RipTen Videogame Blog » Patrick Steen

Wii MotionPlus Priced and Dated

Patrick Steen — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:12:39 +0000

Nintendo has dated and priced the Wii’s new motion-sensing accessory, Wii MotionPlus, for this June.

The new add-on is said to take the Wii’s motion-sensing to another level, with some developers claiming that moving from the traditional Wii controller to MotionPlus is like jumping straight from VHS to Blu-ray.

Wii MotionPlus will release in the US on June 8th at a price of $19.99, with Europe getting the contraption four days later (prices have yet to be announced outside of the US.)

The Nintendo developed game Wii Sports Resort will be hoping to make the most out of the accessory, coming to the US on July 26th and Europe on July 24th. The game will include a single MotionPlus add-on bundled in for a total price of $49.99

“Everyone who has played the Wii can remember the moment they first discovered its intuitive controls and realised that this was an incredible new way of experiencing video games,” said Nintendo of Europe PR executive, Laurent Fischer.

“Wii MotionPlus will create that feeling again, taking gameplay to a new level of realism. And with Wii Sports Resort, people will get the chance to immerse themselves in a hugely fun set of games that are designed to make the very best of this exciting new technology.”

Resident Evil 5 meets the Muppets

Patrick Steen — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:09:06 +0000

Oh yes, you didn’t think you’d see this before the Easter weekend. Jim Henson’s Muppets are back and they’re satirizing Resident Evil 5. Original voice overs are used to go over the game’s synopsis and will make you wish for a Muppet’s shooter. Credit goes to Jim Henson, Black 20 and IGN. Enjoy!

Driving Games Make Us More Angry than FPS Games

Patrick Steen — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:53:57 +0000

Now all those Thompson supporters can be shut up about violent FPS games making players violent. Research has shown that driving and even table tennis games make players more agitated and aggressive.

Dr Simon Goodson and Sarah Pearson of Huddersfield University recorded the physical and mental changes of thirty gamers, aged 18-45, when playing Xbox 360 games from three different genres: driving, first-person shooter, and a table tennis game.

The results showed that the driving games caused the greatest changes in heart rate and brain activity related to aggression, with the FPS game inducing the smallest changes. Oh yes, table tennis games make you more aggressive than shooters.

Dr Goodson and Sarah Pearson commented: “Previous researchers have made sweeping generalizations about the nature of video games. This study is one of the first to use one of the latest games consoles that have a much higher level of realism.

“Surprisingly the results showed that the driving game made participants more agitated and aggressive than the game with graphic violence. Given the high levels of realism in modern games a re-evaluation of the relationship between video games and violence is needed.”

Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Teaser Trailer

Patrick Steen — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:37:51 +0000

Following its reveal during Satoru Itwata’s GDC keynote, here’s the first HQ teaser trailer for the Nintendo DS game Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

Our very own Jon Zungre was at the Nintendo president’s keynote at this years Game Developer’s Conference in San Franciso and he gave his impressions on the new Zelda game in a previous post. Nintendo has since released a press release for the game, which reads:

“The new The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks game that Iwata announced will utilise the intuitive touch control of Phantom Hourglass in an all new adventure that will please longtime Zelda fans while keeping the game accessible to all DS owners.

“The concept behind this Zelda game includes utilising a steam locomotive to travel around the world, switching Phantom and Link to explore the dungeons, and solving puzzles using new items.”

Is this a megaton? I’m not so sure.

PS3/360 Review: Far Cry 2

Patrick Steen — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:58:23 +0000

Open world first-person shooters would strike fear into even the most robust developer, and to a certain extent the task has trumped Ubisoft, holding their game back from being the classic it might have been. Although it has its draw backs, Far Cry 2’s freedom results in a unique, engaging experience that other first-person shooters have never even had the guts to attempt.

Far Cry 2 isn’t a sequel, nor even a continuation of Far Cry’s life span. It’s more accurately described as a reincarnation christened with a name that only acts as Ubisoft’s marketing tool. Set in the plains of an Africa that echoes the gun laundering setting of Andrew Niccol’s film Lord of War, you’ll recognise little from the “prequel.” But you needn’t worry: the game might not have been made by the masterful Crytek, but Ubisoft has been just as bold.

After selecting one of eight indistinguishable characters, you’ll enter Far Cry 2’s Africa in a car convoy that gives you the same realistic impression that Grand Theft Auto 4’s open world gave you in a taxi ride.

Before long your character has passed out from contracting malaria, to be woken by the gruff voice of the game’s antagonist – The Jackal. Rolling speeches off his tongue, he lets you live, but it’s not in your orders to afford him the same blessing. Africa’s arms saturation can only end by cutting off the fuel supply: for the flames to die, The Jackal must die.

Due to the open nature of the game, where you’re able to choose from a number of side or main missions, the story takes considerable time to warm and until that point, the overenthusiastic voice acting and shallow script might be lost on you. Then again, the narrative isn’t really the game’s main attraction –- you’re in an open world where you can do whatever and go wherever you want.

Despite a lack of predatory animals, Far Cry 2’s world really does feel alive and not in a way that leaves you as the spectator. The world is populated by militant posts, vehicles, arms dealers, zebras, and buffaloes. All can be interacted with in any manner you might expect.

There’s graciousness in driving metres outside of an enemy post, sneaking through bushes and taking inhabitants out one by one with a sniper rifle. Or why not perform under the cover of darkness by taking a nap in a safe house and then setting fire to their camp with a flare gun?

