Joystiq

Lumines Electronic Symphony review: Three-part harmony

JC Fletcher — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST

This is going to sound incredibly entitled, I know, but reviewing video games can be very stressful work -- especially in the case of a new console launch, where you're given more games than you'd normally play in a year and asked to absorb them all in a week.

Under conditions like those, it's easy for panic to set in; playing games can feel like work, and you're constantly worried that you're not playing when you're writing, and not writing when you're playing.

The PlayStation Vita launch game Lumines: Electronic Symphony, despite technically being part of this hectic situation, has had nothing but a restorative effect on my mood. My time playing Lumines has been the only time in the last week during which I wasn't panicking. I come out of a 45-minute session feeling rested and kind of euphoric. How's that for an endorsement?

Gallery: Lumines: Electronic Symphony (2/14/12)

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Lumines Electronic Symphony review: Three-part harmony originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lumines Electronic Symphony's 34 tracks revealed

David Hinkle — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST

Ask any musician and they'll tell you the set list is crucial; it's a diverse collection of tunes meant to elicit specific emotions from the audience. The track list for PlayStation Vita launch game Lumines Electronic Symphony is no different.

Electronica fans (electronicistas?) will notice some great acts like LCD Soundsystem, The Chemical Brothers, Aphex Twin, Goldfrapp and Mark Ronson & The Business.

In addition to the track list, the PlayStation Blog also has a brief Q&A with some of the musicians in the game. If you want some insight into their songs and why they were chosen for the game, hit up the source link below.

Continue reading Lumines Electronic Symphony's 34 tracks revealed

Lumines Electronic Symphony's 34 tracks revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lumines: Electronic Symphony includes bonus MP3s at Amazon

JC Fletcher — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST

Though it's totally convenient to buy all your Vita games on PSN, there is sometimes an advantage to buying them retail. In the case of Lumines: Electronic Symphony, when ordered from Amazon, that advantage entails three exclusive MP3 downloads.

Purchases of the puzzler from Amazon will come with three MP3s by composer Makoto Asai, from the game's "secret unlockable stages." Amazon has the release date listed as February 14, in time for the early First Edition Bundle.

Aside from the Q? produced tracks, artists with music in Electronic Symphony include "Kaskade, LCD Soundsystem, Chemical Brothers, Bebel Gilberto, Goldfrapp, Josh Wink, Safri Duo, Amon Tobin," and more.

Lumines: Electronic Symphony includes bonus MP3s at Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Q? Entertainment reveals Ninety-Nine Nights Online

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:55:00 EST

It's been a busy year for games, but something is missing. Batman, Assasssin's Creed, Skyrim, sure, those are all great, but what about Ninety-Nine Nights? Q? Entertainment has got you covered, unveiling the 2D PC action MMO we've all been dying to play. Ninety-Nine Nights Online is being developed by UserJoy Technology, and the trailer reveals that it contains both hacking and slashing.

We'd say this one probably won't see a release outside Asia. If you feel like braving lots of Japanese text, however, Siliconera reports that you can sign up for a preview version over at the official site.

Q? Entertainment reveals Ninety-Nine Nights Online originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Grab a Kinect (with Child of Eden!) for $120 at Amazon (update: $100 through buy.com)

JC Fletcher — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:50:00 EST

We were a bit discouraged when we checked Amazon's game deal of the day and saw that it was a paltry $10 discount on the PC version of Fable 3. But there are more exciting deals to be found this week (in addition to that great Halloween sale).

One of the retailer's "Deals of the Week" knocks 20% off the retail price of Kinect, allowing you to get the sensor, Kinect Adventures, and a download of Child of Eden for $119.99. You can also get the previous bundle, without Child of Eden, for the same price, if you really think you or the lucky recipient of this gift is going to hate Child of Eden that much.

Other week-long deals include Rift for $9, and (easy participant of the Halloween deal) FEAR 3 on PS3 or Xbox 360 for $28.

Update: Dealzon pointed out that it's currently $107.24 at buy.com -- and, if you go through Buy's eBay site, it's $99.99.]

Grab a Kinect (with Child of Eden!) for $120 at Amazon (update: $100 through buy.com) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos explains what happened to Rock Band Japan

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST

After announcing intentions to bring its Rock Band franchise to the Japanese market way back in the summer of 2008, Harmonix and co-developer Q Entertainment quietly walked away from the project. "Never say never," Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos said of the project in a group interview session this week at Tokyo Game Show, answering a question asked by Kotaku's Brian Ashcraft. "We were very much interested in bringing that experience in some form to the Japanese market," he explained. "There were a couple of significant challenges."

