Brink: Bethesda / Splash Damage collaboration revealed

Just a few scant days before the year's biggest gaming event and GameTrailers has snuck into E3's living room and unwrapped one of its biggest gifts. Oh, and it televised what it found inside, spoiling it for everyone.

So, what was inside? Namely: "Brink" - the product of Bethesda and Splash Damage's collaboration, first revealed just over a year ago. And what does the teaser trailer tell us about said project? Well, for starters: it's a video game, it appears to have a science fiction theme and, if the sound of bullets are any indication, there will be shooting in it. More details? It's coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC (with Games for Windows support). Oh, and you'll be playing it by Spring 2010 - take that, holiday shopping season!

Check out the trailer after the break, and stay tuned for more on Brink from E3 (next week!).

Continue reading Brink: Bethesda / Splash Damage collaboration revealed

Brink: Bethesda / Splash Damage collaboration revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 May 2009 00:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Kojima countdown site reveals 'MASK'

The weather's getting weirder on the Kojima Productions "NEXT" teaser site. Not only have glimpses of more letters and what appears to be Raiden begun to materialize as the 90 hour mark approaches, but clicking on the studio's eerily morphing logo now takes visitors to an age-gated site for "MASK."

Fittingly, a mask appears, slowly revealing a ghastly female face. The accompanying music only serves to make the whole thing creepier. It would seem this is yet another new project, wholly separate from what the studio is doing on the Metal Gear front, but anything goes at this point. Now we have two enigmatic sites to watch and wonder over. Hopefully all is revealed at E3 ... and we haven't been driven absolutely mad by then.

We've included an image of maybe-Raiden after the break. What's your take on all of this?

Continue reading Kojima countdown site reveals 'MASK'

Kojima countdown site reveals 'MASK' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 May 2009 22:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Watch four minutes of Prototype, the death of a helicopter

So, Prototype, we're a little worried about you, not gonna lie. Considering the recent wave of positive inFamous reviews, talk of Crackdown 2, and APB's E3 reveal, a game we once looked forward to greatly could quite possibly fall by the wayside.

Luckily, the developer walkthrough of "mission #7" (found after the break) helps to assuage our concerns and brings back some fire into our lonely, cold hearts. Unfortunately for the person piloting Prototype's main man Alex Mercer, things don't go so well and the video ends in tragedy (spoilerz! omg!). Hopefully we'll do better when we get our hands on the retail copy June 9.

Continue reading Watch four minutes of Prototype, the death of a helicopter

Watch four minutes of Prototype, the death of a helicopter originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 May 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle Cars to get free 'Galleon' update

Get ready to jump back into the world of Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle Cars. The PSN-exclusive multiplayer game combines soccer and cars ... and it's coming back with an update that adds new features and a brand new arena. Best of all, the update has a price we can all approve of: free.

"Galleon" is a brand new pirate-ship themed arena. Players will duke it out on the deck of a large pirate ship, with unique physics that change the gameplay experience. Hope you don't get sea sick, as undoubtedly the rocky nature of the boat will change things up.

In addition to the new arena, the upcoming patch for SARPBC will add enhancements to the replay system, camera control, friends list, server browser, HUD, music and menus. There's no date pegged on the update, but Psyonix is aiming for a late June release. Stay tuned for more.

Gallery: Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle Cars: Galleon

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle Cars to get free 'Galleon' update originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Thu, 28 May 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dhani Harrison: Beatles Rock Band will "blow people's minds"

Speaking to musicradar.com, Dhani Harrison, son of the Beatles' George Harrison, took care not to mince his words when discussing The Beatles: Rock Band. Naturally, one would expect that someone so closely connected to the project would be pretty positive about it, but Harrison made himself quite clear, saying, "I'm not hyping in the least when I say The Beatles: Rock Band is going to blow people's minds." He then added that the game will "set a new standard for video games."

Strong words to be sure, but, considering Harmonix's pedigree, it just might be true. We'll find out when we take the game for a spin next week at E3.