There are a few joyful things mentioned in that previous sentence. First, choosing the time of day by napping in a safe house results in a real-time shot of your surroundings experiencing time passing. This displays the true glory of Far Cry 2’s lighting engine. It’s spectacular how Africa is lit in the game, where dynamic shadows change their reach as the day moves on.

Then there’s the fire, which can be started in the scrub with a flamethrower, petrol bomb, or the aforementioned flare gun. The fire will develop in the direction the wind blows, overcoming dry grass, reaching and climbing scorched trees, alighting wooden buildings, and setting off ammunition stores in a blaze of popping fireworks. All the while enemies will try to avoid the flames, coming unstuck when their getaway vehicle’s fuel tank catches fire and explodes. There really is an experimental realism found here that’s uncommon for shooters.

This realism is complemented by most actions being performed in-game, such as a GPS map held by the character, allowing you to check where you’re going en-route. Before being treated for malaria, you’ll be struck by blurred vision as you stagger in the midday sun — out come the tablets. Picked up an enemy gun? It’s unreliable and will jam in battle, leaving you to fiddle around and thus liable to injury — this calls for an injection of adrenalin.

Although it’s odd that the gun was fine when the enemy used it, this does allow Ubisoft to employ a satisfying method of upgrading weapons bought from arms dealers, increasing their power and reliability with the more diamonds (earnt from discovery or completing missions) spent on them.

The realism does falter elsewhere. Though enemies are generally more proactive than other first person shooters, showing cunning by flanking your position, they are often dim-witted. Despite not knowing you’re a threat at the beginning of the game, the A.I. obsessively shoots at you without prompt. Perhaps a Western face is enough to be guilty. Often driving after you and blocking your escape, the drivers have an odd obsession for jumping out and standing by their vehicle oblivious to the grenade you just lobbed under it. More suffering than all of this is the fact that cleared enemy posts experience a complete repopulation upon return.

Plus, Far Cry 2’s story might have depth, but you’ll never be engrossed by its narrative. The open world has resulted in a fragmented delivery and even if you continuously complete main missions, you’ll still struggle to understand their narrative relevance, leaving you to pick up the pieces by reading the ‘lite’ journal. What you’re left with is a scattering of similar missions that have indiscernible connections.

Still, there’s no escaping that Far Cry 2 presents an incredibly engaging and beautiful world like no other. And as soon as you think you’ve seen it all, you’re presented with a whole new map. It’s not only a wonder that Ubisoft got all of this on one DVD, but also that almost every area is visually distinct. Moreover, the narrative does begin to pick up towards the midpoint and there are many memorable missions to be completed in a multitude of methods.

Far Cry 2 makes new ground in the FPS world by introducing a convincing open world that performs well technically and creatively on consoles. It’s held back by the monotony of repetitive task syndrome and A.I. that’s both obsessed with killing and apt at dying. Ultimately though, the game supports freedoms uncommon in the genre, which is enough to make Far Cry 2 a very solid purchase.

Sony Statistics from CES ’09

Patrick Steen — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:42:02 +0000

Consumer trade show CES is currently underway, and after a relatively muted Sony conference accentuated by an amusing Tom Hanks and a thrusting Usher, we have a few PlayStation statistics to share with you.

Kaz Hirai has revealed that there are currently 17 million active PlayStation Network accounts, matching Microsoft’s recently announced Xbox Live numbers. Of those, 2.1 million accounts were added in December. Moreover, 330 million pieces of content have been downloaded from the PlayStation Store.

3.4 million people have downloaded the PlayStation HomeOpen Beta, and in less than one month, Sony has made a staggering $1 million on the sale of goods within the service.

Oh and what about Sony’s LittleBigPlanet? It has reportedly sold 1.3 million copies worldwide, with 300,000 levels created by gamers. It’d take you two years to get through all of them, so you’d better get started.

God of War III Gameplay Incoming

Patrick Steen — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:50:58 +0000

All we’ve seen of God of War III is a short teaser that most suspect to be CGI. News of an original trailer making its way to the 2008 Video Game Awards was accompanied by the thought that the trailer would be an extended version of that CGI reveal. It’s not. It’s real-time gameplay.

That’s according to Geoff Keighly of Gametrailers;

Kratos soon arrives on the PlayStation 3 and only the VGAs will bring you the first-ever glimpse at this game. And let me put all you skeptics to rest right now. I’m happy to confirm you’ll be seeing real-time gameplay footage.

Hoorah! Lets hope the game can live up to the hype reamassed by David Jaffe on his blog.

There’s more exciting exclusives coming to the VGA Awards, including an extended real-time time trailer of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and the very first trailer of the Xbox 360′s exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV downloable content, The Lost and Damned.

Geoff also hints at some new game announcements, so it might be a good idea to tune into Spike TV on Decemeber 14th.

MotorStorm Pacific Rift Review

Patrick Steen — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:00:13 +0000

MotorStorm is back. I’ll be honest, after sinking hours racing against brutal and often suicidal AI in vehicles that would explode at the slightest nudge, I’m not sure I was ready to return to the track. I’m glad I did. MotorStorm Pacific Rift ticks all of the boxes, cracking almost every criticism you might have held against its predecessor. Brutal and beautiful, this isn’t just pure off-road racing, this is MotorStorm racing.

Drifting away from the mud painted landscapes of Monument Valley, Pacific Rift flies you to a tropical Island festooned with a number of new obstacles: Water, Lava, and Vegetation. MotorStorm’s gift to racing was the different vehicle classes racing against one another on the same multi-directional track. Accomplished battle tactics were essential, and the right choice of route required exploration. Pacific Rift’s latest hurdles render racing even more challenging and also beget the veritable excitement of a new MotorStorm challenge.

