Soul Calibur 4 July 23, 2008

You can finally plan your return trip to the stage of history, as Namco Bandai has officially laid claim on July 29 for Soul Calibur IV’s long-awaited launch. We’re still waiting to get our hands on a copy of the game that offers more than four selectable characters, but at least we finally had a chance to test drive SC4’s version of Cassandra (as lightning-quick and supercutesy as always) and armor-clad newcomer Hilde (she’s a bit like Siegfried, but with fewer stances and an even longer range) at a recent press event.

Considering the game is only three months away, we’re a bit perplexed by all the unanswered questions still lingering around this project, so we took the opportunity to assault SC4 director Katsutoshi Sasaki with a barrage of queries…

1UP: In Japan, you recently revealed two guest characters, Scheherazade and Angol Fear, each designed by a famous manga artist. But those characters haven’t been promoted in the U.S. and aren’t in the playable demo here today…will they still be in the U.S. game?

Katsutoshi Sasaki: Yes, they will definitely both be in the U.S. version as well.

SCREENS: Click the image above to check out all Soul Calibur IV screens.

1UP: Will we see even more guest characters from other manga artists in the game?

KS: Yes, there are a few more characters from manga artists and other famous illustrators, too.

1UP: Will these guest characters have their own stages? The Star Wars guys have some pretty nifty arenas…

KS: No, there won’t be a stage for each character. In the past we’ve always made a “home” stage for each fighter, but this time around we’re not taking that approach.

1UP: So far, you’ve only revealed one all-new character who’s actually part of the Soul Calibur world, Hilde. We have to wonder, are there any more real Calibur characters in this game?

KS: Yes, we do definitely have more…we still have many things to reveal, actually.

SCREENS: Click the image above to check out all Soul Calibur IV screens.

1UP: We also haven’t seen anything about a new single-player mode like SC3’s Chronicles of the Sword or SC2’s Weapon Master Mode…will SC4 have something comparable?

KS: For SC4’s single-player game, we’re introducing a new mode called Active Matching Battle. This is a team battle mode where you have a pool of characters to choose from who must face a steady stream of opponents in one arena.

1UP: SC4 will also be the first game in the series to offer online play…how’s that going? Is everything running OK so far?

KS: We’re currently going through lots of trial and error getting the online up and running, and we’re testing connectivity between Japan and the U.S. to make sure that everyone can play together with minimal stress or frustration. Another big component of this online experience that I need to mention is the Create-A-Soul mode. This time around, you can create a custom character and introduce it into the online versus mode. What’s different is that this time you’re not only changing your fighter’s appearance, but also their attributes. For example, a certain piece of armor might raise your defense or give you special properties, and a new weapon may give you a stronger attack. It really adds a lot of depth to the online combat.

God of War 3 July 15, 2008

If you believe the rumors, we’ll be getting our first glimpse at something God of War 3-related at today’s Sony E3 press conference. It’s been fun passing the time waiting with the Chains of Olympus on PSP, PS3 ads that kind of look like God of War, and fan-created Lego trailers, but I’m ready for something real. I’ll update this story from the event with any news, but I figured now would be a good time to round up everything we know about the game in one convenient place.

First Things First

While rumors had been flying about a third God of War ever since Sony announced God of War 2, the first public comments came at the God of War 2 launch party/press conference held by Sony in March 2007. At the end of a presentation, then-director Cory Barlog joked that “if” God of War would head to PS3, it would feature Sixaxis, rumble, and 1080p features. There has been some debate over how to interpret what he said, but given that his comments weren’t in response to a question, it seems clear he wanted to get the word out on the franchise’s future.

What never seemed to get much publicity at the time was Sony’s official press release put out that day, which offered information about the game similar to what Barlog said on stage, suggesting that this was not an off-the-cuff remark but something that had been coordinated by Sony.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we should assume those features are a confirmed part of the game. Shortly after that event, SCEA Santa Monica director of technology Tim Moss said in an interview, “Cory got a little carried away at the press conference/launch event…I imagine we could make a game that worked at 60fps and 1080p but we might have to make some decisions about the gameplay that we wouldn’t really want to live with in order to achieve it.”

