I never played either. I wonder what's the appeal in them or what games do can they be compared to in terms of gameplay, I just know that you fight "giants monsters" in Shadow and get something from them to go further into the game.

Shadows is great, a good downtime game. Epic feeling, too.

Ico seems a bit Zelda'ish from watching a youtube video.

It isn't.

Shadow of the Colossus is much closer than Ico as being "Zelda"-like although most of the comparisons involve the boss battles and traveling on horse than actually mimicking Zelda.

The only really obvious connection to both games is what you see at the ending of Shadows, but both games thrive off of not having a story to tell but not giving you a lot of background on what's going on. They are certainly in the same creative style, but are too vastly different experiences. Shadows is a much more epic solo experience, while Ico is much more about the relationship of the only two characters unfolding as the game progresses. Both are puzzle platformers, but Ico is a bit more traditional, while Shadows exchanges traversing buildings for moving bosses fifty stories high.

Will be picking up the Ico Collection on Friday when it's out over here. Played a good bit of Shadow and love it and want to complete it.

Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded project has been delayed indefinitely with the project's future in doubt after a rumor of a rift between Interceptor Entertainment and Gearbox occurred during a recent meeting.

The main issue appears to have occurred during a meeting at Gearbox where representatives for the series felt the work done was turning the game to a completely different direction than what the company had planned for the series. They did praise how good the work towards the project was but also noticed the game started to drift away from a remake and potentially into a completely non-Duke related game.

Interceptor Entertainment did state the decision wasn't related to Gearbox's own upcoming Duke Nukem project but the terms of the official license does give Gearbox the ability to decide what can and can't be done with the property.

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http://www.screwattack.com/news/excl...aiting-gearbox

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Sony's PSN could be having another rehaul/reboot as the previously big teaser announcement by Sony appears to be a brand new version of PSN. The newly redesigned PS Home update (1.55) hints at some new changes being added that currently isn't supported by PSN while also preparing for the integration of the PS Vita into the network.

2) EA releases some info regarding their upcoming games with the downloadable title of Shank 2 Vegas revealed to be in development for an early 2012 release date. Also announced was the reboot to the PC classic of Syndicate will have a release date of Februrary 21, 2012 for US/Canada and Februrary 24, 2012 for UK/Europe.

3) Square-Enix hints the previosuly assumed PS3 exlucive of Final Fantasy Versus 13 could be also arriving on the Xbox 360 after it was revealed the company is hiring programmers familiar with the Xbox 360 for a current Final Fantasy project.

Ico is absolutely phenomenal. If you want typical gameplay reviews, go to Youtube, but you will barely gain anything from it. That game is made up of perfect, beautiful moments.

Had G goozex ico/shadow 4 me

Specifically?

Nothing.

Very unique experiences.

The makers of Psychonauts, Double Fine, announces the game has been ported to the Mac while also announcing some extra content will be on its way for the current PC version on Steam.

While the company didn't reveal who the publisher was for the Mac version, they did reveal the game is available for sale at a $9.99 price on the Mac version of Steam.

The current PC version on Steam has been tweaked to include Steam achievements and the ability for cloud-based saving. Also announced was the Meat Circus stage has been reworked a bit to be harder than before based on the requests from the fans for a harder ending to the game.

Also announced was an iOS app called the Psychonauts Vault Viewer which contains all of the Memory Vaults from the game to go along with brand new commentary by the developers.

Double Fine has said in the past they were considering making a sequel to the original game after regaining the rights to the IP they once had to sell off to prevent the company from closing down. They also want to gauge how much interest there is for a new game in the series before actually deciding to work on a new game.

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http://kotaku.com/5845201/wow-psycho...-a-mac-version
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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Some news in regards to delays as SNK announces King of Fighters XIII has been delayed from its late October release to now a November 22 release date with tweaking being the main reason for the delay. Also being delayed is the PC version of Assassin's Creed Revelations until December 2nd but Ubisoft confirms the console versions will still launch on time on November 15th.

2) Based on a source inside Microsoft, the Fall update for the Xbox 360 Dashboard will include a built-in web browser with Bing as the main search engine. The Fall update will also redesign the dashboard to take advantage of the upcoming Windows 8 appearance and useability as part of Microsoft's plan to integrate both services using Xbox Live.

3) The future of Nintendo Power is once again in doubt after the current publishing company, Future, announces it is reconsidering their entire publishing operations with the possibility of dropping their entire print versions in favor of digital-only publications. The company announced the decision won't be decided until 2012 but also stressed decreasing sales of print copies has forced them to change their way of operations.

Weird. Got an email from Bioware wanting me to do a survey on my experience with the beta for The Old Republic, but I never got an email telling me I got into the beta.

How much different is the Klonoa remake on Wii from the original on PS1?

Looks like mainly just graphics and more extras than the original but the game itself mostly remains the same.

