EA reveals release info for Dead Space 2, next Dragon Age, and morePosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 3:03pm by Destructoid
If you're an avid Electronic Arts fan and just have to have everything they own, you might want to tighten your belt for the next year. There's a lot of games, and in the publisher's fiscal earnings details released today, release windows for some major games were revealed. Of note, Visceral's Dead Space 2 is confirmed for an early 2011 release, along with a new Spore title, the Epic Games/People Can Fly shooter, a new Dragon Age game, and an unannounced action title. Yes, I meant to write a new Dragon Age. Hit the jump for a full breakdown of EA's key titles for its fiscal year 2011 (via Shacknews).
EA has two console Need for Speed titles in the worksPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 3:03pm by Destructoid
It's already been confirmed that Burnout developer Criterion has its hands in the Need for Speed franchise. But if Burnout's fast pace and twisted steel isn't your thing, don't worry -- Electronic Arts has confirmed that it has not one but two Need for Speed titles in the works. Holiday of 2010 will see the release of Criterion's Need for Speed title, referred to by EA Chief Operating Officer John Schappert on today's financial call as an action title. Early 2011 (January-March) will see the release of a second Need for Speed title, this one a simulation title, possibly a follow up to last year's Need for Speed: SHIFT. You can can play both titles, no one's stopping you. But if you had to choose, what would you prefer? A Need for Speed simulation title or a Need for Speed action title? Stinky socks are no match for THQ's All Star KaratePosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 3:03pm by Destructoid
function getVideo() { var so = new SWFObject("http://cdn.springboard.gorillanation.com/storage/xplayer/yo033.swf", "mplayer", "620", "375", "8", "#000000"); so.addParam("wmode","transparent"); so.addParam("swliveconnect", "true"); so.addParam("allowscriptaccess", "always"); so.addParam("allowfullscreen", "true"); so.addVariable("pid", "dest002"); so.addVariable("siteId", "357"); so.addVariable("videoId", "121539"); so.addVariable("file", "http://cms.springboard.gorillanation.com/xml_feeds_advanced/index/357/3/121539/"); so.addVariable("pageUrl", document.location); so.write("flashcontent_357_dest002_single_121539"); } getVideo();If cheering wasn't your thing, you might want to consider All Star Karate by THQ. It's the publisher's new title in the "All Star" franchise, following the popular (no, really) All Star Cheer Squad.
Analyzing No More Heroes 2, part 2: The bosses, part 2Posted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 2:02pm by Destructoid
[These posts on No More Heroes 2 are purely speculation. I have no idea what the team at Grasshopper Manufacture intended for the game to mean; I can only speak to what I've taken away from it, so if you don't enjoy potentially bullsh*t interpretations of the meaning of a videogame, then stay away from this post. --Jonathan] Here it is, the second and final post from me about the bosses of No More Heroes 2. Honestly, I'm worried that it's sort of stupid to put these posts out so quickly after the game's release, as I feel that I'm far from really figuring it all out. I've already had a few new ideas about the first nine bosses that I wish I'd written in the other NMH2 boss analysis post, and since I'm about to dive into writing this next post, I'm still trying to figure out what the last nine bosses mean to me. These next nine are especially hard to describe, because they rely on atmosphere and context a lot more than dialogue or physicality to get their messages across. I better not starting thinking about that now, though, or I'll run the risk of getting a sudden case of writer's block and never finishing this thing. I'm just going to jump into it, figure it out as I go along, and hope it makes sense to somebody. That's probably what Suda51 would do, and it seems to be working for him. So hit the jump and see what I poop out. Oh, and watch out for spoilers and stuff.
The Million Gunman: A shameless stereotype From what I can tell, this guy is by far the least liked boss in No More Heroes 2. Unlike most of the other bosses in the game, he's just sort of... there. His motivations for being an assassin, his feelings toward anything, his overarching goals -- all remain unknown. That said, he's not particularly mysterious, either. He clearly likes money, comes off as a snob, and runs away from a fight. Also, he's British. Basically, he's Scrooge with a golden gun. All that is pretty bland on its own, but it makes sense when you think about who he's fighting. Shinobu is a black woman, and at the point in the game where the Million Gunman shows up, she has taken the role of central protagonist away from Travis Touchdown. To my knowledge, this is a first in videogame history. The closest a black woman has come to this before was when Sheva sort-of co-starred in Resident Evil 5, though I personally have never played the game using her (always left her to be AI-controlled). Still, I was only certain that Sheva was black because she outright announces it in the game. She easily could have passed for Latina or a tan Italian. Shinobu's different. She may be rocking the white 'fro, but she's clearly black. Okay, before I go on a rant about race and videogames, let me get back to the Million Gunman. What makes him interesting, at least to me, is how far he takes the "white guy" stereotype. If we lived in a society where people of Anglo-European descent suffered from a history of damaging discrimination, and were therefore more sensitive to being ridiculed or mocked for their cultural idiosyncrasies, the Million Gunman would definitely have spurred some protest from civil rights advocates. Everything about the guy -- his expensive stuff, his high-class accent, his cocky tone, his love of money, and the fact that you fight him in a bank -- all fits perfectly with the stereotype that individuals in minority groups sometimes hold against Caucasians. I guess that's fair. Even to this day, most black characters in videogames (and movies, and TV shows, and music) have either a "gangsta" or other "ethnic" attachment glued onto them. The Million Gunman is the flip-side to that. He's the Black Baron from MadWorld, except in white-face. Whether that's supposed to be funny, offensive, ironic, or just some revenge for minorities that have put up with offensive depictions of their respective races since the dawn of modern entertainment, I can't say for sure. All I know is, it would have been even better if the Million Gunman's name was "Mr. White," like the villain in Petey Wheatstraw: The Devil's Son-in-Law. White She-Devil wouldn't have been bad, either, if a little less accurate.