Confirming the Name

Though there wasn’t much doubt about the game’s existence following the above comments, when Cory Barlog resigned from Sony in November, Sony’s corporate comment made it official and named God of War PS3 as “God of War 3,” squashing any (likely nonexistent) speculation that it would be a side story or something other than a traditional sequel.

You probably know the names David Jaffe and Cory Barlog, given their highly publicized careers at — and then departures from — SCEA Santa Monica, where they directed the first two games in the series. They both had varying degrees of involvement with God of War 3 early in its creation, but have since left the company. So who’s left? We don’t have a comprehensive list; we know certain staffers such as combat designers Eric Williams and Derek Daniels, level designer Mike Cheng, and artist Charlie Wen, have moved on. However, according to a post on Tim Moss’ blog, as of late 2007, the complete programming team and 30-plus members of the overall team (who worked on God of War and God of War 2) remained intact.

It’s difficult to draw any direct conclusions about what this means for the game itself. If anything, it suggests that the tech side of the game is in good shape, and that we might see a slightly different approach to what we’ve seen in the past with the story and overall design ideas.

The Release Date

The first God of War spent about three years in development and shipped in March 2005. God of War 2 took two years and shipped in March 2007. Going by that timeline, it would make sense to see God of War 3 ship any time between March 2009 and March 2010. But of course, things aren’t that simple. We know that the programming team was looking into the PS3 hardware as early as March 2006, when Tim Moss mentioned it in a Game Developers Conference speech, and that Cory Barlog was working on the story and overall design of the game before God of War 2 shipped, but as to how all this adds up to deliver a finished game, we don’t have a clue.

Online Gameplay Speculation

In March 2008, Sony posted a series of job listings for the God of War 3 team: one for a graphics programmer, one for a tools programmer, and one for an “online gameplay programmer.” Naturally, it was this last one that stood out as unusual, since to date we haven’t seen any multiplayer or online features in a God of War game.

When you combine this listing with recent comments from Sony executives about the importance of online features in their games, it seems likely that online features will play a role in the game in some form. In a recent Develop magazine interview, Sony’s new Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida said, “One focus that has been and will be key is how we use the online technology and PlaySation Network to involve more consumers in participating…that’s the major common theme that we are trying to enforce with all our projects.”

Notably, the idea of a multiplayer God of War game is nothing new. At the God of War 2 launch press event, when still employed by Sony, Cory Barlog told us he was looking at it as a possibility for a future God of War game. “Does co-op have a place in God of War? If we can do something unique with it, yeah, but it is really an early exploration of that in my head…I’m thinking ‘how can we incorporate this without damaging what happens in the game — without having it feel silly — where it’s just like we threw two Kratoses in there and now you can run around through the world.’ It’s gotta be something more than that.”

Chains of Olympus director Ru Weerasuriya also mentioned looking into multiplayer features in a past interview with 1UP, but ultimately came to the conclusion that adding something along those lines would take away from what would make the game feel like a God of War title.

Movie Review: ‘The Dark Knight’ July 6, 2008

 

What can I say? There are moments in film history when everything is pushed aside and performance exceeds genre.

Batman Begins told audiences and film critics it was possible to root a comic book generated superhero in reality. Earlier this year Iron Man set out to do the same but lost its balance in the final act. The Dark Knight manages to exceed expectation with a villain so maniacal, his desire for destruction begins to make sense to the point you understand his desire for all out anarchy while you are cheering for the opposition in a war that basically boils down to one side against individual terrorism.

Heath Ledger presents himself as The Joker in a role that defines a career. It is unimaginable it would come to the point that a film based on a comic book character could actually have such an impact on one person. On a generation. Ledger’s decent into what is, and has become, The Joker makes Jack Nicholson’s interpretation look like nothing more than a simple clown. “Wait until they get a load of me,” says Jack… Wait until you get a load of Heath says I.

