 people" San Francisco-based office. "And we already also have some people in China (around 50 people). And 50 people in South Korea," Aoyagi said. That kind of growth is rare, especially during an international economic downturn. And it comes at a time when both Nintendo and Sony are seeing year-over-year revenue declines - even while new hardware from both manufacturers heads to market.

"Nintendo, they ship 200 or 300 million [units] for each platform. But I think it's gonna be more than double or triple in terms of the market size," Aoyagi told us. He spoke to the difference between GREE's focus on "smartphones, tablets, probably in the future Android TV or Apple TV" versus that of Nintendo and Sony. "On smartphones we can have access to South America, or East Asia, or the African market, or the Russian market. So it's gonna be much bigger than the consoles."

Continue reading Japan's fastest-growing game publisher isn't who you'd think

JoystiqJapan's fastest-growing game publisher isn't who you'd think originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androide3-2012greegree-incgree-social-platformiosipadiphonemobilenaoki-aoyaginintendosonyzombie-jombieThu, 14 Jun 2012 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Orgarhythm combines rhythm and strategy into one weird game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/orgarhythm-combines-rhythm-and-strategy-into-one-weird-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/orgarhythm-combines-rhythm-and-strategy-into-one-weird-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/14/orgarhythm-combines-rhythm-and-strategy-into-one-weird-game/#comments Orgarhythm combines rhythm and strategy into one weird gamePikmin 3 might have been the best-known crowd-control strategy game at E3, but it wasn't the most memorable. That distinction goes to Orgarhythm, a Vita game demonstrated to me during a meeting with publisher XSEED.

Orgarhythm mashes up two of the least mashuppable genres imaginable: rhythm game and strategy. Players control a giant, strutting god who follows a predetermined path through each level. The god has the ability to direct elemental troops, representing earth, water, and fire, to fight enemy troops who are also elemental, being sure to attack with the element that those enemies are weak against. Each element has multiple attack options, including melee, ranged, and even a catapult attack to affect enemies on a higher plane.

Continue reading Orgarhythm combines rhythm and strategy into one weird game

JoystiqOrgarhythm combines rhythm and strategy into one weird game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquiree3-2012neiloOrgarhythmplaystationplaystation-vitavitaxseedThu, 14 Jun 2012 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Ranking Japanese RPG publishers after E3 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/ranking-japanese-rpg-publishers-after-e3-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/ranking-japanese-rpg-publishers-after-e3-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/ranking-japanese-rpg-publishers-after-e3-2012/#commentsThis is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.
E3 2012's Japanese RPG publisher power rankings
As I was going through my E3 schedule, I realized something remarkable. I found that I was actually more excited to be meeting with XSEED than with Square Enix. A far cry from 2009, to be sure, when I practically sprinted onto the show floor to play some Final Fantasy XIII.

Now that E3 2012 is over, for my column, I decided it would be an interesting idea to rank the current Japanese RPG developers based on the software lineup they showcased at the event.

Continue reading Ranking Japanese RPG publishers after E3 2012

JoystiqRanking Japanese RPG publishers after E3 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dse3-2012nintendoplaystationplaystation-vitaps3vitawii-uWed, 13 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The testimony of Damon Baird in Gears of War: Judgment]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/the-testimony-of-damon-baird-in-gears-of-war-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/the-testimony-of-damon-baird-in-gears-of-war-judgment/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/the-testimony-of-damon-baird-in-gears-of-war-judgment/#comments The testimony of Damon Baird in Gears of War JudgmentMemory is a fickle thing. You may think one thing, but the reality of the situation in question could be entirely different. Was that thing there? What even was that thing?

In Gears of War Judgment, Lt. Damon Baird is on trial for disobeying COG orders - being a military outfit, they're kind of big on following orders - and must recall the events that lead up to the disobedience in question. His recounting of the events while on trial is the entire campaign, but this being a military trial, certain things are classified. It's an idea that will play out in the campaign: the first time through, certain elements from the game environment will be missing; a second playthrough of the "Declassified" campaign will change events and those in-game elements.

Gallery: Gears of War: Judgment (E3 2012)

Continue reading The testimony of Damon Baird in Gears of War: Judgment

JoystiqThe testimony of Damon Baird in Gears of War: Judgment originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskidamon-bairde3-2012epic-gamesgears-of-war-judgmentkilo-squadmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiospeople-can-flyxboxWed, 13 Jun 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bullet Run is free-to-play, and worth the price]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/bullet-run-is-free-to-play-and-worth-the-price/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/bullet-run-is-free-to-play-and-worth-the-price/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/bullet-run-is-free-to-play-and-worth-the-price/#comments Bullet Run from SOE is generic and boringHow much do you want from free-to-play games?