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Although it doesn't look like something that took 3+ years to make, it does look good and source accurate. Big ups for drop-in co-op. See if you can spot the area of Burk's demise. :)

After noticing the praise Epic Games has received for its filtering option for Gears of War 3, Microsoft is considering adding it as a global option for the Xbox Live network.

Gears of War 3 allows custom filtering not only for parental reasons but to give players more control over the level of gore and language done in the game.

If Microsoft does add the feature, it would fall under the "Parental Controls" options and not be part of the other global options menu containing the inverting controls, rumble, muting, and other things.

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http://kotaku.com/5845521/microsoft-...tering-options

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Valve announces the previously announced free DLC pack for Portal 2 will be arriving on October 4th. The DLC pack will include a new challange mode for both single and co-op modes to go along with a new test track for co-op.

2) Sony announces owners of the 3G version of the PS Vita will be initialy restricted to only 20MB in download size although they did hint firmware updates in the future could increase the download speeds. Also confirmed is while some games might not have enough intial speed for online matches, the company is working with developers to ensure it doesn't become a huge problem making the Vita looking weaker than it really is.

3) Ubisoft announces their upcoming "I Am Alive" game will be arriving on Xbox Live Arcade and PSN on a Winter 2011 release date. The company did not reveal if a PC version will be made nor any release window for a potential PC version.

I'm honestly surprised how many mags are still around, given the way things have gone over the last decade. Not a knock against Nintendo Power itself, just the gaming magazine niche. There are still people who enjoy a nice magazine in their hands, but online pubs are quick, easy to access, and generally provide similar content for free. Even the print exclusives are usually up in a day or two.

Bloody Roar 5 was announced. Yay I guess?

Really? Seriously? That's... odd.

What's it been, a decade since the last?

Someone retweeted it off the Hudson Twitter feed. I thought Hudson had gone bust.

Next year. I bet it's Pintint's fave fighting game though.

Shows what you know. Furries hate lycanthropes. Too violent when "yiffing."

It's not real. They closed the Twitter accounts when Hudson shut down and someone else registered the account and started that news.

lol

Sony announces an exclusive "Only on PSN" program to start on October 4th and lasts for the entire month.

Included in the promotion is an XBLA-like "Summer of Arcade" experience with certain PSN games getting the spotlight and focus to go along with a bunch of PS2 games arriving on the service.

Also revealed is Playstation Plus members will get a 20% off discount on every game bought and if $60 or more is spent, Sony will give away $10 free as a gift to spend on more PSN stuff. The $10 free offer covers everything on PSN and not just games.

The list of PSN-related games covered for the promotion are:
* Eufloria (October 4)
* Sideway: New York (October 11)
* Sodium Collection (October 13)
* Okabu (October 18)
* RocketBirds (October 18)
* inFAMOUS 2: Festival of Blood (October 25)
* PixelJunk Sidescroller (October 25)

The bad news concerning the PS2 games are none are remastered to HD graphics, no actual changes were done to the game and play "as-is", and no trophy support nor any multiplayer support is provided due to the games being a straight port. Also no prices for the PS2 games were announced by Sony.

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http://www.giantbomb.com/news/month-...tomorrow/3711/
http://www.screwattack.com/news/g1lu...ly-psn-program

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Update on Bethesda vs Mojang lawsuit as Bethesda flat out refused to accept Mojang's offer to drop the "Scrolls" name and rename their game. Zenimax, Bethesda's parent company is unwilling to reach a settlement and wants the courts to both prove they own the exclusive rights to the "Scrolls" name and huge legal fees to make an example out of Mojang to other companies.

2) Ubisoft confirms Assassin's Creed III will be arriving next year with the plot based on the 2012 Doomsday scenario and the main story involving Desmond Miles could be finished. The company also mentioned that the game wouldn't mean the end of the franchise with new storyline cycles planned for the future.

3) Valve announces those who have pre-ordered Rage for Steam can now pre-load the game starting today before the official release date of October 4th. The game is around 21.5 GB in size and Valve is strongly recommending the pre-load option so that those who pre-ordered can play it without worrying about everyone else trying to download the game at the same time this Tuesday.

Most of those games look shite, but I'm usually only in love with one or two of the SoA games each year, too.

News Roundup comments:

1. Bethesda are dicks.

2. I'm not shocked 2012 is involved in AC III. Especially since so much of the idea seems cribbed from the Da Vinci Code. Don't take that as a slam, since they did it far better than Dan Brown did.

3. Yeah, at 22 GB, you may want to preload that fucker. I forgot how fucking huge it was gonna be.

Well 2012 was mentioned in the ending of AC2, so yeah, I don't know why this is news.

Also, I am loving Brotherhood, and can't wait to play revelations. I'm also anxious to see how they adapt the gameplay to a modern setting, since AC3 is obviously going to be desmond miles finally becoming an assassin and taking on abstergo.

I need to finish 2. I got distracted by shit and I'm like 90% done.

