Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Rumor: Kid Icarus Wii details, concept art revealedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/11/rumor-kid-icarus-wii-details-screenshots-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/11/rumor-kid-icarus-wii-details-screenshots-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/11/rumor-kid-icarus-wii-details-screenshots-revealed/#commentsFiled under:


For a game that hasn't even been formally announced, there sure seems to be a lot of information circulating about the Wiicreation of the celestial NES action-platformer, Kid Icarus. For instance, Kombo.com (not to be confused with Zombo.com) recently posted a veritable cornucopia of concept art for the rumored title, as well as some heretofore unannounced deets. Apparently, Pit has been "cursed for thousands of years for a crime" and has become a fallen angel -- those mature themes seem to resonate through the conceptual drawings, available on Kombo's site.

We're not sure if this new media is legit, but Kombo did break the rumor that Factor 5 was working on an Icarus title in late January. Perhaps they do indeed have an inside source -- though it's just as likely that their early plot details could have rolled off their own forked tongues. Check out the images, and judge for yourself.

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]]>angelconceptartfactor5icaruskid-icaruskidicarusnintendowiirumorwiiGriffin McElroy2008-05-11T17:00:00+00:00Brash taps Lair dev Factor 5 for yet another movie gamehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/13/brash-taps-lair-dev-factor-5-for-yet-another-movie-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/13/brash-taps-lair-dev-factor-5-for-yet-another-movie-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/13/brash-taps-lair-dev-factor-5-for-yet-another-movie-game/#commentsFiled under:


Brash has an unrelenting love for games based on movie IP, and as if patterning its business model after a remake of Freaks, the publisher has convinced yet another developer to become one of us. The latest studio to sign on the dotted line is Lair dev Factor 5, which according to Brash involves an unspecified title to be revealed "around the E3 Expo" in July.

The news follows the announcement yesterday of a deal between Brash and Folklore Dec Game Republic on another secretive movie-to-game deal. While it's true that film-games have earned their place as everyone's favorite whipping boy, Factor 5 co-founder and president Julian Eggebrecht seems pleased as punch about the whole affair, stating that "because the filmmaker is a game fan who is really excited about how we want to expand on the story of the film, we've been given a lot of latitude." Let's just hope this time they leave any motion-sensitive controls up to the professionals.

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]]>brashfactor-5factor5lairmoviesJason Dobson2008-03-13T13:45:00+00:00Virtual Console Monday: Super Turrican stands alonehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/virtual-console-monday-super-turrican-stands-alone/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/virtual-console-monday-super-turrican-stands-alone/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/virtual-console-monday-super-turrican-stands-alone/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Keeping expectations in check is the key to having a wholly satisfying life, so we probably shouldn't have grown accustomed to the three-game cornucopia that once characterized Nintendo's weekly Virtual Console release schedule. Now that the standard has dropped to two-per-week and, occasionally (as today), one solitary game, we can't help but pine for the old days a bit. But it's our fault, really, for getting our nostalgia-fueled hopes up in the first place. This week's sole release is barely worth a bulleted list, but we'll use one anyway to describe:
  • Super Turrican (Super NES, 1 player 800 Wii Shop Points) - Developed by Factor 5 (of Rogue Squadron fame), the 1993 side-scrolling, run-and-gun sequel to 1990's Turrican has a decidedly old-school, Contra vibe to it. Those who want to get a feel for the gameplay without shelling out the Wii Shop Points should check out Hurrican, a more-than-satisfactory freeware clone.

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]]>Factor 5Factor5shmupshootemupsuper-turricanturricanVCVirtual ConsoleVirtualConsolevirtualconsolemondayWiiKyle Orland2008-03-03T14:30:00+00:00Factor 5 Wii engine 'does everything the PS3 did, and then some'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/12/factor-5-wii-engine-does-everything-the-ps3-did-and-then-some/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/12/factor-5-wii-engine-does-everything-the-ps3-did-and-then-some/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/12/factor-5-wii-engine-does-everything-the-ps3-did-and-then-some/#commentsFiled under: ,


We first heard about Factor 5's Wii project about a month ago, and with DICE 08 comes some new details about the title. IGN spoke with Factor 5 president Julian Eggebrecht about the game, and learned a bit about the impressive engine being built, which Eggebrecht claims rivals their work on the PS3.

According to Eggebrecht, the engine for the Wii title is nearly complete and, according to him, "does everything the PS3 did, and then some, quite frankly." The title is described as being technically impressive, pushing the Wii hardware further than most will expect it to go.

Though further details are scant, Eggebrecht does emphasize Factor 5's focus on the controls, specifically the Wii remote's ability to act as a pointing device. We'll have to wait and see how the Wii title will manage to outdo Factor 5's PS3 development (insert snide remark about Lair's abysmal critical reception).

