Joystiq

Lionhead seeks multiplayer level designer for game development, long walks on beach

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:15:00 EST

Microsoft's Lionhead Studios is looking for a multiplayer level designer with "a deep understanding of online multiplayer games," a job posting reveals.

We assume Lionhead also would like any new designer to be adept at making the public forget Fable Heroes ever happened.

Lionhead's recent time in the spotlight hasn't focused on what games it may be creating, but instead on Fable creator Peter Molyneux's departure and what that might mean for the studio. With no other information or speculation on Lionhead's next title, aside from this multiplayer designer business, we're going to throw our best guess out there: A Team Fortress 2 clone that looks like Minecraft, plays like Call of Duty and is called "Half-Alive 3."

Lionhead seeks multiplayer level designer for game development, long walks on beach originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2012 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fable Heroes review: For every choice, no consequence

Jonathan Deesing — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:45:00 EST

In Fable Heroes, you and some friends take the role of cutesy Fable-based puppets, battling through a number of cookie-cutter levels on the couch or online. Put frankly, the game is a shameless abuse of the Fable property. The idea of a cartoonish hack-and-slash isn't necessarily a bad idea, if executed properly. Unfortunately, Fable Heroes struggles at its core concept.

Like most hack-and-slash games, the button scheme is fairly simple, featuring a light and heavy attack, along with a roll maneuver. You can open chests for various power-ups (some of dubious helpfulness) and there is a special move that none of my multiplayer party fully grasped. I knew how to do it, but for the life of me couldn't figure out when it was available. This led to rampant guesswork with limited success. The help section of the game didn't offer much assistance either. (Though it does include a 17-page description of all the power-up chests.)

Gallery: Fable Heroes (Marketplace, 3/4/12)

Continue reading Fable Heroes review: For every choice, no consequence

Fable Heroes review: For every choice, no consequence originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 May 2012 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft reveals Xbox 360 lineup for PAX East 2012

David Hinkle — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 03:00:00 EST

We haven't figured out a way to travel into the future yet, and we're just as upset as you are about that. But the closest thing has to be playing games that aren't actually out yet, right? Microsoft is offering PAX East attendees a chance to do just that next weekend.

Major Nelson posted the list of activities and upcoming Kinect and XBLA titles that will be playable at Microsoft's booth, including Trials Evolution, MineCraft: Xbox 360 Edition and Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor. We hear one of our editors really liked that last one when he got a chance to play it earlier this month.

Also of note is a playable build of Dust: An Elysian Tale, the winner of 2009's "Dream-Build-Play" competition. It's currently slated to launch on Xbox Live Arcade in 2012.

Microsoft reveals Xbox 360 lineup for PAX East 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBLA 'Arcade NEXT' promo includes Trials Evolution April 18, Minecraft May 9

JC Fletcher — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:10:00 EST

How does Microsoft fill the space between "House Party" and "Summer of Arcade?" With a new promotion called "Arcade NEXT," loaded with important XBLA games. How important? Minecraft important.

The promotion kicks off with Trials Evolution on April 18. Bloodforge follows on April 25; then Fable Heroes on May 2. The promotion culminates in the game that has all the top XBLIG devs terrified: Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition on May 9. Minecraft costs 1600 Microsoft Points, and Fable Heroes is 800; the rest are 1200 ($15). And all of them come with the new 400 Gamerscore ceiling. Find details on each game after the break.

Gallery: Minecraft (Xbox 360)

Continue reading XBLA 'Arcade NEXT' promo includes Trials Evolution April 18, Minecraft May 9

XBLA 'Arcade NEXT' promo includes Trials Evolution April 18, Minecraft May 9 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Fable Heroes' revealed by Xbox Live Marketplace

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:10:00 EST

Apparently, Fable Heroes is a forthcoming XBLA game from Lionhead Studios that has been unceremoniously leaked by the Xbox Live Marketplace. The screenshots in the gallery below show the rather cartoony game's four-player multiplayer, which the title's blurb describes as simultaneously cooperative and competitive.

Said screenshots also show a distinctly board-game-esque game board, which makes us think that Fable Heroes may be a Mario Party-ish ~~friendship ruiner~~ couch multiplayer game. Players will earn gold coins that can be spent on "upgrades, characters, and items in both this game and Fable: The Journey for Kinect for Xbox 360." We wouldn't be surprised if Fable Heroes' actual announcement happens during this week's Game Developers Conference.

Gallery: Fable Heroes (Marketplace, 3/4/12)

'Fable Heroes' revealed by Xbox Live Marketplace originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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