The Dark Knight presents a character so destructive and without a care for those landing in his path of decimation that you are left to your own devices. Love him. Hate him. Hate to love him or love to hate him, director Christopher Nolan has guided an actor into a dark realm not often realized. The Joker finds his place alongside villains that go by the name of Hannibal, Scarface and John Doe himself. A nameless, unrecognizable entity you won’t be willing to or able to admit is Ledger until the credits roll. My biggest problem with Batman Begins was the water evaporation device used at the end of the film. The apparatus took a film firmly cemented in reality and sent it into something of a comic wonderland, easily recognizable by fans and audiences expecting such a twist in narrative. Fortunately, this film suffers from no such problem.

However, this is not a film/review solely dedicating itself to the loss of a fallen actor, obviously destined to continue his influence on film as we know it. Aaron Eckhart has never changed his style or approach, but since Thank You for Smoking it seems he has finally tossed a wrench into the mainstream and said, “Look at me!” With The Dark Knight he continues his ascent into recognition with a role (and a film) that adds weight and credibility where it may otherwise be abandoned and ignored. Eckhart’s Harvey Dent is a man to cheer for and empathize with at every turn.

The Dark Knight is an emotional rollercoaster extending from the characters portrayed on screen to the audience sitting comfortably as they watch an inexplicable series of events unfold. Sure, there are a few imperfections here and there, but to point them out would not only waste paragraphs but also spoil the experience. Fingerprint how? After-party what? None of it matters because five minutes later you have an entirely new dilemma to concern your little brain with.

I could tell you about Bale’s Batman/Bruce Wayne, but it would be a continued exercise in explaining the man that “is” and the man that is underneath. The Dark Knight is a political machine in duplicity and an exercise in gaining an edge no matter the means, and while it may play into the life of Americans and their inadequate Commander in Chief, it rings true on a fictional level as well. “Know when to say when,” never felt so appropriate.

In terms of comic book film adaptations this is the pinnacle. The argument saying this is the Godfather Part II of comic book movies would insinuate that Batman Begins is on equal terms with the original Godfather, which is far from true. However, if we could call this The Godfather of comic book movies I wait anxiously for what may/will become the film that caps off the trilogy.

Street Fighter IV July 4, 2008

 

SAN FRANCISCO–The first public unveiling of Street Fighter IV was only a few days ago in Japan, but Capcom’s rushed some full arcade units all the way to the United States this week to show off the newest entry in the venerable fighting franchise at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. We wasted no time in jumping on the game to pull off some fast hadoukens, and it’s immediately clear that Street Fighter IV sticks closely to the tried-and-true mechanics of previous entries in the series and is particularly reminiscent of Street Fighter II.

The units Capcom had playable at GDC seems to be exactly the same as those displayed at Japan’s Arcade Operator’s Union (AOU) show last week–only 10 characters were selectable (the original eight world warriors plus newbies Abel and Crimson Viper) and all of the text and audio snippets in-game were in Japanese. The Capcom rep manning our arcade machine assured us more characters were definitely on the way, although he wouldn’t be drawn on giving any hints whatsoever.

As we mentioned in our earlier preview, those worried that this game treads into Street Fighter EX territory need not fret–Street Fighter IV is well and truly a 2D brawler, even though the characters and environments are presented in highly-detailed 3D. The only time the game ever breaks out into a 3D view is for small cinematic animations when characters perform their specific ultra combos. The characters themselves all move extremely fluidly even at this stage. All of them sport plenty of fine details in their costumes, and there are lots of cool details in their animations and facial expressions. Blanka, for example, wears an extremely convincing worried look every time he backs away from an opponent, while Chun Li strikes an awesomely cool defensive-looking pose every time she blocks an attack. As for the weird (in an interesting way, of course), inklike effect shown in the very first trailer for the game, all that seems to remain of it are some graphical flourishes which pop up occasionally, such as when Ryu performs some specific special attacks.

