Jun 1, 2011
Kotaku
Cup-in-the-fence tribute to Mega Man, on a bridge straddling an overpass, parts unknown. The makers (not the photographer), spray-painted the cups to make the mosaic. More detailed shots can be seen here.
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Cup-in-the-fence tribute to Mega Man, on a bridge straddling an overpass, parts unknown. The makers (not the photographer), spray-painted the cups to make the mosaic. More detailed shots can be seen here.
The "First Access Club," i.e. those who preordered the game from 2K and Gearbox (or bough the Borderlands GOTY edition) will get "the very first Duke Nukem Forever multiplayer downloadable add-on for free!" So, the lack of specifics means maybe it isn't a map, but probably a skin or a weapon of some kind. Duke Nukem Forever kicks ass and chews bubblegum June 14.
Update: A source familiar with the situation says it is "a full DLC. Not some silly skin."
Folks, we're already at the hump of this week, so let's get tonight's show on the road. This is an open thread, where you can discuss matters video game related or not.
For example, would anyone care to offer an informed opinion about what these thousand of teeny tiny insects that seem to have taken over my office desk might be? They're barely visible to the eye, but I can feel them crawling all over me while I type. Or should I be more worried that I'm hallucinating?
While I go scrub myself with a bleach solution, please, talk amongst yourselves.
Because of the assurance—death, taxes and Madden—that they come out every year, sports video games aren't typically the biggest newsmakers at E3. For diehard fans, however, it is often the first time their favorite series gets a gameplay demonstration. We'll be there to see all of these, the biggest sports games of E3 2011.
This year is rather straightforward for the sports genre. An era of contraction and competition dropping out leaves us with little more than one title in each of the major sports to be shown. That means the ones that are on the floor in Los Angeles had better be ready for their closeup.
FIFA 12 (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, 3DS, PSP)
As one of the most critically acclaimed titles in the genre, FIFA is the sort of game more likely to show gameplay refinements rather than dramatic overhauls. A physics engine, two years in development anchors this year's set; it's backed up by precision dribbling and new defending mechanics. FIFA largely competes against its own previous entries; that doesn't mean it can't deliver results.
NBA 2K12(PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, PSP, PC)
NBA 2K, which last year featured the return of Michael Jordan and a thrilling campaign mode recreating his greatest performances, faces a demanding encore this year. 2K Sports has kept its plans quiet, releasing this teaser trailer (composed of NBA 2K11 footage) just yesterday. The game also faces the prospect of a real-world labor stoppage but no competition; EA Sports' NBA series will sit out another year. NBA 2K12 will get a closed-doors demonstration at E3.
Madden NFL 12(PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP)
With a lockout poised to claim at least part of the NFL season, EA Sports has decided this is the year to consolidate its position with Madden's hardcore, the ones most likely to look to the game as a Sunday substitute. That means a ton of community-requested features will finally make their way into the game, principally in the game's Franchise mode. Superstar, its singleplayer career mode, also gets serious attention for the first time since its introduction.
NCAA Football 12 (PS3, Xbox 360)
EA Sports' college football simulation will get a closed-doors screening at E3, unusual for a sports title releasing so close to the expo (July 12). What the Tiburon team has exposed so far is impressive. There's a Coaching Carousel mode that expands the long running Dynasty campaign, making it into a second career focusing on you as a college coach. Road to Glory, the singleplayer career, adds a fifth season-your high school senior year, with an increased focus on your recruitment, your college choice, and then how you make the starting lineup. Fully customizable conference alignments and memberships are part of a slew of updates in the game's Dynasty mode.
NHL 12 (PS3, Xbox 360)
The return of goalie fighting was one highlight among several peeks NHL 12 gave with its official reveal a week ago. The outdoor NHL Winter Classic, one of the most-watched hockey events in the United States, appears in the NHL series for the first time, too. Upgrades to physics and the game's Be a Pro mode also were touted.
SSX (PS3, Xbox 360)
In a trailer at the Spike Video Game Awards, SSX emerged from a six-year hibernation in the Himalayas, one of several real world locales the game will visit in a darker presentation of the snowboarding series. Helicopters (they drop you onto the runs) led some to chide the presentation as SSX meets Call of Duty. We'll get a clearer look at the story of a team striving to descend the most treacherous mountains on Earth. The game's slated for a January 2012 release.
