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Zoombies is a fiesta of undead carnage

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:30:00 EST

This is Portabliss, a column about downloadable games that can be played on the go.

Say the name High Voltage, and your first thought might be the Conduit series of first-person shooters (or this). While the studio is indeed known most recently for The Conduit, one of its other ideas has been languishing for quite some time, namely Animales de la Muerte. Originally slated for WiiWare, and then for XBLA and PSN, the game has finally found a home on iOS.

Renamed Zoombies: Animales de la Muerte, the game tells the story of two children who must save a Mexican zoo from being overrun by a horde of zombified animals. To do this, the kids utilize every available tool of destruction, ranging from axes to shotguns, roman candles and even the occasional dollop of guacamole.

Zoombies is the most festive zombie game I've ever played, and it's also one of the most immediately entertaining.

Gallery: Zoombies: Animales de la Muerte (5/15/2013)

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Zoombies is a fiesta of undead carnage originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 May 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Conduit developer lets loose 'Le Vamp,' an iOS endless runner

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 16:30:00 EST

High Voltage Software, the developer of hardcore Wii FPS The Conduit, is exploring the other side of the family-friendly spectrum with Le Vamp, an endless runner starring a cartoonish vampire boy, out on the App Store for $2.

Le Vamp has players manipulate the world around the main character, rather than controlling him directly, as he attempts to outrun an angry mob. High Voltage has its eyes on Andoid systems for another project, The Conduit HD, coming to Tegra-powered Androids on March 14.

Continue reading The Conduit developer lets loose 'Le Vamp,' an iOS endless runner

The Conduit developer lets loose 'Le Vamp,' an iOS endless runner originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Conduit HD coming to Tegra-powered Android devices March 14

Mike Suszek — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST

High Voltage Software recently announced a port of the single-player levels from Wii shooter The Conduit to Tegra-powered Android devices. Called The Conduit HD, the game will land on the Google Play store on March 14, offering the first two levels for free to players.

The rest of the single-player campaign can be purchased for $4.99, or players have the option of buying levels three through six and seven through nine in two separate packs for $2.99 apiece. While TegraZone notes that the game will be compatible with GameStop's tablet controller, there's no mention of it supporting Nvidia's Project Shield handheld system.

Gallery: The Conduit HD (Announcement)

The Conduit HD coming to Tegra-powered Android devices March 14 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conduit developer teases franchise news before year's end

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:30:00 EST

A representative for High Voltage Software has teased there's something in the works for Wii shooter franchise The Conduit. Answering questions on GameFAQs, Bob Chamot, a designer at the studio said, "We haven't forgotten about Conduit over here, either. I would expect some new Conduit-related news before the year is out."

High Voltage Software has been working on several projects, including the Zone of the Enders: HD Collection. We've followed up with the developer to see if there's anything more it can share about the Conduit project. Whatever it is, we hope it'll be an improvement over Conduit 2.

Conduit developer teases franchise news before year's end originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conduit 2 trailer does a bit of globetrotting

David Hinkle — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST

Where do you think Conduit 2 will take you? Wherever the bad guys are, we're sure -- but those alien creeps aren't located in one convenient place. They're scattered all across the globe, in places like China, the Bermuda Triangle, the Siberian tundra and the rainforests of the Amazon.

Continue reading Conduit 2 trailer does a bit of globetrotting

Conduit 2 trailer does a bit of globetrotting originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Animales de la Muerte reanimated as PSN/XBLA game

JC Fletcher — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:16:00 EST

Back in 2009, High Voltage Studios discussed its plan to shift Animales de la Muerte, a game with the irresistible concept of "zombie zoo animals," from WiiWare to retail because of a large amount of audio.

The twin-stick shooter has resurfaced again, and has returned to the download space -- as an XBLA and PSN game. IGN saw this new version at GDC, noting that even though the game has existed for years, it's in a very early state again as a result of a newly rebuilt engine, with the HUD, many enemies, and even some basic gameplay elements like dropoff locations for rescued non-zombie animals yet to be implemented.

Will we ever get to destroy undead penguins? In a game, we mean?

Animales de la Muerte reanimated as PSN/XBLA game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conduit 2: by the numbers

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:18:00 EST

Sequels aren't always guaranteed to be better than their predecessors, but they'll always be bigger. David Pellas, designer director of High Voltage's Conduit 2, broke down many of the new features included in the Wii-exclusive shooter. Some of the additions rectify surprising omissions from the first game: the ability to sprint, alternate fire for weapons, and a proper sniper rifle. Embarassingly, the first game missed any female NPC skins for multiplayer -- an issue that has been rectified in Conduit 2.

