Support NeoGAF

[No6]

Ikaruga, Rez, Pac-Man CE, N+, Every Extend Extra Extreme

These will be the prevailing suggestions!

Gripshift, Poker Smash, Puzzle Fighter, Puzzle Quest, Switchball, Catan.

There are also other games like Omega Five, Space Giraffe, Mutant Storm Empire, Commanders, and Sensi Soccer that are decent.

 

[Shard]

OFLC Watch: Beat'n Groovy and Domino Master

http://www.xblah.net/2008/04/oflc-watch-domino-master-and-beatn.html

 

[Shard]

http://www.metanetsoftware.com/blog/?p=48

Braid Party!

By M&R | April 29, 2008

Sorry for the lack of posts, we’ve been laying low for a while, working on Robotology.

It hasn’t been all work though — just last week we had a Braid party where some friends came over to have their minds thoroughly blown.

In other news, N+ reached 100k sales on XBLA! That’s just incredible.
We’ve made three level packs (one of which is free), but sadly they can’t be released until we do a Title Update to fix a few things — that should hopefully be happening in early summer.

That’s about all that’s been going on around here.. back to work!

 

[Shard]

http://www.xblarcade.com/node/1909

Geometry Wars and Boom Boom Rocket Now With Online Leaderboards
Tue, 2008-04-29 23:52 — Hexx

In a move that is a first for Xbox Live Arcade, Bizarre Creations has released online leaderboards for both Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved and Boom Boom Rocket. It will be interesting to see if more titles will be able to take this approach or if the resources required to do such a feat will be only available to bigger studios like Bizarre.

 

[Shard]

http://www.angry-gamer.net/ag/index...y-Gamer-Podcast/Angry-Gamer-Podcast-5.11.html

Angry Gamer Podcast featuring Commando 3 and 1942: Joint Strike

 

[Shard]

Sierra Online titles: Fact Sheets


Sea Life Safari Fact Sheet


Embark on a journey the whole family can enjoy! Make a splash as an underwater photographer tasked with capturing the most incredible pictures of wild sea life. Use your camera skills to bring out the bubbly personalities of exotic creatures, from the silly clownfish to the legendary kraken sea monster! Entice your subjects into playful poses, provoke photo worthy reactions, and reel in those picture-perfect scores!

Game Features

* 60 Animated Creatures – Photograph the sparkling personalities of fascinating underwater sea animals to build memorable albums and your own personal scrapbook.
* 5 Jaw-Dropping Environments – Explore unique destinations from the colorful Coral Reef to the murky Ship Graveyard, filled with countless treasures to discover!
* Family-Friendly Tutorial – Experience a fully interactive tutorial that teaches simple step by step instructions on how to become a great deep-sea photographer!
* Intuitive Photo Evaluations – See how your photographs rank as you are scored on 4 different criteria: size, orientation, centering, and interaction with each fish.
* Endless Replayability – Discover secret routes, collect hidden items, and encounter special appearances by unique day and night creatures.


Availability Summer 2008 (XBLA)
ESRB Rating E
Publisher Sierra Online
Developer Wanako Games
Category Family Games



Assault Heroes 2 Fact Sheet

Jump back into the action with Assault Heroes 2, sequel to the award-winning arcade shooter, exploding with more intense combat! Battle on land and in space to save mankind against the sinister alien force before it’s too late.

Game Features

* Enhanced Multiplayer Co-op – Quickly activate improved cooperative weapons to rain destruction on hordes of bazooka soldiers, kamikaze bombers and more
* Hi-jackable Enemy Units – Steal the attack helicopter, armored tank or mechanical walker from the enemy base for surprise attacks
* More Powerful Weaponry – Utilize a superior arsenal of weapons including the newly designed sub-zero ice cannon, homing missiles, rocket launcher and upgraded firearms from the original
* Frantic On-Foot Action – Survive on-foot warfare while equipped with all your weapons in expansive underground areas
* Monstrous Bosses – Face-off against challenging mechanoid beasts before they destroy you
* New Diverse and Interactive Environments – Blast through the Snowy Mountains, Rainforest and Outer Space with extensive destructible terrain from burning trees to shattering buildings


Availability Spring 2008
Rating Teen
Publisher Sierra Online
Developer Wanako Games
Category Action


Gin Rummy Fact Sheet

Enjoy challenging variations of the classic card game Gin Rummy! Strategically select the right cards to complete sets of combinations, minimizing the risk of getting caught with a poor hand. ‘Knock’ out your opponent with high scores and bonus points, and video chat with players from around the world for endless hours of casual card game fun.