Problems involving the launch of the PC version of RAGE from id Software involves issues with the mega-texture packs and driver issues related to the Battlefield 3 beta.

In regards to the mega-texture packs for the game, the main complaints revolve around the textures causing screen tearing, graphical pop-ups, and PC's crashing due to how badly the textures were optimized. While searching for the actual cause of the problems, it was discovered the game doesn't have the same amount of drivers for graphic cards with more nVidia drivers found than ATI ones leading to the game being a bit more stable using nVidia.

It was also discovered the Battlefield 3 beta-specific drivers are incompatible with RAGE and have almost a 100% rate of crashing when playing the game. ATI/AMD and nVidia have suggested in rolling-back the drivers to an early update to help solve the problem.

While ATI/AMD has released updated drivers to help fix some of the issues, id Software currently has no plans to quickly release a patch to fix the texture problems and only suggests to update the drivers.

Also not exclusive to the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game have been reported to have the same problems with the texture packs and pop-up problems.

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http://www.screwattack.com/news/rage...t-play-well-pc
http://www.giantbomb.com/news/rages-...-updated/3715/

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) The Official Playstation Magazine becomes the lastest to be accused of being bribed for a good score after an early review of Batman: Arkham City was found to only cover the early part of the game and a breif time with the multiplayer. The reviewer backlashed at the people accusing of the score being "bought" but also admits most of the game wasn't played by the time the review was done unlike with a typical normal review process.

2) Latest rumors involving the successor to the Xbox 360 have Rare, Lionhead, and Turn 10 all focusing their next projects on becoming launch titles for the new system. Fable 4 is being rumored of being a launch window title with a late 2013 release date.

3) A sweepstakes started by Sega called "Name that Game" promises the winning entry will end up as a game for the PS3 and potentially the Xbox 360 which involves a classic series from Sega. Based on current information, the Dayton USA series will be returning with the official debut of the next game occuring once the contest ends on October 10.

That doesn't sound like journalism for sale, it sounds more like the usual lazy shit that passes for a review.

I have had it over a year and still am about only 60% done.

Honestly, there is just so much to do in those games that it can be overwhelming. I also took a long break before finishing AC2. Very, very long games, if you are doing all the sidequests and stuff.

Not many action games with as much content as this series. It's definitely become one of my favorite franchises.

Do you ever finish what you start, tho?

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Xbox 360 getting TV channels towards the end of the year.

Don't know about the other channels but BBC will be free.

Microsoft's plans for 2012 involves creating a "universal" network tying in all the products and branches of the company into a more unified service with the main emphasis revolving around the Xbox Live experience.

The service and plan would be cloud-based and in a bigger scope than Sony's current process of how the PSP and PS3 can share media and game-related stuff.

Microsoft did hint that at least for the initial period of the service only certain games released in 2012 will take advantage of the new service. The company also previously stated their plans involving the new dashboard set to be released soon would be the first step towards the new "universal" service.

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http://www.screwattack.com/news/univ...blow-your-mind

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Namco reveals the PS3 version of the upcoming Tekken Hybrid will be having its own exlcuisve collector's edition. Included with the games are 2 CDs full of music from Tekken Tag HD and Tekken Tag 2, an art book containing art from every game and movie in the package, and Tekken themed costumes with accessories for PSN Home.

2) According to EA, the suppossed feud between Valve and EA isn't actually occuring and both companies still have a healthy relationship in tact. The boss of the European branch says the company still has its publishing deal for console games made by Valve and explains the need for Origin as a way to compete and co-operate with Valve software at the same time in a friendly manner.

3) Treyarch confirms the Call of Duty series will be expanding to "next-gen" systems after a recent job posting shows the studio is hiring software engineers to work on the game for a brand new console. While speculation about the new system ranges between the Vita, 3DS, and Wii U, it appears the Wii U might be the system being refrenced due to the others being a handheld and Activision previously announced the series would be arriving on the Vita and 3DS.

With Vita and 3DS' (soon to be stock) analog sticks I'm betting FPS games will arrive full swing. No surprise CoD would come, a single analog stick couldn't stop that series.

And with the built in cameras, you can REALLY teabag your opponents!

Or maybe we can finally do that face mapping thing promised a decade ago.

Well Microsoft is working on either a new 3D camera setup or an extension to Kinect to allow 3D mapping but more for parental controls than actual virtual teabagging or face mapping into games.

http://www.screwattack.com/news/micr...leman-friendly

Woah woah woah...You're thinking too far ahead.

Just saying that Gameboy Camera had promise.

Hideo Kojima in a speech about game design at USC discussed how LEGOs played a huge role in the Metal Gear Solid series, why his wife hated his work for a while, and the new "Fox" engine being developed for future use in both the series and Konami games.

While he got a degree in economics, he was more well-known in college for creating interesting stories which ended up playing a huge role in his desire to switch into the video game industry.