New Destroyman: Both sides of a bad man If The Million Gunman is Grasshopper Manufacture's take on making a character who's "super-white," Destroyman is their take on the "super American male," and specifically, how men often make women feel. Almost any woman will tell you that when she meets a guy for the first time, no matter how nice he is to her face, she's guessing that in his mind, he's talking to her about something... less nice. That's New Destroyman in a nutshell; he gives both the nice and not-so-nice sides of a man's mental process at the same time. In the first No More Heroes, he showed us the split between the pristine image of an American superhero and the ugliness that likely lies beneath that image. In No More Heroes 2, he works to show us the same thing, but specifically in relation to how men treat women. Travis split Destroyman in two at the end of their fight in the first game. Now he's back, with each organic half supported by a robotic prosthesis, and neither half lacking in mean-spirited horny-ness. One half of the man seems to want to keep up a facade of genuine respect, while the other is constantly degrading Shinobu and openly planning some sort of gang bang. Out of all the potentially disturbing scenes in No More Heroes 2, these cut scenes with New Destroyman and Shinobu were the only ones that troubled me a little bit. Something about the way that New Destroyman (or more accurately, the New Destroymen) related to Shinobu rang true to me. I felt intensely protective of her, and all the more gratified when she overcame his/their advances and dirty tricks. I imagine that as Travis heard her story, he felt the same way. That's what made it so satisfying to kill Destroyman. Having him dead signaled Shinobu's victory, and her safety as well. I'd love to hear what an actual African-American woman thinks of the Million Gunman and New Destroyman. That's not to say that my assessment is any less valid, but it would be interesting to hear how these two villains, whom I feel were tailor-made to stand in opposition of gaming's first black female action hero, appear to a black female. Too bad all the black girls I know who play videogames think the Wii is totally lame.
Ryuji: Travis's mysterious brother in combat Ryuji isn't all that complicated. He's sort of the Boba Fett of the game, intentionally lacking in characterization so that we can project any personality onto him that we want. Low on personality as he may be, he still serves a pivotal role in the development of Travis Touchdown. On the surface, Ryuji is like Travis. He rides a motorcycle, he fights with a beam katana, and he has a set of unique, stylish moves. He's also very different from Travis. He's not from this continent, and doesn't seem to buy into the Santa Destroy way of competition. He fights like a sumo, on equal ground, and without dirty tricks. Like Ryu from the Street Fighter series, Ryuji fights for enlightenment. He's not a common thug or a killer. He's achieved the status of a "true warrior" -- not through "gimmicks" or "technology," but through the strength of his will. Ryuji's advanced status as a human fighter is something that Travis finds in himself during their fight. It's not likely that Travis would have killed Ryuji at the end of their battle. We'll never know for sure, though, because right after Travis defeats Ryuji, Sylvia guns him down in cold blood. I'll get more into this on a separate post on Travis and Sylvia's relationship, but I'll say now that I think Sylvia represents both the best and the worst sides of the way videogames are made today. In this instance, she shows how little she respects the life of the gamer. Ryuji is just another player in her UAA game, and when he loses to Travis, his existence is no longer necessary. She doesn't value him as Travis does. Worse, she chastises Travis for seeing Ryuji's life as something of worth. She doesn't want Travis to play the game for any other reason than to kill. Death is the only thing she values. It takes Travis a little while to build up to doing something about Sylvia and her disrespect for the participants in her contest, but in time, the death of Ryuji culminates in something that changes both of their lives for good.
Henry: Travis's better half Henry is Travis's twin brother, and in the first game, he represents everything that Travis could be if he were just a little bit better. He's the "mysterious, slightly more powerful rival character" that has made its way into so many power fantasies. Henry is to Travis as Zero is to Mega Man X, or Racer X is to Speed Racer. He's there to make Travis feel bad about himself, and to give him something to aspire to be. That hasn't really changed in No More Heroes 2. The only thing that's different is that now, Travis makes peace with Henry. He's okay with the fact that Henry is probably better than him. He's still competitive with his twin, but he's not so threatened by him that he feels the need to kill him. Before, Travis's only method of dealing with a threat like Henry was to make it die, but in No More Heroes 2, he finds a better way. He joins him. Part of that "joining" happens when Travis allows Henry to stay in Travis's motel room; specifically, in his bed. Henry needs to thaw out after being frozen in carbonite by Dr. Letz Shake, and during his thaw time, he's totally defenseless. Travis could kill him right there, but instead, he not only lets him live, but passively helps him come back to life. Cut off from the physical world, Henry still isn't totally safe. He ends up in a battle that takes place in the world of his unconscious mind. That's where he meets Mimmy.
Mimmy: The gatekeeper to the Garden of Madness If Travis is Suda51's brazenly immature, enthusiastic gamer side, Henry is his calmer, cooler, more adult side. Apparently, he's also the side of Suda51 that's able to tap into his subconscious and make something of his dreams. While Henry's unconscious, we find that he has an intimate bond with the embodiment of all subconsciously derived ideas for videogames: Mimmy. Mimmy is more than just a prepubescent girl with robotic battle-arms and a head like a radish. She is the representative of an imaginary world, born of all the things that Suda51 has taken into his mind and uses later in videogames. We see this on the wide-screen TV that Henry and Mimmy watch together, as it plays cut scenes from earlier in No More Heroes 2. I bet that's the same internal TV on which Suda51 watches a lot of his future games. Mimmy is also a temptress. She begs Henry to stay with her forever and watch the ideas that float through Henry's subconscious, to spend the rest of his life connecting with his own subconscious. I can relate. It's a lot easier to just sit around and dream up ideas than it is to actually try to make them into something real. That's exactly what Mimmy tempts Henry to do, but due to his indomitable will, he fights the urge, and comes back to the conscious world. He disintegrates Mimmy, cutting off his connection to the subconscious, and potentially to his imagination as well (which is maybe why from here on out, the game is a lot less weird). Mimmy may be gone for now, but I bet we'll be seeing her again in future games. If there is one thing the No More Heroes series hasn't been lacking so far, it's imagination.
Margret Moonlight: Servant of Death Margret represents both the dead, and death itself. Her theme song; her mini-scythe weapons; her intimate connection to the pale, dead moon; her ghost-like appearance and abilities -- they all tell us that she is more connected with life than death. Travis has had a close relationship with death on a symbolic level for a very long time, but his meeting with Marget is where we get to see how Travis and death really get along. So, what's Margret's motivation? What do death and the dead actually want? Nothing much, really. All Margret wants is to be remembered. Before trying to kill him, she asks Travis to hear her song. Then, as she is about to leave this world, she asks him to remember it. Travis abides, and as he walks away in the blinding moonlight, he whistles her song to himself, casting a long, black shadow in his wake. With that, Travis has taken up the mantle of death from Margret. He's the reaper now, but then again, I guess he always was.
Captain Vladamir: The soul of a lost gamer Through most of No More Heroes 2 -- and most videogames, for that matter -- the developer asks the player to bravely step into a mysterious, unpredictable world. The developer has total control, while in return, the player is given the opportunity to explore an undiscovered country. Sealed in the casing of our in-game characters, unable to really touch or feel the game world, we enter each game as an explorer. Captain Vladamir the Cosmonaut, a refugee from lost space and time, is on the same kind of journey of exploration. He even has a game pad on his chest to prove it. His problem is that he's not able to play the game. His wires have been cut. He's out of control. While struggling to get a handle on himself and his surroundings, he constantly asks for help from a higher power. For Vladamir, that power is an unseen satellite that can bring down death like the wrath of God. However, Vladamir's overseers must not have cared for him that deeply, or else he would never have become so lost. He's pressing the buttons and he's giving the commands, but this is a game he isn't going to win. In the end, it's Travis who sets him free. After he hits Vladamir with the death blow, the blinded explorer can see again. He sees that Earth, the place he's been trying to find for God knows how long, was under his feet the whole time. With that, he can rest in peace. Travis has ended his game.
Alice Twilight: The Last Ascetic As Matt Helms tops off a Resident Evil 4-themed level, and Cloe Walsh a Metal Gear Solid-style stage, Alice Twilight is found in a world that reminded me a lot of Grand Theft Auto. Keep in mind, ,though that I don't really like the Grand Theft Auto games, largely because I find the simulation of petty (and not so petty) crimes to be rather dull. Running around a painfully realistic city, with no thematic music to accompany me (only the same crappy radio stations I can get in real life), and no grander purpose than to cause trouble and make money, is my idea of a soulless, bland experience. I often wonder what people who love the GTA games would think of the series if they shared my perspective, if they didn't get any fun out of simulated car thefts and hooker murders. Well, one way I could find out is to ask them to play around in the overworld of the original No More Heroes, or play Alice Twilight's stage in No More Heroes 2. Most of Alice's stage looks like a real place, has no "unrealistic" use of thematic background music to keep things interesting, and takes place in a large, city-like area that's both repetitive and easy to get lost in. That's exactly how I feel about the GTA games, although at least in No More Heroes 2, it doesn't take too long for the level to turn into something more fun. If Alice's stage is GTA without the vice, Alice is a player who takes no joy in vices. She's a follower of Asceticism, a spiritual belief that allows for no worldly pleasures. Bettering one's self is the only goal of the Ascetic. It's a joyless life that presumably calls for no pleasures or attachments whatsoever. One might guess that such a lifestyle might make someone question the meaning of life, or even become severely suicidal. From Alice, we get a little of both. She tells us that her world is just an "endless cycle of violence, broadcast as a spectator sport" that's "addicted to the violence." She wants Travis to set her free. If I met one of the characters from a GTA game, I assume that's exactly what they'd tell me about their lives, and why they may prefer to be dead instead of having to live in a game that's so heartless. Travis's response is simple: "If you get tired of the battles, then fucking quit." What Travis doesn't get is that only player characters can end their game. Non-player characters like Alice can only escape by being ended by the player.
So, what does Alice really want? Like Margret (who has some connection to Alice, according to the pictures she is seen throwing into the fire), all Alice wants is to be remembered. That's what she's really been fighting for, and as she falls into Travis' sword, she seems relieved at knowing that Travis (and you, the player) will not forget her. Not only will Travis remember her, but he has been changed by her. By witnessing her pain, her sense of loss and of being lost, Travis sees that this kind of game is wrong. Treating videogame characters like objects, like disposable victims of deserving of endless violence, is not what he wants to stand for. He decides to betray the rules of the game, and become "a hero by [his] own standards." He denounces the game, and pledges to "tear down the UAA." First, though, he has a video store clerk to avenge.
Jasper Batt Jr.: The new Batman The fact that Travis still goes after Jasper Batt, even after renouncing the UAA and the assassin's life, shows how much he really hates the guy. On the surface, we're told this is because Travis wants to avenge his "best friend," Bishop. That's silly. As anyone who's played the first game will tell you, the relationship between Bishop and Travis was pretty shallow. Bishop never deals with Travis outside of two brief types of interactions (bike delivery and video rental). He doesn't even have the decency to call Travis when his porno videos are overdue. He has a confused-sounding girl do it for him. No, Bishop doesn't mean anything to Travis. What his death really signifies is that Santa Destroy, the town Travis calls home, is being taken over by big-money corporations. The lo-fi, humble trappings of Santa Destroy are being wiped out by Jasper Batt's company. This is a parallel to the gaming industry, where the types of low-budget, small developer games that used to be everywhere are slowly getting choked out by the EAs and the Activisions of the gaming world. That's something that Travis, or at least, the player, is supposed to care about. Batt Jr. doesn't just represent American mega-corporations. He's also a parody of one of the world's most beloved symbols for "heroic vengeance." Just as Travis fashions himself after a character from a manga, Jasper Batt takes after someone from American comics. Like Bruce Wayne, Jasper Batt Jr. is an owner of a multi-million-dollar company. He also dresses like a bat, throws little bat-shaped boomerangs at his enemies, and fights to avenge the death of his family. If Jasper Batt were just a little taller and better looking, you'd swear he was Christian Bale. Stranger still is the idea that from Batt's perspective, Travis is the villain of the Batman story. He's the instrument of chaos, the cold-hearted killer, the root of all of Batt's pain. Though it's Batt wearing the purple and green suit, it's Travis who plays the Joker in this scenario. The game doesn't actually do that much to dissuade the player from agreeing with Batt. Travis did kill Batt Jr.'s father and brothers. Travis really did start this cycle of revenge, and in the end, he really is the bad guy (or at least, the "worse" guy). Batt had one person killed. Travis's kill count is probably in the thousands. This last battle may not affirm Travis's status as a hero, but it does work to achieve a few other things. It drives home that Travis has, in fact, formed relationships and attachments over the course of the game, and now fights for something different. He may have killed Jasper's family for cash in the first game, but that doesn't seem to be something he'd do now. The battle also re-affirms that superheroes and giant, baby-like corporate mascots look ridiculous, something that's always fun to see pointed out. Perhaps most importantly, though, this last fight lets us see Travis's real power: the ability to channel all the hate and anger of his opponents and kill them with that. It's quite a skill, and something that probably makes sense to a lot of gamers. How many times have you played a game that killed you countless times, then focused all of that adversity into determination, and then used that determination to eventually "beat" the game? But that does raise a question: What does Travis have after all his enemies are gone, and there is no more hate and anger (or videogame) to re-channel against the world? Without a force to push against, Travis drifts towards the Earth in a frictionless free-fall, heading face-first into the end of his life, and more importantly, the end of the game. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Discussion of the final moments of No More Heroes 2 will have to wait for my next post on the game, where I'll focus more on the relationship of Travis and Sylvia: where it starts, how it changes, and how it ends.
BioShock and motion control? Only if it's 'subtle' enoughPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 9:09am by Destructoid
We've been chatting with 2K Marin creative director Jordan Thomas ahead of our upcoming BioShock 2 review, as you may have guessed from the truckload of stories we've posted. We had to ask the question everybody asks -- could BioShock work on the Wii? Thomas' answer was that it absolutely could ... if motion controls were more subtle. "Speaking only for myself, I don’t think BioShock is about interface," he tells us. "It’s more about choice and expressivity -- made immediate and spectacular enough to encourage experimentation. If motion controllers are subtle and varied enough to translate gestures into all the forms of input our simulation demands, then it’s absolutely possible." I'm not sure that "expressivity" is a word, but I like Thomas' thinking. Perhaps Natal or the Sony Wiimote will give BioShock the subtlety and variety it needs. Would you like to use your own hands to fling Plasmids around, or do you prefer your BioShock in a more traditional format? The Saga Continues With LEGO Clone WarsPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 9:09am by Kotaku
I am continually amazed by the success of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a stylized cartoon version of the events that take place between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. I know how it's going to end, you see, and all of these colorful new characters will be forgotten by the third movie. Still, it doesn't stop me from watching, and it doesn't stop LucasArts and Traveller's Tales from pumping out a LEGO game based on the series for fans to purchase and enjoy. The Clone Wars will span both seasons of the animated series, with all of the characters from the show represented in LEGO form, along with some fan-favorites from the saga that haven't appeared in the series. The game will feature an upgraded level builder, new head-to-head combat moves, and new abilities for players to fool around with. "LucasArts continues to set the bar for next-generation family entertainment," said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. "The LEGO Star Wars franchise is a massive hit with fans, bringing in sales of over 20 million units worldwide. We're thrilled to extend this experience to LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, delivering the humor and fun players expect from this award winning franchise." I love the humor and fun of the series, so that's good. I also love the animated look of the cartoon, which could be a problem. It's one thing to make live-action characters into LEGOs, but Star Wars: The Clone Wars already features stylized characters. Wouldn't putting them in LEGO form steal some of their charm? We'll see come this fall, when LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars comes out on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, DS, and PSP. Shocker: Miyamoto making a MotionPlus gamesPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 7:07am by Destructoid
In amazingly shocking news, it's been discovered that a game designer is designing games! Shigeru Miyamoto, the Nintendo genius who's gone off the rails a bit, is making a new MotionPlus game. Of course, if we knew what the game in question was, this story might be halfway useful. We do not know what the game in question is. Surprisingly, this is about the best story this morning. This is what happens when there is a Super Bowl at the weekend. Bloody videogame PR people were too busy shouting "WHO DAT" to give us some actual good stuff to post. Now we're talking about Miyamoto making a MotionPlus game. No sh*t he is. LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars announcedPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 7:07am by Destructoid
Did you think that Traveler's Tales had done all it could do with the LEGO Star Wars franchise? If so, you have no idea how the videogame industry works, my friend. LEGO Star Wars III has just been announced, and it's taking us to the Clone Wars. LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars is coming to all the systems, obviously. DS, PSP, Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 all get their licks in. New battle modes will be included, as well as all the characters from the Clone Wars TV series. There will also be a few classic characters from the movies too. So, this is a thing that is happening. Good times.
LONDON, UK – 8th February, 2010 – LucasArts and TT Games today announced the development of LEGO® Star Wars™ III: The Clone Wars™. The next chapter in the award-winning LEGO® Star Wars videogame franchise, LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will combine the best elements of all previous LEGO® games while adding brand new gameplay to make it the most action-packed LEGO® videogame to date. Developed by the same team at Traveller’s Tales that created the critically acclaimed LEGO® Star Wars and LEGO® Indiana Jones™ series, the game will ship on the Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Xbox 360®videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows in the Autumn of 2010. “LucasArts continues to set the bar for next-generation family entertainment,” said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. “The LEGO® Star Wars franchise is a massive hit with fans, bringing in sales of over 20 million units worldwide. We’re thrilled to extend this experience to LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, delivering the humour and fun players expect from this award winning franchise.” “LucasArts is an amazing partner, and working with them on the next iteration of the LEGO® Star Wars series continues to be a great experience,” said Tom Stone, director at TT Games. “The team at TT is working hard at making this simply the best LEGO® game ever with all new gameplay and features never before seen in a LEGO® game.” LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will include all the characters from both seasons of the hugely popular animated television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as some fan-favourite characters from the beloved theatrical Star Wars Saga. The game will feature brand new battle modes, giving players unique, head-to-head combat and an upgraded level builder, allowing the creation of customized bases and in-game battlefields. Play either as a Jedi or Separatist with all-new character abilities, such as Squad command, Lightsaber slicing, Lightsaber jumps, long distance Jedi attacks and Grapple Tie-Ups, all within a new, easy-to-navigate hub.
Nintendo DLC: Blaster Master, Tomena Sanner, FieldrunnersPosted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 6:06am by Destructoid
It's another week, another set of Nintendo downlo--oh my God... Blaster Master Overdrive!!
DSiWare
Virtual Console
Outside of Blaster Master, this week's a tough call on where the Nintendo points should go. Tomena Sanner is a Japanese oddity that looks like a can't-miss. Hubert the Teddy Bear is finally going to get to play winter games. Fieldrunners should be a good buy for anyone who doesn't already own in on the iPhone. What else is catching your eye? What Does A Hamster Have To Do With Super Mario Galaxy?Posted on Monday February 8th, 2010 at 4:04am by Kotaku
Take The Legend of Zelda, which was inspired by Miyamoto's children spent playing outside, or Pikmin, which was inspired by gardening, or Nintendogs, which was inspired by his experience owning a pet. Super Mario Galaxy? A hamster. Miyamoto was trying to get his head around how to do Galaxy's battles in 3D environments, and he was able to resolve the issue thanks to the hamster in his house, the game creator revealed at a recent symposium. In order to make the game easy to play, Miyamoto decided to use the planet's gravity so that the player can come back to the same place and thus would not get lost — much like a hamster running on a wheel or in a plastic ball. At the same conference, the famed designer, who created Super Mario Bros., admitted that he did not draw the character's nemesis. "A new employee drew Bowser for us," Miyamoto revealed, "but I drew Mario myself." Every knows that he designed Mario and drew the character himself, but I hadn't heard that he did not draw Bowser. Some days you learn something new. Today it was about Shigeru Miyamoto and Bowser. ?????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????13??????????????????????????????New ???????????? Wii? [4Gamer] Can I get a hand-clap? Blaster Master: Overdrive videoPosted on Sunday February 7th, 2010 at 1:01pm by DestructoidWe got the news yesterday that a remake/sequel to Blaster Master called Blaster Master:Overdrive would be hitting WiiWare this Monday, but all we had to go on were some small, blurry screenshots and a press release. Well, now we have a small, blurry video too! Hooray! What do you think of the game so far? Personally, I'm not totally sold on its look yet, but one things for sure, that remix of the "Stage 1" music from the original game is good stuff. As a rule, I prefer sprite-based graphics and chip tunes to pre-rendered graphics and synth-y re-recordings, but those hand-claps are alright. The new grappling hook power-up looks cool too. Also, giant bat-boss. Blaster Master: Overdrive- Trailer [GoNintendo]
When's That New Blaster Master Game Available?Posted on Sunday February 7th, 2010 at 12:12pm by KotakunewVideoPlayer( {"type":"video","player":"http://www.youtube.com/v/qSbslfm3aoE&hl=en&fs=1&fmt=22","customParams":[],"width":500,"height":412,"ratio":0.824,"flashData":"","embedName":null,"objectId":null,"noEmbed":false,"source":"youtube"} ); That is a good question, my man. How about nowish? Blaster Master Overdrive, announced yesterday, is available via WiiWare beginning Monday.
The game will cost 1,000 Wii points. Developers not developing as many Wii gamesPosted on Saturday February 6th, 2010 at 10:10pm by Destructoid
While this holiday season and past month saw a solid resurgence in high quality games landing on the Wii with the likes of New Super Mario Bros. and No More Heroes 2 landing it appears that developers are shying back away from the system. According to a recent survey conducted by Game Developer Research the number of developers working on the Wii has gone done since last year. With 41 percent of the respondents saying that they made games for consoles, only 30 percent of them said that they are working on the Wii. This is down from the 42 percent that said that they were developing for the system last year. Meanwhile 69 percent of the console developers are making games for the Xbox 360, and 61 percent for the PlayStation 3. Those numbers are pretty much equal with last year's. This may sound like bad news for the Wii, but looking at the year's upcoming line-up it seems to me like we're most likely just losing a whole bunch of the mini-game crap that has finally slowed down sales wise. If that 12 percent loss was 10 percent shovelware and 2 percent real games I'm fine with that. Wii development in decline - Survey [GameSpot] New Blaster Master game coming to WiiWare this Monday?!?Posted on Saturday February 6th, 2010 at 8:08pm by Destructoid
Jesus, where the hell did this come from? Did someone at Sunsoft forget to do PR for the past few weeks, or did they think that the less time we have to anticipate a game, the more likely we are to pick it up on an impulse buy? Either way, I'll be sure to pick up Blaster Master Overdrive when it launches on WiiWare this Monday for 1,000 WiiPoints. Ten bucks is a steal for a sequel to Blaster Master; easily one of my favorite NES games ever. The slightly tweaked version on the Wii's Virtual Console was even better than the original. Infinite continues FTW. Hit the jump for the full press release, and stay tuned for larger, less blurry screens of the game in action. Hopefully I'll get a hold of some before the game comes out, which is in less than 48 hours. Man, I'm so excited to fight that crab boss again. He's such a bastard... Redding, CA – February 6, 2010 – SUNSOFT, a division of SUNCORPORATION (JASDAQ: 6736), has today announced that BLASTER MASTER™:OVERDRIVE will be available in North America on February 8th for WiiWare. BLASTER MASTER™:OVERDRIVE is an action-shooting game that takes place on an Earth infected by an aggressive, polymorphic virus. Poor, defenseless animals worldwide infected by the virus have been turned into flesh-eating, hemoglobin-swilling terrors. Fortunately, the world has Alex. And, even more coincidentally, he happens to be one of the world’s foremost biologists - specializing in viral mutation profiles and genetic manipulation. Every studious biologist facing imminent global annihilation needs a sweet ride, and Alex is no exception. He has S.O.P.H.I.A., a shape-shifting, gas-guzzling, projectile-spewing paean to destruction on four wheels. Things look grim, but with Alex and S.O.P.H.I.A. on the case, the world just may have a chance. Gameplay in BLASTER MASTER™:OVERDRIVE retains the critically acclaimed format of the original NES BLASTER MASTER™, alternating between side-scrolling platforming in S.O.P.H.I.A. and overhead-perspective blasting and exploration when controlling Alex. Upgrades for S.O.P.H.I.A. must be collected to access progressively more challenging terrain and a total of eight distinct areas. Each area features a mutant boss that must be defeated to progress. The sublime blend of side-scrolling shooting/platforming mixed with overhead perspective action/shooting areas is just as addictive now as it was in the original game. The game is rated E10 for Mild Fantasy Violence and can be purchased from the Wii Store online for 1000 Wii points beginning February 8th, 2010. As with the BLASTER MASTER NES Virtual Console release, fans are encouraged to improve their skills completing this game so they can compete and win in a coming promotion that will test their skill for collectible prizes. About SUNCORPORATION. Located in Aichi prefecture in Japan, SUNCORPORATION has been innovating electronic equipment and software for almost forty years. Their corporate slogan, “Dream, Challenge, and Creation” perfectly summarizes the spirit that gave birth to their software company SUNSOFT. Worldwide, SUNSOFT has developed or published almost 100 games for both consoles and arcades. They also publish for iPhone and Windows mobile platforms. About GAIJINWORKS. GAIJINWORKS was founded by Victor Ireland after spending more than 15 years as President of Working Designs, where he innovated deluxe packaging, special premiums, pack-in soundtracks and game documentaries for their RPG product. Many of the practices he innovated have become standard in the RPG segment, and console video games in general. GAIJINWORKS is focused on continuing a tradition of fanservice for game fans. Information about the rating for this game can be obtained at www.ESRB.org. Direct media inquiries to press@sunsoftgames.com “BLASTER MASTER” is a trademark of SUNSOFT © 2010 SUNSOFT Analyzing No More Heroes 2, part 1: The bossesPosted on Saturday February 6th, 2010 at 7:07pm by Destructoid
[These posts on No More Heroes 2 are purely speculation. I have no idea what the team at Grasshopper Manufacture intended for the game to mean; I can only speak to what I've taken away from it, so if you don't enjoy potentially bullsh*t interpretations of the meaning of a videogame, then stay away from this post. --Jonathan] No More Heroes 2 is out, and so far, the game has been pretty divisive. Some people like it much more than the original, while others are disgusted by how different the sequel is. One of the major causes for that split are the bosses. No More Heroes featured a talkative, well-rounded group of boss characters. Fans love some of them even more than they love the game's protagonist. As appealing as they may be, these bosses didn't always have much to do with Travis Touchdown, or the game's story as a whole. That's how the bosses in No More Heroes 2 are different. The game's bosses aren't always as chatty or multi-dimensional as those found in No More Heroes, but they all work to better define Travis Touchdown as a character, and fit into the game's overarching theme. The first No More Heroes worked to define the world of No More Heroes, while its sequel is much more focused on showing us the evolution of the game's main character. Hit jump for a quick rundown on the game's first nine bosses and what I think they mean. Oh, and watch out for spoilers; there might be some.
Skelter Helter: Self-decapitation with a smile Skelter Helter remains mysterious to me in many ways. I'm still trying to figure out why he looks almost exactly like Cloud Strife. Is the likeness a tribute or a parody, or a sign that Grasshopper Manufacture wants Travis Touchdown to replace Cloud as the world's most famous, skinny-but-ass-kicking Japanese videogame protagonist -- or all three? One thing I'm not puzzled by is Skelter's place in No More Heroes 2's greater story arc. He is the bringer of "the shackles of revenge," one of many characters in the game who show us what revenge means and what it does to people. In his quest to avenge his brother's murder, he becomes involved in a murderous plot of his own, one that works to suck Travis into the cycle of violent payback. After being decapitated, and then un-decapitated, he rips his own head off, purposely separating his head (reason) from his body (desire). Skelter Helter shows us that vengeance is just another way to lose your mind.
Nathan Copeland: "I'm weary of this guilty world, all glitter, no soul." Nathan was originally intended to appear in the first No More Heroes, and in many ways, he would fit better in that game than he does in the sequel. The bosses of No More Heroes are all different takes on various American ideals: old-fashioned cowboys, sexy/rich teen idols, superheroes, and millionaires are just a few examples. Nathan Copeland fits right in with that group. He's a rapper and a religious prophet, who uses his music and his huge collection of gaudy objects (including a few afro-clad ladies) as his weapons. The character works as a nice bit of satire of the modern B-boy, and as a foil to Travis's burning ambitions. Like many of No More Heroes 2's bosses, Nathan looks to Travis to end his life. He wants deliverance from this world, and he wants Travis, the "crown-less king," to be the one to kill him. He seems to view Travis -- and his mutual mastery of the sword and abandonment of any of life's other worldly pursuits -- as a sign of spiritual superiority. Travis doesn't need a crown, fancy hotel room, or bikini girls to enjoy life. All he needs is the pursuit of combat and climbing the ranks -- or at least, that's how Nathan sees him. I wonder if Nathan would have as much respect for Travis if he knew how motivated his is by revenge this time around.
Charlie MacDonald: The ultimate American alpha male (who forms the head) Skelter Helter may represent the ultimate Japanese game protagonist, and Nathan may be a symbol of everything that makes gangsta rappers "badass," but Charlie MacDonald is clearly on top of the food chain. He is everything that makes an American man a man. He's a good-looking, confident, blond-haired, blue-eyed all-star athlete with a huge harem of cheerleaders at his beck and call. He also uses teamwork to form a giant robot that's shaped like a football. All of that makes Charlie the man to beat. The idea of a team of people in matching outfits working in unison to form a giant robot may have originated in Japan, but it fits perfectly with America's idealized perception of team-based sports. In that way, Charlie MacDonald is the perfect example of what Grasshopper Manufacture is going for stylistically with the No More Heroes games. He's a dream-like amalgamation of American and Japanese pop-culture ideals. In terms of storyline, Charlie serves a few purposes. Like Nathan and Skelter, the fact that Travis defeats Charlie further shows how much of an alpha male Travis has become. Still, even though Charlie loses in the end, he still has something that Travis doesn't: friends and supporters. Actually, Charlie himself isn't all that important to the game's narrative, but his cheerleaders are. After killing them, Travis feels guilt for the first time in the game, something that becomes a strong motivator as things continue. The death of Charlie and his team marks the first time we get the sense that Travis may not be the unsophisticated sociopath that he initially makes himself out to be. We'll see even more of that side to Travis in his fight against...
Kimmy Howell: Innocence is a double-bladed katana Like I mentioned before, No More Heroes 2 has its share of detractors, but as far as I can tell, even the harshest critics of the game accept Kimmy Howell. There are probably a lot of reasons for that. The fact that she's cute, has an accent, and combines the school-girl archetype with the violent style of Darth Maul probably doesn't hurt. For me, though, it's deeper than than that. I think Kimmy's character is the basis for the entire theme of No More Heroes 2: innocence vs. revenge. She symbolizes the innocent-but-intense pursuit of idol worship, the dream of becoming better than your heroes. That's something that used to be at the heart of videogames, particularly the kinds of twitch-skill, work-based games that appear as job side-games in No More Heroes 2. Where a lot of today's most popular games are about engrossing oneself in the most base and primitive of indulgences, games like Donkey Kong and Paperboy were all about taking on an incredibly difficult challenge and trying to outdo your rivals on the local leaderboards. No More Heroes brings the return of these games to the forefront of retail releases. If these games had a mascot, it could be Kimmy Howell. She loves Travis, even worships him, but she also wants to better him. After announcing her love for him, she challenges him to a life-or-death battle that she knows she may very likely lose. That's something that Travis can't help but love, and that's why he spares her life at the end of the battle. He values what she stands for more than he values the pleasure he gets from killing. It seems that against opponents like Kimmy, Travis would rather have the opportunity for a rematch than the satisfaction of a murder.
Matt Helms: Bio-hazard of dead materials Matt Helms is the anti-Kimmy Howell. He's the game's symbol of revenge at its worst. If Travis is a struggling teenager in a man's body, still forming his identity and finding his own ideals and beliefs, then Matt Helms is a 400-pound baby with a fire-breathing battle axe. He's as primitive as it gets, enacting his revenge on whomever enters his forest, with no concept of beliefs or ideals of any kind. At this point in the game, we've already learned that revenge is contagious, and by the looks of Matt Helms, he's got a bad case. In child form, he's naked, sick, and rotten-looking. In man-form, he's a child-masked freak in a house that's constantly collapsing around him. He's truly lost, but he doesn't care. He's too busy killing everything that gets in his way. Worse still, Matt's story never ends. The other assassins in the game may find peace in death, or in some other conclusion. Matt will never have closure. He'll forever remain alone in his burning house, perpetually killing with no sense of meaning. It makes sense that Matt's level seems to be loosely based on the graveyard area of Resident Evil 4. Just like that game's infected villagers, Matt deserves both our pity and our fear. He'll never grow up, never move beyond his primitive state of anger and madness. He'll never find a way out of the "shackles of revenge."
