Joystiq

Writers Guild of America announces 2010 game writing nominations

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:15:00 EST

Well folks, we've been here twice before -- it's that very special time of year when the Writers Guild of America announces nominations in the category of "Videogame Writing." As has been the standard for the past two years, the list of games is a dubious mix. We'd certainly point to Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2 (our 2009 Game of the Year, lest you forget) and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed 2 as worthy of the title, but ... well, nearly everything else on the list strikes us as either unworthy or straight up misplaced. It reads as follows:

Assassin's Creed 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Wet
X-Men Origins: Wolverine

We're just as flummoxed as you are that titles like Wolverine and Modern Warfare 2 showed up -- especially while a litany of other great writing falls by the wayside (we're looking at you, Dragon Age and Professor Layton 2) -- but that might have something to do with the WGA membership requirement for consideration in the nominations. Regardless, we'll find out who's going to take the golden manuscript home when the show takes place simultaneously in both Los Angeles and New York City on February 20.

[Via GamesIndustry.biz]

Writers Guild of America announces 2010 game writing nominations originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best of the Rest: Chris' picks of 2009

Christopher Grant — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST

Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
A high-definition update - with high-quality voice work to boot! - of the adventure gaming classic, Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition represents a sea change in how LucasArts treats its adventure gaming roots. Instead of squirelling them away in a vault while development continues on Star Wars title after Star Wars title, LucasArts is putting them up on Steam, and remastering them for a whole new audience, with the first Monkey Island adventure leading the charge.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: Chris' picks of 2009

Best of the Rest: Chris' picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best of the Rest: Justin's Picks of 2009

Justin McElroy — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:30:00 EST

Time Gentlemen, Please

This was hands-down the funniest game released in 2009, and 2009 was a year in which we got a new Tim Schafer game and the return of the Monkey Island series, so that's saying something. If you missed out, please go buy it, it's cheap as can be and a true delight.

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

Best of the Rest: Justin's Picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best of the Rest: Dave's Picks of 2009

David Hinkle — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:15:00 EST

Resident Evil 5
I've long been a fan of the Resident Evil series, and while the campaign here has problems and should never be played solo, the Mercenaries mode is what kept me coming back. Those action-packed levels spent trying to survive while running low on ammo and health were some of my most chaotic, yet highly enjoyable, experiences of 2009.

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

Best of the Rest: Dave's Picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A2M trademarks 'Naughty Bear,' no one shocked

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:00:00 EST

Artificial Mind and Movement, better known to those in the gaming world as A2M, seems to be in the business of inappropriate euphemism name mashups. Starting with the company's own name's abbreviation, moving into the recently published Wet, and recently filing a trademark (spotted by Superannuation) for a new game titled "Naughty Bear," it appears as though the developer is on a mission to bring devilish grimaces to the faces of 13-year-old boys everywhere (ours included).

Oh, and just in case you were thinking about quickly snatching up the merchandising or film trademarks to such an impressive sounding name, A2M covered its bases and nabbed those too. We do hear that "Sexy Gorilla" might be available, though.

[Image credit]

[Via Superannuation]

A2M trademarks 'Naughty Bear,' no one shocked originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Wet

Justin McElroy — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

You have to love a game that works solely on the strength of its convictions. Deep down in the very core of its rockabilly heart, Wet knows that shooting dudes while you slow-mo dive and slide is fun. Fun enough to build an entire game around without too much ancillary garbage? Yes. A thousands times yes.

Sure, Artificial Mind and Movement has sexed it up with a gritty grindhouse feel and some outstanding music, but Wet is a game that never forgets on which side its bread is buttered. And that's the murder side ... of the, um, bread.

Gallery: Wet

Continue reading Review: Wet

Review: Wet originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSN Friday: Better late than never

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:53:00 EST

Was it worth the wait? Actually, this week's PSN update is rather substantial, offering up The Legend of Han Tao (don't be fooled by its cheesy name, it's not that bad) and several demos worth checking out, including WET getting wild at the top of the list. Let's not overlook the classics either, as PS1's Tomb Raider 2 and SimCity 2000 are both available for $6. There's plenty more content to check out after the break.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:

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

Continue reading PSN Friday: Better late than never

PSN Friday: Better late than never originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video interview: Bethesda's Pete Hines on WET

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:15:00 EST

We're calling it "this year's Mirror's Edge" -- WET is dripping with style, but will its unconventional controls and arcade-inspired combo system jive with mainstream gamers? We chatted with Bethesda's Pete Hines to talk about the publisher's late involvement with the A2M project. Below is a text excerpt of the entire video interview:

What does WET stand for?
WET is short for wetworks, which is a CIA term for operations where your hands are literally going to get wet with blood. We want you, as the player, to always be shooting, always be taking people out, whether it's with your guns or your sword. You're running around walls, jumping, spinning, sliding. It's about comboing together cool moves to take out your enemies and doing in this cool 70s Grindhouse look.