It's tough to talk about free-to-play games critically as a writer, because they upend the traditional rules about what video games are "worth," for lack of a better term. A traditional console game, at $60, is a fairly serious investment these days, and so there's definitely a call for insight and dialogue about how effective or interesting a certain game is on sites like these.

Free-to-play games, however, are by definition free to start playing. There's no barrier to entry on a price front, so lots of other factors jump into it, from social pressure to free time available to just personal taste or quirks. In the end, it's very hard to determine just how good a game like, say, Bullet Run is, or whether it will be worth playing when it's available to the public later this year.

Continue reading Bullet Run is free-to-play, and worth the price

JoystiqBullet Run is free-to-play, and worth the price originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aconybullet-rune3-2012hedonepcsony-online-entertainmentWed, 13 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii U designed to allow free-to-play games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/wii-u-designed-to-allow-free-to-play-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/wii-u-designed-to-allow-free-to-play-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/wii-u-designed-to-allow-free-to-play-games/#comments JC, here is that thing I sent youNintendo president Satoru Iwata is notoriously less than jazzed about free-to-play games, but the Wii U's online architecture will be set up to support them, just in case someone else feels like doing that. "We have designed the system from a technical standpoint to allow developers to freely take advantage of things like free to play and micro transactions," Iwata said in an investor Q&A held during E3 and released today. The 3DS was recently updated to allow DLC as well; the architecture for Wii U microtransactions is likely the same.

Don't take that as an indication of Nintendo's own interest in the model, however. "Currently, we are not actively looking at free to play for our first-party content and I don't think that's a direction that we should go in right now," Iwata said. "But that doesn't mean for the future that there may not come a time where we have specific content that might be suited to that model."

JoystiqWii U designed to allow free-to-play games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012free-to-playnintendosatoru-iwatawii-uWed, 13 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Planet 3 and the dichotomy of man and machine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/lost-planet-3-and-the-dichotomy-of-man-and-machine/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/lost-planet-3-and-the-dichotomy-of-man-and-machine/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/lost-planet-3-and-the-dichotomy-of-man-and-machine/#comments There's an interesting clash of play styles I discovered during my preview session of Lost Planet 3. When within his rig - a giant biped mech armed with a huge drill and claw - protagonist Jim is nearly invincible, try as you might to get to the soft, fleshy core of this hulking mechanical giant.

Yet Lost Planet 3 won't let you get away with cruising through the campaign from within the safety of Jim's rig - often he'll be forced to get out, navigating the cold tundras of E.D.N. III alone. It's at these times when I felt weak and without a safety net during my E3 demo. It's an interesting dichotomy not seen in many other games out there right now.

The dangers of a blisteringly cold ice planet are obvious, and the segments where Jim is on foot are incredibly hazardous. Exploring a web of caves, I stumbled upon an akrid nest. Think: the next scene in Aliens. There were eggs everywhere, hatching and releasing akrid spawn. My assault rifle quickly became ineffective at crowd control. Good thing I found that shotgun, which had the just the right amount of oomph.

It wasn't long before I found momma akrid, a large crab-like thing with pincers. It was a boss with an identity crisis, continually charging me like some bull who spotted a man in a puffy red parka. Shoot, roll to the side, and shoot some more.

I felt vulnerable and completely outmatched - the perfect combination of terror and panic only well-crafted scenarios can produce. I didn't have massive wells of ammo to draw from. I had to be nimble and crafty. I had to be smart about when I shot and where. And because of this, the reward of finally bringing this thing down was ever so sweet. Taking on such a thing in my mech would've been a decidedly different gameplay experience, one I feel would've lost all of the characteristics I enjoyed in the tense encounter.

These contrasts of feeling incredibly powerful and invincible within the rig, and feeling alone and desperate and vulnerable on foot, instilled a variety in Lost Planet 3 I haven't seen in many other games. If Spark Unlimited sustains that trend throughout the entirety of Lost Planet 3, I think they'll produce a fine game - and, dare I say, perhaps the best entry in the series yet.

Gallery: Lost Planet 3 (E3 2012)

JoystiqLost Planet 3 and the dichotomy of man and machine originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcome3-2012lost-planet-3microsoftpcplaystationps3spark-unlimitedxboxWed, 13 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[IndieCade at E3: Sizing up Scale]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-sizing-up-scale/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-sizing-up-scale/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/indiecade-at-e3-sizing-up-scale/#comments IndieCade at E3 Sizing up ScaleI also ran around the IndieCade tour at E3, and while our own Jess Conditt took a lot of creepy pleasure in the grim philosophical horror title A Mother's Inferno, my tastes ran more simple and colorful: The best game I saw in that section of E3 this year was called Scale.