His wife for a while hated his work on video games because he usually only slept around 4 hours a day and spent the other part "playing" with LEGOs to help design levels for the PS1 Metal Gear Solid project.

The current build of the "Fox" engine was also shown off to be powerful enough to create detailed levels in only 30 minutes while automating the collision detection and A.I. work needed for CPU controlled characters.

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http://kotaku.com/5847317/hideo-koji...new-fox-engine

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) In a Q&A on Rockstar's website, the company confirms the company has no plans of ever porting Red Dead Redemption to the PC. The official reason was given as a technical and business-related decision while the real reason is most likely related to the large amount of work needed to fix all the bugs from the game.

2) Current rumors involving a potential Halo film now indicats the film could have a 2012 release date and will be worked on by both Dreamworks while directed by Steven Spielberg.

3) Capcom announces Resident Evil Revelations for the 3DS now has a target release date of Februrary7, 2012 for the US and Canada with Gamestop already setting up the pre-order bonus for the game. Europe will be getting the game a few days earlier with a January 27 release date.

Spielberg will never do a Halo film, that's wish stuff.

If he did, would he replace the guns with walkie talkies again?

That's a lot of walkie talkies.

Sorry if old, but it was news to me:

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I probably shouldn't get my hopes up and expect something good from the Voltron franchise, but....

5plyr modes based on classic game tropes might be a good thing.

Rumble technology could be changing as a new form of rumble meant to be useable in a wide range of devices attempts to create a more realistic attempt at force feedback with a wider range of variety possible.

Artificial Muscle Inc. is developing the tech which they are calling ViviTouch and is based around a goo-like substance that can expand or contract based on the rumble feedback required.

Because the tech revolves more around the goo-like substance, the tech can be made in almost any size or shape needed to fit a wide variety of devices.

Current motor-based rumble devices only have a small range of feedback rumbling possible which means a lot of instances are grouped into a specific rumble motion than being an individual or unique rumble.

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http://www.screwattack.com/news/lets...ew-kind-rumble

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Nintendo reveals Super Mario 3D Land for the 3DS will have the Super Guide feature as a way to lessen concerns about the game being too easy from the videos shown.

2) id Software blames the PC version of Rage as the cause of all their problems during development and issues with the launch of the game. While the studio used the PC version in hyping the game to the public, they now feel the PC platform can't be the lead platform for games and instead think the focus should only be on consoles.

3) Crytek announces their CryEngine will be modified to support flash-based games and applications after the company announced they want to expand their engine to non-PC and console devices. The announcement also came after Epic had announced earlier the Unreal 3 engine would provide flash support for mobile devices.

It COULD be fun, but I'm expecting it to be about as disappointing as similar titles.

I hope I'm wrong.

Speaking of disappointing, Burnout: Crash. I went in with low expectations and I was STILL let down.

I like Burnout Crash. Feels like an actual arcade game. Feels like a chore to get a game started, though. I wouldn't buy it anyway.

Feels like a pretty lame arcade game.

Honestly, 20+ levels of classic crash mode for 800 points with pass the controller local multiplayer and I would have been sold. The thing they released is pretty awful. God knows how bad it is trying to control it Kinect style.

To be fair, it was originally created as a Wiimote game, so it was bound to suck

<div style='width:650px;font-size: 12px;'><embed src="http://cdn2.themis-media.com/media/global/movies/player/flowplayer.commercial-3.2.7.swf" flashvars="config=http://www.themis-media.com/videos/config/4782-ba930551d6ed306483f50b1d6b72a05e.js%3Fplayer_version%3D2.5%26embed%3D1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" quality="high" bgcolor="#000000" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" width="650" height="391" wmode="opaque"></embed><div><a href='http://www.escapistmagazine.com'>The Escapist</a> : <a href='http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition'>Jimquisition</a> : <a href='http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/4782-Dynasty-Warriors-Is-The-Citizen-Kane-Of-Gaming'>Dynasty Warriors Is The Citizen Kane Of Gaming</a></div></div>

Kalyx is shallow. :p

And Jim is MAD WITH POWER!

Uh... huh

During an interview with Gamasutra, the producers of the upcoming Resident Evil projects reveal details on how the series ended up branching out from its original horror style while being influenced by other games in the same genre.

In terms of evolving the series, the producer for RE Operation Raccoon City stated how the original plan wasn't to just suddenly make the games more action-oriented but decided it was time to make some changes to help create new experiences for the series.

He dispelled any fears of the brand being over-saturated with multiple releases in a short period of time by saying how Capcom felt each game was unique and different enough from each other to prevent that from occurring. The company initially had some concerns about the games being too similar to each other which is why the decision to change some of the games occurred.

It was also revealed the inspiration behind RE Operation Raccoon City was due to the development team playing Left 4 Dead and the use of Slant Six as a developer who's past experience revolved around shooters and the SOCOM series.

For those who wanted something similar to the older horror-style RE games, it was confirmed RE Revelations will be heavy in the horror and survival style unlike recent games in the series.