Game Features

* 6 Popular Game Modes – Challenge your opponents to a game of Classic Gin Rummy, Speed Gin Rummy, Oklahoma Gin, Hollywood Gin, Three-Hand Gin, or Customize Your Own Rules!
* Rapid Auto-scoring – Enjoy immediate automatic scoring at the end of each match to get a detailed breakdown of each player’s total accrued points and bonuses.
* Unique Game Themes – Choose from colorful game skins, artistic card decks, and entertaining music selections.
* Multiplayer Matches – Test your skills in a real-time multiplayer match with up to 3 other competitors.
* Xbox LIVE Vision – Video chat with your friends over Xbox LIVE Vision for a knock-out time!


Availability Q3 2008 (XBLA)
ESRB Rating E
Publisher Sierra Online
Developer Studio Ch’in (Sierra Online Shanghai)
Category Card & Board


Zombie Wranglers Fact Sheet


Be very, very quiet… we’re wrangling Zombies!! Save the city of Potters Field from an infestation of zany zombies in the quirky and comical Zombie Wranglers, attacking XBLA in 2008! Armed with a trustworthy Wrangler-Pack and your own unique special abilities, play as one of the four gallant apprentice Wranglers and rescue your neighborhood before it’s too late!

Game Features

* Engrossing, Contagious Humor – Laugh out-loud moment galore enhance play
* 4 Distinct and Powerful Wranglers – unique upgradeable abilities, powerful weapons and screwball personalities
* Unrelenting Enemies – Including the grotesque Fast-Food Zombie, the fast-on-its-feet Skater Zombie and the loving Soccer Mom Zombie
* Exhilarating 4 Player Co-op – Play with up to 3 of your friends through the Single Player Story or competitive Arena Mode – Online or Off


Availability Q3 2008
Rating TBD
Publisher Sierra Online
Developer Frozen Codebase
Category Action

 

[Jonnyram]

http://www.xblarcade.com/node/1909

I was wondering when this was going to happen - I think the Live website could do it with all the titles that currently have this via the console. It would be really cool if we could then pull that data and put it in our own apps, to have, say, a NeoGAF leaderboard per game.

 

[Shard]

RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS(TM) ANIMATED CHESS SET NOW AVALABLE

SAN FRANCISCO - April 30, 2008 - Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announced that the Rayman Raving Rabbids Animated Chess Set for Chessmaster® LIVE is now available for download. The fully animated, 3D chess set features the mischievous, insane bunnies from the popular Rayman franchise that players have grown to love.

The Rayman Raving Rabbids Animated Chess Set can be purchased on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 200 Microsoft Points. For more information about the Chessmaster series, please visit www.chessmaster.com.

 

[Shard]

Freshly served uncovered achievement lists

Buku Sudoku

http://www.360sync.com/2008/04/30/buku-sudoku-achievements

Beat the Basics
Complete lessons 1-5 in tutorial 1 and lessons 1-3 in tutorial 2.
10 Locked

Time Bandit
Beat the time limit for 10 puzzles in Timed mode.
15 Locked

Sampler
Complete 1 puzzle in each of the 3 difficulties.
10 Locked

Super Sizes
Beat a puzzle in each grid size: 6×6, 8×8, 9×9, and 12×12.
20 Locked

Natural
Solve 10 puzzles with autopencil and show errors off.
10 Locked

Friend and Foe
Complete 1 puzzle in Co-op, Team Battle, and Duel in Xbox LIVE mode
10 Locked

Buku Bank
Earn 2,500,000 Buku Score any way you want.
10 Locked

Too Fast
Complete a single player 9×9 puzzle in 1 minute and 20 seconds. Hint: you can turn autopencil on.
20 Locked

