ShackNews leads us to free ad-supported PC games for this lazy holiday in the US. You'll be able to play full versions of FarCry, Raving Rabbids, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and Ghost Recon, though you'll need a US Ubi.com account to install the games. We aren't aware if the ads are just in loading screens, or if you'll find empty McDonald's fry boxes washed up on FarCry's pristine shores. Here are the links:
Just remember to take it easy on this ironically named holiday. The only thing that should be working today are your thumbs and trigger fingers for console gamers, and general hand stuff for PC gamers.
Yes, we know ... they're back. Screams and everything, although thankfully this features a lot more belching than screaming. In fact, there isn't any screaming in this video, unless you count us at home watching it.
It's a bit like Burnout meets belching, and it actually looks like fun. Yes, we said Raving Rabbids 2 looks like fun, you can shoot us later. But at least wait until the game comes out.
The original Rayman: Raving Rabbids combined a great sense of style with a somewhat hit-or-miss selection of mini-games. The sequel expands on the original with more mini-games, more screaming, deformed rabbids, and fixes for some of the more annoying problems with the original.
For starters, most of the mini-games this time around will include a simultaneous multiplayer option, meaning less standing around waiting to play at your next Rabbids party. What's more, players will no longer have to break an arbitrary high score to unlock each game -- one playthrough in the campaign mode is enough to make any minigame fully selectable. Campaign mode games can also be played with friends, meaning there's no need to ever play solo. The character customization options from the original have been greatly expanded -- you can now play dress up with the rabbids, arraying them in a range of unlockable hats, shirts and accessories.
Read on for impressions of the five mini-games shown off at the show.
Ubisoft has revealed the release dates for all of its major 2007 titles, asking the majority of them to form a neat line in November and proceed to remove the contents of your wallet one by one. You're more than welcome to make a fuss about it, but having the sneaky men of Assassin's Creed and Splinter Cell: Conviction within grasp of your neck renders such action unwise.
A more notable entry in the release schedule (as posted by Eurogamer) is Free Radical's sci-political first-person shooter, Haze, previously described as "leading on PS3" in a display of timed exclusivity:
Haze (PS3) -- 23 November
Oh, you'll be wanting the release date for the other platforms as well:
Haze (Xbox 360, PC) -- 30 November [Update: Oh dear, Ubisoft has removed the Xbox 360 and PC versions of Haze from the current release list. We're waiting to hear back from Ubisoft on the matter.]
Ubisoft's Ubidays event in Paris spawned almost as many video trailers as it did announcements. Thanks to the wonders of embeddable streaming video, we're able to put them all in a single post for your viewing pleasure and/or displeasure, depending on the game.
Naruto: Rise of a Ninja (Xbox 360)
Loosely based on the 837,212 episodes of popular anime, Naruto, this cel-shaded action game seems to strongly encourage you to leap through trees, punch older men and generally behave like a ninja who's under the constant scrutiny of kids. No sudden decapitations like that other guy.
The second Rayman Raving Rabbids is in production, and GameTrailers has posted a series of in-game clips from Ubisoft's gaming event. The Rabbids trailer and these clips seem to downplay Rayman even more than the first game. (Here's hoping the shipping version has little to do with the appendage-free mascot. Let Rayman thrive in the platformers; he doesn't add much to these mini-game buffets.)
See gameplay clips of bunnies spitting carrots, playing baseball, rodeo riding, and serving food after the break.
GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Last week, following some hinting in the Xbox 360 version of Rayman Raving Rabbids, we found out that the Rabbids were returning to the Wii and DS. This week, following an announcement at the Ubidays conference, we find out that's all they're returning to. Too bad it's still just a bunch of minigames.
In Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, the bunnies are out to rule our world. The Rabbids have set up an interdimensoinal gate in a shopping mall and are ready to take over the Earth. Rayman will stop them, blah, blah, blah -- just give us more bunnies screaming, "DAHHHHHHHHH!" There will be 60 minigames and there's sure to be more information at Min-E3 before the game's launch this fall. Now can we please, please, please get the Rabbids in a non-minigame setting? A classic platformer would do nicely -- or a Rabbid RTS. We're just looking forward to seeing more Rabbid commercials.
