Left 4 Dead 2 is really bloody good, and if you don't agree with me then you're an IDIOT who deserves to be split in twain from testicles to cranium and then fed to your own imprisoned family. My... 59 comments
It's been rumored for a long time, and many gamers have clamored for such a mythical beast, but Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime has decided to play dream killer and put paid to any fantasies ... 82 comments
The first Halo: Reach images might have been leaked this afternoon via the MLG message board. User “Tom Morello,” recently created a thread showing a blurry, perhaps camera-phone-snat... 57 comments
We're really looking forward to Darksiders at Destructoid, and THQ apparently likes that we're looking forward to it. Both of these elements have collided to allow us to be the first ones to show... 17 comments
With Infinity Ward dropping Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in stores next week, we're winding down the marketing hype machine, presumably wrapping things up with this final "launch" trailer that ... 66 comments
Just as happened with Kurt Cobain's appearance in Guitar Hero 5 and the screams from the bloated, sucking mass which rallied to his defense, Activision is taking some heat for the use of likeness... 40 comments
PC gamers already hopping mad at Infinity Ward over the lack of dedicated servers in Modern Warfare 2 might want to skip this story. The studio has responded to a number of fan questions surround... 143 comments
The headline of this story basically says it all, but since I admittedly know little about the world of mixed martial arts, I turned to another source -- friend and Destructoid reader, Kevvo.
"What the f*ck is Strikeforce?" I asked him, via text message.
"Haha, UFC's competition," he replied. "Why?"
EA Sports, I explained, had signed with Strikeforce to appear in its upcoming mixed martial arts title, EA Sports MMA. Knowing he was a fan of sports like UFC, I asked him if he thought this was a big deal.
"Put it this way," he tells me. "If the Nintendo DS is the UFC, then the PSPgo is Strikeforce," he explains. I asked him to clarify -- does this mean that Strikeforce has better graphics and crappier battery life, but you can control UFC president Dana White with a stylus? He doesn't answer.
"They really only have one or two fighters worth watching," he continues.
"Do those guys happen to be Brett Rogers and Jake Shields? Because those two are signed on for EA Sports MMA," I tell him.
Yes, those are the guys, he says. And I think I've cleared this up rather nicely. EA Sports MMA is scheduled for a 2010 release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
"Fedor Emelianenko is the premier fighter in any organization and as long as he's signed to strikeforce they'll make stiff competition for UFC.
by the way, the sport is Mixed Martial Arts, not UFC..."...
If you're a retailer that sells video games, chances are pretty good that you'll be holding a midnight launch for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Well, as it turns out, Blockbuster is no exception.
The video rental chain will be hosting launch events on November 9, starting at 9:00 P.M. at select locations. The event will feature a pre-release game demo, as well as giving those who attend the opportunity to rent, purchase, or win Infinity Ward's soon-to-be blockbuster of its own.
Hit the jump to see if your local Blockbuster is participating, and if you end up going, take pictures for us. We like pictures.
"There are a lot more Blockbusters that will still be selling the game at midnight, just many of them won't be making an "event" of it. No contests or playing the game early."...
The offspring of PopCap and Square Enix -- y'know, the one that sounds an awful lot like something you'd stick in your mouth -- is nearly upon us.
When we last checked in, there was a discussion going around about how the concept of Gyromancer was spawned as somewhat of a joke. Today, we have a meatier talking point: the game's release date.
Wednesday, November 18 is when the magic happens on both Xbox LIVE Arcade and PC. Along with this news, we received a trailer that does a mighty fine job of showing just what the heck the game plays like.
I love me some Bejeweled Twist, and I have little reason to believe I won't feel the same way about Gyromancer. Who's with me?
Yesterday afternoon, I brought you a preview of James Cameron's Avatar: The Game. Some of you were interested in the game while others weren't so sure. We have the latest trailer for Avatar and I think this will help people figure out if they really want to get Avatar when it's released on December 1.
So let's hear it. Now that you've heard how the game plays and what Avatar looks like in action, do you still interested in it? Or do you think it looks too generic and are afraid of the movie to videogame tie-n games?
Those crazy cats at RedLynx did what? Yep, they put their PC game Trials up on torrent Web sites. But before you start calling the closest mental institution, hear the plan out.
"Piracy is here, so how can we take advantage of that? What we did actually, on day one, we put that game immediately on all the torrent networks ourselves," said RedLynx CEO Tero Virtala during Develop Liverpool.