Some of the added features are far more significant: the addition of split-screen multiplayer (with a brand new Horde-inspired co-op mode!), for example. The experience is fleshed out with an in-game store system that allows you to purchase new weapons and don new perks with a persistent character across both single and multiplayer. Finally, the campaign adds a feature most FPS games are missing today: boss battles.

Does all this newness amount to a better game? That's up to debate, of course. But no one can argue that Conduit 2 -- when broken down into numbers -- is a far more significant game than its predecessor.

Continue reading Conduit 2: by the numbers

Conduit 2: by the numbers originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: High Voltage bringing Conduit to 3DS

Andrew Yoon — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:20:00 EST

High Voltage's love affair with Nintendo continues. Although the studio is still wrapping up work on Conduit 2, it already has plans to bring the franchise onto the 3DS where chief creative officer Eric Nofsinger believes the company can "be a shining star." Like on the Wii, the 3DS library isn't really bursting with high-profile FPS titles.

According to Nofsinger, the results of their early prototyping have been "very good," saying that "we're going to be able to have something very close to this [Conduit 2] on the 3DS probably by GDC." Much of the engine used in the Wii game can, seemingly, be pulled over from the console to the handheld.

Although the team is working on a Conduit game for 3DS, the game hasn't secured a publisher yet. "I would guess that Sega will be interested," Nofsinger told Eurogamer. "At DICE, the conference in Vegas that's coming up, we'll probably have some more chats."

Report: High Voltage bringing Conduit to 3DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conduit dev High Voltage making Kinect-enabled 'licensed' game for 2K

Christopher Grant — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:01:00 EST

Though it may be best known for its Wii-exclusive sci-fi shooter The Conduit, and its upcoming, The-less sequel Conduit 2, High Voltage Software makes most of its scratch putting out licensed games. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for Wii and DS? Yup, that's High Voltage. Iron Man 2 ... for Wii and PSP? Also High Voltage. And now the Chicago-area developer is working on another licensed game due out this year -- but there's something unique about this one: it uses Kinect.

"It's not announced yet," High Voltage's Eric Nofsinger told Eurogamer. "We're doing that with 2K. It's a licensed game. That's our bread and butter as a developer." Nofsinger added that this new game "works well with or without Kinect" and that, while it "works very well" with Kinect, "I don't think it's this brilliant, genius idea." As if intent on further lowering expectations for the Kinect functionality, Nofsinger said, "It works really well because it's a 360 game. I don't think it necessarily works really well because it's a Kinect game."

Regardless of how tacked on the developer thinks this bit of Kinect functionality is, we'll find out more "around GDC" when the game is expected to be announced. High Voltage previously made a licensed Family Guy title for 2K in 2006 and Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue, based on the Nickelodeon series, for 2K Play in 2008.

Conduit dev High Voltage making Kinect-enabled 'licensed' game for 2K originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conduit 2 delayed again, release date now April 19

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:50:00 EST

High Voltage Studios' Conduit 2 just can't keep its grip on a solid release date. The Wii FPS is now scheduled for release on April 19, after slipping from February and March dates. A studio representative told IGN that the delay will allow the team to "continue to balance and enhance the game's multiplayer, one of the key features and focuses during the development of this ambitious sequel."

Unfortunately, with the delay, it's hard to pinpoint another high-profile release to look forward to on Wii in the first quarter. It looks like Wii gamers will need to stick with Black Ops for now.

Gallery: Conduit 2 (1/28/11)

Conduit 2 delayed again, release date now April 19 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conduit 2 channels March 22 launch, new weapons trailer

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST

High Voltage Software's Conduit 2 will be available on March 17, 18 and 22 in Australia, the UK and North America, respectively. There's also a new trailer for the latest alien blasting pew-pew devices after the break.

Continue reading Conduit 2 channels March 22 launch, new weapons trailer

Conduit 2 channels March 22 launch, new weapons trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conduit 2 trailer catches us up on the going-ons of Ford

David Hinkle — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 23:00:00 EST

Heroes come from the most unlikely places. For example, Conduit 2 protagonist Michael Ford, in the first game, unwittingly found himself at the center of a conspiracy involving The Drudge, a seemingly alien-looking race of creatures who had it out for the human race.