Dhani Harrison: Beatles Rock Band will "blow people's minds" originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 May 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

E3 has come early for White Knight Chronicles fans

Sony just can't wait any longer to show you its White Knight Chronicles E3 trailer, so instead of sitting around impatiently, twiddling thumbs, the company decided to release it today. You can find it after the break. Sure, you may have seen a lot of White Knight Chronicles trailers in your time, with some even dating back to TGS 2006, but this one is special. This one's in English.

There's nothing like seeing an English trailer to make you realise that, yes, this game is coming soon. We've been after this game for so long now that we almost gave up hope, but White Knight Chronicles -- complete with online co-op and hopefully voice chat support will be with us this year. Hopefully we'll hear a more concrete release at E3 next week.

Continue reading E3 has come early for White Knight Chronicles fans

E3 has come early for White Knight Chronicles fans originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Thu, 28 May 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

LOTR: Aragorn's Quest on Wii, DS, PS2 and PSP

We just think it's adorable when publishers announce games that we've all known about for days already, like this release for Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest from Warner Bros. ... yes, the same one you read about last week. But it almost always pays to read these little missives. For example, in this one we learned that the "first Lord of the Rings videogame created specifically for kids and their families" will come to Wii, DS, PS2 and PSP.

Warner also hints at the future of the franchise, saying upcoming offerings will appeal to families as well as "hard-core RPG fans." ... Could we maybe just skip straight to that one, please?

LOTR: Aragorn's Quest on Wii, DS, PS2 and PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 May 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fighter cut from UFC 2009 because of ... his hair?

Hey, UFC fighters. Over here. Would you like to avoid appearing in a video game without getting fired? We have the solution for you: Stop cutting your hair. According to Fight! magazine (via 5thround.com), UFC fighter Clay Guida was cut from UFC 2009: Undisputed because his trademark shaggy locks were causing clipping problems and creating issues with collision detection. THQ supposedly offered Guida money to trim his hair so that he could be included in the game, an offer Guida seemingly refused.

We applaud Guida for not (essentially) selling his hair to THQ, but come on, he had to be cut because of his hair? Hasn't hair been in 3D fighting games since ... forever? Couldn't they have given his in-game model a headband or something? The mind reels ....

[Via GameSetWatch]

Fighter cut from UFC 2009 because of ... his hair? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 May 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Evangelion PS3 is, disappointingly, not a game

If you thought Cellius was finally going to bear a new game thanks to yesterday's Evangelion reveal ... then you're going to feel as crushed as we are upon hearing this. The Evangelion project isn't a game, but yet another anime-linked service, much like the previously shown Gundam VOD thing -- and honestly, it's even less fascinating than the Gundam one. For ¥800 a month, starting June 6, Japanese PS3 owners can get a 3D news reader for their system which features Misato from Evangelion.

... Still with us? Good, because we're about to hit the only interesting part of this story: Misato's voice will be completely computer-generated. Namco chose to go this way since it was deemed impossible to hire a voice actor for everyday news reading. According to Famitsu (via Andriasang), Cellius is using Ruby Talk to make the incredibly life-like voice for Misato. Although this feature sounds rather nice, it's not enough to justify shelling out eight dollars a month. For once, this is something Japan can keep for itself.

Source: Andriasang
Source: Famitsu

Evangelion PS3 is, disappointingly, not a game originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Wed, 27 May 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Interview: David Cage of Quantic Dream and Heavy Rain

We recently had our precipitation-sodden paws all over Heavy Rain: The Origami Killer, and then chatted with David Cage, a man who wears plenty of hats at developer Quantic Dream. In addition to founding the studio, he's also the head game developer, writer, co-CEO, director, and chief bottle washer. So, who better to walk us through the trippy thriller that goes where Indigo Prophecy feared to tread?