"That game relies really heavily on the server side -- the leaderboards are the soul of the game. I don't know if it's helped, I'd assume so because even though the version that we put on the torrent networks wasn't the full version, it's the version of the game without the actual soul, without the leaderboards to play against other players."
So, by beating everyone to the punch with a version of Trials that wasn't complete, yet didn't have the sort of problems that can crop up in pirated games, RedLynx hoped to get the Trials name out there and possibly pick up a few new customers along the way.
Considering the three-year-old game has sold nearly 150,000 copies, and RedLynx has gone on to create a popular follow-up with Trials HD, I'd say the mission was a success.
"@Hcapt
I would throw PSP and Wii (at least I know a lot of Wii pirates) as very popular pirating devices.
I honestly don't know a single person without at least a PSP capable of pirating through..."...
The latest episode HAWP was the one filmed during the HAWP panel at PAX. This episode is extra special as it features a lot of cameos by Dtoiders that were at the panel. See if you can spot them all!
Jim has dibs on Coach, I brought a preview of Bad Company 2, Ben checked out Skate 3, Sears has some good Black Friday deals, take a look at the new modes coming to Super Street Fighter IV and more happened on 11/6/09.
Why haven't I posted about Futuremark Games Studio's self-published, FPS-in-space Shattered Horizon?
That's a damn good question, really. As a lover of Dead Space and all things similar in nature to that game, I'm required by law to tell you about Shattered Horizon. Unbeknownst to me, it went up on Steam on Wednesday; apparently I am alone in this, because it's sitting in the top ten sellers section.
The main draw here is easily the zero gravity gameplay. Imagine a multiplayer session with 32 people in deep space. More specifically, on an asteroid. Bingo! Sounds sexy, huh? FGS shot us over a new video about Shattered Horizon's other neat feature called "silent running."
Yes, there is no sound in space. By default, your character's suit simulates audio to make the game more enjoyable. But with silent running, you can turn all audio cues off, meaning "a stealth advantage while sacrificing radar, HUD, and maneuverability."
I need a DirectX 10 graphics card, and I need this game.
If you're following Assassin's Creed 2, then you'll want to watch this brand new video, which is the sixth in a developer diary series for Ubisoft's time-traveling, quasi-sci-fi murder-em-up. Assassin's Creed 2 is one of the brave games that chose not to hide away in 2010, choosing instead to stare Modern Warfare 2 in the face and fight for a place in the Holiday chart.
I can't say the first game really wowed me, but I admire Ubisoft for putting it out there and not turning tail like so many other games did. For that, you have to give the game credit. I hope it's far more exciting than the last one was, at any rate!
"All they needed to fix for my taste was the tiny amount of missions they had. From what I've read, they have done just that. Unless something goes horribly wrong, this will probably be my favorit..."...
It seems the new dashboard update, which isn't available to everyone just yet, has been getting some flak from those under the age of 18, and rightfully so. The joy of using Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm on an Xbox 360 cannot be experienced by these youngins.
As Major Nelson puts it on his blog, "We made this decision because as it stands now, parents aren’t able to use Family Settings to customize which of these applications their children can access."
"In order to offer an age-appropriate environment for everyone, we decided to turn off these applications for those Gold members under the age of 18."
Their intentions were good, but when it comes to something like this, consumer choice reigns supreme. Thankfully, an update due out in "several weeks" will give parents the option to enable these new apps for XBL members between the ages of 13 and 17. Sounds good to us.
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is set to come out on November 17 and the final trailer promoting the game was released this week. The trailer shows off various cinematic scenes from Code: Veronica, Resident Evil 2 and the new campaign staring Leon Kennedy and Jack Krauser.
I'm a diehard Resident Evil nut and I'll happily play Darkside Chronicles even though I know it won't be that much fun. I just don't care much for on-rails shooting games. I mainly want to play this to learn about the new story and because I think Jack Krauser is one of the better villains to ever appear in a Resident Evil game.
"... I'm a bit slow and I've just noticed that this game comes out the sane day as L4D2...
Is November 17th "Official shoot zombies in the head" day or something?"...
The prospect of Golgoth Studio updating Joe & Mac for the high-def era when work on the gorgeous-looking Toki remake is finished excited me greatly, and it definitely excited you guys a lot too.