Continue reading Conduit 2 trailer catches us up on the going-ons of Ford

Conduit 2 trailer catches us up on the going-ons of Ford originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conduit 2 preview: Pipe dream

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 22:38:00 EST

High Voltage certainly had ambition and vision when designing the original Conduit for Wii, hyping it as a marquee FPS title for Nintendo's console. Unfortunately, the execution wasn't there. Fast forward a year since its release, and High Voltage is working on a sequel. Although the team admits the first game didn't meet expectations, I couldn't help but get a sense of déjà vu while watching the strictly hands-off demo. This time, it's actually going to be really good -- but isn't that what you guys promised us last time?

Conduit 2 has all the features you'd expect of a sequel. More locations! This time, you'll be wandering around a variety of locales, including the mythical Atlantis. (You do make a return trip to DC, but only for one level.) More weapons! With more human, alien and Atlantian guns to use this time around. Better graphics! Or, at least, better art direction and a closer attention to detail. Each level looks very different, with an intentional focus on offering different color palettes throughout the game. Humor! In an attempt to take things a bit less seriously than in the first game, expect many more quips from Ford as he goes through his mission. The banter felt strangely reminiscent of a Duke Nukem game.

Yet, in spite High Voltage's efforts to build upon the previous game, there's one feature I still couldn't find in the hands-off demo: fun.

Gallery: Conduit 2 (10/14/10)

Continue reading Conduit 2 preview: Pipe dream

Conduit 2 preview: Pipe dream originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 22:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Tournament of Legends

Jason Dobson — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST

Tournament of Legends was originally conceived as Gladiator A.D., a fighter hinged on stylized gladiatorial combat. But the concept -- and, as it turns out, its potential -- was later scrapped in favor of the shallow SoulCalibur imitation we're now left with.

The real tragedy here isn't the lack of any real depth or character. No, the tragedy is how a seasoned developer managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of potential victory and turn what, at one point, appeared to be an inspired historically-influenced brawler into a forgettable mess.

Gallery: Tournament of Legends (E3 2010)

Continue reading Review: Tournament of Legends

Review: Tournament of Legends originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: Conduit 2

David Hinkle — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:45:00 EST

The High Voltage representatives showing off ~~The~~ Conduit 2 behind closed doors at the Sega booth were quick to admit that the first game may not have lived up to the hype. While they were incredibly proud of what they created with that game, they admitted there was plenty of room for improvement -- generic, repeating waves of enemies were just one of the frank criticisms they had for their game. The sequel would afford them opportunity to correct these shortcomings. And then we were thrust into the demo.

Gallery: Conduit 2 (E3 2010)

Continue reading Preview: Conduit 2

Preview: Conduit 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Epic trailer and screens for Tournament of Legends

JC Fletcher — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:45:00 EST

Sega released a new trailer for High Voltage's Tournament of Legends (formerly Gladiator A.D.), the weapon-based Wii fighter due in July. The trailer's got some enjoyably melodramatic narration, which, combined with the theme of the game (mythological beings hitting each other with swords and whatnot) and the appearance of huge monsters in each stage, lends a sort of Clash of the Titans feel to it. One detail seen in this trailer that we especially love: the combo counter is displayed in Roman numerals!

See the trailer after the break, and check our gallery for IX new screenshots.

Gallery: Tournament of Legends (Wii)

Continue reading Epic trailer and screens for Tournament of Legends

Epic trailer and screens for Tournament of Legends originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 May 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tournament of Legends trailer reveals deep mythology

Xav de Matos — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:31:00 EST

The first gameplay footage we've seen of Sega's upcoming Wii-exclusive fighter Tournament of Legends is bathed in the game's mixed mythology. Showcasing two fighters -- Bravehoof, defender of nature and Marcus Antonius, beloved hero of Rome -- the trailer heavily emphasizes a story that pits man versus beast.

Tournament of Legends will be released on July 8 at a budget price of $30. Not a bad price to pay to toss some magic and swing some weapons at a minotaur, gladiator, Valkyrie and Gorgon.

Gallery: Tournament of Legends (Wii)

Tournament of Legends trailer reveals deep mythology originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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High Voltage: It's just 'Conduit 2' now

JC Fletcher — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 01:00:00 EST

In a Nintendo Life interview, producer Jason Olson clears up something regarding the title of the sequel to last year's The Conduit: it's less definite now. "It's Conduit 2. The 'THE' got a bit clunky - too much of a mouthful - and we always referred to it as Conduit 2 internally. It flows better and just kinda stuck." Of course: now that there are two of them, each is just a Conduit.

