Valve has released stats for Episode One, like average completion time, number of total sessions, and average number of deaths per map. I'm not exactly sure how the average total playtime is half the average completion time.

• Sonic the Hedgehog turns 15 years old today. In celebration, Sega milks him a little more by releasing Sonic 1 to the GBA.
• EA officially announces Need For Speed Carbon.
• For $25, you will soon be able to transfer your WoW character to a different server.
• Johnny Depp will be lending his voice to the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean game.
• The 50 worst game names in gaming history.
• Soccer fan attempts to apply for a manager position using Football Manager 2005 as his work experience.
• New screenshots for Mechassault DS.
• Photos compare the size of the Wii to.. just about everything else in the world.
• Final Fantasy III will be wifi enabled in some way. We just don't yet know what way.
• The PS3 will be the first device to use the HDMI 1.3 standard.
• In my day, we didn't have your fancy-pants "batteries." We had to hand crank our Nintendo DSes. And we liked it that way!
• Chronic Logic is offering a free contest version of their Bridge Builder game.
• Is Bill Gates learning from the mod community?
• A new Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter content pack is available on Live, for a hefty $15.
• The strange, sad story of a man pretending to be a woman playing a man in MMORPG Lineage.

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Konami's Koji Igarashi, better known as Iga, has been responsible for all the recent Castlevania titles, from Symphony of the Night on. In a recent interview with Game Informer, he discusses how he feels a little confused about the next gen console war, and doesn't quite know who to side with.

Iga admitted that working on the PlayStation 3 would be his first inclination but that ultimately the price may be a major barrier. "... I'm confused with all of this next-generation news. I don't know what to do. I was really leaning toward PS3 in the beginning," he said. "But then at the Sony conference they announced the price and I was like, 'Mmm, maybe it's too expensive.'"

As for the Nintendo console, he confessed that he's had a hard time thinking of something that would take advantage of the Wii's unique controls. "When it comes to Wii, obviously the controller has a unique feature, but I just can't come up with a good idea that utilizes it. I mean, clearly you can with a lot of time," he said.

Interestingly, Iga said that he doesn't really view the Xbox 360 in a negative way, but he still feels that Microsoft is a bit averse to titles that are very Japanese.

"I'm not really negative over Microsoft, but for some reason they tend to back off a little when it comes to something really foreign. But if Japanese developers would say they're working on Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest or Metal Gear maybe, then I guess Japanese consumers would take it seriously and consider purchasing it. There has to be some killer titles to move the consumers into the 360 market," he explained.

Japanese developers are in a weird position in the upcoming generation. Sony may be pricing themselves out of the market, Wii is too odd to make traditional games, and the 360 is still having trouble penetrating the group. I'd be willing to bet Iga isn't the only one feeling a little unsure of who to side with. This uncertainty may mean that we won't see a really solid list of killer apps coming out of Japan until it shakes out exactly which system consumers are backing.

Source: GameDaily

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Because you're bound to see it somewhere: No, this is not a screenshot of GTA4.

• New Super Mario Bros. sells 500,000 copies in its first month. Nintendo claims this amounts to 20 copies every minute since release.
• The Clock Tower movie gets a director.
• The Sega Master System turns 20.
• The Prey demo is available for the PC now, but the Xbox 360 version is held up for some reason.
• Sony's first Blu-ray player is pushed back again, to October 25. Any later and the PS3 will end up being Sony's first Blu-ray player on the market.
• Sony claims GTA on the 360 "won't hurt us."
• Do not click this if you enjoy your eyesight.
• A long dossier on the making of Goldeneye.

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Bandai Namco is preparing an Xbox 360 RPG. I could stop right there and this game would be rare enough as it is. A Japanese RPG on the 360. But oh no, it gets better.