Data East's 16-bit co-op platformer about beating up dinosaurs until they wept worked in the early 90s, and it sure as hell works today. As fate would have it, my guess about Joe & Mac perfectly fitting the developer's tease was right -- it's been announced.
As with Toki, you can tell Golgoth is putting nothing but the utmost amount of care into recreating Joe & Mac with beautiful new art. I for one can't wait to see more.
"Sweet Jesus. I remember being 12 or so and my kid sister was CRAZY about me playing this game. I had to beat the game for her at least once a month. She loved dinosaurs and thought this game w..."...
'Tis the season to be a crazed shopper looking for the best Holiday deals. Black Friday "leaks" are popping up all over and the latest comes from Sears. Sears is going to have your typical 2-pack game bundles in an attempt to get rid of crap no one is buying for the Xbox 360, Wii and DS.
Wait, don't scroll away yet! They're actually going to have some great deals on games that recently released titles! Here are the games you'll care about most on sale at Sears:
Left 4 Dead 2 - $39.99 [Update: This is for the first Left 4 Dead. What a rip!]
Halo 3: ODST - $39.99
Forza 3 - $39.99
Dragon Age: Origins (PS3, X360) - $39.99
Need For Speed Shift (PS3, X360) - $39.99
Brutal Legend (PS3, X360) - $39.99
Guitar Hero World Tour guitar bundle (all platforms) - $49.99
A Boy and His Blob - $29.99
Sears will also have some freebies they'll be throwing in with a purchase of a new console. Wiis will come with a Nerf Racing Wheel, Xbox 360 Elite Bundles (comes with LEGO Batman and Pure) will get a 12 month Gold Card and PlayStation 3 120GB Slims purchases will come with a Blu-ray remote.
Anyone planning on camping out at a Sears to grab one of these deals?
"Amazon will have deals on these things for at least these prices if not lower and you won't have to go out to bumfuck, knowwhere to find an Amazon."...
This week, we'll be taking a look at a review for Dragon Age. While there's a little bit of complaining about scores, it's really more about the bickering that happens between 360 and PS3 owners. IGN rated the two console versions the same, but Gamespot gave the PS3 version 0.5 more points than the 360 version!
How great is it to see the Koopa Kids back together again? Pretty damn great, if you ask me. Which you didn't. But I'm telling you anyway, so shut up and agree with me. Iggy FTW!
New Super Mario Bros. Wiiis preparing for launch and it's pretty exciting, because it looks incredible. I still need to replace my Wii after moving from Europe to the United States and I'm telling you, this game might be the final push I need to go ahead and do it. I do hope it does well, and proves that there is still a market for good old fashioned 2D platforming.
Anyway, these are the latest screens for you to gawp at. Have fun.
Demon's Soulshas a reputation as one of the most brutal, hardcore and challenging games of the year, if not this generation, and those who bought it have often done so under a cloud of fear. According to game director Hidetaka Miyazaki, however, the game was never designed with difficulty in mind. Demon's Souls is all about triumph, not defeat.
"Having the game be 'difficult' was never the goal," explains Miyazaki. "We understood that 'difficulty' is just one way to offer an intense sense of accomplishment through forming strategies, overcoming obstacles, and discovering new things. Our goal of a sense of accomplishment was the basis of the game since the early stages of development, and we never strayed from that."
Miyazaki also explained the "Bloodstain" death mechanic that some gamers have found very frustrating: "We do understand the frustration that players have experienced, but the main reason we settled on this system is that if the Souls could be recovered anytime, there would be no suspense or sense of accomplishment. [We want players to feel] like, 'I can’t die until I get all those souls back,' or 'I did it! I made it to my bloodstain!'"
I personally think that From Software totally succeeded with its design goals. Demon's Souls can indeed be very frustrating at times, but the sense of elation that comes with each success cannot be measured. Hopefully Demon's Souls 2 will arrive and continue this tradition. Miyazuki says a sequel is out of his hands, but that he'd "welcome the chance to create and even better game in the same style."
"I just don't get everyone's boner over this game. I bought it because I heart Jim and he regarded it so highly(blogger recommendation isn't the way I usually gauge my purchases) but god damn if i..."...
Reggie Fils-Aime is a big talker, and today he's made one of his biggest statements yet, claiming that if Modern Warfare 2 and New Super Mario Bros. were on equal ground, the latter would have no problem outselling the former. Apparently it's only NSMB's position as a Wii-exclusive that's holding it back.