Olson also offered some details about the revamped multiplayer. Perks will now be available, which will allow players to customize their characters significantly. "If I wanted to be a medic, for example, I'd probably pick Reverse Damage (Shooting allies heals them), Field Medicine (Doubles revive times), and Robot Legs (Unlimited sprint) among my perks. If I wanted to be a tank, I'd pick Heavy Armor (Damage reduction at a cost to movement speed), Ammo Belt (Two extra magazines), and Improved Bullet Damage." And you'll be able to set up two sets of abilities, so you can switch quickly.

High Voltage: It's just 'Conduit 2' now originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Apr 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Conduit 2 to address online multiplayer hacking

JC Fletcher — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:03:00 EST

Okay, so The Conduit 2 has new locations and new multiplayer modes. No one's complaining about that. However, anyone who spent any time with the first Conduit really only wants one thing for the sequel's multiplayer: less cheating. Luckily, developer High Voltage agrees. In a Q&A session on Sega's blog, High Voltage's David Pellas identified three aspects of the first game he didn't like: "Simple level design, online hackers and the cliffhanger ending" -- and then, when asked if The Conduit 2 would fix these issues, he said, "Yes, yes, and yes."

In other words, you should be able to get in at least one really good day of online multiplayer before someone figures out how to hack the new game.

The Conduit 2 to address online multiplayer hacking originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sega releases first screens and details of The Conduit 2

JC Fletcher — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:31:00 EST

Following its unveiling in Nintendo Power magazine, The Conduit 2, High Voltage's second pass at a Wii FPS, has been officially announced by publisher Sega.

Due this fall, The Conduit 2 expands the venue for the serie's action from Washington, D.C. to a variety of locations across the world. The game also adds "all-new" online and couch co-op modes, including Team Invasion Mode, a 4-player split-screen mode that can be played online or off. The 12-player online competitive play now benefits from "larger and more intricate indoor and outdoor battlefields," and retains the Wii Speak functionality that so few games employ.

Turn your All-Seeing Eye toward Sega Europe's blog to see the first screenshots.

Sega releases first screens and details of The Conduit 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Conduit 2 coming to Wii

Justin McElroy — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:29:00 EST

No, that's the first game.

As you Nintendo Power subscribers and purchasers will learn (if you haven't gotten the latest issue already) High Voltage will be bringing its flagship franchise back to the Wii this fall with The Conduit 2. GoNintendo has a ton of details from the magazine's upcoming feature, but we're only providing the highlights, in case you plan on reading for yourself.

In short: It's due this fall, it picks up right where the first left off and it's embracing its sci-fi vibe more than the first game did. Like we said, plenty of details are forthcoming; however, at the moment, it sounds like High Voltage is hoping to ratchet up pretty much every aspect of the first game. Here's hoping we have some official assets for you soon.

The Conduit 2 coming to Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tournament of Legends releasing a bit gladi-later

JC Fletcher — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:55:00 EST

High Voltage's Tournament of Legends, the Sega-published two-player Wii fighting game about whaling on mythological creatures (which was once a Wii fighting game about whaling on gladiators), has experienced a bit of a delay. The game was originally dated for May 18, but now you won't have the opportunity to smack a minotaur with a sword until July 6*.

There is some good news, however: along with the new release date, Sega revealed the suggested price for the fighter: a wallet-friendly $29.99. In other good news, there's a new trailer, revealing a game that rivals Clash of the Titans for ridiculous dialogue and gratuitous monster use.

*Unless you get the WiiWare game Rage of the Gladiator, which is out now.

Continue reading Tournament of Legends releasing a bit gladi-later

Tournament of Legends releasing a bit gladi-later originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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High Voltage Studios reveals The Grinder to be multiplatform

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:30:00 EST

Speaking exclusively with IGN, The Conduit developer High Voltage Studios has revealed its upcoming game The Grinder to be heading to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, as well as the Nintendo Wii. Previously announced as another of HVS' exclusive games for the Wii aimed at teh hardcorez, the game will now end up on every console, which "allows us [High Voltage] to show off what our company can really do and get it into the hands of the most gamers."

