Joystiq [Playstation]

Aliens vs. Predator multiplayer trailer watches your back, stabs it

by Ben Gilbert { 21 minutes ago }

Something's always struck us as kind of ... off about the title Aliens vs. Predator. For one, there are "colonial marines" up in there, mixing it up. More confusing, though, is the fact that both "Aliens" and "Predators" are, in fact, aliens. [And aren't all of them predators? - Ed.] At least Sega is keeping our minds diverted from these recondite questions with the latest multiplayer footage (found after the break).

Aside from trotting out a handful of European game writers who all tell the same "This game is SO awesome" story, we're treated to a smattering of gameplay snippets from all three sides of the equation. We're only left wondering one thing after watching them – if you can play as a predator against eight colonial marines, who would ever choose the marines side?

Gallery: Aliens vs Predator

[Thanks, Ikarop]

Continued →

Fun with math: Some Rock Band UK packs inconsistently priced on PSN

by Alexander Sliwinski { 2 hours ago }

It appears that, in some cases, the PSN Rock Band track packs in the UK are receiving a price hike in comparison to the individually purchased songs. An EU PlayStation forum user notes the discrepancy, which applies no discount to pack purchases, making it cheaper to purchase all of a pack's tracks individually. The issue had previously been contained to packs with over three songs, but next week's update appears to break that trend. However, reviewing previous weeks with track packs of three, it appears that the EU and UK pricing were accidentally reversed for next week, but we won't be able to confirm that until the update goes live.

We've confirmed the pricing anomaly for the UK PSN Store and we're following up with Harmonix to figure out what's going on. Check out examples of the pricing inconsistencies after the break.

[Thanks Si]

Continued →

Why 'Lords of Shadow' wasn't 'Castlevania: Lords of Shadow' at first

by Ben Gilbert { 3 hours ago }

Being Dave Cox, head of European development for Konami, can't be an easy job. For one, he's not Hideo Kojima, so he's already got that going against him. Worse yet, he's had to tow the company line and let his upcoming Castlevania: Lords of Shadow languish out of the spotlight while Castlevania Judgment got all the attention. It seems Konami didn't even have the confidence to allow Lords of Shadow the Castlevania license -- nor did fans. "It was quite a radical departure from what had gone before with Castlevania, and there was a little bit of nervousness that perhaps it wouldn't be accepted as a Castlevania game," Cox told GameReactor.

Though he claims the project was approved originally as a Castlevania game and was built from the get-go with the vampire-hunting series in mind, the folks in charge at Konami had cold feet going into the big reveal at Games Convention 2008. "Senior management took the decision that we were going to announce it as Lords of Shadow, see what the reaction is, and if it's a good one then this would become a fully-fledged Castlevania." It was definitely a good one.

Gallery: Castlevania: Lords of Shadows

[Via VG247]

Call of Duty now a $3 billion franchise

by Justin McElroy { 7 hours ago }

Activision announced this morning that, according to data garnered from the NPD, ChartTrack, GfK and internal estimates, the Call of Duty franchise has accumulated $3 billion-with-a-b in sales over its lifetime. As all but the densest among you have likely deduced, CoD was put over the top by the release of Modern Warfare 2, which moved $550 million in its first five days on sale.

For a bit of perspective, $3 billion is pretty darn close to the gross domestic product of the Kingdom of Swaziland, a comparison that's especially appropriate when you realize that 54 percent of Swazis have a Gamerscore over 20,000. ... Oh, wait, this doesn't say "a Gamerscore over 20,000," it says "access to clean water." Sorry, smudge on the page.

LittleBigPlanet getting online create mode on Nov. 30

by Andrew Yoon { 7 hours ago }

Since the game's launch, LittleBigPlanet fans have only been able to create new levels offline. Over a year after initially promising a patch, Media Molecule is finally ready to unveil its online Create mode. Coming in the 1.21 "Leerdammer" patch, online Create works exactly as expected: you'll be able to invite friends to your Pod and work collaboratively on new levels. The most important improvement over the offline Create mode is the camera: each player gets his or her own camera, allowing them to work on different parts of the level simultaneously. For veteran creators, this should speed up the process quite significantly.