Bandai Namco is preparing an Xbox 360 RPG called Trusty Bell: Chopin's Dream starring Frederic Chopin. Yes, that Chopin. Since I'm sure you all are up on your musical history, you undoubtedly know that Chopin died of tuberculosis at the age of 39. The game takes place three hours prior to his death, in which Chopin has a dream filled with anime-style characters that look like they belong in a Tales game. In this dream world, people with incurable illnesses have magical powers. He meets another fellow sicky, a girl named Polka, a 16 year old boy named Allegretto who tries to help her any way he can, and presumably a whole cast of other characters that haven't been mentioned yet. Yes, all the names will be music related.

According to IGN:

Music and story look like they will play a big part in Trusty Bell. Bandai Namco has drafted famous Japanese actor Leo Morimoto to perform narration for the game’s Japanese version. Performing the piano numbers that Chopin left to the world (before having his RPG dream) will be Russian pianist Stanislav Bunin.

Trusty Bell is in development at tri-Crescendo, a studio that worked on the sound components of tri-Ace titles like Radiata Stories, Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile and also worked on programming, sound and the battle system for Baten Kaitos, along side Monolith Soft . The game is currently without a final release date in Japan.

This is one of the weirder concepts I've heard in a while. And yes, I'll play it. That is, if someone dares to bring it over here. Full scans from Famitsu with more art and screenshots can be found here.

Posted by Ermac at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Ars Technica games blog asks, "Why should we fight to save used game sales?" Why should we care to save brick and mortar game stores at all?

• Nintendo Power suggests visuals for the Wii and Gamecube versions of Twilight Princess will be identical.
• EA buys Mythic Entertainment.
• Survey results show few Japanese gamers are willing to pay for online games.
• Next Generation lists the 30 best games coming out this summer.
• The Undertaker is a lot fruiter than I remember him.
• Phoenix Wright is still selling out, and the next printing isn't until August.
• Screengrabs from a Japanese report proving girl nerds exist. Downside: They're all into gay romance manga.
• Game Informer claims the wonky controls in Red Steel reported at E3 have been improved.
• Gamespot has a Q&A with the producer of Chromehounds.
• A collection of show how each Wii game at E3 used the controller.
• Ludologist attempts to chart how "matching tile games" (Tetris, Lumines, et al) evolved.
• Racketboy offers up a PDF scan of the first issue of Sega Visions, from summer 1991.
• A sampling of the goriest scenes in gaming history.

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The Xbox Live Arcade hasn't exactly been overflowing with new titles, and some have asked why. Luckily, one of those people happened to be interviewing Peter Moore at the time.

Here's what happened - people didn't believe that Arcade was going to fly. So we went round a year and a half ago as we were doing the final plans for launching 360, and told our publishing friends that here's what we think is really cool idea, where you could make games for hundreds of thousands of dollars instead of tens of millions, and at very low risk, but people didn't believe it. And we released it and it blew the doors down. Now all of a sudden we're in this phase where Sega, Namco, Konami, Midway... they want some of that. But we do have an important quality bar in place - we could probably throw 300 games up there quickly, and we are trying to get the independent guys going as well. It's almost going to be like Pop Idol, where someone will pop out suddenly - Geometry Wars is a great example. But I love this forum, whether it's profitable or not, this platform for indie developers, for four or five guys to put $100,000 into it, and we'll publish it and see what happens.

If we accept this theory as true, it would mean we should have a big wave of new stuff coming up soon as the doubters finally get projects of their own into gear.

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IBM has set a speed record with a chip that can run at 500 GHz when cryogenically frozen. Something tells me my stock case fans wouldn't quite manage the necessary drop to -451 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Soul Calibur 4 confirmed as.. existing in some form or another.
• Bandai Namco announces new Tales games for PSP and PS2.
• Indie game Rag Doll Kung Fu will be getting a retail version in August.
• THQ is too scared of WoW to put out their own MMORPG.
• The recently passed Louisianna game bill has been temporarily blocked by a judge while it's determined how unconstitutional the law is. Early signs say: A whole lot.
• Immersion debuts next-generation vibration for controllers that uses less power and space while simulating a wider range of feedback.
• Sony loses its case in Europe to have the PS2 classified as a computer (and earn a hefty rebate in import charges in the process).
• The VGA remake of King's Quest III is finished and ready for download.
• Superstar mode has been added in to the 360 version of Madden 07.
• Rumor: Microsoft planning 360 price drop for Christmas.
• A long interview at Nintendo Japan about Wii, NDS, the Game Boy Micro, and what Miyamoto is up to these days.
• Female gaming clans are protesting a "Miss World Series Videogames" beauty pageant.
• The Escapist asks, does the male-dominated video game culture actually exist?