Master
Complete 200 puzzles in total across the game.
20 Locked

Wired
Complete 20 games over Xbox LIVE.
20 Locked

Grand Master
Earn 10,000,000 Buku Score any way you want.
30 Locked

Socialite Complete
25 Multiplayer Games, in either Online or Local Multiplayer game play.
25 Locked


Wits and Wagers

http://www.360sync.com/2008/04/30/wits-wagers-achievements

Achievements

Go For Broke
Bet all chips on one answer.
5 Locked

Small Favors
A correct bet on the lower than all bet.
20 Locked

Best Bet
Three correct bets in a single game.
25 Locked

House Party
Play with three friends on one Xbox 360 console.
5 Locked

Block Party
Play with five people in one game.
20 Locked

Connected
Play with ten different people online.
20 Locked

Friendly
Play fifty games online.
25 Locked

My Favorite
Receive a MVP award.
5 Locked

Congeniality Award
Receive ten MVP awards.
20 Locked

Body Movin’
Dance on every round.
10 Locked

Wits Fan
Play fifty games.
30 Locked

Super Wit
Answer all seven hundred questions of Wits & Wagers!
15 Locked

 

[Shard]

New Xbox.com Splash Page/Your presumptive XBLA game of next week: Wits and Wagers

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/w/wandwxboxlivearcade/

 

[Tempy]

RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS(TM) ANIMATED CHESS SET NOW AVALABLE

SAN FRANCISCO - April 30, 2008 - Today Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announced that the Rayman Raving Rabbids Animated Chess Set for Chessmaster® LIVE is now available for download. The fully animated, 3D chess set features the mischievous, insane bunnies from the popular Rayman franchise that players have grown to love.

The Rayman Raving Rabbids Animated Chess Set can be purchased on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 200 Microsoft Points. For more information about the Chessmaster series, please visit www.chessmaster.com.

Dammit, I was waiting for this. I guess I should try out the demo and hope it's not too much of a gimped/uninteresting version of the PC version.

 

[Shard]

Dammit, I was waiting for this. I guess I should try out the demo and hope it's not too much of a gimped/uninteresting version of the PC version.

From what I understand Chessmaster LIVE! is a pretty robust XBLA title, not as robust as the PC Chessmaster, but it offers more then, oh say, Wii Chess.

 

[borsdy]

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/viewer.aspx?productId=2202&assetTypeId=2&shotId=0

Ugh.

 

[Tempy]

I'm probably the only one here interested in Sudoku, but what the hell are those multiplayer achievements in Buku Sudoku?

Freshly served uncovered achievement lists

Buku Sudoku

http://www.360sync.com/2008/04/30/buku-sudoku-achievements

Beat the Basics
Complete lessons 1-5 in tutorial 1 and lessons 1-3 in tutorial 2.
10 Locked

Time Bandit
Beat the time limit for 10 puzzles in Timed mode.
15 Locked

Sampler
Complete 1 puzzle in each of the 3 difficulties.
10 Locked

Super Sizes
Beat a puzzle in each grid size: 6×6, 8×8, 9×9, and 12×12.
20 Locked

Natural
Solve 10 puzzles with autopencil and show errors off.
10 Locked

Friend and Foe
Complete 1 puzzle in Co-op, Team Battle, and Duel in Xbox LIVE mode
10 Locked

Buku Bank
Earn 2,500,000 Buku Score any way you want.
10 Locked

Too Fast
Complete a single player 9×9 puzzle in 1 minute and 20 seconds. Hint: you can turn autopencil on.
20 Locked

Master
Complete 200 puzzles in total across the game.
20 Locked

Wired
Complete 20 games over Xbox LIVE.
20 Locked

Grand Master
Earn 10,000,000 Buku Score any way you want.
30 Locked

Socialite Complete
25 Multiplayer Games, in either Online or Local Multiplayer game play.
25 Locked

 

[Shard]

Ugh.

It might be good, then again it might be shit, hard to gauge this one.

