Joystiq

Hydrophobia studio shut down

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST

Hydrophobia developer Dark Energy Digital has been shut down, administrators confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz.

The site reports that the company's assets have been combined into a "pre-packed" deal with the recently created Dark Energy Publishing, a new company founded in January by Dark Energy Digital owners Pete and Deborah Jones, along with technical director Gary Leach. GI.biz also notes the new outfit may "take control of physical assets and IP at a bargain price."

Hydrophobia struggled to find a large audience, despite significant attempts to fix the game after it launched. We've contacted Dark Energy Digital's administration team for comment.

Hydrophobia studio shut down originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Hydrophobia studio facing closure

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

Hydrophobia developer Dark Energy Digital is allegedly preparing to shut down. GamesIndustry.biz reports layoffs have begun, with affected employees concerned about outstanding pay from the company, which is said to be deep in debt.

Hydrophobia struggled to find an audience after diving into the digital distribution pool with less-than-adequate form, despite attempts by the developer to right the ship soon after launch. We've contacted Dark Energy Digital for comment.

Report: Hydrophobia studio facing closure originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSN Tuesday: Hydrophobia, DC Universe Online F2P, more PS2 games

JC Fletcher — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:20:00 EST

Dark Energy Digital decants Hydrophobia Prophecy onto PSN this week -- free for Plus members, $10 for everyone else. In other format-change news, the multiplatform side-scroller Max & The Magic Marker comes to PS3, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe goes downloadable, and DC Universe Online officially becomes free-to-play.

Also enjoying a change of hardware as of this week: three new PS2 classics -- Raiden III, BloodRayne, and Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland; and two more PSOne imports. Check the PlayStation Blog for a more exhaustive list of this week's PS3 and PSP downloads.

PSN Tuesday: Hydrophobia, DC Universe Online F2P, more PS2 games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia Prophecy predicted for PSN next week

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:25:00 EST

Hydrophobia Prophecy, Dark Energy Digital's publicly iterated action adventure title, will arrive on PSN in North America and Europe on November 1 and 2, respectively.

"The PlayStation 3 is now by far and away the best looking and best playing version of the game on any platform - it's in a different league compared to the original release, with many game systems reworked from the ground up, compelling new mechanics and a deeper back-story," said Dark Energy Managing Director Peter Jones. The PSN version includes Move functionality and the "Darknet" feedback system, which lets players give direct critiques and praise to the developer.

After a belly-flop of a launch on Xbox Live Arcade last year, Dark Energy Digital's game came back with the "Pure" update, fixing concerns from the original launch. "Prophecy" is the same game, with further refinements, and will be available for $7.99 in the US, £5.10 in the UK, and free to PlayStation Plus members.

Continue reading Hydrophobia Prophecy predicted for PSN next week

Hydrophobia Prophecy predicted for PSN next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We foresee a Hydrophobia Prophecy trailer

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST

Dark Energy Digital, which refused to let Hydrophobia's initial release issues halt the franchise in the making, is set to launch Hydrophobia: Prophecy -- not a sequel, but a remake -- on Steam in May (and PSN sometime after that).

Continue reading We foresee a Hydrophobia Prophecy trailer

We foresee a Hydrophobia Prophecy trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia Prophecy coming to Steam on May 9, then PSN

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST

Though Hydrophobia Prophecy may sound like a new entry in the Hydrophobia series (as part of a planned trilogy), it's actually a PlayStation Network and Steam release of last year's aquatic Xbox Live Arcade title. It was later given a substantial, feedback-driven overhaul in the "Hydrophobia Pure" update following a chilly critical reception. Hydrophobia Prophecy popped up in a recent Australian ratings board listing, and was today confirmed as heading to Steam on May 9 and PlayStation Network at some point after that.

Like the game's Pure iteration before it, Prophecy augments the original game based on player feedback. "This comprehensive reinvention of the title includes upgraded graphics, brand new gameplay mechanics, exclusive new levels, a reworked back story, a dramatic new ending, recast voice acting and much, much more," the game's announcement reads.