Beyond the whole "manufacturing and shipping hundreds of thousands more plastic peripherals to an island country" ... thing, Rigopulos lamented issues with licensing Japanese music for the game, which he characterized as "very difficult in Japan, relative to other countries." He also pointed to a rather obvious concern: space limitations in Japanese households. "Even for people who have the space, Japanese families tend to not make a lot of noise in their homes. They generally have a quieter lifestyle at home 'cause they're living in closer quarters, and also Japanese families don't entertain in their homes as much."

Given the original inspiration for Harmonix' franchises Guitar Hero and Rock Band was the arcade-born Guitar/Drum Freaks franchise, I wondered if Harmonix had looked at Japanese arcades as an option instead of a home console release. "That's something we considered," he admitted. "One of the challenges is that arcades are very, very noisy, and so if you're trying to make something that's really a musical experience and you've got 37 other arcade machines all turned up to full volume, it kind of impairs the musicality of the experience."

Again, Rigopulos said Harmonix has yet to give up on the concept of Rock Band in Japan, but from the sound of things, it's not exactly at the top of his priority list.

[Image credit: ShonenKnife.com]

Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos explains what happened to Rock Band Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft has no plans to offer downloadable Child of Eden, holding out hope it'll still catch on

David Hinkle — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:20:00 EST

Perhaps one of the saddest stories this year was the lack of commercial success for Child of Eden. The game was very well received critically -- our own review called it a "momentary masterpiece." And at a Kinect event being held at Ubisoft's San Francisco headquarters today, I once again cornered senior VP of sales and marketing, Tony Key, to talk about Miziguchi's latest.

"Can you tell we like Kinect?" Tony joked at the outset of our interview. "Child of Eden went to retail, it got great reviews," he said, as I steered us back onto the subject at hand, "it's a great product, but we didn't sell as many copies as we hoped, obviously. And that's a shame, because the game is great and deserves recognition. I just think your more mainstream consumer -- a lot of the Kinect people are -- haven't quite figured out what that experience is, so we continue to get great reviews and not a lot of sales at retail, but Microsoft saw that as an opportunity, took it and put it in with Kinect."

But that brings up an interesting question: the copy of Child of Eden included in the limited quantity Kinect bundle is a downloadable version, accessed via a code in the box. Could we see a downloadable version of Child of Eden offered via Xbox Live to all consumers? "Potentially," Tony said. "We don't use that model right now for any of our games -- we sell new retail games. It's not something we have in the plan at the moment, but if that model is coming, I don't see why Child of Eden couldn't fit in there."

As for more Child of Eden games, don't hold your breath. While Tony says Ubisoft is "still holding out hope this game will find its audience," the potential for other games right now is hopeful at best. "We think the renewed interest generated from this new bundle could be a tipping point for Child of Eden to become a bigger brand for us. We would love to have that happen."

Ubisoft has no plans to offer downloadable Child of Eden, holding out hope it'll still catch on originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden is $10 at Best Buy, and you'd best buy it [update: sold out!]

JC Fletcher — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:45:00 EST

If you've been waiting for the most insane discount ever before buying Child of Eden, here you go. The Xbox 360 version is on sale for just $9.99. That's basically a rental price. If you're even a little bit interested in rail-shooting your way through surreal imagery to the "Heavenly" tunes of the Genki Rockets -- and you're not already picking it up in a Kinect bundle, for free -- you should just go ahead and pull the trigger (to the beat of your favorite electronic music).

Just make a sandwich at home one night instead of ordering a pizza, and you've recouped the cost of that experiment! No harm done.

Update: We hope you all got in on that deal, because Best Buy is out of stock now. It's ... possible the store will restock it at that price, but we're guessing that's not what will happen.

Child of Eden is $10 at Best Buy, and you'd best buy it [update: sold out!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden dated, priced for PS3

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:45:00 EST

Ubisoft's Child of Eden will flow through swirling colors and into retail reality on PS3 this September. IGN confirmed with Ubisoft that the game will retail for $49.99 in the States when it launches on September 20. It'll be out in Europe on September 23.

Edge reports the Euro price has been cut by half for the PS3 version, which could also carry over to the Xbox 360 version by the time September rolls around. Child of Eden was criminally overlooked in June by US consumers, selling a mere 34,000 units in its debut month despite earning a coveted 5/5 review from video game kingmaker Joystiq.com.