 

[PhatSaqs]

CVG is speculating that GTA 2 is slated for XBLA on May 22.
There's a timer and a date on the website.

http://www.rockstargames.com/gta2/

 

[Shard]

SO very tired of Grand Theft Auto.

 

[dogbert]

CVG is speculating that GTA 2 is slated for XBLA on May 22.
There's a timer and a date on the website.

http://www.rockstargames.com/gta2/

That timer's been there & running since before the original launch of GTA2 on the PC & PS1

 

[Rlan]

Shard appears to have taken the day off.

Ticket to ride, Darwinia+ and Crazy Mouse rated by OFLC, showing that it is in fact Next Level Games that is developing Ticket to Ride!

http://www.xblah.net/2008/05/oflc-watch-ticket-to-ride-crazy-mouse.html

Penny Arcade has gone gold on PC, Linux and Mac versions!

http://www.xblah.net/2008/05/penny-arcade-adventures-goes-gold-new.html

Whoops! Capcom announce Rocketmen expansion, and then takes it down

http://www.xblah.net/2008/05/whoops-capcom-announce-rocketmen.html

 

[Baron_Calamity]

CVG is speculating that GTA 2 is slated for XBLA on May 22.
There's a timer and a date on the website.

http://www.rockstargames.com/gta2/

Hmmm... wonder what the achievements will be like? I have GTA 2 for the pc, I'm not sure that achievements will be enough to get me to buy it. Maybe if they threw in the london expansion....

 

[Shard]

Shard appears to have taken the day off.

Ticket to ride, Darwinia+ and Crazy Mouse rated by OFLC, showing that it is in fact Next Level Games that is developing Ticket to Ride!

http://www.xblah.net/2008/05/oflc-watch-ticket-to-ride-crazy-mouse.html

Penny Arcade has gone gold on PC, Linux and Mac versions!

http://www.xblah.net/2008/05/penny-arcade-adventures-goes-gold-new.html

Whoops! Capcom announce Rocketmen expansion, and then takes it down

http://www.xblah.net/2008/05/whoops-capcom-announce-rocketmen.html

Everybody needs a day off now and again.

 

[Shard]

http://www.360sync.com/2008/05/01/wolf-of-the-battlefield-commando-3-trailer-with-ssfiithdrb-footage

Allegedly new trailer of Commando 3.

 

[Shard]

ESRB Watch:

Samurai Shodown II SNK Playmore USA T Blood, Language,
Tobacco Reference, Violence Xbox 360, Wii

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords: Revenge of the Plague Lord D3Publisher of America E10+ Suggestive Themes Windows PC, Xbox 360

(Maybe XBLA, maybe retail)

Red Baron Arcade Vivendi Games T Violence Windows PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

 

[soldat7]

CVG is speculating that GTA 2 is slated for XBLA on May 22.
There's a timer and a date on the website.

http://www.rockstargames.com/gta2/

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/871/871170p1.html

Denied!

 

[Struct09]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/871/871170p1.html

Denied!

Funny error :lol

GTA2 is free for PC now anyway isn't it?

 

[Shard]

Funny error :lol

GTA2 is free for PC now anyway isn't it?

Yes, yes it is.

 

[Shard]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/871/871178p1.html

IGN Xbox 360's 10 XBLA Games

10: Carcassonne
9: Prince of Persia Classic
8: Ikaruga
7: Every Extend Extra Extreme
6: Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
5: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
4: Pac-Man: Championship Edition
3: Rez HD
2: Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
1: N+

 

[Archie]

Pacman CE should be no. 1 :x

 

[xblarcade]

ESRB Watch:

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords: Revenge of the Plague Lord D3Publisher of America E10+ Suggestive Themes Windows PC, Xbox 360

(Maybe XBLA, maybe retail)

It is XBLA and it's an Expansion pack, this is the name that they chose for the contest they were doing.

Yeah, I hate the name too!

 

[Princess Skittles]

Pacman CE should be no. 1 :x

Correct!

 

[Jack Random]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/871/871178p1.html

IGN Xbox 360's 10 XBLA Games

7: Every Extend Extra Extreme

What?