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii, 3DS)
The one-time console rivals have visited Vancouver and Beijing, now they will compete at London 2012. Simulation-quality Olympics games have been neither critical nor commercial successes, leaving it to titles such as this one to carry the torch.
Supremacy MMA (PS3, Xbox 360)
Probably the most controversial entry among the sports titles at E3, Supremacy MMA is in many respects more fighter than sports title. The MMA game features blood, broken bones and violent beatdowns in some godawful underground locales, seeking to tell the tale of fighters rising up out of their lives' adverse circumstances. Two female combatants are playable (but not against male fighters) adding to the game's renegade profile.
WWE 12 (PS3, Wii, 360)
Long known as Smackdown vs. Raw, the pro wrestling "simulation" title will be known simply as WWE 12 when it bodyslams into November. The ability to attack foes mid-move was one feature touted in a recent reveal. "Universe," introduced in SvR 2011 is the game's career mode; the rivalries and storylines it generates will get another layer of polish.
UFC Undisputed 2012 (PS3, PS2, Xbox 360)
Unable to match the pizzazz of their 2009 breakout hit in 2010, THQ elected to retrench and put their mixed martial arts offering on a two-year schedule. The year off proved to be a solid move, as UFC bought out Strikeforce, the major licensing partner of EA Sports MMA, and it is unlikely to deliver a sequel. UFC Undisputed 2012 will make its promotional debut at E3.
This fall, NBA Jam: On Fire Edition will follow last year's reboot of the arcade hoops series, one originally intended as an XBLA/PSN title but forced into retail duty after the last minute cancellation of NBA Elite. Backbreaker 2: Vengeance will also get a showing; it's a minigame sequel to the "Tackle Alley" mode of last year's console sim. It's coming to Xbox Live Arcade.
We'll be previewing more expected E3 games throughout the week...
Where would we be if there were no roles to play, no experience points to earn, and no levels to gain? Well we certainly wouldn't be here, looking over the biggest role-playing games of E3 2011. More »
Prediction! There will be a lot of shooters (first-person and third-person) at E3 next week.
Yes, indeed. As crazy as it sounds, games that involve the rapid transferral of bullets (or lasers) from gun barrel to bad guy's head will be as ubiquitous at next week's E3 showcase of upcoming video... More »
The plastic ocarina that Nintendo's sending around with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is quite the coveted piece of swag. Until we got ours, only French journalists and Australian customers were on the chosen list of recipients. Does the thing actually work? Joel Johnson put it to the test.
You may not be able to get your hands on this ocarina without, say, importing it from Australia. But should you be able to fashion your own, here is the sheet music for a dozen tunes from the classic game, whose 3D remake arrives June 19.
A disagreement over an Xbox Live Indie game has resulted in what may be the ultimate grief, with one gamer sending a SWAT team to another gamer's home after phoning in a bogus murder-suicide 911 call.
It all happened over a game of FortressCraft, the Minecraft-"inspired" world-building game for the Xbox Live Indies channel, according to a report from the Register-Guard. The victim on the receiving end of the SWAT raid was a FortressCraft player who says he was targeted by another FortressCraft player after refusing to give him some in-game content.
The victim, a 26-year-old resident of Eugene, Oregon, believes his FortressCraft rival was the one who made an emergency call to police, telling them that he'd shot his father and intended to commit suicide. That phone call led to a 14 man strong police force raiding the victim's apartment.
The FortressCraft fan says he was warned ahead of time via Xbox Live that his personal information was exposed, details that were possibly used in the "swatting" retaliation.
Man, whatever happened to simple racial epithets and homophobic slurs? I hardly recognize Xbox Live scumbags anymore...
911 hoax behind SWAT response [The Register-Guard - thanks, Chris!]
The first X-Men films introduced us to marquee mutants like Wolverine and Storm. For the 1960s prequel X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn has dug deep into X-Men lore and plucked out some of the comic's most obscure mutants.
You may be familiar with the returning characters (Magneto, Professor X, Mystique, and Beast), but what about the rest of the roster? Here's a primer on the film's lesser-known costars. Read more via io9
Looks like Commander Shepard may be taking Microsoft's motion controller into battle in Mass Effect 3. How do we know? Because the box art for the Xbox 360 version of the game claims this Mass Effect will be "better" with Kinect.
That heretofore unseen artwork was uploaded to EA's online store earlier today, then swapped out with something less feature-revealing. (Incidentally, the Kinect branded one is still up here when we published.) Kinect support for Mass Effect 3 is not a bullet point we've heard officially from Electronic Arts or BioWare, but it's looking like optional motion or voice control is due to be announced soon, likely at E3 2011.