Child of Eden dated, priced for PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zelda sold well in June, Child of Eden and Shadows of the Damned did not

JC Fletcher — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:45:00 EST

Three major Japanese-developed games came out in North America in June: one of which performed really well, the other two ... not so much. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D showed up at #5 on the software top ten chart yesterday. Nintendo subsequently announced that it sold "more than 283,000 units," making it the second best-selling game on a single platform, right behind Infamous 2. It's the first 3DS exclusive to chart on the top ten.

Meanwhile, two games weirder than Zelda attracted far more exclusive audiences. Child of Eden, the NPD told Joystiq, sold approximately 34,000 units in its debut month, ranking at number 83. At the same time, Shadows of the Damned managed to sell 24,000 copies, combined, on PS3 and Xbox 360. Damn.

Zelda sold well in June, Child of Eden and Shadows of the Damned did not originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden down to $35 at Amazon (you're running out of excuses!)

Christopher Grant — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EST

Our five-star review of Child of Eden praised just about everything the game had to offer, short of its diminutive length. "You can beat it in a single sitting (or, as the case may be, standing), with the game's five chapters clocking in at a scant 90 minutes," our own Griffin McElroy wrote. "It ends with a swell, and leaves you with a despondent, unanswered wish for more."

While this Amazon deal won't deliver any more Child of Eden, it can help deliver some Child of Eden to those of you still positioned squarely on the fence. At $35, a 30% savings from its usual $50 asking price, Child of Eden may be a no-brainer for some of you; for others, nothing short of $20 will do. We're not judging you ... but you're cheap.

[Thanks, Andrew.]

Child of Eden down to $35 at Amazon (you're running out of excuses!) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden on PS3 will have 'really cool' extras

JC Fletcher — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:15:00 EST

If you just paid attention to the marketing for Child of Eden, you'd think it was an Xbox 360 exclusive. But there's totally a PS3 version coming out in September. According to Q? Entertainment producer James Mielke, the delay had nothing to do with Microsoft moneyhats, and everything to do with the fact that Q? is making each version on its own, with a staff of about 30 people.

"We're doing everything in-house, we're not farming anything out," he told the 8-4 Play podcast. Mielke didn't outright confirm any special features in the PS3 version, but said "it will definitely be worth the couple months that people have to wait for the PS3 version to get finished. People with PS3s, people with nice TVs, people with all kinds of control options... it's going to be really cool."

The reference to fancy TVs suggests 3D support, and "control options" would suggest Move support -- something that Ubisoft has told us to expect.

Child of Eden on PS3 will have 'really cool' extras originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beat Ne-Yo at Child of Eden to help Japan

JC Fletcher — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST

Hey, there's a headline we didn't expect to write today. Ubisoft's new Child of Eden promotion, "Project Hope," challenges players to exceed musician Ne-yo's high score in the "Evolution" level to boost Ubisoft's donation to Japanese earthquake relief.

$100,000 is already pledged; for every score on that level's "Normal Kinect" leaderboard exceeding Ne-Yo's 306,800 between now and July 4, Ubisoft will add an additional dollar, up to a maximum of $20,000.

While replaying this game over and over again for leaderboard position seems like a weird subversion of its happy, love-everyone vibe, it's hard to argue with a good cause. And it is a promotion that results in a lot of time spent playing Child of Eden, so that's nice.

Continue reading Beat Ne-Yo at Child of Eden to help Japan

Beat Ne-Yo at Child of Eden to help Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metareview: Child of Eden

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:01:00 EST

Child of Eden delivers a compelling, "stirring" experience that'll leave you wanting more when it suddenly stops. Q Entertainment's mini masterpiece is praised for being "better with Kinect," receiving acclaim across the board for its use of Microsoft's motion tracking peripheral. If there's one criticism that pops up over and over again it's the game's length, but Child of Eden is apparently a grand introduction to the next generation of Kinect titles.

