Only you can name PixelJunk 1-4

The next game in the PixelJunk series is looking to potentially be the best yet, though it is lacking something. A name. Since it was announced, the game has been referred to simply as PixelJunk 1-4 -- the fourth game in the first series. The assumption was that the name was such a giveaway to the game's style and / or gameplay that it was being kept under wraps. Now it turns out that Q-Games just hasn't decided on one yet. In fact, they're leaving it up to you.

Check out the official naming contest website for some inspiration in the form of not only full screenshots of the game, but also a video of it in action (also seen above). You have until May 11 to submit your name idea on the website and the winner will not only have the satisfaction of knowing that they named the game, but they will also be featured in the game's credits and, along with five runners up, receive a PixelJunk _____ t-shirt.

Judging by the previous PixelJunk titles, the name will need to be short and snappy, yet encapsulate the style of the game. Not an easy job. Be sure to check back here at noon EST for even more inspiration in the form of our hands-on impressions of the game. Good luck to all who enter!

Only you can name PixelJunk 1-4 originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Capcom bringing Fate/Unlimited Codes to US as PSN-exclusive

Looks like the PSP is getting yet another full download-only game. Following the footsteps of Patapon 2, Capcom has announced that its upcoming release of Fate/Unlimited Codes will be digital only. Coming to the PlayStation Store this winter, this fighter will be available for download for $29.99.

We're a bit surprised by this news, considering the bizarre origins of the Fate series. The franchise has expanded to a number of mediums, but it originally started as an adult visual novel. (That's a classier way of saying "animated porn," folks.) Don't expect anything too risque in the PSP game though -- it's rated T for Teen.

To check out all our previous coverage of the Japanese version of Fate, click here.

Gallery: Fate/Unlimited Codes

Capcom bringing Fate/Unlimited Codes to US as PSN-exclusive originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For centuries we have waited: New Dark Void trailer, screens

Alright, perhaps "centuries" is a minor exaggeration, but waiting patiently for new media is no easy task when the game in question -- Capcom's Dark Void -- contains all of the following:

• Jetpacks
• Lasers
• Robots
• Jetpacks
• UFOs
• Gateways between worlds
• Dimensions ruled by fear
• Jetpacks

You'll find further glimpses of the third-person shooter slash aerial dog fighter (referring to the jetpack-propelled combat, not the presence of antagonistic flying canines) embedded after the break.

Continue reading For centuries we have waited: New Dark Void trailer, screens

For centuries we have waited: New Dark Void trailer, screens originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Joystiq interview: ZootFly talks Mr. T

The most important news story of this or any other week is clearly the revelation that ZootFly is crafting a game in which Mr. T will team with Will Wright to fight Nazis. Since there's been no title announced, we're going with This Is The Citizen Kane of Video Games So Shut Up About "When Will Video Games Get Their Citizen Kane?" Please ... or Mr. T: The Game for short.

We asked ZootFly CEO Bostjan Troha the most pressing questions we could think of about the game, and he was kind enough to answer. Enjoy.

Continue reading Joystiq interview: ZootFly talks Mr. T

Joystiq interview: ZootFly talks Mr. T originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Joystiq impressions: Rogue Warrior

We hadn't seen much of Rogue Warrior before Bethesda trotted it out at its showcase event in London last week. The game centers around the life of real-world Navy Seal Richard "Demo Dick" Marcinko and puts you in his incredibly violent shoes.

Unfortunately, the character of Demo Dick is the only unique selling point that the game has and, while his constant swearing (in Mickey Rourke's voice, no less) and vicious finishing moves start off entertaining, the novelty soon wears off.

At its heart, Rogue Warrior is a very generic first-person shooter, from what we saw. The game can be played through either stealthily or as a normal shooter, both of which benefit from the inclusion of a cover system. The most interesting parts of the game are the cinematic kill moves. These are very graphic stealth moves that can be performed if the enemy has not yet spotted you.

Continue reading Joystiq impressions: Rogue Warrior

Joystiq impressions: Rogue Warrior originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Joystiq impressions: Wet

By now you know that Wet is the latest of Activision Blizzard's castaways to have been rescued from a grizzly, unpublished fate. At Bethesda's 2009 lineup showcase in London, we were given a demonstration of how the rescued game has progressed since it was last shown properly in 2007.

Wet is a stylised, Tarantino-flavored acrobatic shooter for the PS3 and 360. The emphasis here is on constant movement and pulling off Kill Bill style moves, without having to resort to cinematics or quick-time events. Imagine Mirror's Edge meets Stranglehold and Devil May Cry. You play as Rubi -- voiced by Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku -- who is a "fixer." That's another word for "hired assassin," which explains the game's name -- a shortened version of the term "wetworks."

The game reeks of 1970s action films, from the art direction and animation to the music and the environments. There's even a grainy film filter over the entire game, though apparently this can be turned off or changed in the settings menu. What we saw wasn't the most graphically impressive game in the world, but the abundance of style made up for any technical shortcomings.