Depending on your chosen vehicle class, your racing experience is going to differ. Fancy a ride on a motorcycle? Expect your bike to struggle through deep water and large plants, but also discover you’re now able to duck (double tap down) low obstacles, or bunny hop (double tap up) fallen trees. How about a Monster Truck? Obstacles, whether vegetative or mechanical, are your play things, but it’ll be impossible to take those shortcuts your motorbiked counterparts traverse so easily.

And then there’s a new trial facing your vehicle’s engine: demonic lava spewing from the Island’s volcano that’ll set your engine on fire. Only cooling streams and man-made showers will chill the metal, dousing any threat of explosion and return your boosting ability. Since first place predominantly relies on boost management, this feature works remarkably well.

Pacific Rift might place stormers on one island, but four different zones await you: Fire, Water, Earth and Air. Each made up of four tracks, the prequel’s tendency for déjà vu has been immediately appeased. Spewing volcanoes make way for sandy beaches, wild rain forests for vertigo heights. With sixteen tracks fighting for your attention, Evolution turn up the heat further by showing their talent in track design. Some tracks sport laps of over two minutes and have such varied alternate routes that I’d be bold enough to state that Pacific Rift contains some of the most inspired and entertaining tracks I’ve ever had the pleasure to race on.

Colossus Canyon fires you from the roof of a waterfall, via a bamboo forest, and then past the sun’s rays shining through a scattering of small waterfalls that feed the rocky river, you’ll drive down to meet the finish line.

The first MotorStorm was criticised for its reveal in a CG target render, and although the game necessarily fell short, it still proved a graphical beast in its own right. Does Pacific Rift further impress? Initially, whilst racing mountain highs, you might be fooled into thinking not much has changed — baron brown landscapes have been replaced by baron grey ones. But then you’ll appreciate the draw distance, the foliage, the water, and the geometry.

Although some tracks may appear graphically inconsistent (and dare I say ugly), once Evolution turn up the pretty with their lighting engine, any of the tracks can look spectacular. I have a tendency to wax lyrical about lighting, but when Pacific Rift illustrates the difference HDR lighting really makes, where a sunset’s cool orange light meets stretched soft shadows, it’s time you all started giving a damn. Foliage and vehicles cast non-flickery shadows, which when merged with dappled sunlight, realistic motion blur, and sparkling particle effects, Pacific Rift on occasion flirts with its CG reveal.

The driving physics retain that classic arcade feel, but this time they’ve been masterfully tuned so as to shun the prequel’s floaty, bouncy nature. Though there’s a slight vagueness in the middle-weight vehicle types, each class feels distinct and their advantages are now better defined. Bumps and scrapes were almost impossible to survive in MotorStorm, but here you can violently nudge other drivers without initialising a crash animation. To be sure, it’s a pleasure watching your vehicle slowly undress from a polished piece of engineering to a mere mechanical shell. MotorStorm racing has never felt so good.

By way of the capability to race in any zone, the single-player Festival already has more vitality than the original. As a result of winning races, you’ll progress up the ranks by winning races, and before rank four, you’ll have encountered all the tracks and vehicle classes. Still, every milestone adds new vehicles and drivers to the garage. And note, since you can select vehicles pre-game, no shocking loading sequences await you.

As is MotorStorm’s custom, interest is retained by forcing you to use different vehicle classes amidst sets of new opponents –- an ATV pitted against bikers is very different to an ATV against big rigs. The artificial intelligence also ramps up, becoming more brutal and rubber-banding to ensure you’re always in their sights. Thankfully this has been subtly toned down, where your opponents prioritise winning over taking you out.

Pacific Rift graduates from MotorStorm’s bare-bones traditions by introducing Eliminator and Speed Races, which are unlocked by completing races within a predefined time or crash limit. Eliminator brings a new desperation and Speed Races see you weaving through timed gates. The latter is a joy because it introduces new routes, but can be frustrating due to the gates not materialising early enough.

Whilst this new campaign variation elevates Pacific Rift to new heights, it still has trouble keeping fresh. New rank targets will often only be achievable by returning to previous races because you’re never given enough new tracks to proceed. This is at first satisfying, but as you progress, the repetition can drag. Moreover, since Evolution had so many tracks to play with, it might have been advantageous to release them more slowly.

Twelve-player online bursts with quick matchmaking, easy to search options, and almost non-existent lag. The track design really shines in this arena, especially with the new monster truck emphasising MotorStorm’s unique battling. Four player split-screen transports the brutal competition into the living room, and though the graphics are compromised, the frame rate remains solid. A screenshot function, trophies that reward you with lucrative extras, and in-game music complete the package.

If you’re looking for a competitive racer that’ll keep you and your friends entertained, this is it. Since every racer is your enemy and the Island’s elements your adversary, Pacific Rift has an intensity not found elsewhere. Although the single-player campaign has difficulty staying fresh, the MotorStorm magic is alive and well in this graphically spectacular and exquisitely designed sequel. Lunatics unite!

MotorStorm Pacific Rift Image Gallery – Click Here To View

MotorStorm RC and Unit 13 Announced For PSVita

MGS4 Demo on the PlayStation Store

Patrick Steen — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:04:00 +0000

It’s been a long time coming, but finally there’s a demo of Kojima Production’s Metal Gear Solid 4 : Guns of the Patriots on the PlayStation Store. The Japanese PlayStation Store that is.

