Joystiq

Bluepoint Games offers insight into MGS, Ico, God of War remake process

JC Fletcher — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:35:00 EST

At one point, God of War, Ico, and Metal Gear Solid games were all being made in the same location ... in Austin, Texas. Well, remade, anyway. Bluepoint Games, the company behind the God of War, Ico/Shadow of the Colossus, and Metal Gear Solid HD Collections, recently explained elements of its process to Edge.

According to company president Andy O'Neil, Bluepoint reverse engineers the games, rather than collecting the original source files and recompiling. "The problem with source asset drops is that you don't know if it's the final shipped data," O'Neil said. "People will go and make last-minute changes."

Of course, Bluepoint is careful to keep the games running as-is, even when that keeps bugs found in the original versions. Some bugs were fixed for the PAL Shadow of the Colossus update --- "But it was a deliberate decision: this can break the game," O'Neil explained. "But we won't change anything without talking to the original developers."

Bluepoint Games offers insight into MGS, Ico, God of War remake process originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War 2's lost Atlantis level pulled from the abyss

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:40:00 EST

When God of War 3 director Stig Asmussen recently revealed that "we cut less" from the PS3 game than from its PS2 predecessors, he wasn't kidding! As PlayStation Blog has unearthed, God of War 2 has the entire "lost" city of Atlantis buried in its design history.

In the video after the break, level creator Jonathan Hawkins guides us through the blueprint. This was his first "big chance," recalls Hawkins, who says "knowing what i know now, it cracks me up how all out I went." He reckons three to four months were spent on the intricate Atlantis level before it was eventually scrapped as the game's story evolution went in a different direction. (Kratos does take care of unfinished Atlantis business in the new Ghost of Sparta PSP game.)

"As a designer you have to have tough chops and, you know, roll with the punches," Hawkins warns with a chuckle about the unsentimental creative process. "I wish you guys could have played it."

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God of War 2's lost Atlantis level pulled from the abyss originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSN Tuesday: God of War bonanza

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:45:00 EST

Kratos is committing bloody vengeance all over this week's PSN update. The God of War Collection is available for download on PS3 and God of War: Ghost of Sparta is ready for handheld brutality on PSP.

If you're a PlayStation Plus member you also get a "full game trial" of God of War 1 and 2, which you can test drive for an hour apiece. Also, Trophies and game progress will roll over if you purchase the game after taking the blades out for a spin. While you're taking advantage of your membership, you should also check out the Vanquish trial.

There's plenty of more stuff in this update, so head on past the break for all the details.

Note: In addition to this week's update being really behind schedule, Sony is telling PSN users that, while all of the content is now live, it's not actually appearing in the PlayStation Store interface. You'll need to use the PS Store search function to find the new additions until the problem is addressed.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:

(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Continue reading PSN Tuesday: God of War bonanza

PSN Tuesday: God of War bonanza originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War Collection coming to PSN in November

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:31:00 EST

Does the very thought of standing up, walking to your PlayStation 3 and inserting a Blu-ray disc incite utter, uncontrollable rage? In an effort to counter vengeful rampages against Sony's higher management, the publisher has announced a downloadable version of God of War Collection.

Set to arrive on Tuesday, November 2, alongside God of War: Ghost of Sparta, the PlayStation Network compilation will feature the remastered God of War and God of War 2 -- both running in 720p native resolution at 60 frames per second -- but will not include any of the bonus content from the Blu-ray release.

According to the European PlayStation Blog, the greek growl-a-thons will be sold separately for €18/£14 each, or as a bundle for €30/£24. That's quite a bit higher than the cost of the Blu-ray collection, and we hope the observation won't apply to the US price when it's announced. You have enough reasons to be angry as it is -- just look at how far away the remote control is today.

Gallery: God of War Collection

God of War Collection coming to PSN in November originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop offering God of War 3 for under $40

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST

God of War 3 has already received a $10 cut to its regular price at Amazon and GameStop, but we'd surely anger the consumer gods by not mentioning that there's another $11.75 in discounts to be had. Gamerdeals.net points out that bargain warriors who enter the following codes when buying Kratos' conclusion from GameStop will receive a further price slashing.

Enter promo codes at checkout:

10AUTO
15NEW
SAVER

The discount codes work on other titles beyond God of War 3. You could use them to pick up the God of War Collection and have the entire trilogy for about the same as what the latest adventure cost at launch.