The updated version also includes an in-game service called "Darknet," allowing players to "deliver specific opinions at any point during the game, which are automatically augmented with contextual data about the game state at that time." It's an even more direct line of communication than the developer's "Listening Post," which was erected in January to gauge played feedback online. We're hoping that by the time Dark Energy Digital gets around to working on that promised sequel, it'll be able to crowdsource the whole thing.

Continue reading Hydrophobia Prophecy coming to Steam on May 9, then PSN

Hydrophobia Prophecy coming to Steam on May 9, then PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Hydrophobia Prophecy' pops up in Australian game rating

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:05:00 EST

Last we heard from Hydrophobia and the game's developer, Dark Energy Digital, the studio was doing its best to respond to fans' criticisms of the first, not-so-warmly received installment. The plan all along, however, has been a Hydrophobia trilogy, which likely explains why a listing for something called "Hydrophobia Prophecy" has popped up on the Australian Government's classification website.

Outside of noting Dark Energy Digital as the "author" and Microsoft Game Studios as the publisher, the listing provides little other information. Though it does confirm some important basics, like acknowledging that Prophecy is a video game and not, say, a line of Hydrophobia-branded sunglasses. We've reached out to Dark Energy Digital, but we're not exactly holding our breath for confirmation.

'Hydrophobia Prophecy' pops up in Australian game rating originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live leaderboard data shows how House Party promotion fared

Mike Schramm — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST

GamerBytes did a little number-crunching on the Xbox Live Arcade leaderboards for last month, and while we don't have exact numbers on Xbox Live titles (other than Major Nelson's usual list of most-played and purchased games), these are usually a rough indication of what business was like on Microsoft's network last month.

Bionic Commando: Re-armed 2 was the biggest disappointment, picking up fewer than 10,000 players on the leaderboards, compared to over 130K first-week sales for the first title. Hard Corps: Uprising, the first game to come out under Microsoft's "House Party" banner, brought in a few more players, at around 27K, and Bejeweled Blitz Live did pretty well (for a game that's on nearly every platform known to man in its basic form) with over 14K new players in the single week of February it was out.

Sales were big drivers -- Hydrophobia picked up over 10,000 new players thanks to a sale, and Geometry Wars 2 saw a huge bump as well. Outside of the new titles, Pinball FX 2 and Trials HD continue to grow their leaderboards.

Xbox Live leaderboard data shows how House Party promotion fared originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia devs try to right the ship with 'Listening Post'

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:40:00 EST

We'll give this to developer Dark Energy Digital: it refuses to let Hydrophobia sink into the abyss without a fight. Late last year, the studio released the "Pure" update, which was one of the most substantial post-launch overhauls ever performed on a game. Now, the company is activating the "Hydrophobia Listening Post," asking the community what it wants from the game universe (and, likely, its planned sequels).

The Listening Post is presented as a series of questions on the Hydrophobia game site that seeks to incorporate player feedback into development. Creative director Pete Jones says the company was "absolutely blown away" by the response to Pure and believes "there should be a two-way relationship between developer and players."

If you still haven't dipped your toes into Hydrophobia (whose price was permanently dropped to 800 points [$10] on Xbox Live Arcade last month alongside the update), the game will be ripe for more feedback when it goes on sale next week for $5.

Continue reading Hydrophobia devs try to right the ship with 'Listening Post'

Hydrophobia devs try to right the ship with 'Listening Post' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia, Dance Central deals in upcoming Xbox Live marketplace updates

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:20:00 EST

The next couple weeks of Xbox Live marketplace updates include deals for Harmonix's Dance Central and a "Get Wet" theme, which does not actually include the game Wet. For the week of January 24, Dance Central DLC will be 160 MSP apiece ($2, a buck off). The "Get Wet" promotion for the week of January 31 includes Hydro Thunder Hurricane for 800 MSP ($10, 33 percent off), Aqua at 400 MSP ($5, half off) and the upgraded Hydrophobia for 400 MSP ($5, also half off)

The list also reconfirms the launch dates of the Call of Duty: Black Ops "First Strike" map pack, Breach and Bionic Commando Rearmed 2. Check out the full schedule for the next couple weeks after the break.

