Archive for May, 2009
Valve caves: Sniper & Spy Milestones restored
May 30th
When the latest round of TF2 unlocks appeared for the Sniper & Spy, Valve shook up the unlock system by replacing the Achievement-grind of yore for a random unlock system based on play-time and performance (among other variables).
The system has been, too be honest, fairly buggy, with multiple patches needed to sort it out so any of us could actually unlock weapons (and further patches to stop people unlocking them by idling/spectating servers using third-party hacks).
After a lot of flak, Valve seem to have relented and reintroduced the achievement grind milestones for the Sniper & Spy alongside the random unlocks - whilst this has unfortunately meant that the servers have re-devolved into Sniper/Spy fests, people playing classes that prey on such weak targets can still unlock further weapons by simply playing normally!
Carry on...!
Even more violent Prototype footage… We love it!
May 28th
It's nearly here...!
Radical's Pretty-much-Hulk: Ultimate Destruction-but-not-quite-open-world-elbow-drop-em-up *breathes* is due towards the middle of next month (the 10th in NA & the 12th in the EU) and hopefully we'll be able to bring a review if Activision let us.
Until then, admire even more senseless violence after the cut courtesy of GTtv...
Fighting Meta games goes portable: MyBrute heading to iPhone/iPod Touch
May 28th
Shameless self promotion alert! Challenge (and probably own) the CNS Brute here!
Right, now that's out of the way, Motion Twin have revealed that their popular online fighting meta-game is heading towards Apple's mobile App Store and will be hitting iPhones & iPod Touches soon.
Whether it will cost anything or not is unknown, but it does seem to be expanding on the limited website format by allowing, amongst other things, 8 Brutes per device/account, Facebook integration & unlockable arenas.
Pseudo-PR after the cut...
GTA: The Ballad of Gay Tony Announced, Retail Bundle
May 26th
Later this year, Rockstar will release the second of the 360 Exclusive GTA DLC "The Ballad of Gay Tony".
The game casts you as Luis Lopez who is described as a "part-time hoodlum and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Tony Prince (aka "Gay Tony")". You will apparently "struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price". Sounds just like real life.
"Liberty City is the most vibrant game world we've created yet. The episodic structure has allowed us to interweave stories, gameplay and atmosphere in a whole new way," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "The team at Rockstar North have yet again surpassed themselves, and made something that is both epic and very innovative. This episode's focus on high-end night life contrasts with the biker gangs portrayed in The Lost and Damned, whilst giving us a lot of new gameplay possibilities."
Also later this year a disc based version of both DLC will hit, and will not require GTA 4 or Live in order to play it. It'll retail for about $30 in america, so expect a £25 -30 price tag here.
We'll have more on The Ballad of Gay Tony as soon as i've stopped doing the YMCA.
Revenge is like a ghost, apparently…: Modern Warfare 2 Reveal Trailer
May 25th
Ok, after two teaser trailers, Infinity Ward have finally released a proper full-length trailer for what is essentially Call of Duty 6.
Lots of shooty bangs, espionage, breath-taking helicopter extractions and shoot-outs in shopping malls to look forward too, although I doubt anything is going to top the nuke from its parent game for shear spectacle, surprise and impact.
Find it after the cut...
Death, Thoughts & Characters: Heavy Rain footage *UPDATED*
May 22nd
Two trailers for the latest interactive movie/game from Quantic Dream have been released, the first revealing one of the four main characters who players will control throughout the game whilst the second explores how the game deals with both death & how the the situations presented throughout the story affect the main characters thoughts & actions.
Updated - Even more trailers have been released... Gameplay footage abound!
TF2 Sniper vs. Spy Update Feed
May 21st
As with the previous updates, the Sniper Update for Team Fortress 2 is imminent and throughout the following days, Valve are poised to dripfeed us details until we can take no more, only to quickly quench our thirst by releasing the update to the masses.
As with the Scout update, we'll be feeding these details as we hear more, so watch this space & hop the jump for details...
Day 1 - The Huntsman | Day 2 - Payload Race + 2 Arena Maps | Day 3 - The Razorback | Day 4 - The Update is a SPY! | Day 5 - Meet the Spy + Achievements | Day 6 - The Abassador | Day 7 - Jarate! | Day 8 - Blood Feud in the Badlands!
Rumour Mill: Guybrush Threepwood coming to XBLA
May 20th
GamerBytes elite ratings spies have picked up on a USK listing for The Secret of Monkey Island - Special Edition!
...?
Wait, you were expecting more? That's pretty much it at the moment, but it could be either an Xbox Live Arcade release or a full retail release (possibly cross-platform), possibly with HD graphics and/or voice acting (both of which would appeal to newcomers too the series but totally ruin any sense of nostalgia)
Are LEC simply testing the water to see if the market conditions really are suitable for a new adventure game (especially given the reception of their recent Star Wars output has been lukewarm at best) after the verbal drubbing they recieved for killing off Full Throttle 2 & Sam & Max: Freelance Police (only for Telltale to show them what for)? Or are we all just reading in too it too far?
Still, at least if the XBLA rumour is true, you won't have to pay more than 20 bucks for it! *zing*
A million fanboys crying in pain: F3 DLC coming to PS3
May 19th
In what can officially be called a Fallout MEGA UPDATE, Bethesda have pulled back the curtains on what we knew was coming... and then some more too!
Press releases, aliens, swampland, cells & SKUs after the cut