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http://kotaku.com/5848252/capcom-pro...-resident-evil

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) More rumors and leaks involving Dead Space 3 now reveal the game could pull a "Metroid Prime 2" and introduce a Shadow Issac who will hunt the player during the game. Also leaked was the story is more of a rescue and escort instead of just survival due to Issac having to find and transport a character off of the planet.

2) EA's feud against digital services isn't limited to just Valve's Steam as another digital service called Green Man Gaming announced EA pulled all their titles off of the service for all non-UK regions. EA is claiming the move was done due to "contract disputes" but GMG hinted EA was making demands to favor their Origin service while GMG refused to accept all the demands.

3) Sega reveals some new details concerning Sonic 4 Episode 2 with the main stuff being no 3D support while also containing brand new music and no remixes from past Sonic games. The company did not reveal when the game is expected to arrive.

When has an escort mission ever been fun?

Probably the worst type of mission in games.

Yup fuck escort missions.

Ico?

Fuck Escort Missions not in Ico

Bioshock Infinite is essentially an escort mission. A great one.

Just got a phone call from Nintendo. I've just won two VIP tickets to go to the Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversery Orchestral Concert. Awesome!

Wow. Nice.

Yeah, I was looking up the details just now and it's the only performance in Europe.
I'm hoping they include travel because it might be a problem otherwise.

I'm sure I'll figure a way around it, if they don't include travel.

Orchestral concert at the London Apollo.
http://deadhomersociety.files.wordpr...ng?w=512&h=384

I'm in Dundee, which is the east of Scotland and the concert is in London so it's the other side of the country.

Tickets are available to the public in the UK and US but I'd imagin they'd all be gone by now.

Konami announces Silent Hill Downpour has been delayed from an October 2011 release date to now around a mid-2012 release date with no official reason given for the delay. Although, the company did show off a new trailer for the game as part of the delay announcement.

The company also denied claims from European retailers the game would have a February 2012 release and admitted the delay will be longer than initially expected.

A potential reason for the delay could be due to the new changes Konami wants for the game and the use of a new developer for the project called Vatra studio from the Czech Republic.

The game is still set for release on the Xbox 360 and PS3 with the PS3 also getting 3D support.

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http://www.screwattack.com/news/sile...ntil-next-year

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) A couple of PSVita news as Sony reveals the pricing of games for Japan will be around the $65-$80 range (PSP and PS3 range) while Vita titles sold on PSN will be $6 less than retail copies. Also revealed was Sony does have plans to include compatabiltiy for PSP games which were UMD-only but it will come at a "special price" and Sony has said they are not fully commited to support the service.

2) Some Nintendo 3DS news as an officially licensed headset made by Manufacture Power will be arriving with only Europe confirmed for now and at a price of 24.99 Euros ($38.99). In terms of games, Nintendo reveals a new powerup for Super Mario 3D Land will be a Boomerang Bros costume while Namco announces the 3D remake of Tales of the Abyss will have a November 25 rate and a TBA 2012 date for US/Canada.

3) THQ announces the results of the fan voting for the cover of UFC Undisputed 3 will have Anderson Silva as the cover athlete.

Need a game to play. Preferably a ROM for NES, SNES, Genesis, GBA. Shining Force looks like a feasible option at this point. Any opinions on that game

Uniracers for SNES. Go play it right now. One of the most underrated SNES racers out there.

Shining Force is a tactical RPG like FF Tactics, so if you're not into that style of battle, you won't like it.

I have played Uniracers, it is good. Love FF Tactics. Started Shining Force. A little cheesy, like Suikoden almost. Got into the first fight and accidentally cast a spell which sent me back to the town. Not sure if I want to continue. I want a good RPG

FF Tactics is great, but Shining Force is like a decade older, so yeah. It's going to be old and rusty, just like Final Fantasy I.

Also, ANY JRPG from that era is going to be cheesy.

Twisted Pixel announces Microsoft has purchased the company to become an exclusive 2nd party studio for the Xbox brand with Microsoft having been interested in the company ever since Splosion Man.

Originally Microsoft was content to let Twisted Pixel make games on other digital services as long as Xbox Live got the games but recent moves by Sony either in guaranteeing exclusives for PSN or outright buying companies could have swayed Microsoft to finally make the purchase of the company.

Twisted Pixel's CEO responded to the purchase saying it was a good move for both companies while also hinting they are expanding to include Kinect games for future projects:

Microsoft's Vice President, Phil Spencer, also responded to potential fears of Microsoft forcing changes with Twisted Pixel by saying the studio will have complete freedom with their projects in a similar fashion to when Bungie was with Microsoft:

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http://www.screwattack.com/news/twis...rosoft-studios
http://www.giantbomb.com/news/micros...-hitched/3737/

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Another attack on PSN and other Sony related networks occured with the good news being Sony was able to stop the attack very quickly and the bad news being 93,000 accounts were comprimised. Sony has said they were not hacked directly but part of a larger attack targeting multiple companies at once and will immediately send emails to affected accounts for users to change their account passwords.