Scale, developed by Steve Swink (who teaches interactive design in Phoenix, but might be better known as Kyle Pulver's roommate?) is similar to Portal, which is a quality ascribed to a lot of great indie games these days. That's not surprising, given that Portal was also an indie student project, before it got processed through Valve's chaotic engine of creativity. Scale is similar to Portal in that it too has a gun that doesn't kill, but is instead used to manipulate a colorfully-rendered 3D world.

Portal, it could be said, played around with the functions of space, creating portals to bypass and bend it. Scale, on the other hand, is all about that stuff in between space. Namely: mass.

Continue reading IndieCade at E3: Sizing up Scale

JoystiqIndieCade at E3: Sizing up Scale originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3-2012indiecadepcscalesteve-swinkWed, 13 Jun 2012 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[3DS digital releases to include Epic Mickey, Scribblenauts Unlimited, Kingdom Hearts [update: Nintendo says only first-party games]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/3ds-digital-releases-to-include-epic-mickey-scribblenauts-unlim/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/3ds-digital-releases-to-include-epic-mickey-scribblenauts-unlim/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/3ds-digital-releases-to-include-epic-mickey-scribblenauts-unlim/#comments 3DS digital releases to include Epic Mickey, Scribblenauts Unlimited, Kingdom HeartsWe knew that Nintendo planned to release the "majority" of its retail 3DS games digitally on eShop going forward, but a note in an E3 investor presentation from NOA president Reggie Fils-Aime reveals plans to release third-party games digitally as well.

"We've got a massive list of AAA content on the way from all of the biggest names in gaming," Fils-Aime said, "that are all proven franchises, all exclusive to our platform, and all coming to stores both in physical and digital formats in the second half of 2012." Accompanying this statement is a slide featuring confirmed eShop/retail releases New Super Mario Bros. 2, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, and Paper Mario: Sticker Star, along with third-party games Kingdom Hearts 3D, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, Scribblenauts Unlimited, and Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion.

Unless this slide isn't meant to lay out the "massive list of AAA content," we can expect to see all of these games on the eShop alongside their retail releases.

Update: Nintendo added text to the explanation of the slide, to say "refers to first-party titles only" in regards to the dual digital/retail releases. It was just a super misleading slide, then.

Joystiq3DS digital releases to include Epic Mickey, Scribblenauts Unlimited, Kingdom Hearts [update: Nintendo says only first-party games] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dscastlevania-lords-of-shadow-mirror-of-fatedisney-epic-mickey-the-power-of-illusione3-2012eshopkingdom-hearts-3dkingdom-hearts-3d-dream-drop-distancenintendoWed, 13 Jun 2012 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Shigeru Miyamoto on how the Wii U could change games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/shigeru-miyamoto-on-how-the-wii-u-could-change-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/shigeru-miyamoto-on-how-the-wii-u-could-change-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/shigeru-miyamoto-on-how-the-wii-u-could-change-games/#comments The Wii U is designed to enable new gaming experiences, through the combination of motion controls and a small, personal screen. At E3, Nintendo showed games that rely on "asymmetric gaming," or giving different players different experiences; it showed games that use the Wii U's new controller as a touchscreen interface for a game on the TV; and it showed games being played on the WiiPad for situations when the TV is in use.

I wondered which of these would become the central message of the Wii U, the feature that would become emblematic of the system. For Shigeru Miyamoto, Senior Managing Director and General Manager, Entertainment Analysis & Development Division, it's none of those. "For me, personally, what's most important is the idea that when the family goes into the living room, that the first screen they'll interact with will be the Wii U screen," Miyamoto told me in an interview directly following Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference. "Whether they're doing that for social elements, or for watching television, or for games, that to me is the most important element of this new Wii hardware."

Continue reading Shigeru Miyamoto on how the Wii U could change games

JoystiqShigeru Miyamoto on how the Wii U could change games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012game-designnintendoshigeru-miyamotowii-uWed, 13 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Demons' Score is Elite Disco Demon Fighting Agents]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/demons-score-is-elite-disco-demon-fighting-agents/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/demons-score-is-elite-disco-demon-fighting-agents/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/demons-score-is-elite-disco-demon-fighting-agents/#comments Demons' Score is Elite Disco Demon Fighting Agents
Hidden in Square Enix's booth, among the dapper murderers and fluffy dimensions, was an iOS rhythm game about a flying, sword-wielding woman and her animate teddy bear who fight demons together in gothic-looking tunnels. Powered by Unreal Engine 3. Sure, why not?

Demons' Score isn't just inspired by Elite Beat Agents and Ouendan.; it marks a return to touchscreen music gaming for iNiS, who created both of those (along with the brilliant Gitaroo-Man), which makes it a pretty cool rhythm game by default. You tap icons in response to an indicator - when a clock-like hand hits the top of the icon, you tap, and you receive a score based on your timing. You'll also have icons that require swipes, multiple timed taps, lines that you drag at a certain speed, and icons that you tap as many times as you can before they disappear.