 

[Shard]

It is XBLA and it's an Expansion pack, this is the name that they chose for the contest they were doing.

Yeah, I hate the name too!

I know that, I was actually talking about the Red Baron Arcade, I recall that game being released on the PC as a retail title.

 

[AstroLad]

wow, that's a really bad list.

Pac-Man>all
catan>carc
lumines>E4

surprised pop made it on there but other original games well suited to the format didnt (catan, bomberman, etc.).

 

[Shard]

What?

What IGN has to say on the matter.

Every Extend Extra Extreme (E4) is another game that migrated over from the PSP (although it was originally a freeware title created by indie developer Omega). The lineage? Every Extend begat Every Extend Extra begat Every Extend Extra Extreme. Phew! For us E4 is the definitive version, being great value for money and benefiting from a big screen / big speakers presentation. The gameplay is strangely meditative, seeing the player manoeuvring his on-screen icon through a field of enemies, and attempting to detonate it to set off chains of enemy explosions. Blowing up your ship on the beat will give you an additional score bonus (and more with each successive on-the-beat-detonation), while the longer you survive without accidentally running into an enemy (before blowing yourself up) the higher your multiplier climbs.

The key to high scores is - naturally - building and building your multiplier, and picking up as many speed and enemy boost icons as possible. It's a strange game, because a lot of the time you're kicking back watching the explosion chains, but it's hypnotic, and in a typically Q Entertainment touch, all explosions are synced in with the music, creating funky claps layers and the like. This won't be for everyone but it's well worth checking out.

 

[Wario64]

E4 would deserve it if it they just ported E3 instead of trying to make a sequel

 

[pswii60]

IGN AU are entitled to their opinion on this, but my list would be completely, and I mean completely different. But people's favourite XBLA games are completely reliant on what kind of genre you like. I like shooting / action / puzzle / platform, I love Rez, Omega Five, Mutant Storm Empire, Geo Wars, Zuma, Heavy Weapon, Sonic, Alien Hominid etc. But I've got no interest at all in the board and strategy games etc. And while I enjoyed N+ for the first 100 levels, boredom started to creep in pretty quickly at that point.

 

[xblarcade]

I know that, I was actually talking about the Red Baron Arcade, I recall that game being released on the PC as a retail title.

Also XBLA:

http://xblarcade.com/node/194

Note that Megaforce was later renamed Assault Heroes

 

[GotchaForce]

Sam Sho 2!!

 

[duckroll]

What IGN has to say on the matter.

The problem I have with IGN's ignorant comment is that E4 is totally different from E3. They're not even the same type of games. E3 and Every Extend are the same type of stage based shooter, but E4 is just a score based never-ending game.

 

[mollipen]

ESRB Watch:

Samurai Shodown II SNK Playmore USA T Blood, Language,
Tobacco Reference, Violence Xbox 360, Wii

OHGODOHGODOHGODOHGOD!

I knew it was coming... I mean, I knew SNK had said it was coming... but I wasn't going to believe it until I saw some actual proof.

 

[Jack Random]

The problem I have with IGN's ignorant comment is that E4 is totally different from E3. They're not even the same type of games. E3 and Every Extend are the same type of stage based shooter, but E4 is just a score based never-ending game.

yeah, E4 is a joke next to E3

 

[duckroll]

yeah, E4 is a joke next to E3

Well, I bought E4 without owning E3, and I enjoy it enough as an audio-visual stimulant program. But after I found out what E3 was like on the PSP, it's obvious it's a completely different game, so a comparison like IGN's is pointless really.

 

[Jack Random]

Well, I bought E4 without owning E3, and I enjoy it enough as an audio-visual stimulant program. But after I found out what E3 was like on the PSP, it's obvious it's a completely different game, so a comparison like IGN's is pointless really.

I enjoy it for what it is as well, but i was a huge fan of E3 on PSP and couldn't wait to have that experience in HD with 5.1.

I was incredibly disappointed at the outset, when i saw how much they changed it.

 

[virtuafightermaster]

Samurai Showdown is coming finally?
I tought it is forgotten probably got canned by SNK.

Hopefully SNK star working on more title for xbox 360, stop release games on the dying PS2 already.