Speaking of special attacks, the eight original cast members all feature what is now probably considered their “traditional” move sets which have evolved through Street Fighter’s many various versions. For Ryu and Ken, that means the good ‘ol hadoukens, shoryukens, and hurricane kicks are back. Chun Li has her spinning bird kick, kikonen fireball, and lightning leg kick (she also retains her double jump off the edge of screens, as well as the head stomp). Blanka has both his vertical and horizontal rolling attacks, as well as his trademark electric shock, while E Honda also has his flying head-butt and hundred-hand slap (although you can’t move forward while performing this). Zangief still has his variety of throws, such as the spinning pile driver, as well as the double lariat. As for Guile, his sonic boom and somersault kick make returns. The timing and technique required to pull off most of these moves are all familiar, although performing Chun Li’s spinning bird kick seemed to take an awfully long time to charge up. All of these characters’ super combos will also be familiar to fans of the series, such as Ryu’s super-fireball, Blanka’s chargeable rolling attack, and Zangief’s extremely damaging super pile driver.

If you’ve played a Street Fighter game before, then chances are you’ll be able to play IV with little to no hassle whatsoever. Thanks to the inclusion of all eight original characters and with no major new special attacks introduced, the game feels instantly familiar on first touch. Fireballs seem to fly at the same speeds, attack distances are the same, and the same weaknesses can be exploited in each of the eight original characters. This can be seen as both a blessing and a drawback–if you’re a Street Fighter purist, then you’ll more than welcome these characters back with open arms.

The two newbies to this game–and we hope more new characters are unveiled soon–are Crimson Viper and Abel. Crimson Viper is a new female who’s supposedly a secret agent, hence her use of modern technology while fighting. This technology is made apparent in her electric-based attacks, such as a dashing punch performed by doing a forward-quarter circle on the joystick. The strength of the punch (fierce, strong, or jab) determines the direction–fierce makes it an upward punch, strong sends her straight ahead, while jab is low. Viper also has a fiery spinning kick and ground tremor attack which can knock opponents off their feet from across the screen. Abel is more a power/grappler type in the vein of Zangief. One of his more interesting moves was a devastating combo which begins with a dashing punch and ends with a throw, pulled off by performing three consecutive quarter circles on the joystick. Abel also has a rolling dodge that places him behind an opponent, as well as an attack which grabs airborne opponents and slams them to the ground.

Another major new addition to the series is focus attacks (sometimes known as saving attacks). Taking the place of the parry system from Street Fighter III, focus attacks are performed by pressing the two strong buttons. Performing a focus attack cancels out one of your opponent’s strikes, and retaliates with a hit of your own. There are three levels of focus attacks depending on how long you leave the strong buttons pressed–at level three, the focus attack becomes unblockable. During our game time, we found focus attacks somewhat easier to pull off than parries, and we can see it becoming an essential part of an experienced player’s armory once the game ships. Since focus attacks can be used to start combo strikes as well as being able to be canceled halfway through to “fake out” opponents, its use will become quite strategic.

The other new gameplay tweak comes in the form of a revenge meter that sits at the end of the character’s life bar. The revenge meter fills when your character takes damage–have a full revenge meter and perform a super combo with two buttons pressed and your character will pull out a flashy ultra combo. Some of the animations for these ultra combos are quite impressive. Honda, for example, performs an ultra-powerful flying head-butt that pins his opponent to a wall, which he then follows up with a hundred-hand slap. Guile does a double-somersault kick, lashes out a leg while his opponent is still in midair, and then performs a third somersault. Interestingly, in the build we played, performing an ultra combo would deplete the revenge meter, but would leave the super combo meter still filled. We’re not sure if this will stay the same when the game finally ships–if it does, expect some truly damaging strings of ultra combos followed by super combos.

We’re still keen to hear more about Street Fighter IV, including exactly what the storyline is and how many more new characters we can expect. Stay tuned to GameSpot for more information.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army June 28, 2008

Plot Summary: With a signature blend of action, humor and character-based spectacle, the saga of the world’s toughest, kitten-loving hero from Hell continues to unfold in “Hellboy II: The Golden Army.” Bigger muscle, badder weapons and more ungodly villains arrive in an epic vision of imagination from Oscar®-nominated director Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Hellboy”).After an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken, hell on Earth is ready to erupt. A ruthless leader who treads the world above and the one below defies his bloodline and awakens an unstoppable army of creatures. Now, it’s up to the planet’s toughest, roughest superhero to battle the merciless dictator and his marauders. He may be red. He may be horned. He may be misunderstood. But when you need the job done right, it’s time to call in Hellboy (Ron Perlman).

