http://www.ripten.com Sun, 11 May 2008 21:32:59 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en-us Here are two new screenshots of the upcoming Banjo Kazooie 3 which at present is on track for a Christmas 2008 release. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/11/new-banjo-kazooie-3-screens/ EA have been taking a few not-so-subtle strides in recent months regarding their desire to take over the world buy Take-Two. After being turned down several times, they don't appear to be taking no for an answer, instead securing a loan of one billion dollars to help with the ... http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/11/ea-gets-serious-about-buying-take-two-gets-a-1-billion-loan/ As a huge fan of the original SOCOM and SOCOM II, I was ecstatic to hear that new developer Slant Six (maker of PSP title SOCOM: Tactical Strike) are focusing on a close-quarters, tactical combat gameplay for the upcoming online shooter, SOCOM: Confrontation. With a complete overhaul of the game and ... http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/10/socom-confrontation-preview/ Children running to their nearest GameStop to buy GTA IV should think twice. A recent survey conducted by the Federal Trade Commission revealed that overall, 80% of underage shoppers were denied purchase of M-rated video games. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/10/ftc-survey-children-increasingly-unable-to-buy-m-rated-games/ Are movie games on the up? Though Iron Man's outing on consoles may be a bit of a miss, The Bourne Conspiracy is promising, as is Kung Fu Panda: The Game. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/09/hands-on-kung-fu-panda-the-game/ Comic book hero games are a curious thing. Tied in more often than not with a summer blockbuster movie release, these games normally suffer from being an afterthought, made to cash in on the whole summer blockbuster experience. Although Iron Man does struggle under its own weight, it’s Sega who must ... http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/09/ps3-review-iron-man/ A rumor has surfaced that quieter Xbox 360s are on the way, as IBM and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. have been assigned to manufacture new chips for the system. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/09/quieter-xbox-360s-incoming/ A developer post on Bizarre Creation’s forum has confirmed that they will not be creating any more DLC for PGR4. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/09/no-more-pgr4-content-from-bizarre/ The first bit of Gears of War 2 gameplay that we are to be treated to will be hosted tonight at 10:30 PST on 1UP's video outlet GameVideos. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/09/1up-to-host-gears-of-war-2-gameplay-tonight/ EA DICE has issued a press release announcing that enlistment for Bad Company will commence on June 5th for the Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/09/battlefield-bad-company-demo-available-june-5th/ Early bird warriors who wanted to be first to hack and slash through Hyboria get another perk. Registration is open for those who have pre-ordered Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, which is due out May 20th. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/09/registration-for-age-of-conan-pre-orders-open/ A deal has been signed between Universal and Take Two to turn arguably one of last year's greatest games, into a film. The movie is to be directed by Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski, whose previous work includes The Ring and The Weather Man. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/09/bioshock-movie-to-be-directed-by-gore-verbinski/ After two long years since the last Fight Night, Electronic Arts recently announced that EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 is in development at EA Canada. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/09/ea-announces-ea-sports-fight-night-round-4/ Tell a few hundred of your brood, Starcraft is now available to purchase online! If you are anything like me, and I hope for your sake you aren’t, then you will be very pleased to learn that Blizzard has opened up digital downloads of some of its older titles directly from ... http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/08/my-god-its-full-of-stars-blizzard-store-offers-digital-downloads/ Fear not European’s, Sony is bringing the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Playstation 3 bundle to Europe on June 12th. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/08/mgs4-bundle-sneaking-into-europe/ When I picked up Obscure: The Aftermath, I saw it was a horror game but I wasn't sure what kind I would get. This game has a classic B-movie setting that was worked to death in the 1980s-- teenagers stuck in a very hopeless situation in a remote area ... http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/08/obscure-the-aftermath-review/ In a recent showing of their popular PC and Xbox 360 zombie shooter, Left 4 Dead, Valve’s Marketing VP Doug Lombardi let the world know that they weren’t developing a PS3 version of the game. However, he did leave hope that the game could be ported to the PS3.  http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/08/valve-%e2%80%9cwe%e2%80%99re-not-ps3-developers%e2%80%9d/ More Playstation Day goodies come crashing in from Evolution Studios.  In-game screenshots of the newly subtitled Motorstorm Pacific Rift.  No CGI here! http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/08/first-motorstorm-pacific-rift-in-game-screenshots/ Jeff Brown, EA’s vice president of communications, has responded to Bobby Kotick’s recent comment about his company stealing souls. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/08/ea-laughs-at-activision-stand-up-comedy-show/ Just concept art-- but check below for gameplay footage. Yesterday, at Sony Computer Entertainment of Europe’s Playstation Day Thingy, DICE showed off the first bit of real-time gameplay from Mirror’s Edge. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/07/mirrors-edge-gameplay-videos/ Win a Nissan! Not this one, but isn't it neat? Hot on the heels of the announcement that Gran Turismo 5 has sold 1.5 million copies came the announcement from Sony that, in conjunction with Nissan, they will be hosting a GT Academy with virtual and real life competitions to test ... http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/07/sony-announces-gt-academy-not-to-be-confused-with-the-other-gta/ Echochrome is one of the most interesting puzzle games to come out for some time. Both due to its amazing sense of style and insane level of difficulty.  Although each version of the monochrome puzzler (it’s on both the PS3 and PSP) sports 56 unique levels, Sony has announced more ... http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/07/echochrome-to-get-new-free-levels/ After concerns of online stability for the PS3 version of GTA4 were aired out online, Rockstar has formally responded with a patch that should fix what they claim are server-related issues. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/07/rockstar-releases-gta4-ps3-patch/ As seems to be the norm this console generation, not all games can hit that elusive 720p HD resolution.  First Halo 3, then GTA4 (PS3) and now the PS3 exclusive Haze. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/06/add-haze-to-the-sub-hd-generation/ Looking forward to shape-shifting? Grinding someone’s face into the sidewalk as you surf their body? Spearing poor individuals with spikes? Well, tough luck-- Sierra Entertainment has announced that Prototype will slip its 2008 release date and launch in 2009 instead. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/06/prototype-delayed-until-2009/ For the number junkies out there in cyberspace, SCEE's PlayStation Day is pumping out sales numbers like Mardi Gras beads, and you don’t even have to take off your shirt to get your hands on em. (I suppose you could, if that’s your thing.) http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/06/sony-brags-up-sales-figures-ps3-outsells-360-in-europe/ Back in March we gave you an insight into what can be expected from Haze, the new FPS from Free Radical. Now you can see what you think with the demo going live on the Playstation Store today. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/06/haze-demo-now-available-for-download/ We have the first off-screen capture of Resistance 2 gameplay from Sony's Playstation Day.  The shot shows off the new Redwood Forest level. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/06/first-gameplay-image-of-resistance-2/ Though we will get juicy new info and possibly footage of Killzone 2 today, Sony's Playstation Day also brings the sad news that Killzone 2's release has been pushed forward into 2009. http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/06/killzone-2-releasing-february-2009/ Jason Bourne readies his heat vision to take out a distant gunman. For super spies in training, or just bored Xbox owners on a Monday evening, check out the new Bourne Conspiracy demo, which has finally arrived on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo offers a brief chance to try out ... http://www.ripten.com/2008/05/05/bourne-conspiracy-demo-sniping-xbox-live/