Mass Effect 3 isn't the only game rumored to feature unexpected Kinect support. Last week, box art for Ubisoft's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier boasted the same "better with Kinect" branding.
EA recently announced a delay to Mass Effect 3, which is now expected in early 2012. At the time, CEO John Riccitiello explained that BioWare was "adjusting some of the gameplay mechanics and some of the features that you'll see at E3 that can put this into a genre equivalent of shooter meets RPG."
Last year, BioWare's Greg Zeschuk told GamesIndustry.biz said the company was looking at motion control in terms of how it could fit with Mass Effect.
"What can we actually do in a game like Mass Effect? Can we create a greater sense of immersion during conversations by using gestures?" Zeschuk said. "I think we probably could and I think that's where we'll explore. We're not going to do a party game, we're not going to do Dance Dance Krogan for Mass Effect. The reality is it's going to have a really positive impact."
"There's that impediment of a controller but hardcore gamers are never going to give that up. It might be nice to see a hybrid of a controller used with additional gesture on the side for immersive elements. So we'll see it go from family entertainment and then broaden out."
We're checking in with EA and BioWare to see if they'd like to randomly announce it now, but it's looking like a very good possibility. At the very least, we're going to get some interesting sex scenes out of Mass Effect 3 and probably even more fascinating mainstream media coverage of it.
Compatible with Kinect ? God sake tells me it's bull****... [Bioware Forums]
New comics show up in comics stores (and on many of your favorite portable devices) every Wednesday. But which ones are worth buying?
As always, I have some suggestions.
Celluloid I wish I could tell you if this $35 book was good. I don't know, because I don't have it. But I have good reason to include it. First, the official summary: "Dave McKean's first original graphic novel since his landmark book Cages brings to bear the astonishing range of illustrative and storytelling skills that have served him so well on his collaborations with Neil Gaiman and elsewhere. Celluloid is a rare 'erotic' graphic novel that is also a genuine work of art." Cages was great, I can attest to that. And anyone who ever admired a cover to Gaiman's Sandman was admiring McKean's art. Can't say I'm excited about this being an "erotic" work of art. That's not exactly what I need in my life, but it is McKean. (It appears that this book is being released this week alongside a few other heavy hitters from publisher Fantagraphics: Congress of The Animals from Jim Woodring and Isle of 100,000 Graves by the always-excellent Jason, who—a note of caution—only draws, but doesn't write this new book.)
Criminal: Last of the Innocent #1 Ed Brubaker writes reliably excellent crime comics. This is the first issue of his newest one.
Doctor Who Classics: Seventh Doctor #5 I know so little about Dr. Who that I can't even tell you the guy's first name (does he have one?). I do know that this reprint series includes a story written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Bryan Hitch, two of the most acclaimed creators in the business. For that alone, I'll buy this.
Fear Itself: The Deep #1 Marvel's big crossover continues this week with a new issue of Fear Itself, but I'm more interested in this spin-off mini-series that involves an underwater attack on the Sub-Mariner that brings the mystic Dr. Strange to his rescue. The selling point for me is writer Cullen Bunn, whose work I recently discovered via a superb Captain America back-up story and a strong run in Superman/Batman that involved the DC icons in a future where the forces of magic reigned. I've not read enough of Bunn to say his work is guaranteed to be good every time, but I've liked all that I've read of his so far.
Flashpoint Batman: Knight of Vengeance A new issue of DC Comics' big crossover series Flashpoint is out today, along with the first of dozens of spin-off issues, most of which will form a batch of three-issues mini-series. All occur in an alternate version of the standard DC universe of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, a version where everyone but the Flash and Booster Gold are somewhat different. Of all the tie-ins released this week, the Batman one is the most deserving of attention, for two reasons: 1) It appears that, in this universe, Batman's alter ego is Bruce Wayne's dad and 2) the creative team of writer Brian Azzarrello and artist Eduardo Risso are among the finest duos working in comics. Readers of 100 Bullets can confirm this.
DC Universe Online Legends Official summary: "Coping with his failure to save Metropolis and the loss of Lois and the Daily Planet, Superman makes a tactical mistake that could cost the JLA dearly. Plus, a new hero has emerged to save the day on Earth—and his name is Lex Luthor!"