While we're inclined to argue that most gamers' hands are in possession of a Wiimote and Nunchuk (at least that's what the numbers tell us), moving to the other consoles is a fairly understandable choice given the relatively low sales of HVS' previous Wiisclusive title. "We are extremely proud of the sales for The Conduit, with over 350,000 copies sold, numerous 'best-of 2009' nods, and over a million hours played according to the Nintendo Channel," noted CEO Kerry Ganofsky. From the interview, it appears that the studio's proprietary game engine ("Quantum 3") will also be heading to the other consoles. Does that mean a Conduit port to the 360 and PS3 is in the cards? Hopefully we'll find out when we next see HVS at the Game Developer's Conference this March. In the meantime, we've embedded a new trailer after the break.

Continue reading High Voltage Studios reveals The Grinder to be multiplatform

High Voltage Studios reveals The Grinder to be multiplatform originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii enters Tournament of Legends this May

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST

Click to enlarge bull shot

Mythological arena combat news now, with Sega announcing Tournament of Legends exclusively for the Wii. The 3D fighter, which appears to be the final incarnation of High Voltage's "Gladiator A.D.," is expected to cast down the gauntlet -- after it's undone the wrist strap -- in North America on May 18, 2010 A.D.

As you might expect, several larger-than-life figures ("some of the biggest playable characters on Wii," in fact) from world mythology are embroiled in the titular tournament, including a minotaur, gladiator, Valkyrie and Gorgon. Up to two players can enter the arena and have at each other with different weapons, magic and supported Classic Controllers. You can also summon "a man-eating lion," which scientists have repeatedly shown to be the only useful variant of the lion.

Gallery: Tournament of Legends (Wii)

Wii enters Tournament of Legends this May originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Conduit Wii case mod much cooler than actual game

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:45:00 EST

If you own more than one console, there's a sizable chance that you found The Conduit underwhelming. A commendable effort, sure, but not the world-rending behemoth we were all hoping for. That said, if you own multiple consoles, you probably also have enough money to afford a sweet custom rig. Thus we present a custom Wii dedicated to High Voltage's good ol' college try.

While it might appear to be little more than a Wii with a face painted one side and a logo plastered on the other, the real magic happens when you turn it on, causing it to light up so very prettily. See it all in the detailed (and vaguely sensual) video after the break.

[Thanks, John]

Continue reading The Conduit Wii case mod much cooler than actual game

The Conduit Wii case mod much cooler than actual game originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Astro Boy voice acting gets real with Kristen Bell

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:00:00 EST

You'll remember Kristen Bell from her less-than-endearing performance as Lucy in Assassin's Creed a couple years ago (and you should remember her from TV's Veronica Mars). Bell's back in the sound booth to record another game voice, playing Cora in Astro Boy, the upcoming movie-based adaptation. According to the video interview above, her character is a "17-year-old, edgy girl," immediately demonstrated by her declaration, "Sorry, we don't need any newbies." Good to know! (We were worried.)

Astro Boy voice acting gets real with Kristen Bell originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Licensed game from High Voltage inspired by Bionic Commando

JC Fletcher — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST

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

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

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

[Thanks, Ed!]

Licensed game from High Voltage inspired by Bionic Commando originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sega clarifies first-week sales numbers for The Conduit

Randy Nelson — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST

In announcing its Q1 2010 earnings last week, Sega also presented a sales figure of 150,000 units for The Conduit during its first week on sale (June 23 through June 30). Just a little more than a week earlier, figures released by NPD put sales of the game for June 23 through July 4 at just 72,000 copies -- not a small discrepancy by any means. We contacted Sega to find out which report was the most accurate. Turns out they both were.

Sega's 150k figure, the publisher told us, was based on copies of the game shipped to retailers during that first week. Although a rep explained that this figure was "global," the only part of the globe the game was available in before July 10 (the UK launch) was North America. Those 72,000 units reported by NPD, then? Those were how many of the 150,000 copies shipped were sold-through to consumers (a.k.a. actually sold), according to Sega.

While this certainly makes the game's first week less impressive, we'll need to see how The Conduit did for all of July before delivering a fair verdict. We'll have those numbers as soon as the next NPD report hits.

Sega clarifies first-week sales numbers for The Conduit originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hacker claims The Conduit 'virtually unprotected,' easy to foil

JC Fletcher — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:05:00 EST

A hacker by the name of "hetoan2" claims that it is relatively simple to alter variables in High Voltage's Wii FPS, The Conduit, allowing cheaters to attain infinite ammo, health, invisibility from radar, and other beneficial but unfair advantages -- even online. You can see some of the hacks in action in a video on hetoan2's site.