Taking advantage of multitouch hardware, Demons' Score also features multiple simultaneous icons for you to tap at once. Oh, by the way, all these icons appear in front of enemy demons that you kill upon successful contact.

Along the way, as you fight through disco-musicked demon gauntlets, the boss is constantly bothering you with funky, funky taunts. Why is all the music and dialogue disco-themed? I have no idea!

Gallery: Demons' Score (E3 2012)

JoystiqDemons' Score is Elite Disco Demon Fighting Agents originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demons-scoree3-2012iosipadmobilesquare-enixTue, 12 Jun 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Jason Rubin and Danny Bilson: a tale of two THQs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/jason-rubin-and-danny-bilson-a-tale-of-two-thqs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/jason-rubin-and-danny-bilson-a-tale-of-two-thqs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/jason-rubin-and-danny-bilson-a-tale-of-two-thqs/#comments Jason Rubin and Danny Bilson a tale of two THQsDuring Danny Bilson's tenure at Saints Row publisher THQ, the company went from license-dependent (think Nickelodeon) to "Core-focused" (think ... uh, Saints Row). And eventually, the publisher's entire direction turned, from a split between casual/family-focused titles and those of its "Core" division, to one solely focused on that "Core." THQ today is essentially just the "Core" division.

When Bilson was fired from THQ and Jason Rubin was appointed president just over a week ago, the publisher's messaging didn't change. "Rubin's appointment comes as THQ realigns its focus from a maker of licensed games for broad audiences to a developer of AAA 'Core' games for multiple platforms," Rubin's appointment PR reads.

But Bilson arguably lead THQ's charge into "AAA 'Core' games," pushing for games like Metro 2033, Darksiders, and Saints Row: The Third, and brokering deals with Guillermo del Toro for a three-game survival horror series called "Insane," with Turtle Rock for an unnamed FPS, and Ninja Gaiden creator Tomonobu Itagaki for a (since dropped) project called "Devil's Third." Why he was fired remains unknown. "I don't think it's a question for me," THQ president Jason Rubin told us during an E3 2012 interview.

Continue reading Jason Rubin and Danny Bilson: a tale of two THQs

JoystiqJason Rubin and Danny Bilson: a tale of two THQs originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>danny-bilsone3-2012free-to-playjason-rubinmobilesocialthqTue, 12 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[XBLA's Happy Wars attempts to bridge East and West with adorable melees]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/xblas-happy-wars-attempts-to-bridge-east-and-west-with-adorable/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/xblas-happy-wars-attempts-to-bridge-east-and-west-with-adorable/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/xblas-happy-wars-attempts-to-bridge-east-and-west-with-adorable/#comments Happy Wars
I saw a lot of games at E3 about war, but none were anywhere near as adorable as ToyLogic's multiplayer XBLA game, Happy Wars. It's an online multiplayer (15 versus 15) action game about capturing territory and defeating everyone in sight, but with a distinctly rounded, cutesy look that makes it stand apart from its peers. Finding myself put off by all the gore and elephant monster brains that featured in this year's games, I welcome a more family-friendly take on fighting.

You control one of three classes to storm the enemy's part of a map. I was a warrior, who could use sword attacks and a variety of special attacks, like rock throws and spin moves, that rely on a refilling meter. You capture territory by destroying enemy statues and working together to rebuild new ones - which become spawn points for your team. The match ends when, using a giant battering ram weapon, you break into the enemy fortress. Before that, there's a lot of rushing into crowds and mashing on buttons to attempt to survive the pandemonium.

The combination of cute characters and chaotic fighting seemed incongruous, until Toylogic CEO Yoichi Take told me his influences: "We played the Battlefield series and Castle Crashers." Take believes that Japanese gamers will find a cute war game more palatable than other realistic, brutal and bloody war games.

Why, then, is it on Xbox - the least popular console in Japan - if it's hoping to capture a Japanese audience? "I would like to play Happy Wars with people worldwide," Take said, and the Xbox is more popular worldwide. "Happy Wars is a multiplayer game, and Xbox multiplayer is most played."

Gallery: Happy Wars (E3 2012)

JoystiqXBLA's Happy Wars attempts to bridge East and West with adorable melees originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012happy-warsmicrosofttoylogicxblaxboxTue, 12 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Status Report: the PlayStation Vita, three months in]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/status-report-the-playstation-vita-three-months-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/status-report-the-playstation-vita-three-months-in/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/status-report-the-playstation-vita-three-months-in/#comments "Three months, forty titles in. I think it's a fantastic machine. Of course we'd like to sell more of them, and we have key plans to do that," Sony's VP of Product Development and Worldwide Studios, Scott Rohde, told us in an interview during E3 2012. We asked Rohde for a status update on the PlayStation Vita, which launched in North America in late February. Despite less than stellar sales of the handheld and a light upcoming game lineup, Rohde's positivity on the Vita is unshaken.