Continue reading Hydrophobia, Dance Central deals in upcoming Xbox Live marketplace updates

Hydrophobia, Dance Central deals in upcoming Xbox Live marketplace updates originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia overhauled in 'Pure' patch, dropping to $10

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:10:00 EST

Hydrophobia launched this past fall alongside numerous tepid reviews, including our own. In an effort to mend some of the damage done by said reviews, the game's developer is issuing a major title update tomorrow -- dubbed "Hydrophobia Pure" -- with a laundry list of fixes so long, only Lady Gaga's maid could outdo it.

Hydrophobia developer Dark Energy Digital claims to have addressed level design, AI behavior and the cover system, and has promised to remap controls to something more general -- A to jump, LT to aim. There's also "more realistic character water resistance" -- there was virtually no way to predict AI reaction to a flood of water when we last played the game. Hydrophobia's trial version is also getting tweaked and being lengthened "to allow players to sample more of the game for free."

Alongside the dozens of fixes, the game's price is dropping from 1200 MS Points ($15) to 800 ($10) as of tomorrow, so hold out for another 24 hours if you've been fixin' on buying the XBLA title. The developer also noted that the fixes in this update will apply to future games in the Hydrophobia series, as well as the eventual PSN version. Head past the break for a detailed list of the changes in tomorrow's title update and a video of the changes in action.

Gallery: Hydrophobia -- 'Pure' title update

Continue reading Hydrophobia overhauled in 'Pure' patch, dropping to $10

Hydrophobia overhauled in 'Pure' patch, dropping to $10 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia review: That sinking feeling

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:15:00 EST

During a huge party on the Queen of the World -- a luxury liner filled with the world's rich and privileged -- terrorists attack. And not just any terrorists, but terrorists with a little too much respect for economist Thomas Malthus. Hydrophobia would be impossible to discuss without bringing up Malthus, whose seminal work "An Essay on the Principle of Population" posits that population growth will eventually outstrip human resources, whether they be food or energy or jobs or some combination of those. In Hydrophobia, this future has come to pass.

The "Neo-Malthusians" are hell bent on murdering as many of the ship's denizens as possible to do their part in controlling overpopulation. Protagonist Kate Wilson is the only one in a position to stop them but ... wait for it ... she's just an engineer. (Yes, it's all very "Seagal in Under Siege.") Room after room is filled with at least some amount of water, which is a real issue for the game's unwitting hero who is, as the game's name hints, afraid of water.

Sure, it's unconventional, but I actually really like the premise for Hydrophobia. The game? Not as much.

Continue reading Hydrophobia review: That sinking feeling

Hydrophobia review: That sinking feeling originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia dev diary teaches '20 Ways to Kill a Malthusian'

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 22:30:00 EST

The latest dev diary for Dark Energy Digital's downloadable action title, Hydrophobia, shows the developer's 20 favorite ways to dispatch the game's foes, the Malthusians. Most of these means are either bullet, fire or electricity-centric, while almost none involve killing them with kindness.

Continue reading Hydrophobia dev diary teaches '20 Ways to Kill a Malthusian'

Hydrophobia dev diary teaches '20 Ways to Kill a Malthusian' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Sep 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft showing off upcoming XBLA games during Fantastic Fest

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:40:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Fantastic Fest, an annual, week-long film festival held in Austin, Texas, has broadened its scope this year to include a few high-profile downloadable titles. Attendees can visit the Fantastic Arcade to check out some upcoming games coming from the festival's sponsor, Microsoft Game Studios -- titles including Comic Jumper, A World of Keflings, Hydrophobia and Super Meat Boy.

The Fantastic Arcade opens its doors on Thursday, September 23. If you live in the Austin area and want to catch an early glimpse of some of these games, you can check out a schedule of demos and showtimes on the event's official site.

Microsoft showing off upcoming XBLA games during Fantastic Fest originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gorge on Comic Jumper, Hydrophobia, Pinball FX 2, and Super Meat Boy in XBLA Game Feast

JC Fletcher — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:25:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Major Nelson has announced the lineup for Microsoft's XBLA "Game Feast" promotion, and, well, we suggest having a metaphorical Tums on hand in anticipation of this smorgasbord.