We’ve had a history reporting on the possibility of a Metal Gear Solid 4 demo here at Ripten. PSW announced a demo to be released in February, despite the games Assistant Producer denying its existence a month beforehand and we were quick to correct PSW a week later. Everyone makes mistakes. At least that’s what we thought…

Konami have now released a beefy demo of Metal Gear Solid 4 on the Japanese PlayStation Store, weighing in at approximately 1400mb. For PlayStation 3 owners who haven’t bought the game, give it a whirl. For Westerners who missed out on the joys of the Japanese voice acting, why not give it a spin too.

As is outlined in my review, the game comes highly recommended.

[UPDATE] – The demo is also on European PlayStation Stores, so the probability of it making its way to the US is reasonably high.

[UPDATE 2] – The Official PlayStation Blog has confirmed that the same Metal Gear Solid 4 demo will be available on the US PlayStation Store.

LittleBigPlanet Review

Patrick Steen — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:13:55 +0000

In shock from scandalous accusations, Sackboy slowly saunters from the shadows and into the spotlight. As indulgent as that alliteration might be, there really aren’t enough words to adorn LittleBigPlanet. I asked whether the game could live up to the hype last month, which is ultimately for you to decide, but in my opinion LittleBigPlanet has launched itself into a whole new stratosphere of excellence.

So what’s changed since the Beta? Now on Blu-ray, the textures have more pop, the art more polish, and the tutorials shine in high definition. This gives me a good opportunity to describe the even more beautiful LittleBigPlanet. Graphically, the game is a reality that’s been put through a mangle and reassembled in miniature. Like a mass Blue Peter make, the toilet rolls, yoghurt pots and tinfoil that once created Tracey Island now form Sackboy’s playground. Stuck together with glue rather than sticky-backed-plastic, the variety of real-world textures that shape disparate environments is nothing short of inspiring. Some of the best lighting and shadowing continue to stretch the realism, along with lovingly applied motion blur to give the impression of being filmed.

You’ll travel eight diverse worlds in the story mode, where 25 main levels and approximately 35 mini-challenges await Sackboy. The premise of the narrative encompasses every portion of what the game stands for: Creature Curators tend LittleBigPlanet’s creations and as they share their wares with the nomadic Sackboy, their creations start to go missing. The culprit lies at the end of jumps, swings and puzzles; Sackboy will have to use all his talents to free the Planet. The plot’s delivery is misty, mainly due to the eschewing of Stephen Fry’s narration in favour of short episodic text, but it does have a certain charm and becomes clearer as the game advances towards a spectacular finale.

The levels themselves glisten with Media Molecule’s creative juices, demonstrating what can really be achieved with the games creation tools as they grow in ingenuity. It must be noted that LittleBigPlanet is not the carefree cakewalk you might expect. Most levels rely on a solid grasp of the controls and when it comes to Sackboy’s physics based jumps, common sense. You’ve never seen a real-time physics system as inclusive as LittleBigPlanet’s and so leaping from a springy platform might require trial and error. Yet, Sackboy is not an uncooperative lump of floaty stuffed cloth: once you understand LittleBigPlanet’s rules of movement, he is but your faithful puppet.

Adding three planes of depth was a work of brilliance, resulting in more complex traversals that brim with originality. However, this depth can cause tricky situations if you’re not well versed with the controls, which is especially problematic when online creators neglect to take care of the planes. Nevertheless, LittleBigPlanet is in a relatively comfortable space between 2D and 3D and with plenty of spawn points to help Sackboy through his trials, you’ll rarely need to restart a level unless you’re targeting the perfect run.

At every hop, skip and jump your mind will be intrigued by contraptions you’ll want to create for yourself. And with a canvas begging for Sackboy’s toolbox, you can. The easy to navigate Popit Menu holds the tools and after Fry’s help you’ll be popping out levels to your hearts desire. The menu bursts with materials, lights, music, bolts, pistons and will grow as you traverse the story mode. This is why collecting bubbles is so addictive for the Sackpeople – it brings them closer to discovering that next sticker, decoration or object to include in their own creations.

Create is LittleBigPlanet’s revolution. In stark contrast to the traditions of console gaming, LittleBigPlanet’s expansive and easy to use creation tools surpass anything similar you’ve experienced before. Moreover, since every object is physics based, your tweaking can create a dynamic living level that can be tested immediately by switching to Play Mode.

Nevertheless, some of my complaints from the Beta remain. The rules of gluing remain a mystery: sticking objects together is relatively simple, but when it comes to ungluing one particular object, you might find every item in a structure un-sticks, resulting in collapse. A similar conclusion occurs if you neglect to give your structure sufficient support – under the strain it will overheat, causing sections to spontaneously combust. These rare and solvable problems (use floating dark matter for stability) aside, LittleBigPlanet’s talent for creativity conjures something very special – an imaginative concoction that gets your creative juices flowing and fills your belly with tasty levels of your own design.

It’s in the discovery of others levels that stand LittleBigPlanet in good stead to last years of player input. Sackboy’s smile may eventually tire, but the Planet will keep on giving. This game is meant to played online (questioning the efficacy of a recall when an online patch was available) with a solar system of levels, ranging from nostalgic remakes and classic platformers, to eccentric dabblings and video game theme tunes. All are ready for your exploration, which is particularly gratifying when you’re not one for creation yourself. Why create when you can play, play, play?

Levels can be voted and commented on and tagged with praise or damnation. It’s a youtube of gaming that crowns the best levels. At least, that’s the intention. Teething problems have rendered the sorting comparatively fruitless, but if you find a gem, heart it, comment and invite your friends to join in on the fun.