Read on to find out some new tidbits about the game, how Fight Club inspired the interface system and why his favorite ending to the game is when all four characters die. Plus why, like Guillermo del Toro, he believes that the interactive entertainment industry is long overdue for a Citizen Kane (or in Cage's case, a Slumdog Millionaire) of games.

Continue reading Interview: David Cage of Quantic Dream and Heavy Rain

Interview: David Cage of Quantic Dream and Heavy Rain originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 May 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Kojima teaser site updates with ... Big Boss [update]

Another countdown has come to an end on Kojima Productions' now-infamous teaser site, and, in among flashes of lightning, the unmistakable face of Big Boss appears on screen. He looks older than he did in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and is wearing a beret bearing a patch which reads "Militares Sans Frontieres" (Military Without Borders).

In Metal Gear canon, Big Boss was part of Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) in Vietnam during 1969 -- five years after the events of Snake Eater and one year before Portable Ops takes place. Will we once again be donning the Greatest Soldier's boots, this time on a sneaking mission in/during 'Nam? The new countdown ends just as E3 begins. Our anticipation? It's endless.

Update: A number of commenters (thanks, guys!) have pointed our attention to a Famitsu scan which shows, among other titillating images, a clear shot of Raiden, assumedly amidst the countdown page's thundering teasers. As techno-Raiden and Naked Snake can't really occupy the same period of time, we're beginning to think Kojima's "NEXT" big project is ... well, two projects. We'd love to hear your hypothesis after the jump (where we've posted a clip of said scan). The article's headline roughly reads: "[Interviewer:] Can I possibly publish this all? Kojima: Only if you blank out certain key words."

Continue reading Kojima teaser site updates with ... Big Boss [update]

Kojima teaser site updates with ... Big Boss [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 May 2009 21:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sega confirms Aliens vs. Predator's appearance at E3

Sega of America confirmed today that Aliens vs. Predator will be demonstrated during E3 2009. The company also reiterated that several titles it previously announced for the show would still be in attendance.

We eagerly await getting our hands on the "xenomorph vs. human vs. whatever the Predator species is called" title and are taking it as a good portent for the game's projected Xbox 360, PS3 and PC release in "early 2010."

Sega confirms Aliens vs. Predator's appearance at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 May 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Eyeball explosion: New Army of Two: The 40th Day screens

Click image for more bro-saving-bro action

EA has assaulted our inbox in the most extreme way possible, unloading some fresh screens from upcoming bro-love simulator, Army of Two: The 40th Day. The new screens show off a lot of what you'd come to expect from this series: explosions; testosterone; and teamwork. There does seem to be a kid involved this time around, though, so that's new. Sadly, these screens lack the appropriate amounts of fist-bumping, but we're sure EA is saving the best stuff for last.

Eyeball explosion: New Army of Two: The 40th Day screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 26 May 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GameTrailers TV promo gives a look at DJ Hero peripheral

We got our first look at the vinyl-spinning peripheral for Activision's mixmastering sim DJ Hero earlier this month but -- well, they weren't very good pictures, were they? Just look at that framing. Terrible. Obviously, someone's never heard of the rule of thirds. Man, we learned about that photographic law during our extensive Pokémon Snap sessions. It's not that hard, people.

Fortunately, a sneak peek for GameTrailers TV's E3 coverage gave us a much clearer shot of the turntable periph, seen in the image above. We get a pretty good look at the crossfader attachment, as well as a sense of the controller's size in comparison to a human lap. Hopefully, we'll get an even better (and more photographically sound) look at the peripheral when we check DJ Hero out at E3 next week.

[Via NeoGAF, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

GameTrailers TV promo gives a look at DJ Hero peripheral originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 24 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

VG247: Console versions of Fuel delayed a week

According to VG247, Codemasters has confirmed that its upcoming open-world racer, Fuel, has been delayed a week -- putting the game out on June 5 in the UK -- for the Xbox 360 and PS3, while the PC version is set to release soon after. It should be noted that VG247 is a UK website, so it's unclear if this delay also applies to North America. For what it's worth, GameStop lists the title for June 2, while Amazon maintains it will release on May 26. Our request for comment from Codemasters has gone unanswered as of press time, but we'll be sure to update this post when we have new information.