The first course, on September 29, is Hydrophobia for 1,200 Microsoft Points. Twisted Pixel's Comic Jumper follows on October 6 at the same price. Pinball FX 2 will be available October 13. It's free, and can import tables from the first Pinball FX, with each additional table purchased individually. Finally, as discovered earlier this morning, Super Meat Boy will serve as (a kind of disgusting) dessert on October 20, also for 1200 Points.

Gorge on Comic Jumper, Hydrophobia, Pinball FX 2, and Super Meat Boy in XBLA Game Feast originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia's 'Challenge Rooms' test powers slated for its sequel

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Our preview of Hydrophobia from E3 2010 covered what we saw in the first installment of the planned trilogy; however, if you want an idea of what to expect in the next installment, we got a better idea by checking out the game's "Challenge Rooms," which unlock only after the player finishes the main campaign. What's tucked after the break may be considered spoiler-ish, so click on through if you're willing to take the plunge.

Gallery: Hydrophobia

Continue reading Hydrophobia's 'Challenge Rooms' test powers slated for its sequel

Hydrophobia's 'Challenge Rooms' test powers slated for its sequel originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: Hydrophobia

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:40:00 EST

I played Hydrophobia for the first time this past March at PAX East and, at the time, I was fairly impressed. My feelings on the downloadable title haven't changed dramatically after trying out the game's combat in the E3 2010 build, but I did notice a handful of rough edges this time around. The new parts of the demo essentially picked up exactly where I left off at PAX -- a handful of gun-toting Neo-Malthusians stood in my way and, lucky me, I had just stumbled upon a pistol.

As it turns out, the pistol isn't equipped with live rounds -- at least initially, though the Dark Energy Digital rep talked to us about a handful of other types -- but rather "Sonic" rounds that require a charge up for full blast. The idea here is to encourage environmental attacks rather than traditional, cover-based, third-person shooting; flaming barrels, glass panes and electrical boxes littered throughout the environment certainly helped to encourage me as well.

In theory this works -- and presumably would work better had I gotten more acclimated to the concept -- but I found myself accidentally igniting exploding barrels and trying to drown foes to no avail far more often that I would've liked.

Gallery: Hydrophobia

Continue reading Preview: Hydrophobia

Preview: Hydrophobia originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia to drip onto PlayStation 3 and PC

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Before getting our hands on the flooded world of Hydrophobia for the second time at this year's E3, we pushed Dark Energy Digital's Pete Jones to clarify the exclusivity deal his studio has with Microsoft. "We're launching exclusively on 360, just to get that one out of the way [the question] -- but there will be a PS3 and a PC version in the fullness of time," Jones told us, confirming a PC release of the game along the way. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell us exactly how long Microsoft's period of exclusivity will last.

"For contractual reasons, I can't exactly say what that time period is," Jones added, also noting that, "Ultimately, there will be disc versions as well. Maybe as a compilation." Hydrophobia has yet to receive a solid release date, but the folks from DED are pushing hard for a release by the end of this summer. That said, if the disc-based release will compile all three games of the planned trilogy, it'll be quite some time before we see it flooding onto store shelves.

Hydrophobia to drip onto PlayStation 3 and PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia trailer floods our hearts and minds

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Dark Energy Digital fired off a new trailer for its exceptionally moist episodic action title Hydrophobia earlier today. As always, the water which protagonist Kate is forced to traverse looks wonderful (in a deadly kind of way). We're perplexed, however, by all the fire featured in said video. We're no scientists, but shouldn't that turn the aforementioned water into, well, steam?

Continue reading Hydrophobia trailer floods our hearts and minds

Hydrophobia trailer floods our hearts and minds originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia will come to PS3, says developer

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:30:00 EST

Podcast GameHounds spoke with Rob Hewson, Pete Jones and Deborah Jones of Dark Energy Digital in its latest episode to discuss the upcoming downloadable "episodic" shooter, Hydrophobia. Announced as an XBLA exclusive, it appears that Hydrophobia will one day make its way to PS3 as well. Around the 59 minute mark, one of the podcast's hosts asks, "Will there be a version for PS3?," to which the developers respond, "Yes, there will be." No further details were probed, nor offered.

A number of high-profile XBLA games have made a delayed appearance on PSN, including Braid and the upcoming Castle Crashers. Based on anecdotal evidence, it appears Microsoft's exclusivity typically lasts for over a year -- meaning PS3 owners will likely have to wait quite some time before seeing Hydrophobia on their system of choice.