LittleBigPlanet’s catchphrase “Play, Create, Share” denotes a trilogy of descriptions that can only be possible in this console generation. A new PlayStation mascot is here and Sackboy welcomes both the casual and hardcore. Your family can express themselves with Sackboy’s emotions, and you can express yourself through complex creations. What’s more, you can all play together in seamless four player co-op.

Although the game is certainly not perfect, with a slightly eccentric create mode and online struggling to be lag-free, there’s still no escaping the fact that without LittleBigPlanet, you’re severely missing out. LittleBigPlanet wears originality on its sleeve, with a nagging Sackboy waving his popit about and screaming “I’m creative!” Shame on you if you don’t take notice.

[album=45]

LittleBigPlanet Controversy Makes BBC News

Patrick Steen — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:33:51 +0000

Mix Islam and entertainment to find the media lapping it up. Religious controversy sells, and even the BBC picks up on the trend.

We recently reported that LittleBigPlanet had been delayed due to its soundtrack featuring Qur’an references. It’s been a hotly discussed topic, some showing disgust, others sympathy. In the following BBC news clip Media Molecule’s Alex Evans explains how the matter was brought to their attention.

LitleBigPlanet will be available from the 27th October in the US, the 30th October in Japan, and the 3rd November in Europe. You can read my personal thoughts on the controversy in the comments section of our original report, with an extract here:

…Neither art nor entertainment should be censored for faith reasons, that is unless something is said which incites hatred. Not all Muslims find the combination of music and the Qur’an offensive, indeed there’s a whole genre of music doing just that.

The fact that the artist is Muslim is enough to illustrate that one forum poster saying they are offended by the use of words in a song which in no way attacks another human being, is not enough to justify the censoring of art or entertainment. If it offends you, don’t play the game. Or note that it offends you, and simply ignore it.

Since the national media, both the BBC and CNN, has picked up on the story, Chad Lakkis’ view that Sony was making a purely business decision could gain more significance. Perhaps Sony’s decision to recall the game was a publicity stunt to get LittleBigPlanet in the national media. It’s certainly a better tactic than buying a brief mention from British television presenter Jonathan Ross with knitted dolls that hardly resemble the lovable Sackboy:

LittleBigPlanet Delayed Due to Qur’an Misuse

Patrick Steen — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:16:38 +0000

In the past few hours there have been rampant reports of a LittleBigPlanet delay in Europe. Retailers have emailed customers who pre-ordered the game, telling them that the title won’t meet its 24th October release. Sony has now confirmed a worldwide delay, citing an almost unbelievable reason.

LittleBigPlanet has been delayed due to Qur’an references in one of the game’s tracks. The song, Tapha Niang, appears in the Swinging Safari level, showing the strength of LittleBigPlanet’s soundtrack as you climb the necks of giraffes in an African inspired level.

The album the track is from, Boulevard De L’independance, was released in 2006 by Mali artist Toumani Diabate and revered as a modern African classic. Diabate’s talent for Kora playing (a 21-string harp-like instrument) was described as “a magical ability to improvise scintillating runs out of thin air” by UK Newspaper The Observer and Tapha Niang itself, which you can listen to after this link or at his MySpace page, is a modern adaptation of a traditional piece.

The Qur’an references were brought to the attention of Sony by a PlayStation 3 owner who had early access to the game. The included quotations, which are currently unconfirmed, are said to include;

‘kollo nafsin tha’iqatol mawt’, or ‘Every soul shall have the taste of death’

‘kollo man alaiha fan’, or ‘All that is on earth will perish’

The forum poster, whose identity will remain unknown, continued to state;

We Muslims consider the mixing of music and words from our Holy Qur’an deeply offending. We hope you would remove that track from the game immediately via an online patch, and make sure that all future shipments of the game disk do not contain it.

We hope you act immediately to avoid any confusion and unnecessary controversy, and we thank you for making such an amazing game.

Considering Diabate is a devout Muslim, as reported by the Taipei Times, the complaint is even more puzzling. Whether all Muslims find Qur’an quotations in music offensive is not a question I can personally answer, but there was a similar controversy in the 1980′s when Brian Eno and David Byrne removed a track titled Qur’an from their album My Life in the Bush of Ghosts.

It’s debatable as to whether Sony should have made the decision to delay the game subsequent to including a two year old song by an African Muslim artist. However, after the controversy over Danish comics including the Prophet Muhammad this could have been a PR disaster for LittleBigPlanet. SCEE released this statement;

During the review process prior to the release of LittleBigPlanet, it has been brought to our attention that one of the background music tracks licensed from a record label for use in the game contains two expressions that can be found in the Qur’an,” admitted the company in a statement.

We have taken immediate action to rectify this and we sincerely apologise for any offence that this may have caused.

Media Molecule have already created a day 1 patch for the game, but in a strange turn of events, Sony have decided to replace all current discs so as to support those without internet access. This will be especially costly, since many US retailers have already broken the game’s release date. Media Molecule writes;

We learnt yesterday that there is a lyric in one of the licensed tracks which some people may find offensive, and which slipped through the usual screening processes. Obviously MM and Sony together took this very seriously. LBP should be enjoyable by all. So within 12 hours of hearing about this issue involving a lyric (in Somalian, I believe!), we prepared an automatic day 0 patch and had a new disk image ready; however a decision was made within Sony that the right thing to do for quality and support of people with no on-line was to replace existing disks. They assure us that they are doing everything in their power to get things straightened out as fast as possible, and will announce dates soon.

Some retailers estimate a delay until November 14th, but GamesIndustry.biz understands that LittleBigPlanet might not be pushed back quite so far. We’ll keep you informed.

[UPDATE] – Sony will begin to ship LittleBigPlanet copies to retailers in the US on October 27th. There have been no announcements concerning Europe as of yet. Source: PlayStation Blog

[UPDATE 2] – LittleBigPlanet should be released on October 31st in the UK and presumably the rest of Europe.

[UPDATE 3] – Sony has confirmed that LittleBigPlanet will release in Europe week commencing November 3rd, and more specifically, November 5th in the UK. MCVUK

September NPD: Xbox 360 Sales Spike

Patrick Steen — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:59:29 +0000

Microsoft weren’t going to break the old adage that ‘price cuts cause increased sales,’ proving their tactics correct with a near doubling of US console sales over August, according to the NPD group.

Apart from Nintendo’s Wii continuing to sell through the roof, Sony’s PlayStation 3 also saw a rise on its previous month, closing the Xbox 360′s lead to just over 100k. This month-over-month growth is despite an overall industry decline of 7% over last year; the first decline since March 2006. Still, September 2007 was the month Halo 3 broke records, accounting for an incredible 35% of 2007′s overall software sales.

Moving from hardware to software, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed shows the power of Lucas’ brand by topping the chart, also supporting our report that Unleashed is the fastest selling Star Wars game of all time. Wii Fit continues to vault off shelves, and Rock Band 2 shows healthy Xbox 360 numbers, promising much for its multiplatform release later this year.

Software Sales

1. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts, Xbox 360) – 610,000
2. Wii Fit (Nintendo, Wii) – 518,000
3. Rock Band 2 (Harmonix, Xbox 360) – 363,000
4. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo, Wii) – 353,000
5. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (LucasArts, PlayStation 3) – 325,000
6. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (Pandemic, Xbox 360) – 297,000
7. Wii Play (Nintendo, Wii) – 243,000
8. Madden NFL 09 (EA Tiburon, Xbox 360) – 224,000
9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Krome, Wii) – 223,000
10. Madden NFL 09 (EA Tiburon, PlayStation 2) – 158,000

Hardware Sales (5 week month)

1. Wii – 687,000 units
2. Nintendo DS – 536,800 units
3. Xbox 360 – 347,200 units
4. PSP – 238,100 units
5. PlayStation 3 – 232,400 units
6. PlayStation 2 – 173,500 units

Microsoft should expect continual growth as we enter the holiday season, and at the magical $199 price point it might even be an attractive option during the current economic crisis.

Source: NPD, via NeoGAF

LittleBigSlimShady

Patrick Steen — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:34:25 +0000

Hey LittleBigEminem! We like fusing words together too! AwayWithSpaces!

The LittleBigPlanet Beta brought us many innovative creations, but none as endearing and hilarious as this little ditty. Sackboys and girls: put on your costumes and get ready to sing, dance and rap! Their music taste is eclectic, their moves electric.

This is what you can achieve by conjoining Sackboy emotions, Sixaxis hip wobbles, analogue stick arm jiggles, and voice-chat lip sync. If only we had rhythm like Sackboy.

Directed and edited by Jemimaru. Staring Sackboy Jemi-maru, Sackboy Sniper_Amer and Sackgirl Yomiku.

To read up on my LittleBigPlanet Beta impressions, please follow this link.

WipEout HD Review

Patrick Steen — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:20:19 +0000

Health regulations held it back, but in the end nothing could stifle the return of WipEout; the futuristic racer accentuated by unnecessary punctuation. Gorgeous Britishness and stunning presentation underscore the virtues of this high definition remake.

And a remake it might be, but WipEout HD’s graphical prowess places it on a pedestal far from the reach of the PSP renditions it borrows tracks from. This is one stunning racer. Don’t believe me? Have a butcher’s hook at the vast gallery below, where you’ll find examples of what you can capture yourself using WipEout’s extensive photo-mode.

You’ll be snapping pictures of supersonic 60 frames-per-second racing on a selection of distinct tracks, such as the clinical cityscape of Ubermall, or the clouded serene skies of Sol 2. The textures are sharp and detailed, environments expansive and varied, and the lighting gives the whole scene a glorious crispness. In this high definition landscape, ships pop out like real life models suspended in a meticulously painted world.

From the minimalist styles of the main menu comes three choices; Campaign, Racebox and Online. The meat of the game can be found in the Campaign, where 8 grids of increasing racing goodness can be found. As you progress medal and PSN trophy hunt, tracks, vehicles and ship skins will unlock; unearthing a cornucopia of content for a downloadable game priced at a meagre £11.99/$19.99.

Each grid comprises a veritable honey comb of single races, time trials, tournaments and zone mode. Though apparently muted due to epilepsy concerns, the latter is a WipEout classic made beautiful. Stripping the geometry of detail, zone mode instead paints the world in colours that vibrate to the music and change palette in a supersonic sweep whenever you effectively pass zones. The goal? To travel as far as possible at increasing speeds before your ship explodes due to the escalating scrapes and crashes you’ll endure.

Your success depends on skilful driving, exercising the analogue sticks to steer and R2/L2 as route sharpening airbrakes. Motion sensing does make an optional appearance, whether to steer or pitch your craft, but as intuitive as this is, nothing can beat the responsiveness of retro pressure sensitive analogue controls.

Where speed is your enemy in zone mode, it’s your friend elsewhere. Time trials are self-explanatory, consisting of careful route planning to meet every boost pad possible. More excitement comes when you’re pitted against A.I. crafts in single races and tournaments, where a healthy helping of weapons are gathered from the track. Whether you’re shooting, draining enemy energy, dropping mines, or blasting an earthquake to destroy those ahead; you‘ll have to suffer similar thwarts from enemy craft. The visuals, responsiveness, framerate, and even the sultry received pronunciation of the female announcer, all help make these racing battles a truly epic experience.

As is common in the series, the speedometer and intensity of combat reaches new dimensions when you advance the Campaign, but this might just be one of WipEout’s disappointments. Ultimately you’ll be racing the same time trials on the same tracks, operating vehicles whose speed is only relative to your current Campaign position. The gameplay certainly becomes more addictive and volatile until your eyes burst from the kilometres per hour, but new weapons or modes would have made the game feel progressively fresh.

Still WipEout HD is a generous package, with more than the Campaign on its side. Racebox is your arcade fix, empowering you to mould your own racing challenges and letting you embark on local multiplayer. However, with both the screen and framerate chopped in half for two player split-screen, it’s not quite as blissful as the good ole single player.

Originally borked (but since patched) for those blessed with more than 50 PSN friends, online multiplayer is both effortless and unremarkable. Up to eight players can duke it out in single races or tournaments: but that’s your lot. No other challenges come your way; not even the Eliminator mode present on the PSP. Then again, online is as visually arresting and responsive as the single player and we have it on very good authority that new tracks and even modes are on the way via downloadable content.

WipEout HD doesn’t stray from gameplay traditions, but it’s now refined and tightened to Formula 1 standards. Evolution rather than revolution might be the case, but this is an easy pill to swallow for a conservatively priced downloadable game. This time the title is encrusted with more than just crazy capitalization, now stating the obvious; HD. But the high definition visuals are what launches WipEout into this generation. And when you do eventually pull yourself away from its hypnotic universe, like Amy Winehouse going cold turkey, you’ll be overcome by uncontrollable shakes, a numbed mind, and a burning desire to inject yourself once more.

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Could LittleBigPlanet Live Up To The Hype?

Patrick Steen — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:48:50 +0000

You may have stumbled across crazed individuals rushing to get their hands on the LittleBigPlanet Beta. Video gaming websites have excitedly offered beta codes, with the stampede bringing some servers to a crawl. I’ve had the beta for a number of days now and I’m pleased to announce that LittleBigPlanet may well be the revolutionary game it always hoped to be.

Play

Opening with the sequence above, the LittleBigPlanet Beta beams with a rare charming style that can only be enhanced by Stephen Fry’s narration. This charisma permeates into the now celebrated Sackboy/girl – your lovable digital guise. The d-pad controls four Sackboy emotions; happiness, sadness, fear and anger – all expressible in three degrees of severity. Motion controls join forces by controlling Sackboy’s head, or with a click of R3, his hips. Now you can grimace at your fellow Sackboy/girl and show your frustration by waving his arms independently with a press of R2 and L2 and a rotation of the analogue sticks. Or simply slap your friend to the ground with a flick of the stick. This expressiveness successfully creates a compelling connection between local and international players.

When it comes down to the playing itself, LittleBigPlanet doesn’t disappoint. Although early levels act as simplistic tutorials, the controls are effortless, responsive and nowhere near as floaty as videos may suggest. Variety is added to gameplay with three planes of depth, though Sackboy might become confused as to which plane you want him to jump to. Still, LittleBigPlanet appears to have everything a classic platformer needs: responsive and simple controls, deep gameplay and, perhaps a first, expressive characters.

Create

LittleBigPlanet buffs up to a brighter sheen when you venture into level creation. Even with the beta’s limited toolset, the possibilities are already endless. Stuffed with easy to use switches, bolts and strings, you can create any vehicle, contraption or obstacle imaginable. Inspiration can both be garnered from the single-player levels (there will be over 50 in the full game), player made levels and your own noggin. Stephen Fry’s tutorials help you understand each tools function (apart from the ‘spring bolt’ tutorial which sees Fry adopt Japanese), but in the end, trial and error will be your most valuable instrument.

In truth, the options can be daunting at first, but once you embed yourself in creativity, your mind and LittleBigPlnaet intertwine. Here is where Media Molecule’s game could become a veritable revolution. It successfully hones into the artistic part of you that lets you improvise solutions and mould creations that work to your satisfaction. Usually limited to the Arts, or those lucky enough to be employed to create, LittleBigPlanet empowers everyday console owners to experiment – and the host of user created levels in the beta are testament to that.

This isn’t to say there aren’t problems with creation in the beta. For instance, when you’re given the ability to stick and unstick items, there are times when more than one item comes unstuck, leaving your creation to tumble and fall. Often your level will overheat as it grows, causing pieces to disappear under the strain. If this instability is present in the final games it could easily deter many wanting to create the epic levels we’re so looking forward to.

Share

Though often plagued by lag in the beta, sharing the experience with four other players works a charm. Co-operation joined with a competitive streak to grab the most bubbles (LittleBigPlanet’s currency) is a unique proposition, but one that succeeds between both friends and strangers. Then again, if another player doesn’t play ball, you could always show your anger by giving ‘em a slap and covering them with googly eyes.

The community has certainly been one of Media Molecule’s priorities. Being able to share your creations with other sackboys and girls, you’ll be hoping your level will be highly rated and become encrusted with a bunch of positive comments. Though not available in the beta, you will also be able to vote using a 5-star rating system, akin to youtube, all helping the community discover the very best levels.