Still, even if the title is delayed, it's only a week outside of the originally intended May release window. Surely we can keep our post-apocalyptic racing urge in check until then.

VG247: Console versions of Fuel delayed a week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 May 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Lara's Underworld adventure goes budget in the UK

According to Tomb Raider Chronicles, Eidos has announced that Tomb Raider Underworld has become part of the Xbox 360 Classics range as well as PS3 Platinum Hits in the UK. The upshot here is that both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions should now be available for a mere £19.99. We've contacted Eidos to see if the new price applies to all PAL regions and if North America will see any budget love.

Considering Eidos was disappointed in the game's sales in North America and the game enjoyed relative success in the UK, we're not holding our breath.

Lara's Underworld adventure goes budget in the UK originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 May 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fist meet face: A look at Dead to Rights: Retribution's combat

Earlier this year, we got a chance to see Dead to Rights: Retribution and learn how the game's combat system works. Essentially, Jack, the main character, can attack in any direction at all times. Thus, even if you're dealing with an enemy directly in front of you, you can still backfist the sneaky baddie coming from behind. If you're having trouble actually picturing that, then fret no longer. 1UP has posted a video showcasing the game's combat system so you can take in all the bloody, brutal details for yourself. Check it out after the break.

Based purely on the video, we're hoping that the combat feels more engaging than it looks. We'll find out when the game releases this fall.

Continue reading Fist meet face: A look at Dead to Rights: Retribution's combat

Fist meet face: A look at Dead to Rights: Retribution's combat originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 May 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony cutting suppliers by half to save $5.3 billion

In a move undoubtedly aimed at preventing any further losses, Sony corp. plans to cut its manufacturing suppliers by more than half. MCVUK reports the company will be whittling down its 2,500-strong suppliers list to just 1,200 by or before 2011. The restructuring will cut costs by around ¥500 billion ($5.3 billion).

While this is a big change for the company as a whole, it's uncertain how Sony's Computer Entertainment division will be affected. In what ways could this whole business of slimming down impact SCEA, or the PS3 for that matter?

Sony cutting suppliers by half to save $5.3 billion originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Thu, 21 May 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood trailer has sweet music, dead cowboys

The latest trailer for Ubisoft's Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood is available for your viewing pleasure, and if you enjoy slow, toe-tapping songs and pistols being drawn at high noon, then we suggest you get comfy and soak up the near two minutes of footage Ubisoft has dropped on us. You know, we often think about living in the old west, and how cool it would be to answer to no one (and have them answer to your gun), but we'd probably just die of dysentery or something. Beats being shot to death, though, which is the grim fate suffered by no less than six fellas in the video above.

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood trailer has sweet music, dead cowboys originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 May 2009 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rumor: GTTV taping reveals Uncharted 2 beta deets, other E3 tidbits

According to Kotaku, a recent live taping of a GameTrailers TV E3 special revealed a veritable bounty of E3 information. First and foremost, a spokesmen reportedly confirmed that the upcoming Uncharted 2 multiplayer beta will begin on the first day of E3. For all the Nathan Drake fans out there, that would be June 2, so mark your calendars.

The special is also rumored to reveal new details about Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, specifically that the game will include time travel as well as new hover boots for Ratchet. Throw in some Modern Warfare 2 footage, a new title from Bethesda and news about loads of games including Mass Effect 2, Madden, Need For Speed: Shift, Dante's Inferno, Lost Planet 2 and Aliens vs Predator, and you've got quite a show.

Granted, some of this could easily be revealed prior to the episode's May 28 premier (11:00pm ET/PT), but given the program's penchant for WORLD EXCLUSIVE reveals, it's probably worth checking out.