"Everything is virtually unprotected," hetoan2 discovered when he dumped the game's data and opened it up in a remote debugging program. "All values can be edited fairly easily, and there's virtually no sign of an attempt at hiding values, fixing bugs, or preventing online hackers." hetoan2 said that hacking the online version is as easy as hacking the offline version, because the code is completely identical. "The only difference is in the online mode the game sends the variables in real-time to their server."

hetoan2 released some patch codes for The Conduit, but initially altered them to corrupt the save files of anyone using them. Now, he told The Wiire, he's working with High Voltage to identify cheaters, whose MAC addresses are currently being sent to Nintendo for banning.

Gallery: The Conduit

Hacker claims The Conduit 'virtually unprotected,' easy to foil originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: The Conduit

Justin McElroy — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:45:00 EST

The problem with reviewing High Voltage's The Conduit is that it's impossible to do in a vacuum. Depending on where you're coming from, you're going to have vastly different reactions to this game, so I'm going to do my best to talk to everyone.

Gallery: The Conduit

Continue reading Review: The Conduit

Review: The Conduit originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview: The Conduit (Wii)

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:31:00 EST

While you're patiently waiting for the end of the week so you can cash that paycheck and pick up High Voltage Software's The Conduit for your Nintendo Wii, why not take a gander at what the rest of the interweb had to say about the game? Considering the lack of correlation between Metacritic scores and the sales numbers of Wii games, though -- at least according to Peter Moore -- you probably shouldn't let these numbers get to you too much.

GamePro (70): "The Conduit is the closest you will get to recapturing the magic of Goldeneye ... To be blunt, The Conduit is a by the numbers shooter that offers a couple of thrills but ultimately doesn't make much of an impact ... anyone who loved Goldeneye will want to give a look as well if only to get a nice dose of nostalgia, but the rest of you shouldn't feel a need to abandon your favorite next-gen shooter for this one."
GamesRadar (80): "The Conduit is fun, controls well, and is, at times, quite beautiful ... Both humans and alien drones are animated with competent physics and personality that puts High Voltage Software's Quantum3 engine outside the realm of the "GameCube 1.5" criticisms ... The truth is you probably wouldn't bat an eye at The Conduit had it appeared on PC, PS3 or Xbox 360 ... The solid, yet unremarkable single-player won't win any awards, but The Conduit still features the most finely honed online outings available on Wii."
IGN (86): "The Conduit is not a revolutionary first-person shooter, but it's a damned good one ... the title features the tightest, most comfortable control scheme of any console-based first-person shooter to date ... The Conduit features a robust list of modes and maps to play online and nearly 20 weapons to use as you rip through arenas blasting foes ... it's not revolutionary, but The Conduit is a great first-person shooter designed just for Wii owners."

Gallery: The Conduit

Metareview: The Conduit (Wii) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Week on the Nintendo Channel: E3 interviews

David Hinkle — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST

This week, the Nintendo Channel has been flooded with a variety of interviews about big upcoming Wii titles. There are interviews with the folks behind FFCC: The Crystal Bearers, Red Steel 2, Cave Story, and, as you can see above, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. So, hit up the video above, then if you want more E3 interview goodness, be sure to boot up your Wii and check out what's on the Nintendo Channel.

Gallery: Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (Wii)

Continue reading This Week on the Nintendo Channel: E3 interviews

This Week on the Nintendo Channel: E3 interviews originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Conduit delayed in Europe, Australia [update]

JC Fletcher — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST

[Update: Sega has confirmed that the US release date remains June 23.]

Sega has announced that the European release of The Conduit has been delayed from its original June 26 date to July 10. According to CVG, unspecified issues with the game's multi-language European localization are responsible for the holdup.

VOOKS has also confirmed a delay for the Australian release of High Voltage's FPS. Once given a June 25 release date, the game has been pushed back to July 16. Neither Sega nor VOOKS offered any reason for this version's delay, and the Australian release shouldn't be affected by the same localization problems. At this point, your best shot at playing The Conduit next week remains the "living in North America" strategy, or the slightly less drastic "importing from North America" strategy.