Along with his expanding team in the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Development–pyrokinetic girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair), aquatic empath Abe (Doug Jones) and protoplasmic mystic Johann–the BPRD will travel between the surface strata and the unseen magical one, where creatures of fantasy become corporeal. And Hellboy, a creature of two worlds who’s accepted by neither, must choose between the life he knows and an unknown destiny that beckons him.

 

The Sims™ 2 IKEA Home Stuff June 26, 2008

Give your Sims’ home a makeover with new furniture and décor items based on stylish designs by IKEA!

Whether you want to create a trendy, spacious office, a chic living room, or a cozy and inviting bedroom, you can make your Sims’ dream house into something even better-a home. Design your Sims’ rooms to fit their personalities with all-new sofas, beds, tables, TV units, shelving, and more, in a variety of colors and patterns for a truly unique look. Add the finishing touches with popular IKEA wall art, mirrors, lighting, and vases. Be your Sims’ personal interior designer with inspiring, contemporary styles from IKEA! *Requires The Sims 2, The Sims 2 Special DVD Edition, The Sims 2 Holiday Edition, or The Sims 2 Deluxe to play.

Alone in the Dark (video game) June 24, 2008

 

It’s been a long time coming – not least for fans of the last instalment, which came out seven years ago – but Eden Studios’ larks-in-the-park reimagining of the Alone in the Dark series finally hits later this month.

A steady stream of spectacular trailers has ramped up interest very nicely in this Central Park-set adventure. And Eurogamer TV even blundered around in the real park after dark in pursuit of the game’s secrets.

Originally a moustachioed detective, series hero Edward Carnby has been treated to a hunky Hollywood makeover in preparation for his grand return. And that’s in keeping with the slick TV-style feel of an adventure so obviously in thrall to present-day entertainment colossi like Lost and 24; so much so that the story unfolds in episodic format to suit the structured tastes of today’s discerning telly addict.

Game-wise, most positive chatter has been reserved for the inventory system, which enables creative combining of items as both a means of outside-the-box thinking your way through puzzles, and just tearing strips out of enemies and the environment in freshly satisfying ways.

With the game out on 20th June, you don’t have much longer to wait before Eurogamer delivers its verdict on one of the biggest single-player games of 2008 – which, if you believe Phil Harrison, are a dying breed. And, as former PlayStation dev boss, he should know.

Movie Review: The Incredible Hulk June 18, 2008

 

Marvel has done it again. Early this summer it was the surprise hit Iron Man that had moviegoers buzzing. The good folks over at Marvel followed up with another installment of The Incredible Hulk. A lot of people, including myself, were skeptical of this film because of the last failed attempt at this franchise. This Incredible Hulk is nothing like what we saw in Ang Lee’s Hulk.

The movie opens as Bruce Banner (Edward Norton)a fugitive on the run who is living in Brazil, hiding from who he is, and trying to find a cure. Banner is quickly spotted by General Ross (William Hurt) and is on the run again. With no cure in sight Banner returns home to find some answers.

This movie reminds me of the old TV show that I loved so much. There are only going to be a few scenes with The Hulk. It was important that whoever played Bruce Banner could carry the film. I’ve been a huge fan of Edward Norton since Primal Fear and American History X. In this film Norton does such a great job of playing someone who does not want to be the Hulk. A man who is not happy with what he’s become and wants to find answers. Because of the Hulk he has to isolate himself from other people. You get the sense that he’s not sure he can control the monster within.

One of the great performances of the movie is Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky. An old soldier who wants who is obsessed with the power the Hulk possesses. His obsession with this power only grows stronger as the movie goes on. Blonsky reminded of the steroid issues in our sports today. A person who is past their prime who will inject themselves with anything for the opportunity to “win”.

My suggestion: One of the better movies I’ve seen this summer. I don’t think this movie disappoints at all. If you are a fan of the comic book, it is a must see. I enjoyed every minute of it. Good script, great action and even a few laughs to keep the movie going. I loved what I saw out of this movie and I hope to see more. Not to mention there is a cameo at the end of the movie that had the whole theater buzzing. Can’t wait to see what Marvel does next.