Gallery: Hydrophobia

Hydrophobia will come to PS3, says developer originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on: Hydrophobia (XBLA)

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST

It's been nearly five years since Dark Energy Digital began work on the water physics-based action-adventure game Hydrophobia. In that time, the developer has shown approximately nobody the game -- heck, before I heard about the game heading to Xbox Live Arcade last summer, there hadn't been a lick of info on it in nearly nine months. But with this week's announcement of the game's XBLA exclusivity (and subsequent playability at PAX East), Joystiq was offered its first chance to play the title this morning. I'm happy to report that ... it's pretty good!

Alright, so, while Hydrophobia probably isn't going to be taking top spots on my 2010 GOTY list, I could certainly see it making an appearance on my "best of XBLA" list this year. The demo immediately made me think of playing Shadow Complex at last year's E3 -- it doesn't quite look like what you'd expect from XBLA, and the developers made sure to repeatedly affirm the game's "AAA quality" throughout my hands-on earlier this morning. Whether guiding the game's main character, Kate, through platforming areas or underwater, the gameplay itself felt like a solid base for what could be a very interesting (six-hour-ish) experience.

Gallery: Hydrophobia

Continue reading Hands-on: Hydrophobia (XBLA)

Hands-on: Hydrophobia (XBLA) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia exclusive to XBLA, playable at PAX East

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:31:00 EST

As if the thought of getting early hands-ons with Skate 3, Mafia 2, Red Dead Redemption, co-op Splinter Cell: Conviction and ... uh, well, tons of other games at PAX East wasn't enticing enough, we've just received word from Hydrophobia developer Dark Energy Digital that the game will also be available on the show floor. Moreover, the game has been announced as exclusive to Xbox Live Arcade (no word on whether the planned three-episode release will still get a retail counterpart). We'll be diving into Hydrophobia's flooded corridors this weekend and speaking with the developers, so feel free to dump a torrent of questions for us in the comment section below if you're so inclined.

Gallery: Hydrophobia

Hydrophobia exclusive to XBLA, playable at PAX East originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia site set for reveal this week

Justin McElroy — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:27:00 EST

True to its name, news on Dark Energy Digital's episodic XBLA (puzzle? horror? action?) game, Hydrophobia, has been the very definition of a trickle. Every few months, the thing emerges Loch Ness-style to reassert its existence, then promptly dives below again. If the game's official site is to be believed, though, the peek-a-boo routine may be ending.

Visitors to the page are now greeted with a timer counting down to 12 AM ET Friday, and the developer's Twitter feed promises, "All will be revealed very shortly," adding, "something big is coming." This whole countdown page thing is a little "mid-to-late 2008" for our tastes, but we'll be willing to forgive, if the reveal leads to some promising details about the game.

[Via CVG]

Hydrophobia site set for reveal this week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia flooding retailer shelves as well as XBLA

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EST

As details slowly drip out of Xbox World 360's recent hands-on with upcoming water-based puzzler Hydrophobia, the game's developer, Dark Energy Digital, is putting Internet-less Xbox 360 owners' fears to rest. In addition to releasing the game as three chapters on Xbox Live Marketplace, Hydrophobia will be getting a disc release at the end of next year.

Also of note, despite the game's grandiose scale, it weighs in at under 250MB -- well under the allowed 2GB file size for XBLA releases that Microsoft recently increased. We've reached out to Dark Energy Digital to nail down some of the more slippery details on Hydrophobia and will update you as soon as we hear more.

Gallery: Hydrophobia

Hydrophobia flooding retailer shelves as well as XBLA originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia floats to XBLA, goes episodic

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:50:00 EST

click for screens of what Hydrophobia looks like now

We haven't heard anything about Dark Energy Digital's water physics-based horror/puzzle game Hydrophobia in nearly a year, which makes today's news that the game is heading to XBLA rather than getting a full retail release all the more jarring. According to a preview of the game by Xbox World 360 UK (as reprinted on CVG), not only is Hyrdrophobia getting the digital distribution treatment, it'll be heading to Microsoft's console in the form of "three episodes of around five hours each, to be released within a twelve month window."