Continue reading Joystiq impressions: Wet

Joystiq impressions: Wet originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Upcoming PAIN expansion features wedgies, aliens and Trophies

Looks like PSN's #1 game of 2008 is getting yet another expansion. The next expansion, "Sore Spots," will add two environments: the Morningwood High School gymnasium and the alien-infested Area 69. The expansions will also introduce a few new modes, such as the "Fun With Explosives" inspired "PAIN Science" mode.

The official PAIN blog features more details on the upcoming expansion, but we've taken a peek at the new Trophies for the upcoming expansion. To see Idol Minds' devilish new achievements, check past the break.

Continue reading Upcoming PAIN expansion features wedgies, aliens and Trophies

Upcoming PAIN expansion features wedgies, aliens and Trophies originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Bayonetta's bare buttocks and other M-rated modelings

By his own account, Platinum Games modeler Kenichiro "Yoshi" Yoshimura poured in just the right amount of "blood and sweat" into the Bayonetta character model (sparing his tears, apparently). The end result has been described by the ESRB as "suggestive," contributing to the game's M-rating (of course, let's not overlook the part that "torture attacks," impaling, decapitating, dismembering, and demonic summoning play in that rating too). Specifically, Yoshi paid particular attention to perfecting Bayonetta's "backside," which, along with her breasts, can be ogled (or snickered at) during brief, in-game exposure -- oddly, in the midst of battle, according to the ESRB. "I guess I am into that sort of thing," Yoshi observes of his posterior fixation.

While popular culture long ago OD'ed on anatomically eye-popping fabrications ("there are people actually proportioned like Bayonetta" ... just not any of us), video games have been traditionally confined to more adolescent incarnations of this theme, tiptoeing into the "adult" world every now and then. But if everything else is "jiggling" and "gyrating" and spreading its legs in our faces, shouldn't we allow games to taunt us too? Wait. Don't answer that. Answer this: Do we really want them to?

Bayonetta's bare buttocks and other M-rated modelings originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rock Band Weekly: Jane's Addiction's 'Nothing's Shocking' album

Next week's Rock Band Weekly is a real Lollapalooza of a release that will allow Rock Band owners on all platforms to feed their Jane's Addiction ... dependency. PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii owners will all have a chance to check out the band's first album, Nothing's Shocking. The complete album will be added to the store next week, with the exception of "Mountain Song" -- but only because that one's already available right on the Rock Band 2 disc.

Jane's Addiction's Nothing's Shocking (1600 / $20 -- 200 Wii points apiece)

• "Up the Beach" (160 / $2)
• "Ocean Size" (160 / $2)
• "Had a Dad" (160 / $2)
• "Ted, Just Admit It ..." (160 / $2)
• "Standing in the Shower ... Thinking" (160 / $2)
• "Summertime Rolls" (160 / $2)
• "Idiots Rule" (160 / $2)
• "Jane Says" (160 / $2)
• "Thank You Boys" (160 / $2)
• "Pig's in Zen" (160 / $2)

All tracks are masters and will be available for Xbox 360 and Wii next Tuesday. PS3 owners can download the album on Thursday.

Rock Band Weekly: Jane's Addiction's 'Nothing's Shocking' album originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Madden 10 cover to curse two athletes: Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu

Click to see the full cover.

EA continues reinventing the Madden cover. This year's cover features not one, but two players, in a stylized cover that's reminiscent of Street Fighter IV. The Cardinals' wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, and the Steelers' safety, Troy Polamalu, will share the spotlight on EA Sports' annual NFL game when it goes on sale on August 14th. The two teams should be familiar to anyone who watched last year's Super Bowl -- y'know, people that play Madden.

In addition to debuting the cover athlete, EA Sports released more screenshots, which you can peruse in our gallery.

Continue reading Madden 10 cover to curse two athletes: Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu

Madden 10 cover to curse two athletes: Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A lesson in steampunk from your friends at Damnation

These days, steampunk is most commonly identified with cosplay kids who have rich, far too compassionate parents. But, as you can see in the above video, Damnation creator Blue Omega Entertainment is putting its own, grittier spin on the typically Victorian-inspired sub-genre.

Damnation has been off the grid for a while, but this video just reminds us how much we want to get our hands on the Civil War-era vertical shooter. How about it, Blue Omega?

A lesson in steampunk from your friends at Damnation originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rumor: Co-op Clone Wars game coming to Xbox 360, PS3

A rumor posted over at Destructoid points to a new Clone Wars game in the works for Xbox 360 and PS3. Titled Star Wars The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes, the game is described as a third-person action title featuring two-player co-op, with separate "Jedi" and "Clone" storylines featuring Anakin Skywalker and Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, respectively.