And the quality and quantity of the creations has improved day upon day, with creators sharing their contraptions for other sackboys to use themselves. It’s almost a revelation to experience the multitude of concepts being visualised on screen, so to give you an idea of the vastness of LittleBigPlanet we will be posting our top ten Beta levels later in the week.

There’s huge potential for LittleBigPlanet to surpass our expectations. The Beta has already proven to be enchanting and even awe inspiring, with the easy to use tools creating dragons, calculators, rocket cars, and much more. Entertaining gameplay, a lovable mascot, and endless levels to enjoy with your friends – LittleBigPlanet could stir up an inspirational storm when it launches on October 24th.

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Hydrophobia: Radical Technology, Profound Narrative

Patrick Steen — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:46:08 +0000

Who’d think the developer who brought us snooker sims could also bring us a game as technologically exciting and narratively intriguing as Hydrophobia. Blade Interactive are the folks to do so, who had a successful yet muted showing at this years E3.

Featuring a real-time fluid dynamics engine, in Hydrophobia water isn’t only there to be pretty, it’s there to either aid or obstruct: water is your friend and foe. In a new interview over at PS3Attitude, Blade Interactive’s Rob Hewson and Pete Jones reveal the game’s exciting cover system that allows the lead character, Kate Wilson, to shoot from moving objects floating on water:

Floating cover gives you a platform to shoot from in the water, but you can also duck your head beneath the surface to hide from Malthusians as you float down stream… of course Kate can’t hold her breath forever.

Game designer Rob Hewson continues to describe how they managed to get such a complex gameplay system to work:

We are using an excellent procedural animation system and that really helps the situation because there are so many different kinds of floating cover, and Kate has to be incredibly agile in the water around floating cover. With the water being completely dynamic, a traditional animation system would not have given us the scope and flexibility to achieve what we have done.

Being driven by technology, you’d think the game’s narrative would be left wanting. Thankfully this is not the case, with Blade Interactive concentrating heavily on its story to avoid disappointment. Hydrophobia is set in a dystopian future where water levels have risen so much as to drown much of the world’s cities. This flood breeds poverty and human rights drown in a sea of desperation.

As Kate Wilson, a Security Engineer onboard a floating city home to the powerful and wealthy, you must fight your way past Malthusian terrorists (named after political economist Thomas Malthus who predicted population growth to eventually outstrip agricultural production) and escape the sinking supership they bombed. Rob Hewson elaborates on the importance of having a credible narrative:

Hydrophobia has its own heart and soul, when you pick up the game we want you to get the feeling of discovering a brand new universe, not fighting yet another improbable alien invasion, or facing off against the Nazis yet again… we want you to think wow, this is a world I’d never imagined before, and we want you to feel that it’s relevant to the world we live in today.

For the rest of the interview please follow this link to PS3Attitude, where you can read up on the game’s story, philosophy, and neo-Malthusian terrorists who have no regard for human life: “Save the world, kill yourself.”

Ripten Review: Hydrophobia (XBLA)

Eight Days: The Lost Development Footage

Patrick Steen — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:05:37 +0000

Remember Eight Days? Sony London’s cover shooter that was making waves in 2005? Come early 2008 we believed the game was entering full production. Come mid-2008, the game was cancelled and later replaced with…EyePet. Now all that’s left of Eight Days is the lost development footage found floating on youtube.

The game’s supposed Animation Director has uploaded a test level demonstrating the game character’s basic navigation. The animation system is clearly impressive, being fluid yet responsive and even displaying similarities to Naughty Dog’s Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Sadly, this developer was none too pleased with the game’s cancellation:

The London studio decided to shift its focus from ‘hard core’ games to ‘lifestyle’ games and [...] Eight Days did not fit into the budget for the next financial year.

To be honest, it would have been easier to accept it’s cancellation if the game wasn’t very good.

Sigh.

[youtube width="480" height="378"]http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=KqKGyU2s1R8[/youtube]

WipEout HD Officially Dated

Patrick Steen — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:20:47 +0000

We said WipEout HD should be released by the end of the month and we were right. The download only game will be available globally on September 25th.

Consisting of 8 reversible tracks, 5 game modes, 8 player online, 2 player split screen, custom soundtrack support and 38 trophies, WipEout HD promises much for a tasty price ($19.99/£11.99).

Already looking like a critical success, Sony Liverpool’s futuristic racer could be worth all the effort.

Sources: PlayStation Blog and Eurogamer

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UK Doctors: Wee for a Wii

Patrick Steen — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:34:49 +0000

A campaign launched earlier this year by the UK’s National Health Service has picked up pace, now targeting the country’s universities. The initiative ushers young people to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases by offering a Nintendo Wii for their…wee.

Working on the predictable pun, UK doctors hope to make a dent into the 10% of sexually active 15-25 year olds who have a Chlamydia infection. Though it can lead to infertility, this STD is easily cured, as illustrated by Michele Presbury, Chlamydia screening coordinator for NHS Lincolnshire:

The test is simple – a urine sample for men or a vaginal self-swab for women – and treatment is by oral antibiotics so it couldn’t be simpler.

The ‘A Wee for a Wii’ campaign will pick up steam through its presence at University Freshers’ Fairs, offering the chance to win a Nintendo Wii for a simple teSt. So far the response has been positive, with one student displaying the stereotypical carefree attitude of young people:

I probably wouldn’t get tested if there was no incentive. But if you could win a Wii you’d probably do it even if you weren’t at risk.

All signs point to a successful campaign. At least, more successful than the “Hold Your Wee for a Wii” radio competition that left a Californian woman dead from water intoxication.

Source: thisislincolnshire.co.uk