 

[Shard]

Bionic Commando Rearmed Multiplayer Details

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3167667

When we first showed off the multiplayer mode, we mentioned the cast of characters that you can choose from, and the fact that they all have different parameters.


Let's go through those parameters now:

Nathan "R.A.D." Spencer -- He is your all-round soldier with the perfect balance in weaponry, vitality, and strength.

Supervisor Joseph "Super Joe" Gibson -- Age and numerous military campaigns have taken their told on Joe. As they say, he's not as young as he used to be. However, what he loses in vitality, he makes up for with knowledge of the most advanced weaponry. If Joe gets his hands on the right special weapon, there is no equal.

Groeder (The Imperial Champion) -- Groeder is a mass of twisted metal and flesh. The perfect killing machine who has sacrificed his body for the betterment of the Imperials. No one can match his brute strength and his vitality is nothing to take lightly either. However, his bionic implants require an enormous amount of energy to power, which puts a massive drain on his special weapons. Groeder only gets a few shots with a special weapon so he has to make each one count.

Generalissmo Killt -- Like many other fat-cat leaders, Killt is not one for heavy fighting himself. But don't let that fool you - he has the most endurance of any fighter and a decent knowledge of advanced weaponry. Killt's low damage means he needs to really pin an enemy down to take them out. Fortunately, he can usually trade shots with an opponent and come out on top.

There is one more aspect of multiplayer that I would like to talk about during this post and that is the stages. First off, there are 10 different stages. One of the things that makes them most interesting is the fact that they are based on the Bionic Commando world. Most stages use some specific Bionic Commando background prop.

The first stage shown in the video put up today has explosive barrels. These can either be shot or thrown. See an enemy nearby and blast the barrel to give him an explosive reception or do it the old fashioned way--throw it.

The second stage takes place in the sewer and introduces a classic "prop" from the original game--slime. This stage can be deadly in that not only do you need to worry about shooting the enemy, but you need to watch out for the slimes that can very easily pull you down to your death. Some people have gotten good enough to use the slimes as a method of transportation while they focus on shooting the opponent. Any way you look at it, we're happy to have the slimes back.

Those are just a couple of the new props shown but here are some more to tide over the Bionic Commando fan in you:

Conveyer belts -- No classic 2D side-scroller would be complete without them!

Elevators -- It's time for some Elevator Actio... er, Elevator Warfare!

Quicksand -- A little more friendly than the slimes but still one more thing to worry about.

Gas barrels -- One of the Imperial's favorite weapons of choice.

Well, that is all for today's update. Check back later in the week for the third and final day of this community site exclusive, and while you are waiting check out the new podcast tomorrow where we have some of the press who played multiplayer give us their honest opinions of what they saw.


So here we go with the final bit of "Days of the Commando". I really like the editing for the new video we prepared for today, because it shows off some of the cooler weapons and moves that you have with the bionic arm.


So, let's talk about that... the weapons!

There are 9 weapons in total:

Revolver
Weapon Type: Projectile
Your standard pea-shooter that works in a pinch.

Plasma Rifle
Weapon Type: Energy
A thin laser that cuts through energy shields.

Shotgun
Weapon Type: Projectile
The close-range weapon of choice, capable of downing a foe in a couple of shots.

Vector Cannon
Weapon Type: Energy
A laser that ricochets off walls. Great for attacking enemies who are hiding behind obstacles. Does more damage with each successive ricochet.

Bazooka
Weapon Type: Explosive
A slow-moving rocket that detonates on impact. Can kill most enemies in a single shot.

Grenades
Weapon Type: Explosive
With about a 2-3 second delay before they detonate, grenades aren't the fastest of weapons, but they can be dropped down on lower platforms to blast unsuspecting foes.

?????
Weapon Type: All
The best weapon in the game. Capable of mowing down just about any foe in seconds.

All weapons in multiplayer start upgraded which gives them the most stopping power. For example, the Revolver can usually only fire 2 shots at a time, but when upgraded it can fire 3. We don't want to spoil what the upgrades are since you will collect them in single player as well, but some of them are quite cool!