The game's focus is supposedly on melee combat, with mention of some form of upgrades available throughout the game. Jedi characters will purportedly have some access to Force powers (gasp!), such as the ability to control droids (Dtoid's post mentions rolling Droideka).

Krome Studios has had plenty of experience with the Star Wars franchise. The company handled porting Star Wars: The Force Unleashed to the Wii, PS2, and PSP, and was responsible for the Wii-exclusive Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels. Let's hope the third time's the charm here.

Rumor: Co-op Clone Wars game coming to Xbox 360, PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Snag the EndWar headset bundle for $40

Newegg.com is selling the Tom Clancy's EndWar headset bundle for only $40. That's a considerable savings, even over Amazon's already reduced price. If you've been waffling over whether to pick up EndWar, or even a headset, this deal is worth a look.

Now, that's all well and good, but the bigger news just might be that you can also pick up Rock Revolution complete with the sweet drum kit for $40 as well. At that price, it's almost worth giving it to a friend as a prank.

Almost.

[Via Cheap Ass Gamer]

Source - Newegg.com -- Tom Clancy's Endwar w/Headset
Source - Newegg.com -- Rock Revolution w/Drum Kit

Snag the EndWar headset bundle for $40 originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

European PSN releases for April 23

Plenty of content to choose from today on the European PSN Store. PS1 releases continue with two uninspiring titles, and there's another torrent of DLC to grab for all your favorite games. There are also a couple of PS3 demos to check out and PSP owners have a couple games of their own to pick up.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:

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

Continue reading European PSN releases for April 23

European PSN releases for April 23 originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rumor: Differences between FFXIII demo and retail version

A fan on 2ch has a list of expected differences between Final Fantasy XIII's demo and retail versions, cobbled together from statements made in Famitsu, Famitsu PS3 and Dengeki PlayStation. 1UP reports the list is everything that FFXIII director, Motomu Toriyama, claims will be changed. A bento sampler:

• Battles will be harder in the retail version.
• Players can issue orders to party members in the final build.
• Most important: The Final Fantasy victory song will be present in the final game.

Check out the full list of alleged changes over at 1UP.

Rumor: Differences between FFXIII demo and retail version originally appeared on Joystiq Playstation on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

First Aliens vs. Predator shots found in Euro mags

A couple of European mags have received what are believed to be the first screenshots of Sega's Aliens vs. Predator 3. Avpgalaxy.net reports that Spanish mag Play-Mania and Nuts Magazine (UK) both have content about the FPS sequel, which is expected in 2010.

If you've played the original games -- all those years ago -- it probably comes as no surprise that each race will have its own single-player campaign. Of course, this being the 21st century, the title will also feature online multiplayer. If you're in Europe, go pick up the mags for the details. If you live in the States ... we're sure some publication here will have the super-exclusive first look soon. Wonder which mag it'll be -- there are so many to choose from.

Update: And the US mag winner is ... OXM. Thanks, Brady.

[Thanks, Adam]

[Image]

First Aliens vs. Predator shots found in Euro mags originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

F1 2009 racing out on Wii and PSP, other versions lag behind a year

Fans of F1 racing will be well-served this year -- if they have a Wii or PSP. Codemasters told Autosport that the Sumo Digital-developed F1 2009 will launch exclusively on the Wii and PSP. According to Autosport's description of features, "F1 2009 will use all of this year's cars, teams and tracks - including the Singapore night race, the Valencia Marina Bay circuit and the new Abu Dhabi season finale. The game will also include KERS, slick tyres and the new aerodynamic regulations."

Erstwhile Formula 1 racers will have to wait until 2010 to take the driving simulator for a ride on their Xbox 360, PS3, or PC: Codemasters has decided to take the extra time to work on F1 2010 for HD consoles. "And in the meantime we're able to produce a high quality game on Wii and PSP within the timescale," Codemasters' Adrian Laughton told IGN. "The Wii is the biggest platform in the world now, so why not have a fully featured comprehensive racer for it?"

Source - IGN
Source - Autosport

F1 2009 racing out on Wii and PSP, other versions lag behind a year originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Joystiq impressions: BioShock 2

Click to Big Daddy-size

How do you follow up what's indisputably one of the best games produced this generation? In the case of the BioShock 2 team at 2K Marin (and its collaborators at 2K Australia), the answer seems to be, "You don't change much." Having absorbed every possible bit of info on the game going into our first walkthrough of it, we felt like we knew what to expect; and, more or less, we got it.

In an all-too-brief demo that lasted maybe 12-15 minutes, we were taken on a guided tour of a level designed especially for this meeting to A) show off a variety of new elements and B) completely thwart any attempts at learning more about the plot. We were a little saddened by the latter, since in a sequel that seems very similar to the original in many visual and gameplay respects, it's really going to be the narrative that defines the experience.

Continue reading Joystiq impressions: BioShock 2

Joystiq impressions: BioShock 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.