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People who didn't want to shell out for a PSP just for one good puzzle game were excited by the announcement of Lumines Live, coming later this year to Xbox Live Arcade. That excitement might be tempered slightly, however, by the news that buying the game may not actually mean buying multiplayer.

In an interview with Game Informer, Mizuguchi said that you will be able to buy the basic form of Lumines Live through the Xbox Live Arcade, but if you want to play multiplayer you're going to have to cough up a bit more money.

"At least that's the way we have it planned right now," he said. "We're still trying to determine if we'll package versus in the base package."

Lumines is certainly a worthy standalone game -- I'm sure that's how most people played it for most of their time. But one of the selling points of Live Arcade games is being able to play online against others, and it seems odd to seperate these two modes with different costs, especially given that Lumines isn't exactly the most complex game in the world.

In addition, as was already mentioned at E3, you'll be able to download new music for the game, some of which will run music videos in the background as you play. But here again, you'll be paying extra. I'll be interested to see how (and if) they integrate sound effects into the downloaded music as they did in the original game, because otherwise it's hard to see spending money for new music when you could just stream songs off your iPod while you play instead.

Source: Kikizo

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Edge Online has a feature about the thankless and sometimes hellacious job of video game tester. What's worse is, while it was once considered one of the main ways to get your foot in the door at a game studio (thereby justifying the awful job and crap pay, I suppose), it seems like it may not even be worth that anymore.

• Yakuza's celebrity voice cast revealed.
• Comparing the power usage of the last couple generations of consoles. That 360 power brick isn't just there for show.
• UK online retailer offers PS3 bundle (system + 3 games) for $1015.
• New footage of Super Paper Mario.
• There's a new 14 minute video of in-game footage from Crysis, the latest game to make your video card cry. There's a 114 meg WMV version kicking around, but all links I've found so far are getting hammered to death.
• How to fix the 360 red ring of death, if you're willing to take apart your system.

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I mean that's gotta be it.

Who knew J's bald head would endear itself so strongly with the world at large? It seems like every time Peter Moore gets interviewed, someone has to ask Where's Poochie J?" And always with the vague answers.

When asked where J Allard was, Moore replied that "he's right across the street there. You know, the Live update, we're enjoying, that's J's team... You know, we should probably start working on the next one. And that'll be J... These things take years to develop. That will be J's responsibility as well. He's busy. Don't worry about J."

I can only imagine some Weekend at Bernie's situation here, with J's body propped up in front of a window across the street with fishing line running from a hook in his hand, across the road, and into a pulley above Moore's head. "Of course J's around! Look, he's right over there! See? Hey J, wave! *yank yank yank* Ha! What a character! And he's not dead!"

Please, if you have any information about J's real whereabouts, contact local authorities immediately.

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Next Generation has an opinion piece on backwards compatibility. They make some good points, namely that everyone says they want BC and then few ever actually use it. But they completely neglect to mention that some people want BC because they like to buy older games they never got around to. It isn't just for your existing library.

• Okay, so the Tomb Raider PSP remake isn't cancelled. But it seems Core's version of it was.
• GTA4 may run on the Table Tennis engine.
• Despite what this month's issue of PC Gamer says, Half Life 2: Episode Two is still on track for a holiday 2006 release.
• Nintendo still isn't sure how many buttons the Wii remote will have.
• Time to play what's wrong with this picture.
• A Nacho Libre game is coming to the DS. Is there really a game in this? Will anyone care enough to play it?
• Comparing the Wii remote to the original Revolution remote.
• What to expect from Street Fighter 2 on Xbox Live Arcade.
• The anti-game law Jack Thompson helped write has been passed in Louisiana.