The Conduit delayed in Europe, Australia [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Impressions: Gladiator A.D. (Wii)

David Hinkle — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:15:00 EST

The second title that High Voltage showed off behind closed doors at this year's E3 was none other than Gladiator A.D., its aptly titled gladiatorial combat game. We were able to witness several battles take place across two different stages. The High Voltage rep that demoed the game for us said the company was really going for that stylized 300 look and feel. While we can't comment on the latter, we will say the former was pretty evident.

Continue reading Impressions: Gladiator A.D. (Wii)

Impressions: Gladiator A.D. (Wii) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Impressions: Astro Boy (Wii)

David Hinkle — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:15:00 EST

Many of you likely remember the punishing gameplay of Astro Boy: Omega Factor. In fact, our first question to the High Voltage rep that demoed the game at the D3 Publisher booth was just that, if they played the game and whether they planned to follow in its footsteps. The good news is that High Voltage indeed did play through Omega Factor and took inspiration from the game, evident in the 2.5D approach of the Wii game and simplistic combat. The bad news is that this seemed less like a game inspired by Omega Factor and more a watered down version of one of the better GBA games out there.

Continue reading Impressions: Astro Boy (Wii)

Impressions: Astro Boy (Wii) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Impressions: The Grinder (Wii)

David Hinkle — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:15:00 EST

The Grinder is the first of the two new Wii projects from High Voltage that were revealed just prior to E3, and we got to check it out at the company's booth. It's a game that takes the cheesy grindhouse pictures of old and converts them into an FPS experience. The result is a game full of frenetic monsters and tension.

Continue reading Impressions: The Grinder (Wii)

Impressions: The Grinder (Wii) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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See Gladiator A.D. in bloody action

Justin McElroy — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:00:00 EST

We know that it's not fair to pass judgment on a game when its at an early stage of development, but we're having a problem with this first trailer for High Voltage's new Gladiator A.D. Namely: It doesn't look very good. It's not that it doesn't look fun, there's no way of knowing that, but it just looks really ... homely.

We're going to cross out fingers and hope that this is just a super-early clip and the finished product is going to knock our sandals off in Q1 of 2010. Agreed?

Continue reading See Gladiator A.D. in bloody action

See Gladiator A.D. in bloody action originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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High Voltage follows The Conduit with Gladiator A.D.

JC Fletcher — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:10:00 EST

Having already established itself as a leading developer of mature Wii games about guys shooting stuff with The Conduit, High Voltage Software has revealed its latest Wii project using the Quantum3 engine: a game about guys swording stuff. Gladiator A.D. is a bloody fighting game that puts players in the role of (obviously) a Roman gladiator.

The 300-inspired fighter allows players to choose from a selection of gladiators from different backgrounds, each with his or her own story and rival characters. The fighting takes place from an over-the-shoulder perspective, with each Wii controller representing one of the fighter's hands. Optional MotionPlus compatibility allows players to control the angle at which their swords cut into their opponents.

Gladiator A.D. is currently slated for a Q1 2010 release. High Voltage told IGN that it would also announce another title before E3.

[Thanks, KEENMACHINE]

High Voltage follows The Conduit with Gladiator A.D. originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 May 2009 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Astro Boy movie adaptation coming to Wii, DS, PSP, PS2

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:45:00 EST

It appears that High Voltage Software's unannounced non-FPS title has been revealed, and ... it's only wearing underpants. According to a recent press release, the Conduit developer, along with D3Publisher, will be bringing Imagi Studios' upcoming CGI-infused Astro Boy film to the Wii, PSP and PS2 -- but in the form of a video game. How very clever! We'll see how well this bold experiment pans out when the game drops this Fall, probably around the film's October 23 release date.

The title will also be developed for the DS by Art Co. Ltd., who also adapted Coraline for D3Publisher. That doesn't exactly fill us with confidence, but hey -- it's pretty tough to screw up "Finger Lasers, Arm Cannons, and Butt Machine Guns."

Astro Boy movie adaptation coming to Wii, DS, PSP, PS2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 May 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Check out The Conduit's packaging, and the game as well

JC Fletcher — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:05:00 EST

Sega released a bunch of cool media for The Conduit, including this new trailer, titled "Trouble in the Metro." It's somewhat debatable as to what causes more trouble in this game's version of the Washington, D.C. Metro system: all the alien guys running around, or the player character discharging a bunch of weapons in there.

Sega also released images of the special edition boxes for both the UK and North America. Sega has yet to announce anything about the UK special edition, but we feel pretty confident in saying that there will be a hint book included.

Check out The Conduit's packaging, and the game as well originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 May 2009 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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