Those rabbids are coming back. NGamer magazine has learned from Ubisoft that they are currently working on a sequel to Rayman Raving Rabbidsthat will give background on their training for world domination. And lots of minigames, of course.
As a game, Rayman Raving Rabbids was an entertaining though somewhat inconsistent collection of great (anything with Disco) and not-so-great (e.g., "Bunnies don't like open bathroom doors") minigames. As a character, however, the rabbids and their hilarious videos have touched us like no other adorable conquistadors ever have. We'll never forget their battle cry: gaaaaaaaahhhh!
It's currently unknown whether Sony or Microsoft will see rabbid love, as the Nintendo-centric magazine only mentioned DS and Wii as consoles the game will appear on. A book in the Xbox 360 version's case hinted at a sequel as well, and we expect Ubisoft to ultimately release this on every platform available. No release date has been announced.
A collection of hilarious rabbid advertisements after the break.
One of the waggle-free ports of Rayman: Raving Rabbids might not be entirely worthless, at least if you happen to own an Xbox 360 Vision camera. IGN notes that aside from "graphical tweaks" and two new mini-games, the Xbox 360 version will incorporate gesture-based gameplay for 37 of the 70-odd mini-games.
It's almost a perfect match, really. Raving Rabbids requires some sort of unique input to rise above its mini-game miasma, and the Vision camera needs more games to take meaningful advantage of it. Whether or not the pairing is strong enough to push a great, built-for-Wii experience to the other side remains to be seen. The high-def bunnies arrive this March.
We really, really want these figurines -- Rabbmaid, left, and Rabbmoo. Our prediction? A rabbid easter egg in every future Ubisoft title will boost sales 400%. Thank *Betti* for the image and check out the highlights for today:
Game|Life has scored some precious hands-ons with Ubisoft's Wii launch titles and also managed some time with the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Justice For All (DS) import while traveling to and from the Ubisoft offices. Check out the coverage:
Monster Truck 4x4 and GT Pro - "...just old games with Wii controls shoehorned in, and how do you really get excited about that?"
Red Steel - "I didn't play Red Steel at E3 ... So I had no firsthand knowledge of the game until today. And what I played was great. Apparently they've made great strides between E3 and today, because the controls ... were spot-on..."
Rayman Raving Rabbids - "...this might be the best non-Zelda game of the launch, and easily a great showpiece for the controller's abilities."
Splinter Cell: Double Agent - "After spending a half an hour struggling to complete the first level of Double Agent on Wii, I went home, popped in the PS2 version, and blasted through it unscathed in minutes."
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Justice For All (DS import) - "Not only is the game bilingual, it's actually a global product. When plugged into an American DS system, the title bar on the console's menu screen reads -- instead of Gyakuten Saiban 2 -- 'Phoenix Wright: Justice For All.'"
Hands-on with the newly-unveiled Diablo 3 Wizard class!
Bungie (finally) gives us details on Halo 3: Recon!
Hands-on with the New Xbox Experience, launching November 19!
We're live at the Tokyo Game Show 2008, yatta!
Hide your wallets! New games this month: October Edition
Listen to the Joystiq podcast (because your ears can't read)
Posts with tag ravingrabbids
The second Rayman Raving Rabbids is in production, and GameTrailers has posted a series of in-game clips from Ubisoft's gaming event. The Rabbids trailer and these clips seem to downplay Rayman even more than the first game. (Here's hoping the shipping version has little to do with the appendage-free mascot. Let Rayman thrive in the platformers; he doesn't add much to these mini-game buffets.)
One of the waggle-free ports of Rayman: Raving Rabbids might not be entirely worthless, at least if you happen to own an Xbox 360 Vision camera. IGN notes that aside from "graphical tweaks" and two new mini-games, the Xbox 360 version will incorporate gesture-based gameplay for 37 of the 70-odd mini-games. 
Game|Life has scored some precious hands-ons with Ubisoft's Wii launch titles and also managed some time with the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Justice For All (DS) import while traveling to and from the Ubisoft offices. Check out the coverage:
