Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/JoystiqThe Joystiq Podcast combines insightful commentary on the week's video game news and culture with several disembodied, often spooky, voices. Voices may or may not belong to Chris Grant, Ludwig Kietzmann, Joystiq.com editors, or their guests. Spookiness not guaranteed where prohibited, please check local laws. More information available at www.joystiq.comJoystiq Interview: Resistance Retribution's Sam Villanuevahttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/joystiq-interview-resistance-retributions-sam-villanueva/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/joystiq-interview-resistance-retributions-sam-villanueva/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/joystiq-interview-resistance-retributions-sam-villanueva/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


click to embiggen
Resistance Retribution was a surprise hit last month at E3, and we had another chance to play it at last week's Penny Arcade Expo. With more playtime, however, come burning questions that need to be answered. Thankfully, Sam Villanueva, Senior Designer at Bend Studio, was at hand to answer our queries and make sure we could sleep soundly again.

Will you be optimizing Resistance Retribution for the PSP Brite?

That's a good question. We'll be evaluating this. We're pretty deep in development right now. We'd like to optimize, but that could potentially mess with launch time. If we can do it without affecting the date our game comes out, we will.

How does the game fit into the series?

Retribution fits nicely between Resistance 1 and Resistance 2. It's a continuation of the European campaign, whereas Resistance 2 is the start of the American campaign. You are James Grayson and you're going in to destroy another Chimeran tower. We wanted the story to deal with some pretty deep, dark stuff. Lots of drama and mystery. The game starts with your brother being infected and you're forced to kill him, for example.

Is there a multiplayer mode?

Absolutely. We've got lots of cool multiplayer stuff which we'll be announcing soon.
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Continue reading Joystiq Interview: Resistance Retribution's Sam Villanueva

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]]>bend-studioinsomniacjoystiqfeaturesPAX-08PAX-2008Resistance-retributionFri, 05 Sep 2008 12:20:00 ESTTrend watch: Following Molyneux, Dishwasher dev reviews own gamehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/trend-watch-following-molyneux-dishwasher-dev-reviews-own-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/trend-watch-following-molyneux-dishwasher-dev-reviews-own-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/trend-watch-following-molyneux-dishwasher-dev-reviews-own-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Taking a cue from Peter Molyneux's Fable II review, The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai's developer, James Silva, took the opportunity to review his own game before its release. Silva declares that it's inexcusable for his game to have 2D graphics. 2D is "by definition" not HD and is "completely inadequate at capturing our imaginations." He also notes there are glaring omissions from the game like Blades of Chaos, a reasonably sized manskirt, nudity and a boss the "size of a large building." Silva's final verdict on his own game: 1/10.

OUCH! Well, we'll have to do a metareview on The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai when it eventually releases to see if the critics agree with the developer's harsh treatment of the title. We can only expect Silva will now put some actual work into his game after giving it such a harsh review.*

*We pity the fool who doesn't see the tongues firmly planted in cheeks regarding all this.
[Via X3F]
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]]>dead-samuraijames-silvathe-dishwasher-dead-samuraiFri, 05 Sep 2008 01:00:00 ESTPlay with Mercenaries 2 devs, 'catch' an Achievementhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/play-with-mercenaries-2-devs-catch-an-achievement/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/play-with-mercenaries-2-devs-catch-an-achievement/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/play-with-mercenaries-2-devs-catch-an-achievement/#commentsFiled under: , ,


One of the more ... interesting Achievements in the Xbox 360 version of Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is the 50-point "Everybody Wants Some," which is earned by playing online with one of the game's developers, or someone who's already played with them. Yep, it's contagious. Actually, it's sort of like the STD of Live Achievements, if you'll pardon the icky analogy.

We think it'd be pretty cool to hear the 360 "Achievement Unlocked" sound in real life every time we came down with a cold or other ailment. Hear that Microsoft? Get on it - after all, you were all about "Live Anywhere." Mercs 2's devs will be playing September 5 through 12 using special easy-to-grok Gamertags, which we've listed after the break. Now, go forth and expose yourself to viral goodness.

Continue reading Play with Mercenaries 2 devs, 'catch' an Achievement

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]]>achievementseamercenaries-2pandemicxbox-liveThu, 04 Sep 2008 22:30:00 ESTDevil May Cry director hearts God of War, Ninja Gaiden not so muchhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/devil-may-cry-director-hearts-god-of-war-ninja-gaiden-not-so-mu/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/devil-may-cry-director-hearts-god-of-war-ninja-gaiden-not-so-mu/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/devil-may-cry-director-hearts-god-of-war-ninja-gaiden-not-so-mu/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There was a time - when he was working at Capcom, creating the likes of Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry, and Viewtiful Joe - that Hideki Kamiya didn't say much. In fact, he hated doing interviews. Something's changed, because now that he's at Platinum Games, the historically low-key director is letting his true feelings out - about action games, at least.

Speaking to EGM, Kamiya said that, "I've never played Ninja Gaiden, and to be honest, I'm not that interested." Itagaki could not be reached for comment on whether or not he felt that epic burn.

So, what does the master designer actually like? God of War. "There's one game that I am paying really close attention to, that I think is a rival game, a good game, which is called God of War 3," he revealed, boasting, "I want to make a game that exceeds God of War's sequel." That game, he hopes, is his next: Bayonetta. In particular, Kamiya credits Sony's series with being "Very carefully made," saying, "Devil May Cry was a bit rough, but I think that there's no roughness in God of War." Pretty nice words, eh, Mr. Jaffe?
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]]>bayonettadevil-may-crygod-of-wargod-of-war-3hideki-kamiyaninja-gaidenplatinum-gamesThu, 04 Sep 2008 21:30:00 ESTJoystiq hands-on: Combat Armshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/joystiq-hands-on-combat-arms/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/joystiq-hands-on-combat-arms/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/joystiq-hands-on-combat-arms/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We recently had the chance to check out Combat Arms, the free-to-play online FPS brought to US shores by Nexon of America. Nexon is best known in the states for its unique side-scrolling MMORPG Maple Story. Despite the company's grounding in the MMO genre, Nexon chooses to see itself as a purveyor of online games in general. From online racing in Kart Rider to virtual karaoke in Audition, the company publishes or develops a multitude of multiplayer experiences. Its extension to first-person shooters, in that light, makes a great deal of sense.

What's surprising is not that Nexon has chosen to jump into the FPS genre, but that the offering is as good as it is. The company has combined elements of mindless combat shooters like XIII with the multiplayer tactical orientation of a game like Counter-Strike. In doing so, it's delivered a title that can be as explosion- or strategy-focused as players want. And, of course, it wouldn't be Nexon without some unique twists -- namely, the incorporation of its successful microtransaction-based business model.
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Continue reading Joystiq hands-on: Combat Arms

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]]>combat-armshands-onherb-yangmin-kimnexonThu, 04 Sep 2008 21:00:00 ESTJoystiq hands-on: Combat Arms (Page 2)http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/joystiq-hands-on-combat-arms-page-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/joystiq-hands-on-combat-arms-page-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/joystiq-hands-on-combat-arms-page-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Combat Arms employs a clearly visible player ranking system in order to tie together rank rewards, the in-game currency, and the socialization aspects.

Kim and Yang noted that this balance between purchased items and off-the-rack choices didn't exist in the original Korean version of the game. As previously mentioned, the Korean gamers were looking for a more "arcade-y" experience. Grenades had flares to make them easier to track, mines had blinking lights, and every purchased item was a pure win for the player -- why not buy in that environment. As Kim put it, "American players have a definite concept of what is fair and what isn't," and they were determined to cater to that.

Yang noted that the despite changes from the Korean version, Combat Arms retains the "jump-in-and-out" gameplay that made this take on the genre so popular there. Nexon believes Americans will respond (and are responding) to this vision of what an FPS could be, based primarily on the "feel" of the game. As an example, Min Kim noted the simple feature that you can run in the game:

"If you press the shift button you actually run. That is not an option in a lot of other FPSs so it feels a lot faster and a lot of people like that. It's one of those things that is not easy to market; you can't say: 'hey you press the shift button you go really fast' on the back of a box. They don't know what that means until they start playing it."



After talking through the game as a concept, we sat down to play a few rounds -- dying numerous times to both Kim and Yang as they schooled us on the game's public servers. (Protip: Anyone interested in jumping into the game can already do so. Nexon has had an amazingly positive reaction, and had to increase their server capacity unexpectedly fast to deal with demand.)

During our back-and-forth matches, Yang stated that Nexon's planning to update the game on a regular basis. The company has been regularly releasing a patch to the game every two weeks since the game's beta began. Every update will add new weaponry, while a new map or game type will be added every month or two.

That endless state of updates driven by player demand will likely never stop for the game, and neither will the game's "test" state. After the interview, we spoke with Nexon representative Robert Holtzman to clarify when the game would be going with a hard launch. He laughed, and noted that the game might never get one -- given the title's popularity already, Nexon plans to continue to expand through word of mouth advertising and constant improvements.

Overall, we walked away from Combat Arms very impressed. Given the game's region of origin and the stigma of a free-to-play titles, Nexon's offering is a surprisingly fun and impressively attractive offering. It's a fast-action title that will please the twitch-happy mindless shooter fan just as easily as one looking for a more tactical approach. On top of it all, it deftly ties online clan gaming and Web 2.0 sensibilities together with ranks, formal groups, and eventually social networking plugins.

Given the unique blend of MMO and FPS in Combat Arms' DNA, it was intriguing and enlightening to see what the game has become. And it's always hard to turn down the offer of free.

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]]>combat-armshands-onherb-yangmin-kimnexonThu, 04 Sep 2008 21:00:00 ESTGrand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars hits DS this winterhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars-hits-ds-this-winter/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars-hits-ds-this-winter/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/grand-theft-auto-chinatown-wars-hits-ds-this-winter/#commentsFiled under: ,


During its end-of-quarter financial phone call today, Take-Two confirmed that GTA: Chinatown Wars will be released on Nintendo DS this winter, which, according to its fiscal year, would mean no sooner than November and no later than January 31, 2009. This is the first official word on a release window for the game, which was unveiled at this year's E3.

No further details were provided - one member of the press asked if the game was still due before Christmas, to which Take-Two brass responded, "We didn't say that. We're not confirming that." - so for now we just have hints at Wi-Fi play and some juicy potential gameplay details from a leaked consumer survey to go on.
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]]>breakingnewsgrand-theft-autogrand-theft-auto-chinatown-warsgta-chinatown-warrockstartake-twoThu, 04 Sep 2008 17:30:00 ESTDead Space NA release bumped up to Oct. 14http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/dead-space-release-bumped-up-to-oct-14/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/dead-space-release-bumped-up-to-oct-14/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/dead-space-release-bumped-up-to-oct-14/#commentsFiled under: , ,


At this rate, Dead Space will be coming out tomorrow. Clearly taking note of the immense terror and confusion imparted by its decision to release Dead Space earlier than expected, EA has announced that the outer space corridor creeper has been moved forward a week ... again! That's like, the opposite of a delay.

You can now catch the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions in North American stores on October 14th (PC guys are still on for the 20th). That is, if you're confident enough to leave the house, knowing that the world has become a very sick and unusual place.
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]]>BreakingNewsDead-SpaceEAEA-Redwood-ShoresEARSEEKSurvival-HorrorThu, 04 Sep 2008 15:00:00 ESTRumor: GTA IV DLC actually, really coming this Novemberhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/rumor-gta-iv-dlc-actually-really-coming-this-november/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/rumor-gta-iv-dlc-actually-really-coming-this-november/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/rumor-gta-iv-dlc-actually-really-coming-this-november/#commentsFiled under: ,


When our parents split up, both of them tried to convince us that the other would just be "devastated" if they didn't get to have custody of us. (Puzzlingly, each insisted that the other had just bought a pony and ice cream farm, which doesn't even make sense.) Why are we choosing this Thursday morning to flashback to that awkward moment? Once again, we don't know who to believe.

Last month, VG247 had a super secret Rockstar source telling them that the Grand Theft Auto IV DLC wouldn't be available until January. Now, Eurogamer has a different super secret source saying that things are still on track for a November release. We don't know which one is telling the truth, and we don't care ... we just want one of them to love us.

For more timeless tales in carjacking and homicide, check out all our Grand Theft Auto IV coverage.
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]]>dlcgrand-theft-auto-ivgta-ivrockstarThu, 04 Sep 2008 11:00:00 ESTPAX 2008: One hour with full version of Fallout 3http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/pax-2008-one-hour-with-the-full-version-of-fallout-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/pax-2008-one-hour-with-the-full-version-of-fallout-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/pax-2008-one-hour-with-the-full-version-of-fallout-3/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Click for all our Fallout 3 coverage
We were given one hour with Fallout 3 at this year's PAX, and we don't mean some pared down, nerfed, demo-ized level; this was the full version. Not only that, but the Bethesda folks showed it to us in the tricked out Fallout 3 Airstream Trailer, complete with a nuclear family peering in.

Lead designer Emil Pagliarulo started us out roughly an hour into the game, when you exit the vault for the very first time. We missed the whole "growing up" phase in order to rush right into the action. We didn't mind. but what of our first 18 or so years? Maybe you start out on the cellular level, and fight your way out in a glorious Spore/Fallout hybrid. Your guess is as good as ours.
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]]>bethesdafalloutfallout-3hands-onimpressionsjoystiqfeaturespax-08pax-2008penny-arcade-expoThu, 04 Sep 2008 10:00:00 ESTBloody new DeathSpank trailers, details from PAX 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/bloody-new-deathspank-trailers-details-from-pax-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/bloody-new-deathspank-trailers-details-from-pax-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/bloody-new-deathspank-trailers-details-from-pax-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While Hothead is busy pimping its upcoming Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode 2, let's not forget about its other, simpler-titled project DeathSpank. The company has released three new teaser trailers for the snarky title ("Fight" is shown above), built from the ground up with Joystiq's own Ludwig Kietzmann in mind as the target demographic.

During last weekend's Penny Arcade Expo, Hothead COO Joel DeYoung said he considered the game a "more Diablo-esque" episodic action RPG with ample amounts of creator Ron Gilbert's humor, "lampooning video game space and the idea of the video game hero that takes himself too seriously." The game is not using PAA's Torque engine. More information about DeathSpank should be coming "soon," he said. After the break, check out the "Item" and "Armor" trailer. (Spoiler: Two of these three videos use the phrase "Thong of Justice.")

Continue reading Bloody new DeathSpank trailers, details from PAX 2008

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]]>death-spankdeathspankhotheadhothead-gamesron-gilbertThu, 04 Sep 2008 08:30:00 ESTAlien Hominid's XBL activity up after Castle Crashers' releasehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/alien-hominid-hds-xbl-activity-up-following-castle-crashers-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/alien-hominid-hds-xbl-activity-up-following-castle-crashers-re/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/alien-hominid-hds-xbl-activity-up-following-castle-crashers-re/#commentsFiled under: ,


Major Nelson's LIVE activity report for the week of Aug. 25 shows that Alien Hominid HD made a comeback on the charts. We're guessing it's thanks to The Behemoth's other game, Castle Crashers, which took the top activity spot for arcade titles (and the #7 spot overall) during the week -- despite players having connectivity issues.

Alien Hominid HD's resurgence a year and a half after release probably has quite a bit to do with the pimping it received in Castle Crashers. Not only is AH's main character unlockable, but there's also an entire level dedicated to it. And it helps that both games are a lot of fun, right?
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]]>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:00:00 ESTLittleBigPlanet's Nariko Sackgirl is Best Buy exclusivehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/littlebigplanet-nariko-sackgirl-is-best-buy-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/littlebigplanet-nariko-sackgirl-is-best-buy-exclusive/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/littlebigplanet-nariko-sackgirl-is-best-buy-exclusive/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sony previously announced several planned pre-order bonuses for LittleBigPlanet, including custom downloadable "Sackboy" versions of God of War's Kratos and Heavenly Sword's Nariko. While the Ghost of Sparta went to GameStop, the official LBP blog has revealed that pre-ordering the game at Best Buy will land you a download voucher code for Nariko.

Both characters are über-spiffy, but, if you want both, you'll have to pre-order the game twice. No one's preventing you from avoiding it at one of the two stores when it's released, though. Oh no, certainly not us. Of course, you could always wait a bit for the characters to be made available for paid download via the PlayStation Store, something we're sure Sony would never think of doing, not in a million billion years.
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]]>dlcheavenly-swordlittlebigplanetmedia-moleculenarikopre-orderpre-order-bonusWed, 03 Sep 2008 16:30:00 ESTJoystiq interview: Blazing Lizard on Pirates vs. Ninjas vs. Nixonhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/joystiq-interview-blazing-lizard-on-pirates-vs-ninjas-vs-nixo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/joystiq-interview-blazing-lizard-on-pirates-vs-ninjas-vs-nixo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/joystiq-interview-blazing-lizard-on-pirates-vs-ninjas-vs-nixo/#commentsFiled under: , ,


click to enl-arrr-ge
If there's one thing we've learned about Christopher Stockman, Studio Director for developer Blazing Lizard, it's that he's a very good sport. Not only did he agree to speak with us on the phone (most people regret this instantly), but he bravely ran into our questions head-on. He's obviously rubbish at dodgeball.

Read on for our interview regarding Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball, deceased presidents and Xbox Live Arcade's infamous certification process.

Alright, be honest. How sick are you of interviewers asking you to pick between pirates and ninjas?

You know what, I haven't had very many interviews lately, so I'm fresh. I'm not quite a virgin with regards to pirates and ninjas in interviews, but close enough. Born again, you could say.

Plus, you know, it's obviously PIRATES.

Well, some would say it's obviously NINJAS, so the argument rages on.

How much longer do you give this meme before it's gone?

Continue reading Joystiq interview: Blazing Lizard on Pirates vs. Ninjas vs. Nixon

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]]>Blazing-LizardChris-StockmanDLCPirates-vs-Ninjas-DodgeballPSNWiiWareXBLAWed, 03 Sep 2008 14:30:00 ESTThe Force Unleashed tops the charts ... in hardcover fictionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/the-force-unleashed-tops-the-charts-in-hardcover-fiction/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/the-force-unleashed-tops-the-charts-in-hardcover-fiction/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/the-force-unleashed-tops-the-charts-in-hardcover-fiction/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is already a hit in the world of rectangular objects filled with paper and words. The New York Times' bestseller list shows that The Force Unleashed novel by Sean Williams has Jedi mind-tricked its way atop the hardcover fiction pile.

A demo for The Force Unleashed is currently available on both XBLM and PSN. The full game releases globally in two weeks.

[Via Game Daily]
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]]>star-warsstar-wars-the-force-unleashedthe-force-unleashedWed, 03 Sep 2008 10:30:00 ESTResident Evil 5 controls overhauled to be more Gears-likehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/resident-evil-5-control-overhauled-to-be-more-gears-like/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/resident-evil-5-control-overhauled-to-be-more-gears-like/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/resident-evil-5-control-overhauled-to-be-more-gears-like/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Just as we were complaining about a lack of innovation in the move from Resident Evil 4 to Resident Evil 5, we get word that the whole point might be moot. At a recent Microsoft Media Briefing, producer Jun Takeuchi said that players could expect a new control system, similar to Gears of War, when they hunted digital zombies at the Tokyo Game Show.

Of course, one could argue that "innovation" isn't necessarily synonymous with "cribbing the controls from another game." But hey, Gears was inspired by Resident Evil 4 in the first place, no? It is, as Sir Elton says, the circle of life.

[Via X3F]
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]]>capcomjun-takeuchiresident-evil-5tgs-2008Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:00:00 ESTDissidia and Patapon 2 dated for Japan; FF Agito still years awayhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/dissidia-and-patapon-2-dated-for-japan-ff-agito-still-years-awa/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/dissidia-and-patapon-2-dated-for-japan-ff-agito-still-years-awa/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/dissidia-and-patapon-2-dated-for-japan-ff-agito-still-years-awa/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Sony Japan has announced release dates for several PSP titles that all eyes (or in case of Patapon, "eye") have been on. Dissidia: Final Fantasy will sneak in right before Santa Clause shows up on December 18. Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam and the rhythm soldiers of Patapon 2 Donchaka will march in November 20 and 27, respectively. No word yet on North American or European release dates.

Meanwhile, Final Fantasy Agito XIII looks like it's still a long way off from coming to a Sony portable near you. Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura explains the game isn't expected to release until after PS3's Final Fantasy XIII and Versus arrive. In short: We're looking at 2010 or later before Agito's release. Will the PSP, as we know it, even exist at that point?
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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

]]>agitodissidiafinal-fantasy-xiiifinal-fantasy-xiii-versuspatapon-2Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:30:00 ESTRoyal treatment: Prince of Persia 'Limited Edition' free for pre-ordershttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/royal-treatment-prince-of-persia-limited-edition-free-for-pre/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/royal-treatment-prince-of-persia-limited-edition-free-for-pre/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/royal-treatment-prince-of-persia-limited-edition-free-for-pre/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's good to be the king, er ... prince. Or, in this case, simply a pre-order holder for Ubisoft's upcoming Prince of Persia series refresh. The publisher has announced that anyone who lays down the cash (or plastic, or first-borns) to reserve the game will receive the Limited Edition - at no extra cost.

In an unusual step, Ubisoft is creating the LE for pre-orders only, simply as an incentive to pony up early for the game. Unlike other "special" or "limited" edition treatments of current-gen games, it won't come as a $10-$20 premium to advance purchasers - it'll run the standard $59.99. However, those who don't pre-order won't get the goodies, which include:
  • Collectable Limited Edition packaging
  • An exclusive look at the making of Prince of Persia
  • A Prima digital mini-strategy guide full of developer's secrets
  • A digital art book
  • The original soundtrack scored by master composer Inon Zur
We're still chomping at the bit for Ubisoft to show off more of the promising action-platformer, but, for now, this most recent walkthrough video straight outta Leipzig will have to do.
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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

]]>limited-editionpre-orderpre-order-bonusprince-of-persiaubisoftubisoft-montrealWed, 03 Sep 2008 09:00:00 ESTX3F goes hooks-on with Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball multiplayerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/x3f-goes-hooks-on-with-pirates-vs-ninja-dodgeball-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/x3f-goes-hooks-on-with-pirates-vs-ninja-dodgeball-multiplayer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/x3f-goes-hooks-on-with-pirates-vs-ninja-dodgeball-multiplayer/#commentsFiled under: , ,


This Wednesday will see the latest round in the eternal battle between pirates and ninjas arrive on Xbox Live Arcade. Although we caught them coexisting on film at PAX 2008, know well that these two groups are still very much rivals, ready to take desperate measures (dodgeball, naturally) to settle their scores once and for all. (Or at least until someone comes up with another PvN game concept.)

X3F had the opportunity to play the game's developer, Blazing Lizard, in a number of multiplayer modes featured in the final game (but that weren't originally; it was just going to be a one-mode affair) and survived to offer their thoughts. Click here to get your read on, whether you wear a black hood or an eye patch.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

]]>blazing-lizardhands-onpirates-vs-ninjas-dodgeballx3fxblaTue, 02 Sep 2008 23:00:00 ESTBethesda radiates light on Fallout 3 DLC planshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/bethesda-radiates-light-on-fallout-3-dlc-plans/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/bethesda-radiates-light-on-fallout-3-dlc-plans/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/bethesda-radiates-light-on-fallout-3-dlc-plans/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Vaultnews Shacknews caught up with Bethesda veep Pete Hines and Fallout 3 art lead Istvan Pely during PAX and asked the duo a whole mess of questions about - you guessed it - Fallout 3. One of the most salient responses came to a question regarding how the developer expects DLC quests for the game to shake out.

On the scope of DLC, Hines told Shacknews: "We want stuff that's going to be several hours. Not just like a one-off thing, but something like where you can download it and play it for X number of hours," further clarifying plans by adding, "It'll be similar to what we did with Knights of the Nine in Oblivion, where it's like whole new quest lines, new stuff, that kind of thing."

As for a post-launch DLC roll-out time line, Hines was non-committal, saying only that "we already have folks starting to look into what [the DLC] might be."
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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

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