Eurogamer (90/100): "If you want the full-body physical experience - feeling part of the music, sweeping your arms like a conductor in wide arcs that call the timpani section to action at your signal - then Kinect is the way to play Child of Eden. With the lights down low and the right ambiance and mind-set, it's a dance-like experience - but not in the orthodox video game understanding of Simon-says rhythm-action routines. "
IGN (85/100): "It's rare for me to play a game and feel nothing but happiness, but that's what happened when I stepped in to save Eden. In a way, Child of Eden touched my soul. Yes, that sounds cheesy, but it's true. There's one downside -- even though it costs 50 bucks, Child of Eden can be beaten in only a few hours. While this is a fault, there are lots of unlockables and leaderboards to keep people's interest once the campaign is over. This is a game everyone should experience, especially with Kinect. "
Gamespot (85/100): "Child of Eden is a bold artistic experiment that's also accessible and fun. It's easy to pick up and play, offers bursts of pure joy, and is even a pleasure to watch others play. It's over quickly, but the amount of unlockable content means it's something you can keep coming back to. "
Game Informer (80/100): "A few unlockables give Child of Eden replay value, including an additional challenge mode level, art and video galleries, and decorations for Lumi's garden in the main menu screen. However the most valuable prize is new visual effects. Selecting a different cosmetic effect drastically changes the aesthetic of each archive, giving the levels a whole new feel. Though brief, Child of Eden offers one of the most unique Kinect experiences to date. It's unfortunate our time in Eden's gorgeous confines ends too soon."
Gallery: Child of Eden (9/27/2010)

Metareview: Child of Eden originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden review: A momentary masterpiece

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:15:00 EST

So, here's the thing about Child of Eden: It is quite short. That's a somewhat pedestrian complaint to leverage against a game -- and an extraordinarily pedestrian complaint to leverage in the very first sentence of a review -- but it needs to be said right up front to temper your expectations. You can beat it in a single sitting (or, as the case may be, standing), with the game's five chapters clocking in at a scant 90 minutes. It ends with a swell, and leaves you with a despondent, unanswered wish for more.

It is also one of the most remarkable video games I've ever played. Not only does it represent the most complete realization of what the Kinect has to offer, it possesses the (perhaps childish) distinction of being, for lack of a better term, a "crying game." It will almost certainly conjure tears from its hardest players -- not because it is particularly sad or melancholic, but because it is stirring.

Gallery: Child of Eden (9/27/2010)

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Child of Eden review: A momentary masterpiece originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden GameStop pre-order padded with poster

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 11 May 2011 01:00:00 EST

It might not bring you to tears, but under the right "conditions" -- like lighting and stuff -- we bet you could totally see some crazy things in this magical Child of Eden pre-order bonus poster (full image) from GameStop. At the very least, it's compatible with any old wall you tack it to. Typical bonus DLC is so limited, you know?

Child of Eden will be released on June 14 for Kinect and plain old controller-induced psychedelic gameplay. Check out this recent video for a better idea of the game's Kinect mechanics.

Child of Eden GameStop pre-order padded with poster originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 May 2011 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sob story: Why I'll be playing Child of Eden with Kinect

Justin McElroy — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:00:00 EST

It seemed like a fine idea for a feature.

Armed with a early preview disc for Ubisoft's upcoming Child of Eden, I would compare the game's two methods of control, the good old-fashioned thumbstick and buttons and the newfangled Kinect method. Then, when comparing the scores for both, I'd have a pretty good idea of which method is superior.

So what was the problem? The fly in the ointment? ... Well, see, one of the methods made me cry.

Gallery: Child of Eden (9/27/2010)

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Sob story: Why I'll be playing Child of Eden with Kinect originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden's gesticulations explained on video

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 04 May 2011 15:40:00 EST

So, you want to know how to synesthese with the best of 'em? Q? Entertainment is here to help with a new tutorial trailer for Child of Eden. Don't worry, you won't need any special accessories. The use of mood enhancing substances -- like candy, of course -- is left entirely to your own discretion.

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Child of Eden's gesticulations explained on video originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 May 2011 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Child of Eden trailer to change your mood

JC Fletcher — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST

Ubisoft calls this new Child of Eden trailer (after the break) the "Mood" trailer, but your choice of platform will greatly what effect it will have on your disposition. If you're planning to seek synaesthesia through your Xbox, you'll be able to experience euphoria as you delight in these visuals as you await the June 14 release.

If you're planning to play it on PS3, chances are it'll still change your mood -- but to "bummed," because you have to wait until September. In either case, the trailer is really pretty.