2) Sega confirms Dayton USA was the classic game as the surprise game from their recent contest and will be arriving on XBLA (Oct. 26) and PSN (Oct. 25) for $10. The game will contain updated visuals, 8-player online races, karaookee-mode, and steering wheel support (all compatable for Xbox 360, only Logitech GT Driving Force for PS3).

3) Sony announced every retail copy of Uncharted 3 will also come with a public beta copy of Starhawk included. While the beta won't officially start until early 2012, it will allow 32-player matches with more details expected to be revealed once the beta is ready to go online.

During a discussion panel at WTIA TechNW, the co-founder of Valve, Gabe Newell, feels Apple has the best chance at the moment to "eliminate" the console market in terms of winning the living room. He also discussed why he feels the idea of completely closed systems will hurt gaming in the long run.

His main criticism was towards Apple and how they structured their App Store to focus more on getting people attracted to the shiny device and then own complete control of what they can and can't do with it.

He also mentioned how modern gaming now has four domains of "Internet, mobile, desktop, and living room" with every company trying to dominate a sector or all of them as a way to completely control the market and the users.

In a counter to other members of the panel who said it would be unlikely for consoles to disappear, Newell mentioned while the living room has been traditionally the dominance of consoles, he feels Apple is preparing to make a move to that domain. It would be done in a similar way that allowed Apple to gain dominance or control over the other domains and industries.

He also criticized how closed systems in terms of Microsoft's Xbox Live or Apple's App Store structure ends up hurting creativity in the long run. His main issue was since the owner of the system controls all the content, they can both determine what types of stuff will sell well and been seen as a "cheap" way of avoiding competition which could also hurt innovation as well.

He did mention how Steam isn't a completely open system either but unlike the others, Steam does provide more support for developers in terms of tools and help with selling games.

http://gamrfeed.vgchartz.com/pics/va...1_expanded.jpg
http://gamrfeed.vgchartz.com/story/8...onsole-market/

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Rockstar announces in celebration of Grand Theft Auto's 10 year anniversary, GTA III will be heading to Android and iOS mobile devices later this year. Rockstar also revealed a $149.99 statue of the main character that comes with accessories will be available for sale and ends the debate on the character's name by saying he is officially named Claude.

2) Nintendo reveals the previously European-only Wii bundle containing New Super Mario Bros Wii and the Soundtrack for Super Mario Galaxy 2 will in fact be arriving to other regions for $150. The new bundle removes Gamecube compatibility, the GC controller ports and memory card spots, and the vertical stand due to it now being a horizontal-only console.

3) Another new company has been formed based on former Rare employees as Starfire Studios has been created and announced their first game, Fusion: Genesis, will be available on Xbox Live Arcade in the near future. The company was formed by 4 former members of Rare with the majority of their experience coming from the N64 era and Halo 3 for recent work.

I've beaten 1 and 2, and they are both good games for their time. Definitely get fucking hard at the end; I probably wouldn't have beaten one of the final bosses quickly without a quick save/quick load feature.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mxX7SRuU0ho" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I do shit like that all the time.

Lol at the guy next to him :lol:

Microsoft and EA announce a recent scamming attack has compromised an unknown number of Xbox Live accounts with the starting point being the release of FIFA 12.

Microsoft confirmed the network itself was not hacked and the attack was more of a scamming issues regarding emails with the spike in activity found in that area of the network. The company also said the issue of FIFA 11 and FIFA 12 stuff appearing on affected accounts was more of a coincidence than something intentionally done by the scammers.

Most of the affected accounts were previously suspended accounts related to other scams or issues but when made available again were found to have the FIFA data on them.

EA has denied their servers and the FIFA games are directly responsible for the attack although they did mention they are working on closing the vulnerability with Microsoft. The company responded to the issue after their forums had a spike in complaints regarding potentially affected accounts.

Current rumors are placing the blame on EA due to their Ultimate team mode in the FIFA series being a well-known target in attracting scammers and people who sell accounts and pre-made teams with all the stats available.

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/9...mate_team.jpeg
http://www.giantbomb.com/news/micros...ve-hacks/3746/

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) EDIT: Made a mix-up in the THQ news, they haven't killed off the entire Warhammer 40k series but the Space Marine spin-off series and the upcoming MMO project will be a Warhammer game using some stuff from the Space Marines game.

2) Even though Activision initially stated all the modifiers and modes from the Wii version of Goldeneye 007 would be available on GoldenEye Reloaded, the company announced today they have locked away Paintball mode as a pre-order bonus. The mode is still available for those who didn't pre-order but unlike the Wii version, the mode along with other stuff has to be unlocked by playing the game and multiplayer.