The preview contains undoubtedly the largest glut of info on the game we've seen since we first heard about it way back in 2007 -- when it was still planned for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Apparently the episodes could continue if they prove successful enough, though no word is given on if they'll ever head to PS3 and PC. The game has already missed its planned March 2009 release window and dropped a few consoles for its eventual release, so we've reached out to Dark Energy Digital for more details.

[Update: Dark Energy Digital got back to us with some fresh shots from the game (seen above).]

Gallery: Hydrophobia

Hydrophobia floats to XBLA, goes episodic originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia flows to March 2009

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

Blade Interactive, developer of the upcoming waterlogged survival adventure game Hydrophobia, has told Eurogamer that it plans to self-publish the game in March 2009. Hydrophobia takes place on the Queen of the World, a massive city-sized ship with a teensy problem, it's sinking. The protagonist, Kate Wilson, as it turns out, is deathly afraid of water. It kind of makes you wonder why she applied for a job on a giant boat, but we digress. The game focuses on water based puzzles and incorporates an impressive liquid physics engine to facilitate them.

Blade Interactive already has a sequel planned, the hope of which floats on the success of Hydrophobia.

[Via Joystiq]

Hydrophobia flows to March 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blade Interactive to self-publish Hydrophobia in March '09

Ludwig Kietzmann — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360

According to a Eurogamer report, Hydrophobia developer Blade Interactive will self-publish its waterlogged, third-person adventure in March 2009. Set aboard a sinking ship, which we're informed is by far the worst kind of ship, Hydrophobia has players solving numerous aquatic puzzles and has bloggers clumsily incorporating unnecessary water words into any articles they write about it.

Should the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 game make a splash next year, the sequel is certain to surface soon after.

Blade Interactive to self-publish Hydrophobia in March '09 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia sequel planned, original still unreleased

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

It's not that strange for a developer to announce plans for a sequel to a successful game. It's not even that unusual for a publisher to make it clear that it intends to turn a successful game into a successful franchise, either. Somewhat rarer is the announcement of a planned sequel to an unpublished game without the backing of a major publisher. Enter Blade Interactive which, in an interview with PS3 Attitude, made it known that it has sequel plans for its upcoming water-filled survival adventure game, Hydrophobia. Whereas the first takes place on the Queen of the World, a huge floating city, the second game will take place in "a drowned Boston."

The first game, lest you've forgotten, is being touted in particular for its impressive water physics. It all sounds very intriguing, let's hope the first game ... ahem ... makes a splash so that the story penned for the sequel doesn't have to go to waste.

[Via Joystiq]

Gallery: Hydrophobia

Hydrophobia sequel planned, original still unreleased originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Liner before the tugboat: Hydrophobia dev. talks sequel

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

Survival action game Hydrophobia has been running silent and deep since it was unveiled over a year ago for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. Recently, Sony's "semi official" Euro blog ThreeSpeech did a three-part piece on the game. Now, PS3 Attitude has an interview with the developers at Blade Interactive, revealing that the game already has a location all set for the sequel. Could we kindly get a release date for the first one?

Whereas the first Hydrophobia takes place on a sinking ship, The Queen of the World (loosely based on the Freedom Ship), the sequel will occur in a "drowned Boston." We'll now have to wait and see if the first game is any good before we commit our excitement to a sequel taking place in PAX's 2010 East Coast location.

Gallery: Hydrophobia (old)

Liner before the tugboat: Hydrophobia dev. talks sequel originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia unveiled, wows with water effects

Ross Miller — Tue, 08 May 2007 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

Blade Interactive has finally unveiled Hydrophobia, a survival action game whose creators are hoping will show gamers something different. In the game, you play Kate, an engineer with no combat experience and a fear of water on a sinking ship the size of a city (loosely based on the Freedom Ship) who must use the incoming waves to help her on her path to rescue survivors and take on terrorists.

What Blade is hoping will set Hydrophobia apart from the others, visually, is HydroEngine, which purportedly simulates water like never before. It "reacts dynamically to its environment. It flows from source, it bubbles, it gets surfaces wet, it has a current, it's persistent," according to Xbox World 360, who saw the game in action and walked away impressed. We're hoping to get some video uploaded soon because these images, though visually beautiful, do nothing to show off the HydroEngine in action.