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A Child of Eden trailer to change your mood originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden has a 'corset peripheral' (which you'll probably never see)

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST

The gaming industry is, with astonishing regularity, a total circus sideshow of inexplicable oddities -- but we're confident that nothing has approached the levels of bizarritude contained within this here post. According to IGN, Child of Eden creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi announced at the Kapow! Comic Con that developer Q Entertainment has whipped up a unique peripheral for the Kinect shooter: A corset which holds four 360 controllers at one time, all of which individually vibrate to the beat of Eden's music.

It sounds like a prototype that's unlikely to make it beyond the borders of Q Entertainment's home office -- but that doesn't make it any less magical. We mean, mathematically, it's four times crazier than Rez's Trance Vibrator. Exponentially more so, actually, since the vibrations in question happen inside of a corset.

Child of Eden has a 'corset peripheral' (which you'll probably never see) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden trailer lends a super-shiny hand

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:20:00 EST

Listen, Child of Eden -- you already look amazing. But promising to give us psychedelic, glowing hands? That seems too good to be true.

Continue reading Child of Eden trailer lends a super-shiny hand

Child of Eden trailer lends a super-shiny hand originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden takes retail trip on June 14 to Xbox 360

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST

Psychedelic audiovisual experience Child of Eden will be available on Xbox 360 on June 14, a launch date for the PS3 will be made later. Ubisoft representatives at PAX East confirmed the date today at the show, currently taking place in Boston.

There's still plenty of time to discover the pleasure centers you want to attach those four vibration devices to.

Update: The June 14 date is only for Xbox 360.

Child of Eden takes retail trip on June 14 to Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden supports four controllers for full-body feedback

Randy Nelson — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:20:00 EST

Back at E3 2010 we learned that Tetsuya Mizuguchi's latest creation -- Child of Eden, the spiritual successor to Rez -- can be played using a standard controller, not just the Kinect sensor for which it's become a showcase title. Last night at Microsoft's preview event in San Francisco, we found out that Child of Eden can use 360 pads, plural, for more than aiming and shooting.

A rep for developer Q Entertainment told Joystiq that the finished game will support vibration feedback effects spread across up to four controllers, the idea being that you can stick them in pockets, rolled-up sleeves -- anywhere, really -- to über-compensate for Kinect's lack of physical feedback. Mizuguchi himself told us "When I play the Kinect, I need some feedback" at last year's E3. It would appear that he's devised a quite novel, if not a bit absurd, way to satisfy that need -- not to mention out-crazy Rez's Trance Vibrator peripheral.

Child of Eden supports four controllers for full-body feedback originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden due Q2 in Europe

JC Fletcher — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST

We haven't seen or heard from Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Child of Eden since TGS last September, but it's still on the way. A release schedule sent to European media outlets by publisher Ubisoft today puts the launch window for the techno-psychedelic rail shooter in the second quarter of 2011. That constitutes a delay, since a schedule sent out last month still listed the game for Q1.

Since today's update was a Europe-only release schedule, it's as yet unconfirmed whether Q2 is the target release window for North America, as well; however, Amazon currently lists a June release for the Xbox 360 version (and, for some reason, July for the PS3 version). The retailer could just be relying on placeholder dates, of course, so these don't constitute solid evidence. We've contacted Ubisoft to learn exactly when we'll be able to wave our arms to create swirling synaesthetic soundscapes.

Child of Eden due Q2 in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Q Entertainment announces Ninety-Nine Nights Online

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:50:00 EST

Ninety-Nine Nights was already a game featuring a great many dudes on-screen at any one time -- however, developer Q Entertainment has announced a move for the franchise that should exponentially bump up that number. The studio recently revealed Ninety-Nine Nights Online, an Action-MMO for the PC, which adds a number of persistent RPG elements (such as multiple job classes, parties and PvP) to the series' familiar strategy-hack-and-slash formula.

The game, which will follow the increasingly popular free-to-play, microtransaction-supported MMO business model, has yet to receive any firm release schedule details, nor has Q announced whether it would also drop in North America. Given the poor critical reception and even poorer sales garnered by the last installment in the series, we wouldn't be surprised if it passed us by.

Q Entertainment announces Ninety-Nine Nights Online originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Child of Eden preview: Son of Rez

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:12:00 EST

After dazzling a room of Tokyo Game Show attendees with an extravagant Child of Eden demonstration, designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi offers a far-too-modest appraisal of his "multisensory shooter." This level's still early, he apologizes, and the game currently shares no statistics upon completion. And sorry, but there's no Game Over screen.