"We're building a lot of additional titles internally. A lot of good third-party support, you saw that announced at our press conference. So, we think that it's certainly on the rise. Still doing well. Would we like it to do better? Of course. And we're doing everything we can in terms of providing great new content - sixty titles next year - to insure that that will happen," he said.

Despite Rohde's claims, Sony reps hardly mentioned the Vita during the company's E3 2012 press conference. Across an hour and a half, the three-month-old console only warranted three mentions, and just one for a first-party Vita game (PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale). As host, SCEA president and CEO Jack Tretton promised 60 new games on Vita in 2012, but didn't show a single one. Outside of PS All-Stars, the only two Vita games shown were third-party juggernauts Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified and Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation. Both of those are scheduled to launch this year.

"You know that Sly will also have a PlayStation Vita presence. Some things that we're not announcing yet. You saw LittleBigPlanet Vita ... if I can sit here and say you've got PlayStation All-Stars, you've got Sly, you've got Assassin's, you've got Call of Duty, and you've got LittleBigPlanet - that's a pretty nice set to build a foundation on," Rohde added. "And there are a lot of other bigger and smaller things that we just haven't announced yet."

Of the system itself, Rohde said he "wouldn't change anything" about it. As for the launch, however, he said, "If I could go back in time, maybe I would've spread out some of the software releases a little bit." 25 games of varying quality launched alongside the PlayStation Vita this past February, with 10 more in the console's "launch window" (that window is apparently still open, as Silent Hill: Book of Memories has yet to come out).

That latest game from Sony's internal studios for Vita is the critically acclaimed Gravity Rush. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is planned for a "holiday" launch on PlayStation 3 and Vita.

JoystiqStatus Report: the PlayStation Vita, three months in originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012jack-trettonplaystationplaystation-vitasceascott-rohdesonysony-computer-entertainment-americavitaTue, 12 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable: The Journey could be a rough one]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/fable-the-journey-could-be-a-rough-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/fable-the-journey-could-be-a-rough-one/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/fable-the-journey-could-be-a-rough-one/#comments Fable The JourneyLionhead designer Ted Timmons says he learned a lesson after showing off Fable: The Journey to the public for the first time at E3 2011. "It's fine to be on rails," he says a year later, at the tail end of E3 2012. The spin-off was famously labeled as "on rails" by the public thanks to an early demo, and Timmons told Joystiq that while the team was surprised at the response, they eventually got a different message out of the whole thing: "We shouldn't be distracted by the whole 'on rails' issue," he says now. "We just want to make an awesome Kinect game."

The Journey's awesomeness is yet to be determined, but it is certainly a Kinect game. The E3 2012 demo featured about ten minutes of two different levels in the game. You use Microsoft's all-seeing camera to snap and steer a horse's reins, throw a magical spear and open a locked door with magic spells.

But while it all works (once you're shown how to do it - the tutorial is still a work in progress), the real question here is whether this journey is one worth taking.

Gallery: Fable: The Journey (E3 2011)

Continue reading Fable: The Journey could be a rough one

JoystiqFable: The Journey could be a rough one originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012fablefable-the-journeygary-carrkinectlionheadmicrosoftted-timmonsxboxTue, 12 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The comic nerds, sci-fi writers and grizzled vets of Industrial Toys]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/the-comic-nerds-sci-fi-writers-and-grizzled-vets-of-industrial/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/the-comic-nerds-sci-fi-writers-and-grizzled-vets-of-industrial/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/the-comic-nerds-sci-fi-writers-and-grizzled-vets-of-industrial/#commentsThe comic nerds, scifi writers, veterans and noobs of Industrial ToysIndustrial Toys was created by three self-described and proven industry veterans: Alex Seropian (Bungie founder), Tim Harris (Seven Lights founder) and Brent Pease (Bungie San Jose). They came together in Pasadena, California, in February 2012, with a mission to create hardcore games for mobile, touchscreen devices.

Since then, Industrial Toys has picked up sci-fi writer John Scalzi to help build its worlds, Marvel's Mike Choi and DC's Phil Tan as artists (and to balance the company's comic zen), and a handful of "grizzled veterans and fresh, new talent," president Tim Harris told Joystiq at E3.

There are a total of 15 employees at Industrial Toys, split down the middle between those new to the industry and those who may have seen too much of it, Harris said.

If splitting an odd number of employees into two even groups seems like an improbable feat, know that it isn't the most ambitious of Industrial Toys' goals: By the end of the month, Seropian and Harris plan to release information about their first title, a sci-fi shooter with a world potentially as large as World of Warcraft's.