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]]>dicedice-08factor-5factor5julian-eggebrachtjulianeggebrachtScott Jon Siegel2008-02-12T12:55:00+00:00Lair control fix may be in the workshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/12/lair-control-fix-may-be-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/12/lair-control-fix-may-be-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/12/lair-control-fix-may-be-in-the-works/#commentsFiled under: ,


The shoddy SIXAXIS controls may not be Lair's only problem, but it's certainly the one that's taken the brunt of the criticisms pointed at the game. Throughout it all developer Factor 5 has insisted that motion-controlled dragons were the only way to go, but it seems that they may finally be softening.

Recently, the company's president, Julian Eggebrecht, told IGN "If we find a chance in the future that would bring Lair to the audience which didn't get any access, that would be fantastic," he said. "I can't say anything quite yet, but there might be something in the works there. We might have a chance yet to bring those back to the table and hopefully, if that should happen, they would give the game a second chance." Now, as much as we'd like to see a patch, we get the sneaking suspicion he's hinting at a sequel. What does it sound like to you?

[Update: More of Eggebrecht's quote added.]

[Via PS3F]

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]]>factor-5factor5julian-eggebrechtlairsixaxisJustin McElroy2008-02-12T10:55:00+00:00Rumor: Factor 5 working on a Kid Icarus game for Wiihttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/20/rumor-factor-5-working-on-a-kid-icarus-game-for-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/20/rumor-factor-5-working-on-a-kid-icarus-game-for-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/20/rumor-factor-5-working-on-a-kid-icarus-game-for-wii/#commentsFiled under:


We reported last week that Factor 5, developers of the amazing Rogue Squadron series for the Gamecube and the nightmarish Lair for PS3, has rekindled their relationship with Nintendo, and are currently working on an unnamed project exclusively for the company's home console. According to gaming site Kombo (and their anonymous inside source), the project is a brand new Kid Icarus game, designed from the ground up for the Wii. Given F5's renewed partnership with Nintendo, and the Kid Icarus buzz already in the air due to protaganist Pit's inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it's a definite possibility. However, until we hear something from the new lovers, this is just hearsay at best.

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]]>factor5kidicarusnintendopitwiiGriffin McElroy2008-01-20T19:30:00+00:00Lair rides into Japan top ten for software saleshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/lair-rides-into-japan-top-ten-for-software-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/lair-rides-into-japan-top-ten-for-software-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/lair-rides-into-japan-top-ten-for-software-sales/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Factor 5's Lair, much-ballyhooed in North America and Europe for its unfavorable control scheme (and Sony's subsequent response), has debuted in Japan with enough sales to crack the top 10 for weekly sales, according to Media Create (via GamesIndustry.biz).

The game, known there as Rise from Lair, landed in the number seven spot with 22,000 in sales, likely helped by Famitsu's positive review. For comparison, Project Gotham Racing 4 received the same Famitsu score and only charted at 25, the highest rank for an Xbox 360 title and a big drop in Microsoft's presence following the console maker's triumphant one week at the top with Halo 3 (59,000 unit sales).

Nishimura Kyotarou Suspense Detective Series: Deadly Intent for Nintendo DS debuted in the top spot this week with 61,000 in sales. Dragon Ball Z: Sparkling! Meteor for PS2 and Gundam Battle Chronicle (PSP) took second and third place, respectively.

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]]>factor-5factor5japanlairrise-from-lairsonyRoss Miller2007-10-19T15:45:00+00:00Lair dev laments hideous Wii games, blames budget issueshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/12/lair-dev-laments-hideous-wii-games-thinks-its-budget-issues/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/12/lair-dev-laments-hideous-wii-games-thinks-its-budget-issues/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/12/lair-dev-laments-hideous-wii-games-thinks-its-budget-issues/#commentsFiled under: ,

Factor 5 president Julian Eggebrecht sees potential in the Wii's graphical hardware, despite its technical inferiority to its competitor's consoles.

Speaking to RevoGamers, Eggebrecht laments how Wii titles whose aesthetic is more geared toward "traditional, more photorealistic" visuals do not push the hardware. "There you really have to push it," he said, "and they're really not pushing it. Why not? Hmmm. I don't know, the hardware is very, very easy to understand."

As for the reasons, Eggebrecht speculates it's a mixture of developer's laziness and a publisher's unwillingness to provide a large enough budget, both related to the Wii's image. Factor 5 has previously shown the GameCube hardware more than capable of gorgeous visuals with the Rogue Squadron series, and Capcom has also shown off technical prowess with Resident Evil 4.

If more games show off the Wii's graphical capabilities and consumer expectations increase, perhaps developers and publishers might be more eager to step up their own visuals / budgets. Imagine the possibilities now that there's more memory (and duct tape!).

As for returning to work with Nintendo, Eggebrecht showed willingness but revealed no plans. "We're honestly at this point thinking about several titles in development and we haven't settled quite yet on which platform or which platforms if one of them is," he said. "So might be PS3, might be Wii... we're totally open to that."

[Via CVG]

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]]>factor5julianeggebrechtnintendoresidentevil4roguesquadronRoss Miller2007-09-12T13:55:00+00:00Sony downplays Lair criticshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/07/sony-downplays-lair-critics/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/07/sony-downplays-lair-critics/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/07/sony-downplays-lair-critics/#commentsFiled under: ,

Reptile romp Lair may not be a critical darling, but Sony isn't too worried. Speaking to Next-Gen (while preparing his grand exit), SCEA PR director Dave Karraker said that it doesn't matter what the critics say: it's all about the consumer.

"At the end of the day, I'll be interested in the consumers' response, because the consumer awareness for this title was so huge," he said. "I've spoken to any number of people who really like it, and there's other people that find it a challenge."

Karraker makes a good point; who cares what a game review says if the game is well-loved by the gaming community at large (and, consequently, sells very well)? Should any consumers find fault with the game and its controls, just remember: the development was haunted. No, really.

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]]>criticsfactor5lairsonyRoss Miller2007-09-07T13:30:00+00:00Lair not done, delayed until September 4http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/01/lair-not-done-delayed-until-september-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/01/lair-not-done-delayed-until-september-4/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/01/lair-not-done-delayed-until-september-4/#commentsFiled under: ,

Though originally confirmed to be complete and on track for an August 14 launch, SCEA Associate Producer Ryan Hamlyn has posted on the official PlayStation blog that Lair is being delayed until September 4 due "to enhance the community features in the game."

"Natural challenges that arose while finalizing the offline game to include key online features - such as leaderboards and medal systems - have led to the difficult choice of pushing back the release date," he said. It'll be interesting to see what happens to those early reviews of the game.

Gallery: Lair (PS3)



[Via PS3 Fanboy; thanks, Sceren]

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]]>delayfactor5lairsceaRoss Miller2007-08-01T20:40:00+00:00Lair is done, set for August 14 release datehttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/lair-is-done-set-for-august-14-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/lair-is-done-set-for-august-14-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/lair-is-done-set-for-august-14-release-date/#commentsFiled under: ,


Factor 5's Lair has "has completed its development and is now in manufacturing," according to SCEA Associate Producer Ryan Hamlyn via the PlayStation blog.

The game is on track to be unleashed August 14 in North America. Localization for other regions hasn't been completed yet, said Hamlyn, so release dates elsewhere haven't been revealed. Since we didn't spend much time with Lair at E3, we're interested in seeing how the game has shaped up since we last saw it at Sony Gamer's Day.

Gallery: Lair (PS3)

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]]>factor5lairRoss Miller2007-07-25T18:56:00+00:00Turrican remake released, rocks you like a Hurricanhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/turrican-remake-released-rocks-you-like-a-hurrican/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/turrican-remake-released-rocks-you-like-a-hurrican/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/25/turrican-remake-released-rocks-you-like-a-hurrican/#commentsFiled under: , ,


German programmer Poke 53280 has just released a freeware remake of the classic Commodore 64 game Turrican for the PC. The Metroid-esque title (that feels a lot like Contra at times) Hurrican is packed with vast, non-linear levels filled with weapons to find and swarms of enemies to use them on. The control scheme is a bit complex with several button combinations to memorize, but us old-school gamers are used to putting in effort to squeeze more fun out of our games. Download Hurrican (40MB, Windows).

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]]>commodore64factor5freewarehurricanindependentindieremakeretroturricanJohn Bardinelli2007-06-25T18:57:00+00:00Lair extended battle trailer has more dragon-on-dragon actionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/20/lair-extended-battle-trailer-has-more-dragon-on-dragon-action/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/20/lair-extended-battle-trailer-has-more-dragon-on-dragon-action/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/20/lair-extended-battle-trailer-has-more-dragon-on-dragon-action/#commentsFiled under: ,

Do you like dragons? Do you like dragons ... attacking other dragons?! Of course you do, it's fun. GameTrailers has posted an extended battle sequence from Factor 5's Lair. No gameplay footage, but more drama and excitement than the entire Dungeons & Dragons movie in just two minutes!

Video embedded after the break.

Gallery: Lair (PS3)

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]]>factor 5Factor5lairRoss Miller2007-06-20T21:50:00+00:00Lair gets new name in Japan: 'Rise from Lair'http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/30/lair-gets-new-name-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/30/lair-gets-new-name-in-japan/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/30/lair-gets-new-name-in-japan/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Taking a video game across an ocean requires more than a simple trip in a plane. Localization experts spend countless hours crossing the language barrier to make sure different cultures understand the game's content. The title often gets shifted in the mix, such as the Japanese DS game I Would Die for You becoming Feel the Magic XY/XX in the US and Project Rub in Europe.

According to the latest issue of Famitsu, the upcoming PS3 title Lair will have a new name in the land of the rising sun: Rise from Lair. It's more search engine friendly, for starters, but other than that we couldn't guess the reasoning behind the shift. We would have suggested Dragon Fly Ultimate, but we aren't publishing the game, are we?

Gallery: Lair (PS3)

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]]>factor5JapanlairRiseFromLairsonyJohn Bardinelli2007-05-30T15:45:00+00:00Factor 5's Lair almost complete, Turrican PS3 possibly nexthttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/10/factor-5s-lair-almost-complete-turrican-ps3-possibly-next/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/10/factor-5s-lair-almost-complete-turrican-ps3-possibly-next/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/10/factor-5s-lair-almost-complete-turrican-ps3-possibly-next/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

lairSpeaking with Game Informer, Factor 5 president Julian Eggebrecht opens up about his studio's PlayStation 3 project Lair. Currently estimated to be 80-90% complete, Eggebrecht is confident that the development team will reach the vaguely stated spring deadline, but admits "Sony's not going to ship it the next day."

Next up for Factor 5 is likely a smaller project -- a downloadable game (or two). Eggebrecht supposes it'll be an original "mini franchise," but doesn't rule out the possibility of also porting over some old Turrican titles; not necessarily straight-up ports, but perhaps "something like that but in 3D," teases Eggebrecht.

Also, Eggebrecht reports that Factor 5's break-up with Nintendo has not spoiled the two's friendship. We're no talking Rogue Squadron IV; just the occasional happy hour cocktail. Eggebrecht adds, "When I read all of those things about how you have to buy a 360 and a Wii, that's not true. You have to buy a PS3 and a Wii-that's the perfect combination."

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]]>Factor5LairPlayStationNetworkPS3TurricanJames Ransom-Wiley2007-02-10T23:25:00+00:00More in-game commentary coming next-gen?http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/17/more-in-game-commentary-coming-next-gen/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/17/more-in-game-commentary-coming-next-gen/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/17/more-in-game-commentary-coming-next-gen/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


MTV News takes a look at one of Half-Life 2: Episode One's best secrets: the in-game commentary track. Much like the DVD format's popular director's commentary feature, Valve stuck in audio commentary from the game's developers. Hit the little floating text bubble and be treated to commentary on everything from design conceits (like apologizing for artificial barriers) to eye-candy techniques (yup, that's HDR lighting).

The problem is, according to Valve's own statistics, only 15% of the gamers who've played Episode One have activated the feature. Regardless of its popularity, Valve project manager Erik Johnson says, "There isn't really any chance of us leaving it out in our future titles." That's good news for those of us interested in the commentary feature. Unfortunately, not every game developer is going to keep it in, even if they got there first.

Factor 5 included developer commentary on their Star Wars: Battle for Naboo title on the N64, an impressive feat for a cartridge system. They've included commentary on every title since then, so a commentary track on the PlayStation 3's Lair (with its copious amounts of Blu-ray space) would seem to be a perfect touch. Insomniac Games has commentary plans for their next game (following PS3 launch title Resistance), but that 15% number may make them nervous. Insomniac's Ted Price said, "If gamers want audio commentary, they have to let it be known." Okay, Ted. So, gamers, were you amongst Valve's 15% and if not, why?


Not developer commentary, but a really thoughtful fan commentary of Half Life 2: Episode One done by a pleasant Brit named Mark in Seattle, WA.

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]]>CommentaryDirector's CommentaryDirector'sCommentaryFactor 5Factor5Half LifeHalf-Life 2Half-life2HalfLifeHL2Rebel StrikeRebelStrikeValveChristopher Grant2006-10-17T11:55:00+00:00First shot of Factor 5's Lair for PS3! [Update 1]http://www.joystiq.com/2006/03/27/first-shot-of-factor-5s-lair-for-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/03/27/first-shot-of-factor-5s-lair-for-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/03/27/first-shot-of-factor-5s-lair-for-ps3/#commentsFiled under: ,

Lair

This image, reportedly of Factor 5's upcoming PS3 title Lair, recently surfaced on the Internet. Aside from a short trailer on display at TGS last year, little has been seen of Lair, which focuses on dragon combat. If this is an in-game shot, which the visible HUD-like information (action icon, life bar) seems to indicate, than Lair is shaping up to be a visual masterpiece. But given the current track record of pre-release PS3 media, we're not gonna jump on the bandwagon - just yet.

UPDATE: added link to high-res image.

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]]>Factor 5Factor5LairSCEAJames Ransom-Wiley2006-03-27T18:25:00+00:00