It's like sitting down in an opulent French restaurant and being told by the waiter that -- sorry! -- the kitchen isn't dishing out cheeseburgers and mini donuts tonight. Later, I ask Mizuguchi if Child of Eden, which he describes as a "feeling good game," even needs to introduce something so contrary like a Game Over screen. Does this mesmerizing mix of thumping music and abstract visuals really need an element of failure?

Gallery: Child of Eden (9/27/2010)

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Child of Eden preview: Son of Rez originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tetsuya Mizuguchi wants your memories in Child of Eden

JC Fletcher — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:01:00 EST

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

During a Tokyo Game Show event, Q? Entertainment head Tetsuya Mizuguchi unveiled a new component of his abstract Xbox 360/PS3 rail shooter, Child of Eden -- a component for which he needs your input. For "The Journey Project" (not to be confused with The Journeyman Project), Mizuguchi seeks to build a collection of player-submitted pictures, for inclusion in the game's last level.

"In this game, the player's mission is to purify everything, every data," Mizuguchi told us in an interview. "And this is the final stage of this game, you know, I need the beauty of memories." With the collective memories of family, friends and "beautiful landscapes" added, "finally, you can get that kind of memory with music. It must be real." The developer added, "I want to put everybody's credit at the end of the game."

An announcement by Ubisoft clarifies that images can be submitted to the official Child of Eden website until November 20, and all "approved photos" will be used in the game. We're already cringing about the possibility of thousands of jokers submitting pictures of Journey to the Journey Project.

Gallery: Child of Eden (The Journey Project)

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Tetsuya Mizuguchi wants your memories in Child of Eden originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA's Suda51, Mikami horror collaboration will be at TGS; no mention of Wii, PC anymore

Christopher Grant — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:04:00 EST

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

Last Friday, EA announced a "Tokyo Showcase" event to be held the night before the annual Tokyo Game Show kicks off. We speculated that it was a prime opportunity to share EA Partners' highest-profile project: the Shinji Mikami-produced, Suda51-directed, Akira Yamaoka-scored, Q Entertainment co-developed horror title first announced in 2008. David DeMartini told Eurogamer that the title would be revealed at TGS (we're guessing at EA's aforementioned showcase) and explained the unusual pairing.

"The key thing is not for us to tone down Suda or try and Westernise Suda, but to try and make sure the game gets broad enough exposure that more people appreciate it," DeMartini said. "Obviously with EA's publishing and sales team [...] people are going to get an opportunity to finally listen to what you guys have been writing about Suda for a long time."

DeMartini also confirmed that the game would, unsurprisingly, be released on Xbox 360 and PS3. What is surprising, however, is the omission of the Wii. The announcement press release stated that the title was in development for all three console platforms as well as PC: "The title is being developed for the PC, Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Wii." We've asked EA to comment on the title's intended platforms, but more than likely we'll be waiting until the September 15th event.

EA's Suda51, Mikami horror collaboration will be at TGS; no mention of Wii, PC anymore originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: Child of Eden

JC Fletcher — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EST

I admit to being a bit let down not to have the opportunity to play Child of Eden, Tetsuya Mizuguchi's spiritual successor to Rez, at Ubisoft's E3 booth. However, watching Tetsuya Mizuguchi play the game for a small group was still a rare and wonderful experience. And for a Kinect game, it doesn't seem that I missed out on as much for having a "hands-off" demo, because even the person playing it was hands-off.

Mizuguchi walked us through two of the rail shooter's levels, called "Archives." The concept for the game (which it doesn't need at all -- "you shoot pretty stuff" is more than enough) is that you're eliminating viruses from visual representations of emotional memories within the AI "Project Lumi" -- Lumi just happens to be the same name of the virtual idol at the front of Mizuguchi's Genki Rockets band. Your shots "purify" everything they hit, while also, of course, emitting drumbeat noises and other musical sounds, provided, of course, by Genki Rockets.

Gallery: Child of Eden

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Preview: Child of Eden originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mizuguchi: Child of Eden to support standard controllers

Randy Nelson — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:10:00 EST

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

Tetsuya Mizuguchi's latest music-driven "synesthesia" shooter, Child of Eden, made for an exciting kickoff to Ubisoft's pre-E3 2010 press conference. We caught up with the Rez creator following the event to chat about the his Kinect title, and found out that Microsoft's new motion-tracking tech actually won't be required to play.