Continue reading The comic nerds, sci-fi writers and grizzled vets of Industrial Toys

JoystiqThe comic nerds, sci-fi writers and grizzled vets of Industrial Toys originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alex-Seropianandroidbrent-peasecomicsdce3-2012industrial-toysiosipadiphonejohn-scalziMarvelmike-choimobilephil-tansci-fitim-harrisTue, 12 Jun 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii U achievements not mandatory for devs, friend codes to change for the better]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/wii-u-achievements-not-mandatory-for-devs-friend-codes-to-chang/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/wii-u-achievements-not-mandatory-for-devs-friend-codes-to-chang/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/wii-u-achievements-not-mandatory-for-devs-friend-codes-to-chang/#comments Wii U achievements not mandatory for devs, friend codes to change for the betterThere won't be a pervasive "achievement" system on Wii U, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime suggested to Kotaku. Referring to the 3DS's system-specific achievements, which honor StreetPass-based activities in the system software, "We will have that," Fils-Aime said. "Once you start getting into game-specific [Achievements] that's developer driven."

Fils-Aime hinted at changes to the friend code system for connecting to online friends, calling the new system "friend codes, but it's not the existing friend code system." He added, "you will be able to identify people as friends and have a certain level of interaction versus a different level of interaction for the more general population. The method by which you identify someone as a friend is a lot simpler than what's happening today with Friend Codes." However, he didn't go into detail.

Fils-Aime also had good news regarding the announced content filtering system. It turns out that messages that aren't flagged by an automatic scan won't be subject to manual scanning. If a message is flagged by that, and then by the community, then Nintendo steps in.

JoystiqWii U achievements not mandatory for devs, friend codes to change for the better originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementse3-2012friend-codesnintendoreggie-fils-aimewii-uTue, 12 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a cash grab, but not just a cash grab]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/new-super-mario-bros-2-is-a-cash-grab-but-not-just-a-cash-grab/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/new-super-mario-bros-2-is-a-cash-grab-but-not-just-a-cash-grab/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/new-super-mario-bros-2-is-a-cash-grab-but-not-just-a-cash-grab/#comments New Super Mario Bros 2 is a cash grab, but not just a cash grabThe new emphasis on collecting coins in New Super Mario Bros. 2 may seem like an insubstantial change for the series - after all, there have always been coins everywhere, and it's always been a good idea to collect them. But I think that this subtle shift in goals subverts the nature of Mario more than it seems to.

The chief goal in Mario games has always been survival. You're expected to traverse the level, defeating as many enemies as possible along the way, so that you reach the end without death. Coin collection, along with discovery of secrets and acquisition of points, have always been secondary goals. Now, coin collecting is front and center (well, still behind not dying) and those background elements are among the most important.

NSMB2 increases the importance of coins by keeping a running count through your whole game. It also makes sure money is on your mind by putting coins absolutely everywhere. They curve around moving platforms like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii (highlighting some engine improvements over the DS game), they fill up secret areas inside special gold pipes, and they just generally make up an overwhelming presence in the stages.

There's even a new powerup that's all about coins: a gold Fire Flower that causes everything in its explosive path (enemies, blocks) to turn into coins. The other powerup new to NSMB is the raccoon tail, which works just like in Super Mario Bros. 3. You know that one already. Coins were previously just a thinly veiled signpost to show you the path through a level, but now they're the central element of the level.

Having only played a single level, I don't know how pervasive or interesting the greed motif will be in the full game. I just love that it's possible to tweak a single element of a very familiar series to make something new. I also love coins, so it's a promising game.

JoystiqNew Super Mario Bros. 2 is a cash grab, but not just a cash grab originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dse3-2012eshopnew-super-mario-bros-2nintendoTue, 12 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[IndieCade at E3: Hokra, a minimalist sports game with huge appeal, equal barriers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/indiecade-at-e3-hokra-a-minimalist-sports-game-with-huge-appea/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/indiecade-at-e3-hokra-a-minimalist-sports-game-with-huge-appea/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/12/indiecade-at-e3-hokra-a-minimalist-sports-game-with-huge-appea/#comments
IndieCade at E3 Hokra, a minimalist sports game with huge appeal, equal barriers
Of all the games littering the IndieCade floor at E3, just one of them truly belonged there in a way that the others just couldn't touch: Ramiro Corbetta's Hokra. It wasn't necessarily flashier, prettier or more famous than any of the other titles, but it was a game made for public exhibitions - literally.

"Hokra was originally created with the public space in mind, but it was also developed to be the kind of game that I'd like to play with my friends," Corbetta told Joystiq.