What gives WET its Grindhouse feel?
You really get that Grindhouse feel from the VO work from folks like Eliza Dushku, voice of Ruby (the character you play), Malcolm McDowell. There is a lot of music in the game, both from Brian LeBarton, who works with Beck, created an original soundtrack for the game that's kind of really cool and hip and funky; and then layered on top of that are all these tracks we got from indie bands that have this cool rockabilly type sound that fit really well with both the original soundtrack and with the game.

Gallery: WET

Continue reading Video interview: Bethesda's Pete Hines on WET

Video interview: Bethesda's Pete Hines on WET originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WET demo slips onto Xbox Live

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:45:00 EST

If there's one thing we've learned about video games marketing we've learned here at Joystiq, it's that most game designers and PR firms assume that the average gamer loves the idea of attractive women with swords (and zombies, if possible). Enter WET, a game featuring an attractive woman with a sword and guns and bullet-time. Thankfully, based on our time with the game, it does more than simply play on the attractions of the male gamer stereotype, it's actually pretty fun.

If taking control of sword-wielding, gun-toting, bullet time-using female badass sounds like your cup of tea, you'll be happy to know that a demo is now available on Xbox Live. Go get it.

[Via Evil Avatar]

WET demo slips onto Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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European PSN releases for August 20

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST

Veeeedjaahs! Getchya vidjeeahs heeeaah! Unsurprisingly, a veritable cornucopia of promotional material for PS3 and PSP titles was unleashed upon GamesCom 2009 attendees -- and now, thanks to the magic of the internet, they can be yours as well. Trailers and gameplay footage for a few big titles make up a majority of this week's PSN Euro update -- but there's also a demo for WET in there, too. Which is great if you be trying to get your Dushku on.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:

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

Continue reading European PSN releases for August 20

European PSN releases for August 20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GameStop knocks $10 off Wet and Rogue Warrior pre-orders

David Hinkle — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:32:00 EST

GameStop is looking to entice those on the video game-purchasing fence (it's a real thing ... look it up!) regarding upcoming Bethesda-published titles Wet and Rogue Warrior by offering $10 off each game's price should they pre-order through the retailer. If you decide to snag both games (what are you, a millionaire?), we only ask that, should you leave the two games alone in a room, you keep the door cracked. We'd hate to see what kind of super-killer offspring they'd produce.

[Via Bethesda Blog]

Source - Wet at GameStop
Source - Rogue Warrior at GameStop

GameStop knocks $10 off Wet and Rogue Warrior pre-orders originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eliza Dushku: Games 'acceptable and cool for grown ups'

David Hinkle — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:00:00 EST

BBC News caught up with Eliza Dushku recently, noted actress (uh, you've seen Bring it On, right?!) and voice of protagonist Rubi in the upcoming A2M-developed Wet. When it comes to games, she's apparently a fan and says they're a pretty acceptable form of entertainment (thanks!).

She says that games have "almost become acceptable and cool for grown ups -- not for people who are just in their teens." In fact, some of her own friends and colleagues used to be ashamed of their gaming, but now do so "loud and proud." In all fairness, though, most of her friends are Blinx: The Time Sweeper fans, so they probably should be ashamed.

Eliza Dushku: Games 'acceptable and cool for grown ups' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wet trailer gives us a shot at love

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:00:00 EST

What's better than controlling a femme fatale equipped with handguns and a katana? How about a song making light of her murderous nature? Wet developer A2M have delivered just that in the video you see above, with various impaled victims bursting into song over the course of the blood-splattered video. Here's hoping that the game will be as exciting and hilarious as the viral ad above paints it to be when it hits store shelves on September 15.