Mizuguchi answered in the affirmative when we asked if Child of Eden can be played using a standard controller, also confirming that players will experience Rez-like controller vibration synced to the game's music. Given that the Q Entertainment founder went as far as to create the "Trance Vibrator" peripheral for additional, buzz-y feedback for Rez, we asked how he felt (or didn't, as the case may be) about a lack of tactile feedback when playing Kinect titles. "When I play the Kinect, I need some feedback," he replied, adding that vibrating bracelets -- like the Trance Vibrator -- could be used to improve the experience.

And what about a PlayStation Move release of the game? "We haven't decided yet," Mizuguchi responded when the topic was broached. He may not have, but we've decided we want it. How about you?

Mizuguchi: Child of Eden to support standard controllers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ninety-Nine Nights 2 assaults Xbox 360 on June 29

David Hinkle — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:30:00 EST

Konami has announced that Ninety-Nine Nights 2, sequel to Q Entertainment's lackluster 2006 title, is set to launch on June 29. And because the first game was met with such lukewarm reception, Konami has prepared a media onslaught documenting the story, improvements and multiplayer of the sequel. Above, you can find a brisk video highlighting the events of the second game.

For the remainder of the videos, you'll have to head past the break. One provides a quick rundown of the sequel's improvements, while the other gives us an overview of the multiplayer functionality. And if all of that hacking and slashing gives you a touch of the Lucille Twos, then maybe you should just check out the motionless stills in our gallery below.

Gallery: Ninety-Nine Nights 2 (6.3.2010)

Continue reading Ninety-Nine Nights 2 assaults Xbox 360 on June 29

Ninety-Nine Nights 2 assaults Xbox 360 on June 29 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ninety-Nine Nights 2 demo hacks, slashes XBLM

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:00:00 EST

A quick note for all the "Games that are like Dynasty Warriors" fans: a demo for Ninety-Nine Nights 2 is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo offers up two missions from the game. One sees players hacking and slashing their way through massive hordes of enemies. The other mission also sees players hacking and slashing through massive hordes of enemies, only said horde of enemies is led by a gigantic beastie (as seen above).

Two further notes:

Check the equipment available to you -- particularly the fire resistance accessory, which helps a lot with the aforementioned beastie.
Don't get too invested in the demo, because it doesn't let you actually kill the beastie.

Xbox.com: Add the Ninety-Nine Nights 2 demo to your Xbox 360 download queue

Ninety-Nine Nights 2 demo hacks, slashes XBLM originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Konami publishing Ninety-Nine Nights II this spring in North America

JC Fletcher — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:59:00 EST

Konami, which picked up the publishing rights for the Xbox 360-exclusive N3II: Ninety-Nine Nights in Japan, has announced that it'll also publish the feelplus-developed sequel in North America. In fact, the North American release is slated for the same spring 2010 window as the Japanese version. N3II features five different storylines telling the three sides -- humans, elves and goblins -- of a "free for all" battle. Prepare your thumbs, because that sounds like a lot of button-mashing!

But you know, if all those storylines can maintain the kind of epic narration featured in this new trailer, N3II is guaranteed to be a multi-million seller. Wouldn't you agree?

Gallery: Ninety-Nine Nights 2 (Xbox 360)

Konami publishing Ninety-Nine Nights II this spring in North America originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Q Entertainment 'researching' PSN port of Rez HD

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST

Very few games have been able to match the impact of the original Rez ... well, with the exception of Rez HD on Xbox Live Arcade; unsurprisingly, revamped visuals made for an even more psychedelic experience. Q Entertainment recently tweeted about a possible PSN port of the game, asking how much a PS3 version should cost. $15 seems to be the figure Q is working with, noting that "it would not be a huge profit" and "we're not big enough to do things for fun."

Q Entertainment hasn't committed to making the port yet, stating "this is no indication that it's happening, but we're researching if its feasible." Already, there have been some complaints from PlayStation loyalists who reject the notion of paying full price for a two year delayed port. We're confident that you, Joystiq reader, will be able to help Q figure out exactly what to do:

View Poll

[Thanks, kassatsu! Via PSN Stores]

Q Entertainment 'researching' PSN port of Rez HD originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japan gets Ninety-Nine Nights 2 in Spring 2010

Richard Mitchell — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:01:00 EST

Konami has updated the Japanese website for Ninety-Nine Nights II -- or N3II if you insist on confusing people all the time -- with a release window of Spring 2010. There isn't much more info to be gleaned from the site, although it does note two-player support. One other tidbit that should help us all sleep through at least one night: The game will apparently ship on a single DVD, so you won't have to worry about swapping discs before mowing down the next horde of baddies.