Hokra premiered on May 12, 2011 at the NYU Game Center's No Quarter exhibition, and Corbetta developed it with that venue specifically in mind.

"I developed Hokra to be a multiplayer game, and to be honest when I was first developing it I wasn't thinking about how to sell it," he said. "I was only thinking about how to make the best possible game, and since it was going to be displayed in a gallery space, I knew there would always be multiple people around to play it."

Hokra is a simplistic, competitive digital sports game for four local players, and only four local players. Not online, not three, two or one, but four physical people ideally using Xbox 360 controllers, always. This design choice stems from Hokra's gallery goal, but also from Corbetta's passion for local multiplayer titles.

Continue reading IndieCade at E3: Hokra, a minimalist sports game with huge appeal, equal barriers

JoystiqIndieCade at E3: Hokra, a minimalist sports game with huge appeal, equal barriers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitione3-2012exhibitiongalleryhokraIndieCadelocallocal-multiplayerpcramiro-corbettasportsTue, 12 Jun 2012 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mark of the Ninja snuck some E3 assets into our galleries]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/mark-of-the-ninja-snuck-some-e3-assets-into-our-galleries/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/mark-of-the-ninja-snuck-some-e3-assets-into-our-galleries/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/mark-of-the-ninja-snuck-some-e3-assets-into-our-galleries/#comments
Mark of the Ninja E3 media
Mark of the Ninja, the shadowy, stealthy ninja title from Klei Entertainment, is set to launch this summer on XBLA, and the above E3 trailer shows why you should be so excited for it. Well, not too excited - at least try to keep the noise down. There's no reason to make it easy for the ninjas to find you.

Gallery: Mark of the Ninja (E3 2012)

JoystiqMark of the Ninja snuck some E3 assets into our galleries originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012klei-entertainmentmark-of-the-ninjamicrosoftXBLAxboxMon, 11 Jun 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a secret return to Paradise]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/need-for-speed-most-wanted-is-a-secret-return-to-paradise/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/need-for-speed-most-wanted-is-a-secret-return-to-paradise/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/need-for-speed-most-wanted-is-a-secret-return-to-paradise/#comments Need for Speed Most Wanted is a secret return to ParadiseIt makes sense for EA to call its new racing game Need for Speed: Most Wanted. It's spent multiple titles and a lot of money shoring up the Need for Speed brand on all kinds of platforms, and while the Most Wanted series (known for racing from an underground perspective) isn't the strongest, it's about time EA released another game bearing that title. And after the success with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit in 2010, it's not surprising that Criterion's been given the task of making it.

But just a few seconds with this game reveals a deeper truth: This is really a secret message from Criterion to its fans, funneled through EA's branding channels. Need for Speed: Most Wanted is an open-world racer in a beautiful city. It's full of various events, environmental features to find, and a social backend that's full of information and ways to connect and compete with fellow players.

In other words, it's Burnout Paradise 2.

Gallery: Need for Speed Most Wanted (E3 2012)

Continue reading Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a secret return to Paradise

JoystiqNeed for Speed: Most Wanted is a secret return to Paradise originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burnout-paradisecriterione3e3-2012eamicrosoftneed-for-speedneed-for-speed-most-wanted-2012pcplaystationps3racingxboxMon, 11 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Autobots roll out (sometimes) in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/autobots-roll-out-sometimes-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertron/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/autobots-roll-out-sometimes-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertron/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/autobots-roll-out-sometimes-in-transformers-fall-of-cybertron/#comments Transformers Fall of Cybertron previewDeveloper High Moon Studios showed it had a lot of love for the Transformers franchise with War for Cybertron, but sullied its goodwill with fans when a rushed Dark of the Moon movie tie-in hit store shelves. Now the studio's returning to Hasbro's toy line once again, leaving behind the Michael Bay-inspired setting of the films.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, on the surface, seems like a return to High Moon's true love: telling its own stories about giant, talking transforming robots. Separating itself from the films, Fall of Cybertron leaves High Moon free to geek out about Autobot and Decepticon history, wrapping it all up in Gears of War-style third-person shooter gameplay. And as High Moon said about the first game way back when, the emphasis here is supposed to be on freedom, and the unique ability to play as a robot or vehicle, switching whenever you want.

But for all of High Moon's enthusiasm about transforming, the demo on display at E3 was less-than-flattering to the series and its promise of complete freedom.