GameStop offering God of War 3 for under $40 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 games added to PS3 Greatest Hits lineup, Sony confirms

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST

Looks like the Walmart ad we posted yesterday actually undersold the number of PS3 games that Sony will soon add to the $30 Greatest Hits collection. The following 10 titles will be decked in red and reduced in price in the U.S. and Canada within the next few weeks:

inFAMOUS (Sony Computer Entertainment)
God of War Collection (Sony Computer Entertainment)
Killzone 2 (Sony Computer Entertainment)
LittleBigPlanet Game of the Year (Sony Computer Entertainment)
Resistance 2 (Sony Computer Entertainment)
Dead Space (Electronic Arts)
Fight Night Round 4 (EA Sports)
Resident Evil 5 (Capcom)
Soulcalibur IV (Namco Bandai Games)
UFC 2009 Undisputed (THQ)

That's a pretty good assortment of quality titles -- assuming, of course, that this isn't some kind of horribly distasteful April Fools' Day joke.

10 games added to PS3 Greatest Hits lineup, Sony confirms originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'God of War Trilogy' boxset announced for Europe

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:45:00 EST

We don't know how one box (unless it belongs to Pandora) can contain this much rage, but the God of War Trilogy boxset will rip Europe asunder in April. If it wasn't obvious from the title, the package contains all three titles in the anger management epic. Releasing at the same time as the God of War Collection, which includes the original game and the first sequel in one box, the Trilogy will cost €89.99 (£64.99), while the Collection requires a sacrifice of €39.99 (£24.99). Kratos's Blu-ray battle against the gods begins:

UK, Ireland, Germany and Austria: April 30, 2010
Australia and New Zealand: April 29, 2010
The remainder of PAL lands: April 28, 2010

We're currently following up with Sony America to find out if the Fates deem the States worthy of the trilogy set. Check out the full box after the break.

Update: There is no announcement for the Trilogy set in the States.

Gallery: God of War Collection

Continue reading 'God of War Trilogy' boxset announced for Europe

'God of War Trilogy' boxset announced for Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War Collection to release separately in Europe [update]

Justin McElroy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Since it hasn't been released there, we had assumed that the only shot our friends in the UK [Update: We've been told by SCEE that this is coming to all of Europe!] would have at the God of War Collection would be contained inside the monstrous "Ultimate Trilogy Edition." However, VG247 has relayed a quote from Sony, stating that "there are plans to release the GOW Collection separately" after all.

It's uncertain just when those plans will come to fruition, but it counts as good news for people who don't want to lay out the cash for the limited edition box set ... or those who would prefer not to have a screaming visage of demonic horror on their mantles.

God of War Collection to release separately in Europe [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War Collection now $30 on Amazon

David Hinkle — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:20:00 EST

If you've held off on picking up God of War Collection, then know that Amazon has slashed the price to $30 for an unspecified amount of time. That's a tremendous deal for two of the best action-adventure games ever designed -- now with those very tight HD facelifts.

Oh, and if it's been a while since you've played, and you're wondering how you'll get back into the swing of stabbing demons in the face, we've got your covered.

[Via CAG]

God of War Collection now $30 on Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best of the Rest: Randy's Picks of 2009

Randy Nelson — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST

Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes
If I had my way ... well, a lot of things would be different. When it came to video games, I'd make sure that everyone -- whether they own a Nintendo DS or not -- had a chance to play Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes. Now, I know, Might and Magic? Isn't that some long-dead RPG franchise that's probably best left in the ground? Well, yes -- but Clash of Heroes is about as far from any of the other games in the series as you can get. At its core, it's a puzzle game -- a combat puzzle game -- developed by Capybara, the same team behind PSN's wonderful Critter Crunch. Take that game's core mechanic, add a load of clever new ones and build a story-driven experience around it and you have one of the finest (not to mention most addicting) DS games ever.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Randy's Picks of 2009

Best of the Rest: Randy's Picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War 'Ultimate Trilogy Edition' coming to Europe

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST

Dear Europe,

We're really sorry you weren't able to get God of War Collection this year. But we wanted to let you know that it's not you, it's us. Yeah, you really wanted it, but we thought you would want EyePet instead! To make up for the delay, we're making you an Ultimate Trilogy Edition of God of War III. Not only will it include a fancy box and a copy of God of War III, but it will also include God of War Collection, so you can have all three games in one garish box. We're also throwing in an art book and postcards, along with a lot of digital extras that America is also receiving. Does this make you feel better, baby?