There's still no confirmation of a release outside of Japan, though the game was rated by Australia's OFLC in December.

[Via Siliconera]

Gallery: Ninety-Nine Nights 2

Japan gets Ninety-Nine Nights 2 in Spring 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best of the Rest: Andrew's Picks of 2009

Andrew Yoon — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST

Flower
This year had a number of terrific downloadable games (this list is a testament to that), however no game -- retail or digital -- connected with me like Flower. Jenova Chen's flOw was an interesting experiment, but Flower is an actual game. In fact, Flower is one of the few experiences I can think of that show the true potential of games as a unique storytelling medium. No other non-interactive art form will ever be able to replicate what thatgamecompany has managed to create.

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

Best of the Rest: Andrew's Picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OFLC suggests Western release for Ninety-Nine Nights 2

JC Fletcher — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:15:00 EST

Konami appears to be daring enough to localize Ninety-Nine Nights 2 -- which, we suppose, isn't too much of a surprise since it showed the courage to publish the sequel to the mediocre action title in the first place. While Konami hasn't said anything official, an OFLC rating has appeared for N32, outing at least a tentative plan to publish the game in Australia. Speculation: Konami's not going to localize the game just for Australia.

Whether the announcement is good news or not depends on your faith in Feelplus (for whom this is the first action game) to deliver a better Dynasty Warriors-type game than Phantagram did.

Gallery: Ninety-Nine Nights 2

OFLC suggests Western release for Ninety-Nine Nights 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Q? Entertainment connecting lovers with Q?'pid's Finger Puzzle

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST

Is your relationship going through a rough patch, fueled by soul-crushing trust issues and mutual acrimony? Has your love begun to languish, leading you to wonder whether your significant other is really all that significant? Are you looking for stopgap measures to keep the fires of love burning? Don't shell out cash for counseling -- there's an app for that.

Rather, there will be soon -- Lumines developer Q? Entertainment recently revealed a bizarre iPhone project titled Q?'pid's Finger Puzzle, which tasks a couple with tracing lines to clear up fuzzy "titillating images." Following a level, the couple is given a compatibility report which offers relationship advice such as "look into your partner's heart and drink in their vapors." Yeesh. Thanks for the helpful tip, Buffalo Bill.

Q? Entertainment connecting lovers with Q?'pid's Finger Puzzle originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lumines coming to iPhone, console versions getting price cut

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:30:00 EST

According to a recent dispatch from Q Entertainment producer (and former EGM editor-in-chief) James Mielke, a huge marketing push for Lumines is set to kick off in September. As part of this bold movement, both Lumines Live and Lumines Supernova are set to have their prices cut in the near future -- but arguably more exciting is the news that the trance-inducing puzzler will be making its way to the iPhone sometime in September or early October.

Though an exact release date and price have yet to be announced, Mielke did confirm that the game would hit the App Store with brand new skins and music. Awesome -- nothing makes early morning commutes go by faster than a good case of rhythmic synesthesia.

Lumines coming to iPhone, console versions getting price cut originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mizuguchi, Suda 51 weigh in on E3's new motion controllers

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST

In this week's Famitsu, three major Japanese developers discussed this year's E3 and how they feel about the various motion technology displayed. Grasshopper Manufacture's Suda 51, Q Entertainment's Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Level-5's Akihiro Hino all somewhat agree on what they see as the future of gaming. "Hardware-wise, it was all about Project Natal," Mr. Suda said, as translated by 1UP, noting his excitement on the possibility of creating a game specifically based around its technology.

"It's not a shift from 2D to 3D or in the number of polygons, but it's games trying to open up an entirely new door," Mizuguchi agreed, continuing, "I thought it would take longer, but it's happening faster than I expected." Ironically, when the trio chose the most exciting games at E3, the list quickly filled with Western-developed games, from Splinter Cell: Conviction and Assassin's Creed 2 to The Beatles: Rock Band. Could they resist the ubiquitous Final Fantasy name drop? No, no they could not. "The visual quality was so impressive that I doubted it was even a game," Hino said of AC2, adding, "Final Fantasy XIII is the same way." Impressed/interested by the motion technology but still loving AAA-franchise sequels? Sounds like the whole game industry right now.

Gallery: Project Natal

Mizuguchi, Suda 51 weigh in on E3's new motion controllers originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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