"Modern Warfare 2 is on two platforms. On a single platform ... absolutely. I say that unequivocally. On one particular platform, I do believe so," claims the savory Nintendo president. "You've got to give me the entire holiday selling season, so let's take it all the way through the January NPD data ... It's going to be close. Modern Warfare is a a great title. As a gamer, I look forward to it. The new Modern Warfare, I think is going to be a fantastic title. Not to discount it, it will sell well. Of course I'll play it ... I play all the content out there."
I have to say that I don't think it would be as easy as Reggie claims. Despite its status as a multiplatform game, Modern Warfare 2 may well be the biggest game launch of all time and is set to eclipse World at War, a game that spent months in the sales charts. I also believe it would depend on the platform. If MW2 and NSMB were restricted to the Wii, maybe it would be a close contest. If they were restricted to the Xbox 360, then I think MW2 would have a very clear edge.
It's very easy for the hamburger boss to say these things while there can be no competition, but the man should put his money where his meaty mouth is. C'mon, Reggie, make NSMB multi-platform!
"After destroying any chance of me (and a few others) buying MW2 by not having dedicated servers or party chat on Xbox (I'm not buying the PS3 version, my hand cramps up when trying to play FPSes ..."...
[Editor's Note: We're not just a (rad) news site -- we also publish opinions/editorials from our community & employees like this one, though be aware it may not jive the opinions of Destructoid as a whole, or how our moms raised us. Want to post your own article in response? Publish it now on our community blogs.]
It’s really easy to be a complete bastard in games that you have no deep connection to. If you don’t care about the plot, you’re more likely to go off the rails, try to kill important NPC’s and avoid story-specific missions in favor of blowing shit up. You’re not torn up with guilt after sacrificing your fellow brothers-in-arms when they’re irritatingly flat characters with shoddy AI. And in games with dark tones and darker morality, it’s easy to find yourself becoming more like the monsters you fight than the “hero” that you were designated by the narrative. Some games, like Overlord, and Prototype even encourage it, providing you with new and creative ways to be unrepentantly and gleefully evil.
But what about being evil in a game where birds sing as the sun shines through the peaceful trees? How can you choose to spill the blood of those that have proved their loyalty to you time and time again, purely for your own selfish gain? Is it so easy to betray those who see you as a great leader, and have no other hope save for that which they put in your guiding hands? Well, if you’ve ever played Pikmin 2, I bet you’ve done just that countless times without ever feeling a thing.
"I remember getting the first Pikmin with my Gamecube. I didn't have a memory card at the time, so I was unable to save for a week. I beat the first 2 levels everyday."...
I don't know who they're getting rid of and who they're keeping, but I hope they kept the lesbian scissoring bike guy on board. That guy is their greatest asset!
Square Enix is looking to clean up shop, sending home about 10 percent of its 3,000+ employees. The cut is scheduled to take place early next year, in a move that they say will revitalize the company.
It's strange, as Square Enix is making more money than they did last year, and they have their biggest title, Final Fantasy XIII, coming out soon. Altafista reminds us that they've recently done some merger and acquisition work, and that it may be time to clean house a bit.
Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press living the dream since March 16, 2006
51 minutes ago - 4:00 AM on 11.07.2009, Nick Chester
#Electronic Arts
59 comments
READY TO FRIDAY
Community blogs of 11/06/09
The Memory Card .74: Crono's trial
Attention, everyone buying L4D2: I have dibs on Nick
Why the Left 4 Dead survivors may secretly be infected
Why I will support Modern Warfare 2
Why I can't support Modern Warfare 2
Animal Crossing + Halloween = The best zombie game ever
Top 20 Horror movies that would make great games part 2:
Eight last-minute Halloween costumes for gamers
Top 20 Horror movies would make great games part 1
The Memory Card .73: Death by funnel
Phanto: The scariest videogame character of all time
Capybara talks its 'next game,' Zombie Tactics
Nothing is sacred: killing God atop the Tower of Heaven
The Memory Card .72: The collapsing building
Nothing is Sacred: Cute characters suck
The Destructoid Comic: Power up!
Demon's Souls: The ultimate multiplayer experience
Giygas: A psychoanalysis of evil Itself
Custom delights: seven of the Net's best custom Munnys