Cloe Walsh: Look but don't touch As Matt Helms' stage clearly pays tribute to Resident Evil 4, Cloe Walsh's level is undoubtedly a shout-out to the Metal Gear Solid series. Her level is the first (and last) time Travis is not encouraged to run up to the nearest enemy and stick his sword into them. Instead, the excitement of the stage comes from knowing that enemies are always close, but you're better off keeping them away from you. It's the formula that's made the Metal Gear Solid games interesting for over ten years, as it gave the gaming world a different kind of action hero. In the No More Heroes context, the stealth gameplay has a slightly different meaning. This is particularly true when it comes to the fight with Cloe herself. Like the de-suited Beauty and the Beast women from Metal Gear Solid 4, Cloe is both beautiful and disgusting. Travis is clearly attracted to her, but repulsed by her as well. At first he wants to touch her, but when he tries to go for it, he panics. Cloe shows us that for all of Travis's sexual boasting and posturing, he's actually pretty freaked out by the idea of getting with a girl. There was a period in every boy's life when he loved to look at half-naked women (or men), but the idea of actually "making out" with one seemed weird and uncomfortable. Maybe that's where Travis is at. Cloe makes him weak and vulnerable, but he doesn't want to give into that. Travis talks a big game, but he's actually not quite ready to lose his sexual innocence. He fears being poisoned by sex with strange women. That could mean physically poisoned, or emotionally poisoned. Either way, he's saving himself for someone else.
Dr. Letz Shake: A giant robot penis I'll come right out and say it: I don't think Dr. Letz Shake has a whole lot of meaning to him/it. The character's main purpose is to reintroduce Henry (Travis's brother) while tying the first game to the second one. He's also really fun to fight, which is enough reason to exist in itself. That said, I wonder if it's a coincidence that Letz Shake is a giant metal shaft with a pink, creased crown on top. He also fights Travis by banging the crap out of stuff and shooting a yellow stream out of his "eyes." If Travis's beam katana is a symbol for his manhood, Letz Shake is all manhood, except totally robotic. Like Skelter and Helms, Letz Shake also makes a statement about the illogical, irrational nature of revenge. He muses aloud that it's "a curse" that he still has a human brain, as otherwise he wouldn't be a slave to his urge to kill Travis and Henry. I guess that's sort of deep. Mostly, though, I just think it's fun that Letz Shake looks and acts like a big dick.
Shinobu: The object becomes the subject You don't fight Shinobu in No More Heroes 2, but she is a major character in the game, as well as a boss from the first title. She's definitely worth mentioning in this list. Hell, she even gets her own title screen if you restart the game after one of her saves. By allowing us to play as Shinobu, Grasshopper Manufacture shows us that Travis is actually able to relate to another human being. This is a first for the otaku, who had previously spared Shinobu's life but did so after cutting off her hand and leaving her for dead. Now, in the sequel, she has dedicated her life to living like Travis, fighting for Travis, and being with Travis. She's as close as he has to a counterpart. Shinobu is also important because, like Cloe, she openly throws herself at Travis. Like with Cloe, Travis denies her affections. Unlike with Cloe, Travis does let her get a kiss in, but then ends the moment because he "feels like a pervy teacher in a porn." He's clearly attracted to her, but he doesn't want to take advantage of her. If he didn't care about her, he'd just do her and be done with it, but instead he puts the brakes on. He's not scared for himself; he's scared for her. To Travis, Shinobu is no longer a sexy object or a piece of meat to stick his sword into. She's someone Travis can relate to, and to a degree, that means she's an extension of himself. By treating Shinobu with respect, Travis has taken his first concrete step towards becoming a real hero: someone who fights not just to get his anger out, but for the sake of others. ----- Okay, that's it for this round. Please hit the comments and tell me what you think of the bosses in No More Heroes 2 -- if you think I'm off base, on point, or full of shit. And stay tuned for the next installment of what should be about seven posts on No More Heroes 2 from me and Matthew Razak. We like talking about this game.
- Rumor: Sonic the Hedgehog playable in Mario Galaxy 2 - Bit.Trip RUNNER pays tribute to Vib Ribbon and Pitfall! - Survey: Game Devs Walking Away From Wii, Warming Up To iPhone - No objection: WiiWare Phoenix Wright coming sooner - Concept art from EA's canceled Road Rash and... Oliver Twist? - Tournament of Legends Preview: Two-Fisted Combat - Mario Vs Mario: How Three Wii Sequels Are Chasing Their Predecessors - High Voltage bringing The Grinder to 360/PS3/PC next year - High Voltage's The Grinder Is No Longer Wii Exclusive - Death of A Wii - Yeah, so Muscle March swim trunks showed up in the mail - Keep An Eye On MLB 2K10 - Endless Ocean: Blue World Gameplay Is All Wet - Rock Band DLC: Megadeth's entire 'Rust in Peace' album - Wah wah wah Sonic the Hedgehog 4! |
|
-120x.jpg)
-120x.jpg)
-120x.jpg)
LucasArts and TT Games continue to tear apart the Star Wars universe and rebuild it brick-by-brick with LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars.
Screw focus groups. Or corporate brainstorming. 