There are also two other kinds of pickup:

Energy Shield
Gives you around 10 seconds of invincibility but there is one catch - energy weapons can eat through the shield in seconds, leaving the hunter to become the hunted.

Health Pick-up
Replenishes lost energy to help keep you strong during the tough fights.

So now you know ALL the basics of multiplayer. Of course, some of this just isn't going to sink in until you actually get your hands on it, but keep an eye out for the reviews once the game is released - I have faith that if a few reviewers get the chance to spend some time with the game, they will enjoy this mode quite a bit.

Bionic Commando Rearmed EGM Interview

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3167667

Though some classic gamers aren't quite sure what to make of Bionic Commando's grim-n-gritty next-gen update -- seriously, dreadlocks!? -- you'd be hard-pressed to find an unkind word to say about Rearmed, the slick downloadable remake of the NES game. It's a faithful revision that takes a few liberties which add even more awesome to an already brilliant game, not least of which includes crisp 3D visuals and co-op gameplay. We spoke with Capcom producer Ben Judd about this retro-flavored labor of love.

EGM: So, Rearmed obviously exists as a companion to the upcoming current-gen revival of the series, but why go with the NES game? Have you forgotten BC's arcade legacy?

Ben: Certainly not. The arcade started it all. But without a doubt the NES version was the one that really hit the sweet spot -- it had a more detailed story, the overhead view stages, RPG elements. And most importantly, it was the first game to allow users to perform multiple swings in mid-air. The arcade version only allowed you to swing once.

EGM: Well, it's remarkably faithful to the NES game, all the way down to the color palette. How did you decide which gameplay elements to retain and which to update?

Ben: We tried to make sure any adjustments built off the older gameplay in some way; for example, the original game made you choose which weapon to take onto a stage and tied in some barricades that could only be opened with specific weapons. In that case, 80% of the people go with the rocket launcher, which defeats the entire purpose of multiple weapons. So, we've allowed the players to switch weapons in real-time and made certain weapons do more or less damage to enemies based on their weapon type. Additionally, we've added some secret areas that can only be accessed if you have the right weapon. The strategy elements that the original team was aiming for are intact and have been expanded upon.


EGM: Did you consider drawing elements from either of the portable sequels? Elite Force's sniper mode was a cool idea that would work better on modern consoles than it did on Game Boy Color. At the very least, the legwarmers sported by EF's female agent would have been nice. Rearmed is supposed to totally '80s, after all!

Ben: Since Rearmed is a homage to the original NES game we didn't want to blend in too many elements from other games. The idea was to tie Rearmed into the sequel and create one cohesive brand, so we knew we had to stick with one singular start point -- the NES version. To top it off, the game features characters which appeared in other older titles, like Super Joe (Commando, Mercs), so we had to make sure those story lines fit in the new canon as well.

EGM: Rearmed seems awfully colorful and upbeat next to the dark and grim current-gen BC. Did you have any trouble reconciling the tone of the two games?

Ben: The poppy '80s action hero style rings true to the fan base of the original game, whereas the 3D sequel is more mature, but in the end I think we've tied it together well. We are currently running a serial web comic on the community site (www.bioniccommando.com) that links the two stories together quite well. The idea is to give fans the crucial piece of the puzzle -- we wanted to show Spencer's fall from grace. He gave his all to his country, but he and some of his closest friends were left out in the cold due to the government's decision to ban bionic technology. I guess a comparison would be the '60s Batman versus the Dark Knight Batman. Both are Batman at the core, but as the times change and a hero is put under certain pressures, his personality will change to reflect those events.

EGM: Lots of publishers try to resuscitate forgotten series, but few work out this well. What is everyone else doing wrong?

Ben: First, the main gameplay elements have to be relevant to current games. In Bionic Commando's case there has never been a game that featured both a 3D swing element that not only gave the player a lot of freedom and control but also allowed the player to perform other key functions such as aiming and shooting a gun while swinging. Second, I would say that you have to strike the right balance. You can't go with the fans 100% (even though they shout blue murder for every change you make that skews away from the original), but you can't forget that they're the ones to have supported the franchise through the years. If a game is truly fun, people will still support it even if it does skew away from the base concept. A good game is a good game, and a crappy game is also just a crappy game.