3) Final Fantasy XIV has been completely rehauled after Square-Enix struggled with issues during development and negative feedback from the media and consumers who saw or played builds of the game during expos. The title will also change to Final Fantasy XIV Version 2.0 with the first public showing of the overhauled game occurring before the end of this year in order to stay on track for a late 2012 release date.

I'd bet if Saints Row: The Third and WWE '12 don't bring in the cash, THQ is probably going to fold up.

I'm sure Saints Row 3 will do alright. WWE 12 is the big question mark. The series gets by on kids who get their parent to buy all the WWE merch they can and die hard wrestling game fans who swear this is the last time they buy an SvR game every year.

Saints Row 3 will clean up.

People seem genuinely pumped for WWE 12 though. SDvR 11 had a lot to do with restoring some faith in the series.

Capcom officially confirms the Devil May Cry series has been given the HD collection treatment with the set being titled as "Devil May Cry HD Collection."

The games included in the set are Devil May Cry 1, Devil May Cry 2, and Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening Special Edition with all the games getting graphical upgrades from the original PS2 versions.

Also announced was the collection will have a $39.99 price tag and be available for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 with a release date of early 2012.

No other details involving possible achievements or trophy support was revealed although it is assumed the Xbox 360 version will have achievements.

More screenshots and comparisons to the original PS2 version in the link from Kotaku.

http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/image...1/10/dmchd.jpg
http://kotaku.com/5850502/there-is-a...like/gallery/1

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Sonic 4: Episode 1 has been given a permament price drop from $15 to the new price of $10 (800 MS Points) for both the XBLA and PSN versions of the game starting on October 18. The Wiiware version was not given a price drop nor any news if Sega will in the near future and the iOS version will not have a drop because it was released at a lower price intially ($4.99).

2) Based on rumors from French sources, a sequel to the 2003 cell-shaded shooter of XIII is in development by a studio called Anuman Interactive with the title of "XIII: Lost Identity." The game has a November 2012 release date for PC, Mac, and iOS.

3) Indie developer Mojang announces Minecraft has reached 15 million registered users with about 25% of the userbase already has purchased the game since the beta offered a paying option.

was hoping to find some awesome screens of the DS game "Petz Puppyz & Kittenz"


http://www.google.com/search?q=Petz+...w=1760&bih=836

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The new Deus Ex DLC is 15.00 on LIVE but only 10.00 on PSN. No official announcement of this whatsoever, so people are thinking it's an error on PSN's part.

Get it while it's still up.

Epic Games might have a similar involvement on the next Xbox system similar to giving advice and recommendations during the development of the Xbox 360.

The studio in the past has said what types of stuff and requirements they hoped the next Xbox and other next gen systems should have with today the Gears of War series creator specifying what he is looking for in the next Xbox system. The studio already said the minimum should be in the 2-8 GB range for RAM and high-end graphic cards regardless of the potential costs added to the system.

According to Cliff Bleszinski, he wants the next Xbox to have a strong focus on graphics to both Avatar-like levels and for them to also match current real-time CGI graphics done in games.

He also mentions more gameplay enhancements are required with the potential focus revolving around getting the max use from their upcoming Unreal Engine version. He also could have hinted for the next Xbox to show a preference to their engine for power and graphics.

The current Xbox 360 was originally designed to make full use and preference towards what was the current version of the Unreal Engine at the time.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets...1/10/gears.jpg
http://kotaku.com/5851219/what-gears...-the-next-xbox

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Sony announces the PS Vita has an official release date of February 22 for the North America, Latin America, and European regions with the launch lineup still set as a TBA besides Uncharted Golden Abyss. The company also announced based on pre-order numers, the more expensive 3G model appears to be the preferred model at the moment.

2) Based on a statement released by Bright Light Studios, developer of the recent Harry Potter games, EA is consdiering closing down their studio with more also be considered as part of a "centralized" plan towards development of EA published games. It is also rumored EA will be dropping the Harry Potter franchise once the closures do occur with the possibility of other lower tier franchises being dropped.

3) Activision has officially made the Spider Man series part of their annual releases as a new Spider Man game is set to arrive in 2012 by developers Beenox studios and would be the third year a Spider Man game was released in a row. The game will be a tie-in to the upcoming "The Amazing Spider Man" film and as of now has a Summer 2012 release date.

Discovered that Emuparadise has so much more than roms available. Direct download of a shit ton of Nick Arcade eps? Yes please.

Smelly Meatball's News Round-Up from the Blitz post
 

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Quick News Round-Up:
1) Update on the "Scrolls" lawsuit involving Mojang and Bethseda as Team Mojang won their court case allowing the company to keep the name of their current project. The court rejected all claims and momentary damages brought by Bethseda and their parent company in their attempt to have exclusive rights to the "Scrolls" name.