Wet trailer gives us a shot at love originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wet to slash and shoot retail on September 15

David Hinkle — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:15:00 EST

Bethesda's new publishing arm is prepared to bring the Eliza Dushku-voiced, Artificial Mind and Movement-developed Wet to retail shelves in North America on September 15. Back at E3, we thought the game showed a lot of promise, yet the experience was kind of dampened by environmental inconsistencies. It's tough to be a super badass and stylishly murder countless goons when you barely have elbow room, you know?

Wet to slash and shoot retail on September 15 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Impressions: Wet (PS3, Xbox 360)

David Hinkle — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:49:00 EST

Wet is a game that is for all intents and purposes pretty good, but it has the makings to be a lot better. However, the developers failed to give Rubi the room she needs, and for the brief period of time we had with the game, felt the confines of the small environments kept the game from realizing its full potential.

We won't bother wasting your time regaling the concept behind the game and what the whole point is -- we've already done that. Instead, we'll address what the game has done right, and what needs to change before a good game can become a great game.

Gallery: Wet

Continue reading Impressions: Wet (PS3, Xbox 360)

Impressions: Wet (PS3, Xbox 360) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq impressions: Wet

Jem Alexander — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:30:00 EST

By now you know that Wet is the latest of Activision Blizzard's castaways to have been rescued from a grizzly, unpublished fate. At Bethesda's 2009 lineup showcase in London, we were given a demonstration of how the rescued game has progressed since it was last shown properly in 2007.

Wet is a stylised, Tarantino-flavored acrobatic shooter for the PS3 and 360. The emphasis here is on constant movement and pulling off Kill Bill style moves, without having to resort to cinematics or quick-time events. Imagine Mirror's Edge meets Stranglehold and Devil May Cry. You play as Rubi -- voiced by Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku -- who is a "fixer." That's another word for "hired assassin," which explains the game's name -- a shortened version of the term "wetworks."

The game reeks of 1970s action films, from the art direction and animation to the music and the environments. There's even a grainy film filter over the entire game, though apparently this can be turned off or changed in the settings menu. What we saw wasn't the most graphically impressive game in the world, but the abundance of style made up for any technical shortcomings.

Gallery: Wet

Continue reading Joystiq impressions: Wet

Joystiq impressions: Wet originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda confirms publishing duties for Wet, coming Fall 2009

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST

The rumors were true! Bethesda Softworks confirmed in a press release today that it had picked up the publishing rights for Artificial Mind and Movement's gun-and-sword-toting action title, Wet. The fate of the game was imperiled by The Great Vivendi Franchise Culling of 2008, though we're pleased to hear it won't be wandering the vaporware wasteland much longer -- according to the release, Wet is set to moisten PS3s and Xbox 360s come this fall.

As an interesting aside, the press release also reveals that Buffy vet and current Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku will provide the pipes for Wet's armed-to-the-teeth protagonist, Rubi Malone. Oh, you picked Faith to voice your sassy, violent femme? Way to think outside the box, guys.

Bethesda confirms publishing duties for Wet, coming Fall 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Famitsu, retailers say Bethesda publishing Wet

Jason Dobson — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:30:00 EST

It looks as if Wet has finally have emerged from the murky waters of publishing limbo, though the likely reveal comes from the unlikeliest of sources. The latest issue of Japanese mag Famitsu, according to Siliconera, lists Bethesda as the publisher behind the Western-developed, stylish third-person shooter, which has been without a champion since being cast off in the wake of last year's Activision-Vivendi merger.

In addition, several online retailers, including Amazon, Gamefly and CD Universe also claim that the action romp has been picked up by the Fallout 3 crew. However, there seems to be some disagreement on when the game will arrive at retail. According to Amazon, Wet will ship on August 31, while both Gamefly and CD Universe expect the game to arrive on September 30 and 31 respectively.

Whatever the case, it seems probable that Wet has found a new home among the publisher's traditionally RPG-heavy catalog. While still unofficial, we've reached out to Bethesda in hopes of toweling off any additional information.

Source -- Bethesda gets Wet
Source -- Bethesda Softworks Rescues Wet

Famitsu, retailers say Bethesda publishing Wet originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A girl with guns and a sword, new trailer for Wet

Jason Dobson — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST

We're trying hard to temper any excitement for Wet with the cold reality that, despite looking like a lot of fun to play, the upcoming action fest is still sans a publisher to call its own. Even so, that hasn't stopped developer A2M from releasing gameplay showing off the game's high-flying antics, which look to mix together elements of Tomb Raider and Max Payne with a dash of Kill Bill.