Sonic The Hedgehog #225 Official summary: "One Step Forward...' Sonic's 25th-anniversary celebration begins here with a double-sized gatefold cover! Dr. Eggman's newest creation threatens all of Mobius, forcing Sonic to team up with the evil Ixis Naugus. It's a race against time with a world-changing ending you won't believe! The prelude to 'Genesis' starts here with this anniversary issue!"
The most interesting new releases on ComiXology's iOS/Android/browser app for downloadable comics this week are: The four-issue run of Nova, a Marvel sci-fi series written by Keith Giffen, whose Marvel sci-fi work was universally strong; another batch of Walt Simonson Thor issues, and the first three issues of Paul Grist's The Weird World of Jack Staff. (Can anyone vouch for Garth Ennis' Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe? Any good?)
Wolverine #9 by Jason Aaron. This was a standalone issue featuring a very angry Wolverine fighting the shape-shifting Mystique, while they both suffer the interference of a new character named Lord Deathstrike. This new character, a master assassin, is introduced early in the issue when he murders a man in China by aiming a powerful gun that he is holding in Argentina and shooting it into the ground at just the right angle. Ridiculous? It works. It's a great issue that shows why Jason Aaron is one of the best writers of monthly comics today.
The top people at DC Comics announced on Tuesday that they'll be re-numbering their super-hero comics and launching 52 new first-issues in September, as part of a revision of their super-hero universe that will introduces changes big and small across their line. A Kotaku reader asked what I thought of this.
My reaction is mixed. It disappoints me to see a comics publisher use the easy crutch of new first issues to grab readers, and I'm concerned that some of DC's pockets of excellence, Grant Morrison's stunning Batman Inc. run, Scott Snyder and Paul Cornell's strong Detective and Action Comics, and even Paul Levitz's delightful Legion of Super-Heroes will be disrupted unnecessarily. As a fan of those comics I'm unhappy that DC hasn't yet bothered to explain what will happen to them. On the other hand, I'm eager to see fresh talent on DC's books and hope that these re-boots/re-launches/whatever will allow some of comics' better writers to shine. It's impossible to tell, and it's not a guarantee, given DC's inability or unwillingness to keep superb, young writers like Jason Aaron and Nick Spencer from going to Marvel. So here's hoping DC puts deserving talent on its new books (including that old-timer Keith Giffen, who was writing circles around most of his peers in his recently-cancelled Doom Patrol.)
I'm most excited by DC's promise to release new issues of its super-hero comics digitally on the same day they're sold in comics shops, starting this September. Some see it as an insult and possibly an injury to retail shops. I do believe it's the latter. I will probably shift most or all of my DC super-hero comics purchasing to digital. I'll happily to support my local comics shop by purchasing graphic novels and collections of the best stuff I read, but for most monthlies, I would prefer purely digital versions. My home has finite space, space I don't want to over-stuff with comics any more than I want to with CDs or cassette tapes. This is the way things are going.
Tell me what you're reading this week and which great comics I'm missing.
Aliens Vs. Nerf Guns | A Colonial Marines gun shipped to our offices today. (Photo by Crecente.
It's a fair guess that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will follow in the footsteps of last year's Call of Duty: Black Ops, shattering sales records and bringing even more people to video games.
But it's typically not the single player campaign, detailed here, that draws in those record-breaking... More »
Almost four years ago today, the people who made Pac-Man tried to make Pac-Man better, by giving the game a techno aesthetic and altering-intensifying-its rules of play. More »
Commenter BrawlKarter subjected his left thumb to the real-world sport of basketball, resulting in a strain that leaves him effectively thumbless for weeks. More »
The long-in-the-making first-person shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines is still alive and coming out in the spring of 2012, according to a chest-beatingbursting announcement from the movie studio behind Aliens, the publisher of Sonic the Hedgehog and the creators of the award-winning game... More »
Nintendo sent us a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D a bit early. The game launches later on June 19, but we'll be able to play it some and tell you about it. More »
Paradox Interactive drops a dollar's worth of downloadable content today with Magicka: Nippon, three Japanese-flavored items (and a Team Fortress 2 Demoman cowl!) to aid your wizard's quest, with 50 percent of revenue going towards the Japan Relief Support program. More »
Where would we be if there were no roles to play, no experience points to earn, and no levels to gain? Well we certainly wouldn't be here, looking over the biggest role-playing games of E3 2011. More »