2) Achievements for the Xbox 360 version of Assassin's Creed Revelations were leaked with the big ones involving a lower max experience cap in multiplayer, Desmond specific achievements, and 2 related to previously unannounced historical landmarks in the game.
http://www.screwattack.com/news/spoi...ievements-leak

3) Capcom announces Monster Hunter 3G will not have online multiplayer and instead follow the PSP route of local/ad-hoc only. The game itself is a portable version of Monster Hunter Tri from the Wii but will still have 3D capabilities in exchange for the online modes the Wii and console versions of the series usually have.

http://static.arstechnica.net/assets...auto-26742.jpg
Serious Sam 3: BFE is a game that values quantity, both in terms of your guns and the enemies on the other end of the barrel. Since you can carry every gun in the game at the same time and switch between them at will, we thought it would be fun to take a look at every weapon in the game. Developer Croteam even sent over some notes on when to use each one.
Keep in mind: these are just friendly suggestions. You can use anything to kill anything at any time. It may end poorly for you to use the rocket launcher in tight corridors, but hey, this is America. If you want to blow yourself up with your guns and explosives, we can't stop you.
http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd9b-intro.jpg
Experimental personal missile launcher XPML21 is designed to provide infantry forces with a fast firing rate of anti-armor rockets. Advanced loading mechanism fires up to 85 unguided self-propelled missiles per minute. Do not fire near close obstacles.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd9a-intro.jpg
Evolving from Gatling through Vulcan and M134, XM214-A is the latest news in infantry armament. Self-powered and complete with a built-in magazine and a recoil adapter, this is the most powerful personal weapon available. At 1,200 rounds per minute, it is ideal for confrontation with tough enemies or mass elimination of a large number of smaller opponents.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd9a-intro.jpg
The XL2 is still in experimental phase, but has so far proven to be a very reliable weapon for various purposes. The four barrels fire in succession, allowing the weapon to deliver energy pulses with an extremely high rate of fire for a long period of time without overheating. Made entirely of titanium, it is both very light and immune to usual overheating problems, making it an excellent energy weapon.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd9a-intro.jpg
A special issue pistol that has proven its combat effectiveness on numerous battlefields across the universe. This small gem can unload a burst of damage into an opponent, but its small magazine capacity precludes its use in massive fights.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd9a-intro.jpg
The cannon was reverse-engineered from powerful techno-magical weapons used by Mental’s artillery. Cannonballs can be fired in rapid succession and the weapon can be charged to release an incredibly destructive flaming cannonball.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd99-intro.jpg
The sledgehammer can be swung from an overhead position for maximum damage or from the side for quickly clearing enemies directly in front. An alternative fire allows the sledgehammer to be swung a full 360 degrees to clear out anything in the surrounding area. Watch your toes.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd99-intro.jpg
The 16mm armor-piercing, Kevlar coated bullets will pass right through most known armor types. A Flexible 2x-4x zoom ratio allows the shooter to choose between a larger peripheral field of view and more precise aim at longer distances.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd99-intro.jpg
The M29 is best described as a hybrid of previous rifle technology innovations with a gas operated, rotating bolt mechanism for rapid-fire mode and controlled short bursts. The reflex sight allows for quick target acquisition and easy tracking. At 600 rounds per minute, with long range and low dispersion, it is well suited for most combat situations.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd99-intro.jpg
A standard civilian double-barreled 12 Gauge shotgun originally marketed for hunting and self-defense, it has proven to be very effective against most aliens. 
Efficient for short-range elimination of medium sized enemies, but scatters the pellets too much to be used for long-range shooting.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd98-intro.jpg
C4 charges can be used to blow holes in architectural obstacles, to eliminate groups of smaller enemies or to attack larger individuals. The remote control unit is used to detonate one or more charges simultaneously from a safe distance. Using the hooks, skilled throwers can attach a charge to an enemy without approaching too closely.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd98-intro.jpg
Referred to informally as the “Devastator” on the battlefield, this automatic shotgun fires explosive shells with such force that the rounds pierce through smaller targets and shred enemies standing in line. Brings the boom all day.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...dd98-intro.jpg
Ordinary slug pellets are efficient for short and middle range elimination of smaller enemies. Standard 10-shell cartridge allows for faster reloading and faster overall average rate of fire.


http://static.arstechnica.net/2011/1...f5fe-intro.jpg
Sirian Mutilator Bracelet. Ancient artifact of presumably Sirian origin. The inscription reads “He shall devour the nations of his enemies, break their bones, and with his arrow shall tear them in pieces.” This display appears to indicate when the weapon is charged enough to deliver damage to the target. Apparently, this item also doubles as a key to some restricted areas of Sirian underground complexes.


In conclusion

Isn't it nice to see all these pretty renders? It's like artifacts lined up in a museum. I've been playing a preview build of the game with most of the levels included, and it almost hurts my soul to see them like this; they need to be out in the field, reducing things to small red chunks.
Serious Sam 3 is coming to the PC on November 22.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2...ll-of-them.ars

And you can carry EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM AT ONCE and the health doesn't regenerate.

And 32-player co-op. YEAHHHHHHHH.