Gallery: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (E3 2012)

Continue reading Autobots roll out (sometimes) in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

JoystiqAutobots roll out (sometimes) in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisione3-2012High-Moon-Studiosmicrosoftplaystationps3transformerstransformers-fall-of-cybertronxboxMon, 11 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Retail therapy: Wada's 'Project Happiness' is a shopkeeper's life]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/retail-therapy-wadas-project-happiness-is-a-shopkeepers-lif/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/retail-therapy-wadas-project-happiness-is-a-shopkeepers-lif/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/retail-therapy-wadas-project-happiness-is-a-shopkeepers-lif/#comments Retail therapy Wada's 'Project Happiness' is a shopkeeper's life
Harvest Moon creator Yasuhiro Wada and publisher Natsume revealed their next project together at E3. "Project Happiness" is a new IP in which you run a shop in a small village, buying and selling items to improve the shop and learning the stories of all the customers who come in over the years. Natsume later revealed plans to put it on 3DS and mobile; during an interview at E3, Wada said it was planned for a "variety of platforms."

Wada recruited top talent to create his new game. Character designs, for both humans and the adorable "sprite" creatures that inhabit the world, are by Pokemon character designer Atsuko Nishida. The music, including that heard in the above trailer, is composed by legendary Final Fantasy series composer Nobuo Uematsu.

Continue reading Retail therapy: Wada's 'Project Happiness' is a shopkeeper's life

JoystiqRetail therapy: Wada's 'Project Happiness' is a shopkeeper's life originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dse3-2012mobilenatsumenintendoproject-happinesstoybox-incyasuhiro-wadaMon, 11 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rayman Legends highlighted for Wii U, not necessarily exclusive]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/rayman-legends-highlighted-for-wii-u-not-necessarily-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/rayman-legends-highlighted-for-wii-u-not-necessarily-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/rayman-legends-highlighted-for-wii-u-not-necessarily-exclusive/#comments
Ubisoft is "not really saying it's a Wii U exclusive," but Rayman Legends is certainly positioned as a major launch game for Nintendo's new hardware. Above: Senior Game Manager Michael Micholic gives us a brief recap of Rayman's next outing and some of the 3D enhancements made to the beautiful UbiArt framework.

JoystiqRayman Legends highlighted for Wii U, not necessarily exclusive originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012michael-micholicnintendorayman-legendsubiartubisoftwii-uMon, 11 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lend a helping hand in the Elder Scrolls Online]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/lend-a-helping-hand-in-the-elder-scrolls-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/lend-a-helping-hand-in-the-elder-scrolls-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/lend-a-helping-hand-in-the-elder-scrolls-online/#comments Lend a helping hand in the Elder Scrolls Online
Despite its hefty name recognition, The Elder Scrolls Online has a tough row to hoe. It's a brand new massively multiplayer RPG trying to join a market dominated by titans like World of Warcraft. And, unlike competitors such as Star Wars: The Old Republic or the upcoming The Secret World, it can't use a unique setting as a primary distinction to set it apart from WoW.

Just like WoW, Elder Scrolls Online has everything from orcs to dwarves and pastoral beauty to snow-covered wastes. So let's talk about a couple of actual differences, namely ESO's combat, reward systems and cooperative "synergy" skills.

Gallery: The Elder Scrolls Online (E3 2012)

Continue reading Lend a helping hand in the Elder Scrolls Online

JoystiqLend a helping hand in the Elder Scrolls Online originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdae3-2012pcthe-elder-scrolls-onlinezenimax-online-studiosMon, 11 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[No tower defense in Assassin's Creed 3, thank you very much]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/no-tower-defense-in-assassins-creed-3-thank-you-very-much/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/no-tower-defense-in-assassins-creed-3-thank-you-very-much/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/no-tower-defense-in-assassins-creed-3-thank-you-very-much/#comments
Mission Director Philippe Bergeron rules out tower defense in his commentary on Assassin's Creed 3, which shakes off some of the systems accumulated over the span of several games. Bergeron also addresses the difference between the game's "free-flow" missions, and those that are "more about explosions."

JoystiqNo tower defense in Assassin's Creed 3, thank you very much originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-3e3-2012microsoftnintendopcphillipe-bergeronplaystationps3wii-uxboxMon, 11 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq's favorite games of E3 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/joystiqs-favorite-games-of-e3-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/joystiqs-favorite-games-of-e3-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/11/joystiqs-favorite-games-of-e3-2012/#comments Joystiq staff picks E3 2012 favoritesNormally, after E3, some clear "best games" emerge - either the ones that everyone knew would be amazing going in and didn't disappoint on the floor, or surprises that dominated conversations online and in the press room.

After comparing notes over chicken and waffles, the Joystiq staff compiled their individual favorites from the industry's big show. While our scheduling makes it difficult for editors to see the same games as other staff (or every game at the show), a few heavy-hitters found their way to the top of our lists, including XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. But if the variety of our favorite games list is any indication, there's no shortage of exciting experiences on the horizon.

Continue reading Joystiq's favorite games of E3 2012

JoystiqJoystiq's favorite games of E3 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-of-e3best-of-e3-2012e3-2012metamicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3wii-uxboxMon, 11 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EST