In addition to the online Create mode, "Leerdammer" also rewrites LBP''s network code for improved performance and smarter matchmaking. The LBP save system has also been revamped, allowing players to store more community items than ever before. Finally, a slew of minor tweaks are also included in the patch, which you can read about after the break.

[Thanks, Pumapayam!]

Continued →

Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition's new enemy is all kinds of creepy

by Xav de Matos { 19 hours ago }

Capcom has updated its official Japanese Resident Evil 5 site, revealing the new enemy featured in the upcoming Gold Edition retail and (assorted) DLC release of the game. The new nemesis is an unnamed and extremely grotesque behemoth who carries a large key-like anchor, stalking the underground of Spencer's Mansion in the content's Lost in Nightmares episode. According to an English translation of the character card, players can hunt down the beast to obtain heavy weapons such as a sickle. If the design proves one thing, it's that Capcom continues to create characters with terrible skin afflictions. Someone get this guy an ointment.

[Via Andriasang]

Shoot on sight: PixelJunk Shooter's first level

by Xav de Matos { 22 hours ago }

For those anticipating the release PixelJunk Shooter, VG247 has footage of the first level in action to whet your appetite. Or drive you bonkers because you aren't the one playing it. Clocking in at around 12 minutes, the video gives you a taste of the game's unique blend of shooting and puzzle solving.

Sadly the game isn't set to hit the PSN until December 10, according to VG247. So for now, all we can do is wait... and dream of a brighter future. Check out the game in action after the break.

Gallery: PixelJunk Shooter

Continued →

Interview: BioWare's Greg Zeschuk on Dragon Age, DLC, and more

by Christopher Grant { 1 day ago }

Here's a Thanksgiving treat from the vault – we've dug out the following interview with BioWare co-founder (and Group Creative Officer of EA's newly formed RPG/MMO Group) Greg Zeschuk from earlier this year at PAX. But don't let the date fool you! Our discussion of multiplatform console development, DLC strategies on future BioWare titles like Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2, and Greg's recommendation that everyone buy two copies of the game (one on console and one on PC) defies time. Read on!

Joystiq: Dragon Age is the first PS3 game that BioWare's developed. Can you talk about that process?

Greg Zeschuk: We did partner with Edge of Reality, so we partnered with folks who have had the experience, and that was a good process where we actually had some folks that knew how to do it but also, in general, just worked together with them. A lot of it ended up being like we needed a lot of work to get done and a lot of stuff very fast and everyone was very busy on Dragon Age itself. Collectively, on the console, I would say it was very interesting and challenging to take the richness of the PC game of Dragon Age, with all these different powers and everything else, and actually try to transpose it to the consoles. And the interesting thing about that, or where it worked out really well, is that we literally set ourselves a goal: We didn't want console players to fell like we ripped them off by taking anything away, by minimizing or simplifying. We want them to feel they have all the power at their fingertips, but it's very accessible. It's got the multiple rings that sort of have subsets to them, and you can actually pretty much access any power just a couple little joystick twiddles and button presses. And so with that experience, I think we succeeded there.

Another place where we succeeded on both the PS3 and 360 versions: it feels very different from the PC. Where the PC has got the traditional Baldur's Gate top-down [perspective], the PS3 and 360 are over-the-shoulder and they do have that kind of, very KOTOR feel and that's probably what I play, and that's what I feel most familiar with is KOTOR -- and it actually feels more action-y than the PC does, so I think people will find a very different experience. I recommend both platforms actually, PC and console versions.

Gallery: Dragon Age: Origins

Continued →

Rock Band Network rolls out fully in early 2010

by Alexander Sliwinski { 1 day ago }

Harmonix's Rock Band Network is still working out the kinks and will launch in "early 2010." In a statement to Kotaku, the developer explained that it's working on getting the public beta tools out "before the end of the year," with the store front to launch sometime at the beginning of next year.

Musicians with ample time and high computer proficiency can begin preparing their tracks now with the creator tools, but the open beta will grant access to the private website where all the RBN community stuff will occur. If you're a musician or programmer (or ... procisian?), let us know what you think about the tools in comments.