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Microsoft founder Bill Gates announced Thursday that he will be stepping down from his role of chief software architect at Microsoft, and will be phasing out his chairman duties over the next two years.

Microsoft's chief technical officer Ray Ozzie will immediately assume the title of chief software architect, Gates said. In addition, chief technical officer Craig Mundie will immediately take the new title of chief research and strategy officer and will assume Gates' responsibilities for the company's research and incubation efforts.

"Our business and technical leadership has never been stronger, and Microsoft is well-positioned for success in the years ahead," Gates said in a release. "I feel very fortunate to have such great technical leaders like Ray and Craig at the company," Gates said. "I remain fully committed and full-time at Microsoft through June 2008 and will be working side-by-side with Ray and Craig to ensure that a smooth transition occurs."

Gates is leaving his day-to-day responsibilities to focus on his charity, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which works to improve public health, reduce poverty, and increase access to education and technology around the world.

Source: Gamespot

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The Mehrune's Razor mod for Oblivion is available now for $2.99, in case you don't already have enough weapons.

• Microsoft engineer comments on Cell's limitations.
• Eidos cancels an upcoming original Tomb Raider remake for the PSP.
• Cheap Ass Gamer charts Xbox game ratings vs. the percentage that are currently backwards compatible.
• Video: The One-Ups perform Dancing Mad.
• Best Buy is taking pre-orders on the Final Fantasy VII remake, a game that in no way officially exists in any capacity.
• 1up runs down the great ideas that changed gaming forever.
• Time declares the DS Lite gadget of the week.
• Sony's Ken Kutaragi continues with the "PS3 is a computer" bit by suggesting PS3's could be sold built-to-order with customized parts. How do I customize the part that makes it not $600?
• Red Octane says non-guitar "Hero" games are "Very likely."

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Tim Schafer wants you to write to Microsoft to request Psychonauts be made backwards compatible on the 360.

• George Broussard isn't swayed by the $500,000 offered to complete Duke Nukem Forever by the end of 2006.
• Screenshot accounts are being "delisted" (not removed, just unsearchable) on Flickr because they want the site to be about photographs.
• Laserdisc arcade classic Dragon's Lair will get a new release in August that is remastered in HD.
• Three Street Fighter II picture packs and one theme have been released on Xbox Live Marketplace. Contrary to what you might imagine, Capcom is saying this is not evidence that Hyper Fighting is coming soon.
• How to get Xbox saves on your 360, as long as you don't mind using some equipment to do it.
• New Pokemon Diamond and Pearl scans and information.
• Before you hit Ebay, read up on how to spot pirated DS carts.
• Bungie has a preview of the upcoming Halo graphic novel. Cheesecake shot of Cortana included.
• A major shipment of black DS Lite units has gone missing in Hong Kong.
• A boatload of scans from 1990 and 91 issues of Famitsu, showing early Super Famicom prototypes, and early screens of SFC games (SMW, a game called Dragonfly which would later become Pilotwings).

Posted by Ermac at 05:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Game Trailers has gameplay footage of Bomberman: Act Zero for the 360. The gameplay is the same, but I can't get over how hideous it is. Also, the guy playing sucks.

• Artistic types can enter a contest to design a tattoo worn by character Mattias in Mercenaries 2.
• Uwe Boll is looking for critics to beat the crap out of him in his upcoming Postal movie.
• Do DS games respond differently in a DS Lite?
• The PS3 controller shown at E3 had a slight spelling error. You can understand how they would mess up something that's only been on controllers for the last 20 years.
• Retailers may be preparing for an even worse PS3 shortage than the 360 had.

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