No release date has been set, though the Montreal dev teases that Wet is "coming soon." It's good to see that even after being dumped by Activision Blizzard, going solo hasn't dampened the studio's spirits.

Continue reading A girl with guns and a sword, new trailer for Wet

A girl with guns and a sword, new trailer for Wet originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A2M still wants gamers to get 'Wet'

Xav de Matos — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360

A2M still wants to get gamers Wet, despite the fact that the title doesn't have a publisher. A casualty of the Activision Blizzard merger, Wet was one of the titles drowned out of a Sierra lineup that included Ghostbusters and Brütal Legend.

In an interview with Edge, A2M ?senior artistic technical director, David Lightbrown, described Wet as an acrobatic shooter. Gameplay will allow players to perform various acrobatic moves while blasting foes away, but instead of the "combo heavy approach" found in Devil May Cry, A2M wants players to feel rewarded for utilizing acrobatics. Wet has been designed as an arena-style experience, making it at least somewhat similar to Devil May Cry's "lock you in the room until the monsters are dead" approach.

Gallery: WET

A2M still wants gamers to get 'Wet' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WET resurfaces, new screens dried off

Jason Dobson — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:00:00 EST

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

Sometimes news comes from where you least expect it. Case in point: middleware firm Illuminate Labs. The lighting tech company recently toweled off new screens for Blizzavision cast off, WET, confirming that the acrobatic shooter is still expected to bound onto retail shelves for the PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime in 2009.

In development at Montreal-based developer Artificial Mind and Movement (A2M), WET has remained submerged well below the radar since it was first detailed in August 2007. Beyond the new eye candy, WET's pool of details remains shallow, though it's at least good to know that someone will be fishing the game out of the well someday soon.

Gallery: WET

[Via CVG]

WET resurfaces, new screens dried off originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get your hands wet with tons of Wet information

Nick Doerr — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:07:00 EST

Filed under: Previews, Hands-on

Cornering the market on hormonal male adolescents, Wet seems at its surface to employ the voluptuous female lead as a replacement for interesting gameplay. Since we haven't heard anything about the game past an old trailer, it's nice to update the game's progress by experiencing the game vicariously through someone else's hands-on. The verdict? Wet is apparently "shaping up to be one seriously thrilling all-out action killfest with brains as well as bust and enough imaginative features to have Ms. Croft and a certain Persian royal casting nervous glances over their slender shoulders."

Developers A2M generally make kids' games, so of course all this pent up violence and sex will explode somehow. Seems like Wet is going to deliver the same rush as a summer popcorn action flick. A big draw to this game is the intuitive split-aiming mechanic employed by the dual-gun-wielding heroine Rubi. All previous efforts to make this option work generally, well, suck. While holding the lock-on button, you can flick the analog stick to move the second weapon to whatever enemy you want, probably as another lock. Sounds easy enough. More on the gameplay itself after the jump -- trust us, it's good.

Continue reading Get your hands wet with tons of Wet information

Get your hands wet with tons of Wet information originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's get Wet!

Nick Doerr — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Previews

No, a Slip N' Slide game wasn't officially announced (yet). However, hot on the heels of Prototype which features a pretty vicious looking male lead, Sierra has announced a new game to compete with the like of Tomb Raider -- it's called Wet. The title is incredibly over-the-top, so expect some Devil May Cry flavored antics in the mindset of Kill Bill, Prince of Persia, and whatever else involves fighting and generally crazy stunts. You take the role of Ruby, a sultry vixen of sorts who likes dishing out pain in the most acrobatic ways imaginable.

We'd talk more about the gameplay, but we should have gotten your imagination running with all the comparisons we listed above. DMC, Prince of Persia, Tomb Raider. Splotch on a soundtrack reminiscent of any of the Quentin Tarantino films and you've got yourself a stylish action title that wants you to remember it exists. We'll see if that will be the case when we get more info and screens from the game itself -- this puppy is still very early in production. With some of Ubisoft's veterans on the job, though, we've got some hope that it'll turn out nicely.

Let's get Wet! originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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