Gallery: Rock Band Network

European PSN releases for November 26

by Alexander Sliwinski { 1 day ago }

While Americans prep Thanksgiving dinner, the rest of the world moves on as usual. Today's European PSN update adds all the Fallout 3 DLC, along with Borderlands' "Zombie Island" expansion. For PSP users, two new Minis are available: Blast Off and Dracula -- Undead Awakening (pictured). Now, please pardon us while we go get the stuffing ready.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:

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

Continued →

Here come some new challengers in this Super Street Fighter IV trailer

by JC Fletcher { 1 day ago }

The latest trailer for Super Street Fighter IV reveals the newly-announced characters in motion for the first time, leading to some surprising discoveries. For example, Adon sounds like Starscream. That actually kind of makes sense if you imagine Sagat as Megatron and Adon as his annoying sidekick.

In addition to the three new new guys, all the other new Super Street Fighter IV characters are featured as well, so you can hear all the terrible new voice acting so far! And you can also see that, at least upon cursory inspection, everyone plays like they used to. Cody still throws knives, T. Hawk still throws people, and Dee Jay is still annoying.

[Thanks, Kenoji!]

Continued →

Oh, my car! Capcom porting Final Fight and Magic Sword to XBLA and PSN

by JC Fletcher { 1 day ago }

The return of Cody and Guy to Street Fighter isn't the only Final Fight news this week. Capcom has announced Final Fight Double Impact for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, featuring not just the arcade version of the Metro City brawler, but Magic Sword as well!

Final Fight Double Impact, as the collection is titled, will feature optional graphical filters and a visual mode that makes the games appear as if they're being played on an arcade machine. Most importantly, both games will have drop-in online co-op. Capcom hasn't priced the collection yet, but there's no way the company will charge more than we've already put into Magic Sword machines over the years.

Analyst: Modern Warfare 2 DLC could make $140 million in 2010

by Richard Mitchell { 1 day ago }

Now that Modern Warfare 2 has smashed launch records -- raking in serious cash in the process -- the way is paved for inevitable downloadable content. DLC will likely rake in serious cash of its own, according to Broadpoint AmTech analyst Ben Schachter, who tells IndustryGamers that DLC could bring in an additional $100-140 million in revenue next year. The figure is based on the DLC attach rate for the previous Call of Duty title, World at War, which sold 0.625 downloadable map packs per copy, according to Schachter. At $10 each, that means every copy of World at War generated an additional $6.25 after the initial retail purchase.

Assuming there are 14-16 million copies of Modern Warfare 2 in players homes by the time DLC launches, Schachter says the content could generate up to $140 million, minus the portion Activision has to pay to platform holders that host the DLC. Schachter also believes DLC will go beyond map packs, theorizing that Infinity Ward could offer in-game items, new game modes and new missions (more co-op sniping, please). Of course, expanded DLC content could result in higher prices this time around.

Only time will tell how well Modern Warfare 2 does post launch but, regardless of what kind of content is on offer, we imagine it will probably do okay.

Five features you may have missed in Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time

by Alexander Sliwinski { 1 day ago }

Ratchet and Clank games usually have a little extra for true series fans who want to dig deeper, and A Crack in Time isn't looking to break that trend. Developer Insomniac wants to make sure that those who have played the game are getting out of it all that's in there, pointing out five things for fans not to miss:

Space Radio
Dynamo of Doom
Community Profile
Insomniac Museum
Return to the Great Clock

What does it all mean? Check out the video after the break for the full details.

Continued →

PSP Go isn't cannablizing PSP sales, House says

by Ben Gilbert { 1 day ago }

For those of you out there on your third or fourth sleepless night, unable to catch some Zs for worry that Sony is losing money on its physical-media PSP models to the PSP Go, it's time to rest easy. Sony Europe head Andrew House recently told GamesIndustry.biz that digitally distributed titles are "additive to the business." Better yet, newer PSPs aren't eating older ones. "I don't think there's been a huge amount of cannibalization." Okay, okay, he's talking about PSP Go sales proverbially "eating up" PSP-3000 sales.

He even goes as far as to state that "those sales [PSP Go sales] have come in and lifted overall PSP sales" – something we've heard stated before by execs at Sony Europe. We're not exactly sure what the strategy is behind using your new $250 PSP to sell your old (and arguably more feature-rich) PSP-3000, but we're still hopeful that Sony sees a long-term plan where we see a really expensive, download-only handheld.