Love,
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe

God of War 'Ultimate Trilogy Edition' coming to Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop's Black Friday bundles are delectable

Justin McElroy — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

First off, we just want to apologize in advance if this post is the catalyst that forces you to wake up at 3 a.m. on Friday morning. Sincerely, we're sorry. But we just thought you'd want to know that GameStop will be offering some mighty tasty console bundles from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving. For $300, you'll be able to pick up an Elite 360 with Pure, Lego Batman and your choice of Bakugan or Call of Duty 4, which is sort of like Sophie's Choice, if Sophie had to choose between eating delicious pie or a rusty folding chair. Those same three Benjamins will also net you a 120 GB PS3 Slim with LittleBigPlanet and the God of War collection.

Now, keep in mind that our friend Cheapy D says you'll probably be just as well served getting Black Friday deals from an online retailer like Amazon. We know, we normally don't trust bald people either, but you don't have to wake up before the paperboy this way. We think the choice is pretty clear.

Check out Joystiq's Black Friday Game Deals Hub or jump to a retailer guide below:

For more Black Friday coverage, check out Black Friday Deals, Cyber Monday Sales,
And other Black Friday 2009 stories today from Walletpop.com

GameStop's Black Friday bundles are delectable originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War Collection players complain of freezing issues

David Hinkle — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST

Some folks over on the official PlayStation Forums allege to be having trouble playing God of War Collection. Several users are complaining that the game has been locking up on them, specifically after God of War's first cutscene and during the first mission. Most of the people who claim to be running into this freezing issue are running the game on 60GB launch PS3s, though a few PS3 Slim owners have also jumped into the threads to report the game is locking up on them, too.

Additionally, commenters on PlayStation.Blog have reported the same problem and specifically implicate 60GB PS3s. While we didn't experience such issues playing the final game code on a debug PS3 unit, we've contacted Sony for comment on this report and will update as necessary.

Gallery: God of War Collection

[Thanks, Scott]

Source - "God of War Collection Freezing Issues" [PlayStation.com Forums]
Source - PlayStation.Blog comments

God of War Collection players complain of freezing issues originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reminder: This is how you play God of War

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:45:00 EST

Just in case your God-killing skills have rusted since the end of God of War II on PS2, QA Tester Stephen Peterson has a few tricks up his sleeve. While this video from the PlayStation.Blog is meant to illustrate how to achieve the "15 Min Fight Scene' Trophy, it provides general hints that will be useful throughout Kratos' adventure. Pay attention to the weapons he chooses, and the magic he deploys. You'll see that with these tactics, a 500 hit combo goes from "ludicrous" to "entirely possible."

Study this video like a textbook -- God of War Collection is only days away, and you won't want to miss out on two Platinum Trophies, right?

Reminder: This is how you play God of War originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inspect Kratos' HD facelift in God of War Collection

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST

Sure, the upcoming God of War Collection is a lot more resolution-y than the original PS2 games, but does that produce a noticeably better-looking game? Bitmob tested the original God of War games on their backwards-compatible PS3 systems and took comparison shots of both. It's clear that the Blu-ray remastering is better than the PS2 original, even with the PS3 upscaler turned on.

It certainly helps that the original source material was so good. Looking back at the first game has us impressed -- we'd forgotten how much muscle the last generation could flex.

Source - Graphics Comparison (part one) God of War 1 vs. God of War Compilation
Source - Graphics Comparison (part two) God of War 2 vs. God of War Compilation

Inspect Kratos' HD facelift in God of War Collection originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War Collection porting 'lasted 15 weeks'

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST

"At E3, we got a lot of positive buzz for God of War III. We read the blog posts, forums and editorials, and it was clear that fans really wanted to see God of War 1 & 2 on PlayStation 3," Santa Monica Studios director John Hight recently told Game Hunters. We're not entirely sure why this would come as a surprise to anyone at Sony, considering the franchise is arguably the most beloved first-party property for the PlayStation brand. But apparently, it was only after the fan response to God of War's E3 showing that someone at Sony thought, "Hey, that's a really good idea."

"Bluepoint used our PlayStation 2 game code and data and their own rendering pipeline," Hight explained of the porting process, which only "lasted 15 weeks" and "went into manufacturing two days ahead of schedule with no issues." With a scheduled November 17 release, that means porting for the God of War Collection started in late July or early August, verifying Hight's claims that the project began only after the conclusion of this year's E3.

While the God of War Collection's financial success is pretty much guaranteed, it'll probably take a while before a certain Sony executive realizes, "Hey, we should do more of these." Sure, there are a lot of PS2 games worthy of an HD remix, but it should be very clear what the next collection should be.

Gallery: God of War Collection

God of War Collection porting 'lasted 15 weeks' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War Collection coming in November, with two Platinum trophies

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:26:00 EST

Did you know that the God of War Collection features two God of War games: God of War and God of War II? Oh, you could tell from the box art? Well, did you know that the God of War Collection puts both God of War and God of War II on a single Blu-ray disc, remastered in 720p HD for PS3? Oh, so you've been following this game, huh?

While everything about the aptly titled re-release has been unsurprising thus far, we were caught off-guard by this tidbit revealed by the PlayStation.blog. The Kratos Kompilation has not one but two Platinum Trophies, one for each title. Trophy hunters need not worry about the difficulty of nabbing both Platinums: neither will require playing the game on the hardest difficulty. In fact, "Getting My Ass Kicked" encourages dying enough times to unlock Easy Mode.

The God of War Collection will ship to retailers on November 17th. Well, unless you live in Europe ...

Gallery: God of War Collection

God of War Collection coming in November, with two Platinum trophies originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is what the God of War Collection will look like on your PS3

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:58:00 EST

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest games this holiday for PS3 users will be the enhanced HD ports of the original God of War and God of War II. Considering these two games were among the finest looking titles of the last generation, it should come as no surprise that the visuals have held up quite nicely. The added resolution is appreciated -- but even better than that is the smooth quality of the anti-aliasing.

Included with the Blu-ray disc will be a voucher for a PSN download of the E3 God of War III demo, y'know the one we called "God of War in HD." We suppose that assessment is kind of ironic now, right?

DOWNLOAD 1080P VIDEO from BigDownload

Gallery: God of War Collection

This is what the God of War Collection will look like on your PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War Collection to include God of War III demo

Randy Nelson — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:57:00 EST

As if having the first two God of War games remastered in HD for PS3 wasn't reason enough to pick up the God of War Collection, Sony has announced via the PlayStation blog that the title -- due to hit in November -- will include a download voucher for the E3 demo of God of War III. This isn't a promotion limited to specific retailers: all copies of the game will contain the code, and the demo will be available via the PlayStation Store on the day the collection is released.

Now, before you say, "Hey, isn't an E3 demo kind of old?," you should know that the slice of the game we played at the show was pretty robust, lasting nearly 20 minutes and showcasing a good variety of locations and many of the new moves at Kratos' disposal. So there's that ... and the fact that you'll get to play God of War III before 2010.

God of War Collection to include God of War III demo originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War Collection not hitting Europe this year

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:19:00 EST

Hey, Europe. You're looking lovely today, has anyone told you that? Okay, quick like a band-aid: The PS3 God of War Collection won't make it to Europe this year. The collection includes the first two PS2 games in the series, updated with Trophies and 720p support.

Sony Europe's form response to VG24/7: "We are currently looking into options to bring God of War I and II to SCEE consumers on PS3; however it will not be possible to release the games this calendar year. We will provide further information in due course."

Here's a tip, though: The collection is unlikely to be region locked, so those in Europe who can't wait to experience Kratos' rage with all that extra "p" should probably check in with their favorite importers, or call up a Yank friend across the pond to sail a copy over.

God of War Collection not hitting Europe this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War Collection coming to PS3 this holiday

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST

It's like this, but more definition-ier.

Backwards compatibility is back ... sort of! SCEA has announced that the PlayStation 2 God of War games will be coming to PlayStation 3 on a single, HD-enhanced Blu-ray disc. Previously hinted at in a consumer survey, the God of War Collection will feature "reworked" versions of both games, running at 60 frames per second and 720p resolution. The port is being handled by Bluepoint Games, the team behind the PSN-exclusive shooter, Blast Factor. Hopefully, the games will be more than simply upscaled, giving original PS3 owners a reason to partake in the double dip. Update: And yes, it will have Trophies.

The Blu-ray collection will be available this "holiday season," and will cost $39.99 -- the same price as buying both of the games on PS2. This HD remix should give fans some time to practice Kratos' moves before God of War III completes the "triology" (oh, press release typos!) in March.

[Thanks, Rob H.!]

God of War Collection coming to PS3 this holiday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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