EGM: One thing that's definitely revised is the English script, which on the NES often failed to be, you know, coherent. Is the text being updated for all regions, or was it just the English dialogue that was unbearably stupid?

Ben: Not only has the dialogue been updated for all regions, but we are finally pinning it down to one single story line. The problem with the initial localization was that the Japanese and US versions had different stories. On top of that, the sequels used different time lines, character names, and styles. We wanted one consistent, unified Bionic Commando world and made great efforts to pin down all the important parts. However, each language has its own special tone. I come from a localization background and have seen how important story can be. Rearmed is a homage, and we've left in plenty of fanservice for fans of the original game. We can't turn our backs just because it was a bit corny back in the day.

 

[Aika'svyse]

I need Vigilanti 8 already when is that slated anyone know?

 

[Shard]

I need Vigilanti 8 already when is that slated anyone know?

Why, yes, yes I do, I have an update from the devs themselves.

http://v8arcade.com/blog/dev-update-1

Dev Update #1
Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Hey everybody! Peter here, from Isopod.

We’ve been getting a good number of inquiries about our ship date. Many of you want the game finished and on XBLA Marketplace, now! Trust us, so do we! So, here’s the scoop:

We were gunning for April and the game is is pretty much finished — we’re currently tuning, working out bugs, and making sure the game runs well online and complies with a zillion little Microsoft requirements. Though it’s an extremely painstaking and frustrating process at times, it ultimately ensures that the game runs well and takes advantage of all the cool Xbox 360 functionality, like friend invites, rich presence, and so on. With V8 being a full-on multiplayer title, this process gets even more involved, due to all the online-related functionality. (But the game sure rocks online!)

We’ve just finished our pre-certification version for Microsoft, so we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! Should be no more than 2-4 weeks now. Then, it’s up to Activision & Microsoft to find us a release slot. Our best guess is early June, but we’ll keep you all updated.

In the meantime, we’ve just captured a ton of HD video footage for video trailers, and are prepping some neat DLC.

Thanks for your patience & support — the game is turning out great!

-P.

 

[Aika'svyse]

Awesome thanks Shard its a definite day one for me i got my points ready.

 

[2DMention]

Samurai II will be teh shizzle. Day one purchase. I'd get to test my Caffenine Nicotine Skills against people.

 

[Shard]

New XNA-XBLA Title announced

http://www.360sync.com/2008/05/03/gamecamp-toronto-2-announcements

I just got back from GameCamp Toronto 2, a sort of development showcase for gaming in Canada. This was hosted at the University of Toronto, funded mostly by Microsoft Canada and ran from 10am to 6pm. There was a similar event at my university last weekend that was solely on XNA, but I was not able to attend. There were many speakers, their times ranging from 30 minutes to an hour and including Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns from Metanet Software (the creators of N+), David L. Blazetich from Bedlam Games, and Jean-Luc David from Microsoft Canada. It was a relatively small event, with about 100 people, mostly comprised of students. It was a great event with plenty of not-yet-released games were shown, some that aren’t coming to Xbox Live Arcade and some that are.

Microsoft gave us with some interesting news and announcements, that as far as I know, were heard here for the first time. First up was the “Canadian Zune.” For Canadians, this has been a highly anticipated product that we so far have had to get from the US. Well no more: Microsoft just announced that Canadians would be seeing the Zune here in stores starting in Spring 2008. Jean-Luc did remind us that “Spring” ends in June, so this will be coming really soon! Next up was XNA Community Content, which we did get a sample of during and bit after GDC 2008, but we found out that it’ll be coming to us in December 2008!

Also, one of the games that was specifically said to be coming to Xbox Live Arcade was XNA Racer. We were shown a really short gameplay video, but it still looked really fun! Microsoft also talked about a couple of other games, and we’re hoping to get a hold of the people making and developing them for some juicy details. All of us were also treated to a free 1 year membership to the XNA Creators Club, which, judging from the applause, was very welcomed by all.