[Via @geoffkeighley]

Rumor: GTTV taping reveals Uncharted 2 beta deets, other E3 tidbits originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 May 2009 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Full Modern Warfare 2 site launches Sunday, sneak peek on GTTV tonight

Infinity Ward community maestro fourzerotwo (also known by his civilian name, Robert Bowling) has announced via his Twitter that the Modern Warfare 2 website is set to launch this Sunday with the first gameplay trailer. What's that? You want to know the URL? Sure! It's modernwarfare2.com. Easy.

If you can't be bothered to wait until Sunday, Mr. Geoff Keighley has announced via his Twitter that GameTrailers TV will premier a new Modern Warfare 2 gameplay teaser tonight on Spike. GTTV also will be premiering Heavy Rain, building up tonight's episode to be a good one. And, if you can't be bothered to stay up late, you can rest assured that we'll share it all right here on Joystiq just as soon as it's released from the GameTrailers vault.

Source - @fourzerotwo
Source - @geoffkeighley

Full Modern Warfare 2 site launches Sunday, sneak peek on GTTV tonight originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 May 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BioShock 2's Big Daddy revealed on GamePro cover

GamePro is promising that its upcoming July issue will blow the doors off of the sequel to 2K's undersea shooter, BioShock. Of course, by the time it hits newsstands, you'll probably be full to the gills with all the the BioShock 2 details you can handle -- we're sure to hear a ton about the game during E3.

Fortunately, GamePro recently offered a delicious morsel to its potential readers, uploading the Big Daddy-infused cover of the upcoming issue to the mag's online edition. You can check out the full cover -- and the design for BioShock 2's diving suit-wearing protagonist -- after the break. As a point of reference, here's the original Big Daddy. And here's a poster for the hilarious, heartfelt Adam Sandler comedy Big Daddy. And here's professional wrestler Big Daddy V! Wait, we forgot what we were doing ...

[Thanks, Storm Eagle!]

Continue reading BioShock 2's Big Daddy revealed on GamePro cover

BioShock 2's Big Daddy revealed on GamePro cover originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 May 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Watchmen: The End is Nigh Blu-ray to combine game and film

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We reported last night that the two episodic Watchmen games were going to be compiled onto a retail disc. However, we've now learned that PS3 owners will be able to get the game in one very awesome Blu-ray hybrid package.

Watchmen: The End is Nigh The Complete Experience is one of the first Blu-ray discs to offer a video game and movie in a single package. (The special edition of Stranglehold on PS3 included a copy of Hard Boiled.) Not only will the package include the Director's Cut of the Watchmen film, it will also include The End is Nigh Parts 1 and 2. The two-disc set will feature exclusive artwork and packaging.

The End is Nigh didn't get the best reviews, but we're encouraged by this news. This is an excellent step for the format to take -- one we hope other publishers will copy in the future. Bundling a game and film for one low price is certainly an attractive offer. Imagine: Batman: Arkham Asylum with HD episodes of the Batman animated series, or the upcoming Transformers game with the first film? There are a lot of possibilities here.

Watchmen: The End is Nigh Blu-ray to combine game and film originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Thu, 21 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Upcoming Famitsu to cover new Metal Gear game for PlayStation system

Unsurprisingly, there's a brand new Metal Gear game coming out. No, Kojima Production's countdown isn't over yet (that's later today!). A listing at a Japanese 7-Eleven product database reveals that an upcoming issue of Famitsu PSP+PS3 will feature a brand new Metal Gear game. The magazine is scheduled to ship next week on May 30.

We're pretty certain the upcoming Kojima Productions reveal is somehow tied to this upcoming Famitsu story. Considering the game will be featured in a PlayStation-exclusive magazine makes it a pretty safe bet that the game will arrive on either PS3 or PSP. Perhaps handheld players will get a chance at a new Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops experience -- Konami indicated its interest in a sequel over two years ago.

[Thanks David B.! Via IGN]

Upcoming Famitsu to cover new Metal Gear game for PlayStation system originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 May 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.