The physical properties of water will also be used as a key gameplay component, and the Xbox World 360 preview covers a few of the more intriguing examples. The game is a big departure for Blade, whose catalog includes a series of billiards titles and Pocket Racers for the PSP, but the developer reportedly hired a wide range of talent for this project, including industry veterans who worked on Splinter Cell and Fable 2 ... and an astrophysicist!

No release date has been announced; Hydrophobia is being developed for release on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Gallery: Hydrophobia (old)

Hydrophobia unveiled, wows with water effects originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 May 2007 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia announced, very wet

David Dreger — Tue, 08 May 2007 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Game announcements

WorthPlaying has the game announcement and synopsis for Hydrophobia, a survival adventure game that pits you on a city sized ship in the middle of the ocean. Unfortunately for you, there's a terrorist attack on the boat and your character, Kate Wilson, is not only part of the security detail on the Queen of the World, but she's also a hydrophobic, which she developed in her early teens. A slew of screens and a full breakdown of how the gameplay and story meld is available by following the "Read" link. The use of the HydroEngine for the water is very promising and worth the read. Is this a potential sleeper hit?

[Via Digg]

Hydrophobia announced, very wet originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 May 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blade announces their HydroEngine... so, thirsty?

Nick Doerr — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Previews, News

Well, my invisible girlfriend incessantly reminds me of her fear of drowning, so I had to ask her to wait downstairs as I type this post about Blade's next-gen fluid dynamics HydroEngine -- the engine used to render all the crazy water physics and whatnot in that Hydrophobia game in development.

The HydroEngine proudly boasts effects that have "never been seen in videogames before". Research and development director at Blade, Huw Lloyd, said this about the new engine: "We could have been forgiven if we had merely produced a tech demo...but this new game is a robust next gen game in its own right that pushes the limits of the new consoles. Our HydroEngine is the result of nearly 3 years intensive development work... Water in games has so far been merely a flat plane with ripple effects and other graphical smoke and mirrors applied to it. The HydroEngine is different in one key respect - the water flows. It looks and behaves exactly like real water."

It's interesting to think about -- one of the most simple things in the world, water, turned out to be one of the most complicated things to replicate on computers. Now we may finally have something to do that. Hydrophobia may be worth the price of admission if these boasts bear truth.

Blade announces their HydroEngine... so, thirsty? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blade Interactive reveals Hydrophobia

Nick Doerr — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Previews, News

Caution: if you've a crippling fear of drowning, torrents of water, or reading about copious amounts of water, close your eyes (and your browser). If you can handle the new secret game revealed from Blade Interactive, which is no longer a secret, read on. The game was code-named Hydro, now entitled Hydrophobia. It's been in the works for years now, just waiting for next-gen consoles to come along so it can get rolled out. The game boasts to be "like no other, utilising Blade's groundbreaking technology to deliver an experience which is set to redefine the boundaries of gaming."

So, what can we expect here? A survival horror type of game with insanely realistic water physics? From the looks of the concept art, the main character appears to be female along with... some other girl? No one else pictured seems important (like the guy who's definitely on fire). I'd make a joke about Fear Effect, but that wouldn't make too much sense. No point in mocking a game without knowing more about it! C'mon, Blade Interactive, show us a bit more. We'll be waiting!

Blade Interactive reveals Hydrophobia originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hydrophobia: Snooker dev names secret project

James Ransom-Wiley — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

Blade Interactive has put a name to its "top secret" project: Hydrophobia. Best known for its World Championship Snooker series, Blade looks to have ditched the cue for a waterworld action-adventure. Despite "several years" of development time, Blade remains stingy, holding back details. With only a sampling of concept art released, it's difficult to discern what Hydrophobia will offer.

We do know that the game is likely destined for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (a PC version is possible too). The concept art hints at a Joanna Dark-looking heroine, up to her neck in water, battling a corporate foe (Electrocorp). With titles like Bioshock nearing completion, Hydrophobia is gonna have to rise above a boiler plate plot to be successful; that or it's back to the pool hall for Blade.

[Via Eurogamer]

Hydrophobia: Snooker dev names secret project originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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